A/N: Hey, everyone! This is my very first fan fiction after three years! I'm a little rusty, so please bear with me. Any form of "constructive criticism" is welcomed. Enjoy reading!
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Fairy Tail. All canon characters and the original plot belong to Hiro Mashima-san.
TITLE: GLEAM IN HER EYES
STATUS: COMPLETED
RATED: T
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
GENRE(S): HURT/ COMFORT
CHARACTER(S): GRAY FULLBUSTER and LUCY HEARTFILLIA
SUMMARY: POST-TARTAROS ARC. HE REALIZED THAT ALL HE EVER WANTED WAS FOR HIM TO BE THE ONE TO CAUSE AND BRING BACK THAT GLEAM IN HER EYES.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: ONE-SHOT. FOR A FRIEND'S BIRTHDAY
A crease formed between Lucy Heartfillia's eyebrows as another warm breeze brushed past against her sweaty and sticky skin. She reached to wipe a ticklish drop of sweat off her right temple as she proceeded her way home.
The day had been too tiring for her and too hot. Jason, one of the reporters in the Weekly Sorcerer Magazine and a good friend of hers had given her quite a handful of things to do ever since the summer started. Despite her being just an intern, she was already taking on a workload of an official reporter.
Lucy had always dreamt of being a writer; alongside her dream of becoming a full-fledged wizard. Now that Fairy Tail has been disbanded for almost 5 months, there was nothing else she can do but fulfill her other goal. Of course she considered the idea of joining a new guild, but it wasn't as easy as she thought it would be. Especially with the lingering feelings she's been keeping.
She should've felt a little relieved going home but given her circumstances, there was nothing to be excited about. She'd just sit in her usual spot after she washes up, and then continue on with the article she's been given.
Lucy sighed, strands of her blond hair sticking to her forehead as she tilted her head up at the afternoon sky. She wanted to be out of her daily routine even for just awhile. Going to a luxurious beach resort, playing and having fun and…
She had to stop walking to calm herself. Every time she remembers them and the moments they've spent together, there's a sudden tightness in her chest. It has been 5 months, but the pain was still there. She never understood why the master decided on such a thing so suddenly and why the other members didn't even bother to protest against it. But right now, everyone's probably living their own lives. Moving on without even trying to bring things back to the way it was. Just as what she's been doing.
"But I want to see them." she whispered under her breath.
Her attention suddenly turned towards her swollen feet. Her new pair of heels was digging itself too much into her skin and blisters have begun to appear on certain areas. She forced herself to focus on that pain instead. Taking a deep breath, she took a step forward.
"Lucy?" A voice from behind her called. She whirled around without hesitation, her long blonde hair swaying with her sudden movement. She knew all too well as to whom that voice belonged to, and she was not going to let this chance to see him again after all those months slip away.
Gray Fullbuster stood there, his hands in its usual place inside his pockets. Lucy was surprised to see him clothed in a pair of jeans and a buttoned-up, short-sleeved shirt, considering the smoldering heat of that summer afternoon.
She studied him. His dark blue eyes were wide open just as her brown orbs were. His mouth gaped open a little as hers turned into a thin line to stifle a cry. He was as surprised to see her as she was to see him.
Lucy tried her best not to wince and gave him her sweetest smile. "Hey." she breathed.
Gray sipped into his drink casually; his left hand wrapped around his glass as his elbow rests on the wooden table, the other rests inside his pocket. He was staring blankly into the distance, away from the blonde girl sitting paralleled to him, trying to hide the faint blush on his cheeks.
Lucy had dragged him there. She hadn't said a word besides her timid greeting earlier and her stuttering offer of sharing a drink for old time's sake.
He made a sidelong glance at her. She changed. Aside from her appearance, the usual gleam in her eyes was gone. She used to be overwhelming with confidence; cheerful and beaming at everyone she meets and everything she sees. Gray frowned as he silently watched her fidget with her straw, her eyes forever looking downwards.
He gulped as he felt a familiar ache in his chest. It was the same ache he felt every time he saw her cry before. It was the same ache he felt as he watched her walk away that day when Fairy Tail disbanded.
"It's really nice… to see you again." quite a valiant effort from her to break the growing uncomfortable silence between them.
Gray put his glass down. He looked into the distance again. "It's been quite awhile, huh?" He tried to act as cool as he can. He faced her, resting his chin lazily on his left palm. He needed to treat her differently this time; gentler. "What have you been doing all this time?"
She licked her lips before meeting his eyes and saying, "I'm an intern reporter at the Weekly Sorcerer Magazine now."
He grinned. "That's great! You've always wanted to become a writer, right?"
She nodded. This time, she was the one who stared into the distance. There was a long pause before she quietly replied, "Finally."
She must've taken the disbandment too seriously. He did, but he eventually came to understand and accept it. Lucy was still taking her time. He clenched his jaw as he slumped into his chair and looked at the sky blankly. "At least you get to do something you want." He felt her eyes on him. "I'm stuck with Juvia."
He heard her gasp, followed by some quiet giggles. He averted his eyes towards her as she said, "So you two were together. That's pretty neat, Gray."
She smiled and laughed. She even blushed a little at whatever playful thoughts passed through her mind. But the gleam in her eyes was still nowhere to be found.
He gritted his teeth as he straightened. He glared at her as something unexplainable clouded his thoughts. "Come live with me." he blurted out.
Lucy fell silent; her eyes wide. Her cheeks flushed as the words repeated over and over in her mind. What was he thinking? Where the hell did those words come from?
Ashamed, Gray cleared his throat. He stood up and brushed some invisible dust off his shoulder. He breathed deep before he managed, "I…I mean, with us. Come live with me and Juvia." He looked away as he added, "We've got quite a big space back there. You're lonely and…"
"No, thank you." Lucy politely interrupted. She didn't sound rude nor did she sound offended compared to what he had expected. She said it ever so warmly that his heart fluttered despite his offer being declined.
Lucy walked up to him and smiled brightly. "I'm doing quite alright, you know. I may not look like it, but I'm slowly coming into terms with things. I have to move on. I have to still live a life worth living despite everything that had happened." She bit her lower lip, and he immediately knew she was lying. He didn't dare to reprimand her though. She was too fragile at the moment, and he had no plans of completely shattering her. He was wise enough to know that it would not do both of them any good.
He reached into his satchel and pulled out an old photograph, ruined and a little faded because of time and lack of careful hands. Memories overflowed from that small piece of glossy paper. Gray hesitated before handing it to Lucy. "Here."
It was a picture of them with Erza, Wendy and Carla, and Natsu and Happy. He doesn't remember when it was taken nor does he remember any reason why he had kept it. Lucy reached for it with shaking hands that she tried hard to suppress.
She gulped then smiled. She moved her fingers over the picture, almost on the verge of touching every face carefully if not because of Gray's presence beside her. She breathed deep as she looked up at him.
He nodded. He was giving it to her. She needed it more that he did.
"Thank you." Lucy mouthed.
Gray stood meters away from Lucy, completely hidden from her line of sight. His cold fingers clawed at his chest as he felt it cave in; as he felt that ache again.
He watched as Lucy staggered back, almost knocking the chair she used moments ago and falling hard on the floor. She kept her eyes firm on the photograph. Her hands trembled so much that Gray could see it despite the distance between them. She was shaking terribly. She was sobbing.
Not because she still feels bad for the guild's disbandment, not because she wanted everything to go back to the way it was, not because she missed everyone, and especially not because of him. Her heart was breaking because he left without saying a proper good-bye. She was dying of pain because he still hasn't showed up to comfort her and do everything in his power to make her feel better.
And Gray was dying of pain because it wasn't him that she wanted to do those things for her. His heart was breaking because he fell for the girl who unknowingly loves his best friend and his rival. All this time his heart ached because he knew he wasn't the man who caused and would bring back that beautiful gleam in her eyes.
A/N: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MY DEAR FRIEND! Surprise, surprise! I know very well that you're a GRALU shipper, and you know very well that I'm a NALU shipper. I can't help it, I'm sorry. But hey! I might write a few fan fictions about GRALU in the future. I kind of understand you after I read that chapter where Lucy slapped Gray during the Avatar Arc. There was a… spark. Anyway, I still hope you enjoyed it. Again, Happy Birthday!