Gray threw back another shot before pushing himself up off his stool. The air was stuffy from all the bodies cramped in this dimly lit bar, but he could clearly see his targets long blue hair swaying slightly as she animatedly talked to Lucy.

"Well ice-for-brains, a bets a bet, now get your butt over there!" Natsu yelled far too happily.

Gray turned back to glare at him as he answered. "Yeah, yeah I'm going."

Steeling his nerves and using the alcohol as fuel, he stalked over to her.

Juvia glanced up from her conversation to see him and instantly her smile grew wider.

"Gray-sama! How are you?"

Gray smirked at her and Lucy quietly excused herself before heading over to Natsu, seemingly sensing something was about to happen.

Trying to keep his cool, he leaned closer to Juvia's ear.

"I'm good. I was wondering though, is your dad a baker? Because you've got some nice buns." Gray winced at the end because honestly he couldn't have chosen a more obvious-

"Juvia's father is dead. You know Juvia is an orphan." She looked at him quizzically.

Heat scorched his face as he mentally smacked himself. Stupid idiot Natsu- gonna beat his ass!

Trying to recover as best he could, he straightened and cleared his throat.

He looked deep into her eyes and was satisfied as she blushed at his attention.

Trying again he said, "Well your body is 65% water and I'm thirsty."

Juvia jumped up. "Gray-sama you need to be drinking plenty of water! Alcohol dehydrates you! Juvia will go get you some right away!" She yelled before running off to the bar.

Jaw dropped, he watched her retreating form, dumbstruck. This was Juvia for heavens sakes! She'd been flirting him since they met! He didn't think Natsu was actually right when he said that he could openly flirt with her and she wouldn't get it.

Something inside him clenched in pain at her lack of reaction. He pushed the pain down as she returned with a smile on her face and glass of water in her hand.

"Here you go Gray-sama! You need to drink all of it so you do not get a headache tomorrow."

Gray sighed but did as he was told. He wiped his mouth before slamming the cup down, turning to stand directly in front of her.

He took her hand and put it on his chest.

She squeaked in surprise.

"Juvia, do you know what this shirt is made of?"

Juvia shook her head but her eyes were focused on where he still held her hand on his chest.

"Boyfriend material."

Juvia looked up to Gray shocked, her eyes wide.

"But Gray-sama, you're not wearing a shirt."

Gray glanced down and saw she was right.

Stammering and cursing mentally, he choked out, "All the better then."

"EEP!"

Juvia instantly withdrew her hand from his and stepped back.

"You should go home and rest Gray-sama. Juvia doesn't think you are feeling well."

Growling in frustration, he stepped closer to her.

"Juvia, I feel fine!"

"But Gray-sama cheeks are burning and you keep saying weird things, Juvia thinks you should-"

"I'm flirting with you!" He yelled.

"You're- you are… flirting with Juvia?"

Pulling his hair he yelled, "Yes! I have been all night! And it's been painfully obvious! Why didn't you get that?"

Juvia looked away, instead choosing to look at the floor. "Juvia doesn't understand. Why would you be flirting with-."

"Because I like you!" Instantly Gray froze. Okay, he really didn't mean to let that slip out. "NO! Um- I mean-"

Juvia had froze as well watching his mental breakdown with her mouth opened in an O.

He started backtracking. "What I mean is- Um- see Natsu bet me-" He stopped mid sentence, wondering how to properly word this better.

He wasn't paying attention to Juvia as she shrunk away from him, her eyes in tears.

"So it was all just a game." She said sadly, not meeting his eyes.

"No! I mean yes! Gah!" He took a deep breathe. "I -um- really do like you- but I was flirting with you cause Natsu bet me 100 jewels that you wouldn't understand that I was flirting with you. But I figured you would. -Um, yeah." He ended weakly.

Juvia looked up at him, her eyebrows scrunched in confusion. Warily she asked, "So, does Gray-sama like Juvia?"

Gray's heart clenched and blood rushed to his face. It was do or die now. He had been rejecting her advances for almost two years now. He really did like her though, for a while now too, so much it hurt. But he was scared of screwing up something he knew could be wonderful. He was scared of himself and his own insecurities and demons. Looking at her right now however, scared and vulnerable with hope in her eyes, he felt all his fears melt.

Looking her dead in the eye, he said. "Yeah I do, have for awhile now."

A beat of silence passed without any reaction from her and Gray could have sworn his heart fell out of his chest. Juvia just stood there staring at him. He started fidgeting.

Juvia blinked at him once more before a squeal erupted from her throat and she jumped on him throwing her arms around his neck.

"Juvia likes you too, Gray-sama!" She cried.

Chuckling to himself, he wrapped his arms around her and smiled into her neck.

—

A few months later him and Juvia were laying on his couch. Juvia had her head on his chest and he was gently combing his fingers through her hair. There was nothing really special about this moment but Gray smiled as he embraced the warmth in his heart for this girl. Nudging her, she turned to look at him.

"Gray-sama?"

"Hey Juvia, I must be a snowflake"

"Why?"

""Because I've fallen for you."