let me be your haven

6. the things we hide

Gray was right. Both kids were asleep in their arms by the time they got back to their inn, and they didn't wake when Natsu and Gray transferred them to the bed. Sting immediately reached out in his sleep, grabbing Rogue's hand and pulling them close. Natsu sent a message to Yukino as Gray pulled the blanket up to cover both the sleeping kids.

"She said to meet her at the market instead of the guild," Natsu said quietly, frowning at his phone.

"Jiemma's probably not happy about us visiting," Gray said. He rubbed his face and yawned. "He did tell us to stay away."

"Yeah, well, what's he gonna do? Call the Magic Council?" Natsu rolled his eyes. "He can't stop us from coming here."

"He could stop letting them see us, though," Gray said. "We have to be careful."

Natsu sighed and sat down on the end of the bed, careful not to disturb the kids. Gray stepped closer and Natsu reached out, pulling him close and wrapping his arms around Gray's waist.

"They need help," Natsu said softly. "Like I did."

Gray sighed, running his fingers through Natsu's hair. Sting's outburst had been eerily similar to some of Natsu's meltdowns when he'd been younger. Gray remembered being both frustrated at Natsu's constant tears, and jealous that he could show his feelings so freely. It had taken Gray years to be able to cry for the family he'd lost, and Natsu had been the one to show him that his grief was okay.

"We are helping," Gray said. He crouched down in front of Natsu and ducked his head until they were making eye contact. "Sting's lucky to have somebody like you who gets how his brain works."

"But I can't always be here," Natsu said sadly. "And it's not just him – Rogue seemed upset earlier, too."

Gray shook his head. "No, I thought that at first, but I think they were just excited. They were rocking in my lap when we were watching the jellyfish, too. The noise seemed to bug them a bit, they kept rubbing their ears, but they weren't upset like Sting was."

Natsu nodded as they both lapsed into silence. Gray ran his hands up and down Natsu's thighs comfortingly, then leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. Natsu smiled, turning and catching Gray's next kiss on the lips.

"C'mere," he said, shifting over and tugging on Gray's arm. The bed was barely large enough for the four of them, but Natsu managed to lie down next to Sting, who made a quiet sound in his sleep as he snuggled closer to Rogue. Gray sighed and curled up against Natsu, immediately relaxing as the tension in his shoulders started to fade.

"I think we need a nap too," Natsu said sleepily, pulling Gray close.

"Mm." Gray kissed Natsu's forehead and wrapped an arm around his waist, letting himself succumb to exhaustion. "Go to sleep."

~

After that, Gray and Natsu visited as often as possible. Sting was always thrilled, throwing himself into hugs and telling them both a million stories. Rogue was still the more reserved of the two, but over time they started to open up as well, eagerly telling Gray and Natsu facts they'd learned since the last visit – most of them about jellyfish.

"They can make other ones of themselves," Rogue said proudly the next time they went to the aquarium. "If they fall apart they turn into new ones!"

"That's gross," Sting said, pressing his face against the glass.

"You're gross," Rogue replied, bouncing on the balls of their feet and sticking their tongue out at Sting. "An' some of them have teeths."

"Super duper gross." Sting looked up at Gray and grinned. "D'galu! Na?"