The Story Of Us

Gone Like the Wind

Hello Readers! Thank you for the 20K reads and votes! It's a short chapter, I just don't really have the usual inspiration right now. Sorry for the long wait, here's a new chapter, enjoy!

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Lucy de Fiore's POV

After Sting left, I regrouped with my comrades and we continued with our journey. Our horses trot on the gravel as we head aimlessly to nowhere.

I did not really have a destination in mind when I decided to leave the castle.

After a few hours, we arrived at a small town. We decided to stay there for the night as the Sun was setting down quickly.

We booked in a nearby inn before we all headed to a family restaurant. We ordered a little too much food there and now we are all feeling bloated.

The sky has already darkened by the time we finished our dinner, so we decided to head back to the inn to get some rest.

"Now then Princess. We'll be at the room next door. Please have a pleasant sleep and a good night." Leo said in a gentlemanly manner as he bowed.

I smiled and replied, "Thanks, you too. Good night."

He smiled back before he left.

As I was left alone in my own room, I sighed looking at how things have turned out. Out of frustration, I went to a local bar near the inn.

I ordered my drinks and sat alone at the bar. I rested my head on the cool surface of the bar top as I shut my eyes for a quick rest.

"May I sit beside you?"

I opened my eyes and searched for the source of the voice.

"Natsu?!" I exclaimed in surprise.

"Hey," he grinned.

"What are you doing here?" I asked as he sat beside me while holding onto his drink.

"Nothing much, just hanging around." He said nonchalantly.

There were bags hanging under his eyes and he looked listless. It saddened me to see him in this state.

"You okay?" I asked in concern.

"Yeah," he smiled in assurance.

The ice in our glasses clinked as soft music started to play in the bar. The both of us stared emptily at nothing as silence appeared between us.

"Have you went back to Magnolia?" I asked, trying to break the awkward silence.

"Yeah I did." He replied.

The conversation I tried to make have failed miserably. I sighed inwardly.

After a short silence, Natsu spoke up, "She's really gone isn't she?"

A tinge of pain touched my heart. How was I supposed to react to that? I swallowed a lump in my throat and replied, "Yeah."

Natsu faced down as he held on to his glass of beer, "What am I supposed to do now?" He said in sorrow.

My chest tightened in guilt.

I can't tell him...

I can't tell him Sting killed her...

"I'm so sorry," I looked down.

"Huh?" He looked up and stared at me.

I returned his gaze, "I'm so sorry.."

He ruffled my hear messily and said, "I don't know what you're sorry for, but it's okay. I forgive you." He gave me a small smile.

My heart constricted in pain as I looked at his smile. Tears were welling up in my eye sockets.

I can't.

I don't deserve his forgiveness.

"I don't deserve your forgiveness Natsu," I said in a small voice. "I really don't." His eyes looked sad at my words.

"You deserve every good in this world Lucy." He said as a matter-of-fact as he pecked my forehead with affection. What he did only made me feel worse.

I don't deserve his kindness.

I pushed him away gently and cried, "I can't do this, Natsu. I don't deserve your forgiveness but I-"

He put a finger on my lips before wiping my tears away gently. He leaned down to my eye level and said, "Look at me Lucy." I looked at him reluctantly. "Like I said, I have no idea what you're going on about but it's alright. I forgive you, you don't have to torture yourself like this." He said firmly.

He then hugged me tightly in his arms to calm me down. I just stood there within his embrace, "I don't deserve this..." I said softly.

"You do, Lucy. You do." He cooed as he patted my head as if I was his younger sister.

I did not reply him. All I did was stand there and drown myself in guilt.

--

We left the bar together after a while. We continued to chat as we strolled around the place. We ended up at a isolated hill at the end of the town.

The place was breathtaking as the moon illuminated the trees around us, making them look like as if they were glowing.

"Beautiful right?" Natsu said. I nodded in response.

"Say Lucy," he said, "What do you think I should do now?" Natsu smiled with self-reproach.

I did not know what to reply him. Out of panic to give him a reply, I said dumbly, "I don't know."

Natsu chuckled, "...Me neither. She was my everything. And now, she's gone like the wind. She left this world taking a whole chunk of my heart." He gazed at the moon above us and he continued, "Now I feel empty. My world is now dull and colorless, what am I supposed to do with this hole?" His words trailed off as I noticed a drop of tear rolled down his cheek.

My hands reached out to comfort him but it stopped midway. I retracted my arm back to my side.

I can't comfort him.

My hands are just as sinful.

My heart urged me to give him a hug, but I could not do it. He continued to cry silently beside me while I did nothing.

It was so painful seeing him like this.

It was just as painful when I could not do anything to comfort him.

I only have myself to blame.

A tear escaped my eye as I muttered yet again to myself,

"I'm sorry."