Csilla: no you guys aren't imagining things, Illusions has been updated &I'm very sorry for the wait!

Chapter Thirteen: Regrets & Decisions

Stepping inside Yukino's office, the last thing Gray expected to see was Natsu and Gajeel bandaged from their torso up; it had been less than twelve hours since the former doctor left them the night before. Exhausted onyx eyes bore down at the bandaged duo before he sighed in defeat: "How the hell did this happen?"

Both males went on to make muffled noise that were silenced when Yukino appeared from her personal office, negative aura following behind her as she exited and stopped beside the bandaged duo: "They thought it would be a good idea to start arguing over stupid things and I've had enough of it," her voice cut through the silence before she glared down at the two men.

Raising a raven eyebrow, "Arguing over what?" The raven asked, wondering what they could possibly argue over; Gajeel had been missing in action for as long as Gray had known the rosette and the rest of the group - had the two bandaged males had a fight or something like Levy and Gajeel before his disappearance?

"Gajeel's return," Yukino replied blankly as she folded her arms across her chest and rolled her eyes.

A flicker of an unrecognizable emotion surged through the raven's body; Gajeel had been back for roughly a week and he had never seen the rosette so fired up like this before. Just recalling how Natsu had promised the young info broker that he'd bring the older male back time after time made Gray's body feel heavy. Why would they be fighting about his return? Wasn't everyone happy about that? Levy sure was though he had heard from Loki that the young info broker was given the cold shoulder every time she came to check up on him.

Natsu ripped the bandages covering his mouth, "The stupid iron freak over here refuses to see Levy," before sending a glare towards the other bandaged male, who turned his attention away from the wandering gazes that all turned in his direction all at once.

The rosette folded his arms over his chest, frowning as he turned his attention to the window that lead to the backyard of the hideout. Gray watched as anger, regret, sadness and so many more emotions passed through the cobalt eyes of the rosette before their owner spoke again: "She deserves to see you. Do you have any idea how much time she poured into finding you? How much it broke her everyday when she came up empty?" Natsu growled as he narrowed his eyes and shifted his attention back to the older raven, "Dammit Gajeel, think about her for once would ya!" At this point, the rosette shot up from his seat ignoring the pain sparking throughout his body then stormed out of the medical wing.

Silence filled the room as Natsu's words sunk in; Gray watched as Gajeel fell back onto the bed before rolling over bringing the white blanket over his head, signalling he was finished with the conversation. Onyx eyes hadn't miss the sight of the older raven struggling to keep his cool -clenching his teeth as he rolled over. Natsu was right. Gajeel did owe Levy a chance to apologize but remembering the regret from the first morning, he refused to push the issue. And he wasn't going to get involved for either of their sake.

He didn't really know much about the older raven nor did he know much about the relationship between Levy or Gajeel; instead he gave a short nod to Yukino before leaving the medical wing and headed for backyard.

With one flick the coin was airborne then moments later it landed back in his palm, the weight of the coin was minuscule: "Its strange how something so small can change my life completely,"

Before he was Gray Fullbuster, a mundane office worker who only went from home to work to an occasional shopping trip. Before he was a former doctor tormented by the mistake he made costing one kid's life to be ripped away. Now he was Gray Fullbuster, a dead man walking and yet living life better than he ever imagined. Now he was a sign of hope that corrupt businessmen could be taken down a notch so that people like his former self were tormented with impossible choices.

Master had made note that Gray was to be placed in a branch permanently by the end of the day, the choice was his for a few hours before Gramps would simply place him. He could start over and join the medical wing with Yukino, helping his comrade who were injured and recovering but the thought of possibly screwing up made him bite back the bile that threatened to build up in his throat.

On the other hand, staying in the assassination branch with Natsu could work for him but with his former boss dead - he really had no reason to kill anyone else. Maybe he should talk to the rosette - surely he had already gotten back at the person who screwed him over. He breathed out a light chuckle as he put the coin in the pocket of his jeans; unaware the door behind him had opened and closed.

A familiar groan, "So this is where you've run off to," before Natsu appeared and leaned on the wooden railing of the porch and for a while nothing was said until-

"I'm thinking of switching into the medical division," Gray broke the silence with a comment that made the rosette turn his head in surprise; mild anger flushed his body as thoughts of not seeing the raven flooded his mind.

Lowering his face, he frowned: "So then I won't be seeing you again..."

"Huh? What're you talking about? We're still roommate, aren't we?"

"For now but soon you're gonna want to move closer to the hospital wing..."

Scoffing, "What the hell are you talking about? I-" but before he could finish a tan fist smashed down on the wooden rail in front of them; Natsu's fist, still clenched, rested against the wood.

"...forget it..." The rosette mumbled -Gray could hear the unspoken hurt behind those two words- before turning on his heels and walking back into the house.

Csilla: I apologize if this seems rushed but to be honest, I want to end this fic soon... I just have lost all inspiration for this fic but thanks to Kris and Teddy, I was able to come up with this much &the ending -cough-nextchapter-cough-

After Illusions is finished, I will be trying to finish up my other on-going fics, in the meantime expect a bunch of short drabbles/oneshots from me~