Drops this into your lap.

Oops.

"Sometimes the people we love, don't notice we hurt."

The minute I woke up, I felt wrong.

Like my skin didn't fit me, or it was constantly wound tight.

My stomach wasn't settled, and when I attempted to eat something, I found myself unable to even swallow. Spitting out my customary avocado spread on toast, I scraped the left-overs into the bin and promised myself I would get lunch.

Capricorn had already left for work – being an elementary school teacher – and I had my first lecture at eleven. I messaged Virgo, informing her I'd be at building D in thirty minutes, before packing my things and walking to the bus-stop.

Once I boarded the bus, I checked my heart-beat. Or at least tried too, but when the app called for an update, and I wasn't connected to wi-fi of any sort, I tucked my phone away and did it the old-fashioned way.

I was up to thirty-eight, keeping my eye on my watch as I counted when the bus jolted suddenly, my concentration broken. All the patrons rocked forward at the surprise break, and the bus-driver roughly cursed a group of people that didn't obey street signs.

He apologised to the passengers before slowing down to stop at a red light, and I reached into my bag to retrieve my headphones, hoping some loud music would settle my wild nerves. I had days where my anxiety would peak for no reason – or as Mrs Smith would say, there is always a reason, you just don't know it yet – and loud music or something equally distracting would get me through.

I only had one lecture, and one theoretical study class today, so it was a short day at least.

The music blared into my ears, drowning out all other noise as I kept my eyes out the window, watching the scenery of houses and small shops pass-by. When the bus turned down the street that the college was located, I leaned forward to press the button.

My legs felt heavy, my skin tight and uncomfortable. I grit my teeth together, focusing on moving down the aisle slowly as the bus-driver slowed to a stop right across from the entrance. He gave me a farewell, customary for even the grumpiest of bus-drivers, but the noise was blurry to my ears, something like white noise.

It disorientated me, but I continued, walking across the street, feeling myself stumble a few times. I didn't have it in me to be embarrassed, as panic set in.

Something was wrong.

The loud music had done nothing, and that was usually my go-to method. I wracked through my memory, trying to remember the last time I had felt like this, and what it was. My mind was muddled, my chest in mild pain and my bones felt like rubber.

I only realised then, that I hadn't clocked the beats per minute. I had been trying too, but I had got distracted by the bus. I wasn't the type to forget things, or get distracted easily. My throat tightened as I stopped at a park-bench, ignoring the bustling court-yard of young adults in front of me.

I leaned against it, trying my hardest to make a mental list.

Easily distracted, check.

Feeling unsettled, check.

Unable to eat, check.

Mild discomfort in chest, check.

I took a deep breath in, but instead of helping me, it was cut off half way, a rasp replacing it.

Shit.

I realised what this was, and how late I was to catch it. When I attempted to move again, the world spun around me. I took it one step at a time, reaching into my bag to pull my phone out, while slowly walking towards building D.

If I could just get to Virgo, she'd call Aquarius.

Aquarius would probably chew me out the minute she found out I had left the house this morning like this – unknowingly or not.

I wondered what I looked like, swaying and holding my arms across my chest, hoping to relieve some of the ache. I probably looked intoxicated but the best thing about college was, they didn't really take notice. And I didn't really care what I looked like anyway.

My hands shook and vision swam, frustrated tears stinging me as I tapped on Virgo's name, and brought the phone up to my ear. I could see the stretch of a massive building, and vaguely made out our park bench whilst it rang.

I saw her, and a mop of pink hair, talking happily, and I momentarily felt guilty and sad that I was about to ruin it. My footsteps staggered as I made my way to her, knees growing weak, eyes struggling to focus. The floor tipped and I felt like I was falling down the rabbit hole, unable to stop myself from stumbling a little.

I watched as Virgo retrieved her phone and answered it, her voice cooing into my ear, "Are you here yet? Natsu's trying to be funny."

Natsu made a face at her words and her laugh made tears fill my eyes. I clutched my chest, and breathed heavily.

Just a little closer.

"Lucy?" I watched as Virgo's spine straightened, as if she could tell something was wrong. Her voice became concerned and I stumbled again, the pain beginning to get just this side of intense. My heart raced in my chest, and my equilibrium collapsed inside of me.

"H-Help." I managed to whisper, noticing how her head snapped up towards me as my eyes rolled to the back of my head and I lost all feeling. The sensation of air rushing around me made my skin feel overly hot, as the last thing I remember, was the loud snap my head made with the concrete path.

When I woke up, I was in a hospital bed.

Nothing new there, because I had gotten used to the stupid I.V and the stupid uncomfortable lights that made everything seem so white, and clinical. I could hear Aquarius outside and stopped scowling to eavesdrop on what she was saying.

"What she has can cause fainting and pain. It doesn't happen often, because she monitors her heart, but if she wakes up with a very fast heart-beat, it causes her to forget, fumble and eventually, her body can't take the speed and sends all sorts of things into chaos."

Virgo's voice came next, and it shook, "Will she be okay? I didn't manage to catch her in time, she hit her head pretty hard."

"She probably has a slight concussion. The doctor has already applied butterfly sutures to the split, but other than that, she's fine."

"Are they going to keep her for observation?" Another voice asked and it took me a minute to realise it was Natsu. My stomach curled oddly, and I assumed it was because I wasn't sure if I wanted him to know about this side of me. Of course, it was too late now, but still; I'd like to have told him in a conversation.

Not allow him to witness an attack first hand.

"She'll be released in thirty minutes or so, after her Doctor checks her. You guys can go inside and wait for her to wake up, while I fill out her paperwork. Please tell her, she's going to wish she's in a coma after this." I only smiled a little at Aquarius's snooty voice, knowing that was the most affectionate she was going to get in front of other people.

And also knowing, I would be getting the proverbial shit kicked out of me.

I sat up, and pulled my hair into a pony tail, grimacing at the leaf that fell out of it and onto my lap. I was dressed in a hospital gown, which made me believe they had first planned to keep me here longer. Or maybe, hospitals just really didn't like normal clothes.

But it also didn't explain how I fainted, and got a room. I figured I'd be put into the clinic, which is where I go most of the time.

Virgo walked in, clearly surprised to see me awake, as I smiled a little, plucking at the IV inserted into my arm.

"Hey."

Natsu followed her in, eyes glancing over me as Virgo walked forward, and wrapped her arms around me, "How are you feeling?" I accepted the offer of a hug, and let her squeeze me for a little before admitting.

"Like someone just stepped on my head. How long have I been out?"

"Only a few hours," she stated, pulling up a chair so she could sit down. Natsu loitered and I sighed a little.

"You can sit down. I don't mind." I lied a little, I did mind because he still knew and there was a problematic part of me, that assumed once he knew about it; he'd give up. I wasn't sure if I knew Natsu well enough to make assumptions but I did know people tend to stay away from other complicate people.

He defied all logic and took a seat at the end of my bed, asking, "Did they put a catheter in?"

Virgo blanched as I shook my head, "There's nothing wrong with my urethra or bladder."

"Isn't it funny how urethra sounds like eureka?" He mused, tugging on his lip piercing thoughtfully, before adding with an amused glint in his eyes, "I mean, obviously, it must be a reference to that feeling you get when you hold a big pee in for a really long time and then visit the john."

"Why wouldn't you go when you needed to go?"

Natsu simply shrugged, "I get bored."

I felt an unwilling, but amused smile tug at my lips, "You're a trip."

He nodded along, an amused smirk sliding over his lips, "And you're a faint. See what I did there?"

I laughed a little, pressing a hand to my head, "Very clever. You should do this a job. Walk around a hospital and make sick people laugh." His smile dimmed a little and I wondered why, what I had said to spark that reaction. But he acted like it never happened and just cackled madly.

"I'd leave so many old people in fits of laughter. I've got some pretty good 'Your mama' jokes."

Virgo sighed, shaking her head, "Do you see what I have to deal with? Natsu just doesn't stop talking."

"I'm an artist. I speak my thoughts."

"I am also an artist, and I don't want to hear about your pornographic food dreams." Virgo drawled back and I laughed, silently wanting to know about said dreams. I assumed Natsu was strange like that, but I was beginning to believe I had no idea.

They bickered back and forth for a bit, until Mrs Brown made her appearance. She calmly strode in, and glanced at my company.

She smiled patiently, "I'll just need some room to examine Lucy, if you guys can just step to the side." Natsu jumped up, and followed Virgo to wall closest to me, as they watched her lift a torch to shine in my eyes.

"Did you manage to record your heart-beat before the initial attack started?"

"No, but I think it was only slightly faster than the one in the build-up. It didn't hit me out of nowhere, I didn't feel good as soon as I woke-up." She nodded, and checked over my sutures.

"And what about your coping mechanisms? They didn't work?'

I shook my head, "I tried to play loud music, thinking it was anxiety related, but it didn't do anything at all."

She took my wrist and timed my heart-beat now, "Do you understand what has happened?"

"I woke up with a heart-beat too fast, and since I didn't stay home and forgot to take my tablets, it escalated until my body gave out?" I guessed and she nodded, reaching very to my chart to scribble something down.

"It's not common, but it can happen, especially since you are suffering from anxiety and acute touch-phobia."

"I wouldn't say it's a phobia." I mutter mulishly, "I just don't like it."

"It has been a while since you've had an attack. I'll leave Aquarius with a prescription for the headache, but I don't want to up your dosage on anything else. If I do, it'll be harder to ween your body off the effects."

I nodded and she clicked her pen, before stating seriously, "No college for three days. Rest up. Eat a lot of protein. No strenuous activities."

I opened my mouth to argue, because I felt fine now and would like to go back to College as soon as possible when she held up her hand, "It's important to give your body a chance to recuperate. I'm sure your friends can help you catch up on anything you miss."

Virgo agreed, "Yeah! I'll take extra notes – just for you!"

Doctor Brown nodded, as if pleased with her words but I remained silent, looking down at my hands with a blank look. She left soon after, telling me once the nurse took out my IV, I could leave.

I grinded my teeth together quietly, and Virgo murmured, "It's only for a few days."

Aware that Natsu was still in the room, I closed my eyes to stop the tears of frustration that prickled in them. They both left to give me privacy when the nurse came in with a plastic bag, full of my clothes and took the IV out. I wondered why I even had a saline drip, but figured it was way beyond my mental capabilities to understand.

I felt weak, and useless. There was nothing worse than being bed-bound after your body decides it's not strong enough to simply live. I wanted to forget it ever happened, I just wanted to move on but if I had people telling me that I needed to take a short break, then what could I do besides listen to them?

No strenuous activities.

I felt my stomach coil in sickness and I closed my eyes tightly again, leaning forward to place my head against my knees. I stayed there for a bit, stifling my cries against the skin of my knees, wrapping my arms around myself.

Then two hands touched my shoulders, and a voice made a dam of tears break through.

"Feeling like shit, pet?"

The bed dipped with his weight, and I croaked out, "Nothing I can't handle Uncle Svet."

"That's good," His voice was teasing, "You almost had me thinking you were crying."

"I've lived a happy life, no reason to cry."

He was quiet for a few moments before whistling, "You are one morbid little lady. Remind me again, why do I put up with your bullshit?"

"Because your bullshit is ten times worse?"

"Touché." He laughed before he tugged on my pony-tail, "I've been away for at least a week or so. You aren't even going to give me a smile?"

I wiped my eyes and lifted my head, eyes roaming over his facial features. Long black hair was pulled into a precarious man-bun at the back of his head – that truthfully should look ridiculous on a man his age but somehow didn't – a strong jaw, the Heartfilian nose and dark eyes stared back at me, as well as the prominent cheek-bones and the black ink lining his neck, crawling up to his jaw and ears.

"God, you are ugly." I smiled a little and he burst out laughing, hands squeezing my shoulders.

"Is that any way to talk to your favourite uncle?"

"You are my only Uncle, Svet."

"Would you stop calling me that? You used to call me 'Uncle Acy-no-holy'." He mimicked my childlike voice and I cringed, wiping my cheeks to try and get rid of the drying feeling of tears.

"Don't remind me, Svet. Acnologia is so long to say, your Dad must have really hated you if he landed you with that name." I tittered at him cheekily and he narrowed his eyes.

"The more letters in the name, the more love the parents have."

"The more letters in the name, the less fucks the parents gave."

He let out his booming laugh again, his face crinkling with amusement as he tugged me into his arms. I accepted his hug, because Svet was the only one who could hug me without asking permission. He had been there since I was a kid, and stuck around well into my adult-hood.

We lived together, but business had him travelling a fair-bit.

He gave me a firm squeeze and I breathed in the smell of home, glad that he was here. Svet always seemed to make my moods vanish, or at least was the best equipped to deal with them.

"I spied a boy outside with Virgo." He stated, as a way of making conversation, "Boyfriend?"

"He is a friend, and he is of male gender. Maybe, Male-friend?" I replied and he snorted.

"You kissed him yet?"

"We aren't… together." I frowned, pulling back as an uncomfortable feeling curled in my stomach. He laughed at the look I was giving him and held up his hands.

"I'm just teasing. You can date whoever you want."

"But, I don't want to date." I frowned even harder and he sighed happily, ruffling my hair.

"Never change."

I got dressed, listening to Acnologia order around Ari like it was his God-given right. With the growls, Aquarius was summoning from her chest, I knew it wouldn't be long until they inevitably got into a fight.

But Svet was just that type of person.

When he was in a good mood, he liked to antagonise or challenge people.

But when he was in a bad mood… he was the equivalent of a toddler throwing a tantrum. But one with large muscles and an even larger mouth.

"Aquarius, get me some coffee."

"I'm not your damn assistant, you prick. Get it yourself."

"Who do you think my darling pet would like to see more? Your sour face, or my dashing one?"

"How about you take your dashing face, and shove it up your ass." Ari hissed back and I pulled on my shoes, collecting my bag from the table beside me and made my way out. Natsu and Virgo were watching the two bickering adults, Virgo having met Svet once or twice, and Natsu, not having met any of my family members.

"That's crude Aquarius, now I know where Lucy gets her horrible language from." Svet smirked, staring down at the woman whose eye twitched wildly. He had told me before, the advantage of riling up women, and being taller than them was something unlike anything else.

I called him an asshole, but failed to notice that he had riled me up and was staring down at me in the exact same way.

"Can we please avoid a family brawl in the middle of the hospital? I spoke up, brushing my fingers over the butterfly sutures there. Ari and Svet stopped hissing at each other, long enough to turn to me. Virgo took my bag from me and Natsu helped me into a jacket.

"It's cold outside." He explained, and I noticed he wasn't wearing a jacket anymore. I smiled at him slightly, before noticing the dark splotches of bruises on his knuckle.

"What happened?" I pointed them out and he glanced down. It had been two weeks or so since his fight with the two men out the back of College and from what I knew, it wasn't a weekly thing.

Natsu shrugged, "Just had a little problem. Nothing big."

I eyed him for a second, before nodding, "Okay. Did you…"

Virgo turned away when she noticed that she was staring – among Ari and Svet – and I felt nerves coil in my stomach, making my heart race a little, as he brought my attention back to him.

"Yeah?"

"Did you want… Um, if you ask Virgo, she can give you my number. And you can call later on… and I'll answer anything you want to know." I closed my eyes tightly, before a warm hand lightly touched my own, fingers skimming my skin.

Electricity shot up my arm and I opened my eyes wearily, surprised to see him wearing a smile, "I'll call you later then. Probably not too late, since you have to rest."

"How about not ever?" Svet chimed grumpily, obviously not appreciating that I was in the process of making a new friend. Ari hissed at him to shut up and Virgo backed it up by following the noise.

"Yeah." I felt my cheeks heat with how he kept looking at me, not paying them any attention.

"Okay, good." He smiled a little wider and I looked away, my breath coming out a little shakily. I bit my lip, and took a step away from him, turning to Svet who seemed to be glaring at Natsu.

"Are we going to go?"

Svet continued to glare at Natsu who seemed to understand why he was glaring and decided to match it with his own. Ari and I sighed, whilst Virgo tried to stifle her laughter.

Don't look at me like that.

Acnologia DESERVES to be here.

The happiness of an AU is fantastic.

Let me know what you guys think

and Happy Valentines day~~

stay fresh sweeties

xo freshprincess