*Chapter Seven: Set back
(October 4th, 2017, Wednesday Afternoon)
As Natsu walked to the door to grab Max's stuff, he noticed something odd on Lucy's arms. Without getting too close, he stole a peek, frowning when he saw her skin covered in goosebumps.
Sighing, he left the door to head to his bookcase, grabbing a pair of black sweatpants, the words 'Class of '15' running down the right leg in white letters.
"Here," he said, holding them out. "It's only gonna get colder tonight."
Lucy blinked twice at his offer before looking down at the cat in her lap. An amused grin ghosted over his lips when he saw she was pouting.
"You can play with Happy later, don't worry." He chuckled, gaining her attention once again. "I just gotta introduce you real quick and drop this stuff off." He pointed to the box and broom. "So, go ahead and put these on so we can go. You can borrow 'em until you get something else."
Lucy continued to stare at him, her expression eerily void, causing a shiver to run down his spine. In an attempt to get her to relax, he said the only thing he could think of as he nervously chuckled. "You need to be prepared for the cold. Winter is coming."
Her brown eyes widened as her lips quirked up for a second. He grinned as he asked, "Do you like 'Game of Thrones'?"
Her lips pressed into a tight line before she nodded.
"Awesome!" He went over to his phone that was resting on the desk. He tapped on it to draw her focus. "I have the first two seasons downloaded on my phone. You might've already seen them, but it's better than nothing. Do you wanna watch later?"
Lucy didn't respond, so he added, "You don't have to... Just thought I'd offer."
She never answered him, instead she let Happy leave her lap so he could get back to his food bowl. She stood, legs slightly shaking as she used the wall for support. He wondered if she was tired too. The whites of her eyes were a bit red. Not might-be-infected red, just exhausted red. After cleaning up, he could see she had bags under her eyes.
He was half-tempted to ask if she wanted to take a nap in Max's bed, but he cast the thought aside. She needed to meet her new roommates as soon as possible.
Natsu raised a brow when Lucy walked closer to him. He opened his mouth to ask what she was doing, but stopped when she held her hand out, eyes trained on his sweatpants. Without a word, he handed them to her, watching as she tensed when their fingers accidentally brushed together. He mumbled an apology, jerking his hand away when he knew she had a good grip on the clothes.
He watched as her fingers traced over the words on the pants, her brows furrowing. "Oh," she whispered, blinking a few times before meeting his gaze. She cleared her throat, but her voice still sounded rough. At least her speech was getting better. "I gr-graduated then."
Natsu couldn't believe the smile that spread over his face. Lucy just told him something personal about herself and he didn't even have to ask. "Really?" he asked, a little too loudly. "I graduated in 2015 too!"
Lucy was startled by his outburst, taking a half-step back before she breathed deeply. She carefully slid the sweatpants over her thin legs, covering her gym shorts in the process. When she was done, Natsu asked, "So, are you twenty too?"
Lucy frowned, shaking her head. She tried to talk, but her voice caught in her throat. He was about to ask if she wanted some water, but he stopped when he saw her lift both of her hands to reveal all ten digits. She closed her hands, only to repeat the action. He guessed she was finished when she dropped her hands.
Natsu cocked his head, now confused. "So, you are twenty?"
She nodded, her eyes narrowing a bit as if she was the confused one. Natsu replayed their conversation in his head, wondering why she didn't just nod when he asked her if she was twenty too. He laughed when it suddenly dawned on him. "Oh! You thought I meant twenty-two. No, I meant twenty also. I'm twenty years old."
Her mouth formed a small 'o' before closing. Natsu could only smile at the silliness. They had something in common at least. Pushing his luck, Natsu asked, "So, if you didn't graduate from Magnolia High, where did you graduate from?" Lucy's lips tugged downwards as she shook her head. "I... I don't w-want to say."
He sighed, realizing he was asking for too much at that point. "That's fine. You don't have to tell me." At least she gave him something, her age. Truthfully, it didn't matter where she came from or who she was before the outbreak. What mattered was the present and future.
Still, Natsu held onto his memories to keep himself grounded, reminding him of an easier time when they weren't constantly fighting to stay alive. He wished he hadn't taken it for granted.
Natsu glanced at his bookcase, smiling when his eyes landed on his white scarf. It had been through a lot over the last three months. If it weren't for the outbreak, he knew there wouldn't be as many rips in the soft material.
He closed his eyes, remembering the first time he saw it. It was also one of the last times he saw his father.
(June 29th, 2017, Thursday Evening)
"Are you sure you want to take Happy with you?" Igneel yelled from the other room.
Natsu lifted his head, glancing at the open door to his bedroom. He shouted, "Yeah! I don't want him getting lonely like last year!"
His dad popped his head into the room, his short red hair still a surprise to Natsu despite it being cut a week ago. "But I'll be home this year, so I can keep him company."
Natsu twisted his lips as he tried not to frown. "I know, but I really wanna take him with me." He didn't want to leave his dad all alone, but he didn't want to leave Happy behind too.
"Suit yourself," Igneel said with a shrug. Heavy steps sounded down the hall as he yelled, "Dinner'll be ready in about twenty minutes!"
"Thanks!" Natsu called out before turning his attention back to his bed. He had all his gear and fireworks laid out, ready to be packed. The only problem? He didn't know how he was going to get it all in the two duffel bags he owned.
"Damn it," Natsu muttered as he riffled through the stuff. "Maybe I really did buy too much."
Not only did he buy a lot of items earlier that day, he also had his camping gear from previous years. If there was one activity Natsu loved more than fighting, it was camping. Something about being outdoors made him feel more at home, even when he was sleeping in a tent.
The fresh air, the cool breeze, the peace. It was just what he needed.
Natsu ended up having to borrow a bag from his father to pack all his stuff, but by the time he finished, he was satisfied. He set the bags, box of fireworks, and fishing poles by the door so he could grab them in the morning. He would load them in his truck now, but there was a chance it could rain and ruin some of his stuff.
Smiling, Natsu left his stuff, noting that he would need to grab his pillow and blanket in the morning, as well as Happy's small kennel.
That night went on like any other, his father and him watching TV while eating dinner. Natsu still lived with his dad in their two bedroom apartment. They used to live in a large house on the outskirts of Magnolia, but after Igneel's wife passed away and Natsu's older brother moved out, they moved.
"Oh! I almost forgot," Igneel said as he collected their dirty dishes. "I got you something."
"A present?" Natsu asked, sitting up. Happy protested the movement since he was curled up on his his lap, causing the little feline to jump down to the floor before scurrying away.
"Yup!"
Natsu waited with bated breath until Igneel came back into the living room, two wrapped gifts in his hands. They were both medium boxes, one square and the other in the shape of a rectangle. Natsu admired the black and red wrapping paper for a moment before shaking his head. "Wait. I thought my present was skipping out on rent?"
Ever since Natsu graduated high school, he started helping Igneel with the bills. It seemed like a fair compromise since Natsu would have no money left over for fun if he had to cover his own rent.
"It is," Igneel said, a large grin on his face. "But I couldn't resist. I saw this on someone's Etsy page. It's one of a kind. I thought it'd suit you." He gave Natsu the square box first, smile growing as he watched his son unwrap it.
"Whoa! Thanks!" Natsu pulled out the long, white scarf. The fluffy material was sown together in a scale-like pattern, making the scarf both unique and interesting. "I love it!"
He didn't hesitate to wrap it around his neck, sighing when he felt the softness against his skin. "It's warm too!"
"I know it's probably too soon for you to be wearing a scarf, but I figured you could keep it for the winter months?"
"Nah. I think I'll wear it now," Natsu said, his tone light and carefree. It was hot during the day, but at night the temperature dropped. It wasn't enough to need a scarf, but Natsu really wanted to wear his birthday present now.
His eyes landed on the other wrapped gift, but before he could ask, Igneel said, "You're gonna have to wait until your actual birthday before you can open this one. I'll bring it when I come visit."
Natsu nodded, finding that more than fair. "Sounds great!" His dad couldn't afford to take a whole week off from work, but he did manage to get Natsu's birthday off. He planned on meeting them at the campsite so he could spend the day with his son before heading back into town.
Natsu dragged his hand against the material of the scarf again before announcing, "I'm all fired up now!"
Igneel laughed, telling Natsu to calm down before he upset the neighbors. Despite being lightly scolded, Natsu couldn't wipe the smile off his face, even when he turned in for the night.
With Happy curled up against his stomach, Natsu dreamed of the different adventures he could have with his friends while in the woods.
'This is gonna be the best one yet.'
Natsu blinked a few times as his memory faded into the back of his mind. He hadn't thought about that night in a while, his heart always hurting right afterwards. Just like all the other times, Natsu felt a dull ache in his chest. Swallowing thickly, he turned to Lucy, ready to apologize for spacing out, but he saw she was too busy to notice.
She was looking at the white board on the wall, specifically at his work schedule. Most people had one, maybe two jobs at the most, but Natsu had three. He found he got too antsy doing the same thing over and over again, so Makarov worked with him to give him some variety.
Natsu stepped a little closer, looking over her shoulder at the board.
Sunday- Runner
Monday- Kill/Clean
Tuesday- Shower/PM Watch
Wednesday- Day off
Thursday- Runner
Friday- Kill/Clean
Saturday- AM Watch
"That's my work schedule," Natsu said, breaking the silence. Lucy flinched, moving a few steps away from him as he walked towards the desk, leaning against it to give her space. "Sorry," he mumbled before glancing over at the side of the white board. "Oh. There's the calendar if you wanna check it out." He pointed to where a puppy-themed calendar hung. It wasn't his choice. If he got to pick, it would have had dragons, but he couldn't afford to be picky.
Lucy looked at the calendar for only a second before her eyes returned to his work schedule again. She lifted a finger, pointing at Thursday. "Runner?"
Natsu shrugged as he explained, "I go out and try to find supplies to bring back. We used to split up, but it seems we're safer in numbers. We empty houses of supplies in neighborhoods that have been cleared to bring back here."
He wondered if that was too much to absorb, but Lucy seemed to grasp the concept.
She nodded slowly before pointing at Friday. "K-kill and clean, what?"
Natsu's brows pinched together as he frowned. 'Does she really not know? Isn't it obvious?' He didn't bother saying that out loud, not wanting to insult her. She had already been through a lot for one day.
"I go out with a group of people and we kill zombies. Then we clean the area so the roads are clear." He snorted. "It's also called being a 'clearer', but I think the name sounds kinda dumb."
Natsu thought she was going to point to Saturday, but instead of doing that, she asked, "Which is h-harder?"
"Hmm..." He scratched the back of his neck while he thought. "Umm, probably being a clearer? When I'm on runs, we usually don't run into the infected, but the whole point of being a clearer is being around 'em. Plus, you run the risk of blood contamination when you're movin' the bodies."
"Blood c-c—" Lucy furrowed her brows as she turned away, facing the white board again.
Natsu wondered if she didn't want to finish talking or if she was having trouble getting the words out. "Blood contamination is when the zombie's blood gets in your system. Like when there's blood on its nails and it scratches ya, you get infected. Same with getting bit. Their mouths have open sores all inside, so when they bite you it's nearly impossible not to get some of their blood in your body."
He paused, waiting to see if Lucy had anymore questions. When she said nothing, he added, "We wanna avoid getting infected at all costs. You probably already saw how fast they turned that first day, but now it seems to vary."
Natsu shrugged. "Could be instantly, could be a few minutes. Longest I saw was probably thirty minutes, and that... that was rough."
Lucy was still quiet, so he filled the silence. "Clearers have to move the bodies, so if they have any open cuts on their hands or arms they may get infected if they accidentally touch the zombie. Even when the zombie's dead, it can still infect you, so watch out."
Lucy turned her head to Natsu, eyes wide. "I'll be a cl-clearer?"
He shook his head. "Probably not. Usually only guys take that job." His eyes widened, instinctively looking around his room to see if Erza was near. She would smack him if he implied that girls couldn't do the same job as a man. "Not that girls can't fight zombies! Just most prefer other jobs!"
Lucy's expression only seemed to grow confused at his statement, her head tilting to the side a bit.
Sighing, Natsu said, "There's a few women here that are better at killin' zombies than some of the guys. My friend Erza is one of the guards. She's pretty scary when she's fighting." He laughed, standing up so he was no longer leaning on the desk. "Then there's Ultear. That chick is pretty badass, even if she can be kinda stuck up. You shoulda seen the way she took down this one sprinter when shit first went down. She used a baseball bat to bash its head in."
Natsu shivered, remembering the sound of its skull breaking with every swing. She didn't kill its brain immediately, having to beat at it until it finally broke. Of course, it wasn't as 'cool' then as it was now. Back then, everyone was freaking out because they didn't know what was going on. The first time Natsu killed a sprinter, he almost had a panic attack because he honestly thought he killed a real person and not a zombie.
"Then there's Kagura. She's got this sword that she takes with her when she's a clearer. She just slices them up like they're nothing." Crossing his arms over his chest, Natsu snorted. "But even combined, they have nothing on Gildarts."
Lucy showed no recognition, not that he thought she would. He could have been making up names for all she knew. "He was a professional boxer before all this shit started. One time I saw him punch a zombie so hard in the temple it actually busted his skull open. He had brass knuckles on, but it was still cool!"
That was the first time Natsu ever saw Gildarts take on a zombie, and it had been epic. He aspired to be that amazing. "We had to hurry up and pour water over his hand to make sure he didn't accidentally cut himself and get contaminated. Luckily, he was fine, but the whole thing shook him up enough so he didn't do it again. Still, it was fuckin' awesome!"
Natsu was grinning like a fool, his smile growing wider when he saw Lucy's lips quirk up. He guessed she was amused by the story as well. "There's some pretty awesome people here. I'm pretty good too. Only got my two knives though, but they've kept me alive this long."
He treasured those knives. It was the last present he ever received from his father. He hated that they were locked up, but he understood why they were. It was in everyone's best interest that the weapons be secured until they were needed, otherwise there might be unnecessary bloodshed.
Everyone had watched a few too many zombie movies, not just Natsu.
He was about to tell her another great Gildarts story, but stopped when he realized what they needed to do. "Shoot. I almost forgot, you gotta meet your new roommates. One of them is actually Gildarts' daughter."
He started heading for the door, stopping when he saw her already-small smile waning. She looked reluctant to leave until he added, "We can bring Happy." He grabbed the box and broom, nodding towards the door. "You coming?"
After a moment of hesitation, Lucy started walking to the door, waiting until Natsu moved out of the way before slipping out into the hall. He called for his cat, surprised when the feline actually came.
After locking up, the trio made their way through the school.
It turned out to be a good idea to bring Happy along. Lucy looked more at ease as she walked beside Natsu, Happy trotting between them. Her shoulders were relaxed and her eyes weren't darting around the halls nearly as much as they were before. Every little improvement counted.
After going downstairs, he had to use his headlamp so they could travel towards the 'commissary'. There were less windows to provide natural light. Once they made it to the door, Natsu nodded towards the giant yellow 'X' painted on it. "There's an example of a room you can't go in without permission. It's usually locked up since it's filled with supplies like clothes and bathroom stuff."
Natsu didn't know if anyone was inside since it was closed, but he knocked anyway. The door to the small gym opened a minute later, revealing a short, heavy-set man. He was bald, wearing a purple camisole and striped shorts. Natsu knew him before the outbreak as one of the tellers at Magnolia's local bank.
"Hey Bob. I got some stuff to turn in," he said, lifting the box an inch to grab Bob's attention. "Also, I was wonderin' if Erza's been by? She's supposed to get some stuff for Lucy." He took a step back, smiling as he nodded towards the newest member of Fairy Tail. "This is Lucy."
"Pleasure to meet you," Bob said, bowing as he pulled at the sides of his shorts as if trying to curtsy. "She actually left not too long ago. She said she was going to look for you. Guess you missed her, Dear."
"That's alright," Natsu assured, stepping past Bob to enter the commissary. He used his headlamp to guide him to the center of the room where he could set Max's stuff.
Rows of shelves lined the walls, all full of different types of supplies. The commissary was located in the small gym. There were no windows in the room, so the only light came from a few lanterns. It was only opened three days a week for a few hours, so they didn't go through too much lantern oil, though it would have been nice to have at least one window to provide some real light.
Natsu sighed as he dropped the stuff, shifting his arm after setting the broom down. He was carrying Max's broom under his armpit, and it was starting to hurt. He frowned at the broom, knowing it would most likely be returned to the janitor's closet for someone else to use.
Running a hand through his messy pink locks, Natsu cursed himself for forgetting to comb his hair again. He could only imagine how wild it looked, but then again, looks really didn't matter. As long as he was healthy and safe, he counted himself lucky.
Natsu turned, slowly walking back towards the opened door. He didn't bother looking back at Max's stuff, knowing it wouldn't help. It never got easier turning in other people's things. For a brief second, he wondered how his friends would feel if they had to turn in his belongings.
He immediately shoved that thought down, refusing to die. The grim reaper would have to personally drag his ass to hell before he allowed himself to die. He wasn't going down without a fight.
When Natsu left the gym, he barely heard Bob say goodbye as the man locked up. Natsu's mind was racing too fast to concentrate, memories of his close calls coming to the surface. There were too many times when he could have died, but he made it through each one, but not without his scars to show his struggles.
There was a large scar running down Natsu's right arm, another one horizontally on the inner part of his left bicep, a scar running diagonally on his left forearm, the 'X' mark on his hip, and now the mark on his cheek. He hoped it wouldn't scar, but he knew his chances weren't too good. Lucy cut him pretty deep.
He had one scar on his neck and a few smaller ones on his legs and back, but they happened before the outbreak.
As Natsu walked towards the front of the school, he turned his headlamp off and shoved it in his pocket. He wouldn't be needing it for a moment since the windows provided just enough light.
"I'm not really sure where they're gonna be," he said honestly, finally glancing over to Lucy. While in his thoughts, he completely forgot he was supposed to be guiding her to her new roommates.
"I don't keep track of Levy or Cana's schedule." He snorted. "Hell, if I didn't have mine written down I'd probably forget it already."
Speaking of jobs, Natsu wondered aloud, "Did you work before the outbreak?" He was surprised when Lucy shook her head, giving him an answer. At least, he hoped that was what she was doing. She could have been saying no, she didn't want to answer the question. "Did you do that whole college thing?"
Lucy's eyes were trained on Happy, but he knew she heard what he said. She slightly nodded before the corner of her lip twitched. He heard her take a deep breath, but she didn't say anything else.
Natsu decided not to let her silence get him down. He realized a while ago that she wasn't being rude by not talking to him. She just seemed to have trouble speaking in general. He had no idea if she was like that before the outbreak or not, but he hoped she would actually start talking with him when she got settled in.
The one-sided thing was weird. Even Happy managed to meow at him when he spoke to the cat.
"I decided to skip out on college," Natsu admitted, scratching his head. "I was gonna be a firefighter, but... well, the world sorta ended."
If Lucy heard him, she didn't react to what he said.
"I was working in retail until then though. Me and my buddy worked at Magnolia Mart. Ever been?" Natsu waited a few seconds, but Lucy didn't respond. Even if he was talking to himself, he continued. "I worked in the sporting goods department. It was pretty cool. I mean, the customers were horrible, but I liked my area. I mainly stocked shelves and stuff, but it was easy I guess."
Lucy finally glanced up at him, offering a small smile. He took that as a good sign, reflecting the expression right back. "You know, you're a good listener."
It was meant as a joke, and he was glad she took it that way. His smile grew when Lucy blew out a breath, her lips curving upwards for a second. "It's fine, really." Natsu looked ahead, giving her a little privacy. "Whenever you're ready you can talk to me. I can be a good listener too."
They were just about to reach the end of the hall when Lucy whispered, "Thanks."
"You're welcome," he whispered back, wondering how long it would take before she took him up on that offer. 'If she ever does...'
Things seemed quiet in the hallway until the outside door opened. In ran a mess of kids, all laughing as one adult tried to herd them in a line. As they ran past Natsu and Lucy, Happy scurried over to the side. Lucy kept her eyes wide, staring at the children until one came right up to Natsu.
"Bang bang!" a little girl yelled as she held out a plastic gun. Two foam darts came out, hitting Natsu in the chest and stomach.
Natsu clutched a hand to his chest, cringing as he fell to the ground. "Gah! Y-you got me!"
The little girl cheered, hopping from foot to foot as she sang, "I got you! I got you!" The other children giggled, gathering around the girl's 'kill'.
After a minute, Natsu sat up, picking up one of the foam darts with a smile. "Great shot, Asuka, but next time aim for the head. Headshots are the best way to take out zombies." While Natsu joked around with the little girl, Lucy stepped away, her breathing a little labored from the shock of having so many people around her at once, even if they were just kids.
The lady who was with the children walked up to Lucy, smiling wide as she said, "He's so sweet, isn't he?"
Lucy only looked at the woman, eyes still wide as she gulped.
The lady didn't seem to notice Lucy's distress. "Natsu's one of their favorites. He always plays with them better than I can," she joked. "My bones are getting too tired to run around like them."
Lucy remained silent, her fingers twitching as she slowly backed away. The woman didn't see her, eyes trained on the cluster of kids around Natsu as he reloaded Asuka's toy gun.
Natsu tapped on his forehead before standing up. "Aim here."
Lucy watched as the little girl practiced a few times before the woman stepped in. "Okay kids, it's time to go. Say goodbye to Natsu."
"Bye Natsu!" they yelled, different tones throughout the group.
Natsu flashed them a toothy grin as the lady tried to get them into a single file line. While she did that, Natsu tapped on one of the older kid's shoulders, beckoning him to come closer. "What are you doing in class today? I thought your dad had the day off?"
Romeo, a short kid with messy black hair, shook his head. "He does, but he said he has work to do today."
Natsu nodded as he straightened himself. That made sense. Asuka had mentioned seconds ago that her parents were called off base because they spotted a few deers passing by. Fairy Tail needed all the help they could get.
"Oh. You okay?" He couldn't imagine it was fun hanging around so many younger kids all day. Besides Sherria, Romeo was the only other older kid.
"I'm great! Thanks for asking, Natsu!"
"No problem," he said, his smile returning to his face. As long as Romeo was happy, who was he to judge? Though, he wondered what extra work his father had to do considering he was with general maintenance. 'Maybe he had to help dig another grave? Maybe Max took the last open one?' Natsu quickly rid himself of that thought so he wouldn't have to think about his dead friend.
"See you at dinner!" Romeo called as he followed the row of kids, heading down the hall until they rounded a corner.
"See ya!" Natsu yelled back, hand now traveling to his ass to rub at it since there were less people around. He landed too hard and ended up hurting himself, but it was worth it to get those kids laughing.
"Sorry about that," Natsu said with a laugh, dusting off his shorts. Despite having people working as janitors, the floors were still pretty dirty. They could only afford to sweep, not wanting to waste any water on mopping unless it was necessary. "I couldn't resist."
Natsu looked over at Lucy, seeing her biting her bottom lip, her hands wrapped around her waist. "Hey... Are you okay?"
She slowly nodded, but her rapid breathing gave away her lie. He softened his voice in an attempt to soothe her. "Was it too much?" he asked, seeing her nod again. "Hmm..."
If being surrounded by about a dozen kids was too much for her, he had no idea how she was going to deal with dinner. Almost everyone from the base would be in one area, the only exception being some guards and people still working.
Natsu sighed, deciding he would figure it out when he crossed that bridge. For now, he needed to find Cana or Levy.
"Levy might be in the library," Natsu started, looking back down the hallway that would lead them that way. The library was on the other side of the school, near his room. "But I don't think she has Wednesdays off... Hmm... Sometimes Cana hangs out in the old band room." It was a hangout spot for some of the drunks. If he remembered correctly, Cana also had Wednesdays off.
Since the band room was closer, he said, "Let's see if we can find Cana." He started heading that way, Lucy and Happy a few steps behind him. The cat meowed, earning a blank stare from Lucy before she gave the feline a soft smile.
Natsu missed it, eyes ahead as he turned down another hall. "This is the band room," he said, grabbing the door's handle. He opened it, hearing the laughter and shouts from inside the room grow louder.
"I'm not a dumbass! You're the dumbass!" Cana's familiar voice echoed in the room.
Natsu's eyes landed on her first. She was seated at a table near the back. Despite the cold weather outside, she still wore her usual outfit, consisting of a bikini top and shorts. The slight red hue on her cheeks and nose, along with the lazy grin on her face let Natsu know she had been drinking. The alcohol she kept in her system made sure she didn't get cold.
"Says the girl who went back into a house full of fuckin' zombies! Was the wine really worth it?" an older man asked, snorting before he took a swig from his flask.
Natsu's eyes narrowed, recognizing the man as Macao, Romeo's father. 'He just said his dad had to work.'
Swallowing down the anger that started rising in him, Natsu tried to calm down. He didn't think it was fair for Macao to ditch his son so he could hang out with the other drunks, but he also knew it wasn't his business. At least Romeo had the class to spend time with, even though Natsu thought that time was better spent with family.
Natsu glanced around the room, seeing a few other people inside. Most were having their own conversations, but Cana and Macao were by far the loudest. When Natsu cleared his throat, all eyes turned to him.
"Natsu!" Cana cheered, raising her bottle of rum before shooting Macao a glare. "And it wasn't dumb to go back in! The zombies were slow as fuck! I had to get the wine!" She smiled as her head tilted up, as if she could see the wine above her. "It's my favorite brand!"
The other men and women laughed, no one arguing with Cana's 'logic'. Natsu was kind of relieved Cana switched from being a runner to a water gatherer. He loved his friends, but some weren't suited for off base work.
When Cana's laughter died down, she stood up, stumbling over to Natsu. She nearly fell into him, so he stretched his arms out, catching her before she could tumble down. The pungent smell of alcohol lingered on her breath, making his stomach twist. He was never that much of a drinker, especially after seeing Cana go at it all throughout high school.
"What happened to your face?" she asked, hazy eyes trained on his bandage.
Natsu shrugged, his grip on Cana slipping. If he didn't get her standing soon, he'd have to let her go. It wasn't the first time she fell face first from being drunk, and he highly doubted it would be the last. "Got cut. No big deal."
She seemed to accept that answer, not asking any further questions about it. "So, what brings you to our little domain?" Despite being intoxicated, Cana rarely slurred. Years of alcohol consumption raised her tolerance level.
Natsu helped her stand on her own before stepping aside, smiling as he held a hand out towards Lucy. "I wanted to introduce you to someone." In his mind, he added, 'And hopefully get you to accept her as your roommate.'
Cana's eyes flitted from Natsu to the girl beside him. She gazed at her face for a few seconds before looking downward, her lazy smile growing. "Damn! Look at those tits!"
"Hey!" Natsu yelled, holding an arm up as if it might block the view of Lucy's chest. He brought her to be introduced, not ogled. However, no one bothered to regard his protests, all eyes —excluding Natsu's— going to Lucy's chest.
"They look nice from here," Macao said with a salacious grin of his own, no shame on his face as he leaned forward to get a better look. Natsu's sharp ears heard similar comments coming from the other drunk adults, all smiling at Lucy.
"We're not here for that," Natsu started, moving aside so he could introduce Lucy properly to Cana. "I actually wanted to—" He was cut off when Cana pressed a finger to his lips. He jerked back, wondering why her finger was wet until he tasted the alcohol on his lips. He wiped his mouth, unaware that Cana was sauntering over to Lucy.
"You're so pretty," Cana said, her unfocused eyes staring at Lucy's chest. "They look cute and perky. Don't mind if I give them a test squeeze, do ya?" Before Lucy could answer, Cana reached out, softly grabbing Lucy's breasts to grope them.
Natsu opened his mouth to tell her to cut it out, but his voice died in his throat when he heard a resounding smack. His eyes widened when he saw a red hand print already form on Cana's cheek where Lucy struck her.
Cana stepped back, hand coming up to cover her fresh mark, disbelief written on her face. Lucy covered her chest with her arms, tears already swimming in her brown eyes as she moved to stand behind Natsu, her shoulders shaking as she tried to hold her tears back.
Natsu stood there speechless, not knowing what the hell just happened. "I'm... sorry?" He didn't know who he was apologizing to. He didn't think Cana should have grabbed Lucy's chest, but at the same time, he thought the slap was a little harsh. Lucy could have just told her to stop, but then again, Natsu wasn't sure Cana would have listened. She was a bit wild when she was drunk.
He knew Cana personally before and after the outbreak. She was known for grabbing any pretty girl's chest. Hell, she even grabbed a few guys' chests, Natsu's included. She didn't specifically target Lucy, it was just one of her odd quirks.
Still, Lucy clearly didn't like being fondled.
"What's her problem?" Cana asked, taking another step away as she rubbed at her cheek. "I was just messing around." The slap seemed to sober Cana up a bit, her eyes narrowed and sharp. Macao came to Cana's side, moving her hand out of the way so he could check it out.
"She doesn't like being touched," Natsu explained, his frown turning into a cringe when he heard a sob from Lucy. He stole a peek over his shoulder, seeing tears streaming down her flushed cheeks as her eyes slammed shut. "Shit," he mumbled under his breath, realizing the introduction was going horribly.
Natsu wondered if there was any way to fix things, but he didn't think so. "I... I think we're just gonna go," Natsu said, turning around to place a gentle hand on Lucy's shoulder. She tensed and jerked, causing him to let her go. "Sorry," he whispered to her before looking back at Cana. "This... didn't exactly work out. Maybe later."
Cana's shoulders fell, recognition flashing through her eyes. She looked past Natsu to Lucy. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you cry." Her apology didn't seem to register, Lucy shrinking down under everyone's gaze.
"I'm sure she'll forgive you," Natsu mumbled, unsure of his words. He didn't know if Lucy was the type to hold a grudge. Instead of dwelling on it, Natsu quickly ushered her and Happy out of the band room, wanting to get Lucy away from their stares.
Once they made it into the hall, he let out a heavy sigh. Lucy was still crying, her arms wrapped around herself. Natsu's heart dropped, knowing he was partially to blame for her tears. He knew there was a possibility of Cana grabbing her chest, but he was hoping she would have waited until they got to know each other first. Hell, she didn't even grab Erza's chest until they knew each other for a week. It was just bad luck Cana decided that moment was the best time.
Natsu shook his head, knowing that was wrong. Regardless if it was normal for Cana, that didn't make it okay. He would have to talk to her about keeping her hands to herself, at least around Lucy or people she didn't know.
He hoped Lucy wouldn't blame him for what happened, but he would understand if she did. He put her in that situation. Looking back on it, it would have been better to find Levy first, then introduce Cana later, but only after Natsu told her to keep her hands to herself.
Hindsight was always 20/20.
Natsu stepped closer to her, a frown etched on his face as he looked down. "I'm really sorry, Lucy," he whispered, hoping he wouldn't startle her. He wouldn't be surprised if she decided she didn't want to be his friend after that.
She didn't respond, her body still shaking as she cried, no longer trying to hold back the tears. He had no idea what was going on in her head, but he knew it couldn't be good.
"Nyaa?" Happy mewled, sitting beside Lucy's feet.
"How about we go back to my room? You can play with Happy until dinner time?" Natsu wished she would look at him, but she refused to open her eyes. "My phone's probably charged enough to turn on... You can watch a movie? Or maybe listen to some music?"
After a minute of silence, she finally opened her eyes. Natsu forced a smile, hoping it would calm her down. "Is that okay?"
Brown eyes bored into his own. Lucy slightly nodded, snot collecting under her nose before she wiped it away with her shirt sleeve. "I-I'm s-sorry."
Furrowing his brows, Natsu asked, "For what?"
"Y-you s-said not t-to hurt any... anyone." Her bottom lip trembled, more tears flooding her eyes. "Are—" She clenched her teeth as she tightened her grip on herself. "Are th-they... going to... to k-kick—"
Natsu shook his head. "No one's gonna kick you out for that. That's not what I meant. If someone does something like that, you're allowed to defend yourself. I'm just mad I couldn't stop her. I'm the one who's sorry."
When Lucy said nothing, he sighed. "Come on," Natsu said softly, gesturing towards the hall. He wasn't going to make the mistake of touching her again.
Lucy walked a few steps behind him, barely keeping herself together as they headed down the hall. Natsu was glad it was empty, most people working right now. He thought it would have been embarrassing if she was crying in front of a lot of people.
'Is she embarrassed to cry in front of me?' Natsu didn't know. Then again, she didn't seem like she cared who she cried in front of. Aside from not wanting to be touched, she didn't seem to care about anything at all.
Natsu frowned, running a hand through his hair as he tried to think about what he was going to do. If Lucy wouldn't trust Cana, how was she going to room with her?
'Maybe she can stay with Erza and Jellal until she warms up to Cana?' Natsu figured it was worth a shot. Erza was more mature than his other friends. She would know what to do. He was sure of it.
He would ask her about it whenever she came by to drop off that stuff Makarov asked her to get for Lucy. Hopefully, she would be on board.
They walked the rest of the way to Natsu's room in silence. He pulled out his key to unlock the door. He didn't get a chance to open it though. As soon as he grabbed the handle, he heard footsteps behind them. He turned, smiling a second later when he saw the very girl he had been thinking about earlier, her red hair being unmistakable despite the dim light.
it was down now, flowing over her shoulders. The absence of a weapon suggested Erza was off duty.
"Hey!" He started heading towards her, not noticing Lucy turning as well to see who he was talking to.
"Natsu," she greeted, holding up a plastic shopping bag. "Makarov told me to bring this stuff for the new girl."
Natsu accepted the bag, his smile growing wider when he looked inside. There were a few items of clothes, but what made him happy was the pair of shoes stacked on top. Lucy needed them, especially when she started working. Those slippers wouldn't cut it.
"Thanks! This'll definitely help."
"I'm glad," she said, nodding. "So, Makarov tells me you hurt yourself?"
Natsu turned his face so his bandage was closer to her. "Yeah. Had to get stitches."
"Does it hurt?"
"Kinda, but it's not so bad when I don't think about it."
"Makes sense." Erza glanced at her watch, frowning when she saw the time. "I have to get going. You can tell me more about your injury and the new girl at dinner."
Before she turned, Natsu said, "Wait. There's actually something I wanted to ask you. It's about Lucy," he started, turning so he could introduce Erza to the newest survivor. "Lucy, this is—"
His voice cut out when he took in Lucy's expression. Her eyes were blown wide, her body stiff, pressed against the wall beside his door. He couldn't tell if she was breathing or not, but her chest wasn't rising or falling. "Lucy?" he tried again, taking a step closer to her. She didn't react, but as soon as Erza took a step forward, Lucy jolted.
"NO!" she screamed out of nowhere, startling Natsu, Erza, and Happy. The cat ran over to his owner, curling behind his feet for protection.
Natsu hesitated before taking another step forward, slowly reaching a hand out as if he was trying to calm a wild animal. "Lucy," he started, voice soft but firm, "what are you—"
"St-stay away!" she yelled, hand fumbling for the door's handle. Once she grabbed it, she flung the door open and disappeared inside the classroom without another word.
Natsu tore his gaze away from the door to look at Erza, an equally confused expression on her face as well.
"What was that about?" she asked, brows pinched together.
Shaking his head, Natsu turned to make his way to his room. "I have no idea." He didn't think he did anything to upset her, but she was clearly rattled. She wouldn't have reacted that badly over nothing. Then again, he didn't know much about her. Maybe she really did freak out over nothing.
'Maybe she's still upset about Cana groping her?' Natsu thought, wondering if she thought it was going to happen again.
"I'm gonna check on her," he said, opening his door.
Erza was right behind him. "I'll come with you."
He didn't bother asking if she needed to leave. If he was in her shoes, he would have stayed too. Natsu stepped aside, allowing Erza and Happy to enter before slipping into his room, frowning when he didn't immediately see Lucy.
"Lucy?!" He checked under the desk, but she wasn't there. The only other place she could have hidden was—
"GO AWAY!" Lucy's scream came from inside the closet. "Just leave me alone!"
Natsu grabbed at the knob, trying to open it without any luck. "Lucy! Why'd you lock the door?!"
Instead of answering his question, she yelled, "You can't take me back!"
He could hear her sobbing between screams, further confusing him. Why did she think he was trying to take her somewhere? "What are you talking about?"
When she didn't answer, he headed to his bookcase, grabbing the key to the closet. He hadn't needed to use it since moving into the room since he didn't keep anything valuable in there, aside from cat food.
When he reached the door again, he gave her one more chance to open the door on her own. "Lucy! Just talk to me! What'd I do wrong?!"
"I'm not going back!"
Natsu shook his head, his confusion only growing. She wasn't making any sense. Furrowing his brows, Natsu slipped the key into the knob, twisting it to unlock the door. "Lucy?" he asked as he pulled the door open, light filling the closet. He was about to ask her what was wrong again, but his voice caught in his throat when he saw what she was doing to herself.
"SHIT! Lucy! Stop it!" Natsu didn't think twice as he lunged forward, taking a hold of her wrists so her nails wouldn't dig into her skin anymore. She was bleeding from the fresh scratches on her arms, blood under her fingernails. "What the hell are you doing?!"
"STOP!" Lucy cried out, trying to pull away from him. "Don't let her take me!"
"Her?" Natsu asked, looking over his shoulder to see Erza trying to help hold Lucy down, her arms reaching for the girl. "What are you—"
"NO! NO!" Lucy screamed, eyes slamming shut as she struggled to get away. It was no use, Natsu's grip was too strong on her wrists. She coughed, body tense as tears flooded her face. "Please, don't!"
"Lucy! I'm just trying to help!" He grunted when she kicked him in the leg. He loosened his grip, but not enough for her to escape. "Lucy! Just tell me what's wrong!"
While she continued to struggle, Natsu couldn't help but think maybe some of the injuries on her body were caused by herself. She clearly didn't have any qualms about self-harm.
Her body jerked, trying to twist free. "N-Natsu!" she screamed, a sob making her voice crack. His heart pinched, wishing he understood what was making her afraid. "I don't w-want to go back! Please!"
"Go back where?" he asked, not receiving an answer. Clenching his teeth, Natsu let go of her wrists so he could wrap his arms around her, feeling her beat her fists against his chest as he pulled her out of the closet and into the light. He didn't care that her blood was smearing on his skin. It was a small amount anyway. He had much worse when dealing with the infected.
"Lucy! Just calm down and talk to me!"
He was prepared for her to try to escape, but once she locked eyes with Erza's, Lucy ducked her head against Natsu's chest, her hands gripping his shirt to pull herself closer to him. "Please! Please don't let her t-take me! Please N-Natsu! Please!"
Natsu loosened his grip around her until he was no longer holding her, shocked when she didn't move away. If anything, she clung to him tighter. "Lucy? Wh—" He lost his voice when she looked up at him, watery brown eyes pleading with him.
"Please!"
"I... I don't know what you want," he said, feeling lost. Nothing she said made any sense. "No one's trying to take you?"
Lucy shook her head, pressing her forehead against his chest. "She is! I won't go back!"
Natsu looked at Erza again, seeing she was still confused. He narrowed his eyes at her, prompting her to raise her hands in a surrender, showing she meant no harm. "I'm not trying to take her anywhere," Erza promised, frowning when she glanced at Lucy. "I don't even know her."
"Lucy," he said a little softer, feeling her shake against his body. "Lucy, Erza's not trying to take you away. Can't you see that?"
It took her a long moment before she slowly pulled away, blinking through her tears as she looked up at him. She swallowed thickly, her bottom lip quivering as she whispered, "Please."
"Look," he started, glancing over at Erza before looking at Lucy again, "nothing's happening. You're safe here."
Lucy turned her head an inch, stopping before she could look over. To Natsu, it looked like she was afraid to see Erza, even though she had never done anything to harm or scare Lucy. Like she said, Erza didn't know her.
After another moment of hesitation, Lucy finally looked at Erza. She flinched immediately, but a few seconds later, Lucy's grip lessened on his shirt, her shoulders falling. In the light, Lucy could see her face clearly. Gulping, she slowly let go of Natsu's wrinkled shirt, her hands falling lifelessly to her side.
"Y-you're... you're not... her..."
Erza stayed quiet, debating if she should speak. She had no idea what she did to upset her, but her heart hurt for her. She could see the fear in her eyes. "I'm not who?"
"I... F..." Lucy shut her mouth and eyes, shaking her head as a few more tears spilled down her face. She whimpered, knees giving out as she fell to the floor.
Natsu wasn't expecting her to fall. He tried to catch her, but he was too late. He watched as she curled in on herself, arms wrapped tightly around her thin body as she clenched her teeth. "I d-don't want t-to go back," she mumbled to herself, sobs racking her body. "P-please."
Natsu dropped down to his knees, hand stretched out but not touching her. He had no idea how to comfort her, especially since he didn't know what upset her. Erza didn't do anything to threaten her, so why did she react so badly?
"What happened?"
Natsu glanced over his shoulder, shaking his head. "I don't know." He looked down at Lucy, the girl trembling as she wept. "Can you keep this between us? I don't want anyone else knowing."
He didn't see Erza's face, but he could hear the hesitance in her voice. "Sure." He understood why it would be difficult for her to keep a secret. She reported directly to Makarov. It was her job to tell him if she saw anything unusual.
"Thanks," he mumbled, moving to sit crisscross. Lucy was facing away from him, her body still shaking.
As he watched her, he almost forgot Erza was still in the room until she said, "I'm going to go. I'll see you at dinner."
He nodded, unsure if she saw him or not. He waited until he heard his door open and close before he shifted a little closer to Lucy. "She's gone now."
Lucy didn't say anything, moving her hands to cover her face so he couldn't see her. His frown deepened, not knowing what he was supposed to do. 'Fuck,' he thought, fingers drumming on his knees as he tried to figure out how to calm her down. He didn't have any food to offer her, and Happy didn't look like he wanted any attention.
After Lucy's outburst, Happy went to lay on Natsu's bed, hiding under the covers. Natsu almost envied his cat, wishing he could be under his covers too. He needed sleep so badly.
"Lucy," he tried, not surprised when she didn't respond. "Do you want to talk about it?"
She shook her head without saying a word. 'At least she's kinda communicating.'
Natsu didn't understand why she overreacted. 'Why did she think Erza was gonna take her somewhere? Where is she afraid to go?'
Wherever it was, it was obvious Lucy didn't want to go back. 'Was it where she came from? Before this morning?' She told Grandeeney she had been walking a lot. Maybe she left wherever she came from recently.
Natsu didn't want to face the possibility that Lucy was held somewhere against her will, but the clues were too hard to miss. She seemed convinced she was going to have to go back, enough that she was begging him to help her. It was clear to him that she didn't feel safe going 'back'.
He was having a hard time sorting out his thoughts and theories.
'Did people make those marks on her arms and legs?' He couldn't imagine she caused all those injuries to herself, but she had just hurt herself in front of him. She had a black eye, which suggested someone hit her, but he knew that wasn't always the case.
He received a few black eyes that weren't caused by another person. The last one he got was when he didn't stock a bag of baseballs right and they fell off the highest shelf, hitting him in the face. He had that shiner for a little over a week before it started fading.
He highly doubted she burned herself though, but he knew he couldn't rule it out. People did crazy things when they were hurting. It could have been that Lucy abused herself for some mental reason, but Natsu doubted it. Despite her lack of communication, she seemed to be in her right mind. Then again, who was he to judge? He wasn't a psychologist.
Natsu's eyes widened as his breath hitched, remembering something about one of his friends that might be useful. 'Levy was studying to be a therapist! Maybe she can help!'
She only had two years of college done, and honestly he didn't know every class she took. He didn't know if she had any experience that might help, but it was worth a shot! Levy was one of his nicest friends. He was sure she would be willing to try.
He would have to ask her as soon as he saw her next, which from the look of it, would be at dinner. Until then, he had to figure out how to get Lucy to stop crying.
Natsu frowned at the smeared blood on his own arms. He would have to use some rain water to wash that away. He wouldn't get another shower until next Tuesday.
Natsu sighed, realizing he had no idea what he was doing when it came to caring for Lucy. It seemed like every move he made was the wrong one. 'What the hell do I do now?' he wondered, staring at the girl who wouldn't stop crying on the floor. 'Can I even help her?'
He had no idea, but he hoped so.
He was running out of options.
.
.
.
Up next, Chapter Eight: Tattoo
Anyone ready to learn how Lucy may or may not know Natsu? Also, judging by this chapter, can anyone guess who Lucy spent some time with before Natsu found her in that basement? Let me know your thoughts and theories! I love hearing them! Also, let me know what you thought of this chapter! :P
*I get my spelling for names from my Fairy Tail manga. That's why there might be some differences from how other people spell them.
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