The first two breaks indicate not only a scene break, but also a POV break.
For those who aren't caught up with the Manga: If you haven't yet read Chapter 436 of the Manga, this chapter contains spoilers. Beware, this fic is non canon compliant, so you might be confused if you read this fic before you read the actual Manga.
Smut ahead~ Enjoy!
Zeref let out a content sigh as he slumped down on Acnologia's bare chest. These were the best moments of their occasional meetings—the blissful post-orgasmic haze, spent cuddling or just idly lying in each other's arms. At least until Zeref's emotions overtook him and the curse of Ankhseram activated, which happened almost every time. For some reason, Acnologia was immune to it, but that didn't make things more bearable for Zeref. It hurt deeply, even after four hundred years, that he still hadn't managed to shed the curse that took the life of those who were most precious to him.
They always met at the exact same spot as per Zeref's request. The greenery and animals there were long since dead. They always made love at this spot—Acnologia would fight him if he knew that Zeref referred to their actions as 'making love'. Ever since they'd done this for the first time about a hundred years ago, he insisted that they were just 'fuck buddies', that Zeref wasn't somebody special to him. He claimed that they were archenemies and that he would kill Zeref eventually.
Zeref never confessed, but that wasn't necessary. The frequency in which Ankhseram activated during the time they spent together was self-explanatory. Acnologia knew about his feelings, and he actively decided to trample on them even though he felt the same. There was just no other explanation for his elevated pulse, his dilated pupils and the longing look in his eyes whenever he thought Zeref wasn't paying attention.
A hand sliding over his back snapped his attention back to the present. These were the moments in which Acnologia was the most honest with himself, when he let his guard down, even if just for a while.
What exactly was he afraid of? There had been one occasion where Acnologia told Zeref of a myth that all dragons and thus all Dragon Slayers had a mate. They were fated to be together and would eventually find each other. Upon Zeref's question how they would know when they found their mate, Acnologia explained that a mark, like a tattoo, would appear somewhere on their bodies.
Maybe that was what held him back. There was no mark on either of their bodies, even though they already had countless sexual encounters. However, Zeref didn't believe in something that even Acnologia claimed not to believe and he wasn't going to give up what they had. If that meant enduring being called a 'fuck buddy' and overlooking the occasional flings Acnologia had, then so be it. He always came back to Zeref after all, looking even more grim than usual. Refusing the strong emotional bond they shared hurt him as well, no matter how vigorously he tried to deny it.
Lately, Acnologia only agreed to meet him before dawn and hurried off right after again. Was he keeping another lover in his cave and didn't want to let him or her know that there was somebody else he was sleeping with?
There was a poke to his side. "Oy. Your curse only activated twice today. Finally losing interest in me?"
Zeref clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Shut up."
Acnologia huffed. "At least you know the value of silence."
What a strange thing to say. They were both rather quiet. What was he talking about? Zeref needed to see his face, so he pushed himself up. However, there was nothing to read in Acnologia's face. His brows were drawn, his eyes hard and unreadable like always. The only time Acnologia allowed a trace of emotion other than annoyance to show on his face was in the throes of pleasure.
"Get off me."
Without waiting for a reaction, Acnologia rolled sideways and got up, leaving Zeref lying on the hard soil. He went to the nearest cliff and jumped. A second later there was a splash to be heard.
Zeref sighed heavily, well aware that his lover—fuck buddy—would hear it clearly. He rolled onto his back and stared at the sky. The sun would rise soon. Another day of boredom was awaiting him.
'What should I do today? Maybe hunt something and eat? I haven't eaten in a month. But first, clean up.'
Natsu woke up to the strange feeling of falling and shot up right away. His stomach felt funny. He was trembling and sweating like always.
Shaking his head, Natsu decided to focus on the task at hand. He took a shower, cleaned his colon, dried himself with his own flames, and went to his nightstand, still naked. Seeing the vast sex toy collection in his drawer made him feel nervous when he thought about what he was going to do.
'You could offer me sex without confessing. I'd accept, and I think I'd enjoy it even more since it could be the only chance I ever get.'
The choice was easy; Natsu possessed only one toy with a remote control, and it wouldn't be easily seen through his clothes. It also stimulated his prostate with deadly precision. Needless to say, it was his favorite toy.
Gray was tired. He hadn't slept well, and his head hurt. Not that badly, but it was annoying enough so he wanted it to go away. He'd already drunk two glasses of water and the third one was sitting on the table before him, courtesy of Mirajane who said that he didn't look fine and thus should drink. He'd taken a gulp of it, but felt like he might puke if he took another one. Two glasses within five minutes were already too much, but three? Nope. Playing with the water seemed much more fun, so he froze and melted it over and over, wondering if the glass would break if he just did it often enough.
He could ask Wendy to heal him, but he didn't want to bother her with such a trifle. She looked exhausted, too. If the headache hadn't subsided before the mission began, he'd ask her. Until then, he hoped that the water would take effect soon.
It did take effect a few minutes later, but not in the way he wanted—he needed to go to the toilet.
Back in the main hall, he still didn't feel like drinking more. He sighed and settled for playing with his water for want of a better idea. A glance at the guild's clock told him that it was just past seven. Why the hell had he decided to go to the guild that early? He could've stayed at home a little longer, maybe tried a bit harder to fall back to sleep. Going back now wouldn't do any good, since he knew that falling asleep after he'd gotten up for the day was nearly impossible. A nap in the afternoon was possible, but never in the morning, no matter how often he tried on his free days.
Thirty minutes ticked by uneventfully, other than him downing the glass and immediately having it refilled by a very attentive Mirajane. He rolled his eyes, but she insisted he try to drink it. Gray nodded absentmindedly, not planning to drink it anytime soon, but it was enough to shoo Mirajane away.
When Natsu and Happy arrived shortly after half past seven, Gray pretended not to notice. He really didn't have the energy to interact with his stupid, oblivious best friend. He didn't allow his gaze to leave the glass before him, freezing and melting it at an even higher pace than he had before. Hopefully Natsu wouldn't bother him if he noticed the bad mood Gray was in.
Sadly, his plan didn't work. Natsu flopped down opposite of him, and Gray could feel himself being stared at. He lifted his head and fixed his eyes on Natsu, trying to silently prompt him to state the reason for his early arrival. Him being at the guild before nine, let alone before eight, was highly suspicious.
The faint blush on Natsu's face staggered Gray. Sure, Natsu flushed occasionally, but Gray had yet to find out the reason for his cute little blushes. Looking harder, Gray found that Natsu looked exhausted, but also mischievous.
Mischievous with a blush on his face? That didn't fit together. What the hell was going on? And why was he wearing a watch? Since when did he even possess one?
"Would you come outside with me for a bit?"
Gray raised an eyebrow. "What for?"
"There's something... I want to try. Please."
Natsu politely asking for something? What a rare incident. Gray figured that he had nothing to lose—anything was more interesting than playing with a glass of water.
He got up and followed Natsu outside, who led him to the backside of the guild. Natsu pulled something small out of his pocket and handed it to Gray. It looked like a small remote control of something, but there was no lacrima vision nearby, so what was Natsu trying to get at?
"Try it."
And with that, Natsu leaned against the wall in a very... suggestive manner. He even licked his lips, drawing in Gray's attention immediately.
"Go ahead and use it. Don't be shy."
Shy? Use it? It slowly dawned on Gray what this could mean, but it didn't make any sense. Why would Natsu give something like that to him of all people?
Gray shook his head in disbelief. Surely he was just misunderstanding things. He examined the remote closely. There was a power button, and then two control units, labeled 'intensity' and 'program'. This raised Gray's suspicion even more, but he decided to follow Natsu's instruction to try it out.
He pressed the power button and nearly jumped when he heard a faint vibrating sound right before him. Natsu closed his eyes, tilting his head back until it rested against the wall and let out a barely audible moan.
This couldn't be true! Natsu had just handed him the remote control of a vibrator that was obviously stuck in his ass!
Gray hastily pressed the power button once more, relieved when the noise stopped. Natsu wasn't that happy about it, seeing as he let out a frustrated groan and glared at Gray.
"Don't stop! It feels so good."
"What the hell, Natsu? What's this about?"
Natsu cocked his head. "I have a vibrator up my ass. Isn't it obvious?"
The boldness made Gray's cheeks heat. "I figured out that much, yeah. But why?"
"I thought it was a nice foreplay."
'Foreplay? Does that mean he wants to...? Holy shit!'
Gray nearly choked on his saliva. His body was already reacting, but there was no way Gray would lunge at Natsu just like this.
"Why me?"
"I want to try gay sex."
Try gay sex? Before he settled for a hetero relationship with Lucy? Probably. Gray couldn't stand the thought, but still; there was no way he'd refuse the offer. He'd made up his mind about this sort of situation long ago. However, gay sex didn't necessarily mean that Natsu had to ask Gray.
"There are thousands of other guys out there, and I'm sure you could easily find somebody who'd want to do it with you."
Natsu grinned cheekily. "Oh? Why do you think so?"
Well, shit. Was there a way out of this without revealing his feelings? Gray opted for an expression and posture that were hopefully nonchalant. "Well, you're fit, you're a powerful mage, and you have a pretty face. I think that's what people would consider sexy, right?"
There. 'People', not him. However, Natsu's grin only widened.
"Come on. I wouldn't want to do it with a stranger. I want it to be somebody I can trust, and there's nobody else in the guild right now I'd be comfortable doing this with."
So there were other people he'd be comfortable doing this with. Gray wasn't someone special to Natsu then; he was just short-listed.
'Buck up! You've been prepared for such a situation. And who knows? If you do this right, Natsu might consider having sex with you again...'
Gray knew that if he let this opportunity go to waste, he'd forever hate himself for it. He took a deep breath and dispersed all his doubts with the next exhalation, leaving behind only firm resolution.
Since Natsu seemed to enjoy the vibrator, Gray turned it on again, which earned him a surprised gasp. Gray didn't have any experience with such tools, so he didn't know whether the intensity was high or low after start-up. Time to find out! He pressed the 'plus'-button under the inscription 'intensity', and was rewarded with a low moan.
Natsu's back sagged against the wall. His knees looked like they were about to give in, so Gray didn't hesitate to pin Natsu to the wall, keeping him upright. That his thigh ended up being pressed against Natsu's crotch was a lucky side effect. And god was Natsu hard!
"G-Gra-Gray, ahh, fffeels s-so—hngghh—good! G-gonna... c-c-co—aaaahhhh, ahhh, Gray, Gray, Graaay!"
Natsu squirmed and writhed, moaning so loudly that Gray feared the people in the guild might overhear. However, that thought dissipated when Natsu's shudders caused their clothed cocks to align, rubbing just slightly against each other.
Holy. Shit. The sight of Natsu's flushed and sweaty face and the moans he made were already enough to send Gray close to the edge. If he wasn't wearing jeans which absorbed most of the friction, he would've come right away.
Gray turned the toy off, thinking that Natsu would need some time to recover, but Natsu objected loudly at the loss of vibration, looking at him reproachfully. Wouldn't Natsu become overstimulated if this kept up?
"M-more, please. This was a dry orgasm. There's no refractory period. I can have multiple orgasms like this."
Gray had never heard of something like that before. But Natsu's pants were indeed still dry, and his cock hadn't shrunk at all. No overstimulation then? It didn't seem to be a problem, as Natsu threw his head back and let out a groan when Gray turned the vibration back on.
Damn. How could anyone be that sexy? To think that Natsu would be okay with showing this side of him to anyone beside Gray... A pang of jealousy surged through his body.
No. He'd do his best to prevent such a situation. He'd make Natsu feel good, make him want more, make him want only Gray.
Was it okay for him to touch Natsu? He was dying to touch any part of the body writhing before him, so he tentatively laid his hand on Natsu's cheek. As a reaction, Natsu opened his eyes, caught hold of Gray's wrist, and sucked in two fingers.
It should have been arousing, and it was, somehow. But Gray had a slight aversion against saliva. So long it stayed where it was supposed to be, it was okay, but as soon as it left the mouth, it became disgusting. However, this wasn't about his own pleasure, so he tried to hold back, but Natsu noticed anyway. He released Gray's fingers immediately, wearing an apologetic look.
"S-sorry. Y-you don't like th-this."
"No, it's o—"
"I c-can tell—ahh—from your s-scent and your expression... Y-you dislike it."
Sometimes Gray wished the senses of a Dragon Slayer weren't that sharp, and this was one of those times. He bit his lip as he resisted the urge to wipe his fingers dry, fearing it might insult Natsu.
"Sorry."
"T-turn it off."
Gray obediently pressed the power button. Had he already fucked up? He couldn't meet Natsu's gaze, but then Natsu wrapped his fingers gently around Gray's wrist. When Natsu rubbed the slick fingers dry with his vest, Gray had to look up. What he found in Natsu's eyes wasn't at all what he'd expected. Instead of disappointment, there was only understanding.
"Don't hide. This isn't only about me. I'll only be satisfied if you are, too. So please tell me honestly if there's something you like or dislike. No finger sucking then?"
Gray swallowed. "I... have an aversion against saliva that's outside of the mouth."
Natsu's eyes widened in surprise. "Huh? Does that mean you also dislike blowjobs?"
"Err... I've never done that, neither received nor given one."
Natsu looked like he was about to say something, but he caught himself, gulped, and then hesitantly said, "But do you think you'd enjoy them?"
"I think so, yeah. As long as you're not spitting on my dick..."
The image was off-putting and made Gray shiver. Strangely enough, he quite liked the concept of giving Natsu a blowjob or receiving one from him, unless the previous mentioned event occurred. Maybe it was just a dislike against pooled saliva outside of the mouth, but that didn't explain why he didn't like his fingers being licked.
"Alright. I won't do that. What about tongue kisses then?"
Gray very nearly choked on his breath. Kisses? Was Natsu okay with kissing him? Wasn't this just purely about sex? Because kissing usually involved feelings, right? At least for Gray. He wouldn't want to kiss anybody for whom he didn't feel deeply. But then again, he also wouldn't want to have sex with anybody he wasn't in love with, and Natsu had already proven that his take on the matter was quite a different one. Even so, there was no way Gray would miss the chance.
"I... I'd have to... try?"
Natsu batted his eyelashes invitingly, and for a moment Gray feared his heart might jump right out of his ribcage.
'Okay. Relax. It's just a kiss. A kiss with Natsu. One that could decide whether you get to kiss him again or not. One that could decide if you get to have sex with him. One that could either win him over or scare him off altogether... Shit.'
With his thoughts spinning like this, it was impossible to stay calm. His arms gave in, leaving him to slump against Natsu, mashing their lips together clumsily. Well, that didn't go as planned. It was a miracle Gray managed to maintain the kiss despite internally freaking out. Natsu's sense of hearing was sharp, so he would surely notice Gray's thrumming heartbeat, not to mention he'd feel Gray's ragged breath on his cheek.
Natsu stayed completely passive, other than wrapping his arms around Gray's shoulders and humming blissfully. If he already enjoyed the chaste touch, then there was nothing to fear, right? Gray gathered all his courage and started moving his lips against Natsu's, varying the pressure, and even nibbled carefully at Natsu's bottom lip.
The reaction was immediate and unambiguous—Natsu moaned into the kiss and rubbed his crotch against Gray's, the movement eliciting another moan from both. So, nibbling it was.
Gray's confidence grew more and more as Natsu turned to putty in his hands, writhing and mewling at the soft bites and careful touches of tongue against lips.
The moment seemed surreal, something Gray never would have let himself dream about. Natsu was into Lucy after all, right? Yet here he was, kissing Gray as if it was the only thing he needed, as if Gray was the only one he wanted. It hurt deeply to think that this was just a fling to Natsu, that Gray wasn't someone special for him.
'No. I will be someone special. I'm his first... well, at least his first guy. There's no way he'll ever forget this.'
He'd just have to make it as memorable as possible. How to make Natsu feel even better? Surely he'd be okay with Gray touching his chest and abdomen? More than okay obviously, seeing as he threw his head back and let out a long moan upon being touched, breaking their kiss with the movement.
"Touch me more. Touch me everywhere. I want you to."
Gray didn't need to be told twice. He let his hands rove all over Natsu's front, enjoying the hard muscle under soft skin while Natsu came undone under his touches, grinding his hips eagerly against Gray's.
Gathering the courage to touch Natsu's more private parts wasn't easy, but he got there gradually, carefully sliding his hand down Natsu's lower back. When he reached the waistband, Natsu reversed their positions in a swift motion, pinning Gray against the cool brick wall.
"Undress me. Slowly. I know that sounds strange for you, but I want to enjoy you undressing me, and I wanna do the same to you."
The teasing smile on Natsu's features was sexy as always, making Gray shudder. It was a reaction he usually masked with aggressiveness, but as there was no need for hiding anymore, he let it show. Natsu had every right to tease him about this—Gray would've stripped both in under a second without giving it a second thought.
Natsu was right with what he'd said about enjoying the process of undressing—it was extremely arousing. Undoing Natsu's belt slowly... then peeling him from layers of clothing while running his hands sensually over every patch of newly exposed skin... Especially removing Natsu's scarf turned out to be exciting since Gray rarely saw Natsu's bare neck. He didn't let the opportunity to suck at the sensitive skin slide and was rewarded with a lustful growl. Natsu probably wouldn't mind if Gray left a love bite at his neck, seeing as he always wore his scarf anyway, so he went for it and wasn't disappointed. Natsu even encouraged him, running a hand up and down his upper back.
The sight of his love bite on Natsu's neck aroused him even more, and a spontaneous urge to move things faster overcame him. He kneeled down and breathed butterfly kisses over Natsu's six-pack and hip scar, widening the elastic band so that it wouldn't catch on Natsu's hard cock on the way down.
Pulling down Natsu's boxers was by far the most exciting part of all this undressing business, and also the most difficult to perform slowly. As soon as Natsu's swollen, red tip came into sight, Gray was tempted to yank the boxers down at once, or maybe even just rip them off. Somehow, he managed to control himself. However, the pull was too strong to resist. Gray allowed himself to press a kiss to Natsu's frenulum, and when Natsu moaned at the contact, he even gave it a lick.
"Haaahh! Careful. I don't wanna cum yet. I want you to fuck me. Want you to... b-bl—err..."
Natsu trailed off, looking everywhere but at Gray. Was he trying to talk dirty even though he wasn't comfortable with it? Gray didn't want to talk about something serious while having his face close to Natsu's crotch, so he got to his feet.
"Don't force yourself to say something you don't want, idiot."
Oops. That 'idiot' wasn't meant to be said out loud, but his habits had taken over. However, Natsu didn't seem to care or even notice that he was being insulted. He just bit his lip and shook his head slightly.
"I do want to say it. I enjoy it. It's just... I haven't gotten used to it yet... it's still a bit embarrassing."
'Not yet? Still? That means he's done this before. He's not inexperienced. I'm just his first guy. The first one who gets to take his ass...'
Natsu seemed to notice what he'd just said, and his eyes widened in horror. "I mean... uh... I'm into dirty talking, and I've practiced... before a mirror! It's not—"
"Natsu. It's okay. I'm not judging you, nor am I complaining. I have no right for that. And I don't want to anyway. You can do whatever you want. This is just—" Gray bit his lip, already regretting what he would say next— "just... sex. No strings attached. That's what you want, right?"
It looked like Natsu debated the answer with himself for a few seconds, with different emotions flickering over his face, but then his expression grew determined.
"Yes. That's what I want."
A physical blow to the heart couldn't have been any more painful.
'But what did I expect? For him to fall to his knees and confess his undying love for me? Don't make me laugh! I was prepared for this to happen. I even explicitly asked for this answer.'
Gray was about to say something along the lines of 'I want the same' even though he didn't mean it, but Natsu was quicker.
"If we both like it, we could consider doing it again... Well, at least I'm not against the idea."
Natsu's determined expression made way for a flustered and insecure one, searching Gray's gaze, probably looking for reassurance. Was there even a trace of guilt in his eyes or was it just Gray's imagination? Did he feel guilty for wanting to pursue a purely sexual relationship with somebody?
'Is it because we're close friends? As for me, we're best friends, but I guess his best friend is Happy.'
But more importantly, how should he answer? Of course he'd take everything he could get, and if that meant to be Natsu's fuck buddy, then so be it. He couldn't be too enthusiastic about it or else Natsu would grow suspicious eventually. His behavior had to resemble that of somebody who was curious on a sexual level, but not emotionally attached to their partner. At least not romantically. Meaning he'd have to be his usual sassy, competing self.
"We'll see about that. Maybe you're not able to satisfy me, who knows?"
That special glint Natsu's eyes always had when he was about to compete with Gray was back.
"Ohh, you bet I am. Let's see who'll cum first, shall we?"
"You're on."
It was a game now, and Gray was determined as ever to win. He dropped to his knees again, just in time to fend off Natsu's hand which had been reaching out to touch Gray's crotch.
"Nice try, but it's my turn first. Let's see how you like my mouth on you," Gray said.
If Natsu was into dirty talk, then Gray wouldn't hesitate to use it against him. Natsu's boxers had dropped to the floor at some point, so Gray had free access to his balls. It was fascinating that even Natsu's pubic hair was pink, albeit a shade darker. He had only few fine hairs, and they didn't disturb Gray at all.
The musky scent that filled Gray's nose upon burying his face in Natsu's crotch sent shivers down his spine. This was Natsu's scent. He loved it. A careful lick over Natsu's balls and the base of his cock told him that he also liked the taste of Natsu. The soft hum Natsu let out turned him on even more, and suddenly he couldn't wait to taste Natsu's pre-cum.
The plump tip was still dry, so Gray took it in his mouth and sucked with abandon. Natsu moaned loudly, and it wasn't long until a sweet liquid mingled with his saliva. Gray released Natsu with a wet plop, continuing to pump his shaft with one hand until a bead of pre-cum formed at the tip. Gray licked his lips and then plunged his tongue into the slit, burning the exact taste of the pearly fluid into his mind.
This right now was what he'd always fantasize about when masturbating. If he got the chance to do it more often, that was fabulous, but he didn't want to rely on the possibility. He needed to make sure to remember every second of this, to etch it all into his memory.
Gray closed his eyes as he continued to appreciatively lick Natsu's cock, focusing only on his sense of hearing, taste, smell, and touch. It was nice that Natsu didn't try to hold back the erotic sounds he made, and soon his hands tangled into Gray's hair. Natsu seemed to enjoy having the corona of his tip licked, so Gray wrapped his lips around Natsu's cock and swirled his tongue around it, pleased with the clear reaction this earned him.
"Ah! Shit, stop that! I still want you inside me. I don't want to cum before that. You're making me feel way too good."
Smirking triumphantly, Gray licked one last time, pulled back and looked up at Natsu through his eyelashes.
Natsu's face was flushed, his eyes clouded with lust. "I'll give you that, your blowjob isn't half bad."
Gray cocked his head and blinked a few times, refusing to get back up just yet.
"Alright. It's fantastic. Satisfied?"
"Nearly."
"Yeah, okay. I give up. Satisfied now?"
"Very much."
"Then get your sexy ass up here so I can undress and touch it."
Gray complied all too happily. Natsu slammed him against the wall and crashed their lips together in an all-consuming kiss that was more a fight for dominance than anything else. A fight Natsu won by unfair methods. Namely, slipping his hands under Gray's shirt and caressing Gray's front and back.
Being undressed by Natsu was a delicate issue since every brush of skin against skin sent sparks of arousal right to Gray's groin, and Natsu made sure to seize any chance to touch, grope, and caress.
When Gray was naked except for his boxers, Natsu grinned at him mischievously.
"Since you marked me, how about I mark you, too?"
The idea of being marked by Natsu was arousing, but Gray didn't want the others to know of their encounter. What if he accidentally stripped like he so often did and everybody saw? They wouldn't leave him alone until he spat out who the lucky one was. Lying was not an option, since the mere thought of having sexual intercourse with anyone that was not Natsu turned his stomach. They'd conclude that the two of them were romantically involved, and that was something he wouldn't be able to bear. Because he was almost sure that this would lead to revealing his true feelings sooner or later.
"Go ahead, but please... do it where my boxers will hide it."
Was it just Gray or did Natsu faintly tense up?
"You don't want people to know, huh?"
"Well... No need to let them know that we fucked, right? This is only between you and me."
Natsu grinned up at him whimsically. "Our dirty little secret?"
Time to throw in some sass again, or Natsu would think he'd lost his bite over the stuff they were doing.
"Yeah. Now put that sexy mouth of yours to good use, or do you want my cock to go soft again?"
"I bet that your cock will shoot hard instantly every time you reme—"
He broke off abruptly and gulped. Gray couldn't see his expression since Natsu hung his head low and thus his hair blocked the sight, but the way Natsu held himself indicated that he didn't feel happy. What was going on? Gray wanted to ask, but a second later, Natsu beamed up at him. It was fake. What the hell had just happened?
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing. Sorry, I just... remembered something. But it's nothing, really."
Natsu leaned in and nudged his nose against Gray's clothed erection, his hands coming up to Gray's wristband, but there was no way they were doing this when Natsu wasn't feeling alright. Gray caught his wrists and pushed them back, together with Natsu's head. Then he flopped down on the grass, facing Natsu.
"I can see that it's not 'nothing'. We can stop anytime. You're not comfortable anymore, so let's end this now."
"N-no. We didn't even get to the good part yet... I'm fine, I swear!"
He didn't look fine at all. There was a slight tremor in his body, and his pupils were dilated, not out of lust but out of... fear? What the hell? Was he scared of Gray all of a sudden? Repulsed? Did he feel guilty?
'Oh no. Don't tell me he already is in a relationship with Lucy, and he was about to cheat on her...? No. God, no! This is Natsu we're talking about. He'd never in a million years do such a thing. Then what? Is he just freaking out because he's never done it with a guy before?'
"You're not fine. Please tell me what's wrong."
"No. Can't we just continue? Let's forget this happened."
Natsu's cock had shrunk already. He wasn't aroused anymore, that much was obvious. Why Natsu still insisted on continuing was a mystery to Gray. Was he trying to cover something? Or forget something? Drown his sorrows?
"No, we can't. You're shaking... Would a hug help?"
Gray was aware that hugging wasn't something they usually did. It had the potential to reveal his feelings, especially with Natsu's heightened senses and them being so close, but right then Gray just didn't care. Natsu was suffering, and he'd do anything to ease the pain.
Natsu bit his lip, but gave a careful nod. Gray got to his knees again since Natsu was still kneeling, and then pulled him into a tight hug. Several seconds passed before Natsu wrapped his arms around Gray. He trembled slightly despite the summer heat, so Gray ran his hands soothingly up and down Natsu's back.
"Shh, it's okay. I'm here. You can tell me if you want."
Natsu gulped. "M-my... last lover... died."
Gray tightened his grip. "Shit. I'm sorry."
There wasn't anything he could do about it, other than try to calm Natsu down. Was Natsu afraid of sex because of that? Did she perhaps die right after they had sex? And who was it? Gray didn't know any girl that died, other than Lisanna's fake death, but they'd gotten her back. Or was Natsu traumatized because of that? But then again, hadn't they just been in their early teens back then? And if she was his lover, why hadn't they gotten back together?
So many questions ran through his head, but he'd ask none of them. What Natsu needed the most now was comfort, not being reminded of painful past events.
"Can I ease your pain somehow?"
"S-stay with me... Don't go..."
That was something he could definitely do. With pleasure.
'Wait. Talking of death and then saying "don't go"... That sounds suspiciously like he's afraid I'll die...?'
"Natsu? Do you fear I might die if we have sex... or something?"
Natsu's grip tightened, pressing all the air out of Gray's lungs. That was a 'yes', then.
"I'm a strong mage. There's no way I would die that easily."
The reaction was the complete opposite of what Gray expected; Natsu pushed him away harshly, glaring at him in anger and reproach.
"Anyone could die at any given moment. That's not up to you to decide."
What the hell? Was he implying that he thought Gray would die? Because of sex? What the fuck? Why did Natsu talk like this? What had gotten into him?
"Oh, but it's up to you or what?"
"You don't know what you're talking about!"
Okay, this was too much. Who was Natsu to say something like this? To belittle Gray, making him sound stupid. It was something Gray couldn't bear—somebody making him look like a child while acting almighty without explaining shit.
"And you do?"
Natsu stared at him head-on with a determined and desperate expression.
"Yes, I do."
Gray was so shocked that he retreated several meters. What the hell was wrong with Natsu? Had he hit his head?
"Cut the crap! You're out of your senses. And you're scaring me."
Was he mind-controlled? Had he lost it? Whatever it was, it scared the shit out of Gray. The hurt look in Natsu's eyes was another thing that scared him. How could Natsu think that Gray would believe him? Wasn't this reaction to be expected? Sure, he did trust Natsu, but there was a limit. Maybe it was also due to his fear, but Natsu predicting his death didn't sound believable to him.
"I love you, Gray. I always have. The 'last lover' who died was you. The one who introduced me to dirty talk was also you."
Natsu crawled towards him with a forlorn expression. It was creepy. Gray had always expected to be overly happy when he heard these three words from Natsu, but with him saying all the other things that weren't true, he couldn't help but feel the very strong urge to flee.
When Natsu reached out for him, Gray jumped to his feet and shouted, "Don't touch me!"
Natsu looked like a beaten dog when he said, "But... I want to hug you." And he apparently didn't want to be stopped by Gray's words or actions, since he got up and tried to close the distance between them, no matter how many times Gray flinched backward and out of reach.
"Cut it out! I don't want to hug you. Stop it! And wear some clothes!"
It was useless. Natsu stumbled towards him no matter what he said or did. Out of sheer fear, Gray delivered a blow to Natsu's gut, whirled around and ran. He heard Natsu cough, but just then he just didn't have the nerve to be around him any longer. He'd send another guildmate to look after him and to get him to see sense.
Regarding the idea of writing an alternative smut version (threesome) of the last chapter: I haven't even thought about the possibility of including Jellal, but I like the idea very much~ So, if I write it, it's gonna be Gray/Natsu/Jellal.
The plot is slowly heating up (starting from next chapter)~
Please tell me what you think of this chapter (and the story in general and maybe share your ideas about how the story might proceed), dear reader.