Our Long Lost Child - NaLu AU

Chapter 27 // Help

(Lucy's POV)

"Lucy..." Natsu falls on me and I catch him.

"Oh my Mavis, what happened to you?" I lead him on the couch. He winces as he lays down. I run to grab a medical kit and an ice pack before rushing to his side. I take the alcohol in a towel and pat his blood away, and place the ice pack on his black eye.

"Ow..." Natsu sighs, holding the ice pack. "I was walking with Leah, James, and Maria... and then Viktor showed up."

"Oh Mavis... he did this to you?" I continue wiping the places where he was bleeding.

"No... His men did. You should've seen them, Lu. They looked worse." He laughed lightly.

"Is Leah okay?"

"I think... I think Viktor took her."

"What? No!" I stand up. "I'm going to get her back." Before I could walk away, Natsu grabs my hand.

"Lucy..." he rubs the diamond on my finger. "Don't, it's too dangerous." I turn back to him, and he cups my cheek. "I won't let him do anything to the woman I love."

"Natsu..." I look into his eye. He smiles softly, rubbing my cheek with his thumb.

"We'll get Leah back, together."

"Together." I smile back. "Now, are you okay enough to take a bath? I can't let you crash here with grime all over you."

Natsu chuckles. "I'd like a little help."

I help him up and take him to the bathtub. I turn the faucet on warm, and prepare his towel and clothes. He sits on the toilet as I unbutton his shirt, revealing his dirty and bruised chest.
"Ouch," Natsu winces as I take his shirt off slowly.

"Sorry." I continue undressing him and see how much they've hurt him. I can't bear to see his body like this. I help him into the filled bathtub and I start cleaning the dirt off. "It isn't fair. It was just you against so many of them." I sigh as I scrub his back. "How did you even get out of there?"

"I don't know. I was knocked out, and when I woke up I was at your door. But I remember dreaming that Igneel helped me get out of there... maybe his spirit lead me here."

I continue cleaning him up, and shampooing the dirt out of his hair. Once I finish I rinse him off and pull the drain. I help Natsu dry up and put his clothes on.

"Natsu... are you still mad at me?" I ask as I fix his sweater. "....You have every right to be mad at me."

"I... I can't stay mad at you," he tilts my head with his finger on my chin. "The more time I had to myself, the more I understood. You kept it a secret for my sake. Even though I don't agree with that decision, I know you were thinking about me the whole time. Plus, you even forgave me when I told you the reason I broke up with you in the past. And we can't change the past, the only thing we can do is move forward together. I also learned that I can't live without you Lucy, I love you so damn much."

His words bring tears in my eyes. I wrap my arms around him and place my face in his chest. "As much as I love you too, I don't deserve you Natsu. I really don't. How can you forgive me after everything I did to you?" He slowly wraps his arms around me, hugging me tight.

"That should be my line. I was the cause of your sheltered life, and I hate myself so much for it. I guess you can say we're even." He pauses,"And I don't belong to anyone else but you Lucy. I'm all yours."

We stayed in our embrace for a while until we realized the time. I bandaged his wounds as well as his fists and lead him to my bed. He carefully laid down as I pulled the blanket over him, tucking him in. I took a new ice pack wrapped in a towel and placed it over his black eye. I slide in next to him.