•••

Lucy frowned, watching him silently tend to her wounds, as he very carefully and tenderly wrapped the bandages around them.

"Oh look how the tables have turned!" She chuckled, remembering about the time when she was the one bandaging him instead.

However, he just gave her a small glare and wordlessly continued on with his work.

Lucy sighed, bored, until she noticed his injured side which was smartly hidden by his scarf and T-Shirt. She jumped up, which was a mistake for she hissed in pain, and pulled up his scarf and shirt sleeve, examining the wound.

"How?"

He jerked his arm away, and hissed in pain, annoyed. Lucy huffed in annoyance herself, crossing her arms.

"Okay, stop right there. Don't go on giving me that attitude. You're hurt! You need treatment as much as I do-!"

"STOP!" He bellowed. Lucy, shocked, quieted down instantly, looking at him in disbelief. His eyes softened after it met hers and he looked at her beseechingly. "Please stop. Stop acting like I'm more important than you. Please. I made this happen to you."

She smiled slightly, moving over to him and pulling him down to sit back on the couch.

"Do you really want to argue with me about who's more important to whom right before parting?" She chuckled. "I think we both might already know about the difference in opinions."

She opened up the box, pulling out fresh bandages. Swiftly and tenderly, she tended to his injuries, putting medicine on and wrapping it up securely. A light gasp escaped her and she slightly winced from the pain in her throbbing hand.

"Hurts that bad, huh?"

"You have no idea how bad." She replied, laughing lightly, but knowing deep down in her heart that it wasn't just true for the injuries.

"I don't want to go Lushie." Happy whined, still teary-eyed. The blonde woman smiled sadly and caressed his face.

"I don't want you to either but.."

"Happy can stay here if that's what he wants." Natsu suddenly announced, still looking away.

"WHAT?"

"But Natsu, we're partners and best fr-"

"It's not like you're bound to go with me, Happy. Also I think it'll be best if you stay here. I don't really think I deserve your friendship if I'm too weak to even protect somebody I love. It'll be better if you stayed here.."

"Hey." Lucy whispered, turning his face so that he could directly face her. "That's not true. You are strong. You can save your friends. Don't you dare say anything else."

"But I couldn't even protect y-"

"You did protect me." She continued, cutting him off. "You did save me. And.."

She tried to move her hand away, but Natsu swiftly put his own hand over hers to keep it in place.

Lucy pretended that her heart didn't skip a beat.

"I don't know much about the Black Dragon, but I know enough to say that sealing him away and saving your realm says a lot for you."

"But-!"

"Also.." she cut him off again. "If Ignia is so strong and all, why didn't he go after him himself? Why did he show up after you came out victorious? This just proves how much of a boastful whimp he really is."

She smiled, winking at him playfully.

"Boastful whimp?" Natsu laughed. "That's the best you can come up with?"

"Hey! I live by a strict policy of 'no curses'." She grinned. "Also...you finally smiled..."

They both stared into each other's eyes for a long time, until Happy's snickers finally snapped them out of their trance.

"You loooovvvveee him~"

Lucy hurriedly looked away, violently blushing and stood up, clapping her hands.

"Okay!" She announced. "Let's do something fun! You don't intend to spend the last 12 hours with me sulking, do you?"

"Do something fun?" Natsu got up too. "Like that?" He asked, obviously referring to her bandages.

"Oh yeah, umm...how about I call everyone? It'll be kind of a farewell party for you!" She proposed, grabbing her phone from the table and scrolling through it.

"W-Wait!"

She looked up from her phone only to find a fidgeting Natsu nervously looking around.

"I uh..I uh..I would like it if it were just the two of us though.." he mumbled, nervously scratching the back of his neck.

Lucy kept her phone aside, her heart beating like crazy. She looked at him, smiling brightly.

"Then cook with me one last time?"

•••

A few hours later, a flour covered Natsu, Lucy, Happy and Plue exited the kitchen, with Lucy fuming red with anger

"I wanted you to cook food, not play with it!" She scolded. "And you guys completely devoured my fridge!"

"Well you can't really scold us. We were hungry since we were the ones doing all the work."

"Aye! You weren't exactly cooking, were you? You just stood there, ordering me and Natsu around!" Happy commented.

"Well excuse me for not being able to use my hands!" She retorted. "Besides, I'll finally get to eat his cooked food so no complaints!"

Her gaze shifted from them to the wall clock, and her expression saddened. "Well then..we have about 9 more hours.. What do you think we should do next?"

"Eat."

"Natsu, you just ate! Do you even remember raiding my fridge just minutes ago?"

"What?! But I'm hungry! We didn't prepare that buttload of food for nothing!"

"That's our dinner! Don't you dare touch that before 8!"

"I have the perfect thing to do!" Happy announced, catching their attention.

"Oh yeah? What is it?"

"Let's play strip poker!" He suggested smugly.

"No way Happy!" Lucy screeched. "Besides you're already naked!"

Just 9 more hours...

•••

Lucy gently put his head in her lap, shifting Happy slightly. Somewhere between playing games and watching movies, both of them had fallen asleep. She smiled sadly, the corner of her eyes brimming with tears.

"I'm going to miss you both so much." She whispered, her voice quivering. "I'm going to be so lonely."

She started brushing her fingers through Natsu's soft pink locks and Happy's blue fur. The simple gesture greatly calmed her, yet at the same time, caused her immense pain. She glanced back at the wall clock, her resolve to stay strong shattering a bit more.

Only 15 minutes remained.

"It'll be better if they went back in their sleep. I don't think I'll be able to face them while parting."

She stopped the calming gesture, unable to bear with the thought of watching them disappear.

She gently shifted them again, this time on the couch. She covered them both with a quilt and gently kissed each one of them on their foreheads. Picking up a sleeping Plue from her feet, she snuggled him close before putting the dog back into his bed.

"Looks like it's just gonna be me and you again Plue."

About 5 minutes later, Lucy stood in her balcony, sipping on hot cocoa. She watched the sky as it turned on a faint orange now, indicating the rising sun. Lucy anticipated the moment when it'll actually happen.

How could something so beautiful bring along so much sadness?

"Can't sleep?"

His deep voice from behind startled her and she yelped, almost punching him.

"Don't do that!" She pouted, crossing her arms.

"And you don't do that." He laughed, indicating to her pouting. He took the mug from her and finished it all in one go. "It'll make it harder for me to leave."

Lucy looked away, trying to blink those stubborn tears away.

"Leave huh?" She laughed. "So I'll finally be free!" She cheered.

"Really now?"

"Uh huh! No more raiding of my fridge, no more hoarding of my bed, no more of those stupid pranks and.."

"And?"

"No more of you."

They both quieted down again, before Lucy chuckled, breaking the tense atmosphere.

"But that's life right?"

"How are you going to explain your injuries?"

"Oh! I'll just say I kinda got in a minor accident. Didn't see the speeding car in the haze."

"And me leaving?"

Her heart throbbed painfully.

"I-I'll just say that..that..you left..to go back home..very urgent work.."

"How did you come up with such spot on lies?" He laughed lightly.

"Well, I am a writer y'know.."

"Tell me Luce.."

"Hm?"

He came closer , standing directly in front of her.

"Will you miss me?"

"Not even in the slightest!" She laughed.

He reached for her hand, brushing it with his fingers and then intertwining his with hers.

"Do I make you nervous?"

"Like that can happen." She scoffed.

He slowly brought up his fingers, running them across her cold cheek, still staring directly into her eyes.

"Do I make your heart beat like crazy?"

"Nope!"

He started playing with her golden locks, apparently oblivious to her deep scarlet blush, which was now visible to him in the light, morning sky.

"Do I make you lose control?"

"No."

He brought his face closer to her ear, his lips just brushing at its tips.

"Do I make you want to kiss me?"

"Negative."

He leaned back, now looking at her. His hands snaked around her waist, and he brought her, if possible, even closer to him. His lips brushed her own, and he whispered against them.

"Did you lie about every single thing I just asked?"

Lucy's breath hitched and she felt him squeeze her even closer to him, reassuring her. His warmth let her know that it was okay, that everything will be okay.

"Yes.." She whispered, tears falling from her eyes because she knew he'd never know, never hear her say it.

For the sun had finally risen up for a new day.

•••
Okay..umm..yeah..

Last chapter..I'll be going now..

Until then!
Belle🌸
🔥❤️🔑

Ps: a word of advice, don't remove this from your library or archive it yet! ^.^