i just wanna know if you'll let me be your world

faith \ ˈfāth
noun
: firm belief in something for which there is no proof

.

xxiii
two and a half years later
.

"I think that's the last of the boxes."

Natsu stands in the front door of the house, wiping sweat from his forehead and yawning. He's wearing a tank top, which gives Gray an excellent view of his biceps and the tattoos that curl around them.

"For now," Gray says, handing Natsu a water bottle. Natsu chugs the whole thing gratefully, then tosses it into their makeshift garbage box next to the door. "Sting and Rogue are gonna be here in an hour with the truck and all the furniture."

Natsu groans dramatically, nudging a box of Gray's engineering textbooks out of the way and reaching out to pull Gray close.

"'s too much work," he mumbles, pressing his lips against Gray's collarbone. "Let's just make out instead."

Gray laughs, bringing his hands up to Natsu's hair, then making a face and pulling away when his hands get slick with sweat. "You're gross," he says, playfully pushing Natsu away from him.

"You're gross," Natsu says petulantly, keeping his hands around Gray's waist and kissing his neck. "Wanna come shower with me?"

"We're just gonna get sweaty again," Gray protests, but it's half-hearted.

"Well, yeah," Natsu says, grinning at him. "That's the idea." He glances up the stairs toward the bedroom where the mattress is lying on the floor, waiting for the bedframe. "C'mon, an hour is plenty of time." Natsu punctuates his words by pinching Gray's ass, and Gray pretends to look offended, batting Natsu's hand away.

"I guess I could be persuaded," Gray says, slipping out of Natsu's grasp and heading for the stairs.

Natsu grumbles about the shower being too cold, but Gray just rolls his eyes, tipping Natsu's head forward into the water and rinsing out the dirt and sweat. When Gray starts to lather up the shampoo in Natsu's hair, dragging his nails along Natsu's scalp, Natsu hums happily and wraps his arms around Gray's waist.

"There," Gray says, rinsing out the shampoo and tipping Natsu's chin up. "Now you're presentable."

"I'm never presentable," Natsu argues, shaking out his head like Bella does after they've been out in the rain. Gray splutters and swats at him, but Natsu pulls him close, kissing him before he can argue.

Gray sighs, leaning back against the wall of the shower as Natsu's hands run up and down his sides, then around to grab his ass. Natsu's hard and pressing up against Gray's thigh, but it doesn't terrify him anymore.

"Okay?" Natsu asks, pulling back long enough to get a nod from Gray. They've been together almost a year, now, and it's been beautiful and terrifying and entirely worth it. It had taken Gray a lot longer than he'd expected, but last summer he'd kissed Natsu under the summer fireworks – this time ready, and for real.

Gray tips his head back, letting out a soft, contented sigh as Natsu slowly drops to his knees, kissing a path down Gray's chest. His hands are gentle, running up Gray's thighs and drawing circles over his hips with calloused thumbs.

"Natsu," Gray whispers, running his fingers through Natsu's damp hair as Natsu kisses under his navel, then the inside of his thigh. "Please."

Natsu looks up at him, hair plastered to his face and water dripping down his chest, and his face is filled with such open adoration that it takes Gray's breath away.

Then Natsu tips his head back down and runs his tongue over Gray's clit, and Gray's breathless for an entirely different reason.

Natsu nudges Gray's knees further apart, bringing one hand down and drawing his fingers softly, feather-light, between Gray's legs. Gray makes an undignified sound, trying to shift so Natsu will keep touching him, and is rewarded by Natsu slipping two fingers inside of him.

"Fuck," Gray whispers, tightening his grip on Natsu's hair as Natsu sucks on his clit, humming around Gray as he works his fingers in and out.

This is new – or, new again, Gray supposes. It feels different than when they were younger, fooling around in the car or under the blankets by the lake. There's a sacredness to it now, in the way that Natsu touches Gray, in the patterns his fingertips trace over Gray's scars, in the way that they kiss.

Natsu adds another finger, tongue working in circles around Gray's clit, and Gray gasps, shifting his hips forward and tugging gently on Natsu's hair. Natsu's other hand drops from Gray's hip, and when he moans, Gray knows he's touching himself too.

Gray can feel his legs trembling as Natsu presses deeper, sucks harder, gives Gray all of him. He knows Gray so well, has spent so many afternoons tracing the curve of Gray's hips or the soft spot on his throat, whispering promises against Gray's skin that Gray is finally learning to trust.

"N-na—ahh, f-fuck—" Gray's voice wavers as Natsu shudders against him, hand stroking his cock in time with the thrust of his fingers into Gray. Water drips down his chest, draws patterns over his abs, slicks the back of his hands as he thrusts up into his fist.

Then he opens his eyes and stares up at Gray, bright and eager and wanting, and Gray lets himself fall apart.

"We should really get dressed."

Natsu rolls his eyes at Gray's statement, and throws his leg across Gray's thighs, pinning him to the mattress. "Nope. You're stuck now."

Gray pokes Natsu in the side and Natsu grumbles at him, then relocates until he's entirely on top of Gray, spread out like a starfish. A damp, heavy starfish.

"You're squishing me," Gray protests, and Natsu grins. "Sting and Rogue are gonna show up in like… three minutes, and I'd rather not traumatize them in our new house."

Natsu laughs, shifting until they're curled up facing each other, with his knee tucked between Gray's legs. Gray loves these moments – intimacy without sex. It took a long time to get used to the idea, but Natsu is infinitely patient.

A silence hangs between them as Natsu studies Gray's face. He's still smiling, but something about his gaze is more intent.

"What?" Gray asks, suddenly shy. Natsu shakes his head, brushing Gray's hair out of his face and leaning in to kiss the scar on Gray's forehead.

"You make me so happy," Natsu says softly, combing out the damp tangles of Gray's hair. Gray can feel his cheeks turning pink, but he refuses to look away – he loves Natsu's smile, the crinkle at the corner of his eyes, the freckles across his nose. "I'm really, really proud of you."

Two years ago, Gray would have shaken his head, refused the praise, tried to hide from the kindness. But now… well, he's not 'okay,' because Sting's right, that isn't really a thing. He's surviving, though, and thriving, and letting himself be loved.

"Thanks," he says, pressing his forehead to Natsu's. "I'm proud of me, too."

A/N: See, I promised a happy ending! Doing this all over the course of Pride month was a challenge, but a rewarding one. I hope you enjoyed it - let me know what you thought! Or come visit me on tumblr splendidlyimperfect 3