note: Okay, I know this chapter happened long ago (well, not that long), but I got a strong inspiration that I wrote this in one sitting.
note2: And besides, I've been wanting to do 'behind-the-scenes' one-shots for the manga, so you can count that this will not be the last (maybe).
note3: I know a lot of this had been written, but meh.
disclaimer: I couldn't even write M-rated fics, what makes you think I can draw naked people? Well, almost naked.
summary: She's not strong, she says, but he says something else completely different.

The chants still continued in her head—the mocking voices and the ridiculing laughs echoing in its depths.

The water felt cold against her skin, sore and scratched and bruised from all the brutal hits and the shame that she just wanted to scrub them all off but she couldn't. They were there, just above the surface, invisible to anyone but her—unremovable, permanent scars of defeat.

Her eyes squeezed shut, trying and trying to get rid of the sounds that persisted to deride her, but they only became stronger and louder and she just wanted them to stop because she knew it already. She knew it all too well.

She wasn't powerful like Natsu and Erza and Gray. What would've taken all her magic power could've only taken them a little, and what would've killed her would've merely wounded them (or they would've been strong enough to defend themselves and escape death).

Flare wouldn't have been able to threaten Asuka like that, and they would've defeated her before she even got the chance—with raising merely a fist.

They were strong, and she was so far away—so far behind them and she couldn't keep up.

They were always, always so strong, and she was always, always so less.

Maybe the voices were right. Maybe she really was weak. Maybe they should really laugh at her. Her chest tightened into knots.

Maybe she shouldn't be in Fairy Tail because she was so weak—

"Lucy?"

Her skin jumped at the voice. Immediately she covered herself, even though she knew the boy couldn't see her, settling himself on the wall beside the shower curtain. "Kyah! Natsu, what are you—?"

"You're strong, you know."

She sucked in a sharp breath and swallowed the remaining parts of the sentence, shocked speechless. Her mouth refused to move, her words failing her.

Natsu continued, and she could hear the genuine admiration and belief in his tone. "No matter what others think, you're one of the strongest people I know."

An unexplainable warm feeling filled her chest. She wouldn't admit it, but it meant a lot coming from him. Natsu was very strong and very powerful and to have him acknowledge her strength and believe in her so much—

A sob caught in her throat, and she turned her head away so that he wouldn't see the tears that had started to fall. She quickly tried to disguise it and pass it off as shower water, but they were just too much and the water was coming from her eyes, and she knew it was no use when it came to this boy (because he knew her inside out). "Thanks, Natsu." For always saving me, for everything.

Knowing, the boy just smiled softly and left.

note: Welp, I don't even know if I should ask anything from you.
note2: I'm not asking you to, but if I were, would you review?
note3: *winkwink*
note4: There's one more one-shot coming up after this later today. Wait for it :)
note5: Gosh, thank you for greetingfrommaars for pointing that out!