Lucy and the book of END

Distance and Distress

Natsu's Pov:

He had been feeling so weird recently, like he carried a darkness on his shoulders. He could feel it around him, it made him anxious. Was it him? Somewhere in the guild? Someone?

Another pointer that it may be him was the hot flushing feelings he kept experiencing. How was he... the Natsu Dragneel feeling hot, burning even!

It tended to happen in the evenings when he was alone or just with Happy. He's been trying to figure it out so spending more time alone, even meditating which he'd been finding impossible, or training.

He missed Lucy, but if this darkness carried danger he could not expose her to it. For the same reason Happy has been bouncing between their houses, but mainly Natsu trying to send him to Lucy's.

Tonight was the worst and longest so far. It didn't feel painful, just an odd experience. Hopefully this was the last and would pass. He missed feeling like himself.

Lucy's POV:

She shakily stood facing off against Gray Fullbuster, nevermind facing him full strength she would definitely lose right now. She hoped the threat of a fight would be enough, but he needed the truth. She looked dreadful, filled with dark magic and could barely stand up, she was not exactly presenting as an innocent party.

She'd uttered Natsu's true name, surely that would be enough, but would Gray want to take out the book, the demon, Natsu anyway. She'd overheard his promise to take out the demon for his father, he was regaling the tale to Juvia who wiped out the necromancer controlling his father.

Gray stood staring at her, shocked. He uttered nothing, held the book in the same grip.

"Please Gray." She pleaded weakly, detransforming  and falling to her knees. "Ahhhh" she cried out as the darkness continued to grow.

She stared at the floor, petrified. She isn't writing in the book anymore, why was the extreme pain and growing darkness continuing.

"LUCY!" Gray was by her side holding her, after everything. "Did the book do this to you, what is happening?" His eyes flew around the room, she trailed her grey eyes on him as he moved his around the room.

Picking up the pen and papers that smothered the floor he started to piece the puzzle together. He just held her close, not asking any questions directly. He could tell she was suffering, and hoped he knew that she wasn't to blame, well sort of, not dangerous or in the wrong.

"Demonic translations, rewrites, notes, rephrases of many sentences...
The only trigger for the END form is the willingness of Natsu Dragneel." Gray muttered to himself, but Lucy presumed it was to highlight his understanding.

"I... ughh" she grasped her head, she couldn't think, she was burning so hot, gray's coldness felt so nice. "Rewrote... too many bad things." Hopefully that was enough to convey.

"Keeping his sanity, cutting ties, giving him control, saving his life upon Zeref's death, you went through the whole book, protected him." Gray turned away from the items he'd picked up off the floor, wrapping both arms around her, pulling her into his chest.

"You shouldn't have put yourself through this Lucy, Natsu wouldn't want you to do this. You should've asked the guild for help, but I understand what you've done. I'd do anything for you guys, for the guild, for Juvia." Gray held her close, she began to cry hard. She'd began to feel so much more alone than she thought, she still felt panicky, she was still in pain.

"Than..k k you Gray."

"We need to take you to the guild. I doubt even you know the final consequences of editing the book." Gray started.

"Zeref said I'd die, that I should've already." Lucy put it bluntly, grey eyes locking onto his. The direness of the situation sank in, he picked her up despite the protests. While she grabbed the book into her arms, she would not let anyone else have it. She's kept him safe so far, she would not let anything change that now.

"I've survived so far Gray, don't panic" she uttered.

"Then why are you so panicked, somethings wrong, don't lie, we're going now."

Natsu's POV:

"Natsu." Happy flew in front of him, he felt weighed down, he just wanted to sit outside enjoy the breeze.

"Let's go to the guild Natsu, please you've been distant. I want to see Lucy, you want to see Lucy." Happy pleaded, he looked sad floating up and down in front of his eyes.

He didn't feel up to it, he hadn't for a while, but the darkness and heat had finished about 30 minutes ago. Maybe seeing Lucy would make him feel better. She didn't seem happy either recently.

"Okay Happy, I'll come, only if you're flying though."

"Aye sir!"

The guild was getting closer and closer into view, he had a bad feeling, but everything had felt like that recently. It felt more mental than physical this time however.

Dropping down into the guild everything was the same, loud hustle and bustle, the stink of booze and a lot of fighting.

"Hey Natsu, it's been a while." The girls by the bar shouted. Mira, Lis, Cana, Wendy, Juvia, Erza... etc. He got the picture, all the women, bar Lucy, that's one thing he did notice.

"Hey girls... where's"

"Lucy isn't here Natsu, also hasn't been round as often, and apparently not with you, is all okay?" Erza barged in, she seemed worried also, even though the vibe was the same, the guild was definitely tense.

"I've just felt tense recently, everyone seems the same." He made his thoughts aloud to the group and received a lot of nods to go along with his thoughts.

BANG

The guild doors slammed open. Ice Princess holding someone, what's with the urgency.

"MASTER, EVERYONE, I NEED HELP HERE." Gray shouted, master was jumping off the balcony within seconds. Typical of grandad. I wonder what's wrong..? Wait LUCY!