Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail

* screams * Okay, I just read the new chapter and I must say Holy sh*t what the f*ck was that?! :D

I wanted my Nalu reunion in this f*cking chapter and now?

Another wait for a whole week! I won't survive that :'( xD

Anyway... I need to calm down now so I will write what's spinning through my mind ;D
Enjoy :*

–-

How Time Passes By

Lucy just stood there. Disbelief everything that mirrored in her eyes. That her clothes burned off was long forgotten, pushed in the very back of her mind as she saw him standing there. With his stupid grin, he just always showed no matter what and his challenging eyes. Showing his 'enemies', if you can really calm them like that since no one seemed to stand a chance against him in his current state, that he wasn't pleased with them being the new number one guild.

He was still the same, though Lucy could make out a lot more muscles due to the fact that he was only wearing a cloak, he was the same stupid and hotheaded idiot like from one year before.

His smile was more genuine and his spirit to fight was also the same not changing the slightest bit still wanting to challenge everyone and everything.

Lucy blinked a few times when she saw that he also had his guild mark, there on his right shoulder, showing off proudly to which guild he belonged. The blonde wasn't sure if he knew that Fairy Tail got disbanded but even if he knew he would never erase his mark. A smile tucked at her lips when she thought about his opposing nature. He would always do the opposite of what he was told.

There was this warm feeling in her chest, bubbling through her flesh, sending a thousand shivers over her body, just as she realized that he was looking straight at her.

His eyes felt like they were piercing into hers, this black, honest eyes she yearned to see over all this time. His body heat and his stupid pink hair, which actually grew pretty long, she always wanted to feel and touch.

He was back, standing right there looking at her. And only at her.

Lucy blushed madly when she remembered that he burned off her clothes, fast she covered her chest, shivering slightly when he didn't avert his eyes from her.

And then he closed his eyes, his lips forming one of the brightest smiles she'd ever seen from him, showing her his canines.

The little pink tone on his cheeks didn't go unnoticed by her.

''Yo, it's been such a long time, Lucy!''

There it was. His voice, strong and ever so honest, happiness being also heard. He was happy to be back. Lucy shook her head. Of course he'd be happy.

She relaxed when her brain finally excepted that he was indeed back, and from the looks of it he wouldn't leave so fast.

Though she knew her voice would shake, she just answered as casually as possible, trying not to let her tears of happiness leave her eyes.

''How are you?''

Natsu blinked twice, her voice sounded different. But not only her voice. When he entered the Colosseum he clearly was able to trace her scent but it was different from the scent he was used to. He had to recognize that a year had passed, not only he has changed but her as well.

He looked down, letting his hair slightly fall over his eyes.

With a sigh he inflamed his feet and jumped up to where she was.

He was standing right there in front of her, barely one meter space between them, the wind was blowing his cloak to the side, the same with both their hairs. His expression was serious, way more serious than she had ever seen.

Lucy inhaled sharply when he slowly took one step closer to her. She couldn't break down now. She has pretended to be fine over a whole year, placed this fake smile onto her lips so no one would recognize, why would she break down now? Just because he came back?

No, she had to be strong now, showing him that she also grew over that one year. That she also became strong, stronger for herself.

She closed her eyes when he stood completely in front of her, his chest almost touching her arms with which she was trying to cover herself.

Natsu didn't say something though. He simply unwrapped his cloak from his shoulders and carefully placed it over her delicate ones. Lucy was kind of shocked by the act. Normally he wouldn't care if she was half naked or even completely exposed.

She could feel the heat now even more intense but she didn't care the slightest bit. His upper body which was now exposed caught her eyes and holy shit he must have really trained a lot. He looked even more broad than before, his shoulders brighter his muscles more distinct.

''I'm fine.''

His eyes changed yet again, they were soft, understanding. He saw her smile the moment before she asked him and knew with one look that it had been forced.

He saw the relief in her eyes but as well the pain and hurt she must have felt over all these months. But he hated that she wasn't honest with him now and just showed him how much she suffered. He hated it every single time she was trying to be strong, mentally. Though he also hated it to see her cry he wanted her to do so right now, because he knew all better now that she would feel good after crying.

''How are you?''

Lucy looked up now, meeting his eyes, which he seemed didn't take off her once, and broke down. Only from one simple look into his eyes she knew what he was thinking and she knew that he was right. But still... She couldn't be that weak, could she?

Her hand fell against his warm chest, foisting against it, as she trembled and let her tears drop to the ground, enraged about herself that she couldn't lie to him, neither about her feelings nor about her opinion or anything else. She was always honest with him and if he wanted to know how she was she would be honest now as well.

''I'm... I'm not fine! I am defiantly not fine, Natsu!''

''I know.''

She chocked, knowing so well that he was aware of her state she was in. She was embraced by warmth as he just pulled her completely against him and wrapped his arms around her, running his one hand up and down her back as to calm her down.

''I was all alone. Everyone left! I had no idea where you all were! I searched for you, gathered information but I never was able to talk to anyone once!''

The girl snuggled closer to him, trying to hide herself in his warmth and comfortableness. She could feel his now even stronger arms tighten around her shaking figure.

''I needed you so much.''

Lucy dug her nails into his shoulders, her crying became stronger with every word she said.

''But you weren't there! No one was!''

''Luce...''

''I know... I wanted to become stronger myself, putting on this fake smile every single day, trying my best not to think about you for at least a minute but I couldn't! I just COULDN'T!''

Natsu kept her in place when he recognized that she wanted to get away from him. She had been hurting so much over this year, not only because he left but because everyone else did as well. And he knew that she wasn't mad at him neither at the others but still... She suffered such a great deal from being alone for so long.

Guilt crept into his feelings dominating his joy he felt when he saw her. He was prepared to see her crying, hell he was prepared for her to scream at him for leaving but he sure wasn't prepared for this kind of outburst.

He shouldn't be surprised though, Lucy always had been a person easy to hurt.

But it bothered him that it was his fault that she hurt. But Lucy wasn't really blaming him. She knew he had his own way to deal with his loss. And she also had the chance to grow strong on her own.

But this right now was just something she needed to do, telling everything that was on her mind, all the pain she felt, and she felt sorry that Natsu was the one who had to listen to it.

''Lucy...''

He felt her nodding against his shoulder, her hot tears soaking in his scarf, dropping on his flesh as well.

''Please don't leave again.''

The Dragon-Slayer smiled against her hair and nodded to himself.

''I won't go away.''

His lips brushed over her hair until he leaned down and whispered into her ear, sending shivers down Lucy's spine.

''It's a promise.''

–-

Okay, I go die now xD