A/N: Hello hello. Bear with me, I have no idea what I'm doing with this story. From the way it's looking it's leaning towards the path of Drama but we'll see.

Warnings for this chapter: Half smut, conflicted Natsu and bad storytelling on my part D:

Cowboy Lust

Chapter 5

The second week pulled up shortly and the assigning horses went underway. Gray's new instructors are Pantherlily and Erza. The two had just finished an elaborated thirty minutes explanation on all the right ways to ride a horse and all the signs that should be imprinted in your knowledge. It was a lot to sink in but Gray couldn't help feel a little excited. He wondered what kind of horse he would get. Everyone was.

"Alright!" Erza clapped her hands together. "For today we recruited a few more leaders just to lend a hand. Natsu, Gajeel, Juvia, and Wendy are all experienced riders." As Erza named the riders, they emerged bearing several horses. Series of gasps and soft exclaimes resounded through the class as they took in the large animals.

Pantherlily cleared his throat. "These are the assigned horses for the rest of the camp. As there are 12 of you, there are 12 horses. Each of you, like Gramps explained, will be paired up with one until the program ends. I've made a list to see which horse goes with who. We will start assigning and then briefly run over the basics of riding before mounting."

A hand shot in the air. It was the weird looking boy who was always close to Gray. "We're riding today?"

Pantherlily nodded once, firmly. "The riding part of the program has commence."

"One more thing," Erza started and swept her eyes around the group before her. "The help we have from the experience riders are only for today. There will be three of you to a group and one experienced rider. Make sure to listen carefully to what they all tell you because tomorrow you'll be riding on your own. Once you get everyone in your group, you will go to the tack room and tack your horse. Pantherlily, please continue." Erza finished.

The large male pulled out a clipboard. "Starting with Wendy's three. Flare with Sun. Sugarboy with Royal, and Milliana with Kitty."

At the word 'kitty', there was a loud squeal. A spiky brunette girl hopped up and down excitedly. A cute bluenette stepped forward holding three lead ropes connecting with three large horses.

"Wendy will be your helper for anything that you may need. Please go with her to the tack room." Erza ordered. Wendy waved as the three assigned to her came towards her. As the first group left, Pantherlily went to work on the second.

Gray wasn't picked until it was down to the final three. A smile spread over his face. Natsu was the only experience rider left. The pinkette gave him a grin.

"With Natsu we have Gray, Hibiki, and Haru. Respectively you are paired up with Ur, Pegasus, and Rave." Pantherlily dropped the clipboard to his side abruptly. "Hurry to the tack room and meet back at pasture B. Erza and I will be waiting." Pantherlily turned and walked away, Erza in step with him.

Natsu laughed airily. "Come on team." He handed the ropes to their respective owners and trotted to the track room backwards. "They won't bite, just pull on the rope, they'll follow." he instructed wearing a grin.

Gray held his rope tight and slowly stepped foward, watching the horse as it followed almost crushing his foot. Natsu's laugh rang in his ears and Gray felt the pinkette before seeing him. Natsu placed his hand over Gray's and uncurled it gently.

"Don't hold so tight to this. And don't stand directly in front of her either, she'll trample you on accident. Stand to the side like this," Natsu demonstrated and Hibiki and Haru followed him. "Then hold the rope like this," Natsu rearranged his grip so Gray could see and smiled. "See? This way you won't cramp your hands or pull on her at the same time."

Gray grew a shy pink color. "Thanks." he said. Natsu just nodded and carried on forward, leading the three with his arms folded lazily behind his head. The rider was adorable taking long careless strides through the grass as he spoke.

"I hope that book Mira gave you all was helpful because I only tacked a horse once in my life."

Gray shook his head in amusement while the other two in his group shared concerned looks, hoping that the pinkette was joking. If only.

"Hold the horse's side with your legs so you don't fall off Sugarboy..."

"You're not even moving Lyon. Tap his sides with your heel."

"Gray, loosen up on her reins!"

Everyone was shouting at the clumsy riders who were doing everything wrong. Pantherlily sighed as another rider slipped off the horse. Erza rubbed her temple at Lyon who repeatedly nudged his horse's sides, trying to make him walk.

"I don't want to sound rude but I have never seen such terrible riders. Is it because we're so experienced?" Erza asked Pantherlily. The dark male shook his head.

"No, they are quite horrible. But they will learn in time, afterall it's only day one."

The two stared at Gray who got bucked off.

"But it's been two hours." Erza deadpanned. Pantherlily only sighed.

Heavy boots sounded on the dirt and grass towards his head. Gray cracked his eyes open and peered up at Natsu who lowered himself to Gray's level. "She doesn't like being held that tight. That's why you got bucked off." the pinkette informed the down rider.

Gray puffed out air. "I can't get the handle of it."

"You're tense." Natsu pulled up, wrapping his arms under Gray's as he did so and pulled him up as well. "You need to loosen up. Come here."

Gray let himself be led back to Ur who had wandered off to graze on grass. Natsu picked up the reins that were laying in the dirt before going to the side of the beautiful black mare. Hooking his foot in the stirrup, Natsu eased himself on the saddle smoothly.

"On the fence." the pinkette ordered and Gray would be lying if he said that commanding tone didn't turn him on. Getting on the brown fence, Gray sat there wondering what Natsu wanted him to do.

"Watch me. Watch your horse." Natsu fixated himself before clicking his tongue. Ur started moving, starting with a walk and growing into a smooth trot. Natsu circled around the amateurs in the riding pin, Gray's dark eyes locked on him for every second.

"I believe your instructor told you to watch the horse?" Erza reminded Gray in a knowing tone. She had walked up to him knowing that he was staring at the rider, not the horse. "What Natsu is trying to show you is that the horse moves more calmly, doesn't try to buck or anything because he's holding the rein differently. The way you did it caused the horse to be uncomfortable but now she's moving smoothly, yes?"

Gray just nodded. He saw what Erza meant but he couldn't help be captivated by Natsu and the way he moved as one with the horse. It was beautiful. Erza smiled as if reading Gray's thoughts.

"Natsu is an impeccable rider."

Again, Gray could only nod. Everyone else had paused to watch Natsu but when Natsu pulled to a stop back in front of Gray, they all went back to their own thing.

"Do you see what I mean?" Natsu asked, face flushed slightly.

"I see what I want." Gray answered suggestively with a half shrug a few seconds later.

Natsu blushed once the words sunk in and Erza swatted the back of Gray's head.

"Get on the horse Gray." the pinkette replied, sliding off of Ur. He made a face as Gray climbed back on. "I can't believe I rode western."

"It wouldn't have mattered if it was English." Erza chuckled, knowing full well that Natsu despised saddles.

The pinkette shrugged and turned his attention back to the group of riders.

When Gray finally got off his horse, it was an hour later. His legs felt like jelly and his inner thighs throbbed. The discomfort showed on his face and Natsu laughed at him. "Shut up." the black haired male grumbled and half walked half waddled to the tack room, Ur in hand.

"Did you have fun though?" Natsu asked, moving close to Gray's side.

The whole group walked together, experienced riders included, all talking and laughing with each other.

Gray shrugged while nodding slowly. "It was a new experience. The whole point of my being here is because my parents want Lyon and I to 'bond' yet the whole time today he was flirting with Juvia. Not only that we only ever see each other when it's time for bed. Not that I'm complaining though, I have better things to do instead of hanging around with that jerk." Gray said this looking at Natsu. The pinkette smiled when the older male winked.

"Aww." the two laughed but it was short lived when a yell pierced through the air.

"STAMPEDE!"

Everyone froze.

"STAMPEDE!"

The tack room stood between one third of the barns and the wash area. The group were halfway to the tack room when the barn close to it started oozing horses. Fairy Tail horses galloped wildly out of the mouth of the barn, turning as one and heading towards the opposite pasture the group were gathered in.

Lisanna, Lucy, Loke, Zeref, and a couple of others exploded out of the barn seconds later. They all held ropes and fled after the escaped horses while shouting things at each other.

The group stood shell shocked still before a pink blur shot forward. Natsu pounded after the others, Gajeel, Juvia, and the other experienced riders following him shortly.

Erza's eyes hardened. "How did they get out?!"

Pantherlily narrowed his eyes. "That was half the barn."

"Oh my god!" one of the female riders cried out. Soon voices meshed with hers, some holding excitement, others holding fear.

"Everyone calm down!" Erza had to shout and managed to quiet the group. They stared at her with wide eyes. "We will calmly rope these horses up." the scarlet haired rider said in a firm voice. "Then we will calmly go to the situation. Hurry."

Gray wanted badly to run after Natsu, and it seemed like he wasn't the only one. Well, not to run after Natsu himself but to see the stampede. As everyone quickly to their best abilities un-tacked the horses, the shouting from outside could still be heard, making them all itch to abandon their job and run out to see the exciting scene.

It seemed like Erza was battling with herself as well for she finally growled in anticipation and stopped hanging up the pile of tack. "We'll finish this later!" she deemed before tearing out of the tack room barn. For a split second there was stillness. Then one by one the group disbanded, following after her and Pantherlily to go to the scene.

The scene was everywhere the horses went. There were so many of them of every color, shape and size. Seeing them pounding against the earth, nickering and neighing, it was a beautiful and terrifying sight all at the same time to Gray.

The horses pursuers never lost their speed and ran after the horses even when one by one the horses jumped the fence and danced wildly deeper in the pasture.

"Cana! Mira!" Erza's voice yelled through the air. Somehow Erza had got her hands on a rope and was jumping over the fence like she herself was a horse. Two young women appeared at her sides and jumped with her, one being Mira and the other the woman that Gray had first saw when he had arrived.

The group followed behind the experienced riders, watching as the three women gained close on the horses. The dark brunette one twirled her rope in the air, her sights set on a near mare.

The rest of the experienced riders did the same, locking on a horse and taking it down with their rope. Gray saw Loke, Jellal, Zeref, even small Wendy cantering themselves after a horse. Lyon was suddenly next to his brother watching with his mouth slightly open. The riders practically were moving just as powerful and agile as the horses were. Juvia didn't even have a rope and she side tackled a horse, dangling by its neck. Everyone watched in awe as the bluenette somehow managed to get the horse to stop without falling off since she was hanging off it.

"Natsu! Gajeel!" Erza ordered loudly. How she could talk- yell even, so clearly even when running so fast was a mystery to Gray. But Gray stopped thinking about it as soon as "ROGER!" yelled by a familiar voice rang out. Mouth falling open, Gray witnessed Natsu leap on top of the outer fence that connected to a different pasture and began thundering across it. A black blur on the ground ran next to him.

Despite the predicament at hand, Gajeel and Natsu seemed to have made it a race on who could reach the horses first. Gray found himself running closer to get a better look, ducking under the fence where most of the class stood with racing hearts.

They were both unbelievably fast and were soon neck in neck with the horses at front. There weren't many loose horses left since the rest got caught by the others. Gajeel bumped up his speed and reached out to the horse he was finally next to. Like Juvia, he had no rope and gripped the horse's mane before doing a side flip on the the back of the animal.

A whistle through the air signaled that someone had tossed him a rope which he quickly used to pull the horse in control.

"This is exciting and scary at the same time." one of the girl's of the class announced, mostly to herself but others agreed.

Someone shouted Natsu's name, it was Lisanna. She was sprinting on the fence top with agileness. Nearing Natsu she threw a spare rope at him, jumping down from the fence when he caught it. Without a second later Natsu made the rope clap loudly and lashed it out on the lead horse while still running over the fence. The rope wrapped around the neck of the horse and Natsu jumped. Gray watched, mouth in a silent O, when Natsu bounced hard on the horse's back and it reared back on its hind legs. The other horses followed the action but got controlled by their captures. Natsu held on tight as the horse bucked wildly in a circle, neighing loudly and crazily.

"Natsu, control your horse!"

Natsu wanted to snap a 'what does it look like I'm doing? and this isn't my horse!' at Erza's obvious demand but he was too busy trying to stay on. This horse was nicknamed Wild, as it was, and a wild in the process of breaking. Only Gramps or Gildarts, really, one of the older older riders could really tame this horse. Bacchus was in the middle of breaking the horse out of being a wild but...

Erza bit her lip as she finished up tying three horses up to the fence. 'I did not know he was this bad.'

Gajeel handed his captured horse over to Juvia and went to go aid Natsu when a blonde blur whizzed past. "Bunny Girl!"

In a mere five seconds Lucy reached Natsu and the bucking horse. Keeping her safe distance the girl threw her rope over Natsu's. "Natsu!"

The pinkette sought her out and locked eyes with her before nodding. Lucy yanked hard on the rope making the horse stumble slightly. In a blur of movements Natsu flipped off the horse taking the end of his rope with him, Together, the blonde and pinkette wrestled the horse until it was controllable. It only took long tiring ten minutes but who was counting.

During the fight with the horse, the older experience riders made their debut and ran out to see all the fuss. It was over by the time they reached the scene.

At the end of it all, all of the escaped artists were tied to a post. Everyone met up panting and wearing tired smiles. Natsu and Lucy let a couple of the older experience riders take over.

"Never... let this one... loose... again." Natsu breathed harshly out and staggered away, Lucy at his side. Gajeel met up with them and claimed the pinkette's other side. In the midst of the chaos he had neglected his shirt so now chiseled torso and ripped eight pack blazed under the sun.

"Damn Bacchus." Gajeel grumbled. Erza appeared at his side, Juvia at hers, and soon, like magnets, the young experienced riders walked in a line together and it was that moment that the class gaped in awe that these were the Fairy Tail riders.

The few older experienced riders who had shown up watched after the younger ones, adoration and amusement in their eyes. "They're worn out." a brown haired man chuckled fondly.

Macarov smiled from on top of the fence, appearing out of no where. "Kind of stating the obvious Gildarts."

The guy from the bar, Bacchus, snorted and patted Wild's back comfortingly. "How the hell did you get out? Breaking everyone else out too, taking after your owner I see."

"A delinquent and a delinquent." a female's voice, one that belonged to a cute blonde with large green eyes, broke out. She sat on the fence next to Macarov.

Bacchus rolled his eyes while Gildarts laughed. "Whatever Mavis. Lets just get these horses back where they belong."

...

After everything had calmed down, Erza deemed the class to be over and let everyone go relax after something so chaotic. Gray and Natsu went to Natsu's place, which Gray was ecstatic to finally visit. Natsu's little apartment was cute with a small walk in kitchen that connected to the living room and then a small hallway that led to the back rooms which were just a bedroom and bathroom. It was lively little home.

When they had got there Natsu had ran to the bathroom to hose down. Gray had already at his and Lyon's place. Since everyone had the rest of the day off Natsu asked if Gray wanted to spend the night with him so they had stopped by Gray's place and Gray showered quickly before grabbing a few things and leaving for Natsu's.

Now he lounged lazily on Natsu's soft couch waiting for the pinkette to come out of the bathroom. Ten minutes later and Natsu did, wearing ankle cuffed black thin sweats and a white wife beater that hugged his slim frame. Like a magnet, Gray drew Natsu to him and smiled when the pinkette collapsed against his side.

"Tired?"

"Mumphff.." Natsu's intelligent reply was. He nose nuzzled Gray's neck, taking in the older male's delicious scent. "Mmm you smell good..." the pinkette mumbled, words heavy and sluggish. He turned his body into Gray's and pushed closer, deeper against the black haired boy's.

Grabbing hold of Gray's front, Natsu looked up with squinty eyes at Gray who chuckled, smile forming into a half smirk. Tugging a pink spiky strand, Gray took in the oozing dark pools that were Natsu's eyes all the while thinking about how much his respect for the rider and his love of horses grew. After watching him wrestle them today, Gray will admit he had got hot and bothered. Yes, it was amazing to see all the riders restrain the horses together like a boss team but Natsu was plain sexy, moving his body like this and that.

Natsu felt an arm slip around his curved waist and blinked once before growing still when Gray leaned down with closing eyes, pulled him close, and clasped their lips together. The surprise quickly wore off Natsu and he kissed back, eyes closed, and the hand clutching Gray's front tightening.

"To be honest I was a little turned on watching you handle that horse." Gray flickered his tongue out and licked the seam of Natsu's lips.

The pinkette wanted to laugh at that but got distracted by Gray's tongue when it flickered against his lips again. "Y-yeah?" he he gasped out before capturing Gray's prodding tongue and sucked it into his heated cavern. Gray groaned at and peeled one dark eye open. An equally dark eye was the same, peering up at him in an alluring like manner.

Natsu closed it after Gray caught him looking as if he had waited just for that. A whine escaped his mouth when large hands cupped his ass and yanked him in a lap. Gray settled back against the back cushions before massaging Natsu's soft mounds. Natsu pushed fervently against the other's chest while his mouth got worked on. Gray slicked up Natsu's petal soft lips and turned them a darker color from the force of his. Natsu keened, mouth parting when Gray spread his clothed ass, squeezing the cheeks like they were putty.

"Come on cowboy, I've seen you wild out." Gray teased in a gruff lust filled voice. He lifted Natsu up who hugged his waist with his trembling legs and stumbled down the short hallway, slamming Natsu up against the wall. A sound ripped from the pinkette at the force but the slight pain evaporated when a hot mouth pressed against his ear. "Show me what you can do." Gray finished against the rider's ear, his cool breath drawing a shiver from him. He smirked and licked a clear line of spit from the top of Natsu's outer shell to the inside.

A sudden growl erupted from Natsu and he gripped the back of Gray's head, yanking him forward and tilting his head up for their mouths to mesh. Excitement coursed through both of their bodies when canines sank into Gray's bottom lip. Hands grabbed at his back, fingers clawed down all the way down the muscular surface until they reached a firm ass. Natsu used it as a leverage to pull their groins together, moaning when they fit perfectly together like puzzle pieces. Gray stumbled at the force more into Natsu, gasping when the pinkette snaked his tongue inside his open mouth, roaming around inside all the while still gyrated his hips against Gray's.

Natsu still gripped the back of Gray's head when he wiggled out of Gray's arms and stood back on the ground. He shoved Gray back with strength that surprised Gray and deepened his attack on the ravenette's bruising mouth. Gray moaned and moved his arms between Natsu's, holding the pinkette's face between his hands. He pulled Natsu closer to him, feeling a hand trail down his chest all the way till they stopped at the top of his pants. Fingers peeled back his shirt and delved under to touch skin. Gray leaned into Natsu's touch but got shoved back against the wall, harder.

The pinkette pulled off Gray's mouth, grinning when Gray surged forward after him. Natsu pushed off Gray's body but his hand still gripped the older male's pants. A whimper oozed out of Gray's mouth when Natsu slipped his finger down his pants and brushed over the beginning of something sensitive. The pinkette licked under Gray's chin, nipping at a soft spot before letting himself fall back into him. Gray felt his eyes flutter at the feel of Natsu slowly wrapping his mouth around a part of his neck and began to suckle softly.

Halfway through a whimper Gray realized he had somehow, and forgotten when, lost control. His eyes flew open and before Natsu knew it he was the one pinned back against the wall but this time facing it as Gray pressed hard into him from behind. Gray's dominant side flared up and he grabbed fistfuls of Natsu's hair, yanking him and sinking his teeth into the exposed neck skin. He was none too gentle and Natsu's cry of pain made sure of it. Wedging a leg between both of Natsu's, Gray lifted it slightly and Natsu moaned, crumpling back when the leg rubbed his aching member.

"Ah~" Natsu groaned before his mouth was covered sloppily by another. Teeth and tongue was all he felt and soon the metallic taste of blood. His lips started to sting but the pressure of Gray's leg up between his two made the pain go away. "Gray-" Natsu gasped continually, rubbing himself back on the appendage.

Gray pressed Natsu rough into the wall and grabbed his arms, slamming them high above them to the surface too. "Look at you going at it with my leg." Gray panted into Natsu's ear, the pinkette mewling only in return. Gray turned him around and slid his leg back in place. Natsu began to full on grind on it; it wasn't long before Gray felt something wet seep on his once clean jeans. His lust grew ten times more when he lifted Natsu off the ground to look at his pant leg. It didn't take two and two to put together from the wet spot around Natsu's crotch to piece together what it was. "That's fucking hot."

With Natsu raised, he couldn't get the friction he needed and started whining. "Gr-Gray, more, mo-r~"

Gray didn't feel like teasing since he also needed the friction and lowered Natsu back down, this time with the pinkette's legs circling around his waist. Together the two thrusted against each other, mouths pressed wetly together as they ate at one another. Natsu's panting grew louder and louder the growing minutes and finally he slammed his head back against the wall, eyes closed, even when a mouth suctioned itself to his neck. His vocals got higher and more incoherent.

"Natsu." Gray breathed before readjusted the pinkette. Natsu's eyes flew open when something hard, even through Gray's jeans, brushed against his covered entrance.

A sound bubbled out of Natsu and Gray found himself being yanked in the pinkette's arms, Natsu's warm face burying in his dark hair. "OhmygodGray." the rider squealed. Like a koala he held on tight to the older male, arms trembling. "Jesus, we n-need to stop."

Gray legit pouted. "What? Why?"

"T-too much." Natsu gasped when Gray jutted up against him, against there again.

The ravenette took in Natsu's series of gasps and whimpers at that. "That is?" Gray's voice held a teasing tone. Natsu nodded frantically.

"Yes that! I can't-" his words died in his throat when Gray dropped him, had his hands down his pants, and a finger probing the small opening. Natsu crumpled while protesting.

"You're leaking down there." Gray commented. Natsu shot his head up to glare at him.

"Shut up! No more."

Gray added slight pressure and Natsu clenched his teeth, face flushed and eyes watery.

"Gr-g-"

Gray pulled his hand out and wrapped his arms around the trembling rider. "Okay, you said no more. Even though I'm raging hard and want to take you right here, right now." Gray gently kissed the side of Natsu's face while the boy tried catching his breath in his arms. "Are you okay?"

Natsu nodded. "You're fucking sexy Gray."

Gray smirked. "Thank you."

"Jerk."

Before Gray could reply, there was a knocking on the door. "Natsu! Gray! We're going to the lake so get your trunks, shorts, or whatever and meet us outside. 'kay?" Happy's happy voice trilled from the other side.

"And don't make us wait either!" Erza's voice added.

Gray made a face. "They want to go to the lake after all that happened today?"

Natsu finally calmed his breath but now his heart was a problem. After that heated... session with Gray, everything about Gray made his heart stutter. Why was that? This closeness with Gray was suffocating but not the bad kind. Natsu bit his lip, hissing softly when his teeth bit into a sore spot. Gray noticed and apologized. Natsu waved it off before gently pushing Gray off him.

"We should go. It's a fun little spot, plus they have swings." the pinkette stumbled to his room. "Want me to find you something to swim in?"

Gray watched after the pinkette feeling a weird vibe coming from him. He studied Natsu who squirmed under his eye before nodding. Giving a small smile Gray said, "That would be nice. I'll be out there okay?"

Natsu nodded and disappeared into his room.

Gray went back into the living room to wait. And think. Why was Natsu starting to be weird?

Back in Natsu's room Natsu had slumped to the ground and was hugging his knees to his chest. His heart was pounding, his breathing was hitching, and his eyes were watering.

This was starting to look just like the last time...