In a park near The Dragon's Head

Gray was walking briskly down a path in the park carrying a bag filled with Cookie Crumble ice cream and plastic cutlery. Juvia's cravings were getting worse and he couldn't be bothered washing the dishes every time she decided she wanted a piece of chocolate cake at 3am in the morning. The sun's rays were barely peeking out from dark clouds that were forming in the sky. Gray picked up his pace not wanting to be caught up in the impending bad weather.

"Hey mum, why does it smell weird near that guy?" A young boy no older than four asked his mum; his eyes were wide dripping with curiosity. His mum avoided her son's eyes and as he was about to point to the person he was talking about when his mum tugged him a little, to force him to walk faster. "Not now Darling." His mum tried to say as calmly as possible. "But mum!" The boy pleaded. As soon as his mother thought she was safely away from the man in question she knelt down in front of her son. She placed her cold hand on her sons face: he was going to flinch but decided not to move away. "Ben, you are a very big boy now. But promise me this, stay away from anyone who smells like that, okay?" Her eyebrows were slightly raised waiting for her son to respond. "Why?"

His mother sighed and lowered her hand and placed it upon his shoulder. "Do you remember your father?" Before her son could answer she quickly added "Of course you don't." She let out a cold laugh. "He left before you even turned one years old." She muttered something foul under her breath before a smile returned to her face. "That man over there is the same as your father. A despicable drunkard. You always said that you wanted to make me happy, then stay away from people that smell like that and definitely do not marry them."

"Hey mum your hurting me," Her son slightly winced at the pain he felt in his shoulder. His mum quickly released her hand and apologised to her son. "But do you understand me Ben?"

Her son nodded; she got up, took his hand and then swiftly left the park. Gray felt bad for eavesdropping but he knew he'd never leave his child; he'd never leave Juvia. He glanced down the path the mother and her child had just come from and saw the infamous pink he knew so well.

Gray glanced at the ice cream in the bag then at the sky and then sighed. He walked towards Natsu; he knew how to sort out his priorities and a friend that's drunk in the park, before mid-day, a week before his wedding day took top spot.

He sat down beside Natsu gently pushing aside all empty beer bottles. "What's up man?" Gray glimpsed towards Natsu and nudged him. "Just leave me alone?" Natsu mumbled under his breath.

A drop of water landed on Gray's cheek.

"Natsu you know this isn't you." Gray gestured towards the empty bottles. "Where's that idiotic goofball that does whatever he wants? You even got strangers warning their kids to stay away from you." Natsu gave him a deadly stare, his eyes clearly bloodshot. Gray was taken aback but didn't he didn't relent with his enquiry. "Natsu you're getting married next week. You can't be getting wasted just before it!"

"Who are you to tell me what I can or can't do!?" Natsu exploded, he rapidly stood up and smashed a bottle onto the floor. Its contents spilling across the path. "So it is the wedding that's bothering you." All the anger that was visible on Natsu's face faded away and he sat back down putting his face into his hands. "No… it's… I don't know! I'm just confused!" Gray sighed "If you don't tell me what you're thinking I can't help you"

Natsu remained silent. "From the way you proposed to Erza it seemed like you really loved her. What happened from then till now to make you go into this nightmare?"

Natsu gulped then said cautiously "I… saw her with another man"

"Erza and another man? Are you kidding!? That's one of the most stupid things I've heard you say! Erza is one of the most loyal people you could meet! Have you even spoken to her about it with her?!" Gray ranted.

"No…"

"Well then speak to…" Natsu cut Gray off. "Of course I know she'd never cheat on me. Damn it I'm just being a coward. The truth is I… I don't know if I love her. I saw this other girl and I…" Gray cut him off this time.

"You're an idiot you know that right? Of course you'd look at other women. When I proposed to Juvia I questioned myself too. I asked myself if I really wanted to spend my entire life with one women, if she could spend her entire life with me. I found myself looking at other women but then I realised none of them were her. None of them could compare to the women I loved. The women you love. Trust me when I say it's a phase that will pass. You love Erza and that's all there is to it." The sky let out the storm that had been brewing inside it; showering the world in its pure and cleansing water. The liquor that had been spilt on the floor slowly washed away.

Natsu got up "You're right! I am an idiot! I'm going to go see Erza right now!" Natsu took a step forward and collapsed; Gray just about saved him. "How about you see her tomorrow?" Natsu just raised his thumb as nausea overtook him. "Okay let's get you back home" He said whilst he hauled Natsu's arm around the back of his neck and lifted him up.

Natsu's house

"We are finally here!" Gray gasped out. "Where are your keys?" He glanced towards Natsu and saw that he had passed out on his shoulder. "No wonder you were so heavy, you didn't even help carry your own weight" Gray searched Natsu's body until he found his keys then he got Natsu inside. They were both soaked to the bone. Gray left Natsu on the sofa and took out his phone to see that he had 6 missed calls from his one and only. He called Juvia saying that he had seen a friend at the shop and they started to talk and lost track of time, he then reassured her that he got her ice cream. Before putting down the phone he said that he would be home in around 10 minutes. He couldn't exactly tell her what just happened to Natsu. The best course of action would just be let things lie and make sure no one found out about it.

"Natsu, wake up! You can't sleep like that you'll get sick idiot!" Natsu just mumbled in his sleep. Gray swore under his breath then he took off Natsu's shirt and trousers. He grabbed a blanket from Natsu's bedroom and threw it over him. Gray looked at the ice cream in his bag and saw that it all had melted. He took it out and put it into Natsu's freezer. "You better eat that you numbskull, because of you I have to go buy another one."

As Gray was leaving he saw a note on the floor near the front door and picked it up. He had been concentrating on not dropping Natsu that he didn't even notice it. "It's from Erza"

Natsu

I don't know where you are right now but you should know better than to make a lady wait. I have something really important to tell you and this note is not exactly the best place to write it. As soon as you read this could you give me a call and then come to my flat.

I love you, xx 3

Erza

"I wonder what this is about. I should put it someplace Natsu will see it, the kitchen counter will do it he's bound to be hungry as soon as he wakes up." Gray left as soon as he placed Erza's note there.