Lucy quietly tiptoed down the guildhall, dodging Elfman's flying body, avoiding Levy's gaze and praying to Mavis that Erza wouldn't show up anytime soon. She had just got back from a solo job, and looked forward to some peace and quiet before Natsu decided to realize she was back.
It wasn't like Lucy didn't want to see him! It was just that ever since the Grand Magic Games, Natsu had become more and more protective of his teammate, seemingly making it his personal ambition to never leave her side (she was lucky she got to take the solo job with no problem in the first place). Normally, Lucy was ok with that; she enjoyed his company (in more ways than one). However, the job had been grueling, and she just wanted thirty seconds of peace before saying hello to Natsu again. Unfortunately, half the guild had decided to make her room their official hangout corner, so that was out of question.
A couple of weeks ago, the blonde wizard found a little nook in the guild's basement. It was comprised mainly of a giant locked room that emitted light mysteriously, a couple of holding cells (that Lucy was pretty sure was being used for all the wrong reasons by more mature guild members) and a hall. But unknown to many was a small little room that reeked of mothballs and used to be used by Erza to store spare or broken weapons. Now, everyone seemed to have forgotten about it, making it the perfect place for Lucy to have some quiet time.
Glancing around, Lucy quietly opened the door and-
"AAAAAAH!"
"AAAAAAH!"
came face to face with Gray Fullbuster.
"What the hell, Lucy?" he hissed. "This is my place!"
"Like hell it is!" she retorted back. "I found it three weeks ago!"
"I found it three years ago!" he said, forgetting to whisper, but stopped when he heard footsteps coming halfway down the stairs.
"Hey stripper," Natsu's voice floated down the stairs. "I heard your voice down here. Do you know where Luigi is? I can't smell anything down here- it stinks too much. Gosh, what do you do down here?"
"Don't call me that," Gray snapped back. "And yeah she's-" Lucy shook her head violently, "…not here right now. I think Mira saw her going home or something."
"Dang it," Natsu muttered. His footsteps faded away. Lucy sighed in relief.
"Wanna tell me why you're avoiding him?" Gray asked, raising his eyebrows. This was unlike Lucy. She never avoided Natsu. "Did he hurt you?"
"No!" Lucy said quickly. "It's nothing like that. I just wanted some peace and quiet before I saw him again. He's been so overbearing after the Grand Magic Games."
"I know what to mean," Gray replied. "Juvia's been the same way too."
"It's so-"
But they were cut off by the sound of a person coming down the stairs.
"Oh crap- HIDE!" Gray pushed Lucy into the room before she could say anything. He shut the door as quietly as he could and prayed for the best.
"Gray –sama? Are you in here?" a worried voice called. Lucy and Gray didn't dare to breathe.
"Juvia, that skinny stripper ain't here. I dunno why you're even bothering. He probably lost his own head up his ass again," came Gajeel's rough grunt.
"I think he went home," Juvia ignored him. "Let's go."
The two left. The two in the room breathed a sigh of relief.
"You're so mean, Gray, ignoring her," Lucy said, leaving back into a dented shield. "Also, clothes."
"Like you're one to talk, Lucy," he playfully shot back while pulling on his plants.
She huffed. "We're both mean people."
"If that's how you want to see it," he said simply.
"Should I go?" she asked tentatively. "After all, you did find this place before me."
He looked at her. "Nah, you're quiet enough. Besides, Natsu's looking for you. If you don't want to run into him soon, you probably shouldn't leave."
"So do you come here to avoid Juvia?" Lucy asked.
"Not necessarily. I come here when I don't want to deal with anyone's bullcrap."
The two sat in silence for a while. Then Gray spoke up.
"So you said that Natsu's been clingy ever since the Games, right? Why?"
Lucy breathed in. "Oh… that's a pretty painful topic."
"I'm here if you want to discuss it," he said. Lucy considered it. Even though she and Gray had never really spent time alone together, she still considered him one of her closest friends.
"He saw the future me die right before him," she said.
Gray's eyes shot open. He didn't expect it to be that severe. "Oh dang."
"I know, right?" she said. "Gray, shirt. It's justifiable, I guess- just a little overbearing sometimes. I feel kind of bad for avoiding him, though."
Gray put his shirt back on. "Everyone's entitled to be alone sometimes."
"And why Juvia?" Lucy asked. "I mean, I know she's always kind of clingy-" Gray scoffed "-but is she being more so now?"
"She saw me die right in front of her too," he said.
Lucy's mouth fell open. "Wow," she finally said. "What are the odds? Stupid question, why are you still alive if you died?"
He laughed a little, although it sounded strained. "Ultear turned back time. The next time those dumb dragons shot at me, I destroyed them."
"Yikes," she said, feeling bad about bringing it up. Gray had only recently got to know Ultear (if you didn't count the seven years they all spent unconscious), and the two were finally becoming close. To know she died must have been hard on him.
"So… Juvia?" she asked playfully. Gray went pink.
"Shut up, Lucy. So… Natsu?" he shot back. A flush began to creep up her neck.
"Shut up, Gray."
"When are you going to tell him?" he probed further.
"I said, shut up, Gray," she hissed, not sounding too angry.
"Cuz he totally loves you," he said teasingly.
"You sound like Happy!" Lucy squealed, putting her head in her hands to hide her face. "And he does not!"
"Does too!"
"Does not!"
They sat there bickering for some time, until they heard footsteps coming down the stairs again.
"Oh come on," Gray muttered.
"So, Bis-bis? Are you glad that Natsu agreed to babysit Asuka?"
"Oh, Al-al. You know I am," Bisca crooned. "Now let's see what those holding cells can do."
Lucy and Gray grimaced at each other.
"Oh ew ew ew!" Lucy whined. "I DID NOT need to know that!"
"Definitely," Gray shuddered. "Let's just get out of here."
The two snuck out of the room, closing their eyes so they wouldn't see the lovey-dovey couple in action. Right after they got out, they were ambushed by a very agitated Natsu and Juvia.
"I knew it!" Juvia said dramatically. "I knew Love Rival was sneaking around with Gray-sama behind my back!"
"What? No!" Gray tried to reason with Juvia. "I'm not going out with anyone behind you back. And besides, we aren't even dating yet!"
"Yet? Juvia knew it!" the water mage jumped in joy. "Juvia knew her Gray-sama loves her! Come on, Gray-sama it's time to go announce our engagement to the world! Let's start with Gajeel-kun and Lisanna-san… ooh Cana-san will want to know too!"
Gray's protests were drowned out as he was dragged by Juvia to a very confused Gajeel.
"Well that happened," Lucy finally said.
"No kidding," Natsu looked like he was going to throw up. "But Lucy, you don't actually like popsicle-breath, do you?"
"Mavis, no!" Lucy cringed. "I promise, Natsu. We just ran into each other down there."
"Good," Natsu lost his kicked-puppy look. "Because I just found three more missions we can go on."
"Natsu? What? I just got back from a job! No don't you dare approve those, Mira! No!"
"Ha ha! Now you have to come with me!"
"NATSU!"
.
.
How'd you like it?
I love Gray and Lucy's friendship. I wouldn't call them my BroTP, but I really wish that Mashima could have given us more insight about their friendship.
-SpiderLover.