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Natsu Dragneel, the Salamander. A fire dragonslayer who, like so many other dragonslayers, had a very good battle sense.
He was good at reading a battlefield. Also, his famous stubbornness did help too.
He was not known for being the sharpest tool in the shed. However, his emotional intelligence was strong and only shown to those closer to him, to his family. Not that it was always clear, though.
Natsu was strangely pragmatic but he also had an innocent, almost childish, side.
It wasn’t very common knowledge but Natsu did enjoy his fair share of people watching. It sometimes helped him to order his senses or even train them. Most people would not think he had the patience to stay that still but he did.
Sometimes he caught some details that seemed to go unnoticed. And it was also another way of knowing his friends and family.
It was the way Lucy pushed her hair behind her ear as she focused, or the slight tap of Erza’s index finger over her crossed arms showed her impatience – especially while she waited for her slice of cake. Unfortunately she didn’t have this type of opening while fighting but Natsu would not give up – he was going to beat her one day.
And then came the thing that got him stumped.
Gray.
The damned ice mage.
They were rivals and everything but ever since they had all banded together in a team, Natsu had noticed it.
He was not a person to get stumped or even overly focused but here he was.
And focused on something of the damned ice cube, to boot!
Hands.
Gray’s hands.
Natsu had been noticing that he found himself following them, taking a close focus on their movements, the gestures, how they were so rough yet could create things that went from functional to pretty.
And the worst part was that… he was getting worse.
He wanted to inspect those hands closer, to touch them – heck, to be touched by them. And the punches and whatnot that happened during the brawls were not it. He wanted equal focus. Intent, even.
But that was not going to happen.
So.
He just looked. Or, maybe, stared.
He didn’t think he stared. Lucy was the one saying that.
Lucy sat down at the table beside Natsu, placing a book down in front of herself, before folding her arms over it and resting her head on them.
“Back to look at Gray?” she asked in a teasing tone.
“Huh?” Natsu replied distractedly before the words registered and he looked at her. “What are you talking about?” he asked with a frown.
“Gray,” Lucy pointed towards the counter where Gray was talking to Mira. “You’ve been looking at him a lot lately.”
“Have not.” Was the instant reply. “I’m not looking at Gray.” Natsu all but pouted and threw a glare her way.
“So what’s there around or close to Gray that has you looking so intently in his direction?”
“It… no. Nothing.”
“I don’t know if it’s nothing but you should know that Gray is also aware of your looks…” she smirked. “Just a heads up.” And with that she straightened, leaned back on her chair and took a drink from her glass.
“You’re lying,” was the quick reply.
“Suit yourself,” Lucy placed her elbow on the table and rested her face on her hand. “You’ll be able to explain all of that to Gray. He’s coming this way.”
Natsu’s head whipped towards Gray but the ice mage was still engrossed in conversation, now with a mug of ale in front of him.
“You’re an asshole.” Natsu huffed and stood up. He left a laughing Lucy in his trail and was unaware that Gray’s eyes followed him on his way out.
But Natsu left the guild and he was literally fuming.
“So mean…” he was nearly stomping his way out of the town.
He was going home.
Natsu didn’t know but someone followed him moments later.
The fire mage made the trek home without noticing his surroundings much. It was a chill night but it didn’t matter to him. In fact, the cold breeze has cooling his hot headedness. He was slowly calming down.
By the time the door closed behind him, Natsu was back to his baseline, but still scoffing at Lucy’s actions. He loved her dearly but, damn, she could play dirty. And have a mean streak.
It would be terrible if Gray had, indeed, noticed.
That was a ridiculous notion though. Gray was his rival and the only hand touching would be the exchanges of punches between them.
That was something that for some reason didn’t sit well deep down, in Natsu’s gut.
It he were being completely honest, that was saddening.
The fire mage walked to the sofa and slumped on top of it. Feeling strangely empty now that he’d calmed down.
He knew he was missing something but he didn’t know what. And he wasn’t about to go ask Lucy for some help.
He’d been mocked enough already.
The fire mage lay stretched on the sofa, his head on the armrest, one arm covering his eyes.
Then.
A knock on the door distracted him from his not thoughts – sighing, he sat up.
‘Who can it be?’
With a huff, Natsu walked towards the door but he caught a whiff of who was on the other side of the door.
‘What the fuck is he doing here?’ he thought with a frown.
Without a moment to think he yanked the door open to the sight of Gray, who was resting leisurely against the door jamb.
“What are you doing here? Came to spar?” he cracked his knuckles.
“Nah. Had enough of that already at the guild,” he paused for a beat, looking closely at the fire mage. “What’s up?”
“The fuck do you mean?” Natsu said in a surprised tone, blinking a few times as the other walked inside and headed to the sofa. Gray sat down on it. “And that’s rude.”
Gray flashed a smirk at that.
“Like you don’t do the same thing at Lucy’s…”
“That’s different!” Natsu stammered, flustered.
Gray’s demeanour shifter and he leaned forward. “What’s going on?”
“Huh?”
“You’ve been acting all weird,” Gray explained, looking serious, “too silent.”
“Hey! It’s not like you’re the only one who’s allowed some corner brooding time.”
“That’s true,” Gray conceded, a corner of his mouth tilting upwards, “but that’s not very normal of you.” The ice mage’s hands, first clasped in front of him moved, the right hand arching in the space between the two.
And Natsu’s eyes caught on. Following it in mesmerized distraction.
“Hey!” Gray snapped his fingers right in front of Natsu – bringing him out of his focused state. “Seriously, are you alright?” worry started colour both Gray’s voice and expression.
“Fine. I’m fine.” Natsu brushed him off and shook his head.
Gray leaned back but he was not looking convinced. He placed both hands on his knees and waited.
Of course that Natsu couldn’t help but become distracted by his hands once again.
“Is there something on my hand?” The ice mage waved his right hand in front of Natsu once again. And that was when Natsu’s impulse took over.
He grasped the hand and looked down at it. Intently.
A slight blush tinted his cheeks before he realized what he’d just done and he let go and jumped back as if he’d just been shocked. He didn’t look at the ice mage.
And that made something click in Gray’s expression.
“It’s… my hand?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Natsu stated while still not looking at Gray.
“It is.” Gray pointed out with some surprise. “But I don’t get it.”
“It’s nothing. Just stop flailing your hand around, yeah?” Natsu said between clenched teeth, just barely turning his head to see Gray by the corner of his eye.
“Natsu,” Gray stood up, took the few steps that separated the two and grabbed Natsu’s closest hand in both of his. “I’m here. I will hold your hand.”
Natsu’s hand snapped back to look at Gray. He didn’t have words.
But.
Gray’s words reached deeply and Natsu couldn’t help himself. He tightened his grasp on Gray’s hand.
He was not going to let go.
There was a lot that he was not yet understanding, a lot that was not being talked but, for the moment, holding onto Gray’s hand was enough.
It was all that mattered.