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Come Undone

Gratsu Summer Solstice 2020, Prompt: Is it Hot In Here or is it Just Me? I Take Pride In What I Am 2020, Prompt: Growth Pairing: Gray x Natsu Rating: M

A Collaboration by @mdelpin and @oryu404

AO3 | FF.Net

Summary: With Aki staying at his grandparents' place for the weekend, and Lyon out of town for work, Gray finds himself home alone on a Saturday night. He asks Natsu to spend the night with him, hoping to get the chance to really be alone together for the first time.

July 24, 2021

Gray grinned, noticing the slight flush on Natsu’s cheeks as he returned from the stockroom to find him sitting at the bar. He lifted the beer he’d gotten from Mira a few minutes earlier in greeting.

“Hey!” Natsu welcomed him cheerfully, shaking his hand vigorously and squeezing it gently before letting go. “You don’t usually come here on Saturdays. Meeting someone?”

Natsu attended to his customers while trying to hold a conversation, never straying too far from where Gray was sitting.

“I have no doubt Loke will track me down eventually,” Gray snorted, knowing how much his friend hated to be alone these days. “My parents took Aki and the twins for the weekend to give us ’kids’ some alone time. Rogue is holed up somewhere with Sting, but you are sadly working, so I came to visit, and eat.”

No sooner had he uttered the words than a menu had been placed in front of him.

“I’ll be right back,” Natsu said before moving further away to take some drink orders.

Gray flipped through the menu listlessly, not really feeling hungry but well aware there was nothing for him to go home to. Lyon was gone on some work-related thing and wouldn’t be returning until late that night.

“You know, I’ve been meaning to thank you.”

Gray looked up, startled, even more so when he realized it was Mira who was talking. “What?”

Mira giggled into her hand, her eyes twinkling with mirth, “I know we didn’t exactly hit it off the first time we met, but to see Natsu smile again, it means a lot to all of us. So, yeah, thank you.”

He had no idea what to say to that, so he just kind of nodded and hid in his menu, ignoring the sound of Mira’s laughter at his reaction.

“So, have you decided what you want?” Natsu appeared in front of him once again, reminding Gray why he didn’t like visiting him when he was working at Fairy Tail, especially on a busy night like this one. Fairy Tail was located near the college campus. It was a much more popular bar than Crime Sorciere, making it difficult to hold a conversation since Natsu had to flit around constantly.

“I’ll just have a burger,” he muttered moodily.

“Everything okay?” Natsu raised an eyebrow in concern.

“Natsu, it’s already getting pretty busy, why don’t you take your dinner break now, you might not get a chance later,” Mira suggested, “I’ll have them bring both your orders to the break room.”

“Sure, thanks!” Natsu grabbed the menu from Gray’s hands, put it underneath the bar with the others, entered Gray’s order in the computer, and added his own. He gestured for Gray to come with him, grabbing his hand as soon as they were out of view from any prying eyes.

They entered a small, dimly lit lounge with two love seats and a rectangular table with several chairs.

“This is the break room, huh?” Gray remarked, glancing around the room. He was about to say something else when he felt Natsu’s warm lips on his. He hummed contentedly, kissing back and moving his hands down to Natsu’s waist, pulling him flush against him until Natsu broke away.

“I’ve wanted to do that since the second I noticed you were here,” Natsu beamed, licking his lips slowly before leading him to one of the loveseats.

“Not gonna lie, me too,” Gray chuckled, leaning in for another kiss and feeling his lousy mood melt away when Natsu returned it. “I wish you didn’t have to work so much.”

“Yeah, well, bills don’t pay themselves so,” he shrugged, “This place isn’t so bad.”

One of the waitresses came in with their orders and two sodas, setting them on the table. “Here you go, guys!”

“Thanks, Laki!”

The waitress smiled at Natsu and Gray, leaving quickly to get back to her tables.

“And hey, free food!” Natsu cheered, moving to the table and sitting down to eat. “Gotta eat quickly though, I only get thirty minutes,” he explained, shoving a french fry in his mouth. “So what’s going on with you? You looked upset earlier.”

“It’s nothing, I’m just not used to being alone,” Gray shrugged, taking his seat and adding some ketchup to his burger. “It’s fine, Lyon will be home in a couple of hours.”

“Ah, the wife,” Natsu retorted, his mouth widening into a teasing smirk. “Where is he anyway?”

“He left this morning to go do some deposition or something in Oak Town,” Gray explained, taking a bite from his burger and washing it down with the soda. He glanced down at his watch to see how much time they had left before Natsu had to go back to work, frowning when he saw half their time was already up.

Gray knew he should be happy Mira had given them a chance to have dinner together, but it didn’t feel like enough.

He watched Natsu eat, smiling at how messy he was. It was really kind of cute. He continued to eat his own meal, grabbing his phone when a vibration in his pocket alerted him to a text. Reading it did not improve his mood in the slightest. It looked like Lyon wasn’t going to make it home after all.

“Bad news?” Natsu immediately asked, no doubt noticing the change in his expression.

“Lyon isn’t coming home tonight. I guess I’ll have the apartment to myself.”

“I wish I could come over for a bit, but I’m on the clock til 2,” Natsu lamented. “Still got a few minutes though, are you done eating?”

Gray looked down at the plate of food and nodded. He didn’t think he’d be able to eat any more.

“Well, let’s make the most of it then,” Natsu got up from the table, and after bussing their plates, he sat on one of the sofas and patted the seat next to him invitingly.

Gray watched him for a moment, the beginnings of an idea playing in his mind. He’d stayed over at Natsu’s place several times now, why couldn’t Natsu stay with him? With Erza and the kids always sleeping in rooms all around them, they’d never had the chance to really be alone.

He moved over to the sofa, purposefully ignoring the seat Natsu had indicated and choosing to straddle his boyfriend instead. Natsu’s eyes widened in surprise and his entire face, all the way to the tips of his ears, crimsoned at Gray’s proximity.

Gray leaned ever closer, his lips barely brushing Natsu’s before moving to kiss down his earlobe, blowing softly into his ear before whispering, “Stay with me tonight.”

He let his tongue slowly trace the back of the ear, smirking in victory as he felt Natsu squirming underneath him, his quiet moans making Gray forget where they were.

He continued to give small kisses along Natsu’s jaw until he reached those luscious lips. Working his fingers into the pink locks he loved, Gray tugged them roughly, and then he was kissing him hungrily, tasting the burger and fries on Natsu’s tongue as he sucked on it gently. Gray felt a twitch against his cock and backed away, realizing he’d gone too far.

Natsu was panting, his face still red as he stared up at him with eyes as wide as saucers. Gray scrambled off him, sitting in the spot Natsu had offered earlier.

“Oh God, I’m sorry,” Gray quickly apologized, “I got carried away, I just wanted to give you some incentive.”

Natsu waved his apology away, closing his eyes tightly as he struggled to get his breathing under control.

“Incentive, huh?” Natsu repeated suddenly, bursting into amused laughs, “Is that what you call that? How am I supposed to go out there like this?”

“At least your color’s returning to normal,” Gray informed him helpfully, earning himself a playful slap on the shoulder. “So, what do you say? Stay with me tonight?”

He wrapped his arms around himself, tensely awaiting Natsu’s answer, and when it didn’t come right away, he worried that he’d somehow pushed too far.

“I need to talk to Erza first,” Natsu finally responded, and although Gray wished he could have a more definite answer, he knew it was the best one he could expect. Neither one of them could really take off on a whim anymore.

“Okay, text me later?”

“Yeah,” Natsu agreed, closing his eyes again, “Can you let Mira know I’ll be out in a few minutes?”

“Sure,” Gray replied, still feeling a little guilty but not enough to really feel bad. He kissed Natsu as chastely as he could manage and made his way back to the bar.

0-0

It had been hours since Gray had received Natsu’s text, but it felt much longer, almost as if time had stopped entirely. He’d tidied the apartment, changed his sheets, vacuumed, took a shower, and even did a laundry load, yet somehow it was still only midnight.

He was getting more impatient by the minute, and finally, he’d had enough of waiting. He went into his closet, changing into a shirt Natsu had once mentioned made his eyes look less droopy, which was about as close to a compliment as the jerk ever gave, and a pair of tight jeans. After examining himself in the mirror, Gray went downstairs to wait for the cab he’d called.

He looked up sexy drink names on his phone to pass the time until he arrived at Fairy Tail, laughing at how ridiculous some of them sounded and knowing the only bartender he’d ever be brazen enough to ask them of was his boyfriend.

Gray entered the bar, relieved to see the band dismantling their instruments. It was already one o’clock, and the bar was mostly empty. Employees were sweeping the floors and cleaning up the tables.

Natsu was laughing with the few customers that remained, and Gray’s heart skipped a beat at the sound. He made his way to the opposite side of the bar and waited for Natsu to notice him.

He kept his head down, continuing to look through drink names and deciding which one he was going to ask for.

“What can I get you?”

“I’d like some sex with the bartender,” Gray snickered, unable to keep a straight face.

“You’re hilarious,” Natsu rolled his eyes, “And here I thought you were going to ask for something classy like a Dick Sucker.”

Gray giggled again, “How do people order these?”

“You’d be surprised,” Natsu shrugged, “Unlike most of the people who ask for it though, you might actually get it.” He winked and mixed some sort of colorful drink, handing it to him. “Here, try this.”

Gray sipped it and hummed in approval.” What is this? It’s delicious!”

“Just a little something I like to call, my boyfriend got me all fired up at work and then left me to deal with a boner.”

“That’s kind of long, and oddly specific. I doubt it will catch on,” Gray quipped, snickering as Natsu flipped him off.

“I thought I was meeting you at your place,” Natsu remarked, “Didn’t want to be alone? or…. Couldn’t wait to see me?”

“Couldn’t wait to see you,” Gray admitted sheepishly, “Plus, if I cleaned anything else, Lyon might start leaving every weekend.”

Natsu laughed, “Considering your stuff is usually a mess, you’re probably right. I gotta go get started with clean up, but it should only be another thirty minutes or so.” He leaned over the bar, kissing Gray on the cheek and murmuring, “I missed you too.” before hurrying away.

Gray waited as patiently as he could manage, sipping his drink and playing a game on his phone until Natsu was finally done. He glanced around only to realize that the bar had emptied out of everyone but the employees.

“Come on, Mr. Incentive, let’s get out of here,” Natsu prodded, grabbing him by the hand once he stood up and pulling him towards the rear exit, calling out goodbyes to his coworkers on his way out.

“Where’s your car? Mine’s this way,” he asked once they were outside.

“No car, I took a cab.”

“Did you now?” Natsu’s eyes glinted with mischief right before pinning him against the wall of the building adjacent to Fairy Tail.

Gray didn’t fight, curious to see what his boyfriend would do, but he hadn’t expected Natsu to imitate his earlier actions, and before he knew it, he was the one squirming as a warm tongue swirled against his ear. Before he had a chance to get used to the sensation, Natsu had already moved to nibble and suck on his earlobe, his hand moving to caress the base of his neck, making Gray shiver with pleasure.

“Unngh, Natsu,” Gray groaned, feeling his cock respond to Natsu playing with his body.

As soon as it started, Natsu had stopped, and Gray could only stare at him in disbelief.

“Now, we’re even.” He smirked, continuing to walk towards his car, leaving Gray to rearrange himself and navigate his way to the car uncomfortably.

0-0

The streets were empty as Natsu drove them to Lyon’s apartment. Gray wanted nothing more but to pay him back for his little stunt earlier, but they were in Erza’s car, and he didn’t have a death wish.

He waited impatiently for security to be done with them, for the first time since he’d arrived in Magnolia wishing that he lived in a typical building. One where he could do what he wanted in the elevator without it being transmitted to cameras downstairs. He contented himself with holding Natsu’s hand and massaging his knuckles, instantly forgiving him for earlier when he received a pleased but tired smile at his caresses.

Gray had no idea what to expect from tonight, and he told himself that even if they did nothing but sleep as always, he would be content. But they had been dating for about three months now, and he would be lying if he said he wasn’t hoping for something a little more physical now that they were alone.

He wanted to discover Natsu’s sounds when he was coming undone, see his face as he lost himself in pleasure and more than anything he wanted to be the one that made him feel that way. There were plenty of ways to do that without delving into areas that would make his boyfriend uncomfortable. At least that’s what Gray hoped. He didn’t really know how Natsu felt about it, which he knew was probably a bad thing.

Gray had never initiated the preferences talk, mostly because he was terrified of the answers. The way he saw it, the fact that Natsu somehow seemed to return his feelings was a miracle in and of itself, and he had no desire to push his luck.

They exited the elevator, and he took out his keys, fumbling to get them in the lock as his hand began to tremble. Natsu put his hand over his and helped him guide it into the lock.

Gray turned to smile at him gratefully, relaxing when Natsu said, “I’m nervous too.”

They entered the apartment, removed their shoes, placed them on the rack Lyon kept by the door and closed the door behind them.

Natsu whistled as he took in Gray’s efforts, “You weren’t kidding, this place looks great!”

Not as great as you...

Gray thought the words but kept them to himself, embarrassed by how childish they sounded even if they were true.

“Can I get you anything?”

Natsu shook his head, and Gray once again noticed how tired he seemed.

“You look beat, come on,” Gray grabbed him by the hand and led him to his bedroom, sitting him on his bed while he rummaged through his drawers for some pajama pants he could lend him. Finding a pair he thought would fit, he offered them to his boyfriend.

Natsu laughed, “That’s sweet, but I don’t need them. I only wear them at home because of Hana and Erza.”

“Oh,” Gray put them back in the drawer, and when he turned to join Natsu on the bed, he startled to find him standing behind him instead, wearing nothing but a pair of snug-fitting black boxer briefs.

Gray’s eyes traveled over Natsu’s body, taking in the toned muscles of his stomach and chest, his broad shoulders and the strong line of his jaw until he’d reached his face again, where a smile was waiting for him that made his knees weak.

“See something you like?” Natsu smirked at his reaction, looking way too pleased with himself, and as much as Gray wanted to come up with a snappy response to shut him up, he found his tongue was tied. However, other parts of his body were waking up, and they were quite interested in the display.

Gray closed the distance between them swiftly, realizing there was more than one way to shut his boyfriend up. His arms snaked around Natsu’s hips, pulling the slightly shorter male against him as his mouth quickly found its way to Natsu’s lips.

He heard Natsu’s breath hitch as his mouth was invaded, and as they kissed, Gray let his hands roam along Natsu’s naked back until finally settling on an area he hadn’t dared explore yet. At first, he was content to let them rest there, but when Natsu didn’t complain, he became more adventurous, squeezing and kneading the firm butt cheeks. Natsu’s groan excited him, and he gave an enthusiastic thrust, surprised when Natsu ground against him as well.

Gray could feel Natsu’s fingers fumbling with his shirt buttons, undoing them one by one until his chest was exposed. Natsu wasted no time pulling his shirt off, his hands exploring Gray’s chest, sending jolts of pleasure that soon had him feeling a welcome tightness in his pants. He moaned, and Natsu took the opportunity to interrupt their kiss and nibble at his collarbone.

“Natsssu,” Gray shuddered. He’d never realized his neck was so sensitive.

“I thought about you all night,” Natsu whispered breathily into his ear while gently running his fingernails across Gray’s scalp, sending shivers across his entire body.

“Me too.” Gray had never seen Natsu this turned on before, so eager to tease and touch, and it was making it incredibly hard to think about anything other than tossing him on his bed and ravaging him. Gray desperately wanted to drive him crazy with his mouth, hands, and anything else he could think of.

So he did just that. He picked Natsu up, tossed him on his bed, unbuttoning his pants, and undoing the zipper carefully before pulling them off. He glanced up to find Natsu watching his every move with an expression that seemed almost hungry. There was no hiding the tent in his underwear.

“Someone’s eager,” Gray teased as he neared the bed, his own arousal in full view.

Natsu chuckled but didn’t argue the point.

Gray climbed on his bed, crawling over to where Natsu lay and straddling him. He took a second to admire the man that lay beneath him before kissing him again, so deeply he could barely breathe.

“I love the way you kiss me,” Natsu breathed into his mouth, wrapping his arms around him and letting his hands slide down his spine, finally resting them at the small of his back.

It was such a simple gesture, yet Gray felt it echo throughout his entire body. He could only stare in shock, not accustomed to anything remotely like this. He fumbled for words, but nothing came close to expressing how those words affected him, so he settled for, “I love the way you make me feel.”

Natsu’s whole face lit up at his words, and Gray once again felt lost but also elated. He peppered Natsu’s jaw with kisses working his way down his neck. He felt Natsu’s fingers threading through his hair, tugging at it, letting Gray know he wanted more.

Gray worked his way back up, nibbling and kissing every spot he could, chuckling when Natsu captured his lips impatiently, his hands holding Gray’s head in place.

“You’re so beautiful,” Gray’s thumb caressed Natsu’s cheek gently, smiling as he wrinkled his nose at the compliment. “I want to make you feel good.”

“You already are, dummy,” Natsu replied, giving a quick ruffle through Gray’s already messy hair, “thought that was pretty obvious.”

“I can do so much better, though,” Gray promised, moving down to his throat and gently sucking on his boyfriend’s Adam’s apple, reveling in the vibrations he could feel against his lips as Natsu groaned softly.

Gray left a trail of kisses as he worked his way down Natsu’s chest until he reached his next destination. He blew gently on the perky bud, using his tongue to slowly lick his way up the areola, getting closer and closer but always stopping just shy of the nipple.

“Graaaaay!”

“Hmmm,” Gray agreed, finally flicking the nipple with his tongue and giving it a gentle bite.

“Fuck!” Natsu moaned, his fingers clenching around Gray’s hair and his hips thrusting upwards in a reflexive response, sending a shudder of pleasure through his body that drew out the moan.

The feel of Natsu’s cock rubbing against his, even through the fabric of their underwear, was enough to distract Gray from what he’d been doing. He ground against Natsu, using all the restraint he had in him to keep his movements slow. He glanced at Natsu’s face, wanting to make sure he was okay with this. But before he could ask, he felt Natsu thrust his hips up again.

“Natsu?” Gray hesitated, still worried until he saw the warm smile on Natsu’s face, and that was all the encouragement he needed to continue. He rolled his hips, watching that smile evolve into an expression he’d only seen in his fantasies until that moment, but none of them had been as satisfying as the real thing.

Natsu met his every thrust with fervor, the sounds of their moans filling the room, getting louder and more urgent as they got closer to their climax. Gray’s eyes hadn’t wandered from Natsu’s face since they had begun frotting, enraptured by the emotions playing out on his features, the trust reflected in his eyes. He fretted that maybe the constant weight of his gaze would make Natsu self-conscious, but then he realized his boyfriend had never looked away either.

Gray couldn’t remember the last time sex had felt this good. The movements in itself weren’t really any different, the familiar pressure building up inside him nothing new. But the feeling of warmth blooming in his chest as their gazes lingered somehow heightened his pleasure to an entirely new level.

Even after all those years of admiration Gray had experienced as a model, he’d never felt more wanted than he did now. There wasn’t a spotlight in the world he’d rather be in than that of those gorgeous green eyes, and it was an incredible turn-on.

“I’m close,” Gray panted, his thrusts speeding up now that he felt the telltale tightening that heralded his release.

“Me too,” Natsu gasped, his hands moving to Gray’s ass, pulling his hips down harder as he drove up.

“GRAAAAAY!” Natsu yelled, his body jerking as he came. The warm wetness of his release seeped through the fabric of their underwear, followed by Gray’s own only a few frantic thrusts later. They slowed down, continuing to grind together as they worked each other through their orgasms, making a mess on their stomachs.

“That felt so good,” Gray sighed, leaning down to kiss Natsu before collapsing on top of him, his arms burning from holding himself up as their thrusting had become more intense. He could still hear Natsu yelling out his name as he climaxed in his mind, and it filled him with a joy he hadn’t felt in years. He wanted nothing more than to hold him in his arms, whisper sweet nothings into his ear, and bask in the intimacy of the moment they had just shared.

He rolled off his boyfriend, lying down next to him and ignoring the mess they’d made for the moment. The sound of Natsu’s uneven breathing reached Gray’s ears, and he could only chuckle. He grabbed Natsu’s hand and brought it up to his lips for a kiss.

He’d loved the way Natsu’s eyes had never left his as they moved together, had felt connected to him at every kiss, every touch, every moan. It had filled him with a confidence he’d lost during his time with Siegrain, where it had always been more about the act than any feelings between them.

It surprised him a little that Natsu had yet to say anything, but he wasn’t too troubled. This was new, after all. They’d both need some time to adjust, it was only natural. He contented himself with visions of what their future could be, the dream he’d begun to build in his mind the first time he’d stayed at Natsu’s house growing bigger by the second.

They’d keep working hard so that Natsu could pass the rest of his tests, get a job with more regular hours, and free up his time to spend with friends and family. They’d be able to indulge in many more nights like this, moving their relationship forward slowly until Natsu was ready for more.

The silence continued to build, and now it was making Gray nervous. He snuck a glance at Natsu’s face, a weight settling on his chest as he noticed the arm covering Natsu’s eyes, which had been so open and welcoming just a few minutes ago.

He wracked his brain, trying to think of anything he might have done wrong, but everything had been so wonderful. What had happened? Did Natsu regret it now that it was over? Had he not been good enough?

Gray knew he couldn’t give in to those thoughts, not when he’d worked so hard to move away from them. No, he should just ask.

“Natsu?” he winced at how shaky his voice sounded, but there was nothing to be done about it now.

He received no answer, feeding into his fears and filling him with the urge to get up and hide in his shower until he could think of a way to fix whatever he’d managed to do wrong.

He thought he heard sniffles and decided to try one more time, “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” Natsu replied, and now Gray was sure of it, Natsu was crying. He had no idea why, but it didn’t stop him from feeling miserable. Had he misunderstood?

“No, you’re not.” Gray sat up to get a good look at his boyfriend, “Please tell me what’s wrong, did I- did I do something?”

Natsu shook his head, still refusing to look at him. That connection Gray had felt between them just moments earlier seemed to evaporate, creating a distance between them that he was all too familiar with.

“I need you to talk to me,” Gray pleaded, “I can’t do this again.”

This time Natsu moved his arm away from his face, his expression puzzled, “Do what again?”

“I just... If I did something wrong, you need to tell me, don’t distance yourself from me and leave me to figure it out on my own.”

“You didn’t do anything wrong, Gray, it’s me,” Natsu admitted, wiping his eyes with his hand, staring down at the wedding band he still wore.

That was all Gray needed to understand what was happening, “Oh God, you weren’t ready for this, were you? I should’ve realized when you didn’t say yes right away.”

“No, it’s nothing like that,” Natsu cut in, but Gray was so caught up in his guilt, he didn’t fully register the words and continued to rush out his apology.

“I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have pushed-”

“What?! No, will you just listen to me?”

Natsu sat up and paused for a few seconds before he explained, “You didn’t push me to do anything I didn’t want to. I’m not upset because I wasn’t ready, I’m upset because I was.”

“I don’t understand,” Gray ran a hand through his hair, confused and still anxious because even though it seemed like he hadn’t done anything wrong, Natsu was still upset about something.

“It’s difficult to explain,” Natsu sighed, offering him a small smile.

“I really like what you and I have,” he grabbed Gray’s hand in his and held his gaze once more, “but every time we do something I’d only done with her, it’s like I’m leaving more of her behind, and it’s hard. She’s all I knew.”

“Oh...” Gray let go of Natsu’s hand, and unable to contain his disappointment, he hid his head in his hands, not wanting his boyfriend to see.

“Ugh, I said that all wrong,” Natsu groaned. “Please look at me?”

Gray hesitated, but he knew he couldn’t hide from this, not if he wanted their relationship to work. He’d known from the beginning that it wasn’t going to be easy, but he was determined to fight for it.

What Natsu had said wasn’t unreasonable, Gray knew that. Their previous relationships had been very different. It was natural for Natsu to want to cling to his happy memories, but that didn’t mean he didn’t want to make new ones with him. He’d said as much. Gray just needed to accept that Lisanna would always be a part of Natsu and let go of the insecurities that tried to tell him that he wasn’t good enough for someone like Natsu, and he never would be.

He took a deep breath and tried to put his feelings into words.

“I get what you’re saying,” Gray offered his hand and waited for Natsu to take it, “You’re not ready to let go of Lisanna, and that’s okay, I don’t expect you to, but I don’t want to be a replacement either.”

“I’ve never thought of you as a replacement for her, Princess,” Natsu protested, “But I can’t just pretend those ten years of my life didn’t happen, either. Every day she gets further away, and I can’t help but feel guilty for letting that happen.”

“I guess I have the opposite problem, I want to forget the last ten years happened, but I can’t,” Gray lamented.

“Forgetting isn’t the answer, Gray.”

“I know, I just don’t know what is,” he answered honestly, hoping that Natsu would let it go but knowing it wasn’t likely.

“What did you mean when you said you can’t do this again?” Natsu asked, latching on to the words he’d blurted out in his panic.

Gray peered at Natsu, unsure of how much he wanted to share of his time with Siegrain, still concerned that Natsu would think less of him for some of the things he’d done. But if he was asking Natsu to be open and honest with him, he figured he should do the same.

“Siegrain had this thing he did where he’d act like I’d done something wrong, but he’d never tell me what. He’d just take off and leave me alone to figure it out, or even worse, he’d stick around and act distant.” Gray tried to keep all emotion out of his voice, but it was difficult. Just thinking about how that had made him feel was enough to put him back there.

“That’s awful! And you thought I was doing the same thing?” Natsu murmured in sudden understanding, “God, I’m sorry. That wasn’t my intention at all, no wonder you freaked out.”

Gray found himself enveloped by one of Natsu’s hugs, and he melted into it.

“You mean so much to me, and what we just did...it was amazing. I’m so sorry I ruined it.”

The words reassured Gray, reminding him that Natsu was a very different man from his soon to be ex-husband. It gave him hope that if they both kept trying, one day, they would both rise above the things that still held them back, together.

“You didn’t ruin it,” Gray objected.

“Gray,” Natsu declared, his features settling into a stubborn pout, “I ruined it.”

“Fine, maybe a little,” Gray reluctantly gave in, rolling his eyes at his boyfriend’s expression.

“I’ll make it up to you,” Natsu promised, “Next time it’ll be even better. I mean, I had no fucking clue what I was doing, and it was awesome, just imagine what it’ll be like now that I have some experience!”

“I’m gonna be honest, all I heard was next time,” Gray couldn’t help but tease, laughing at his boyfriend’s outrage.

He was glad they’d been able to discuss what had happened, and he did feel better knowing he hadn’t messed anything up.

Gray glanced down at his watch, groaning when he saw it was already close to four o’clock. It was so late, but he couldn’t really fall asleep like this, sticky with sweat and come.

“Hey, Mr. Experience, I’m going to jump in the shower to rinse off, you coming?”

Gray had to keep himself from laughing at the sheer panic on Natsu’s face, deciding to offer him a way out instead. “You can take your own shower if you want, but it’s late, and it might be nice to fall asleep together.”

He held his hand out, waiting for Natsu to make his decision. It took him a minute, but he grabbed it eventually, following Gray into the bathroom. They bickered about the water temperature as they removed their underwear and threw them into the hamper. Not that that was unexpected, but it took the edge off the awkwardness of being naked in front of the other for the first time, bringing back a sense of familiarity that they both needed after such an eventful night.

Once inside the shower, Gray grabbed his bodywash and poured a large amount onto a pouf, scrubbing himself quickly. He was about to wash his back when Natsu finally made his entrance. He grabbed the pouf out of Gray’s hand and took over, scrubbing his backside all the way down to his feet. Gray grabbed the shampoo and washed his hair quickly, rinsing off once Natsu was done.

Gray turned to face his boyfriend, watching as he scrubbed himself before handing him the pouf and turning around. He returned the favor, amused at Natsu’s behavior, but respecting the boundaries he had set. All of this was still new to him, and Gray knew he had to be patient. Besides, if things went well, there would be plenty of steamy showers in their future.

They dried off and got ready for bed. Gray grabbed two pairs of underwear from his dresser, tossing one to Natsu, who quickly put it on. They climbed into bed, completely exhausted from the long day. Gray pulled the covers over them, and soon they settled into their usual sleeping position of Gray lying on his back while Natsu rested his head on his chest, arm draped casually over his middle.

“Thanks for staying over,” Gray murmured, putting his arm around Natsu and pulling him closer.

But the only response he got was the sound of Natsu’s snores. Gray kissed Natsu’s head, pink hair still damp from the shower, and carrying the scent of his shampoo.

“Good night, my love. Sleep well,” he whispered, a fond smile tugging at his lips.

He closed his eyes, drifting off in no time at all.

#ftdadsau #gratsusummer2020 #gratsu #ftlgbtpride2020 #ftlgbtales #fairy tail #fics #prompt: is it hot in here or is it just me?#prompt: growth #dads pride 2020 #Gratsu Summer Solstice 2020 #I Take Pride In What I Am 2020

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inqueerect-quotes · 4 years

Conversation

Gray, sleep deprived: *putting honey on his tea* Hell yeah, get in that leaf juice. You sexy, sexy, bee sauce

Natsu: … Do you take constructive criticism?

Gray: I absolutely fucking don’t

#ftlgbtpride2020 #Fairy Tail #Fairy Tail incorect quotes #incorrect quotes #FTLGBTales #mod natsu #gray fullbuster #natsu dragneel #gratsu #PRIDE prompts #questions

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eryiss · 4 years

Text

Event: LGBTQA+ Month hosted by @ft-wwtdp

Ship: Fraxus ( Freed Justine x Laxus Dreyar)

Prompts: Love, Gift, Brave, Tease, Quirk.

Verse: Canon Compliant

Alternate Places To Read: Fanfiction, Archive of our Own. Event master list here.

This is the first batch of submissions for the Fairy Tail LGBTQA+ week. I’m putting five drabbles per post as not to spam the tags, and I’ll make a new post every five days. Hope you enjoy them.

Day One – Love (Of A Stubborn Thief)

Despite what many people thought, Laxus had always had a good handle on his emotions.

He always knew what he felt, had always been good at realising what his feelings were and what they meant, and he had enough emotional intelligence to understand other people's feelings as well. Thanks to his father's influence, there had been a time where he would shut off his emotions, but even then he had known what he was feeling. Even at his worse, he understood people and he understood himself.

It was because of this emotional intelligence that he wasn't shocked when he realised he was in love with Freed.

They'd been dating for a few months by then, and it had been incredible. Having this extra layer of intimacy with the other man made him feel comfortable, happy, and warmer. It was as if every second was just a little bit better than it could have been with Freed being only a friend. A small but constant improvement, and one Laxus had no intention of giving up.

It wasn't a particularly big moment that lead him to understand what he felt for Freed. It was in the middle of august, and the two of them were shopping in Magnolia's marketplace for everything they would need for the upcoming week. Laxus had been tasked at getting meat from the butcher's cart, while Freed made his way through the produce stands. Shopping together was something they had started to do three weeks prior, and although Laxus hadn't admitted it, he was rather fond of it now. Before, it had been a chore, but it was somehow pleasant when Freed was with it.

Laxus had never guessed he would enjoy the domestic side of a relationship this much.

After getting all the meat they needed – which was a lot, given they were intending to have a barbeque in the upcoming days – he began to walk towards the fruit and vegetable sections of the market. When he got in earshot of Freed, a grip split on his face.

"You and I both know that you're overcharging. I am not going to pay double the worth for a punnet of strawberries," Freed had snapped, voice a little harsh.

"Then you ain't shopping here," The vender said, and even with the distance between them Laxus could see Freed's jaw clench a little.

Laxus decided to stay back. This would be fun to watch.

The following few minutes were quite entertaining for Laxus. Freed, as he often did when he saw something he identified as an injustice, decided to use every tool available to make his point. One moment he had worked out the exact price of an individual strawberry – which was admittedly quite high – and was loudly making sure the people around them knew it. The next moment, he was explain the many health code rules that the vendor was breaking, and threatening him with an impromptu visit from the governing authorities so that they could see these violations.

After glancing at the vendor, who had turned from a confident extortionist to a bumbling victim of Freed's calm but effective threats, Laxus decided to approach. If left too long, Freed might make it known he had a weapon attached to his hip. That might be taking it a little too far.

Although, it would be funny.

As he got closer to his boyfriend, Laxus thought back to when he first met Freed. He had expected the other man to be a reserved and calm figure, lacking the eccentricities that made up Fairy Tail's members. Makarov had once confessed that he thought Freed would be a calming influence on Laxus, as he was one of the more mature members of the guild. Looking at him threaten a man's livelihood for a discount on some fruit, it was hard to believe that was the case.

"Hey," Laxus greeted, standing beside Freed. "Everything alright?"

"I'm simply refusing to be a victim to a scam," Freed explained, and Laxus fought off a grin.

"As I said before," The vendor continued, though his tone was unsure now. "I am not going to lower my prices because someone in threatening me."

"They are pretty expensive though," Laxus said smoothly, before Freed could cut in. "Maybe you could knock twenty percent off, get us out of your hair. I think we both know that this asshole ain't gonna give in."

The vendor took a moment to think, cussed under his breath, before offering a lower price. Laxus brought his wallet out and paid for the food before Freed could barter it down lower – there weren't many fruit vendors in the market, they couldn't afford to be backlisted by the best one – and started to walk away. Freed joined him a moment later, walking beside him as they began to left the market.

Freed was quiet, and Laxus assumed it was out of annoyance that he hadn't managed to get a bigger discount. But when he looked to his side, he saw that Freed was eating what appeared to be a peach, and Laxus frowned. That hadn't been part of what they intended to buy.

"Where did you get that, Freed?" Laxus asked with an amused expression on his face.

"The fruit stall, of course," Freed said, and Laxus let out a single laugh.

"Did you pay for it?"

"It's entirely dependent on what you consider paying to mean," Freed shrugged. "If you mean I paid the amount he wanted, then no. If you mean I covered the cost of overcharging by getting what my money was worth, then I did pay for them."

"So you stole it?" Laxus laughed, before furrowing his brows. "Wait, them? How much did you steal?"

Freed reached into his pocked and pulled out another peach, offering it to Laxus. The blonde looked at it for a moment, shaking his head in a mixture of both amusement and disbelief. His boyfriend – the man many people claimed was a voice of reason inf Fairy Tail – had actually stolen some fruit because he believed that he was being overcharged. He seemed completely unrepentant about it, and Laxus knew that if he objected Freed would stubbornly defend himself to an inch of his breath.

And it was then, when he took the stolen peach for himself, he realised he was in love with him.

The moment he realised it, everything seemed to make sense. Because of course he loved this ridiculous, stubborn, incredible idiot. Who else could he love? Who else could make him feel as he did? Who else was so perfect for Laxus?

It was a warm feeling, a feeling of solidity and comfort that Laxus hadn't often felt in his life. He found out he liked it. And as he looked down at Freed again, who had continued to eat his peach without so much as batting an eyelid as to where it came, Laxus found himself more contented than he ever thought he could.

"Freed," Laxus began, insides bubbling.

"Yes," Freed said patiently.

"I'm in love with you."

He kissed his boyfriend before he could say anything in response. Delightfully, it tasted like peach.

~~~

Day Two – Gift (From Afar)

"Hey Freed, wait up."

Freed turned around at the shout from behind him, stopping. It was his birthday, and he was retuning home from the customary celebrating in the guildhall. His parties were always a smaller affair than those of the louder members of the guild, something he had requested. Still, it had been a merry affair, but as the night had worn thin, Freed found himself fighting a small amount of melancholy as he sat around his friends.

It came form the fact that, while all his friends were there, his husband was not.

Laxus had taken an S-Class job nearly a month prior, being the only available member of Fairy Tail with the ranking to attempt it. He had known it was going to be a long job and that he would possibly miss Freed's birthday, and the rune mage hadn't minded. Missing out on things was an occupational hazard in their job.

Still, now the day had come, Freed couldn't deny he was missing him. They didn't have any particular traditions when it came to breakfast, other than being awoken with a fresh mug of coffee, so it wasn't as if he was missing anything in particular. It would have just been nice to have Laxus with him.

"Damn, you're a pretty fast walker," Natsu panted as he approached Freed.

The rune mage looked at the younger man with a small quirk in his eyebrow. They weren't the closest of friends, but they got along well enough given their contrasting personalities. He waited patiently for the other man to catch his breath – maybe he was a faster walker than he realised – and absently wondered what Natsu could have wanted. He'd congratulated him, given him a gift, and demanded a fight throughout the evening. There wasn't much else Natsu normally did on a birthday.

"I have this for ya," He eventually said, raising a hand.

In his hand was a package wrapped in brown paper and tied up with string. It was a simple looking thing, and Freed took it with a small amount of hesitance. Natsu's gift to him had been two bottles of alcohol; one a refined scotch, the other a cheap brand of tequila that boasted being the closest thing to breathing fire a man could experience. Lucy had later confessed that she tried to convince him to get the scotch rather than the tequila, and this had been a compromise.

But, given the fact the man had gotten him something already, it seemed unlikely that there was a third part to his gift. He looked down at it, then to the man, with a small expression of his confusion. Natsu grinned.

"It's from Laxus," He explained. "We had a mission close to the town he's helping and met up with him. Told me to give you it."

Freed looked down to the wrapped package with a small smile. It was of course nothing compared to having the actual man here, but it made him feel rather loved anyway. A lot of people assumed that Freed would be the more romantic of the two, but that wasn't exactly true. They both had their moments, both were thoughtful and kind to each other, and this was an example of Laxus' more romantic inclination.

"Sorry I didn't give it to ya in the guildhall," Natsu continued. "Didn't know if he wanted it to be private or not, so I waited. I should get back, so see ya," He started to jog back, waving towards Freed. "And I want that fight!"

Freed smiled a little as the younger man ran off, looking down at the gift in his hands. He continued to walk towards his house, absently moving the package from hand to hand as he did. It wasn't a long walk, so he decided to wait.

When he got home, he walked to his living room and settled in his large armchair. A pile of his presents had formed from when he had teleported them from the guildhall, and he decided he would deal with them in the morning. He ran his fingers down the brown paper of the gift with a soft smile on his face. He used his nail to cut it open revealing a small note above the gift written in Laxus' familiar handwriting.

'Freed. Sorry I'm not gonna be there for your birthday. I know you said you don't mind, but it's still kinda shit. I'll make it up to you when I get back, which shouldn't be too long I don't think. I hope this make you smile. Love, Laxus.'

Freed smiled, moving to place the note on the side table. When he did, he noticed writing on the back of the paper.

'Salamander. I swear to god if you opened this instead of giving it to Freed I'm gonna fry your balls off when I get back. Evergreen and Bickslow know I've got him something, so I'll know if he doesn't get it.'

With a laugh, Freed placed the note on the side and looked at the gift itself. It was a leather-bound book, and when Freed saw the title, he smiled. It was a book containing multiple short stories aimed at children, the same book that he had read as a child. This was a first edition of the book, and it seemed to be in immaculate condition. He smiled softly as he opened the first page and looked down at the illustration.

Freed realised, as he read, that Laxus' job had taken him through a far-off town that boasted a well-stocked vintage book store. He must have brought the book before he arrived at the job and kept it to give to Freed when possible. The idea of it made him smile, as did the knowledge that he had only mentioned the book to Laxus once, and he had remembered.

He smiled as he turned a page; Laxus really was a romantic at heart.

~~~

Day Three – Brave (In Every Way)

Laxus had always known that Freed was brave.

There was never any doubt in his courage. He had stood against powerful mages and fought dangerous beasts hundreds of time and had never shown any signs of backing down. He had pushed himself to his limits to help others, had stood up against injustices and cruelty, and had never cowered when challenged on his ideals. He was one of the bravest men that Laxus had ever met, and that was something Laxus would never change his mind on.

Today, he was proving it. Because fighting mages, stopping monsters and ending injustices were something mages had to do. True bravery could be seen today, as both Laxus and Freed walked into the large foyer of Freed's childhood home.

Laxus would say it was more of a mansion than anything else. But saying that wouldn't be appropriate.

Freed's relationship with his family had always been tense. Not as shattered as many Fairy Tail members, but there was always an underlying animosity between them. Freed hadn't been the perfect, obedient son that they had wanted, and from what Freed had told Laxus, they had resented him for that. He was his own man, had made his own decision, and those decisions had been at odds with what they wanted for him.

Apparently him joining Fairy Tail had been the last straw for them. His father had threatened to cut him off, remove him from their will, and essentially disown him. Freed had left the house the moment he could, and hadn't returned since.

Until now.

After the incident at the S-Class trials, it had been assumed that many members of Fairy Tail had died, and Freed was included. So when they returned after seven years alive, people had been shocked, and it had been a big part of the news. Apparently Freed's parents had seen this and, now that their supposedly dead son was alive again, they reached out to him. According to their letter, the seven years thinking he had died had shown them what it truly meant to have him out of their lives, and they had regretted their behaviour.

Laxus wasn't going to say anything, but he had heard Freed's soft sobs as he read the letter for the first time. Clearly he had been missing his parents more than he thought.

Today was the first time they would see each other, and Freed had admitted to being scared. He had insisted that Laxus come with him, both for support and to show his parents the man he was to be married to. If they wanted to accept who he was, they needed to accept Laxus as their future son-in-law.

"I'm so glad you're okay," Freed's mother whispered.

She had been the one to open the door, and the moment she saw him her face melted into emotions and she pulled him into a hug. Laxus had stood by a little awkwardly, allowing the two to have their moment. Although Freed didn't cry like his mother was, the strength in which she hugged her told Laxus how much It meant to see her again. It was nice to watch.

"I am too," Freed said softly. "You look well."

"So do you," She smiled. "You must still be twenty-one, mustn't you?"

"I am," Freed said with a small laugh, though a small frown followed. "Is father not coming?"

"He's coming," She assured him. "He's not as mobile as he was before, I'm afraid. But still pig-headed enough to refuse my help."

Freed nodded, and his shoulders hunched slightly. Neither his mother nor father were innocent in Freed being driven out of his home, but his father was the worse. He was loud and argumentative with his disproval, if Freed's stories were accurate, and it had been the constant arguments and fights between them that had been the final straw for Freed. It was clear that seeing his father would likely not go as well as seeing his mother.

And yet Freed stood firm, and Laxus was again reminded of just how brave his fiancé was.

As Freed and his mother spoke, Laxus allowed his eyes to stray around the room. There was a large painting above the staircase, seemingly of a pre-teen Freed with his mother and father. The father was a stern looking man, with a strong jaw, authoritative expression and pushed back shoulders. He looked like a high ranking soldier, actually.

He pulled his eyes away from the paining when the doors to the side of the stairs opened, revealing the same man from the painting. He was now hunched over, leaning heavily on a walking stick, covered in wrinkles. He looked old.

"Freed," He said, voice a little croaky yet still firm and controlled. "You came."

"I did. Hello father," Freed replied, voice tighter now.

"Who is this?" He asked, looking to Laxus.

"This is Laxus Dreyar. His grandfather is the guild master of Fairy Tail," Freed explained. "He's also going to be my husband."

It was perhaps the bravest thing he had ever said.

Apparently neither Freed's mother nor father had been told of this, as they both looked to Laxus in shock. Laxus didn't look towards Freed's mother, and instead kept eye contact with his father. If Laxus had judged them both correctly then the father would be the one to have an issue with him, not the mother. He looked at the older man without showing a hint of intimidation, and the man looked right back at him for a few moments.

"You do good by my son, and we won't have a problem," He eventually said, huffing.

"Of course," Laxus nodded.

"Good," The old man nodded, before turning to his wife. "We'll be eating soon, I assume."

As the older couple walked off, Freed's mother saying they would be waiting in the dining room and dinner would be served in twenty minutes, Laxus stood beside his fiancé and looked down to him with a gentle expression. Freed seemed to take a few moments recover; he had apparently expected something worse as well.

"You okay?" Laxus murmured to him.

"I think so," Freed said with a nod, looking up to Laxus with a smile. "Having them know I like men is rather a large weight off my shoulders."

"I bet it is," Laxus said, kissing the top of his head. "You ready to catch up with them?"

"I think so, yes" Freed nodded.

As they walked, Laxus was left with no doubt that Freed was the bravest man he knew.

~~~

Day Four – Tease (At Your Own Risk)

"Well, isn't this cute."

Bickslow had his arms crossed over his chest, the biggest shit-eating grin stretched over his features. Freed's eyes fluttered open as he was awoken, looking towards the man responsible through a hazy gaze. The cocky attitude radiating from the man was clear even without being fully able to see him, and his tone was annoying Freed already. His tired glare didn't dissuade Bickslow from his amused taunting.

He, Bickslow and Laxus had taken a mission together and had ended up sleeping in the woods. It was originally intended to be a Raijinshuu only mission but Evergreen had been called out at the last second, and Laxus had taken her. Bickslow had been more than happy to hear this, and now that the mission had begun Freed understood why.

The idiot had decided he would spend the entire mission teasing the new couple as much as possible.

Many little comments had been made about him third-wheeling them by coming along with them, and about how sorry he was that he had gotten in the way of their romantic time away. When fighting a pack of creatures they had been forced to split up, and Bickslow joked that if they wanted time alone then they could have just asked. And the moment he realised they were sharing a tent he had all but imploded with laughter at his own jokes about what they would be doing inside of it.

It was starting to grate on Freed's nerves, just slightly.

Right now, the subject of his teasing was the fact Laxus was sleeping, head resting on Freed's chest, arms wrapped tightly around him in an almost possessive manner. Freed probably had his nose nuzzled into his boyfriend's hair before he had woken up. Bickslow clearly had enjoyed seeing the two of them cuddled together.

"The two strongest, most badass men in the guild," Bickslow continued. "All snuggled up like idiots in love. It's enough to make your heart melt."

"You know I have a sword, Bickslow," Freed croaked a little as he spoke. "And you also know I enjoy using it."

"Whatever you to do in bed – or in the tent – ain't any business of mine," Bickslow grinned even wider, and Freed's glare got even more intense. It didn't stop Bickslow even slightly. "I always knew Laxus was this cuddly, didn't think you were though. Honestly wish I could take a picture of this, because it's too damn cute."

Freed sighed. He should have expected this when he and Laxus revealed their relationship to their teammates. They were both happy for them, and didn't bat an eyelid when Laxus essentially came out to them, and Freed was grateful of that. For a few days it had been nice, they had been given space and respect. It was now clear that was some sort of amnesty period, because their relationship was now as much a target for teasing as everyone else's. Freed would be better equipped to deal with it if he hadnt just been woken up.

"Did you honestly open our tent just to bother us?" Freed asked, yawning.

"Nah, I was gonna make some breakfast and see if you wanted anything. This is fun though," Bickslow cackled. "So, did you have a nice romantic evening kissing under the stars after I fell asleep."

"Leave him alone, Bix," Laxus groaned, waking up and removing his face from Freed's chest.

"Why?" Bickslow laughed. "This is fun."

"Because eventually he'll get pissed off at ya and try and kill ya. And that means he wont be here and he's really fuckin' warm and I don't wanna lose that until I'm really awake," Laxus explained, pulling Freed closer. Bickslow actually cooed at the action.

"Fine," The blue haired man said finally. "Bacons nearly ready. Be out here if you want any," He then grinned again. "And if you want some privacy, leave a sock on the tent's zipper and I'll get the message."

He cackled as he walked away, and Freed glared at his retreating figure as he turned to his boyfriend. Laxus was smiling a little in his tiredness, clearly amused by the situation; he was always more of a morning person than Freed was. The blonde pulled him closer, pressed a lip to Freed's collar bone, and curled up closer to him. Freed found himself placated slightly by the action and closed his eyes.

"How long do you think it'll take before he stops?" He asked, tiredly.

"None of us have given Ever a break since she got with Elfman," Laxus shrugged. "Just try not to let him get under your skin. You know this is his way of supporting us."

"I know," Freed admitted. He would be much more offended if Bickslow wasn't acting like this.

"And if he really does start pissing you off, we can just keep doing this. It's pretty relaxing if you ask me," Laxus mumbled, nuzzling his nose against Freed's chest. The rune mage smiled a little at that, and ran a hand through his boyfriend's hair.

"I suppose," Freed agreed, before laughing. "Although I do often enjoy getting revenge rather than calming down."

"You can do that too, later," Laxus grinned. "And hey, you're the team's leader right, meaning he technically has to do whatever you say during a mission. So the next time he really annoys you, make him do some weird shit to distract him."

Freed grinned as he looked down at his boyfriend. "I rather like seeing your devious side."

"Couse you do. You're a freak," Laxus taunted, smiling into Freed's torso. "But do it later, because right now I wanna fall asleep again and wait for the idiot to cook us our breakfast."

Freed chuckled at that, leaning down and pressing his lips to the top of Laxus' head. He curled down a little so he was lysing again, wrapped an arm around Laxus' waist, closed his eyes, and plotted his revenge.

~~~

Day Five – Quirks (And Their Meanings)

Freed considered himself an expert on many things.

There were a wide range of subjects that Freed was knowledgeable. There was the obvious, such as his magic and the languages associated with it. There was the necessary, such as how to survive in many situations that the normal person wouldn't find themselves in. And there was the obscure and pointless, such as the process in which leather was made and applied to the bindings of old books. Freed's mind was a home of knowledge both useful and not.

One thing he was particularly knowledgeable about was his husband. Many people assumed Laxus was unreadable and stoic – which was a fair assumption when compared to the loud and expressive people of Fairy Tail – but Freed knew better. You could often tell what Laxus was thinking, you just needed to know what to look for. This was something Freed excelled at.

Laxus showed many little quirks that betrayed his emotions. Some were obvious, like when he grinded his teeth together when annoyed, or how he swayed a little as he was on the cusp of getting drunk. Others were more specific, like how his index finger twitched when he wasn't paying attention and instead was thinking about a song stuck in his head. Freed had realised that particular one when they were getting chastised by Makarov for being destructive during a mission, and Laxus' finger tapped against the arm of a chair in time with a song they both liked.

The point was, Freed could read Laxus well. And right now, he was uncomfortable.

Freed had of course expected this reaction, when three weeks ago Guild master Bob had approached the Raijinshuu and requested they become part of the guild after Fairy Tail's closure. They wanted powerful mages to do some of the more intense missions, and that suited The Raijinshuu well. But, as was Blue Pegasus' gimmick, they needed to occasionally flirt with customers.

Each member of the team had different reactions. Bickslow and Evergreen took to it well enough; Bickslow was sociable and friendly already, and Evergreen found she enjoyed men fawning over her. Freed approached it pragmatically, it was a part of the job and he did it as well as he could. Laxus didn't.

He tried at the start, but he wasn't good with people. Either intentionally or not, he had started to be more standoffish and almost rude to those interested in him. It didn't seem to deter them, instead attracting an even more intense crowd.

Which was why he was so uncomfortable.

Freed had just finished speaking to a man who wished to garner his attention – nice enough, but Freed was happily married – and his gaze fell to the blonde. A group of women sat at his table, clearly not understanding that Laxus' uncomfortable and short-tempered attitude wasn't an act. But being an expert in reading his husband, Freed knew what to look for.

His shoulders were hunched, an attempt to make himself smaller. A trial for someone of his size.

His pupils were dilated, the girls surrounding him were annoying him them.

His sentences were short and filled with contractions. He was trying to force an end to the conversation.

There were other things, but Freed had seen enough. His time entertaining had ended anyway, and it was clear that Laxus needed a break. He stood up from where he had been entertaining men and walked towards the table Laxus was hunching over.

"Excuse me," He said, interrupting the almost single-sided conversation. "I'm incredibly sorry to interrupt, but Mr Dreyar is needed outside for a short while," Some of the women went to protest. "I understand, but I've spoken to Hibiki and he's rather excited about stealing you away from Laxus, and I'm sure you wouldn't want to keep him waiting."

The clear lie worked. Freed almost shook his head at how gullible they were.

Once the gathered women spread and went towards Hibiki – who barely managed to hide his shock and looked to Freed with a glare a moment later – Freed nodded for Laxus to follow him. It was part of their job to always seem willing to attend to the guests unless absolutely needed, and therefore Freed had to keep up the lie that Laxus was required in the back. He led him to the alley outside, both for privacy as well as the fact Laxus was occasionally called there to help move beer barrels when the guild was understaffed.

"You looked like you needed a break," Freed commented, leaning on a wall. "You okay?"

Freed watched as Laxus deflated slightly. His tense posture lessened, the tightness in his jaw released, and he allowed a trapped breath to leave his mouth. The quietness of the alleyway and the company of his husband clearly had an affect on Laxus, and Freed was glad to see it.

"They just get a bit intense," Laxus sighed. "And they're all fuckin' loud all the time. They screech."

"I've heard," Freed laughed a little. "I can't imagine it's pleasant when it's right in your ear."

"Honestly, I think that fucking laugh is gonna haunt me in my nightmares," Laxus groaned, but he was grinning a little now. "Should have done what you did and asked just to see guys, least they don't shatter your ears every time you say anything."

"No, I suppose they don't," Freed patted his husband's arm softly.

Laxus' deflation wasn't just because he was glad to get out of the main hall, it was also because he was slightly defeated. His identity had always been interlinked with Fairy Tail in one way or another, and Freed couldn't understand exactly what it felt like for him to lose that and have to join another guild. It must be hard, and all Freed could do was try and help him through it in any way he could. Knowing this, Freed reached into his coat's breast pocket and pulled out a piece of paper which he handed to Laxus.

"If it's any help, I stole this," Freed said, and Laxus looked down at it. The paper was a job notice, requesting the arrival of mages in a village many miles away. A simple enough problem, but what had attracted Freed was the estimated time it would take to complete.

"Says it'll take three weeks," Laxus voiced, clearly having noticed the same thing.

"Exactly. It won't take us that long; a few days at the most," Freed explained. "But that'll give us two and a half weeks where we can claim we're working, when we're actually taking a break from…" He looked towards the guildhall. "Entertaining. "

Laxus grinned, tipped Freed's chin up slightly and brought their lips together. The kiss they shared was desperate and showed just how much Laxus had needed this break. Freed felt a little guilty that he hadn't noticed this need sooner. Until Fairy Tail opened its doors again, he would have to make an effort to make Laxus as comfortable in Blue Pegasus as possible.

After all, what use was it knowing all of Laxus' quirks if he couldn't use them to make his husband happy.

#ftlgbtpride2020 #fraxus #freed Justine #Laxus Dreyar #freed x laxus #fanfic #fairy tail #writing #one shots #event

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zerefserigala · 4 years

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Every Hum and Echo and Crash Paints My Cave - Ch. 1

Relationship: Fairy Tail Guild & Gray Fullbuster, Gray Fullbuster & Juvia Lockser, Gray Fullbuster & Team Natsu, Gray Fullbuster & Lucy Heartfilia Characters: Gray Fullbuster, Juvia Lockser, Mirajane Strauss, Lucy Heartfilia, Erza Scarlet, Natsu Dragneel, Jet (Fairy Tail), Droy (Fairy Tail), Gajeel Redfox, Elfman Strauss Other: Asexuality, Aromantic, Toxic Behaviour, Discussion of Toxic Behaviour, TW: Panic Attacks Link to AO3: Here For: @ft-wwtdp

THIS IS NOT GRUVIA

“Gray-samaaa!”

A barely smothered flinch was the only second Gray had before too familiar arms wrapped themselves around him. His skin crawled as he fought to speak around the discomfort.

“Juvia…” He acknowledged, not comprehending how she could have so much energy at 8 in the morning.

“Gray-sama! Did you wake up early just to see Juvia?” Her wide eyes bore into his, like they were trying to uncover all the secrets he kept far, far down, trying to force him into a spotlight where he had no place.

“No.” Gray replied shortly, finally managing to push her away from him. Side-stepping her, he sped over to the bar, drawing in a breath of relief when she kept a respectable distance from him.

“Then what is Gray-sama doing at the guild so early?” Juvia muttered, and Gray could practically hear the cogs turn in her head, and when a gasp fled out of her, all he could do was sit back and watch as their exchange played out like clockwork. “Could it be Gray-sama is here to go on a date with Love Rival?! Gray-samaaa! How could you?”

Already, all he wanted to do was to escape the walls of the guild, and frankly, even Mira’s coffee was starting to sound less appealing than avoiding this topic all together.

“No.” Was all he could say, shooting Mira a grateful look when she slid his drink over. “Thanks, see you later.”

“Good luck on your mission.” The barmaid smiled warmly.

But it wouldn’t be that easy, would it? Of course not! That would be the universe giving him a break from this craziness!

“Oi, Ice Boy! Why can’t you just give her a chance?” Droy called out, the words barely coherent around his grilled cheese.

“Yeah, it would make the guild a lot quieter, besides, then she’d stop harassing you!” Would she though?

His shoulders rose higher as he stalked out of the hall without so much as a glance, the cup shaking in his tightening grip.

It wasn’t that easy!

“Morning, Gray!” Lucy smiled, waving from her place next to Erza, the redhead mumbling excitedly about how she was finally getting through to ‘one of them’. Gray didn’t have the heart to tell her that this was less about being on time and more about not being stifled. Still, he wouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth, as he used the guise of her rambling to calm down whilst they waited for their tardy teammates to finally show up.

By the time Natsu finally showed up, Gray was feeling calm enough to actually tease him. Erza’s punishment whilst Happy squeaked and tried to hide behind Lucy was amusing and as they stepped onto the train, Gray felt himself unwind.

At the same time… it broke his heart to realise that Magnolia was starting to feel more and more like a prison.

The train journey was punctuated by a normalcy that he didn’t think he’d ever get tired of, as the mission briefing was started, interrupted only by Natsu’s lovely croaks, and concluded. They lapsed into silence when Natsu finally fell unconscious, with Lucy falling asleep shortly after and Erza and Happy entertaining themselves with their preferred meals.

At some point in the journey, the train banked a little too hard and Gray graciously swooped in to stop Lucy from being rudely awoken by the floor. She slumped over in her sleep and her head came to rest on his shoulder. The blond smiled at whatever dreams she was having and Gray returned the smile, fondly, as he contently resigned himself to being a pillow for her. This was where he felt most at home, surrounded by his smiling team (save for Natsu), where he didn’t have to meet any expectations and he could just be Gray.

From the first time they had all travelled and worked together, Gray had known that this was why he had been born. To be with his team. To travel and see the world. To just exist alongside his family.

If only it could last…

“Gray-sama! Juvia is so glad you made it back safely!” Juvia squealed in delight, reaching out to hug him again. Disinterest ran through him as he side-stepped the assault and let his gaze drop to the floor. Why did he have to be here to give the mission statement?

“Thanks.” He muttered with as little sincerity as he could muster. It felt like every time he spoke to her, he was stepping onto a minefield, never knowing what could set her off into the mindset that ‘she was getting closer to winning over her darling Gray-sama’ or into tears when he shot down her attempts again and again.

“Oh, please! Ice Block barely did anything, I was awesome!” Natsu jeered.

“You don’t get to say anything! We would’ve had our full reward if you hadn’t gone and set fire to that rose bush! At least Gray didn’t lose us our pay!” Lucy snapped grumpily, glaring over at him.

And that was that, Gray supposed, grimacing as he watched Juvia straighten up to her full height.

“Love Rival only says that because she’s jealous! Well, Juvia always believed in Gray, so-”

He couldn’t do this anymore. Spinning on his heel, he moved to walk out, praying to any God that would have mercy on him to let him get away.

“And where are you going?” Erza called across the hall.

“Home.” He replied, not looking back, tension radiating across his body.

“Is Gray-sama tired? Juvia can come and walk him home and cook him some dinner, and-”

“No, Juvia, just… no.” He ground out, but of course it wasn’t that fucking easy.

“Oi! Don’t just dismiss Juvia like that!” Gajeel barked, his voice echoing around the room, and suddenly all eyes were on him and now there was no hope of escape.

“Don’t yell at Gray-sama, Gajeel-san! Juvia is sure he’s just tired from the mission!” Juvia tried to defend and God, couldn’t she just shut UP?

The hall fell into a hush of gasps and softly spoken curses, and it took a moment to realise that he had said that aloud. Turning back around, his heart clenched at the broken way Juvia was retreating, looking at him, so utterly betrayed.

“You’re being more callous than usual, be a man and face her!” Elfman called.

“I have-”

“Ignoring her and making her feel like shit isn’t facing her.” Jet growled.

“I-”

“Why should we have expected any less from him? All he ever cares about is himself! Heartless bastard!” Gajeel snarled, he was up and moving, as if to threaten Gray and force him into accepting. As the enraged eyes bore into his skull, he felt the tension suddenly give way and there was nothing he could do but watch as his mouth finally opened, as the words finally came out, and tremors broke out across his body as he felt his home potentially being ripped away. Again.

“WHY?”

Gajeel stopped short as blazing cobalt eyes matched his anger, beat for beat.

“Was last time not good enough?” Gray yelled, hands curling into fist whilst frost crept out around him, keeping everyone back. “I have faced her, I told her ‘no’ at the fucking Grand Magic Games! I told her no, but she didn’t listen. None of you did!”

“So why should I face her if my ‘no’ doesn’t mean shit? And why shouldn’t she have taken my ‘no’? It doesn’t mean anything! As far as anyone here is concerned, what she wants is a perfectly good reason to ignore what I want. I’ve been telling her no from the get-go,” He whirled around to look Juvia in the eyes. “I’m not interested.”

“But that doesn’t matter. Of course not! Because it’s perfectly reasonable to say that her happiness can come at the cost of mine. And why shouldn’t she think that? None of you have ever told her no, either. None of you have told her that making a shrine of me in her apartment is creepy as hell, that stalking me and guilt tripping me and harassing any one I so much as look at is unacceptable. Erza, Cana, Elfman, Gajeel, Jet, Droy, you’ve all told me to give her an answer, and I have but because it isn’t ‘yes’ it doesn’t hold any weight.”

Everyone was frozen. Everyone was watching him, horrified and surprised, some even look betrayed, and each and every one of them cut through him until it felt like he was bleeding. Here it was. He had known it would only be a matter of time before he screwed up with this family, too. He was the end of his time as a Fairy Tail mage but Gray couldn’t make himself look away, like some sick need to watch his own self-destruction from beginning to end.

“So tell me…” His voice shook and cracked, but it was the only evidence of his inner turmoil. He still stood strong, fists clenched, eyes blazing, muscles taut. “What else can I do to get it through to you all that I’m not interested in relationships, full stop, nevermind her?”

He could feel the tears.

They were coming and there was nothing he could do to stop them.

All he could do was postpone them as he waited for their answer.

“Gray-” Lucy started. He swallowed thickly at the way her eyes were watering, but still, he held up a finger.

“Stop.” He whispered, almost pleading. “I don’t want an apology until you know what you’re apologising for.”

She fell silent, her hands twitching and Gray knew she wanted to give him a hug. He didn’t allow it.

An apology was on his lips, as the little boy inside him wanted to steal all the words back out of the air before he lost yet another family, and he could feel the trembling growing more and more violent. Why was he still stood there?!

“Goodnight.” He whispered, turning to walk out for real this time.

“Gray, wait-”

“No, Erza,” He sighed, deflating a little. “I’ll be back tomorrow, you can decide what you want from me then.”

Stepping into the night felt like swallowing knives, and God, he couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t believe he just spilled out his heart to the guild. He couldn’t believe that he had really gone and told them. He couldn’t believe that they really thought he was just being a dick this whole time.

He couldn’t breathe.

And he didn’t know where he was going.

He didn’t stop walking until he couldn’t see the glow of Magnolia on the horizon, anymore.

He collapsed in a cave near the base of Mt. Hakobe and he let the tears fall.

#ftlgbtpride2020 #fairy tail #anti-gruvia #team natsu #the guild #gray fullbuster #juvia lockser #aesthetics #writing

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