"What!? Nashi has to stay in the Dragon Realm for a couple of days!?" Natsu and Happy cried in the middle of dinner while the fairies ate at the restaurant and bar for dinner, luckily it was too loud for any bystanders to hear them.
After Lucy and Nashi finished eating their dinner, she finally brought up the fact that Igneel 'asked' for Nashi to come back to the Dragon Realm help her master spells and attacks that she was still lacking in. Of course, Lucy knew the truth and even expected this reaction from the two fire dragon slayers and blue exceed. So she had already come up with convincing explanations to feed them so that no one becomes suspicious of her true motive.
"Grandpa says that you have been falling behind on your training since you've been too busy playing with Papa lately." Lucy said, the peach haired child being unable to deny the fact. "You will only be there for half a year, Nashi."
"But Mama! I want to see you beat that mean lady and win the bet!" Nashi protested, not liking the fact that Igneel was suddenly summoning her to continue her training. "Can't Grandpa wait until after the Grand Magic Games to teach me the new stuff?"
"Yeah and that means she's gonna be gone for the last two days of the games, Luce!" Natsu continued to complain. "Let me go to the Dragon Realm! I'll set Dad straight!"
The blonde empress massaged her temples, even though Natsu was completely right about the fact that the request was unreasonable, she couldn't further risk Nashi's safety while the games were going on. None of them, the guild or the dragons, knew what these people of the future were capable of. Vetani, as far as she knew from the very few times they had clashed, seemed to have the same level of magic prowess as her. Which could only mean that her employers were far more advanced.
She had to bring Nashi away now, whether anyone agreed with her or not. "Come on, Nashi... Grandpa is waiting for you." She said, ignoring Nashi and opening the portal. "Grandeeney will be the one to take care of you in the castle."
The peach haired child, unable to deny her mother, nodded and took a hold of her hand. "Okay Mama..."
Before Natsu could even protest even more, Lucy and Nashi disappeared through the portal. Then after a second had passed, Lucy came back out again... a conflicted expression showing on her face. When she realized that her guild mates were staring at her, a stern expression making itself known as she turned to Makarov. The old guild master raised his eyebrow in curiosity as Lucy hung her head slightly and refused to meet eye contact with him.
"Master, I'd like to have a word with you." She said, Natsu still looking quite angry from the corner of her eye. "...Privately."
Makarov hummed as he placed his beer mug on the bar counter, hopping off his seat and headed toward the door. "Very well... you children continue with your meals." He replied. "We'll be back in a short while."
Just as they were about the exit the restaurant and bar, Natsu stomped his foot with major force , causing surprise and shock to the other fairies while Makarov and Lucy halted their steps. "Don't go ignoring me like that, Luce! I need better answers!" Natsu yelled, completely and utterly angered. "Shouldn't I also have a say in this!? Nashi has every right to stay here and watch the games!"
"Natsu! Cool it, man!" Gray said while trying to place a hand on the fire dragon slayer's shoulder, only to be pushed back by force.
Natsu's eyes burned holes on the back of Lucy's head the more he stared and clearly showcased his rage. "What kind of mother sends her kid away like that!?" He continued to shout, Lucy's body twitching and the others gasping at his words. "Why do you and Dad make up the final say!? I'm her father, aren't I!"
"Then be her father, Natsu!" Lucy shouted, causing everyone to go silent as she refused to turn around and stare down at her partner. "Go ahead... because when Nashi get's back... I won't be her mother anymore."
After those words, Makarov and Lucy left the restaurant and bar - leaving everyone inside utterly speechless, including Natsu. When the pink haired slayer realized what had happened, his body felt numb and he was left standing in his spot, staring at the spot where Lucy had just been. "I... What did I just do...?" He thought.
Natsu hadn't meant to yell at her like that. What right did he even have to question Lucy's actions as a mother? He wasn't there when Lucy decided to adopt Nashi, heck, he didn't even know that she existed until three years after the adoption. But for some reason, when he heard the child call him 'Papa', he felt in his heart that it was true - that he is Nashi's father. What's even worse, while watching Lucy leave, he felt his heart sink and his dragon instincts roar. In sorrow or anger, he did not know.
The rest of the guild members, on the other hand, couldn't shake off the last words Lucy had said before leaving. She wouldn't be Nashi's mother anymore? Even though her bringing Nashi back to the Dragon Realm was such an unplanned decision, no one could deny that Lucy made a great mother. From her closeness with Nashi, the pride and trust she held for the young child to even the way she disciplined her. She took a random child in three years ago and then truly turned into her mother.
Even if Nashi was angry at Lucy for sending her away with two days left of the games, everyone knew for a fact that she would accept no one but Lucy to be her mother. They all had a feeling that Lucy had yet to tell Nashi that, which meant when Nashi comes back... she would be completely heartbroken. Erza, Gray, Wendy, Happy and Carla then turned to Natsu, who still stood frozen and walked over to him. Happy climbing up to hold onto the pink haired boy's shoulder.
"Natsu...?" He finally asked gently, breaking the silence in the bar. "Are you okay?"
"I... I yelled at her..." He said slowly and softly, falling to his knees. "I yelled at Lucy... I never yelled at her like that..."
The team's eyes widened when they heard Natsu refer to Lucy by name rather than the nickname he gave her. Erza walked up to Natsu placed a comforting hand on his head, making him look up at her. "You were only thinking of Nashi's happiness... Lucy must know that." She said. "She probably did what she did for Nashi's well-being too."
"But... why would Lucy say she wouldn't be Nashi's mother anymore?" Wendy asked, not forgetting how Lucy said those words without hesitation. "She loves Nashi!"
"And it's precisely for that reason alone why Lucy said those words."
When the fairies turned to the door, Makarov stood alone by the doorway. He had his hands clasped behind his back and a stern expression on his with Lucy nowhere in sight. The fairies hadn't realized that an hour had passed since Lucy led Makarov out of the restaurant, their dinner long forgotten and their appetites gone. All they cared about was the blonde girl's well-being and wanted to comfort her in anyway that they can. So when the old guild master said those words, they became confused.
"It's because she loves Nashi that Lucy said she won't be Nashi's mother anymore?" Carla asked.
Makarov nodded, walking over to where his seat was and stood on the bar counter. "That is correct, Carla." He replied. "As a parent, it is their duty to watch out for their children at all costs... Lucy is just simply following that rule but feels that she is no longer fit to be Nashi's mother, no matter how any of you or even Nashi may say."
"But Master! You can't say that you agree with this too, can you!?" Levy asked.
Makarov only shook his head. "I may not agree with her, but as a parent myself, I can sympathize with her." He said. "Lucy, like all of you, is a stubborn child. I cannot change her mind."
Everyone hung their heads low at his words, being unable to deny their master's words. Natsu, who had finally snapped out of his shock, got up from the ground and made his way to the door. "Gramps... where's Luce right now?"
Makarov looked at Natsu, guilt and determination mixed in his eyes. Lucy had asked that he not tell anyone about where she was when he got back, but he expected nothing less from the fire dragon slayer. Besides, it wasn't right for the two of them to fight like this. Everyone in Fairy Tail, and perhaps in other guilds too, knew that Natsu and Lucy were not only great partners, but also shared a strong bond as best friends. If their friendship became ruined like this, it would not only affect Nashi, but the rest of Team Natsu as well.
"She's resting back at your lodge, Natsu." The old man replied. "I believe she also has something she wishes to say to you."
"Thanks." Natsu said as he nodded and ran out of the restaurant and bar.
As the fire dragon slayer ran, he began to prepare a whole speech to say when he saw Lucy. He was going to apologize straight away before she had any chance to run away and avoid him. After that, he would tell her that he won't ask what she had told Makarov (since the guild went straight to ask him about Lucy's words and forgot about asking what she told him) and that there was no way he could be Nashi's father without Lucy there to be her mother.
But that speech was soon forgotten as Natsu stopped running and began to listen carefully. He stood in front of his team's lodge but could smell a strong scent of salt and could hear faint sniffles coming from the roof. He immediately knew, if it wasn't obvious, who was up there and what they were doing. The dragon slayer began to climb up the side of the of the building very quietly and once he got to the top, he found Lucy sitting in front of him with her knees pulled to her chest and her head buried under her arms as she cried.
It didn't seem like she realized his presence, but hearing her cry was really hitting hard on his guilt. He never really acknowledged this fact, but Natsu never liked it whenever Lucy felt sad. The first time he saw her cry, after rescuing her from Phantom Lord's headquarters, he had felt somewhat off. When she felt sad that she couldn't see the rainbow sakura because she was sick, he dug up the tree and brought it to her. And even when she cried because of their argument when in the Dragon Realm.
So he disappeared for a second, quietly as to not startle her, and gently placed a blanket over her shoulders while sitting next to her without saying a word. "You'll get cold." He simply said as her head shot up and looked over to see him.
Lucy, with bloodshot eyes and a tearstained face, looked at the blanket for a moment before staring at Natsu with wide eyes. She was too startled to say a word, but for some reason she could sense Natsu's guilt like it was staring at her in the face. His expression held no emotion, but she could see that he felt conflicted. As much as she wanted to run away and avoid him until she calmed down properly, she realized that having him by her side was calming enough. And that made her want to apologize to him even more.
"Thank you..." She was able to choke out, earning a nod from Natsu as he hung his head low. Neither of them were in the position to deserve an apology - Natsu had undoubtedly hurt Lucy's feelings and Lucy was keeping secrets from him again. But neither of them wanted to leave the situation as it was either. "Natsu... I'm sorry."
Natsu couldn't help but force a small smile on his face, still remembering their last argument that also happened on a rooftop. "Aren't roles kind of reversed now?" He joked, making Lucy laugh as she wiped away her tears.
"I'm trying to be serious here y'know?" She replied, nudging him with her elbow. "You're right... as Nashi's father, you have right to have a say in deciding what's good for her. I shouldn't have left you out like that."
"Hey, don't say that. I'm only her father 'cause that's what she calls me. You're the one who adopted and raised her all by yourself without me." Natsu said. "Besides, I'm sorry too. You're a great mom and everybody in the guild knows that. I didn't even realize what I had said... Gramps and Erza told me that you probably did it for Nashi's sake anyway."
"Realized or not, you still said it." Lucy countered, making the slayer scratched the back of his head with guilt. "But it's not like I'm innocent either... so why don't we call it even?"
Natsu's face brightened up by those words and he immediately grinned widely at Lucy as the blonde girl surprised him with a hug. The pink headed slayer looked down at the blonde and slowly wrapped his arms around her to return the hug. They stayed like that for a few seconds, just enjoying each other's company, but Natsu hadn't realized that he moved ever so slightly so that he could plant a kiss atop her forehead. Both of their eyes widening at the entire simple action.
After he separated his lips from her forehead, Lucy looked up at Natsu with wide eyes as her face turned completely red. Natsu mirrored her look completely, confused as to why he even did that while his blood rushed to his ears because of his embarrassment. They both immediately broke the hug and avoided eye contact, trying to calm their heartbeats but to no avail. Deciding that a cold shower would probably help her, Lucy stood up and pointed in the direction of their room.
"Um... I'm... gonna go and freshen up... for tomorrow..." She stammered, the blush very evident on her face despite it being dark out. Natsu didn't know what the heck was going on with his heart but he swore that it just skipped a beat when he thought Lucy looked cute because of her blushing face. "Are you uh... gonna... stay out here... a little longer?"
It took Natsu a second before he could reply and he shook his head to get his sanity together. Lucy thinking that his childish reaction was so adorable that she swore her heart would've jumped out of her chest if she didn't try to suppress it. "Oh! Yeah! I'll meet you in the room later!" He replied, his voice cracking for a second. "I'm gonna just enjoy the fresh air a little longer!"
"Oh okay!" Lucy said, trying to keep her voice steady as she made her way down to the balcony and into their room.
Once she disappeared, Natsu began to freak out in silence. His heartbeat began to accelerate tenfold, his whole face burning up at the fact that he had just kissed Lucy, his best friend and partner, on her forehead! And what's more, he was proud that he'd done it! There was no other explanation for what was happening except for the idea that he is going insane. "What the heck was that!?"
When Lucy was inside the room, she immediately leaned on the wall next to her head, cupping her cheeks as she could feel her blush intensify. Natsu had just kissed her forehead and it looked like he hadn't even realized he'd done it! And what's more, she liked it! Her heartbeat increased as her mind began to go around in circles. "What the heck was that!?"
Both of them were definitely glad that they were able to apologize and put the argument behind them, but they could care less what had happened since then. What mattered is what in the world had gotten into Natsu to kiss Lucy's forehead and why on Earthland did Lucy want to relive the moment!? The more they tried to come up with an answer, the more their blushes intensified. They had just resolved an argument, but why did this awkward situation come up now!?