Welcome Back Everyone!
I hope you all are enjoying so far and don't worry NaLu moments are coming I promise! Again if you like any of my stories and want to follow when I post new stuff just follow me. Of course most you know that ;). Anyway enough of me on with the story! Enjoy!
~wolvesfinalden
Fairy Tail: By Your Side
Chapter 4: Bonding
Lucy walked back to her apartment with Duke at her side. It was a little late when they got back and she told Natsu and Happy that they were just going to head to the guild tomorrow. They were both tired and Lucy wanted nothing more than to go crawl in her bed.
After they had returned with the book, the man was very confused as to why they hadn't destroyed the book. Lucy however explained what she had saw in the book, she handed it to the man and the words themselves began decoded by the magic. The spell that was on the book was broken and finally the man was able to read the letter his father had wrote to him so long ago.
The blonde was a little upset about no reward but Natsu insisted that they hadn't done the job right and it would look bad for Fairy Tail if they accepted the reward. Lucy then agreed seeing as it was the right thing to do, however the ride back Happy kept calling her greedy. She just ignored it the whole ride while she tried to comfort poor Natsu during his motion sickness.
Lucy opened the door to the apartment and let Duke in first. He had immediately gone to the bedroom and it made her giggle a little. She had known he was tired during their walk back here but she hadn't realized how bad the poor thing wanted to sleep.
She followed after him, placing her bag by the door of the bedroom, so she would remember to unpack it in the morning. Then she got a shower and dressed after all that was done she finally joined Duke in the bed. When the wolf felt movement on the bed he moved over a bit to allow Lucy some room in. After she was settled he moved closer and put his head onto her stomach.
Lucy patted his head before she finally went to sleep that night.
Few Months Later
Lucy sat at a table with Levy. The two had become really good friends over the past few months. She found out Levy enjoyed books just about as much as she did and they would often discuss the different books they had read.
While Lucy would talk with Levy, Duke would hang around his feline friend and eat some fish with him, until Natsu called him over to scare Gray. Duke didn't mind at all, it amused him how easy it was to scare the strange ice mage. Lucy had told him before she didn't like him fighting with the guild members but the wolf found a way to obey her orders and have a little fun with Natsu.
Natsu enjoyed spending time with the wolf at the guild and would often sit and talk with Lucy awhile before deciding that they should take another job request. The dragon-slayer felt himself growing closer to the blonde and her wolf but he often felt like she would put up a barrier between them.
There were times on missions when he would ask her something about her childhood and then she would just completely block him out while Duke would stand with her and not move a muscle. The fire mage new something must have happened when she was younger but he didn't want to press any further and make her uncomfortable. Though it would still frustrate him that she wouldn't tell him much of anything.
The dragon-slayer had found himself over the last few months also telling her a little about himself hoping that eventually the blonde would open up as well. He told her that he was still trying to find his father, Igneel a fire dragon. At first she thought he was kidding but after a little while she realized he wasn't joking. Anything she asked he would answer without a problem. At first he found it strange how easily he could open up to her but he soon grew used to it all.
"Hey Natsu, what are we doing today?" Happy asked him. "Were you thinking about going on a request?"
He thought about taking another job, truthfully just as an excuse to talk to Lucy some more that is until another idea popped in his head.
"Nah, how about we hang out with Lucy and Duke today?"
"Okay that's sounds good, I'll go get Lucy." Happy said.
The fire mage smiled as he watched his feline partner go get Lucy. Happy may make fun of her or tease her at times but he knew Happy liked Lucy. It made him feel better knowing that his old partner liked her. As he was watching he felt something brush against his hand. When he looked down he saw Duke was rubbing his head against him.
The wolf then looked up wagging his tail waiting for Natsu to do something. He smiled and started to pet the wolf. For some reason Duke always loved it when he got his attention. Lucy had told him before that he had usually only done that for her.
"Sorry buddy wasn't giving you much attention huh?" he said as he stroked the wolf's white coat.
Duke enjoyed it when Natsu pet him. Lucy was the only one he would normally let do this but since they came here he grew to like the dragon-slayer and he could tell that Lucy was slowly growing to like him as well. Though Duke could tell there was something more that the two were hiding but also knew that they still haven't figured it out yet. So he let it slide, for now anyway.
The wolf then picked up his head and noticed the blue cat returning to them. He stopped in front of Natsu. The dragon-slayer looked down to his smaller partner and waited for him to speak.
"Lucy says she doesn't mind. She's heading out now if we want to come." Happy told him.
After hearing this Duke got up and ran over to his master. He didn't want to be left behind, even if it would have only been with Natsu and Happy.
Natsu saw Duke leave and looked back to Happy.
"Seems like Duke is nervous about leaving Lucy alone for too long. Don't you think Happy?"
"Well yeah but then again, we don't know much about them Natsu. She still has yet to open that part up to us."
"Maybe today will be our lucky day then."
"You think she will today?"
The two then heard Lucy calling them asking if they were still coming. Natsu was the first to respond to her.
"Yeah Luce, we'll be right there!"
He then turned back to Happy and smiled.
"I have a feeling she might."
The two then left and followed Duke and Happy out the guild doors.
The group ventured around Magnolia in search of something to do. There were some shops Lucy would venture into and Duke would follow her. Natsu and Happy on the other hand would trail behind, not really wanting to go into the store in the first place. Though they did it because Lucy wanted to. Then Lucy would let them pick something and of course the thing on their mind was food.
After they were done eating, they were back to aimlessly walking again.
"I'm so booreeed" Natsu complained as they walked.
Happy just mumbled in agreement and Lucy was just losing her patience.
"Then why not go home then." Lucy said in an annoyed tone.
Natsu turned to her.
"Cause I thought I could get to know you better. After all I still don't know all that much about you." He answered.
Lucy sighed and Duke noticed her nervousness again. He whimpered and let her pet him like she always did when she got like this. Duke then noticed a big tree up ahead and pulled on Lucy's skirt a bit to make her follow him.
Natsu noticed this as well and followed the two over to the tree. There he sat himself down and motioned for Lucy to join him. She sat right beside him while Duke took his spot beside her and Happy climbed into Natsu's lap.
"Do you want to tell me yet?"
"I do but I just don't really like thinking about it is all. Duke and I left that place because we weren't happy there." Lucy said in a low voice.
She always hated thinking about her past, which was why she never liked to talk about it, not even with Natsu. However that wasn't the only reason. She also was scared to let someone else in. For the longest time it had only been her and Duke, just plain and simple. Though ever since she came to Fairy Tail a few months back she found it scary that someone had become this close to her in a short amount of time.
"You know it might feel better to talk about it. Truthfully I never liked talking about my past either. However I felt like I could let you in though. I still don't know why but I think it's because we became such good friends in a short amount of time." Natsu said to her.
Happy and Lucy just gawked at the dragon-slayer's words. Happy then got on Natsu's should and felt his forehead.
"What are you doing Happy."
"Seeing if you are sick because the Natsu I know is never this serious." He said almost seriously.
Lucy then giggled a little but then smiled at Natsu. She could understand why he wanted to know and she found that he was right. She needed someone to talk to about all of this. She had to let someone into her life. She looked over to Duke.
Duke was wagging his tail and then nodded his head to her. The white wolf knew it couldn't be just Lucy and himself forever. She needed to let others into her life and he was glad the first one would be the fire mage. It only made sense, it was he that they had met first. Not only that but it was Natsu that was the first the wolf accepted and allowed to be as close to him as he did with Lucy.
"Alright Natsu, I'll tell you what happened." Lucy finally said.
Natsu nodded and patiently waited for her to tell her what had happened when she was little.
"A long time ago Duke was given to me as a present from my mother and father. We had lived in a mansion with miles of land. It was lonely because I would often play by myself, so when my mother showed me my present I was really happy. Though shortly after he was given to me, my mother passed away. She had been sick for a long time and finally her body just couldn't take it anymore."
Natsu felt bad for her. That must have it her hard at such a young age. He remembered how devastated he was when Igneel disappeared.
"After she was gone my father blocked me out of his life. He hired people to teach me instead of sending me to school. It was all mainly just business so I could run father's company when I was old enough. This made me feel lonely again but every time I was free and felt upset again, Duke was always there."
"So that's why you two are such good friends. You've been through a lot together huh?" Happy said to her.
Lucy smiled and looked to Duke.
"Yeah I don't know what I would have done if he hadn't been there." She sighed then thought back to where she should pick up.
"I would always try and get father's attention. However it was always in vain, if I made him something he would just yell at me and say I was wasting his time and to get out of his sight. After he would yell at me he would through whatever I made him away while I was still here. Even then Duke would let me hold him until I felt better. As the years went by it only got worse. He became suspicious of Duke because he never approved of magic and mother made it a point to tell me before she died to never tell him what Duke really was. I was true to her word and never told him. Though I knew he was starting to suspect that Duke wasn't what he had seemed."
Duke remembered what she was talking about. Years ago when he wondered the mansion alone the one night, he came across her father. He stood and glared at him, when he moved to touch him Duke quickly backed away from him. The man scoffed at him and turned away from him. He heard him say that if Duke made one wrong move he would put an end to him. Duke didn't take it seriously since the man posed no real threat to him. He returned to Lucy that night and she never realized that he even left.
"So how did you come to Fairy Tail then?" Natsu asked her.
"That's where I was going next. Before we came to Magnolia the night before I left, I heard my father talking about something. He said that he was thinking about setting up some kind of arranged marriage so he wouldn't lose money and assure that his name would live on. I couldn't believe it, I knew my mother would have disapproved of his idea and I wasn't too fond of it either. Then his last words were my last straw. He was on the phone and they had mentioned Duke as well. My father told them not to worry that Duke wouldn't be in the picture for much longer."
Lucy started to cry a little as she remembered him saying those words. He wanted to get rid of the only friend she had. The only one who truly reminded her of her mother and made everything alright again. How could he just toss him aside like a doll?
"He wanted to get rid of Duke? How could he get rid of him when he the last present from your mother? And also was your friend." Natsu said a little disgusted.
"I know. That was when I decided it was time to leave. That night I packed up a bag with most of Duke's stuff as well. Then I took the key my mother had left me and went over to the vault from my mother. I used the key to unlock it and found a sufficient amount of jewels. Enough to get me started somewhere. So I took all of it and tucked it away in the bag. Once I had everything both of us snuck out and left without a word. I had heard about a guild in Magnolia and since it was close by I decided to head here. Then that's when we met all of you."
Lucy was still a little upset about what he had done but it felt better telling Natsu and Happy about it. Though what surprised her was Natsu's actions he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her a little closer to him. He then smiled to her before he finally spoke.
"I'm glad you came here Lucy. And don't worry you don't have to go back there. We're all your family now." He whispered to her.
Duke then got up and sat in front of them both, with Happy following him. Happy hugged Duke and then climbed on top of his head.
"Yup! And I never thought I'd be friends with a canine. No offense Duke." Happy said patting Duke's head.
The wolf just wagged his tail and allowed the cat to do so.
"Now don't you feel a little better now that you told someone?" he asked her.
"Yeah, you were right. I'm very happy here."
Natsu smiled and then stood up when he noticed it was getting late. He held his hand out to Lucy who gladly took it. Duke got up with Happy and they went off towards Lucy's apartment. Once they arrived Natsu made sure she got in and debated whether or not he was going to stay. He'd often found himself staying at Lucy's apartment a lot. Sure she would get mad when he did it without her knowledge but after her yelling at him the first couple times, she finally just accepted it.
"Alright so are you actually staying at home tonight or should I just let you in now so I won't be surprised in the morning."
The fire mage chuckled hearing this. He thought about it for a little bit but then finally walked past her and went into her apartment. Happy followed him in with Duke behind him. Lucy just shook her head and followed them, shutting the door behind her.
She got herself ready for bed and found that everyone else was in her bed. Normally this would be unacceptable but after being on a team and developing a close friendship with him, this became her normal.
The girl climbed into bed with them. Duke and Happy both assumed their positions they had always slept by the two.
"Night guys." Lucy said almost half asleep.
"Night Lucy." Happy and Natsu replied.
