When I wrote the line where Gray calls Natsu his 'prince', I remembered a fanart of the very talented artist Ferbooche, so I asked for permission to use it as reference and I was granted permission :) Sadly this website doesn't allow links so you'd have to check this fic on my tumblr (Chiyalawritesrewind) or on AO3 (Archive Of Our Own) under the same name. The copied line ("I order you to fuck me. Hard.") that goes with the fanart is also used with permission.
The first four chapters of this fic are already available as podfic, recorded by YuuriVoice (on tumblr). Please check them out, he's doing a damn good job recording them!
Day 8 Part 2
It turned out that Lucy had an accident when she noticed the edge of a paper sticking out of her pants pocket that hadn't been there before. She was so shocked that she slipped and banged her head against the edge of the shower cabin.
Both Natsu and Gray leaped up and asked her if she was alright, but she made a dismissive gesture, assuring them that Wendy already healed the bump and the headache.
Natsu ripped the paper out from her hands and gave it to Erza instead, asking her to keep it. If a paper in Lucy's pocket caused such a dangerous situation, then there was no way he'd allow it to repeat.
On second thought, Lucy's arrival at the guild had been much later than the other times, so Natsu asked some more questions.
Lucy didn't want to admit it at first, but apparently, she'd been knocked out, and then felt dizzy for a while.
Natsu narrowed his eyes, and then repeated and emphasized his request for the paper not to fall into Lucy's hands again. Erza saluted, promising to guard the paper with her life, and Lucy rolled her eyes at the ridiculous behavior of their friends, demanding to be let in on what was happening.
Was there really no way around this every time? It was getting annoying and it ate at his already raw nerves. He'd need to think of a solution for this later. But when Gray gave him a reassuring nod, he knew: He wasn't alone, and Gray would help out if he got stuck or if it was too much.
He waved Gajeel and Pantherlily to their table before he started his explanation, since it concerned them as well.
'Here we go again. Grit your teeth and get to it...'
Natsu's head seriously hurt. He didn't feel well at all despite Gray assisting him when it came to the difficult parts. All he wanted was to be alone with Gray, or maybe completely alone, and pray that this nightmare would be over soon. However, this conversation was important, so he endured it.
"You mean... the paper was in my pocket the previous time? And it stayed there... because of what? I thought Ultear enchanted the diary so that it'll return to its place on your bedside table when the day starts anew?"
"Yeah, well it looks like torn out pages won't be restored. That's the only explanation."
Lucy eyed him curiously, and Natsu could tell that she had questions. Questions he wasn't capable of answering. Sure, he could just call Ultear, but Natsu really didn't have the energy for that anymore.
'Sleep... When was the last time I slept?'
Realistically, Natsu knew that he couldn't lack sleep since the bodily constitution was restored when time turned back, or else he wouldn't have gotten his limbs back the first two times. But that didn't change the fact that he was really out of it, and not even Gray's hand gently squeezing his eased the feeling.
"Natsu?"
"Huh?"
Lucy waved a hand before his face and he noticed that he had the attention of everyone at the table. What had he missed?
"I said you must be tired of repeating your explanation every time. How about you let me rip out one or two pages of your diary and I'll write a text for myself? I'd deposit it somewhere in my flat—not in the bathroom, don't worry—where I'll definitely notice it in the morning. Then I could tell the others what's going on, and you could concentrate on finding a solution. What do you think?"
That was a very good idea indeed and would be a big relief. Instead of answering, Natsu fetched the diary from his rucksack, unlocked it, and pushed it over to Lucy.
She decided to take the last two pages of the diary, saying that it should be enough to write down the important information. Natsu trusted her to know what she was doing, and let his attention drift, slumping down against Gray's side.
He was so tired. Couldn't he just take a break from all the shit that was happening?
Gray turned his body sideways, wrapped his arms around Natsu's torso, and pulled him into a comfortable reclining position with his back pressed against Gray's front. Natsu let out a soft hum, his eyes fluttering shut.
However, his thoughts were in total disarray. No matter how much he tried to make them stop, it was useless. Faces, figures, blood, laughter, blades, his diary, screaming...
Natsu tried his best to focus on one thought, to push the others aside, to think of something logically, but it was impossible. Nothing made sense, and every coherent thought slipped through his fingers, no matter how much he tried to cling to it.
It was driving him up the wall! He was so tired, yet his brain wouldn't shut up and let him relax. It was comfortable, leaning against Gray's chest, being surrounded by his warmth and smell, so why couldn't he just rest for a bit?
An icy hand on his forehead startled him, prompting him to open his eyes again.
"You're hyperventilating. Please breathe in time with me," Gray whispered. He took deep and slow breaths with his mouth right next to Natsu's ear, so that the stream of air brushed Natsu's earlobe.
Natsu hadn't noticed his heart speeding up or that his breath had turned into abrupt pants, but when he tried to focus on Gray's breath, dizziness overcame him. For a moment, he thought that he was about to faint, but with his breath evening out the feeling vanished. Pity. He would've welcomed being unconscious.
The others didn't notice what was going on with him—they were bent over Lucy's notes, chatting, talking about what information she needed to include in her writing.
"Do you want me to take you somewhere private?" Gray breathed into Natsu's ear, making him shudder.
He nodded, thankful for Gray's concern.
Every single one of their guild mates looked worried when Gray announced that Natsu wasn't feeling well and that he'd take him to his flat, maybe let him sleep a bit. Wendy offered to take a look at his bodily condition, but Natsu refused. He knew that there was nothing physically wrong with him, that it was all in his head.
Gray put the diary back into Natsu's rucksack and asked Lucy if she wanted them to drop by again later, but she refused, saying that she would come to Gray's apartment when she needed something.
Gajeel asked Natsu if there was anything he should take care of, and Natsu advised him to try and be friendly, especially to Bubbles. Gajeel rolled his eyes in annoyance but promised that he would give his best.
When Gray and Natsu left the guild, everyone looked uneasy. Happy in particular appeared like he wanted to follow, but the two of them had requested he stay behind, to give them privacy. Gray had promised to take good care of Natsu, and Natsu wanted nothing more than to rest. The fewer people around him, the better.
The fresh air in his lungs and the sunlight on his skin made him feel slightly more at ease, but it also increased his exhaustion tangibly.
Natsu thought he would fall asleep as soon as he was on Gray's bed, but it wasn't that easy. Gray wrapped him up in his arms; his scent and warmth were soothing, but Natsu's spinning thoughts didn't leave him alone. His mood worsened bit by bit, until he couldn't stand lying passively in Gray's arms anymore. He felt restless, yet tired at the same time. How was that even possible?
There were two voices in his head battling for dominance, one of them shouting, 'I can't rest, I have to find a way to save Gray!', and the other one demanding, 'For fuck's sake, just leave me alone, I can't take it anymore, I'm so tired!'
At any rate, he needed to do something, or this agitation he felt would drive him mad.
"Do something."
"Wh-what? You were complaining that you're so tired on the way, that you just want to sleep."
"I'm tired, but I can't sleep. I'm... too confused, thinking too many things at the same time, dunno. It's driving me crazy. Distract me, please."
Gray pushed Natsu into the mattress and lifted his upper body a bit so that he could look Natsu in the eye, a playful smile adorning his features.
"Whatever you want. What kind of distraction do you have in mind, my prince?"
In any other situation, Natsu would've kicked Gray. But with him looking at Natsu like that, a teasing glint in his eyes, his shirt unbuttoned... It stirred a spark of desire that shot right to Natsu's groin, making him hot all over.
Natsu gulped as his eyes took in Gray's muscular torso, at least the part that wasn't hidden beneath the front of his shirt that was loosely hanging off his sides. The mess in his head cleared away, leaving behind only one thought.
'I want this man, and I want him now.'
His cock reacted rather strongly to the sight in front of him, growing hard at a fast pace. Since their crotches were pressed together, his condition didn't go unnoticed by Gray, whose smirk intensified.
"Oh? Was that an order?"
Natsu couldn't control the answering twitch of his cock. He could tell that Gray's dick was filling out as well, and together with Gray sensually licking his lips, it elicited a strangled moan from Natsu.
"I'm afraid I didn't understand what you want from me. You'll have to spell it out for me, my prince."
Gray rolled his hips seductively, making it difficult for Natsu to think of an answer.
"Do you want me to suck you off? Do you prefer my hand? Or do you maybe want... my cock? Please give me a clear order."
"I... W-would you just... stop moving for a bit?"
"Was that an order?"
"Yes. Stop moving."
"As you wish, my prince."
Gray obediently stopped his movements, and Natsu already regretted the loss of friction. But he needed to tell Gray exactly what he wanted, and he planned on doing it in a somewhat prince-like manner. So, he sat up, pushing Gray into a sitting position as well. He tossed his scarf aside and then brought his mouth close to Gray's ear, already starting to take off his vest.
"I order you to fuck me. Hard."
A low groan tore its way out of Gray's throat, and before Natsu could say something else, he was already thrown back onto the mattress. Gray was all over him a second later, kissing, groping, caressing every patch of skin he could reach. He tore at Natsu's clothes, carelessly ripping the seams of Natsu's vest in his frenzy to remove it. As soon as he had free access to Natsu's upper body, he lunged forward.
All the touches and kisses, the stroking of his chest, and the caresses drove Natsu crazy. Soon he was reduced to a writhing and moaning mess, dangerously close to begging for more. Gray hadn't even taken their pants off yet.
"G-Gray... t-touch me—ahhhh—lower... undress me, stroke my... c-cock."
"F-fuck, Natsu, that's seriously turning me on."
"D-do it alrea—ahh, nghh, ahhhhh! Directly. Touch my cock... d-directly."
Natsu couldn't take his eyes off Gray as he slithered down Natsu's body and settled between his thighs. The devious smirk that sneaked its way onto Gray's features sent hot shivers down his spine. In the unbuckling process, Gray's hand brushed over the head of Natsu's cock, prompting him to throw his head back as a moan escaped his lips, his eyes closing of their own volition. He opened them a second later, not wanting to miss out. His belt was already open, and when deft fingers hooked into the material, all layers down to his boxers, Natsu eagerly lifted his hips.
Gray licked his lips as he pulled everything down, teasingly slow. He'd somehow managed to take off his own clothes in the blink of an eye, and Natsu only noticed when he caught sight of Gray's hard, flushed cock.
Natsu whimpered as he could already smell the musk of arousal from both of them blending in the air. He waited with his eyes shut tightly, anticipating Gray's touch, but nothing happened. After a few seconds, he looked at Gray and noticed him staring, seeming to be in awe at the sight of Natsu sprawled out before him.
"Stop staring and touch me already."
Gray smirked and then licked a teasing stripe from base to tip, making Natsu shudder. He sat back up and looked at Natsu innocently.
"Bastard. Stop teasing. Prepare me and then fuck me already."
"Impatient, are we?"
"I'm gonna prepare myself if you don't have a finger inside me within thirty seconds."
"Now that would be hot to watch."
"Pervert. Alright, pass me the lube, I'll do it."
Gray nearly entangled himself with the blankets in his haste to fetch the lube. Natsu would've teased him for it if he hadn't been so damn horny.
It was amusing to watch how shocked Gray was to see that Natsu could shove three well-lubed fingers in right from the start, moving them a bit, and then announce that he was ready.
"Are you... experienced?"
Natsu nodded, and left it at that. He hadn't told Gray yet that he was only experienced when it came to pleasuring himself with toys, and he was curious to see how Gray would react if he thought that he wasn't Natsu's first.
"Oh. Got any tips for me? What can I do to make you feel good?"
There wasn't even a hint of reproach in Gray's expression—only curiosity, and a spark of... something unidentifiable. Was he ashamed that he didn't have any experience yet?
"I don't know. It's always different." It wasn't exactly a lie, since every toy was different and even the same toy could make him feel a variety of sensations, depending on a wide range of conditions, like his level of horniness.
Gray's blush deepened. "S-so, you've already been with many—"
"Yes."
'... with many sex toys,' he added in his thoughts.
It was mean, and Natsu knew it. Still, he couldn't help but feel curious about the meaning behind Gray's bashfulness. Was he jealous? Did he fear that he wouldn't be good enough?
"Does that bother you?" Natsu asked as nonchalantly as he could.
Gray avoided Natsu's gaze at all costs. "I... Was it someone I know? Someone of Fairy Tail?"
Natsu didn't want to lie outright, so this was a tricky question. "What if I said yes?"
A low whimper broke free from Gray's throat. Natsu was about to ask if he was alright, but then he noticed a streak of pre-cum running down Gray's shaft. Not only that, but the droplet on the tip seemed to grow larger. Was he aroused when he thought about Natsu having sex with somebody else?
Natsu had expected various reactions, but this wasn't something he thought possible. Should he be happy or sad, maybe even angry about it? He'd led Gray on, made him believe that he was sleeping around, with some of their friends no less. What the hell was he supposed to do?
"H-holy shit! Sorry... I really am a pervert. I just imagined you with Laxus... uhhh."
"So... you've... um... err, imagined me with other guys before?"
Gray's eyes widened, and he paled.
"No, actually I've always been jealous whenever the thought came up that you might have a lover, let alone many lovers. I think I never would have imagined something like this if you never mentioned other lovers in a sexual situation... I'm still jealous about whoever the lucky ones might have been, but I do realize that I have no reason or right to be. However, that didn't stop my imagination from running wild... D-don't get me wrong, I'm not encouraging you to fuck with other guys. I want you for myself."
"And what if we invited another guy to... join us?"
Not that Natsu actually wanted it, but he was curious about Gray's reaction, and asking wouldn't do any harm, right?
Gray's reaction was unambiguous. A shudder ran through his whole body, his cock twitched, a needy whimper left his throat, and the droplet of pre-cum became larger before another streak made its way down to his balls. He seemed to like the idea of a threesome very much.
"I... uh, shit. I mean... imagining it sure is hot, but... I don't think I could handle seeing another guy touch you... I think I would rip his head off."
Natsu let out a relieved sigh. Thinking that Gray would hand him over to another guy without being jealous made him uneasy, so this was reassuring to know.
"The ones I did it with were—"
"You don't have to tell me, it's fine!"
"But I want to, dummy. The first one was a small and rather thin dildo. We had quite some fun together, but it wasn't what I was looking for, so I bought a vibrator. That was the second one, and I'm still with him sometimes. The third one was another dildo, a bit larger. The fourth—"
"Wait. Are you telling me that all your lovers up until this point have been toys?"
"Yeah."
"You jerk!"
Gray launched forward, squishing Natsu's cheeks, pinching his nipples, and poking him in the ribs.
Natsu half-heartedly defended himself, but for the most part he just let it happen. It was well-deserved after all, and Gray made good use of the chance to tickle him until he was completely out of breath.
"St-stop! I'm s-sor—ry, hahaha, stop, ahh! St-stop! I can't... brea—the."
After a few more seconds, Gray really stopped his tickling and lay down on Natsu, their faces only centimeters apart.
"You're an asshole."
"I'm sure you'll love my asshole. It's still waiting for you."
Gray growled in mock-anger, but when Natsu leaned up to seal his lips in a passionate kiss, he dropped the façade, kissing back just as eagerly. Their cocks had softened a bit, but as their kiss went on and they started groping each other, they were back to full length quickly.
"Do you need to prepare yourself again? Should I do it?"
"Nah. I'm so used to it that you could actually just shove your dick inside right away, as long as you're using enough lube. It wouldn't even hurt. I do that on a regular basis, and my toys have about the same girth as you."
Gray shuddered, demanding Natsu to pass him the lube. He got himself slicked up in a matter of seconds and positioned himself between Natsu's legs.
"Ready?"
Natsu nodded, his eyes flickering rapidly between Gray's face and his cock—he didn't want to miss any of his expressions, but at the same time he wanted to watch Gray slide in for the first time. Gray hadn't even asked if he should wear a condom, but Natsu figured it must've been because he'd learned that Natsu was technically still a virgin... Or because he knew that even if Natsu had a sexually transmittable disease, it wouldn't matter since Gray would... And then time would be turned back anyway...
The feeling of being entered snapped Natsu back into the present, making all the negative thoughts vanish, replacing them by utter bliss. Gray's eyes were closed, his mouth wide open in a silent moan as he pushed in slowly until he was buried halfway inside Natsu. Then he opened his eyes, looking at Natsu hesitantly and inquiringly.
"It feels good. Keep going."
Gray pushed in deeper and it was a bit uncomfortable, but Natsu knew that it would turn into pleasure eventually. And it did when Gray pulled out nearly all the way, slamming back in with a low moan, just barely skimming his prostate. Natsu's open-mouthed moan—needy, wanton, and carnal—echoed through the bedroom. That seemed to be all the confirmation Gray needed to get going for real. He followed Natsu's order to fuck him hard.
The feeling of Gray's balls slapping against Natsu's ass, accompanied by the lewd whacking sounds the motion caused, was incredibly filthy. It was something Natsu had never experienced before, since all his toys didn't have such flexible balls, if they even had any.
Just as Natsu was about to close his eyes and give in to the overwhelming pleasure, a thought occurred to him.
"Sh-shit. J-Jellal. He's pro—ahhh—p-probably watching..."
The curtains weren't drawn, so he'd have a perfect view if he sat in one of the trees.
"Yeah. Hnnnghh... I th-thought—haaahhh—that w-was on pur—ngh—purpose."
"I-it wasn't. B-but—ahhh, yes, there, d-do that again, hnngh—but i-it's okay. L-l-let's give him a g-good show. Fuck me harder."
"Sh-shit. You're s-so tight. I-if I go any faster, I'll c-come within s-seconds."
Natsu dug his heels into Gray's ass cheeks, making him stop, buried balls-deep.
"Then let's take a short break."
"Y-yeah... Although I'm pretty sure that no matter how long we wait, I won't last long... Especially when I'm fucking you hard."
A sly grin sneaked its way onto Natsu's features.
"Well, then how about you go slow? When you notice you're about to come, go even slower or stop altogether."
"S-slow. Alright."
Natsu pulled Gray down for a kiss and kept his arms firmly around Gray's shoulders so that their bodies remained pressed flush against each other even after their lips parted.
Gray brushed a pink strand away from Natsu's sweaty forehead, and then he continued to caress his hair, down his cheek, intently watching every one of Natsu's reactions. Maybe creating a romantic atmosphere would help Gray cool down.
"I like having your weight on me. I can't really explain why... It's like... feeling your presence even more."
Oh damn. Did that sound awkward? It surely did to Natsu's ears, but it was true all the same. He loved feeling Gray's body pressed against his.
Gray smiled softly, leaned down, and nudged the tip of Natsu's nose, never breaking eye contact. "You're so pretty... I've always thought you have beautiful eyes, and now that I can see them up close... I think they're dazzling..."
Natsu felt his cheeks heating up, unable to form a reply. Just then, Gray moved again. He really did go slowly, pulling out nearly all the way before he tentatively slid back in. They held the other's gaze all the while. This elicited a whole different kind of pleasure in Natsu—it was extremely satisfying emotionally. Being joined with Gray like this while looking into those beautiful eyes that told him without a word how much Natsu meant to him made his heart flutter and overflow with love. The moans were long, softer than the previous ones, and they shared tender kisses in between.
The distinctive smells of sweat, sex, lube, and Gray wafted through the air. The sight of Gray's blissful expression mixed with the physical sensations made Natsu feel whole like he'd never felt before.
Eventually Gray stopped his movements, shuddering with the effort to restrain his orgasm. It took him about a minute and lots of soothing touches to calm down to the point where he wouldn't come right away once he started moving again.
"And now," Natsu said, "fuck me hard. Give me all you've got."
"You gotta be kidding me. It'll be over quickly."
"I need it. Please. Make me scream, and don't you dare hold back your sounds either."
"Shit. Alright. Here I come."
Gray pulled out carefully, letting out a long moan.
"That's not hard."
Suddenly, the force of Gray's hips slammed into Natsu so hard his head banged against the head board.
"Fu—ahhhhh, yes, th-that's it, oh fuck!"
As much as Natsu wanted to say something, praise Gray, he just couldn't. All that came out of his mouth were choked breaths, moans, and profanities as Gray humped him without restraint. The vulgar sounds Gray made intensified Natsu's pleasure, and he could already feel the beginning of a prostate orgasm building. It was strange, since he'd only ever achieved a prostate orgasm by vibrating toys, and this was a different sensation.
The emotional bond he shared with Gray made it all so much more intense, so despite the stimulation being unfamiliar, it still felt way better.
His train of thought was interrupted when waves of pleasure rocked his body, making him scream in pleasure. He didn't notice that Gray came until the thrusts stopped.
Gray slowly opened his eyes and looked down between their bodies. His face was flushed, breaths coming in ragged pants.
"Wow... it felt like... you had an orgasm, too... but you apparently didn't. Sorry."
Natsu cradled Gray's face with both hands, gently asking him to lock eyes with Natsu. When he did, Natsu said that there was nothing to be sorry for, and that he indeed had an orgasm—a dry one. He repeated his explanation from the previous time, and Gray listened attentively, gaping at Natsu all the while.
"So you can still come?"
"Yes. I don't have to tho—"
Gray gripped Natsu's cock, stroking him eagerly.
"Ahh, g-god, you're not wasting—hnggh—t-time, are you?"
"Never. When I get the chance to see your blissful face, there's no doubt about my decision. Do you like dirty talk? Or did you just do it because you know I enjoy it?"
"N-no, I enjoy it... fffuck, you're g-good at hand jobs."
"You just lie back and enjoy. Let me hear your sexy voice while I stroke your cock. Yeah, that's it. You like to see what's happening, eh? That makes me want to blindfold you, so you'd be completely at my mercy. I bet I could make you feel so good. Just listen to the hot sounds you make. You like that idea, don't you?"
Giving up a part of his control over the situation, trusting Gray to make him feel good without being able to watch... It did sound very hot indeed, so Natsu gave an enthusiastic nod and a long moan in response.
Gray's eyes glistened. "We'll have so much fun in bed together. Can I also restrain you? With handcuffs?"
Natsu nodded eagerly. He wanted to answer that he'd like to do the same things to Gray, but what came out were only ragged breaths and moaning. He'd tell him later. To Natsu's surprise, Gray let out a needy whimper—the thought seemed to be that arousing to him.
The friction suddenly vanished and Natsu let out a complaining grunt, but when he saw Gray bringing up his hand to his mouth and giving it a generous lick, he swallowed in awe. The musky scent intensified, and Natsu could tell that there was a lot of pre-cum smeared on Gray's hands.
"Mhhh. Tastes so naughty."
Gray's lewd grin seriously turned Natsu on. His cock gave an interested twitch as Gray continued to suck on his fingers. Shit! Natsu needed friction now.
"Stop wasting time. Stroke me."
"You look so hot when you're impatient." Gray wiped the saliva off his hands and onto the sheets. "Tell me exactly what you want and you'll get it."
"I want your hand around my dick. Grip me tightly and then stroke me fast."
Gray made good on his word and followed Natsu's order, the grin never leaving his face. He reached to the bottle of lube, squirted a little into the palm of his hand, and immediately got to work, stroking up and down eagerly, causing squelching sounds as he did so. Natsu threw his head back and let out a low moan. He wasn't going to last much longer.
"Shit. Just look at you. You're so sexy, coming undone by my hand. Am I good at this?"
The only thing Natsu managed to get out was a broken "Yes, ahh, now!" Then he came, feeling the cum shooting through his cock as he emptied himself on his stomach, waves of pleasure rocking his body. It was a lot of cum, though not nearly as much as he got after several prostate orgasms in his masturbatory sessions.
Gray's dick was already soft, so Natsu tried to fetch the tissues from the drawer to catch the mess before they separated and cum spilled. However, the movement caused what he wanted to prevent—Gray slipped out, and even though Natsu tightened up immediately, a drip of cum landed on the bedsheets.
Natsu froze and gulped, his gaze still directed at the drawer. Gray had made clear that he didn't want his bed to become stained, so he'd surely be angry.
"You know, if the situation was a normal one, I'd probably kick your ass for this, but since time will be turned back anyway, it's not permanent. I'll have my clean bedsheets back in a few hours, so it's fine."
Natsu hesitantly turned his head back, relieved when he found no trace of anger in Gray's expression. It was rather the opposite—he looked amused for whatever reason.
"I like your guilty expression. Like a small child that's been caught red-handed while trying to sneak away with sweets. Maybe I don't mind getting my bed dirty if it means I get to see that face more often... No, scratch that. I don't want dried sperm on my mattress."
He really did want to keep his stuff clean. Gray's flat was tidy with no dust anywhere. It was probably easy to clean since most of the surfaces were empty, but still. Gray hadn't said anything about the state of cleanliness of Natsu's house, but he'd probably just been polite. Living together with Gray would surely mean that Natsu would have to clean far more often than he was used to. Which wasn't exactly a bad thing. Natsu disliked untidiness but was just too lazy to tidy up. He needed somebody to kick his ass.
"I'll... keep it in mind."
Gray smiled. "Good. Then how about you give me the tissues anyway so I can clean up what hasn't spilled yet onto my bed?"
Natsu complied quickly. Gray did a thorough job in cleaning, also wiping Natsu's stomach dry before he tossed the tissues into the nearby bin. They snuggled each other, content to revel in the post-orgasmic high while idly caressing each other. After a short while, Natsu made a quick trip to the bathroom to get rid of Gray's cum that was still inside him. He practically threw himself back into Gray's arms, and they resumed caressing each other.
It wasn't long until drowsiness washed over Natsu, so strong that he could barely keep his eyes open.
" 'm tired..."
Gray let out a small laugh. "You know, that's a total stereotype. A man falls asleep right after sex."
"Are you angry?"
"No. You said you were tired before, and then you said you couldn't sleep because your thoughts were racing. I think you need rest, and if you can fall asleep now, I'm happy."
"Mmmmhh."
Gray pressed a soft kiss to Natsu's temple and patted his shoulder invitingly. There was no way Natsu would decline the invitation. He snuggled his head against Gray's shoulder, wrapping an arm around his chest and draping a leg over his hips. A happy sigh escaped Natsu's lips. Gray's slightly elevated heartbeat and his hand nuzzling Natsu's hair calmed him down until he fell asleep.
Natsu woke up to butterfly kisses being pressed against his temple, then trailing down all over his face until they stopped abruptly before his lips. Was Gray too shy to kiss him on the mouth when he thought Natsu was asleep? If that was the case, then Natsu would have to steal his kiss, so he tilted his head and pressed his lips onto Gray's.
Gray made a surprised sound, but after a second he caught himself and kissed back all too happily. What a way to wake up! To think he could have this every morning after he solved the situation... It encouraged Natsu even more to do his best and find a way to save Gray.
It was already five, so they had only two hours left. Natsu didn't want to think about what was going to happen, and Gray did his best to distract him. They cuddled on the bed a bit more, and then Natsu wrote his diary entry while Gray supported him and made silly comments. All in all, he managed to cheer Natsu up considerably, to motivate him not to give up. Not that giving up was an option, but Natsu definitely felt exhausted.
Gray said that whenever Natsu felt down, they'd just have to do something sexual and he'd be fine again. It was meant as a joke, but Natsu thought that there was some truth behind it.
Natsu was in no way a professional when it came to hormones, but he was fairly sure that the hormones emitted during sex could only contribute to him feeling better. The same probably applied to cuddling and kissing, too. And just generally being around Gray.
They also talked about things they wanted to try in bed, exploring the other's fantasies and preferences.
It was the best opportunity for Natsu to state his claim. "Same right for the both of us. I want to blindfold and handcuff you too. I think I'll enjoy having you at my mercy."
"Mmmhh. And I'll enjoy being at your mercy. How do you feel about spanking?"
Natsu flinched. "NO! No, no, no!"
"Whoa, relax. Sorry. It was just a question. No spanking then. To be honest, I don't even know if I would enjoy it. I just thought we could try if you wanted to."
"No. Nothing that involves pain. That's off-limits. I don't want to hurt you, and I don't want to be hurt by you. If you end up sucking my skin too hard in the heat of the moment, that's alright. You could even bite me softly, but not so strong that it really hurts."
"Good to know. Although... I'll forget anyway, but could you tell me that again? I really wanted to bite you, but I wasn't sure how you'd react, so I didn't do it."
'He'll forget... yeah... forget everything we just did. Forget the happy time we spent together... Forget that I love him, that I want him, forget that we kissed and had sex... forget the first time he was on top... He'll forget everything...'
Natsu gulped heavily. "I'll... t-tell you."
Gray's reaction was immediate. He pinned Natsu down onto the mattress, said soothing words, made Natsu think of other things, anything but his... impending death. It worked somewhat. But he didn't manage to shut down all the negative thoughts that flooded Natsu's mind, making him feel like drowning. No matter how much he tried to swim, it was useless. Gray would forget. Natsu couldn't breathe freely anymore; he felt as if his airway was being squeezed.
He had a panic attack, and there was nothing he could do to prevent it. Gray helped him to overcome it like he'd done the last time, but Natsu still felt like shit afterwards. It was a good thing that he'd already finished writing his entry, or else he wouldn't have been able to complete it.
Natsu spent nearly half of the remaining time lost in thoughts, even though Gray did his very best to pull him out of them. It was useless to over-think things, Natsu knew as much. There were moments when he could focus on the present and even smile. The kisses they shared were tender, almost as if Gray feared he might break Natsu. The dark thoughts never stayed away for long though, and if it was that bad even in Gray's presence, Natsu didn't want to know how it would be without Gray's hugs and gentle touches, without his soothing whispers.
The closer it got to seven o'clock, the more anxious Natsu became. It wasn't until ten minutes before that Gray found a way to make the thoughts shut up. He suggested different things Natsu could try out. Some things that Gray would enjoy, some things which would make him emotional, and some which would hurt him in the best of ways. No, not hurt. They would make him anxious, but happy.
He managed to get Natsu to somewhat look forward to all the opportunities he had instead of only feeling the pain. Sure, the pain was still there, and it would never completely go away. How could it, when Gray was dying every time?
Gray also pointed out that they hadn't yet checked if the mission went as planned if it was only Gajeel and Pantherlily. Giving Natsu a task proved to be very effective to take his mind off the negative sides as well.
It was a minute before seven when Gray asked Natsu for a favor, but didn't want to name it until Natsu promised to keep it. Since Natsu wanted to know what was on Gray's mind, and it could be considered his 'last wish', he finally gave in and promised.
"I want you to leave. Now. I don't want you to see me die again."
Natsu's first impulse was to object, but he'd promised. Considering his current state of mind, it would probably be best if he didn't see Gray die anymore. So, he nodded and left through the window, ordered Jellal to go and check on Gray, and then took off running into the nearby forest. He ran as fast as he could, not looking back until dizziness overcame him, sending him flying. He blacked out before his body even hit the ground.
Natsu's Diary
Day 8:
I challenged Happy to a bet in which we tried to guess the answer to the question, 'What do you consider a strong bond between lovers?' I wanted to find an answer to the part of the prophecy where it says I need to form a bond with Gray.
Happy guessed that everyone would answer 'marriage', and he made me lose big-time. To be honest, every other answer was utter rubbish (e.g. Erza: baking strawberry cake; Gajeel: eating iron created by Levy) and can't be taken seriously for this situation.
I accidentally proposed to Gray, so I led him outside and told him everything. He is totally against the idea of marrying me just because it could prevent his death. I tried to (convince) guilt-trip him, but he wasn't having it. I promised not to bring the issue up again unless it's proven that this method will save him.
Lucy still had the paper Gray tore out the previous time, and she got into a very dangerous situation because of it. She noticed the paper sticking out of the pocket of her pants when she got out of the shower. She slipped, hit her head, and was out cold for a while. I took the paper from her and asked Erza to take care of it instead. I don't want Lucy to hurt herself again.
I explained the situation to everyone again. It was tiring and emotionally draining. I wanted to sleep so badly when I finished the explanation, and I couldn't even follow the conversation any longer. Lucy ripped out two pages and wrote a text for herself, promised to put it somewhere safe in her apartment so that she won't hurt herself upon finding it. I'm very thankful for this, since it'll mean I won't have to go through that torture again, hopefully.
Gray took me to his flat. **(Gray) I slept, then I woke up and now I'm writing this, with Gray (distracting me) commenting.
Mirajane's Notes
Natsu asked everyone what they consider a strong bond between lovers. He had a bet with Happy and lost. Most people said 'marriage' and Happy's guess was more accurate. They didn't explain this.
Lucy took two papers from the diary as well and wrote down what's going on. Ask her for details. Only Gajeel and Pantherlily went on the mission.
I
I purposely didn't write down Lucy's text, since I don't think you need the explanation of what's going on for the umpteenth time. I'll just leave it to your imagination.
Fun fact: I'm thinking of writing an independent one-shot (alternative version of this day's smut scene) where Natsu and Gray really go to the guild and ask somebody (Laxus, probably?) to join them and then have a hot threesome on Gray's bed. Not in the main fic though. At least not now ;) I don't know if I'm ever gonna do it since it would steal precious time I need for writing this fic (maybe if I pause the main fic for a week and upload the one shot on Sunday instead? What do you think?). I'm super slow at writing porn scenes. My writing speed is abysmal anyway (300 words per hour if I'm in high spirits), and when it comes to porn, it's something between -10 words/hour (yes, negative word count is a thing for me) and ~150 words/hour (plus, I've never written a threesome before so it could take me even longer, ugh). Now you can calculate how much time I put into this work ;D
I'm very happy about the many nice reviews on the last chapter. I kinda had the impression of a crying baby (me) and then a crowd gathering around it, offering sweets and toys to soothe it xD And it's true, that's exactly how I felt ^^ Now, please don't make the baby cry again :P
I'm writing chapter 20 right now and it's a very important chapter (key chapter) plot-wise~ Things are moving along ^_^ Please send tissues, I need them :(