The looks he gives her is noticed by everyone, even the dense Natsu often teased him about it but he just waved it off saying he's hallucinating and of course this leads to a fight between the Ice Mage and the Dragon Slayer. Everyone gives him advice on how to confess his feelings to her but the Ice Mage is too scared to even bring that topic.
Everytime they were too close, his heart beats faster that he's afraid it might just burst any second. Whenever he slings his arm around his shoulder or pats her head his body feels this tingling sensation. He wants to confess to her, to say that he love her more than just a friend but he's a scaredy cat. Afraid she might reject him and their friendship might be too awkward that they will grow apart.
The girl who can make him blush, Lucy Heartfilia.
She can hear them talking with him. About a girl he likes but he never admitted so she doesn't know who the lucky girl is. Jealousy would often bubble in her stomach that makes her queasy but whenever the white haired beauty Mirajane asks her about it, she would just say it's nothing and changed the topic about her upcoming rent.
She wants to know whom he likes. She wanted to bring the topic with him but whenever she would build up the courage to say it. She would stutter or the blue haired water mage Juvia will appear. Could it be her? But if it is her, then why would he avoid her? Maybe he's being hard to get or it's just not her. Maybe another girl from another guild? She can't stop the tears that would often blur her vision when she thinks about it so sometimes she would avoid thinking it.
Why does she can't just go to him and bring that subject? Or better yet why can't she just confess to him? The boy she liked, Gray Fullbuster.
"Ohayou Minna!" the blonde cheerfully greeted the rowdy guild. Many greeted back while the others just smile at her. She passed by the two bickering mages, the card mage that drinks a barrel of booze and she even ignored the flying blue cat confessing his feeling for Carla. She sighed in amusement as she watch her nakama fight playfully but destroying the guild.
"Ohayou Lucy, the usual?"Mirajane asked smiling at the blonde. Lucy nodded her head happily and the white haired beauty went to get her a strawberry milkshake.
"Lucy! Let's go on a job!" Her bestfriend said excitedly while taking the seat beside her. Lucy tap her chin with her finger then agreed to the Fire Dragon Slayer.
"It's time for me to pick on a mission though." Lucy reminded him when he was about to bolt towards the request board. Natsu pouted at her but nodded nonetheless. Lucy grinned broadly then went to the request board with Natsu beside her not noticing a certain Ice Mage watching them.
"When are you going to confess?" a slurred voice asked him. He turned beside him and saw Cana drinking her 5th barrel of the day.
"What are you talking about?" He said his usual whenever it's about the Celestial Spirit Mage.
"Tch. She might be too dense about it but we're not Gray." Cana said. Gray sighed and shook his head.
"I won't confess to her Cana, she'll just reject me." He argued. The card mage shook her head in disagreement.
"If you won't move now, maybe someone will." She gestured the Loke who appeared out of nowhere and now kneeling in one knee in front of Lucy who just had an annoyed expression in her face. Gray can't help but to feel happy when he saw it. Atleast, she doesn't like Loke.
"Confess to her." Lucy's best friend urged him.
"Confessing is man!" Elfman suddenly shouted. The guilds eyes were now on them, curiosity and confuse faces were all around. Gray peeked at the request boards and saw them looking at Gray's table with Erza and Happy now with them.
"Shut up Elfman." Gray muttered while looking down. The guild went back to what they were doing a while ago but Lucy can't even concentrate on picking a job so she just snatched a paper from the request board without looking. Her heart started pounding that she's afraid everyone can hear it. Confess? Will Gray finally make a move on the girl?
"Luce, what did you picked?" Natsu's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. Lucy absentmindedly handed the paper to Natsu.
"Well, it's settled then. We'll be going later with Team Natsu." Erza sternly said.
"More fish." Happy said dreamily.
"Oi, fire breather are we going on a job?" Gray's voice suddenly rang. Lucy looked behind him and saw Gray walking towards them without shirt on.
"Gray, your clothes." Lucy reminded him. Gray looked down and was startled when he saw that his shirt was gone.
"Ah! When did this happened?!" Gray shouted then started tracking his clothes. Something will never change.
"Eh?!" the Celestial Spirit Mage exclaimed looking at the request paper she picked earlier. She reread it again and can't believe what she's reading.
HELP!
Bring back a charm bracelet!
400,000 J
Warning: Only couples can.
"What? You were the one who picked on it." Natsu said confusedly. He was confused why his best friend was suddenly blushing and stuttering.
"B-but I j-just s-snatch it! I didn't read it!" Lucy cried.
"Don't worry Lucy, we'll figure this out. Now, let's go to the one who posted this." Erza said and the blonde unwillingly replied. Gray just watched as the scene unfolds, what if Cana and the others were right? That I have to confess now or I wouldn't have the chance? And the mission was perfect! Gray decided that he might as well try.
"I'm Erza Scarlet and this is our team. We're from Fairy Tail." Erza introduced them while showing her shoulder where her mark is. Natsu also show his shoulder, Lucy flashed her right hand in front of her and Gray merely stand there considering he doesn't have a shirt on, so he's mark is visible. The couple sat on the couch with hopeful expression on their faces.
"I'm Kei Matsuhoshi and this is my fiancé Aoi Takumi." The boy with blonde hair and green eyes said while gesturing the girl beside him with raven hair and onyx eyes. Wow. What a couple.
"Alright. Can you tell us about the charm bracelet? And where it is supposed to be found?" Erza asked getting to the topic immediately.
"Aoi and I were in a park when we saw this game called Love Maze. We decided to try it, and since it's Love Maze only couple can enter." Kei started. The Team Natsu was listening carefully.
"There were so many obstacles, we were having hard time but we were enjoying it at the same time that I didn't notice my bracelet had slipped. The charm bracelet is very dear to me. It was passed by generation in our family and my mother just gave it to me when Kei proposed." Aoi finished in verge of tears. Team Natsu processed it then without warning they stood up with Natsu in the middle.
"I'm all fired up!" He said grinning with determination in his eyes.
"So since only a woman and a man can enter, we have to split into two groups." Erza instructed.
"What about meee?" Happy whined but when Erza threw him a glare he immediately shut up and flew away saying he's going to find a fish.
"So, it'll be me and Natsu, Lucy and Gray." Erza said nodding to herself, oblivious about the two sweating people. Erza merely dragged Natsu to the entrance and they disappeared almost immediately.
"S-so, let's go." Gray muttered then with Lucy by his side they entered the Love Maze. Upon entering, chills run in Lucy's spine making her shudder involuntarily. They looked around, heart shaped balloons and in front of them were three doors. A blue one, a red one and a yellow one.
"What should we pick?" Lucy whispered.
"Well, since we're finding a charm bracelet it's best if we choose a door where we're sure that Natsu and Erza didn't picked." Gray explained while Lucy just nodded. Gray slowly walked towards the blue one and opened it. When they were inside of a room, they surveyed it. A blue couch is placed in the middle of the room and there's a note in it. Lucy cautiously picked it up and read.
"If you want the door to open so you can continue, you have to do exactly as I say." Lucy started. She looked at Gray who nodded urging her to go on.
"You have to complement each other." Lucy finished.
"Complement?" Gray wondered out loud. Then suddenly out of nowhere, a loud voice boomed.
"Yes, complement! Always think that I can see you so if you don't exactly do as I say, I will not open the next door." A male voice said suddenly making Lucy shrieked in fear and unconsciously grabbed Gray's arm.
"L-lucy?" Gray stuttered. His heart was pounding hard that he's afraid it might burst any seconds. Lucy looked at him confused then she looked down where her hand is clinging in Gray's arm. She gasped then quickly let go while blushing madly.
"S-sorry!" Lucy embarrassedly apologized. Gray regained his composure and thought of teasing her. He smirked and leaned down, his face is only centimeters apart from Lucy who is ten shades of red.
"Don't worry you can always grab my hand or arm if you're scared." Gray teased but on the inside his heart is faster than he experienced while on the other hand an angry vein popped in Lucy's head.
"Lucy… Kick!" Gray stumbled backwards holding his now bruised cheek.
"Ooh. I can sense something in here." The voice boomed. Gray moaned in pain as he gently pat his sore cheek making Lucy guilty about it. Lucy cautiously walked towards him and put her hand on his cheek and gently rubbed it making Gray stiffened because of their close proximity.
"Are you really a couple? 'Cause if you're not you have to get out now." The voice sounds angry now and both Lucy and Gray suddenly became nervous of being kicked out.
"We're a couple no need to fuss about it." Gray stiffly said.
"Is that so? Then why don't you start the dare now?" The voice challenged. Lucy took a deep breath and decided to start. She looked at Gray's ocean blue eyes and said.
"Gray, you are completely an idiot. Always part of the ruckus in Fairy Tail, battling with Natsu and you can't even survive without it. But even though you're like that, I know you're devoted and loyal to the guild, you always protect your nakama just like Natsu and the others, you and the others helped me when Phantom Lord attacked us and the incident about the Infinity Clock. And for that, I always owe you a big time." Lucy said sincerely, lost in Gray's eyes. Meanwhile, Gray's eyes widened in what he heard and blushed but he tried to hide it. He cleared his throat making Lucy snapped back to reality.
"Lucy, you're part of the guild therefore making you part of our family. You are strong even though you think against it. You are always part of the team that makes destruction in every mission, and even though we always get our reward half and it cause you to pay your rent slowly you still go with us. You're a brave one because you're a wizard of Fairy Tail." Gray said. Lucy's eyes get watery but she smiled and said her thanks.
"Ooh! It's very good not really romantic but oh well, it's better than nothing. So you can pass now." The voice said. Lucy and Gray both turned towards the door but not before giving the room one last look making sure the bracelet's not in there. They awkwardly walked towards the next room.
The next room is colored yellow, pictures of couples kissing is everywhere making the both of them a bit nervous, but they sighed in relief and a bit of disappointment when another voice boomed.
"In this stage, I dare that two of you to said something about you really felt for each other." Gray and Lucy's eyes widened.
"What's with all of you?!" Gray shouted angrily. Yes, he wants to confess to her but it doesn't need to be when they're in the middle of the mission, right?
"What?! If you're a couple then it's not big of a deal, right?" The voice challenged. Gray's sighed in frustration and looked at Lucy who's silent. Since, Lucy started earlier he might as well be first now.
"Lucy, you're my nakama therefore you're important to me." Gray said easily. He wanted to say more, to say how much he loves her but he bit his tongue before he could say anything. Lucy smiled a little bit disappointed because she thought that Gray might like her or something but atleast I'm important to him right? She was about to start when the voice spoke again.
"Is that all you got? How 'bout something more romantic? You're true feelings." The voice hinted. Gray was now gaping while Lucy stood there pretty confused.
"What you think I don't know?" The voice asked.
"H-how?" Gray breathed while raking a hand through his hair.
"If you don't want to get kicked out here and abandoned your mission then I dare you to confess to her." The voice spoke. Lucy's eyes widened. Confess? She thought. Did the voice mean me? Gray stood frozen but then he sighed. Well, I think it wouldn't be that bad. If she still doesn't want me I'll say that I did it because of that stupid voice. Yeah, that's it. Gray thought. He looked at Lucy then started, pouring his emotions.
"Lucy, the day you arrived at the guild I'll admit I was pretty awestruck immediately. I didn't know about my feelings that time, so I just covered it by saying embarrassing. Days went on and you're part of the guild, I was ecstatic because I can see you everyday for some obvious reasons. When Mira declared that we're the strongest team, I know she's right because no matter what you say about you being a weak it's not real. You're strong Lucy, even though you might know it. I didn't know when I realized I like you but suddenly something snapped inside me when I saw you and Natsu getting all buddy buddy and super close. I was jealous. Because I liked you Lucy, no I love you." Gray said emotionally making Lucy shocked. Gray sighed, I know she doesn't like me but at least I had a pretty excuse but before he could say anything Lucy started hers.
"Gray, you always stripped in or out the guild and we have to always remind you for it. You're one of my best friends but to me, you're more than that. I like you, I really don't know when it start but I know I do when I felt jealous every time Juvia was around. I love you Gray." Lucy sincerely said with affection in her voice. Gray stood frozen, did he heard it right? Lucy loves him back? Is this for real?
"Gray?" a timid voice asked making Gray snapped to reality. He looked in front of her where Lucy is standing, nervousness coating her eyes. Gray smiled at her making her sighed in relief. Before she knew it, Gray's arms wrapped around her waist, she leaned to him with blushed on her face. The stayed like that for a couple of minutes, completely oblivious to the outside world.
"I hate to break it up for you guys, but you can pass now. It really is touchy." The voice said calmly. Both of them untangled their selves and smiled.
"We'll talk about this later, alright?" Gray promised.
"Ok." Lucy agreed. Both Gray and Lucy felt ecstatic, they were able to pour their true feelings even though they're in the middle of the mission.
At The Guild
"…and that's what happened!" a squeal was heard throughout the guild making them cover their ears. They quirked and eyebrow at Mira who's busy fangirling with another female with raven hair and sparkling onyx eyes in a lacrima.
"Oi. What happened Mira?" Macao asked from his table with Wakaba. Mira sent them a glare that made them shiver then they leave Mira be with her friend.
"I know this is gonna be great!" Mira exclaimed with knowing eyes.
"Yeah, but I still can't believe you were able to do it! You changed the mission paper Lucy originally picked with the one you did! But it's perfect!" Mira smiled proud of herself for helping the new couple. She knew the feelings Gray and Lucy held for each other but both were too afraid to admit it, so she took the matter with her own hands. When she saw that Team Natsu were going on a job and Lucy snatched the mission paper without reading it, she got that mischievous glint in her eyes. She exchanged the paper with Natsu after explaining the reason behind it, and although him and Gray are rivals, he know the feeling of the Ice Mage towards his best friend so he agreed.
"Thank you for your help Aoi!" Mira thanked Aoi. They bid goodbye before the lacrima went black, at the same time Team Natsu arrived with the new couple blushing.