Twenty minutes feels like an hour by the time we reach our destination. Neither of us has said a single word since we agreed to come here and the effects of our dragged out silence is starting to show.
I'm up the steps and just about to unlock the door when Natsu abruptly clears his throat.
"Where are we?"
I pause, key resting in my hand. "Where are we you ask…? This is my apartment."
His mouth falls open as he takes in the small brick building. Unlike my old apartment, with its spacious rooms and multi-story exterior, the street I now live on, is littered with one-story, cottage-like apartments.
"When did you-" he starts to ask.
"Two years ago" I murmur and return to unlocking the door, my hand shaking as I hurry to get in and off the street.
...
Inside I run my hand along the wall for the light switch and upon finding it the tiny hallway flickers to life.
"It's smaller than my old one but the rent is much cheaper and-" I don't know why I feel the need to explain myself but my rambling only stops when Natsu grabs me. "-cosier" I finish. Within seconds he has my back pressed up against the wall, his hands planted firmly on either side of my head; preventing any escape.
"Why?" his soft voice takes on a gravely tone as he leans down, his unruly pink mop fluttering forward. "Lucy" he seems to beg. "Why are you acting like this?"
It takes me a minute to respond, struggling to focus on the question in his voice and not the heat of his breath on my skin.
"Acting like what?" I gasp.
"Like we're strangers!" he growls.
What happened to make him change this much? He's not the Natsu I remember. No. He's much more serious now. A laugh bubbles over my lips. Am I going insane? I wonder thoughtfully.
"Well?" Natsu demands.
"That's because we are strangers" I shrug.
His anger blanches at my forced indifference. Though I doubt he notices the forced part.
"But we're not Luce-"
"Aren't we?" He looks at me as if I've gone insane.
"Of course not! You and I could never be strangers. We know each other too well-"
"I don't think so" the unmovable me argues back. "After all, if we know each other as well as you say we do, I'd be able to understand why you left wouldn't you say?" At the mention of the past, the dragon slayer flinches. "No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't find an answer behind the note you left. And if you knew me at all as you claim to, how could you have still chosen to leave me here? Wouldn't you say I have a valid point Natsu?"
He chuckles sadly and my curiousity gets the better of me.
"What?"
Head shaking softly, Natsu's raven eyes flash with some raw emotion. "You finally said my name" he answers huskily before pressing his lips to mine.