I do not own Fairy Tail, no matter how much I wish I did. So this is an all new story. It's a Gratsu, or Natray, whatever you want to call it. Don't like? Don't read. Fair warning, this story will get dark at some point. Enjoy the first chapter!

Natsu buried his face in the thick raven hair tickling his chin. Gray was wrapped in his shielding arms, still sleeping away. Early morning rays shone through the windows, throwing a golden glow over their bodies. The sun was just beginning to raise, dawn right around the corner. A blanket was pulled around the both of them, encasing the two mages together. Not that it was needed. The fire mage was giving off enough heat to warm both the lovers.

The dragon slayer brushed a strand of loose hair from Gray's pale face. The ice mage always looked so peaceful when he was sleeping. He wasn't frowning or giving an icy glare. He was simply lying still with his anil colored eyes closed. Natsu wished nothing more than to just lie next to the other. That was all he needed.

A soft chirping could be heard and the dragon slayer knew his wish couldn't be granted. If the birds were already rising he should too. Natsu bent his neck down and brushed his lips against the other's in a chaste kiss. He gently untwisted his arms and pulled the blanket off himself. Quiet as he could manage he stepped out of bed, not wanting to wake the other on accident. Gray hadn't been sleeping well lately, he was too edgy. The dragon slayer was going to give it his all to make sure he could grant a few more hours of rest to the other.

After tucking the bedspread back over the ice mage he tiptoed over to the closet and quickly grabbed a fresh set of clothes for the day. Soundlessly he slipped out the bedroom door and closed it behind him. A smile settled on his lips at hearing a soft snore coming from inside. His ice mage was still fast asleep. He turned to inch down the stairs next, careful to not land on steps he knew would squeak under his weight. He knew Gray's house as well as his own, it only made sense that he did, after being there for so long. He wished they were at his though, except Gray had more space and an actual bed. Unlike the dragon slayer who only had a stiff couch and a hammock in a one room home. Maybe he should expand. At least make a bedroom addition. That way they could have their own privacy.

He pulled his vest over his muscular shoulders and slid on his loose white pants. He threw his precious scarf around his neck in its rightful place. He finished buckling his belt just as he made it to the kitchen. He ambled over to the fridge and pulled out a few eggs for a fast breakfast. Lifting two bowls off the shelf he placed both on the small table in the room. He looked down when he felt a small tug at the hem of his pants. A blue paw had a hold on the fabric while another rubbed the sleep out of a set of tired eyes.

Natsu gave a warm smile to the feline. "Mornin' Happy."

Happy murmured something that might have been, "Morning, Natsu," but the dragon slayer couldn't fully tell. The cat had more or less been living at Gray's as well. Though he often went to Lucy's to sleep during the night. He only slept here when they had to get up for a mission the next day. The fire mage sent a silent thank you to the cat for coming with him on this.

The dragon slayer turned his attention to what he had been previously doing and began to cook their breakfast. A flame came to life in his hand and he heated an egg up within seconds until it was fully cooked. He cracked it open into a bowl and passed it over to the feline before working on his own meal. "Eat up Happy, we got a big day today."

Happy had to suppress his giggles. A content smile was gracing Natsu's lips and only Happy knew what it was for. The moggy picked up a silver fork Natsu had just put beside him and eagerly stabbed into his food. Natsu spared a glance at the kitchen clock. Reassuring himself that there was plenty of time left before he had to meet the girls at the station, he clutched his own fork and dug into his food.

"Did you get the stash?" Natsu asked between bites. Happy stuffed the last of his egg in his mouth before going to find his green bag. The dragon slayer watched in anticipation as the feline dragged the larger than normal backpack over. Natsu took it from the other and untied it. A large amount of Jewels were wadded up and crumpled. The fire mage took the bills out and counted them. Almost there. After the mission today he should have enough. He refolded them and took out his wallet to store the cash in. "Thanks partner."

"Aye."

The dragon slayer grabbed the now empty bowl to put them in the sink. Happy slung his pack over his shoulders and tied it off. Natsu did a swift mental checklist to make sure he had everything. All that was left to do here was leave.

His hand rested on the doorknob when a pair of arms encircled his middle, hugging him from behind. Natsu felt a face bury into his back and pull him close. The dragon slayer twisted his head to look behind him at his embracer. "Did I wake you?"

Gray mumbled something against his back and loosened his hold, allowing the flame mage to turn around and pull the other into an embrace. Natsu twined his arms around Gray's slim waist. The ice mage looked up at the other with his bright blue orbs. "You didn't, but you should have. I wanted to see you off." He repeated, much more clearly this time.

"I'm sorry, you just looked to peaceful to disturb." Natsu whispered. Gray shook his head at the other. He would take Natsu over slumber any day. The ice mage reached up and kissed the other lightly on the jawline. Natsu let out a pleased sigh as the ice mage rested his head against his tan chest.

"Are you sure you'll be okay just the three of you? I can come along." The maker mage muttered into the chest.

Natsu ran a hand through the raven hair. "The job called for exactly three mages. No more, no less. We'll be fine."

"What a strange request." Gray grumbled. The dragon slayer grabbed the other's chin and pulled his head back up. He placed his lips on the others, tasting the sweet flavor. Gray let out a moan and closed his eyes. He reached up to get closer, deepening the kiss. A snicker caught their attention and they pulled apart. Happy was staring at the two of them, letting his Lucy like antics kick in. Gray gave the feline a playful scold for interrupting before grinning. "You'll take care of Natsu for me, right?"

"Aye sir!"

Natsu chuckled and pulled the raven back in for a final kiss. "Take care," He murmured when they broke apart once more. Reluctantly he placed his hand back on the doorknob. "We'll be back probably by tomorrow. See you then." He waved a small goodbye before stepping out the door.

Gray leaned against the wooden doorframe as the fire mage and feline walked down the dirt path that led to town. "Be careful!" He called after them. Once they could no longer be made out in the horizon he closed the door and slumped back to bed.

…

Natsu walked with both his arms behind his head. Happy walked at a slower pace beside him. The train station was starting to come into view, absent of a large amount of citizens at this morning hour. Only a few workers were scattered about, working on various tasks. Entering the building he could make out two figures standing at a loading platform. One had blonde hair that went a few inches past her shoulders. The other had hair so scarlet a rose would be envious.

The dragon slayer beamed at the two. "Morning." Lucy raised an eyebrow, not used to seeing the fire mage this happy near a form of transportation. Erza looked past him, seeing if the raven had come. Not finding him she let out a sigh.

"What's wrong Erza?" Happy asked, looking up at the knight.

"Gray's not here…"She trailed off.

"Hmm?" Natsu glanced over at her. "The job said no more than three mages. Why would he be?"

Erza didn't say anything for a moment. She pulled a crumpled request form from her pocket. "I was hoping he'd come to see us off to tell him he could come. Part of the request was a fake."

"What do you mean?" Lucy inquired, looking at the paper over the scarlet's shoulder. Part or the print was smeared at the bottom of the page. The part including specific details. "That's odd, while only part of the job?"

"Who knows," Natsu shrugged. "We can't get him now. We'll miss the train if we do. Let's go." Lucy gawked as the fire mage gleefully jumped on board the newly arrived train. It was strange enough he didn't want to even try to tell Gray he could come, but willingly getting aboard a mode of transportation…was this really Natsu?

Erza didn't say a word as she followed the first mage on aboard. Lucy and Happy came on after her. Lucy groaned when she looked at the already motion sick dragon slayer, though he still had that goofy grin on his face despite his green color.

The two females and feline slid into the seat across from the fire mage. Erza watched her ill friend in curiosity. Only Happy seemed unaffected by the whole scene. Lucy rested with her chin in her palm. The request was still fresh on her mind when the train lurched forward and chugged out of the station. "I'm sorry," she apologized. "I should have realized something was wrong when Happy pointed the request out. That's the last time I listen to what a cat says we should do."

"Nah…it's fine," Natsu choked out between gags. "Though I can't believe…you didn't realize…"

Lucy gave the other a questioning look when he trailed off. Natsu crawled over to the window and expelled the contents of his stomach. All the while the grin never left the other's face. "You seem to be in an awfully good mood about this."

"Course I am." Natsu answered, trying to not let the bile rise in his throat. Both girls gave him a confused stare.

Happy let out a laugh. "You two fell for it."

Erza sent the two males an annoyed glare. "What is it?! What didn't we notice?"

Natsu smiled at her. He had to admit he was surprised. He tried his best to not make it obvious, but he was sure someone would have noticed when they picked the request out.

"You couldn't tell? I wrote that."

...

Gray slouched against the couch, not particularly wanting to accomplish anything today. He had remained awake these past few hours after Natsu left. He couldn't doze back off, and he didn't want to go to the guild just yet. It was too early for anyone to be there at this time, not to mention it seemed half the guild was off on missions. He wished he could have been as well. Only three mages could go…what a dumb request. Yet Happy got to go. The one who always says he feels left out then says he doesn't count because he's a cat. Why was he the one left here?

The ice mage leaned back into one of the cushions. He knew the answer to that. If only three could go whoever went with him and Natsu would have felt like a third wheel. Then Natsu also insisted he not go until he felt better. Which was complete crap in his opinion. He felt fine. It was just nearing the anniversary again.

The ice mage rubbed his tired eyes. He always got tense two times a year. During the anniversary of his parents deaths and the Deliora attack, and the anniversary of Ur's sacrifice. It was nearing the first of the two. He just didn't want to tell Natsu the reason. He didn't need the dragon slayer worrying for his mental health for no serious reason. It was just a few bad memories. He glanced up at the white ceiling above him. A sentimental smile formed on his lips. That had been happening a lot lately when he saw something white. He wanted to visit the icy fields of his home town, just to visit the graves he had built for his parents. Even go to where Ur fought Deliora, even if she wasn't there anymore. More than anything, he wanted Natsu to come with him. It would be painful to go by himself; he needed someone to keep him sane. Plus he wanted to show Natsu the first place he grew up. He could just picture the destructive fire mage in the tranquil snowy landscape.

Gray closed his eyes and thought of his dragon slayer. Natsu had been acting beyond peculiar lately. The flame mage has had a look of thinking constantly. That right there told him something was off. Natsu never thought unless he had to, he just went with the flow. Now doing it constantly…he couldn't wrap his head around it. Then there were times when he swore the pinkette was plotting something. What he couldn't figure out.

"Maybe I'm just sleep deprived…"Gray muttered. His thoughts were running loose and he wasn't sure where they were going.

…

Lucy stretched her arms behind her head. Erza sat on a log next to her, poking the camp fire with a stick, trying to get it to come to life. The celestial mage watched the flickering flames, letting herself relax. Another job well done. Now she could pay off her rent for the month and her landlady would stop looming over her. Erza continued prodding the fire as she sat back. She wondered why the scarlet had to do it when they had a human inferno with them. She had a feeling Erza wanted to know that answer too and would ask Natsu any second.

If Natsu were there to ask.

The celestial mage couldn't figure it out. It was nearing sunset by the time they finished the job. The employer had been giving each one of them their share of the reward money. Natsu had gotten his share, then Erza and Lucy. A second later when Lucy turned towards he fire mage both he had Happy were gone.

A dark, birdlike shadow crept over the blonde. She glanced up to see the form of Happy flying towards them. The cat touched down across from her on the other side of the fire. Both wizards looked at the feline.

"Where's Natsu?" Erza was the first to speak.

Happy smiled from ear to ear and folded his pearl white wings up. "He had me drop him off at a nearby city. He said to pick him up in a few hours."

Lucy stared at the feline, hoping he would say more. When the cat didn't let up she gave up and went to wondering what was happening with her close friend that he didn't want to tell them just yet.

…

Natsu stood in front of a gleaming building. The last rays of light bounced of the crystal windows of the shop. The dragon slayer took in a deep breath to calm his self. The day had flown by in the blink of an eye. But to him it didn't go by fast enough. A feeling of anxiousness was creeping up inside him. The building before him would have appeared intimidating any other time. Now it only appeared to be another stop he had to make before the big reveal. Even from outside he could see glass cases containing precious stones and sparkling metals.

Natsu let out a long breath and opened the door.

…

Gray sat back and ran a hand through his thick hair. He really hadn't done anything today. He hadn't found his motivation with Natsu not there. He had gone to the guild at one point. He had a few idle conversations and then left. He just couldn't find anything worth doing without Natsu.

He debated if he could fall asleep yet. He really was become an insomniac. He couldn't even think straight anymore, much less focus his magic. Maybe it was a good thing he didn't go with Natsu today. He would have just gotten in the way.

Lazily, he made his way to his feet. He could force himself to sleep. That way Natsu wouldn't pester him about it tomorrow and they could do something together. He grabbed the rail to the stairs, worried that if he didn't he'll fall asleep halfway up and topple down.

His head snapped up at the sound of glass breaking.

The ice mage turned around and glanced around the house, trying to spot an intruder.

"Who's there?!"

…

Erza and Lucy sat together, watching the dragon slayer across from them hum in contentment. A smug grin was placed on Natsu's tanned face. Happy had left a few hours ago to fetch the mage. Natsu has had that look on his face ever since. The fire mage seemed to be in an exceptionally good mood since he came back. Lucy cast a glance over to Erza, silently asking if she knew what was going on with the dragon slayer. Her chocolate brown eyes widened at terror at seeing the look on Erza's usually beautiful face. Erza had intent of a predator in her eyes as she watched the fire mage. Lucy backed away, afraid what the scarlet might do.

Erza stood and requipped a shimmering sword and pointed it directly at the dragon slayer's throat. Natsu stopped humming and watched the blade in silence. The fire light flickered off the silver and moonlight shone down on it. "If you do not explain your actions I will accuse you of impersonating Natsu Dragneel and sentence you for your crime."

Lucy bit her lip, afraid the knight might slice her friend to ribbons. Happy looked up at her in fright. Only Natsu remained totally calm. He placed his hand on the metal and pushed it away, letting a laugh out. Lucy gasped. Laughing? At Erza's threat? Maybe this wasn't their Natsu after all.

"Calm down, Erza. If you really want to know I'll tell ya. I've been dying to tell someone all day. I just didn't want to until I had everything together."

Happy looked at the dragon slayer. "You're telling them too, Natsu? I thought I was the only one who was going to know."

Natsu grinned and ruffled Happy's blue fur. "Well, I told you to get the plan to work. Now I have to tell them so I don't explode."

"Tell us what?!" Erza demanded, not enjoying being kept in the dark.

"Let me start from the beginning." Natsu began. "The other day I was watching Mira post request fliers when I spotted the one we took today. I recognized the location on the flyer and mentioned to her I thought this place was known for something or rather. That's when she smiled and told me there was a city close by she used to get her jewelry from there when she modeled. The place is known for their diamonds and silver."

"That's when I thought going here would be my perfect opportunity. Only problem was Gray couldn't come." Bother girls raised an eyebrow but didn't interrupt. "So I modified the request and had Happy tell Lucy about it. That way it didn't seem like me coming here would be on purpose. That would take all the fun out of it if Gray found out. This has to be a complete surprise."

Erza watched her friend in silence. She'd been curious about why he had done that, but her question wasn't answered yet…

"Anyway, when we finished the mission I finally had enough money to make this grand. That's when I had Happy fly me over to the town."

"But why?" Lucy spoke up.

Natsu chuckled to himself for no reason. "Well, I figured Gray and I have been together for quite a while now. So I wanted to get him something." Natsu dug into his pocket and fished around. Slowly, he pulled out a little black box with engravings on the side. He could hear both girls gasp as he opened it to reveal the contents. "Think he'll like it?"

Both girls pounced on him at once, trying to get a closer look. Natsu couldn't figure out how they got on the other side of the fire pit so fast. He could have sworn they were several feet away. Now they were on top of him.

Erza eagerly nodded her approval. "Good choice Natsu. It fits his character."

"He'll love it." Lucy purred.

"You think so?" Natsu asked. He had hoped they'll say something like that. If both his close friends admired it he must have picked the perfect one. The band was plain silver, and small stones were set in it, gorgeous diamonds as flawless as snowflakes, which matched the ice mage in every way. It wasn't overly fancy, Gray wouldn't like that. It was simple yet elegant on its own. Just how the ice mage was.

"I certainly hope so. It's not every day you ask someone to marry you."

So that's it for the beginning. Now who's excited for the Fairy Festival? Three chapters two weeks straight, with color?! Mashima pleases me...

Until the next chapter, later.