NaLu One Shots (Fairy Tail)

#43: Locket

Information:

1) Fluff

2) Also partially inspired by the OVA.
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^^^Inspiration^^^

~3rd Person POV~
"I'm going on a mission, Luce! I'll be back tomorrow!" Natsu called out to his partner.

Lucy nodded back. "Aye!"

Natsu left the guild, the doors swinging behind him.

Lucy quickly packed up all her stuff and headed home.

Walking along the riverbank, her hair was blown by the wind.

She unlocked her apartment door and gave the landlady her monthly payment of 70,000J and hopped in her bathtub.

Without Natsu around, she had some quality time to herself.

She loved humming in the shower, but she sometimes limited it when Natsu was around. She didn't really want him finding out, he'd tease her forever and she knew it.

Not to mention Happy, her life would be destroyed.

"Ahh, I haven't had a bath like that in ages!" Lucy cried out in satisfaction.

She looked around her empty apartment and frowned.

Sure, Natsu being around was annoying and restricting, but him not being around was a bit worse.

It was too quiet in her apartment, and she got bored quickly. At least with the other two here she would have something to entertain herself.

She had nothing at the moment.

She sighed and plopped herself on her plush couch, trying to think of something to do.

An imaginary lightbulb lit inside her head, and she stood up, a mischievous look on her face.

"Payback time." She casually walked to Natsu's house on the edge of town.

She picked the door lock with her hairpin and broke in.

Her mouth swung open.

"It's a mess!" She screamed and ruffled her hair.

She sighed.

"Guess I'll clean it up..." She muttered, knowing that there was nothing better to do.

She bent over and picked up a pile of Natsu's dirty clothes.

She nearly gagged.

She let out a whine. "Why me?!"

~Time skip~
Lucy wiped the sweat off her brow.

"It took me more than a day, but it's clean now. Natsu should be home soon so I'll just look around." She said to herself.

No one else to talk to after all.

She started rummaging through his belongings, though she made note of the private stuff and promised herself not to touch it.

She'd examined his 'job board' before, and she still loved looking at it. The nostalgia was great.

Though this time, there seemed to be something new hanging there.

There was a nail, hammered into the board, but not fully.

A locket dangled from it, it was golden in colour with brown highlights.

She didn't want to look at it, it could have been important, but her curiosity killed her inside.

She snapped open the locket, and her heart slammed against her chest.

She could feel a smile creeping onto her face without permission, her cheeks heating up.

There, in the locket were two pictures, one on each side.

One picture was of Lucy alone, sitting in the guild reading.

The other was of both of them, one that Lucy remembers they took together.

It was after one of their jobs together. Natsu had gotten stronger after his one year break and so they decided to go on a mission together and they took this picture after it.

Surprisingly there was no burning building and/or town in the background.

She smiled.

The door opened slowly, she could hear the creak. She froze.

She pretended to ignore it, knowing it was them coming home.

"Lucy?" She heard a soft voice ask.

She whipped around.

"Happy? Where's Natsu?" She asked.

"He's eating at the guild, I came home to rest for a bit." Happy flew over to her, and she tried to hide the locket to no avail.

"What'cha looking at?" He asked in a tone, a tone that did not bode well with Lucy.

"N-Nothing!" She stammered like an idiot.

Happy gasped when he saw the locket in her hand.

"So you found it, huh?" He asked, a smile on his face.

Lucy softened.

That wasn't a teasing smile, it was a calm and gentle one.

She nodded slowly in uncertainty.

"Natsu wears that locket all the time." He said.

Lucy gaped.

"But I never see it on him!" She retaliated.

"He wears it under his scarf." He explained.

"Then why is it here?"

"He leaves it at home when he's on missions, he can't bear the thought of losing it." Happy laughed.

"Once, he accidentally left it in his room without knowing and he tore the whole house apart trying to look for it." He snickered.

"Speaking of which, why is it so clean?" Happy looked around, finally soaking in his surroundings.

"I cleaned your house for you guys, just a little 'thank you gift'." She said, a smile on her face.

Happy thanked her and flew onto the hammock.

He sighed.

Lucy looked stunned.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

Happy simply smiled. "Nothing, I just think it's cute."

"What is?"

"Natsu can't sleep without that locket. He clutches it every time he goes to bed, and he doesn't let go until morning." Happy explained. Lucy's blush returned.

"After the 'future you' died, it gave him an even bigger reason to wear it everywhere he went. He needed a constant reminder that you were still there, alive and well." He sighed once more.

He looked at her, tears in his eyes.

"Don't ever leave him, Lucy. His whole world would turn to ashes." He muttered, his tears flowing free.

Lucy felt her own tears building up. She jumped in the hammock and gave Happy a hug, holding him tight.

"I would never leave him, I promise." Lucy muttered.

Those two cried softly until they fell asleep.

Natsu opened the door, a big smile on his face.

"Happy, I'm ho-" He trailed off at the sight of Happy and Lucy sleeping soundly.

He saw Lucy grip the locket tightly, and he smiled.

He lay down beside the two and caressed Lucy's face, his hand resting upon her hand that held the locket.

And he fell asleep, his two best friends by his side.

Unbeknownst to Happy and Lucy, Natsu heard the entire conversation.