The Princess's Protector

Chapter Fifteen: Stay

Okay so my writing probably sucks after four months of NOTHING but hey lets see...Enjoy :3

How can you tell that a city is burning? The cries of the people that are so loud, yet so horse that the very noise resonates within your very soul? Or is it the courses that pile higher the further into town you walk? Or how about the suffocating currents of smoke that gather at the top of the sky and shroud the city in death and darkness and night?

That is how you can tell that a city is burning.

Zeref was far enough away, now, to only hear the high-pitched screams as mild headaches in the back of his mind. The faint sting in his eyes had almost subsided as well. These roundabout methods were tedious, but all together necessary. He had to send a message.

Killing their father wasn't enough.

Natsu still didn't have enough hate.

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Lucy woke up to the sound of screaming.

it wasn't the normal shrieking of boisterous children playing on the streets, either, but a wailing, pained sound, like that of a trapped animal. It caused Lucy to sit straight up in her bed and immediately run to the bedroom where Natsu was sleeping. She burst through the door and sprinted to his stirring form.

"Natsu!" she said shakily, pressing her hand to his arm to wake him. His eyes fluttered open, momentarily dazed due to the sleeping he was just woken from.  Before he could say a word, another piercing shriek from outside brought him to his senses as quickly as it had with Lucy. Natsu lept out of bed, grabbed lucy's shaking hand and ran to the front door.

Natsu protectively made Lucy stand behind him as he cracked open the front door. They gazed through the crack and saw a wailing woman in the middle of the street. Nothing else seemed to be out of place.

"I think it's safe...but I wonder why that woman is crying."

"Screaming is more like it" she mumbled, trying to push Natsu out of the way. His solid form wouldn't budge. He tore his gaze from the woman to give Lucy an incredulous look.

"Nat ah ah. I'll make sure it's safe first, then you can come check it out." Natsu pushed the door closed with a click, partially muting the wailing just outside. Other neighbors had started to investigate, too, stepping out of their homes to offer assistance and to find out news.

Lucy stared at him.

"Why's that? Don't think i can handle another woman?" She lifted an eyebrow. 

Natsu stared back, looking Lucy up and down.

"No," he breathed, taking in all of Lucy's long legs underneath a long t-shirt, five sizes too big. "I just don't want anyone else to see you wearing that..."

Lucy's face heated immediately and looked down. She hadn't even realized she was almost completely exposed in front of Natsu...

Though he didn't seem to mind, that playful smirk adorning his features. Lucy scowled, crossing her arms. Coincidentally, this caused the front of her shirt to rise up just a bit, drawing Natsu's eyes back down to her legs.

His gaze mad her feel....well, that was for later.

"I'm getting dressed now!" she yelled at him, unfolding her arms. "Something big has happened and i'm going to find out one way or another, regardless of what I'm wearing." Lucy spun on her heels and made it to the top of the stairs before she heard his raspy voice speak again.