AN: Okay, so it has been a while, but this chapter is the longest yet, so hopefully you'll all forgive me for the wait (and the lack of review responses, I swear I don't mean to leave you all hanging.)
So here we go, Mered officially shows up after 10 chapters! Also gonna dedicate this chapter to my child thegreatgrapist (wtf gray on here) who loves Mered more than I do. ;)
Felix Felicis
By the time breakfast had ended, it was clear; today was Lyon's lucky day.
Gray had gotten up early and had rushed off to hockey practice the minute he'd cleared his plate. Ultear had to meet up with her business partner, Jellal, to go over details for a new case. And his parents were headed to Ur's gallery, in order to prepare for a showing.
In fact, the only bad news was that the showing was tomorrow, and that meant his parents weren't going to be joining them for their usual tradition of going to the Festival of Lights in Magnolia. He wasn't about to complain though; it was Ur's dream to own a gallery, and her success allowed Silver to retire early from working up north at the mines, meaning he no longer had to spend weeks at a time away from home. One lost tradition was an easy price to pay for their happiness.
Furthermore, it meant he was in the clear for his date. With all of his family occupied, there was little else that could go wrong.
He couldn't help but feel like it was a sign, and told Juvia as much as they approached Edelwiess.
"Today is going to be perfect, I can just feel it. It's like the universe is converging in just the right way for this date to go off without a hitch. Kinda like I took that luck potion from Harry Potter."
Juvia rolled her eyes, but offered him a small smile anyways. "You mean the Felix Felicis potion?"
He chuckled. "Probably. You're more likely to remember it than me."
"Well, let's hope you're right. Lord knows we could both use some good luck in the romance department."
"Amen to that. It's been way too long since I've actually been excited about a date. And if this goes well, that means once we get back to college I'll have more time and energy to focus on helping you get a little action."
Juvia shook her head at him. "I think I'll manage just fine on my own. I know I've been out of the game for a few months, but I haven't forgotten how to play."
"It wouldn't hurt if you let me help you with your outfits," Lyon offered.
"Uh, I've seen your idea of what I should wear out, and I think I'll pass. I'd like to be able to bend over a bit without exposing myself."
Lyon glanced over at her, letting his eyes wander over her outfit, before returning his gaze back to the road. "You could do with a little more exposure from time to time. I mean, you've got assets most women would kill for, it's practically a sin that you don't use them more to your advantage!"
"You're just saying that," she replied, but Lyon noticed the soft flush of her cheeks.
"No I'm not. You know I'm not. I don't just dole out empty compliments, Juvia. I mean, I do, but you know when I'm just joking around. And that doesn't mean that there's not truth behind them. You're a pretty girl."
"But I'd be prettier if I hiked up my skirt and wore a plunging neckline?" she grumbled.
"No, you'd still be just as pretty. You'd just get a hell of a lot more attention for it."
Juvia sighed and turned to stare out the window. It wasn't the first time they'd had this conversation, and he knew better than to push her too far. It was true, he often tried to push styles that he knew pushed her well out of her comfort zone in regards to skin coverage, but he also knew she had the figure to pull it off.
It wasn't that he thought she needed to be exposed to get noticed. He just thought that if she went out, even once, and got the attention that kind of outfit would elicit, she'd feel more confident moving forward. Or at least he hoped she would. She always vetoed his options so he couldn't test the theory.
"Maybe I can try it your way once. We'll go out once we get back, and I'll let you doll me up. Mostly because after this trip I'm gonna be in dire need of a really good hook up."
"Oh?" Lyon quirked his eyebrow up at her. "And why exactly are you so sure you're gonna need that hook up?"
Juvia tensed just a bit and her lips twitched in a grimace. "No reason."
"Uh huh, sure. Nothing to do with my brother running around half naked most mornings."
"He's hot okay? To be honest, I have no idea how it doesn't affect you," she sighed.
"It's Gray, I'd rather gag on some fat old ma-"
"Stop! I do not need that mental image, just stop!" She shuddered, and Lyon let a self satisfied smirk spread across his lips.
"Fine, fine. I'll spare you the gory details," he replied. "Anyways, you gonna be okay to entertain yourself this afternoon?"
"Yes, yes. I'll be fine. I looked up those outdoor ice rinks that you told me about, and they've got a free skate going on for most of the day so I'll probably head over and check it out. I haven't had a chance to go skating in years, and it would be nice to get back on the ice."
"If you want I can give you a bit of cash, just something to cover your skate rentals and lunch," Lyon offered. Truthfully, as much as he was looking forward to his date he felt a bit guilty leaving her all on her own for so long, especially after yesterday. He wasn't about to tell her, but it was obvious she hadn't slept well last night.
"I'll be fine Lyon. I know I complain about money a lot but I'm not destitute. I can afford a day out once in awhile."
"I know, I know," he sighed. "I just feel guilty ditching you today."
"Yeah well, get over it, it's for a good cause; besides, I think we're almost there."
True to her words, Lyon spotted the sign for the café just up ahead, and pulled onto the nearest side street to park.
He leaned back and let loose a sigh as Juvia undid her seat belt, prompting her to turn and look at him.
"Are you okay?"
Lyon bit down on his bottom lip as the feeling of butterflies in his stomach intensified. "Just need a minute."
She nodded and leaned back against her own seat, and slipped her hand over his. "Nervous?"
He nodded.
"Excited?"
"Mhmm."
"You know, I bet you he's pretty nervous as well. I mean, all this time talking to you, and he finally gets to meet you face to face. It's a lot of pressure for both of you, don't you think?" Juvia said.
Lyon stared at her for a moment, before smiling and giving her hand a small squeeze. "Yeah, it is, isn't it? I guess I'm just worried I'm going to disappoint him. I mean, all this time we've been talking, he's kinda been looking up to me. I act like I've got all the answers cause I've been a million miles away, but now..." Lyon sighed. "What if I'm not good enough?"
Juvia stared at him for a moment before leaning across the armrest and wrapping her arms around him. He leaned into the hug as she pulled him tighter and nuzzled her cheek against his. "Lyon, there's no way in hell you're not good enough. You're so amazing, and talented, and funny. You, as you are, is a hundred times better than any online version of yourself you conjured up."
Lyon sighed, and held her tighter, taking strength from her words. He had no idea how he'd gotten so lucky, Juvia was the only person he knew he could trust in moments like this. The only one who saw his insecurities and didn't try to use them against him. Instead, she just kept picking up the pieces, and held him up while he managed to piece himself back together.
He gave her one final squeeze before letting out a sigh and pulling back. "Come on, we better get going. Normally I'm all for showing up fashionably late, but I don't think that's the right impression I want to make on a first date."
Juvia giggled. "I should hope not."
Lyon took a deep breath and steeled his nerves, taking Juvia's words to heart. He'd been talking with Mered for a year now, and they had an effortless relationship. There was no reason for him to believe that that was going to change now.
Lyon spotted Mered the second he and Juvia walked into the café. It was hard to miss his wispy pink hair. Sure, it wasn't quite as wild as Natsu's, but it still helped him stand out from the crowd.
Green eyes locked with his and Lyon felt his heart flutter. If he was honest, Mered's online pictures didn't do him justice. His face looked more angular now, and he could see the hint of a five o'clock shadow starting to grow in, making him look older and much less baby-faced.
Mered flashed him a brilliant smile and waved.
Lyon smiled back, but remained frozen in place by the door, his mind buzzing with questions about whether or not his hair looked okay, or if he dressed up too much.
Mered wore a simple, loose-fitting black turtleneck and baggy khaki cargo pants. It was a sharp contrast to the royal blue dress shirt and slacks hiding under Lyon's coat.
It suddenly occurred to him that they were still up north. Images of his encounter with Bacchus, as well as his last date flooded his mind. His heart rate doubled, but it felt like he couldn't breath. The noise in the tiny café suddenly seemed unreasonably loud and overwhelming.
A comforting hand slipped into his and he felt Juvia lean into him from behind. "You okay?"
"Hmm?" Lyon's heart began to slow, and all at once everything came back into focus. It was a jarring feeling.
"You're kinda gawking," Juvia mummered in his ear. "You keep standing here and you're gonna freak him out."
Lyon nodded. He could see the slight crease in Mered's forehead from here. He forced himself to follow Juvia as she guided him over. As they approached, he took a deep breath and tried to compose himself. Nothing was ruining his date, not this time.
Mered slipped from the booth to greet them.
"You must be Mered! It's so great to finally meet you, Lyon talks about you all the time," Juvia gushed, as she practically threw her arms around the near stranger in, what Lyon could only assume was, a bone-breaking hug.
He couldn't help but chuckle a bit at the sight, since Juvia was never that affectionate with strangers. It was obvious she was going out of her way for him, and he felt a huge surge of affection and gratitude.
"Does he now?" Mered asked, sending a wink Lyon's way.
"Mhmm."
"Well, that's good to know. He talks about you all the time too. Starting to make me jealous, the stupid dorky dork."
Juvia's cheeks flushed in response as she detached herself from him. "Wha- no, no, it's not like that. We're not, that is, I mean Lyon's-"
Mered's laughter cut off Juvia's stuttering, and Lyon felt his heart flutter at the sound.
"Don't worry, I know." Their eyes met and Mered sent Lyon a small smile. "Hey."
"Hi," he replied, with a small smile of his own.
"You know, I think I'm gonna go get us drinks. Low-fat vanilla bean latte?" Juvia asked.
"Sure."
"Mered?"
"I'm good." Mered tapped the large paper cup resting on the table beside him.
Juvia nodded and left. Mered watched her go before turning to lock eyes with Lyon once again.
For his part, Lyon had yet to look away. He knew it was starting to border on creepy, but his nerves and excitement were still overwhelming and he found himself slow on the uptake.
"Care to sit?" There was that smirk again, accompanied by a gesture towards the booth.
"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" Lyon asked. He glanced around, before undoing his coat, and quickly shucking it off. He swallowed the lump in his throat and tried his best to ignore how exposed he felt. He folded the coat across his arm and slid into the booth across from Mered, carefully placing it beside him.
Mered shrugged, and eyed him. "Maybe."
Lyon crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back against the leather cushions. He kept his back straight to maintain his height advantage and fixed Mered with reproachful look.
"Aww, is someone pouting?"
Lyon bristled. "I am most certainly not pouting!"
Mered bit down on his lower lip, and tried to stifle his laughter. His body shook with the effort.
Despite the offensive reaction, all Lyon could really think about was that he looked cute. It had been like that for months now. There was a time when the teasing had bothered him, but now it felt more endearing than anything. Still, he did his best to discourage the behaviour.
"That's a shame," Mered said, finally managing to control his laughter, "you're pretty cute when you pout."
Heat blossomed across Lyon's cheeks and he immediately whisked his gaze away. Damn this boy.
Mered snickered, and Lyon shot him another frown.
"Yeah, well, I don't pout," he insisted.
"Uh huh."
"And you'd be cuter if you didn't constantly have that smirk plastered on your face."
"Cuter, huh?" Mered said, raising a slender pink brow. "So that means you think I'm cute with it too, right?"
"Yeah, well-"
"You're a lot more articulate online, y'know?"
Lyon sighed and combed his fingers through his hair. "I'm usually a lot more articulate, period."
"What's up?" The smirk had fallen from Mered's lips and his head was cocked to the side.
"Honestly," Lyon locked eyes with Mered briefly before glancing around, "I feel a bit overdressed."
"Pfft, you're kidding right? You look great."
"Of course I look great. I always look great. I just…." Lyon trailed off and his eyes shifted over Mered's outfit yet again.
Mered shifted in his seat, then leaned back against the booth with his arms crossed. "You just think I don't?"
"What? No. No, no, no. You look good, way better than your photos actually, I just, I forgot that it's different up here. That maybe you'd want me to be a little less… me?" he said, gesturing to his own outfit. "I just, I know what people can be like up here and I don't want to cause issues for you."
Mered snorted. "You're an idiot. If I wanted some closeted gay redneck I'd just stick to the local dating pool. I like that you dressed up for me. I'm just not quite as comfortable in form-fitting clothes."
Lyon let out a sigh of relief. He leaned back, closed his eyes and let his head roll back. His right hand rubbed the back of his neck and shoulders, trying to work out the tension that had built up there.
A soft hand fell over top of his left, which was still resting on the table top. For a moment he thought it might be Juvia's. Mered's hands were surprisingly soft, and a bit on the smaller side. Lyon cracked an eye open to peer at him.
Mered was smirking again, and Lyon arched an eyebrow at him.
"You always this frazzled?"
"Hardl-"
"Yes, he is." Juvia interjected.
Lyon whipped his head up to scowl at her, as she set his latte down in front of him. "I'm never this frazzled on a date."
"That's 'cause you don't date. You meet boys in clubs, and there's usually minimal talking cause your mouth is otherwise occupied."
"You can stop talking now."
Juvia smiled down at him. "I'll take that as my cue to leave then. Nice meeting you, Mered," she said, and waved at him.
Lyon caught her wrist before she could walk away. "Hey. I didn't mean it like that."
"I know." She smiled and glanced at Mered before looking back at him. "But I said I wanted to meet him, not third wheel on your date. So, I'm gonna head out."
Lyon felt a rush of nerves. He knew she was going to leave, but he figured she'd have stuck around for just a little longer. At least have a drink with them before going.
Juvia offered him a smile and laid her hand over the one on her wrist. Her thumb brushed over his as she gently pulled his hand off her arm. "I'll be fine. Honestly, just relax and enjoy yourself, you're overthinking everything."
He sighed, and nodded.
She gave his hand one last squeeze, then turned to face Mered. "Take care of him, please."
"Yes ma'am." Mered saluted.
Juvia giggled, and looked down at Lyon. "Call me later. Much later."
He smiled at her and nodded, then watched her go. Once she was out of the door he finally turned back to his date. Unsure of what to say he reached out and grabbed his coffee cup, and took a sip.
"You two are really close, huh?"
Mered was staring at him from across the table, his face absent of the usual smirk or flirty smile. His hands were fiddling with his own coffee cup, twisting it about but not picking it up, and he was worrying his lower lip.
"Yeah, well, she's my best friend," he said with a shrug.
"Yeah, you might have mentioned that a time or two. I mean, I get it, she's sweet, and the things you've told me she's done for you… that's awesome man. I just, I gotta say that you're just way closer than I thought," Mered replied. His fingers drummed restlessly against the coffee cup, and his gaze kept shifting around the room.
"What do you mean?" Lyon asked.
Mered's nose scrunched up, and he hesitated. "It's just- you have those silent eye conversations, and you instantly relax when she touches you, and she knows your weirdly specific coffee order. It's all very coupley."
It really shouldn't have shocked him. Lyon had heard a million people say something along the same lines back at college. It was nothing new, but the way Mered said it made him feel a bit weird. Sure, they were closer than most people, but that's why she was his best friend, not just a friend. Was there really something so wrong with that?
"Well, we're not."
"I know that, it's just-"
"Mer, seriously? I'm here, with you, on a date. The first real date I've had since my ex, as Juvia so kindly pointed out. There is nothing going on between Juvia and I. We are just really, stupidly close friends. Trust me, I wouldn't be here if I didn't like you."
A vivid blush erupted across Mered's cheeks. "Right," he said, then took a deep breath, before offering Lyon a sweet smile, "right, I know that."
"You ought to, I don't think either of us has been particularly subtle about the matter as of late."
A devilish smirk appeared, and Lyon knew Mered was recalling some of their more recent conversations.
He briefly wondered how far they were from Mered's home, but quickly squashed the thought. Mered had been pretty honest about his lack of experience and Lyon didn't want to rush him into anything. For all that he teased Lyon mercilessly, he was incredibly shy, and seemed pretty body conscious too.
Still, he was hoping to at least steal a kiss or two before the date was over.
"Whatcha thinkin' 'bout?," Mered asked.
"Nothing." Lyon's reply came out a little too quick, the word flying from his lips.
"Wow, your mind's in the gutter already, huh?
"No, it's not. I was just wondering if I'd get to kiss you today." Lyon mumbled.
A heated blush spread across Mered's cheeks, and he averted his gaze. "Well, I- I guess you'll just have to wait and see won't you?"
Lyon smirked, feeling pleased with himself for finally managing to fluster his date. "I guess I will."
The air was crisp and cool and burnt just a little as Juvia drew in a deep breath. She sat at the bottom of a rickety old set of wooden bleachers with her rental skates resting beside her.
She felt like a little kid again. It felt like it had been forever since she'd last been skating and while it wasn't something she did often, or particularly well, she'd always enjoyed the activity.
There was something about gliding around on the ice that made her feel free. Skating made her feel like she was weightless, and flying. Or at least it had once she'd gotten the hang of it. The initial learning process was painful, as anyone who'd ever face-planted on the ice could attest to.
Slowly, she laced up her boots, taking in the various families and groups of friends that were scattered about her. Some were resting on the benches while others were on the ice, skating in circles.
Just beyond the main free skating rink was one that seemed exclusively for hockey players. The rinks shared boards on that far side but the hockey rink had an additional chain fence on top, which she assumed was there in case a puck went flying. She could make out several figures whipping back and forth from end to end, clearly in the middle of a game.
She smiled, as she thought of Gray, who was likely doing much the same thing back in Eranthis.
She shook her head. Better not to start thinking too much about him, lest she dig herself an even deeper hole. There was no denying it at this point; she definitely liked Gray, and it was clear that Lyon had noticed.
Either way, he didn't seem to reciprocate her feelings. From what Lyon had told her about Gray, she was pretty sure last night would have ended very differently. Perhaps even with her in a different bed. Truthfully, she was pretty sure she would have just let him too, and that was exactly why she needed to stop thinking about him.
Lyon would not forgive her for that.
She took a shaky breath and stood up, carefully wobbling her way across the small space between the bleachers and the rink, and finally stepping onto the ice.
It took a moment to steady herself, as the skates themselves were in pretty rough shape and didn't offer much support, making it all the harder to maintain her balance, but she managed. After a moment of clinging to the side, she felt certain she had her feet under her and pushed off from the boards, moving out into the circling crowd.
It took several laps of slow wobbling before she actually started to get the hang of skating again. Now though, she was meandering with the rest of the crowd, a nice steady pace going. Just fast enough to feel a breeze, and invoke that feeling of flight.
She'd even managed to turn around once, but it was a short lived victory. She'd tripped less than a minute in, her blade catching an edge wrong, and barely managed to keep herself from landing on her ass. Still, going forward was working so she decided that was good enough for her.
Hoots and hollers drew her attention to the hockey rink as a single player was weaving his way through the opposition towards the net. Juvia watched as he spun around, wielding the puck with him, and evaded a guy coming straight at him.
His wild black hair struck her as familiar and she had to chide herself over yet again thinking of Gray. Still, she couldn't help but watch the man, he passed to a team mate, some blonde boy with a toothy grin, and managed to deke around a burly green haired man in order to get the puck that was already being passed back. He was just a few feet from the net.
"Shoot it, Gray!"
The command came from behind her, probably the goalie on the other side, but Juvia felt herself come to an abrupt halt at the name.
The person behind her collided into her, and sent her sprawling. It was her own fault, so she bit back the curses as the two of them worked to untangle themselves. Her palms stung from hitting the ice and one of her knees was in agony.
She muttered an apology as the stranger helped her up, offering one of their own. He asked if she was okay and once she nodded, he was off again. She shifted towards the side, allowing people to go by as she dusted the ice flakes from her clothes, and waited for the pain to subside.
"Juvia?"
She recognized that voice. Slowly she turned around and found herself face to face with Gray..
"What are you doing here?"
She was frozen in place, and for once completely caught off guard. She should have known better than to trust Lyon's declaration of good luck, nothing ever went as planned in her life.
"Skating?" She offered, because she really didn't have anything else. Her mind is whirling a mile a minute trying to come up with a good excuse before he could ask that inevitable question.
"Where's Lyon?"
Damnit.
Gray's gaze searched the crowd behind her, and Juvia knew there was no way she could pull off telling him Lyon was in the bathroom.
"He's not here." It was the truth, but she needed to come up with a reason, quickly.
"What? Why not?" By this point Gray was standing opposite her, with just a fence separating them, and she could see the other players peering over at them. Because that was just what she needed, an audience.
"Umm, well," she shifted in place and bit down on her lip, before forcing herself to stop both. Confidence was key at this point. What was a good reason for her to not be with Lyon; there had to be at least one.
Gray's frown deepened. "I thought you two were going on a date."
"We were! It's just… while we were out, you see, we, uh… WeranintoSherry!" The excuse came out in a rush of words, and Gray quirked an eyebrow at her.
"You what?"
"We ran into Sherry," she repeated. slowly this time, with more confidence. Now that she'd said it, the lie formed quickly in her mind. "They started talking, and, I mean, it's always a bit awkward to run into your ex; let alone when you're with your current partner. But after the whole thing with Chelia I got the impression there were still some things that those two needed to sort out. So, I came here."
Gray scowled as he spat out his next question. "Lyon asked you to leave them alone?"
"What? No," Juvia corrected, "no, he'd never. I offered."
"Why would you willing offer to leave your boyfriend alone with his ex?"
"Because they clearly had things they needed to talk out, and I'm secure in my relationship, and I trust my partner?"
"You don't think you'd want to know what it is they have to talk about?"
Juvia wasn't sure what to make of Gray's hostility. He seemed genuinely pissed off that Lyon was spending time with his ex, instead of with her and she had no idea why.
She let out a sigh. "It's not like they're gonna talk about anything that Lyon hasn't already told me."
"You sure about that?"
"I'm one hundred percent sure of that." Juvia huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.
"You can't be sure of that. No one learns everything there is to know about a person in under two years."
This conversation was ridiculous. Gray knew nothing about Lyon, and yet he was talking to her like he was some kind of expert on the man. "Gray, I know about Lyon wetting the bed in second grade. I know he used to raid Ultear's closet for costume pieces and props. I know Sherry cheated on him, I know that she regretted it and she wanted him back. I know he turned her down because he didn't love her. I know Lyon, and I trust him. So yeah, I'm pretty sure I know what they're talking about."
"He told you about that?"
"Yep." Juvia wasn't entirely sure which 'that' he was talking about, but it was the first thing he'd said to her that wasn't laced with hostility and she was desperate to change the topic. "So, I thought you said you had a practice today?"
"Uh, yeah," Gray replied, gesturing to himself and the rink behind him.
Juvia pursed her lips. "But Lyon said you practice at the rink in Eranthis."
"I used to," Gray admitted, crossing his arms over his chest, "but Bacchus and his friends are there more often than not, and it's just become more of a headache than it's worth. Met these guys through Natsu," Gray nodded back towards the small group of hockey players. They were chatting with a couple girls across the rink, but waved when she looked over. Juvia offered a small wave back before returning her focus to Gray. "They're pretty good, told me about this place, and offered to let me share the ice with them so-"
A hand clapped Gray on the shoulder, startling both of them.
"Yo, Gray! You gonna introduce us to your girl or what?"
Gray scowled at the blond boy beside him. "She's not my girl."
"Really? Well then." The blond gave Juvia a full once over before leaning into the metal fence separating the rinks. "Hi there."
Juvia quirked an eyebrow at him. "Seriously?"
"What?"
"Dude, she's dating my brother," Gray said, and shoved the boy lightly. "And even if she wasn't, I'm pretty sure she's not interested in some high school kid."
"Harsh, man. Harsh."
"Sting! Gray! We playin' or what?" a black haired boy called out.
The blond, Sting, she guessed, whipped his head around and hollered back, "In a minute man! Just meeting Gray's hot friend!"
Gray snorted, and Juvia noticed one of the girls he'd been with crossed her arms over her chest and glared in Juvia's direction.
"I think you just pissed her off," Juvia announced, pointing towards the glowering dark haired woman.
Sting stiffened as he noticed who she was pointing at. "Fuck. Gonna get an earful for that one," he said. He turned back to Juvia and offered her a blinding smile "So you gonna come watch us play? Gray needs a cheerleader."
"No thanks, I was really just looking forwards to doing some skating," she replied, shooting a nervous glance Gray's way.
He flashed her a small smile. "That's cool."
"Probably for the best anyways, since we're gonna kick your ass this time!" Sting declared.
"Haha, you wish. But, I think I'll spare you guys the embarrassment of another ass whooping and call it quits," Gray said.
"Bailing on us already, man, that's weak."
"Yeah, well, I was just thinking I was in the mood to do a little free skating," Gray said as he ran a hand through his hair.
"Uh huh, gotcha," Sting said, grinning like a madman. He slowly started skating backwards, his hand forming guns that he shot in their direction with double click of his tongue and a wink. "Well, you enjoy that free skate."
Gray let out a resounding groan, and facepalmed.
Heat had spread like wildfire across Juvia's cheeks. "Umm, that's sweet but you really don't need to end your practice just to keep me comp-"
"Who said I was?" Gray asked, eyes boring into her.
She felt a shiver run down her spine at their intensity, and her cheeks just kept getting warmer. It was true, he hadn't said anything about keeping her company, she'd just assumed he'd intended to at least skate with her.
"Sorry, I just tho-"
"It's fine."
He cut her off again and Juvia fought the urge to huff in frustration and stomp her foot.
"I mean, I don't mind joining you; if you'd like me to?" Gray amended, glancing around at anyone and anything but her.
She looked up at him, and her heart fluttered at the slight flush of his cheeks. She bit her lip to try and hid her smile. "Sure, I'd like that."
Gray's gaze snapped to hers. "Really?" He coughed and quickly cleared his throat. "I mean, sounds good. I'll just, uhh, yeah."
Juvia giggled as he gestured to the exit at the far end of the arena. He huffed in response and skated off, leaving her to trail after him and meet him over at the entrance to her side.
Maybe Lyon was right. Maybe today was their lucky day.
Lyon was on cloud nine. To say that the date was going swimmingly would be a sincere understatement. They'd been talking for just over an hour, and were each on their third cup of
coffee.
Honestly, if Lyon had thought talking to Mered online had been easy, in person it was even easier. Their conversation flowed naturally, from coffee orders to school. They talked about Mered's foster parents, and the fact that he was looking to do an internship at his sister's legal firm. Lyon talked about his mom's gallery show, and was now lamenting over one of his biggest frustrations.
"-she's super pissed, but then we wake up and it's like nothing ever happened!"
"Maybe they talk at night?" Mered suggested.
"When would they have time? She goes to bed when I do and Gray is still dead to the world when I get up."
"Maybe she's not really going to bed? Or maybe he's sneaking into her room? Eh?" Mered said with a wiggle of his eyebrows.
Lyon scrunched his face up in response and Mered burst out laughing.
Lyon glowered at him, and tried to erase the mental image of Gray sneaking into bed with Juvia. It helped that Lyon shared a bed with her, so knew that wasn't happening but still….
It suddenly occurred to him that maybe it was the other way around. A knot twisted in his gut "Ugh, no. Just- no."
"Aww why not? I think they'd make a cute couple. 'Sides, if it worked out then she'd become your sister."
Lyon shuddered. "She is not marrying him," he insisted, fingers tugging at his hair in frustration, "and you can't say they'd look good together, you've never even met Gray."
Mered but his lip and he slowly gave Lyon a once over. "I know what you look like."
"Gray looks nothing like me! We aren't even related."
"So you keep telling me." Mered stuffed another bite of the brownie sitting between them into his mouth.
"Hey, at least let me have a little bite. I did buy it after all," Lyon teased, grabbing his fork and moving to stab a piece of the brownie with it.
"No way! You bought it for me, it's mine," Mered said, shoving Lyon's hand away from the food. "If you wanted one you should have bought one for yourself. Sides, you're always whining about needing to watch your figure, so I'm just saving you from regret later."
Lyon rolled his eyes. "My hero."
"I know right?"
Lyon snorted and smirked at him. He leaned forward, folding his arms on the table and continued to watch Mered devour the treat.
It made him oddly happy.
"So, what are the chances that I get to meet your parents before Christmas?" Mered asked, flashing him a small smile.
Lyon felt as though his heart had stopped. He was completely poleaxed by the question, and wasn't sure where it came from, never mind how to answer it.
"Uh, well, I mean, they've been pretty busy with the show, and we still need to get the house decorated, so I'm not really* sure there will be time."
Mered's smile faltered and his brows furrowed ever so slightly. "Oh come on, the show is tomorrow, and then there's three days before Christmas. Surely there must be a bit of time? It doesn't even have to be something special. I can share if they have other company."
Lyon shifted uncomfortably against the leather cushions. His mind immediately thought about the party his parents were hosting on Friday, and for a brief moment he wondered what would happen if he asked Mered to come.
His parents did say that he and Juvia could invite their own friends, and it would be nice to get to spend more time with him. Lyon's just wasn't sure how to really broach the issue that the invitation would be for him to come as a friend.
It was all too clear that Mered wasn't aware that Lyon wasn't out to his family, and it was his own damn fault. His profile clearly stated that he was out, and it was true, he was out at college. That was the only place he'd dated before today, so it had never been relevant to announce that he was still in the closet at home.
It was a stupid oversight on his part. One that could have, and should have, been cleared up ages ago, but Lyon had completely forgotten about it.
He bit his lower lip and tried to reassure himself that Mered would understand, but the way he was frowning had Lyon's stomach in knots.
"So, listen, there's actually this party that my parents are hosting on Friday. They do it every year and they invite half the neighbourhood.* and we're always encouraged to bring people-"
"That sounds awesome. I'd love to go," Mered interrupted, a bright smile on his face all over again.
Lyon felt his heart clench. He had no idea how to say the next part without sounding like a complete ass, but he had to, because there's no other way for him to make this work.
"That's great," he said, threading his fingers through his hair, "but there's a small problem."
"Problem?"
"Yeah, look, there's no easy way for me to say this, and really I should have told you before now, but I just- it completely slipped my mind and I'm sorry. But, well…." He paused and drew in a deep breath. "My family doesn't know I'm gay."
Mered's smile disappeared yet again, and he stared back at Lyon blankly.
Lyon's heart thundered in his ears, and he held his breath, desperately waiting for a response. He was beyond terrified, and prayed to anyone that would listen that Mered would understand. Everything had been perfect up until now, and he was begging for his luck to hold out just a little longer.
"But your profile said you were out."
That wasn't a good sign. Lyon's chest constricted, and he swore he couldn't breath. He already regretted mentioning the party, cursing himself for not lying and just saying they were busy.
"I know, and I am. I'm out at college, but I'm just not out here."
Mered took a deep breath. "Okay, well, I wish you'd told me, but it's okay. We can figure it out."
Lyon let out a long breath, and slumped back in the seats as relief washed over him. "Thank you, thank you for understanding. I am so sorry I didn't tell you sooner, I swear I meant to!"
"It's okay, really. I know it's hard coming out to people, but I'm kinda glad actually. It means I can be right there beside you when you tell them. We just have deci-"
Mered kept talking but Lyon couldn't hear what he was saying. His heart was racing a mile a minute, because he had to have just misheard. "I'm sorry, when I what?"
"Uh, when you want to tell them? I was just saying we need to decide whether you want to tell them before or after the party."
Lyon just stared at him. His mind was blank, and his chest was tight.
Mered's brows furrowed. "Lyon?"
"You want me to come out?" His voice sounded distant to his own ears. Was this really happening? It felt surreal and he was almost certain he was going to be sick. Was this really happening all over again?
"Of course I do," Mered said, his shoulders were tense, and his gaze was boring into Lyon. "Don't you want to?"
No. No he didn't. He hadn't wanted to come out at college either, but he had, and it was a disaster. Sure it was fine now but he went through months of pain before that, and that was there. Here? It would be hell, a waking nightmare.
"You don't want to." Accusation was laced through Mered's tone.
"No, I don't."
"Why not?"
"Why the hell would I?"
Mered recoiled from him, and a moment later was up and out of the booth and storming towards the door.
"Mered wait!" Lyon called out, scrambling after him. He could feel several pairs of eyes on him as he rushed out the door, but he struggled to care at this point.
Mered had just made it to the street corner when Lyon caught up to him. He reached out and grabbed Mered's wrist, halting him. "I said wait! Where are you going?"
Mered yanked his hand free and spun to face him. "I'm going home. We're done here."
Pain lanced through Lyon's heart. Why was this happening? Why couldn't he understand that Lyon just wasn't ready for this step? They just met in person today, he couldn't just go demanding something like this so fast, it wasn't fair.
"No we're not! Come on, I didn't mean it like that."
"It doesn't matter how you meant it," Mered shouted. He took a step back from Lyon and took a shaky breath. "The fact is I'm not a good enough reason for you to want to come out."
"Not if you're my only reason. You don't get to decide when I come out to my parents."
"You're right, I don't. But I sure as hell don't have to wait around for you to grow a pair and do it either."
"But-"
"No. No buts. I'm not interested in being your dirty little secret, so call me when you've come out or don't call me at all." With that Mered turned his back and kept walking.
Lyon stood there, frozen in place, watching as Mered stalked out of his life. Some part of Lyon demanded that he run after him, but his whole body was shaking and he felt like his legs might give out on him.
People brushed by him as they walked on and finally he managed to stumble down the side street away from the main street. He stopped behind the store and leaned against the building. He bent over, head bowed as he fought to breathe. His vision was blurry and he could feel hot tears streaking down his cheeks.
He'd lost him. Not even one date in and already he'd fucked it all up.
With shaking hands, Lyon fished his phone out of his pocket. He struggled for a moment, before hitting the call button next to the name at the top of his favourites list. He took a shaky breath, brought the phone to his ear, and prayed for an answer.
Steam rose from the small paper cup clutched between Juvia's hands. The hot chocolate smelled sweet, but it tasted watery; no doubt because all the powder was stuck to the bottom of the cup.
It was par for the course with these small little stands, and one of the reasons Juvia usually avoided buying hot chocolate. But Gray had insisted on treating her, especially when he found out she'd never had a caramade frank.
It was something she would never have ordered for herself, it was a sausage, wrapped in a bun that was pretty much soaked in caramel sauce.
Just picking it up and figuring out how to take a bite was a chore. Gray had burst out laughing as she'd stared at the treat, before finally showing her how to eat it. But despite the mess, and unlike the hot chocolate, the caramade frank was delicious. Well worth the effort it took to clean her fingers and mouth afterwards.
"Told ya you were missing out. I can't believe Lyon's never bought you Caramade Franks!" Gray said, grinning at her like a child.
"I'm pretty sure they don't exist outside of this town," Juvia replied. "Besides Lyon would starve before eating something with this many calories."
Gray rolled his eyes. "Just 'cause he's decided to eat like a bird doesn't mean you have to. He could have just gotten ya one."
Juvia shrugged. "Yeah, well, that's just survival instincts. Sugars don't last me that long, and when I crash it's not pretty."
"So you're saying I should plan to take you to dinner soon?"
Juvia froze and stared at him with wide eyes.
Gray smirked, and let out a soft chuckle. "Relax. You look like someone just caught you with your hand in the cookie jar. I'm just offering to feed you so you don't bite my head off. Had enough of that thank you."
Right. That made sense. Much more sense than him trying to ask her out.
She knew she was getting ahead of herself, but it was hard not to feel like they were on a date, or like he was flirting with her. It was weird, usually she missed such things until someone spelt it out for her. It wasn't until Bora had his tongue down her throat that she'd realized he'd been interested. But with Gray… well she chalked it up to wishful thinking.
She bit her lower lip, and cursed the fact that she was still blushing. "Sorry, it's just that Lyon can get a bit-"
"I'm too sexy for my love, too sexy for my love. Love's going to leave me"
Both Juvia and Gray stared at each other for a moment as the music blared from beside her. It took less than a second for her to put two and two together, and decide that she was going to kill Lyon.
"Oh my god," she muttered and quickly started riffling through her purse, desperate to find her phone.
She could feel Gray's eyes on her, but she refused to look at him. She didn't want to know just how weird he thought she was.
"I'm too sexy for my shirt, too sexy for my shirt. So sexy it hurts"
Finally she managed to fish her phone out and let out a shrill squeak when she saw the picture on her locked screen. Her hand clamped over her mouth as she struggled to suppress her laughter.
Lyon's name was displayed at the top of the screen and beneath it was a selfie taken of him, topless, and duck facing.
"And I'm too sexy for Milan, too sexy for Milan, New York and Japan"
Gray peered over her shoulder, and let out a loud bark of laughter. "Oh man, nice picture! You gotta send that one to me. Does he know you have it?"
"Yes," Juvia replied, while the ringtone continued to go off. She took a deep breath and stifled another fit of giggles. "He must have taken that this morning! Ugh, he always does this. He'll change his ringtone at least once a month, and set a picture that matches."
"Seriously? You mean you have more pictures like that?"
"Yes, and no you are not seeing them," Juvia said.
The ringtone paused, before starting over.
"Now shut up, I have to take this."
Juvia swiped her finger over the answer button, and held the phone up to her ear. "Oh my god! I can't believe you changed your ringtone to I'm Too Sexy! I hope you're prepared to deal with the aftermath of that one cause Gray's righ-"
"J-Juvia."
AN: What did this do to you? Tell me. And remember, this is for posterity so be honest. How do you feel? (Just remember if you kill me then you'll never get the rest of this fic)
Okays onto review responses.
xtinct: OMG I love you too! :') you're so sweet! I'm glad you've been enjoying the gruvia moments, hope you enjoyed the ones in this chapter too. And sorry about Lyon's suffering, but I promise we'll get to a happier place. It's just gonna take some time.
Kassfromvenus: You're welcome, sorry they're taking more time than usual. I'm so swamped, but hey, more gruvia!
Fav Guest: Hopefully this update comes at a better time and you're not midexam. :) And yes I have written a Navia Brotp story! Ahh I'm so glad you liked it too, honestly I love their friendship. Natsu is really fun to write, and a total sweetheart. And there will be a bunch of Gajuvia brotp moments coming up. We're still a few chapters out, but it's coming and I'm excited!
And yes, Gray is slowly trying to come around and listen to other people and grow. Gray is actually, probably one of the most complex characters in this story, there's a lot going on behind the scenes there and I'm excited to start bringing some of it out.
And aww! Omg, well I hope I did Trans!Mered justice. It's meant as a later reveal, but there are a few little hints about it. It was really important to me to ensure this story offered proper representation for multiple people. There's not nearly enough of that, and hehe, yes I took a very old cliche and turned it around into something that does happen. I didn't want to do a love triangle, at least, not the regular one, but I love Gruvion so I thought I'd twist that too. Give Lyon the role of a protective best friend who doesn't approve of the romantic interest.
And yes, yes we finally have some idea of where Lyon is coming from. There's a few more layers to it, but no they don't really offer support and protection that a young gay person would want or need growing up in a town like they live in.
I'm really glad you're enjoying all of it though, hope this chapter holds up too.
Popstar: Thank you! As you can see still finding time, just taking a bit longer (It doesn't help that the chapters keep getting longer as well) but I will keep writing, and I'm trilled that you're enjoying the story!
Maximum Rose Ride: Ahh you love it? Thank you! And yes, we have officially started the real gruvia development. And hey, look, more gruvia!
MissKohana: Hahaha, poor Gray does have some conflicted feelings going on. A lot actually. Once this is done (or as it's wrapping up) I might write some of these scenes from Gray's POV. As for Ur... well she's pretty smart, but we'll get there eventually. Same with the reveal, I can tell you it will be worth the wait.
Hotrodren: Hahaha, it's okay. I need someone to love Gray and tell me he's written right. ;) And you, and Gray, and his family aren't horrible people. Juvia's perspective is just one of many and it tends to lean towards over protective and over zealous.
Wilathewitch: Thank you! Thank you. :) I'm trying to keep the balance. Adult life is hard but I love this way too much and manage to find time.
And yes, the long awaited first real gruvia moment! I'm glad you loved that scene, it was honestly one of my favourites to write thus far. I've got one more that I know will top it though. ;) But yes, they've taken to meeting late at night, and I love the idea of just two people bonding while all the world is asleep. It suspends time a bit and makes it feel more intimate. And yes, by now Gray has figured out Juvia can't sleep and was definitely waiting for her. And hopefully the skating and food "not a date" made you smile as well.
lulang12300: Hmm, all I'm gonna say is trust your instincts. ;)
Yumeko-nee: Haha, once all the secrets are out and this fic is in it's wind down I will probably go back and write some scene's from Gray's POV. There's so much going on there that I can't even talk about. But yes, there are going to be some explosions in the near future when all of this comes out.
Apitatoor: HELLO! Omg I need to stop being terrible about getting back to you. But thank you! I am definitely a mix of all 3. OMG wedding planning is crazy!
Anyways, you're welcome for the note. I had a feeling people were getting confused so glad I can help clear up all that, and hopefully this chapter clears up a bunch more stuff (while leaving 1 or 2 things to be found out later)
Honestly, thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the compliments you continually send me. It's always wonderful to hear that the character's I'm writing evoke so many different emotions and pull you in further and further. This story is definitely an emotional rollercoaster, and I know a lot of people are here for the fluff (and that's cool, I love writing the fluffy romantic bits) but it's great to know that the moments of pain and the issues I'm writing about get some love too. Clearly I have a few messages I'm trying to send with IKYSS, and I play a lot with perspectives and how everyone has a different point of view.
It is a very emotional chapter, and I love using Natsu as a way to lighten things up a bit. He's great for just plowing through the drama and just pushing it aside, and putting people at ease.
And yes, Gray and Lyon have a LONG way to go still, but we're taking some baby steps in the right direction. As for Lyon and Ur, well, lets just say she was expecting something else. And like all parents she wants Lyon to be open and honest about all of his problems, so if she feels like he's hiding something then it hurts.
And yes Gray was pushing her buttons, but he just tends to do that. He's upset about her being cold towards him and shut down, because it's new. Normally she'd fight with him and I think it just hit him in that moment just how much he might have actually upset her and he's struggling to really deal with it. And thus after cooling down it lead to the little moment at night. Which was probably my favourite scene to write so far, though there's another one coming up that I'm hoping will top it, just by a little bit. :D
To answer your questions 1) No Lyon doesn't know. 2) Hehehe. Yes, that would be a very plausible reason for Ultear's reaction now wouldn't it. ;) 3) It's a bit more complicated than that but yes that's kinda what happened with Matthew. :(
Thank you for the lovely review! 3
Kyogan-Saori: Ahh! Thank you!
WTF Gray: Hehehe ;)
VntgFrk: Adjkflsagf! I'm so glad you decided to give it a try. I've been back and forth about the summary a few times but the word count limit makes it difficult to really summarize what's going on. But hey! Welcome to IKYSS! You're just in time for the drama to start.
Guest: Updated! Sorry it took so long but hope the chapter length makes up for it.
: Thank you! We're finally getting into the actual plot at this point, things are happening. Gray and Juvia are slowly dancing closer. Glad you like it. :)