Natsu groaned as the blankets were ripped away from his body. The room was way too cold for him to be in his house, but he sure didn't remember crashing at Lucy's place. There was also the lack of the smell of her strawberry shampoo and in its place was something that smelled like orange zest, which could only mean one thing.

Why was he at Gray's apartment?

Blearily opening his eyes, he was kind of surprised to see Gray cuddled up in what had been Natsu's covers only a few inches away. Any other time he'd stayed there, so maybe twice, he'd slept on the uncomfortable black couch in the front room. The fact that he'd even entered Gray's bedroom was pretty odd, though he chalked it up to having a really good night the day before.

It wasn't weird that the blankets dipped down far enough that the ice mage was apparently naked beside him because that was nothing new. Though when he looked down at himself and realized that he was in the same state, he might have panicked.

Clawing at his hair with both hands, Natsu scrambled to recall whatever he could from the previous night. Gray had gotten plastered, he remembered that much and he could still smell it lingering on the man's skin and he was even more frustrated when he realized he could taste it on his own lips.

Nervously, he shifted his hips sideways and was thoroughly relieved that he was free from any aches. If Gray and him had gone that far, he would've woken up at least a little sore considering it had been a quite a while for him.

However, it wasn't until Gray rolled over and blankly stared at him that the details came flooding back.

"Fuck," Natsu swore as he clambered off the bed and started searching for his clothes. He couldn't look at the guy he'd shared a bed with when he kept getting flashes of being pushed down onto the mattress, cold fingers against his skin, and thin lips on…

"Fuck!" he shouted again right before he found his boxers. Quickly pulling them on along with his pants and giving up on his shirt, he rushed towards the door.

"Don't go."

Natsu froze with his hand on the door knob. He'd hoped that Gray wouldn't say anything else and just let him go. Surely his teammate felt just as mixed up as he did and space was probably the best thing for it, right?

"Natsu…"

Gray crossed the room in an instant, though he couldn't be bothered to pull on some boxers in the process. His head was spinning, as was his stomach, but he was desperate. He was positive that if Natsu left, then nothing would change, everything that happened the day before would be tossed aside and forgotten like it was a mistake.

Had the whole thing been a mistake?

Maybe acting on his feelings while under the influence hadn't been his brightest idea, but he simply couldn't hide it anymore. His mind's current processing speed was severely lacking from drinking too much the day before and from not getting enough sleep. Therefore, how was he going to explain it to someone already halfway out the door?

Before he could pull open the door, Gray's hand smacked against it. At the sound of his palm, Natsu's shoulders hunched like he'd been caught doing something wrong.

"Shit Gray, I don't…I just don't know right now," Natsu whispered as he turned to face Gray beneath the ice mage's outstretched arm. He fought the urge to burn the wooden door behind his back to escape though he knew the very idea of doing so was cowardly.

He was positive he looked desperate, but Gray didn't care. His mind raced as he tried to find the words he should've said a long time ago.

"I don't think we should've done…that," muttered Natsu as he stared at a large purple splotch on Gray's neck. If he wasn't a dragon slayer, he probably wouldn't have heard Gray's sharp inhale in response to his words.

"Not that I regret it," Natsu continued with an uncomfortable grimace. "I just don't want things to be awkward."

Even though they already are, his thoughts so kindly added.

Gray dropped his arm to his side as he mulled over Natsu's words. Acting without thinking was what got him into trouble in the first place. Even though his heart felt stomped on, obviously he was the only one with feelings attached, so maybe it was best to admit them and move on. Then at least, he wouldn't always wonder what would've happened.

"I don't regret it either. I've…" Gray paused slightly out of nerves. "To me, it wasn't just a hook-up."

Even in the dark, he could see Natsu's eyes widen.

"What?" was all Natsu could really manage. He wondered if the ice mage was still drunk or maybe so hungover that he didn't know what he was saying.

"I…" Gray bit his lips as he counted to ten in his head and took a deep breath. The world felt kind of disconnected as his stomach flip flopped below his jittery heart.

"I like you, okay? I don't know when it started really, but I do," he admitted.

Gray liked him? Like, like like?

Natsu made a mental note to stop hanging around when Lucy and Levy were having girl talk.

He ran the idea through his head a few times and honestly, it didn't seem that bad or even bad at all.

He'd grown up with Gray and had fought some crazy battles by his side. As for physical attraction, the ice mage certainly had that. Not to mention he was pretty good with his mouth.

Natsu scrunched up his face as he tried not to blush and crossed his arms over his chest.

"You sure have a weird way of showing it."

Gray narrowed his eyes at his comment.

"What? If I would have treated you any differently, would it have made a difference?"

Natsu's hands moved to his hips as he puckered his lips. "There are these things called compliments."

Sighing, Gray fought the urge to roll his eyes as he placed his hands on Natsu's shoulders.

"Your eyes are the color of cherry blossoms right before they bloom."

Natsu stared at him in silence for a moment.

"Is that the best you can do?"

Gray threw his arms up and walked back to the bed. "And this is why I didn't try!" he exclaimed as he sat down on the mattress.

"Oh c'mon Gray don't be like that. It's just really hard for me to take you seriously when you're butt-naked."

Kneeling on the bed, he slung his arms around Gray's neck and nestled his face into the other man's shoulder.

"I'll tell you what, if you put some pants on, I'll let you take me out for lunch."

"Deal," he breathed against Natsu's lips.

L7L7L7L7

Didn't realize I'd written a continuation of this so I thought I'd share (: