Dialogue is from the final chapter of the Fairy Tail Manga, written by Hiro Mashima. Prologue
"Happiness is breaking out all over!" Lucy thought to herself "What a nice feeling...like a warm hug!" She swayed a bit as she took in the atmosphere of the gala. The sound of glasses clinking and laughter and shouts made her head swim in a way that was both dizzying and blissful. Not wasting another second she joined her friends, downing more wine and rum with a boisterous Cana and Erza. The rest of the party blurred together, yanking and spinning Lucy like a leaf caught in a happy cyclone.
Next thing she knew, Lucy was flinching at the bright rays reaching in through the curtains. She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, riding out the wave of pain that was throbbing in her head.
White sheets crumpled in her hands, and twisted around her body as she stood her ground against the attacking hangover.
'Ugh." She groaned.
Lucy pushed her head into her pillow and reached out for any memory of last night.
The Gala!
She was at a gala, celebrating her award for best new novelist. Wasn't she? She was with her friends and then...where was she now?!
With a start Lucy sat up.
"Huh?...I'm in my room." She blinked. It didn't make sense...Lucy raked through her memory but she couldn't remember getting back to her apartment...or...changing her clothes... being a novelist was her dream but-
"It can't be that it was all a dream. That's too cliche...!" She raked through her memory again... The smell of take-out food messed with her already tender stomach. When did she get food?
"What is the last thing I remember?" She mumbled to herself.
Before she could pain herself with more digging, the sound of smacking made Lucy realize she wasn't alone.
Natsu lounged happily on her chair as shamelessly as ever. Laid out between them was a messy buffet of take out, which atleast explained the stench. she stared aghast at the crumbs and sauce decorating her beautiful coffee table.
"THIS IS MY ROOM." She growled. They never cleaned up after themselves.
Dread washed over her, where was Happy?"
"Look Lucy! I made your trophy all shiny!"
Happy rubbed his paws all over a golden trophy sitting on her dresser. She could see claw marks all over it from where she sat.
"You scratched it up!" The trophy. It was there, in her room...so that meant...
"But it wasn't a dream." She sighed. Last night happened. The award. The Gala. The party. Her friends celebrating. Now she was in her room, and so were they?
"Why are the two of you in my room?" She demanded, locking eyes with Natsu.
He met her gaze with a wry one. "Why else? You completely passed out, and we carried you home!"
Carried me home, I couldn't make it here by myself? "You mean I was that drunk?!"
Happy failed to cover the massive grin with his paws. "Oh Lucy!"
A look of panic washed over Natsu's face. "You really shouldn't tell her, Happy."
"What did I do?"
"Ha-ha, well..." Happy began.
~0~
Drunken laughter died out around them as Lucy clung to Natsu's side.
"She's really had too much to drink." Happy pointed out.
Lucy giggled. "That was so much fun, we have to have another party next weekend."
"Well, we won't have another party like this for awhile." Natsu smirked.
Lucy reached up and circled her arms around his neck. Natsu's face went blank. She looked up at him with her big, brown, drunken eyes.
"Awe, how about we plan something small. Maybe we can dance like we did at the Basalmic Mansion." She swayed them both and hummed a waltz.
"She's in love!" Happy jested.
"Lucy, you need to go to sleep."
"No way! I want to dance!"
"Don't leave her hanging!" Happy snickered.
"Shut up Happy." He growled. "Come on Lucy, bedtime."
Lucy broke away from Natsu and nearly fell over.
"Haha!" She laughed on her way down. Happy caught her and flapped his wings to keep her upright.
"So heavy!" He cried.
Natsu grabbed her and tried to keep her steady. With a laugh she climbed around Natsu and jumped on his back.
"Ah!"
"Carry me, carry me!" Lucy squealed.
Natsu sighed in defeat and grabbed her her legs. Her apartment wasn't too far from where they were now.
He let her down carefully onto the bed. Happy threw down the shoes he had been carrying after they fell off her feet. Smiling, Lucy rubbed her hands all over her sheets. The bed felt amazing.
"Alright." Natsu said, watching Lucy stretch.
"Let's get out of here!" Happy yawned.
"Goodnight Lu-" Natsu started.
"Waaaait..." Lucy sat up, she tugged at her dress. "This dress is itchy, I don't want to sleep in it."
"Then take it off!" Happy said impatiently, not expecting Lucy to actually strip.
Lucy nodded and pushed her top down, exposing herself to the gawking guys. She laid down on her back and slid the dress down her thighs and then kicked it to the floor.
"Uhhh, Natsu...She-" Happy gasped.
"I need something warm, it's so cold!" She looked up at Natsu with a smile. "Change me!" She giggled.
"Nice underwear!" Happy choked. "Haha, she's never gonna live this down."
Natsu leapt for the dresser and started opening them until he found what could be used for pajamas.
"Here." He tried to hand them to her but she shook her head. "Dress me, I'm too tired!"
"Uh."
"It's just like putting on your own shorts, Natsu." Happy chuckled.
Natsu was able to slide the shorts up to her waist.
"Stay still."
Lucy giggled and grabbed Happy and rolled to her side.
"Cuddle with me." Lucy snuggled Happy to her and grinned. "Such a soft kitty."
"Natsu!" Happy cried.
"You're on your own little buddy." Natsu laughed.
"You too Natsu." Lucy begged. "Come keep me warm."
"Goodnight Lucy." He grinned and began to turn away.
"Save me, her boobs are suffocating me!"
"Natsu, could you please take this." Lucy reached out her closed hand. Happy's tail flicked in frustration.
"Yeah." When he reached out his hand Lucy's empty hand grabbed it and pulled him beside her.
"Ahahahaha, tricked you." Lucy trapped him with her leg.
"No more alcohol for you, ever!" He muttered to Lucy's shoulder.
"If you say so." She murmured.
Natsu rolled over to the left while Happy stayed on the right and laughed.
"So warm..." Lucy sighed as she drifted to sleep, snuggling with her boys...
"We're so drawing on her face this time." Happy swore.
~0~
"Now I'll never walk down the aisle." Lucy shuddered.
She heard Natsu jump to his feet. "But you can walk out and take a job with us, right?"
She looked over at Natsu and saw an all too familar look in his eyes. One that promised adventure and action. This time, that look went deeper than ever before. Lucy was warmed remembering all the times that she had been protected and avenged by Natsu. She felt again the depth of loneliness caused by his year absence and she felt again how much her heart burst at the sight of him walking out onto the tournament field and she tasted the relief of him saying "I'm home!" after defeating Acnologia. In the past three years, Natsu had brought her more adventure and action than she knew what to do with. She hoped with all her heart that the adventure would never end.
Lucy was hardly aware of the tears collecting in her eyes.
"What's the matter Lucy?" Natsu asked cautiously.
"Does your tummy hurt?" Happy asked innocently.
"N-no..." She sniffed. "All these memories just came rushing back...and I just couldn't stop the tears."
She looked deeper into his eyes and suddenly the distance between them was too much. In this moment Lucy wanted nothing more than to close the gap between them. She stumbled forward, blinded by her tears and slammed into his chest, nearly knocking the wind out of the both of them. Tears flowed freely, soaking into his shirt.
Still unsure of what to do Natsu and Happy stood still, looking down at Lucy's blonde head as she squeezed them tighter. As close as she was, Lucy could feel the quick thump, thump, thump of his heart. His life turned out to be more intense than either of them could have ever imagined...in a way it was like their lives were tangled together by fate... after all it was her ancestors who brought him to her timeline. Fate had crossed their paths and it changed her for the better.
"If I never met you and Happy...I wouldn't be who I am today." She murmured. "Really! Thank you! Thank...you..." She began to sob.
Natsu and Happy exchanged looks of alarm. She had only been awake for less than five minutes and she was already crying.
"Hey, Lucy." Natsu said in tone that made her heart lurch.
His breath stirred her bangs and the heat of his hands on her back stopped her breathing. For a moment he was still too, holding her in place.
He's gonna confess his feelings for me. She thought.
"There's one thing I want to say to you!"
Just one?!
His hands left her back and now gripped her arms. None too gently Natsu pushed her back so he could look in her eye. He leaned in closer...
"Huh?...wait."
Now he was pulling her away. He was so strong that she practically flew behind him, but, to where?
"Who cares about all that?! We're goin on a job!"
"Huuuuuh?!"
"Aye, sir!" Happy cheered.
"Here I am moved to tears by all the things you did and you don't even care?!"
"What does it matter, though?" She flinched at his indifference, it clearly mattered to Lucy. He grinned at her.
"We're still gonna be together from here on out, right?"
-O-
Lucy looked up towards the black sky, covered in twinkling stars. The group of friends had camped for the night. A fire pit glowed red as it burnt up the remainder of it's fuel. Wendy was the closest to her in a sleeping bag.
Erza was on the right.
Due to the snoring, Lucy was sure she was the only one awake. Her gaze moved from constellation to constellation while her mind wandered.
"We're still gonna be together from here on out, right?"
At first she felt certain that was Natsu's way of confessing his feelings... however nothing changed. He still treated her no different than he did Gray or Erza.
She was barely twenty years old now... she never had a boyfriend, never went on a date... as incredible as her life was, Lucy couldn't help but feel like she had missed out on romance. She remembered being invisible and overhearing her guild mates call her a beast behind her back. That had really cut her deep. Lucy knew she was attractive, but could her personality be what pushes away her chances of being in a relationship? Lucy had never felt so insecure before.
If her life were a story, by now they would have kissed and confessed their love for each other... in her head she saw the two of them kiss... For a moment she felt her heart warm up... but then Lucy's thoughts seemed to embarrass her, her face felt very hot. She wanted to look at Natsu, to make sure that he wasn't suddenly able to read minds.
However, she couldn't make herself look. She quickly turned over and hugged her pillow. Lucy had taken the first steps to confessing her feelings and he had interrupted her, told her they didn't matter. If he was indifferent about those feelings... then he probably wouldn't care for her more serious feelings.
Lucy took a deep breath and tried to breathe out her woes. Her situation felt hopeless. For now, Lucy decided, she would suppress everything and follow the path towards their newest adventure.