A Rivalry to Last || Natray / Gratsu

The Job

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the storyline

Word Count: 796

||3rd person POV||

     Afternoon sun danced across wooden slabs, streaming in through open windows. The summer was only beginning, and yet a certain mage felt it was already too much. Gray sat at Team Natsu's usual table, his head leaning into his hands as the golden rays warmed his bare back. Indeed, his clothes had vanished once more, but the heat was reason enough for him to give up the search. The doors slammed open as another mage, this one seemingly rejuvenated by the sun's scorching heat, finally arrived at the Fairy Tail Guild Hall. Natsu glanced around the room, taking in the sight of his fellow guildmates slumped over tables and wearing less clothing than usual, with the exception of Gray of course. Few heads had turned at his noisy entrance and the dragonslayer noted that few missions had been taken from the board. He took the opportunity to find a mission without the rush of mages behind him and read them carefully. Well, his definition of carefully, which was really just skimming the words. Any more focus would surely give him a headache. He nearly sighed in exasperation before a task finally caught his eye.

     "Erza! Lucy!" he called whilst thinking of another nickname for the ice-mage. 'Slushy? Puddle?' he wondered, giving himself the ache without even having to read. "You too, Droopy Eyes!" he yelled, pulling out a familiar insult instead. Gray grumbled in response, Erza looked somewhat furious that her conversation with Mirajane had been interrupted, and Lucy was nowhere in sight. She had probably taken the day off due to the heat, Natsu figured dejectedly. The team wouldn't be complete without her, but then again she never really liked walking or fighting monsters anyway, so she wouldn't have liked the job very much. The now armor-less Erza made her way towards Natsu, who had sat down near Gray at the table. She slowed however when she saw that they were having a quiet conversation, something she hadn't thought the fiery young mage capable of.

     "Why are you staring, Flame-brain?" Gray asked tiredly, the usual bite of his words lost to the same force that prevented his magic. His head lifted from his palms, instead resting on top with his elbows as supports. Natsu had been staring, but he had a certain look on his face. It wasn't a look that Gray knew very well.

     "I'm not!" Natsu exclaimed, coming up with a feeble excuse. He shook his head, instead just telling the truth. It wasn't like the ice-mage could use it against him or tease him, seeing as his rival resembled a melted popsicle. "You just... you look melted," he said with a small laugh, although his concern wasn't laughable, "You okay?" The melted mage in question stared at Natsu in shock, not understanding the words. He hadn't heard right, that was the only explanation. "I thought you might be interested in this mission," Natsu continued, pushing the previously tacked paper towards Gray and keeping his eyes averted.

"...T-thanks," Gray uttered quietly, nearly forcing the words from his throat. One of his most vulnerable moments, and the dragon was concerned about him? He had expected a fight, not some heart-to-heart. The job was definitely something he wanted to go on, though. It spoke of a monster, or something. Gray wasn't sure because all he saw was the location: Mt. Hakobe. Sure, they had all gone on missions there before, but now the snow would feel like heaven on his sunburned flesh. "Seems interesting," he remarked casually, not wanting to give away how right Natsu was. The reward was decent as well, and without Lucy each person would get more. Gray cleared his throat, trying to form the words to his numerous questions, but the slightly less bright smile on the salmon-haired boy in front of him startled him. Had he done something wrong? Should he ask? He gently shook his head, the same way Natsu had, and questioned why he had even noticed something like that. Erza, sensing that the moment had passed, continued her arduous journey to the table. Sweat clung to her skin, sticking her hair to her neck, but she hardly noticed. Gray shoved the sheet towards Erza, laying on the table with his torso. He felt Natsu's eyes on him, but he ignored it.

     "We shall leave tomorrow," Erza stated authoritatively. "I trust you boys will behave?" she asked, disguising her threat as a demanding question... not a great disguise. Natsu nodded, his hands up in a surrender gesture while Gray groggily gave Erza a thumbs up, his head not leaving the tabletop. With that, she strode back to the barmaid, continuing their conversation that had so rudely been interrupted. Looks like Team Natsu, minus Lucy, will be escaping the heat.

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First chapter done! Please feel free to give feedback and suggestions!

~FanaticShipper07