GRAY

After Gray had finished telling Natsu about the previous night of nightmares, he felt it only right that he get to ask her about her relationship with Laxus at present. He gave her a nervous sidelong glance

"So how are you and Laxus getting along? Everything going well?."

He tried wording the question casually, with the demeanour of a caring friend. It's a safe question to ask, right? That was what he had thought anyway. DEAD WRONG. Total emotional landmine. The minute Laxus's name left his lips, Natsu's shoulders shook. She tried stuttering a response. Then stopped. And burst into floods of tears running into Gray's chest, clinging to his midriff as if it was a life or death situation.

Shock flooded his body, freezing his muscles in a way ice never could. The physical contact with Natsu threw him off guard but somewhere inside him, he enjoyed it.

No, he thought to himself, this isn't the time for this. Gray looked down at Natsu's shaking form and hugged her tightly. After a while he led Natsu over to a chair in the corner of the bar, so no one would see or intrude. He helped her up onto the chair and sat down beside her, putting his arm around her shoulders for physical support. Natsu, still shaking but no longer crying, looked down at the ground with defiance and embarrassment. No one in the guild had ever seen this side of Natsu before and it was quite a shock for Gray to be the first one to see it. She had always kept up this hard girl attitude, so it was hard to remember that she still had sensitive feelings like this.

Gray, out of instinct, reached out and tucked one strand of cherry pink hair that had escaped into Natsu's eyes, behind her ear. Natsu looked up in surprise and started questioningly at Gray's face.

"Tell me what's wrong Natsu, I'm here for you. Always."

Gray spoke softly, in a gentle manner that he used with no one else. Natsu's lower lips quivered slightly before she regained composure.

"Laxus dumped me. He said something about not being right for me but it just sticks of making excuses" Natsu looked angrily to the side and Gray could have sworn that smoke was coming out of her ears. But that wasn't the only fire that was building. Gray felt a mountain of rage build in his stomach at the thought of Laxus dumping her. He, who had been so lucky to get the girl he didn't have to balls to ask out and he had squandered it. Threw it away. AND FOR WHAT!

Then Gray heard a sound of an unwelcome voice and he turned. Laxus had just walked into the guild and was chatting with a smile on his face to Mira. The smile on his face was the last straw. Gray rose from his seat and stormed towards Laxus, the only thing he could hear was Natsu ask where he was going.

NATSU

Natsu didn't know what had possessed her to start crying in front of Gray but she had a feeling it was having a negative effect. Gray's was walking towards to newly arrived Laxus, like he was looking for a fight. This sent off warning bells in her head and she hurried over.

Laxus saw Gray's form heading his way and turned to greet his guild mate. He obviously didn't look at Gray's face though, as he greeted him with a smile.

"Gray my man, how are yo- wuuugggghhh!"

As soon as Laxus spoke Gray pummelled him straight in the jaw, sending Laxus flying through the air. Laxus winced in surprise and pain, getting up quickly as he saw Gray heading in for another one. Natsu cried out for them to stop but Gray's roars drowned out her own

"What the fuck were you thinking, Laxus, you piece of shit. Is this how you treat your other girlfriends? Play with them for a while and then dump them like trash. Well I won't stand for you doing it to Natsu. You even try to go near her again; Il beat the shit out of you" Gray spat venomously at Laxus's shocked face.

Why was Gray getting so upset? It wasn't like he felt for her that way, was it? Was it…? He thought of her as a friend, she was sure but that was all right. A guy like Gray wouldn't be interested in someone as tomboyish as her, right.

Laxus punched Gray hard and Natsu cried out in terror as she saw Gray fall to the ground. Something broke inside her as she saw Gray sprawled on the ground in pain. It hurt her in a way that surprised her.

LAXUS

Laxus spat out blood and grimaced "idiot. I didn't dump her because I wasn't interested in her. It's because someone I think of as precious comrade deserves her more than I. I cared for her but not in the way that you always have"

Colour drained from Grays face and Natsu looked stunned and in shock. He didn't want to tell on Gray but at the rate that he was going, they would be 60 and still not together. Things needed to be sped up a little. Gray was too shy to tell and Natsu was either too clueless or dense to notice. They would thank him for this later.

Laxus turned on the awkward pair and left the now silent hall. It was better for him not to be here right now. For his own sake, rather than theirs. He didn't need to see this right now

As he walked through the streets that lead away from the guild, he enjoyed the feeling of the cool night air caressing his skin. He closed his eyes and leaned against a lamppost listening to the sound of the wind.

"I see you've had I rough day" a soft familiar voice cut through his thought. He turned with a smile to face the stunning woman, who spoke to him so casually. Ultear. She winked teasingly at him, which made him laugh inside.

"You could say that Ultear" he said uneasily. He had always felt nervous talking to her, as he could not deny that he found her attractive. She knew this too, which seemed to interest her to no end.

"O" she purred seductively "maybe I can help you unwind. What seems to be the problem, sweetheart"? She placed her two hands on his muscled chest and waited expectantly for an answer.

GRAY

After Laxus had left, Natsu had demanded to talk to Gray in private, about what had just occurred. It wasn't going to well though, as both were shocked by what had just happened. As they sat in an uneasy silence, Gray resolved to come out to her completely.

Sure what the hell, he thought she can either say yes or no. Putting it off won't change or solve things. It was now or never. All or nothing. Gray sat up in his seat and looked Natsu straight in the eye. But Natsu was the first to speak

"Was what he said true, Gray? Do you have feelings for me?" Natsu exhaled and composed herself for the answer, be it yes or no.

"Yes"

"How long, since when?"

"Always. Since I first meet you with Igneel, when I gave you that scarf that you always wear and when you came to the guild. My feelings for you have never changed and never will. The truth is I lie in bed every night, unable to sleep, thinking about you and wondering if maybe, your lying in your bed, unable to sleep, thinking about me.