Warning! Read through the entire chapter. Several times you may want to leave, but keep reading. I promise, you won't regret it.
Chapter Eight: Hangover
An alarm sounded by Natsu's head. He quickly sat up, eyes wide as he searched for the disturbing sound. He found the source. His clock was resting on his nightstand, blaring its annoying tone to get him awake.
He slapped the top, then slid over a button to turn the damn thing off. His large hand rubbed his face, coaxing him to fully wake up. 'What day is it?... I'm pretty sure it's Friday...'
Natsu smiled, today was his day off. He only works Mondays through Thursdays, so he didn't have to worry about showing up to work with a hangover this morning. His head was throbbing painfully. It felt like his head was caught in a vice, and the damn thing just kept squeezing.
"Is it morning?" He glanced down to the alarm clock, seeing the time. It was already past ten in the morning. "Why the fuck is my alarm going off at this hour?" He sighed before laying back down on his bed. He took a deep breath, then tensed when he smelled the air.
The pink haired man started sniffing, realizing the air smelled like a mixture of sweat and sex. Once again he had the problem of trying to remember what happened last night. This time it didn't take as long for the memories to come flooding back.
"Lucy!"
His eyes shot over to the other side of the bed, searching for the blonde. His heart clenched painfully in his chest when he realized she wasn't there. He stood up, walking over to his dresser to quickly get changed. He really needed a shower, but that could wait. Right now he needed to find Lucy more.
After throwing on a clean change of clothes, he left his bedroom. Once he opened his door, his blue-furred cat ran into his room, meowing like crazy from being ignored all night.
"Not now, Happy," Natsu bent down to pet the feline on his head. "Gotta find Lucy."
He glanced up, frowning when he didn't see the woman immediately. He walked through his apartment, checking his bathroom, kitchen, and living room. He doubted she would be in the laundry room or closets, but he checked them too for the hell of it. Still, he couldn't find her anywhere in his home, because she left. She didn't even bother leaving a note or anything. It was almost as if she was never there.
"Fuck," he dropped to his knees, not caring that the landing on his tile floor was harsh. He held both sides of his head, wondering what he did wrong. 'Why did she leave? Was she ever even here? What the hell happened?'
He had only questions, and no answers. The ideas he could come up with tore his heart up. 'Did... did she go back to her husband? Was this some kind of sick game to her? Messing with my emotions just to leave?'
He shook his head. Lucy wouldn't do that to him. Or at least, he hoped she wouldn't. Her tears had been genuine last night, her kisses felt so real, so passionate. He couldn't believe she did it all as some type of cruel prank.
Natsu felt the stinging sensation in his eyes. He was starting to cry. No matter how much he didn't want to, he allowed the tears to roll down his cheeks. He finally had her. He finally had the woman he loved more than anything in the world, and she left him.
Again.
He choked out a sob as his body began to shake. 'This isn't happening! I'm dreaming! It's not real!' He pinched his arms, but nothing changed. He was still sitting on his kitchen floor, he was still the only person in his apartment, and Lucy was still gone.
"God fucking damn it!" He rose, legs carrying him to his freezer. The urge was far greater than ever before.
Natsu opened the door, grabbing out a bottle of vodka. It was the cheap kind, one with an off-brand label and a taste that could kill his brain cells. He didn't care. He opened it up and lifted it to his lips. Before he could take a swig, he stopped.
Natsu closed his eyes, letting his nose fill with the smell of the liquor. For the first time in years, he didn't want to drink his problems away. Hesitantly, he set the bottle on the counter, then put the cap back on.
"What the fuck do I do now?" He hadn't been in this situation. Ever since Lucy left the first time, he'd been trying to cover his pain by any means necessary. In the beginning, he resorted to using exercise as a distraction. Any time he'd start to think about the blonde, he'd immediately go for a run or visit the gym.
When that wasn't enough, he turned to other women. At first he tried to convince himself that it was the best way to get over Lucy, but after a while, he realized the only females he liked were all blondes. Even then, he didn't stop his unhealthy relationships. They were a great distraction after all.
As he got older, he found people who would buy him alcohol for the right price. It was easy hiding it from everyone at first. They assumed he was withdrawing because he was heartbroken, not knowing how far his pain really ran.
For a while he considered experimenting with drugs, but he never ended up going through with it. He didn't want to get hooked on something dangerous and highly illegal. That's why his poison of choice was alcohol.
When he was finally legally old enough to drink, he began hitting up the bars when he thought about Lucy. Unfortunately for him, that was almost every night. When he was single, he spent most nights at the bar, trying to drink away his pain, and his paycheck. When Natsu was in a relationship, he focused on the woman, trying to take his mind off of the stinging pain in his chest. His relationships never lasted long, and always ended with him right back at the bar, trying to forget his heartache.
Natsu sighed. He popped the cap off the bottle again. This time, instead of lifting the rim up to his lips, he turned it upside down, letting the contents of the bottle pour into the sink. He watched as the clear liquid leaked down the drain. He wasn't sure if he was really ready to give up drinking, but he figured there was one thing he could try that might help him cope with his alcohol addiction.
He threw the empty bottle away, then started looking through the drawers of his kitchen. He was looking for something Gray gave him months ago. Something he thought he'd never need.
"Hey Buddy," a raven haired man said as he stepped into the apartment, immediately cringing when he took in the smell. "Really? It's not even noon. Why does this place smell like booze?"
The pink haired man being questioned went to sit at his table, ignoring his concerned friend to turn his attention over to his drink. He usually didn't drink beer, but it was all he had in his apartment, and he really didn't feel like going outside today. Not to mention the fact that he was now broke.
"Natsu?"
"Gray?" Natsu said in a sarcastic tone. "What do you want?"
His emerald eyes never left his drink, even when he heard his friend approaching.
"Look, I didn't want to say it, but we're all worried about you."
The pink haired man scoffed, then let out a strained laugh. "Noo reason ta be worried. I'm doin' jush fine." Despite his words, he slurred as he spoke, but he still sounded clear enough to understand. He wasn't drunk yet, but he was working towards that goal fast.
A cold hand landed on Natsu's wrist. Dark green eyes shot up to look at Gray. "What!"
The raven haired man flinched back at the sudden outburst. His eyebrows drew in, a glare forming as he opened his mouth. "Look at you man! You look awful!"
"Why don'tcha tell me what you really think?" Natsu brought his drink up to his lips, then chugged the remaining liquid. "I'm fine," he said in a nicer tone. "Really. I just got dumped yesterday. Bitch ruined some of the pictures I had of-" Even then, he couldn't say her name out loud. It was too painful.
"Lucy?"
Natsu tensed when he heard Gray say her name. It was enough to make him feel a little more sober. Forcing himself to seem calm, he shrugged, "yeah. Those pictures. I went out last night. Spent all my money, and payday's not 'til tomorrow, so I thought I'd save some money and drink at home. No one has to put up with me this way."
Gray's eyes softened. "No one 'puts up' with you. We just want you to be happy, but I don't think drinking yourself to death is gonna do that."
"You don't know that," Natsu said in defense as he jerked his wrist away from Gray's touch. "What are you doin' here anyways? Shouldn't you be at home with your happy family instead of pestering me!?"
Gray sighed, shaking his head. "I just came to drop this off." He reached for his chest, then gasped when he felt his bare skin. "Damn it, I was just wearing a shirt!"
"It's over there," Natsu pointed with his chin over to the kitchen where Happy was playing with the dark blue shirt.
The raven haired man walked over and gently tugged his clothing away from the cat. Once it was in his possession again, he fished through the chest pocket, then pulled out a card. He placed the card in front of Natsu, gaining the pink haired man's attention.
"What's this?"
"An alcoholic's anonymous group. They meet a few times a week. I think it'd be good for you." Gray remained quiet, as if expecting something.
Natsu wanted to take a swing at the stripping bastard, or at least yell at him some more. However, his energy to do so faded when he glanced at the card. It had a slogan for the group typed at the bottom of the paper. You can overcome this.
Natsu let out some air through his nose, "thanks, but I'm really fine."
Gray tapped on the card, "just try it? Please? If you don't like it then you don't have to go back, but for Erza and me, could you at least give it a shot."
The pink haired man lifted his head, fierce eyes locking with a cold gaze. "I'll try it," he lied. He had no intentions of going to some group. He had everything under control, or at least that's what he thought.
There was no point in going to AA. He didn't have a problem, he wasn't addicted. He was just, sad... And alcohol was how he coped. It was normal. Other people did it all the time, so he had no idea why Gray was giving him such a hard time.
Still, he said he'd go, just to get his friend off his back. It worked, unfortunately.
Gray left that day with a small smile on his face, and Natsu ended that day getting drunk off his ass, only to end up crying alone in his bed. He threw the card in a random drawer in his kitchen, no intentions on ever going to a meeting.
"Found it," Natsu said as he lifted the business card to his face. It was wrinkled from when he crumpled it, but he could still read the number typed on the paper. He reached down to his jeans for his phone, then realized the device wasn't on him.
Curious, he went back to his room and found last night's jeans thrown near Happy's cat bed. He picked them up, easily finding his phone in his pockets. He tried to click the on button, but realized it was dead. "Hmmm, guess I shoulda charged it last night."
Natsu plugged the device into his charger, seeing the battery symbol light up on his phone. It would take a bit before it was good enough to use, so he kept it there in the mean time.
He was about to set down his jeans when he realized something. He fisted the material in his hands, looking for any lumps. When he found none, he checked all four pockets. "Damn it," he muttered to himself. "Where the fuck did I put my wallet."
The pink haired man's mind went to last night. Some parts were still hazy. He remembered paying for the drinks at Fairy Tail, then-
'Did I put it in my pocket? I don't remember, but that doesn't mean I didn't do it.' He sighed, admitting to himself that he'd have to retrace his steps. Unfortunately, that meant he had to go back to Fairy Tail.
Natsu tried turning on his phone, relieved when the device lit up after holding the on button. The battery was still weak, but it would be enough to make a call as long as he kept it on the charger.
Natsu took a long, deep breath. He didn't want to admit he had a problem, but that was step one, right? He dialed the number, then his thumb hovered over the call button for a few extra seconds.
After stalling, he finally pressed the button. He brought the phone up to his ear, then waited.
Ring, Ring, Ring, Rin-
"Hello, thank you for calling Magnolia's helpline. If you know your parties extension, you may dial it now. Otherwise, please wait for-"
Natsu pressed in the four digit extension that was listed on the card. He waited a while longer, listening to the hold music.
"Good morning. This is Cana speaking with Magnolia's Alcoholic's Anonymous group. How may I help you?"
The pink haired man paled. "Cana? Are you the same girl who went to Magnolia High? Cana Alberona?"
There was a pause before the lady finally answered, "yes I am. You sound familiar. Do we know each other?"
Natsu shook his head, "not really. We went to the same high school. Natsu. Natsu Dragneel."
"Hmmm, I think I remember you. Were you the guy with pink hair?"
The pink haired man nodded, "that's the one."
"What can I help you with?"
At first Natsu was worried about getting help, but if Cana -the girl who always had some type of alcoholic beverage in her hands all throughout high school- was getting help, then he could too. There might be hope for him.
"I need to join the AA group. I uh... I have a problem," Natsu felt his tone wavering, losing confidence despite his earlier thoughts.
There was no hesitation before Cana spoke. "It's good to hear you're wanting help. The next meeting is this Sunday night at seven. Do you think you can make that?"
"Y-yes," he gulped, thinking it was too soon. 'If I'm going to do this, better do it before I can change my mind.'
"Great, I'll see you then. You only have to bring yourself, no paperwork required. If you have any loved ones that would like to come with you for support, they're more than welcome to join."
Natsu didn't bother telling her he didn't have any loved ones he'd want to bring. His family didn't know fully about his addiction, and for some reason he felt embarrassed to ask Gray or Erza to come with him, even if they were the ones wanting him to get help in the first place.
"Thanks, I'll see you Sunday."
"Have a nice day, Mr. Dragneel. If you have anymore questions, don't be afraid to call."
The line went dead. Natsu pulled the phone away from his ear to peer down at the screen. During the call his phone had received a multitude of text messages. He ignored the ones from his ex-girlfriend, the one he sent a payback picture to last night. They were filled with a string of cuss words, and he didn't have the energy to put up with that.
The other texts were from Gray and Erza, asking if he was all right. He didn't know why they were wondering, so he just sent back that he was fine. One text stood out from the others. It was from the lady he used as a booty call. The same lady he thought for a moment he was hooking up with last night until he remembered he was actually with Lucy.
'Lucy...'
His heart throbbed again. His first instinct was to grab something to drink, but he couldn't do that anymore. Not only did he want to try to change himself, but he was also out of alcohol.
"Why'd she leave again?" His question was met with silence, like always.
He glanced back at his phone, seeing the message from the woman. He skimmed through it, but it basically said she would be free tonight if he wanted to hook up.
Natsu found no comfort in the thoughts of hooking up with any other woman now. He was being honest last night when he realized he would never be able to go back to 'just sex' again after having Lucy.
He sighed, then texted back, Sorry, I don't do that anymore. Thanks though.
The pink haired male didn't bother seeing if she was going to reply. The moment he pressed send, he made up his mind. Giving up booze was just one step. He had to also give up the random women and the meaningless relationships if he wanted to improve himself.
"Give up everything that's unhealthy," his mind drifted to the box under his bed. The one filled with pictures and notes from Lucy. He knew it was unhealthy to keep them, but he wasn't ready just yet to give that up as well. Maybe if he got better he'd revisit that idea, but for now, he would just avoid looking through it. That was a step all on its own.
Natsu was about to move when he realized something was touching him. He looked down, smiling. Happy was rubbing his head against his owner's leg.
"Guess I should get you something to eat?" Natsu said as he walked back to the kitchen. He opened the fridge, then cringed. He literally only had half of a raw fish and an empty jug of milk in his refrigerator. "I should probably go grocery shopping too..."
He grabbed the raw fish, then placed it on a plate for his cat. It was already cleaned, so the cat could freely eat at it without worrying about scales or bones.
Natsu knew he couldn't go grocery shopping without his wallet, so he said bye to Happy before heading off to Fairy Tail. He left his phone at home since the thing was about to die again. It wasn't like he needed it right now anyway.
He pet Happy one more time before making his way to his front door. He was about to unlock it when he realized it was already unlocked. "Huh... Well I guess she couldn't really lock it back if she was trying to make an exit."
He opened the door, then locked it back. He didn't live in a bad neighborhood, but it was still stupid to leave his door unlocked. Natsu decided to skip the elevator, not wanting to get sick on the ride down. He opened the door to the stairs. He was halfway down when he caught his reflection in a window.
His hair was more wild than normal, his eyes were red from crying, and his frown was the most predominant feature on his face. He looked like shit, but there wasn't much he could do about it now.
Natsu ran his hands through his pink locks, trying to tame them. He couldn't do anything about his eyes, but the frown he had a chance to fix. He tried smiling, he really did, but his mood was at an all time low. He realized he actually felt better before Lucy came back into his life. Now that he had a taste of her, seeing what it was like to actually be with her and then lose it, well it was worse than never knowing at all.
Then again, it might just be because he was choosing to be sober this time. Usually right now he'd be on his way to get drunk to forget about her. Honestly, he never truly forgot. He just got numb enough to ease the pain, but now he felt it fully.
Natsu sighed before finishing his journey down the stairs. Just as he entered the main lobby of his apartment complex, he saw the elevator doors close. He didn't pay it any attention as he left the complex to walk down the street.
The trip seemed shorter than normal, but it was probably due to his troubled mind. He was still unsure if he really wanted to stop drinking. It had been his comfort for so long now. He wasn't even sure if he could give up drinking. What if he gave it a shot, only to turn to the bottle the next time something really bad happened to him. It was bound to happen, seeing as life wasn't perfect.
"I don't want perfect," Natsu muttered as he crossed the street. Fairy Tail was less than a block away now.
When the parking lot came into view, his breath hitched. The only car present was a small silver car that belonged to Mira. 'Lucy really did leave.'
Natsu didn't get a good look at Lucy's rental car last night. She pointed to it on their way to his apartment, but he was lost in her eyes. He barely registered what it looked like, and that was with his mind clouded by lust and alcohol. He doubted he'd recognize it now even if he did see it.
The pink haired man held back the urge to cry. He couldn't allow those tears to spill, because then he'd want to drink to get rid of the pain. He had to actually deal with his own emotions, no matter how awful they may be.
After taking a few minutes to calm himself down, he went to the front door and knocked. Fairy Tail wasn't open at this hour, but he was sure Mira would be able to hear him. Sure enough, the white haired woman made herself visible at the front door.
Natsu waved, and opened his mouth to explain why he was there, but there was no need. Mira unlocked the door and opened it without him needing to say a word. "Come on in!"
He nodded, then entered.
"I'm guessing you're here about your wallet?" Mira said, walking behind the counter.
"How'd you know?" Natsu asked, moving so he stood on the other side of the bar.
The white haired woman pressed a few buttons on the cash register before it popped open. "Lisanna left a note saying you might stop by. Seems you left it last night." She turned to face him. "Apparently you seemed rather, distracted."
Natsu's cheeks flushed at what she was implying. "Oh, yeah..." He scratched at his scalp, averting his eyes so he didn't look directly at the woman.
"It's okay," Mira assured. "There's no reason to be embarrassed."
Natsu wondered just what that note said. 'Did she mention Lucy? Is that why Mira's giving me that look?'
Before the owner of Fairy Tail handed over the wallet, she said, "we're having a cookout next weekend to celebrate Elfman graduating college. It'd be great if you could make it."
The pink haired man's shoulders went slack. He already started forming his decline. He didn't go to social events, always feeling like an outcast among his friends. He usually resorted to drinking, but tried to keep it a little more under control. Of course he felt like they were judging him anyway, and it was always awkward and uncomfortable for him to endure. He had nothing against Elfman, or any of his other friends, but he knew it wasn't a scene for him.
"Actually-" Natsu stopped, and really thought about it. 'If I'm trying to make a change for the better... Maybe, just maybe, this is what I need. It'd be kinda nice to see my friends again. It's been a while... Plus it'll give me a chance to see if I can handle a night out without drinking. I'm sure Gray or Erza will be there to help me out if I need it, not that I want to admit I need their help... I don't know...'
"If you want," Mira started, "I can put you down as a maybe, until you figure it out?"
Natsu shook his head, making up his mind right then. "I'll go. Just let me know when and where."
"Great!" The white haired woman said as she handed over the wallet. "I'll be sure to text you the details later."
"Sounds good," Natsu smiled, realizing he wasn't lying. It actually was starting to sound pretty good. "I gotta get going," he said after his stomach let out a growl.
"Have a good day, Natsu," the woman said, following him to the door. Once he was outside, she locked back up, not wanting people entering while the bar was closed.
Natsu started heading back to his apartment. He knew he needed to go grocery shopping, but that could wait. His head was pounding, and the last thing he wanted to do was go to the market with a hangover.
He decided to stop by a bakery on his way home. He got three donuts and a large coffee. Hopefully it would be enough to give him the boost he needed to get on with his day. Natsu still didn't want to admit that Lucy really left, but the evidence was piling against him. He didn't know if it was something he did, or said, but he felt like it was his fault.
'Even if she doesn't end up with me, I hope she didn't go back to that asshole,' the pink haired man thought as he entered the lobby to his complex. He would be pissed if she went back to the man who repetitively abused and raped her. He couldn't even stomach the thought.
Choosing to take the elevator this time, he stepped into what he liked to call 'the box of doom.' He shoved one donut completely in his mouth, chewing it a few times, then swallowed the whole thing. He gulped most of his coffee, loving the way it made his body jolt. He knew it wouldn't be long until he was feeling better -at least hangover-wise.
He had no idea if his heart would hold up.
He was still upset that Lucy left. 'She couldn't even leave a note?' Even his last ex-girlfriend did that, and they didn't even love each other. Lucy told him multiple times last night that she loved him, so he couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that she actually left.
"Guess I'll never know," Natsu said to himself when the elevator stopped on his floor. The large doors opened, revealing the hallway that led to his apartment. He took one step before freezing.
His green eyes widened, his jaw going slack. "Wh-what-" He couldn't finish his sentence. Sitting right in front of his apartment door, surrounded by what appeared to be shopping bags, was the girl of his dreams.
"Lucy?"
The blonde quickly glanced up, a bright smile on her face. She stood, letting him see she was wearing her ripped jeans, a messy bun, and one of his shirts. "Hey Natsu! You locked me out." She let out a giggle, and his heart soared.
Hello again!
Of course I'd like to start out by thanking everyone who faved/followed this story! I'd also like to thank those who take the time to review: MarSofTheGalaxies, katiekat2001, the fan of fairys, FlameDragonHime, sidjr100, Gaia Kame, FairyTailLover04, Argo0, Ashnmarley, Demonleonhart, LucyMarieHeartfilia, Crimsonlink310, Jaz-Chan-Senpai, BobIsAwesome, Yomi14, sthokatrina, and Frosch0516!
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I know I enjoyed writing it, even though it caused me some pain. Let me know what you thought of the chapter! Did you guys think Lucy really left? What do you think will happen now? :)
Up next, Chapter Nine: New Path.