Instinct {Natsu x Reader}

Chapter 16: Frozen & Free

Y/N's POV

I was boiling...well, technically, I was freezing. I'm almost never like this. Freezing to the point stone cracks from all the pressure building up. My fingers and toes felt so numb. I felt frozen. Unfortunately, I am not capable of handling this cold temperature yet. This is why I need to control my temper. The angrier I get, the lower my body temperature goes. My mom always told me that nothing will ever happen to me in regards to my body temperature but that I must learn to handle it in order to get stronger. This was past my limit.

I've been trained to be one with ice. To be everything ice. And don't get me wrong, I love my powers. But it has its downsides. The same way how Natsu's power is too destructive sometimes.

I tried lifting myself up and I looked up. I felt confused. I made eye contact with Natsu. I felt relieved seeing him. He looked so worried.

"Where's Laxus?" I uttered.

"She's freezing..." Gramps states. He turns to face Erza. "Erza, there's no time to waste. Natsu and Gajeel can't get out of here and you're the only one capable of stopping this whole thing right now!"

"Will Y/N be okay?" Erza asks. I could hear the worry in her voice. I slowly feel myself losing consciousness as I lower myself back to the floor.

"What did they do to her?!" Natsu yells angrily.

"She's fine!" Gramps shuts down their worries. I don't feel fine; I feel like I'm turning into actual ice. Next thing you know, I will be an actual ice block. I guess thats what my mom meant by "being one with the ice." I am destined to be an iceberg.

"Just like how your body temperature goes up with your flames, Natsu," Master explains. "Her body temperature goes down. And in this case, it has reached a point where she overdid it severely. She just needs to rest. I assume she used up her power to lower her body temperature to free herself from the stone."

"You guys take care of her. I'm gonna take care of Laxus and the others." Erza ordered. "I'm going after Evergreen first."

"Good idea." Master says. "Good luck, we got this." And that was the last thing I heard before I knocked out into a deep slumber. Probably into an ice block.

Natsu's POV

I notice Y/N fall completely onto the floor as Erza runs out of the guild. I gasped and gently picked her up to lay her on her back. Her body was ice cold. I am impressed. It was a smart idea to get out of that stone. 

"Natsu," Gramps calls out from the front of the guild. Him and Gajeel stand by the rune wall to keep track of Erza. "Stay with Y/N. Warm her up."

He turned back to have his focus on the stats of the battle. I could tell he is relieved that Erza is in battle. I blushed. I have to warm Y/N up? Do I just cuddle with her? That's weird. I mean, I'd love to do it but not in front of these people. Happy brought a pillow and blanket and we placed Y/N in between me so her head is laying on my thigh.

"Evergreen vs. Erza?" Gajeel questioned. I look up at the runes and saw the names. Evergreen always envied Erza. She wished she was as famous and adored as Erza was. I wish I was watching that fight.

I found myself caressing Y/N's hair as she slept. I felt so bad she had to put herself into this state. Her fingers were numb and blue, her breathing was inconsistent, her skin is pale. I just wish I could give her all the blankets in the world and cuddle up to her. I wish I was there to stop all this from happening. I'm gonna beat Laxus' ass when I get out of here.

"Why'd you stop..." I hear her voice fade out. I look down and see her slowly opening her eyes.

"Y/N!" I exclaimed. "S-stop what?" She just does a soft smirk and closes her eyes again to fall back asleep. I guess she's gonna be in and out of sleep.

"Keep caressing my hair." she barely says.

"O-oh!" I blurted and went back to caressing her hair. I smiled at her. Even though she was sound asleep again, I'm glad she was still her usual joking self.

"Natsu?" Happy called out as he took a seat next to me.

"Yes, Happy?" I answered.

"Is she okay...?" he says worryingly. I gave him a smile.

"Of course she is! It's Y/N for crying out loud!" I say.

"I just...I'm worried we won't save everyone in time..." Happy says. I pet his head and smiled.

"We got this!" I encouraged. "Erza will free all of us and we'll become part of the battle." I gripped my fist and smiled.

"You're right!" Happy says happily. "I just know Y/N is going to kick Laxus' butt."

"Not if I kick it first." I chuckled. 

"I will say, I've never seen you act like this with anyone, Natsu." I hear Master say as he walked over to us with his arms behind his back.

"W-what do you mean?" I blushed slightly because I know this is what it looks like.

"I knew you two would eventually wind up with each other." He gives a soft smile. I didn't know what to say. He's known us since we were kids so I guess he saw it coming a mile away. I kind of saw it too. I've admired her for so long that all this just seems surreal. "I was worried about you at first."

"Worried about what?" I asked.

"You tend to keep your feelings to yourself." He began. "You never confide into anyone. Only to Y/N. And I think it shows how strong your bond is together. Never let go of that. Bonds that strong are very rare to come by."

Then it was silence. I really looked at him and I could tell he really means what he says. 

"Erza won!" Gajeel announced. We all looked at the rune wall to see the text revealing that Erza did indeed beat Evergreen. Which means...

"W-what happened?!" A familiar voice asked.

"What happened to Juvia?"

"Why are you guys cuddling?"

All the stone hostages are free. 

"YOU'RE BACK TO NORMAL!" Happy squeals as he ran to hug Mal. I wish I can tease him about him liking Mal.

"What'll you do now, Laxus?!" I cackled. 

This is going to get good.