Unstable ⭐Gratsu⭐

Chapter 7

All I have done for the past week is take solo jobs. I always get to the guild hall first before the sun rises and chose a job and leave as the sun is rising. All for the fact that I don't want to interact with anyone more than what I need to. By the time I come back it is already super late so everyone has either gone home or is asleep at one of the tables.

Today was different. Because when I walked in I didn't expect anyone to be waiting for me. I had walked in like usual and went up to the bar. My eyes were droopy as I told Mira the mission was a success.

She kindly smiled at me and told me that I should be going home to get some rest. I nodded and agreed with her. Every muscle in my body was sore so it would be nice to relax before I went out again in the morning. As I spun on my heels I felt someone picking me up. One hand held me up beneath my knees and the other one rested across me back. I began to struggle against them.

"Hey put me down. I can walk." The persons grip got tighter around me. I finally looked up and saw Natsu was the one carrying me. He had on a straight face.

"No. You are worn out and need to rest." I huffed and sat still a moment. He carried me out of the hall and down the street. He turned in the direction of my house and in that moment I felt safe and protected. So I hesitantly laid my head down on his chest.

All I've ever known is the cold. Being an Ice Mage makes it hard to feel any type of heat. Whether it be in the form of humidity or flame. It is a weakness. Just like the warm feelings such as comfort and love. But here in this fire dragon's arms, I feel that warmth. I feel that protection and the feeling of love. I feel something that ignites a fire within, instead of freezing me.

All thanks to Natsu.

He carried me all the way home without even jumbling me. It confused me though since I have put on weight recently, even though I've hardly ate anything. How could he not drop me?

He continued walking with me in his arms and along the way I ended up falling asleep. I did wake up a little bit later when he tried to place me down into my bed. As soon as he stood back up I had opened my eyes because that feeling of warmth and protection was gone once again. I had flipped over onto my stomach and held my hand out to grab his as he turned away. I smiled slightly and squeezed his hand as my eyes fell shut again.

"Stay." He squeezed my hand back.

"Don't worry. I'm not leaving." He tried to pull away but I tightened my grip.

"No." I pulled my hand back to lift up the quilt that was covering me. "Stay." It must have taken him a moment to realize what I meant but after a couple seconds he seemed to get it and laid down next to me. He was on his back with one arm up above his head. His other one was down at his side. I took this opportunity to move up into his chest and snuggle down onto his neck.

The feeling of warmth once again surrounded me as he lifted his hand to rub my back. Within moments I had gone back to sleep.

When morning rolled around my eyes slowly opened. I found myself looking at someone's neck and blushed, quickly pulling away. My face was the darkest shade of red as I crawled out of the bed and away from the other sleeping figure. As soon as I was gone he rolled over on to his side.

I got out clean clothes before taking off through the house. I stepped into the bathroom and made sure to lock the door behind me. I stripped my clothes off and threw them in the dirty clothes hamper. I caught a glance of myself in the mirror and shook my head.

I need to lose weight.

As I went to step in the shower I stopped myself and turned back to the sink. I bent down and opened the cupboard to pull out one of my blades. Then I stood back up and got in the shower. That's the good thing about it. If you cut in the shower the water washes away the blood so you don't have a mess to clean up.

So that's what I did. Because no matter what I feel I know I will never be good enough for anyone, especially Natsu. How is he supposed to feel warmth when I freeze every thing I touch?

After my stomach and thighs were covered I finally started to wash before I got out. When I stepped out and looked in the mirror I saw just how horrible I looked. I was covered in bruises I have received throughout this past week along with all of my self inflicted injuries I receive both morning and night.

I quickly pulled my clothes on so I wouldn't have to look at myself anymore.

I left the bathroom and stuck my head in my bedroom to see Natsu still asleep. I walked to the front of my house and slipped on my shoes before leaving. I started walking towards the guild like I did every morning. I got about a mile away before I was shoved into a wall.

I gasped and held my arms up over my head to try and shield myself from the attacker even though I had squeezed my eyes shut in fear. I heard the wall on either side of me being cracked as someone punched it.

"Dammit, Gray." I dropped my arms down and pulled my hands down to my sides as I heard Natsu's voice. He had his head down to look at our feet so I could only see a big bush of pink hair.

"You can't keep doing this. Leaving every morning and coming back late. You are going to overwork yourself and get seriously injured." I didn't reply back. How could I reply back to something like that? He finally lifted his head and I bit my lip when seeing that tears soaked his face.

"I couldn't live with myself if something were to happen to you." His hands moved from the little holes in the wall to my shoulders. Then he pulled me into his chest as he wrapped me up into him. He began to uncontrollably cry. It broke me to hear him like this. He is always so strong and always solved any kind of problem with a fight not tears. Yet here he was using my shoulder to cry on.

I lifted my arms up around him to hold him just as close as he was holding me.

"What you're doing to yourself isn't right. You need to rest!" He cried a while more before speaking again.

"I know I don't always act like it but I care about you. I care so much and you need to take a break and go back to being the old Gray! The one that would always pick fights with me and insult me and strip. Not this imposter that walks around emotionless and avoiding all his friend's. It just isn't like you." He pulled away and gritted his teeth at me. I pulled my arms up to grab ahold of his scarf. The thought of kissing him sprang through my mind for a moment but instead I shook him.

"Pull yourself together! Nothing about me has changed!" He slanted his eyes at me and grabbed ahold of one of my wrists.

"We'll see about that." With that he started dragging me through the streets of Magnolia. The sun has been up for quite a while since I did sleep in an extra two hours because of him being with me. We ended up at the hall again and he stopped a second to kick open the door. A bit dramatic if you ask me.

Natsu stepped in, pulling me along before dropping my wrist. He cupped his hands around his mouth before yelling.

"Hey everyone! If you think Gray has changed recently stand up! If you think he is still the same sit down!" He dropped his hands and I watched in shock as everyone stood. My mouth fell open slightly as even a few people I hardly talk to stood up as well. My eyes finally landed on Natsu as he stood frowning.

"See? We just want to know what's going on so we can help you."