The morning light poked it's way through Gray's eyelids, slowly waking him up. He went to rub his eyelids with his hands, which he managed to do with one arm before realizing the other was tucked underneath a pair of arms clinging onto his torso from behind him. And then he remembered the night before, watching Lucy pass out and have to get a room for her to sleep off the alcohol.
And then he remembered there was only one bed. And that he put her in it. And he laid next to her. Without a shirt. With her arms wrapped around him. And her legs hugging his lower half. And her cheek nuzzled into him.
And a stream of her drool running down his shoulder.
Great, he thought, Of all the times to sleep half-naked...
Gray had, with great effort and some subconscious reluctance, pried himself away from Lucy, wiped her drool off his back, and went down to the lobby for breakfast. He was perhaps the only person in the world that would eat cold pancakes and dry cereal, but that was what his breakfasts usually consisted of. A few minutes after 10, Lucy stumbled down the stairs in her outfit from yesterday wearing a pair of slippers. Though the bandage was still on her ankle, a good night's rest healed it overnight. And therefore she was walking perfectly on both feet. Not knowing any of the few other people in the dining area and not wanting to be alone, Lucy made her way to Gray's table and sat in the chair across from him.
"Morning, sunshine," Gray said without changing his expression, "Need some coffee? I didn't actually plan on drinking it."
Gray pushed forward a small cup filled with black coffee. Lucy took a couple of sugar packets from the display in the center of the table and put them in before drinking it.
"It happened again, didn't it?" Lucy asked.
"Oh yeah," Gray replied.
"Was it bad?" asked Lucy.
"Well, you didn't throw up on anything or anyone, so that was a bonus for this round in comparison to last time," Gray replied, adding a smirk, "And these hotel beds are probably more comfortable than the ones back at the cottage."
Which is probably why I dozed off next to you, Gray thought.
"At least my ankle is better," Lucy said, "But my head is killing me."
An awkward silence followed, both unsure where to direct the conversation. They both realized somewhere that there was sexual tension developing between the two, especially during their most recent interactions. Gray was about to speak up until...
"He's my father."
"What?" asked Gray.
"The 'bad man' you said I was having nightmares about," replied Lucy, cupping her mug with both hands, "He's my father."
"I thought you weren't ready to talk about..."
"I am now," Lucy said, "Three times now I've gotten drunk, and you've been there to take care of me when I couldn't take care of myself. Third times the charm, y'know? So I trust you enough to be there if...something happens with me involving my father."
Gray stared at her, twirling his finger aimlessly in his bowl of dry cereal, prompting Lucy to go on.
"He...he touched me, Gray," Lucy said, "Many times, actually. He always did it when I was asleep, though sometimes I actually wasn't. I think he's suspicious that I know what he did. That's why I ran away."
"Yikes," was the only word Gray could muster.
"I still feel him sometimes," Lucy said softly, "He would kiss me in...certain places, touch me where no father should ever be touching his daughter. Where no man should ever touch a woman without her permission."
A slight feeling of guilt brushed through Gray's stomach as he recalled gently massaging her thighs the previous night. Or it could just be the cold pancakes.
"My, uh...vagina," she whispered the last word, "is the only place he hasn't completely violated so far. I wouldn't let him. Every time I felt his fingers going towards it, I would pretend to wake up, and he had no choice but to act like he was just watching. But that only happened twice before I had enough. I...I drink to forget him...it works for a while, but..."
Lucy was trembling. She looked down into her lap, not showing her face to Gray. She didn't want him to see her cry. Expecting a cocky response telling her to get over it or to pretend her father can't hurt her anymore, she felt Gray's hands grabbing her own. She looked up and he peered right into her eyes.
"You're safe with us," Gray said, "With all of us."
Lucy nodded her head in acknowledgement, beyond grateful she found that small cottage that was rented out by the Fairy Tail guild.
"Even Erza?" she asked.
"Hey, after hearing that story," Gray said smiling, "Drinking contests with Erza don't sound nearly as dangerous."
Both laughed heartily, finally lightening the mood. Just in time, too, because recollections about the subject matter were not fitting for the two young boys who had run into the lobby chasing each other. The same pink-haired and black-haired boys from last night.
"Hey, I remember you!" the pink-haired one said, pointing at Lucy.
"Er...you do?" Lucy asked in confusion.
"Yeah!" the pink-haired one exclaimed, "You're that girl with the big butt and the frilly panties!"
"Clover!" the black-haired one hissed.
"But it's true, Hikaru!" Clover exclaimed.
Ah, Clover and Hikaru, Gray thought, So that's what their names are.
"Excuse me?" asked an agitated Lucy.
"You couldn't just say 'the girl who helped save the village?'" asked Hikaru.
"But...the frilly panties..." Clover said with a double take.
"Y'know, Gray," Lucy said, "These two kind of remind me of you and Natsu, only younger."
"That so?" asked Gray.
Clover tapped Lucy's arm and asked, "Can I...can I touch it?"
"No!" Lucy moaned.
"...can I smell it?"
"NO, YOU STUPID PERVERT!" Lucy screamed.
Lucy got out of her seat chasing down Clover, ready to beat him to a pulp. Hikaru gave an apologetic glance towards Gray before running after them to try and prevent a bloodbath.
She was right, Gray thought, They kinda are like us.
