What Family is all About

"Damn this heat, it's frustrating," from behind her barrel Cana muttered.

"I'm on it,"

"No, Gray, we're fine. Cana, stop being grumpy," Lucy tersely said, meeting the card mage's eyes with a knowing look. Then turning to the ice mage perched on the farthest of the bar stool, she released a heavy sigh. "And Gray, stop beating yourself. Atleast take a rest . You've been going on mission after mission."

As if she had hit a sensitive nerve, Gray's shoulder stiffened a bit and his hold on his tankard tighten. Supressing a scowl, he plastered a smirk, though everyone could see how fake it was, and amidst the scorching heat, cooly replied."I don't know about the beating thing, and about the jobs, it's not like we can do anything about it. I'm the only ice mage here."

And no matter how much she wanted her friend to take a break with them, she knows there are truth in his reasoning. Nearly all the jobs on the request board asked for an ice mage and anything the likes of it. "Well, atleast a couple of hours of rest..."

"Oi, Mira, are those new job requests?" Cana slurred, looking at the approaching take over mage carrying some papers ready to get pinned on the board.

"Same as usual," Mirajane sweetly said, as she began pinning them one by one.

"You could've just hand them all to me, you know. Saves the time," Gray flatly said, downing his drink empty and stretching a hand for the papers.

"You don't have to do them all at one, Gray. We can transfer the others to Lamia...'

"No, I'm good, Mira. I'm good to go,"Gray quickly said, fishing out some jewels and placing them on the bar table before taking all the job requests from her. And just like that, everyone knew that their conversation with the ice mage was over, and so Lucy just sat beside Levy who was looking at her solemnly.

"Nice try, Lucy,"

"He's forcing himself and everyone can see it,"

"I know. But the point is, Fairy Tail is a stubborn guild. Every member has that desire to push their selves to their limits without any self preservation. And besides, Juv...I mean her death was a big blow to Gray. Not that it wasn't for the others," she hastily added, dainty fingers ghosting over a page of some random rune book, eyes fixed on the retreating figure of one Gray Fullbuster, who was now walking briskly passed the guild's door, right on his way to his next mission. "And if I know, same mission, right?"

"Cool down some freaking town. Honestly, that idiot," a pink haired figure annoyingly said, plopping itself on the other side of the blonde mage. "Don't worry, Luce, that idiot's not gonna die,"
"Seriously, Natsu? He's your friend, too! You're not supposed to say that. Can't you see he's pushing himself too hard? He's over exerting himself. That's why I'm worried," Lucy screeched, only for the dragon slayer to cover his ears.

"Are you sure you are not a dragon slayer, Luce? You can rival Wendy," Natsu teased.

"Cant' you be serious for a minute, you idiot!"

Everyone in the guild froze at Lucy's sudden outburts. "She's lost it," someone said.

Shaking in her seat and trying to control her emotions and the tears threatening to fall, she faced the somewhat dumdfounded dragon slayer. "How can you be okay with this, Natsu? Gray's breaking."

"Lucy," Levy could only said, hugging her friend whilst throwing Natsu a piercing glare to which she was answered by an audible sigh. "Shh...Lucy, it's going to be okay,"

"Come on, Happy, I'm itching for a fight,"

"Aye, sir!" And the both of them just went to the requets board, not paying them another look.

"Since when did he became like that? It's as if he never cared at all,"

"It's not that he never care," a timid answer from Mirajane cause Lucy to shoot her head up from Levy's shoulder. Walking towards them while handing drinks along the way with her usual sweet smile, she continued. "Do you know the story when we were children and Gray and Natsu would bicker and fight until Master would beat them for causing such ruckus in the guild?"

Lucy nooded, thoughts filled with mini Grays and Natsus punching each other into oblivion, causing her to giggle, prompting the take over mage, who settled herself on the spot the dragon slayer had just vacated, to go on with her story.

"During those times when they couldn't agree on anything it was natural for the guild to see them fighting with each other, in which at the end Master would always forced them to apologize to each other while throwing insults and glares at each other. Then, one day, Gray noticed something was off. Can you guess what happened next?"

"He asked him what's wrong, right?" Levy said, to which the celestial mage nodded in agreement while adding," and Natsu told him."

"Too innocent, those answers," Cana sneered, dropping her barrel on the floor and perching in front of the script mage. Sporting a smug look, she motioned for Mirajane to continue because the two mages were gaping like fishes.

"Yes," Mirajanes started. "As Cana said here, it went the other way. Gray noticed that something was bothering Natsu so he made it so that their resuming fights would end quickly. Gray lose on purpose."

A deafening silence echoed throughout the guild hall. Even the howls and laughter around were for once, muted by an unknown force. Lucy's eyes were bulging out of their sockets and her jaw were slack opened. "Gr...Gray lose?"

"On purpose?" Levy finished, book now forgotten. "Gray lose on purpose?" she repeated and Mirajane smiled.

"Just to cheer up Natsu."

"I can't believe it." Lucy slowly said, shaking her head, trying to picture in her mind Gray lying on the floor and a very fired up Natsu doing his victory dance, until something caught her interest. "Mira, did Natsu told you what was bothering him? Does the guild know?"

She was just asking, but she never failed to notice the sudden change of atmosphere around them. It was like, for Lucy, being strangled by invisible wires, and breathing became heavy. It was then that she saw the bitter smile upon Mirajane's beautiful face that realization struck her. Looking at her side to Levy in order to confirm her thoughts, her hand suddenly flew to her mouth to cover a gasp when she saw Levy hung her head low. "Oh, Mira,"

"He was feeling guilty about Lissana." This time it was Cana who spoke, then taking a big gulp on her barrel and wiping her mouth sloppily with the back of her hand. "Natsu never told us anything. Gray figured it all out."

"He did?" Levy asked quietly.

"Yes. It was before the fight where Gray lose on purpose. Natsu was sneaking at night and Gray followed him. Turns out, he was visiting Lissana's grave and talking to her every night." When no one said anything, Mirajane plowed on. "Gray said he heared Natsu blaming himself for not being there to protect her, for him being weak. And after that, Gray started provoking Natsu.

"Distraction," Cana smirked, playing with Levy's book. "He made himself the distraction Natsu needed as he healed. And so, that's that."

'You see, Lucy, you might ask us why we are talking about this, but I want you to know that what you see sometimes is not what you really get. Especially in Fairy Tail. Gray and Natsu have this kind of relationship where they'd rather let their fists do the talking. Though Gray is cold and reserve and Natsu is the idiotic opposite, both of them values and cares deeply for each other. Just like the time when Gray willingly bruised himself to help heal Natsu, I'm petty sure Natsu will willingly burn himself for Gray's sake. They are like...oh, I made you cry, Lucy,"

Said mage, now brushing her tears away, shook her head. "I'm sorry. I was such an idiot,"

"Don't worry Lucy. We understand you. It's just that not everyone in the guild know this story. Gray threatened me not to say anything, drunken state still not an exception...hey, Gray told me everything on his own accord," Cana said, blowing MIrajane some raspberry.

"Of course, I believe you. After all, you are Gray's best friend,"

"Tch,"

"So that means earlier, Cana was just trying to do what Gray did for Natsu?" Levy teased, glad that the sad moment was over.

"You talk too much, Mira. Why don't you just go and get me some booze?" Cana snapped, winking at Levy. "And to answer that question of yours," she said nonchanlantly to Lucy who has her brow in a crease, "I was planning on catching him off guard and hitting him with Fairy Glitter square in the face."

"Dammit, is it just me, or this forest is shitting me?" He was folloeing the lone trail for hours only to find himself on the same spot. It was like going on and on in circles, tempting him to just freeze the whole god damned forest.

"Took you long enough to figure, ice-prick,"

He need not turn his head nor look around to identify the owner of that irritating voice. Fucking moron. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he snapped at him. "What the hell do you want now, ash-brain?"

A couple of seconds then and Gray heard something landed far behind him, and he scowled.

"Listen, I don't really have the time. You've wasted mine enough so be sure to make it count," Gray hissed.

"Freed, you can leave us alone now, buddy,"

A faint glimmer of magical runes appeared on the ground in front of Gray and after a few seconds Freed materialized.

"No hard feelings, Gray. He was getting on Laxus' nerves and he promised to leave us in peace,"

"Good day to you too, Freed," Gray sarcastically replied thought gritted teeth.

"I'll be taking my leave now," and with just that, Freed disappeared together with the runes.

Pissed, Gray threw his backpack to the ground, turned and faced the dragon slayer.

"You wasted my time, Natsu," Gray growled, thick, black lines appearing on arms.

"Don't worry. I'm willing to compensate, Gray," Natsu gritted, fist igniting a crimson flame.