Her ≫ Fairy Tail Fanfic

Chapter 43: Amnesia

Recap:

And now, again, she'd paid.

For his insolence, his foolishness, his recklessness, his heart of ice and stone.

And again, he'd never realized it until it was far too late.

Because now, those golden eyes would never see the world again.

Never, ever again.

—

"-atsu! Natsu! NATSU F***KING DRAGNEEL!! WAK-"

"Bloody hell!" Throwing his hands up in the air, an exasperated Natsu growled at the owner of the loud voice as he groggily blinked the sleep from his eyes. "Shut the f*** up, man! I'm awake, I'm awake."

"You better be, you backstabbing man-wh***." Said owner of the loud voice snarled back, venom dripping from every word.

"O-Oh." Only when he turned around did he realize that the loud voice belonged to not Gajeel, as he'd previously thought, but to Mira. Mirajane. Mirajane Strauss-no, , former S-Class mage. Mirajane Strauss, former S-Class mage and now a goddess with powers comparable to his-

"Look what you've done! All your streaming's frightened her." The silver-haired beauty hissed scathing at him as she gripped his collar tightly.

"H-Hey, h-hey, Mira, c-can't br-reat-t-the..." Even gods had to rely on oxygen to survive, especially if they were caught unawares.

"Mira," A small, sweet voice whispered. "Can't you see you're hurting him? Hurting people isn't nice. Please put him down." When Mirajane didn't, the voice tried again. "Please? I know you're a nice person, Mira. Nice people don't hurt others. So please put him down." This time, Mirajane relented. With a last hissed snarl she dropped Natsu on the cold concrete like a limp sack of potatoes, muttering profanities under her breath as she stalked away.

Even as he laid on the floor gasping for breath, a smile made its way onto Natsu's face as he heard Lucy reprimanding the silver-haired goddess. Even though he couldn't see her, he'd never forget that sweet, melodic voice. Oh, how he'd longed to hear it once again.

He pushed himself off the sleek hospital floor and tiptoed towards the bed where Lucy sat, leaning on a mountain of cushions and still arguing with Mira. When he saw her, relief crashed through his veins like angry waves churning a stormy sea.

She was here. She was safe. She was alive.

Relief flooded through him, brighter and more precious than the first spring sunrise after a long, dark winter. But that golden relief quickly crashed when Lucy's beautiful face afforded no reaction but an innocent, shy smile when her eyes fell upon him. There was no love — not that he'd expected it, but Natsu had dared hope — no hatred, no recognition at all.

"L-Luce?"

A crease formed between said girl's brows as she turned to Mira without answering. "That doesn't sound like your name, nor a nickname? Is it mine? It sounds like my nickname." Only then did she turn to the salmon-haired god with another small, formal smile. "Hi there. Can I help you?"

"Y-You... it's Natsu, Luce."

Her brows furrowed again, her pale visage a mask of confusion. This wasn't his Luce. This girl wore her heart on her sleeve and had sunlight in her eyes, not the night sky filled with stars he'd always known. This girl was pretty, in the way spring rain was. Light, refreshing, but fleeting. His Luce was a bloom in winter, eternally unyielding and harshly beautiful, yet forever unreachable by none save the few she allowed to peer beyond the walls she'd built around herself. His Luce was steadfast, broken but mended again, stronger and better because of it. This girl was lost. A few soft words broke him out of his reverie.

"I'm very sorry, Natsu,"

He sucked in a grasping breath. She'd said his name. Without hatred and venom lacing every syllable. She'd said his name.

"But do I know you?"