After getting NaLu crumbs too small to make a proper analysis about them, chapter 65 of the sequel is giving us a lot of material!
Whether fans and/or shippers realize it or not, this subject is pretty relevant for their respective fandoms. The excitment, and the anticipation surrounding current scenes or future events in their favorite stories is something that gets them invested in manga/anime.
When it comes to pairings, there are two kinds of hype. There's the hype created by the way a story unfolds, and there's the fanhype, which consists of fans getting overexcited and blowing things out of proportion because their favorite character(s) did something...
If we talk about the first kind, Fairy Tail is now a special case given the author's twitter activity.
Back in 2017, Mashima made a draft of NaLu's daughter, and later twitted a finished version of the possible children of both NaLu and Gruvia. At that time, they weren't part of the official story. But, chapter 65 of the Fairy Tail sequel changed that a little bit...
...Team Natsu is back at Edolas, and they found out their (now older) alternate versions married with kids: Edo Natsu and Edo Lucy had "Nasha"
While Edo Gray and Edo Juvia had "Greige," the Gruvia son:
Why did the Edolas version of NaLu and Gruvia give us offspring, while Earthland Lucy is still embarrassed at the prospect of a romantic relationship with Natsu, and Earthland Gray is pretty embarrassed about having a kid with Juvia?
After the events of the Tenrou (Sirius) Island arc, Most of the main cast of the titular guild spent 7 years "frozen" in time. Meanwhile their Edolas counterpart didn't undergo such a experience, so they're 7 years older thatn their Earthland counterparts, and then and during that time span, Edo Natsu and Edo Lucy married and had Nasha.
But, several readers probably figured that much. So, what does this have to do with hype?
Well, we know the author had been making a lot of NaLu twits...
...and he’s been doing it for ages, long before the idea of a manga sequel.
Flashfoward to chapter 25, and we get introduced to Fairy Nail. An alternate version of the Fairy Tail guildmembers, in which Nack (Natsu's counterpart) and Lucia (Lucy's counterpart) are in a very spicy relationship. And Gruvia is canon there too.
Now, we got to chapter 65, and we see Edolas NaLu happily married with a child. There’s a clear pattern here, but the Edolas version of the pairing brings something new to the table
If we take into consideration the fact Edolas didn't have an Acnologia-like event, we can conclude that during the span of those 7 years, each relationship evolved, reached marriage, and had kids who may be within the range of 5-6 years of age. You can probably figure out where am I going with this
While it's true that only two alternate versions of NaLu are canon, if we combine all of these elements, and all this teasing, we see that Mashima had been building anticipation in the readers. He's creating hype
If we factor Gruvia, the fact Gray already admits he wants to improve so he can be with Juvia shows we're getting closer to the relationship upgrade their Edolas counterparts had, which probably happened 7 years ago. What makes this so hype is how it revolves around the story put into context.
How is this different from fanhype? While this NaLu and Gruvia hype had been deliberately created by the author himself. Fanhype exists because of the exaggeration of interactions and moments without any actual meaning.
This kind of hype is developed by those who wank their favorite character and/or premise, blowing everything around them out of proportion.
And chapter 65 not only gave us NaLu/Gruvia hype. It also has a couple of panels that several wankers exaggerated as something romantic for a pretty weak premise.
When Team Natsu returned to Edolas, Lucy found herself completely naked, and Gray offered his coat so she could cover herself...
...this panel was hyped as a romantic gesture even by several NaLu shippers. But, is it really something unique or special?
It's certainly not unique for we've already seen Lucy far more often with Natsu's clothes in the manga:
The sequel:
And even in Mashima's twitter:
So, it's not something unique. Still, shippers couldn't care less about these other moments; they prefer to build their own hype around Gray's coat while completely dismissing the fact NaLu's daughter (and Gruvia's son) became part of the story.
The coat is not the only thing shippers love to wank. They relished on Gray blushing when hearing Lucy was naked, and claimed his reaction is a proof of his desire for Lucy. An argument that completely ignores the characterization, story, and context provided until now
Let's backtrack to the chapter 26. Right before making the promise to improve himself for Juvia, he had a strong reaction at seeing the naked body of Juvia's lookalike, not only he was blushing, he was also far more expressive here:
I can even mention shippers using commonalities or one-chapter gags to try proving their premise is valid. But, that would be overkill. And that leaves one final question: difference between story-based hype and fanhype?
Hype created by the author is based on the progression and/or development of one or multiple elements within their work's narrative.
While fanhype is based around moments taken out of context and blown out of proportion.
That's why the Nasha/Greige hype is real, and the hype created by shippers is only a bunch of headcanons foreign to the story.
Many NaLu fans already pointed out some details such as Natsu burning guys who flirted with Lucy, or Lucy having Natsu rest on her lap. However, there was a detail that may remind some of a few analyses done in this blog...
Juvia, as usual, calls Lucy her “love rival.” While such a gag is meant to make readers laugh, many shippers take Juvia’s words seriously. Needless to say, last chapter shows why such a mindset is not consistent with the story or the characters.
However, the bit that I will highlight is Lucy’s response to Juvia’s claim. The way she reacted is identical to her response during the GMG. Juvia just had a delusion of how Lucy could be seducing Gray, only for both characters to appear and casually deem such scenario as Juvia’s wild imagination and nothing else.
Lucy’s reaction is the same back then as it is now. But what does that have to do with NaLu?
Well, in an old analysis we asked the question, how does Lucy respond when someone implies she has “romantic” feelings for Natsu?
She gets flustered and puts more energy into denying such implications.
The Fairy Tail manga sequel gives us extra context. Turns out Lucy has no experience with “romantic love,” so despite having such a powerful chemistry with Natsu, she doesn’t realize their relationship is deeper than friendship and companionship despite not being fully “romantic.”
Other people can see the depth of their feelings... but, because of their lack of experience in this particular field, neither of them realize how close they truly are.
That’s why the way both characters respond to one another is the best indicator of how strong they feel for one another
They’re not there yet, but they need very little to achieve a “relationship upgrade”
NaLu analysis: “Saving the girl,” when does it matter?
There’s a point that this blog had been trying to make abundantly clear for a while...
When it comes to bonds that develop organically, “saving the girl” doesn’t mean she owes her savior a relationship. True chemistry doesn’t occur because of favors done. A well-written relationship is nourished by engaging and meaningful moments that allow the characters to strengthen the bonds that unite them.
However, a “romantic rescue” is, in fact, a story-telling tool. But not every “rescue” scene has romantic undertones. And jumping from “you saved me” to “I want your babies,” results in a rushed and poorly developed premise that, unless you have a lot of visual appeal and cuteness (moe) factor, will feel forced.
This doesn’t prevent shallow shippers from using even the scenes that would barely classify as “rescue” to push other premises over NaLu. After all, who wouldn’t like to be in the arms of someone cooler and more handsome than Natsu?
So, when does a “rescue” scene matters in regards to pairings?
I mean within the context of the story and characters. Subjectively speaking, any fan or shippers may hold different views on what counts as truly “romantic.” But, if we want to be as objective as possible, we must stick to what the story and characters have to offer:
One of the earliest rescue scenes is also one of the moments that benefitted NaLu the most from the very beginning...
...Lucy’s leap of faith. At this point, Natsu already saved Lucy a couple of times, so what makes this moment more relevant than previous instances?
The fact it made a far more substantial contribution to their relationship, at least up to this point.
Hearing Natsu’s voice was enough for Lucy to jump off that building, with the confidene in the Dragon Slayer coming to save her.
As the story shows her faith got rewarded, which not only strengthened the connection between them, but also laid the foundation for consistent bonding in future arcs. That’s how a rescue scene becomes relevant to a potent relationship
As stated in another analysis, meaningful moments such as this one helped to build a strong emotional attachment between Natsu and Lucy
There’s also another relevant example, but with added irony. During the GMG arc, after Lucy got brutally beaten by Minerva, we got another rescue scene. But, this was a little different:
This time, Lucy got rescued by two guys. Does that mean she must date both of them? Would she choose the sexier guy because of such a moment? Is this how chemistry works?
A better question would be, does this moment leads to something else?
The author’s work gives us the answer: we can see Lucy in the infirmary sweetly mentioning Natsu’s name as she drifts to sleep.
Why? Because Natsu’s interactions with her are the ones that left the greater impact and built something far stronger and more substantial between them
So, we go back to the question, when does a “saving the girl” moment matters for a pairing? When the aftermath helps to create build up for that particular relationship, and leaves an impact powerful enough to affect the characters and make their feelings for each other more intense
Moments that work like pieces of a puzzle, all being part of a much larger whole, and each of them playing a role in making a potent relationship stronger
LuNa version: https://warlordgab.tumblr.com/post/187518230436/luna-analysis-saving-the-girl-when-does-it
Several One Piece readers, at least those who are up to date, may remember this scene its aftermath...
And in another post, we had an analysis on a highly underrated concept: Context. Some groups of fans disregard it for the sake of their premise, but when it comes to potent relationships, context matters, for they involve consistent bonding and actual chemistry.
So, in this particular case, what do we have as context? Sanji not only physically assaulted an already worn out Luffy, he also "bad-talked" his dreams of becoming PK. Nami tried to remind Sanji Luffy was already in bad shape due to fighting a strong opponent all night long without actual rest, all in an attempt to stop Sanji's assault. But, she couldn't stop this...
She even begged claiming they would leave the place if Sanji stopped his attack. This chapter may help perceptive readers to spot a few differences between the manga and anime. When the fight "started" the manga had Nami's main concern being Luffy's condition and the damage he was taking; in the Anime, Nami was only partially focused on Luffy. But, regardless of the version, the ending remains the same...
Nami's first response was rushing to Luffy's side, backed up by the manga, her second reaction...
A strong slap along with some sarcasm that played along with Sanji's act delievering a verbal "punch." We usually focus on her concern for Luffy, but what makes that slap + cutting words combo so relevant?
Let us remember Sanji was physically and verbally beating Luffy. First, Nami saw how Sanji was hurting the same person she fought side by side all night, the same person she knew was already hurt and weakened. Second, Sanji insulted Luffy and talked trash about his dream and his strength... some chapters before this whole drama, Nami's confidence on hers and Luffy's victory over Cracker was based on the fact Luffy was going to be the PK:
Sanji just bad-talked that same faith Nami has on Luffy. All of this somewhat remind us of when Oda wrote SW; the big twist at the end of the movie was that Nami always had a remarkable faith/trust in Luffy, and we had a little comedy in how embarrassed Nami was at the prospect of Luffy finding out how strong she felt about him...
...so in response to Sanji's attack on Luffy, Nami delievers a physical and verbal slap to the cook. Some people discussed if Nami was in the wrong for slapping Sanji, but as we examine the context, we find out her actions were more than justified. It was the closest thing to to an "eye for an eye" she could deliver as retribution
Nami would later describe the abuse Luffy suffered as something unacceptable, and with good reason.
The man that had been her emotional anchor for so long, and the hope they share were brutalized in front of her. So, Nami staying faithfully by Luffy's side while reprimanding Sanji's actions was something consistent and true to her character; it also gave us a deep insight on how many levels she values and appreciates Luffy
Many FT readers find, one way or another, multiple moments that showcase the strength of NaLu and highlight their chemistry.
However, not everyone is capable of perceiving how the story nourishes this relationship, not only by means of obvious moments but also by the context of several scenes.
This is one of the reasons why wankers are prone to ignore or completely disregard context to fabricate something to make implausible premises (cracks) seem as solid as a semi-canon pairing.
For example, some use the following scenario as a sign of a rising romantic relationship: the female lead slaps a character she and her partner are familiar with because he trash-talked the values the guild stood for, something that hurt her a lot.
Granted it was all an act and the guy apologized at the end, but the slap and apology are still overhyped by wankers as something as big as what NaLu may offer.
However, when this scene is put in the context of what Lucy’s character was going through, the story points in a different direction.
The scene was painful to Lucy because she was struggling against the fear of the FT guild, which she considers her family, not coming back, and having a member of that family bad-mouthing the guild only confirmed her fears... until it was revealed that was all an act. And this isn’t just speculation; right after everyone returned, Lucy expressed to Natsu, Happy, and Wendy this fear she had
But the context also offers something else. Let us ask, what gave Lucy the strength and hope she needed to, at the very least, fight this fear?
Instead of “what” we should ask “who.” The answer? Natsu, who not only provided Lucy with the hope she needed in a passive way. He also took action in response to her desire to get the guild back together and brought her to an adventure to reunite their scattered guildmates.
Again, this isn’t mere speculation. Natsu worked in the idea of getting the guild back together right after this scene:
While not explicitly romantic, these actions are far more meaningful than an overhyped slap/apology.
It’s safe to say that this element is quite unfriendly with less likely premises. Still, context not only refutes non-sensical arguments, but it also enhances NaLu moments when factoring it into the equation.
For example, the movie storyboarded by Mashima himself, Dragon Cry, features a moment previously analyzed in another post. The moment by itself looks strong, but it’s the context that further solidifies the scene as “NaLu.”
At the beginning of the story, we get Natsu asking Lucy in a curious manner “What do I look like?”. This line will be repeated at the end in the form of a "meaningful echo" as Natsu beats the bad guy with a new transformation (which made him look more like a dragon and less like a person for a while).
So, the context now gives the scene a deeper meaning as it shows how much Natsu values the perspective Lucy has of his person and how it affects his character the way she sees him.
More often than not, context allows readers to grasp the substance of a relationship and, in some cases, even individual characters.
On the other hand, there’s another underrated element many either disregard or misinterpret. It is something we already considered in an earlier post, but given how wankers try to twist this concept to downgrade NaLu, we’re going to touch this subject once again: Chemistry
As we explained before, many readers can admit NaLu has several moments throughout the author’s works, but wankers or haters still deem this bond as something lacking in “real chemistry.”
Some of you probably read my previous “rant” before and realized, one way or another, wankers promote arguments to say “implausible” premises can easily match what NaLu has. And one relatively new argument relies on the claim of certain cracks having “real chemistry” while NaLu doesn’t have any...
Does this claim hold any merits?
Short answer: No. Logic and evidence refute such arguments
First, let us consider the term “chemistry” once again. To truly understand this concept in the context of literary works we need to what true chemistry is not
True chemistry is not about commonalities. Usually playing the straight man or woman in crazy situations doesn't automatically makes you a match for someone who may do the same.
True chemistry is not about saving the girl or getting rescued by someone. A typical advice about writing chemistry indicates that it should never be implied that a character owns the other a relationship because of favors done. Saving the girl is not enough to claim a pairing has the "superior" chemistry.
Now that we cleared that up, we can answer the question: What is chemistry?
In the context of relationships, chemistry is related to mutual trust/faith; it’s a natural connection, "a bond, or common feeling between two people." In fact, "real chemistry between characters happens when they affect each other in big ways."
So, we can measure chemistry, not by commonalities, not by the characters' overall intelligence, but by how the moments they share leave an impact. When meaningful gestures and significant moments result in an emotional attachment.
But, despite all of this wankers may insist on their premises being just as solid as NaLu. What do they use as “evidence” for this claim?
The first thing many of these shippers tend to use is a “Freudian Slip” to prove a Mr. Fanservice character is seeking a romantic relationship with Lucy. The line goes something like this: “She’s kinda cute.”
Does NaLu have something better than that?
He deemed Lucy as “precious” to him as he battled the one who killed Lucy’s future self. His tears along with his actions made his words far more meaningful than a mere “Freudian Slip.”
Another moment that wankers may use involves this setting: Lucy powering through a great deal of danger and pain to save Natsu’s life with the assistance of the guy wankers promote as her would-be lover.
Does NaLu have an answer to that? Yes! All thanks to the context
The epicenter of Lucy’s emotional and physical struggle is Natsu and his potential fate after releasing him from the one thing that ties his life to Zeref’s existence.
What wankers used to justify their premises in this point of the story, turns out to be more supporting evidence of the strength of Lucy’s bond with Natsu when we factor context!
All that these shippers have left are very occasional “saved the girl” scenes and a few displays of “concern.”
We already mentioned how the reasoning “saving the girl means she owns her savior a relationship,” doesn’t match what a natural chemistry between characters should be. But, for the sake of debate let’s consider these moments anyway.
Wankers use these few showings to claim their favored character should get the 1st spot in Lucy’s heart. Because he shows “concern.” Doesn’t Natsu show a lot of concern for Lucy?
He’s pretty open about it and displays “concern” for her pretty often too, sometimes becoming hard to contain when it comes to the prospect of saving/protecting Lucy
So, if “concern” is the factor to claim a guy should be the girl’s lover/boyfriend/husband, then why wankers hype other characters over Natsu?
What about “saving the girl” scenes?
Natsu protected and saved Lucy...
...multiple times
If saving the girl = we’re a thing now, then why wankers still say their favorite option is the one who has the romantic relationship with Lucy instead of Natsu?
When all arguments are exhausted all that remains is one overhyped instance of Lucy teaming up with a cool sexy guy to parry several sand projectile attacks and claims of “wonderful friendship.”
If teamwork is a factor, then why the “most compatible team” as stated by the manga doesn’t get the same hype?
When analyzing the author’s works, we can see Natsu and Lucy displayed how well they worked together several times
When it comes to their relationship, in a previous post we also considered how their companionship and their potential to become a canon pairing can easily be described as “wonderful,” or as Lucy said: it’s always more fun when we’re together
At the end of the GMG arc, we could see how their bond, the “common feeling” between them could transcend time and space
So, why cracks are the ones deemed as “wonderful” while NaLu gets discarded?
The point is that even when several shippers claim the “saved the girl” scenes from their favored premises hold more merit, NaLu casually matches and surpasses the best they have.
This comparison is not meant to imply that saving the girl cannot be used to advance or enhance the romantic potential of a relationship. Some stories may resort to such a trope to build particular bonds, but what makes such scenes stand out is the context.
For example, one of the first NaLu moments seen in the series is when Lucy gets rescued by Natsu during the Phantom Lord arc. NaLu benefits from this scene not because Natsu was saving Lucy, but for the overall context of her situation...
...as some readers may realized by now, hearing Natsu’s voice as all that Lucy needed to jump off, taking what we could consider a “leap of faith.” This scene helps to stablish a great trust that’s growing between the characters involved.
It becomes even more meaningful when considered as part of a much bigger whole; this “whole” being the progression that created the emotional attachment that Natsu and Lucy share for one another.
Still, despite everything we’ve seen in the author’s works, even some NaLu shippers use this flawed logic to throw Lucy to the bed of a “better-looking” character or having her marry someone “cooler.” All while keeping Natsu, in the case of those who still remember he’s there, as the “other guy.”
This little exercise is meant to illustrate how, even when playing with some particular shippers’ “rules,” NaLu remains as the choice that makes the most sense and has the better chemistry. Unlike what some wankers/haters may say or think, NaLu is more than just a bunch of lovely fanarts.
Some shippers may disregard Natsu as the logical option because of his personality. He’s a good-hearted thrill-seeker; someone upbeat with a fondness for pranks and collecting mementos, as well as someone who’s prone to let out his emotions.
Several shippers don’t find such traits attractive or “worthy” of Lucy, while they favor the archetype of a stylish Mr. Fanservice character who has a cool, calm, and collected personality.
But, a potent relationship is not about what shippers consider “worthy” or “best boi.”
A potent relationship is about meaningful gestures, multiple impactful moments, consistent bonding, and a solid emotional chemistry.
One last thing to consider is this little detail: Some wankers decided to use the cover of chapter 379 not only as a sign of their crack being “semi-canon” but also as a tag for their premise.
When a hater tried to use the cover to attack rival shippers, even casual readers laughed at how delusional was claiming that cover contained anything that could support a pairing.
Then again, if we play by these wankers rules, we could mention two little pieces made by Mashima himself that when put together give us a pretty obvious message:
Before anyone gets any ideas, the title doesn’t refer to the “quirks” from “My Hero Academia”
This is a subject often discussed in this blog. Some NaLu shippers often claim that Lucy has better chemistry with “dorks” much cooler and better-looking than Natsu.
A previous analysis dealt with the definition of chemistry to clear that up and show how Natsu and Lucy have an unmatched chemistry when their moments are put into the context of their relationship and the way the story stresses on their connection throughout the series.
However, there is a reason why many readers (which includes self-proclaimed NaLu shippers) are not able to grasp this particular aspect of NaLu.
Because of Natsu’s character
To elaborate on this point, we need to go over what shippers usually hype as “chemistry.”
One argument describes “smiling at each other” along “the way the guy looks at the girl” as the signs of a stronger chemistry between characters.
Smiling, just like many other forms of non-verbal communication between humans is something complex with a wide variety of meanings depending on the people and the culture.
In some cases, a smile can be used to flirt. Others may use it to convey a sense of trust and good-will. But, it all depends on the context.
Now, if a smile is enough for shippers to make claims of romantic “chemistry,” shouldn’t we consider several of the moments between Natsu and Lucy as proof of a strong chemistry between them?
There is a saying that goes “the eyes are the window to the soul.” If the way the guy looks at Lucy is what makes him a better match for her, shouldn’t we consider the way Natsu looks at her before jumping to conclusions?
What about the way Lucy looks at Natsu?
So, if Natsu shares with Lucy moments that fit into what shippers wrongly assume is chemistry, why aren’t such moments deserving of hype? Are those cooler dorks doing something Natsu isn’t?
It’s actually the other way around. Natsu is doing something that much cooler dorks don’t...
As explained before, Natsu is a thrill-seeker. But, he’s also quite a trouble-maker who’s fond of pranks. None of these traits represents something negative when kept at a reasonable level.
However, unlike other more calm and collected characters, the quirks in Natsu’s attitude become a turn-off for many fans (even those who claim to love Natsu often hype those other guys because of this). That creates a contrast that makes much more level-headed and somewhat mature guys become more attractive to both readers and watchers.
That doesn’t mean overhyped males don’t have their own personality quirks. In fact, the author constantly uses one of those particular traits to draw readers in. And that’s part of the contrast. While Natsu’s personality may repel shippers, other guys’ quirks only add more to their appeal, which makes it easier to hype them over Natsu.
Now, the shippers’ take on this matter could make someone question: Does Natsu’s quirky personality diminish or eliminate any potential chemistry he may have with Lucy?
Even those who “ship” NaLu may imply that’s the case. But, how would story and characters answer this question?
No! Natsu’s quirks don’t weaken the emotional connection he shares with Lucy
The moments they had in the story when taken into context, show how they consistently build and strengthen their relationship while both characters remain true to themselves.
If you guys remember the first full-fledged NaLu analysis in this blog, or if you read the manga, you’ll probably recall this moment...
...while everyone is partying at the festival, Natsu is the one who not only misses Lucy, who couldn’t go to the party because she got sick, he took action to fulfill her desire of seeing one of those rainbow trees.
Did Natsu’s trouble-making personality ruined or “diluted” this gesture? No, the fact Natsu is someone who expresses himself mostly through actions rather than words made this moment something more meaningful.
By the time of the GMG, we get more scenes that help to solidify the growing emotional attachment between Natsu and Lucy. While she’s crying on the ground because of her loss against Flare, Natsu is the one who approaches Lucy, acknowledges her growth and tries to get her spirits up in his very own way...
... that night she had a more positive look and stuck close to the person that gave her comfort after such experience.
We already considered how the impact of such moments still resonates even in the Avatar arc. Natsu somewhat became her rock, someone who provided her with the emotional support she needed through actions rather than words.
But, that’s not all. While shippers insist that cuteness and comedy are all NaLu has going for it, their relationship actually offers several things people may seek when looking for a “partner.”
For example, Natsu often tries to make Lucy happy; he actively seeks to comfort her and make her feel better whenever she needs it...
...something she came to greatly value as well as deeply appreciate...
This aspect of their bond started up small, but as time went by, it became something of a second nature to Natsu. Still, it never feels out of place or out of character. Natsu remained as someone pretty impulsive, the difference is that as Lucy starts to have an effect on him, he now seeks ways to stay close to her as often as possible by offering Lucy fun and warmth.
As explained in another post, such thing results in Natsu making her excited about her life and adventures in Fairy Tail, which brings more joy and satisfaction to their relationship.
Now, some people even look for emotional chemistry without even realizing what it truly is. The most basic concept, as stated before, consists of emotional support along with significant moments that leave an impact on the persons involved.
A partner that provides with hope and strength
That’s what chemistry looks like! A partner who gives you courage and determination...
...while sometimes making you feel concern
Someone who makes you feel lucky
So, should we say that Natsu’s quirky personality makes NaLu something weaker than other premises? Absolutely not!
Personality traits don’t make NaLu weaker. A well-written relationship is not based on mere commonalities or how cool/sexy some dorks are. A potent relationship is more about impactful moments building up an emotional connection.
That’s how the author managed to convey the idea of characters forming and developing a deep and strong bond without such a process feeling forced. This emotional narrative paves the way for an organic and coherent development.
Because of his quirks, Natsu may not evoke the hype other characters have. Still, his relationship with Lucy features consistent bonding, mutual faith/trust, significant moments, true chemistry, and many other factors that allow their bond to grow naturally as the story goes on.
Hi, you can call me Light! (Here's my caregiver sideblog @safesleepyspots)
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"What for? You obviously want time with.. her. It's ok."
"No, you're upset. Please, just tell me what's wrong?"
...
"I'm sorry. I'm going now,"
Those words echoed in Stuart's mind endlessly in his slumber. He remembers his friend's sobbing, tear-stained face and her quivering voice. Her rosy cheeks, her puffy, bloodshot eyes. The pain her entire presence emitted. Running after her and only found that it be but acatalepsy, but he kept on just to maybe reach her...! He slips. Darkness. Cold.
Their last encounter.
Years have passed, and he still remembers her. Misses her. He misses her sarcastic humour that always seemed to always get on people's nerves. He misses her tough façade that masked her soft, caring, motherly nature. He misses when she would tangle her fingers in his hair when she was bored. He misses the way she would tug on her clothes or play with her hair when she was nervous. The way she would chew on her writing utensils as her eyes darted every which way across the room as she concentrated on work. Her doodles in the margins of her notes. The way her hair fell over her eyes almost every time she got flustered. Or, more when her hair would fall over her eyes no matter what she did to prevent it. Her quiet giggles. He misses.. her.
"Oi! Get off of your ass, face-ache!" a voice booms from next to him, as a shoe hits 2-D in the back of his head, waking him suddenly from his rest. 2-D makes a bit of a squeaking noise as his head shoots up from his pillow. Immediately though, he recoils from the pain of the impact with the shoe to his head. 2-D groans in pain as a hand snatches the shoe back.
"What did I just say? Get. Off. Of. Your. Lazy. ASS!!" 2-D cringes with every word that Satanist pickle says, his right eye squinting ever so slightly each time he flinches. His room door slams as Murdoc leaves, stomping angrily with every step he takes.
2-D finally regains his composure, and shakes his head, rubbing it to sooth the pain. It's only been a week since Paula moved into Kong Studios via 2-D's request. He worried that it wouldn't work as planned with her moving in, but she managed to snag the guitarist position in the band. She seems to be getting along with everyone well, which always seemed to soothe 2-D's worries.
Murdoc wants both 2-D and Russel to "get to work", complaining about there being "something missing" or "something not sounding right". He does seem to be going easy on Paula for some odd reason. 2-D just can't seem to put his finger on it. Even with their first few songs only just being "in the works", he's still not satisfied.
Swinging his legs off of his bed and onto the ground, 2-D stands up and makes his way over to his cluttered desk at the other side of his room, rubbing his blacked-out eyes and stretching his face ever so slightly as if to wake up easier. He stumbles a bit, both over some miscellaneous items and because he just woke up.
2-D pulls out his stool, sitting down, and laying his head on his hands precariously. His head aches, his brain feeling as if it's pulsating like a beating heart. He groans a bit, letting his head slide from his hands onto the desk. Leaving his head to lay on the cold tabletop, his mind wanders back to his past. He chuckles a bit, remembering the highs and the lows and all that in-between. If only he could fix that one mistake.
2-D's arms swing gently by his sides, hitting the stool's seat every so often. He turns his head, his face in a pained grimace, and rests his cheek on the desk. Looking over the cluttered area of his desk, his eyes stop at a picture frame.
The glass is cracked a bit, chips of glass missing and scratches on the surface. The frame is a light, rosy brown, and the paint is beginning to wear off. The picture in the frame is of him and his friends. Oscar, Jack, David, Archie... And Elowyn. They're all smiling, and soaking wet, to add. They had gone to the skate park to smoke a few, before being assaulted by lawn sprinklers on their way back.
2-D slowly picks his head up from the desk, reaching over and picking up the frame. He holds it a bit closer to his face, examining the picture as if it'll disappear anytime soon.He smiles, somberly. If only the good ol' times could live forever.
Suddenly, Murdoc begins yelling, probably arguing or complaining about something again. 2-D, startled, drops the picture frame on the ground. It shatters, and the wood breaks, splinters of glass and wood visibly becoming one.
He gasps. The picture lies in the broken mess, a bit of a tear in it now.
Carefully, 2-D reaches down to pick up the photo. A shard of glass cuts the palm of his hand, causing him to hiss in pain.
He gingerly brushes the litter away and picks up the photo. A bit of his blood soaks into the paper. He makes a shocked noise, a squeak, shaking the paper as if that'll get rid of his blood.
Half of Elowyn's face is spattered and smeared with blood now. His blood.
He groans, clenching his teeth a bit. He tries to wipe it away and ends up making more little streaks of his blood on the photo. His hands shake, as he slowly walks back over to his bed and sits down, his head in his hands. He bites his lip, tears welling up in his eyes.
What are you doing?! He asks himself, his thoughts racing a mile a minute. Why are you crying?!
Tears drip down from his face and onto the ground. Stop it! Blood from his fresh wound begins to drip with his tear. Stop it, stop it! His blood mixes with his tears until you can't tell which liquid is which.
"Please, just stop crying..." he whispers to himself, his voice breaking.
The photo slips out of his fingers and is blown by a draft in the room. 2-D lifts his head up from his hands and tries to catch the fly-away photo, faltering a bit. He finally gets ahold of it but at the cost of falling off of his bed. He lands on the cluttered floor with a loud thud, and he groans in pain as he sits himself up onto his bum. He feels around for where the draft could be, ultimately failing and grumbling in annoyance. He takes a look at the photo, but it's turned over on its backside now.
There seems to be a bit of writing, too. There's a list of his old friends' names and all of their phone numbers. A glimmer of hope sparks in his ebony eyes, an idea popping into his head, as he scrambles to his feet and rushes to find his phone.
First, back over to his bed, tearing the covers and pillows up, creating an absolute mess of his bed. Then over to his desk, cluttering it even more.
2-D hears a buzz from behind him, turning around swiftly. Of course, it's on my nightstand, 2-D thinks to himself, his mouth curled into an annoyed frown as he stumbles back over to his bed.
Throwing himself onto his mattress, he grabs his phone and goes straight to the call input. He looks at his hand, but only sees his cut and no photo. He makes a bit of a yelp, frantically looking around him. He places his hand down next to him, and feels a papery material on his fingertips, crinkling slightly. His attention darts to the photo, picking it up quickly.
"Ha!" he exclaims, triumphantly.
2-D immediately looks for Elowyn's number and types it in number for number. Or at least he hopes, since the writing for Elowyn's number is more faded than the others because of his blood.
He presses the call button and holds his phone up to his ear. It's highly unlikely that she'll answer, but it's worth a try. He needs to apologize. He needs to patch things up with her. Then they could be friends again, and it'll be all better.His phone rings on and on, not ceasing.
"Hello? Who is this?" a woman's voice answers back. 2-D is taken aback a bit. That sounds nothing like Elowyn. Though, she could've changed over the time they were apart... which wasn't too long. At least he hopes it hasn't been too long.
"Who is this? Is this a crank call?!" the woman inquires, sounding very angry. Crank call? 2-D thinks to himself, a confused look on his face. She'd never assume that, right?
"No, sorry. Is this Elowyn? Elowyn Otis?" he asks, his hands shaking. He gulps, again. If it is, she'll be even more upset about this call.
"Uhh, no. Sorry, mate." the woman answers, less angry than earlier.
2-D's stomach drops. His eyes widen, tearing up a bit once more. He bites his lip to stop it from quivering, and to keep his tears from falling. He regains his composure and sniffles. "Oh.. yeah. Sorry. Bye."
He hangs up, and lays down on his bed, covering his eyes with his arm. He takes deep breaths, slowly, his chest rising and falling calmly.
"Is this Elowyn? Elowyn Otis?" a man asks from the other line of the call. Darcy squints a bit, glancing at her co-worker.
"It was worth a try," 2-D utters, his voice cracking a bit. Staring at the list, he decides to try again. He dials Archie's number, knowing how close he and Elowyn were. Second to 2-D, of course. He holds his phone next to his ear, and hopes for the best...
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"Uhh, no. Sorry, mate." she drags out her words, staring at her cohort quizzically, who's wiping down the bar top. She gives Darcy a quizzical look back, raising her eyebrow.
"Oh.. yeah. Sorry. Bye." the man chokes, sounding quite defeated.
"No, no wait!" Darcy exclaims, but a bit too late, as the man hangs up. Putting her phone away, she groans, throwing her head back in a dramatic manner.
"Who was that?" her coworker asks, cleaning up a whiskey spill from the bar counter. Darcy sighs.
"Wrong number, I guess." She looks into her coworker's eyes, a serious yet calm look on her face. "But it sounds like maybe they might've been looking for you, Elle."
Elowyn chuckles. "Oh, sure. Of course, some random person who called the wrong number was looking for me," she remarks sarcastically, waving her hands around in an exclamative manner. She laughs and goes back to cleaning. "As if, Darcy." Darcy purses her lips together and furrows her brows in frustration.
"Well they were looking for someone named Elowyn, so I just figured..." Darcy picks up an empty wine bottle used as decoration, snatching the rag Elowyn was using on the counter to wipe off a smudge. Elowyn stares at the wet, stained wood counter with discount LED lights stuck to the underside of each side of the bar tabletop, flashing from one colour to the next. Blue... red... purple... green...
"They could've been looking for someone else named Elowyn," she says, going behind the alcohol rack to get a dry rag. She shuffles back to the bar, her Sanrio socks sliding against the rustic tile floor, and begins wiping it down again.
Darcy chuckles. "An Elowyn Otis?"
Elowyn stops drying the countertop abruptly, thoughts flooding into her head as her eyes widen. Is this someone I know? It has to be, right? What if it's one of Mike's friends?! Oh, god I hope not. Or... Maybe.....? No, it can't be him! Right..? Elowyn clears her throat, shakes her head slightly, and keeps drying the counter.
"Must be some other Elowyn Otis," she says, nonchalantly, though her heart is racing from fear of the truth.
"Really, Elle?" Darcy exclaims, putting her hands on her hips in a sassy way. "A different Elowyn Otis?"
Elowyn nods, finishing up the cleaning job. She goes around the counter and begins to brush the seats off. "Elle, this is serious! Someone is looking for you and you're blowing it off just like that?"
"...Yes. Yes I am, Darcy."
AND that's a wrap for chapter 1! Hope you like it cuz there is much, MUCH more to come!Word count: 2029
