Glass Ring of Time (Fairy Tail FanFic)

Chapter 3

The pink haired stood outside on the porch and took a deep breath. He watched as the sun slowly moved in the sky. He felt like time was disarray. Some days, he feels as though he's been there forever. On other, when he visits Lucy's bedside, it feels like only a minute.

He looked down at his palm. As soon as everything was looking up for the guild, this had to happen. And to Lucy, no less.

They only started dating a month before Lucy became bedridden. Everything was lovely and merry with her in his arms. He's always been in love with her, but the two only recently exchanged feelings two months ago.

He itched his collar.

Her back was turned from him. She was watching the sunset over the great garden. Without hesitation, he marched up to her. "Nice sight, right?" he questioned. Trying to start some small talk.

"Yeah..." She barely noticed his presence. She was absorb in the sunset; her eyes reflected the sunlight. Her big bright brown eyes that he adored so much.

"You know...uh..." For once, he felt a lump in his throat. He's always been so blunt before, but now, when he most needed it, he could not utter a single word.

She blinked and turned her head slowly to make eye contact with the pink haired. "I know what?"

"Uh...just, never mind."

"What was it?"

"It was nothing. I already forgot what I was about to say," he plain out lied. He knew exactly what he was going to say. Three words that he wanted to express ever since he met the blonde girl.

I love you.

But his tongue wouldn't not allow him to utter such. Instead, he could only watch as Lucy got absorb into the sunset once again. Their hands were inches away from contact, and she was faintly blushing at the close distance.

At first, he didn't know this feeling that swelled inside of his heart. But, after all of the teasing from their enemies and guild members about their relationship, he finally knew the answer. Love.

"It's so beautiful."

"The city of blooming flowers," he stated. He never thought much of it until he actually set his eyes on their gardens. This was the Kingdom's official garden that offered the best of the best; and it certainly showed.

"Thanks for taking me."

"Any time." As long as he saw her beautiful eyes, he was fine with anything.

"I read about these in my mother's books, but I never thought I would see them up close."

"I just heard you and Erza talking about this place, that's it." He confessed that he overheard their conversation. Instead of her delivering a slap, she only smiled at his thoughtfulness.

Silence followed after and the pink haired braced himself for his next words, "Lucy, can I tell you something?"

She glanced his way and raised her eyebrow, "Yeah, what is it?"

He took a hold of her hand and made eye contact, "You know how we first met, became partners, and stuff? Well, uh..." he took a deep breath. It was now or nothing, "I love you."

Her jaw dropped, "Y-You love me? Did you just say that?"

"Yeah...I love you ever since we first met." He broke the eye contact and looked away. He knew it was coming. Rejection follow by her famous slap across the face.

Instead, Lucy's eyes sparkled. "Y-You do? Because...I love you too..."

He grinned at the fond memory. He could have sworn at that moment, his heart exploded when she said those words. He still doubts he even heard those words coming from her mouth. They were just too good to be true.

"I love you too."

Words he never thought he would hear from her. He was ready for her to reject him right there and then, and never speak to him ever again. But luckily, she felt the same way.

The pink haired exhaled smoke from his mouth and went inside. His break was over, and now he needed to go and help with the research. Before heading downstairs, he passed by Lucy's room.

The pale girl was laying on the bed with her eyes opened in the form of a smile. Her hand was resting in another person's hand. Each word the man spoke, she smiled.

"Hello," he knocked on the door, getting their attention and he walked inside of the room. The tray by her bed had a bowl of soup that she barely touched. Tubes were hooked up to her arms; giving her the nutrients that she's been missing from throwing up.

Gray looked up and without much of a glance, he left the room.

"What's with Ice Princess?" Natsu narrowed his eyes.

"I think he stayed too long..." Her voice was a whisper in this small room. The boy looked down at her hand and cringed. It lost it's normal color, as well as her hair.

"Oh, okay. Well, my break is over, so I only came in to see how you are doing. Do you need anything? Water?"

During his breaks, he spent with Lucy. But she sleeps whenever his break time comes, and he ends up going outside in the cool air.

And when everyone decides it's time to go home, he stays in her room sleeping in that wooden chair next to her bed.

She gave him a faint smile. It wasn't as big as the one she gave to Gray, "No, I'm all taken care of...Mira...she's been checking on me..." She held up her arm and the white gown she was wearing shifted with the movement.

He quickly lost his smile as he thought of Gray helping out Lucy, instead of himself, but when she mentioned Mira, he calmed down. He quickly bent over her bed and pecked her pale cheek. "If you need something, just call. Or even whisper, I'll hear."

"Okay...thanks, Natsu...thanks for everything." Her brown eyes beamed as they made eye contact.

He couldn't frown with those eyes staring at him, he grinned as brightly as her, "No problem."