Natsu woke up just as the train came to a halt. "Are we there yet?" He manages to say.
Gray rolls his beautiful eyes. "The train's just stopped, dumbass."
"Are you sure? It feels like we're still moving." He grips his stomach tighter. Gray picks Natsu up and throws him over his shoulder, cold skin making Natsu shiver, though he never wants to leave his touch. Gray carries him out of the train.
"You have an incredibly weak gut, Natsu," Gray scolds as they step off the train. Gray's insides turn (in a good way) at the use of his name. Natsu's immediately dropped out of Gray's grip and onto the floor.
"Hey, don't just throw me like that!" Natsu painfully shouts and staggers onto his feet.
"Whatever, Pyro."
"We need to get to the guild and inform master of our fail," Erza's firm voice barks.
"Yeah, I know." Natsu groans loudly. "Why does the ground feel like it's still moving?" Natsu thinks aloud.
"We aren't even on a vehicle, Natsu," Lucy reminds the sick boy. Once the realisation sits in, he perks up.
"Yeah, you're right," Natsu happily says. "Let's go now!"
***
Natsu lays back-side down on a soft surface. Blankets cacooning him against the bed. He blinks a few times at the sight of a white ceiling. He shoots up, the blankets slowly falling from his bare chest. A burning sensation on his cheek catches his attention. He winces as he touches it. He looks around and doesn't see anyone else there, but he does notice he's in the resting room. White curtains surround Natsu's bed. "Hey, anybody here!?" Natsu shouts.
Porlyusica reveals herself after drawing back the curtains. "Don't shout, child," she scolds.
"Why 'm I here?" Natsu asks.
"You seriously don't remember anything? Erza found you and Gray on a mountain, unconscious. You guys fought."
Natsu thinks for a while before it all comes back to him.
Gray and Natsu stood opposite each other on the tallest mountain in the mountain range closest to Magnolia. Both of them in fighting pose. The wind blew through their hair and clothes. "Are you sure about this Natsu? You need to do some physio therapy before you start fighting again," Gray asked with worry laced in his words.
"Is the Ice Princess worried about me!?" Natsu teased.
"Of course not!" Gray lunged forward bringing his fist to uppercut Natsu in the gut, but Natsu dodged him and brought his body down and close to the ground. He ran underneath Gray and engulfed his right hand in fire.
"Fire Dragon: Iron Fist!" He shouted as his fist made contact with Gray's stomach. Gray flew high in the air. He flipped his body upright and landed on the ground. He didn't skip a beat. He pushed his backfoot of the stony surface and ran towards Natsu.
Gray drew his hands behind him and shouted, "Ice Make: Cold Excalibur! And Ice Make: Arrows!" An ice sword formed in Gray's hands and ice arrows surrounded him. The arrows attacked first, Natsu dodging them all. Gray sneaked behind Natsu and went in for an attack, barely scratching it as Natsu jumped away.
"Hah! Seems as though you've grown weak, Ice Princess!" Natsu shouted teasingly.
"Damn you!" Gray let out a loud but low war-cry and ran towards Natsu, freezing the fire mages feet as he did. Gray landed a punch in Natsu's gut and then another and another. Natsu shielded his face as he worked on melting the ice. When Natsu could move again, he took the upper hand by landing a surprise attack on Gray's gut with his left fist. Gray skidded backwards but managed to stop himself before toppling over the cliff's face. "You're Trying to kill me now, are you?" an evil smile made its way onto his lips.
"Hah! And what if I am!?" Natsu jumped back, drawing his right foot behind him.
"I'll have to kill you first!" Gray shouted and lunged towards Natsu while screaming; Natsu following suit. They dragged their arms back and swing forward, landing their fists on each other's faces at the same time. Natsu fell backwards, immediately falling unconscious.
After returning to the real world, Natsu asks excitedly, "How's the Ice Princess? Can I fight him again?"
Porlyusica shakes her head. "He's still unconscious. You need to rest. You look like you've been pummelled by the legendary Baki Hanma." Natsu looks down at his arms and sees bruises layering them with an occasional scratch.
"Just get Wendy to heal me," Natsu says.
"You can't rely on Wendy all the time, child."
"But-"
"No buts, child. Go back to bed!" Porlyusica orders sternly. Natsu whines and reluctantly falls back asleep.
YOU ARE READING
Time Bomb
Fanfiction"Don't do this, Gray!" Natsu pleads. "Please, Gray! You don't have to do this!" Erza shouts. ------ Everyone thought they knew all about Gray's past, but they were wrong. They never knew about Brazen, who brought him suffering, or how he has turned...
