Anime One Shots.

Gray x Natsu-(GraTsu.) [REQUEST]

Vulderable! Gray x Natsu.
Angst.
Requested by: YellowMeerkat
I'll try and get your Stingue request out soon, I apologise for the long wait. I hope you like this one-shot!

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Gray sighed, feeling the pelts of heavy hail-like snow penetrate his navy locks; as it fell lifelessly in front of his eyes in harsh clumps. Platoons of small white specs blurring his vision, as he stared blankly at the poorly made tombstone made in front of him, a cross shape with the names 'Silver' and 'Mika' engraved within the skin of the wooden cross.

The death of his parents was always there, ever since he left Isvan, like a ghost, lingering and permanently attached to the very skin upon his bones. He was reminded of them everyday. He saw his mother's kindness within Erza, saw his father's determination within Natsu. No matter how far he tries to distance himself from his parents passing, it eagerly chases him and clings to him as if it was a life or death situation. Some days, he can smile. Remember his parents, and also let them go. But every once in a while, he can't physically keep up with the harsh demands of reality. And it all crumples down in a never-ending pile of misery. Like now, for instance.

Gray, no matter how much he needs it, struggles to cry. Of course, sometimes it is nice to cry in other people's presence, for comfort, but Gray always finds himself crying alone. Because his pride isn't a huge physical barrier when there is no reason to not let it go. At least, that's what Gray summarized. He didn't realize he was crying, until tears began to slide down his cheeks and his chest constricted unhealthy. At fast rates.

'Damn, I'm so weak.'

"Gray?"

Gray's breath hitched at the sound of a familiar tone. Panic consumed him and for a moment, he considered running away. Running away from the graves in front of him, and pretending like he wasn't sitting here, in the heavy-snow fall, mourning.

Natsu pauses at Gray's crouched form and immediately regrets coming here. Gray most likely come here to mourn; like he does every year. And he does isolate himself for a reason. He wants to he alone, Natsu presumed. But it couldn't he further than the truth.

Gray always felt alone. Especially on days like this, even though he isn't. He had always felt as if a piece of him was missing. Deliora took it from him on that day, and had never returned it to him. Sometimes, he wondered what it'd be like to let down his facade for just one day. One day to escape the loneliness inside of him. But his pride refused to let him do so, as it prevents him from doing a lot of things. It was the only thing he had left of his past self. So he carried on, like a loyal soldier. Waiting for that one day for the war inside of him to end. But it never did. Always going, he was always fighting. And for what?

Gray didn't know.

"I'm sorry about that, I didn't know you were mourning" Natsu sighs, his voice small as he stared at Gray's back blankly.

Gray didn't trust himself to say anything, so he simply shook his head, and continued staring at the gravestone in front of him. Natsu stared at his back a little longer, before moving forward. He heard Gray's sharp intake of breath, but decided to ignore it. Taking a seat beside Gray on the averaged-sized rock he was sitting on despite the melancholic atmosphere surrounding it. It wasn't until he looked at Gray that the realisation dawned him. And for a moment, shock consumed. He sat, staring wide-eyed at Gray's crying form.

He could count the times Gray had cried on his fingers, and he didn't even manage to use two hands to do so. So the fact Gray was sitting here crying startled him. And it made him wonder.

How many times had Gray cried in secret?

Gray looked at Natsu's shocked expression and chuckled darkly.

"You know when someone takes an hour train journey without telling anyone, they obviously want to be alone ash-for-brains."

Gray self-consciously attempts to wipe the tears from his eyes, before Natsu's hand catches his wrist.

"You don't have to put up a front and pretend everything's okay, just because I'm here" Natsu consoles, putting his hand on Gray's shoulder firmly before pulling Gray's body towards him. Gray's breath hitches for a moment, his eyes wide and he processes his position before his hands grip Natsu's clothing tightly; hiding his face in the crook of Natsu's neck.

Gray's body is immediately wracked with sobs, a pitiful noise he acknowledges and his whole being begins to shake violently. As if he was an overworked machine, spluttering and vibrating as all the frame work and scaffolding came crashing down. Natsu just rubbed his back soothingly,holding him close despite their rivalry. Soon Gray's sobs became small hiccups, and the tears sprouting from his eyes like waterfalls began to halt. Gray slowly pulled away, his eyes downcast and his hair damp from now not only the weather; but his own tears.

"I'm sorry you had to see me this way..." Gray grumbles, avoiding eye contact with the dragonslayer as he returned his gaze to the cross-like gravestone solemnly.

For a moment, Natsu doesn't say anything. He just stares at him. But, eventually, he moves forward. Brushing one of his damp locks from his face.

"You have no need to be sorry. We all have those moments- we're human" Natsu reassures,  before he snickers.

"I just happen to have the stomach of a dragon."

Gray laughs, a true, hearty-laugh, earning a grin from the dragonslayer.

"You've got that right."

Silence consumed them for a few moments, a comfortable silence; where they simply appreciated the other's company. Gray glances at Natsu, who now has joined staring at the tombstone as well. Staring at the names engraved within it.

"Were these...Your parents?" Natsu asks so quietly, Gray almost didn't hear it.

"...Yeah. I just remember too much about them, just the little things. But what I do remember, I wish I didn't" Gray admits honestly, earning a confused glance from Natsu.

"Sometimes, I wonder whether it'd be a little easier in your position. At least you know your dragon, is still there somewhere; and you don't truly remember your actual parents. I think it's easier to move on, when you haven't got the flashes of your mother of father within your memory, alongside the pictures of their corpses."

"That may be true, to a degree. But I do consider Igneel as my true father- not anyone else. He was like a mother and father in one. It's also true that he's out there somewhere, but he won't always be there for me" Natsu responds calmly, turning to Gray before leaning closer.

"But I can rely on you. And you can rely on me. Doesn't that make things much easier?" Natsu grinned, before glancing into Gray's eyes. He had always loved the hue of Gray's eyes; a dark navy blue. It was as if they held a tempest of ever flowing emotions inside of them. And one day, Natsu wished he could identify every single one of them. Gray stares at him, speechless for a moment. The sensation of Natsu's hot breath dancing across his lips. And before he knew it, Natsu's lips had connected with his own. It was soft, but full of emotion. Natsu pulled back slightly, a small blush dusting his cheeks as he stared at Gray expectantly.

Gray, smiles; a rare occasion for the ice mage. Before looking back at the tombstone in front of him.

"Yeah you're right."

He couldn't keep living in the past, only the present. It would be what they wanted, and Gray knew. That Natsu; was not only his present, but his future.