I'm a little obsessed with this story eek
I was gonna work on ma Natsu day post but at this point it'll just be another one-shot I release loool
thinking about what I might do for NaLu day tho!
Natsu felt the blood in his body boil to an extreme height as he drew his fist back and aimed for Gajeel's stomach, ignoring the metal dragon's shouting.
He was practically seeing red, seething with an unreasonable amount of anger that couldn't be contained.
It was his fault, he hurt Lucy.
His thoughts buzzed and trilled, whipping like a mad storm that agitated Natsu to no end. They ridiculed and provoked him at the same time, blaming him for failing to keep Lucy safe and demanding him to take revenge.
The weight of his internal struggle landed with a powerful punch that knocked Gajeel off his feet and hurled him through the already damaged guild door.
Natsu released the tension in his tightened jaw, rolling his shoulders back with a sigh. That felt so good.
He ignored the cries and concerns from the other members clamoring around a newly formed hole; Natsu knocked Gajeel clean through the opposite window and out into the surrounding woods.
He just needed to see Lucy. She said she was okay, but he wouldn't believe it until he had her in his arms.
But the longer they spent time apart, the more antsy he noticed himself becoming. Anxious to see her, to smell her, to have the slightest hold on her. He wanted to be alone with her, to keep her to himself for just a little while to make the swirling in his stomach disappear.
The thought of a deep kiss sounded like the right cure, one where he could listen to her every muddled sound and taste the warmth of her tongue.
Natsu shook his head as a blush settled on the tips of his ears, heading for the infirmary despite Erza's calls.
He rushed the door, pulling it open with a swift jerk, the hinges cracking as he did so.
"Lucy?" His anxiety only grew more as he stepped into the empty room, looking around for any trace of the blonde. Fuck, where was she?
"Oh, did she leave?" Mirajane asked, walking in behind him. Natsu looked at her, unable to hide his overstimulated demeanor.
"Why would she leave? She was hurt, she needed to rest, she shouldn't have left," His nails bit into the center of his palm, Natsu beginning to notice his own labored breath. "Where is she?"
Mirajane held a genuinely concerned expression, stepping forward with a soft head tilt and subtle frown. "Natsu, are you okay?"
"I'll feel a lot better once I know where Lucy is," He shook his head, Mira stepping aside as Natsu made the motion to leave. His nose twitched, in search of her scent in the air, the tension returning to his jaw as he followed the trail to an eager looking Laxus near the exit.
Natsu didn't notice how the guild grew quiet or that most everyone had their attention focused on him. The pressure of Natsu's magic suddenly became overwhelming, sticking to their shoulders and weighing everyone down. Gray could feel the gradual rise in temperature, counteracting the growing heat to keep the wood from catching on fire. Even Laxus was wary of the other dragon, sensing that he wasn't in his usual state of mind.
"Lucy went on a walk," His eyes drew to the Raijinshuu getting up from their table slowly, Freed's hand tight on the hilt of his sword. "She said she wanted some space, I think you should give it to her."
"Lucy wants to feel safe, she'll feel safe with me," A growl laced his every word, knuckles turning white as he tightly clenched his fists. "You're lying, she wouldn't leave without talking to me."
"She probably left because of the way you knocked out metal head over there. Lucy was scared." There was a silent groan that expanded throughout the other members; was this really the best time to provoke Natsu? Especially when the floor beneath his feet was beginning to sear.
"You—"
"Natsu," The dragon paused his decision to strike the other as Happy's muttered voice swam out from behind him. Turning his head slightly, he gulped at the sight of his teary-eyed best friend. "Are you okay?"
Happy's worried tone snapped Natsu from his momentary emotional state, the overflowing volcano in his heart cooling from its near eruption. He was quick to drop to his knees, reaching out for the exceed who quickly snuggled into the white scarf.
"I'm okay, bud," It was like a switch had flipped, everyone releasing the stressed breath they held. "I'm okay, I'm just worried about Luce is all."
"Like I said," Laxus cleared his throat, pulling himself off of the wall he stood against. "She wanted some space, let her have it."
Natsu held his anger in, not wanting to startle the upset cat in his grasp.
Where the hell did he get off talking about Lucy like that? Like he knew her? Like she wouldn't want to see Natsu of all people?
"Let's take a nap on the roof and wait for Luce to come home," He said to his partner, taking them both out of the guild without sparing anyone a second glance.
Natsu hopped up in one swift motion, finding a spot with some shade that the duo liked to frequent on their days off.
"Are you really okay, Natsu?" Happy had the right to feel concerned, knowing his best friend best out of everyone in the guild. Natsu was never the type to be extremely emotional without good reason, though not to say Lucy shouldn't have warranted his concern. The way he punched Gajeel through the wall reminded Happy of the last time they dealt with the pirates, and Erza was nearly ran through with a broadsword. The anger that flashed in his eyes was monumental, and Natsu had burned the whole battlefield to a crisp.
This was the first time Happy saw Natsu attack one of their guildmates with the actual intent to harm them.
Natsu rested a comforting hand on the exceed as he laid them down, letting out a long breath as he simply shrugged his shoulders.
He didn't know either, if he was being honest. Ever since his first kiss with Lucy, Natsu knew something was changing inside himself. It felt volatile at times, like an ache and overwhelming need that found itself desperate for Lucy.
He was still his happy-go-lucky self, but his mood was bouncing all over the place. He couldn't be at peace if he wasn't sure Lucy was peaceful herself. His contentment was reliant on her condition, a subtle feeling of anxiety threatening him at all times. Even now he found it difficult to sit still as his stomach swirled with guilt. Why wasn't he with Lucy right now? Why wasn't he making sure she was okay? Even if she asked for space, he knew she'd still want to see him. Natsu was confident in knowing she couldn't be without him.
He closed his eyes and comforted himself with the memory of Lucy's warmth, planning to hold her close as soon as she returned, maybe even inviting her into his home that night. And she wouldn't say no.
~000~
The sour taste of static in the air woke Natsu from his slumber, his eyes opening to the now dark sky that hung above them. He smacked his lips uncomfortably, annoyed that Laxus was probably shooting lightning bolts off into the sky to entertain Freed again.
He yawned and sat forward, cradling his arm so Happy didn't roll away. Smiling at the sight of his snoring kitten, Natsu stood up carefully to take them both back inside. A piping hot fish dinner sounded good, and would be a nice way for Natsu to apologize for worrying Happy.
But their relaxation period was cut short; as soon as Natsu's feet hit the ground, a siren in the guild began to go off.
"Pirate sighting, pirate sighting! All and any available guild members report to town, pirate sighting!" The noise startled Happy awake, Gray and Erza already running through the doors.
"Natsu, let's go!" Gray snapped the dragon out of his momentary blank, a cold and sick feeling swirling its way around his stomach.
"Lucy's still in town," His breath shuddered as he spoke, others quickly running past him, nobody wasting their time to confront whoever had infiltrated their city limits. The last pirate to come into town was Brandish, the mage shrinking random buildings for fun before running off to avoid any consequence. It wasn't wise to leave those tricksters running around for long.
"Natsu, hurry!" Happy was already airborne, joining the charge into town. The dragon finally spread his wings, his ears ringing with the sound of a blood curdling scream.
It was loud enough to resonate through town and up the hill the guild was perched on, some people slowing their movements to wonder if they had just been imagining that sound.
"They have Lucy!" His panic grew and overwhelmed each and every one of his senses, the dragon taking off without another thought.
She was in trouble, she was in danger; his Lucy. Heat plumed out of every pore, scales present on his features, claws seeking to be covered in enemy blood. He was faster than the rest, Happy right behind him with Erza in his grasp. Another scream rang through his ears and taunted him so painfully.
"Lucy!" Natsu felt his heart beating out of his chest as he followed her scream, wings beating to carry him faster through the air.
As his eyes caught sight of Lucy, just before he could dive bomb the two culprits, a golden flash of magic poured out of her, her voice carrying into the sky above them.
"Loke!" The call vibrated through the air, an odd silence filling the streets. A loud ding-dong chime expanded across the sky and beckoned the stars to brighten in response. Natsu watched as a constellation revealed itself and glowed in response to her call, an object tumbling out from the center of the pattern.
His nose flared with the scent of her magic, its constitution nearly similar to his own. It was bright and warm, a source of heat and fire burning within her, an essence of twilight and nightfall surrounding her.
They watched as the falling light descended onto the bridge, Juliet and Heine shielding their eyes from its brightness. As the light began to fade, the outline of a human body began to take shape, a man with orange hair and a dark-colored suit standing before them.
"What the…" Juliet lifted a brow as she looked to Heine, the two ignoring Lucy's now limp body to confront the mysterious man. He pushed his glasses up by their center and bore his eyes into the two, staring only for a moment at the blonde.
"The price for harming my princess, I'm afraid," He started, rolling up his sleeves as he spoke. "Is a hefty one."
"Who do you think you—"
"Regulus Impact!" Enveloping the two in a brilliant light, the pirates screamed as they took on the full brunt of his attack. As the light faded, Heine was shaking and dropped to her knees, parts of her clothing burned away and exposing her charred skin. Juliet, however, had reverted to her sword form, and was out of commission.
Heine stared at his apathetic expression, a terrified chill running down her spine as she looked to Juliet. Only one fairy had ever managed to revert either herself or Juliet to their sword form before, letting her know that this was not a man she could take on herself if she wanted to make it back safely to Irene's side.
Using her black wraps, she swept the white sword from the ground in the flash of a second and used the remainder of her strength to quickly vanish from the enemy's line of sight.
The guild members who managed to catch up and watch the scene before them stood silently as the orange-haired man crouched down next to Lucy, only able to take her into his arms for a second until he vanished.
I wanna keep writing more kisses between them kjhkhshl and show you what I have planned for the end! We're a long ways away until that chapter tho lol
sorry not sorry for another cliffhanger! but please look forward to the next chapter bc I will include a lot of fluff!