Poisoned Fire | Gratsu

Chapter 11 ♡

"I give, you take. This life that I forsake.  I've loved, turned to hate. Trapped far beyond my fate."

-Harvester of Sorrow, Metallica

Gray's POV

"What all do you know about this form of magic?"

Wendy shrugs her shoulders, "Not much. I can't even find spellbooks on it. Books on forbidden magic are probably kept away somewhere secret so people don't get any ideas about using them."

I had asked her to meet me at the library so we could search for any more information. Turns out, what Wendy had done to restart Natsu's heart had been the magic called Air Giver. I told her about Ice Giver as well. We've been searching for almost an hour and we are as close to finding out anything as when we started. Wendy even asked the librarian but to our dismay she refused to answer any of our questions.

I've been keeping busy to distract myself.

Me and Wendy say our farewells and I walk back to the guild, halfway hoping I won't run into Natsu. In another way, I really want to see him....

Keep it cool Gray. Keep it cool.

As soon as I walk through the guild doors, I am bombarded with demands from Erza and Lucy as they approach me.

"Be quiet! I can't understand what you're trying to say if you both talk at the same time!" I fold my arms across my chest, "Erza. You first."

"Natsu's drunk."

I mentally facepalm and then look past her to see Natsu sitting up at the bar with his head on the counter.

"Why?"

This time Lucy answers me, "We have no idea. He walked in kinda fazed and didn't talk at all. Even when Elfman challenged him to a fight!"

"What type of drunk is he?"

"Well he's not raging around yet......"

Natsu has two types of drunks; one where he rages and demolishes everything in sight (Erza even has trouble stopping him during this one) and sorrow where he literally just sits there in misery. Erza and I have a routine where I distract him and then she knocks him out. Harsh, I know. But I'd rather have him asleep than destroying everything. He can go from sad to angry pretty quickly. Gajeel or Laxus like to piss him off.

"Is Happy still gone?"

"Yup. He's still on that mission with Charle and Panther Lily. They'll be back in a couple of days I think." Lucy replies. She is called over to a table by Levy and wishes me luck with Natsu before walking away.

I sigh. Erza gives me a glare that sends chills down my spine and I reluctantly sit down to the right of Natsu and poke his shoulder.

He looks up, a frown on his face, "Hi Gray..." he slurs.

"Hey..." I get straight to the point, "Why are you drunk?"

"I don't wanna kill anyone..." Natsu ignores my question and instead stares at the mug in front of him.

He reaches for it but I pull it away from him, "I think you've had enough."

I see Erza slide into the seat on the other side of him but Natsu is to out of it to notice.

"I don't want to..." he starts banging his head on the counter.

I stop him so he won't hurt himself.

"Did something happen after the carnival?"

"Graaaaaay... I'm not supposed to say anything." He looks at me with an annoyed look on his face, "I wish I could...."