hi! this is my first fanfiction ever, with my favourite fairy tail pairing Gray Fullbuster and Juvia Lockser.

special credit to my friends who gave me ideas to add to mine 3

please note, I do not own fairy tail, hiro mashima does! :)

Chapter 1 - Picnic Invitations

Juvia hid behind a supporting pillar watching as Gray lounged around, bored, at a table with Macao, Wakaba and Cana.

"I bet I earned more money this past month that you," taunted Wakaba, sucking on his weathered old pipe.

"Oh yeah?" Macao retorted.

"Oh yeah!" Wakaba said.

"Hm, you really think so huh? Well let's count up the totals and compare!" Macao yelled, jutting his in Wakaba's. They began arguing - "I bet I got more" and "Oh no you didn't" while Cana sighed.

"Gray, they are so noisy aren't they?" Cana, hugging her big barrel of sake, and sighing. Gray grunted.

"Huh, yeah."

His mind is apparently far, far away, thought Juvia jealously. Not on Lucy... please not on Lucy... Erza had persuaded Lucy, Natsu, Levy and Gajeel to go to Magnolia Forest and train for the upcoming annual Fairy Tail race - well, more like co-erced them into it. She had invited Gray and Juvia as well but Gray said he had a mission and Juvia had just got back from a mission and was just a bit too tired to go (or so she said...).

"So why didn't you go with the group?" Cana said, trying to make conversation.

"Uh, the group?" Gray looked momentarily confused.

"You know - Erza and everyone." She took another big gulp of sake and turned back to Gray.

"I dunno. I just didn't feel like it. I'm always stuck with them," Gray said defensively.

"Oh come on I know it's not just that," Cana said, wiping her mouth. "Why did you tell them that you were going on a quest? You're still here you know." She had seen right through Gray's lie and Gray knew there was no more lying around her. She cocked her head and waited expectantly for Gray to continue.

He sighed.

"Never mind." Then he looked around (Juvia ducked quickly behind the pillar) and wondered aloud to Cana. "Where's Juvia?"

Juvia's heart beat hard inside of her, listening apprehensively behind her pillar. Why does he care where Juvia is?

"Hm, I don't know. I'm sure I saw her earlier." Cana guzzled down another big helping of sake and wiped her mouth, looking dazed but blissful.

"Oh."

"Why?"

Gray looked uncomfortable. "Uh, no reason. Just wondering. She's -" he stuttered as if he was trying to think of an answer - "just the only one who didn't come along, so I was wondering if she needed some company or something."

Juvia sighed. No, Juvia's dear Gray-sama doesn't love her. But he was stuttering when he talked about Juvia... and he cares, she thought happily. Turning quickly she took the form of water, as transparent as she could manage and silently moved away so she could appear publicly as if she had just came in. She strolled past the other tables in her normal form, patted down her hair and, taking a deep breath, went over to Gray-sama's table and sat down beside Cana.

"Morning Cana," she said. "Wakaba and Macao are fighting again?"

Giving Gray a quick side glance then turning to face Juvia, Cana replied "Yes they are they're fighting again. They always do, everyday! How are you doing? It must be lonely without Erza, Natsu, Lucy, Levy and Gajeel," sympathized Cana. Then she groaned. "They're so noisy! Why don't they quiet down no one can drink peacefully here!" she exclaimed, leaning in the direction of the two squabbling men so they would get the message.

Then she turned back to Juvia. "Sorry they're just too noisy."

"That's ok. I'm ok, although it is a little lonely," lied Juvia. But in her head she thought, no not lonely at all, because all I need is my Gray-sama!

"Oh. Well that's too bad," said Cana before she glugged down some more sake.

Gray joined in the conversation. "Yeah but at least that jerk Natsu is away for a while hiking will do him good, he's so lazy and weird all the time," he said. "Erza's away too, not that bad, and Gajeel too... oh and Lucy," he said.

Juvia can't tell if he misses Lucy or is glad she is gone, thought Juvia sadly. Then she came up with an idea. Is Juvia too shy to talk to Gray?

She gathered up all her courage and tried to talk casually. "Oh Cana, do you want to go on a picnic? And Gray-sama too if you want. Juvia gets lonely now and it would be very nice to go on a picnic with you." She was sure that Gray didn't like Cana; they must be just friends, Cana really isn't Gray-sama's type.

Cana lowered her barrel of sake and wiped her mouth. "Oh yes that would be nice..."

Gray looked a bit indifferent but then seemed to change his mind. "I'll come too then."

"I'll bring lots of sake! Without Macao and Wakaba it'll be nice to drink peacefully for once," Cana said.

Macao stopped arguing and leaned over to the end of the table where Gray, Cana and Juvia were talking. "What was that?"

"Cana thinks you're too noisy Macao," Wakaba yelled.

"Oh you think? You're too noisy Wakaba!"

"Oh really?"

"Pah! What do you think? You're so noisy!"

"You want noisy listen to yourself!"

Cana moaned. "Shut up!" She yelled across the table to them. They sat down and started drinking coffee, arguing a bit quieter.

"There that will do it for about two minutes," Cana exclaimed. "Now, tomorrow we're going on a picnic right? Where? What time?"

Gray thought for a moment. "I'm free the whole day. And we can have it in Magnolia Park, in that meadow that's usually empty but it's a good place to have a picnic."

"Okay!" Juvia squealed. "I'll bring lunch..." Aaaahh, a whole day with Gray-sama! And Cana...

"Actually I think from eleven to whenever we get tired and leave for home is better," Cana corrected.

"Okay that's good for me," Gray consented. It was hard for Juvia not to frown but she decided if Gray was okay with it then she would be too.

"Me too," Juvia said agreeably. We can pick blueberries and eat lunch - I'll make a bento box for each of us - and chat and I can stare at Gray-sama... we'll have lots of fun and when Cana leaves later, when the sake makes her tired, then Gray-sama will tell me he loves me...

"I need a refill," Cana said as she got up with her big empty barrel. She went over to Mira-jane, leaving Juvia with Gray...

Juvia's heart isn't ready for this, Juvia thought. Gray turned to Juvia.

"I can't wait for tomorrow, it's pretty boring not fighting with Slanty-Eyes or going on a big quest with all of them or something. Whatcha gonna make for lunch?"

Juvia blushed. Juvia's dear Gray-sama... is talking to her...!

"Maybe bento, Gray-sama?" she replied, trying not to sound blank and stupid.

"Oh that sounds good. I remember that when the new Fairy Tail was being rebuilt I received one that had my name on it... It was good but I only got a chance to eat it after that Natsu devoured half of it and Erza took some too," Gray said, tilting his head up as if trying to remember what exactly happened.

"Ohh, Gray-sama liked it? Who was it from?" Juvia asked shyly, even though she knew very well who.

Gray paused. "I'm not sure. I just found it... Someone who's really good at cooking that's for sure," he said smiling but he wasn't looking directly at Juvia, more like a dazed smile.

Juvia blushed once more. "Oh I have to go now..." she said. "I'm going home to... relax... I woke up too early today," Juvia said, hoping her excuse wasn't too blunt.

"Oh okay, I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Yes see you Gray-sama!" Juvia got up and left the table just as Cana was coming back, lifting her heavy barrel of sake.

"I got a refill! Hey where's Juvia going?"

Gray glanced at Juvia's disappearing figure. "Oh she went home to sleep I guess. She told me she woke up too early this morning."

Cana sighed. "Gray you like her don't you?" Gray was taken aback.

"What? Wh-where'd you get that?"

"It's obvious. She likes you a lot, and you like her too right? I've seen you looking at her when you think no one's looking and besides, you're not exactly the type of guy to want to go on a picnic. Admit it," Cana urged playfully.

"Cana!" Gray scowled.

"Come on, admit it," she repeated.

"Okay maybe I do like her - a little - but it's not like I'm crazy about her or something..." Gray defended himself.

"Uh-huh," Cana said, apparently not believing the flustered guy.

Gray sighed. "Forget it." Then he got up and left the table, chucking his can of pop in a garbage can on his way out. Cana watched as he left, then shrugged and grabbed her barrel to start drinking.

and that's the end of my first chapter! I hope you like it so far... XP anyways, there's probably gonna be a LOT of chapters considering how short each chapter is... I hope you guys find it interesting so far!