Disclaimer

I don't own the fairytail characters or franchise, the only thing I could claim ownership of here is the three new characters which we will all meet :)

Oh… and of course it's yaoi so you know the whole 'don't like don't read' thing.

Quick Note;

This will be written from differing Point of View (POV) at times, however the following Chapters 1 and 2 will be from a narrating perspective, hence referred to as General POV, just for clarification. I thank you for putting up with my writing habits :)

Chapter 1 – Three Visitors

General POV, Magnolia Outskirts

It was dark and quiet, around Spring time, Magnolia was blossoming and the town was still. There was no sign of the past few years of peace, the inter-guild war between Fairy Tail and Tartaros seemingly a memory now for the people of the soundless town. The new Fairy Tail guild hall stood strong, the mages within its walls standing stronger. Three figures, cloaked and shadowy, stood upon a hill which fringed the town, looking over it with amused eyes.

"There it is boys" the lead figure said to the other two, "Magnolia town, home to the Fairy Tail guild".

"Indeed. Our target is in sight" another replied. He stood to the right of their leader, his face as hidden as the others beneath the hood of his cloak. The third figure to the left stood silent, dark and brooding. The leader laughed.

"Don't be so forward Digit" he said jovially, "We're here for more than that. Learn to enjoy the places we visit will you". The one identified as Digit sighed.

"Prime, we've got a job, if you've not forgotten, don't you agree Factor?" he looked to the silent third party, who snorted derisively and shook his head, still not speaking. Prime laughed harder.

"What a group we make… still… I agree that we are here for a reason, however can't we stop off for a bite to eat and maybe get a souvenir or two before we get to the guild" Prime said whiningly.

Digit sighed. "If you must" he said tiredly. Despite the fact he was not the leader he sometimes felt like it, or at least the baby sitter. "But then we go to face the fairies". Prime nodded and soon after the three set off towards the town.

/

Gray's apartment

Gray tossed and turned in his bed. He was naked, his body slick with a thin sheen of sweat as he jolted bolt upright in his bed. "Natsu!" he blurted as he awoke from the nightmare. It was late and he had gone to sleep only to find the nightmare he had occasionally awaiting him as he closed his eyes. "Damn it" he groaned, "Why does it keep happening?". He looked to his clock, finding that he had only been asleep for an hour or so. "It's always the same… I go to sleep… I think of him, and then the dream becomes a god damned nightmare".

This was true. Ever since he was little Gray had been having this dream, it was always the same, regardless of how old he got. In the beginning he would be lying in his bed, naked of course, then he would hear a tapping. Choosing to ignore it he would turn away, only for it to occur again and again. Eventually, getting up to investigate he wandered around and, inevitably, over to the front door. "Who's there?" he would ask every time, and every time he would get no reply, just another tap. So he opened the door and was met with nothing, every single time, there was no deviation from this pattern. He would disregard this and return to his bedroom, where he found the same figure lying, sitting, or sometimes standing, on his bed waiting for him. "Hiya Gray" Natsu would purr. Gray always felt the predatory gaze fall on him at this part. The seductive grin and draconic, even feral eyes eating him up. "I heard you were thinkin' of me" Natsu would say. Gray always froze in place, never speaking, as Natsu would slink down his bed, getting closer and closer to him. Then he would reach out and pull him close, and Gray would still remain paralyzed. "I heard… ya wanted something from me" Natsu would add as his hands snaked around Grays bare dream-body. Gray sometimes dreamt he stuttered or replied with some lame insult, however it would never deter the fake Fire Dragon Slayer. Natsu would play around with him a bit, tempting him and teasing him, however the dream-Gray never responded and so Natsu would eventually grow bored of Gray and flip him onto his bed. "Not got anything to say popsicle" Natsu would say, "Only… I know what I want… and I want to hear you begging for it". Gray would squirm or try to retort with something, always to no avail, then Natsu would begin striping, or kissing him and Gray would ask him what he was doing with shock in his tone. "Say something Gray… tell me… or I'll just take you by force" this was always where the true nightmare began. Gray would never admit it, never say it, even to his dream, so the dream-Natsu always made good on his promise, taking him by force despite how badly he wanted to admit he wanted this. Before anything could really happen, however, Gray woke up without fail, always shouting out the Fire Dragon's name as he did so.

"Stupid Natsu…" Gray said, trying to turn over and trying to get back to sleep, "Why'd I have to feel this way about you of all people?" He sighed and breathed in deep, pushing thoughts of the Fire Dragon Slayer as far from his mind as he could.

It was what he had always done, was all he could do to keep himself sane all of these years. The undeniable truth etched into his subconscious.

I love Natsu Dragneel.

/

The next morning

Gray awoke once more. It was morning, he judged from the light spilling in through the gaps between the closed curtains. He sighed out a breath and stretched, readying himself for his day. "I had that dream again" he remembered as he slid out of his bed. Gray didn't bother to put on clothes as he slumped himself over the bathroom sink, splashing water on his face. He did this every time he had that dream, just like the dream itself he often found himself repeating things every time it happened, little habits like this to try to distract him from the memory. He also noticed he always felt more depressed in the mornings that followed, often ready just to go and fight the Dragon Slayer he obsessed over, if nothing else to vent his frustration.

After splashing water on himself a few times he finished up and returned to his bedroom, sorting the bed sheets to some measure of order before finding some clean clothes and putting them on. Gray had hoped that after the dissolving of the guild one year ago he would forget about Natsu, he had hoped that he could move on and find a new obsession. That was why he dedicated himself to finding and destroying END, as well as infiltrating Avatar. Despite his best efforts to forget it never helped, he always found himself straying back to his memories of the pink head, often with a fondness only nostalgia could bring. The final straw was pulled, however, when Natsu actually showed up at the dark guilds doors, trying to find him. Gray had been touched that Natsu only considered Fairy Tail complete with him there, however he still refused to admit his real feelings for the Dragon Slayer, choosing instead to play the villain. Of course Natsu had beat him up for it later and Gray had then, naturally, come back to the reformed guild, hoping that his other friends' presence could help him to ignore, or at least distract him from, his turmoil.

At present, of course, this had not worked as Gray found the nightmare becoming even more prominent than it ever had been. He groaned as he ate his breakfast. "I need to find some way… some way to forget" he said aloud, only to be met with silence. There was only ever silence to respond to his desperate groans of loneliness, especially since he had always kept his feelings secret he could not ask for help or guidance from anyone. Choosing to finish eating Gray put the dirt dishes in the sink, and then he set off for the guild. Maybe he could find some answers there, he hoped, although that was unlikely; Natsu would be there too.

/

At the guild

Gray entered the guild about an hour later. Normally he would just walk from his apartment to the guild in less than ten minutes, however today he really didn't feel like arriving too soon, so he meandered around Magnolia a bit first. As soon as he entered he was met with an uproar of noise. "What's going on?" Gray asked Cana as he saw the drunk sitting slightly further away from the center of the guild floor than most of the others.

Cana looked at him for a moment. "Seems like Natsu said something to Elfman, and then Elfman reacted…other stuff was said and Gajeel, Macao and Romeo are all involved so a fight breaks out, you know, normal stuff" she said lazily. "I wanted to drink in peace so I stayed over here".

Gray sighed, of course there'd be a fight, it was only 9AM and there were already a few guild members at each other's throats. Typical he thought as he sat down across from the drunk to watch the argument. I just wanted some quiet and so I get given a fight… but I suppose Natsu is fighting… He grinned.

"You gonna be a real man and take that back, Natsu" Elfman boomed, towering above the Fire Dragon Slayer. Natsu grinned wildly as he shook his head.

"Take what back" he mocked childishly, earning a look of disapproval from the Take-Over mage. He already had flames around his clenched fists, his hair wild and spikey, with strands sticking out at odd angles.

"And you can take back what you said about my dad" Romeo added, his hands also engulfed in his purple flames.

Natsu shook his head. "Not a chance kid, anyone ever tell you it's rude to lie" Natsu replied, grinning wider, "Plus it's true, he is getting old and can't fight as well as he used to". Romeo gritted his teeth as Maccao, who was standing beside his son, summoned up his own purple flames too.

"Do I need to prove I can fight?" The fire wizard said jovially, his eyes daring Natsu to make another move.

Gajeel stomped forward. "I want to get first crack at him… damned Salamander calling my Levy boring" the Iron Dragon Slayer grunted.

"Shut it Gajeel, I only said that because she was calling me loud and annoying" Natsu defended, earning a cheer from Happy, who stood watching the brewing trouble with Pantherlily. Gajeel grunted.

"It's true, you are loud and annoying, flame brain" he responded, raising ironed fists and aiming them at Natsu, only to be stopped by Elfman.

"Hey, I'm going to fight him first since he insulted me first. It's what a real man would do" Elfman said, earning a sharp glare from Gajeel. Natsu laughed childishly.

"I'll take you all on" he declared. Before he could make a move, however, another member joined the fray.

"Everyone calm down" Erza demanded, red hair falling down her armored shoulders, she had her ever-present armor on. At her entrance to the fight zone everyone went silent.

"Yes ma'am" Natsu squeaked, afraid instantly. Gray, continuing to watch from the side lines, allowed his expression to go sour. Erza ruins it before anything can happen. There was no telling what Erza would do to Natsu if he didn't obey her, however Gray really wanted to see him fight again. He noticed that the others all backed off too.

"Good. Natsu, apologise to Macao" Erza instructed. Natsu obeyed, mumbling something like an apology which Macao accepted, dragging Romeo away as he went to sit down again, "And Levy" she added. Again Natsu mumbled another apology, which Levy smiled at, "And finally Elfman" she concluded. Natsu bowed his head and apologised, just to pacify the Requip mage. She nodded firmly as he did so and then did an about face. "Now keep quiet, just because the Master isn't here right now doesn't give you an excuse to cause a fuss" she said, marching off to continue eating her slice of cake. Natsu stared her down behind her back, cowing immediately as she glared at him one last time before resuming her seat. Gray blew out a heavy breath.

"Guess I'm not going to find anything here…" he muttered quietly.

"What wuz that?" Cana asked, mildly drunkenly despite the early time.

Gray held his hands up quickly, hoping not to get the Card mage too suspicious. "Did I say that out loud? Sorry… I was just… voicing some thoughts. I leave you to your drinking now" he immediately got up. Cana watched him leave the guild hall quickly with a mildly confused look on her face, however she shrugged it off as she began consuming her third barrel of the day.

As soon as he was out of the guild Gray stopped, only to be nearly run over by another wizard barreling out of the guild hall. "Ow…" Gray complained, getting up off of the ground. "Natsu you idiot". The pink head gave him a sharp look from his place still on the pavement.

"Me? It was you who was standing in the way, popsicle" Natsu retorted, dusting himself off after he got up. "Why were you standing around there anyways? Aren't you normally in the guild, or sulking around somewhere" he added. Gray was caught off guard by Natsu's question.

"Er… I was standing around there…" he stuttered. Why'd it have to be him? Gray thought desperately. If it had been anyone else he would have been able to think of a response in seconds flat, however as it was Natsu he just fumbled, eventually resorting to the only thing he knew how to do around Natsu. "Because I want to, alright. Is that a problem Flame Breath?" he responded.

Natsu clenched his fists. "Yes it's a problem, you're in my way, Ice Princess" he retorted, "I've gotta go, I'm gonna train" he added before turning to go. Gray almost blurted out to ask if he could spar-train with him, however he caught himself just in time as the Fire Dragon Slayer turned the street corner and disappeared off to some secluded part of the woods.

"Damned Natsu…" Gray sighed, before wandering off, not really caring which direction he headed in.

/

In the forest

"Stupid… Erza… stupid Gray… getting in my way…" Natsu panted as he struck fiery blows against an unlucky tree. He had been in a pretty good mood this morning, getting a fight so early was great training, however Erza just had to break it up before they actually got to the good bit. Then Gray went and pissed him off as he went to train and that did it.

"Gray was acting… pretty weird though" he said aloud to the quiet forest. It was true, he had noticed how Gray had been ignoring him a lot lately, and was always choosing to sulk instead of fighting him. "Probably just… sulky because someone… pissed him off" Natsu reasoned as he threw a few flaming fists at the tree. After a while he decided he'd vented enough energy and sat down at its base.

"Although… he'd been acting weird when we sparred a few days ago, like he could look at me straight" Natsu thought. It wasn't really his forte to try to read other people, however he'd fought Gray for years, sparring with him on a near daily basis. Each wizard knew the other's moves, and whilst each of them had changed a lot in the last year, they both still knew when the other was troubled. "I wonder if Lucy know anything…" Natsu pondered as he lay back to look up at the blue sky. Gray…

After a while, and a little thought Natsu reasoned that he may as well return to the guild. Leaving the forest behind him he went back to Magnolia town, however no sooner had he done that did he run into the very person he was looking for walking away from the market. "Hey Lucy…" Natsu called as he pushed through the crowd to reach her. She turned to look at him.

"Hey Natsu, what's up? I'd have thought you'd be at the guild this morning" the blonde celestial mage said.

"I was but… some stuff happened so I went off to train in the woods" Natsu explained. Lucy nodded.

"Gray just said the same thing, I passed him before in the market" she said, "He seemed a bit off, have you two fought or something?" Natsu shook his head.

"No, I ran into him when I left the guild hall, he was kinda in my way… but then we argued a little and I left, no fighting. He's been weird for a little while I think… he doesn't even spar with me anymore" Natsu said. Lucy pursed her lips in thought for a moment.

"Wonder why he's sulking then?" she said. Natsu shrugged.

"I don't know what goes through that Droopy eyes' head…" he said confusedly.

"I'll ask Juvia later, if anyone knows she'll know" Lucy said before turning to face towards the guild, "Come on, let's get to the guild though, I want to see if there's any good jobs that I can take before someone else steals 'em" she added. Natsu smiled and followed her. Maybe a job could get Gray a bit more cheered up so that he would spar with him.

/

They discussed some possibilities as to why Gray would be acting so weird as they walked, however only Lucy's contributions proved to be anywhere near useful, all Natsu could think of was either food or fight related, which Lucy was not as sure was the case as Natsu was. By the time they had reached the guild they had become significantly more interested, and determined to find out what was going on. Lucy was leading, however as they reached the guild hall she was stopped by Natsu's outstretched arm in front of her.

"Wait a minute…" he sniffed the air suddenly.

"What is it Natsu?" she asked, confusion and concern in her tone; only one moment ago he had been thinking over the possibility that Gray was secretly too injured to fight with him, however now he wore a look of seriousness.

"I can smell… Gray's in there… everyone else too… but there's something weird…" he inhaled deeply.

"Like good weird?" she guessed not, however asked for confirmation.

"No. Just… weird" he said. Lucy shrugged.

"Let's go in and find out then" she said, moving to proceed, with Natsu following along cautiously.

As soon as they entered thy were met with the sight of an intense standoff. Erza, Gray, Mirajane, Elfman and a few others were all on their feet as three strange men stood in the center of the guild. "We just want to know where the Master is" one of them said. Erza seemed to be conversing with them.

"He's not here, like I said before" she barked.

"Well then I guess we'll be waiting here for him" the man replied. Erza stood her ground.

"That is not permitted, you may wait around Magnolia, however not here" she reasoned level headedly. The man shook his head.

"If we wait here we'll be able to see him as soon as he comes back" he replied. Erza shook her head.

"Out of the question…" she said. The man smirked.

"What are you going to do?" he taunted. Gray stomped up beside Erza.

"Are you forgetting we're a wizard guild? We'll throw you out" he shouted. Erza held her hand up to stay him.

"We'll ask you one last time," she then Requiped a blade into her hand, "Or I'll be forced to take this as an attempted invasion of the guild". The man shrugged.

"That's not going to scare us" he said nonchalantly. "We're perfectly entitled to wait here, trust me". Erza was adamant, glaring him into submission. And failing.

"That was your last warning" she said, "Prepare to be thrown out". Natsu was there now, standing near Gray and Erza.

"Erza wait, they're wizards" he warned her. She stopped and looked at them skeptically.

"You are?" she directed this at them, who nodded in unison.

"Yes, that Dragon whelp is right, we are, and we've come to speak to Makarov".

Chapter 1 End

Next Chapter; Devil Boy and Dragon Whelp