ADL OLD CHAPTERS

34. Trouble In The Tub

I wrote this at 2am and am too lazy to edit it. So poor writing ahead. Y'all've been warned.

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The night air was cool and crisp. Crickets chirped, leaves rustled, fireflies blinked in and out of sight like stars dancing it the sky. It was beautiful and serene. But it wasn't going to stay like that for long.

Birds flew from the trees, roused from their slumber by an explosion tearing through the woods. Flames thrashed wildly as shards of ice impeded themselves into their surroundings. The dust cleared and Natsu and Gray's glares hardened when they realized the other was still standing,

"It's not that hard," Gray snapped. "Just stay away from her,"

"I won't stay away from her," Natsu spat in reply. "She'd my friend!"

"Oh, you're friend," Gray said with a patronizing expression on his face. "You kiss all your friends?"

"What?" Natsu blinked taken aback.

Gray seized the opportunity and leapt forward. He reared his arm back and slammed his fist into Natsu's nose. He felt bone crumble before he drew back, watching the blood pour free.

Natsu snarled, lunging for him. They swapped a number of blows, both magic and not. This fight was different than those they often held in the guild. This one was vicious, brutal. Fueled by a rage neither of them could quite understand.

For Gray, it was the frustration that Natsu had beat him. The vexation that came with knowing that no matter what he did y/n always seemed to go to someone else. Lyon. Natsu. Gajeel even. For Natsu, it was something instinctual. A primal desire to defend what should be his. And the anger of knowing that it wasn't yet. He had tunnel vision as he stared Gray down. He was his rival and he needed to fall.

"Stop!"

Natsu drew in a sharp breath, his vision clearing. "Happy!"

The exceed in question dashed forward, quickly getting between the two fighting mages.

"You have to stop," he said. "Look around you, you're destroying the forest,"

It was true, the once small clearing was now capable of housing their old guildhall. The earth had been torn up, the terrain now ragged and icy. Trees had been blown over, some still smouldering from the flames.

"I know you two fight but it's never as bad as this," Happy said. He looked up into Natsu's eyes, his gaze pleading. "What's going on?"

"Nothing," Gray muttered, turning to find his discarded clothes.

Happy frowned. "But-"

"It really is nothing Happy," Natsu said. He smiled at the cat, but it didn't seem right. "Get back inside,"

The exceed opened his mouth as if to argue but Natsu shook his head.

"You've had a long day," he said. "You need to rest,"

Happy hesitated a moment before doing as he was told. The air was thick as tension as they waited for the cat to leave. Watching as he disappeared through the brush returning home.

"This isn't over," Gray growled, knocking his shoulder with Natsu's as he brushed past.

Natsu didn't say anything and for a moment he wondered if the fire dragon hadn't heard him. But then he turned to Gray over his shoulder with a look so dark it was jarring. He didn't know he was capable of such an expression. Under the light of the moon, orange flames still burning behind him, Natsu seemed almost demonic.

"Yes, it is,"

He stalked off through the flames, leaving Gray alone with his thoughts.

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