The Mating Season🔥🌟[ A NaLu FanFiction ]

PROLOGUE

"Lucy!"

The door burst open as he rushed in. It wasn't really a rare occurrence, so everyone's head turned to his direction only because of the curiosity of how his voice sounded—too loud with a hint of strain and small tremble—and then went back to what they were doing, filling the hall with more chatter and laughter, when they realized that it's just Natsu.

It's just...Natsu. Right?

Natsu stood there and tried to control his breathing. With a careful step, he scanned the tables to search for someone despite his nose already telling him that she wasn't around.

Makarov watched him with his one eye closed, a mug of tea in his hand—yes, not booze. He noticed how Natsu's shoulders stiffened at every bump of his guildmates against him along the way. Instead of getting hot over it, starting another rumble for this day for new bills to pay, he just continued walking like nothing happened. His guildmates followed him with confused gazes.

There's no way we got ignored.

He's not Natsu.

"Natsu," Makarov greeted when the Dragon Slayer reached the bar counter where he was seated. "Any problem? I can smell your anxiety."

"Uh, nothing." Natsu flashed his infamous wide grin as if it was enough to mask his feelings. His worries. "Have you seen Lucy?"

As I thought. It has something to do with her.

"Hmm. She's ill. But don't worry, she's being treated. She'll be fine by tomorrow." Tomorrow? He hoped so.

Lucy Heartfilia had fallen ill three days ago, which wasn't normal. Even with Porlyusca and Wendy's healing abilities, she was nowhere getting better. Her temperature was in its abnormal state, certainly not a simple fever. It was weird and alarming.

"I'm still yet to find the reason for her illness, but based on my observation, she seems to be getting worse when surrounded by people," he remembered Porlyusca tell him on the second day of Lucy being sick, confined in the Guild Hall's Clinic. "You better bring her home. Only one person can accompany her at a time to lessen the risk."

"Natsu can—"

"Natsu isn't here," Levy had interrupted, staring at Lucy's body unconscious on the bed. "I can take care of her."

Again, Makarov sipped on his tea, disappointed that Natsu didn't know about it. It only meant that he went directly in the guild instead of Lucy's apartment after being gone for a week, which was a strange occurrence. Normally, Natsu and Happy's first destination after going home from a mission was Lucy's home—if she didn't go with them. It's known by everyone.

"Where have you been?"

"I just..." Natsu swallowed hard. "I trained alone on a mountain..."

People might have missed his unsteady breathing and contracted onyx eyes, but not the old Guild Master. It mirrored his confusion and panic for whatever reason, and somewhere there was fear.

"Did Lucy know? You didn't leave her like the last time, did you?"

"O-Of course not! I've learned my lesson! And like I said, I was alone because I left Happy with her!"

His nose then scrunched up when he caught a scent of the said feline. As he turned around, his narrowed eyes landed on Happy who was busy with his fish on a table with their friends.

"What is he doing here? Didn't I tell him to look after Lucy?" he muttered under his breath, sounding upset.

Yup. There was definitely something wrong with him.