Title: Just a Shoulder Genre: Friendship/Hurt/Comfort Couple: Slight Gray X Lisanna Rating: K Warnings: OCC Inspiration: N/A POV: Third Person Word Count: 1,060 World: Normal World Summary: A story, in which they both needed comfort, needed a shoulder and in the end decided to turn to each other.

Just a Shoulder

ZiraUzu

Sadness flies on the wings of the morning and out of the heart of darkness comes the light.

~Jean Giraudoux

(October 22, 2011)

~X~

Gray couldn't help but feel compelled to watch her.

Lisanna, was someone he had grown up with yet he felt that in the few weeks since she had returned to her rightful place, she was someone he didn't know at all. She was the same, yet very different. He didn't understand it.

So he watched her silently from his place up on the bridge while she drew patterns in the calm river with her fingers. She lay on her stomach and was humming quietly to herself, her face content. She had a calmness to her that he hadn't seen before and before he knew it he found himself seated beside her, his feet dangling in the cool water.

"I was wondering how long you were planning to say up there, Gray." She commented, though she did not look at him, instead keeping her blue eyes on the water and her quickly disappearing patterns.

He raised a brow at her, wondering when she had first noticed his presence up on the bridge. He shook his head, letting the though slide as he leaned back on his arms to stare at the sky. Twilight was approaching and it turned the sky into a canvas.

"You've been coming here a lot lately, haven't you?" Yes, this was not the first time he had found the youngest takeover sibling at the river. He has seen her on more than one occasion in this same position and each time she would be drawing patterns in the water.

"I could say the same about you." Lisanna whispered. Gray watched her fingers move gracefully through the water before turning his gaze to the young white haired girl, who was now looking at him with a small, half smile on her face. "I've seen you use this place almost as frequently as I have myself."

Gray remained silent as the mage beside him brought her legs up underneath her so she could push herself up into a seated position. Lisanna sighed, reaching for her shoes she plucked them from her feet along with her socks. She stood from her place on the ground and moved over the small distance that Gray had placed between them to set herself down beside him, plopping her feet in the water with a quiet splash.

"Something's on your mind?"

Gray gazed at Lisanna for a moment before turning to look at the orange sky that reflected off the river. Her assumption had been correct, though he wasn't about to admit it out loud anytime soon.

"Could say the same about you," He whispered as he folded his arms, resting his elbows on his knees and leaned forward to place in chin in his hands.

Lisanna blinked, her blue eyes were filled with an emotion he couldn't quite place, whether it was shock or discomfort at his statement he wasn't sure, though embarrassment also crossed his mind at being a possibility when she also cast her eyes towards the river.

"It's ok to talk about it you know. If you want to."

Lisanna's blue orbs shot back to the ice alchemist at his offer. Shock slowly melted into a shy softness as she pulled her feet from the river. Gray, startled by her sudden movements wondered if he had been to forward in trying to get her to admit what was causing her well hidden anguish. He relaxed a moment later when she only pulled her knees to her chest.

"Everything's very…different," She started, her gaze sweeping the line of buildings along the opposite side of the river. "Things, this town and many of its people have changed in my absence, I almost feel out of place. Natsu as well, he's probably what's changed the most. He shows more maturity than I'm used to and I can only guess it's because of Lucy."

"And this is bad?"

Lisanna shook her head franticly before turning her eyes to Gray, "No. Not at all. It's different yes, that I've come to terms with. Other things however…"

"You're ok with it? With them?"

Lisanna shrugged, heaving a sigh the takeover mage returned her gaze to the water, "It was something I had to deal with while in Edolas, there it was easier. When I had first returned I had thought maybe I still had a chance, how very wrong I was."

Gray felt his heart wrench for the girl beside him. He wanted to comfort her in the best way he could but found he was at a loss for words. There wasn't much he could say to reassure her since what she had stated was already very true: Earthland's Natsu and Lucy, just like Edolas's were already an item.

"You don't have to say anything, Gray." She whispered. She smiled at him and he could see the beginning of fresh tears forming at her eyes. "I know you know how I feel; we're in the same boat, you and I."

Gray ignored her statement. Yes they were in the same boat. She knew, just as he did that he was hurting just as she was. Try as he might, Gray had always known that he would never be able to get the scarlet haired warrior to look at him the way he looked at her.

So instead he chose to ignore Lisanna's words and settled for whipping her tears away with his thumb as they fell down her cheeks. The white haired mage sniffled at his kindness, biting her bottom lip as she continued to cry, knowing that he was there for her.

She leaned forward, letting her head fall on his shoulder as she poured her heart out and soaked his shirt. And he in turn told her that it was going to be ok as he ran a comforting hand over her hair. Her calm exterior had finally cracked.

She wasn't sure how long she cried and he wasn't sure how long he comforted her but as the seconds turned to minutes both found that they didn't care how long it took. Minutes could turn into hours, it wouldn't change anything. In this moment they had each other, that was all they needed.

~X~

I won't say I love you, because I'd be lying if I did. I like you enough though to say that I'll be your shoulder when you need one.

Haha a total crack pairing I know! I had this idea floating around in my head for awhile and after having it sit on my flashdrive for months I finally got around to actually writing it! To those who are wondering, as you can see I'm not dead...yet. And to those who are waiting for an up date for my other story Fairies Don't Speak, They Sing...well I'll get around to it. .' So many ideas will so little time. Wow, it's 1:11 in the morning and I'm surprisingly not tired. Haha.

How you guys enjoyed this little one shot. R&R!

Until next time

~ZiraUzu

PS. Sorry if there's any mistakes, I'm a lazy editor.