The party was three days ago and since then, I haven't heard a single word from Natsu. I tried texting then calling but not a single answer. Normally, he would answer or at least saying that he's busy but not a single word. 

I wonder what happened to that idiot. Did he leave his phone somewhere? Typical Natsu I guess but seriously though I knew you were klutzy but.

I sighed putting my pencil down and stretching. It's been such a boring day at school, too. I just finished a damn long math test after having to sit through a history lesson about nothing. Really, the teacher taught us about the history of the word "nothing".  

The bell rang signalling the end of the period. Levy sighed out loud as well grabbing my test and her own before passing it forward.

"I failed that test like a boss!" she sang before laughing then crossing her arms on the table and face planting into them. "Ah... I hate math."

"Don't we all?" I giggled packing up my bags. 

"No," I didn't miss the glare she threw a guy behind us. "My damn boyfriend is good at it."

"Hey mines, too," I replied.

She directed her attention to me, "Has he still not called you back?"

I shook my head, "No and I'm starting to get a little worried." 

Something flashed across her eyes and she looked away.

"Something wrong, Levy?"

"Huh?" she shook her head frantically. "No, nothing's wrong."

Alright, something is wrong.

"Lev-" 

"Hey Shrimpy," Gajeel suddenly appeared at our desk closely followed by Juvia. 

Levy's face immediately lit up. She's just lucky he saved her ass... so lucky.

"You ready to go?" he asked. 

She grabbed her bag and jumped over the desk to where he was; linking arms with him, "W-we have a date." She frantically waved her hands at us. "Bye bye."

The look on Gajeel's face told me that they indeed didn't. She's just trying to get out of something or not telling me something. She literally yanked him along without even turning back.

"What was that all about?" I murmured.

"They're probably going to visit Salamander..." 

My eyes slowly widened. Salamander? 

Juvia's own eyes widened when she realized she said something.

"W-What?"

The mid-fielder started playing with her feet, obviously nervous. She wasn't suppose to tell me?! What's wrong with Natsu? What the hell happened to Natsu?

I stood up slowly, my hands shook as I grabbed her arm, "W-where's Natsu?"

Her dark blue eyes glistened over. I could see the grip on her bag tightened as she looked away not even able to meet my eyes.

"Juvia..."

"Natsu... he's," she stopped again, testing my patience. 

"Where is he?" I pronounced each word steadily. "Juvia!"

"He's in the hospital," a new voice intruded by the doorway. I looked over to see Liam, arms crossed and his face serious. 

"W-what?"

"Come on," he beckoned us with his head. "I'll take you to him. Let's go."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Natsu

I glared at the needle that was stuck in my arm leading to the IV that was attached to me. I hate needles but they always seem to love me because they're always stuck to me.

"I still think it's wrong," Cana suddenly said. I looked around my hospital room at some of my teammates and the Old Man along with Porlyusica, our medic.

I shook my head, "No. Don't tell her."

"She's your girlfriend, isn't she?" Laxus growled. 

"Yeah but," I sighed. "I took us don't want her go worry."

"You had a heart attack, Natsu," Jellal narrowed his eyes. "Yeah she should be worried."

I looked away, "But I'm fine now and she doesn't have to -"

"Natsu you have cardiomyopathy," Erza said, deadpanned. "It's not going to go away. It's going to keep coming back."

I drew a breath, "It hasn't bothered me before," I grabbed the hospital gown that covered my chest. "So it shouldn't in the future."

The medic stepped up shaking her head, "The heart attack showed that it is getting worst. You are going to need rehab and some medicine in order to keep the condition stable."

"Yeah but-"

"Just tell Lucy, Ashole," Gray glared at me. "She deserves to know, doesn't she?"

"Yeah she does," the door to my hospital room opened and spoke?! What the fuck?

Gray, who had his back against the door doubled from the force of the door. He turned around but then he froze completely; shocked.

"L-Lucy..." he glanced at me.

My damaged heart started pounding at an impossible speed that it hurt. Who told her? I specifically told everyone not to tell her anything! But at the same time, I want to see Lucy. It's been two months since I've been able to hug her, kiss her, or just see that beautiful golden hair.

The look on her face as she came through the door told another story though.

It was blank. If she were angry, I would understand. Sad I could hold her. But blank, no...

"Hey how you feelin' Dragneel?" The playboy's pretty face stuck in through crack above Lucy's head.

"I was feeling good," I growled. "Then you showed up."

Coach Makarov suddenly jumped out of his seat with his hands behind his back, "Let's leave Natsu and Lucy alone brats."

He stopped and looked at me, eyes narrowed then left the room. Liam backed out as the rest of my teammates piled out. Erza gave Lucy a hug on the way then shut the door behind her.

And then there were two...

I need to start first. If I don't, then she's going to get the wrong idea.

"Luc-"

She held up her small hand for me to shut up which I did immediately.

Lucy walked over stiffly, raising a hand. I closed my eyes and cringed before hand, ready to embrace the pain of the slap.

But it never came.

Instead, I felt pressure on either side of my cheeks, causing my lips go purse up.

"I'll give you the next three words only," her brown eyes narrowed, "to tell me why you didn't tell me about your cardiomyopathy condition."

She sat down on the edge of my bed right beside my legs. This whole time, I watched her closely to try to figure out what she wants. What she truly needs to hear.

Wait! That's it!

"Ready?" She said softly.

I nodded once.

The moment her fingers stopped pinching my cheeks I spoke each word in a husky voice.

"I hate it."

She blinked once, twice clearly confused on my choice of words.

That's the green light to continue.

"I hate it when you worry," I said as gently as I could and still be able to be a man. "But then I hate seeing you hurt because I didn't tell you. My cardiomyopathy condition... I've known about it ever since maybe last year. I was short in breath so Gramps took me to a hospital and after some scans, they found out. My jerk of a brother knew our biological dad had the same thing but he never told me."

Lucy's focus was zoomed in somewhere else but her ears were pricked at my story. 

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you right away what was wrong," I continued. "Me, being the stupid person I am, thought the condition went away when I didn't have any kind of problems other than trouble breathing when running."

"But you run and sprint fine," she looked at me. 

"It hurts a bit. But nothing a man like me couldn't handle."

A small smile tugged at her lips. If I weren't restrained by damn needles and wires, I'd kiss her to death right where she was.

"Is there some kind of treatment for your cardiomyopathy?" I didn't miss the small crack in her voice when it happened.

"Test results aren't back yet... but the worst thing that could happen to me is a heart transplant."

"How bad does the condition have to be for that to happened?"

"If medications or previous surgeries aren't effective," I had to look at her directly. "Or I have end-stage heart failure."

She nodded once before taking a breath. I was mentally ready for the next question she had for me. 

"Can this," Lucy stopped for a second, "kill you?"

I suck in the biggest breath I could. No more hiding, Natsu. No more.

"Some of the blood flow can be too slow or too fast," I started slow making sure I pronounced every word. 

I opened my eyes to stare straight into hers, "Sudden death can very much happen at any time."

That must've snapped something in her. Lucy's a strong girl, I know she is and I've seen her try to be strong so many times. But all strong girls have to break eventually. 

She didn't cry loudly but she sobbed. I hate it! I hate this! Seeing her crying, no matter what the condition is-is terrible. I reached over, using the strength I could usher up; dragged her until her face was where my weak heart was. I held her tightly for the first time in two months; afraid if I let Lucy go, she would be left alone to try and deal with my condition; my pain.

"I finally get to have you," Lucy said in between. "I'm not ready to say goodbye!"

I tightened my grip, "And you won't have to. 

I gently grabbed her shoulders and make sure she was facing me. "I promise you, until the day I reach one hundred and five years old. I will not leave this world."

My thumb was shaking as it wiped the tears on her face, my own tears tasting salty in my own mouth, "I promise you Lucy."

I cupped her cheeks, "Alright? I promise you Lucy and it's a promise I intend to keep because of how much I love you, because of how much you mean to me. Dammit Lucy, I'm sorry! I want to make you laugh and smile all the times but whenever I see you, I make you cry! How come anybody else can make you smile and laugh easily?!"

She raised a hand and cupped mines. Slowly, a smile came to her as she reached forward and cupped my own cheek, "See Natsu? Whenever I laugh or smile with you, it's genuine and sincere."

Lucy leaned forward her forehead resting on mines as she closed her eyes.

"Don't be sorry, Natsu," Lucy murmured melting me completely. 

"I love you, too. And I promise you," this time when she opened her chocolate brown eyes, I know for sure Lucy has become her same old determined and strong self.

"No matter what happens, we survive this-"

I met her soft perfect lips with mines to be able to feel the last word against my own. As a sign to give me the strength to see this through to the end.

"Together."

I'm all fired up now.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Well what can I say here:

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