A/N: I went a little back and forth and back again with how this chapter went, but I still got it out when I wanted to. I hope you enjoy! And a huge, huge thank you to all of you who have been favoriting and following this story. You are what helps to keep this going. And to those of you who write some lovely reviews that always put a smile on my face, thank you! Your words mean so much to me! Special thank you to my latest reviewers, who assuaged my doubts about the last chapter (Snowy Analia, mumof4, skydancer121, and Firefly9917. I'm so glad you loved the unison raid too! I've been waiting for that to happen! Seriously! Thank you!
It felt like hours before they were able to return to The Wandering Pine. Shina, who had gone to town when all the commotion started (truthfully, she went after she started hearing what sounded like explosions), insisted they go on ahead without her, while she stayed behind to help sort out the villains with the town constable. Estobar had been collected by Virgo, who dug to his location the moment she heard his body hit the ground, tightly binding him and returning him to the others. Electricity still zapped along the ends of his hair and between his fingers, while the rest of him smoldered. Burns, scrapes, and bruises covered what skin could be seen, and sand fell from his hair with any movement, but in Virgo's mind it still wasn't enough. He deserved worse, but she still honored Lucy's wishes, and simply kept him confined until the constable came rather than punish him. Only then did she retire to the Celestial Spirit World, her own magical power drained from remaining in the living world for so long without the use of Lucy's magic.
Although he hated to do it, Happy volunteered to stay behind as well, sensing Natsu and Lucy's extreme exhaustion and need to recover from whatever happened to them, but only after fiercely hugging them for several minutes each, drenching them with his tears, even if they were tears of joy and relief.
The walk to The Wandering Pine was beautiful and quiet, the forest blissfully free of any sign of the chaos that had happened in town. Even so, at times the silence was eerie as the birds and wildlife were still recovering from their shock before they'd be willing to come out of hiding again. Natsu and Lucy were of little mind to appreciate it, or to notice their surroundings for that matter as they trudged back to the bed and breakfast. As the adrenaline from battle dissipated, the two of them were struck with not only fatigue and melancholy, but a different kind of fear – the fear of what they'd seen – not just in themselves, but in their partner. Bewildered, Lucy struggled to wrap her head around it just as much as Natsu did. Despite this, neither of them wanted to think about what happened. They needed to talk about it but didn't want to. Not only was it too painful, it was too fresh and raw and deep. What they really wanted was a hot shower, food, and sleep. They'd deal with the fallout later.
As they plodded wordlessly through the forest, the silence steadily grew awkward between them. Normally they would be joyful, excited, and loud after a victory, but this didn't feel like a victory. They kept their eyes forward, both wanting to look at their partner and yet afraid to. If they did, it was quick, nervous glances at the other's profile before promptly looking away. Several times, Lucy found herself craving the grip of Natsu's hand on hers, the simple touch enough to lend her strength and make her feel secure despite what they'd just been through; but she was too nervous to reach out to him. Natsu also wanted to touch her, to feel her hand in his as a way to reassure himself that she was still there, that he wasn't still imagining things; but he was too confused to reach for her. Regardless of what they both wanted, they also both suddenly understood that holding hands would perhaps mean something different than it used to – something new and exciting, but yet also possibly something to fear. It made them silent and nervous, hearts pattering away behind sore ribs as they were both hyperaware of their partner's closeness and movements as they made their way back to the inn walking an unusually far distance apart so that they did not touch.
It wasn't until they dragged their feet into their room that the unnatural silence was finally broken. "Natsu?" Lucy whispered, her voice quiet and breathy in her nervousness.
Natsu turned toward her with apprehension in his dark eyes. "Yeah?"
She couldn't meet his eyes, her discomfort clear in the way she held her arm with one arm crossed in front of her, her eyes avoiding his as she shuffled her feet. "I… I don't want to be alone right now."
His brow drawing down in confusion, Natsu took a cautious step closer, his eyes drawn to her hand gripping her arm before tracking to her downturned face. "I'm not going to leave you alone, Luce," he promised.
Swallowing, Lucy forced herself to meet his eyes and when she did, he gasped at the way they wavered in the dim light of their room – neither of them had bothered to turn on a light. "That's not what I mean," she breathed.
They were drifting closer without realizing it as Natsu whispered, "Then what do you mean?" He easily picked up on the increase in her heart rate, his own immediately picking up to match as he studied her carefully.
Lucy's eyes closed as she sighed, her exasperation clear in her posture, even if it wasn't directed at Natsu. "Will you please stay with me in the shower?"
Natsu turned red; redder than Erza's hair, redder than the emblem on his shoulder, as heat blasted off him like a fire roaring to life. "W-what?" he squeaked, his mind going to places it shouldn't.
The heat that washed over her drew Lucy's head up with a snap, her eyes wide as her mouth fell open, her own cheeks immediately flaming. "I-I don't mean it like that!" she snapped, quickly jumping back from him and unconsciously covering her breasts by folding her arms over them. "I just meant stay in the bathroom with me."
Chuckling nervously, Natsu scratched the back of his neck as this time he was the one to avert his eyes. "O-of course you did! I knew that!" he blurted. When Lucy remained silent, he forced himself to look at her, distantly aware of the heat that remained in his cheeks. The depth of the trauma in her eyes made his heart clench painfully in his chest as he quietly answered her. "Of course I will."
Her body practically moving on its own, Lucy pressed herself against Natsu's chest, wrapping her arms around him just as his automatically came up around her, drawing her closer. She was tired of keeping her distance, of acting like she could no longer touch him. It simply wasn't natural. "Thank you," she murmured, her breath cool against Natsu's surprisingly hot chest. She felt him sigh, his cheek resting against the top of her head a moment later.
"You don't have to thank me, Luce. Just stay with me too," he breathed, his voice husky and deep. He was tired of their distance too, relief flowing through him the moment she was in his arms.
She snuggled further against him, hearing his heart beat within his chest with a soothing rhythm. "Okay," she uttered as she released him. They parted reluctantly, Natsu's hands settling at her hips while hers remained around his waist. Their gazes were locked, for longer than they typically were, as heat grew in the air between them. Even as they stood there, Lucy was reminded of Natsu's tenderness when he came out of his illusion, the gentle and yet frantic way he held her, and her heart raced anew as warmth coiled pleasantly within her. Was he really going to kiss me? I certainly wanted him to, but what about now? Was it just the moment, what he'd been through? Or would he have meant it? This is Natsu we're talking about, I don't think he'd do anything he didn't mean… Before her thoughts could go any crazier, she stepped out of his grasp, allowing her hand to slide effortlessly into his. "Come on."
They were silent as they moved to the bathroom, both nervous but hiding it, for much the same reasons. Not only was their possibly evolving relationship on their minds, but so were the events of the past several hours – the horrors they'd seen and witnessed the other go through. It was hard to accept it all as a farce, which made reality equally hard to accept, calling everything into question, which was exactly what Estobar had wanted. As these thoughts tore through their minds, Lucy turned on the water and kicked out of her boots, shaking her head with a quiet chuckle when she realized she'd thought she had been wearing flats in her illusion, the sensation of sand between her toes all too real. Her thoughts were interrupted when Natsu gently grabbed her left arm. "Hold on," he instructed, his eyes on the make-shift bandage she'd made with the bottom of her shirt. Almost like a hound on a scent, his eyes shifted to the torn bottom of her shirt and the faint marks he could see beginning near her left hip. Without thinking, he tugged the hem of her shirt up, revealing three long slash marks diagonally crossing her abdomen.
"Kya!" Lucy shrieked, pulling her shirt back down when he threatened to raise it too high. "Natsu!"
His eyes were wide, not seeing the Lucy in front of him, but the Lucy he'd slashed in his illusion with his own claws; slashed and then licked the blood off of. He could still taste it… Shock and disgust rippled through him as he dropped the shirt, taking a staggering step back away from her. "What," he started.
Immediately understanding what Natsu was thinking, Lucy quickly closed the distance between them, grabbing both his hands in her own. "It's not what you think, Natsu! You didn't do this!" she practically yelled, shaking his hands to bring his focus back to her.
His eyes still hazy, Natsu nonetheless looked at her, his face still pinched with something Lucy couldn't quite understand just before he flinched. "The clown," he breathed, piecing the events back together once he was able to stop panicking.
Nodding, Lucy squeezed his hands. "Yes. The clown." She snorted before adding, "He at least, was real."
Being much more careful this time, Natsu gently raised Lucy's shirt, checking the extent of the slashes. They weren't deep enough to need stitches, but the skin surrounding them was still red and angry, dried blood coating the edges and dripping onto her skirt that a normal person wouldn't be able to see. When his eyes rose to hers, his brow gently furrowed in concern, she couldn't help the blush that peppered her cheeks. "Let me take care of this." His voice was quiet and soft, almost like he was pleading.
She thought about arguing with him. He wasn't the best at first-aid, but at that moment, she knew it didn't matter. He wanted to help her, yes, but it was also apparent that he needed to help her, probably more than she needed it. Regardless, her desire for his presence and his touch brought her answer to her lips before she could so much as hesitate. "Okay."
A gentle smile flitted across Natsu's lips as he pulled her closer, making her sit on the side of the tub before he turned to get the first-aid kit from their packs. When he returned, he made a point of washing his hands before taking off the bandage on her arm, his touch extra careful and gentle. As the red fabric peeled away from the numerous lacerations and burns, Lucy hissed, sucking her breath in through her teeth. Although the shirt had some blood on it, it was thankfully dry, and peeling the material back did not make any bleed anew.
The scent of Lucy's blood grew stronger the moment Natsu peeled her shirt away from her injury. None of the lacerations were big, except for where the charm had initially shattered, but he could smell bits of the charm still embedded in her skin. Carefully taking her elbow in his hand, he helped her back to her feet and over to the sink. "You've got some shrapnel," he muttered, his eyes glancing up to hers before switching on the sink. "This is gonna hurt."
Lucy could see by the tense set of Natsu's shoulders that he was bothered. He wanted to help her, not hurt her, but it was necessary, and his kindness squeezed her heart warmly. "It's okay, Natsu," she murmured, gripping his shoulder with her free hand. Her only answer was a small nod.
Natsu tested the water, making sure it was not too hot but not too cold, before gently moving Lucy's forearm beneath the stream. She hissed once more, doing her best to hide her discomfort, which only made him grind his teeth together. The force of the water broke some of the scabs free, the water running a light pink as he concentrated on the largest laceration before working outward, tipping her hand upward so no contaminated water would run into it. Once he allowed the water to cleanse the wounds, he took a clean cloth and rubbed it over the lacerations, satisfied with the small chinks of glass hitting the sink as the shrapnel was pulled from her skin. When not everything came out with the cloth and water, he turned to dig out a pair of tweezers, looking at Lucy with apologetic eyes as he turned back around. "I'm sorry, Luce," he rasped.
A soft smile graced Lucy's lips and Natsu was relieved to see it wasn't forced. "It's okay," she repeated, giving him a gentle nod and adjusting her grip on his shoulder. The moment metal touched her raw skin, she focused on not making a sound, but instead gripped his shoulder tighter, shuffling closer to him without thinking about it. Natsu was surprisingly quick and efficient in removing the stubborn shrapnel, dropping it into the sink and immediately cooling the water to help soothe her discomfort the moment the last piece was removed from her flesh. Once the water began to run clear once more, he ran another clean cloth under it before shutting it off with his elbow and moving to the lacerations on her abdomen.
The wounds to Lucy's belly were much more straight-forward, even though Natsu put some force behind his cleansing to make sure he got all the dirt and debris out. Lucy tolerated the cleaning with a grimace, grinding her teeth together and holding her breath to keep from making a sound as the raw skin was irritated anew. Once that was done, Natsu grabbed the antiseptic, gently dabbing a moistened bandage to her skin.
"I guess you're just going to wash this off," he scoffed, realizing what he was doing was pointless once he'd finished her abdomen and moved back to her forearm.
Lucy had come to the same conclusion but wouldn't dare say it as she watched him care for her with more tenderness than she'd seen other than when she was severely injured in the Grand Magic Games. He was cute and only a little awkward, his practice with injuries clearly showing even if he was not as fluid as Erza could be, let alone Wendy (not that any of them came close to the small Sky Dragon Slayer). "It's perfect," she breathed, not at all surprised to find her eyes glued to his concerned face.
Natsu gasped quietly at Lucy's words, his hands stilling against her as he slowly brought his eyes up to meet hers. He looked confused, his lips parted and his eyes wide, even after she murmured, "Thank you." Without thinking, she reached her free hand to his bloody cheek, gently brushing a finger below the injury with just enough force to feel Natsu tremble. "Now let me take care of you."
The heat that rose in Natsu's cheeks was unmistakable and he wanted to argue with her, but then also didn't. She always looked after his injuries when Wendy wasn't around, and it wasn't something he wanted to take away from her. The cut on his cheek wasn't much and could easily be cared for in the shower, but if she wanted to return the favor, he wasn't going to stop her, especially once her fingers trailed to the bruise darkening his neck, bringing goose bumps to his arms. "Okay," he croaked, his throat suddenly tight at her feather-like touch.
Just as he'd done to her, Lucy made Natsu sit on the side of the tub, standing in front of him with a fresh clean cloth. Biting her lower lip, she gently dabbed the slash on his cheek, moving outward until his skin was clear. "What did he hit you with? A damn ring?" she whispered, mostly to herself.
To Lucy's surprise, Natsu chuckled. "You know, I think so!" he teased, his eyes alight with his typical mirth when he looked up at her.
"Cheap bastard," she grumbled, moving to gently clean the curled burn in the center of his chest. She was only vaguely aware of the way Natsu followed her movements, his chin dropping as he watched her hand tend to him.
"You can say that again," he roughly agreed, rolling his shoulders in agitation as he recalled the smug look on Estobar's face.
Much as Natsu had done, Lucy cleansed his wounds with water before applying antiseptic, if for no other reason than to make him feel less silly. Natsu sensed this and gently gripped her hand, his eyes glued to hers, even though they were downcast, focusing on her task. Stilling at his touch, Lucy forced herself to meet his gaze, heat flooding her from the top of her head to the tips of her toes at his gentle gaze and the soft way his thumb brushed over her knuckles. The soothing gesture made her breath hitch, the intake of air gentle and ragged as she felt herself get swallowed up by his eyes – so dark they were almost black in the fading light. When he quietly rumbled, "Thanks, Luce," she had to swallow for fear of some odd sound of her longing leaving her like a squeak, her belly tightening from the deep timbre to his voice that she could even feel through the vibration in her hand.
"Even though you're just going to wash it off?" she replied, scouring her brain for something to say that would keep her knees from feeling so weak.
At the light dancing in Lucy's eyes, he smiled crookedly. "It's perfect!"
The ring in his voice, the excitement and joy clear in his tone, broke the spell and they separated, Lucy clearing her throat as she nervously wiped her hands on her skirt. Steam from the shower had already filled the room, and she faintly wondered how much time had passed since she'd turned on the water. With one last glance at Natsu, who simply smiled gently and nodded, she stepped into the shower.
The walk-in was large enough for a bathing stool to fit effortlessly outside of the reach of the water, with a second showerhead over it as though to allow for couples to bathe together; and that wasn't counting the oversized clawfoot bathtub outside of the shower that they'd used to sit on. That certainly had space for two people, if not more! The thought brought heat to Lucy's cheeks even as she concealed herself behind the thickly marbled glass before stripping out of her ruined clothes and tossing them into the opposing corner.
Natsu listened to the sound of the shower as he sat on the floor, his back pressed against the portion of the shower glass that did not open. Heat had already filled the room from the hot water, and it was nearly as soothing to him as it was to Lucy. Even if they were no longer touching, they were close enough for him to draw strength from her presence, to remind himself that what they had both seen and experienced hadn't been real. Lucy's comforting words and gentle touch echoed in his mind, and he focused on them, burning them into his brain even as he tried to forget what he'd thought he'd done.
He had been so destroyed over the thought that he had killed her, that when he'd found out she was alive and well, he had nearly lost control, his relief and desire gripping him so firmly it had been hard to resist. It's almost a good thing Estobar interrupted, he grudgingly admitted to himself. If not, I might have actually… He shuddered at the thought, the idea of her lips beneath his both a pleasant fiction and a source of fear. What if she rejected him? What if she didn't feel the same way? Was that something their friendship could recover from? He'd rather have her as his friend, secretly loving her, than risk losing her. Of course, it had been much easier to think that before witnessing how broken she'd been over thinking he was dead, and how easily he could have kissed her. She certainly hadn't been fighting it…
As he stared at the wall, his eyes taking on the glassy look of a person lost in thought, he slipped between the trauma of his illusion and fear, and the relief that had come with learning none of it was real. It was only after several iterations of the afternoon had played through his mind that he let himself give in, to imagine what it would have been like had they not been interrupted, and he finally felt peace. Even as his eyes lost focus on the wall, he saw her as he held her in his arms, her eyes bright and full of hope, mirroring the longing he was sure was reflected in his own. When he'd lower his head to hers, gently resting his forehead against hers before shifting, her breath would hitch, and he'd take that opportunity to steal their first kiss, pressing his lips against hers gently, but firmly – so there would be no mistaking how he felt as he pulled her flush against him. She'd immediately return his kiss, her arms slipping around his neck and pulling him closer, eliciting something between a purr and a growl from deep within him.
"Natsu? Natsu!"
With a start, Natsu shook himself out of his daydream, realizing Lucy had been calling him. "Yeah? Sorry!"
"Did you fall asleep?" Lucy asked from the other side of the shower door, not accusing in the slightest.
"No," he answered lamely.
Sensing there was more to his answer, Lucy nonetheless let it go. "Can you please hand me a towel?"
Natsu shoved himself to his feet, the movement taking a lot more effort than normal. His mind still not completely in the present, he grabbed the first towel he could find and held it out in front of the opening to the shower. "Here."
Lucy carefully opened the door just enough, so she could reach through and seize the towel before pulling it back inside. Natsu could hear water dripping from her hair as she squeezed it out before wrapping herself in the towel, and without needing her to ask, he grabbed her another one for her hair, holding it to the crack just as she opened it to ask for it. "Thanks, Natsu," she muttered, heat warming her cheeks as she glanced at his back – he was considering her modesty for a change, despite the fact that he'd normally not hesitate to sneak a peek when the opportunity arose.
She didn't have any clothes in the bathroom to change into, so Lucy stepped out of the shower wrapped in the luxurious towel proved by The Wandering Pine, her skin glowing pink from the heat of the shower. Her burns, which were numerous, had stung beneath the hot water, and now they appeared as dark pink (some almost purple) coils wrapping around her arms and upper legs, the bands drawing Natsu's gaze as he stepped back to give her some space.
"Why didn't you tell me?" he grumbled, unable to pull his eyes away from the marks marring Lucy's normally perfect skin. He'd treated her lacerations from the charm breaking and the clown, but the burns had been too numerous, and it would have been too painful, perhaps for the both of them, so he'd left them alone.
Opening her mouth to ask him what she was supposed to tell him, Lucy realized where Natsu's eyes were drawn and self-consciously tried to cover the burns with her hands. The movement only prompted Natsu to step forward, pulling her hands away until she spoke. "I didn't want you to worry," she admitted. "It wasn't your fault."
He glowered, but Lucy knew it wasn't directed at her. "Like hell it isn't. My fire heated up the lady's restraints."
It was Lucy's turn to scowl. "You couldn't know that," she argued. "And if you hadn't done that, she wouldn't have released me." He was silent, which meant he saw her point, just didn't want to admit it. Lucy took the chance to cup his cheek in her hand, her eyes shining when his finally rose to meet hers once more, her thumb tracing a line beneath his eye where his scales had been. "Really, Natsu. I'm fine. When we get back I'll ask Wendy to heal me."
His hand moved, almost as though he were to touch a burn high up on her right arm that formed a curl up near her shoulder. He stopped the moment he realized touching it would only hurt her, and that his hand was shaking. Instead, he covered her hand with his own, rubbing her knuckles gently with his thumb once more. "The last thing I want is for you to get hurt, Luce."
His words were so sudden, Lucy simply gawked, void of any reply, as he stepped back from her and into the shower. A second later and she heard the slap of his clothes hitting the floor before the water turned on, successfully ending the conversation.
Much as Natsu had done before her, Lucy did not leave the bathroom while Natsu showered, regardless of the fact that she had nothing to change into. Rather than even finish getting ready for bed herself, Lucy threw on a provided robe and sunk down to the floor just outside the shower stall, her back resting against the glass as she stared at the wall before her. The sound of water cascading onto Natsu and hitting the shower floor lulled her into a sense of security and relaxation that she hadn't expected, but with relaxation came the memories of the past several hours (memories she'd scarcely managed to keep at bay while she bathed), and with those memories, came a whole set of feelings she was too tired to process.
She had expected to have to deal with her fear of clowns on the job, the title itself gave that away. What she hadn't expected, was to have to face her greatest fear alongside them. While a part of her had known what her deepest fear was all along, seeing it play out in front of her eyes had been a different matter entirely. She'd seen Natsu take hits that should have left him near death before, but he'd always managed to rally, always managed to come back even stronger than before. Despite that, part of her wondered just when his strength and stamina might meet its match. It was a morbid worry, one that crept up on her when she least expected it, so it shouldn't have come as a surprise that being the cause of his demise would be nearly as painful as losing him in the first place.
Her fear alone had been enough to shake her to her very core, to make her want to throw in the towel and run away screaming for the hills. As always, Natsu was the one to bring her back from the brink, his strength and determination bringing out the best in her as he so often did. Regardless, nothing could have prepared her for then seeing his own worst fear play out before her very eyes. It had completely blindsided her. Not only had she not expected to see it, but she had never even thought such a thing possible. Just like she'd told Natsu, she'd never thought about him hurting the guild – it simply wasn't something he could or would do. The idea was preposterous. The same went for him hurting her. His magic was a destructive magic, that was true, but no matter how many times she'd been near his flames, or he'd tried experiments with his magic with her, she'd never once been harmed. Not even when he'd gained control over Kain's doll, Mr. Cursey, and her hand had been engulfed in his flames, was she harmed by them. Quite the contrary, his flames elicited warmth and reminded her of the physical embodiment of being wrapped in a hot blanket in front of a warm fire on a cold day – something comforting and to be enjoyed.
She couldn't imagine Natsu hurting anyone that was important to him, but what shocked her even more was the idea that he would hurt himself. He had not so much as hesitated to plunge Erza's sword into his chest upon discovering what he'd "done", and that fact scared her more than anything, despite how he then tried to allay her fears afterwards.
Thinking about what happened after his illusion was dispelled brought goose bumps to Lucy's arms and she shivered. The image of Natsu's anguished bellow was burned into her retinas, a perfect replica of what she'd seen that arose at will or on its own. As much as she wanted to forget it, she wanted to hold onto the memory. He'd been beautifully tragic in that moment, the epitome of sorrow and anger bringing rise to power of unbelievable proportions. The fact that he wielded such power often left her speechless, and she knew he would only get stronger, but his power hadn't been the only thing that surprised her. She should have expected his "awakening" to be as intimate as it had been – hers had been much the same way and she felt her fear paled in comparison to his. They'd never held each other with such intensity before, never looked at each other with such naked emotion shining in their eyes; and the emotions had been unmistakable. Fear, pain, relief, love, longing, and desire all wrapped into one. And then he'd nearly kissed her…
Is that right? Did he almost kiss me? Or am I just wishing it? Oh, dear Mavis, what do I do? I've wanted this, right, then why am I so afraid of it? What if I'm wrong?!
As Lucy mulled over the events of the evening, and the new questions they brought, her eyes growing tired and glassy from her vacant stare, Natsu tried to let the hot water pounding against his shoulders ease some of his discomfort. He was pointedly aware of Lucy just outside the marbled shower-glass, her back pressed against it just like his had been. Her quiet plea had been the same as the unspoken one in his mind. After going through what they went through, he felt like it would be a long time before he'd be comfortable away from her again. His heart just couldn't take it…
When Natsu shut off the water, Lucy returned to herself with a start, actually gasping quietly as her whole body jerked. Without needing to be asked, she pushed herself to her feet and retrieved him a towel, holding it out toward where he would open the door before he even could open it. Natsu saw the flash of white just outside the door and cracked it much as she had done, snagging the towel before closing the door again, not that he cared if Lucy saw him. They'd both seen each other in nothing but skin on more than one occasion, some by accident and some not, not that anything had ever come from it. But, much as he was honoring her modesty, he felt it better to practice a little modesty himself, at least for the time being. They'd already been through enough without adding an argument into the mix.
By the time he stepped out of the shower, his towel wrapped securely around his waist, Lucy gave him a crooked smile, actually brushing the back of her calf with her other foot nervously as she offered him the other robe. Without a word, she turned to leave the bathroom, but he stopped her by grabbing her hand and gently gripping her left elbow. He'd tossed the robe onto the lid of the toilet. "We need to dress your wounds." There was no room for argument in his voice even if it was gentle.
There was more than one problem with what he was saying, but for the moment, Lucy chose to ignore it and simply nodded her head. Natsu wasted no time in guiding her back to her place on the edge of the tub before gathering some bandages from their supplies. Completely ignoring the fact that water still dripped from his hair and trickled down his chest, he gripped her hand gently in one hand, situating it at the height he wanted before starting to wrap the bandage around it, starting at her wrist and working his way up. He had no idea Lucy's eyes were glued to the water traveling down the corners of his abs and disappearing into the top of his towel, but he was aware of the fact that her heart rate was increasing. "Does it hurt?" he asked quietly, once he realized she was also breathing faster.
Realizing that he could hear her, Lucy scarcely suppressed a small jump of surprise. "N-no! I'm fine," she poorly recovered, shaking her head to clear her thoughts. Oh, Mavis! Don't think of him like that! Especially not when he's right there!
Finished with her arm, Natsu raised an inquisitive eyebrow as he looked at the front of her robe, suddenly seeing a problem with his plan. If Lucy's naked under that… He stopped and cleared his throat, surprised by its sudden dryness. "Um," he began, fighting the heat coiling in his belly.
Lucy looked up at his quiet hum, her cheeks warming when it became clear he'd finally seen the issue, even though she smiled gently up at him. If he bandaged her in her robe, she'd be all but naked for the process. "Let's get dressed, then finish," she proposed, rising to her feet. He was so close her hands brushed his as she stood up, the contact electric between them. He simply gathered the supplies and followed her out into the main room.
Although it was most definitely against the norm and Lucy's "rules", they dressed together, politely turning their backs while they tugged on clean clothes – Natsu a typical pair of loose pants, Lucy with a comfy pair of shorts and a tank top. Easily dressing faster than his partner, Natsu shifted his feet anxiously while he waited for the all clear to turn around, rightfully fearing a Lucy Kick if he did so without permission, despite the circumstances.
"Okay."
The soft word had barely been uttered before Natsu was turning, making his way toward her with uncharacteristic seriousness. He was more than a little surprised when Lucy had already pulled her shirt up, tucking the bottom hem in the top of it to expose her slashed mid-drift. It took considerable control for him not to growl at the appearance of her wounds once more, something Lucy picked up on when she noticed the tight clench to his jaw as he gathered the wider bandages in his hands.
"Hey, Natsu?" she murmured the moment he laid hands on her. One hand rested at her side, holding the bandage in place while the other gently unraveled it, spanning the narrowest portion of her waist first.
Natsu couldn't trust his voice, so he simply looked at her, his eyes wide and open, shining with his concern for her as well as his love – even if Lucy didn't understand that it was no longer the love he had for a friend. Regardless, the moment their eyes met, Lucy felt at home, comforted in a way no one else could; and she couldn't stop herself from running her fingers through his hair. "Thank you," she breathed with a touch of a gentle smile flirting with her lips.
The sweet smile on her lips drew Natsu's eyes down to them briefly before he looked back up, her eyes surprisingly dark even as they shone brightly. He couldn't reply, could scarcely breathe at the way she was looking at him, even as her fingers in his hair elicited a shudder down his spine. Rather than answer her, he quickly finished the bandage before standing up before her once more. His eyes met hers for only a moment before he pulled her into the circle of his arms, embracing her just as tightly as he had after their battle had ended, and burying his face in her neck. Her intoxicating scent of vanilla and strawberries washed over him, as well as something deeper, something spicier, as he closed his eyes. This was home.
"I don't know what I'd do if something happened to you, Luce," he breathed against her neck, his breath hot against her flushed skin. She immediately shivered in his arms, which only made him hold her tighter, pressing her body flush against his.
The moment Natsu pulled her into his arms, Lucy had thrown hers around his neck, tilting her head to the side as he'd buried his face in her neck. His nose pressed against her pulse point, each breath sending a shiver down her spine, but she couldn't have been happier, even as his words lit her heart on fire. "Thank you," he murmured a moment later, when she'd remained silent.
Wanting to take care of him too, Lucy gently placed a hand on his chest, pushing him back so she could gather a bandage. He kept his arms loosely around her, unwilling to let her go, even when she had to turn slightly to gather supplies. When she turned back around, he could see the tint in her cheeks, but couldn't bring himself to care, his eyes locked on her face as she quickly cut a bandage to size and pressed it against his cheek. Sensing his eyes on her, she unconsciously ran her tongue along her lower lip before biting it, completely unaware of what it did to her partner just before she taped the edges of the bandage down. Her task complete, she pressed her palms to each of his cheeks and looked into his eyes, unaware that they shone with the same love and affection Natsu's had. "I don't know what I'd do if something happened to you either, Natsu," she breathed just before rising onto her tip-toes and planting a soft kiss on his forehead.
The touch of her lips against his skin sent Natsu's heart into a gallop and brought a fresh roll of heat off of him that was unmistakable. The moment she pulled away, carefully averting her eyes, he immediately wanted to grab her, to pull her back and kiss her properly. He didn't want to ruin their friendship, but how could he ignore what was happening? He pulled her back with his hands on her elbows, his forehead pressing to hers when he heard footsteps on the front porch and he let out a frustrated sigh.
"Natsu! Lucy!" Happy's shrill cry greeted them from downstairs.
Lucy scarcely suppressed a groan, her belly tight after witnessing Natsu's heated gaze the moment his eyes snapped open after she kissed him. Even with his forehead pressed to hers, she could feel the heavy rise and fall of his breaths, coming quicker than usual; and the same was true for her, his eyes burning into hers and making her feel like she just might burn through the floorboards.
"Hey," Natsu uttered, his voice gruff from his throat being too tight. I can't let this go…
"We have food!" Happy called, now clearly in the kitchen.
Ah, fuck it! Ready to pull his hair out, Natsu's stomach audibly rumbled and he pulled away, doing his best to act like nothing was wrong, like he hadn't just mentally assaulted his partner's mouth with his own. "You hungry?" he asked, holding his hand out for her with his wide, toothy grin hiding the rest of his tumultuous feelings underneath.
Giggling to hide her discomfort, Lucy fixed the towel twisted like a turban on top of her head before realizing Natsu was holding his hand out to her. A pleasant sense of déjà vu washed over her as she looked at Natsu's hand for the briefest moment before placing her own in it. He'd waited for her once again, his fingers easily sliding between hers to adjust their grip. The small but intimate change made Lucy suck in a surprised breath as their hands locked together, the change surprisingly comfortable, surprisingly easy as their fingers intertwined. Either not realizing he did it or preferring to pretend it was no big deal, Natsu said nothing before leading her forward into the hall with a gentle tug on her hand. "Coming!" he called to the two downstairs.
They trekked to the kitchen hand-in-hand, Lucy's face growing warmer the longer they were joined with their fingers interlocked. She didn't know it, but Natsu felt the same, surprised by his own action but too afraid to pull his hand back once he'd realized what he'd done, especially since Lucy was so accepting of it. He didn't let go of her hand until they entered the dining room, Shina immediately gasping at their appearance.
"Goodness!" Her surprise immediately melted into relief as she rushed to hug both of them. "You would not believe how grateful this town is for everything that you two have done!" she exclaimed as she pulled back from her embrace with Lucy.
Rubbing the back of his neck, Natsu shrugged while Lucy simply blushed. "We were glad to help," she answered for the two of them.
"Natsu!" Happy cried, flying into his best friend's chest with such force the Fire Dragon Slayer actually had to take a step back. Regardless, he wrapped the blue Exceed in his arms, squeezing him tightly.
"Happy!"
"You've got to tell me what happened! Those guys looked pretty beat up."
Natsu smirked and both Happy and Lucy were relieved to see his usual light in his eyes. "You're surprised?"
Lucy tweaked Happy's ear, wanting to emphasize that at least Natsu hadn't destroyed the town, but she was afraid the comment might strike a little too close to home. "We missed you, Happy."
Leaping into Lucy's awaiting arms, Happy snuggled into her embrace. "I'm just so happy you guys are okay!" he exclaimed, his words muffled against Lucy's chest.
Not able to stop his sudden protective reaction, Natsu grabbed Happy by his pack and pulled him away from Lucy's chest, his eyes flashing a warning before he realized what he was doing. "Thanks, Buddy!" he recovered, but the look in Happy's eye told him he understood. Happy wasn't as dense as he often pretended to be.
"Please, let me get you two something to eat! I'm sure you're starving!"
Natsu grinned. "You bet!" The moment Shina opened the fridge and beckoned them over, his mouth fell open. "Look at all this food!" he exclaimed, stars shining in his eyes as he practically began to drool.
To his pleasant surprise, Lucy gasped from just over Natsu's shoulder. Had her hair been down, it would have been brushing against his back. "Look at all the food!"
Smiling, Shina began pulling item after item from the cavernous appliance. She was clearly prepared, with snacks and put-together meals of all sorts available. She had hand-rolled sushi, ingredients to make fresh ramen, salad, cubes of cheese and slices of meat, watermelon squares, grapes, and strawberries. Not to mention thickly sliced bread, along with a warmer containing several bottles of sake. Their eyes bigger than their stomachs, Natsu and Lucy took bits of it all as Shina quickly made the ramen while Happy and Natsu moved the rest of the food to the dining room table.
Even though Natsu was a notoriously messy eater, Lucy chose to sit next to him rather than across from him, giving him a shy smile when he looked at her with surprise, a sloppily made sandwich already halfway to his mouth. Rather than comment (and risk scaring her off), he simply grinned, his eyes shutting in the process, before stuffing the sandwich into his mouth. Not at all surprised by her partner's actions, Lucy made herself a plate of fruits, cheese, and sushi, plus a small bowl of ramen once it was done. Without asking, Shina poured them both a cup of sake as well as a glass of water, not at all surprised when Natsu downed his entire glass of water in one gulp. It was quickly refilled before the woman sat down across from them, Happy next to her.
They ate in companionable silence for several moments, the only sounds the sound of Natsu's chewing, and the occasional clinking of silverware against the china. As soon as food touched her lips, Lucy realized how hungry she was, so Natsu was not alone in his zealous eating, the two of them easily polishing off the ramen and sushi. Natsu created and devoured three sandwiches, plus an entire plate of fruit in addition to the ramen and sushi, not exactly sipping on sake as he went. While she was supremely hungry, Lucy kept her intake down to the ramen, sushi, salad, and fruits, including healthy sips of sake. It wasn't until Shina poured them both a third cup of sake that she spoke. "The constable was able to link those you captured to several other cases around the mountain."
Lucy was the one to answer. "Really?"
"Apparently once you took them out, some spell was broken, and all of a sudden they realized this has been going on for a while now. They've increased your reward considerably."
Natsu hadn't been thinking about the reward and he paused, a grape halfway to his mouth. "Seriously?"
Beside him, Lucy clasped her hands before her chest in excitement. "Really?" she gushed.
Smiling, Shina nodded, leaning back in her chair comfortably. "It's one million jewels more now."
"WHAT?!" the two wizards shrieked at the same time.
"Does Lushy still get her key?" Happy was the only one calm enough to ask, even around a mouth full of fish.
Shina leaned to the side, pulling something out of her pocket before handing it over to the two Fairy Tail wizards in front of her. "I was told to give you this. Should explain it all." Her eyes crinkled as she smiled up at them before she jumped. "Oh! And this," she added, handing Lucy a small jar full of a glistening lavender cream. "I'm going to start cleaning up. Please, feel free to leave anything you don't want to take up to your room here. I'll take care of it all. And if you find you need something, please just let me know." Before she left, she paused, squeezing each of their shoulders. "None of us can thank you enough."
Lucy and Natsu turned in their seats to look at the aged woman behind them, both of them smiling warmly, but even Shina could see the darkness hidden in their eyes. They'd both been through something terrible, she could see. "Please, feel free to stay here as long as you like. No charge. And anything you need, just say it."
"Shina," Lucy went to argue, but she stopped her.
"I won't be arguing this, Lucy." She smiled despite her crisp words. "Just accept my gratitude."
Spoken like a true grandmother, Lucy mused, smiling despite her chagrin. "Yes."
Smiling again, Shina cupped their cheeks in her palms, looking at the two of them with as much affection as she would her own grandchildren, had she had any. "Good night."
Lucy and Natsu replied simultaneously, "Good night."
A/N: Longer chapter to make up for my last one, told you half of it had already been written, lol. I sincerely hope you enjoyed it even though it's sadly almost done...
As always, I do not own Fairy Tail or any of the characters. They all belong to Hiro Mashima, who can be such a troll with our hearts...