The Case of Cake
"Gray!" Laxus shouted, sticking his head out from the guild kitchen. "Come right here!"
"What's it?" Gray asked, surprised, but complied anyway. When he stepped inside, he noticed Juvia, hands crossed on her chest and pout on her lips, staring reproachfully on Laxus, who hold her gaze with irritated expression. Freed stood beside them, half clad in flour and looking rather worried.
"Do something with your woman," Laxus growled.
"She's her own woman," Gray shrugged. "But I will hear you out," he added mercifully.
"Look," Laxus broke the staring contest and gestured him towards the table. "Look what she taught Freed to do!"
"Juvia didn't do anything wrong," she protested fiercely, while Gray raised a cotton cloth covering mysterious objects on the table.
Underneath, he saw two cakes: one was adorned with his face and loads of hearts and snowflakes, and on the other one the icing featured big and dramatic image of Laxus, surrounded by little lightnings.
Gray covered his mouth, trying to suppress a laughter, but it didn't went so well.
"What's so funny?" Laxus mumbled irately.
"Oh, come on, Laxus," Freed pleaded. "Maybe we can just drop it - "
"No way," the older man growled. "What will be next? My statue made of ice cream?"
"Well, Juvia-san suggested - "
"I don't even want to hear it!" the Dragon Slayer raised his hands in protest. "You're not getting anywhere near her any soon, you hear me?"
"Freed-san is a free person and he can get near anyone he wants," Juvia said firmly, scowling at Laxus.
"See?" He frowned at Gray with irritation. "Do something!"
Gray brushed the tears from his eyes and glanced at Juvia, noticing her affectionate smile.
"Laxus..." he said, coughing to prevent himself from laughing anymore. "You got so worked up over a cake? You're getting old, man..."
Laxus sent him a death glare, but it did little to destroy his good mood.
"Look," Gray continued, taking two plates from the cupboard. "This is how you do it." He cut off the top of the Gray cake, put it on the plate and gave it to Juvia. "This is for you." He smiled to her and she beamed back, taking it from him with a delighted squeal. "And the rest is probably delicious," he said, cutting a piece of the rest of cake and taking it for himself. "Mhmm," he groaned contentedly, chewing the first bite.
Laxus gaped at him incredulously, while Freed chuckled into his fist.
"And everyone is happy," Gray added, glancing at Juvia devouring his face in absolute bliss. "Here, I'll help you," he said, taking another plate. He raised a knife to the Laxus cake and winked at Freed. "You want it, no?" he asked.
"Yes!" Freed exclaimed, clasping his hands.
"No way!" snapped the Dragon Slayer. "You're not gonna eat it! Over my dead body!"
"But Laxus..."
"Come here!" Laxus caught Freed by his collar and dragged him outside. "Why can't you spend your free time in the library or somewhere," they heard him growling.
Gray and Juvia glanced at each other and started to laugh.
"But... poor Freed-san," managed Juvia after a while, brushing tears from her eyes.
"Poor Laxus," Gray corrected her, helping himself to another piece of cake. "But, hey, now we can eat the Laxus cake too."
"Uhmm..." she looked at him doubtfully, reaching for the knife. "Gray-sama is not going to eat Laxus's face. Juvia will eat the top - "
Gray grasped her hand and snatched out the knife. "You're absolutely not gonna eat Laxus," he said firmly, scowling at her.
"Why?" she raised her eyes to him in genuine surprise. "Gray-sama is... jealous?" She pressed her hands to her heart, squealing softly.
"Oh? No..." Gray felt blood coming to his face and averted his gaze. "It just... It has white chocolate on it! You don't like white chocolate!"
"Uh-hum," she cooed. "Juvia doesn't like it at all." He risked a peek at her to see her smiling at him brightly, her head slightly tilted and her eyes full of strange light.
"Juvia has an idea," she said after a moment, licking her lips. "Let's give the cake to Mira-san!"
"Why to Mira?" he scratched his head, looking at her inquiringly.
The girl blinked. "Juvia sometimes doesn't know," she said, "If Gray-sama is joking or not." She shook her head. "Mira-san!" she called through the doors.
"Yes?" Mira smiled at them warmly, coming to the kitchen.
"This is for you," Juvia presented the Laxus cake to the other woman. "Hope you will like it!"
"Ohhh!" Mira smiled even broader and blushed slightly, to Gray's total puzzlement. "Thank you, Juvia! But..."
"Yes?"
"Hmm..." Mira looked at the cake mischievously, than turned and went back to the guildhall.
Gray glanced at Juvia, standing there all proud and glorious, satisfied like a cat full of milk, little crumbs from the Gray cake still plastered to her cheek.
"Everyone!" They heard Mira's voice from outside. "Come have a taste of Laxus!"