Hey guys! I know this update took forever but it was just that I'm really focused on school right now is all. But I'm gonna try to be better about updating quicker. I do not own Fairy Tail or the characters used. Enjoy.

That sign that Natsu was talking about. The one made out of glittering lights and spell out boyfriend like an eyesore. Well, it wasn't like that. It was more of a subtle statement piece like a blue beaded necklace or a bangle bracelet. It made its point without being too showy. He noticed this while he was looking at Gray's sleeping face.

He had been up for an hour. He woke up at four in the morning. Gray was so still. His breathing was so gentle and and there was no tension in his face. It was a smooth surface, pale and white. Like a piece of paper with lines drawn on to show nose and closed eyes. Natsu never knew that his dark hair complemented his skin tone. Or how he kind of snored, but it wasn't annoyingly loud. His lips looked so pink, like a flower petal. Did Gray actually look like this and Natsu never paid attention? There was no way, there was so much detail in Gray's face how could he miss it?

Gray's face rubbed against the pillow and breathed in deeply. His eyes started to open, then shut, then open again. Gray yawned and stretched, his mouth felt dry as he lazily looked at Natsu.

"Morning." Gray mumbled.

"Good morning."

"How long have you been up for?"

Natsu shrugged, "Fifteen minutes?"

Gray closed his eyes and snuggled into the bed more, "Liar. Tell me the truth."

Natsu raised his hand and slapped it on his thigh,"How do you know when I'm lying? What are you?"

"I'm smart, I learn from mistakes, dumbass. So how long?"

"...An hour."

"An hour? Damn, you must have been bored," Gray sat up and pulled the sheets off of him. He stood up, he was stark naked as he bent down to pick up his boxers, "Want me to make breakfast?"

Natsu put the blanket over his head as he sat up cross legged. He breathed out softly as Gray got dressed, "Don't you have work to get to?"

"No, it's Saturday. I get weekends off. Besides," Gray yawned and checked his phone, "It's too early in the morning to be worrying over work."

"Oh, okay then."

Natsu covered his body more in the blankets. Almost wondering if he could sink into another world. Like Narnia or something where he'd meet a weird goat man and a hot (ironic) ice queen with big tits. Maybe, but then Gray wouldn't be there. And he wasn't sure if he wanted that.

"So, breakfast?" Gray repeated

"You always make breakfast."

"You know you can give it a try sometimes too."

Natsu groaned, "Let's go out to eat."

"What? You so sick of my pancakes that you want to go out to get breakfast?"

"It's not that. I just feel like you're here everyday or I'm at your house other day. Maybe I'm just sick of being in a house."

Gray sat down on the bed and crawled over to Natsu, "Maybe we should go to the breakfast house. How does Waffle House sound?"

"Uh, isn't there anywhere else we could go?"

"Well, I don't know what other place is open at five in the morning."

Natsu sighed. Gray was smiling for no reason, and that made Natsu smile softly. He cupped Gray's cheek and nodded.

"Okay, I guess Waffle House will do."

"Were you thinking of some high class place for breakfast?" Gray asked

"Well no but… You know, I have no idea what I had in mind for breakfast."

"Maybe," Gray trailed and kissed Natsu softly. He tasted Natsu's morning breath, he loved it, "You want someone for breakfast."

Natsu pushed Gray's chest and turned his nose up, "You gotta be kidding me. Gray, that was the gayest thing you've done and your cock has literally been in me."

Gray giggled and got up from the bed, "Come on, get your ass up and ready. You have waffles and hash browns to devour."

"Yes sir." Natsu said and rolled his eyes.

He got up and went to his closet. Natsu put on a hoodie and jeans while Gray finished rewearing what he wore yesterday. Gray's eyes looked dark, like he hadn't been sleeping well for the past week or so. But that might had been due to work, there wasn't anyway Gray didn't get sleep with Natsu.

They always slept great after a night together of bodies rubbing against each other, and the taste of their lips lingered. Yet that smile always looked so fresh on Gray's face whenever it appeared. How?

Maybe Gray was from Narnia. Some kind of freak of nature witch whose main objective was to have extraordinary emotions that left people breathless. So hard to described that they needed their own picture book. To show sadness would be the obvious furrow in his brow knowing he has to work till nine in the morning to nine at night. That look would send shivers down someone's spine. Day dreaming would be Gray wide eyed, looking above everyone's head or at everyone's feet. He could never look at people while Gray wasn't paying attention. It was like Gray's face casted its own spell to not be ignored. Maybe he was a freak of nature.

Gray grabbed his phone and keys from the end table. He rolled his shoulder to motion Natsu to "come on". Gray also held out his hand, but Natsu only curled a finger around one of Gray's fingers. Clasping together like two hooks. It's not like that hasn't held hands before, it's just, this felt better for the situation. Gray didn't seem to mind. After Natsu locked up the apartment, Gray led the way down to his car. Parked right next to Natsu's station wagon. They got in, the interior was cold. Gray started up the car while Natsu buckled his seatbelt. Music started to play. Music was their obvious motif.

It would always occur around the both of them. In the car where they first kissed, they had sex to songs every time they had sex (usually) so that Natsu's and Gray's neighbors wouldn't hear them. Music just was their thing. They must have loved the notes when it touched their ears. But everyone liked music. Who really didn't like music?

All I am is a man

I want the world

In my hand

Gray lowered the volume, only slightly, as he backed out of the parking spot and started to drive. Natsu looked out the window, the sun wasn't up yet. It still looked like night time, and Natsu liked that. He liked the idea of the moon still being up in the AM. Gray's hand snaked to Natsu's thigh as he drove. Gray yawned, his eyes turned glossy. Natsu had something to say to him, but what was it? Was it that the change had actually came and that he must confess his selfishness to Lucy? Maybe he had to explain that their relationship had made a full 180 just to make sure Gray knew. He turned his head, fidgeted his hands for two seconds before opening his mouth.

"Hey, Gray?"

Gray pressed his lips together as he looked at the road.

"Hmm?" Gray hummed.

"What um…" What do you plan to do, Natsu? Tell him your concern, come on you can do it. Open your big mouth and say what you want to say, dammit, "What um… Uh.. hmmm…"

He started to fidget his hands again. Say it. Go on, Natsu. Preach to him like you are trying to sell a religion to him. You've never been afraid to ask him anything before, why he now? This was no time to shy away. Yet, not even 24 hours ago they both agreed on being each other's boyfriend. But maybe that was the hard part to get to. He just had to get back to Natsu and Gray. They still were Natsu and Gray weren't they?

Tell him already. What are you waiting for?

"Yes, Natsu?"

Natsu took a deep breath, "What are you getting for breakfast?"

You coward.

Gray hummed, "Maybe some eggs… Hash browns of course and maybe some bacon. Or sausage links, I'm not sure between the two," Gray laughed softly, "Maybe I'll get both and eat like a pig like you."

"Hey, watch that mouth of yours." Natsu snapped.

Gray laughed again.

And it's too cold for you here.

And now, so let me hold, whoa

Both your hands in the holes of my sweater.

Natsu sighed and looked out the window. Gray's hand curled tighter around Natsu's car stopped at a red light.

"Hey," Gray said, Natsu flipped his head. Gray kissed Natsu softly and then pulled back. He smiled and touched Natsu's nose, "Get happy. We're getting food, that's your favorite thing in the world."

"I am happy, Gray."

"No, I can tell something is off with you."

Natsu rolled his eyes again, "Here we go again. Pretending like you know me better than myself."

"I do know you better than yourself. Just like you know me better than myself."

"Do not."

"Swear to God, you do."

"Like how?"

The light changed, and Gray started to drive again.

"Tell me, how do I take my coffee?"

Natsu shrugged, "Depends, if you're tired you take it black but if it's near the end of the day you take it milky and with two sugars."

"Mhhmm what's the temperature in my apartment?"

"Jesus, fucking freezing. At least 65."

"You think it's 65?"

"I know it's 65."

"Hmm, I thought I kept it at 67."

Natsu shook his head. "No way dude."

"And the year Ur died?"

Natsu breathed out his nose, "You were seventeen so it was 2014 if I did the math right."
"See? You know so much about me. How I act, my past, my feelings. You know me well, just like I know you."

Natsu sighed, "Happy that your point was made?"

"If you believe it I'll be that happiest man on Earth."

Natsu bit his lip. He didn't say anything. He actually didn't say anything for the whole car ride. He just thought about Gray. Maybe he did know him well, just didn't let himself believe it. Was it really today that he knew what Gray looked like sleeping? Or did he know that he was beautiful the whole time? He sure didn't know, just like he didn't know anything else… Other than Gray apparently.

They arrived shortly in front of Waffle House. Natsu undid his seatbelt and Gray did the same after he turned off the car.

"You want to have a smoke before we eat?" Gray asked, taking out his pack, "I know that I could go for one."

Natsu nodded and took a cigarette from Gray's pack. Gray lit his own before Natsu leaned over, Gray lit his cigarette for him. Natsu took in an initial smoke and breathed out.

"Did you know," Natsu tucked his hand in his pocket and leaned back against the building wall, "That 36% of people who smoke have some sort of mental disorder?"

Gray breathed out smoke through his nose and tapped that ash off his cigarette, "What's the other 64%?"

Natsu shrugged and inhaled again, "We learned it in class when we read out essays over addiction. Some girl did cigarettes."

"Oh so you did learn something in school, good for you."

"She tried to relate it back to children and others being abused by cigarettes. She showed children with burns on their body that their parents gave them."

"Well that doesn't sound pretty."

"Child abuse never is."

Gray took in another breath of smoke before dropping the cigarette and stomping it out on the ground, "What would make you want to get into something like this? It seems.. Brutal."

"I'm a tough kid, I can handle myself."

"Yeah but… Don't you think it'll take a toll on you? I mean, come on little kids being burned by some drunken, sad mother. I couldn't do something like that."

Natsu smiled with the cigarette between his teeth before he smoked the last bit. He blew out smoke, "Somebody has to do it. And I guess that's means I have to do it," He hit Gray's back, "Come on, my stomach is eating itself."

"Yeah… Okay…"

You could say that Gray was somewhat worried. Gray new a few things about the foster care system and abuse stories. Watching those investigation channel documentaries, even being in the system for a year after Ur died until he turned 18. It wasn't a luxurious system. It always looked dim. It was just kids in-and-out. Their faces all started to look the same. Their cheeks sometimes dirty, tears streaks down their face. Clothes too big or too tight. But there were kids like Gray who would have to be out on their own in a year or two. They had to think for themselves. For their future. How were they supposed to manage on their own? This ran through Gray's mind often at night in that scratchy bed.

Gray could barely manage being in there for a year. How would Natsu be able to survive this as a career? There's no way it could ever get easier. Natsu picked out a booth to sit at and Gray sat across from him. They picked up the plastic menus and started to look at the pictures. Well, Natsu did anyway. Gray just blankly stared at Natsu. He sometimes wondered if Natsu's mind was how Gray imagined it. A little women with a black shirt,sneakers, and an apron around her tiny waist.

"Ooo, early birds huh?" She said, "What can I get you guys to drink?"

"Two cups of coffee and orange juice please." Natsu said.

"One glass of orange juice. Water for me and if you could can you leave the pot of coffee?" Gray asked.

The girl nodded, "No problem, I'll brew a fresh pot right now."

"Thank you."

Gray picked up a menu and started to look through it just in case he changed his mind. He felt Natsu's foot rub up against his, going up the hem of his jeans slightly. Gray smiled and started to play footsie back with him. Running his foot on the side of his calf.

"Anything look good?" Gray asked.

"Yeah, these waffles and cheesy hashbrowns. And eggs… And bacon… Fuck, I am a pig aren't I?"

Gray rolled his eyes, "I was just joking… Even though your stomach is a literal black hole."

"Your jokes are shit."

"Well you're a dick."

The girl came back with a tray full of drinks and a pot of coffee. She put down the two coffee mugs and the the water and orange juice. She then filled up the mugs with fresh coffee and sat it down on the table.

"Did you guys figure anything out?" She said and smiled.

"I think so," Natsu said, "I'll take two waffles, cheesy hash browns, over easy eggs and bacon."

The waitress scribbled down the order on a small note pad, "Crispy or limp?"

"Limp please"

"Alright, and for you?"

"Eggs over medium, hash browns crispy and sausage links."

She finished writing up the order and called it back in the kitchen. Natsu blew on his coffee and took a sip.

"Coffee's good," Natsu said

"Yeah?" Gray started to fix up his coffee the way Natsu had described it before. He sipped and sighed, "You're right that is good. It's nice that she brewed fresh coffee for us."

"She must think I'm cute."

"What makes you think that? Maybe she thinks I'm the cute."

Natsu shrugged and traced his finger on the coffee mug, "Maybe she thinks we're both cute and that's why she did it."

"You could be right about that. We're both rather cute. Or maybe it's because they were actually out of coffee."

"You're right about that one!" The waitress called back.

Gray and Natsu blinked then looked at each other. They started to snicker and then laughed. Somehow, their hands moved closer. Gray's moved on top of Natsu's hand, they lifted up their heads and looked at one another like they were looking in a mirror. Seeing themselves in a different light, as a different person. Maybe as a different life even.

Gray finally opened his mouth and something other than a laugh came out, "Do you ever wonder where you would be if we never met?"

"I'd be in bed. Asleep before I had to go to class." Natsu replied

Gray shook his head, "I mean what would your life be like without me in it?"

Natsu sighed and really thought about it. Would Natsu be happy with being alone for a few more months? Or maybe he would find his soulmate in a matter of weeks. Maybe his soulmate had pass by and he never acted on it.

"I think it would be…. Quiet."

"Quiet…. I like that answer. Quiet."

"Why would you like that? I actually thought that you would hate that answer because it's not really direct."

"No, no I like it a lot. That means I'm noise in your life. And without my loud noise your life would be silent."

Natsu sipped his coffee again and swallowed. The hot liquid warming up his belly. He looked out the window and licked his lips. Was Gray loud? This booming symphony that ran ramped through his ears. A vibrant melody made up of string and percussion instruments. Without them… his life would be incomplete. Natsu looked out of the corner of his eye back at Gray. He was smiling.

"Maybe you're right. You are obnoxious noise."

"Hey! Mean."

Natsu smiled and chuckled softly. A few minutes later the girl walked out with a tray of food and sat it down on the table. She started to spread out the plates, the aroma moved through the air into their nostrils. She smiled and moved away.

"Everything look good? Do you two need anything else?" She asked.

"I think we're fine thank you." Gray said.

She nodded and went over to the little bar top area and played on her phone. The rustling of silverware and settling cups rang in the air. It was sweet. Like the restaurant was reserved for them but instead of some fancy restaurant with classical music; it was Waffle House and they played awful country music. They dished out on greasy, sweet food. And it was glorious.

"Pretty good, huh?" Gray asked.

Natsu nodded, "Yeah, really good. I'm actually glad that for once I've gone to Waffle House."

"What's happen previous times here?"

Natsu swallowed a piece of waffle dipped in egg yolk and syrup, "Well, when I was eighteen and just started college, Lucy and I were coming back from a party, I was fucking wasted and we were hungry so of course Waffle House was the place to go. So I start eating and I'm going to fucking town on a big stack of waffles. Lets just say I vomited all over the table and on Lucy's new top."

Gray started to snicker, Natsu kicked his foot under the table, "Any other horrible stories?"

Natsu hummed and nodded, "Yeah, Lucy and I were here at like six in the morning and some tweaker picked a fight with me because I was the last one to get eggs so he and I fought."

"God, you and Lucy at Waffle House's aren't the best of times, eh?"

Natsu chuckled, "Heh, guess not…" He paused for a moment, "We've done tons of stuff together…"

This made Natsu feel bad. No not bad… Maybe horrid? Was that the word? Putrid? An asshole, yeah, that was the one. Asshole, because he unintentionally stole a boy from her. How could he? Natsu knew how attached she got to men, and now her best friend has stolen one. He knew the tears she shed when a boy dumped her. All the stress eating, all the social media stalking. She never did well being pushed aside.

Gray saw the look of deep thought on Natsu's face.,

"You got something else to say?" Gray asked.

"Huh? No… Not really why do you ask."

"You look like you're in deep thought or something."

Natsu sighed and put down his fork, "I'm thinking a lot about Lucy is all."

"About?"

"What?"

"What about Lucy?"

"What about her?"

Gray rolled his eyes, "What were you thinking about her, dumbass."

Natsu kicked Gray's shin, earning a yelp from him and then a groan. Grey glared and rubbed his leg.

"I was… I'm afraid that she still likes you and… I feel shitty because of that."

"Why would you? I like you a lot, Natsu. Me and Luc are just friends and I think she knows that."

"You don't know her like I know Lucy, Gray. It's not that easy with her."

Gray laughed softly and shook his head, "Girls are never easy. That's just how they're built. You're her best friend, she can't hate you for having me as a boyfriend"

"Yeah, but my boyfriend is a guy she likes."

"Oh come on. She can't care that much can she?

"You should just stick with staying in my head. I'm less complicated than Lucy is. I'm just… Ugh I don't know," Natsu ran his fingers through his hair, his hand snaked around his mug, "I'm just afraid she won't understand. Like, I've never told her that I like guys."

"Well you only figured out you liked guys not too long ago."

"Yeah but… I haven't told her anything about me and you."

Gray shrugged and placed his lips on the rim of his cup, "Maybe you should just man up and tell her. Just get it over with."

Natsu sighed and put his elbows on the table, "Gray, do you know how many guys Lucy has been interested in have just left her? Just started talking to her, maybe kissed her, maybe even slept with her and then just up and leave? No, you don't. But I do."

Gray picked at his hashbrown. Somehow, he felt like Natsu's frustration was all his fault. Mostly because Gray didn't get how Natsu couldn't just tell Lucy what was up. It wasn't hard.

"Natsu, wouldn't Lucy be okay with it if she knew you were happy with me?" Gray asked.

Natsu started to cut up his waffle, "I think she would be jealous."

"Explain."

"Well… She's never had a boyfriend actually. And seeing me have one. I think she'd be envious."

"Give it time then. Not too much time though. I want you to say something to her soon or else I will."

"Gray, no, you can't say a word to her."

Gray smiled, "Because you want her to be mad at you instead of me?"

Natsu rolled his eyes, "Princess."

"Tell her soon and I won't say a word."

"Deal."

Gray smiled and went back to eating. Natsu started to do the same. Their free hands touched each other as they craved hashbrowns and waffles.

"You farted this morning and it smelt like rotten eggs." Natsu said.

"I smelt your breath earlier today and it smelt like rotting body."

"Lovely."

It was 12 when would get out of class. 12:30 was when Lucy got into Natsu's car. 12:31 Natsu suggested that they go to Mcdonalds. Lucy suggested Chick-fil-a. At 12:34 they were arguing on where to eat. Lucy asked why not and at 12:35 Natsu said "Because I'm a guy with a boyfriend so I'd feel uncomfortable there. The car was silent until 12:40. Natsu's throat was too dry to say anything and the shock from Lucy was apparent. Lucy swallowed and looked over.

"I didn't know you were gay." She calmly said

"I didn't really either… I just like this one guy. Are you okay?"

Lucy nodded. She wasn't but she did say yes, "I'm fine it's just… Unexpected. Who's this guy then? Do I know him? Oh! It's that european kid in chem isnt it!"

"No, no it's… It's not anyone who goes here."

"Oh, so you met him at work?"

"Well… Kinda. I was off the clock."

Lucy smiled. The shock value was decreasing and the curiosity meter was increasing. The was the part where Natsu was getting worried. It was a guessing game now. And she was inching closer and closer to a conclusion.

"Well, you know that I'm fine with the fact your gay, right?"

Correct. I know you wouldn't really care if I was gay."

"You know, this totally makes me think about Gray."

"Wait, what about Gray?" Natsu asked

"Well a few weeks ago we were talking and he said he was really into this one guy. I didn't expect Gray to be into dudes either but whatever, you know?"

Natsu bit his lip, "Hey, Luc."

"Yeah? What's up?"

"What if… What if the guy that Gray is into is actually dating Gray now?"

Lucy shrugged, "They probably are. I mean, that was forever ago and a guy like Gray could probably get anyone he wants. I wish he was still into me." She softly laughed.

"Are you.. Okay with that?"

"I mean I have to be don't I? I can't do anything about it so what's the point. I can accept Gray as a friend now, you know?"

"Yeah… I get that."

Good, this was good. She had come to an accepting point. So maybe everything would be alright if he told her. But that gentle look in Lucy's eyes still seemed dim. Like there was subtle sadness behind them. The girl who can't get over guys was still in there. Natsu just had to ease his way.

"But really, tell me about this guy." Lucy nudged.

"Well… No. Aren't you hungry?" He asked

"I'm more interested in you than anything. I've never got to do this before. You've never liked anyone like this so I've never gotten to ask."

Natsu swallowed and laughed, "Guess that's bad on my part huh? Well… um… he's rather cute. Kind of a prick some of the time."

"How is he in bed?" Lucy grinned

"Well I have nothing to compare him to so it's the best I've ever had."

Lucy giggled and covered her mouth like she was some kind of Japanese school girl. She opened her bright eyes and smiled.

"Is he hot?" Lucy asked.

"I think he is."

"Oooo, Natsu you dog," She pushed Natsu lightly, "What's his name?"

Shit.

How did it get to this point? Why did she have to go this far? Natsu ran his fingers through the side of his hair and sighed. His heart was beating like a snare drum. He was afraid that Lucy could hear the rhythm.

"His… His name is… Gray." Natsu muttered.

Lucy's lips slightly parted her lips. She was confused. That was better than angry. Natsu looked ground at the floor of his car. He was eyeing crumbs and other fixings on the ground.

"Gray… You're dating Gray?"

Natsu nodded.

Everything was still but only for a moment. Lucy put her hands on Natsu's shoulders and it made him jump.

"As long as you're happy," Lucy smiled and pat Natsu's shoulder, "Are we ready to eat now?"

"Uh, Lucy?"

"We can go to Mcdonalds if you want. That sounds good right about now."

Natsu licked his lips. He nodded, "Right. Sure."

Natsu started up the car and began to drive away. He would look over at Lucy to see her facial expression, her eyes were hazy and a gentle smile on her face. She looked fine. Fine as in alright at the moment. She never brought Gray up in the car ride and Natsu knew he wasn't going to either.

Lucy was Natsu's friend, no matter what he would have said, Natsu figured out that Lucy would just want him to be happy. But that didn't mean Lucy wouldn't be mad or jealous on the inside. Natsu bit his lip and grabbed Lucy's weightless hand and held it tightly. Lucy looked up at Natsu then squeezed his hand back.

"You're still my best friend Natsu… Just…..don't steal anymore guys away from me." Lucy said with a short laugh. What did she really want to say though? WHatever it would have been, it wouldn't have been as light hearted. This felt too easy but this was it. Some things are just easy.

"I don't think I ever will."

Because Gray was Natsu's to begin with.

So I hope you enjoyed. Review, favorite and follow if you did. Helps me out a lot. See you next update.