When she finally entered the dark dungeon-like room, chills raced down her arms and back. The thought that her closest friend is in here, had been in here for months, made her hate the people that captured him.
And it was all her fault.
"Lucy!Look out!" He screamed, launching himself in her direction. She heard a muffled, sickening thump, a quiet grunt, and then she felt his arms wrap around her and suddenly she was on the ground, on her back, staring at his salmon hair.
"N-Natsu?" She whispered, shaking his shoulder.He didn't reply, and she felt a cold shiver down her spine.
She sat up, ignoring the battle raging around her, and gasped.A small dagger was embedded in the flesh of Natsu's back, just below his shoulderblades.She realized that he'd taken a serious blow.For her.
He was taller than she, which meant the dagger would've hit her square between her shoulderblades, possibly higher.It would've killed her.
He saved her life.Again.But this time, she thought as she tried to wake him, he might have lost his own in the process.
All around her, the battle still raged.Fairy Tail fought even harder, now that one of their own had been taken down.
One lone figure stood apart from the fight, watching the blonde girl with the pink-haired idiot.
Foolish boy.The girl was what they needed.
But the boy would do for now.
The figure disappeared into shadows and reappeared near the girl.He yanked the boy from her grasp, holding him up by the back of his head.The boy stirred, dark green eyes opened slowly.The girl shrieked as a Shade grasped her arms from behind, snickering as it held her in place.
"No! Let me go! Natsu!" She yelled, fighting the shadow demon.The figure laughed and rattled the boy.He yelped in pain, and the girl froze.
"See?You don't struggle, he doesn't die."
She bit her lip and her eyes watched Natsu's face.His eyes opened and landed on her, and he started to fight the figure's grasp.
"Lucy! Let her go!"
The figure snickered and carried the boy closer, just enough so he could touch the girl.The pinkette brushed his fingers across her hand and was about to grab it when the figure yanked him back.
"Say goodbye." He breathed, then disappeared into the shadows, a lingering yell from the boy the only evidence that he'd been there.
The battle stopped abruptly, the shadows melting away.
She dropped to the ground and started to cry.
He was gone.
She woke to a raucous screaming sound. It took her several moments to realize that it was her screaming, and that she was in her own bed. It was still dark outside her window, and she could feel the cold breeze blowing through the room. Someone's arm was draped lazily over her hip and warm breath ghosted across the back of her neck.
Glancing back, she saw the mess of pink hair, the white scarf that he treasured so much. The red guild crest tattooed on his arm.
She twisted herself into his embrace and wrapped her arms around his body tightly, buying her face in his chest. Tears dripped from her cheeks and she ignored them, just relieved that it had only been a dream...
... Right?
Her fingers encountered something wet on his back and when she lifted them away, they glistened with blood.
"Natsu?" She asked, worriedly brushing his cheek with her hand. He stirred, tired green eyes blurry with sleep.
"Mmm?" He moaned, running a hand over his face.
"You're bleeding." She whispered, slipping out of his arms and swinging her legs over the edge of the bed. "Come on, let's get you cleaned up." She mumbled, taking his hand and tugging him into a sitting position.
He sat up halfway, hissed in pain, and fell back on the bed.
"Natsu!"
"I'm okay, I'm okay..." He bit out, one hand clutching his side. He tried to sit up again and flinched, curling up. Lucy tugged his arms away and helped him lay back down. "Show me where it hurts," she murmured, running one hand through his sweaty pink spikes. He grabbed her hand and kept it on his head, then pressed her other against his side. He closed his eyes and relaxed into the pillow-at least; he looked like he was relaxing into the pillow.
Lucy got up and retrieved the first-aid kit from her bathroom and returned to the bed. She helped him slip out of his jacket and inspected his side carefully. A narrow gash ran from his ribcage down to his hip, and it was oozing blood. As she cleaned it, she noticed something sharp sticking from the wound. She bit her lip and pinched it between her thumb and forefinger, then laid her other hand on Natsu's flat stomach and yanked it out. He yelped in pain and curled into a ball, hands clutching at the now-bleeding gash.
She got a good look at the offending object; a wickedly long, twisted splinter of glass. It had wedged itself into his flesh and went unnoticed, apparently, until now. She put it in the box with the rest of the supplies and recleaned the wound, then started to bandage it. Natsu's chest rose and fell quickly as her hands brushed across his back while she wrapped the bandage around his torso. When she was finished, she crawled onto the bed behind him and cleaned a cut on his back, her cool fingers just barely touching his skin. When she had finished bandaging it, she mumbled that she was done, and her arms wrapped around his torso from behind, and he was instantly glad she couldn't see his face. Her own was laid against the warm skin of his shoulder, her eyes closed.
"Luce...?"
"Mmm?"
"Thanks..." she smiled and tightened her grip on him.
"It's what nakama do, right?"
"Right." He mumbled, relaxing when her arms slid away and she stood to carry the first-aid kit to the bathroom.
She returned to find him facing the window, his shoulders slumped and his head tilted to one side. She climbed into the bed and twined her fingers with his. He glanced down at their hands and shot her a questioning look, to which she motioned to the pillows waiting for them. He sighed and laid back gingerly, closing his eyes and inhaling the sweet scent that was so very Lucy; chocolate, vanilla, and just a hint of hibiscus blossom. The bed shifted as she lay down next to him and snuggled into his arms.
"Natsu?"
"Huh?"
"Promise you'll always be here."
She whispered, nuzzling into his chest. He wrapped his arms around her, burying his face into her hair.
"Mmm..."
"Natsu?"
"I'll be here."
"Okay." he felt her smile into his chest and relax into an uneasy, light sleep.
He tightened his arms around her and sighed; she echoed him and one of her hands slipped across his side, just ghosting over the skin there. He sighed and shifted his head to her shoulder, sniffling into her skin. She let out a soft breath and wrapped her arms up and around his ribs. He smiled into her neck and sighed, exhaustion settling in. She snuggled into him again and pressed one quick kiss to his shoulderblade, surprising him and making him blush, then laid her head against his shoulder, happily slipping off to sleep.
He found it way harder to sleep that night, images of her writhing, moaning, panting beneath him, her cheeks a furious color, her eyes hazy. They wouldn't leave him alone. Being forced to stay here by the blonde in his arms was making him dizzy, her sweet scent overwhelming his already-sensitive nose. He looked her over to assure that she was indeed asleep, and when he has done so, a low growl escaped his throat and he pressed his nose to her shoulder, inhaling her heady smell.
The sweet, chocolaty, flowery scent that was so Lucy flooded his senses, sending his mind reeling into even more deliciously sweet thoughts, of her body over his, soft and warm against his skin, her mouth slanted over his own, fighting with him for control.
She moaned, a very, very inappropriate sound, and her fingernails dug gently into his back.
He realized that while he was daydreaming, he'd pulled her flush against him and somehow his mouth had found its way to her neck, kisses trailing up the side and there, right where her shoulder met her neck, was a dark red bite mark, standing out harshly against her pale skin.
He flushed a dark red and put a bit of distance between himself and her warm body.
He was just about to slip out of her arms and sleep on the floor when he heard it.
"Natsu..." She moaned. Her arms tightened around him and she tugged him back to her.
He felt her leg slide not-so-innocently between his and gulped.
It was going to be a long night for him.
"L-Lucy.." he groaned, trying to free himself. She responded only by tightening her arms a bit more. Her leg slid against his, hot against cool, and he shivered.
It felt so good.
Shit.
"Lucy, please..." He pleaded, trying to remove her arms. "Please, Luce, let go..."
She mumbled his name and pressed her body flush against his, completely, utterly. He felt the tightness in his trousers and hissed lustfully when her bare stomach rubbed against him.
This was too much.
He was going to do something he would regret if he didn't get away soon.
Struggling to keep himself under control, he pushed away from her and slipped out of the bed. Quickly, his movement jerky and sensitive, he threw a blanket over her shoulders and pressed a kiss to her mouth, to the bite mark on her shoulder.
Then he opened the window and slipped out into the night to relieve himself of the uncomfortable stiffness below his waistband.