Archive of Our Own

gray exhales sharply, pressing a hand to his ribs where a dull ache throbs beneath the surface. everything still feels too fast—like his body hasn’t fully caught up with the fact that he’s here, moving, breathing, fighting. only minutes ago, he was part of that massive lacrima, his consciousness slipping in and out like a half-formed dream. now, he’s free. but freedom doesn’t mean much when they’re still drowning in battle.

the edolas army is relentless. they come in waves, soldiers clad in white armor, wielding weapons that crackle with something wrong—some kind of magic-draining force that sucks the strength right out of his limbs every time he dodges too close. beside him, erza fights like hell, cutting through their ranks with a borrowed sword, her face hard with focus. but even she can’t hold them back forever.

they need to get out.

before gray can figure out how, a screech of tires cuts through the clash of metal and shouts.

his head snaps toward the sound just as a small, beat-up car comes barreling around the corner, swerving between soldiers like it has no business being anywhere near this fight. the engine rattles, coughing up smoke, but the damn thing is moving fast, weaving through chaos with reckless precision.

and then it drifts—sliding across the pavement before skidding to a stop right in front of them. dust kicks up in the air, clouding his vision for a second.

the driver’s side door flies open.

“get in!!”

gray freezes. because that voice—

his brain stutters.

it’s natsu.

except—not his natsu.

this one is different. the same messy pink hair, but goggles rest on his head, and instead of his usual scarf, there’s a loose jacket, too big on his frame. his sleeves are rolled up, fingers gripping the steering wheel like he’s holding on for dear life. there’s no fire in his stance, no reckless confidence—just wide, nervous eyes, darting between them and the soldiers closing in.

erza doesn’t hesitate. she grabs gray’s arm and shoves him toward the car, voice sharp. “move!”

his body reacts before his mind does, hands gripping the doorframe as he stumbles into the passenger seat. erza throws herself into the back, barely yanking the door shut before natsu slams his foot on the gas.

the car lurches forward, the tires screeching as they speed off. gray jerks back against the seat, heart hammering from the sudden rush of movement. buildings blur past the windows, the sounds of battle fading behind them.

it’s only when the adrenaline slows—just a fraction—that he finally looks at natsu.

and then it hits him.

because this natsu—he’s nothing like the one gray knows.

there’s no fire, no bared teeth, no reckless grin. this natsu grips the wheel with both hands, shoulders tight with tension. his brows knit together, and every so often, he darts glances at the rearview mirror, jaw clenched.

he’s worried.

gray doesn’t know what to do with that. because natsu doesn’t worry—not like this. their natsu would be grinning through the chaos, laughing even while running headfirst into danger. this one, though—this one feels fragile in a way that shouldn’t be possible.

gray swallows. his chest feels weird. warm, but not from exhaustion.

he doesn’t say anything. doesn’t know what to say. but for some reason, he can’t stop watching him.

- -

the car rattles down the uneven road, kicking up dust in its wake. gray keeps his arms crossed, his body tense from more than just the lingering soreness of being trapped in lacrima. erza sits stiff in the backseat, eyes trained on natsu, who’s gripping the wheel like it’s second nature.

it’s still so weird. natsu. driving. and not just driving—doing it well.

erza leans forward slightly. “where exactly are you taking us?”

natsu exhales sharply, adjusting his grip. “out of trouble, for starters.”

she narrows her eyes. “we need to find our friends. where’s the magic city?”

natsu glances at her in the mirror, then back at the road. “central. but if you’re planning to just walk in, you won’t make it far.”

gray frowns. “you keep saying that, but what do you expect us to do?”

natsu’s brows furrow, but when he turns to gray, his expression softens. “you’ll have to lay low until you figure something out. i can’t take you all the way there, but i’ll drop you off near the river. follow it east, and you’ll hit the city without drawing attention.”

gray doesn’t know what to make of that look—like this natsu knows him, trusts him, maybe even likes him. it’s disorienting.

but before he can dwell on it, natsu clicks his tongue and mutters, “man, this is so weird.”

gray tenses. “what is?”

natsu grins at him, warm and easy. “you.”

gray blinks. “…huh?”

natsu laughs, his shoulders relaxing. “back home, you and i are best friends. we do everything together! i mean, yeah, you’re still kinda grumpy sometimes, but we always have each other’s backs.”

gray stares, caught off guard. natsu says it like it’s the most natural thing in the world.

best friends. him and natsu.

the thought makes his stomach do something weird. warm. unsteady. he’s not sure what to do with it.

the car rolls to a stop near a stretch of forest, the hum of the engine fading as natsu shifts it into park. the air is still, save for the occasional rustle of leaves in the distance.

natsu taps the wheel with his fingers before turning to them. “alright, this is as far as i can take you.”

erza crosses her arms. “how do we get to central from here?”

natsu points through the trees. “follow the river east. it’ll take you straight to the magic city without running into too many patrols. keep your heads down, and for the love of all things holy, don’t get yourselves caught again.”

gray exhales sharply. “yeah, yeah, we get it.”

natsu smiles at him—so softly, so genuinely—and gray feels his chest tighten.

then erza, ever the commanding force, says, “come with us.”

natsu blinks. “what?”

gray frowns. “erza, what are you—”

she gives him a pointed look before returning her attention to natsu. “you should come with us. we need all the help we can get.”

natsu laughs, shaking his head. “yeah, no thanks. i like not dying, and this is already more than enough trouble.”

erza doesn’t move. “get out of the car.”

natsu grips the wheel tighter. “why?”

“because I said so.”

gray watches the shift in natsu’s face—uncertainty, resistance, and something else he can’t place. he’s about to say maybe we should just go, but erza is already reaching for the door handle.

“wait—hey, what are you—”

too late. she throws the door open, and gray, without really thinking, moves to unbuckle natsu’s seatbelt.

“guys, seriously—”

gray grabs natsu’s wrist, pulling him out of the car, and the instant his feet hit the ground—

natsu freezes.

the second erza and gray pull natsu out of the car, everything about him changes.

the sharp gaze, the confident smirk, the commanding presence he had behind the wheel—gone.

instead, standing before them now is someone entirely different. natsu blinks up at them, wide-eyed and confused, like they just dropped him into the middle of nowhere. his fingers curl into the hem of his shirt, shoulders hunched like he’s trying to make himself smaller.

gray stares. erza stares.

then, natsu’s lip wobbles.

gray chokes.

“what the hell?!” he blurts out, taking a step back like he’s just witnessed something unspeakable.

erza narrows her eyes. “what is this?”

natsu sniffles. “wh-why are you guys looking at me like that…?”

gray gapes at him. “where—where did the guy from five seconds ago go?!”

natsu blinks. “huh?”

gray gestures wildly at the car. “you— back there, you were all cool and in charge, and now you’re—” he waves his hands at this version of natsu, who’s fidgeting with his sleeves like he’s nervous. “—now you’re a completely different person?!”

natsu pouts, looking down. “no, I’m not…”

gray throws his hands up. “YES, YOU ARE.”

erza folds her arms, studying him. “so this is your true self, then?”

natsu fidgets. “um… I mean, yeah? this is just… me.”

gray feels like he’s going crazy. “but why were you so different in the car?!”

natsu tilts his head. “oh! well, I just act like that when I drive.”

gray stares. “why.”

natsu shrugs. “dunno! it just happens!”

gray grips his head. “that’s not an answer.”

natsu rubs his arm, looking a little embarrassed. “i guess… I just like being cool when I drive.”

gray chokes. “cool?”

“yeah! it makes me feel powerful!” natsu beams, looking so proud of himself.

gray physically recoils.

oh my god, he thinks, horrified. he’s a tiny, helpless baby.

he refuses to acknowledge the way his brain is short-circuiting over this. the fact that this is Natsu—the one he just saw taking sharp turns with one hand on the wheel and barking orders like he ran the city—and now he’s standing here looking like a kicked puppy?

gray swallows hard. no. nope. absolutely not.

but then natsu sniffles again.

gray grits his teeth.

“stop that.”

natsu blinks up at him. “stop what?”

“being like that.”

“like what?”

“like you’re cute on purpose.”

natsu gasps, turning red. “wha—?!”

erza, meanwhile, has already turned away, uninterested in gray’s personal crisis. “which direction is the royal city from here?”

natsu quickly latches onto the subject change, nodding rapidly. “oh, um! it’s that way!” he points, still flustered. “if you take the main road, it’ll lead you straight to the magic palace!”

erza nods in approval, but before she can say anything else—

“what is she doing here?!”

a new voice cuts through the air, sharp and immediately hostile.

gray and erza turn—

edolas lucy stands a few feet away, glaring directly at erza.

lucy’s sharp gaze snaps to erza, and she immediately bristles, stepping back like she’s just been cornered by a wild animal.

“what the hell is she doing here?” she hisses, eyes darting between erza and gray before settling on natsu, like she’s expecting some kind of betrayal.

natsu flinches. his hands shoot up in a frantic attempt to calm her down, shoulders tight with nerves. “w-wait, lucy, it’s okay! she’s not knightwalker, i swear!”

lucy glares at him. “and how do you know that?”

natsu swallows. “b-because i just do!”

lucy’s expression stays sharp. “that’s not good enough, natsu.”

gray watches natsu practically shrink under her scrutiny, shoulders hunched, looking desperate for her to believe him.

“b-but i— i mean, look at her!” natsu gestures wildly at erza. “she doesn’t have the scary armor! or— or the terrifying glare! she hasn’t even threatened me once!”

lucy crosses her arms, unimpressed. “not a convincing argument.”

natsu wilts.

gray groans, already out of patience. “look, lady, we don’t have time for this.”

lucy snaps her attention to him, expression tense. “oh, i know exactly what’s going on here. you’re from the other world, aren’t you?”

gray blinks. “uh… yeah?”

lucy scoffs, rolling her eyes. “figures.” she glares at erza again, jaw tight. “if you think I’m gonna just trust someone who looks exactly like that monster, you’ve got another thing coming.”

erza, to her credit, doesn’t even flinch. “i understand your hesitation, but I am not the person you believe me to be.”

lucy’s expression darkens. “you look just like her.”

natsu tugs at her sleeve. “b-but she’s not! i promise!”

lucy turns her glare back on him. “natsu, you’re too nice for your own good! what if she’s just pretending to be different? what if this is some kind of trap?!”

natsu whimpers, shrinking back. “b-but—”

gray sighs, crossing his arms. “look, i don’t know what happened between you and knightwalker, but we’re trying to stop the royal army from stealing all the magic. that’s all we care about.”

lucy stares at him for a long moment, eyes calculating. then, finally, she exhales through her nose.

“…and you’re seriously vouching for them, natsu?”

natsu straightens, nodding a little too fast. “y-yeah! totally! one hundred percent!”

lucy eyes him. “…you don’t sound very sure.”

natsu whines, fidgeting with the hem of his shirt. “i am sure, but you’re really scary when you’re mad…”

lucy sighs, rubbing her temple like she has a headache. “fine.” she finally looks at erza. “but if you try anything, I will make you regret it.”

erza tilts her head. “i’d like to see you try.”

lucy’s eye twitches.

natsu lets out a small, pathetic noise. “please don’t fight…”

gray watches lucy roll her eyes, muttering something under her breath before turning back to natsu. “so what’s the plan? you’re not actually getting involved in all this, are you?”

natsu fidgets. “w-well, i was just gonna drop them off, but…” his gaze flickers toward gray for a second before looking away, twisting his fingers in his sleeves. “…i guess i can’t just leave them…”

gray raises an eyebrow. “you could, but would you really?”

natsu pouts, kicking a small rock by his feet. “no…”

lucy groans. “ugh. you are so lucky i like you, natsu.”

natsu immediately perks up, eyes bright. “aw, thanks, luce!”

lucy sighs, and gray just knows this is gonna be a long, long day.

lucy groans, rubbing her temple like she’s already exhausted just looking at them. “ugh, fine. so you’re really doing this?”

natsu nods way too fast, and gray notices the way he’s clearly trying to puff up with confidence, but it just makes him look more like a flustered kitten. “y-yeah! totally! i mean, someone’s gotta help!”

lucy sighs. “and you think you’re the best person for the job?”

natsu fidgets. “…i mean, no, but i have the car.”

gray snorts. he’s got a point.

lucy mutters something under her breath, then gestures at erza, still visibly tense. “look, i’ll trust you, but i’m not trusting her.”

natsu pouts like a kicked puppy. “b-but—”

“no buts, natsu,” lucy says sharply. “just because she looks nice doesn’t mean she is.”

natsu droops, clearly way too sensitive to lucy’s disapproval. “o-okay…”

gray watches the exchange, and—honestly? it’s kinda fascinating. back in their world, natsu never shut up about what he wanted. he was loud, reckless, and so sure of himself that it was infuriating. but this natsu? he practically crumbles under lucy’s gaze, shifting his weight like he’s not sure what to do with himself.

it’s… weird.

and okay, fine, maybe gray has a small, stupid thought about how natsu’s all soft edges and big, round eyes, and maybe his chest does something stupid when natsu looks at him for reassurance, like gray’s opinion actually matters.

but he ignores that. obviously.

lucy sighs again. “alright. whatever. just tell me the plan.”

natsu brightens instantly. “oh! okay, so—” he pauses, then turns to gray and erza. “uh, do you guys have a plan?”

gray pinches the bridge of his nose. “you seriously just picked us up without knowing what we were doing?”

natsu laughs nervously. “heh… maybe?”

lucy groans.

erza, despite everything, is still perfectly composed. “our objective is the royal city. we must retrieve our captured friends and put an end to this operation.”

lucy hums, tapping her chin. “hmm. well, that’s definitely a bold plan.”

natsu puffs up. “yeah! we’ll totally— wait. how do we do that?”

gray sighs. “oh my god.”

lucy actually facepalms. “natsu. why are you like this?”

natsu wilts. “i dunno…”

gray can’t stop himself. “because he’s a baby.”

natsu whines in protest, and okay—maybe gray finds that a little too adorable for his own good.

lucy exhales. “okay. first thing’s first—we can’t just waltz into the royal city without knowing what we’re up against. we need information.”

erza nods. “agreed.”

natsu tilts his head. “so, what? we ask around?”

lucy gives him a look. “oh, sure. let’s just go knock on doors and ask people if they know how to storm the castle.”

natsu flinches. “o-oh, um. right. bad idea.”

gray watches the way natsu shrinks under lucy’s sharp tone, and—ugh. why does that bother him?

before he can think about it too much, lucy claps her hands together. “okay! i’ll take care of that part. you three stay here and try not to get arrested.”

natsu blinks. “wait, you’re leaving?”

lucy sighs. “yes, natsu. i’ll be right back. don’t do anything stupid.”

natsu frowns, but nods. “o-okay…”

gray watches as lucy walks off, then turns to find natsu pouting at the ground, looking thoroughly scolded.

and for some stupid reason, gray’s chest does that thing again.

…he’s so screwed.

natsu keeps pouting even after lucy disappears into the crowd, kicking at the dirt like a sulking kid. erza, standing at his side, still has her arms crossed like she’s deep in thought, probably analyzing every single thing that just happened. gray, meanwhile, is staring at natsu, still trying to process just how insanely different he is from the one he knows.

and it’s not just the outfit or the lack of a scarf—it’s the way he carries himself. the way he shrinks when lucy raises her voice, the way he fidgets under pressure, the way his hands clutch at the hem of his shirt like he needs something to hold onto.

this is natsu, right? like, this is technically still the same guy?

gray doesn’t get it.

natsu sighs dramatically and flops against the side of the car, crossing his arms over his chest. “lucy’s so mean sometimes…”

gray snorts. “yeah, well, you kinda walked right into that one.”

natsu pouts even harder. “i did not!”

“you literally picked us up without knowing the plan.”

natsu groans, throwing his head back. “ugh, i know, okay?! i just—i saw you guys in trouble, and i panicked!”

gray raises an eyebrow. “you? panicked?”

natsu shrinks again, rubbing the back of his neck. “…y-yeah?”

erza, finally breaking her silence, hums in thought. “lucy mentioned knight walker.” her gaze sharpens. “she must be referring to my counterpart in this world.”

natsu stiffens. “…uh.”

gray watches him fidget, eyes darting back and forth like he’s looking for an escape.

erza narrows her eyes. “do you know something about that?”

natsu laughs nervously. “uhhh, noooo?”

gray sighs. “natsu.”

natsu deflates. “okay, fine! it’s just—” he hesitates, glancing at erza like she might explode. “—you really look like her.”

erza’s eyes darken. “…is that so?”

natsu nods quickly. “yeah! like, exactly like her! it’s kinda freaky!”

gray frowns. “is she really that bad?”

natsu visibly shudders. “she’s terrifying.”

gray raises an eyebrow. “worse than our erza?”

natsu gasps dramatically. “oh, way worse! knight walker doesn’t smile all scary like she’s gonna kill you—she just does it!”

gray glances at erza, who remains eerily calm. “…uh-huh.”

natsu keeps rambling, hands flailing. “like, she’s always all ‘off with their heads’ and stuff! she’s got this whole evil queen thing going on, and everyone is scared of her!”

gray watches as erza tilts her head, analyzing the information. “interesting,” she murmurs.

natsu gulps. “y-you’re not, like, offended, right?”

erza blinks at him. “…should I be?”

natsu whimpers.

gray, despite himself, kind of wants to laugh. but then natsu looks at him with those wide, anxious eyes, and gray just.

okay.

okay, yeah, maybe he gets why lucy has him wrapped around her finger.

this natsu is dangerously easy to baby.

natsu is still shifting nervously, and gray swears he looks two seconds away from hiding behind him, which is a level of bizarre that gray isn’t ready to unpack. “she’s, uh… she’s really important,” natsu finally says, glancing at erza. “like, she works right under the king. basically his attack dog.”

erza’s expression doesn’t change, but there’s something calculating in her gaze. “i see.”

natsu fidgets more. “i-it’s not like i think you’d be the same! it’s just—” he grimaces. “people really don’t like her.”

gray crosses his arms. “and by ‘people,’ you mean lucy.”

natsu sighs. “yeah. she’s, uh, got a lot of reasons to hate knight walker.”

erza nods, completely unbothered. “i would like to hear those reasons.”

natsu visibly panics. “uhhh, i dunno if that’s a good idea…”

gray raises an eyebrow. “why not?”

natsu presses his lips together, looking like he really doesn’t want to be the one explaining. but before he can try to squirm out of it, there’s a sharp, familiar voice from behind.

“because knight walker nearly killed me.”

gray and erza turn just in time to see lucy approaching again, arms crossed, looking distinctly unimpressed.

natsu yelps. “lucy! h-hey! wow, uh, you’re back fast!”

lucy doesn’t even glance at him. she stops a few feet away, eyes locked on erza. “yeah. i figured you’d wanna know just how much of a nightmare your lookalike really is.”

gray watches erza carefully. she still looks perfectly composed, but he’s known her long enough to tell she’s paying very close attention.

lucy exhales sharply, shifting her weight. “she’s the one who captured us. me, levy, jet, and droy.” she glares at the ground, fingers twitching at her sides. “she called us ‘rats’ for hiding. said we were lucky to be useful at all.”

gray frowns.

natsu bites his lip, looking so uncomfortable.

lucy’s voice tightens. “she threw levy against a wall. knocked her out. then she turned to me and smiled like it was the most fun she’s ever had.”

gray feels his stomach churn.

natsu wilts.

lucy scoffs, crossing her arms. “so yeah, excuse me if i don’t trust you just yet.”

there’s a long beat of silence.

then erza nods once. “understood.”

lucy blinks, like she expected an argument. “wait, that’s it?”

erza meets her gaze evenly. “i am not the person you describe. but i acknowledge that you have no reason to believe that.”

lucy eyes her warily. “right.”

erza tilts her head slightly. “i apologize on her behalf, if that means anything to you.”

lucy stares for a moment longer, then huffs. “i don’t need an apology. i just need to know you’re not about to stab us in the back.”

erza nods again. “you have my word.”

lucy studies her for another second before turning away. “whatever. we’ve got bigger problems anyway.”

natsu, clearly desperate to break the tension, forces a nervous laugh. “h-heh… yeah! problems! w-we should, uh, totally focus on that!”

gray glances at him, watching the way he shrinks under the weight of the conversation, how his hands grip the hem of his shirt like he wants to disappear.

earth land natsu would be fuming if he heard this story. he’d be yelling about how he’s gonna beat knight walker into the ground for what she did.

but this natsu?

he just looks scared.

and for some stupid, stupid reason, gray wants to grab his hand.

natsu still looks rattled, his fingers twitching at his sides like he wants to do something but doesn’t know what. gray can practically feel the discomfort radiating off him, like a kicked puppy trying not to whimper.

lucy, meanwhile, doesn’t seem to notice—she’s already walking ahead, muttering about how they need to move before the royal army gets word of their escape.

but gray notices.

he watches the way natsu keeps his head down, how he inches a little closer like he’s trying to make himself small. earth land natsu would be puffing his chest, throwing out dumb challenges to the universe, but this one… he’s just quiet.

gray nudges him lightly. “hey.”

natsu flinches, then turns his wide, startled eyes up at him.

gray hesitates. he doesn’t even know why he’s doing this—why he feels the sudden, stupid urge to fix whatever’s making natsu look like that.

he settles for an awkward, “you good?”

natsu blinks like gray just asked him to recite the entire magic encyclopedia. “h-huh?”

gray shrugs. “you just, uh… look kinda freaked out.”

natsu glances away quickly. “i-it’s nothing! really!”

gray doesn’t buy that for a second. “sure doesn’t seem like nothing.”

natsu shifts on his feet, chewing his lip. he still won’t look gray in the eye. “it’s just… i dunno. i don’t like thinking about that stuff.”

gray raises an eyebrow. “what stuff?”

natsu fidgets. “y’know. bad stuff. knights, the army, fighting…” he trails off, his voice getting smaller.

gray tilts his head. “but you’re still helping us.”

natsu nods quickly. “o-of course! just ‘cause i don’t like fighting doesn’t mean i wanna let people get hurt.”

gray studies him for a second. this natsu is so different from the one he knows. his natsu is always charging in, always reckless, always ready to take a hit if it means winning.

but this one?

he hates fighting.

he’s got the same heart, though.

gray sighs, rubbing the back of his neck. “well, for what it’s worth, i think you’re doing fine.”

natsu blinks.

gray shrugs. “you didn’t have to get involved, but you did. i respect that.”

natsu stares at him, mouth slightly open, like gray just told him the sky was green. then, after a long, stunned pause—

he smiles.

and it’s so different from the cocky, fire-fueled grins gray is used to. this one is soft, kind of shy, like natsu doesn’t get a lot of compliments and doesn’t know what to do with them.

and for some reason, gray feels like his chest just got hit with a pile of bricks.

natsu ducks his head. “t-thanks, gray…”

gray swallows. “yeah. don’t get used to it.”

natsu giggles, and—okay. yeah. that’s unfair.

gray does not have time to deal with whatever the hell that feeling was.

gray doesn’t know how it happens, but at some point, lucy gets too far ahead, erza goes her own way, and now it’s just him and natsu, wandering down some empty road with the sun sinking low in the sky.

and he really doesn’t know how they let it happen.

“uh.” gray glances around. “where the hell did everyone go?”

natsu makes a small noise in the back of his throat, looking equally lost. “uhhhh.”

gray groans, dragging a hand down his face. “great. just great. we were supposed to be heading for the royal city.”

natsu fidgets. “m-maybe we took a wrong turn?”

gray snorts. “no way. we were literally just following lucy.”

natsu rubs the back of his neck. “…yeah, but she was kinda fast.”

gray rolls his eyes. “so was erza. why’d she even split off?”

natsu shrinks a little. “i… i think she wanted to check something out?”

gray exhales sharply. “and we just got distracted.”

natsu wilts. “s-sorry.”

gray sighs, glancing at him. “not just you. i wasn’t paying attention either.”

natsu still looks guilty, though. gray watches him shuffle his feet, eyes darting around like he’s hoping lucy or erza will magically appear. the sun is lower now, casting long shadows over the road, making everything feel way too quiet.

gray stretches, cracking his neck. “welp. guess we gotta find our way back.”

natsu frowns. “but where is back?”

gray freezes.

…shit.

natsu’s eyes widen. “wait. you don’t know either?!”

gray glares at him. “we’re fine! we just gotta retrace our steps.”

natsu waves his arms dramatically. “what steps?! everything looks the same!”

gray groans, running a hand through his hair. “okay, okay, just—calm down.”

natsu huffs. “easy for you to say.”

gray pinches the bridge of his nose. “you’re the one who lives here. shouldn’t you know your way around?”

natsu crosses his arms. “yeah, around my town! not the middle of nowhere!”

gray opens his mouth—then stops.

…yeah, okay. fair point.

natsu sighs, rubbing his arms like the growing evening chill is already getting to him. “what do we do now?”

gray glances at him, then at the darkening horizon. they really shouldn’t be wandering at night, especially in a place they barely know.

he exhales. “guess we find somewhere to rest. then figure it out in the morning.”

natsu visibly sags in relief. “oh, good. ‘cause i was not looking forward to walking around all night.”

gray shakes his head, then gestures down the road. “c’mon. let’s see if we can find a place before it gets too dark.”

natsu nods quickly and scurries after him.

gray’s about ten seconds from collapsing when they finally stumble on a small, tucked-away inn. it’s nothing fancy, just a modest place with dim lanterns and creaky wooden floors, but it’s got beds, food, and—most importantly—hot water.

gray could cry.

natsu, on the other hand, is vibrating with barely contained excitement. “ooh, ooh, do they have bathrobes?! oh—slippers?! soap?!”

gray stares at him. “uh. yeah? it’s a bathhouse, not a prison.”

natsu gasps dramatically. “a bathhouse? with actual real water?!” he grabs gray’s arm, eyes sparkling. “gray. gray. you don’t understand. this is the best thing that’s happened to me all week.”

gray raises an eyebrow. “…you really like baths, huh?”

natsu beams. “they’re the best part of my day!” and then he scurries off to the front desk, babbling about essential oils and towel quality.

gray watches him go. he’s not sure if he should be concerned or impressed.

—

twenty minutes later.

gray’s sprawled out on his futon, freshly showered and towel-drying his hair, when he hears the bathroom door creak open.

and then—

“HNGHHH—”

gray turns his head just in time to see natsu slap a hand over his own mouth like he’s about to scream.

gray blinks. “…what.”

natsu is staring at him. no—more like gawking, eyes huge, face somehow redder than his hair.

gray glances down. he’s only wearing his usual sleepwear—just a loose pair of shorts. nothing weird. nothing he isn’t used to.

he frowns. “what’s your problem?”

natsu makes a strangled noise and violently points at him. “y-y-you’re—” he gulps. “—you’re so naked.”

gray gives him a blank look. “uh. yeah?”

natsu flails. “but—b-but—where are your layers?! your undershirt?! your extra tunic?! your—your belts?!”

gray stares. “…why would i need belts for sleep?”

natsu whimpers. “because!!”

gray squints at him. “your gray doesn’t dress like this, huh.”

natsu vehemently shakes his head. “he wears so much clothes. i’ve never seen his arms! or his stomach! or his—his anything!” he makes a distressed noise. “and now you’re just sitting there with your stupid abs and your stupid muscles and your—your skin!”

gray watches him meltdown for a second before deadpanning, “so what i’m hearing is, you think i’m hot.”

natsu short-circuits.

“W-WHAT?! NO!! I MEAN—YES? I MEAN—SHUT UP!!!”

gray smirks. “that’s not a no.”

natsu makes another squeaky noise before aggressively wrapping himself in his own fluffy bathrobe, like gray’s nudity is contagious.

gray snickers. this is too easy.

—

five minutes later.

gray is still lounging on his futon when natsu—finally recovered from his breakdown—flops down onto his own bed with a satisfied sigh.

gray glances over. “good bath?”

natsu melts into the blankets. “mmmhhmmmm.”

gray chuckles. “took you long enough.”

natsu sleepily pouts. “hey. self-care is important.”

gray snorts. “i’ll take your word for it.”

natsu hums, already half-asleep, and gray just shakes his head.

this guy is so weird.

…but it’s kinda cute.

gray wakes up with a grumble, groggy and disoriented. the room is quiet, save for the soft sound of breathing. he shifts, rubbing his face before realizing—yeah. he needs to pee.

with a sigh, he pushes himself up, padding across the wooden floor to the bathroom. he doesn’t even bother turning on a light, just does his business, washes his hands, and grabs a glass from the shelf.

the water is cold, crisp. he leans against the counter, taking slow sips, waiting for the last bit of sleep to leave his body before heading back to bed.

but then—

his gaze drifts to the futon across the room.

natsu is curled up beneath a blanket, face tilted toward the window, bathed in soft silver moonlight.

gray doesn’t mean to stare. but—

he does.

because damn.

he’s seen natsu a hundred times before. earth land natsu, that is—loud, brash, always moving, always burning with some kind of wild energy.

but this natsu…

he’s peaceful. soft. delicate.

his expression is relaxed, not scrunched up in frustration or excitement. his mouth, usually pulled into a wide grin or sharp pout, is slightly parted, breath slow and even.

gray’s eyes trace the curve of his cheek, the gentle slope of his nose, the way his lashes rest lightly against his skin. the moonlight catches faint freckles across his nose, subtle but there, like little constellations.

his lips are a soft pink. his hair, even messier in sleep, is tousled around his face, strands catching the light in shades of red and gold.

gray swallows. his heart is doing something weird in his chest, something he’s definitely not ready to analyze.

natsu shifts slightly, mumbling something incoherent, and gray’s gaze follows the movement, lingering on the exposed skin at his collarbone. his robe is loose, slipping slightly off his shoulder, revealing pale, smooth skin.

gray’s fingers twitch. he doesn’t know why.

he drags a hand down his face. what the hell is wrong with me?

and then—

natsu stirs. his brows furrow, his nose scrunches up like he’s about to sneeze, and then—his eyes flutter open.

gray doesn’t even have time to move before natsu locks onto him.

a beat of silence.

then—

“WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!”

gray chokes on his water. “shh!!”

but it’s too late. natsu jolts upright, flailing. “why are you just standing there?! staring at me?! like some kinda creep?!”

gray, panicking, waves his hands. “i wasn’t—! i—! i was getting water!!”

natsu squints at the glass in his hand, then back at him, suspicious. “…for ten minutes?”

gray huffs, turning away. “it wasn’t ten minutes.”

it might’ve been ten minutes. but natsu doesn’t need to know that.

natsu flops back down, groaning. “ugh. you scared me.”

gray rolls his eyes, setting his glass down before moving back to his futon. “yeah, well. you’re fine.”

natsu peeks at him through half-lidded eyes. “…were you really just getting water?”

gray freezes for a second. then scoffs, looking away. “duh.”

natsu hums. “hmm. suuure.”

gray pointedly ignores the way his ears feel hot.

natsu watches him for a second longer before sighing dramatically and rolling onto his stomach. “whatever. just don’t be creepy.”

gray scowls. “i wasn’t.”

natsu hums again, softer this time, like he’s already half-asleep. gray sighs and lies back down, staring up at the ceiling. it’s quiet for a few moments—long enough for gray to think natsu has dozed off—but then, out of nowhere:

“…your natsu’s a dragon guy.”

gray tilts his head toward him. “uh. yeah?”

natsu shifts, lifting his head slightly. “like, breathes fire?”

“yeah.”

natsu stares at him. “what.”

gray smirks. “he’s a fire dragon slayer. raised by a dragon. he eats fire. spits it back out. burns things down all the time.”

natsu’s jaw drops. “what!!” he sits up fully, flailing. “you’re telling me your natsu is, like, a fire monster??”

gray snickers. “basically.”

natsu groans, dragging his hands down his face. “ugh. no wonder i was scared of him. he looked like he wanted to eat me.”

gray chuckles. “he might have, if you looked flammable.”

natsu shoots him a glare, but it’s more pouty than anything. “rude.” he huffs, crossing his arms. “man, i liked being the tough one.”

gray shrugs. “guess that makes me the strong one here, huh?”

natsu squints at him, skeptical. “…hmm. maybe.”

gray rolls his eyes, amused. “yeah, okay.”

natsu flops back down, muttering something about unfair fire powers, before mumbling, “your lucy is different too.”

gray turns his head toward him. “how so?”

natsu frowns, thinking. “…she’s, like, cool. like, my lucy is cool too, but she’s all… tough and serious and kinda scary when she’s mad. but your lucy is all smiley and cute and, like…” he pauses, then groans, covering his face. “ugh. she’s just really nice.”

gray raises a brow. “so, you have a crush.”

natsu yanks his blanket over his head. “shut up.”

gray snorts. “whatever you say.” he shifts onto his side, watching the lump that is now natsu. “…wendy’s different too, huh?”

natsu’s blanket lump moves slightly, like he’s nodding. “mm. she’s a little girl in your world. it’s so weird. she’s so tiny.”

gray smiles slightly. “yeah. she’s a good kid.”

natsu peeks out from under the blanket, pouting. “my wendy is all serious and smart and stuff. i bet your wendy’s all cute and sweet, huh?”

gray shrugs. “she’s still strong. just not, y’know, running an entire rebellion.”

natsu sighs, resting his chin on the blanket. “this whole thing is so weird…”

gray huffs out a quiet laugh. “yeah.”

natsu stares at him for a second, then mutters, “your world seems really cool.”

gray blinks. “seems?”

natsu shifts, resting his chin on the blanket. “yeah. i mean, unlimited magic power? people being born with magic? that’s crazy.” he sighs. “feels kinda unfair.”

gray tilts his head. “guess it’s normal for me. never really thought about it like that.”

natsu hums, looking thoughtful. “everyone here has to work so hard just to use a little bit of magic. you guys just have it.”

gray shrugs. “doesn’t mean we don’t work hard too.”

natsu nods slightly, but his expression is still far off, like he’s thinking about something he can’t quite put into words. then, after a moment, he mumbles, “i wonder what it’d be like.”

gray raises a brow. “what?”

natsu rolls onto his back, staring at the ceiling. “being born with magic. like… what kinda magic would i even have?”

gray snorts. “fire, obviously.”

natsu pouts. “not that obvious! maybe i’d have, like… light magic! or—” he gasps. “cat magic!”

gray blinks. “what the hell is cat magic?”

natsu shrugs dramatically. “i dunno! but doesn’t it sound cute?!”

gray groans, rubbing his temples. “i take it back. you’d have the dumbest magic ever.”

natsu kicks at him under the blanket. “rude!!”

gray chuckles, dodging his weak attempts at vengeance. “whatever. go to sleep, dumbass.”

natsu huffs but settles down again, mumbling, “your world is still cool though.”

gray watches him for a moment, the way his nose scrunches slightly before he finally relaxes, breathing evening out. something in gray’s chest feels warm, but he doesn’t bother naming it.

instead, he sighs, lying back down. “…yeah.”

- -

edolas lucy hadn’t meant to run into her. actually, she’d been trying very hard not to.

but somehow, after getting separated from natsu and gray, she’d turned a corner and—just her luck—there she was.

erza scarlet.

not her erza. not the woman who made fairy tail tremble, who struck down her friends like they were nothing.

but still erza. and that was enough to make lucy freeze.

erza, on the other hand, barely reacted. she took one glance at lucy, nodded like she’d been expecting this, and said, “we should find shelter for the night.”

lucy had half a mind to refuse, but as much as she hated to admit it, the streets weren’t safe. and she wasn’t dumb.

so now they were here. in a small, dimly lit motel room, barely furnished, the hum of the city outside the only noise between them.

lucy sat stiffly on the edge of the bed, arms crossed, watching as erza—her armor gone, wearing only a simple white blouse and blue skirt—examined the cake she’d bought on the way.

“…it looks different from the ones in my world,” erza murmured after a moment, tilting her head.

lucy stared at her. unbelievable.

was she seriously just—just sitting there, eating cake like it was the most normal thing in the world?! did she not realize how much destruction her other self had caused?!

lucy wanted to scream. or break something.

or—something worse.

because erza was beautiful.

not in the terrifying, battle-worn way of knightwalker, but in a way that made lucy feel like she was going crazy. long, straight red hair falling down her back, golden eyes focused intently on the cake like she was analyzing it, posture relaxed, unbothered, mature.

she wasn’t cruel. she wasn’t ruthless. she wasn’t anything like the erza she knew.

and lucy hated that.

because it made everything so much harder.

- -

gray sat up groggily, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. the morning light filtered through the thin curtains, casting the small room in a soft glow. he stretched, glancing to the side—

—only to freeze.

the futon next to his was empty.

gray blinked. once. twice. then, fully waking up, he looked around. no natsu. no sign of him anywhere.

his stomach twisted. “you’ve gotta be kidding me.”

he shoved off the blanket, scanning the room again, like maybe natsu was hiding in some stupid corner. but all he found was a small, hastily folded note on the floor.

gray picked it up, frowning. the handwriting was messy, kind of rushed, like natsu had scribbled it down last minute.

had to go recharge my ride. be back later!

gray sighed, raking a hand through his hair. “what the hell does that even mean?”

a sharp knock on the door made him flinch.

he got up, still scowling, and opened it—only to find erza standing there, holding up her own note.

“lucy’s gone too,” she said.

gray stared. “you’re kidding.”

erza shook her head, lips pressing into a thin line.

gray exhaled, annoyed. “what’d her note say?”

erza handed the note over, her expression unreadable. gray took it, scanning the rushed handwriting.

getting more cake. don’t think too hard about it.

gray frowned. “that’s it?”

erza nodded. “she didn’t say anything before leaving either.”

gray ran a hand through his hair. “great. so natsu takes off in the middle of the night to ‘recharge his ride,’ whatever that means, and lucy disappears to get cake.” he huffed. “this world’s so weird.”

erza glanced at natsu’s empty futon. “they seem used to it. we’re the only ones out of place.”

gray sighed, shaking his head. “still, would’ve been nice if they actually told us where they were going.”

erza crossed her arms. “we wait. they’ll be back.”

gray clicked his tongue but didn’t argue.

the engine rumbled beneath them, the road stretching ahead under the pale morning light. edolas natsu kept one hand on the wheel, the other tapping absently against the dashboard. his usual grin was absent, replaced with a rare seriousness as he drove.

lucy, sitting in the passenger seat with her arms crossed, glanced at him. “so? why’d you really run off in the middle of the night?”

natsu huffed. “i told you. had to recharge my ride.”

lucy narrowed her eyes. “that’s not what i meant.”

his fingers drummed against the dashboard a little faster. “…felt weird having them around, that’s all.”

lucy tilted her head. “gray and erza?”

natsu nodded, lips pressing together. “they’re not like ours. especially erza.”

lucy’s gaze darkened at that, but she didn’t say anything.

natsu continued, eyes fixed on the road. “she looks just like knightwalker, but she doesn’t feel like her, y’know? it’s weird. makes my skin crawl.”

lucy exhaled sharply. “well, that’s because she isn’t knightwalker. but i get it.” she shifted, resting her cheek against her fist. “still, they don’t seem like bad people.”

natsu hesitated before nodding. “gray’s… nice.” he scratched at his cheek, looking almost embarrassed. “feels like i know him, kinda.”

lucy raised an eyebrow but didn’t push. instead, she stretched her arms, sighing dramatically. “alright, enough serious talk. you know what time it is.”

natsu stiffened. “lucy—”

too late. she was already reaching for the door handle.

“you’re getting out.”

natsu barely had time to slam the brakes before she yanked him from the driver’s seat.

natsu yelped as lucy dragged him out of the car, his boots scraping against the dirt road. “lucy—lucy, wait—!!”

she ignored him, tugging him forward with an iron grip. “you know the drill.”

natsu whined, scrambling for footing. “but i didn’t even do anything this time!!”

lucy gave him a look. “yeah? well, you still ran off like an idiot, so consider this a lesson.”

natsu pouted but didn’t fight her—he knew better by now.

she led him toward a clearing off the road, where the ground was dry and cracked from lack of magic. then, with a wicked grin, she rolled her shoulders. “alright, let’s start with the basics.”

natsu groaned. “can’t you at least switch it up?”

lucy feigned a thoughtful expression. “hmm… nah.”

and with that, she shoved him into the dirt.

natsu grunted as he landed face-first, groaning dramatically. “owww…”

lucy smirked. “oh, come on. you barely even hit the ground.”

natsu pushed himself up, glaring. “barely?! my face almost fused with the dirt!!”

lucy only shrugged. “i’ll be sure to throw you harder next time.”

natsu’s jaw dropped. “that’s NOT—”

before he could finish, lucy had already grabbed his wrist, twisting him into another hold.

“wait—wait, wait, wait—!!”

lucy only grinned wider. “say uncle.”

“no way!!”

she twisted harder.

“OKAY OKAY UNCLE UNCLE—!!”

satisfied, lucy finally let him go, watching as he flopped onto his back, groaning.

“you’re so dramatic,” she snickered, hands on her hips.

natsu scowled. “you’re so mean.”

lucy smirked, offering him a hand. “c’mon, we still have a long drive ahead. and maybe—maybe—i’ll let you pick the music this time.”

natsu perked up immediately. “really?!”

lucy rolled her eyes but smiled. “don’t push it.”

- -

natsu clutched his head, eyes darting around like the walls were closing in. “oh god, oh god, oh god—what if they already know we’re here?! what if they find me?! what if—what if they drag me out to the square and tie me up and—”

“natsu.” erza’s voice was calm, but the way she reached out and held his arms was all warmth and reassurance.

he froze, looking up at her with wide, panicked eyes. “what?!”

“breathe.”

natsu sucked in a shaky breath but still looked like he was on the verge of collapse.

gray, crouched near the door to keep watch, scowled. “why are you freaking out this bad? you live here.”

“EXACTLY!” natsu wailed. “i know what they do to criminals! they don’t just throw you in a cell! they make a public example outta you! the last guy that pissed off the royal guards got his hands chopped off and thrown in the gutter—alive!! they peeled a dude like a fruit once, i swear—”

gray paled. “…what the hell?!”

erza’s hold on him tightened slightly. “natsu.”

lucy, still leaned against the wall with a piece of parchment in her hands, kept writing. “he’s not wrong.”

gray slowly turned to her. “…what.”

“the executions are over the top,” she said, flipping the parchment. “real gruesome stuff. drawn and quartered, burned alive, skinned, cut into pieces… depends on how much they wanna make people suffer.”

natsu let out the most pathetic whimper yet and clung to erza’s arm like a lifeline. “oh my god, i’m gonna die.”

gray looked like he was fighting the urge to throw up. “…what the hell kinda world is this?!”

“my world,” natsu whined, shaking like a leaf.

erza gently rubbed circles on his back again, her expression unreadable. “…no one will hurt you.”

natsu buried his face in her arm. “they might.”

gray, still struggling to process the absolute horror of this place, turned back to the door with a scowl. “…okay, yeah. let’s not get caught.”

lucy finished sketching out the last section of the castle map, tapping the parchment with her finger. “alright, i think this is accurate enough. if we wanna get to the central chamber, we’ll have to pass through here.” she pointed to a narrow hall. “and if we screw up, well—” she glanced at natsu, who was still clutching erza like a lifeline. “—somebody’s getting turned into a human jigsaw puzzle.”

natsu let out a weak whimper.

erza shot lucy a look, but lucy just shrugged. “what? he already knows what happens here.”

gray ran a hand down his face, muttering. “i hate this world.”

natsu nodded rapidly. “same.”

lucy ignored them both, rolling up the parchment. “the good news is, no one knows we’re here yet. the bad news is, i don’t actually know where they’re keeping the lacrima.”

gray groaned. “so we broke into the castle without knowing where the thing we need is?”

“technically, you broke into the castle,” lucy shot back. “natsu and i were already inside.”

natsu barely registered the argument. he was still shaking, barely resisting the urge to bolt for the door.

erza softened slightly, shifting so she was fully between him and the rest of the room. “natsu, look at me.”

he hesitated, then peeked up at her.

she held his gaze, calm and firm. “we won’t let anything happen to you.”

natsu swallowed hard. “you say that, but if they catch us—”

“they won’t.”

he didn’t look convinced, but erza’s certainty was like a steady force, grounding him.

gray, arms crossed, exhaled. “so what’s the plan, then?”

lucy smirked, holding up her map. “we find someone who does know where the lacrima is. and we make them talk.”

natsu groaned, burying his face in erza’s sleeve. “we’re gonna die.”

- -

meanwhile, with our earth land friends…

natsu cracked his knuckles, stepping forward. “alright, leave it to me! i’ll just blast us a way through—”

he threw out his fist, fire sparking to life for half a second—before instantly fizzling out.

silence.

natsu blinked at his hand. shook it. blinked again. “huh?”

lucy groaned, dragging a hand down her face. “oh my god, natsu. we’ve been over this! you don’t have magic here!”

natsu froze. then, slowly, turned back to them, eyes wide. “…oh yeah.”

wendy sighed. “we’re doomed.”

lucy scoffed, flipping her hair dramatically. “no, you’re doomed. i still have magic. and unlike some people, i don’t forget how the world works every five minutes.”

natsu pouted. “that was, like, two minutes.”

“doesn’t make it better!”

wendy, tuning them out, let out a small sigh, thinking about mystogan. he had sent them here for a reason—she knew that. but the longer they spent sneaking around, the more she wondered what he was planning. and, more importantly, if he was okay.

meanwhile, happy and carla were whispering to each other—mostly carla criticizing happy’s lack of a real plan, and happy just shrugging it off like always.

lucy placed her hands on her hips. “alright, i guess i’ll save fairy tail.” she grinned, full of confidence. “again.”

- -

gray let out a slow breath, leaning back against the cold stone wall of their hiding spot. the small room in the castle was dimly lit, barely enough for him to make out lucy sketching something on a scrap of parchment—probably the castle layout. erza stood near the door, arms crossed, every muscle tense, listening for any sign of footsteps.

natsu, though—natsu was losing his mind.

he was curled up in the corner, knees pulled to his chest, eyes darting around like he expected a soldier to kick down the door any second. “we’re gonna die,” he whispered harshly. “they’re gonna catch us and skin us alive and parade our corpses through the capital.”

gray stared. “what the hell is wrong with you?”

natsu turned to him, panicked. “do you even know what they do to criminals here?! you don’t wanna know! i’ll tell you anyway—they rip out your tongue, break all your bones, and dump you in the streets for people to throw food at!!”

gray frowned. “that’s… oddly specific.”

lucy, not looking up from her notes, said, “it’s true. i asked around.”

gray really wished she hadn’t.

natsu let out a distressed whimper, gripping his head. “this is it. this is the end. i don’t even have magic to fight back!”

erza, who had been quiet up until now, finally moved. she knelt down beside him, placing a firm but surprisingly gentle hand on his head. “calm down, natsu,” she said. “we won’t let anything happen to you.”

natsu blinked up at her, lip wobbling. “you promise?”

gray’s heart clenched, and he hated it.

erza gave him a small smile. “i promise.”

natsu sniffled, nodding, but didn’t let go of his knees.

gray, meanwhile, was internally screaming. erza’s patience with natsu was already bad enough, but him being cute about it? that was just unfair. he was too small, too expressive, too—

he needed to think about something else immediately.

lucy, sighing, finally looked up from her work. “alright, game plan,” she said. “we lay low until we figure out exactly where the lacrima is, then we—”

the door rattled.

all of them froze.

the door creaked open, and for a moment, no one breathed. then, stepping into the dimly lit room, flanked by armed soldiers, was her.

erza knightwalker.

she stood tall, her spear resting on her shoulder, that cruel smirk tugging at her lips as her piercing gaze scanned the room. and then—her eyes landed on erza scarlet.

the air turned suffocating.

gray tensed, heart hammering. natsu, still curled in the corner, went rigid, eyes wide in silent terror. lucy gripped her parchment tightly, barely breathing.

knightwalker stepped forward, tilting her head slightly, a shadow of amusement flickering in her gaze. “so,” she mused, “this is the famous fairy queen?”

erza scarlet didn’t flinch. she lifted her chin, meeting knightwalker’s gaze head-on. “and you must be the ruthless hunter of fairy tail.”

knightwalker chuckled, slow and menacing. “hunter, executioner—call it what you want.”

“i call it cruelty.”

a tense beat of silence.

then knightwalker grinned. “so you do look like me after all.”

“only in appearance,” scarlet shot back.

they stood there, a mirror image of each other—one clad in battle-worn armor, the other in regal military garb, both radiating an unshakable presence.

then, without taking her eyes off knightwalker, erza scarlet spoke, firm and unwavering. “gray. natsu. lucy.”

they all jolted slightly at the sound of her voice.

“go,” she said. “find the others. find the lacrima. i will handle this.”

gray hesitated. “erza—”

“go.”

knightwalker smirked. “oh? so eager to fight me alone?”

scarlet’s grip on her sword tightened. “i don’t need help to defeat myself.”

knightwalker’s expression darkened, and that was all the warning they got before she lunged.

gray didn’t wait. he grabbed natsu by the wrist, yanking him up, while lucy shoved her notes into her bag. without looking back, they bolted out of the room, the sound of clashing steel ringing behind them.

they ran through the castle halls, natsu stumbling slightly from the sheer panic still coursing through him. “we’re so dead, we’re so dead, we’re so dead—”

“shut up and run!” gray snapped, dragging him along as lucy frantically tried to navigate.

behind them, the battle between the two erzas raged on, shaking the walls of the castle.

they sprinted through the castle halls, footsteps echoing as they turned corner after corner. natsu was practically being dragged by gray, his legs barely keeping up.

“we’re gonna die—” natsu gasped.

“not if you move faster,” gray snapped.

lucy skidded to a stop ahead of them, eyes darting between two hallways. “left or right—left or right—uh—”

a crash sounded behind them. natsu screamed. “PICK ONE!!”

lucy yanked open the nearest door. “in here!”

they tumbled inside, lucy slamming the door shut behind them. panting, they waited—listening for any signs of pursuit.

silence.

natsu collapsed onto the floor. “i think i’m gonna pass out.”

gray shoved him. “don’t.”

lucy glanced around. they were in a dim storage room, crates and old furniture stacked against the walls. “well. we’re trapped.”

natsu groaned. “great.”

gray raked a hand through his hair, pacing. “knightwalker’s out there. we cannot let her find us.”

lucy huffed, crossing her arms. “erza told us to run, so that’s what we’re doing. we just need a plan.”

natsu sat up. “the plan is not dying.”

“brilliant,” gray deadpanned.

lucy started rummaging through the crates. “there’s gotta be something useful in here—”

a distant explosion shook the room. dust rained from the ceiling.

natsu curled into himself. “we’re so dead.”

gray sighed. “yeah, probably.”

lucy ignored them, still digging through crates. “oh, shut up and help me look.”

they had no idea what they were looking for, but anything was better than just waiting for knightwalker to find them.

lucy dusted herself off, straightening up. “okay. you two stay here—I’m gonna go look around.”

natsu’s head snapped up. “wait, alone?”

gray frowned. “bad idea.”

lucy waved them off. “i’ll be fine! you guys are way too on edge, and we need a real plan. i just need a second to think without you two breathing down my neck.”

natsu looked deeply unconvinced. “but what if you get caught?”

she sighed. “i won’t.”

gray crossed his arms. “lucy.”

“gray,” she mimicked, then softened. “i’m serious. i just need a minute. i’ll be back before you even miss me.”

natsu frowned, shifting nervously. “but we’ll totally miss you.”

lucy snorted, ruffling his hair. “then sit tight, you big baby.”

gray exhaled through his nose, clearly unhappy, but didn’t argue.

lucy smiled. “good. be back soon.”

then, before either of them could protest again, she slipped out the door, shutting it quietly behind her.

natsu watched the door for a long moment before turning to gray, brows furrowed. “i don’t like this.”

gray leaned back against the wall, arms crossed. “yeah, no kidding.”

natsu huffed, pacing the small space. “what if she does get caught? what if we never see her again? what if they torture her, or—or throw her in some underground prison, or—”

“natsu.”

“—or make her eat weird edolas food forever and—”

“natsu.”

“what!?”

gray gave him a flat look. “shut up.”

natsu scowled. “you shut up.”

gray sighed. “she’ll be fine. lucy’s not stupid.”

natsu whined, dropping onto the floor dramatically. “but i feel stupid for letting her go alone.”

gray sat down next to him with a groan. “yeah, well. if we chased after her, she’d just yell at us and go off anyway.”

natsu grumbled something under his breath, arms crossed tight. gray side-eyed him, noting the way his legs bounced anxiously.

“…you really care about her, huh?”

natsu stilled, then looked at him, eyes big. “well, duh.”

gray blinked, caught off guard by the sheer earnestness in his voice. natsu frowned. “she’s my partner. of course i care.”

gray swallowed, something tightening in his chest. “…right.”

natsu huffed, flopping onto his back. “ugh. i hate this. why is it so quiet?”

gray stretched his legs out. “because you won’t shut up about it.”

“wow. rude.”

gray smirked, but his mind was still half on lucy—and the other half on the way natsu’s expression had softened when he talked about her.

natsu groaned dramatically, flopping back against the wall. “this is the worst day of my life.”

gray, crouched beside him, arched a brow. “we’re literally fugitives in a castle full of people who wanna kill us, and that’s what you’re complaining about?”

natsu huffed, crossing his arms. “you don’t get it. i’m stressed, gray. my heart is beating so fast. feel it.” he grabbed gray’s wrist and pressed it against his chest without warning.

gray’s brain short-circuited. natsu was warm. really warm. and his heart was racing, pounding under gray’s fingertips.

gray yanked his hand back like he’d been burned. “what the hell—? don’t just do that!”

natsu pouted. “why not? you’re always touching me back home.”

gray sputtered. “when?!”

natsu shrugged. “dunno. feels like you do.”

gray opened his mouth, then closed it, his face heating. He had no idea what to say to that.

natsu smirked. “aww, you’re blushing.”

“shut up.”

but natsu just laughed, the sound surprisingly light given their situation. “man, your world must be great. unlimited magic, people just born with it… i’d never have to worry about running out.”

gray, still reeling, frowned. “yeah, well… you’d probably freeze to death in my world.”

natsu gasped, offended. “would not!”

“would too. you’re tiny.”

“am not!”

gray smirked now, shaking his head. “yeah, yeah. whatever helps you sleep at night.”

natsu grumbled, turning his face away. “stupid gray…”

gray just chuckled, but his gaze lingered on natsu a little longer than necessary.

natsu took a deep breath, his hands clenched into fists on his knees. he wasn’t shaking anymore—at least, not as much. “gray.”

gray blinked. “what?”

“if something happens,” natsu said, voice steady in a way gray had never heard before, “you run.”

gray stared at him. “what?”

“you heard me,” natsu said. “if they catch us, i’ll slow ‘em down. you find lucy and get the hell out of here.”

gray scowled. “that’s stupid. i’m not leaving you behind.”

natsu shook his head. “yes, you are.” there was no hesitation, no teasing, just pure certainty. “you and lucy actually have a shot at getting out of this. i don’t.”

gray’s chest tightened. “don’t talk like that.”

“i’m serious, gray,” natsu murmured. “you know what they do to people like me here.”

gray did know. and he hated it.

he swallowed hard, looking away. “we’re all getting out of here,” he muttered. “together.”

natsu exhaled, slow and tired. “guess i’ll just have to hold you to that.”

gray didn’t say it out loud, but all he could think was—since when did natsu get so damn mature?

the silence between them stretched, thick with unspoken things. gray wasn’t sure what to say—wasn’t sure if he wanted to say anything. natsu was different. not just scared, not just acting out of instinct. he was thinking ahead, making plans, preparing for the worst.

it was unsettling.

but also… kind of impressive.

gray leaned back against the cold wall, arms crossed. “so, what, you’re just okay with all this?”

natsu snorted, shaking his head. “hell no.” he looked over, eyes sharp but calm. “but panicking won’t help.”

gray couldn’t argue with that.

“besides,” natsu added, a hint of something wry in his voice, “you’re panicking enough for both of us.”

gray glared. “shut up.”

natsu just grinned, fangs peeking out. for a second, he almost looked like his usual self again.

gray huffed, looking away. damn it. why is he actually kind of cool right now?

gray wasn’t sure when the air got so thick.

one second, natsu was just talking, his usual self but quieter, more thoughtful. and now—now gray could feel the space between them. or maybe it was the lack of space.

natsu hadn’t moved, but something about him felt closer. the way his eyes stayed on gray, sharp but soft. the way his breathing was slow, even. like he wasn’t in a hurry for once. like he was waiting.

gray swallowed hard. “what?”

natsu tilted his head, brows furrowing just slightly. “you keep staring.”

gray’s jaw clenched. “you’re imagining things.”

“nah,” natsu said, voice dropping just a little, teasing but steady. “you are.”

gray exhaled sharply through his nose. why the hell is he like this?

natsu didn’t smirk. didn’t laugh. he just looked at him, like he was seeing him, and shit, gray wasn’t used to that. not from him.

his fingers twitched. the silence between them wasn’t empty—it was heavy, packed with something unspoken, something dense.

“you’re different here,” gray found himself saying, barely above a whisper.

natsu blinked, surprised. “huh?”

gray shook his head, looking away, annoyed with himself. “never mind.”

but natsu just watched him, quiet for a beat. then—

“you too.”

gray turned back, and natsu’s gaze didn’t waver. his voice was calm, sure. “you’re different too.”

gray’s chest felt tight. not bad. just—full.

his throat bobbed. his fingers curled against his knee.

natsu’s lips parted slightly, like he wanted to say something else. like he was about to.

gray’s breath caught.

shit.

natsu’s mouth closed again. his gaze flickered—down to gray’s hands, up to his face, then back to his hands, like he was trying to decide something.

gray didn’t move. couldn’t. he felt frozen, every muscle locked in place. say something, his brain told him. do something. but what? what?

natsu exhaled, slow. then , finally—finally—he spoke.

“…you ever feel like,” he started, then hesitated. He shifted, sitting up a little more. “like you’re supposed to do something, but you don’t know what?”

gray blinked, the question knocking him off balance. “what?”

natsu’s fingers curled in his lap. “like—like there’s this feeling, deep in your chest. like something’s there, but you don’t get it, and it’s just—” he made a frustrated noise, rubbing at his sternum. “—right there, but you can’t grab it.”

gray stared at him.

yeah, he thought distantly. i know exactly what that’s like.

but he didn’t say that.

instead, he forced a scoff, leaning back on his hands. “you sound ridiculous.”

natsu rolled his eyes, but he grinned—small, sharp, fond.

gray’s heart stuttered.

“whatever,” natsu muttered, dropping his head back against the wall. “i was just thinking.”

gray swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry. “since when do you do that?”

natsu snorted. “since i met you.”

gray’s brain short-circuited.

natsu yawned, stretching his arms over his head, and gray should look away, should move, should breathe, but he didn’t.

he just sat there.

watching.

waiting.

aching.

the air between them felt heavier now, thick with something unspoken. gray swore he could hear his own heartbeat, way too loud in the silence.

natsu dropped his arms, turning his head toward him again, and for a second—just a second—gray thought he was gonna say something. something important. something that would change everything.

but instead, natsu just sighed, tilting his head back against the wall. “you’re staring again.”

gray stiffened. “shut up.”

natsu snickered. “what, did you forget how to blink?”

“did you forget how to shut up?”

natsu grinned, all teeth, but his eyes—his eyes were softer than gray had ever seen them.

gray looked away, clenching his jaw. this was stupid. this was so stupid. they were stuck in enemy territory, hiding in a castle where they could be caught at any second, and all gray could think about was—

was—

the way natsu’s breath hitched when gray shifted closer.

the way his fingers twitched, like he was fighting the urge to reach out.

the way gray wanted to let him.

natsu licked his lips, his throat bobbing. “gray,” he said, voice quieter now, rougher.

gray swallowed hard. “what.”

natsu’s gaze flickered to his mouth—just for a second.

gray stopped breathing.

the space between them felt nonexistent now. a single movement and—

a door slammed open in the distance.

they jolted apart like they’d been burned.

natsu scrambled back, pressing himself against the wall, eyes wide and pulse hammering. gray turned his head sharply, trying to get his breathing under control.

the footsteps outside grew louder. too close.

gray forced himself to move, grabbing natsu’s wrist and yanking him down behind a stack of crates. natsu didn’t resist, but his hand was burning against gray’s skin, even through the thin fabric of his sleeve.

they held their breath as shadows passed under the door. muffled voices, too indistinct to make out. natsu’s fingers curled around gray’s wrist, grip tight.

gray didn’t let go either.

after a long moment, the footsteps faded. the voices disappeared.

silence.

gray exhaled, only now realizing how close they still were. natsu was staring at him, gaze unreadable, breath warm against his cheek.

“…we should move,” gray murmured, but he didn’t.

natsu didn’t either.

gray’s brain short-circuited the second he realized it—he was practically hovering over natsu, their bodies pressed together in the cramped space behind the crates.

natsu blinked up at him, his face a mix of surprise and something else, something gray couldn’t place. his hands were gripping gray’s arms now, not pushing him away, just… holding on.

gray’s stomach flipped.

natsu swallowed. “uh. gray.”

gray’s mouth went dry. “yeah.”

natsu’s eyes flickered down between them, like he was just now realizing how little space there was. his cheeks turned red. “you’re—um.”

gray knew he should move. he really should. but his body refused to listen, and all he could do was stare at natsu, at the way his chest rose and fell, the way his hair was messy from sleep, the way his lips were slightly parted—

the way he looked at gray like he was waiting for something.

gray’s hands flexed, his thumbs brushing over natsu’s sides, feeling the way his breath stuttered. his skin was so warm—too warm—but gray didn’t pull away. he couldn’t.

natsu’s fingers curled into the fabric of gray’s shirt, gripping tight like he was trying to ground himself. his face was flushed, eyes half-lidded, lips parted like he was about to say something—like he wanted to say something—but nothing came out.

gray swallowed hard. his own breathing was uneven now, his pulse hammering in his ears. “natsu,” he murmured, voice low. he wasn’t even sure what he was going to say. maybe nothing. maybe everything.

natsu exhaled shakily, tilting his head just slightly—like he was leaning into gray’s touch, like he was waiting—

gray’s resolve nearly shattered. his hands twitched against natsu’s skin, sliding just a little higher, just enough to make natsu suck in a breath, his eyes flickering with something unreadable.

“gray,” natsu muttered, voice rough. it wasn’t a protest. it wasn’t anything close to a protest.

gray’s head dipped, closer, barely an inch between them now. he could feel natsu’s breath on his lips, warm, unsteady—

natsu’s hands tightened in his shirt. “if you don’t stop looking at me like that, i’m gonna—”

gray’s breath hitched. “gonna what?”

natsu’s throat bobbed. his heartbeat was so loud, he was sure gray could hear it.

but then—gray’s hands finally moved, smoothing up natsu’s sides, fingers splaying across his ribs. natsu trembled.

gray smirked, though it was weaker than usual, breathless. “thought so.”

natsu growled low in his throat, and before he could think twice, he yanked gray down by his collar, their foreheads knocking together.

gray’s eyes widened. natsu’s were burning.

neither of them moved. neither of them could.

the tension pressed in around them, thick, suffocating, pulling them closer and closer until—

natsu’s breath was shaky, but he didn’t pull back. neither did gray.

his hands were still gripping gray’s shirt, knuckles white, but gray didn’t care. all he could focus on was the heat between them, the way natsu’s chest rose and fell against his own, the way his lips were so close that gray could feel every breath.

it would be so easy.

gray’s fingers twitched against natsu’s skin, his grip tightening just slightly. he could feel natsu’s heartbeat under his palm—fast, uneven, matching his own.

“you’re gonna what?” gray murmured again, voice lower, rougher.

natsu sucked in a breath. his pupils were blown wide, flickering between gray’s eyes and his mouth.

gray barely had time to process it before natsu moved.

it wasn’t quite a kiss, but it wasn’t not one either.

their noses brushed, their lips ghosting against each other, so close that gray could taste the heat of natsu’s breath, but natsu hesitated—just for a second, just long enough for gray to realize what was happening.

gray exhaled sharply, his hand slipping up to the back of natsu’s neck, holding him there, keeping him close. “you’re an idiot,” he muttered.

natsu swallowed, his grip on gray’s shirt tightening. “then what does that make you?”

gray didn’t answer. he didn’t have to.

because this time, when natsu moved, neither of them stopped.

gray had imagined a lot of things before. stupid things, really—things he’d never let himself dwell on for too long.

but this? natsu, flushed and breathless beneath him, looking up with half-lidded eyes, lips parted just slightly—this was something else entirely.

his fingers tightened against natsu’s waist, cold against the burning heat of his skin. he’d always known natsu ran hot, but like this, pressed so close, gray could feel every inch of it, the fire curling under his fingertips, sinking into his own skin.

natsu sucked in a breath, his head tipping back just slightly. gray’s gaze dropped to his throat, the way it moved as natsu swallowed, his pulse quick under the skin.

he could feel it. the rapid beat, just as fast as his own.

gray had wanted this. maybe for longer than he was willing to admit.

and now—now, natsu was right here, under him, his body so warm and solid and real, his hands still clutching gray’s shirt like he was afraid to let go.

gray dragged his fingers up, slow, deliberate, tracing along natsu’s ribs, feeling the way his breath stuttered at the touch.

natsu’s hands twitched against his chest, like he wanted to push him away but couldn’t bring himself to do it. instead, his fingers curled into the fabric, pulling gray even closer.

“gray,” he murmured, voice rough, needy.

gray’s breath caught. his name had never sounded like that before.

his hands slid higher, over smooth, burning skin, and natsu shivered beneath him. gray didn’t think he could stop now—not when natsu was looking at him like that, not when he finally had him like this, warm and open and vulnerable.

natsu had always been fire. uncontrollable, reckless, burning too bright for anyone to hold onto for long.

but right now?

right now, gray had him. and he wasn’t letting go.

natsu sucked in a sharp breath as gray’s hands slid even higher, fingertips skimming along the curve of his ribs, teasing over the heat of his skin. he felt like he was burning from the inside out, but not in the way he was used to. this was different—slow and smoldering, curling deep in his stomach, making his breath come in short, uneven pulls.

gray had never touched him like this before. had never looked at him like this before, eyes dark and intense, drinking in every little reaction.

“you’re warm,” gray muttered, almost to himself, his thumbs tracing absent circles against natsu’s skin.

natsu huffed out a shaky laugh, tilting his head back against the floor. “no shit.”

gray’s grip tightened, just for a second. his hands were still cold, but they weren’t shocking anymore—not when natsu’s body had already melted against them, already adjusted to the contrast.

his fingers ghosted over natsu’s sides, so light it made natsu twitch under him.

“s-stop teasing,” natsu grumbled, voice catching in the middle.

gray smirked, slow and wicked. “who says i’m teasing?”

natsu groaned, trying to shift, but gray only pressed down harder, pinning him in place.

he shouldn’t like this. shouldn’t be this worked up over gray’s weight against him, the feeling of those cold hands mapping him out like they had all the time in the world.

but he did. god, he did.

gray leaned in, breath brushing against natsu’s ear. “this is different for you, huh?”

natsu swallowed hard, hating how easily gray could see through him. “shut up.”

gray chuckled, low and smug. “thought so.”

natsu could barely think anymore, not with gray so close, not with the way his hands were moving, slow and deliberate. he wanted—

he didn’t even know what he wanted. just that it had to be more.

“gray,” he muttered, barely more than a breath.

gray stilled above him, eyes searching his face, something unreadable flickering behind his gaze.

for a moment, neither of them moved.

then—

gray dipped his head lower.