Disclaimer: Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail, its characters and stories.

A/N: I may have deviated a little from the original prompt, but I'm running out of ideas. I am sorry once again that this is up so late. (In Spain is still April 5th, so, I'm still on time *.*). Now, on with today's fic.

5.- Longing

It had all started a sunny spring morning. Everyone seemed to just have gone back from jobs, and the guild was busier than usual. Juvia sat in table with Team Natsu sans Wendy and the exceeds at a far corner of the guild. Gray sat to her right, already missing a shirt and his hand unconsciously fidgeting with the belt that kept his trousers from being tossed out too. She extended her right hand and put it on top of his, stopping his movement. Gray looked down to their hands a muttered an almost imperceptible thanks. He didn't remove his hand from hers, he just moved them to the bench, so they wouldn't be in a compromising position. Then he intertwined his fingers with hers, Juvia seeing from the corner of her eyes the faint blush that spread out through his cheeks.

This sort of interaction had started to happen more frequently since the guild 'discovered' about them. Not that they were hiding it much. For Mavis' sake, their first kiss had been in the middle of the guild hall. She smiled at the memory. Gray had been crying, tears streaking down his face after he told her he felt guilty about Ultear's disappearance. That was the first time while not in imminent danger that Juvia had dropped the honorifics when talking with Gray, as wrapped as she was in her intent of consoling him. Both shocked, she recalled Gray searching for her eyes and locking his to hers, and after what seemed like an eternity, he leaned in and kissed her. A perfect kiss. His lips were gentle as he slowly caressed her cheek with one hand, butterflies flying in Juvia's stomach. Gray was kissing her! Actually kissing her, on his own accord. At first she couldn't believe what was happening, what had led Gray to kiss her all of a sudden. Then she just gave in to the kiss, wanting to engrave it in her memory. And engraved it was, as the date they had the next day. Gray arrived half and hour earlier than they had agreed to meet, visibly nervous and already missing his shirt and shoes. Juvia had already been ready for about an hour, with how anxious she felt, and had also had the mind to prepare some clothes for Gray, as sure as she was that he was going to arrive semi-nude. After waiting for a very stubborn Gray to accept the clothes she had prepared, and him shyly thanking her, they started to walk to some restaurant Gray had picked. From the dinner they had to the walk home, everything had been perfect in Juvia's mind. She couldn't have asked for more. She was happier with each passing day.

At first they weren't too open about what had happened while in the guild, but as they got more comfortable with the fact that they were indeed dating -Juvia sighed-, they started to. Then, Mira had seen them holding hands one day and announced to the whole guild they had a party to celebrate. Juvia recalled how flustered Gray had been the moment Mira shouted to all that wanted to hear it that Juvia had finally got her man. Not that she could speak much for herself, she was redder than Erza's hair, but she also was the first one to be up with Mira in the celebration. She was so ecstatic about it.

She was brought to the present, a lingering smile in her face, as Natsu's boisterous voice resonated through the whole guild.

"Oi, ice princess, what are you so blushy about now? Is Juvia doing something under the table?" His laughter was cut off quickly after Lucy elbowed him in the ribs, Natsu now bended over, cursing at her for hurting him. Juvia's face had quickly from pale to red with how furiously she had blushed. Gray's cheeks were also a shade of pink darker than before.

"Like you are one to talk, flame brain! We all saw how Lucy-" The squeal from Lucy, now redder than Juvia, and Natsu's attempts of punching Gray in the face were cut off by Erza, who stood up and took each of them from their ears rising their faces so they would look at her.

"Were you about to have a fight while we were enjoying a peaceful morning in the guild?" She asked, both of them trembling in fear under her gaze.

"No, we weren't!" Natsu and Gray answered in unison.

"I believe we need some mission so that both of you can steem it off. But first..." she released them and sat down, going back to enjoying her half eaten cake.

"Ok. Juvia, let's go check the mission board out. We may found something suitable for us." Without waiting for an answer he took her hand and started walking towards the board. However, a voice cut in while they were no more than 5 meters from the table.

"I meant for our old team, Gray. It has been some time since you joined us for a job." Erza said while calmly eating her cake.

"That's true, you almost never come with us now." Lucy stated. "It almost seems like you cannot leave Juvia's side for more than a day." She chuckled. "Since you two started dating you have been joined at the hip. I have never seen you so dependent of anyone, Gray." Now Juvia clearly heard the sneer in Lucy's words. She was looking to them firmly in the eyes, Natsu having 'recovered' from her elbowing showing a smug smile just like Lucy-san's.

"I think you are mistaking the situation here, Lucy." Gray replied. "You and Natsu are the ones that seem to be unable to part for more than twenty four hours. Not since he brought you here." He smirked then, clearly thinking he had won with that. Juvia feared it wasn't like that. Lucy would surely think of a comeback to him, and then she would get away with it, just by using her words.

"Maybe it is like that." She recognized, blushing a bit, though. "Let's make a bet, then." That caught almost everyone's interest within a close distance from where they were. Juvia's hand still resided in Gray's.

"What kind of bet, Lucy-san?" Juvia inquired. She didn't like the feeling the word 'bet' gave her, although last time they had betted anything in the guild she had gotten away with having Gray all for herself. Maybe it would be entertaining.

"Let's see who can stay away from each other longer. The..."she hesitated, and blushed even more "the couple that wins gets the other couple to do what they want for a whole day."

"Done. That flame brain can't stay away from you for too long, we will win." Gray grinned. Then looked to Juvia to see if she was okay with it. She nodded. She knew she would miss him, but still, she wanted to prove Lucy wrong. They were not that dependent of each other.

"May I suggest something?" Erza cut in. "Why don't you take different missions? Lucy can go with Juvia, and you two" she said pointing to Gray and Natsu "can pair up. Choose day-long missions, and lets see how much time you can stand after getting back from the jobs without seeing each other." Juvia noted a devious smile had appeared in her face, in this moments she resembled more the Demon Mirajane than herself. "I will accompany Juvia and Lucy, and we will stay at Lucy's apartment for the night." She heard Lucy muttered a protest along the lines of why it had to be her apartment, but after a look from Erza she shut up.

"Agreed." Juvia replied to her. Since Lucy-san had confessed to her her feelings for Natsu Juvia actually had started to enjoy her company, considering her as a true friend. She knew Lucy wouldn't try to steal Gray from her.

"Agreed." Lucy said, smiling to Juvia.

"Oi Luce, I don't agree." He looked with puppy eyes towards Lucy, while leaning closer to her. "I don't want to spend a whole day with this popsicle."

"You will. And we will win the bet." Lucy retorted looking directly in their direction. Gray gave a squeeze to Juvia's hand, then let go.

"Alright, we are on. And you are so going to loose." Gray smirked.

Juvia and the girls picked up a very easy mission, not having to even leave Magnolia. Gray and Natsu, instead, by Erza's order, had picked a job on a nearby town, and would be gone for most of the day. Their job was fairly simple, they had to help an old woman with her chores. The reward wasn't much, but with it they could go do some shopping afterwards, as Lucy had said.

With Erza's help, the chores were done in a relatively short time, and soon they were following Lucy towards the shopping district. As they tried on some clothes on one of the stores, Juvia recalled another time in which she had been in this shop with Lucy.

"Lucy-san, do you remember last time we were here?" She asked while trying on some skirt Lucy had once again chose for her. "You bought that dress for me. Thanks again."

"Of course I remember Juvia. You looked wonderful in it. Gray thought so too." She heard Lucy giggle in the changing room to her right. "How is the skirt?" Juvia heard some rustling, then she straightened herself and opened her curtain too.

"It suits you." She heard Erza, who was at the moment sitting in an sofa in the middle of the room. "You should buy it, Juvia." Juvia shot a grateful smile to Erza's reflection on her mirror.

"You really should, Juvia." chimed in Lucy. "That navy blue flatters you. It reminds me of a certain someone." She giggled again, a hand covering her mouth. It also reminded Juvia of a certain ice mage. Now that she had been more than a few hours away from him, she noticed how much time they really spent together. She missed him more than she thought she could. For Mavis' sake, she longed for this day and the bet to be over just so that she could get back to him. To get back to having him near her. She needed him by her side. Maybe Lucy was right. Maybe they have become too much dependent of the other. But then again, he still lived in his apartment and her in Fairy Hills, so in that they beat Lucy and Natsu. Lucy could deny to her friends all she wanted, but everyone at the guild knew Natsu practically lived with her, spending the night there almost every other day. They even shared her bed. She was brought back to the store when Lucy's sweet voice reached her ears.

"So, what do you think?" Lucy asked, then twirled for them to see the dress she had tried on. Juvia eyed the dress. It was much too short for her taste, but she thought Lucy didn't really minded that, given her usual wardrobe. It was a simple one-piece, its colors resembling those of the cherry blossom trees.

"It also reminds me of the color of someone's hair." Erza replied to her, a smirk on her face. With that comment Lucy's face tinted the same colour as her dress, if not darker, and she quickly entered the changing room closing the curtain behind her. A chuckle escaped Juvia's lips as she also entered her changing room.

"You two are going to loose, Lucy-san."

"We are not. Not if Natsu knows what is best for him."

After that, and some time spent at a café, they walked back to Lucy's apartment, where they ate dinner while they watched the movie lacrima. While the couple on the screen kissed each other Juvia was reminded of how much she missed Gray already. She had tried not to think about it all day, since they parted at the guild, the goodbye kiss being too short. They had tried to busy themselves with anything they had come to mind, Lucy being the first one suggesting things to do, so Juvia thought she would too be missing Natsu a lot. They decided to sleep in Lucy's bedroom, so they had to use some futon Lucy had stored in her wardrobe. As Juvia saw Lucy carried three futons back to where Erza and her were waiting, she asked Lucy about it, her answer being that she wouldn't want to use her bed knowing they would be sleeping on the floor. Soon they had made all the arrangements for sleeping and the three of them were on their pajamas. She just wanted to go to sleep so the day would be over earlier and she wouldn't have to be thinking about how much she missed Gray. How much she yearned for the bet to be over and go back to be with him. She craved his kisses more than she should have. She really wanted to go to sleep, but Lucy seemed to have other plans.

"So Juvia, are you going to tell us about how is dating Gray? Have you two had sex already?" Juvia blushed furiously at Lucy's question, her heart fluttering.

"W-what k-k-kind of question is that, Lucy-san? Have you and Natsu?" The mirth that Lucy's face had reflected before was swiftly wiped out by the blush that now covered her cheeks in embarrassment, clearly answering the question for her.

"I asked you first, Juvia." She said trying to avoid her question. Juvia fidgeted with the hem of her nightgown.

"Gray and Juvia haven't reached that level of intimacy yet." She said while watching how her hands twiddled. She knew she sounded sad, but in fact she wasn't. Things were going just perfect. She was happy with taking things easy. "He hasn't even said 'I love you' to Juvia." Now she definitely had sounded sad.

"You don't have to worry about that, Juvia. You know how Gray is better at expressing his feelings through his actions. He doesn't like too much to talk." Erza quietly replied, trying to cheer her up.

"Yeah, Erza's right Juvia. We all know he loves you, you can ask anyone in the guild." Lucy added. "We can see just how much he loves you just by watching how he looks at you. You shouldn't worry." She possed her hand on Juvia's arm comfortingly. "Ok, now I have lost the mood to talk about things like this, it would be better if we just went to sleep so that tomorrow comes and this bet will finally be over. I miss Natsu."

"Yes, Juvia misses Gray too." Juvia muttered.

"Lucy, you still haven't answered Juvia's question either." Erza wickedly remembered her.

"Why w-would I ha-have to?" Lucy stuttered, red color back in her cheeks. "What about you and Jellal?" She retorted to Erza.

"Ok, time to sleep."

Juvia was awakened by the sound of someone's footsteps that were nearing her head. Just when she was about to ask who was there, she felt a cold hand covering her mouth, preventing her of speaking.

"Shh, it's just me." She recognized Gray's voice although it was too dark to distinguish his face. He carefully retreated his hand from her mouth and made a gesture for Juvia to speak low, signaling to the sleeping figure of Lucy, laid down next to her.

"Why are you here? If Erza sees you, we are going to loose the bet." She whispered, trying not to raise to much her voice.

"I don't care that much about the bet. I'm sure that flame brain is somewhere near here, if not hiding in here." He quietly chuckled. Now that he shifted his position a little, she could make out his features from where the light of the moon illuminated him. "I missed you Juvia, so much." Her heart skipped a beat and then started to race as if there was no tomorrow. She felt how Gray was leaning closer to where she laid. She missed his kisses so much. She craved the feelings they gave her. The fluttering of her heart, the heat that started to coil at her stomach and feeling breathless. She yearned them and it hadn't been even a day since they last shared a kiss. Just when Gray's lips were about to close the gap between their mouths, someone turned on the light.

"I thought you had more self restrain, Gray." Erza stated. She was at the door of the bathroom, her hand still on the light switch. Lucy had just risen up from her position on the floor, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

Then they heard someone trying to hold back a laugh. The sound came from under Lucy's bed.

"What are you laughing about, you squinty eyes?" Gray grunted towards the bed. And in fact Natsu appeared from under it. Wearing a big grin on his face. He was laughing again.

"You lost the bet, ice princess. I will have you as a slave tomorrow." He continued laughing as he looked towards them. Juvia noticed Lucy had started to smile a little too.

"You just came from under a bed, Natsu. The fact that you were hiding under it means you arrived here earlier than me. You lose." Gray smirked.

"In fact the both of you came in here at the same time. You just used the door while Natsu used the window. The bet has ended in a draw." Erza cut in, and with that Juvia heard Lucy burst out laughing.

"Natsu, what did I tell you about using the door? We could have won this bet... Now no one gets to boss around the other ones."

Then Juvia turned her attention once more to Erza when she heard something that resembled a chuckle. She had wicked smile in her face Juvia didn't like one bit.

"Maybe since all of you ended loosing the bet I could get to boss you around."

A/N: first of all, thank you to all that read, reviewed, favorited or followed my last one-shot (sparkles princess, annabelisawesome, SpiritBear13, P-and-P, Anani00, DLAnimeMiku, LuvsManga, PrincessoftheDemons, shine3000, Kawaii Mea-chan, maddiekira, minijuju, Plockiie and guests). You make me want to write better just by letting me know you like my stories ^^

Now the reminder of the day, as every day past, I will be posting two more fics with the last two prompts tomorrow and on monday. You can find them as one-shots or as chapters in the story called "Care is an ambiguous word."

I apologize again for the tardiness of this fic, sumimasen.

Let me know if you liked it! R&R ^^