Because someone decided to leave the key to the handcuffs at the reception lobby with instructions for a cleaning lady to drop them off later, Gray returned to Magnolia almost a full a day after Sting dropped by. There weren't as many trains running late at night, and he had to wait an hour before he could board anything homebound. Anxious as he was to get back, clear his name, and see Natsu again, Gray couldn't sleep a wink.

He stumbled off the train at sunrise, and although he wanted to go first think to Natsu, it occurred to him that he was filthy from his bar hopping and fight with Sting, hadn't shaved the next morning thanks to the handcuffs, and not only had nothing but boxers on, but what clothes he hadn't lost somewhere around town or on the train were all dirty. None of that would present well if he tried to convince Makarov that he was suitable to look after someone else, and being sleep deprived when he went to explain himself to Natsu and apologize for the mix-up was asking for disaster.

His apartment was no further from the train station than Lucy's, but in a completely different direction. That was for the best if he wanted to clean himself up first, but it still annoyed him to move away from Natsu.

Somehow, it still seemed surreal to Gray that Natsu might like him back. Part of him worried that Sting had only claimed as much to watch Gray embarrass himself. The two of them didn't exactly see eye to eye, and if Sting really was gunning for Natsu and wanted to see his love rival further self-destruct…

Gray shook his head. He was thinking too much like Juvia, viewing everyone as a love rival. Which was pretty bad, because going out of his way to not think like Juvia, with her interpreting everything as a sign of romantic affection, had no doubt played a part in his failing to notice that maybe, just maybe, his feelings were reciprocated. Thinking back to all those little moments, Natsu blushing like mad at the beach, the crepes, the way Natsu actually hadn't looked too flattered when Sting declared his love for the roset, Gray wanted to smack himself for thinking that Natsu might love Sting over him.

As for Lucy…well, Natsu and Lucy were certainly close, but how often did Gray see them blushing over one another? How often did he see them doing anything that couldn't easily be explained as them being close friends?

Natsu liked him. Like him enough that even an asshole like Sting was willing to pitch in to get them together, if it would make Natsu happy. The idea sounded too good to be true, and yet Gray refused to deny it any longer.

Twice, Gray caught himself humming an upbeat tune as he showered, even though such a thing had never been his habit before. He set his alarm to give him an hour of sleep, which he reasoned would leave him sufficiently rested to not have any sort of overly emotional reaction, then laid his head down to take a nap.

-o-

The sun was down when Gray woke up, although the smashed remains of his alarm clock against the far wall suggested that he had partially woken up at the proper time, if only to turn off the alarm and go back to sleep.

Were he planning to see anyone else, Gray would shrug at this, dress appropriately for the meeting, and hopefully still be dressed by the time he reached their house. Since Natsu's condition lead to him going to bed early, or at least being too drowsy by sundown to typically be in good shape for productive conversation.

One sulking session over a cup of instant ramen later, it occurred to Gray that he needed to talk to Makarov too. The old man, liking to keep an eye on the guild after it became socially acceptable to drink (since the guild already consumed enough alcohol before lunch time), could be counted on to be up during the evening. Gray downed the rest of his rehydrated broth, grabbed his jacket, and ran for the door.

After everything that had happened lately, Gray wasn't eager to go to the guild. He was still the guy who Natsu was taken away from, who it turned out people thought was too controlling, and who had run off sulking when he didn't get his way. Even if he could prove that he hadn't abandoned Natsu, and even if the real story of what happened spread as fast as it could, Gray still had to walk into a guild full of people who thought he was irresponsible and entitled in order to tell the real story.

If he wanted to see Natsu again, Gray had to suck it up and bear all those judgmental looks. Sighing to himself, he grabbed a jacket and scarf that he didn't expect to still be wearing by the time he reached the guild and headed out to set the record straight.

-o-

Gray's plan to sneak in without drawing attention to himself and talk with Makarov in private was dashed within seconds of stepping through the guild door. No sooner had he shut the door behind him, and as quietly as possible at that, then did he hear a bone chilling squeal.

"Gray, my love! Oh, when Juvia heard you left, she feared you would never return!"

He was tackled to the floor by a damp object about as heavy as the average adult female, which proceeded to spill water all over him. Gray struggled to get out of Juvia's embrace, shouting assurances over all the fears she cried out. That he was still a member of Fairy Tail. That he hadn't left to get away from her. That he would still be in town come morning. Admitting the last one might not have been wise, as more than once Gray had gotten up for the day to find Juvia waiting outside his door, but anything to make her stop making a scene.

Besides, he'd already tried concealing his schedule, and once even moved into a hotel for a week to test whether or not a change of address might throw her off the trail. It had not.

When he finally extracted herself from her arms, the whole guild was watching. Some grinned or snickered, but for most Juvia's antics were old, and any humor in them had long ago dried up. Many, mercifully, had ignored the incident altogether. Others Gray was sorry to see watch him like he was a petty thief looking for something to shoplift.

More than anything else, it sucked that he had been kept away from Natsu, but that it was his own guild that found him untrustworthy only rubbed salt in the wounds.

Seeing Gray's face fall as he met the eyes of his guildmates, Juvia took his arm and rested her head on his shoulder. "Fear not. Juvia knows Gray would never do anything to hurt Natsu."

"Thanks." Despite knowing it would likely give her the wrong idea, Gray gave her a genuine smile. "At least someone believes in me."

Juvia beamed back, having absolutely interpreted the smile the wrong way. Mercifully, rather than take the opportunity to insist on some fanciful romantic action, liking her helping hide Gray from all those suspicious looks by pulling him into the closet so they could make out, she pushed Gray towards the bar.

"Sting was with the master not long ago to talk about Natsu," Juvia told him. "If you don't want Natsu moving to Sabertooth, then you have to hurry and convince the master otherwise."

Had Sting not promised Gray that he would give his own account of what happened, Gray might have panicked at this. Some little part of him that still worried Sting was pulling his leg was, in fact, in full disaster mode. But whatever else Sting was, he cared about Natsu. Gray couldn't bemoan that people didn't realize that he put Natsu above all else and then disregard that Sting would do what he thought was best. He could only hope that he'd been right in believing that Sting thought that reuniting him with Natsu was for the best.

Makarov sat by the bar, laughing a little too loudly at something Mira said for someone who showed no other signs of being drunk. When Gray approached him, the old man averted his gaze, and even tried to push a new subject of discussion. Mira followed along for a few sentences but, seeing Gray approach, smiled wickedly and put a hand on the guild master's shoulder.

"Master, I think one of our guild members wants to speak with you."

By all accounts, Mira was the one who came to Makarov and relayed Natsu's report of abandonment. Either she'd absolved herself of any guilt in the confusion that had been cleared up, or took delight in another incoming rejection from someone who Sting had insisted still shouldn't be trusted with Natsu. That Makarov gulped nervously and refused to make eye contact strongly suggested the former, but after having been so suddenly relegated to the status of untrustworthy scum recently, Gray still feared the latter right up until Makarov spoke.

"Sting and Lucy both have come to talk with me. You want to ask about Natsu again."

"Lucy told me she would look after him while I was at work, and I went to get him from Sting's as soon as I knew where he was."

"You shouldn't have made them go behind your back," Mira teased. "Jealousy is unbecoming of you, Gray."

Gray tried to take a page from Natsu's book and pull his scarf up over his nose to hide his blush, but his hand found only skin, and he realized he had somehow stripped down to his pants. He turned the gesture into an awkward neck rub to try and cover up his slip. Sting and Lucy both knew his secret, and whichever of them (Sting, definitely) had decided to let that cat out of the bag, he would have to pay them back for that later.

"Lucy's confident that Natsu would like to return to you, although someone will need to verify that. Apparently… um…" Makarov bowed his head in shame. "Well, she's told Natsu how this whole mix up came to be, of course, but he's been disheartened by the fact that you… didn't… visit."

"You didn't let me."

"Well, maybe he expected you to fight that?" Makarov tried to protest, but his voice came out strained. He messed up, and even if they had been right about Gray failing to look after Natsu properly, Gray still should have been allowed to visit at least under supervision.

"Sorry for behaving myself," Gray said.

If he'd known from the start what went wrong… Well, if he'd known that, then he'd have explained to Natsu on the trip home from Sting's why he took so long if he'd know that Natsu thought he'd been left for days. But if he'd known that convincing everyone that he could be trusted with Natsu only took explaining the right issue, he wouldn't have gone out of his way to try and appease everyone by following their orders to a T.

"Y-yes. Well, Lucy agreed to speak with him on your behalf, and you're free to see him yourself. Tomorrow. By this time, Natsu—"

"Should be asleep," Gray said. He didn't need to be told that. He was the one who reported on Natsu's status to Makarov. "I can visit him first thing in the morning. If he wants to pitch a fit over how I didn't show up for so long, that's when he'll have the energy to let his frustration out."

The corners of Makarov's lips twitched up. "How sacrificing of you to consider his feelings like that."

"Not really. He doesn't throw that hard." It was meant as a joke, but Gray felt guilty for saying it. "A-anyway, I'm glad… I'm glad you trust me again. Really. I am. I'll be by to see him first thing tomorrow morning."

-o-

First thing the next morning, Lucy met Gray outside her apartment.

"Natsu's still asleep," she all but whispered. "He was up late last night, so I don't want to disturb him yet. Have you spoken to the master? Sting went to vouch for you earlier."

"I heard," Gray said, mimicking Lucy's volume. If Natsu hadn't been asleep for long, then he wasn't going to make a ruckus. Natsu needed all the sleep he could get. "What was Natsu doing up late?"

Lucy giggled. "Of course you would ask that first. No plans for moving Natsu back in with you?"

"Lucy."

"Okay. Okay. The meteor shower is tomorrow. We're trying to adjust his sleep schedule gradually so he can stay up for it," Lucy said.

"What meteor shower?"

"The one Natsu was going to surprise you with before this whole affair happened." Lucy sighed. "It was a shame. We had all these plans for a late night picnic. I even went and got him a thick winter coat, since he can't keep himself warm, and it gets so cold at night. But now you're back, and if you're willing to wait just a little longer, maybe we can still surprise someone."

-x-

STA: Show of hands. Who thought this was going to be the chapter where they finally hook up?

I'll make it easy on you guys, since by this point I'm sure you're tired of me yanking your chain. It's the next chapter.