To Be Contained || Gratsu

The Radar and The Lockpick

Word Count: 857

Warning: Natsu thinks one word of profanity

Natsu coughed, tasting his own blood strongly. His eyes scrunched with his disgust and his tethered hands curled into fists.

"Come now, Salamander. One as mighty as you can't give up so easily," taunted the dragon's captor. Natsu growled, baring his fangs again, although the strange man never so much as took a step away from his attempts at intimidation. "Such disobedience..."

The stubborn mage began whining as those gray pupils drew nearer, his mind hazing as it had done on the mission. He tried to turn away from the chilling gaze, but to no avail. Small beads of salty water ran down his cheeks, as if escaping the torment themselves. "D-Don't... Please, d-don't do that again," the unflinchingly brave slayer whispered brokenly, arms resisting his restraints weakly.

"What a foolhardy plea, Salamander; showing weakness to an enemy with power over you. That will only make this much more thrilling." Even with all the time the two males had spent together, Natsu had not once caught a glimpse of the man's face. For some odd reason, his face seemed more important than the dreaded actions to come. What does this bastard look like?

The thought was knocked from his brain as pain infiltrated every fiber of his being. His nails bit into his palms and his sharp canines abused his bottom lip. He couldn't think past the tortuous actions inflicted upon him, his mind going completely blank.

//With Fairy Tail//

"What do you mean?!" demanded a furious ice mage.

"H-he was on my radar for a second, but he just disappeared," Warren explained, eyes darting away from Gray nervously.

"How the hell did that happen?!"

"I don't know... I'm working on tracking him down again..." Gray sighed in frustration, turning away from the scared telepath. Attacking Warren wouldn't help find his rival, so there was no point. He was itching to punch someone's face in, whether it was because he couldn't fight with Natsu or because Natsu was missing, the mage didn't know.

"Just... try your best," he sighed out, continuing back to his house.

Multiple guild members watched Gray's departure, meeting each other's eyes worriedly. The ice wizard had barely been to the hall since the team had returned from their mission a dragon short, and everyone had taken notice.

"Do you think he's gonna be okay?" a busty blonde questioned her red-headed companion.

"Once Natsu is safe, I'm sure he'll be fine," Erza assured, giving Happy a caring look.

"I just want my best friend back... Who is gonna go fishing with me and who am I gonna tease about motion sickness...?" the exceed mumbled, paws fiddling with his pack's straps.

Bustle filled the large room as members of different guilds piled into the hall. The well-known Blue Pegasus boys were already becoming a fixture in the hall, though their usual dazzling looks had dulled. And Lyon from Lamia Scale was with Fairy Tail more often than Gray was, but he hoped to have a conversation with his childhood classmate. The other ice mage walked through the doors, taking a quick glace around.

"You just missed him," Mira called out, her casual smile absent. The white-haired male gave one simple nod, turning on his heel and exiting the building. He hadn't invaded Gray's home yet, but he had been trying the give his friend some privacy. If his fellow ice-make mage wouldn't meet him, he would have to seek him out.

//With Gray//

He sat, staring at his hands as if they held the answers he sought. He traced the lines on his palm with his gaze, thinking of the last conversation he had had with the fiery dragon slayer: Pink locks, clear in his mind, and the memory of Natsu's warmth from the train ride. That silly grin he received when the other had succeeded in embarrassing him, and how his mumbled excuse had done nothing to diminish it's glow. He missed that determined gleam in the slayer's eye, even if he was determined to catch a winged fish. And as much as he complained, what he missed most of all were the insults and names. Natsu wasn't always creative with his insults, but they still meant the world now that he couldn't have any more. Nobody could ever call him a "popsicle" with as much of an effect on Gray('s heart) as when Natsu did, but now the ice mage might never again hear the word uttered from that male.

Damn flame-brain, he thought while wiping his stormy eyes of tears, he's gone and made me sentimental.

A harsh knock resounded, breaking Gray from his reverie. He furrowed his brows, confused as to who would disturb him at home. He knew the guild was giving him space, and he appreciated it. Apparently, this person hasn't gotten the memo. The crack beneath his door luminated a bright blue, followed by the lock clicking open. "I don't like to be ignored," Lyon stated, running his fingers through his perfectly styled hair. Taking back the earlier thought, Gray now knew this person had purposely ignored the memo.