Frost Burned (A Natsu x Gray fanfic)

Calm

The mages sat at the hotel's restaurant in silence, Natsu putting down a staggering amount of food. They had left Magnolia in mid-afternoon, but the sun had set now. Natsu was usually overjoyed to get off of any transportation, but after what had happened he couldn't help but feel a stab of disappointment as the vehicle slowed to a stop. After disembarking from the train without a word, they made their way to the hotel that had been booked for them. The Oracle had insisted on making all of their travel arrangements, and no one was going to question her word. Natsu thought that she probably had more power than anyone on the council, but having eerily accurate prophecy would do that he supposed. She had insisted the council pay all of their expenses on such a dangerous job, and so Natsu would take full advantage. The food at this hotel was delicious, but more than that with a face full of food, Natsu did not have to talk. Gray and Natsu had not said anything to each other since the train, and the quiet was awkward and loaded with tension. Natsu began to feel the effects of his previous sleepless night. He'd been unable to calm his mind, thoughts running in circles. Dorobo. His teammates who he had to leave behind on this mission. And Gray, twitching and moaning in climax. Natsu had screwed up, catching Gray like that. All night long he tried to banish the images from his mind. When the sun rose that morning, Natsu felt the light illuminate everything that was wrong with him, the indifferent rays pointing out his weaknesses.

When they were both done eating, they glanced up at each other. Gray held Natsu's gaze for a long moment before speaking.

"God, I'm tired. I didn't sleep at all last night."

"Me neither. I guess the Oracle knew what she was talking about. I wouldn't want to go fight Dorobo like this."

"Definitely not. You finished?"

Natsu nodded in agreement as they stood up and grabbed their bags, heading up the stairs towards their room. Gray unlocked the door and they filed inside.

"Some Oracle." Gray spat.

There was only one bed in this room. His eyes narrowed in suspicion. Why would she book a room with only one bed? Distrust scratched at the back of his mind. That bed looked like a threat to Natsu. Sure, he and Gray had shared a single bed so many times that it wasn't even worth mentioning. When they went on a job and shared a room, they used to fight about it. Neither would win, and both would end up in the bed anyway, refusing to give an inch. Nowadays they knew the futility of an argument about sleeping arrangements. They didn't bat an eye. Usually.

Today was anything but usual for Natsu. Still, it would seem weird if he brought it up, so Natsu kept quiet. He realized he was still standing in front of the door. Gray had already stripped off his shirt and was washing up in the bathroom. Natsu put down his gear on the floor and kicked off his sandals. He really was tired. Maybe it wouldn't be an issue and he would be out as soon as his head hit the pillow. Gray stepped out of the bathroom wiping his face with a towel, and Natsu's eyes followed a stray drop of water as it dripped down his chest and across the scar on his abdomen. He forced his eyes up to Gray's face. The ice mage looked at him warily, like a dog you suspect might be rabid. Natsu wordlessly pushed past Gray into the bathroom and shut the door as his face flamed. Nothing would be easy on him today.

Natsu finished washing up and then just sat on the bathroom floor, face in his hands. Shit. He had gotten an erection today. All his life he'd done everything trying to get hard. Touching himself raw. Aphrodisiacs. Spells. Herbs. Drugs. He'd even tried hiring a prostitute to jack him off, thinking if it was someone else, a woman, maybe it would work. But nothing ever did. Then today, pressed into Gray's hard, toned chest, breathing in that cool winter smell... Natsu pulled at his hair, head between his knees. Get a fucking grip, Natsu. Thinking about Gray now did odd things to his chest. It felt like it was stretching, too small to fit everything inside anymore. Tight. Aching. His thoughts drifted back to that drop of water running down Gray's skin. He'd wanted to lick it up. This is bad. Shit.