Dragon Family Values

Disclaimer – I do not own Fairy Tail

Summary: Sequel to Seeking Solace. Gray confronts Natsu.

Author's Note #1 – I'm using the 100 Theme Fanfiction Challenge for this collection. I thought it'd be something different.

Author's Note #2 – This one I am rating T.

Author's Note #3 – These drabbles are pretty much one-shots and are not related to each other in any way unless otherwise indicated.

Gray (Rated T)

Gajeel jerked awake. When had he fallen asleep? Rubbing the sleep away from his eyes, he turned his attention to Natsu. He still seemed to be sleeping peacefully in the bed. The iron dragon-slayer gave a small smile at that.

But that smile soon turned into a frown. What Gray had said had deeply hurt Natsu. Gajeel wasn't sure what that would do for their team or even their friendship. But as long as Gray did the right thing, it would all work out, wouldn't it?

"Mm." Natsu turned onto his back and stretched.

"Ya feelin' any better?" asked Gajeel almost immediately.

The fire mage made himself sit up in the bed. "My body feels kind of heavy. But I do feel a bit better. I'm not cold anymore, at least."

"That's good. I'll go get ya some food so you can take your medicine. Just relax while I go get it."

"Gajeel?"

"Yeah?" He paused at the door.

"Has…Has Gray come to see me?" Natsu asked quietly, a lost look on his face.

"I don't know," he answered honestly. "I felt asleep, so who knows if he did or not."

Natsu stared at the blankets and traced small patterns on them with his fingers. "Oh."

Gajeel grit his teeth. "Did ya wanna see him?"

The fire mage stopped his ministrations and looked up at Gajeel. He nodded curtly.

"I'll do it because it's you askin', but I gotta ask why. Why do ya even wanna see that bastard?" When Natsu gave no reply, he sighed. "Fine. I'll send him."

Gray jumped when a plate of food was slammed on the table in front of his. His eyes shot up to meet the intense glare coming from Gajeel.

"Take this to Salamander," said the iron dragon-slayer gruffly.

The ice mage looked at the food then back up at Gajeel. "What?"

"He wants to see ya. Hell if I know why," he ground out. "If I had it my way, I'd beat ya to a bloody pulp."

"He wants to see me?" Gray gulped. He wasn't sure if he was ready to face Natsu yet. He regretted every hurtful thing he'd said, but he didn't know how to say that to the fire mage.

"Ain't that what I said? Now take this before ya make him starve to death, too."

Gray hesitantly picked up the plate and walked toward the infirmary. He could feel Gajeel glaring daggers in his back, but tried to shake off the feeling.

When he reached Natsu's room, he knocked on the door.

"Come in," came the soft reply.

Gray pushed himself inside and shut the door behind him. He kept his gaze on the floor as he slowly walked toward the bed. Setting the plate on the side table, he just stood there and waited for Natsu to say something.

"You can sit," said Natsu gently.

Gray sat in the chair next to the bed, and for that he was grateful. He felt like his legs would've given out from his nervousness. But why was Natsu being so calm? Why wasn't he screaming at him or setting him on fire?

"You wanted to see me?" Gray asked, finally raising his head. He took in Natsu's pale complexion guiltily.

"Yeah," replied Natsu, reaching for the slice of bread on his plate. He placed it in his lap and began picking at it. "I'm sorry."

Gray frowned at Natsu's apology. What the hell was Natsu apologizing for? He had nothing to be sorry for. "What?"

"I'm sorry," repeated the fire mage. "I'm sorry for ruining the mission and for insulting you the whole way back. If I hadn't done that, none of the other stuff would've happened."

"Natsu," Gray started, "I can't accept your apology…because you don't have anything to apologize for. We both made a mess of that mission. I'm sorry I blamed you for that. And I'm sorry we insulted each other, too.

"But I crossed a line that shouldn't have been crossed. I hope you realize that I didn't mean what I said. I don't believe Igneel abandoned you, and you are not useless or worthless. I was angry and wanted to hurt you. You could have done the same, but you didn't.

"I'm really sorry, Natsu. I'm sorry I hurt you. I'm sorry that what I did made you end up like this. I'll do anything so that you'll forgive me. Even if that means…leaving your team. But I'll do that. For you. If that's what you want."

Natsu tared deeply into Gray's eyes, seeing the sincerity in them. "I don't want you to leave my team," he began slowly, "but what you said dug up a lot of stuff I thought I'd gotten over. I'm afraid of…"

"Afraid of what?" Gray asked softly, urging him to continue.

"I'm afraid of being abandoned. I always have been, especially after Igneel…disappeared. Everyone leaves eventually. My parents left me, Igneel left me, Lisanna left me for a time, Happy leaves me for Carla, and you…left me when we came back from our mission. It's a never-ending cycle, and it hurts every single time. You saying those things made me feel like it was true…again."

"I never meant to make you feel that way," Gray said, grief lacing his voice.

"I think I know that now," replied Natsu.

Gray pulled the fire mage's hands away from the bread, holding them in his own. "I don't know what to do to fix this. Just tell me what to do to and I'll do it."

"You're already doing it, Gray." Natsu gave him a small smile. "You're here and that's enough. You didn't have to come."

The ice mage held his breath. "Does that mean you forgive me?" At Natsu's hesitant nod, Gray gave a sigh of relief.

"But if I act…distant around you for awhile it's because I'm being cautious. I know how you feel, but something will nag at me in the back of my mind that you'll do it again. Just be patient with me until I feel like my normal self around you."

Gray nodded. He knew hurting Natsu like that would create consequences. And earning back Natsu's trust was one of them. "I'll do everything I can to earn back your trust."

A sudden growl interrupted the strange silence, which made Gray chuckle.

"I guess I'm a little hungry," Natsu said in embarrassment as he pulled his hands away from Gray's.

The ice mage grabbed the plate and placed it in his friend's lap. "Eat up. You need to take your medicine after you eat, too. Then I'll let you get some sleep."

Natsu's head shot up from his food. "W-Will you stay?"

"With you?" The fire mage nodded. "For as long as you'll have me."

"Thanks, Gray."

"I'm not going anywhere."

Author's Note – I had to reconnect them! Please review!

*Next Theme – Jealousy*