Opposites Attract

Its Strange, Isnt It?

The walk back to the guild wasn't long, but it was still a bit awkward. Neither me nor Natsu were willing to talk about our 'heart to heart' in the boardinghouse. We just sort of stayed quiet.

"Gray, you don't hate me, right?"

I stopped in my tracks for a second. My eyes widened when I looked at him.

"No, I don't. Why would you think that?" The words slipped before I could think about it.

"Because you always yell, we constantly fight. It was just a question, that's all. I didn't mean to offend you." He shoved his hands into his pockets and continued to walk. Only just now I noticed he was barefoot.

There was glass on the ground and Natsu didn't see it. Just before he stepped on it, I stretched out and arm to stop him, but ended up freezing a small sheet of ice over it.

"I didn't see the glass..." He muttered. "Thank you, Gray."

I nodded. Anything for him.

No, I didn't just think that. Snap out of it Gray!

"Erza feels better. Was some sort of cold." He said, continuing to walk. I jogged up next to him.

"Hell of a cold, did you see her?" I laughed. This got a chuckle out of Natsu too. Made me smile a small bit.

"There are new quests up now, Gray. But a lot of them require teams of two."

"Go with Lucy, then. You like her don't you? You'd be good together."

He scoffed. "I don't like Lucy like that. I... like someone else. They just don't know yet."

My eyes wandered to my feet, and me being an ass, I ran right into the doors of the guild. This sent everyone watching into wild fits of laughter. Including me.

"Hey! Stop laughing!" I shouted, standing back up. I righted myself and ran my fingers through my dark hair, grumbling.

Natsu opened the door for me this time, I plastered on a fake scowl and stomped inside. I walked up to the bar and sat down.

"Something? Anything? I don't even care." I muttered.

And of course, they gave me a tall glass of... milk. With honey.

"Alright you ass." I stood and drank it, walking towards Lucy.

"What's up, Gray?" She asked, tucking blonde hair behind her ears.

"What's wrong with Natsu?"

"Wrong? He looks fine." She moved her arm and pointed towards Natsu, who did look fine. He was joking around with his fire magic.

"Oh," I stared at her. "He was just quiet on the way back, that's all."

"It's strange, isn't it Gray?"

"What's strange?"

"He's always so happy, but you know he's sad sometimes. Nobody can be that happy all the time." Lucy looked at me with a sad expression.

"I don't think he's sad at all," I told her. Lie.

"I don't understand you two. You're powerful wizards. Legendary when together. But you fight like an old married couple. You'd think you guys were together or something," he laughed. I turned red as a tomato.

"Never! With him? He's a... A guy!"

"I was only joking. Don't take things so seriously, Gray. Jeeze."

I scratched the back of my" head. "Uh, sorry, heh."

"It's alright. Hey, we should do a job. I'm bored and need rent money. Why don't you ask Natsu to go with us?"

"I will later. I'm gonna go... eat."

So I walked away and went outside. Maybe I would eat. I need air. Yeah, that's exactly what I needed right now. Fresh, no-Natsu, crisp, air. Everything I could possibly ask for was just outside of Fairy Tail.

I walked outside, again, and stood just out of the doors. "Finally," I muttered, taking a deep deep breath. It was a bit cold, but it honestly didn't bother me at all. I mean, it shouldn't because I use Ice-Make magic. 

The sun was bright, and I felt a familiar pang of hunger in my stomach, so I found myself dragging my feet down the steps and into Magnolia. I needed a little bit of food, even if it was just a bit of bread. I like bread... I like food in general. Any food.

My hands fumbled in my pockets for loose change, maybe a bit of cash. I felt a bit of money, in fact more than I usually have on me. So I fished it out and got myself food. As usual, I didn't even stop to savor the food. I just wolfed it down and left. Natsu was right... We should do a job.

That's strange, I've never found myself thinking of Natsu so much. Never, and now I can't get him out of my head. His hair is as soft as a cloud, and pink as cotton candy. I could eat it... If it was cotton candy.

But, it's not, so I can't.

It is strange...