Summary: Natsu and Gray have been forced to complete a quick simple mission together. That is until they are attacked, knocked unconscious and forced to be put on auction for slave owners and crazy scientists. Now they have to stick together for support and strength because if they don't, they may never see their Guild again.
Word Count: 1443
A/N: This chapter didn't end the way I wanted it to…and the next few chapters aren't coming out the way I want them too. Man writers block is a bitch.
Warning: cussing is in here (obviously) OH! Blood, not too much. Some spelling/grammar errors if I didn't catch them
Disclaimer: I don't own anything, but if I did…I would come up with better things in the disclaimer area
Natsu wasn't all right; in fact he was pretty sure he wasn't going to be all right for a long time – physically and mentally. He and Gray had both been through a lot in the past…however long they were with that bastard. He knew that life with Fairy Tail wasn't going to be the same, even if he tried to forget the past, he knew something was going to haunt him.
Natsu felt Gray adjust his arm under Natsu more securely. The fact that that Ice Princess was carrying him, staggering and trembling through the woods, was probably the most humiliating moment in Natsu's life. He could take seeing Lucy naked and taking baths with Erza, but the fact that he was too weak with ice and scorched wounds holding him together, showed him how weak he was. Gray wasn't even in tiptop shape either; the bastard was trembling and flinching with each step. Gray's eyes seemed to search behind the trees and the Stripper seemed to be searching for something. But Natsu hadn't smelt anyone near them for a while. It was at this moment, Natsu took charge and dug his heels into the ground.
Gray stopped, his head shooting to look at Natsu. "Lets," Natsu swallowed and pointed towards a tree, "take a brake and try to get some sleep."
"What?" Gray shook his head, eyes snapping to another tree, his hands trembled. "We have to get out of here."
"He's right – Shiro's coming for both of you. He wants his pets back."
Natsu, with a grunt, unlatched his hold around Gray's shoulders and fell back onto the ground. He looked up at Gray, trying to get a good look at the Ice Mage in the moonlit night. Gray had placed a poorly molded ice cast around his broken left elbow. Aside from that, cuts littered the man's face and open chest. His necklace had stayed securely around his neck this entire ordeal (something Natsu couldn't say about his muffler – he'd have to go back for that). Apart for bleeding cuts and puncture wounds from the machine Gray was strapped to, Natsu couldn't see any major wounds. The once noticeable black marks that had once littered his body, had now disappeared. Those things didn't really concern Natsu, what had, was the weight and muscle Gray had lost. He didn't want to praise the guy, but he had been in, what seemed to be, top physical shape – hell he went toe-to-toe with him whenever they felt like fighting. But now Gray looked skin and bone, his skin an unnatural color and his eyes half dead. Natsu had been feed this entire time, up until he decided not to eat. He's pretty sure he lost weight and muscle, but not to the extent Gray had.
"You up for some grub?" Natsu asked, his eyes following the Ice Mage as he sat.
"Food?" Gray blinked and he scratched his head, "I haven't had food in a while…"
Natsu sat back his arms holding him up as he leaned back, his shoulder screamed slightly at the pressure. "Well I'm sure we can find something out here-"
"I'm not really hungry," Gray looked down at his right hand.
"He's not hungry, you hear that, that bastard hasn't eaten in months – probably – and he's not hungry."
Natsu snapped his mouth shut and looks away. He sees flashes of that dark creature that had once plagued his every step, but now had resided in the distance. "Well," Natsu sniffed the air loudly; "I don't smell anyone, so I guess we can take a nap."
"Oh ya, sleep – speaking of sleep, you haven't in 3 days. Maybe we can make it 4."
Gray leaned back, and turned away from Natsu, "Sure." The Ice Princess seemed oblivious to the voice.
Natsu hadn't slept a wink, the voice kept talking, the shadow moved closer with each tired blink.
"You're not looking so good, maybe you should take a nap."
"Oh ya, a nap sounds good."
Natsu shuts his eyes, "Wake up, no sleeping on the job."
"You still have to get those girls out, you know."
"They're probably all dead."
Natsu's eyes snap open and he sits up, running an exhausted hand through his hair.
"Or maybe it was a false job?"
"I never thought of that."
"Or maybe the girls are all dead – dead – dead – dead!"
Natsu squeezes his eyes shut, feels a presence lean down on him. "Shut up," he whispers out and presses the palms of his hands into his eyes. He just wants to sleep. Next to him he hears Gray shift and moan. The bastard is probably having a nightmare – he hopes Gray doesn't wake up in hysterically, last time he did that, the idiot thought he was dead, again. Out of both of them Natsu doesn't know who had it worse. Him hearing thing, seeing a black mass everywhere he goes, not being able to sleep, or Gray's nightmare's and panic attacks.
Natsu sits up more and shuffles his way over to Gray. The Ice Mage had curled into himself, well as much as his injures will allow him to, and underneath his eyelids, his eyes are moving.
"He's having a nightmare."
"No shit," Natsu replies to the vacant voice and he reaches forward. He doesn't expect to get clubbed in the face. He falls backwards, his good arm, reaching up to cup the right side of his face. "What the hell," he screams and blinks at Gray who is now breathing rapidly, but looking confused. "Why'd you hit me?!"
"What?" Gray blinks as he sits up. "Why would I hit you, flamebrain?"
Natsu shrieks, "I don't know! I was trying to wake you up, because you were having a nightmare and you decided to roundhouse kick me?"
"First, I don't have nightmares," Gray shakes his head and glares at the Fire Mage. "And second, you said I punched you, not 'roundhouse kicked' you."
"You punched me," Natsu barks back. Seeing a smirk, grow on the Ice Mages lips, Natsu turns away and pouts, "Whatever, kick or punch – it's all the same."
"No it's not, dumbass."
"Don't correct me, smartass."
"Well how can I not? What you said was beyond stupid."
"You're stupid!"
Gray lets his head fall, "What type of comeback is that?"
"A smart one," Natsu looks back towards Gray and glares. "Once we're all better, I'm kicking your ass, Stripper."
"I'd like to see you try, idiot flame."
He and Gray had spent the next few hours hobbling. They didn't know which way to go, but they had finally started walking by themselves. It had been a relief to Natsu the most, because even if he had found his weakness pathetic, he noticed the strain that he had put on Gray. Being the one to put more trauma on Gray was kind of disheartening. It had taken a few hours, but while the sun started rising, Natsu caught a scent.
He stopped mid-step, his hand resting slightly on a tree. "Gray," he called, and watched the Ice Mage flinch to a halt. "I think I smell something."
Gray looked up, his eyes widening in astonishment. "Really?"
"Ya," Natsu breathed in and smiled, "I think – holy shit – it smells like multiple people!"
"That's good, right?" Gray looked around, his once anxious eyes, now slightly lit with excitement.
"Its faint," Natsu took a step forward and turned towards the rising sun, "but I think it's a few miles that way."
They took of, well as fast as their injuries would allow them, and they anxiously speeded towards the smell. However with each quickening step, Natsu began to feel slightly discouraged. The smell began to burn within his nose, and his mind registered an unnatural feeling that began to reside in his stomach. He slowed his pacing, as they got closer, Gray shooting questionable looks to him, as they got closer.
Natsu slowed and for a second they both stopped. Natsu looked around and sniffed the air, the scent still burned as he inhaled. "Something," he muttered and his mind fogged over, his feet unknowingly stepping forward.
"Natsu?" Gray questioned, following after the Fire Mage. He reached out, taking a hold of the others shoulder as they reached an open clearing.
"Boys," a voice encircled the grassland. Natsu looked forward, his mind still fogging over, but he processed the image before him. Shiro stood in the opening, wild-flowers under his feet and arms open wide. "I hope you're well rested." Men behind Shiro took a step forward, their presence sending shivers down both Mage's backs. "Because I'm here to get mymice back."
MagicMoonyx- Ya it would be nice to see Gray use Iced Shell, but I read somewhere that Hiro wants to end the story on a happy note – so I don't know if killing Gray would mean a happy ending. And thank you :D
PokeTail- what me? Do that? I…I would – never! Ah such a thing (like killing Gray, my favorite character) is just too much to bear! Hopefully next chapter will be better than this one, it felt like an alright one, but I liked it – kind of
Cristallina- lol, hopefully I'll update quick enough for you to get your fill. The good thing is that once I'm done with this, I have another story in mind
EternalFlame401- Eh…I cant really say for sure! Only the author knows! Only the author knows!
Anniegirl132- prepare away because as of right now I have 1 death in mind
SkillzR3solve89- all right! Scaring the readers is so much fun, even in October!
Abi- Aww, I'm sorry that had happened to you! But don't worry, I've updated today and plan to run into a tree as well – only to scream "Abi!" as I do so!
Lilymoon9- Oh yes that would be terrible just terrible *laughs evilly
Viperhat- Yes someone will die. Gray, Natsu, Shiro, Happy, Lucy, Erza, Schiff, any one or two or even three can die. Oh and dark is the best! The title says "Forced Opposites" I got the idea when Gray was taken over by his demon side and he fought Natsu. (I'm not good at titles – hence my title for my other fic written in Japanese which I think I remember it being "Ice Dragon" or something like that?")
AsDarknessSpreads- Oh ya I do. It's not my top favorite, but I don't like to pair non pairing that aren't going to happen in the manga. I just don't really see the point – don't get me wrong they make good stories and all, but I just don't really get it. Gray and Juvia aren't my go to pairing tho. I love, love, love Levy and Gajeel (but I cant write them) lol, hatred for Shiro is strong in this story xD
xXxrouxXx- Omg yaaaaaass, I hope its not Juvia, I sadly would be very disappointed if it was her…
SashaMonroe- Tankes!
Just Me- Ah! That would have been terrifying! What how come…you know me to well!
Deboo- Thank soooo much! I will update….NOW!
A/N: Alright is it just me or is the next episode of Fairy Tail wrong…isn't Gray supposed to go and help Gajeel after his fight (or am I just cray-cray in the brain?)
ALSO I got PM from Annunequaled and they asked if I would join a FanFic competition…I don't know, kinda scared for competition…let me know what you think!
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