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Life After Near Death	By : Rhov Category: +. to F > Fairy Tail Views: 14426 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: Fairy Tail is the property of Hiro Mashima. I make no money, I just do this for my own pleasure.

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"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage."
― Lao Tzu

Chapter 38

Strength and Courage

Natsu slowed down his running and rubbed out his chest. This lingering ache was annoying. He hoped it would all heal eventually, but the doctors warned him that 'these things take time.'

At least he found what he wanted. Gray was sitting by one of the canals, a remote area of Magnolia with no people walking around, just a slope to the water and a bridge crossing the stream. Gray's eyes stared off contemplatively, a cold and narrow look with pinched eyebrows.

"Can I join you?"

Gray jumped at the question and turned around to see Natsu coming down the slope. He looked away, but his heart was already pounding. It always did around Natsu these days.

"About earlier, Gajeel's just being an ass," Natsu said quietly. "He's taking it too far this time, but we all do that at some point, right? I mean, look how far Laxus went. People got seriously hurt. And Jellal, maybe he was being manipulated, but he took things way the hell too far and people died. And you almost took it too far on Galuna, ready to sacrifice yourself. And maybe I take things too far from time to time as well."

That made Gray scoff out a laugh. Maybe? From time to time? Seriously, Natsu had no concept of his own destructiveness.

"Look, I'll kick his ass later," Natsu promised. "Will that make it better?" He wanted Gray to smile again, that was all. Beating up Gajeel was just a bonus.

"There will be others," Gray murmured. "Others to tease us."

"I'll kick their asses, too," Natsu declared.

Gray shook his head slowly, looking out at the water swirling around stones in the river. "Maybe this just wasn't meant to—"

"Don't!" Natsu shouted over him. "Don't you dare say it!"

Gray lifted his head and gazed at the stubborn face. "We'll just keep getting teased."

"So? Did you care about the assholes who made jokes about you and Juvia?" argued Natsu. "Up until now, did you ever once care about what people said about you dating anyone? I don't care!" he exclaimed. "Just because it's you and me, that shouldn't matter. People will always say negative things about who someone dates. You harassed me to no end about Rei-chan. I harassed you for months about those two girls up north. Hell, Max told me that there were a few snide jokes going around about Alzack and Bisca when they finally decided to start dating, and look at them now. Married with a kid! It happens to everyone, Gray. It's not like we're unique just because we're both guys. Teasing like this seriously happens to everyone. All that changes is how they tease us."

Gray's head still shook silently. Natsu put a comforting hand on the cold shoulder.

"Straight or gay or anything, any relationship is going to have assholes who are against it. Just because we're two guys, that shouldn't matter. Two guys, two girls, a guy and girl, anything at all, it doesn't matter! Love is love, and I love you, so that's all I care about right now. You! Me! This!" He wrapped an arm around Gray and leaned in closer. "You're all I care about, and screw any assholes who think their opinion is more important than what I feel for you. I'm not seeking their approval; I'm only seeking your happiness. Because that's what matters most: you and me being together and being happy. And if they don't like it, they can fuck themselves!"

Gray finally glanced over again, honestly surprised by the outburst. Hearing all that made his chest warm up, knowing Natsu cared for him that much.

"Now snap the hell out of this," Natsu grumbled as his cheeks went red. "This is seriously embarrassing crap to say."

He laughed softly. It really was weird to hear Natsu talk like that, but it was also nice to hear it for himself.

"Thank you," he whispered. "Maybe I needed to hear that."

Natsu reached forward and stroked Gray's cheek. "You're my mate, Gray. That means something special to me. Gajeel should have honored that, but maybe he thinks I'm too stupid to know what I'm doing. I admit, I'm new to this, I've never had a mate before, but I'm not stupid. I know what I want. I know you're the one person who is the most important thing in the world to me right now. You're my mate," he said tenderly. "That means I'm going to protect you, no matter what the cost."

He looked down at Gray's leg. He had seen that leg at its worst, barely hanging onto Gray's body, a bloody and twisted deformity of flesh and shattered bones. Then he had seen it that day when he helped Gray to bathe, healed but scarred, paralyzed, useless. Now, although Gray's pants were on, he rubbed up his thigh and felt how solid the leg was. It had fully healed, not even scars left behind. The cost was high, but Natsu felt it was worth it. To have Gray walking, running, fight, to see this man—now his mate—living a full life again, it was worth any shortness of breath or discomfort in his chest. No matter the cost, he would never let Gray suffer like that again.

Gray smiled and tipped his head away as his cheeks began to flush at the sensual touches to his thigh. Natsu grabbed his chin and pulled his face back toward him.

"I'm serious about this, y'know."

Gray nodded slowly. "I knew you were."

"Then don't ever think this isn't meant to be. This is what we want. That's all that matters."

"Got it," he sighed with a gentle smile.

He looked at Natsu's stern eyes, and Gray felt his blood racing. Natsu's warm fingers stroked along his cheek, and Gray relaxed his lips. He began to lean forward, and Natsu tilted his head. Gray's hand cupped the back of Natsu's scalp as their lips met. Tenderly, they kissed by the river, soft caresses of their lips, hazy and heated gazes at one another, noses stroking together in playful sensuality, then melting back together, their mouths feeling so comfortable, like they were made to fit together.

Down the river and on the other side, Lucy and Erza had just reached the bridge. Lucy paused and grabbed Erza's arm to stop her as she spotted the two sitting on the slanted bank, a blend of black and pink melting into one another.

With flushed cheeks at seeing her teammates being so intimate, Lucy whispered, "Let's go. They're fine."

Erza's eyes went massive as her heart fluttered. "Y-yeah." Still, she stared a little longer. She had known for a while about Natsu's feelings and she supported him because she thought that they would make a cute couple. Seeing just how hot the two looked together was something she had not expected. Her heart raced, and her feet did not move.

Lucy had begun to walk back, but she turned and saw Erza gawking at the two boys. She strode back, grabbed Erza's arm, and yanked her away to give the boys some privacy.

Natsu had heard them approaching, but he did not mind if they saw. He wanted everyone to see how serious he was about this. Gray did not want to kiss in public, though. He could tell the ice wizard was nervous just doing this much. So with reluctant understanding, Natsu pulled back.

"We don't have to in public," he said with an apologetic shrug.

Gray glanced around. They were still in town, but no one came this way. Although kissing in the open made him nervous, there was also a thrill to it.

"I don't care," he sighed, and he grabbed Natsu's cheeks, pulling him in and kissing him harder, licking his lips, slipping his tongue inside when Natsu parted his mouth, and running his fingers through the fluffy pink hair. Feeling the warmth in his heart, Gray knew that his place was with Natsu, despite his doubts and embarrassments. Whatever others said, it should not affect how he felt. Natsu had melted his icy heart, and Gray refused to let anyone else freeze it again.

In a shock of pain, he felt teeth biting his lower lip. Gray cried out softly, but then he heard a possessive growl. Was Natsu claiming him through biting? The thought of being claimed made his stomach flutter.

However, right after that lip bite, Natsu pulled back and covered his mouth in surprise. He had bitten without realizing what he was doing. It was an instinct, but he saw Gray's lower lip swelling a little. He suddenly felt guilty for hurting him.

"Sorry," he whispered.

Gray wanted to assured him that he rather liked it, but that was a humiliating thing to say. All he could do was drop his eyes and smile, hoping that was enough to show that he did not mind.

They sat side by side in silence, both watching the river. That lasted no more than a minute before Natsu began to drum his fingers. Gray heard the nervous tapping. He wondered what Natsu was thinking about, but his own mind was too busy playing through all the things Natsu had said today. Just thinking back on those words made Gray's body warm up.

Suddenly, he saw two legs at his each side of his thighs and felt a hot body press up against his back. Natsu had straddled around him, and now he had the Dragon Slayer draped over his shoulders like a blanket fresh out of the dryer. He could see a little bit of pink by his left shoulders as Natsu rested his chin on Gray's collar.

"What are y-…"

"Shut up. I … I wanna do this."

Gray blushed and grumbled, "I'm fine with this. Do what you want."

Natsu looked at him and blinked in surprise. They were still technically in public, but Gray was fine with it. Hearing that acceptance made him grin, and he wrapped his arms around Gray protectively. "Then I wanna do this, too."

Gray quietly looked down at the muscular arms around him. Natsu's hands just sort of flopped off to the side. Sucking nervously on that bitten lip until it began to hurt, Gray reached forward and entangled his fingers with Natsu's warm hand. He felt a firm squeeze in return, and hot air drifted past his neck as Natsu let out a sigh of relief.

Around them, the sun was beginning to set, changing the world to a dusky rose. Birds chirped their farewell song to the day. Noises of the night were just starting, being led by the opening songs of crickets. It was peaceful as they cuddled together, finding strength and courage in each other's arms.

It was dark when Natsu walked into the guild hall. Many people had already gone home for the night, but he had smelled Gajeel still there. Natsu strode up to his table and glared down, eyes simmering in flames that heated the area around him. Those steel-cold red eyes leered at him as Gajeel continued to drink his beer mug.

"You wanna fight, Salamander?" he grumbled.

"I want an apology," Natsu stated firmly. "Gray!"

Gray entered after him and also walked up to Gajeel's table. At this point, everyone else in the guild stopped whatever they were doing and watched. For those who had not seen the trouble earlier, rumors were abundant. They all knew this was coming, but they thought Natsu and Gajeel would simply duke it out like always. Demanding an apology was unexpected.

"Gray and I are mates. You don't have to like it, but you should at least respect it."

Gajeel's eyes narrowed. "Only if you're serious, Salamander."

Natsu tightened his fists. "I am. Dead serious. Look at his lip."

Gray jolted. "Wait, what?"

Gajeel saw the swollen lip and a tiny scab where Natsu had bit him. "Okay, so you're serious. In that case, I'm sorry."

Natsu swung his finger out to Gray. "To him! You apologize to Gray. You said some shitty stuff to my mate, Gajeel. Apologize properly."

Gajeel glared in annoyance at Natsu, but when he looked over at Gray his eyes softened. He tried to imagine it, if someone had said horrible things to Levy. Hell, he might kill a man for making her cry. If he felt that strongly for the shrimp who could soften an iron-hard heart like his, he knew Natsu probably felt just as protective over the ice wizard who could withstand his flames.

Gajeel dropped his head low. "I apologize for what I said and for not showing respect. I was just talkin' shit, but I said stuff that I never should have said. Worse, I didn't keep it between me and Salamander. I said things to you, and that was out of line."

Gray's eyes narrowed. "You should never say homophobic slurs even in jest."

"Fuck, I've been hearin' that all day," Gajeel growled in frustration, still keeping his head down but gritting his teeth. "I know, okay! I know it was shitty. It was just joking, but I shouldn't have turned it into a fuckin' gay bashing. I've always taken things too far. Did that all the time in Phantom Lord. Ya'd think I'd break the habit here, but I didn't, and I fucked up, and now Levy won't even let me kiss her she's so mad, and she had Freed cast one of his fuckin' Dark Écriture spells to send my libido to zero. So yeah, I fucked up and I'm catching shit from everyone."

Natsu shouted in outrage, "You deserve it!"

Gajeel glared at him, but he forced his focus back onto Gray. "I can't take back those words, but I apologize for them. My beef was never with you, Gray. I still don't like Salamander, but I'm cool if you actually like that idiot. So, yeah. I won't say shit like that again, and I'm sorry for saying it to both of you."

Mira stood by the bar, her blue eyes swishing from one to another as she watched this bizarrely civil apology happen. People talking things out sanely, here in Fairy Tail? It was surreal.

Suddenly, Gray punched Gajeel square in the jaw. The Iron Dragon Slayer was not expecting it and was hit to the side.

"What the fuck!" he bellowed, rubbing out a bruise.

Gray stood over him and glared down. "Apology accepted, but don't ever call my boyfriend an idiot. Only I can call this idiot an idiot. Got it?"

"Fuck you!" Gajeel seethed.

Gray just smirked and took Natsu's hand. "Let's go."

Natsu instantly began to protest. "Hey, I was planning on actually fighting him."

"It's over. He was sincere. Drop it."

"I'm still pissed at him." He tried to squirm away, but Gray had a crushing hold on his hand. "Gray! Gray, let go. I'm gonna fight him."

"Shut up, idiot. I said it's over. It's late, I'm tired, and I don't want to scoop up whatever is left of you after he kicks your butt."

"What!" shrieked Natsu. "Are you saying I'd lose? Screw that. Gajeel! Fight me! You and me, right now!"

"Drop it, Natsu," Gray sighed, and he pulled the rambunctious Dragon Slayer out of the guild hall while Natsu still kept shouting rowdy challenges at Gajeel.

Mira tittered softly. That was a bit more like it: Gray as the ever cool one; Natsu as the fiery hothead! Between the two of them, you just never knew what might happen. It made Fairy Tail perpetually unpredictable.

Next Chapter: "Tatami and Fingers"

A/N: I'm taking time off for my birthday on August 12th. Relatives are flying into town today, my husband took time off work, and we're taking a whole week: a jet boat ride up the river, driving to the coast to attend a regatta, going to a car museum, shopping, eating at fancy restaurants I normally could never afford … I'm actually not sure what all they have planned for me, but it should be a fun week-long birthday vacation. Due to that, there will be no update next week. Sorry.
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Life After Near Death