Here we go again!

" It's...snowing." Juvia Lockster said slowly as she pressed her hand, covered by her pink sweater, up to the frosted window. The cold seeped through, numbing her. The snow drifting down, the whitest she had ever seen.

It's been too long since they had snow.

Way too long.

" Huh, I guess it is." Gray said slowly as he walked over to her. He resisted a stupid-ass smile at her childish wonder. The way it lit up her entire face. After Gray had started living with Juvia, he had perfected the skill of secret affection. It was necessary somehow, a way to hide what she was doing to him, how essential and necessary, and how that scare him more than any monster.

" We are homed in then." He said slowly as the flurry of snow collected on the balcony of his apartment. The white reminded him of white confetti. Juvia looked back to him and smiled.

Her smile is like the snow too.

Pure and beautiful, untainted by none.

White.

" Is there something on Juvia's face Gray-sama?" She asked puzzledly after he zonked out, staring at her.

" Huh? N-nothing. I was just thinking. Hey, you want hot cocoa?" He hurried into kitchen, startled and embarrassed that he was caught looking at her. Juvia sat back down, enchanted by the snow.

It reminded her of him.

His personality, flecks of snow, hard at first, yet when melted?

An eternal lifesource.

He walked out of the small kitchen, holding two mugs. She took one gratefully, balancing it on the palm of her hand, relishing the warmth it gives her. He sat down beside her against the window, slowly pulling her into his lap. An all-too-natural movement that was developed skillfully to hide his need for physical attraction. She didn't object of course, and pretended she didn't notice.

She giggled as he downed the mug, the sweet warmth flowing it's way down his stomach. He sighed and lean back, the window cooling him down.

"So, what do we do now?" He asked as he licked the remaining drink off his mouth. Juvia snuggled against him.

" Juvia was thinking… We should make a fort!" Her eyes hold a spark of excitement. Her lips curving up into a smile.

" A fort?"

" Yes! Juvia never get to build one when she was little. " She trailed off as she swiped her hand across her mouth. Looking ever-so-small in that moment. A tint of sadness in her voice. He hugged her a little tighter, thinking of her when she was little and alone. He wants to insure that will never happen again.

" That is not a bad idea. Hmm… ok, I'll get the blankets you get the pillows." He said, motioning her to give him the mugs. They will do what she had never had the chance to do.

They get to work.

" Why the fuck are there so many blankets." He said, as he struggled to prop the chair up. She grinned and they pulled it together, high-fiving when they finally got it right. Almost falling over each other when they tripped on a chair. The chairs was propped up hazardly, and the tables was used as support. The blankets were everywhere, filling the nook and crannies. Overflowing in the most random of places. Pillows were used to block various hollows in the mishmash architecture. The clock ticked by, yet they barely noticed it, stopping to have a pillow fight and getting distracted by their third mugs of hot cocoa.

"Finished!." Juvia cheered as she shoved the last chair in the house in place. They stepped back to look at their handy work. Then almost fell over laughing. It was not exactly the most attractive fort. It looked cramped and misshapen, made weirder by the excess of blankets.

" Ok. I am going in." He announced as he cautiously lifted the main entrance ( in this case really another blanket) up. The chair collapsed on top of him, blessing him with a very uncharacteristic yelp. Burying him in an avalanche of softness.

" Are you okay Gray-sama?" Juvia gasped. As he struggled to get up from the sludge of blankets.

" I am fine. But..the fort however…" He slowly stood up, shrugging off the last layer dragging him down. The fort looked completely destroyed, similar to an extraordinarily comfy wreckage like it didn't look like one before he went in. But...

" I guess we'll have to start over." He sighed. As he examined the damage.

" It's ok. This was fun!" Juvia said. Gray stopped and look at her. At the way she try to comfort herself, not asking for more, fearing that the happy moment will end in a disaster-because of her.

" No. That's start over again. The fun in fort is building it again and again right?" He grinned, challenge in his eyes. Daring her to try hide away.

" Yes, Gray-sama." She replied happily.

" Only the main wall is destroyed, the side walls looked fine-ish. We will have to reprop the chairs though." He continued, looking at the site. They tried for a second time. Slower and more careful. Making sure it was stable.

" Ok, let's do this again." Gray said. Juvia nodded and went in. Then stick her head out of the opening (this time a chair to ensure stability) again.

" Fort's safe! Come on in!" She grinned and pulled him in. He was rushed in and landed on top of her, the only reason that he didn't crush into her was because of his arms, hold steady like walls on either side of her. She flushed, her eyes wide and startled as he looked at her, not comprehending what was looked at her face, her hair spread out in aqua locks and curls. Her eyes wide from shock, that endless blue. The atmosphere was electric. The heat resonated between them. As they seems stuck in that position. He have an urge to kiss her right then and pulled her knee from from underneath him and looked away quickly, flustered. He sat up, frozen with humiliation.

What

The

Fuck.

That was like a shitty rom-com scene.

" Omigod.. I am so sorry." He mumbled. The rosiness of her cheek nearly rivals his own.

" I-it's fine." She stuttered out. He tries to distract himself by looking around the fort.

It was cramped, but cozy. She had decorated the small space with small christmas lights, yet it was still fairly dim. It reminded him of being enclosed somewhere completely safe. They started talking again, awkward at first, No worries, just watching the time past. They drank their second mug of hot cocoa, talking in quiet contentment. Occasionally laughing. There was no rush, and they savored the closeness they have, it had been so long since they have peace like this.

"-Erza was so pissed-"

" -Juvia told Gajeel-kun that he needs to stop if-"

"-and then he was fucking crying that flamefucker-"

"-Lucy-san was being so stubborn-"

"-and he was being such a lazy-ass shit oh my god-"

"-Natsu-san had always been like that hasn't he?-"

Time seems to past in soft, tiny whispers,so fast yet so slow, Before long, dawn has was retelling his story of a forced shopping spree until he noticed her drooping eyes.

" Maybe you should go to sleep, Juvia. " Gray said as he touched her forehead. He hears no response, only soft sniffles. Her way of snoring. Her beautiful eyes closed with fatigue. The only indication of how physically draining the day was. He smiled and covered her up with a small blanket. Shifting his body so she is leaning against him. He kissed her forehead unconsciously, sweet and simple, and stifled a yawn, her blue hair tickling the crook of his neck. Gray was feeling quite tired himself. One last fading thought invade his mind before he drift off, a fuzziness and comfort that could only be associated with her.

Maybe..

they could..

just…

stay here….

tonight…