RIVALS
They said they were rivals, but really, what else did they know? Gray had grown up with a surrogate family who was destroyed by the demon who endlessly haunted him. Natsu had grown up with a dragon for a foster-father and no memory of his previous life. He was then abandoned by the dragon who was the only family he'd known and the only one he'd loved. Gray had turned his heart to the ice he wielded, while Natsu buried himself in the burning passion of fire: rage and strength that burned all who touched it. Neither of them truly knew 'friendship' or 'affection' outside of their surrogate families who were long since gone. They called each other rivals because that was the only way they knew how to express themselves. They didn't acknowledge each other as friends because those who'd they'd opened themselves up to had left or died. They said they hated each other because they didn't and it terrified them.
All mages of Fairy Tail carry something with them. Some heavy burden that they feel they must bear alone. That is the wonder of Fairy Tail though. All of its members are nakama, and so help to carry each others burdens. Natsu and Gray seemed to hold a heavier burden than most. They both loved passionately and violently, reflected on the way they defended those they cared about. Gray was broken into shards of glittering ice when his village was destroyed, shattered into glinting beauty that held a deadly sharpness. He was slowly melted under the care of his beloved teacher, but he hardened into icy sharpness upon her death. Natsu was torn to pieces when the only one he'd ever known had left him. He couldn't let anyone fully in, because a part of him was sure that everyone would leave him.
Gray and Natsu had both been abandoned by those they loved. They connected with one another on a deeper level, and that was why they were rivals. They expressed themselves through fighting and anger, because that was fueled by passion, passion which they held an abundance of. They were closer to each other than they were to others yet they seemed to be more distant than ever. Lucy Heartfilia melted Gray and calmed Natsu's flames. She more than anyone brought the two together. After Lucy came, Natsu and Gray were forced to put up with each other, and therefore forced to face that they didn't hate each other and they weren't truly rivals. They were forced to feel a closeness beyond others, and this led to what could only be called a tenuous friendship. They still fought; it was how they expressed themselves. They still felt a need to surpass one another; it was their will to press forwards and press beyond their limits. In the end though, they were beyond nakama, and they were forced to admit that too.
A/N: Yes, I know that I should be working on Sakura Blossoms on Ice, but I couldn't resist writing this one. It's short and sweet and personally I don't think it's very good, but please review!