I do not own Fairy Tail, and I'm getting really tired of having to say that.
Pairing: Natsu and Gray
So there was enough request for a sequel, and I did eventually have enough time to begin one. Great news, school is starting again (yay!)so I have time to write again (how sad is that, now I have time to write). I also have a bunch of new ideas for other stories featuring this pair, those should be up soon too. Enjoy the first chapter!
Footsteps echoed of the pressing white walls, bouncing off the stonework and onto uncaring ears. A few people would brush down the halls, either too busy to stop or too absorbed in a dismal reverie to bother with those around them. Overhead lights cast down blinding glows, giving a fake sense of security in this otherwise dark place.
Footfalls lighter than the rest slowly made their way down the hallway. The mood of the owner matched in perfectly with the gloom of the building itself. Both hands were securely clasped on a thin twine handle of a brown paper bag. The corrugated carrier crinkled when its contents gently shifted from side to side.
The voluptuous figure stopped short of a crestfallen one. Elegant fingers loosened their grip on string handle. Hands numbly held the package out, the offering of normality. The form opposite made no move to accept. Dejected eyes stared down at the floor, seeing nothing. Locks of hair shadowed their face, revealing nothing. Dark rings outlined his eyes. Had the situation been different, the somniferous pull of resting a mind would have occurred hours ago. Distress remained the sole reason of not giving in to the desire. Fear was ubiquitous, plaguing his mind, leaving nothing placid.
The giver's shoulder's sagged, the intended receiver not making to take the parcel. One hand made its way from the handgrip to the inside, wrapping in a soft clump of textile. A stainless, pure, blank fabric was lifted up, leaving the now unserviceable receptacle. The presenter kneeled down, eyelevel to the much more somber other. The cherished cloth in their hands was tentatively wrapped around the other's neck and shoulders. Had they felt a hint of zeal they would have tried to offer a comforting smile.
The small figure took an empty seat beside the downcast one. "How is he?"
The other reached up and fingered the supple fabric of his scarf. "I don't know. They won't tell me." Onyx eyes traced the stitch work of the muffler. A flash of memory assaulted his senses, thinking back to the last time he saw his treasured gift. Untainted white pressed against a sea of red, waves of crimson soiling the cloth.
"Erza and I had it cleaned." The other managed. "We were hoping if you had it back it would make you feel a little better."
"Thanks, Luce." A near silent murmur came from him. "But it's not like that's what I'm worried about."
The blonde bit her lip, hiding her unhappiness at not being able to make her friend feel better. She placed a hand on her friend's face, feeling the tepid skin. She brushed back a few strands of rosy shocks. She hooked one finger under his chin and pulled his face towards her. "You haven't eaten today either, have you?"
He pulled his head away. "I'm fine. I'll eat when he eats."
"Natsu…"
"I said I'm fine."
The celestial mage let out a long sigh. She cuffed the dragon slayer's face in her palms, forcing him to look at her. Vehement brown looked into an ocean of black, conveying her intentions. "Natsu, I know what you're trying to do. But refusing your own needs is not helping anyone. We're getting to the point where either you're going to eat yourself or Erza is going to stuff it down your throat."
The rosette's mouth remained a fine line, unwavering in the least. The brown meres peered deeper into his lifeless ones. His mind mulled over the idea of the scarlet knight. Not that he cared at this point for her ferocious antics, that was petty now. It was the possibility of her dragging him away for a decent meal. The stellar mage loosened her firm hold on his jowls, letting his head droop back down. Moments passed by before a dull nod came from the dragon slayer. Lucy gave him a thankful smile that didn't have the strength to reach her eyes. "I'll find you something then."
The curvaceous mage stood back up, merrier at having accomplished the task of getting the fire mage to agree to a request. With more pep in her light step then before she let him be, making her way back down the hall. No doubt she could be found in a few minutes inside the hospital cafeteria, scouring the place of all edible nourishment she could find.
Natsu watched his good friend disappear around the corner, out of sight. He pondered dimly where everyone else had gone off to. Then again, it wasn't like the sun had been in the sky long.
The metallic click of a doorknob turning drew him back to reality. A heavy door leading to one of the numerous intensive care rooms swung in. A medical practitioner stepped out, his white coat hanging off him. A grim look was set on his face, making a lump form in Natsu's throat. The doctor walked past him, not paying any heed to the worrying man in the hall.
The pinkette watched him disappear down the hall like Lucy did moments earlier. He slid his dark eyes across the hallway, making sure it was empty of nurses. Least he need another one threatening him about leaving a patient be. He noiselessly rose up, letting one hand grasp the door handle beside him.
He slinked into the room, careful so not to alert anyone of his presences. His eyes fell on a bed sitting against one of the walls. A crumpled form lay on top, motionless. Natsu felt tears prick the corners of his eyes as he walked closer. He sat down on a spare chair beside the bed, taking one of the tormented man's cold hands in his.
A blanket had been pulled up to his waist, unneeded warmth even in this chilly building. His torso was swathed with bandages. The dressing pulled taut over his side, the only defense against having the uncontrollable bleeding starting again. Cords and needles were connected to his wrist, dripping various liquids.
Stitches ran above his left eye, parallel to his older scar. His arm had even more needlework coating his skin. His once marble complexion was marked with hues of colors, bruises winded around his throat and over his limbs. More contusions were visible than his alabaster skin, and even that was a sickly shade in itself. Cuts and scrapes cluttered his face, not leaving any inch of his body untouched.
Natsu traced delicate circles with his thumb across the man's pale knuckles. He brought the appendage up to his lips, lightly kissing it affectionately. He twined a few strands of the man's raven hair in his fingers, feeling the soft, silky texture of the ruffled mop. One finger ran over pastel lips, touching the place he hadn't been able to enough in the past week.
He put his head down, resting it on the small space between the edge of the bed and the damaged body suffering to recover. His ears listened to the thankfully steady beat of his lover's pulse, even if it could barely be heard, even with his intense hearing. Their hands intertwined, the only way they could hold each other for who knows how long. His eyes slowly drifted shut, the past few days of rejecting sleep taking its toll.
"I love you, Gray…"
…
Lucy nervously twisted her golden hair in her fingers. A warm boxed up meal sat on the table to her side. Her goal of trying to get the self-starving dragon slayer wrecked after finding him gone. Looking for him in the ice mage's room had ended in failure by being chased away by a passing nurse before she had even opened the door.
A composed scarlet sat opposite from her, her protective armor making incoming patients nervous as they wondered what that could be needed for in a hospital. Happy sat in the chair next to her, his usual frisky appearance out of sight, replaced with a crushed one. The blue haired dragon slayer with Carla on her lap were the only ones left other than Porlyusica and the master himself to be the ones from the guild to come here, those back at the guildhall could only wait for the news. Even the pink haired medic's and the old man's whereabouts were unknown. The last anyone knew they were discussing the ice mage's condition, but they had been gone some time for that.
Tears dripped down Wendy's face, landing on her lap. The white feline placed one paw on the girl's thigh, giving a reassuring squeeze. "Wendy, it's not your fault."
"But-" The sky sorceress managed to blink back a few tears. "I can't heal him…He'd be better now if I could, but I can't-" Carla rubbed a paw on the girl's arm as her voice broke on the last word.
Lucy felt the salty sting in her eyes for the umpteenth time this week. She pressed the heel of her palm to her eye, trying to get the river to stop. "It's not," a few sniffles escaped her. "If anything we shouldn't have been the ones to…" the celestial mage let the sobs come out, no longer in control of her emotions.
Erza stayed silent as those around her one by one broke down. Happy let out heartrending cries as he was the next to begin balling his eyes out. She ran a hand over his light blue fur. The feline turned and clung to her, not having his lifelong friend there to turn to.
Her melancholy eyes traveled to each and every weeping face. A long sigh left her in defeat. Call it her woeful childhood kicking in but she couldn't avoid thinking self-blame was idle. Besides, she knew who really blamed himself for this whole nightmare.
…
Gloomy looks were present on their faces when they stepped out of the cramped office. The feeling of tragedy was settling on them with each passing minute. Their eyes mirrored the other person's perfectly, showing their unvoiced concern.
"I've never seen this happen before."
A foreboding look was set firmly on the elderly guild medic's features. Her crimson eyes were narrowed in annoyance at their current predicament. Not once in her long life if curing had she rendered her services useless, especially when it comes to the healing of mages.
"He's completely unresponsive to anything I've tried. Every elixir to potion to solution has no effect on him. The only thing that seems to be working at all is old fashion medicine."
Makarov let out a glum sigh. His fingers panicky twiddled his whiskers. "Porlyusica…have you also sensed what I have?"
The physician raised one eyebrow at him in question. "That depends on what you mean by 'sense?'"
Makarov let another sigh leave him. "It's not like I've been allowed to examine him myself, but…" His aged eyes dropped to the floor.
Porlyusica gave him her best comparison to a sympathetic look. She reached down and gave him a comforting pat that may have been more forceful than what she had intended. "I understand what you mean, but even then this shouldn't be happening."
"…Are you sure?"
Porlyusica let moments past in silence. She was never the one to pity humans, not even feel compassion for them when she delivered the worst of news. Judging by the doleful look the dwarf sized man had next to her he knew same as she did.
"I'm afraid that wizard of yours isn't all that powerful."
…
Natsu walked deadened down the halls, shoulders slumped forward, head hung. His feet fell heavily on the tiled floor. One hand ran over the small box burning a hole in his pocket. If he'd felt he was worth the title of being the epitome of pathetic he would have taken it. But even that was above him now.
He could hear quiet natter from the forthcoming waiting room. He was vaguely aware of sitting down next to the anxious blonde when he came in. He felt seven pairs of eyes turn to him, asking him where he'd been then answering the question without response.
Lucy watched him with her tired orbs. "Is he still…"
"He's fine," Natsu murmured, "still sleeping. They just kicked me back out to prep him for his next procedure." The group went into a hush after that. Half of them wondered what this next one was for, the other half wondered how many more would be after this.
"It's the infection this time, isn't it?"
The fire dragon slayer gave a small nod, not even sure who had spoken. "It's spreading."
Makarov cleared his throat, trying to earning his children's attention. "It would seem we'll be allowed to visit him for a time starting tomorrow." The old man bit his lip when his brat he thought would be rejoicing over the news only continued to sit motionless.
Natsu continued running his fingers over the box in his pocket. He felt bile rise in his throat every time he thought about it. It didn't matter how you spun the story. He was the one who did this to the ice mage.
If Gray didn't make it past this week, he was the one to blame.