Gray slowly stretched when he woke up, dazzled by the rising sun. Then he got out of bed. Self-employed, he didn't really have to wake up this early, but he preferred the quietude and beauty of the morning to work. After all, even though he had a creative nature, he was always inspired in the morning to make his sculptures.
The young man ate peacefully breakfast before walking to his workshop a couple of streets from where he lived. At that time of day, only few people were circulating in the town. He walked indolently until his meeting with a young couple. Seeing him, the girl's cheeks reddened, her eyes locked on Gray. As for her fiancé, he was glaring at him, passing a protective arm around the young woman's shoulders and led her further. It didn't take more for Gray to look down at his naked chest.
"Shit!", he exclaimed realising he had forgotten, again, to dress up.
At least, this time, he was wearing boxers. Sighing, he turned around to get himself some clothes.
"Don't tell me you have terrorised the local population again?" Exclaimed his neighbour.
"You wanna fight, flame brain?" Yelled Gray.
Even though they knew each other since childhood, Natsu was one of the only person who could make him loose his temper. In fact, every time they saw each other, which means pretty much every day, he wanted to fight him. And that's what he did until one of their other neighbours, Erza, woke up, screaming in her terrifying way to stop.
Well, they weren't really neighbours. They were in fact all sharing a humongous domain called Fairy Tail. A wealthy merchant had made it built for people who, like him, didn't have a family anymore. Makarov Dreyar was the one that took care of him since childhood as for many other resident of the domain. Gray didn't even understand how he could put up with all of them for so many years, but he was more than grateful.
After the fight, the young man had to dress up again, walking to his workshop without getting stared at for good this time. He installed himself before a block of stone outside, deciding to enjoy the sunlight, ready to start a new sculpture. The young man had received an order the day before without any specific indication. The customer only asked for something to embellish his home, giving him carte blanche. Those kind of orders where Gray's favorites, letting his imagination roaming freely. Gathering his ideas, he started of by sculpting a rough silhouette, then detaled gradually every part. He was refining beautiful wings when a movement attracted his attention.
A young woman was standing before him. She must've been about his age and, he had to admit, her curves were very generous. Beside, she looked a little like the fairy he was engraving in the stone at the moment. Her large bleu eyes where also adding something to her charm. He greeted her with a nod then put his attention back on his work. He barely had time to inscribe a new detail before she engaged a conversation.
"Juvia thinks you're very talented!" She marveled.
"I guess you are Juvia?" Asked Gray, refereeing to the odd way she was expressing herself.
"Yes! And you Sir...?"
"Gray, just Gray", he insisted, judging all those formalities unnecessary.
"Juvia is happy to meet you Si... Gray", she smiled.
Gray went back to his work but the girl's look never left him. The young man knew he often attracted women's attention. However, normally the stares were one sided, the young artist simply ignoring them. But now, he couldn't completely forget Juvia's presence, her eyes locked on his hands working on the stone.
"It's gorgeous" she let out. "How can Gray make such beautiful things?"
He continued his work as if she said nothing, then finally answered.
"What I love about my job is that sculptures are a direct product of my creativity. It gives me so sort of freedom. To give them life, you have to see things differently, to learn that everything isn't necessarily the way you think it is or the way you see it... By sculpting, I know a whole new world is waiting for me if I want to".
When he was finished, his eyes having never left the statue in process of creation, a new movement attracted his attention in the young woman's direction. She was collapsing. What the hell? Dropping his tools, he caught her before she could hit the ground.
"Euh...Juvia?" Asked Gray.
He was about to repeat her name when a rough voice, obviously irritated, said it before him.
"Juvia!" He grumbled. "For God's sake! I've got better things to do!"
"She's here" let out Gray, hesitant to entrust to him the unconscious girl he was holding in his arms.
Was that tall brute her boyfriend? He didn't really seem trustworthy.
"What's wrong with her?" he asked recognising the young woman he was looking for.
"She was fine less than a minute ago. Maybe a pressure drop or something" said Gray.
Despite his surly tone, the man in front of him seemed to be relieved she had noting serious. Then he stretched his arms, silently asking for Gray to hand him over the reins. As strange as it could be, Gray didn't want to let her go. However, he had no reason to hesitate. Clearly, despite his criminal like appearance, he cared for Juvia. When Gray finally hand her over, the young woman opened her eyes.
"Gray!" she exclaimed, her face, naturally pale, now red".
"Just get down, would you!" Growled her friend seeing she was fine.
"Ju...jjjuvia is sorry!" She exclaimed to Gray, however staying in his arms, completely ignoring the one accompanying her.
Then he put her down. Finally realising the presence of her friend, she made rapid presentations.
"Here's Gajeel, Juvia's friend" she said shyly.
Then, out of nowhere, her face turned red again and she quickly specified that Gajeel was only his friend and not her boyfriend. "She really is an odd girl" thought Gray amused.
"Are you done yet?" Grumbled the non-boyfriend, starting to be out of patience. "The only hostel around is full. We'll have to find somewhere else to crash for the night".
Juvia finally followed him, weariness in her eyes. Gray haven't notice at first but both of them seemed exhausted. Gajeel's stomach growled, confirming his assumptions. Where were they from? There wasn't any other hostel in town and with Gajeel's scary appearance, Gray doubted the villagers would welcome them into their house. Sighing, he called out to them before they were too far away.
"Wait! I know a place were you could spend the night!"
***
Levy was exhausted. Being an interpreter, her work sometime implied a lot of travelling. And that's what she did the past week, going to different person's houses to translate manuscripts. Passing the front door of her little dwelling in Fairy Tail's domain, she decided that tonight, she would eat with most of the other residents. Always thinking about everything, Makarov had build a tavern in the center of all the small houses. The Dreyar domain looked almost like a tiny village in itself within Magnolia. Levy simply adored that place and never wanted to leave it. It was her family, her landmark. Anxious to see her friends, she opened the tavern's door and quickly entered before colliding with an obstacle... a really tall obstacle.
"Look were you're going" bawled the said obstacle.
Laying on the ground, Levy rose her head to the voice's source. When her look crossed the red eyes of the man in front of her, she saw him clenching his teeth before walking past her, leaving her on the ground.
"What's this brute's problem!" she thought offended, wiping the dust from her dress once on her feet. After getting over her fall and her frustration... sort of, she went inside to find Lucy. Although her blond friend wasn't an orphan, her father was way too focused on the Heartfilia's fortune to give her any attention. With M. Makarov's permission, she was now living with them for a couple of months now. Lucy was her best friend and Levy had been filled with joy at the news of her moving in Fairy Tail.
"Levy!" exclaimed Lucy seeing she was back from her trip.
"Hi Lu! I missed you!" she said, taking her in her arms before sitting next to her.
"So?" Engaged Lucy. "Any anecdotes from the trip to tell?"
"Not this time" said Levy bored. "Just a pile of old manuscript on politics and formalities. Besides my encounter with the most unpleasant man ever, nothing happened" she concluded.
Lucy rose an eyebrow, indicating she needed precisions.
"The pierced guy that just left the tavern" she explained. "He's obviously not from here".
"Oh! You mean Gajeel? I know what you're saying" understood Lucy. "He look particular".
"Particularly rude" let out Levy, a pout on her face.
"He arrived this afternoon with the blue haired girl right there" Lucy pointed. "Her name's Juvia".
Levy looked in the indicated way.
"It seems that Gray caught her eye" concluded the young woman without hesitation.
Even from the opposite side of the tavern, she could see how much Juvia was devouring him with her eyes, a radiant smile on her face. How could this girl be friends with the ruffian from before? Unless they only where travel companions? "Whatever" she thought. If Lucy's saying were true, he was only staying here shortly. She didn't plan to see him again anyways. Even after such a shot encounter, she had spent enough time with him for a lifetime.
There you go! Even though it was short for one of them, Gajeel and Juvia have met the person that could possibly change their life ;)
I hope you liked that second chapter despite its slow pace of it :) Don't worry, I'll soon have some action ready for you! Please give me some feedback!
Have an excellent weekend!
Lily xx