The Dragon's Mark

Something's Been Bothering You, Luce

A few weeks later, Lucy's Apartment:

Lucy was lying in bed, Natsu's arm draped around her. He was making cute little sounds in his sleep and she lay, facing him, wondering what he was dreaming about. She still hadn't thought of a good plan to tell him she would be leaving to train soon. She was so sick and tired of being the weak one on their team! Loki was right - once it became public that Natsu had picked her for his mate, she might get challenged along with him. Or what if she had to defend their future children? She blushed at that thought, but it was true.

"Luce, go back to sleep," Natsu mumbled, opening up one eye and looking at her. "Unless you want to play," he finished, giving her a sleepy grin.

"We played enough last night, big boy," she teased softly. "Several times, if I remember correctly."

Natsu chuckled. "You sure?" he asked, already closing his eye. He started softly snoring before she could answer him.

Lucy leaned forward and gave Natsu a kiss on the forehead. "Let me take a shower and make some breakfast," she whispered to him. He grinned in response, loosening his grip on her so she could get up.

The warm shower didn't inspire any great ideas and neither did the pancakes she was cooking for breakfast. Natsu came sniffing into the kitchen, his hair wet from his own shower. He attacked the stack of pancakes on the table, pausing only to look up at Lucy, who was sitting across from him, drinking tea.

"Are you not having any?" he asked, his mouth full.

She shook her head. "I'm okay. I already ate," she answered.

He put his fork down, his uneaten pancakes still on his plate.

"What's wrong?" he asked her, a worried look on his face.

She looked up from where she had been staring down into her mug of tea. "What?"

"Something's been bothering you, Luce," he said, concerned. "I don't need to read a book to tell me that part of being a good mate is to share your problems and solve them together."

"Well, it's just that, well..." She sighed. "Natsu, I have something to tell you and I"m not quite sure how you're going to take it."

"Lucy," he said in an uncharacteristically soft voice. He stood up and moved over to her chair. He helped her up and led her to the sofa. Sitting down beside her, he squeezed her hand. "You can tell me anything." Despite his words, he looked worried.

"Well," Lucy said, looking down so that her hair covered her face and hid her expression. "There's something I've been wanting to do for awhile now, but I'm not sure how you will react."

Natsu leaned over and lifted her chin so that he could see her face. He was worried. No, he was scared. What was she going to tell him? She wasn't going to leave him, was she? No, not after these last few weeks. Not after their journey to the Magic Library. She wouldn't do all that just to up and leave him, right?

"Just say it," he growled. He hadn't meant to do that! He leaned forward and kissed her. There, maybe that made it seem like he wasn't mad at her, right?

"Natsu," she whispered, looking at him after the kiss. "For the longest time, I've been the weakest member on our team. I want to be stronger. I'm tired of everyone saving me!" Her voice grew strength as she spoke. "I have the opportunity to go train with my spirits so that we can work together, so that I can become stronger, so that no one has to see me as the weak link!" she finished, her fist clenched, her mouth firm.

Natsu looked at her, not sure how to react. "Luce, you've never been the weak link. If anything, you're the one who keeps us going!"

Lucy gave him a look he couldn't interpret. "Natsu, you're sweet and I'm sure you believe that, but I have to do this for me. For us. For our future children," she said, blushing. "I may not be a dragon slayer, but I'll defend myself and what's mine, and not let anyone take advantage of me again!"

"You really believe in this, don't you?" asked Natsu in a soft voice.

Lucy nodded. "I do."

Natsu suddenly grinned. "Well, I don't see what's wrong with training! Why were you so worried about telling me?"

Lucy sighed. "I haven't told you everything. In order to train, I need to do so with my spirits in the Celestial World."

Natsu looked confused, but then nodded. "And time there passes differently then it does here. Like when we went to that party. We were only there a couple hours but it was a couple days here."

"Exactly," sighed Lucy. "I don't know for sure how long I'd be gone. Natsu, I don't want to leave you, but I have to do this! For me!"

Natsu nodded. "I understand."

Lucy's look brightened. "Really? You're okay with me leaving, Natsu? I mean, not forever," she hastily corrected, "but just for a bit until I finish training?"

Natsu smiled sadly. "If it's something you feel you need to do, then yes, you need to do it." He could understand the need to grow stronger - he had left to do a year's training on his own, after all - but he felt Lucy was perfect the way she was.

Lucy missed the sadness in his expression, her eyes already dazzled by the possibility of coming back into the Guild Hall a stronger, more confident mage and blowing everyone away!

She hugged Natsu tightly. "Thank you! Thank you! I love you so much!"

"Love you too, Luce," answered Natsu, the sad smile still on his face.