Hi! Hope you've all been doing ok! This year has already been so busy and I just wish I could press pause and turn off my brain for a while ugh -_- but still try to make time to indulge in this story and hope you guys like this one!
It's a little angsty, if it doesn't make it obvious I was going through some stuff loll, and has a bit of a battlefield scene, but it's always gonna be balanced out on a happy note! :)
Natsu looked out blankly through the window of the truck they were riding in, bumpy dirt roads making the drive rough. Everything ached, and he felt like a migraine was coming on. He sighed and tilted his head back. At least they're heading back to base, where he hoped he could take a long, hot shower and sleep. Hopefully.
They unload the truck once they get there and already had orders to meet with Captain Dreyar.
The meeting felt like a blur of words that he already didn't remember. Only glad they weren't getting sent out again right away, and when it was over, Natsu found himself walking down the hallway towards the quarters, pack feeling heavier on his shoulders with each step.
He felt a pull on his arm, pausing and looking over to see Gray.
"Hey, you ok? Been quiet since we were on the truck. Like somethin's off since… y'know," he asked, some concern still in his eyes.
Natsu swallowed thickly. "Y-Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired," he sighed. "Was one hell of a mission. Just wanna wash up and maybe try to call Luce."
He felt far from ok, but he didn't want Gray to worry more than he probably already was.
Especially after Gray had to talk Natsu down from a borderline breakdown, closer to a panic attack probably. All the noise and chaos around them became too much the other day out there, making Natsu's chest tight, head full of spiraling static thoughts, couldn't breathe properly or stop his hands from shaking. Then there was Gray, pulling him back to the present and out of the small alleyway he hardly remembered huddling down in.
They hadn't really talked about it since then and Natsu hasn't really felt quite back to himself since then either. Mostly empty.
Natsu could tell Gray is still concerned, with the looks he still gives him but he does his best to reassure him, despite the ache in Natsu's chest at the thought of his friend having to see him at such a low point like that.
"Alright. I have to do something before I head over there, but if- I'll be there if you need anything or just… just need to talk or anything. I'll bring you something from the cafeteria."
A small genuine smile quirked Natsu's lips. He really does appreciate Gray's concern looking out for him. Natsu would always do the same for him, both of them knowing how quickly things can feel out of reach once things spiral mentally, and Natsu was desperately trying not to let that happen again.
Strong grip on the breaking, tethering threads before they snapped.
"Thank you." Natsu gave Gray's shoulder a solid grip. "I mean it." He hoped it reflected the meaning now and for everything.
Gray gave a firm nod, small smile on his face too before heading in the other direction.
Natsu finally managed to make it back to the room, dropping his bag beside his bed with a grunt and heavy thump. Slumping into the chair at his desk, he sighs heavily, running a hand through his hair as he started the process of unlacing his boots, shuffling off his thick jacket, and the rest before he gathers his things for the bathroom.
The hot, firm pressure of the water instantly started to soothe the aches along his back and the rest of his body. He sighed deeply, resting his forehead against the cold tiles, letting the pressure start to loosen the knot at the back of his neck.
The chaos from the past few weeks still rang in his ears and mind, memories of the large rumbling booms still make him flinch, echoes of screams and falling rubble still linger and he shuts his eyes tighter, fists clenching up by his head.
The constant stimulation is overwhelming day after day after day, month after month, year after year, and he really feels like he's had enough. Desperately wishing he could just blink and be back home.
Home where it was safe and warm.
Home that was far from here.
With Lucy, who felt like home the most.
The thought made a lump grow in his throat, palms rubbing over the stinging in his eyes with a shaky sigh.
It's been seven months so far and he missed her so much. Her smile, her laugh, her touch, the way she would sigh and hug him tight, kissed him, the way she made him laugh, eased his mind and heart. The way she loved him .
Natsu's heart swelled at the thought.
Once the shower went cold, finishing up his routine and changing into comfier clothes, he fell back onto his bed with a huff. He took in the silence for a long moment, enjoying the quiet.
He turned over, digging through his bag to find his phone. It'd gotten a little worse for wear this time around, cracks and chips but he'd deal with it when he got back. It was getting pretty late here, meaning it would be early for Lucy.
He was just going to call her, but he really wanted to see her and hoped it wasn't too early for her for a video call.
As much as Natsu loved catching up through their emails and calls, seeing her did things to his heart and gave him that much needed strength.
He moved to sit at his desk, flicking on the lamp as he went through the motions of setting up the call on his also beat up laptop. Lucy had told him she'd been keeping her own laptop set up in her office or the bedroom, logged onto the site they used just in case Natsu called so he hoped he would catch her in time.
The call rang for a while, almost making him accept trying again tomorrow, rubbing his palms across his face with a sigh, when suddenly a chime sounded and a picture came through and he instantly perked up.
"Natsu?" A soft, warm voice said, the sound instantly filling his heart with warmth.
"Hey, Luce," Natsu can't help the widening grin that he wore, finally drinking in the sight of her after several weeks.
Golden hair glowing in the morning light through the window behind her, must be her office this time. She was wearing one of his hoodies and looking effortlessly beautiful as always.
"Oh, hi," Lucy breathed with a bright smile, getting more comfortable in her chair. "This is a surprise, but I'm so happy to see you!" she said warmly. "I hope I didn't leave you here waiting too long, I was over in the bedroom and took me too long to realize the ringing wasn't coming from what I was watching on tv after all," she laughed.
The sound went straight to his heart.
"Not at all. I'm sorry for callin' all of a sudden so early for you, we'd just gotten back in today and was hoping it wouldn't be too early for you," he grinned.
"I'd race to answer your call anytime, sergeant," Lucy said playfully, making him chuckle. "But it's ok. I was already up this morning. I couldn't really sleep last night. Haven't been feeling well honestly, " Lucy sighed, running a hand through her hair.
Natsu frowned, now noticing some tiredness in her eyes when he really looked, and hearing some rasp in her voice. "I'm sorry. Hope it's nothing too bad?"
"Think it's just a cold. Just been trying to relax and take it easy," she smiles softly.
"That's good," Natsu hummed. "Wish I could be there to take care of you. Breakfast in bed, foot rubs, cuddles. The whole nine yards," he grinned.
"That does sound amazing right now," Lucy sighed with a chuckle. "Happy's been keeping me company in the meantime." She looked over to where Happy was usually perched up on her chair across the room.
"He better be, that brat." They shared a warm laugh at that. "How've you been with everything else?"
"Things have been busy with work again now that the semester is over, but luckily they've been letting more of us work from home more."
"I'm sure it feels like a lot, but you got this, Luce," Natsu said with a warm smile.
"Thank you. I'm also just missing you mostly," she said softly.
Natsu's expression softened. "Miss you too. So much."
It was quiet for a long moment before Lucy asked softly, "How are you?"
"Eh, I'm fine. Just been ti-"
"Natsu, don't."
He looked up to see that familiar strength in her eyes.
"Please don't say you're just tired," she said softly, but firmly. "I may not get to see you every day, but I can tell when you're hurting. So, please… talk to me? You've hardly shared anything lately when we do get to talk."
Her look shifted and now there's some hurt in her eyes, and it's the last thing Natsu wanted, making his heart ache. He knows he has the habit of pulling back when things start getting to him like they are now to avoid making her worry, but he should know Lucy feels that distance too. There's already enough physical distance between them.
He swallowed past the lump that grew in his throat again, taking a shaky breath as his frayed emotions bubbled to the surface again.
She always saw right through him. Straight to his heart.
"I'm sorry. I never mean to make you feel that way, it's just- it's… true, that I am tired, but I- I'm not… I h–haven't been ok for a while," Natsu manages to get out through thick, choked words. Nerves still on edge from everything. "It's been so long of dealing with all the constant c-chaos here. I feel like I'm feeling everything so much more this time and I just… I don't know how much more I can take this time. It's... it's starting to affect me more out there too. Gray had to pull me out of a shitty episode out in the middle of everything the other day and I haven't really shaken it off yet," Natsu swallowed roughly, fingers fidgeting with some of the broken keys on the keyboard.
"Natsu..." he heard Lucy whisper.
"I just miss you so much, I w-wanna come home. Be home with you," he rasped, rubbing his palms against his eyes and breathing through a rough sob, unable to hold it all in anymore as the dam of his emotions broke, chest aching and sharp with each breath. "I'm so fucking tired. I don't want to lose you from all this shit…"
All the months of distance, the exhaustion, mental and physical, everything he's put her through, all adds pressure to his head.
"Oh, sweetheart. I'm so sorry." Her voice broke through the static in his mind, voice shaking. He noticed her brush away some of her own tears and it made his heart ache more. "I know you do. I want that for us too. I know it's hard, but hang onto a bit more strength for a bit longer to come back safe, ok?"
Natsu huffed out a rough breath, setting his head in his hands while his elbows propped up on the desk. He ran his hands through his hair and rubbed the stinging that still lingered in his eyes. Chest still heavy.
Strength was a hard thing to find right now, but he could try. For her.
Anything for her.
"I'll try," he rasped.
"Please look at me."
Natsu swallowed thickly, looking back up to the screen where Lucy still had a warm expression.
"I love you. So, so much, forever and always, and no matter the distance, or how much time has passed, I promise you'll never lose me. Not now or ever," Lucy said, all the warm conviction in her voice and honeyed eyes that Natsu had to believe it.
He nodded as a couple more tears escaped him as warmth swelled in his heart at her words.
"I love you too. Always," he rasped, taking a deep steadying breath. "I'm sorry I threw all this bad night on you, having to see me such a mess like this," he sighed, rubbing a palm over his face again.
"Please don't apologize. It hurts to think how long you've been holding onto all this. You don't have to, not with me," Lucy reassured softly. "I already worry about you, no matter how much you may say you don't want to, so you'll never be a burden to me and I'll always be here for you."
God, he loved her so much. With everything he had, and as much as part of him still felt like he didn't deserve all her, he'll be damned if he didn't do his best to show her just how much he loved her.
"Thank you… for everything." Natsu swallowed thickly again. "As much as I wish I could do more for you from here, I hope you know how much you mean to me."
"I do. You're always more than enough."
Natsu soaked in the warmth and love in her words, letting it swell through him.
"I love you, Lucy," he repeated, meaning it with his whole heart. "I really wish I could kiss you right now," he breathed an airy chuckle, chest finally feeling a bit lighter.
"Love you too, wish I could kiss you more," Lucy smiled softly. "Could really use one of your good hugs too. The end of this semester was brutal," she huffed, running a hand through her hair.
Natsu hummed. "It sounded like it was from all our emails and stuff."
Lucy hummed, expression shifting into a wider smile. "It was, but surprisingly I ended up finishing with honors actually."
"That's my girl," Natsu's own smile grew. "It doesn't surprise me at all, 'cause you're just that amazing."
"Oh stop," Lucy chuckles, honey eyes happy. Just as they should be.
"What? It's true. Just embrace it."
They share a warm laugh and Natsu's grateful for the change of lighter topics.
"I'm really proud of you though, Luce," Natsu said softly after a moment. "You've come so far, worked so hard, and you're so close to the finish line."
"Thank you, hon," Lucy said warmly. "One more year to go and I'm really hoping to get one of the student research assistant spots they're opening up this summer too," she grinned brightly.
Natsu couldn't help but share her excitement. "That'd be awesome. You're gonna get it for sure," he grinned.
"I really hope so, don't jinx me," she laughed warmly, and Natsu soaked in the sound.
They caught up more, Natsu mostly content to just listen to her talk and drink in all her expressions and smiles, until until he felt his eyes get too heavy to stay awake and they ended the call with more soft words of love, and Natsu finally felt content and relaxed enough to fall asleep with a small smile.
"Hey, guys. Did you know there are like, infinite universes up there?" Natsu sighed, tucking his hand under his head as he looked up into the dark, shining sky above them.
Chuckles sound off around him.
"Where did that come from?" He heard Gray say beside him.
"When we're out here like this, just makes me think about stuff Lucy's told me about space and stars and stuff," Natsu smiled softly, hoping they were looking at the same point in the sky right now.
He'd like to think so anyway.
"Hm, I'm surprised you pay attention and remember when she does," their other teammate, Hanson added. An obvious, annoying smirk in her voice.
Natsu huffed. "I do. A lot actually, for your information." He sat up in his cot on the ground and sure enough, most of them had an annoying amused smirk on their faces. Jerks. "And as if you can talk, you turn into mush with no thoughts in your head whenever your girlfriend calls and tells you about stuff. You too, Gray." He stuck his tongue out at them, a bit childishly, making Gray roll his eyes.
"What can I say, I'm proudly a big softie for her," Hanson smiled brightly, unashamed. As she should be.
"Shut up. As if you don't light up like a christmas tree when you call Lucy," Gray said before a large yawn and stretch on his own cot.
Natsu hummed. "Can't say you're wrong there," he laughed warmly, smiling softly, looking back up at the bright twinkling stars.
He got lost in his thoughts again after a couple long moments in the quiet around them.
The three of them were camped out here in the middle of their latest mission. An more risky infiltration type of assignment, so it was just the three of them just to be safe. Keep the team small as they waited on the outskirts of this small town, in the thick of some trees, saving some of their energy to move in later in the night.
Natsu stood up to keep watch as the other two got some rest. He wouldn't have been able to get much sleep anyway with everything on his mind.
He hadn't been looking forward to it, knowing just how much could go wrong and what was at risk. They had people to go home to also and he'd always promised them they'd always make it home.
The moon was high and bright now, their signal to get things going while they had nighttime advantage.
A ball of nerves is tight in Natsu's chest as they go over their plans and positions, but he tried to keep a strong energy and share resolute nods and bumps of their fists.
Anxiety still thrummed through him, despite them smoothly making it into town and taking their positions.
Especially when it's been quiet for far too long and Natsu knows.
Something's wrong.
Hanson should've been the first to make contact by now since she'd went ahead a little. Maybe she's somewhere she can't talk yet, the calmer part of his brain tried to tell him, but the tightness in his chest only increased.
Natsu tried for Gray, voice low through the fuzzy comms line as he tried to stay hidden in the abandoned building he was in.
After several long moments that felt like years, Gray's staticy voice answered.
"Yeah, I'm here."
Natsu sighed in relief, gripping his comm line tighter.
"Good. Have you seen or heard from Hanson? She should've checked in by now. Think I gotta move in."
"I haven't, but hold on, maybe-" Gray paused, Natsu hearing shuffling and cracking through the line. "Fuck, fuck. I think I hear shouting and shots by where she's supposed to be."
Natsu cursed under his breath too, thinking about moving up higher towards the roof of the short building to try and get a better view- only for a large rumbling explosion to go off. Close enough to shake the building hard enough it felt like it would start crumbling any second.
He tried to take cover where he was, ears ringing sharply and his head throbbed already.
Well, scratch that idea then.
"Natsu! Heard that from here, you ok?" Gray's voice filtered in through the ringing.
Natsu had to take a few moments to gather himself again. "Decent enough. Think they're onto us though. So much for our quiet and quick infiltration," he huffed, staying low and pulling himself up against another nearby wall across from the one he'd been in. "Still at your post? Gonna try and head that way."
"It's fine, just stay-"
Another large boom interrupted Gray's words, far too close for Natsu's liking.
Fuck this.
"Gray! Come in," Natsu urged, ducking and taking cover as he started moving quicker.
"S-Sergeant."
Natsu stilled. It was Hanson. Finally.
"Hanson. You ok?"
"F-Fall back without me."
Natsu knew she was hurt pretty bad just from how she sounded. He cursed to himself again.
"She's right. Things got fucked up here too."
Gray's hushed voice was strained too and it made Natsu's chest ache fiercely to think both of them were stuck and in pain.
How did things go sideways so quickly? Natsu doesn't want to think about that right now, but he'll be damned if he doesn't get them all out of here.
Hanson was a bit futher out, but he'd need Gray's help to get her out quicker if she was hurt. He just hoped Gray was ok too.
"No. I got us into this mess. Not leaving without both of you," Natsu insisted. "Think I'm close to where you are first, Gray. Hanson, hang on a bit longer."
"Don't! I think they-"
Sure enough, as soon as he turned a short corner, he was under rapid fire.
"Fuck," he cursed roughly, hunching as he took cover again, eyes shut tightly as shots rang around him. Loud and echoing.
Natsu took a few long, shuddering breaths, trying to focus. His hands shook, but he didn't have time to fall apart right now.
Luce, give me strength .
He huffed sharply, the thought making a wave of new found conviction swell in his chest.
Natsu closed his eyes and took in his surroundings and trying to form some kind of plan as he took note of a couple of the targets just from the sound of the ricochet hits.
One more slow, steady breath, entering the mental space he didn't always like being in, but necessary in times like this.
Empty for the sake of the mission and activating all his combat instincts as quickly turned the corner and took down the few targets he'd located, even in the darkness, and pushed on.
They didn't call him the dragon-eyed sniper for nothing after all.
Natsu managed to make it to the small building Gray was in, heart dropping when he sees it's half way crumbled already. Windows busted from the rumbling booms he'd heard earlier probably.
It seemed quiet, so he stepped in and over some rubble, calling out. "Gray! Where are you?"
Natsu looked around for any sign, still on high alert for any potential threats as he slowly made his way further into the main room, calling his name again.
Then there's a soft groan across from him and Natsu rushed over, pushing off some heavy rubble and finding Gray underneath, blood on the side of his face, and seeping from shoulder through his jacket, seeming barely conscious.
"Shit. Gray, it's me, c'mon stay with me," Natsu breathed, trying to check over his form for any other bad injuries, moving one last piece of heavy wood from Gray's leg, causing him to wake up more with a cry of pain. Shit, his leg was probably broken.
Gray blinked and slowly looked over at Natsu finally, some relief in his eyes. "I told you not to come over here… idiot," he rasped, breaths shaking.
"Yeah right, and leave your sorry ass here like this," Natsu said, trying to play off his worry as Gray shook his head.
"They tried blowin' up this place before I could get out. Probably be back soon."
"I took care of a few of them I think, so c'mon, let's grab Hanson and get the hell outta here," Natsu insisted, trying to help him sit up more. "Able to move some?"
Gray winced. "I dunno. I feel like shit already..." he rasped, breathing heavy and eyes seeming to want to close again. "M-Maybe you should get to her first, she sounded worse off. I'll probably just slow us down like-"
"Don't you do that." Natsu firmly grabbed onto the front of Gray's jacket to make sure he had his attention. "I told you I'm not leaving here without you and that's a promise I intend to keep."
Gray sighed, shoulders slumping as he finally agreed.
"Alright already, you stubborn bastard."
"Talk about stubborn, you ass," Natsu huffed a laugh, helping Gray stand and holding onto most of his weight as they made their way towards the further building.
It was a blur of trying to stay hidden the whole way, working together to take cover and take care of a few other targets along the way, hanging onto Gray and making sure he was keeping up, covering from burning crumbled buildings, but managing to make it to what was supposed to be Hanson's location only to find it was a mess of crumpled rubble. Worse than the one Gray was in and Natsu's heart dropped, but before he could say anything, Gray has pulled his attention to a small carving by the door of the abandoned home beside it.
The one they'd told each other to use in emergencies, and they quickly find Hanson inside who also seemed barley clinging onto consciousness, huddled in the corner.
"Hanson! Hey, it's us," Natsu urged, kneeling and shaking her shoulders a bit. "Stay with us, we're getting the hell out of here."
She came to a bit, relief in her eyes too that's quickly replaced with pain and shaky breaths.
Natsu doesn't even have time to assess all their injuries properly before shots were sounding off around them again. Were probably trailing them and waiting for the right moment.
"They just don't know when to fucking quit," Natsu growled, slowly standing to help Gray with Hanson. "Let's try to find a way out through the back and-"
All of a sudden, the window broke and there's a sharp sting ripping through Natsu's side that made him cry out, collapsing back on a knee, already knowing one of the bullets clipped him.
Fuck. He knew they wouldn't be able to make a clean retreat out of this.
Gray tried to ask if he was ok, holding up Hanson on his other side. Natsu waved him off with sharp breaths.
He couldn't give into the pain yet. Not when they're so close.
"You guys stay hidden," Natsu huffed, wincing. "Keep going back towards the truck. I'll cover as long as I can then catch up," he rasped, slowly standing again, this time more in the shadows, desperately trying to ignore the searing pain at his side and head.
"Natsu, that's too-" Hanson tried through her labored breathing.
"It's the only way, now go. Call for an air lift outta here for us once you're close enough, I'll be right behind you. I promise." He left little room for them to argue.
Gray nodded resolutely, giving Natsu a firm look. "You better be." He and Hanson limped on ahead slowly, staying as hidden as they could and out the back door.
Natsu sighed heavily, wrapping his wound the best he could and taking a few more slow breaths to focus again and block out everything he didn't need.
"Give me strength one more time, Luce," he whispered, gripping the dog tag she'd given him that he wore around his neck.
He went down the short hallway, up some rickety stairs to a higher window for a better view. It was already broken, but sure enough, he could see the flashes of light where they'd been surrounded. Hunkering down, and positioning himself and looking out through the scope. The walls creaked and he felt like this one would fall any minute too so he wanted to make this quick.
Natsu groaned at a spike of pain at his side, but he breathed deep and then it was a rush of more gunfire, shouting, smoke and fire from more crumbling buildings, someone launching an explosive up into the room he was in and him having to rush to escape, and through it all, Natsu was able to disable the couple of targets that had been surrounding them and he really hoped those were the last of them, but he didn't want to stay any longer to find out.
He blinked hard past the lethargy he felt already as he treks back towards the truck too, knowing he's lost too much blood from his main wound. He knew he collected others tonight, but he's blocking everything out right now.
The clearing of woods they'd come from finally came into sight and he sighed. Almost there.
At the relief of the sight of their truck come into sight, he feels adrenaline that'd been pulsing through him, begin to melt away and he can't keep himself up anymore.
Natsu felt himself hit the ground, and faintly hears calls of his name, but sleep just sounded so good right now. He was so tired.
Natsu eventually felt himself slowly wake up, only the sound of beeping machines around him. It smelled like disinfectant and when he finally opened his eyes, it was definitely the field hospital back at base.
He sighed deep. The thought gave him some relief that they made it back, or he hoped they all pulled through.
Worry and guilt make his chest tight at the thought that his friends had to get hurt too. He tried to move to get up, but quickly becomes aware of every ache and pain that came rushing back to his body, making him groan roughly.
He really hated this.
They'd had some close calls on this deployment and had gotten scraped and bruised up, luckily nothing too serious… until now.
Natsu just hoped it was all over and that they wouldn't have to go back out there.
One of the nurses or doctors came in then, probably noticing he was awake and it was a blur of words and terms. How he'd been out for a couple days, had to do emergency surgery on him, another minor concussion, patch up a graze on his arm, and he was too tired to remember everything else as they took down some numbers from the machines.
"Thanks for everythin'," Natsu sighed. "H-How's my team, Gray and Hanson?" he asked, chest tightening again, almost afraid of the answer.
The doctor smiled warmly. "Gray is recovering well too. He had a broken leg and concussion as well. Hanson was a little more critical when she came in, also needing emergency surgery as well, but working on getting her stable," he said, expression shifting.
Natsu breathed out roughly, nodding. Things could've been worse.
"Gray's in the next room over if you want to visit, after you get a bit more rest, sergeant," the doctor insisted.
He huffed out a tired chuckle, agreeing since it was already hard to keep his eyes open any longer.
The room was dark by the time Natsu woke up again, groaning as he tried to shift.
"Take it easy. Can't have you pullin' a muscle."
Natsu looked over to see Gray sitting on the chair by the bed with that smirk of his.
He grinned, relived that his friend looked better. "Trying not to. Hurts like hell enough as it is," he sighed. "The doctor told me you were recovering earlier. How're you feelin'?"
"Eh, I've been better, I've been worse," Gray huffed. "This heavy ass cast is gonna be annoying to lug around though." He winced as he shifted his leg.
Some of that guilt bubbled up in Natsu's chest again as he looked over Gray's thick cast, his arm in a sling. "I'm sorry... this is all my fault. I kept pushing us in, and now you and Hanson are-"
"Hey, don't do that."
"We both signed up to join you, knowing how dangerous it could be. But you saved our lives. All of us. Countless times over the years," Gray said firmly. "Especially this time. I was so close to just wanting to give up and you pulled me out of there and we all wouldn't be making it home without you. So don't beat yourself up and blame yourself... you hot head idiot," he finished with glossy eyes and a rough chuckle.
Natsu couldn't help the sudden wave of emotion that hit him too with an airy laugh that hurt to breathe.
"Ok, ok. It's just hard not to feel all this..." he gestured to his chest and the swirling emotions underneath.
"I know," Gray reassured warmly. "But how're you holding up? Took a pretty hard hit."
Natsu sighed and caught him up with everything the doctor told him, and Gray caught him up on everything else and were exhausted again by the time they were done and decided to call it a night.
"Thanks. We're all ok," Natsu said sleepily.
Gray just smiled and knocked Natsu's head lightly with his fist before heading back to his room with his crutches.
The next few days involved more recovery, visits from the doctor, some physical therapy to get Natsu moving again. Hanson was finally stable enough and woke up, which was great news and Natsu and Gray were quick to pay her a visit and get her all caught up too, along with a visit from Captain Dreyar and some of their other marine friends.
Natsu did end up telling Lucy a bit of what happened and how they got a bit hurt this time around. As much as it hurt to see the worry in her expression and voice, he could see how relieved she was that they were ok. It still made his chest ache how much he missed her though.
Now, a week later, they were doing better as Natsu and Gray made their way down the hall towards Captain's office after he'd called them over earlier. Didn't say what it was about, but Natsu just hoped it wasn't anything too bad.
He sighed, sharing a resolved look with Gray once they got to the door and knocked. "Hey, Cap. Heard you wanted to talk to us?" Natsu asked once they pushed the door open.
"Afternoon. Yes, come in and have a seat." Laxus directed them towards the chairs in front of his desk, moving from the window to lean back on the desk in front of them. "First off, wanted to give you an update that Hanson is finally up and moving around with some PT. Working on sending her home."
Natsu breathed a relieved sigh.
"That's good. Think we all came out of this one a little rough," Gray said through an airy chuckle.
"A little more than we all liked." They shared another chuckle and were quiet for a moment before Laxus continued. "I also called you both here to give you more news. Got word from the higher ups that not only did your team help to take down the main enemy base we've been looking for, you took down their problematic leader," he said, bit of a proud tone in his voice. "And with that, we've done all we can here, so… as of now, you've both completed the last of your missions and deployments. For good."
It took a moment for Natsu's brain to catch up, his eyes widening when he did, turning to see a similar look on Gray's face. Both of them seeming to almost not believe the news too quick.
"Really?" Natsu breathed.
"Yes, really. Especially with the team getting hurt as a result of it, there's no point in dragging out another long mission. I'm working on gettin' you guys home to your families soon too," Laxus finished with a small rare smile.
"That's… that's amazing news," Gray said first, finding his words through a breathless, relieved chuckle.
Natsu breathed a laugh too, feeling the rest of the tension he didn't realize he was carrying in his shoulders melt away.
They were going home… for good.
Laxus hummed. "Now, since we're sharing news and I'm losing my best team… I think I'm ready to leave now too," he sighed heavily, crossing his arms.
Natsu's eyes widened a little again. "Wow, you are?" He'd already been serving for several years by the time Natsu and Gray came in, so it was a little surprising to hear.
"Yeah, the higher up you go, the more everyone up there is on your back the whole time," Laxus gruffed. "Just been tired of all the politics of it all for a while now too."
"Yeah, totally get that," Gray nodded.
"Wait, did I hear right that we were your favorite team? Aw, you're just sayin' all this just 'cause you're gonna miss us too much to stay," Natsu teased, standing to wrap an arm around the captain's shoulders, careful of his side.
Laxus tsk'd, pushing him off lightly. "Get off me, brat. Before I put you back in that hospital bed," he let out a rare low chuckle and it made Natsu happy to see him let go of some of that tension too after all these years.
"But really, glad you're finally gettin' your break too," Natsu said warmly. "You've… you've always looked out for us out here. Thanks.
Laxus waved him off. "No need for all that emotional mess." There was warmth and resolution underneath his tough expression that made Natsu's chest warm.
"Alright, alright," Natsu laughed.
He shared a look with Gray, seeing that same excited relief in his expression.
Natsu fumbled with his phone as soon as they walked out of the room and got outside, Gray doing the same.
He clicked Lucy's name as fast as he could, heart thumping in his throat.
The line picked up after a few rings and her voice instantly warmed his heart.
"Hi, Natsu!"
He smiled brightly at the smile in her voice.
"Luce! We got some news and had to call you right away."
"Really? What's up?" she asked eagerly.
"I'm finally comin' home," he breathed, voice shaking with so many emotions already, letting a few tears fall.
Thanks for reading!
I'm not the best at action scenes, and I in no way advocate for gun violence of any kind of course. It was just for the sake of fiction and adding a pinch of *drama* to the angst that was this chapter lol and give some action to Natsu's last deployment T_T
But hope the bit of hope at the end made up for it! Natsu's coming homeeee T_T
Reunion feelz coming up soon ;)