Hello welcome back! you guys seem excited for this story and alot of you guys left some really supportive comments so thanks! i try to write differsnt things, so im glad you guys think i succeed at that. i have different tastes than normal people and thats why i decided to start writing for the nalu fandom. i couldn't find a teacher student fic where lucy was the teacher, natsu was a bit shy around her, and lucy was kind of evil and manipulative, so i decided to write it myself. Then story after story of things i couldn't find and made with my own two hands. And now we're here! anyways, have fun. and comment what you think! ^_^
Lucy stared unemotionally at the television, her legs squeezed to her chest and head tilted to the side in wonder. Her pupils were big, taking up nearly her whole iris, only leaving a small ring of dark brown. "How strange…"
Natsu watched her expression, the news stations broadcast seeming very bizarre to her.
"Lucy Heartfilia, a 15 year old attending xxx high school, was kidnapped last week and is still missing. Father Jude Heartfilia reported her missing last Thursday evening. She never came home from school, but the kidnapping happened hours before then because she never came to class that day."
The screen switched to a blonde haired man with a mustache. He was quietly weeping as he spoke into the microphone. "Lucy sweetheart. If you see this, then know I won't stop looking for you. I already lost your mother and can't lose you too. If you have any information about her, please let us know."
Then the screen flipped to a group of girls wearing the same uniform Lucy always did. "We were good friends at school. She was so sweet… It's hard to think that someone took her like that. I hope she's okay and comes home soon. The person who did this is inhumane and deserves to go to jail for hurting her like this!"
Natsu couldn't take it anymore and switched the television off. Lucy blinked when it went dark, then turned towards him with her big, dead eyes. "Why'd you turn it off? I was enjoying that show. They're all such good actors and actresses."
"Luce…" Natsu's brows furrowed and he ran an exasperated hand down his face. He really didn't know how to respond to her sometimes, but what she said was true. It really was a show and they really were fooling everyone. Those girls bullied Lucy everyday at school. Enough that they have a spot on his wall that shows evidence of them hurting her. Same with her father. He really was a disgusting man. He hurts her every day, locks her out of the house and by the marks on her wrists and ankles, she was probably chained up somewhere. It really was despicable acting like that on the news. He's the reason she came with him and is so broken.
Sighing, Natsu reached his hand out and patted her blonde head. Her lips twitched, and her expression calmed a bit. She looked so unbothered before, but her irises showed more brown and her lashes lowered a millimeter. "Don't worry about that. There's better shows we can watch."
"Really? What other shows are there?"
"Let's see…" he turned the tv on again and and flipped it to Netflix. He went to the comedy section, passing over some other shows, but Lucy placed her hand over his.
"Wait, what was that?"
"Hmm?"
He scrolled up slowly until Lucy told him to stop on a certain section. Natsu stared at her in bewilderment. "You want to watch a horror film? Isn't your life scary enough already?"
"What do you mean scary?" Her eyes were glued to the tv. "That's the only life I've known. It's not scary. It's normal." She pointed to a movie. "Let's watch this. It's about a serial killer."
"We're not watching this." He scrolled back down to the comedies, ignoring how Lucy turned towards him and pouted.
"Please Natsu? I'll do anything you ask~" he gulped when she got on her hands and knees and slowly crawled over to him. "Truth is, I'm scared to watch the movie, but I really want to see something scary. I might be so scared that I'd sit in your lap and hide behind your arms as you hold me tight…"
She placed her small hand on his calve, causing him to slightly shiver. This is dangerous. Really fucking dangerous. He turned his head away and swallowed hard to try and push down his raging desires. "We'll watch your movie, so just stay in your spot."
"Aww, okay." She took off her hand from his leg and crawled back to her pillow. He sighed in relief and tried to calm himself down. He noticed something and quickly shoved his hand between his legs. Damnit he's hard. What the hell does this girl do to him? "Are you gonna play the movie or do you need me to come back over and convince you some more?"
"No, I'll play the movie." He quickly switched it on, and it started. Lucy was entranced since the very beginning. It seems she really liked the movie. Natsu got up to get something to eat and brought in some chips. Lucy didn't seem to notice or she wasn't hungry. It was strange because no matter how many jump scares there were or how scary the movie was, Lucy didn't even flinch. She just tilted her head to the side like she always did when she finds something curious and strange.
"I don't understand. People think this is scary?"
"It's because you see scary things everyday so it doesn't bother you anymore."
"So…" Her eyes fluttered around the room, looking at some of the photos on the wall. "My life really isn't normal. But then…" she finally turned towards him, her eyes still big and head tilted. "What's a normal life like?"
He didn't want to explain to her how the average person has a good family and friends that can help them through rough times. He didn't want to explain that being hit and sexually abused isn't normal. That being kidnapped by him isn't normal. He didn't want to make her feel sad by telling her how amazing other people's lives are. But what he can do, is show her.
"Come here, Luce." His voice was soft, but she didn't think much of it and sat in front of him. Without thinking to hard about it, her picked her small, malnourished body up and embraced her tightly with her leaning into his chest. Her small fingers sunk into his shirt. Natsu held her tightly, securely. He patted her hair and smiled. "Hugging is normal. It's how you show someone you care about them. It can be between friends, family, lovers. It's usually a greeting too. Sometimes when friends or family see each other, they hug. And they hug when they say goodbye too. Hugs can be a happy thing. If someone won the lottery, they may get excited and hug someone they barley know. They're just really happy and want to share that with other people. Or other times, you hug someone when they're feeling sad. It shows them that you're there for them. Being hugged can make you feel better when you're down."
"I see…" she mumbled into his chest and glanced up at him for a moment. "What does it mean when you're hugging me?"
"It means I want to show you what it feels like to have someone who cares about you. Who wants to cheer you up when you're feeling down. It means that I want you to be happy Luce."
"Mmn." She closed her eyes moved her hands around to clutch at his sides. "And what does it mean when… when I feel a bit fuzzy and restless?"
Natsu chuckled against her hair, causing Lucy to pout a bit. "It means it's working. Do you feel warm? Does your heart feel soft?"
"Is that how Natsu feels? Does your heart feel warm and soft from hugging me?"
He blinked down at her, and coughed a bit with his heart accelerating. "Y-yeah it is, but we're talkin about you now. What do you feel?"
"I… I do feel warm. I like being held…" she suddenly sniffles a bit, causing him to run a reassuring hand in her hair. "I feel safe. You make me feel safe."
"Good." He lifted her up again to get a bit comfier, but Lucy must have thought he was pulling away because her arms circled around his back and she latched onto him like a baby monkey.
"I-I want to stay close."
"I was just getting comfortable." He leaned against a wall and allowed Lucy to cozy herself into him like she was making a home. He couldn't help but smile because this is the first time since the week she's been here that she's been a bit vulnerable. Natsu loves her a lot, but he thought he would never get through to her because it was like she didn't have any emotions despite seeming so happy and carefree. But she was being spoilt and taking comfort in him. She was learning human emotions, which was probably a first for her
"You said family, lovers or friends hug each other, and sometimes strangers. What are we?"
"Family." He didn't have to think long at all. "We live together right? We eat meals together, we watch tv together. We sleep in the same room and I care about you. I want you to be happy. We're a family."
And a misfit family like theirs can turn into lovers eventually.
"A family…" she suddenly pulled away from him to gaze up at him with her big, chocolate eyes and head tilted in curiosity. But she didn't say anything, and just leaned back into him with a slight nod.
Natsu didn't know what was going on through that pretty head of hers, but he didn't want to push her anymore. He was happy enough already so he'll just let her get accustomed to physical touch that wasn't abusive in some way. He wouldn't take advantage of this because Lucy was being serious. She wasn't totally letting go of herself, but this was a step in the right direction. He'll break that flirty mask she wears so she truly vulnerable. And then he'll build her back up from the bottom until she's happy. That's all he could ever ask for. For Lucy to be happy.