Stone Cold Heart

(PSA: Natsu has no motion sickness in this story!)

'Jesus Christ, Natsu.' Zeref's face scrunched at the smell of booze radiating from my body.

I bought the bottle to my lips and took a drink, 'fuck off Z.' I hissed, I didn't want to be messed with, not today.

But, that didn't stop him from barging into my bedroom like the bastard he is, 'would you stop the fucking moping? It's pathetic.' He leaned against the door.

As if I didn't know, 'you have a match,' he checked his watch, 'in six hours.'

'I'll be ready', I spat. 'Now leave me alone.'

Zeref cursed, 'fine but be ready by five.' The door closed a second later, and I was left in the darkness of my bedroom.

I don't normally indulge in alcohol but I have a hole in my heart and I want to feel something different.

Anything but this feeling of grief.

Today marks a whole year— 365 days since I've last seen her, but the ache felt as if I lost her yesterday.

That next morning, I jolted awake because something felt off, my bed was cold and empty. There was no trace of Lucy, I quickly glanced at the clock— 7:35 a.m.

'Shit,' I scratched at the back of head. She must've gone home, but usually she'd wake me.

Tap Tap

'Yeah,' I flung my sheets back from my body. The door opened and my brother was standing in the doorway with a new concoction in a glass.

'Ya know the last one you made, made me sick for three days,' I said and grabbed my sweatpants.

'You couldn't shit for three days, it was a blessing in disguise for me.' He shrugged.

'Asshole,' I laughed and put on my sweats as I stood up and walked over to my closet for a white T. 'What's in it?' I asked as I put my shirt on.

I appreciated Zeref's efforts, he was a great trainer.

'A regular protein shake,' he offered the glass to me.

I eyed him skeptically and he rolled his dark eyes. 'Seriously Natsu take the damn drink.'

I took it from his hand and sniffed it, Zeref scoffed. 'I'm just making sure.'

It smelled alright to me so I gulped it down. 'Hm, strawberry.' I licked my lips and wiped my mouth with the back of my hand.

'What?' I asked as I sat the glass down.

He eyed me with a disgusting look, but shook it off. 'Hurry up and get ready, we have to be at the Gym.'

'Oh—' Zeref walked out the door, 'I wanted to see Lucy first.' I raced past him toward our living room, he stopped in front of me with a cold stare.

'Natsu, how many times do I have to tell you?'

'She's not like that Z,' I defended her, I wanted to protect her from his harsh words. Lucy was the light at the end of this shit-filled tunnel.

'She's using you bro,' he said as if I were stupid.

'You don't know shit.' I wasn't about to have this constant argument.

I grabbed my shoes by the door and pulled them on as he watched from a distance, 'she's not worth it.'

I opened the front door, 'she's worth it too me.' I glared back at him before slamming the door closed.

I hated my brother when he turned on me, he was the closest person to me and when we disagree it bothers the hell out of me.

Our relationship has been strained since I started seeing Lucy, at first he humored me but as the months passed he realized I was serious about her.

The small jokes turned into petty arguments about how I wasting time when I should be training or how I wasn't committed enough to our mission, our goal.

I was but, I wanted Lucy— why I couldn't I have both?

Zeref says it's because of the traveling, all the long nights and cramped spaces.

He has a point, but Lucy wouldn't mind. She may look all prim and proper but she's not as delicate as she looks— she holds her own in our play fights, even if I let her win.

Her smile is so awarding before she lightly punches me in my chest, 'you're not fighting fair.'

When in reality she's not fighting fair, with her matching outfits and adorable face.

I'd let her win anything.

And when my Boxing career takes off, I'll give her everything we talked about. A simple wedding in June, she decided and after a home for a family of two— maybe three, when she was ready.

We'd definitely have a cat and it'd be perfect.

I snuck through the iron gate and darted across the yard, Lucy's father didn't like me that much and I wasn't allowed on his property per the order from Law Enforcement.

But, what Jude doesn't know won't hurt him.

'Lucy,' I whispered as I peeked through her window, the bedroom was empty. Normally she'd still be in bed, it's only 8:45 a.m. and Lucy loves her beauty sleep.

I didn't hear the footsteps behind me, 'she's gone brat.'

I couldn't process what I heard fast enough, 'what'

His hands went into his front pockets, 'she left early this morning.'

My heart felt weak, 'that's a lie. She'd never leave me without an explanation old man.'

I don't know who I was trying to convince, him or me.

He shrugged carelessly, 'surprised me too. It seems Lucy didn't mention her secret to anyone.'

Panic started to rise from within, 'where'd she go? Did she leave a— a note? Something.'

'I'm afraid not,' he turned on his heel, 'now get out of my damn yard.'

'How could you not care,' I shouted at his back. 'She's your daughter.'

The asshole didn't even bother to answer, I couldn't believe this, Jude was a prick but this— this took the cake.

There's only one train station in Magnolia and if Lucy really did leave this town that's the only way out.

I prayed that Jude was being a complete liar about Lucy but when I questioned the workers, no one had seen a blonde-haired, brown-eyed woman all morning.

I couldn't fucking believe this, I had a million questions and no answers. Not a fucking trace.

I gave up after waiting around the station for a couple of hours and than I sat across Lucy's street trying to catch a glimpse of the missing woman but the house remained still, as if nothing had changed.

My last opinion was too wait for her at my house, I didn't meet Zeref at the Gym like I was supposed too because I was distracted and worried especially after our last conversation.

'No, Natsu— I think we should take a break,'

That's when I lost my cool— when she wanted to me to try and understand that crazy bullshit.

I thought I convinced her but when Zeref came home around 10 p.m. and shook my shoulder because I had fallen asleep waiting.

I realized Jude was telling the truth.

'You need to get your work-outs in,' He glanced at me through the rear view mirror, 'no slacking.'

'Whatever,' My tinted shades saved my eyes from the light as I watched the crowds go by.

'I'm serious Natsu, you win this and you'll be up against the next Champion.' He turned the wheel into the parking lot. 'You'll finally make it big.'

I've heard the speech before, 'I get it.'

He parked the car and sighed, 'do you want to talk about it?' When Lucy left Zeref tried to be understanding to an extent— Boxing, of course, remained number one.

I continued to look out the window, 'maybe this was for the best, you know?' His voice fell on deaf ears, I didn't want to hear that shit.

'Let's just go,' I opened the car door, 'I want to hit some shit.'

Boxing is a great stress reliever, the pent up aggression I feel is released when my fist collides with the punching bag. The angrier I feel the harder I swing, and today my blood was boiling.

'Elbows down, hands up.' Zeref instructed from the corner of the ring. My opponent had a similar build as my own but his stance needed a little more practice.

It didn't last long before his jaw caught my right hook, 'another round.' I was just getting started.

I rolled the muscles in my shoulders and knocked my gloves together as another opponent stepped into the ring.

I was in one hell of a mood, Lucy's betrayal stayed in the back of mind— if I thought about it to much I'd get sloppy so for now I'll focus on the poor bastard I'll be fighting tonight.

Because I know she'll be watching and I want her to see the monster she created.