I had to update as my own birthday present ;)
Chapters 1 and 2 are the completed story, everything else is considered bonus content.
When tears run dry and red, puffy skin recedes, Lucy ambles down the dreary halls. Having stopped for breakfast, nothing else remains to distract the woman. Light streams through open blinds to cast a glow along the dull walls. Dreading the upcoming conversation, her steps creep like the slow-moving sun as she delays her destination.
The buzz of conversation floats through the air as Lucy approaches the room, echoed by her son's bright, boisterous laugh. His giggles always improve her mood no matter how tough her day's been. "Someone's having a good morning, huh?" Lucy laughs, stepping inside with a grin. Feeling lighter already, she plants swift kisses along the boy's forehead.
"Good morning Lucy, I see you're doing well," Erza states. The supervisor sits straight against the plastic chair, shoulders squared, head up, and chin level. The woman always looks professional no matter the circumstances.
Gray, an ex-PI and Natsu's partner leans back while stretching his legs along the floor. "Morning," he says, his lips lifting in a casual grin. A subtle yawn ends his greeting, bringing attention to the faint bluish marks under his eyes.
Grinning back, "Hey guys, sorry I didn't grab you something. I didn't know you were here," Lucy gestures to the bag in her hands. Turning to her family, the blonde giggles as Happy's wide eyes attempt to peer through the plastic. Pulling out a muffin, the boy wastes no time in taking a large bite, humming in satisfaction at the treat.
Natsu, feeling his stomach growl, pouts while watching his son munch on the pastry. Lisanna just came by with his measly breakfast, but shards of hunger already prick his starving stomach.
"Here, I figured hospital food wouldn't satisfy you." Plain yogurt cups act as a peace offering, calling for a temporary truce between the couple. Slight tension remains just below the surface, but for now, they'll have to push through. Again.
Seeing the offering, Natsu's eyes soften as he lingers over his wife, the sincere gleam conveying more than just gratitude. A genuine smile spreads across his lips, "Thanks, Lucy. You're the best," he says, his words carrying a deeper meaning than a simple compliment.
"That's alright, Gray and I ate beforehand," Erza states, breaking through the couple's bubble.
Lucy, feeling guilty for forgetting her friends, sends another apologetic grin. "More than strawberry pancakes, I hope?" She jokes, taking her earlier seat beside the bed. "Not that we don't want your company, but you two are here early. I understand Erza, but you, Gray? I haven't seen you up this early since high school."
Gray's neck dusts pink as he averts his gaze, using a hand to awkwardly scratch his head. "Erza dragged me over," he mumbles, embarrassed to admit his concern.
Sensing his unease, Natsu uses the opportunity to poke fun at him. "Seems like Droopy Eyes hasn't outgrown his crush on me after all," snake-like snickers echo with his joke. "You'll have to fight Lucy and win me over," Natsu's face contorts in a grimace as stitches pinch against his cheek, instantly killing his happy mood.
Dark eyebrows twitch in annoyance and dull teeth grit together. "You know I lost that bet!" Gray seethes, annoyed that his past keeps getting drudged up. "Besides, Juvia and I have been together longer than you two anyway. Obviously, I'm not interested in… that." He remarks, gesturing to Natsu's bruised face.
A snort slips past Lucy's lips as they effortlessly slide into a familiar dynamic, their banter bringing back fond memories from their teenage days.
"More like you had to move on," Natsu goads, chasing a glance at his grinning wife. Her bright, cheery laugh makes his heart sing. "Luce and I got married and had a kid before you proposed, so obviously we won!"
"Marriage isn't a race, Slanty Eyes," the dark-haired male mumbles with a roll of his equally dark eyes.
"You have been engaged for years, Gray, but we understand. Not everyone is ready for that level of commitment." Erza joins in, showing a rare moment of mischief. "Though, If we're arguing over who has been together the longest, Jellal and I outmatch both of you." She crosses her arms in triumph to the dismay of Natsu.
Happy, having finished breakfast, joins the conversation with a sly grin. "Mama told me Uncle Jellal rejected you," he says, referencing an awkward conversation he overheard.
The room erupts in chaos as Natsu and Gray break out in laughter, small tears streaming down their cheeks. Attempting to be a serious father, Natsu tries, and fails, to choke back his loud cackles. Wheezing, the man clutches his injured side while taking deep breaths to steady to growing pain. Gray fares even worse as he doubles over, not even attempting to disguise his echoing howls.
Lucy gasps in horror and frowns at her son, sending him a disapproving look and sternly calling his name.
Her cheeks glowing as red as her hair, either from embarrassment or anger, no one's sure, closing her eyes does nothing to quell the irritated twitching along Erza's brow. "You're lucky you're still young," she mumbles, holding the bridge between her eyes. Casting a scathing glare at the boy's parents sends chills down their spines.
"That was supposed to stay between us," the mother softly tugs at her son's cheek, doe eyes squinting in a glare. Lucy risked her life that night so Happy could spy and this is her thanks? Getting the number one spot along the she-demons hit list?
Clearing her throat, the vexed woman sits up straighter, trying to regain her composure. "If you must know, Happy, Jellal is currently focusing on himself but we are very much exclusive." She emphasizes, trying to plaster a smile but the irritated gleam in her eyes is overpowering.
"Now that it's established I'm the clear victor," Erza smirks in an attempt to change subjects, "on behalf of Fairy Tail, I'd like to congratulate Natsu and Gray on their most recent mission. Without you, we wouldn't have Jackal in our custody." Her words fill the men with pride as they puff out their chests, beaming with satisfaction. They bear a look of cockiness and bask in the praise from the influential figure.
Despite her dissatisfaction with his job, Lucy can't help but be proud of her husband. She knows working for Fairy Tail is his passion, the man taking his job seriously, striving to prove himself a valuable member. He does whatever it takes to accomplish missions, even at the expense of damaged property if the piles of apology letters he's written (and she's helped write) are any indication.
Before their ego inflates like balloons, Erza effortlessly pops them. "With that being said, Natsu, you'll be conducting research and data entry from home.. once you're well enough to work, that is," she adds, concerned for her friend.
Gray snickers lightly at the news, humored by Natsu's misfortune. A look of shock and disbelief flashes across the injured man's face, appalled to be assigned mundane tasks after receiving praise. "Paperwork duty? Come on Erza, you know I'm better out on the field!" His tone rises as a whine leaks from his mouth and his shoulders sag with disappointment.
"These are direct orders from the Master himself," Erza replies, "Honestly, Fairy Tail is already over budget on repairs and costly hospital visits, we cannot afford your destructive tendencies and risk of injury anymore." Her firm words end the spew of rebuttals aching to be voiced.
Natsu's bottom lip pushes out in a pout as he folds his arms over his chest and bunches his shoulders to his ears. Another groan-like whine builds at the back of his throat, threatening to be released.
The supervisor's lips thin into a knowing smile, "Don't worry, Levy and Gray will stop by frequently to assist you, should you need it." Erza silently laughs as the men throw their heads back in disgust, the thought of spending time together tasting like spoiled milk.
Natsu and Gray shout in unison, their voices blending in a cacophony of loud and angry protests. They overlap one another in a fight to be heard, resulting in frustrated insults pelted back and forth.
Glad everyone's focused elsewhere, Lucy breathes a guilty sigh. She's overjoyed Natsu will be home but the thought eats like vultures, tearing into and shredding the parts of her she wishes were dead. He lives for the thrill of bounty hunting and finds great satisfaction in stalking his prey, but selfishness feeds the flock of hungry birds. She can't help but miss her husband; schedules that rely on criminals, bouts of sudden inspiration, and Happy's needs leave the couple limited time together.
He can't be fully to blame, though. Sometimes the urge to write gnaws at Lucy, begging to be put into words, uncaring of the time. Or if her husband's home. She effortlessly falls victim to the roaring demands, spending the next several hours working through her muse.
~0~
The next few days drift by as friends and coworkers come to visit and wish Natsu well, making his recovery slightly smoother and the boring days slightly faster. Before realizing it, he's signing discharge papers with a promise to visit Lisanna, but for once, not on the operating table.
Relieved to finally be home, Lucy pulls into the driveway with a sigh, vowing to stay far, far away from that miserable building. The shrill, sharp, and flat cries for help haunt her past as it is, no need to fear them in the present. For now, at least. Stress and unsettling trepidation begin melting off as the comforting feeling of being home surrounds the blonde. Even though the nightmare has yet to end, she finds some sort of peace among familiarity.
"Happy, can you bring the food inside while I grab Papa's old crutches?" Lucy smiles at her son through the rearview mirror. The savory smell wafts through the car, making everyone's stomachs growl.
Grinning back while grabbing the bags, "Sure thing Mama," he calls, rushing inside ready to feast with or without his parents.
Natsu, growing impatient and wanting to feel independent, pops his door open and shifts his good leg along the pavement. He spent far too long having nurses wait on him, it's about time he did something for himself, by himself.
Lucy, glancing at the stubborn male, rushes out of her seat. "Wait Natsu, you need your crutches," swinging the door open is the easy part, but the seatbelt coiling around her leg like rope adds a layer of difficulty.
Striking a nerve makes him more determined to do this on his own. "'S fine, I don't need 'em," Natsu says, casually dropping his heavy, boot-clad leg against the cement. It makes contact with an audible thud as sparks ricochet through broken bones. Still feeling prideful, he bites down on his lower lip to keep the gasps at bay.
His wife, now rope-free and hands glued to her hips, stands before him. "Don't need 'em, hmm?" Her words lift with the subtle jest, a teasing smile tugging along her lips.
Irritation bubbles below Natsu's skin like boiling water, ready to pop and burst through the surface. "I got it, Lucy," grumbling, the man tries once more to stand on his own two feet, not ready (or willing) to admit defeat against the imaginary foe. This time, the pain wins as sharp gasps leave Natsu's lungs and shaky legs crumble under his weight.
Before he collapses against the ruthless sediment, Lucy grasps his bicep and tugs him up against her side, slipping his arm around her shoulders while curling her own around Natsu's waist. "If you won't wait, then stop being stubborn and let me help," she scolds like an irate mother.
The man huffs in anger and self-hate. His wife's attitude fuels the spreading fire as she berates him like a child. He's a grown man, not a little kid who needs scolding. "Let me try again," he demands, keeping his gaze low.
Lucy raises an eyebrow as she sends her husband's leg a knowing look, unknowingly feeding the hungry flames.
Aware of her unrelenting determination, Natsu swallows his pride despite the searing bite it causes. The sooner he gets inside, the sooner he can get off his aching limb. Leaning into Lucy's side, together they painstakingly hobble up the uneven path, making it just a few feet along the hardened floor.
The setting sun casts its glow along the forested home, decorating the sky in bloody reds and fierce oranges. Shadows overtake the lawn as the dwindling light recedes below the horizon. The darkening path makes walking more of a challenge than it already was as Natsu struggles to make out dips and cracks below his feet.
"Fuck!" Natsu shouts as the clunky black boot hits a rock, his anger-fueled bellow echoing around the forest louder than necessary. The pot of self-loathing, helplessness, and animosity breaches through the man as he pours every ounce he has into the four-lettered word. Losing his balance, Natsu trips forward, ready for the ground to swallow him whole.
Lucy jerks him tighter against her, her tricep straining as she digs her palm into Natsu's waist to adjust him once again. The movement tugs at the jagged scar along the male's hip as stitches scream in protest, Natsu following their lead with his own shriek. He instinctively grasps the healing wound, pressing down to ease the pain.
Impulsively pulling away, "I-I'm so sorry," Lucy gasps, horrified with herself.
The action propels the hunter sideways as he crashes back into Lucy, staggering to balance on his injured leg as the fractured limb quakes with pain. Pulling the blonde back against his side, Natsu locks his arm around her shoulders as deep, heavy breaths fume like smoke. Fierce green eyes squeeze shut as he waits for tormenting throbs to ebb away.
Natsu's ears ring as they block out everything but the shards shooting along his spine, escalating with every passing second. "I told you," He grits out between clenched teeth, "I could do it myself." His words are arrows shot straight at Lucy's heart
Instead of succumbing to tears once again, the blonde feels provoked and stoops to his level. "I'm just trying to help," She hisses like venom.
"Well, you're not Lucy."
"Then tell me how Natsu."
The couple glare at one another like children, seeing who will bend first. Whose resolve will crumble like the dirt beneath their feet. Sorrow and stress fuse with resentment to create a destructive concoction, building off the other's explosive emotions as unresolved conflicts burst to the surface.
Tension as thick as steel builds like a tangible force ready to snap. Throughout the years they've endured their marriage, this is the closest, yet most distant moment they've experienced. Despite being wrapped around each other, emotionally, they've never felt further apart.
Just as Natsu informs his wife exactly how she can help, their son's voice is cold water over a blazing inferno. "Mom, Dad?" His presence extinguishes the argument as thick smoke billows through the air. They stare wide-eyed at the boy as ice runs through their veins, not moving a muscle for fear he'll run like prey. But instead, he stands and stares like a deer dazed by headlights.
Swiping the smoke away fist, "Hey baby," Lucy coos with a faux smile, "Can you get the crutches, please?" Her voice quivers at the end as Happy stiffly nods, his round eyes dancing between his parents. Thin tears line his vision before he blinks them away, briskly turning to fetch the item.
The bitter weight of guilt and shame crushes the couple as they watch Happy flee. Lucy stares at the empty space between the door, "Damn it, what have I done," a weighted sigh fills the void eroding through her heart.
They both know better than to involve their innocent child; he shouldn't have witnessed their unresolved differences and pent-up animosity. Conflict is tearing their relationship apart, but the emotional burden on Happy could have a lasting and damaging impact.
Humorless chuckles vibrate along Natsu's chest, the watery sound hanging in the air.
Glancing at her husband, Lucy's brows pinch together as hostility resurfaces. In no way is her son's suffering funny, "What are you laughing at?" She demands, eyeing the man.
Turning to his wife, a foolish smile curls the edges of Natsu's thin lips. "You," glistening emeralds trail along the blonde's face, taking in the small details of her flaring nostrils to the scattered brown constellations. His gaze lands on her full lips jutted in an angry pout, "Us."
The conviction in those two simple words chips away Lucy's furious demeanor, carving their own smile and grave snort. A single tear wets her cheek, paving the way for more to follow.
Because sometimes, all you can do is laugh. Laugh and find humor in humorless actions. Laugh at the destruction caused and hope you can repair it.