"Good morning!" The brown haired woman shouts, bubbly.
"Uh, good morning," Erza replies. Team Natsu are standing outside the job owners house.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry...come in, come in." The tall lady steps off to the side and makes large gestures for the team to come in. The team walk across the bamboo mats, following the lady into the kitchen. "Now, sit!" She orders harshly but playfully as she points to a wooden table. She bursts into laughter straight after. Gray certainly did not feel comfortable in her prescence. She was unsettling.
"Are you OK, ma'am?" Natsu asks.
She calms down enough to speak. "Yeah, I'm fine." She walks over to the fridge and pulls it open. "Anyone hungry?" She shouts.
"I'd-" Natsu gets cut off by Erza's hand.
"No, we're fine. Thankyou for the offer though." Erza removes her hand from Natsu's mouth and smiles as the lady returns, sitting down at the front of the table. "Mat I ask a question?"
"Sure, shoot," she replies carelessly.
"Why wasn't this job given by the Mayor? Wouldn't he know about all these deaths?"
The woman looks down at the table and sighs. "He wanted to keep it a secret from the outsiders. He thought it would be a good idea to keep things like that."
"Really? That's no good," Carla says and shakes her head.
"Can you give the details for the job, please?" Lucy asks politely.
"You're right! How are you going to do this job if I don't tell you anything about it!?" She laughs loudly to herself. "Ahh...I crack myself up." She pauses first. "To start off, my name is Himari. I used to have three kids" - she pulls out three portraits of her kids - "they were all very good to me and the community. But then Aina Takahashi came along and-" she cuts herself off with loud sobs. Erza stands up and walks over to Himari and rests her hand on her back as comfort.
"it's ok. You don't have to tell us about your personal experiences with this murderous bastard." Erza rubs circles on Himari's back. The crying woman looks up at her and smiles. She wipes her eyes free of tears and continues.
"Aina Takahashi has murdered dozens of people. We all live in fear of him. His main targets are people who use magic. He'd capture them, torture them and then proceed to kill them. We don't know where his base is but we know it's on the outskirts of the city. We need you guys to capture him and hand him over to our police forces. We're begging you!" Natsu's face goes stern as he stand up and walks over to Himari. He towers over her and gives a gentle smile. How Gray wishes Natsu would give him that expression.
"You don't need to worry. We'll capture him and revenge the lives that have been lost," he says. "You can count on us!" He smiles brightly. Gray's heart melts. Himari's eyes light up and she stands, wrapping her arms around Natsu.
"It's avenge but thankyou so much!"
"It's no problem."
The team leave Himari's house with determination to save the city from the terrorist. They leave the small garden, follow the rocky trail down and into the city. They find a café where they plan out their attack.
Natsu stands up and throws his arm into the air. "I say we barge in right now!"
"Natsu, sit down!" Erza orders firmly. Natsu pouts but does as he's told. "Remember that hundreds of lives are at stake here. We can't go in without a plan." Gray thinks hard, certain that at this rate he was going to get a headache.
"I got it guys! I know what to do!" Natsu says happily and proudly.
"This is a joke. Natsu, the idiot has an idea?" Gray jokes. Natsu stands and leans forward, Gray does the same, getting inches in front of his lips. If they were a couple, this would be the perfect time to kiss. They're foreheads are pressing against each other. Natsu's warm heat once again leaves Gray wanting more, wanting to kiss the man, wanting to love him. Erza pushes the two apart before Gray could forget their surroundings and do something he would forever be ashamed of. They slump back down into their chairs.
"We don't have time for this. Aina could strike at any moment so the sooner we prepare, the better." She turns towards Natsu. "Now talk."
YOU ARE READING
Time Bomb
Fanfiction"Don't do this, Gray!" Natsu pleads. "Please, Gray! You don't have to do this!" Erza shouts. ------ Everyone thought they knew all about Gray's past, but they were wrong. They never knew about Brazen, who brought him suffering, or how he has turned...
