"Huh."
While picking berries, you find so much ice in the forest. Some of it even looks like it could be freezer burnt. It is strange, especially since it is springtime. Slowly, you follow the trail, creeping toward the mysterious source. Then, you find it. A man. Turned around with an exposed torso. Since you cannot see his front, you do not get a good look. Man... that's a sexy back... Unknowingly, you bite your lip, but then shake off your thoughts which are slowly becoming perverted.
He appears the be a wizard who specializes in Maker Magic. Specifically the ice kind. It is beautiful. The shards occasionally sprinkle down, and there will be an occasional snowflake or two. There are a couple of times when a snowflake falls down onto your nose, and you hold in the urge to giggle.
Quietly, you slump down onto the ground, holding a shard of ice in your hand. Cold, but dry. This must be ice that comes from magic. So cool and amazing. Looking back at the man, you see him panting in exhaustion. He must have over-done it. Sweat glistens from off of his body, making it shine in the sunlight. If only you could see his front. That would be nice. Then, the shard falls onto the ground, clinking against other pieces.
"Eh?" He turns around and eyes you, but yours drift down. His physique is nice. Too nice. What is he doing in the middle of a forest? He looks like he could he a model.
"Sorry," you say quickly. "I was picking berries and saw a crap ton of ice, which was a bit disturbing since it's spring. I followed it and wound up here, which is where you are."
"Oh. Well, you found the source."
"Yeah. It's... really pretty."
"Thanks. You should've seen my master's." He sits down, seemingly more relaxed than before.
"I bet it was gorgeous, too. Ice is... beautiful."
"It is. It's also a good and strong magic."
You allow your eyes to trail to his pectoral, which had a tattoo. The one signifying the Fairy Tail guild. "You're apart of Fairy Fail! You must know Salamander!"
Scoffing, he retorts, "Yeah, yeah, the Great Salamander. You know, I'm cooler than him. And stronger, too."
"Sorry. His name is widely known. By the way, who are you? I didn't know about and ice-used in Fairy Tail."
His eyebrow twitches. "Gray. Gray Fullbuster."
"That's a pretty name! I'm Y/n L/n. Nice to meet you."
"Uh-huh."
"Are you annoyed about me mentioning Salamander?"
His face begins to flush, so he turns his head to the side in an attempt to hide it. "No. I just think you're stupid for thinking he's actually cool. He's just a fire-eating, idiotic dragon kid."
"That's not very nice. You're in the same guild, so you shouldn't say bad things about eat other."
"I'm just being honest."
"You're being mean because you're hungry, right? Do you want some berries?" You go through your bag and start pulling some out, taking a few of each kind. "I just picked them today, so they're really good."
"Uh... sure."
Happily, you bring them over and hand them to him, then sit in front of him. "Here."
"How do you know which ones are poisonous and which aren't?"
"I have a book." You pull out a hand-made book. "I have methods to test it, and whenever I get information on a type of berry, I record it."
"Eh? But why would you do all that for berries?"
"I have a stall back in town where I sell them. It's how I make a living."
"I've never seen you around before."
"You just weren't looking. Now that I get a good look at you, you've walked past me a couple of times."
"Hm." He eats a few berries. "Hey! These are pretty good!"
"I know, right? That's my favorite kind right there."
"You have good taste."
"I wanna have a berry farm someday. Make a whole career out of that."
"You must really love berries." He shoves a few more in his mouth.
"My dad did. It... was his dream. Of course, he never got to see it come true."
"Why can't he now?"
"It's hard to have a franchise when you're dead."
"Oh... I didn't know."
"I didn't expect you to." There is an awkward pause. "You know, you really brightened up my day, Gray. Normally I spend them alone, but I got good company today. Thank you."
"Eh? You don't have anybody else to talk to? Mom? Friends? Siblings?"
"Nope."
"What happened to your family?"
"I wasn't from our town. I actually came from somewhere else, but Delliora wiped it out. I'm pretty sure I was the only survivor. I came here because I needed someplace to go."
"I had the same thing happen to me."
"Really?"
"Yeah. We're in the same boat, I guess."
"Well... it was nice meeting someone who went through the same thing as me. Not that it's good you had to, but... I don't feel so alone, I guess."
"Me either. But... unlike you... I do have friends."
"That's good, though. And I'm perfectly fine alone. I like solitude."
"If that's what you like. I'll have to stop by your stall sometime."
"You're more than welcome to. But no discounts. I need every penny."
"Darn." He has this grin that seems arrogant but somewhat attractive.
"I make no exceptions." You give him a smile, which he returns.
"I guess I'll have to bring my wallet with me."
"Yeah. You will." The both of you fall silent. "Well, I should go find berries. I didn't get as many as I needed to, and then I gave you some... I could've gotten more if not for your ice..."
"What? Did I freeze the berries?"
"Yeah. I'm behind."
"Why don't I help you?"
"You don't-"
"I insist."
"Alright, then."
The rest of the afternoon is spent with you two picking berries with light but sweet conversation. You decide to like Gray. He is nice and easy to be around. Additionally, he is very attractive. Too attractive. Whenever he moves to pick a berry, his muscles flex and you find yourself staring. Luckily, he does not notice.
By the time you are finished, the sun goes down. Sighing, you accept the fact that you must go home, though you do not want to. Gray's company is so nice, and you fear that you will not get to see him in a long time.
"I should head home." you say with a twinge of sadness in your voice.
"Do you want me to walk you home?"
"W- why would you do that?"
"It's dark out and it isn't safe for a girl to walk home like that."
"Aw. That's so sweet of you. If you insist, go ahead."
"I will, then."
The two of you fall into stride toward your apartment, but stay quiet the whole walk. It does not bother you, though. It is not the awkward kind, but the sweet kind. No words need to be said. The silence is gentle and says it all, really. Your thoughts are stuck on him, thinking of how beautiful he is. How did you get so lucky as to see a hot guy today? This never happens. Maybe it is just a lucky day. Who knows? Either way, you are happy. When you make it to your door, he scratches the back of his neck awkwardly. Was his silence just because he could think of no words? Was the stillness just in your head? That is likely. You are very imaginative.
He says in parting, "I guess I'll see you later then."
"Yeah. Some other time..."
"Where's your stall? I think I'll stop by tomorrow. Those berries are great and I'd love to share some with my friends."
"Go down this street, take a left, then right, then spin on your head."
He laughs, "Spin on my head?"
"And don't forget to spit ice. It's crucial."
"I'll remember that then. Thanks."
"You're welcome. See you tommorrow."
"See you tomorrow."
He walks away, and the sight makes you sad. If only it could have lasted longer. He was just so nice, and pretty to look at, too. No good thing lasts forever... but at least I get to see him tomorrow.
Tomorrow never came.
A week goes by, and you have not seen a trace of him. That liar. If he did not want to see you again, he could have just said it. No need to lie to your face. Every day, you pack up angrily. This is just frustrating. That is what you get for believing him. No handsome guy would want to see you again. But at least the berries! He could have come back for the berries! Like he said! That jerk.
A full week after meeting him, you are back in the forest to pick fresh berries. The whole time, you are angry and hurt, so some of them get squished and mushy. That is what you get for being rough with them.
"Y/n?"
You turn your head and find Gray with a pink-haired boy of the same age as him, a blonde girl, and a redheaded woman. He is shirtless again and seems surprised to see you here, though there is a twinge of happiness there that you do not notice. Defiantly, you turn your head and go back to work.
Another male voice asks, "You know her or something?"
Gray replies, "Yeah, I met her a week ago. Y/n! Nice to see you!"
"..."
"Y/n?"
You refuse to reply. He is the jerk who did not come, so you will not give him the chance. No way. Not happening. Then, a presence falls beside you and something clamps your shoulder. Reflexively, you turn over and see Gray right there, tilting his head to the side.
"Why aren't you responding? Are your ears okay?"
"No. I'm just mad."
"At who?"
"You."
"Why?"
"You didn't show up! You said you would! But then you didn't."
"I'm sorry. I had a last minute mission, so I had to go. I was gonna stop by on my way back to the guild hall."
"Likely story. Just like every other guy..."
"Hey. No need to get all personal-"
"Just leave me alone. Liar."
"I'm sorry. Can I make it up to you?"
"Nope."
Then, someone punches Gray in the head. It is the redhead. You wonder why. Then, she starts yelling.
"YOU STOOD HER UP?!?!?! LEARN SOME MANNERS!!!! DO I HAVE TO TEACH YOU HOW TO TREAT A LADY?!?!?!"
"I didn't-"
"GIVE HER A PROPER APOLOGY!!!" She starts dragging him by the ear, yelling to him all of the ways he needs to apologize, to which he rolls his eyes.
The blonde says, "I'm so sorry for his behavior. He should really treat his girlfriend better-"
"I'm not his girlfriend."
"You aren't?"
"No. Last week we met in the forest, and he said he'd stop by my berry stall, but never showed. He got my hopes up just to disappear for a week straight."
"Well, it's still rude. I can't believe he did that."
"I can. That's my luck."
"He won't do it again. Erza won't let him. Trust me... he'll be too scared to make the same mistake."
"Whatever."
"Wait!" Now the pink-haired boy gets started. "I knew Gray didn't have a girlfriend! No way that pervy streaker could get one! Haha!"
"Uhh..." You just now realize who he is. "Aren't you Salamander?"
"Yeah! So you know me! So cool!"
"Yeah! You're famous!"
"That's so cool!"
"Hey!" And now Gray is back with bruises and a red cheek. "Leave her alone, dragon breath!"
"No way, you freezerburnt popsicle! You didn't show when you said you would!"
"Yeah, I already got an earfull from Erza! But I don't want your stupidity to rub off on her!"
"I'm stupid? Says the one talking about how cold it is outside when he's half-naked!"
"I'm an ice wizard! I don't get cold!"
"Liar! You just wanna look cool in front of a girl!"
"And you're just an idiot who doesn't ever know what you're talking about!"
"Take that back!"
"Make me!"
The two start fighting, and you raise an eyebrow. How often do they do this? Finally, you smack them both out of irritation. They stare at you in shock.
You say, "Cut it out, you two. No reason to fight. Sheesh. You're acting like children."
"Gray's the child! He's the one who still runs around naked like when he was a kid!"
"You're the one who acts like a child! And I can't help it!"
"SHUT UP!!!" They fall silent. "GOSH!!! I swear, you two are so immature. I didn't realize you were so childish, Gray."
"See? You embarrassed me, dragon face!"
"You embarrass yourself with that disgrace of a face and magic!"
"I SAID TO SHUT UP!!" Now, they look scared. "If you don't cut it out, I'll squish you like these berries!!"
"YES, MA'AM!!!!"
"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have berries to pick."
Quickly, Gray pipes in, "I'll help."
"No. I'm still mad at you."
"Think of it as me making it up to you."
"Fine. But no talking."
"Of course, not."
-
Well, you pick the berries, but he makes you laugh nonetheless. His little side-comments get your attention, which makes him grin. Then, you start real conversations. In the end, you forget that you were mad at him.
He carries the bags home for you, and you laugh together. He is too kind and fun. Too much so for his own good. It has you over-thinking. He is just too perfect. He even has you buying into his mission alibi. You really are a sucker for hot guys with abs. What a shame.
This time, he asks if he can come inside for some water. Naturally, you allow it. How can you not? You just suck up to any good-looking guy who seems nice. Your major flaw.
Quietly, you start making a decent dinner to share with him, but he comes in behind you, insisting on helping. Since he is so keen on the idea, you allow it to happen. The whole thing is so much fun, and it reminds you that you had fun a week ago, but then he did not appear. Will the results be similar this time? Probably. It brings down your mood, and he notices.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing. Just thinking a lot."
"What about?"
"Just... stuff."
"Tomorrow I'll come by your stall for sure. Even if I have to miss out on a mission. I promise."
"And if you break said promise?"
"Whatever you want." He leans close to the counter, resting his hand on it, almost caging you in.
"And what if I don't want anything?"
"I'll be prepared for whenever you do want to."
"Actually, even if you don't come... you're more than welcome to help me pick."
"I dunno... that's an awful lot of work..."
"You don't have to."
"Hmm... I'll have to think about it... what do I get out of it?"
"What do you want?"
"Free berries."
"Free berries? That's not much. You're settling for too little."
"What else are you offering?"
"Nothing at all. Just surprised."
"Why don't you accompany me to the guild hall tomorrow after work? You can keep me company. Y'know, since it's really just a load of loudmouths in there."
"I could do that. I'm cool with it."
"Great."
-
This time, he shows up at the berry stall and purchases several (you make him since you have not started the weekly picking with you. You suck every penny out of him). Then, he waits until the day is over. When it is, he takes you to the guild hall, and everyone stops upon seeing you. They have never seen you before.
"Who's this?" asks an old man.
"This is-"
"Don't tell me you've finally gone out and gotten a girlfriend! It's about time you get out there! You and your lifelong single self has been worrying me! I can finally-"
You interrupt, "I'm not his girlfriend. Just friend. Close friend."
"Oh... dang it, Gray! You got my hopes up! Go get a girlfriend already! Before you're all old and wrinkly like me! Hopeless and could never get a girl!"
"Gee, thanks." You giggle.
"Gray, you've never had a girlfriend before?"
Defensively, he shouts, "I've never had time to date! The guild's a lot of time and effort!"
"Aww. That's cute, though. I wonder who'll get lucky enough to be your first. Or wait, is there already someone on your mind?" When his face turns bright red, you poke him teasingly. "Ooh! Who is she? C'mon! Tell me!"
Though you try to joke around, it actually hurts a bit and causes jealousy. Why? Because you are already developing a crush on him. It is sad, but true. He is way out of your league and you could never hope for him. It is such a shame. Still, you put up a smile and laugh. It is all you can do.
"There isn't one!"
"So does that mean I have a chance?"
"Cut it out! That's not funny!"
"I think it is!"
The entire day is spent with everyone trying to spoil you and assuming that you are Gray's new girlfriend. Of course, you keep saying that you are not. It turns Gray three shades red, and you just blush a bit while explaining. It is so much fun that it breaks your heart when Gray says you should head home. Quietly, you oblige and let him walk you home.
"What's wrong? You seem kinda down?"
"I just don't wanna go home. That was a lot of fun."
"You can always come back some other time."
"I can? Really? You mean it?"
"Yeah. I wouldn't have said it if I didn't."
"Thanks! You're the best shirtless guy I've ever met!"
"How many shirtless guys do you know?"
"Just you!"
"...gee, I feel so special."
"Heh... yeah."
"Y'know, it was a lot of fun hanging out with you."
"Likewise. It's nice having a friend."
"It is nice having friends. Whenever you want to, just stop by the guild hall."
"Thanks! You'll never get rid of me now!"
"That's fine."
-
Berry-picking with Gray is the highlight of your week. If it is particularly warm out, he will cool things off with frost. That is when you started calling him Frosty, which he will respond to each time, regardless of who is around. It makes you happy, though he does not realize it.
Each and every day, so long as he does not have a mission, he is at your stall, not to buy anything, but to talk. And then you will go to his guild hall, where you will goof off and have too much fun for just friends. It rises suspicion among everyone, though it goes unnoticed by both of you. In your mind, he is just so friendly and sweet, and to him, the same applies to you. Neither of you are aware of the inward thoughts of each other.
Then, on a random day you hang out at the Fairy Tail guild hall, you find a new face. She is pretty with blue hair. Constantly, she looks at Gray, then will blush. She probably likes him, too... man, I don't stand a chance. Just as you think these words, Gray brings her over.
"Y/n, this is my new friend, Juvia. It's a long story as to how she got here, but she's a new member of the guild."
"That's nice. Hi, Juvia, I'm Y/n. And to clear any misunderstandings, I'm not apart of the guild. Gray here is a good friend of mine and we hang out here a lot."
"Nice to meet you." Still, she is occupied with Gray, which unsettles you.
"I should head home. It's late."
Gray replies, "Okay, I'll walk you-"
"Not tonight. Get Juvia more settled here, y'know? After all, making new friends isn't easy."
"You shouldn't walk home all alone in the dark."
"I'm fine-"
"I insist."
Sighing, you go, "Alright. C'mon, Frosty."
Meeting Juvia sets the stage for one of the weirdest moments of your life. Tearing down your berry stall, you see something peculiar. Gray. On top of a building with the flying blue cat you know as Happy. Hiding behind something is Juvia, which gives you a bad feeling. Quickly, you get up and find Gray yelling at Happy. Something about Happy being able to fly, so he will do it ten times better. This is not Gray.
In a stern voice, you call out, "Gray, what do you think you're doing?"
"Y/n! I'm gonna beat this cat and fly! Watch me-"
"The heck you will. Let's get off of this building. It's cold and-"
"Do you not believe in me?"
"If you're asking whether or not I believe you can fly, than no."
"You stupid cat! Turning my Y/n against me!" Your Y/n...?
"Calm down-"
"I will not!"
Panicking, Happy begs you, "Talk some sense into him! There were these weird bubble things and now he's gone mad!"
You run to him and grab his face, forcing him to look at you. "Frosty, what did you do with weird bubbles."
"There were no-"
"He swallowed them, but I don't know where they came from."
"Don't listen to that cat!"
"Right now, Happy is more in his right mind than you. Which is sad, but true."
"You know what? I'm gonna prove you wrong! I'm gonna fly!"
He wrenches himself out of your grip, and then jumps. Clamping your hand over your mouth, you watch in horror. Only when he lands on his back in the ocean do you feel any better. Quickly, you run to him, wanting to make sure that he is alright. Not far behind you is Juvia, but once in the water, she reaches him first. In her hand in a bottle, which she tries to make him drink from. Luckily, you stop her in time.
"Juvia, what the heck is this?"
"Love potion!"
"Love- the heck is wrong with you?! It's obviously not working! It drive him mad!"
"It just wasn't enough!"
"You don't know what it'll do to him! You can't! Why would you even put him through that?"
"I just... want him to look at me with loving eyes but once in my life."
"Juvia... this isn't the way to do it. You love him, right? Me, too. Here's the thing, though. Forcing him to feel the same way would be wrong. Forced happiness isn't real, so it'd all be a lie. He'd think that he's blissfully in love, but in reality, he'd be suffering. And besides, it'd wear off eventually. He'd wake up from the nightmare wondering what happened, and by then, you'd have gotten so used to him loving you that it'd only hurt even more. Win him over in a healthy way. It's better for the both of you, mkay?"
"I... I'm sorry. I just got so desperate."
"I know. I... can understand you. Gray isn't easy to love. He's high-strung and gets aggressive, plus he's always stripping at the worse times. Not to mention, he's so dense and oblivious that no matter how obvious you are, he'll never figure it out on his own. Even so, it's adorable, and you can't help but love that. His magic is beautiful, but his personality exerts this warmth that you could never predict from an ice wizard. I envy the girl who someday gets him, because I know she won't be me. She'll be the luckiest girl out there."
"You've opened my eyes."
"Eh? To what?"
"That I don't love Gray enough! If I loved him enough, it'd reach him! I just have to try harder! Potion won't work if my love isn't strong enough!"
"...sure, Juvia. Anyway, I'll carry him back to the guild hall."
"Won't you need help?"
"Nah, I'm stronger than I look. Don't tell him that, though." You somehow hoist him onto your bag. "Dang... you're heavy."
"It's probably all thisw muscles."
"Likely. Gray is pretty ripped."
Slowly but surely, you carry him back to the guild hall. All those years of carrying heavy bags and boxes of berries have made you strong, so you manage. When you get there, weird looks are shot your way more times than you can count, but it is ignored. By the looks of it, a lot of people suffered from the spell. Great job, Juvia.
When you try to leave, he grabs your wrist tightly. His sleeping grip is too stern to shake, so you sit beside him and run your fingers through his hair quietly. Most of the guild members are sleeping as well, so no one disturbs you.
Feeling daring, you push his bangs from his face and kiss his forehead, which is a bit salty from the ocean. Then, you lie your head on the table, facing his. For awhile, you study his features, and eventually, you fall asleep, his face still engraved into your mind.
-
At the same time, you and Gray open your eyes. Unknowingly, you smile at each other, though lock-on to the eyes of one another. His are dark and small, not fully open and sleep is still written on them prominently.
"You sleep well, Frosty?"
"Yeah. Though I can't remember a thing that happened yesterday."
"You don't want to."
"I don't."
"Nope. You tried jumping off of a building."
"...yeah, I'm good."
Giggling, you say, "I had to carry you all the way back here. You're so heavy. Luckily Juvia was there to help."
"I'm sorry."
"You should be." You yawn. "And then I couldn't even leave."
"Why not?"
"A certain ice wizard grabbed my wrist in his sleep and wouldn't let go."
"I did?"
"Mhm."
"I'm sorry. Do I need to make it up to you?"
"Help me run my stall today."
"Deal."
The two of you get up and go to your apartment to get things together. Afterwards, you go get everything set up, though he insists on doing most of the work. The whole day is goofing off and most of the customers are girls. This is actually good for business... a hot shirtless guy really does solve everything.
Then, one of your usual customers comes by. Somehow, he always manages to show up whenever Gray is not with you. But he is here now. You have been wanting them to meet anyway.
"Hey, Haru." You give him a big smile, and a light blush dusts onto his features.
"Hey, Y/n. How are you these days?"
"Good. Oh! This is Gray!" You grab Gray's arm. "He's a new friend. Lately, he's been helping me pick my berries and and today he helped me set up and is working with me. He's a wizard in Fairy Tail."
Gray grunts, "You planning on handing out my social security number, too?"
"It's-"
"I was being sarcastic. And how do you-"
Haru butts in, "I'm Haru. Nice to meet you."
"Yeah. I'm sure it is." Gray seems off-standish, but you do not know why. It is unsettling.
"Be nice." You smack his bare arm. "And didn't I tell you to wear your clothes while working? Pants on. I'll allow the shirt to go, but pants are a must."
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever."
"Don't give me that. Go in the back and put some pants on."
"Fine." Gray grumbles as he walks off to put pants on.
Furrowing his brows, Haru asks, "And you have to actually force him... why?"
"I don't even know. He just takes off his clothes for no reason."
"Ah. I see. Is he... your boyfriend?"
"No. Just close friend."
"Oh. Good."
"Why is that good?"
"Eh? Oh... uh... talking to myself."
"Ah. Okay."
"Lay off." says Gray, who now has pants on. "Flirting'll get you nowhere."
"Gray! He's just asking questions. Sheesh. What's your problem today?"
"I don't have a problem."
"Yes, you do-"
"No need to fight guys. Though, Y/n, when you're done working, I wanna talk to you about something."
Before you can reply for yourself, Gray answers, "Sorry, she already has plans with me."
"Why don't you let her answer for herself?"
"Fine." They both turn to you.
"I... will talk to Haru after work, and then Gray and I can go to the guild hall afterwards. Sound fair?"
Both men grumble, "Fine."
You and Gray work together, meanwhile Haru stays by. The boys fight a lot, so you have to calm them down. They are like children. Still, you clear it out. When the day is over, Haru asks Gray to give you and him privacy. So, you stand in front of him, waiting for an explanation.
"Y/n," he starts off. "I... I have known you for the whole two years that you have been working this berry stall. You were fourteen, and I was sixteen. You were so sweet and friendly, but also so lonely. I never saw anyone with you, and when I found out that you lost your family, I kept thinking about you, and how sad that was. In the time that you haunted my thoughts like that, I... grew romantic feelings for you." He grabs your hands desperately. "Please. Be with me. I was worried that you were with that weird and rude streaker, but since you aren't, you have to give me a chance. Please-"
"No."
"What?"
"Did I stutter? I don't have those feelings for you. I... I'm in love with Gray. I have been for awhile now. Furthermore, I can't be with someone that just insulted my friend. Whether I like him or not, I won't tolerate you saying mean things about him. It's just a no. Please respect that."
"I... guess I can't make you. I'm sorry."
"Don't be. Please move on."
"I can't do that. I just can't. But I won't harrass you or bring it up again. I'll go now."
"Okay. See you later."
"See you later."
You find Gray again, and follow him to the guild hall. While walking, he questions you.
"What did he want?"
"He wanted to ask me to be his girlfriend."
"What did you say?"
"I rejected him."
"As you should."
"And who are you to decide that? It's whoever I actually like. I'm lonely, not desperate."
"You'll have a boyfriend soon enough."
"I dunno about that. It'll happen eventually-"
"I know what I'm talking about."
"Okay, fine. Whatever. Be all vague and mysterious, snowman."
He just grunts and stays quiet. What's his problem...? You decide to shrug it off since he may just be in a bit of a mood. At the guild, you talk to Erza a lot more since Gray is too quiet. Of course, Erza is always fun since she is much nicer to you than anyone else. She loves clothing, so you brought her a cute dress. It is emerald green, which compliments her hair well.
"I saw this and thought of you."
"Aw. Thanks, Y/n. I guess Gray has to bring in something nice to come back, eh?"
"Yeah. He's annoying."
"What ya quit being so mean to me?" Gray is pouting.
"Sorry, Frosty." You pat his head. "We all love you here."
In the distance, Natsu shouts, "Not me!"
"Oh, shut up!"
"No!"
You say, "If you don't knock it off, somebody is gonna get smacked."
"...yes, ma'am."
Pinching Gray's cheek, you coo, "Good boy. That's my snowman."
Laughing, Natsu makes fun of him, "Haha! You're always sucking up to her! You're pathetic!"
"Natsu!" shouts Erza. "Leave him alone! A man in love is never the same!"
Then, a fight ensues. Gray and Natsu fight as Gray shouts that he is not "in love." Erza beats them up. You try and get everyone to calm down. It is complete and total chaos.
-
Gray walks you home with a black eye and several bruises, all of which came from Erza. His pride is broken, and you just giggle at him. He is so cute when stuff like this happens. When you get to your door, you go to wave him off. But, before you can do that, his lips are on yours.
At first, you do not realize what is happening, so you just stand there. When you finally wake up out of your trance, it all floods in at once. Gray. Kiss. Home. So many uncorrelated words rush around your head at once, and you cannot find any real meaning to them.
All you know right now is that his lips taste good and that you do not want this to end. They are icy and cold, but somewhere within them is a type of warmth that you cannot explain.
He holds your face in one hand, and his other is rested on the small of your back. His hand is freezing cold, and it sends shivers up and down your spine. He feels your shaking beneath him, which places the trace of a smirk on his features. You can feel it, and you can see just how smug he is.
Part of you wants to ask what he is so smug about, but the other part of you wins. The other part is insistent on this lasting as long as possible. So sweet. This moment tastes so sweet. Then a wave of fear washes over you. What will happen when it ends? What will you say? What will he say?
Then, your fear comes to life. He pulls away. Before any words can be exchanged, he walks away. As he leaves, he holds his hand in the air to indicate a farewell. When he is out of sight, you allow your fingers to drift to your lips as you brush them, reliving the moment in your memory. You slump onto the ground, lost in your thoughts.
-
The next day, Gray is not at your stall. It is disappointing because you want to talk things out after yesterday. However, he does not appear. As you close up the stall for the day, someone starts doing it for you. You look over and find Gray, who is quietly packing things up. Odd. Though you try to talk, he does not reply.
When finished, he walks you home. He just grabs your hand, so you stop in your tracks. You need to talk things out. It is necessary to do so.
"Gray, we need to talk about this."
"Okay, say what you need to say."
"Last night, you kissed me. Tonight, you are trying to hold my hand. What is it? What exactly are you thinking right now?"
"I thought you'd get the hint." He looks to the sky in irritation.
"Explain already!"
"I like you."
"W- what...?"
"I like you. I've been doing this because I wanted to indirectly give you the hint. I didn't know how to tell you, so..."
"You should've just been blunt with it. I get confused too easily."
"I'm sorry. But you're my snowdrop."
"Uh- I-"
Your heart stops. His snowdrop. That sounds so sweet and perfect. You most definitely want to be his. Even though you know that, you just cannot get yourself to speak yet. Then, he places his hand on your waist and pulls you close to him.
"You're mine. Now shut up and accept it."
He kisses you. Again. His lips are even more perfect than they were the night before. It is too much. All of this could honestly put you into a coma. How you want him all to yourself. If you could stop time right now, you would. By the time he has released your lips, he is panting slightly.
"Can I crash at your place tonight?" He buries his face into your neck. It is warm. He must be blushing.
"That's a bit fast."
"Please? For me?"
"Alright, fine. Go ahead."
Happily, he picks you up and carries you to your apartment. Once there, he places you down on the couch and cuddles close to you.
"You know," he says. "Yesterday, you never explained how you knew my social security number."
"That's not important right now."
"Yes, it is. Explain."
"When a girl likes a guy, she knows everything about him."
"That's just creepy."
"Some people are worse. I promise."
"You concern me."
"I don't really care."
-
And that is how your cold and lonely life became a warm and bright one, full of laughter and love. Gray, an ice wizard, brought nothing but warmth to where you were standing. In only two years, he was on one knee, proposing in the FairyTailguildhall. Not even thinking, you accepted. Of course, he was only wearing pants that time, and that had you laughing. Still, you hugged him, toppling him over. You kissed him on the spot, and maybe too many times for a public area. But you did not care. All around you were whoops and encouraging cheers for you two.
Your happily ever after had no end, because you never let it end. Gray could never let that happen. And never could you.