Natsu hides behind a pillar, waiting for Brazen to emerge from wherever he was. He hears something heavy closing and footsteps climbing up stairs. Natsu contains the urge to pounce and waits until the tall, thick male walks by and his footsteps fade from range before bolting down the stairs and letting out a war cry. Cells beyond cells line the walls.
"N-" Natsu hears. He comes to a quick stop.
"Gray!" He shouts, sharpening his ears to catch his voice. He blocks out the rumbles from upstairs, his heart beat and little scitters from the rodents that probably caused the Black Plague.
"Natsu...here," Natsu catches from a cell on the right side.
He spins around and sees a dim light coming from one. He runs towards it and knocks it down with brute force. The sighs angers him. Gray heaves heavy breaths, blood dripping from cuts that layer his skin. Tears prick the corners of Natsu's eyes and he runs up to him, helping him from the straps.
"I'm so sorry," Natsu whispers as he holds Gray's cold, shivering hand in his own. "I shouldn't've let you go." Anger for himself builds inside him.
"Don't...be," Gray whispers.
Natsu looks into the black eyes of the injured man in front of him. Natsu wraps his arms gently around him, giving him a comforting hug. "Ew, stop touching me. I have to have three baths now," Gray whines quietly.
"Oh be quiet."
"What's the plan now?" Gray asks.
"We don't have one. We couldn't wait any longer for you to give us the signal."
"Can you let me go?"
"No."
"You're hurting me." At that, Natsu immediately lets him go. Awkward silence consumes them until another crash breaks them out of it.
"We should get back to the others," Natsu says.
"You're right," Gray says. Natsu helps Gray up by the waist, in which Gray moves his arm to wrap around Natsu's shoulder. They walk out at a steady pace, not wanting to rush Gray in his state. As they near the bend where the fight takes place, Gray stops. Natsu does to. "Natsu..." he whispers.
"Gray? We need to return to the battle," Natsu inquisitively asks.
"Can we...can we kiss again?"
A smile brightens Natsu's face. "Really? You want to?" And Gray nods slightly. Natsu lifts Gray's head up gently and falls in love with the familiar taste once again. They keep it gentle and passionate, not deepening it but Gray kisses as though it's the last time they'll ever have the opportunity. They break away from each other's holds, Natsu already wanting him again. The ruler of Kingdom of Fiore is fighting Team Natsu.
"Gray!" Lucy and Wendy shout in synchronization when they see him.
"I'm OK," Gray says.
Brazen flings his head around. "Why are you out here!" He orders for an answer.
Gray looks up with a meek smile. "I have people who truly care for me. Friendship is what fuels me to push through the pain. Natsu saved me because he cares for me. If I hadn't had met my friends at Fairytail, I wouldn't've made it this far."
"We have your back, Gray. You should go and rest," Erza says, standing proudly.
Gray weakly shakes his head and his eyes turn as hard as his demon ice. "I need to pay him back for all he's done to me," he says harshly.
"I'd like to see you try with no magic," Brazen says with a smirk.
"What do you mean?" Wendy asks.
"Yeah, What she said," Natsu asks, still holding Gray close but tightening his grip slightly.
"I erased Darling Gray's magic forever. You won't be ever be able to use it, not as long as you live," Brazen explains.
Gray stands there. "You what?!"
"How dare you, you over-ripe tangerine!" Natsu shouts and lets go of Gray. Natsu lunges towards Brazen and shouts, "Fire Dragon: Sword Horn!"
He dodges Natsu's attack with his super-fast reflexes but he isn't fast enough to dodge Erza's attack from behind. Blood slowly drips onto the floor from the hole in the back of his grey shirt. He lands on the ground harshly and snarls.
"Idiot," Gray mumbles.
"That's what you get for hurting my friend," Natsu shouts.
"Gate of the Crab, I open thee! Cancer," Lucy shouts.
"What hairstyle would you like today, Lucy, ebi," Cancer says, his voice casual and smooth. He closes and opens the scissors in his hands.
"I don't want a haircut. But I think he" - she points to Brazen - "needs a haircut after all these years. Make it so a rat's crawling on the back of his head."
"Sure, Lucy, ebi," He says. Cancer races forwards to Brazen and cuts his hair too fast to track his movements. He lands gracefully on the ground, hair falling gracefully onto the ground beside him. "Is that all, ebi?"
"Thankyou, Cancer. You can leave now," Lucy says with a warm smile.
Brazen pats the top of his head. "Where's all my hair!?"
"On the ground," Gray simply replies. On the floor, is a pile of orange hair.
"I'm going to kill you!" Brazen shouts and pulls out the Appelios.
"Don't touch her!" Natsu pounces for Brazen but runs into a barricade. White letters glow underneath him. Natsu knows this is rune magic. He pounds on the air, the letters pulsing.
Brazen says something in another language and then a blinding white light shots from the Appelios' core and towards Lucy.
"Lucy, No!" Gray shouts and extends an arm.
Natsu screams loudly while Erza watches, anger etched into all features as she couldn't move. Wendy just sobs loudly beside Erza. Lucy lets out a shrill hell-wrecking scream. Tears cascade down her face and onto the floor below. The team watch on, unable to do anything. Her screams slowly fade away and she falls limp onto the ground. The white light disappears in an instant.
"You bitch! I'll kill you for this!" Natsu screams as tears roll down his cheeks.
"How dare you," Erza cries out.
"Lucy!" Wendy sobs.
"What's your problem!?" Gray shouts.
"If it hurts you, then it benefits me. Why don't I just kill everyone else here? It's a simple task," Brazen threatens giddy.
"Don't even think about it," Gray snarls.
"If you fight me one-on-one, then I'll let your friends live," he bargains.
Natsu silently begs Gray not to accept, but obviously he does. With everyone spelled to stay in place, the battle begins and Natsu knows that something is going to happen. It sizzles in his veins, blossoms in his stomach and god was he right but he'd never guess the outcome he'd face.
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...
