Melting Gray [Gratsu]

11

Chapter Eleven

☆ Natsu Dragneel ☆

After about two minutes, I couldn't take it anymore.

"Mom! Listen to this!" Lyon yelled, thrusting his arm under his armpit, making fart sounds. "My arm is farting! HAHAHAHA!"

"Ugh! Lyon! Shut up!" Ultear whined, looking up from her cell phone. She had been playing some game on it and listening to music the entire ride, aka shutting out the outside world, which is probably what I do 80% of the time.

"I can't handle this," I muttered to myself, leaning against the cooler. I heard Gray stiffle a snicker and I couldn't help but smile at how charming he was. I was lucky to have a friend like him.

Blushing as I brushed that thought from my mind, I shut my eyes and prayed to god we'd arrive at the seaside soon so I could leap out of this wretched minivan and kiss the sweet, sweet ground.

"Guys! I am trying to focus!" Mika demanded, gripping on the steering wheel tighter. "Please be quiet so we don't crash into another car!"

I half-heartedly looked out the window, spotting zero cars. "There aren't any cars," I whispered to Gray, who looked like he was struggling to keep a belt of laughter held in. I grinned and sighed with relief when I spotted a wooden sign that read Magnolia Sunnyside Beach with a sun logo underneath it.

Finally, finally, Mika parked the car and I forced myself to sit normally and help out with the food, towels, and chairs like a normal, respectful person. I was in charge of holding the towels and the umbrella, and being the wonderful friend I am, I dumped the towels on Gray's head. He dropped his cane, startled, and let out a small shrill scream as he frantically peeled the towels off his head.

"Aiyee! Natsu, I swear to God I'm gonna kill you!" Gray yelled as I clutched my stomach from laughing so hard. Gray seethed as I bent down to pick up the towels and shake the sand off.

"Oh, god! You- you scream like a little girl!" I gasped, falling over.

"Shut up!" Gray whined, finding me by my laughter and shoving me over, frowning embarrassingly. I pulled him down with me and he squeaked as he tumbled into the sand, getting some in his hair and mouth.

Next thing you know, I hear the snap of a camera taking a photo and I look up frantically, only to find Ultear staring between us and her phone with a mischievous grin on her face. "Noooo! Delete that!" I screamed, lunging for the phone. She pulled it away just in time, unfortunately, and began to run down the strip of sand.

"Come back here!" I yelled behind her, shaking my fist. "Ugh. Come on Gray, let's go sit down with your family."

Grumbling slightly and flushing, Gray allowed me to pull him up and put his cane in his hand. I wrapped my arm around his and tugged him lightly over to where Mika and Silver were lying out a picnic blanket, paper untensils, and an enormous rainbow-striped umbrella.

"Oh, look who decided to join us," Silver said bemusedly, wiping a drop of sweat off his forehead. "If it isn't the married couple."

"Daaaad! We are not," Gray defended, clenching his teeth.

"I had to explain to Lyon, the seven-year-old who picked up on your constant flirting, that you weren't dating. Should we be having Natsu sleep in another room?" Mika teased.

"Mom, please just shut up," Gray mumbled. I snickered as Mika jutted a finger in my direction.

"Natsu thinks it's funny," Mika said slyly.

"Natsu, you shut up too," Gray turned to me. "Hey, do you wanna go in the water?"

"Yes! I'd never thought you ask!" I grinned, jumping up a little. "Let's go right now!" I hastily stripped off my shirt and shoes and pulled Gray across the white-hot sand into the rushing waves.

"Wo-wo-woaaah! Slow down!" Gray shouted as I laughed and ran faster. Gray was scrambling to keep up and lurched back, surprised when his feet hit the cold water. "Eh! It's so cold!"

"Don't be a wuss!" I giggled. "Come on, let's go deeper."

*snorts*

White waves periodically crashed over my ankles, shins, knees, and thighs as I tried my best to avoid pebbles, seashells, and worst of all, shallow-swimming jellyfish. I got stung once when I was four and it sucked.

"Doesn't this feel great?" I asked Gray, who was grabbing onto my hand like his life depended on it, which it somewhat did, but whatever. Gray shrugged and lowered his free hand to let it graze the water.

"I wish I could see it again. I remember when I was younger, I came here with my family to watch the sunsets every weekend," Gray commented, a nostalgic aura passing over him.

"There's always hope, you know," I said meekly, biting my lip and staring straight ahead, stiffening up.

"That sounds like something you'd say," Gray chuckled.

"But then if you did get your eyesight back, you wouldn't need me," I said quietly, hoping he wouldn't hear me over the crashing of the waves and the shouts of joy from people of all ages.

"That's not true," Gray mumbled, tightening his grip on my hand. "Because I'd want you with me anyways."

I blushed a deep shade of crimson as I stared at him open-mouthed. Then I looked away shyly, focusing on a suddenly super-intriguing, coral-pink seashell sticking out of the grass. When I finally had the courage to look back at Gray, his ears were dusted pink and he was frowning as if he was deep in thought. I knew there was only one thing to do.

I leaned in slowly and...

...splashed water on him, soaking him completely. Gray snapped out of his mental funk for sure, because he immediately scowled and shivered. "Dammit! I'm gonna get'cha back, Dragneel!" Gray shouted, letting go of my hand and pushing a large wave of water all over me, drenching me to the bone. I squealed and pushed another wave right back at him.

Gray lost his balance and fell under before re-amerging, his ebony hair now dripping wet and sticking to the sides of his face and neck. He coughed and splashed me again, which caught me off guard, because I wanted to make sure he was alright.

"Hey! I was gonna ask if you were okay, but now I'm not gonna, since you just sprayed saltwater in my eyes!" I whined, rubbing them feverently.

"I'm fine!" Gray responded happily. "Absolutely fine."

"Well, I'm glad," I retorted, trying to fight down the blush that was threatening to arise. "Because then I can do this!" I scooped up Gray (who was lighter than I expected, I noted) and with all my strength, tossed him about five feet from me into the water. Gray screamed and flailed as he landed and came up sporting a furious expression complete with bloodshot eyes from the saltwater and clenched teeth.

Eyes...?