Disclaimer, I do not own Fairy Tail.

Pairing, Natsu/Gray

Enjoy!

The artificial glow of florescent lights glared on the squeaky clean tiles underfoot. People bustled about, going this way and that. Others sat on uncomfortable blue leather chairs, filling out forms with pens running out of ink. A few women sat behind a counter, using skilled fingers to type on keyboards, information slowly coming to life on old computer monitors.

A set of tanned hands pulled a stark white coat on while a troublesome nametag found its place. The top few buttons of the lab coat were quickly pushed into place. A stethoscope hung around a neck, the cold metal gleaming. A few loose strands of brilliant red hair were swept from cheery coal eyes.

A man approached the front desk in the center of the room, leaning on the counter and waving to one of the employees behind. A nurse looked up at him, smiling in greeting. "Nice to see you again, Dr. Dragneel."

The cardiologist grinned back. "Hello to you too, Martha. Didn't I already say it's just Igneel?"

"Let me get you your schedule for the day."

Igneel sighed, once again ignored. There was a shuffling of papers and then a rusty clipboard was handed to him. The doctor scanned several pages, letting the explanatory text sink in. Igneel raised one eyebrow as he flipped through the pages.

The nurse just gave him an 'ignorant' smile. "Is there something wrong, sir?"

"It's nothing." Igneel drawled. "I was just thinking it's rather strange how full my day is, especially considering this was supposed to be my day off."

The nurse gave a tiny grimace. "Yes, about that-"

"It's fine." Igneel cut her off. "However, there is one problem."

The nurse beheld him in surprise. "Problem?"

"Just a little one," Igneel turned and waved at someone the nurse couldn't see over the counter, "but a rather rambunctious one. Natsu,"

A small child of only five years looked up at him in curiosity. Messy sakura bangs fell over a tanned forehead in soft spikes. Jovial eyes that matched his father's peered up at the adults. The boy's rosy cheeks still held remnants of baby fat, adding to his innocent appearance.

The nurse let out a sigh and turned to the cardiologist. "Last I checked today wasn't bring your kid to work day."

"Ah, but you see, since I was called in on such short notice I didn't have time to find anyone to watch him for the day. Then I thought, since you're the one who called me in…"

The nurse sent him a not-so-serious glare. "You drive a hard bargain. But if having you here today gets the boss off my back I'll do it." Igneel gave her a thankful smile and a wave before running off for his first appointment. The nurse gave the child another look over before motioning for him to sit behind the counter with her. After making sure he was sitting quietly she turned back to deal with arriving patients.

Natsu sat on one of spare chairs, swinging his legs back and forth since they were too short to reach the ground. He glanced around the cramped space he was sitting in, fidgeting and twisting his head to see everything. It wasn't like the last handful of times he'd visited his father's place of work. There wasn't a bunch of flashy equipment that he didn't understand the purpose for. Instead there were filing cabinets shoved against the wall with folders that had colorful tabs poking out.

Natsu peered over the counter and saw another hallway leading to who knows what. It took all but a second for him to choose he wanted to travel over there. Blame his short attention span; he can't stay still for long. The five year looked over at the nurse who was still busy talking to someone. Deciding this would be the best time he slipped from his seat, lightly landing on his sandaled feet.

He silently slinked around the corner of the desk, just out of view of getting caught. He ducked behind waiting room chairs before he was close enough to make a break for it. Double checking one last time he wasn't being watched he scurried away, beginning his exploration.

The rosette wondered down the hallway, not noticing much as most doors led to supply closets or were closed off for individual use. He turned down another hall, looking for something more interesting. The sound of laughter caught his fascination. Not having anything better to do he pursued the sound, searching for its source.

Turning down another in a long series of halls he slowly made his way towards the sound. He stopped in front of a set of double glass doors leading to another waiting room. He could see a bunch of women filing charts or reading magazines with kids sitting next to them. He turned his head a bit and saw even more kids, most of them his age or younger, playing around a beaten old train set that had been placed in the room to distract them during the wait. Natsu felt a shiver run through his spine when he realized his dad had taken him here before. One second he was sitting bored, the next there was the painful sting of a shot going through his arm.

The rosette shuffled from foot to foot, debating if he still wanted to go in, the memory of the vaccination still fresh on his mind. Then again, it's not like his father was there to make him get one this time. Taking one deep breath he gathered up his courage and pushed open the heavy doors.

Natsu spun around, taking it all in. Bright pictures were still hung on the walls and colorful tiles were mixed in with the white every few steps to look friendly. The whole place was like a room full of lies. It only seems nice and happy until you go in the back. He had to admit, even if he had nothing to worry about he felt brave just coming in here. It was almost-

"Ow!"

Natsu rubbed his sore head. Without realizing it he had wondered over to the train set and tripped over a spare piece on the floor. He slowly lifted his throbbing head, looking for what he'd hit when he fell. He felt a blush come over him along with a stream of 'sorries' when he realized it wasn't a "what" but a "who."

A kid was rubbing his equally hurting skull, courtesy of Natsu's head bumping. The rosette was still in the middle of his apology when the kid bothered to look up at him. Bright azure pools met his black ones in mild surprise. A shaggy mop of messy raven hair covered his head in tresses. He stared at Natsu for a while before breaking into a dazzling smile. "It's okay, you didn't mean it." Natsu let out a relieved sigh at being forgiven and helped the other up. "I'm Gray, by the way."

"Natsu." The rosette greeted. The raven let out a childish giggle, and for some reason, Natsu blushed harder. "What?!"

"That's a girly name."

Natsu felt his face heat up even more and his easily irritable side coming out. "Is not!"

"Is so."

"Well…" Natsu squirmed a bit trying to find a comeback. "Yours is a color."

The raven just gave him that cheeky smile again, ignoring the other's failed attempt to say something clever. "Nice to meet you too, Natsu. Hey, since you ran into me do you want to make it up to me? All you have to do is play with me for a while.

Natsu opened his mouth to say he couldn't but Gray was still gleefully grinning at him and he couldn't help but smile back. Taking that as a yes Gray grabbed his hand in his and started pulling him along.

…

Time passed in a blur after that. Useless, lively, babble and grinning repetitively from ear to ear became as common to them as breathing. Friendly arguing was thrown in, none of it taken to heart. At one point there had been a semi-serious conflict, at least by kid standards, that ended with a fit of laughter

They were in the middle of debating ice cream flavors when their conversation was cut short. Gray's name was called and a woman with short cropped dark hair was waving over to him. The raven turned to the rosette and gave one last parting smile, waved bye, and went over to her. Natsu watched a little dejected as he left. Truth be told he liked the raven, even if they had just met.

With shoulders slumped forward Natsu left the children's wing. Sighs escaped him at finding himself lonely once more, and just a hint of an ingenuous pout was visible on his lips. He went back the winding and twisting hallways, at some points taking wrong turns. A few people asked him if he was lost, which he wasn't, he just didn't know the exact way back…

He was just about to take a turn when he heard his name called. He swiveled his head to the side. The nurse his dad had dropped him off with earlier was walking towards him. Natsu felt a twinge of guilt when he remembered what he was supposed to be doing, sitting quietly in place.

The nurse reached him and took his hand to drag him back to her station. Relief washed over her at knowing she no longer had to explain to one of the best doctors on staff how she lost his son.

…

"Mommy, can I eat again after this?"

"Hmm," The dark haired woman was busying herself trying to pull the shirt over her five year old's head. Gray lifted up his skinny arms, making her job easier. Her son was still looking at her in curiosity. She couldn't blame him; the poor thing had been fasting since last night. "Course you can. After this is done you can have anything you want."

The two of them were sitting on the high up surface of the patient's seat, right on top of that awful crinkly paper. Ur, as Gray's mother was named, was in the middle of trying to unbutton her squirming son's pants at the moment. The small raven was glancing around the room they were in, noting how bland it was. "Weren't we in a different hospital last week?"

Ur held onto her sons arm, helping him step out of his trousers. "We were."

"Then how come we're at this one?"

"Well, because the last one didn't have the equipment they needed to look for- Lyon, could you hand me that?" The six year old, who had been soundlessly sitting off to the side this whole time, rose from his seat. He picked up what the two's mother had pointed to. A colorful, scratchy piece of cloth was passed over to Ur's outstretched hand. The young mother unfolded the pile and turned back to the questioning raven. "As I was saying, looking for anything that shouldn't be there."

Gray reached his arms through the sleeves of the hospital gown his mother was trying to get on him. "How are they going to do that?"

"Well…" Ur leaned back, examining her work. The colorful fabric hung off her son almost to his feet, making it look more like a drape than a gown. "First they're going to stick you on this platform, and you're going to have to lie still for a while."

"Then what?" Gray gazed up at her with those stunning blue eyes of his.

"Next, you're going to go through this big machine for a while."

"What does the machine do?" The five year old tilted his head to the side.

"It looks at your tummy." Ur poked him in the stomach lightly getting her child to smile at her for the motherly affection. She tickled him, gaining a few short lived giggles.

"Then what?" Gray was still watching her, living up to his reputation as an inquisitive kid.

Ur gave her son a smile that any kid would have seen as warm. But had anyone a bit older and a bit more mature seen it would have noticed how tired her eyes were. "Then they're going to say you're just perfect."

A low knock came at the door, ending what was slowly developing into a painful conversation. Ur picked up the five year, placing him protectively on her hip and strode over to the door. A doctor stood in the doorway when she made it over. The pediatrician gave them an amiable smile. "Are we ready then?"

Ur gave a short nod in response.

"Then let's get started."

I don't even know what's wrong with me anymore. Every time I write this pairing a story it's always Gray who has the crappy life. There's just something about letting him be happy that I just can't do.

Too bad for him this was only the beginning...