A/N: Hey guys! I was gonna wait until tomorrow, but I'm a huge softy. Hence the caving. Think of it as a Valentine's Day gift to you all. Huge thank you to everyone that left a review to the last chapter. Not to sound like a broken record, but the reception this story has been getting is still blowing my mind. When I wrote this story, I made a half-joking mental goal to get a thousand followers. And now we're over 900 strong and just WHAT. I feel like I'm going on an adventure with you guys. It's totally awesome.
I'm super excited for the chapters ahead, which is something I'm constantly saying. But it's been true every time. I write whatever scenes inspire me whenever the urge strikes, so there are some scenes meant for later in the story that I've had written for months. And we're finally starting to get to them! I have some more development planned for non-NaLu couples, which I know will excite some of you. Those of you who are here for just the NaLu, don't fret! This is still a Natsu and Lucy story, and they won't be cheated out of their screen time.
From this chapter on, I'm getting more in touch with the magical side of this AU (because that's kind of half the point of the story). I hope you enjoy this chapter and the many more to come!
P.S. A bunch of you have been worried that I'm stopping at chapter 20, since that was my initial goal. Just warning you that I probably won't be finished until at least chapter 25, if not chapter 30. I guess you'll have to put up with me for a little longer. ;)
Natsu felt like he was about to throw up. He was standing at Lucy's front door, wondering whether or not he should knock. He just wanted everything to go back to normal, and normally he'd just walk in like he owned the place. Then, she'd yell at him as if she really cared, and they'd fall into their routine of friendly banter. But this wasn't normal. Natsu wasn't normally sitting outside her apartment looking like a wounded pet that was desperate for its master's forgiveness.
Their fight had almost felt like a horrible dream, but days of being ignored had anchored it in reality. Natsu was going crazy without her. He just wanted to touch her. To feel her. Sitting next to her in class, surrounded by her smell but unable to get a fraction of her attention ate at him. He tossed and turned at night, unable to sleep because of the innate feeling that she should be there. With him. Not locked up in her house and hurting because of things he'd said. His entire body seemed to ache for her. Natsu had grown so greedy over the past few weeks, drunk on the priviledge of getting to feel her lips rubbing against his and losing himself in the taste of her mouth. It made him want more, which had turned him into someone he couldn't even recognize in the mirror. It made him an animal. A monster.
When she'd rejected him that night, it'd torn at his chest with heart-wrenching brutality. He wanted her so badly. He dreamt about her at when the sky was dark and only the shadows of his room kept him company, her image forever printed on the back of his eyelids. Hell, he dreamt about her during the day with his eyes wide open. He fantasized about her being closer when she was standing right in front of him. He felt a borderline desperate need to feel her soft curves against his hard lines and lose himself in her body. He wanted Lucy to feel that same yearning for him, even if it was only half as much.
But he knew that she didn't feel the same. She would literally die without sex, and she still didn't want him. There could be no other reason she'd push him away, not when he was so obviously prisoner to his need for her. The rejection hurt more than anything. It reminded him of his childhood bouncing around from foster home to foster home. It made him feel pathetic and unloved and undesirable. It made him lash out and say cruel things, much like he did when he was still that troubled foster kid. Only now, his words had repercussions. His words had hurt her, and he'd been kicking himself over it for the past week. All he did when he was awake was stare into space, wishing he could stop thinking about her. And when he slept, the scent of honey and coffee and roses lingered like an old ghost. Sometimes, when he first woke, a swore that he could still smell her shampoo on his pillow.
I can't fuck this up, Natsu told himself, pacing back and forth. I can't lose her.
His head jerked up when he heard the telltale click of the front door opening. And then she was standing there, breathtaking as usual. The light from her apartment shone behind her and lit the outlines of her hair, making it glimmer gold. She looked like a statue of some Roman goddess, with her delicious curves and hooded lids. Natsu's stomach turned when Lucy looked up at him. It nearly killed him, seeing how guarded her eyes were. She'd always been so open to him, which was something he'd clearly taken for granted. Were those the eyes she gave the rest of the world? How had he never noticed that she looked at him differently from everyone else until she suddenly didn't?
"You've been at my doorstep for the past ten minutes," Lucy murmured, voice soft and warm enough to send an ache rippling through his chest. He hadn't heard her voice in days, and he basked in the melodic sound of it. "I was starting to think that you wouldn't come in."
"I- Yeah, I'm an idiot," he muttered. She gave a gentle laugh, and his breath caught.
"Come in. I ordered Indian food."
She opened the door wider for him, and his heart swelled. He knew that succubuses didn't eat normal food. All those meals she spent picking at her plate had finally made sense, and it was only a month ago that he'd realized all the food she kept in stock was just for him. It was impossible for Natsu to describe what that knowledge did to him.
Natsu came in and immediately dove into the plate of tandoori chicken that sat on the coffee table. Lucy hadn't even bothered making a plate for herself. She'd completely dropped any pretense of eating after winter break. She watched Natsu from her spot on the couch, her intent gaze making him feel self conscious. He paused mid bite, swallowing a mouthful of naan bread before saying something.
"What? Do I have something on my face?"
"Um, I was just thinking," Lucy blushed, looking away.
"About what," Natsu pried, his voice sounding throatier than he'd intended. Lucy didn't respond right away, letting the room go quiet for a moment.
"The last real meal I ate was Indian food, you know," she murmured, lips twisted into a rueful smile. "It just makes me feel nostalgic. For when I was still a Normal."
Natsu's chest seized, and his appetite suddenly left him. His words from their fight came back to him. I'm sorry that being a succubus is so awful. He flinched at the memory. He knew that her SH type made her insecure, but he still hadn't been able to keep himself from spewing those acidic words. Guilt clawed at him.
"Lucy-"
"Do you think we would've met if I wasn't a succubus?"
The question jolted him. He gave her an incredulous look, but she didn't seem to notice. She was too wrapped up in her thoughts.
"I- I don't know," he answered honestly.
"I probably wouldn't have run away," she contemplated, drawing her knees up to her chin. "My dad not listening to me about feeling changed was the final straw. It's what finally made me leave. I wouldn't have been in Hargeon, and I wouldn't have met-"
"Stop," Natsu bit out, not liking where she was heading. "You're wrong."
"Natsu," she sighed. "I'm just saying-"
"I don't believe in fate or destiny or any of that shit," Natsu said, voice defiant. "I think that we create our own paths. But I also don't believe that there's any alternate universe where we don't meet. Every night when I go to sleep, I know three things for sure: The sun will rise, the earth will keep spinning, and we'll go on some crazy adventure or other. That's it. No further discussion."
Lucy's eyes watered, and Natsu panicked. Did he seriously just fuck up again? He flailed around a bit, trying to figure out where he went wrong. Lucy got off the couch and sat next to him on the floor, leaning her head on his shoulder. Natsu stiffened, electricity shooting up his spine at the touch. She looked up at him, her eyes the same ones he'd fallen so hopelessly in love with. They were open and expressive, easily baring her emotions. Natsu gave a little sigh of relief, a weight lifting from his shoulders.
"I missed you so much," Lucy mumbled into his shoulder, her voice watery. "I'm sorry we fought."
"I'm sorry," Natsu groaned, wrapping her up in his arms. She hugged him back. "I was an asshole."
"Yeah, you were. But I shouldn't have ignored your calls."
"No, you shouldn't have. But I should've tried harder to talk to you-"
"I should've listened to you-"
"God, Luce. It was my fault. Just let me promise it'll never happen again, and forgive me."
"Sounds good," she hummed, nestling into his side.
Natsu sighed, completely content in that moment. The world was finally right again. They stayed like that for a while, but Natsu's stomach started clawing at him. The muscles in his abdomen clenched and ached in a way that felt somewhat foreign to him. The room started to blur, and his mind clouded over. And he felt… kind of horny? Weird. Must be hungry. Without jostling Lucy too much, Natsu reached for his plate of Indian food and started packing it away. His hunger had returned with a vengeance, and he was ravenous. The food was hot, just the way he liked it. Lucy suddenly hissed and jerked out of his arms, getting up to sprint to the kitchen.
"Lucy," he called, mouth still full of food. "What's wrong?"
"Water! I need water," she gasped, drinking directly from the tap.
"What's going on," Natsu hissed, coming over to put a hand on her back. He jerked away, whirling around when he felt the ghost sensation of someone's fingers brushing his spine.
"My mouth is on fire," she groaned between gulps. "I forgot curry is so damned spicy!"
"You weren't even eating the food," Natsu frowned.
Lucy froze then, like she'd just remembered something important. Then she sighed, turning off the tap water. Slowly, she turned around to face him. Natsu crossed his arms, growing worried about her nervous demeanor.
"Luce? What's going on?"
"Natsu," she huffed, mirroring his posture and closing her eyes in resignation. "Have you ever heard of a Cupla?"
XOXOXOX
Natsu and Lucy were so damned irritating. Mira had spent all these months trying to stay out of their business, honestly. They weren't progressing as quickly as she would've liked, but they had definitely grown closer since winter break. Cana refused to fess up and tell her when they'd just freaking get together (not without demanding compensation in return, at least), and Mira couldn't help but wonder if she should just take matters into her own hands. The little spat they had the week before (which nobody could seem to figure out the reason for) was the final straw.
Over the weekend, Mira sort of broke into Meredy's house and borrowed her book of spells. Elfman told her it was stealing, but Mirajane had every intention of returning it. Honest. There were some spells in the book that could help propel the situation along; one in particular came to mind: Exponentia Basiatio. A.K.A. The Kissing Spell.
It was simple enough. You just have to give your target a harmless little potion and recite an incantation. Once the spell takes effect, the victim- No, the lucky recipient, will be kissed by their soulmate before the day's end. Because surely those two couldn't kiss and still not see the attraction between them. Nobody can be that dense.
That was how Mira ended up cackling into a cauldron in the girls' locker room on Monday morning. Smoke poured out of the top, covering the room in a thick fog that made it nearly impossible to see more than a foot in front of her face. At least, that was Mira's excuse for not seeing the incoming threat before it was too late.
"Mirajane," a dangerous voice growled. "Exactly what are you doing?"
"Erza," she yelped, jumping and hiding the ladle behind her back.
Erza's figure finally came into focus as she made her way through the foggy room. Her hair was still as vibrant red as ever, and her pretty mouth was twisted in a scowl. Anyone else might've found her narrowed eyes and crossed arms threatening, but Mira knew otherwise. Wariness and concern was etched into Erza's face, and Mira could tell that she was more worried than angry.
"I'm just making a harmless matchmaking potion-"
"Mira-"
"It's for the greater good! Really," Mira insisted, throwing her hands up like a criminal that's just been caught. Erza gave a hearty sigh, dragging a hand down her face.
"You know what I told you about tampering with people's free will, Mira. After that incident with Elfman and Ever-"
"Everything turned out fine in the end! It's not my fault she turned him to stone for a week-"
"You have to stop butting in," Erza insisted, sitting down on one of the benches. Mira gave a cry of despair.
"But Natsu and Lucy would be so cute together! They just need a little push!"
"If it's meant to be, they'll get there on their own," Erza said gently, patting Mirajane's shoulder. "Besides, I thought you wanted Natsu to get back together with your sister after she returns from her exchange program."
"I did," Mira sighed, sitting next to Erza. "But that was before Lucy came into the picture. I love Natsu like a little brother, and I know you do as well. He's different around Lucy, and she's the same for him. I just want them both to be happy. I think- I think the two of them are soulmates."
Mira gauged Erza's reaction, looking for a flash of recognition in her eyes. Erza's entire body stiffened, and her breath caught. Mirajane knew how profound a subject soulmates were to the fairy. Erza had been burned by love before, and she was still having a hard time recovering. She put on a brave face and fooled everyone else, but Mira could see how the old wounds still affected her. She'd spent a lot of time wondering if the guy who'd hurt Erza was her soulmate. She'd tried to ask her, but Erza clammed up and retreated every time.
This time, the mention of soulmates made Erza's willful determination waver. Her crossed arms fell to her sides, and the proud arch of her spine grew rigid. Mira saw the almost imperceptible crease between Erza's brows, which was a clear sign of distress. She held Erza's gaze, not letting go of the subject.
"Really," Erza murmured softly, eyes withdrawn. "Are you sure?"
"I saw it in their auras when we played Truth or Dare. When soulmates kiss, their auras blend together and become one. If I can see them kiss again, I'll know for sure-"
"Mirajane," Erza groaned, exasperated. "This is completely unethical. I really shouldn't let you do this."
"But?"
"But," Erza sighed. "You know how I feel about soulmates."
"Yes," Mira yelled, jumping up and down in excitement. "You're the best! That makes this whole process so much easier. You see, one of the ingredients I need is a fairy's tears, and I thought I'd have to-"
"I don't even want to know, Mira. I don't even want to know."
Mira ran to lock the door, preventing any further unwanted interruptions. The next thirty minutes were spent trying to get Erza to cry into a cauldron. ("Just think of that nightmare you had where you were forced to be the lead in the school play!") When the potion was done Mira went over her game plan again, trying to work out the kinks. Ideally, she could just ask Lucy to drink the potion, murmur the incantation, and be done with it. Lucy wouldn't drink the potion if she knew it was from Mira, though. Her last matchmaking attempt gone wrong (these adorable little Freshman that would've been even more adorable together) forced Makarov to call a school assembly about not taking mysterious potions from their peers or strangers. ("Even if they seem to have good intentions, only a professional is able to make completely safe magical concoctions. Don't take potions or beverages from anyone other than a trusted adult.") The whole assembly had been so obviously directed at Mirajane that her insufferable, Zeus-descendant boyfriend had been shaking with laughter the entire time. She'd blushed like mad and suggested that Laxus choke on one of his own lightning bolts.
When the potion was finished, Mira hid the spellbook in her bag and enacted Phase Two of her plan. She closed her eyes and focused on her magic, letting it pour out of her chakras and envelope her. Three low murmurs of a familiar shapeshifting spell ("Aliam Pellem"), and Mira felt her skin warping and twisting and molding itself to fit the image in her mind. When Mirajane opened her eyes and looked in the mirror, she had taken the form of the school nurse. Mousy brown hair, dark eyes, and freckled skin. She quickly changed out of her school uniform and into the spare clothes she'd stuffed in her bag. When she was finished, she assessed herself in the mirror and grinned at her handiwork. Not too shabby.
"So," Mira called, grabbing Erza's attention. "How do I look?"
"Your clothes are different," Erza observed, raising a curious brow. "Is there something else?"
"I keep forgetting about that Dexterity of yours," Mira huffed, annoyed that Erza couldn't see the evidence of her brilliant shapeshifting ability. "You and your magical fairy eyes."
"My magical fairy eyes are the only reason your potion is complete," Erza said dryly. Mira rolled her eyes.
"Details. Now, follow me."
Mirajane dragged Erza out of the locker room and into the hallway, carrying the cauldron in her arms. The halls were pretty much empty, class having started ten minutes prior. Mira saw Erza, the damned goody goody, looking around the hall nervously. She rolled her eyes skyward, wondering how Erza could be so bold and yet so hesitant to go against the rules.
"Hurry up, Erza. We don't have all day," Mira huffed, walking faster. "The active ingredients in this potion will stop working in an hour. We have to get this done as soon as possible."
"It's just," Erza paused, biting the inside of her cheek. "How much class are we going to miss for this plan of yours?"
"God, stop worrying. We're only going to miss first hour," Mira said, nudging Erza into an alcove to hide from an approaching teacher. When the hall was empty, they kept going. "You're such a teacher's pet. That's why I couldn't stand you in middle school, you know."
"Really? Your lack of propriety and inability to follow simple rules was why I detested you," Erza hissed, ushering Mira along.
"You know you love my rebel spirit."
"I'd love it more if you weren't such a handful."
Mira pulled Erza to a stop outside the nurse's office, putting a finger to her lips. They crouched down in front of the door. Mira set down the cauldron she'd been carrying, giving Erza an intent look.
"It's time to commence Phase 3," Mira whispered.
"Am I supposed to know what that means?"
"I kinda need you to gently knock the nurse out," Mira whispered. Erza blanched.
"I'm sorry, what?"
"Just get her in that sleeper hold you did to Gray last week. She'll be out in thirty seconds flat," Mira hissed.
"Gray stripped naked in the middle of a public park," Erza hissed back. "This nurse hasn't done anything wrong!"
"Please, Erza! It's for the greater good," Mirajane simpered. "They're soulmates. I know it."
Erza hesitated, looking conflicted. Mira gave her the puppy dog eyes, trying to persuade Erza into going along with the plan. After a few moments of tense silence, Erza sighed and closed her eyes. Soulmates. Gritting her teeth, she stood up and clenched her fists.
"Wait here," Erza growled, clearly not happy about what she was getting ready to do.
Erza wrenched the door open, stepping inside and closing it behind her. Mira heard the nurse's voice muffled by the closed door. After a few moments, there was a brief scuffle inside followed by the sound of a something hitting the ground. Then, the low swish of a clothed body being dragged across the floor and the click of another door being opened and closed. After a few more moments, Erza opened the door to the nurse's office and ushered Mira in. Her red hair was slightly disheveled, and she tried to smooth it back into place.
"The nurse struggled more than I would've preferred," she murmured casually. "She's unconscious in the closet now."
"Perfect! Everything's coming together so nicely," Mira squealed. Erza opened her mouth to say something (probably along the line of questioning Mira's sanity), but the loud buzz of her cell phone interrupted her.
While Erza busied herself with a text, Mira set everything up. She poured some of her potion into a paper cup and set the cauldron underneath the nurse's desk. A quick look in the mirror assured Mira that her school nurse disguise was still in tact (despite the fact that Erza's stupid eyes enabled her to see Mira's true form). Mira paced around the nearly empty infirmary as she mentally prepared for the next part of her plan. She just needed Erza to make an intercom announcement calling Lucy up to the nurse's office. But when Mira turned to tell Erza the next step, she found that Erza was in no shape to do much of anything.
Erza's face was pale, eyes wide and still glued to the screen of her cell phone. Her hands were shaking, and her knees were trembling. Mira noticed Erza biting the inside of her cheek as she always did when she got nervous. A quick scan of Erza's aura confirmed what Mira already knew. Whatever text Erza just read had turned her into a mess of anxiety and disbelief and terror. But there was something else there, too. A glimmer of hope and… Longing? The colors swirling around Erza's aura were morphing and blending almost too quickly for even Mirajane to decipher them.
"Erza," Mira murmured, trying to get the fairy's attention. "What's going on?"
"I- I have to go," Erza replied in a rush, shoving her phone in her pocket and moving to leave. Mira went to block her.
"Weren't you the one who wanted to miss as little class as possible? And now you're leaving?"
"This is more important than school," Erza growled, just about shocking Mira's soul out of her body.
"What? Erza, I still need your help! Wait," Mira urged, gripping Erza's arms. Erza plowed straight through her, brushing Mira's grip off with ease.
"I'm sorry for the inconvenience, but I have more pressing matters at hand. If you'll excuse me."
"But," Mira stammered futily, calling after her. "Soulmates!"
Erza left, leaving Mirajane completely alone in the infirmary. Mira gaped at the empty doorway, baffled by what had just transpired. Erza had just bailedon her. Erza had never just fucking bailed on anybody before, let alone Mira! Worry ate at the back of her mind, knowing that something big must be happening for Erza to drop everything and run. Mira shook it off, confident that Erza could handle whatever problem came her way.
Mira fingered through the little directory book that sat on the nurse's desk and picked up the adjacent phone. Pressing star twice, she followed up by dialing the three digit number that would connect her with Lucy's first period classroom. Mira cleared her throat while the connection was made, preparing herself to imitate the school nurse's voice. Erza, with her fairy magic, would've been able to do it with far greater ease. But desperate times, as the saying goes. When she heard a click on the other end of the line, she knew her voice would be heard over the class's intercom.
"Lucy Heartfilia is needed in the nurse's office right away," Mira said in a smooth, low voice.
"Of course," Professor Lasaro called, his voice sounding distant on the other end of the line.
Mira hung up and prepared for Phase 4. She just had to get Lucy to drink the potion and recite the incantation. Easy. Mira was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she nearly jumped out of her seat when she heard a knock on the door.
"Come in," Mira called, hoping her voice didn't betray her nerves.
In came Lucy Heartfilia, looking somewhat nervous and more than a little apprehensive. It wasn't particularly common for a student to be called up to the nurse's office. Mira gave what she hoped was a reassuring smile, patting one of the spare seats. Lucy walked over, frowning at Mira when she got close.
"What?"
"Nothing. It's just," Lucy paused, as if unsure of how to continue. "You smell a lot like one of my friends."
"We must wear the same perfume," Mira laughed uncomfortably, inwardly kicking herself. Of course. Mira forgot about Lucy's heightened sense of smell. Whatever SH that girl was, Lucy had incredible senses.
"So, what's this all about," Lucy asked bluntly, not beating around the bush. Mira barely refrained from rolling her eyes. She must've picked that up from Natsu.
"I was just looking through students' health records, and I saw that we don't have anything down for you," Mira lied easily. "We usually do health exams in the summer, but you transferred in at the last minute. So we never gave you a physical."
"Oh," Lucy murmured, surprised. "I never knew about it. What do I need to do?"
"For today, I just need to give you some liquid vitamins and an eye exam."
"Sure," Lucy smiled, her expression so friendly it almost made Mirajane feel guilty about her scheming.
Mira handed Lucy the paper cup and watched her down it in one go. Lucy's pretty face twisted into a grimace at the taste, and Mira gave an apologetic smile. A fairy's tears were as bitter as their smiles were sweet. Not to mention that the myriad of other ingredients must've produced a rather unique flavor.
Taking the page she'd copied from Ultear's spell book out of her pocket, Mira tacked it to the wall behind her. The spell's title was conveniently cropped out, leaving the Latin incantation alone on the page. Mira understood the spell's English translation well enough. May these words of life pour from my lips. May they bring my other half in for a kiss.
"Just read this page aloud," Mira said, positioning Lucy a few feet away from the wall. "And then we'll be done."
"Okay, I guess. I've never had an eye exam in Latin," Lucy said cautiously, still doubtful of "the nurse's" intentions. Nonetheless, she cleared her throat and began to read.
"Haec verba vitae fundunt labiorum meorum attendite," Lucy read, voice strong and steady. "Cetera medium conferant osculo."
Mira held her breath, waiting for some sort of sign. A burst of sound or a flash of light. A change in Lucy's aura, even. Nothing happened. Mira kept staring at Lucy, who only stared back like Mira had grown a second head. Lucy cleared her throat.
"Um, can I go now?"
"Yeah," Mira sighed, shaking her head. "Go ahead."
Lucy started walking to the door, but she stopped abruptly. Mira watched as Lucy put a hand to her forehead, looking faint. Lucy's face suddenly paled, and her knees trembled. Her body started to sway precariously, teetering from side to side. Mira barely caught her before she fell over.
"Lucy," Mira cried, pressing a hand to her face. "What's wrong?"
"I feel sick," Lucy said weakly. "Really sick."
"Hold on," Mira said, scooping Lucy up.
Mira got Lucy to lie on one of the open beds, gently setting Lucy's head on the pillow. Lucy soon slipped into unconsciousness, her breaths deepening even as they grew more strained. Mirajane panicked, knowing that it was her fault. Something must've gone wrong with the spell. Lucy was fine a few minutes ago. It's my fault. It's my fault. It's my fault.
Mira paced around the nurse's office and tried to figure out what exactly went wrong. The ingredients were right. The words were right. Hell, Lucy had read them perfectly. In the midst of Mira's worry, she didn't even notice the sound of heavy footsteps in the hallway. When the door slammed open, Mira jumped back in alarm. Natsu. He was panting, clearly having ran as fast as possible.
"What in the hell happened to Lucy?"
"Natsu-"
"You'd better not make excuses, Mira," Natsu growled, stalking over to where Lucy lay. Mira was startled by the mention of her name, knowing her shapeshifting magic should still be in effect. Then she realized that her scent must've given her away. Natsu's sense of smell was even sharper than Lucy's.
"I was trying to put a simple spell on her," Mira explained, flinched at the glare Natsu fixed on her.
"You're horrible at spells Mira," Natsu hissed, not sugarcoating his words like he normally would. "I can't believe you'd use Lucy as one of your Guinea pigs."
"I'm sorry! It was a super harmless spell, I swear. It only requires a little bit of life force-"
"Life force," Natsu repeated, face suddenly pale. "Why would you do that?"
"It's not a big deal," Mira insisted. "All SH's have a ton of life force-"
"Lucy's a Succubus," Natsu hissed, eyes furious. "She has less life force than a Normal. She can't afford to have someone messing with it just because they wanna play Witch!"
"I- I didn't know," Mira whispered, guilt gripping her heart like a vice. "I'm so sorry, Natsu."
Natsu sat at the edge of Lucy's bed, the only sound in the infirmary being her ragged breaths. Mira felt an ache in her chest at the anguish on Natsu's face. He was always so easygoing and carefree. She'd never seen him look so distraught. He brushed Lucy's hair from her face with the same kind of gentle touch that one would use to stroke a butterfly's wings. The gesture was so subtle and yet so telling of his feelings for her. He carefully tucked the stray lock behind her ear- and then he started to lean in.
"What are you doing," Mira asked, moving in closer.
"I'm gonna feed her so she doesn't die," Natsu said flatly, his tone far less kind toward Mira than his hands were toward Lucy.
With that, Natsu leaned the rest of the way forward and covered Lucy's mouth with his own. It was like a scene from Snow White or Sleeping Beauty. Mira gasped and stepped back, awestruck. Anyone else might not have noticed anything out of the norm. But Mira's Dexterity, an incredible gift at reading auras, gave her the ability to see beyond the surface. As soon as Natsu and Lucy's lips met, their auras exploded.
It was like watching a star go supernova. The light that radiated from them was almost too bright and awe inspiring to be real. Flashes of color swirled overhead like the Northern Lights, and the entire room seemed to erupt into shimmers of silver and gold. It was impossible to tell their auras apart. Never in Mira's life had she seen any aura do that. It was more beautiful than anything she'd ever seen. What was even stranger, though, was the way their auras instantly went back to normal once Natsu pulled away from the kiss. It was almost enough to make Mirajane wonder if it'd all been a figment of her imagination.
Lucy's eyes fluttered open, and the color returned to her cheeks. The relief on Natsu's face was clearly visible. The rigid anger left his body in a loud gust of air as he sighed in contentment. Mira saw the recognition slowly seep into Lucy's face- as well as the deep crimson of a blush.
"Natsu, I- How did you know-"
"I felt you through The Bond," Natsu interrupted, grabbing Lucy's hand. "I came running as soon as you fell over. Are you okay?"
"Yeah," Lucy nodded. "I'm just a bit dizzy. It's fine."
"I'm so sorry," Mira said remorsefully. "This was all my fault."
"What," Lucy asked, confused. Mira sighed and let go of her hold on her transformation. She saw Lucy gape at her as her appearance shifted back to normal.
"Mira," Lucy gasped. "Is that you?"
"Yeah," Mira groaned, guiltily messing with the ends of her hair and avoiding Lucy's eyes. "I'm sorry. I was just trying to use a simple love spell on you, but it all went wrong."
"I'm okay," Lucy said, shaking off the remaining disbelief over Mira's transformation. "I forgive you."
"No, it's not okay," Mira insisted. "I shouldn't have butted in. I wouldn't have used a spell on you if I'd known that you were a succubus-"
"Natsu," Lucy cried, slapping Natsu's shoulder. He flinched, startled.
"What," he hissed, rubbing his shoulder.
"Why did you tell Mira about me being a succubus," she cried.
"I was panicking, and it just came out," he responded indignantly. Lucy crossed her arms.
"You're the only one that's supposed to know. Well, besides Minerva. And apparently Sting. And I told Juvia on Friday…"
"You didn't tell me Juvia knew," Natsu said, surprised.
The two of them fell into their playful banter, forgetting that they weren't the only people in the room. As per usual. Natsu and Lucy never seemed to realize that they had their own little world, full of light and laughter and tenderness. It was like they were in their own perfect bubble, safe from the danger and difficulties of the real world. The thought made Mira smile. Natsu had never really had a place where he completely fit in; it was nice to see that he'd found a home in someone.
"Well, I should get going," Mira said, trying to subtly excuse herself. "I shouldn't miss anymore class."
"Me, too," Lucy said, trying to get out of bed. She moved too quickly, though, and Natsu had to catch her before she fell over. He pushed her back to the bed, scowling.
"You're not going anywhere," he commanded. "You can barely walk right now."
"But Natsu-"
"And you need more energy," he insisted, not noticing the blush that rose to Lucy's cheeks at the suggestion. Natsu put one hand on the nape of her neck and cupped her cheek with the other. Mira took that as her cue to leave.
"Natsu! Wait-"
Lucy's voice was suddenly muffled, and her protests stopped. Mira had already turned away from them, but the swirl of vibrant colors and the glimmers of light that scattered around the room left no doubt in Mira's mind of how Natsu had quieted his companion. She closed the door behind her, figuring that the two needed some much deserved privacy.
Mira hummed as she skipped back to class, elated. Yes, mistakes were made. The potion hadn't had quite the intended effect, but no one had gotten seriously hurt. And the end result was still the same. May they bring my other half in for a kiss. Natsu was drawn to Lucy regardless, and Mira wondered if the spell had simply done what it had to do in order to make him come running. Either way, Mirajane had gathered the intel she needed and was rather pleased by her findings:
Natsu and Lucy were undoubtedly soulmates.
Hope you guys enjoyed! Remember to hit those "follow" and "favorite" buttons. And please leave a review! They brighten my day! Also, make sure to click the "follow author" button to be alerted to my future stories. I have a Gajevy one-shot that's about a quarter of the way written that I think you guys will really love. They haven't gotten much attention in this story, but I do love the ship. Keep an eye out for that in a month or so!
~Mya