~Magnolia's Number One Assassin~ (Fairy Tail)

Chapter 61: I-

I-

I was walking in the snow toward home when I heard a shout from behind me. I slowly turned, my breath puffing out in a white cloud in front of my face, before it disappeared.

I saw a silhouette of a person running towards me, he was kicking up snow as he went. Before the streetlight illuminated his face I knew who it was.

Natsu.

I crossed my arms over my chest and cupped my mouth with my hands to warm them up. As I waited for him to catch up, my heart gave another hard throb.

Damn, there it goes again.

My face broke out into a smile automatically when he finally caught up and stopped in front of me. I took a small step forward so I could bask in the heat that emanated from him naturally. Being a Fire Dragon Slayer sure had its perks.

"Natsu? What are you doing out here?" I asked with my teeth clanking together. Even with the extra heat I was still freezing. The Dragon Slayer didn't say a word as he stared intently at me. I shifted, a little bit self conscious of myself under his intense gaze. After another moment of nothing but silence from him, I began to get a little bit concerned. I frowned and took a step closer to him. "Are you alright?" I asked him softly as I looked up at him. I lifted my hand and laid it gently on his shoulder. That's when I noticed that his whole body was rigid underneath my hand.

Now I was starting to get worried. "Natsu, say something, you're scaring me." He sort of blinked out of whatever daze he was in and shook his head. "Sorry...I didn't mean to worry you..." He muttered softly.

I took another step closer till we were toe to toe. I could feel the warmth that his body radiated off him a lot better now. "Don't worry about me. I'm more concerned about you." I told him with a small smile. "You've been quiet all night, which is highly unusually for you." Natsu cracked a smile. "That's because I was thinking."

"Uh-oh." I mocked. His smile grew a little, "Shut up." He said with a chuckle. Even if I wanted to I couldn't force myself to smile. My teeth were still chattering and that made it impossible for me to smile. He tilted his head a little as he noticed my chattering teeth. Natsu took off his beloved scarf and before I could protest, wrapped it around my neck.

He never let anyone wear his scarf, let alone take it off. As I looked down at the white cloth I was reminded of that night when he had held me. He had given me his scarf then too. 'There, no more nightmares.' And the funny thing was, I never had another nightmare after that night. I smiled softly at the memory. It was the night that I finally admitted to myself that I loved the Fire Breather.

"Thank you." I told him, clutching the scarf in my hand. It was so warm around my neck and it smelled like him. I closed my eyes for a moment, drinking in his intoxicating scent.
A warm summers night and something spicy that I couldn't identify but loved anyway.

When I blinked my eyes open again I found Natsu looking at me strangely. I blushed, "What?" He came closer to me and before I knew it he had wrapped his arm around my shoulders. He then brought me too his chest and wrapped his arms around me in a warm hug. I didn't know what was going on. But I wrapped my own arms around him and buried my face into his chest.
A smile tilted my lips up.

I love you.

There were those three words again that have been pestering me for months. They had been mocking me. Always echoing around in my mind uninvitedly. Begging, wailing, yearning, to be let out. They wanted to be screamed out so loudly that everyone in Magnolia would be able to hear them. But...I never let them be free. I didn't deserve to have or even utter those three untainted words. They would forever be tainted if they had the misfortune of passing between my lips.