The Bucket List (Fairy Tail - NaLu Short Story)

Chapter 9

"The sharp knife of a short life ..."

~~~

For the second morning in a row, Happy was the only one Lucy woke up to, and Happy was the one who took care of her. She got out of bed, dressed modestly and sat at her dining table all with the exceed's help. And there was nothing wrong with that. But still ...

'Ne, what's wrong, Lushee?' Happy asked innocently. His wings tucked away, he padded softly across the room carrying an oversized tray of unburnt toast in his tiny paws. His wide eyes betrayed concern. 'You look upset.'

The blonde sighed through her nose and sat back in the chair, feeling the wood between her shoulder blades. Happy sprouted his wings to fly onto the table where he placed Lucy's breakfast before they disappeared instantly in a white burst. The toast wasn't at all burnt as when Natsu had cooked, further supporting Happy's claims of being their house's top chef. It smelled good too.

'It's nothing, Happy,' Lucy mumbled. There was a line of sweat lining her brow, and the tops of her shoulders and around her neck, visible around her loose strap top. 'Nothing.'

Happy clearly didn't believe her. Scanning her face for lies, he picked up a piece of toast and gave it to her carefully. Lucy ate slowly, savouring the taste of crunchy bread covered with spread, delighting her tastebuds with their toasty goodness. Shame. Numbly, she wondered if they had toast in the afterlife.

'Is it Natsu?'

Happy's voice was soft, but strong enough. He didn't say another word, and the stellar mage didn't reply, leading the cat to believe that, yes, it was Natsu's absence. If she hadn't already admitted the previous day that she did in fact like him, Happy might've teased her; might have.

Unfortunately, this time Happy knew exactly where Natsu was, what he was doing and who he was with. But all of this he was forbidden from telling Lucy. He couldn't say a thing about it; not until Wendy arrived.

And maybe Carla too! the exceed thought excitedly.

He shook his head. As much as he loved Carla with almost all of his heart, the section that housed Lucy's existence was far more prominent at the moment.

Happy watched Lucy devour her toast like she'd never eat again - a thought he didn't appreciate lingering on his mind. She ate quietly as Happy sat with his legs outstretched and thinking, rocking his feet back and forth like a small child.

The silence was a sound in itself, but to each body it was different. To the blue neko, the silence was sad; silence meant nothingness. However to the blonde, the silence was serene; silence meant peace and serenity.

Happy broke it, silencing the silence with his quiet words, interrupting the nothing and the peace.

'Lushee. Can we play eyespy?'

Lucy studied him strangely, eyeing off his drooping ears and downturned eyes. His colour had changed; he was no longer a bluebird of happiness, he was the endless blue of tears and heartache. It saddened Lucy greatly.

But what could she do?

'Yes, Happy. I'd like that very much.'

Knock, knock, knock.

Lucy blinked, halfway through guessing "something the colour of pink". Though she knew, immediately, that it was the duvet on her bed, she kept the little neko giggling and cheerful by choosing silly objects and pretending to be absolutely clueless. Anything to see the happy bluebird again.

'Who could that be?' she wondered.

Lucy moved to get up and answer the door. The movement ended up causing her to twist sideways. When her legs didn't respond to her command, however, she tipped over with a squeak. Happy cried out but dived too late to catch her before she hit the ground.