LUCY:
He came back to me. He was gone and he came back. We had met a little over three days ago, but the experiences we'd had were enough to bring him back. The black faded away from his eyes, leaving two glittering onyx irises. The scales started to draw back, starting from his hands and feet and vanishing above his heart. His horns crumbled to a fine black powder. The curse left behind the boy with pink hair and curved teeth who made me talk. It felt really weird, talking, but I could get used to it.
"Hey, Luce." Natsu grinned at me. His skin was slick with sweat and he panted like he'd just run a marathon. "I love you." His eyes rolled back and he fell forward. I caught him and gently lowered him to the ground.
"Natsu?" I whispered, falling back into my old habit. Shouts rang out like gunshots but I ignored them. Natsu's clothes were slightly steaming and his skin was boiling hot to the touch. Someone shoved me aside and an elderly lady took my place, her pink hair edged with pale yellow. Porlyusica. A curtain of scarlet covered my view.
"Lucy, come with me. Porlyusica will take care of him." Erza spoke reassuringly. I nodded and got up to follow her, giving the Dragon Slayer a glance over my shoulder. He looked pale, like mama did when she died.
"He's going to be okay, right?" I whispered. Erza glanced at me, her gaze sympathetic.
"Yes. Natsu's one tough bastard. He wouldn't give up without a fight." She murmured.
"Wouldn't?" I asked. She had used a past tense, like Natsu was already gone. Not getting my point, she nodded.
"Gajeel, pick him up. We need to get back to the guild." The healer's harsh voice barked out orders. In ten minutes we were gone, the ruins of the castle at our backs.
ERZA:
Lucy was silent the entire journey home. She just stared at the wall of the carriage, her eyes unfocused. Gray kept prodding her to talk but she seemed to be deaf, completely ignoring him.
"Tch. She was talking to the insane flamebrain, but now it's like she forgot how." He grumbled. In truth I was very concerned for her. She had spoken with her true voice for the first time, but now she just looked lost.
We made it to the guild in record time. Gajeel hauled Natsu up to the infirmary and Lucy followed them like a ghost, staying just long enough to hear Porlyusica's diagnosis.
"The attacks, despite looking to be ineffective, were felt by his human body. I'm surprised he's still in one piece. The curse is gone, but it seems that the effort of dispelling it from his body took a large toll. He is currently in self-induced comatose state. In other words, his body forced him to shut down for repairs. I don't know when, or if, he will wake up." Porlyusica's voice was grim. Lucy merely nodded and left, silently sliding past people in the main hall. She came back the next day with a book and spent an hour in the infirmary. She came every day for two weeks, never saying a word. Master paid her for the infiltration mission she volunteered for, saying that she did a good job and deserved the reward. She thanked him in a barely audible whisper, and that was the only thing we heard from her. I stayed at the guild in case some crackhead decided to take advantage of Natsu's condition. Otherwise, life went back to normal: brawls were started, insults exchanged, jobs completed. The only thing missing was a stupid fistfight between Gray and Natsu.
LUCY:
"Hey, Natsu." I slid into the chair next to his bed. His skin was too pale and the spiky strands of pink fell limply onto his pillow. His eyes were closed and his breathing was slow. He looked dead. "I didn't bring a book this time, sorry. You know, the guild's been really quiet lately. Sure, they started a couple fights but without you and Gray it seems like there's not enough manpower. Gajeel has only shown up once, to take Levy out on a job. I think he likes her. Jet and Droy nearly had a fit when she agreed to go with him. Gray just sulks most of the time and tried to avoid Juvia. Erza hasn't left the guild since you fell asleep. I think she's worried someone would want to get at you. I heard you have a lot of enemies." I sucked in a large breath. Talking to him was hard, not knowing if he would ever answer, but I was talking. Not whispering. "Happy's staying with Wendy and Charla. He's missing you a lot. Master had to go to the Magic Council for a hearing, but I think it went in his favor. Surprise, right?" I wracked my brain, searching for something to talk about. "Well, let see… what else happened? It's been two weeks. I finished storing my winter stuff and updated mama on everything that happened. I got a letter from papa, saying that he missed me. I don't want to go back though, back to being a lady. It's much more fun here, even though you're not with us. Oh! Levy gave me three new books. Maybe I can read them to you some time. I want to practice speaking, because it still feels weird." I put my head on his bed, folding my arms under my cheek. "Aquarius was so mad at me for ignoring her for three weeks straight. She's always complaining that I call her when she's on a date with Scorpio, so you'd think she'd be glad." A small tear leaked out onto my cheek. Why didn't he wake up? I closed my eyes, trying to stem the tears that threatened to fall. "Do you think I should go visit papa? He said he would hold a ball in honor of my return. I'm worried that he will try to force me to stay, become a lady and all that. I don't want to go alone."
"Then I'll come with you." I squeezed my eyes tighter. I must've been imagining his reply, my brain making it up to give me what I wanted. Well, a fake conversation should be better than none.
"And do what? Punch him in the face? Eat his house bare?" My lips twitched as I imagined Natsu inhaling food, plate after plate disappearing into his mouth as my father's guests stared.
"Something like that." Unable to bear the tension in my chest I looked up. His onyx eyes were open, locked on my face. "Hey, Luce." He said, his voice soft.
My tears fell unrestrained as I leaped up and rushed to hug him, burying my face in his chest. He was so warm, so alive. I felt his hand on my back, holding me close.
"Thanks for staying with me. I missed you, Luce." He murmured. I laughed through my tears, hiccupping slightly.
"You idiot. Leaving me like that, who gave you permission? Do you have any idea how much I missed you?" I tried to sound mad but couldn't manage it. His fingers clenched the back of my shirt and relaxed.
"Why were you speaking? Out loud, I mean." He asked. His other hand began to stroke my hair in a loving gesture. Maybe he meant what he'd said. I knew I loved him, that's for sure, but he could've been kidding. People were good at lying.
"I don't know. I guess I figured you wouldn't hear me if I whispered." The tears slowed but I stayed where I was, no reason good enough to make me move.
"I don't know about that." I looked up at him, his tone catching me off guard. It was so serious. "I meant what I said, you know." He whispered.
"I know. I love you too." I whispered back. He grinned, his eyes alive with delight.
"You're such a wierdo." He teased. I tapped him on the nose.
"Says you! Making me fall in love with a stranger, jeez!" His grin stretched wider. I though his face was going to split.
"Come on, let's go and cheer up Gray. I heard what you said about him sulking." I snorted.
"Eh? You're crazy, you know that? You just woke up. From a two week coma. Gray would pound you into the floor." I couldn't believe it. He wanted to fight Gray after everything that happened. Was he insane?
"Naw, I could beat that perverted snowflake with my hand tied behind my back. Besides, I feel fine." Yep. Definitely insane.
"Aha, sure. You know Erza's here too, right? Or did you only hear what you wanted to?" He swore and I laughed. Full out, real laugh. Natsu stared at me, his mouth slightly open. "What?"
"You laughed, Luce. I love it." I laughed again and he smiled. He pushed himself off the bed with a slight stumble and I caught him before he could topple over.
"With a hand tied behind your back, huh?" I rolled my eyes for emphasis. He grinned cheekily.
"'Course. Gray's a total wimp. Wait till you see his face when I get out of here!" He sounded like an excited child who had been promised ice cream. Or spicy chicken, I guess.
"Are you going to use me as a cane to do that?" I couldn't help but tease him. He huffed but got back on his own two feet and took a couple steps to regain his sense of balance. Before I could blink he was somersaulting across the infirmary beds and drooling fire.
I sighed and propped my hands on my hips. "C'mon, let's go and find Gray." He grinned and offered me his hand.
"You wouldn't want to miss my victory." He murmured as he led the way through the door and into the guild hall. My eyes went on a roll again while he cracked up at Gray's expression.
It wasn't what I used to dream about, but it was perfect.