"Hey, ice princess. Wanna go at it?" a bored Natsu entered the guild, some of the eyes stopped on him, others just didn't care. They already expected this.

Gajeel and Juvia left after they saw how Levy and Gray weren't in the mood for talking to them. They only stayed for not more than an hour, simply chatting with the others (who successfully evaded the Gajeel-Juvia dating thing), before they decided to head home and call it a day.

Lucy heaved a sigh, it's only been a couple of hours since the "incident" and she still wasn't ready for this. She was about to enter the ring and stop the fight when Gray stood up from the stool on the bar (he was sitting right next to Lucy) and walked past Natsu, totally ignoring him.

"Hey! Pervert stripper! I'm talking to you!" Natsu was not amused that Gray was just ignoring him like that. "If you wanna fight then go ask someone else, fire bastard," the ice wizard turned towards the exit of the guild, ignoring the series of "woah"s he received from the guild members, as if they were surprised that Gray did not accept Natsu's invitation of a fight, for once.

Natsu still followed him, putting an arm on his shoulder, "What's wrong with you? Scared you're gonna lose to me, icey cone?" he tried to provoke him, which made Wendy almost stand up while saying, "Natsu-san! You're only lucky Erza-san is away for a job. You can't do that to Gray-san!" as Charle nodded to her. "That's just so immature of you."

"Yeah right, Natsu. You're like a child!" Happy commented, obviously trying to impress and show off in front of Charle, but the blue colored cat got his hopes down when Charle just rolled her eyes on him. "She doesn't liiiike you," Lucy teased, earning a loud wail from the cat.

"Hey, Happy! Why're you teaming up with them?! Thought we were supposed to be partners?!" Natsu's face showed betrayal, as if he was truly hurt that his friend would go as far as betraying him like that. "If it's for my love, I can do anything. All is fair in love and war." Happy chimed, looking at Charle lovingly, who, as usual, just ignored the poor kitty cat.

"Man, doesn't this remind you of anything?" Elfman suddenly spoke. All eyes went to him, and he continued, "It's like I'm seeing Juvia and Gray all over again, with Happy and Charle." to which everyone laughed. Except for Natsu and Gray, of course. And the exceeds who don't have a clue on what's going on. Lucy smiled at the thought, it's kinda true. Happy is head over heels for Charle, just like Juvia, and the white colored cat just couldn't give him the attention he wants, just like Gray.

They watched how the exceeds were doing, Charle still annoyed with Happy, when suddenly, Panther Lily entered the scene. "Hey Charle, I've seen this new kind of transformation magic." Gajeel's cat spoke, ignoring everyone else as he was invested on what he was saying. Happy's eyes widened when he saw how Charle reacted to it, "Really?! I'd like to see that!" she only answered, and Panther Lily did not hesitate to hold Charle by the hand, a gesture to get her out of the guild so he could show her what he wanted to show her. Alone.

"Wait... Charle..." Happy stuttered, he wanted to follow them, but it was clear as day that they don't want him to interrupt. He wasn't needed... and somehow, apparently, an ice wizard feels the same way too. He just hasn't realized it yet. "And now Juvia was too tired of chasing Gray, that he went for someone else... Gajeel... instead." Elfman continued, he meant for it as a joke, but Mirajane and Lucy were throwing daggers at him, making him immediately shut up as an awkward silence filled the guild.

Gray's hands were crumpled into a fist. Natsu took note of this and got the opportunity to headbutt Gray in the face. "Distracted, huh? Don't be so cold and warm up to me, shitty ice mage!" Natsu provoked him again, causing Gray to fall back a few steps, hand holding his head due to the impact of hitting his head with Natsu's.

"Uh... N-Natsu, I-I think you shouldn't do tha..." Lucy was cut off from warning Natsu, when a different Gray faced them all – actually, Gray was looking at Natsu only, but since everyone was looking at them, they could see the look on Gray's eyes. And boy, was he angry. He's definitely furious. Fuming mad, ice emitting in his body, this is an evil aura. Even Natsu was taken aback.

With one swift move, he punched Natsu straight in the face and turned his back away from him. "I said I'm not in the mood, Natsu." Gray emphasized Natsu's name, which only meant one thing: Gray's serious. He didn't throw the insults Natsu gave him back, and instead called him by his name. I didn't know Gray was this scary. I'm getting literal chills because some of his ice magic were spilling out. Lucy shivered for quite a bit.

Why did Gray act so strangely? Lucy saw Mirajane lecturing Elfman on the side, "You're insensitive as ever, Elfman! Humiliating others doesn't make you a man!" she flicked her brother on his forehead, while Lucy held onto Happy, trying to comfort the brokenhearted cat.

Lucy eyed the guild, she sees Gray just plainly leaving the guild silently, and when she looked at what's left inside, she was surprised to see Levy wasn't there. Where did she go?

––

As Gray walked out of the guild with such a different aura, he noticed how the people who used to stare at him with adoring and loving eyes, were plainly looking down and avoiding his gaze. The fuck does that mean? Damn it, Gray, you need to cool your head down – and that's the point. He couldn't. He just wants to punch somebody right now, that he even thought he should have come back and accepted Natsu's invitation to fight, but a small part of him didn't want to hurt his guildmate when he's in this state, because he wasn't too sure if he could hold back.

He might just divert all his anger and frustrations to Natsu... which is wrong. He shook his head and walked forward, still noticing how those people on the streets weren't looking at him in the eyes, are they scared or something? Even the children and women (who used to be so fond of him every time he passes by) looked scared. Gray sighed and continued walking, he wants to understand why he's acting this way. The reason why, huh...

One look to the roadside and he sees a very familiar blue haired girl. And it's not Juvia. This girl was smaller than her, hair shorter, and wore a headband, as she sat down the side of the street, looking gloomy, which looked very wrong to Gray.

"Levy...?" Gray started, wanting to know if Levy was in her right mind, because the Levy he knows isn't someone with that kind of aura. She never sported that facial expression, either. It's very weird to see.

"Gray," Levy spoke, her voice without a trace of happiness in it, she didn't even dare look at the ice mage's eyes, her eyes were stilled completely at the other side of the road, though Gray knows that her mind was traveling somewhere else.

"Something wrong?" Gray asked, he almost bitterly laughed. How can he ask someone else that question when he clearly is not okay at the moment, too? Damn, I think Juvia's selflessness rubbed on me. Levy just shrugged, and Gray took it as a yes.

"Can I... sit beside you?" he hesitantly asked, and Levy just nodded, face still void of any color. "You better unfreeze the streets before the council takes the word about it," it was then Gray just realized what he had done.

He eyed his surroundings, his eyes widening, as he saw that there literally was ice everywhere. "I did all of this?" he asks himself, not knowing what to believe. That must be the reason why those other people kept on looking afraid of me! He quickly took control of his ice magic, and sighed in relief when it worked and the ice went away completely.

"Thanks for telling me," Gray scratched the back of his head, although emotionless, Levy still managed to save him from trouble just right up his ass. Levy sighed and nodded. "Anytime."

Gray decided to sit beside Levy for a while, his emotion getting the best out of him. He tried to think clearly, which he can't do, since his mind was on a daze, and no one from the two dared to speak a word. That was until, when Gray realized it would be pointless to just stay there, "Levy, I think I'll be on my way now," he only spoke, standing up already, as if expecting just a plain nod from the gloomy solid script mage.

Just as when he was headed out to leave, Levy's voice called out to him. "Do you really think they're... together?" making Gray stop walking, turning to the girl with confused eyes.

His eyes then turned into understanding, as he slowly paled, the emotions he struggled to hide earlier slowly getting the best out of him. Nope, get a hold of yourself, Gray. This is not like you.

Gray sighed. "Don't know, don't care." he knew he was sounding a bit harsh, but Levy wouldn't stop till she gets the information she needed. "You don't care?" Levy spoke, as if she was the one who got offended. Gray was caught off guard. "You don't care if Juvia and G-Gajeel are dating each other?" then there was silence.

Gray did not breathe, speak a word, or blink either. He didn't agree and yet he didn't deny it. Levy was suddenly out of control, her emotions flowing out of her as she spoke with hints of hurt and anger in her voice, "Well, if you don't care, then I do! I care– a lot! Gajeel... he had taken me to a lot of dates... and just when I thought we had something special... he... he replaced me with someone else."

"But why would he do that? He never said we'd see other people... but maybe he has his own definition of dating. He probably thought that it's not wrong to see more than one people at a time. Our last date was just last week. Last week, Gray! And he already found someone else..." Levy trailed off, and Gray couldn't find which words to say. He just let her emotions go out of her, it'll probably the only way to make her feel better. And Gray lets her do it, maybe, just maybe because he feels a bit for what Levy was saying; although he will never admit it.

"I can't blame him though," Levy continued, her tears almost begging to get out of her crystal eyes, "Juvia is beautiful. So attractive. She is a hundred times better than me... Looks, body, skills... What even am I to compare with her? Yeah, right. Just like what Gajeel calls me, a shrimp." Levy chuckled bitterly and Gray swallowed a lump in his throat.

"That's not true, Levy." those were Gray's first words after hearing Levy's rant. He just couldn't help but stop his friend because it's getting too far. "Don't compare yourself to Juvia. You're both... beautiful... in your own ways." Gray coughed, a hint of red spreading across his cheeks as he looked away from Levy.

Was complimenting people ever this hard? He couldn't remember the last time he complimented someone. Probably when he said Lucy was cute? Or that Erza was really pretty? He shook his head and sighed, things involving feelings were something Gray isn't very good at; and he's not proud of it. Hell, even Natsu, the dense fire dragon slayer, could compliment people better than him. Gray's just so bad at expressing feelings – it was extremely hard, considering the irony that he knew Juvia, who was one of the most expressive people ever in this world.

"Thanks, Gray, but that didn't really help," Levy honestly told him and he sighed. "I know it didn't. I always suck at these kinds of things, damn it," he admitted, making Levy look at him in the eye, and see how the blush still remained in his cheeks.

"I'm sorry for saying so many things in front of you. I'm not usually like this. I'm just... kinda hurt..." Levy scratched the back of her head, just like Gray did last time, and looked down. "It's okay. I'm sorry I couldn't help." Gray spoke, and when he thought of what seemed to be a great idea, he told her.

"Levy, you should go to Juvia's place later, since you both live in Fairy Hills." there was a stop, it seemed like Gray was waiting for Levy's reaction. Just when she was about to protest, he continued. "We– you will never know until you ask it directly from her. She will tell you things honestly, directly from what happened, and we'll– I-I mean, you will be able to find out and get yourself out of that anxiety." he added.

"Juvia is a... erm... kinda nice girl. She'd definitely speak to you truthfully," Gray spoke, and after a few seconds, he heard Levy sigh. "I know. I will." the blue haired mage spoke and smiled a bit. "There still wasn't any confirmation about their... thing... so we're still not a hundred percent sure, right?" Levy smiled, and Gray almost did the same. This was the Levy he knew. The one who doesn't give up, and sees the good in all things.

He nodded and patted her head. "Go give me a call and tell me what happened later." making Levy grin, "so you're interested to know, too?" to which Gray rolled his eyes for. "I'm not interested. Just bored, and worried about you." he answered, almost stuttering.

Levy laughed. "You're such a bad liar, Gray! Next time, when you lie to people, make sure to look at their eyes so they don't figure out! And you, worried about me? With things concerning love? Since when, icey cold wizard, or should I say, in better terms, tsundere Gray?" with the witty retort from Levy, Gray couldn't do anything but redden a bit. She figured him out. Was I this predictable? Damn it!

"S-Shut up, Levy!" Gray shouted, walking away from Levy, not wanting to give her more chances of teasing him. "That's probably the reason why you almost froze the entire street earlier. I should've known you were jealous, way more jealous than I was!" she laughed, and laughed, as if the heavy burden from before had completely fallen out of her. Gray put his hands on his ear, pretending not to hear what Levy was saying.

"No, I'm not! I can't hear you!" Gray shouted, though his voice was drowned by Levy's laughter. "You can't hear me and yet you respond? Whatever you say, tsunde-gray!" Levy laughed as Gray faded into view, the blue haired mage finally deciding to head home and meet Juvia in Fairy Hills.

She needs answers, and she's getting it, right now.

this is where the fun begins!

(P.S. i hope you got the "tsunde-gray pun lmao)