Fairy Tail Gratsu one-shots (Gray x Natsu)

Natsu is my Name, Competition is my Game

Here's a chapter! Longer one-shots (can they even be considered one-shots anymore?) are currently being written and on the way! Enjoy!

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The rivalry, since they were little kids to (debatable) grown adults, was the core of Gray's and Natsu's relationship. Every little thing they did could be made a competition. From swimming to eating and even stacking a pile of cards into a tower because they had nothing better to do. So, even when it came to deepening their relationship from friends to lovers, it was no surprise that Natsu thought of that as a competition too.

I'll definitely confess to him first.

While it was unquestionably certain that the fire and ice mage loved each other romantically, they hadn't established that fact in their relationship. In fact, almost everyone who had the pleasure of knowing them and witnessing their sickeningly cute lover spats were this close to bashing their heads against the ground in an attempt to beg for mercy. Mercy for what? More like from what. How frustratingly stupid it was that the our two favourite mages aren't a legitimate couple yet of course.

Well isn't this their lucky day? The gods, (me) ever the merciful and stupendous, (moving on) have heard their small prayer (about time) and have decided to fulfill their wish.

Now if only Natsu could actually do it.

He can't do it? Why? Did he suddenly become mute. Natsu? Preposterous.

No, nothing like that. You see, it was far worse.

Did I ever tell you that I liked the fact you strip? You have a fine ass - and, uh, I really like your stance when you do magic, very, um, sexy.

I'm sure many of you know the reason the attempt of confessing burned and crashed to the ground.

Natsu could just die of embarrassment right now.

Idiot, idiot, idiot, idiot-

He was also internally freaking out and beating himself up.

Out of all the things he could have said, he just had to say it like that. Lucy did tell him to express his feelings through telling the ice mage what he honestly thought of him at that moment but she surely couldn't - ok, she definitely didn't mean that.

At least you know that no matter how much you pretty much destroyed your image as the lovable idiot of Fairy Tail and became labelled as a pervert that Gray will still have feelings for you?

Why are there so many insults in that sentence?! Shouldn't my conscious be trying to console me?! And that doesn't even matter! I just messed the whole thing up and - oh my god I could just die right now.

Shouldn't Gray still being in love with your after that completely successful attempt of humiliating yourself be what is most important?

... Just shut up.

As you can see, Natsu wanted to crawl into a hole and hide there for eternity. Only that would mean death and Natsu wasn't ready to leave this world yet (because I still need you-!) so he had to settle with curling into a ball and hiding his face in his arms, praying that he would be left alone.

By popular demand, his wish won't be granted. (What the hell is this bias-!)

WIth his sharp senses, he picked up the sound of steady footsteps approaching. Natsu groaned with all the anguish he was feeling, further curling into a ball in hopes of popping out of existence.

Everyone had a different rhythm. It changed with emotion; faster when angry, slower when relaxed or depressed, but still distinct to each person. Only a dragon slayer could pick up on said rhythm with their keen hearing and Natsu was dreading the unavoidable encounter with the frustratingly familiar footsteps approaching him.

A busty blonde with brown eyes-

(Relax, relax. I'm kidding.)

Natsu didn't bother raising his head to greet the raven who unceremoniously dropped onto his butt next to him. Gray didn't bother saying anything either, content with watching the steady stream of water flow by near their feet.

A few minutes passed and Gray glanced at Natsu who had yet to speak a word. Reaching for a smooth and flat stone on the ground, Gray studied the object before speaking. "If you wanted to be alone, you should really choose a better hiding spot."

Natsu buried his head further into his arms.

"For a second I thought you went back to your place," Gray continued, tossing the stone into the air a few times.

Natsu grunted, refusing to lift his head.

"Lucy was really worried you know? Erza too," Gray said, moving his arm back before flicking the stone across the surface of the water with precision.

Natsu heard the stone bounce a few times before sinking to the bottom of the river. Squirming a little but still keeping his head down, he replied, "sorry..."

"Tell that to them," Gray snorted, eyes scanning for another stone to toss.

Natsu groaned, finally lifting his head to look at the reason for all his problems.

"Finally looked at me huh?" Gray smirked as he felt the stare on his back. Turning around, Gray stared into charcoal eyes, lifting an eyebrow in question. "You going to finish what you started?"

Natsu could feel the heat from earlier returning to his face, possibly turning his skin tone into the shade of his hair as he sighed like he had all the burdens of the world on his shoulders and was asked to resolve every single one of them.

To be fair, confessing to your love of a lifetime always seems to bare the same weight.

"Gray, I-"

"I love you too, Natsu."

"Wha-"

Natsu face soon morphs into one of horror as he let out a defeated groan.

"Damn you Gray."

Gray laughed, smirking a little at the adorable look of frustration on Natsu's face.

"So, that makes thirty-four out of thirty-two for me, right?"

"Hell no. This was a tie," Natsu glared at Gray with a pout on his face, only to pout further when it elicited another laugh from the ice mage.

"Who knew that the ever thick headed Salamander of Fairy Tail was horrible at confessing?" Gray chuckled, slinging an arm around Natsu's shoulders and pulling him into a side hug.

"Oh shut up. I had enough dealing with embarrassment for one day." Natsu groaned tiredly, scrubbing his palm down his face.

"Well it worked out in the end, didn't it?" Gray asked, squeezing Natsu's shoulders.

"Yeah," Natsu smiled shyly as he glanced up at the teasing grin on Gray's face. "It really did."

Natsu wondered how being so close to someone could be so wonderful. Just being in proximity could send a sense of warmth and comfort through his body, pooling in his gut as if his body was giving him a constant reminder of the feelings he held for Gray.

Leaning against Gray's shoulder, it was probably the most quiet the two have ever been around each other, only the sounds of nature accompanying their comfortable silence. Things would never get awkward between the two rivals, even if one did something as mortifying as Natsu had earlier on. Deciding to appreciate one of these few rare and precious moments, hopefully there would be more to come, Natsu closed his eyes and allowed the stress from the day to melt under the warmth they shared that will always be present.

"So... you think I'm sexy, huh?"

"...Someone end my misery."

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I personally think this idea is one of  the cutest I've ever had. Hopefully you all enjoyed it as much as I did writing it. Thank you for reading!

Sorry for the bracketed italics if they seemed weird. Wattpad doesn't provide a strikethrough function...