Of Heavens and Flame

Truth Be Told

"Keep your hands off her, you bastard." Anger ripped across Natsu's face like a fiery storm while his hands clenched in threatening fists at his side. He took his eyes off the drunken man to look at Lucy and his dark eyes softened.

"Are you alright, Luce?" His voice came out soft and concerned, but his tense body didn't relax, ready to finish what he started. Lucy nodded shortly, trying to focus on Natsu and what had just happened to her.

The drunk man squabbled up from the floor, his lips and nose bleeding from Natsu's impact. Lucy shook, unable to move from her spot on the wall.

"Who the hell are you?" The man sneered, spitting his blood out on the floor.

"The guy who's going to break your face in if you don't pay up," Natsu growled, moving in front of Lucy now. He'd seen the horrified look on her face and how she quivered where she stood, unable to process what was going on. Natsu knew she had probably never been in any kind of fight; he kicked himself for leaving her alone. This wouldn't have happened if he wasn't stuffing his face with cookies.

The vile man looked Natsu up and down, analyzing if he'd win the fight against him. Somewhere along the line, he decided he wouldn't be able to take the hot headed pinkie, reached into his back pocket and pulled out a roll of bills. He handed Natsu fifty thousand jewels Natsu tucked the money away in his back pocket with nothing but irritation on his face and an intent to break something. Before the drunk man could turn to walk away, Natsu grabbed him by his tank top and jammed him into the wall, the way he had done to Lucy only moments ago.

"Apologize." Natsu snarled, jerking his head in Lucy's direction behind him.

"What, no-" The man, about to protest, felt Natsu's grip tighten and swore he could feel the pink-haired boy's skin heating up, hot enough to burn. Quickly, the drunk man made a wise decision.

"I- I'm sorry." The man trembled in Natsu's grip, unable to look either of the rent collectors in the eye. Natsu released his iron grip and let the man scurry back into the safety of his apartment, reminding him of the petrified mice Happy would chase in the streets. Natsu turned to Lucy who still hadn't moved a muscle. He reached for her, putting his arm around her back and guiding her to the lobby of the building.

"Wait here." Natsu smiled lightly, sitting her down on a leather bench in front of a bed of blooming indoor flowers. Natsu ran off somewhere down the hall and was gone for a total of ten minutes, returning back with the last of the rent collections and a chocolate bar in his hand. He quickly walked Lucy out of the building, taking her about a block away before offering her the chocolate bar he bought from the lobby's vending machine.

"Here, for finishing up the first job." Natsu cracked a grin at Lucy that made her want to forget the man in at the apartment building.

"But I didn't finish, I..." Lucy held back the urge to cry, her tears threatening to spill over onto her cheeks. Between running away from her father, and already failing at her new job and living on her own, Lucy needed to break down. But she couldn't, not in front of Natsu.

"Yes you did," Natsu put bluntly, stopping Lucy on the sidewalk and taking her hand in his. She loved the way his big hands wrapped around her small ones, warm and kind. "You finished the job today. Just because you needed help, doesn't mean you didn't finish. We are a team now." There was short pause before Natsu began cackling to himself,  "hehe you can be the brains, and I can be the brawns." Natsu chuckled proudly, wrapping Lucy's hand around the chocolate bar. 

"Natsu..." Lucy noticed the wrapper on the chocolate bar; it was her favorite flavor - strawberries. The pink-haired boy must have remembered she liked them from the milk shake she had ordered this morning. Lucy's chest warmed at the thought of Natsu remembering such a little thing.