Characters: Lucy Heartfilia, Natsu Dragneel and Happy

Genre: Angst, romance

Rating: K+

Summary: There was no happiness. No cute questioning of what he had just said. And in an act that would never ever leave Natsu's worst memories, she gently withdrew her hand from him, holding it close to he had hurt her. This was not how it was supposed to go.

Request: 'Ok I NEEEED some Nalu angst right now...I can't really think of a prompt right now (sorry :P)'

Warnings: Vague spoilers for the Alvarez war, angst.

An Untimely Confession

It was such a glorious feeling, and Natsu did his best to commit it to memory.

The war was over.

All around he could hear cheers, ones that he would have otherwise led in terms of sheer noise and enthusiasm. Only this time, there was something else he was paying more attention to.

Someone else.

He watched as Lucy dropped to her knees, looking towards the sky - the most gentle of smiles gracing her features, even as she panted from her previous magical efforts.

Natsu was reminded once more of just how close he had come to losing her forever, but this time it didn't bring as much pain and guilt, as it did relief and hope.

Because none of it had happened.

She was safe. Alive.

Smiling.

Natsu walked over and sat next to her, taking in the sight that she was - beautiful.

So goddamn beautiful.

Her messed up hair, her scarred body, and all her imperfections only made her glow more. He was so thankful for her - for this best friend he was so at ease with, who was so at ease with him. Someone who had such unwavering trust and faith in him. Someone who hadn't doubted his intentions ever, no matter what his shape or form and the person because of whom he was still alive and breathing.

He was so grateful. And he really wanted to let her know.

He had to.

Lucy's eyes snapped open when he gently took hold of her hand. Seeing that it was him, she smiled softly, her exhaustion not dimming the happiness in it in the least.

Natsu returned the smile, as he placed her hand on his bare chest. Right over his beating heart.

Taking her soft blush and slightly flustered expression as his cue, he finally said it, pouring all his affection, pride and gratitude in one simple phrase -

"I love you."

It was a soft spoken confession, his voice deep and husky - it was something only for her to hear after all - and he gently brushed his thumb over her hand, waiting for her response.

His heartbeat picked up as he watched her expression change.

The smile she wore fell faster that he'd ever seen, before taking away with it her soft blush. Her eyes widened, not with surprise but with shock as her shoulders sagged and she teared up.

There was no happiness. No cute questioning of what he had just said. And in an act that would never ever leave Natsu's worst memories, she gently withdrew her hand from him, holding it close to herself.

Like he had hurt her.

The joyful cheers were now barely audible to Natsu, as he felt his heart throb when she turned away from him, got up and walked away.

Leaving him seated where he was, all alone.

This wasn't how it was supposed to go.

Sure, maybe he was kind of expecting reciprocation, but even if she were to shoot him down, he knew she would do it with much care and tenderness.

But there she was, walking away, holding herself as though afraid. And that's when it hit Natsu - she really was.

She hadn't ever been so visibly scared of him. Not even when she had faced off against END to save him, despite the very likely chance that she could have died.

And yet this...

Natsu slammed a fist to the ground, smothering a choked sob, ignoring how it hurt. No, his heart bled for Lucy, and with guilt, knowing he had somehow hurt her.

And what his confession could now do to what they shared.

The party that was to take place that night at the guild was postponed to the next evening to allow everyone to tend to their injuries and reunite with the rest of their teams and guilds.

Which was good, in a way, because Natsu was in no state of mind for a party. He really wanted to clear things out with Lucy, find out for certain why she reacted the way she did.

It didn't matter to him if she didn't feel the same way at all, at this point. But her reaction made him worry for the one thing he definitely never wanted to lose - their friendship.

Deciding that barging into her home wasn't such a great plan just then, he chose to wait outside, on the roof.

And he waited. And waited.

At some point, Sting, Rogue and the Saber exceeds entered her house and stayed inside, shortly followed by Minerva and Yukino.

But no Lucy.

Natsu stayed up that whole night on the roof, waiting for her to return even after the point where he understood she wouldn't.

It hurt all the more so, to know that she wouldn't because she knew he would be there.

...

A little after sunrise, Natsu woke up from an unrestful, unintended nap when her scent came.

Along with another.

Heart dropping to his stomach, he stood up and watched as she and Gray walked towards her apartment.

He was as usual, annoyingly half naked, and she was in one of his shirts, long enough to nearly cover the same skirt she had on the previous evening.

And she reeked of the ice-mage. Well, not him, so much as his apartment.

Same difference.

Natsu hadn't ever been jealous of her relationship with Gray. Sure, there was the one-odd panging when they seemed to have long, deep, intellectual conversations he knew he would never be interested enough to sustain, but that was about it. Natsu wasn't really one to feel jealous, he was far too grateful for what he had.

No, this time he was envious. Of the ease they currently shared. Of how Lucy would laugh at his lame jokes, even if not with her usual exuberance. Of how he could so easily, so fondly mess up her hair and how she would let him.

Of how she spent the night at his place.

Avoiding him.

"You should tell ther flaming jackass," he heard Gray speak when they reached the apartment complex. "As fun as your company is, I don't think running away and crashing at my place makes for a very good long-term solution."

"Yeah, I will," she responded, sounding far more tired than she should. "Thank you for having me, Gray."

"Lucy-sama! Is everything okay?" Yukino's voice came from her bedroom window.

Lucy yelled back that she was, before thanking Gray once again and entering her apartment, promising a huge breakfast for her guests.

And Natsu? Not wanting to bother her, left without a word.

Come that evening, he was a mess. He lay in his hammock doing his best to nap his feelings away, failing miserably.

On the brighter side, the tears were relatively easier to control now.

He desperately wanted to rush to Lucy, grab her by the shoulders and ask her what he said that hurt her so much, to reassure her that their friendship meant a whole lot more to him than acting on feelings she didn't return.

That'd be easy to do, especially if he was being rewarded by having her around again.

He was grateful Happy had given him space and not had to see him so worried. 'Then again,' he thought sadly, 'it would have been nice to have someone to talk about this wi-'

Natsu's eyes widened and he hopped out of his hammock just as his door opened.

How had he been taken by surprise?

"Natsu?" came her soft-spoken voice, right before she peeked from behind the now ajar door.

Natsu was immediately flooded with feelings of both relief and panic. He was not ready, she shouldn't have to see him like this.

But she was here. Asking for him.

"Can I come in?" she asked.

Natsu managed a nod, before turning around and heading to wash his face, knowing that Lucy would know where to wait for him while he did.

He came back to find her sitting on his lone sofa, and he took cautious steps towards her.

She was looking at her toes, deep in thought but Natsu knew she was aware that he was back. He could see her awareness in the stiffness in her spine, and the gentle drumming of her fingers on the sofa.

He sat carefully beside her, keeping a safe distance, hating how much thought he was having to put into all his actions.

'This was Lucy, goddamn it. It shouldn't be this hard.'

With bated breath he tried to be patient enough to let her begin... whatever this was. It proved to be quite a long wait, even if it was only a few seconds before she spoke.

"So...I definitely owe you an apology," she said.

Natsu only blinked. Why did she need to apologise to him?

"Avoiding you like this was pretty stupid, and cowardly. I'm sorry."

Ah.

Natsu wanted to reassure him that that bit wasn't his first priority, as relieved as the apology made him. When Lucy apologised, chances were she wouldn't do that again.

"Me too," he said in response, prompting a curious expression from Lucy.

"What are you sorry for?"

Yeah, what exactly was he sorry for?

"I hurt you. I'm not sure how but what I said hurt you and that sucks. So I'm sorry."

Lucy looked at him with a very weird expression, as though she was warring with herself internally. She then sighed, and Natsu's heart dropped to his stomach as he read one of those emotions.

Disappointment.

"Natsu..." Lucy began, shaking her head, her tone confirming his previous suspicion. "that's not..."

He watched worriedly as she searched for the words to convey what she wanted to tell him.

"I...feel for you too," she said softly, finally meeting his gaze through her lashes. "A lot."

Natsu swallowed. He understood, this was her reply, but he also read the lack of positivity in her confession.

"I have for the longest time now but -" she took a deep breath, "- but I don't think we are in a place for that."

He wasn't sure what to make of that. He would have gladly accepted her rejection if she hadn't been brought to tears because of it.

"Why?" he wondered out loud.

Bad question.

Lucy's gaze dropped back to the ground, her hands clenching her skirt, teeth worrying her lips.

With tears now threatening to fall.

"Because I feel like I can't trust you anymore," she said softly, her voice cracking as her tears started streaming down.

Natsu couldn't believe what he was hearing. How could Lucy, his best friend Lucy, ever not trust him.

Just what had he done?

"Wait, no, that came out wrong. You know I would leave my keys with you if I ever have to, but...I just..." She paused to meet his worried gaze, eyes looking both sad and determined.

"Lu-"

"Natsu," she stopped rambling, her eyes imploring him to pay attention to what she was saying.

He did.

"I don't know if I can trust you with my heart."

Not in his wildest imagination did he think her rejection would hurt this bad. He was pretty certain Zeref stabbing him through the heart via the book had been far less painful than this.

"What?" he whispered, hoping she had misphrased again.

But she wasn't taking it back.

Back to fiddling with the hem of her skirt, she began in a very small voice. "When you left...after Tartaros, it hurt. It hurt so much and for so long - but I understood. Don't get me wrong, I was pissed too, but I did understand. You lost your Dad, and I cannot ever claim to know what that feels like or how you should react. I would maybe even overlook that you didn't bother actually telling me before upping and leaving -"

Natsu visibly flinched at that, but Lucy continued anyway.

" - but then you came back and I thought things may just go back to normal, especially after the guild got back together," Lucy paused to breathe, and Natsu watched as her fingers stopped fidgeting, instead now clenching into fists.

"But then," she was louder now. Angrier. "But then the war began you and simply upped and left again on a freakin' suicide mission to intercept Zeref. Without telling anybody! And you came back battered and your heart and stopped and had it not been for Brandish - "

Lucy dropped her face into her palms as her sobbing interrupted her, her entire frame quivering as a result. Natsu would have made to hold her, if he hadn't been shocked silent. Or felt like he had no right to anymore.

He didn't have time to mull over that though, because as soon as she had caught her breath Lucy was looking right at him again. And she was positively fuming.

"And we find out about you being END when you freaking collapse again! There was so much time for you to speak about it! We could have done something, anything to help! You could have told someone! Gray, Master, Porlyusica! You - " her voice broke, painfully - "you could have told me."

Natsu was at an absolute loss for words. He had been so busy wallowing in his own fears, anger and insecurity that he didn't even notice what that had done to Lucy. What that had done to them.

"Tell me Natsu," Lucy practically begged, causing Natsu to absently wonder just how many times his heart could break in one sitting. "How can I trust you to trust me? How could I just give you my heart when you've left it hurting so much?"

He had no answer.

He sat there in painful shock as she continued crying, seemingly letting out a year and one entire wars' worth of grief.

He sat there processing everything she had said and more. Lucy had never judged him, never not taken him seriously. Not even when he claimed to have a dragon for a parent at their very first meeting.

She didn't deserve this much pain.

What was worse was that more than Gajeel or Tartaros or Zeref, he had been the one to hurt her most, right up there with old Jude.

And that was the thing about Lucy - she forgave. She always did. But the closer the inflictor, the harder it was for her to do so. And she had repeatedly tried to forgive him but then he had gone ahead and messed things up more.

The worst part? He knew that given the time, she would forgive him too. Despite everything.

No matter how much he felt like he wasn't worthy of it.

"I'm sorry," she finally said a long, silent while later, voice horridly hoarse. "That..was horrible. This was supposed to be a far calmer conversation, and look what it turned into," she laughed dryly. "No, but I truly am sorry. I'm sure you had your reasons for acting the way you did, I just...wish I felt differently."

About him.

Honestly, right now if Lucy had no remote feelings for him, he would have felt so much better. He had let her down so bad.

"Natsu?" she asked after some time.

She was worried. For scum like him?

He struggled for a while, but finally managed to find his ability to speak.

"C-can we be still be friends?" he asked in a soft, small voice.

He watched as Lucy's eyes widened. Wow, had he managed to hurt her even more?

"Oh god Natsu," she whispered, as though shocked by his answer, immediately scooching closer to him, "Natsu, of course, I couldn't ever lose you!"

Relief flooded in Natsu and for the first time since his awfully-timed confession, he felt warmth coursing through him. Lucy's expression said it all - she was horrified at the mere thought of anything happening to their friendship. And as selfish as it was, that made him happy.

"Oh, Natsu" he heard her say again, before feeling her strong arms pull him into a hug.

He hadn't even realised he had started crying.

Well, more like bawling.

"I'm sorry, oh God Natsu, I'm so sorry, I never meant for you to think I would ever, ever end what we share right now," she whispered through her own tears and Natsu wished with all his might that he could tell her that she absolutely nothing to feel sorry for.

That he was so glad to still be her friend, despite everything.

But all he could do was hold her closer to him, repeat her reassuring words in his head and cry. Cry like he never had before.

He didn't even notice when he had fallen asleep.

When Natsu he woke up, he did so to an empty house, swollen eyes and a really sore throat.

Feeling far lighter than he had in days.

He wished Lucy had stuck around, before admonishing himself for wishing for any more than he had received.

He wondered if she would keep her distance from him for some time. He wouldn't blame her, and firmly decided he would give her all the space and time she needed.

That, as his door slammed open and the smell of breakfast hit his nose.

"Can I please have the fish now, Luuushyyyy!"

"Ugh, for the last time Happy, we're all going to have breakfast together, and shh will you? Natsu may still be asleep!"

Natsu blinked as he took in the sight of Lucy - in far better shape than the previous night despite the obvious signs of crying and lack of sleep - carrying a huge basket full of Mira's cooking, Happy hovering beside her.

"Too late," quipped Happy.

"Oh you're up!" said Lucy, with genuine enthusiasm, "We missed the party yesterday, so Mira packed us some leftovers!"

"And fish!" said Happy.

"So let's eat then? Together?"

Natsu only blinked for a moment, absorbing the happy sight. Slowly, but steadily, he felt his lips curl and his grin take its rightful place on his face.

"Aye!" he said, rushing to help Lucy with the basket.

They spent the entire morning devouring the more than plenty leftovers, laughing, teasing and chattering like they always did around food. It wasn't as carefree as always, and there was a definite awkwardness at times, but it was still fun, and loud and them.

Natsu didn't think he had ever felt more grateful. He didn't care if he ever shared anything more with Lucy, because what he shared with her now was so wonderful already.

He also decided to step up his best friend game, make sure she no longer cried over his screwing-up, and be the best friend she deserved.

And also actually properly apologise.

But that was for some other time, right now all he wanted to do was enjoy this meal with his family.

Though if he could look into the future, he would see one much brighter than he could have guessed - pretty much the same as right then, but with Lucy and him in their home, as a family in every sense of the word.

Couldn't resist a happy ending x)

Fyi, I'd also posted a Nalu Tangled AU called 'Dragon Tail' a few days ago, if you'd like to read that. The responses have been lovely so far. :D

As usual, special thanks to NaluNom, Natures Raindrop, f-zelda, Juliastes, MelodicSecrets, guest, and quite-a-riot (for all of yours! :D) for your lovely reviews and to all those who favourited and followed!