Chapter 28: Lucy
At the guild for lunch, Gray did something he'd never accomplished before: he ate more food than Natsu did. They turned it into a competition when Mira asked them if they were actually, truly going to eat sitting next to each other (dammit). They did things together so naturally now…it had taken Gray a moment to realize why she was startled.
When Natsu scarfed his noodles so fast one went up his nose, Gray couldn't help laughing aloud. Ridiculous flame-head.
Full and happy, Gray was the one who asked if their teammates were awake and open to visitors. Not surprising to anyone, Natsu almost broke the sound barrier in his haste to get to the infirmary.
As Gray walked in, Lucy and Happy, who were curled together in Lucy's bed, burst into laughter at whatever Natsu had just said.
"Hey," Gray said casually. He perched on the edge of one of the empty beds a handbreadth from his boyfriend. Too big a space to feel his heat.
"Gray." Lucy smiled warmly. "Thank you for everything."
"Oh. Yeah," he said, embarrassed. "We all did our part."
"I have the best team." She grinned.
The Dragon Slayer beamed like the world had offered him a lifetime supply of tasty fire. When his eyes landed on Gray, the heat of that loving, relieved, joyful gaze felt like it could burn him. The ice mage couldn't grinning back, right there in front of Lucy.
"I was hoping I could go out to the main hall," Lucy said, apparently oblivious to the boys' exchange. "But I kinda need help walking out there."
"Why can't you walk?" Natsu barked. A switch flipped in him, expression flashing from glee to concern.
"Too dizzy," Happy said. "She said her head still hurts."
"Not badly!" Lucy interjected. "I'm okay to hang out with people."
"'Course you are. Yeah, we can help you out there," Natsu replied.
"You two won't start a brawl with anyone else?" Lucy asked. "I don't think I can defend myself against that kind of destruction."
"We promise not to fight," Gray said, and Natsu nodded.
Swinging her feet over the side of the bed, Lucy stood up—and almost face-planted on the floor.
They all darted forward and Natsu snatched her arm.
"Shit!" Gray exclaimed.
"I'm okay," she insisted.
Natsu snorted. "Want some help?"
Lucy hung her head.
"Yes, please."
The team made their way out into the main hall, Natsu carrying Lucy after it was clear she was too dizzy to walk, though she argued heatedly with him the whole way. Gray was laughing under his breath: Lucy was just as obstinate and proud as squinty-eyes. No wonder they got along.
Voices chorused hellos. Lucy swayed slightly when Natsu put her down by a table and Gray shook his head: she probably should've have been out here, but the excitement in the hall was worth it. Cana actually put her keg down to come over.
"You're awake!" Cana said, going to hug her and then stopping as if thinking better of it. "I kept going in to check on you, but you just drooled on your pillow whenever I asked how you felt."
"Creeper," Lucy laughed, and Cana flushed. Lucy launched into questions about how everyone was, as if she'd been gone for weeks, and Cana pounced on the new subject.
Leaning against a nearby pillar, Gray crossed his arms and settled in—startled when a weight landed on his head.
"Happy?" he asked, recognizing the blue tail that whipped across his vision.
"Your head is softer than Natsu's," the Exceed explained, curling up.
"That's because he's hard-headed."
"Good point."
"I can hear you two," Natsu called, interrupting the girls.
"Why do you think I said it?" Gray said with a taunting grin.
Lucy and Cana swiveled to wait for Natsu's comeback. We're like a spectator sport.
Natsu raised his eyebrows. Gray almost winked at him just to make him blush.
They'd promised not to (pretend) fight, so Natsu settled for rolling his eyes. "Snow queen."
"At your service." Gray gave a little bow, feeling inordinately warm. He liked not having to pretend so much.
"So I noticed you're still not moving on your own power," Cana said, turning back to Lucy and nudging her with a teasing smile.
"It feels great to not be in that little room," Lucy said, looking away as her cheeks reddened.
"Aw, someone doesn't like admitting she needs help?"
Lucy stuck her tongue out.
"There's nothing wrong with asking for help," Natsu protested.
"Says the man who never asks for help," Lucy retorted. "I am fine on my own, I'll have you people know. I'm merely grateful for the assistance."
A chuckle burst out of Cana like a balloon popping.
"What?" Lucy asked.
"Sorry," Cana said, unapologetic. "It's just…you're together, right? No need to put up the front."
Gray tensed. With some prescient sense he knew, just knew, what was coming next.
"Why does everyone think that?!" Natsu burst out.
"Natsu, hush," Lucy broke in, she (like Gray) aware of the eyes that swung their way. "It's no big deal."
Cana laughed, the sound a bit too strained. "As if people haven't been taking bets on you two for ages now. Seriously, relax."
Gray shook his head. So everyone thought Natsu and Lucy were a couple. He almost felt jealous.
"Why are you making such a big deal out of this?" Natsu snarled, marching up to Cana and getting in her face.
"I'm making a big deal out of it? Who's the one yelling?"
"Guys, please—" Lucy said, placating.
"I'm not yelling!" Natsu shouted. "Now just…stop!"
"Stop what? Wondering if you're a couple?" Cana asked, not the least intimidated when heat distortion appeared around the Dragon Slayer. "If you're not, then why is your face so red?"
"Guys…" Lucy's tone was breathy. Gray frowned; was she going pale?
Natsu raised a threatening fist at Cana, looking furious, while Cana grinned and held up a trio of cards, ready to throw down. Lucy was hunched down on the bench now, panting in quick bursts.
Just as Gray opened his mouth, Lucy pitched forward onto the table.
They dove for her, Cana's cards and Natsu's fire disappearing as if they'd never been. Cana was at her side first, grabbing Lucy's hand in a death grip.
"She's fainted," Cana said, words coming short and fast. "Shit."
"Pulse is regular," Natsu grunted, but worry crashed over his expression.
Wendy and Carla darted past them, the younger Dragon Slayer putting a hand on Lucy's head and turning accusing eyes on Natsu, Gray, and Happy.
"I told you guys she'd need lots of rest."
"Lucy wanted to come out here," Natsu protested. He was vibrating with tense energy. "She was sitting down the whole time."
"She got hit on the head," Carla told him tartly. "No matter how she feels, that's not an injury you can just get up and walk after."
"Natsu-san, would you help me get her to the infirmary?" Wendy asked.
The Salamander complied, with Wendy, Gray, and the Exceeds following in procession. Glancing back, Gray saw Cana watching them with anxious eyes. Hopefully this meant her and Natsu's fight was forgotten.
When they reached the infirmary, Wendy surprised them all by closing the door and giving Natsu a serious look.
"Natsu-san, you can't get mad like that around her right now," she said. "Over-excitement makes her heart rate increase and that increases the pressure in her skull. She's still healing. Even if you have good reason to be angry…"
Wendy paused for a very long time.
"…even so, please save it until she's not around."
When Natsu stared down at her, Gray was fascinated: several dozen expressions flashed over both their faces in silent communication.
"Okay," Natsu grunted.
Wendy put a glowing hand to Lucy's head. It didn't take long for Lucy to struggle groggily back to consciousness, ticked at finding herself back in the infirmary. Nevertheless, she thanked the young sky mage, who ordered her not to get up for a while before walking to the door.
"I'll leave you guys together," she said, leading Carla out. "C'mon, Happy."
"Why me?"
"I want to check your wings."
Though he grumbled that she could just do it here, Wendy's imperious look cajoled him into following. She shut the door firmly behind on the three remaining humans.
"Well," Lucy said, staring at the closed door. "Sucks I'm going to be here awhile."
"Sorry," Natsu mumbled.
"It's okay."
She gave him an understanding smile before her eyes skated over to Gray. He couldn't read her expression, but the piercing quality of the glance made him swallow.
"Now is as good a time as any," she said, fiddling with her comforter. "I have a question for you two."
Gray's whole body drew taught like a line. His gaze flew to Natsu in panic, but Natsu didn't meet his eyes, lips tight with dread.
"I don't know why you're keeping it secret, and I don't have to know," Lucy said. "I'm just curious what lie you want me to tell. Because I can go along with these ridiculous rumors if you guys really want secrecy that badly. I try to turn the topic away whenever people wonder if you're dating—"
"Wait." Gray stared at her. "Wait, you...what do you think is going on between us?"
Lucy frowned.
"You're dating and have been for a while now."
Gray gaped. The room was silent, Lucy's eyes on him, confident and knowing. Natsu just stared at the floor.
"You...know?" Gray asked.
"Natsu didn't tell you? I've known for ages; told him so yesterday while you were sleeping. He had the same dumbfounded look on his face you do now."
Gray swung an accusing glare onto his boyfriend, mouth curled in a quiet growl.
"I'm sorry, Gray," Natsu muttered. "I was going to tell you but we never really got a chance. The last twenty-four hours have been kinda hectic."
Whirling around, Gray paced to the other end of the room, chest tight. Lucy knew. All things considered that was pretty mild, but...Natsu had known and hadn't warned him, and now it had sprung on him out of the blue. The sense of naked vulnerability was pressing down on him, so hard he struggled to breathe.
Natsu appeared beside him, a light touch to Gray's hip warning the ice mage he was about to strip. When Gray tugged his shirt back on, the Salamander put his hands in his pockets, eyes hooded.
"I'm sorry," he whispered. "When she brought it up, I couldn't lie. She knew without me saying anything. I would've told you right away, but we weren't talking…"
"Natsu, I understand." Gray looked over at him. "I do. I just need a moment."
Natsu nodded, expression drawn down in unhappiness.
"Are you ashamed of me?"
"What?" Gray jerked around.
"Are you embarrassed we're dating?"
"Hell no!" Gray exclaimed, staring at his boyfriend in shock. "Natsu, this has nothing to do with you. I don't like people knowing personal stuff about my life. I don't want people to know if, or whom, I'm dating. How much I care… It's too intimate."
"Even among our friends?"
"Especially then." Gray shuffled a hand through his hair, pinching his eyes shut and lowering his voice. "Knowledge is power. I don't want anyone having power over me, especially where you're concerned. You matter to me most of all."
"Oh."
When Gray looked up, he found Natsu blinking and startled.
"Wow. Okay. Cool. I understand."
Gray chuckled in spite of himself: flustered Natsu was a rare sight.
"Do you?" the ice mage asked.
"Yeah." Natsu smiled. "I do."
Together, they walked back toward Lucy. She tilted her head at them.
"Thank you for keeping this secret," Gray said.
"It's not my business." Lucy shrugged. "It's not anyone's business if you don't want it to be."
Exactly.
"I don't think lying is necessary. Besides," Gray teased, "it'll hurt your chances with the ladies, Lucy."
That loosened the tension, Lucy giggling self-consciously.
"You better come up with an excuse why Natsu gets so angry any time people accuse him and me of dating," Lucy said.
The Dragon Slayer turned fuchsia while Gray bit his lip.
"Simple answer: tell people you're not dating," Gray said. "Halt the stupid rumors. Levy was being insufferable. I nearly hit her yesterday."
Something about this comment made the other two glance at each other and stifle chuckles.
"What?"
"It's just…kind of sweet," Lucy laughed. Blood rushing to his face, Gray was certain his head was going to burst. "But yes, I imagine Natsu will be more than happy for the rumors to go away."
They looked at the Salamander, who slouched and nodded, relief in his eyes.
"Can I make a recommendation?" Lucy asked. "Lately you two show up at the guild together every day. You go everywhere together. Yes, you pretend to fight and treat each other like rivals, but you practically live by each other's sides. No matter the excuse, people will find that odd. If you really want this to be secret, maybe give each other some space."
"Okay," Natsu said, shuffling his feet. "I suppose."
Gray cringed inside. He didn't like it any better than Natsu did; he liked doing things together. They'd spent enough of their lives pointedly avoiding doing things together. But Lucy was right.
"How're you two going to tell people?" Gray asked. "It's kind of weird to announce, by the way we're not dating."
"Next time someone assumes, we'll say something," Lucy said. "But we're not going to yell the truth at people, Natsu, got it? Nobody believes you when you get all pissed off."
The Dragon Slayer scrubbed a hand through his hair, looking sheepish.
"I know. It's just…he's my boyfriend. I'm not with anyone else. They make me so mad when they say shit."
"I know." Lucy gave him an understanding smile. "Maybe one day you'll feel comfortable telling people about you guys and they won't make assumptions anymore. One day. It'll be okay."
Gray sighed and turned away. This was his fault. He just wasn't ready. Here Natsu was ready for the world to know—he wanted people to see into his heart and know what was in there. Gray couldn't do that. He just couldn't yet.
Thank the gods Natsu was so patient with him. He still felt he didn't deserve the Dragon Slayer, but hypothetically if he did, Gray didn't feel guilty asking for this. This relationship belonged to both of them, and Gray had a right to ask for leniency. For keeping himself safe. Natsu understood that, and wanted that for him, and so…yeah, this was okay.
Like Lucy said, maybe one day he'd be ready. That thought sent shivers up his spine. He wasn't sure if they were the good or bad kind.
Erza stepped back from the infirmary door, hand sliding silently off the handle.
So. They were dating, and she'd been right—not as fast on the uptake as Lucy, apparently, but she was still proud of being able to read her friends.
She loved them. Maybe she'd get pissed about this later, but for now, if they wanted the secret kept, she'd keep it.
When she walked out to the bar, Mirajane glided over like a moth to a light, the look on her face one of gossip and intrigue.
"Did you hear about Lucy passing out earlier?" Mira asked. "Natsu was with her. And so was Gray."
"They're not together," Erza said. "Any of them. Natsu's certainly not with Lucy, but he's not with Gray either. I was wrong."
Mira stared. After a long moment of silence, her eyes narrowed.
"That was a sudden change of heart," she said suspiciously. "And a pretty easy confession."
Erza shrugged. "I was wrong. That's all there is to it. I think we should discuss something else."
"You're covering for someone," Mira said.
Erza shrugged again.
"Did you see something?"
"Maybe." Erza stared at her head-on, unwavering. She might not have the best poker face, but at least Mira couldn't read what she was hiding. "I'm pretty sure Natsu's not with Gray, but I can't tell you how I know."
"Fine." Mira sighed. "I suppose Wendy was right. It's not our business."
Chapter 29: Still Hiding
A/N: Leave a comment! They kept me writing during the months I went dark.
