Gray had always loved winter. Ice, snow, cold; all of these things were his element. As a child he would play out in the snow, laying in it and feeling the chill seeping all the way through his coat.
After his family was killed he began to find solace in the snow, and once he met Ur and Lyon- his love for winter only grew. They taught him ice magic, and made him not feel cold like most (mainly since the practice had taken place as they wore their skivvies and stood outside), but most of they had given him something he had once thought he lost; a family.
But all good things must come to an end, he supposed. Ur gave her life to protect him and chase away his darkness; leaving him and Lyon. Lyon and he soon separated as well which left Gray without a family and with no idea as to where he was going. He had been stumbling across the roads without any clue of what lied ahead when he tripped over something; or more precisely someone.
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"Oi, watch where you're going!" He snapped. When he looked up he saw a little old man- shorter than himself.
"Watch your mouth, brat," the man said. People began whispering, and trying to watch inconspicuously.
"You wanna fight me, old man?" Gray yelled at him. The old man glared before karate chopping him on top of the head. Gray yelped and stumbled back, cradling his head.
"Ow, ow, ow! What'd ya do that for!?" He glared.
"You asked for a fight, young man," and after that the old man walked away- leaving Gray Fullbuster dazed on the ground watching his Jacket that had an insignia emblazoned upon it.
"That was the master of the Fairy Tail Guild! That noisy place never seems to stop destroying things..." Gray heard someone whisper. He tugged on his black hair before jumping up to his feet and chasing after the old man. Something about him seemed... Welcoming.
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The pure white snow was stained red with blood. But not just any blood; the blood of his beloved.
"Erza!" He yelled, defeating their enemy in a swift pump of adrenaline. The Titania looked over at him, their eyes locking for a split second. Gray's dark blue eyes widened as fear gripped him like a vice. Erza's chocolate brown eyes were going dark, and they were visuals of her life that was slowly sweeping away.
Gray caught her before she hit the ground, cradling her to him and crying violently loud sobs. His body shook with a flurry of emotions, none positive, as Natsu, Happy, and Lucy found them. Lucy gasped and placed one hand over her mouth and the other over her heart. She fell to her knees- tears pouring out of her eyes. Happy flew into her arms and she held him as the both cried. Natsu stood stock still, eyes wide with fear, as he shook slightly. Tears quietly form in his eyes and slipped down his cheeks.
"G... Gray," Erza brokenly whispered as she raised a hand to cradle his cheek.
"Shh, don't talk, save your strength." Gray whispered as he wiped the tears the fell from his Queen's eyes. She let out a weak chuckle.
"No. We both know this is where I fall. Promise me that you'll not fight as much with Natsu and always protect Lucy and Happy... Protect the guild... I... I love you." She whispered in between labored breaths, she had to use so much strength just to breath.
"I love you too, Erza Scarlet." His voice broke and tears spilled down his face blurring his vision of him. She leaned forward and kissed his lips, and pulled back before coughing up blood.
"Smile for me I want my last memory of life to be your smile," she whispered brokenly, her truest feelings pouring out in her last moments. Gray could hear the emotions in her voice.
"Whatever you ask," he said and smiled at her- thinking of every moment that they spent together, from their childhood all the way to when they final became a couple. Erza Scarlet died in the arms of her beloved, blood painting the pure white snow and dark and unforgiving red.
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When she was buried there was a large ceremony and everyone in the guild attended. There were no fights, or yells, no sound at all it seemed besides the occasional sniffle and the sound Master Makorov speaking of his "Little Girl".
The snow began to fall as the ceremony began to end, and everyone watched as Gray approached the coffin. He placed a red rose upon it, one with a diamond engagement ring on it. He had wanted to propose to her once they got back from the mission that eventually killed her.
As the snow began to fall upon his sunken shoulders, tears falling from his eyes like rain from the clouds, he couldn't help but think that for the first time in his life the snow, the cold, and the ice didn't bring him comfort.