Gratsu Bingo 2019
Prompt: Dance

They'd had to move to a new house. With Silver being responsible for three kids now, he felt it would be better to move to a home closer to his job. That's what he told them, but Gray knew better.

They'd needed a house that was closer to the hospital. Natsu's injuries had been more extensive than they'd thought at first. If his uncle had managed to get him just one inch to the left Natsu might have been in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. As it was, even after many surgeries, it was very likely he would have to use a cane for the rest of his life. For someone as active as Natsu that news was devastating.

No more running, no more wrestling with Gray for fun and always getting tired quickly due to the effort it took for him to move his legs. His physical therapist was optimistic that with continued therapy, his mobility would improve considerably, but it was hard to look to that future when everything now was so damn hard.

It also didn't help that the trial had just started. Silver, Gray, Wendy, and Natsu had all been interviewed by the lawyers, for days on end. Even though Natsu and Wendy's names had not been released to the public because they were both minors, they lived in a small town. Everyone knew what had happened, some of them had even seen it coming but had been unable to stop it. Reporters were permanently camped on their front yard, hoping to get a quote or a picture fo the news.

Gray parked his Jeep at one of the paid spots by the beach and watched Natsu for a few minutes before getting out and grabbing a blanket from the trunk. He strolled, giving himself time to try and understand what Natsu was doing.

"Hey," Gray greeted before setting the blanket down on the sand and sitting down. He brought up a hand up to shade his eyes. "Your therapist said you had a rough session, shouldn't you be resting?"

Natsu only gave him a frustrated grunt, doggedly continuing to move along the shore using his cane for balance and support.

Tag, you're it!

Gray could remember so many afternoons spent playing tag when they were kids. Natsu had always loved to run, loved the feel of the wind in his hair as he pumped his arms, pushing himself to go faster and faster.

When he was older, he'd started running to cope with his feelings, saying it helped to quiet his mind and work his way through problems. He never went out for the track team though, perhaps knowing it was unlikely he'd be able to compete, given the number of times he ended up injured.

He saw Natsu stumble and quickly got up to approach him. "Stop this! Just sit down for five minutes."

Natsu glared defiantly, but Gray only smiled at him gently, "I'll make it worth your while."

Natsu allowed himself to be led to the blanket, Gray knew better than to offer to help, so he sat down and let Natsu figure out how to get himself down. Once he'd plopped down, Gray grabbed his hand and squeezed it, letting Natsu cuddle up to him. He wanted to kiss him, but he thought Natsu was still too worked up for that.

"Do you want to talk about what happened?"

Natsu shook his head, but Gray could see the barest hint of tears.

"Sweetheart, what's wrong?" Gray pleaded, "You know you can tell me anything. I've always kept all your secrets."

Natsu gazed at him, his expression guarded before sadness clouded his features. "It's just, you asked me to Prom, and I want to go, but I don't want yet another reason to be a spectacle. I wanted to be able to dance with you, and the therapist said he didn't think my legs were strong enough for that yet."

"Is that why you're here exhausting yourself?" Gray groaned," Natsu, I don't care if all we do is stand around, I just want to go with you. "

"I know, but you don't understand, everywhere I go all I hear is people whispering about Wendy and me. They pity me. Oh look, there goes that kid who was abused for years. I hate it! Lucy can't look at me without crying, even Erza treats me differently. Did you know she hasn't yelled at me once? She apologized to me yesterday for fuck's sake."

Gray chuckled, he had noticed Erza was having trouble adjusting to Natsu's new situation. "You should count yourself lucky."

"I know, but I just want things to go back to normal, and they never will. This is my new normal, and I know I'm lucky to be alive and living with you guys. But it's so hard!"

Gray couldn't find it in his heart to be upset with Natsu after hearing all that. He knew his boyfriend was having trouble adjusting, but he'd never heard him state it quite so bluntly. Gray got his phone out and looked through his phone for a song. She Will Be Loved by Maroon 5 began to play.

"Well, I think your therapist is full of it," Gray helped Natsu get up, grabbing his cane and dropping it gently on the blanket. He held on to Natsu's waist firmly with one arm and used the other to place Natsu's arms around his neck. Once he was sure Natsu was holding on to him securely, he brought his arm down to join the other around Natsu's waist.

He swayed them together in place gently, singing along to the music.

I don't mind spendin' everyday

Out on your corner in the pourin' rain

Look for the boy with the broken smile

Ask him if he wants to stay awhile

And he will be loved, and he will be loved

"I love you, Doofus," Gray gave Natsu a lopsided grin, "We can already do this, and this is all I need."

Natsu's entire face lit up at the realization that he could dance with Gray, and Gray had no choice but to kiss the fool out of him. His arm snaked up to cup Natsu's face. His lips seeking out Natsu's as they continued to sway along to the song.

"I love you, too," Natsu replied simply, too overwhelmed by the moment to say anything else.

Gray continued singing.

I know where you hide alone in your car

Know all of the things that make you who you are

I know that goodbye means nothing at all

Comes back and makes me catch him every time he

Falls

It was a fitting song for them. Gray knew Natsu better than he knew himself sometimes, and he would continue to be there for him.

Gray would make sure that for the rest of his life, Natsu would be loved.