Gray shut the door to his room with a sigh and dumped his backpack at the foot of his bed before flopping down on it heavily himself. He draped an arm over his eyes as the other ran through his hair, pushing his fringe back for a moment before a cough caught his attention. He peeked over at his computer and sweatdropped in embarrassment. He'd left his Caller on again.
"Hey..." Then it registered who was actually calling him. "Lyon? How come you're calling me?"
"Just felt like chatting you up, hot stuff".
"Please don't..." Gray sighed. He and Lyon had dated a year ago last summer. But that's all it had been for. Just the summer. Then Lyon had left him on his doorstep the final night, waiting for a kiss that never came. The two had kept in touch vaguely, staying distant friends. But every time they spoke, Gray found himself still waiting for that kiss. "What do you really want? You never call like this".
"Alright, tell me what's got you in such a downy mood and I might just tell you what I want your undivided attention for". Gray didn't reply, just closed his eyes again, shaking a little. Lyon grew concerned and sighed, getting up from his chair. "Right, I'm coming round. See you in ten".
Gray then scrambled off his bed to get up, calling out a sharp 'wait!' but Lyon had already ended the video call and left. Gray sighed again. Great, that's just what he didn't need. Lyon being near him in person - in the flesh and bone - would be even more of a distraction than just walking past him in the school corridor was. Gray could just see how this would turn out. It might just ruin him for good.
Lyon knocked on the door to Gray's house, having dropped him off several times over the previous summer, and waited as he heard muffled footsteps from the other side of the door. The tall, thin window at the side would've given him a good clue as to who was there but a large fern plant sat blocking the view. The door soon opened to reveal Gray's mother, Mika Fullbuster. She looked at Lyon, slightly surprised to see him, but smiled anyway.
"Well hello Lyon, I haven't seen you in awhile. Thinking about it, I haven't seen you around since the end of the summer last year. How have you been?"
"I've been well Mrs Fullbuster, but I was just passing by and wondered if Gray was home?" the silvery white haired teen spoke with the usual charm in his voice.
"Oh yes, he should be in his room if I'm not mistaken". She sighed and muttered under her breath but Lyon heard it as he walked past. "He hasn't been the same for the past year..."
Gray heard his bedroom door open and shut again and only turned onto his side away from whoever had just sat on his bed. Except he knew who it was. Lyon. The older teen trapped Gray on his bed by putting an arm over him and putting his hand on the covers just near his stomach. Gray desperately wanted him to leave but since someone (most likely his mother) had let him in he had no choice but to endure the visit.
"Gray, talk to me". Lyon's voice was firm but gentle at the same time. When Gray didn't respond, he brushed the back of his fingers down the younger boy's cheek softly. That got a reaction out of him.
"Don't act like you care about me all of a sudden! Why? Why can't you be like any other ex-lover and be cold and hateful toward me? Why do you even have to be here right now?!" Gray jolted upright and slapped Lyon's hand away weakly. "Just go back home..."
"Not until you tell me what's going on. You're not usually this down, and when you are it's because you did something stupid and you're about to end up in trouble. So just tell me what's on your mind because you know I won't leave until you do".
Gray looked away from him but he could still see him from the corner of his eye if he shifted his gaze just a touch. He just had to be wearing one of the shirts I loved so damn much when we were together, didn't he? Gray thought sorrowfully. He could also see that Lyon was wearing ripped denim jeans and he still wore the simple chain that Gray had gotten him as a gift one time. It'd been a secret Valentine's gift and although Gray Fullbuster wasn't one for all the mushy type of stuff, he did make an effort when it came to a crush or loved one. He hadn't told Lyon the necklace was from him, never ever.
"It's nothing...just...you".
"Me? What about me?"
Lyon's gaze on him was determined but when he forced Gray to look at him, the raven could easily see through the shield and saw the gentle concern Lyon had for him. That made him crack and Lyon knew it since mere seconds before Gray ripped open his tear ducts, the silvery white haired boy had him wrapped up in a tight embrace on his lap.
Gray buried his face in the crook of Lyon's neck, cheek resting on his shoulder while his fingers gripped on tightly to his shirt. His eyes were shut tight while his body shook. It was so painful. More painful than the summer last year. More painful than the first fight. More painful than the last kiss that never came. Lyon let him hold onto him, just rubbed his back slowly and soothingly.
When Gray had soon calmed down enough to talk, he reluctantly pulled himself away from Lyon but the elder refused to let him escape from his hold. Gray rested his head against the older boy's chest, listening to his heartbeat thudding inside. The raven shuddered in a breath and shut his eyes. "You've been on my mind this past year...ever since you left". He swallowed a small sob. "Why did you leave me with no warning?"
"It was only meant to be for the summer break. I wasn't supposed to actually fall for you, just let you believe I did. It was all part of Sting and Natsu's dare".
"Those two...dared you to...date me? Why?"
"Because Natsu found out about you were gay and then when he told Sting...they decided it would be a good joke for me to ask you out. Natsu knew you liked me..."
"Why would you go along with something like that?! I thought I knew you but now I don't" he spat angrily. "If you knew I liked you...and you still went along with it all... You have no idea how much you hurt me! For a whole year I have tried to avoid you the best I can, and every time I see you it just makes me want you again and again. It never ends! Even in my sleep you're part of my dreams, my fantasies...and it hurts to even get up the next morning knowing I'll see you at some point because fate bloody says so just to bury me alive even more".
"Gray, listen to me. I didn't-"
"Don't you dare! Don't you even dare try blaming me or them! You only have yourself to blame for stringing me along like you did!" Tears were falling down his face again. "That necklace you've been wearing round your neck for the past two years or so? I got it for you! Because stupid little old me just happened to fall for you and love you so goddamn much!"
Lyon quickly caught his wrist when he went to punch him and slammed their bodies together, holding onto Gray tightly. Gray tried to struggle but soon gave up and let Lyon's scent send him into a comforting daze. Lyon took that as his cue to talk. "I did love you, stupid. I wasn't meant to but I did. But if ending us at the end of the summer break was going to keep you safe from Eucliffe and Dragneel then it had to be done. Believe me, I never wanted to hurt you. In truth, you're probably the best thing that's ever happened to me".
"But why? Why would some rich heir to his parent's company love me of all people? I'm nothing but the school queer... I'm nothing at all".
Lyon pushed Gray's head to his shoulder like earlier and stroked his fingers through ebony spikes. "You are something. I don't care who you are, just so long as you're always mine from now on, no matter what anybody says. My dad can cuss and fight and even kick me out if he wants but there's no way I'm leaving you. Not again". Lyon turned his head so he could kiss Gray's. Pressing his lips against soft black locks and inhaling the scent of pine needles and freshly fallen snow. "I'm so sorry...I love you Gray Fullbuster...more than anything the rest of my life has to offer".
Gray felt himself begin to cry again, but of happiness this time around. He gripped tightly onto Lyon, shaking in his arms. "I l-love you t-too" he whispered shakily.
Gray walked downstairs an hour or two later and poked his upper body round the doorframe into the kitchen where his mother was. Mika looked round from cutting vegetables and smiled sweetly at her son. "Hello Gray, feeling better?"
"Yeah, uh...i-is it alright if Lyon spends the night here?"
Mika chuckled knowingly to herself. "That's fine, just make sure you boys get some proper sleep. Me and your father are going out for a bit tonight, okay?"
"That's cool, have a good time. Oh, and thanks!" Gray quickly hopped back upstairs and Mika chuckled to herself again, going back to her chopping. At least her son seemed a lot happier than he had been as of late. And if Lyon was the one to make him happier than she'd ever seen him before then, well, who was she to stop that?