"speaking"
"thinking"
On with the story
Afternoon
Lucy went home as she didn't even go home with the usual group
Irene looks at Lucy from her office room's window as she looks at Lucy who just goes home alone
"are we really just going to let her take part?" Irene asked as she turns to look at Natsu who was sitting by the couch while reading some documents "I can see that she's against the marriage but she's forcing herself to go with it"
"she accepts her fate, let it be" Natsu said as he placed the documents to the table before taking off his glasses and rubs the bridge of his nose
"you can't be serious about this" Irene retorted "she's being forced into this marriage"
"I am serious" Natsu said as he put back his glasses on before he adjusted them "this is an inner family matter which I would like to stay out of it"
"even so!" Irene exclaimed
"even so what?" Natsu replied taking a glance at Irene "weren't you like that when you and I were in a contract before?"
"that and this is different!" Irene stated "after that, I abide to you!"
"then the matter is ended" Natsu said closing his eyes for a second "Lucy abides to her father's last will. So we should abide to what she wishes"
Natsu grabs his school bag on the table before slinging it over his shoulder
"I'm going home" Natsu said "Éclair and the others planned for a big celebratory or a farewell party for Lucy at the weekend. You should join before Lucy gets married"
Natsu went out of Irene's office as he won't do anything to help Lucy get out of her arranged marriage
When Natsu leaves the office, Irene had a purely disappointed look as she had believed Natsu would do something to help Lucy
"stupid…" Irene said
Nighttime at Natsu's house
Éclair and Meredy were in the living room together, the child watching a children's show on tv while the pregnant highschool student is knitting the onesies for her future child
Natsu went in as he had a towel around his neck after taking a night shower
He sat down on the couch beside Éclair and joined Meredy in watching the children's show
The atmosphere there was calm and normal. The only sound that was heard is from the tv while the occupants were just silent
After a few minutes, Natsu breaks it by letting out a long sigh and glanced at Éclair who was knitting without speaking a word
"what's wrong?" Natsu asked softly while having one eye closed "being so silent all the way"
"I'm disappointed in you" Éclair said while just focusing on knitting the onesies
"disappointed? Why?" Natsu replied as Éclair looks at him with a stern face
"why? What else?! We were all doing our best to help Lucy get out of her arranged marriage!" Éclair told Natsu "she's our friend and you just let her take her fate? Why won't you help her!?"
Natsu sighs as he takes off his glasses and placed them away on the table
"even if I wanted to, there are limits to how I can help her" Natsu said as he rubs the bridge of his nose before taking off his towel around his neck "helping her in a peril trouble is one thing but this isn't the same"
"but still!" Éclair said but was cut off when Natsu placed a finger to her lips
"Lucy choose this herself" Natsu said "if she wanted to be helped, she would've told me in the first place, and I would have helped too. But she didn't so I won't do anything to help"
Éclair frowns as Natsu has set his decision down and won't change it anymore
"the only thing left for me and any of us to do is to give her the best time she ever had in Magnolia before she leaves for her wedding" Natsu said pulling his finger away from Éclair's lips "that's the right thing to do now, alright?"
Éclair's frowns stayed upon her face before she nodded in understanding
A few hours later, it was time to go to bed
In Natsu's room, the young man and Éclair rested on their bed together
Natsu holds Éclair as her back was to him while his left arm drapes over her waist and to her pregnant stomach, unconsciously caressing it gently up and down
Éclair was fast asleep but Natsu wasn't as he just stayed in his position on his side of the bed
Natsu places a kiss on Éclair's back neck before he rubs his warm hand up and down her pregnant stomach
"you could win an award for the best acting skills in the whole world" Demonic Natsu spoke out as he and White Natsu appeared standing on Natsu's shoulder
"what do you two want?" Natsu told the two spirits telepathically
"nothing, we are merely interested on your little secret plan" White Natsu replied
"just go away, I'm going to sleep" Natsu told them before closing his eyes
"did you forget that we can appear in your field of vision, even if it's in the mind?" Demonic Natsu said as Natsu opens his eyes and they were glowing red "alright alright, stiffy aren't you?"
The two spirits then disappear as they left him alone with Éclair
Natsu sighs a bit as he closed his eyes to go to sleep before he felt a shift on the bed
He peeks an eye open and sees that Éclair had turned around in her sleep and was now facing towards him
"Natsu…" Éclair whispered out as Natsu hummed while looking at her with a half opened eye "you really won't change it?"
"Éclair…if it were that easy, I would've pummeled that Everlue to the ground just hearing the arranged marriage" Natsu replied in a low voice
"but Lucy is our friend..we can't just" Éclair retorted before Natsu takes her lips into a small kiss before leaning away
"I'm sorry…..but I can't go against her father's last will" Natsu whispered "going against it would just mean that I'm soiling her father's last will"
Éclair frowns sadly before she turns on her side and went back to sleep
Natsu looks at her back as he could hear silent tears dripping down Éclair's tears
"I'm sorry…but I still need time" Natsu said as he holds Éclair's waist and comforts her silent tears.
That's a wrap!
Bye bye
