Hey ! :D Here is another oneshot ! About what ? Grayza of course ! (I know, I'm really predictable...) It's not sheer love story (apart from Gray's side) but it can be the beginning of it. It's a bit the story of how Erza fell in love with Gray, or started to become aware of her feelings ;)
Do you wanna spend Valentine's Day +1 with me ?
.
Like every day, Gray arrived at the guild in the middle of the morning. To him, it was a day like others, with the exception of one thing. He headed toward the bar, greeted Mirajane, sat and slumped on the counter.
"What's wrong Gray ?" asked the young woman.
"Precisely ! I don't know ! All the girls are behaving weirdly !"
"You've noticed, too ?" asked Laxus and Freed who had just arrived.
"What do you mean ?" inquired Mirajane, intrigued.
"They all are excited and each time we come across one of them, they stare at us with urging, as if they are expecting something and suddenly, they seem disappointed and look daggers at us," explained Freed.
"Yeah, and sometimes they say, "See you tomorrow," with a big smile, as if there was a special event or God knows what," said Laxus.
"Don't complain ! Juvia is even clingier than usual... She even follows me and turns into water when I'm in the shower !"
Freed, Mirajane and Laxus exchanged looks.
"Hum... Gray... That's not something new..."
"What ?! You mean that she checks me out each time I'm taking a shower ?!"
The three of them nodded.
"Why didn't you tell me anything ?!"
"You're always stripping off. Like you minded being seen stark naked by Juvia !"
"That's different ! And what's more, I never fully strip !"
"Yes you do, sometimes," spoke a male voice.
"Gajeel ?"
"I've heard that the day when Heartfilia joined the guild, you stripped naked to welcome her," went on the dragon slayer.
"That's wrong ! I mean, it wasn't to welcome her ! Anyway, Juvia is well and truly clingier than usual. I've managed to shake her off but she will not be slow to figure out I'm here. "
"And what aboout you, Gajeel ? Don't you think that Levy is acting weirdly today ?" asked Mira.
"Why do you ask me that ?"
"Just like that... Apparently the girls are weird today, and I think I know why,"
"Dunno. She's avoiding me since this morning,"
"And you don't wonder why ?"
"Nope. Anyway, I'm here because I'm taking this mission," he said while putting down a sheet of paper on the counter.
Mirajane read the ad and raised a brow.
"Are you sure you don't wanna stay here tomorrow ?"
"Why ?"
"Oh, nothing. You should ask Levy to come with you,"
"I told you, she's avoiding me,"
"In any case, before deciding to go to this mission, you have to see Wendy, she has a mission for you,"
Gajeel mumbled and left.
"What's with tomorrow ? Is it linked with the girls in the town ?" asked Freed.
Mirajane looked at him, grinning.
"It's Valentine's Day !"
"The what ?" asked Laxus.
"Don't you know what Valentine's Day is, Laxus ?"
"I do, but I don't understand why they kick up a fuss about it,"
"You have to know that this day is really important for the girls !"
"Yeah, whatever. Anyway, we're going on a mission," he said, standing up.
"I was about to forget ! Laxus, you have to see Wendy, too,"
"What ?!" He tried to protest, in vain. In the end, he left to Fairy Hill, followed by Freed.
"So Gray, do you..."
"No, I won't spend Valentine's Day with Juvia !"
"And what about another girl ?"
"What other girl ?"
"I don't know, a girl from our guild or maybe not."
"I don't really like events like Valentine's Day,"
"But you would like to spend it with someone in particular, don't you ?"
"No,"
"You're pretty fast to answer,"
"No, it's just that I'm not interested in this kind of thing."
Gray stood up and joined Natsu, Lucy and Happy who had just arrived. He didn't have the slightest desire to prolong the matter, even more because Cana was heading toward the bar and, he was absolutely sure of that, she would stick her oar in, especially as she knew something that Mira didn't know. It was something that he had managed to hide for a long time – mind you... Wakaba had seen right through him – and which took him away from the person who was concerned, especially since a man with blue hair had appeared in the landscape.
What he didn't want in extending this talk was that Mira ended up discovering that the person who he wanted to spend the following day with was none other than the great Titania (and so, she would figure out that he felt more than friendship toward the young woman).
When he reached the table where his friends were, he felt (just like Lucy, but a hundredfold for her) a black aura coming from under the table. Gray and Lucy exchanged looks, fearing the worst. The ice mage looked under the table and saw, without surprise, Juvia who was cursing Lucy and admiring his crotch.
"Juvia... What are you doing here ?" he asked, already knowing the reason of her presence at this spot.
"Gray-sama ! Juvia is glad that you can feel her presence. Juvia is sure that you also can feel when she hurts herself because Gray-sama and Juvia are connected."
"And what about getting out of there ?"
"Gray-sama wants Juvia to his side ?"
"Hum... I..."
"Gray ? What are you doing ?"
The young man quickly sat up straight, hearing the familiar and strict voice of his childhood friend, and banged his head into the table at the same time.
"Erza ! It's just Juvia who is under the table..."
Erza frowned and leant forward, so that she could be seen by the water mage.
"Juvia, you can come to the surface, Gray won't eat you,"
Juvia nodded, not daring to tell the requip mage that if she was there it wasn't because whe was intimidated by her Gray-sama, but because she had wanted to spy him (and her love rival, in case they were holding hands under the table or something like that).
When she emerged from under the table, Mira called her, saying that she had been looking for her and that she had a mission for her from Lamia Scale. Therefore, the bluenette joined her to the bar reluctantly.
There was just the whole team Natsu left. It was now or never. Gray wanted to spend Valentine's Day with Erza but he didn't dare to ask her point blank. Actually, all he wanted was to spend some time with her, no matter where, when and who with. So, if he needed to suggest them to go on mission (all five of them) for it to happen, he would do it, not minding if they wouldn't be just the two of them. And what's more, he would be able to avoid Juvia who was even worse than ever today.
"Sorry, I can't. I already have a mission to Crocus," said Lucy.
"You're going on a mission and you didn't tell us ?!" asked Natsu and Happy indignantly.
"What's your mission anyway ?"
"To meet the love of my life,"
"What ?"
"I'm a waitress in a café where only single people will be allowed to come during Valentine's Day. The waitresses will serve the boys and the waiters will serve the girls,"
"Considering it, it's a good thing you didn't tell us," said Natsu, "Anyway, Wendy wants me to go on a mission with her. I believe it's only for dragon slayers,"
Gray's heart sped up. In the end, he would be alone with Erza ! A thought came to his mind. What if she was going on a mission with Lucy ? Well, he could go with them, the employer wouldn't say no to a man with a figure like his (modesty doesn't suppresses him).
He then turned his head toward Erza in order to ask her if it was okay for her but she seemed far away, as if lost in her thoughts. He wouldn't be able to say if her face was serious or happy, though those two expressions were incompatible. In fact, it was a bit both of them at the same time.
Seeing that she wasn't following the conversation and that she hadn't noticed him, he asked, "What about you Erza ?"
"Huh ?"
"Do you have projects for tomorrow ? Are you up for a mission ?"
"No sorry, I can't tomorrow, I am to see someone,"
Gray's heart sped up once again. Someone ?... Jellal, of course... Thinking that he had previously thought that she wasn't the kind of girl who granted importance to a day like Valentine's Day...
"Let me guess. This person is a member of another guild and has a common past with you. You've meet recently after many years and you consider this person as more than just a friend ?"
Erza stared at him, blinking.
"Yes, how did you guess ?"
Gray had the impression that his heart had stopped. After a while, he managed to say with sarcasm, "It was quite obvious,"
She looked at him, surprised by his answer and the tone he had replied with but she didn't hold it against him, having noticed that Juvia was worse than ever, which must have got on his nerves.
"Too bad, I'll go on a mission alone," he said.
He stood up and headed toward the request board. He would have liked a mission which lasted a few days, nay a few weeks, just to avoid Erza and her Jellal as long as possible, but the only missions left lasted just one or two days, including today. Even if he took his time, he would inevitably finish it before the following evening, but it was better than nothing.
Gray snatched a mission from the board and went toward Mirajane before Lucy's dumbfounded look (Natsu and Happy didn't care and Erza had gone to her thoughts again). The blonde had already seen her friend mad because of Natsu, Juvia or some opponents, but she had never seen him like that. However, she quickly forgot about the ice mage and already imagined herself surrounded by a bunch of handsome guys...
As for Gray, he prepared his stuff and left for his mission, more annoyed than ever.
The following evening, he arrived at Fairy Tail, hoping that he wouldn't come across Erza. In any case, she must have something better to do with Jellal... He didn't peer inside the guild to find his friends as he usually did, and headed toward the bar, not even greeting the members he saw. Mirajane welcomed him with her usual beautiful smile and immediately noticed that there was something wrong with Gray.
"My, my Gray, what's wrong ? D'you already miss Juvi- ?"
"I don't !"
Mirajane looked surprised by the rapidity of his answer but quickly started to chuckle.
"Well, I was just messing around with you. I didn't mean it,"
"Sorry Mira, but I'm not in the mood for it,"
"What's wrong ?"
"Nothing you need to worry about,"
She raised a brow.
"Really, I'm okay."
"If you say so..." She said, not believing him at all.
"You're not," said a voice behind him.
Gray collapsed on the bar, not wanting to talk (or see) to the owner of the voice.
"You shouldn't reject your friends' help, Gray,"
"Leave me alone, Erza,"
"I won't. You have always been there for me. You have always helped me when I needed it and you have always given your shoulder to me when I felt alone and sad. I'm not good at it, I mean, those demonstrations of affection, but if you need to talk or..." she blushed, "… a hug... I mean, a real one, like those that I read in my books, I'll be there,"
"And why do you suddenly say that to me ?" he asked, drinking up.
She seemed surprised by his question.
"Well, because I mean it, and I can see that you're not okay... Besides, today I've realised that it was thanks to what I've lived through when I was young that I'm who I am today, with all my friends,"
"You say that because after all those years you can finally spend Valentine's Day with the man you've loved since you were young ?"
Erza frowned.
"What ? What do you mean ?"
Gray sighed.
"No need to hide it longer, you know. Everybody knows what you feel for him... Besides, you admitted it yesterday,"
"But who are you talking about ?" She asked again, more confused than ever.
This time, it was Gray who frowned.
"Wait, who were you talking about yesterday when you said that you would spend the day with someone ?"
"Kagura. What the matter ?"
Gray suddenly blushed madly. He cringed with embarassment. He had almost had a fit of jealousy when he had misunderstood the situation, and most pathetic of all, he wasn't even going out with Erza.
"Doesn't matter. How was your day ?" He asked, trying to look casual (and Erza was completely taken in).
The young woman slightly smiled. She knew that her friend still hid something, but for some reasons he was okay now.
"Pretty good. I promised Kagura I would spend some time with her when we saw each other for the last time and today was the day of the Rosemary attack, so we needed to spend this day together. I'm sorry for the mission but we planned it a while ago... We'll go on a mission together another time," she said with a beautiful smile,"What about your mission by the way ?"
Gray smiled in turn. 'So that's the reason why she wasn't free today...' After a few seconds, he blushed even more. Did she say that they would go on a mission together ? As if she meant just both of them ? It had to be it, because since Lucy was in Fairy Tail, they always went on missions with team Natsu. She wouldn't have needed to say that if she had meant with Natsu, Lucy and Happy. And what's more, she hadn't heard their conversation when he had asked if they wanted to go on a mission the previous day, which meant that she had thought he had asked her and not the others.
Gray shook his head. Really, he thought to much.
"Gray ? Are you okay ?" Erza asked since he didn't answer her question.
"Yeah, sorry. It was pretty easy actually and-"
"Gray~samaaa ! Did you miss Juvia ? Juvia missed you a lot and wanted to spend the day with you but Lamia Scale had a mission for her but it was Lyon-sama who just wanted to spend Valentine's Day with Juvia but Juvia wanted to be with Gray-sama for this special day. But now Juvia is with her love and will spend the rest of Valentine's Day with him." Said the bluenette very fast, without breathing, taking his arm.
"W-will you ?" asked Gray, shattered.
"Yes, Juvia won't let go of her Gray-sama," she said, rubbing her cheek against his arm and smiling like an idiot.
"I should leave you..." said Erza, uneasy.
Cana, who had been attending the scene since the beginning decided to intervene. She knew exactly what to do and at least, she would have something interesting to do the following day.
"Juvia, can you come with me just a moment ? I need to show you something, " she said to the water mage.
"Do you ? But Juvia wanted to-"
"It won't be long. Pleaa~ se," said Cana with puppy eyes.
"Alright..." Juvia ceded unwillingly. "Juvia will be back soon, Gray-sama," she said to the young man, convinced that he would miss her.
"Hum... okay ?" he finally said.
In less than a second, Cana leaned toward him and whispered in his ear, "Tomorrow is not too late," Then she left.
Tomorrow is not too late ? What did that mean ?
After a second of reflection, Cana was pretty sure that her friend wouldn't understand her message. That's why she quickly turned around and could see that he was staring at her, frowning. Thus, she got out one of the card she always had with her and raised it in front of her, in such a way that Gray could see it. He suddenly became red and she knew that he had understood. He looked daggers at her, as if anyone who saw it would understand what she had meant, but it was unnecessary because it was just a card... a card of chance. So she hadn't forgotten...
"That's not-" He started to yell, but Cana had already left.
Then, he looked at Erza, wondering if she had seen the card or if she had noticed how uneasy he had become thanks to Cana. But she was staring at her hands, slightly blushing.
"Valentine's Day..." she said in a whisper.
Gray was surprised that she knew what Valentine's Day was – even though he had been persuaded that she had spent it with Jellal, because after thinking about it, he had figured out that it was likely that she didn't know what that day was – and he took advantage of the fact that she didn't pay attention to him to look at her as he had never done before. All of a sudden, she turned her head toward him.
"Is it really like in books ?" she asked.
Gray blushed. He hadn't expected her to suddenly turn around (and catch him red-handed, staring at her) and even more ask him that.
"Well, I don't know... I don't read those kinds of books..." he said, scratching the back of his head.
"Then what about checking it ?" he asked.
Erza frowned.
"Checking it ?"
"Yeah, tomorrow we can act as if it's Valentine's Day," he said coolly, trying to look as if he didn't mind if she said no (but actually his heart was beating so fast that he hoped she wouldn't hear it), "Unless you already have planned something for tomorrow..." he added, scratching the back of his head again.
"No, I would be glad ! Will we bathe together ? The girls told me it was something that people did with the person they loved."
"Hum..." Was all he could say, not without looking elsewhere. "Well, it's not really what lovers do during Valentine's Day..." he managed to say, blushing when he said "lovers". Actually, he would love bathing with her, but he didn't want to take advantage of her naivety (and he wasn't a pervert, contrary to what people said).
Erza smiled. " I see...so we just have to sleep together like we usually did when we were young. I've read that Valentine's Day is a special day for new couples and is an occasion to sleep together for the first time ! Though we have already slept together before..."
"Hum... I'm not sure it's that kind of thing, Erza... I mean, not in this sense..."
Erza blinked a few times.
"What do you mean ?"
"It doesn't matter, but I promise you that you'll have a good Valentine's Day," he said, smiling.
She smiled back and said, "Thank you, but you don't have to, you know,"
"I promised, and I'll do it. You need to rest sometimes, you know, Erza,"
She smiled even more.
"Thank you, Gray."
.
.
The following day, Gray was waiting for Erza in front of Fairy Hill. He had arrived early, fearing to be late (not only was because he didn't want her to wait for him for this special day, but also because she would kill him for being late). After a while, he eventually caught sight of her. It was the first time he saw her normally dressed (not in her armour or with her blue skirt and her white blouse), that is to say, like a young woman. He slightly blushed, but quickly greeted her. She smiled at him, adjusting her dress. It wasn't the first time she was wearing a dress or a skirt (she practically always wore a skirt), but she wasn't used to wear this kind of dress. Let's just say; a dress to be pretty.
They walked to the neighbouring town in silence. Erza had no clue what they were going to do, but she trusted Gray. The latter was glad he had noticed the amusement park in the neighbouring town when he had been coming back from his mission the previous day. It was perfect for Valentine's Day (plus one). Moreover, he had asked Lyon a favour, tasking him with keeping Juvia busy for the whole day and, it was hard for Gray to admit it, but the mage of Lamia Scale had succeeded in his mission wonderfully because there was no sign of Juvia.
Once they reached their destination, Erza's eyes started to shine. In an instant, she had become a little girl, not knowing what to start with. The day went well and Gray thought he would have to thank Cana, because she had been right; it wasn't too late for a Valentine's Day with the requip mage. He had never seen Erza so happy. Even though she beat him at each game they played (except fishing because they both broke the paper nets and Gray made a fool of himself, saying that she was too brutal and that she should follow his example and look at him carefully, but in the end he broke the net in turn), he enjoyed this day as much as her, if it wasn't more.
By the end of the day, something happened. They were chattering happily when all of a sudden, Erza switched into Erza-who-has-sensed-danger mode and threw her sword toward a bush, from which suddenly came out eight familiar faces. It was Cana, Mira, Lucy, Lisanna, Levy, Wendy, Sharuru and Happy who had been spying on them since the beginning of their date (because yeah, it was a date). Then, Erza switched into a furious Erza with a black aura emanating from her. The eight friends started to sweat, trying to find some miserable excuses for their presences here.
Gray smirked. He was sorry for Cana who had helped him, cheering him on with the chance card (although she had been teasing him) but it was their day, his and Erza's, and he wished they had been all alone during this day, so he just looked at them, almost chuckling.
After this little accident (and some blows, as well as sending people flying in the air), there was an awkward silence between Gray and Erza. She didn't know how to react after that nor why she had reacted like that. Then, Gray suggested her to come back to Magnolia and to see the sunset at the river bank. He knew it was cheesy, fluffy and all, but it was what people usually (or almost) did for Valentine's Day. She agreed and they went back to Magnolia. They arrived just in time to admire the sunset and the time finally came to say goodbye.
"Thank you very much for today, Gray," Erza said, smiling, "It was the best Valentine's Day I have ever spent – Although it was the first time I had a real one – and I have never had so much fun. Actually, I'm glad you asked me to spend this day with you," she added, smiling even more.
He smiled back at her. He was about to tell her he had enjoyed the day as well when she eventually admitted, "I don't really know why, but I'm happy that the others weren't here. I mean, officially, not spying on us,"
Gray chuckled. Yeah, he would have preferred that they had been all alone, but as they had not been aware of their friend's presence, it was as if they really had been just the two of them. They stayed there, staring into each other's eyes for a few seconds, in silence. Erza finally spoke again.
"Well, thank you again... See you tomorrow," She slightly blushed and leaned toward him. Then, she kissed him on the cheek. Afterward, she left. Gray stayed still for God knows how long. Eventually, he started to smirk.
In the end, Valentine's Day was not that bad...
I'm done for today ! I hope that you liked it and Happy Valentine's Day to you, even if you're a single person (we stick together between single people ;) )
