Log | The slayer meets with his victim.

[explodewiththerage]

Characters: Natsu Dragneel & Lucy Heartfilia
Setting: Lucy's room.
Format: Prose
Summary: Natsu is forced to face the consequences of his worst sin in his life.
Warnings: Lots of angst most likely.

He'd hurt her. Even though it had been over a month since the incident, he could still remember it all. The way her skin crackled and burned under his fingertips, her screams and cries but worst of all, the anguish with which she had tried to bring him back to his senses. It didn't matter that he didn't have control. He still remembered everything as if it had been him. He remembered the intent to cause even more pain to Lucy and how he'd seen her as nothing but an interference in his duties. It made him sick. Even so he'd asked Jellal to look after her since he had no right to be anywhere near Lucy anymore. Unfortunately for his isolation plan, the one he'd entrusted Lucy to had decided that Natsu was not going to be allowed to hide any longer.

Before he knew it, Natsu found himself thrown in through the door to a room. Not just any room though. He recognized that scent. Recognized and dreaded it. But the door locked the moment he was thrown to the floor. And now he was stuck with the one person he'd wronged in the most horrifying way possible. His own magic had caused her pain. Magic he'd prided himself with. Magic he'd vowed to use to protect her and everyone in Fairy Tail.

He must have been quite the sight for her. The haunted atmosphere around him and the way he refused to turn his eyes towards Lucy. Honestly what did he expect? Lucy had all the right in the world to hate him, to hit him and yell at him. She had absolutely every right. So why wasn't she?

Comments

[loves_spirits]

Lucy had been on her way to healing for a while. She had also been waitin for Natsu to show up. It was nearly impossible to find his location. It was why, Lucy was shocked when she finally saw Natsu. After blinking a few times, Lucy finally called out his name.

"Is that really you, Natsu?"

[explodewiththerage]

Of course she couldn't find him. He didn't want to be found. He didn't trust himself to be anywhere near Lucy. Not after what he did. After all if he'd done it once there was no guarantee it wouldn't happen again. And the thought alone was more horrifying than he ever could have imagined.

He flinched at the sound of her voice. It was nowhere near as happy as what he'd grown accustomed to hear. And knowing he played a part in that only twisted the metaphorical dagger in his gut.

"Y-Yeah it's me." No really what else could he say? I am sorry wouldn't come close to cutting it. She had trusted him. believed he would somehow snap out of whatever had plagued his mind. But he didn't. And because of that she now had those burn marks underneath the bandages on her arm.

[loves_spirits]

"Thank Goodness, you're alive!" Lucy said in a weak tone. She made a move to get up and reach him. Trying to offer him a smile as well, Lucy took a step towards him.

[explodewiththerage]

"Don't!" That probably came out sharper than it should have. But it was a reflex thing. Lucy was hurt. And yet she still wanted to come close to him. He couldn't allow that.

"It's not safe." Though his tone wasn't complying with him. He missed her. Missed her more than anything, missed hanging out with her and teasing her about stupid things to get a reaction from her. But he burned all of that. Because he was too weak. The fact that he had let them capture him was only the start of it.

[loves_spirits]

Lucy's eyes became teary, after Natsu neglected her like that. "IS THIS WHAT YOU SAY AFTER LEAVING ME LIKE THAT?" she screamed at him, with tears flowing through her cheeks. A rand rised up to slap Natsu, but stopped right before that.

[explodewiththerage]

Oh no. Oh no no no he made it all worse. Natsu reeled from her scream as if her words were blades thrown at him. the pain in her voice, the salty tange of her tears. And the knowledge that he was responsible for it all.

He braced himself for the palm to strike his face. But it didn't come. He opened his eyes to look up at Lucy.

[loves_spirits]

"It was not your fault. Just why are you running away, when I..." she coudn't complete the sentence. She needed Natsu, she needed a person dear to her to be next to her. They were all alone in this tower, so why would he leave Lucy all alone?

[explodewiththerage]

"That's not- I- It was my magic that hurt you. I'm running away because I don't want to hurt you again. I betrayed your trust and failed you. That's why I didn't think I had a right to be anywhere near you. As long as you were safe that was all that matered." If there's one thing this whole event definitely taught him it is that he is nowhere near as powerful as he liked to think before it all.

[loves_spirits]

"Even then, should you really run from me? I still feel much safer when I'm around you." said Lucy. She was still sobbing. Why Natsu would not get her point?

[explodewiththerage]

"I just- I don't know if I can trust myself. Lucy I-I wanted to cause you that pain. I wanted you out of the way even if I had to- to kill you. It took everything I had just to let you go and go away." His voice betrayed just how haunted he was by that experience. That confidence in himself had been severely damaged by this event.

[loves_spirits]

"Natsu..." Lucy called out his name, before fisting her right hand, which was trembling. Raising her trembling fist, she made a move to punch him, but couldn't bring herself to actually hit Natsu. In the end, she took steps towards him slowly.

[explodewiththerage]

This time he didn't flinch or run away. If she was going to hit him when she was welcome to it. He wouldn't deny her that. The pain of her injury aside, he did also hurt her afterwards by staying away. Even so he kept his eyes turned to the floor and away from Lucy.

[loves_spirits]

Approaching slowly, Lucy finally rested her head on his shoulder; she was still crying. "Don't run away again." she said, her voice shaking.

[explodewiththerage]

Why? Why wouldn't she hit him or get angry with him? Why did she still cry because of him. Even so while his mind told him to still stay away, to never touch her with the same hands that had marred her arm in such painful way, his body would not listen. Lucy crying was one of the main things he never wanted to see. This had been true since early on.

After a few awkward moments that seemed to extend into a lifetime, Natsu slowly raised one arm and then the other. Still he hesitated. He could still remember the feeling of her body at his mercy, her cries...but she was crying now too. Staying away hadn't stopped that. It had only made it worse. The moment that realization hit home, his arms closed around her form holding her close. He wasn't one to cry often but now the tears came uninvited. And so many conflicting emotions lay behind those tears.

[loves_spirits]

It was hard to keep tears from flowing through her face.

"Please don't leave again. Promise me!" she said through her teeth.

[explodewiththerage]

"I..." No. He had to stop thinking. Thinking was not his forte. He had always been one to listen to his heart. The same heart that now told him to make that promise. He squeezed her in his arms tightly before murmuring two simple words.

"I...promise." He had been a fool to think Lucy would've been happy if he'd left her in Jellal's care. Yes she would be safe from him and the potential risk he posed. But then she had never been one to play it safe. She wanted to be together with everyone. Even if her life was at risk. Such a fool he was.

[loves_spirits]

Lucy couldn't say anything else at that moment. Instead, she just kept sobbing while holding onto Natsu's shirt and wetting it with tears. "Then it's OK. You will keep that promise, don't forget that!"

[explodewiththerage]

As if he could blame her for that. She had so much to let out it was only fair if he allowed her that much. Especially after leaving her like he had.

"Yeah. But I need you to promise me something too, Lucy." He had to make sure. Make sure things like past events didn't happen again.

[loves_spirits]

"And what is that?" her voice was still weak. Her whole body was still trembling with many emotions.

[explodewiththerage]

Well she was probably not going to like what he was about to say and she would most likely oppose him to the end of time. But he had to at least try.

"If I ever become like that again, you have to promise to stay away. Just avoid me. You see how this time it all fixed itself in the end right? So it's okay to just stay as far away from me until it does work itself out again. " He was going to get yelled at wasn't he?