Author's note: YAAAAAY Thank You Soo Much Everyone!(': Hehe Your Reviews Made Me So Haappeee. I Almost Cried..Sniff Sniff. I Hope You Enjoy Reading This Chapter Cuz I Had Fun Writing It!:3
Chapter 2: Just Let Me Take Care Of You
Gray stared down at the pitiful body of his once close friend and rival, anger filled tears clouding his vision as he once again scooped up Natsu and carried him bridal style to the wash room. "Natsu, I swear I'm gonna kill this guy," He whispered to his dormant friend, his cheeks growing moist as water continued to fall from his cobalt eyes.
He gently sat the sleeping boy down onto the beige sheets inside the small Fairy Tail guest room. Although the suite wasn't large, it was fully equipped with two large, dark, wooden dressers; one mirroring the bed and the other opposite of the door. There were also matching bedside tables holding twin, cream colored lamps.
Gray walked through an arch way connecting the sleeping quarters to a cramped wash room. He went straight to the tub, turning the nozzle so that it poured steamy, clear water into the empty, white bath. Just the way you like it, right, Natsu? Turning around, he found the pink haired boy watching him with his big, clueless eyes. Gray couldn't help but smile at Natsu's stupidly cute face.
"Good, you're awake. Now just strip down and get in there," Gray motioned toward the tub with his head, but when he turned back to Natsu he found that his eyes had grown even wider and his dumb expression turned frightened. "Am I gonna have to do everything for you?" Gray sighed as he walked over to the frightened teen.
"Wh-what are you doing, G-Gray?" Natsu barely got out.
Gray smiled. He remembered my name..
"I'm giving you a bath, idiot. Now, come on."
Natsu clung to Gray's arm as he stood up, eyes watering with the unexpected strain it put on his calves. Growing tired of their slow pace, Gray lifted the limping boy into his arms and carefully sat him onto the rim of the tub. "Now, am I gonna have to take your clothes off for you, too?" Gray asked with a sarcastic smirk. Natsu looked down apologetically, but didn't reply. "Well then," Gray said "I guess that's a yes. "
Natsu was wearing nothing but his skin in mere seconds, thanks to Gray's bizarre stripping habit that, for once, actually deemed helpful. With Gray's help, Natsu slid into the nearly boiling water, completely oblivious to the heat due to his dragon slayer magic. "Hmmmm.." Gray's brow furrowed in thought as he studied Natsu's injured body. "I really wish Mira could have realized that I'm not a doctor," he sighed.
Gray looked around the room, trying to decide the best way to get Natsu clean without worsening his injuries. "Uugh," He groaned loudly, annoyed at the situation he was forced into. The sudden outburst caused the pink haired boy to jump in shock, splashing scortching water over the cringing Ice Mage. "NATSU.." Gray began, but stopped at the sight of crystal-like tears spilling from ebony eyes. Gray's face distorted in confusion, unsure of how to respond. "Uh, Natsu.. It's okay.. I..-"
"GOTCHA!" Natsu's frown flipped into a huge grin and an obnoxious laugh slipped from his mouth as he splashed Gray once again. The Ice Maker mimicked the smile, everything seeming to return to normal, and catapulted water back at his enemy; snickering at Natsu's startled reaction until he doubled over in pain from his now blistering hand and it was once again Natsu's turn to laugh.
Gray stood up, preparing for battle until the old Natsu once again disappeared and was replaced by a confused and scared pink haired teen. "G-Gray?" Natsu asked, "Um, what are you d-doing?"
"Oh, uh," Gray turned around, "I was just getting you a cloth," he said, rummaging through useless drawers and cabinets until he found what he was looking for. "Ahah!" He held up the cloth in a victory pose and knealed down to Natsu with a comforting grin. "Now, lets get you cleaned up."
After a few attempts at wetting the cloth in Natsu's sweltering bath water, Gray quickly concluded that he would just have to cool down the water with his magic; being too stubborn and lazy to use the faucet like a normal person. Putting his hand nearly to the surface of the water he wielded his ice and the water temperature dropped rapidly until it got to a safe, but still warm condition.
Natsu stared in amazement, eyes wide and mouth hanging open. "How did you do that?" He asked. "Uh.. Natsu.. You're joking, right?" Gray raised an eyebrow skeptically. The dragon slayer answered with a slight shake of the head. "Well.. We'll talk about that later." With that, Gray ended the conversation and began to softly wipe down Natsu's blood-caked chest.
With Natsu's smooth, tan skin becoming visible his state began to look much better; although, compared to the way he looked before, a few broken bones would have been an improvement. The muddy, red assortment crusted his face, all the way down to his feet welcoming infections like a brightly glowing open sign in a shop door.
There were cuts running all across his body, most not too severe, but Gray could only imagine the pain he must be in. Following his stabs and slashes were bruises of every shade and a few swelling limbs. Even with the concoction of dirt and red liquid dripping off his body and into the water, his skin was discolored in several places and Gray was furious. Whoever did this to you, Natsu.. He's gonna pay. NOBODY hurts my dragon slayer..- I mean..- you. Nobody hurts you.
Soon, the bloody mixture had disappeared from Natsu's body and retreated to the now opaque water. Gray unplugged the drain and carefully helped the rejuvenated, pink haired boy to his feet. Stepping over the rim of the tub, Natsu lost his footing and stumbled onto a madly blushing Ice Mage.
"Aaah, Gray! I'm so sorry!" Natsu cried, tears welling up in his eyes. Gray's blush deepened into a vibrant red and he pushed the remorseful teen off of him too harshly. Gray buried his head in his knees, trying to rid his head of his aberrant thoughts. Gray, what the hell are you thinking? This is Natsu! Gray was snapped back to reality when he heard muffled sobs and the drip, drop, splash of the dragon slayer's tears crashing into the cold, dark, stone floor.
Gray's irritable attitude fled and his face softened into a slight smile. "Hey, Natsu!" Gray grabbed a towel and began rubbing it against the Fire Mage's head, pulling every trace of liquid from his soaking, pink hair. "Stop crying, will ya? Or I won't be able to dry you off!"
Natsu sniffed and rubbed his obsidian eyes, relaxing into the warm, steady movement of the towel pressing against his bare body until all the moisture had departed from his delicate skin. "I'll be right back," said Gray, patting Natsu's head as he walked back through the arch, into the bedroom, to fetch some clean clothes.
When Gray returned, Natsu eagerly got to his feet to greet the Ice Mage; only to fall into ice-cold arms as his weak legs collapsed beneath him. "Easy there," Gray said, helping the dragon slayer to the bed and gently dressing him in a pair of silver sweatpants.
"Just let me take care of you."
Onyx eyes fluttered closed and the last thing he remembered before drifting off to sleep was a pair of chilly lips pressed against his fevered forehead.