To love again (A NaLu fanfiction)

Chapter 6

I was blind.

Never have I used that metaphor before. I didn't know what it meant, to be blind in a way that wasn't literal. It just didn't make sense...that was until some one forced me to understand that metaphor through first hand learning. It was only a couple of days after Natsu's confession. I was opening up to the idea of being taught to love again. Everything was going great, I was being treated the same as always and there was no awkwardness around anyone. Gray and Natsu still fought every day, Erza still adored eating strawberry cake, freed still fawned over everything Laxus did. Nothing was out of the ordinary. But it was all a façade. I was led into a false sense of security. It was no ones fault but my own. I should of seen it coming, seen him coming.

I was blind.

I was sitting at a table with Erza, Juvia and Levy watching the ever big headed Gray and Natsu fight over who would have a better chance in a fight against Guildarts. I was enjoying myself. Then it happened. Out of nowhere a gun fired almost hitting Bixlow. The guild went into a frenzy searching for the culprit, but to no avail. For a minute their was silence and soon everyone began to relax again, no guns went off and no threats revealed themselves. We were safe...at least we thought we were. Of course it wasn't that simple. As unexpectedly as before guns fired from every angle of the hall. No actual guns or shooters were seen but the platinum bullets could be easily spotted, soaring across the room towards my guild mates.

For a whole, heart stopping, five minutes my friends and myself ran around like headless chickens trying to escape the deadly, blood seeking bullets. Then...nothing. No more bullets or guns. Every one was shell shocked and I could barely stand. Wendy was crying hysterically and Romeo and Carla were trying to calm her down. When I looked around I found, to my utter relief, that no one was seriously injured. Or...that's what I thought at first glance. To my left a body laid on the floor, blood pooling from a wound in his abdomen. He was crying out in pain and I almost did the same when I realised who I was looking at. He coughed and spluttered and choked and people crowded around him trying to keep him conscious.

I knew it was Tomas who had ordered this attack, it was to show what damage he could do. It was to show he had the upper hand in this war. He wanted to scare me. But what he didn't know, what he foolishly would never in a million years expect, was that I wasn't easily scared...but I was very easily angered. And I wasn't going to ever forget the fact, that Tomas ordered an attack that caused a bullet to hit and seriously injure my favourite flying blue cat, Happy.

*

After 8 tiring hours of surgery Happy was finally awake and resting in a bed in the infirmary. He was stable and was on his way to recovery. Every one was waiting in or outside his room cheering and giving him raw fish after raw fish to keep him smiling. I used this as my chance to sneak out of the guild and into the nearby woods. This is where he would be waiting for me, I was certain. "Lucy...my lovely...have you come to your senses?" Tomas' sneering voice sliced through to dead silent forest. I didn't cringe or falter at his words, and this seemed to aggravate him. I stood strong and proud with my head held high. I wasn't going to show weakness, I had no reason to. Natsu's encouragement had given me self esteem I had only ever dreamed of. He was my anchor and now I knew how much he really cared for me, I felt practically invincible.

"Tomas, I'm only going to say this once so listen up. I'm not marrying you." I heard a rustle in the bushes beside us but I didn't give it a second glance and just continued to speak. "You can't blackmail me into it so just stop, I don't want any part of your life so keep your distance or their will be hell to pay." I turned around and held in all the anger I felt, stopping my self from lashing out at him. "Lucy sweetheart...You can't escape this, you love me too much to ever have the will power to refuse me." I snorted in response, finding it to respectful to simply laugh at his pathetic fall back plan. "That's where you're wrong..." I started, looking at him over my shoulder. "I don't love you, not any more. In fact I'm well on my way to falling in love with some one else." I smirked and watched as his face dropped. He lost his words and looked as if he was at a complete loss.

I wasn't lying. I really was on my way to falling in love with some one else. That stupid salmon haired boy had worked his magic on my heart. Maybe it was how he called me beautiful every day, or how he always managed to find a way to make me laugh and smile, or maybe it wasn't anything he had done. It was possible that I had always loved him, but I just didn't know it. Its not like I would ever gather the courage to tell him any way. All that matter was that my heart was fixed... "I'm not broken any more. So stay away from me and my friends or I will make your life hell." my words were said in a threatening way that seemed to make Tomas understand. He nodded his head, all pride and power had left his being leaving the emotionless shell he always was in its place. Like a robot he walked away leaving me standing alone in the forest with my thoughts...and whoever was hiding in the bush that I had noticed earlier.

I made my way to the bush and knelt down next to it. "Oi Natsu, you coming out or what?" I said, knowing full well he was there. I reached into the bush, grabbed hold of a piece of cloth and yanked it towards me. A brush of pink came out first followed by an innocently smiling face and a scarf, that happened to be the cloth I had caught hold of. "Hey Luce." I tried to be angry, I really did. But I couldn't be. I laughed at him as I picked a few leaves out of his hair. "Come on, Natsu lets go back to the guild."