The Sola Tree

This fanfiction is purely fan-made. I do not own the characters, Hiro Mashima does. However, I do own the plot idea. Enjoy "Memories", featuring the Sola Tree!

Sometimes, the guild at Fairy Tail was just a bit too rambunctious, even for a fighting-loving Gray Fullbuster. One too many tables had smashed his scowling face. He muttered a disgruntled 'we'll continue this later' incoherently to his boisterous guild mates, and turned away.

"Why're ya leaving, Gray? Finally realize I'm stronger?" Gajeel taunted, flexing his biceps in triumph.

Gray didn't bother looking back, but didn't hesitate to roll his eyes at the Iron Dragon Slayer. Gajeel scoffed from not receiving even a simple taunt back, and went back to fighting Erza, Natsu, and Elfman. Except poor Elfman kept being kicked out of the way, sailing in a circle straight to the ceiling.

"Maaaaan~," Elfman wailed, voice growing thinner by the millisecond. Erza clicked her tongue in mock-pity and welded her sixteenth sword of the evening, lunging straight for Natsu's throat.

Gray pushed open the double doors, feeling a bit of fatigue wash over him. However, the sun was only just now descending, so Gray decided to go sit somewhere quiet, and maybe deal with this pounding headache of his.

Gray decided on the Sola Tree, the pretty tree that budded small pink flowers in the spring. It was late winter now, so the blossoms would be blooming soon. Gray smiled to himself contently and made his way to Southgate Park.

Hands shoved in his pockets and whistling a random tune, Gray entered the park, dodging a flying disc thrown by a little girl, and biting his lip longingly at all the happy couples of all ages. Gray's hands reflexively clenched in his baggy black sweatpants, and he quickly headed to the tree he's known all his life.

Gray absolutely did not want to think about his own love life right now, even thought there were couples in every direction here. If he did that, his crush would just overtake his mind and wouldn't leave, no matter how hard Gray pounded his head against his bedroom pillows in futile attempts to rid his mind of that special someone.

Besides, no way Natsu Dragneel, his rival slash friend liked him, right? He had a thing for Lucy, from what Gray could tell.

Yeah right. Natsu coming out as gay for him? Maybe in his wildest dreams.

On a lucky day.

Upon his arrival, Gray took his usual seat, muscular back pressed against the thick tree trunk, legs shot out in front of him, facing the rushing riverbed about ten feet away. The sunset was reflecting lightly against the clear water, casting a orange tint to the river. Clovers surrounded Gray, creating a softer surface to sit against.

Gray closed his eyes and basked in the sound of the birds and the faint whoops and hollers of children in the distance.

A clear memory of ten years ago recollected in his mind, and Gray had to smirk at what happened right here at this tree.

A young Gray was exploring the park, as most nine year olds love to do, when he heard a small whimper. Gray heard it, but wasn't sure if his ears were playing tricks on him.

There it was again.

Gray then heard a sniffle and another whimper. Gray followed the puny sounds, leading up to the Sola Tree, now about twelve feet shorter, only to find a small boy sitting there. Scratched-up knees were pressed up to his face, and tiny arms were wrapped around his frame like a glove. Gray recognized the boy's scaled muffler and pink hair as that new guild member.

What was his name, again? Oh right, Natsu.

Natsu was certainly interesting to Gray. This boy, Natsu, was going to bring out the rivalry buried in himself, allowing himself to grow more reckless by the day. However, Gray didn't know that yet. This Gray was mostly quiet, activities consisting of avoiding that scary redhead Erza and searching for his discarded clothes.

Gray shook his head mindlessly and felt his feet drag himself to the spot where the pint-sized Dragon Slayer was currently sitting.

"What's wrong?" Gray found himself asking, rather tenderly. Gray bit his lip, he wasn't usually this kind to people, and he wasn't fond of giving pity to others.

"Go-go away," Natsu cried. "I just got a clover in my eye."

"Haha, yeah right!" Gray scoffed. He saw Natsu visibly tense up and sniffle again, and all superiority attitude vanished to unease and self-consciousness. "Sorry. Seriously, you okay?"

"Don't go telling people I'm crying, you got that? I don't need people thinking I'm weak," Natsu chided, avoiding the subject again. Gray sighed, slightly impatient, even though the pinkette wasn't bothering him too much, to be honest.

"I'm just... Just upset I can't find my dad, Igneel," Natsu finally gasped out, raising his head to meet Gray's gaze. Gray felt an inner wall inside him crumble. The Dragon Slayer's doe eyes were sparkling with tears, and his cheeks were flushed with embarrassment.

"I bet you really love your dad, huh," Gray muttered. He too knew the feeling of family loss. The pain from three years ago still stung his heart on cold lonely nights in his dorm.

"He was the best," Natsu's lips tugged up into a small smile, half at the thought of countless memories he and his dad had, but the other half of this ravenette who was looking like a great best friend in the future.

"Don't tell anyone that, okay? No one but Gramps knows," Natsu grins some more, this time a bit mischievously. Gray cracks an eyebrow, curious.

"Why not?"

"It can be our secret for now!" Natsu giggles, and this time, Gray doesn't hold back. He giggles too. Gray clutches at his sides as he sways his upper torso.

"Alright!" Gray agrees.

"Hey Gray, will you be my first friend?" Natsu looks away, abashed. It was a tad embarrassing to ask things like this, but Natsu hoped maybe Gray would want to be his buddy, so why not ask?

"Yeah!" Gray grins, a real grin, for the first time that day. Natsu and Gray locked pinkies and shared a smile. The two end up scooting closer than before, spending the rest of the afternoon chatting.

Present Gray reminisces in the memory. It was when he and Natsu began their friendship. Soon after, they became acquaintances with Erza, so the torture was not as bad to endure. Erza didn't hurt her nakama with a malicious purpose, after all. Never had, never will.

Haha. He wished.

Gray noticed the sun was practically set now, leaving the sky now a purplish-red hue. Gray looked down beside him, and found a smooth grey stone, perfect for skipping rocks, an activity Gray always enjoyed. As Gray stood up to move closer to the river, a new memory resurfaced. Gray tossed the rock expertly as a faint smile crept upon his lips.

"Haha, I got four skips! Did'ya see that, Gray?" A twelve-year old Natsu jumped around triumphantly.

"Woah! I've never made it past three before!" Thirteen-year-old Gray gasped, a tad jealous that Natsu was better at him at rock skipping. Natsu stuck out his tongue, clearly proud he, and Gray quotes, 'surpassed the master'. Gray rolled his eyes at that comment and spotted a nice tan rock wedged slightly into the sandy dirt.

Gray bent down to retrieve it, but apparently, Natsu wanted the same rock. Natsu gasped when their fingers brushed over each other's. Gray's eyes widened in embarrassment, and the pair jumped back in mortification. Gray, clearly red in the face, looked up at a flustered Natsu, who also had a blush dancing across his cheeks.

"Go ahead," Gray said as calmly as possible, hoping his voice didn't crack. "You can skip it, I'll find another."

"Nah, it's okay, you take it. You saw it first, plus I just went," Natsu bit back childishly. Darn that Natsu, Gray thought. Natsu sure loved to argue, it's always been a common trait of his personality.

Gray bent down again to pick up the stone, without any mishaps this time, thank goodness. Gray brushed off the dirt on the seat of his pants, and positioned the stone between his fingers to toss it down the calm blue river. Gray let go of the stone, and off it sailed.

Gray didn't fully pay attention as he tossed it, however. Out of the corner of his eye, Gray spotted something peculiar. Natsu was still blushing, and staring at his hand. Poor Natsu, Gray thought. Getting so frantic over nothing.

Even though for some weird, unknown reason, it didn't feel like nothing, even to Gray. Gray shook it off hastily and watched his rock fly.

One skip, two skips, three skips.

The rock submerged with that final third skip, and Gray groaned in frustration. "Why can't I make it past three?" Gray whined, mostly to himself, but a smirking Natsu responded anyway.

"Maybe because I will just always be better," Natsu replied cheekily, earning himself a smack on the arm. "Ow, that hurt, stripper!"

"Stripper?" Gray gasped, taken aback.

"Well yeah," Natsu laughed, bumping his hip onto Gray's. "You're always taking off your clothes." Natsu pointed out, and Gray shrugged. Obviously that was true, considering his shirt was off even right now!

Come to think of it, where's my shirt? Gray thought, glancing around.

"It's up in the tree. See? On the lower branch," Natsu read his mind. He pointed to a branch dipping down in an arc due to the weight of Gray's muscle tank. Gray laughed at his crazy habit and jumped up to snatch the item of clothing off the twiddly branch.

"You know, it's not fair I get some weird insult nickname and you don't," Gray pointed out, pulling his loose-fitting shirt on. "So I'm going to give you one."

"No thanks!" Natsu waved his hands frantically.

"Flame-brain it is!" Gray snapped his fingers dramatically, bursting into a fit of giggles. Natsu drank in the sight of his best friend rolling on the ground, and just had to join the hysterics.

"Stripper! Flame-brain!" They chanted through gasps of air and fits of laughter.

Gray snorted at that memory. It was they day they made up those god-awful nicknames. Somehow, they stuck, and as the years passed, they were used as more of an insult. Gray wouldn't admit it to anyone, but his heart would start beating faster every time Natsu called him that. It reminded him constantly of that day. One of many he and his best friend shared.

Gray skipped a few more rocks, peeved he could not make it past three skips. No matter how hard he tried, it was always three.

Perfect stone? Three skips.

Perfect throw? Three skips.

Perfect stone and perfect throw? Two skips.

Don't even ask him now that happened.

Slightly frustrated after countless tries, Gray gave up. He watched the last rock plop onto the water, emitting water rings extending out into the river. Gray circled the tree, looking for something special.

Ah, there it was.

Gray traced his finger over the small snowflake and the flame carved into the wood near the bottom of the tree. If Gray bent down to a fourteen-year-old boy's height, he could see the carving easily. Another memory flooded back into his mind as he remembered the meaning of the simple drawing.

Fifteen-year-old Gray was casually strolling along the walking path, headed to the Sola tree to think. However, his pink-haired best friend was already there, leaning in close to the tree and holding a penknife.

"What are you doing, Natsu?" Gray asked, leaning closely next to Natsu to examine his work. Natsu quickly covered his carving with his hand, blushing.

"Ah, it's nothing. Really!" Natsu closed the penknife, shoved it into his pocket, and swiftly pressed his head against the tree, covering his handiwork.

"What's the big deal? Let me see," Gray chuckled, lightly shoving him. Natsu shook his head vigorously.

"You'll have to fight me first... And win!... To see," Natsu smirked.

"I may just take you on, flame-brain!" Gray replied, cracking his knuckles.

"Ugh, not that awful nickname again!" Natsu groaned, covering his face with his tanned hands. Gray whacked his arm playfully and backed up ten or so feet.

"Okay, come at me, hothead," Gray winked, and Natsu gaped at the new insult slash nickname. However, he regained his composure in record time and sent fire attack after fire attack flying. Gray expertly blocked and attacked with a few new spells he's been working on himself, but Natsu had his fight strategies that trumped anyone's.

After hours of non-stop fighting, the two boys collapsed next to each other staring up into the now-night sky.

"How do you keep dodging me?!" Natsu wailed, sitting up and punching his palm in frustration.

"I watch your natural moments a lot when you fight on missions," Gray shrugged. Upon hearing a small gasp from Natsu, it dawned on Gray how weird that actually sounded. Gray flushed and looked down at his hands embarrassedly.

"I didn't me-mean it like that- uh," Gray stuttered, twiddling his thumbs. Natsu shakily responds some incoherent words, something like an 'it's okay, I uh-' and bites his lip, cutting off whatever he was about to say. The two keep their gazes anywhere but each other, leaving the atmosphere awkward and heated.

"Well, we better go back to the guild!" Natsu jumped up frantically, running far away from the tree and Gray. Gray bit his lip, brushed the dust off himself, and started to follow him home to the guild.

Almost at the exit of the public park, Gray remembered the carving on the tree. Gray hurriedly ran back to the Sola tree and knelt down a bit. Gray gaped at the carving, it was so simple, yet so meaningful.

It was a little math equation. There was a snowflake, with intricate ridges, creating that unique flurry look. Next was a plus, followed by a flame, flickering and dancing on the bark of the tree. But what shocked Gray was the ending. There was an equal sign, but what did it equal? Obviously the snowflake was him, and the flame was Natsu, but what exactly were they to him? Best friends? Something else? Who knew?

Flattered and a little disconcerted, Gray left the park once again, hands deep in his pockets. For some reason, Gray couldn't get that little equation out of his head. Natsu would've finished it if he hadn't shown up, Gray remembered.

"Ugh! What would it have said?" Gray mumbled to himself angrily. Why was he so worked up over this?

What were they to himself? Gray thought.

Gray blushed crimson when he arrived at his answer, almost immediately after the question popped into his head.

A completely red-faced ice-mage arrived at the guild, hands clasped behind his back. When he entered, it looked like some were finishing dinner, some were enjoying an after-dinner alcoholic beverage, some were looking at jobs and others were just chatting happily.

Gray automatically noticed Natsu wasn't there, which was probably why there was no ruckus happening right then. Slightly relieved, Gray made a beeline for an armchair behind the bookshelves in the guild's archives. Gray sighed as he sunk into the plushness of the seat, where he could think in peace.

Could snowflake + fire = love really be what Gray felt?

After a second of hesitation, he shook his head strenuously.

Yes, no doubt about it.

Gray realized on that day, November 28, x780, that he was in love with his best friend, Natsu.

Gray sighed at the carving, longing for Natsu to someday remember it, and finish this stupid equation on this tree. Gray had waited for four years, and he was usually patient with things like this, but Gray was done with waiting now.

Overcome with new negative emotions, Gray kicked the base of the tree and skidded down to sit in the dusty floor once again. A tear escaped his eye, and he growled in frustration. Gray hated crying, it showed weakness.

Closing his eyes in an attempt to shield more tears from falling, Gray rested against the tree, feeling the serenity of the empty park around him, encased in darkness behind his eyelids.

Gray couldn't bear it, but he remembered one last memory.

One that nearly broke his heart.

It was Christmas Eve, and seventeen-year-old Gray was feeling good about his life. Recently, he had become more connected to Lucy Heartfilia, a new member of Fairy Tail. She was really pretty, and Gray liked her Celestial Magic. The two became pretty good friends, and the three (Lucy was also good friends with Natsu) soon made a team with, and Gray shudders constantly at this, Erza, but the four of them got everything done.

Anyway, Gray decided he wanted to tell a Lucy about his sexual orientation. Lately Lucy had given off a couple flirtatious signs, and before anyone got hurt, he wanted to save his friend. So Gray, even though he was on the verge of puking from nervousness, stood at a Southgate Park bench, not to far from the Sola tree.

After waiting for a couple minutes, Gray spotted Lucy, who was searching for him. Lucy spotted his wave and came bounding over with a huge grin on her face. She was wearing a pink and green flower sundress with a pink ribbon tying up a portion of her silky blonde hair. Black tights covered her long legs, matching her black faux fur coat.

"Hey, Gray!" Lucy smiled, giving him a friendly side hug, which Gray returned. Gray greeted her back cheerily and the two sat down on the black-painted metal park bench.

"Okay Lucy, I've sort of been meaning to tell you this sooner, but it's kind of hard, since I've never done this sort of thing before, so-," the ice mage was cut off with a small giggle from Lucy.

"Don't be shy, Gray! Speak your mind," She encouraged, drilling an elbow into his side, making him flinch away with a mock-cross look plastered on his face.

"Okay, well here goes-," Gray scrunched his eyes closed, turned to Lucy, and let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding in.

"I'm gay," Gray blurted out, opening his eyes, only to find Lucy only a centimeter close away from his lips. "Whaaaaa?" Gray yelled, jumping back. Lucy freaked out, nearly toppling down to the floor.

"Wait, really?" Lucy gasped, chocolate eyes the size of ping pong balls. Gray nodded, face as red as a cherry.

"For four years and counting," Gray chuckled a bit, biting his lower lip.

"Oh man, I thought you were about to confess your love to me or something!" Lucy wailed, giggling, but still sort of teary-eyed. Gray must've been right, Lucy probably had a small crush on him.

This is for the best, he told himself. It's better to stop things like that at the early stages.

"Yeah, uh," Gray scratched the back of his neck embarrassedly. "I like someone else."

"No way!" Lucy squealed, now in full matchmaking gear. Gray gulped, that mysterious glint in her eyes did not look promising. "Is he cute?" Lucy bounced in her seat, and Gray bit back a laugh.

"Yeah. Really cute," He sighed, looking off into the distance. From here, up on this hill, you could see the Sola tree, next to the river, just like always. Lucy took notice of his absent staring into space, so she nudged him.

"Earth to Gray!" Lucy exclaimed. "What'cha looking at?"

"Oh, well, you see that tree down there?" Gray pointed downhill to his favorite tree in the world. Lucy nodded, explaining she had seen it when she passed by it on morning runs. "Well, the-" Gray coughed, suddenly embarrassed, "-guy I like and I share a lot of memories there." Gray felt his cheeks heat up rapidly, and he silently cursed his unnaturally cold body temperature.

"I wanna see it up close! Come on!" Lucy tugged at Gray's hand, almost tossing both of them ungracefully down the hill. Luckily, Gray caught himself, then Lucy, and the two proceeded to walk to the Sola Tree. Lucy was walking with a spring in her step, and likewise, Gray was lagging behind, uncomfortable at bringing a girl to a place he held so dear.

When they got to the tree, however, Gray's sluggish movements turned into rapidly quick ones.

Because he certainly wasn't expecting to see Natsu there, kissing a white-haired girl.

"Natsu-kun~," The girl moaned, threading her fingers in his pink hair.

That should be me touching those soft pink tufts! He thought

Lucy gasped silently, eyes shooting back from me, to the couple, and back and forth again. She opened her mouth to say something- which would've probably made it worse, to be frank, but Gray didn't hear her, because Gray was already running the opposite direction.

Tears were already falling, threatening to spill over his rosy-from-the-frosty-air cheeks. Lucy's indirect cries followed behind him, but he ignored her. He didn't want to see anyone right now. He chucked my shirt and ran through the streets. Gray got weird looks from people, but he didn't care. Sure, a shirtless crying teenage boy was probably a comedic sight to see, but comedy what at the bottom of his list right now.

He ran straight into his house, bolted the door shut, flopped on his bed, and cried for hours.

He guessed it was over...

Before it even started.

Tears were definitely falling now, and when Gray cracked his tired eyes open, his face was covered in hot teardrops. Grat swallowed the giant lump in his throat, and struggled to get up. However, he failed miserably, and instead stayed slumped there, miserable.

Ever since that Christmas Eve, Gray had started to be hateful towards Natsu in order to cover up his sadness. As far as he knew, Natsu never found out he saw what happened, and Lucy double swore to secrecy she wouldn't ever tell anyone. Lucy was his only real friend now. She was the only one Gray could depend on. Beautiful, wise, and charming, she would've been the perfect girlfriend.

I mean, if he rolled that way.

Which, obviously, considering the tears he's shedding two years later, he doesn't.

"You idiot, Gray. Why'd you have to love him?" Gray muttered to himself, rubbing his eyes.

"So you're gay, huh?" A voice spoke.

Gray's senses suddenly filled with adrenaline as he shot up from his seated position. "Who's there?" He commanded, getting in magic position.

A deep chuckle resonated throughout the park. "It's me, stripper."

As if on cue, Gray's heart started beating faster, just like whenever his eyes found his crush's. "Wha-what are you doing here, flame brain?" Gray's voice was sputtery and cracking, like during his preteen years. Gray would've smirked at that comparison, but now was definitely not the time for that.

"I always come here to think," Natsu replied, profile shining in the moonlight. His eyes were trained on the river ahead, as were Gray's. He felt too self-conscious to look at him in the eyes.

"About what?" Gray asked, gnashing his teeth. He was silently praying Natsu couldn't hear his irregular, totally-cliché heartbeat.

"You usually. But other things too," Nastu responded, effortlessly cool with things Gray couldn't usually say too easily.

Gray's heart skipped a beat, had he heard correctly? Natsu still thought about him? "I am too by the way." Natsu admitted.

"You're what?" Gray repeated quietly, frozen to the spot. Ironic, considering he was an ice mage.

The pinkette smiled faintly, still not looking at Gray directly. Gray wasn't totally sure, but he thought their hands were a lot closer than before. How did that even happen?

"I'm gay," He whispered, so low Gray would've missed it if he wasn't focused intently on Natsu's words.

"Ah, well- congratulations?" Gray said sheepishly. He didn't know what to say.

"You did not just congratulate me for liking dicks," Natsu hissed, shaking his head in disbelief. Gray couldn't help it. He missed this Natsu for so long, he enveloped Natsu in a tight bone-crushing hug and started laughing. Hard.

"What is wrong with you," The pinkette rolled his eyes, but the dimples prone on his face proved he found Gray laughing hysterical, as he wrapped his bare arms around Gray.

"I don't know, I just kinda missed you," Gray admitted, looking away. He didn't need Natsu seeing his blushing face, whether or not it was dark out.

"I did too actually... So then why did we drift apart?" Natsu whispered, mostly to himself. He pulled away with a hurt look prone on his face.

"Because of that girl on Christmas!" Gray exclaimed, without thinking. Stupid, stupid, stupid! Gray scolded himself. He totally blew his cover!

"You saw that?" Natsu whispered, voice shaking. He wiped his eyes and leaned his head back against the tree trunk.

"It was hard to miss, you two were practically sucking each other's faces off," Gray replied, slightly snarky. Natsu rolled his eyes, but Gray's weird graphic analogies never failed to amuse him.

"It was that day I knew girls weren't for me," Natsu laughed, like it was nothing.

"It was that day I decided to hide my feelings from you," Gray whispered, eyes cascading down to his shoes.

There. He said it.

And damn. It was nerve wracking.

The silence was eerie after Gray's minor - okay, major - outburst. Gray was blushing furiously, wishing Natsu would say something, anything to cut the quietness. Natsu, likewise, was as red as a tomato, teetering on the edge of doing something rash.

But Gray didn't need to know that.

Well, you know what?

Actually, he did.

Natsu jumped, pulling Gray up with him. Gray blushed even harder at the touch, and Natsu just hoped he wouldn't explode with built-up emotion.

"What- what was that for?" Gray whispered. The two were close now, so close Gray could see Natsu's breath in the wintry air. Natsu only dropped his grip slightly, allowing the two mages to just hold hands freely. Gray was stuttering open-mouthed, and Natsu smirked at the ravenette. Always so innocent looking, Natsu thought. For the older one.

"Gray."

"Hmm."

"Look at me, ice princess!" Natsu demanded.

Gray mustered up the courage to look Natsu in the eyes, but damn, he wish he didn't. Natsu's onyx eyes were widened, his lip looked raw from being nervously chewed on, and his cheeks were dusted pink.

"Yeah?" Gray rolled his eyes, trying to keep his cool. But how could he keep his cool when his crush was a foot away from him and holding his hand?

Gray made a move to tear off his pants, but Natsu stopped him.

"Can you not do that now? I wanna tell you something," Natsu rolled his eyes, scoffing sardonically. "Same old stripping habit never gets old..." He mumbled.

"Fine. Go," Gray nodded.

"Geez, I should've practiced more with Happy..." Natsu mumbled under his breath, but Gray heard anyways, due to the closeness.

"Practiced wha-?"

"Gray, ever since we were kids, when you comforted me under the Sola Tree, I immediately wanted to become best friends with you. And best friends we became. Man, we were inseparable, weren't we?"

Gray nodded, in a trance. The two paused for a moment to remember.

"It's kind of lame I remember this, but remember that day?" Natsu asked.

"Of course I do. I can't forget it," Gray whispered.

Natsu smiled wider. "Wow, Gray. Well, anyways, we had so much fun as the years passed. We both loved to skip rocks, and I would always get more skips. I even remember this one time when we were thirteen and twelve that I got so embarrassed when you touched my hand." Natsu laughed, flushing brighter.

"God, I remember that. Afterwards you kept looking at your hand and blushing!" Gray laughed lightly, stepping a bit closer, but Natsu didn't seem to notice.

"I always felt something after that, Gray. Who knew just one simple touch could change the way I thought of you forever... Well, anyways, I didn't understand what I was feeling, so I went to talk to a couple friends of mine. They said I had a crush on you but I still didn't get it. And I didn't want to, because I thought love was icky!" Natsu cringed, scrunching his face up adorably, causing Gray to internally melt.

He literally could not be any cuter, Gray smiled. And oh my gosh! Is he actually saying all this to me?

A nightowl cried out somewhere in the distance, making Natsu reflexively squeeze Gray's hands tighter, to which Gray swooned.

"And the tree carving, oh, that carving. Man, you almost caught me! Thank goodness I didn't end up writing what I really wanted to write. You know what I wanted to write, Gray?"

Gray was too busy shamelessly drinking up Natsu's features to pay attention to the question.

"I don't know..." Gray trailed off, smiling wearily.

"A question mark."

Gray felt his heart drop to his stomach with a pang of disappointment.

"Because even then, a year later, I had no idea what my feelings were. Then Lucy came to Fairy Tail. She seemed like someone I could confide in, so I poured all of my problems to her, and she told me I was gay."

"WAIT! LUCY KNEW I WAS GAY TOO!" Gray shouted, pouting. "She knew all along!"

"Sneaky little chick," Natsu rolled his eyes playfully. So okay, we were sixteen, and I was gay, but I didn't feel normal. I felt constantly left out, so I thought, maybe, just maybe," Natsu trailed off, sighing.

"Maybe kissing a girl would switch me back to normal," Natsu admitted, exhaling sadly.

"And then I took it the wrong way and totally turned on you. Oh no, I'm so sorry, Natsu! I shouldn't have ever-" Gray cried, feeling completely guilty.

"No. It was me. I was oblivious to my real love all this time, and I ended up hurting him in the process," Natsu exhaled a shaky breath. "That day, after I kissed Lisanna, was the day I realized I am gay, that's okay, and I want- no, need you."

Gray couldn't take it anymore. The final question was unbearable.

"So, what are you trying to say?" Gray asked, knees weak and hands trembling. His whole body wouldn't stop shaking, damn it!

"Geez, and people call me the dense one... I can't believe I'm saying this, but Gray, I like you. No, I fucking love you. Ever since we were kids," Natsu whispered, leaning in and scowling. Natsu let out a long, shaky breath, seemingly grateful he got that confession off his chest.

"Finally," Gray grinned so hard, he felt his face was going to crack off.

"Finally what?" Natsu demanded, suddenly impatient, but mostly confused. What was Gray up to now?

"Finally I can do this." Gray leaned in, whispering sneakily.

In a quick motion, Gray lifted Natsu up to his level, and smashed his dark pink lips to Natsu's soft pink ones. Caught off guard, Natsu's eyes shot open, but quickly glazed over and shut once he melted into the kiss. Pressed up against the tree, all Natsu could do was softly groan and wrap his arms around Gray's neck. Gray smirked against the kiss and tilted his jaw to deepen it. The two simultaneously moaned from build-up tension and continued to kiss for God-knows-how-long.

Eventually, the need for air became too much to bear, so the pair broke away, bruised-lipped and panting exhaustedly for air. They were both grinning ear to ear, ready to go at it again, when Gray spoke up.

"I always dreamed of kissing you under this tree," Gray smiled, admiring the visible branches. Since it was winter, all the leaves had fallen, shriveled, and decomposed into the soil.

"Same. It's our tree," Natsu agreed, hugging Gray.

"It holds so many memories, doesn't it, flame-brain?" Gray quipped.

"Don't call me that," Natsu nuzzled into Gray's overcoat.

"I don't know about that, it kind of fits you!" Gray smirked, and Natsu glared at him, but the laughter in his eyes said different.

"Shut up and kiss me!"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

[Two Days Later]

Natsu and Gray were sitting at the bar, catching up and joking around, just like old times. Gray had just reached over and grabbed Natsu's hand with a tight squeeze when Lucy walked in the doors. Everyone greeted her cheerily, and she responded just as nice right back, but she was headed for two certain mages.

"Natsu, Gray, good morning to you both!" Lucy side-hugged them cheekily,vbut the newfound-couple was too busy glaring at her to return the gesture.

"What?" Lucy defended, stepping back. Her usual smile twisted into a frown as she quirked a brow at the two.

"Why didn't you tell me that Natsu was gay?" Gray demanded.

"Yeah! If I had known Gray was gay, I would've been able to kiss him a lot more!" Natsu fired at the Celestial mage, causing Gray's face to heat up in a burning blush.

"Heh, well..." Lucy backed up, a concerned frown now replaced by a smirk when she noticed their hand-holding.

"Fairy Tail!" She belted out. Suddenly the room got quiet. "Look at them!"

"Huh?" The two said simultaneously.

Suddenly, whoops could be heard from every corner of the guild, and all eyes were trained on the newest couple of the guild.

"Woooooo!" Everyone screamed. "Finally, they're together!"

"What's the meaning of this?" Natsu growled, punching his palm.

"Everyone filled me in about you guys since childhood. Apparently you were quite the match even then," Lucy grinned, putting her hands on her hips.

"So we all made bets and stuff to see who would confess first, where you did it, blah blah blah," Cana mocked, waving a fan of money as she chugged a barrel of plum-colored alcohol.

"Those who said Natsu or the Sola tree, come collect your winnings!" Happy screeched above the roaring crowd of drunk and happy mages.

"Lucy, you've been a bad girl," Gray teased, getting off his stool too. Lucy swallowed nervously, confused.

"Wha-a-a?" Lucy stuttered, shuddering.

"And as punishment, you have to watch me do this," Gray pushed Natsu against the bar counter and started making out with him.

"Mmph~" Natsu tried to protest, but went along with it. He didn't like to pass up opportunities like this, after all. Natsu pushed his torso closer, eager to be as close to the ice mage as possible. Gray's hands were roaming in Natsu's hair, getting it ruffled and messy, while Natsu was rubbing the small of Gray's back.

Gray broke away for air a minute or so later, upsetting a pouting Natsu. However, his demeanor totally changed when he saw Lucy, on the verge of fainting, with blood oozing out of her nose.

"Clean yourself up, pervert," Gray winked, tossing Lucy a pack of tissues. Gray grabbed Natsu's hand, causing them both to blush furiously. Hand holding was always so nerve-wracking for the two. It struck the reminder of the skipping stones incident. Gray led him out of the guild, probably off to a picnic at the Sola Tree.

"Wait, come back here! You're the pervert, Gray! Are you even listening into me? Hey!"

Well, that's all for today. sorry it's so loooooong!! Next ones will be slightly shorter. I hope you enjoyed Memories, this idea struck me immediately after I saw the prompt. I'm excited for 'Dance' too! :) Please vote, comment, and follow! Inbox me if you have any suggestions :)