Blossom

Hand-me-downs

Lucy tossed and turned in her bed, struggling to get comfortable. For some reason, it was just so hot, and it felt like there was someone laying beside her. Actually, it kind of sounded like there was someone snoring beside her, too.

...Wait a second. 

She jolted up in a panic, confirming that there is someone in her bed. Just as she identified that tan skin and pink hair, her stomach felt queasy, and she already knew what was coming. 

After stumbling out of bed, Lucy rushed to the bathroom and hurled. It was so common at this point, there was already a container of wipes and other toiletries on the sink counter for her to clean up. 

"Damn, is my bedhead that bad?" Natsu grumbled as he walked in behind her, watching her go back and forth between wiping her face and throwing up in the commode. 

She didn't relent at all, so he decided to stop joking around and bent down to rub her back. After a few more barfs, Lucy turned and glared at him, barely rasping out, "You did this to me!"

"W-what?" That was the first time he'd ever seen her look so utterly pissed like that, but the moment quickly passed when she turned over to release the last bit of last night's food. 

As soon as she flushed and got up to rinse her mouth out in the sink, it became clear that Lucy was in the worst of moods. Natsu didn't want to intrude, but he felt bad, so he attempted to give her a few comforting pats on the head, but that was not the right move. 

She snatched his hand off of her and glared at him. "Why were you in my bed?" She sneered, her voice filled with pure rage.

"Uh…" He didn't like the way she was looking at him, but he wouldn't dwell on it, "We just kinda doze off together, yeah? And your bed is really comfy-"

"What if Cana saw you!?" 

"She did, it's cool." 

"Um?"

"What?" 

"Nothing," Lucy rolled her eyes and stormed out of the bathroom, "But you should go. Last night was fun, I guess."

"...Do you have work today?"

"Not until later, but-"

"Well neither do I. We can still hang out some more…"

"Ugh." Lucy rubbed at her temples, and it was clear that she didn’t want to be bothered.

“Okay, nevermind. We’re supposed to see Gildarts today, but it’s fine. I’ll just go and let you know what happens.”

As she thought it over, Lucy's expression softened. She shook her head and suddenly, her lip began to quiver. "I… I'm just tired."

"...Oh? You can go back to sleep, then."

"No, I'm-" Her breathing grew ragged and she started to sob into her hands, "I'm just so tired of throwing up!"

"O-oh…"

"I just wanna eat and not have to worry about feeling sick for the rest of the day! I'm so tired!" 

She didn't stop crying, and Natsu went to follow his first instinct- he pulled her into a tight hug. 

He'd never seen someone so abruptly reduced to tears like this, and it was honestly pretty scary. "I'm… I don't know how to help you, uh…"

"You can't help me!"

"Um… I'm sorry…"

Lucy said no more, opting to just cry into his chest. It was weird, apparently they spent the night together, and now she's here having a breakdown right in his arms. Why do we have to be so abnormal!?