"Natsu, where did Zeref go?" Lucy finally built up the courage to ask. Natsu had been stone cold, too similar to his earlier persona. Lucy didn't speak when they left the room, nor during the trek through the palace to Natsu's familiar bedroom.
"Nowhere. The spell makes his body disappear and his soul to relive a moment in his life, but he'll be back soon." Natsj closed the door behind Lucy as they entered the room.
Lucy made herself at home, hurrying over to the bed that she had thought about day in and day out, and all the memories they shared here. This very room had been a spotlight in hed memory for months, and here she was. Alone with the one person she craved for so long.
Lucy's long legs hung over the edge of the bed, feet still far from the floor as she watched the demon before her remove the dirtied, scuffed leather pants, tossing them in the garbage nearby due to the rope. the rips in the fine leather from
When Natsu stood in just his black underwear, Lucy let her eyes wander the expanse of Natsu's body. He was just the same as before, just maybe a bit paler. But just as beautiful. His muscles were still shapely and looked to be crafted to perfection. He really was perfection.
His hair was left in a mess on the top of his head, a sexy mess that made Lucy want to put her fingers through it. Lucy truly would be happy with her fingers on any part of the beautiful man before her, it had been so long.
"Stop staring, Lucy." Natsu's voice broke the silence of the room as he began to replace the torn leather pants with fresh ones.
Lucy only cracked a grin, but didn't look away. Before Natsu could button the top of the fairly tight pants, he was walking towards Lucy, a familiar smirk on his expression.
"Didn't I say to stop staring, hm?" Natsu asked, his voice deep and playful, something Lucy hadn't heard in so, so long.
As Natsu walked closer, Lucy's body sunk lower into the mattress slowly, back hitting the silky sheets as Natsu found his place between her submissive legs.
Natsu's fingers were no stranger to Lucy's body, they both knew this well. They quickly found the bottom of the Girl's top, fiddling for a moment before pushing the fabric up her skin.
The air that hit her skin caused her nipples to harden, and a gasp to push past his lips. Her eyes fluttered shut, waiting for the next action that would no doubt take Lucy into the ethereal whiteness that all of the orgasams Natsu had given her were. But nothing followed.
Her eyes cracked, as Natsu's hushed voice sounded, "You're so much paler than I remember." His fingers danced delicately across the expanse of Lucy's flat stomach; An almost pained look covered the expanse of his expression.
"Y-You are too." Lucy spoke up, her own fingers eventually finding Natsu's muscular arms. She held on lightly, simply wanting to feel his skin under her own fingertips.
The silence was strong, neither comfortable or uncomfortable. They both stared back at each other, no words being shared for some time.
"I spent a lot of time indoors trying to remember you. Every memory of you." Natsu paused, his voice cracking just slightly, "I'm paler than I was." His voice was hushed, and grew quieter towards the end.
Lucy huffed, "I stayed indoors a lot, too. I-I guess you could say I've hardly been alive the last few months."
Natsu's face scrunched in confusion, his hands still touching up and down the expansive of Lucy's stomach, "What do you mean?"
Lucy didn't feel the need to hide what had happened, he deserved to know, "The first few weeks were unbearable. I cried a lot, I don't think I left the house a lot during that time. That was followed by the few weeks of silence. No more tears, I tried so hard to hold it in. I pushed everyone away and wanted to solve my pain on my own. They eventually pushed their way in and started to help me feel better, forcing me to visit my mom, an-"
"Speaking of her, how is your mother?" Natsu's genuine question brought the warmest of smiles to Lucy.
"Fine. She's came home. Two doctor visits a week and a weekly nurse comes to the house for shots and medicine but she's doing amazing.." Lucy paused to continue his original explaination, "Anyways, they forced me to get out of the house and visit her before she returned to home. I really did start to get better the last few weeks." Lucy ended, watching how Natsu's smile formed while talking about her mother, and then fell again while talking about how she was getting better.
Natsu's eyes locked with Lucy, fingers still dancing on her skin, "Im so sorry you had to go through this pain. If I would've just realized my feelings and didn't try to suppress them with unhealthy behavior this would have never hap-"
"Don't blame yourself. Please." Lucy's voice spoke up, silencing Natsu. Their eyes stared back at each other full of love, softened gazes and shy touches being the form of chosen communication.
"C-Can I kiss you, Lucy?" Natsu asked, hands stilling when presenting the question. His eyes flickered to the other girl's lips, and Lucy couldn't help but to notice and blush.
"Please." It didn't take a moment for Natsu to close the space between the two, the kiss being hard, and meaningful. It was full of pain, and longing. Full of love.
Natsu's hands cupped Lucy's cheeks as he deepened the kiss, Lucy's soft lips sending him over the moon. Their lips danced together and in a perfect rhythm, smacking before returning to the other pair, tongues grazing lips.
It was everything Lucy dreamt about all those months, everything she longed for. She felt so full, love filling every vein in her body. She almost wanted to cry.
When they pulled apart, Natsu looked down at the girl, admiring his work. Lucy's lips were bruised and red, puffy from the weight of his kiss and chest heaving as her lungs begged for air. Her hair was messy; Natsu couldn't recall if his fingers had ended up in her locks of golden hair, but it was cute.
A single digit ran down the length of Lucy's cheek, just barely grazing her smooth skin. A certain set of words sat on his lips, but he was unsure.
Before Natsu could even begin with the words that urged to be spoken, Lucy stole the words from him, "I-I love you, too. By t-the way."
Natsu cracked a smile, a real, true smile as he visibly relaxed. His lips quickly found their way to Lucy's, a chaste kiss landing on her lips then her cheek, down to open mouth kisses on her neck and down her chest.
Giggles from them both erupted in the room, the most happiness both had felt in so long nearly bringing tears to their eyes.
The warm happiness of the room was quickly paused though, when he was summoned. He froze, hearing his father's voice summoning him.
He hadn't heard anyone summon him since his return, as his father had turned him into a human. Is that possible? How could this be happening?
Lucy noticed the change immediately, hands flying up to hand on Natsu's well built shoulders, eyes scrunched together in confusion.
"What is it?"She asked, worry laced in her voice.
Natsu bit his lip, closing his eyes for a moment as his harder outter persona was replaced. Only Lucy was to see him in that state, it was only fair considering Lucy was the only person to make him feel that happy.
"My father summoned me." Natsu paused, standing up and fixing his clothes, "Let's go, baby."
Soon enough the pair found themselves outside the library, a place neither of them were too comfortable being after the last events took place. Lucy's memories flashed reminding her of the way Natsu laid on the floor in pain, how his memory was wiped and they disappeared together. It nearly brought a whole new set of tears to her eyes.
They shared one last look before Natsu pushed open the door, the sound of the squeak from the door echoing into the expansive room. It was nearly empty, besides the only familiar person
Zeref
He stood clearly shaken up, chest heaving and something Natsu had never once seen in his eyes, tears.
The sound of the door gained their attention. Lucy cowered just slightly behind Natsu at the sight of the red eyes glowing back, afraid of what was to come.
Zeref was the first to speak, his voice shaking, "Please, come in."
Natsu turned to look into the eyes of Lucy, before leading the way into the library.
Memories flashed in his mind as he stepped near the space where she once shook in pain, and told the girl to his right that he loved her, at the exact moment that he realized and came to terms with it. How could he ever truly forget?
Zeref was the first to speak as the three came face to face, tensions high, "I hate this. I hate doing this more than anything. Everyone knows I don't apologize." He paused to sigh "B-But I do. I apologize. I-I suppose the reason I so badly didn't want you to fall in love was for the sole purpose that I wanted you to be purely evil, forever. With no intentions to exist for any other reason than to represent the sin of Lust."
Lucy's heart was beating out of her chest, her vision blurry with tears as Zeref continued to speak, "I love Mavis, so very much. I've told all of you how we met and why the devil has a partner, how things came to be. You all know that I too never had the intention to fall in love. I wanted to exist purely to run Hell, to carry this Underworld. I didn't mean to fall in love, and you didn't either. And I'm sorry I didn't realize sooner."
A chill ran down Natsu's back as he listened to the words his father spoke, wanting to proudly wear a smirk, but instead he suppressed it.
His eyes flickered to the side as he heard a sniffle, Lucy's small frame even smaller as she tried to hide her tears. Natsu almost smiled, but instead wrapped an arm around the girl before returning his vision back to his parent
Zeref continued, "It'll take some time to get used to, but I will."
Natsu nodded, happy with his apology. He couldn't comfort his father, or tell him that it's okay and that he forgives him because he doesn't. And he isn't sure he ever truly will, but he's happy with here he's at.
"My only concern is the living arrangements.." Zeref spoke up
Natsu cracked a half smile, "Its fine, she'll sleep with me."
Zeref only smiles in response to the answer, as if it was the easiest answer of all, "No, Natsu. Living as in being alive."
Zeref spoke up to explain what his had began to say, confusion clear on Natsu's face, "We can turn you back to being a demon again, that's easy. Your life on Earth can easily be erased. But, Lucy isn't so easy to take care of. She'll die here in Hell if she spends too much time here, just as you will on Earth."
Natsu's blood ran cold at the realization. His grip on Lucy only tightened as the thought filled his mind. Zeref wasn't wrong, and it wasn't a little known fact.
Natsu has known for hundreds of thousands of years that the living can't walk Hell for too long without falling ill and dying suddenly, just as he had on Earth all those months ago when he tried to suppress his love for the girl to his right.
"W-What are we going to do? Is there a s-spell we can use o- or can we-" Natsu panicked questioning was cut off, Lucy's heart swelling in fear.
"Natsu, there's nothing. You know this. The only thing we could think of, is if Lucy became your partner." Zeref spoke up, "Officially."
Natsu's eyes widened, his arms unwrapping from around Lucy's shoulders to find her hand, "L-Like? She'll get my eyes?"
Natsu smiles widely, turning to face Lucy who didn't wear the same excited expression, "Do you hear this Lucy? This is like marriage but in Hell. You get everything, my powers, my eyes, you'll be my partner forever and a, a-a," Natsu's voice slowly trailed off as he realized the worst part.
His parent spoke the last part with him, "Demon..."