Disclaimer: I only wish I owned Fairy Tail, only wish I owned Natsu and Gray. Instead I'm just borrowing them.
Burning Ice: Chapter Three
Gray ran a hand over his black hair. He had to do something, he'd been avoiding Natsu for almost two days now. Ezra and Lucy would be back soon, and he had do fix this thing before they got back. But how? Even if Natsu was willing to talk to him, what would he say? I'm sorry for tying you to a bed and kissing you, but I wanted to make sure you couldn't run away? Yeah, that would totally work. Natsu wouldn't punch him into next week if he said that. God! Why was it so freaking difficult?
He got up, pacing around the clearing. He had to do something, that was the one thing Gray was certain of. Even if Ezra and Lucy weren't on their way back, he couldn't stand this distance much longer. Ever since they were kids, they had always spend time together, fighting or learning, or sometimes, working and playing together, though that often led to more fighting. Gray smiled, remembering all the fights they had gotten into. Natsu really was his best friend and he didn't want that to change, not if this was what happened.
A plan began to form in Gray's mind a plan that would, at the very least, help to restore their friendship, a friendship Gray was only just realising he was dependent on.
Natsu collapsed onto a bench, resting his head against the table. What was wrong with him? Ever since Gray had gone insane and attacked him at Lucy's house, Natsu had felt like he was on a merry-go-round and couldn't get off. He had the exact same feeling of nausea he got on any moving object too.
He still didn't understand why Gray had done what he had, and since Gray had been avoiding him, he couldn't ask him, leaving him to come up with wild theories on his own. Personally, Natsu was leaning towards the possession theory, as it was the only one that explained Gray's sudden change in character. Still, he wouldn't have to spend all his time thinking about it if Gray would just EXPLAIN what the hell he had been thinking. Even if the answer wasn't something Natsu wanted to hear it would be better than not knowing.
Natsu leapt to his feet, determined. He would find Gray and make him tell him what on earth had possessed him to do something so insane!
He leapt to his feet….and slammed into a cold, hard chest. Natsu turned to look at Gray, getting a good look at him for the first time since he had fled Lucy's house. He looked like he hadn't slept in weeks, his eyes tired, his black hair messy, like he'd ran his fingers through it over and over again. The worst of it was that he wouldn't look Natsu in the face, as if he was afraid of what he'd see there and again, there was that flutter of guilt, buried deep inside Natsu, just strong enough to make him angry with Gray for doing something so stupid and himself, for feeling guilt about the way he reacted.
"What?" Natsu asked, the one word filled with all the confusion and the anger that had been stewing inside Natsu for the past two days, emotions finally given an outlet, a target.
Gray flinched internally at the anger in Natsu's voice. This was going to be even worse than he had originally thought. But he couldn't continue like this. Something had to be done, and someone had to make the first move. He just hoped that Natsu would be able to listen and forgive him. "Ummm…. Can I talk to you?" He asked, bracing himself for rejection. Again.
"Not like I can stop you," Natsu said, his voice harsh with emotion.
Gray looked around the guild. There weren't really that many people there, just Mirajane tending the bar and Cana drowning the world in beer. But still, that was more people than he wanted to hear what he had to say. "Not here."
Natsu looked suspicious but still, he followed Gray out of the guild. Even though Gray might have ruined their friendship, it appeared that he hadn't completely destroyed the trust between them and for that he was glad.
The two boys walked in silence to the clearing Gray had spent most of his time pacing the past two days. Standing in the middle of the clearing, Natsu turned to face Gray.
"Explain," Natsu hissed through gritted teeth.
Gray hesitated. Where do you begin with something like this? "Well…"
Author's Note: Sorry folks, I just couldn't stop myself. I hate cliff-hanger endings so much so now I'm making everyone else suffer as I have. But, since I already have some idea of what happens next, the next chapter shouldn't be too long. Again, sorry that it's so short, but you know when to stop, where to leave it, and it just can't be fought. Please review, even if you just want to rant at me. I really don't mind, I rant too.