First off, thank you for the warm reviews you've given to this baby. I honestly didn't expect that you lovelies would receive this so positively. It makes me so giddy and happy inside, so thank you! =) On the other hand, I apologize for my lack of response to the reviews you've given me recently. It's not that I don't appreciate them, because I very much DO, but I'm just so incredibly busy right now. Adulthood sucks BIG TIME. T_T"

Now, as for this story, the prompts were provided by imjuzakyd too lazy to log in (sickness) and Strawberry Orihime (rain, spoon-feeding). I've never imagined how Gray would act when he's sick (Does he even get sick, being an ice mage and all?), so consider this piece as my personal take on it. I hope you like it~ :3

Standard disclaimers apply.
Rated T to be safe.

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Apple & Cinnamon
By: Sechskies

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Lucy balances a tray in her hands as she pads toward her bed, where one can find a certain Gray Fullbuster sprawled almost lifelessly, curled into a ball with several layers of blankets cocooning him. She frowns as her gaze lingers to the ice mage, who has suddenly emerged on her doorstep just a few minutes ago, wet all over, still half-naked, cheeks flushed and eyes droopier than usual.

He fainted then and there.

Of course, she panicked at first (Did he get injured from a fight somewhere? Was he sleepwalking? Did Juvia make him drink another weird potion? Is he dying? Or, or, or—! Has Erza gone into another homicidal rampage? Where's Natsu? Maybe she got to him first!), but after learning that he didn't have any physical injuries, she struggled to pull him up and dragged him inside, away from the freezing rain. When she had touched him, that was when she knew that he was burning with fever.

—which brought her to her current situation.

She lets a sigh escape her lips as she places the tray on a nearby table. Settling herself on the edge of the bed, she proceeds to poke the sick ice alchemist. "Gray?" she voices out meekly. "Wake up, sleepyhead..."

She pokes him once, twice, thrice... only to get no response. Exhaling, she adjusts herself in her seat, and starts to shake his shoulders — gently at first, but her action gradually becomes harsher after a few seconds that Gray still showed no signs of stirring.

Thankfully, before Lucy drifts into a more desperate attempt of waking the ice mage, the latter grunts in reply.

"Gray?" she whispers once more, absently staring at the young man's flushed face that is messily framed by his raven tresses.

In all their years as teammates, this is her first time to see him in such a helpless and miserable state. Since when did he ever get sick? Being an ice mage, she's always thought he'd have the strongest resistance to anything remotely cold, so being sick because of today's weather couldn't be the reason, could it? And Juvia's potions are out of the question as well; the bluenette is away on a three-day job with Lisanna, after all...

Suddenly, realization dawns on her face, and she spares another worried glance at her teammate, before exhaling heavily.

That could be it. Knowing Gray, there's no other reason.

"Gray..." she starts again. "Hey, I made some chicken soup. "

"Hn," is all she got as a response as the lad flips on his stomach, clutching the blanket tightly around him.

"But you need to!" she insists, exasperated. Why did he go to her place again?

"Nooooo..." Gray moans rather childishly, his voice muffled by the pillow on his face.

The blonde feels like ripping her hair off. No matter how much she slightly—SLIGHTLY!—likes the bastard (Oh, who is she kidding?), and how cute he is when he's curled up like this, he's making things difficult for her — and she's not about to have that when she herself just wants to lie down and sleep in her own bed after a long, tiring day of cleaning her whole apartment!

"Graaaaaaay..." she whimpers, almost desperately. She watches as the black-haired youth dozes off once more, deliberately ignoring her pleas, and feels herself just snap. "Who told you to have another drinking contest with Cana anyway? You know what large amounts of alcohol do to you, dummy!"

Fortunately, as unusual as it is, her outburst got Gray to look at her quite blankly for a moment, as though she was a bratty kid who's just thrown a temper tantrum. And then, he sits up ever so slowly, the blanket slipping off his shoulders to reveal the muscled chest underneath (to which the blonde would normally find herself gawking at, but she's too pissed right now to care), and a scowl on his reddened face that so looks like a pout at his fevered state.

Lucy thinks that now is the best moment to shove a spoonful of soup down Gray's throat as she places one in front of his face.

He grimaces for a split second, but complies nevertheless.

"Stupid, competitive dolt..."

"It wasn't... me. Natsu was... He was being a—"

"Shut up and eat your soup, Gray!"

"...Guh. Y-yes, Ma'am..."

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I can always take care of myself.
But still, I want to meet the person,
Who can prove to me that I can't.

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owari.

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History:
02.24.12 ~ First published.
04.23.12 ~ Edited a few words.

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Natsu was being a...? Well, I'll leave it to your imagination~

Gray's condition is inspired by my boyfriend, who — instead, of getting the usual headache or hangover — gets the flu whenever he'd drink loads of alcohol. I have no idea how or why that happens; it just does. He's weird that way. :P

On another note, an old time online friend of mine, Sailor Siopao, recently IM'd me and expressed her curiosity about the title. If you must know, "Apple & Cinnamon" was taken from one of Utada Hikaru's songs. It's ironic that the song is about a couple falling out of love, but the first few lines of the chorus were just adorable, and I think it suited how Gray and Lucy were back in "Denial, Denial", and later on, "Chaos Theory":

Started out so simple and innocent
So simple and innocent, so simple and innocent, so simple and innocent
Chemistry like apple and cinnamon
Like apple and cinnamon, like apple and cinnamon, like apple and cinnamon

Anyway, if you have any more prompts or plot bunnies for me to consider, feel free to include them in your reviews (You ARE going to review, right?). Mind your manners though, and ask nicely. I don't take well to bossy and demanding people. ^^