Don't Burn On My Watch

15

It had been a relatively normal week for Natsu and I, post-camping. No spiders, deadly animals, and most of all, showers. Indoor showers! I'll have to admit, all those people who talk about 'not knowing what you have until it's gone', were right.

I missed the soft texture of Natsu's bright salmon hair, because lake water didn't really do him that good.

All in all, the experience was refreshing. It was nice to be able to walk out of my tent and see the stars and just... let my shoulders fall loose.

Back at the guild, it was a little difficult to be relaxed because of the tense nature between Lucy and I. Not to mention Natsu and Gray, who were always at eachother's throats.

I was sitting at the bar, enjoying some beer, when Erza came up next to me, sliding on the stool beside me.

I curiously looked over at her to see that she was staring very intently at me.

"So. You heard about his ex." She said.

I broke eye contact from her and sighed. "It's not a big deal. She's not in his life anymore and he doesn't love her."

Erza chuckled. "He really did love her."

At that point, I didn't really feel comfortable where I was, so I turned away from the counter.

Then, in a split second, I heard the crack of the doors and the eerie silence of the guild. Splinters showered everyone within a 15 foot span of the door but everyone was so transfixed on the shadowy silhouette standing in place of the doors that they almost didn't react.

I frowned. Is this another theatrical guild member?

They sauntered forward; the thuds from their feet echoing around the silent room. They stopped behind Natsu and he looked over his shoulder at them, raising an eyebrow.

I saw his eyes widen as he turned around to face them. His skin seemed void of any color as he choked out a name:

"L-Lilith?"

Her thin lips stretched to a wide smile. "It's me."

I stood, frozen. "Lilith?" I whispered.

Around me, Erza, Gray, and Happy all seemed to be in a statue-like state. The only way I could tell they were still alive was by the gentle rising and falling of their chests.

She slinked closer to him and slipped her fingers under his scarf and around his neck. "Did you miss me?" She mumbled seductively, running her nails over his shoulders.

I shook myself out of it and stepped forward. "Natsu."

He turned around, no longer transfixed by Lilith, and stared at me with wide eyes. I pulled him away from her and smashed my lips into his, wrapping myself around him. At first, his body wasn't responding, but the longer I pressed my body to his, the more receptive he was being to my touch.

I pulled away from his face but not his body, wiping my lips.

Lilith smirked. "How cute."

With the flick of her fingers, I was sent flying nearby into Gray. He caught me as I tumbled into him, gripping me tightly with his ice-cold fingers. "Violet. You don't know what you're doing."

"Let me go."

I writhed against him and tried to pull myself back to her.

"Violet."

"Gray. Let me go!"

My voice broke as I yelled at him, pushing his arms away.

Lilith blew a kiss to Natsu, and in that instant, I saw him become hypnotized and ghost-like.

"Gray!"

I pushed against him even harder, tears streaming down my face. I had to help him. I'm here for him. I'm here.

I looked through my watery vision at Holly, who avoided my gaze with a pained expression.

Erza transformed into a sharp-looking armor set, weilding a very reflective blade.

Lilith whipped around to see her running up fast. With a swift motion of her hand, Erza hit the wall with a thud, the metal on her armor clanking. She stood up again, a little dizzy, but still conscious.

Charging again, Erza held her sword up and ran as fast as she could muster. Lilith chuckled under her breath, and Erza met the same fate again.

"No!" I cried out. I couldn't let this happen.

Gray let go of me and I rushed to go fight her, but found that he had used ice to freeze my hamds together and keep me in place. Natsu stood beside the middle of it all, looking like an empty shell of a man.

Gray rushed Lilith like Erza, firing chunks of ice at her, attempting to freeze her hands. She dodged most of his attacks, but failed to avoid others. It didn't faze her though, and with a swift flick of her wrist, he crashed into the wall next to Erza.

Happy had been climbing over Natsu, whispering things in his ear and shaking his head to see if anything would work.

"Anyone else?" Lilith asked, turning to look at everyone in the guild. Holly stepped away from her, but then stood in a confident stance. She gestured to Lililth's feet and vines grew from the floorboards, trapping her.

She scoffed and looked at Holly. "You." She hissed. A third found their way to the place Gray and Erza were sitting unconsciously. She pulled herself free from the sharp vines and turned to me.

"He doesn't love you." She said, blankly.

"Yes, he does. It's you he doesn't love." I spat.

"Tsk tsk..." She mumbled, waving a finger at me.

I watched her walk out the guild doors, Natsu trailing behind her. She stopped and turned around one last time. "Oh, and, if you come looking for us, you'll probably die."

Nothing could stop me from getting Natsu back. Not even Hell itself.