gym crush - n. dragneel

twelve

ok

he stares at his phone, willing to see you typing again, to just say something.

but, he doesn't get another message.

he sighs, setting his phone on his desk before heading downstairs to help everyone else set up for the night.

"(y/n)."

"hm?" you look up from your laptop, kurenai standing in your doorway with a stoic look on her face.

"are you coming with me tonight?"

you internally groan. you'd hoped kurenai would just catch the hint and not ask you.

"i wasn't planning on it, i have a lot of homework."

"yea, wrong answer. yesterday you told me you got ahead in all your classes for the next week because you needed something to do."

"that doesn't mean i don't have any homework at all."

"your teacher opens up the assignments one week at a time." she raises a brow, knowing she's shut down any of your excuses.

damn her for knowing me so well and being such a good listener

"fine. i just don't know if i want to."

"even if you're gonna keep being weird and ignoring natsu, you have other friends there. wendy keeps asking about you, and you haven't seen levy or cana or juvia in weeks. they miss you. and i miss you. you're pushing everyone away, not just natsu."

"that isn't what i'm trying to do."

"what did natsu even do? you guys were fine a couple weeks ago."

"i don't know. he keeps asking me what he did wrong so obviously he did something."

"are you serious?" kurenai's change in tone makes your face falter, not having heard her speak like that in a long time.

"he's asking you what he did wrong because you're acting completely different. not because he's hiding something."

"how would you know? you're in his head to speak for him?"

"it's so obvious to everyone but you! look at the way he treats you when you two are just friends! don't you think if he was after anything else he would've done it by now?!"

"i don't know! he could just be putting up a front to get me to let him in, and that's not a risk i'm willing to take!"

"he's been more respectful to you as a friend than sting ever was as your boyfriend!"

"i..." you trail off, realizing she's right. the few times you had fought with kurenai, you hated it because she was so level-headed and had no problem calling you out on your shit.

"sting was a red flag from the start. believe me or not, but it's true. him cheating wasn't the single incident that damaged you two's relationship and we both know it. he showed who he really was time and time again, and you are the one who kept forgiving him and made him feel like he could get away with something drastic."

"that doesn't mean i should just trust anyone right off the bat!"

"i'm not saying you should! i don't think you should blindly trust anyone, or keep giving trust to someone that doesn't deserve it. but he cares about you so much and it's right in your face! if you outright refuse to trust anyone that's clearly doing right by you, nothing is gonna be good enough for you and you're gonna sell yourself short for the rest of your life!"

"why do you care so much?! it's not your relationship, why don't you just mind your perfect little girlfriend and let me deal with my shit?"

"do not speak on my relationship like that ever again. i care so much because you're my best friend and i love you with all my heart. i'm not gonna stand by and shut up while you make yourself fucking miserable!" she snaps, making you gulp.

you stare at each other for a few seconds, kurenai breathing deeply from her rant.

"i-i'm sorry." your voice is small, feeling a lump form in your throat.

"apologize to yourself babes. you don't deserve to torment yourself all the time. it's okay for someone other than me to be nice to you." she makes her way over to your desk chair, hugging you around your shoulders and pulling you into her torso. you throw your arms around her waist, feeling tears slip down your cheeks.

"i don't wanna get hurt again nai."

"you think i'd ever let that happen again?" you look up and see her comforting smile back on her face, only making you cry more.

"n-no."

"i've got your back, always. and if you try to be stubborn about anyone who's not good to you ever again, i'll kick your ass." you both burst out laughing, finally lightening the mood.

"thank you."

"don't mention it. now get ready, i gotta settle the score with gajeel in monopoly."