You're Not Alone (GraTsu)

Eleven

Though the hours seemed to drag on, once Natsu's gaze shifted toward the clock on his phone, he noticed the time read 8:30. Where had all that time gone? All he had really done was cleaned up his apartment and folded the laundry he had been neglecting for the past couple of days, and now it was time for him to get dressed so he could meet up with Gray. The very thought of meeting up with Gray again...spending alone time with him...it made Natsu really nervous, especially after that conversation he had with Levy last night. If Gray ended up feeling that spark as well...Natsu wasn't exactly sure how he would handle it. Even thinking about such a thing was enough to make him shudder slightly.

"...Guess I should get dressed..." Natsu mumbled to himself before heading down to his bedroom to change his clothes. He decided on a pair of simple blue jeans and a long sleeved black shirt along with his usual red colored coat and his signature white scarf, the one thing he never left the house without. With the scarf tied securely around his neck, he clenched it tightly and closed his dark colored eyes for a moment. He remembered the day Igneel had given him the scarf. It was after his parents had died and Igneel had taken him in. It was a symbol to show that no matter how far apart they were, they would always be together. It reminded him that even in death, Igneel was still keeping a close eye on him.

"Dammit...Igneel..." The pink haired omega felt his eyes burning just as a few tears started to roll down his cheeks. He didn't want to have red eyes when he met up with Gray, so he quickly wiped away the small drops of liquid and took in a deep breath to calm himself down. It took a few minutes, but Natsu had finally managed to settle down enough to be ready to leave his apartment. Once he had his boots on, he made sure he had his phone, wallet, and keys before making his way out into the hallway. With the door to his apartment locked, Natsu shoved his hands in his pockets and made his way out into the dreaded winter weather.

As he stepped out into the cold, Natsu quickly pulled his scarf up so it could cover his mouth and nose in order to protect them from the cold. With his scarf once again secure, the pink haired male started making his way toward the coffee shop he had asked Gray to meet him at. The entire time he walked, his nerves only made themselves more known. It was to the point that the pink haired male was practically trembling, but that could also be from being cold. He honestly didn't know which was making him shake, but either way he wanted it to stop before he met with Gray.

To his relief, he had actually arrived at the coffee shop before Gray did, meaning he had a little extra time to settle himself down. Deciding that it was too cold outside, Natsu made his way inside the shop and placed himself in his usual spot by the window. It was the perfect spot because Natsu could be warm and Gray would be able to see him from outside. Once seated, the omega pulled his scarf down from his nose and mouth before rubbing his hands together to warm them up. If he were to be honest, he really couldn't wait for winter to finally be over. Any other season was much better than practically freezing like this...plus winter held too many painful memories.

A soft sigh escaped from the pink haired male's slightly chapped lips. His gaze shifted toward the ceiling as he leaned back against his chair. Once again, he was allowing his mind to wander even though that really wasn't the best idea right now. He nearly broke down in his apartment just by thinking of Igneel and now here he was in public, about to meet someone and he was running the risk of crying once again. Not only that, but after they were done job hunting, Natsu promised to help Gray with that paper that was due on Monday. He really hoped he would be able to make it until he got himself back home. It was enough that Levy had seen him at his weakest point. He didn't need his possible future mate seeing him like that, at least not yet.

"Natsu." A voice from a short distance away caught his attention, snapping him out of his thoughts, away from the memories that were trying to flood his mind. As he turned his head to the person who called his name, he found himself smiling at the familiar face. He hadn't even seen the guy walk up to the shop, yet here he was, looking as handsome as ever....wait, what? After quickly shaking his head, the pink haired male got himself up and walked over to Gray.