I Take Pride In What I Am

But I'm Tired of Hiding My Heart (Gray x Natsu)

Prompt: "But I'm sick of hiding my heart"
Pairing: Natsu x Gray

Natsu arrived at the guild early the next morning grabbing the first job he saw that sounded like it would be far away and would give him the biggest chance to fight monsters. He didn't bother to look at any of the details. His mind was still reeling from the events of the night before. He wanted to get away from any chance of possibly running into Gray for the foreseeable future. At least until he could get figure out what the hell was happening.

He showed Mira the request, waiting to be given approval and immediately scowling when it wasn't forthcoming.

"I can't let you take this job alone," Mira protested, "It's too dangerous, I'd feel more comfortable if you took someone like Gray with you."

"Hell no!" Natsu crossed his arms in front of his chest, "I don't need that stripper's help."

"Well if not him, then Lucy or Erza." Mira insisted.

"I'll go," Both mages jumped surprised to hear Loke offer to go on a job.

"Loke?" Mira studied the Celestial Spirit carefully, "Doesn't Lucy need you?"

"She'll be fine without me for a day or two," Loke waved away Mira's protests, "Besides, I'm still a Fairy Tail wizard and I haven't gone on a job in ages. So how about it, matchstick?"

Natsu couldn't really understand why Loke would want to come along, they'd never been particularly close but he was a good fighter and if he had an ulterior motive Natsu couldn't think of what it was. He relaxed and decided he didn't care as long as he could get out of Magnolia before Gray got to the guild. "Suit yourself."

"I guess it's alright as long as Natsu is fine with it," Mira agreed grudgingly, not entirely sure what Loke might be up to, but seeing no good reason to deny his request.

"Great!" Loke cheered and as they began to walk out of the guild he asked, "Isn't Happy coming along?"

"No, I'd been hoping to go alone."

"I see," Loke smiled internally, having a good idea what was bothering the dragon slayer but knowing better than to bring it up too soon, "Something on your mind?"

"I don't want to talk about it," Natsu snapped.

"Where are we going anyway?" Loke asked and Natsu showed him the job request.

They made their way towards the train station, Natsu itching for a fight and Loke being annoyingly agreeable.

Xxx

Gray woke up nursing the worst hangover he'd ever experienced in his life. All he'd done was move his head and now his stomach was rebelling and his mouth felt like it was covered in sand. But that was nothing compared to the feeling that someone was stabbing his head with a knife. He sat up slowly, cradling his head between his hands. He couldn't stop himself from groaning out loud.

"Not feeling so good, huh?" Cana shoved a glass in his face that smelled surprisingly of the thing that got him there.

"No more vodka," Gray groaned again as he shoved the glass away from his nose, "How can you be drinking already?"

"The best way to get over a hangover," Cana shrugged, drinking the contents of the glass when Gray refused it again.

"I need to go find Natsu," Gray moaned as he got up from his couch where it appeared he had passed out the previous night.

"I wasn't expecting you to be so eager," Cana mused, watching him with slight concern.

"I'm not, I just want him to knock me out so I don't have to feel like this any longer."