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“Thank you so much for inviting me,” Lucy told her editor. Her editor gave a soft smile and shook her hand.
“I’m glad you could make it, it’s always lovely to see you!”
“It’s an excuse to dress up, advertise my book, and show off my magic! I wouldn’t miss it!”
“Speaking of people who are missing, didn’t you say you were going to bring your..” her editor hesitated. “Friend?”
“Yeah, Natsu will be here soon, he and Happy are finishing a job real quick. I told him to be on his best behavior though.”
Her editor gave a reluctant nod. Lucy knew the academic was thinking of the havoc her guild had caused at the award ceremony. But Lucy didn’t think she could come to this gala without Natsu’s support.
It was a big, fancy event, about magic and it’s impacts on storytelling. Award winning authors (and their guests) who wrote about magic and guilds shared their inspirations, process, and powers with each other.
Lucy felt out of place with the seasoned authors and rich publishers. She barely had enough to pay for rent and groceries most weeks. But it was her last chance to conceive everyone she deserved be among them for a while, so she went.
“You’re Miss Heartfilia, right? I hear you use a type of spacial magic. I believe it was celestial magic?” A historical author asked.
“Yeah, I do! What about you?”
“I possess the power of illusions, and I am considering including it in my next work. If you wouldn’t mind, I would very much like to see Gemini at work.”
Lucy smiled, and pulled out her key, feeling a little more at ease. The twins swirled around her, before combining into a replica of her.
“My, how impressive! Might I observe you farther?” The older gentleman asked Gemini, who glanced at Lucy then nodded. “Please don’t let me keep you Miss Heartfilia, I might be a while, if that’s quite alright. I’m sure your spirit can come find you once we’re done.”
“Gemini?” Lucy asked.
“We’d like to stay!” They said in Lucy’s own voice. Lucy just nodded.
“Alright, find my when you’re done,” she told the celestial spirit, then she turned to the author “it was wonderful to meet you, I hope Gemini will be able to help you with your next book!”
“If you’re going to come you have to make the rounds and be social. This is great opportunity to work to get your name out there more. If you make some good first impressions, your connections can get you far,” her editor’s words echoed as Lucy strode into the crowd.
She chatted with people she’d only ever dreamed of meeting, holding Plue in her arms. She felt a little childish holding the creature, but she found a little comfort in having him close, and people seemed enamored by him.
The night seemed to speed by. Lucy explained her book just as much as she did her magic. She used at least half of her keys.
Gemini drifted back at some point during the night. There had a lull in conversation and Lucy had excused herself to get a drink. She drained nearly half the glass, hoping it would help fight off her impeding exhaustion.
“I think Natsu’s here!” The twins exclaimed. “Chiri-chiri!” They cried before their gate closed. Lucy looked up from her champagne, and searched the crowd for a moment before finding Natsu, Happy hovering above the crowd.
“Hey! Glad you guys could make it!” Lucy told them as she got closer. She took in their nice, mostly clean outfit and blinked.
“You said it was a fancy event, so we went and changed before coming here, sorry it took us so long,” Natsu explained.
“It alright! Everyone’s been really nice, I guess I was nervous for nothing,” she sighed. “But it’s nice to have someone who doesn’t have a ton of questions about my magic and my writing.”
“Yeah, but that’s because you’ve already told us everything!” Happy exclaimed. Lucy just smiled at them.
“Hey, Lucy,” she turned at her name to see a young woman, around Lucy’s own age, who she’d spoke to earlier in the night. The woman was part of the band, who had been socializing earlier in the evening, before they had to preform. “We’re about to start, but we’ve got an extra seat for that musician you mentioned!”
“Oh!” Lucy had forgotten that she’d sort of agreed to Lyra playing with the band. She summoned her cheery spirit, but before she could introduce The Lyre, the world began to spin.
“That’s new,” she mumbled, trying to fight the dizziness. She looked up to where Lyra should be and saw nothing. Her heart sank a little as the realization dawned on her. “I’m sorry, but not tonight, maybe next time?”
“O-oh, okay!” The musician said. “I have to go, but I hope you can show me someday!” Lucy gave the young woman a strained smile, suddenly fighting to keep her eyes open.
“-cy?” She looked over to Natsu, who was frowning, and she had the feeling it wasn’t the first time he called her name. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” Lucy said. His frowned deepened and she knew he didn’t believe her. His hands suddenly landed on her shoulders, steadying her. She’d barely noticed she was swaying.
“Are you sick?” Happy asked.
“No, I’ve just used a little bit more of my magic than I thought I did. I think I’m almost out of magic power,” she admitted, resigning herself to Natsu’s likely blunt or insensitive response. Instead, Natsu just grabbed her hand, and started pulling her towards the exit.
“Come on. We’re going home,” the dragon slayer said firmly.
“What? I didn’t even get to say goodbye, I have to-“
“Lucy, magic deficiency disease is no joke! You need to rest,” he told her, pulling her out into the cool night air. She stumbled, the world tilting and her vision swimming around the edges. Suddenly Natsu was scooping her up into his arms.
“I can walk, put me down,” she told him. She meant it as a demand, but it came out quiet, and she fought to keep her eyelids open. Her whole body felt heavy, and Natsu’s warmth wasn’t helping to fight off her exhaustion.
“No,” he replied quietly as he carried her through the streets towards her apartment. Lucy must have nodded off, because the next thing she knew, they were outside her door, and Happy was fumbling with the key.
She heard some mumbled words but was too tired to listen. Suddenly she was being gently lowered onto her bed. Happy pulled off her shoes (or Lucy presumes he does, because she doesn’t have them when she wakes and it doesn’t seem like something Natsu would do). And Nastu pulled the blankets over her. In the moonlight she sees a cut on his cheek she hadn’t noticed before.
“You got hurt during the mission,” she mumbled, reaching up to touch it softly.
“And you used most of your magic trying to impress people at a party.”
“I know,” she whispered. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry. I just want you to take better care of yourself,” Natsu said softly. Lucy hummed, her eyes already slipping shut. Warm fingers brushing a strand of hair from her face was the last thing she registered before she drifted off to sleep.