The idea is to act normal, but a bit more friendly than usual. They've agreed to fight normally after arriving at the guildhall, but also to cut the fight short and just sit next to each other after some time. That should be enough for the first time. Just stopping in the middle of the fight on their own may raise some eyebrows because it's them - the fire and ice duo which constantly argues. Anything else will be too much.
Despite going through the plan more than enough times, Gray still has some reservations about it, but he knows they can't really do more at the beginning, just like Natsu said back then.
As the main door of the Guildhall looms over them and the sun sets in the distance, Gray starts to feel somewhat nervous. The plan isn't foolproof, they can be caught and everything will be for nau-
An elbow connects with his ribs relatively gently. "What the hell, ice princess? Don't tell me you got cold feet already?"
Gray tries to elbow back, but Natsu doesn't take a step forward when he does, and he misses. "Piss off, fire breath," Gray spats, keeping normal pace while looking over his shoulder.
That idiot grins in a challenge and then catches up with Gray, taunting him, "What are you gonna do about it, frostbite?"
"Pound your ugly face in."
Gray stops walking for a moment, wincing as he realizes that they're inside the guild. Granted, though, no one is staring at them so he looks back at Natsu.
The fire idiot is keeping on that grin which usually makes the hair on Gray's nape stand up, but right now it just makes him feel content. Because he knows he isn't alone in this strange charade. He actually feels guilty for potential lies they're going to spew.
"Oh, really? Bring it on!" Natsu's whole body is coiled for a fight and along with those words, it's enough of an invitation for Gray to push all thoughts from his mind and jump on him with his fists ready.
While they dance familiar steps of a brawl, Gray takes into account who's already in; Cana caresses a barrel of wine on their left while Macao and Wakaba nurse pints at the same table but seated on the other end, Wendy sits with Carla and Happy just row ahead of the three he saw first. Then there's Gajeel sprawling on the sitting bench alone in a corner, and Lucy is nearest to Gray and Natsu, eating today's dinner. Interestingly, no one joins. It must be because it's Monday, everyone's still asleep.
A fist coated with gleaming fire narrowly misses his face when he sees furious Erza marching toward them, expression set in unyielding aggression as her red hair sways along with quick and angry steps. Ah, time to cut the fight short. So he signals at Natsu just like they've agreed - his hand goes to his chest - a tap of fingers over his guild mark decorated skin and their brawl is over.
Of course, the fire moron does the unexpected.
"Come on, Gray, let's go see if Lucy wants to go on a job." And with those eager, half-shouted words there are warm fingers circling his upper arm, gripping and dragging him ahead. From the corner of his eye, he notices Erza frowning, mouth half-opened.
"Would you stop pulling me, jerk?" he asks indignantly, eye twitching, but they're already at the table where Lucy sits so Natsu lets go and sits down across her. Gray has to catch himself on the table before he crashes into the wooden bench and then sits next to Natsu with a huff.
"Yo, Lucy!" the pink-haired fool greets loudly and Gray gives her a greeting nod. "Any job offer caught your eye?"
Lucy waves with one hand and then chews the food, just like she always does, carefully before answering, "Nah, I got enough for rent and I want to get some rest."
"Too bad," Natsu says, head flopping down on his arms that are spread over the table. "I'm itching for a fight."
"You can't just fight on a job," Erza puts in from behind them, then settles down next to Lucy.
"And you just fought Gray!" Lucy whines as she shuffles rice around her plate. "How much fighting spirit can be inside you?"
Natsu shoots them a surprised look. One that looks exaggerated. "We didn't fight."
Huh? What is he getting at? Gray wonders quietly but plays along giving the girls a droll stare.
Lucy's dark blond eyebrows practically hit her hairline. "You two just grappled like wild beasts."
Gray and Natsu exchange seemingly dumbstruck looks, though Natsu's face resembles more a severe case of constipation than anything else, and then Natsu asks, "We did?" Like he has no idea what she's talking about.
Ok, that's a bit much exaggeration. No one will buy it.
"Lucy, you have to understand that these two fight so much, a bit of grappling isn't even considered a fight anymore."
Ah, bless Erza and her misunderstanding of normal human relations. They just might pull it off.
"Whatever you say, Erza." Lucy seems a bit unconvinced for a moment there, but then something flickers through her eyes and she sharply stabs a pea with a fork as she murmurs, "I forget who we're talking about, they probably think that was the epitome of friendship."
Good. Two down, the rest of the guild to go. Although, they still aren't in the clear with these two, however, the ground is set.
The rest of the evening goes normally from there; they're laughing, singing, and yelling, mugs come to the table filled to the brim and go away empty.
Elfman shouts 'manly' from somewhere behind them for the fifteenth time and that's the signal for another fight.
"Hey, fire breath," Gray starts with a shout, and his muscles shift as he prepares for The Fist-party. Honestly, Natsu had such idiotic code names that Gray couldn't deal with it back then nor can he deal with it right now. Or tomorrow. Or ever. It's better to ignore it.
It's pretty noisy in the guildhall, so he raises his voice even though he knows Natsu can hear him just fine. "I think we've never finished what we started."
Pink head shifts and olive eyes narrow at him. Then Natsu punches a palm of one hand with a closed fist as a grin takes place on his face. "I'm fired up now!"
That same fist catches fire and is immediately racing toward Gray's face. Utterly stupid. Natsu should at least offer him some challenge instead of just rushing in like an idiot. Gray retaliates by tilting his head away, evading the punch, and putting his fist into the dragon slayer's stomach not so gently.
A gasp escapes through Natsu's mouth before he can squelch it. That's the look! A bit of anger twisted with elation, deep-green flashing with sparkles as the pupil inside elongates in vertical length and narrows in width. Gray is used to that look, that slight modification, and he knows that Natsu is unconsciously tapping into the dragon force. No scales yet, but those small fangs seem sharper with each passing second.
Gray barely manages to raise his arm and stiffen it to block a strong punch when a foot rushes to his head from another side. That won't do. So he twists and jumps back, all the while folding his hands into his signature move. "Ice-Make: Hammer."
Natsu gets faster and evades it stepping to a side but loses the ground he has gained and Gray can force ahead. Then they're exchanging punches, fists flying, arms blocking-
His forehead collides with Natsu's with a loud bang, the pain spreads where the thick skull of his friend connects to his own.
Gray hears it rather than sees it; the guild has gone quiet, probably all the attention on the two of them. Then he feels the pressure of a familiar hand leaving the back of his head and already knows what has happened. Erza... he's aware of that evil aura which promises unimaginable pain and it can belong to only one person.
Natsu is already moving, grabbing him and throwing one hand over his shoulders, their small difference in height not even the slightest problem for him. They turn toward the angry woman. Gray feels his face losing that little color it usually has and presumes the same happening to the fire idiot. Erza is definitely scary with half of her face shadowed by her blood-red hair.
Since Natsu is offering that dopey smile, face stretching to almost comical expression and that usual ruddy complexion pale as a sheet of paper, it's on him to stifle the tensions running high. "We won't do it again," Gray promises out loud. Then adds silently, inside his head, tonight, at least.
"Ay!" Natsu agrees in his best impression of Happy and Gray struggles not to sigh out loud. That shit is getting old, rapidly. Couldn't he just be normal? Gray shoves those thoughts away because Erza is still an annoyed presence in front of them. Her emotions are almost palpable.
Dark eyes observe them for another long moment before Erza nods once. "See that you don't." With that ominous declaration, she turns on her heel and goes back to whatever the hell she had been doing before they interrupted her.
Gray exchanges a look with Natsu, both shivering slightly, and then making some space between them. It seems their charade has come to an end for today. Tomorrow is a new day.
The guild members are slowly going back to rambunctiousness. Like a crescendo, the noize level intensifies and the two wizards manage to slip out without anyone noticing. Gray has even found one of his shirts he lost earlier this week, sitting promptly folded on one of the chairs and put it on during their silent escape.
Without a word, they start trekking home. Before they come to the intersection of a street where they would split, Natsu, who fell back behind him, whispers, "Wait, I want to try something."
Gray shots him a questioning look over the shoulder, though stops going forward and turns around.
A breeze filters around them as they stand and it's taking too long. Will that moron get on with whatever he wanted?
As he decides to tell Natsu to hurry with it, the dragon slayer steps closer. Actually, so close their noses almost touch and Gray can feel that familiar heath spreading toward him, encasing him like a soft blanket.
Then, Natsu is giving him a look that says just go with it. What?
One hand reaches around his back and another over his shoulder just to gently grasp the back of his head. With that, Natsu's forehead sets against his own.
"Wha-"
"Shhh. Just close your eyes," Natsu says softly and it sounds like a plea.
Gray doesn't really know why he goes with it but soon his hands unconsciously find purchase in that weird jacket with only one sleeve and he's hot and eager and, most importantly, at peace.
I could get used to this, he thinks and basks in his friend's warmth.