Happy New Year (: !

Tranquil Manatee: Don't worry, I've never had the intention to demonize him, on the contrary. I'm writing a Fairy Tail fanfiction after all, you know, a world where more than 70% of the big bad guys become good guys at the end, so it's not a little mage like him that's gonna be the devil aha. Anyway, read this chapter and you'll see (:

By the way, I didn't say it for a long time, but thank you for your reviews, it's always great to know what you think of my story :D

And, here goes the tenth chapter!

xxxxx

xxxxx

Chapter 10: Acting vs. reality.

Once we were ready, we decided to go to a café that was apparently really popular in this town. According to our clients, it was the best place to catch up on the latest news.

Before we went in, Gray stopped and told me, "Don't forget, we're not friends but a couple on a trip, and we aren't mages."

"I know. You don't have to remind me. I won't blow up our cover." I retorted while shaking my head and smiling a little.

"I know, but since yesterday we acted more like friends, I wanted to make sure." He explained.

"Hai, Sir!" I jokingly impersonated Happy.

"Ha, ha. Ok, let's go then." He turned around to open the door.

"Ok, honey!" I wrapped my arm round his and led him in with a big smile.

We sat at a table next to a window and ordered. When the waitress left, Gray leaned a little towards me and said, "Honey? Really?"

"Well, if we're a couple we should have pet names for each other you know. Plus, it's better if they don't hear our real names. Maybe some people of the town know us, especially since the Grand Magic Games." I reasoned. "I chose the most simple one, I could have called you hubby or pumpkin you know, so be thankful."

"Stop it, 't makes me think about that weird pumpkin head." He shivered at the thought. "Then, should I call you something like baby or doll face?" It was his turn to tease me.

My face was deadpan. "No thanks. Find something else. And not Honey, that's mine!"

"Ok… So, sweetie?" His own words made him cringe. "How about nothing? That's just too cheesy."

"Sweetie's fine for me." I ignored his last sentence and smiled. I lowered my voice a little more, and reminded him, "Remember, the names Gray and Lucy associated could ring a bell in their minds."

"Right. Ok. You win." He didn't seem pleased with the idea. I, on the other hand, rather enjoyed teasing him for once.

Our waitress – a cute brunette with green eyes – came back with our food and placed a big sized orange juice with two straws in the middle of the table.

"Excuse me, but we didn't order that drink." Gray informed her.

"I know, it's my special treat for cute couples. I'm in a good mood today, so I want to share it." She replied happily.

"That's good to have a good place for couples to hang out in this town. Thank you." I thanked her with a smile.

"Of course, it's only normal. Love is so beautiful, it should be cherished. I decided to cherish it and go anything possible to preserve it."

"You're right." I agreed. Her happiness was really contagious.

"By the way, did you hear if there was another incident yesterday?" Gray suddenly asked her, not forgiving our task.

"What kind of incident?" She looked clueless. "Well, I think nothing happened since nobody has been talking about it here. And this is the best place to catch up on the gossips of the town, trust me." She confided to us.

"We heard that. Thanks." Gray replied politely.

"Hey Chouko, the usual please!" A man called the waitress from a few tables away.

"Alright!" She yelled back to him. She looked back at us, "Duty's calling. Enjoy your meal!" She went away while asking to the guy that called her, "Pancakes with maple syrup and a beer, right?"

"Old habits die hard you know." The old guy answered while laughing.

"I can't disagree with you!" She agreed while going behind the bar.

"She's so cute." I commented.

"Not as cute as you." Gray suddenly replied, looking at me with a flirty smile.

I was taken aback and didn't know want how to respond. I felt my face getting warmer. But before I could react, he quickly added, "Sweetie."

Right. He was faking it. It was our cover. I should've realized it. But why did I felt a bit disappointed by this thought?

Anyway, I returned his flirty smile and said, "Oh honey, you're so sweet."

Still smiling, he asked me quietly, "So, are we supposed to drink this together or what?" He was referring to the orange juice.

"I think so, it'd be weird if we didn't." I replied in the same manner.

"Then, let's try it, sweetie." He said while holding his straw.

"I'm sure it'll be good, since I'm sharing it with you, honey." I held mine, too. I hope I looked composed, unlike my real state right now. Saying things like that to each other was just… Disturbing.

We then drank simultaneously through our straws, facing each other. Of course, our faces were really close to each other. After a few seconds, we stopped drinking.

I smiled, "Hm, that juice is really refreshing, it's really good."

"It does lack a few ice cubes, but it's still good." Of course an Ice Mage would complain about that.

"You know, orange juice is better without ice." I was shaking my head.

"Every drink's better with ice." He argued.

"Even a hot coffee?" I retorted.

"I don't like hot coffee." He replied immediately.

"Of course you don't. Why did I even ask?"

"That's beyond me, too. You should know my tastes, sweetie." Was he warning me since we were drifting a little apart from our roles?

"Of course. Since I fit them perfectly." I played along, using my flirty smile again.

"You don't." He suddenly answered, looking totally serious.

"What?" I was taken aback. I decided to go on with my role, I crossed my arms and looked away, as if I was offended, "Then why are you dating me?"

He put his hand of my face and made me look at him, and explained, "You're the exception to the rules, since you're not cold, but really hot."

Cheesy. But why did I like the sound of it? He's so good at this, I wonder why I've never seen him with a girl before. I'm sure he'd be popular. Anyway, I bit my lips and smiled, looking delighted, "You scared me. I thought you didn't like me anymore." I finished was a cute pout.

"How could I not? You're so cute." He slightly pinched my cheek.

I giggled, "I know. Why was I even worried?"

"Right?" He agreed with me.

We were so cheesy. I hope we won't be like this when we'll be dating for real. Wait, that sounded weird. I meant when I'll be dating someone, and when he'll be dating someone. Not when we'll be dating each other. 'Cause that won't happen. 'Cause he doesn't like me that way. And I… I don't even know anymore. Ugh, damn mission! And damn Gray for making me feel that way!

"Let's finish quickly our food so we can take a walk, ok?" He spoke up again. "I know, I can't take being that cheesy either, so let's quickly take a break." He said after lowering his voice. I must have cringed or something to make him say this. At least he didn't know the real reason of me being like this.

"Right, it's such a beautiful day we should enjoy it." I agreed happily. "Thanks," I told him quietly, relieved.

xxxxx

We were now on our way out of our client's house. We went there after eating to give them a quick report.

"You know, you'd make a really good Casanova. Your lines this morning were no joke. If I didn't know you I'd think you're a real player." I told him once we were alone, elbowing him jokingly.

"That's what you earn when you hang out too much with Loke." That was enough to explain everything.

"I would've never thought that those skills of him would be handy one day." I laughed.

"Be careful, he could hear you." Gray warned me.

"Right." I looked into my purse, where my keys were since I couldn't let them be seen. Loke's was shining, I put my hand on the key so I could hear him. "He says we're lucky he can't go out right now."

Gray chuckled. "Hey, I didn't say anything!" He was talking to my Spirit.

Loke answered, and it made me blush.

"What did he say?" Gray was curious.

"Nothing." I replied too fast.

"I know you're lying."

"Really. He just told me he's proud of his 'apprentice' as he put it." Well, that was half the truth after all. I just omitted a part.

"Who's his apprentice? I never asked him to teach me that kind of things." He seemed offended.

"Well, you'll talk about it once we're finished here. I don't want to be involved." Then, something took my attention. "Oh, what a beautiful painting." On a little side of a house's façade, a landscape was drawn. There was a lake, grass, a bench with what looked like a couple seating on it, and a lot of butterflies flying around the trees and the couple.

"I know, right. It was already there when we moved in with my husband, and it was so beautiful that we decided to keep it." A lady just went out of the house.

"I understand, it's really a good painting." I smiled.

"I heard the boyfriend of the girl who lived there was a painter, it's his work. It's drawn under the girl's former room's window, you see." The lady explained to us. "Oh, but this butterfly wasn't there before." She pointed at a red butterfly on the shoulder the girl's shape.

"Are you sure?" Gray asked her.

"I'm positive. Maybe the boy came back to paint it. That's so romantic."

"Darling, what are you doing? We're going to be late." A man, probably her husband, called the lady from the main door.

"I was just talking briefly with that young couple. I'm coming!" She answered him. "Have a good day, then."

"Have a good day too." I replied with a smile, and Gray bowed his head to say goodbye.

"This town seems really lovely, aside that culprit." I commented.

"Yep. That's why we have to find him, or at least some clues about him. Let's go to the park, now. I think we'll have to play the bait since there wasn't any other couple yesterday."

"Yeah. Plus, he probably didn't see us yesterday, since our clients said it was unusual for the culprit to do nothing at all. He should've at least attacked us because we were a girl and a boy walking together in a park. He'd directly see that as a romantic date. So, I think he didn't go out at all, or at least not near the park." I concluded.

"Your reasoning seems good. Let's just hope he's here today so we can catch him fast."

"Or maybe he just get tired of doing this and stopped."

"Exactly on the day we come? It'd be too much of a coincidence. Plus, if he stopped, how do we know if it's for real or just for a few days? We can't ask him since nobody has a clue about who it could be." Gray reasoned.

"You're right. Let's go to the park and see." I finished.

xxxxx

"To know whether he's here, I suggest we do our best to provoke him, so that he won't be able to ignore us, in case he did yesterday." Gray told me quietly as we were entering the park.

"Alright." I agreed as quietly. Then, I grabbed his hand, led us into the park and stopped. With my arms wide open and my eyes closed, feeling the sun on my face, I said happily, "What a good day to take a walk in the park!" I turned around, bowing cutely with my hands crossed behind my back and added, "Right, honey?"

It took him a few seconds to get back into his character, but he quickly smiled dearly at me and answered, "You're right, sweetie." He came closer to me and put his right arm around my shoulders, "I'm so glad to be here with you."

He sounded so sincere it made me blush a little. Please, culprit, come fast so you can end my misery! I won't be able to bear this situation a lot longer!

xxxxxxxxxx

We were walking alongside the river, holding hands. It was a little weird at first to be like that with Lucy, but now it felt just right. So right that I almost forgot it was all pretense. Talking about that, there was still no sign of that culprit.

"Do you think he didn't come today either?" I quietly asked Lucy.

"I don't know. Let's try the other side of the park." She suggested. I agreed.

Once we were on the other side of the river, we decided to rest a little under a tree. Lucy took a blanket out of her purse and put in on the grass so we could sit on it.

"I didn't know you brought this." I really didn't. Since when did she carry a blanket in her purse?

"A girl is always prepared. I didn't want to have dirt on my cute skirt." She replied while sitting on her blanket. She tapped it on her right side to tell me to sit next to her.

I chuckled – she was such the typical girl sometimes, as if she'd never had dirt on her outfits when we were on missions – and joined her. But I lay down instead of sitting, putting my arms behind my head. I closed my eyes, enjoying the light breeze blowing.

I felt Lucy's body lying down next to mine, and opened my eyes to look at her. I was surprised to see her lying on her right side with her hands clapped together under her cheek, staring at me. By the look on her face for a second, she seemed surprised I caught her.

I smirked and spoke up, "What you're staring at while I'm not looking?"

"At my man's handsome face." She smiled, "Am I not allowed to?" She asked playfully.

While trying hard not to forget this wasn't real, I changed my position in order to match hers, "Of course you are." My hand instinctively moved on her cheek. She was so… "Beautiful."

She suddenly looked perplexed and was blushing a little. "Huh?"

Crap. Did I just say that out loud? "I was thinking it would fit you better than Sweetie." I quickly recovered.

"Oh, right." She looked a little disappointed. But why would she be? She quickly smiled again, and said, "Then I should call you Handsome."

"That's fine for me." I smirked.

She was about to say something but something caught her eye. "Hey, I didn't notice, but there are a lot of butterflies here. It's such a sweet view."

I looked behind me, and she was right. There were butterflies everywhere: in the air, on the colorful flowers and on flat stones nearby. "There weren't as much on the other side of the park, they must like it better here."

Lucy wasn't listening to me anymore. She was holding out her right hand, waiting for a butterfly to rest on it.

"I don't think it'll..." I started to say, but before I could finish my sentence, a red butterfly landed on her hand, right on her Fairy Tail stamp. "Never mind."

As she was staring at the butterfly, Lucy suddenly gaped, looked at me and exclaimed, "I got it, Gray!"

"What did you – Lucy! Watch out!" A spray paint can was floating behind her. Before it had the time to vaporize paint on her, I stood up and froze it. It fell on the ground. "Stop hiding and show yourself, you coward!" I yelled to the culprit, looking around us.

He threw a bunch of apples at us as an answer, which I easily blocked with my shield of ice. "Seriously, apples? You're offending me."

"Where is he?" Lucy wondered out loud, looking around. "Aaaah!" She was now floating in the air. "Hey! Put me down, right now!" She angrily yelled at the culprit.

"Lucy!" I shouted while watching her go up in the air.

"No, no, no. I've already been dragged around in the air this month, it won't happen again." She declared, looking determined. She then smirked, "Found ya." She took out her Fleuve d'étoiles and threw it in the tree a few meters in front of her. She apparently grabbed the culprit's foot and made him fall from his hiding place. He was wearing a black hoodie and dark green pants.

What she didn't think about was that this way, she'd fall too. "Graaay!" She yelled while falling. Since she wasn't far from me, I easily caught her in my arms. She looked at me, still bewildered by her fall, "Thank you."

"You're welcome." I smiled and put her down.

"The culprit!" She realized, and turned her head to see if he still was there. He was only starting to stand up. I was going to make an ice cage around him but Lucy moved in front of me, her hand telling me to stop. "I've got this, Gray. It's a personal issue."

She picked up her Fleuve d'étoiles – that fell on the floor during her fall – and wrapped it around his chest, making him unable to move his arms. She pulled him towards us so that he was now lying at our feet.

She smirked in victory. "You do not mess with Lucy Heartfilia."

"I'm sorry. I won't do it again. Please, don't send me to jail!" The guy pleaded.

Lucy sighed. "We won't send you anywhere. We just want you to stop your wrong doings and apologize to everyone."

"But everyone will hate me." He cried in despair.

"Not if you explain yourself and sincerely apologize. I think I know the reason why you did this, and if I'm right, they might understand." Lucy replied.

"You know the reason?" I asked her.

She looked at me, "That's what I was about to tell you before I was almost covered with paint." She threw an angry look at the guy while saying this. "But he did all this because he's heartbroken, so I think I can forgive him. Plus, I've already had my revenge." She smiled maliciously as she released the boy and blew on her magical whip as if it was a gun.

"How do you know that I'm heartbroken?"

"Well, only people that have had a really bad love experience would harass couples like this. Plus, I know you drew a butterfly on you ex-girlfriend's house yesterday. And probably with a spray can like the one Gray froze that's lying over there." She smartly explained.

"And she moved away, leaving him behind." I concluded.

"Yep, but he still loves her. And I think she still loves him." Lucy revealed.

"How could she love me? After agreeing to marry me, she abandoned me with no explanation!" The boy cried, almost tearing up.

She ignored him and asked, "Her name's Chouko, right? That's why you drew butterflies on her house*"

Chouko… The waitress from before?

"It's her name! Why, do you know her? Have you talked to her? Did she mention me?" He grabbed Lucy's shoulders, urging her to tell him more.

"Easy there. Or you'll be tied up again." I warned him, moving him away from Lucy.

"Just follow me. I'll lead you to her." She merely said, staying calm.

"Of course!" He immediately agreed, vigorously nodding.

"By the way, what's your name?" She asked him.

"I'm Ken."

"Alright Ken, let's settle that matter."

xxxxx

"Well done. That was really smart." I congratulated her while we were on our way to the café, Ken walking right behind us.

"Thank you." She happily replied before we stopped walking. She looked at Ken, "We're here."

"But that's the café where she used to work. But she moved away, remember? How could she be here?"

"She works here again. She's back in town." Lucy let him know with a smile. "Wait here, I'll go get her." She walked into the café and came back a few minutes later with Chouko.

The waitress seemed hesitant at first, but as soon as she saw Ken, a wide smile appeared on her face and she hugged him. "Ken! I'm so glad to see you again. I'm so sorry. My parents were against me marrying an artist and took me away without letting me say anything to you." She quickly explained.

He held her shoulders to face her. "How come you're back, then?"

"I turned 18 yesterday. So I decided to do what they did to me: move away without asking."

"So that's why he was at her house." I told Lucy.

"He drew a butterfly for her birthday, how sweet." She replied, smiling at the reunited couple.

"Won't they worry?" He asked her, looking worried.

"You're so sweet. They separated us but you still care about them. You haven't changed. But don't worry, I called them, and they seem surprisingly understanding. I guess they gave up fighting against us, since I'm like this even after almost a year of separation."

"That's good." He smiled, but his expression changed, "But I have to tell you something I'm not proud of…"

"Is it about what you did to the other couples? Lucy told me everything. Of course you should've never done that, but if you regret it, sincerely apologize and pay for the damage you caused I'm sure it'll be ok." Chouko assured him.

"Aren't you disappointed?" He looked surprised.

"Well, it's partly my fault that you became like this, so how can I blame you? Plus, nobody got really hurt, that's what's important."

"Chouko…" Ken merely replied, being really thankful.

"All is well that ends well." Lucy commented from the side.

"Right. I think we completed the mission just fine." I added.

"And nothing was destroyed this time." She concluded proudly.

xxxxx

xxxxx

A/N: *Chouko can be translated as 'butterfly child', Cho(u) meaning butterfly. I could've just called her Cho, but I thought Chouko was cuter aha. It may seem farfetched, but it's normal Lucy was able to get it since she speaks Japanese, even if I write in English.