400 years

68

'I love you too..'

The tears came again as I realized how much I wanted to see him.

It was at that moment-

Just like that night, a sudden rain shower turned into a downpour. We hadn't brought umbrellas this time either. We looked up at the sky, water trickling down our faces. Lightning crackled across the clouds, but I wasn't afraid. I was eager with anticipation.

"Ready, Lucy?"

I had to shout my answer to be heard through the rain and thunder. A numbing roar sounded above us-

Brandish stared up at the sky, eyes wide.

'Here it comes!'

My vision blurred. My surroundings became increasingly tinted with white, until everything lost color. Followed by a familiar sensation of being dizzy took hold. As space twisted and time turned around me.

'Be alive! Please!'

.......

I rubbed my eyes, the sensation of them burning. It was apparently daylight when I woke up. Or so my complaining eyelids informed me. And it wasn't a hospital bed this time. 'Is it- could it really be-!'

"Are you awake, Lucy?"

"Natsu!"

I threw off the futon blanket covering me and leaped to my feet. Natsu, who had been kneeling beside me, got up and swept me into a powerful embrace.

"You came back to me."

"I did! I made it back! Wait-! I am back, aren't I!?"

"You are."

"So this isn't a dream? Because I'm pretty sure I passed out and-!"

Natsu took my hands in his, placing them on his cheeks.

"If you don't t believe it. Then touch me."

I hardly needed the invitation. I threw my arms around him and kissed him on the lips. He was warm and full of life.

He placed his hand on my cheek, gently caressing it. And I placed my hand over his, as a toothy grin slid across his face.

"Running from the storm was more intense than the fight with Zeref."

"I'm sure it was- Wait! You fought Zeref while I was gone!?"

"Hmm," Natsu looked away a moment, as if he was a child about to be scolded. But he came back, his onyx eyes once again looking softly. "But because I seen you cry as we parted. I made sure I wouldn't die there."

'I didn't notice I was crying then.' But I knew I was crying now. Warm tears gathered in the corner of my eyes.

Natsu leaned back a bit, with a cock to his head.

"You've been crying a lot, lately."

I buried my head against his sturdy chest, Letting Natsu fill all my senses.

"It's another one of those things from the future, they're called tears of joy."

'I'm so happy to be here with you.'

My tears dried quickly. Feeling refreshed, I realized I had quite a few questions.

"Where are we, anyways? I don't remember what happened after I traveled through time."

"We're at magnolia-ji. I brought you here after your return."

'Geez, I must have been really out of it!'

"Last night, I was waiting out front when a strange women, calling herself Brandish, appeared. She said you passed out and she handed you over to me before leaving."

"I'm sorry I missed that." 'Thank goodness she got back safely too!'

"Wait, how did you know to come here?"

"Three months ago, after the storm, I returned to Dragnof. There, Grey told me that a women with green hair and horn like things handed him a curious book and told him to deliver it to me." Natsu pulled out a small spiral- bound notebook.

'Horns? Haha! Brandish's hair clips! But if that came from Brandish then-'

I took the book from Natsu and flipped through the pages. It was full of diagrams and calculations that made my head spin.

'Yap! Definitely her type of research notes!'

"Putting aside the fact she might be a demon, I gather this book belongs to her, and that she's from the future, like you?"

"Correct on both points."