MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY
Fire. It was everywhere. Everything was burning. Including his own body.
His body was on fire. He muscles ached and groaned and he could barely move. Everything hurt. But his heart was what hurt the most.
He could hear movement. Somebody was staggering towards him. He closed his eyes. The person collasped to their knees next to him. He could feel them shaking. He cracked his eyes open and he could feel his heart squeeze.
It was Gray. He looked broken and weak and he hated iit. His rival was always supposed to look strong. But the tears that were streaming down Gray's face somehow made this moment more real. And that's what he hated the most.
None of this could be real. Gray couldn't be cut up and looking beat half to death. His own body couldn't possibly feel this paralyzed and broken. He couldn't possibly be dying. It was absurd! He still had so many things to do and words to say. He couldn't be dying! There was no way!
But seeing the tears only confirmed the situation. He wanted to laugh bitterly but knew that his body was incapable.
"Whatcha cryin' about you Ice Bastard? You did it. You defeated the big bad END. It ain't nothin' to cry over," He questioned quietly. Gray let out a half laugh half sob at the comment. Gray covered his face with his hands but he could see the shaking of the others body.
"Natsu..." Gray started shakily, "You can't just die. You defeated Zeref! You should be up and celebrating instead of laying here like this. We need you. Lucy needs you. I need you..." Gray trailed off and Natsu felt the pain in his heart grow. In the distance, he could hear more people closing in on the two.
Natsu closed his eyes momentarily. He didn't want Lucy to see him like this. Not broken and dying. She didn't deserve this. He wished he could've given her more. Told her more.
Natsu shakily grabbed a hold on Grays hand. He needed the comfort of his best friend. To hell with anything else. He was a dying man He could do whatever the hell he wanted.
The sound of flapping wings came closer. And so did more crying.
"Natsu! Don't leave! I'll miss you and Lucy'll miss you and everyone will miss you! We still have lots more adventures to go on!" The small blue cat held onto Natsu, his soft fur brushing against Natsu's face.
"Happy..." Natsu sighed, "I'm gonna miss you buddy. Take care of Lucy for me, okay? Take her on adventures and go fishing and be happy, okay Happy?" Natsu gave his partner a small smile. One of farewell. Happy sobbed harder and could barely nod his head.
Natsu took a deep breath and called out, "Lucy?" He could hear a small shuffling noise and turned his head to smile and the blonde. "I love you." Everyone froze. Happy stopped crying for a moment only to resume worse than before. Gray's hold on his hand slackened only to be reinforced harder. Lucy just stared at him with her hands over her mouth to silence her sobbing. She collasped onto the ground.
It hurt Natsu to see her like this and it hurt worse that he had to leave her like this. God, he was such a dick. Natsu turned to stare at Gray one more time. He smiled softly. "Gray, Im leaving her to you, because you're my best friend. You're my brother Gray. Take care of her for me, okay?" His heart gave another squeeze and his breath quickened. And then the world was dark. And nothing hurt anymore.