Chapter 35: Natsu and Lucy: Part One
The rain continued its downpour as the two males standing across from each other continued looking at the other.
"Who are you?" Natsu asked quizzically at the black haired man knelt down at the tombstone he was standing next to, he gently placed the bouquet of white and red roses down in front of it and let out a small sigh.
"Like I said before I am merely another griever...just like you…" His soft-spoken voice replied as he began brushing off the gravestone in front of him.
"You are a griever right?...After all deep down everyone has something to grieve about…" The man continued and Natsu just stood there puzzled as the rain came down harshly, another roll of thunder accompanied a flash of lightning.
"I suppose…." Natsu turned to look at Igneel's grave, true enough he was grieving, but that wasn't why he was here. He came here because he was confused and needed to think things through, and that led him here. It had been ages since he had visited his father and now seemed like the perfect time.
"If it is alright with me asking who is it you are here visiting? I apologize for chatting your ear off, it's just I come here everyday at this time and have never seen another person….."
"No, no it's fine...I understand what you mean...This place can be pretty gloomy, especially if you're alone….I am just here visiting my father." Natsu replied and the man looked at him with a look of pity.
"I agree with you, company does help ease the sorrow this place brings….I am quite sorry to hear about your father, you don't seem too old….Do you have a mother? Or any siblings?" Natsu shook his head.
"Nah, I'm all alone...I never met my mom, as long as I can remember it's always been just me and my father…." The black haired male frowned.
"I see...that's terrible to hear, you have my condolences...How long has he been gone?"
"It's alright, it's been about five months now, he passed away the week before Christmas…"
"Oh, wow...That is terrible I'm truly sorry...That must have been hard."
"It was, but I've managed...how about you? Who are you here for?" Natsu took one last glance at the gravestone, and made eye contact with the man briefly before he turned to look at the grave he was kneeling in front of.
"She was my fiancée. Her name was Mavis…" The man admitted. Natsu felt a twinge of pity for the man across from him who looked at the gravestone sadly.
"Oh man….I'm really sorry to hear that…." Natsu muttered awkwardly, not entirely sure what to say in the situation, the man just shrugged.
"It's okay...it's been many years now…. We were together since we were eighteen years old….that was eleven years ago, and she's been gone now for three, soon to be four…." The man confessed.
"Wow….you two must've really loved each other...I'm really sorry….I can't even begin to imagine the pain you must be in…." Natsu looked down at the ground, as much as the death of Daphne had been affecting him he could never imagine if he lost Lucy.
"You're right….I loved her with all my heart…She made me a better person….She showed me the beauty this world had to offer….It's amazing how one person can affect you so profoundly." As he was talking he picked up a single flower and studied it closely.
"What happened?...If it's okay with me asking….." Natsu gently asked the man to let out a sad sigh and put the rose back down.
"To understand what happened you must know the full story, starting all the way from the beginning…" He looked down at the ground clutching his umbrella tightly, as the rain continued pounding onto it, Natsu stood there listening intently.
"I was a young boy when my family died….younger than even you….They were trapped in my house as it burnt down….My mother, father, little brother, even my dog were killed in the catastrophe…."
"Oh my God….I'm sorry…." Natsu whispered while listening to the story horrified, the man just held up his hand indicating that he was going to continue the story so Natsu listened carefully.
"Later I found out that they had been murdered….This led me down a dark path, and gave me a disdain for the world around me….I made many enemies and didn't care about anyone but myself….that was until I met my beloved Mavis….She showed me the hidden beauties this world had, she showed me the way any darkness in my heart could vanish with something as simple as love…we build a life together….and everything was better….up until she too had been taken from me. It doesn't matter how pure-hearted you are….how good a person you are….You can't run from death….You can't hide from the selfishness of other humans. Who are too prideful to admit that they are too drunk to drive themselves. I was waiting for three hours in conditions like this for her to pick me up from work….I got the call that her car had been hit by a drunk driver who ran a red light and rushed to the hospital just in time to say goodbye…." By the time the man finished his story he had tears falling from his eyes. Natsu just stood there quietly, he had a point. It always seemed to be the people who didn't deserve to die who got the wrong end of the stick, it just wasn't unfair…
"I….know what you mean…..I like to believe in the good in humans, but lately….I don't know...I've been shown just how horrible they can be…" Natsu agreed, the man looked at him puzzled. Natsu took a deep breath before continuing.
"The reason I came to visit my father today….wasn't because of grief….it was out of anger, and confusement….You see not too long ago I found out that he had a wife...and another kid, but he left them to raise me….He found me in the middle of the woods when I was a young boy. My biological parents had just dropped me out there to die….But he took me in, and in doing so he abandoned his family….." The man listened as Natsu's voice got shaky.
"Well I ended up meeting said wife….and she told me all of this, and I just felt an overwhelming sense of guilt, she had every right to hate me…..but when we were walking down the street, she pushed me out of the way of a speeding car and got hit by it….She was a woman with a kid, who should have hated my very existence, but she saved my life nonetheless...She gave her life to save mine….I was so angry when it happened…..I wanted nothing more than to see the person who had hit her, dead….Soon that anger turned to guilt…To this day I blame myself for everything….I keep thinking, that if only I had been the one hit by the car, or if only my father never rescued me ya know?" By now Natsu was getting choked up and ranting, but the man still listened to him quietly.
"This world is unfair….and filled with bad people….I was always taught there is no such thing as good people or bad people...there is just people….but the older I get the more I realize just how wrong that belief is….There are people out there who only care about themselves, or people who enjoy hurting others…..humans in general are horrible….." Natsu muttered, and the man rose to his feet.
"I hate to admit it, but I share that belief….Mavis tried to teach me about the beauty in this world, and she succeeded….But I could only see it when I was with her….Do you have someone like that? Someone who makes all the bad things go away?..." Natsu was taken aback by the question and looked off at something in the distance as he thought about Lucy, the one person in his life who was always there for him...but it seemed like nowadays she wasn't actually there.
"It's complicated….I-I would like to say yes, in fact if you would have asked me three months ago I would have said yes without a doubt…"
"I see….what changed if I may ask?"
"It's just a lot….It mainly has to do with the stuff I just told you, but there is more like how she has gotten close with this other guy….In fact they are at prom together right now…."
"Then why are you here?" The man asked, tilting his head. Natsu looked at him confused.
"What do you mean?..."
"I mean if you think things are changing with this girl….you need to go talk with her...I might be a few years older than you, but I do know what it's like to be in love….and that look in your eye that you had when you were talking about her….that's love…..It's like I said when I was with Mavis all my dark thoughts seemed to fade away….it was just me and her….love is the most powerful thing in the world….so if this girl truly makes you happy, you can't keep dwelling on the past and the what ifs in your head….you need to go to her and tell her how you feel….You can stare at your father's grave for the rest of your life and ask why he did the things he did, or….you can look to the future…."
"I wish it was that simple…..but…"
"But what?...listen to me young man…..I might be angry at the world and filled with darkness….just like you are right now, but this girl could be your Mavis. That's something that is worth every risk, someone who makes your darkness fade away, someone who can help you look away from your past and turn to your future. This world does have beauty….I just can't see it anymore, there is still hope for you...so please go to her, and tell her how you feel….before you lose her."
"I guess...you're right, but I feel like it's already too late…" Natsu murmured, and the man sighed.
"Then what else do you have to lose?..." He asked, and Natsu stared at him puzzled. Maybe he had a point….what did he have to lose? He had already felt like Lucy and him had grown apart, and if she did get together with Dan, then they would only grow further and further apart. His mind then thought about Daphne again though, he was in such a vulnerable state was it really the best idea to tell Lucy how he felt now?
"Y-You're right….but what about the stuff that I told you about? That stuff is all fresh in my head, and I don't want it to ruin anything…" The man smiled at his question, which confused Natsu.
"It's like I said, if her feelings for you are as true as yours are for her, then she will help you grow past everything. That's what a relationship is my friend...it's two people who grow together, and make the other stronger….Two people move away from their past and build a better future….Now you said she is at prom right now right? I think if you leave now, you can get changed and get there before it's over with…."
"Y-you think so?"
"Yes….I do." The man smiled, and Natsu nervously chuckled and began wandering towards the exit.
"O-okay….I'm going to go to her!" He exclaimed, and the man smiled and laughed at the teen's enthusiasm.
"I'm glad to hear it! I wish you every happiness!" The man under the umbrella replied, and Natsu grinned.
"I owe you one stranger! The names Natsu by the way I forgot to introduce myself!" Natsu yelled as he sprinted out of the graveyard leaving the man behind, who had stopped laughing and smiling, and now just stared at the direction Natsu had run off in stunned.
"...Did he just say, his name was…..Natsu?" The man whispered to himself, his expressions softened. He walked over to the grave Natsu had been standing next to during their conversation and looked at the engraved stone, his eyes widened as he read Igneel's name. More specifically the last name. A last name that didn't actually belong to this man named Igneel, this man who raised the teenager he was just talking too.
"Dragneel?...but that's my-" His eyes once again widened as he pieced together the puzzle pieces inside his head.
"It can't be….It's impossible…..Natsu….Dragneel?...Could it really be you?" He once again glanced at the direction that Natsu had run off in, he was now long gone and out of sight. Tears filled the mysterious stranger's eyes.
"Is it you Natsu? Is it really you?" He felt his hands begin to shake as he looked at Igneel's gravestone once again.
"Baby brother?" He whispered, and gripped his umbrella tighter as tears ran down his face.
Lucy sat down at a table in a huff and grabbed a glass of water, she lifted it to her lips and chugged down the clear, ice cold contents. Her long blonde hair was tied up in her trademark side ponytail, she didn't really feel like putting too much time into doing her hair for this stupid dance. She was wearing a dark reddish, purple dress that had an open back and a long leg slit, it was the same dress she had worn to the Christmas dance, on top of not doing her hair, she also didn't bother in renting a fancy dress. So needless to say she hadn't been dropping any jaws or turning any eyes, which is exactly what she wanted. She wanted to be anywhere but the dance right now, which is insane considering that prom night had been the one day she had been looking forward to the most throughout her four years at high school. But she wasn't having fun, and she knew exactly why...he wasn't there with her.
"Yo! Lu-Lu, why are ya sitting down! Come on let's dance!" Dan's voice irritated her ears as he shouted over the music directly in her ear.
"OW! WHAT THE HELL!" She snapped her hands shooting up to her ear which was now ringing. Dan smirked cheekily, and reached down grabbing her arm with his dry and calloused hands.
"Let's go Lu-Lu! I think the slow dances are about to start and I wanna dance with you!" He tugged on her arm, but she stayed sitting down in her chair. She didn't really feel like dancing let alone that close with Dan.
"Not right now Dan...I'm tired I just want to sit for a minute…" Lucy pulled her arm back from him, and rubbed her temples. Dan rolled his eyes at her and reached down to yank her out of the chair, she let out a yelp.
"You are being such a wet blanket Lu-Lu, dance with me!"
"No, Dan I said I don't feel like dancing right now. These heels are killing my feet!" Lucy's half-truth was completely ignored by Dan, who tried pulling her behind him as he turned and walked towards the dance floor.
"Please don't be such a buzzkill! I want all the guys here to know that you are mine." Lucy jerked her arm free again and glared at the boy who turned around looking at her curiously.
"Lu-Lu? What are you playing at? Let's go! I want to show you off to everyone!" Lucy opened her mouth to scold him, but lucky Levy who had been watching the whole thing stepped in.
"Lucy! Oh my goodness! You look so beautiful!" Levy ran up to the blonde, stepping in between her and Dan while grasping her friend's hands. Lucy gave Levy a grateful look, that Levy responded to with a subtle wink.
"Oh Levy! Thank you so much! You are stunning as well!" Levy grinned and turned around to look at Dan.
"Hey Dan, could you get us some punch? I want to talk to Lucy….alone…" Levy emphasized the word alone, and Dan sighed.
"Fine...maybe you can talk some sense into her, she is being a major party pooper…" He muttered as he turned around to head to the table where the punch bowl was sitting. Once he was out of ear shot Levy grabbed Lucy's hand and the two ran to the doors and went outside. The rain was still coming down, but they were standing under the awning which prevented them from getting drenched.
"Thanks for getting me out of there...Dan's nice and all, but he is really starting to get on my nerves." Lucy admitted, turning to look at her friend who grinned back at her.
"Only starting to? Lucy, it looked like you were ready to stab him, I think we are way past him being on your nerves…" Lucy let out a sigh and looked out at the rain as it bounced off the sidewalk.
"Yeah, you're probably right….To be honest with you the only reason I am here tonight is, because he asked me in the cafeteria with the entire school watching….I just felt so uncomfortable and awkward, and couldn't say no…."
"Because then you would be a jerk? I know what you mean….that was a pretty low move, so I take it you aren't having fun?" Levy frowned at Lucy who began curling her hair around her finger.
"Yeah...I feel like I could have fun, but Dan won't leave me alone...Like earlier I was trying to dance with Erza, and Jellal, but he literally pulled me away from them while muttering that I could only dance with him…." Levy cringed at that.
"Geez I'm sorry to hear that, it sounds like a real drag...You want to know something funny though that will cheer you up…."
"Hm?" Lucy looked over to her friend whose face had turned bright red.
"G-Gajeel…..asked me out on a date…..but he was so nervous it took him fifteen minutes for the words to actually leave his mouth….So I just stood there while he was spewing gibberish…" Levy chuckled at the memory, and Lucy's eyes went wide a faint blush forming on her cheeks.
"L-Levy!...What did you say to him!"
"Oh, I said I needed to think about it…..and that's when I came to find you…" Levy muttered a Lucy looked at her in disbelief.
"Ah...I getcha….do you...ya know….like him?" Lucy questioned, and Levy's face turned bright red.
"I-I-I-I…..I-I d-don't know…..m-maybe?" Levy stammered, she held her hands over her face in complete embarrassment, and Lucy smiled at her best friend aside from Natsu.
"Oh, come on you can tell me!" Lucy nudged Levy's ribs with her elbow while grinning slyly. Levy's face got even darker from behind her hands.
"L-L-L….Lucyyyyyyy! S-Stop….i-it's embarrassing!" Levy whined while Lucy laughed.
"I'll take that as a yes…" Lucy smirked triumphantly, while Levy lowered her hands.
"I-I just don't know Lu….I've never felt like this before….so I think I do like him, but I can't tell for sure….I mean how did you discover you liked Natsu?" Levy asked, and Lucy's smirk turned into a soft smile as she remembered the exact moment she knew she had begun to like Natsu.
"It was the beginning of Freshman year…" Lucy started as the memory became crystal clear.
"Lucy? What are you doing here? It's the middle of the night?" Igneel questioned as he looked down at Lucy who was standing outside of the house.
"H-Hi….Igneel….is it okay if I come in?" She asked, refusing to look up at the man who looked at her with a face of concern.
"Yeah, of course! Come in, come in!" Igneel pushed the door all the wide open. Lucy thanked him quietly and walked inside the house while making sure to hide her face. Igneel shut the door behind her after she was in the entry hall.
"Natsu's upstairs if you would like to see him, he's supposed to be doing homework….so we both know he probably isn't." Lucy cracked a small smile at Igneel's joke and nodded her head, before walking the creaky wooden stairs Igneel watched here carefully as she slowly walked up the stairs. She recognized Natsu's bedroom door by the poster of a large red dragon that he had taped to the door, he was such a child. She walked up to the door and knocked on it gently, she could hear the loud music he had been blaring abruptly stop, followed by loud footsteps that made their way towards the door. The door swung open and Lucy soon came face to face with her childhood friend.
"Lucy?...You know it's like…..one in the morning right?" Natsu asked, looking at his phone, he looked up and saw Lucy's face, his eyes widened as his eyes landed on a purple bruise on her cheek.
"Oh shit! What happened Luce?!" Natsu questioned as he pulled her into a tight hug Lucy sniffled slightly and wrapped her arms around his waist, giving him a squeeze.
"It's okay Natsu…..it's my fault really." Lucy muttered into Natsu's shoulder, but the cracking in her voice was enough of a tell for Natsu to see she was lying.
"Here...come in you can hug Happy! And then you can talk to me…." Natsu led her into his messy bedroom, and pushed a pile of papers and books off the bed. Lucy sat at the edge of it as Natsu picked up his sleeping blue cat who meowed unhappily before getting plopped onto Lucy's lap. Lucy instantly hugged the animal and began petting him, Happy being the lazy animal he was instantly asleep once she began petting behind his ears.
"Now tell me what happened." Natsu instructed her as he sat down next to her on the edge of the bed. Happy was purring in her lap, which helped calm her nerves down. She took a shaky deep breath and looked over to her friend who was staring at her patiently waiting for her to speak.
"Dad got upset...It was my fault though really!...He was busy doing work and I kept bugging him….He just got mad at me after I asked him to go to the end of Summer carnival tomorrow, and…"
"Wait! Luce….did Jude...hit you?!" Natsu's eyes were wide as he glanced at the bruise on her cheek, Lucy frowned and hid her face, but nodded slightly. She saw a flash of anger in Natsu's eyes, she told him that she had snuck out of her house, and how her mother had been trying to calm Jude down who had been livid that Lucy had interrupted his work. The two talked for hours after that, and Lucy had ended up falling asleep cuddled up with Happy on Lucy's bed, Natsu tucked her into the blankets and slept on the floor, after telling her that if she needed anything to just wake him up.
"LUCE TIME TO GET UP!" Natsu yelled and leapt on top of the sleeping blonde who shrieked upon being smothered by the sudden weight that was crushing her.
"Natsu….can't breathe….." She groaned, and Natsu shifted and got off her. A large grin plastered on his face as Lucy sat up rubbing her sore ribs.
"Come on Luce! I want to get there early!" Natsu helped Lucy stand up, she looked at him like he was insane.
"Get where early?" Lucy asked groggily and began rubbing her eyes, Natsu grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the room, he ran down the hallway and down the stairs, pulling Lucy behind him.
"We need to hurry! I wanna be in the front of every line!" Lucy blinked a couple times.
"What are you talking about?!" Lucy questioned as Natsu flung the front door open and pulled her outside.
"You said you wanted to go to the carnival….." He turned around to grin a large cheeky grin at her, she felt a blush form on her cheeks and her heart began beating faster, it was strange.
"...So let's go!"
"After that, I later moved into his and Igneel's house to get away from my dad….and I thought that the strange feelings would go away, but they just kept getting stronger, and stronger….What had started off as a silly crush is now...love…..I'm not afraid to admit Levy, I love Natsu…." Lucy wrapped up her story, and turned to Levy who was listening closely with a smile on her face.
"You two have always been so close….it was bound to happen…." Levy noted, and Lucy smiled sheepishly. She remembered how big Natsu's grin had been when he had turned to tell her that they were going to the carnival, a stark contrast to the last time she had seen him. This last year and enforced their relationship for sure, but it also changed them drastically. Natsu had always been carefree, and energetic, but was in a constant state of quiet fear thanks to his powers that he had only recently gained control of. The last time Lucy had seen him he had been broken, physically and emotionally, and there was nothing she could've done to help, he made it very clear that he wanted to be alone.
"Well…..we should probably go back inside….Gajeel is probably worried that I rejected him." Levy stretched and turned around to head for the doors, Lucy's smile immediately vanished at the thought of coming face to face with Dan again.
"Alright….what are you going to tell him?" Lucy asked, stalling for time. Levy grinned, her face blushing.
"I'm going to say yes…." Lucy couldn't resist the grin that plastered her face in excitement for her friend.
"AWWW LEVY I'M SO HAPPY FOR YOU!" Lucy squealed, and Levy's blush darkened. The two proceeded to walk inside the building, the music playing a slow song which meant everybody had paired up and were currently close to their partners, rocking back and forth. Lucy made her way to a table while Levy went to go find Gajeel. Lucy placed her chin on her hand and let out a bored sigh, a shadow soon grew on the table alerting her of someone's presence behind her.
"I already told you that I don't feel like dancing right now…" Lucy sighed without turning around, she just figured that it was Dan again, but to her surprise a different, more pleasant familiar voice graced her ears.
"Oh, come on Luce….I haven't even asked you yet…." Lucy whipped her head back upon hearing her nickname that only one person used, one special person. Her eyes widened in disbelief as Natsu stood there in front of her, his salmon hair was disheveled as normal, he was wearing a white dress shirt with the top button left undone, a tight form fitting black vest along with suit pants that matched the vest. He flashed her a trademark smirk and held his hand for her to take.
"N-Natsu?..." Lucy stuttered still in disbelief that he was there, and Natsu's grin grew.
"C'mon Luce...what are ya waiting for….let's dance…." Natsu's grin grew, and Lucy could've sworn she saw him blush.
"W-What are you doing here Natsu?..." She asked before he reached down and helped her up.
"Well...someone special to me said she really wanted me to be here...and I realized that I wasn't going to get better by staying cooped up in my bedroom. So…..I'm here and it looks like I got here just in time." Natsu rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. Lucy blushed and her lips immediately lifted into a large smile. She threw her arms around him tightly.
"I'm glad you came….and I'm sorry for everything Natsu….I promise that you aren't alone….I will help you get through whatever it is you're going through." Natsu smiled and held her close.
"I know you will….that's why I came, because Lucy….I have something I need to tell you." Natsu separated the hug and moved his hands to grab her arms.
"W-What is it?" Lucy asked, her face turning completely red as Natsu stared at her intently. But instead of answering he just pulled her over to the dance floor.
"Nevermind! It can wait until later! I want to dance with you right now."
"Heyyyyy that's mean, you Jerk!" Lucy whined, but didn't complain as Natsu's hands found themselves on her waist. In fact she locked her own hands behind his neck. Their faces coming dangerously close to each other, but strangely neither of them blushed, not this time, this time it just felt right. They began swaying together as Elvis' song 'Can't Help Falling in Love' began playing. They rested their foreheads against the others as they moved in unison with the song. Natsu stared lovingly into Lucy's brown eyes, the pain and sadness he had been in over the last few days flooding away as right now, in this moment nothing else mattered other than the beautiful blonde in his arms. His best friend, his lifeline, the girl he grew up with, and the one he wanted to grow old with. He closed his eyes and was swarmed with memories of her.
"How many times do I have to tell you MY NAME ISN'T LUIGI!"
"I love it! I'm gonna name him Plue!"
"No Natsu, not a bear….a water bearer it's Aquarius!"
"You're the Salamander?"
"I just got my very own stamp!"
"I can't lose you….I won't lose you Natsu…...I need you in my life…."
Natsu smiled with every single memory that he recalled, every single one holding a special place in his heart, and it was because they revolved around her. Lucy was in a similar boat, like Natsu she closed her eyes and allowed herself to be swarmed by the rush of memories that she held so dear to her heart. The memories of the boy she loved more than anything, the one she would stand by for the rest of her life and continue helping him stand back up when he gets knocked down, like she knew he would for her.
"It is going to take a lot more than what Laxus is capable of to keep me from coming back to you."
"And as long as we're friends, I won't let anybody hurt you!"
"Thanks. I had a great writer help me with it."
"U-Ummmm are you sure? It doesn't look like a bear."
"You can break every bone in my body…...Beat me within an inch of my life…..lock me in a freezer for the rest of my life…...But, don't you dare…...TOUCH…...HER!"
"You said you wanted to go to the carnival...So let's go!"
The song came to the chorus, and the two teens slowly opened their eyes to gaze into the other ones with nothing but love, and adoration. They smiled at each other and at once, without giving it a second thought they both opened their mouths and let three words slip out, escaping them so smoothly, that it felt natural. Like it was meant to be, the three words they spoke were said in unison as they slowly danced together and held onto each other tightly.
"I love you."
"I love you."
Chapter 36: Natsu & Lucy: Part Two
Q: Are y'all happy? :) The next part will deal with their history together, so you better buckle in.
Q2: Who was the man Natsu was talking to in the graveyard?
Also to answer your question Nalucenter, the number 8 for Prisoner 8 was because if you turn it horizontally, it is the infinity sign signifying Natsu's hopelessness, and feeling that he was going to be trapped inside Nirvana for the rest of his life, prey to Brain's torture, so of course Zero/Brain calls him that, because he knows that Natsu will always carry the pain Nirvana had on him for the rest of his life.