CHAPTER TEN

AWKWARDNESS

"Is that your knight, Queen Evergreen?"

Gray's grin had just a tinge of self mockery as he looked down past Evergreen's upturned face and Evergreen's mind raced.

What could she say? How to answer such a sweet child's question in a way that wouldn't embarrass at least one person here?

Before she could come up with a sensible response, Gray crouched down next to her, putting himself at eye level with Vicky and smiled. "What makes you think she needs a knight?"

Vicky giggled even as she shyly edged closer to Evergreen. "Because you're tall and handsome and were watching over Queen Evergreen even though she didn't need saving."

Wait? What was Vicky saying? Watching?

A glance to the side showed a rising flush along the ice mage's cheeks but his smile didn't falter, though the edges feathered into his usual self-mockery. "Well, a queen knows how to hold everyone's attention. Of course, I had to watch the victory of good over selfishness."

Vicky softly tugged at Evergreen's sleeve, motioning the mage to lean down to her. "He's nice. If he's strong, he'd make a good knight."

Evergreen felt her own cheeks darken, hoping the little girl's whisper was soft enough Gray didn't hear. Still, out of the mouths of babes…leaning in, she softly murmured to the girl. "He certainly would."

Timing worked out for her for once that day. Vicky's name carried across the park. The threesome looked over to see a tall blonde woman approaching the playground from one of the many surrounding paths.

"That's my momma." Vicky dropped a quick curtsy. "Thank you again, your majesty."

Evergreen bowed her head to the little girl. "It was my pleasure, little princess."

Vicky ran to her mother who gathered up the little girl into a joyful hug before taking her hand. Evergreen watched the two walk away from the playground hand in hand. Such a sweet sight and a good distraction as Evergreen pushed herself to her feet, breathing deeply to clear her head before turning to face Gray. "Thank you for being nice and not correcting her. The world attacks peoples' dreams soon enough and I'm hoping hers can last."

Gray shoved his fingers deep into his front pockets, leaning his weight on his back leg, his eyes studying her. "What was there to correct? Did you change your mind about being a fairy queen?"

"Never!" Evergreen laughed, her fan spread under her eyes at an angle coldly calculated to be the most flattering. "So, princess Vicky said you were watching."

His cheeks flushed darker and he gaze slanted to the side, eyelids dropping low in defense. "Since the bench."

"The bench? So...you watched everything?" Evergreen raised her fan up to cover more of her face, needing her own shield as her mind raced. He'd seen everything, heard her speech to the children? What would he think of her? She didn't regret what she did but if she had known she had an audience other than kids…kids she had been intentionally scaring…

"Yeah, I saw the little girl crying and was going to help but then you showed up and took care of it."

A snicker rose in her throat, barely choked down. She should have known. Vicky was right, he would make a good knight. Always the protector.

"I…" In his pause, his deep breath and shifting feet were loud. "What you said to them...Did you mean it?"

Her mind raced over her speech. What all had she said? She'd been angry and it wasn't like she'd planned it out, memorized it...but wasn't the answer there? The words had come from emotion, a deep need to protect Vicky and guide the other children from that dark road that led so close to destruction...the road that had almost been the ruin of Laxus...and herself. Stiffening her spine and lowering her fan in challenge, she met his dark gaze and held it. "Yes. I meant it."

The curve of his lips held no mockery or irony, just happiness. "Good."

Good? What did he mean by good? As much as she loved her abilities and had never regretted her choice of magic, she briefly wished for Warren's abilities. What was going on in his head? Well, there was one way to find out and Erza had assured her that it would work. "What do you mean?" The tone was harsher than she intended, more a demand than a question and the smile on his face slipped back toward irony.

"If you believed what you said then you're not comparing yourself to Erza anymore. You've finally let go of measuring yourself against someone else and are just being you. That's a good thing. So is what you said to the kids, trying to keep them from making the same mistake…" He tilted his head, leaning toward her, closing the space between them, somehow putting more demand into his question than should be there. "Right?"

Evergreen nodded.

He leaned back, blushing, "It was good to see that."

"Yes, one more rescue complete." She smirked and flicked his shoulder lightly with her fan. "I'm curious do you keep a running total?"

"A running total?" He cocked his head to the side, resting a hand on his bare waist.

Hiding a giggle behind her fan, Evergreen answered, "Gray, your pants."

"What!" He looked around frantically, discovering them behind him, and gracelessly yanked them back up his legs.

"That is a very interesting talent." She hadn't even noticed him take the pants off. How did he manage that? "As for your question, I was wondering if you keep a running total of how many people you rescue."

He turned away from her, the hand running through his shaggy hair hiding his face. "Why would I? It's not like it's a competition to do the right thing."

"I doubt you would even remember all the times…" Evergreen's murmur was low but still audible in the quiet park.

His blush spread down his neck to his chest. "You're talking like I'm some great hero or something."

"I think it would depend on who you ask as to what you are. I wonder how you see yourself."

Gray shrugged, lightly scratching his cheekbone, still shielding his face. "Well, you're obviously dressed up for something so I'll head off and let you get to it."

She grabbed his bare shoulder as he turned away. "Hey! I haven't asked you my question yet. You can't just leave." Her tone was harsher than she had meant but it stopped him.

He looked back at her in confusion, turning a back toward her but pulling away from her grip.

Awkwardly dropping her hand back to her side, Evergreen took a deep breath, adjusted her glasses on her face and asked, "Would you have dinner with me tonight?"

His eyes narrowed and his eyebrows drew up in suspicion. "Why?" He leaned away from her warily.

Such an extreme action almost silenced Evergreen but she had not become a member of the Thunder Legion by backing down or ducking a challenge. "I want to talk to you and I'd prefer to do it somewhere we won't be interrupted by a body flying through the table, fire turning the food to ash or my dress being soaked by a sudden flood." He stopped backing away but the wariness did not leave his eyes. She snapped her fan open and waved it softly under her chin. "I promise I will not be using the terms love-rival, Gray-sama, my Gray or any variation of those phrases. It's a dinner invitation not a marriage proposal." Did he really think she was about to become obsessively clingy like Juvia?

Reminded of the water mage, Evergreen quickly looked around, searching the shadows for any evidence that Juvia was nearby. Her home was not flood proof and she was not going to risk her beautiful dresses over a simple conversation.

Gray shrugged, looking around at everything except her. "Ok."

Not an eager answer nor a graceful answer. No glimmer of his artist side escaped the dark thug aura he so often projected. Why did he hide it so deeply?

"Be at my house tonight at 6 then."

He nodded and she gave him the address before taking a very stilted and awkward leave of him.

Striding out of the park to arrange for the food for tonight, Evergreen fumed, fanning herself furiously. Why did things always become so awkward with him? She was a fairy queen-graceful, delicate, regal, elegant. So, where was the proper dismissal words and stance when it came to walking away from him.

A low growl gathered at the base of her throat but she caged it there. Such an inelegant sound would not dare escape her lips. That it would even dare to try just showed how much she needed to get this deplorable curiosity out of her system.