Author Notes:
Warnings: Swearing - Sexual themes/Content.
Genre, in depth: Male/Male Romance, also known as, Yaoi.
Story Cover Art: The Amazing Astrovique.
Beta Reader: The one and only enjoys literature.
Disclaimer: Dear reader, I'm not the owner of Fairy Tail's characters. If they were mine, Gray and Natsu would be boyfriends.
O.o.O Chapter Eleven O.o.O
Beep. Beep. Beep.
Beep.
Beep.
The 'Military-lead' and Natsu battled with glares, but no matter how demonic Natsu's glare was, that guy resembled a leader of a pride who conspired to doom them ruthlessly. Hazel was the color of his eyes, though, an orangish threatening gleam flickered and ripped at them.
Beep.
Gray buried his hands in his pockets as the tactical truck backed up on the opposite side of the road, waiting to be: a) Arrested. b) Shot in the head. c) Arrested.
But arrested for what? And... has Gray seen this guy before?
"Ready?" The military lead commanded, "And… go!"
The military lead along with the line of the solemn soldiers bowed. Was it a special signal for arresting people?
With a shrug, Gray shared a 'No freaking idea' look with Natsu who was fed up thinking because he's not capable of doing that. Yeah. That shit was destructive to Natsu's well-being.
"What… are you doing?" Natsu questioned the entire gang with a strident, defensive tone.
"Sergeant Loke. Today I apologize for harming your injured friend on behalf of Sergeant Gajeel Redfox's division!"
Ohhhh. He was the one who Natsu abused for so long for kicking Gray's injured leg. Fuckkkkkkkk. The day before, when Natsu gave the guy a blue bulge on top of his eyes and cheek, Gray felt bad for him.
So he came to apologize for Gajeel? Why did a man as crass as Gajeel Redfox feel sorry about cracking a random citizen's limb?
Huh, decent, nice. A coward too.
"Ah…" Gray didn't know what to say, "Ah… Ah-"
"So he doesn't have the balls to appear here and apologize himself?! Such a-" Before Natsu continued with bullshit that deemed them thrown in the internment camp at best, Gray jabbed his torso with his elbow.
"That's—guys! How kind. WE apologize for the inconvenience we caused yesterday." Gray shot Natsu a look that says, 'You fucking talk, you fucking die!'
The mini army before them raised their heads and the Sergeant/jackass who kicked him shook his head, "I did something terrible. It's dishonorable and for that I apologize deeply."
If Gray was a girl, he'd have fallen for the guy's 'Honorable self'. But Gray wasn't a princess. And no, he didn't fall for the guy, he was lacking words to say and apprehensive.
Natsu raised his nose and turned his glowering face away.
"Ah, thanks. Apology accepted!" Gray approached to shake hands with Sergeant Loke and yelled at himself not to laugh loud at the guy's battered features, "We're gonna dash-we have… things… to do, so! See you-"
"—You're not going anywhere." The Sergeant glared for good ten seconds before his lips let out a wide smile, "We decided to show you around and treat you for lunch, right Lily?"
"I'm afraid so…" A big man (Lily) answered.
Was the serial-killer look a prerequisite for military enrolment? At least be neutral when you're apologizing, let alone offering your fucking services.
"Ah…" Gray wasn't comfortable, but he couldn't decline and upset them.
"Perfect timing!" Natsu moved, and picked the glasses from Gray's pocket, "Do you know where we can fix this?"
"Wait Natsu-" That idiot! Is he nuts to ask a SERGEANT about trivial matters?!
"Ah…" Sergeant Loke took the glasses and examined them with care, then nodded, "Follow me."
"You're mad… dude, you're out of your mind." Gray whispered.
"What's your problem? He said he knows a place, period." Natsu said.
Loke beamed as he drove them in his own Jeep, with Lily next to him. The newspapers and petrol scent hit Gray, like when it did to him in Sergeant Gajeel's office. It thickened when they entered the mess hall, or around the people in the blue Pegasus base.
Strange.
The aircraft training continued, and Gray regarded it with irritated blurred vision as the Sergeant provided them with guidance. They stopped at a workshop where Sergeant Loke led Gray to perform an eye-test first. Later, they were promised they'd have the glasses ready by the end of the day.
That fast? The facility was decent too. With all the synthetic parts and machinery thrown around, the magnificent lab hidden behind the tiny reception, it was more of a giant Orthotics workshop.
Speaking about facilities… Sergeant Loke gave them a brief orientation in their Pegasus Grand Intelligence Institute. It was as if another huge base existed in the Blue Pegasus Military base. The red-brick building stood pompously with its neo-classical german style that adapted to Japanese aesthetics.
It had a grand multi-story library, a strong solid section for martial arts, scary gun shooting tracks, archery tracks and fun tracks like bowling.
They have bowling. So militants have fun times too?
Not to mention the theory classes for young people who studied in parallel to serving the government. Holy… their campus put Gray's and Natsu's university to shame.
By the time they checked out half of the Pegasus Grand Intelligence Institute, their stomachs protested. Natsu and Gray froze when they saw the numbers of militants exiting the Institute to have lunch.
How many hundreds were in there?
Sergeant Loke escorted them to the huge institute's cafeteria for lunch, and it was more refined than the mess hall they dined at. Two civilians surrounded by fifteen other militants parading in the campus attracted attention, one that made his knees bounce.
"Ah, so we can!" Natsu's eyes twinkled.
"You could register for the class since you have the general's card with you."
Natsu discussed with Sergeant Loke joining the martial arts training class temporarily, and the guy was more than delighted to answer his queries. Throughout the course of the day, Natsu and Sergeant Loke grew chatty/friendly, and... It was a good thing after Natsu had sabotaged him yesterday.
Sergeant Loke turned out to be humble, funny, and friendly.
"Sorry for those…" Natsu pointed at Sergeant Loke's eye and cheek-bump, "You're actually a good guy!"
Loke offered Natsu a warm smile, "You're not so bad yourself." And assured Natsu forgiveness by a light squeeze on the shoulder.
Spots of red and purple aroused in Gray's vision as he pursed his lips. Too friendly for his taste.
"Republic of Guinea? You're Guinean?" Loke's soup-filled spoon stopped midway to his mouth, "You look so… so Japanese…"
"I keep telling him that." Gray snorted.
Natsu jabbed Gray lightly to the side, "Yup, I'm Japanese too. I haven't stayed there in Guinea for that long though."
"That's fantastic! I've always been curious about Africa. How's it there?"
You've always been curious about Africa my foot! Did this guy think signifying his idiot friend's trip this way would get him anywhere? What the fuck was there in Africa to be curious about?! Zebras?!
Why… was he signifying Natsu's trip? What was he after? Gray stabbed his chicken with a twitching eyebrow as he watched them chat, Natsu speaking nonsense about Guinea with flushed cheeks, and Sergeant Loke repeating Ahs and husky Ohs.
Lunch sucked, and the orange chicken caused Gray's stomach discomfort.
Shit, this guy rubbed Natsu's ego the right way, and Natsu likes it when people do that. Let's not ignore the subtle touches on the shoulder, the arm, etc.
'Stop or I'll pull out my non-existent rifle and eradicate you.'
Eradicate you? Oh my god. How childish.
Gray clenched his fist under the square-shaped wooden table.
As promised, Gray got his glasses, and Sergeant Loke drove them back to their parked Jeep at the mess hall where he first kidnapped them. His lungs hurt watching both hug 'brotherly style' as they parted ways, and he couldn't do shit about it. Sergeant Loke has set his eyes on the pink haired fool, no doubt…
Out of all the dazzling militants in the military base, why pick out his fool?
Gray's grip clenched around the wheel with aggravation-stained blood pumping through his veins.
He drove the Jeep while recalling the image of Natsu hugging someone other than him. Smiling to someone other than him.
'You're so ridiculous Gray.'
He needed to remind himself repeatedly, that Natsu wasn't his. Natsu's a friend, nothing more, and Gray preferred it that way, so why… why would his chest ache? It's sick and selfish of him to act possessive and think Natsu belonged to him even after those three years...
Natsu's feelings slept in a shell that settled far, so far down the pacific ocean. He assumed with baseless confidence that Natsu felt the same, according to signals his wishful thinking created.
He was just overprotective. Natsu's his friend, so yeah, that must be it. And, And there's nothing WRONG with that.
'Don't blow a fuse yet… things are simpler than you imagine them to be.'
"I had expected the worst. The biggest jackass had a heart after all. And Loke? He is a cool man, right?"
Natsu didn't help Gray's escalating blood pressure. Why wouldn't Natsu shut the fuck up about this guy already? Gray had to focus not to run into any of the trucks as the red and black spots tarnished his vision again.
"You alright? Man, where're we going?"
What If Natsu liked this guy? For how long were they staying in this place? They needed to get out and fast.
"Gray."
A hand shook his shoulder.
"What?" Gray's voice was venomous. He shrugged Natsu's hand on his shoulder like it had burned him.
Natsu blinked at his attitude and gaped at his own hand.
"We passed by our unit eons ago. Where're you taking us?"
What?!
Gray pressed on the brakes, jerking Natsu's body forward.
He stared at his surroundings, and cursed, unbuckling his seatbelt. Why was everything so jumbled in his head when it came to Natsu?
He got off the car and walked towards the grass, exhaling the toxic pants in his chest, hands in his waist.
A bang echoed, and steps approached him.
"Everything alright?"
The speckles of brown in Natsu's alligator-chartreuse eyes shined and sparkled fire when the low sunset rays hit them, and god, they were so beautiful. He could look at them all day.
Natsu's whole was a beauty, and he didn't deserve it. People like Sergeant Loke did. They were straightforward, brave, and worked for what they wanted. A coward like Gray who hid behind millions of excuses wasn't suitable for Natsu.
Natsu scratched on the scar of his neck under Gray's frosty gaze and squinted his eyes to protect it from the sunlight.
"You-"
'What do you think of me?'
What Gray? You fucking don't know? He moved on, he almost got married, and now, there's someone who's better than you for him. He's not yours.
Like in the past, the mark dwelling inside Gray's body awakened to distance him from what he wanted. From Natsu. It glowed in his chest and sealed his heart with a seal that pulsed.
"You?" Natsu inquired, squinting at the sun glare.
He swallowed, and pursed his lips, "You… drive. I don't feel good."
"Huh? What's wrong, what-" Natsu pulled his arm, and Gray shoved him, almost knocking Natsu to the ground.
"…" Without a word, Gray opened the backseat door and laid down, replaying Loke's scenes with Natsu during the day.
Minutes later, Natsu stirred the engine, and slammed the driver's door shut. WAIT, Natsu was gonna be in charge of the wheel?! SHIT.
Natsu drove about hundreds of meters, and boy. He wasn't puking, he was fast, dramatic improvement. He would've commented positively on this if he was in a different mood.
Does that have to do with his job in Guinea too?
"… How are you feeling?"
Gray shielded his eyes with his arm, "I need to rest for a while."
"Pussy." Natsu mocked.
Usually, that comment would seduce Gray into an endless curse-exchange quarrel with Natsu, but he wasn't in that mood. He denied Natsu what he wished.
Yes, yes, yes. Gray was being a chicken, flinching at anything and scratching everyone crossing his personal space.
Natsu parked the car and Gray hopped off.
Although they stayed in Unit 8 for one night, it resembled home. The tension in his muscles dissipated as he reached it and removed his shoes, then proceeded to take his medication, rest against the bed, and fucking forget all the bullshit of today.
… As soon as he rids his arm of Natsu's steel grip. Gray questioned it with a hot glare and a clenched jaw.
"Can you tell me what's wrong now?" Natsu asked.
Gray pulled his arm, but no luck. Natsu was adamant on pulling an answer.
"I told you I'm not feeling good."
"Yeah, but what does that have to do with you and me?"
"Do me a favor? Stop asking these girly questions and let go. I need to have my medication."
Gray stared at Natsu, expectant. The pink haired let him go, Gray rubbed where he had his grip on him and left.
"I have just got you back!" Natsu yelled, "… and now I don't… Why the hell are you doing this?"
Gray marched towards Natsu, his blood boiling as he entered Natsu's personal bubble with flared nostrils—his initial goal was to intimidate, but he couldn't bring himself to maintain his 'Talk to me and you're dead' glare. Not when Natsu's chin trembled, or when he broke before him.
This 'why are you doing this to me?' Look weakened Gray's core. Natsu pulled his lips in a thin white line as he expected Gray to lash out on him when all Gray was thinking, is to bring back those lips their color.
But… he can't. He won't do this to Natsu. He too has just got Natsu back as a friend; he wouldn't do this to him.
Before he comes back at the boy, his phone vibrated in his pocket. He growled as he checked it, and he was glad he did.
Because it was a text from Hibiki Lates.
Conference call in thirty minutes.
He showed Natsu the text. Both had to put aside their quarrel and set up their laptop for Hibiki's call.
Fukuoka, Japan – 8:00PM – Blue Pegasus Base, Unit 8
Hibiki Lates has given them a special laptop linked to the Defense Intelligence server through VPN access. Why the paranoia? WELL, that's the part where he understands what the fuck was going on in their lives.
"… Harmony is oozing out of you boys."
It was good to see Hibiki, but not listening to his blunt sarcasm. He and Natsu sat half a meter apart, both crossed their arms on their chests, and scowled.
"Tell me something I don't know." Natsu snorted.
"Do I ask, or are you gonna sort it out yourselves?"
"There's nothing to sort out." Gray spoke through his teeth.
"Nothing, huh?" Natsu's jaw dropped, and turned to face him instead of the screen, "You're terrible at this, ok?"
"Bad time to call the old married couple?" Hibiki cleared his throat, his fingers tapping on his office desk.
"Unbelievable…" Natsu shot as they turned away from each other, his cheeks shifting to crimson.
Gray let the exasperated sigh in his chest out, and shook his head, "We're okay, go on."
"I have good news and bad news. Which should I start with?" Hibiki rested his chin on his palm and his lips curved in a weak smile.
Natsu and Gray cringed and the pink haired boy replied first, "Good news please."
"Alright." Hibiki pressed a key on his keyboard which popped a window next to his footage on the screen.
The window had another person joining the group chat. Gray freed a huge grin, holy shit. Ambassador Jellal Fernandes waved his hand to them, his eyes drooped with a dark shade below, and a brown blanket covered him as he sat on a hospital bed.
When Gray left Narita, Jellal was in a comma, and they thought he'll stay in it for the next six months—no wonder Hibiki Lates has come out of his shell and spoke to them. The blonde worried for Jellal Fernandes like no one else mattered and his mood was bullshit.
"Hola. Guys, good to see you again." It sounded raspy and weak, but it was better than Jellal in a comma.
"Oh my god!" Natsu's grin broke out too. He got so close from the screen, his cheeks inflaming with excitement, "Gosh, are you alright?! When…?"
Jellal smiled, but it was frail, "Sunday… It's crazy. I thought I was dead all along."
"Man, this is great. We can't describe how we feel right now; it can't be explained with simple words. You helped us a lot, and… we felt guilty leaving without seeing you first. Blame Hibiki-san for that." Gray said.
"Nah, it's alright. Hibiki-san has his reasons." Jellal coughed with a laugh.
Hibiki continued, "So, the ambassador is still in recovery mode, but his situation isn't critical."
"That's… amazing…" Natsu's hand rested on his chest. Natsu had been worried over Jellal since the guy was the reason he was out of trouble.
"Now… bad news," Hibiki Interfered, "It's more of an update."
"Ok?" Natsu crossed his legs on the sofa and listened.
"Gildarts Clive." His mere name put a deep frown on their faces, "He's known for being the managing director for Naunheimer Consolidated, your company. He's a prominent member of its board and… he owns a medium size business of his own."
"He does?" Gray raised an eyebrow, "Now that's something I don't know. What kind of business? WWA?"
"WWA?" Hibiki raised an eye-brow.
"World. Wide. Assassination?" Gray clarified in a serious tone.
The Defense Intelligence General shifted through papers on his desk, "Nope. He owns a shipping company, hence, the connection between him and Ondrej Jeremiah."
Natsu rubbed his hair, "It's as clear as mud."
Natsu and Gray never understood the connection between Ondrej and Gildarts. And Hibiki stole Natsu's senses with the upcoming reveal. First Sergeant Loke, then this guy Ondrej, or was it the opposite? How come there're many men in Natsu's life? At one point, Gray had harbored two ounces of hostility towards Jellal Fernandes too…
Gray rolled his eyes at his sick thoughts and listened.
"I'm not surprised." Hibiki chuckled, "It's time you know MORE about your boyfriend—or husband—or whatever."
"He's not my husband, and I'm sure we indirectly broke up after I had run off."
"Whatever. He's one of the worst drug dealers in Guinea, and for us, a felon and wanted in prison."
"Huh?" Natsu's face turned white. Gray was… 'surprised' was the right word. Natsu made friends with many people (Delinquents, back in high school), but never the dangerous ones, and definitely not those who should go to prison.
And he was gonna marry this guy? Dude, what?
"You have eternity to be shocked. Moving on, your husband contacted Gildarts—and when I say contacted, I mean hardcore contact with beating up and everything. He wanted your managing director," Hibiki spoke to Gray, "-to ship his precious drugs from Italy to Guinea because Gildarts's shipping company has the connections to do it with relative ease."
"…" It was Gray's turn to widen his eyes.
"Gildarts refused, and Ondrej didn't take no for an answer. He threatened to obliterate Cana Alberona, also known as, Gildarts's only biological daughter."
"… The fuck…?" There was a traffic jam consisting of information in Gray's head.
"The loving father couldn't go to the police and risk his daughter slaughtered, so he agreed to transfer a small shipment while digging for any dirt to come back at Ondrej or even locate him so he can go all postal on him… the dirt he found was his lover, you." Hibiki looked back at Natsu.
"He believed since you were his lover, you would locate Ondrej and even if you didn't, he could use you as the perfect counter hostage. The rough treatment that you faced in the airport was the pressure Gildarts was under. It's either he risked his daughter's life, or he sabotaged you to get information on Ondrej… that brings me back to you." Hibiki locked eyes with Gray.
"You were his perfect eye. He knew everything about Natsu, and your relationship with him. Natsu, Gray was never your number one emergency contact, am I right?"
Natsu swallowed… "Yes… I didn't… expect Gray to be the one to come."
"-Because it's your father. Someone has messed with your phone and altered the data so that Gray's contact number would be the first—An accomplice."
Accomplice? WOAH.
"Erza Scarlet. We know it wasn't deliberate, and it's complicated, but she was removed from her position at aviation security and on her way to the Blue Pegasus base to spend disciplinary time."
Was 'Disciplinary' another term for 'being tortured'? Because if it wasn't, Gray would make sure it is. That woman…? Erza freaking-booby scarlet? The deranged, psychotic woman who wanted Natsu in prison for seven years? Gray had enough of surprises.
"Now we come to the important part. Natsu, I'm gonna ask you two questions. One, did you know about Ondrej's leading narcotics business?"
"What…?" Natsu pinched between his eyes, fainting with the reveal of the day, "Are you serious?! He does narcotics?! You people are sure of that?! Isn't there some sort of mistake or-"
"-ok, that answers my question. Two, if you knew that Gray wasn't your number one contact, why didn't you say anything then?"
Natsu blinked and had the same gaping look, "Around that time… My dad had an important conference in Austria and-"
Hibiki sighed, "I understand. Gray, you and I were used by Gildarts as an information channel, and eventually, you would've told him anything that Natsu mentions about the case… then he became impatient because Ondrej wanted him shipping a huge shipment… one that he didn't wanna take even if he risks his daughter's safety."
Chills tickled Gray's spine. He knew he was responsible for Natsu's misery, but… he didn't need to hear it over and over.
Hibiki adjusted to a serious posture, with his back straight, "Ondrej's location is yet to be identified. Until then, stay put. Ondrej is a dangerous man, and he won't tolerate risks. Natsu is a risk. He needs to get to you first before Gildarts does. We've been using Gildarts to track his next move, therefore, he believes Gildarts is free and after your ass. You're his only weakness and he needs it crushed."
Natsu gritted his teeth and his eyes hid behind his pink strands of hair.
Jellal interrupted, "Natsu, I know it's hard to imagine that your boyfriend is a criminal, but have no doubt when we tell you that Ondrej's web of connections is terrible and deep, and before we can grab him, you can't do anything reckless."
Hibiki exhaled, exhausted, "That is the case, yes. Questions?"
"Can you freaking get Erza Scarlet sent off somewhere else?! Like, Siberia is a quiet comfy place." Gray didn't want this woman living in the same base, even if the chances of meeting with her slimmed to zero. This WHOLE mess was on her shoulders.
"Boys," Jellal said, "Erza is innocent-"
"-like any of them care." Hibiki countered with a twitching golden eye-brow.
"Hibiki-san, just because you have personal issues with her, doesn't mean that she's a malevolent villainous titania or whatever you call her." Interesting, Jellal Fernandes can be provoked? Usually, he won't stir arguments of the sort.
But Jellal said once Natsu was innocent, and it was true… and if he says Erza is innocent… then?
"Do you realize that my personal issues with her are you? And she is villainous! Hello! How many did she almost-kill in practice? I don't know how they allow her to be within our organization. I hope this is a lesson learnt for them to take an action."
"She brings results. That's why she's in your organization."
"You and your childhood crush."
"It has nothing to do with it and you know that!"
"You're so lame. You're a mighty ambassador, yet you're chicken to ask her out."
"Stop spreading faulty information-"
"—Faulty information my ass. Go ask her out, get laid, and chill. Shall I ask her for you? I'm sure she would love it—Oh wait! Can't, cause she's in Redfox's jurisdiction point!"
"Yeah and you had to send her there of all places! You call her a titania, what are you?"
"For your info, it wasn't me who decided. It came from the director so if you have a problem, speak with him."
"You're kidding…" Jellal sputtered, "She's… his favorite. Why would he do that?"
"This world is screwed up, how would I know? Didn't sleep for seventy-two hours and I can't make sense of anything—"
"—I still don't get it. The director? You gotta be kidding me."
"Yeah, I mean Gajeel man… it's not… pleasant. I feel bad…"
-Silence.
"Are you home? Assuming you're not hoteling it?" Jellal inquired.
"Well done Sherlock, what's the purpose of this question?" Hibiki chuckled, "You finally realized you need to sleep with me instead?"
"I need someone to get me out of this hospital, I'm sick of it, but since you're being such a preposterous asshole, I'll use my authority and get my pilot to fly me back to NYC tonight, see you! Bye guys!"
Jellal's window disappeared.
"DON'T YOU DARE! This freaking idiot! Here are the next sleepless 24 hours!"
Hibiki's window disappeared.
Wow. That went from pleasant, to hostile, to I hate your guts, to friendly, to our relationship has ended in a flash.
Gray shared a baffled look with Natsu, and sighed.
And they called Natsu and Gray an old married couple.
"Why does it always have to be drugs with you?" Gray sighed.
"Hell if I know." That was Natsu's monotonous, lifeless answer.
Natsu laid on his right side, knees curling half-way towards his chest, and his pink hair sprawled on the beige sofa. He had massive info to process, it overwhelmed him to point his head spun, and he needed to lie down and not scream.
Gray found sachets of green tea, hibiscus tea, coffee, Nescafe, red tea, and others he hadn't heard about in their mini kitchen… and the hibiscus tea suited Natsu's situation.
He placed the steaming beverage on the glass coffee table, and sat on the floor next to Natsu's upper half on the sofa. Natsu's dull eyes twisted something inside Gray, and it was uncomfortable. He smacked Natsu's forehead playfully so that Natsu snaps out of it.
"I'll decapitate you one day… not today though. Not today..." Natsu stared ahead, ignoring Gray's harassment.
"What are you thinking of?"
"Your cool grandma." Natsu grunted, "You know what."
Natsu's spirit left his body, and his complexion was unhealthy.
"Did you know about the narcotics business? I know what you told Hibiki-san, but be honest with me. Love is blind and all. Got that."
Natsu inhaled, "Heck no." He chuckled, "Negative."
Gray searched for lying signs, but Natsu's state disappointed his attempt. Ok, it was worse than he thought.
"You have been with this guy for how long? How could you not? Are you an idiot?"
Natsu offered a hysterical laugh, "Hahaha! This is hilarious! I am an idiot! Yeah man, you're right!"
Gray rolled his eyes and sipped from his own cup, "I know I'm right, you dumb fuck."
"Hey, isn't that like the godfather with Michael and shit? Hahaha, guess whaaaat baby?! Movies are so REAL." Natsu laughed for a few more minutes and rubbed the tears from his eyes, "Dude, how is this possible? I still think there's a mistake or something…"
Denial is the First state of an upcoming Natsu depression.
"I'm sure Hibiki won't break this to us if he wasn't certain."
"Haaaa… so funny. So goddamn funny…"
"Not only that, but also, he wants you dead, idiot."
"Hahaha, yeah. I told you, movies are so real. I want to see him saying Ice'em, so badly! He'll be sexy then. Like, Ice'em—epic, right?"
Oh, Natsu dear. His friend was in crisis mode and he backed off because when Natsu entered that state, there was no telling what the boy might do.
"Hahaha…" Natsu laughed again, "Let's not assume dark things, He wouldn't harm me… they're exaggerating... he wouldn't…"
Natsu told himself that more than Gray.
Gray crossed his legs, "What makes you so sure after all this?"
"What nonsense. Listen, Ondrej might want to own me, possess me, trap me forever, but kill me? No. He doesn't want that."
"So…"
Natsu laughed and looked at him, "What? Hahaha… you disappoint me. No more insults?"
His friend stared off at nothing. Gray imagined all the feelings Natsu experienced. Betrayal, dread, fear, then more betrayal. Natsu saw the fake Ondrej those past two years… the real one wasn't as fun and loving. Hell, Gray was curious about Ondrej as a character for a while, but Hibiki assured Gray that he's better off in another continent.
"Please tell me this is a lie..." Natsu muttered.
Heck, Gildarts was a hero compared to Natsu's boyfriend. He was badass enough to stand up to the Guinean and fight back.
"The boyfriend-"
"Don't you ever say that word…" Natsu kept staring off at nothing, "Never, ever."
"…" Gray scoffed at the boy's lost expression, "… Did you notice anything weird in his behavior when you dated him?"
"I know what you're hinting at. Despite everything that these people are saying, he's normal, Gray. There wasn't anything that he didn't share with me, that's why it baffles me he wasn't effusive enough to let me know about the narcotics deal."
"My bad." Gray was furious, "Let's not poke the subject. Hey, I know it's a lot to take in-"
"-That's what she said." Natsu said it while gazing in the emptiness and earned a smack from Gray on his shoulder.
"You serious?" Gray's eyes protruded. Natsu was losing it.
They spent an hour more in silence. Natsu closed his eyes and opened them many times, hinting at the excess of thinking, and the fatigue of the long day. They have toured a forty thousand square meters institute or maybe fucking more, so it's not strange.
And the news sacked him. Murdered the bits of his cheery self, especially when it came after Gray's reveal the day before.
'Poor guy...'
Gray wanted Natsu wrapped in his embrace. He wanted to kiss him all over until he forgets everything, but all he did was watch and not worsen the situation.
"Gray…" Natsu swallowed.
Gray sipped from the hibiscus tea, "Hmm?"
"I don't know what I could've done… if… you weren't here like this."
'Oh…' a flush covered Gray's ears, "I'm not doing much though."
"Trust me." Natsu lazily spoke, "You're helping. So much…"
"Right." If Natsu didn't stop bullshitting, Gray will kiss him, "I'm one of your problems, remember?"
"Never." Natsu shook his head, "You'll never be one either. You make it better… you make all better…"
Natsu softened Gray's heart until it transformed to a fucking marshmallow and if he realized what kind of danger he put himself into, or the effect of his words, he wouldn't throw them around carelessly.
"Shit… I'm not making any sense now…"
"No, you're not." Gray tangled his fingers in the wondrous pink hair, "How about we call it a day?"
"Agreed. But… can't move. I'll sleep here today. Be a dear and fetch me a blanket, will you?"
"I'll do you even better." Gray stood and stretched, "I'll carry you to bed… If I didn't, we must call this sofa spot, the 'Revelations and shock upon Natsu' spot."
"…" Natsu's scoffed.
Gray stretched his arms, and prayed his injury won't protest much, "Here we go."
He scooped the spiritless boy in his arms, and faked a groan, "Your bones are so heavy."
"…"
At first, Natsu's reaction was that of a flipping dying fish. Gray had to stare blankly at Natsu for a second, then hug him to his chest to calm. And… it was surprisingly easy.
"Nope. Stay still."
Natsu melted Gray's coolness all the while he rested in his grip, and Gray's desire sparked in less than five seconds. But he scolded himself and acted civil.
"Okay." The pink haired surrendered.
His lower part throbbed, but he stomped on it, tamed it with a unicorn image and climbed the stairs.
"… Man, are you getting fat?" Gray teased.
"Put me down."
"No."
"Then stop the ridiculous remarks and suffer in silence."
"Fine. Be spoiled. After today, I'll kick your ass."
The blush on Natsu's face intensified as he held on Gray's shirt. "If I fall, I'll kick your ass!"
As soon as he reached their room, he tossed Natsu on the bed and panted.
"That was fun…"
"Fuck, you're a kid." Gray went to the bathroom. He discarded his constricting clothes, slipped into shorts, and was all set for sleep.
But Natsu was in his gaping fish-state, and it irritated him.
"Come on. Get up and change. You can't sleep like that."
"…"
He exhaled a soft sigh, then looked in their suitcase for comfortable clothes Natsu can sleep in, shoved them in Natsu's hands and gave him a silent order to change.
By the time they both settled in bed, Gray was super eager to sleep (after taking all his drugs), but Natsu wasn't. Ondrej's vast subject killed Natsu's brain cells with malicious thoughts that would keep him awake for the entire night.
"Natsu." He rested his palm on Natsu's forehead, then pushed his bangs back, "Things like that happen for a good reason. I know it sucks."
"I thought we were close enough not to keep secrets from one another..."
"…" He didn't want to say it, but he did, "It happens... I had friends who were great at one point and then… I saw them for who they are. We were close enough and look at what I did to you. If that hasn't taught you a tough lesson regarding trusting people blindly, I don't know what will."
Natsu turned his head until he faced Gray on his right and glared.
"You're different. You're not comparable to anyone else."
He chuckled, "Fuck, I'm the worst then."
Natsu sighed, and turned fully to face Gray, his watering eyes locked with his, and it worried him. Those eyes scared the shit out of him... cause they could delve deep into his thoughts and expose him.
"I know this is gonna sound crazy… but, I don't want them to use me to arrest him… towards me, he did nothing wrong."
Natsu is loyal, that's what he is… always and forever. It bothered him that someone as illegal as Ondrej has obtained Natsu's loyalty.
"He'll do you wrong if they don't arrest him..."
"He won't…"
"Are you trying to convince me or yourself?"
"Shit…" Natsu covered his mouth with his palm and exhaled.
"Exactly." Gray's tone softened, "How about you forget everything and try to sleep? God knows I can't keep this up."
"You're asking the impossible…"
Gray hummed, thoughtful as his eyes closed. He then smiled, "Think of your favorite TV show."
A snort was his answer.
"No? Ok, no. How about heaven where sexy men are surrounding you with all the shapes and sizes? Now that's cool, right? Very soothing and peaceful."
Natsu gasped then hit Gray's face with the pillow.
"That's not soothing. That's sexually frustrating. Fuck you and how you think!"
Oh. Oh. Oh, he didn't think of that. How didn't he think of that?
"No. no. no no no, shit, go back to the TV show thing. Please, I know the temp-"
This time, when Natsu smacked him with the pillow, his nose hurt.
"My dick numbed after receiving Hibiki's gifts today. Don't worry about a thing."
"Oh~" The pillow muffled Gray's sly tone until he removed it, with a smirk tugging at his mouth.
"You're in bed with me, isn't that good enough to bring it back to life?"
"You're so full of yourself." Natsu blurted, his neck reddening, then turned away.
"Ouch. I've been told by many that I'm the sexiest shit on earth." Gray ran his fingers up and down Natsu's spine, enjoying Natsu's breathless gasp.
The pink haired slapped his hand without turning and yelled, "Who the hell? Either sexy people have gone extinct, or their eyes need serious cleaning up—"
"—Sure about that?"
Gray pushed Natsu's shoulder on the bed and loomed over Natsu with his body. His arms were on either side of Natsu's head, his thumb caressing the scar of his friend's neck. Despite of the fatigue, he managed to put on a smug smirk, "Look closely. Maybe your eyes need cleaning up, no?"
The Vanilla, sea-foam richness tickled his nose, and incited his mouth. Natsu froze under him with beautiful red growing everywhere on the delicious skin. His ears, his cheeks… He needed to smash their lips together, and taste Natsu's flavor.
To think someone got to Natsu before him… and he allowed it to happen. His friend escaped his pinning gaze however way he could. The heat of his body warmed Gray's bare skin and pulled him in.
Gray deserved a platinum medal for 'resisting the temptation'.
His goofy smile broke the tension, "Idiot. Sleep." He flicked his fingers at Natsu's forehead then settled on the bed.
The cool, calm, and arrogant look on his face was a façade to 'Wait for it, he is gonna kick me in the nuts…'
When Natsu did nothing, Gray was surprised, and bugged Natsu's back of head with his stare.
'Too many thoughts going on in there I see…'
Natsu has let him go so far without sabotaging one of his organs, and that's good.
Somewhere, when Gray's eyelids were heavy with sleep, Natsu rolled back and rested between Gray's arms. And it wasn't fair. He couldn't enjoy it, and he was gonna sue his doctor for those sleep-inducing pills when he's back to Narita.
"G… night… ay…"
Natsu's hot touch on his cheek lulled him to sleep that he couldn't resist any longer.
Natsu comprised of many things that shouldn't be in someone you're living with or you've got the hots for, but can't let them know.
Major issue number one: His fucking form. He was handsome in Tank tops, t-shirts, shorts and Jeans. Back in high school, when they ran to accustom their bodies to harsher conditions and ended up dirty by the end of the day, he looked the best with his breath-taking smile and the smudge of rain and mud across his cheeks.
But that's not true. When he didn't have a shirt on, that was his best. Fuck, for years and years, Gray had seen him naked on different occasions, yet, it wouldn't stop elevating his excitement or his pulses of need.
And… Gray couldn't stop looking. Or desiring. Or hoping.
As he sat on one stair step, Natsu stretched in a push-up plank in the living room, ignorant of Gray's presence. Their communication laptop was next to him on full volume, playing pumping metal. His posture was ruler straight, his core deliciously tightened, the drumming and bass echoed in his quivering shoulders that struggled to keep him still.
His plank and posture was so perfect that Gray wanted to test it. To see how far it can go without shattering. He wanted to be the one to twist it. He wanted to settle below Natsu, have his fingers trace all the fine contours of muscles. To ghost over the pink hardened nipples, then loosen the knee-length shorts laces, and explore those lower, much lower muscles.
Would Natsu keep up that splendid form? Or would Gray break him?
Those pearly beads of sweat that spun on his back, and kissed his lips… they stirred Gray who had two options. Either attack Natsu, or move out of Unit 8.
When that drumming and bass drilled his ears and jerked him off his heavy slumber in the morning, Gray was ready to stuff the human responsible for the inconvenience with those instruments, then kill him for sure.
Somehow, killing didn't seem like the proper action. Punishing Natsu in several other ways would be more soothing to Gray's aching hard-on.
'This isn't gonna work. Fuck.'
The drought in his throat continued to worsen as he allowed himself to stare more.
'… What kind of injustice this is?'
It was past eleven in the morning (drugs are the devil), and Gray was devastated. No breakfast, and he must wait three more hours before lunch. Also, no fucking, and he'll have to wait forever and even then, time will laugh at him because it won't happen.
Gray did himself a favor when he wore his baggy pants before seeing Natsu that way. When the drumming annoyed him enough, he carried himself towards Natsu, and kneeled, then lowered the music.
"Morning… sleeping princess~" Natsu panted as he maintained his plank posture.
"I was sleeping." His voice sounded thicker than he intended.
"Payback's a bitch."
"You serious?" Did Natsu remember to hold a grudge for the day before? After the serious talk from Hibiki? He prioritized annoying Gray?
"Yeah. Dude, your shirt's missing."
"Don't wanna hear that from you. Why are you doing that now anyway?" Gray rubbed his hair and yawned, still thinking of touching the damp lean muscles.
"Warming up. Gonna be joining this afternoon's triathlon and I'm in the mood of winning."
"Joining what?"
Huh…?
"Didn't you listen to Sergeant Loke yesterday—fuck, no more!" Natsu broke his plank posture and sat breathless, blood about to burst from his cheeks. He gulped water and some of it slid from his mouth to neck then his bare stomach, "He asked us to join."
"I don't remember we said yes." Gray scratched his head.
"We didn't say no. It's perfect for me… to not think, you know?"
"I figured that much."
"Let's go have breakfast, I'm starving." Natsu said, "And I need a shower."
"We missed breakfast remember?" Gray stood and stretched.
"Nope. I made us breakfast."
"You…?"
Natsu nodded and ushered Gray towards the dining table. He swallowed at the sight of the scrambled eggs, the grilled tomatoes, and sausages. There was coffee too.
"When—no, that's not it… How are you able to cook? Last I checked you were standing next to my microwave with an exploded egg smashed into the false ceiling." It happened, three years ago, "Not to mention the 'roasted' chicken, the one that got roasted to crisp, remember? What happened to you Harumi Kurihara-san?"
Natsu cracked up all the while Gray thought about it, "Dude, you spoiled me. I lived with someone who was equally helpless for a long time, so I learned survival cooking. It's below decent, don't think fancy. Think quick and dirty." Nostalgia dripped from Natsu's tone, "I used to daydream about the dishes you cooked—like karaage… or kare-pan."
They sat to have their grand breakfast, and Natsu reminded Gray that he needed a shirt, and Gray insisted he liked it that way. Gray loved seeing Natsu shirtless first thing in the morning, but wished it could happen when he's ABLE to act on it. He should just enjoy it… especially, when Natsu's tongue licked the food off his finger then sucked it.
This was seduction. Natsu was trying to seduce him.
'Yeah right.'
Damn it. The food didn't taste like cow shit as it was supposed to.
"Thanks for going through all the trouble." Gray offered a smile.
Natsu shook his head, "I HAD to. Otherwise you'd be a cranky bastard the whole morning."
"It's not so horrible."
"Fuck you."
"Sure, why not? Let me know whenever you're ready."
Natsu rolled his eyes, but a blush tainted his face, fiercely, "You're crazy."
How ODD. Natsu's stable mood stirred questions. Was he holding it together despite of last night's findings? Not that he minded, but he was curious. Was Natsu wrecked from the inside and Gray failed to see it?
Natsu let out a nervous chuckle, then raised an eyebrow, "Something funny on my face?"
"Nah." He shrugged and continued eating, and the sausage tasted perfect and juicy. "You didn't tell me."
"Tell you what?"
"How—no, where did you get all of this? The ingredients… You went shopping or something?"
"Ahhhhh." Natsu chewed his food, "Haha. I couldn't sleep well… Then at an ungodly hour, I was hungry, so I looked for something to eat around here and I met Loke." He explained, "I ate a sandwich before this and waited for you to wake up."
"Huh? Loke?"
It's official. Gray hated Sergeant Loke. It was such a good feeling to admit this to himself.
"Yeah. He was the one who told me about the store I got the ingredients from. We visited it together. Dude, finally! I thought they had nothing like that here. He also reminded me of the training, and I agreed."
Gray sneered inwards. This so called 'Loke', where the fuck did he come from? So he is perusing Natsu, he wasn't imagining things.
"You go have fun." Gray's stomach hardened as he chewed, "I'll spend the afternoon reading a book or something."
"Why? It'd be good if you come too-"
"-It's a triathlon, with all those injuries, I'm sure I can't."
Natsu glared, crossing his arms on the dining table, "This silly excuse won't work with me. You're fine, I can feel it. You've come a long way."
"-Really-"
"-You stopped limping, your hand is stable, and you sleep fine, because guess what, you're fine."
He was fine. Gray continued with the antibiotics because he wanted to be safe, but physically he was thankful for the fast recovery.
So… busted.
He locked gazes with Natsu's challenging one, then shrugged, "I don't feel fine, and I don't wanna be reckless knowing so."
Natsu narrowed his eyes, "Fair enough. You sit and read your book, but I wonder if you can? With that dildo shoved up your ass and all."
The serene, tension-free breakfast moment dissipated, crumbled, gone. Come on, this was Natsu and him we're talking about. They can't be peaceful, even if Gray wanted. They started off as enemies and that part never vanished from their relationship.
"I wonder what you're gonna practice with the kind Loke. Interesting." He regretted nothing saying those words.
Natsu stabbed the tomatoes and his glare charred Gray who smiled innocently.
"You never know, right? Anything could happen." Natsu provoked back.
"Cool. This time, make sure you stroke a non-felonious dick. It should be dirty, but righteous." Gray wasn't one to give up easily.
Natsu's fork clacked on the plate as he stood, slamming his hands on the table, getting into Gray's personal space, "Not like it's any of your goddamn business."
Gray maintained the eye-contact, his muscles tightening as black flames danced in his belly, "It is my business. All. Of. You."
"My heart matters are never your business-"
"Yes, it is. Trust me. Remember when you got fooled by an amazing narcotics entrepreneur, and I was the one who had to bail you out? My best dude's dick business is definitely mine."
Red seeped from Natsu's face, as he shot Gray a disbelieving look, "There's something wrong with you! When did I ever say I'm interested in this guy?! Not that I shouldn't, but I'm fucking not! You're invited, but you don't wanna come because you're assuming bullshit! How is this correct?"
Gray sighed, "Geez. A guy can't joke around you nowadays. Chill, idiot."
Natsu snatched his plate and marched away. "I'm full."
That's what she said ha. ha.
Gray's conscience yelled at him to go apologize, but Gray didn't do apologies when they aren't necessary. Natsu took his fun jokes way too seriously.
...
Right?
To Be Continued...
Next Chapter Release: TBD. My (expectation) is 15 days, subject to change.
Special thanks to: mdelpin, KoriNoKoibito, Jo. Guys, you all guessed correct. It was Loke! thanks for your lovely comments and support.
Thank you ALL for reading. Feel free to share any comment, inquiry, or advice. I'd love that.
Alright, till next time!
Looooooove,
Flame-Belt