"Huh? What's the problem?" Natsu asks.
The dark orange long haired male walks towards Gray. His black narrow eyes glaring into his soul. Natsu swallows the growl coming up his mouth. "It's been a long time, Gray. Fourteen years, was it?" His low voice echoes through the guild.
"You know him?" Erza asks.
"Yeah. He's a dickhead," Gray says, voice throaty (throatily).
"Now, now. Don't be so mean to your dear old friend, Gray," he says, honeyed tone. His broad shoulders are covered in a white cotton shirt with a brow string undone near the top of it. "You've grown quite a bit since the last time I saw you."
"Don't come near me, you asshole!" Gray growls.
"Who's that, Gray?" Wendy asks quietly. Natsu lets go of Lucy's hand and crosses his arms over his chest to stop himself from doing something he'll regret.
"It's Brazen. We used to be friends a while back," Gray replies.
"Huh? We never knew about him!" Natsu shouts.
"Of course not, Flame Brain! I don't have to tell you guys everything."
"Calm down, Gray." Brazen cackles loudly. "I only knew you for a few years, but you've changed so much!"
Natsu bites the inside of his cheek. Oh how he wants to force this Brazen guy out of the guild. He hurt his friend, he knows that for sure.
"What do you mean I've changed?" Gray snaps.
"You've grown stronger and wiser." Natsu looks over at Erza who also has a hard expression, ready to pounce on the guy at any second.
"Yeah, and?" Gray pauses and takes a shaky breath a mix of anger and fear that's only hearable with Natsu's ultrasonic hearing. "You know what, just get out of our guild," he orders. Brazen's towering figure bends down, looking eye-level to Gray. His black pants look about to rip.
"I've changed too, ya know?" Brazen laughs deeply. His eyes are rough and squinty and his face a harsh oval.
"Yeah? How?" Gray mocks.
"I'm much stronger than I used to be." Natsu feels Gray's fear as if he was him. It's gut wrenching. Natsu's arms begin to shake.
"You...you wouldn't dare!" Gray shouts at him.
Brazen laughs. "Oh I would."
Natsu tastes the blood in his mouth as the last part of his brain telling him to stay put was killed. He storms over and stands in front of Gray. His fists clenched at his sides, he shouts, "I don't know what you did to Gray, but it obviously wasn't good. Get out of our guild before I force you out. And never return." Natsu's eyes shone with rage. "Gray's part of our family and we look after him."
"You've got some good friends, Gray," Brazen says and stands up, groaning. Natsu continues to stare at him as he leaves the guild.
Once the evil presence leaves the room, Natsu immediately calms down. Gray continues to stare into space. Natsu spins around and clicks his fingers in his face. "Ice Princess, snap out of it," he shouts.
Gray shakes his head and focuses on Natsu. He took a deep breath. "Thanks, I guess but I'm going for a walk." As Juvia walks up he adds, "alone."
"Is my beloved Gray alright?" Juvia says anyways.
"I'm fine, Juvia," obviously irked. Gray lightly pushes Juvia away and walks out of the guild.
What happened? Natsu thinks to himself.
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...
