A Walk in the Woods
Chapter 4
The night was thick and the moon was high but still Lucy couldn't sleep. Natsu's head and shoulders rested heavily against her lap, sending her lower legs tingling. On top of her numbing extremities, Natsu's fevered body heat was like a burning furnace. She was sweating despite the cool night air and the tree at her back dug into her skin painfully just adding to the list.
She sighed and shifted minutely, looking down at her sick partner. No matter her discomfort, she could not bring herself to disturb Natsu from his position. He was finally sleeping.
The small pile of burnt kindling was nearly extinguished but it was just enough light for her to see Natsu's features in the dark. She studied his sloped nose and soft jawline. His thick lashes draped his closed eyes like curtains and his lips were parted slightly in sleep. He really is handsome, Lucy thought as she toyed with a lock of his hair. It was softer than any silk she'd felt. She sighed.
What am I going to do with these confusing feelings, Natsu?
Lucy was torn from her thoughts, gasping as a rather large branch snapped somewhere in the brush. What was that? A sudden rush of adrenalin filled her. It was probably just a squirrel and she was being paranoid but still, she sat on edge, ears perked and listening for further movement in the encircling darkness.
Her heart beat quickened as she next heard poorly masked foot steps drawing closer. She glared at the small coals sitting in front of her, cursing the warm glow for revealing their position. Who was prowling the woods in the wee hours of the morning anyway? What if it's another one of those freaking jungle cats?!
The muffled whispers she heard next proved it was no animal.
"Natsu," She whispered, gentling ruffling him, earning a groan of acknowledgement. "Someone's coming," Sensation rushed back to her legs with a burning vengeance as soon as she helped Natsu up. She steadied his position before letting her hand float instinctively to the keys at her side. If anyone tried to attack, she would have to be the defender. Natsu was in no shape for a fight. He looked more likely to fall over than to throw a punch.
Lucy was ready, trained dutifully on the crackling footsteps growing closer, but suddenly, hands grabbed her from behind. She screamed as her wrists were yanked behind her back with enough force to bruise.
"Lucy!" Natsu said, reacting to her scream but he was sluggish and a second man appeared at his side to easily overpower him.
"LET ME GO!" Lucy yelled, struggling against the arms that held her. She couldn't reach her keys.
"Grab the pack, boss, there's gotta be some money in there!" A total of three men were upon them. One holding Lucy, one on Natsu, and the third inconsiderately ripping apart their belongings.
"Sorry boys, there ain't squat in here. Just some clothes and shit,"
"Just our fuckin' luck," The man holding Lucy said. His voice was gruff and gravely. It sent shivers down Lucy's spine. She could smell his terrible breath as he held her close.
"Are you three stupid or just deaf?! She said let her go!" Natsu said angrily from his position on the ground. He had been flipped on his stomach and pinned, arms held awkwardly behind his back.
"Shut up, you little rat," The man above him said. Natsu cried out as the towering man twisted his arms back further, testing Natsu's flexibility while also shoving his wounded chest into the gravel.
"Stop, please!" Lucy struggled frantically.
"Well this was a big waste of time," The scrawniest man that had picked apart their pack said as he stood to look her up and down. She cringed as his eyes undressed her. "At least this one's kind of hot. Guess we could take turns with her and have a little fun," His crooked grin made her want to vomit.
"I'd like to see you try," Lucy spat at the man's feet, glaring daggers. If only she could wiggle her hands free to grab her keys. She could totally fight these losers. They were obviously common bandits, not even magic users. Her fingers were mere inches away from her belt pouch.
"HA! I like them feisty," The scrawny man said.
"Don't you dare touch her," Natsu growled before his face was shoved forcefully into the ground by his captor.
"Slit that one's throat, he's pissing me off," The scrawny man ordered. He was clearly the leader of their little gang.
"Sure thing, boss. He looks half dead already anyway,"
"NO, let him go, you oversized PIG!" Lucy hollered, her eyes flashing to Natsu. The bandit holding him was already pulling a gleaming blade from its holster.
"I do like them feisty, but you talk to much," The leader said taking hold of her face with one grimy hand, forcing her to look him in the eye. "I think you might want to start worrying about yourself more anyway, sweetheart," with his other hand, he roughly groped her inner thigh, a wide smile spreading over his face as she screamed.
That was all it took for Natsu to explode in flames. Lucy had to shut her eyes against the brilliant eruption of orange light. She inwardly rejoiced as the man let go of her leg, turning in surprise and shielding his face against the heat.
The bandit that had been holding Natsu was thrown back by the abrupt burst of magic and slammed into a nearby tree. He fell onto his hands and knees, dazed and angered by the blow. Lucy took the distraction as a chance to make a move of her own.
"I said get OFF," She stomped her heel full force onto her captor's foot and simultaneously smashed her head backwards against him. She felt something crunch against her skull. He dropped her like a hot potato, spewing a stream of curses and clutching his face.
She spun around to face the brawny male and kicked him square in the pants with all her force. He instantaneously doubled onto his knees. This gave Lucy the perfect opportunity to slam her knee into his face, smashing his nose further and knocking him unconscious. The bandit slumped to the ground before her. One down.
"Open, Gait of the golden Bull: Taurus!"
"MOOO!" Taurus yelled as he appeared from the dazzling smoke, the small clearing further illuminated by flashing magical light. The bandits had no idea what they had gotten themselves into, trying to rob a pair of Fairy Tail wizards.
"Taurus, take care of these low lives!" Lucy yelled pointing at the two remaining bandits.
"AbsoLOOOTly miss LOOcy!" He yelled, promptly springing to work, tackling one into a bush. Natsu had also joined the little fray, wrestling the smallest bandit to the ground. Even with Natsu weakened by illness, there was no real match. The fire wizard dominated, one hand fisted in the bandit's shirt while the other smashed relentlessly into his face.
"Don't-EVER-touch-Lucy!" Natsu yelled, each word accented by a punch.
It took no more than a minute before the remaining two bandits were K-O'd, and all three piled high in a heap of smelly man.
"Are you alright miss Loocy?" Taurus asked, barely refraining from commenting on her appearance. Her tank top had been torn slightly during the scuffle, further revealing her already plunging cleavage.
"I'm okay Taurus, thank you for your help," She said while kneeling to tend to Natsu who was panting heavily and holding his chest.
"I spoke with Loke, Miss Loocy, he said a rescue team left Fairy Tail not long ago,"
"Really?! Oh my gosh thank you Taurus, that's good to hear,"
"Any time miss Loocy. If you ever want to repay me, all I need is a smooch!"
"Oh buzz off, ya crazy cow," Lucy muttered as he disappeared into the celestial world.
"Come on, Natsu. We need to get out of here," Lucy regretfully draped Natsu's arm over her shoulders and pulled him to his feet. "We've got to leave before these three wake up,"
By starlight, the pair slowly shuffled away from the scene, traveling the riverbank and putting distance between themselves and the bandits. Lucy found a small clearing shrouded by brush and overhang. It was not too far from the river, but hidden enough where they could remain undetected by foes.
Together they fell unceremoniously to the ground, Natsu's legs giving out beneath him.
"Lucy, are you okay?" Natsu panted, "That man, he shouldn't have done that. I'm sorry I didn't stop him," His voice shook slightly. From anger? Illness? She couldn't be sure.
"Natsu, I don't need protecting all the time, you know," Lucy said, exacerbated and quite frankly, a little offended. This new caring Natsu was not proving to always be a good thing. "I can protect you sometimes too. That's what makes us a team, remember? We're partners!"
"I know, but that creep was disgusting. The way he grabbed you -it just pisses me off," Natsu said clenching his fists and teeth. All trace of illness seemed to lift from Natsu's body for that one moment, his inner rage trumping the physical symptoms.
"Well it pisses me off too, but I can handle things on my own, clearly! I took out two of those guys by myself," Lucy reminded him.
"You're right," Natsu mumbled, beginning to wilt back to his fever ridden exhaustion, the anger evaporating as he stared into Lucy's confident brown eyes. Lucy watched Natsu take a deep breath and sigh, slumping weakly sideways and closing his eyes. "What are we doing, Lucy?' He asked.
"We're waiting for a rescue team, Taurus said they are on their way-"
"No, I mean you and me," Natsu opened his eyes to meet hers. They were cloudy, and vague but full of purpose. The moon light mottled his face with pale shapes cast by the branches above. Lucy felt a blush forming as Natsu licked his chapped lips and continued to stare at her.
"I-I don't know what you mean" She stuttered after a moment.
"I mean.." Natsu trailed off, his brow furrowing as he groaned in pain.
"Shh.." Lucy quieted her partner, her hands worrying over him, smoothing back his sweat-damp hair. She could feel his fever raging beneath her finger tips.
"I feel dizzy," Natsu said his grimace deepening. He let his head fall into his palms so he could rub at his eyes.
"You should lay down, I know Fairy Tail will find us soon," Lucy placed a hand on his shoulder in sympathy, hoping to guide Natsu back into her lap, but he picked his head up and looked at her, breaths coming in short shallow puffs. He appeared to sway unsteadily. Lucy worried he would topple over.
"You're really pretty," Natsu suddenly pronounced, his speech slightly slurred.
"What?" Lucy said in surprise, taken aback at his random compliment. She became all too aware of her disheveled appearance, fallen hair, ripped clothes and undone makeup.
"And really nice," He said. She nearly flinched away as he brought his hand up to her face, brushing her cheek before tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. He let his hand fall back to his lap, too weak to keep it steadily lifted.
"Uh, Natsu?" She frowned, at his strange mental state. He looked to be in a daze, eyes not quite focussed.
"And you're super brave,"
"Thanks?"
"I like you a lot, Lucy,"
"I like you too, Natsu..."
"No. I really like you," He said, head lolling to the side, and eyes falling shut. Lucy had to shake his shoulder before he became alert again making hazy eye contact with her. "That's why I convinced Happy to go with Carla and Wendy.."
Lucy froze at his words, "Natsu, you told me Happy chose to go because he was pursuing Carla, remember? Slaying the ladies?"
"I was lying, Luce. I told him not to come. I just wanted it to be you and me," Natsu mumbled, his chin drooping back towards his chest.
Her heart skipped a beat in her chest. What was he saying!? This couldn't be real life, "This is the fever talking, Natsu, it's okay,"
"No, It's me talking Lucy, I swear," His face was nothing but serious.
"I said earlier that you reminded me of Happy, but that's not completely true. You're different. In a good way," Natsu assured her, his hand finding hers. "I think you're more than a friend,"
Lucy was speechless. He had plotted to have them come on this trip alone together? What!?
Lucy's mind, heart, and stomach were doing simultaneous back flips. Natsu considered them more than friends!? She opened her mouth to speak, then closed it, then opened it again. She couldn't decide on the right words. She wanted to tell Natsu to keep going, to tell her more about his feelings, to convince her it was really the truth, but she suddenly frowned, stealing herself.
It wouldn't be fair. She thought, looking over Natsu's state. He was barely cognizant enough to know their location let alone make a major confession such as this. How could she even be sure his feelings were real? The fever might have taken his inhibition or given him enough confidence to confide, but it also could have just turned him loony.
Against her heart, Lucy regretfully did what she thought best.
"Natsu, you're special to me too, but I don't think this is the time to say anything brash. Let's just get you home and we can talk about this later," She smiled at his crest fallen expression. Her feelings peaked in a swelling crescendo. There was no question about it. Her emotions were finally steady. She was sure now. She truly liked Natsu. Liked him liked him. And if what he was saying was true, he liked her too.
"I'm sure Wendy is on her way. It won't be long now," Lucy looked to her pink haired guild mate for a response but his eyes had gone glassy. He stared blankly into space. "Natsu?" She asked, prodding his shoulder. His face was a mask. "Natsu?"
"It's so bright," He finally said, expressionless. His voice was almost a whisper.
Lucy furrowed her brow in confusion. "What are you talking about? Ah-" She cried out as Natsu suddenly collapsed sideways. It all happened so quickly, Lucy's mind hardly had time to register.
A terrible crack rang out through the night as Natsu hit the ground. His entire body was bucking with violent convulsions.
"Natsu!" She yelled in horror. In nothing but moonlight, she groped for Natsu's shoulder and turned him roughly on his side. She threw her weight upon him to subdue his thrashing but there was nothing she could do to stop the seizure from running its course. She could feel his muscles contracting with unnatural force, his bones shifting violently beneath her. It made her feel sick. Never had she experienced something so horrible.
The fit seemed to go on for a long while but Natsu's body did finally still. "Natsu?" She breathed, turning him onto his back gently. She could hardly see his face in the dark but his breathing was shallow and uneven and he remained startlingly limp as she moved him.
"Natsu?" She asked again. He didn't respond.
"Natsu, please," Not even a flicker.
Lucy balled her hands into fists, feeling more hopeless and terrified than she could ever remember. She hunched over his motionless body.
"Please wake up!" She sobbed, a torrent of tears rushing down her face.