You'll Fade

Chapter VII – Is this your first time…?

Natsu hung his head and sighed in relief at finally being able to say what's been inside during this entire mission. He lifted his head and smiled at Gray's shocked and somewhat angered expression. Natsu laughed to himself knowing Gray wouldn't like that speech of protection, but he didn't care. All he could do was smile.

"You okay there, Gray?" Natsu chuckled. Gray sighed in an aggravated tone.

"Whatever. Do what you want flame-head." Gray said looking away, a slight blush rising.

Natsu slid his hand down, from Gray's cheek, to his arm and locked onto the hideous thing that tainted his friend's body. The blood red crescent that loved and wanted to be seen. He shook his head and screamed at his thoughts to shut up.

Natsu took a breath and looked at Gray then looked down at Gray's hands; remembering they helped him through the train ride. Then he thought…maybe it wasn't Gray's hands that helped, but his touch, itself. Natsu then felt his own blush rising as he continued to stare at Gray's hands.

"Heeeeey~ Natsu! You still there?" Gray sang.

"Uh y-yeah. Gray, Happy told me what you did for me on the train and I never really thanked you or apologized for how I acted."

"What did Happy tell you?" He knew the feline had woken up.

"He just said you didn't sleep at all because you wanted to make sure I was o-okay and all that. I also saw you used your jacket to cover me and I know I freaked about that, but now I wanted to tell you that I appreciate what you did. So…thank you and I-I'm sorry." Natsu said quietly.

"H-" Gray choked.

"What?"

"Hahahaha!" Gray busted out into laughter.

"W-what's so funny!?" Natsu stuttered in embarrassment.

"N-nothing I was just thinking…that that was the first time you've ever thanked me or apologized to me and you fucking stutter!" Gray exclaimed with more laughter.

"S-shut up! At least I apologized!"

"Hah…I apologized first remember?" Gray stated. Natsu cursed under his breath, but laughed along with Gray.


As their laughter died, they locked gazes with each other and Natsu became lost in the deep dark pools of gray. Natsu felt something strange all of a sudden, deep inside. The more he stared into Gray's eyes the more he felt that strange feeling. He didn't realize that both hands moved from Gray's arms up to his shoulders, but didn't stop there. They moved to Gray's neck, gently caressing the skin underneath, until they were locked around Gray's head; his fingers tangled in the raven locks. Natsu loved the feeling of Gray's hair. It was smoother than it looked. He has wanted to feel it again, but he never thought it'd be this soon…or like this. Although the strange feelings and thoughts continued, Natsu didn't stop. He didn't care to so he didn't even try.

"N-Natsu what are you d-doing?" Gray said, completely stunned by Natsu's quick advances. Gray could no longer move his arms, let alone his body, so he just sat and waited.

On the bench, Natsu sat up on his knees and towered above Gray. Warm hands gripped the back of his best friend's head as he looked down at the wide eyed ice mage.

He really is beautiful.

Overwhelming feelings and emotions overcame his being as he slowly brought his lips to Gray's.

The kiss was a quick and gentle one, filled with every feeling Natsu was experiencing. He pulled away and began staring yet again. This time Gray's face was covered in a shade of pink and he looked…angry. Natsu knew it was coming so he closed his eyes and prepared himself to be knocked off the bench and into the dirt.


Minutes passed and nothing happened; Natsu had then decided to brave it and open his eyes. Gray looked the same, but calmer.

"S-sorry." Was all Natsu could muster up. Even though he didn't feel sorry for kissing him, he apologized for kissing Gray out of the blue like that. Natsu saw Gray's mouth start to open, but he didn't hear a word escape the pale lips.

"…" Gray couldn't get any words out, he was that stunned.

"Gray? Are you okay? You mad?" Natsu asked quietly, fidgeting his fingers.

"..."

"I'm sorry okay! We'll pretend it never happened." Natsu said, hoping they didn't have to pretend. Out of the corner of his eye, Gray saw something blue fly away, as if avoiding his gaze. Gray shook his head harshly then locked back onto Natsu's worried eyes.

"Natsu." Gray said in a deep tone.

"Y-yeah Gray?"

"Why did you kiss me?"

"Uh…"

Natsu paused and tried to think back to when he felt the urge to kiss his best friend. He didn't know what exactly he felt or why he felt like he had to kiss Gray, but he liked it and wanted to do it again…so that has to mean something.

"All that stuff I said before about you being my best friend and that I care about you is all true Gray. I-I'm going to be honest with you."

"O-okay." Gray said, completely unprepared for the confession he's waiting for.

Okay never really thought I have to go through a confession from a guy…let alone NATSU! Gray shakily tried to focus on what Natsu was trying to get out.

"I-I really don't know why I kissed you. I just felt like I wanted t-to and I…" Natsu was having a hard time talking about this. Gray smirked at how nervous Natsu was getting…and he had to ask.

"Is this your first confession, Natsu?"

Natsu's head immediately perked up and turned bright red.

"What the hell, Gray! You couldn't give me a few minutes to collect my thoughts before making fun of me!" Natsu exclaimed, huffing. He silently thanked Gray for lessening the tension. Gray laughed, head held up high.

"Natsu you don't have to say anything else. Okay? I get it."

"Do you?"

"This isn't the first time I've been confessed to and you should know too. You've been confessed to many times too."

"I didn't really pay attention to what they were saying though. I really just wanted to…find you." Natsu said in realization. He looked at the slight surprised expression that again appeared on Gray's face and smiled. Natsu no longer fought it and he didn't hesitate. Natsu again inched closer to Gray and put his hands on each side of Gray's face. Slanted eyes locked onto droopy eyes, Natsu confessed.

"Gray, you are my best friend that I care for a lot…and I like you." Natsu said as he pulled their faces together once again connecting at the lips. Gray didn't move, but he felt himself smiling into the kiss; making Natsu smile too. Natsu pushed himself against Gray, deepening the kiss. Despite the pain he felt, Gray felt the urge to pull Natsu onto his lap, his hands clinging to the fire mage's waist. Natsu's hands played through Gray's black locks as their kiss intensified. Gray groaned as Natsu's tongue slid through his lips, entering the cold caverns of his mouth. Not a thing mattered during that kiss. It was just the two of them and that bench.


After what felt like hours of non-stop kissing, they broke for air. Natsu, hands still on Gray's face, smiled his huge smile of satisfaction. Gray only smirked at the pinkette's glowing grin.

"I realllllllllly~ like you." Natsu sang. He felt elated to have finally found out what his continuously confusing feelings were, but his thoughts still spun in confusion because…even though he felt Gray kiss back he didn't know what his exact feelings were.

What is he thinking right now? I wish he'd just tell me! Natsu felt the itch of not knowing go through his mind and body.

"Natsu? You okay?" Gray said, noticing Natsu looked bothered all of the sudden.

"Me!? I'm better than okay, Gray. I want to know how you…feel. Are you mad that I confessed that I liked you?"

Gray sighed and looked up into those anxious eyes. He slid his hands down Natsu's waist and forced his arms to move again. He placed both hands on the shaky hands that still clung to his face. Gray pulled Natsu's hands from his face and held them, intertwining their fingers.

"Natsu…"

I've always lied to myself when these feelings came up. I knew what they were and yet he beat me to it. There's no point in hiding or denying it.

"I'm not mad at all, Natsu. I was just really surprised at first because I never thought…" Gray paused and took a small breath. Natsu looked at him in complete anticipation.

"I never thought you'd feel the same."

Natsu let the breath he'd been holding out and pulled Gray into his arms, without trying to touch his injuries.

Natsu leaned back to this side of the bench and pulled Gray with him. Placing the ice mage just between his legs. Gray leaned back against Natsu's chest; letting his head fall back.

"I never though you'd feel the same." Natsu said, more so to himself. His smile grew as he kissed Gray's head, burying his nose in the raven's hair.

Gray felt the heat of Natsu wrap around his body and he'd never felt so safe. Natsu embraced the one person that he's ever liked in his life and he wasn't about to let him go.


End of Chapter Seven

(A/N) *EDITED* This was a much better kissing scene than the first time I wrote it, yes? Agree? :)

There it is. Yes it was a slightly misleading title right? :) They are together now and a lot sooner than I expected honestly, but I don't really plan these things I just type. I really like how this turned out and I hope you all do too! Please REVIEW my people! :)