Welcome to the Mafia Family

Chapter 15 - Natsu's Return

"Where is he?" I muttered as I paced up and down Natsu's penthouse. It's nearly midnight and Natsu still wasn't back yet. I was getting more and more worried as time went by. "You're worrying too much Lucy. He'll be fine. That idiot is harder to kill than he looks" Gray said as he sat comfortably on the lounge watching a movie on Natsu's TV with a cold beer in hand. Even though he says that I couldn't help but worry.

Soon I heard someone unlocking the front door with a click and I turned to it, hoping it was Natsu. I sighed in relief as his smiling self opened the door and cheered "I'm home!" I quickly rushed to him and wrapped my arms tightly around him in a hug. A sense of relief washed over me. "Whoa. You ok Lucy?" Natsu asked a little surprised and then chuckled. I couldn't speak, I was just so relieved that he was home safe. "She was worried about you the whole time" Gray said.

Realising what I was doing, I quickly released the hug with a blush heating up my cheeks. "S-Sorry" I stuttered as I took a step back. In one swift moment, Natsu stepped forward, closing the gap between us, and hugged me tightly. "I'm sorry for making you worried" he said quietly in my ear. "Get a room!" Gray chuckled, interrupting the moment. Natsu jumped back and glared at him. "If you don't like it then you leave the room!" he shouted while raising his fist.

My eyes widened as I noticed the fresh burn mark that snaked around and down his raised arm. I gasped, "what happened to your arm?!" I exclaimed as I gently grabbed his hand to inspect the wound. "Oh that? Flare's Crimson Hair whip did that. Don't worry about it" Natsu said lightly, trying to play it off. "I'm going to worry about it until it's treated. Where's your first aid kit?" I asked. "You don't have to do that. I can treat it later" he replied. "Natsu, I insist. It's the least I can do since you got hurt because of me" I said. 'That's right. It's my fault that he's hurt' I thought as my heart sunk in my chest.

He quickly grasped both my upper arms and looked into my eyes with a disapproving expression. "Don't ever think that any of this is your fault. None of us in Fairy Tail think it's your fault for this mafia war, especially me. So, don't blame yourself. Understand?" he asked. His words made me feel better about the whole situation like a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders. I slowly nodded and then he smiled. "Good. The first aid kit is in the bathroom" he said and I rushed to grab the first aid kit.

After I found it under the sink, I brought it back into the living room. Natsu was now sitting on the lounge a little away from Gray, patting Happy who was curled up on his lap. I walked over to Natsu with the first aid kit and sat down next to him. "Give me your arm" I ordered and he held his burnt arm in front of me. "Yes ma'am" he said playfully with a smile. I opened up the first aid kit and poured some alcohol onto a cloth. "This might sting a little" I warned. "So what happened on the mission?" Gray asked Natsu and then took a sip of his beer. "Well, the whole place was definitely a trap-yeouch!" he exclaimed and flinched as I put the alcohol covered cloth on his burn. "Sorry" I apologised and then continued dabbing the alcohol on the wound to disinfect it.

He took a sharp breath in and then continued his explanation. "I told Ivan that I won't hand Lucy over to him" he paused to take a quick glance at me. I focused on treating Natsu's arm but kept listening. "He then signalled most of men in the room to aim their guns at me-ouch-but then Laxus fired the first shot. Ivan didn't notice I brought back up" he smirked. His smirk disappeared as quick as it appeared when he exclaimed "ouch!" as I dabbed his burn again.

Once I was finished applying the alcohol, I started wrapping a bandage around his arm. "Unfortunately, Ivan got away along with Flare but when we searched the place afterwards, we found a letter to Raven Tail from the Silver Lion. Seems like Raven Tail were watching Lucy and hired him to kidnap her" he continued and then turned to me. "But don't worry Lucy, I won't let him or Raven Tail take you" he said. "Thanks Natsu" I smiled as I finished wrapping the bandage.

Suddenly the front door slammed open with a loud bang. Happy jumped scared from the sudden noise and ran away to go hide somewhere. Standing at the door was Laxus who looked frantic. "Natsu, where's Lucy?! She's not in my apart-" he stopped himself when he saw me sitting beside Natsu. I could see the imaginary clogs clicking through his head as he was understanding the situation. It took him a few seconds to piece things together. His expression turned furious and I feared what he was going to do.

"NATSU!" he shouted so loud that I thought the whole building was going to shake. He stomped towards the lounge and Natsu tried to make a run for it but Laxus grabbed the back of his collar. "Laxus stop!" I shouted but Laxus ignored me as he dragged Natsu over the back of the lounge and onto the floor on his back. "Why is my little sister in your apartment?!" Laxus demanded as he wrapped his hand around Natsu's throat. "She was...staying over...while you were on...the S-Class mission...For her protection" Natsu choked out. Laxus lifted Natsu off the floor, not letting his feet touch the ground. "Don't give me that bullshit. She would've been safe enough in my apartment. Did you think you could try something on her while I was gone?" Laxus growled as his scowl deepened.

I blushed remembering how I woke up this morning with Natsu cuddling me on the bed. 'This is no time to be blushing. I need to stop Laxus' I thought. "Laxus! Enough!" I shouted and he finally turned his head to look at me. "He didn't do anything with me" I told him. "Did he try to kiss you? Touch you? Sleep in the same bed as you?" he asked, getting angrier with each sentence and tightening his grip on Natsu's neck. "None of that. He offered his bed to me and slept on the couch" I said and Laxus sighed, partly in relief. He slowly lowered Natsu to the floor and then removed his hand from Natsu's neck.

As soon as Laxus' hand left Natsu's throat, Natsu coughed and tried to catch his breath. I walked towards him to check if he was ok but Laxus stopped me halfway by grabbing my arm. Without a word, he started pulling me towards the door. "Laxus? What are you doing?" I asked. "Taking you back to our apartment" he said as he dragged me out of Natsu's penthouse and to our apartment. Sheesh, I'm not a child.