Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail.

The Winter Surprises

Lucy's POV

Today might've been one of the coldest winter days that Magnolia experienced, but it still felt nice for me to look through one window in the guild to see the snow falling down from the sky. The white snow was as cute as the little snowflakes that were also falling down to the ground, and I had simply been looking outside while relaxing in my warm pink winter coat that matched my pink winter hat and brown snow boots. I sat down at a table with Natsu, Erza, and Gray while we all wondered how cold the temperature would get, but I also wanted our minds to be off of that.

I kindly smiled at my friends while showing them some sheets of paper that were filled with the plot and details of the next chapter in a novel that I was writing, and my cocoa brown eyes were filled with joy as Erza was mainly reading what I had written. The fact that I was writing about a girl who went on a quest for some items called the Elemental Stones seemed exciting enough while the first four chapters were all well-received by my friends, but I did hope that they would not mind about the fact that the chapter was just halfway completed.

Erza seemed to smile with delight from how I made the two main characters finally express their love for each other, and they were going to be in a relationship. I personally wasn't thinking about having a relationship for myself, but having these two characters build chemistry from being friends to now being a couple was certainly nice. Erza handed my papers back to me while I felt pretty happy about what I had written, but she started to slightly frown at me while folding her arms. Was there something wrong with anything I wrote?

"Your chapter about Suzuna and Daisuke going through the snowy forest to reach the icy castle is nice, but why have the main enemy be an icy delinquent wizard who wishes to freeze the town?" Erza asked me with a frown on her face, curious about my decision.

Natsu said with a teasing grin on his face while looking at Gray, "That sounds like something the ice stripper would do."

Gray responded to him in an offended tone while glaring back at him, "You really think I'm as dumb as you, Flame-brain?"

The two of them were quickly silenced by Erza, who gave them a death glare that made them be quite scared, and I simply giggled from seeing Natsu and Gray start to hug each other like they were best friends. The sight of Gray being offended by Natsu made Erza widen her eyes while she seemed to remember something important, and I got to see her glance at a stack of papers that were on another brown table. Since the matter concerned Gray to where Erza got up and asked him to check something out, I felt like getting up from the table to go sit somewhere else.

I decided to go sit at another table that was near one of the guild's windows, simply turning to see the snow beautifully falling towards the ground, and I simply let my thoughts focus on my novel. If Erza thought that the villain for my next chapter was very typical, then I would definitely have to change that. After all, I wouldn't want Suzuna and Daisuke to fight a boring enemy after they had recently fought a clever pair of mages that respectively wielded Wind Magic and Plant Magic with a good amount of potency.

My mind started to think of how it would seem fun if they had to fight the antagonist in a snowboarding competition or stop them from causing an avalanche, but I hadn't done much research on magic involving ice. Making my characters try to prevent an avalanche also seemed like it was something typical to do in a snowy setting, so I would have to think outside the box. As I put the index finger of my left hand to my lower lip, however, Gray suddenly walked over to me like he had some important news to share with the whole team. He seemed to be feeling confident, but why?

"Hey, Lucy! Erza told me that someone specifically requested me for a mission, and they even have a long list of things for me to do when I meet them. I wonder if I'm guarding a princess or something." Gray explained to me in a calm manner, before smiling at the task.

I asked him in a concerned tone while hoping he would be okay, also feeling disappointed that he might be gone for quite some time, "Where are you going, Gray? Wouldn't it better for us to go with you?"

He replied to me in a calm tone, before glancing at the stack of papers that was next to mine, "Well, the client said she wanted me to come immediately and come alone. The reward is pretty hefty, too, but she may not reward me if I don't follow her conditions."

His dark blue eyes shifted back to me, and I simply got up from my chair while hoping that he wouldn't get severely hurt. This new mission for him was actually taking place a few weeks after our guild had won the Grand Magic Games, but Gray did recently lose against a mage who was taking the job of capturing an outlaw who we had to apprehend in Lanakila Town. That mage surprising used Ice Magic, which took us all by surprise, but Gray couldn't even get his chance to hit the criminal because of how someone from another guild took care of the job.

Natsu had been bummed out about that, but not as disappointed as Gray. He had been excited about that job, too, and having the reward be stolen away from him like that was horrible. I could understand how he felt bd to lose against someone, so he must've been ecstatic to get this chance that felt like sweet redemption. As I kept looking at his dark blue eyes and then let my gaze shift to his blue winter coat, Gray went back to the table and looked back at me with assurance of him coming back safely. He picked up a stack of papers and walked out of the guild quickly, so I could only wish him good luck on this cold winter day.

I walked back to the table where Natsu sat with Erza while they both seemed like it would be weird to not have Gray fight alongside us on missions for the next few days, but I decided that word of comfort wouldn't work for them right now. The cold wind loudly blew into the guild, indicating that this winter day might get windy, and that prompted me to pick up my stack of papers. I kindly said goodbye to Erza and Natsu as I decided to run back home to my apartment, but taking one look at one of the papers of my novel made me start to chuckle. I didn't recall making Suzuna demand gourmet blueberry pie with blueberry sauce on the side, but at least I kept her name right.

How was this story? Did you like that? I merely made this as a fun little one-shot that slightly shipped Gray x Lucy, but I will make more chapters if you all wish for the story to be updated. Thanks for reading! :)