Chapter 7: Betrayed
I look down at my plate, avoiding eye contact, mechanically eating my food in silence, and I feel a whoosh of air as he walks past me, sending shivers along my side. What am I supposed to act like if everyone thinks we're enemies but I want to be friends with him? Especially if he sits at our table. Maybe I'll leave when he sits down, I don't know... "Dude, what's up with you?" Gajeel asks me, staring at me and I reply in confusion, looking up, "Uh... Nothing?" "Natsuuu, we're all worried!" Happy tells me, causing a lump to form in my throat. "A-ah, it's really nothing big-" "It really is nothing, just leave the guy alone," I look at Gray in surprise as he sets his plate down, settling on the opposite corner of the table next to Erza. "And when did you start to defend Natsu?" Carla asks, one eyebrow raised causing Gray to fidget in annoyance, stuffing his mouth with food.
After a long moment of awkward silence, Erza finally breaks the rigid air by clearing her throat, saying, "We haven't welcomed Gray to the table yet..." Unsure what to say, we sit around the table like statues, looking around anxiously, until Juvia barrels into Gray, hugging him against the wall, squealing, "Gray-sama! Juvia misses you!" I quickly look away as she buries her blue head under Gray's chin, and Gray chokes out, "H-hey..." Everyone else sighs in relief, going back to eating breakfast, and Juvia stops strangling him, backing away, her motor mouth activating. "Hey... I think I'm going to go," I guiltily look down at the leftover food on my plate, causing everyone to gawk at me. "B-but you didn't finish!" Wendy stammers in surprise, staring at my plate, and I pinch my side, trying to act nonchalant. "I-i'm full," I say unconvincingly, walking away from the table, feeling everyone's stares on me. Yeah, coming to the guild was a horrible idea for sure... I quicken my pace, speed walking out of the door hastily.
Gray's POV
What's up with him? When I came in the guild hall, I expected him to chat a storm with Lucy, having 5 plates of food, instead he was looking down at his food unappetizingly, mechanically eating spoonfuls of his plate. "I have the feeling I should check on Natsu..." Lucy says, unsure of what just happened. "He acted really weirdly, I'm worried..." Happy looks down at the table anxiously, Carla reassuring him, "It's okay, he's probably going to recover." Ugh, the job really screwed up everything between Natsu and the rest of us... "It was probably the job... What did you do to him Gray?" Levy asks me, everyone suddenly glancing at me, causing myself to snap back, "What did you think I do? Make him a quiet, sad idiot? I took care of him, and you know how terrifying it is!" I breathe hard, my chest rising and falling, causing everyone to avert their stares to their food. "Look, I'm concerned too... Maybe it's the side effect of him being around his arch enemy for a whole day," I sigh, finishing my plate, and I immediately regret saying what I said as I see the look on Lucy's face. "So it was my fault?" She asks quietly, standing up, and Erza reassures her, "It wasn't, but maybe we took it too far." "Aye..." Happy says, looking at the door. Lucy suddenly stands up, causing us to stare at her in surprise, and she says, "I have to apologize, you guys enjoy your breakfast." She flashes us a smile then walks around the table, heading to the door, and we watch her walk out of the guild, the door closing behind her. Hopefully she'll help the poor guy, I think he's a bit lost after yesterday... I go back to eating, listening to the conversation Gajeel started.
Natsu's POV
As I walk along the gravel road, I start to feel droplets of water dampening my skin, water running down my chest. Well, that was a failure... I'll remind myself not to go to the guild if I know that Gray's going to come. I sigh, looking ahead to see the damp, winding gray line disappearing off into the distance, the sky a dull gray. I look around me to see no one close to me, causing a sinking feeling to go through me. Well, I've never had to experience something like this before... Except when Igneel disappeared, but this is different. Everyone's having fun, chatting together, eating breakfast with their dream boy or girl, while I'm just walking down this endless path with no one, the rain drenching me. Yeah, this is new... The sky darkens even more, warning myself to get to shelter, so I stop, pondering what to do. I guess I could go home, but no one's there, nothing to do- I look up in surprise as I hear someone in the distance calling my name, causing myself to whirl around, and see Lucy running towards me, breathing hard.
"Natsu!" She stops in front of me, her chest rising and falling, and I say in surprise, "L-lucy, what are you doing here?" After she catches her breath, she looks up at me, saying, "I-i came to apologize, you know, about the mission..." "W-wait, it was... Your idea?" I ask in astonishment, staring at her in bewilderment. S-she was the one behind this?! "Yes... I thought... I thought that it would help mend some grudges, but it made it even worse... I'm sorry, Natsu..." She drifts off, looking down at the ground, and I quickly reassure her, "I-it's okay, nothing big-" "B-but it is big! Everyone's confused-" "Everyone's happy with me gone," I say, turning away, but Lucy grabs my vest, saying desperately, "We all missed you, Natsu!" So, they do? I start to soften a bit but regain my composure as I say, my voice cracking a bit, "It's okay, I'm not going back to the guild, if Gray's there at least..." She stares at me in disappointment, saying quietly, "Okay... Come visit though, even if Gray's there once you're more comfortable." "You should go back to the guild, Loke's probably worried," I say to her, looking up at the sky which is currently raining cats and dogs. I look back down in surprise as she wraps her arms around me, pulling me into a hug,
"S-sorry about Loke, I didn't really have anyone besides Levy to talk to, so he saw you were gone and came over... Usually you'd always be there so Happy and I could hang out with you," she pulls away, looking at the ground, blushing. So, basically, she sent me on a mission with Gray to try to get us to "bond" together when he hates me? Also Loke "came over" to Lucy while I was gone. Well, I have to admit, it was sort of fun... I flush, hoping the darkness would hide it, and I realize that Lucy's gone, so I quickly run through the storm, in the direction of my house.