Some of my favorite Raijinshuu panels from the latest Fairy Tail oneshot ~ drawn by Hiro Mashima himself!! Takes place right before the final chapter of Fairy Tail.
The town of Hibisco was larger than most of the villages they’d passed through, but not too remarkable overall. It was built in a large forest clearing, so they had a lot of monster problems, as the bartender told them, but there was an especially troublesome breed of Vulcans about. Hence, Natsu and Lucy.
Grabbing her roughly by the hip, Natsu pinned Lucy against a nearby tree by her wrists, his hand moving against her torso along the curve of her armor. She smirked at the action and raised her leg, digging her boot into his muscled stomach. “Try a little harder than that next time and you might just do it.”
“Hrrngh,” he grumbled, pulling away and crossing his arms. Unlike any other human or wizard she knew, majority of his skin was decorated with ruby red scales, and curly black horns jutted from his temples. His ears were pointed, his knees and ankles bent oddly for a bipedal, and while he lacked wings, the bones of his shoulder blades were large yet elegant. She straightened and pulled a few pine needles free from her hair.
“You won’t get your scarf back unless I want to give it—unless you want to start a fight right now?” She went into a loose fighting stance with a gloved hand on her sword and he snorted, turning his head away. He was sulky when it came to his scarf, but she did it for the good of the people—and for their pay. Her and Natsu usually wouldn’t mess around like that, but the autumn forest was quiet and still, and she trusted Natsu to warn her if he smelled anything ami—
Natsu’s pose went rigid, then he took her by the hip again and yanked her against his body. She didn’t have time to be surprised before a massive figure dropped into the brush where she was standing moments ago. The tree next to them exploded as the trunk was split from a melee attack.
“Pretty woman,” a deep voice said, followed by echoed cackling. Lucy moved from his grip and drew her sword, facing off against the…very large…three Forest Vulcans. “Pretty woman, pretty woman,” they said to each other. (Natsu snorted with laughter, which she ignored.) The closest Vulcan, the largest one of the pack and with a white circle on its forehead, reared back and swung its arm faster than she could visually track. She raised her sword defensively, but the impact knocked her from her feet. She would’ve been stomped if not for Natsu rushing forward to grab its foot.
“Ngaah!” Digging his feet into the soft earth, Natsu hurled the Vulcan backwards into its friends, causing them to collapse into a pile.
“These Vulcans are stronger than usual.” He nodded in agreement, then his eyes narrowed as they began to rise again, now grumbling angrily. A growl built in his throat. “One of them might’ve taken over a wizard. Can you tell?”
He shook his head, a quick and abrupt movement, before raising an arm to block the largest Vulcan’s punch. He was forced to take a step back but otherwise held his ground. The other two caught Lucy’s attention as one tried to distract her with a swing, the other attempting to move behind her. She ducked beneath the first’s arm, causing it to strike its friend instead. She drove her sword into the first’s arm, right in the crease of the elbow. It roared in pain and stumbled backwards into a tree. It bellowed and slapped her sword away as she drew close before its fist drew near, but after almost a year on the road, Lucy was quick on her feet. She dodged the punch and kicked off from the tree to dodge the next, causing its hand to get stuck within the bark. No, she wasn’t as weak as she was before.
“Virgo…Capricorn…Sagittarius,” Lucy whispered, feeling tears make tracks through the smears of blood on her face. Her friends lay on the grass slowly fading back to the Celestial Realm, defeated. Her broken and injured arm ached, but it was nowhere close to the pain in her heart. She tried to make her way towards them, past the rubble that was once the Heartfilia estate, then a pale hand seized her Keys before she could get close. Rage quickly took the place of sadness, and she forgot her utter defeat of seconds ago to shout at the intruder. “Return my friends now!”
“Or what?” Zeref was as calm as a nighttime lake. He looked over the Keys with a critical eye as she made her way over, stumbling over debris with her bare, bruised feet.
“Give them back! Give them!” she yelled over and over, until she grew close enough to see the faint reflection of the sunset in Zeref’s dark eyes. But suddenly they weren’t dark anymore, glowing red like fresh blood. A chill ran through her body and she collapsed to her knees as if by some divine power. He turned to face her, black robes rustling faintly in the wind.
“If these Keys can help me attain Fairy Heart, they’ll be returned to you,” he said in a deceptively level voice. She had no clue what “Fairy Heart” was, but if Zeref wanted it, it couldn’t have meant good news. He turned towards the path leading to town and Lucy let out an angry noise, reaching towards the tail of his robes. He didn’t turn again. “You can find me and try to get them back anytime you want, but know that it will be your life.”
“I’m not that weak, not anymore,” she muttered as she dove to the ground, snatching her sword up. That moment where she removed her eyes from her opponents was a mistake: a foot collided into her back as she straightened, sending her in a rolling-skid across the dirt before she crashed into a tree trunk. Hard. The impact took her breath away and pain radiated through all her limbs. She lost her grip on her sword and struggled to her hands and knees as the two Vulcans advanced. From the corner of her eye, she saw Natsu wasn’t faring any better. He could take hits well enough, as displayed when he received the same punch-slam combo as she and simply brushed it off with a shake of his head, but his non-magical attacks were mainly chip damage.
I’m still weak. She squeezed her eyes shut. How can I beat Zeref like this…? Natsu’s furious noise dragged her from her loathing, and she looked up to see him being piled by two Vulcans now. The last one, the alpha, was rushing towards her. She glanced at Natsu again, fighting tirelessly despite the odds. I have him. I have Natsu to cover the chinks in my armor now. Maybe I’m not strong enough alone, but together, we’re…
She forced her arm to move to the straps of her armor, undoing the buckles and letting the dented plates fall to the earth. She untied the scaled fabric from her waist as the Vulcan caught her torso in a vise grip, pinning her against the tree. Her ribs ached in his grip but she refused to cry in pain; instead, she used her free arm to toss the scarf over. “Natsu!”
Natsu’s eyes snapped over and upon sighting his scarf, a maniacal grin crossed his face. Pushing away from his assailants, he tensed his legs and leapt into the air, snatching the bundle and winding it around his neck. Almost immediately, his scales faded entirely, his horns retracted, and his claws shrunk to broken nails. He hit the ground with a fanged grin and flaming fists.
“Lucy’s just given all the permission I need,” he said, voice a little hoarse. “I’m gonna roast you guys for dinner.” His fire blazed higher and hotter as he swung at the shocked Vulcans. The first was thrown backwards, plowing through twenty feet worth of trees before coming to a stop in a mini-crater. The other attempted a fight, feinting a kick before throwing a punch at Natsu’s side. He jumped onto its fist and used it as a springboard to drop a fire-powered axe kick on its head, burying it in the ground. He hit the ground and turned to face the alpha Vulcan, who released Lucy (with an undignified yelp on her part) to face Natsu. He cracked his neck, grin widening, and steadied his stance. “I’m fired up now. Gimme your best shot!”
“Die!” the Vulcan roared as it charged, locking its hands together to swing down, then to the side. Natsu jumped to dodge the first, then raised his arms as the second shredded a nearby tree, sending wooden shrapnel everywhere. He landed on his hand and propelled himself back in the air as the Vulcan’s next few attacks came faster, then it managed to land a punch in his face. Blood spurted from his nose but did nothing to deter him as he grabbed the Vulcan’s wrist and slammed his feet in its face. It stumbled, then Natsu put out a hand and jetted a whirlwind of gold and orange fire. The Vulcan screamed in agony before its voice gave out, and when the flames died, it hit the ground and didn’t rise. Natsu didn’t spare it another glance, rushing to Lucy’s side.
“You’re alright?” he asked with wide eyes. She waved off his concern.
“I’ll be fine.”
“Zeref was here, you know. I smell him.”
“Of course.” Her voice lowered with anger and she took a calming breath. “We should tell the mayor the Vulcans are dealt with.”
“Then we leave. Keep moving to Magnolia,” he said. “For Zeref.” She nodded and pushed herself up.
“And whatever awaits us along the way,” she added. He grinned in response.
“Whatever adventures await.”
It wasn’t easy, a Celestial Wizard without her Keys, but Natsu at her side, she felt hope. She would be strong enough and she would win. She nudged his arm around her side, helping support her weight, and smiled.
“Come one, come all, come grab one of Fairy Tail’s new limited edition plushies!” Max called to every passerby, waving his own likeness in his hand. Lucy looked up from where she was writing at the cafe table.
“Plushies of us?” she said, dropping her journal into her purse and heading to the gift shop. True, there were two tables full of at least two dozen Guild members, some with three versions of different outfits. She had to admit, Erza’s plush was done really well in her Heaven’s Wheel armor. “Hey, Max, how much for one?”
“Fifteen hundred Jewel.” She stopped as she was reaching for her purse and raised her eyebrows.
“That’s a little expensive for some dolls, don’t you think?”
“Ah, but these aren’t just any dolls,” he said loudly, waggling his fingers in her face. She swatted his hand away with a flat expression and he sighed, dropping the theatrics. “They were sewed with enchanted cloth. For non-wizards, it’s not a big deal, but you can add a little magic into them and...” He demonstrated with his own plush. It glowed yellow for a second, then it blinked its black eyes and gave her finger-guns. It emulated Max as he laughed. “Cool, ain’t it?”
“Very,” she said in the same flat tone. She jumped a little as Levy and Gajeel appeared next to her, peering at the sets.
“Hey, Gajeel, it’s you!” Levy giggled as she picked up the Dragon Slayer’s small likeness. Gajeel snorted and folded his arms.
“Looks cheap to me.”
Levy smirked as the doll glowed white, then it folded its stubby arms as well, giving them a very accurate scowl. He flushed a little beneath his tanned skin and turned away, then a smirk crossed his face when he snatched up Levy’s doll. It glowed grey, then folded its arms and turned away petulantly. It was Levy’s turn to blush now. Gajeel slapped down Jewel for both the dolls and walked off with them, laughing maniacally as Levy trotted after him with fists raised.
“They make money,” Max pointed out. Lucy pouted.
“Well, I still think they’re pretty expensive, enchanted or not.” She looked over the spread again and noticed what was missing. “Hey, where are my dolls?”
“Natsu bought ‘em out,” he shrugged. Lucy’s eyes widened and she rubbed her ear.
“I’m sorry?”
“Right when the stand opened. He was here early looking for request, saw the Lucy plushies, and he went and bought me out. There were two cases full.”
“I’m sorry?” she repeated, having a hard time processing it. She stepped away and bowed automatically before starting a brisk walk down the avenue. He has to be kidding, she thought as she headed towards the town’s limits. There’s no way Natsu would’ve bought two cases of that stuff, especially for fifteen hundred Jewel apiece.
Natsu and Happy’s home was quiet as she approached and she wondered if he was even home. Then, as she raised her hand to knock, she heard a low growl coming from inside. Then there was Happy voice: “Natsu…”
Curiosity peaked, she opened the door to find Natsu drowning in all the Lucy plushies. Some were of her usual everyday wear, some had her cheer-leading outfit from the Fantasia festival, and some had...a bunny girl costume dear gods. Happy was floating above Natsu’s head trying to pull a plush from his grip while Natsu stared on and growled. She might have been worried — he didn’t usually growl at Happy — but something about his facial expression threw her off. He didn’t look angry, per se.
“Lucy!” Happy wailed in relief when he saw her and flew into her chest. Natsu snatched the doll back with a pleased purr and rolled back into the fold. She petted his fuzzy head as she stepped closer. He was...no, he couldn’t have been...but she had seen weirder things.
“Natsu,” she said with a long sigh. He looked up at her with half-lidded eyes, but it did nothing to hide how blown his pupils were.
“Mine,” he said flatly and clutched as many dolls as he could to his chest. “Miiiine.”
“He’s been like that all day,” Happy whined. Lucy rolled her eyes with a little smile.
“Dragons do love their hoard, although I wish they all didn’t have my face...” Natsu looked at her again, eyes squinted in concentration, then his hand snapped out with record speed and seized her wrist. She let out a surprised noise and released Happy as he tugged her to the ground with him and his arms went around her.
“Mine!” he said with a happy rumble in his chest. She blushed all the way down to her inner organs as he nuzzled her hair and cheek.
“Tell me there’s a cure for this,” she said to Happy. Happy stared for a moment before shrugging.
“When he gets bored?”
“Ha-ppy,” she complained. Natsu held her tighter and her heart fluttered a bit. But not because she liked him. Nope.
“Mine,” he repeated with a lazy grin. And she thought, who was she kidding, she had been his for a very long time before that.
“Yours,” she said softly, then pulled a doll between them. She added dryly, “All five dozen of me.”
Ft Big Bang - Smoke Always Follows Fire (Fairy Tail fan-fiction)
My piece for the @ft-bb Fairy Tail Big Bang event! Partnered with @h-eartfilias as my artist!
This is actually a part of the full story - I plan on making it multichaptered after all. It’s Rated M w/lime and features Edo!Nalu so read at your discretion
Mini fires from all over the school, of which he’s taken blame for, leads Natsu to the real source: Lucy Ashley. She counter-threatens him to reveal his underage circuit driving, and the game continues when they find more and more secrets to hold over the other. Soon enough, they’re in deeper waters than expected.
Although completely unintentional, fire always seemed to follow Natsu, and so as he ran down the school’s green with his bag bouncing on one shoulder, heavy textbooks in the other, he was distracted by the sight of it curling from a small building’s open window. So distracted, in fact, that he skidded to a stop, his sneakers scuffing against the wet crosshatched stone of the path as he spun around and warily stalked towards the source. For once, there was a fire and he wasn’t at the source—he had to look, even as his heart pounded out of his chest and his cowardice screamed for him to turn back and get to class before he was late.
The building wasn’t marked, but it was in the vicinity of the Art and Design section, so he believed it was one of those classrooms. And as he peered through the window, he spotted several literature-based posters pinned on the wall. English Composition, probably, he thought, daring to lean closer. And what a dare it was, as a slender but strong hand snapped out from inside and seized the color of his white polo shirt. He shrieked in alarm, eyes bugging out from his head. The owner of said hand quickly pulled into his peripheral, but all he could see were eyes like smoldering coals.
“—Oh,” said his accoster shortly, and a moment later he was released to the ground. His possessions scattered over the grass and he stared on with open-mouthed gasps as she met his gaze, arms crossed over her ample chest. Very short blonde hair pulled into a side ponytail adorned her head, and her face, while beautiful, was marred with a scowl. Pinched between two of her black-painted nails was a lit cigarette, the source of the smoke. “I thought you were someone else,” she said as means of an explanation, taking a drag. She never broke eye contact.
“I—uh—you—” Natsu stammered, but he couldn’t get any sensible words out.
“You’re that Natsu Dragion kid, aren’t you?” One hand curled into her cheek. “I’d recognize that dye job anywhere.”
It was on his tongue to say that no, that was actually his natural newborn hair color, but his tongue didn’t want to move to form the words.
“Don’t talk much, do you?” She raked her eyes over his frayed stonewashed jeans and long-sleeved polo. “Great. Makes this easier.” Removing the cig and pinching the tip between her nails, she tossed the butt into the trash and leaned close to him, close enough for him to count each golden-brown lash. “Say a word to anyone about this, you’ll be ashed faster than one of my fags. Well?” she said when he didn’t respond, baring her teeth.
“A-Affirmative!” Natsu said in a voice far too high-pitched to be his own. She snorted and turned her nose up.
“Who fuckin’ says affirmative?” She dusted off her black sweater and smoothed the folds of her far-below-regulation pleated skirt. “Whatever. Scurry away. I don’t want people to walk by and think we’re having a tryst.”
And as Natsu beat his hasty retreat—without scurrying, he might’ve added with a smidge more courage—he wondered how a top ditcher like her knew the word tryst.
——————
He saw her again the next week, and this time he discovered her name was Lucy Ashley. He knew because at the start of his mid-semester class, she loudly responded to the call of her name.
“I’m here, as you can see, Four Eyes,” she told the poor professor.
When Natsu’s name was called, he meekly responded upon feeling her eyes burning into the side of his face.
Like her, he was hoping never to have a second confrontation. Luck, on the other hand, would speak otherwise.
After class, he was alarmed to see her standing a way’s away in the hall beckoning him with a finger and a sugary smile. Fitting considered her insides were corroded and rotten. He stalked after her, still balking, and into another empty classroom, where she promptly locked the door and barred it with her body.
(Granted, she was a whole foot shorter and probably thirty pounds lighter, but he did not want to make a joke of the situation.)
“Are you stalking me or something?” she said, a nasty skew to the corner of her mouth. Her lipstick was the color of blackberries, and Natsu couldn’t help noting it matched her nails, but stood out stark as death against her pale and blonde complexion.
“N-No! Of course not!” Why would I be a glutton for punishment? “I just, uh—it’s, err, coincidence?”
“Coincidence,” she repeated. “Events which act in synergy by nothing but a casual connection.” He balked a little more openly as she set her hand on her cocked hip. She wore a denim skirt this time with ripped leather tights that certainly didn’t come that way, and a cut-up band t-shirt with a grey sweater hanging unbuttoned over her slim frame. “Although, since we never so much as breathed the same air before, I doubt this is a coincidence, Pinky.”
“W-Well…” Natsu’s words failed him and he took a step back. Lucy’s eyes narrowed and like a predator, she matched his step with two. They continued towards the other end of the room when (expectedly, since he wasn’t quite looking where he was going) Natsu pitched over a desk, overturning it and hitting the ground with a loud noise. He opened his mouth for a pained shout when Lucy’s hand suddenly clapped over his lips.
“Quiet,” she said under her breath. Natsu’s heart didn’t take the advice, pounding like a war drum, but he didn’t speak, and soon he detected the sound of footsteps. They passed after a moment, but Lucy remained unpleased. “They’re bringing security,” she said in a low voice. Her next action was hauling him up by the elbow and nearly dislocating his shoulder. God, she had a good right arm. “You drive?”
No, nonono. “Um, that’s not—it isn’t—I don’t r-really—” She released him and was next to the window in a few quick steps, hoisting it open and swinging through. The doorknob clicked and in a fit of nerves Natsu followed.
“Lookie there, Pinky’s playing truant,” Lucy said as he caught up with her. She moved quick for someone in platform boots.
“P-People will start thinking I’m a d-delinquent,” he said anxiously as they approached the parking lot.
“Maybe they’ll think you finally got that stick in your ass surgically removed.”
Natsu, amid going towards his car and pulling out his keys, gave her a scandalized look. Lucy was unrepentant as she circled the vehicle. “Uh-huh. ’02 Mustang. Wouldn’t have taken ya for a speed demon.”
You’d be surprised. “I, uh, I’m not.”
“Well anyway, in exchange for my not kicking your ass and letting you get off scot-free, you’re giving me a ride home. I guess you’re a notch above the shitty people on the train.”
“I-I-I’m sorry, b-but I—I j-just can’t—” The side of her fist hitting the roof startled him up, and he looked to see her dark expression.
“Drive, or else.” Natsu complied faster than he would like to admit, and quickly unlocked the car. Lucy slid in first, crossing her arms and legs and glaring at the dash. Gulping, Natsu took the driver’s seat. He was in his right mind up until the door clicked shut. “Well?” Lucy said, looking at him with a raised brow. “Are we going anywhere soon?”
“You didn’t say the magic word.”
“What?” Her brow arched further when Fireball Natsu gave her a flat look, hands locked behind his head.
“Let’s see… You threatened me over your folly, then dragged me into a classroom, and hijack my car for a ride. You got a nice face, Sugar Tits, but that ain’t a payment.”
“—Excuse me?” Lucy let out a little incredulous laugh before her hand snapped out to fist in his collar. “I don’t know where you’ve been hiding your pair this whole time, but it better get back in hiding if you know what’s good for you.”
“How about you listen?” In one move, Natsu grabbed her by the wrist and yanked her forward over the center console, bringing them face to face. He held her tight enough to bruise and said in a dangerously low voice, “You’re in my car. You don’t get to give orders to me in my car. Get that through your blonde skull.”
Lucy stared him down just the same, but her breath was coming a little quicker. Anticipation, or fear? Either way, he liked a fight.
“And you don’t make things happen snapping at me. The magic word’s a place to start.” He tossed her back and her back hit the door with a light thump. Lucy braced her hands against the seat and dash and made to move forward again.
“Quit fuckin’ with me, Dragion!”
“Another word of advice.” He turned the car on, threw it in drive, and laid on the pedal. The Mustang lurched forward and he made a sharp turn into an emptier section of the parking lot, throwing her back against the door again. “Always wear a seatbelt, eh?”
“So, what do you call all that?” Lucy said once she regained her bearings, giving him a murderous look. “An act? You’re damn near professional.”
“No, not an act. I wish it was.” He barely slowed before entering the main road and weaved through the early afternoon traffic with old experience. “It’s more than I want to explain to you anyway, Sugar Tits.”
“Okay, fine. You’ve made your stupid point, Dragion. Stop the car.” He ignored her and turned onto the highway where he really put the pedal to the metal. Lucy went flat against the seat with a surprised breath.
“Fireball. Call me that.”
“Fireball…” She scrutinized his face with narrowed eyes and the corner of his mouth quirked. He never disguised himself on the circuit, only wearing a pair of goggles that just about every other racer did, but he didn’t need to: people naturally saw no connection between the wimp-ass Natsu and the fastest man on four wheels, Fireball. “So, you race. Illegally, I should add. Didn’t think you had it in ya.”
“Looks can be deceiving. I, for instance, thought you shitted rainbows, and look at us now,” he said very dryly. Lucy snorted.
“Well, Fireball, I don’t think you’re in a spot to talk about my smoking. You’re no law-abiding citizen either.”
“Then we have an agreement: neither of us blab.”
“For now,” she said darkly. “But for this, you can bet your ass I’ll find something else to dangle over you.”
“How about those tits?” He could hear her teeth grinding and grinned at the sound. “The main girl in my life’s my car, but I don’t mind making room for another.”
“Shove it up your ass.”
“It’s not my ass that’ll be on the receiving end, sweetheart.” Instead of responding, she whipped her head around to the window, but not fast enough for him to miss her blush. Well, well, it seemed like he found the trick to shutting her up. He was in a much more pleasant mood as he took the next exit to a rest stop. The overly large parking lot only had a couple worn buildings, a gas station and convenience store, before falling away to forestry on all sides. He hit the brakes where the little dirt road turned to asphalt. “And here’s your stop.”
“You’re shitting me. This is on the other side of town from my stop.”
“Heh. You must think I care.” He unlocked the doors and gave her a grin. “See ya, Sugar Tits.”
He continued grinning until five minutes later, she realized he wasn’t budging and grudgingly exited the vehicle. “I’ll get you back,” she said again before slamming his door shut. Then she strode off with her head high and Natsu leaned out the window to watch her retreating behind.
“And a good fucking day to you too!”
——————
For the next week Natsu fought to not even breathe the same air as Lucy Ashley. He was mortified over how he treated her as Fireball and terrified she would find another thing to blackmail him with on top of the unsolved fires around the school. So, he buried his head in his books during class and beat a hasty retreat as soon as the professor dismissed them. It worked until he was confronted by a thoroughly pissed-off Lucy (which, to be fair, might have been her default state, but this time she was extraordinary beyond normal standards).
“Boys’ bathroom, now.” She had cut him off in the cafeteria’s line almost literally breathing fire. Natsu’s fingers tightened around the plastic tray.
“I, I haven’t p-paid yet—”
THUNK!
Natsu had a bit of a memory lapse, and next thing he knew he was on the ground with his cup of Jell-O staining his blue shirt and the blood rushing to his left cheek. Lucy’s fist was still raised as she said in a very tight voice, “Move your ass, Dragion.” And she spun on her heel and swept past the curious onlookers.
“H-Hey, Natsu?” Someone came from behind and pulled him back to his feet. Natsu turned to see Gray offering him a glass of iced water.
“Thanks…” He pressed the glass to his swelling cheek.
“Who was that? And why is she so upset at you?”
“I…we…well, she met F-Fireball,” he said, averting his eyes. It was mostly true anyway. Gray’s eyes widened.
“Ooh. Yeah. Makes sense.” He looked at the cold Jell-O seeping through Natsu’s shirt. “Want one of mine?” Not particularly, since Gray’s shirts were super thick and (to normal people) it was ninety degrees outside, but it was somewhat better. “I have to meet her in the restroom.”
“So she can get the other side of your face?” Gray gave a dubious squinty-eyed look.
“Well, if I don’t go, she’ll do it for sure. If I do…w-well…it’s unlikely.”
Lucy was leaning against the wall with arms crossed when he entered the restroom. She wore a baggy tunic shirt over denim shorts and combat boots, one of which immediately planting itself in his stomach. Natsu’s back hit the door behind him, then his skull when Lucy grabbed him by the neck.
“You should know,” she said, her breath coming heavy, “I don’t like being made an ass of.”
Instinct was a funny thing: there was no cowardice involved in it, just knee-jerk reactions honed by years of environmental factors. Natsu’s hands went out and tangled in her loose hair, and he used his elbows to push against the insides of hers, breaking her grip and pulling her head forward and into his at the same time. He headbutted her hard and she stumbled backwards when he released his grip in shock. The blood drained from his face at the sight of her startled expression. This was nothing he could blame on Fireball.
“L-Lucy, so-sorry, I’m sorry, I just—”
The lights abruptly cut out, bathing the windowless room in darkness. Natsu heard Lucy’s footsteps retreat from him before she let out a yelp on the other side of the room.
“L-Lucy?”
“Stay back th-there!” He started. Did she just…stutter?
“Lucy, I’m r-really sorry about—”
“I said s-stay back there, Dragion!” So it wasn’t his imagination. Certainly, his actions didn’t have her so terrified—if so, she wouldn’t have retaliated for what Fireball did to her. But the only other factor in that situation was…the power went out. So…?”
“U-Um…sorry, I’m overstepping boundaries, but, err, are you…scared of the—”
“Not another word!” she interrupted in a shrieking voice. Immediately after, the lights returned. He blinked until his eyes adjusted and saw Lucy pressed against the far wall and crouched under a sink, her hands clasped over her head. She was trembling, he could see that even from a distance, and her eyes were red. “Just…shut up,” she said in a shaky voice. He pressed his lips together and moved forward.
“I…I wouldn’t, I wouldn’t make fun of you like this…if that’s what you mean…”
“Yes, you would, because you’re a shitty person.” She rolled her eyes and added, “Well, everyone is. Just know, if you so much as breathe word of this to anybody—”
“I won’t.” She gave him a hard look and he returned it with a placatory one. He had incentive to do so—disregarding the Fireball thing, he was still at fault for the brushfires around the school—but there was just something so inherently dirty about exploiting her weakness. That was more up Igneel’s alley to do, and Natsu had long since sworn to do the opposite of his late father in everything. “U-Um…it’s gotta be wet under there, so don’t you wanna, uh…” He offered a hand and she slapped it away hard.
“Move.” He gave her a wide berth to crawl from under the sink and get to her feet. She didn’t spare him another glance when she stomped through the door and slammed it shut behind her.
Well, Natsu thought, hand still out in front of him, now she really hates my guts.
——————
Ironically, Lucy was the one to ignore Natsu the following few days. He didn’t like leaving things as they were, but he also didn’t like setting his ass up for a good kicking. As it were, faith was determined to keep bringing them together in the unruliest circumstances.
“One part of the project requires you to pair up,” Professor Gryder said once the last of the information sheets were passed around. “And you’ve already been paired by a random algorithm. I’ve already posted the sheet on the bulletin board outside.”
“Well that really sucks the fun from a group project, don’t you think?” Levy Ström said in the most derisive voice possible. Natsu heard Lucy click her teeth.
“Each of you will spend a day with the other and analyze their interactions and habits. By the end of the week, you should have a reflection prepared: does this person act based on societal influences, or by their own free will? With that, class is dismissed.”
Natsu watched Lucy from the corner of his eye as she grabbed her binder and dodged past him on her way to the door. He never really thought about it, but he began to wonder what she was doing in a Sociology class as he packed his notebooks away.
“Fuck no!”
It said something that Natsu didn’t even flinch at the sound, quietly slipping his backpack on and making to creep past the crowd around the bulletin board outside. Once he heard Lucy scream again and burst into the classroom, he dared sneak a peek at the groups.
—
NATSU DRAGION & LUCY ASHLEY
—
Okay, hmm, yeah, that made sense. Hearing Lucy’s muffled vitriol from the closed classroom, Natsu decided to air his grievances later. If Professor Mine even possessed a head after today.
“Natsu, will you be alright with such an uncouth young…lady?” Cana Domènech was entirely the opposite of Lucy: conservative, refined, and thought “oh my gosh” to be her swearing quota for the day. She looked at him with concern when he let out a little nervous laugh.
“Y-Yeah, I’ll be fine. I’ll, uh, I’ll survive.”
“Well, I do wish you the best of luck.” Cana gave him one more sympathetic look before leaving. Natsu heard the door open behind him and looked to see Lucy in noticeably lower spirits than before. She met his eyes and clicked her teeth, tossing her head to the side.
“I’m not big on the idea—” Obviously, “—but I have to pass. So, let’s go.”
“L-let’s g-go?”
“Did you not read the stupid paper?” She fluttered said paper in front of his face. “Analyze each other’s societal interactions. I don’t know about you, but I’d much rather get this done sooner than later. I don’t want to spend a second more with you than I have to.”
“B-B-But, me, I don’t think th-that’s a, that that’s a g-good—” His words died off at her look. He let out a shaky breath and rubbed the back of his neck. “You’ll have to deal with…you know…Fireball.”
“Sooner than later.” She raised an expectant eyebrow and he sighed again, gripping the straps of his bag.
“Al…Alright.” She followed him to the parking lot and stood aside a bit awkwardly as he anxiously slid inside.
“Well, Sugar Tits, you coming in or what?” Fireball asked, raising an eyebrow at her. Lucy rolled her eyes to the sky and practically threw herself into the seat. “Glad to see you’re eager,” he said as he put the car in drive. Lucy barely flinched this time when he laid on the gas and cut onto the street at speed. “So, what’s a respectable young lady like yourself doing in a Sociology class?”
“It’s a stupid elective that I’m regretting more and more by the second.” She folded her arms and fell back into the seat with a frustrated sigh. Natsu looked at her from the corner of his eye.
“Any particular reason we’re not doing your part first?”
“Because I don’t want to.”
“Sugar Tits, that reasoning’s not gonna fly with me.”
“Stop with the Sugar Tits shit already, limp dick.”
“My mouth, my tongue, my car, my rules. Don’t blame me if those jugs are the most appealing parts of you. I can look at them and still feel some semblance of hope for womankind.” Said jugs were encased in a thin black tube top that did nothing to hide their volume or save them from Fireball’s roving eyes.
“Seriously, do you take improv classes? I don’t get how you can be such a pushover normally and then cart around a record-sized pair when you get behind a wheel.”
“I’m an enigma, Sugar Tits. Get used to it.”
There was a slight itch of trepidation as Fireball headed onto the row of dark side streets he called home. But at the end of the block was a building that shone a little brighter than the boarded-up adult stores and bail bond places surrounding it. A place built upon legends of the past and which would continue creating legends well into the future.
“Aren’t you a little young to be going to a bar?” Lucy said derisively as he pulled into the parking lot behind the place.
“Not a bar. Home.” He put the car in park and turned it off. She recoiled a bit at his somber tone.
“This run-down old place?”
“That’s what you call it.” He let out a sigh and smiled a bit. “Well, Lucy, time to head into the belly of the beast.”
Lucy’s burning gaze followed him out of the car as he shrugged his things higher on his shoulders. This was the only place he felt as in-control as when he was in his car—not that he thought it’d last with Lucy breathing down his neck. Lucy fell in step behind him as he walked around to the front entrance. “B-Be ready,” he said under his breath as he pushed the door open.
“What?” Natsu sensed something flying and ducked in time for a beer bottle to miss his head and fly over Lucy’s. She spun around to watch it hit the street with comically wide eyes. “What in the flying fu—”
“Move it or lose it, Dragion!” Jet shouted. Natsu shrunk backwards.
“S-Sorry, I was just—”
“Still apologizing? I don’t know who’s more of an eyesore, you or Elfman!”
“Jet, stop bothering my brother,” Lisanna Stonestrider said, resting a hand on the crying Elfman’s shoulder and shooting Jet a glare. It didn’t affect him too much, and she turned to give Natsu a warm smile. “Welcome back.”
“H-Hi, Lisanna.”
“Ooh, Natsu, you’ve brought a girl.” Mirajane said it very casually but it had heads turning anyway. Natsu turned a deep red and did his best turtle impression when someone let out a loud laugh-whistle.
“I’m Lucy,” she said, startling him a bit with the sound of her voice. She had her hands on her hips and was standing with her feet apart and chin raised just high enough to squint down at all of them. “And know that next time a bottle comes flying at my head, it’s going up somebody’s ass.”
“It’s going to be your ass this time, Max,” Warren said. Someone whistled again, then the previous conversations bubbled back into the silence. Natsu went to sit at the bar and Lucy followed him, perching herself with crossed legs on the stool.
“I’m Mira,” the barmaid introduced, smiling at Lucy. Lucy, as per her dignified nature, snorted.
“Do you shit rainbows or something?”
“P-Please don’t,” Natsu muttered, folding his hands atop the clean wood countertop.
“I’m used to worse coming from these people’s mouths.” Mira, that’s not a thing to happily admit to. “Would you like something to eat or drink?”
Lucy slid her hands across the bar and her eyes narrowed as she peered around the clientele. “Is there an undercover cop here…?”
“No, no,” she said with a laugh. “Whatever happens in Fairy Tail stays in Fairy Tail.”
She still seemed incredibly dubious, so Natsu slowly raised a finger. “Can I get a fireball cinnamon whiskey?” Mira hummed softly as she took a glass from under the bar and filled it halfway before sliding it over. Lucy still looked as if she expected cameras to pop out at any moment, but she slowly slid back in the seat. Natsu didn’t get to the glass before Lucy snatched it and downed it all in one go. “Can I get another?” she said, ignoring Natsu’s indignant yelp.
“For a friend of Natsu’s, of course. He doesn’t have many, outside of us,” she said as she refilled the glass. Natsu flushed under Lucy’s subsequent scrutiny.
“For how much of a turtle he is, doesn’t surprise me.”
“Well what about you? You’re hiding behind a lot of vulgarity.” Natsu jumped when Lucy slammed the glass down mid-drink, splashing the whiskey all over the countertop.
“Don’t act like you know me!” she said in a voice that bordered a growl. Mirajane held Lucy’s gaze for a long moment, and Lucy was the one to back down in the end.
“It’s none of my business anyway,” she said breezily, retrieving another glass and pouring Natsu’s share, along with refilling Lucy’s and swabbing the mess she made.
“Damn right it ain’t, Princess.” Lucy knocked back the glass with marked aggression before slamming it down yet again. Wisely, Natsu retained a Sugar Tits-related comment as he slowly sipped his drink.
“Sup, idiots?” The door banged open and Levy sauntered in, flanked by Gray and Cana behind her. Sitting down with Jet and Droy created a new course of ruckus in the place and Natsu almost missed Wendy and Romeo sneaking in. She caught his wave and responded with a half-smile and a hair flip; Romeo turned away and hunched a bit more, but Natsu caught a bit of a smile before he did. He’s getting better.
“You bring little kids in here too?” Lucy nodded at Romeo as Wendy led him to a booth seat. He squared his shoulders and gripped his glass with both hands.
“W-W-Well, it’s, err—he’s, I-I’m—all of u-us, actually…we, uh, we…” His stammering peaked with his anxiety and Lucy let out a loud groan of frustration. Mira rested a hand atop his.
“The upper level has a few bedrooms; he stays in one alongside Natsu.”
“You guys…live here?” Lucy’s eyebrows furrowed as she looked between them. Mira’s smile hadn’t dimmed, but her eyes darkened with a bit of grief.
“It may seem like a dingy bar to most people, but to us, it’s our only home.” Lucy’s lips parted and she craned her head back to take another long look at the people of Fairy Tail. Young, old; grizzled, bright-eyed; weak, strong; happy and joking, depressed and silent… Her eyes returned to Natsu, but there was no outright malice this time.
“Your only home?” she asked in a voice so soft it was nothing but earnest. He tipped his head in a nod. She put her hand to her mouth and stared, seemingly at a loss for words. Natsu gave a little sheepish smile and shrugged a shoulder. She blinked a few times to clear a suspicious sheen from her eyes, then pushed away from the bar. “We’ll do this another day,” she said quietly, and took a deep breath before rushing past the tables to the door.
“Natsu?” Mira asked quietly, bringing his eyes back to hers. She regarded him with a concerned look and he laughed a bit, though not with humor.
“W…We have a funny relationship,” he said, finishing the last of his whiskey. “Unintentionally exchanging secrets. This time, though…I think this was too much this time. I don’t know, Mira.” He sunk forward until he could rest his head in his arms, and Mira’s hand gently combed through his hair. Well, she got her payback for last time, plus change…
——————
The next day was a Saturday, which meant no class and no Lucy. He just almost pushed yesterday’s happenings from his mind as he came to Aicha’s Autos for his usual weekend shift. He was supposed to open, but when he arrived the garage door was already rolled up and a sports car was waiting with an open hood. He peeked around the corner to see Metallicana reclining in a folding chair, the top of his coveralls loosened around his faded Guns ‘N Roses t-shirt. He was drinking a bottle of Guinness and grinned when he saw Natsu, waving him over.
“I thought I opened?”
“Yeah, well, I had a little extra time. Wanna drink?” He nodded at the small cooler next to him. He had about as many qualms as Fairy Tail with underage drinking—not that Natsu minded. It was the “drinking on the job” part that made him uneasy.
“I-Isn’t this a job here?” He gestured to the sports car. Metallicana shrugged.
“’s all done save for the test drive, and anyway client’s not comin’ ‘til tomorrow.” Grinning, he pulled the driver’s key from his chest pocket and let it dangle from his fingertip. “Just up and down the block so’s I can make sure the frame’s right an’ straight.”
“Just up and down the block…” His fingers twitched and he realized he was leaning forward towards the key. Metallicana laughed not unkindly.
“Haven’t been racin’ in a while? Don’t usually see ya so antsy.”
“The police got some sort of tip and have been swarming around the usual spots, so the people in charge have to find a new…venue…” He was distracted as his phone received a notification. To his utter surprise, it was a text from Lucy.
Finished the report. Come check it out.
Below that was an address not too far from the auto shop. Natsu knew the area: a lot of open road and torn-down homes, leaving plenty of unpurchased lot space. It also was a wonderful place for festering crime, since it lay far from any police station. He might’ve been looking too deeply into matters, but the locale sounded a little too coincidental for his liking.
“Natsu?”
“E-Err, yeah, test drive.” He took the keys and pocketed his phone. “Up and down the street. Got it.” He excused himself and locked the hood before sliding into the driver’s seat. He turned the key in the ignition and heard the engine turn, heard the gears in his mind whir to life as he reversed from the garage.
She ran away, he mused, stopping in the street and heading straight down. Beats me as to why, but she ran. I don’t know what she wrote, but it somehow leaves a pit in my stomach anyway.
He rounded the corner despite his promise to move up and down the street and cruised along the quiet suburb. Whatever she has to say, I can take it in stride. I don’t regret joining with the Fairy Tail gang—they’re a hell of a lot more my family than that old prick. His hands tightened around the wheel. And as pleasant company as Sugar Tits is, she’ll be in for a heck of a time trying to pull me from my family.
He lost track of time circling the neighborhood and caught himself as he drove past a gas station. Glancing at the meter, he realized he used up a few gallons in his reverie. He stopped to fill the tank and bought himself a root beer at the convenience store. Well, regardless, he thought as he popped the cap, taking a long gulp. I won’t know until I go there…and I can only hope it’s good news. W-Well, as good as it can get considering Lucy.
By the time he returned to the garage, Metallicana was working on an SUV. Natsu parked the car on the dirt lot outside and honked once to catch his attention. As he approached, he spotted a suited man about his age sitting against the wall. He had dark curly hair and red eyes that sized Natsu up as he came over.
“Pink hair. Mr. Dragion?”
“Um…y-yes?” Metallicana slid out from under the car with a sigh, dropping a wrench and pulling his long auburn hair from his grease-stained face.
“That’s Gajeel, my son,” he said without delay. “And this is his shitshow he calls a car.” The SUV was old for sure, but Natsu couldn’t see the big deal with it.
“Nice to m-meet you, Mr. Aicha.” He offered a hand and Gajeel again appeared to size him up before shaking it. His hand was calloused and his grip was firm.
“Pleased to make your acquaintance.”
“Don’t say nothin’ too incriminatin’ ‘round him…it’ll be all over the headlines come daylight.”
“I don’t, um, I don’t understand.”
“I’m a reporter for Magnolia Times,” Gajeel said. Natsu nodded slowly.
“That makes sense…”
“My father has also told me much about you, Mr. Dragion. That you’re his most reliable assistant, and that you’re the most pleasant young man he’s met.” Natsu let out a nervous laugh and ducked his head to hide his blush.
“Mi…Mister Metallicana gives me too much c-credit.”
“Nah, yer just too deprecative,” Metallicana said airily, leaning his back against the car. “Anyway, Natsu, met any girls lately?”
It was something he asked fairly often because Natsu was “that age” according to him—whatever that meant—and now the question made him flush a deeper scarlet and trip over his tongue. “I, err, I don’t, I h-haven’t—”
“Ooh!” He grinned and his wine-colored eyes glittered. “She got big tits?”
Natsu choked on his spit while Gajeel face-palmed. “That’s not…socially acceptable to say.”
“Well, I said it. Does she?”
“She—she—yes,” he admitted in a mutter.
“Congrats!” Gajeel sighed.
“S-S-She’s not, she’s not m-my girlf-friend or anything…!”
“She single?”
“Father, act your age,” Gajeel said once Natsu covered his red face with shaky hands. Metallicana let out a hearty laugh.
“Alright, alright… Let’s finish up his car so’s real customers can have their turn.”
Despite his words, it was a pretty quiet day once Gajeel left with his repaired SUV (and some choice words on Metallicana’s part; seriously, the old man had a mouth to make a sailor blush, yet there was nothing but endearment behind the coarse profanities). By two o’clock, Natsu’s shift was over, and it was time to face Lucy yet again.
“I’m leaving, Mr. Metallicana…”
“Right, see ya Mo—two beers?” Metallicana raised a pierced eyebrow as Natsu shut the cooler, cradling the bottles in his other hand.
“I need the support… See you Monday.”
“Yeah, see ya.”
The tension coiled and formed a pit in his stomach as he headed towards the indicated address. He had already knocked back the first beer at the halfway point, and he was nursing the second one when he realized he was close. It wasn’t enough to impair his driving, not by a longshot, but it fooled him into thinking this was maybe a good idea.
Lucy’s house was entirely average with two stories, a garage, and a tree out front. It looked too innocent for someone determined to give him hell. He parked in the empty driveway and went up to ring the bell. He stood awkwardly on the porch for several minutes, shifting from one foot to another and feeling like some kind of trespasser, before the door swung open. She stood there and blinked at him dazedly, not saying a word, and the silence melted Natsu’s anxiety a bit.
“Good…afternoon,” he said. Lucy inclined her head to one side.
“Yeah,” she replied softly. She wore an extra-large grey hoodie and tights underneath, a surprisingly simple and unassuming outfit choice, but if she was at home, what did he expect? “Come on.” She turned inside and left the door open for him. He self-consciously removed his sneakers before entering, making sure to drop them beside the door after shutting it behind him.
“You, err, y-you finished it early. The report,” he said lamely as he followed her past the unused-looking living room to the stairs.
“I thought it’d be harder than it was. Turns out I was wrong.” She shrugged and Natsu balked internally at how sedated she appeared. The stairs led up to a carpeted hallway and she took him to the door at the very end. Opening it, Natsu was bombarded repeatedly with the thought of Lucy’s room Lucy’s room Lucy’s room. Band posters, gun show ads, and social propaganda posters covered every square inch of the wall to where he didn’t know its color, and while the rectangular room could barely fit a work desk and a twin bed, a record player and small bookshelf made the place fit to burst.
“Cramped,” he said without really thinking, and immediately clamped his mouth shut after.
“But lived in, unlike the rest of this dump.” She took the comment in stride as she slid past everything with practiced ease to sit cross-legged on her bedspread. Natsu awkwardly stood in the doorway until she gave him an expectant look. “You gonna start sprouting leaves there or what?”
“N-N-No, I, uh...nothing.” He bowed his head and sat at her desk, which was crammed with untouched journals, bent and dog-eared poetry books, and mismatched puzzle pieces. Lucy picked up her notebook from the bed and flipped to a random page.
“Listen up,” she said, then started to read: “Natsu is a weak-ass who couldn’t take candy from a baby. Hell, he’d probably be jacked by the baby. Point is, he’s a noodle.” Already he felt like going home. “He’s spinelessly compliant for the most part, and when he’s not he’s an insufferable prick. But not as insufferable as his family. He’s gutless, but he wouldn’t speak out against another person, or hurt them anyhow. All of Natsu Dragion is a good person, and that’s free will.” She dropped the notebook in her laugh and looked at him with a huff. “Well?”
Natsu gave her a gentle smile. “Lucy, I think you’ve missed the point of Fairy Tail.”
“What?” She looked at him crossly, which he took in stride.
“They’re not burdens I have to bear, they’re my family. We’re all family.”
“Pretty rude-ass family you got there.” He winced; he couldn’t argue for the most part.
“They’re not…well…they’re not the most optimistic people, not anymore, but we have this…this…” He tried and failed to find the word and gave up. “You don’t really understand us past the surface.”
“Dragion, I know shitty adults when I see ‘em.” He could only smile again, which she didn’t take as pleasantly. “You’re makin’ fun of the wrong person,” she said, getting to her feet and cracking her knuckles. Natsu instantly went on the defensive.
“N-N—I didn’t m-mean it like that, no!” The door opened downstairs and Lucy straightened as if by an electrical shock. Her expression changed and she marched purposely from the room and down the hall. She didn’t tell Natsu to follow, but he felt at a loss and trailed behind like a stray puppy anyway.
She returned to the living room where Natsu was surprised to see an older woman strewn on the sofa like she simply didn’t have the energy to go further. Her blond hair was long and silky and streaked with grey, and when Natsu went around, he saw her in an unkempt server’s uniform. Lucy walked past, combing her fingers through the woman’s hair as she went to the kitchen. The woman didn’t respond.
“U-Um, L-Lucy, it’s not my place to ask, I know, b-but is she…?”
“It isn’t your place,” she said tonelessly, grabbing a glass from the cupboard and filling it from the tap. She set the glass down on the coffee table still with no response. Natsu swallowed.
“M…Maybe she should go to a h-hospi—”
“This ain’t anything new, okay? Come morning, she’ll be perfectly okay and ready to do it all again.” She pushed her fringe up and Natsu frowned at how exhausted she sounded. She glanced at him over her shoulder, then looked at the wall. He followed her gaze to a photo featuring the woman with less grey hairs and a blond, mustached man holding a laughing little girl. “Sorry if I insulted your family or whatever, but as you can see, I don’t have a splendid example of a stable one. Not anymore.”
“Lucy…” She opened her mouth, then abruptly shut it and walked out the front door. She sat hard on the porch and pulled a cigarette from her pocket. Natsu glanced at her mother again, who still had her face buried in the cushions with no sign of life, and slowly walked out to join her. He grimaced a little at the smell of smoke as she took a long drag but didn’t complain. “Is she…ah…drugs?” he asked, fully expecting a tirade in response.
“More like drunk off her ass,” she said without looking at him. “She’s been doing it for six years now. Can’t hold down a job, can’t hold down a conversation… If not for our relatives, we would’ve lost Papa’s house a long time ago.”
“Why don’t you get help?”
“She’s the one who has to get help. It ain’t for my lack of trying, me and the rest of our family.” She threw the half-finished cigarette to the concrete walkway and ground it under her sneaker.
“I’m sorry.”
“You didn’t make Papa sick, you didn’t turn Mama into a chicken, what do you have to be sorry for?”
He looked her right in the eyes. “I’m sorry we both have broken families.”
“I thought you love the people over at that bar.”
“I’m not talking about them.” She gave him a curious look and he fidgeted with his fingers. “My father…wasn’t the n…nicest person. Not to my mom or me. He wanted her to ‘listen like a wife should.’ He wanted me to ‘grow up an’ be a fuckin’ man.’” He laughed even though nothing about it was funny. “He was… Igneel was a mean, manipulative, and secretly cowardly sunovabitch. And now he’s dead.” He choked on the word dead and almost suffocated at the memories it brought. He doubled over and saw Lucy reaching for him from the corner of his eye, and he bolted to his feet to throw up in the grass. “S…Sorry,” he muttered when he was done, dragging his hand across his mouth. Lucy was on her feet and staring at him with wide eyes.
“He was killed?” she asked. The word hit Natsu like a blow and he had to fight to not vomit again.
“Y…Yes, he was killed.” He sat on the grass and pulled his knees to his chest, gripping them and failing to stop his trembling. Warm, he felt warm then and he felt warm now—feverishly, dizzily warm. And his mother’s quick words in his ear; he didn’t understand then, but in the aftermath, they engraved themselves in his soul. The warmth persisted; it was years before he could sleep without twisted nightmares of that day forming.
Lucy came up behind him and her hand rested in his hair, gently tangling in the strands. Her hand was warm too, but it didn’t make him feel faint and anxious; it was grounding, pleasant, and it made him feel a bit stronger.
“I’m sorry.”
“You’re not the reason he’s dead, are you? What do you have to be sorry for?” He laughed bitterly until Lucy’s hand moved to his shoulder and she crouched behind him. Her words dragged him to a pensive stop.
“I’m sorry we’re both broken people.”
——————
“This is a cruel world. You have to be crueler to survive.”
“Spend the rest of the week sleeping outside. Maybe you’ll learn something.”
“I’m the father! It’s my job to make sure things are in order, that my son becomes a man and my wife keeps in line. That’s the father’s job.”
“If you don’t like me, get out. Life’s gonna fuck you in your little pussy and you’ll come running back anyway.”
“If you don’t like fighting, you’re gonna get mauled. That’s the rule of thumb.”
“If you don’t like me, do something about it.”
…Do something about it? To his father? To the “head of the house?” It was a pipe dream at best, a dangerous fantasy at worst. But…but…
“Mom!”
Like a dream, like a fantasy, he made it reality.
——————
Natsu had a headache when he woke up the next morning, and the sunlight streaming through only made it worse. He groaned and turned into his pillow.
“Natsu…” He peeked one eye at Romeo as he struggled to climb on the bed. Natsu sat up and helped him the rest of the way. “Who’s the girl?” he asked with a little tilt to his head. Natsu rubbed his neck and yawned.
“Lucy— Huh? Why are you asking now?”
“Well, she’s here now.” Natsu stared dumbly for a few seconds until Romeo repeated himself.
“She’s what?” He pushed Romeo aside and jumped to his feet. “D-Did she say why?” He was about to leave before remembering he was in his boxers. He ran to the dresser and rapidly sorted between their clothes (ugh, he had to organize that thing one day).
“Nope.” Romeo was sitting cross-legged on Natsu’s bedspread rocking back and forth. “But she told me I’m perspicacious. I think it means cute.”
Natsu was too engrossed in getting dressed to argue no, it did not mean cute, it meant he was probably being a know-it-all little shit to her. He picked a blue collared shirt and a pair of jeans. “Does this look fine?” he asked before remembering he was talking to a seven-year-old.
“Why does it matter?”
“N…No, well, I guess it doesn’t.” He smoothed his shirt automatically and Romeo inclined his head.
“You’re acting weird, Big Brother.”
“Me? Weird? No, nonono. I’m neurotic all the time. Typical Natsu, right? Aha!” He did an uncomfortable smile that made Romeo grimace.
“Maybe you should lie down again.”
“I’m fine.” Despite his words, Romeo followed at his ankles as he went to clean up in the restroom and then marched purposefully downstairs. It was still early on the weekend so many of the adults were asleep; only Mirajane, Gray, Cana, Wendy, and Juvia remained in the bar, lounging around or helping clean up from the busy night. Lucy was on a barstool turning side to side with her head lolling onto one shoulder. She wore a school sweatshirt cut to just below her breasts and high-waisted jeans. Her hair was loose and wet from a shower.
“Natsu, your friend is back,” Mira said as way of greeting, giving him a not-so-subtle wink and grin. Natsu flushed and tried to hide in his shirt.
“Yo.” Lucy sat up at the sight of him and smiled. It wasn’t huge and blinding by no means, but it was genuine, and it got Natsu smiling in return.
“H…Hi.”
“Slow burn-ass romance,” Juvia said quite loudly, deepening Natsu’s flush and getting a glare from Lucy. Then her face changed to a sinister smirk.
“Yeah, you know what? I’m totally in love with Pinky. So, like, you should let me in on you guys’ secrets, considering I’m gonna be stickin’ around.”
“Yeah? Kiss him.” Juvia again, and her smirk was ten times more sinister. Natsu felt Romeo tugging on the back of his shirt but ignored it in favor of some wild-eyed boggling. Seriously? She isn’t going for that. She’s not. She isn’t going for that for real is she? She wouldn’t just—oh—oh yeah nope she’s totally kissing me.
Lucy had grabbed his face with both hands and pressed her body flush against his to snatch his lips. He could taste her green apple lip gloss and the mint toothpaste on her breath. And…and…shit. He thought only four wheels and an engine could do it, but the kiss, whatever the circumstances and reasoning behind it, stoked the fire in his belly to a roar. He grabbed her forearms, backed her against the bar until she was almost bowing into it, and deepened the kiss. In response to his heat, she melted in his grip, and Fireball relished the little mewls she made as he explored her mouth with his tongue. He wondered what sounds she would make when he explored her body, when he explored her—
“Eww,” Romeo said before Wendy shushed him. Natsu pulled away in a rush, his face sporting a shade of red not even on the spectrum. Lucy was still leaning against the bar and supporting her body with her hands, staring off into space.
“It’s not nice to interrupt people when they’re snogging,” Wendy told him. Romeo didn’t respond and directed his attention to Lucy.
“Big Sister, wasn’t that gross?”
Lucy snapped out of her fugue and turned to face him. “Uh, well— Big Sister?” She began weirdly fidgety, but suddenly looked at Romeo with wide eyes. Romeo nodded from where he sat on Wendy’s lap and Lucy broke into a wide grin. “Big Sister knows how to handle herself in the face of creeps,” she said, putting extra emphasis on her new title.
“I…I’m a creep?”
“Well, you’re trying to get with Big Sister,” Romeo said quite matter-of-factly. Wendy patted his head.
“Lucy’s not our sister.”
“Not yet,” he said, “but she likes Big Brother.”
He was only a kid and his words left Natsu mortified all the same. He ducked his head and asked Mira for a couple glasses of fire whiskey. “You’ve a very adorable wingman.” Lucy grinned at Natsu and he slid a glass her way, sitting next to her.
“I don’t mean it offensively, but why did you come?”
“No offense taken. Well, I want to know more about you. And, well, you kinda fled the other day.”
“Yeah. Um. Sorry that I…fled. It was…” scary, terrifying, horrifying, traumatizing, “…I’m sorry.”
“It’s another thing we have in common: we’re excellent runners.” She took a sip of whiskey and set the glass down quietly. “Not really a good thing.”
“No, it’s not.” He took a sip as well and sighed. Mira, who had disappeared for a moment, returned with a plate starring a mushroom omelet for Lucy.
“I didn’t pay for this,” she said. Mira winked.
“Breakfast is on the house today.” Natsu gave her a squinty look knowing it was bullshit and she giggled before going back to the kitchen. Lucy pushed it around a bit before cutting in and taking a bite.
“Wow. This is, like, orgasmic.” She proceeded to stuff her face with it and make very unladylike noises at the flavor, making Natsu warm for an entirely different, not so unpleasant reason.
“U-Um, Lucy, m-maybe you should…not…should not make those…s-sounds.”
“Shove it.” And she was back to the Lucy he knew. Honestly, he was a little relieved for it.
“A-Anyway…there’s not much more to learn about me. You can talk to my friends here?”
“Seriously.”
“Ooh, yes, I am very curious to meet the girl Natsu’s making out with.” Natsu started when he realized how close Wendy had gotten, leaning over the counter with her cleavage in his face. “Nice to meet you, Big Sister. My name’s Wendy.”
“Hmm? Yeah, pleasure’s mine or something.” Lucy looked at Wendy’s tits, then her own, then noticed Wendy was holding Romeo’s hand. “Little brother,” she said, then smiled. Romeo turned his face into Wendy’s legs and she ruffled his hair.
“He’s a little uncomfortable around people.” She jerked her chin at Gray and Cana’s table. “Gray is the human cocoon over there. Nice guy, but he wears too many layers. And Cana is—”
“Oh, yes, I know Cana,” Lucy said with a not-so-pleasant tone of voice. “I’ve seen Gray around. Hard to miss.”
“Well then, you’re already partway there.” She tugged a lock of Lucy’s hair and stopped to gawk. “Your hair is really soft. How do you get it like this?”
“Don’t really know.” She let Wendy play with the strands and Natsu wished he could as well without it being too weird.
“Wakaba and Macao are a couple of the oldest regulars. We don’t know what they do when they’re not here though. Mira’s the barmaid and chef; she and Levy room together. Jet and Droy, Juvia, Cana, Laki, Warren, Nab, and Max are the early-birds around here; they start early and you usually don’t see them until the evening.”
“So who’s the owner?” It was an innocent question that instantly dimmed the bar’s mood. Wendy bit her lip, Natsu averted his eyes, Gray stared at his hands, Juvia clenched her fists, and Cana’s eyes turned glassy. Romeo was the one who answered.
“He was um, he was extra-diction.”
“Extradited to Russia some years ago. He’s been imprisoned ever since.” Lucy turned to where Mira was standing, her head lowered and eyes distant. “We never found out what he did.”
“If he did anything,” Juvia said.
“Gramps had the kindest heart of anyone around. We can’t imagine him committing a crime so serious they’d drag him transnationally,” Gray said softly.
“Because he wouldn’t,” Wendy said with finality. “And we’ve never stopped fighting it.”
Lucy looked between them all before her eyes landed on Natsu. He nodded. “And we won’t ever stop."
“Family…” She shook her head and straightened, throwing her hands in the air. “So, what do you guys do for fun around here?”
Wendy smirked. “Ever play King’s Cup?”
Lucy did not in fact play King’s Cup, and Natsu, while not speaking up, loathed the aftermath. Since Romeo and Cana couldn’t participate, they sat on the side as Mira set one table with six glasses, filling five of them with Guinness, and set a deck of cards next to the empty one. They took their seats and Natsu was the first to pick up.
“Queen,” he muttered, turning it towards everyone. Juvia, Lucy, and Wendy grabbed their glasses and drank.
“Okay, okay.” Wendy set the emptied glass down and took a card, flipping it out. “Seven.” Gray was the last to put his arm up since he had so many layers to work with, so he drank.
“My turn.” Juvia had a wicked smile as she took her card and flashed the 5. “When Lucy drinks, Natsu drinks twice as much.”
“Seriously?” Natsu cried. It went unnoticed as Gray drew.
“Nine.” He thought for a moment, shivered, then said, “Cold.”
“Sold,” Lucy said.
“Uh…gold,” Natsu said.
“Mold.”
“Told.”
“Bold,” Gray said. Lucy hesitated for a second and Wendy grinned.
“Let’s go, Big Sister.”
“Hey, sometimes you hafta know when you take a loss gracefully, as women do.” Natsu gave her a look as she gulped her beer and slammed the glass down. Graceful, my a—
“Natsu, aren’t you forgetting something?” Juvia said. Natsu drank down his glass and the following glass when Mira refilled it. On Wendy’s turn, she drew 3, so she drank three. Juvia drew a King and the guys drank. Gray drew an Ace and everyone raised their glasses. Lucy choked before Natsu was done, and she had to take another glass as punishment; duly, Natsu drank two glasses after. He was racking up five total, and on an empty stomach, he was past his limit.
“Alright, Bimbo-gami, take this.” Lucy held up her card, a 2, and Juvia gulped her glass. “Geddit? Bimbo with those tits, and a binbōgami is bad luck.” For how drunk she sounded, her intelligence was still impeccable.
“M’kay, my turn.” Natsu grabbed a bunch of cards by accident and let them flutter back to the table until he was left with one. “That’s a 4. Gray, yer gonna take two, an’ I take two.” They did their drinks and Gray, at the end of it, started peeling away some jackets.
“It’s hot as hell in here,” he said with a grimace, tossing his topmost layers to the ground and leaving himself in a black turtleneck. The game continued until there were two dozen empty beer bottles clanging around, Gray was down to his skivvies, Wendy was passed out cold and the warmth was reaching new heights in the pit of Natsu’s gut.
“Okay, okay, so’s I gotta 10,” Juvia slurred, holding up the card. “I say you guys gotta name your top pick fer hot an’ heavy sex. F’me, a kiddie pool.”
“Chocolate parfait.” Lucy gave a crooked smile and swirled the last dregs of beer around in her glass. Her shirt had ridden up the last time they raised their hands and she wasn’t in a state to notice; the hem sat at the crest of her black lacy bra.
“Natsu, ‘s on you.”
“Sugar Tits,” he said without missing a beat. She looked at him with a confused murmur and he grabbed her wrist, getting to his feet and pulling her up as well. “Let’s go fer a ride.”
“Too drunk,” she said, stumbling along behind him as he went to the backdoor. “Yer too drunk off yer ass, Dragion.”
“I know.”
“Then don’t drive, stoo-pid.”
“Who said ‘nythin’ ‘bout driving?” He slammed the door open and burst into the sunlight where he pulled her along to his car. It took a moment of fumbling with the keys before he got the passenger door open, and he forced the seat forward and pushed her into the back. He shut the door and settled between her raised knees, kneeling between her legs.
“Natsu—” she said, then was cut off when he devoured her lips in a searing kiss.
“M’mouth tastes like ass,” he said once he pulled away, pinning her wrists against the seat. “Let me taste something better.” He kissed the junction of shoulder and neck before sucking the same spot, earning a long and delicious groan from her in response. Her body proved enjoyably receptive as he continued showering her neck and jaw with attention. She trembled like a purring engine, spurring to life when he handled her just so.
“N-Naat…suuu…” Her breath hitched when he gave the back of her ear a long, slow lick, then she cried out as her body bowed outwards. He grinned at the sight and straightened, releasing her wrists to fumble drunkenly with the buttons of her jeans.
“Mm. One part I haven’t tasted yet…”
——————
Often times Fireball wondered Laki’s story. He only saw her in the dead of the night in a fishnet top and denim shorts, and she never spoke to him; her presence began with a swing of her arm and ended as he crossed the finish line. His eyes narrowed against the glare of the streetlamps to catch the swing now.
Three…two…and go.
He hit the gas and sped off in time with his two opponents. There was nothing else, nothing but the moonlight shining from the leaves surrounding the thin roads at the city limit, the sound of the engine, the night air crisp and clean in his throat—
“Mm…smells like sex in here.”
“Wonder why?”
“You’re a coy asshole.”
He gritted his teeth and clenched the steering wheel a bit tighter. He walked himself into deep shit with Lucy, he knew that well. The problem was finding his way out again while loathing every step he took away from her. He couldn’t…he could stand her knowing his petty problems, but the big secret… No, she couldn’t learn of that. forget the consequences involved, he didn’t want her to walk from his life as she surely would.
His reverie made him fall behind a driver and he laid on the gas to regain his head start. Regardless of his activities with a certain blonde, he had to win. Not so much for the money, which he earned a fair bit of from Metallicana, but the peace of mind a simple victory brought. Without that, he’d probably be as self-destructive as his old man.
They finished a lap as they circled past Laki and the cheers of the onlookers chased Natsu along the track. The adrenaline fueled the fire in his belly and he depressed the pedal as far as it could go, gaining a burst of speed on the straightaway. The next road led into a sharp curve and he caught it at a slow drift that carried him too close into the opponent’s BMW. The cars ground against each other as the road straightened and the BMW, with better positioning, shoved Natsu towards the grass on the side. He lost his traction and speed and lost a lot of ground in the race.
Dammit, dammit! Get your head out of your ass!
He got back on the road but finished the lap in last place. The third lap, too, he was a couple cars’ length from the others. His jaw was clenched so tightly it hurt. I have to get ahead. Push, push, nothing matters but the race, the wind, the sound of the engine, the taste of the night…Lucy’s lips taste sweeter than the night—
Police sirens weren’t a foreign sound in the neighborhood, but they came so close Natsu immediately hit the brakes, skidding to a stop on the dirt alongside the other two. Cop cars materialized from the night and everyone in the vicinity disappeared save for the drivers. Natsu watched the closest car as the doors opened, revealing a striking figure with short hair the color of fresh blood. Nightwalker.
“Make this easier on yourselves and exit the vehicles now,” she said, making no effort to hide the pistol strapped to her hips. The three of them stood up from their seats and put their hands in the air, none happily. Corporal Nightwalker’s eyes raked over them, sharp as blades. “Reitei Lyon, Sorano, and—” Her eyes narrowed on Natsu. “Natsu Dragion.”
“A-Ah…” He flinched back at the fiery intensity of her gaze, falling back into the driver’s seat. Nightwalker’s officers advanced on the other two while her sights remained on him.
“Don’t try to run. There’s no corner of Edolas you can run to now.” Her boots kicked up dust as she walked towards him, purposefully but at a moderate pace, knowing she had him on lock. He stared with wide eyes and his heart feeling like it would jump out any second. “Your street racing has reached its climax.”
Street racing. Street racing. Despite himself, relief flooded his veins and he put up no fight as she cuffed him. She mentioned his car would be impounded and the cost of bail, but it was small change. His most serious offense had yet to come collect, and he was relieved. After all, what would Lucy think of him knowing he killed his own father?
“Dummy!” Lucy threw her doll at Natsu’s head. He caught it and sent her a wolfish grin as he dangled Michelle by her right foot.
“No, this doll’s the dummy. Just like her owner.” A pink blush covered her cheeks and she leapt at him.
“Give her back!” He sidestepped the move and raised his eyebrows.
“You threw her at me, you don’t want her. Happy’ll love to eat her for dinner—”
“Mama!” she suddenly wailed, wiping the smile from Natsu’s face. He put out his lip and stomped his foot.
“No fair! Daddy!”
Layla came in first, sweeping Lucy into her arms. Lucy nestled her face in Layla’s chest with a sniffle. “Mama, Natsu took my dollie.”
“Nuh-uh! She threw it at me!” he complained, raising his fists. He felt a big hand clamp around them, then an arm go around his waist, lifting him in the air. “Lemme go, dammit!”
“Oh, boy, I should really start watching what I say around you, huh?” Daddy sighed as he took the doll from Natsu’s grip easily. Natsu shouted up a storm but went ignored as Daddy turned to Lucy. “He didn’t damage your doll, did he?”
“Nuh-uh, Mr. Igneel,” she said nicely. (Why didn’t she ever talk to him that nicely? Grr.)
“You know, Lucy, Natsu only teases you so much because he likes you,” Layla smiled. Lucy gasped while Natsu snorted loudly.
“As if! She’s a girl!” he said to explain. Daddy, for some reason, found it funny.
“Girls are typically who boys like. Of course, I wouldn’t care much if you didn’t follow that standard—” He stopped when Natsu started squirming and he set Natsu down.
“Can we go outside already? It stopped raining hours ago.”
“Layla, should we punish insubordination?” Daddy asked her, but he was holding back laughs when he did.
“I suppose...” She gasped as Lucy wriggled from her arms and set her down, where she and Natsu ran laughing to the back door. “Don’t get too dirty!” she warned.
“Natsu, get the lock,” Lucy grumbled, her little hands just missing it by a few inches. He grinned wide as he stood on his toes and pulled it out, then shoved the door open. They were greeted by the backyard in its wet glory, plants shining in the sun and mud puddles as far as the eye can see. Lucy bent over to undo her shiny black shoes while Natsu leapt off the deck and into the closest one he saw, which went as deep as half of him. A big wave jumped when he did it and Lucy cried out at the cold temperature.
“Move faster, weirdo!” he said, getting to his feet. He was absolutely caked in brown and black mud and could care less. (Or couldn’t? Daddy said he could never get it right.) Lucy finally kicked off her shoe and stood straight, giving Natsu a devious (adult word!) look that went against her cutesy look.
“Cannon ball!” she shouted as she jumped into the puddle, throwing up a second wave. He put out his hands to protect his face and ignored Daddy’s upset groan as he grinned at Lucy, taking her hand in his.
“Come on, let’s keep going!”
They jumped and splashed around in the mud, tossing thick balls of it at each other and crawling under the blackberry bush to snatch and eat the clean ones. Then, because Lucy asked and he felt like doing it, they went to smell the still-wet flowers around the fence, and he even allowed her to stick some into his hair. He never liked to comb it or anything because it already looked girly enough by itself, let alone decorate it, even if Daddy offered him to pick dinner, but if Lucy wanted to...hmm, it wasn’t too bad, he supposed.
“Now you’re the fairy prince!” she declared, poking his neck with a stick. He spun around and threw his fists in the air.
“I’m not a fairy, I’m a dragon!” She pouted and folded her arms across her once-blue dress.
“Nuh-uh! Cuz I’m the fairy princess, and you can’t be in the castle too unless you’re the prince!”
“Fine! I fly around outside, keeping you locked up,” he grinned, raising his hands with his fingers bent into claws. Lucy huffed and turned away.
“Natsu wouldn’t do that. And I’d be all alone if you weren’t in there too.” He frowned when she said that and his arms fell to his sides.
“I’m a dragon,” he repeated, getting annoyed. “But not the mean one. Daddy told me dragon’s are no-ble and nice and brave. I’m the one that watches for bad guys so’s I can kick their ass, and so’s you can be safe.” She blushed a little beneath all the mud on her face and pushed his shoulder with a wide smile.
“Okay, that’s fine.”
“I know it is.”
“Okay, you mud monsters, get in here so you can eat,” Daddy called from the door.
“Great, ‘m starvin’!” Natsu declared, trudging past the mess they made to the smell of chicken in the air. Suddenly a blonde blur came zipping by him.
“Race ya!” Lucy said. Natsu grinned and chased after her across the yard. He slowed when he noticed Daddy, instead of smiling or shaking his head, looked worried. Why worried?
“Lucy, wait, the mud is slipper—”
Lucy came to the deck and was about to jump the six-inch difference, but she slid on the mud and fell forward. Daddy reached down but he didn’t catch her before her head bounced against the wood. There was a second of silence before Lucy’s crying, loud and pained, filled the air, and Natsu hated the sound with all his heart. It made his stomach go cold and funny and clouded his head.
“Lucy!” Layla came running and dropped to her knees, her jeans getting dirty from all the splashed mud, and she pulled Lucy’s back on her lap. Natsu moved forward and saw a nasty bruise growing on her forehead, and she was still wailing at the top of her lungs. Layla whispered to her and held her and pushed her muddy hair from her face. “At least it’s not bleeding,” she muttered. Then she stood up with Lucy. “Sorry, Igneel, Natsu, but we’ll be heading ho—”
“No!” Natsu cried before she could finish, even though Daddy taught him it was rude to interrupt. He jumped to the deck and tugged on the bottom of Lucy’s dress. “Don’t go, don’t go!”
“Natsu, Lucy’s hurt, I think she’d like to be at her home,” Daddy said, putting his hand on Natsu’s shoulder. Natsu pulled away and tugged harder, feeling his eyes get hot and itchy.
“No, nonono!” And even though he was older and a boy, the brave dragon, he burst into tears. Because he didn’t protect Lucy like a dragon would, and because he couldn’t make her stop crying. Daddy put his hand on Natsu’s head and Natsu let him. He buried his face in Daddy’s stomach and gripped his legs as hard as he could, sobbing into his shirt. Him and Layla said something he couldn’t hear, then Daddy picked Natsu up and took him inside. Daddy set him on the couch and Layla set Lucy next to him. Natsu turned to her and saw she wasn’t crying as hard, but she was still sniffling and shaking. He grabbed Daddy’s blanket that was thrown over the back of the couch and put it around her, then he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.
“N-Natsu?” she said, her big brown eyes looking up at him. He held her tighter.
“’m a dragon. I protect the princess,” he muttered seriously. “And the princess doesn’t get to cry while I’m around.” She sniffed harder, then reached around and gripped the back of his shirt. Daddy came close with a wet rag (when did he leave?) and gently cleaned both their faces before dropping next to them and turning Lucy’s face.
“It’ll heal in a few weeks,” he said after a second.
“Well, I suppose you’re the cuts and bruises expert,” Layla said thoughtfully. Daddy grumbled.
“What’s that s’posed to mean?”
Natsu ignored them because he heard Lucy making a little hurting noise. He turned her around so they sat shoulder to shoulder, and slowly, she pushed the blanket until it covered both of them. She wasn’t crying anymore as she crawled into Natsu’s side, pulling up her knees and letting her short hair tickle his arm.
“You’re really nice, Natsu,” she muttered.
“Dragons are nice.”
“But you’re not this nice. You like to pull my hair and take Michelle and tell me I’m weird.”
“...Nah, you’re still weird,” he said loudly. “But...eh...’s not that bad.”
The rain started up again, and the peaceful noise made Lucy relax more against him. Natsu, too, had a hard time keeping his eyes open. The last thing he saw was Daddy grinning in his face.
“Don’t like her, do you?” he teased. Natsu made a face and moved a little so Lucy could be more comfortable.
“Nope.” Daddy’s laughter chased him into his dreams.
(not as much a tangible adventure as an adventure in self-discovery...hope it counts)
Nalu Fluff Week
Genre - Adventure, General
Rated K/T
1452
SEPTEMBER 12TH — ADVENTURE
“Growing Pains”
“Your name is Etherious Natsu Dragneel,” his creator said in a soft voice. “And you are my brother.”
Those words were the first he ever heard, and they carved the mold in which Natsu would fit the rest of his life. More pieces would define his features as the ages went on: he was a demon called an Etherious, he was impossibly tough to kill, he had both Dark Magic and Fire Magic to control, he was one who struck fear by just his name…
But the baby girl, she was unafraid. He wondered why.
Natsu was trained in the art of fighting, and he was also trained to change his form as he pleased. Brother said it was something for him to do at his leisure, but he didn’t think so. He hadn’t known Brother long at that point, but he did know Brother did things for a certain...purpose. If he gave Natsu two forms to shift between, it was for a use he would need later on. But, as long as he had the option, he chose to look like a man.
The little girl liked his demon form more though.
Physically, he peaked early, but biologically, according to Brother, there would be no end for him but a magically-induced death. Humans were a different story. Humans were born with a very short time limit, and — as Brother told him, the only time his calm exterior ever broke — there was no bringing back a human. There was, and would only ever be, creating demons.
The girl said You’re not a demon though. You’re the cuddliest person ever...with horns.
Often, very often, more often than he could write with his limited understanding of that, he wondered what his purpose was — what any of the Etherious’s purposes were, because Brother made more of them. He asked Brother once, and he only smiled and said sweet nothings to abate Natsu’s worries. Natsu worried regardless, especially when he became aware of an odd occurrence: once in a while, maybe once every lunar cycle, he would wake up after a blackout with numerous sore spots all over his body like a rash. Brother wasn’t too concerned and told Natsu not to be either. Natsu supposed that was when he began to grow a sense of self-awareness.
She found it funny. She told him all people had self-awareness and that he only did what Brother told him to because he didn’t want to think of doing anything else. For the first time, he became angry at her, and through that anger came recklessness. He didn’t cover his tracks as well as he had been, and Brother found out. He was amazed that didn’t happen sooner with how smart Brother was. Then again, Brother didn’t act without a purpose.
Brother did...something to him that made him black out again, but this time was different, he could feel it. When he awoke, Brother was smiling, but Natsu was only concerned with getting away. He ran back to where he met the girl in her little town, and she was still there alive and well. He grabbed her hand to ensure her corporeality and pain struck through both of them — both because he could hear her screams ringing through his ears. When he woke up again, she was gone. He didn’t see her again for many years, but he could...feel her.
It was something he never told Brother in fear of Brother taking it the wrong way, but Natsu had begun to feel her. He felt her fear, her dismay, her anxiety as she awoke, and many things more as the days went on. He tried to go about his daily life, but the girl’s presence had irreversibly grown in his mind: she was no longer a passing interest, but an integral part of his existence. Whether he wanted to or not, he could feel her every emotion, and while he certainly didn’t want such a thing to happen, they began to imprint on him.
The day that set everything off, he woke with a strange feeling filling his chest. It made him feel like he was flying above all his troubles, like he still possessed a beating heart. Love. The word bounced around his skull and he mouthed it absently throughout the day. It made him smile every time he thought about it...then Brother called him down. And, as Natsu went face-to-face with him, he was struck by the most shocking realization of his life:
He did not love Brother, not at all.
If anything, Natsu resented him.
The words lay sour on his tongue and not even Brother could coax them out. Eventually he let Natsu go, a pensive look on his face. It was the last time he would see Brother’s face for a long time, because that night, Natsu ran. He didn’t know what he was looking for, if it was the girl or adventure itself, but he ran. And his heart lifted and he placed another emotion — happiness.
He didn’t find the girl in town in her home, so he went looking elsewhere. He never stopped to consider she was dead because he could still feel all she felt, and while it majorly helped him develop, it wasn’t all fun and games. Sickness, for example, was a terrible, horrible sensation he loathed on humanity’s behalf, particularly motion sickness. He got the sense she was moving, and suddenly his sense of balance was all off, and he felt grossly dizzy and nauseous. Pain was also a very potent sensation; although he thought it to be purely physical, like the warm pain he felt from her in his lower abdomen once in a while, it sometimes was abstract, a baseless hurt that made him want to curl up and cry.
Was that what it meant to be human? Brother was human and he never shifted through so many emotions — neither did the other Etherious. As the days passed and he traveled farther and farther, seeing many humans in their towns and on the road, it started to make sense: they were missing something, this tiny bit of something that all humans possessed. Not all humans utilized it, like the three or so groups that tried to rob him on his way before he cleanly curb-stomped them, but they all had that ability to birth, process, and give a piece of themselves to others. He received it with every wave and smile he was given, and from every sensation he received from her. They built upon themselves over time and suddenly, as he awoke and squinted at the blinding sun in the middle of the desert, he realized he could feel. He wasn’t feeling her emotions any longer, but he was feeling his own.
It made him feel real. It made him feel alive. It made him feel...no, it made him human.
After so long, he was almost startled to feel something from the girl again. It was also a very strong feeling; she was close, he could tell. In the next town was a central area, and on top of a wooden stage was a dancing woman. Her long blonde hair and amber eyes were vaguely familiar, and as she executed a full turn that had her gold and green skirt twirling around her ankles, her eyes landed on his. And she felt, and he felt, and he knew she was who he had been searching for.
With a tiny choked noise, she picked up her skirts and stumbled down the steps before pushing through the little crowd. They turned in interest as she ran up to Natsu, eyes squinted, then they widened and a wide smile crossed her face. She leapt on him with her arms clasped around his neck, happy tears running down her cheeks. He reached out and clasped her slim waist in return. The day that set everything off, he woke with a strange feeling filling his chest. It made him feel like he was flying above all his troubles, like he still possessed a beating heart. That feeling returned two fold: once from him, another time from her.
“All these years and I’ve never stopped feeling your heart,” she whispered in his ear, the smile clear in her voice. He let out a noise that could’ve been a sob or a laugh — he wasn’t too sure himself. He set her down and took her hand, savoring the sensation of the love passing between them, love born from shared experiences and understanding over a too long time.
“My name is Etherious Natsu Dragneel,” he said in a soft voice, squeezing her hand. “And you are my love.”
Natsu arrived three hours late to their date when the sun had already begun to set. And when he did arrive, it was with plenty of bruises, mud all on his jeans, part of his shirt torn, one shoe on, and with a long cut streaming blood down his forehead. He dropped down onto the picnic blanket with a massive groan and leaned against Lucy’s shoulder.
“What happened?” she asked with a small smile. She was upset at first, but as she could clearly see, he’d gotten what was coming to him for being late already.
“Fullbuster looked at me the wrong way,” he muttered, picking a rotten banana peel from his hair. Apparently garbage was involved too. “And...we got a little carried away. Down the street. We rolled and grappled for at least two miles. There were many police cars.”
“Natsu,” she half-whined. He gave her an easy smile that made her remember, despite his many (understatement of the year) quirks and flaws, why she fell so hard in love with him. She sighed and wet her handkerchief from her water bottle and started wiping at his face.
“Seriously, Luce?” he complained, trying to pull away. One look from her stopped that immediately.
“I know you’re strong and whatnot, but stop being so dang reckless, okay?” She flicked his nose, earning a small “ow” from him when he looked away.
“Sorry,” he muttered. She huffed and folded her hands primly over her denim skirt.
“Well, you’re here now. That’s something.”
“Yeah.” They watched the sun change from gold to dark red and orange, then suddenly blades of grass were raining down. Lucy looked over to see Natsu plucking grass from the hill and throwing it in the air. “Woo-hoo!” he yelled.
“What’s wrong with you?” she said, but she had to fit back some giggles to get it out. And she would’ve been lying if she said she didn’t love Natsu for his off-the-walls randomness.
“It’s a celebration,” he said with a laugh.
“The sun sets every day, moron,” she smiled. He turned to her then, and the intensity in his eyes made her catch her breath.
“Being with you, that’s worth celebrating,” he clarified in a low tone that made her flush all the way to her toes. Then he broke the mood with a wide smile as he gently grasped the back of her head, bringing their foreheads together.
“I thought we were watching the su-sunset.” Her breath hitched when he planted a little kiss on her lips, then he chuckled.
“The sun sets every day,” he repeated. “But I only get to see you a little bit. So I wanna enjoy it.”
He was hardheaded, he was sweet, he was absentmindedly violent, and he was absolutely perfect. He was hers, and she wouldn’t have it any other way.
“’morning, Miss Mira!” Mira looked up from the mug she was polishing to see a fuzzy pink head grinning at her. She smiled sweetly in return, bending over to meet the girl’s eyes.
“Good morning to you too, Tsubaki. Orange juice?”
“Nuh!” She shook her head vigorously and climbed onto the bar stool to make them more level. She was eight and five quarters as she’d happily tell anyone who asked — well, she generally was happy, a trait from both her parents. Her hair stuck out in wild curls and she had a laugh that could soften even Laxus’s heart, loathe as he was to admit it. Makarov was only praying she inherited her mother’s calm spirit as she grew into her magic.
“Don Perry-non, please,” Tsubaki went on to say. Mira looked at her with wide eyes.
“You know that’s not a children’s drink?”
“Duh!” she said with a giggle. “It’s for Mama and Daddy!”
Oh. Well, that made more sense. Mira inclined her head curiously. “Did they ask for it?”
“Nuh, it’s a surprise for their anniversary. Me ‘n Iggy have it all planned out.” She smiled triumphantly and stuck a thumb into her chest. That was such a Natsu-ish thing to do that Mira laughed aloud.
“Alright, alright, here...” Rooting through the bottles on the shelves for a moment, she pulled a shiny olive-colored bottle and set it on the counter. Tsubaki nodded seriously and pulled a crumpled wad of Jewel from the chest pocket of her overalls. “No, it’s okay. Call it a gift from me for their anniversary.”
Tsubaki’s eyes widened more than should’ve been humanly possible, and Mira kept a smile on even as she wanted to explode from the cuteness. Then Tsubaki vaulted over the counter to hug Mira around the waist. “Thank you so much, Miss Mira!”
Mira squealed inwardly as she returned the hug. She didn’t think the Master would have much to worry about.
Gray was just about to lay the final card on the tower when the door to his apartment was unceremoniously slammed open. He hit the table and the whole house came tumbling down. Letting out a great sigh, he turned to the only person left without a care of personal boundaries.
“What can I help you with now, Iggy?”
“Need something from you, Ice Princess.” Iggy’s shaggy blond hair hung untamed around Natsu’s loosely wrapped scarf, and he had his hands buried in his jeans as he sauntered in and flopped onto Gray’s leather couch. He mentioned in passing he liked the smell of leather, so the couch became his prime bum spot whenever he felt the need to burst in, which was often. Not that Gray minded; he still butted heads with Natsu now and again, but his son, while trying his damnest to be Natsu’s carbon copy, was so...alive, in a different sense of the word.
With his magic heightening his senses, he sought every interesting smell, taste, and sight he could find, and he kept a journal that he didn’t mind showing Gray, as red-faced as he got on the subject. He had a way with words that certainly came from his mother which showed as he tried to jot down his experiences with the world, and although he wasn’t even twelve yet, Gray felt assured he could be a writer if he tried. —Not that he ever told Iggy that. Just because his fire was weaker than Natsu’s didn’t make it any more pleasant to be attacked with.
“A sculpture.” He pulled a folded piece of paper from the scarf and handed it over. Unfolding it, Gray saw a drawing most certainly done by Reedus from the level of detail. He raised his eyes back to Iggy’s amber ones with a curious eyebrow raised.
“You’re interested in my sculptures now?”
“Hell no,” he scowled, a blush crossing his cheeks. “It’s for my folks. It’s their anniversary, ya know. Tsubaki’s doing her part so I’m doing mine or whatever.” The red of his face deepened under Gray’s scrutiny and he shrunk into his scarf in a familiar show of petulance. Gray grinned to himself when he wasn’t looking. If only it’d been so easy to get under Natsu’s skin, their childhood would have been so much more enjoyable.
“Do you have a way to carry it?” Iggy looked up at him in confusion. “You know you have Fire Magic. It’ll melt if you hold it too long.”
“I, err...” He skewed his mouth and turned away. Gray sighed dramatically and folded his arms.
“Guess I’ll have to carry it for you.” Iggy was more red than tan at that point and he muttered something that sounded like gratitude if Gray skewed his ears a little. Yeah, he didn’t mind the little Natsu brat so much.
Lucy was just about to take the pot of stew from the stove when familiar arms wrapped around her waist. “Happy anniversary,” he said into her ear, a smile clear in his voice. She turned around to press her lips to his, clutching him around the neck. It was still funny to feel warm skin and the short scar there instead of the rugged fabric of Igneel’s scarf. She giggled when he moved his lip to her neck, then gasped when he lightly bit there.
“Where’re the kids?” he murmured against her skin.
“N-No idea...probably the Guild...” she said between breaths. They learned some time ago not to worry too much about them; Magnolia was very safe nowadays, and in the event something did happen, both had enough magic to cause the damage Fairy Tail was known for.
“Did you just want to get us alone?” He smirked up at her and she smiled breathlessly back at him.
“The stew’s gonna burn, you know.”
He jumped back from her with hands up like he was under arrest. She laughed to herself as she moved the pot to an off burner to let it cool. “Any plans?” she asked, leaning against the counter. He rolled up the sleeves of his red shirt with a devious grin.
“I plan on eating your delicious stew.” she rolled her eyes with a fond smile.
“What happened to all the grand gestures? Our fifth anniversary was you cleaning my apartment for a change. It was almost as shocking as the uprooted sakura tree.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he said with pink cheeks. Twelve years later and he still wanted to deny it. “And you don’t know what’ll happen tonight. You haven’t seen a grand gesture yet.” It was her turn to blush as he laughed. The sound of the door opening caught them off guard, then Iggy’s voice rang through the house.
“I’ll start serving dinner,” Lucy said, reaching into the cupboards for the bowl. Natsu went to the living room and let out a surprised and excited laugh. Lucy smiled to herself — maybe Iggy learned another move? He loved Tsubaki all the same, but something about Iggy having an affinity for his magic turned him into a teen all over again. Of course, Lucy couldn’t pretend she didn’t feel the same about Tsubaki’s budding summoning talent. She set the table and filled the bowls for the three of them, and she was just about to take out some bread when Tsubaki called for her happily. “Coming!” Lucy replied, pulling her apron off and pushing her hair over her shoulders. She walked into the living room with a smile—
“Happy anniversary!”
She was floored as a good portion of their Guild mates crowded into their living room with various gifts and their own kids shouting congratulations. To top it off, the centerpiece of the crowd was an ice sculpture formed into a Celestial Key, and a dragon’s head was the symbol in the head. She stared on in shock for a few seconds before a little pink head barreled into her waist. “Happy anniversary, Mama!” Tsubaki said.
“Happy anniversary, Mom,” Iggy said from the side, a wide grin on his face. Lucy’s smile turned wobbly and she reached up to scrub at her eye.
“Happy tears?” Natsu asked from Gray’s side, a knowing look on his face. She laughed a little.
“Happy tears.”
Later that night, after Makarov started a drunken round of “99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall”, Gajeel and Levy’s twins served Iggy to the ground in a magic fight, Mirajane presented Lucy with a box of “toys” wink-wink, Macao and Wakaba sobbed over their own lost youth, Wendy taught Tsubaki how to braid Lucy’s hair, and Juvia made the toilet go awry on accident, Natsu and Lucy lay in bed together, each kid under each arm as they snoozed away happily.
“It wasn’t your idea, was it?” Lucy asked him. He blew out a breath and chuckled quietly.
“My idea went up in smoke already. But we’ll be revisiting Mira’s present later on.” She reached over to hit his shoulder, mindful of Tsubaki sleeping on his chest. “Even though it wasn’t my idea, I can’t think of anything better.”
“I can.” He looked at her with wide eyes and she grinned. “Having the best husband on Earthland.”
“Or the best wife.” She looked at Igneel’s face, line-free and peaceful in his sleep, and kissed his forehead.
“Or the best kids?”
“Nothin’ better than that.”
“Best Guild?” His mouth skewed into a cute pout.
“Goodnight, Lucy.” She laughed and hit his shoulder again.
