Sixth Form
It had been a month since Natsu had started sixth form. Unfortunately new laws had come in which meant he had to stay in education instead of following his original plan to work as soon as possible to support his family. Zeref had suggested (well, forced) Natsu to keep his options open and study subjects he liked instead of taking an apprenticeship.
Starting a completely new school in a new area was uncomfortable, Natsu hated change, but with Zeref at university it was cheaper to move into a smaller flat on the other side of town so that's what he did. His life had been ruled by money and debt instead of his heart for as long as he could remember, ever since his foster father had gone missing. On the plus side he and Zeref had made friends with other people whose parents also disappeared at that time. It was like a support group where money and advice were traded regularly to help the six teenagers survive.
One person out of that support group had transferred to Fairy Tail Academy too, but Gajeel was hardly one for conversation. However Natsu did have one thing from Gajeel to be grateful for: Lucy.
After he showed an unlikely interest in a blue-haired girl from the common room, Natsu had taken it upon himself to drag Gajeel over and introduced them both to the mystery girl and her blonde friend. Nowadays Natsu usually spent his time with Lucy while Gajeel sat in the library with Levy, sometimes they ate together but that was as far as the friendship went.
People seemed to be intimidated by Natsu here. He knew he wasn't the sharpest knife in the draw but apparently lower grades paired with casual fighting and living in a 'rough' area meant Natsu was someone to look out for. People scurried out of the way when he strolled through the corridors with his hands on the back of his neck, looking more relaxed than threatening. People avoided the entire area he sat in with Gajeel in their free periods without the girls. People judged him silently wherever he went.
What didn't help was the fact that he was never on time to class. Actually, he had been reminiscing about his time at Fairy Tail Academy while on the way to his new history class. Lucy had persuaded the teachers to let him transfer into her class to make it easier for him to catch up with work. Observant enough to notice Natsu was always oversleeping and dozing off around school but not going as far as to pry before trying to help, this was why Lucy was his best friend.
"That's it!" shouted a stern voice from the classroom "Out Fullbuster. Miss Alberona you can move to the front here. NOW!"
Natsu heard a few unintelligible grunts followed by musical laughter before the door was slammed open in his face. A raven-haired boy sauntered out of the classroom wearing a pendant necklace and open white shirt which exposed his muscular chest and abs. He turned to scowl at the ginger giggling at him before looking back at the ancient history teacher.
"What's the big deal? No one's complaining Gramps," he drawled "oops I mean Sir." The emphasis put on the term of respect only fuelled the tiny teacher's rage as the boy smirked and closed the door.
His attention turned to the gobsmacked teenager standing outside the class. Natsu had been home-schooled by his father then by Zeref so in his little time at school he had never seen someone act so disrespectfully towards a teacher. His eyes narrowed at the boy's rude behaviour.
"Staring much shorty? What are you gay or something?" The snide remark snapped Natsu out of his shocked state. He began to push past the troublemaker and into the classroom,
"Something like that yeah. Shame I'm not into arrogant bastards though." and with that he left the teen out in the corridor and hurried over to Lucy. That guy's gonna get on my nerves. I can tell.
A/N This fic goes along with my headcanons that Natsu is pan and Gray is bi. That's what Natsu meant when answering "something like that".