A Frozen Facade- A Gratsu Fanfiction.

16

He immediately regretted his decision. 

As soon as he arrived at  Natsu's house he felt the same anxious sensation building up in his stomach and his hands were shaking slightly. He couldn't let Natsu figure out they were mates- what if his questions accidentally gave something away? What if Natsu didn't want to ever speak to him again? He couldn't deal with that- and he certainly wouldn't feel whole again. Then again was he ever truly whole? 

Just as he was turning around, he heard the same familiar voice calling out to him and he froze- like a deer in headlights. Slowly turning around to face Natsu who was staring at him questioningly.

'When did he get there?'

"What? Do you need something ice princess?"

Gray gulped, trying to force the tension out of his muscles but to no avail- as he remained tense staring at Natsu and Natsu's expression furrowed. Natsu attempted to close the distance between the two of them- and Gray quickly took a few step back. Stumbling slightly on a stray tree log.

"Gray?"

"...Yeah?" Gray responded carefully staring into Natsu's onyx eyes. He always ended up lost in them- lost in their inky depths and for a moment he found his mind wondering. He found himself wondering how he hadn't noticed this before; sure he had a small crush on the fiery dragon slayer before all this began but the feelings were never particularly strong. It was more like attraction rather than a form of love. But as time passed he found himself falling deeper and deeper in love with him, and that terrified him- he wasn't ready to have that sort of commitment with anyone. He was afraid of losing Natsu like he had lost everyone else. Natsu finally closed the distance between them, grabbing Gray's arm and dragging him into the house. Happy just blinked at the scene before flying off to find a fish; and Natsu just sat down on the coach- pulling Gray down with him who just stared blankly at him.

"So...What did you want to talk about?" Natsu asked -uncharacteristically- quietly. Gray stared at him, opening his mouth as if to say something but closed it just as quickly his gaze directed at the floor. Natsu didn't know what to think- it was rare to see Gray looking so lost. He had a small crush on his rival (although he'd never admit it) and was concerned. But he just had to wait for Gray to speak to him- he didn't want to push him. 

"It's about this dragon slayer stuff" Gray finally spoke up, Natsu looked at him with even more confusion evident on his face and Gray sighed.

"I was speaking to this inner-dragon; Glacies is her name. Anyway she kept going on about binding my soul- with the one of a dragon apparently inside of me and about mates and-"

"She spoke about mates?" Natsu visibly lit up and Gray nodded carefully.

"Mates are a big deal Gray- a mate is someone your destined for. The world pulls the two together; when you mate you mate for life. An eternal partner- and of course their is advantages and disadvantages about mates. But finding your mate is everything to a dragon, and to a dragon slayer also" Natsu explains enthusiastically.  "I haven't found mine yet, but when I do- I'll protect them with everything I have."

Gray could feel his heart physically ache. Natsu didn't deserve someone like him; he deserved much, much better than him. He wished this never happened- he wished Natsu was destined for someone who actually deserved him and most of all he felt guilty. Guilty if, what Natsu said was true, he was stuck with Gray the rest of his life; someone who he hated. It was as if the world was laughing in his face- as if this was some cruel joke to torment Gray for entertainment.

"Also, you mentioned combining your inner dragon with your soul. I guess it has something to do with you being a dragon slayer by lacrima. Mine has been combined from the start..." Natsu suddenly trailed off realization dawning on his features and Gray was immediately filled with panic. 

"You've found your mate- you've actually found your mate!" 

"W-Well-" Gray was cut off by Natsu shaking his shoulders.

"Who is it? Whose your mate?" Natsu questioned eagerly. His olive eyes boring into a deep navy blue and Gray found himself becoming even more frantic.

"Why would I tell you?" Gray snapped. "I appreciate you helping me, but I don't plan on telling you that."

"What? Oh come on tell me! I won't tell anyone!" Natsu complained, tugging on his sleeve and Gray resisted the urge to smile at his antics.

"No" Gray answered firmly. Natsu glared at him, huffing before flopping back down on his sofa and Gray sighed.

"I have to go speak to Laxus" Gray admits begrudgingly. Natsu stares at him, before glaring even more fiercely than before. Gray flinched slightly but maintained his gaze, glaring back with equal ferocity.

"At three in the morning? Just stay for the night stupid stripper."

Gray looked at the time, finding that it was indeed three o'clock in the morning. Muttering a string of curses he quickly shot up,

"...Thanks again. I'm sorry I can't tell you. I'm not... Ready yet" Gray responds. Reaching for his jacket on the sofa and Natsu just watched him grumpily.

"Do you seriously think I'll let you walk home alone, at three o'clock in the morning, in the state you're in?" Natsu questioned. Looking at Gray as if he was the stupidest thing in the universe and Gray glared.

"I can protect myself flamebrain. I know how to use magic."

"That didn't stop you from being hurt last time" Natsu snapped, and Gray stared at him. Natsu was sure he saw a glimpse of hurt on his features for a moment- however after what happened Natsu couldn't help but feel protective. It was his stubborn nature that got him hurt last time- and he swore to himself he wouldn't let that happen again.

"Gray. Stay, please?"

Gray sighed, his hand slipping from the door handle before walking back over to the sofa. Slumping in defeat and Natsu grinned as if he'd just won a trophy. Gray glared weakly at him, scanning the room for anything Natsu actually slept on. His gaze landing on a hammock and Gray felt his eye twitch. 

"Please don't tell me that's where you sleep."

"Why? It's fine as a bed. It's comfortable" Natsu comments and Gray resits the urge to slap Natsu right then and there.

"You need to get yourself a bed. A proper bed. Honestly you'll be surprised of how much of a different it'll make."

Natsu just rolled his eyes, strolling into his half kitchen, half walkway where he found Happy stuffing his face with fish. Gray snorted at the sight, and Happy slowly turned around. What was left of the fish slipping from his paws.

"You eat way too much fish- you don't want to become overweight Happy. What would Carla think?"

Happy gasped, flinging himself onto Natsu and Gray burst out laughing. The whole scene was ridiculous and by the time he finished laughing he was gasping for air. Natsu just stood there, gaping as he stared at Gray. He'd never really seen him laugh this much, so openly before. As soon as Gray sensed Natsu's gaze on him, he blushed. A light pink dusting his cheeks and Natsu couldn't help but think it was cute,

'Cute? What! That's ridiculous- this is your rival!'

They had been rivals ever since he could remember. They fought, and fought constantly- they argued and bickered; it was a never ending cycle. Sure, he cared for Gray as his nakama, but he never felt this way before. A strange warmth feeling in his chest, his heart racing and he simply couldn't look away. He grinned at Gray before picking up a tired Happy (who by now was half asleep on the kitchen counter) before making his way to the hammock.

"You can take the sofa" Natsu comments, slowly putting Happy down on his hammock and walking around trying to find some sort of blanket or perhaps some pillows. Finally finding some, he handed them over to Gray who muttered a 'thanks' before walking off. It couldn't really be possible right- they were rivals. They were fire and ice; and fire and ice really didn't mix. Yet here he was:

 Was he really in love with Gray Fullbuster of all people?

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