"Natsu!"
"tha-dump" Just hearing his name called by Gray made his eyes pop, cheeks in red, and his heart race tremendously.
"tha-dump" Goes Natsu's heart. 'Uwah, he's coming here!' he thought. "Yo! Whatd'ya need? huh?" He answered in a bossy tone
Gray left out a sigh before talking. He couldn't open his mouth for a minute and the atmosphere was filled with awkward silence.
"Lucy... asked me out..." Gray finally spoke.
"Haa? What?" Natsu heared. but he didn't want to understand the situation.
"We're going out, me and lucy." Gray looked away as he try to explain.
Natsu looked listless, as if he was frozen by Gray's words. It hurted him.
"C-Congratulations! I'll let you finish your story later. Right now i… Uh… gotta go meet someone!" he said. Just when he was about to look away to escape the harsh reality that is now standing in front of him, he laughed pitifully.
"Hahaha... ha.. ha..." He managed to turn his back, but he didn't manage to stop the tears from falling unconsciously. With that, his walk became a run. He ran as fast as he could, he ran away from the person he wants to get close to. From the feelings he wanted to reveal, and from his self.
Gray just stood there. He watched Natsu's back intently as he went further and further away from him with his fists clenched in a tight grip
"Haa... Haaa..." Natsu finally stopped. He was breathing heavily as he lifts his head to try and grasp some air, he started to bawl. His tears came out with small muffled cries. With his both arms he covered his face but the water from his eyes won't stop. He slowly sat with his knees as if it he was drained with all his strength.
After several minutes he took a sit beneath the school tree. The shade provided by the tree was calming him and he was tired. He couldn't stop thinking about Gray, about that moment. With that in mind he fell asleep. His eyes can't hide the pain he's feeling even while he's in a slumber
'Warm... I feel something warm in my cheeks... Am i dreaming?' Natsu was definitely dreaming
'... I can smell Gray... Ahh then i really must be dreaming. There's no way Gray would be here beside me… So it's a dream… Gray... Hey Gray... wait... Gray...' in his dream he starts to cry again.
'Gray... Gray…' He repeatedly called the black haired boy over and over again. But the image of him is slowly disappearing
'Gray… i love you...' and the silhouette of Gray disappeared.
Gray was looking down when he went to look for Lucy.
"Gray, are you okay?" said the lady
"yeah, I'm good. I'm just a bit hungry."
"Neh, what happened with your hands? It's all covered up with bandage!" she carelessly took the boy's hands
"I... The nurse said i gripped too tightly, and ended up with a wound. It's nothing. Don't worry." He assured.
Lucy saw Gray's expressions, he was at a lost. As if searching for something. She would catch him staring at space from time to time.
"Oh that reminds me..." She said in a worried tone.
"Hm? What is it?" Gray asked curiously
"I haven't seen Natsu, and it's almost lunch!"
Gray was bothered, 'She's right. Where might he run off to? Maybe he's angry because i knew he liked Lucy yet we're now going out.' he thought. "I'll go look for him. Can you go eat by yourself?
"Yeah, it's okay. Mira jane and i will eat together" Lucy sighed.
Gray ran to search for Natsu in the cafeteria, in the classrooms, in the rooftop. But he couldn't find him. He looked everywhere. Even in the bathroom. Until he went outside. Natsu was there sleeping.
Gray sighed, 'There he is' Gray took a step towards natsu but stopped halfway. He clenched touched his chest as if he could stop his heart from beating wildly. "Haa~" he exhaled to calm his nerves. Then he took another step.
"Tha-thump" his heart skips a beat each step.
"Tha-thump" The beat was getting louder with the thought of him approaching Natsu.
"that-thump… tha-thump… tha-thump… tha-thump" It's as if it's about to burst from his ribcage.
Now he's not less than a meter from natsu. He stood there and stares with a lost look, teary eye, and a flushed cheeks. The wind blew and the leaves that are barely holding on fell together with his tears.
He didn't know if it was because of the wind. Or because he's so close to Natsu, yet he can't reach out to him. His mind wandered as he watch the leaves reach the ground.
"I want to kiss you. Touch you. Hug you. And hold you." He look He sat in front of him 'Oh he must've cried.' he said, "You like Lucy that much, huh" he muttered softly as he caressed Natsu's face with a pained expression.
"nhh... ey..." Natsu whimpered. Shocked, Gray immediately withdrew his hands from Natsu's face.
"Natsu... I... love you" he whispered as he leaned to give the pink-haired boy a slight kiss.
"DING~DONG... DING~DONG~" The school bell rang. It was a sign that classes are now starting for the afternoon. Students are sited
The teacher is now calling out student's name, it's a roll call.
"…Gray Fullbuster" Gray raises his hand...
Gray was in a trance. Nothing mattered anymore.
"…Natsu Dragneel"
But there it was Natsu's sit. Empty. Gray left him sleeping under the tree. He thought Natsu's still sleeping. But when he glanced at the tree through his window, Natsu was gone.
Natsu went home. He walked rather slow, thinking about things and how they are. Every time he thought about the situation he would stop, he would gather all his strength to stop the tears from flowing. And he'll continue walking again.
The orange sky was beautiful, but Natsu stayed inside his room curled like a ball under his futon. He stopped crying. But the stinging feeling still lingers.
-end