Title: Star-Crossed Lovers

Genre: Romance, Tragedy, and maybe a bit of Humor

Pairing: Lucy and Gray (GraLu)

Note: This one-shot contains swearing. Please don't read if you don't want to.

Disclaimer: My name's not Hiro Mashima and there's no way I'd own Fairy Tail :)

"Sometimes, an apology is useless."

"It didn't work."

How many times has that reason or explanation, maybe even an excuse, been used? Go on, tell me. I'd like to know. Because you see, despite the uncountable times it has been used, I used it myself.

I didn't even like saying "LOL" because it was overused. It wasn't like I hated saying things that were stated many times. I wasn't fond of trending things. What, it's been years since the first term or L-O-L has been said and written, right? But it's still in hashtags nowadays.

But for that line I said before, only couples learned how to say it. Okay, maybe former couples. They break up, then they learn how to say it. Why, would you break up if you guys worked out your problems? Would you tell your parents that your problems were already solved but you still had to break up? Yes, it's quite idiotic.

Exactly like that. No matter what the truth contains - whether it be sad or bitter - you'll just say that when you and your relationship partner break up.

Why, you ask? Yeah... Why do I know these kind of things? Why am I talking like I experienced these painful moments?

Because I did experience it. And trust me, separating with your loved one was damn painful.

To me, Gray Fullbuster was the jinxed love of my life.

Believe me, we were jinxed. We were together for two years. Hey, that's a lot of time, trust me. I thought things were going out well but he suddenly broke up with me, not even telling me an explanation why. And do you know how he did it? Through a goddamn text message.

"Hey, let's break up."

That time, my family and I were having dinner together so I put up an act and pretended that everything was going well and I had no problems. But when I looked at my phone again, I couldn't help it. I threw my phone to the ground and I didn't care that it broke into pieces. But that wasn't the only thing that broke.

I wanted to see him again and ask him questions but the guy was smart. Ha, he went abroad.

I had no choice but to move.

And I did.

At least, I thought I did.

"Hey, Luce."

"Hey."

Suddenly, my shoulders tensed up. No one called me that except Natsu and this certainly wasn't his voice. It was far from his. I turned around and saw Gray. I knew it. It was him. But I wasn't that surprised. After all, I had moved on from him.

"Hi." He gave me a smile. "How are you?"

"Great," I answered, giving him a fake, small smile. A genuine smile wouldn't really be nice to give him, especially after what he had done and what had happened to us. Come on, he wanted to break up through a freaking text messages and never said anything else.

What was I supposed to say?

"So... We never really talked about what happened..." I closed my eyes. I tried to block away his voice and whatever he was going to say. But I couldn't. Because for some reason, I had already anticipated he wanted to talk about that. And I wasn't wrong as he continued, "... two years ago."

Of course we haven't talked about it. He went to the States! What did he want me to do? Follow him to the US and file a missing person report with his picture on it? He wanted to break up and I wanted to move on. I got what I wanted and I couldn't care less if he didn't get what he wanted by going to the States.

I opened my eyes. He was smiling like he was looking back at a distant memory.

"Did you know?"

What is this, a trivia?

"Know what?"

Was I supposed to know something?

"I have leukemia."

Was that a... joke?

"Oh."

"Do you... do you forgive me for just walking out on you?" He asked me, sitting beside me on the sand. Honestly, I was surprised by his question but I made sure he didn't see it.

I scoffed, "You haven't even said a single sorry." Yes. I haven't received even just one sorry. Just one would be enough. "How am I supposed to forgive you?"

"Right," he said as if it was obvious. Well, it was really obvious. From the corner of my eye, I saw him smile.

I smiled too. I didn't know if he was doing it deliberately but in a way, it was making me smile. He was making me want to laugh but I didn't laugh. Instead, I showed him a genuine smile and said, "But I forgive you."

"Now that's my Luce!" He shouted proudly, grinning at me. I was busy laughing alongside with him so I didn't mind about what he said about "my Luce".

We kept on laughing. I didn't really know how he found me here at the beach. But I didn't care. All I cared for at this moment was that I was sitting beside him on the sands of the shore, laughing happily with him. And I let my mind think about forgiving him. Yes, I loved him for two years but it's also been two years since we've separated. Since I moved on, hating him won't help me.

Besides, I think that deep down, I've already forgiven him.

"So Lucy, did you and Natsu ever got together?" He asked all of a sudden. Whoa. I wasn't expecting that kind of question.

"Yeah. Two months," I replied, wanting to see how his reaction would be like. His reaction was different was far from what I had expected; his jaw was clenched and he was slightly gritting his teeth and his shoulders were stiff. That's what I could see anyway. He was still looking at the dark sky across the horizon but they were darkening.

"Nah, just kidding."

I smiled at him. He was a great friend to be around with. He truly was.

He glared at me in a playful manner. "You need to stop making jokes like that."

Yeah, I know that. When we were still together, I told him I was cheating on him with Natsu. He went berserk so I just decided to tell him that I was really just joking. He was glaring at me that time and I was scared so I kissed him. He kissed me liked crazy.

I laughed again. "Sorry." But my mind was drifting into somewhere else. "Were you jealous?"

He didn't answer though. And honestly, he didn't need to. You should really stop underestimating me. I can read a bit of body language, you know.

"Ahh," I breathed out, stretching my arms. I looked at his face and saw that the features of his face were slowly beginning to soften. "Jealousy is an evil thing, isn't it?"

"You really need to stop joking like that."

"Ara, but I'm not joking," I told him. I really wasn't. If anything, I was far from joking with him. "Jealousy really is an evil thing and you really were jealous."

He sighed, a sign that whatever I was saying was making sense and it was true. Good news for me then. I don't really get it but he was always jealous back then whenever I was with Natsu. The pinky guy had Lisanna and he had me - well, at least two years ago. But what was there to worry about? I'm jealous though. Those two have been together now for three years.

At least they weren't jinxed like... like us.

"Uh-huh. I'll just pretend I was really jealous."

"No need. I know you were."

"I wasn't."

"Yeah, right."

He suddenly laughed, make me look at him curiously. "Hey, you're improving!"

I crossed my arms under my chest and smirked proudly. I grinned, saying, "Learned from the best." And it made him laugh.

After a few more minutes, I laid my back on the sand. I even asked Gray to lay down too but he said he didn't want to. Oh, well, whatever. Moments later, he was lying down beside me, his hands under his head to support him. Aha, I knew he'd follow me.

"I'm sorry."

If you ask me, I was actually surprised. What was the apology for? For the incident two years ago? I thought I already said I forgave him?

"I never meant to leave you and I knew I'd take a long time in US so I broke up with you. I didn't want to tell you personally because honestly, I really think I'd cry too. I didn't want you to question me too so I did it by messaging you," he explained to me. Oh, well, that explains it. He suddenly chuckled. "Cheap, aren't I?"

"Not really," I answered. He gave me a look. "Okay, maybe a bit."

"I learned I had leukemia. Actually, the week after that, I was planning to..."

What, break up with me? Well, you already did. Say it. Hurry up.

"I wanted to propose to you."

"R-Really?" Crap. Did I sound so excited?

"Yeah. It was damning. I knew I wouldn't be able to propose to you so I agreed to my parents and we went to US. But no worries, I'm all right now," he finished. When I looked at him, he was smiling at me but he quickly looked away.

"That's good, then."

"Y-Yeah."

He was acting suspicious. I turned my head to the left to look at him again. I was surprised when he was looking at me either, resulting in me blushing. But that didn't stop me from asking.

"Is there something else I should know?"

He took a deep breath, our eyes never breaking eye contact and it was making me nervous. He smiled, the kind of smile that never failed to make me blush.

Gray nodded then he told me, "When I came back three days ago, I was wondering if you'd accept me back again."

I laughed, slapping his arm playfully. "Silly Gray!"

"Then does that mean we can be together again?"

I blushed at his words. Seriously, did Gray's vocabulary improved and got updated over the past two years? His words were making me blush harder than they did before. I smiled at him widely, a genuine one.

Leaning closer to him, I kissed the corner of his mouth.

"I'll think about it."

"What is up?" I yawned as I opened my door. I looked at the clock on the wall. "Calling me at three in the morning." I grunted as I made my way downstairs to answer the freaking, annoying, ringing, damn telephone.

When I reached it, I saw Levy-chan's name on the small screen. Shouldn't she be already asleep? Gajeel might have my head if he finds out that Levy-chan's calling me in the middle of night... I mean, midnight.

I took the phone to my ear and yawned, "Levy-chan?"

"L-Lu-chan!"

"Hey, what's wrong? Are you crying?"

"Lu-chan, someone d-d-die-died."

Is it someone important? My mom? Or is it my father? Had Erza finally have enough and decided to kill Natsu? Or maybe Natsu killed a restaurant's manager for the high prices? Did Juvia kill someone who was looking at Lyon? Did Gajeel get annoyed by Jet and Droy?

Either way, I was afraid to ask. But I still did.

"Who?"

I closed my eyes, waiting for her answer. I could hear her sharp intake of breath and it made me more nervous than I was.

"G-Gr..."

I shut my eyes.

"Gray..."

I dropped to the chair beside me, the phone falling to the table. My head was spinning. Despite the lights in my living room and from the outside, my eyes were dilating and my sight was darkening. My mouth felt dry; I couldn't speak. I heard the soft and quiet voice of my best friend, calling my name.

Was this why Gray came to me yesterday? That's why he asked if I forgave him? Was this the reason why he apologized to me and explained it?

'Didn't he say he was all right now?'

I thought I had moved on.

I still haven't.

I seriously doubt that I can.

"God, what did I ever do to receive this treatment?"

Gray and I were just destiny's play and fate had toyed with us.

I'm guessing they both enjoyed this.

We really were jinxed.

AnnieBear: First of all, I'm very sorry. I had this written a week ago but I wasn't planning to post it because it made me sad but I wanted to share it. I really apologize for making Gray die in this story. I don't know how I thought of this; it just flashed in my mind, I guess. Anyway, it's currently 1 AM here in Japan (yes, I'm insomniac) so please forgive me if I typed something wrong, missed out some words, wrong spellings and grammars; please don't mind them.

Anyway, it's fun here in Japan! I don't know when I last went here. I'm really excited for tomorrow because you know what? I'm going to a signing event tomorrow! I can't wait to go around Osaka and Tokyo later and tomorrow too! Enough talk about me; did you like it?

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- Annie