"So you're telling me I can blow fire out of my butt," Natsu said slowly, a week after their return, "because of a practical joke?"
Igneel laughed nervously, shifting in his seat at their usual table in the back-to-bustling guild hall. "Well, Zeref was a newbie then! I didn't know how high in the ranks he'd gotten in such a short time. I'd mixed up this genetic serum that I thought would let me produce fire from organic matter without burning it, spent a long time on it… and it didn't work the way it was supposed to! I was pissed off and we always played tricks on the newbies. He lied and told me he was going to wash the windows with the stuff in the bottle with him, not inject it into an unborn child…" Igneel scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "I poured a little of his liquid out and a little of mine in so that he wouldn't notice, and he didn't. I just thought it might make the window start on fire and it would be funny, but I guess it kind of made you able to… blow fire out of your everything."
Gajeel and Gray were in stitches at this point, Gray snickering out, "Really special there, aren't ya, arsonist?"
"At least it didn't kill you," Igneel muttered. "Ah, Gajeel, here's yours…"
A majority of the files Levy and Gajeel had apparently collected were scattered across the wooden tabletop. Gajeel reached for his while the twins and Natsu rifled through their own. Lucy began to help Wendy search through the stacks for her own information, Grandeeny watching along eagerly.
"Anyway," Igneel continued, patting Natsu's head. "Porlyusica and Grandeeny have confirmed that you can't go into E.N.D. meditation anymore while in Dragon Force. Now you just get the fire, healing, and strength perks!"
"Yeah, but it might end up killin' someone on accident," Natsu told him, tapping his gloved hands along the wood. "I dunno how to use my own body anymore."
"It'll just take practice, Natsu," soothed Lucy before taking another sip of her black tea.
"Igneel, he kept track of the rest of our pranks!" Silver said as he flipped through is own folder, eating a churro across from his son. "Look, the time I filled the place with dry ice and the newbies were so dumb that they thought it was smoke and blamed you!"
"Well then, good thing I hid fireworks in your lab the whole next week," Igneel shot back with a smirk.
It seemed like Silver and Igneel were a second Natsu and Gray relationship when Lucy had observed them. (as if the guild could handle another) Silver had gotten an apartment and job at the local cabinet shop, apparently skilled at any sort of designing, much like his son. However, he was to be found at the guild nearly as much as the rest of the fathers and Grandeeny, due to how quickly he worked and seemed to enjoy all of them.
Especially Juvia. Apparently he'd been caught just yesterday helping her plan a wintery Juvia and Gray wedding.
"What does it say about your blood parents, Sting, Rogue?" Wesslogia leaned over the back of the bench. "I wanna find 'em and beat 'em up."
"No beatin' needed," Sting muttered, scanning halfway through a packet. "Teenagers that gave me up for adoption because they thought I'd have a better life outta the slums, and the adoption center sold me. They didn't know..."
"Mine too," Rogue said, glancing over at Sting's page. "Wait… yours look a lot like…"
"And we know we weirdly have the same birthdays…" said Sting, eyes widening. "Does this mean… are we actual twins?!"
Skiadrum frowned. "Well, that's why we called you guys twins when you were young. Did you think we were joking?"
"We thought you said that because we spent so much time together and were the same age!" Rogue told him, not taking his eyes off of the paper. "That's how it was with everyone, and now…"
"We're twins!" they cried together, hugging each other tightly in front of everyone.
Levy, perched between Lucy and Gajeel with a thick book in her hands, raised her eyebrows. "They look absolutely nothing alike."
Lucy laughed. "Aww, I think it's cute. Fraternal can look pretty different."
"Mine… well would you look at that," Gajeel said, voice uncharacteristically soft. "Dad… died in battle in the Middle East, and my mom died in childbirth…" He closed the file, staring at the table with the strangest smile. "So… they didn't give me up."
"Natsu?" Lucy leaned to peer over his shoulder. "You… find anything interesting?"
He did that thing he did when he was trying not to feel, that Lucy had memorized - the stone face, the shrug. "Pretty much like he said. Mom was some housewife and her husband a millionaire, I guess, even though they had Zeref when they were pretty young. She cheated with some guy she met at a party later on or whatever."
"That explains your tanner skin and your eyes are a bit slanted," Lucy noted. "Your dad looks a little Filipino."
"It says he's half, then half German, I think." Natsu squinted. "Man, I'm a mutt! Not any Fiorian blood in me - from the lady… apparently I'm Irish and Native American?"
Levy reached over and jokingly tapped his face. "'Dem cheekbones."
"Well?" Lucy pressed hesitantly. "What's her name?"
"Madeline," he grunted dully. "Mrs. Madeline Didn't-Want-Natsu."
Igneel grimaced, squeezing his shoulder. "C'mon, buddy. If she'd known you, she would have loved to have you…"
"Yeah, well she didn't exactly give me that chance, did she?" Natsu said roughly, standing up and pushing past his dad after throwing the file back onto the table. "There's 'mistake' scarred onto my back for a reason."
His friends all winced as the guild's front door slammed shut, breaking the handle. Natsu wasn't quite used to his own strength yet.
Igneel started to get up, but on instinct, Lucy tugged his arm back down. "He needs a little space for a while. It's a lot to take in, especially after Zeref. After about an hour, you can look for him, or he won't talk. I mean, not that he'll talk about negative feelings hardly ever, but a little."
"Oh, okay." Igneel instantly sat, eyes trusting with a smile at her before reaching out to Natsu's file.
Lucy was almost embarrassed at how things like this kept happening. Considering how Igneel had been absent through the point in Natsu's life where his personality had fully developed, he'd gotten in the habit of expecting Lucy to tell him what Natsu needed. She felt like it wasn't really her place, but she helped where she could.
"Ah, it's logged here how his pink hair was an accident with some experimenting in the tube," Igneel shared. "They're lucky that was the only side-effect…"
Lucy was antsy the whole hour in which Natsu was gone, itching to get to the hill in the forest where she knew he was… before she remembered. It would probably be Igneel that went to comfort him.
It wasn't a jealous feeling… but one of slight… loss.
But that wasn't right. She should be feeling happy for him.
And when the clock struck, Igneel seemed to have been waiting too, because he just looked over expectantly at Lucy.
She lowered her tea. "What?"
"Lucy," Igneel sighed bashfully. "I love him very much but… I still don't completely know him. I'd be willing to help, but you know how he works. I'll figure it out eventually, but for now… I think it might be best if you go to him. I'm already something he's trying to sort out in that frenzied brain of his."
Lucy smiled to herself. "If you think so. I'll be back with him soon."
The twilight was just settling when she made her way down the hill, careful not to trip on the decline. Summer was readily approaching, cooled grass tickling her feet through her sandals when she came to the edge of the forest. She frowned, puffing some hair away from her face. Well, she knew where he was, but how to get there again was another story.
It seemed the only way to find it was to get lost.
So she did, wandering around in the general direction that she remembered, humming as the twigs snapped under her soles and mourning doves cooed from their branches. She could see what Natsu found so calming about this place.
After taking a small detour to wade in the clearest little river, she finally came across the clearing.
Indeed he was there, sitting in front of the memorial stone and watching the last glow of the sun sink away.
"Hey, partner," she said, sitting cross-legged beside him.
"Hey," he replied with a crooked grin her way before gazing up towards the stars.
"Ready to go back?" Lucy asked.
"Nah." His hand came towards her, and she squeaked as he lightly pushed her back by the shoulder until she was laying down. Natsu flopped over beside her, putting his hands behind his head. "Let's stay here a little while."
"Okay." She laced her hands together over her stomach, eyes tracing the constellations she knew so well.
They laid in peace for a time. A silence that was comfortable as it was needed. Through the chaos, the overwhelming new of everything in their lives… Lucy could breathe here. It was just her and her partner as they'd always been.
"You get me," Natsu said suddenly.
"Hmm?"
"You always have, and now you do a lot." He turned on his side to face her, head rested on his arm.
Lucy realized what he meant. Her dad didn't want her. His mom didn't want him…
"You've always been forgiving, Natsu," Lucy said, keeping her gaze locked upon the heavens. "Giving second chances. I know she wasn't willing to give you a chance at life, and I understand why it would be so hard to forgive for that. But… maybe a person needs exactly what they refuse to give."
Natsu turned back to face the sky, hands on his lap. "You think I should give her a chance."
"I think you should do what you believe is right. You have the best heart of anyone I've ever met, and I will support you through any choice you make." Lucy reached over, lightly touching his hand.
"Thanks." Letting out a breath, he muttered, "I thought mothers were supposed to love their kids whether they knew them or not."
"They are," Lucy whispered. "She was scared, made a bad choice. Fear clouds all reason, and sometimes love."
"I'm not sure I wanna meet her if she's not as strong as you."
Lucy blinked. "Me?"
"I held a knife to you only a week ago," he said. "You didn't back away. Because you… you loved me, right?"
Her stomach flipped, heat filtering up her neck. "Yes. But… people change, Natsu."
He frowned. "Do you?"
Lucy knew instantly what he was asking. "No. I'm talking about your mother. Nothing about me… or how I feel about… things, has changed."
Sighing out as if in relief, he gave a single nod before digging around in his hoodie pocket. In the light of the moon, she saw him pull out his earbuds and playlist on his phone.
The warmth of the familiarity seemed to make the stars brighter. They shared the music, spiraling off into their own little universe as he picked up her wrist and kissed the scar.
Look at the stars
Look how they shine for you
And everything you do
Yeah, they were all yellow...
Lucy's clean ninja pants that went with her suit easily slipped over her waist and up over her shoulders, the light cotton brushing against her in the most soothing manner, and a tank top was pulled down over her torso. She was wearing the full black with her new blue belt displayed proudly on her hips. Ribbons of their colors tied in her hair. Levy, on the other side of the room, was brushing her hair back so that she could slide on her signature, flowery headband.
"Lucy, help!"
As expected.
With a sigh of amused exasperation, Lucy turned to the window with crossed arms at the sight of the boy inviting himself in. "Need your tie done?"
"Gramps says I need to wear it and not my scarf. Something about lookin' 'uniform'," Natsu huffed, holding out the aqua piece of cloth. He'd already haphazardly thrown on his jacket, buttons done wrong, and double black belt hanging loosely on his hips.
Putting the tie off to the side, she patiently undid his buttons and repositioned them to the right holes all the way up to his neck. The King's Black Knights had done a rather generous gesture, sending each of the guild ninjas a black, military blazer with gold buttons, the Fairy Tail emblem on one shoulder, KBK sign on the other, and an aqua tie to complete the guild color's match. A letter had arrived with the boxes of blazers, stating that they were to be worn for the award ceremony. While Natsu had turned down the KBK's offer, Lucy could tell he was still excited to have an outfit so similar to theirs.
Straightening the shimmering fabric, she slung it about his neck, putting his collar up as she began the knot. "Why didn't you ask your dad?"
Natsu tapped his fingers against his side. "He's actin' so proud of me all the time… I don' want him knowin' that I don't know how to tie a tie!"
With a roll of the eyes, Lucy finished, straightening her work and patting his collar back into place. "Oh, he wouldn't mind. You are obviously the sunshine of that man's life, and I doubt a tie would affect anything."
"Yeeeeah," he admitted, sticking his hands into his pockets and offering one of bashful puppy smiles.
She turned away quickly so that she wouldn't melt into a puddle, beginning to shrug on her own blazer and button it up. Frustration had been building up so intensely as of late-Natsu hadn't said anything. Anything at all about the times they'd kissed, when she'd told him she loved him… nothing. She'd figured he obviously need some time to recover and be with his father, but come on. Two weeks? Leaving her hanging?
Since she'd found out about the red bracelet, Lucy had been finally assured that he felt the same way, but now she couldn't help but wonder…
Was it all some sort of game to him?
Lucy knew he would never intentionally play with her feelings or use her as he'd said, but Natsu had never been the most perceptive. Perhaps he didn't realize what it all meant to her. Maybe… maybe he'd just wanted another Rite of Passage...
When she'd finished with her own tie, she spun back to face him. It didn't feel like she was able to help herself when she told him, smoothing out the straight fabric on his shoulders, "You look very handsome."
She heard Levy's muffled giggle from the other side of the room, and Lucy only paused to throw a stray sock at her.
At her words, he anxiously pushed back his hair. "Th-thanks. Em… you too."
"Glad I look handsome," Lucy said wryly. "Wardrobe goals, right there."
"Y-you know what I mean!"
"Natsu, you're smoking again."
Flushing, Natsu shook his head back and forth wildly, shaking out his hands as if to rid them of water. The smoke died away, thankfully before it could light his clothes on fire. When he'd been E.N.D., he'd been lucky that his pants remained for the most part intact.
There was a knock at the door, and Gray's voice shouted through, "If Lucy and Natsu guys are making out again, just keep going or whatever, but be down for the thing in ten minutes!"
"We're not making out," Natsu groaned, running a hand over his face.
"Don't let me be stoppin' ya," Levy teased, prancing out of the room.
"Levy, wait up!"
The ceremony was to be held in front of the guild hall, as it cost less to fly over some military and reporters than the whole Fairy Tail guild to Crocus. The three of them made their way down the stairs, not letting their uniforms stop them from sliding down the banisters.
Gajeel grabbed Levy straight off the end of the railing, making her laugh as he slung her over his shoulder. Lucy smirked at them both-Levy had had been forced to hold a meeting as the Rules stated to tell all the others about what was going on between her and Gajeel. Apparently he'd asked her out in the middle of the fight, and Lucy had witnessed them wandering off to town a few times already, likely on dates.
Well, it was about time.
Master, in his own blazer with a freshly trimmed mustache, ushered them out the front doors, frantically sorting them into a line. The most senior members stood to the left, going down by belt rank to around Lucy, Wendy, and Romeo. The dragon slayer parents and Silver got a place beside Makarov off at the farthest right.
The king himself, shorter in stature and a jovial-looking fellow, went along the line when it was time, pinning each of them with a golden badge embossed with Fiore's flag and king's seal. He'd shake their hand and move on, camera following closely. Lucy felt her own face burn under the pressure of such royalty-in her old life, she'd met many higher-ups, but never had she seen the princess and king so close.
Lucy glanced to the camera when the king finally approached her, reaching up to pin the badge over the upper left pocket. "Thank you for your devoted service to Fiore."
"It was my honor, your majesty," Lucy recited as she'd been practicing in her head for hours.
She expected him to move on, but he seemed to hesitate, squinting up at her more carefully. "I seem to recognize you from somewhere… would you happen to have known Layla or Jude Heartfilia, Miss?"
"I'm their daughter, your majesty," Lucy said, trying to keep her voice from shaking.
"Oh my, you're just the spitting image," he laughed. "Of all the members of the court, so to speak, your mother I remember to be one of the most kind and gracious women-God rest her soul. I expect she'd be so proud of you."
Lucy blinked rapidly, looking downward and back up. "Th-thank you, your majesty. That means a lot to me."
"You're welcome, Miss Heartfilia." He gave her a last smile before moving on to Wendy.
Most of the town of Magnolia had come to witness, along with the students of the school. That only made for greater applause when it was over, and they moved onto the Grand Ninjitsu Games.
They spent nearly half an hour questioning both Erza and Natsu and taking pictures, a long while on Team B, sparing some time for Lucy, Gray, and Wendy as well.
"The audience of GNG found your battle against Flare so cooool!" the reporter exclaimed, and Lucy backed up slightly.
"Em, thank you."
"This is your first year in Fairy Tail, correct? What made you want to join?"
"I, um," Lucy tried to remember different responses she'd daydreamed up earlier. "I really liked the familial atmosphere I'd heard of, and it was of course labeled the most skilled guild and advanced school… I thought I could have a good future here."
"Cool!" The blonde reporter scribbled something down, and she worried for the extent of his exclamatory vocabulary. "Now, why do you believe your master chose to put you on the team, as a newbie? How did you get so skilled in less than a year?"
"The master said he thought we all worked well together in the past," Lucy summarized. "I'm definitely not on the skill level of my peers, but I had a great sensei and support from my friends to get far in my months here."
"Is it true that Natsu Dragneel taught you ninjitsu and is your partner on jobs?"
She gave a nod. "That's right."
"And the fans want to know… is there some kind of 'more-than-partners' relationship brewing there, eh?" He gave her a nudge that she didn't appreciate.
"If there was," she said stiffly. "I doubt it would be anyone else's business, sir."
"Ooo, we've got a nice, fiery attitude here!" he cheered back, and she gave out a sigh. Why did she ever think it would be awesome to be interviewed, again? "And now, the recent events of the Tartaros attack… We've heard that you were the Keeper of the Keys that this mastermind, Zeref, spoke of. What were you thinking, going into the compound with such a small team? What all took place in there?"
"I'm afraid the details were deemed confidential by the King's Black Knights," Lucy apologized, "but I didn't doubt for a second that we would defeat them like any other of our enemies."
The journalist nearly combusted with excitement at this point, shouting, "Gah, this scoop is the COOLEST! Thank you very much, Miss Heartfilia!"
"No problem," she told him with wide eyes as he skipped away.
Natsu looked rather annoyed when she found him amongst the crowd, having been questioned for a while. A brunette lady was holding out a recorder, asking, "We heard you teamed up with the twin dragons and Yukino for the raid of Tartaros! Was there any conflict there after your battle the day before?"
"We didn't have time to disagree on much," he said, grabbing a handful of chocolates from the king's servant that was walking around with a platter. "All of us wanted the same things, basically, and this was a lot bigger than some sparring match."
"Much information has been leaked and rumors made… There are simply too many too confirm or deny! One of the strangest - there's some that say you were related somehow to the master of Tartaros, Zeref. What do you have to say about this?"
After blinking at her for a few seconds, all he did was shrug. "Sure. He's my brother. Total long lost thing, though. Didn't know he was until then."
"And you still fought and defeated him?!"
"Well he was gonna kill a bunch of people," Natsu defended with a raised eyebrow. "The twerp was asking for it. I just knocked him out for a while. Geez."
Lucy slapped her forehead - so much for confidential.
"The twin dragons!" she heard the blonde reporter yell out from behind her, and she spun to see him catch up to Sting and Rogue, who had been lazily resting on the lawn. Both were wearing the same blazers, seemingly unfazed by the Fairy Tail emblems stitched onto their shoulders. "All the coolest people are here! Now, I think the world is waiting to know - now that Sabertooth has been disbanded, where are you two and Yukino planning to go? You both have fathers now, though Yukino's father is back in Japan…"
The two looked at each other. Rogue raised an eyebrow - Sting frowned. Rogue narrowed his eyes at his feet - Sting breathed out. Rogue shrugged - Sting shrugged. They stood.
"I guess we'll make the announcement right now," Sting sighed, brushing off his pants. Lucy walked closer eagerly to hear, and she saw Natsu look over to listen in as well.
"Sting, Yukino, and I," Rogue told the camera behind the reporter, "after much deliberation, are going to accept Master Makarov's invitation to be members of the Fairy Tail guild."
From behind, there came a whoop, and Natsu broke free of his interviewer to run over and leap onto his younger cousins' backs. They actually laughed, tripping around and holding his arms around their shoulders.
"Now we have all the dragon slayers!" Natsu cheered.
"This is gonna be the coolest article ever!" the reporter nearly shrieked, grabbing the closest camera man. "If you boys would please gather up all the dragon slayers in Fairy Tail for a picture…"
The slayer boys grinned, (Well, Laxus and Gajeel glared broodingly in a slightly more cheerful manner, but that was as close as they got.) Natsu holding Wendy up on his shoulders. The next they took with the parents and Master Makarov, and after the last was taken, Lucy managed to hear Gajeel whisper to the twins, "Oh, I can't wait for your initiation act, punks…"
While Sting and Rogue found a shyly smiling Yukino to shoot more photos with, Lucy wandered off, relieved in how the royalty and reporters were slowly trickling away. Her eyes kept falling downward to her shiny pin with Fiore's colors hanging down like a medal. A medal of valor for what she'd done…
When she looked up, she saw Silver grasping Gray and Juvia by the shoulders proudly, Gildarts, hugging a struggling Cana, Wesslogia ruffling Sting's hair as he touched his son's pin, Skiadrum with an arm around Rogue. She saw Makarov talking with the most adoring smile to his grandson, Macao crouched down by Romeo, Metalicana giving Gajeel and Levy a simultaneous 'congratulations noogie', Grandeeny holding Wendy's face in her hands and gazing down upon her… Igneel, hugging Natsu close.
Lucy came to realized that her arms had come up to hug herself. Grimacing, she scolded herself mentally - she shouldn't be envious. She should be happy for her friends for finding parents, or some substitute. Besides, it wasn't as if Lucy was the only one without anyone there to say she was worth their time…
Erza had no one. Lucy was about to walk over and find her, distract herself with pleasant conversation, but she only came across Jellal holding Erza's hand as they strolled along the edge of the forest. Okay. So that had been a dumb idea.
The other members, Mira, Elfman, Kinana, Laki, Jet, Droy, Alzack, Bisca, Meredy, Reedus, Warren, Max, Naab, Vijeeter, Wakaba… all the ones she wasn't as close of friends to - they had already gone inside, celebrating together in a boisterous party that Lucy was not exactly feeling in the mood for. Instead, she quietly made her way around the side of the building, thinking of climbing up the wall to better block out the voice of her father echoing in her head.
Disgrace
Ashamed
Not worthy
Lucy climbed up the brick, past the first floor and heaving herself into her own room. There, she shrugged off her blazer and removed the pin, turning it over in her hands. She wondered if he'd see her on the news. Or if he'd give half a damn.
Easing open her drawer, she pulled out her stationary, only to pause as soon as she wrote the usual 'Dear Momma' at the top.
With a sudden noise of frustration, she crumpled the paper into a ball, chucking it at the wardrobe across the room. What was the freaking point?! Even if Momma did see the letters from heaven, it wasn't as if she could respond. It wasn't as if she could hold Lucy to her, tell her how proud she was or that someone cared. That Father loved her somewhere in his icy heart and Natsu wasn't just avoiding to spare unshared feelings.
No, there was no point. No one would ever look upon Lucy with those unconditionally loving eyes of a parent. But there was nothing wrong with that. Lots of guild members didn't have that!
It wasn't fair for her to be upset.
But she was.
Massaging her temples with a groan, she dropped her head onto her desk. Maybe if she wrote to her father. Maybe if he could just see that she'd done her best at who she truly was, done something good with her life…
Who was she kidding? Lucy wasn't the daughter he wanted, and she never would be.
And she was beginning to think… she would never be the girl Natsu wanted either.
With her cheek on her hands, her drooping eyes listlessly shifted to the window, where the sun was glaring too brightly and the birds chirping too happily. She'd finally gotten rid of the keys as her mother had wished. But in this moment… it hardly mattered.
She wanted to be proud of herself and for that to be enough.
She didn't want to need anyone to tell her. To look at her like that.
She did.
"Lucy? Sweetheart, it's dinner time…"
Moaning, she squeezed her eyes open and closed, slowly pushing her head up from her arms. Rubbing her face and peeking through her fingers, she realized she must've fallen asleep. Oh, she must look awful… she was pretty sure she might have been crying a little when she'd been last awake.
When she blinked upward at her visitor, she saw… Igneel?
"O-oh!" she gasped, nearly falling out of her chair. "R-right, sorry…" Lucy scrambled up, pressing her hands to her eyes and trying to straighten her hair.
It looked as if he'd been reaching out to tap her shoulder, but he drew back now, looking rather concerned. "Are you alright, Lucy?"
"Yep!" she said, voice strained from sleep. "I'm g-good. Totally… totally fine…"
"You disappeared there for a while," he continued, making himself at home and sitting on her bed. "Natsu's up changing, so I figured I'd get you…"
"Th-thank you, sir," she said quickly, scurrying to her wardrobe and rifling for a more appropriate outfit. "I'll be right down."
"Mhm." He seemed to be scrutinizing her, and she shifted uncomfortably before digging around for a pair of shorts. Lucy made it to the bathroom, doing a quick change and splashing some water in her face. When walked out, however, she saw Igneel smoothing out the crumpled paper she'd begun to write.
"Hey!" she said impulsively, snatching it away. "That's… um… oh my Mavis, I'm sorry!"
"No, I am," he said hastily, backing away. "That was none of my business. I, em, yeah. Sorry."
"No problem," she muttered, pulling on her socks rather violently. "Natsu does stuff like that all… all the time."
There was an awkward pause, before Igneel tried, "So… why do you always act so nervous around me? I don't mean to intimidate you somehow."
"I-I do?" Lucy laughed in what she knew was an unconvincing manner. "Sorry… I guess we're all just… getting used to each other."
"You want to make a good impression."
She stopped. "Huh?"
"Because of Natsu," Igneel explained. "Trust me, I do think you're a very nice girl, and he's lucky to have such a great girlfriend-"
"I'm not his girlfriend," she said stiffly, sliding into slippers. "I don't know why people say that."
"Oh." He was quiet again for a bit as she began threading a belt through the loops. Then, back against the wall, he winced when saying, "Are you two… fighting, or something?"
"No."
Igneel sat forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "I know I'm very new here, and you have no reason to suddenly trust me… but you seem like you need someone to talk to. I know your mother would want me to be there for you."
"Who knows what she would want?" Lucy muttered, leaning over her wardrobe with palms set on its top. "She's not here."
"Lucy," he said gently. "What's bothering you?"
"Nothing. Everything. I don't know." Running a hand over her eyes, she slumped over. "Nothing anyone can help, I guess."
"Talking can help."
"Or it can make you feel like an idiot."
At this, Igneel chuckled slightly. "You sound like Natsu."
"Yeah," she mumbled, glaring into her mirror. "I guess he's rubbed off on me."
"Are you angry with him?"
"No. He hasn't done anything wrong."
"If he hasn't told you how he feels… well, doing nothing can be as bad as doing something wrong-"
"That's just it," Lucy blurted, clenching her fists. "I don't want him to tell me. I don't want his… his apologetic rejection. It's better if it just stays this way."
Shadows had settled in the room, and she couldn't quite make out Igneel's expression. "You don't think he cares for you that way?"
"Of course he doesn't," Lucy muttered, chest burning. "He would have said something."
"He's not always the sharpest knife when it comes to stuff like this," Igneel cautioned. "You may need to just ask him outright. I know that's not true. Anyone can see it."
Her words caught in her throat, biting her lip. "You... you think so?"
"I know so." Lucy did see his smile as he stood. "Just confront him straight up about it. He'll let you know."
"Thank you," she said as he made his way to the door, but before he could open it, she told him, "I'm really glad that he found you. I've never seen him happier."
"Oh really?" Igneel mused. "May I again mention that smile he made when you came up and-"
"Noooo you may not!" Lucy squeaked, covering her face as he laughed. She rolled her eyes at him, crossing her arms. "I just… He deserves it. He deserves that look you give him."
Igneel tilted his head. "Which one?"
"The one where you love him and are proud of him." Her voice was quiet now-it seemed to barely fill half of the dark bedroom.
"Ah, that one," Igneel said knowingly. "The one your mother and father always gave you when I came over to your house."
Lucy knew he was trying to cheer her up, but… "Yeah. Speaking as one who won't get that again, I'm glad you're there for him."
Igneel's hand dropped from the doorknob. "Well… isn't your father still alive?"
"Yes." Lucy shot him her best attempt at a smile. "He's just, em, happier away from me."
"Lucy, I'm sure that's not-Oh Mavis, you're crying." In some sort of panic, Igneel rushed to her, grabbing her and petting her hair. "Don't cry! I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up and-!"
"You sound just like Natsu." She choked a laugh. "I'm fine…"
"You say as you sob uncontrollably-"
"I am not sobbing uncontrollably-!"
"Natsu says to hug you when you cry so that's what I'm gonna do until he gets his butt down here!"
When she managed to get more of a hold of herself, Lucy croaked into his chest, "He… he told you that?"
"The damn boy won't shut up about you. I think I know most of your life story and even his approximated time at how long you take in the bathroom on average. I dunno why he felt the need to mention that, but-"
The door burst open, and Natsu was standing there with his GNG shirt and a glare. "Dad! You're hoggin' her!"
"This is the first time I've ever touched her, Natsu, and you weren't here and she was crying-"
"Give 'er back," Natsu growled, causing Lucy to shriek slightly when he ripped her away. "Wait, she was cryin'? Why?!" he said, horrified, as he squeezed her so tightly that she had to raspily gasp out for him to loosen up. When he did, he began to babble, "You just ran away and Igneel told me to go change and I do whatever he says 'cause he's my dad and he totally stole my thunder and found you first and why are you crying? Did I do somethin' wrong? I know it isn't your birthday yet and I'm really, really sorry about accidentally lighting that one green sock on fire-"
"Natsu, chill-"
"Shh, I will rock you in a rocking chair and keep you safe from the universe okay so just forget about anything sad in the world and I'll give you sugarplums-"
"Don't you think this is a bit excessive?"
"-and anyone that made you cry is stupid and terrible and will burn in hell even if it's me because I actually am stupid sometimes and you are too precious for this world-"
"This is sounding very insincere-"
"-and sorry again for burning and stabbing you-wow, I did make you cry oh my Mavis please shank me-"
"Natsu!" she finally shouted, smacking the back of his head. "Shut up! You did nothing wrong! I just wish my dad would give a crap about me like yours does!" Now that it was all out, Lucy groaned, slapping her own face. "That's it, okay? I'll be fine-I just think about it sometimes. Let's forget about it."
"Let's not." Natsu's stare was hard. "That bastard don't deserve to have someone as awesome as you as a daughter. Here, I'll share mine!"
"Perfect!" Igneel boomed, throwing his arms around them both. "So, daugther in law-"
"We are not married-!"
"Hey, I'd rather marry you than be your brother," Natsu compromised, shrugging.
Little by little, Lucy began to smile. "Marry me, huh? Why is that?"
"W-well," he said, and she could almost see him sweating. "You… you'd be a terrible sister! Y-you'd be an amazing wife!"
"That makes no sense! You're a… a buttface and you'd make a great husband!"
"As if that makes more sense?! And who you callin'... buttface?!"
"You, Natsu Dragneel!" She pounded her fist into his chest, feeling a smug satisfaction. "You are a buttface!"
"Okay, that is it-"
And as he picked her up and carted her downstairs, tickling all the way, she knew… Everything would be okay. Eventually.
Eventually was too long.
There came a point near the end of April where Lucy had reached the end of her rope. The pauses where they'd look at each other and she knew he was thinking about the exact same thing, the random flirting that had built up over time, and his obvious avoidance of any time anyone teased them. Before, Natsu hadn't even blinked, but now, he'd get all up in arms, defensive over how absolutely nothing was going on between him and his partner.
Ouch, much.
Igneel and nearly fifty others had said Natsu obviously felt the same way, so Lucy wasn't going to let him get off easy. He was going to respond to her now or never.
After school, their group was walking together back into the hall as usual, but this time, Lucy hung back and grabbed Natsu's scarf at the last second, covering his yelp with her hand and tugging him into a side, dead-end hallway.
"Lucy!" he hissed, rubbing his neck. "What was that for?"
"We need to talk." Her intense stare made him back up. "I'm done with all this skirting around the issue. I need… I need to know."
"Um… know what?"
"I deserve to know!" she told him, and ignored how her voice was cracking. "I-I know we're best friends, but… but back in March, we… well, we kissed a few times and I told you, em, I told you how… how I felt about you," she ended in a mumble. "I-it's okay, totally okay, if you don't feel the same. I-I just… I need to know if you do. Please, Natsu… don't leave me wondering."
Lucy grimaced, waiting for his answer.
She thought the worst would be him muttering back that he only loved her as a friend.
She was wrong.
This was worse.
He said…
Absolutely nothing.
All Natsu did was stare down at her. His face was a clean slate, eyes only slightly wider as he stared unblinkingly.
It didn't take any words to stomp on her heart with ashikos on the boot.
"Natsu?" she tried.
Nothing.
He finally moved, ears perking up as he looked out the hallway to where Igneel was passing and looking over lesson plans. Suddenly, he took off and jumped his father. "Dad! I wanna show you this thing I designed today…"
Igneel didn't see her. "Oh yeah? What's that?"
The two walked on, leaving Lucy to gaze ahead of her uncomprehendingly. Rejection would have been painful enough, but now…
She wasn't even worth his time?
A sickening numbness spreading through her from the hurt boiling in her chest, Lucy slowly made her way from the hall and up to her room. She didn't have the energy to slam the door, pulling off her shirt and skirt to sit in her tank top on her bed.
"Lu?"
Levy was peeking into the room, eyebrows knitted together in concern. "Lu, are you okay?"
"Why is everyone asking that lately?" Lucy mumbled, rubbing her eyes. "I'm not a China doll."
"I know," Levy said slowly, lowering down beside her. "I haven't seen you look sad any other day, but when I saw you leave the hall just now I… Do you need to be alone?"
"No." Closing her eyes, Lucy dropped her head on her friend's shoulder. She could already feel the tears building up, and she murmured, "Is it stupid to cry over a boy?"
"Depends on the boy and the problem," Levy said, sliding an arm around her and pushing back a lock of blonde hair. "What did Natsu do now?"
"Nothing." Lucy hastily tried to stop a tear from wetting Levy's shirt. "He did nothing wrong…"
"Lu, tell me what happened."
She turned her forehead into Levy's shoulder, too ashamed to show her face. "I… I asked him. Asked him if he… you know. Felt the same or whatever. I mean, the bet was finished and stuff, but we still aren't… together. I wanted to know why."
Levy removed her glasses, petting Lucy's hair. "And what did he say?"
"That's just it," Lucy said thickly, hugging herself more tightly. "Nothing. He said nothing. It wasn't even worth his time. He walked away."
"He WHAT-?!"
"I'm so stupid," Lucy sighed, breath catching. "I'm so, so stupid. I can't believe I actually… I thought he might… I'm so stupid…"
"Lucy…"
"I should've known. I should've known this was just for some Rite of Passage and I was taking it all too seriously. Everyone else said he… but he doesn't, and… and I…" Lucy squeezed her eyes shut. "He's going to be awkward around me now. I've completely destroyed everything. I should have never told him. I never should have let myself feel this way and he'll never-"
"Lucy," Levy soothed. "There's nothing wrong with how you feel. I'm sure he's just a bit confused right now. You're best friends and you'll figure it out-"
"B-but Lev, he didn't even try to say anything," Lucy whispered with a groan. "Either he didn't care or… or felt bad about how he was gonna reject me. I just wish he'd get it over with…"
"That boy is not gonna reject you-"
"He probably thinks I'm an idiot." Lucy gave up trying to keep the tears off Levy's shirt-she didn't seem to mind. "For taking it all seriously."
"You know he'd never think that, Lu."
"I'm stupid."
"You're not."
"I want to stay in this room forever and curl up in a small ball and eat one of those tubs of ice cream and watch really terrible chick flicks."
"That is understandable." Levy gave her the biggest, most tender hug before sliding off of the bed. "I'm going to go to the kitchen and get you some of that ice cream, okay? Maybe you should take a nap."
"You're amazing."
"So are you, sweetie." Levy gripped her hand one last time before leaving the room.
Lucy heard a 'mew' from the left, and saw Happy treading along her windowsill.
"I'm stupid," she told him.
He only meowed again, but she was pretty sure he had agreed.
Gray didn't know why he kept sitting at the bar in the guild hall as if expecting a peaceful experience.
It always started out that way, usually with him making something. His dad was helping him with carpentry today, carving out certain parts of a wood sculpture together that they'd glue later. Juvia watched on contentedly, sipping a smoothie and watching the ocean through the back window.
Igneel sat with Natsu not far off, discussing some firework design or another, and Gildarts was trying to beat Cana at a single card game.
The culprit of the unrest was the unexpected part-it was Levy who came storming over, slamming down into a bar stool beside Natsu, and promptly punching him in the face.
Of course, with his new E.N.D. strength, it barely made him budge, but Natsu still looked reasonably offended, holding a hand to his cheek and exclaiming, "Wha… what the hell was that for, Levy?!"
"For being a douchebag," Levy growled. "Now leave. I wanna talk crap about you behind your back."
"Um, no!"
"I hear 'talk crap' about Salamander and I'm in," Gajeel said, appearing magically.
"If you won't leave," Levy huffed. "Laxus!" she called down the bar to the end, where Laxus was leaning against the counter and talking to the Thunder Legion.
Laxus raised his eyebrow and looked back at her. "What is it, pipsqueak?"
"Remember that one time I wrote a book report for you and you said you owed me?"
"Nope, but it sounds pretty accurate. Need a favor?"
"Yeah." She pointed to Natsu. "I need you to grab him, take him to his room, and keep him there."
"Are you kiddin'?" he scoffed, standing and striding immediately to her aid. "This is another favor for me. I owe ya two." He grabbed a protesting Natsu around the neck, swinging him up over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes in a lock hold. "C'mon, you little twerp. If you light on fire, I'll electrocute you."
"DAD, SAVE ME!" Natsu cried, but Igneel seemed to only watch in amusement.
"I'm sure you've got it covered, son," he sighed.
Gray finally shook his head, turning back to his sculpture, but Levy's tiny fist whacked on the counter so hard that his carver was jolted and sliced into his skin. "I'm so DONE with this!"
"What's wrong, short stack?" Gajeel said, lightly patting her head.
"Natsu and Lucy. I'm done," she growled. "They are just dragging this out and hopeless and you guys need to use that Bro Code of yours to do some sort of intervention, because this time, Natsu's obliviousness has crossed the line!"
Igneel grimaced. "Oh no. What did he do now?"
"Lucy asked him how he felt about her. You know, because she already confessed a while ago," Levy explained.
Gray put down his project, eyes wide. It was Juvia that leaned in and asked, "And? What did Natsu-kun say?"
"Nothing!" Levy screamed, and Igneel fell off of his stool at the sound. "He walked away from her without a word and made my best friend cry, and I will not tolerate his immature avoidance of his feelings!"
Igneel stood, hand spread out on the counter when he said in a strangled voice, "Nothing?! How could he do this to me?! I want that girl to bear my grandchildren!"
"And mine!" Gildarts added, sliding up a few stools with Cana to get in on the gossip. Gray rolled his eyes at their antics, sucking his hurt finger.
"Ugh, even I'm sick a' his wussyness when it comes to her," Gajeel grumbled, leaning his elbows heavily on the countertop.
"It is… strange," Juvia said sadly. "Fairy Tail does not seem quite right when Natsu-kun and Lucy-chan aren't acting like best friends."
"Levy is right," Mira sighed from behind the bar. "Usually I'd agree with Cana, that we should leave it be, but they are our friends and obviously need our help."
Even his dad was listening in by now. "You can't fix stupid," Silver snorted, rhythmically pushing sandpaper over the edges of the oak in his rough hand.
"You wouldn't possibly be calling my son stupid, now would you, Fullbuster?" Igneel said lowly with a challenging gaze.
"I don't see the problem in stating the obvious," responded Silver airily, ignoring Igneel and Gildarts' growls. " Natsu's a good kid, and he may be quick-witted in battle or other intellects, but how could any guy who doesn't respond to the advances of a girl like that not be an idiot?"
Gray smirk to himself. "Finally, someone who makes sense!" He lifted his hand to slap his dad a high five.
"So?" Cana pressed casually, stirring the little parasol in her frosted margarita with a lazy finger. "What are you boys gonna do about it?"
"Whaddya mean 'boys'?" Gajeel wrinkled up his nose. "You're not gonna help? This is feelings stuff."
"Lucy's done all she could," Levy said, pursing her lips. "I don't get what Natsu's problem is any more than you… maybe." She crossed her arms. "Don't you boys have anything in this Bro Code that I know absolutely nothing about that tells how to deal with problems like this? One of your meeting thingies?"
Considering how Igneel and Silver had only just joined the Brotherhood and gotten their marks, and Gajeel hadn't been in Fairy Tail for a full year yet, most of the counter now looked between Gildarts and himself for answers. Gildarts coughed uncomfortably.
"Well… we could start a meeting discussing violation of section two, article one. Then we could state further concerns and knock some sense into 'im."
"Physically," Gray assured Levy. "I'll continue your fine work and give him a shiner he won't forget for-"
"You will do no such thing, little Fullbuster," Igneel cut him off. "I'm sure this is just a terrible misunderstanding. We'll figure it out. How does one call a meeting, again?"
Gildarts waved in Gray's direction in the fashion of an invitation, and Gray let out a sigh. Pushing his tools off to the side, he hoisted himself up onto the bar counter and stood, shouting over the hum of the merriment in the guild hall, "SECTION TWO, ARTICLE ONE CODE VIOLATION AT A GAMMA RANK! STAT, LOCATION ONE HUNDRED!"
While there was usually excitement expressed when a bracelet or Rite of Passage was announced, a violation of the respect of a woman was the most serious misdemeanor that could be made, probably only rivaled by disgracing the brotherhood or guild.
Therefore at this, the boys all gasped, cursed, jolted upward in a panic, surely some of them wondering if it were them that had accidentally upset a girl.
Only Sting and Rogue looked vaguely puzzled, as if trying to remember what the section was about. The rest stood and seemed to form together in some sort of swarm that made its way in a thunder of footsteps up the stairs.
Gray stepped down off of the table. He wasn't quite used to this whole 'expressing affection' thing, but he gave it a try, lightly tapping Juvia's cheek. "See ya in a bit."
Apparently it was effective enough, because she squeaked, a dreamy haze coating her expression as she held the cheek he'd touched. Gray looked away and started up to the boys' lounge, Gildarts, Gajeel, Igneel, and Silver not far behind. Even the master jogged to the steps.
Laxus was more than willing, when prepositioned, to rip open Natsu's door and drag him down to the meeting kicking and screaming, where he was seated in a hard chair and put at the end of the table-the judgment seat.
When each boy was sitting forward in their designated chairs in keen interest, Freed stepped up to begin the meeting, and-
Gildarts let out a long suffering groan. "Can we skip the damn pleasantries and formalities? One of our girls is really, reasonably upset and we need to fix this as soon as possible."
Freed made the most sour expression at the suggestion, but with a nod from Laxus, he snapped, "Fine. But we will still be using the Bouncy Ball of Destiny to take proper turns. Bixlow, if you could record the proceedings."
Bixlow rolled his eyes, propping up a recorder so that he wouldn't have to type it all out and rather be a part of the action, Gray assumed. The sparkly ball was drawn out of Freed's bookbag, tossed to Gray for calling the meeting.
His fingers turned the rubber over in his hands, and he felt an amused smile emerge upon his face. He remembered the first meeting they'd ever have about Natsu and Lucy, and this would hopefully be the deciding one that would stop this ridiculous tension between them so that their friend group could run smoothly again.
Gray tossed the ball up and down once before beginning, "So, I'll cut straight to the chase instead of using the fancy lingo. Here's the situation that even the girls were begging us to have a meeting about." Pointing accusingly in Natsu's direction, he said flatly, "Natsu was a total douchebag, and when Lucy, the woman he gave a red bracelet to, confessed to him, Mavis only knows why, he ignored her and walked away. He did not respond in a manly fashion or consider her feelings, and one of our esteemed female members reported Lucy to be crying, obviously and reasonably hurt. I believe our brother needs not only punishment, but guidance so that this stupid love angst is over and Lucy doesn't hurt anymore."
"He didn't say anything?!"
"Man, I've never have a girl even look at me and I'd know that was a no no."
"But Lucy's so nice! I thought they were totally a thing!"
"You MORON!"
"Natsu, you piece of maggot-infested elephant shit."
"WHAT?!" Natsu protested, needing to be pushed back down by Igneel. "This stuff is none of your business! I wasn't tryin' to be a jerk—I was just following the code, and I didn't reject her or somethin'! I kissed the girl a few times. Isn't that enough?!"
Loke held up a hand to ask for the ball, and Gray tossed it. Loke sighed, adjusting his glasses before adding, "Firstly, it wasn't your turn to speak, Natsu. Second, you totally violated the code and saying nothing is almost worse than rejection. Kissing means nothing without confirmation to back it up. This is an issue for the entire brotherhood, considering how it is upsetting all of the girls in a ripple effect. Women are to be treated with proper sensitivity to their feelings."
Natsu's hand shot up, face red as if trying to hold in his urge to defend himself. Loke tossed over the ball with evident annoyance, and Natsu snapped back, "You guys are talkin' like I don't even care about her! What the hell was I supposed to say when she just asks how I feel like that?! The code states that love confessions must be given in a manly way, and I just didn't think whispering about it in a dark, old hallway was the most manly way to do it! Besides." Natsu was deeply flushed by now, shifting most uncomfortably. "How was I supposed to know what would happen after? Or what to do? Lucy… Lucy's my best friend! I don't wanna screw it up!"
Gray, along with the other boys, viewed him with various states of shock. It was Warren that voiced their unanimous thoughts. "Since when do you even think before you act?"
"Nice to know what you all think of me," Natsu grumbled with a roll of the eyes. "And it wasn't your turn!" Natsu waved the Destiny ball in his hands. "Look, I get your point or whatever. Like I said—you can't say I don't care! I think about this stuff for her!"
"Well, looks like you didn't think hard enough," Gray growled, giving his best freezing glare.
"Not your turn," snarled Natsu, chucking the ball at Gray's head. But Gray wasn't about to fall for that one again—he lifted his hand just in time to snatch the assailing object.
Gray really hadn't anything to say, and was relieved when he saw a hand raise. But when he turned… Igneel?
They'd had only few meetings in the few weeks he'd not said a word other than swearing himself in. With a nod, he tossed it—Igneel would, of course, speak on behalf of his son.
Igneel's deep voice was rational, compromising. "I believe the true problem here is that, when I read through this code, it states that such confessions must be made in a manly way, but never specifies what this way is. Natsu… Well, I haven't been here to help as a dad should." Igneel glanced his son's direction, and then back to the table, where he passed the bouncy ball between his hands. "This code has been his main guidance as he's grown up. How was he supposed to know how? Which of you has ever actually… been in his situation and succeeded? Feel free to speak up even if you don't have the ball."
The room fell dead silent, awkwardly glancing around at each other.
"Well," Max tried. "Master, Gildarts, Mocao, and Wakaba have been married… And Gajeel and Laxus have girlfriends."
"Em," all the adults shared glances, Gildarts voicing, "Yeah… and our wives… all left us."
With a unified wince, the boys then turned to Gajeel and Laxus. Gajeel raised his hands in surrender. "Don' look at me. We've only been goin' out for a few weeks, and the 'L' word hasn't ever come up."
Laxus didn't seem fazed. "You guys are making this a helluva lot harder than it has to be." He sat up, for once actually touching the table, forearms resting across it. "If ya know love the girl and not the idea of her, ya go up and say it. There's no special formula. Tellin' feelings isn't masculine or feminine—it's human. When we say 'manly', we mean honorable in the eyes of the code—not masculinity. The only unmanly thing you can do is say nothing."
"Natsu," Laxus sighed, crossing his arms. "I ain't gonna lie. What you did to Lucy was cowardly. You're one of the bravest kids I know. Whenever you do something of importance your way, it turns out alright. So do this your way. If the girl loves you, she'll love any way you say it. Say it like Natsu. Like a loud, fiery, forceful little shit." At the end of his speech, Laxus leaned back, face twisting into an uninterested expression. "This is all stupid."
It was Freed that spoke next, voice almost choked with emotion. "That was beautiful, Laxus."
"Shut up."
Most were looking to Laxus in utter fascination and astonishment, but Gray looked to Natsu. He was staring straight ahead, eyes tight and exhale deep. Gray had never seen Natsu afraid before.
And he couldn't help but grin slightly. Maybe that idiot would grow up after all.
"I have to do it today," Lucy said wearily to Levy the next morning, hands gripped around the hot of black tea. Steam swirled up from it's surface, spiralling upward to freshen her face with the smell of honey.
"Do what?" Levy inquired, leaning leisurely into Gajeel at her side. She was stroking Pantherlily while he curled up, purring, on the page of one of her larger volumes.
"Apologize," sighed Lucy. "I've got to apologize to Natsu for how I've been acting. Expecting something from him that he didn't want. I've got to tell him that he should just forget all of it and we'll be better again."
"Ooooh no you won't," Gajeel interjected out of the blue. "Not after everything we've… no. Stay there. Right there. Don't move."
Lucy slowly turned to him, brown eyes locking with red, she felt her stare burn into him, chest boiling. "Are you possibly… telling me what to do, Redfox?"
Gajeel visibly gulped, muttering to his girlfriend. "Make her stop. I'm tryin' to help."
"You shouldn't," Levy sighed. "She gets like this when she's grumpy."
"I am not grumpy," huffed Lucy, taking a sip of tea. "I am in distress."
"Well, he's right," quipped Levy, absently lifting up the kitten to turn the page before continuing. "You shouldn't apologize for him for being an asshole."
"He wasn't-"
"Oh, he was the very definition-"
"There he is," Lucy interrupted Levy's rant, seeing Natsu slide down the banister and jog over to the bar for breakfast. "I'm gonna do it."
But just as Lucy turned and took two distracted steps away, she gasped, running straight into Natsu, who had started walking her way.
"Oh! Um, sorry, I wasn't watching where, um, yeah, I gotta-" Lucy blabbered out hastily, but stopped at the look in his eyes. They were focused, hard, and narrowed - steady. Lucy noticed some of the boys muttering with grins, Igneel and Gildarts sitting together and seeming to have their eyes locked intently on their 'son'.
"Uh, Natsu?" she muttered, glancing either way and then back at him curiously. "Um, you okay-AH!"
In a second, he'd grabbed her hands, walking her backward so that she crashed into the table. He slammed her hands down on the wood behind her, entrapping her fingers underneath his own and leaning much closer to her than she was emotionally comfortable with. Their noses were inches from touching. Her feet were in between his, and Lucy felt rather faint at the position.
"Wh-what are you doing?!" she squeaked, trying to wiggle free.
"Lucy Heartfilia," he said seriously, dark eyes holding hers with overwhelming intensity. "I'm in love with you. You're in love with me. We should date."
She stared.
And stared.
Then…
"E-Excuse me?" she choked, barely registering Levy's gasp, Gajeel's coughing on his drink, Erza's smile, Mira and Cana's passing jewel back and forth, Igneel, Gildarts, and Gray all slamming their foreheads on the table in harmony.
"We're in love," Natsu repeated irritably, obviously losing patience. "We should date."
"I-but-what…?" stammered Lucy. "I don't get… You laughed at the very idea of dating me! And you thought dating was stupid! And then when I asked you, I wasn't even worth your time!"
It was then that she realized she'd been angry at him. For ignoring her, for leading her on, for the kiss, for the confusion… And it was all coming out now.
"I changed my mind! You're worth my whole life! I love ya and I wanna date ya. Now will you go out with me tonight or not?!"
Lucy's face was boiling by now and she felt like her innards were malfunctioning - heart stopping and speeding up, stomach swirling like a dragon slayer's on a tilt-a-whirl. "I-You absolute asshat!" If she could get her hands free, she would have punched him. "You lead me on and confuse me and kiss me and ignore me and now this in front of the entire guild?! What, you just expect me to jump on that?! Sure, I'm in love with you, but I've got standards!"
"Name 'em!"
"Be more considerate of my freaking feelings and don't do stuff like this in public and, and…" she trailed off, gulping, the weight of what he was saying hitting her bit by bit. He was still looking at her like that. Unwavering. With a tinge of… love. "And… don't… look at me like that."
"Like what?"
"Like… Oh, I don't know! It just… makes me feel dizzy, okay?!"
"Are you gonna date me or not?"
Her breaths hitched. She didn't hear anyone in the guild hall breathing either.
And right then, Natsu seemed to totally lose it, drooping his head and moaning into a mental breakdown.
"Look, they all thought I should tell you and I thought I should tell you and I don't really get half of this stuff but I mean I don't know what I'm doing and I actually want to marry you but we're seventeen and Igneel said I shouldn't say that when I asked him for help but I guess now I did and-"
"Natsu."
"-and you drive me insane so I'm pretty sure that means we should date or be together forever or something but every guy I asked individually said I should just make out with you but Igneel is the only one that doesn't have a secret vendetta against me so I thought it would be best to listen to him-"
"Um-"
"-and like we do everything together and you're comfy when you let me in your bed and I couldn't stand if you were with anyone else unless I mean it made you happy because I really, really want you to be happy but I'd like it better if I could make you happy-"
"I-I-"
"-but I really don't know I mean I figured you'd be mad at me either way because you just like to get mad at me but I like it better when you're happy with me except the fact that you're cute when you're mad because your eyebrows get all scrunched up and you're small so maybe sometimes I try to make you mad on purpose-"
"Natsu-"
"-and I know I'm not your type and I'll probably end up being a total shit boyfriend but I wanna try anyway and maybe you can give me a chance or somethin' even if I was wrong and you don't love me and I actually don't think kissing is gross it's actually really nice and I think you smell good and you make me happy and you make Happy happy so maybe we should just get married anyway or maybe I should just walk away and leave you alone-"
"NATSU, SHUT UP!"
He blinked, pausing in mid-sentence.
And before she could lose her nerve, Lucy blurted, "I'll go out with you."
"R-really?"
"Really."
"And, like, be my girlfriend and all that good stuff?"
"I'll be your girlfriend and all that good stuff."
"Oh. Okay."
"Okay?"
"Okay."
They stared.
And then he grinned. It was that huge, crooked, sharp-toothed, Natsu grin that she'd fallen for. He laughed, and hugged her tightly.
"The true nightmare is finally over!" Levy shouted, followed by laughter.
"DRINKS ON ME!" Cana cheered, and then the whole guild was clapping, whooping, shouting out. Lucy heard Jellal even strike up on his fiddle, causing people to begin to dance.
Lucy hid her face in her hands when she heard glasses start to clink on forks and some wolf-whistles. Natsu frowned. "Why is everyone doing that?" he asked her.
She sighed, shaking her head at all her friends. "They want us to kiss now."
"Sounds great to me!"
"Whoa, whoa, wait, Nats-! Mmph."
He'd pulled her close by a hand spread at the small of her back and one hooking around her neck, leaning down and doing as requested. The cheering only grew, causing Lucy to smile against him. Natsu tangled his fingers in her hair, kissed her with that fiery passion about him, and this time, when they were told to get a room, he cheerfully flipped Gray and Gajeel off before kissing her again.
Lucy suspected that this time, it was just to piss them off, but she wasn't about to complain.
Having Natsu as a boyfriend was like having an ultra deluxe, romantical best friend.
It was just… fun. And right.
Each morning was the same as it had always been, him bouncing on her bed or dashing over in the guild hall to greet her before running off to get food. The kisses, other than on her wrists as per usual, were not as common, but she didn't mind in the least. It only made the ones they did share all the more special, and this relationship had never been about lust, and never would be.
While he did insist on cuddling more often, romantic dinners or red roses were no longer desires that she need be fulfilled, and he didn't; they played in the fountain, ran along the beach to find the perfect place for their sand castle, made up weird constellation stories while they stargazed, red bedtime stories.
He did have his moments, though.
Like today—Lucy was paying close attention to Gildarts lesson. Finals were nearing, and she wanted every tip on what could be reviewed for them. Levy was rewriting her notes like the nerd she was, Gray whittling a little whistle from a stick in boredom, Natsu…
His head was down in his arms, turned so that he was gazing up at her with a hazy expression. Face feeling considerably warmer, she whispered out of the corner of her mouth, "What is it?"
"Hmm?"
"Stop staring like that!"
"Why?"
"I'm trying to focus."
"I ain't stoppin' ya. It's cute."
Lucy only hissed, "Don't try to be adorable while I'm trying to work!"
"I'm not trying. I'm naturally adorable."
"Ugh. No. Not the eyes. Don't."
Lucy looked away from him, putting an arm up to rest her cheek in as if to block him from view. His pink hair was ruffled by goggles as usual, gloves on probably as more of a habit or weird fashion statement than usefulness, considering his new abilities.
"Lucyyyy," he whispered, tapping under her hand so that it flopped repeatedly on the table. "Give me attention."
"Way to be subtle," Lucy muttered, mostly to herself. To him, she said shortly, "No."
Not that it wasn't an uncommon request. She had, at one point, told him that communication was important in relationships, and so if he wanted something, he should say it. Ever since, he'd taken to asking for rather simple things. (Looking deeply into her eyes while darkly admitting that he wanted some watermelon, etc.) 'Give me attention' she could usually solve by turning his way, giving him a smile, and pushing his bangs back from his face. After that, he'd walk away satisfied for the most part. But this was class.
"Fine," he said with a tint of sass, pulling out his phone and tapping across it rapidly. As expected, her phone vibrated, and his message appeared on the screen:
kiss meeeee
"Natsu, no!" Lucy told him stiffly, feeling the blood rush up her neck. "We're in the middle of class!"
"Later?" he asked hopefully, face perking up like a dog's.
"Maybe," was her only answer, turning back to Gildarts.
The second the bell rang, he was dragging her to the nearest, deserted alcove, asking eagerly, "Is now 'later', yet?"
"I said 'maybe'," Lucy reminded him, feeling a smirk.
"Lucyyy whyyyyy…"
"Because you're hilarious when you're frustrated," she purred with a laugh, before pulling him close and giving him what he wanted.
It was five minutes before they made their way to study hall as required, running abruptly into Igneel around the corner while Lucy straightened her hair.
"Heya, Dad!" Natsu greeted with a wave. Lucy only smiled and nodded.
Igneel, on the other hand, after returning the grin, skimmed his eyes over them quickly. "Aren't you two supposed to be in study hall?"
"Lucy forgot something in her locker," Natsu said smoothly. "We're going to study hall now."
"You two live here, Natsu," Igneel sighed. "She doesn't have a locker. Honestly, if you're going to make out, you could at least think up a better lie."
Lucy groaned, covering her face with a hand. Natsu only shrugged. "Hey, at least I'm not using my 'fell out of a window' excuse anymore."
"I'd advise you not to make out in hallways in the future," added Igneel gravely, a playful twinkle dancing in his golden brown eyes. "Lucy deserves a more classy location for such endeavors, and that is as far as 'endeavors' between you two will go until my grandchildren are to be made-am I understood?"
"Aye, sir!" Natsu saluted him. Lucy looked for a brick in the wall suitable to bang her head against.
She tugged him to study hall rather quickly after that, searching in vain to find Levy, Gray, and Juvia. However, when they neared the usual table, Levy was alone, pushing her glasses up to better see her linguistics notes.
As Lucy shrugged off her bookbag, she began, "Where are the others?"
Levy opened her mouth to answer, not looking away from her page, but Natsu spoke first, faintly. "Lucy… is kissing contagious?"
Rather dumbstruck, Lucy had to take a few seconds to fully make sure she'd heard him right before saying, "Um… no. Why?"
He pointed wordlessly through the gap between a few bookshelves to a small reading corner. Lucy could see what he meant-Gray was gently, yet obviously firmly holding Juvia's jaw, kissing her with a sort of innocent uncertainty. Juvia's fingers were curling up into his inky black locks, and Lucy squeaked, covering her gasp with a hand. "Oh my… Mavis, he did it! He said he would and he did it!"
Natsu only gave an uninterested shrug, dropping his backpack onto the table. "At least someone likes him. Face like that, I thought the poor bastard would be forever alone."
My dearest Lucy,
I understand if you are angry while reading this, or if it upsets you, but I urge you to simply finish, though I know I have no right to ask you to do so after all the years I have not shown you the same curtesy. However, though maybe last, depending on whether you wish to see me again, these may be the most important words you hear from me.
After meeting you the last time, my conscience had weighed on me greatly. I came to see a counselor, who told me I had issues with anger management, and that he could help. You were always the most precious part of my life, and after your mother, I perhaps failed to remember that, which is unforgivable. But after several month of therapy and medication, I feel it is time for me to tell you that I have realized the error of my ways and have become stricken with grief at the ways I had hurt you and pushed you away.
I am sickened by the memory of hurting my child, and the idea of what Layla would say to me if she knew me now. You have no reason to trust me, and if you feel it in your best interest and safety to not return a letter, I understand perfectly.
However, I long to see you. To hug you and apologize for all my neglect and abuse in the past. I've tried to get better, not only for me or the memory of your mother, but for you. I now feel I can trust myself around you, and my faithful therapist has offered to speak in a family session should you choose to see me. Nothing would be a greater joy than to see you again.
I have been watching the news and reading the paper. I've heard of your bravery and daring adventures that lead to save many lives. I do not deserve the feeling of pride when I realize that this amazing, strong woman of the Fairy Tail guild that they speak of is my daughter. I receive it anyway, and though you've done amazing, honorable deeds, the proudest I could be of you is simply because you've grown to be a truly special, wonderful woman. Just like your mother.
Please believe me when I say that I love you most of anything in the world, and my regret could not be greater. To see you one more time would be a blessing, and if it would make you more comfortable, I would not mind at all if you'd bring someone along. If you wish to contact me, the address is on the envelope. Should you not, I understand.
With all my love,
Dad
Lucy's shaking hands had jerkily torn the letter carefully addressed from Jude Heartfilia open the morning of June 15th, reading it nearly three times before understanding its full meaning. It was now wrinkled with the blotches of her tears that she didn't seem to be able to stop, and she kept a hand clamped over her mouth to muffle the hiccups of her happy sobs.
Everything she'd ever dreamed of him saying… here it was.
But her reply that she so yearned to send would have to wait-it was a special day, after all.
Natsu's birthday.
Quickly washing the redness from the rims of her eyes and puffiness from her widely smiling face, Lucy brushed her hair, her teeth, snatched his present off of her bed and bolted downstairs where Levy had disappeared to after dropping off the letter on Lucy's lap.
The occasion was already a merry one, presents piled up on a table to the far left and Cana sliding him a drink-a legal drink to celebrate being an eighteen year old, Lucy figured. Natsu already began to chug.
"Last time he had this stuff," Cana was telling Igneel in a drawling tone as Lucy approached, "he downed the whole thing, got really giggly and told a bunch of guild secrets, played a football game and epically scored, and then threw up all over the field." She added a shot of amber liquid to his tankard and swirled it around before handing it back.
"And… you're giving him more?" Igneel asked, horrified. "At nine in the morning?!"
"Well sure!" Cana exclaimed. "He'll be the life o' the party in an hour or so!"
"Niiiine in the morning, pfft, laaaaame," Natsu chuckled, taking a swig, humming and then beginning to sing. "Mmm, nah, it's nine in the afternooooon… your eyes are the size of the… spoon?"
"Oh no," groaned his father. "How many have you given him before I got here?"
"That's the first."
"One?!" Exasperated, Igneel pinched the bridge of his nose. "My son is a stinkin' lightweight."
"Morning everyone," Lucy said after dropping off his present, trying not to laugh as she approached. As she'd grown accustomed to, she slid her arms around her partner's waist and kissed the scar that was visible over the collar of his shirt. The one that read 'mistake' in Ancient Fiorian. "Natsu, you should really put that down. Don't want a hangover in the middle of your birthday when you can't even hold it."
Obediently, he pushed it away, sliding slightly clumsily from the stool and wrapping her in a hug. "Good moooorning!"
"Happy birthday," she told him, voice muffled in his soft, cotton shirt. When he let go, she granted him a quick kiss for the birthday occasion and straightened his scarf. "Happy to be eighteen?"
"It'll be great!" Natsu twittered. "I can finally get those tattoos."
"Don't be one of those drunks that gets tattoos of people's name on their-"
"No, no, I'm not drunk," he dismissed impatiently, tripping over his own feet and righting himself by the back of a stool. "I've had this planned for a while. See?" After digging in his pocket for a moment, he tugged out a paper that he'd printed and showed them two Ancient Fiorian symbols and two Japanese. "This one means 'happy', and this one means 'gentle'. Then these are the Japanese symbols of protection and endurance, like in our war paint.."
Igneel caught Lucy's eyes, asking the silent Did you know about this? She shook her head. "Em, why are you tattooing your cat's name on you?"
"Not after my cat," sighed Natsu. "The word. The meaning of the word."
"Where is this going to be?" Igneel inquired, almost as if frightened to know.
"First one on the back of my neck." Natsu indicated the area. "Second down near the bottom of my back. Then the two Japanese right in the middle"
Eyes widening, Lucy finally understood.
Happy mistake.
Gentle monster.
Her expression softening, Lucy smoothed her hand over his shoulder. "That sounds like a lovely idea, Natsu."
Cana also seemed to understand. "Don't get why you don't want the second Ancient Fiorian to be 'cookie'."
Sparing Cana from Natsu's glare, Makarov appeared, patting Natsu's arm. "Happy Birthday, child."
"Thanks, Gramps!"
"And for your present," the master went on, "I'm granting your request. You may borrow a van for a month or less… what do you need it for, again?"
"Stuff," Natsu said lightly.
"A van?" Lucy questioned as Master sighed and walked away. "You hate transportation."
"I've got the troya stuff now!" he reminded her with a triumphant smile. "And Team Natsu has a road trip to make."
"Where?"
Team Natsu had been intended to mean Natsu, Lucy, Erza, and Gray, but they'd invited Wendy, Igneel, Gildarts, Juvia, Jellal, and Levy to accompany them as well. Gajeel just more showed up on his own, taking some troya and boarding the van as if he'd been planning to all along. Natsu, however, didn't seem to mind in the slightest-maybe he'd been expecting it.
Ever since they'd started out on the road and he'd entered a mysterious address into the GPS, Natsu had acted curiously jittery.
He kept pulling his hoodie straight, taking on and off his goggles as if he couldn't decide what looked more presentable. Lucy had asked him several times already where they were going, and he'd only given a rather anxious grin and said, "An expedition. Trust me?"
Three hours of driving to who knows where, surrounded by unfamiliar landscape and a Natsu that was freaking out more each minute. Trusting him, and most of them trying their best not to complain-it was his birthday present, after all.
When they finally stopped at the address, there was a simultaneous gasp. It was massive, all white marble with fancily trimmed hedges and tall, spiraled iron gates. An angel carved fountain decorated the center of a circular drive. The majestic, imposing building stood out of an expansive yard. Acres and acres of orchard, garden, even grapevines and horses wandering across a grassy hill to lazily graze in the beating heat of the bare sun. The pillars of marble sparkled as Lucy saw Natsu gulp. He unbuckled his belt beside her.
"Are you gonna go in there?" Gildarts said, alarmed. "What is this place?"
"There's just someone I need ta talk to," said Natsu faintly, sliding the door open with ease. "I'm sorry that I took you guys all the way out for this, but… it's important to me. I promise we'll go have some fun after this, okay?"
"Sure," Lucy replied uncertainly, eyeing the tall windows blocked by silk curtains.
It touched Lucy when it was Gray who asked, "Are you… gonna be okay alone?"
Natsu shot a nod back at them, clumsily stepping out of the van and sliding it closed. "Be back in a little bit. If I go inside… not likely, but if I do, please… wait for me?"
"Always, Natsu," Igneel told him gently.
The white mansion was almost more intimidating than the Tartaros cube.
He brushed his sweaty fingers on his jeans and trudged on, subconsciously running a hand through his hair, straightening his hoodie... His boots padded against the drive, causing him to distractedly wonder if he should have worn less casual attire. Or wonder what she'd say about his hair or his obvious ADHD or his pyromaniac urges-
He shook the thoughts from his head. He only had a few words to say, and then she'd want him to leave. That is, if she didn't slam the door in his face when she first saw him.
Blinking in surprise and agitation, Natsu realized he'd already reached the door. He closed his eyes completely, breathing out. He'd faced worst foes, taken down one of the most powerful ninjas known in existence. This would be a piece of cake.
So, before he could think too much about it, he rapped his fist on the door three times.
Bixlow had searched (hacked, was more of the right word) across the internet when Natsu had asked for the address that had changed since Tartaros' records were taken, and had even gotten Natsu the time when the woman would most likely be home. Bixlow was creepily skilled like that.
Sure enough, Natsu heard footsteps, a dog bark. How… mundane. Natsu had never exactly wanted an ordinary life, but he'd certainly thought of what it would be like before. Maybe he would have known…
His heart nearly went into overdrive, tumbling like rapids when the door was swung open to a smiling face.
Her eyes were a dark green, hair the color of shining coal and a slightly upturned nose with a spray of freckles. The middle-aged woman's face was built similarly to his own, and Natsu knew before he stutteringly said, "H-hello. Em, are you… Madeline Truman?"
He hadn't expected the kindness in her eyes to look so genuine. "Yes, that's me. You… look familiar. Have I seen you somewhere…?"
Madeline glanced to the van, eyes examining the Fairy Tail symbol proudly plastered across its side. "Ah, a guild! You must be a ninja… right, the pink hair! Goodness, are you the boy from the Ninjitsu Games that beat two dragon slayers by yourself?"
Natsu was relieved at the icebreaker. "Y-yeah. Em, Yes, that's right. I'm Natsu. Natsu Dragneel. I… uh. I needed to talk to you, ma'am."
Her eyebrows pulled together in a look of concern. "Are you asking for donations for something, or…?"
"No, no," he assured her quickly, twisting his hands in front of him. "No, I, em… well, I guess there's no good way to say this," he apologized. "But, em, I know it's rude for me to bring it up, especially out of the blue like this or… yeah. Um. You know that one time where you made a bad choice and, uh, got pregnant with the wrong dude and went to get rid of the pregnancy and stuff?"
As he could only expect, she froze, stock still and staring at him with nothing but bewilderment in her face. "I-I… I've been honest with my husband and w-we've worked past it… I know the affair was wrong… how on earth do you know this?"
"Zeref," Natsu said bluntly. "He thought I had a right to know… where I came from."
"What?" she said in a strangled voice, her hand reaching for the knob and slowly pulling the door further back to its place. "I don't know wh-what you hope to accomplish here, Mr. Dragneel, b-but-"
"I'm your son!" he shouted, just before she disappeared. "Please don't… please don't close the door on me."
The door didn't open, but it didn't close anymore either. The woman only whispered, "I'm sorry, Mr. Dragneel. I've been haunted by my choice to this day, but that child is gone and my only son is behind bars-"
"Zeref saved my life," Natsu tried to explain as quickly as possible, becoming more desperate by the second. "He paid off the clinic to save me, had me finish growing at his science facility and I was raised by an adopted father… and then a guild. Look, here's the file I found with your name in it, and my blood father's…"
He tentatively held out the folder that he'd drawn from inside his hoodie. There was an awkward, panicked moment where he thought she wouldn't take it, but then her slender hand reached out, shakily clasping around the paper and taking it from him. The door opened slightly, and she stepped out through its crack while fingering though the few pages he'd picked out to bring. Madeline's eyes stopped moving when she saw her picture paired with the man's, his pictures taken from the tube and date when he was removed.
While she said nothing, Natsu took the opportunity to go on, "I know people could have just made this stuff up, but I'd honestly never heard of you before this, and I'll take a DNA test if you want more proof. I'm sorry that I'm comin' in here and messing stuff up for you again. I didn't come here because I feel entitled to some money or something… I just had something to say and then I'll leave you be."
Finally, she looked back at him, eyes clearly shimmering with tears. Natsu cleared his throat, a painful twist threatening to overwhelm him in his chest. "I wanted to say that… I forgive you. I know what you did was because you were scared, and I can understand that. I've been… I've been really scared before too, and screwed up because of it. But, em, I was glad to have a person willing to give me another chance when I did."
Natsu took a step back, knowing that his time with her was limited based on her expression. "I don't know if I've ever crossed your mind, or even if you've ever regretted it. I just figured you should know that I'm here and that even though Zeref couldn't, I forgive you. I'm happy now… I mean, if you care, but… yeah. Okay."
He turned and took another step away. "Thanks for your time. It's okay if you don't tell your husband about me. I guess it would be easier on you that way."
But before he could head back to the security of the van, a place where he could rest his head against Lucy just in case the wetness of his eyes became anything more embarrassing, two strong, tender arms wrapped around him from behind. He was spun around to see tears flooding down her cheeks, her warm hands cupping his face and gazing up at him with an expression he'd never seen anyone have before. A mother…
"I've regretted it," she told him quietly, voice heavy, "from the second I thought it happened. And now…" They seemed to flow faster as her thumbs gently stroked across cheeks. "Oh, you do look like him… and me. You're here, alive… beautiful," Madeline said. "Oh, thank God. Thank you." Her crying wet his shirt when she hugged him to her, and he couldn't help but hold her in return.
"Please," she said finally, hastily drying her eyes and putting a hand on his back. "Please, come in, Natsu. You can bring those friends of yours I see in the van. I want to hear everything about you."
Lucy's hand was still in the process of regaining its feeling after Natsu had squeezed it the entire conversation with his mother. Most had been silent, other than Natsu introducing them.
"Madeline, um, this is Igneel, my adoptive father. He went missing and then Gildarts here was kinda my second… Then these are my friends, Erza, Gray, Levy, Juvia, and Jellal. These are sort of my cousins… long story, Gajeel and Wendy. Then this here." He'd placed his hands on her shoulders. "This is my job partner and girlfriend, Lucy."
The lady had been more than kind, ushering them to a lavish sitting room with a high ceiling and matching brown and cream furniture. Her husband hadn't been home, but she assured Natsu she'd tell him of everything that happened. The way she babbled and tapped her fingers when she was nervous, the crooked, innocence of her smile, her cute nose and eager demeanor-there was no doubt that she was Natsu's mother.
He'd told her a basic life summary, how he'd been experimented on in the facility, how Igneel had saved him and then been imprisoned by Zeref, how he'd lived in Fairy Tail and mastered Dragon Force and ninjitsu, even how he'd met Lucy and become her partner, then their battles, the keys, Tartaros.
Madeline couldn't seem to take her eyes off of him, nodding constantly and touching his face at any time she could as if to assure herself that he was there.
"Sorry," she had said slowly after a while. "But, em, could you tell me… how is Zeref? They won't let me see him and I know he's done very wrong but… he's my son."
Natsu had seemed to understand. "He'd gone a little insane, but in his own mind, he'd truly meant well. No excuse, but… I think with the right treatment and if they keep him there, he shouldn't be a danger to himself, at least. He's out of his coma, I heard, and healthy."
It all made Lucy miss her own mother with a deep ache, but made her smile all the same. She knew Natsu had never really had a motherly figure in his life other than perhaps Erza, and he seemed to be warming up to the experience.
Later that night at the hotel, sitting at the desk, Lucy took out a pen and some paper. She wrote out:
Dear Father,
I've been thinking about you much lately and the beautiful words you wrote me were what I'd always dreamed you'd say. I'm so overjoyed to hear that you're trying to get better. I know we've had a rough road between us, but I could never stop loving you.
All that has happened lately has been a chaotic blur, but I believe all these rough roads are finally smoothing out. It would be amazing to see you at a greater security of mind, and I'll surely join you in a family session as you wish. I would like to bring along my job partner, Natsu. I'll be very happy to sort this all out. Thank you so much for your letter-I've held it close to my heart. Momma would be proud to see you trying to improve.
With hope,
Lucy
The morning after they'd all met Natsu's birth mother, Lucy came up behind him in the continental breakfast room of their hotel. After nuzzling his shoulder and taking from him the tea he'd just made for her, she said, "So, what are we doing now? We have the van for three weeks…"
Natsu closed out of the phone he'd been holding, likely checking the update texts from his mother about telling her husband of Natsu's existence, and when she could see him again. After putting it back into his pocket, he dug out a folded paper. The scarred, tough hands she'd grown to love smoothed out the page on the countertop, revealing a job request.
His sharp incisors gleamed when he gave her that grin. "Catching a group of bandits along a mountain pass! Keep robbing people like it's Sherwood Forest down there-ready for some action?"
At the prospect of this, her heart stuttered into motion. "Oh, you know I am."
"Then get your boots on, partner." He kissed her wrists, their eyes locking in that familiar way that made her sigh. Natsu fondly twirled the red bracelet she always wore in his fingers before grabbing her hand to race up the stairs-up to their awaiting friends. "The adventure continues!"
Hey, guys,
Wow.
Happy Birthday, The Keys of Fire. :)
It's been a long ride, but there it was-the final chapter.
***A short epilogue will be up later today, as well as my final TKOF author's note and sneak peek of my next story. :) Stay tuned.***
(This was 30 damn pages bruh O.o)
The song in this chapter was "Yellow" by Coldplay.
Reviewers' questions and concerns… I can't say how much you all mean to me. :) I'll try, though, in my last author's note in the epilogue.
Yes, I was supposed to update today. :) That's why I did.
I will indeed have a multichap after this, though shorter and more spaced apart because I want to get back to writing my manuscript as well.
Indeed, 'mizpah' I got from one of my favorite series, The Infernal Devices.
Ah, I know I didn't really cover Natsu and Lucy's PTSD this chapter, but surely his father becomes aware of it over time. It's never something that fully goes away.
I-Igneel and Gildarts yaoi?! *Washes eyes and brain with holy water* NO
I know I didn't give Gruvia much of a spotlight, but it was a Nalu central story after all…
Rushed? I dunno… I tried more to make it fast paced, and it was kinda supposed to rush into the new arc, because it was a plot twist. I gave this arc about the same number of chapters as the others. I guess it could have seemed that way…?
Haha yeah sorry about the background gaps. I've learned from this story that I need to plan the details out better in the future.
Ah, yes! I may make a few oneshots in this universe. Have one planned already-they'll be posted as more chapters of my story "Make A Wish".
Mizpah,
~LoneStorm
