Disclaimer: All Fairy Tail characters belong to Hiro Mashima.

Chapter 2: Gay Does Not Just Mean Happy, Natsu

"Natsu and Gray can I see you in my office please?", Makarov called out to the two mages from the second floor, "Actually Erza and Lucy, why don't you come too."

The two mages looked at their Master with interest and went up the stairs to find out what this was about. Erza and Lucy followed behind them.

Makarov waited until they had all entered their office before he began to speak.

"Lucy, could you be a dear and close the door behind you?", Lucy did as he requested and stood with the others.

Makarov looked at three of the most volatile mages in his guild and hoped that he was doing the right thing.

"As you might have noticed, Master Bob from Blue Pegasus was here yesterday. Blue Pegasus has been having some trouble and he wants to hire us for a job. I don't know if you know this but Bob was a member of Fairy Tail for many years. We were actually on a team together."

Makarov looked around his messy office trying to locate a framed picture that he kept. It was one of his few mementos from his younger days. He finally located it under some paperwork from the Magic Council that he had been avoiding. He grabbed the frame carefully and showed it to his brats. He pointed at a slim, handsome dark haired man wearing a fancy suit, much like what he was wearing yesterday.

"That's Bob. Here are some others you might recognize.", he pointed out the other mages in the picture, "There's Goldmine,Porlyusica, Yajima,Rob and myself."

"Wow, Master. You used to be a lot taller.", Natsu chuckled.

Makarov glared at him and then laughed, "Yeah, I guess I was."

"That's Bob?!", Gray, Lucy and Erza yelled in disbelief.

Makarov ignored them and continued. "There have been several attacks on gay men leaving the Blue Pegasus club. A few days ago, a man was attacked with a maser and beaten to death. Bob wants these attacks to stop. He thinks that there is someone inside the club watching and selecting victims so he wants us to try to find that person and the rest of the attackers and bring them to justice."

"He is offering a reward of 1,000,000 jewel as well as all the food and drink you consume at the club while you're there."

"We'll do it!", Natsu said with excitement, his mind already consumed with the thought of free food.

"Hang on Flame Brain, you don't even know what we'll have to do on this job.", Gray said fixing his gaze on Makarov. He had a feeling he knew where this was headed.

"Who cares? Free food!", Natsu said joyously.

"I care. What exactly does he want us to do?". Gray asked.

"He wants you to act as bait and when they try to attack you fight them and turn them in to the authorities."

"When you say act as bait you mean pretend to be gay. Can I ask why us?", Gray looked at Makarov seriously.

"Honestly? Bob thought you and Natsu were a couple."

Gray sputtered, "He thought what? Why would he think that?"

Makarov couldn't resist adding with a smirk, "Something about how you two are always showing off in front of the other."

Erza and Lucy snickered into their hands. Gray looked to Natsu for help and found him looking completely disinterested.

"Why aren't you more upset about this?", Gray asked Natsu.

"About what?", Natsu tried to tune back in to the conversation but honestly after the free food thing had been decided he had lost interest. He was happy to leave the planning to the others.

"The fact that Master Bob thought that you and I were gay."

"What's wrong with being gay? The world needs more gay people around. It keeps things from getting gloomy. I mean I try to make everyone around me gay every day.", Natsu declared.

Erza and Lucy's amused looks had now changed to confusion as they tried to interpret Natsu's statement in a way that made sense considering they had never seen him show romantic interest in anyone well..... ever.

"What in the hell are you talking about, you idiot?", Gray looked at his friend with exasperation, "Do you even know what being gay means?"

"Of course, I do.", Natsu replied, "It means to be happy."

"Natsu, how do you grow up in Fairy Tail and not know what being gay means?", Gray asked him while fighting the urge to smack his friend.

"I already told you what it means.", Natsu said with mounting irritation. He hated when Gray tried to make him look stupid in front of others.

"No, you moron. That's not what it means--", Gray started only to be interrupted by Erza.

"Let me.", Erza said, "Natsu, being gay is when two people of the same gender have romantic feelings for each other."

"Oh, you mean like Sting and Rogue.", Natsu nodded with understanding.

"Wait! Sting and Rogue are gay?", Lucy asked in disappointment. She had thought that Sting might have been interested in her.

Natsu nodded."I guess that's what they are. They're mates. Maybe Master Bob should have asked them to do the job instead?"

"No, Sabertooth and Blue Pegasus don't have much of a relationship. It would be strange if members of their guild started showing up at the club.", Makarov pointed out, "We are a known ally."

"So wait, Master Bob thinks that Gray and I are like Sting and Rogue?"

"Because personally I think I could do better than Ice Block.", Natsu said cockily.

"You wish.", Gray retorted, "You'd be lucky to get someone half as good as me."

"You wanna bet?", Natsu approached his rival with his fists at the ready.

"Oh, you're on!", Gray brought up his own fists to meet Natsu's.

"You will not be toying with people's emotions just to win a stupid bet!", Lucy yelled at them with such force that they quickly jumped away from each other.

"I agree, the only way this will work is if you act like a couple. That way you can keep an eye on each other while Lucy and I keep an eye on the customers. We need to take this seriously, these guys are using masers. One wrong move and you can be in serious trouble.", Erza added.

Makarov smiled at Erza gratefully, glad that she had caught on to his plan right away.

"So what do you say boys? Will you take the job?", Makarov asked looking from one to the other. He did not miss the looks that Natsu and Gray were exchanging. Natsu no longer looked convinced and Gray looked skittish as hell.

"How far would we have to take it?", Gray asked nervously.

"Only as far as you're comfortable.", Makarov said kindly.

"Can we have some time to talk about it?", Gray asked.

"Yes, but don't take too long. You have until the end of today to give me your answer.', Makarov replied.

Natsu and Gray nodded and left the office, both deep in thought.

"Do you think they'll do it, Master?", Erza asked.

"Your guess is as good as mine.", Makarov shrugged, "I think they might. They both hate injustice, I don't think that this situation will sit well with them."

Lucy and Erza were leaving the Master's office when they were stopped by his words.

"Lucy and Erza, you are not to try to influence their decision. This will be difficult for them, they need to decide on their own if they can handle it. Understood?"

"Understood, Master."