A special thanks to Xenohawk, fylith, and Celtika82 for you're encouraging reviews. Knowing that you guys are reading keeps me writing! I hope you enjoy Ch2 :)
Chapter 2- When it Matters Most
Something was bothering Lucy as she slept. It was a dull ache in her side, slowly waking her from an uncomfortable sleep. Her heavy eyelids cracked open letting in the early morning light. As her watering eyes slowly adjusted she began to understand her discomfort. She had spent the night on the couch.
As her fuzzy brain followed her into the waking world, she sat up and spotted Natsu who lay tangled in the thick comforter of her bed.
How come he always gets the bed!? Her anger quickly settled, it was just too early for emotional turmoil.
Happy, who must have flown in through the window sometime in the night, was curled up on the pillow beside Natsu. His little blue paws twitched as if he were running in his dreams.
Lucy looked down and noticed that she had been covered with the pink blanket that was stored in her closet, a gesture that brought a pang to her heart. Natsu was rarely, if ever, concerned for her comfort. It brought back memories of her mother who used to tuck her in at night and sing her to sleep, the nostalgia was almost overwhelming. Since she was a small child she had only known the cold comfort of her maids.
She sat on the couch for a long moment, watching the rise and fall of the comforter as it accompanied Natsu's soft breath. He mumbled something incoherent and turned over, facing her.
He's almost cute when he's sleeping, she thought. She stood up carefully, trying to make as little noise as possible. Tiptoeing over to the bed, she sat down softly on the edge. Natsu groaned and his brow furrowed in unconscious aggravation. Instinctively, Lucy reached over to brush a stray lock of pink hair from his forehead. Her hand stopped just before contact.
What the hell and I doing!?
Startled by her own actions, she shot off the bed, tiptoe-running to the bathroom.
The girl in the mirror didn't look like Lucy. In fact, she didn't see a girl at all but a young woman burdened with something that she didn't yet understand.
I just need a long, hot shower...
Forcing a smile, she recoiled at her eerie reflection. She just didn't feel like herself lately.
She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding and turned the squeaky hot water nob until water sputtered out of the shower head.
Natsu woke up in Lucy's warm bed and let out a long yawn while he stretched his sleepy limbs. "Morning Happy!" he poked his friend in the side. Happy opened one eye to ask, "It's morning already?"
"Let's get to work!" Natsu sprung from the bed, eager to get moving. Unless asleep, he always seemed to be in motion.
"Five more minutes..." whined Happy.
"Fine, lazybones. But don't come crying to me if you get left behind!" Natsu sauntered down the hallway toward the bathroom.
He slid open the opaque washi door and stepped into the mist. Unaware of the situation at hand, he wandered to the sink and turned the water on full blast.
A sharp shriek alerted him to Lucy's presence. "Ahh! Cold!" She squealed and jumped out of the shower to avoid the icy water.
A heavy silence settled across the foggy room as Lucy stood shivering and naked, her eyes wide as saucers. Natsu stared, incapacitated by the sight before him. He was stupefied, incapable of prying his eyes away and it was Lucy who broke the seemingly eternal silence.
"GET OUT!" She half screamed, half cried while grabbing for a towel to cover her exposed body.
"Shit!" Natsu nearly fell over himself while bolting from the room and was soon in the hallway face to face with Happy.
"What happened?" The little blue exceed rubbed his sleepy eyes.
"Umm...nothing. Nothing at all." Natsu tried to laugh it off but Happy was definitely suspicious.
Before Happy could inquire any further, Lucy came stomping down the hallway in her towel. She didn't make eye contact but went straight to her dresser and grabbed some clothes. Her face was flushed but she clung to a thin shred of dignity, holding her chin up as she carried her clothes back to the bathroom.
Happy tried to stifle his giggling but it began to shake his body until it burst from his little mouth, "You...walked in...on Lucy!" He just couldn't contain himself and his giggles turned into obnoxious laughter as he gasped for air.
Nothing gets past him, Natsu thought as he gave his blue companion a threatening look.
"Shut up, Happy! It was an accident!"
Natsu paced the floor. He wanted to run away, he wanted to stay...Oh hell! He didn't know what he should do. He had to face Lucy sometime. Besides, they needed to fulfill the job request. The people of Twilight Village were counting on them!
Natsu sat down on the couch and steeled his nerves for the wrath of Lucy. Time seemed to stretch on forever, how long could she stay in the bathroom? His mind flashed images of her lovely figure, droplets of water clinging to her pale skin. He felt something crack and noticed that he had been gripping the arm of the couch, fracturing the wood under his clenched fist.
"Oops." He quickly threw the pink blanket over the couch arm to hide the damage.
Up to now Natsu had only ever thought about fighting, becoming stronger, and protecting his friends. Of course he had occasionally noticed attractive women (he is a man after all) but the thoughts were fleeting at best. A Dragon Slayer needed no such thoughts or feelings. And so, he resolved to wipe the memory from his mind.
Lucy wiped the sweat from the mirror and stared blankly at her blushing reflection.
Well that was awkward...
She took her time dressing in her most modest outfit, a white tee and pink shorts. Her embarrassment was slowly subsiding. She had known Natsu for so long that this was bound to happen sometime, right?
Besides, he seemed to enjoy the view...butterflies danced in her stomach.
Bad Lucy, bad, bad, bad! Ugh, what the hell am I thinking? He's my nakama, that's all. I'm just having crazy thoughts because of the shock. Yeah. That's it. I'm just shaken up is all...
She took a deep breath to clear her head and focused on arranging her blonde hair into neat twin-tails. I'm just going to pretend that nothing ever happened. Then we wont have to talk about it or think about it ever again. After taking a moment to find her composure she stepped out of the safety of the now-locked bathroom.
Lucy tried to sound as normal as possible, "How about I make us some breakfast before we head out?"
Natsu was stunned. Though he recovered quickly, "Sounds good to me."
He was relieved to see that she had no intentions of unleashing her wrath upon him.
Lucy prepared some steamed rice and pickled plums, her pantry was nearly bare, and they ate their meager helpings in awkward silence.
After cleaning up and packing a few essentials, Lucy was ready to leave.
"Okay, let's go."
"Finally! But we're walking the whole way, I ain't getting on that stupid train!" Natsu informed her.
"Natsu! Its a two day journey on foot..." Lucy whined.
He stood a little straighter, crossed his arms, and put on his most resolute face.
"Fine, but were taking the train back!" Lucy couldn't stand for him to have the final say.
It was a gorgeous day in Magnolia and Lucy felt a little regret that she couldn't stay and pass the time with her friends and guild mates.
I need the money! She reminded herself as she turned to take a last look at her beloved town before they descended to the main road leading east toward Twilight Village.
The hours seemed to pass quickly as they walked along a wide forest path. The air was cool beneath the shade of the trees and a gentle breeze rustled the leaves.
"Ahh, the breeze feels so good!" Lucy threw her arms up and twirled in enjoyment.
Happy joined her and stretched his white wings to glide along the cool air. Natsu watched them both with a wide grin. "Go Happy!"
Lucy giggled at Happy's antics, "Okay, okay! We'd better keep going, the sun is going to set soon."
They walked on for nearly another hour and just as the sun began to set Lucy suggested that they look for a place to camp.
"How about over..."
Natsu tugged at her arm and pulled her to a stop.
"Something smells...strange." He sniffed the air with a puzzled look on his face, "Wait here."
Before Lucy could protest, Natsu was gone. "Natsu!?" She took off after her hasty partner with Happy in tow, pointing out her disregard for Natsu's request to stay put.
"I'm not going to let him go off alone!" Lucy's voice was tinged with concern.
She ran as fast as she could in the dimming light and just as she came around a sharp bend, her foot caught a root and she toppled into the dirt with a loud, "OOF!" She painfully pushed herself up onto her knees and looked up to find two faces staring at her.
"Luce, you okay?" Natsu took her hand and pulled her to her feet just as Happy caught up to them.
"Uh, yeah. Who is this?" She pointed to a little old woman standing in the path. The woman was draped in layers of thin purple fabric that formed a sort of flowing dress with little jingling bells dangling from the hem.
"This is Madam Mooney," He didn't seem to realize that it was a little strange to happen across an old woman wandering the road at nightfall.
"Sorry if I startled you dear," Madam Mooney seemed to sense her confusion, "My home is just through the woods, why don't you all join me for supper?" Her tone was warm and genuine and Lucy sensed no danger in obliging a lonely old woman.
"Thank you so much, we would love to!" Lucy smiled.
"So, how did you two meet?" She asked the old woman.
"It seems you're friend here has a keen nose. I was out picking herbs for my stew and he ran up to me and started smelling my basket." Madam Mooney laughed, it sounded like the tinkling of the little bells on her dress.
"This is dragonbell," Madam Mooney held up a stringy plant with little yellow and red flowers,"It's quite rare and when picked it sends out clouds of spores from it's blossoms. My guess is that the wind carried the scent to you." She placed the strange plant back into her basket.
"Anyhow, it was seconds later we heard you running 'round the bend," Madam Mooney explained. "Are you sure you're alright? You took quite a spill."
"I'm okay, thanks for asking."
They followed Madam Mooney down a narrow path that led through the forest and soon they stepped out into a beautiful clearing. There were wildflowers growing in clumps all around and glowing lanterns were strung up between two wooden huts. Beneath the lanterns was a stone patio surrounding a hot spring.
"Wow, this is beautiful!" Lucy took in the scenery with a sparkle in her eye.
"Aye!" replied Happy.
"Well, I'm going to get back to cooking," said Madam Mooney, "Why don't you put your things in the guest room, you are welcome to stay the night." She pointed to the smaller hut on the right.
"Okay, thanks." Lucy and Happy headed to the guest hut. They didn't notice Madam Mooney as she motioned for Natsu to stay behind.
The old woman leaned over to whisper in his ear, "When it matters most you must open your heart. Only love can save you." And with that she left him standing among the wildflowers, bewildered.