A/N: There will be one more chapter after this, but it will be a short one. I wanted this to be a one-shot but it was too long! I know its a little slow, but the ending will be worth it I hope! Thanks for reading!
I do not own Fairy Tail, unfortunately.
You're not strong enough. You're not strong enough. You're not strong…
Natsu's words repeated on a loop in my head the whole way home. I always considered myself the weakest member of the strongest team in Fairy Tail, I assumed everyone did. Everyone that is, except Natsu. I was always my best when I was with Natsu, his strength and unwavering determination made it impossible for me to not push myself to my limits just as he did. No matter how badly hurt either one of us got, at the end of a battle the fire mage always flashed me a toothy grin.
You kicked butt, Luce he'd always say. I grinned at the thought of Natsu's beaten but proud face, but it faded as his previous words looped yet again.
You're not strong enough.
I had been standing outside the door to my apartment for a few minutes now. As much as it used to irritate me before, I missed opening the door to Natsu and Happy raiding my kitchen. I missed waking up to find that Natsu had come through the window in the middle of the night and crawled into my bed. I missed the uncomfortable heat I felt as I realized his arms were wrapped tightly around my waist as he slept. The little apartment felt lonely now. I contemplated heading to the train station early until I heard a thump from the other side of the door.
"Natsu?" I called out as I flung the door open. My heart leapt into my throat when I saw Natsu crouched in the window.
"Lucy" he sat on the bed and stared down at his hands, interlocking them and placing his elbows on his knees. I stared at Natsu in confusion. What else could he have to say? My heart swelled as I hoped for an apology. I longed for things to be normal between us again and as much as I'd like to stay angry with him, I knew I'd forgive him easily.
"Natsu?" I squeak out. The dragon slayer raised his eyes from the floor to look at me. My voice caught in my throat when he stood up and slowly walked my way. I studied everything I could about him, his pink locks that stuck out in every direction bounced with every step, the vest that barely covered his chest and abdomen spread open as he moved forward, and Igneel's white scaly scarf swayed around his neck. He looked incredible, he always did.
Though, I'd never tell him that.
He seemed to move in slow motion, only about 10 steps taking a lifetime. He reached me and put his hands on each of my shoulders. He looked me in the eye for a few moments, making my cheeks turn red. He seemed serious, and then nervous as his eyes moved from mine to the floor.
"Please Luce, don't go on that job" he said keeping his hands so firmly on my shoulders that his fingers clung to my shirt.
"What?" I ask in disbelief. This again? And here I thought I was getting an apology.
"At least let me go with you" he says, looking anywhere but my face. I scoff and shrug his hands off my shoulders.
"You're unbelievable Natsu!" I shove my finger into his chest forcing him to back up. "You keep me from going on jobs with you for weeks and now that I have a good, high paying one you wanna tag along? Nuh uh, no way. I need the money, find your own job." I shove past him and fill a glass with water, drinking half of it before turning to him again.
"It's not about the money! It's-
"Yeah I know." I interrupt, "I'm not strong enough. I've heard it Natsu. I know I'm not as strong as you and Gray and Erza, but I can handle myself! I think I've proved that plenty of times when I saved your ass after you got motion sickness or pushed yourself too hard while fighting." I noticed Natsu's expression fill with guilt as I spoke but I didn't care, I let it all go. "And back when Future Lucy took that blade for me, she saved me. I saved me. Not you." Natsu flinched when I said that last part. He shut his eyes tightly and buried his mouth into his scarf. I knew I had hurt him and even though he had said things to hurt my feelings recently, I instantly felt guilty. My hand reached out to him, unsure of what I was going to do. I just wanted to touch him but before I could, his eyes snapped open, aflame with anger.
"You don't think I know that?" he snarled through clenched teeth. My hand dropped back to my side and I looked away from him. I shut my eyes when hot tears started forming again, I knew I wouldn't be able to stop them this time.
"Get out" I mumbled.
"Whatever, get yourself killed for all I care." I didn't open my eyes until I heard Natsu's feet hit the pavement outside my window. I immediately ran over and locked it, even though I knew he wouldn't come back anyway. I sat on my bed hugging my knees a let out loud sobs I had been holding in for days. I had seen Natsu this angry, but never in a million years did I think I'd be on the receiving end of it. We were Natsu and Lucy, best friends, partners, family. My sobs got calmer and calmer until they were gone, leaving behind a few hiccups. I glanced at the clock that sat on my desk. My train didn't leave for another three hours. I threw myself back on the bed and turn onto my side, hugging my pillow. My thoughts strayed to a pink haired boy with a bright, toothy smile and a carefree attitude.
What happened to my Natsu?
I heard Lucy lock her window before I could even stand up straight and not long after, loud, childlike sobs came from her apartment.
I stood listening for a moment, the desire to burst in there and pull her into my chest burning throughout my body. In the past I would beat up anyone who dared to even remove the kind smile from her sweet face. My back slid against the cool wall of her building until I sank all the way to the ground and realized, I was. I was beating myself up for making her cry. I knew I had done it countless times the past few weeks but I couldn't…
I sucked in a sharp breath when I realized I had stopped breathing. I inhaled and exhaled slowly until my breathing was normal again, although I still had a lump in my chest like I was holding a breath that i couldn't let out.
Lucy's sobs wavered into hiccups until she was finally silent. The saltiness of tears still consumed my nose in place of her usual, strawberry scent. When I was sure she wasn't going to cry anymore I brought myself to my feet and sped away from her window as fast as I could.
"Loke!" The ginger celestial spirit winced in pain as a large, mean looking vulcan trapped him underneath his foot. We had taken out almost a dozen already and I knew my magic power wasn't enough to keep the lion spirit in Earthland even a second longer. "Close, gate of the Lion!" I waved the key to Loke's gate in front of me, sending my friend back to the celestial world before he could take any more damage.
"I'm sorry, Lucy" Loke whispered before disappearing behind a ray of gold light. I knew Loke would be okay after some time in the celestial world, but it always pained me to see my spirits take so much damage.
"You'll pay for what you did to my friend" I face the particularly large vulcan as it lets out a howling laugh, throwing its head back dramatically. I reach for my keys knowing full well I wasn't strong enough to summon even my weakest spirit. My body swayed as it craved rest, but I didn't let my face show any sign of defeat. I opted for my whip instead and hoped by some miracle I'd win this fight.
Seven or eight Vulcans surround me on every side. I close my eyes to rack my brain for a plan that ends with me not dying on this snowy mountain and stifled a sob when I realized I didn't have one. My mind wandered to my first visit to Mt. Hakobe, when I followed Natsu up here to find Macao. I had just joined the guild, and was much weaker then so Natsu had fought the vulcan(Which turned out to be Macao after all) mostly by himself. A smile spread across my face as I remembered the warmth of Natsu's fire. So hot and brilliant, I could almost feel it now just imagining it.
Wait- I did feel warm. I opened one eye to reveal the surrounding vulcans I previously thought would take my life were replaced with bright, familiar fire.
"What the-" the feeling of relief washes away my confusion when I notice a blur of pink and white through the dissipating fire. My body, almost on cue takes the image of Natsu as a sign to finally collapse and the last thing I see is Natsu's strong hand lunging toward me as I fall.