Memories(Nalu)

63- Not Ready

What causes someone to do something like this? To completely forget about themselves, and risk their life for somebody else?

If I wanted to, I could run.

I could grab Natsu, and try to run to the left, to the cover of trees.

That's the only way that I would have any remote chance of surviving this, but the only problem is that Natsu's chances get so much lower if I do that.

He has a chance if I do this, even if I don't have that chance.

My chances are low, so very low right now...

But I realized long ago that I would do anything to protect these people...to protect him.
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"Yo, Lucy."

Natsu appears from the guild doors, and I look over to him from my spot on the grass across the sidewalk.

"Hey."

He seats himself next to me on the soft grass.

"Why're you out here?"

Loud bangs and shouts come the walls of the guild, and I chuckle.

"That's why. It's a little too rowdy for me."

I frown slightly.

"I didn't really feel like I belonged just sitting awkwardly at the bar waiting for it to cool down...."

Natsu punches my arm and my thoughts derail from their place.

"Ow, Natsu! What was that for?"

He chuckles and looks up at the sky.

"Guess what marks tomorrow?"

I raise my eyebrow a little in curiosity.

"..what?"

"Your three months of joining Fairy Tail."

I gasp lightly.

"Three months since I bumped into you by chance at Hargeon."

He lets out a light, breathy laugh, and I stare at him in a sort of awe.

"How did you know that?"

He flicks my arm.

I bring my hand up to my arm and glare at him.

"Ow, Natsu. Why do you keep doing that?"

He shrugs, and a childish smirk appears on his face.

"Hey, I'm not only tough, but I've got a killer memory!"

I scoff.

"Says the guy who keeps forgetting to shut the window on the way out of my apartment!"

"Hey! It was one time!"

I cross my arms.

"Well it wasn't only one bug that flew into my apartment from it."

He huffs.

"Whatever..."

I turn my head away, my hair falling over my shoulder, blocking his view of my face, and I smile softly without even realizing.
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We hadn't known each other for a long while, and I wasn't sure if I would be able to fit in with people who had known each other their whole lives, but Natsu had showed me otherwise.

I had never felt so special... that my life, MY life, was special in any way.

I was so happy to know that I meant something to someone.

I had always been lonely, with the thought that nobody would care if I had disappeared...but I was wrong.

They are going to care.

This is going to hurt them. I know it. And I am sorry for that, but it would hurt more if they lost someone who has been with them almost their whole lives, rather than what seems to be six months.

Also, it would hurt me more if he didn't make it.

Natsu is the reason for everything that I have in this world, and it pains me to think that this may just be the last chance I'll see him.

Don't let this be the end.
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"You're taking a job without me?"

He stuffs some food that he grabbed from my pantry into his mouth.

"Yup!"

"Don't say it so easily!"

He shrugs his shoulders.

"Erza said that you guys are having a girl's night with some of the girls at the guild, and I was told specifically that 'no boys are allowed'".

I huff a little into a pout.

"I guess so."

"I'll be back in a couple of days."

I sigh.

"Okay."

He shuts the cabinets, tying the top of a packed bag into a knot and making his way towards the window.

I stand up abruptly.

"Hey! Are you taking my food?!"

He pops a roll into his mouth and props himself up on the window.

"You don't want us to get hungry do you?"

"You can buy your ow-"

"Cmon Lucy. Aren't you going to say goodbye to me in a nice way?"

I falter a little bit, mid yell.

"Fine. Goodbye, Natsu..."

He chuckles and leaps down from the window, disappearing from my sight.

My face falls into a pout.

He didn't even say goodbye to me. That little turd....and he stole all the food from my pantry!

A noise makes my attention snap up towards the window again, where Natsu perches, head leaned through.

"See ya in two days, Lucy."

And then he's gone again.

"See ya..."
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I'm not ready to say goodbye to him yet.

But this world doesn't do what I want it to.

I lift my head, a deep sadness delving in the depths of my irises, and look towards the half unconscious Natsu, whose fingers reach weakly into the air.

"In case I don't get another chance... goodbye, Natsu."