He Will Be Loved

Look For The Boy With The Broken Smile

Disclaimer: All Fairy Tail Characters Belong to Hiro Mashima

"I don't want to go," Gray whined as his father pulled him along to the school he would be attending starting the following week.

"I know, Gray," His father stopped and knelt in front of him, "This is just a playdate, it should be fun. Don't you want to meet other kids your age?"

"They're all going to hate me," Gray lowered his head and let his long bangs cover his eyes.

"I highly doubt that," His father lifted his chin with his index finger, peering into Gray's face and giving him an encouraging smile, "Now come on."

He hugged him tightly before getting up and once again pulling Gray towards the school.

Gray stood alone at the edge of the playground while his father went off in search of his Kindergarten teacher. He looked around, everyone seemed to already be in groups. No one looked his way until...

It all started with a smile.

A smile so radiant, and pure and just overwhelmingly happy that it nearly knocked Gray off his feet. He couldn't understand why all of that enthusiasm seemed to be directed at him, he was nothing special. But it drew him in, made him want to know the boy behind it and maybe step away from the gloominess that had taken over him since his mother died.

"Did you know that we get a snack, recess and nap time?" The boy's green eyes had widened to such a degree that Gray was concerned his eyeballs might pop out any second. "Isn't that the best thing you've ever heard?"

"I think we're supposed to be learning stuff," Gray instantly replied and almost kicked himself when he realized how he sounded. He was a bit saddened, worried he'd just blown his chance to befriend this blindingly cheerful boy.

The boy stared at him, his unruly pink hair sticking out in all directions as he considered Gray's words silently before flashing that blinding smile again, "Well I guess that's alright too."

"My name's Natsu, what's yours?"

"I'm Gray."

"Hey Gray, wanna check out the playground with me?"

Gray wasn't sure if he should go, but one look at Natsu's face, at the excitement and the promise of mischief that was written all over it and he was powerless to resist. He felt the beginnings of a smile tug at his lips although it felt broken, months of crying had left him out of practice, and for a moment he felt lighter.

"Yeah!"

Natsu tapped him on his shoulder and yelled out "Tag, you're it!" before running off towards the playground equipment.

"Hey!" Gray shouted before chasing after him, his little legs running as fast as they could trying to catch up to Natsu, not wanting to let him win.

"Gotcha!" Gray reached out to tag him, but he was a bit overeager and managed to tackle him instead. They rolled around in the wood chips, and Gray worried that Natsu was going to be upset. He could see a scrape on Natsu's knee, and he tensed up, but to his shock, Natsu lay on his back laughing.

"Man, you got me good!" Natsu got up and shook all the chips off of him. "That was fun!"

Gray nodded slowly, still bewildered by this boy who was so reckless.

A tall red-haired man rushed over to where they were standing, and Gray flinched as he saw his own father hurrying towards them. Assured that their sons were ok, they began to talk together quietly.

"Hey Dad, can we take Gray out for ice cream?" Natsu proposed cheerfully, "He beat me fair and square."

Gray watched the red-haired man say something to his father, and after a short discussion, Natsu and Gray were headed to the ice cream parlor, their fathers walking slowly behind them.

"I'm going to beat you next time though," Natsu announced matter-of-factly.

"Next time?"

"Well yeah, we're gonna be best friends, doofus," And with those words he grabbed Gray's hand and yanked him along, pointing out all his favorite things along the way.

Gray never once thought to disagree, enthralled by Natsu's charisma since the moment they'd met.

Sometimes it was hard to believe they'd ever been that young and innocent. Back then he and Natsu had believed that problems would disappear just because they wished them to. That the promises of adults were absolute and that together he and Natsu could slay any monster. That death was nothing more than a temporary farewell, and no evil would ever befall them.

But now...now they knew better. They had learned that kids were powerless against the brutality of adults and that protecting what you held dear came with a price.

A/N: It's a bit of an experiment but I thought it would be fun to try this slightly different take on a songfic. Next one will be when they are slightly older (10) and will be based on the line Tap On My Window, Knock on My Door