O N E

Lucy Heartfilia was never really sure about a lot of things, even about herself. But there was one thing she was sure of, she missed this place. Stepping out of the bus, her luggage in hand, she felt herself drowning in nostalgia. Everything felt bigger and smaller and familiar and new. It was overwhelming returning here after five—no, maybe it was six years. Even so, she was completely and utterly overwhelmed, she didn't even know that she would be coming back here.

"Lucy, over here!"

Her head whirled to the side and immediately recognized her cousin from the crowd. She waved at him, smiling bigger than she had in years. She pulled her luggage and walked up to him, a bounce added unconsciously in each step.

"Gray," she breathed out his name as if she was dreaming everything right now. She took in everything about him. His hair was still as dark and messy as ever, as if it was just thrown around and he couldn't be bothered to fix it. His eyes drooped as if nothing in this world could ever impress him and he stood a bit slouched, relaxed and laid-back. He was just as she remembered him and yet he was still different. He was now taller than her, more mature, more confident somehow, and his voice was deeper too.

It felt like she had just been hit with the realization that she had been gone for five years. Five whole years. And maybe, just maybe she forgot that time doesn't just freeze in this place just because she was gone. No, they wouldn't wait for her.

She was too busy with her own life, too busy of growing up that she forgot that her friends... her family was growing up too-well, growing older seems like the best word to use for it.

And then she couldn't help but think about all the people she had left behind, how much they could've changed after all these years because she had. Her interests have changed and her way of thinking too. Maybe there were still changes that she haven't noticed but the main point is that she did change. That was it.

And she was scared that maybe they have changed a lot too and that they would practically be back to being strangers again. They would be back to step one. Especially those she had failed to keep in touch with.

"How's the trip?" Gray asked. He reached for her luggage and took it from her. She let him take it, too exhausted to even argue with him. The trip was ten to eleven hours long with an hour flight and a ten-hour bus trip. Of course, she could've gotten another plane ticket so her trip would be cut short to a couple hours or so but it would've been too expensive for her to afford, she would need to empty her wallet out if she did that. So she settled with the terrible bus trip.

"Fine," she answered. "But I feel like collapsing onto a bed right now."

"Ah, no worries, a room's been prepared for you with a comfy bed and pillows at home. You can rest as soon as we arrive." Smiling, he gave her shoulder a quick squeeze before heading towards the parking lot, gesturing for her to follow with his head.

She frowned but still followed him. "But I just arrived, I want to spend some time with you guys."

They stopped at a silver car. "You should rest. We have plenty of time to do that later." Gray carried her luggage into the trunk of his car before he opened the door for her.

She got into the car, not another word of protest was said. If Gray said it was fine, then it really was fine. Besides, her aching muscles were actually screaming for her to rest. She felt as if she was about to drop dead then and there but she held it back. It would be rude to fall asleep when her cousin had taken the trouble to fetch her from the bus terminal this early in the morning.

They took off soon after Gray had slid into the seat next to hers. She let her head rest against the car's window, gazing outside and taking everything in. She noticed a lot of changes but it wasn't a bad kind of change, it was good. It seems like this place is doing pretty well.

"How have you been?" She asked him after a few moments of silence. Gray's eyes trailed at her for a second before returning its focus on the road in front of him.

"Good," he answered. "A little busy with basketball this summer. And I'm still working part time in that place."

She nodded. Gray was one of the few people she had kept in touch with, sending messages occasionally. They would talk about what had been going on with their lives and he was the one who convinced her to return here, even offered her his place when she reasoned out that she has nowhere to stay if she did.

"You really haven't told anyone that you're coming back?" Gray turned the radio on, lowering the volume just so they could hear each other better.

"No, I wanted it to be a surprise," she answered. And then an idea popped in her head. "How about I post a picture of us together later? They'll see it and they'll be so surprised!"

Gray let out a hearty laugh, eyes still looking straight ahead. "Okay, that's a good idea."

They spent the ride chatting with each other. Lucy felt amazing. For some reason, going back here made her feel light and warm and comfy. She was relieved that there was no awkwardness between Gray and her, they were still talking as if she hadn't just disappeared five years ago.

When they arrived at his house, Gray immediately led her to her room. It was simple, with a bed on the side and a small table beside it, a desk pushed back in front of a window in the middle, and a cabinet on the other side of the room for her clothes. It was perfect.

She ran inside and leaped onto the bed, savoring how good it felt. Her body relaxed and she let out a contented sigh. "Thanks Gray, I really appreciate this a lot."

"It's nothing," He answered, setting her luggage down. "Go take a rest after you have showered. There's a towel inside the cabinet. You already know where the bathroom is."

She gave him a mock salute. "Yes sir!"

He gave her a smile and a chuckle. "It's good to have you back, Lucy." And then he left, closing the door behind him.

She stared at the ceiling, smiling to herself. "Yeah, it's good to be back."

When she woke up from her nap after a shower, it was already dark outside. She found Gray, lounging in the living room, shirtless and watching some movie. He immediately took notice of her presence. "Hey, we're gonna be eating out today. Is that okay with you?" He asked, lowering the television's volume.

She walked over to him, sitting at the other end of the couch. "Yeah, where are we gonna eat?"

"At the mall, you decide where though."

"Sure," she answered. "Should I go get dressed now or..."

"Yeah, you should."

"Okay, but let me watch that movie for ten minutes first."

He shot her a blank stare before giving a shrug. "Okay."

"You should probably get dressed too. You're shirtless."

"...Okay."

The two immediately head out once they managed to tear their eyes away from the TV screen and got properly dressed for the mall. Lucy was currently taking her time deciding where to eat, she hadn't eaten anything since she had fallen asleep earlier and she was starving. But she had to keep in mind that Gray was the one who was paying for the meal tonight. Of course, she had insisted on paying her own meal but her cousin felt like paying today as a form of welcome. She appreciated it, really, but she felt as if she was exploiting him for it.

"Found anything yet?" Gray spoke up from beside her, shoving his phone deep into his pocket.

She shook her head. "Not yet."

"Okay," he nodded his head and silently followed her.

They fell silent for another couple of minutes before he asked the same question to which she would answer 'not yet'. This went on for a while, but the fifth time he had asked, she had to turn exasperatedly to him.

"Gray-" She paused. Well, more like froze over.

She had caught sight of salmon-colored hair a split second before it rounded the corner and disappeared from her sight. She didn't see the owner's face but she knew, she knew deep in her gut who that was. And it sent an unpleasant feeling in her stomach.