Beholden | NaLu |

• T H R E E •

•••

"Say WHAT?"

Lucy was completely blank, unable to comprehend such a bizarre answer.

On the contrary, Natsu was still smiling, as if he didn't just declare something completely unexpected.

"I said I'm staying here." He repeated, like it was the most normal thing in the world to just say that.

"But...But...you're all healed now..!" Lucy argued.

"And that's all thanks to you!" He agreed, not taking the bait.

"So..so..don't you have any dragon slayer business to take care of? You can't just stay here!" She pushed.

"Dragon slayer business?" He questioned, blinking his eyes, "what's that's supposed to be?"

"You tell me!"

"Huh?"

"You—You can't just decide to stay here!" She challenged.

"Yes I can, I just did!" He argued back.

"That's not how it works.."

"Why not?"

"Because—because..it's my house. I get to decide who lives here. And..and..I don't even know you..."

"Don't know me?" He repeated. "Didn't I just tell you? I'm Natsu. A dragon slayer. Did you forget that already? Tch..you have a very poor memory Luigi."

'Says the one who got my name wrong. Oof, this is gonna be hard' Lucy thought.

Unbelievable. Totally ridiculous.

Lucy mentally fired curses to the supposed writer of her life.

'This has got to be the lamest and the most bizarre plot ever. Seriously is this the best you could've come up with?.'

"Listen.." she began calmly. Natsu, who had been watching her intently for the past few moments, perked up when she spoke up.

Lucy took a deep breath to try and calm herself down and reason with him. Just like rational adults would do.

"I helped you, and you're all healed now. So my job is done, and so is your reason to stay here. So, don't you think it'll be best if you just thank me, and then we part ways? Call it a day? Yeah?"

She knew she was pushing it, but it had to be done.

Now all that remained was her crossing her fingers and praying frantically in her heart that everything goes well.

Natsu was quiet for a moment or two, and all that was heard in that silence was the faint 'tick-tock' of the clock.

Anxiousness consumed her and she started playing with a lock of her wavy, short, blond hair to keep her uneven breathing at bay.

She has to keep her cool. She can't let this situation get the best of her.

Finally, after an agonising one minute, Natsu spoke up.

"Thanks is the reason that I'm staying."

"H—Huh?"

Did she just hear him right?

The dragon slayer sighed, running a hand through his spiky and unnaturally salmon coloured hair.

Somehow, it suited him, like really well.

Lucy could feel her ears heating up.

"Look Luce.."

"Lucy!"

'Honestly it isn't that hard of a name!' Lucy thought irritably.

Natsu, however, chose to ignore the correction and continued as if he was never even interrupted in the first place.

"You saved my life. And I'm so very grateful for that." He said sincerely.

"However, we dragon slayers are bought up to abide by certain rules and beliefs, no matter what..."

This isn't going to end well now, was it?

"So I have no other option but to stay here. It's my duty that I cannot turn a blind eye to."

"I—I don't understand. What do you mean?"

He smiled slightly, gazing at her.

"As it just so happens, we firmly believe in the saying 'an eye for an eye'. Be it good or bad. Wrong for wrong, right for right, Revenge for wrongdoing, and....

..a life for a life"

Lucy's breath hitched.

"You saved mine, so I'll have to save yours. That's just how it works. So, naturally, I can't leave until that happens. I'm beholden to you."

No way. This is so not true. It can't be! It's not supposed to be!

A dragon prince beholden to a mere human? This never ends well.

He gave her a sheepish smile, and Lucy couldn't help but wonder that he might actually be enjoying himself, despite what he might say.

"..so if I put it in other words.." he began. "You're kinda stuck with me.."

•••

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