Lucy POV
I sat on the bench outside of my little apartment complex and sobbed. I knew it was stupid. I don't know why I thought he'd actually show up after making it obvious he didn't want to hear from me. Why didn't I just listen to my head instead of my heart?
"Lucy?" a male voice spoke around the corner, causing me to jump and spin around. There he stood. Pink hair, muscle and all. Though his normally flawless face was red and tear stained. Red rings surrounded his eyes and in the dim light I could see where he had used his sleeve to wipe away the tears. "What are you doing out here?" he spoke quietly and defensively, as if I was the one who had stood him up. "And why are you crying?" He truly was oblivious sometimes.
"I could be asking you the same thing. You finally show up..." I glanced down at my phone, "nine hours and twenty-four minutes. Just in time to see me break down." With a puff of breath I got up and began to walk towards the stairs to my apartment.
I could almost see his anger and animosity in the air as I walked away. "I was training but you can walk away. That's cool. I was training or rather being punished because of stuff I didn't mean to do but if you can't understand that I can't imagine you could understand what I've been through. Yeah, I was supposed to meet you at two thirty. I apologize sincerely. But for once could you stop being a drama queen and calm down enough to listen to me? I was trying to save my ass and your just trying to find out what the hell happened to me, right? That's great. That's just great. Congratulations, Sherlock! See you never." Angry footsteps filled the stale air and a door opened and slammed shut. I just huffed and made my way into my own apartment, closing the door behind me, then shrinking into a little ball in front of the door.
There was so much anger inside of him. So much pent up fury and rage that with the slightest wave of a finger, it came exploding out. He had always been hot headed but never to this extent and with this much intent to do actual damage.
I picked myself up off the floor and forced myself into the shower. I let the hot water run over me and clear the muggy thoughts clouding my brain. For a moment, just a moment, it seemed as if everything in the world had taken this moment to take a deep breath and remember why they were where they are now. I ran my fingers through my wet, gold locks and took deep breaths, trying to forget the hurtful words Natsu had screamed at me. But one sentence stuck out to me in particular. "I was trying to save my ass..." Why? Why and what were you saving yourself from? A monster? A test? His master? Igneel? Levy's story popped into my head next. Igneel would never abuse Natsu and as far as I know he didn't have a mother that he knew about. Igneel told me he found Natsu as a baby and took him under his wing because he couldn't resist the way baby Natsu looked at him. He adored Natsu with every last scale on his body. Why was Natsu crying then and saving himself?
I stepped out of the warm shower, dried off and put some warm pajamas on to counteract the cold air in the apartment. The warmth of my bed welcomed me as I flopped down into it and buried my face in a pillow. "Home, sweet-"
My lovely reunion was ruined by the buzzing of my phone on the nightstand. Groaning, I reached over and slid the button over to answer it. "Levy-chan, what do you want? I was just going to sleep and-"
"So you are okay? Oh my goodness I'm so relieved! I got a call from Gajeel who got a call from Gray who got a call from Natsu saying that you were upset and needed help. They somehow knew me and you were fast friends and Natsu told Gray to find someone who knew me and had my number." she spoke quickly, making my head spin.
"I'm okay now, Levy. Really. It was just a one night cry kinda thing. I guess someone heard me crying in the apartment complex and just happened to complain to the right person", I lied.
"Lu-chan, you know you can tell me anything right?" she asked softly, making it obvious she detected my lie.
I sighed, knowing the jig was up and let loose. I told her about Natsu, my mom, my dad, moving, my magic, why I moved back to Magnolia and what happened between Natsu and I, which wasn't a whole lot to be honest. After seeing how he had changed, I didn't know what I thought of him. He was so different. Everything about him, his appearance, his voice, his attitude and even his clothes had changed.
"You need to talk to him, Lu-chan. I don't know Natsu that well but I know a lot of his friends and he's not a horrible human being. Honestly. Yeah, he fools around but if you ask his guardian or aunt, Professor Strauss, she can tell he's oblivious to his own emotions and the emotions of others unless they make it blatantly obvious. And those girls that follow him around are making it blatantly obvious. I have a friend who works with his trainer and sometimes with Natsu named Erza and she says Natsu is too sweet and oblivious for his own good. She said he wouldn't know what to do with those girls even if he wanted too." Levy's calm voice soothed my aching heart. I didn't like Natsu in that way but I didn't want him to end up horribly confused and even more messed up.
I finally spoke, "Alright I'll talk to him Levy-chan. Thanks."
I heard her giggle, "Good! You two would make a cute couple."
"Wh... What... No! No, it's not like that... I've known him since we were kids! His foster dad basically raised me for a few years while my mom was sick! He... He's my brother I couldn't possibly..." I felt the heat rush into my cheeks as I stuttered to get my point across to my new found friend. She just laughed and I stuttered some more nonsense out.
"Well not that this hasn't been fun but I'm tired, Lu-chan. I'm gonna go to bed now, okay? I'll see you tomorrow!"
"Yeah... Yeah. Goodnight, Levy-chan!" I hung up my phone and flopped down on my bed once more, exhausted mentally and physically from my first day at FTA. Within seconds, I was out cold, dreaming of what could've happened to Natsu.
Natsu POV
I got off the phone with Gray, knowing he'd find someone that knew Lucy to find out if she was going to be okay.
"Argh... God dammit! Can I not do anything right?" I threw my bag from the bed onto the ground and out of habit, tried to ignite my fists, only to get a fist full of nothing and a shock from the belt, warning me not to try again. I groaned once more and collapsed onto my bed.
Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid! How could you say those things? Would Igneel want you to act like that to your childhood friend? No, in fact, you would be charred right now if he knew what you were doing to anybody right now. With the girls and studies and ugh! I ran my fingers through my hair, trying to find something to take my mind of Lucy and her beautiful eyes I made cry. And her hair and... What the hell am I talking about? She's my childhood friend, like a sister. What is wrong with me today? First I talk back to one of the only adults who doesn't openly want to kill me then I get into a fight with Gray in class, shock myself trying to ignite my flames, then get up and keep trying which alerted Gramps, who then told Gildarts and... Maybe I do need some other form of discipline...
My mind was running circles in an endless marathon and it was starting to give me a headache. With groggy steps, I walked over to my medicine cabinet and found some painkillers, shoving them in my mouth then collapsing again on the bed and waited for sleep to come over me. Gildarts workout had really pushed my boundaries, especially the run with the belt on. Magic power is something I rely on when working out and without it, my physical strength is definitely limited.
Slowly, I drifted away into a calm slumber, not worrying about the day or anything else. But something happened in my sleep.
I remember an all white room with nothing in it but me. I looked around, looked back and Igneel was standing in front of me. Disbelief shocked my body. "Ig... Igneel? Dad? Is that you?" I began to walk towards him when he stopped me.
"At this point, I'm sure you know what has happened to me. Although, where I went and why I went will be explained in time. Right now, I am here to talk with you about what you have become and-"
I interrupted his words, "Igneel, where have you been? You left me as a kid with no indication of returning or finding me. I almost died! Why'd you leave me... Why?"
He sighed, understanding I wasn't going to listen until he gave me some understanding of why he left me by our little house alone one night. "Why did I have to give you stubbornness? Natsu, I left to protect you and those you love. I didn't want to leave you and by no means did I anticipate never returning, but like you, I bite off more than I can chew and this time, I truly messed up. I choked on what I bit off. I apologize but look at you, my son! Look what you've become. Lucy was someone special to you as a child and just because she had to leave doesn't mean you have the right to act like an asshole to her! Be the man I was raising you to be, baka!"
I sighed, knowing what he said was true. "I guess you're right... But Luce... Lucy doesn't even want to talk to me! She made that very clear and I stood her up today. Granted, I couldn't have left or anything but I already rubbed her the wrong way. Igneel..."
"You'll figure out what to do, Natsu."
"Wait, where are you going? Dad! Dad, don't leave me again!" I screamed violently at the now disappearing dragon.
"I must leave now. But I'll always be with you. Keep our magic alive!"
"Dad!" I yelled until my throat was raw and I tasted blood. He slowly drifted away and I fell to the ground.
I woke up on the ground beside my bed, with a rather sore tailbone from smacking the ground. A single tear rolled down from my eye.
"Dad..."