Abandoned, Neglected, Returned

Natsu's Perspective

****There is adult language in this chapter****

I watch as Lisanna spoke about one of the many moments of being in the Edolas version of the guild. It's still hard to believe that she's back, ya know? Even though it's been 4 months, it's still a miracle. She was my best friend, and Happy's mom! She was there for me when I didn't know I needed someone by me. So this is all like a dream, and I'm a little afraid that if I blink for too long, she'll disappear again. 

She won't leave again. Not on my watch. 

I remember bringing her along on a mission with the rest of the Team. It was the first time Happy and Lisanna had really scolded me for forgetting to tell Lucy. But when we came back, she smiled and said it was fine, so it was okay! After that, Lucy just... slowly started to be there and Lisanna took her place without meaning to, which wasn't intentional, I swear!

She knows it wasn't intentional. At least, in the beginning it wasn't. It never hit me how effective we were with Lisanna here instead of Lucy. Now then, maybe I was biased because we had gotten into a relationship after a month that she got here, but it's okay. Sure, there were things that Lisanna had to learn, and she wasn't as good as thinking up of other ways to tackle problems, and she didn't have the same attitude as Lucy so it wasn't as fun to mess around and poke fun, but she was still fun!

I can't really say that out loud though. Gray gets all pissy every time I make a comparison, Erza tells me to stop talking, Happy flies off, and Lisanna always tries to change the topic. I don't get it. They all know that we're better without her, so why shouldn't we make it official?

My eyes travel over to the same spot Lucy is always in, frowning. She's lost a lot of weight, and she smells like she's sick all of the time. I don't know why, or really when it started, but I feel a little uncomfortable getting near her. I get the same feeling in my stomach right after I get off of a moving vehicle, and my chest feels like it's being sat on by 20 Elfman's. 

Not like being around her feels uncomfortable, no. It's that... it's not the same. She isn't the same Lucy in my eyes and it happened when Lisanna came back. Which sucks because Luce is usually a fun and loud person. But I guess things change...

She had drifted away from us. She wasn't trying to stay with us, and she never complained whenever we would leave without her. The others are getting use to it; except for Happy, who always goes over to her and the others. Yeah, she has her own group now. Besides, just because we were together all of the time, it doesn't mean that we HAVE to still be like that with Lisanna here. 

~~~~~~~~~

I did it. I kicked Lucy off of the team, and we had just gotten out of the office after changing things. I should be happy, but I feel like I did something wrong. This is just the way it was meant to be, I just know it. I chalked up Lucy leaving because she was tired. After all, she had bags under her eyes that screamed 'sleep!'

I will admit, I was a little harsh on her. But I had to be. Think of it like constructive criticism. You need to know what you're bad at to get better. I got lost in thought, but a tug on my pants brought me back and I look at the person who did it, smiling. "Yeah Lis?"

"Do you think that it was okay to do? I know that from what you've told me, you're right about the stuff you said, but I still feel bad. She was here first and I just.. took it." I tense up and sit up right, grabbing her hands and facing her so that she knows she has all of my attention.

"You were here first. You, me, and Happy, it was always the three of us. She was just holding your place."

"Hey Natsu, don't you think you're being a little hard there?" I let go of Lisanna's hand and see Gray, who was leaning back on his chair, no shirt, and arms crossed. Ugh.