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 Twenty Three O.o.O
Kyoto, Japan – 2:30 PM
"I warned you."
"Could we skip the blame part?"
Laxus chuckled, enjoying Gray's torment.
"I've done some investigation myself. Apparently, Hibiki thinks it's unfair we drag you into our mess when you were trying to protect your friend."
"Thank goodness."
"He covered up for you. Whether or not you accept his offer, you should know what you're up against. Smartasses like you don't live long if they get into this business."
"Appreciate the compliment."
"Enjoy your time off. We'll talk later."
"Time off?"
"You'll accept the offer. You're taking a breather for now."
"…"
"I can read you so well, no?"
"Hahaha…"
"Keep your relationship transparent and tell your partner your intentions, otherwise you lose what's important."
"Why do you speak like my mother?"
"I'll see you later."
The Taxi halted to pass the speed bump, shaking them, and resumed towards its destination. Since his phone call with Major Laxus Dreyar, Natsu stuck to silence, distancing himself from Gray, in favor of contemplating about all sorts of shit next to the window.
"Natsu."
The boy's cheek didn't move from his palm, and he responded with a mere, "Hmm?"
"We're okay. He wasn't lying after all."
"That's a relief."
"I know what you mean."
Natsu exhausted himself thinking of their encounter with Hibiki more than Gray, and more than he should. That's not how Gray planned their day. They've just found each other, and that road needed to take shape. The other wonderful night, they huddled up heart to heart, lips ghosting over the other… that was all he ever asked for. No one would steal that from them.
Sighing, he nudged Natsu's waist with his phone. Natsu moved his head to look at him before he punched his arm playfully, a small smile surfacing.
The taxi stopped.
"Cool, we're here."
"Where's here?" Natsu grunted as he helped with their luggage. Gray had paid the Taxi, and both stood at the gate of an old giant apartment complex that stole their breaths away. The cool air mesmerized them and forced silence.
Light beige painted the building's exterior. All the apartments had diagonal terraces scattered all over the surface like domino blocks falling on top of each other with lush greenery in each terrace. The building had a diagonal orientation, and fifteen stories. Although it was old, it stood with pride.
"Is this another hotel? Or are we visiting someone?"
Gray removed his glasses and dragged the suitcase. "Let's go."
Natsu wasn't done with his sightseeing. It distracted him from questioning Gray further. In the building's lobby, the swishing of the mini water fountain stood out. Gray pressed key (6) in the keyboard steel panel after they've squished themselves and their luggage inside the elevator.
"Ahhh~ That was a lengthy flight."
Natsu nodded, fumbling with the handle of the suitcase up and down, "After Georgia and Guinea, nothing certifies as a long flight for me."
"Yup."
"Did your mother move here or something?"
"What?!" Gray's laughter blasted in the elevator as he held his waist. Laughing proved difficult nowadays, "Wha-hahahahaha, why do you ask?"
"Like I dunno. Why are we here?"
"Why the hell would I take us to see my mother when we're dead and sleepy as fuck? That's so fucked up… and why my mother?"
"I just guessed. We wanna collapse, so why are we visiting anybody at all?"
"Shush."
"Jerk-"
"-Shushhhhhh."
Natsu blinked, then pouted, tapping his foot.
The elevator dinged. A refreshing breeze roamed in the long corridor, flowing from the wide openings of daylight. The corridor's flooring had sandy concrete square tiles with dark brown boarders. Potted plants leaned against the cream-painted walls, and several lighting lanterns too.
Gray paused in front of a large maroon apartment door with the number "601" as he searched in his pockets.
'Yup.'
He rotated the silver key in its slot two times.
After they have taken their shoes off, the living room baffled Natsu. The white curtains floated to reveal the life outside the glazing, the grey sofa's cushions looked inviting to lie on, and the turquoise ornamented carpet promised comfort.
Gray closed the door and put their luggage aside.
"Home sweet home." Gray pulled Natsu's arm, "The bathroom, the kitchen's there… This is my bedroom. Your bedroom is at end of the corridor… I don't know if I got it right, but meh, you can always re-organize."
"…" Natsu blinked at his bedroom. Simple double-size auburn wooden bed with two matching drawers. Beige with a golden ornament chaise lounge rested underneath the sill of the enormous window. Pigment Blue Persian carpet with royal Yellow ornaments in the center covered the travertine flooring.
Natsu didn't move, didn't react, didn't speak, and tightened more knots in Gray's gut.
"As I said, we… we can always do something different. Now, the bathroom has a shaver, towel, shampoo, soap, everything, so feel free to take a shower. Basic stuff is in the kitchen because I haven't been around. Right now, we have water, tea, coffee, bread, cheese, Jam, some cupcakes—I asked specifically for them, and DON'T ask why."
Gray continued his mini-orientation in the middle of the living room, "There's a supermarket at the end of the block. A hospital has just opened two blocks away, and the first floor here has a laundry service. To go downtown, there's a bus station nearby. Unfortunately, the train station is a bit... far. Like a twenty-minute walk."
Natsu altered between staring at the place's objects and Gray. He was tight-lipped and swallowed whatever he was encouraged to say. Finally, the pink haired threw his body on the sofa, looked at his watch, and rubbed his face with both hands.
Was it a bad idea? His mom didn't think so. They lived together before, so it wasn't such a big deal. Since he was serious about them, Gray meant to show it. As in crystal clear kinda show it. To be honest, he expected total rejection like 'No man, I'm good on my own for now, too fucking fast for this shit' or a flowery picture where Natsu gives a definite yes or some horseshit like that.
He wasn't getting the rejection, or the flowery picture. It fucking ate him up. Like, say something.
Was he too selfish going too far?
"I'll use your shower. And the bed... for now."
Should he ask?
"Absolutely. Tell me if you need anything at all."
"Great."
Did anyone else see what's wrong with this?
FUCK.
'Listen. It is what It is. He doesn't want it, and he doesn't know how to say it, so suck it the fuck up. And remember; look at the positive side of things… even if there's no apparent one. Oh you know what I-you mean. Those stupid spirit-lifting quotes from Ameba? Yeah those. Replay them.'
Sometimes, Gray had these homey-cozy feelings and shit. Whenever he was around to enjoy his humble accommodation, he'd open the terrace, letting the evening cool breeze mixed with the smell of grass and earth in.
His apartment complex building's most iconic feature was their terraces and the potted plants (That a gardener came every month to check on), Gray couldn't take care of a plant to save his own life, hence the fresh grassy earthy smell. Like after the rain.
He missed this. He missed home. He missed his 'me' moments next to his evening Ice-lemon glass. It was all packing from one place to another (It was fun) the past months, but ok. Settling somewhere was cool too.
'OK. Get this one right. Otherwise, you're losing too much today for your own good.'
The corridor's rustling caught his attention, and he wished it didn't, because it made him lose, again.
The pink head walked in, dressed in a black tank top tainted with small white prints, and beige pants, bare footed, with bed hair.
Maybe it was a good thing Gray got a silent rejection. Natsu's existence in his place would cause happy heartaches, sad heartaches, perverted heartaches, and he could live without that for a change. Oh, Natsu. He wanted to kiss him.
"Where's your tea?"
Someone wasn't sleeping.
Gray's eyes were on his phone, "Top, far right cabinet."
"Ok. I'll make myself a cup, you want one?"
"Nope. Got my Iced lemon."
Few minutes later, a weight landed next to him. Someone smelled like fresh Vanilla ice-cream. Quiet down noisy heart. You're such an attention whore. Like, can't you grow out of this? Pathetic.
Gray rocked his crossed leg and pretended to focus.
"What happened to Plants Vs. Zombies?"
Gray tensed, "Meh, wasn't challenging enough."
"And this is?"
Haha, busted, "Never said I wanted something challenging now. This is soothing, calming."
Natsu scoffed, "This is candy crush in disguise."
"What are you talking about? Jelly blast is nothing like candy crush."
"Whatever you say."
Why does everything this fucker do get under his skin? like sipping his tea? Gray, you need serious help.
Between them, tons of unspoken questions struggled. Gray knew his own, but Natsu, what did you wanna know? Whatever shit that you have in your throat, why don't you throw it at Gray, and he'd take it. Gray was more than willing to take more words, positive or negative, but not silence.
That shit was the same fuck that formed a high-voltage electrical wired malicious barrier between them throughout high school.
He removed his eyes from the colorful candy displayed on screen, to look at a prettier one, with pink untamed hair illuminated by the living room's faint table lamp's warm light. He tugged at the hem of his tank top, brewing the words in his brain before he said them.
He had stopped drinking, as soon as Gray caught his stare. His cheeks were already pinkish from the semi-sleep, but then they deepened, spreading to the tip of his nose.
When will he be able to unwrap this candy for real? When will it be his fully? For the love of God, when will Natsu be willing to talk and give his feelings away?
Gray wasn't much of a talker when it came down to the complicated messy yarn balls of fuck 'feelings', and maybe it was his fault. Maybe that's why Natsu was frightened to give away his and be laughed at or rejected.
Tired and sick from the endless loop, Gray decided to break it, to deny it the chance of coming between them again, because, seriously? Enough.
Five years enough.
"Natsu."
The cup shook in the boy's fidgety fingers, and froze at his name being called out.
"This is brash, it's… selfish too. Rest here tonight, maybe tomorrow too, then you can go. But… I'll keep your room waiting for you. In case you change your mind. After you think about it—I know, shoulda discussed with you first."
He patted himself on the back for being strong and positive.
Then Natsu didn't answer. He breathed through a red nose, eyes looking around him, searching for the right or maybe the wrong thing to say. Come on, Natsu.
'Give me something, anything.'
Finally, his grip on the cup hardened as he established an anxious eye-contact with Gray.
"Do you know the reason I was upset this morning?"
Not the question he expected, but ok. Let's play along.
"Cause Japanese government and my affiliation with the Justice League?" He sounded like a kid answering a parent, what the fuck?
"Not really." Natsu rubbed the scar on his neck, then wrapped both hands around the cup again, "I thought… today was gonna be the last day with you before I'm back home. To come and… have you do this, it feels like a dream. I'm shell-shocked… and…"
Natsu trailed, never finishing his sentence, urging the words.
But those small anxious sentences had broken a dam of lightness in Gray. His entire world was glitter and hopefulness.
The smile was out before he could stop it.
"Like hell it's the last day."
Natsu wore a serious strained face, "I used your shower… I got a bit of sleep too. Not much, but enough, yet when I woke up, everything is still the same and-"
"-Come here."
Gray stole the cup in Natsu's hand to link it with his own, and dragged the boy with him. Natsu was in a trance of sorts that allowed him to follow until he was in the middle of the terrace, the cold evening's breeze wrapping itself around his bare shoulders.
His 6th floor Terrace wasn't so high to cover a magnificent view, but it was good enough. The park, the shimmers of artificial light inside the surrounding buildings, the lit up two ways road... they looked different than when he last saw them. Better. Brighter. Happier.
Because this guy was standing next to him.
He let his friend take it in as he positioned himself behind Natsu. As the boy shivered lightly, Gray pulled him in a secure position so that his back rested against Gray's chest. They both stared ahead, hearts unified with the rhythm of their beating.
"Say yes." Gray's whisper in Natsu's ear immobilized him.
"To?"
"Just say it."
His arms cradled Natsu tight, feeling the sharp rise and fall in the boy's chest, "I can't say yes to creepy shit I don't know."
"Say yes, you're gonna live with me."
Natsu's chest hitched, and Gray felt his strong heart beats through the bones, skin impossibly feverish. How did he not see this before? The boy swung like jelly in his arms.
Shit.
"Gray…" The boy held onto Gray's arm across his chest, desperate, "It's all I ever wanted."
Gray realized how stupid he was. Throughout the day he was seeking either rejection, or a flowery image of Oh my god, of course.
Idiot. Natsu gave him more than that. He squeezed his heart with ecstasy so that it almost burst. He wanted to yell at the boy to stop it, and to kiss him for it too.
"… What about you? Is this… what you wanted? Gray?"
'Shit, stop being so goddamn cute.'
Swear to god, the light sweet caresses of Natsu's fingers on his forearm had nothing to do with his answer.
"I'm gonna be living with my best friend, what more can any person hope for?"
The sweet sensual touches froze, a bile aroused in Natsu's throat as he spoke, "I'm not gonna do the whole 'living together as best-friends thing' anymore. This isn't… like university days. Do you… do you understand what I'm trying to say here?"
Oh yes.
"I'm living with you as my guy, you know. Not guy friend. It's not just a place I'm crashing at to ease my commute to college or wherever. I'm-this is all serious for me. I'd rather you tell me right here right now that you're not ready for it. Because—don't devastate me, don't do that. Especially, not after I said yes."
It shouldn't have been a surprise for Gray to hear those concerns, but it was. The moment they harbored feelings for each other, he constantly fed Natsu's insecurities with his lack of communication until it piled up to that gigantic mountain of vicious doubts and heart-break.
Gray wanted someone to kick his own ass, because a semi-wrong sentence from him had pushed Natsu to the edge. How was that possible?
The unbreakable Natsu was breaking in his hand time and again… how? Why?
At the barely audible sniff, guilt settled in Gray.
"Why will I do all of this? Why will I travel all the way to Eastern Europe? Because you're my best friend?"
Natsu shrugged heavily, and a few tears wetted Gray's forearm, "R-really… you've always been a wonderful friend to me…"
"You know better. Wonderful friends don't kiss or frot."
"Like in other foreign countries-"
"-Bullshit right?" Gray tightened his hold, kissing the back of Natsu's head, "All of this dark gloomy cloud of haziness in your head… get rid of it. This place's yours. You're living with your guy, so hey, let go. Allow yourself to be crazy happy, because I'm crazy happy thinking of the endless possibilities when we're together."
Natsu rested on Gray as if needing a tighter hold.
"I love your place. God, I love it so much. I can't wait to share all sorts of things with you."
"Woah." Gray laughed, "I said be happy, not radiant. You're infecting me."
"Thank you… you have no idea how much this means to me."
Natsu held onto him, breathing in and out to get rid of the tears, but the harder he tried, the harder they overflowed.
Hunger hit them both like crazy after their emotional exchange.
They wasted two entire minutes of their lives debating ordering pizza or burgers, and Gray wasn't that person who would elongate useless conversations. He flipped the coin, and it was decided. Dragon Burgers would forever earn Gray's approval, besides Natsu's. They unwrapped their Burgers, enjoying the juicy meat and their french fries.
"It was my office space. My room's too small for our stuff so I told mom to move the desk to the living room, get rid of the useless stuff, and re-furnish it."
Natsu said something, and Gray told him not to fucking speak when his mouth was full of food.
"I mean…" The boy chugged down coke, "She got it right. It's sooooo me. I need to thank her. She's always been so sweet."
'I was the one who picked the furniture and the color theme and everything you burger stuffed idiot.'
"Sure thing." Fucking Gray getting Jealous from his own mother.
"What about the rent?" Natsu stopped eating, "Can I help? Can we share? Can-"
Gray dismissed Natsu's concerns by a wave of his hand, "It's paid until March next year. We don't have to worry about that now."
"Yeah, but I'll help at some point. You'll let me do that, yeah?"
"I will when you have a job."
"Hohoho Fullbuster-san. You're underestimating my financial status. Do you know that I have a monthly income even when I'm not 'physically' working?"
Dread knocked Gray sideways, "Your father, of course."
Natsu shook his head, "I invested in Alzack's mining company, so I have a profit percentage. I'm the owner."
What do you know? The idiot had the brains to grow out of his father's hold.
"It's not extravagant, but good enough."
"Fuck you." Gray laughed munching on his fries.
"So I'll help, yeah?"
"Fine. After March, you'll help."
"Speaking of which, you're the one who needs to get a job!" Natsu teased.
"As I said, fuck you."
They met their neighbors that night when they took the trash out. Two females who shared an apartment. Although Kagura wasn't as lively as Millianna who blabbered about whatthefuckever, she appeared kind and sophisticated. When Gray lived here half a year ago, he had no neighbors and...
You know what? He's happy it's not a pilot. If it was a pilot, then Gray would've had no choice but to commit a crime. Or move out.
It. is. Not. A. Pilot.
Fucking. No.
They even received a box of cookies from the girls, a welcome gift…? Were they targeting Natsu or something? Well, he's taken. Let them try.
Imagine hot steamy milk with Vanilla, topped with coconut flakes. DISGUSTING, right? He had believed that drink suited babies, the elderly, or cats.
They spent the first week doing these three things: complaining, eating, and complaining.
The triangle of agonizing exhaustion: Travelling to Georgia, Travelling to Narita, Travelling to Kyoto, has taken a toll on his well-being (he's a delicate guy), and he needed sleep to heal.
Jet laaaaaaaaag, aka, jumping over several time zones, is a bitch.
That week agonized them in ways they couldn't understand. They woke up at 2:00 AM for no reason. When they lost all hope to sleep, they played light soccer in the playground two blocks away, basketball, and cards to waste time and energy at 5:00 AM.
It was when he accepted the felines drink. Fuck, he wanted to sleep, and since he can't allow anyone to knock him on the back of his head, he settled for Natsu's childish suggestion.
His suggestion was to smoke, but Natsu smacked him.
His next suggestion was sleeping pills, and surprisingly, Natsu didn't shrug this one off or fuck-up his nose for it. On the way to the pharmacy, they remembered sleeping pills demanded a prescription, and for that he almost got his nose fucked up.
Sleep deprived Natsu had a twitching eye.
Luck was on his side because the pharmacist was the pretty girl who flirted with him whenever she got the chance so he told Natsu to shut up and let him do the talking, and since it was a life or death situation, Natsu tolerated the act of temporary cheating.
Both of them held their glasses of water in one hand, and the sleeping pill in the other.
"Cheers."
They clunk their glasses and gulped down the pill. Half an hour later, they were out of it.
They acknowledged the sleeping pill's work. It switched them off, that's all what it did. Switch them off. They don't remember dreaming or feeling. Literally, they were like computers running for a month and all the sleeping pill did was hibernation.
The process didn't include a refresh.
As much as it was frustrating for both, his lips curved in a casual smile and maintained it since the moment they started living together. His mind no longer tormented him with worry over his friend and the guilt gradually abandoned him. They were sharing their first experience, regardless of the awful nature of its beginning.
The jet-lag curse wore off that day when they were playing cards at 10:00PM and they both yawned. The happiness they felt over the yawn was exceptional. Sleepy at 10:00PM was foreign to them. They accomplished victory and trumped the Jet-lag curse.
"That's it for me…" His friend stretched and groaned, "God…"
"Me too..."
They were too drowsy to laugh, but they did. Not so loud as they're used to. They wrapped up the game and decided to call it a day.
"So are you gonna let me in your room soon or what?" Drowsiness laced his friend's voice.
"Did I ever keep you away from it?" Gray laughed and threw his arm around his friend's shoulder as they walked to their respective rooms, "You're weird man."
"… yeah, I'm weird."
He hated the idea of letting Natsu go because it meant losing the heart-warming heat, but he did it when he realized he held the boy for longer than a minute.
"Not today?" Natsu pressed.
"It's… a bit messy. You'll have to find your way inside the small bed."
"Ok. Later then."
He contemplated about the look Natsu gave him.
"Goodnight man."
"Hopefully." He grunted, and entered his room. He disappointed Natsu with his answer for sure.
Natsu said he loved the place, but somewhere he would be stressed with Gray's way of putting them together. He had made moving in with him an ultimatum of sorts. Basically, any sane person would refrain from pressurizing their partner, but he wasn't going to waste more of his life away from Natsu.
Selfishness, he's aware.
So he kept his hands off, until Natsu was at ease about the place, the life, the relationship. It would devastate him if he made a move (even the smallest of'em) and caused Natsu discomfort. Like, no, he can't feel like he's harassing his partner, thank you very much.
He'll give Natsu time and that's that. For the time being, hands off.
It was harder than he thought.
That feeling… climbing on top of your bed, laying your heavy head on top of the soft fluffy pillow, and yawning, then sleeping, and dreaming…
FUCK, nothing rivaled it.
He needed a shower ASAP.
He took off his shirt, stared at the long mirror of the bathroom and the large patch on his waist, and winced. It ached in the middle of his nap. He sweated profusely and was shocked that Kyoto's police force has yet to apprehend him for the amazing stink odor production and distribution.
Sometimes during the night, Gray would get muscle convulsions, followed by nightmares and all what interrupts a good night's sleep.
Natsu should be nowhere near his chaos until he's cleared. Let's admit it, it'd take an awful long time for the mental clearance. At least physically, he should be cleared. At least his bed shouldn't have the remnants of blood from his bandages, or the few drops of the alcohol-smelling sterilizer, or his silent nightmare-freak-outs.
The freezing water made him feel alive again. And there he was, sitting on the bed, pausing for minutes with his waterproof bandage in hand.
And wow, something smelled delicious.
"Someone's gonna catch cold."
Immediately, he discarded his broken exterior and replaced it with confidence, but couldn't tell if it worked.
Natsu approached him with a smile that robbed Gray his agony. What is agony? What is stress? What is anxiety? He forgot what those words meant when that guy was there. Because that guy was all what mattered.
He was too consumed in watching that he let Natsu dry his hair. The boy had offered to help Gray shower, but Gray couldn't wander into the trap. He'd lose the self-control he pledged to himself until Natsu gets used to the space.
No fucking onto the bathroom's wet tiles, yet.
"Let me do it for you."
"Natsu, it's-"
"Let me? Please?"
Gray had laid back on the bed, giving up, letting Natsu tend to his wound.
"Let's see… oh, this will sting, ok?"
He nodded, and gosh.
"Sorry?" Natsu kept cleaning even though it hurt.
"No worries. You're… why are you good with this?"
Natsu shrugged, his focus never leaving Gray's wound, "Had to learn some stuff while working in the mines in case of emergencies. Hey, I have to get rid of the pus, so it'll hurt."
"Ok, I can-" A shot of pain surged in his waist, his hand flying to Natsu's shoulder, "Wait-wait, wait!"
"Sorry, no can do. This shit needs to be scraped off, otherwise your wound won't heal. Bear it."
Gray's fists were full with the bed sheets. Shit, his whole body was on fire. Natsu's scraping with the cotton bandage stormed his pain-sensing nerves. And Suddenly, it stopped. He could breathe again… his eyes closed, and he panted.
'I'm gonna faint, and it'll look super lame…'
Natsu smeared the injury with an antibiotic cream, tapped a cotton to it, then finally, stuck three waterproof bandages on it.
"All done."
Gray panted until warmth touched his lips. He didn't need to open his eyes. He held Natsu's face and kissed back weakly. The sweet kiss was apologetic and caring. Natsu shouldn't apologize, he was helping.
"Food?" Natsu pulled back.
Their chests bubbled with joy and laughter that they were reliving their days together.
"I'd kill for mom's spaghetti with meatballs right now."
Natsu laughed and smacked his forehead. "You'll never grow out of this, will you?"
"Not a chance." His grin waned, "It's like I'm conditioned to it you know. Like, got beaten up by older girls, eyes brimming with tears, Spaghetti with Meatballs. Rejected from the swimming club, spaghetti with meatballs. Didn't make it to the college I wanted, Spaghetti with Meatballs. Being forced to leave you, Spaghetti with Meatballs-"
Natsu eyes teared and he smacked Gray's leg to stop cracking him up.
"Whaaat?"
"Fuck—what was she thinking? oh my god!"
"Oh Natsu. I think I gained some shitty weight, and I had a serious discussion with her about the way she handled depression. I told her gimme a carrot or something, and then she told me to get outta her house, that woman… fuuuuckkk. She's crazy."
"Is she-hahaha-Is she even J-Japanese?"
"I sure hope so."
Their laughter grew louder as they both headed to kitchen after Gray had put on a shirt.
"Shit… bro, did you...? No way!"
The kitchen smelled like his mom's famous healing recipe.
Natsu grinned, "I used your phone when you were in the shower. She texted me the recipe."
He did… what? Shit.
"You could've asked me. I know how to make it." Yes, plus, he doesn't know why he felt jealous of his own mom. EVEN If Natsu did it for him.
"I bet you refused to ask your mom, so your version is different because of your ego and you're gonna pass that to the coming generation too."
"Shut up, I can actually cook!"
Natsu pressed Gray's phone to his chest, giving it back. "You're not cooking anything. You're gonna eat whatever shit I made and go fucking sleep."
Gray stood at loss for words. His throat dried up, and his chest tightened with Natsu's care for him. He swallowed and texted his mom.
Ur: You don't deserve him, he's a national treasure.
She was hundred percent right, no doubt.
"Want help? I can move you know."
"Nope."
Gray pursed his lips, "I bet you made the balls looking like my testicles."
Natsu shot him an incredulous look, then sighed, "Very small and dry?"
"Fuck you Dragneel. Since when do you have a business with comebacks?"
"Fuck off Fullbuster. Since I'm living with you. Can't you stop for a minute? Lord, and you're freaking injured."
"I liked you better when you were innocent."
"Bite me."
"I'd do that… later though."
Natsu inhaled sharply, "Ok, stop. You're distracting me… what was I thinking? …oh yeah."
"What?" Gray checked his e-mail.
"… No, that won't work."
"What won't work?"
"Nevermind."
Gray stared at him instead of the screen, "Tell me. I'll tell you if it won't work."
"No, I was thinking about what the girls next door… if we call them to share the meal, but… first you're tired and second, it's the first time I'm doing this so I don't know if it will be any good."
"Hmm. That won't work, yeah." Gray stared back at his phone, "Relax, we'll get many chances later."
"Yeah, you're right." Natsu continued his search through the fridge.
Gray's protectiveness was speaking, and he was glad Natsu didn't feel it. Bitches, it was the first time he cooks for Gray in a long time. He wasn't going to let some random neighbors savor it like he would.
To Be Continued...
Next Chapter Release: In a week, more or less, subject to change.
Special thanks to: Wavy, (Yes I did. Surprising? Its a bit different from what i used to write up till now, but I think I'm growing out of my comfort zone. I hope you enjoyed it though!), Ren (Are you ok...? OMG, sorry? Hhaha, jokes aside, i hope you had a pleasurable read.), Kori No Koibito (I told you he would switch gay. (Evil laughter) and even morrrrrre. I will leave Natsu's sadistic thoughts imagination to you!), deboome, (Yes he always does, even if it looks he doesn't!)
Thank you ALL for reading. Feel free to share any comment, inquiry, or advice. I'd love that. AND stay safe, stay home.
Alright, till next time!
Looooooove,
Flame-Belt