Her Starlight (CoLu Fanfiction)

Chapter 14

"Lucy! Let's have some fun!" Natsu tugged on my arm like a child, trying to pull me away from my bed as a large grin was plastered on his face.

Sitting up, I groaned and clutched my aching head. It's already afternoon but I haven't got up because of this stupid headache. "Sorry, Natsu. I'm not feeling well."

He stayed over last night and slept in Cobra's room, much to his annoyance. The two even kept on arguing about petty stuffs, and I still feel weird having Natsu around with them.

"You don' haf to geth out, jush talk to ush, Lushee!" Happy flew around my face, a fish munched between his teeth. "Haf you come to a deshision?"

I paused, sighing to myself as I thought about it again. Right. The reason they're here is because they're waiting for me.

"Like I said, I'm thinking about it."

"What's there to think about?" Natsu whined, plopping himself on the lower part of my bed. "Wasn't it what you always wanted?"

"That's right! You'll be free and be with us again, why not?" Happy landed beside his partner, looking up at me with confused eyes.

"Ah! You don't want to leave your boyfriend!" The exceed then giggled teasingly, a funny look on its face that just made me want to kick him.

But he's right. That's partly it. And it's not just him, but all of them. I don't wanna leave any of them... and the freedom I want isn't something like that. I won't entirely be free, it's just like transferring to a better and more comfortable prison.

"She said she'd think about it, didn't she?" A familiar voice appeared at the side, and I turned to see Cobra standing by the doorway, his arms crossed in front of his chest. 'Why does he look so hot?'

"Why are you always butting in?!" The fire dragon-slayer immediately leaped up and glared at him, flames in his hands. "It's your fault Lucy can't choose freedom!"

'No...! It's not like that!'

"Th--"

Cobra cut me off, taking a step inside as he glared at him equally. "Know your damn place, flamebrain." He growled, snatching Natsu by his scarf as the two glared at each other.

"Stop that, you two! Lucy's already having a headache and you're not at all helping!" Sorano, my savior, appeared and pulled them apart. "Don't stress her more that she already is." She added, in a lower tone as if she didn't meant for me to hear.

A sigh escaped Cobra's lips as he made his way towards me. "I'm sorry." He planted a kiss on my forehead before turning his heels to leave. But the expression I saw in his face...

He's afraid. He's scared of what I'll decide to do too.

Looking at Natsu, he has an upset look on his face as he looked down, frowning on the floor. I guess, I can't prolong this any longer. I have to tell him how I truly feel.

"Sorano..." I called, getting her attention as she turned her gaze to me. "Can you leave us for a moment?"

Even she looked worried and uncertain. It's like she's battling an internal conflict of her own. Nodding, she gave me an encouraging smile before leaving, gently closing the door behind her.

An uncomfortable silence filled the room for a minute before I stood up, making my way to the window as I gazed out at the many white trees that are visible from here.

"The thing is..." I started, taking a deep breath as I saw Natsu's faint reflection from the glass window. "...They're all my family now."

"Just the thought of leaving them breaks my heart. I don't want to, I can't." My voice broke as I remembered the time the council arrested me. I could still clearly remember the broken expressions in Fairy Tail's faces. I don't want to see those same look in their face. Not Sorano or Meredy, not Cobra, not Midnight, Racer, or Richard. Not Jellal. Not anyone.