Life After Near Death

Treating the Sick

"Even if sickness distracts from thoughts, all that is needed is the will to love."

— Saint Teresa of Avila

Natsu was in the hospital for a few weeks, but he healed quickly, with Wendy coming every day to help him recover, as well as the hospital's own magical healers and machines. Soon after surgery, he was allowed to remove the ventricular assist device as his heart proved it could beat healthily on its own. He went through many tests, took medications and sat through hours of healing therapy, but finally he was released.

He needed to take it easy for a while longer, so Erza sternly enforced "house arrest" on him. The members of Fairy Tail took turns bringing Natsu nutritious meals, rather than the junk he and Happy usually ate, as well as cleaning up his house since he was forbidden by the doctors from lifting anything heavy for a while.

"This sucks!" he exclaimed. "I can't work out, can't lift weights, can't fight."

Lucy sat with him. "Too bad we had to give the healing machine to the Magic Council. We could use that to heal you up really quick."

Natsu cringed at the idea. "No, I wouldn't make anyone else use that. Ever!"

"Why not?" she pouted. It seemed the most logical solution: a machine that really worked miracles. "You managed to heal Gray when no one else thought his leg would recover."

'And look where that got me,' he thought to himself, but Natsu said nothing.

There was a knock on the door, and Lucy went to answer it. "Gray!"

Natsu bolted up in bed. It was the first time Gray had come over. Natsu had not even seen him since regaining consciousness in the hospital.

"It's my turn to bring food for the guy. It's a mango, avocado, black bean, and grilled chicken salad. It's supposed to be really good for the heart."

"That's sweet, Gray. I'll put it in the kitchen. He's resting in the bedroom."

"Nah, I just..."

"You haven't seen him. Don't be stubborn."

"Fine, fine," he sighed.

Natsu listened to the sounds of footsteps. He smelled Gray's scent as he got closer. It was an aroma of wintermint, pines, and snow that he missed so much. Smelling it again sent a tingle straight down his spine. He pulled his knees up in bed to hide the arousal starting to form already.

There was a soft rap just as Gray turned the corner to the bedroom. Natsu saw that he got a haircut, not much, but the bangs were not so shaggy anymore. He wore a loose shirt in the summer heat, and Natsu realized it was the same purple shirt he had worn on Tenrou Island. His sword pendant necklace gleamed in the sunlight streaming through the light curtains. Natsu had missed those droopy blue eyes so much.

"Yo," Gray said softly. "Well, you don't look so bad, considering."

Natsu wanted to compliment him, tell Gray he looked great, how happy he was to see him again, but then he remembered hearing Gray asking out Juvia. Bitterness flooded over those happy feelings and drowned them.

"I'm surprised you bothered to come at all," he grumbled instead.

Gray gave a light shrug as he stepped into the room. "Erza insisted it was my turn to bring you dinner. I don't like cooking hot food, so it's a salad."

"Typical of you," Natsu scoffed. "Something cold from a cold-hearted bastard."

Gray flinched at that. "Are you starting up with the insults already?"