Natsu grits his teeth in frustration. His fingers anxiously crumple some part of her blanket. How long he's been waiting there, he doesn't know. Math has never been one of his strong points. Yet he diligently takes note of every breath she takes in her sleep. It unnerves him. Why hasn't she woken up yet?
He watches the others shuffle in, each concerned with her status. But not as much as he is. He hasn't left her side since Minerva –that bitch –put her in this condition. The rest of them hover over her like frantic mothers, and it looks like all their noise has woken her up.
The first thing she does is shakily apologize, and he can't help but think she's the most stupid smart person he's ever met. Gray and Erza fill her in, congratulating her for her standing. She's done well. She asks for her beloved keys, each more precious to her than life itself. Happy hands them to her and she hugs them close.
He exhales in relief. Finally, she's smiling.
Before he can offer her any words of comfort, praise, promises or whatever, she falls asleep. He can't bring himself to wake her up anymore, not when she looks so serene.
And then the master comes in and tells them about the new adjustments. It's perfect. His actions always speak louder than his words, so he swears to avenge Lucy with everything he's got.
He's dismayed to find that his fight with Sabertooth –those bastards –has been delayed. A fight between the Puppies and Blue Pegasus has been scheduled first for that afternoon. So he spends the rest of his time waiting by Lucy's bedside, even skipping lunch. This bothers his guild mates more than they'd like to admit.
The Dragon Slayer brushes askew strands of hair from her face. She looks like an angel, battered and battle worn. But no matter how beautiful she looks, he knows he prefers the weird, loud and vain Lucy, no matter how much he complains about her. Thanks to Porlyusica, her stats have been stabilized, but his organs still knot inside him.
He jerks his hand away as she stirs. The first thing she sees as she slowly opens her eyes is his serious face, and she feels nothing but pity for his opponents. He frightens her whenever he gets like this, because there's something in him that's just so scary; it's exactly like fire.
"Natsu? Are you okay?"
"No. I'm not." Not until you are.
Erza finally succeeds in dragging him out of the medical ward, after endless blackmailing and death threats. He grudgingly sits down to watch the match, even if he knows Quatro Puppy is going to win without mercy. They say, after all, that Bacchus is a match for Fairy Tail's Titania. Not only that, but he's beat Cana at drinking.
His mind strays to a certain blond Celestial Spirit Mage, recuperating in a soft bed. He's not interested in this predictable battle. He's proven wrong.
Well… that was unexpected. And creepy.
The match turns out to be an upset. He feels the sudden urge to fight Ichiya, revealed to be the strongest mage of Blue Pegasus. That's going to have to wait though. It's their turn now.
He feels alive when he fights, and this is exhilarating. The Twin Dragons are undeniably strong. He and Gajeel work well together despite their differences. He's taken aback by how the two have so many tricks up their sleeves. Their ability to use Dragon Force at will especially pique his interest. Natsu is dying to know how many other secrets they have.
Not that it matters, anyway. They're going to win. And to prove his confidence in their victory, he sends his partner on his merry way. He'll have hell to pay later, but in the end it will be all worth it. Lucy can't have anything less than his best. The battle drags on, and he feels the toll on his body. He loves it.
He's facing two of the most powerful mages in Fiore, and they're from what has been the most powerful guild for almost a decade. He's been MIA for seven years, with limited training time. He comes out on top.
He's lying on a soft and warm bed next to hers. The first thing he sees when he opens his eyes is the sight of her worried face. Her hand reaches out to him.
"Natsu, are you okay?"
He's too tired to speak, so instead, he grins and gives her a thumbs up.
I will be.
A/N: Just a quickie (innuendo fully intended) to get me out of my writer's block stupor. It's basically just recapping events from GMG Day 4, from Natsu's point of view. Yes, I have finally succeeded in writing my first Fairy Tail fanfiction. It's strange and took me less than half an hour, but it served its purpose. Thank you, viewer, for taking the time to read!
DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN FAIRY TAIL. HIRO MASHIMA DOES. IF I DID OWN FAIRY TAIL, ALL MY SHIPS (INCLUDING MY CRACKIES) WOULD BE CANNON BY NOW.