Poisoned Fire | Gratsu

Chapter 14

"I just wanna stay in the sun where I find, I know it's hard sometimes. Pieces of peace in the sun's peace of mind, I know it's hard sometimes."

-Ride, Twenty One Pilots

Gray's POV

I awake to someone shaking my shoulder gently, "Gray, it'd be best to take Natsu home before the other guild members arrive."

"Huh?" I open my eyes to see Erza hovering over me.

"Were you two here all night?" she asks, stepping away, allowing me to fully wake up.

"Yeah. He didn't want to go home. Something is seriously up with him, Erza.... We'll have to have the Master step in sooner or later. No matter how much I ask him, he refuses to tell me much of anything. Natsu shouldn't stay depressed like this. "

"For now, just keep a close eye on him. If something happens or he gets worse, we'll report it to Master and do some investigations." Erza sways side to side on her feet, refusing to meet my eyes, "Are you and Natsu a thing yet?"

"WHAT!!!!" I yell.

Jeez... She's so blunt.

"Be quiet!!!" Erza whisper shouts, "You'll wake him up!"

After an awkward silence I respond, my face red, "Not....yet."

"Hmmm. Looks like the bet will be going on a little longer than we thought."

"WHAT BET!?!!"

"SHHHHHH! Take him home now!"

"Fine!!" I reply in slight annoyance, sliding out of my chair, "And Erza?"

"Yes?"

"Any word on Akuhei?"

"Mirajane said she has Mest looking into it. There's not much evidence that he even exists to be honest. We're trying to find the location of his guild."

No evidence. Just like....

"Wait, Erza! Is it possible that Akuhei is the Shadow Killer?"

She thinks about it for a moment, crossing her arms, and carefully answering in an authoritative tone, "I suppose so....But for some reason I don't think it is him. I'm sure that Akuhei might have a connection with the killer but no. He's not the killer, at least not directly anyways.. And I can't help but feel that Shadow is someone close to us, someone we know really well. It makes me nervous."

We end the conversation there and I bid her farewell before leaving the guild. I decide to take a longer route to Natsu's house, as it might be less busy and most of the guild members take the first path instead of this one. At this time of year, this road is beautiful. It leads outside the city so there are a lot of trees and small ponds in the area. There's the occasional cherry blossom tree here and there.

I start to hum softly, not exactly knowing what I should do when I return the fire mage home. Happy likely won't be there and I'm hesitant on leaving Natsu by himself. I don't want anything to happen.

"What song are you humming?"

His voice surprises me and I almost drop him.

"Natsu don't do that! You scared the hell out of me!"

"Sorry," he mumbles groggily, yawning.

I hold back a yawn myself. If Erza hadn't have woken me up, I would've slept a lot longer, "I didn't mean to wake you up."

"You didn't," he replies through half-lidded eyes, "What was that song?"

"Oh. Ur used to sing it to me before bed every night. When she first found me... after the destruction of the place I lived before... I was a mess, having a panic attack every five seconds. My family was gone. I felt completely alone... That song was what comforted me most and its part of how I remember her by."