Hi! More GMG-arc based NaLu for you. :)
I just wanted more NaLu fluff after the Naval Battle; you could consider this as set before the filler scene of Natsu & Lucy before he and Gajeel go out to fight Sting and Rogue. (& lets just pretend that Elfman wouldn't be in the bed right next to Lucy & thus privy to this entire scene lol)
Disclaimer: I do not own "Fairy Tail" or any affiliated characters; all such belong to Hiro Mashima.
Cafuné: (n.) running your fingers through the hair of someone you love.
She was still so pale and he hated it.
He hated seeing her like this; bound to an infirmary bed, bandages winding their way around too much of her body, her usually smiling face tight with tension and pain.
Sabertooth would pay for doing this to Lucy.
Natsu sighed as he dropped his head into his hands, rubbing his forehead wearily. He needed to sleep—who knew what the next day's tournament would bring—but he couldn't yet.
He'd needed to check on Lucy.
She was asleep, of course, like any normal person at this time of night. Her keys were clutched tightly between her hands, pulled close to her heart, the fear of losing them evident even in her state of rest. Natsu grit his teeth; Lucy shouldn't be afraid even while she slept. She should be resting peacefully.
Groaning quietly, he leaned forward to lay his head on the side of her bed. He'd just rest his eyes for a second, then head back to his room; he wasn't quite ready to leave Lucy's side.
The sheets rustled and, after a few exploratory pats to his head, he felt fingers brush through his hair tenderly. A sleepy voice accompanied them soon after.
"N'tsu? What're you still doin' here?"
He released a long sigh through his nose, choosing not to answer. She continued to thread her fingers through his hair lazily for a while, neither of them speaking.
"You need to get some sleep too, y'know." She murmured after a while. The dragon slayer grunted, stirring only in the slightest.
"Just wanted to check on ya." He explained, a large yawn following his words. He heard Lucy chuckle softly above him and smiled.
"I'm fine," she whispered. "You need your strength for tomorrow."
The anger returned with a vengeance and Natsu growled, lifting his head to look at her. She dropped her hand away but he immediately took hold of it, staring into her, now alert, coffee-colored eyes.
"I'm gonna beat those bastards to a pulp for you, Luce." He promised, his fingers tightening against hers.
Lucy smiled and squeezed his hand back.
"Don't worry about me," she replied. "I'm tougher than I look. This is nothing. Just do your best."
Immediately Natsu's anger simmered down into ignorable irritation. He gave her his characteristic grin before laying his head back down on the side of her bed. Lucy sighed, tugging her hand out of his to return to her previous actions of playing with his hair.
"You're not going to bed anytime soon, are you?" she asked evenly.
"Not if you're gonna keep doing that." He answered honestly. He heard her hum in response but her fingers never left his hair.
Maybe she didn't want him to leave any more than he wanted to; that was okay. Natsu was more than willing to stay beside her all night, if that was what she wanted.
The color had returned to her cheeks when he'd last looked at her and that was all the reassurance he needed.
Hope you enjoyed! Thanks for reading! :D
~Miah-Chan