Natsu

"Everyone find cover!" The cave shook to where my balance was failing me. With Lucy in my arms, I couldn't hold onto anything to secure myself. Erza, Gray, and Wendy bolted on the right side of the wall clutching each other's arms for support. I had to move back to find leverage so I could make sure Lucy wouldn't get thrown out of my grip. The ceiling was shattering and cracking right over my head. I yelled a curse and ducked by jumping away when the ceiling came crashing down in the entrance. I saw sight of my three comrades running opposite of where I was as the small tunnel was cluttered and filled with debris. Dust lifted in the hair when I began to cough uncontrollably. Lucy was tightly holding onto me still shivering to death. "We're t-trapped." Lucy whimpered as we both could only stare at our blocked exit. I gently put Lucy down then ran to the fortified tunnel. "Erza! Gray!" I yelled as my voice echoed endlessly.

"Natsu, Lucy! Are you alright?" Their voices seemed to be very distant, as if they were a mile away. "I'm okay, but Lucy is still freezing!" I glanced back, my heart weighing heavier just by the way Lucy looked ghost-like. "Natsu-san!" Wendy shouted on the other side of the tunnel. "You have to keep Lucy warm! The tunnel goes on for some time so it's best if you conserve your magic to keeping Lucy warm! We'll get help as fast as we can!" I scratched my head feeling aggravated. "You want us to just sit here?! Lucy will freeze to death she can't wait!" The cave was rumbling again like my stomach after eating so little. I stopped moving and waited patiently for the rumbles to stop. "Natsu, it's not only to keep Lucy warm, but the cave is more dangerous now! Any loud noise or powerful spells could possibly bury you two alive! Just sit and wait! We'll be back as fast as possible!" Erza ordered when I sighed in defeat. "Come back soon." It was all I said before tearing myself away. I returned to Lucy's side and sat next to her.

Lucy was shaking worse as her blue lips now had a tinge of purple. I put my arm around Lucy and brought her closer. "It's gonna be okay Luce. The others are gonna get help." Lucy didn't reply, only violently shivering as her teeth chattered. The temperature was dropping steadily fast so I made my body heat warmer for Lucy. "Everything's...n-n-numb." Lucy brought her hands up to look at. Sure enough at the tips of her fingers were dark spots from frostbite as her eyes grew in fear. "Your clothes are damp Lucy."

"I'm not t-taking my clothes o-o-off perv-vert." I looked down with offended eyes. "That's not what I was saying idiot! Just wear my vest and take off those clothes! They're not helping you stay warm." Lucy glanced up, though her nose was pink and her face pale, she looked like an angel in disguise. "W-What about-t you? You'll g-get cold without it-t." A lopsided smile spread on my face. "Did you forget that I'm a Fire Dragon Slayer? I'm always warm no matter what." Lucy placed her head on my shoulder whilst looking away. "I can't t-take my clothes off b-by mysel-lf." It was true what Lucy said. Wendy and Erza had to help Lucy get dressed as I had to hold her upright. I mean, Lucy was my partner, my comrade. It's my job to make sure Lucy sees this through. "Then let me help you. Don't worry I'm not going to do anything perverted like stupid Stripper! I just want to help." Lucy didn't say anything for a minute, and for a moment I was afraid she fell asleep. I recalled before the cave closed in on itself that Lucy shouldn't fall asleep. "Luce?"

"Okay." It was all she said. Lucy returned her eyes on me as she had a pink tint to her cheeks now. "Just k-keep your eyes c-c-closed. If you op-pen them I swear I'll s-slap you even though I-I'm weak at the mom-ment." I agreed to Lucy's terms and sat in front of her. With my eyes shut I began to pull Lucy's shirt up from her waist up to her collarbone. Lucy raised her arms up to assist me in taking her turtleneck sweater off. I unbuttoned her pants then gently took them off, after taking her boots off beforehand. When I knew Lucy was once again in her undergarments I stood up and turned around. "I'm opening my eyes." I announced not yet veering back to Lucy's direction. My eyes were now open overlooking the cave and pool of frozen water again. Quickly I unfastened my vest to take it off. Once I was shirtless I put my arm back behind me to hand Lucy my black vest. Lucy took my vest and shuffled around for a minute. "I'm d-decent now-w." I spun around confronting Lucy folding her clothes beside her as she wore my vest. Lucy's left arm was covered by my sleeve whereas her right was open to the cold air. My comrade also tucked her legs into my waistcoat to cover her skin. Though Lucy was now wearing dry clothes, she was still shivering. I played with the fabric of my muffler until an idea came to mind. "Lucy!" I tugged my scarf off my neck while Lucy looked back up to me. Before she could say a word, I kneeled in front of her and wrapped her neck around the scarf Igneel gave me. "Nats-s-su! You'll get-t-t cold!"

"I'll be fine." After securing the scarf was covered, I sat back down beside my partner to continue keeping her warm. Slowly, Lucy's shivering was ceasing, but she still trembled. I was lost in my own thoughts, thinking by now the team must've made it to the town. The walk to the mountain took us two hours, and with the weather worsening, I could only hope they made it back in time. "Natsu..." Lucy's voice murmured while her head didn't move. As time passed Lucy just laid her head on my bicep in weary. She inhaled and exhale very shallowly, and her heart was terrifyingly quiet, slow. "Yes, Lucy?" With a heave, Lucy sluggishly moved her eyes to mine. My heart fell, fearing how faded her eyes became over time. "If I don't m-make it out of-f-f here..." I shook my head. "No Lucy you're gonna make it through!" Lucy's eyes dulled more. It was like she was losing hope before me, as she has given up already. "Lucy you can do this!"

"I can't f-feel anything. My limbs feel as th-though they weigh a t-t-ton. I can't move Nat-tsu..." Frostbite was eating away at her muscles faster than I could keep her warm. Without knowing I clamped down on my jaw. "You can't give up Lucy! You're going to make it. Just wait for our friends a little longer!" Tears pricked at Lucy's eyes. "I'm sorry." A cruel gasp escaped me. Lucy's head grew heavier on my bicep when she sighed. "I'm t-to tired. Let m-me rest my e-eyes for a moment-t." I maneuvered myself until I was kneeling beside Lucy. I harshly shook her shoulder until she pulled her head up. "You can't sleep! You have hypothermia you can die!" Lucy closed her eyes again. What she said next could have torn my heart out of my chest.

"So what..."

"So what?! Did you really just ask me that Lucy!?" Anger boiled inside me, but I restrained to shaking Lucy's head off her shoulders. "You're stronger than this! Don't let the cold deteriorate your hope in our friends! I swear you will get out of this cave!" The cave shook from my outburst. I shrunk lowly to the ground counting down the seconds until the cave tumbled on top of us. Thankfully, it didn't. "I can't f-feel anything! I'm trying t-t-to move my hands but they won't! My limbs h-have given up on me Natsu! I'm going to die here aren't I?" I shook my head. "No Lucy you're not! It's gonna be alright, you're gonna make it back to Fairy Tail!" Lucy began to tear up. "And if I-I don't?"

"And if you don't what? Lucy don't think this way! It's gonna be fine in the end. Wendy will restore your muscles, and I'll take you to the beach after this! We'll all go on a warm vacation just for you!" I managed to make Lucy smile, but she shook her head. "If I don't m-make it, bury m-me wit-t-th my parent-ts. Please..." My head hung low. I placed my hands on Lucy's shoulders until I gently pulled her into my chest. She was cold to the touch, and with my sensitive hearing I could hear Lucy's heart failing. Without knowing, I shook my head. "No. I can't promise you that Lucy!" My right hand cupped behind Lucy's head before placing her face into my neck. "I can't promise to bury you! How can I live with the thought of failing to keep you safe?! I should've been the one to go in that damn pool! Not you...but you're so hardheaded I couldn't convince you. Now I'm gonna be hardheaded Lucy! I'm not going to bury you because you're going to leave this cave alive!" My fingers became entangled with Lucy's locks while my left arm moved down to Lucy's waist to pull her closer.

Lucy was still.

She never hugged me back, or even moved to begin with. Her face was still tucked into my neck when I pulled her head up to face me. Her eyes were closed, lips slightly parted, and no trace of condense air leaving her mouth. In panic I placed my ear on top of Lucy's breast to hear her heartbeat fading. "Lucy! Lucy! No, no, no Lucy what did I just say!" I pulled Lucy into my arms and made myself hot to where I can see steam fanning off my skin. I was terrified by the fact Lucy hasn't spoken in minutes. Perhaps she was asleep? Wendy said she can't sleep! "Wake up Lucy! Dammit wake up!"

"Na..tsu." Lucy slurred as her head rolled. My teeth bit my lower lip, and in angst I softly put her back down on the floor and ran to the pool. I stood over the solid ice seeing my reflection clearly. I noticed my eyes were glowing red, the scales of my father showing before me on my forearms, and I was steaming from the immense heat I was emitting. When I kneeled down I use both of my fists to shatter the ice below me. It echoed a loud high-pitched ping once again shaking the sensitive cave. When I fell into the pool I started to boil the water around me. It was growing hotter and hotter every second while the cave continually shook. I had to make the water hot enough to bring Lucy back to me. I had to make her warm. I opened my eyes and swung my arm out to ensure the water was hot. Though it was making the cave rattle and rumble from the drastic change I knew it was going to help my comrade. I swam back to shore and ran back to the wall Lucy was resting on. Gently I caressed Lucy's face and scooped her up in my arms once more to carry her to the hot water. "Please don't kick me for doing this!" I begged once again unfastening the vest so Lucy would only be in her undergarments.

After I took off my scarf and vest off Lucy I placed my ear over Lucy's chest once more; her heart rate was almost nothing. Not another second passed until I threw both me and Lucy into what was a hot tub now. Heat wrapped itself around the two of us. My hands that were holding Lucy's skin felt the coldness leave Lucy and bring a spark of life back to her. Even under water I saw Lucy open her eyes quickly due to the change of temperature. Lucy was trying to swim, however her limbs were so weak she was only able to give weak kicks. I instinctively pulled her closer to my chest and pushed us both up for air. When we broke to the surface Lucy was gasping, coughing and was struggling to keep herself above the water. "What the hell happened!? I'm so hot it's unbelievable!" Though she was still pale and her lips were yet a tinted blue, Lucy spoke without stuttering. I sighed in relief and placed my head on Lucy's shoulder without a second thought. "Thank the Gods you're alright. I thought I was about to lose you." Lucy wrapped her arms around my neck still kicking under water. "You did this? Natsu this is dangerous the drastic change of the temperature could make this cave fall in on itself!"

"I had no other choice I panicked! You were dying Lucy, and I swore I would protect you. So, I made the water as hot as I could to bring heat back into you." Lucy gazed above us and listened closely. "The cave is rumbling nonstop. We have to be extra careful now. If you make the water any hotter than it is now we'll be swallowed whole." Lucy's brown orbs landed on me. "You risked not only the chance of this cave collapsing, but your life, just so you can save mine?" A soft blush cake over my cheeks. "W-Well...I couldn't just let you freeze to death! I almost failed in protecting you Lucy. You're my comrade! My..." I drifted away from thought as it suddenly seemed hotter in here. "You're..." Lucy began searching further in my irises.

I've been oblivious for so long. Even though when I was giving Lucy mouth to mouth, I couldn't believe how soft her lips were. Even though her lips were freezing, I wanted more of her lips. I wanted to taste the sweetness of strawberries again when I placed my lips on her. I wanted to be beside her no matter what, comrade or anything else.
I wanted Lucy.

"You're my whole world Lucy." I admitted looking away shamefully. My sensitive ears heard Lucy gasp. Her heartbeat that was at one point close to stopping was now beating like a drum. "I...I don't understand." She whispered with a confused tone. "I would think Fairy Tail is your world. You live and breathe the guild!" My eyes opened again. "No, Fairy Tail is my family. I would be willing to do anything if it meant I can keep them safe." Slowly, I turned my head back to her. "But you...if I had to make a choice between saving EarthLand or saving you, my heart would yearn to choose you. My life without you already seems incomplete Lucy. When I pulled you back up from this frozen lake and witnessed as you were motionless, not fighting for air, my entire world was collapsing before my very eyes."

"Natsu..." Lucy whispered with a dark blush washing over her face. I used my left hand to caress her cheek. "The sight of you breathing now Lucy is a blessing to me. I made a promise to keep you safe no matter what. Lucy, I always want to protect you. I want to be the only person to protect you." Out of nowhere Lucy pushed me away with a cherry face. "Are you proposing to me!?" She shrieked as her hands were on my shoulders. My head tilted in confusion. "Proposing? What would I be proposing?" Steam waved off Lucy's head. "M-Marriage?"

"Well if marriage means I can protect you for the rest of your life, then yes! I am proposing to you!" Lucy was beyond the word red. Her brown orbs stared into me that I was somewhat distressed. "L-Luce? Are you alright?" The Celestial Mage dunk her head in the water and screamed without fear of causing the cave to collapse. After a couple of seconds Lucy resurfaced and sighed. "Natsu, we need to discuss your feelings. And, we also need to talk what you just said."

"What'd I say?"

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As always...love you all!❤️