Chapter 4: The morning after.

I opened my eyes as I felt the sunshine's heat on my face. I stretched out, "Hm, feels like it's going to be a good day."

"Ah?" Someone replied with a yawn.

"Yeah" I started to answer, but then realized someone just talked to me, "Wait, who's here?" I looked around, "Gray? What are you doing here?" He was lying on the floor.

"Waking up, obviously. And you're not making it easy for me. Stop yelling, seriously." He stood up while scratching his head.

"I meant, what are you doing in my apartment at this hour?" I clarified.

"Well, I slept here." He replied matter-of-factly. "By the way, you should buy something for guests. Your armchair isn't comfortable at all; I had to sleep on the floor." Maybe I should, since most of the time it's me who ends up sleeping on the floor.

"It you're not happy, just go sleep at your place next time," I retorted. "Why didn't you do that in the first place, by the way?"

"After the bath, I didn't have enough energy to go home anymore. And I don't really get why you're complaining. I didn't bother you in any way. You're the one that woke me up while yelling."

"Well, sorry for bothering you." I replied sarcastically.

"No big deal, I was already half-awake anyway." He said condescendingly.

"I wasn't really sorry!" I yelled out of frustration. Then, his words sank in and I remembered something. "BATH!" I suddenly shouted.

"Bath?" He looked confused.

"I fell asleep and forgot to take one yesterday." I explained. I took my things and went to the bathroom. I stopped before closing the door and pointed at him, "And you, go out of my apartment." I slammed the door.

"Looks like someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning." I heard him state.

"And whose fault is that, huh? You intruding stripper." I whispered angrily to myself.Well, at least, he'd had the decency of keeping his underwear on.

As I was in the bathtub, I tried to remember what exactly happened last night. I clearly remembered that, when I fell asleep, I was waiting for Gray to come out of the bathroom, and so I was on my armchair. How did I end up in my bed? I thought hard. My eyes widened as the memories came back.

Sensing Gray carrying me and covering me but not moving one bit. Asking him not to avoid me anymore. His promise. Gray patting my head. My hand on his. "I missed that." I suddenly felt my cheeks redden. I hope he didn't hear that one. It seemed like he didn't.

Seriously, what was I thinking when I asked him this? And when I put my hand on his? I didn't think; that's the problem. I was barely conscious. Oh, that was embarrassing.

No matter how I look at it, it seemed like a scene that could be in like any romance story you can find. What if he now thinks I like him? Which is completely not true. I missed him as a friend, that's all. It was just a reflex to grasp his hand. It's not like I was acting weird or anything, right? He won't think I'm weird, will he?

I cursed at myself. Just when things between us seemed to become normal again. I hope it doesn't get awkward because of this.

Well, he didn't seem to mind just a few minutes ago. I must be overthinking things. Or, he also didn't remember because he wasn't fully awake either.

Stop it, Lucy. There's nothing to worry about. He won't feel awkward around you because of this. It's not like you confessed your love to him or anything. Love that you don't feel, by the way. He's just a friend.

Ugh. The more I think about it, the more I feel my cheeks burning. And it's not because of the hotness of the water.

Come on! You have to stop thinking about it. It'll only make it worse.

"Mou, I don't care anymore!" I shouted out of frustration as I immersed my head inside the water.

xxxxx

When I was finished, I wrapped a towel around me and went out of the bathroom. Gray was still here, casually sitting on my armchair.

"Ah, you're finally done. I was starting to get bored." He told me.

"Then you should have left, just like I told you." I retorted. This guy was really starting to get on my nerves. Suddenly, I smelled something good. "What's this good smell?"

"Oh? I hope the taste's also good." Gray looked at a plate which was on my table.

"You made breakfast? Thank you so much!" My mood suddenly went up, and I grinned as I sat on a chair, ready to eat.

"I told you I was bored. Plus it's not a big deal, it's just pancakes." He replied while looking away as he sat across me.

I took a bite. "Hm, they're good!"

"So, you don't want to throw me out anymore?" He smirked in victory.

"Well, not now, anyway." I admitted. "I have to recognize that you're not loud and annoying like Natsu and Happy are when they stay the night. And you're a little useful, so…"

"Of course. Unlike them, I do have manners."

"You do lack some, though. Seriously, wear some clothes." I remarked.

"Like you can talk." He said with a smirk.

I looked down, and realized I was still wearing only a towel. "Aaah! Why didn't you tell me before?"

"I thought you didn't mind, it's your place after all. And I certainly didn't, either."

"I mind! You pervert!" I yelled, nearly throwing him a pancake in the face. But I restrained myself; they were too good to be wasted like this. "I'll go change. And put some clothes on, too."

I went back after putting a shirt and a skirt on. Gray was still sitting at the table, eating, as if he hadn't moved at all. But he now had his clothes on.

I sat and continued eating. While chewing my food, I looked at him. Things aren't awkward at all, after all. I'm glad. I really was overthinking things.

He then looked up and asked, "What?"

"Nothing." I answered maybe too quickly.

"You were staring at me." He stated.

"I wasn't!" I refuted.

"You were. It was kind of creepy, actually."

"I wasn't. You just happen to be in front of me, and the only thing moving in this room. So, of course, my eyes went on you." I ranted.

He looked at me for a few seconds before replying, "So, you were staring."

"Looking. Not staring." I corrected.

"If you say so." He didn't seem convinced at all.

"Just… Finish your pancakes! We're gonna be late."

"You know we can go to the guild whenever we want, right?"

"Yeah, but… I want to be there soon!" Why am I such a bad liar?

"… Okay." He gave up.

xxxxxxxxxx

I felt proud of myself. It truly wasn't awkward anymore between Lucy and me. I could totally think straight and act normal again around her. Even though it was a little hard this morning. Damn she looks good in just a towel. Thankfully, I'd already seen her like this before, so I wasn't taken aback.

And why did she have to look at me for so long while we were eating? I had to try so hard not to look affected by it. I think I did a pretty good job, though. She seemed a lot more embarrassed than me. I smiled at the thought. It was so fun to see her like that.

"Why are you smiling?" She suddenly asked me.

"I remembered how embarrassed you looked this morning. It was really fun." I replied truthfully, but I don't think she took me seriously.

"Come on, stop teasing me already." She pouted.

We arrived at the guild.

"Ara, Lucy and Gray coming here together this early in the morning, it's a rare sight." Mirajane declared loudly as she saw us at the entrance.

"There's something going on between them!" Happy flew in front of us, rolling his tongue as always.

"Shut up, stupid cat." I said straight to him.

"Natsuuu! Gray is mean!" He went to cry in Natsu's arms as we sat next to them.

"Oi, Lucy. Don't tell me you really came together?" Natsu asked her.

"We did, so what?" She replied, really not understanding why he was acting like this.

"Huh? Why would you meet up with him alone before going here? Are you hiding something from us?" He nearly accused us.

"We didn't meet up before going here. And, no! Why would you think that?"

"But, if you didn't meet up, how come you were together? You don't live in the same area at all." He seemed to think hard. Too hard for him, probably.

"Could it be… that you were already together before going out?" Happy gasped.

I suddenly felt all the guild's eyes on us.

"Oi, good job, Gray!"

"Looks like Lucy's finally found herself a boyfriend!"

"Guys, stop it! It's not like that!" Lucy shouted to everyone. Her cheeks were a little red. "And what do you mean by 'finally'?"

Then, she turned to look at Natsu again. "Yeah, he was at my place. What do you make such a big deal out of this, seriously?" Lucy answered without blinking. "You come all the time, and nobody finds it weird."

"But, but, but…" Natsu started to cry, "Why that stripper can come while we can't? I thought we were best friends, Lucy. You're mean."

"Really mean!" Happy added while crying too.

"I told you you weren't allowed to come for a week because you're too annoying." Lucy calmly explained. I nodded in approval.

"And he's not?" He retorted pointing at me.

"No, he isn't."

I couldn't resist to shout proudly, "HA! Take that in the face, flame-brain."

"What did you say, ice-brain?"

And then, we were fighting.

xxxxxxxxxx

"Ne, Lucy. You can tell me. Are you and Gray getting it on?" Cana asked me not so confidentially.

"What? NO!" Cana and her weird ideas… I looked around if someone heard us, but they were either minding their own business or watching Natsu and Gray fight.

"Then why are you blushing?" She smiled knowingly.

"Because your question itself is embarrassing." I looked down.

"Oh, come on. We're not little girls anymore." She elbowed me and laughed loudly.

"Yeah, but still…"

"Okay okay, I'll stop. But if you need any advice, you know where to find me." She winked at me before going back to her drinking.

xxxxx

A little later, Erza came and cut short their fight. We were now all seating around a table.

"Gray! Everyone! Good morning!" Juvia greeted us as she sat with us.

"Hello, Juvia." We answered back.

"Sorry to be late. I took a bath and immerged myself in it without noticing again…"

"Seems inevitable for a Water Mage I guess…" I replied, remembering how it also happened at the 24-Hour Endurance Road Race.

"At least you have a good reason to stay this long in the bathtub, unlike some other girl I know." Gray remarked while eyeing me.

"You're supposed to take your time for a bath for it to be relaxing." I argued.

"Then I guess yours was reaaaally relaxing."

"Because I was reaaaally unrelaxed, thanks to some guy I know." I retorted.

"Wait, wait. Why are they talking about Lucy bathing?" Juvia panicked a little.

"You see, Gray and Lucy spent the night together." Happy quickly answered.

"Oh, I see…" She replied, nodding. Then, her eyes widened, "Wait, what?" Her face became red potato, and she added while looking down and playing with her fingers, "Juvia didn't know you were already like this…"

"Happy! Don't make it sound like this." I looked at Juvia, "It's really not like that. He just stayed over." Then I realized what she just said, "And what do you mean by 'already like this'?"

She didn't seem to listen to me, and went on, "Juvia had already given up on Gray and was ready to welcome his relationship with Lucy-san, but Juvia wasn't prepared for such news. It's embarrassing." She hid her face with her hands, all fidgety.

"Did you hear me? It's not like that! You don't have to welcome anything!" Guess her imagination didn't change. And why would it be embarrassing for her?

"You're not in a relationship yet?" She blinked at me, dumbfounded.

"No. And don't add 'yet'!"

"Lucy, you're blushing!" Happy pointed out.

"Come on, enough already with this crap. We aren't together. Understood?" Gray finally spoke up. He seemed even more frustrated than I was. I don't know why, though. Maybe because he held it in the whole time.

Nobody said a word about us after that. Not even Erza. But that was probably because she was only paying attention to her cake. I don't even think she heard the whole conversation.