[1.0]
841 Words
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Natsu had a large amount of fun with Gray, he wasn't going to deny it. After returning all the fish back home, he started to head to the guild with Happy by his side. Gray went back to the guild around fifteen minutes due to the fact Lyon wasn't there. So all Natsu had left to do was to actually get to the guild. Which for some reason he was excited for.
As Natsu headed through the guild doors, he spotted Gajeel calling him over. Predicting it was about Dragon Mating Season, he trudged over to the table Gajeel was sitting at.
"What?" Natsu groaned taking a seat, across from Gajeel.
"Stop whining" Gajeel grunts before giving Natsu a serious look.
"Look...there's something I didn't tell you" Gajeel sighs. Natsu's eyes narrow slightly.
"And what's that?"
"There's phrases to this season...Stage one, the emotional phrase" Gajeel explains causing Natsu's eyes to grow wide.
"So that's why..."
"I don't even want to know" Gajeel replies with a snicker. Natsu sends him a glare but then sighs.
"What are the other stages?" Natsu questions slightly annoyed he hadn't been told this sooner.
"I can hear how annoyed you are in your voice. Why ya' mad for?"
"I wished I was told this sooner that's all" Natsu admits.
"I thought it was fairer if I told you individually but you and your mates...oh and really though, I need to confirm this. You and the ice boy?" Gajeel questions with a smirk.
"Oh god" Natsu mumbles.
"So I was right! Gihee"
"Yeah, yeah. Me and the ice princess. What are you gonna do about it?" Natsu retaliates.
"I thought you wanted information for Mating season" Gajeel asks.
"Uggghhhhhhhhhhhh" Natsu groans.
"Right so, the second stage is the clingy stage. Oh how you will love that Natsu" Gajeel teases.
"Don't get me started. This will be t*****e" Natsu responds glumly.
"The third is the over protective" Gajeel continues watching Natsu's expression go serious for a moment.
"You'll need to keep me away from Lyon" Natsu states. Gajeel follows his eyes to see the white-haired ice make Mage talking with Gray at the bar.
"He isn't even supposed to be here...he went on a mission" Natsu grumbles. Gray sends them a 'help me' look.
"Shall we help him?" Gajeel questions looking over at Natsu to see he was already gone. "Should've expected that one."
Natsu appears by Gray, giving Lyon a slight glare.
"I thought you were on a mission" Natsu comments, taking a seat beside Gray. Gray sighs a breath of relief knowing it would be easier to get away from Lyon now.
"Well, I was. But the client had some...issue occurring ice mages. Didn't quite like them, so I was sent back" Lyon explains.
"Why ice mages?" Gray questions. Natsu could see Gray was a tad hurt by the idea of being judged by his magic. Then again, Natsu agrees with that. You shouldn't be judged by your magic. It's just wrong.
"Had a bad experience with one in the past. Not with us, with one from a dark guild" Lyon replies taking a glance at Gray hoping his expression of confusion and hurt changed from when he last looked. Natsu was secretly doing the same thing, almost letting out a sigh of relief when his face formed his usual bored expression.
"Anyway, I must be going" Lyon states standing up from the bar.
"Bye" Gray grumbles as Lyon walked away.
"What's up with that dude?" Gray sighs in frustration.
"I don't know" Natsu admits, slightly ticked off after the conversation with Lyon.
"...Still feeling bothered?" Gray questions slightly sensing Gajeel behind them.
"Hey Gajeel" Gray greets causally.
"...That's new one. What's with the casual attitude today?" Gajeel asks feeling on edge.
"I'm always like this time of year" Gray raises an eyebrow. Natsu thought about that for a moment, before realizing what he meant. The day of Ur's death. He is usually nicer to people around him. Most people think he would mope around or snap at people. But Gray based on Ur's caring attitude, decides to take away his facade for the day, or two. In her honor. Natsu always thought it was based on the fact he was too sad to keep it up, but it was sort of the opposite. Gray struggles to keep the facade away; it's normal for him now.
Gajeel slips Natsu a piece of paper before bidding goodbye, in his usual casual manner. "I'll see ya' later."
Natsu stares at for a moment before opening it up.
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Stage four: Marking.
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It was simple, but Gajeel was pretty simple with words Natsu closed the paper not knowing that Gray leaned over his shoulder to read it as well.
'Stage four...? And marking. What does that mean?' Gray thinks to himself. Watching as Natsu stood up and walked out the guild. Happy quickly catching up to him after his failed attempt of flirting with Carla.
'There's something wrong recently. And I'm going to figure out what.'
- Writer
