Christmas was coming. Just one more day and it would finally be here. Everyone was busy doing something, whether it be putting up decorations, getting food or drink sorted for tomorrow or wrapping gifts up to give to each other tomorrow. Juvia had already got most people gifts and wrapped them and was now sat alone drinking a cup of tea. She watched as everyone rushed around the guild. This would have been the first Christmas she had celebrated with Fairy Tail. Actually, looking back, this would have been the first Christmas she had celebrated ever. Her eyes scanned the room until they came to rest on the ice mage. He was sat alone with a drink in front of him. He wasn't doing anything. Just taking a sip out of the cup in front of him every now and then.
Gray pushed himself off his stool and walked over to Juvia. When he reached her, he dropped down onto one knee, like proposing for a marriage. Juvia looked down and started blushing as he started talking.
"My beloved Juvia, my life wouldn't be complete without your love. Be mine?" Juvia sighed in disappointment when she realised that she was fantasising again. Juvia started picking up her confidence. If he wasn't going to make a move to start a relationship, then she would have to. It took several deep breaths for Juvia to even start feeling brave enough to walk over to him. The bluenette started walking over to where the ice mage was sitting, figuring that if she wasn't going to do this now, she would never get around to it. Juvia's heart pounded as she got closer and closer. Her foot steps seemed to be in sync with the rhythm of her heart beats.
She stopped suddenly, almost toppling over onto the black haired mage sat in front of her. She cleared her throat, partly to try and get Gray's attention and partly to make her feel a little bit braver. She tilted her head down slightly to look directly at him. He was still staring at the cup in front of him, as if contemplating whether or not he should take another sip just yet.
"Gray-sama?" Her voice was quiet, but still got Gray's attention and caused him to look up at her.
"Yeah?"
"Juvia was wondering if Gray-sama would like to..." Her voice trailed off as Gray just stared at her.
"Like to what?" Juvia's eyes widened a bit. Usually he had turned her down by now but this time he was asking her to continue. This had to be a good sign right?
"Would Gray-sama like to do something with Juvia tonight?" Gray sat motionless for a couple of seconds before answering.
"Not tonight".
"O-Okay". Not tonight? Juvia said it again to herself as she walked away. To her, it wasn't so much of a rejection as it was a rain check. The water mage looked back over her shoulder just in time to see Gray's head hit the ttable in front of him.
Juvia threw herself onto her bed. She knew that when she awoke it would be Christmas. That was wonderful. The very first Christmas that she had ever celebrated. Her eyes closed as she turned onto her side and pulled her blue duvet over herself. Excited. That's all she felt. Not nervous, not scared, not happy, not even tired. Just excited. Too excited to sleep. The one thing that she wanted to do right now was the one thing that she couldn't do. She tried rolling over. No use. She tried fluffing up her pillows. No use. She tried walking around her room and getting back into bed. No use. After about an hour, she finally felt her eye lids get heavier and yawned. Finally, after trying everything, she could finally get to sleep.
Juvia got to the guild at the same time as normal in the morning, before almost everyone else. As she came through the double doors, she was greeted with a loud 'MERRY CHRISTMAS!' from the ever-enthusiastic bar maid, Mirajane. Juvia smiled widely and warmly in return as she made her way over to the bar.
"Same as always?" Juvia nodded at the former S-class mage's question who then started making the hot cup of tea that Juvia had grown accustomed to having first thing at the guild.
Once she had finished the tea, the rain woman swivelled around on her stool to look at the double doors at the far end of the guild hall and watch who came through them. She had finally memorised the order of people coming into the guild and said each name to herself as that particular person walked in, as if taking a register in her head.
It was eleven o'clock and the last person had just walked into the guild. Well, the person who should have been last. Gray hadn't come in yet. Maybe he had slept in? It wouldn't have been the first time, but it was never enough to upset the order of people coming in. He hadn't gone on a job, she knew that from asking Mira. As the day wore on, Juvia kept kept checking the door, seeing if Gray was coming in, and she was always disappointed. It seemed like he wasn't coming in today. Shame. She had really wanted to give him his present first, but she wasn't going to be able to do that since he wasn't here. She started handing out the wrapped presents to the people they were addressed to. Every now and then, Juvia looked over to the door, hoping to see Gray walk in.
After about an hour, Juvia had given out all the presents and had nothing more to do. She headed over to the bar, ordered another cup of tea, sat down and tried not to worry about where Gray was. Where ever he was, he was fine. Gray was a powerful wizard capable of taking care of himself. That was one of the reasons that she loved him so much.
Five o'clock. It was nearly pitch black outside and Gray had finally come through the double doors, eliciting a wide smile from Juvia who immediately flew towards him and wrapped her arms around hi waist.
"Merry Christmas Gray-sama!" She was even more bubbly than usual.
"Merry Christmas Juvia". His voice was slightly softer than usual, but he was still trying to push her off him,, just like usual. The bluenette around his waist finally got the message and released her grip on her beloved. She was still smiling at him, making him feel slightly uneasy. She turned away and walked away. A moment or two later, she returned, thrusting a small, wrapped up box into the ice mage's chest. He took it out of her hands and thanked her as he unwrapped it. "I have a present for you too". Her eyes widened in curiosity.
"Wha- what is it Gray-sama?"
"Come on, I'll show you". Gray took Juvia's hand and lead her out of her the guild and through the streets of Magnolia that were covered a blanket of snow that crunched beneath their feet. Juvia's eyes widened in amazement when they stopped. They were stood in front of the most expensive restaurant in the town.
"Gray-sama..." She was cut off by Gray's voice.
"Yeah, we're having dinner here". The delight on her face was visible to everyone. A thought passed through Gray's head. "But only because it's Christmas, this isn't going to be a regular thing!"
"Juvia understands. She's just happy that Gray-sama would take her here".
"Yeah, well... I thought that you'd like this"
"Like? Juvia loves this Gray-sama!"
"Good". The two mages walked into the restaurant, Juvia's hand holding Gray's, which was a small annoyance to him, but it was Christmas. He figured that she could have this one. Mistletoe in the doorway. Crap. Juvia saw it. Double crap. Gray sighed. It was Christmas afterall. "Yeah, okay. Come on then. Just... Don't tell any one in the guild that we kissed. Especially not Natsu"
"Juvia promises Gray-sama".