AN: Final chapter. I hope you have enjoyed reading this half as much as I enjoyed writing it. It was such fun and I'm in process with my other stories about Fairy Tail Lives. We'll see who comes next, hm? I think posting the whole thing at once, while fun, may take away a little in getting to see reactions to the story while in process, but I just couldn't help it! Since I'd waited until it was all finished as satisfactorily as I could manage for a first story, I felt compelled to post when I got excited over my first follows and favorites. Maybe for future stories I'll manage to take some more time with it, haha! I hope you enjoy!
Chapter 6:
Lucy woke up with a breeze blowing across her face. She opened her eyes to see she was in her own apartment, with the window letting in a beautiful soft breeze of fresh air. She started to stir and found Happy was laying on the pillow curled up next to her head, and when she looked to the edge of the bed, Natsu was asleep sitting on the floor but with his head and one arm on the bed, as if he had been sitting vigil next to her bedside.
It was midmorning and the sun was nice and bright today. She smiled softly and placed one arm over Happy, and the other hand on Natsu's head. She hugged Happy gently and stroked Natsu's hair. Natsu came awake quickly and looked at her with surprised, wide eyes. "Luce!" he cried and after a moment grinned his happy grin. He wrapped her up in his arms and hugged her tightly. "You're finally awake!"
Happy stirred next to them and when he realized what was going on he started chattering happily about how glad he was Lucy was awake and that they'd been worried about her.
"Was I really asleep for a long time?" Lucy asked.
"Yeah!" Natsu responded as if it were common knowledge. "I mean, it was night before last that we found you and beat that asshole up, then brought you back home."
"Everybody was worried about you, Lushy!" exclaimed Happy. "Wendy, and Levy, and Erza, and even Gray have come to check on you. And Natsu wouldn't leave, he was so worried." The Exceed paused then grinned, "because he lliiiiiikes you!" then giggled and got out of the way of Natsu's light swing at him. Although Lucy noticed Natsu didn't actually refute the statement. Although he often ignored that stuff simply because he was oblivious to romantic sensibilities, but she'd at least expected a "do not, Happy!" out of the Dragon Slayer. It even almost looked like his cheeks were a little pink. But no, she must be imagining things.
There was a knock on her door and she wondered who it could be. She started to get up, but Natsu told her to stay sitting in bed. "I guess that's Erza and Gray. They said they'd come check on ya today."
He went and let them into her apartment and he was right. It was Erza and Gray, with Wendy and Carla as well, to check on her recovery. "Lucy, you are awake, we are very pleased to see that," Erza said in her usual stiff manner, but her beautiful smile made up for her stiffness.
"We were hopin' you'd be awake by now, Lucy," said Gray. "Plus, with you out, Hothead there did nothing but mope."
"I wasn't moping! You want to start something, Stripper?"
"Guys!" Lucy interrupted. "Not in my apartment, please."
Gray and Natsu had the good manners to look a bit sheepish about their fighting habit, and Erza had to remind Gray that he'd managed to strip in the last two minutes. Erza then informed Lucy of what had happened with Kral. The rune knights confirmed that there would have been no way to retrieve the victims of Kral's magical absorption, and it turned out the destruction of those lacrima had caused him some permanent magical damage. He would likely never use much, if any, magic again. However he was also unlikely to ever be released from prison, either. As she had suspected, he had been wanted for quite a long time. Eight years, in fact. The bounty on him had grown over those eight years and had been much larger than Erza had expected. 5 million jewels had been their reward.
"5 million?!" exclaimed Lucy.
"It would seem," replied Erza with a slight smile. "We've all talked it over and decided to split it 10 ways between all who were there since we hadn't been planning on a reward. As long as that is satisfactory?"
"Yeah!" Lucy said happily.
Wendy smiled and came to sit next to Lucy, checking on her. "You're doing pretty well. I'd still say you should rest a lot for the next couple of days, minimum. You're recovery from the magic deficiency is going well, but don't use magic for at least another five days. I don't think you'll have any lasting effects from it, though. We are lucky that you are as strong of a wizard as you are, Lucy, if you'd been weaker the lacrima would not have had to take so long to absorb all of your power."
"Speaking of magic use," Gray chimed in, "while I was pokin' around that room after we beat that guy's ass, I found two extra gate keys in his desk. Apparently you weren't the first Celestial Wizard he'd tried this with, Lucy. I didn't tell the rune knights I found them, since I figured you'd make a better 'master' for Celestial Spirits than most other wizards out there. I don't know anything about these keys, but here." He handed her two keys.
Lucy's eyes went incredibly wide when she took them and looked at the keys. "Gray, I can't believe you found these! This one," she said holding up a silver key, "is Canis Major, the 'Big Dog', that I've been trying to find for a long time. And this is a key I've never seen!" she exclaimed, holding up the other key. It was red gold and had twined around the stem what looked like a tendril of fire, at the bow of the key flames gave the impression of feathered wings, and the bit of the key the flames resembled a feathered tail. The key was rather like the one for Ophiuchus in how it was stylized. "I think….I can't believe it, but I think this is the constellation Phoenix! Given the appearance of its gate key I'd imagine this is a powerful Spirit! I suspected their might be a Phoenix Spirit, but wasn't ever sure!" Lucy was filled with such excitement and joy at the idea of two more Spirit friends, especially ones who could help her get stronger. "Thank you so much, Gray, you're amazing!" She shot him a beautific smile and he blushed slightly, unused to effusive thanks.
The others were all suitably impressed, as well, and Gray simply said it was nothing. Had Lucy been watching Natsu, however, instead of looking over her new keys she might have noticed a slight shadow over his expression after the praise she gave Gray.
The others stayed for about half an hour before heading back out. Erza mentioned that Mirajane had sent over food the day before so Lucy wouldn't have to cook for a couple of days. Lucy asked Erza to pass on her thanks. Wendy said she would come check on Lucy again tomorrow if she didn't feel up to coming into the guild hall and they left again. Only Natsu and Happy continued to stay.
Once the others were gone, Lucy realized she felt like she needed a bath from having been in a bed for so long. Something about being unconscious so long made her feel as though he needed to get clean.
"Natsu, I want to take a bath. I should be ok, if there is anything you want, or need, to go do. You must be bored staying here so long."
"Yeah, Natsu! Let's go fishing!" suggested an excited Happy.
"Sorry, Buddy, but I wanna stay. If you want, you can go. Why not go hang out with Wendy and Carla for a while? Natsu replied in an offhand manner, resting his hands behind his head and stretching a little.
"Aw, you sure, Natsu?" Happy asked.
"Yeah, pal. But you don't have ta stay on my account."
"Weeell…..ok! Maybe Carla will want to go fishing!"
Lucy rolled her eyes and got up carefully. She was still sore from her ordeal. "Feel better, Lushy!" Happy called as he flew out the window, and Lucy yelled goodbye after him.
"If you really want to stay, that's fine, Natsu. Just don't poke around my things, for once, huh?"
He just grinned at her. She glared, then gave up and grabbed some clean clothes to bring into the bathroom with her. The hot bath really made her feel better. A lot of her soreness went away and she could move much easier afterwards. She got out after she'd soaked for a while and gotten nice and clean. Then she dressed in a pink tank top and black shorts.
When she came out Natsu was doing sit ups in the middle of the room. She watched him for a minute with a wry smile. "I knew you'd be bored here."
"Eh, maybe a little, but I figured you'd be lonely," he said with a grin.
"You're so weird, Natsu," she mumbled.
"Yeah, right. You're the one who acts weird all the time," he retorted.
She threw a small decorative pillow at him and then whined as it caused her muscles to protest. Natsu caught the pillow then looked at her worriedly. "You ok, Luce? Maybe you should rest some more."
"Maybe, but I'm starving so I need to get some food together."
"Hey, no problem! When Mira brought over the food she told me it just needs to be heated up. Everything is all cooked and ready to eat! And if there's something I'm good at, it's heating things up!" He sounded entirely too enthusiastic to Lucy.
"Setting things on fire is more like it," she said. "Just…don't set my kitchen on fire, huh? And…try not to burn the food."
"Yeah, yeah. You worry too much, Luce."
"Says the guy who consistently destroys things on jobs and costs us reward money," she muttered.
While he poked around her kitchen getting out food and dishes, she picked up her keys and hugged them close. "I'm sorry I won't be able to see you guys for a few days, but I want to say thank you for always being there for me! I am so happy you are my friends. Oh, and if you know which Spirits these new keys belong to, tell them that I can't wait to meet them."
Natsu came back out with bowls in one hand and a pot of something that was steaming and smelled delicious in the other. It turned out to be a very good stew. Surprisingly, Natsu had succeeded in burning neither the food nor the kitchen. It relieved her to know he'd been careful.
They finished the stew and Lucy stretched and yawned. "Wow, I guess I'm tired again."
"Wendy said you'd need rest," Natsu said and shrugged.
"Yeah. And at least I didn't sleep as long as you did after you ate that Etherion. I think you slept for three days, didn't you?"
"Did I?" Natsu pondered, a blank look on his face.
"You forgot that, too?! The things you forget, Natsu. Really, I'm surprised you remember anything." She got up and started picking up dishes, which Natsu helped with.
A thought came to her mind and she voiced it before she'd even thought to keep it in. "Natsu, if you were so bored, and I'm sure you were, why did you stay the whole time I was unconscious?" It wasn't until the thought was voiced that she thought to be embarrassed and blushed lightly as she put the dishes in the sink and rinsed them quickly to scrub later. I wonder what he'll say, she thought and turned to meet his answer.
Natsu had been thinking as he stayed with Lucy after they got back safe and sound. Wendy had helped him get her settled and had told him she'd stay with him. But Lucy had gripped his vest and murmured "stay" before falling into a deeper sleep. So Wendy had left, telling him to send for her if he needed her.
Happy had been so tired that he'd gone right to sleep next to Lucy. Natsu, on the other hand, couldn't sleep. He as too focused on thinking about Lucy. His thoughts even went back to when he had first met her. She'd seemed really nice when they'd met, though saving her had been a complete accident. And when they'd run away from Hargeon it was that he felt she was nice, fun, wanted to join Fairy Tail and that he liked her scent that prompted him to bring her to the guild. Even though he later tricked her into teaming up with him for the quest at Everlue's mansion, he also thought she was really fun and weird in a mostly good way, making him want to stay teammates and friends.
During the Phantom Lord War she had endeared herself even more to him. She was kidnapped and beaten up. She jumped off a building because she'd thought she heard his voice and trusted him to save her. She didn't cry for her own hurts, but for what had been done to their guild family, their friends. She cried because she loved Fairy Tail and didn't want to leave them. It was then, he realized, that was a turning point. That's when he started to think of her as maybe a little closer than just a new friend. He was happy around her, happier than he'd been since Lisanna had "died". He liked being around her, liked hanging around at her apartment, as he'd already realized was partly because it smelled like her and he liked her scent. It was also when he'd first realized he could lose her and had not liked that idea at all.
She'd risen to every challenge as best she could. Yeah, she might complain sometimes but she always gave things her best. Even when she had nothing left to give she would try. Like when they fought against Oracion Seis and Nirvana. That trait and her loyalty had earned her three Celestial Spirit friends and companions.
When she'd gotten sick, he'd been depressed that she couldn't enjoy the Rainbow Sakura trees and festival. He went so far as to uproot an important tree and float it down the canal which ran outside her bedroom window. He'd put it back, of course, but Master hadn't been happy about it. It was worth the trouble, though, if he could make her happy.
When they'd gone to Edolas and Lucy had been slated for execution he was filled with rage. He was fighting for them all, but he got even angrier, then. On Tenrou when Kain nearly tried to kill her, she'd refused to run or leave him, even though she couldn't beat the curse wizard. Maybe she couldn't have run but the fact that she had refused even the option affected him. When they'd returned from Tenrou and Lucy had found out about her father he'd wanted to be there for her however he could. And she'd worked her way even deeper into his life by then.
When the Infinity Clock business came up he'd nearly lost it when they thought they'd lost her. He'd been wracked with guilt and sorrow that they hadn't – he hadn't – been able to save her. Luckily things had not ended up in the dire way that he'd feared, but that was when he'd begun to think and wonder some days if Lucy had become more to him than just a friend. When she'd snuck in and cleaned his house instead of pulling any pranks he'd felt really pleased, and he felt absolutely ecstatic that his home smelled like Lucy for a while. He began to wonder what it would have been like if she'd lived there always, to have her air of domesticity to his house.
Then during the Grand Magic Games they went through a lot more hard times but they believed in each other. It had touched him when he'd seen her before his fight with Rogue and Sting to have her leave her faith in him as she had done. There'd been several moments of embarrassed little blushes that day on either side but he'd let them go unnoticed at the time.
Everything changed when they met the Lucy of the future and the dragons attacked. Seeing her die right before his eyes, that Rogue had stolen something precious to him and he couldn't stop it, that had affected him irrevocably. After it was all over and she'd given him the tender hug, his heart had skipped a beat. He hadn't done it, but he'd wanted to gather her in his arms and hold her for as long as he could.
It all added up to some important realizations. He could no longer imagine life without her in it. And he wanted to spend as much of it with her as possible. Her scent could fill his senses like no one else, and he remembered Igneel saying something about how the scent of his mate would strongly affect him. He cared for her more deeply than pretty much anyone and while he didn't spend a lot of time thinking about the physical charms of the opposite sex, he definitely found her attractive and blushed at his own thoughts, briefly.
He might be ridiculously dense about these kinds of things but he knew this added up to one very important realization. It made him smile and he'd finally been able to sleep. He'd crawled into bed with Lucy and held her close all night. He had, in fact, been bored the next day, but he wasn't going to leave her until she had woken up.
Because of all his recent thinking and revelations he didn't even have to think about his answer when Lucy asked "why did you stay the whole time I was unconscious?"
"Well, first off, you asked me to stay," he said.
"I did?" she asked, blushing and trying to hide it.
"Yup, ya did. Wendy was gonna stay with ya, but you asked me to stay, so I did. And secondly, what kind of guy leaves his mate alone when she needs him around to take care of her?"
She went completely still and her whole face turned very red. "Wh-what did you just say?"
He rolled his eyes. "Jeeze, Luce, pay attention, would ya. I said, what kind of guy leaves his mate alone when she needs him?"
"What are you talking about? Mate?!"
"You-you didn't know? You're so smart, I figured I was just dense about it as usual and everybody already must have figured it out. I mean, we get teased about it by Happy and Mira all the time." He looked at her with a little confusion on his features. He'd really thought she already knew she was his mate.
"What….I don't…I mean…um, wh-what about Lisanna?" she deflected and was now nearly crimson with blushing.
"Nah, Lisanna and I are just friends. Just between us, it hurt some to think she'd planned to stay in Edolas if the Anima hadn't sent us all back."
"But, I mean…Natsu, wh-what makes you think I'm your mate?" she asked, too embarrassed to look at him and now he actually blushed a tiny bit, too.
"Well, you trust me and have faith in me like nobody else. I like being with you, even when you act weird or kinda scary. I can't imagine my life without you anymore, and I don't want to. My protective streak goes out of control with you and, your scent really affects me. It calms me when I need it and makes me really happy. It can fill up my head where I don't think of much else, sometimes." When he was done explaining he waited for her to speak.
"What about l-love, Natsu?" she asked shyly.
"Jeeze, weirdo," he said and bonked her gently on the head. "Of course I love you, didn't I just explain that?"
"Girls need to hear the actual words, dummy!" she defended, then froze. "Wait, you do love me?"
He just stared at her with a reproachful look for obviously not paying attention and being as dense as he usually was if she was asking that again. "Yes."
She smiled shyly and looked at him finally. "I-I love you, too, Natsu," she spoke so quietly it was almost a whisper. Natsu felt incredibly happy and grinned at her like an idiot.
Lucy was both embarrassed and pleased by Natsu's declaration. It made her finally admit that there was no "maybe" left. She did love Natsu. So now that he'd confessed it to her, it was time for her to finally voice that feeling as well. She felt oddly shy as she looked up at him. "I-I love you, too, Natsu," she said quietly.
He grinned that idiotic but endearing, happy grin at her. "I know," he said.
That floored her. "What do you mean, you know?"
"Well, you jumped off a building 'cause you knew I'd save you. You cleaned my house instead of playing pranks, and you have a cute blush sometimes around me," he said with a smile, then took her hands. "Plus your pulse goes fast sometimes when I get close to you. Like….now," he smiled with a teasing tone.
Lucy pulled her hands back and smacked his arm. "Stop embarrassing me," she mumbled. "So…what do we do now?"
"You're my mate, Luce. I wanna spend our lives together. For Dragons, we pretty much mate for life once we find our mate."
"It's a little weird to think of us in a relationship. Isn't it?" she queried.
"I guess. But things don't have to change much, for now. Sure, we've figured out that part, but we can play the rest by ear. Although, there is one thing I'd like to change right away," he said.
"What's that?" Lucy asked.
"Well, I'd really like it if you didn't kick me out anymore, even if I do sneak into bed with you," he said.
Lucy blushed again but chuckled softly. "I suppose I can agree to that." She finally seemed calmer and smiled at him sweetly. "So it really is ok if we keep things slow? I-I've never dated anyone, let alone been in a serious relationship, before."
"Of course, Luce!" he reassured her. "I want to make sure you are happy, that we have a happy life."
She relaxed and sighed as if relieved. Then she came up to him and hugged him around the waist, tucking her head in against his shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close to him. She tilted her head back a bit to look up at him. His eyes darkened a bit and with a little smile he leaned down towards her. Their lips met in a very light and tender first kiss. It was surprising how sweetly Natsu kissed her. It was a perfect first kiss, as far as Lucy was concerned. When they separated she sighed happily and leaned her head back against his shoulder. "I love you, Natsu."
He smiled happily and held her tenderly to him. "I love you, too, Lucy."
The next day Lucy and Natsu went to the guild together with Happy flying above them, smiling like a Cheshire cat. They had told him the news and he'd taken well to it. They walked hand in hand, although there was no other outward sign that things had changed between the couple. However, it was enough that some guild members took notice, spread the word and suddenly the guildhall was quiet.
The two exchanged a glance, Natsu's questioning. Lucy blushed but shrugged non-committedly. Natsu grinned and turned back to the guild after putting his arm around Lucy's shoulder.
"Alright, listen up!" Natsu yelled, almost defiantly. "No rumors from here on in. Lucy's my mate, we're takin' things slow, end of story!"
You could have heard a pin drop in the hall for a god 20 seconds before simultaneously Mirajane and Levy squealed, Cana made a triumphant sound, and at least half a dozen exclamations of "WHAT?!" were heard through the hall. They were immediately swarmed by their friends. There were well wishes and there was teasing. It was going to be a long day but it was the start of a brand new and exciting chapter of their lives.