[GRAYLU] If Only It Was You

7

Lucy crashed into his arms, without any word of caution, and the raven-haired man felt her wet tears against his bare abdomen. She was shivering violently and that brought creases in his forehead. Shock was a complete understatement of what was going through his head. Gray was hesitant to move, or to even breath, with the girl plastered against him. He dared to look down, his eyes softening at the sight of her vulnerability. The movements were slow, but his shaky hands drew closer to her as he wrapped his arms around her neck. It was warm. He rubbed her back slowly, yet he had no idea why he was doing it. He seemed to be asking himself that a lot, these days. Why?

The stellar mage gasped softly at the contact of his cold hands upon her skin, yet her shoulders tingled with warmth. She really did not expect him to yield comfort, especially considering his personality. Lucy assumed he would have pushed her away and left her to suffer alone, without giving a shit about her worries. But, in fact, he did the opposite- much to her surprise- and she couldn't feel anything but gratitude. She bit her lip tightly and tried her best to refrain from spilling anymore tears. It wasn't enough to hold her back. Her sobs grew even louder. The blonde smiled through her sadness. It made her glad, that he was concerned. 

Gray panicked. Why was she crying even more when he tried to comfort her?! He quickly drew his hands away and Lucy looked up slightly, with teary, questioning eyes.

"Why did you...?" She trailed off, once she saw his face, a look of understanding flashed through her features. She smiled softly.

Her nimble thumb swiftly wiped away the tear that escaped from his treacherous eye. His breath hitched. He hadn't even realized that he was crying as well. Did that make him weak? The man couldn't finish his thought, however, when the blonde mage drew her face closer to his own, making his eyes widen in shock. Why was she trying to kiss him? Gray's eyes narrowed. The very image of her lips upon his own filled him with anger, for some odd reason. Was she taking advantage of his vulnerability? 

Just as he was about to furiously shove her away, his brows furrowed when her forehead pressed gently against his broad shoulder and her nose nuzzled delicately into his collarbone. Lucy inhaled the calming fragrance that coated his white jacket. Her lips parted to speak.

"How long have you been holding it in, Silver?"

Gray froze, pondering his response to the question. He had to ask himself. When was the last time he poured his heart out? Was it that day in Isvan? It was so long ago, that the feeling of hopelessness and despair seemed so foreign to him. Was that the answer?

10 years?

Lucy slithered her arms around his back and embraced him firmly. A tender smile played upon her lips as she felt him shake and the drops of tears rained upon her small shoulder. He returned the hug, yet he gripped onto her tighter and let the pent up tears, that he prolonged for a decade, to fall down his face. The girl sobbed along within him.

"I want to see them again, Lucy."

She felt her heart wrench. The image of her beautiful mother, Layla Heartfilia, flashed before her eyes. The memory of her gentle fingers running through her hair and telling her how everything was going to be okay. That day, her mother promised her happiness and showered her with an endless supply of love. She remembered running to her, reaching out to her, and confiding to her. Her mother was not only her parent, but she was her best friend. Lucy desperately urged to feel love again, and this very embrace and confidence seemed to be bringing it all back. She squeezed her eyes shut and gulped down the lump forming in her throat, pressing her face further against his chest. The girl tried her best to drown out loud beating of her heart.

"Do you miss them? Do you long for them to hold you again?"

Gray nodded vigorously, against the top of the blonde's head, delving his nose into the golden locks of hair. He wasn't supposed to be doing this. This was the girl he was supposed to kidnap and bring back to her greedy father. This was the girl he mocked for being weak, naive, and overbearing. So, why? Why was he allowing himself to be held in her arms? Why did it feel right?

The girl sniffed.

"I didn't know that when mama left home, it would be the last time I'd ever see her."

He spared a glance at her face and contemplated. The realization dawned upon him: he wasn't the only one who was suffering. What was worse? Witnessing your parent's death or taking a look upon them and not knowing it would be the last memory you would create together? What brought more pain? Being ignorant or expecting the worse? They both encountered tragedy differently, yet the burden still weighed the same. It still hurt the same.

"But, that's when you know you truly loved them. It hurts because we cared."

His embrace tightened at that. Is that why he stopped caring about others? He could feel himself inhale sharply as the man's muscular arms slithered their way around her neck.

Gray patted her head softly and unconsciously smiled at the soft purr that escape her lips. She may not be the girl from his childhood, but she was a person who could understand his childhood trauma and his fiendish nightmares of Deliora. Alas, finally someone he can confide in- just this once. Just in this moment.

Then he would lock the gates to his heart definitely.

Lucy lifted her head from his body and looked up into the sea of navy blue. His messy raven hair that swept across his handsome face, and his eyes which possessed a new-found delicateness, made her extremely scared. It was not because she was terrified of him.

She was afraid of what he was making her feel. The rapid pounding of her heart and the warmth that flourished in her cheeks. The tingly sensation she felt in her stomach and the sense of safety and comfort. It all came rushing to her in a dangerous speed.

Gray smiled bitterly. Could he ever feel love again?

Lucy parted her lips to speak until a rambunctious quaking began to crumble upon the underground cave. Her eyes dilated once she saw a beautiful, purple magic circle form from the ceiling. The white, purplish light rained against Deliora and reflected against the contrasting blue shimmer of Ur's ice. 

The ice-mage immediately released his grip from the blonde and she felt the cold hitting her bare arms. Lucy frowned. 

"Let's go up." He ordered and immediately strode towards the exit of the cave. With much reluctance, she stood and woke Natsu up, quickly following the man's icy trail. She felt disappointment fill her veins. He was back to his cold self again. It was as if there was some sort of switch that allowed him to mask his vulnerability so easy. But, how?

Gray seemed so distant once more, despite being so close, and the girl watched from behind- longingly.

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a/n: so if anyone is wondering, this book is probably going to be more than 20 chapters long and at the pace that this is going (with deliora's arc almost talking up 10-15 chapters) i feel its going to be longgggg asf.

hopefully it isnt boring or anything ;0