Summary: While on a mission Natsu is critically injured. While on the brink of death Team Natsu rush him home where his life is saved, but just barely. Now blind in his left eye Natsu can't look after himself (well he can, but Team Natsu doesn't trust him not to push himself) so Gray, being the only other boy in the team, has to look after him. Gratsu.

WARNING: RATED R FOR VIOLENCE, BLOOD AND GORE, LEMONS, SWEARING, SEXUAL TENSION AND WILL ALSO CONTAIN BOY ON BOY ACTION AND HINTS OF BDSM. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.


The Fairy Tail guild hall was as rowdy and noisy as ever, just like any other regular day. Tables, chairs, magic spells and guild members were flying through the air, the occasional assult flung between two rivals as they fought. Master Makarov sat on the bar, looking too tired to get his children under control, Mirajane standing behind him and wiping a wine glass dry. Cana sat beside the master, drinking her regular giant barrel of alcohol. If you had looked at the scene now you would not have imagined that something terrible would happen in the near future.

The one thing that would make you think that way would be the one person who usually got into the brawls-who was usually the one to start them-was not joining in on the brawl. Natsu Dragneel stood in front of the request board beside Nab, olive eyes scanning every single one of the requests thoroughly, trying to find the right job with a good amount of pay. Happy sat on his shoulder, chewing on a fish as the blue exceed helped Natsu look for a job.

"Hey Natsu! What about that one?!" Happy exclaims excitedly, pointing a paw at a job request with stary eyes and drool almost escaping his mouth as he looked up at Natsu.

Natsu removed the parchment off the board and carefully read it.

HELP WANTED

Need help with catching fish in Hargeon.

Reward: 100J and half the fish caug

Bring fish to R.J Hanson in the small shack by the lake

"Sorry Happy, the play's too low," Natsu says sympathetically, putting the request back on the board and started looking again. Happy actually looked sad so Natsu quickly said, "we'll find a high paying job that would be enough to pay our rent and to buy the best fish in Fiore!"

Happy's eyes lid up and he grinned, exclaiming, "aye!" enthusiastically. Natsu laughed at his little buddy's antics and went back to searching. After a while of searching Natsu's eyes finally land on one particular request and he grabs it, his eyes lighting up as he read it.

HELP WANTED!

Take out Dark Guild

Reward: 2,000,000

Report to M.J Gibbons at 34 Strewt Hillside

"Now that's more like it! It's a high paying one and it's near Magnolia so you can fly us there Happy!" Natsu exclaims happily. He turned on his heel and strolled over to the bar and declares, "Hey Mira! Happy and I are taking this job!" with enthusiasm.

"Alright, stay safe!" Mira answers with a kind grin, stamping the request and writing it down in her book.

"Don't destroy anything Natsu," Makarov warns, but he knew it was a waste of breath because he was all-too sure that Natsu would destroy at least something. He knew his child all too well.

"No problem Gramps," Natsu says, not having been listening to the master as he was too busy thinking about what he could get with the pay after using half of it to pay his rent and get Happy's fish. He didn't even notice Gray approaching.

"A job to take out a Dark Guild, huh?" Gray asks, snatching the job request out of Natsu's hand. "And the pay's two million Jewel too." Natsu did not look pleased at Gray's appearance and him snatching the job request from him.

"Yeah, and me and Happy are going on our own-"

"Really? That'll be enough to pay my rent for a couple of months," Lucy interupts Natsu, appearing beside Gray to look at the request over his shoulder. Natsu scowled.

"Yeah, and it's just Happy and I-"

"Alright then, let's go," Erza says, also appearing beside Gray to look over his shoulder at the request. Natsu wanted to rip his hair out in annoyance.

"It's just going to be me and Happy going on this job!" Natsu yelled, a flame dancing in the middle of his mouth. And to add extra emphasis Natsu added, "alone."

"Don't be an idiot Flame Head, you can't do this job on your own," Gray scoffed. Natsu bared his teeth at the Ice Mage.

"Yeah? Says who?" Natsu challenged.

"Gray's right Natsu, you can't take out an entire Dark Guild on your own," Erza says, Lucy nodding in agreement.

"This will be a team job Natsu," Makarov says. "As the master of Fairy Tail I forbid you on going alone."

"Yeah, you never know what can happen," Cana adds, chugging the entire barrel and ordering another one, which Mira already had ready for her. "All you know you could have your eye gouged out."

Natsu winced at Cana's straightforward comment but choose to ignore it. Cana could say the weirdest things when she was heavy on the liquor.

Knowing that he won't be able to convince his team otherwise Natsu sighed and gave in, agreeing for them to come with him. However since there would be four of them (not including Happy) the pay would be split four ways and Natsu would only get five hundred thousand. That would be OK but he wouldn't have enough to buy stuff for himself after paying his rent, getting the things he and Happy really needed and getting Happy's fish, since he knew that the fish Happy really wanted to try was very expensive.


Magnolia train station was noisy and crowded when Team Natsu arrived. Natsu had a grim look on his face as he trudged along beside Lucy, his face hidden in his scarf and his arms crossed tightly against his chest as if he could stave off the motion sickness that way; Lucy was hugging Plue to her chest, the small Celestial Spirit trembling as usual; Gray was taking his shirt off, his face blank as if he didn't notice he was doing so, the women around blushing hard at his exhibitionist antics; and Erza trailed behind them, pulling alone her cart with ample suitcases and bags behind her.

"Do we really have to catch the train?" Natsu mumbled, his voice muffled by his scarf. "Can't we just walk there instead?"

"No Natsu, it would take us too long," Erza answered in her usual formal tone. "We will be catching a train like usual."

"Can't Happy and I fly there and we'll wait for you?" Natsu whined, looking like he was about to cry.

"No," Erza snapped, causing the Dragon Slayer to flinch. "What if something happens and we're not together?"

Natsu knew he couldn't argue with that so he went back to brooding, hiding his face in his scarf. Happy patted his leg sympathetically.

When the train finally arrived they quickly got on, Erza leaving her mountains of luggage to the poor train conductor so that they could get a compartment to themselves. As soon as they sat down, Gray and Lucy on one side and Natsu and Erza on the other with Happy sitting on the floor against the wall, the train instantly started moving. Natsu doubled over, his face turning green and one hand pressed to his mouth and the other to his stomach. Erza, taking pity on him, quickly knocked him out and laid his head on her lap, stroking her fingers through Natsu's pink hair.

The scenery outside passed by in a blur, the greens, browns and blues of the mountains, trees and sky blurring together. Gray stared out the window, his elbow resting on the windowsill with his chin propped on his palm as he got lost in his own mind. Lucy was dosing off beside him, Plue sitting on her lap. Silence weighed down on them, the atmosphere serene.

Finally Erza spoke up. "I think it will be a good idea to think up a plan."

Gray pulled himself out of his thoughts and turned to face Erza.

"Yeah," he and Lucy agreed simultaneously.

"Until we visit the client we should be cautious of these Dark Mages-we don't know how powerful they are. I think we should get as much information on them as possible, especially the Guild Master," Erza explained.

"Yeah," Lucy agreed, stroking Plue's head. "I think it's a good idea to lay low until we know what they are capable of. Then we strike."

"Precisely." Erza looked over at Gray with stern eyes. "Do you understand Gray?"

"You should be asking the Flame Idiot that, not me," Gray scoffed. "He's the one who usually charges into battle without thinking."

"Gray's right," Lucy says. "I think you should recount the plan to Natsu after we get off the train Erza."

Erza nodded, stroking Natsu's hair as she looked out the window. She knew Gray was right about Natsu charging into battles blindly. His ruthless thinking and actions has almost gotten himself killed a couple of times over the years-a bit too many times. Erza thought about what Cana had said before they left, about Natsu getting his eye gouged out if he wasn't careful. Erza hoped it never ended up that way, but she could not shake the uneasy feeling that was weighing down on her.


"The train is now arriving in Hillside," the train driver says through the speakers as the train rolled into the station.

Team Natsu gathered any food they had bought during the train ride and left the compartment, Gray being forced to pull the still-unconsious Natsu onto his back since Erza seemed to have forgotten him.

They exited the train and Natsu groaned into Gray's ear, signalling Gray that he was close to waking up. Gray blushed when he felt Natsu's hot breath against his neck. To the guild it seemed that Gray hated Natsu since he was always getting into fights with him and calling him names, but in reality he had a huge crush on him. No, it was more than a crush-Gray was in love with Natsu. Gray only fought with Natsu so that he could be close to him as well as hide his feelings, and the names he calls Natsu are more pet names to him then anything. No one knew about Gray's feelings, which was a good thing because he didn't want to have to deal with Juvia's obsession over him and he wouldn't know what she'll do to Natsu if she found out. Juvia thought that Lucy was a 'love rival'. Natsu was the true 'love rival', and if there really was a battle for Gray's heart Natsu would have won hands down.

"Alright, let's go over the plan," Erza says, breaking Gray out of his reverie and his concentration of Natsu's breath on his neck. Gray was about to tell her it would be a waste of time to recount the plan because Natsu was still unconsious but she went on before he could say anything, "we will wait until we attack. First we will get info on the Dark Guild and as soon as we have enough info we take them out."

They made their way to the client's house, Natsu waking up halfway there. Gray let Natsu off his back and the Dragon Slayer trudged beside him, still looking ill from the train ride. Gray missed Natsu's natural warmth from his magic on his bare back, having lost his shirt on the train. Gray mentally cursed at the fact he had lost yet another item of clothing. He was sick of buying clothes all the time.

Finally they came to the address that was written on the back of the request and found themselves standing in front of a white mansion with a wrought iron gate that was shut tightly with no way to get in and a long path snaking its way to the mansion with unfamiliar plants lining the path.

"Uh ... what should we do?" Lucy asked, sounding worried at the fact they couldn't get into the mansion.

Natsu stared up at the gate with a grim look on his face. Finally, seeming to have come to some sort of conclusion, he says bluntly, "let's break it down."

"No, we are not breaking someone's property Natsu!" Erza scolded harshly, punching Natsu ontop of the head. "We will find another way to get inside, but we are not destroying anything here. Do I make myself clear?"

"A-aye sir-I mean ma'am!" Natsu squeaked, taking refuge behind Lucy as if he thought she could protect him from the scary red haired woman.

Erza walked up to the gate and pressed a button on a speaker, which buzzed. "Who's there?" came a man's voice.

"We are Mages from Fairy Tail," Erza declares into the speaker. "We have come in regards to the Dark Guild job request."

"What are your names?"

"Erza Scarlet, Lucy Heartfilia, Gray Fullbuster and Natsu Dragneel," Erza answered.

As Happy mumbled something about Erza forgetting to mention him and whoever was on the other side of the speaker did whatever they were doing to check if the Fairy Tail Mages were expected, Gray looked over at Natsu, noting that Natsu still looked ill. That was weird, Natsu usually recovered quickly from his motion sickness as soon as he got onto solid ground.

"OK, you are allowed in," the man's voice comes through the speaker.

The gate opens slowly, squeaking like those gates in the horror movies. Natsu winced at the sound as it hurt his enhanced dragon hearing. Gray hoped that sound wasn't a bad omen.

The group of mages walked down the long path that was adorned by many plants, Natsu wrinkling his noise distastefully at the scent they were giving off that only he could smell. They finally came to the front door of the mansion which was already standing open, a man wearing a tailored butler uniform with black hair and green eyes waiting for them on the other side.

"Hello, I am Oscar, the butler of the Gibbons family," the butler says, bowing slightly. "Miss Melissa is waiting in the parlor."

Oscar led the group to another room with two long lounges facing each other with a coffee table in between them with a vase of flowers on it that was giving off the same putrid scent of the flowers from outside that Natsu didn't like. A woman wearing a black elegant sleevless evening gown sat on one of the couches, a black cat with a white patch on its neck sitting on her lap which the woman stroked. The woman had black hair that was the same length as Erza's, pale skin and grey-blue eyes.

"Hello Fairy Tail Mages, I am Melissa Gibbons," Melissa greets the mages, gesturing for them to sit down on the couch across from her. The two girls sat on the couch and the boys sat on the edges, leaving Happy to sit on the table. "I'm happy that you took this job, this Dark Guild has been causing us trouble for months."

"It was our pleasure to take this job ma'am, but may I ask why you're rewarding us so much?" Erza asked.

"Of course," Melissa sighs. "The Dark Guild have been kidnapping cats and I'm afraid they'll come for Felix next."

"You're offering us a lot of jewel to stop a Dark Guild who are kidnapping cats?" Gray asked, perplexed.

"Yes," Melissa sighed, looking down at the cat in her lap. "You see, this Dark Guild are really dangerous, more dangerous then you could ever imagine. We've sent our strongest mages out to fight them but the Dark Mages have killed every single last one of them. But the Guild Master is the one you should be weary of: he uses a type of magic that's never been seen before, a magic that is able to render a person powerless. Please, be careful."

"We will be careful," Erza says. "Do you you know where they are hidden?"

"Yes, they're hidden in Hillside Forest," Melissa answered. "Here, I draw up a map."

Melissa gestured to Oscar to bring her a pen and paper and the butler did, setting them down on the coffee table. Melissa quickly drew up the map and handed it to Erza.

"The easiest way to get there is through the eastern part of the forest," she explains. "But be careful, there are a lot of volcuns in that part of the forest. Oscar will show you out."

Erza nodded as she, Lucy, Gray, Natsu and Happy all stood up, bowing goodbye to Melissa and followed Oscar towards the front door. However Natsu, who had been too preoccupied with trying to find a way to get rid of the putrid stench, had not heard Melissa's warning about the Guild Master.


Team Natsu were lying on their stomachs behind a tall bush in front of a cave, concealed enough so that the Dark Mages couldn't see them but the bushes wide enough so that they could see the Dark Mages. Natsu had smelt out twenty to thirty of them, including the Guild Master. They could hear the mages talking amongst themselves as well as the hissing and meowing of cats inside the cave. Before they had left Natsu had told Happy to stay away from here because he had no idea what the Dark Mages were doing with the cats and Natsu was glade he did.

"Alright, remember the plan," Erza whispered to Lucy, Gray and Natsu.

Gray and Lucy nodded in response but Natsu, being Natsu, recklessly jumped out from behind the bushes and into the line of the Dark Mage's vision and right into the line of fire. The Dark Mages stopped whatever they were doing and all looked over at Natsu in shock at his sudden appearance but quickly got over their shock and charged at him, throwing spells at him. And they all ended up being Fire Mages.

"That fool," Erza growled. "Was he not listening to everything I was saying?"

"That idiot is going to get himself killed," Gray hissed, getting up and running into the fray. "Ice Make Floor!"

Gray pressed his palms against the floor and ice cascaded from under his hands towards the running Dark Mages like a deadly river. The Dark Mages slipped on the ice, their spell casting thwarted. Natsu ate the fire heading towards him, devouring the flames like a regular person would devour chocolate, and wiped his mouth with a wicked grin on his face.

"Now that was a hefty meal, your flames aren't bad. Good thing for me but a bad thing for you" Natsu commented. "Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"

Flames swirled around Natsu's fist as he leaped towards the Dark Mages who had not slipped on Gray's ice, giving them a flaming punch to the face and sending them flying backwards into a tree, landing on each other in heap on the ground. Forced to give up on their plan Erza and Lucy ran into the battle, Lucy summoning Loke and Erza Requipping into her Heaven's Wheels Armour. After using a few spells the Dark Mages were defeated, all except the master, who had appeared at the end of the battle, clapping mockingly at them as if he had been watching an interesting play.

"Well done Fairy Tail Mages, I must say I'm impressed," he says, stepping towards them. "But I must say, you're too weak to defeat me."

"Is that so?" Natsu challenged. "Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"

Natsu jumped at the Master, flames burning fiercely on his fist which he drew back to give the Master a deadly blow to the face, but the Master easily grabbed Natsu's hand, snuffing his flame out and stopping a baffled Natsu's attack.

"Too slow Fairy," he snarled, extending his hand backwards over his head. "Now, taste my magic! Kage no Sasu Yōna Makihige!"

Shadows formed around the Guild Master's outstretched hand like a thunder cloud, completely engulfing his hand in a black cloud-like substance. Like snakes coiling, ready to strike, tendrils shot towards Natsu fast, too fast that no one saw it happen. Natsu screamed as the tendrils stabbed his left eye, an explosion of blood flying everywhere, onto the ground, the Master's face and down Natsu's face and onto his scarf. The Fairy Tail Mages were too shocked to do anything, forced to watch their friend in agony as blood flowed down his face from his left eye like a waterfall as if in a trance.

Natsu's screams and cries of pure agony broke Erza out of her trance and with a cry of rage she summoned her two hundred swords, pointing them all at the Master.

"Dance my swords!" Erza bellowed, sending her swords flying towards the guild master, striking him everywhere, his blood joining Natsu on the ground as he dropped to the floor with a sickening 'thud', Natsu too. Erza Requipped into her Flight Armour and caught Natsu before he could hit the ground, moving in a flash, and gently layed him on the ground.

As if a spell cast on them was broken Gray and Lucy ran over to Erza and Natsu and knelt in front of the later, looking at Natsu's face, their stomachs churning at the horrific sight in front of them. The entire left side of Natsu's face was covered in blood, ruby red and shining in the moonlight. His breathing was shallow and harsh as if he struggled to breath, sweat collecting on his brow.

"Gray, freeze over his eye, now!" Erza demanded, her voice hysteric. Gray looked up at her, his face twisted in worry. In a time like this one's brain was not fully focused, meaning that they were slow to act upon something. Erza knew this but she was frustrated. "Gray, do it! He'll die from the shock of blood loss if you don't do something!"

That seemed to break Gray out of his trance. Gray pressed his hands above Natsu's left eye, his hands on top of each other and winced at the warm and wet feeling under his hand. Gray gathered all his magic and a thick layer of ice covered the left side of Natsu's face in the shape of an eye patch, freezing the blood and staunching the bleeding and stopping any infection from getting into Natsu's eye. Natsu's breathing seemed to get better as Gray pulled him against him protectively, making sure that he was still breathing.

"Come on, we need to get him back to the guild as soon as possible," Erza says, getting to her feet. "Lucy, go and find Happy and free the cats and go see Melissa. Don't tell him what happened to Natsu."

"But-" Lucy started to say, only to be interrupted by Erza.

"If you tell Happy he'll come straight to Natsu's aid and leave the cats in there!" Erza snapped. "Just go!"

Lucy nodded, not wanting to argue with the warrior girl. With one last desperate look at Natsu she ran off in search of the blue exceed. Erza quickly got to her feet, Requipping into her regular clothes and helped Gray carefully lift Natsu up.

"Be as gentle as you can," Erza ordered. "Any harsh movement can damage Natsu's eye nerves even worse."

Gray nodded, knowing that Erza had been through the same thing. They headed back towards the guild, thankful they had taken a job close to Magnolia so that they wouldn't have to take a train and possibly make Natsu's condition worse.

Gray thought back to when they had first taken the job, at what Cana had said. All you know you could have your eye gouged out. Gray shivered, wondering if Cana had seen this in her cards. If so he remembered to take whatever Cana says in the future seriously, not wanting a repeat of what happened to Natsu to another one of his Nakama.

Gray grinder his teeth in anger that was boiling deep inside of him, replacing the worry. He wanted to go back and kill the Master for hurting his Natsu this way, but he knew that he had to get Natsu to Porlyusica or Wendy as fast as possible, otherwise he'll die.

Later, Gray promised himself. He'll pay later. But now Natsu is my top priority.

TBC