“I’m going to burn fate into a pile of ashes,” Natsu had said.
So then, why was Lucy sitting on a mat in the middle of the forest watching the fire dragon sleep with thoughts of fate running through her head.
About a week ago she picked up a book on neutralizing magic and other spells, thinking it may serve some purpose for the rest of the 100 year’s quest. As she was reading it, her eyes fell to one line:
Love spells prove to be so powerful that they are only able to be neutralized if the caster is defeated or if the victim is in the presence of their soulmate.
“True love breaks the curse, huh?” she giggled. After all, it sounded just like any old fairy tale.
But there was something gnawing at the back of her mind. She started thinking about her and Natsu’s very first encounter in Hargeon, how one look at his face broke the love spell Bora cast on her.
She blanched. It couldn’t be right. There’s no way that reckless dragon, who was completely clueless about romance, was her soulmate. “What a load of bull,” she uttered while closing the book.
Sure she loved him, but she knew those feelings would forever be unrequited and she had made her peace with that a long time ago before they even left for this quest. Natsu isn’t into romance and all that stuff, so how could he be her soulmate, anyhow?
But here she was watching him sleep a week later, and still thinking about the words written on that page.
Could it be? Was his and her relationship really written in the stars. Was their meeting and friendship pre-determined long ago? Does this mean that there is any chance Natsu and her are going to fall in love? Real romantic love?
She shook those thoughts off, but she still couldn’t help but keep thinking. 400 years ago. He’s from 400 years ago. He was dead and then brought back to life. 400 years ago. Her own ancestor was the one who knit the scarf he loves so much. She brought him here. He traveled 400 years into the future, and her own mother opened up that gate for fuck’s sake. He happened to join the one guild she had dreamed of joining as a girl.
And when that fateful fucking day in Hargeon came, he broke that spell and took her to her new life. He gave her a new family, and a new purpose. And he loved her. He may not have ever said it, hell, she hasn’t either, and it may not be romantic, but after all this time she would be stupid to think he didn’t.
He caught her when she fell. He protected her with his life. He turned into E.N.D for her.
She must have been thinking too loud, because she felt Natsu stirring beside her. He leaned up on his elbows and opened his eyes.
“Luce,” his groggy voice pulling her from her thoughts, “what time is it?”
His hair was disheveled and anyone could see just how tired he was by the look of his eyes.
“Late. Go back to sleep.”
He chortled. “Say’s the one who’s been up all night.” He sits up next to her. “Is everything ok?”
Lucy sighs, “Yeah everything is fine, let’s go to sleep.”
Before she can go to lie down, he grabs her arm and puts his other around her waist pulling her to his side.
“Come on Luce, I can tell when something’s bothering ya. Besides you’re the one always pushing me to talk about my feelings and stuff. Kinda- fuck what’s the word uh- hip- it was somethin’ like hippo-”
“Hypocritical.”
“Yeah that!” he grinned, “See, you’re better with words than I am so it makes more sense why you should use them.”
