The Cure

Natsu continued caring for Gray, doing more and more every day. He could tell the raven haired teen was getting better, becoming more himself, and Natsu couldn't help but be sad at the thought. The last two weeks, having Gray in his house, taking care of him, it was...nice. He liked wrapping his arms around the others body every night. Kissing him into oblivion after his bath and then burying himself deep inside. How am I going to deal with going back to normal? Thought Natsu as he stared at the sleeping form beside him. Tonight had been especially tiring. He thought back to earlier, reminiscing about the evening.

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Earlier that day...

Natsu woke up to Gray curled against his side. Damn I could get used to this he thought, slowly disentangling himself from the other boy.

"No, don't leave. More snuggles..." the dark haired boy mumbled in his half awake state, trying to pull Natsu back into bed.

"Sleeping beauty, its late, and I'm hungry. Ill make some breakfast while you get dressed" said Natsu, pulling his own clothes on and going to the kitchen. He started a pot of boiling water for tea, then removed some things from the fridge. He set about getting a pan and a mixing bowl, then grabbed the eggs to make omelets. He looked up when Gray walked in, dressed only in a towel slung low across his slim hips, and his hair still damp from the shower. Natsu heard a crack, and jumped when he looked down and realized he had cracked an egg all over the front of him.

"Damn it Gray! Put some clothes on!" he yelled, wiping the egg from the front of his shirt.

Gray simply smiled and sat at the table waiting on the food. He watched Natsu move around the kitchen, getting plates and silverware while the eggs cooked. He set a plate in front of Gray and started eating his own food. Looking up, Natsu noticed Gray wasn't eating, pausing he asked "Whats wrong?"

"I feel better" Gray said looking down cast. "Its like there is something disappearing from my mind, I can feel myself growing stronger, and I'm no longer running a fever."

"That's great Gray!" Natsu said, looking down at his plate to hide his tears.

"What if...I...don't want to get...better?"

"Gray, life has to go on. What you are feeling right now wont even matter in a few days. You will be better, and you will be... free. You wont have to worry about this anymore."

Gray nodded solemnly, he wanted to go back home, but he also wanted to remember this time. He knew he wasn't in his right mind at the moment, but he liked being like this with Natsu. Reaching across the table he pulled the pink haired teen into an embrace, licking along his neck since he knew it would instantly turn Natsu on.

"Mmmmmmmm," Natsu hummed deep in his throat, enjoying the sensations. He melted into the others embrace...

End flash back

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Natsu knew the end was coming. He wasn't sure if he could handle it. That night when Gray fell asleep, Natsu called on the healer.

"He said it feels like something is breaking inside him." Natsu said with a worried look on him.

"Tomorrow he will be fully healed. What he is feeling is the curse unraveling, coming undone because of the love you have showed him over the last few weeks. That's what he needed."

"But I don't love him," Natsu said, shrinking back from the word he never associated with the dark haired teen. "Were rivals. We hate each other."

"There is but a fine line between love and hate. One can often lead to the other with out provocation. I would suggest taking him back to his house, do not let him sleep here tonight. He will be in a deep sleep for the night, so you can easily move him without fear of waking up." said the healer turning to leave.

Natsu returned to his room, gazing again at the face he had become accustomed to seeing every nigh. He picked the sleeping boy up, carefully, and carried him the short distance to his house. Pulling the covers up to Grays neck, he kissed him softly, one last time, and withdrew back to his own house.

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The next morning Gray awoke with a start, he felt like he had forgotten something very important. Brushing it off he went and took a shower and then headed towards the guild hall. Walking in the front doors he was met by all his friends, overjoyed that he was not sick anymore. Hmmmmm, maybe that's why I feel like I'm forgetting something. Oh well he thought as he moved to the bar and ordered a root

beer float. Sucking down the cold drink he searched the crown for his rival, feeling up to a good fight. Seeing the pinkette across the room he swiftly walked up and smacked him on the back.

"Fight me!"

Natsu looked up with a scowl on his face, "Get the hell away from me ice block!" he said, clearly aggravated.

"Stop being a pussy and fight me, flame brain!" yelled Gray, further provoking the other boy.

Natsu got up, towering over the other boy in his anger and punched Gray square in the nose.

"That's more like it!" Gray said pulling back his own fist and slamming it into Natsus gut. The two fought like cats and dogs, overturning tables and chairs until they eventually made it out the Guild doors. Gray stumbled as he got close to Natsu, he suddenly had the urge to reach out and lick the other boy. His momentary slip allowed Natsu to land a series of flaming punches, scorching his skin. Gray sank to the ground, groaning in pain as Natsu turned to leave.

"Don't go yet!" gray screamed, thinking it sounded oddly familiar. He watched as Natsu tensed, stopping in his tracks.

"I'm through fighting you Gray, don't ever challenge me again." Natsu said through clenched teeth. He walked off briskly, trying to hold back tears. I cant do this. Its too much. I... I need to get away. For a long time. At least until these feelings pass he thought walking back into the guild long enough to get a mission request. He headed home to pack and left immediately, not bothering to bring anyone with him.

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Nothing was the same after Natsu left. It seemed like the guild was too quiet. Gray was in a horrible mood, and he still felt like he was missing something important. He started going on more and more missions, always just barely missing Natsu when he returned home to get another one.

Natsus missions got more and more reckless. Each time he returned, the guild he noticed the look of pity in everyone's eyes and it sickened him. He couldn't get Gray out of his head. The things he had to do to help the never headed teen get better kept swirling through his mind. The long nights screwing, he tender kisses as time went on, and ultimately the way he didn't remember any of it. Natsu though for sure that with everything they had gone through, Gray would have at least remembered some of it. Natsu remembered every detail. Grays moans haunted him in his sleep to the point he was only catching about three hours a night now, and that was if he was extremely lucky.

Natsus body was becoming leaner, more defined every time he returned from a mission. However, at the same time, he was looking worse. His hair stayed greasy, as if he wasn't bathing, and he was getting truly skinny, even with the new muscles he had acquired. Lucy, becoming very worried, cornered the pinkette as soon as he came into the guild hall.

"Natsu, what is going on?" she asked, pulling him into a storage room with shelves covered in jars. Natsu shook his head, refusing to answer. No one else knew what he had to go through to get Gray better. He felt like they would really pity him if they did. On the other hand though, he trusted Lucy. He made the decision to tell her, figuring she might at least have some advice for him.

"Lucy, can you meet me at my house later? I...um...well I need some...advice." he said sheepishly. Lucy shook her head in agreement, hoping she could help her friend, or at least figure out what was wrong. She let Natsu leave the store room, and followed him out. She was jolted out of her thoughts when she slammed straight into Natsus back.

"What the hay Natsu!" she squeaked, trying to push him forward. When he refused to move, she peeked around him. Seeing Gray she waved, then pushed her way past Natsu to greet her other friend.

Natsu froze as he looked across the guild hall, barely noticing when Lucy slammed into him. Gray... he thought as he stared towards the giant door. Natsus heart clinched as he saw the other boy for the first time in over a year. His hair had grown longer in that time, just enough to brush his collar at times. He also seemed taller and more defined Natsu thought as the teen randomly lost his shirt. Natsus throat went dry. How many times had he kissed that chest, tracing the guild mark on Grays chest. How many times had he grasped those hips as he rammed himself into his lover. How many times had he wrapped his lips around Grays impressive length, playing to his hearts content.

Natsu let out a pained groan as his eyes teared up. I really cant take this, I need to leave before anyone sees. I cant let them know what happened, it would kill Gray to know what he had gone through thought Natsu, taking off at a run for the back door. He fled the guild, wandering around town for hours, lost in thought. He finally came to his house, he hadn't spent an actual night there since the night Gray had gotten better. He felt his heart drop as he looked at the familiar facade. This was our home...

He saw Lucy sitting on he porch, and grabbing his key he unlocked the door. Lucy followed him in without a word, and took a seat on the dusty couch.

"Would you like some water?" he asked, trying to put off talking for as long as possible. Lucy shook her head, patting the couch next to her in a silent demand for him to sit down.

"Why did you run off earlier?"

"I... well I just had to get out of there." he mumbled.

"Natsu, what is going on. Seriously, you can trust me." she said looking deep into his eyes as she took his hands in hers.

Natsu cast his eyes downward. He didn't know where to begin so he sat in thought for a few minutes.

"Do you remember about a year ago when Gray got really sick?" he asked.

"Of course. I was so worried about him, but he eventually pulled through."

"Ha, yeah he did." said Natsu, smiling sourly. "Well... I had to... help him get better."

"I know you took him to a town somewhere to get medicine for him Natsu." she said with a perplexed look on her face.

"No, actually, I brought him here Lucy. I took him to my bed." he said, looking up to see her reaction.

"Ummmmm...OK...but why?"

"Because he was cursed. The curse made it so that whoever found him first, had to...um...basically... shit. I had to fuck him." he rushed out.

"WHAT?!"

"Yeah. We shared a bed for a long time. I had to make him better Lucy. Please don't think any less of me." he said, pleading with her to understand.

"Oh Natsu, I wouldn't think that. You saved his life sweetie. The method might have been a little...unorthodox...but you still saved him."

"Che...yeah. I saved him, and damned myself in the process." he whispered, tears forming in his eyes again.

"What do you mean?"

"Lucy, you know I don't ever have girlfriends. I was never really into sex, until the first night I spent with Gray. I couldn't control myself. It was like we...fit perfectly together." he said, fumbling for the right words. "Our bodies were meant for each other. All the training we had done together made me hyper aware of him. He scent, his motions, even the way he breathed. Being with him that long just made it worse. I had a crush on him for a long time, but having him here, in my home, made it turn into so much more." he said, taking a pause.

"I... I love him Lucy. And I cant stop loving him." he finished quietly.

"Then why have you been avoiding him for this long?" she asked confused.

"Well...its because, he doesn't remember that time we spent together. None of it. That was part of the curse. It was like a double edged sword, the better off he was, the worse I got. That's why I left. That first day he was better, he went back to normal. It broke my heart. I cant fight him anymore, because every time I get close to him, I remember what we did together." he explained as he finally let the tears fall.

"Oh Natsu." she said, pulling him in for a hug while he cried his eyes out. She rubbed his back soothingly, as he shook with giant sobs. Finally, when he started calming some, she laid his head in her lap and played with his hair. "Why don't you try telling him?" she asked softly, running her fingers soothingly through the pink strands.

"I could never tell him Lucy, he would hate me then. Or hate himself, I'm not sure which." he said quietly, as her fingers soothed his soul.

"You never know Natsu, he just might surprise you..." she whispered, hearing the first soft snores coming from the exhausted dragon.

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Natsu woke up an hour later. His head was still in Lucy's lap, and she had also fallen asleep. He got up quietly, and moved through the now dark house. Walking out into the night he took a deep breath. The cool night air kissed his skin, making him shiver as he pulled his scarf tighter around himself. He took off down the street, stopping to buy some take out, then returned and woke Lucy up. They ate in relative silence, finishing their meal Lucy got up and washed dishes.

"Natsu," she began, " would you like to come stay with me tonight?" Natsu looked up, stunned that she would offer, and shook his head in acceptance. Lucy grabbed his hand and led him to the door, giving him time to lock it before they took off for her house.

They entered the house, and Lucy got out an extra blanket and pillow, laying them on the couch for the pink haired boy.

"I'm going to take a shower OK Natsu? You can have it after me, I probably have some clothes in the closet that will fit you." she said, grabbing a towel and some clothes, then heading for the bathroom. After she finished, Natsu went in. He could smell her shampoo strongly, it was fruity, with a slightly flowered scent. The heat in the room soothed him as he pulled his shirt off. Dropping his pants he was about to drop his boxers, when Lucy burst in, complaining about forgotten her hair brush. She stopped in her tracks, looking at his bare muscular back. What caught her attention, was the tattoo on his upper back. All the way, from shoulder to shoulder, was a beautiful winter scene. There were hills of snow, and trees blanket in white. The mountains in the distance looked cold with ice, and siting in the middle of it was a smaller version of Natsu,bare from his waist up, making a snow man that resembled a certain dark haired friend of theirs. Natsu tensed as she noticed the tattoo, moving to cover his back again, she stopped him.

"Can I touch it?" she asked, stretching her hand out. She ached to run her fingers across the piece of art. She had to know if it would actually be cold. The artist had done an amazing job, creating shadows and depth to make it look like you could step into the scene at any given moment. Natsu inclined his head, throwing his shirt to the floor as she gently reached out to his back. Her fingers traced the faces in the snow, touching the peaks of the mountains, and finally gliding down his back to fall back to her side.

"Its gorgeous Natsu," she murmured.

"I had it started the day after I left." he explained. "I have it added onto every few months or so."

"I would love to see it when its done." she said, grabbing her brush and retreating form the room.

Natsu closed the door behind her, continued stripping, and climbed into the shower. He tried to make the water as hot as possible, but even that was still cold to him. Everything was cold to him now. The cascading water reminded him of bathing Gray. He way his fingers trailed across his back while they had sex. Natsu reached up angrily and turned the taps off. Stepping out into the steamy room he dried off and re dressed. He could hear Lucy in the other room, talking out loud to herself. He walked in to see her sitting at a small desk, a tape recorder in one hand and a pencil in the other.

"I'm going to bed. Thanks again Lucy. Please don't tell anyone about what I said." Natsu said, laying down and closing his eyes.

"I would never break your trust Natsu." she replied, setting the tape recorder down and turning out the light. She crawled into her bed, pulling the covers up, and fell swiftly asleep.

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Lucy could hear someone moaning. Sitting up she looked at the couch. Natsu had kicked the covers off, and was covered in sweat. It sounded like he was in pain so she rushed to his side. She reached out to shake his shoulder, just as he sat up quickly, looking like someone had just tried to kill him.

"Nat...Natsu, are you...OK?" she whispered into the dark room.

"Yeah, I just cant sleep. Look, thanks for inviting me over, but I need to leave." he replied, getting up and heading straight for the door. The cool air hit his fevered face, instantly making him cold as the sweat gelled on his skin. He paused, looking up at the crescent moon, lost in memories yet again. He started walking towards his house, head down against the wind that seemed intent on draining the last of his heat away. He stopped short at the figure resting against his door. He took a deep breath, savoring the scent of frost covered pines, and sweet mint. Shit, its Gray. What the hell is he doing here he thought as he walked up the steps, intent on ignoring the other boy.

Natsu tried to quietly step around the figure, but a hand shot out and grabbed his leg. Gray held strong as he pulled himself up and got right in Natsus face.

"Why the hell have you been avoiding me flame brain?!" he yelled.

"Let me go." Natsu screamed right back at him, yanking himself away and reaching for his key. I have to get inside, I have to get away from him. Maybe if I just keep running, I can avoid him forever. Natsu finally found his key and swiftly unlocked the door. Just as he was about to slam it, Gray put his foot between the door and the frame, preventing it from closing.

"GO THE HELL AWAY GRAY!" screamed Natsu, trying to push his foot out the door. Instead, Gray slid the rest of the way in the house and closed the door behind him. He is in my house. Again. Thought Natsu as he stared in hatred at the raven haired teen.

"I'm not leaving until you answer my question Natsu." Gray said with a quiet anger evident behind his words.

"Fine. I fucking HATE you Gray. That's why I am avoiding you!" Natsu cringed inside as he said the complete opposite of what he actually felt. Gray shook his head, refusing to believe the obvious lie.

"No. No you don't Natsu. Tell me the real reason."

"Fine," Natsu said, looking Gray straight in the eyes, he said simply, "Gray Fullbuster, I am deeply in love with you." Natsu immediately turned and ran through his house. Tears were streaming down his face as he ran and locked himself in the bathroom. He immediately started digging into his skin. His sharp nails drew blood almost instantly, mixing it with the tears no running down his face freely.

Gray stood at the door, staring after the retreating teen. He didn't know what to say, much less what to do. The pinkette had to be kidding.

Right?

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Author Notes:

OK, this is the second installment for The Cure. This one really took a lot out of me to write. I hope I answered some of the questions you might have had, and have no fear there will be more answered soon. I hope you enjoyed delving into my mind a little more and following Natsu and Gray on this harrowing journey they are taking.

.oO: I'm glad you found the first chapter interesting, and I hope this one answered your question about if Gray would remember things when he got well:)

Unlikely Yaio Pairing: I'm happy you are enjoying this:) Although I cant yet reveal who put the curse on Gray to begin with, you will know soon. Hope you enjoyed the second chapter!

Uzukun89: I have to say, your review literally made me roflmao! xD I also love the whole idea behind sex being a healing thing, thus why I used it in the story. I hope I keep it interesting and steamy enough for you!

Please read and review, I really like hearing from the people that take the time to read my writing. Even if its just a smiley, that's always nice! Also, ill update quicker with more reviews, since it really seems to keep me writing.

~Skittles~