A Fairy Tail Gratsu.

Gray's POV: (again)

I take a deep breath, before shoving Natsu away. I huff and turn away from him as he manages to not fall off the bench. Serves him right. His creepy unblinking cat look is really unnerving. And that Damned Pyro's so confusing. One minute he's all childish and immature, the next he's all mature and kind. I kinda wanna tell him about what happened, but I don't think I can go into detail about it, but I don't want him to feel like I'm hiding things from him. Also, maybe if I talk to him, I won't feel so.... so..... dirty anymore.

We're still sat on the bench in his house, so I sorta just move closer so I can lean on his shoulder. Part of me hates the idea of drawing comfort from my rival, let alone confessing my insecurities, yet another part craves that understanding that only my best friend could possibly give.

"They.... they hurt me." I murmur quietly, though I'm sure the idiot can hear me, with his freakishly good hearing. He tilts his head, but doesn't say anything. I continue. "They.... hurt me..... in the.... the same way..... you fear might.... happen when....." he shakes his head and growls slightly.

"I already know that. I could smell that when we found you in the ice. It's why I stayed in Etherious form when I was in heat. I'm not stupid. I saw how nervous you were of the other guys, and I don't look exactly human with wings, claws, scales, horns and a tail, so I thought I'd look less threatening to you like that...." my eyes widened. He'd done that so I'd be less afraid of him? I thought he chose to go Etherious because his heat didn't effect him so bad when he was all demon. That's.... kinda sweet of him.

"Natsu...." it was all I could say. I didn't know how else to respond. He just chuckled, which turned into full blown laughter. I'd wonder if he was going mad, but I already knew he was crazy. I mean, what sort of sane person would upset both Erza and Laxus on a weekly basis?

       "You know, it's kinda hard having a serious conversation with you when you're butt naked...." ........ wait, what!? I look down to see he was right. How the hell did I strip this time?

     "When did that happen?" I exclaim. I honestly don't remember removing my clothes. I can't even see them in the room! He just laughs. Have I ever mentioned how attractive his laugh is when it's not bordering on maniacal? He gets up and smiles softly, offering a hand to me. I swat his hand away. Just because I was a crying shivering wreck earlier, doesn't mean he can treat me like a weak girl! He looks kind of offended, but I just growl at him, so he growls back, and before long we're locked in a battle of who can growl the loudest. Yeah, I know. Childish. But then, all our fights were petty and childish. (Except that time I tried to kill him when Zeref unlocked END for him. I really had intended to kill him then.)

Eventually my throat is too raw to continue growling, though by That Idiots smug face, he could keep going. We're facing each other, but what he does next takes me completely by surprise. I... don't think I've ever seen him back down from a fight before. There were rumours that he yielded to Gildarts on Tenrou, but they were only rumours.

    He just turns his head and mumbles something, but I can't understand what he's saying. Must be something embarrassing, because his face has gone the same colour as his hair. I look at him blankly. What the hell has gotten him so bashful? Usually he's right in your face, yelling insults and being generally loud. It's what made him Natsu.

   "Huh? You're gonna have to speak up. I can't hear you." He turns his head back to glower at me, but he can't hold it and turns away again.

      "I said I don't wanna fight bastard." He growls. How can he still growl? My throat's raw from the growling match we just had. "And..... would you.... can I..... it's just......" I raise my eyebrow. He's stuttering like Loke used to around Lucy.... he curses, scowling furiously. I can't tell if that scowl is for me, or directed at whatever is going on in that ash riddled brain of his. Then he looks directly at me, with his unblinking cat gaze. I briefly wonder if he taught Happy how to do that, or if it was the other way around.

"...!..." it happened so fast, I was caught completely by surprise. Wha....?! Why?....... did he just? Seriously?