sea shells | natsu dragneel

chapter forty three

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Mayhem breaks out like a timed bomb. 

Bodies pass in blurs, Fairy Tail colliding with Sabertooth in clashes of dark against light. Sand flies through the air, followed by screaming, barbaric yelling, and the sick crunches of broken noses.  I don't bother to look as Gray lunges for Rufus, twisting his arms around the other's neck and forcing him to the ground, as I head straight for the hanging Natsu on the flagpole. 

"Oh, I don't think so," Sherry sneers, stepping right in front of my path to my injured boyfriend. 

"Move," I hiss, anger rising in me like smoke from a fire. I knew I couldn't fight, not like I had seen Juvia do with her smooth and flowing movements or Gajeel's harsh martial combat. I wonder if I could outsmart her instead, but... "move, and you won't be hurt." 

"Hurt?" Sherry cackles, throwing her head back so her magenta hair bounces in the moonlight. "by who? You? You look like you couldn't throw a single punch, girl." 

"Maybe not, but I can." 

Stunned, I turn around to face the stubborn, amicable voice that I had become very familiar with. Lucy was no longer trembling– there were only slight tremors along with her fists, who were balled in fury. Her eyes shone darker, nose scrunched in rage as she marched towards the amused Sabertooth member. 

"Another little girl wants to fight? Alright then, let's see–" 

Sherry's sentence was interrupted by a fist colliding with her pretty, perk nose and a loud scrunch followed. She howls, clutching her face, raising her arms to defend herself but not fast enough as Lucy advances. Her other hand dives upward to slam into her stomach, and the living breath is knocked out of Sherry. 

"Go take care of Natsu," Lucy commands, blood dripping from her knuckles. "make sure he's okay." 

I don't hesitate. I scramble forward, running as fast as I can with my heels sinking into the sand. As I reach him, the bruises and cuts become even more horrific, so clear and so red. Raising my hand to the flagpole, I wrap one arm around his torso, and untie him with the other. Natsu slugs against me, head landing in the crook of my shoulder as I gently lower him to the ground. 

I start the examination completely. I check his pulse first, the beat steady, but too slow. It seems like his arm is broken, and his ribs are bruised– flowers of indigo and marigold bloom on the brown planes of his chest. 

As I raise one of his arms to check the injuries there, I feel his fingers curl around mine. An eye cracks open, dark with those hints of pine green, and I sob with relief. 

"Hey (y/n)," he grins, before wincing as his split lip starts to bleed again. 

"Shhh," I shush him, brushing debris from his forehead. "you're badly wounded. You've got a couple of broken bones, and you're bruised all over–" 

"You found me," he breathes, love bleeding into his eyes as he tries to smile again. 

"I'll always find you," I whisper back, pressing my forehead into his. Tears I hadn't noticed leaked down my cheeks and rolled down his skin. 

I tear my eyes away from his, just for a moment, to check on Lucy. She was still fighting Sherry, with only a cut on her cheek, while her opponent looked worse for wear. Her perfectly arranged ponytail was disrupted, her pink hair wild and clumps of sand hang from the strands. Those navy eyes were wild and angry, but you could see her fear beyond it. 

You turn back to Natsu. "I'm gonna move you, okay? Put your arm around my waist..." I gently lead his limbs around me, but don't manage to finish the action as platinum blonde hair and pale skin enters my peripheral vision. 

Sting looks furious. His eyes seem to glow with it, sapphire and stormy, and I can't react fast enough as his foot digs into my side. His kick sends me flying, scattering over the sand like a rag doll. I land on my back, hard, and see stars prickle at the perimeter of my vision. 

I scramble upward, breathing heavily and worried about Natsu he's injured already oh please don't hurt him please– 

But Sting walks past Natsu, not even glancing his way, heading straight for me. I let out a sigh of relief, hands sinking into the sand. 

"Don't you touch her!" I hear my boyfriend growl, trying to sit up, but falling back to the ground. His eyes turn helpless, and I shake my head, non-verbally telling him to stay down. 

"I do what I want," Sting replies curtly, eyes still staring straight at me. From what I had gathered from his earlier behaviour, I knew he wanted me to beg. To beg for mercy, for forgiveness, probably a mix of both– and preferably on my hands and knees. No way, I think, sitting up and facing my attacker with the last bit of emotional strength I could muster. 

"Coward," I comment as those glowing eyes come closer, and I taste blood on my tongue. "striking someone who can't retaliate. You and your whole party have no honour." 

He growls, loud and clear, and I raise up my arms to protect my face against the punch that lands. I bite my lip as the power behind the movement rattles my bones, my skin whining under the pressure and splitting to reveal drops of scarlet blood. 

"Honour?" Sting grits his teeth, landing another punch on my wrist. This time, I know I can hear bone crack. "what do you know of honour?" 

"By the looks of it, much more than you," I grit my teeth, eyeing him coldly. In the background, I can see Natsu crawling towards me on his elbows, the wound on his arms was bleeding again. "there is no honour in harming others purely for your own gain." 

And then Sting stops. He hesitates, fists still raised, but that split second of inactivity is enough. I lurch forward, tackling him by the waist, and the both of us fall to the ground. The blonde reacts instantly, arms moving, but Natsu is faster– pinning his arms while I hold down his legs. 

"Enough, brother," Rogue appears, voice a soft whisper. He crouches down next to a struggling Sting, fire blazing in his eyes, but there is a certain softness behind it. A pale hand lands on his tan cheek, and Sting goes limp. "it's time for us to stop fighting. To stop the bloodshed. It's time we start truly living." 

I stare, surprised, as tears fill those blue eyes. "Rogue," he whispers, and Natsu releases his arm as Sting intertwines his hand with his brothers. 

"No!" a voice thunders through the air, and our heads whip around to see Minerva, seething, black hair streaked with moonlight. Her pretty dress was ripped, coat long gone, with a commanding Erza in front of her, readying herself once more for an attack. "I will not lose to a bunch of fairies! Sabertooth is stronger than you! Then all of you!"