A crack ship for all of your crack ship needs.

I don't own Fairy Tail, I just enjoy it.

Another Rainy Day

Perhaps it was because of the weather, but somehow, Lyon knew this was going to be an odd day. Most of the townspeople were glancing furtively up at the sky, hurrying towards their next destination. Thick, gray looming clouds left nothing to be desired.

Honestly, it just made Lyon think of a certain water mage.

The thunder grumbled, announcing the start of the rain. Umbrellas began popping up like sprouting weeds. Lyon considered it a good thing that he had brought his along as well. He made it out of town before the rain was an absolute downpour.

Well, it wasn't like I have to be anywhere, Lyon thought blandly. Trudging along a muddy road was just about as normal as it came. Though just as he thought this, he spotted a figure walking the same direction he was going. The dark cloak covered the figure, but Lyon could see it was of smaller stature. A girl perhaps? Why was a girl traveling by herself?

He hurried to catch up to her.

"Oi," he called. She snapped her head to look at him, but he couldn't see her face.

"It's a bit wet out," he held the umbrella over her head, "perhaps you'd like some company."

"It's more than 'a bit wet'," she held out a hand of rejection, "but I'm fine all the same."

"Nonsense," he shook his head, "I couldn't go back to my guild feeling proud if I didn't help others in need."

"… alright," her answer was begrudging, but it satisfied Lyon all the same.

The two walked silently for some time. Lyon toyed with the idea of breaking the ice (HAR HAR HAR) but he was surprisingly comfortable with the silence between them. It would eventually work itself out.

"Aren't you getting wet?" The girl pointed at him. Lyon looked over his head. He was holding the umbrella to protect her more than himself.

"I'm fine," he answered, "Besides, if I wanted to, I could extend the umbrella." He used his ice to add extra length to the umbrella. The girl seemed to be surprised.

"An ice mage?"

He nodded, "I don't think it's too rare of a magic. Though, Gray and I are the only ones I know of personally."

"You know Gray Fullbuster?" the girl sounded even more surprised.

"Yeah," Lyon looked up at the sky through the ice part of the umbrella. It sparkled at rain drops hit its surface. "He and I were students together." The girl stopped walking completely. Lyon stopped a few feet in front of her. She looked shocked. To him, at least, it looked like the girl was making a decision.

She grasped the hood of her robe and tugged it down.

"If you know Gray well, I think I can trust you," the once cloaked girl smiled at him.

Lyon found himself staring at a pretty pink-haired girl wearing earmuffs and a bandana around her head. He would be lying if he hadn't felt a little enchanted.

"I'm Meredy," she held out her hand. It took him a second to recover, but he reacted quickly enough.

"I'm Lyon," they shook hands. "So tell me, how do you know Gray?"

"It's a long and messy story," she sighed, "which basically ends with me wanting to kill Gray, but not actually doing it."

"That's how I got reacquainted with him!" Lyon exclaimed, "I blamed him for our teacher's death, so when he showed up, I was ready to kill him too." They shared a chuckle. Painful memories, though not fully healed, eased with time. The two continued to walk through the rain.

"Gray is pretty amazing," Meredy remarked, "though not as amazing as the water mage that hangs around him."

"You know Juvia too?" Lyon was pleased.

"Juvia was probably the reason I decided not to kill him," Meredy said thoughtfully.

"She was the reason I reconsidered murder," Lyon muttered to himself.

"So you like Juvia," Meredy grinned. "That's kind of cute."

"That was a while ago," Lyon felt his cheeks growing hot. "And she was too deeply in love to even glance at me, anyway."

"Mmhm," Meredy nodded knowingly, "you could never compare to her Gray-sama."

"That was supposed to be the part where you should have comforted me," Lyon said dryly.

"I can't tell you lies," Meredy giggled, "that would just lead to false hope."

"False hope is never good," a deep voice chuckled. The two mages turned at the voice. A towering figure with many cronies was looming over them.

"Tower's Point," Lyon frowned. A dark guild.

"Little girl, I believe you have something that belongs to our guild," he pointed to her person. Lyon couldn't see it, so he assumed it was hidden under Meredy's cloak.

"You mean something you stole from another guild," Meredy retorted. The man barked with laughter.

"Possession is nine-tenths of the law," he chortled.

"So it's mine now," she held out a hand. Blue swords of light began circling her person. While this wasn't Lyon's fight, and he had no idea why a dark guild was after her, he was still prepared to back Meredy.

"Why don't we cut the chit chat and end this?" Lyon threw his umbrella to the side of the road.

"Hoo? And what are you going to do, pretty boy?"

"Just this," He put his hands together, "ICE MAKE! DRAGON!"

The fight broke out, the dark guild surrounding the two mages. Lyon saw light swords fly through the air, swiftly reaching their targets while ice battered his opponents. With a flurry of magic, fists, and movement, the scene became still once more, with only the sounds of panting, groans, and rain.

"Do all ice mages have to take their shirts off?" Meredy puffed.

"Call it a habit," Lyon picked up his cloak and his umbrella. After the fight, an umbrella was simply useless at this point.

"Why did you steal from a dark guild?" Lyon asked.

"It was a mission I was assigned to," she replied simply. Lyon studied her.

"You aren't from an official guild, are you?" he asked. She shook her head.

"While I know I can trust you," she smiled, "the less you know, the better."

"Hooh," Lyon folded his arms, "I'm not as helpless as you'd like me to be."

"Listen shirtless, it's for your own good," she told him, "I'm doing you a favor, so accept it and I'll go home to my guild proud."

"Fine," Lyon said unwillingly. "But there is a small inn a mile up ahead. Let's stop there and dry off."

They made it to the inn and Lyon rented a room for a few hours. They took turns using the bath and their clothes were dried by the time they were done. They sat in the bar of the inn, eating warm food.

"I have to ask, what kind of magic do you use?"

"It's called Maguilty," she told him, "it was one of lost magics that deals with senses."

"Senses?"

"For example," she held up her hand and the pink sensory link appeared. Then it shot across the table and linked with Lyon's hand.

"Now you can feel everything I do," she drank a glass of water. Lyon felt the rush of cool go down his throat, but there was nothing.

"Now I have to ask," she pointed at him, "Your clothes are dry, but why are you shirtless?"

Lyon looked down. This was more of a problem for Gray than himself, but that didn't mean he didn't like to take off his shirt once in a while.

"Nothing worth mentioning, I suppose," he shrugged.

"But you are shirtless."

"Does that make you uncomfortable?"

"No, but-"

"Then why do you keep bringing it up?" Lyon tossed his cloak over his shoulder. He felt his cheeks burning up. Why were they burning up? He wasn't embarrass-

He looked at the link on his wrist.

"Oooh," Lyon smiled smugly, "it does bother you."

"Hoooh," Meredy made a face at him and disconnected the link, "whatever helps you sleep at night."

"For what it's worth, I think my physique is the kind that would make girls uncomfortable," he grinned at her.

"What, these rolling planes of fat?" she poked his stomach.

"That's right," he grabbed her hand and stuck it on his stomach, "feel the six pack while you have a chance."

"Let me go!" Meredy struggled against his grip, turning pinker than her hair. He laughed and released her.

"Sorry," he wiped a tear from her eye, "that was just too good."

"What happened to the mild mannered gentleman I met this morning?" she grumbled.

"He's still here," Lyon gave a small bow in his seat, "but you seem more interested in fun than propriety."

She grinned. He returned the sentiment. They laughed together as they finished up their meal. When they parted, Lyon felt strangely sad.

But he was also strangely optimistic. It wasn't too much to think they would meet again…

Was it?