The Demon's Concubine

Chapter 6

Natsu detached the leash from Lucy's collar, apologizing for when he'd accidentally snagged it on their way back to the room. They'd just seen the dragons off, and Lucy also got to see the front of the castle for the first time.

"I had fun today. I hadn't realized just how badly I needed company." Lucy sighed as she removed her robes.

"Uh, Luce… you're naked." Natsu didn't look away, despite his words.

"It's fine, I don't mind you seeing me." She simply shrugged as she began taking down her braids. Scowling to herself when she remembered once again that Natsu hadn't gotten her a brush yet.

"It's so lonely being in here all the time, especially when you and Happy are away. I wish you'd let me go out more…"

Natsu stared at her for a silent minute before shaking his head. "I can't, s'not safe."

"I get that the people around here don't really like me, but I can handle myself. Though I suppose you wouldn't know that since you never let me try."

"I'm sorry Lucy, but I really can't afford for anything to happen to you. You're safe here in this room."

She scoffed, looking down at the grown and gritting her teeth. "Ugh, you sound just like my-"

She snapped her mouth shut, eyes widening when she caught her slip up.

"What? I sound like your what, Lucy?"

"It's… I don't know, it's an old memory I think, I've forgotten exactly…"

Lucy ran a hand through her hair, moving to the washroom to start running a bath. Natsu followed, stopping himself from asking if he could join her. 

"I just wish you didn't treat me like some fragile little girl. I'm not going to be able to stay here forever, y'know. It's really not fair."

"Well I'm sorry for trying to keep you out of harm's way."

Lucy turned to glare at him. "You don't need to do that! I appreciate the thought, but seriously, it's so controlling. I can take care of myself, especially if you took this damn collar off of me."

"You know I can't do that. If I have you walking around without a collar, people will think I've gone soft. Showing special treatment like that to a concubine is a huge-"

"-weakness, I know. All I seem to be is a weakness for you." She approached Natsu then, shoving him out of the bathroom.

"Just leave me alone, you won't have to worry about looking weak if you're not around me."

"Wait, that's not-" Natsu was cut off by the door slamming. He glared at it for a moment before huffing and stomping out of the room, slamming his own door as he left. 

"Why does she expect me to just bend the rules for her? Doesn't she know what's at stake? If I expose any weaknesses, someone could use it against me! If someone did something to her to try and get to me, I'd lose it!" 

Natsu paused, realizing that he walked down a whole floor, scaring all the servants in his wake. 

"Why do I care so much, anyways? I'm just taking care of her til she gets her memories back…"

He groaned loudly, whipping around swiftly and stomping back upstairs, the servants and guards being sure to stay out of the king's way.

He decided to spend the night in Happy's room, relieved that the exceed was already asleep so he wouldn't have to explain himself. He scooted next to Happy on the bed, it was smaller than his own but still very large, especially for the cat. Natsu turned to his side, snuggling with Happy as he continued to think.