Hey Minna! Surprised? Well so am I! An update within a week of the last! Why, I haven't done this since the beginning of the story! Oh, well, moving on. I have a new chapter up with nothing but Gratsu and little plot.

Anyway, DICLAIMER! I do NOT own Fairy Tail! All those rights go to Master Hiro Mashima! I only own the plot! Enjoy!

Chapter 21

"I found Gray. He's on his way back home with Zeref Black."

I opened my mouth, ready to tell him off, but stopped short. My eyes widened and my jaw slackened into a shocked expression. My mind came to a blank and I heard a ringing in my ears along with the pounding of my heartbeat. I blinked several times, trying to process what I just heard.

"Hello? Natsu? You still there?" I barely heard him. Suddenly, my mind was racing with questions and my breathing picked up its pace. Gray was found. The realization was coming through to me.

"You found Gray?" I whispered.

"Err, yes, kind of….not really. Zeref Black of Grimoire Heart Enterprises called a few minutes ago saying he recovered him and is on his way here. It'll be a few hours until he arrives though. Oh and the other slave is with them too. Lyon Bastia or something or other."

I bowed my head and gripped the table as I let those words sink in. Gray was alive and safe….with an ally as far as I know. I tightened my hold on the desk and listen to my dad babble on how I should come home and meet them. I felt wetness run down my cheek and jerked up at the feeling. I sniffed. Relief washed over me. Gray was safe, I realized again. I smiled widely, let go of the desk and balled my fist.

"I'll be there in ten," I stated and slammed the receiver down without a second thought. I spun on my heel and strode over to the doorway where Lucy, Loke and Henry were waiting anxiously.

"My dad found Gray," I announced proudly. "Or he knows someone who found Gray. Henry, we're going home. Now. Lucy, I'll leave you up to the analyzing of the poison. I want to see my boyfriend." It felt weird referring to Gray like that. But right at the same time. "I'll be back tomorrow with an update on the search party."

Lucy nodded, smiling warmly. "And I'll have an update on the poison and my search party. Go and get your Gray." She gave me a hug, which I returned tightly. "Loke, take Natsu to his carriage And see him off." I saw Loke nod in my peripheral.

I took off down the hallway, my mind racing a hundred miles a minute. I was going to see Gray safe and sound. I didn't even complain about taking the carriage to get home.

I paced back and forth in the grand foyer of my mansion, waiting not so patiently for Zeref Black and Gray to arrive. After my dad had given me a run-down of whom Zeref was and where he lived, I had been here, waiting not-so-patiently for their arrival. I knew it was a five hour carriage ride and I knew there were more productive ways of waiting but I wanted to be there when the coach rolled in the circular driveway. Glancing at the clock, I saw that it was four thirty-about five hours since I was told of Zeref's departure- so they should be arriving very soon. I stopped my pacing and walked out the doors, a butler following me. We had prepared a room for Zeref to stay in for a few days for some questioning and the butler was to attend to Zeref's needs and escort him around the Plantation.

I waited about another ten agonizing minutes when I saw it in on the horizon. Two horses clopped their way up the driveway and around the bend, pulling up in front of me. The foot boy quickly made his way to the door and pulled it open. By now, the front doors had opened and dad appeared next to me. I glanced up to him to see him smile politely as our guest came out of the coach.

I was told he was a young prodigy in his early twenties. He had taken over his sickly father's company by the age of eighteen and had thriving even more so than his father had ever accomplished. However, what the man looked like was no more than a boy. He wore a suit like any other business man out there but it was his facial features that threw me off.

His porcelain face was free of any imperfections, jaw and cheeks finely cut and rounded, his lower lip slightly protruding to give him an almost pouting look. His black hair huge around his face, a cowlick sat atop his head and a small amount hung in between his eyes. Speaking of his eyes, they were probably the only way for me to believe that he was actually his age.

They were deep, deep black. Cold black. As if he's been to hell and back. They made me shudder and looked behind him instead. Because there emerged him.

Gray walked down the steps of the carriage slowly-along with another man with white hair though I barely paid him attention- glancing warily around him. I took in his lithe form, clothed in a white button up shirt, loose jeans and black riding boots. His dark hair was tussled and stuck up in several directions, though that only increased his charm, along with his scowl. That is, until he saw me.

A grin broke my face as we stared at each other and slowly made our way toward each other. I ran down the few steps that led to the front door and he made his way across the drive. I briefly registered my dad and Zeref saying their hellos as I ran toward him.

It was as if everything was in slow motion, my steps gradually taking me to Gray. All I could hear was my heart pounding as we closed the distance. Gray was safe and unharmed. The thought had my heart soaring as we were only five feet away. Everything slowed down even more, if that was possible. I looked Gray up and down, noting the toned muscles on his arms as he pumped them slowly, hair floppy up and down at the same pace. So close was he. I tried to pump my arms harder, faster just to get to him sooner.

And then we were there. We collided into each other, nearly knocking one another over on impact. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and his my waist, squeezing as hard as we could. I buried my face in his neck, breathing in his scent. Mint…it was a calming scent. I squeezed harder.

"You're safe," I said breathlessly. I could feel him nod in the crook of my neck, wetness beginning to collect there. I would tease him on being so unmanly, letting himself cry so easily like that, but as a minute passed, I felt a tear glide down my cheek as well. I was just so happy. By now, I heard dad and Zeref go inside for some tea. Once I heard the doors shut, I pulled back slightly and looked into Gray's eyes and leaned in.

He wrapped his arms around my waist while I draped mine over his shoulders as our lips came together in a passionate kiss. He pulled me closer as the kisses became deeper and deeper. I thought I could do this for hours with him. That is until, until oxygen became a necessity.

I pulled away panting and he did the same. His face was red and I was guessing so was mine. I smirked and pulled away. He scowled at that but when I took his hand, his face softened. I led him up the steps and into the mansion.

"Are you hungry?" I asked as I led him to the kitchen. It was well into the afternoon and I figured he hasn't eaten during the ride here. He nodded his head.

"Yea I haven't eaten all day. I'm starving," he said, tightening his grip on my hand briefly.

"That's good, because so am I." And to attest to that, my stomach growled loudly. He laughed. It was nice to hear. I laughed with him.

We told the cooks to start making dinner for us. They had told us that they were already starting it, as orders from dad, so then we left with a muffin for each of us. I had blueberry and he had chocolate chip. We walked into the garden after that.

I took him through the maze and sat down on the fountain in the middle before I started asking my questions.

"What happened? Did you get hurt? Did Zeref do anything to you? Who took you? How did Zeref find you?" They all just poured out, one thought after another. My mind kept bouncing to which one I wanted to hear first. Gray looked taken aback by my outburst, but he chuckled when I finished.

"Sometime last night, someone came to your window. I went out to check it out and saw one of my cabin mates: Lyon. The white haired person who came out with me."

"So he's the one who took you?"

"No. It wasn't actually Lyon. Apparently this woman turned into Lyon and knocked me on the head and stole me away. I don't really remember much about it." He rubbed the back of his head.

"Did she hurt you? Is your head alright?" I asked, reaching for him, but he waved me away and scowled.

"I'm fine now, just let me tell the story." I chuckled. When he sent me a look, I stopped and he continued. "The next thing I know, I wake up in a carriage with Lyon. He didn't know where we were going nor did he know who the people who took us were. They just led on until we got to a small mansion. That's where we met Zeref. Why he had us brought to him, I have no idea, sorry." I opened my mouth to ask why he wouldn't ask that, but one look from him had me closing it. "After a few hours, I talked him into letting me come back."

When he didn't go on, I took the chance to ask my questions, starting with the one that itched inside me the most. "Zeref didn't do anything to you, did he?" I took his hand and laced our fingers.

"No, nothing happened." I was skeptical, but I didn't press it. Yet.

"Did Zeref tell you anything about why he took you? Anything?"

"Well, I…I found out that he is my cousin. Mine and Lyon's," he confessed hesitantly. "Not…by blood, though. But most of my early childhood has him in it, so you could say he is my cousin. He was my adopted mother's nephew."

All went silent, save for the bird calls in the trees nearby and some rustles in the bushes. Gray looked into the water of the fountain as if it was the most interesting thing in the world. I just stared at him as the information sunk in. Gray has family. Not blood related, as he said, but that's better than no family, right? But then I thought, about it some more and realized, I didn't know Gray as well I thought I did. I had no idea he had a mother, let alone an adopted one. Or even a cousin for that matter. Both him and Lyon. I really have to get to know him more.

I looked closely at Gray and saw a slight blush on his face. I leaned toward him and put a hand under his chin, tilting his face up and away from the waters. My eyes slowly closed and so did his as we kissed lightly several times. Then I opened my mouth slightly and slicked my tongue on his bottom lip. He complied right away by opening his mouth and I plunged in.

The make-out section lasted for a while, broken only by the need for oxygen. But we just kept on going once we stopped panting. Little did I realize that we were gradually leaning into the fountain. That is, until we heard a throat being cleared.

I jerked back and lost my balance, Gray not being any better off than me as we clung to each other and fell backwards. Water filled my sinuses and clogged my throat. I thrashed around a bit before finally emerging up from the water. I sputtered and coughed several times as I sat there, wiping the water and hair from my eyes. I looked over to my right and saw Gray in a similar situation. I reached my hand up and onto his back and rubbed it soothingly as he kept coughing. Then I looked up to a worried looking Henry. He had a slight blush on his cheeks as he came over to the ledge and reached out a hand. I took it and pulled myself up and then helped Gray up once he stopped coughing. Then I let the anger override me.

"What the hell Henry!" I yelled. He looked taken aback and slightly nervous as he raised his arms to his chest in a 'calm down' position.

"I-I'm sorry sir, but your father sent me. He said it's time for dinner," he explained.

"Ok, fine, tell him we'll be there once we get changed." He nodded and quickly turned away, practically sprinting off. I couldn't blame him. I was still pissed and I wasn't afraid to admit it. That is until I heard Gray sigh beside me. I looked over to him as he glanced down on himself. And I could see why. His drenched white shirt was now see-through. I couldn't help it. I stared. And then I stopped when Gray thumped me and got out of the fountain.

I led him to my room and lent him some jeans another white shirt while I pulled some jeans and a black t shirt. I marveled at his pale skin flawed by his scars he had received over the years. My chest felt heavy as I kept stared at them until he covered himself with his shirt. All these years, I had no idea what he's been through. It was awful.

"Why the long face?" he asked suddenly. I jerked in surprise. I didn't realize I'd been spacing out.

I shook my head and just pulled him into a hug. I sighed and pulled away just as quickly and headed for the door. But just as quickly, Gray grabbed my arm and pulled me back. He smashed his lips against mine in a heated kiss and hugged me as hard as he could. I returned it right away with a sweep of my tongue against his bottom. He immediately opened his mouth and welcomed me in. I cupped the back of his head and he wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling our hips together. And we began another make out session.

A few minutes later, I pulled away panting. "We should go to dinner. Dad'll get mad." I untangled us and made my way toward the door but he stopped me once again by grabbing my arm again.

"I think dinner can wait. I've found something much more delectable," he growled, tugging me toward the bed. He lowered his eye lids seductively and smirked. My pants began to tighten as I followed him, smirking back.

"You're so cheesy," I replied, but I let him push me on the bed slowly. He positioned himself above me before slowly lowering his face to mine.

Gray's POV

I was in bliss. Having taken Natsu was absolutely amazing compared to the day I have had, and it's been quite a day with the kidnapping and Lyon. Nothing could live up to what we just did. I held him to my chest as he slept peacefully, snoring softly. I caressed his sweaty hair, smoothing it down and massaging his scalp. My heart was still pounding from the excitement. I felt really awkward at first, but when Natsu started thinking he should take over, I just gave in to instinct. And all worked out. I just hoped the Master wouldn't be too mad that we missed dinner.

But never mind that. As my eyelids began to become heavy, I just let myself succumb to sleep and await a new day tomorrow.

SOoooooooo, what do you think? Cute? Not cute? Not enough Gratsu? Comment away, constructive criticism is welcome! I know it's a bit short, but you know I wanted to get this in before I kept putting it off, like I usually do. So I hoped you enjoyed the Gratsu I could conjure. Anyway, until next time, Scarlet out! Loves y'all!