The Dying Flame

Genre: Hurt/Comfort/Romance

Pair: Gray F. & Natsu D.

Rating: T to be safe.

Summary: Perhaps the reason I only look at you, like a fool, is for fear that you may turn your face away and, you and I may drift further apart... T Rating to be safe... One Shot. 3rd GrayXNatsu FF. Please R&R!

Please feel free to point out my errors as English is not my mother tongue. =)

The Dying Flame

"I've had enough Gray! I can't take it anymore!"

Natsu yelled at Gray. He was the kind of person who is straight to the point, even to his boyfriend, Gray. Gray had lied to Natsu many times... Many times. He had caught Gray cheating on him, and Gray would lie at times. But Natsu didn't care, even though Erza would get mad at him, as long as Gray was happy.

"Natsu! Please! Let me..."

"Let me what? Explain? What're you going to say this time? Another lie of yours? Tch!"

"Just let me explain, okay?"

"Hmph! No more Gray! I had enough of this!"

Natsu couldn't take it anymore. He can't take it anymore, it was too much. He was broken beyond repair at this point. He wanted to give up, but that little flame inside him keeps on insisting... Insisting that he should live... Live in this hell... The hell that any relationship couldn't last... Gray tried to explain things but Natsu wouldn't allow him.

"Why won't you explain let me explain all of this?"

"I told you, I've had enough Gray! I won't let you explain no more!"

"Just... let... me... explain... Natsu!"

"Fine! If you want to keep this relationship, give me one valid reason to believe you!"

"It's because I'm testing you..."

Natsu laughed sarcastically. It was always Gray's reason to believe him...

"You're testing me because you love me? Oh, the reason of the great Ice Mage... So..." Natsu stopped.

The guild watched silently as they waited for their next move. Erza, on the other side had been watching them silently. "Oh, Natsu... When will you stop giving yourself headaches? I'm already pissed off."

"Erza... Stop making yourself worry! You're just stressing yourself." The master said softly so the two of them could only hear. "They're just like that... Don't worry."

"Why would I stop worrying Master? Natsu's going to explode!" She hissed. "What's wrong with you, Master?"

"Nothing's wrong with me. It's you. Worrying too much."

"So what, Natsu?" Gray said softly as he walked closer to the dragon slayer. "What?"

"Me?" Natsu replied softly, melting at Gray's words completely forgetting that he was still furious at him. When he got his composture back, he yelled at him. "What do you mean 'what'?"

Before Natsu could continue talking, Gray held his hands and dragged him outside the guild. "What are you- It's raining outside! And stop holding me, Okay?"

[Outside the guild]

"I don't want the guild further hear anymore of our arguments... We need closure Natsu."

"Hmph. Good thing you know what to do." Natsu barked sternly. "You know..."

Natsu stopped, the two of them standing in the middle of the rain. One could hear the soft raindrops fall on their heads, the pitter-patter of the rain drops disappearing into the sea of dark blue and pink hairs. "What, Natsu?" Upon reaching his hand out, Natsu slapped his hand away without looking back. "Perhaps, the way... I look at you... like a fool, is for fear... that you may turn... your face away and... and... and you and I may drift further apart..."

Natsu broke into tears.

"Maybe that's why I was too swooned over you... I'm afraid... afraid of losing you... But you're the one who's getting away from me... Although you and I are in a relationship, you're acting like... you don't like me... The first time you cheated to me... I ignored the pain that was inside me... The remaining hint of flame inside me is the one that keeps me on loving you... Even though you can't see my efforts... may it be a big or small one... "

Natsu couldn't think anymore. He was taken away by his emotions... "It is scary to figure out how to let you go... I just can't... You've been my friend... my comrade... Please don't let me do it... First, it was Igneel... Then, Lisanna... Now, it's you? Please don't go... I don't want to lose you like that... I love you... I love you, more than just a friend Gray... I know it's hard to accept me... But please... As your boyfriend... Just this time around... I don't know what to do if... If... If..."

A loud thud was heard. Gray's heart skipped a beat as he saw Natsu faint before him, his face heart-broken as his before tanned body was now pale, limp, inanimate... Everything you can describe on a person who had given up on his lovelife.

"Natsu... I'm sorry... I promise you, I won't do it again... I won't hurt you anymore..."

Gray picked up Natsu and carried him bridal style. Gray swore to himself as he carried him home that he wouldn't cheat to Natsu anymore... No more...

Two weeks later...

"Natsu! Natsu! Where are you?" Gray sighed as he was looking all over the forest, but still no sign of the pink-haired boy. Everyone else were searching as well, including Lucy, Erza, Levy and even Gajeel and Laxus. They seemed to be in a big fuzz since their beloved dragon slayer was missing. The only ones who were not bothered were Mirajane and Master Makarov. Their search had gone on almost for two weeks, without anyone knowing where he was. It had all started with Happy barging out of their home and screaming Natsu had been missing the day after their argument that night, not even a single clue of his whereabouts. And it had gotten everyone into a big hassle.

"Master! How can you be so calm in a situation like this?" Erza yelled at the old man, who simply followed them in their trail in the forests, looking up at Erza's cold glare.

"Now Erza... I know Natsu's not in danger. He's going to be just fine." Mirajane smiled.

"Fine? How can you even say that he's fine?" Erza said then turned around sharply and resumed her search with the others.

In the meantime, the mentioned boy was sitting beside a lake in the middle of the forest, fishing. He was smiling happily, as if he had no worries. "I'm sorry Gray. I finally realized that you can't return my feelings, even though I tried hard to convince you return them. I just needed a cool off. I know that's wrong to do it this way, but I know that this is the only way to put an end in our relationship... A relationship that you do not have the heart to have to..."

Natsu looked up at the clear blue sky, with contentment in his face.

"The dying flame that was once inside me is finally alive again. The flame once weak is now revived. I still love you, but not that love you have received before. I now love you, as a friend. As a friend Gray. You'll never see the 'Natsu' that once loved you. I must..."

Natsu's ear twitched as he heard ruffling of grass and heavy footsteps come in his direction. As he looked around, his eyes widened. It was the person he once loved, Gray.

"What are you doing here, Gray?" Natsu said calmly.

"Natsu! I finally found you!" Gray said as he hugged Natsu tightly. Natsu tried to push him away, but Gray held him more tight.

"I know why you left the guild all of a sudden. And that look on your face, I know it. You... don't love me anymore, right?"

Natsu looked away at Gray's sudden thought. Those words melted him again, but he doesn't love Gray anymore. "Why am I feeling this again? I don't love Gray anymore!"

"I promised myself that night that I wouldn't cheat on you anymore. But the next day, when Happy told the guild that you were missing, I felt... regret... sadness... loneliness... anger... That I haven't loved you back..."

Natsu even melted more at the words 'That I haven't loved you back...'. "Gray... Why are you saying that?" Natsu thought to himself.

"Gray... I promised to myself that I won't love you no more... But... why is this feeling coming back?" Natsu said, his voice cracking on 'I won't love you no more'. "Gray, I'm tired of-"

Gray pressed a finger on Natsu's lips to shut him up.

"Don't... say... that... I don't want... to lose you... Natsu..." Gray bit his lower lip to control himself, he was on the verge of crying in front of his lover, but he hid it. "Please... give... me... another chance..."

Both of them broke into tears. Natsu was crying hysterically, he was overtaken by his emotions again. Gray cried silently as he watched Natsu cry. He's hurt to see Natsu like that, it's like Gray's heart was stabbed deeply to see his dear salamander suffer like that... He wanted Natsu to suffer no more... Acting by instinct, he wrapped his arms around the crying dragon slayer, to give back love to Natsu once given to him. Stroking his pinked rose hair softly and lovingly, Gray hugged him in a spooning position.

"Enough Natsu... I don't want to see you suffer no more... Okay?" He whispered. "You haven't heard me say this right?... I missed you so much... and... I love you..."

Natsu whimpered at this moment, hugging Gray more tighter than before. "I miss you too Gray..." He whispered back.

"I love you too... I'm finally happy... To hear you say it back to me..."

"I'm sorry Natsu... If I just realized it now... I'm-"

Natsu pressed a finger on the ice mage's lips, he shook his head then smiled while wiping tears away from his face. "No need to say sorry, Gray."

The dragon slayer smiled then he gave Gray the most cutest and innocent look on his face. "Gray?"

"What is it?" Gray pinched his nose lovingly, leaving a blushed expression on Natsu's face.

"Close your eyes."

"Why?"

"Just close your eyes Gray."

He hesitantly followed Natsu. As he closed his eyes, he felt Natsu's warm, soft hands cup his cheeks. The next second he knew, he felt something warm press against his lips. It was so warm, he melted. Natsu was kissing him, but before he could have a chance to kiss back, Natsu pulled away. He opened his eyes slowly, seeing Natsu smiling like a giddy schoolgirl. Gray chuckled at the sight, cooing and stroking the pink haired mage again. "You're so cute, Natsu."

"I'm glad..." Natsu said as he rested his head on the ice mage's shoulder.

"I promise you Natsu. I'll cherish you... Forever..."

"Thank you, Gray- Woah!" Natsu spluttered as he felt strong arms slide under him and pick him up bridal style.

"What are you-" He was cut off by Gray's lips capturing his own. He wrapped his arms around the ice mage's neck as he kissed back.

As Gray pulled away, he saw Natsu's eyes half lidded, moaning a whine of disappointment. Gray laughed at the dragon slayer, who frowned more. "What are you laughing at, Gray?"

"Nothing. You look even cuter when you're mad. C'mon, I'll carry you back to the guild."

He felt a sharp tug at his coat. Natsu looked at him worriedly. "But the guild is a bit too far from here. Are you sure?"

"Yeah. I can take your weight. Don't worry."

The dragon slayer replied, smiling. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Gray smiled back before he walked off with Natsu back to the guild.

Natsu fell asleep in Gray's arms as the afterglow of the sunset shine over them. He was happy once again to be in Gray's arms, to be loved by the person once denied to love him back. When they arrive back the guild, the others would be hysterical in both joy and worry as he would return. But right now, they didn't care. As long they're happy in each other's arms.

END

A/N: Woohoo! My fingers hurt! I wrote this story with an idea I had in mind. Thanks for the time reading! R&R PLEASE! =)

NxE427-FT