Y'all are in luck! I wrote the next chapter in a few days and not a century or two like I have in the past.
It does have some more language, but still only rated T. If you're expecting juicier aspects later on... Well, you may be right, but for now! It's staying T!
"What's the big deal? It's not like he meant to do it," Gray told the hoard of girls crowding around each other.
"Shut up, Gray! Did you see the way they were staring into each others eyes? That was definitely something!"
"What's gotten into you, Erza? Normally Mira is the one playing matchmaker."
"Just because I'm a powerful wizard doesn't mean I'm against love. I am first and foremost a woman. A guy could never understand what goes on in our heads. The thought of romance and passion is enough to fuel a woman into a sense of unwavering determination!"
"Erza's gone crazier than usual," Happy said with a look of amusement.
"Tell me about it. What does being a wizard have to do with being a woman? Mira is S class just Erza, but you don't see her freaking out."
"Oh my goodness! I never thought Natsu would be so bold! Kissing Lucy in front on everybody like that."
"I think you spoke too soon," muttered the blue feline.
"How are you not totally jealous, Lisanna?" Cana said, newly awake from being passed out drunk.
"It's not like I'm worried or anything. Yeah, I do still have some feelings for him, but I was gone for so long. It was a hard pill to swallow. He thought I was gone for good. Besides, I know Lucy will treat him right."
"How mature of you. Lulu may not want to admit it, but every time Natsu is brought up, she lights up with this glow." Levy sat down at the nearest table, followed by Erza, Cana, Lisanna, Mira and Juvia. Wendy and few others, sat at the table next to them. "Now, when Natsu is anywhere near her, she gets so happy."
"I've seen it too. Lucy hasn't been another team without Natsu. Except for here recently that is," Mira added.
Erza snickered. "You should've seen him on the trip. The first few days he was just moping around, acting totally different from his usual self. When he finally perked back up, that's all he would do is talk about Lucy."
"It seems we've come to a conclusion then. Lucy can have Natsu and stay away from my darling Gray!"
"You do realize we weren't even talking about Gray, right?"
"Unbelievable."
"What do you mean? I saw it coming a mile away. The way he's attached to Lucy's hip should've been the biggest clue. You should take a page out of Natsu's book, Gajeel."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Gajeel countered.
"Come on, man. You and Levy. It's kind of obvious." Elfman really didn't have any room to talk.
"I don't need advice from you, bub."
Elfman smirked. "A real man would just own up to it already."
"Is that so? Why don't you just tell Evergreen you're crazy about her?"
"What? It's not like that!"
"After all that talk about being a real man, you're just gonna back out of it?"
"Just cool your jets, fellas. This isn't the time to be fighting," encouraged Bixlow.
"He's right. After all, Natsu may have just gotten the upper hand on us all."
"What are you going on about, Freed? He ain't done nothing but grab a good piece of ass!" Gajeel exclaimed dramatically.
"Think about it. Natsu is already a lot stronger than some of us. Now that he could potentially have a girlfriend, it'll motivate him to push even harder. He'll try to impress her. Plus, he already fights for all his friends. When someone insults, or worse, tries to harm us, he goes into extreme battle mode. Imagine him fighting for the girl he loves most of all. He'll surpass everyone in the blink of an eye." Freed walked over to Gajeel. "Are you going to let Natsu get stronger than you just because of a girl?"
"Look at you pansies, gossiping and matchmaking like a bunch of girls." Laxus gave a hearty laugh. "Just face it. Who cares what Natsu does? So the little punk actually grew a pair of balls and made his move on Lucy. Big whoop."
Gray got up and walked over to the other guys. Once again, he managed to lose most of his clothes. "That's rich coming from you."
Laxus glared at the half-naked wizard. "What did you say?"
"Face it. You know the only reason you're such a jerk is because Mirajane rejected you."
Laxus stood abruptly. "What do you know of it, huh? That was ages ago and I've moved on. You don't have any right to criticize me when you've never even had a girlfriend."
"I wouldn't say that. The way Juvia's been hung over Ice Boy here, you know he's hitting it behind the scenes." Gajeel stood up, facing the other two, a dastardly smirk plastered on his face.
"How do we know you haven't been defiling poor, defenseless Levy?" Jet and Droy said in unison, popping into the conversation.
Laxus scoffed. "Why are we still talking about this? Just change the subject already. All this talk about nonsense is giving me a headache."
"Whoa. These aren't just ordinary tickets. These are VIP access tickets." Lucy gazed in awe. The way she cradled them ever so delicately made the tickets seem as priceless as some ancient artifacts. "Natsu, how did you get these? I know these things aren't cheap."
Natsu was sitting at Lucy's desk, hands behind his head in a comfortable manner. "What do you mean? I just thought they were normal tickets. They were only 1000 jewel a piece."
Lucy went wide eyed. "What?" Lucy nearly flipped out of her chair. "Do you have any idea what this means? No one in their right mind would sell VIP access tickets for that price! They were probably stolen!"
"Calm down. I bought 'em from that Sorcerer Magazine guy. James or whatever his name was."
"You mean Jason?"
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. He was selling them for a whole lot more, but gave me a discount because I was 'so cool.'"
"That must've been one heck of a discount."
"I guess so." Natsu yawned. "I didn't realize how tired I was. That trip was torture."
Lucy smiled. "You say that every time you ride on the train. Or any vehicle, for that matter." She stood and walked over to him. "Hey, stand up for a second."
Natsu looked up at her, a look of confusion in his eyes. "What for?" he asked.
Lucy looked into his eyes, trying not to blush. "Just do it."
Natsu shrugged and stood up. "Alright, I'm standing. Now wha-"
Lucy interrupted him with a huge embrace. Natsu was caught off guard. Before too long, he wrapped his arms around her, returning the hug. He breathed in through his nose deeply, catching the scent of Lucy's hair. It smelled of cherry blossoms and agave nectar, along with a hint of rosemary. He shifted his attention to her scent overall. He inhaled once more. She smelled like her. With a dash of sweet fragrance. Was she wearing perfume? Whatever it was, it made him excited. His grip on her tightened, but not enough to cause discomfort.
For another few minutes, they stayed locked in each others' arms. Eventually, Lucy pushed Natsu away gently and looked up at him. "That was... nice."
Natsu looked away, a pink hue standing out on his cheeks. "What was that about anyway?"
Lucy cracked a big smile. "I just wanted to thank you. Even though you were on a job, you still thought of me."
"Well yeah. We're a team! It didn't feel right. With you not there, it just wasn't the same. I forgot how much of a handful Erza could be when we're all alone."
Lucy laughed, putting her hand on her chest. "Some would say the same about you, you know?" She sat on the bed, looking at the tickets again. "I'm still in shock about these. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't anxious."
Natsu walked closer and sat next to her, putting his arm around her shoulder. "Ah, don't worry, Lucy. I'll be there with you."
"Just the two of us?" she asked, a bit more hopeful than intended.
"Just the two of us."
Lucy grinned. "I think I'd like that." Setting the tickets down beside her, her face went from excited and happy, to a frown.
"Hey, what's wrong?"
Lucy sighed. "I don't know. It just feels selfish. Here we are, about to go on a vacation while the others stay behind and work. I just wish they could get some sort of break too, you know?
"Oh Lucy. You're too nice. I'm sure they'll be fine. Remember, it's not about them." He took his arm down and reached for Lucy's hand, taking it softly. "This is about you."
Lucy brimmed even brighter than before. She stood up and made a fist, a look of pride as well as humbleness in her eyes. "Maybe I should be selfish this one time. After all, it's not like it's anything major." Not realizing Natsu still had a hold of her hand, she jumped on the bed ecstatically. "This is gonna be so great!" She jumped a bit too high, dragging Natsu on the bed. She slipped on Natsu's scarf, falling onto the bed, Natsu moving out the way. He ended banging his head on the wall, falling over. He winced in pain. He opened his eyes, staring directly into Lucy's, their faces mere inches away. Lucy let out a sharp gasp. She looked over and noticed their hands still intertwined. She turned back and saw Natsu looking at her intently. He leaned in closer... closer... closer... and then he-
"I KNEW IT!" shouted three voices outside the window.
The two wizards looked in shock to find Happy, Carla and Pantherlily floating just beyond the window. Happy was covering his mouth, trying not to laugh, Carla was blushing, trying to look away, and Lily had look of amusement on his face.
Lucy glanced at her hand, still in Natsu's, back to his face, to the Exceeds and back to the hands. She blushed and yelled. "It's not what it looks like!" She quickly squirmed her way out from under Natsu and ran to the other wall, her face flushed a deep red. "Natsu! Get your stupid cat out of here!"
Natsu chuckled. "It was only an accident. Not like you wanted me to do anything." Natsu scratched his head, his thoughts drifting off to very dangerous territory.
"Yeah, but.. I..." Lucy was speechless. That caught her off guard. The fact that Natsu would say something like that implied he would have thought of something like that. At least once.
Happy smirked, coming inside, the others following suit. "You really do love him, don't you Lucy?" Happy taunted.
"So what if she does? I think love is grand thing. Reminds of the time I had a girlfriend back in Edolas."
"Please, you two. We were wrong to come here. We've obviously invaded their privacy."
Natsu eyed the talking felines, but shrugged it off. "What do you say we go back to the guild and break the news to everyone?"
Carla gasped. "The Tom Cat was right! You two really are in love!"
"This news. Could it be they're going to tell everyone they've been secretly dating?" Lily inquired.
"What are you guys even talking about? Me and Lucy are just going on a trip for her birthday. We're not dating or anything."
"Mmhmm. Why is your face all red? Does wittle Natsu have a cwushy-wushy?" Happy continued to taunt.
"Cut it out, Happy!" Lucy and Natsu yelled simultaneously.
"Whatever you say," Happy said, laughing to himself.
"You wouldn't believe the uproar you two have started in the guild hall. It's madness back there."
"Is there a fight going on?" Natsu asked intriguingly.
"There wasn't when we left, but who knows? Gajeel and Laxus looked ready to rumble."
"Why did you leave in the first place?" Lucy asked the cats.
"It was all a bunch of nonsense!" Carla exclaimed. "The girls kept gossiping about you, Lucy. And the guys kept talking about how having a girlfriend makes you more powerful. Two foolish topics whichever way you look at it."
"Oh boy. This is gonna be trouble for sure." Lucy put her hand on her head.
"Eh, I'm not too worried about it. Rumors spread through the guild like wildfire all the time. Wouldn't be the first one about me. Or the first about you either." Natsu chuckled, patting Lucy's head softly.
Lucy looked up, her eyes turning defensive. "What do you mean 'not the first?'"
"Oh please. The way you cling yourself to Natsu, you'd think someone would've noticed. It doesn't take an imbecile to assume you've got a thing for him."
"Just spill it already. I'll even show you how it's done!" Happy got on one knee, taking Carla's paw. "Carla. I have loved you since the first time I laid eyes on you. The way you moved so elegantly made my heart flutter."
"Not a chance," she deadpanned.
"It was worth a shot. You tried your best." Lily picked up his blue friend, standing him up. Apparently Carla's words were enough to stun him to the point of near unconsciousness.
Happy snapped out of it. "See? It wasn't that bad," Happy stated, his face dripping in tears.
"Oh good grief. For the last time," Lucy retorted, "There's nothing going on between us."
"Yeah, just knock it off already. It's getting old."
"I don't know. You two sure looked ready to make out a moment ago."
Natsu scoffed. "Alright, you caught us. We've been dating for a few months now. Happy, Happy?"
"That was fast!" the Exceed squad chimed in unison.
"Natsu!" Lucy yelled in protest.
Natsu moved over to Lucy. He leaned in and whispered, "Just go with it. We'll tell them what they want to hear, so they'll leave us alone."
"This is such a bad idea on so many levels. What if we're found out?"
"So what? They'll get over it. Besides, who's gonna believe a few flying fur balls anyway?"
'Only the entire guild,' Lucy thought to herself. Shortly after the conclusion with Happy and the others, they decided to go back to the guild hall to break the news, both the real and fake news.
Natsu walked in, towing Lucy behind him. His grin was bigger than the moon itself. He picked up Lucy bridle style and walked through their friends, looks of shock and amusement on each and every face. Lucy buried her face in Natsu's chest, not wanting the others to see her embarrassment. She glanced up at Natsu's face. He was actually sweating. Was he nervous? Or maybe, he was just as embarrassed as she was. What did that mean?
"Well, I guess the cat's out of the bag." Natsu walked over to his normal table, setting Lucy down in her spot, before scooting in next to her.
"And just when were you going to tell us?" Erza questioned, banging her fist on the table.
"Yeah, we're a team. It would've been nice to know," Gray added, irritable as ever.
"I think we all would've liked to know," Wendy said, chiming in innocently.
Gajeel smirked. "So Salamander, I didn't know you were into all that lovey-dovey stuff."
Natsu clenched his fists, holding back his insults. "Yeah, yeah, get it out now. I have half a mind to beat the snot out of you, you walking trash can." Natsu yawned, stretching his arms way above his head, and putting one arm around Lucy, getting all sorts of comments thrown his direction. "We've only been steady for couple months or something like that."
'Oh Natsu... this is so embarrassing,' Lucy thought to herself.
Erza made a mischievous grin. She sat across from the 'love-birds.' "After all that constant denial, it turns out I was right again." She lean forward, resting her chin on the backs of her hands, arms propped up by her elbows. "How interesting."
Lucy looked at Erza, face crimson. "Uh... yeah..." Lucy muttered out, barely able to keep eye contact. She glanced at Natsu again. His face was nearly as red as hers. What was going on inside his mind?
"My darling! That blonde bimbo has Natsu! Now we can be together without any interruptions!" Juvia told Gray, running up to him. She jumped on him, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"Easy, easy." Gray said, catching her. Not really because he wanted to, but he did still care for her. Maybe not in the way she'd like, but it is still a form of affection.
Mirajane walked over to Cana. "Oh my goodness. I can't believe this!" Mira was fidgeting and bouncing with anticipation. "It's almost unreal."
Cana finished the rest of her wine, tipping the entire bottle all the way up, swallowing with several gulps. "Seriously. Who would've thought Natsu, the brash idiot, would land such an amazing catch? Not me, that's for sure."
"I know right! It does seem a bit weird though. He's been acting strange since they walked in."
Cana had already found another bottle of mysterious alcohol, drinking it selfishly. "Whatta ya mean?" Cana said, words starting to slur.
"Think about. Natsu being embarrassed about something. I've never seen it. It's unheard of! And yet, look at his face. Red as a tomato."
Cana looked over. Sure enough, his face was bright red. His eyes kept darting from place to place, not once landing on his supposed girlfriend. "Lu's face is all red too." Cana snapped. "That's it. I think I have a plan. Hand me that bottle of expensive sake."
"So tell me. When did this happen? I know you said a few months, but like what exact date?" Gray pried. "I'm not really asking pyro here. You'd be the one to remember, Lucy."
Lucy panicked, her face still red, a weird frown smirk on it. "Uh..."
"Come now. I can remember the second, minute, hour, day, month, year, millennium and era when I first craved the affection of my perfect popsicle! Surely you can about your... warm friend."
Natsu looked away, not sure if he should be insulted or complimented. "I don't really see why it's any of your business," he retorted coldly.
"It's my business because we're a team! I don't want to be in the middle of a battle, while you and Lucy are behind some tree making babies!"
'Making... babies?!' Juvia thought, her head spinning.
"That's quite enough. But Gray is right. This might affect the way we handle business." Erza scowled at the two. She locked eyes with Lucy, making her flinch.
Before she could grill the two any longer, Cana stumbled over, the bottle of sake in her hand. "Chill out guys. This is the time to celebrate!" She put the bottle of sake down, bringing out a few sake glasses with it.
"Are you crazy?" Gray said exasperated.
Cana smirked. "I haven't even said anything yet."
"Every time you bring out sake, you want to play some sort of drinking game."
Cana made an evil laugh. "You know me too well. But today is a bit different. Sake is for special occasions. Natsu and Lucy's bombshell seems reason enough to me."
The two mentioned before looked at the bottle. "I think I'll pass," Natsu said straight forward.
"The last time I drank sake was... not a good time. Natsu had to give me a piggy back ride back to my room."
Cana looked at them, making great big puppy dog eyes. "Please?" she said, her bottom lip quiver.
Natsu kept staring, not breaking his gaze. Finally, he grabbed the bottle and a glass. "One drink. One."
The entire bottle, plus a few others, later, Natsu and Lucy were laughing up a storm. Gray and Juvia sat in the corner, crying and talking about trees, and Erza was yelling at Jet and Droy... again. "So then, I told him... you can't!" Lucy wheezed, barely any sound coming out. Natsu started howling with laughter, his voice booming across the whole guild hall. Lucy's laugh finally came out, loud and high pitched. Tears started forming in the corners of her eyes. She doubled over and started holding her stomach. Natsu started banging on the table.
"Damn. Those two are hammered." Gajeel was sitting at the table across from the pair of hyenas, Levy sitting beside him.
"Oh Lu... she's such a lightweight. She should've known better."
Gajeel snorted. "Snowflake and Juvia are sobbing like babies. Please. Can't anyone hold their liquor?"
Cana poured three more shots. "Alright, alright. Now for the real fun. When did you two kids finally hook up?"
Natsu picked up his shot. He took it, slamming the glass back down. "This ain't nothing!" he screamed.
Lucy finally stopped laugh-crying and sat back up. "Ha. Well, like a few hours ago, I think..." She scratched her head, taking a glimpse at Natsu.
Cana raised her eyebrows. "Interesting. I thought you were dating for a few months?"
Natsu sneered at Cana. "Please. The only reason we said that was so Happy and the others would leave us alone! I mean, I wouldn't mind dating Lucy, be we're just not right now. Honestly, I have these weird dreams about her." He kept rambling about whether or not he liked Lucy, all while Cana kept pouring him shot after shot.
Lucy put her head down. "I'm so sorry we lied to you, Cana. I feel like a terrible friend." Lucy began to cry, her body shaking. Cana stifled a laugh. She continued to observe the two inebriated wizards. It was interesting. Lucy's mood changed quite fast, while Natsu was pretty much himself, only amped up a lot.
"Don't cry. It's fine. Happy can be a pain in the ass. Just let it go. We're not mad. Well, except maybe Erza."
Erza stomped over. "You lied to me?" Lucy and Natsu gawked at her, expressions of terror on their faces. "How dare you! I put my trust in you and this is how you repay me? By betraying me like this! Prepare to die!"
"I think it's about time I step in." Mira morphed into her first Satan Soul and jumped over the counter. She chopped Erza in the neck, right on a pressure point, knocking her out cold. She changed back and sat next to Cana. "Sorry about that. You know she's a passionate drunk."
"You gonna ask them, Mira?" Cana said, knowing good and well what would happen.
"Now's the time." She took a breath and said, "If you two are actually dating, why don't you kiss and prove it to us!"
Natsu was in the middle of taking a shot and Lucy was drying her eyes. Lucy looked up, eyes wide with shock. Natsu spit out his sake, spewing it all over the two girls in front of him, coughing directly after. "Are you serious?" Natsu managed to get out.
Mira wiped herself off calmly and nodded. "Absolutely."
Cana just ignored the mess and went on talking. "Just do it. It's not like we're asking you to fu-"
"You just sit back and sober up," Mira demanded. "The Natsu I know wouldn't hesitate."
"Pfft. I don't have anything to prove to you," Natsu retorted, crossing his arms.
Mira's normal smile turned into a frown. "Fine. I guess I'll just tell everyone what a liar you are."
Natsu gasped. "Oh dear, no not that?" he mocked. "Go ahead. It's not like I care."
Cana cocked her head to the side, blocking mouth from Natsu's view. "He can be a bit of dick when he's drunk. What are you gonna do now?"
"Don't worry. I got this," Mira whispered back. "If that's how you want to be, why don't I tell Lisanna all the embarrassing stories she missed out on?"
Natsu raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah? Like what?"
Mira leaned in. Softly, she began with, "About how much you cried. Or all the times you came to visit to check on us. Or worse..."
Natsu widened his eyes. "You wouldn't dare..."
"I'll tell her about the time you accidentally called her 'my honey bun' when she first came back."
Natsu groaned. "Fine. Fine fine fine! Pucker up, Lucy."
"Don't I get a say in this?! What if I don't want to?"
Mira whispered in Lucy's ear. "You left a suitcase here. It has lots of naughty panties in it. I'll hand them out to each and every member of Fairy Tail."
"Mira! That's... that's so cruel! And sick! And twisted!"
"And can all be avoided if you two lock lips for half a second. It's not that hard." Mira glared at her. "I'll give Master the red and black lace pair. He really likes that sort of thing."
Lucy's face twisted into a frown. Reluctance aside, she leaned in a gave Natsu a peck on lips. She sprinted out the guild, leaving Natsu in a fit of rage and confusion. She didn't care. All she wanted to do was go home and let out her feelings. How could Mirajane be so cruel? Using blackmail of all things just to get something so small? Her trust had taken a serious blow.
She was about half way there when she tripped and scraped her knee, catching herself all wrong in the process. "Ouch... my wrist..." She lay there in pain, hoping someone would put her out of her misery. The alcohol made her dizzy. The nausea came on swift wings, making her stomach do somersaults. Crawling her way over to the canal side, she emptied her gut. The taste of sake and last night's dinner was enough to make her gag even more. For what seemed like an eternity, all she could do was heave and sob.
"Lucy! There you are!" shouted Wendy. "Oh my goodness, let me help you up."
Lucy caught one final glimpse at the small girl running towards her before blacking out and sliding down towards the river.
"Are you kidding me? You can't even have a nice drink with friends without running out in tears. How pathetic can you be." The voice echoed all around. Darkness spread to each and every corner, zero light shining out. "Crybabies don't deserve to be in a guild. Especially not one like Fairy Tail. You're so weak. I bet they all secretly hate you." The voiced grew in intensity. The darkness seemed to grow darker, thicker. It clouded out everything, making any and all sense null. "I seriously can't believe you. You're not even brave enough to admit your own feelings. To yourself of all people."
"No... you're wrong."
"Am I? Really?" A figure came creeping out of the darkness, slowly edging its way closer. "You spoiled brat! All you are is a rich girl wannabe wizard! 'Oh no! My daddy didn't love me! I wish mommy was still here!' Oh boohoo. Grow up!"
"Stop it..."
"Why? Does it hurt? Or should I keep going? You're so envious of everyone aren't you? Erza is strong and beautiful. Levy has the mind of a genius. Wendy's support magic is vital to almost any mission."
"Stop it... Stop it..."
The figure was just outside view. "Mirajane is praised all around the country. She has men wanting her at all corners. Not to mention, she's an S class wizard, capable of killing your useless ass. Even the cat, Carla, has clairvoyance. You're worse than a flea-bitten cat."
"I said... Stop it!" Lucy stood and shouted with all her might. Her look of anger turned to one of horror.
"Surprised?" The figure stepped forward, revealing itself. "I'm you. The real you."
"No... it can't be..."
"Why would Natsu ever love you?" said the other Lucy. "You're nothing but a wimp that can't go a day without sobbing about petty drama. He likes his woman strong. Brave. Not some coward playing dress up." Lucy sank to the floor. The other Lucy walked over and started kicking her. "What's wrong? You can't take the pressure? Come on, I was hoping you'd at least stand and fight! Stand up! Fight me! Lucy! Hey, Lucy! Don't be such a coward and fight! Lucy! Lucy! Lucy!"
Lucy sat up, sweating and gasping for air. Her throat felt raw like she tried to swallow sand paper. She put her hands on her face, feeling a sharp pain in left wrist. She looked down and realized she was in her own bed, dressed in her pajamas. She brought her knees close and squeezed them tightly. Silently, she began to sob. Not out of fear. But out of relief. The nightmare didn't fade however. It stayed in mind like a parasite.
"Lucy? Are you awake?" came a soft voice from the couch. "Sorry if I woke you earlier. I brought you back up here and healed you." Wendy walked over, putting her hand on Lucy's shoulder. "Hey, it's alright. You're gonna be fine."
Lucy's gasps and sobs carried on, unwavering. "Oh... Wendy..." escaped a few words. She latched out and grabbed the smaller girl, hugging her tightly.
"Are you okay? Tell me what's going on." Even though Wendy was younger by a few years, she didn't hesitate to help out a friend in need.
Lucy sat there, clutching Wendy like a security blanket. Eventually, her sobs turned into soft murmurs. The murmurs silenced completely. With swollen eyes and a runny nose, she turned her head towards Wendy. "I'm sorry you had to see me like this..."
"You don't need to be. I'm here to help you."
Lucy's sniffed. "Thanks, Wendy. At least you care about me."
"Huh? What are you saying? Of course I care about you! Tell me what happened already."
Lucy finally loosened her grip. Wendy grabbed a box of tissues, giving it to the blonde. After a quick nose blow, Lucy started. "I just had a pretty horrible nightmare."
Wendy nodded, showing her intent on listening. "About what exactly, if you don't mind my asking?"
Lucy blew her nose again. "Just... It's hard to explain. I was stuck in this... darkness. I remember hearing this voice. It kept insulting me and putting me down. I kept yelling at it to stop. When it finally came out the shadows, it was me. Or at least, something that looked like me."
"That does seem scary." Wendy sat down next to Lucy. "I know I'm not the biggest help here, but Grandine used to tell me dreams had way of revealing our true feelings."
"Seriously?" Lucy asked in disbelief.
"Not just good ones, but fears and doubts too. Every so often, I'd have a bad dream and Grandine would always make me talk about it. She always repeated the same thing. 'Dreams, whether they be good or bad, are important. They teach us invaluable lessons about ourselves that no one else can teach. When you understand the meaning of the dream, it becomes easier to make sense of. If you can't do it alone, make sure you have someone to rely on.' It took me a while to understand what she meant myself. You don't have to tell me all the details. All I ask is, if you need help figuring these things out, talk to someone. Anyone. I don't want to see you hurt, because... you're one of my best friends..." Wendy couldn't help herself. She wrapped her arms around Lucy, beginning to cry softly. Lucy returned the embrace, tears starting for her again.
"Now who's the one crying?" she said quietly.
A loud snore sounded from the floor, causing both girls to squeal in surprise. "What is that?" Lucy asked.
Wendy wiped her eyes. "Oh. That's just Natsu. After he sobered up, he came running here. All he remembers is seeing you storm out earlier."
Lucy shook her head. "I swear, his memory is the worst at times." That earned her a good giggle from the younger girl. "Hey, Wendy." Wendy turned and looked at her. "Thank you. You've been such a great help. I probably would've laid here for days if it wasn't for you."
"Actually... you would've wound up in the river. Ending up somewhere else."
Lucy blushed in slight shame. "Oh yeah... Forgot about that... Speaking of which, what happened to my wrist?"
"Unfortunately, you broke it when you fell. I healed it as best I could, but it'll still have to heal on its own."
"Did you bandage it yourself?" Lucy asked thoughtfully.
"Mhm. I tried my hardest to make it tight, but not too tight."
"I guess I'll need a splint or something to keep me from moving it."
"We'll fix it up tomorrow. You need some rest. It's late and if you're going to Akane Resort tomorrow, you've got a decent trip to cover." Wendy walked over and hugged Lucy. "I'll be going now. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Excuse me, but I don't think so. You said it yourself, it's late. I wouldn't forgive myself if something happened to you. I have a nice comfy couch and some spare blankets with your name on them."
Wendy smiled and nodded. "You wouldn't happen to have any spare pajamas, would you?"
"They're in that middle drawer of the dresser. Pick whichever ones you like. They might be a bit too big in the chest area."
"It's fine. I just don't want to sleep in my dirty day clothes." Wendy went to the bathroom, changing into a big T-shirt and some short shorts. Despite Wendy's protests, Lucy got up and found a spare pillow and blanket for her.
"Get some rest. I'll see you in the morning." She was about to head back to bed, but noticed Natsu sprawled out all over the floor. Chuckling quietly, she grabbed another blanket and put it on the sleeping guy. "You're a royal pain, you know that?" she said out loud. Smiling once more, she leaned in and kissed Natsu on the forehead, having no clue Wendy saw the whole thing, trying to keep from crying out due to pure cuteness overload.