Off-screen Romance: Chapter 337
LUCY'S POV
Finally, it was over. The war between dragons and humans had finally ended. Lucy remained in her spot while staring blankly at the rubble that once was the gate of chaos. How could one man so blindly destroy her home, her friends, and her family? He ended her life without hesitation. She saw him kill her, her future-self. This all started with the Magic Games, who would have thought a simple competition of strengths, would turn into a battle for humanity. The only person who stuck with her through it all was standing, beaten and barely moving, right in front of her.
It was only right for him to be there, in the midst of trouble, blindly protecting what was rightfully his. He had always been that flicker of hope, that light of guidance, and that grounded rock for her. It was only right for him to be the one standing in front of her.
The journal in her hand started to disappear and a rush of emotions choked her. She had felt the comfort and yearning for that one person. Had it been a dream? No. Her other self found its way back home. The undeniable feeling of longing had finally been settled. Lucy knew that her future self had found him.
Tears started to stream down her cheeks as the thought crossed her mind. How would she survive in a world without him, especially for seven long years. If there was one thing she was thankful for, it would be the fact that she would never have to live a day without him.
An uncontrollable urge forced her to feel his warmth, to make sure that he was real. She dug her face into his back and tried to stop her tears by letting them be suffocated by his torn vest.
"Is something wrong Lucy?" He asked without even turning around.
The sound of his voice reassured her that this was happening, they really did survive.
"No, not really," she replied meekly, "just thank you."
He could not even start to comprehend what she meant by those words. There was no one else, in her mind, who could take his place. She understood why her future-self came back; if she had lost Natsu then she would go out of her way to save him. Nothing was more precious to her than him.
Although they never exchanged words to describe each other, they understood how each other felt. He was, after all, a man of action not words. He almost died for her; she would forever be in his debt. She never asked him to care for her, but he did it willingly without faltering.
NATSU'S POV
As he stood there feeling her small arms wrap around his waist, all he could do was stand. His bones ached, his body sore, yet the comfort of her tiny frame was the only thing he wanted to feel. Nothing else mattered as long as she was safe from harm. The thought of losing Lucy never crossed his mind prior to this day. But once he witnessed her death, he opened his eyes and realized the most precious person had just slipped through his fingers.
Her death was his wake up call; it was so easy for her to die. Protecting her even if it meant losing his life was what drove him to defeat Future Rogue. He really had never thought of a life without Lucy, seeing her lifeless body was traumatizing and unreal. His eyes shut to remember the cold body he held in comparison to the warmth he felt right now. A sigh of relief washed over him. Maybe Future Lucy would find her way back to his future-self, after all, she did travel back in time to save him and their friends. It worked too.
He looked down to see the grasp around his waist had never loosened, she was holding onto him like he would disappear.
"Is something wrong Lucy?" He asked her. He felt the sobs on his back and he too had a silver trail of tears.
"No, not really," she paused, "just thank you." He felt her arms loosen.
Hearing her voice was what he needed. The chaos had finally ended and he kept what was most precious by his side; that feeling reassured him that things were finally going to get better. He was going to live on with her, and do what they both love to do, going on adventures.
A long silence surrounded the two, neither one of them willing to move. The moment was theirs alone, for each other. She wanted to feel his stability and security while he wanted to feel her presence and warmth. As they stood alone in the debris, their mutual feelings merged as one. They knew what the other was feeling without saying much; it was only right for them to be each other's comfort.
A/N: So, it's been a while huh. LOL. I'm trying. For everyone who is waiting on other stories, I promise to update as soon as my brain starts working. Since this is a one-shot it's a bit easier to do but yeah. ANYWAYS enjoy. My Nalu feels are strong this week HAHA :p