genessia | Closed Log

Being her partner for as long as he had been as well as her brief outbursts since his return from the one year of training, Natsu had a hunch about what was troubling Lucy. However just because he might know what was on her mind didn't mean he knew what to do to fix it. So he'd just accompanied her as always, looking for any opportunity to try and get confirmation at least of his suspicions.

He frowned at that hesitant way she almost looked up at him. He'd thought things were improving somewhat back in the other world and even in their own. Yet she'd somehow reverted back or gone even further back than where she started out when they were reunited. IT was to be frank quite worrisome.

"Yeah This'll do. What do you feel like having?" Natsu asked, trying to give her a distraction to focus on for the moment.

Lucy glanced at him again, relieved for the brief reprieve, focusing on the menu with a smile. "I guess... well, let's see what they have first." Her initial choice would have been a sandwich, but if they had something better, she might try that. She was actually curious if they would have something spicy for him here.

Picking her way over to a table, she picked her way over to a seat, choosing to sit at his side rather than across from him for a change. Of course she was rationalizing it that it would be easier to share a menu, since there was only one per table. Yeah, that's the reason! "Maybe I'll have this egg salad instead. What about you?"

He wasn't sure how long that distraction would last though especially with how blatant he was about his concern and curiosity. That being said he certainly had no problem with Lucy sitting next to him. Heck they sat next to each other at times when they ate at the guild after all.

"Lemme see." Natsu said and leaned over close to Lucy to peer at the menu. There were a lot of light dishes on offer but the only spicy one was a sandwich with chilli pepper topping.

"I guess I'll have two of these." He said pointing out the sandwich entry.

Not long, considering they would still have to wait for their lunches to be prepared and served. So that left a gap of time to chat. She was about to hold out the menu for him to check what he wanted when she felt him leaning in close, more than saw him. It was a perfectly natural thing to do, but she still felt herself blushing at his proximity.

"E-eh -that...? Okay - and oh, I'll just have a water to drink myself." She may need it to dump over her head! Still, the amused worker, after taking their order, sauntered off again, disappearing into the kitchen in the back. Lucy let out a sigh, propping her chin against her hand, glancing out the window for a few seconds, before her gaze wandered back to her partner.

He was sticking a lot closer to her than usual recently and Natsu saw nothing wrong with that. Why would he? It just felt the most right thing to do. And so he'd keep doing it. That being said Natsu wouldn't be able to keep quiet for long and after a short period of silence he met her gaze and leaned against the table.

"Something's really eating at you huh?"

She'd even go so far as to say he was sticking even closer to her than when he came back from Earthland, after the guild was disbanded. She wondered about the reason for that; could it have been because of -

She started a bit in surprise when she realized she'd been watching him a little too closely, though fortunately he didn't seem to think anything of it. "... Yeah, I guess." She admitted with a faint smile. He could read her like a book.

Which bothered her more though - the 'guild' here, or the revelation on how people some treated precious memories, she wasn't sure. "This place seemed really nice at first glance..." Well, excluding that weird guy from Everglade. He was nice too, just.. in a different way.

"Everyone's been talking about the guild here, but..." She didn't feel comfortable with regards to it yet. It certainly couldn't be considered home.. Not with almost everyone gone, and knowing it wasn't yet re-established back home. "I'm not sure how I feel about it." It almost felt...fake.

Well some would argue it might be because of how guilty he felt for leaving her like that. AFter all he had relied on the guild being there for her when he would be away. A shame he couldn't read the future to know that would not happen.

The way she started was a little concerning though and Natsu was half tempted to just say forget it and move on. But then Lucy finally started talking about it. So his suspicion was correct after all.

"Mmm I thought you started acting weird ever since that came up." Natsu nodded to himself.

She needed to get it off her chest anyway; even if he did tell her to forget it, it was something that would only eat at her and eat at her. "Well... yeah." She said slowly. "... I mean... no one here knows what happened back home, but you and I, so... I can't blame them for wanting us to go to the guild right away. Fairy Tail is our home. At least, I thought it was. After the Master disbanded, and everyone just... left. And you had left too," She really really tries to keep the resentment out of her voice there. He at least told her he was leaving, and when he'd be back. It didn't make it any less painful. It didn't make it any less lonely for her.

"So there...really wasn't anything for me in Magnolia, and it hurt too much to stay there. But whatever that guild is supposed to be... it can't even come close. You heard Master Mavis and Erza.. there's barely anyone even there anymore, since everyone's sent back. It'll be too strange to be there now." But they'll be expected to put in appearances - they were still Fairy Tail mages in their hearts, that would never change - even if the guild was gone. On the one hand, she wanted to be close to the guild - on the other, it wouldn't feel right to her. Also yes, she did just imply that there was no point staying somewhere when he wasn't there.

Natsu was very aware of what he did wrong but lingering on it was not going to set it right. Instead he would rebuild her home, gather everyone back together and maybe then she would forgive him. Until then he really had no idea what to say to make it up to Lucy. AFter all just saying "sorry I left you for a year thinking the world wouldn't fall apart around you" wasn't going to make any of her hurt and heartache just fade away.

"Mmm I see your point. And it's not like we're back in our world so we can go on a journey to find everyone again. Here we'd literally have to wait and hope and even then people come and go all the time..." He'd given that aspect a surprising amount of thought and only now brought it up since it lined up so well to Lucy's own points.

She didn't want him to linger on it anyway - he was already going above and beyond, trying to get Fairy Tail back together. Even though that was proving to be more difficult than she expected. Actions were more suited to him apologizing, and she'd wave off the apology anyway. He was with her now -- well... not...WITH her, not. ... that she was going to let her brain go down that route right now.

Even though she was consciously aware of how close he tended to get to her. "From the way Erza spoke, it sounds less likely that anyone else will show up also." she mused. Of course, it also disturbed her the way arches were made - using one's own memories almost like currency - loaned or not. But she wasn't thinking about that right now. " She glanced up again, only when drinks were brought over, and the server advised them that they'd be right back with the food.

It still wouldn't be enough. Her smile had lost some of its original luster and knowing that was his fault was going to stay with him until he managed to set things right.

"Yeah. It's not like all that many of them showed up back in that other world either." Natsu agreed albeit reluctantly. He wanted to say there was no way that was right but alas he couldn't do it. Not when she looked like that.

"Well if we're not going to that place what do you think we should do. Anything you decide on I'll go with."

"Yeah, that's true." She poked at her glass absently, glancing towards him again. What did she think they should do? "Well..." She wanted to point out he didn't have to go with anything she decided to do, but if she were honest with herself, she wanted him with her. "... I guess I'll know for sure when I see it, but I think...staying in a place like that is out of the question." Not knowing everyone was gone, and all else. "So, maybe there'll be somewhere to stay close by instead." It'd feel weird living separately from him - so weird she had even started thinking in terms of 'we' rather than 'I'.

"Well it's not like you lived at the guild to begin with. YOu always had your own apartment and only went to the guild to hangout or when we needed to go on a mission." Natsu pointed out the clear cut logic of their old arrangement.

Lucy nodded, "I know, but as for our presence here before - people seemed to be under the impression that we lived at the guild."

She fidgeted a little, about to say something else, when their food arrived. Part of her was a little annoyed at the interruption. A small part of her. The other half of her was glad because she was genuinely a little hungry, now that she'd gotten some of her troubles off of her shoulders.

"Hmmm I guess it makes sense since we lived in the same room on the ship." Natsu pondered out loud before the food was brought in. He could tell Lucy still had things to say but wasn't sure if he should outright ask.

"Lets dig in and figure it out afterwards." He decided to encourage and reached for his sandwich with chilli pepper.

Funny enough, she had been wondering about their living arrangements. Since they had been assigned the same room back in the other world, she'd gotten kind of used to him being there. And truthfully she was more comfortable with him at her side. Straight up asking him to stay with her though... that was different from just coincidentally being put in the same room.

"Mm, yeah, that's probably best." She agreed, smiling faintly as she started to tuck into her own meal.

Natsu had no intent of changing those arrangements if Lucy wasn't going to. So odds were she wouldn't even have to ask him to stay with her. Especially given how he'd left her alone for a year still lingering on his mind.

Well she was at least 98% certain he was going to stay with her, but assuming was... okay it wasn't even really assuming at this point. They arrived together, they should stay together, right? "I guess... I, ... I mean we, could look for a two bedroom apartment --" she ventured after a moment.

Yes, TWO bedroom. Because as warm, safe and comfortable she might feel in the same bed as him, that was just... she shook her head a little. She couldn't just go right in and get a one bedroom apartment! Even if it ended up with him never using his own bed.

She was dragging her feet an awful lot around that topic but Natsu still watched and waited for her to say what she needed to even as he stuffed his face still. Multitasking around food!

"Sounds good to me. Though with the money we've got now we'd probably have ta settle for a room at the inn." Maybe with two beds if she was lucky. But an apartment was still a lofty goal to get on day one.

She could dream! But it was more likely that they'd end up getting a room at an inn, and if they only had one with one bed... she'd ...definitely fuss at him if he thought he'd get in the same bed. Never mind they'd already fussed about this before and she kind of lost that battle when she accidentally admitted she liked him next to her in bed, in that other world.

M...maybe he doesn't remember that.

"Well, that's not so bad either. If there's so many people coming in, they're probably used to this kind of thing. Maybe they have a weekly rate rather than daily rate - and if not, there's always camping, I guess." Not her preferred option, honestly, but...

Sadly for Lucy he remembered everything. Including how that necklace around her neck came to be there.

"I'm glad at least that made it with us. My collection and all of your stuff ended up left behind." Natsu pointed out offhandedly.

"I don't mind camping but you're definitely happier with a roof above your head.

"Huh?" That statement actually surprised her, and she glanced down at the necklace she'd always found herself touching when she let her mind drift. "... Yeah, actually, me too. It's kind of funny how this is the only thing that did come over with us - but..."

... But she just remembered what happened when he gave her the necklace, and flushed pink, going silent, tucking into her drink for a few minutes. AHEM. Nothiiiiing wrong with this pictuuuuuuuuuuure. Oh right, he was talking more. "W-well of course! I mean, camping is nice to do now and again, but give me a warm room and a hot bath any day of the week over that."

Maybe because you had it on you all the time. Maybe they took it as a part of you instead of something you got." Whether intentionally or not, Natsu was using fairly loaded metaphors and he didn't seem to see anything wrong with them. Much to Lucy's likely despair and flustering.

"Heh yeah I know. That's why we're gonna get a room at the Inn at the very least." Honestly Natsu was perfectly fine with camping given how much of it he did during training.

Lucy felt her face get warmer at those metaphors, her imagination overclocking, "Y.. yeah. M..maybe..." She stammered softly. Though when he brought up the room at the Inn, it reminded her, and she sighed, joking. "Well, it wasn't bad as a last meal goes," Because Erza was surely going to kill her. "And it was in good company. Let's see if there are any rooms available before it gets too late and we really will end up having to camp out a night."

"Last meal? Stop kidding around. You're not gonna die." Natsu pointed out stubornly. "Even with how strong Erza is you haven't been slacking off. Heck I bet you could handle one of those lectures she gives me or that stupid ice princess when we get her really mad.

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