One Year (Nalu AU) ✓

Chapter 21 - Nobody Makes Lucy Cry

A/N: The photo that is attached to this chapter isn't really related to the story but we just think that it's cute so enjoy

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Natsu's POV

Why am I in the pantry? What is Lucy trying to hide? I could hear footsteps moving outside of the door.

"Hey dad, you're home early" I heard Lucy say. I didn't hear a response.

I heard the footsteps coming into the kitchen and then a grunt. If only I could see what was happening behind the door, too bad that her pantry doesn't have a window or something.

I was snapped from my thoughts when I heard an angry slurred yell. "Lucy! You had a party without permission?!"

"Y-yes I'm sorry" Lucy stuttered.

Her father kept grunting as he walked around the kitchen, I could hear what sounded like a can being opened and the fridge closing.

"How dare you go behind my back like that!" he yelled at her again. I knew that something was wrong, he was obviously drunk.

"I'm s-sorry I didn't e-expect you home until t-tomorrow morning" She spoke so quietly that I almost couldn't make out what she was saying. You could hear the fear in her voice, and I wanted to jump out of the pantry right at that moment, but I stayed where I was and kept my promise to stay quiet.

"NO EXCUSES" I heard him yell, followed by a sharp slapping sound. She cried out in pain and then there was a loud thud, maybe she fell on the ground? This was it, I wasn't going to stand in the pantry and listen to Lucy get hurt.

I burst out of the pantry, "LUCY" I yelled, I saw her sitting on the floor holding her face and she was crying.

"Who are you?!" Her dad yelled turning towards me.

"I'm Natsu Dragneel and I'm not gonna let you hurt Lucy!" I shout back at him, the anger rising inside me.

"You have no right to be here! So get out of my house!"

"Fine, I'll leave but I'm not leaving Lucy behind, if I go she comes with me! Nobody makes her cry!" I shouted in pure anger now. How could he be so cruel?

"Fine whatever! I don't need her anyways!" With this comment, I grabbed Lucy's wrist and pulled her to her feet, wrapping my arm around her waist. I carried her toward the door and took one look back at her dad.

"You're not gonna see her again until you clean up your act" I slammed the door as I walked out of her house. I wonder how long she has been living with him like that? It breaks my heart to think about it.

~Time Skip To 3am~

Lucy's POV

Natsu and I got to his house at around one in the morning. I tossed and turned as soon as I layed down until eventually, I just couldn't fall asleep. I checked my phone, 3:09 am, at least we don't have school tomorrow. Natsu let me sleep in his guest bedroom and told me that we could explain the whole situation to Grandeeney in the morning. I just hope that she is ok with the whole thing because I don't know what else I would do. Im sure that everything will be fine I just can't let myself overthink things. I just need some sleep, if only that was possible.

I swung my legs over the edge of the bed and took a sip of the water that Natsu had left me before he went to bed. I got up on my feet and slowly made my way out of the bedroom. I opened the door slowly, making sure that it didn't make any noise and I tiptoed towards Natsu's room. I had no plan of what I was going to do when I get there but I decided that I was just going to go with it.

I approached his door and opened it a little bit to peek inside. It didn't look like he was awake. I slipped into his room and closed the door gently, but failed because it made a clicking sound. Hopefully he wouldn't wake up to it. I cautiously made my way toward his bed and stopped in my tracks when he stirred and flipped on his other side facing me. His eyes were open and he was staring right at me.

"Lucy?" he whispered.

"Yeah its me" I whispered back. "Sorry did I wake you? I just couldn't sleep." I said, shyly.

"It's ok, I was already awake anyways" he said, sitting up on his bed and rubbing his eyes at the same time. He gestured with his hand for me to sit down beside him. So I did, and he immediately pulled me into a hug. This made me begin to cry again, I just couldn't stop thinking about my dad.

"Shh it'll be okay" he said as he lightly rubbed my back, he was really good at comforting me when I needed it. "Lie down, you can sleep here tonight" I agreed and lied down on his bed and rolled over to my side, facing away from Natsu. I could feel him settle himself beside me and wrap his arm around my waist, pulling me closer to him. The tears kept falling from my eyes but soon enough, I fell asleep in his warm embrace.