WAR ➳ nalu vs. graylu

Chapter 17: Fire vs. Ice

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Fairy Tail Guild House (Outside)

4:55PM

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[LUCY'S P.O.V]

I woke up to my head pounding, again. The guild house was in shambles. Rubble and debris were everywhere. I could see a slight glimpse of a white muffler. My mind crossed Natsu. What happened to him? I crawled towards the scarf, but it wasn't alone. It was Natsu. He was under a pile of concrete.

"Natsu...? A-Are you okay?" I poked his cheek, he had bruises and cuts all over him. He must've fought hard. His eyes fluttered open. He smiled when he saw me. I managed to smile back.

"Lucy..." He mumbled. I nodded, rubbing some dirt off my face. I tried to push the block of cement off him, but I was far too weak. Natsu pushed it off himself. It just made me feel even more weak. Once he pushed the whole thing off, he looked at me.

"Lucy, I'm so sorry." He said. What was he sorry for?

"For what?" I said gently, putting my hand on his shoulder.

"For ruining your life."

"What... No. That's not-"

"It is! And you know it! I'm just a mistake! I'm a screw up!" He yelled. I didn't know what to do. A part of me said yes. It was his fault but another just said he isn't to blame. If I didn't complain about Lisanna and him getting together, none of this would've happened. But I knew all too well that it wasn't either of our faults.

"Natsu," I touched his hand "it's not you're fault that this happened. So don't blame yourself. You're not a screw up or a mistake. You're my nakama... And nothing can change that." I grinned. He looked up at me, his eyes filled with tears that were now streaming down his face.

He embraced me, and I pulled him in. He was just... Letting out his emotions. I know the feeling, all too well. He clenched my arm, gently. I felt his pain. It made me remember those nights I spent with Gray, crying and laughing. I wanted those nights back. With him. With Gray. But I feared that the old Gray wouldn't be coming back any time soon.

"Natsu... You bastard! Come back here! Fight me!" We heard a wary say. Out of the shadows appeared Gray. He was battered and bruised like Natsu was.

I stood up, carefully laying Natsu down. He was in a too weak state to fight. I faced him. The one I loved. I balled my fist.

"Oh, look who it is! Lucy Heartfilia! Where'd you run off to earlier? We had so much fun." Said Gray. "Don't tell me you were afraid? Of me? Nights ago, you were begging for me to be with you and now you run away? Hah! Typical! You're weak."

Weak? Weak? Gray said... I'm weak?

"No you don't Lucy. You are perfect the way you are. You are not weak. You are a strong mage! Don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise." (Chapter 4)

I remembered him telling me that in the infirmary that day. I remembered that I was taking jobs to prove that I wasn't weak. But he told me I was perfect.

But now. He really has changed. But I know there is still good in him. There has to be. I just have to trigger it.

"Weak, huh?" I taunted. "Well, I've changed since you've been gone too, Gray!"

Gray's eyes widened, and he had a smirk plastered on his face. "Yeah? Well why don't you just show me." He demanded. I nodded and focused on my breathing.