Disclaimer—I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United Fandoms of Fanfiction. And to the lawyers for which law stands: one franchise, I'm under oath with a lack of invisibility with...wait—okay, I don't own Fairy Tail or any of the characters included in said anime-package. Please, don't sue me.
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My hollow heart only wants you
(Rose Scent Breeze by Red Velvet)
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|August 8th, 2005 — Southgate Park|
Fourteen.
That was how many times Natsu had nearly broken her window with his "stupid, stupid, stupid—why do you keep doing that?" rock-catapulting.
It was how many times Lucy had inhaled a deep breath, squeezed her eyes shut, and jumped into his awaiting arms from her bedroom window on the second floor.
And it was how many times Natsu had grabbed her hands, whispered for her to "stay quiet, Luce," and hurriedly whisked her away—past the patrolling guards, through her mother's garden, and out the back gates with promises of adventure and fun flowing from his lips.
Most times, he'd take her somewhere exciting. "When's the last time you went here?" he would ask her, and when she'd answer with a shrug, he'd give her that silly grin and drag her to the nearest amusement park
(the smell of fresh desserts, the sound of laughter, and a light wind breezing past them)
"You're not afraid of heights, right?"
or some old arcade.
(dim neon lights, rows of ancient games, and fuzzy electronic music playing in the background)
"Stand back and watch the DDR champion work his magic."
Other times, he'd take her somewhere calming. "You'll like this place, I'm sure," he would say, and when she'd ask him where they were going, he'd remain silent until the very last moment: when Lucy's eyes would shine upon entering the grandest library
(tall shelves of tattered books, hushed whispers, and the warm sun filtering through glass windows)
"You're such a nerd, Luce."
or an abandoned beach.
(the sand warm, a calmly billowing sea, and the sight of a colorful sunset spanning across the horizon)
"I can't exactly swim, so let's just build a bunch of sand castles, okay?"
On the rare occasion, he'd take her somewhere simple. No words would be shared, only a smug gesture towards the wagon being towed around by his cat, a picnic basket inside. He'd look up at her, open his arms wide, and mouth those two words that always seemed to make her knees tremble.
(fuchsia and golden hibiscuses surrounding him, the two of them seemingly in a world of their own, his smile gentle and safe)
"Trust me?"
Today just so happened to be one of those rare occasions, the ones Lucy secretly enjoyed the most.
Before breakfast or after dinner, those were the times Natsu would come to visit her. There was never a specific time, nor a specific date, so Lucy would simply wait by her windowsill until she saw that familiar burst of pink and black amongst her mother's flowers. Lucy would be lying if she said she didn't look forward to his spontaneous visits. They seemed to make her normally bleak days at home all the more bearable.
It was shocking really, how neither of them were ever caught. Her father would either be away at his workplace, spending hours (and sometimes days) at his office, and her mother would stay huddled in her bedroom, rarely heard from and rarely seen. The few times Lucy did try to spend time with her had always proven to be unsuccessful. "Mother is tired now," the older woman would excuse, "I just needs some time to myself." Lucy would merely nod and close her mother's door with a frown.
She'd probably never get used to the lonely and depressing atmosphere that swallowed her home while she was away. It was unsettling. Scary, even.
But at least I have some company, she thought gleefully, presenting a pile of seven steaming dumplings to a salivating Natsu, even if said company is a little...weird.
"I swear," he moaned as he swallowed one whole—two, three, "these taste better and better each time you bring them to me."
"Thank you," Lucy said with a giggle and scooted closer to the tree they were sitting under. It was a hot summer's day, and even with just a tank top and shorts on, Lucy was still burning up. She wondered how Natsu could manage not to even break a sweat in his dark hoodie and jeans. "Sorry if they're not as good as Mira's," she added after a moment of peaceful silence, "I know how much you like hers."
Natsu stopped chewing, eyebrows furrowed. "Buh I like yoursh too."
"Hey," she scolded and threw a crumpled napkin at him, "swallow first! That's gross!"
He chuckled (thankfully after swallowing) and patted Lucy's head in apology. "Sorry sorry," he sang and Lucy melted under his touch, "I just can't help it. Your cooking is amazing, Luce."
Lucy blushed, mentally swearing that it was just the heat getting to her. "U-um," she stuttered, "thank you? I guess."
"It's nothing. Besides," Natsu said after finishing his can of soda, "your food is way better than the snacks I brought. Not even Happy liked them." He gestured towards the white cat napping peacefully by his picnic basket. Natsu heaved a sigh, "I guess water and bread sandwiches aren't for everyone."
The blonde snorted at that, bashfulness long forgotten. "If it makes you feel any better, before meeting you, I couldn't even pour milk into a bowl of cereal without burning something down."
Natsu gave her a disgusted look. "Oh, that's awful. You suck."
"Gee thanks," Lucy deadpanned, "I really needed to hear that after trying to make you feel better about your crap cooking skills."
"Well excuse me for not wanting to comforted by someone who can't even prepare cereal correctly."
Lucy playfully shoved him, reveling in the way he fell onto his side with a exaggerated oof. "You are a massive jerk, Natsu Dragneel."
"And you're a massive baby, Lucy Heartfilia," came Natsu's quick retort. He yanked on the blue ribbons on her pair of Powerpuff Girls shoes and smirked up at her. "Look at this. What is this?"
The blonde hissed and snatched her foot away from him. "Rude. These are super rare, Bubbles-themed shoes that are crazy hard to find these days. Get on my level, you pleb."
"I'm pretty sure they aren't hard to find in the shoe sizes they were meant for," he mumbled. "You know, the kid's sizes? For people younger than ten years old?" He laughed at the embarrassed flush of her cheeks, quieting only when Lucy kicked him onto his back. "Ow."
"S-shut up!" she sputtered. "Just finish eating your stupid breakfast so I can go home, where my novelty shoes are appreciated."
Natsu rolled back onto his stomach, his head balancing on his palms as he cooed, "aw. You don't really want to go back home, do you? I'm sure hanging out with me is much more fun."
Lucy crossed her arms with a huff. "I will neither confirm nor deny that statement." She rolled her eyes at his cheeky grin. "But really," she eventually added with a sigh, "I do need to be getting home soon. It's my parent's wedding anniversary tomorrow and I'm sure I'm needed somewhere in that ice castle right about now."
"Booo," Natsu drawled. "Now you really do suck. We usually hang out longer than this. What am I supposed to do with all my free time now?"
"Um, something else?"
"Gee. What a great, helpful, not-at-all-vague idea, Luce. I'll get to that right away!"
Lucy scoffed, dusting off the blades of grass Natsu had been absentmindedly piling onto her lap. "Why don't you just do what you normally do when you're not with me?"
"You mean pretend to be someone I'm not just to win the affection and approval of my stone-faced, bastard of a father?" Natsu raised an eyebrow, eyes challenging as they met hers, and Lucy pursed her lips. "Yeah. You can see why that wouldn't be at the top of my To-Do list."
"Well, Happy is here with you. Just hang out with him," she weakly suggested and pointed to the snoozing cat.
Natsu stared at her for what seemed like hours after that (though, in reality, it was only a few seconds). His face was expressionless, eyes blank as they rested on her stiffening form. And it was only after three nervous heartbeats (Lucy hoped he couldn't hear them pounding loudly in her chest) that Natsu finally turned his focus to the orange sky and released a dramatically drawn-out groan, "whatever."
Lucy's body relaxed at the sound and she pinched his cheek regretfully. "Oh, come on. Don't be too grumpy. You can always visit me tomorrow."
"Who knows what my father has planned for me tomorrow. Or the next day. Or the day after that." He quickly sat up, his frown deep as he continued, "or the day after that. Or the day after that. I have no idea when I'll be able to see you again!"
"And you call me a massive baby," Lucy scoffed. "Look, I was going to wait a few more weeks until I did this, but here." She dug into her short's pocket and pulled out a small scrap of paper. She held it out to him. "There's my e-mail and my cellphone number. You can IM me anytime, but don't call. Just text, okay?"
Natsu looked down at the offered paper (a piece of Lion King stationary. Of course) before hesitantly accepting it. He opened his mouth to say something, closed it, opened it, closed it again, before opening it one more time in an attempt to not look like a goldfish. But all that came out was a monotone, "u-uh…"
"I'll take that as a thank you," Lucy giggled. She stood from her place on the old sheet Natsu had brought along, and stretched her arms above her head. "Ah," she moaned as she felt her muscles loosen. "Welp. It's best I go now. Want to walk me home?"
Natsu remained silent, nodding dumbly before standing up himself. He gathered their bowls and empty cans, tossing them towards Happy who dutifully placed them in the picnic basket. "Are you r-ready—" his voice cracked, "ready to go, pal?"
Happy mewled his response and Natsu made sure the thin rope connecting the cat's collar to his small wagon was secure.
Lucy's amused voice nearly made him jump out of his skin. He spun around to face her while she watched his cat trot ahead of them. "You know," she began and Natsu's fingers skittishly toyed with the paper in his hoodie's pocket, "if Happy didn't look so, well...happy rolling that thing around, I'm sure this would be a form of animal abuse."
Natsu could feel his brain becoming mushy (what was wrong with him). "Uh. R-really?" he managed to stammer (oh dear God).
Lucy just smiled at him, tugging on his sleeve. "Come on, you dork. The sun's almost fully in the sky."
Natsu followed the direction of her gaze, flinching at the now blue sky, streaks of the nighttime past fading away. He coughed, "right...y-yeah okay," and awkwardly pulled his arm from Lucy's hold as they began to follow after Happy.
(cherry blossom trees flowing, birds chirping their morning tunes, and a smile as soft as the clouds on her lips)
"You don't know how badly I want to stop time whenever you're around."
|August 9th, 2005 — Heartfilia Manor|
INBOX-OPEN
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HEY LUCE HEY LUCE HEY LUCE!
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From: that idiot boy
08/09/05 09:54 pm
Lucy glared at her phone from under the dining table. She debated whether or not she should reply (her father had been eyeing her strangely since he'd come home), and was ready to flip her phone shut when another text came through, sending her palms vibrating. She gave her father and mother a quick glance, breathing a sigh of mixed frustration and relief when she realized they were busy arguing with one another. She rolled her eyes. It's probably over something petty.
INBOX-OPEN
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Aw don't tell me u died frm complete boredom already D:
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From: that idiot boy
08/09/05 09:55 pm
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SENDING
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No. Not yet anyways. :-(
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To: that idiot boy
08/09/05 09:57 pm
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"That is out of the question, Jude. You know I won't let you do that!" She heard her mother snap, and Lucy jumped at the raspy sound. Her head jerked up, coming to face the tired yet heated eyes of her mother. She was glaring at her husband, arms crossed defiantly, and a sneer marring her generally beautiful features.
Lucy looked to her left, across from the seething woman, where Jude sat rigidly in his seat. His tone was condescendingly patient as he said, "this isn't up to you. I've already made my decision and that's final."
Before she could hear her mother's reply, Lucy's phone alerted her of another message. She closed her eyes, silently thanking whoever was up there for the brief distraction (anything was better than seeing her parents behave this way).
INBOX-OPEN
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I took ur advice n hung out w/ Happy. He scratched me after I tried dyeing his fur black. Now I have a giant scratch on the back of my neck and he's blue bc I didn't keep the dye on long enough...
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From: that idiot boy
08/09/05 10:01 pm
Lucy smothered a laugh as she typed out her response.
SENDING
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You're a mess
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To: that idiot boy
08/09/05 10:02 pm
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INBOX-OPEN
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U sound just like my reflection
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From: that idiot boy
08/09/05 10:04 pm
"Are you insane?" There was her mother's shrill voice again. It was hard ignoring what was going on around her this time (with how loud and distraught Layla sounded), but Lucy still kept her focus on her phone. She wouldn't look up. She couldn't look up. "You are so selfish! Of all the nasty, disrespectful things you could do to me, you've decided to—"
"This is about Lucy, not you," Jude interrupted, and if looks could kill, the one Layla was sending his way would've already had him six feet under. "Look. All I wanted was to give my daughter the chance to meet someone who is important to me. But of course you make this argument all about you and your unpredictable feelings. How did I not see this coming?"
SENDING
Should I feel bad?
To: that idiot boy
08/09/05 10:08 pm
Layla's hands shook viciously around her glass, and anyone could tell the older blonde felt more than tempted to hurl it across the table and into her father's face, half-finished wine and all. "So you're going to invite that whore to this house? Why, you heartless—"
Fingers tingling with the sensation of a new message, Lucy struggled to cut her mother's voice out (don't listen, don't listen. It's just a small argument. Everything will be okay). She looked down at her phone, eyes widening when she read what was now glowing on the small screen.
INBOX-OPEN
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:* I luv yousss4,
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From: that idiot boy
08/09/05 10:11 pm
She swallowed a gasp—what is this what is this what is this— and was ready to slam her thumb down onto the reply button when another message instantly buzzed through.
INBOX-OPEN
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Ignore that last text. Levy stole my phone
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From: that idiot boy
08/09/05 10:11 pm
If ever asked, Lucy would vehemently deny pouting or feeling even an ounce disappointment at that bit of news. God, she was such a hormonal idiot, getting all flustered and queasy over something so silly. Obviously that hadn't been Natsu. How could it have been? He probably didn't even know what romance was, let alone a confession. And if it had been him (there was less than a negative one percent chance of that though), it would've totally just been some platonic statement of pure friendship, right?
Right.
So get a grip, she thought with a shake of her head, this is Natsu we're talking about. He would never...you know...do that.
Would he?
Lucy quickly abandoned that train of thought, and instead wracked her brain for something witty to say (though really, anything that could steer the conversation away from all this one-sided awkwardness would do).
SENDING
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I wouldn't want to be confessed to via text msg. & w/ a bunch of typos anyways ^^
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To: that idiot boy
08/09/05 10:15 pm
There. That should do it.
INBOX-OPEN
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I'll keep that in mind, princess
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From: that idiot boy
08/09/05 10:16 pm
Lucy nearly choked on her peas. She'd made it worse.
The fidgeting teenager had to chug down an entire glass of juice just to clear her throat and, for the very first time since dinner had started, was actually grateful her parents were too preoccupied with playing Who Can Out-Scream the Other to notice her. Honestly, how would she even explain her cheeks turning into a fierce tomato red and the fact that she appeared ready to erupt into a fit of screams at any second? With her father's eagle eyes and her mother's fearsome intuition, her cover would've been blown in a split second.
Jeez, way to get a grip, Lucy. She mentally slapped herself. Subject change! Change it, just change it now!
SENDING
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So...whatcha doin'?
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To: that idiot boy
08/09/05 10:25 pm
Wonderful. Astounding segue.
INBOX-OPEN
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Uh getting ready to do some work. Wbu?
From: that idiot boy
08/09/05 10:26 pm
Suddenly, there was a loud crash, and Lucy's little bubble of peace burst as she turned towards her parents. Her mother was standing now, her chair lying on its side on the pristine marble floors of their dining room. She was fuming, even more so than earlier, and it was a sight Lucy was sure she had never seen before. Layla's fists were clenched at her sides, her body shaking as she stared her infuriatingly stoic husband down. "I am so sick and tired of you, Jude," she whispered harshly. Lucy felt herself sink in her seat. "That stupid promotion has changed you. Now you're nothing but a rotten pig!"
Lucy deeply exhaled. What was going on?
SENDING
Not much. Just watching my parents stir up WWIII
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To: that idiot boy
08/09/05 10:28 pm
"Really, Layla. How so?" Jude's voice was bored as he addressed his wife, eyes daring her to list her insults. And insult she did.
As Jude watched her with mocking disinterest, an undeterred Layla raised her hands, fingers counting off each and every one of her convictions. "You're never home anymore." One. "You're always at work, chasing down men who you're too stubborn to give up on." Two. "When you are home, you ignore your daughter and I as if we're strangers." Three. "You're cranky all the time." Four. "You're 'busy' all the time." Five. "And, honestly, you are not the man I married. The Jude I foolishly fell in love with. Instead you're...you're...this fucked up shell of him!"
...six.
Lucy flinched at her mother's words. She'd never heard the woman curse before. Layla was her mother, her beautiful and elegant and poise mother who never had a single strand of hair out of place. It had been weeks since Lucy had heard Layla speak so many words, and it was a shock to her to hear her mother say something so unlike her. Everything was a shock to her. She had no clue what was happening. Yes, there had been a few days she'd spent her meals eating alone. Yes, there were times when she could hear her parents arguing in her father's study. And okay, both of them had seemed unnaturally distant from one another since she had finally returned home. But all of this? Lucy had no idea her mother had been feeling this way, that her father had supposedly been acting that way. They were the ideal couple in her young eyes. Always together. Always smiling. Always happy.
So what happened?
Lucy squeezed her eyelids shut and simply breathed. How had this argument even started? Was it something she did? Was it her fault? Her mother must've still been upset about that failed mission, the one that nearly cost Jude his job and Lucy her life. She remembered Layla's reaction from when she returned home all those nights ago. Her mother had been distraught, clinging to her while shouting at Jude for his carelessness over her shoulder. Perhaps her mother was still angry at him because of that. Yes...that had to be it. Lucy doubted they argued like this when she was still at her boarding school. So it was her fault. She was the one irresponsible and weak enough to be taken from her father. If she had never come back home, none of that would've ever happened. None of this would have ever happened. Would leaving bring them together again? Make them smile again? Stop this arguing and make them happy? Maybe she—
Her phone buzzed.
INBOX-OPEN
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Oh? Does the princess need saving? I'm actually about to do something 4 my dad but I'll be there if u need me
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From: that idiot boy
08/09/05 10:46 pm
Lucy's phone quivered in her hands. But it wasn't vibrating anymore. So what...?
Was it her? Why was she shaking? Why? Nothing was wrong. Everything was going to be fine, she was sure of it. This was just a minor hiccup in her parents' flawless relationship. It could (and would) be solved soon. So why was her body acting as if it were the end of the world?
"If I'm so different," Jude breezily began, breaking the silence. His calloused fingers interlocked in a fold that displayed his faux benevolence before he finally said, "then perhaps we should no longer be married."
Lucy felt herself freeze. She gaped at her father (who was still sitting in that regal pose, as if his words were nothing but casual chatter). She couldn't even breath, body stiff even as she internally screamed for it to get up. Get up and leave!
Jude leaned forward in his chair, his first movement in what seemed like hours. There was a smug look on his face (and...victorious? No, impossible. Lucy shook her head at that), and his lips pulled up into a confident smirk as his wife dropped her arms to her sides. She looked defeated. "So...how about it, my dear wife?" No. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. "How about we finally end this, hm?" They were supposed to fix everything. "Let's do what we both know we've been wanting to do for years." No, that's not...this is not... "Let's get a divorce."
Heart beating wildly, thoughts whirling through her mind, Lucy didn't think things could possibly get worse until the sound of her mother's near silent voice reached her ears.
"Fine."
After retreating to her bedroom, sleep refused to grace Lucy with its presence, no matter how many times she tossed and turned. Dinner that night had been one of the worst experiences of her life. Even worse than being held at gunpoint, to be quite honest.
But at least then I was blind enough to think my parents were still happily together.
Lucy groaned into her pillow and kicked off her prized Bratz blanket with a huff. Nothing was working. She couldn't empty her aching head, clear it of all thoughts pertaining to her parents' oncoming d...div..."ugh! This can't be happening!" she screamed, the sound muffled by soft cotton. She flipped off of her stomach, eyes opening as they came to rest upon her ceiling glowing with artificial stars. Ah, so her mother had remembered to pack those too. She must've just put them up. Lucy could remember them once being on the ceiling of her old bedroom, though they didn't seem as far away as they did here. She could remember a lot of stupid things because of those stupid stars. Like how her parents would tuck her in at night, her mother on her left and her father on her right. They'd read her bedtime stories, retell memories of the first time they'd met (as per a toddler-Lucy's insistent requests), and they'd gently whisper their goodnights before kissing her cheeks and leaving her room, hand in hand.
See? Stupid things.
She didn't need to think about her old bedroom or her old life anymore. This was her life now, regardless of how she felt about it. What she once had would never return to her, no matter how much she longed for it...no matter how much she reached for it.
Those memories—Lucy lifted her arm up, fingers spreading wide—are like stars now, huh?
With a sniff, she dropped her arm. Now she was just depressing herself. She needed to get her mind off of this. It wasn't because of her things turned out this way (or was it? She was still debating with herself about that), so maybe she could read a book until she finally felt tired? Play some of her favorite CD-ROM games? Maybe cook some more dumplings for Natsu?
Wait...
Natsu!
Lucy hurriedly rose from her bed and staggered towards her windowsill. She pushed her window open, humming in appreciation as the night air began to caress her skin. Plopping down onto the pink cushion underneath it, she pulled out her phone and pressed the messenger icon. She re-read the last message Natsu had sent her, hating the way her heart stuttered at his final words, before she clicked reply. Her message was simple, straight-to-the-point, and short enough to hide any and all of the current feelings storming within her. She didn't want to worry him, not if she could help it.
SENDING
_
You still awake?
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To: that idiot boy
08/09/05 12:22 pm
She meekly waited for his reply, biting her lip in anticipation for that familiar buzz. She didn't want to admit it, but Natsu had helped her a lot during that disaster of a dinner. With just his meaningless texts, she had felt less alone as her parents relationship of twenty years ended right before her eyes. Unknowingly, he served as a distraction—no, he was more than that. He was a blessing, one that kept her grounded throughout that entire ordeal. If his quirky little messages weren't there, she probably would've broken down on the spot. She would've had to watch her mother as she bared all of her frustration to the world. Would've had to watch her father as he eyed his mother as if she were nothing but a nuisance instead of the love of his life (like she had strongly believed for years). And would've just been...lonely. He hadn't been physically beside her, but he was somehow still there.
Lucy didn't think she'd ever be able to properly thank him for his unintentional support. Or do so without coming off as a complete freak. She could already see how that conversation would go down: her blushing like mad, fingers wringing together, while Natsu stood before her, just as nonchalant as always. Hey, Natsu? Remember that time when you first texted me? Well yeah, you may not know this, but those messages of yours really made me feel like I was in another world. You know, one where it was just the two of us alone, in another reality? Yeah, thanks for that, buddy.
Yeah. Not happening.
Gazing out at her mother's luscious garden (Natsu and his dorky face swimming through her mind), Lucy didn't even realize twenty-some minutes had passed until her phone vibrated in her lap. She blinked, staring down at the bejeweled device as if it had been playing tricks on her. But no. It wasn't. Because right there, right on her screen, was Natsu's message.
INBOX-OPEN
busy
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From: that idiot boy
08/09/05 12:44 pm
And that was it.
Of course, Lucy felt crestfallen because of it. Maybe even a bit discouraged. He did say he was doing something for his father, she attempted to console herself, but even that failed miserably. Ah, she shouldn't have gotten her hopes up. She shouldn't have been so selfish. Duh, Natsu had an entire life of his own. It was a given that he wouldn't be available at any time. Perhaps she should just take a sleeping pill. Call a maid for some tea? Slam her head into the nearest wall?
Or try again, one part of Lucy's brain suggested while the other scolded her for being so stubborn. But the first part easily won her over (what could go wrong?), and Lucy shrugged as she typed out her reply. If he was super busy, he wouldn't even see it. But if he wasn't too busy...
SENDING
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I need you.
_
To: that idiot boy
08/09/05 12:48 pm
It wasn't a lie. She did need his company. She needed his laugh to brighten up her terrible evening. She needed his wide grin to remind her that happiness was a legitimate thing. She needed his brightness, his cheerfulness, his adorable expressions and glowing eyes. She needed Natsu...almost desperately.
Lucy frowned as the seconds ticked by, fingertips scraping against her phone case. She was getting nervous and doubt was beginning to settle in. Her shoulders drooped when she didn't see another message pop up.
What did she think would happen? That he'd freeze time, hop on the back of a magical white horse, and gallantly soar at warp speed through dark city streets just to get to her? God, she was an idiot to hope he'd actually repl—
INBOX-OPEN
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I'll be there in 15
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From: that idiot boy
08/09/05 12:49 pm
Lucy's eyelids fluttered as she read (and re-read, and re-read ten times more) Natsu's text.
The smallest of smiles tugged at her lips, and a chill of exhilaration ran up her spine. "Perfect."
Whoosh
"Holy—" Lucy ducked as a giant mass of red barreled straight through her window. Instinctively, she reached towards her bed, grabbed her pillow, and held it above her head (a weak form of defense, but she was damn ready to make it work), gearing up to scream bloody murder when a clammy palm was suddenly pressed against her mouth. She gasped, struggling to see who the random trespasser was. It was only when they spoke, voice low and frantic, when her body finally relaxed.
"Shh! Luce, it's me!" Natsu. Of course it was Natsu. Who else would it have been?
Besides his lunatic family who probably still wants to disembowel me.
Lucy swatted Natsu's hand away and smacked him with her pillow anyways. "You idiot!" she whisper-shouted and sent her bedroom door a wary glance. Good. The coast was clear. "God, what were you thinking? You nearly gave me a heart attack!" She hit him again for good measure and he recoiled, holding up his arms in a sign of surrender.
"There was no time to get your attention without getting caught." And by attention, he meant there was no time to hurtle boulders at her window like a failed circus act. "There were more guards outside than usual," he continued to explain, "and I'm not exactly in my best condition right now to properly sneak around them."
"Best condition? What do you mean? What—" With all their hushed kerfuffling, Lucy hadn't gotten a proper look at her friend after he literally swooped into her room. However, when she finally did, she wanted to hit herself for being so mindless. "...what happened to you?" He was crouching on the floor beside her, his normally messy hair seeming even more askew (if that were possible) and his red hoodie lined with tears and stains. Lucy looked him up and down, her forehead crinkling with worry. "What happened to you?" she repeated with more force.
Natsu lips twisted sheepishly, his hand coming up to rub the back of his neck. "Small accident in one of my dad's...affairs," was his (blatantly sugarcoated) excuse. He stretched out his legs, fully sitting down now as he continued, "it was a delivery. One of our idiot rookies pulled some dumb shit and started this whole brawl with the other side. Thankfully, they were all inexperienced enough to bring knives to a gun fight."
Lucy nodded, not understanding completely but deciding not to further question him. She cleared her throat, tilting her chin towards the dark stains on his clothes. "So you...did you get stabbed?"
"Um, what's your definition of stabbed?"
Lucy's face went blank. "That's it. Take your top off."
Natsu waved his hands in front of him and scooted away. "Luce, it's not that serious—"
"Strip, Dragneel," she demanded once again and from the way she was looking at him, he knew if he didn't do it himself, she would most definitely do it for him. Natsu begrudgingly complied, pulling his hoodie over his head and exposing his bare torso to the scrutinizing blonde. There were cuts littered across his body, slashes sporadically criss-crossing from his shoulders down to his stomach. They were all thin, none appearing too deep or fatal, and for that, Lucy was thankful. She sighed, "okay, so you weren't...stabbed-stabbed. They must've really sucked at handling their weapons if you managed to get out of there with just these scratches."
"Or I'm just a master dodger."
"Or you're just a master dunce," Lucy shot back before standing. She walked over to her dresser, opening and closing drawers as she searched for her miniature first-aid kit. On her third try, she found it and held it in the air with a small cheer. "Anyways," she said and made her way back to Natsu, "just because your injuries weren't that severe this time doesn't mean they won't be next time."
Natsu's teeth bit into his bottom lip while Lucy sat before him, her legs folding as she opened the white metallic box. "I've already been through worse than this, Luce," he attempted to dissuade. "These are nothing but flesh wounds."
"Which will leave nasty scars if you don't get them treated." Lucy pulled out a bag of cotton balls, a small jug of peroxide, ointment, and a stack of bandages. She laughed at Natsu's displeased expression before getting to work. "Grumpy, why'd you come here when you're hurt? You should be on your way to a hospital."
"Hospitals are for nerds. Besides," Natsu stopped for a second to hiss as Lucy applied a dab of peroxide, "you...you said you needed me."
Lucy was grateful Natsu couldn't see her face. She had already blushed way too many times that day and she didn't need Natsu making fun of her for it. "S-stupid, I don't need you if you're hurt!"
"Not hurt. Just...a little damaged. I'll heal in no time." Natsu smiled triumphantly, but scoffed at the litany of little flower bandages now being pressed to his skin. He watched Lucy's head as it dutifully bobbed from her kit to his chest and couldn't help but ask, "what about you? Are you okay?"
"Stay still," she ordered, smearing a dollop of ointment onto one of the final cuts. Natsu bristled at her demand, and in no time Lucy had finished her self-appointed task. She beamed at her job well done, but when she looked up and noticed his eyes intensely meeting her own, she squeaked. "I'm...I'm fine," she stammered in the most articulate of ways. "It's just...my family is sort of falling in the dumps right now and there's nothing I can do to stop it."
Natsu's chuckle was dry and humorless. "Story of my life," he muttered.
Lucy felt herself blanch. "Oh! Oh god, why am I complaining to you about family problems?" She smacked her forehead and groaned, "this is embarrassing..."
"No it isn't," the pinkette assured her. He pulled her hand from her face and into his lap, allowing it to loosely rest in his hold. "Just because my circumstances may be a bit more...complicated, doesn't mean I can't empathize. So what happened? Judy finally revealed he's an ogre in disguise?"
"Close, but no," she murmured and internally swooned as Natsu's hand tightened around her own. "My mom and him are getting a divorce. A-and...I think he's having an affair, too."
Natsu gagged. "Ew, someone's having an affair with Judy? Do they hate their lives that much?" he dramatically wheezed, but paused when he saw Lucy's mouth contort into a disapproving frown. He coughed. "Uh, sorry. Not the right time. Go on."
"It's just..." Her voice was low, throat constricting as the annoying feeling of tears burned her eyes. Don't cry, she mentally hissed, and shakily inhaled before finishing her words. "It's just I never would've thought my parents would end up this way. I feel like a moron for thinking that they were the same parents I'd left behind when I was younger."
"Well, look on the bright side. At least your mother doesn't have to deal with Judy and his grossness anymore."
Despite herself, Lucy managed to smile at that. She gazed playfully at him, tone light as she stated, "he's still my father, Natsu."
Natsu snickered and used his free hand to gently grip her chin. He turned her head from side to side, analyzing her closely before smirking to himself. "It's easy to forget that. You didn't get his ugly."
No matter what Lucy did, she couldn't hide her reddening cheeks from Natsu that time around. She pulled her head back, still feeling the lingering warmth his fingers left behind. "Thank you?" was all she found herself capable of saying.
If Natsu did see her sudden change in color, he thankfully didn't mention it. His smirk simply broadened. "You're welcome."
"Well...t-that was all, I guess. I just wanted someone to talk to...for a bit. Sorry if I wasted your time."
"Hey, you could never waste my time, Luce." Natsu motioned his chin towards her abandoned phone. "Didn't I tell you already? I'll always be here if you need me."
Lucy nodded slowly and bowed her head, all but whispering, "p-promise to come to me too. If you need me, I mean." Oh, what was she even saying? Why would Natsu ever need her? All she could do was patch him up with cheap bandages and make him amateur dumplings. Who on Earth needs things as useless as that?
"I promise. No, I swear." Natsu was just too nice for his own good. "Next time, if I get stabbed seventy-seven times, you'll be the first person I come to."
As surprised as she was by his strong declaration, Lucy still smacked him with her pillow. "Natsu! Don't joke about that!" she scolded harshly with yet another hit and Natsu yelped at the feathery attack.
"Ow, okay okay!" He nearly lost his eye as another shot came soaring at him. "Stop hitting me!"
And then, unexpectedly, "Lucy? Dear? May I come in?"
Natsu and Lucy froze as Jude's voice and three loud knocks echoed throughout the room. Natsu was curled up into a ball, cowering from the blonde leaning over him with her pillow-gone-assault-weapon. They stared wide-eyed at one another, chests rising and falling with quick pants, before another three knocks broke them out of their stupor.
"Oh! Um..." Lucy slammed her pillow onto Natsu's chest and wildly mouthed the word hide. The boy nodded frantically and rolled his body under Lucy's bed (though not before smothering Lucy in the face with her own pillow as some last-minute form of revenge). She narrowed her at the silhouette now hidden (and probably laughing) under her bed frame before yelling, "yes, Father! You can."
Jude hesitantly opened the door, peeking his head inside only to find his daughter sitting cross-legged on her bedroom floor with the widest of smiles on her face. He blinked, thinking nothing of her suspicious appearance as he made his way over to her. "Lucy," he began, taking a seat on his daughter's bed, "I'm...I'm sorry about what happened over dinner this evening. I didn't mean for your mother and my business to surface that way."
Lucy shot a nervous glance towards Natsu. "I-it's okay, father."
The old cop sighed, lips set into a grim line as he removed his glasses. He looked somewhat relieved at Lucy's words. "I was hoping you would say that. You seemed a little upset when you left the dinner table. I don't want whatever your mother said to have ruined your evening."
Lucy wanted to deny his claims, say her mother had done absolutely nothing wrong, and that everything was probably more her fault than anyone else's, but she didn't. She merely shook her head and forced a reassuring smile. "I'm fine. I just needed some time to...think."
"Right. Well, in the morning, I have a surprise for you. It might be a bit short notice, but I've been planning this for a few months now." Jude looked at her expectantly and Lucy wracked her brain to find the words he probably wanted to hear.
"Oh...I can't wait?" That was the best she could come up with.
But Jude appeared sincerely pleased with her. He finally stood from Lucy's bed (ears not picking up on the deep oh thank god coming from beneath it). He straightened out his pajama pants and with a firm nod said, "good. Now tell your friend goodnight. It's getting late and I want you to be up bright and early tomorrow."
Outwardly, Lucy was about to split her face apart from smiling so hard. "M-my friend?" Inwardly, she was screeching to the heavens.
Jude was already on his way to the door. "Hm? You're on the phone, aren't you?" he asked without looking back and Lucy belted out a hardy laugh.
"Oh, um. No! Ha, I w-was just...talking to myself."
"Ah, I see. Well whatever helps you rest. I'll see you in a few hours, Lucy," were his last words before leaving. He closed the door behind him, taking all the tension in the room with him.
In his wake, Lucy waved as she mumbled, "yeah. G'night, father."
"You know," a bitter voice broke Lucy's attention away from her sealed bedroom door and to the body now worming its way out from under her bed. Natsu was scowling, glaring at nothing as he crawled back to his previous spot beside Lucy. "I thought maybe it was the uniform that made your father look like a major prude. But, seeing him now, I see that it's just him." He turned to look at her, ready to complain about his poor choice in hiding spots, when he noticed the somber look on her face. "Luce?"
"What do you think his surprise is?" I hope it's not what I think it is...or who, for that matter.
Natsu shrugged one shoulder and clicked his tongue. "Knowing him, it's probably something lame. Like...a pair of socks, or something. Don't think too much about it. Let's just go to bed, okay?"
Now that was enough to snap Lucy out of her thoughts. "Let's?" she parroted, and Natsu bounced his head excitedly. "Hold on. What do you mean let's?"
"Well, you invited me over," he stated matter-of-factly (and Lucy hated the fact that he was right). "Plus, I'm so tried. And I'm so hurt. You wouldn't make me leave all injured like this, would you?" He fluttered his lashes at her, a hand held to his still-bare chest and...was he pouting?
"Yes," Lucy answered dryly. Natsu gasped and her eyes rolled to the ceiling, feigning a look of annoyance. "But...I'll let you stay this once. Come on, my bed is big enough for eight of us."
It was then that Natsu seemed to truly realize where he was. He gawked at the expanse of Lucy's bedroom, from the tall ceiling and wide walls, the small kitchen, the giant cabinets housing more books than he could count, the large television set, to the grand bed centered between them all. "Woah. You weren't kidding. What kind of bedroom for a seventeen year old looks like a mini-penthouse?"
Lucy was already laying down on her bed by then. "Mine. Now hush up before my father thinks I'm going insane."
"Roger that, Captain," Natsu said with a salute. He grabbed the pillow they had attacked one another with, jumped, and dropped into Lucy's soft mattress. She squealed as his weight nearly sent her tumbling off her bed, but his arm quickly wrapped around her waist, stopping her face from becoming one with her carpet. "Woops."
"Yeah, woops." She elbowed him in the gut. He squawked in pain before scooting away from her. "Now go to sleep. It's already past my bedtime."
She ignored the way Natsu snorted at the word bedtime, instead closing her eyes and snuggling into the other dozen pillows surrounding her.
Then, a sudden thought struck her.
"Hey, Natsu?" she quietly called, and Natsu lifted his head to look over at her.
"Your father is going to get you a therapist if you keep talking."
"Just one quick question."
"Shoot."
Now that she had his attention, she was reluctant to voice her feelings. She mulled over the right way to approach what she believed was a touchy subject for the both of them. "Um, won't your...family be worried about you? I mean, getting slashed a bunch of times and then disappearing—won't that make them scared?"
Natsu droned as he contemplated Lucy's question. He tapped his chin for a moment before eventually replying in a flippant tone, "considering they all hate me right about now, I think my disappearance is a good thing to them."
Lucy released a noise of disbelief, craning her own head to glower at her friend. She crawled over to him just to irritably pinch his side (he grabbed her wrists just in time to stop her fingers from nipping at his stomach next). "Don't say that!" she admonished. "Even if they don't like how you...saved me, they still probably care about you!"
"Probably, though not likely. Truthfully, your bed is too comfortable for me to actually care, so let's drop this, okay?" Natsu's expression was indifferent (almost too indifferent) and Lucy deflated at the sight.
Her body lowered itself next to his, and one of the hands he was holding came to lay atop his chest while the other laced through his ruffled hair. She massaged his slap lightly, fighting the desire to just throw her arms around his body and hug the air out of him. She should've never asked about his family. She shouldn't have brought it up. Although his face had been aloof, betraying not an ounce of emotion as he weighed his family's affection (or lack thereof) for him, it was his eyes that displayed them all. The moonlight was dim, but she could still see the pain swimming in his eyes. The abandonment. The loneliness.
Earlier in the night, he had comforted her. Now it was her turn to comfort him. "Well, then..." she closed her eyes and pressed her cheek against his shoulder, "sweet dreams, Natsu..."
One brief second of silent tranquility went by.
"Apologizing in advance if I grope you in my sleep."
Lucy yanked her arms away from him. "What?"
"Nothing!" Natsu instantly cried and tossed one arm and one leg across Lucy's body. Even with his eyes shut, he could tell Lucy was sending him the dirtiest of looks. He peeked one eye open and grinned at her. "Sweet dreams, Luce." And he snuggled closer to her, nose brushing against her neck and lips just centimeters away.
Lucy shook her head (ignoring her stomach as it flipped and flopped all over the place) before relaxing in his hold.
Sleep had never come easier.
.
.
一━══┳┻︻ To Be Continued ︻┻┳══━一
Author's Note: Oh shit, look at how long this is. Honestly, I was thinking about splitting this chapter in two because I usually do not write chapters this long (over 8,500 words when the usual amount for this story is less than half of that), but then I was just like...nah. I kind of want to get to the scene in the prologue faster so I'm keeping this chapter whole! For those wondering, the next two or three chapters should be the last for the Sweet Arc, especially if they're as long as this one. Then the long-awaited Bittersweet Arc should come along. In the meantime, I hope you all enjoyed this thing. Lol, despite its length, I actually had fun editing it. Mainly because I know how shitty everything is going to become for Nalu when this arc ends kukukuku. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, favorited, and followed. I'm surprised you're all even still coming here XD.
(if there are any mistakes, blame the fact that school isn't in session and I forgot how to English)
Also, I was just looking back at my old reviews for this story and omfg look at what I found: "You updated so fast! You deserve an award *Hands you a golden trophy like the people on le oscars*" LIKE DAMN. REMEMBER WHEN I DID THAT (updated in a timely fashion, I mean)? My award has probably been revoked by now lol. I'm sorry NaLu x Buckets. I love you ;o;
Anyways, until next time, everyone! Stay tuned for chapter five and review if you wanna!
chu~