Oops (Gray x OC)

C.35

Natsu and I spent days in my old town, exploring and wandering around and making memories.

Today we brought snacks and drinks and my favourite book to the park and sat under that tree. We ate a bit, drank a little, then he lied down and put his head on my lap as I read to him, just as my mom did to me when I was little.

I looked down at the end of one chapter and saw his eyes were closed peacefully. I smiled and poked his cheek.

"You are not falling asleep on me. We have six more chapters left." I said.

"I'm not! I'm just thinking." He said and I set the book down.

"About what?" I asked and grabbed a strawberry from our basket, biting into it.

"Lucy." He breathed and I brought the strawberry down from my lips slowly, and pushed my hair behind my ear. "Hearing you read and describe that Daisy girl, she's almost exactly like Lucy. I miss Lucy." He hunmed.

"Natsu, you don't have to stay with me. You're free to go home anytime..." I said and he looked up at me.

"This is my home now, too. I feel at home here with Happy, and mom, and you." He said.

"But I took you from your other home." I said and tossed the end of the strawberry aside into the grass. "I took you from the guild, your other family, from Lucy."

"You didn't take me from anything. I chose to come here with you, Baz. Stop feeling guilty, nothing is your fault." Natsu said and sat up.

I looked down and smiled sadly. "You ever think there'll come a day when I won't need you to reassure me of something?"

"When that day comes, I'll throw you a fucking party." Natsu grinned, making me laugh. "Now, come on. Keep reading. I wanna know what happens between Daisy and Gatsby." He sat next to me and I picked up the book again.

It was nearly sunset when I finished the book, and we packed up our stuff to head home, walking down the streets of town.

"Weren't those flowers just beautiful! I swear, this park has some of the prettiest in the world!" A familiar voice said and we looked at the other side of the street and saw Levy talking to Jet and Droy, Gajeel walking beside her.

"Shit! We need to hide." I said and Natsu took my hand and lead me into an alley where we spied on them.

They were walking past, and Gajeel paused to sniff the air, then looked directly at the alleyway we were hiding in, before Levy tugged on his hand, and he kept moving.

Once they were out of sight, we sighed and came out, rushing home.

"That was so close." Natsu said and I nodded as we got ready for bed.

.............................

Back at the guild, nobody seemed too happy about three of their members going missing.

"I went to their house and they weren't there. Not Baz, not Natsu, not even Happy. There was a note, though." Erza said and read it.

"We'll be gone for a little while, all three of us. We're not sure when we'll be back, but when we come back, we'll be here. Signed, Baz, Natsu, and Happy."

"I can't believe they just up and left..." Lucy had her arms crossed with her head on them. She missed Natsu more than words could say.

"I get Baz leaving, but Natsu? And Happy?" Elfman asked.

"Natsu and Baz see each other as family. She probably wanted to leave once he got her out of here, and he decided to go with her. Happy probably also went because he goes wherever Natsu goes." Erza explained.

"Don't you think it's weird how close they are?" Gray spoke up and Lucy looked over at him with the rest of everyone else.

"I used to, at first, but I mean, it makes sense now. They're so alike, really. And Natsu saved her, so of course they would see each other as family." Lucy said.

"I still think it's weird. I mean, Natsu has you already, why is he so close to Baz?" Gray grumbled and Erza slapped him upside his head.

"They're only gone because you couldn't keep your anger in check, and couldn't keep your mouth shut." Erza said.

"Yeah, why would you even say something like that to Baz? To anybody?" Lucy sat up to look at him.

"Which part are you talking about? I said quite a lot." Gray asked.

"About her dad leaving her! You don't bring something like that up, with anyone!" Lucy snapped at him, then her face shifted. "Now, I see why Natsu wanted to go with her."

"What now?" Gray groaned.

"He was abandoned by two parents two different times! And you bring up that thing that thing about parents abandoning their kids, how do you think he felt?" Lucy snapped at him, and Gray scooted away from her a little.

"I get it! I fucked up! You don't need to tell me twice, Lucy!" Gray snapped back at her.

"When they come back, you better apologise. To both of them. Or I will get Aquarius and Taurus on you." Lucy warned.

"I will!" Gray huffed.

"If they come back..." Erza sighed.