Life After Near Death

Silence

"Winter skies are cold and low, with harsh winds and freezing sleet.
But when we make love beneath our quilt, we make three summer months of heat."
― Tzu Yeh

Although Gray had originally wanted to rush straight home, he thought better of it after his stomach let out a loud growl. It was the middle of the afternoon, and neither of them had eaten breakfast or lunch.

They stopped at a small café, and Gray was glad he had some money on him. They were both eager to eat. Still, all through their meal, Natsu and Gray gazed at one another. This break for food was just building the tension, the desire, whetting their appetite. Under the table, Gray felt Natsu slide his foot over his leg while his eyes burned with desire. He licked sauce off his fork and smiled as he saw Gray gulp.

After their meal, Gray held Natsu's hand while they walked through town. Normally, such public affection embarrassed him, but today he was thrusting all of that aside. He was going to treat Natsu as a proper boyfriend, with a nice meal date, a stroll through town, and gradually they ended up on the street where Gray lived.

The late autumn day was already growing dark as the sun sank and a wind picked up. Gray glanced over at how Natsu's scarf fluttered in the breeze. He smiled and squeezed the burning hand. It was an in-between time, a balance of summer and winter, much like themselves. The blustery wind matched the storm brewing between them as they entered Gray's apartment and hiked up the stairs to his room.

Gray held the door open for him, and Natsu strode in while trying not to look as nervous as he felt. Although this was something he had wanted for so long, it still felt ... rushed. He somehow thought this would be a day they would plan for, a moment expected and anticipated. Instead, Gray abruptly declared that he wanted to show Natsu just how much he loved him. It came as a complete surprise. Since their mission, they had only made out a few times. They had not tried anything beyond kissing, not since that camping trip.

Although, their journey home involved plenty of pleasure while sleeping in a tent together.

He subconsciously rubbed his arms as he increased his own body heat to compensate for the chill of Gray's home. Suddenly, arms were around him, hugging him from behind, and lips were on his neck. Any chill vanished as Natsu's body burned at the nips to his skin.

He turned around, and stormy blue eyes gazed down at him silently. With a bit of worry, Gray reached up and touched the bandage on Natsu's face. The Dragon Slayer carefully pulled it off, revealing the cut to his cheek he got when he pass out and fell down the stairs. It had stopped bleeding, but there was still a scab. If Wendy did not look at it soon, there could even be a scar.

Gray leaned forward, and although he did not kiss right on the wound, he kissed the inflamed flesh near the cut. Natsu was injured because of him, and it made him feel guilty.

Natsu looked up and saw that regret in the wintry eyes. He had every intention of telling Gray the whole truth, especially now, before they did this. However, that look of guilt stung Natsu. He did not want this perfect mood to turn into something bad. It must have taken a lot of courage for Gray to reach this point. They had time to talk about why his heart was weak later, when they were not in the midst of feeling such deep passion for one another.

But definitely—definitely—he was going to tell Gray. He needed to. He had put it off so long.

Just ... not yet.

Gray's hand drifted up Natsu's arms and over to his chest, coming to rest on the first button of his shirt. Slowly, although Natsu was sure he could have done it in a flash, Gray unbuttoned Natsu's shirt, watching as his chest was gradually revealed. After the last button, his hands slid back up over rigid muscles and firm pectorals, up to Natsu's shoulders.