Bloody Love [A NaLu Fanfic]

Chapter 2: Changes

When Lucy woke up the next day, she felt the same as usual. For a blissful second, she forgot where she was and what had happened, but then all the memories from last night flooded her mind and her expression turned dark.

Lucy sat up and involuntarily placed her hand over her heart. It was still beating all right, but a faint, irregular pulse. She shivered to think that what had happened last night was real, and she had actually lost her heart...

And worse, she was hungry.

She turned her head sideways to check on Natsu in the bed beside hers. To her surprise, he was wide awake and staring at her.

"Natsu!" Lucy cried happily, all her fears and sorrows dispelled for a moment as she leaped out of bed and threw her arms around him. She lay her head on his chest, enjoying the comfortable feeling of his warmth and the knowledge that he was alive and well.

"Lucy..." Natsu murmured. She lifted her head to look at him, their faces inches apart. She felt her heart (well, what was left of it, anyway) beat faster as they stared into each other's eyes. She wanted to... to...

Her eyes welled up with tears as she was filled with relief that Natsu was okay.

"Lucy, don't cry," he told her. He lifted his hand to brush aside a stray lock of her hair. "I'm here. I'm right here."

"You had me so worried," Lucy wept. "I thought... I thought..." She choked on more sobs, burying her face in his blankets.

"It's okay," Natsu murmured, wrapping his arms tightly around her. "It's okay."

A moment of silence. "Hey, Lucy..."

"Yeah?"

"You smell weird. I mean, different. Maybe you need a bath..."

"WHAT???" Lucy's face turned into her angry face.

"I hope I'm not interrupting," said a voice that sounded like Erza's.

Natsu and Lucy looked toward the doorway, where Erza, Gray, Wendy, Carla, Levy, Mira, Lisanna, and Happy stood.

"Lu-chan! Natsu! You're both awake!" Levy shouted happily.

"Natsu! You're okay!" Lisanna cried.

"Well, if it isn't Flamehead, alive and well," Gray smirked, secretly relieved beyond measure.

"Natsuuuuuuu!!!!!" Happy shouted in joy and flew into Natsu's arms.

"Hey, little buddy," Natsu smiled. "Hey, everyone."

"Natsu-san, we're so glad you're alright!" Wendy said. "We were so worried! Are you fully recovered?"

"Yes, I think so," Natsu replied.

"But how? Polyusica said--"

"Enough," Erza put a hand up to stop Wendy from finishing. Wendy fell silent. "What matters is that Natsu is alive and well. We can deal with the rest later. Natsu, be sure to get plenty of rest. You'll need your energy when you come back to the guild..." Erza winked.

"Huh?"

"Hey guys," Lucy said, suddenly feeling uncomfortable, "I think I have to go back to my apartment to do something..." She stood up to leave. "I'll see you guys later, okay?"

"Wait." Natsu sat up. "I can go with you."

Lucy sweatdropped. "Uh, I don't think that'll be necessary... besides, you need your rest..."

Natsu nodded glumly. "Fine..."

"Hey Lucy," Erza grabbed Lucy's arm as she was about to go out the door, "come back to the guildhall when you're done, okay? We have some things to do..."

Lucy smiled. "Sure thing, Erza."

__________________________

When Lucy got back to her apartment, she immediately prepared a bath.

Natsu said I smelled weird... Lucy wrinkled her nose in irritation. Could this have something to do with last night? She dumped a bunch of perfumes and bath salts and creams and skin softeners and who knows what else into the bath, hoping that it would return her to normal.

That should do it, Lucy thought as she got out of the bath, putting on a red tube top and a black miniskirt.

Hm, I know what would be the perfect welcome back surprise for Natsu, Lucy smiled to herself. A big party! Lucy tied her hair in a high ponytail, clipped her keys to her belt, and left her apartment for the guildhall.

As Lucy was walking, she suddenly exclaimed in pain as unexpected hunger pangs shot through her stomach. Her vision toggled in and out of focus as she almost fell over. But then she shook her head, and regained composure. Ugh, I really need to eat, Lucy thought. But not even Mira's cooking sounds good right now...

When Lucy entered the guildhall, she was immediately caught by Erza.

"Lucy, I need your help with decorations," she blabbered. "Blue banner or yellow? Green balloons at this corner or red? And should we go with white str--"

"Erza! Calm down!" Lucy said. "What's all the big fuss?"

"We're having a surprise party for Natsu, and we don't have much time left to set it up!" Erza exclaimed. "It was Lisanna's idea. Come on, I need your help...!"

As Erza dragged Lucy away and blabbed on and on, Lucy couldn't help but feel an unreasonable sense of dejection. "But it was my idea too..." she whispered to herself.

"Where's Lisanna?" Lucy asked Erza. "If this was her idea, shouldn't she be helping?"

"Lisanna's taking care of Natsu," Erza replied. "We're still not completely sure how or why he seemed to recover so quickly, so we're confining him to the hospital until we can make sure that he's completely fine."

Lucy frowned. Natsu with Lisanna... alone. In a room. With a bed.

No.

Well, it's not like Lucy could do anything now... or could she?

Alright, Lisanna, since you ain't here, I'm taking over the plans for this party, Lucy decided. And Natsu will know that it was all my doing!