Chapter 16

You put your arms around me and I'm home

Lucy and Natsu walked down the street, hand in hand, to no where in specific. They wandered aimlessly, letting their feet decide their destination. They didn't speak, letting the cool night air lull their minds into a peaceful nothingness. The silence was far from uncomfortable, no in fact it was a refreshing moment for the two. While they both enjoyed their conversations about anything and everything, sometimes saying nothing was all the words they needed to hear.

Natsu had texted the group chat soon after he found Lucy, letting them know that he had found her and that they wouldn't be returning to the party. Although they wished they would soon rejoin in their fun, their friends understood that their choice to be alone was better for Lucy. They told Natsu to take good care of her, they all knew that Lucy was best off in Natsu's care for he was the one who loved her most.

Lucy had stopped crying a while ago, in her tears place was a soft smile and blush. She could not fathom what had just happened, just like a fantasy coming to life, she was sure she would wake up from this dream soon. As she walked, she inhaled Natsu's scent off his jacket, it made her feel invincible to the cold, to anything life may throw her way.

As they walked in silence, enjoying the beautiful snowy night Lucy felt a song appear in her head. She knew it was best she ignores it, as the strong emotions from nights like these always evoked powerful songs to match. She worried such a song for Natsu may throw him off, so she quickly hushed her mind, drawing her attention to a tree wrapped in Christmas lights.

Before they knew it, they stood before Alex's restaurant; their feet had lead them home as they didn't know where else to go. They slipped in the building from the back so that Alex wouldn't see them, and they ran into her apartment. They giggled once the door closed behind them, in trying to keep quiet, a very drunk Natsu almost fell down the stairs causing the two having to fight for their lives not to fall into hysterics.

"You know I may be clumsy but get some tequila in you and its like gravity repels you." Lucy laughed as he stumbled trying to take off his shoes.

"Yeah, yeah Luce, you're just jealous that I only lose my balance when drunk." He retorted. He resorted to sitting on his ass as he pulled off his shoes, crouching proved to be too hard in his current state.

Lucy laughed as she watched Natsu try to take off his shoes, he pulled with all his might, forgetting to undo the laces. Lucy sighed and bent down to his level, she begun to unlace his shoes and pull them off for him. He sat back as he watched her help him, she never failed to amaze him even in the most mundane things.

"C'mon Natsu, lets get you into bed." She said as she helped him up, on their walk home the alcohol had really hit him, he wasn't sloppy, but Lucy was sure the next day would bring one hell of a hangover. She figured getting him to bed now would help ward off some of the effects of the alcohol, but unfortunately, Natsu did not enjoy that idea.

"Nooooooo! Luceeeee, I don't wannnaaaaa." Natsu whined. "Let's dance, Oh! I know, let's write a song!" Natsu suggested as he wandered her apartment. Lucy giggled as she watched him walk around aimlessly, where was he even trying to go? Lucy wasn't sure it was a good idea but the idea of writing a song right now made but she felt her soul come to life once more, she felt the song from before rewrite itself all over her brain. She knew the best way to handle everything that happened would be to write it all out, the good and the bad, all onto one paper. But she was unsure she would want this song to be heard. Some of her songs could only remain pure when they fell onto deaf ears.

"How about you lay in bed, and I sing you a song to help you fall asleep?" Lucy offered. She knew that Natsu would not be letting up of his need to indulge in music. No matter where he was or what he was doing, he gravitated towards music, just as Lucy did.

Natsu stared at her, pondering. He doubted he would be even able to play piano with how bad his coordination was. His heart came to life at the thought of being able to fall asleep to Lucy's sweet voice, although he loved writing music, he loved hearing Lucy's music come to life more.

"Okay." Natsu said with a childish smile. He grabbed Lucy's hand and pulled her into her bedroom. He plopped himself on her bed and snuggled into her pillows as she sat at her piano bench, slightly faced away from him. She felt herself blush as the song in her head grew louder, so loud she could barley form a sentence that were not the lyrics in her mind.

"What should I play?" Lucy asked Natsu for suggestions. Despite her soul knowing exactly what needed to be played, she fought against it. She sat on her hands to keep herself from falling into the song. She hoped a suggestion from Natsu would silence the chords running over in her mind, but his response only encouraged the song to turn up its volume in her head.

"Play whatever your heart tells you to Luce, I know you have something up there ready to be heard, play that." Natsu said. With those words Lucy could swear she heard her song being whispered into her ears. The voice of her aura, her soul, and maybe even her mother who taught her that playing from the heart was the only way to love music. "To deny your being of its rights to be heard is to reject being human," her mind told her.

Natsu watched as Lucy fought with herself. He knew she had a song in mind, he wondered why she didn't just play it. He knew she wrote best from emotion and with so many that were felt tonight, he questioned why she didn't use them as ammunition for the piano. It soon dawned on Natsu that maybe the song she had thought up would be too personal to be heard by any other person's ears. He too had songs that only he was meant to hear. The one downside to playing every song from your essence was that the songs portrayed exactly what went through your brain. Music was a window into the musicians soul and sometimes that could feel like a breech of privacy.

"Lucy, whatever you feel right now, stop fighting it. Let tonight be heard, let music say the things that you can't speak with your own words." Natsu encouraged her. He was proud of his comment because he was quite drunk right now. But with Lucy all the right words just seemed to slip out.

She remained silent, her face looking tense as she continued to fight it. He was sure Lucy hadn't even heard him until she began to play. Her fingers moved swiftly over the keys as she let herself lose control of her mind. Natsu smiled triumphantly, she was going to let him into her mind, she was going to let him go past her walls that kept her safe.

Lucy finished the introductions chord progression, she opened her mouth and let go of the breath she wasn't even aware she was holding. When she opened her mouth again, she let the words flow out of her body and into the air that surrounded them.

(Arms- Christina Perri)

"I never thought that you'd be the one to hold my heart

But you came around and you knocked me off the ground from the start

You put your arms around me, and I believe that its easier for you to let me go

You put your arms around me

And I'm home."

Lucy let the piano carry her words through the song. She felt herself smile as she thought of what the words truly meant to her. Natsu had become her home. When he was around her, the world felt bright, she felt the air become easier to breathe, she felt the sun shine down on her. The lyrics translated her love to him through the words she still felt too scared to say. She took a small breath as she continued her confession to Natsu through her song.

"How many times will you let me change my mind and turn around

I can't decide if I'll let you save my life

Or If I'll drown

I hope that you see right through my walls

I hope that you catch me

'Cause I'm already falling

I'll never let a love get so close

You put your arms around me and I'm home."

Natsu stared at Lucy as she sang. The words struck him deep, without saying a word he knew exactly what Lucy was trying to tell him. She was no longer going to try to hide from him, no more lies or and no more fear of the trust they had built. He had become her home and no matter where she would go, her heart would search for his love. She wanted him to have her soul, she knew that she was safe with him and that together they would be okay no matter what the world threw at them. He felt his eyes start to tear up as she continued.

"The world is coming down on me and I can't find a reason to be loved

I never wanna leave you but I can't make you bleed if I'm alone

You put your arms around me

and I believe that its easier for you to let me go

I hope that you see right through my walls

I hope that you catch me

'Cause I'm already falling

I'll never let a love get so close

You put your arms around me

and I'm home."

As Lucy sang her skin felt electric, she felt like a window into her soul had opened and she lets its light shine down onto her. Relief flooded her veins as she stopped fighting her song that radiated her love for her best friend. For the boy who never once left her side. Natsu, the boy she met by chance but openly loved by choice. She felt herself smile as she continued. Happiness from the freedom of love had given her wings and she was ready to soar. She finally felt herself letting go, and as the darkness slowly fell away, the bright and shinning Lucy who had been trapped underneath for so long shone through.

She let the newly found Lucy, the Lucy she worked so hard to become, finish the song.

"I tried my best to never let you in to see the truth

And I've never opened up

I've never truly loved

'Till you put your arms around me

And I believe that its easier for you to let me go.

I hope that you see right through my walls

I hope that you catch me

'Cause I'm already falling

I'll never let our love get so close

You put your arms around me

And I'm home

You put your arms around me

And I'm home…"

Lucy finished her song and took a deep breath. She felt so good having let it all out. She slowly turned to face Natsu and blushed as she made eye contact with the boy. When she met his gaze she gasped, Natsu was crying.

"Natsu what's wrong?" She said as she got up to walk to him.

He didn't respond, with no words that he could say, he simply got up and met her halfway. He pulled her into a hug, his face buried into the crook of her neck. Lucy inhaled his scent, he smelled of firewood and apples, to her he smelled of what she thought joy smelled like. Natsu didn't speak as he continued to embrace her, Lucy soon understood his tears were not of sadness, but of joy, of relief, of hope.

"Can you play it again?" Natsu whispered. Lucy pulled away from him, she gave him a soft smile, she knew he had gotten her message. She nodded and walked back over to the piano once more.

Natsu fell asleep on her shoulder as they sat on the piano bench together. Natsu listening to Lucy confess her love over and over through her song, until his dreams carried him into a soft slumber.

… … …

"YOU GUYS KISSED!" Erza and Levy screamed in unison. Lucy had invited the girls over the day after for brunch. They sat in the restaurant as Natsu slept off his hangover upstairs.

"Shhhh, he's gonna hear you through the walls if you keep wailing like that." She scolded the two.

"Omg Lu! This is such good news. We were all so worried about you yesterday when you disappeared. I'm so happy to hear the night ended wonderfully for you both." Levy said sweetly to her best friend. Lucy smiled as Erza spoke up.

"We have known Natsu since we were kids, and never once did we think after Lisanna that Natsu would be able to love again. We are both so happy to know you were able to open his heart once more. If any two people in this world deserve happiness, its you two." Erza said softly as she took a sip of her latte.

Lucy smiled while she looked at her breakfast. Last night felt like a dream so much that she was scared to fall asleep. The only reason she allowed herself to be dragged into the depths of slumber was due to the assurance that she would wake to Natsu, the boy who held her heart in the palms of his hands.

"So, what now though?" She asked them. They looked at her confused.

"What do you mean Lucy?" Erza asked

"Well, you know, am I dating him now? Are we just best friends who kiss? Cus I'm not really into that kind of stuff…" She trailed off

"Sorry not my area of expertise. I just kissed Jellal, now were dating. Is there meant to be some form of clarification?" Erza asked. She figured kissing someone was the confirmation of them dating. Some people need more she guessed.

"Well, when Gajeel and I started dating, its cus he asked me too. So maybe ask him to be your boyfriend or something?" Levy suggested.

Lucy blushed; she did not want to be the one who asked. Maybe that was old fashioned, but she liked the idea of a big gesture when a guy asked her to date. She figured she opinion was quite biased because she had never actually had a real boyfriend before, not any that counted at least…

"Ugh." Lucy put her head in her hands out of frustration. "Couldn't he just do that; I did the song so he owes me his confession now." Lucy whined. She had told the girls about the song she wrote. She would've liked to play it for them, but her piano sat in the same room as the boy they were gossiping about. What a shame…

"I mean maybe he will." Levy said, trying to bring up Lucy's hope.

"Doubt it, Natsu is as dense as they come. I mean unless you explicitly ask, I don't think Natsu will really do anything. He probably will just assume and wait for you actualize the relationship." Erza interjected.

Lucy sighed once more; Erza did have a point.

"I don't know, I guess I will feel this one out and see what his next move is you know." Lucy said. She popped some grapes in her mouth from the fruit bowl she had.

"Speaking of the dense devil…" Levy said quietly as Natsu entered the restaurant.

"Good morning Natsu." Erza said as Natsu waddled his way over into the booth the sat at.

"Shhhhhhh. Your voice hurts my brain." Natsu mumbled as he put his face down on the table, narrowly missing Lucy's breakfast by inches.

"Natsu, I'm surprised to see you alive after seeing how much you drank last night. How many shots did you even take? 8? 12?" Levy said as she recalled the drinking contest that had occurred between Natsu and Grey shortly after Lucy had left for the bathroom. Her mind wandered to Grey; he was probably dead considering he won the contest.

"Too many." Natsu groaned. He lifted his face and stole some of Lucy's strawberries. He popped them in his mouth and returned to putting his face on the table.

"You would think he has no appetite with such a hangover… men are strange creatures." Erza commented as she watched the half alive Pinkette steal Lucy's fruit.

"To say I tossed my cookies this morning is an understatement, I think I yacked up my liver." Natsu said, his voice muffled from the table.

"Good thing, your liver is probably dead and useless after last night." Levy joked.

Instead of Natsu responding, he stuck his arm out and put his finger on Levy's lips. Telling her to shush since he was too tired to speak.

Levy watched him in shock, she tried not to laugh and Natsu's arm went limp and fell to the table.

"Natsu, why don't you go back to bed if you still feel so ill." Erza asked. She didn't think his shushing of Levy was as funny as her friends did.

"The bed is cold without Lucy..." Natsu replied. He barley even whispered as he began to fall back asleep on the table.

The girls looked up to Lucy in awe, "Had he really just said that?" The girls thought as they watched Lucy's face go from calm to bright red in a matter of seconds.

"Aweeeeee!" Levy said. "Natsu you are just adorable in love." She gushed.

"Shushhhhhhh." Natsu repeated, his hand shot out to silence her once more but was smacked away by an annoyed Erza.

"You came to join us Natsu, don't be an ass." She scolded him.

Lucy imagined Natsu would've responded but his loud snoring made it apparent that he hadn't even heard her. She smiled and began to play with his hair, her other hand being used to eat the rest of her fruit.

"So…" Levy said after a moment of silence. "Will you guys being going to the winter formal together then?" She said the last part only after making sure she heard Natsu continue to snore.

"Winter formal?" Lucy repeated

"Yes, Its quite enjoyable. Fairy Tail holds one every year right after exams are done, sort of a party to celebrate finishing the first term and it gives student's a chance to get all dressed up and have a fancy party." Erza explained. She too was excited to attend the ball for it would be the first year she attends a dance with Jellal as her partner. The thought made Erza blush.

"Sounds fun, how fancy are we talking though?" Lucy asked

"Very, full length formal ballgowns." Levy responded ecstatically. She loved getting all fancy and wearing pretty dresses. It was a nice refresher from her quiet life of books.

Lucy cringed; she had been to many balls before. But maybe this one she would enjoy as its intended purpose was for fun. She let herself be excited for the dance, she would let herself have fun at this and not let her history of former balls ruin the occasion.

"Sounds very fun! When is it?" Lucy asked

"Well, the last day of exams is the 20th so they have it scheduled it for the 22nd." Erza answered.

Lucy smiled brighter. Exams and studying had been so stressful but now she had a reason to carry through them.

"Yeah, I'll definitely be going, as for my date… I don't know. Balls in Natsu's court." Lucy said as she looked at the boy who slept soundly on the table.

The girls all stared at him. It then dawned on Lucy that she had almost forgot why she had invited them over in the first place.

"Guys, I've been meaning to tell you something…" Lucy said nervously. Her fingers were now clasped in her lap as she tried to curb the anxiety. "They will accept you." She reminded herself.

The girls gave Lucy a serious look. "What is it Lu?" Levy asked.

"Don't tell us your pregnant Lucy." Erza said

Lucy and Levy choked on air, sometimes Erza said the most out of pocket shit.

"What no! How could I- No! Ew! Not that Erza!" Lucy said as she tried to regain her composure.

The girls sat in silence as Lucy explained the story. She told them of her true identity. Much to her dismay, the girls didn't care. They completely understood why Lucy had done it. They questioned why she thought they would be so mad.

"Lu, we would do the same thing in your shoes, don't stress about it. Kay?" Levy said. Erza nodded in agreement.

"Yes, next time you decide to scare us in such a manner, please let it be an emergency, such as pregnancy." Erza stated

Lucy and Levy struggled to breathe once more. They all stumbled into laughter as Natsu woke up and attempted to shush them once more. He tried to lift his arm to Erza's lips this time which earned him a nice smack on the top of the head.

Lucy laughed as she watched the chaos, some things just never change.

Authors Note: Hey everyone! Sorry for the day late upload. this morning I had my chemistry final exam so the night before I was cramming. I did have the chapter written but I didn't feel it was my best work so i decided I would post today instead. I'm sure glad I did because I had to rewrite a whole bunch of it. I rather you guys wait a day and get my best work then post for the sake of posting and let this story turn grey. Anyways I hope you like. Cya!

I DO NOT OWN THESE CHARACTER'S; I simply write the plot :) All rights are reserved by the creators of Fairy Tail