Hide & Peek

When You Gotta Go...

"Droopy-eyed stripper!"

"Squinty-eyed flame-brain!"

Once again, Natsu and Gray were fighting, but this time it was not in the guild, nor their spot by the river. They were in the middle of a northern town. Erza had not come on this trip, and Lucy had to drive Happy to a veterinarian after the Exceed over-ate on fish and got sick. That left Natsu and Gray on their own... which was never a good idea.

"Why couldn't you go with Happy? He's like your kid or something."

"Happy's not my kid, he's my friend, and I can't drive, idiot."

"Yeah, because you have stupid motion sickness like a toddler."

"All Dragon Slayers do, you jerk!"

"Can't even drive your own kid to the doctor..."

"I trust Lucy!"

"She's gonna babysit you until you're old and gray."

"I don't need a frigging babysitter, you perverted exhibitionist!"

Natsu swung a flaming punch and hit a shield of ice. Gray hit his fist to his palm, and spikes of ice shot up from the ground, missing Natsu but destroying part of a bakery. Natsu took a deep breath.

"Fire Dragon's Roar!"

Flames shot out. Gray shielded himself, then realized some pedestrians watching their fight were in danger. He growled as he quickly expanded his shield, and the flames hit off the ice barrier, burned over the top of it, and set a roof on fire.

"Idiot! There are civilians around."

"Oh crap," Natsu realized too late.

They heard the whistle of law enforcement and marching boots racing forward.

"Not good," Gray hissed, blanching as he knew Erza would kill them for getting arrested. "We are in so much trouble."

"Not if they don't catch us. Run!" Natsu grabbed Gray's wrist and yanked him down the street. "Excuse us! Make way!" he bellowed to the crowd.

They ran from the approaching soldiers down the town's wide main avenue. Then Gray grabbed Natsu's arm, tugged him, and nodded to an alley. They squeezed through the narrow walls, around old crates and trashcans, splashing through puddles of murky water, until they made it out to the next street.

"Not here, either," Gray realized. They were still easy to spot, so he pulled Natsu across the street. The next alley was even more narrow. Gray finally stopped running, but Natsu tried to push through. He attempted to squeeze past Gray, but a dumpster blocked the path.

"Dammit. Move, Gray."

"Not yet," he whispered, and held his finger to his mouth. He looked down the following street and saw more soldiers down that way. "Right here, by the dumpster. If we're like this, it's too dark and narrow to see us."

Natsu held still. His keen hearing allowed him to hear the whistles, shouts, and stomping shoes. He shallowed his breath and held still. Gray shifted from one foot to the other.

"Quit wiggling," Natsu glared.

"I twisted my ankle," Gray grumbled, shifting his weight again.

"Are you hurt bad?"

"Nah, not really. Just aches. It'll be fine in an hour."

He adjusted his weight again, and Natsu flinched as Gray's pants rubbed against him.

"I said stop it. You are way the hell too close to me, frost-breath."

"And your body is burning up, furnace-face. You're seriously hot."