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With a sonorous exhale, he groggily awoke, slowly opening his eyes.
It was difficult for Natsu to go back to sleep that early morning. Next to him was Mirajane, curled up at his side, arms wrapped around him as he wrapped his around her.
“Natsu…” she whispered, even uttering his name in the confines of her sleep. No matter what, he was always on her mind—she could never stop worrying about him, even when they promised that everything would be fine.
“Mira…” he murmured, turning his head to stare up at the roof of the tent.
To him, it had felt like a while since his last outburst. The pink-haired boy always grew so tense—so afraid—as he dreaded the dangers of his own flame, the very power that kept others warm in even the coldest of times. Be it the wicked Black Dragon Acnologia, or the Rogue Celestial Spirits, everyone in the guild was overwhelmed by the blizzard that threatened to break them apart. But not everyone would remain cold—for he’d be their warmth. The one that would never flicker out. The one that burned at its fiercest when their world was turned to ice. No matter how many times he was warned or reprimanded, the Dragon Slayer always went above and beyond to become a haven to the ones he cherished.
But now, experiencing the unknown consequences of his risky actions, he was caught in the strings of a bad omen. The very flames he used to protect his family—the same ones he used to smack Gray and Gajeel around in the midst of their savagery, with Erza coming to stop them after—those flames chilled him to the bone to the point where it just burned. They prevented him from even fighting.
He really hated it.
“Just how much longer…?”
Natsu never wanted to leave the warm comfort of Mirajane’s arms. He grit his teeth at the thought, along with the guilt that he harbored. The restless Dragon Slayer tried his best to carefully slip out of her tightening embrace so he could sit outside and gather his thoughts. She continued to quietly utter his name in a way he could still hear. He wrapped the rest of the sheets around the Takeover Mage. He falsely reassured himself that she would be fine, and promised that he wouldn’t be gone long.
Yet as he left, she started to shiver.
To the contrary, with his horrid attempt at leaving her embrace, she was already awake.
⸻
Even under the sheets, she felt cold.
As she turned, Mira briskly opened her eyes just as Natsu left her arms. It had become really chilly that night, especially without the Dragon Slayer’s distinctly warm body to keep her from freezing—even with the blanket. Since they left for their job, she had become even more of a sensitive sleeper, out of constant concern for him. She knew right off the bat that the Fire Mage struggled to sleep from the amount of stress he faced.
Mira gradually rose from the spot where she was sleeping.
“Natsu…”
She peeped out of the tent to see him sitting alone out there in the cold.
It was so hard for the two—for everyone—to bear the fact that he was dying.
She wanted him around. She needed him in her life.
Mira hated to see him brush off his pain and lie with an “I’m fine.”
When Lisanna had “died,” she suffered in the harsh, chilling climate of the darkness within her room.
Natsu had helped her up that same day and became her lifeline—her flame. It allowed her to heal. And as she did the same for him, he slowly healed, too. But now, she just wanted to be there—to shoulder the harsh burden with him, to offer him warmth even on the coldest of days and nights.
Mira silently prayed for them both each day, so that he could smile again—from the bottom of his heart—to be happy.
As for now?
Although he wanted to find a cure, he was still hurting. She wouldn’t leave him alone to freeze either.
And not for a second longer.
She silently left the tent and went after the pink-haired boy.
⸻
Natsu snuck to the nearest hill only a few feet away from the camp. He pensively stared up at the sky, arms cradling himself, but to no avail—he grew colder. Porlyusica and Wendy had been trying their best to find ways to cure him, and he desperately hoped that they could. His fingers raced along his upper body and down to his bandaged chest, where he softly clawed at the healing scar. He sighed, knowing that all he could do for now was wait.
“Who knew you liked stargazing this early, Natsu?”
The Fire Dragon Slayer jumped. A familiar, feminine voice called out to him, catching him off guard. He quickly turned his head. His cheeks flushed pink. No matter how old they got, Mira just couldn’t stop teasing him.
“O-Oh, Mira. I—” Natsu stammered, attempting to explain as he scratched the back of his head.
“Shh, I know,” Mira softly cut him off, sitting next to him. No space was left between them, just the way they both preferred—well, she made it no secret.
“It was pretty cold in there.”
“I’m sorry, Mira,” Natsu finished. He felt guilty for leaving her. He was aware of the chilling cold that came the moment he exited her arms, and yet he still failed to keep her warm in that moment.
After what seemed to be a minute, Mira slowly opened her mouth.
“I get cold when you’re not around… You know that, right?”
Natsu nodded. He couldn’t deny it. She spent so much time taking care of him and being by his side. And even today, there was no amount of despair that could ever make him truly push her away—not after the first time he regretfully did. But they both came back stronger now.
“I’m sorry—”
“Stop it. You have nothing to apologize for.” She scolded him once more. She already knew there was one thing Natsu Dragneel absolutely loathed—it was feeling as if he were a burden. And she was here to remind him that he never would be. Especially not with her.
“You just couldn’t sleep, that’s all.” Mira said, wrapping an arm around him and leaning his head onto her shoulder.
“Hey, Mira…?” Natsu uttered her name, his eyes still fixated on the stars above.
“Yes?” Her eyes gently concentrated on his face. She could sense how nervous he became before he continued.
“…What’s the one thing you want the most outta life?”
Since when did you get so philosophical?
From there, she bit her lip as she began to gently stroke his soft, pink hair.
“I hate it so much when you’re sad,” she gradually sobbed as they both sat there. Natsu tried to hide his whimpers—his emotion—while listening, but she’d always wipe the tears that trailed down his cheek.
“I want to see you live carefree, to see you have fun brawling with everyone else while I laugh at how silly you be from the bar. I want to serve you food when you’re hungry, and talk so much to you—I don’t want to go through another time in life where I can’t spend it with you.”
Despite his trembling, his heart stirred with emotion, and his resolve steadily steeled the more time he spent with her. He still didn’t want to fade away—not after experiencing this newfound, reassuring feeling. He just wanted the suffering to end.
But being with her made the pain feel like it was never there.
She loves you, or is well on her way to, so let her in.
Lucy’s words from a few days prior resonated within him once more. The kisses and reassurance that Mira gave him every step of the way… It made him clutch his heart.
Mirajane Strauss was truly in love with Natsu Dragneel.
“And maybe someday down the road, we’d—”
Her voice trailed off. A soft blush showed on her cheeks as the thought lingered—unspoken, yet so powerful. The thought of a life with Natsu… a life built together… made her heart ache in the best way possible. Their shared laughs, their quiet nights spent in each other’s arms—it was nearly too much to say aloud.
She continued, struggling to make out her words with her constant sobs.
“Natsu… You, Lisanna, and Elfman… you’re all my strength. When she was gone, you helped me rebuild it. You’re not alone in this. So please, promise me this time—no matter what happens—just stay the same man that I love…”
She concluded, tears trickling down her cheek.
“…Mira.”
Natsu wiped Mira’s tears, just as she did for him.
They turned to look at each other. He leaned in as his forehead touched hers, their breaths mingling with each other and the chilly air.
He continued, “I don’t know what’ll happen to me,” he murmured. “But I want you to know… you’re everything.”
Neither of them hesitated.
Their lips met.
Her hands cradled his face while his fingers tightened near her white hair.
It felt like a blissful eternity. Their fears were stowed for so long with an action they’d both been waiting to do for days.
As they parted, Natsu smiled. It wasn’t big—just a little.
But just like before, as they left the guild, she could tell it was real.
Without another word spoken, he slid his scarf from around his neck and wrapped it around hers, being delicate with how he did it.
“For warmth,” he said quietly, his voice shaky. “Since ya get cold without me.”
Mirajane pressed her forehead against Natsu’s once more.
“Then stay warm with me, for just a little longer.”
Under the glow of the early morning stars, they held each other close—
A Fire Dragon Slayer, and the Takeover Mage who never let him freeze.