Usually a rose symbolizes beauty, love and passion. The thorns are a reminder that love can also be painful.
Another, related meaning is warmth of personality, compassion.
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A 9-year-old Grey watched as an 8-year-old Natsu ran around playing with her flying blue kitten Happy, and Lisanna. Elfman, Lisanna's older, crybaby brother, looked at the younger boy, then to the pink-haired fire user.
"You know, Grey. Tomorrow is Valentines Day." The older boy said criptically before getting up and leaving. Grey turned his head, a puzzled expression on his face as Elfman left, before slowly, a look of realization passed over the young boy's face.
"What do girls like?" Macao looked down at the young ice mage infront of him, his cup of ale only centemetre from his mouth. The man spluttered slightly before placing his jug down and looking at the boy infront of him. Grey shifted slightly.
"Why do you want to know?" The fire mage asked. Grey looked at his feet and shrugged slightly, sneaking one glance at Natsu. Realization spread across Macao's face. "Ah, so that's why... Well, in that case, girls like flowers."
"Flowers?" Macao nodded,
"Yes, girls like flowers that symbolize something." Grey tilted his head to the side in confusion. Macao laughed at the adorable look on the boy's face (not that he'd ever say that outloud or he'd get a punch to the face again) and he ruffled the boy's raven hair, "Roses would be a start." He hinted. Grey blinked,
"Roses?" Macao nodded,
"Roses."
And that's how little Grey found himself standing across from his crush, shoving a rose into her hands. To say the tiny pink-haired girl was confused would be an understatement, she glanced from the pretty rose in her hand, devoid of any thorns with silky soft red petals, then back to the raven-haired boy in front of her.
"Eh? What's this for Grey?" Said boy blushed, and looked at his feet,
"Um... Er- Well... Gotta go!" Then he raced away, leaving a cloud of dust, and a very confused Natsu, in his wake.
An 18-year-old Grey sighed as he remembered that day, exactly a year ago, when he had shoved the single rose into Natsu's hands and then ran away like a coward. The young man glanced at his girlfriend of a month as she was dragged out the door by an over-enthusiastic Lucy and Mirajane. The raven-haired ice mage couldn't help but chuckle, apparently the two were taking the dragon slayer out for "girl time" and he still remembered the comic look of terror that had crossed over Natsu's face, and before she could reject, she had been literally dragged away. He then stood, and after nodding to a few guild-mates, he left the building, after all, he had things to do
Grey tugged on the sleeve of his jacket as he waited for his date to show. She was late... The mage thought with a slight scowl, before perking up when he heard the sound of someone coming towards him. Grinning, Grey turned around...
...And almost died of a heart attack. There standing infront of him, was none other then Natsu. She was wearing a sleeveless pink dress that stopped at her knees and complemented her tanned skin perfectly, aswell as mixed nearly perfectly with her pink hair, which was brushed through and looked like a mix of curls and waves. She wasn't wearing any make-up, but damn, the girl didn't need it! She was beautiful!
"Sorry I'm late Grey! I couldn't get away from Lucy and Mirajane!" She looked at him, "Are you okay?" Natsu asked, looking at him worridly as he stood in shock. "Is it the outfit? I look stupid don't I?" Shaking himself out of his shock, Grey shook his head and smiled,
"You look beautiful." His heart almost melted when Natsu, Natsu of all people, blushed and looked at her feet. Grey brought a hand up and trailed it throigh her soft hair, before bringing some up and kissing it, "You're always beautiful." Natsu's blush intensified and Grey drew back, "But you're missing something." He gracefully tucked a single red rose behind her ear, using it to hold her hair back. Grey ginned "Perfect" He muttered before leaning down and kissing her. He smiled into the kiss when she returned it, bringing her arms up and wrapping them around his neck and fiddling with the hair at the base of his neck as he wrapped his arms around her waist and brought her closer to him. They would have continued forever had they not need air. Pulling away at the same time, Grey smiled breathlessly at Natsu, keeping his arms around her waist and she kept hers around his neck.
"Happy Valentines Day, Grey." She whispered pecking him on the nose, "Now let's go get some dinner." Laughing, Grey let go with a grin,
"Yes ma'am." He purred, Natsu grinned, slapped his shoulder playfully and kissed his cheek,
"Down boy." Laughing, the young couple set off hand in hand.
They say true love only comes around once and you have to hold out and be strong until then. Grey knew that; and he was glad he hadn't needed to wait for very long, for he had already found someone to be with. Someone to love. Someone to give everything to. And she was the one walking beside him.
Yo! Wassup people? I've been suffering from *shivers* writer's block for a while now. Been spitting out unrelated one shots off the top of my head lately, so I decided to share one with ya! This is a compainion to True my other Gray x fem!Natsu. Enjoy!