Hello!
Before you get into reading I wanted to give some background on this fanfiction, and me.
This fanfic takes place a couple months after Lucy and Natsu meet, but before any of the major arcs.(The first one being Phantom Lord arc.) and I hope to continue this story it until it reaches its natural end, so I don't know how many chapters I will write.
I have a busy life. I don't have a set plan on how often I can update, but expect the next 2 chapters to be released in the next 2 weeks!
Enjoy reading
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I can't sleep.
I sit up in my bed pulling my knees up to my chest. The moonlight that streaks through my window in broken beams paints my body in a soft glow as I stick my hands into my hair, grabbing fistfuls of blonde.
Since my mother died, there is a recurring nightmare I find myself stuck inside most nights.
I am a child in the mansion I grew up in. The house is dark and I stand in the middle of a hallway. I am holding my doll as my feet pad on the marble floors and the sound echoes off the walls. The darkness around me begins to grow, clinging to the walls and groping the floor in every direction. I can hear him. Snarling. I can see his black eyes glinting in the shadows. I take off and hear claws hitting the floor behind me. 4 legs. My fur stands up. The sound of animalistic panting like a metronome to this intangible symphony.
click
click
click
click
I take 4 steps before he sinks his teeth into my hind leg, his growl rolls out of his throat and lodges itself deep in mine. I yelp.
A deer stands in front of me. A doe. A tear buds in her eye and sprouts down her cheek.
I don't want to sleep because I know what is awaiting me. I know what is waiting and I can't bear what I become in my dreams.
Sometimes I feel like that is all I am and all I ever will be.
Prey.
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My boyfriend stands in the hallway of my apartment complex. I feel my eyes welling up so I turn away from him and take an effortful step towards my apartment door.Ireallydon't want to cry in front of him.
"Luce wait- I'm sorry, really! Please-" I could hear his footsteps padding closer on the carpeted hallway behind me.
"Please, just stop.."I mumbled as I neared my door and fumbled for my door key at my side.
"But Lucy, you won't let me explain!" He appeared beside me and grabbed my arm before I could unlock my door and escape this conversation.
"Please let go of me!" I surprise both of us as I raise my voice. He lets go of me and his mouth hangs agape. He looked just about as dumbfounded as I had when I walked in on him cheating on me. I'm sure at the time I had probably looked just as stupid. I put my key into the handle of my door. twisted, pushed, and let the door close with a click behind me.
"Uuuuhhhhhggghh!" I groaned loudly and slid down my door closing my eyes. I was finally able to breathe.
.
.
.
BANG!
My whole body shook when Malt slammed his balled up fist into my door. I looked back, my eyes wide with fear as if I could see him through the wood.
"Lucy open the door." He demands.
Part of me really wants to let him in.. to please. Most of me can't move an inch.
"Fine. I'll come back when you're ready to talk about things." He spits out. I'm surprised his venom doesn't melt a hole through the door.
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"Lucy! Perfect timing, me and Happy we're just about to run over to your place! We've got a job!" I took one step into the guild hall when Natsu ran up to me with a large grin on his face, Happy flying beside him. Every muscle in my body tenses when he comes around the corner. That's embarrassing.
"R-really? What's the job?" I glance between Natsu and the paper suspiciously.
"Oh uhh.. I dunno, I stopped reading after 2 million jewels." Natsu shrugs and hands me the paper, still smiling.
"2 million jewels for… worm hunting? That's a lot but.. the thought of those things squirming around in my hands gives me the jitters!"
"Really? Worm hunting?" Natsu exclaims.
"Shouldn't you have already known that before you took the job!" I bring my hand down on his head.
"Ahhh! Lucy's gonna crack Natsu's head open and eat his brains!" Happy screams and hides behind Natsu's shoulder.
Natsu rubs the top of his head while sticking out his bottom lip in a pout, "Heyy, I didn't even do anything this time!"
"Yeah that's the problem!" Sigh "I'm sorry I've had a rough day but I shouldn't take it out on you.. Even if you are clueless" I smile.
For a moment Natsu eyes me with curiosity, which then turns to suspicion. "What do you want from me..?"
"Can't I be nice without you thinking I have an ulterior motive!" I can't with these two!
I turn heel and stomp away- "Hey where are you going?" Happy calls out!
"Where do you think? To the train station!" Natsu grins and runs up to me. Happy follows shortly behind.
As they talk amongst themselves beside me I feel at ease, even as the sun sets and the shadows cast on the rocky pavement in front of us melts into a single darkness.
"Are you okay Lucy?" I'm snapped out of my thoughts as I turn my head to meet Natsu's gaze. He could probably tell that something is bothering me, hell he can probably smell it. I guess telling myself an asshole cheated on me doesn't change the fact that I was cheated on. That Malt had me, and I was not enough.
It still hurts.
"Yeah, why do you ask?" I hum.
"You've hardly spoken-"
Happy interrupts, "Yeah normally you'd be going on and on and on and on!" He quips, and for a moment, I swear Natsu glares at him.
I smile softly, "Yeah, I guess I would."
I mean, It's not like I haven't thought about telling them what happened.. It's just that I can't. If I did I would have to tell them I had a boyfriend, then they would ask why we broke up and I would have to tell them he cheated on me. Then they would ask why I would even date someone like that and I would have to tell them that I don't-
"Y'know if something is wrong you can always talk to me.. But maybe you would rather talk to someone like Levy, girl talk and all that.." The soft light of the station in front illuminates our faces, cutting through the darkness as I look up at him almost in awe at his sincerity.
"Happy, can you go get our tickets buddy?" Natsu hands him a little bag.
"Aye sir!" Tiny blue paws pick up the bag and fly into the train station leaving me and Natsu to sit in his last statement. I look down at my fingers.
"Look, whatever you're going through, you don't have to do it alone." He looks off and scratches the back of his head, "I guess I'm one to talk though.."
Natsu suddenly looks down at me with worry. "Are you okay?"
"Hm?"
"You're crying!"
I don't believe him so I reach a hand up to feel my face. As I cup my cheek my hand comes away wet. This is so embarrassing, I am acting childish, crying in front of Natsu. I wish I could disappear.
I wipe my tears, " I'm sorry, I don't know what I'm crying about.." I laugh nervously.
He gives me a concerned look, "Do you-"
"I'm back with tickets!" Happy flies up to us and hands them to me.
"Natsu, did you make Lucy cry!? You big meanie!" Happy hugs my bosom and gives Natsu a dirty look.
"I didn't do anything!"
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Phew!
I didn't want to give a bad first impression, but now that you've finished reading I can say it. This chapter was rough...
If it means anything, I promise better writing ahead, but to see that you will have to stick around until next chapter!
All jokes aside, thank you for reading.