I never usually use a format as formal as this one, but I decided to try it out since I have practically this whole story mapped out in my notes. The format I usually use is my own personal preference, but it looks quite sloppy. As for why I'm using such formality—even in my language choices is due to the fact this new fanfiction I've put together isn't for comedic and romantic purposes only. This new story will have a mysterious path of twists and turns embedded into the base layer of romance, little hilarity included. There might be highly triggering scenes or horrifying tragedies. Just occasional coarse language and smut. Things will be heavily implied and there may be small bits of trigger-scenes written. Don't like, don't read.

Disclaimer: I don't not in any way have full or partial ownership of the Fairy Tail both anime and manga series. I own the plot to this story which is unique to me and my mind only. The series belongs to Hiro Mashima. I'm just a young fanfiction writer, creating for the hell of it.

WARNING: Verbal abuse, sexual harassment, violence and coarse language are in this story.

The Crux of This Quest

a mentally screwing Gray & Natsu fanfiction

by an amateur author

.

Chapter 1

Team's Partaking

You can always trace your way back to that once-lived moment in your problems where you knew you screwed up terribly so. For Gray Fullbuster of the much established Fairy Tail guild, that slip of time was the moment he let Team Natsu take on a job as escorts for a pudgy duke across the kingdom of Fiore. He could still smell the perspiration on his hands making them clammy as he grasped another's hand. The same hand he has been showing up at the hospital to hold for months. Same time every day for twenty-seven weeks—eleven o'clock in the morning until he'd fall asleep upon the comatose body of the man he'd grown to love.

Days would fly by in a matter of what felt like mere milliseconds and he'd never wake up. He chose to spend every day until a time that would never come in the four walls of a nauseating hospital room of designer white. Awaiting the awakening of a patient that was far from that point. All of this could've been avoided. It should've been avoided. And yet the somber ice mage could trace every bit of this scenario back to when he'd smirked at the high reward on a sheet of tea-stained paper. Paper they shouldn't have touched or informed the barmaid about. A paper that shouldn't have existed. A cursed sheet that held this tragic fate.

"What the hell Erza?" Natsu whined whilst clutching the lump forming on his forehead. From all the times he'd tussled with Gray and been beaten down by the scarlet-haired mage you would think he'd have learned it was not a wise choice. It only lead to his pain and suffering—a new bruise for every time it happened.

"Pull yourself together, boys," she said as she glared down at the pitiful state of the two young men at her feet. "I have chosen a job for us to take."

Softly pouting Lucy mumbled, "It was my turn to choose the job." To which Erza shook her head at. She dug her nails into a thin slip of paper, holding it up for the blond to read. The celestial mage instantaneously lit up—her cheeks rosy and eyes sparkling.

Gray knew that look. The reward must've been hefty for him to get an eyeful of such a demonic look. It was almost sinfully greedy. Or so it appeared that way to him and the someoddnumber amount of other guild members.

"Money here I come!" she sang to herself when skipping over in her brown boots to inform a giggling Mirajane that they'd chosen a job. It was utmost hilarious to watch Lucy go gaga over money. He turned his attention back over to Erza who was harshly scolding the pink-haired teen who sat on his heels, rubbing the pain away from the bump on his head. He stood from his spot on the floor and stepped next to the red-head.

"So what sort of giant reward has Lucy this gung-ho?" He asked, muting the small grumbles of Natsu's irritation out.

Erza sighed, "Please, Gray. Anything with money involved makes Lucy happy." Her vermillion tresses sighed with her as she held out the request for the ink-haired male, who skimmed over the entire thing and when his lips curled up into a almighty smirk she'd known he had spotted the reward money—eight million jewels to be more precise. The amount of cash was ridiculous! And all to escort some rich dude across Fiore? Easier done that said.

She pulled the sheet back into her hands, rolling it up and being careful not to crease it. "We still have info we need to hear from Mira." She made her way over to the bar, and Gray viewed as they spoke, seeming much like lipping as the loud chatter of the guild tuned out anything from more than three feet away. He directed his gaze down at Natsu who still wore that childish pout on his face as he played with the coral tips of his ponytail.

"How long do you plan of sitting down there, retard?" he snickered, towering over the sitting form of the younger boy. "The floor is dirty as shit."

The exaggerated 'tch' from Natsu was music to his ears. Anything could piss off the dragon-slayer. Even the simple truth. "Shut up, frosty." He rose to his feet, standing inches below Gray's height. It was so enjoyable since Natsu was short for a guy. For Christ's sake, the guy was barely even five-foot-seven, whereas Gray was a bit over six feet.

The ice-mage would take just about any little detail to make fun of Natsu. It was most amusing in his opinion. That cute face he would make when he was angered by his own words. It was livening. He was always up for a good brawl with or without Erza around.

But just Natsu. Only Natsu. Something about sparring with the pink-haired idiot brightened his day up majorly. He would never challenge Gajeel or Elfman or whoever else. That just upset him. Those were fights that had to be fought for specific reasons. But with Natsu, it was far different for him.

And as the evening passed by, he knew he'd fight him again in the morning. Maybe it was asinine to always be squaring up, but to Gray? It was all emotional drive. Striding to be the best of the best. And to do so, he'd have to surpass the best. And in his mind, that was a man no one could hold a candle to; Natsu Dragneel.

Next Chapter: "First Steps"