I had a different author's note up here, but I felt like something needed to be shared.
This is unlike anything I've ever written, and that's because it was a good friend of mine's idea.
She really really wanted me to write this, so I did.
Unfortunately, she died this past weekend before she could read it.
Suicide is no joke. It takes the people the LEAST expected. She showed no signs. Had goals and plans for her future. She even had a tattoo appointment set up for next week. It just happens sometimes.
So what I'm asking of all of you readers, is to just hug the ones you care about a little bit more today. Remind them that they're important to you, ok?
Without further ado, I give you my take on the second day of Laxus and Lucy ship week 2017.
This one is for you, Kia. I'll miss you.
Day 2: War.
Dear mom,
I think it might be starting.
When I was little I remember playing with you every day. We would chase each other in the gardens for hours, tickling and rolling around. Our dresses would always get so dirty, and father would get so angry when we'd come back inside covered in grass stains and dirt. That never stopped us though. Those were my favorite times.
But then you started to tire too easily. I remember that you would try to play with me as long as you could. How long you were able grew smaller and smaller, until one day you just couldn't at all. So we would read together. Have tea parties. That was when you really started preparing me to take your keys. I realize this now. You wanted to make sure I knew all that I needed to before you couldn't teach me anymore.
Thank you for that.
Then the breathing fits started. I remember being so scared. You would start coughing and coughing nonstop until you couldn't breathe. Mavis, it was terrifying. There was nothing to do about it but wait until it passed.
I was so young, but I remember every little change in you.
I think it was because you were my whole world. Father was always working, joining us in playing on the rare occasion. But you and I did everything together.
I cherished all of it.
Soon, you grew pale and thin. Food never stayed down long. I know you tried to hide it, the retching, but I could hear it sometimes from your room.
Not too long after that, you gave me your keys. You told me you were planning on passing them down to me at my age, but I knew the truth. You couldn't summon them anymore. I saw the sad looks shared between you and the Spirits when I would summon them.
Eventually, you couldn't stand for long periods of time before you got dizzy. You stayed seated, until you couldn't even do that. You would sleep throughout the day, but when you were awake we would cuddle under the blankets. We would read, or gossip, tell silly stories, giggling like mad until our sides ached.
But then, you died.
I will never forget that day.
A maid woke me in the middle of the night, saying you wanted to talk to me. And I just knew. I had this feeling in the pit of my stomach that you were leaving me, and I remember refusing to let myself cry.
We cuddled together for hours. I knew you were trying not to cry. You told me about finding love one day, and how a man should treat me. You told me that life would get hard sometimes, but that it would always get better. You said to always forgive, but to never forget. That people always deserved a second chance. You told me to show kindness to everyone I meet, to love my Spirits with all of my heart and to treat them with respect. I knew what it was, mama. You were saying goodbye. I took in every word you spoke, memorizing everything because I never wanted to forget a single word you said. You gave me so many kisses, and held me close until I started to get tired. I wanted to stay, but you had a maid take me back to my room so I could sleep. I looked at you the entire time I walked away, ingraining every part of your smiling face to memory. I watched you until the door shut between us.
You were gone before I even woke up.
I remember the signs. Every stage you went through, and I think it's happening to me, just like it did to you.
Two weeks ago I woke up and I was so tired all day. I thought I was just coming down with something, but it hasn't gone away. I haven't told anyone about it, especially not my team or Natsu. Oh, Natsu. I can't tell him, mama. Any of them.
But I can't turn down missions with them forever. Rent is due soon.
I guess Mavis only knows how this will go.
Love always, Lucy.
}{}{}{
Lucy placed the empty mug in her sink to be washed later, before slipping on her knee-high boots and heading out the door.
Coffee was only helping so much.
She was just so tired. Not the usual drowsiness that comes from not sleeping enough, either. It was a weariness that seeped down into her bones, making her limbs feel a bit too heavy.
Trying to keep some sort of normalcy while she still could, the small blonde jumped up to balance along the rail of the canal.
"Careful, Miss Lucy! Don't fall in!" The fishermen called out to her as they sailed past on their boat.
Sending them a bright smile, she waved to them. "I won't! Have a great day, guys!"
They wished her the same, before she jumped from the rail back down to the cobblestone street.
The world felt like it shifted slightly, and she stumbled back a step to hold on to the railing. She felt a little winded, as if she had been running instead of only walking and balancing.
Closing her eyes as she waited for the vertigo to pass, she sighed.
It was definitely happening, it had to be. There weren't any doubts in her mind.
The vertigo passed, but she remained still a little longer just to be sure. The last thing she needed was to eat the pavement.
"The hell are you doing, Blondie?" A gruff voice suddenly spoke, and she almost jumped right out of her skin.
Her eyes snapped open, and a hand flew to her racing heart.
An incredibly tall and muscular man was standing a few feet in front of her. He had foregone his usual fur coat due to the Magnolia summer heat, and was wearing a dark purple shirt. The sleeves looked as though they had been torn off, exposing his large arms that were crossed over his wide chest. He was still wearing his usual black dress pants and combat boots.
"Mavis, Laxus! You scared the crap out of me." The smaller blonde scolded, chocolate eyes narrowed in slight annoyance.
His stormy blue eyes just looked amused, however, and he smirked. "Maybe I wouldn't have scared you if you hadn't been just standing there with your eyes closed in the middle of the street."
Feeling the blush creep up her cheeks, Lucy huffed and stomped past him.
He caught up to her easily. "Tch. Don't be like that."
Refusing to look at him, she clasped her hands behind her back. "Like what? I'm just walking to the guild, Laxus."
"Mhm."
They were finally right in front of the guild doors when he placed a large hand on her shoulder and leaned in close.
His hot breath tickled her ear and sent goosebumps rippling down her arms.
"See you later, Blondie." The Dragon Slayer smirked smugly at her flustered face, before straightening and striding into the guild.
It took her longer than she would freely admit to shake herself free from her daze. Her movements faltered as the world tilted slightly and she clutched a hand to her forehead.
The feeling dissipated quicker than it had the last time, and she plastered a smile on her face before entering the guild.
Hearing her team before she saw them, she dodged a flying table and weaved her way through her nakama. They were all sitting together, Gray and Natsu leaning over the table to get into each other's faces.
"What was that, you flame freak?"
"You heard exactly what I said, slush-for-brains!"
The petite blonde waited for the redheaded knight to smash their heads together before she finally took her seat next to Natsu.
"Hey guys!" She chirped.
Erza's face was stern, but her hazel eyes were soft. "Good morning, Lucy. You look tired. Did you not sleep well?"
Ah, nothing really ever got past Erza.
Lucy forced her smile not to falter, sheepishly rubbing the back of her neck. "No, I accidentally stayed up too late reading again."
The redhead sighed. "Will you be able to participate in a team mission this afternoon?"
With that, she paused. Should she be doing missions right now? She was rather exhausted.
But she knew that she needed to do this while she still could. Her magic wouldn't remain stable for long, and she needed all of the time with her Spirits that she could get.
Let's not forget about rent.
So, she nodded, pasting on a cheerful smile. "Of course! I'll just grab some coffee from Mira and then I'll be good as new!"
Seeing as Natsu and Gray were still in their post-Erza-smack daze, she wouldn't bother with greeting them until she returned from the bar. If they had recovered by then, anyway.
As soon as Erza nodded approvingly, Lucy rose from her seat and made her way to the bar.
Feeling a little lightheaded when she got there, she took a seat.
"Hello, Lucy. You want your usual?" The silver-haired barmaid asked brightly.
Shaking her head with a smile, she rested her head on her hand. "Actually, I could really use some coffee right now."
Mira looked oddly at her for a moment, before her usual exuberance returned. "Of course! I'll bring it right out."
The blonde thanked her, laid some jewel on the counter, and then turned in her seat to gaze around the guild while she waited.
Her heart skipped a beat when she met a pair of stormy blue eyes.
Realizing he had been looking at her before she had looked at him, she rose a brow in question.
Not even missing a beat, the larger blonde shrugged, sending her a wink before he turned back to the conversation his team was having.
When Mira arrived with her coffee, Lucy took it with a blush and ignored her speculative glace, scurrying back to her team.
}{}{}{
It was later that evening, that reality hit her in the face. Well, more like arm.
She was sitting at the bar, drowning her misery in a large glass of red wine.
Her arm hurt, badly.
She had been too slow, during a moment of vertigo in the midst of battle. They had managed to corner the dark mages they were fighting when it happened. She was just about to shift into Taurus's Star Dress in her fight against one of the mages to defend herself against his Earth magic. Large boulders were flying at her from all sides, and she figured that she could bat them away with her battle axe.
But then the world had shifted, spinning at an odd angle. Leaving her wide open for a boulder to smash into her.
She vaguely remembered Natsu screaming her name when she didn't get back up, but all she could focus on was the white-hot searing pain in her arm and the way the world wouldn't stop tilting.
Her arm was definitely broken, but with Wendy gone on an extended job for over a week, she would have to deal with the normal healing process.
Times like these really made her realize how much they all depended on the little bluenette. Whenever someone was hurt, she always fixed them right up without hesitation.
She then realized that she would have to let her arm, and any other future injuries, naturally. If Wendy healed her for anything, she would sense the disease with her magic.
Lucy downed the rest of her wine in one go.
There would be no 'fixing her up'. She knew from her conversations with the Sky Dragon Slayer that healing illnesses were a lot more complicated than healing an injury. Her ability to cure them depended solely on if it was a temporary problem.
But that wasn't the case with this. She knew that this was more than a one-time issue.
Her body was at war with itself. Cells were attacking other healthy cells and important tissue. And it would only get worse.
She signaled for another drink, whiskey this time.
Her body would try to fight back, reclaim its territory, but the abnormal cells multiplied too quickly. It was a fast moving disease.
Her mother had only lasted six months.
"What's with the long face?" A gruff voice snapped her out of her downwardly spiraling thoughts, and she realized that her glass was already empty.
Signaling for another, the small blonde sighed and glanced to the man sitting next to her.
"Just a bit stressed." She said curtly, thanking Kinana for the drink when she handed it to her.
The larger blonde looked at her for a moment before saying the last thing she ever expected him to say.
"Go to dinner with me."
She nearly choked on her drink, staring at him with wide eyes. "Huh?"
He sighed, staring into her eyes with a look she'd never seen on his face before.
He was still a bit reserved. She knew he never opened up much, so it was to be expected, but he seemed a bit gentler somehow. Genuine.
"You heard me. Why don't we have dinner together? Just you and me."
She blinked at him owlishly. "L-like a date?"
Laxus rolled his eyes, but nodded nonetheless.
Lucy wasn't sure if it was the drinks she'd had, or what. Maybe it was the desperateness she felt for love that was always shoved down, buried and never examined.
She knew she shouldn't. That it could never be more than just a date.
But she did.
"Alright, Laxus."
}{}{}{
Their date was scheduled for the following Friday.
Lucy couldn't help but feel a little nervous.
Each day she found that the coffee wasn't doing nearly as much as it had in the beginning. But she tried. She really did.
She was going to bed as soon as she got home every night, unable to muster the energy to do anything other than change and pass out.
There were bags under her eyes, and makeup only hid so much.
As Friday rolled around, she hoped with all of her heart that he didn't notice.
He noticed.
"Wow, you kinda look like shit."
Unable to resist, she smacked his arm. Hard.
He seemed to catch himself, as barely noticeable pink dusted his cheeks and he started stumbling over his words. "Uh, I didn't mean that! I meant to say tired. You actually look really nice. Just tired. Sorry, I really di-"
And then she laughed.
Who was she to be offended? She knew she looked like crap, so what did it matter?
But this, the sight of Laxus fucking Dreyar stumbling through apologies, was something she never thought she'd ever see.
It was adorable.
Lucy rested a small hand on his shoulder, smiling genuinely for the first time in weeks. "Let's go on a date, Laxus."
He smiled and grabbed her hand.
}{}{}{
One date turned into two, then four, then it was six, and suddenly they were a couple.
How it happened, she honestly had no clue.
She shouldn't be doing this, being so selfish. She couldn't start a relationship when it wouldn't last even a year. When she wouldn't last even a year.
She was getting worse.
It had been almost three months since the symptoms started. She was still tired and getting dizzy spells. Jobs were getting harder. Hiding this was getting harder.
Natsu already knew something was wrong. She'd catch him watching her, an odd look on his face. But he never brought it up. For that, she was thankful.
Trying to hide this from Laxus, now that was exhausting.
He was almost always around. Every spare moment he had, he spent by her side.
They were walking back from dinner, hand in hand. He was escorting her home, when all of a sudden vertigo hit her. Hard.
She lost her footing and went careening to the side, her free hand pressed to her head.
She would have fallen, but he reacted fast, pulling her by the hand he was holding into his arms.
"Lucy! Are you ok?" The Dragon Slayer asked worriedly.
She forced herself to smile, giggling when he adjusted her in his strong arms. "Y-yeah. I think the wine just caught up to me."
Stormy blue eyes watched her for a moment longer, before he chuckled and continued walking with her cradled in his arms.
"Little drunkard." He teased.
Feigning a pout, she slapped his chest lightly and he just laughed.
Laxus carried her all the way to her apartment, even when the world righted itself and she said she was fine to walk beside him.
The pout on her lips was genuine this time as he ignored her protests. He carried her up the steps, unlocked her door, and sat her on the couch.
She crossed her arms under his chest, glowering at him despite the pink dusting her cheeks and the affection in her eyes. "You didn't have to do that."
The Dragon slayer merely smiled at her, bending over at the waist from where he stood before her so that their faces were only inches apart.
"I know." He breathed, his breath ghosting across her lips. "But I wanted to."
Chocolate gazed into stormy blue, completely mesmerized by the sheer adoration found in them.
"Oh." Was all she could muster.
The couple stayed that way for a few moments, neither realizing that the space between them was closing until his nose brushed against hers.
They had shared many kisses before, some sweet and gentle. Some were heated and impassioned.
But this one was different.
There was this intense need blooming within her every time their lips crashed together. The need for what, she wasn't sure. She only knew that she wanted more of him. Needed more.
Her slender fingers carded through his thick blonde locks at the nape of his neck, tightening their hold when his tongue slid across her lower lip.
He growled, and suddenly she was airborne. Large hands cupped her ass, mouths never disconnecting, as he carried her to her room.
A gasp parted her lips, and he didn't hesitate to tangle their tongues together.
As her back hit the mattress, she couldn't think of anything else but this large hands sliding down her body.
She wasn't thinking about the disease.
She wasn't the girl with the expiration date.
She felt like she was just Lucy.
She felt loved.
}{}{}{
It started as a tickle in the back of her throat, and she noticed it as soon as she awoke one morning.
Laxus had just left for the guild after a night spent tangled together beneath the sheets.
She was torn with how she felt.
The past three and a half months with him at her side had been the best times in her life. Without a doubt, she loved him.
But she shouldn't. Couldn't.
She shouldn't be leading him on like this. He hadn't said it yet, that he loved her, but she could feel that it was coming soon.
Lucy knew she had to end it. Before he told her how he felt.
She had to stop it before he felt any more for her. The guilt was tearing her apart knowing that they would never last.
Her end was nearing.
But she loved it. Mavis, how she loved him. She loved feeling so loved. And she never wanted it to end.
Lucy sighed, stepped out of the shower, and wrapped her hair up in a towel and her body in another.
Clearing her throat, she studied her reflection after wiping the fogged up mirror.
Her chocolate brown eyes were slightly bloodshot, but she hoped another cup or two of coffee would clear it up. Under her bloodshot eyes were the bags that were getting harder to conceal with makeup. The tan that she had always somewhat prided herself on was faded, leaving her skin an almost sickly pale.
In short, she looked awful.
With a sigh, she skillfully applied her makeup, making sure to keep in natural looking. While she did enjoy a bolder look when she was going out or if there was a party, she preferred a more natural look.
The blonde just didn't see the sense in applying darker, easier to notice if smudged, colors when her profession was something so physical.
Clearing her throat once more, she slipped on a pair of black leggings along with a light blue baby-doll tee. As she pulled the towel from her damp hair, she started to feel winded. Like she had just finished sprinting a decent distance. Closing her eyes, she tried to even out her breathing, but the amount of air her lungs would take in was becoming less and less.
At this point, the small blonde was wheezing, lungs burning in desperate need for more oxygen. She slid to the floor, hands grasping her shirt over her chest, when the tickle in the back of her throat became considerably worse.
It was so uncomfortable, she couldn't help cough a little in a vain attempt to relieve the itch-like feeling.
That was a mistake.
As soon as she coughed, her lungs seized, not allowing her to take in the air she had just expelled.
Violent, body wracking coughs came in forceful waves. She was vaguely aware of the tears streaming down her face as she hacked and sputtered on her bathroom floor.
Just as little black dots began forming in her vision, the vice constricting her lungs loosened.
Lucy sucked in air greedily, panting and sobbing as her breathing regulated itself.
It was a while before she was able to haul herself up on shaky limbs. She stumbled down the hall to her room, where she collapsed into a sobbing heap on her bed.
It was horrible. And it was only just starting.
This would get worse from here on out, and just knowing that this wasn't even the worst of it made her sob even louder.
She hadn't let herself cry over it yet, and she knew now that it was a mistake. Because now it was all rushing back to her, these months of avoiding her emotions, and there was nothing she could do to stop it.
As her cries echoed through her little apartment, she knew that she had to pull herself together eventually. Laxus would come looking for her when he noticed she still hadn't arrived.
Laxus.
Rolling on to her side, she hugged her arms tightly around her waist.
All she wanted, right in that moment, was to be held in his arms while she cried over all of the things she would never be.
She had goals.
A vague plot of how she wanted her life to go.
She wanted to become an S-class.
She wanted to kick ass in the next Grand Magic Games, and show Fiore that she was a lot stronger than she was the last time she had competed.
She wanted to go on more adventures with her best friend. It was always more fun when she and Natsu were together. They were soul mates. Not the romantic kind, but the bond they shared was closer than siblings. He was her other half. What she lacked in her personality, he made up for it and vice versa.
She wanted to someday find a man and marry him. Now that she was with Laxus, she could see him filling that role.
She wanted to become a mother. She always had, and now she would never have that chance. Lucy would never experience bringing a life into the world that contained half of herself, and half of the man she loved.
The Heartfilia name would end with her.
And that terrified her more than she thought it would.
}{}{}{
Dear mom,
He's starting to get suspicious.
It's been five months, and the breathing attacks are now coming daily.
By some miracle, I've been able to hide them from everyone.
Well, almost everyone.
Natsu snuck in through my window last week when Laxus wasn't here.
I was in the middle of scolding him for raiding my fridge again, when I felt an attack coming on. I tried to get him to leave before it got bad, but he wouldn't budge. Somehow, I managed to tell him not to go get Wendy and that I'd explain later.
The look on his face, mom. I tear up every time I picture it.
He was so scared, terrified, when I started wheezing. He brought me to the couch and sat with me, never letting go of my hand.
But when the coughing started, oh Mavis.
He looked… I don't even know how to put into words how he looked. Horror-stricken. Full of grief. I could tell he was feeling helpless, and angry with himself for not knowing how to help.
He held me the whole time.
He cried.
My obnoxious, rambunctious, fearless Natsu cried.
When it was over, he gently demanded answers.
I couldn't tell him the truth. Seeing how he reacted to just the coughing made me realize that the truth would devastate him.
So I told him it was just asthma. That I had it as a child, and I was having issues with it again, but that I was fine otherwise.
He promised not to tell anyone, because I said I'd be embarrassed, but that if it got worse I had to tell him right away.
Now, he's been watching me closely, and Laxus has noticed.
I can tell that it angers him, but now he's been watching me too.
I don't know how much longer I can hide this from everyone. Especially them.
}{}{}{
It was unfortunately on a date with Laxus that Lucy experienced a new symptom, one that she was not expecting in the least, nor was she aware that it was even possible.
It was nearing the six month mark, and her appetite was basically non-existent. She could only stomach small amounts of plain foods, maybe once or twice a day.
Her body was noticeably thinner, and she often caught some of her nakama sending her concerned looks. Mostly from Mira, Levy, Erza, Natsu, and Laxus. Evergreen, who had become like a sister to her since her and Laxus became a couple, never asked any questions other than a rather blunt "Are you pregnant?"
Lucy had blushed profusely, and gave her a truthful no. She never asked again, or asked what else was wrong, but the caring woman was constantly trying to find different foods for her in hopes that it would help. The blonde was grateful, because of her she found that she could keep down plain chicken and rice. It wasn't much, but it was filling enough so that she didn't feel as weak as she normally did. On a good day, she could add just a little bit of cheese, and that made her a lot happier than it should have.
Natsu watched her like a hawk. An overprotective hawk that only allowed her out of his sight when Laxus was around. He never told anyone about her attacks, but you could tell that he wanted to. He'd broken down over her refusing to see a doctor or Wendy, refusing to let anyone know anything at all. He'd gotten angry with her. He knew she was hiding more than just "asthma" and he was pissed that she wouldn't tell him.
He wouldn't let her join on missions. Instead, the little shit blackmailed her into letting him pay for her rent and groceries in return for his silence. Said that if she wasn't going to tell anyone the truth, the least she could do was let him help her in the only way he could.
She was reluctant, but eventually agreed. It warmed her heart, even, seeing how much he cared for her. Not only that, but she had been trying for years to get him to pitch in on groceries, seeing that he ate most of it anyway.
Lucy had finally put her big girl panties on and confronted her Spirits, only to find out that they already knew. They had sensed it through their bond. She had summoned them one by one, saying their goodbyes then. Just in case she lost the ability to summon them before she had the chance. The blonde discussed her plans to give their keys to Yukino, and they'd all agreed. The other Celestial mage loved her Spirits and treated them as well as Lucy did, so they would be going to good hands.
The hardest goodbyes had been between Loke, Cancer, and Aquarius. While Cancer and Loke had been tearful, the mermaid had been furious. She had ranted and raved about how once again she was losing a Heartfilia to the same damn thing. She'd called her every name in the book, only to dissolve into a sobbing mess. Lucy stayed silent through the whole thing, knowing that the Spirit just needed to get it all out, and they'd held each other for as long as Lucy had been able to keep her gate open.
Laxus… was more subtle in his worry. The look he often got in his stormy blue eyes told her that he knew she wasn't telling him something important. The brute of a man was gentle with her, only giving in to his more heated desires when she asked for it. He hardly went on any jobs, and when he did they were short and close by, as if he was afraid something might happen if he got too far away from her. He was constantly by her side, had even witnessed a few of her attacks. She knew that he and Natsu discussed it behind her back, but she couldn't bring herself to be annoyed by it. It only showed how much they cared.
No. As much as she loved how gentile Laxus was being with her, she was also coming to hate it.
Lucy didn't like to be treated like delicate, easily shattered glass. That's why she'd run away from her old life in the first place. Honestly, she just wanted the normalcy of how he used to treat her. Not to say he used to treat her roughly, but he was more himself back then.
But she never voiced her annoyance. Not even once. Underneath all of the concern and knowingness, she could see the fear he was hiding in his eyes.
The dangerous, insanely powerful mage who defeated one of the Ten Wizard Saints, was afraid.
In all this time, she still hadn't been able to end it between them. It was selfish, and she hated herself for it, but she didn't want to lose him. Even though he would end up losing her. Even though she knew that ending it would help spare him in the end.
What she wasn't expecting, was the depths of the feelings he had towards her.
The feelings he made perfectly clear the same night that everything she'd been hiding was unwillingly forced into the light.
They were having a picnic under the stars. The sky was clear and the moon was bright. Fireflies danced through the tall grass around them from where they sat together on a blanket, eating (what little she could) and laughing.
"Lucy." He said in a serious tone, after they had caught their breath from laughing over swapping ridiculous stories about their team's antics.
The Celestial mage wiped a tear of mirth from her eye, sobering at his sudden change in demeanor. "Yes, Laxus?"
She grew concerned when he didn't respond right away, simply gazing at her for a few moments.
The much larger blonde closed his eyes, ran a hand through his hair, and took a deep breath before facing her again.
She was slightly taken aback by the sheer determination in his stormy blue gaze.
Growing a bit nervous, she fiddled with the hem of her pale pink blouse while she waited for him to speak.
"Lucy." He started, voice firm and a bit louder than before. "I know we've only been dating for a little while, but I can't help what I feel or when I feel it."
His eyes never left hers, and she was sure he could hear how her heart started racing in her chest.
"You are…" He trailed off, a small smile curving his lips. "You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. I have never once been as happy as I have in the time we've been together. You make colors seem a bit brighter. You make laughter come a bit easier. You showed me it was possible to love someone more than anything else in this world. I can't picture a day without you in it. A future without you by my side."
Laxus shifted so that he was on one knee in front of her sitting form, revealing a small velvet box he'd taken from his front pocket. He opened the box, and her heart faltered for a moment before racing even faster than it had been.
A ring was nestled in pale blue silk. The band was silver, adorned with tiny round diamonds that framed a larger round diamond in the center. It was beautiful. Simple and pretty, and it glittered under the moonlight.
"So, what I'm asking you is this. Will you, Lucy Heartfilia, do me the honor of becoming my wife?"
An overwhelming urge to cry the word "yes" over and over flooded her entire being. She wanted nothing more to except his proposal, because she felt the same about him.
But then, the voice of reality slithered in, shattering her heart in one swift blow.
Emotions from each end of the spectrum waged a war in her heart, and for the first time since she'd gotten this disease, she wished it would have killed her right at the beginning.
Because if she could have just died right away, before she'd thoughtlessly agreed to date him, before they'd fallen hopelessly in love, before all of this, she could've spared him.
His life wouldn't have had to change at all.
He could have gone on and found another, a healthy woman who made him even happier than she did, and married her. He wouldn't have had to get hurt.
She knew she must have taken too long to respond, because the hopeful smile on his face fell.
Just as he closed the box and was about to slip in back into his pocket, her hand darted out to rest over his.
"Laxus, wait." Her voice was soft. It trembled as tears of hopelessness and guilt slid down her cheeks.
"What?" His voice was husky and deep, thick with emotion he was desperately trying to hide.
"There is nothing I want more in this world than to marry you."
His watery gaze met hers, and her heart broke a little more. He looked so dejected and hurt. She hated it.
She had done this.
"But…" His voice trailed off, so quiet it was almost a whisper.
"But I can't." Her small hand tightened around his large one. "I can't marry anyone. I shouldn't have even let this go on for so long. I-"
His hand ripped away from hers so hard, she almost fell flat on her face. Her head spun from the sudden movement, and her eyes shut only long enough to force the feeling back enough to keep upright. Her eyes snapped back open as his angry voice resounded through the secluded area.
"You what?! What is that supposed to mean?" Stormy blue eyes narrowed with the anger that was rolling off of him in almost palpable waves. "Are you saying that all this time, you've just been 'letting this go on'? Leading me on? Because it sounds to me like you're saying you've only been playing along."
Lucy sat there wide eyed, gazing at the seething Dragon Slayer that was glaring at her with so much rage. So much betrayal.
Her vision started getting hazy, and there was this pressure that was slowly building up in her head, but she pushed through it. She was desperate to get through to him.
"N-no! That's not it at all. Let me ex-"
"I don't want to hear it, Blondie." He spat the word with so much venom it made her flinch. He never called her that anymore. Not since before he told her he loved her for the first time. "It doesn't even matter anymore, because we're done."
Just like that, he was turning away, leaving her.
He was leaving her.
Panic gripped her heart and she surged to her feet to scramble after him.
"Laxus, wait!" She begged, her desperation choking her words. "Please!"
He was walking too fast and her vision was only getting worse. She couldn't see him anymore, other than the moon reflecting off of his bright blonde locks, and the pressure in her head was becoming almost unbearable.
But she couldn't even focus on that because she just couldn't let him leave.
A sob ripped from her throat, and she thought she saw his stride falter. Her pace sped up, desperate to get to him before he thought to lightning travel away.
In a second, faster than she could even register fully, it felt as though the pressure burst, and her body jerked once before dropping to the ground.
She tried to move, she really did, but her limbs refused to respond to her mental command. Even her mouth wouldn't so much as twitch.
The small blonde had no idea what was going on, but she wasn't given even a second to ponder it. Her vision went completely dark, and then came one of the worst experiences she has ever had.
Every muscle went completely rigid, before her entire body began convulsing violently. She was vaguely aware of what was happening outside of what was going on. She could still hear the crickets chirping, though they were muffled. As though there was cotton stuffed into her ears.
Lucy wanted to scream, she wanted to cry, but she only managed to choke out whimpers and whines through her painfully clenched jaw.
Through the chaos raging inside of her body, she thought she heard a shout of her name, before unconsciousness claimed her.
}{}{}{
The first things that Lucy registered were a continuous beeping noise, and warm pressure on one of her hands.
It took her longer than she liked, but she was eventually able to crack her eyes open.
Blinking blearily at the plain white walls, she tried to place her surroundings.
All at once, the memories of before she passed out flooded her mind, and her heart caught in her throat.
The beeping noise sped up in pace with her racing thoughts, until it hit her that it was a heart-rate monitor and that this was the guild's infirmary.
A new fear gripped her heart with its icy fingers and squeezed.
If she was here, then the guild knew. Because they would have called Wendy and one scan using her magic would tell her the truth.
She couldn't hide it anymore. Everyone would know. Nothing would be normal anymore, and that's all she really wanted. For everyone to be exactly how they always were. They would be sad. All because of her, her nakama would be sad.
One thing she couldn't figure out was how she got to the guild in the first place.
She was fairly certain that Laxus had been long gone when it all happened, so who found her and brought her here?
Probably Natsu.
A masculine grunt snapped her gaze to the right side of the cot she was laying in, only to gape in confusion at what she found.
Laxus was slouched in a chair he was way too large for. The top half of his body was resting on her cot, his large hand clutching hers in his sleep.
His face looked haggard and pale, his hair disheveled, and the same clothes he had been wearing on their date were wrinkled and frumpy.
It looked as though he had been there for a long time, and before she could really think about it, he grunted once more and slowly sat up.
His free hand rose to rub at his face, and his eyes opened blearily.
Chocolate met stormy blue, and as she opened her mouth to question his appearance, she was cut off by a fierce glare.
"Why didn't you tell me?" He growled.
Her voice caught in her throat.
"How could you keep this from me? From the guild?"
She looked away in shame, tears streaming down her cheeks, and she tried to pull her hand out of his grasp.
But he wouldn't let go.
Instead, his grip tightened and she looked at him in surprise, only to be completely caught off guard to find tears of his own slipping silently down his face.
It was then that she noticed how red and puffy his eyes were, as if he had been crying before now.
"How could you keep this from me, Lucy?" His voice was thick from his tears, cracking at her name, and he sounded so much like a broken child in that moment that her heart shattered all over again.
"I-I'm so s-sorry." She managed to force out.
He shook his head rapidly, pulling himself into her little cot and wrapping his large body around her, holding her tightly to him.
"No. I'm s-sorry. I should have n-noticed. I knew something was wrong, b-but I never questioned you. I sh-should have done something more. I'm sorr-"
"No, Laxus." She started, reigning in her emotions as best as she could and winding her arms around his neck. "There was no way for you to know. I'm the one who kept it to myself. I'm the one who dated you anyway, even though I knew I would d-die soon. I should be the one apologizing to you."
His nose was buried in her hair, and he was quiet for a moment before speaking in a whisper. "My proposal still stands, you know. I still want to marry you."
Lucy froze. "L-Laxus, no. I can't do that to you. I won't marry you, just to leave you shortly after."
His grip around her tightened, and his voice was filled with so much conviction that it left her in awe. "I would rather be married to you for even only a day, than to live the rest of my life never having you as my wife at all."
She laid there in his arms, completely stunned, so he continued.
"The old hag is here. She… she said that you have a m-month. Maybe two at most. Said that the… seizures, and the fact that your magic is depleting, even though you're not using it, will sp-speed up the process."
Lucy had already figured she didn't have much time. A month or two was actually more than she thought she would get.
"She just told me and Gramps last night, but Gramps announced it this morning."
THAT snapped her out of it.
"He what?!"
"Relax, Lucy. He thought it was passed due for our nakama to know."
Reluctantly, she agreed. They all deserved the truth.
"So, will you marry me?" He whispered in her ear.
The small blonde took a shuddering breath and clung to him tighter.
"Yes."
}{}{}{
Leave it to Mira to throw together an unbelievably elegant and beautiful wedding in two days.
It was planned early the next morning, and Lucy was so nervous/happy/excited that she could hardly breathe.
Not only that, but she had a very important question to ask a certain pink-haired moron, and she hadn't seen him since the day everyone found out.
Everyone reassured her that he just needed a little space to wrap his head around it all.
But she missed him. Especially right now, the night before her wedding, when she was all alone because Mira and Erza both forbade the bride and groom from seeing each other until the ceremony.
Neither of the women were to ever be crossed, but put them together?
Yeah, she wasn't that stupid.
She actually wanted these two months.
Laying in her bed, Lucy was thankful to be home. She was finally allowed to leave the infirmary under strict instruction to rest. She'd only had one more seizure since the first one. During the day she was never really alone. Erza, Levy, Gray, Cana, or Laxus normally kept her company, Laxus remaining overnight.
But tonight she was alone.
With a heavy sigh, Lucy closed her eyes, willing sleep to take her.
Just as she was starting to relax, the sound of her bedroom window sliding open had her sitting up in a flash.
And there he stood.
Pink hair shielded his eyes as he took a seat at the edge of her bed. Neither of them said anything for the longest time, when suddenly he sniffled and then launched himself at her.
He lay partially on top of her, his face buried in the crook of her neck, and with a sad smile she rubbed his trembling shoulders.
No words were said. They just held each other.
This was the boy who brought her to her family. Because of him she had a home.
Because of him, she met the man she was meeting at the end of the aisle the very next day.
Natsu was so incredibly important to her. So she had to ask him.
"Will you do something for me?" She whispered.
The pinkette sniffed. "Anything."
"Would you walk me down the aisle tomorrow?"
His body stiffened for only a moment, before he was nodding frantically into her neck and she giggled.
"Of course, Luce."
}{}{}{
The following morning, Lucy couldn't stand on her own.
Natsu helped her to the bathroom, even helping her bathe by setting her in the tub and washing her hair. She'd woken up a lot earlier that she'd planned, and the girls weren't getting there for another hour.
The Fire Dragon Slayer helped her out of the tub, held her steady so she could fasten her robe, and even went as far as making her some lightly buttered toast.
With how close they were, and how many times her idiot partner broke in unannounced, he had seen her naked plenty of times.
She was a little embarrassed that he had helped her do all of that, but he wouldn't have it.
"Whether you walk or I carry you down the damn aisle, you're getting married today no matter what. Quit being such a weirdo and let me get you out of the tub!" He'd said when she refused to let him help her any more than he had already.
Finally Erza, Levy, Cana, and Mira arrived. Natsu took that as his cue to leave, and said he needed to find a tux anyway.
They'd brought makeup, hair products, nail polish, and her dress.
But it was Cana who went above and beyond.
She'd shown up a bit later than the others – with a wheelchair of all things.
"Saw that you might need this." The Card mage said as she wheeled it into the apartment. "Don't ask how or why I even have one of these, 'kay?"
Her best friends dolled her up. Curling her golden tresses into ringlets, before pining it into a beautiful half updo. Cana hid the bags under her eyes like a professional, stating she had to know how because most days where spent with a raging hangover. She was given a light smoky-eye look that made her brown eyes and petal pink lips pop.
The dress she was wearing wasn't a traditional wedding dress. She had opted for a beautiful white sundress, with cap-sleeves made completely of lace. It was simple, showed off her curves, and now that she knew she would be in a wheelchair she was very thankful it ended just below her knees.
On her throat hung one of her mother's necklaces. The silver chain held a little pendent, a tiny diamond crescent moon, which went well with the diamond studs in her ears.
Her bridesmaids, everyone currently in her apartment, all wore pale pink sundresses that were similar to her own. The only difference, besides the color, were that their dresses were sleeveless and held no lace.
Over-all, Lucy felt beautiful. And she was ready.
}{}{}{
The moment her music started, Natsu began wheeling her down the aisle.
In all of the stories she'd read about weddings, the bride and groom always only had eyes for each other and the rest of the world faded away.
They were wrong, at least at first.
The first thing she actually noticed were all of her Spirits sitting in the fold up chairs up at the very front. Somehow they were all there, even though she couldn't summon them anymore.
The petite blonde fought back tears, especially when she caught sight of the usually cross mermaid dabbing tears from her eyes.
"Oi, don't do that. You'll cry off your face, Luigi." Her partner said, rather loudly, in her ear.
She blindly swatted at him, giggling as their nakama broke out in chuckles around them.
But then she saw him.
Laxus was standing at the alter with the master, who was officiating the ceremony, eyes filled with complete adoration. He was wearing a crisp black suit and pale pink tie.
The world around her fell away, and she was vaguely aware of Natsu kissing her cheek before locking the wheels of her chair and taking his seat.
The small blonde desperately wanted to stand, and he must have seen it in her eyes, because he knelt down before her.
Taking her small hands in his, he leaned closer. "You are so beautiful."
The ceremony flew by in a blur of happy tears. When they finally kissed as man and wife, he scooped her up from her chair, carrying her back down the aisle as their family tossed impossible amounts of rice at them.
Fairy Tail being Fairy Tail, the reception was filled with drinking and dancing, cheering and brawling. And, by Erza's demand, lots and lots of cake.
It was decided that they would forgo a honeymoon, instead spending as much time with their nakama as she could.
The perfect day ended with a perfect night, wrapped in her new husband's arms.
He wouldn't stop calling her Mrs. Dreyar, and she couldn't stop smiling. Even when her cheeks started to hurt and sleep claimed her, she never stopped smiling.
}{}{}{
It was merely three weeks later, three weeks filled to the brim with happiness, that she passed.
Her husband laid with her, holding her tightly to him, Natsu clutching her hand to his cheek, and the rest of her family surrounding her.
And she wouldn't have had it any other way.
Writing this killed me.
Not only would it never freaking end (seriously, it basically gained a life of its own), it was just heartbreaking to write. I'm a sucker for happy endings, but with how I laid this out it was just not an option.
Of course, after writing such a sad prompt, the next day is Tears. But I'm just not going to make it sad. Nope. Can't do it.
Thanks for reading, and I'll see you all tomorrow!