Mating season (NaLu)

Part 15

Gray's POV

Just as I crawled to the cave, the last physical push I had been waiting for the last hour of forcing myself up an actual ridge, the same low growl was heard again, shaking the rocks under me.

I looked up. The cave wasn't that deep, it was quite well lit thanks to the time of the day still bringing some sunshine to one corner of the room. Most of the rocks looked like coal, the ceiling and some parts of the wall were black. I bid that it was Natsu's work. His bag was at the side and some clothes - Lucy's shirts - were thrown out.

I saw Natsu sitting dully against the furthest cave wall, totally beaten up, palms facing upwards, heavy bags under his eyes. His eyes were barely open as his mouth was slightly open letting out the monstrous sounds. His head lifelessly leaning against the wall, gaze turned to the side. He breathed in and the sound continued, slowly growing to a full roar. He turned his head weakly, completely unaware of the company staring at him, until he spotted me. His roar died down in utter surprise and embarrassment, like he didn't want others to hear his whining.

"G-Gray." He muttered groggily, basically saying nothing at all. It didn't even look like he acknowledged me in the room. His voice was weak, hoarse from screaming.

"Gray," he tried again, trying to straighten up, but settled with basically the same position as before, "what are..." he took a break before gulping and finishing his sentence, "what are you doing here?"

Man, he looks worse than I thought. I hope Lucy arrives soon.

"What? You didn't smell me coming?" I answered with a question. Who needs to question anything when their life is slowly draining away from them, huh?

"I don't know," he looked to the side again, "maybe I did." I arched my brow at that. Jeap, the man's completely lost his mind.

".... maybe I did." he shifted uncomfortably and looked in my eyes, "Gray, I smell everything." His voice was cracking up, he looked seriously hurt. An anxious tingly feeling that sting the insides of my stomach made a small wave of panic run through my veins. This is bad.

"What do you mean?"

"I ... I still feel your hands on my chest from the morning," he said without any emotion.

"Gross! And that was two days ago!" I shrieked. Manly.

"And Erza was repairing a hole in my bag and I can feel her smell on the yarn like she was in the room," he explained further although his talk was completely nuts, " and Lucy...."

"It's alright," I shrugged as I walked over to him to control whether he was physically okay, "Lucy'll be here any minute." I squatted down to him and examined his arms, identifying them as alright but when I looked at his chest, two pendants stuck out to me. I grabbed them with my hand.

"Lucy, she's here?" Natsu gasped looking around, suddenly vigorous for a moment.

"What are those, Natsu?" I asked in anger, hoping I wasn't right about the pendants. They were little bottles, tied with a strip of leather around Natsu's neck. One was empty, the other was almost full of a violet coloured potion. I only knew one potion that looked like that.

"They're the Weako-Neko-Licko-Something potions," said Natsu weakly. I knew it! The name is not even close, but he means the Weako-Weako-Strongu-Strongu potion that turns into Infereni Furentis.

"Natsu, it's illegal!" I shouted at him and held the bottles in my hand. "You could go to jail!" One was empty, the other was going to be full any moment now.

"Luce, are you here?" he asked hopefully, ignoring me and looking around with all his might. As if Lucy would appear just in the corner that he wasn't looking to.