::Disclaimer::Fairy Tail and its characters do not belong to me.::
These are one-shots for GRAYLU week! Since Fanfiction was down on the first day, and I didn't log on till today...I'm late.
Mistletoe Kiss
Lucy was late. Her blonde tresses flew behind her as she ran through the streets of Magnolia to the guild. She cursed her indecisiveness and picked up her speed when she glanced at her watch. The party had started over an hour ago and she had promised to be there at seven sharp.
It was only when she reached the entrance of the guild that she realized she had left her bag of presents at her apartment. Cursing herself once more, she spun on her heel and made her way back. Although it hadn't snowed in Magnolia, there was still a bitter wind howling through the cracks of the buildings.
She reached her apartment with no problem, shivering but safely. She had grabbed her Santa bag (yes, it was a giant red velvet bag) and had begun to exit when she noticed a silver wrapped present lying on her bed.
She dropped the bag, "What's this," she asked herself and picked up the small present.
She received no answer; her reflection stared back at her as she inspected it. It was no bigger than her palms put together and it was light. Tucking it in her pocket to open later, she headed out again - this time she remembered to bring the bag of presents.
She had arrived right on time for the exchange of gifts. She greeted everyone as she handed out her presents and goodie bags she spent hours on.
"Oi, Lucy!"
Her smile spread from ear to ear as she turned to face Natsu, her best friend, "Natsu! You made it!"
Natsu approached her with his arms wide open and she gladly walked into his hug, "Droopy-eyes almost made us miss it."
She stiffened slightly at the mention of the raven-haired ice mage but she managed to joke, "I bet you destroyed half the town."
"Nah, more like only the mayor's house."
"You idiots," Lucy smacked his chest, stepping out of the embrace.
Gray and Natsu had gone on a mission that had asked for the two specifically and they had all been worried they wouldn't make it back on time for their Christmas party.
"Where's Gray?" She asked, scanning the room.
"Ah," Natsu scratched the back of his, glancing at the guild doors once before looking back at her, "Juvia said she had to talk to the popsicle."
"Oh, it's about time they were open to each other about their feelings," Lucy shrugged, the strange smile on her face masking the hurt inside of her.
"You okay, Luce?" Natsu's hand cupped her cheek his warmth anything but comforting at the moment.
This time her smile was more convincing and she walked away from Natsu, "Yeah, I'll see you around. Mira is calling me."
Indeed, Mira was waving Lucy over and she gratefully took the chance to slip away, "Hi, Mira."
"Lucy, I'm terribly sorry to ask you this, but can you make a quick run downstairs and get me some more boxes of sugar and cream?" Mira pleaded while wringing her hands together.
"Yes, of course,"
Weaving past a drunk Cana and Macao, she made her way downstairs. She found herself humming a Christmas hymn and she allowed herself to pretend everything was okay that she wasn't hurting inside.
"You look happy, Lucy."
She felt herself go rigid, his voice sending a thrill down her spine and stabbing at her heart at the same time, "G-Gray."
"Hey," he stepped out of the shadows, a smirk playing on his lips.
"You seem rather happy as well, Gray." Lucy cringed at the bitterness in her voice.
"Only because you're here."
She rolled her eyes, "Okay, Mr. Cool-guy. I'm sure Juvia would appreciate those cheesy pick-up lines more than I would," she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and picked up the two boxes for Mira.
"Did you forget what I said before I left?" He took a step closer to her but maintained a safe distance between them.
"Gray, it's obvious you like Juvia," Lucy side-stepped him as she started to make her way back.
"Here," Gray offered a hand, "let me help you out."
Lucy took a look at his hands and then nodded at two boxes behind them, "Take those."
Lucy was walking out the door when she heard him, "You can't decide for me who I like, Luce."
And she'd be damned if she said she hadn't felt the flutters of hope in her belly.
Why she continued to reject his advances, she didn't know. Actually, she knew why. If she allowed herself, she could feel her desire and love for him pulsating with her heart but she also felt the tendrils of fear - fear of the unknown.
She had never truly fallen for anyone and she was terrified. She was terrified of handing her heart to another. She was terrified of hurting others because of her selfish feelings.
And so she lied through her teeth and always answered, "No," when someone asked if she fancied anyone. No, she didn't fancy anyone.
That's right. It didn't hurt her every time she happened to see Juvia profess her feelings for Gray out in the open while she hid her own in the mask of friendship. She truly was the coward.
"Don't worry about it, Mira," she said as she dropped the boxes on the back counter and the kind-hearted mage thanked her,"Gray is bringing two more in a bit."
"Gray? I don't remember seeing him."
"I happened to stumble into him on my way there. I told him to help me out," Lucy lied with ease and Mira seemed to buy it.
Excusing herself, Lucy hung around the guild for another half-hour before saying good-bye. The jolly mood hanging around the guild no longer warm and inviting; instead, it seemed to suffocate her as she struggled to keep a smile on her face.
It'd be easier if she hadn't fallen for him. It'd be easier if she could be honest about her feelings.
She leaned against the doors of the guild, breathing out into the freezing December air, "Don't be a coward, Lucy."
"Those should be my words," Gray joked, appearing from the shadows.
"The way you seem to melt from the shadows, you'd think you were a demon." She replied absentmindedly
"The way I drive you crazy, you could call me a demon."
"Your pick-up lines are getting worse and worse."
They now were standing side by side, still leaning against the doors of the guild.
"Yeah, you make me say stupid stuff." Gray laughed, rubbing the back of his neck, embarrassed.
Lucy laughed alongside him, "Yeah, well, you make me do stupid stuff."
Silence fell over them again and she found herself at peace. Neither of them mentioned the hidden meaning behind their words.
"Hey, Lucy," Gray started, "did you notice what we're standing underneath?"
Lucy glanced upwards and froze. They were under a mistletoe. Mira!
"It's okay. We don't have to do anything." Gray assured her
Be brave, Lucy. You can do it.
"No, I want to," she placed a hand on his shoulder.
Gray stared at her in wonder, in confusion and his eyes gleamed with nervous excitement, "A-are you..."
She nodded and in a moment much too short for Lucy's liking, Gray swooped in and placed a light peck on her lips.
"Why are you pouting?" His breath tickled her lips, and she shivered, "Because there were no fireworks."
"Do you want fireworks?"
"Yes."
"Because I want so much more than fireworks." He murmured against her lips, "I want you, everything about you. I want to know your favorite memories -sad or happy. What makes you smile like there is nothing in the world that could shatter your happiness; what makes you cry so I can always be there to comfort you. I want to wake up in the morning with our bodies entwined together; I want our hands to come together as if they were puzzle pieces that fit together perfectly; I want you to be my only one and you to only have me; I want to fight alongside you forever. What I'm saying is, I like you, Lucy Heartfilia."
If this was a dream, Lucy never wanted to wake up. Her body was alive with the endorphin rushing through her body, lighting up her every nerve to Gray's presence.
"I like you too," she smiled, closing the minute distance between their lips.
As their lips moved against each other, she felt the fireworks explode in the sky. They came together as though they were built for each other. Her hands clutched his scarf and if it weren't for Gray's arm wrapped around her waist holding her closer to him, she would have fallen from her weak knees.
They came apart for air and rested their foreheads on one another, "It's fortunate you like me too," Gray whispered, "because if you kiss under the mistletoe you'll have a blessed romance with the person, and I'm darn happy it was you."
Her lips curled into a smile, "Me too."
As they walked home together for the first time as a couple (Gray fumbling with his words when asking), she noticed something. The fireworks hadn't stopped exploding.
Later, after Gray had left, she opened the silver package and gasped as she shed silent tears.
A note fell out and with his elegant arcs and loops, Gray had written:
Merry Christmas. This will never melt. I got the ice from that mountain. Damn monster almost got me, but it was worth it. -GF
She hiccupped with laughter, knowing which mountain he was talking about, and placed the small structure by her bed. The light from her lamp reflected of it, giving it a surreal appearance.
The amount of detail he had given it...the time spent on it...the thoughts put in it...It was overwhelming and Lucy wiped away her tears of loss, gratitude and love.
Gray had given her an ice sculpture of a young Lucy with her parents.
A/N: Thanks for reading! The myth, if you didn't catch it, was the mistletoe kiss. The whole romance thing. Simple and sweet. Don't forget to comment/favorite. I'll update DAY 2 later. Sorry for any grammar/spelling mistakes.