{Author's Note: Be for warned, this chapter contains hints of some Guy x Guy pairing. Oh yeah, I went there. Don't worry I bought property. Hehehehe Nothing hardcore just implied. Rating for this chapter I would probably give it a T just to be safe cause um yeah I have no real clue how to rate. Again as always PLEASE be sure to view "Lucy" by xOxLxIxVxEx as that is the work that inspired this story. A huge massive ginormous THANK YOU to xOxLxIxVxEx for giving me permission to post this. :) Don't forget to Review after you read thank you thank you thank you and hope you enjoy! End Note}

Disclaimer: I Do Not Own Fairy Tail, if I did the Fairies would be ruling the world and whipping people with their totally awesome tails!

Chapter 4

It's Not What You Think

Natsu was out of the hospital in a week. He, and Loke were inseparable. A few days later the pair moved into the little cottage surrounded by roses. Natsu ordered the ring he had wanted to give Lucy.

As much as everyone worried about their sanity when the pair first appeared in the guild together, they did not appear as unbalanced as they had been that first day in the hospital. They were still somber, and reclusive. Now they were together, brooding in the dark corner of the guild hall. They were still just as unapproachable as they had been before. They didn't talk to each other, at least not from what anyone else could tell. They simply sat there, and drank.

Disturbingly, Natsu had taken up drawing Lucy as well. Mira worried more than most, because unlike most of the members, she had seen just how truly insane they both were that day. Anyone that actually paid attention, was concerned with the subtle fact that it seemed at no point in time were Natsu, and Loke not touching. Sometimes it was as subtle as their feet, other times it was as blatant as an arm around the waist, or shoulders. Most of the time they held hands, left hand to left hand, as they sat quietly drawing, drinking, unspeaking.

Gray explained, to anyone that asked him; that they were both insane from loosing Lucy. Natsu, and Loke had finally realized that they, two, were the only ones that could truly understand each others pain. They could get along because together they were not alone any more.

They did remain in Magnolia, as ordered by Erza, because Lucy would expect them to. After a week, they began showing up at the guild later, and later in the day. Everyone noticed that they left earlier each day as well. It didn't really surprise anyone when they quit coming in at all. But it worried Mira, Gray, Erza, and Master Makarov. Happy was always being sent to spy on the strange pair.

All that they did, it seemed, was tended the roses, or clean the house, or sit quietly together, and draw. No matter what it was, however, they were always together. Always touching in even the smallest way.

Just as the fears of their closest friends began to settle, Happy told them something that none of them were sure what to think about it.

"I-I can't believe it!" Happy cried, as he landed on the guild master's desk, "WHY?! Why would Natsu, and Loke...Why would they kiss?!"

Mira choked on her muffin as Gray, and Erza performed synchronized spit takes. A round of coughing, and sputtering chorused for a few moments as the three tried to clear their lungs, and throats.

Makarov raised an eyebrow, "Oh? Are you certain that's what happened?" he asked the shocked blue cat. Happy nodded dumbly, eyes wide with worry.

"Aye! They were getting ready to go inside, and Loke let go of Natsu's hand. That's a first right there! They're ALWAYS touching. Always! Natsu turned around real fast. He looked like he was gonna cry. Next thing I know, BAM! Lip lock! Like- Like- Like he used to do with, with Lucy!" Happy was waving his paws wildly as he talked, as if acting out what he'd seen.

"Wait, wait, wait. You mean like, kiss as in like, just a quick peck on the lips, right? He was always kissing Lucy like that around the guild. It was probably an accident, or something," Gray said relaxing out of his shock.

"Aye! No!" Happy shouted. The blue cat looked around, and grabbed a fish off the plate that was waiting for him. Using his favorite food as a model, Happy continued, "Hands in the hair, can't hold you close enough, KISS! I mean like, open mouth, and TONGUE action, kiss! The kind that always leads to me sleeping in the living room, kinda kiss! Like you, and Juvia!"

Happy then attempted to perform a visual reenactment with the deceased fish. Normally, Gray would have blushed a bright red, but instead, Gray went green. He swallowed hard, as his large round eyes stared, unblinking into the air before him. He'd often shared a tent with both of them. This was something he'd never suspected, well at least not of Natsu. He'd sometimes had his doubts about Loke.

It wasn't so much that they were two dudes, it was more that he'd never known that they liked other guys like that, and given his closeness to both as friends, as Nakama, and his proclivity for removing his clothes, if this news got out in the guild, it was possible that Gray may never live it down. He was ready to throw up. He could feel his stomach churning as his ears already began to ring with the jeers, and taunts of the other guild members about just how "close" their team was.

"Gray, you spew in here, and when your done cleaning it up, I may well punish you with that, for making my office stink," Makarov stated calmly, as he watched Gray closely.

It had the desired effect, Gray turned sheet white. It didn't last though. After a few seconds, Gray bolted for the door. If possible, he was even more green than before. Not enough time passed before the sounds of vomiting, lofted back through the open doorway, followed quickly by a scream and several groans of disgust.

Gray hadn't reached the bathroom. He had only made it as far as the balcony. Cana was screaming up at him in some of the most colorful language any of them had ever heard. Levy was too shocked, horrified and disgusted to do anything but stand there shaking violently. Her face a kaleidoscope of emotions.

"A real man never throws up on a woman! A real man does not throw up because throwing up is not manly! If a real man ever does throw up, he uses a bathroom, or a trashcan! A real man cleans up after himself! A real man does not use a woman as a maid, unless that woman is a maid, but only if she is his maid. Even then a real man cleans up after himself, because a real man does not make more work for a woman! This is the most UNMANLY thing you have ever done, Gray Fullbuster! You are NOT a man, man!" Elfman screamed at Gray, looking for all the world like he might kill the ice mage on the spot.

As well he might have, if only he didn't feel the strong need to help Levy, who was still standing frozen. "Don't move, Levy-chan, I will fix this, because a real man fixes things like this. I-I-I will get a towel. We'll get you cleaned up. I promise. We'll get you in the shower, just don't, don't move, Levy-chan."

Levy finally settled on an emotion, she promptly burst into tears, too horrified, and disgust by suddenly wearing Gray's lunch to do anything else. Elfman hurried to find a towel for the filth-covered Levy.

"If, if, if you didn't... like the lunch... you could have just... said so!" Levy wailed, "You d-d-didn't have to be so... meeeeeeeeeaaaaannn!"

Levy cried, because she couldn't do anything else. She couldn't try to clean up the mess, because she was part of the mess, and so would only make it worse. She couldn't clean herself up, because that would spread the mess too. All she could do was stand there, helplessly.

Elfman brought a towel for Cana too, as she had been caught in the splash zone. After all, a real man takes care of all of the women he knows.

Gray helped to set the bar back to rights, after gushing apologies to Levy, and Cana, who was still shooting him deadly glares. Thankfully, the rest of team Shadow Gear wasn't around. Neither was Gajeel. Levy had been filling in for Mirajane both, in the kitchen, and at the bar. Elfman had been helping with the bar as well. Gray promised Levy it wasn't the food. He assured her that the meal had been so good that it was still delicious when it came back up. Levy wasn't sure how to take that. Elfman fumed non-stop as Gray tried to clean up the bar, while Elfman helped Levy get clean enough to not leave a trail if she tried to walk. Gray took Elfman's lecture all in silence. Normally, Elfman might have said that that was what a real man would do, but it would take a lot more than that, for him to call Gray manly anytime soon. If he ever did so again at all.

Back in Makarov's office, those that remained had waited for the noise to die down. Mira wanted to go help, but Makarov insisted that they would need her insight on these matters, and the other members could handle the rest. She had sighed, and nodded in understanding. Erza closed the door so that they could continue without being overheard.

"What happened after that, Happy?" Erza asked, returning to her seat with a heavy sigh.

"I fell down," Happy said simply.

"Fell down? What do you mean? I thought you were flying? Oh, you didn't fall off the roof again, did you?" Mira questioned.

"Aye! I was flying! I forgot to flap," Happy answered.

"Then what happened?" Erza nudged, trying to find out just how "close" Loke and Natsu had become.

"After I fell?" Happy asked, blinking his large round eyes.

"Yes," Erza said.

"Oh! Um..." Happy seemed to be lost in thought. Absently, he began to nom his fish. His audience waited in patient silence. "Hmm...well...," Happy finally continued, "Natsu was crying, and Loke just kept saying sorry, and Natsu kept saying don't leave me, and it was hard to understand 'cause they were both talking at the same time. Then I got bored. I think they should put in a fish pond! Maybe under that big tree, that way there's a shady spot for fishing! I hope they fill it with trout, or some-"

"Happy, was there anything else that Natsu, or Loke said, or did?" Erza asked, trying to get the blue feline back on topic.

"Um, Well, they went inside," Happy replied, "Grouper would also be good I think."

"Well, we can't really expect more than that to happen, they were outside after all," Mira said thoughtfully.

"Hmm...At least they seem stable. At least, as long as they are in contact with each other. The problem that comes in is this; Loke can not remain here for the rest of Natsu's life. Eventually he will have no choice, but to return to the spirit world, or disappear forever," Makarov said, after a long pause, and some deep thought.

"Master? Why do they always set three places at the table for meals?" Happy asked suddenly, "I haven't seen anyone else there at all. Do you think that maybe someone else is living there?"

Three sets of eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Why didn't you report something like that sooner?!" Erza snapped.

"I didn't think it was important. You told me to report anything strange, or important. It's not really strange, at least not to me," Happy replied, looking down at his half-eaten fish glumly, a little upset from being chastised.

"They do so for every meal you say?" Makarov questioned thoughtfully.

"Aye! Without fail, glass, plate, silverware, napkin, they even pour a drink, and serve food! I never see anyone else though. I wonder who it's for?" Happy returned, brightly.

"Master, do you think that they are keeping a place for the dead?" Mira asked softly after a moment.

Makarov didn't answer for a long time. He seemed lost in thought as he worried his pipe in silence.

"What exactly is that, Mira?" Erza spoke softly to the other woman.

"Well, I've heard of people sometimes honoring their dead loved ones by keeping their place. You keep their room, or home for them, keep a setting at the table for them. Usually it's only for special occasions, or specific days. In day to day life, it's um, not really normal. Natsu isn't from that part of the world, so this would have to be Loke's influence. What's the strangest about it is that it's not Lucy-sama's home. She didn't live there. That I know of, she had no connection to the place. If they are keeping a place for the dead, then I would have to say that this is not normal on any level," Mira explained.

"That is what concerns me as well," Makarov said suddenly, startling both of the women, and the cat.

"You made me drop my fish!" Happy cried. Mira retrieved it from the floor for him.

"I think we should pay them a visit tomorrow," Makarov announced.

"Aye! I'll keep an eye on them again tomorrow, but I'll need more yummy fish!" Happy exclaimed brightly.

"I mean all of us, not just you, Happy. You are all to meet with me tomorrow before noon. We will go together," Makarov ordered.

"Yes, master. I don't think it would be wise to bring Gray, though. Considering his reaction to Happy's earlier report, I think he might not be suited to dealing with the situation properly," Erza offered.

Mira nodded solemnly, "I agree. I think he needs time to deal with his own feelings about this turn in events."

"Agreed, tomorrow then," Makarov said as a way of dismissing the meeting.