( I forgot to update this chapter before chapter 21,so sorry for the inconvenience. I hope you enjoy, again sorry. )

~Natsu's POV~

I sighed, getting off the phone with my mom. She always worried when she hadn't seen me after school, it was a bit embarrassing.
I walked back to the living room only to stop when hearing Lucy speak in a saddened voice, practically crying. The things I heard were more than heartbreaking.
"Luce,"I mumbled as I continued to listen in. I stood there for what seemed like an eternity.
I clenched my fists when I believed she was done, hearing her cry was one of the things I never wanted to see nor hear.
I took a deep breath. Why was I hesitating to be at her side? This was torture, why did everything have to be so hard when it came to Lucy? She was someone special to me, I know that. But how can I hold myself back when she's suffering?
I forced myself to walk into the room when I didn't hear her crying anymore. She must've fallen asleep. Seeing my brother hold her made a bit angry it wasn't me to do so.
"Natsu,"Zeref spoke almost immediately when I made my presence.
"You don't need to tell me,"I said, walking forward to their side to lift up Luce. I held her like a princess and left the room leaving my brother behind. I carried her up the stairs and into her room, not a difficult task.
It was when I entered her room, shutting the door with my foot made a somewhat loud banging noise. Luce was always a light sleeper, she awoke.
" Natsu? "she questioned, looking up at me.
" The one and only. "my voice was a bit low and dry, I wasn't exactly happy with what I heard downstairs. And why did she yell my brother of all people!? Why not me? The one she was closest too since elementary...
I laid her on her bed, but instead of resting like she should, she sat herself up.
" Luce, you should sleep. "I stated, pushing on her shoulders.
" I'm not tired. "she assured, but I wasn't going to believe that, not after everything...
" Luce-"
" If I am to sleep I cannot do it in this suffocating attire! "she burst out, I jumped, not expecting the little princess to yell like that.
" Alright, then change. "
" ... "she looked away from me. If she wanted to change, why doesn't she just do it?
" Luce? "
" My ankle... "
I stepped back to see bandages upon her ankle." Does it hurt? "I kneeled down, lifting it up slowly.
" Y-Yes! "she gasped as I slipped off her shoe. I pressed my palm on her ankle, beginning to slowly massage it as best I could. I know it wasn't broken, so it was probably just sprained.
" Does it hurt? "I asked again.
" Yes, but... "I looked up at her. She had such red cheeks, she looked like an apple." It's not so bad. "
I could help myself but smile at her, a nostalgic feeling coming over me." This reminds me when back in junior high when I sprained my hand. "I spoke." Well, except its reversed now. "
" You sprained your hand because you got so mad at Gray but Erza was there so you couldn't punch him so you punched the wall instead. "she had a cute giggle when she spoke of the past." You refused to cry because Gray was there, so I too you to the infirmary and massager your hand til the nurse came. "
" I'm surprised you remembered. "
" I may have changed, but that doesn't mean I've forgotten all about you and everyone. "the look she gave me... Could she get anymore cuter than she already was? I mean that as in she's really attractive so...
" Nah! "I looked glanced at her." Please be more gentler... "
" S-Sorry! "I unexpectedly stuttered. It's just... She's so moe. I looked down at her foot, continuing to rub and massage her ankle gently. I did it for awhile before looking at her. Her body down on the bed and her eyes gazing towards my hands and her foot.
I stopped, slowly letting her foot down. " That should be enough for right now. "I stated, looking at her. I only just realized she'd put her hair down, I pushed strands out of her face so I could see her better.
" Are you leaving now? "she asked.
" I should, it's getting dark. "I looked out the window, seeing the sun disappearing over the horizon. And as it was getting dark, her room did as well without the light alive. I looked back down at her, she was giggling." What's got you laughing? "I couldn't help but smile down at her.
" I just remembered. "she looked back up at me." I still have a section of my closet filled with your clothes when you used to stay over days at a time. But you were to lazy to carry all those clothes across the street. "
" Heh, during the summer I switched out some of the clothes since not all of them fit me, but I completely forgot about them until now. "I chuckled. She went quiet, digging her face into the thin blanket spread around her large circular bed." Luce? "
I leaned down, putting my hand on her head. I couldn't do much, but I could at least try comforting her. That is, if she'd let me...
" Luce, if you have anything you need to say... Please just do so. Holding everything in is just hurtful, to you especially. "I stated, I hated to see her sad. With no response from her I just sighed as I stood up straight, stuffing my hands in my pockets." I'll take my leave then. "