Hi! Sorry I missed a day, but my friend was filming a music video for our school production that required my day. I hope you find this to your satisfaction, and I still don't own anything but my OCs! HAPPY EASTER!

Natsu lay awake next to Kleah, wondering exactly why he'd felt compelled to tell her why he was cursed, even if it was only half-true. He couldn't have her knowing his real identity; it might lead to further problems. However, he had told her, and she had been attentive. In fact, she almost looked a little upset at the end when he told her he didn't plan to go back to his friends. Could there be more to her than the relatively emotionless façade he assumed made up her personality?

"Why are you still awake, Nashi?"

So she hadn't been asleep. He rolled over to face her, finding her facing him the same way.

"I was thinking that you're not the person I thought you were. I mean, I've only known you a couple hours, but I didn't think that knowing you at all would lead to me sharing my most important secret with you. I guess it just kind of disturbs me."

"Would you feel better if I told you my story of being cursed? It is rather similar to yours, but I didn't end up with such a terrible curse."

"Don't tell me unless you want to."

Lucy scooted a little closer; something about this man put her at ease, whether it was his looks or his nature. She wished she had a cover for her eye. Years of being self-conscious about it had made this hard for her.

"Were you always so kind, Nashi? I wonder if you were different before the train accident. I know I was."

He smiled, and just for a second, she saw who he might have been before the curse: a young man, full of confidence, loving, kind, and maybe a little crazy. He reminded her of Natsu, that much she was sure.

"I was a different man, that's for sure. How were you different?"

"I cared about people then. Now, I don't hold on because they never stay."

A silence surrounded them, comfortable and curious. Lucy's eyes held his, and his held no waver despite her curse. He would be the first to not avoid her gaze. She had a very strong urge to move closer to this man who made her feel at home, but she quashed it. The only man she could ever let that close was Natsu.

"Could you stay here for a while? I know you're a traveler, but . . . you're one of the only friends I have and the only person I've ever told. Please, stay."

He couldn't believe he was practically begging this woman he barely knew to stay with him, but he needed her. She had something no one else had: an unconditional understanding. He could be proper friends with this woman. Lucy stared at this man, a man she had only known for a few hours but yet wanted her to stay with him. No one had ever asked her to stay, not even the guild. As she had walked out the door, they had cried, but no one told her she shouldn't go.

"I will stay. Perhaps there is more in this little town than I had originally thought. Now that that is settled, please go to sleep, Haru."

In his tired state, he almost missed her calling by not only his first name, but his nickname. She rolled over to sleep, and he allowed himself his first true grin since Lucy had kissed him on the cheek.

Lucy woke up feeling as if she had slept for days, not just a few hours. Haru was still sleeping next to her, his black hair covering his eyes and floating up when he breathed. She couldn't stop her smile as she fixed his hair to the side, noting that he was attractive even in his sleep. The sun had already risen, and she was aware she had an investigation to do, so she rose carefully from the bed and took a quick shower. Her armor was pointless without the chest guard, which meant she was wearing normal clothes today. She sifted through her backpack, pausing for a moment to run Natsu's scarf through her hands, and grabbed a tight red romper. Her black eye patch went on next; her glove was still on from the previous night. In less than ten minutes, she was ready to begin. Quickly scribbling a note to Haru, she slipped out.

"Oh! Kleah! I didn't see you there, I'm sorry!"

The girl at the front counter had almost run into her. Reading her nametag, she identified the younger girl as Rachel.

"It's fine, Rachel. I was just on my way out. Could you let Haru know that I went to the forge if he asks? I left him a note, but just in case."

"Sure, no problem. There's breakfast down in the lobby if you'd like some."

"Thank you."

With that, she left the girl standing there. Lucy cringed a little inside, feeling a bit of remorse at having been so curt with the younger girl that reminded her of a combination of Wendy. Would that be what Wendy was like now? She snatched a muffin, scarfing it down on her way to the demolished forge. As soon as she got within a couple feet of the ruin, her eye began to itch and the hair on the back of her neck rose. Black magic had done this without a doubt. Her eye was a mystery, though. Why would an eye that reacted to cursed people react to a magical wreck? She cursed softly; if only she had more resources. This might just be over her head.

"Hey, you, what are you doing here?"

An old man had approached her while she'd been thinking, and he was watching her with a wary eye.

"I am investigating this accident."

"Well I can see that. What I meant was: why have you come here, to Borst? There's nothing here but bad memories and broken hearts, girl. Hatsuharu is the best example. People only come here when something inside them has been broken. What's broken of yours?"

"I am not broken."

"You lie. In fact, you lie about more than just the answer to my question, don't you? See, back when I was younger, I was a traveling mage much like you. I ended up here when my guild was annihilated by another dark guild, leaving only me, the traveler, alive. Do you know what my magic was? Reading minds. I can read you like an open book, Lucy Heartphilia, so there is no point in lying to me."

Lucy felt incredibly scared by this man. He could read minds? Then, he knew everything about her, every last heartache and secret she'd ever kept. She could not hide behind the lies that had protected her for so long.

"Now, would you like to start again, Lucy? My name is Gavin, and I'm Hatsuharu's predecessor to this forge. Why don't you come have a cup of tea with me, and we can talk some things out. I have information you're going to need o this journey, and believe me, it's going to be a long one."

Lucy stared at the man studying her, and decided that she had nothing more to lose. She walked forward, keeping stride with him. She prayed this wouldn't take too long, because otherwise Haru wouldn't be able to find her, but she could not pass this up. After this talk, she may not need outside resources at all.

The appearance of the previous blacksmith was hard to write without making him too creepy. Then, I remembered he was a mind-reader and I didn't feel so bad anymore. Do you think he knows about Natsu and Lucy's identity issues? I mean, he does, but do you think he'll say anything? Let me know if you have ideas; I'm always open to suggestions! Thanks, everyone!