a/n: Hola! Thanks for catching my mistake. I went back and fixed it and hopefully fixed it for this chapter and the rest to come... thanks for the support and hope you enjoy the chapter!
Two hours passed in the blink of an eye. Andy finished his homework and was now watching TV on the couch. Natsu was in the kitchen explaining the Pythagorean Theorem to me as I did my homework. Natsu ended up giving me his papers saying that he would rather stay up and do homework than for me to wait for Erza to arrive and cause me to stay up. While he explained, he also cooked dinner.
"Why would anybody need this and why does it have to be so confusing?" I whined helplessly. Natsu smiled leaning over the counter.
"Look, Luce," he began, "so this whole shape can be broken into triangles if you can find the hypotenuse, you can find the measurements for the rest."
"Still useless." I laughed. He laughed and then went back to cooking. A knock came from the door causing everyone to perk at its sound.
"I'll get it!" Andy yelled running for the door. "Who are you?" he asked to whomever was on the other side of the door.
"I'm Erza. Who might you be?" The voice explained as Natsu then jumped over the what seemed to be a tiny counter now to reach the door.
"Thanks Erza!" Natsu smiled taking the folder from the scarlet-haired girl. Erza pushed the door open. Her eyes jolted around the room in search of something. Her eyes landed on me and her face immediately softened with sympathy.
"Thank god you're alright!" She choked wrapping her arms around my body. Her death-grip began to suffocate me as I tried to find a way to breathe. "Don't ever try and pull a trick like that ever again!" She squeezed harder crushing my back.
"Y...es… ma'am…" I squealed. She finally released the hug and sent me into an all-out war to try and keep from going unconscious. I smiled at the teary-eyed redhead as she pat Natsu on the shoulder. He smiled and closed the door behind her.
"The spaghetti!" Natsu screamed suddenly, scaring the daylights out of me. He jumped over the counter again and pulled the pot off the stove so fast some of the boiling water ended up falling onto his foot. He yelped in pain and dropped the pan on the floor which then tipped over and landed on the same foot. He screamed again and lifted the pan off the floor luckily able to salvage the pasta.
"Are you okay?" I questioned. I dropped everything and ran to the limping boy. He winced in pain as he sauntered around as if he just stubbed his toe. "No?" He whined falling to the floor.
"Andy can you watch Natsu for a second and make sure he doesn't get up." I quickly ran back into the kitchen and placed the pan in the sink and grabbed a large bandage. I came back to Natsu and aided him to stand. "Natsu, don't you dare step on that foot." I warned. He looked worried as he hopped to the bathroom.
I turned the dial on the bathtub to cold and placed his foot under the freezing water. He winced when his foot touched the water. "Stop acting like a baby." I laughed as he glared at me.
"Andy can you go get me some of that gel that I put on your burn that one time." I asked in which Andy nodded and ran off soon returning with the gel. "Thank you Andy! Now off to bed." I commanded.
"But-"
"No but's"
"Fine." He surrendered. He walked out of the bathroom and when I heard the door shut, I turned back to Natsu.
"So, do you do this for a hobby?" I asked sarcastically. I couldn't help but make fun of his clumsiness.
"What? Drop pasta on my foot or take in helpless girls to aid me with my problems?" He fired back with a smirk.
"Both."
"Well, the pasta, yes. Girls, not so much." I laughed at his admittance to his clumsiness. I then took the bandage I had found and wrapped it around the burnt areas. I felt a slight blush on my face as I went to bend down and kiss it, but I suppressed the habit and looked away.
"What was that?" He questioned leaning forward towards me. I looked back at him. His face was only centimeters away from mine and I had the weirdest desire to close the gap between us.
"I-It was n-nothing." Ugh stupid stutter.
"Are you sure… Luce? It sounds like something!" He pressed taking note of the blush that
embellished my cheeks.
"You're horrible Natsu Dragneel! I was about to kiss it out of habit from Andy's injuries." I yelled pushing his lips with my fingers away from mine. I stood and walked out of the bathroom with a fire on my face.
"Wait!" Natsu moaned. Suddenly I heard a loud thump and remembered that Natsu won't be able to walk for tonight. I groaned and went back into the bathroom to find Natsu on his stomach with his chin resting on the ground. His eyes were begging for help. I smiled and helped the pinkette up off the floor and into the living room.
"So go on and… kiss the foot." Natsu smirked throwing his foot in the air towards my face.
"Are you crazy?! I'm not kissing your foot!" I yelled slapping at his foot causing him to yelp in pain.
"Do you know how much that hurts?"
"Do you know how stinky your feet are?"
"Touche."
I flopped down on the couch with both folders in hand. I handed one to Natsu and went back to the question I was on. Then, out of nowhere, I just wanted to ask Natsu about his family. I glanced at him. He had his knees towards me as he laid on his back and was working on the problems. His face was buried in his scarf as if it were cold in the room.
"Natsu?" I began, grabbing his attention, "Why do you live alone?"
He stared at me for a second. I sudden feeling of guilt shot through my stomach as I realized he probably didn't want to tell me. "Sor-" I started but was cut off.
"My parents abandoned me when I was 15. I lived with Gray for a year before I moved out to live on my own." His sad face diverted his gaze away from mine.
"I'm sorry, Natsu. I know how it feels for someone you love to walk out on you." I explained. Shoot, how do I keep telling him?
"What?"
"Nothing."
"Luce," his gaze was now dead serious on mine, "tell me."
I sighed. I wanted to tell him, but I couldn't tell him. Telling him would come out to ruin my father's reputation, business, and social standing, and I can't do that to him.
"I-I… well, m-my mom died when I was 10, and ever since then… my father has… taken his anger out on me… hints the bruises. He blames me for her death and I guess I did kill my mother. It was my fault and now I can't even forgive myself. That's why… why," tears slipped down my cheeks, "why I cut myself and tried to kill myself that way I don't feel this pain anymore. So so I don't f-feel this guilt anymore-" My voice shattered under all the pressure. I subconsciously brought my hands to my face to hide tears. I slowly curled into a ball scooting farther and farther from Natsu, but I was stopped.
I felt warmth surround me. His arms had wrapped around my body. I could feel his trembling as he cried sympathetically. I wrapped my arms around and hid my face in his shirt. He pulled me closer as my hands grew into fists holding his shirt. I was so tired. I was so tired of holding this guilt. Tired of holding all this pain. But when I'm with Natsu, I feel as if he's trying to carry it with me and help me out from under it. I feel like I'm free from everything when I'm with him.
We stayed there for what seemed like forever. Neither of us wanting to move. But we did have to move eventually. Natsu pulled back and placed his warm, soft hands on my cheeks. His lips, centimeters away from mine. I felt like kissing him, but I held myself back. He wiped the tears away and placed his forehead on mine. My heart beat made a quick melody inside my body.
"Luce," he whispered, causing my heart to leap into my throat, "I-I… I t-think I-I'm…" His stuttering worried me. I pulled back and moved away from him again. What did I do this time? I glance over to the clock and notice how late it was. "Oh would you look at the time! It's time for me to go to bed. Probably you too! So go on and go to bed I'll see you in the morning." I blurted out quickly. Natsu gave me a dumbfounded look that made him look adorable. What?! He isn't cute! Stop thinking that way! I screamed in my head.
"Luce, you can have my bedroom I don't mind. I can sleep out here." I shook my head at his words. "No I'm not making you sleep out here again. It's your house so you can sleep in your bedroom."
He frowned at my stubbornness. He then got up from the couch and moved slowly to his bedroom. When he reached the door, he looked back and smiled a 'goodnight' and went to bed. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. Why do I feel this way when he's around me? What is wrong with me? I pulled the thin blanket off the back of the couch and draped it over me. I stared at the ceiling until sleep overtook me.