Married at Eighteen [NaLu] Book 2! ✓

13.5 [special] romance

     “Juvia.” I jolted up, looking to my side to see Gray-sama in his winter clothes as well.

      “Ah, Gray-sama!” I waved a hand at him. This was my first time seeing him alone. He started to walk towards me with his hands tucked inside his pockets. “Gray-sama made it. Juvia is happy.”

      “Who wouldn’t when you kept following me and you wouldn’t stop until I said yes.” He sighs. I was astonished to see how the white smoke coming from his breath looked so clear and beautiful. Just like how I plan this night to be.

I bowed shyly, trying to give him the cookies I baked for him. “J–Juvia made you cookies! She hopes.. you’ll like them. Cookies taste best during cold season in her opinion.”

     “Er, thanks. I’m not much of a fan of sweets, though.” I froze in place at his cold attitude. But when I was expecting him to give it back, I see him still clutching it to his chest with a flustered expression on his face. “But who knows? I might just..try it.”

     “Juvia is pleased!” I finally grabbed his hand and dragged him into walking side by side with me and my arm still wrapped around his. It was really shocking to see how someone like him would actually agree to this.

Nothing can absolutely ruin this now.

     “Gray-sama, what would you like to do?”  This is our very first date, after all. Wouldn’t want to be the bossy one.

     “Just taking this walk with you is already good.”  He didn’t speak about anything after that.  Juvia is hanging by the edge here. Clearing my throat, I decided to start up a topic:

      “S–So, Gray-sama, Juvia was thinking the movies premiering today look good, maybe we should head over and—”

      “Oh, hey, the river’s gone frozen over here. Come on.” He grabbed Juvia by the hand, once we’ve stopped, he crouched over to touch the frozen water, laughing enthuasiastically at the view.  “Whoa. This is so cool, this is the very first one I’ve touched one in years!”

Although, I can’t help but be happy for his joyous approach to a river, I felt sad deep inside. Was he even excited to go on a date with me for Christmas eve or is it..just because Juvia asked him to?

     “G–Gray-sama, Juvia is kind of cold. Should we head down to somewhere warm?”

     “Oh, sure, yeah, let’s do that.” Juvia was raring to go, but Gray took minutes before he even stood up, walking ahead of me. I sighed in defeat, following his tracks. He got inside a café with a fireplace warming the room up.

     “Hey, I see Gajeel and Levy over there!” Gray-sama pointed over to the two, sitting across each other with Levy looking so deeply in love with her date and I just can’t help but grow jealous of their spark.

     “I’m gonna walk over.” Juvia quickly grabbed him by the arm, pulling him over to a vacant seat, shushing him.

He harshly removed my hand from his mouth, choking on himself. “What- is the- matter with- you? I was just going to say hi, not like it would disrupt something.”

     “Gray-sama, how can you not realize they’re going on a date? Of course, they need time alone.”  I started fumbling with my own fingers shyly, whispering under my breath.  “Like we do.”