Rated "T" for language, violence, and Yaoi (boyxboy) love. If you dislike one or more of these then please do not read. The rest, please enjoy.
- Come Alive -
"Hey Natsu?" Gray said as he stood in the doorway of Fairy Tail's room.
"Yeah?"
"Who do you think is gonna win the tournament?" Gray said with a serious face as he sat next to Natsu on the couch.
"You seriously asking me that? Isn't it obvious?"
Gray looked at Natsu, his expression remaining serious, but he could feel a smirk rising.
"It is." Gray said; his eyes stuck to Natsu's confusion flushed face. He smiled.
"Then why-"
"Just wanted to see that face." Gray said with a chuckle. Natsu groaned in annoyance, but he joined in with Gray's chuckling as the raven put his arm up around Natsu on the back of the couch.
"Those big talkin' guilds can stop being cocky when Fairy Tail is back on top." Gray said with a sigh.
"Heh damn straight. We'll show them all the strength of Fairy Tail." Natsu smiled as he looked at Gray. Gray met those sharp eyes and felt his smile drop.
"Of course. Let's just hope this tournament thing doesn't take too long." Gray said in a low tone. Natsu leaned closer to Gray and took his hand. Gray's dark eyes lit up as his smile reappeared on his face. His face softened as Natsu's lips met his. Gray pulled away and cupped the side of Natsu's face.
"I can't wait to win this thing and go home." Gray said; his thumb caressing Natsu's cheek. Natsu gripped tightly onto that cold hand.
For some reason he couldn't get himself to smile back as he held onto that hand. Feeling the heat rise, his heart raced; beating against his chest. Before he could figure out why, he threw his arms around Gray and pulled him close; hoping to mask his building anxiety.
"Natsu? Are you okay?" Gray said wrapping his arms around the pinkette who shook in his arms. Natsu nodded; his fingers digging into Gray's shirt.
"It's just...I can't wait either- to go home with you." Natsu couldn't help the trembling in his voice. He felt something odd and he didn't know what it was and that scared him even more because the one thing he did know was that- when the heat began to rise, it wasn't from fear...it was from pure agony. That feeling, alone, scared him more than anything. He felt it. Something was coming.
Flashes of blinding white streams shot through the air, but he didn't close his eyes. He didn't even blink. It happened so fast.
"G-Gray..."
If only he had gotten down there sooner. If only he had been there with him in the first place. If only Gray hadn't saved Juvia.
"Gray!" Natsu shook his head roughly, trying to believe something like this couldn't happen- didn't happen.
"No...no this...h-he..." He looked up at a petrified Juvia and a sobbing Lyon, but neither of them would take their eyes away from Gray.
More shots fired off behind the group and Lyon forced every ounce of energy he had to push himself back onto his feet.
"I-ICE MAKE: SHIELD!" He yelled as ice appeared to cover them from fire. He bit his lip trying to keep his ice from breaking, but he couldn't help letting the tears continue to fall. Juvia stared at Gray. She had been thinking he was about to confess something and she lost focus on the battle at hand. Her hands clenched tight as she cursed herself.
"Gray?" Natsu held the pale ice mage in his arms; the crimson color staining his clothes and skin. He gently shook Gray, trying to wake him, but he already knew. With that final shot that went off...he knew Gray was gone.
Hands covered in blood, masking the cold feel of Gray's skin. Natsu could only smell the blood, his blood. He couldn't hear a thing. He couldn't see anything but white as he roared; body drenched in the hottest of flames. Flames of emotion: pure agony.
Natsu's eyes lost all focus, the white part of his eyes going red as his pupils vanished; swallowed up by rage. He roared, louder and louder; his roars gradually changing into cries. Tears streaming down his face, he lowered Gray back onto the ground as he walked over to Lyon. Lyon met Natsu's eyes and froze. No sign of the Natsu they all knew was there. That Natsu had left with Gray.
Natsu threw his enflamed fist into Lyon's shield, instantly shattering it into pieces. He faced the dragon-like creatures as they continued to fire shots his way. Natsu walked towards them, his walk turning into a jog, then into a sprint, and then into a full infuriated run. With a deep snarl, he threw his arm back, swinging it across the row of enemies, destroying each of them in a flash of red and smoke. Nothing remained.
Ashes fell from the sky, encircling the raging dragon slayer. He fell to his knees only to stand again to attack a new set of enemies that appeared before him. He wanted nothing more than to destroy each and every one of them.
Lyon pulled Juvia behind another ice shield he made in front of Gray to protect them all from Natsu's livid attacks. Lyon felt himself cringe as Natsu's voice cracked; his pained cries continuing to echo throughout the battlefield.
Natsu's world spun and crashed into a million pieces. He had no control over his body as his emotions fueled his power. No matter how great the rage was that he felt, no matter how hot he got...his tears never stopped and each drop felt as hot as the sun. Natsu clenched his fists tight until his knuckles cracked; his flames growing stronger, spreading further outward.
"L-let the whole world burn..."
Cold, a flash of white, and then snow.
"It's snowing? Wait...what the hell? Where am I?"
"A better question would be...what the hell are you doing out there, fire freak?"
Natsu turned around and saw Gray standing just a few feet from him. His mouth hung open as he continued to stare. Gray smiled a small smile that tugged at Natsu's heart.
"Natsu, you need to calm down. You're going crazy." Gray said pointing off into the whiteness that surrounded the two. The whiteness distorted until it showed a fury filled Natsu burning everything around him. Natsu watched the scene play out like it was a dream. Like all of it was a dream.
"I-I...you-"
Gray placed both hands on Natsu's shoulders and gripped them tight. He hung his head, but couldn't catch a tear before it escaped. He raised his head and looked into Natsu's eyes.
"Y-you can't do this, Natsu...not now. We are in the middle of a war!" Gray said, tightening his grip on Natsu's shoulders.
"But you're-"
"It doesn't matter!"
Natsu smacked Gray's hands off and stared dead straight into his dark eyes.
"How can you say that? Huh, Gray!? What if it was Lucy or Erza or hell what if it was Loke? What if I had died? Would that fucking matter!?"
Gray didn't answer as he took a step back. He sighed.
"Natsu, none of you are though. You guys can still fight and the way you're acting out there right now...our friends may mistake you as the enemy!"
"Why did you have to do that?" Natsu said looking at the ground.
"Do what? Save Juvia?"
"Yeah that! She's made of water, dammit! I thought attacks like that didn't hurt her!" Natsu couldn't control the anger in his voice, but he didn't care. He was mad at the enemies, Gray...everything!
"I didn't think about that. I saw it coming and I reacted. That's it. Don't you dare start blaming Juvia." Natsu sent him the most disgusted look he could make.
"I don't blame Juvia. I just don't see...how this could happen. I-it's not, right?" Natsu turned away from Gray.
"No...no it's not. It's a dream."
"Natsu." Gray said, pulling Natsu back to face him. The pinkette wouldn't meet his eyes.
"I'm sorry."
Natsu's eyes widened as he slowly raised his head to meet teary dark eyes. His eyes widened even more when two cold arms wrapped around his stiff body. Natsu couldn't move...he couldn't even blink. The only thing he tried to focus on was Gray's breathing...only he wasn't. Natsu pulled away; his body shaking.
"You're not breathing..." Natsu said, placing his hand on Gray's chest.
"It's hard to breathe when you know you're not alive."
Natsu's hand fell from Gray's chest as he collapsed to his knees, tears rushing to the edge of his eyes. Gray looked down at his best friend as he crumbled away. He joined him on the ground and cupped both sides of Natsu's heated face. Gray smiled as he brought their foreheads together. Natsu shook his head. He couldn't take it.
"P-please Gray...tell me this isn't real. I-I don't know what to do."
"If only you could make a deadman come to life." Gray said that as quietly as he could to hide the desperation in his quivering voice. It didn't matter how quietly Gray tried to speak, Natsu heard it like it was perfectly clear. He looked at Gray as tears fell from both of the fairies' eyes.
Natsu couldn't imagine life without Gray Fullbuster. He couldn't imagine Fairy Tail without Gray Fullbuster. He couldn't and wouldn't even try to imagine his own existence without his Gray.
"You need to go." Gray whispered; standing and pulling Natsu with him.
"I can't-"
"Natsu, our friends are out there right now. They are still fighting dragons! You're a dragon slayer, the best damn dragon slayer there is! They can't do it without you-"
"I can't do it without you!" Natsu yelled back, grabbing Gray's hand, yanking on him to come closer.
"I'm sorry, Natsu. I..." Gray pulled on his hand, but Natsu's wouldn't let go.
"You what?" Natsu said, trying to hide the challenge in his voice.
"I wanted to go home with you, but-"
"But nothing! Come with me now!"
"Just stop already! You can tell I'm not breathing, idiot! I'm dead!" Gray said ripping his hand out of Natsu's.
Minutes of silence dragged by without the two saying a word. Natsu took a step forward and placed his hand under Gray's chin, tilting it up so he'd look in his eyes.
"Gray, tell me. What would you do?" Gray grit his teeth, but refused to look away from those stern eyes.
"Idiot. Don't ask me that. You know what I'd do."
"Then it's the same."
"No, Natsu it isn't! I'm not saying this to bash myself, but you have more worth here! You're a dragon slayer and out there with our friends...you're fighting dragons! You can't die here! I wouldn't let you."
"Why?"
"Natsu, please-"
"Give me a reason."
"Dammit, Natsu you need to live for me!"
Natsu was taken aback by Gray's words. Gray wiped away another stream of tears, taking step towards the pinkette.
"Won't you keep me breathing?" Gray whispered as he took another step closer to Natsu; their noses inches apart. Natsu clenched his jaw tight before smashing his lips to Gray's in a rough, desperation-filled, kiss. Natsu gripped the sides of Gray's face; his hands diving into Gray's hair as Gray's fingers clawed at Natsu's back.
Gray pulled back, panting; both of their eyes puffy and red.
"I may not be able to go back with you and this may not be a dream, but I will still be with you. Back in that world...in those dreams. Day or night; every dream. I will be there. Those dreams, inside you, is where I'll live."
Natsu wanted to scream, "that's not good enough," but he knew there wasn't a thing he could do. He knew he didn't want to spend another day in this life of his without Gray, but even so he would take another breath and he'd live another day...for Gray.
He looked back at that distortion in the whiteness. He looked at his face, it didn't even look like himself. His eyes were red, flooding with tears, and his flames were completely out of control. He knew he had to be scaring his friends and he knew he had to go back. Natsu looked back at Gray and brought his forehead to Gray's once more. Breathing him in, he whispered.
"I love you, Gray Fullbuster. You are the only one that knows who I really am and you're also the only one that brings out that demon." Natsu said glancing over at his raging self. Gray chuckled, the tone sounding sad.
"Idiot. You go overboard sometimes you know that?" He sighed.
"But I love you...Natsu. Now..." Gray pushed Natsu away and pointed to the outside world.
"Go back! Fight for our friends and..."
Gray's entire being began to shine bright white as the snow swirled around him. Natsu felt more tears fall as he watched Gray vanish into the white.
The flames died down almost instantly as Natsu returned to his senses. Panting, he fell to his knees, looking down at his hands. They stung; his own flames burning too hot even for him. He took a shaky breath and looked back at Lyon and Juvia. Lyon took down his shield, revealing Gray's body lying behind it. It wasn't a dream. None of it was. He knew Gray was dead and he did just see Gray and he'll see him again...tonight.
Natsu forced the tears to stay in place as he felt a cool breeze brush against his face. The only thing he could hear was Gray's voice as it rang in his head and wrapped itself around his heart in a cold embrace.
"Go back! Fight for our friends and...tonight wait for the moment when I come alive."
(A/N) sigh...I make myself cry quite often when I write and yes I know I've already written a one-shot about this scene, but the last one wasn't as detailed, didn't have as much dialogue, and it wasn't NatsuXGray so...yeah I made this and I love this. I can see why Natsu wasn't around when this actually happened in the manga...other than being busy of course, but if he was and he actually saw Gray die...oooh I'd like to think this would happen...the "Natsu going crazy" part at least. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this little thing and please review :)