Gratsu Bingo 2019
Prompt: Friends
Chapter 2:
Gray looked up from his textbook as soon as he heard the sound of keys jingling outside the door. A smile played across his lips as he waited patiently for Natsu to open the door to their small apartment.
"Hey, welcome home," Gray greeted, but his words went unheard as Natsu was on the phone laughing with someone.
"Okay, gotta go, Sting, I just got home, see you tomorrow," another laugh and Natsu hung up already walking towards Gray who had gone back to his textbook to hide his frown.
Natsu put his keys down in his usual place and collapsed on the sofa, arms instantly reaching out for Gray. "How was your day Snowflake, did you get a lot of studying done?"
Gray allowed himself to be held briefly, but before Natsu could kiss him, he mentioned, "You were out late tonight, where were you?'
"Laxus asked me to substitute for one of the players on his Ultimate team, I figured it was okay since you were studying," Natsu replied but noticing Gray's guarded expression he asked apologetically, "Should I have called?"
Gray knew that Natsu had a hard time during his exam period, he felt like he had to be quiet around him, and that was hard for the naturally boisterous male. So a lot of the time his friends would invite him out to keep him out of Gray's hair, and he was sure that this was what Laxus had intended but...
"Did Sting play as well?" Gray asked, trying to sound uninterested as he pretended to look down at his book again.
"Yeah, he did," Natsu scratched his head, puzzled.
"You've been spending a lot of time with him lately, don't you think?"
"I guess," Natsu studied his boyfriend carefully, trying to figure out what he was missing when all of a sudden his eyes lit up, and he laughed. "Don't tell me you're jealous!"
"What?! No!" Gray spluttered, and he wasn't, he trusted Natsu completely. He knew Natsu would never cheat on him, just like he wouldn't either. It was something they had promised each other early on.
"Then what?" Natsu challenged, not understanding what could be upsetting his boyfriend.
"Natsu, it's obvious he likes you, and you spending all this time with him, it's sending him the wrong message."
"You're being absurd. Sting doesn't like me like that."
Gray rolled his eyes at him. Natsu was the most oblivious person on this planet, and he would know. It had taken him almost a year to get the idiot to realize he had feelings for him.
"He also thinks we're just roommates," Gray commented drily.
"Now that's just ridiculous! Everyone at work knows we're together."
"Lyon told me Sting asked Erik about me, and he told him that we had been roommates for years."
"Why would he do that?" Natsu asked, looking genuinely bewildered.
"Because all your friends are assholes, and Erik thought it would be funny since he knows Sting likes you," Gray explained hating to see the confusion in Natsu's eyes.
"Well, why didn't Lyon set him straight then?"
At that, Gray had to chuckle, "Because Lyon is an asshole too."
"So he really likes me?" Natsu seemed decidedly uncomfortable with the concept, and Gray couldn't blame him.
He'd been on the receiving end of a similar situation the previous year, and it had gone very badly. The girl had refused to accept that Gray was in a relationship and had become decidedly stalkerish. When she'd broken into their apartment with the intent to hurt Natsu, they'd had to get the police involved. They still had a restraining order out on her.
"Yeah, hot stuff, he does," Gray repeated matter of factly.
Natsu grinned at the nickname, sneaking a kiss before speaking plainly. "Do you want me to stop hanging out with him?"
Gray froze, knowing that Natsu would do whatever he asked. It was tempting, but he had no desire to cage Natsu. And to be fair, he liked Sting just fine.
"No, I just want you to be honest with him," Gray paused before adding quietly, "Sting's a good guy. I don't want to see him get hurt."
Natsu startled at Gray's words. His boyfriend was an amazing man. Where others would be jealous about their partner spending so much time with another man, he was trying to look out for Sting.
"Alright, I'll talk to him soon," Natsu promised. While the idea of bringing the topic up with Sting was making him decidedly uncomfortable, he'd have to figure out a way to do it. Gray was right if Sting had a thing for him he'd have to let him down. He grumbled, already trying to come up with a way to get back at Erik for this.
Gray rewarded him with a kiss and satisfied with Natsu's promise went back to his book. Natsu sat quietly for a few minutes with his arm draped around Gray's shoulders as he watched his love study. When he began fidgeting, Gray gave him an irritated glare, which was his cue to go to bed.
This was their routine during exam weeks. Natsu hated it, but he knew how important it was for Gray to keep his grades up. If he didn't, he'd lose the scholarships he'd earned.
It wasn't a full ride, but without them, they'd never be able to afford to pay for school. Natsu leaned in for one last kiss and went to bed already thinking how best to breach the dreaded topic with Sting.
Xxx
"Where am I?" Natsu asked, looking around the white room in confusion. He felt like there was something he should remember, but he just felt strange all over, and out of it.
"You're at the hospital, Natsu, " Lyon answered helpfully. Natsu peered at him and didn't particularly like the concerned way he was looking at him.
"Am I going to be okay?" he asked drowsily.
"Yeah, but listen, there's something I have to tell you," Lyon started to speak, but Natsu wouldn't let him continue.
"You didn't call Gray, did you?" Natsu asked worriedly, "Today was his dessert presentation."
Lyon managed a small laugh before correcting him, "Dissertation, moron."
"Whatever, just tell me you didn't call him over this."
"I had to, you know he'd kill me if something happened to you and I didn't tell him," Lyon gazed down at his brother's boyfriend with a fond smile.
"Oh man, he's gonna be pissed," Natsu complained, and Lyon couldn't help but wince because he knew Natsu was right, especially once his brother found out what had happened.
He was about to try to comfort the man he already thought of as his brother-in-law and offer to help him talk to Gray when their conversation was rudely interrupted.
"I believe I told the nurses family members only."
"I am his family," Lyon scowled at the dark-haired man that had entered the room followed by a white-haired assistant who was scribbling on a clipboard nonstop while speaking on a cell phone.
"Funny, I don't remember seeing you before," the man answered haughtily, "I'm Zeref Dragneel, Natsu's brother, who the hell are you?"
"I'm Lyon Vastia and I'm--," Lyon began, but he wasn't allowed to finish his sentence as Zeref's assistant shoved him out of the room with surprising force, closing the door in his face.
Lyon was furious, but all he could do was watch through the glass as Zeref talked to Natsu. He could tell Natsu was enraged even though he couldn't hear the words. It was obvious the two brothers were arguing, which was probably not great for Natsu's condition. He felt arms grab him from behind.
"I came as fast as I could, is he okay?" Gray's clothing was a mess, his shirt was buttoned incorrectly under the strap of his school bag, and his belt was undone, telltale signals that Gray had caught himself attempting to strip and tried to remedy it, a childhood habit that only ever popped up when he was anxious.
Lyon gave his younger brother a hug, trying to relax him and then helped him button his shirt correctly, letting him fix his belt on his own.
"Sorry, I can't help it," Gray shied away from his brother's knowing look before asking what had been freaking him out since he got the call earlier. "What happened?"
"Don't worry about that now, Natsu's brother is here, and he's not letting anyone but family members in."
"Zeref is here?" Gray looked through the glass, his expression one Lyon couldn't easily interpret.
"You know him?"
"Not exactly, I know of him," Gray explained, "He's the reason Natsu ran away. Shit!"
"Chill, man. You're both adults, it's not like he can take Natsu away or anything."
"I know," Gray hissed, "It's... complicated. I should get in there," Gray muttered, sounding like he was trying to convince himself of the fact. He looked to Lyon suddenly, "Tell me what happened."
"Shouldn't you worry about that later?" Lyon hedged, trying to weasel his way out of being the one to tell him what had happened.
"Lyon?"
"Fine, it was an accident, Sting was supposed to turn off the electricity, but he was distracted, and Natsu was electrocuted," Lyon winced as he saw the fury on his brother's face. "They're still running tests to determine how widespread the damage is."
"What do you mean Sting was distracted?"
Lyon cursed his luck, of course, Gray would hang on to that word. The man was obsessed with Natsu's safety at work. Lyon knew it was a constant source of anxiety for him, he'd lost so many people in his life he was terrified Natsu would be next.
Lyon sighed, "Natsu finally got around to having that talk with Sting you wanted. He didn't take it well."
"Are you trying to tell me Sting did this on purpose?!" Gray growled, and he felt horrible guilt, knowing that he'd been the one to ask Natsu to do this. He began to have flashbacks of his stalker, and the room felt like it was darkening around him.
"Of course not! It's nothing like that girl, I swear. Like I said he was just distracted because he was upset," Lyon put his hands to Gray's face trying to bring him back to the present, "I had to talk Laxus out of firing him, as it is he got suspended without pay for two weeks."
Gray calmed down at Lyon's words and began to look through the glass again, wanting to talk to Natsu and assure himself his boyfriend was alright.
"Look, I don't know enough about his condition, but he was awake and talking, he already chewed me out for possibly ruining your dessert presentation," Lyon grinned, he loved to tease Natsu, but he really did care about him a great deal. He made Gray happy, and after everything his brother had been through, that's all Lyon cared about. "Did everything work out?"
Gray immediately chuckled at Natsu's phrasing, "Moron," he uttered fondly. "Yeah, I explained what happened to my advisor, and she rescheduled the meeting for next week. She's the one who called the cab for me," Gray explained, "I was too shaky."
"The doctor should be able to tell us something soon," Lyon soothed, not wanting to be the one to have to tell his brother that besides the burns that Natsu had on his hands, his internal organs could be fried along with a whole lot of other issues from the fall he'd suffered as his body jolted from the massive amounts of electricity running through it.
Gray drew in a long breath and glanced at Lyon before grabbing the door handle, "I'm going in."
He opened the door and walked in to hear the two brothers fighting. Gray watched with growing concern as he saw how agitated Natsu was.
"I don't care, Zeref," Natsu yelled, "If she's still waiting for me that's her problem, not mine. I told her quite clearly it was never going to happen."
"Natsu," Gray hurried over to the bed, putting his school bag down on the floor and wrapping Natsu in a protective embrace before kissing him, which is something they didn't tend to do too much in public spaces, aware that it made some people uncomfortable. He heard Zeref mutter the word fag under his breath but ignored it. He had better things to worry about.
"I'm fine, Snowflake," Natsu tried to assure him, but Gray was having none of it.
"I'm so sorry."
"Sorry? For what?" Natsu seemed puzzled and then frowned as he realized Lyon must have told him what happened with Sting.
"It was just a stupid accident," Natsu was quick to shrug it off, I'll be up and around before you know it."
"You were electrocuted, Natsu," Gray reminded him, "It's not like when you managed to staple your finger with the nail gun.
Natsu flinched at the memory, that had been undeniably painful, and Gray had been a mess then too.
"When are you going to stop this charade and come home?" Zeref shouted at him as he watched the two men with disgust.
"I am home, Zeref," Natsu declared as calmly as he could, "Gray is my home, and I'm happy. I'm glad to see you're doing well, but if you still can't accept me for who I am, then you should leave. "
"This isn't over, Natsu."
"Yes, it is," Natsu announced forcefully, "Please leave."
"Fine, but I'll be back," Zeref promised as he stormed out of the room, shoulder checking Lyon on his way out.
Natsu refused to stare after his brother, focusing on Gray and the fear on his face at his brother's appearance.
"We're going to be fine, Princess. We both knew this day was going to come eventually. We're adults now, there's nothing he can do to split us up."
"How did he find us?"
"Honestly, I'm surprised he hadn't found me before," Natsu shrugged it off, trying to keep Gray calm.
"I'm sorry, Natsu. Freed called him, it's the first accident since he started and he was just trying to follow company protocol," Laxus walked into the room followed by Lyon. "It won't happen again, I removed the number from your file."
"Why was the number even there?" Gray's forehead furrowed in confusion.
"Gramps," Laxus explained, "You remember how reckless Natsu used to be, Gramps wanted to make sure he could reach his family in case something serious happened. It was a condition of his employment at the time."
"Is your brother gonna be a problem for you guys?" Laxus glared at the door Zeref, and his assistant had just exited.
"I don't know," Natsu said truthfully, his eyes getting a faraway look, "He did say one thing that was interesting, my father is back."
Gray startled at Natsu's words, he knew that Igneel had abandoned both boys years ago and that Natsu had never given up hope of seeing him again. But was he really back or was Zeref dangling that in front of Natsu in the hopes that he would bite? Things were getting more complicated by the second, and it was making him decidedly uneasy.
"Well, we'll deal with him if he does," Laxus smiled at them as he patted their backs being careful of Natsu's injury, "We're your family now."
Lyon nodded in agreement, and both he and Laxus sat in the room's chairs as they waited for a doctor to tell them about Natsu's condition.
Natsu didn't have the heart to tell his friends that if Zeref were really determined to bring him home, he would find a way to take them down one by one. It was what his brother did best, and he never showed any remorse.
Natsu cursed his luck, he'd really thought he'd left this mess behind when he'd run away from home all those years ago. He felt Gray tense up and made room on the small hospital bed for him, letting Gray hold him in his arms and play with his hair, reinforcing the fact that he was here and he had no plans to go anywhere.
A/N: I kept thinking about these two and my brain came up with a backstory for them. I meant for it to be one additional chapter but it got too long so I split it up. The next chapter should be up in a few days.
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