Happy Friday! This week's chapter was originally part of chapter 1, where Mira's doing her glance around the guild. But I realized that I had sprinkled little bits of Natsu's PoV in there. And it made way more sense than Mira's, so I broke it out as a mini-chapter.
- K. Chandler
"This ball-thing sounds super lame," complained Natsu.
"I know, right?" said Gray.
Gramps' announcement had thrown them both for a loop. As far as Natsu was concerned, this spirit of cooperation thing was overrated. Fairy Tail was the best guild and that was all there was to it.
"You planning on going?" he asked Gray.
"God, no!" Gray shook his head. He shot a look at Juvia and Gajeel's table. "I happen to value my life, thanks."
"For once we agree, Ice Block! What do you think about hitting up the arcade instead?" asked Natsu.
"Whatever," said Gray with a shrug. "Beats all this drama and crap."
"Problem?" asked Erza, planting herself in front of the two boys.
Natsu recoiled as their terrifying teammate loomed over their table, accidentally bumping shoulders with Gray as he did the same.
"No, ma'am!" said Gray.
"Of course not!" said Natsu.
"Natsu and I are getting along great." Gray forced a smile, slinging an arm around Natsu's shoulders.
"For once," agreed Natsu, playing along with the best-buds act. He squealed when Gray kicked him under the table.
"Shut up, Flame Brain," hissed Gray.
Erza's eyes narrowed. "The Victory Gala is an important event for the guild," she said sharply. "The Master informs me that we will be the guests of honor."
"Swell," said Gray.
"Your attendance is obligatory," stated Erza. "You understand what that means."
"Obligatory?" echoed Natsu, making a show of scratching his head. He knew what Erza wanted, but he wasn't going to make it easy for her.
Erza snarled, slamming both hands on the table. "I do not require that you to invite one of the girls, but I do expect to see you both there."
Gray flinched as she leaned in. Natsu snickered.
"You will attend, and you will be on your best behavior. Do I make myself clear?" hissed Erza.
"Yes, ma'am," said Gray quickly. "Clear as ice."
"Good," said Erza. Then she smiled, her menacing aura vanishing. "Now to figure out what I'm going to wear!" she said cheerfully.
Natsu blinked. Sometimes he wasn't sure whose mood swings were worse: Erza's or Lucy's. Natsu opened his mouth to comment, but pain shot through his foot as Gray stomped on it again.
"Ow! What gives, man?" protested Natsu.
"Do ya want her to come back? No? Then keep your mouth shut, Fire Breath," said Gray.
"So, you still up for playing hooky?" asked Natsu innocently.
"God, no!" Gray shot him an incredulous look. His eyes flitted towards Erza, his gaze lingering just a little bit too long. "I happen to value my life, thanks." Gray may have sounded casual, but Natsu knew better.
A wicked idea formed in Natsu's mind. This was one of those times where being the team's resident butt-monkey had its perks.
"So what did Erza mean by inviting one of the girls?" asked Natsu, playing dumb. "I thought everyone was invited."
"She means on a date, doofus," said Gray, clearly unamused.
"Why?" asked Natsu, scrunching his forehead in mock confusion.
"Why what?" asked Gray.
"Why would we do that? I mean, is that a thing?"
"Are you an idiot?" snarled Gray. "Because it's a formal. Because it's a good excuse to ask someone out since we all have to go. Because—I don't know how girls' brains work, okay?" Gray sighed, hand rising to pinch the bridge of his nose.
Natsu fought the urge to snicker, instead pretending to think it over. "So are you going to ask Erza?" he asked, a glint in his eye.
"What?" Gray's head snapped up.
Natsu had to keep himself from crowing. "You heard me, Frost Face." The Ice Block was such an easy target. "Are you gonna ask Erza?"
The expression of surprise was only on Gray's face for an instant. He smoothed it away quickly, but Natsu had seen it. "I… don't know what you're talking about," said Gray stiffly.
"You are so easy to read, dude," Natsu chortled.
It didn't take a genius to know what he had walked in on when they rescued Erza and Gray on Mount Hakobe. Natsu hadn't said anything then, but that didn't mean he wasn't going to have some fun at the Ice Block's expense after the fact.
"Shut up, okay?" muttered Gray, looking away.
"Just be glad Happy's out with Wendy and Charle." Natsu pulled his arms in to imitate paws and trilled, "He liiikes h—"
Gray's fist collided with his jaw.
Natsu grimaced. Then he laughed. So worth it.
After this, Natsu obviously hit Gray back. He's not the type to Let It Go, though neither is our resident Ice Mage. ;)
Next time, in [Mazeverse] Much Ado About Nothing, Matchmaker Lyon gets dragged into more relationship drama: First Juvia and now Toby. When did he become Mr. Relationship?
Stop back next Friday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.