A/N: Another fill. Just some awkward pre-slash/beginning of relationship. Well, the girls made them do it, I guess?
Hope that these dumb ramblings at least make sense.
Unbetaed.
Crossposted from my AO3.
It was Yule night and the team had gathered at Lucy's house for dinner and to exchange some gifts.
Yes, on the following day there would be a huge party at the guild but the group of friends had decided on something a bit more intimate. Well, Lucy and Erza did, at least.
Gray did wonder if there was something strange going on because he'd caught them, alongside Levy and Wendy, giggling and sometimes throwing a glance at him and at a certain fire mage.
It was suspicious.
But.
Gray was looking forward to dining with his friends.
The whole town of Magnolia had, as if, dressed up for the celebration; lights twinkling and a generous coating of snow that made something in the back of Gray's mind sigh with longing, had the town looking festive.
The ice mage made his way to Lucy's house, one book – Lucy's present – tucked under his arm and with a jaunty tune escaping his lips.
His friends were already there, he could hear the ruckus that came from the closed window, he noted, as he paused at Lucy's doorstep. It started snowing. Gray looked up at the grey sky. With a shake of his head, he entered the building.
Dinner went well, despite the bottomless pit that was Natsu's stomach, everybody had their fill in drink and food and conversation had flowed easily.
And then, came the awaited moment where they would be exchanging gifts.
Gray noticed that there was an air of anticipation crackling somewhere above them. He momentarily thought about that before Erza asked him something and that brief thought fluttered away.
"Here. This one's yours." Lucy said with a too-wide smile stretching her lips as she handed Gray something that was wrapped in silver and golden paper – in the light it sparkled a little. As the ice mage grabbed the package he noticed that it wasn't hard, not a box then, but something that didn't have much of a form.
'Clothes?' Gray wondered. He found some irony since he was infamous for his small tic of undressing.
"Open it!" Lucy – who seemed to be taking care of Gray's case – nudged him into doing so.
"Okay, okay. Jeez, calm down, will you?" Gray said as he started tearing into the paper, destroying the flimsy thing. When the contents spilled onto Gray's lap, the ice mage looked up at Lucy, slightly confused. "A jumper?" He wondered aloud as he stretched the thing out and saw that, indeed, it was a jumper. It was made in a fluffy fabric that seemed to be comfy and warm but the pattern of snowflakes was a bit off, a light blue with white snowflakes where there was a large one in red stretched across his front.
It was… weird.
"You should put that on so that we can see how it fits." Lucy offered, though underneath there was a steely note that showed that that was more of a demand than a request.
Gray huffed.
"Really?" he let out a grumble. After the glare he received he conceded, quickly dressing the jumper. "Happy now?" He asked Lucy as he stood and stretched his arms to his sides in a "are you happy now?" sign.
A squeal sounded from Gray's left and was echoed by Lucy who stood in front of him. She had put her hands in front of her face and seemed to be muffling another squeal and that just confused Gray. He looked to his side only for his mouth to fall open.
Natsu was standing, looking quite awkward, and wearing a jumper that was just like Gray's. The only difference was that where the snowflake stretching over Gray's chest was red, Natsu's was in dark blue.
The fire mage's eyes widened as he took in Gray.
"You were so right!" Lucy said suddenly.
"They look adorable." Wendy chimed in.
"Just like a couple." Erza added.
That had the effect of making both mages blush profusely.
"A c-couple?" Natsu stammered, his face cherry-red.
"What's the meaning of this?" Gray asked in a choked voice.
He was subjected to the force of the female gaze assembled in the room. It was quite uncomfortable, Gray felt as if he was getting really small.
"You're so thick-headed." Lucy said finally.
"Huh!?" Was the outraged reaction from both mages.
"Yes, we decided we should do something." Erza chimed in. "Otherwise you're going to be stuck in there. We're tired of seeing that."
"In books you can take it but when it's happening right beside you…" Lucy said with a sigh and a headshake.
"I still don't get it?" Natsu said, scratching his head innocently. Gray thought he looked adorable.
"It's about time you two look like what you are!" Lucy finally said.
"Wait!" Gray yelled. "You're telling me that me and fire breath…" he coughed. "That we're a couple?"
"Duh."
"No… I… We…" Gray and Natsu started saying at the same time, voices in unison and twining around the other's.
"You even say the same words and all." Lucy teased. "But, since you're so slow, we're going to the kitchen to grab the desserts. You two may talk."
And the girls scurried off to the kitchen.
The silence between the boys was heavy and awkward. None feeling like saying anything or catching the other's eye.
"Were they right?" Natsu finally asked.
"About what?" Gray stared at Natsu.
"Us. Being a couple. Is that right?" Natsu blushed. It was a bit uncharacteristic but Gray couldn't help but find it cute.
"Heck if I know. I… do you think we act that way?" Gray sat on the sofa heavily. It was as if the energy he'd gotten from food had disappeared.
"I don't have a clue. We're… we're normal, I guess?" Natsu shrugged. "Though it's fun to argue with you. And fighting." Natsu finished his tirade with a large smile on his lips.
"Hm, I don't deny it. I mean, you can be kind of cute sometimes but-" he cut himself suddenly at what he'd just said.
"You think I'm cute?" Natsu choked out. The red in his face was so bright it was nearly as if it were on the point of combustion.
"Huh…" Gray stalled. Cursing himself for his big mouth and distraction.
"It's good to know that I'm not the only one, then." Natsu mumbled, looking at the floor.
"What!" Gray said in utter shock. "You…"
"I guess." Natsu shrugged. "You're also cute sometimes, ice brain." Natsu smirked challengingly.
"Hmpf." Gray grumbled as he leaned back on the sofa. Subtly, he curled his hand around Natsu's one that was resting on the cushion.
Natsu looked at him and followed Gray's lead, relaxing back onto the sofa. He turned his hand around so that they could interlace their fingers.
No words were exchanged as they stayed like that until the girls returned.