Chapter Text
Gray had been about to open the door to the Fairy Tail guild when he heard a rustle in the bushes.
“Pssst, Gray.”
He recognized the voice right away and could already feel a headache forming in response, but he dutifully walked towards the bush, fighting the urge to just freeze it and head inside the guild. Loke crouched behind the bushes, looking uncharacteristically serious.
“Do I even want to know who you’re hiding from?”
“I have some important intel, and it affects both of us.”
“Intel?” Gray was admittedly curious, but he stopped himself before he could get caught up in whatever this was. “Look, man, I just got back from a job. All I want is to relax and grab a beer.”
“Would you still think that if I told you it’s about Natsu and Lucy?”
Well, that certainly changed things a little. Natsu and Lucy were his teammates, and if they were in trouble, then he wanted to know about it. However, he knew from experience that Loke’s definition of trouble was markedly different from his. But what if it was serious...
Ten minutes later they had made it to Gray’s small apartment. Gray dropped his mission bag, and subconsciously his shirt, by the door and led Loke to his living room.
“Alright, so what’s this about?” he asked, getting two beers from the fridge and giving one to Loke.
“Gray, don’t take this the wrong way, but I need you to grow a pair.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?!”
“Look, the situation is desperate. Cancer told me Lucy summoned him to do her hair and help her pick outfits this morning.”
“Is that all? She does that all the time.”
“Yes, but this time she was getting ready to ask Natsu out.”
Gray ignored the tightening of his stomach at those words, outwardly shrugging them off.
“Still don’t see what this has to do with me.”
“So you’re perfectly fine with Lucy dating Natsu? That’s bullshit and you know it.”
“I don’t care what the Flame Brain does,” Gray was lying through his teeth, but he’d gone years hiding his feelings and he wasn’t about to let them out now.
“You’re so cute when you’re in denial,” Loke snickered.
“Fuck off.”
“We both know Natsu will end up saying yes, even if only because he won’t want to hurt her feelings, and who knows how long that will last. We’d both be screwed, and not in the good way.”
Loke was right. Natsu hated hurting his friends, except for him of course, but Gray couldn’t fault him for that. Not when he was just as bad. Natsu wouldn’t want to disappoint Lucy, so he’d likely say yes. Not to mention there was almost as much pressure on him to like Lucy as there was on Gray to like Juvia.
And what if Natsu ended up marrying her? That tightening in Gray’s stomach worsened, making him want to double over to ease the pain. He’d experienced plenty of crushes over the years, but his heart had long ago decided on Natsu. Would he be able to live with himself if he didn’t at least try to stop this?
But what about Lucy? She was his friend too. Should he really stand in her way?
His eyes narrowed at the thought. Fuck that, he’d hadn’t known her that long, but he’d been waiting for the flame brained dimwit to wake up to romance for years. If she was planning on making a move, then it was as good as a declaration of war. And Gray wouldn’t give up without a fight.
“Alright, let’s say, for the sake of argument, that you were right. What is it you have in mind?”
“I think it’s about time you asked Natsu out. Don’t you? If you get him to date you, then maybe Lucy will finally take me seriously.”
“I can’t just ask him out. He’d probably think I was messing with him and punch me on the spot.”
“True, he’s a tough nut to crack, but there’s always something,” Loke muttered, his expression turning thoughtful.
He snapped his fingers a few minutes later, startling Gray out of his panicked thoughts.
“Okay, so the basic problem is that Natsu’s oblivious, right?”
Gray nodded, thinking that summed it up quite nicely.
“So here’s what you’re going to do.”
Loke explained his plan and Gray instinctively knew he was doomed. There was no way anyone could be that oblivious.
He knew the likelihood of this working was slim at best, but that didn’t matter one whit because Gray had already resigned himself to doing whatever it took to keep from losing Natsu forever.
0-0
“I’m back!”
Gray tensed the moment he heard the guild doors bust open, followed immediately by Natsu’s loud greeting. It was time to put their plan in motion, but he didn’t feel ready. He hadn’t really had enough time to process that he was finally making his move. Loke squeezed his shoulder before sitting down next to him at the table, and that was all the encouragement he could give because Natsu was likely to hear any words they exchanged.
“I can’t believe you got a reservation for The Spice Grill!” Loke sounded enthusiastic. Way too enthusiastic. Gray cringed at the loudness of his voice.
“Oh yeah, it was part of the reward for that job I went on today,” Gray recited his lines, feeling incredibly stupid. “I hear all the food is super spicy there and they cook it on a grill right in front of you.”
“Don’t they have that magical bartender too?”
“Oh yeah, that’s right! She makes special drinks that you can infuse with your magic. I wonder what ice-magic tastes like?”
Loke made a few crass comments in response, but at least they made him laugh, soothing his nerves a little. Gray hoped Natsu was listening, but it worried him that he’d remained silent so far.
“So who’re you taking?”
Gray thanked his lucky stars that Juvia had yet to return from her job with Gajeel, because that had been the trickiest part of this plan. If she’d been here to overhear this conversation, there was no chance he would’ve gotten away with not taking her. Voluntarily or not.
“Hey, Levy!”
Shit, that was Lucy. If he couldn’t lure Natsu over before she got to him, it would be all over.
“I haven’t decided yet,” Gray stuck to the plan, doing his best to sound disinterested even though inside he was desperately screaming at Natsu to take the bait. “You like spicy food, don’t you? Wanna come along?”
Loke rubbed the back of his neck, “I guess I could go.”
“I like spicy food, I’ll go with you, Ice Block.” Natsu finally joined the conversation, and Gray almost cheered.
“Why would I take you out to eat?” Gray sneered, knowing he couldn’t make it too easy or Natsu would suspect something was up. “You have the table manners of a boar.”
“Didn’t you say the reward was for all you can eat?” Loke threw in the last incentive.
“All you can eat?” Natsu’s enthusiasm bumped up a notch at the news, and now he was practically salivating. “Oh, come on, don’t be a jerk! I promise I’ll be on my best behavior.”
“Alright, I’ll tell you what,” Gray proposed after pretending to think it over. “I’ll take you, but only if you can beat me at arm wrestling.”
“As if I would lose to you,” Natsu scoffed, sitting across from him and propping his elbow on the table. He peered at Gray expectantly. “Bring it on, Ice Princess, I’m all fired up!”
Elfman had just checked their hands and elbows when Gray heard Juvia enter the guild already calling for him. So rather than complete the challenge, he got up, dragging Natsu along by the hand he was already holding and making a beeline for the exit.
“Change of plans, Pyro, let’s go!”
He glimpsed Juvia’s disappointed face on their way out, but it didn’t bother him in the slightest. Lucy’s, however, was much harder to dismiss. He felt a bit guilty, knowing what she’d planned to do and how much effort she’d put into it, but not nearly enough to abort his mission. All was fair in love and war, right? And this was both, so doubly fair.
“Hey, you can let go now,” Natsu tugged his hand free of his grasp. “What got into you, anyway?”
“I didn’t want to have to deal with Juvia wanting to come along,” Gray answered honestly, and Natsu didn’t question him further.
“So where is this restaurant?”
“Akane Beach.”
“Aw man, you didn’t say we’d have to take a train to get there!”
“You didn’t ask.”
Gray held his breath while Natsu glared at the train station as if it were somehow responsible for his motion sickness. A minute later his shoulders slumped, and he began walking. “Ugh, fine. Let’s just get it over with.”
He couldn’t believe it. Loke’s stupid plan had actually worked! He was going on a date with Natsu! Well, fine, he’d tricked Natsu into going on a date with him, but it was still more than he’d ever thought he’d get.
0-0
The train ride went about as expected. They had the compartment to themselves since Natsu’s agonized groans and dry heaves scared away most of the passengers. Gray watched over him while he thought of the dinner ahead.
The restaurant was pretty trendy, much more so than any place they usually went to. Loke had pulled some major strings to get a reservation on such short notice, and adding that all you can eat option was going to cost Gray almost the entire reward from his last job. He was a little worried that they would stand out from the other guests, and while he’d teased Natsu about his manners, it wasn’t like his were that much better. However, the hassle would be totally worth it if things went the way he hoped, but if it didn’t... Well, it was all you can drink too.
This wasn’t the first date Gray had been on, but it was the first one where he felt this nervous. Had they ever done anything like this together before? He didn’t think so. Most of the times they’d gone places together, it was at Erza’s behest - one of her attempts to get them to get along better, and she was usually there to run interference.
And they still almost always ended up in disaster.
The train slowed down, signaling their arrival and pulling Gray out of his thoughts. Once it rolled to a stop, he nudged Natsu that they had arrived, carrying him off the train on his back and walking onto the busy platform of the Akane Beach Station. He soon found a bench outside where they could sit while Natsu recovered.
The breeze brought with it the smell of the ocean, making him feel like Ur was wishing him luck. Gray couldn’t help but smile in response. Natsu stirred next to him, perked up by the sounds of live music and the bustle of excited tourists.
“You ready to move?”
Natsu responded by springing off the bench, grabbing Gray by the arm and pulling him up, “Come on Ice Block, I want to check out the music!”
That was easier said than done. It was a Friday evening, and people had come to Akane in droves. Natsu held on to Gray’s arm as he tried to force them through the crowds, making sure they wouldn’t lose each other in them.
Gray rolled his eyes at his friend’s usual blunt approach, lowering his core temperature instead. He laughed at Natsu’s surprised expression when people moved away from them, clearing a path.
Natsu grinned, but rather than letting go, he tugged harder, wanting to get to where the excitement was at. They quickly crossed the boardwalk, getting their first view of the resort and amusement park.
The Spice Grill, the restaurant they were going to, was inside the resort, but they still had some time before their reservation. Natsu headed straight for the street musicians that played outside the hotel, tapping his foot to the beat and clapping louder than anyone when the song was over. He threw some jewels into their open guitar case.
“After listening to Gajeel, I’d almost forgotten what proper music sounded like.”
Gray snorted in agreement. “We should probably head inside now, wouldn’t want to miss our reservation.”
“All you can eat, here we come!” Natsu cheered, holding the door open for Gray, and following him inside.