Chapter 4: Only in His Dreams

The ground shook.

Gray flew forward, barely catching himself, his palms crashing with the hard rock inches from his nose. Scrambling to his feet, Gray cursed at the sharp bite of jagged rocks imbedded in his skin. He didn't have time for that now. Pumping his arms, he begged his legs to carry him faster. Had to escape. Had to run.

Another wave slammed into him. The earth itself roiled with the aftershock, of what Gray couldn't tell, but he knew it was dangerous, and he knew it was coming for him. Doubling over, Gray let himself a few ragged breaths before flying back into his headlong dash. Gods, he felt like he'd been running for years!

A primordial fear boiled up inside the icemake wizard. He knew this fear. It was the same back then, back when the demon of destruction, Deliora, destroyed everything. Destroyed his whole world. Everything he had, everything he was, was trampled on by that demon. The only thing that brought the shattered pieces of his life back together had been Fairy Tail. But now, even that was gone. Gray had forsaken them, running when he should have stayed to fight. The beast was gaining on him.

Dimly, he acknowledged that it was his due punishment for turning from his friends and family. As hard as he tried, he couldn't distance himself from the beast chasing him. All his life, he had grown, become a more powerful wizard, but had anything really changed?

Taking in a breath, Gray clenched his teeth, setting his icy blue eyes. Slowly, he turned to face the destructive force encircling upon him like a hunter, its prey finally trapped. Chilling biting air swirled around Gray's palms.

The trees around him bowed and snapped, torn apart by a hurricane wind. His hair whipped across his face. On the horizon a lone figure shot into the air from the uniform spanning line. It twisted skyward, a jet of fire shooting from its maw. It twisted again before its enormous translucent wings snapped open and it angled straight for the icemake wizard. He stared at it, accepting his doom.

But hell if he wasn't going to go out fighting. Every beat of the beast's wings was a war drum of sonic explosions, ripping the very air apart. It swooped down from the sky, diving as a mighty eagle before righting itself in front Gray and slamming into the ground. Hard corded muscles rippled in the shockwave. The ice in his hands formed into two blue crystalline long swords.

The dragon's mock laughter boomed, capable of unsettling even the mightiest warrior's nerves. Swinging its massive red-scaled head down, it met Gray with large deep black eyes of pure wild.

Gray's teeth clenched tighter. The dragon's scales were the color of blood, covering as the thickest armour over its breast. Its white claws and spinely horns shown and gleamed with the apparent delight of soon being able to bury themselves in flesh once again. The fiery red faded to a pink along the dragon's strong neck and shining like a film in its leathery wings.

Then the dragon's lips parted revealing broadswords, brilliantly white, tapered to a deathly point, in a triumphant grin. "You think you can beat me ice-boy?" The fangs sparked reflecting the shimmering of freshly birthed flames in the dragon's throat as he chortled.

He couldn't run now. Gray had made his bed, now it was time for the plunge. He didn't really mind, he realized. Anything to stop the endless running. It was now. His time. Brandishing the two ice long swords, Gray set his eyes on his fate, lying with the deadly dragon before him. "Come at me now! Let's end this!"

Flames spurted from the dragon's nostrils in an amused snort. Then, it drew itself onto its hind legs, rippling in muscle and holding the dragon towering over the icemake wizard. His jaw opened to the sky, releasing a celestial roar, revealing his might and prowess, enough to rend the world in two. Its huge spanning pink leathery wings unfurled, sweeping forward in a single blow.

Gray flew. He watched the sky above him speed past with an accepting dispassion. Finally, he crashed back down to Earth, unable to move. Everything that was inside had escaped his frame. Gray laughed softly, it was over, just like that. One blow, one move, the dragon had overwhelmed him without even a single touch.

Pounding, earth-shaking footsteps quaked as the dragon advanced on his prey. Gray bore a slight smile, closing his eyes, and surrendering to the inevitable. He didn't even flinch as the dragon pinned him to the ground, mythril claws gouging the earth above his shoulders. The weight was oppressive, smashing Gray into the ground just as easily as Gildarts' destruction magic.

A scathing hot flame washed over his face. And he welcomed it. That flame, he thought, would be the end of him, but he longed for its warmth. For too long had he been cold and alone. The fire grew hotter still, the dragon's teeth a mere inches from engulfing Gray's face.

Then the fire met him. Gray's cold blue eyes shot open as he moaned deep inside his chest. The flame coursed through his lips where they met the dragon's . . . but it wasn't a dragon. Above him, pinning him to the ground, was a pink spiky-haired prince. His face spoke of royalty and yet in his eyes still shone the feral nature of his dragon soul. He was clad in dark ruby steel, sparkling like an ethereal fire in sharp tapering points.

Gray was baptized in the flame.

Drawing his fingers through the dragon prince's soft pink hair, Gray submitted, pulling the dangerous man, born of the hottest fire, deeper into his soul.

The dragon prince grinned, his strong black eyes glinting. Pulling back, he drew his course battle-worn palms to frame the ice wizard's face. "Why were you running?"

The cold icy eyes of the wizard began to melt. He blinked away the tears trailing down his face. "I was scared." Looking up at the prince, Gray quivered with the life returning to his cold frame.

"Hmph," the dragon prince dove forward sealing their lips together once more.

Gray closed his eyes, letting himself be filled by the light of the prince's flame.

But a growl soon escaped the prince's lips. Gray's looked up at the majestic boy, frowning. The dragon prince shook his head violently. Another growl passed threateningly through his tight pressed lips.

There was something strange in that growl. It was feral, ferocious, and yet it was not the growl of a predator hunting its prey. It was something so akin to it. But different. Wha-

Gray leapt from his dream world, his chest pounding a thundering cadence. He felt the heat of his blood. He was on fire. Then, there was another growl. Bemused, Gray turned to the slumbering dragon slayer sprawled out on his bedroll next to him. His icy fingers trailed over his lips. "Natsu."

A deep moan rolled from Natsu's throat. He growled again. "Gray."

The icemake wizard cocked his head at the sleeping dragon.

The heated bliss of hot springs usually soothed Natsu's soul. They were the embodiment of relaxation, easing away all extraneous thoughts until he would be left to drift along, a spectator, with the rising steam. But not this time. If anything, he was more pent up than when he submerged into the welcoming roiling grip of the water. And the cause, well, that was standing in front of him. Buck naked. Dripping wet.

Natsu bit his lip, trying his hardest to hide his raging arousal from his icy friend. But damn, did he have to have such a perfect ass? What was Natsu supposed to do? He watched the smooth firm globes move as Gray dashed off, clutching his crumpled clothes to his chest.

Running a wet hand through his long pink hair, Natsu grumbled. What was this? He'd seen the perv strip a million times. But this was . . . different. The hot spring's whispering steam's scent seemed to shift. Natsu's head spun.

The world tilted.

Gray's arousal. That strong pungent smell. It wrapped around Natsu, catching his breath, filling his lungs, embers glowed in the pit of his being. His pupils dilated as his heart quickened. Deep inside, the fire shaping his life became turbulent. Natsu set his gaze on the spot of Gray's disappearance. A fierce snarl upon his lips, Natsu hauled himself out of the now boiling water. Naked, Natsu stomped toward the clearing.

"Natsu?" Gray's beautiful blue eyes looked frozen in shock. Natsu was standing there, as hard as he could possible be, with a flame dancing in a form of chaos, of passion, in his eyes.

"Gray," Natsu growled lowly, he took a step forward. "Is it just that one guy or is it all guys?"

"What!?" The ice wizard frowned at his friend. "Of course, it's not all guys, idiot. I mean it's like being strai-"

"What about me?" Lunging forward, Natsu wrapped a tight death grip around Gray's wrist. The wild animal within him burned all else away.

"What about y-"

His other fist balled in Gray's silky raven hair, Natsu shoved them together. He growled seductively, closing his eyes in embrace of the wintery world wrapping around his tongue. It was a cold plunge, like throwing himself into a snow-melt lake before sunrise. It sent a bolt of pure electricity through Natsu. He broke their lips apart, breathing hard and ragged.

But, Gray grabbed him and threw them back together.

Natsu's burning fingers trailed down the ice mage's naked chest. When had he thrown off that shirt? Not that he was complaining! The dragon let out a low rumbling growl again, digging his sharp teeth into Gray's bottom lip. He grinned as Gray's face shot back, his eyes closed, in pure ecstasy.

His hands roamed the smooth svelte body of the ice wizard. Damn he was so perfect! Even every scar across his rippled, cut body was a perfect accentuation to the amazing man he was.

"Natsu?"

"Mmmmm?"

"You're kinda stabbing me."

Chuckling, Natsu stared unblinking with a dangerous fire into Gray's. He held Gray's gaze as his hot palm trailed down the hills of Gray's sculpted stomach. Gods, was this guy a damn Greek statue? No, he may be cold to the touch, but there was a ravenous fire just underneath the skin. Natsu could taste it. He licked his chops. His hand found its way to Gray's zipper. Heating his hand even more, he palmed the turgid pole straining against the taut fabric. The dragon slayer sneered, his lips pulling back, "You're one to talk. Do you even know how hard you are?"

Gray whimpered, biting his lip. He nodded frantically. "Y-yess."

The dragon within him made Natsu take Gray's mouth again, diving his canines into the soft bottom lip. He elicited a sultry moan from the icy man. That shot straight through Natsu's frame. The world tilted further, wobbling carelessly.

Hot iron dribbled into Natsu mouth. Scraping his tongue between his teeth, he held Gray's gaze as he lapped at the red burning blood. Gods! The state Gray was in, the endorphins in his blood, it was the strongest aphrodisiac in the world.

Natsu cringed, squeezing his eyes tight and tried to calm the inferno of his mind.

"What's wrong?" Gray asked in a low sweet tone, trailing his cold fingers across Natsu's burning skin. It tingled like a cool ocean's kiss upon his molten chest.

"No!"

His hands shot away, a hard frown falling over Gray's face. "What is it?"

A rolling dangerous growl rumbled in Natsu's chest. "Can't. Going to cu- Just give me a second."

The frown immediately reversed to a victorious smirk. "Oh hell no. You're too damn hot for me to hold back now. You just control yourself big boy." Gray's cold fingers trailed down the V of Natsu's abs, one digit at a time making its way to the prize at the end of the road. His fingers wrapped around Natsu's girth, barely. "And I do mean fucking big!"

Natsu hissed. His sharp white teeth clenched. He threw his head back to the sky. Gray's fingers were an enticing cold shock to his system. "Gray, seriously. Just, ahhhhh! Come on! Don't you want-"

"Hmmm," Gray purred, nipping at Natsu's red enchanting lip. "Yeah, you're right. I want the main event from you. I need it." His hand fell from its teasing embrace on Natsu. "I guess I can't get that if you get too over-excited, like a little boy."

Natsu's eyes parted, the black of his eyes burned away with the fire of his desire. The corner of his mouth bent. With both his palms on the ice wizard's chest, he shoved firmly, sending him flying to the ground.

"What the hell was that!?"

Wasting no time, Natsu pounced, straddling the unbelievably perfect man underneath him. He reached back, finding nothing but skin. A small chuckle bounced his shoulders. When in the hell did he lose the pants too?

Dropping to Gray's neck, Natsu bit down hard, digging in his canines, marking his mate.

"Gahhh!"

Wiping the saliva off his mouth, Natsu grinned, diving back down to take another taste of the beautiful man. His tongue snaked out between his sharp teeth, running over Gray's nipple, eliciting another shrieking gasp. Glancing up, he smirked. Gray's head was thrown back into the grassy forest floor, his face buried in the crook of his arm.

Natsu growled, gripping Gray's elbow. "Don't hide. Show me your sexy faces!"

Gray moaned, unable to muster the energy to fight the dragon slayer as he pulled his arm away revealing his beat red cheeks.

"Much better." Natsu dived back to nibble on the tasty treat laid out before him. His fiery eyes remained locked on Gray's as his tongue explored the hard body underneath him. Sitting up, Natsu slowly rolled his tongue over his lips. Everything was clear, so vivid. Every taste. Every smell. Natsu savored every little detail of Gray's perfectly sculpted body. And yet, he felt himself swallowed in a haze, unsure of where or why. The only thing on his mind was the man between his legs.

"What do you say we get to that main event? I don't think I can last much longer with your body so delicious."

Gray moaned, his skull giving a dull thunk with the forest floor. Limply, his hand shakily rose and managed to point in the general direction of his pack. "Lube."

Natsu blinked, cocking his head to the side with a small chuckle. "You brought lube with you?"

Just barely nodding, Gray sighed among the clouds, his hand falling lifeless back to the grass as Natsu bounded there and back again in the flash of snapping flames.

Grazing his fingertips down Gray's inner thighs, he ran slow small circles over Gray's entrance, enticing a shudder from the ice mage. He shifted back, pulling Gray's legs up and hooking them over his shoulders.

Gray winced as a finger slid into him. It burned. Natsu's hand. So hot. But it hurt.

The dragon slayer had calmed some, enough to pay careful attention to his mate's condition. He bit the inside of his cheek between his dragon fangs. "You're too tight. Relax."

"Can't. Hurts! Natsu, there's no way I'm ever going to be able to fit you."

Continuing to work his finger inside the hole, while he thought, Natsu idly explored the warm insides beneath the cold exterior this raven-haired man had erected. Gray clutched at the grass, moaning a guttural gasp of need.

With a seductive smirk, Natsu leaned into Gray, taking a deep drought of the heady scent. "I know what'll make you relax."

"Wh-ahhhhh!"

Natsu swallowed the throbbing arousal, taking all of Gray's length in one go. It hit the back of his throat bringing tears to his eyes, though buried into Gray as he was, the scent of Gray's lust completely overwhelmed him, pushing him far from the cliff's edge. The last bit of control he had managed until then disappeared without a trace. His heart beat even faster, to the brink. Natsu dimly thought he'd flat line at any moment as he bobbed. He slurped along Gray's shaft savoring his taste.

"Natsuuuu!"

Pulling up, Natsu formed a ring with forefinger and thumb at the base of Gray's hardness. He wiped the corner of his mouth on the back of his hand. "Go ahead, Gray, I want to taste you. Let me see every bit of you!" With that, he dived back down, twisting his burning tongue around Gray.

And he was rewarded. It was sweet in a way. Salty. The pungent flavor overwhelmed Natsu's sharp senses. But, it was Gray! It was delicious!

Licking his lips, he wiggled a second finger into Gray, easily sliding into the hole he had been loosening while he got his snack. Natsu beamed, "I knew it, feel how relaxed you are!? Gods, you are so hot inside, Gray! You feel so good."

"Natsu put . . . in."

"You aren't ready yet."

"NATSU! Please!"

Lips curling in a vicious snarl, Natsu aligned himself and Gray. "It's your own damn fault if you get hurt!"

"Don't care! Need you!"

Growling low and throaty, Natsu resonated the animalistic call, a drive of pure lust. Driving his hips forward, Natsu plunged into Gray. He threw his head back, hissing. So tight! Natsu doubled over, planting his hands on either side of Gray. Locking their lips together, Natsu pistoned into Gray.

They both screamed.

"Natsu!"

"Sorry, but I'm not going to last long."

"You're so hot! It's burning. Fill me! Fill me up with your boiling seed, Natsu!"

Those words snapped Natsu's mind. He growled in growing intensity with each thrust. Finally, he opened his jaw to the sky, letting out a fearsome roar. He collapsed forward, falling toward Gray's smooth svelte body.

Gray sat there, supporting his head on an elbow, watching with attentive love as Natsu fidgeted in his sleep. His growling had become heavier, and faster, rumbling past his lips in quickened staccato. The ice mage watched with blissful amusement until a terrifying roar escaped Natsu's mouth. Natsu's chest pounded with short shallow breaths. Maybe it was a nightmare, Gray realized, reaching out and shaking Natsu's shoulder.

Black eyes sprang open in the forest night as the fire dragon slayer groaned, "Graay!" He blinked. Swallowing hard, he stared at his icy friend. "Gray?"

A/N: I had a ridiculously fun time writing this chapter. Uhh, and not just Natsu's dream sequence! I swear! Actually, I believe Natsu's dream was the most explicit sex scene I've ever written so that was pretty interesting. I ended up getting more into it than I thought I would. Honestly, I was mostly looking forward to writing Gray's dream. Generally, I tend to write in metaphors and grandiose themes so having a chance to make those the explicit content was fun. Plus, as much fun as the hot and heavy scene is, I'm much more of a romantic, so exploring their emotion and love in Gray's dream was a joy.

Obviously, this chapter took on a very different spectrum. Let me know what you think.

We are going to be jumping right back into our mysterious new land in the next chapter with the added benefit of Gray's and Natsu's memories of their dreams to add a little spice to their already complicated relationship.

Stay tuned

-Oblivion