Summary: Working retail was a pain in the ass, but it got worse when the holidays rolled around. Luckily for Gray, he had a fun and goofy coworker to go through the hell with. Now, if he could just stop his heart from racing every time he was near Natsu, he would be golden. A two-shot Christmas story. Modern AU.

Pairing: Natsu/Gray (Gratsu)

Rated T for foul language and adult situations.

Genre: Humor, Romance

Word Count: 5.5K

Jump Start: Part Two

Natsu perked up when he heard the doorbell ring. He ran through his house, almost tripping over his cats, Happy and Carla, on his way to answer the door. "I'll get it!"

He didn't get there fast enough, watching as his dad opened the door to greet Gray. His family was well aware of his date to Lucy's Christmas party, though hearing about Gray and meeting him were two different things.

"Come in, come in," Igneel said, widening the door so Gray could enter.

Natsu slowed his pace, cupping the back of his neck as his face warmed. He had to admit, he was a little embarrassed to be living at home still. He was nineteen years old, but he couldn't afford to rent an apartment by himself yet. He made enough to pay his bills and have some left over, but until he found a cheap place to live or got a better paying job, he was stuck at home.

Gray didn't comment on Natsu's living arrangements, instead smiling when he saw him. Natsu wanted to usher Gray out and go straight to the party, but his parents had other ideas, Igneel escorting Gray to the living room so the rest of the family could meet him.

Natsu took a deep breath, deciding he could roll with it. Struggling would only make things worse. "Gray, I'd like you to meet my family." He gestured to each person, watching as Gray shook each of their hands.

"My dad, Igneel, my mom, Grandeeney, and Wendy, my sister."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Grandeeney said, giving Gray a soft smile.

He nodded, sounding just as cool and charming as ever. "The pleasure's all mine. And may I say, what a beautiful home you have." Gray looked around, his eyes flitting over the walls decorated with pictures and mementos. "Feels warm."

Grandeeney's smile grew wider. "Why, thank you."

While Natsu's parents and Gray exchanged pleasantries, Natsu looked over Gray's body, eyes widening a bit when he recognized the shirt Gray was wearing. It was the same one he picked out when they were at the mall together. Natsu couldn't help but smile as he thought, 'I was right. That shirt does look good on him.'

"We'll have to have you over for dinner sometime, if that's okay," Igneel said, earning a nod from Gray.

"I'd like that."

Natsu's parents were supportive of their son. If Natsu thought Gray was good enough to meet them, they wanted to get to know him better. Natsu just knew it would have to be later, seeing as they had a party to get to.

"We should head out before we're late," Natsu said, grabbing the large bag by the front door, hoisting it over his shoulder. "I'll be back later tonight! Don't wait up."

"Text us if you're staying over at anyone's house," Igneel said, giving Natsu a not-so-subtle wink. "That way we know you're safe if you don't come home."

"Dad!" Natsu groaned, his face burning with a blush. He liked Gray, but he had no intentions on sleeping with him on the first date. He wanted to get to know him better before he stayed overnight. "Trust me. I'll be home tonight."

His dad chuckled. "Alrighty. You two have fun."

"Drive safe," Grandeeney called as Gray and Natsu headed out the door.

"I will. And don't worry, I'll make sure he gets home safe too." Gray gave Natsu's family one last wave before turning around, trudging through the snow towards his car.

Natsu wanted to take his truck, but they decided earlier to ride together to the party. He could go without his beast for one night if it meant spending that time with Gray.

"What's in the bag?" Gray asked when they climbed inside his car, sliding his key into the ignition.

Natsu smiled at the large bag in his lap, one of his hands digging in to find something. "Gifts for my friends."

Gray nodded, starting the car. "Oh, okay."

When the car moved forward, Natsu tightening his stomach on reflex. He slowly relaxed when he felt his motion sickness medication working, happy he wouldn't look like a fool in front of Gray. At least, not when it came to riding in a vehicle. Pushing that thought aside, Natsu went back to looking, his blush crawling down his neck and disappearing behind his scarf when he found what he wanted.

Natsu cleared his throat, hoping he sounded cool when he said, "I got you something."

Gray looked over, his eyes widening when he saw Natsu pulling out a wrapped box from the bag. "What?"

"I got this for you," he repeated, fumbling with the box for a second. He wanted to hand it to Gray, but he was currently driving. Frowning, Natsu sat it on his lap with the bag. "You can open it when we get there."

Gray nodded, taking in a deep breath that went noticed by Natsu. "Well, that's good."

Natsu raised a brow, wondering what Gray was talking about until he saw him reaching in the backseat, pulling up a wrapped rectangular box. Before Natsu could ask what it was, Gray said, "I thought you were gonna think I was weird for getting you this, but I guess it's okay now."

Natsu grabbed the box when Gray pushed it towards him. He smiled, already looking forward to opening it. "I'll wait 'til we get there, that way we can do it at the same time."

"Sounds good."

They grew quiet for a moment, letting the low radio fill the silence. That was, until a Christmas song came on, prompting Gray to change the station. "So tired of hearing Christmas music," he mumbled under his breath.

Natsu nodded as he chuckled. He was tired of it too. It started trickling in the radio the day after Halloween and just got worse from there. He leaned back in his seat to get comfortable, casting Gray a glance as he asked, "So, how was work today?"

Gray sighed, his shoulders bunching up as if it was stressing him out just thinking about work. "Horrible. I swear, people get so crazy this time of year."

"What happened?"

"Just everything in general. Nothing too serious, just rude customers who were mad we didn't have the thing they wanted in stock." Gray's eyes narrowed as he gripped the steering wheel tighter. "Like, this one guy was mad we didn't have the Princess Hisui dolls in stock."

"I don't get people like that," Natsu said, feeling Gray's pain. "They wait 'til the last minute to try to buy the most popular toy. Of course it's gonna be sold out."

"Right? Well, he didn't get that. Kept asking to see the manager." Gray snickered, a smirk pulling at his lips. "I sent Erza after him. You should've seen him afterwards."

Natsu barked out a laugh. "I bet she sent him running with his tail between his legs!"

"Pretty much." Gray shared in the laugh, the two discussing the various ways Erza had scared off rude customers in the past. Before they knew it, Gray's GPS was telling him he had arrived at his destination, the loud music from the party being heard from where they sat in the parked car.

"Here," Natsu said, handing Gray the present once he turned off the vehicle. He grinned as he looked down at his gift, wondering what Gray would've gotten for him.

The two opened their presents at the same time, both laughing when they saw what the other got. Gray had given Natsu a hot sauce gift set, complete with ten different flavors. He remembered telling Gray he loved hot sauce, and if that wasn't enough, he always had some in the fridge at work with his name on the bottle, just in case he needed a little extra kick with his lunch.

Gray laughed at his present, fingers brushing over the box to his new mini snow cone machine. "Did you get this 'cause I was saying I wanted a snow cone the other day?"

Natsu nodded, diverting his eyes so he wouldn't blush more. "That, and I know how you like cold food. Thought you could put it to good use?"

"I can," Gray said, giving Natsu some relief. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Thanks for the hot sauce! I can't wait to try them!"

Gray chuckled, shaking his head. "Take your time. They're not going anywhere."

The two were all smiles as they placed their presents in the backseat of Gray's car, preparing themselves for the party inside. "Ready?" Natsu asked, hand hovering over the door handle.

Gray nodded, causing Natsu's smile to grow a little wider. "Yeah. Let's go."

The two made it one step into the house before they were being bombarded, a certain brown-eyed blonde rushing Natsu as she gave him a hug. He smelled the faint scent of liquor on her breath as she pulled back, her grin a little crooked as she looked at Gray.

"Are you the guy Natsu won't stop going on about?" she asked, not waiting for Gray to answer before she was hugging him too.

Natsu barked out a laugh, taking it upon himself to give the introduction. "Gray, this is Lucy. Lucy, this is Gray."

"Nice to meet you," Gray said, holding his hands out as if he were scared to touch her.

Natsu figured he was just confused as to Lucy's sudden hug, shrugging it -and Lucy- off. He grabbed his best friend's arm, giving her a soft tug so she'd let go. "Have you been drinking?" It was a stupid question because of the obvious answer, but he figured he'd let Lucy tell him herself.

She nodded, looking proud as she stumbled back a step. "Cana and I had a contest!"

"Oh no," Natsu whispered, causing Gray to raise a brow.

"What's wrong?"

Natsu sighed, running his free hand through his pink locks. "Cana's another friend. She uh, she likes to drink... a lot." He looked around, but he didn't see the brunette anywhere. "I guarantee she won whatever contest they had."

Lucy huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "I almost won!"

"What was the contest?" Gray asked, holding out a hand when Lucy stumbled again.

Natsu couldn't help but smile a little despite his friend's drunkenness. Gray was ready to lend a helping hand, literally, even though he just met the woman. That was one of the reasons Natsu started liking Gray in the first place. He was a kindhearted guy.

"See who could finish five shots the fastest!" Lucy held up four fingers, laughing as she spun around. "Whoa! Too fast!" She stumbled a bit, but someone stepped up, wrapping their arm around her to keep her steady.

"And this is why I never leave you out of my sights when Cana's around." Mira, another one of Natsu's friends, stepped up to help Lucy out. "I swear, you two egg each other on."

Lucy stuck out her tongue, looking like she was on the verge of throwing a temper tantrum. Natsu had to laugh again, finding his friend's behavior hilarious. His laughter died down when Mira asked who Gray was, her curiosity piqued.

However, before Natsu could answer, Lucy proudly announced, "This is Gray! You know, the one Natsu's always talking about?!"

Mira smiled, using her free hand to extend to Gray. "Oh, yeah, Natsu's mentioned you a lot."

Natsu bit back a blush, hoping Gray would think they were joking. They weren't, but he didn't want Gray to know that.

Gray gave a nervous chuckle as he glanced at Natsu. "I hope it's nothing bad?"

Mira and Lucy giggled to each other as the latter shrugged. "Only a little."

Natsu wanted to cover his face so Gray couldn't see his red cheeks, but thankfully the moment was ending, Mira saying she needed to get some food in Lucy before the poor girl threw up.

"Go! Have fun!" Mira said, nodding towards the party. "Mingle, drink, make out for all I care. Just go have fun!"

With that, the girl took off, holding Lucy close to her side so she couldn't stray away from her.

Natsu rubbed the back of his neck when they were gone, unable to meet Gray's gaze. "I uh, I'm gonna go drop these off," he started, lifting the bag of presents. "You um, wanna come with me?"

He didn't see if Gray nodded or not, but he did hear him say, "Yeah."

The two made their way to the corner of the living room where a tall tree stood. Natsu stuffed his presents in with the others, making sure they were towards the back so they wouldn't accidentally get stepped on by drunk people. With that finished, Natsu suggested they get something to drink, leading him to the kitchen.

Natsu thought about asking if Gray was alright with him drinking a beer, but he decided against it. Even if Gray was okay with it, Natsu didn't want to make him feel left out. Gray had to stay sober since he was driving later. Natsu settled with getting them both sodas, knowing he didn't have to drink to have a good time. Besides, he wanted to get to know Gray better. What would be the point of that if he ended up forgetting some of the stuff later due to being drunk?

They grabbed some sodas and went back to the living room, Natsu introducing Gray to the friends he ran into along the way. Thankfully none were as embarrassing as Lucy or Mira, but one of his friends, Gajeel, did mention the time Natsu mumbled Gray's name in his sleep when they went camping together, thus giving up a piece of information Natsu wasn't ready to admit yet.

"When'd you go camping?" Gray asked when they entered the living room, the two standing against the stairs leading to the second floor.

Natsu swallowed, procrastinating a bit by taking a slow drink, knowing he had to give Gray an answer at some point. He sighed, clenching his teeth as he said, "August..."

"Does that me—" Gray shut his mouth, not finishing his question. "Never mind."

Natsu knew what he was going to ask, but he was dreading answering it. He groaned, tipping his head back until he hit the wall that separated them from the stairs. His stomach twisted as he admitted the truth, even if he wished he could've waited until later to discuss it.

"I've liked you since August, yes." He sighed, eyes falling to the ground. It had been about four months of him thinking about Gray almost all of the time. It started after they worked an overnight shift together and spent a little too long in the break room talking about life in general. That was when Natsu really got to talking with Gray, and also when he realized how beautiful his endless blue eyes were. Since that night, he had been crushing hard, but he kept quiet at work about it, thinking Gray wouldn't be interested.

Natsu swallowed, ready to tell Gray a shorter version of that, but he stopped when he heard Gray's voice.

"Hey, you don't need to explain." Gray stepped in front of him, causing Natsu to look up. "I promise, I'm cool with it either way, but you don't gotta feel pressured." He smiled, making Natsu's cheek twitch. "Okay?"

Natsu opened his mouth, pausing for a moment before nodding, a small smile gracing his lips. "Okay, thanks."

"No problem." Gray returned to the wall, his eyes flitting to the living room where a few people were setting up a game of giant Jenga, the tower coming up to four feet tall before they started playing. "Huh, I've heard of that, but I've never played before."

Natsu didn't know if Gray was actually interested in the game or if he was just trying to take the pressure off Natsu. Either way, he was thankful for the subject change. "Yeah. It's pretty fun, but I think they'll be knocking it over a lot tonight." Most people in the house were drinking, their hands not as coordinated as they were when they were sober.

Sure enough, not five minutes went by before the tower fell over, almost hitting Gray's foot when it landed. Gray stepped closer to Natsu as he moved back, the two now at the base of the stairs. Natsu didn't think anything of it until he heard a squeal, his teeth clenching as he cringed, wondering what made such a high pitched sound.

The two men turned, finding a random drunk girl coming down the stairs. She had one finger pointed over their heads as she made the annoying sound once more. "Awwww! Are you two gonna kiss?!"

Natsu's eyes went wide as he looked up, seeing the mistletoe hanging from the ceiling. He hadn't noticed it earlier, thinking Lucy wouldn't put any up considering what happened at the last Christmas party. She had to kick Loke out because he kept taking advantage of the pesky plant by leading girls towards the spots where it was hanging up. After that, Lucy had said she wasn't going to put more up, but he guessed she changed her mind.

"Mandy!"

Natsu jolted before watching the drunk girl swagger over to the crowd of people, forgetting about Natsu and Gray in an instant. Natsu would've sighed in relief had they not still been under the mistletoe, the back of his neck beading with sweat as the tips of his ears burned.

Natsu directed his attention at Gray, finding he was already looking at him, those deep blue eyes wide as the two stared in silence. Natsu wet his lips in an attempt to soothe his nerves, not realizing it would cause Gray's eyes to flit to his lips. He gulped, wondering what was going to happen.

Just when Natsu thought neither of them were going to say anything, Gray finally spoke up. "Do... do you want to?"

Natsu's heart raced as his mind screamed, 'Yes!', but he had control over his voice for the most part. He took a subtle deep breath, trying to look nonchalant as he shrugged. "I mean, it's tradition..."

Natsu thought his point was valid, but Gray had to be a gentleman, once again giving Natsu a choice. "We don't have to do it."

The difference this time was Natsu wanted to go through with it. He couldn't count how many times he had thought about what it would feel like to kiss Gray, imagining those lips on his. He didn't know if saying he wanted it would make him sound desperate, but part of him didn't care. Usually if Natsu wanted something, he went for it, but with Gray he kept second guessing himself, wondering if he was going to look like a fool.

"Do you want to?" he asked, causing Gray's eyes to widen.

Gray did a hell of a lot better at looking indifferent as he shrugged. It it weren't for the blush surfacing on his face, Natsu would think Gray wasn't interested at all. "I dunno... We could kiss on the cheek, if you're not ready for more?"

Natsu knew he wanted more than a simple kiss on the cheek. Hell, he gave those to his friends on their birthdays or special occasions. A kiss on the cheek was too platonic compared to what he wanted. Summoning his courage, Natsu said, "I want... more." He wanted to pat himself on the back. He thought it would sound like he was asking instead of telling, but his tone came across how he wanted it to.

Natsu gulped past the lump forming in his throat, deciding to go with a different, more direct approach. "Can I kiss you?"

Gray smiled, his lips pulling to reveal some of his teeth. "You want to?" He looked excited, like he was eager to it.

That gave Natsu enough confidence to nod, taking a half-step towards him. "Yes." He waited until Gray gave him a nod in response before closing the gap between them, placing a shaky hand on Gray's cheek to not only show affection, but to make sure he didn't miss.

Natsu closed his eyes as he leaned in, slowly pressing his lips against Gray's. The man responded immediately, applying his own pressure as they shared a soft, sweet kiss. There weren't fireworks, but there didn't have to be. The energy buzzing through Natsu's system and the way his heart raced out of control was enough to give him goosebumps, a grin resting on his lips as they lingered, both not wanting to pull back.

However, all good things came to an end eventually. He slowly opened his eyes when he gave them space, trying to swallow down the rush he felt from just one kiss. He couldn't do it, his chest feeling light and his mind telling him to do it again. Natsu wanted to kiss Gray more, but he didn't want to freak him out.

Apparently, Gray didn't have that same issue.

"Can we go somewhere?" Gray started, eyes flitting around the room before settling on Natsu. "Private?"

Natsu swore he could feel his heart pulsing in his throat as he nodded, lowering his hand from Gray's face. He had forgotten it was there, the action feeling natural. He took a risk, nudging his hand against Gray's. His date took the hint, grabbing his hand back before Natsu led him around to the stairs, bringing him away from the loud party.

They could still hear music when they entered a bedroom, but it still felt more private. Natsu chose to bring Gray to the guest room, not comfortable hanging out in anyone else's room without their permission or knowledge.

As soon as Natsu closed the door, he was being pushed against it, Gray's movements gentle but firm, conveying what he wanted. Despite that, Gray hesitated, fingers flexing against the hold he had on Natsu's waist.

It was Natsu who made the next move, grabbing the front of Gray's shirt before pulling him closer, their lips seeking each other out like magnets. The first kiss started like the one downstairs, soft, simple, and over far too quickly for Natsu's taste. However, now that they were alone, they didn't have to stop there.

Their next kiss held more energy, their lips moving against each other as Natsu wound his arms around Gray's waist, pulling him closer. They gave each other three more kisses before Natsu felt Gray's tongue on his lips, his mouth opening to let him in.

Gray's tongue felt hesitant at first, like he was worried about his actions. Natsu ended the kiss then, sucking in a deep breath to help calm his nerves. "I want it," he said, eyes growing wide when he realized what it sounded like he implied. "Kissing," he clarified, not needing Gray thinking he was up for more than that. "I don't wanna go past kissing, okay?"

"That's fine with me," Gray said, nodding. "That actually makes me feel better." He lifted a hand up, resting it on Natsu's arm before he leaned in, his lips brushing against Natsu's as he spoke. "I wanna take it slow."

Natsu found his smile again, taking the initiative to kiss Gray, this time darting his tongue into his mouth. The kiss started slow at first, but now that the two knew their boundaries, they were free to relax into the kiss, knowing exactly how far it was going to go.

It wasn't long until the kiss turned a little rough, their tongues massaging the other as their hands groped their partner, all without touching anything below the waist. Natsu groaned when he felt Gray sucking on his tongue, loving the sensation. Fire coursed through his veins when he bit Gray's bottom lip in retaliation, tugging the pliant flesh with his teeth, earning a moan in response.

"Damn, your lips are so hot."

Natsu hoped that was a good thing as he moved his hand behind Gray's head, running his fingers through his dark hair. Natsu let out a sound of approval, enjoying how soft it felt. His lips slid against Gray's as he tilted his head, allowing him to deepen the kiss. He swore his heart kept speeding up, the feeling of Gray's lips on his consuming his every thought. Natsu breathed Gray in, every nerve in his body tingling as their tongues moved against each other.

Natsu wanted the moment to last all night, but unfortunately for him, they needed to stop. If they didn't draw the line somewhere, he knew he might go further, and he wasn't ready for anything like that. He had a few rules he held himself to, but Gray's sweet lips were tempting him, urging him to give in, just once.

"Fuck," Natsu murmured as he pulled away, pressing his back against the door. He held Gray's eyes, mesmerized by the endless blue for a second before he snapped back to reality. "You're a good kisser."

"You are too," Gray said, reluctantly taking his hand off Natsu's cheek, letting his limb hang by his side for a second before stuffing his hand in his pocket. He tried being discreet when he adjusted his jeans, but Natsu noticed. He didn't blame Gray. He was 'fired up' too, needing his own adjustment to get comfortable.

His erection was the main reason Natsu ended the kiss when he did. He had started thinking with his head downstairs, and that wasn't how he wanted tonight to go. However, he had to tell the truth, his courage at an all-time high.

"I definitely wanna do that again," Natsu confessed, grinning when Gray nodded.

"Me too."

"Are you just gonna agree with me all night?" Natsu asked, partially joking. He ran a hand through his hair, pushing his bangs out of his eyes. He caught Gray staring at his lips again, his confidence building from the attention.

"I just like what you're sayin'," Gray said with a shrug, offering his own smile.

Natsu sucked in a shaky breath, realizing he was panting. He did his best to regain control over himself, but he didn't get too upset for his condition. The way Gray's chest rose and fell quickly suggested he just as winded as Natsu.

Natsu glanced over at the bed, part of him wanting to ask Gray if he wanted to go sit down. He resisted, knowing it was a dangerous line to play with. He didn't care what other people did, but he personally liked not going past kissing on the first date, that way he could get to know the person better. While he knew a bit about Gray, he wanted to know much more before they got too intimate.

And judging by Gray's next question, he was willing to wait too.

"Wanna go back out there now?"

Natsu knew he was beaming as he nodded, taking a step closer to Gray so he would hear his whisper. "In a minute." He cupped Gray's cheek, guiding him closer for a soft, lingering kiss. When they pulled back, Natsu gave him a lazy grin. "Okay, now let's go."

He kept his eyes on Gray as he reached behind him, grabbing the door knob. Most of him didn't want to leave the privacy they had, but he did anyway. In the end, he decided he made the right decision. Gray didn't seem like the kinda guy who was only interested in sex. Instead, the two spent the rest of the night talking with Natsu's friends and each other, having a fun time where everyone could see them.

They stayed by each other's sides for the next few hours, occasionally stealing a kiss or two when no one was looking. Sometimes it was with mistletoe, but sometimes it was without. Natsu spent a good portion of the night laughing, thoroughly enjoying his date with Gray.

Natsu almost forgot the night had to end, a small pout on his face when him and Gray left. They offered to help clean up, but Lucy said she would deal with it in the morning, saying she would rather sleep. Mira and Cana stayed behind, making sure the hostess got to bed safely.

Knowing his friends were safe, Natsu was free to leave with Gray, even if he wanted the party to last just a bit longer. He wasn't ready to say goodbye yet. That was, until Gray drove to Natsu's house, not expecting the events that followed.

When the car was put into park, Natsu prepared himself to say bye and leave. However, before he could get a word out, Gray was cutting off the engine and climbing out of his car. Natsu blinked, wondering what was going on. He grabbed his hot sauce before getting out, seeing Gray walk over to his side of the car.

"What's up?"

"Nothing," Gray said, lacing his fingers with Natsu before tugging him towards the house. "Thought I'd walk you to the door."

Natsu cursed himself for blushing, feeling silly as the two approached the house. He thought that was going to be the only surprise, but he was happy he was wrong.

"You didn't have to do that," Natsu said, fire flickering through his arm when he felt Gray's thumb sliding against his skin.

"I wanted to," was Gray's response, a smile resting on his lip.

Natsu didn't bother stopping himself from leaning in, feeling Gray returning the kiss immediately. It was more reserved than when they were at the party, Natsu worried his parents might be watching. They were notorious for being nosy. He didn't want to give them anything to use to tease him with later.

They pulled away, Natsu's heart pounding and his mind racing. He was about to ask if Gray wanted to have another date soon, but he didn't get the chance, Gray asking his question quicker.

"Will you be my boyfriend?"

Natsu's eyes grew wide as sucked in a sharp breath. "What? Really?" Gray nodded, causing Natsu to chuckle. "And you say you're not confident."

Gray gulped, his teeth gnawing on his bottom lip for a moment before he cupped the back of his neck. "I've uh, I've been wanting to ask you out all night, but I kept chickening out."

"Been there." Natsu barked out a laugh, remembering how many times he tried asking Gray out at work but failed miserably. He knew how scary it could be, fearing rejection and humiliation. However, after what happened tonight, Gray had a great chance of Natsu saying yes.

"So...?" Gray asked, causing Natsu to cock his head.

"So what?" He paused, eyes growing wide when he remembered he had been asked a question. "Oh! Yes! I'd love to go out with you."

Relief flashed through Gray's eyes as he smiled, pressing a hand to his chest over his heart. Natsu's fingers twitched, wanting to feel how fast Gray's heart was beating. He wondered if it was as fast as his, but he doubted it.

Gray's voice was soft, but still full of life. "Awesome." He leaned in, only to pause after a few inches.

Natsu leaned in the rest of the way, wrapped an arm around Gray as they shared another kiss. "I'll call you later?" Natsu asked when they separated, knowing if he didn't go inside soon they'd both freeze to death on his porch.

Gray nodded, his lips pulling into a sly smile as he took a step back. "I'll be waiting."

Before Gray could turn and leave, Natsu said, "Thanks for coming with me tonight."

"Thanks for inviting me. I had a lot of fun."

Natsu's heart warmed, happy everything was working out relatively well. "Me too."

"Now who's agreeing with everything?" Gray teased, joining in when Natsu chuckled.

"Good night."

Gray nodded, finally taking his leave. "Good night. Call me later."

"I will."

Natsu watched as Gray walked to his car, a smile resting on his face as he thought about what happened that night. He had finally gained the courage to tell Gray how he felt, lifting a huge weight off his chest. The fact that Gray liked him back was a bonus, something he wasn't sure was going to happen. Sure, they flirted a bit, but Gray could've easily been messing around for fun.

Natsu was glad he hadn't been, happy things worked out in the end. His pride was injured a bit when he had to call for help for his truck, but considering how things turned out, Natsu could look past that part.

Natsu waited until Gray was in his car before opening his door, giving his new boyfriend one last wave before disappearing inside his house. He was already looking forward to how their story would unfold, hoping they would have lots of fun and happy times together.

Most days Natsu hated his retail job, but if it wasn't for it, he never would've met such a great guy.

So two days after I posted Part One of this two shot, my husband woke me up in the morning with a call saying his truck wouldn't start. XD Turns out the battery died and he needed to get it jumped just to make it to work. We've already replaced the battery and the truck is working again, but I thought it was funny since I just posted the story not too long ago before it happened. I made a joke that I upset the Chevy gods with my story. XD What are the odds though?

Thank you for reading! Please let me know what you think! Merry Christmas if you celebrate. (I'm posting this chapter on Christmas 2017) Happy holidays to those who don't! Either way, I hope you have a safe and fun day! Thank you again for reading! Please drop a review to tell me what you thought! I love hearing from you!