The sun was setting as we arrived back in Magnolia. Orange and red light bathed the city tops as the day was finally coming to an end. We'd finished our mission early that morning but hadn't immediately hopped back on a train home on account of Natsu's unfortunate condition. I gazed over at his leg that rested in Lucy's lap. About halfway down his shin was a splotchy red patch of skin that stretched down to his ankle. I winced as I recalled the sizzling sound and how his skin had literally bubbled up as it had swelled.

Erza had spent hours washing the wound in hopes of diluting the chemicals thrown by the potion-specialist mage we'd encountered while on our mission. However, due to the severity and depth of tissue damage, it wasn't likely that it would heal at all until Wendy could work on it and since she was off on a job of her own, Natsu was going to be suffering for a while.

As we pulled into the station, the train slowly came to a stop. Lucy gently lowered the dragon slayer's foot to the ground before standing and stretching the soreness out of her arms and legs from the long ride. Erza also rose to her feet beside me and began gathering up her many belongings. Her eyes connected with mine and then swept over to where Natsu was still collapsed against the window of the train car.

"Can you make sure he gets home okay?"

For some reason, that request shocked the life back into our fire mage and his head whipped up with a snarl on his face.

"I don't need the snowman baby-sitting me!"

Erza sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose while she attempted to contain her anger. She opened her mouth to lecture us about what I guess was something regarding comradely but Lucy beat her to it.

"It's been a really long day guys, can you please just try to get along?"

I kept myself from rolling my eyes as I stood up and extended a hand to Natsu.

"C'mon Flame brain, let's go home already. My shower is calling my name."

He let me pull him to his feet but he flinched when he put weight on his burned leg. I heard him mumble a couple of half hearted insults as I slid an arm under his shoulders to help support him and we hobbled off the train.

We started headed towards his house at an extremely slow pace. Being the idiot that he was, Natsu tried to lean on me as little as possible as he limped forwards, yet I could tell from his force of his breath that he was overexerting himself. He had after all been in intense pain for several hours earlier in the day so logically he was pretty worn out; not to mention his pathetic-ness after being on a train.

I ignored him for as long as I could, however our footfalls became slower and slower until I just couldn't take it anymore. My patience for Natsu had always been low anyways.

"Will you let me help you already? At this rate it's going to be tomorrow before we get halfway there!"

"If you weren't holding me back I would've ran home by now!"

We stopped moving as I turned to glare at him. If I didn't shut him down we'd probably be all out fighting in another ten seconds. Huffing and swallowing my pride I let go of him, so he was standing on one leg, before squatting down in front of him. Holding my arms out to the sides, I looked back over my shoulder expectantly at the dragon slayer.

"The hell are you doing Ice princess?!"

"Get on."

It looked like a vein was going to pop out of his forehead as he crossed his arms angrily.

"If you think you're going to carry me you've got another thing coming!" Natsu shifted his weight to his left leg like he was going to try to kick me with his right but he collapsed onto his butt with a yelp. Of course he'd forget his injury for the twentieth time.

I tried not to laugh at him as he pouted on the ground but I couldn't help myself as I stood back up.

"Why are you making this so difficult?"

He looked up at me curiously at my tone of voice, as he waited for me to continue.

"If it was anyone else," I explained, "you would've just let them help you. You're there for me when I'm weak." I shrugged my shoulders.

"Let me be there for you."

I couldn't tell if it was the red from the sun setting, or if he was blushing as he frowned at the ground. Still, I took advantage of his unawareness as I bent down and scooped him up in my arms.

I felt him tense up at being held but he ultimately didn't fight me. Perhaps he was more worn out than I thought.

"And you call me a princess," I mocked as I started heading towards his house again.

He was surprisingly quiet as I carried him bridal style through the mostly empty streets. Had anyone from the guild walked by, I'm sure he would have been more resistant.

"I like you better like this," I admitted as we approached his cabin in the woods.

"Eh?"

Setting him down in front of his door, I was inches away from his face when I smirked.

"You're cute when you're powerless."

I saw the fury in his eyes and easy caught the fist aimed for my nose, but I'd meant every word. He really was adorable when he was depending on me. The way those squinty eyes tried to avoid mine and how his chin dipped down as he rested his head against my shoulder.

It sucked that he had to be hurt for him to act like this however I wasn't going to complain.

"Like a kitten that's had its claws clipped," I explained as I pushed his shoulders against the door and luckily he didn't instinctively lean on his burned leg.

There was no mistaking his blush the second time because I was so close. I could feel the heat radiating off him when I leaned in and pressed my lips to his forehead.

When I pulled away, apparently he was too shocked to attack me and I decided to get out of there before he regained his wits.

I turned my back to him as I walked away and sent him a careless wave over my shoulder.

"See ya ash breath!"

It wasn't until I'd been walking for a few minutes that I heard his voice echo behind me.

"You pervy bastard!"

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