Chapter 3: Too Troublesome

Gray was walking down the street of Magnolia when he came across the place he wanted to visit. Natsu's house. He knew that Natsu wouldn't get up to get the door, so he just let himself in using his spare key.

When he opened the door, he saw that the room was a complete mess. There was dust everywhere and some of the furniture was flipped over. Gray stared at the house in shock. Yes, Natsu was no clean freak, but at least he had decent hygiene. He heard the kitchen door creek open. God, I need to get that fixed. Standing in the doorway was Natsu.

And, dear God, did he look horrible.

His pink fluff of hair was frizzed up and tinged a darker color. There dark bags under his eyes, making him look like an insomniac. His clothes were crumpled and didn't look like they had been washed for days. Didn't smell like it either. He was very muscular and tan, but he looked skinnier than usual, signifying to Gray that he hasn't been eating.

Natsu shot him a grim smile. "Hey Gray, how've you been?" He said in a hoarse voice. Gray just looked at him. Gray left him alone for one week and this is what he made of himself? He looked like a total wreck. This isn't his best friend and rival who he used to butt heads with all the time. This was a completely different person than the dense idiot that he knew.

"I've been fine. I see you haven't, though." Gray said looking around.

"I guess I didn't have time to really clean up." Natsu said as he put one of his chairs in its proper place. When he sat on it, a cloud of dust erupted from the cushion, causing both Gray and Natsu to cough.

"Come on, Fire Balls. I'm going to head down to the park. I bet I can beat you at some one-on-one basketball." Gray said, trying to get his friend back to his old self.

"I'm sure you can." Natsu said. Gray gave an exasperated sigh. "I would rather just stay home and think about life."

"You have been thinking about life for three WEEKS!" Gray shouted. Natsu stared at him, his eyes dull and emotionless. No fire, no will to fight, what-so-ever.

"I need a bit more time. I feel very safe in my house. And I have Happy to comfort me." Happy was a stuffed blue cat that Lisanna got him. Natsu pulled it out and started stroking the head while looking distant. It was a plush toy for God's sake!

Gray rubbed his temples. "You need help." He said simply. Gray spent the rest of the day trying to get Natsu outside, but he was just acting like a stubborn child. I should have gone with Juvia. Gray thought.

Juvia was running after Erza who was running after a security guard that took the last piece of strawberry cake at her favorite café.

"Erza-san, you need to stop." Juvia yelled as she was panting from running. She's a swimmer, not a sprinter.

"GET BACK HERE YOU CAKE THIEF!" Erza screamed as the security guard started to run faster, half of the cake already in his mouth.

Juvia should have gone with Gray-sama. Juvia thought while sweat dropping.

"God Natsu, you have to get out of here. This place is making you more depressed than you already are." Gray said as he tried to convince his friend to get outside. But Natsu was too busy staring at a picture of him and Lisanna at an amusement park.

"Maybe this was just one huge misunderstanding." Natsu said, trying to think of the best possible situation.

"Natsu, if you remember correctly, she had him pushed up against the wall when they lip locked." Gray shouted at him. He was getting fed up with this. This idiot just wouldn't let go. "I was with you when it happened. When she looked at us, she didn't look like she held the slightest bit of remorse."

"Stop..."

"I bet she didn't. All she ever did was feed off of your money. She made you buy so many things for her; I'm surprised you aren't broke."

"I said stop." Natsu pleaded.

"She would always come whine to you even..." Gray couldn't finish his sentence before a nasty punch hit his stomach, sending him to the ground. Gray sat himself up, clutching his stomach Instead of being angry, he inwardly smiled. He walked up to Natsu and put a hand on his shoulder. "That's the Flame brain I know."

"Whatever ... Ice princess." Natsu said as he slowly moved back to his couch to sulk again. For a very small moment, Gray saw the old Natsu, the guy who basically became a brother to him. However, that was only for a moment, for he was starting to stroke Happy's blue fur again.

"Come on Natsu, you need to get outside, feel the wind on your face!" Gray moved over to open Natsu's curtains. When rays of sunlight shot through the window, Natsu acted like a vampire and quickly threw a blanket over his head.

"Gray! Close them! It burns!" Natsu's muffled shout came from under the blankets. Gray just shook his head in pity for this guy.

"Well you have to get out of the house sometime. I don't want you looking like that on our first day of college." Gray said.

"College is in a week, this is now." Natsu said as he exposed his face from under the blankets.

"Ugh! What the hell is it going to take you to get out of here?" Gray asked, unconsciously stripping off his shirt. Usually, Natsu would have yelled at him to stop stripping at his house, but Natsu just looked at him, raised an eyebrow, and turned back to Happy.

That plush doll was cute, but Gray wanted to burn it.(No offence, I love Happy. Gray isn't really going to burn it though).

Natsu didn't even respond to his question, he just looked very distant. Gray suddenly snapped. "Okay, fine! That's it! I'm not going to allow you to waste your life living in darkness. Tomorrow, we are going to see a movie, and you are going to be there, even if I have to threaten you my nun chucks."

"Gray, I really don't want to..." Natsu started in a hoarse voice.

"NO! I'm coming at eleven! If you don't get dressed and ready by then, I will not hesitate to call Erza and drag you out." Before Natsu could respond, Gray picked up his shirt and slammed the front door shut.

Tomorrow is going to be hell. Natsu thought.