Fighting Oblivion

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve

We'd reached the town before noon like Sting had said we would. It was a much larger town than the last one where we had been attacked, more of a city really. That's the only reason Sting said he'd allowed us to stop. We'd be harder to find in the bustle of the crowd and there were too many inn's for whoever was tracking us to find us so easily. But we still had to keep our guard up, it was the last town before the miles of forest that separated us from the base of Mount Opasnyy, and whoever had tried to stop us, stop me, would be looking for us here.

We entered the town separately, a large group would have attracted too much attention. Gray and Juvia went first with Lector. They were going to find an inn and Lector would return to give us directions there. I was grateful at first. I didn't want to spend any more time with Gray. I know how that sounds, and I really don't mean it like that. He was my teammate, he was like a brother to me, and I had missed him so much all this time. I was happy to see him, really I was! I just wasn't happy about his choice of conversation topics. First it was the inevitable "Where's Natsu?" Which is never a fun conversation, then it was "How the hell did you end up with the twin douches of Sabertooth?" Which was uncomfortable to say the least. He looked so angry at himself that they were here for me when my team wasn't. But I wasn't holding that against him, we all chose to go our own way after the guild disbanded. I had the chance to go with him and Juvia and I didn't take it. That was my choice. I didn't need an apology.

Then there was the absolute shock in his face when I explained to him how Rogue and Sting weren't as bad as he thought, that not only did they help against Tartaros but they'd been helping me too. That we'd gotten closer since we started the quest and I was grateful to them. He gave me a long, curious look and then wouldn't stop asking about the white dragon slayer. I really didn't want to talk about it.

So, I was relieved when he went off with Juvia instead of asking me to go with him. That was, until Lector returned and Minerva, Yukino, Rogue and Frosch scurried off with him leaving Sting and I coughing in their dust. Oh, man. Sting may not have brought up the topic of his feelings, or how close we had gotten since that night by the little campfire, but I could tell he wanted to and I didn't want to be alone with him. I'd catch him looking at me every so often, not to mention the satisfied smirk on his face every time I blushed in response to one of his flirty comments. I knew I shouldn't encourage him. I was in love with Natsu, right? I mean...I thought I was...Listen to what your heart is telling you...Minerva's words echoed in my ears. But what was it telling me? I had no idea honestly, I used to think it said Natsu's name with every beat..Nat...su...but if it was talking to me now I couldn't understand it.

"Well, that was fucking rude."

I just nodded.

"Come on, Blondie." He said after about a half hour of us just waiting. He got up, dusting off his Celestial coat, and held his hand out to me. I hesitated. I wasn't sure touching him was a good idea, I'd been avoiding doing so for a while and I was afraid my body would start demanding I do it more if I slipped up.

"Don't worry," he whispered. "I don't bite, unless you want me to." He smirked and right on cue I felt my cheeks heating up. Screw it, I grabbed his hand and let him pull me to my feet. I stumbled a little, trying to regain my balance and he put a warm hand on my waist to steady me.
"Thanks," I mumbled, blushing even harder.

"Anything for you, Blondie." Well, this was gonna be awkward. But he surprised me again when he just gave my waist a gentle squeeze and let go, turning and heading to town.

"You, uh...don't want to wait for Lector to come back?"

"Nah, don't need to," he tapped his nose. "I can sniff out their trail, let's go."