louder | natsu x reader

chapter 23

you gently placed a hand on gray's arm, stopping him before he could take another step toward natsu and lucy. "let's just watch them for a moment," you suggested, your eyes fixed on the pair across the room.

gray glanced at you, noticing the intensity in your gaze. "sure, we can do that," he agreed, though a hint of confusion lingered in his voice.

you stood with gray in silence, observing natsu and Lucy as they talked and laughed with the other guests. you couldn't help, but feel a twinge of jealousy as you watched them interact so effortlessly. you had always been close to natsu, but lately, it seemed like Lucy had taken your place by his side. you look down at the ring natsu gave you.

gray studied your expression, sensing your inner turmoil. "are you okay?" he asked softly, his concern evident in his voice.

you forced a smile, though it didn't quite reach your eyes. "yeah, i'm fine," you replied, a tone tinged with uncertainty. "and they seem fine too, so let's just enjoy the party."

but deep down, you couldn't shake the feeling of unease that gnawed at your heart. you knew you had to confront your emotions, but for now, you would simply watch and wait.

as you and gray continued to observe the festivities, the atmosphere suddenly shifted as four male guests fired shots into the air. panic erupted among the crowd, screams filling the room as people ducked for cover.

gray instinctively pulled you close, shielding you from the chaos around them. "stay down," he instructed, his voice firm as he scanned the room for any sign of danger.

you nodded, your heart racing as you pressed closer to gray, seeking safety in his reassuring presence. the sound of gunfire echoed in your ears, mingling with the panicked cries of the other guests.

amidst the chaos, gray's steady presence was a source of comfort for you.

natsu's voice rose like thunder, cutting through the chaos. "get down, now! or you'll regret it!"

you gripped gray's arm tightly, your eyes wide with concern as you both watched natsu's bold confrontation. "he's insane," you muttered, a mixture of awe and worry in your voice.

gray nodded, his jaw clenched in determination. "that's natsu for you. always charging headfirst into danger."

the first assailant fell under natsu's swift attack and crash landed right in front of you and gray. gray tensed, ready to spring into action if needed. "we have to do something," he muttered, his gaze flicking between the remaining assailants and his guildmates.

you hesitated. "what can we do? natsu and Lucy seem to have it under control."

meanwhile, lucy's voice cut through the turmoil, her instructions clear and authoritative. "everyone, head to the back exit! stay low and stick together."

guests began to evacuate.

as the last of the assailants fell to the ground, defeated by natsu and lucy's combined efforts, they scanned the room for any remaining threats. their confusion was evident when they spotted you and gray rising from the ground nearby.

"what are you two doing here?" natsu asked, his brows furrowing in bewilderment.

gray shrugged, a smirk playing on his lips. "just thought we'd come and see what all the commotion was about."

you nodded in agreement, your eyes lingering on natsu. "yeah and it looks like we arrived just in time to witness fairy tail's finest in action."

Lucy couldn't resist the opportunity to interject, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "oh, I see," she remarked, her voice cutting through the tension like a knife. "y/n just can't resist stalking natsu wherever he goes, huh?"

you bristled slightly at lucy's comments, your playful demeanor faltering for a moment. "I don't stalk him," you shot back defensively, though there was a hint of irritation in your tone. "I just... happen to be around a lot."

gray stepped in, his tone firm as he addressed Lucy. "come on, Lucy. y/n was just worried about natsu. we all know he's capable, but it never hurts to have backup, especially on a job like this."

natsu's expression darkened at gray's words, a flicker of offense crossing his features. "backup? you think I can't handle myself?" he retorted, shooting you an intense glare. his voice was full of irritation.

you quickly intervened, "that's not what gray meant, natsu," you explained, your tone calm yet firm. "we all know how powerful you are, but sometimes even the strongest mages need a helping hand."

lucy subtly instigated an argument between natsu and you. turning to natsu, she spoke with feigned concern in her voice. "natsu, did you know that y/n doesn't trust me? she's always trying to keep us apart from each other."

natsu's brows furrowed in confusion, his gaze shifting to you as he processed lucy's words. "is that true, y/n?" he asked, his voice tinged with hurt.

your eyes widened in surprise at lucy's accusation, shaking your head vehemently. "no, natsu, that's not true at all!" you protested, your tone filled with genuine disbelief. "I trust you both completely. Lucy, why would you say something like that?"

Lucy shrugged nonchalantly, a sly smile playing on your lips as she watched the tension between you and natsu."i'm just stating the facts, y/n. you're always hovering around natsu, like you don't want anyone else to get close to him," she replied, her voice dripping with insinuation.

you clenched your jaw in frustration. "that's not true, lucy, and you know it," you shot back.

gray stepped forward, his voice firm as he interjected into the escalating argument. "hold on a second, natsu. y/n doesn't want you near Lucy because she's worried about you, not because she doesn't trust you," he stated, his tone authoritative.

natsu's gaze shifted from y/n to gray, his expression conflicted as he processed the information. "but why, y/n? why don't you want me near lucy?" he questioned, sounding a little hurt.

you hesitated, unable to give natsu a straight answer. you struggled to find the right words, your mind racing as you grappled with your own conflicting emotions. "I... I don't know, natsu," you admitted, your voice wavering slightly. "I just... I guess i'm worried about what might happen if you two get too close."

Lucy seized the opportunity to fan the flames, her tone laced with faux concern as she addressed natsu. "see, natsu? y/n doesn't trust me. she's afraid that something might happen between us if we spend too much time together," she remarked, her words dripping with malice.

natsu's brows furrow in confusion, his gaze darting between you and lucy as he struggles to make sense of the situation. "y/n, is that true?" he questions, his voice tinged with disappointment.

your heart sinks at the accusation, your frustration mounting as you try to defend yourself. "no, natsu, that's not it at all," you protest, your tone pleading. "i trust you both. i just... i don't want anything to come between us, that's all."

gray shoots lucy a disapproving glare, his voice tinged with irritation. "lucy, stop instigating," he admonishes, his tone stern. "this isn't helping anyone."

lucy rolls her eyes, her expression unrepentant as she continues to stoke the flames of discord. "i'm just trying to look out for natsu," she replies, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "but if you'd rather believe y/n's lies..."

you can feel the tension in the room thicken, like a storm about to break. the silence becomes heavy, leaving a sense of impending drama in the air.