louder | natsu x reader

chapter 11

you gradually stirred in the warmth of the fairy tail infirmary. the familiar sounds of guild life surrounded you, and as your eyes fluttered open, you found yourself greeted by the concerned faces your friends.

natsu, seated by your bedside, looked up with a relieved smile. "hey there, how are you feeling?"

you, your playful spirit undeterred by recent events, quirked an eyebrow. "well, waking up to natsu's mug usually means things aren't too bad."

natsu chuckled, glad to see you in good spirits. "you had us worried there, you know? but you're tough."

erza, Lucy, gray, and happy stood nearby, their expressions a mix of relief and concern. Lucy couldn't resist teasing, "natsu practically wore a hole in the floor with all his pacing while you were out."

natsu, scratching the back of his head, admitted, "I just wanted to make sure she was okay."

you smirked, appreciating the care. "dragon-slayer babysitting, huh? lucky me."

happy, fluttering closer, added, "I stayed up too. didn't want natsu to outdo me in the friendship department."

peach soared into the infirmary and into your chest. "oh, y/n! I'm so glad you're okay!"

you beamed, reaching out to stroke peach's fur. "hey, peach. missed you too."

as you sat up, still a bit woozy, Lucy chimed in with a more serious tone. "we're not out of the woods yet. we need to regroup, gather information, and be ready for whatever comes next. malachor might be down, but who knows what else is lurking out there."

natsu's fiery determination flared anew. "exactly. no one messes with fairy tail and gets away with it." as they ventured into the unknown, the shadows of malachor's threats lingered, but surrounded by friends, you were confident you could face whatever darkness lays ahead.

as jubilation continued in the fairy tail guild, you found yourself alone with gray in the infirmary. the guild's lively atmosphere still echoed outside the door, but inside, a more intimate moment unfolded.

gray, always one to appreciate a quiet moment, pulled up a chair beside you. he smirked, a glint of mischief in his eyes, and said, "you know, you really know how to make an entrance. scaring the living daylights out of all of us."

you grinned back. "well I couldn't let natsu have all the fun, could I? besides, a dramatic entrance is my specialty."

gray chuckled, a warmth in his eyes. "true, true. you've got your own style, that's for sure. but seriously, are you okay? you had us worried there."

you feigned a sigh, placing a hand on your forehead dramatically. "oh, gray, my knight in shining armor. always coming to the rescue."

gray rolled his eyes playfully. "cut it out, y/n. you know i'm just making sure you're okay."

you chuckled, a genuine warmth in your tone. "I appreciate it, gray. it's nice to know someone's got my back, even if they pretend to be annoyed about it."

gray smirked, leaning back in his chair. "yeah, well, that's what friends do, right? now, don't go scaring us like that again. we've got enough drama around here without you adding to it."

you raised an eyebrow, feigning innocence. "who, me? drama? never."

gray laughed, shaking his head. "you're something else, y/n. but I wouldn't have it any other way."

erza entered the infirmary, her usual armor replaced by a more casual attire. her eyes softened as she approached your bedside, sensing the weight of recent events. a more serious tone enveloped the room this time.