The sun shines brightly against his closed lids. There should be some law prohibiting this kind of occurrence so early in the morning. Gray is sure of it.

Punching a dark red pillow, Gray stretches his body, gets up and pads to the window to close the bars. As he approaches, a realization that he won't be able to fall asleep again thunders through his head, and he just gives up on it.

It's very early actually. He notes the lack of sounds filtering through the opened window. So early that most of the city is asleep, unlike him. Goddammit.

He sighs, fingers passing through his disheveled hair and turns to a wardrobe in search of pair of pants. He doesn't really need a shirt, he'll just lose it somewhere and, considering his current temper, it probably won't even last all the way to the guildhall.

He's through the door and off, marching away via paved streets of the lethargic Magnolia. The sun is slowly but surely rising more and more, and a breeze blowing over his chilly skin feels warm.

Yesterday …

Yesterday, Natsu did that weird snuggle-hugging thing. Gray doesn't really know what to call it. It kind of confuses him, how nice he felt, tempted to keep on snuggling. It also reminds him of earlier that day, when Natsu had just kind of laid down in his lap, not bothered by his presence, and Gray had consciously patted Natsu's hair, scratching when the other let out almost-purring noises.

The softness under his fingers reminded him of new snow when it blankets the soil with its near-fluffy texture. Fiery pink locks were pliable under his ministrations…

He sees something pink in the corner of his eye.

Great. Now I'm hallucinating the fire dolt.

But no. A pink head emerges from behind a closed merchant stand and Natsu is quite real standing there, a question very obvious in his dark-green eyes.

Then Natsu's lips spread into a wicked smile. "I thought I've smelt you around here somewhere."

"I hope I stink."

Natsu barks a laugh, walking toward him. "Nope! Your mint doesn't stink, snowflake."

Mint ? I smell like mint? Gray shrugs, a bit bemused because he didn't really want to know about his smell but whatever. Just as Gray opens his mouth to ask him what he's doing here, a near burning-hot hand snatches his and tugs.

"I was looking for you," fire moron exclaims and it sounds almost too loud in an empty street. "Come on, icycle. Let's get to the guild."

And that's how Gray finds himself being careered through the streets and alleyways, stumbling a few times over nothing, as all his protests fall to deaf ears.

The two teens stumble into the guildhall, Gray panting a bit, though actually glad for a workout and Natsu just his usual sunny self, not even slightly winded from that endeavor. Gray notes he needs to get back to training if he got winded from that. He won't lose, not even in that.

Natsu pulls him to the bar where Mira cleans the bar with a rag. She's the only one here. Just like most of sleepy Magnolia isn't up with the first sunrays, the guild is vacant, apart from three of them.

Mira shoots them her signature, mild smile and goes to the backroom in search of something, waiving Natsu off when he offers to help.

As Natsu ogles today's menu, a thought flickers through Gray's head. "Where's Happy?" he asks, getting his hand out from that strong grip. It became a bit uncomfortable with all the heat the idiot is emitting.

With a roll of his eyes, yet still concentrated on the list with food, Natsu answers blithely, "He ditched me. Something about fishing by himself because the hard effort is what ladies dig. Then he flew out of our house, faster than I've ever seen him do."

Gray hears a click of armor before Erza's voice registers in his mind.

"Some girls appreciate guys being romantic and working hard to show their interest." Erza approaches them with a sure pace, the shine of her polished armor stabbing him in the eye when he tilts his head to give her his attention.

"You know, Natsu, you'll never get a girl if you don't put in some effort," she says, sitting down on one of the barstools.

Gray feels more than sees Natsu still, not even an exhale leaving him for a long moment, and when Gray eyes him in question there's an odd light in the fire mages eyes.

"Say," Natsu starts and it sounds peculiar. "Would you say there's a difference in pursuing girls and guys?"

Gray isn't sure he likes where this could go.

Erza, on the other hand, frowns in concentration. She's obviously mulling that question in her head, trying to understand what that moron is talking about. The frown doesn't leave her face as she declares, "No, I don't think so."

And before Gray can intercede, Natsu is turning on the stool toward her, his face void of expression, voice low and almost dangerous as he asks, "Then why do I need to put some effort just for girls? Guys obviously deserve it too."

She gaps at him for a long moment, then twirls on her seat, mouth opening and closing, pink slowly spreading over her cheeks.

Oh, he managed what no man could accomplish: Natsu made Erza shut up.

"I-I," she tries a few times before managing to get her throat working. "I didn't mean it t-that way. I'm sorry."

Gray finds it almost hilarious. Almost. He doesn't want to find himself on Erza's shitlist. He's already too close to being on it because of all the fights with Natsu. To be frank, he enjoys these extremely rare instances where Natsu shows he has some brain buried underneath all that dust and ashes inside his head. This has just made his day.

While Erza trembles and gushes out a few more apologies, pink already on its way to scarlet, making her cheeks look unnaturally flushed, Natsu smiles one of his honest, bright smiles, encasing the dim chamber in metaphorical light. "Oh, ok then," he says, lightly, and Erza exhales.

Gray isn't really sure what has just transpired, he just knows that Natsu is really smarter than he gives him credit for. He knows it, it's just that it is easy to forget that this idiot is a son of a dragon, a creature known for its cleverness among other things. He must have learned something from Igneel and that was brilliant . Natsu has, through his seemingly naive and innocent way, managed to lay more groundwork for their plan.

Now they just need a few more pushes and they're in the game.

It really smells awesome today. The mint. He's usually not a fan of that odor, even in combination with other smells that encase Gray and make it bearable. But today...today, mint is easily overpowering the other aromas that Natsu identifies with Gray and it almost made him miss the ice wizard on the street. Good thing his curiosity is unquenchable. He just wanted to know what that smell is so much and stumbled on Gray along the way. Though, he was a bit disappointed he hadn't found any food.

Erza has actually pissed him off for a moment there. How the hell are they pulling that boyfriend scheme off if everyone thinks he should get himself a girl. And why is always everyone saying guys need girls? Master Bob from Blue Pegasus doesn't seem to think so.

Ok, not the greatest example. Natsu still shudders from those kissy-kissy expressions. That was just a bit too much, no matter how much of a joke it was.

But now that he thinks about it, everyone had always asked if he liked Lisanna. And then after Lucy joined, if he liked her, too. It makes no sense.

There are Sting and Rogue, they always smell like each other, their respective scents, the heady cotton, and warm dark chocolate mingling to the point Natsu sometimes can't make which dragon slayer's scent he's catching.

So Natsu just doesn't understand it. Why should he be paired with a female? There's just no need for that.

Agh, his brain is going to overheat with all the confusion.

A steamy plate lands in front of him, courtesy of Mira, and he completely forgets about everything else. Bacon and eggs demand his attention.