A/N: FT doesn't belong to me, nor do I claim it does.

Yaaay for NaLu angst~

Day 1(Bonus): Cross my Heart

"L-Luce..."

A wheezing gasp passed through her lips and Natsu stared down at his partner, eyes wide and breathing labored as adrenaline continued to pump through his veins, fear overriding everything. She smiled up at him, eyes nearly closed with the pain, lips stained red and teeth pink from the blood that continued to dribble down her chin. "N… na... su..."

"H-hey, hey now, shh, hey, you're alright, shh." Behind him, he heard Erza roar, her pain reaching across their battlefield, Gray far in-front of them, his magic flowing and strong, stronger then it'd ever been in their sparring matches. He supposed there was a good reason for him to let loose.

Holding tight to his shirt, Happy watched with lips pressed tight and tears streaking down his cheeks, reminded all too much of another time, years again, when they watched a familiar woman die right before them as well. "Wendy's on her way, j-just keep yo-your eyes open for me Luce, o-okay?" He managed a small smile, but he knew his voice cracked more than once. He just hoped she hadn't caught it.

Her lips twitched until a smile bloomed, small and painful, left eye closing briefly as her breathing stuttered. "A-ah—kay..."

"That's it, just breathe, Luce, okay?" His fingers twitched and he patted her hand stiffly, keeping her half sitting up as he held her. She sucked in a breath, lungs worked to take in and keep the arm, blood still flowing steadily from her side, pooling on the ground beneath them, her already ruined clothes stained even further, his pants nearly crimson.

"N-na... su... col—cold…"

"What? Cold? Luce, it's the middle of—No. No, no, Lucy, Lucy, listen to me—listen to me, Lucy, Luce, hey, hey Luce, don't—no, don't close your eyes! Lucy, don't you close your eyes on me, Lucy, open your eyes!" He tightened his hold around her, panic welling in his throat as the blood never seemed to stop.

She was cold. Lucy, so warm and bright, was cold. Wrong.

"Erza!" His voice shifted in pitch, hitting a higher note than he thought possible. "Erza, where's Wendy?!"

"Ten minutes!" The woman screamed back, a flash of light surrounding her as her Black Wing Armor appeared. "Ten minutes, Natsu!"

"We don't—She's losing a lot of blood!" He was nearing hysterical, but Lucy raised a trembling hand and he caught it in his own. "Lucy, Luce, come on now, c-come on, Luce!" Was he crying? Were those tears he felt? Yeah, he remembered that feeling, warm but not helpful with the cold in his stomach. "Lucy, y-you can't fall asleep on me now... You promised, Luce... You promised we—we'd... You promised, Luce..." He was trembling, form shaking as he held her. He felt the blood sliding past his fingers as he pressed his hand against her side. She took in a sharp breath at the pressure and the heat.

Cauterize the wound. He could do that, right? That'd help, wouldn't it?

But the thought of his flames touching her, causing her more pain than she needed pulled something vile up to his throat, a sickening feeling rising.

Burn her flesh or watch her bleed out.

What would make her last the longest, last until Wendy finally made it?

"Erza?!" He let the heat growing in his skin die, turning his head to look for his comrade.

"Hold her, Natsu! Don't you let her go!" The woman ordered, as if Lucy could get up and walk away.

"Apply pressure, Natsu!" Gray yelled back. "I don't care if it hurts her, keep it up! Keep her breathing!"

He should be fighting. He should be helping to make it all clear, safe, so Wendy could get through. But the slight weight of her fingers wrapped around his told him he wasn't needed in this fight—his place was here, for better or for worse.

"Cross..." Natsu looked down at her, her brilliant eyes hazy and dim.

"Luce?" he questioned gently. Happy sobbed, burying his little face against her neck, nuzzling against her skin and begging her to just keep breathing—just hold on—keep fighting—stay with us Lucy, please—

"Cross... cross my heart... and..."

"No, none of that, Luce," Natsu scolded, remembering the little ditty and feeling it was not appropriate at this moment in time.

"H-hope to diiiee—" A terrible gasp left her lips and her chest heaved. Her felt her heart beating so rapidly, lungs working to keep her breathing, despite the blood pumping steadily out of her, staining the ground and slowly killing her—despite his continuous pressure. Short, stuttered breaths later, she relaxed and his heart surged with hope. There was a light returning in her eyes, heartbeat slowing a bit as her breathing regulated. "Tho-though my lips are sealed and—and a promise is true," she huffed out, eyes fluttering open.

Poetry, he realized. She was reciting poetry. Good. Alright, if that's what kept her here, he'd listen to it all day, hell, he'd even listen to Capricorn's, if that's what it took.

Glorious chocolate brown stared up at him, her lips stretching into a smile. He grinned back, tears making his sight blurred. "I—I won't break my word—my word to you."

A deep breath in on her part and he leaned down, exhaling against her cheeks, pressing his forehead to hers. "Love you, Luce," he stared down at her, tears falling and dripping onto her cheeks, gathering with the ones trailing down her skin.

He nearly saw the light glowing around her as she took another shaky breath in, chest filling with love as her eyes closed with her smile.

When a moment passed and she failed to breathe out, he heard something that shouldn't have been there. As the battle raged around them, swords and magic flying and the distant voice of Wendy shouting that she was coming—she was almost there—just hold on Lucy—

Natsu heard the lack of a heartbeat.