The Red Dragon

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Natsu lay on the grass of his favorite field with his arms behind his head, basking in the sun and staring up at the clouds thoughtfully. He wondered how his father and the others were faring. Atlas had told him the war had moved closer, it was now only a few days' flight away.

He had been the one Natsu had always relied on for the hard truths. His father still liked to protect him.

Natsu was full of worry. It had been six months since they'd left, and the fear that one of the renegade dragon slayers would come after his father was something he couldn't shake. All he could do was hope that Atlas kept his promise and stayed by his father's side.

He was also exhausted, and it wasn't like he could tell Erza that he was pulling double duty. Working as a guard during the day and then having to change into his dragon form to go on patrol at night, was already wearing on him.

Natsu was finding it harder and harder to get away at night. The other dragon slayers were just as concerned about their adoptive parents as he was about Igneel and Atlas. They were clingier and had begun to sleep in a big pile in the center room of the cave which felt colder since Igneel and Atlas had left. A few times, he thought he'd caught Gajeel staring after him when he sneaked away, but the Iron Dragon Slayer had said nothing.

"I don't know why I look anywhere else for you, you're always here."

Natsu opened his eyes slowly to see Gray sitting next to him, a blade of grass sticking out of his mouth. He gave himself a moment to look at the well-loved features before he closed himself off again.

"What's the matter with you, Flame Brain?" Gray looked him over with interest, "You've been looking like hell lately."

"Another fire nickname, how original." Natsu rolled his eyes, "I was hoping you'd be over that by now."

He looked at the position of the sun in the sky. "Crap, how did it get so late?"

"You fell asleep, genius." Gray watched as Natsu scrambled to get up.

"Relax, you still have time. Not to mention, Erza's away on a mission today."

"That's worse, that means I'm in charge for the day."

Gray started snickering, "Erza actually trusts you to be in charge?"

"Believe it or not, I had the job before her."

Gray gazed at him intently and burst into peals of laughter. "You're right, I don't believe it."

Natsu laughed along despite himself. He wanted to feel insulted, but the idea that someone would entrust him with something that important was pretty funny.

Except, Igneel had done just that. He stopped laughing and worried again.

"You never answered my question." Gray peered at his face again making Natsu feel uncomfortable.

"Igneel and Atlas left to go fight in the war a few months ago." Natsu confided.

Why not? He and Lyon were probably the only ones that didn't already know.

"Oh. I'm sorry." Gray looked down at the grass and replaced the blade in his mouth. "You must be worried. Why didn't you tell me?"

It surprised Natsu to see that Gray looked hurt. "I guess I don't like to think about it, although it seems to be all I do."

"Natsu, are we friends?" Gray looked at him with a seriousness he wasn't expecting.

"What? Of course, we are, idiot." Natsu punched Gray none too gently in the shoulder in what passed for affection between them at this point. He knocked him down on the grass.

Gray bounced back quickly and punched him just as hard, both boys laughing as they started one of their wrestling matches. They rolled around in the grass, trying to get the upper hand on the other.

It had become a routine of sorts whenever they were in the field. No magic was ever used. They saved that for their training spars. Natsu let Gray win this time, pretending to look annoyed, while inwardly reveling at the gleeful grin on Gray's face. It was the closest to love he was going to get. Besides, he'd get him back at training where the rules were more clear.

Gray got up and offered him a hand, and Natsu let himself be pulled up. "Come on Acting Captain of the Guard, you don't want to be late."

Natsu snorted at that, and they started the long walk back to the village. Natsu remembered what his father had said about getting to know Gray again and tried it.