You'll Fade

- Faded Aftermath -

Number 1 - Their Return

"Are you ready, Natsu?" Gray asked, pulling on his arm. Natsu's eyes travelled around each finger, up to his hand, up his arm, to his love's eyes. Natsu cupped the side of Gray's face; his face covered in a look of discontentment. He loved how strong Gray was, but he hated his stubbornness. Even now Natsu fought the urge to throw the raven over his shoulder and run to the guild, but he knew Gray would end up kicking his ass if he picked him up again.

"Natsu?" Gray said; his hand covering the hand that still touched his face. Natsu looked down, took a breath, and lifted his head again in a smile. He nodded.

"Ready."

He gripped the cold hand that pulled at his as he watched their home get closer and closer. Each step that brought them closer, Natsu's smile grew while Gray's pace sped up. When Gray touched the door his face lit up and at the same time he crumbled. Natsu smiled as he watched Gray shed a tear from his faded eye. Gray turned towards Natsu, meeting his gaze.

The pinkette didn't console him; he didn't say a word.

Natsu just took a deep breath and kicked the door wide open.

"Hey~! We're back!"

Shocked silence barely had enough time to fill the guild before each member cheered, roared, and applauded for their friend's return. Everyone surrounded the two by the guild doors giving their love in forms of head pats, high fives, and hugs.

Natsu saw that Gray instinctively hid his faded eye behind his bangs. Erza and Lucy stayed back as they watched their friends be bombarded by their loved ones. Their Master greeted them, extending his large strong arms to wrap around the two, pulling them close; his tough demeanor immediately crumbling as he blubbered.

After the initial shock of their return died down, the Fairy Tail members encircled the two as they told their story of their toughest mission yet, leaving out a significant amount of information for both their sakes. During their entire story, neither one let go of the other's hand and no one seemed to notice, but still Natsu felt a chill go down his spine...like someone was staring daggers into his very soul. Natsu knew exactly who it was, but he still didn't dare meet her gaze. Instead he tightened his grip on Gray's hand, which, regretfully, only made the hard glare intensify.

"We're all so glad you've returned." Mirajane said as he handed the two a glass of water.

"Yeah!" The group cheered behind them. Gray smiled as Natsu rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment.

"We thought you'd never come back." Wakaba said, wrapping his arm around Macao flashing a huge grin. Gray's smile fell only slightly, but it was enough for Natsu to take note. He met his eyes.

"You okay?" Natsu spoke with his intense gaze only to be given a small nod from Gray. He kept up a happy appearance, but he wouldn't take his eyes off Gray.

"So tell us about this crazy monster woman! Was she strong? How'd you beat her?" Romeo exclaimed, excitedly pounding his fists on the table. His eyes lit up as he stared at Natsu waiting for an answer. Gray didn't even attempt to open his mouth, giving Natsu the indication to speak for them.

"We had help from former Tenebris guild members." Natsu spoke quickly.

"Tenebris guild members helped you!?" Levy said, her hand clinging to Lucy's. She looked towards the blonde waiting for a response that she heard that right. Lucy smiled and nodded, gently rubbing the hand that clung to her.

"Abraham and Lyr Reinhardt of Tenebris. They helped us defeat their Master." Natsu said as if he were reading from a history book.

"That's awesome! What was the Master's name again?" Romeo asked; his smile never withered.

"Gwenera." Erza cut in before either boy could utter her name.

"Formerly a resident of that same village; Gwen Hasland. Murdered her own son and husband in cold blood before establishing the guild, Tenebris. She was a powerful mage; able to take on other's appearances or even their body after they've died along with their magical abilities."

This time the room held the silence much longer.

"There's magic like that?" Levy asked, looking blankly at the ground.

"She sounds really strong! How did you beat her?" Romeo asked, looking directly at Natsu. Natsu held back the urge to look at Gray before speaking, but he didn't want to put pressure on the ice mage. He knew Gray didn't want to talk about it and he didn't want to hear it, but they trusted and loved their family...they deserved to know.

Natsu took a breath before going deeper into Gwenera's magical abilities, making sure to cover her vessels and each of her strengths.

"I realized that her black ooze would leak out when an attack did some real damage. So I guessed that her ooze would actually be the final vessel before getting to her real body." Natsu paused and glanced at Gray. The raven was looking him, just listening to his story with a concerning blank expression. Natsu shook it off as he continued to speak.

"We had to kill each of her vessels before she would actually die. Gray killed the first and I killed the other two before we saw her true face."

"Did you kill her then?" Elfman asked, his fists clenching from such an intense battle.

"I...uh...it wasn't that..."Natsu trailed off as he fought through his mind on what to say next. None of them ever said Gray had been Gwenera's original target from the moment they entered that town. Out of respect for Gray for he didn't want their pity or concern, but e knew something would have to be said eventually once someone saw his eye or when someone commented on him keeping his clothes on.

"Natsu." Gray mumbled. Natsu looked at him.

"You sure?" Again, Gray just nodded.

"They couldn't kill her because...they didn't know what would happen to me if she died."

"To you?" Levy said with a slight gasp.

"What're you talking about, Gray?" Mirajane asked.

It felt like an eternity had passed as he told the story of his capture, torture, and rescue...again excluding the embarrassment he and Natsu had to endure. He felt the eyes of each of his friends grow heavy, filling with pity and remorse. Gray knew the response he'd get; pure silence as they all tried to wrap their minds around what they just heard. Juvia stepped forward, tears at the edge of her eyes, standing in front of the two. Seeing the look on Gray's face at her sorrowful expression, she instantly rubbed her eyes dry before sitting at the table next to Romeo.

"Is your...uh..." Romeo didn't know how to get the words out, but Gray knew exactly what he was trying to ask.

At that Gray slowly stood, his body indistinctly shaking, and pulled his shirt off. Wide eyes covered his friends' faces as they looked at the aftermath of Gray's torture. His chest, waist, neck, arms, and hands held faint scars. He gradually turned to show the blistered burns covering his back. Juvia didn't realize as the tears left her eyes and she didn't care to wipe them dry. She couldn't.

Gray turned back around and took a breath before throwing his bangs out of the way, showing his scarred faded eye. Gasps echoed throughout the room.

"Are...you-" Wendy started, her voice shaking.

"Yes, I'm blind in this eye." Gray said as his knees buckled making him crash back to his seat in a thump.

"Gray!" Natsu yelled, shooting to his feet standing over Gray. The raven cursed; his hands digging into his knees as he focused his breathing to try and lessen the pain.

"I-I'm fine."

"No you're not. Okay guys we're done now, okay? Come on, Gray." Natsu pulled on Gray's arm, but he didn't budge.

"Gray-"

"Your legs...?" Romeo asked, his jaw clenched tight at hearing the answer.

"Romeo that's enough-"

"Natsu." Gray said, cursing at the throbbing pain. The ice mage looked up at his worried friends and met Romeo's gaze.

"My legs are pretty messed up, but I'm alive. We're all alive and home. So...don't worry." Gray looked at each of his friends, making sure to meet each person's stare. He stopped when he met Natsu's fierce onyx orbs.

Grabbing the warm hand tight in his icy grasp, he pulled the pinkette back down and whispered.

"Don't worry."

End of Chapter One

(A/N) Well there's the first of ten simple one-shots. I hope you enjoyed this first of many drabbles. A new one will be coming soon! Please look forward to it and please review! I love reading your thoughts after you've read mine.

FUTURE ONE-SHOTS RATED "M" FOR YAOI, LEMON, RAPE-MEMORIES, TORTURE-MEMORIES, LANGUAGE, AND VIOLENCE.

- Next Time -

Number 2 - An Envious Downpour and Recollections