The Love of Nekos

Chapter 12 - Stupid

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Did I mention I was stupid? Argh, I can't believe I said that. I, of course, love her in a romantic sense but my embarrassment got the better of me and made the whole situation worse. I partly blame Frosty for this, if he didn't try to force it out of me none of this would've happened.

Ice Stripper and I stood froze at what I just said. The words that should've never come out of my mouth. We turned to see Lucy's reaction and I was heartbroken. The tears I hate to see her shed fell down her cheeks and I was the cause of them. "Lucy I-" I was about to say that I didn't mean it but she ran off. I stood there for a minute thinking 'what have I done?' "You idiot Natsu. Go after her!" Gray said and then like a fire lit under my butt, I ran after her. I searched and searched for her but I couldn't find her. I couldn't use my Dragon Slayer nose to find her because there were too many people.

'Maybe she went to her apartment?' I wondered and decided to try there. As soon as I got there, I jumped up to the window and saw an empty apartment. Erza, Wendy and Carla must've left to the guild earlier. I tried some other parts of Magnolia where she would most likely hang out other than the guild. The Library, the bookstore, 8Island, Fairy Hills and the cherry blossom grove but she wasn't there.

With no sign of Lucy, I dragged my feet back to the guild. "Where could she have gone?" I muttered to myself. 'She couldn't have left Magnolia forever, could she?' I thought and then shook my head. 'She loves Fairy Tail and everyone in it so she wouldn't leave forever' I thought. When I reached the guild, Gray ran out of the doors. "Natsu, you've got to read this" he said and then handed me a letter addressed to me. I took it out of the envelope and began to read it...

Natsu Dragneel,

We have captured your female companion and if you want to see her unharmed. Come to Sapphire Lake alone tomorrow at midday.

If we find anyone else with you, we will make sure you never see her again.

Four Seasons Elite Squad

I crunched up the letter in my hand and then burned it to ash. A growl rumbled in my throat. "I'm going after her" I growled and then turned to walk towards the train station. "You're can't go without a plan Flame Brain!" Gray shouted. I stopped and whipped my head around to him. "You read what that letter said didn't you Ice Princess?! If I don't go alone they might hurt her or take her away for good!" I shouted. "I have a plan" Gramps said as he walked out of the guild.

It was the next day and I was walking alone towards Sapphire Lake which is located in the forest outside of Oshibana. I stood in front of the lake and saw no one but I could smell them. "I'm here!" I shouted and then the Four Seasons Elite Squad revealed themselves, surrounding me. I glared at the blonde bastard codenamed Summer who was holding a steel cage with Lucy inside.

"Natsu!" Lucy shouted worriedly as she grasped the cage bars. "You can do whatever you want with me but let her go" I demanded. "No can do, our client wants both of you. Now Frost" Summer ordered and the Winter behind me threw an ice spear at me. I instantly dropped on all fours and kicked it up into the air. As it landed a few metres away, Spring raised her hand up and vines popped out of the ground. I jumped into the air leaping from vine to vine as I used my flames to burn them. Next was Autumn, as soon as I landed on the ground she made a tree grow around me and hold me in place. This tree wasn't going to stop me. I burst my body into flames and the tree slowly turned into ash around me. Who's next?

"Oi Dragneel" Summer said and I whipped my head around to him. He had Lucy in his hand and a small flame on the end of his finger which was right next to her face. Lucy had her face turned away, trying to get her head as far away from the flame as possible. "I would hate to put a burn on her cute little face but Mr Locket did say I could hurt her a bit if you didn't cooperate" he said with a smirk. I growled and stood still with my eyes focused on Lucy. Frost walked up to my back and put a black collar, similar to Lucy's, on my neck. The collar forced me into my neko form and then Summer threw me inside the steel cage with Lucy.

The Four Seasons Elite Squad took us back to the Zan's mansion and then threw us into our old cell. Lucy walked over to the corner of the cell and sat down with her back to me. Guilt hit me like a train. I slowly walked over to her and then sat on my knees ready to beg for forgiveness. "Lucy" I called out softly to her. She flinched which told me she was listening. I took a deep breath to steady my nerves. It's not an ideal place but it would kill me if Lucy kept avoiding me. "I'm sorry about what I said earlier. I actually love you. When Gray was trying to get me to say it I got really embarrassed and accidentally said I don't love you but I really do. Please forgive me! Punch or kick me if it will make you feel better but please forgive me!" I begged and bowed my head to the ground.

There was a long silence but I didn't dare move my head. "Do you mean it?" she asked softly without turning around. "Yeah, you can punch or kick me if it makes you feel better" I replied. "Not that. Do you really love me? A romantic type of love?" she asked. I raised my head off the ground to look at her back. "Yes I love you with all my heart" I replied sincerely and then she turned her upper body around to me. She had tears threatening to fall in the corner of her eyes. "I love you too" she said and my body pulled her into a hug. Without hesitation, I sealed her lips with mine in a passionate kiss.