The rest of the journey continued in silence.
It wasn't an uncomfortable silence, but it was equally tense. Laden with thoughts that neither of them was ready to put into words. The train advanced along the tracks at a steady pace, while the landscape changed little by little. The fields gave way to more frequent buildings, familiar roads, lampposts, and recognizable rooftops.
Magnolia was approaching.
Lucy kept her gaze turned outward for much of the way. The previous conversation still echoed in her mind, mixed with the weight of her recent grief. She wasn't angry at Natsu. Nor disappointed. Just... confused. Everything was happening too quickly inside her, even if on the outside she seemed calm....
Natsu, for his part, remained silent. He realized he had brought up the subject at the wrong time, though he didn't completely regret being honest. Sooner or later, that conversation would need to happen. The problem was simple and cruel: he had chosen the worst possible moment. He felt kind of like a jerk for doing that....
He glanced at Lucy out of the corner of his eye a few times, attentive to the small details, the way she kept her gaze distant, the silence heavier than before. He knew that, sooner or later, she would end up processing everything: both the grief for her father and the fact that he had admitted he desired more than one woman. Thinking about it that way sounded horrible, almost cruel, as if he were minimizing what she felt. But that wasn't it....
The truth was that he didn't think Lucy would cling to those words at that moment. He believed that, while dealing with the pain of loss, she wouldn't ruminate on that specific conversation. In time, the grief would occupy her thoughts, and the subject would end up taking a back seat... at least until some other girl showed interest in him or something similar happened. If there was one thing he knew well about Lucy, it was the way certain emotions only surfaced when provoked.....
When the train finally slowed down upon entering Magnolia station, the announcement echoed through the car. Some passengers stood up, gathering their belongings. The movement brought back a sense of normalcy.
Lucy was the first to stand when the doors opened.
They got off together, walking along the platform illuminated by the station's magical lanterns. The familiar smell of the city, a mix of food, magic, and everyday life, enveloped them almost immediately.
Magnolia was as always.
They left the station and walked along the stone streets, now busier than Acalypha. Shops still open, laughter coming from taverns, voices mingling in the air.
Lucy walked beside Natsu, her step a little slower than usual, but firm. She broke the silence first, without looking at him directly.
"Thank you for coming with me today."
Natsu blinked, surprised for a moment, before responding.
"I would have gone anyway." He said simply. "You didn't even need to ask...."
She nodded slightly.
"Even so."
Natsu responded only with a light nod of his head and, without saying anything else, changed the route a bit, accompanying Lucy when she turned onto the street that led to the building where she lived.
Lucy noticed that he was accompanying her with his gaze, but in the past, Natsu had done that so many times, usually with the intention of invading her apartment without warning, that she no longer minded. So, she didn't comment on it. This time, however, his intention was different: there was no curiosity or mischief involved, just the silent desire to escort her home, so she wouldn't have to go alone, not that she knew that....
The night in Magnolia was warm, illuminated by the magical lanterns attached to the posts. The distant sound from the guild came laden with laughter and music, a constant reminder that life followed its normal course, indifferent to individual losses.
When they arrived at the building, Natsu took a look at the place. Lucy's apartment was located in a two-story apartment building with red walls and a sloped dark-brown roof with two chimneys and two attic windows. The building overlooked one of Magnolia's canals, from what he remembered from his predecessor's memories, from the blonde commenting on it; Lucy often received warnings to be careful of the men in the boats while walking along the canal's edge and to a stone bridge.
Lucy stopped for a moment in front of her apartment door, as if gathering strength.
Before she could say anything, the door to the neighboring property opened.
"Lucy!"
The feminine voice sounded too cheerful for that hour. The owner appeared right after: a middle-aged woman who dressed in an excessively flashy way for her own age. She wore high heels, a tight dress, and a fur scarf wrapped around her neck, in addition to being covered in an almost exaggerated amount of jewelry, pearl and shell necklaces, huge earrings, countless bracelets jingling with every movement, and thick-framed glasses that dominated her face. Behind her came an older man, with hunched shoulders and a withdrawn posture. His expression was clearly embarrassed, and he avoided looking directly at Lucy at all costs, keeping his gaze low as if he wished to disappear into the background.
"Good evening, landlady...." Lucy responded automatically, straightening her posture. "I... I managed to set aside the amount for this month and... I also wanted to talk about the debt from previous years. I know it accumulated, but now I can pay off part of it by going back to my work as a mage...."
She spoke too quickly, the words tumbling over each other, as if afraid of being interrupted.
The woman widened her eyes for a second and then brought her hand to her mouth, visibly surprised.
"Oh, no, no... dear, you don't need to worry about that." She said hurriedly, casting a reproachful look at her husband. "It was all a big misunderstanding. I'm really sorry."
Lucy blinked, confused.
"Misunderstanding...?"
The landlady sighed and took a step forward.
"I traveled right at the beginning of the month. I went to visit my sister in the countryside and left the rent control with him." She pointed to her husband, who lowered his head even more. "He ended up getting confused. He thought you were one of the tenants with truly overdue payments, but... that's not your case."
The man cleared his throat, embarrassed.
"I'm sorry, miss." He murmured: "It was my mistake."
Lucy took a few seconds to absorb that.
"But... I went years without paying." She said, frowning.
The landlady smiled in a strange way. A smile laden with something Lucy couldn't identify right away.
"You didn't, no." She replied softly. "Or rather... not in the way you think."
Lucy felt her heart beat faster.
"What do you mean...?"
"Come with me." The woman said, gesturing for the two of them to follow her: "It's better to show you."
Natsu, who had remained silent until then, gave Lucy a quick glance before accompanying her.
They crossed a small side corridor to the house next to the building, entering through a simple door that gave access to a large, overly organized pantry.
As soon as the light was turned on, Lucy stopped in her tracks. Before her eyes were countless "gifts," boxes and packages of different sizes, all carefully wrapped in gift paper. Some seemed old, with packaging already a bit worn by time; others, however, seemed more recent.
The landlady pointed to them.
"Your father left all of this here." She explained: "Over all these years."
Lucy approached slowly, as if afraid that it all might disappear if she got too close. She stopped in front of one of the packages and read the label, holding her breath. Then she understood. They were gifts from all the years she had been missing.
One after another, year after year. Even without knowing where she was, even when it would have been easier to accept that she was dead, her father continued sending gifts. He continued believing. He continued waiting....
Beside the boxes, there were receipts carefully organized. Rent paid. Every month. Without delays.
Lucy felt the ground disappear beneath her feet.
"He came personally or sent someone." The landlady continued: "Always discreet. He never wanted you to know. He said it was better that way."
Lucy brought her hand to her mouth, feeling her eyes burn again.
Natsu remained behind her, in absolute silence. There was nothing he could say there.
"And it wasn't just that." The woman added, opening a smaller box set aside. "He also left gifts. One per year. Some are simple... others not so much."
Lucy opened them one by one in front of Natsu, the landlady, and her husband; there were books, delicate jewelry, new clothes still packaged, small magical objects, things that had clearly been chosen with care. Nothing exaggerated. Nothing ostentatious. Just... gifts from a father to his daughter.
At the bottom of one of the boxes, an envelope.
Lucy recognized it before even touching it.
The handwriting was unmistakable.
Her name was written there.
She picked up the letter carefully, as if it were something too fragile to exist. Her fingers gripped the envelope, and for a moment, everything around seemed too distant while she stood still for a few interminable seconds, staring at the envelope with an expression hard to describe. Her hands trembled slightly when she broke the seal. The paper slid out slowly, folded with care.....
She began to read.
At first, only her eyes moved across the page. Her face remained still, tense, as if holding on by sheer willpower.
Then, something inside her gave way when she reached the part where her father said he loved her.
Her fingers gripped the paper tightly, slightly crumpling the edge. The air failed her suddenly, and a low sound escaped her throat, broken, fragile. The tears came too quickly to be contained. They weren't silent like before at the cemetery. They were heavy, deep, laden with a truth she could no longer deny.....
She loved her father.
She loved him all along.
Even with anger. Even with the distance. Even with the words she never said and those she said when she shouldn't have. All that love was there, buried under resentments, waiting for the cruel moment when it would be too late to express it out loud.....
Lucy pressed the letter against her chest and collapsed.
Her knees lost strength, her body bent forward, and the crying came out without any attempt at restraint. There was no dignity in that moment. Just pain, regret, and a belated love that burned more than any recent loss.
Before she hit the ground, Natsu stepped forward.
He caught her firmly, pulling her against him without hesitation, wrapping her in a strong, protective embrace.
Lucy clutched his shirt with both hands, as if that were the only thing keeping her upright. Her face buried in his chest, and the crying gained strength, shaking her entire body.
Natsu said nothing.
He didn't try to calm her with empty words, didn't try to diminish the pain. He just stayed there, supporting her, one hand firm on her back, the other gently supporting her head. Really, hugging was the best way to deal with someone's sadness....
The landlady exchanged a silent glance with her husband.
Without saying a word, she lightly touched his arm and made a discreet gesture toward the door. The two withdrew slowly, turning off the pantry light as they left and leaving the space enveloped in a respectful silence.
The door closed carefully.
Lucy continued crying.
A low sound escaped her throat, irregular and broken.
"Hic… hhh…"
The crying came in waves, sometimes contained, sometimes failing all at once. Her breathing broke in the middle, accompanied by small sobs that made her body tremble slightly.
Natsu remained there the whole time. As if saying, without words, that she didn't need to go through that alone.
Her crying gradually diminished, not because the pain had passed, but because her body could no longer sustain so much intensity. Her breathing remained irregular, broken, and her fingers still clung to Natsu's shirt, as if letting go would be too dangerous.
After an indefinite time, she inhaled deeply and, with effort, managed to speak, her voice muffled against his chest.
"Thank you.... Natsu…"
The thanks came out small, almost too fragile for what it carried.
Natsu tightened the embrace for a moment, subtly, as if wanting to reinforce that he was there.
"It's okay…" He replied in a low voice. "Really. There's not much to say in a situation like this, but I'm here for you, whatever you need… now and always."
Lucy fell silent at his words...
She knew she could pull away. She knew enough time had passed for it not to seem strange. Still, she couldn't. There was something in that embrace that made her feel safe in a way few things could. The warmth, the firmness, the silent presence. Nothing was demanded of her there. She didn't need to be strong, nor mature, nor rational. Just... exist.
And be welcomed.
She closed her eyes, breathing slowly, trying to etch that sensation into her memory. His familiar scent. The calm sound of his breathing. The way he simply held her.....
Lucy thought, with a clarity that scared her a little, that she didn't want to lose that.
She didn't want to lose that comforting embrace. That simple and deep feeling of being protected. Of not being alone, even when everything seemed too heavy to carry.
She loved him.
It was when she needed someone the most that Natsu appeared. How could she not fall in love with someone like that?
Lucy remained in that embrace for a few more seconds before slowly pulling away. Her face was still damp, her eyes reddened, but her breathing no longer trembled as much. She wiped the back of her hand under her eyes, trying to compose herself, even knowing she didn't need to pretend strength in front of him.
"I... I don't know what to say...." She murmured, her voice hoarse and low: "All of this... my father... he never stopped caring. And I spent so much time thinking otherwise."
Natsu relaxed the embrace a bit but kept his hands on her shoulders, as if wanting to ensure she wouldn't collapse again. His brown eyes gazed at her with a calm intensity, without judgment.
"You don't need to say anything now, Lucy...." He replied, with a soft and gentle tone: "Sometimes, things are complicated like that. But he loved you, that's clear. And you... you loved him too. That's what matters.... And if it's worth anything, if I were in your place, I'd probably be worse."
Lucy let out a small, tired smile, almost imperceptible.
"You'd probably have set the entire pantry on fire."
"Definitely." Natsu confirmed, too serious for someone making a joke.
The comment drew a weak, short, but real laugh from her. It was enough to lighten the weight in the air a little.
Lucy took a deep breath and looked around, at the still-open boxes, the scattered gifts, the silent years of her father's care couldn't stay there....
"I… can I take all of this to my apartment?" She asked, hesitant: "I know it's a lot."
"Of course you can, originally, this is yours, after all..." Natsu replied immediately. "Do you want help?"
Lucy nodded.
"I do. I don't want to leave anything here. Not even for one night."
"Then let's take everything." Natsu said, as if it were the simplest thing in the world, before crouching down and starting to gather the packages, using his [Reequip] magic to store them all while Lucy just looked in his direction with complex emotions in her gaze.... Finishing everything, he looked at her and said: "All done.... Everything stored. Now just take it to your apartment and take it out there."
They left the pantry slowly, Lucy still holding the letter against her chest like a treasure. The landlady and her husband had already retreated into the house, leaving the quiet night for them. They walked the few steps to Lucy's apartment door, the fresh night air helping to clear her mind.
When she opened the door, the familiar interior welcomed her with its welcoming silence.
Lucy's apartment was spacious by Magnolia's standards. The main bedroom occupied almost the entire space, with walls originally white, now covered in soft pink wallpaper that made the environment warmer. There was plenty of room for movement, despite the amount of furniture. The large bed was positioned more toward the center, with a desk near the window, a shelf full of carefully organized books, a wide dresser, vanity, a table with three chairs, a small coffee table, and a comfortable armchair in one corner. Books were everywhere, some stacked, others perfectly aligned. The entrances to the bathroom and kitchen were at the opposite end of the bedroom, separated by two turquoise curtains that contrasted with the pink walls. The bathroom was blue, with tiles in the shape of collectible cards, and the kitchen, simple but functional, had a stove and all the basic utensils.
Lucy closed the door behind them and let out a long sigh.
"You can put everything on the bed." She asked. "I want to see it all later… calmly."
Natsu nodded and took a step forward, approaching the bed and calmly extending his hand while taking all the gifts out of his "dimensional space."
The boxes and gift packages reappeared, emerging carefully stacked on the bed, occupying almost the entire surface. None crumpled, no object out of place.
"Thank you." Lucy said, sincerely: "For everything. For accompanying me, for staying… for this."
Natsu scratched the back of his neck, visibly uncomfortable with the thanks.
"I said I'd be here." He replied. "It wasn't just talk."
She nodded, sitting on the edge of the bed, her eyes passing over the boxes and gift packages as if each one were a living memory.
The silence that followed was no longer as heavy as before. It was different. Calmer. Still laden with emotion, but now there was something beyond the "pain"....
Lucy raised her gaze to him.
"Can you stay a little longer?" She asked, almost without realizing, her tone careful in her own voice.
Natsu replied without hesitation.
"Of course."
He didn't mind staying there with her, even if all that awakened a certain feeling of nostalgia. This time, however, the nostalgia had a bitter taste, after all, it was a painful memory for another person, not for him. Still, his mind ended up pulling up an episode from the past that he preferred not to revisit.
At that time, one of his friends had lost her parents. She was beautiful, but she had never seen him as anything more than a friend. However, in a moment of fragility, grief, and emotional confusion, the two ended up sleeping together. It wasn't something planned, nor built over time, just a "mistake" born from pain. Still, she was the person who came closest to becoming his girlfriend.
Since he really started taking her seriously. Well, until she moved to another country and started succeeding in her music career....
Natsu pushed that thought away before it gained too much weight. It wasn't fair to compare situations, nor to mix old memories with what was happening there. At the moment, what really mattered was simple: taking care of Lucy. She needed him, and she was important to him. Even if part of that feeling came from memories that hadn't been built by him, but inherited, that didn't make them any less real. In the last week, that fact had become increasingly evident.
Hopefully the story wouldn't repeat itself....
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(A/N: Before anyone gets worried or starts creating immediate expectations: no, Natsu and Lucy will not get together in the next chapter. Their development will remain gradual, just like it will be with Juvia, who will soon start getting screen time again. The next chapter will actually focus a bit more on Lisanna and on Natsu heading out on a mission, where he will face his first truly serious fight — and yes, it will be against a Spriggan. Feel free to try and guess which one (suggestions are welcome).
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