As always, I'm grateful that I own nothing.
Plates had been filled. Drinks poured. But silence dominated the room as they stared expectantly at Lucy.
"Okay," she said, took a sip of wine and proceeding to tell her. She told them about Yukino finding Draco. That only one of the descendants of the first zodiac keyholders could become a dragon slayer. She told them about training then the mission where she used her first dragon's roar.
When she got to the part about the Celestial King asking her to find the Royalty Keys, she hedged about the offer to give her Aquarius. She heard Kaleb's sharp intake of air and knew he'd seen her memories of breaking her key to summon the Celestial King to save her guild. He understood why she forced the guild in her mind palace dark.
Stay out of my head.
You should tell them. He paused. And thank you. For saving my brother.
Lucy was still telling them about the research for the keys, but everyone knew she was having a silent conversation with Kaleb. While he had a poker face, she didn't. The expressions that flickered with the underlying annoyance didn't fit what she was saying.
No. I don't need their pity when they don't understand.
Then tell them everything. Tell them your history with her. You sacrificed the closest thing you've had to a mother to save them. They deserve to understand your pain and you deserve to express it.
He sent her back her own memories of raging at the people she thought cared about her. The memories of her getting so mad that she tore her notes and the map off the wall. Of the spending days having to place everything back and mend the pictures and notes with tape.
"Stop it!" Lucy yelled, standing up and slamming her hands on the table. "You want me to say something, fine." She turned to her old guildmates. "When you were all trapped by Tartarus, I broke Aquarius's key to save everyone. I broke the key to my oldest friend to save all of you and you left! You all abandoned me. I was in Magnolia for a week! Alone." That last word was a whimper.
She turned directly to Laxus and angrily wiped her eyes. "I thought for sure you'd rebuild the guild. You'd tried so hard to earn our respect after we got back from Tenrou. At least Wendy and Gajeel bothered to check on me. Chelia came for Wendy. They both tried to get me to go with them. Gajeel too. He was offered a job as an enforcer for the Magic Council. I sacrificed someone so precious to me…I didn't think you'd all leave like that."
"Lucy." Laxus started to stand but Bickslow stopped him and shook his head. He wouldn't let Laxus try to follow her out either.
Both Kaleb and Cristoff stood. "Let me go," Cristoff said. "At the moment, I think that you're part of the problem."
He found her easily enough and silently led her to a large tree with a circular bench around it.
"I shouldn't have yelled," she said after a few minutes.
"Yes, you should have. Sometimes you need to yell. And scream. Sometimes people are assholes without realizing it. And maybe, instead of trying to make yourself something that you're not, let yourself be soft and cry. No one will judge you for that."
Lucy launched herself into Cristoff's lap, mumbling an apology at how hard she landed, and cried into his chest. She stayed there until her sobs devolved into hiccups. He was humming a song. It was a celestial lullaby that her mother had sung.
"In the deep blue of the night shine the millions of stars and my spirit burning bright," Lucy sang, not bothering to cringe at how raspy her voice sounded. "Spinning on into the sun. Flying higher, now my journey's begun."
Cristoff stopped humming and sang the words with her. "And the cold, cold wind, it blows me away. The feeling all over is a black, black day. But I know that I'll see you again. And I know that you're near me."
"Of course, you can sing. Is there anything the men in this family can't do?" Lucy grumbled.
"Make a souffle," he said after a few seconds. It took her a few seconds to process his response before laughing. The sound made him preen. "Not to rush you, but are you ready to go back inside?"
As if to answer that question, her stomach grumbled. "Yeah. Thank you for coming after me." Before she could stand on her own, he stood, lifting her with him, before setting her back down on her feet.
"I will as long as you need me too."
We're headed back in, Cristoff said, directing the thought to Kaleb. I'd advise not bringing it up just yet.
All right. I'll have Mr. Elan reheat your food.
"I appreciate that," Lucy said.
"Though, eventually you'll have a mate. Em will-"
"A wha' now?" Lucy asked, stopping.
"What? Your mate? All dragon slayers mate for life. Didn't Draco tell you that?"
"No, he didn't." A golden aura appeared around her. She hadn't tried summoning Draco since she'd left the valley except to manifest her dragon slayer abilities.
"What are you doing?"
"Getting ready to slay a dragon. Open, gate of the dragon, Draco."
Uh…change of plans.
He wasn't entirely sure what to expect but a dragon the size of a large dog was not on the list. Draco's wings were tucked into his body. He could see the spots of the stars along his scales and they seemed to shift as he did.
"Really, you damn dragon. You chose this form."
"You wouldn't kick me when I'm this small, would you?" She knew that he'd sensed her anger when she summoned him and deliberately chose this size.
"What's this about me having a mate?"
Draco turned and growled at Cristoff. "You told her?"
Cristoff chuckled. "Sorry, but you're not particularly intimidating at that size."
"Oi! Stop ignoring me. I did not run away from home, deal with Phantom Lord, and all the other shit that got me here for three hags to decide my destiny for me. I will decide-"
"You didn't explain it to her?" Draco asked.
"I didn't get a chance to."
"Stop-"
"You pick your mate!" Draco and Cristoff yelled before she could start a new tirade.
"I do?" she asked deflating.
"Yes. I didn't say anything because you hadn't bonded with the magic enough to take a mate yet. I was glad when you said your first stop was Bosco. I'd hoped you'd meet Nurem's son. I was about to ask her to reach out to him when you finally did meet."
Lucy glanced at Cristoff who nodded.
"Taking a mate is needed as part of the dragon's soul. However, you're my slayer and I don't have a soul in the traditional sense, so you may never develop a dragon's soul. I am a celestial spirit first and Nurem's mate second. It's why Acnologia never found me. It's also why you have to summon me to trigger your slayer abilities."
"That doesn't sound balanced," Lucy said.
"It is. You'll understand in time." He stopped and his eyes narrowed. "You've had a long day and need your rest."
When he said that, she began to notice the fuzziness around the edges of her vision. She sighed when she felt the pressure of Draco's summoning disappear though she swayed on her feet slightly.
"Here," Cristoff said, touching her forehead and healing the headache. "Let's get some food in you."
She smiled. "Thanks."
"Will you apologize to everyone when we get inside?" he asked as they neared the house.
"Yeah. It's just- Kaleb gets into my head and I don't like it."
"It's his magic. He means well."
"It's intrusive. I've had people telling me how I should think and behave my entire life. Yeah, a lot of it's done with the best intentions, but the road to hell is paved with good intentions. So much of my experiences with my team started as good intentions. That doesn't change the broken bones or the fact that I was always broke. It's bad enough being judged by my appearance but-" She laughed slightly. "I don't even know where I was going with that sentence."
"Why not tell him all of that?"
She gave him a side-eyed look. "I thought I was. You're relaying everything, after all."
"Huh?"
She made an up gesture near her mouth. "Your inflection changes when you're trying to maintain the two conversations."
Cristoff stopped and stared at her with unabashed awe. "You should do spy work with Vander."
"Hm…maybe after I get these keys."
I kinda wish I owned that song. It's "Across the Universe of Time" by Hayley Westenra. I also wish my poor alto vocals could hit those notes.