The second time Natsu showed up it was because Loke's birthday was coming up and he figured that since he was going to open the presents in front of everyone, he might as well get something devious that they could all laugh about. Ever since Loke and Lucy started dating, Natsu has decided to get back at them for teasing him about the blushing mess he's become since everyone found out he was gay. Erza just had to ask him if he'd seen Gray again in a teasing voice because Erza is an evil, evil woman. Nonetheless, Natsu was back at the sex shop. If you chose this particular store because of the presence of a particular dark-eyed and pierced employee, no one has to know.
He walked in and his heart stuttered briefly when he looked up at the register and saw Gray looking straight at him. He could feel a blush rising and he hurriedly looked away because you're not mentally capable of handling a stare like that so early in the morning. Who the fuck goes to a sex shop in the morning? You have issues.
Natsu tripped over his own feet in his haste to go toward an aisle to hide in and then he was running toward said aisle so that he wouldn't fall flat on his face right in front of the entrance where Gray could see him because it's better for him to think you're running in the store like a moron than to watch you fall on your face, get a freaking grip! He is just a guy.
His run was actually faster than he expected and he overbalanced and crashed into the aisle and there was a loud sound and shit, you cannot be serious, you knocked over everything on the top shelf, you fail at life. The ultimate failure-
There was a heavy sigh from the back of the counter and a few seconds passed and then Gray, in all of his sexy glory, was stepping into the aisle with a grimace and bending over to pick up the items and the sight of Gray in practically painted on leather pants bending over to pick up a whip was not something Natsu's heart was prepared to handle and a high pitched squeak emanated from his throat, causing Gray to turn back to look at him and Natsu tore his eyes away immediately because you're ogling him shamelessly and you look like an absolute creep.
He was so occupied in his own thoughts that the brief look of realization that passed through Gray's eyes and the smirk that crept onto his face as a result, completely escaped his notice. Natsu rushed to pick up the items, trying not to look at them as he picked them up because he just knew his face would burn bright red if he looked at anything he was touching and he's going to assume you're blind. First you run into the shelf and now you're searching the floor with your hands like a lunatic. Why do you do this? Just why?
When Natsu saw the floor was clean and that Gray was organizing the shelf far too closely to him, he rushed out of that particular aisle because he just needed a moment to breathe, not because he was nervous. He tried to make himself go to the aisle with the… very extensive… selection of dildos, but he physically could not move his feet in that direction. Then the thought of Loke actually using the toy with Lucy made him walk to the opposite end of the store, avoiding that half of the store entirely over the single aisle. He looked around himself and walked nervously away from the cock cages at his left because nope. No. Definitely not.
He saw a small oval-like thing in a clear box. 'Vibrating egg.' He closed his eyes, breathed in while counting to ten, and reached out to snatch the item off of the shelf. It was as good an option as anything else and hopefully embarrassing enough because Natsu didn't think he was actually capable of wandering around the store for another minute and looking at the various options because the sight of gay porn magazine covers alone was enough to make him blush fiercely.
He was hoping he could just go pay for the object at Jellal's register and save himself a vast amount of humiliation, but Jellal was explaining to the lean blonde guy from the other day in a very clear and slow voice that 'No, we do not have thinner buttplugs,' 'No, lubricant does not take all of the pain away from anal sex, there will probably still be some stinging,' and finally, 'If you want to bottom for your partner, you will just have to go through the same process that everyone else does,' when he started losing his patience and Natsu could not find the nerve to interrupt that conversation because you do not want to be in the middle of a conversation about sex. Why does everyone feel the need to talk about sex? Does no one else ever feel embarrassed? The internet is there for a reason!
For a brief moment, Natsu thought he had avoided any further embarrassment. Then he was standing at the counter handing a remote controlled vibrating egg over and his face flamed ten times brighter. Gray was taking the item and scanning it and Natsu had the brief urge to just run out of the store because please just charge me for it. Please don't comment. I can't handle it, please-
"Would you like any lubricant to go with your purchase?" Gray asked, looking straight at him, calm and poised and how can he ask that with a straight face?
"No," Natsu mumbled quietly, tugging nervously at his scarf, glancing at Gray's cheekbone to avoid looking at his eyes because then he really would run out of the store without the thing he came for and Gray will assume you're an idiot. Actually, he probably already did. You suck. So bad.
"Would you be interested in buying a second vibrator at a discounted price?" the pierced man asked him, and he was still staring directly at Natsu, leaning the smallest bit forward on the counter, and Natsu could see down his dress shirt, a toned chest, a tattoo, and you're not breathing. Breathe. Fucking breathe and answer him.
Natsu took in a breath and stuttered out, "N-no, I don't-"
"Would you like to view the anal beads and the cock ring that originally came in a set with this product?" Gray was smirking, his lips twitching up slightly, but Natsu didn't notice because he was pretty sure all of the blood in his body was in his face and he was going to die slowly from the lack of circulation. He couldn't find the words to reply. He just couldn't.
In a fit of panic, he buried his face in his hands, feeling the need to hide and then he heard low chuckling. Natsu removed his hands from his face and saw that Gray was struggling not to laugh and warmth bloomed in his chest for causing it and you are so screwed. He's laughing at you and you're getting butterflies. Screwed.
Gray rung up his purchase, gave him his change and receipt, and just as Natsu was exiting the store, he called out, "And have a very nice time enjoying our products!"
Natsu's fading blush returned with a vengeance and he ended up running around the corner and just leaning against the wall of a convenience store in an attempt to calm his pounding heart.