CHAPTER TWO

It's been a month since Natsu's return and Lucy can't shake the feeling that there's something he's not telling her. He told her all about his year away training—how he grew his magic, traveled across Ishgar with Happy, and nearly destroyed an entire mountain. But then he'd get this strange look in his eyes and pull away from her. She tried not to let it upset her, but with the pain of his abandonment still fresh in her heart, she couldn't help the wrenching twist in her chest every time he did it. While she was still angry with him for leaving, she also understood that he left to escape the pain of losing Igneel again, and permanently this time. When Natsu eventually admitted this as his reason for leaving, Lucy couldn't stay mad at him. She knew what it was to lose parents. So the two were able to pick up their relationship where they left off a year ago—almost.

Lucy slumps against the bar at the guild, grumpy and frustrated. "Mira? Can I get a drink, please?"

The white-haired barmaid makes her way over to Lucy with a sympathetic smile. "Your usual shake?"

"No. I need something stronger than that."

Mira's brows rise. "A strawberry daiquiri?"

"Sure, that works," Lucy grumbles.

"Before I go get your drink, do you want to talk about what's bothering you?" Mira places a soft hand on Lucy's and rubs circles into her skin.

Lucy sighs. "I need alcohol first."

"Damn girl, you sound like me. What's going on?" Cana slides into the barstool beside Lucy. Cana nods to Mira and Mira disappears into the kitchen to make Lucy's drink.

"I don't know. I don't know if I'm just imagining things." Lucy rubs her palms over cheeks in frustration. She came to the guild after a small fight with Natsu while they were out fishing together. Happy hadn't been with them since he'd gone to the Exceed Village with Carla and Pantherlily, so it was just the dragon slayer and celestial mage. Lucy looks around the guild hall to make sure her boyfriend isn't also here. "Natsu's been acting strange."

"Strange how?" Mira asks as she returns to the bar with Lucy's daiquiri and a mug of beer for Cana.

Lucy chugs most of her drink and sets it down on the countertop with a slam. Taking a deep breath, she finally says, "He won't let us go past 2nd base."

Cana spits out her beer, Mira's jaw drops, and Lucy's cheeks burn.

Wiping her mouth with the clean rag Mira hands to her, Cana turns her wide-eyed gaze on Lucy. "You two still haven't had sex?"

Lucy shakes her head, biting her lip and reining in the tears that suddenly gathered in her eyes. "I thought once our relationship went back to the way it was before he left that we would. I've been ready to do it since before Tartaros and I thought he was too, we talked about it. But I don't know, I guess things changed for him while he was gone?"

"Oh sweetie," Mira murmurs.

While Cana stares at Lucy with the most puzzling expression, Mira quickly brings a pitcher from the kitchen and refills Lucy's drink.

"Have you talked about it with him again?" Cana asks.

"Every time I try, he changes the subject or pulls away from me. We were out fishing today and while we waited for a bite, we, you know, made out a little." Lucy blushes. "And when I moved his hands, he pulled away super fast and just left me there all hot and bothered—Mavis, I should not be talking about this in the guild—but then I asked him what was wrong and he got all tight lipped and refused to talk about it so I got frustrated and asked him why he didn't want to talk with me or gods—kiss me—and he still wouldn't answer me, so I left and came here." At the end of her rant, Lucy downs her second daiquiri and then grabs the pitcher from Mira, fills her glass again, and downs it.

"Well shit." Cana crosses her arms and drinks her beer.

"Yup." Lucy raises her glass again, but this time takes slow sips of her strawberry concoction.

"So something must have changed while he was gone, right? Or maybe because of Tartaros? Maybe he's just not comfortable to go that far just yet," Mira reasons.

"That's what I'm thinking, but if it's that, then why not just say so? He and I are best friends, we tell each other everything," Lucy replies. Almost everything, she adds internally, thinking about her own secret she's keeping from her boyfriend.

"How do you know that for sure?" Cana remarks. "He may not tell you everything, Luce."

Lucy knows that, which is why she feels guilt and shame for being upset with Natsu in the first place. She doesn't know all he went through during the battle with Tartaros, or even every single thing from his year away. And she has a feeling it's something that happened then that's influencing his behavior with her now.

"I know, Cana, and that's exactly what I'm worried about. Tartaros was hard on us all, and Natsu hasn't told me much aside from what happened with the dragons. And I didn't see him after we all went home… I just found his note." Lucy sighs, finger tracing the rim of her glass. "I don't know, maybe I'm just overthinking everything. We were apart for a year, maybe he just needs more time to get used to us again."

Someone calls for Mira down the bar. After she signals them to hold on, she grabs Lucy's hand and squeezes, "Lucy, your feelings of frustration are valid. But it's true that you and Natsu have been apart for some time, maybe he just needs some reminding of what makes you two so special together."

A salacious grin forms on Cana's lips. "I think I know just what to do."

-Line Break-

Laxus catches the trio's entire conversation from upstairs. His grip on the railing tightens as Lucy speaks, the wood splintering under his palm. He doesn't understand how she can still put up with the flaming idiot after he abandoned her for an entire year. He still remembers the Lucy he met all those months ago, before he brought the guild back together and she still worked at Sorcerer's Weekly.

He and his team were wrapping up a mission near Akane Beach and stopped by the resort for a much needed recharge when they came upon the blonde celestial mage. She waded in the low tide, alternating between posing and frolicking through the water in a bright yellow string bikini. A pair of photographers followed her around while Jason shouted instructions to her every few minutes.

Bickslow let out a low whistle beside him. "Damn, is that Cosplayer? Fuck, she's gorgeous."

"I don't think I've ever seen her in yellow. The color looks amazing on her," Evergreen added.

"What do you think Miss Lucy is doing modeling for Sorcerer's Weekly?" Freed of course asked the important question.

"No idea," Laxus mumbled, eyes trained on the bountiful blonde in the water. He could see her lips curling into seductive smirks and spreading into grins from where he and his team stood.

"Perhaps she's being featured with her teammates?" Freed looked around the beach. "But I don't see any of them."

"Cosplayer's here alone?" While they were relaxing at the beach, Bickslow had forgone his usual helmet and suit of armor and instead wore custom shades to shield his figure eyes and blue swimming trunks.

"We could just ask her. The shoot will end at some point." Evergreen pushed her glasses up her nose. She wore a green two-piece bathing suit.

"An astute point, Evergreen. I suggest we find a suitable place on the sand to settle our things and enjoy the resort's lovely beach and amenities." Freed pulled his long hair into a ponytail. He wore red swimming trunks.

Laxus barely heard his team, his gaze still focused on Lucy forcing smiles for the cameras. He hadn't noticed at first, simply admiring her beauty, but the longer he stared, the easier it was to see the strain in Lucy's lips every time Jason directed her to look like she was having the time of her life. Every time the waves lapped at her bare skin, her body tensed just the slightest.

"Bix, can you check Lucy's soul?" Laxus didn't take his eyes off her.

"Sure Boss, we just need to get closer to her. But why?" His team faced him with varying expressions of concern and confusion.

"Just a feeling." Laxus didn't wait for them as he made his way across the beach towards the blonde, but he felt them trail behind him. He paused when he reached a good enough spot to settle their towels and umbrella, but kept his eyes on Lucy while Freed and Evergreen fixed everything up.

Lucy finally made her way out of the water with her arms wrapped around her body like a shield. She let an assistant slip a robe over her shoulders before she met Jason at a table with monitors displaying the shots they'd just taken.

"Shit."

Laxus finally turned away from Lucy to see Bickslow's figure eyes activated and examining the blonde.

"Something's definitely wrong. Her soul is severely damaged." Bix licks his lips as he pulls his shades down to cover his eyes. "Like a piece of it was ripped from her and just left a gaping hole."

"What does that mean for her?" Laxus' gaze returned to Lucy as nodded at something Jason said.

"She's a powerful mage, an even stronger woman. She's been through a lot of shit, and judging by the present state of her soul, I'd bet something horrible happened to her recently." Bickslow crossed his arms as he watched Lucy too. "Probably something to do with Tartaros because her soul didn't look like this before all of that went down."

"Will she be okay?" He needed to know that the damage to her soul wasn't permanent or life-threatening.

"She has a lot of healing to do, but I think she'll be fine." Bix glanced at his leader then turned back to Lucy. "If her team isn't here with her, she could use a friend. Or four."

Laxus raised an eyebrow. "You think she'd let us in?"

"Looks like she's wrapping up the photoshoot. It's now or never."

Laxus walked towards the tent Lucy stood under collecting her things. As he got closer, he took his time looking over her to make sure there was no physical harm to her person to reflect the torment in her soul. But she looked fine, body full, a healthy glow to her cheeks. Her facial features were sharper, her hair longer and paler. It had only been a few months since Laxus had last seen Lucy, but in that time she'd transformed into a beautiful young woman. She'd always been attractive, Laxus would never deny that, but she seemed ethereal to him now.

"Laxus Dreyar! Cool, cool, cool!" Jason shouted and bounced over to an already annoyed Laxus. "What is the great Laxus Dreyar doing here? Can I interview you? Is your team here?" Jason looked behind the lightning mage and nearly combusted at the sight of the Thunder God Tribe. "Cool, cool, cool!"

"Nope, not here for any of that. Get out of m—"

"Laxus?" It was the voice of an angel.

Laxus lightly shoved Jason aside so he could stand in front of Lucy, whose mouth gaped open like a fish. "Blondie."

Her mouth twisted into a sneer and she rolled her eyes. "I don't think I have to tell you how stupid that nickname is."

Laxus eyebrows raised. "Were you always this spunky?"

Lucy's eyes trailed over his body, noting the black swim trunks with lightning bolts. "Are you on vacation?"

"Something like that. Saw you over here and was wondering why you're posing for a magazine. Where's your team?" In hindsight, Laxus knew he should've broached that topic delicately, but he was never one to mince words.

Lucy's eyes watered and she blinked hard, clearing her throat before speaking. "I have no idea. They were all gone before the guild officially disbanded."

"What the fuck?" Laxus was baffled. Team Natsu was a tight-knit group, how could they leave behind one of their members?

Lucy laughed humorlessly. "Yup. Natsu left me a note—couldn't even tell me in person that he was leaving. Boyfriend of the year."

"Boyfriend? You two are dating?" How had Laxus missed that?

"You didn't know?" Lucy scrunched her nose in the cutest way.

Laxus shrugged.

"Well it doesn't really matter now anyway. I haven't heard from him since and Gray and Erza went their own ways, too." Lucy rubbed at her eyes and cleared her throat again.

"That's fucked up, Blondie."

"Yeah." Her voice was so small and soft, Laxus wouldn't have heard her without his enhanced hearing.

"What are you doing right now? You should join me and my team. We've got a spot on the beach and I'm sure Ever would love some girl talk." Laxus pointed at his team, and he caught Lucy's lips quirking into a small smile as Bickslow waved wildly and Evergreen smacked him with her fan.

"You guys don't mind?" Lucy bit her lip and Laxus had to look away before he did something stupid like bite her lip for her.

"Never."

Lucy smiled radiantly at him, the first real smile he'd seen from her all day and his heart nearly stopped beating at the beautiful sight.

Laxus pulls himself out of his memories and looks down at Lucy, Mira, and Cana plotting ways for Lucy to regain the fire dragon slayer's attention. The wood under his hand cracks and he curses as a large splinter drives into his palm. The loud sound and his voice bring the trio's focus to him and he watches as Lucy's eyes widen, probably realizing that he could have heard every single thing they said about her and Natsu's relationship.

"Oh Mavis, Laxus, are you okay?" Lucy hops off her stool and rushes up the stairs to Laxus' side. His attention is so focused on the blonde, he fails to notice how badly his hand is bleeding. "Mira, get me the first aid kit and a bowl with warm water please!"

"Of course!" Mira shouts up before running into the kitchen.

"Blondie, calm down. It's just a scratch." Laxus raises his arm and holds his bloody hand out towards Lucy. A piece of wood the size of Lucy's wrist juts out of his palm.

"Laxus, no! This is not 'just a scratch' what the hell were you doing? How did this happen?" One of Lucy's hands wraps around his forearm while the other gently holds his injured hand as she examines the small wound.

"Tch. I just forgot my own strength and crushed the railing a little." Laxus' cheeks flushed at Lucy's careful attention.

"Lucy, here's the first aid kit and water you asked for!" Mira climbed the stairs to the second floor. "Mavis, Laxus, what the hell?"

"It's okay, Mira. I'll take care of him. See if Wendy's around so she can look him over," Lucy says as she pops open the first aid kit and grabs a set of tweezers, a bottle of alcohol, and gauze pads.

Mira looks over to Laxus with a sly smile and his nose twitches with a snarl.

"You got it, Lucy. Take good care of Laxus!" He swears Mira floats down the stairs.

Lucy guides them to a bench and she sets the first aid materials between them.

"Okay Laxus, hold still. This will probably hurt a lot." Lucy's delicate fingers wrap around the wood wedged in his palm and pull.

Laxus hisses at the sharp pain and then nearly loses it as Lucy pours alcohol over the open wound. "Blondie!"

"Oops, was that too much alcohol? Or wait, maybe I shouldn't have used it yet."

Laxus grits his teeth. "I'm fine."

Lucy hums in fake agreement as she presses gauze pads into his palm to staunch the blood. "So are you going to tell me why you broke the railing?"

"No." Laxus would tell her if he thought it would make a difference. If it meant she would leave the idiot firefreak.

"Did you overhear my conversation with the girls?" Lucy asks softly as she replaces the gauze.

Laxus looks down at the blonde holding his hand. Her eyebrows are drawn tightly together and her lower lip is caught between her teeth, her gaze focused on his wounded hand. He tilts her chin up with his free hand and forces her to look him in the eyes. "What if I did?"

"Did it upset you?" Her wide brown eyes look into the very depths of him and he can't lie.

"Maybe," Laxus grumbles.

"Why?" Lucy looks away and replaces the gauze on his palm again.

"Because you're my friend and he's hurting you." It's the only thing he could admit to her. And himself.

"He's no—"

"He is."

"Laxus."

"Lucy! Laxus! Mira said you need help?" Wendy bounds up the stairs and interrupts the blonds.

Lucy stands abruptly. "He's all yours, Wendy."

"Lucy, wait," Laxus calls.

"What?" She doesn't even turn around.

"You should come by my club later. You haven't been yet." Laxus winces as Wendy's magic begins mending his palm. She mumbles a nervous apology and continues working.

Lucy looks over her shoulder. "I'll think about it."

Happy New Year everyone! I'm really excited to work on this story so I hope you all like it so far :)