#nalu horror

[nalu4emily]

Chapters: 1/? Fandom: Fairy Tail Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Natsu Dragneel/Lucy Heartfilia Characters: Natsu Dragneel, Lucy Heartfilia, Gray Fullbuster, Erza Scarlet, Happy (Fairy Tail), Wendy Marvell, Fairy Tail Guild Additional Tags: Mild Horror, Mild Blood, Angst and Romance, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Falling In Love, Idiots in Love, Natsu is a demon, Hurt Lucy Heartfilia, Protective Natsu Dragneel, Hurt Natsu Dragneel, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fairy Tail Guild, Possible smut

Summary: When a mission goes horribly wrong, Natsu is forced to make a decision - Accept the demon he is, or lose her forever.

(Based on the idea that Natsu is forced to accept that he's a demon/END even though he outwardly denies it all of the time).

Click on the link or read down below.

Chapter 1 - Fear

An unpleasant emotion caused by the threat of danger, pain, or harm.

x

A twig snapping made him pause, turn, and look back amongst the wall of retreating black trees. The thick under growth snaked its way down the dishevelled path that bared no recent sign of disturbance, leading further into the darkness of the forest. His spooked eyes narrowed to scan the dense woodland, finding nothing but the same eerie silence that emanated from every direction, deafening his ears with its unnatural hum. It seemed not even the glow of the setting sun could cut through the gloominess of the bleak, barren branches that writhed like monstrous tendrils against the grey nothingness.

"Everything okay?" Lucy asked, hugging her trembling arms to her chest, her heart knocking wildly against her ribcage.

"Thought I heard something," Natsu said, giving one last sweep, before turning back to catch up to his blonde partner. "This place sure is creepy."

"Y-Yeah...why didn't we take the flower shop mission again?" Jittery fingers tightened around goose-pimpled skin, her body resisting the urge to flinch at every haunting howl that rumbled from deep within the belly of the woods. "…no freaky trees…no dark forests...nice and safe…" she continued to mumble, her eyes darting from one tree to another, the air feeling heavy on her lungs.

"And super boring! Where's the fun in picking flowers?" He scoffed, his lazy smile giving away a sense of ease, while his darkened, focused stare said otherwise. "Don't make out you weren't swayed by the reward, you could've easily stayed home, and yet, here you are."

"We're a team, Natsu, and team's usually stick together." Her poor attempt at lying didn't fool him, but he'd let it slide for now, they had bigger things to worry about. "Anyway, this monster we're looking for… got any idea of what it might be? You know, so we can prepare ourselves for when it inevitably shows itself."

"Not a clue. The old lady back there didn't even know, but apparently it likes to pray on young women."

"Great…" That's all she needed!

"...especially blondes."

"That's not funny…"

He cackled, "Yeah, it is!"

The trail they were following began to narrow and coil down further into the thicket, disappearing beyond the whiteness of the mist that coated the root-riddled ground. Having to duck under the twining, finger-like twigs, a dangling leaf licked at her bare shoulder like a wet tongue and she all but jumped out of her skin, falling straight into Natsu, his reflexes catching her just in time.

"What the heck was that!?" She yelped, catching sight of her dripping aggressor.

A snigger tickled her ear from behind, "Careful, Luce, it might come back for seconds!"

She scowled up at him while trying to catch her breath, his lack of empathy getting on her last nerve. This boy was enjoying her suffering, having done nothing but try to tease and scare her since the moment they'd stepped foot in the place.

"Come on, scaredy cat!" He goaded, grabbing her clammy hand to pull along.

"Scaredy cat? That's rich considering it was your little buddy that decided to ditch us back there! I bet he's having the time of his life being pampered by that village elder…" Did she sound bitter? Maybe just a bit, but who was she kidding? That cat got away with everything where Natsu was concerned. Choosing to close her mouth before anything worse slipped out, she turned away and huffed, grumbling to herself, "At least I'm here, aren't I?"

"Sure, but if we don't keep moving, we'll become easy dinner for whatever's out there." He pointed into the gaping abyss for emphasis and a chill ran up her spine at the very thought.

Spurring her to move away from the offending leaf, before it could assault her again, the blonde glanced down to where a familiar warmth encapsulated her hand and noticed the dragon slayer had yet to let go. Not that she was complaining, his warmth had always been a source of comfort, and god did she need that right now.

"Will ya stop dragging your feet and hurry up already?" He complained, raising a knowing eyebrow in her direction.

Snapping her out of her daydream, she picked up the pace, his grip only tightening in response, bringing her shoulder to shoulder with him. "Sorry, I was just—"

"Being slow?" He kept his eyes on her longer than she would've liked, probably trying to work out what was going on in that turbulent mind of hers, before finally smirking, "Weirdo…"

They knew not where they were going, nor what they were looking for. The elder back at the village, as Natsu said, had been incredibly vague about this so-called 'monster.' Considering it was stealing people in the dead of night, in a village so small, someone was bound to have seen it. But alas, the people had kept their distance and remained silent, simply accepting their fate as compliant monster chowder, which Lucy found to be all the more suspicious.

"Hey, Natsu, do you think it's even here? It's night time now," she assumed, not that she could tell through the sky of fog, "Won't it be hunting in the village?"

"Hard to tell," he said, his eyes flitting between the shadows as they strolled further and further into the deep, "I can smell it, though."

"You can smell it?"

"Yep, and this thing reeks! Its scent was all over that village earlier, and it's even stronger now."

"What does a monster even smell like?" She asked, somewhat grossed out; somewhat curious.

"Usually of whatever its eaten; blood, guts, dirt and stuff, but not this thing. It smells old, like super old, and kinda off," he explained, sniffing the dank air to catch another whiff of it.

"Off?"

"Yeah, sorta like that sour milk I found the other day in your fridge."

"Gross..." she grimaced, her feet crunching down on the twigs that'd fallen from their perches, her body tensing with this new information. What did it all mean? "Can you smell the girls at all?"

"Nah, I got nothing. If they're not being eaten, I don't know where they are."

Another snap grabbed his attention, this time louder, like the branch of a tree and he twisted quicker than a zap of lightning, dragging Lucy behind him.

"Geez, could you at least worn me before you-"

"Shh!" He stilted, once again scanning the tortured landscape. The whistling of the wind overwhelmed his ears, and the dark, twisting shadows of the night were playing tricks on his eyes. What was this feeling? Like the trees themselves were watching them, but that wasn't possible, right? "I think something's stalking us."

About to ignite his hand, he felt Lucy grab the tail of his scarf and yank him off the exposed area of path, neither catching their balance and both tumbling down, straight into a thorny bush, "Ow, Lucy! Whadd'ya do that for?!"

"Don't give away our position, moron! We don't even know what it is, yet. What if it's just a bird?" Her butt had landed firmly atop his splayed body, but she paid no heed, squishing him down with her sizeable chest, with his head squashed snugly against a neighbouring tree trunk.

"You think the monster's a bird?" He questioned, seemingly unfazed by their positioning.

"That's not what I… wait what? I meant it might be—"

"'Cause that's a big ass bird, Lucy."

"Never mind the bird, Natsu, the damn thing's irrelevant! How'd you know it's the monster stalking us? Is what I meant."

"What else would it be?"

"I don't know! Whatever it was, it sounded bigger than us."

"Oh, I'm countin' on it!" He finally grinned, fisting the air.

Smacking her head into her palm, she couldn't reason with him, even after everything they'd been through together. The poor celestial mage had concluded a very long time ago that his destructive nature would be the death of them both, one day.

"Look, let's gauge what we're up against first, that's all I'm saying. We have no idea what kind of monster this is, or what it wants. What if it's a demon, or a rogue dragon, or something?" Sneaking a peek past the brushes, she could see no sign of any such creature, but that didn't mean it wasn't there waiting for them.

"Don't be so dramatic! A dragon wouldn't live in a place like this, Lucy." And that, he was quite sure of, "As for a demon, well... I dunno—maybe?"

Eyes like a hawk, her breath hitched in her throat. A demon!? She'd only been throwing words around! That wasn't what she'd signed up for; that hadn't been a part of the deal! Just what kind of hellish place was this!?

"What do you mean, maybe!? I don't want there to be a demon! How would you even know that?"

"I don't…gut feeling, I guess," he said, sitting himself up with her still firmly seated in his lap, his ears almost twitching like a dog.

Unnerved and completely at the mercy of her panic, she tried to shake herself out of it—to no avail. "Okay, okay… if it is a demon, don't we need someone like Gray to take it down? He is a demon slayer, after all."

"Probably," he shrugged, peering out from the thorns and leaves, "but Ice block's not here, so it's up to us to figure out."

She sighed, knowing deep down that her and Natsu would have to face whatever this thing was eventually. Whether it be demon, or some mindless monster—the latter being the preferred option.

Lucy despaired at the thought, and this gloomy environment wasn't helping. Why did this forest make her feel so uneasy? She'd been in places far darker than this, having gone up against demons and the like many times before, even saving a certain fire mage from such a fate. She couldn't put her finger on it, but it just felt different here, chilling. There was something far more sinister that lurked within the depths of these lands, an evil that infected it like a disease, leaving a shiver to quake through her bones.

Far too distracted, the blonde hadn't noticed she'd been lifted into the air until a firm, warm hand clenched her thigh, making her look up to the boy of whom it belonged. To her surprise, his usual care free grin spread across his lips, eyes squinting shut to accommodate his growing cheeks. That smile had always been reassuring, even in the darkest of times, but she had to wonder, if behind it, whether he, too, felt as disturbed as she did? Fearing the unknown was only natural, after all.

"Uh...thanks, Natsu, but you can put me down now," she murmured, her arms clinging to him like a frightened child, betraying her request to be separate from his protective body. "Natsu?"

"Do you see that, Luce?" He asked ignoring her, looking much further than any normal human could ever see.

"See, what?" The forbidding backdrop was the only thing occupying her vision, no matter how hard she tried to imagine the sun beaming down its hot rays with colourful flowers blooming all around them. Quite the romantic scene, indeed.

"Not sure...looks like a small house to me."

"A house? Who in their right mind would live here!?" She was flabbergasted—utterly appalled by the thought.

"Who'd you think?" The wicked glint in his eye said it all, and Lucy felt her heart leap up into her throat. This wasn't going to end well…

"You can't be serious! Shouldn't we be going in the opposite direction?"

"This is what we've been paid to do, Lucy, so we can't quit now," he winked, his grin doubling in size. "We're going monster huntin'!"

Thanks for reading the first chapter! There’s plenty more nalu goodness to come.

@uniquedolphin @nashadragneel @millennial-star-gazer @fluegelhorn @yourpillowtalksucks @tiredpersonblog

Sorry if I’ve missed anyone that wanted to be tagged!

#nalu #fairy tail nalu #natsu and lucy #natsu dragneel #lucy heartfilia #natsu x lucy #nalu angst #nalu horror #slow burn nalu #fairy tail #fairy tail 100 years quest #nalu fanfiction #fairy tail fanfiction

[celestialulu]

Here is a compiled list of games I think Natsu and Lucy would play/love because I love to combine my interests :D

bare in mind these are games that I've either played, watched or i know to a certain to extent to put them on the list so if there is a game not on here that might fit I most likely haven’t seen it or know enough about it to add it !

there are probably many games that could be on this list but these are mostly games that i really enjoy playing or I know a lot abt or I just think its funny to think of them playing it lol

My reasoning for their games; 

Natsu - doesn’t mind story games as long as there is some sort of action or fast-paced events happening otherwise he will not pay attention because he’s not a very avid reader. I think he would enjoy some depending on the content and if it interests him enough to pay attention. I do think he would enjoy a lot of fantasy action games the most (honestly it just fits due to fairy tail’s fantasy setting). I think he wouldn’t mind playing some slower-paced more chill/cozy games if he’s playing with Lucy because they would just talk and play and that's enough for him and he can also just mess around with her in-game to keep him entertained.

Lucy - I believe she would heavily LOVE cozy/atmospheric games and I think that honestly something most people would likely agree on. I think she would really love story games because she loves stories in general and I think she would get very easily attached to characters (meaning she would definitely cry to them) and the plot. She would be dragged into playing horror games by Natsu because he thinks its funny when she gets scared but she LOVESSS the puzzle solving parts of them and she low-key loves the atmosphere of horror games so she will end up agreeing not only for that but because they end up having fun no matter what they play. 

Long list below be warned lol

Natsu: 

-Most definitely a fortnite kid who just messes with his teammates or whoever he's playing with

-Probably would play most FPS games

- a lot of random horror games (and rope anyone into playing them but mostly lucy)

-Resident evil 

-Final fantasy 

-The last of us

-ARK: survival evolved

-God of War

-Dark souls

-Assassin's creed

-Halo

-Borderlands 

-Beat saber

-Stray

-Zelda 

-Terraria

-Silent hill

-Skyrim

Lucy:

-Stardew valley

-Sims

-Minecraft

-Animal crossing

-Life is strange

-Stray

-Little Nightmares

-The walking dead

-The last of us

-Undertale/Deltarune

-Slime Rancher

-Just Dance

-Night in the woods

-Honestly a lot of cozy visual novels and cozy games in general

-Terraria

-Hollow Knight 

-Maple story

-Zelda

-Tomodachi Life

Natsu+Lucy playing together:

-Terraria

-Phasmophobia

-Minecraft

-Left 4 Dead

-Dying light

-The Forest

-Wii/Switch sports

-Wii party/Mario party (Most likely with the rest of team natsu aswell) 

-Portal

-A lot of multiplayer games really lol

#this is so self-indulgent ehe #combining my interests is so fun #u can tell im a big horror game fan #fairy tail #nalu #natsu dragneel #lucy heartfilia #fairy tail 100 years quest

[kiliinstinct]

Chapter 29:

Rating: R Pairing: Nalu FF.Net || AO3 [Ch: 1] ||| [Prev] | [Next] A lil' late, but could be worse. March Post Dates: 28th (Yes, my Birthday!) April Post Date: 16th As you can see, there will be only one post next month due to me taking part in Camp Nanowrimo. (Similar to Nanowrimo but shorter.) Two chapter posting will continue in May

Lucy craved those nights where she rested with ease, letting the comfort wash over her in a wave. Now she struggled to hold onto sleep, curled tightly beneath her covers and pressed against the wall, as though they could keep her errant thoughts at bay.

Of course she knew that Kage was too injured to be of danger to her. And she trusted Makarov's decision with the other mysterious newcomers. She knew she was safe. Except every time Lucy shut her eyes, she couldn't quiet the restless voices of the stars crowding her mind.

With her magic stable she thought that she could fully understand them or speak to them at will; That these painful night terrors would cease. But they persisted, louder now as they clamored for her attention. 

The warnings were jumbled, as if thousands of echoing voices spoke at once. They spoke over each other in a desperate attempt to get their messages across. Lucy could barely make sense of them, the words were said too quick for her to catch only bits and pieces.

'--careful-'

'Don't.---- trust—-draconis'

'--safe–, find safety-'

Sharp pain ripped through her temples, pricking the corners of her eyes with hot tears when she tried to focus on their distress.  She couldn’t find her voice as it was overwhelmed by another cacophony of voices swelling inside her skull. The pain felt blinding even though her eyes were shut.  With gritted teeth, a whimper slipped through, and finally the voices from the sky dimmed their voices. The sudden reprieve left her confused and light headed, but with no answers.

And in the following, guilty silence, a few whispers would follow, 'we're sorry...'

It was maddening. Did all of her clan have this issue when their abilities first developed, or was she simply an unpracticed novice with no grasp of her blood right? 

Sleep did claim her, eventually, though her fingers still clutched tightly to the blankets. Her head felt stuffed with cotton. A muted feeling that felt almost as choking as the multitudes of shouts that had plagued her  before.

Though the stars were silent, peace evaded her.

Dreams- no, memories? -hazily filled her mind; Of blood red moons and blackened skies coupled by a piercing howl. They held the soured taste of rotting flesh and permeated the air beneath her blanket. Paralyzed by the visions that have haunted her since winter, she  stared, unseeing at her ceiling as each visage crossed her mind. She thought the dreams had stopped, but that was a short blessing before they returned in a cacophonous nightmare. A calm before the storm.

Just like the star’s cryptic warnings, these visions overtook Lucy and filled her with a confused panic. Some were sickeningly familiar despite the shifting landscapes that she struggled to comprehend. Each new horror she was forced to witness was met with the equal struggle to piece it all together. 

All too late, the spell broke and she woke with a start, body finally moving as she screamed from a phantom pain tearing through her chest. She recalled the talons that struck her down, again and again, and choked on nonexistent blood. Sweat coated her skin, but she shivered, curling into herself as she grounded herself to the home around her. Safe and far from danger, and suddenly too cramped and exposed all at once.  It was a contradiction that left her vulnerable. The walls of her empty home provided little comfort as the last vestiges of her dreams echoed in the chaos of her mind. 

Her heart pounded painfully in her chest and she slipped from her covers to stand on wobbly feet.  She could still taste the blood and nausea dizzied her. She stumbled to the nearest tub of water in a desperate attempt to rid herself of the taste. She needed to get rid of it; for everything to stop before she fell apart. She needed -

Air. 

She needed air.

After one sip, Lucy stopped sharply and turned, making a beeline for the doorway. She barely had the mind to put on her sandals properly, leaving them half tied and clinging to the bottom of her feet as she hurried out of her home.

The chemise she wore dropped past her ankles, trailing against the dirt path. It didn’t register in her hazy thoughts. Too out of it to consider her state of dress, or to bother lifting it to avoid catching dirt. There was no thinking, not even to consider her destination. There was just the need to escape the stuffy air of her own home.

She didn't understand it, and the tears of a pain she barely knew continued to pour from her eyes, dripping down her face.She didn’t  bother to wipe them away.  It wasn't until she was face to face with Natsu's door that she snapped out of her desperate trance. 

Why….did she come here? She wondered, looking to the sky to peer at the stars twinkling through bits of cloud cover. It was a beautiful night and the smell of the sea-salt was a welcome comfort, but her fingers wavered above the handle of the draconis' door, thinking back to the warnings she'd had before her failed rest.

To be wary of a draconis…..Why would she be warned against Natsu? Or was it a different warning entirely? Gnawing at her lip, she looked to where Natsu's nightly keeper should be and bit back a hoarse laugh. 

Apparently, Cana had finally been forced to take her turn. Her heavy snores gave away her location, fast asleep on a mat just behind a barrel they'd used as a table.The scent of alcohol permeated the air.

Wouldn't now be the perfect time to chance an escape, then? Lucy considered the fire user inside, huffing in fond amusement. It was possible, but something in her gut said he'd be there. 

A fact that was proven correct the moment the door swung wide and Natsu's tired, worried eyes met hers. Lucy’s hand still wavered in place, above where the handle used to be and he scrunched his nose at the sight of her.

“You've been crying.” It wasn't a question.

She didn't bother denying it. “I ... I couldn't sleep.”

Their voices were quiet, staring at each other with the crickets and other bugs buzzing along to the sound of the ocean's waves. He must’ve thought her crazy, to come to him in the dead of night, standing at his doorway in her bed wear with half an explanation. It wasn’t her intention to disturb him, but here she was, witnessing his own red-rimmed eyes and tired hunch to his shoulders. A sign to his own difficult night; He likely didn’t need her hanging around in this state. 

He pursed his lips and Lucy cringed. She should leave, she thought.

Natsu however, stepped aside, ushering her in. “C'mon...  there's room.”

She blinked, “... room?”

With pink dusting his cheeks, he cleared his throat and reached for her, tugging her gently by the hand inside. “... my bed's big enough. You can stay.”

“But-” Lucy stammered, feeling her face warm and she coughed, “shouldn't I just-”

“You’re already here. Wouldn’t be right to just send you off when you came all this way.” The door clicked shut behind them. He led her across the (mostly clean) room with a warm hand on her back. She ignored the shiver his body heat caused when it touched her chilled skin. “And….you did it for me once.” he reminded gently, biting back a yawn. 

“Just let me by the window. The wind's cold tonight.” He clambered into bed first, pushing the mound of blankets and pillows towards her. She was left to awkwardly follow suit, scarcely leaving any for him.  He gave no indication he minded. 

And just like that, she felt as if everything fell back into place. The unease of her dream ran to the edges of her mind and the tears stopped stinging at the corners of her eyes. Lucy was finally at ease.

“...thank you.” 

The voices she'd struggled to understand had become static during her short jaunt and the moment her head hit the pillow, they silenced completely. Her body relaxed from the heat of the furs and she snuggled into the offered pillows with little fuss. She was too tired to think about it while basking in the comfort she'd unwittingly sought out. 

She welcomed the quiet and the sensation of Natsu beside her, keeping Lucy grounded into the depths of dreamless sleep. 

Unfortunately, Natsu wasn’t as lucky.

His mind was buzzing with thoughts as the blonde's breathing grew even. Though she resembled a mini mound of blankets, he could still see the top of her head. Her face was uncovered, pressed against the pillow as her golden locks drifted across her face. 

Natsu held back a light snort. She’d taken the small bit of furs he’d tried to save for himself. He didn't really need it, but the fact that she had so swiftly stolen it all was amusing. He braced his back with what was leftover, holding him at an angle and providing a little space between them. Between that little space, he focused on her even breaths in quiet consideration.

Tracks of tears stained her face. The view had disturbed him greatly, though that was nothing new. He never liked it when she cried, but he wasn't so oblivious not to notice the parallel between his own dreams. His nightmares had led him to her bed months ago and the panic she fell into the next morning still haunted him.

Lucy had assured him it was fine, no fault of his own. But he couldn’t rid himself of the guilt he felt for inspiring such panic. The wild look in her eyes had taken him back to the night he found her, terrified and near hysterics. He never wanted to see that look on her again, much less be the one to cause it. 

He'd make certain not to repeat the event. He vowed.

She wrinkled her nose as a strand of hair tickled her nose.  Reaching across the carefully crafted space brush it aside, he paused when a tiny sneeze left her. Natsu smiled, biting back a chuckle. Once upon a time, she would’ve flown into a flustered rage at his attempts to offer comfort. It almost felt a lifetime ago when she’d chase him off to struggle with her nightmares alone. To have her come to him, even when many friends lived much closer to her hut sparked warmth in his chest.

The thought pleased him, though he wished the circumstances were better.

His rest had been unusually light, easily awoken by her scent on the wind accompanied by the cloying smell of his keeper’s many drinks. He'd purposefully flung his door open to check on her, almost certain something must be wrong. The fact she merely wanted comfort should have calmed him, but his instincts boiled inside, calling him to stay alert.

There was something else that tainted the air and had him wary. With her by his side now it was much easier to pinpoint: someone else roaming the streets, and they were circling to his home.

His lip curled at the scent just beyond his walls. Metal, clean and unnaturally sharp pierced the night’s chill air. It carried with it a taste of a home long forgotten. The reminder made his fists ball up tight with a simmering rage.

The strange draconis was here; Denied visiting him all day only for him to escape his confines and come straight to Natsu. He swallowed a snarl as he heard the careful shuffling that passed a blissfully unaware Cana.

He sensed his presence on the edge of the barrier, just out of view of the window's opening, silent like a predator on the hunt.

Unfortunately for him, hiding from another predator would take more skill than that. Natsu growled low in warning, narrowed eyes glancing back and forth between the opening and Lucy.

The presence drawled, low and amused, “Easy now, don't wanna wake the girl do you?”

“You shouldn't be here.”

He chuckled, ”No? It's stuffy in that keep of yours and I got a lil antsy. Figured I'd stretch my legs a bit, enjoy the air, and see the sights. Nice place ya' got here.“

Natsu squinted as he shifted to peer through his window, trying to pinpoint his visitors' exact location. His warning growl never left his throat, sitting there on a low frequency that rumbled through him as the seconds slipped by. A dull ache began to form because of it, but that hardly mattered.

One of Jose's men was right outside and Lucy was right there and -

Natsu’s pupils thinned at this revelation, baring his fangs as heat crawled across his skin, answering to the swell of magic inside him. ”If you think I'm not willing to burn my own house down to keep you away from her, you're dumber than your shadow friend.“

The strange Draconis' laughter cut short, molding to a disgusted snort instead. Natsu listened to him shift, body pressed against the wall just beneath his window. Was he just kneeling there? He narrowed his eyes, watching the sill, barely seeing the bits of jet black hair waving wildly from the soft breeze. 

Natsu heard a soft thud as the man sat down. Mocking amusement laced his hoarse whisper grated his ears. ”The girl’s nothin to me. If I wanted to grab her before she would’ve never made it here in the first place.” 

Cana’s breath hitched from where she slept, making both men pause, but her heavy snores only deepened and the other draconis continued.

“Seriously, how do you think I got here? Your scents all over the place, but finding her waltzing around smelling like you've been tussling in the bed sheets? I couldn’t have asked for an easier trail to follow.”

“... That ain’t- ” Natsu froze in denial, refusing to correct the assumption. If he thought he and Lucy were together, he could use it as another layer of protection for the time being. “Then out with it,” Natsu snarled, “I ain't into vague bullshit. Get to the point.”

“Gihee,” was the only response. Already his temper was reaching its limit and this man’s twisting words were pushing him to fly through the window and rip his hair from his head. 

”Can’t I spare a greetin’ for my fellow clansman?” The man asked innocently, though something tinged his words that Natsu couldn’t pinpoint. “ I'll head back to my quarters soon enough. Everyone will think I'm being a model guest, promise.“

This wasn't making any sense to Natsu, and the growl he unleashed was louder than intended. Flinching, he glanced back to Lucy who curled in on herself, legs entangled in the blanket, but otherwise, still deep in sleep. 

”Don’t put me in the same box as you,“ He spat, ”you're just another enemy.“

Flames licked at Natsu’s palms as he moved to sit up, patience thinned to nothing. This man broke out for what? To say nothing? Empty words that pulled at buried memories and old feelings. He didn’t have a clan outside of his current home, and the sooner Natsu got the chance to sear it into the other’s brain the better.

A gaping silence met Natsu’s venomous response. No longer could he spot the mane of wild hair. The man’s scent was still heavy. He was still there beneath Natsu’s window,though his once even breathing came in shorter bursts, shallow draws almost muffled as though muffled behind his hand.

A strange guilt gnawed at Natsu’s gut, one that made his fire dim. A rustle of fabric interrupted the silence as the draconis moved. Shifting back to his feet he stood tall, taller than Natsu expected. He blocked most of the moonlight. Natsu was not graced with his face, only met with the swath of wild hair that fell down the tresspasser’s back.

“So that’s how it’s gonna be? Came all this way to see if you're alive and this is the thanks I get?“ He spoke, voice cutting, controlled and devoid of emotion. ”Shame. You replaced your real family that easily. That's gonna hurt your uncle's feelings.“

Natsu's breath caught in his throat, the embers on his palm died instantly, ”My—?”

“Don’t think too much on it. Not your clan remember? When I get back, I can tell our Lord Acno-” 

He wasn’t given the chance to let the name fall from his lips. Fire sparked back to life in a blaze, wrapping around his body as reason left him. There was no consideration to be careful for his bedmate as panic sank its claws into his soul. 

Natsu slammed a fist on the sill, and another swiped the air. He hissed as his visitor ducked from the claws laced with scorching heat that skimmed the edges of his hair. 

“I'll fucking KILL you!” Natsu’s snarl broke the fabric of humanity and shook the walls. His visitor ducked into the shadows from Natsu’s assault with a gleeful chuckle. The conversation was over, and the man disappeared into the night, slipping back to his cell. But his final words latched themselves onto Natsu, as strong as dragon claws.

”better cool it with that temper, Little Sun. A joke ain't nothin' to get twisted over.“

Natsu’s breath shuddered, sharp inhales that weren’t enough to sustain him. His claws dug into the charred window sill, turning to ash the more the seconds raced by. He wanted to give chase. To hunt. To eviscerate. Gleaming scales crawled up Natsu’s arms as he began to climb through the window and felt the pull of Freed’s barrier. He didn’t care.

He needed to get to him.

He could hear the heavy footfalls, rushing back up the slope towards the keep. Keeping his word to return to his quarters would not calm him down. Not now, not when...

Natsu choked on a sob as the sill broke under him. Flickering tendrils of dark flames crawled up the walls of his home. He knew. Natsu had to get him, he couldn’t let him escape. The pull of the barrier felt weak under the strain of his fire slipping through the cracks, attempting to force it open.  

Darkness filled Natsu’s vision as the last grip of reason crumbled. Black embers fell from his skin and thickened to curls as he felt another break in the barrier. That man would beg for mercy for coming to him. For daring to ruin everything he’d been-

There was a snap and red littered the air in dying sparks. The magic that held him against his will was no more. Manic delight filled his golden eyes. He was free.

Lucy's arms wrapped around his middle, heaving with all her strength to drag him away from the damaged opening. His fire blazed brighter, whirling his head back to glare at her with fury. His lips were pulled back in a fiery snarl and heavy smoke twisting free of his bared fangs as he felt the embers gather at the back of his throat. 

”Natsu! Calm down!” 

His heart stopped.

Natsu looked down to meet the horrified eyes of Lucy. He was reminded of a different one, clinging desperately to a tree as she glared at him in fear. A different Lucy who'd called him a monster with the same look of terror. A dream becoming reality before his eyes.

His fire fizzled out. The black flames retreated from the walls to sink back under his skin. His earlier panic faded to sudden guilt. He let her drag away back to the bed. His body was a quivering mess due to adrenaline pumping through his veins, and his heart beat rapped against his chest like a hammer.

Lucy didn’t give him a chance to slip away, holding him tight. Natsu didn’t have the strength in him to fight against her and sank into her arms.

Too much. It was all too damn much.

“You...” He gasped. His fingers dug indents into her arms. He could hear her heart pounding rapidly in her ribcage - A match to his own - and clenched his eyes shut, willing his own tears to disappear before she could see his shame, “Why are you…..?”

She shushed him with soft fingers trailing up his back. He didn't know who was shaking the most, her or himself but a war waged inside of him. The fear and anger demanded he seek out the other draconis and tear into him for the sake of the village and himself, but Lucy's strong presence pulled from him a part that craved comfort, that begged for reassurance. Like some terrified child.

He couldn’t have been telling the truth, was he? That he wasn't after her? Was it all just a joke? A cruel, terrible joke? 

In the quiet of the night, Lucy continued to shush him. Any attempts to learn what she could’ve overheard was dismissed as she pulled him back under his blankets and still held him tight. Natsu was reminded of the rare times he'd gone to Mirajane as a child, terrified of things he didn’t dare name and looked for solace from anyone he could find. 

It had been years since he'd last sought someone out. Within the past few months the vulnerability he choked down reared its head twice now. It was a gift he almost cursed. His teeth clenched tight to bite back the quiet, desperate whines he wanted to unleash. 

“We'll talk in the morning,” She assured him, voice calm and resolute, “... and we can tell Makarov everything, okay?”

He nodded, eyes tightly shut as he basked in her scent and curled against her until he wasn’t quite sure where he ended and she began.  

And quietly, he hoped he'd still agree with her terms when morning came. 

When Natsu woke, Lucy was awake and looking more alert than he felt; Still secured in her arms. Sunlight poured through the window and stabbed at his eyes and he groaned.  When she pulled back, allowing him to sit up, he quietly mourned the loss of her embrace, feeling off-center. 

Groggily he kicked off his share of the blanket and froze when the sheet crumbled to ash in his hand. Natsu bit his lip to hold down a stunned whine. Ducking his head down guiltily, he turned his attention to the wall, but rather than feel better, it only made him worse.

Charred black ran up the walls and coated the ceiling that was now splintered wood threatening to give way. It was a wonder that it hadn’t collapsed in the night. The sill was crushed in two, but he knew his own claw marks anywhere, and the deep gouges were unmissable as the sunlight dipped in the crevices.

Natsu listened as Lucy slid off the bed, too wrapped up in his thoughts to spare her a glance. Until he heard the unmistakable squeak of pain through clenched teeth that made him whip his head around.

It was through some small miracle that only his side of the bed was burnt, Lucy's side was spared.  But Lucy, no matter how quickly she turned away from him, couldn’t hide the unmistakable wounds that dotted her skin.

Her arms were red, angry streaks that crawled up to her elbows from when she’d grabbed him.  Despite her desperate attempt to appear fine, she failed to hide the small wince when she gingerly reached for the nearby roll of bandages to wrap them with. 

He knew burns, and he knew them well. His magic made him familiar with the scents of charred skin. He could tell from a short glance what would mark a victim forever from a mild singe that would fade over time. What damage he caused to the side of his house was far more intense than Lucy's injuries, which looked more like a hot water burn, but that fact didn't mollify Natsu in the slightest. 

He stared with puffy eyes as sickness roiled in his gut. He wanted nothing more than to roll over and vomit the contents of his stomach out onto the floor, but Lucy was between him and the edge of his mattress.

She turned to him when her makeshift bandaging was finished, lips pursed together, “It was an accident. Don't blame yourself. You didn't mean to hurt me.“

”That doesn't make it any better!“ He snapped, ”I shouldn't have lost control like that!“

He wrenched his arm from her when she tried to grab his hand, feeling far worse when her expression dropped. How could she be more hurt by that than the fact he'd singed her? 

“You were upset,” She reasoned, “I didn't hear everything, but I caught the tail end. We need to tell Makarov that he escaped his room and threatened you.”

Natsu hated how hoarse his voice sounded when he asked, “... he didn't... How did you -”

Too shocked to rebuff her again, she slipped her hand into his and squeezed lightly. ”I may not know who he was referring to, but no one reacts like you did if it wasn't something awful. I'm not an idiot Natsu.“

He deflated, hiding his gaze behind his pink fringe, ”... nah, you're one of the smartest people know.“

”Compliments will get you everywhere,“ She smiled, tugging him to follow her to his feet. ”Now let's go get something to eat and head out as soon as we can. The sooner the better-” She froze, eyes widening in horror and she swiftly snatched her hand away.

”What is it?” Did she finally realize how much he'd screwed up?

No….that wasn’t it. Lucy spun away from him as he clambered awkwardly to his feet, standing still as Lucy’s arms flew to wrap around her chest. He couldn’t see her face, but if he had to guess it was as red as the tips of her ears.

Her voice sounded unusually small as she shuffled from him. “...How could I have been so out of it last night…..I didn’t think about what I was wearing.”

“Natsu,” She called, shyly.” Can you uh-”

”Can I what?“ He urged her, face twisted quizzically, ”What's up?“

She motioned towards the long nightdress she wore, the once pristine white smeared and streaked with ash, but even that couldn’t hide how sheer the fabric was once sunlight graced it. Far too revealing for a day time walk. ”Can I trouble you to get me some clothes?“

Color crept up Natsu’s neck and he tore his gaze from her, coughing. “ I can’t leave, remember? Not without my keeper following me there.“

“Then let them go with you!” Lucy hissed, “I can’t be seen like this! We can make an excuse for why I’m here. I’m sure Freed or -gods forbid- Gray won’t say-”

Natsu interrupted her hysterical rambling. “Lucy. I think you forgot that it’s Cana who’s on watch right now.” 

He heard the click of her teeth as she shut her mouth; could almost see the gears turning in her head. Weighing the options and risks, she tightened her grip, sighing heavily. Defeat forced her shoulders to fall before a bewildered Natsu.

“Distract her while I go through the window.” Lucy said, resigned to her fate.

.

Despite her drunken night, Cana was wide awake when Natsu opened his door. She'd sluggishly turned to face him, one hand poised on the bell and the other flicking a card out from her pocket, twirling it between her fingers. 

“Barrier’s broken.” She stated plainly. “Someone’s been naughty.” She’d slept too deep and knew when Makarov saw the state of Natsu’s home, she’d be chastised for not taking her duties seriously enough.

A hangover had threatened to pound on the doors of her brain when she came to, making her eyesight fuzzy, but even the fortune teller could easily see the blackened wood around what used to be Natsu's window. She'd slept through something and rushed back to her seat to quickly nurse the hangover so she could adequately take care of the situation.

Natsu had torn her attention away from the water she drank, his expression one of carefully crafted indifference. She arched her brow. He seemed too alert for that to be normal: he was hiding something.

“Put the damn bell away, I ain't running off!“ He exclaimed, eyes wide as he waved dramatically at her, ”... you look like shit, didja seriously sleep here all night?“

”No.“ She lied.

”There's a stick in your hair.“

Cana rolled her eyes, ”Yeah and your bandages are half charred and hanging off you. We both have questionable fashion choices. Enough about me,“ shifting her focus back to him, she reached through her hair for the offending twig and drawled, ”Something tells me you had a wild night.“

One would have expected him to have stepped on a nail from the way he jumped, guilty conscience as plain as day on his face in seconds. Cana mentally pat herself on the back as she stifled a yawn and flicked the retrieved stick behind her. 

”N-no! How could I?“ Yup, something was definitely up.

”Half the house is burnt to a crisp and Freed’s enchantment is as dead as you are when he finds out.“

Natsu stubbornly hissed.“ But I didn’t go anywhere!”

Well at least she didn’t fail her duties completely, if he was telling the truth, but something was still up. “All that mess just to stay home like a good little boy? Come on, you can tell me. Who’d you pay a little late night visit to?”

Slack-jawed, Natsu stared, frozen in place as he failed to retort. In the end, he just pointed a quaking finger at her and sputtered, “I didn’t go see anyone!!”

“Oh?” She asked, wincing at the dull throb in her temple. She knocked back another swig of water with a smirk.  “That’s hard to believe. Was it Lucy?” 

The way he froze almost made Cana choke on a laugh. She might not have hit the jackpot yet but she hit something. 

 He asked in a bewildered tone, “... why is THAT who you guess?”

She blinked. “You're dating. Duh.”

Another curse, “No! We’re not.” Damnit, Wendy!

His voice wavered, threatening to crack from embarrassment. Though Cana almost swore she heard something squeak from further inside the house.

“... well that's boring.” Already Cana was losing her attention on the subject. Teasing her friends was a favorite pastime for her, but there were more pressing matters to be concerned with, ”Hey, nevermind your midnight escapades. Is everything okay?“

The shift in topic threw Natsu off. Cana could see it in his eyes, the loss of light that came with his emotions as he looked off to the side, fangs all but puncturing his bottom lip as he chewed in thought. Cana wasn't a master of her craft for nothing. For all the years she honed her skills and grew her magic, she learned the importance of reading others like she did her cards.

And every fidget and micro-expression the draconis made spoke volumes for her. The accelerated breath, his nostrils flaring as he tried to appear calm. It all spoke of something far worse than a teased clandestine night.

”M'fine,“ He was lying, that she was sure, ”healing fast and full of energy. Totally normal. Why?“

She waited in quiet disbelief, giving him a chance to come clean before she cornered him again. When he didn't seem open for further discussion, she rose from her seat, stretched her arms high above her head and sighed.

”You don’t just burn down your house for fun. Despite how much of a pyro you are, you're not sloppy.” She hummed in thought, running a finger over the pouch that held her cards. “ And like I said, you managed to bust out but stayed put despite all that.”

Cana waved dramatically at the side of the house. “Something freaked you out. Enough for you of all people to not give chase. So what happened?” voice dropping low to keep others from hearing, ”I know you’ve been wanting to break Freed's barrier, but somehow I doubt you'd do this without a good reason. What's going on?“

A drop of blood pooled on his lip as a fang finally broke skin. Natsu didn't react to it, fists clenched by his side as he looked away, “Can we just, not talk about this right now?” 

“Natsu you can't just avoid everything whenever there's a -!“

She stepped back, shielding her eyes from the dry heat that burst from his skin. His brows were knitted with worry, but the clench of his jaw and the sharpness of his eyes spoke of a warning. He leaned forward, pleading, ”Please? Let me see the old man first?“

Ah, so it was bad. This didn't bode well. Apprehension pooled in her stomach, but Cana knew when Natsu was becoming more stubborn than man. Grabbing her water, she knocked back the rest of it and cleared her throat.

”... fine, but you can go see him after your next guard’s here. I’m not in the mood to walk all that way, so go clean yourself up or whatever in the meantime.” 

Relief brought the tension out of his shoulders, toying now with the singed bandages that wrapped his arms with a much lighter expression. He turned away, pulling the door shut behind him as Cana groaned, rubbing the back of her head. She was not looking forward to the earful she was due for later. She would need something strong before facing the old man. And possibly Freed once he got wind of what happened.

A sharp crack of wood split through the air, followed by the shriek of a very familiar voice coming from inside Natsu’s house. Hold on a minute-

Cana slyly glanced at Natsu out the corner of her eye, partially hidden by the half closed door. But that nervous energy was back again, making him fidget. 

“Natsu?” She asked sweetly, “What was that?”

She bolted when he swiftly tried to slam the door shut, jamming her leg in the opening before he got the chance to shut her out. 

“Natsu~” Cana dug her fingers into the side of the door, desperate to wrestle it from him. “On second thought, you look like you could use some help with those fresh bandages. Lemme lend you a hand with that.”

“No! I’m good!” He grunted. But in the moment he responded, his grip on the door handle slipped, and Cana wrenched it from his grasp: victory.

“Cana wait-!”

“Outta my way Pinky!”

She kicked the door open, ignoring how it bounced against the wall. Shoving passed Natsu to stand triumphant, grinning gleefully. Lucy, who was ungracefully sprawled atop his bed, squeaked. Utter mortification painted her face and she turned her glare towards Natsu who looked ready to bolt out the open door.

“Uh, sorry?” He said lamely.

“Well good morning Sunshine.” Cana purred, propping a hand on her hip. “Sleep well?” Lucy drew a pillow over her face, curling away from the fortune teller and wishing she could sink through the mattress.

Gray was gonna get a kick out of this.

—

“I thought you’d do better at distracting her!” Lucy accused, her face a constant red as the three of them walked towards the keep. 

Cana all too readily agreed to accompany them with this new source of entertainment. Just as she’d too easily agreed to run and get Lucy a change of clothes. She’d left the pair in an embarrassed silence that didn’t break upon her return. Her eyes glittered with mischief as she tossed Lucy a fresh dress. Natsu sheepishly had ducked outside to give her privacy, grabbing a clean vest to slip on as he went.

True to her word, she followed him out with a spring in her step, cheerfully assisting him with a fresh set of bandages, all smiles and no words. But Natsu knew the teasing he was in for. It was only a matter of time.

When the door creaked open with a properly dressed Lucy dragging her feet, Cana turned that cheshire grin on her. She tugged him along, skipping over to throw an arm around both their shoulders.

”So aren't YOU a brave girl,“ She'd greeted and just like that, Lucy's morning became a mess. Cana claimed she had a way to ensure the next guard on rotation would find her at the keep, but how she could manage this, she didn't say.

Instead, their entire walk had turned into Lucy's stomach grumbling complaints at being empty as Cana snarked and teased her at every given moment. Natsu had the grace to look apologetic when she shot him a glare, arms crossed as she simmered in betrayed embarrassment.

”I thought you’d be out already!,“ He retorted, unable to meet her gaze, ”I suck at lying on the spot!“

“You don’t have to be good to hold her attention!”

“That’s why you should’ve gotten out faster!”

”Ugh, you're hopeless.“ 

Cana, thoroughly enjoying herself, shook them slightly -albeit a bit more gentle on Natsu once she noticed the flinch he failed to hide- and whistled a low, drawn out tune. “You two keep bickering like that and I'll start to think Wendy wasn’t kidding around, Natsu.”

This puzzled Lucy, blinking consecutively as she attempted piecing together what Cana was implying, “Wasn't kidding about what? What did Wendy say-”

“Nothing!” Natsu blurted, glowering at Cana whose expression was a twisted, amused smirk, “Me an' Wendy were just talking yesterday and Cana's being a shit starter like usual.”

“Gee, way to stab me in the heart there, Natsu.”

Lucy frowned, “Maybe you should apolo-”

The fortune teller barked out a laugh and pinched Lucy's cheek, “If I was actually offended. Which I'm not. I know what I'm about.”

Lucy's expression darkened and she elbowed Cana in the ribs, “You're as hopeless as he is.”

“D'aaaw, that's so sweet of you to say, blondie!”

Their banter continued on towards the keep, mostly embroiled with Cana's constant jeers as she poked and prodded both Lucy and Natsu's toleration abilities. Her teasing was constant, searching for an opening and diving in the moment it was found. By the time the keep was no longer a yawning behemoth in the distance, the two were a collection of blushes and agitated scowls. 

In contrast, Cana was beaming. She claimed they were the perfect balm for her hangover until she could find her way home.

”That or I'll sniff out Wendy for a headache cure,“ She said offhandedly. And while Lucy wondered if the girl would be willing to help Cana escape the consequences of her own habits, she still wondered just what being they'd upset to bring about such torture this early in the morning.

For Cana was relentless, even in sight of the keep's entrance, left with only one person standing guard at its entrance:

Erza.

”Wait,“ Cana scrunched her nose, ”I don't remember Makarov setting a guard here today, why's she here?“

Natsu' rumbled his reply petulantly, ”What, your cards didn't update you?“

”Oh shut it-“

Ignoring the backsass, Lucy wrenched herself free of Cana's arm and held her hand up in greeting, catching the redhead’s attention. Anything was a welcome change from Cana’s constant teasing. ”Erza! Is Makarov in right now? We really need to...”

She trailed off, taken aback by the brisk pace she suddenly took. Beelining straight for them with an expression so intense, Lucy feared they were about to be punished. 

“We didn't do it!” Lucy shouted, surprised by the echo of Cana and Natsu yelping in sync with her.

Erza spared them no words beyond ”Come with me!“ She snatched Lucy by the wrist and promptly began dragging her away from the others. Cana stumbled back, waving her hands in the air as Natsu, eyes flashing, snarled at the action. 

It was all she needed to cast her gaze back to the draconis, pointing at him with a deep frown on her face, ”Control your instincts, I'll not have you react like a fool every time Lucy's involved. Now, be a good boy and wait!”

His snarl cut off immediately, eyes wide as she materialized her sword into her fingers, a threat unspoken between them. Before the baffled Draconis could recollect himself, she continued her march, pulling a stunned Lucy off behind her. 

“... did she seriously tell you to be a good boy?” Cana asked, mystified, though humor lined her words.

“... why's everyone actin' like I'm a damn dog?“

Natsu's angered shouts and demands for Erza to return so he can properly challenge her for such treatment, went ignored as they echoed into the air and faded. Lucy hoped he'd calm down enough to continue into Makarov's office on his own, almost stumbling to keep up with Erza's rapid pace.

Jostling to and fro, she stammered a quick, “Slow down, I- I'm coming!” To the other, relieved when Erza realized her error and slowed her pace. The crunching of the gravel beneath them became background noise to their trek all while Lucy waited for the determined woman to explain just what she was being whisked off to.

When the answer didn't seem to come verbally, but in the sudden change of trajectory Erza took off the beaten path, Lucy realized she was purposefully changing direction in case of followers. But why?

“Erza, where are you taking me?”

Her reply was a brusk, “In a moment.” As she doubled back on their steps, back to the keep towards the small building attached to it. Lucy had never gone this direction, but recalled hearing others talk about one of the visitors being detained in that very location.

Erza was ... bringing her to one of them?

No wonder she was being roundabout. It was obvious now, the weaponized Romni was intent to keep them in the dark, if only to prevent others from overhearing, or worse, Natsu following.

Lucy could only imagine the explosive reaction he'd have to this.

But that did nothing to assuage the nauseating anxiety that now gnawed at her guts. These visitors were from the group who'd been after her. She knew that much, even with the majority of their goals being kept far from her. While she trusted Erza would never hand her off to an enemy, the situation was too confusing not to question.

When she muttered the others name in concern, tone rising in growing apprehension, Erza finally stopped. Taking in a deep breath, she spun to face Lucy, hands clasping her shoulders.

“Please,” She urged, ”Trust me. You're safe.“

And surprisingly, that was enough. Nodding, she fell into an even pace with Erza, uncertain what she was about to see, but believing it must be important. Why else would she practically kidnap her? 

Erza eased open the door to a too cramped room without so much as a knock. She offered Lucy a reassuring nod, gesturing for her to step inside, and though the anxiety told her otherwise, her trust in Erza outweighed the confusion. She stepped through the doorframe and squinted while her eyes adjusted to the low-light.

Of all the things Lucy thought to see, a man seated comfortably in the corner with his nose in a book was not her first assumption. (In fact, it wasn't even on her list of assumptions that ran through her mind in the length of time it took to finish their short trek and for Erza to swing the door open) His gaze flicked to the door immediately, a calm, almost expectant look on his face. He set the book down in one fluid motion and quickly rose from his seat, bowing his head as he did.

”You're earlier than I expected,“ He greeted, eyes flicking to Erza still standing in the doorway before settling on Lucy. 

A familiar magic reached out to her, emanating like a warm embrace. It came from a man who stood expectantly with a slight smile on his lips that crinkled the tattoo trailing down the side of his face. She gasped, a hand flying to cover her mouth. She recognized that mark. That pattern, she hadn’t seen anyone bearing that mark on their skin for years.

The world grew dizzy as an aura much like her own magic hummed around him. The soft hues met her like an old, unforgotten friend as tears began to well in her eyes.

”He's... you're,“ She couldn't speak, her words fell from her lips in tangled garble. 

It had been so long since she’d felt the pull of a magic like her own, and in his face she could see many who were long since buried in the soil, ”but the others traveled north!” She finally managed helplessly, choking on a sob.

”He has been traveling apart from his clan for awhile now,“ Erza explained softly, ushering Lucy forward as she shut the door behind them, ”But he was with them up North, waiting for all branches to meet them in time.“

”Hello, Lucy,“ Jellal greeted, voice much quieter than Erza's, a gentleness that didn't match his current, gruff appearance, ”... I've been hoping to find you for a long time.“

She couldn't breathe, the room felt too small suddenly and before she knew it, the tears were already dripping off her cheeks. This was something she never thought she'd feel again. The familiar magic, the warm understanding, the taste of stars in the air…

It was too much. It was all too much.

”Have they been treating you well?“ He asked. His concern was genuine.

Another celestial, so like her family and yet so different, and she couldn't manage a proper greeting. 

She moved without thinking, flinging herself into his surprised arms. Lucy clutched his cloak tightly as though he would disappear before her very eyes. He was stiff against her, but relaxed when he caught her desperate sobs. Wavering for a moment, he placed a soothing yet awkward hand against her back. Lucy vaguely heard the clinking of metal as Erza came closer, concerned.

But it didn’t matter. She didn’t care that she was making a scene.

She'd found a connection to her family, and that was worth every awkward moment that followed.

—--

Natsu was pissed, and there was nothing he could do about it. Erza's sudden appearance and disappearance with Lucy in tow had left him more off kilter than Cana managed all morning. But now he was finally in the keep, with the front doors slammed shut behind him, and his mind was conflicted.

He told Lucy he'd see Makarov about last night, but ... what about her? 

And that Draconis- his lip curled at the thought of him. He was somewhere in the keep, tucked away in its depths, though not as far as Kage, if his nose was correct. He could only catch traces of the shadow user wafting through the air. 

Cana banged her fist on the door, breaking through his concentration with her voice muffled, ”Oi! You're on countdown! If you're not back in thirty minutes, I'm sending Sparky AND Mirajane after your ass, so don't do anything funny!“

Damnit. Fortune tellers were the worst.

A snarl of frustration escaped and Natsu pondered the consequences towards derailing his  plans to instead seek out the shadow user in the limited time he had. A sick feeling of satisfaction rolled through him at the thought of Kage's face when he advanced upon the cell, flames spitting from his palm to snuff the life out of him clear as day-

 -Lucy’s face twisted in horror and disgust, more dream than reality. It flashed, once more, before him and the thoughts withered away. Muttering a curse under his breath, he tore down the hall, ignoring the scent trails of those who threatened him and made quick work of reaching Makarov's office.

While he hoped the chief would already be situated in his office, the early hours could prove to be his downfall. Thankfully, the old man's scent was strong, fresh, and Natsu felt relief when he came upon the door, not bothering to knock as he slammed it open to the small room. He barely recognized the rickety stool he'd knocked over in the process and bared down on the center desk with purpose.

“Gramps! I need to -” His voice cracked, a high pitched squeak that resembled his preteen years and he winced, cheeks turning red. “I gotta tell ya-”

“Why in the hell are you here, talking to me with your wounds still like that, boy?!“ The chief boomed, having almost fallen out of his chair at Natsu's sudden arrival. His hair was askew, wild and poking in so many directions it looked as if he had just rolled out of bed.

Judging from the dark circles under his eyes and the rumpled clothes that reeked of yesterday, Natsu was sure he wasn't too far off. 

”Cana's at the-“ He tried again, but he rolled his eyes when Makarov cut him off once again.

”Shouldn't she be relieved by now?!“ He asked, his own voice cracking from exhaustion, ”What is going on here?!“

Natsu slammed his hands on the desk in frustration, “gimme a sec to talk would you?”

His throat may be worn out by the end of the day from all of this, but that didn't matter. Lucy was right. He needed to talk about last night, and this was the only chance he had before he was put under watch again. 

When the chief motioned for him to continue, finally giving him the time to collect his words, Natsu continued, “That freak draconis, I don't know what sorta shit you talked about yesterday, but he didn't stay locked up. He got out somehow, followed Lucy through the village.“

Makarov met his gaze with surprise, lip pressed in a thin line as he pondered Natsu’s words. A long pause filled the room, allowing the sounds of mourning doves to enter from the back window and the dry rustling of bugs as they skittered across the stone walls. Natsu could hear it all, but paid each small nuance little mind. As a child, such sounds were maddening for his sharp ears, but it was all background noise these days. When the silence grew too awkward for them both, Makarov rubbed his temples and groaned.

“... please tell me you didn't break out of your house last night to get this information.” He asked, voice full of exasperation.

Natsu huffed, ”No, she was with me and-.“

That caught his attention, eyebrows raising, “She was with you? Now I know you two have been close, but you haven't even done the courting dances yet to be-”

“Not like that!” He interrupted, denying himself the urge to slam his forehead against the desk. Why did this keep happening?

“Why does everyone keep talking about us like we're together? I was told to watch her and I did and now we're friends, stop making a big deal out of-”

“Enough, enough,“ Makarov placated, settling back into his seat, ”Goodness that distracted you far too easily. Go on and it better not involve you breaking any rules to get this information.“

He had to admit, despite the embarrassment of the earlier claims, Natsu was relieved his leader had enough faith in him to hear him out. Already he felt more relaxed, easing off the desk and folded his arms. ”I know cause he came right to me, old man.“

Makarov’s expression darkened and Natsu felt his gut drop at the sudden pressure that was exerted across the room. ”He... What?” His terse tone spilled through clenched teeth.

“You heard me,” Natsu continued through the rasp in his voice, clearing his throat to get his words across, “came right up to my window.”

“Where was Cana during all this?” Makarov pressed and Natsu smirked.

“Dead asleep.” He said simply. He had to get her back somehow.

“And that man? What did he say to you?.” The old man eyed Natsu critically, as he sought out the truth but Natsu already had a lie waiting easily on his tongue.

 “Empty threats.” Natsu’s gaze flitted away from Makarov’s doubtful own. “ But he pissed me off and I, uh…. kinda..., blew up.”

“... you did not blow up your house, did you?”

Natsu felt ready to throw the stool out the window, ”I just said Lucy was there, you think I'd endanger her like that?“ Never minding the slight burns he'd given her during his panic the night before. He chose to keep that tidbit to himself.

”So minimal. Good. That's good. I'll send Laki to inspect the damages later, perhaps we can reinforce it.“

”Is that important right now?“ Natsu asked, exasperated.

Makarov clucked his tongue and slid from his seat, moving around the large desk to exit the room. Ushering for Natsu to follow, he led the draconis down the hall with his shoulders stiff and demeanor changing by the second.

”The foundation of our homes is always important, remember that, Natsu.“ He chided, stopping further down the hallway to loudly knock on a door with a quick rap of his knuckles. Instead of waiting to enter, he continued on with a bounce in his step. 

Confused, Natsu stood by the acknowledged door, face scrunched as he puzzled out the action. When he caught the slight, aggravated groans of a newly awakened Freed on the other side, he lost interest and began to follow once again. 

”Why's Freed here?“

Makarov answered quickly, ”He and Levy spent most of the night double checking and reworking his barrier. They wanted to make absolutely certain that Kage couldn't break through it. I can't say I understand half the discussions over it. Rune and Script magic are like a different language for me, but they seem to figure it out just fine. Never mind that, I want you to get Cana or her replacement in here at once.”

“But-”

“Natsu.” He said, stopping mid-step to look back at him with a glare mastered by any man who parented a child. “I'll not have you wounded and starting fights in my keep. Cana should be resting now, so either her replacement, or her. But do it with haste.”

“You can find me by my scent well enough, so meet up with me once you do.” He ordered, turning his back to the Draconis to continue on his trek, “hurry now, if he's sneaking out at night to threaten my children, then I don't intend to take him lightly. So be quick.”

Natsu didn't have to be told twice. 

As much as he wanted to follow after and raise hell, he knew better than to underestimate a fellow Draconis. Retracing his steps, he exited the building just minutes before his time limit was up. 

But instead of Cana lounging where he left her, Lisanna was there, absentmindedly watching the songbirds in the tree overhead. His groan caught her attention, turning to him with a smile that he ignored. He hastily sniffed the air for any trace of Cana, hoping to catch her before she escaped too far.

“There's no way you're on the rotation, is there?” He asked with a swing of his head. There she was! Just down the road! He could catch her if- 

He was cut by a sharp flick to his nose, forcing his attention to a frowning Lisanna who was poised to attack again. “Hey what gives?!” He protested, holding his stinging nose.

“First off, you’re being rude!” Lisanna snapped, jutting a finger at him. “And why not me? Do you think you're too much for me to handle? Cana was practically nodding off when I got here, give her a break!”

Agh, he didn't have time for this! ”Fine, whatever. Come on then!“

Before she could ask for details, he grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her inside. He dragged her down the halls as he keenly followed Makarov’s scent, far deeper in the keep than expected for a man of his age and height.

They could discuss it along the way, or explain later, if his throat was unwilling. Already he could feel it swelling from overuse, and he worried what that meant for him once they finally reached their destination.

#ftfanfiction #nalu fanfiction #fairy tail #nalu #natsuxlucy #cana alberona #makarov dreyar #jellal fernandes #this chapter was a lot longer than i expected #this keeps happening lately lol

[starsshit]

Dragons and Denial: Chapter 1 Nalu

Lucy's kingdom had been on the cusp of war long before she took her first breath. Despite being raised as both a powerful mage and a princess, she knew every breath she took was a mercy from Zeref and his demons. When the brutish neighboring kingdom of dragons offered an alliance, her father was quick to accept any conditions that their king may require, even if it meant selling his own daughter to their prince.

Lucy expected to hear more screams as she passed into the gates of Dragnof. The kingdom was known to never lose a war and the few survivors of their battles would tremble and refuse to repeat whatever occurred. Instead, she was greeted by children laughing in the streets, flapping of massive wings above her, and a strange sense of peace. The oddest thing she noted were the mixes of mages, rather than just the dragons they were feared by.  It wasn’t until she entered the castle that the sound of joy went silent, replaced by an odd, anxious sort of quiet.  Servants and knights stole glances at her as she passed, a few hiding their laughter behind their fist. She could only imagine what kind of horror awaited her.

“Keep up, blondie,” the gruff voice of the large man she was trailing behind snapped at her. She stiffened, biting back a retort and hurried after him. He didn’t seem like a noble, with piercings studded over his face and his long mess of black hair. Still, when he arrived to collect her, her father had referred to him as Lord Gajeel from Dragnof, so she knew he had to have some title. Her father wasn’t the type to give out respect unearned–or bought, to be more exact–so he had to have something to his name. Then again, her father also raised her as a lamb to slaughter since the treaty had been signed, so his sanity was still in question. “Do you humans not exercise?” He grumbled, turning to face her with a sneer. “Do you dragons not know empathy?” She demanded, crossing her arms and glaring up at him. For a moment, she regretted agreeing to take a few of her ladies in waiting with her, not wanting any of them to deal with the horrors she’d be sure to. Still, Lucy figured they’d all fare better together. Even against this.  Her keys felt heavy from their spot on her belt and for a moment she wondered how far she could run. Not far. 

The few feet she could maybe gain would only doom her kingdom. “Whiny,” was all he said, with an almost amused chuckle. “The prince and you will get along great.” At the mention of her betrothed, Lucy stiffened, feeling a chill creep its way through her chest.  She met him, once, when they were younger. They played together while the kings discussed treaties and alliances and despite how kind he seemed then and how quickly they connected, she never spoke to him again. She remembered him seeming oddly distraught at the idea of leaving and his father, King Igneel, had quickly grabbed her father to discuss something. When he left, he had knelt down to talk to the prince and Natsu left more calmly after that. She learned a few years later that the promise of her hand in marriage had been added to the terms of their alliance. Lucy spent years arguing against the engagement, refusing to speak to the prince, begging her father, but nothing freed her.

In the recent years, she tried anything to beg her father to release her, bribery, blackmail, even going as far to remind him of her late mother’s wish for her to find true love. When his eyes glazed over at the mention of Queen Layla, she told him that she had fell in love, that she had finally found the man her mother wanted her to. Instead of releasing her, as she had hoped, the king sealed her fate, promising to execute the man if he ever found him.

 Three years ago, she had received a strange letter, dropped off by a blue--oddly chipper--flying cat, who seemed as surprised as her when she opened the balcony door. It was addressed to the wrong location and the only return address was a name. Salamander.

The letter was even stranger, albeit, amusing.

The cat, Happy, urged her to write back, thinking it’d be ‘funny’ and she eventually agreed. Within a few weeks, they were writing letters daily, and despite Salamander's constant request to see her in person, she refused. Their correspondence had been one of her few sources of joy and she didn't want to risk it, couldn't once her father found out. She told Happy not to drop off any more letters and begged him to warn her penpal to keep a low profile.

Lucy suddenly stumbled over a fallen vase, nearly falling flat on her face, before Gajeel’s hand wrapped around her arm, easily pulling her back up. “Are you so lost in your head you can’t see ahead of you?” He demanded, eyebrow quirking in bemusement. 

Lucy huffed, stepping out of his grip and glaring up at the large man in front of her. “I wouldn’t expect someone like you to understand,” she hissed, shaking her head. “Ah, yes, because dragons are brutes?” “Because men aren’t sold as breeding mares,” she snapped and Gajeel blinked, something unfamiliar passing over his expression. “Oh,” “Oh?” “Don’t know what else you want me to say, blondie,” he said with a shrug. "I'm not gonna argue a fact." With that, he continued to lead her down the twisting hallways in silence.

Eventually, they came to a stop in front of two large ornate doors and he turned back towards her, opening his mouth as if to say something, before pausing for a long moment. "He wanted to see you," The man decided on, turning back to face the doors. "Hasn't since you were kids and all that." Lucy said nothing, merely watching as Gajeel pounded on the wooden doors. She briefly allowed her mind to drift to Salamander, twisting the engagement ring around her finger.  Happy had shown up before she left, begging her to take the various letters, or at the very least, hear him out. She closed the door, then window, in the cat’s face before he could risk giving her false hope, or worse, cost Salamander his life.

The door swung open and revealed a tall, annoyingly well-built, pink haired man who looked at Gajeel with the same amount of scorn Lucy had seen soldiers view traitors with. “It's too fuckin early," he groaned, running his fingers through his oddly spiked hair. “What’re ya–oh,”  Natsu paused as his eyes landed on Lucy, his nose scrunching slightly as though he was sniffing the air.

Dragons.

The prince seemed to light up, an easy grin falling over his face as he waved his hand in greeting. His tongue ran over his sharpened canines and despite herself, she had to admit he was very attractive. Her life could've turned out so much worse, but still, the turmoil inside of her refused to quiet. “Your highness,”  she murmured, bowing her head in a sign of respect. She blinked at the sound of an odd rumbling next to her and turned to see Gajeel's shoulders shaking as he laughed beside her.

“No reason to bow to the likes of him,” he explained between the bursts of mirth and she frowned, sparing a glance at the prince.  She expected to see him furious, ready to call for guards and demand Gajeel's apology. Instead, she was greeted with an annoyed expression and a glint of mischief in the prince's eyes. “He ain’t shit, lives off of his daddy's name." “Why don’t ya listen to your dad?” Natsu suggested, his grin growing as he cocked his head to the side. “Fix your face.” “Why you–” The two began arguing, seeming seconds away from a full out brawl before Lucy cleared her throat. Was she truly to live in such a backwards and behind society? “Not to interrupt this clearly meaningful conversation,” she began, ignoring Gajeel’s huff at her sarcasm. “But it was a long journey and I’d like to rest–”  She paused when she noticed Natsu stepping aside, as if to make space for her to enter his quarters.  Her cheeks heated and she turned to Gajeel helplessly, hoping that someone in this kingdom had a sense of what was good and proper.  The man–dragon– merely huffed out another strange laugh and turned to walk away. “Don’t scare her before your vows, flame brain,” he yelled over his shoulder before he disappeared, leaving her alone with the prince. 

“Ya coming in or what?” Natsu asked, looking at her as if she were the strange one. If she had any energy left within her to be angry, she would've been furious. Instead she just huffed out a sight, crossing her arm. “Really, you oughta make yourself more comfortable, don't know why you're standing in the hall like a lost dog." Lucy bristled, but said nothing and followed him into the large room.  Her eyes trailed over the mess, fighting the urge to roll her eyes at the clothes strung out on the floor.  She figured even the maids couldn’t fix the kind of chaos that resided within Natsu Dragneel.  “Ya gonna talk or,”  His voice trailed off and Lucy relished in the feeling of shaking the confidence of the infamous fire dragon for a moment. “Do we need to?” She answered, ignoring the way he winced at her harsh comment. She turned on her heel, walking over to his desk, rather than have to face the prince. Oddly, his desk seemed to be the only somewhat organized space in his room, save for a few papers and envelopes tossed carelessly onto its surface. She supposed he bever used it enough to dirty it. "It’s a political marriage, after all, not a love based one."

“So you’d rather marry a stranger?” He demanded, voice tight with anger and something that sounded far too similar to hurt. “Stay miserable for the rest of your life, purely out of your own stubbornness? Doesn't sound like a fun life to me." “It’s not meant to be,” she argued, keeping her back to him as her eyes trailed mindlessly over the envelopes on his desk. She wasn’t exactly interested in the contents but it was better than the delusions of the man behind her. “We grin and bear it for our–” Her voice cut off as she recognized one of the envelopes, or rather, the handwriting on the front. Her own. Addressed to Salamander with a poorly drawn heart next to the name. It had clearly been opened, but the pages themselves were missing and she slowly turned the envelope over in her hands. This wasn't real, he had to be okay, he had to--

“How do you have this?” Lucy’s voice didn’t sound like her own, it was too soft, too tense. It sounded how she felt, on the verge of shattering “Have what?”  She jolted, his concerned voice landing right next to her ear. How he had gotten so close to her, so quickly, without her registering it was beyond her. She merely held up the envelope, feeling her heartbeat in her throat. Natsu glanced down at it, then back at her, the silence echoing around them. He swallowed thickly, blinking.

Once. 

Twice.

Before he could blink a third time, she exploded, whirling on him with her fists raised. 

“If you hurt him, I swear–” Natsu caught her fists, his onyx eyes flashing dangerously. 

“I didn’t hurt him,--hey,” he grunted, narrowly dodging the knee that had come up to strike him. “Watch it,” he hissed, smoke billowing out of his nostrils.  “If I hurt him or killed him it’d be quite counterproductive,” “To your delusions? Happy wife, happy life?”

“Oh my–”  He dropped his grip on her wrists, taking a cautionary step back. “I wouldn’t hurt or kill your Salamnder because I personally enjoy being alive.” “I don’t follow,” Lucy’s arms crossed in front of her chest, eyes narrowing in on him. “Salamander is a dumbass, his best talent is creating trouble, how could he be a thre–” “There are better talents," Natsu grumbled, rubbing the back of his neck. "And no, Salamander isn't a threat to me, or vice versa, because we're the same guy." He paused, a frown creeping onto his features. "Or maybe we're each other's biggest threats? I don't know, I'm not exactly big on philosophy, but--" "You're lying," she hissed, her hands clenching back into fists and trembling at her side. She knew Salamander, she bonded with him. He was the one real thing in the web of lies and politics that had become her life.

"If ya had just heard Happy out, you'd know I'm not," he argued, crossing his own arms. At the mention of the beloved cat, she stumbled back. She could practically taste her fear, eyes darting around the room wildly. “Did you hurt him too?” “Jeez, ya got trust issues,” he grumbled, barking something in a language she didn’t quite understand. “Just hold up,” Natsu told her, a hand raised when she opened her mouth to speak.  

After a painfully long moment, she heard a familiar laugh and the blue cat flew in, a bright smile on his face.  “Natsu!” He cheered, flying in a quick circle above his head. His eyes landed on Lucy and he seemed, somehow, even more pleased. “She’s finally here?”

“Right in front of ya,” The prince responded with a rueful laugh, eyes darting back to Lucy. “I’m Salamander, right?”

“Aye sir,” The cat nodded, looking over at Lucy. “I tried to tell her but she slammed the door. And then the window.”

“I–you–”  The words seemed to catch in her throat as she felt the familiar sting of tears threaten her eyes. Natsu and Happy were beaming over at her, acting as though they had just performed the greatest prank known to man.  The one comfort she had in those past years of hell had been a lie.   “What the fuck is wrong with you?”

#fairy tail #fairytail #nalu #lucy heartfilia #natsu dragneel #fairytail guild #fairytail fanfic #fairy tail fanfiction #nalu fanfiction #fairy tail nalu #first time doing a series pray for me

[natsubeatsrock]

I'm Still Thinking About Ships and Zervis After All These Years

[tfw you miss the anniversary of the post... by several months]

HAH! You thought I was just hating on Juvia for no reason with my last one. (It wasn’t even that bad.)

Nope!

This is a series of things I want to do. I hope you don't mind that this is the second time to date I've reused this intro. Honestly, this might be one of my favorite intros to any post. The only one that tops it is starting with the conclusion in another post. (You know the one.)

Even then, this post has a special place in my heart. Over the past [EIGHT] years I've been on this blog, I've had to talk a lot about the ships. Part of it is willingly entering certain discussions. Part of it was ending up in the middle of certain fights. (I've learned not to pick fights with people.) This was my first real foray into talking about the ships to a meaningful length.

Overall, I've come to realize that Tumblr is a very ship-heavy site. Much of the discussions involving any series or topic involve ships. I used to think this was only Fairy Tail fans, but a lot of people have these issues. Almost every moderately active fandom on Tumblr has a vibrant (note: not necessarily healthy) emphasis on shipping. For what it's worth, Fairy Tail has also had its fair share of shipping wars.

So I've heard.

I don't have the same horror stories that so many other people have. I started this blog near the time that the series was ended. A lot of the shipping drama was long settled. A few months into starting this blog, there was some drama caused by some Graylu shipper who was causing beef with the Gruvia fandom. But a lot of the back-and-forth with shipping didn't affect me when I made the original post.

And then, there was the University of Gruvia.

I have to be careful when describing this, especially considering the number of people I know involved with this on both sides. I want to provide a fair assessment of this. Especially being on my side of the Gruvia debate. Luckily, I've done this several times for Gruvia already.

There was a desire among Gruvia fans to share love and information involving the ship with others. This was to manifest itself in a fan university of sorts with fan experts and actual teachers working to educate fans. Concerns came from two different places. Some fans were worried that this would cause more fights with people who didn't agree with them. I was part of the fans who thought that other shipping fandoms should get some shine and recognition first.

If you haven't heard about the University of Gruvia, that's because it didn't get off the ground. Part of it was because another group of fans set up a parody University of Graylu. There were some disputes over fans signing up for one to set the other up. The details were handled outside of my sphere.

Two big things came from it, as far as I'm concerned. I did get called out as a salty Graytear fan by some Gruvia shippers. Even though I didn't particularly hate the idea at the time. I just wanted a week for Albis. (Another rant for another day) My rationale was that whatever arguments Gruvia fans would come up with would become so mainstream it would be easy to deal with the fandom, by knocking out the ideas all at once. I still stand by that, though I get the concern others had about empowering toxic fans.

That leads to the second. I've become averse to talking about the ship. I'll talk about Nalu for any reason I feel like it. I don't handle Gruvia the same way. I am more careful not to do a lot to piss Gruvia fans off. I've noticed that the Gruvia fandom is very protective of the ship from people who disagree. (Occasionally to ironic results.) Fairy Tail is the only series in which I have a relationship with the ships I do. You all know me for not loving the big ships and being involved in smaller ships for characters. I still get kudos and comments on a story involving Laxus and Juvia, of all pairings. A lot of the appeal of the ships I don't like is lost on me. I can make arguments for them, but I don't buy any of it.

However, Fairy Tail is the only series where this is the case. I've mentioned liking Naruhina and Ichihime. But those are fairly popular among fans of their respective series. At the very least, the majority of the fandom knows why people like them. Every once in a while, a series will come where I don't love the main ships. Like, I don't love most of the big ships in RWBY, but I get why people like them. Fairy Tail is the only series where I'm actively going against the grain, in regards to shipping.

Unlike that other post about Juvia, I don't have much to say about my opinions changing. Most of what I said in that post is what I feel about the ships in general now. Like whatever you want and don't be shocked if some crazy stuff ends up becoming canon.

Though, I do need to talk about the other focus of this post. When the original post came out, it wasn't too long after chapter 450. If you don't remember, that was the chapter that confirmed a previous relationship between Zervis. While I already intended to talk about the ships as my next topic, it felt perfect to use Zervis as the lens to talk about ships.

It's not an understatement to say that fandom was going ballistic at the time. A lot of people following me probably weren't fans of the series when these chapters came out. You need to understand that, before the Alvarez Empire arc, Zervis was mere speculation. It was an idea based on one chapter of the main series and a few interactions during ZERO. Like much of Mashima's work, it makes sense in hindsight. However, this wasn't a ship taken seriously by fans until it became canon.

Honestly, I'd argue that fans made it a bigger deal than it probably needed to be because of their history. This isn't on Mashima for revealing it as late as he did. It made sense to reveal what happened between them when he did.

Take a step back and think about how much Zervis matters. No doubt, it's an important connection between two of the most influential characters in the series. It also serves as a driving force for the last arc of the series. Its resolution (somewhat?) redeems one of the main villains of the series. I will not deny any of those things.

But let's compare this to Jerza. Jellal and Erza are more influential characters. The connection between them is shown for longer in the series, both before and after the Alvarez Empire arc. This isn't even noting the ways that their relationship, directly and indirectly, affects the main events of numerous arcs. The romance between the two has been far better built up to what we see now in the sequel.

And this isn't even to mention the most important relationship in the series: Nalu. I'm not going to call it a romantic masterpiece. However, this isn't the first time I've noted that their relationship makes Fairy Tail what it is as a series. Nearly everything that happens in the series happens because these two work together. That's before we go into how either of them is either directly or indirectly involved in and/or responsible for major events in every arc.

One unfortunate thing that has become a point of discussion has been the potential claims of pedophilia on the ship. I dealt with this idea in rewriting Fairy Tail, but I want to repeat myself quickly. As I interpret the ship, Mashima's done too much to make the ship feel skeevy. Still, I don't think the ship is pedophilic.

In Conclusion:

Shipping is fun, but their fandoms can be crazy. Please enjoy both responsibly.

Also, don't ask me about the Zervis age gap.

#fairy tail #zervis #ish? i guess? #do i have a tag for this series? #this is going to be the tag #this is a fun post #and i'm still late posting this #i have another post to make soon #really it's ready #but i need to get it ready for posting

[aashi-heartfilia]

Gray and Lucy are teaming up to fight , I just hope there do Lucy some justice same with gray

What do you think gonna happen in this chapter? 💗

I was just about to post my thoughts on the said chapter.

The previous ones were really boring and felt like the story was going nowhere. So personally I'm happy with this chapter and the Graylu team up that was teased since the Selene arc (remember, Gray vs Hakune and Lucy vs Mimi?)

I was pretty bored with all the Nalu and Gruvia team up, at least this is something new. Hoping they don't engage in solo fights, so that we can get much more interesting moves.

Plus I really liked Lucy's arc of gaining more and more self confidence with every battle. Had it been the Lucy from Phantom Lord arc, she would have been scared of talking on opponents.

Plus, I loved Athena 2.0

It's already giving me horror movie vibes with the way she was presented, coming out of that tree and stuff, it was super creepy. I also liked how they tried to do something new this time around.

#fairy tail 100 years quest #fairytail lucy #fairy tail #fairy tail 100 yq #fairytail 100 years quest #nalu fairytail

[caelum-et-ocean]

hey bestiieeee, i saw you were doing character pairings and i wanted to see what character you'd pair me with!

go crazy!

☆☆

name: milo!

things i like: reading, writing, video games (especially rhythm games and horror games), invader zim, ruby gloom, victorian goth + vkei fashion and music, the smell and sound of rain, cats, and pretty rocks/crystals!

things i dislike: loud noises, weird textures and patterns, overly sweet desserts, being too cold/hot, strong smells, bright lights, charcoal pencils and the sound charcoal makes when people drag it on paper, when my nails break, and people (/hj)

tropes and personalities i enjoy: i say that i don't exactly have a type, and that i tend to go for anyone, regardless of personality, but i have the BIGGEST soft spot for goth/emo/punk boys and sanrio/"cutecore" boys 😭 bonus points if they're shy or have black hair, and even bigger bonus points if they have multiple piercings. i also tend to enjoy characters who are extroverted, himbos, or nerdy!

my hobbies: writing, drawing/painting, crocheting, playing the guitar and piano, singing, making jewelry, collecting rocks, and baking!

OK IM GONNA BE HONEST I HAD TO THINK A LOT ABOUT THIS LMAO

But I would ship you with….

Caleb Nalu from Mechat!

Counterparts (different character designs, same story): Tristen Leones and Alan Torres

As seen in his picture here, he does like cats. Matter of fact, in his story, he is shown to work at a cat cafe!! I can honestly picture you two maybe bonding in said cafe :D

BACKSTORY SPOILERS BELOW THE CUT

In his past, he was in a biker gang so heads up, but he is honestly a really sweet and genuine person!

#calypso answers🌙 #milo🌅

[underestimated-heroine]

My 11th reference post 💀

These are all at.tumblr.com links until I can figure out how to fix that -_- So this was actually a pretty easy fix (see bold & three stars below) most of them should be good now, but one way or another I'll go back and fix them

General

Names between cultures

Staff post community labels

Staff: human moderators check blazed posts

Ghost stories 2000-2001 gifs

Horror movies for people who don't like horror movies

Party Girl Extinction

Lie Detectors are Bullshit

Every Horse Movie World Heritage Post

Strongly worded abortion post

FBI robbed security deposit boxes

Buzzfeed fed their employees Greyhounds

2 times I've been around that track and there is no queen of England

Ben Shapiro short stories

The two-headed calf poem's real meaning

Couldn't agree more and we're best friends now

Passive aggressive museum

How to reformat tumblr links ***

Spy X Family Loid thinks Yor Thinks

Writing research Google alternatives

Tom Brady's Witch Wife

Death of the Queen Tweets

Historical fashion resources and references doc

Quick and dirty laptop buying

BMI and weight loss scams

Loid sees yor looking a LITTLE bit sad and

British politics lettuce

Hundreds, perhaps billions lung expansion

"god gave us transness for the same reason he gave us yeast but no dough"

Elected fic of the year

Lone prairie traveller and their feathery steed

De-google your life

Child poets

Solid color guide

What main thing did you project onto your oc's

Navigating adult ADHD treatment shouldn't suck this much

Cop shows fuckhands the baby murderer

Tumblr folk stories

Soda cake

Death fetish

Elon musk isn't smart bought twitter dragWhat people have and didn't have in the middle ages

UBlock doesn't hurt YouTube creators

Lemon stealing whore lore (rats)

Chocolate guy food that looks like food

A class on what

Adobe Reddit gaslights you

Wish list for people who don't want anything

Fudgers->meaners world heritage post

Ringo Starr told me to fuck off story

Advice to get doctors to take you seriously

1947 anti-fascist video

The blue check debacle tweets

Are prisons obsolete

Changing people's minds

The grand unifying theory of the forger family teacups

Insight into the mind of Elon musk

NO YOU FUCKING CAN'T

Do people actually say things they don't mean when angry?

Anya being like "the fuck you mean we all like you?"

Crying world heritage post

Goncharov video synopsis

Contributions of Stephanie Meyer

Edward scissor hands (scissors when?)

Horrid dreadful atrocious sex scenes

3 yo learning to language

Trolley problem vid tom Hanks reaction 💀

Why can't Muslims tell other Muslims to stop killing people

SpongeBob movie is about coming out

Coward learns the futility of punishing evil comic

Water Biden catgirl

Personal

How I could tell the Twitter users were coming back after we were allowed to have tiddies again

The court of public opinion is inhumane

9/28/2022 Halloween Reference Post

Emotional Landscapes Audio

Red sniper dot porn

Try Guys Recent Nedless vid

"saw it coming/never trust a wife guy" discourse

On "you guys"

"and how can I ever thank you for this way home you've given me"

Doctors are almost all fatphobic

My sister's twin sister (Amber)

You win bitch

Happy rigamortis Wednesday

Pukicho asks "fake" internet culture

Natsu and Lucy Skipping Stones on a Lake

Typical dad polishing gun yor

Damian proposing to Anya spy x family

Nalu take that you fucking lake

Anya Damian balcony

Damianya typical dad polishing gun scene but it's Yor

Spy x family dog-owner mood

Healthcare providers are pretty much all fatphobic

The self-centeredness of bigots

Call-out liste

Spy x family chapter 72 predictions

I, an ADHD possible autistic person, am like mulan in my mind

Skin tag virgin

Tim omelet

"ban porn illegalize sex work" shut the fuck up

Laxus "small now go away

Franky & Loid best friends when Loid dressed him up as wife

#you've underestimated the heroine #personal #squirr3d away

[ao3feed-nalu]

Burning Nightmares

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/0byMwsW

by ThunderMastery24

Sometimes, a person's nightmares can take on all manner of malevolent horrors, designed to wreak havoc upon the sufferer's mind. NaLu. One-shot.

Words: 888, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: Fairy Tail

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: F/M

Characters: Natsu Dragneel, Lucy Heartfilia

Relationships: Natsu Dragneel/Lucy Heartfilia, Natsu Dragneel & Lucy Heartfilia

Additional Tags: Angst, Spoilers, Spoilers for the Tartaros Arc

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/0byMwsW

#ao3feed #fanfic #Nalu #Natsu x Lucy #Fairy Tail

[nalu4emily]

Anyone interested in a new nalu fic involving END?

Good, because I'll be posting the first chapter in October (for the run up to Halloween).

Themes: horror, hurt/comfort, friendship, romance, slow burn nalu, might be smut, angst,

I love the whole Natsu is forced to accept that he's a demon/END thing even though he outwardly denies it all the time, and/or the idea that Natsu and Lucy are connected because she rewrote the book of END, so I started writing a fic about it. Hopefully, I do it justice.

Have a good day!

#natsu dragneel #nalu #lucy heartfilia #fairy tail nalu #natsu and lucy #fairy tail #nalu fanfiction #fairy tail fanfiction #nalu fanfic #fairy tail 100 year quest #END/Natsu #etherious natsu dragneel #fairy tail guild

[celestialulu]

Sorry for spamming dash with nalu I miss them

#I’m also so bored #i wanna play phasmophobia but none of my friends are on rn #also thinking of nalu playing horror games together is funny #nalu #fairy tail

[kiliinstinct]

Chapter 17:

Rating: T Pairing: Nalu FF.Net || AO3

[Ch: 1] ||| [Prev] | [Next] -  

Beta: @phoenix-before-the-flame​

So while I am well aware I said this chapter would be coming out on the 20th, I felt I’d just go ahead and share it over the weekend rather than post on a Monday. So, surprise! Two days early!

Mild Warning for Panic Caused by PTSD.

---

There was something oddly familiar with the situation Lucy woke to.

Dazed from sleep, she groggily sat up, The heavy furs slid off her body and a shiver passed through her when chill air touched her skin. She’d woken, startled as rough hands shook her by the shoulders until the dreams that captivated her were chased away. She rubbed her eyes, yawned, then blinked as a calm confusion settled in. What was there to be scared of?

It wasn’t the first time Lucy shared space with Natsu, but his presence in her home that night wasn’t common. “... What are you doing here?”

Natsu didn’t answer. Not immediately. His breathing was ragged and he knelt before her bed looking as if the very devil had chased him there. His skin was sickly compared to the usual, warm bronze he boasted and sweat dripped down his brow. Lucy couldn’t remember a time she’d ever seen him hot enough to so much as glisten, but it was the wild terror in his eyes that troubled her  most. Her confusion slowly melted to concern. 

“Is something going on? Do we need to leave?” The questions began to tumble from her mouth, but Natsu’s trembling silenced her. Bracing his shoulders, Lucy tried to make sense of expression on his face. Was he… afraid?

“I-” He began, voice a hoarse whisper before dying out again. Natsu’s breathing slowly began even out while his wild eyes examined her from head to covered toe. Too stunned - or relieved- to speak.

Lucy was reminded of a time when a younger girl had joined her bed one night. Her former clan member had been terrorized by sleep terrors and waking to a lonely bed had sent the child to Lucy’s cot, begging for comfort. Natsu wasn’t a child. Nor was he prone to terrors as far as Lucy knew, but the haunted expression on his face spoke volumes.

Lost and utterly afraid. The realization made Lucy’s heart ache.

If it was upsetting enough to bring him here, then it meant something, even if that meaning was lost to her.

“Come on then.” 

Natsu blinked, staring as Lucy slowly moved closer to the wall, making space under her many furs for him to join her. “You’re … inviting me?”

Necessity had them share sleeping space together when they traveled alone in the woods, but Natsu and Lucy both knew the few times he’d joined her bed, often to keep her company from her own nightmares, Natsu would claim, but Lucy had always panicked and pushed him aside. To see her offering the space confused him, but only for a second.

“I can make an exception.” Lucy spoke through a small yawn, the sleepy smile that followed relaxed his shoulders. Good. That’s the reaction she aimed for.  “Just for tonight. We’re both adults with our own space, after all, but…”

Natsu didn’t need further prompting. He clambered under the furs with a sheepish, embarrassed silence and settled in with relative ease. Lucy adjusted herself only once before turning her back to him to face the wall. Whatever had brought him to her bed, he obviously couldn’t find the words to express it. Lucy wouldn’t pull the truth from him, but she could provide some comfort at least.

“Don’t wake me until the sun’s up next time.” She murmured sleepily. Lucy thought Natsu had answered her, but his voice was muted to the sounds of her own breathing. Sleep had reclaimed Lucy the instant she’d shut her eyes. Natsu wasn't so lucky. 

Eyes shut or open, he saw the vivid details of his dream with a sickening clarity. The expression of betrayed horror on Lucy’s face. The blood flowing from shredded skin, the shrill scream that made tears prickle at the corners of his eyes, the… 

The sour taste of bile bubbled in Natsu’s throat. He turned his focus on Lucy’s back, listening to the rise and fall of her lungs. The physical knowledge of her well-being eased him, but the small temptation to move closer, press against her back to listen for the proof of her existence was almost too much. He resisted the urge, screwed his eyes shut and willed his body to sleep. It was a blessing enough to have comfort. 

He wasn’t about to squander it trying to do something stupid.

Lucy woke to the slight sounds of birds on her roof. The soft trilling of a new nest being built. If she wasn’t so comfortable and the edges of sleep hadn’t held fast to her mind, she would have recognized it as one of the many signs to Spring chasing the chill of winter away. For now, she couldn’t be bothered. It was warm and inviting under her furs and the security of a warm arm over her shoulder was too nice to reject. With a satisfied groan, she nestled into the heat and kept her eyes tightly shut. The throes of sleep were already fading, but Lucy quietly wished she’d slip back into slumber, if only to enjoy the moment a little longer. 

A few more seconds came with the bird above their heads and Lucy’s eyes flung open instantly as realization dawned on her. An arm around her shoulder and the frantic shaking she’d received overnight- 

Natsu!

How could she forget?! Lucy’s gaze tilted to the arm that embraced her, a stark contrast to her lighter skin, and the heat on her back breathed in and out at a steady pace, fanning air against her as her heart leapt into her throat. Only one thought crowded her mind.

Natsu is cuddling me. Natsu. Is. Cuddling… 

Lucy gulped for air and tried to wriggle her way out of his grip. She resisted the urge to elbow him, to shout at his lack of personal space. But she had to find a way out. It wasn’t his fault. Not this time. She invited him after all. But the arm tightening caused a stutter of breath to die in Lucy's throat. She had to get up. Now.

“N-Natsu…” She hissed, voice becoming shrill as the seconds ticked by. “Wake up!”

A low grumble and Natsu’s answering action was to nuzzle his face into her hair, the heat of his breath sending a shiver down Lucy’s spine as goosebumps rose along her skin. She squeaked then, voice reaching an even higher pitch. 

“Natsu!”

She began to squirm, inching her body around in an attempt to escape his iron hot grip. Her stomach was doing odd flips, threatening her with nausea and the heat on her face came from more than her suddenly constricting blankets. With a twist of her hips, Lucy flipped over, calling Natsu’s name frantically as her hands moved to roughly shake him- a return gesture from the night before.

“Wake up, now!” Her order became panicked between each jerk, taking in a desperate gulp of air when he lazily lowered his arm to drape over her waist. The panic settled and Lucy’s mind screamed while her body froze: paralyzed. “You have until the count of ten before I shove you off.”

The warning fell on deaf, sleepy ears, but Lucy hoped it reached him either way. Somehow.

Through gritted teeth she began to count despite the anxiety telling her to do anything else. “One… Two … Three …”

Onward the count went and Natsu’s face scrunched in a way that Lucy could have found endearing on a normal day, but the way her heart tightened like a vice took the air from her lungs and made her fight or flight  kick into overdrive.

Fingers shook him at each interval and desperation began to bleed out into her voice. Not anger. Not embarrassment. Fear. 

It’s hard to breathe-!!!

The distant shouting of a battle long gone echoed in her mind. The shouts of women and men assaulted and beaten. The burn of a rope stung against her wrists while the panicked breathing of her jaunt through a darkened forest filled Lucy’s mind. The trees looming and twisted as branches scraped her skin.

 She gasped as the stench of a burnt corpse rose in her memories, barely holding back a gag when it seemed to waft through the air.

The weight was frighteningly familiar. The press of a man’s hands against her body. The threat -the promise- of his intent clear as his finger greedily groped her flesh. His rancid breath soured the air filling her nostrils. 

But then his corpse as it burned and sizzled against the ground, scorched without mercy and black smoke twisting lazily upwards-

“Ngh… Lucy?”

Natsu’s voice cracked through the memory, hoarse from sleep as confused eyes stared into her own. Lucy dazedly stared back, reality swimming back into focus as she gulped down another, desperate shaky breath. 

“... what happened?” His voice was hoarse, worse than when he’d woke her during the night. The sleepiness had yet to leave him as Natsu moved a lazy hand towards her face to wipe away a stray tear from her clammy cheek. 

Lucy exploded. 

“Goawaygoaway Go away!”

She slapped his hand back, body lurched backward and crashed into the wall. She pressed back against it desperately. She needed to be away. She needed him to go away. She needed-

Lucy whined and realized there was more tears than she could count dripping down her face. Her nose felt stuffy and a sob wracked her frame. “L-leave me alone!”

Natsu reacted immediately. The exhaustion fell from his body as he sat up, worried gaze checking her for damage as she scrambled and his hands rose to balance her. “Oi, Lucy, it’s okay-”

“Don’t TOUCH me!” She snapped. Fear laced her words and cracked her voice. His hands froze mid air, hovered, then lowered slowly. 

“Lucy.” Natsu tried again, voice low as if he feared startling her more than he already had. He pulled his hands close to his body, palms facing outward for her to see. “I’m not going to touch ya, see? It’s okay. I’m not going to hurt ya’. Please. I promise.”

Seconds ticked by between them as Lucy’s frazzled nerves tried to collect the pieces of her heart that had shattered in seconds.

She rocked back on her heels, as if to spring forward and escape. Her fingers sank deeper into the wooden walls, splinters pricking at her fingertips. They felt too big. Too close. Looming too far above her head, threatening to close in on her. To take her. He was going to-

Her chest felt tight.

She couldn't think. 

The screams still echoed and she struggled to chase them away, tears now racing down her cheeks and dripping off her chin.

Her body wanted to run, to escape. But from what? Her room was empty of everyone except Natsu. Natsu sitting there patiently, waiting for her. And he.. He…

“You’re safe, Lucy.” His voice continued to soothe her, chasing away the darkness in her battered mind, “Whatever happened, it’s gone now. What do you need? Water? Food? Do you need me to leave? I’ll do it, but can you breathe for me first? In and out, like that.” She nodded wordlessly, confused and unsure of what to say.

Taking in gulps of air, she followed Natsu’s direction until her lungs expanded and closed in a steady rhythm. 

He's right. I’m not there. It’s not the camp. Those men are dead. Natsu saved …

A few more silent moments as Lucy’s racing thoughts slowed and the stream of tears dried upon her cheeks. She didn’t understand why the fear had resurfaced, why her panic had returned for such a small thing, but with Natsu’s worried coaxing as he kept his distance, just waiting for her word, her body began to relax. 

Peace.

The echoes of the past fell away and Lucy became acutely aware of her surroundings. The warmth of her bed. The coarse feel of the furs beneath her fingers after she released the wall. The gentle howl of the wind and choir of birds outside. Natsu hadn’t lied: she was safe. 

“I’m… “ Lucy’s jaw felt sore as she struggled to find her words, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-  I just-”

Natsu cut her off, “Don’t say you’re sorry. I ain’t upset.”

She bit her lip and whimpered.

“Do you need anything?” He asked again.

“... I…” She didn’t know, but thinking about it helped calm her more as she took in a deep breath, counted to ten, and finally met his eyes. “Can I have some water, please?”

Natsu grinned, relieved. “You got it.”

He didn’t touch her for the rest of the day.

He couldn’t.

Not after seeing the horror on her face. The disgust. The … Natsu wasn’t sure how to word it, but what glimmered in Lucy’s eyes in those scant moments between them wasn’t a look he ever wanted to see again. Was it his fault? He recalled sharing space with her before, the few times he’d taken to her cot while at camp when nightmares plagued her. She hadn’t reacted well those following mornings, certainly, but had it ever been like that?

Natsu couldn’t recall, but whatever the cause, he was determined not to repeat it. While the majority of his mind realized Lucy’s reaction hadn’t been entirely directed at him, the fact he had triggered it was enough to fill him with guilt. He’d rushed to get her the requested water, sloshing some on himself as he went. He’d nearly tripped over her chairs and a rug, in his haste to help her.

The near falling on his face elicited worry from Lucy, but her face finally split into a half-hearted smile when his clumsiness was too much to ignore. A saving grace. 

It was his fault, wasn’t it?

He just HAD to visit her over a dream. He just had to check on her, to.. To.. Natsu realized he was beginning to question his own motives and confusion fogged his thoughts until it gave him a headache. What did he think would happen from a dream? That she wouldn’t be safe in her bed? Of course she was! She was in the safest place on Earth, right?

With that decided, Natsu took on the responsibility of her panic that morning and swore to keep his concerns to himself. When he was assured Lucy was calm, he offered to leave, stunned when she shook her head, offering breakfast in return. The small meal of dried fruit and nuts wasn’t enough for his bottomless stomach, but he enjoyed it all the same, eyes never failing to flicker over Lucy’s frame, cautiously optimistic that her mood wouldn’t drop again. 

“Did you uh- “ Natsu struggled for a topic of conversation, anything to keep the quiet from invading the space. To give him time to think, “-you got any plans today?”

Lucy considered the question as she nibbled her food, recollection slowly lighting in her eyes. The gloom and darkness on her face had faded to reveal the soft, gentle smile she was capable of and Natsu’s relief grew more palpable by the second. “Mirajane wanted me to meet someone today. Said they would teach me some of the dances being held during the Spring Festival.”

That caught his attention, eyes widening as he realized Mirajane’s intention. “Lisanna’s back?”

“Who?” “Mira’s lil’ sis. She’s great at dancing. Taught me some stuff before! Or tried to, I guess.” He amended. “Mira, her and their brother used to travel a lot. Even more than the group does. They'd be out there for really long stretches of time! But when Mira partnered up, she didn’t travel as much. Lisanna and Elfman still do, though. I didn’t know we’d see ‘em this year. Usually they travel for longer.”

Lucy hummed her interest, drinking in his words before giggling. “Someone actually tried to teach you how to dance? How did that go?”

Natsu shrugged, feigning indifference, “eh, about what you’re imagining I guess.”

“So a disaster then?” Lucy failed to hide a snicker, biting her lip.

“Oi, I’m offended.” Natsu spat in mock defense, “how do you know I wasn’t the best at it?”

“Because you’re talking in past tense.”

He grumbled, finishing his plate and shifted his gaze towards the doors, sheepish, “why you gotta be so smart, huh? Kinda cheating, don’t you think?”

Lucy no longer attempted to muffle her laughter and opted to laugh loud enough to make his ears ring, but in a pleasant way. The kind of way that told him she was feeling much more like herself. Mission successful. Their conversation took off like many they’d had before and soon, with a still growling stomach, Natsu made his leave.

Agreeing to help with fishing was all well and good, but not if he was late for the tide change. 

When he left, Natsu made sure to remind Lucy to check in with Mirajane and froze just before patting Lucy’s shoulder, a habit he'd gained over their time together. Chuckling, he pulled his hand back, briefly running it through his hair and quickly darted out the door before Lucy had a chance to call it out. If she had even noticed.

 Don’t touch me! The shout still echoed well into the day.

Lucy wasn’t sure what just happened. His exit was quick. Too quick. Quicker than she expected. 

As if he’d been running from something. And her shoulder, untouched, felt the chill of the air, as if disappointed by the lack of warmth being placed upon it that she'd come to expect.  Shoving the feeling aside, she grasped her cane and left to find Mirajane. The day was to be a busy one, after all, and she’d kept the others waiting for long enough. 

Oddly, Mirajane was surprised when she opened her door for Lucy. Her hair was askew in many places and her eyes puffy and red. Her clothes were unexpectedly frumpy, as if she’d hurried putting them on, or.. Had they been crushed? Lucy felt her stomach drop as she looked upon Mirajane with rising concern. 

“Lucy? Oh dear, I’m so sorry, I hadn’t realized the time-” Mirajane explained, voice a rush as she wiped her eyes.

Apparently, Lucy realized she wasn’t the only one having a bad morning. “... did something happen with you and Laxus?”

“What?” Her rambling stopped mid-sentence as her eyes widened, “Oh, Laxus he.. Oh dear, no, no, that’s not it at all. Never mind that. I’ll be fine.”  Her flurry of words made Lucy wonder to the truth of them, but Mirajane gave no other opening to ask as she whisked them both out of the doorway, joining Lucy outside. Wiping her eyes, she smiled a watery grin and patted Lucy’s shoulder. Whether to reassure herself or Lucy, she wasn't quite sure.

“I’ll be okay, I promise. Do me a favor and don’t tell Laxus what you saw, please?”

“Mirajane,” Lucy began, voice a low warning, “not that I just go around attempting conversation with him, but this sounds really-”

“Please.” Mirajane pressed, jaw tense. “I’d rather not explain right now, but I will if I have to.”

Lucy considered pressing for more details, but the helpless look in Mirajane’s eyes, the way her lip quivered, and the memory of Natsu comforting her without attempting to press her for details helped her decision. She sighed, “you don’t have to tell me anything unless you want to Mirajane. I’ll.. keep quiet. Just so long as you’re not hurt and he’s not causing it. Okay?” The answering grin was all Lucy needed to drop the subject entirely. For now.

“Perfect! Now, what was the plan for today again? Oh yes, I was going to take you to see Lisanna for lessons!” She squealed, her excitement bubbling to the surface and brought her back to her usual self. The despondence from a few moments ago became a distant memory.  A gleam was in her eye now, as she strolled along the path, ushering Lucy to follow her. “But first, we’ll see Wendy. She’ll be upset if we don’t let her perform her weekly check up, after all. How is your leg by the way?”

Something told Lucy that Mirajane was filling the air with chatter to distract from earlier. She accepted it in stride, catching up to the woman with a soft, timid smile. “It’s fine. Well, as fine as it can be. Walking is a bit easier, but I still can’t go for very long without the cane. I went without it for a bit when I woke up today, but Natsu kept hovering over me the entire time…”

“Oh?” Mirajane paused, eyes sliding to glance at Lucy with a curious smile, “Natsu came over so early?” “Uhh, yes… early. That.. you could say that.” Lucy edged, unsure how to read Mirajane’s expression.

“Oh my goodness, don’t tell me he stayed over?” She gasped, tilting her head to look into Lucy’s eyes while she covered her mouth. “What a scandal! Lucy you should've told me! I didn’t know you too were that far into your relationship for that.”

Lucy almost dropped her cane. “What,” She sputtered, cheeks heating up, “Mira! That’s not what’s happening at all! This isn’t the first time he’s come over to check on me and you know it.”

“Hmmhmm, I know, but you’re so cute when you’re flustered.”

“Wha- hey, that’s… why are you teasing me all of a sudden?” The denials came and went, and soon their emotional mornings were forgotten.  For now. Green grass was replacing the frost, poking through the soft soil and Lucy thought she caught the sight of a few butterflies drifting from flower to flower. More signs of spring. She took in the sights, the smell of plants awakening from their sleep-like death and talked breezily with Mirajane over their plans for the day. 

If Mirajane tried to ask about Natsu’s presence in Lucy’s home, she deflected quickly, uncertain if Natsu would appreciate his strange terror being spread about the town. Would he want the others to know? Or did he neglect to explain himself for the sole fact he wanted no one to know? Lucy couldn’t be sure, but she wasn’t about to break confidence until she had more information.  

Besides, there were more important things on her mind. “So, Natsu tells me your siblings travel a lot. Why is that?”

Finally, a topic neither wanted to deflect. Mirajane’s expression grew soft at the mere mention of her siblings. Mysterious strangers Lucy had yet to meet and barely knew the existence of until recently. “We used to travel to our old village. It’s quite a ways down south and we like to pay our respects to the residents who used to live there.”

Lucy stumbled over her own thoughts and feet, “Oh I’m.. I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories-”

“Nonsense!” She explained, a soothing voice practically oozing from her lips. “We don’t know if they’re gone or not. The village itself just flooded over, but our parents' graves are there. So we feel it’s only fair to visit, you know? It’s just so far away, that the journey takes longer than most. So they collect information on the other clans in the area as they go, while we hunt and trade for other necessities. It used to be so much fun…”

Mirajane’s wistful sigh made Lucy wonder if she wished she still joined on those travels. “And you stopped going because.. Of Laxus?”

“Well,” Mirajane hedged, eyes glancing to the sky as she considered the question. “Yes and no. We became partners, so it felt weird to leave for 2 years at a time when his own travels dont take so long. And .. well… as his partner I do  help manage the clan along with him and Makarov, haven’t you noticed?”

“Huh.. I guess that makes sense.” 

Their conversation came to a sudden halt then, as they came upon a small yurt covered in faded colors of yellow and orange. Lucy had seen it in passing many times during the winter, but only now did she truly get a good look at it. The colors looked as if they were once vivid and bright. Winding garlands and wispy curtains escaped the small windows with the breeze. It formed a very quaint set up.

Before she could ask if this was the location of Mirajane’s siblings, the question was answered by the door swinging open as a girl, smaller than Lucy, but hair as white as Mira’s, bounded down the steps in beaded sandals. “You’re here!” She exclaimed, bouncing into Mirajane’s arms. The two laughed, swinging about while Lucy watched, a frozen, awkward smile on her face. Their smiles were bright and happy, and Lucy felt the warmth of their laughter and the chill of being the spectator all at once. Had they.. Not seen each other yet? Lucy could have sworn she heard Mirajane mention visiting before, but perhaps she had misremembered? “Lisanna, I was here just the other day for dinner, no need for dramatics now.” Mirajane chided, but the reprimand did not match her tone or the way she ruffled Lisanna’s much shorter hair. “Where’s Elfman?” “Oh he said he was going to help with fishing today. He asked me to say hello for him and to apologize for not being here. He was itching to show off his new muscles to Natsu.” She winked, giggling and with a jolt of surprise, she caught Lucy’s gaze, expression dropping for a second before popping back up just as bright. “Oh! Is that Lucy?”

That was her cue, “H-hello, it’s very nice to meet-” but the greeting was cut short by Lisanna’s arms pulling Lucy into a tight hug, a new spin given with enough speed to make Lucy dizzy. “Nice to meet you!” 

“It’s so nice to meet you, too! Mira has told me a lot about you.” Lucy’s grip on her cane failed and the resulting clatter caused Lisanna to release Lucy from her tight hold. “Oh gosh! I’m so sorry, Mira warned me you had to use a cane, but I forgot-”

“It’s okay. No harm done.” Lucy assured, panting slightly from the surprise. Before she could retrieve the dropped item, Lisanna had plucked it from the ground, offering it to her hands with an apologetic grin. “Well, let’s not keep standing here in the cold.” She pressed, ushering to Lucy and Mirajane both. “Let’s go inside, have some hot tea and then we can start the fun part!”

Lucy honestly felt as if a whirlwind had run off with her, but it wasn’t an unfamiliar occurrence. Everything related to this clan was the same, afterall. 

------

It was well into the evening when Natsu returned to pick Lucy up.

It wasn’t necessary. He knew that. But with Elfman in tow, a man so burly he rivaled the walls for space, he felt it worth the walk. He hadn’t greeted Lisanna yet, after all, and that was a misstep he’d soon rectify. Elfman took the reasoning in stride, broad grin reflecting his joy as he walked among the family he’d missed all year. 

“It’ll be great. Lisanna missed you too.” He said, agreeing with Natsu’s plan to join him. The two had run into each other while fishing. It was a meeting that led to an impromptu competition for who could catch the most fish, but when they had dropped their catch off at the local fishery, neither could truly claim a win. 

Natsu, would of course, state he had the most (and the largest), but Elfman’s broad shoulders carried the majority of it and his own claim was the majority instead. Neither would bend on this, but no one else bore witness to judge one way or the other. With the two heading back to Elfman’s family hut, Natsu was eager to see the rest of the siblings, grin splitting his face nearly in half. He had truly missed seeing the three together. Things weren’t the same when they split after all. Though, as they approached with the earlier scents of Lucy and Mirajane still faint on the trail, Natsu had to begrudgingly admit (to himself) that he had other reasons to pick up Lucy. The events from that morning weighed heavily on his mind and with each crunch of his feet in the gravel, he fell further and further back into the memory of it. He was worried. It was obvious.  And while Elfman clearly picked up on it, the larger man made an effort to keep quiet. Natsu appreciated the restraint. The Fairies With Tails weren’t known for holding back, but it could still happen on the rare occasion. 

‘Don't touch me!’ The shout still rang in his ears and Natsu grunted, mentally pushing it back. But the terror in Lucy’s eyes and the tears that spilled stayed seared in his memory. 

Lucy would be okay though, right? 

He figured Mirajane would know what to do, if no one else did. But that look, it haunted him. 

“What do you think they were doin’ all day, anyway?” He asked, mostly to distract himself. Elfman shrugged. “Lisanna mentioned something about the dances. I bet Mirajane put her up to it. This Lucy girl doesn’t know much about them right?”

Natsu hummed his agreement, “Well, she’s been told some of it, but it’s not like she’s seen or done any. It’s her first time, y’know.”

“Right, right,” Elfman looked to the darkening sky and grinned, “Then I’ll bet she’s learning some of the moves then! Lisanna can’t resist showing off and getting new dancers. She probably jumped right on that opportunity.”

“No way, Lucy can’t do that!” Natsu spluttered before giving his words any thought.  Elfman frowned and sent a glare his way. 

“And why not?”

“She’s got a bum leg!”

“... oh.” Elfman flushed, feeling sheepish before he thought back on the things he’d heard of the new member to their little town. “Well it’s not like she’s incapable of some things right? Maybe she’ll surprise you.”

Natsu had no doubt Lucy could pull some amazing feats if she truly wanted to. Her stamina had increased through the winter months and continued to grow each day, but dancing was… tiring. And the thought of Lucy attempting one of Lisanna’s moves only to lock her knee up made him uneasy. 

“Wendy won’t like it if she gets hurt.” He tacked on lamely a few seconds later. 

“Yeah, that’s possible.” Elfman agreed, before he grunted and gave Natsu another curious side eye. “... but don’t you mean you won't like it?”

“Any reason why I should like a friend getting hurt?” Natsu asked, an accusation rising in his tone. “What? No! I didn’t mean it like that-” 

“How did you mean it then?” Natsu asked. There was a warning in his words. He wondered if Elfman would catch it. Elfman was not a stupid man. Sometimes the obvious was a little slow for him to catch, but he certainly was not stupid. He caught the warning easily and scratched the back of his neck to give himself time before answering. “Nothing really. Just, I haven’t even met her yet and you’ve talked about her all day. So I figured you were a bit… attached?”

That was the cue to change topic, Natsu decided, feeling a rush of heat flare across his face. (An odd sensation for himself. Heat rarely bothered him.) He cleared his throat and shrugged. “I’m attached to everyone, no big deal.” With a shrug, he pointed up the path and grinned. “We’re almost there. Bet I’ll get there first!” Elfman’s jaw dropped as Natsu bolted, kicking dirt up behind his heels. “H-Hey! Natsu you can’t just-. that wasn’t very MANLY of you!”

Natsu answered with a cackle and the race was on.

Though there really wasn’t much farther to go. Natsu’s impromptu race ended almost as soon as it began, with the sounds of light drums being beat from behind Lisanna and Elfman’s yurt and laughter rising into the air. The girls were having fun and Natsu’s sudden skid to a halt almost had him tumbling forward, face first. Elfman was not far behind, feet pounded into the dirt, giving their arrival away, but Natsu couldn’t bring himself to shout a greeting. Lucy was … dancing? His jaw dropped.  It wasn’t the most graceful, nor the most complicated of dances. But the sight before him was one of the many Spring Dances. Mirajane’s fingers lightly tapped against the small snare drum that usually sat inside and Lisanna, body lithe and wiry, moved to the beat seconds before Lucy followed suit. It was a moment between teacher and student with Lucy’s cheeks a rosy red from exertion, eyes gleaming with an excited grin plastered on her face as she succeeded in a particular timed step earning Lisanna’s praise. “You’re doing wonderful!” Lisanna’s voice was breathy, revealing the length of time she spent teaching. “Just a little bit more and we’ll be done.” Natsu noticed the way she spun, grasping Lucy’s shoulder at a particular moment to keep her weight off her healing leg, but his gaze didn’t stray from Lucy’s face for much longer, returning back to the curve of her lips and the joyous laugh that escaped her not a moment later. “This is,” She said between breaths, “More difficult than you make it look, Lisanna. But I think I’m getting the hang of it!” A spin that made her layered skirts twirl came next and Natsu marveled at the way Lucy looked to be glowing in that moment. What little natural light was left shone upon her as she finished with the last beat of the drum and immediately leaned against Lisanna for support. 

“And… you do this every year?” She asked. Lisanna laughed in bemusement, “More like daily for me, but those are the basic steps for one of the first dances we do during the day. The others can be… involved. And many of us practice for weeks beforehand.” “That’s excluding the ones that don’t have a particular dance assigned to them.” Mirajane pointed out, setting the drum aside. She looked at peace with the world, watching both girls in pride. “Those can get a bit chaotic as everyone does whatever they want at any given second. We’ve had a few people crash into each other before…” “I think I’ll avoid those.” Lucy said with a nervous laugh.

“Aw, but they can be so fun!” 

Their laughter rang out once again before Lisanna’s gaze finally met Natsu’s, who stiffened immediately at finally being caught staring. “Oh, look who's here. It’s been awhile, Natsu!”

Lucy’s face turned a bright red and she stumbled back, grasping her cane tightly enough to turn her knuckles white. “H-how long has he been here?”

“Long enough to see the end of it.” Elfman answered, walking past Natsu to join them. “So THIS is the Lucy I’ve been hearing about. You’re pretty sturdy to learn to dance with that leg of yours, aren’t you?”

The look he cast towards Natsu spoke volumes. Natsu had the decency to feel sheepish as he hid his face within the collar of his coat. Lucy thanked Elfman immediately, looking his frame up and down in amazement. It was only a matter of time before she met the entirety of Mirajane’s family, but she still wasn’t prepared for the immense height he had against her, his shadow swallowing her whole. Not to mention that his biceps alone were larger than her head. But she stammered a greeting, cheeks flushed from the earlier exertion as she turned her embarrassed gaze to Natsu, who had yet to reveal himself from his hiding place. 

Instead, he kept his attention on Lisanna, greeting her with a fanged grin and a casual wave of his hand. Lucy blinked and in that sparse second, the dancer had sprung, tackling Natsu into a hug that left the two spinning against the gravel. “I can’t believe you hadn’t come to see me yet!” She chided, pinching his cheeks as he whined, complaints muffled. 

“Oi, I‘ve been busy,” He managed to gasp out when Lisanna slid from his arms, beaming. 

“Tsk, that’s a poor excuse.” She wagged her finger reproachfully, side-eyeing Lucy with mirth, “Lucy’s a delight, but I’m sure she’s not hogging you all to herself. You should have come to see me sooner!”

He didn’t want to admit that he’d missed the news of her arrival until that morning.  Instead, he looked to Lucy for help, lips thinned out into the barest hint of a pout. Natsu squealed when Lucy winked.

“Nope.” She said, arms crossed, “I’m not helping you get out of this, buddy.”

“Lucyyy!” He whined, but she didn’t budge and neither did Lisanna, who flicked his nose. 

Laughter rose among them and their small meeting turned to a conversation inside the warmth of their small home; after Lucy complained of her leg throbbing from her earlier exercise, Natsu insisted she take a break. They all agreed and a small, late dinner was brought to them as they continued their visit. It had been such a long time since Natsu had spent time with all three siblings together and the chatter was full of cheer. 

Lucy fell quiet through most of it, enjoying the sight of their familiar banter. She’d seen Natsu’s interactions with many of the clan and it was a breath of fresh air to see him with Lisanna. Gone was his boisterous rivalry he often claimed with the rest of his friends, replaced by an obvious friendship that had sprouted through years of knowing a person. It was a side of him Lucy had hadn’t seen before and she memorized each moment with the interest of a researcher uncovering a secret. 

Just like the rest of the clan, they were family. Bound by blood for the siblings, yes, but as a whole something stronger held them close.

It filled her with a warm heat that swirled in the pit of her stomach with another feeling she couldn’t quite identify. A hollow, empty void that swallowed the heat, consuming it until Lucy could do nothing else, but look away. It hurt. To realize, once again, what she had lost. Her new friendships were a healing balm, but this? This was growth through years of trust and time, and she… 

Lucy pinched the top of her hand hard enough to bruise, wincing at the shock as it pulled her from her darker thoughts. Stop it. Don’t focus on that. She thought, biting back a grimace. That’s not important. 

She would have to deal with these emotions: eventually, but tonight was not that moment. Forcing a smile, she continued her observations, laughing at all the right moments and allowing the warmth of their laughter to wash over her. The cracks in her heart would be soothed with time.

Patience.

That’s what was needed. Natsu, through his own boisterous laughter, teasing Lisanna and Elfman both as Mirajane laughed behind her hand, looked to Lucy curiously. Her shoulders were stiff and sharp eyes caught the sight of the red, swelling skin of her hand. As if by instinct, his hand moved, to grasp her own or regain her attention, he wasn’t sure, but he paused a second later, hand retracting quickly as he was drawn back into the conversation. 

‘Don’t touch me!’

 Why couldn’t he get that out of his head?

--- Tag List ---

@cobblepottantrum @pbfanart @lovelyluce @yuldragneel @mamabearcat @millennial-star-gazer @caandleworks @kaycha1989 @just-another-dream-girl @dlshieldss @ctay21 @gingerthesnap @acidrain1698 @clockworkassassino @caranikki-blog @doginshoe @unwei @moeruhoshi @mykingdomforachocolatecookie @melissa827 @littlejinxed @moonlitstargazerforever @squeep123 @bitch-stole-my-nutella-again @shadyhydrathesnekqueen

#Fairy Tail Fanfiction #FT Fanfiction #Nalu Fanfiction #Nalu #NatsuxLucy #Natsu Dragneel #lucy heartfilia #Fairy Tail #fanfiction #multichapter #Flame's Desire

[panravenc]

masterlist.

hey, so i just wanted to leave this here to keep things a bit more organized, since tumblr does what it wants and sometimes you can’t search things up in my blog lmao (or, at least, i can’t? fuck this site, honestly)

love y’all,

―pau.

fairy tail:

erza scarlet:

nsfw headcanons w/ male!s/o

relationship headcanons

juvia lockser:

nsfw headcanons w/ male!s/o

relationship headcanons

mirajane strauss:

nsfw headcanons w/ male!s/o

relationship headcanons

sadistic and soft-spoken s/o

wendy marvell:

sadistic and soft-spoken s/o

natsu dragneel:

light upon the heart - canon drabble

nalu:

sun on skin - canon drabble

sleepy cuddles - canon drabble

cuddles headcanons

gruvia:

rain on lips - canon drabble

team natsu:

reacting to horror movies

jujutsu kaisen:

chosoyuki:

sparring - canon os

first kiss - canon os

breathless - merman!au os

no curses au - tattoo artist!au os

confessions - hogwarts au

relaxing - canon os

blood manipulation - canon os

tokyo revengers:

ryuguji “draken” ken:

kitagawa okiku - snippet

pokemon:

piers:

going down on fem!s/o

cute scenario

masturbation scenario

going to his s/o’s concert

raihan:

going down on fem!s/o

marnie:

aged up!marnie & adopted!child

marnie w/ sneasel

milo:

punk male!s/o

gordie:

secret relationship

bea:

romantic/general headcanons

melony:

romantic/general headcanons

drasna:

sfw and nsfw headcanons

all leaders:

spooky season headcanons - galar

kimetsu no yaiba:

kouchou shinobu:

snowdrops - canon drabble

tomioka giyuu:

down to the wire - canon os

soft headcanons

rengoku kyoujuro:

soft headcanons

sabigiyuu:

first kiss - canon os

tattoo artist - tattoo parlor!au drabble

rock band - band!au os

ballet - modern!au os

fantasy - spirit!au os

adoption - modern!au os

welcome home - canon os

kamaboko gang:

reacting to horror movies

one piece:

portgas d. ace:

death bed - canon os

donquixote rosinante:

a way to your heart - canon drabble

benel:

in the morning - canon drabble

nefertari vivi:

desert nights - canon drabble

edward newgate (whitebeard):

battle reward - canon drabble

gol d. roger:

battle reward - canon drabble

yamato:

blossom - canon drabble

marcoace:

domestic sweetness - modern!au os

hibiscus on dusk - modern!au drabble

freckles upon your sky - modern!au drabble

spill your thoughts - soulmate + modern!au os

lawlu:

(un)expected overload - modern!au os

boku no hero academia:

mina ashido:

a very cute girlfriend - canon drabble

todoroki enji:

of peaceful skies - canon drabble

voltron:

lance mcclain:

the whispers of your blues - canon drabble

#i hope this makes it easier to see what i've written #please enjoy!!! #and remember english isn't my first language so i'm sorry if there are mistakes anywhere

[hellisoursalvation]

MATRIS AMOR: a Nalu fanfic

Genre: Mystery/Horror

Natsu finds himself drug to an archeology dig site so Lucy could find material for her newest book. They are awoken one night to one of the archeologists clawing their own eyes out, screaming of bugs on them. Natsu finds himself in a situation to face his past, literally.

#zee 🤼 #fairy tail #natsu dragneel #lucy heartfilia #fairy tail fic

[ljf613]

Thoughts on Natsu x Lisanna?



Ah, you have unearthed my deep, dark past: I was once an antishipper.

In my wayward youth, before I discovered the joys of multishipping, I genuinely believed that there was one "correct" ship for any given character, and anyone who shipped them with anyone else was wrong.

So you can imagine the horror I felt when I, an avowed NaLu shipper since day one, discovered that one of my best friends-- the same friend who got me into Fairy Tail to begin with-- was actually a NaLi shipper who had never noticed any romantic tension between Natsu and Lucy and thought it was all in my head.

I am not proud of my reaction to this. (Among other things, I believe that I posted a poll in an online forum I was part of, asking whether people preferred NaLu or NaLi. And when the overwhelming majority of responded in favor of NaLu, I may or may not have printed out the results and waved them in my friend's face to "prove" that I was wrong and she was right.)

Nowadays, as a much more mature and sensible individual, I wouldn't say I'm a huge fan of NaLi, but I suppose I see the appeal.

Personally, I don't think Natsu's feeling for Lisanna ever went beyond friendship. I also don't think Lisanna really had romantic feelings for him, especially not when she was so young-- he was a boy her age who she got along with, which in her young mind meant that of course they'd get married when they grew up. (I started doing the same thing with boys I knew around the time I turned five or six, and continued doing so until I was fourteen or fifteen. Off the top of my head, I could name at least six or seven boys I was CONVINCED that I was going to marry. Not one of those boys did I ever have actual romantic feeling for.)

That being said, if their lives had continued as they'd expected, and Lisanna had never "died," there's a solid chance that they may actually have developed real feelings for each other and ended up together. But that's just not how things played out.

#fairy tail #thoughts #lisanna and natsu #lisanna strauss #natsu dragneel #i have grown from my mistakes #thanks for the ask! #all queued up

[fairytail-incorrectquotes]

Natsu: No arson and no food make Natsu... something something.

Lucy: Go crazy?

Natsu: dOn'T MiNd iF i dO! *screams*

#nalu #natsu continues to be a mood #natsu dragneel #lucy heartfilia #fairy tail #source: simpsons #source: simpsons treehouse of horror #fairy tail incorrect quotes #incorrect quotes #incorrect fairy tail quotes #incorrect quote #anime #manga