Chapter 5: A New Beginning
A/N at the end of the chapter
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A week had passed since Gray ended his old life as an office worker and began his new life as a member of the organization; oddly enough, no part of him missed his previous life. Gramps had explained that for one month he had to share a room with one member until he could be trusted - a condition he accepted considering he had nothing else to lose.
"You ready?" Natsu poked his head out from the adjourning bathroom; the person who he ended up sharing with was the very same person who threatened his life only a week ago.
Surprisingly, the two got along almost too well that Lucy would often joke they should just marry one another; this comment always pushed both males into stuttering fits from the embarrassment. Wearing a black sleeveless t-shirt and loose grey sweatpants, Gray slipped on his sneakers before attempting to rub the sleep from his eyes - for the past week, he had been training in hand-to-hand combat every morning and various weapons in the evening nonstop. Tonight he'd get his first lesson with shooting a gun; oddly enough, there was a part of him that felt a little excited by the thought...
"C'mon before the girls start cooking breakfast," Natsu, wearing a plain ruby-red sleeveless t-shirt and black baggy sweatpants, groaned as he stretched his arms over his head while heading out of their shared bedroom.
Gray quickly followed after him down the staircase then through the kitchen and adjourning dining room before exiting the warm, sleepy environment; the morning air felt damp against his skin as the duo took a spot on the far end of the back deck to prevent breaking anything... again. Neither was looking forward to another earful from Gramps, then Gildarts... then Mirajane...
"Alright, how about we work on your blocks for the moment? This time I won't tell you nor go half-speed... Think you can keep up?" Natsu began, stretching his arms over his head before leaning to the right then the left.
As his arms dropped, pale arms had already stretched upwards before Gray copied his comrade's actions as he replied back, "Its not like anyone will tell me when I'm actually doing field work so I guess we'll see," with a confident smirk.
It wasn't often that the raven-haired individual would revert back to his previous emotional state so with each smirk or grin, Gray felt alive. Exhaling, the raven readied himself before his partner gave a short nod as a warning then ran at him with his hand balled tightly into a fist. Swinging for the head, the rosette was a little impressed when Gray blocked it but in a real fight that would not be enough so Natsu kicked his knee up, aimed for the other's stomach, which was narrowly blocked by his comrade's elbow. Natsu jumped away chuckling, "Not bad... guess I better step up my game,"
A pale fist swung out and decked the rosette's cheek as the raven sneered, "Then quit your talking,"
Jumping forward quickly, Natsu threw a jab at the cocky pale face before bringing his right elbow smacking Gray's cheek; swinging his right foot around so he was facing his comrade then grabbing a handful of black locks and a handful of the other's top. The rosette swung his knee up until he stopped a few centimeters from the raven's face; onyx eyes blinked as his body and mind caught up with the recent actions and before long heard a quiet: "Cockiness leaves you open to get hurt,"
Tanned hands released their hold on his comrade as Gray collapsed backwards with a heavy sigh, "Understood,"
The lesson progressed on until a motherly voice called out to them: "How about some breakfast?"
"Mira!" Both teens smiled over at the 'mother-hen' of the house, Mirajane Strauss; the raven had learned shortly after moving in about Mira's past - she was the oldest of three siblings, living in luxury that was one day taken from her in a horrible incident.
It wasn't long after they finished their breakfast that the house seemed to come alive; people ranging in all ages moved about the house - this was the best part of the day, in Gray's opinion. He always ended up meeting at least one new person...
Yesterday it was Romeo, a twelve-year-old child whose father was among the higher-ups in the organization; the raven was taken back that someone so young could be involved with them until he learned about their past - one which told the horrible story of a poverty-stricken family trying to take care of their son while pushing aside their own needs. It tore at the raven's heart when he saw the pained smile reflecting in the watery blue eyes as the child explained that the orange scarf he was wearing once belonged to his mother, who died in order to feed him.
"Hey, behave yourself while I'm gone..." Natsu sneered as he headed towards the info broker's offices, waving nonchalantly while leaving his companion to the organization members who had gathered in the lounge area.
Cracking a cocky smirk, without missing a beat, Gray replied: "Don't I always?"
"Gag! PDA, Gray! P-D-A," A chuckle behind him made the raven turn around in slight embarrassment as muttered out: "Quit it, Loki... Just 'cause Lucy won't let you get away with any-"
"SHUT UP, YOU TWO!" Natsu's yell echoed down the hall causing the two other males to laugh as they imagined the face the rosette had to be making at the moment.
When their laughter finally died down, the orange-haired male reminded his friend about their lesson tonight before going on his own mission, leaving Gray to wander the halls until he came to a stop outside a small library. He always found contentment inside the four walls covered in towering bookcases, filled with books ranging in a variety of information - Medical books were his favorite.
He cracked opened a book he started yesterday; he remembered most of the info the books provided but brushing up on what he had learned years ago in medical school can't hurt. Currently he was brushing up on arteries' locations, although occasionally he would pull his onyx eyes away from the massive amount of text to open his pocket knife (the only weapon he had been allowed thus far) then placed the blunt edge against the various arteries he had re-learned their locations before remembering the previous ones he had read about.
Hours flew by before the door to the library opened, onyx eyes didn't budge from the text they had fallen for until someone spoke: "Knew I'd find you here... you ready for lesson?" Loki.
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Csilla: DEAR GAWD! I APOLOGIZE! *bows before everyone who is following/liked this fic* As I mentioned in a recent oneshot - SEVERE WRITER'S BLOCK &then college got crazy;;
Like really crazy! On the plus side, college won't be getting in my way much longer -insert evil smile- I GRADUATE VERY SOON! (like less than two weeks)
TO EVERYONE WHO WILL STILL READ THIS FIC: I really do appreciate your patience with me~ this was always eating me away while I was crazy-busy ;^; I love you all very much!
And on a final note, at least this was almost done :3