Nalu Week 2020
Quirk
"Lucy Heartfilia, CEO of Heartfilia Industries, is confirmed to be in therapy. Sources say that she has been attending regular sessions every week for the past three months. No one knows what caused this lapse in sanity or why the heiress chose to hide it, but-"
The TV shut off with a quiet 'click'.
"Princess, you shouldn't worry about what they're saying," Virgo said quietly, walking around the couch to sit next to her boss, "It doesn't matter what-"
"Who told them?" Lucy asked, refusing to look away from the now blank screen.
"I...I don't know." Virgo said hesitantly.
Lucy scoffed, "Don't lie to me."
Virgo pressed her lips into a thin line, debating whether or not to answer. Eventually, she said, "A young man named Jason accidentally got a hold of your calendar. He was a new intern and, due to violating the confidentiality agreement that everyone signs, he has already been punished."
"Good."
"Are you ok?"
"Do I look ok?" Lucy snapped, pushing off the couch angrily. She stalked over to her father's old liquor cabinet. It hadn't been opened since before he died, but Lucy practically tore the door off its hinges, grabbing the first bottle she could and guzzling it.
Virgo's jaw dropped. Lucy never drank.
"Princess, that may not be wise…"
"I don't care." Lucy growled, finishing the first bottle a minute later and reaching for the next, "It's not like my life can get any worse, now can it?"
Virgo's heart broke as she watched her friend finish off that bottle as well. The alcohol was obviously taking effect, making the young woman even angrier. This was worse than the cool facade she always adopted, far worse.
Lucy glared at the empty bottle of vodka as if it was personally responsible for all of her suffering before screaming and throwing it at the wall, feeling immensely pleased as she watched it shatter.
Virgo winced, "Should I call Levy ma'am?"
Lucy scoffed again, "She's why I'm in this mess to begin with."
The pinkette looked at her with pity at her words. This was a far cry from the Lucy who had been coming home from the center for the past three months, but was also very different from the Lucy she had come to know over the past five years. Drunk Lucy was entirely new territory.
"It's not that bad." she tried again.
But it was like Lucy couldn't hear her. The blonde stood there, fists clenched and shaking angrily.
They knew. They all knew.
The world knew she was broken. That there was something wrong with her. Her secrets had been spilled across the front page, discussed on live TV by a reporter she didn't even know.
No one would look at her the same ever again. No one would trust her. The company would be ruined. She'd failed her father.
The drinks had started a fire in her veins, but remembering Jude Heartfilia made it go out. Not even blissful drunkenness could stand up to that man, even when dead.
This wasn't right. She didn't owe him anything. He was dead, he shouldn't be able to still make her feel this kind of dread, this panic in her heart. But what would he say? When he saw how she had run his company into the ground? And why? Because someone made her feel sentimental.
Lucy knelt by the broken bottle. Most of it had shattered, but a few larger pieces still lay on the ground. Holding one up, Lucy looked at it intently. Vaguely, she knew that Virgo was saying something, but she didn't hear the words, she was so focused on the slight reflection she could see in the glass.
Her eyes were so red and puffy. Reaching a hand up to touch them, they came away wet.
Her reflection blinked at her. Had she always been like this? So easily...torn down? A small child? Had she ever been anything else?
The thought shook her to her core and she finally gave into the tears she didn't want, letting Virgo wrap her in a tight hug.
Lucy cried for a good chunk of the morning, mumbling words to Virgo who sat with her the entire time. Eventually she fell asleep from exhaustion, waking up to her first hangover.
Virgo was right there with water and painkillers.
When she woke up again after that, the pain in her head was gone, but the thoughts weren't. They were still there, all jumbled around, each demanding her attention.
Lucy sighed, standing up and stretching her cramped limbs. Glancing around, she saw Virgo curled up in the armchair next to her, completely passed out.
Guilt wormed its way into her heart. Virgo was so good to her, she needed a vacation at the very least. Something to show Lucy's appreciation, but she would probably only ask for punishment if Lucy ever brought it up. The terror of her request for a Christmas bonus still plagued Lucy's mind.
All of her thoughts were still spinning around, demanding attention, but her mind wouldn't calm down enough for her to focus on them.
She didn't know why, but it was Natsu's words that came back to her.
'The more I punched that bag, the more it felt like I was punching my own demons. The world finally made sense again.'
Well, punching something didn't sound like a horrible idea right now.
Looking at the time, she was a little shocked. Apparently she had slept longer than she thought, having completely missed Erza's class. The center closed at six, which was two hours from now.
Scribbling a quick note to Virgo, Lucy changed into work out clothes and made her way into town. Her estate was about ten minutes outside of Magnolia, fifteen from the center and, by some miracle, she didn't hit any traffic. Within twenty minutes she was wearing boxing gloves and attacking a punching bag in the center's gym.
At first it felt good just to be doing something, hearing that satisfied 'smack' of her fists hitting the target.
Then the bag started to become people.
First it was that stupid reporter, telling the world she was broken.
SMACK!
Jason, carelessly spreading her personal life for everyone to know.
SMACK!
The mayor, trying to destroy the last happy memory she had.
SMACK!
Levy, being so easy to trust and pour her heart out to.
SMACK!
Natsu, getting her involved in the first place.
SMACK!
Her father, leaving her with this mess. One she never wanted.
SMACK!
The bag was swinging wildly now, but Lucy didn't care. It felt too great getting her anger out. She punched it until she could hardly feel her arms anymore, finally understanding how this could help. She'd never be skeptical of it again. Her mind was clear for the first time all day.
As she finished, panting hard, someone let out a low whistle, obviously impressed.
"Note to self, don't get on your bad side." Natsu said.
Lucy looked and saw him watching her, a gym bag slung over his shoulder and hair still wet from his after work out shower.
"Wish other people would have that note." Lucy mumbled.
"Bad day?" he asked.
"Like you haven't seen the news." she huffed, peeling off the gloves.
"Nope!" he said with a grin, "Don't got a TV."
Lucy raised an eyebrow at him, "Are you serious?"
"Yep," he said.
"And you say I'm weird."
"That's cause you are." he smirked, "Besides, I'm not weird. I'm quirky."
"Quirky?"
He shrugged as if to say 'deal-with-it', "So what's got you so upset?"
Lucy let out a breath. Really, Natsu was the last person she should be talking to. She'd barely had one night to process his letter before the news station had dropped their bomb. She still wasn't sure how she felt about him. A large part of her wanted to give him a chance, to believe him and accept that it was all a misunderstanding. An equally large part of her couldn't forget that the wide smile he'd had with that woman. That same part was also whispering that she wasn't good enough, didn't deserve a chance at love.
He stood there, waiting for her response patiently.
Lucy sighed, "Someone found out I was in therapy and the news stations had a field day. It's made a mess."
"How so?"
"My secrets were spread all over the news. They're calling me insane, saying I'm having a nervous breakdown. The reports haven't come in yet about how it's affecting the company, but it can't be good." Lucy explained, not meeting his eyes. She didn't want his pity.
"Really? Levy let out that much info?" Natsu asked, unable to believe that his friend had done something like that.
She shook her head quickly, "No, it was an intern at my company. They found my appointment book."
Natsu paused for a moment, thinking it over, "...So they don't actually know why you're in therapy?"
She glared at him, opening her mouth to protest his words, but faltered when she realized that he was right. Jason had no clue why she was in therapy, only that she was. Levy would never release her patient files.
"But-But they still know that I have a therapist." she muttered.
"So what?" Natsu shrugged, "Lots of people have therapists, for lots of reasons. There isn't anything wrong with it. It doesn't mean you're broken."
"It….doesn't?" she asked uncertainly. No one had ever told her that before. It was always just implied. Therapy equaled broken person.
"No, it doesn't." he responded gently, smiling down at her, "Do I look broken?"
"You go to therapy?"
He nodded, "I meet with Levy once a month. I get nightmares now and then, about Zeref, and she's been helping me. That's part of why I work out so much. The more exhausted I am at night, the less likely I am to have them."
Natsu was smiling at her now, one side of his mouth tilted upwards so he was almost smirking again, "I wouldn't worry about everyone knowing that you go to therapy. There's nothing wrong with it and if they try to say that there is, then they're idiots. Besides, if you're really worried about all the publicity, then I'm sure someone could put the right spin on it for you, make everyone hear your real story, how you aren't insane."
Lucy had to give him that. The Gemini twins, her two lead publicists, were good with capturing their audiences. There was no one better in the business. They were so good, they could make anyone see and believe anything they wanted to. If anyone could turn the situation around, it was them.
Leaning towards her, Natsu whispered, "Are you feeling better?"
"A bit." she admitted, rubbing her aching arms slowly. She felt ridiculous now, getting so angry over the situation.
"Well that's no good," Natsu huffed, standing up straight again, "I was trying to cheer you all the way up, not just 'a bit'."
"I'll feel better in the morning." she mumbled, putting her work out stuff down.
But Natsu was already shaking his head, "Nope, come on. We can do better than this."
He turned to leave, Lucy staring after him, confused. When he realized that she wasn't following, he gave her an impatient look, "You coming or not? My idea closes at eleven and it's six now. If we hurry, I can give you five straight hours of cheering up."
"Where are we going?" Lucy asked.
Natsu smirked, holding the door open, "It's a surprise."
Lucy sighed to herself, thinking over her choices. Go home and do damage control for the rest of the night or let Natsu try to cheer her up.
She knew it was selfish, but she ran out that door with him.
Professor: This story is turning out a lot darker than I thought it would be, but I swear it has a happy ending! This chapter just really hated me. I will be finishing this story, promise, but I think it is obvious that it won't be happening on Nalu Week deadlines lol. Hope you enjoyed this and I will try to have Charm up in a few days. It's already partially written, so fingers crossed.
Please go read the Nalu Week stories posted by ShanaHollows, MorriganFae, and wordsaremyspells1331. They are all amazing!