Hello everyone sorry I didn't post this yesterday but it was a weird day I kept forgetting things. Like one of those days where you look in the refrigerator for a spoon and don't realize you're looking in the wrong place. Welp. Anyway, here it is! Also, this chapter contains MAJOR spoilers for the Tartaros arc. So if you're not up to date with the manga, you might not want to read this (although I would definitely recommend catching up on the manga because the Tartaros arc pretty much belongs to Lucy, Gray, and Wendy all three of them are finally taking the spotlight I'm so proud!)
Day 2: Vulnerable
Since their long-winded battle with Tartaros had ended, Lucy had been acting strangely. Natsu wasn't sure if anyone else had noticed, but he certainly had. She was an open book to him, usually, but now it seemed she was trying to slam herself shut. She was quieter than usual, less expressive. She no longer lit up when talking about her keys or her books, nor did she scold hear teammates for being too rough as she usually did. And he didn't like it.
Some less observant members of the guild were actually admiring her change. Laxus, for example, had praised Lucy for finally buckling down with her training. "I always thought she was capable," Natsu had overheard the other Dragon Slayer saying. "But she hasn't applied herself enough. Now that she's training harder, she'll certainly reach her full potential." Many others nodded along with him. Natsu felt no resentment toward this opinion; after all, they were simply proud of their friend. However, it didn't sit right with him. He was proud of her, of course he was, but he couldn't help but wish she'd have been less…distant. Lucy Heartfilia was getting stronger every day, and that was fantastic. But this new found strength was only physical, and Natsu could tell that beneath that mask she'd recently made for herself, her heart was breaking.
Natsu approached her one morning at the bar, knowing that she was just about to leave to train with Cana. She gaze up at him, and though she smiled, her usually bright eyes were painfully hollow. "Hey, Natsu," She said, her voice dripping with false happiness. "What's up? I can't go on a mission today, I've got plans to train with Cana, if that's what you were going to ask. Unless you want to come with us, then we could—"
"Can I talk to you for a minute?"
Lucy cut herself off mid-sentence, plainly taken aback by his serious tone. "Yeah, okay," She replied slowly. "Alone?"
"Oh," Lucy glanced around, biting her lip as she so often did when she was nervous (he'd picked up on this, contrary to the popular belief that he was oblivious to most things). "Sure." Finally, she stood from her seat at the bar, offering Cana a cursory wave goodbye before she walked off with her partner.
They walked in silence for what seemed like hours, Lucy's eyes darting back and forth as if she were afraid of something. When Natsu finally stopped in a somewhat secluded area, Lucy stumbled, nearly crashing into him. He said nothing, because he knew she would first. That, and he wasn't sure where to start, exactly.
"So…what's going on?" The Celestial Mage inquired cautiously, rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet. "Why'd we come all this way?" Natsu shrugged, because to be honest, he wasn't really sure. He'd just felt like it was a conversation they needed to have in private. Natsu chewed his lip, tapping his foot anxiously. Surely, it would be a sensitive topic. How could he start without upsetting her?
"Do you think you're invincible, Lucy?"
The Dragon Slayer winced internally. In what universe was that the right thing to say? He glanced nervously at his friend, expecting the worst. Had he angered her? Made her cry?
To his surprise, neither was true. Instead, she was simply standing a little straighter, looking shocked. "Why do you ask?" She replied. Natsu scowled to himself. Answering his questions with more questions, was she? Great. Well then, he supposed, he'd have to get straight to the point.
"You've been acting weird, Luce," He started, his tone blunt. "And don't think I haven't noticed. Look, I know I act like a huge idiot most of the time, but you of all people should know that I'm not that stupid. I know you're upset, Lucy."
Lucy's eyes were downcast now, her hands clasped behind her back as she dragged her foot back and forth, little clouds of dust gathering around her ankles before settling back into the ground. "It's Aquarius, isn't it?" Lucy said nothing still, seemingly fascinated by the pale brown clouds she kept conjuring. Frustrated, Natsu placed a hand under her chin, forcing her to look at him. "Stop it," He whispered, attempting to keep his irritation to a minimum. "Since you lost Aquarius, you've been acting like a different person. It's like you've put up a wall or something! You think you're not allowed to be upset? Do you think being hurt will make you weak or something?!" The volume of Natsu's voice was rising with each sentence, his frustrated concern shining through vividly. "You're a human being, Lucy. You're not invincible. That's okay. We're all vulnerable sometimes. There's no shame in being hurt. We all know you miss her, and that's okay. You don't have to act like some kind of…of…" He cursed internally, stumbling over his words. He'd been doing so good! Now he sounded stupid. "—Of invincible…person…I don't know! Anyway, since Aquarius' key broke, you've been training like a monster, you've been quieter than usual, you just haven't been yourself. I'm glad you want to get stronger, I really am. But stop acting like there's nothing wrong. It's kind of…worrying me." Natsu's olive green eyes widened for a fraction of a second, realizing how silly that must sound. "Gray and Erza are worried too! And Wendy! It's not just me, but I…well…Lucy?"
Said woman was hugging herself tightly, unshed tears pooling around her eyelashes. "I—I just—it's," Her voice trembled, volume lowering with each word she spoke. "It's all my fault."
Without hesitation, Natsu wrapped his arms securely around Lucy, hugging her close to him. "I've always been so far behind everyone," She choked. "A-and, when I finally thought I would be able to prove myself, I…I still messed up!" She sobbed into the fabric of his vest, her fingers tangled in his hair. "From day one, I knew I was so much weaker than everyone else, and I just keep proving myself right when I try to prove myself wrong! If I let what happened to Aquarius get to me, I thought…I thought I'd just be…that much weaker…"
Natsu held her shaking form closer, burying his nose in her hair. "You're not weak, Lucy. Why would you ever think that? You're the only one who does," He whispered. She didn't respond, so he continued. "Being upset about Aquarius wouldn't make you weak, Lucy. It just makes you human. Like I said, we're all vulnerable. We've all got something that gets to us. Gray has Ul, I have Igneel, Erza has Jellal. You're not alone, Luce."
Natsu pulled away slightly so he could look her in the eye, gently wiping tears from her cheeks. He grinned, an attempt to make her feel better. "Besides, last time I checked, there's no such thing as an indestructible human. But Fairy Tail wizards are pretty tough, right?" Lucy nodded, wiping away her tears with the back of her hand. "Y-yeah," She mumbled, a slight smile crossing her face. "Thanks, Natsu. I think I needed that." Natsu grinned childishly once again. "No problem!" He exclaimed with his usual mischievous giggle. "Just don't scare me like that again, okay?" Lucy nodded, smile widening. "Good! Now, let's go back to the guild," He took her by the wrist, dragging her behind him as he walked briskly toward their guild. It was kind of like the first time they met, he thought, except this time, he knew her like the back of his hand.
(Well that, and they weren't fleeing from soldiers and a city he just destroyed. But Natsu didn't think that was as important.)
So, not as angsty as yesterday. For prompt three, I have fluff planned though, so there's a break from the sads I promise. Hope you enjoyed it!
