A/N: Another early release because my work schedule got all messed up. I have the next few chapters prepared so that I can drop them on schedule while I'm visiting family in England!

CHAPTER TWO: IN HER EYES

Deep inside me, I'm fading to black, I'm fading.
Took an oath by the blood of my hand, won't break it.
I can taste it, the end is upon us, I swear.
Gonna make it. I'm gonna make it.
Natural, a beating heart of stone.
You gotta be so cold to make it in this world.
Yeah, you're a natural. Living your life cutthroat.
You gotta be so cold. Yeah, you're a natural.

Natsu sat alone in the empty room. Dark shadows slivered like snakes along the walls and ceiling, coiling together to create one mass of adumbration. The malevolence hissed in this place, taking on a life of its own, feeding into his fears. Coal black flames crackled and spit, giving no light. Natsu shivered.

Cold air fanned his face, and it took a moment to realise it was his own. Natsu couldn't remember the last time he'd felt this cold. The darkness shifted, exposing a room that existed only in fragments. A memory. He found himself sitting in an old village, a mirage of shadows and silhouettes blending together. He was in the past.

Not again.

He closed his eyes, as though he could defeat darkness with more darkness, pick apart the shadows to create something less bleak and cold. Less evil. He tried to call his flames but the heat was too strong. It devoured him and burnt out too quickly. And it hurt. Pain lanced through him, skin boiling, the burns crusting on his arms much too soon.

He opened his eyes to see Zeref sitting before him, arms folded across his chest. Crimson eyes reflected Natsu's demonic form like glass orbs reading the future.

"Hello, brother."

Natsu didn't answer. He wouldn't give Zeref the time of day Not right now. Not like this.

Chagrined, Zeref leaned forward, caressing Natsu's burnt cheek. The dark room filled with a new sense. He could smell it. Ash and smoke and burning flesh.

"To what end did you summon me here again?" Zeref asked.

Natsu knocked the hand away, rage boiling worse than his scorched flesh. As if he'd willingly bring about this nightmare!

"You need my help," Zeref said. "You're confused. Scared. You seek answers to questions you haven't even thought to ask yet."

"I don't need anything from you."

Zeref smiled, and it was so sweet Natsu almost wished it were real, and that his big brother wasn't just a crazy, cursed phantom come to haunt him in his dreams. Maybe this wasn't even Zeref but a demon come to claim his soul.

"Your confidence is fading, Natsu." Zeref's smile vanished, crooked until it became a frown. "She'll grow tired of it too. Your weakness."

Natsu moved to stand, ready to pummel Zeref into a new afterlife. Zeref moved faster. He held Natsu in a vice-like grip, forcing him to sit once more. His cold hands dug into Natsu's shoulders.

"Did you ever stop to wonder..."

"Stop it!" Natsu shoved him away, but his hand passed through Zeref's chest to his brother's heart. The organ beat wildly, spreading veins of thick crimson through Zeref's face. He looked possessed.

An image of Lucy dead on the ground flickered through Natsu's mind. His own scream echoed back to him, bloodcurdling, devastated.

"...Why it is you're still alive?"

Natsu woke with a start. He stared at his outstretched hand, flexed his curled fingers. Lucy jolted beside him, sitting up as he did. They sat for a while in silence, neither one sure where to start. In the low light of dawn, he saw the malaise in her face. So beautiful. So pale.

Shafts of morning sunlight ribbed the wooden floor where Lucy had left the curtains partially open. He saw their packs sitting beneath the window, untouched through the night. That's right. They were looking for Aquarius.

He remembered Gray's warning just weeks before: 'Don't try to do everything by yourself, idiot. Try to see yourself through her eyes for a change. She suffers when you do. Remember that.'

At the time Natsu had offered only a retort, barely bothering to incline his head as Gray departed on his next trip. He'd thought Gray hypocritical for the lecture. But he'd taken it to heart all the same. Natsu didn't want to become the old Gray—pushing away any hope of being happy, constantly afraid of losing the people he loved.

"It was you and Gray, right?" Natsu asked.

Lucy didn't answer, but her eyes betrayed unspoken questions.

"You were the ones who rewrote the book." He hesitated, the words a tangle of thorns on his tongue. They pricked him. He swallowed the blood and the doubt. "My book."

Just saying those words made him feel nauseous again. He wasn't a demon. He was Natsu, damn it. He wasn't...

The hand that touched his shoulder now wasn't Zeref's. It was kind, gentle. Lucy sat facing him on the bed, her soft cheeks faded pink, her eyes lidded with fatigue. She always looked so radiant, her beauty a reflection of her kindness.

"Natsu, if anything, I'm grateful to Zeref," she said, and the words didn't sting at all. Because he knew her. Knew her heart. "Because of him, I can have you here now. Like this."

Happy clung to Natsu's arm. Their warmth seeped through him in ways dragon slayer magic never could.

"Natsu is Natsu!" Happy yelled in agreement.

"Lucy..." Natsu sucked in a trembling breath. "Happy..."

If only he could see himself in her eyes. In their hearts.

She patted his shoulder as if to dismiss the moment. "That's enough of that," she said, though Natsu was certain he saw a glint of tears in her eyes. "Go bathe. We leave soon."

It was only then that Natsu realised she was already dressed. Aquarius's key dangled like a grim reminder around her neck. That same flicker of annoyance passed through him, the same feeling he'd felt upon finding the key broken in her desk. Why hadn't she told him? No, that wasn't fair. She'd probably tried to tell him. Natsu just hadn't listened. All he'd seen back then was his own pain. Losing Igneel, not being strong enough, all of it had beaten him down until he was nothing. No one.

And then the guild had disbanded, leaving Lucy all alone.

He couldn't blame Lucy's silence for these feelings. He regretted not being there for her during his year away. He should've been. But he was making up for it now.

He'd found the broken key in her desk drawer one night, when Lucy was visiting Levy and the twins. He'd been intending to prank her by hiding her recent novel papers, but he'd found the key and a whole stack of articles instead. Natsu had thought Lucy was losing interest in the guild, that she didn't want to go on adventures with him anymore. So he'd busied himself in her life, sleeping at her apartment, eating all of her food, trying to remind her of the day they met. Of the Lucy who desperately wanted to join Fairy Tail.

She'd been searching for Aquarius all this time.

She'd chastised him for snooping, and then she'd cried. And cried. And cried. He'd bought the chain with Erza the next day, and then he'd given it to Lucy. She'd been so touched she'd cried again, but Natsu didn't leave things there.

'Let's go!' he'd yelled. 'Right now!'

'What? Go where?'

'To find Aquarius! We'll find her together, Lucy.'

She'd agreed without a second thought.

Lucy cupped his left cheek. Natsu leaned against her palm, taking a moment to collect his thoughts. He wished he could shut off his brain for a while.

She'll grow tired of it too. Your weakness.

"Aquarius's key will be there," Natsu said.

Lucy's smile was infectious. "And even if it isn't, what's important is that we're together. As long as I'm with you, I just know we'll find her. And I know everything will be okay."

Happy threw himself between them. "We'll always be together, Lucy!"

Natsu gave Happy a reassuring pat on the head. "C'mon, buddy. Let's hurry so we can start our next adventure."

It had taken a whole lot of bartering, but Lucy finally agreed to reach Clover Town on foot. Anything was better than risking another ride on that damned train. Even with Wendy's magic, something about the journey had left him so languid. Falling asleep likely hadn't helped. Whenever he closed his eyes, Natsu saw Zeref. And sometimes, in the worst cases, he saw himself. He couldn't afford to lose any strength. Not if he was going to support and protect her like he'd promised.

Although, for the latter part of the journey, he had been fully awake, sneaking glances at Lucy whenever she wasn't looking. This was their first adventure in over a year. He'd been so excited.

"And so I sent Loke to do some digging," Lucy was saying, her pack slung lazily from one shoulder. Natsu had offered to take it, but she'd insisted on carrying her own burdens.

"What did he find?" Natsu asked, though he'd only been half-listening.

Lucy placed a hand on her hip and stopped to admire the midday sun. Fingers of light combed through tresses of green leaves overhead, painting the soft earth a pale yellow. She sheltered her face under a hand and said, "Nothing, yet. He hasn't come back."

The way she said it made him think Loke should have been back by now. It likely wasn't anything to worry about, though. He wouldn't return empty handed. Nobody liked hurting Lucy's feelings.

He probably knew Aquarius's location already.

There were rules in place, but Loke was Lucy's friend before he was her spirit. When called, he would do as she asked, tiptoeing around those fragile little rules. Would he tell her straight or dangle clues? If they really did find her at Clover Town...

"You know, I don't think I want Aquarius's key to be there," Natsu blurted.

Happy descended from the sky, shooting Natsu a glance that said far more than words ever could.

"Mmm," Lucy agreed, understanding him completely. Natsu let out a breath. "It would be a shame if our adventure ended so soon."

"Maybe it doesn't have to," Natsu said. "Maybe after we visit Clover Town and reunite with Aquarius..."

Lucy spun on her heel and smiled so brightly it pierced through him, leaving pinpricks under his skin. His knees buckled.

"You really wanted to take on the Hundred Years Quest, right? We should go," she said.

Erza and the others had been slightly disappointed that Natsu and Lucy were going on a trip without them, but they'd promised to hold off on any big quests until their return.

Natsu's heartbeat quickened. She always knew what to say to make everything feel okay, like he wasn't balancing on a tightrope, destined to fall at any moment. Maybe he'd already fallen and time was trickling by in slow-motion. What happened when he hit the bottom?

"And we have the S-Class exam to train for too," he reminded her.

Makarov had prepared a new exam, issuing a date two years in advance. He'd promised it would be the toughest one yet. Happy had offered to sit this one out, but Natsu couldn't imagine taking the exam with anyone else. And besides, competing against Lucy sounded like a lot of fun. They could still train together.

"I wonder if Cana will want to pair up with me again," Lucy thought aloud.

"Anyone would be lucky to have you on their team, Lucy."

She beamed at that.

"We better hurry," she said. "The weather is so unpredictable."

Due to a sudden downpour of rain, they'd taken shelter in Oshibana Town before starting their journey once again, lengthening their trip another two days. During their stay, they'd talked about the Dark Guild they'd once fought there, and how things had been eerily quiet since Zeref's defeat. It couldn't be that all those guilds suddenly stopped their illegal activities.

Thinking back on those days made him realise just how far they'd come. Lucy used to whine and bicker during their quests. Now she remained steadfast, strong, taking the lead where she'd once hidden and cried.

And despite all of this, memories of the Alvarez War clung like sticky strands. Natsu just couldn't break free. He remained trapped in his own web of weakness.

He never wanted to put his friends in that kind of danger again.

"I really hope we arrive soon," Lucy said, stretching her hands high above her head. "I seriously need a bath."

"Yeah, you stink,Lucy," Happy teased.

Natsu laughed, and suddenly she was chasing them through the trees, screaming and laughing at the top of her lungs.

Moments like this made him feel so human.

Clover Town sparkled. Where once it had been a dull place for guild masters to discuss their boring rules and regulations, it now shimmered with lights and laughter. The whole town glittered like an ongoing festival. Lanterns and odd decorations waved from wooden arches overhead, tinkling with little beads and ornaments.

Assorted posts bound in ribbon and lights created walkways into the once quiet town, lacrimas shimmering to create a narrow tunnel of colourful light even at midday. Crooked signposts stood almost every hundred paces with directions to various stalls and games.

An amalgam of savory and sweet scents wafted through the town, drawing Natsu left and right, his stomach growling, assaulting his senses with a building temptation. He wanted to eat everything.

During the remainder of their woodland travels, Loke had come and gone, promising to bring them more news if he found any. He'd confirmed that such a stall did exist, but he wasn't at liberty to say which keys were being sold. He did, however, verify that the keys were not fakes. Lucy's eagerness had piqued since then, and she'd been rather flighty since they'd reached town. More than once he'd had to stop her from tripping over juts in the path, and now she wobbled and staggered beside him, desperate to see over the heads of people in front.

Exasperated, she bounced on her toes to catch a peek of the stalls ahead. "What's with this crowd?"

"Don't worry, Lucy. I'm sure Happy will find it soon."

They'd sent Happy to scout ahead for the stall, but the crowds had only thickened since then, knots of people tangling together in a tapestry of bobbing heads and colourful clothing. Even from above, they might have trouble finding what they needed.

As they reached the centre of town, strings of ribbon began to fall away, and the streets widened to form an entire plaza. A band of musicians played energetic melodies somewhere close by, causing Lucy to stop just once in the hopes of catching a peek. Repaved streets vanished beneath the crowds.

It was difficult to move here, let alone see anything through the sudden stop and start of curious by-passers. Sensing Lucy's discomfort and burning curiosity, Natsu took her pack and threw it on his back, allowing her to move more freely. It wasn't enough.

Lucy moved and squeezed, but the wall of people ahead was too dense to pass. They'd have to find another way around. She expelled a long, defeated sigh.

He couldn't take this anymore.

Natsu launched her onto his shoulders. She windmilled her arms and grabbed a fistful of his hair, yanking harder than he'd expected. Natsu groaned.

"Ease up, would ya?"

"Sorry. You surprised me." She lurched forward suddenly. "I see it, Natsu! I found the stall! And Happy!"

Reunited, the group meandered through the crowd, Happy shouting directions while Lucy pointed with a flailing arm.

The stall they arrived at wasn't magical in nature, but a table of cupcakes sheltered in little glass cases. Had they taken a wrong turn? No, he was sure they'd followed Happy's directions correctly.

"Hey, look," Lucy said.

Natsu followed her hand to a stack of cupcakes in the back of the display case. Just three of them, decorated with the Fairy Tail emblem. One blue, one pink, and one yellow.

"Oh, I see you like those," the merchant said. A soft smile graced the woman's wrinkled face. "They sell quick."

"They look so yummy!" Happy called.

"Should we buy them?" Lucy offered. "It's only fitting, right?"

Natsu nodded, almost forgetting Lucy on his shoulders. He gripped her thighs a little tighter for support.

"Happy, grab the jewels from my pack," Lucy said. And then, to the merchant, "We'll take all of them. Please."

The exchange was simple, and the cupcakes were placed in a beautifully hand-decorated box with intricate little swirls and an assortment of guild crests on the lid. It looked too beautiful to be a simple cake box.

"Do you happen to know if there's a stall selling keys nearby?" Lucy asked. "We're a little lost."

The woman nodded and, still smiling, pointed just two stalls down. Lucy saw the keys first, and her excitement caused Natsu to stagger sideways, almost tumbling over a small child in his way.

"Put me down! Put me down!" she chanted.

No sooner had he set her down did Lucy take off in a sprint. Natsu followed close behind her, but when he reached the stall her excitement had already extinguished. He entire body deflated with its departure. She tucked her hair behind an ear and sighed.

"It's not here," she said.

"You wield holder magic, miss?" the merchant asked. He was a tall man, wearing a large hood that shadowed his face.

"I do," Lucy said, instinctively touching the guard on her arm.

"We have a wide assortment of keys. Perhaps you'd like to try one?"

Lucy shook her head. "I'm sorry. I was looking for something specific."

The man lifted his head, revealing a stubbled chin and what Natsu could only describe as a sinister smile. "What is it, child? Perhaps I could procure it for you."

"No thanks," Natsu said. "We have to get going."

"But Nat—"

"Let's go, Lucy," he urged, dragging her away from the stall.

"What's wrong, Natsu?"

Happy dropped onto his shoulders. "That guy was creeeepppppy."

"I didn't like that guy one bit."

"I suppose it makes sense," she said with a shrug. "Most of the merchants here probably got their goods from weird places."

"Let's go find a place to stay for the night," Natsu said.

"And to bathe," she added. "I feel so gross."

He knew she meant inside as well. It would take more than soapy water to cleanse the disappointment on Lucy's face.

After settling in yet another small room with no bath, the three of them decided to locate food first. They'd eaten at a small cafe at the end of the street, and after consuming their fill, Lucy was finally ready to take her bath.

"Are you okay, Lucy?" Natsu asked.

She'd been quiet while they ate, her mind elsewhere. What she did say was a jumble of words not entirely relevant to their conversation. It was natural, he supposed. No matter how optimistic she tried to be, there would always be a part of her in mourning. Lucy's disappointment was natural. She was human, after all.

Unlike you. Natsu's head throbbed.

"Don't worry about me," she said. "I'll be fine. I promise."

"I'm sure Loke will bring us another clue," Natsu said.

She rummaged through her pack on the floor, retrieving random accessories and bottles she'd sealed in transparent pouches. Natsu sat on the end of the bed, kicking his heels against the board, watching with mild curiosity.

"What kind of place has a joint bath?" she muttered, still angered that she couldn't bathe in peace. It had been a while since he'd visited a place with shared baths. He'd offered to go with her, but that only sparked her anger more.

The inn wasn't that busy, and it was barely evening, so most tourists would be enjoying the day outside. She'd likely be alone anyway.

"You'll be fine," he said. "Just scream and I'll come running."

She laughed at that. "I can take care of myself."

Oh, he knew that.

"You two will be okay without me, right?" she asked.

Natsu snorted a laugh. "Aren't we always?"

"You'll behave?"

"We're always well behaved," Happy said.

"Right."

Grabbing her things, Lucy left the room, and Natsu's gaze ticked immediately to the box of cupcakes she'd left on the vanity table.

"You don't think she'll be mad if we eat them without her, right?" Natsu asked.

Happy rubbed his stomach. "No way. She bought them just for us."

Natsu liked that logic. He grabbed the box from the table and set it down on the bed. Even after sating his hunger, the cupcakes looked so big and scrumptious, the frosting almost luminous. He handed the blue one to Happy, who grinned at the similar shade of his fur coat.

Natsu inspected the remaining two. The yellow frosting reminded him of Lucy. So bright, like someone had taken the sun and placed it in a white, crinkled paper. He grabbed it without a second thought.

"Ready?" Natsu offered.

"Aye!"

They counted back from three and together took their first bite. And another bite. And more, until the cupcakes were gone and neither of them could believe the taste.

They both stared at the remaining cupcake.

"You don't think..." Natsu started.

"Lucy will be happy if we eat it for her," Happy told him. "She's always worrying about her weight."

And despite the nagging resistance in Natsu's mind, they split the pink cupcake in half and devoured it too. With the deed done, they both collapsed on the bed, euphoric, an odd swirl of warmth radiating through Natsu's stomach.

"How can something taste that good?" he said.

Happy hummed in agreement.

Thud. "Princess, your knight in shining armour has arrived!"

Natsu sprang upright. Loke stared in confusion, clearly not expecting Natsu and Happy to be sitting on the bed. He glanced about the room, brows knitted, eyes darting left and right.

"I could've sworn I sensed Lucy's presence here," Loke said.

"Well, she was here. Barely five minutes ago," Natsu explained.

"You two are sharing rooms now?" Loke rubbed his chin. "So it's true. You are like that. I'm heartbroken, Natsu."

"What're you—" Natsu sighed. "Did you find something?"

"I did, but I'm not going to tell you~" Loke teased.

"Seriously?"

"No fair," Happy said.

"Where is Lucy?" Loke asked.

"She went to the baths downstairs," Natsu said.

"Wow, I was way off," Loke mumbled. And then, louder, "Well, I'd better hurry. I'd hate to use up all of Lucy's magic by loitering here."

Loke left without another word, storming out into the hallway with little respect for Natsu's presence or Lucy's privacy. Natsu felt strangely goaded.

"Hey! She wouldn't want you barging in!" Natsu yelled, immediately chasing after him.

Happy followed behind, clearly amused by the situation.

"You sound jealous~" Loke sniped.

"I am not!"

"You've gotten slow, Natsu!"

Natsu pursued Loke until he reached the baths, signs pointing to a single curtain. Loke threw back the curtain and marched inside like a madman accepting his fate and willingly crawling under the guillotine.

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Natsu followed after him.

"Where do you think she'll hit him?" Happy asked.

"I'm more concerned about where she'll hit me," Natsu said.

He'd done his best to respect her privacy during his lengthy stay at Lucy's apartment, though he'd lost count of how many times he'd walked in on her in the bath, or on the toilet, or half-dressed. Natsu rubbed his face, scrubbing the images from mind. He couldn't think about naked Lucy right now.

Lucy's scream erupted from deeper inside. "Get out!"

Natsu charged to her rescue. He found Loke standing at the circular edge of the open bath. Lucy had stood during his disturbance, her waist barely concealed in the steaming water.

"I told you not to go in!" Natsu yelled. He'd curry favour with Lucy now so she didn't try to kick his ass later. It's not like she'd ever land the hit, but damn was her rage relentless. She'd probably sulk for days.

"Natsu?! And Happy, too? What are you guys doing here?" Lucy covered her bare chest, her expression softening with concern. "Is something wrong?"

"I bring news, Lucy. A sighting! In the woods just west of here," Loke said.

"Why didn't you just tell us that?" Natsu asked.

Loke's grin widened. "Because I missed you guys. I wanted to see the gang all together, ya know? Let's play again soon."

Lucy's face burned with embarrassment, glowing a visible red. "T-that aside, you shouldn't have come in here!"

The inflection in her voice rippled uncomfortably in his mind. Natsu's stomach twisted oddly, and he forced himself to take a breath. Maybe he'd run too fast after eating those cupcakes.

"There are rumours of a water spirit living behind a waterfall," Loke said, ignoring her in his excitement. "I can't tell you anything else, or verify the rumours. I hope this helps, Lucy. We want you to be reunited, too."

Natsu had to wonder if Loke was leading her on a scavenger hunt for fun. He had to know where Aquarius's real location was. Why would he want them to travel from one place to the next when he could simply lead her in the right direction?

He'd seen Lucy at her worst. He'd been there when Natsu couldn't be. This wasn't really about Aquarius for him, Natsu realised. It was about seeing Lucy adventuring again, enjoying the world she loved instead of drowning in papers and despair at her desk. Of course he'd cultivate rumours like this one.

Lucy smiled, lowering her guard—and her arms, exposing her naked chest.

"Whoa, Lucy~" Happy teased.

She screamed again, this time splashing water over the side. Natsu hopped back. Loke vanished from sight, leaving him to suffer her wrath.

"Get. Out!" she yelled.

Natsu hurried outside, Happy bubbling with laughter as they exited the room.

"I had every right to be there," Natsu mumbled, looking at the sign. "It's a shared bath."

"You sound disappointed~" Happy teased.

Natsu blew out a breath. "Don't be—"

Another scream boomed from inside. Natsu blenched. Lucy's voice echoed, growing louder, and suddenly she was sprinting out of the baths, still dressing as she ran.

"Lucy! What's going on?"

She didn't answer.

"Let's go!" Happy yelled.

But Natsu couldn't go. He took one step and his whole body careened, a dark fog sweeping over his mind. Nausea pulsed, hot and burning.

"Natsu? Hey, Natsu!"

And then he collapsed.

Song: Natural - Imagine Dragons.

AVAILABLE MARCH 11th—
[READ CHAPTER THREE: BURNING TRUTHS]

Song: Natural - Imagine Dragons.

AVAILABLE MARCH 11th—
CHAPTER THREE: BURNING TRUTHS