"Thanks again for the reading, Virgo." Levy was getting her things back together. "I'm gonna head back to my place."
"Really?" Lucy raised a brow. Seeing how late it was, the young blonde was surprised her friend wasn't going to stay here. Although, when they went back to Levy's apartment earlier in the day, Lucy noticed she didn't grab extra clothes to stay. Did she have plans tomorrow?
"You're more than welcome to stay the night. It's pretty late."
"I know it is." The script mage admitted. "I'm actually going to another job tomorrow, and LIly said they'd be there early."
"Going on another mission with Gajeel?" The blonde snickered as she gave her friend a devious grin.
"Yeah, he asked me to tag along the last time I saw him at the guild hall." A bright red hue began to color the script mage's cheeks. "He said we make a good team, and that he wanted me to support him on this job."
"I'm so happy for you, Lev." Lucy beamed at her blue haired friend. The two say their goodbyes as the blonde waves at the script mage. "I hope you have fun!"
Levy smiled as she waved goodbye, leaving Virgo and Lucy alone. The maiden looked towards her friend. "Is there anything else I can do for you this evening, Princess?"
"No… I don't think so, Virgo. Thank you very much for your time." The Celestial Wizard gave her Maiden a smile as she waved goodbye.
Once again Lucy was alone.
Although it was late, the Celestial Mage felt tense. She knew laying down while feeling this way would only make it worse. I think it's time for a long relaxing bath. Thinking to herself, the young blonde went to her closet. She picked out a nightgown before going to the bathroom. Lucy grabbed her favorite scents, placing them in the bathtub. She let the hot water wash over the soaps, creating bubbles and wonderful smells.
As the water rose, Lucy's mind began to wander towards her recent interest in tarot cards. It seemed like a strange coincidence that the older woman gave them to her as a gift. Did she know she was a Celestial Wizard?
After her chat with Virgo, Lucy felt as though she had a special connection to these cards. The young blonde loved that she could use these cards to help guide her through her change!
"Aah! Hot!" Thankful for the near boiling water, the young blonde quickly began to relax into the tub. Closing her eyes, Lucy allowed her mind to wander.
This was the first time she's been able to relax in a while. Ever since Fairy Tail came back from Edolas, Lucy has been going on one mission after another. She felt that she needed the distraction from her social life in Fairy Tail.
Lisanna coming back to the guild was one of the greatest things to ever happen. The Celestial Wizard never knew Elfman and Mira could look so happy. Seeing their family back together again made the guild so happy.
Everyone else loved having her here as well, almost as if there were a piece missing that was finally filled.
Does Natsu feel the same way?
Lucy shook her head at the sudden thought invading her brain. The young woman heard several stories of the two when they were younger. The Dragon Slayer and Lisanna practically raised Happy by themselves. They became a little family. Taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes to the steam filled room. I've been going on all these missions to avoid my own feelings, allowing them to get close once again.
What are my feelings? The young blonde continues to think. Natsu's like my best friend! I can't see my life without him. As Lucy played with the bubbles, she contemplated something the Sky Dragon Slayer told her during their mission together.
I wonder if Wendy's right? Has he felt 'the pull' or whatever it was? There have been times when I was in danger, and he came to my rescue. It was almost like he sensed it before I did and came running.
Remembering her kidnapping, Lucy shivered. Thinking back to the moment on the ledge, the young woman never thought she could be more scared. With nowhere to run, the Celestial wizard thought she heard footsteps running towards the castle. In that moment, a wave of calm washed over her. Was that our bond we share?
Lucy felt nothing but relief as she fell from the tower she was being held captive in. Screaming the Dragon Slayer's name, she was once again reassured when she heard him call back.
There have been so many times that Natsu's been there for me. I'm not the strongest in the guild by any means. However, he makes it seem as if it doesn't matter. Even though it seems like I get in the way more than help sometimes, Natsu has never made me feel guilty for it. Instead he's always compassionate and wants me included in missions with Erza and the gang. A bright smile took over Lucy's features.
The pink haired wizard was the reason she was in Fairy Tail to begin with. If Natsu wouldn't have been there the day Lucy thought she found 'the salamander', who knows if the Celestial Mage would even be alive.
I wonder if Natsu's been giving me space, like I have with him? The young blonde's train of thought changed once again. I've been going on missions to give him time to himself. Was that a mistake?
The young woman's face drained of its warm feeling. What if he noticed, and has backed off because of that?
A frown came to Lucy's features. She never intended to push him away like this. The Dragon Slayer had been in the background, and forefront for so long that his absence left a void in her life. She missed Natsu. The young blonde couldn't remember the last time the duo snuck into her apartment. Happy would always try to steal the bed, while Natsu was at least courteous enough to sleep on the floor.
The Celestial Wizard took full advantage of the hot water. She stayed in the bathtub, contemplating for nearly an hour. Bubbles disappearing and the water running cold, Lucy decides it's finally time to get out. Finishing up her nightly routine, the young mage slips into her pajamas and wraps a towel around her hair.
As she exited the bathroom, she got the feeling that she wasn't alone. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up. Looking around at first, she didn't notice anything out of place.
Out of the corner of Lucy's eye, she noticed a figure with spiky pink hair next to her.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" Lucy screamed, kicking the intruder inside the apartment. The moment she realized who it actually was, she felt her heart fall into her stomach. "Natsu! I'm so sorry!"
The Dragon Slayer coughed as he tried his best to force his lungs to work once again. "Ya know, I should be used to it." A pained chuckle escaped his lips as he attempted to catch his breath. Lucy's foot slammed right into his chest, effectively knocking the wind out of him. "I did sneak into your house while it was dark."
"And very late…" The Celestial Wizard looked at the clock, noticing it was nearly two o'clock in the morning. "What in the world are you doing here? Where's Happy?"
"Uhh…" The pink haired wizard rubbed the back of his head. "Happy's asleep at home, I couldn't really sleep so I decided to take a walk.
"All the way into Magnolia?"
"I know… It's not my smartest move, but I just needed some fresh air. Before I knew it, I made it to town." Natsu took a seat on the edge of Lucy's bed. "Once I was here, I wondered if you were back from the job you were on with Levy."
A small smile came to the Dragon Slayer's features. "It felt like It'd been forever since we've seen each other. You've been taking a lot of different jobs lately, and I didn't want to get in the way of you making friends with other guild members. I noticed your lights were on and I was hoping you were back from your mission.
Natsu paused before a puzzled look came over his features. "Why are you up so late, anyway?"
"Levy and I were having a girls night. She just left before my bath." Lucy was unsure of what to say. However, it wasn't awkward between them in the slightest. The two sat there for a few moments without speaking.
So it sounds like he did miss me… Cheeks turning red, the young woman smiles.
Natsu was the one to break the silence. "I'm glad you're back." The Dragon Slayer gave her a toothy grin. "I feel like we've barely seen each other since we came home from Edolas."
"Did you really miss me enough to walk over ten miles into town on a hunch?" The young blonde asked, smirking at him.
"You know I did." Natsu's features brightened as he looked into her beautiful features. The moonlight was casting a glow on Lucy's face. "Do you mind if I stay?"
"Of course you can." A heat rose to her cheeks, causing her to blush a dark red that rivaled Erza's hair.
In order to allow a wider audience to enjoy Life after Edolas, I decided to keep the X-Rated content in a separate story. Please, if you wish to read the juicy extras (and are over 18) head over to my AO3 page. There, you will find different one-shot pairings that will be little additions to my stories. These will be coming soon! I'll keep you updated to when they'll be posted.
Natsu and Lucy won't be the only ones in these chapters, stay tuned to see if your favorite pairing will get a chance in the spotlight!
The Dragon Slayer awoke the next afternoon to wonderful smells coming from the other side of Lucy's home. He rubbed his eyes for a few moments before sitting up. The scent of food wafted into his nose once again. His body began moving on its own, taking him towards the kitchen.
After staying up all night, Natsu was still tired when he awoke. Thinking back on last night caused the pink haired wizard to shiver. Lucy and him shared some very intimate conversations. She even gave him a tarot card reading, and it helped the Dragon Slayer see his future begin to get less cloudy.
He could see himself getting stronger, his blonde companion right next to him. The path to greatness for both of them became clear for Natsu.
As the pink haired wizard neared the room where Lucy was, he noticed her singing quietly to herself. The noise was like music to his ears, effectively causing butterflies in his stomach. It's been a long time since I've heard that wonderful voice… Besides last night, of course.
When the Dragon Slayer would visit his best friend, he would often catch her humming or singing to herself. After their recent mission in Edolas however, the tunes ceased. Natsu contemplated what caused the change in behavior for some time. The pink haired wizard began to wonder if he should mention it to Lucy. It was possible she had no idea she'd stopped something that brought a lot of people joy.
Peering into the kitchen, the Dragon Slayer noticed the piles of food. Although he was still exhausted from last night, his stomach couldn't ignore the delicious scent. "Mmmm… Food." The Dragon Slayer mentioned in a soft tone behind her.
The sound caused the Celestial Mage to jump. "I hope you're hungry… I went a little overboard." The young blonde chuckled as she pointed to the stack of pancakes, bacon, muffins, and scrambled eggs.
"Starving!" Natsu makes a beeline for the pancakes and eggs, piling his plate high.
Lucy watched as her friend began to eat before she made her own plate. Without much thought, the young blonde started to hum once again.
"It's been a while since I've listened to you sing around the house." The Dragon Slayer mentioned with a smile between bites. "I miss it."
The Celestial Mage wasn't sure what to say. She was taken aback by her friend's comment. Lucy would catch herself humming almost constantly. The young blonde was unaware that anyone else could hear her.
"Does Happy know where you are?" Lucy questioned, changing the subject.
"I left a note, it said I was leaving to go on a walk." The Dragon Slayer mentioned, still filling his face. "He'll be at the guild hall, and if not I'm sure he won't be too hard to track down. There are only a few places he likes to go."
"He's probably searching for you!" The Celestial Mage smacked the back of Natsu's head. "You told him you were going on a walk, and you didn't come back!"
"Well after we eat breakfast, we can go to the guild hall!" Natsu's voice raised as well to match her tone. "I'm sure he'll be there waiting for me."
"You'd better hope so!" A smile came to her features as Lucy finished her breakfast, her previous attitude disappearing.