Title: Love Bombs
Summary: So, Gray suddenly dropped a bomb. And Natsu was the target. Let's just say his life turned upside down ever since.
A/N: Okay… Hello, people of fanfictions who stumbles upon this fic. I am totally new here. Actually, I'm not. Been only a reader. I write a lot, I just never post it up. So, this is TOTALLY my FIRST GRATSU fic. AND THE FIRST ONE I EVER POST UP.
And although English is my second language… I am proud to say that it is my forte… except in the grammar area… so, yeah, you fanfictioners will see a lot of mistakes in this fic. *sweatdropped* The characters will be a bit OC too. Or a lot. I dunno, basically depends what you guys thought. Well, it's gonna be OC either way, cuz I'm not the real creator of Fairy Tail. I did try hard to keep them in the character, tho'.
Anyway, the reason or should I say what has sparks this fanfiction into life(or incomprehensible words) is because my favorite fanfiction author and friend, FlameBelt-san. Last year she had post a fanfic for my birthday, therefore I just thought I should return the favor. You might see a bit of her style in my writing, cuz duh… I was inspired by her fics. Lol xDDD
So, I hope you like it, FlameBelt-san! xD
And I hope others will like it too, yeah?
*I am trying not to hope too much, tho' -_-" *
Disclaimers: Hiro Mashima-sensei own the awesomeness that we know as FAIRY TAIL.
Love Bombs
It all started with… well…
A fight.
Not the very-safe-very-friendly-under-control-kind of fight.
It was BRUTAL.
And UGLY.
…Kind of fight.
Especially when these two fucking dimwits (a fucking pink-haired retard and a fucking stripper asshole) were the major cause of it.
Threw in the all high and almighty Titania, and things just got even BRUGLIER (brutally uglier).
Yup.
Nasty.
Because, not only those two fucking dimwits got bruises from each other, but they also got some "bonus" injuries from the red-haired demon. Which may or may not have given them some…
Permanent disabilities.
Yeah…
Nasty, alright.
They probably have to stay in their sick bed for a while.
Which brings us to the current situation where the exact two fucking dimwits are currently doing; lying on their fucking sick bed in the guild's infirmary, staring dumbly at the ceiling.
Because of the "severe" injuries, the other guild members faced some complications in their efforts of bringing the two injured idiots back to their own respective houses.
Seriously, they DO NOT want to injure the two dumbasses even more than they already have. What's with the absence of their capable healer because she is currently on a mission with her white cat. Her human-hating mother counterpart is also unavailable, accompanying the little dragon slayer. It's a mission that have something to do with 'a bizarre illness have spread somewhere in a village that is a hundred miles away and will take them at least a week or two to investigate and find the cure and a handsomely reward awaiting for the ones who succeed…'
That is one loooooong mission.
So, the guild members decided to let them stay in the infirmary guild until they get better. And make things easier during their recovery since all of their medical and non-medical needs, equipment, et cetera are all available in the guild facility. Which also make things easier for their friends to take care of them. Mostly Lucy, Happy, Erza, Mirajane and Lisanna. Sometimes Juvia… though all she focus on was her precious Gray-sama (Yeah… poor Natsu…)
Somehow, great remorse washed over Erza for causing her teammates such despair, thinking that she should have held back a little during the incident, and so she had asked Lucy (since Natsu and Gray couldn't even lift a finger at the moment) to punch her for her great crime, which the horrified blonde refused instantly in the most comical way.
Natsu is NOT happy.
To be bedridden and half-paralyzed were not the things that he had in his 'to-do-list'. And definitely NOT being taken care of by ERZA.
It irritates him to no end.
Even more so when the ever metal prick Gajeel paid him a visit one day just to brag that his power has boosted up a lot with all the trainings and missions, while here Natsu, all bedridden and unable to do anything PROGRESSIVE.
"Gihi…"
Oh, he so wanna punch the stupid grin off of the bastard's face.
It irritates him to no end.
But that was the least thing about the whole ordeal that pissed him off.
There is a bigger problem.
And that problem is Gray Fullbuster.
The raven-haired man was bedridden in the SAME ROOM with him.
And it irritates him to no end.
Sharing the same room with him, sharing the same ceiling with him, breathing the same air and… when he looked around he sees Gray, when he eats he sees Gray, when he wakes up he sees Gray, when he is going to sleep he sees Gray, Gray, Gray, Gray, Gray, Gray, Gray, Gray, Gray, Gra- Gawd, it irritates him to no end!
"Wow. You hate me that much?"
Natsu flinched at that and quickly glanced towards the voice's owner, wondering if he had accidentally voiced out his thoughts aloud.
Gray rolled his eyes at the reaction and snorted. "Please, it was so OBVIOUS in your face..."
The other boy growled inwardly. "Shut your trap and behave like the sick person you are!"
"You're one to talk, squinty!"
"And you're annoying, droopy!"
"... Is that why?"
"Why what?!"
"Why you hate me..." Gray paused shortly before continuing, "… is it because I'm that annoying to you?"
The pink-haired man snapped his lips shut at that. He couldn't answer.
He just couldn't.
He glanced away from the raven-haired intense stare.
Silence filled the air for a moment before Gray decided to break it by popping up another question.
"... Have you thought about it?"
"... A-about what?" Natsu couldn't help but stuttered. Damn it…
"About what I said before..."
Another round of silence crept between them. And Natsu started to reminisce over something, all the while making a troubled face.
Okay, so maybe it was not the fight that had started it all. It was the cause of the fight that did.
What's the cause?
Well…
Let's go backward to two weeks before the fight... shall we?
It wasn't his fault, you know.
It wasn't Gray's fault either.
It happened just like that.
They were just bickering like usual in the guild, glaring at each other (like usual), spouting not-so-smart insults at each other (like usual), and calling each other shits (like usual).
But before the verbal fight could turned into a physical one (like usual), the grand doors of the Fairy Tail Guild busted open so suddenly...
By none other than the Rune Knights Natsu hated so much.
How unusual.
"For committing 15 criminal property damages and 10 civil crimes… Natsu Dragneel and Gray Fullbuster, you are under arrest."
Wait...
The hell?
Somewhere in the background, the great First and Sixth Master of Fairy Tail burst into tears.
Apparently, those charges was just for show, just like what had happened to Erza back then. Even so, both idiots still had to spend the night in jail and have to wait for sunrise to gain back their freedom. All of their magical powers had been neutralized in that jail and both mages were frustrated as hell because of that.
Natsu could not sit still and was looking around in that confined jail, searching for a way out. Gray, who was watching his effort – which is a vain – got fed up and with a vein ticking on his forehead, snapped, "Stop it, DUMBASS. You're making me dizzy with you running about in this small space."
"Well, even though all of this are just for SHOW, I don't wanna be STUCK in here with you all night!" Natsu snapped back.
"Well, give it up because you're NOT making ANY PROGRESS." Gray mocked.
This time, it was Natsu who had a throbbing vein on his forehead, annoyed. Instead of arguing back, he sighed out loudly. Then, he plopped down on the floor, and he closes his eyes, trying to get some sleep.
But he felt something strange.
Like someone was staring at him.
Like someone was staring at him really hard.
'Could it be Gray? No way! Why would he do that?' He thought with his eyes still close. 'But he's the only one here! So…'
To confirm his fucked up thought-process, he peeked through one eye. And he was right. Gray, standing while leaning his back against the wall, was staring.
At. Him.
So, Natsu looked up, and judging by the way that blue, blue eyes widen, Gray must have been startled by the sudden move. Startled that he was caught staring.
"What?" Natsu, being the super-curious over things, especially things related to him, asked.
"Nothing..." The other boy muttered, looking away.
"You've been staring for a while. It's NOT just 'NOTHING'." he pressed, glaring now.
"I said it's nothing!" the ice mage insisted, glaring back at Natsu.
"No, there must be something! Spill!" Again the dragon slayer pressed, getting up from his position.
"Just drop it, idiot."
"No! You've got something to say?! Just say it, Gray! Say it to my face, you coward!" He took a few steps towards the other male.
Natsu was getting closer – with that kind of space, of course it wouldn't take long for the pink-haired idiot to reach him – so Gray, feeling a rush of panic at the sudden closeness, exclaimed, "You really wanna know, Natsu?!"
Natsu's steps halted at that. If he took just two to three more steps, he will be a breath away from Gray. Both of them were staring at each other, battling in silence. It did not take long for Gray to growl in defeat.
"FINE. I hate you!"
1…
2…
3…
"Whaaaaaaat?" Natsu exclaimed. "THAT'S IT? Geez, I thought it was something BIG like-"
"Because I'm fucking in love with you, you MORON!" Gray added.
Green eyes widen at the sudden added information.
He did not see that coming…
3...
No, he certainly did not see that coming.
2…
"There... happy?" Gray mocked.
1…
Shit.
Both of them were released the next day after the guild master paid for the property damages they have done. They were scolded by not only the master but by Erza the Disciplinarian as well. Knowing that they will be dead if they disobey the oh-so-high-and-almighty Titania, they had nodded fervently, hugging each other, acting like they are the best-best-best-best-best-best friends of the whole wide world and after the long speech (scolding) both of the dimwits were dismissed.
And everything went back to the way it was.
Except for Natsu.
Well, how can he after having that kind of bomb dropped on him so suddenly?!
And from Gray of all people!
That night had been the most awkward night ever.
After that confession, Gray moved towards his temporary bed (which was just an old, ripped rug on the floor), leaving Natsu all alone gawking at the wall, dumbfounded. He was in that state for quite a long time that Gray had to snap him out of it.
"For fuck's sake! Stop staring at the wall and go to sleep already!"
Natsu jumped at that and dumbly replied, "Huh? Oh, sleep! Of course! Haha! Hahahahhaha!"
He retreated back towards his spot, laughing awkwardly.
Gray resisted to roll his eyes at the so obvious faked reaction.
Natsu could not sleep at all.
He was wide awake, staring dumbly at the wall, with his back facing Gray's direction, all the while thinking about the sudden confession.
With his heart beating stupidly fast.
And a fucking blush smeared across his face.
. . .
Curse the beating.
Screw the blush.
SCREW IT ALL.
Was he surprised?
Well, OBVIOUSLY.
Was he disturbed by it?
Yes, VERY.
He forced his eyes close, trying to get his beauty sleep, waiting for the sunrise.
Hoping this was just a dream.
But sadly – yes, sadly – it wasn't.
He started to view things differently after that. Noticing things that before he wouldn't even blinked an eye for.
And sadly – yes, sadly – those things are about Gray.
For example, whenever the arrogant prick entered the guild, Natsu's eyes would unconsciously drifted towards the bastard's direction. And from there on his eyes would analyzed everything about him.
Like how his dark hair gleamed under the light, or how he would unconsciously removes his clothes like the stripper he was, or how he would laugh around with a group of teammates, or how he would suddenly look over at him, staring back.
And he hated it.
He hated that weird look the bastard was giving him.
He hated the way those blue eyes bore themselves into his, as if hoping for an answer.
He couldn't stand it.
He hated it.
So he jumped, fists clenched.
And landed the first blow.
That was pretty much how the fight started.
And part of Natsu actually kind of regret starting the fight.
Because, well, instead of putting a distance between him and the ice bastard, it seems like the plan backfired when the guild members decided to quarantine them in the SAME ROOM.
Bad idea.
Who the fuck thinks that it is OKAY to put two rivals who are prone to HURT each other IN THE SAME ROOM?
Terrible, horrible, illogical idea.
Plus, they HATE each other.
Because I'm fucking in love with you, you moron!
Okay, maybe one of them don't.
And it's not like he really hate him either.
But still!
It feels so awkward that he feels like he is going to die because of the awkwardness!
Cut him some slack!
"Natsu!"
"Huh?" He turned his head and saw Lucy standing beside his bed.
"Oh, hey Luce! You just got here?"
He received a smack on the back of his head, courtesy of Lucy.
"I was here, standing like an idiot, trying to get your attention for a whole 10 minutes, you moron! And you just noticed my presence NOW?!" the angry blonde tried to hit him again but he manage to dodge in time.
"Okay, okay. I'm sorry!"
Lucy retracted back her hands, folded them around her chest, huffing.
"Geez, what's wrong with you?"
What's wrong indeed... he couldn't even understand himself.
The lack of sarcastic comment made him turned towards Gray's bed. He was missing.
"Where's Gray?"
"Oh... he went out. I bumped into him when I was on my way here." Answered Lucy, as she took a seat beside Natsu's bed.
"Oh. He can walk already?"
"Yeah. It's a good thing that Wendy and Porlusyica are finally home."
"Yeah..." It has been a week, huh...
"…"
"…"
"Anyway. You should apologize to Gray." Lucy stated.
"H-huh? Why should I?!" Natsu was taken aback by the sudden statement.
"Oh, I dunno. How about the fact that you were the one who HIT him FIRST?"
He gulped. "W-well… I…" he tried to think of an excuse, but failed.
"Look, Natsu. I don't know what happened between you two that made you… ACTED like that. And seriously... It. Is. ANNOYING. So you better find a way to fix this! You hear me?!" she gave him a death glare that could almost rivalled a certain red-haired demon. Almost.
"O-okay..." he stuttered, just to be safe (because the glare still seems deadly from his point of view).
Then again, even though what she said were valid, but…
How does she expect him to fix it when everything had gone broken beyond repair?!
Or wait, has it really?
Maybe it has.
But then, maybe it hasn't.
Well, seems like it… So…
But then…
But still…
B-b-but- !
Gahhh, fuck it!
Damn stupid Gray for messing with his head!
A month has gone by. And both Natsu and Gray are fully healed from head to toes.
Literally.
Their limbs are moving and kicking and punching, their breathing are normal, their brains seems to be functioning properly.
Not Gray's heart though…
He could feel it…
His heart is slowly breaking… layer after layer… piece by piece… slowly turning into dust…
Well, figuratively.
It was not that he is having a heart failure, no.
But what he is suffering from can be categorized as a heart disease.
No. Not heart stroke either.
Heart-broken.
Yes, that is what he is facing.
He is heart-broken… by none other than – as cheesy as it may sounds – the love of his life; Natsu Dragneel.
He knew it was impossible.
He knew he would be rejected.
Heck, he knew he was rejected even without confessing.
But he did confessed.
And he may have gotten his hopes up a little at that moment.
Because when that little hope of his was crushed in one single fiery punch, his heart clenched so tightly that it hurts.
A lot.
He still remembered the way those green eyes he loves so much glared into his cobalt ones with despise (after the delivered punch). And his chest felt so constricted. His breath hitched, he could feel his tears threatened to come up and wet his eyes.
But he held on, and acted as if he was not shaken by the rejection, punching back, just so he could hid and keep those emotions at bay.
During their recovery at the guild's infirmary, Gray noticed how the other boy was trying avoid him at most times.
A little fight was fine. A bigger fight was fine.
But to have Natsu distancing himself away actually hurts more than any punch and kick he had ever received.
He figured he should give up.
This feelings that he had nurtured for ten-fucking-years.
If he give up then maybe Natsu will stop avoding him, maybe things would go back to what it once were. Then, he can keep Natsu close by his side just like before.
He gave up.
Because he realized that Natsu will never, ever look at him that way.
Or so he thought…
To be continued.
A/N: Haha, okay. I actually planned to finish this before my birthday. But I got caught up with a lot of stuffs. A LOT. So yeah, the plan backfired. But I have promised myself to post it up today, exactly on my birthday, to return the favor from FlameBelt-san who gave me a sweet Gratsu fic for my birthday last year. So, sorry for giving a half-assed present, Flame-Belt-san! Dx
But I really do hope you like it.
Anyway, anyone who liked this, I will totally be grateful, sorry for disappointing you guys with an incomplete story. But I promised I will finish the continuation as soon as I can. And by that, I mean in a month or two. Cuz seriously, I have a very IMPORTANT exam in a few weeks that I can't run away from as much as I wanted to… So, please understand… Dx
And thank you!
*striking a dogeza pose*