Previously
"Lushi kiss Natsu.", he said while pouting, and some pearl of tears in his eyes.
Lucy scratched the back of her neck, contemplating if she should do what he said. After all, he could make a habit out of it.
"Lushi kiss Natsu!", he demanded this time, and Lucy couldn't help but sigh and give him a peck on the cheek.
She was rewarded with wide grin that melted Lucy's heart.
So much for a being a sucker for cute kids.
Chapter 4 (Nicknames and Trusting Lucy)
That morning, Lucy woke up feeling warm. She opened her eyes and saw a 7-year-old Natsu in her arms. He was still sleeping and apparently, there was drool dripping from his mouth and onto her arm.
Ew.
She was honestly still freaked out about this sudden changes. It just seemed so unreal.
How could a person grow up that fast? And what would happen if he continued growing this fast? Did this mean that he'd die because he'd grow old soon?
The thought brought tears to Lucy's eyes. She didn't want Natsu to die. Maybe she should bring him to the hospital so she'd know his condition...
No.
She knew better than that. They won't cure him, they will treat him like an animal under observation. They'll get blood samples and do experiments, not to save him but to satisfy their curiosity.
Just like what happened to her mom.
Lucy clenched her fist. Maybe she should just ask Natsu himself. He seemed to be developing on his own anyway. Now that he looked like he was seven, maybe he could hold off his own conversations.
That's right. She would just stop thinking about this and wait for Natsu to speak.
She wouldn't care whatever he was anyway. She loved this kid no matter what.
Well, that is if he didn't grow up into some kind of psycho trying to kill her, but if not, then they were cool.
She noticed him shifting under her grasp and when he opened his onyx eyes and smiled lazily at her, Lucy swore that she would protect him with everything she got.
"Did you hear? The Prince of Flames went to the human world to seek for his mate."
"He did?"
"Yeah. The news shocked most of us, I mean, a mere human as his mate? He must be going crazy."
"I always thought that he was crazy you know.", the woman said with a smirk.
"Well, want to play with him? I'm sure it will be fun.", the person said with a mischievous voice.
"Gladly."
"So here's your chili pancakes, whatever this is, fried rice with slices of bacon and ham with tabasco sauce, and of course, fire chicken.", Lucy said as she placed all the food on the table. At first she was reluctant with feeding him that much early in the morning (and not to mention that it was all spicy food) but after he whined all morning about it, she agreed with him.
She actually felt happy that he treated her simple cooking as the most delicious food in the world.
That, or he was just starving... always.
Either way, Lucy was waiting for the perfect time to ask Natsu what he was.
"You must be wondering what I am.", he said with his mouth full and the blonde flinching at his statement was enough to answer his question.
"But, I'm not gonna tell you yet.", he said while taking more food. She tensed at this but soon relaxed. If he didn't want to talk yet, then she'll just wait. For how long though?
"Don't talk with your mouth full.", she lightly scolded.
"Yes, Mate."
"Mate?"
"Yeah, you're my mate.", he said with a shrug.
"Owwwkay? Just finish up your food Natsu."
"Okay."
"Where are we going?", Natsu asked when Lucy started dragging him outside.
"I'm not sure. Where do you want to go?"
"Food!", he said enthusiastically making the blonde roll her eyes.
"You just ate Natsu, can we go somewhere that doesn't involve eating?"
"But I don't wanna go somewhere without food.", seven-year-old Natsu grumbled out while kicking invisible rocks. Lucy sweatdropped at this. He had been eating all day and even if she didn't mind spending money for food, she was pretty sure that even her Heartfilia fortune would go down the drain with Natsu's insatiable stomach.
"How about we go to a soccer training near the school? I heard that they were teaching kids there some soccer and they also have some practice matches.", she said while the pink-haired just gave her blank look.
"Well, I just figured that you'll like to play with kids your age and there's a lot of food stalls there that you might en-"
"What are we waiting for then? I'm gonna pummel them to the ground!"
"Lu-Lu-chama!", Lucy cringed at the source of the voice. If she knew that it was Dan Straight teaching kids soccer then she wouldn't have brought Natsu there. She gave him an uneasy smile and waved a bit while clutching Natsu's hand.
"Hey... Dan. Look, I think we should just go, it's really hot in here-"
"Oh LuLu, I have the best seat for you and who's that kid?", trying not to shudder at the horrible nickname, Lucy introduced Natsu to the brunette.
"He's Natsu, he's... Virgo's cousin.", she said while biting her lip.
"Oh, explains the pink-hair then.", he said while looking at Natsu, then enthusiastically looked back at Lucy.
"Well why don't you let him play with others while we talk about us LuLu-chan", he grabbed her other hand and took a sniff of it. Lucy shivered in disgust though the brunette took it as a good sign.
"Hey! Hands off!", shouted Natsu while prying Lucy's hand from the 'creepy-guy-that's-terrible-at-nicknames'. Dan and Natsu had a glaring competition that made Lucy panic a little.
"Natsu, let's go for now, I think I saw some nachos there."
Natsu smiled at the mention of food but not without holding her hands and sticking a tongue at Dan who just glared harder.
"Luce.", Natsu suddenly said while they were eating at a bench.
"What's that Natsu?"
"Luce. Can I call you that?", he said, jealous at how that dumb brunette was giving his mate stupid nicknames. Lucy smiled at this then ruffled his hair.
"Of course, Natsu."
"Do you like it?", he said. His mate should like what he calls her better than any other man. Actually, there shouldn't be other men in the first place. Maybe he should burn them all until all that's left is their ashes...
"I love it Natsu.", she said, snapping him out of his reverie.
"How about me? Do you love me?", he asked. Lucy froze in her spot before pulling him into a hug.
"Of course I love you, you big dummy."
He smiled a little and buried his face in her neck before taking a sniff of his mate's smell. He sure loved how she smelled.
It was intoxicating.
"Even if I'm not human?", he murmured silently before closing his eyes. He felt Lucy stiffen before releasing the breath she never knew she was holding.
"As long as you don't eat me or kill me then I don't care who or what you are Natsu.", she said and Natsu couldn't help but grin at her sincerity.
"I won't hurt you Luce and contrary to that, I swear that I'll protect you with my life.", he said making Lucy's heart flutter.
She placed a hand on his head and felt something weird, like something poking out.
"Natsu-"
"...Though I can't promise not eating you Luce.", he said with a mischievous voice, Lucy blushed at the implication.
"PERVERT!"
In the end, Natsu was banned from playing soccer, to save Dan Straight from a concussion, since he kept kicking the ball towards Dan as his goal.
He smirked in satisfaction as he exited the field. Lucy looked a little disappointed with him but he knew that she secretly enjoyed hearing Dan's screams.
"Gajeel, are you alright?", Levy asked with concern at the black-haired man who was obviously suffering from motion sickness.
She smiled sympathetically at him knowing that the motion sickness patches had worn off minutes ago. Her attention was torn from Gajeel to one of her co-workers who suddenly spoke.
"That's the island that we were talking about, Levy-san.", he said and the blunette's eyes were soon glued to the said island.
"It's understandable that the island wouldn't be discovered easily because of it's distance, even though some fishermen had been fishing around this area for decades, but it's the first time that they saw this island. Which is odd, because its shape would surely catch anyone's eye.", Levy nodded at this. It had an odd shape indeed.
There was a huge tree in the middle of the island. It's branches were further spread out, almost covering the whole island, and it looked like it was planted on three huge pointed boulders.
"Rumor also says that there's bunch of strange lights flickering near the tree every night. Researchers thought that they're fireflies at first but actually, they're not. They're faster and more... playful I guess.", the man said with a shrug while Levy listened intently.
"Can't they use their equipment to take a picture?" equipment doesn't have a plural form
"They tried, but the creature is just too fast and all they could see some blurred golden light in the camera. Sometimes it would go near them, not enough to see clearly but enough for them to hope that they'll finally know what it is. It was as if they were playing with the researchers. If I didn't know better, I would think that those creatures are fairies.", he chuckled and Levy laughed at this too.
Fairies, they are just some made up tales.
They aren't real.. Right?
"I'm twelve. I think.", the pink-haired said the next morning.
"You can't keep sleeping beside me now.", Lucy mumbled. A bit shocked at how tall he was for a 12-year-old. Well, still smaller than her but she was sure that he'd be taller than her soon.
She stared at him longer. She still couldn't believe that the baby she was holding before is now a grown kid that will soon be a teenager.
She felt pride and at the same time, she missed his small hands and toothless smiles. Is this how mothers felt for their child when they start to grow? She wondered if her mother would have felt this way too.
She pushed the thought to the back of her mind and brushed Natsu's pink locks away from his forehead. He would be a young adult soon, maybe she should get him a separate ro-
"No."
Her lazy eyes shot open at his refusal.
"Why?"
"I like sleeping with you.", she stared at his stubborn onyx eyes and pursed her lips.
"B-But!"
"Lushiii! Noooo!"
"You know you're 12 now and that ain't working on me anymore."
"Won't it?", he challenged while sitting up. He crossed his arms on his chest.
"N-No."
"So what do 12-year-olds do to get what they want?", he said while staring at her intensely. Lucy blinked twice before registering his words and answering him a little unsure. Well, she didn't exactly had a normal childhood.
"They give their parents the cold shoulders?"
"So I'm supposed to freeze your shoulders? That's weird."
"No! You idiot! That means that kids don't talk to their parents or ignore them until they get what they want."
"Oh. I won't do that.", he said nonchalantly.
"Well, you aren't supposed to do that in the first place! You're just being immature and bratty that way!"
"Well you're the one who suggested it!"
"I didn't! I just said that that's what most kids do."
"Well you said that knowing that I have the intention to do it to you just so I can sleep with you!"
Lucy blushed at this.
"Don't say it like that!"
"Say it like what? Sleep with you?"
"Oh my God! Yes! Don't say that! It sounds so wrong and weird coming from a 12-year-old kid!"
"But I'm not just a 12-year-old kid."
"Yeah, well, you certainly look like one.", Lucy mumbled while looking away from his serious gaze. For someone who looks like a 12-year-old, Natsu sure was intimidating.
"But I'm not. And I hope that you aren't forgetting that Lucy."
"I'm not forgetting that. How can I? When you still won't tell me anything about you?" Natsu closed his eyes, then ruffled his pink hair. Silence lingered between the two of them.
"Do you trust me?"
"If I didn't trust you, then I would have already told somebody about how you are.. different. But I didn't Natsu, I didn't. The moment I found out, a part of me wanted to freak out and tell others but the bigger part me wanted to wait.. wanted to give you time. And.. that's what scares me the most, Natsu. Because how can I trust you this much when I just met you? How can I feel so much happiness from the mere sight of you? Why do I.. Why do I feel like I've known you for so long?", she said with a quivering voice.
"I just feel so conflicted. Everything about you isn't normal. Even these feelings that I'm feeling towards you isn't. You can point a knife at me right now, but I won't get scared. You can put a bullet through my heart and I'll still think that you wouldn't let me die. You can kill me and get away with it, Natsu...", she said while clenching her fist.
"...But I'll still trust you anyway.", she whispered while closing her eyes. Her head hanging low as she let her bottled emotions burst.
"Lucy.", said a breathy voice. The blonde couldn't help but lift her head just to see his expression.
"I said it before didn't I? I won't hurt you Lucy. I swore on my life that I'll protect you. Yes, I'm not a human but believe me when I say that I really care for you Lucy. I've been watching you my whole life. You may not know me but know that I was always protecting you."
Lucy's breath hitched. His words triggered something from her memory. A blur of pink hair, and gentle arms that cradled her with so much warmth.
"So, last year, when I was in danger you were.. "
"Yes, Lucy."
"That was you.. ", she whispered. Shocked at the sudden revelation.
"But how?"
"Does it matter?"
No, it didn't matter but Lucy wanted to know why her. Of all people in the world, how could Natsu give her that kind of devotion? Not to mention that she has a constant feeling she was being watched.
It was an eerie feeling. She wanted to believe that it was Natsu but if he had been watching her the whole time, why was she only feeling it now?
"And my recent feeling that I'm being watched was also because of you, right?" she asked, and when he gave a her a confused expression, her blood ran cold.
"What do you mean Lucy?"
Thank you!
Meowie07, YuriAlano, Paige'slibrary, MeGustaZeref, kuuderegirl3, OgaxHilda, TigerArrowgirl, Rose Tiger, tkitty23, SawakazeSteph16, DestinysRequiem, Guest, nicole143mb, simpleory, Mystery Day Dreamer, ksqu4rd, Eeveexme, Thefollowerofyou25, IamInk, TpLoz
And thanks for beta-reading this again IamInk
EDITED-11-02-18 *UNDER CONSTRUCTION* I didn't really change much tho.