Summary: Spoilers for Chapter 538 of the Manga. In which Natsu didn't disappear but was just being his usual stupid, childish, self.
Pairings: Gray/Natsu friendship and Happy/Natsu/Lucy friendship.
Author's Note: Thank you all so much for giving me over TWELVE THOUSAND REVIEWS! I am amazed and touched, seriously. Many thanks.
It was as if something heavy had sunk to the bottom of Gray's stomach.
Like a gigantic rock of dread, self-loathing, fear, worry, and immense sadness which heavily weighed him down as the hairs on the back of his neck prickled and his whole body trembled.
Lucy and Happy looked no better.
In fact they were actually crying the loud, snotty, tears that he was barely restraining himself from.
After everything they have been through – the battles, the war, fighting each other, their own anger and hatred, the near loss of all of those that were important to them, and Zeref – after everything, Natsu has disappeared.
Just vanished into thin air as if he was nothing but a puff of smoke.
Gray had actually thought it was all over and that they were going to live their lives happily and now Natsu has gone and done this.
"NATSU!" Happy wailed on the top of his voice. Tears streamed down his cheeks like gushing rivers. "NATSU WHERE ARE YOU?!"
"Natsu!" Lucy cried out desperately. "Natsu! Natsu! Please! Natsu!"
"No," Gray shook his head disbelievingly, "No!" he repeated crossly. "Natsu you fucking moron!" he yelled. "We didn't go through all that crap just for you to vanish! Come back! Come back right now!" a treacherous sob choked him as he felt tears burn in his eyes. "Please!" he pleaded. "Come back, Natsu! You're my best friend."
And that was when he heard it.
A snicker.
A little, evil, snicker from beneath some rubble. It quickly grew into a full blown out cackle as the rubble shook tremendously from the vibrations of this evil, crazy, laugh, and then, because he could never wait, the rubble fell to the ground as Natsu sat up, still laughing.
"Oh!" he laughed as he pointed at them. "You should see your faces! That was hilarious!"
"You…." Lucy said numbly as she stared at Natsu with wide eyes, "….You….You…."
"Ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!" Natsu carried on laughing. "As if I'm just going to disappear like that!" he choked out between giggles. "I'm a human being made from flesh and blood. I can't just vanish!"
Gray felt his eye twitch furiously and he could see Lucy was no better as her hands curled into fists.
"And you should have heard yourself!" Natsu shouted obnoxiously. "Come back! Come back right now! Please!" he mocked in a high squeaky voice as Gray felt his cheeks burn with humiliation. "You sounded so pathetic! I think this has to be my best prank ye-"
"YOU STUPID MORONIC CHILIDISH ASH-BRAINED BRAT!" Gray bellowed furiously. "I'M GOING TO FUCKING KILL YOU!"
And with that Gray launched himself at Natsu and happily wrapped his hands round Natsu's tanned neck before he squeezed with all his strength.
"Guh….Gray!" Natsu wheezed out. "You're….choking….me!"
"Good!" Gray hissed. "Maybe you'll finally learn to stop playing stupid jokes like that, you little shit!"
"Happy….Lucy…" Natsu croaked as he held up an arm towards his closest teammates, "….help!"
"No, you're all right," Lucy said coolly as she crossed her arms, "perhaps this will teach you about appropriate timing."
"Aye Sir!" Happy agreed in an equally cold voice. "Some things are just not funny, Natsu!"
"Guh!" Natsu choked.
In the end Gray eventually let him go but only because Erza stumbled on the scene and bashed all four of their heads together before she dragged them over for the celebratory party Cana had started right there and then in the middle of the battlefield.