nalu one-shots

sacrifice

This one-shot was made by Tsubaki394 on deviantart

They were free.

Natsu didn't know how, but he saw the cube crash when he woke up from weird sleep.

He saw his friends, falling out, to the ground. He cursed. This was dangerous. If only Wendy was here...

But then, he saw Juvia. He screamed, asking her to make water slide, so that they wouldn't die from hitting the ground.

He looked around again, looking for the hint of blonde hair, when he landed on the water, which pretty nicely slid under him and then under Erza. But he didn't see it.

And then, another boom was heard.

"Celestial Spirit King?", he heard Erza, looking up at what was left of the cube they were imprisoned in. He shoot a glance.

Indeed, there was a Celestial Spirit King with his moustache, fighting with some black haired guy. The battle was intense, but the Spirit won, eventually, cutting the head off his body. He heard Lucy shriek.

"Juvia, take us up there!"

It was Gray. He saw and heard it, too. Juvia nodded her head, as worried as them, and took everyone to the rest of the cube.

"You were brave, new friend." They heard him talk a moment before they actually reached their goal. Celestial Spirit King grinned at the blonde. They all saw her, too.

She looked horrible, as she was about to run mad. Her eyes were full of tears, red and swollen; her hair in mess, not that her pulling it helped; her body bruised, dirty. She looked up to them, and smiled a smile of relief on this damaged face.

"I'm glad you're okay, guys..." she whispered, and then passed out.

It was a week. They managed to destroy Tartaros completely, and begin rebuilding of the guild. But Lucy didn't wake up yet. She was at Porlyusica's all the time.

And Natsu came to visit daily, waiting for his partner to wake up.

He was watching her closely. She was the one who saved them, but still drained herself out of the energy.

"Hey, Luce, it's boring without you. Come on, wake up~" he moaned, as he came at the seventh day, and then looked at her. She was up. Sitting on her bed, looking through the window in complete silence. He grinned. "You're up!"

Natsu approached her, smiling, and she showed him weak smile, still not saying a word. He continued. "You were amazing up there, who would've known you could summon the King?! Although you passed out after that, you managed to get us out of the cube-" he babled, as she teared up again, clenching her fist. "What's wrong?!" He noticed her tears and smelled blood. She sobbed.

"I-It's nothing... I'm glad you're all safe..." She stated weakly, which didn't really convince him. He caught her hand, and she cried louder when she opened up her fist.

She revealed a golden key, stained with her blood, as she cut herself with its pieces.

Pieces.

And it hit Natsu.

"Lucy, how in the world did you summon the Spirit King..? You don't have the key to his gates."

She snuggled into him, her sobs now stifled by his muffler. He hugged her, slowly understanding.

"A-Aquarius..." She managed to choke out between sobs. "I had to... Aquarius Key... I had to-"

"Oh shit, Luce..." He pulled her closer, stroking her hair with his hand. Cry shook her body. She was trying to calm down, but he knew she couldn't. So he held her, not even knowing what to say.

Erza, Gray and Happy came in the room, as Porlyusica sent them a message. When they saw the pair hugging each other, they wanted to begin teasing, but then, they heard Lucy's shaken voice.

"She... She said she hated me, she said to destroy her key... I had to... I had to rescue you all..."

Natsu sighed.

"Luce, she didn't hate you. She told you that to make it easier..."

"It didn't! I want Aquarius back! I want my siren back..."

Happy, not understanding what had happened, but knowing that it was bad, snuggled between Lucy and Natsu, hugging her.

"She told me that I disappointed her, that I wasn't as graceful like my mom... I was a brat... But still..."

"I know, Luce. Shit, if I was there..."

Erza and Gray now sat on the bed, taking her attention. She looked at both of them, and smiled. "Guys, you're safe..." She repeated. It was her only solace. The fact that she'd saved her friends.

"You lost your key?" Erza asked, and she teared up again. "Don't cry, Lucy. We'll find a way to get Aquarius back."

"There is none..." Lucy wailed. "The key was destroyed..."

"Yeah, but it existed. And if it existed, it had to be made. So we can find someone who can actually make keys!" Gray said, smiling at her. She teared up.

"Guys..."

"We won't let Aquarius leave you, and I'll kick her ass at what she said about you! She'll regret talking off to you!" Natsu grinned. Lucy sobbed again.

"Thank you..."

She hugged them all, new hope burning in her heart. She looked at scattered key in her hand and smiled.

"Wait for me, Aquarius. I will not disappoint you again."

And the scattered key shimmered, as if Aquarius was telling her "You better not, brat."

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