AN: Okay, so this is WAY later than I expected it to be, and I don't really have a lot of excuses beyond the fact that this chapter just did not want to come out write. It was a giant mess, and took a lot of rewriting to get it to where it is now. But hey, it's done! And it's almost 10k again!
Two things to note. One, this chapter takes place 3 days after the last one. Christmas happened on a Monday, this falls on a Thursday.
Two, unfortunately the commission fell through due to health issues, so I'm gonna have to come up with another way to thank all you darlings. It may just be me writing a fic after this, or I'll try to find another artist to commission, but something is coming.
The other great news is it's also Nanowrimo again, so I've been using the month to finish the first draft of each of the remaining chapters and 26 is written too, and 27 is almost half way done.
I probably won't be posting anything else until after November, since the goal is to just write like a mad woman, but once I'm done I should be able to maintain a nice regular posting schedule and IKYSS should be wrapped up just after the New Year. (Kinda hoping to post the last chapter on the two year anniversary mark so wish me luck)
I want to send out a HUGE HUGE thank you to all the sweethearts that reached out to me in the last few months just asking how I've been and how things are. Really you all kept me going, and brought me back when I was pulling my hair out with this chapter, and the amount of love and support and patience was surreal and I just want to say I love you all so much for it. This chapter is here because of all of you.
Chapter 25: Date Night
Nerves fluttered in Lyon's stomach, as he tugged at his bangs to the left. One look in the entryway mirror and he tugged them back right and tried to rearrange them to look better. He wished his stupid hair would cooperate.
"You're gonna go bald if you keep doing that," Gray said as he leaned against the door.
Lyon glared at him through the mirror. "Fuck you."
"No thanks."
Lyon blanched, and his stomach churned. He felt like might throw up. Of course, he'd been feeling like that since he woke up this morning, so it probably had nothing to do with Gray.
His phone buzzed against his hip and he pulled it out of his pocket.
Mered: Almost free from my hell shift! Ultear's already on her way to get me. Can't wait to see you.
Another wave of nausea washed over Lyon. He should never have agreed to this. It had seemed like a good idea at the time, head down to Magnolia for karaoke, invite all their friends and come out to everyone all at once- get it over with. Of course, now that Mered wasn't pressing heated kisses to his lips, he was thinking a lot clearer. It was a terrible plan.
He reached for his hair again.
"Would you stop?" Gray huffed. "It's fine."
"He's just nervous, and you're not helping," Juvia called down to them, she stepped out of the upstairs bathroom, and eyed Gray for a moment before turning her attention to Lyon. "It's gonna be fine."
"Easy for you to say," Lyon muttered.
"No one's going to care," Gray said.
"How do you know?"
Juvia shook her head and bounded down the stairs, two at a time. She almost collided into Lyon as she launched herself off the last step, and threw her arms around him. "Stop worrying. You've gone out with Mered the last two days and no one's bothered you guys. Tonight's not gonna be any different."
Lyon's shoulders tightened and his stomach flip flopped. "It's totally different."
"How?" Gray scowled.
"Those were strangers." Lyon's hands flailed dramatically, and Juvia had to take a step back. "Tonight it's every friend I have here, seeing me out with my boyfriend for the first time, when six days ago they were told I was dating Juvia. That's definitely different!"
Juvia sighed and took his hand. "It is, but that doesn't mean it's gonna go badly. They're your friends, and you already know Lucy and Levy are okay with gay people. And Gajeel already knows."
"If it helps, Erza knows too," Gray said.
Lyon's heart stopped. He gaped at Gray and wailed, 'How does Erza know?"
Gray winced and averted his gaze. "Well…" He shot Lyon a nervous glance, before looking away again and muttering, "I mighta let it slip last Thursday."
"Let it slip? How the hell do you just let that slip? You've kept it secret for two years!"
"Fine. I told her! Happy?" Gray wrapped his arms around himself and glared at Lyon. Lyon glared back at him and mirrored Gray's stance. He felt betrayed.
Gray sighed and carded a hand through his hair. "I didn't do it on purpose, I was freaking out. I thought you were leading Juvia on, and I kissed her. The whole thing was a mess; I needed advice." He slumped back against the door, looking miserable and guilt ridden. "I knew she wouldn't care. I wouldn't of told her if I thought she would."
"That's still not okay," Juvia said, a scowl plastered on her face.
Gray swallowed hard and nodded. His face was taught and he looked about as sick as Lyon felt. He couldn't believe Gray had outed him, especially after keeping it a secret from their parents all this time. It made his heart ache, and his mind screamed for him to lash out and close Gray off again. It was clear from the hurt and guarded way Gray was looking at him that that's what Gray expected him to do.
Lyon forced himself to meet Gray's gaze. "She's the only one who knows?"
Gray frowned, but nodded slowly.
"And she really doesn't care?"
Gray shrugged. "You saw her Saturday. She didn't say anything or treat you differently right?"
Lyon didn't have to think hard about it. He'd never have guessed she knew he was gay. "Okay."
"Okay?" Gray and Juvia echoed in unison.
"Okay." Lyon sighed and forced the tension from his shoulder and shrugged. "I believe you. I don't like it, but I don't think you did it out of malice, and I guess there's no real harm done."
"Really?" Gray stared at Lyon wide-eyed. "So we're good?"
"Good enough."
Gray grinned at him. "Thanks. It won't happen again. Promise. And you're over thinking tonight; no one cared when Cana came out, it's not gonna be any different with you."
"When Cana what?" Lyon squawked. He felt like a bucket of ice water had been dumped down his back.
Juvia giggled and patted Lyon on the back. "I'm not sure how you missed it, but I'm pretty sure Cana's bi."
"Pansexual actually," Gray said.
Lyon blinked owlishly, and he swore he could feel the world spinning. He wrapped an arm around Juvia and leaned against her for support. "Do you even know what that means?"
Gray shrugged. "She'll fuck anyone so long as she likes 'em"
It was close enough.
A car horn honked twice.
"That'll be the cab," Gray said, and hauled open the front door. Sure enough a green and orange taxi was parked out just past the front lawn.
Lyon's feet felt like they were made of cement, and his head buzzed.
Juvia's hand found his and she twined their fingers together. "You can do this. It's gonna be okay."
Gray took a step closer and clapped Lyon on the shoulder. "Come on, it'll be fun. 'Sides, we've got your back."
Lyon glanced back and forth between them, then nodded. He took a deep breath and planted one foot in front of the other. He didn't stop, and he didn't look back. Instead he focused on his brother and his best friend.
Tonight was gonna be a good night.
Juvia bounded off the stage, high on the performance and applause still ringing in her ears. Lyon was right behind her, his hand resting on the small of her back as they wove through the crowd back to their group of tables.
"Oh my god!" Lucy screeched, grinning at the two of them. Her hands slammed down onto the tabletop in excitement. "That was incredible! I've got chills!"
Juvia blushed and smiled at Lucy, but her eyes scanned the surrounding tables, and replied dismissively. "It's mostly Lyon."
"It's true, I can make anyone sound good." Lyon slipped into the booth next to Mered, and nudged his shoulder. "We should go up next."
"Not a chance in hell. I ain't following that up." Mered glowered at Lyon.
Lyon pouted. "But it'll be fun, and you promised me you'd sing a duet with me."
"That was before I heard you two sing together."
Juvia bit her lip. Lyon's anxiety had been getting the better of her when she'd dragged him on stage. She'd wanted to calm his nerves, and her own with them, and it worked.
Only now it was backfiring.
"What's that got to do with it?" Lyon's brow dipped in confusion.
"Uh, you two sound like you belong in a Broadway musical. I sound like a dying cat."
"First off, of course I belong in a Broadway musical. Secondly, no one cares what you sound like." Lyon crinkled his nose in distaste. "They even cheered for Gajeel,"
Juvia swatted his arm. "He's not that bad." The whole table looked at her like she'd grown a second head. She huffed and let her gaze drift through the crowd, her eyes catching on over a dozen dark haired men. She couldn't get a good look at most of them in the dim lighting.
"Finally, I've got years of vocal training. I can just sing over you and drown you out so no one will hear how bad you are."
Mered scowled at Lyon, and shoved his side. "Go fuck yourself." He caught Juvia's eye as she continued to scour the crowd and pointed towards the bar. "He's over there."
Juvia whipped her head around. Sure enough, she spotted Gray. Cana was there with him and they seemed to be talking to a guy with orange hair. She vaguely remembered him from the party, but was drawing a blank on his name.
Juvia glanced back to Lyon, guilt tightening in her stomach. She had said she'd be there for him in case anything went down.
Lyon rolled his eyes back and her and shooed her with his hand. "Just go, we're fine."
Juvia took another darting glance in Gray's direction, and pulled herself straighter. It was time to finally stop all this dancing around. She'd been patient, had given him time to adjust to things, had waited for his mom to cool down, and now it was time to go after what she wanted. What she hoped they both wanted.
She approached the group, taking long deliberate strides and adding a small swing to her hips. She tried to think sexy, and embody it.
Cana was the first to spot Juvia and waved her over enthusiastically. Gray turned in Juvia's direction his brow furrowed, only to break out into a wide grin at the sight of her.
"Hey gorgeous, come to drink away your woes?" Cana tease as she slung an arm around Juvia pulling her into a tight half hug.
Juvia quirked an eyebrow at her. "My woes?"
"Looks like your singing partner traded you in for a younger model." Cana gestured towards Lyon, who was trying to coax Mered up to the stage.
"Right." Juvia let out a laugh. "Yes definitely here to drown my sorrows."
"What's your poison?" Gray asked, leaning in close to be heard over the singing. His hand settled on her lower back. Heat scorched through her body and and her knees felt weak.
"Vodka Cran."
He nodded and waved down the bartender, who was in the middle of mixing drinks.
"Good choice," the orange haired guy said. He leaned around Gray's shoulder and offered her his hand. "I don't think we've been properly introduced-"
"For good reason." Gray swatted the man's hand away, but a smirk played on his lips.
The man's eyes darted to Gray and he smiled wickedly before turning back to Juvia. His eyes danced with mirth. "You must be Juvia, I'm Loke. I'm afraid Gray's a bit of a caveman when it comes to these things."
Juvia blinked in surprise. Did Gray mention her to Loke too?
"You sound like Lyon," Gray sneered.
Cana burst into laughter. "He does, doesn't he?"
"Is that why you're trying to hide her from me?" Loke asked with a devilish grin.
"Nah, just trying to spare her from your crappy pick up lines."
"Why?" Amusement danced in Cana's eyes. "I'm sure she'd tear him to pieces. It'd be great."
Juvia caught sight of the bartender waiting for them and was about to order when Gray cut her off. "She'll have a vodka cranberry, and I'll take another beer."
"Keiths?" The bartender asked, glancing down at Gray's glass. Gray nodded.
"And four tequila shots," Loke added.
Juvia groaned as she fished through her purse for her wallet. "No. I'm not doing tequila shots tonight. No way."
"Vodka then."
"Fine," Juvia huffed and hauled out her wallet.
Gray caught her hand before she could fish out any money. "I've got it."
Juvia blinked up at him. She swore there was a light blush coating his cheeks. "But-" Her protest died on her lips as he stared down at her. A part of her wanted to insist she could pay for herself, but the way he was touching her and the look he was giving her made her wonder if maybe, this was his way of making this a date. She took a deep breath and smiled at him. "Thank you."
"Just put her drinks on my tab," Gray told the bartender. "The tequila shots are on him though." He jerked a thumb at Loke.
"Well look at you, pulling out the moves," Cana said, elbowing Gray in the side.
He tensed, then jerked his hand away from the small of Juvia's back as though he'd been burned. His voice was strained when he replied, "I'm not!'
Juvia bit back her disappointment. She liked him touching her, and she felt a little put out by the denial. Then again, Gray seemed like a private person so she'd need to get used to that. She shifted a little closer to Gray, and tried to think of a subtle way to say she didn't mind if he was. She'd been waiting on him for days.
"Why not?" Loke asked in total disbelief. "You need to get laid, it's been like… years."
"Shut up," Gray said through gritted teeth. He carded a hand through his hair and shot Juvia a nervous look. "Any chance you could ignore him for the rest of the night?"
Juvia giggled and placed her hand on his bicep, hoping to re-engage contact between them, and also hoping that he'd pick up on the flirtation. "I was planning to anyways."
Gray flashed her a grin.
"Ow, that's savage." Despite the complaint, Loke was smiling as he said it.
"Alright, enough blabbering from you, we gonna do these shots or what?" Cana asked.
"Yes!" Loke said, reaching between Gray and Juvia to pluck one of the shots off the bar. Cana grabbed her own, but Gray grabbed the remaining two and handed Juvia hers. They raised their glasses and down the shots in one go. Juvia followed suit, letting the vodka shot burn down her throat. The others chased their shots with limes, but Juvia grabbed her drink and took a sip.
Cana gave her a light pat on the back. "You better keep this one Gray, she's a woman after my own heart."
Gray shifted uncomfortably, giving Cana a non-committal shrug. He grabbed his beer and downed a good portion of it. "So, you hosting New Year's again this year?"
Juvia's heart tugged. She wondered why he got so touchy when people suggested there was something romantic between them. He had no trouble flirting with her, and he'd been getting better about the distance he'd been keeping prior to Christmas, but she still felt like there was a part of him holding back, and she couldn't figure out why. She kinda figured it would have been a done deal by now.
"Hell yeah! The old man is out for the night, so I'm going all out." She nudged Juvia. "You better be there. Lyon and Mered too! I want a full house."
"Wouldn't miss it," Juvia said. She hadn't been planning on a wild night out but she liked Gray's friends. They were a bit overwhelming, and she couldn't help but feel a bit left out when they'd talk about growing up together, but she enjoyed their company.
Besides, if everything went well, she and Gray would finally be dating, so why not party it up on New Years.
"I can't believe we're leaving!" Lyon whined. He clung to Mered's back as they stumbled down the street away from the bar's door. "It's not even ten, you should all be ashamed."
Juvia shook her head and trudged out after them, tugging her coat tighter around her as the cold air hit her for the first time in hours.
"Yeah, well, some of us have work in the morning," Ultear grumbled from Juvia's side. Ultear had her arms wrapped tight around herself, and was darting glances up and down the street hunting for a large cab.
"Not me," Mered chirped, and smirked over his shoulder.
Ultear glared at him. "Yeah, yeah. Rub it in."
"You're just getting old," Lyon said, a smirk played on his lips. "Back in the day you'd be out all hours of the night, job or not."
"That's because I never cared about the jobs I had, it's a little different now. If I don't go to work, I don't make money," Ultear said.
"Excuses, excuses. Admit it, you're old, and you're out past your bedtime," Mered teased.
"You little shit." Ultear's eyes narrowed as she lunged towards Mered.
Mered's eyes went wide with panic and he ducked behind Lyon. Ultear darted after him, and he spun around, keeping Lyon between them as Ultear tried to catch him.
Lyon stumbled between them and tried to protest being used as a shield, but it fell on deaf ears.
Juvia shivered, and burrowed deeper into her jacket, feeling colder now that Ultear wasn't there to block the wind. She caught sight of a lit up taxi sign and started to flag it down, only to realize it was a car and wouldn't fit them all. Her nose wrinkled in frustration. They should have called one from the bar, at this rate they were going to freeze to death in the street.
"You cold?" Gray asked, as he sauntered up to them. He'd been helping Cana and Lucy get Natsu into their cab.
Juvia bit her lip. She didn't want him to give her his jacket, since it was way too cold for him to be without one, but it wasn't like she could hide it either. She nodded.
Gray studied her for a moment before stepping right up beside her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her against his chest, holding her there and turning her away from the wind so he'd shield her from most of it.
Juvia's heart raced and she could feel her cheeks going red.
"Hey look, Gray's being a gentleman!" Mered shouted, pointing at the two of them. Lyon and Ultear came to a halt, the three of them a tangle of limbs from their game of cat and mouse. Identical smirks formed, as they gawked at the pair of them.
Gray's whole body tensed against her back and his arms stiffened. He let out a loud frustrated growl before replying. "Just making sure she doesn't freeze to death since you three are more interested in play tag, instead of getting us a cab."
Juvia's heart dropped a bit, and she sunk back against him.
"Nice, very romantic," Lyon deadpanned.
Gray shifted behind her and huffed feathering the hair against Juvia's neck. "Whatever." He readjusted his grip, but he didn't let go of her, and Juvia decided that was a good sign.
"We should just call a cab" Mered suggested. "It'll take forever to find a van at this time of night."
"Good idea." Ultear fished out her phone and started punching in numbers.
Lyon pouted and draped himself over Mered's shoulder. "Not a good idea. The sooner we find a cab, the sooner the night's over and I have to say goodbye to you."
Mered rolled his eyes. "You'll see me again tomorrow, now get off. Stop using me to lean on."
"But, I want to see you more now!"
"Why don't you come home with us?" Juvia asked, "You don't have to work in the morning, you could spend the night. Lyon's bed is free, and we can watch movies together."
Mered's eyes went wide, and Lyon's lit up like a Christmas tree.
"Yes! Brilliant idea!" Lyon wrapped his arms tighter around Mered's shoulder, and hung off him. "Please come home with me. Please, please, please."
Mered struggled under Lyon's hold and glared up at him in frustration. "I'm not going anywhere with you until you get offa me."
Lyon shot off Mered, freeing him from Lyon's death grip. "I'm off!" He held his hands high in the air as proof, but he still hovered ridiculously close to Mered. He pouted and batted his eyes at Mered. "Now will you grace me with your presence for the night?"
Mered shifted again and bit his lower lip.
Juvia frowned, unsure why he seemed so hesitant, and Lyon's smile fell a bit.
Mered was about to say something when Ultear turned back to the group. "Cab's on its way, and you should totally come. It'll be your first double date." She elbowed him and smirked at Gray and Juvia.
"We're not dating." Gray was stiff as a board and when Juvia glanced up at him he was scowling at Ultear.
Juvia felt a pang of rejection shoot through her heart. She knew they weren't dating yet, but she'd hoped that would change. She caught the sympathetic glances Mered and Ultear were shooting her.
All at once Gray's arms felt constricting. "Right." Juvia pushed his arms off of her and pulled away from him
"Juvia?" Gray frowned "I thought you were cold."
"I'm fine." She'd meant to sound relaxed, but anyone could hear the strain in her voice.
Gray stepped towards her and reached his hand out to touch her. "Hey, what's up?"
"Nothing," she snapped and flinched away from him. "Nothing is up, you made that perfectly clear."
"What? Seriously? All I said was we aren't dating; which is true. Why are you getting so pissed off?" Gray threw his hands up in frustration as he glared back at her.
Juvia gaped at him, as a torrent of emotions flooded her mind. She had no idea how to answer that. Did he really not get it? "You're kidding right?"
"Say yes, it might still save your ass," Mered said.
"No." Gray scowled at Juvia.
"Wrong answer." Mered muttered and eyed Gray like he was a dead man.
"So you don't have feelings for me? That kiss meant nothing to you?" Juvia was bordering on hysterical, and several people were staring at them.
"I didn't say that." Gray ran a hand through his hair and glanced about nervously. "Can you calm down? We'll talk about this later."
"When later? It's been five days! I've been waiting, I'm tired of it."
Gray clenched his jaw and his hands balled into fists at his sides. He gaze darted up and down the street and the various people stopping to look at them. He grit his teeth. "When we aren't in public."
"No that's-"
"Juvia enough," Lyon said, catching her by the elbow and pulled her towards him. "You're overreacting and blowing this way out of proportion."
Juvia's eyes narrowed and betrayal lanced through her heart. She wrenched herself free from Lyon's grip and spun on him. Lyon locked eyes with her and took a step back, bumping into Mered.
"Dumb thing to say dude," Mered said, glancing nervously between the two of them.
"Foot in mouth syndrome, both of them," Ultear muttered. She stepped forward as their cab pulled up to the curb and wrapped an arm around Juvia. "Just breathe. Remember, they're dumb boys."
Juvia nodded, even though she didn't agree with the sentiment. Gray and Lyon weren't dumb, bad with words sure but not dumb. And the fact that Lyon was actually siding with Gray over her was a slight that cut her deeper than she had words for.
She climbed into the cab and settled in the front set of seats. Ultear sat beside her and Gray and Lyon were forced to sit in the back with Mered.
As the cab pulled away from the curb Juvia turned and stared out the window and wished she had somewhere else to go tonight.
The tension in the cab was impossible to ignore, no matter how hard Lyon tried. Juvia hadn't said a word to anyone, and was busy sulking in the seat in front of him. Occasionally Lyon caught her glaring at him through the window.
Gray wasn't much better, but at least he was willing to talk to the rest of them. Though, he kept shooting looks Juvia's way, and he face was frozen in permanent scowl.
Lyon did his best to engage with Mered and Ultear, and stay upbeat, but it was hard to ignore the glares Juvia kept shooting at him through the window. Lyon pretended like he didn't notice, but anyone could tell that was an act. Twenty minutes into the ride and Mered slid his hand over top of Lyon's. It helped a bit.
By the time they arrived at the house, everyone was relieved to be allowed out of the cab.
Mered made a beeline for the house, and ended up having to wait for Lyon to make it up the walkway to unlock the door for him. Gray wasn't far behind, but Juvia lingered by the cab, waiting while Ultear paid the fair.
Lyon watched them from the door, apprehension pooling in his gut. There was no telling what Juvia was gonna do at this point. He waited until the two of them were walking up the driveway before finally starting to take off his coat. For a moment he'd been afraid Juvia might not come in.
Gray seemed to have the same idea. He wasn't as obvious about watching them, but he'd yet to take anything off, and Lyon caught the way he'd steal glances out of the door every few seconds.
Ultear trudged through the door, peeling off her coat as she entered and ripping off her mittens, scarf and headband along with it. She begrudgingly stuffed them into to the closet in a semi organized manner, before turning to the rest of the group with a sigh. "Okay, I gotta be up in five hours, so I'm off to bed. Have fun, keep the noise down, and try to get some sleep at some point." She eyed Lyon and Mered as she said it.
"No promises," Lyon teased.
Mered coughed and went bright red beside him. He averted his gaze when Lyon turned to stare at him. "Night Ul."
Gray side eyed the two of them and shook his head. He stepped forward and gave Ultear a half hug. "Night Tear."
Juvia was last and she stepped into the house. She meet Ultear in a warm hug.
"Don't let these things get to your head. We all love you okay?" Ultear ran a hand over Juvia's hair and gave her a small pat. "Okay kids, night."
"Night," they all echoed in unison as Ultear climbed the stairs.
Mered smiled as he turned to Lyon. "So… popcorn?"
"Hell yes." Lyon turned to Juvia and smiled at her, hoping they might be able to drop the argument for the night. "Wanna help?"
"I'll pass," Juvia said, with a shake of her head.
"Well at least come in and take your coat off. I'm turning into a popsicle," Mered laughed and flashed her a grin.
Juvia shifted uncomfortably, and glanced back outside. "Actually, I was thinking... I'm gonna skip the movie, get some fresh air instead."
"What? Why? It's freezing out there." Mered protested.
Juvia shrugged, but her eyes darted towards Gray.
"Come on," Lyon said, and reached out to her. He'd been worried about this, and he didn't want her going back out on her own. Sure the neighbourhood was safe, and Juvia could handle herself anyways, but it was cold, and she'd end up stewing in her own thoughts and this whole thing would get worse. "Look, I know you're upset, but just come in, and we'll talk it out."
"No," Juvia snapped. She closed her eyes and her whole body sagged. "Look, it's fine." She turned to Lyon. "There's nothing to talk about, I'm just going for a walk."
Gray let out an exasperated sigh, and started doing his jacket back up. "You know what, why don't I go instead."
"Don't be ridiculous, I'm going for a walk. Why do you need to leave?" Juvia demanded.
"Because you're upset with me, and I don't like the idea of you wandering around alone, in a strange place." Gray grabbed the door and took a step to leave, only to have Juvia block him.
"It's not a strange place, it's your neighbourhood."
"It's strange to you." Gray sighed, and looked like he wanted to strangle Juvia the way he was glaring at her.
Lyon stepped between them. "Okay, both of you take a breath." He turned to Juvia. "I get that you want space, but I'm with Gray. I don't like the idea of you being out there on your own."
"Why? Because I'm a girl?" Juvia fumed. "I can handle myself."
"Walked right into that one," Mered muttered, looking completely unamused. Lyon scowled at him, trying to communicate that, he wasn't being helpful
"Oh fuck off. Can you not twist this around for once? It's late, it's cold, it's dark, and you have nowhere to go. If I leave can go to Erza's. I'll sit on her couch or pass out there, where it's safe and warm, because I'm not fifty shades of crazy."
Silence exploded in the foyer. Everyone gaped at Gray. Juvia stood frozen in front of him, and Lyon could see the shimmer in her eyes. Before he could do anything, she turned on her heel and stormed out the door and down the walkway.
"Shit!"
"Juvia!" Lyon called, surging forward to catch up with her. This was bad. So bad. She wasn't gonna let this shit go, and she'd be livid for days. He stalled to glance back at Mered, a heavy twinge of guilt and disappointment weighing on his chest. He'd been looking forward to spending more time with Mered.
Gray caught his arm, holding Lyon in place. "Don't bother, I've got this."
Lyon arched an eyebrow skeptically. "Yeah, I can see that."
"Seriously, I'll handle it. This has nothing to do with you."
"This has everything to do with me, she's my best friend."
"And Mered's your boyfriend, who's here to spend time with you." Gray sighed and carded his fingers through his hair. "Juvia's pissed at me, and she's upset because of me. It should be me dealing with this, not you."
Lyon shook his head. "And if you piss her off more?"
"Then I'll call you, and I'll sleep at Erza's for the rest of the week, and you can go back to hating my guts," Gray pleaded. He shot a nervous glance down the street and bounced on the tips of his feet.
Lyon turned to Mered, unsure of what to do.
"Let him go," Mered said, as he pressed a comforting hand to Lyon's arm. "You saw what happened when we let everyone else get involved in our spats."
Lyon grimaced. "Fine. Just don't fuck this up." Lyon forced himself to take a breath. "Please."
"Thanks. I'll text you when I find her." Gray called back to them in a rush. He was already booking it down the walkway at top speed.
Lyon lingered in the door for a moment longer, before taking a deep breath and shutting it. It was hard to ignore the anxiety bubbling in his chest, but he was now completely alone with Mered for at least a half an hour. His heart picked up speed for an entirely different reason.
Lyon smirked, and looped his arm around Mered's waist, drawing Mered close so he could lean down and whisper in Mered's ear. "Come on, let's go make that popcorn." He let his arm slip away and sauntered towards the kitchen, and added sway to his hips. He glanced over his shoulder and waggled his eyebrows when he caught Mered staring at his ass.
Mered huffed and shoved past him into the kitchen, only to stop dead in the center of it. "Uh, where do you guys keep the popcorn?"
"That would be over here." Lyon planted a hand on Mered's hip and guided him towards the pantry at the end of the counter and pulled out the jar of kernels.
"Dude, no way. You guys make your popcorn from scratch?"
Lyon cackled. "Of course, have you met my mom? There's no other way to have popcorn." He bent down and pulled out the popcorn maker from one of the lower cupboards and patted it lovingly. "This thing's been around long than I have."
Mered wrinkled his nose. "That's not necessarily a good thing."
"It works fine. Stop being a snob and go get some butter." Lyon plugged the machine in and flicked it on. It came to life with a whirring sound and he poured the kernels into the dumping cup.
"Ooo butter. You're going all out tonight."
Lyon scoffed. "Don't be ridiculous, it's for you and Juvia. Popcorn is one of the few healthy snacks out there, why would I ruin that by covering it in melted fat."
"Cause it tastes ah-maze-ing. Life without buttered popcorn is sad and not worth living." Mered slapped an entire stick of butter down beside Lyon, with a smirk.
Lyon pursed his lips and glared down his nose at Mered. He was such a brat, and Lyon wanted nothing more than to wipe that stupid smirk off his cute face. Lyon cupped Mered's chin with his hand and pressed his lips to Mered's, he pulled back slightly and repeated the action, moving his lips slowly, but firmly. He flicked his tongue against Mered's chapped lips, and reveled in Mered gasp, before he pulled away. "Definitely still worth living."
"Dork," Mered mumbled. His cheeks were scarlet and he couldn't meet Lyon's gaze.
Lyon smirked, and leaned forward. His lips brushed against the shell of Mered's ear and he whispered, "Your dork."
Mered squirmed and hummed an agreement as Lyon's lips traced down his neck, feathering kisses as he went. His hands found purchase on Mered's hips and Lyon pushed him back towards the counter.
Mered's whole body went ridged.
Lyon's lips halted right above Mered's collarbone, and his hands loosened. He pulled back and tried to catch Mered's gaze. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing." Mered eyed the counter, and bit his lower lip. His fingers curled tight around the edge of the counter, until his knuckles were white.
"Clearly." Lyon took a deep breath, and closed his eyes. He wanted to shake Mered, but that wasn't going to help the situation. Instead, his thumb traced circles against Mered's jeans, and he focused on the feel of the rough fabric. He dipped his head towards Mered. "Talk to me."
"It's stupid."
"More stupid than me freaking out about coming out to my parents?"
Lyon was met with silence. His eyes popped open, and locked with Mered's.
Mered shrugged. "Kinda."
"Tell me anyways." Lyon brushed his nose against Mered's and touched their foreheads together.
"I'm not ready to… you know..." Mered trailed off and his whole face burned red.
Lyon blinked. His eyes crinkled and he had to bite his inner cheek to keep from laughing. It wasn't a laughing matter, not really, but he couldn't help it. Mered was too cute. Lyon took another deep breath and dipped his head so he could nuzzle Mered's cheek, and he wrapped his arms around Mered's waist. "You know, I like you flustered and a bit nervous, but I'd never actually pressure you for anything."
"I know, but- I mean- You want to. That's why you invited me to spend the night, right?"
"I invited you to spend the night because I wanted to spend more time with you," Lyon said and bopped Mered on the nose.
Mered wrinkled his nose and frowned at Lyon. "Please. You can't tell me sex didn't cross your mind."
Lyon sighed and kissed Mered's forehead. "Sure it has, but I'm not dying for it." He pressed another kiss to Mered's nose. "I'm actually having fun with this." Another kiss landed on Mered's cheek. "You're cute when you get all shy and squirmy." He kissed Mered's other cheek then locked eyes with Mered and smirked. "And I love getting to tease you."
Mered shoved lightly against Lyon's chest, but he barely got Lyon to budge. "Fuck you, asshole."
"I love it when you talk dirty."
Mered gaped at him. "Ugh. You-" He pressed his lips together and glowered at Lyon. "I hate you."
"You know I'm just playing with you," Lyon said, and cupped Mered's cheek. "I promise, it's fine."
"Sure, right now it is. But you be back at college soon and surrounded by experienced guys, who know what they're doing and-"
Lyon press his finger to Mered's lips. "And they aren't my boyfriend; you are. And it's okay if you feel insecure, I'll hear you out, but I want to make it clear that I take this whole boyfriend thing pretty seriously. If I didn't I would have dated one of the guys I was hooking up with."
"I know, but I can't help but feel like you'll get tired of waiting. I won't see you for months." Mered slumped against Lyon and rested his head on Lyon's shoulder.
"Uh, you'll see me every day. If you think I'm not going to Facetime the shit out of you, you're crazy. And it's not like you're opposed to phone sex, so it's not like I've gotta go without."
"Oh my god!" Mered buried his face in Lyon's shoulder to muffle his wail. "Can you be serious?"
"I am being serious." Lyon placed his hands on Mered's shoulders and pushed Mered back so he could look him in the eyes. "We'll make it work. I'm not going to cheat on you, and you don't need to sleep with me to make sure of that. I'm with you because I like you."
Mered stared up at Lyon for a long moment before he reached up and tangled his fingers into Lyon's hair and pulled him down into a bruising kiss. Lyon's head swam, and it took him a moment to orient himself. His hands found Mered's waist again. He pressed their bodies flush together, and kissed Mered back will all he had.
When they pulled away Lyon was panting.
Mered smirked up at him. "I like you too."
Juvia watched as the snow covered ground swayed beneath her, as she swung back and forth on the swing. Her foot occasionally caught the ground and pushed off to keep her momentum but for the most part she just sat there listlessly. Her heart hurt, and the rest of her felt numb with the cold.
She didn't want to admit it, but Gray might have been right, being out in the cold was just dumb.
Snow crunched under heavy footsteps, approaching from her left. Juvia sighed and closed her eyes, trying to find a measure of calm. She knew he'd come find her eventually, though she was surprised it had taken him so long. Juvia looked up and nearly fell off the swing as she caught sight of Gray standing by the swingset pole closest to her. She clung to the chains, and tried to think of something to say to him. Nothing came to mind so she glared at him instead.
He met her glare, and stuffed his hands into his pockets, he scuffed the toe of his shoe against the ground, and waited. Silence stretched between them, but Juvia was determined not to be the one to break it. He'd come looking for her, so he could say what he wanted or he could leave.
"Lyon was gonna come after you," Gray said at last.
Juvia's brow dipped in confusion, before her scowl returned. If Lyon was going to come after her why didn't he? Did he send Gray instead?
Gray sighed and carded a hand through his hair, and shifted against the bar. "I told him it should be me. That this was between us, and that I'd talk to you."
"I don't see what we have to talk about," Juvia bit back.
Gray's jaw clenched. "We've got a lot to talk about, but if you're just gonna throw everything I say in my face, then I'm wasting my time trying."
Juvia shrunk under the hard look he was giving her, and her eyes dropped to her lap. She felt like a scolded child. She took a sharp breath and forced her voice to soften. "What do you want?"
Gray stepped towards her, and Juvia's head rose to watch him as he approached. He stopped in front of her and pulled his hands from his pockets and gripped the chains of her swing just above her own. He towered over her and despite herself, Juvia felt a bit intimidated. "Why'd you freak out when I told Ultear we weren't dating?"
"I didn't freak out."
"Bullshit. You wouldn't even let me touch you."
Juvia glowered up at him, frustrated, but she wasn't even sure if it was because he was ignorant to her feelings or because he wasn't nearly as apologetic as she'd expected him to be. She'd figured he'd come here to apologize. "Don't tell me how I felt."
"Then stop deflecting. You wanna be pissed, fine, be pissed, but at least have the decency to tell me what the hell you're mad about. I'm not playing these mind games with you."
"I'm not the one playing mind games." Juvia leaned forward pressing into Gray's personal space. "You're the one who called me crazy and then came out here, and now you're being mean and accusing me of things as if I'm the one who did something wrong."
Gray growled and shook the chains. "You are. You're expecting me to read your mind and know what's wrong, and when I can't and I ask what's wrong, you blow me off. Get even more mad at me, like that's some sort of crime. And okay, yes, I shouldn't have said that, and I'll deal with it, but not until we deal with the actual issue. Now stop fucking around."
Juvia stared at him wide eyed. Her heart raced and she tried to shrink back from him. She didn't know what to say, she wanted to scream at him and deny everything he was throwing at her, but the more she thought about it and actually let his words sink in the more she could understand it from his point of view. She wasn't trying to manipulate him, but she could see how he'd feel that way. Tears welled up in the corners of her eyes and her throat tightened.
"Shit!" Gray let go of the chains and sprang back from her, as though he'd been burned. "Fuck. Okay maybe that was too harsh. I didn't mean-"
Juvia shook her head. She brushed her tears away before they could fall. "No, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you feel like you were being manipulated, I just thought it was obvious that I liked you. And I thought you liked me too."
Gray's expression softened and he rubbed the back of his neck. "I do like you."
"Then why don't you want to date me?"
Gray winced and let out a long sigh. He carded his hand through his hair looking distressed all over again.
"Why do you freeze up every time we're alone together and things might actually go somewhere? Or when I mention seeing you?"
"It's not every time."
"It's most times. Anytime I think we might kiss," Juvia huffed. "It's like you're repulsed by me."
Gray rolled his eyes. "I'm definitely not repulsed by you, and I only get that way because I know that if I kiss you we're not going to stop there."
"So? It's not like I'm a virgin. I know I'm not exactly comfortable talking about it, but that doesn't mean I'm not, you know…." Juvia felt heat creeping up her neck and across her cheeks.
"That's the problem. I know you're good to go, but I just think that maybe this isn't something we should rush into."
Juvia frowned, feeling the harsh twang of rejection all over again. Gray wasn't the kind of guy who hesitated, which meant that her thought something was wrong with her. "Why not? I want you, you want me. What's wrong with that? What's wrong with me that you don't want me?"
Gray groaned and tore at his hair. "You've got to be…. Juvia, there is nothing wrong with you. Nothing. I just don't want to rush into bed with you because I actually give a fuck about you. I respect you, and I don't want to hurt you."
"What does that even mean? How can you say you don't want to hurt me, but think that means avoiding me?"
"I don't!" Gray's chest heaved, as he took long deep breaths. His fists clenched and unclenched as he stood in front of her, clearly wrestling with his emotions. Juvia waited, letting his shoulders fall, and letting him sink onto his haunches in front of her. "I'm not trying to avoid you, I like spending time with you. I'm just trying not to sleep with you, and it's not easy. I care about you, and I don't want to fuck this up. I've only had one relationship in my entire life, and it was messed. And Lyon told me about Bora, he said you're fragile."
"I'm not."
"You are. You're insecure too, and quick to anger. You're emotions are all over the goddamn place, and I'm still picking up the pieces from my last relationship. You'll be half a country away, and I've got hockey and school, and I'm shit at comforting people."
"I don't care. I don't need comfort, I can take care of myself."
Gray shook his head. "You should care. You should want those things, because you deserve them, any semi decent human being deserves them. The fact that you think you don't just proves my point."
Juvia glared at him as her chest tightened. "So what, you don't even want to try?"
"I didn't say that." Gray scrubbed his hand over his face and sent her a pleading look, that rooted Juvia in her seat. "I'm just saying this shit is going to be hard, and I'm freaking out because Daphne fucked with my head, and she did it on purpose. She'd throw fits and threaten to kill herself anytime something didn't go her way, and I'm not saying you're that bad, but you do get really pissed off at people when they don't see things your way."
Guilt stirred in Juvia's chest as she thought of all the times she'd snapped at Gray in the last week. She'd never really thought about how he'd feel about it, or that there might be a reason he reacted the way he did.
"I'm not saying you mean to do it, and sometimes you've got good reason to get defensive, but other times… like tonight, you just don't consider anyone but yourself."
"I'm sorry." The words fell from her lips and sounded woefully inadequate. But what else could she say? Could she even blame him for not wanting to be with her at this point?
Gray stood, and brushed off the back of his coat. "You don't need to be sorry, just be aware of it and work on it." He held out his hand to her. "C'mon, it's freezing out here."
Juvia stared at it for a long moment before accepting it. Gray pulled her from the swing, and turned to leave, but Juvia held tight to his hand and refused to budge. He glanced back at her, confused. "What's up?"
"I still don't know where that leaves us." She got that he had issues, and that he wanted to take things slow, but he also said he liked her, and that he was just trying to avoid sleeping with her. It was all really confusing. She knew what she wanted, but Gray was a complete mystery and she needed answers, even if they could crush her.
"As friends, I hope."
Friends. The word cut like a knife and crushed her chest like a lead weight all at once. She took a sharp breath and tried to breathe through the very blatant rejection. She felt devastated, like a hurricane had torn its way through her heart. She wanted to cry, and to fight him, but if she did she'd just play into everything he'd accused her of. "Okay." She felt numb saying it.
Gray let out a sigh of relief and smiled at her. "Yeah?"
She nodded, not trusting her voice. Gray stepped towards her and wrapped her in a hug before she could react. His arms wound around her waist and held her tight. It felt like a vice grip, and she struggled to keep her breaths even as she forced herself to hug him back. She closed her eyes and breathed in the scent of leather from his jacket and tried to console herself. It wouldn't be that bad, at least they'd still be friends, she'd still get to see him. She clung a bit tighter when he first started to pull away, but let go a moment later.
Gray locked eyes with her and searched her eyes for something. After a moment he brushed his thumb over her cheek. "Thank you for understanding."
She nodded again and swallowed hard. "Of course."
It wasn't like she had any other options.
As the credits rolled and the ending soundtrack started Mered let out a delighted laugh. "Oh my god. That was awesome."
"I know, right?" Lyon chimed in, with a childish grin plastered on his face. "Chicago is one of my all time favs."
"I'm actually looking forward to going to see it now," Gray said, his eyes still glued to the screen.
"Same! Who knew classic musicals could be so violent?" Mered said.
Lyon scoffed. "A lot classic musicals have at least one death."
"Yeah, I guess but they're all super depressing. This was fun."
"Well I'm glad you approve." Lyon glanced over at Juvia and frowned. "You're awfully quiet considering you just watched our favourite musical of all time."
Juvia shook her head to clear it and forced a smile. "Sorry, had my head in the clouds for a second." Truthfully she'd barely watched a second of the movie, not that she hadn't seen it enough times to be able to recite it by heart. Still she'd had a lot to think about, and she'd finally come to a decision on a few things.
"Right." Lyon's tone suggested he didn't buy it. "It's been a long day, we should all get some sleep."
"Definitely." Mered seconded.
The two of them got up and started gathering the bowels of popcorn.
"Oh no, hand those over," Juvia said and waved for the bowls. "Gray and I are taking care of the dishes."
"Are we now?" Gray crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow at her.
Juvia locked eyes with him, daring him to contradict her. "Yeah we are."
Gray studied her for a long moment before he shrugged and grabbed Mered's bowl with an exaggerated sigh. "I know better than to argue with you about clean up."
"That's our cue." Mered tugged on Lyon's arm and pulled him back towards the stairs. "Night guys."
"Night," Juvia have them both a quick hug and flashed them a smile before heading to the kitchen.
Gray and Lyon called out quick good nights behind her, before two sets of feet climbed the stairs and Gray's thumped towards the kitchen. Juvia had already rinsed her bowl by the time Gray arrived. She handed it to him and took his, while he loaded the other bowl into the dishwasher and grabbed the detergent.
They tidied the rest of the kitchen in silence, each of them sneaking glances at each other. When Gray shut the door and pressed start he turned and leaned against the counter to face Juvia. "You doing okay with everything?"
Juvia nodded and leaned back against the island counter opposite him. She took a deep breath and decided she might as well say what she had to. "I accept that you're not ready to start a relationship at this point, and that there are going to be some things I need to work on before you feel comfortable being with me."
"Good. I'm glad we're finally on the same page."
Juvia held up her hand. "I said I accepted it. I never said I agreed with everything."
Gray's face fell and he eyed her warily. His body tensed and he folded his arms across his chest. "Okay. What exactly do you disagree with?"
"I don't agree to just being your friend. It's stupid."
"You think it's stupid?" Gray's jaw twitched. "Well too fucking bad, I said I'm not ready."
Juvia threw her hands up. "It's been almost two years, if you're not ready now, you're never going to be." She dropped her hands down to her thighs with a slap. "You said you liked me, and I like you. It's juvenile to pretend like those feelings don't exist just because you're scared of what they might mean."
Gray drew himself up and glared down at her, and Juvia was sure he was about to storm out of the room. "It's also juvenile to rush headlong into a relationship you're not ready for."
"That's true." Juvia drew in a deep breath. "I'm willing to wait until you're ready, but I don't want to be just another friend." Juvia pushed herself off the counter and leaned into Gray's personal space. "I want you. I want to be with you, and I don't like having to second guess myself every time we talk, for fear that I'm going to cross some line. I want to negotiate boundaries."
Gray was caught off guard, and stared down at her blinking. She could see his mind working to process what she'd said.
"Fine." He held up his hand and raised a finger. "One, we aren't dating." He raised another finger. "Two, no sex." He raised a third finger. "Three, no more mind games or jumping through hoops to figure out what I did to upset you."
"Okay." Juvia took a deep breath and leaned back, feeling a bit lighter. "We aren't dating, but we do like each other, and I'm allowed to act like I like you. I get to say flirtatious things, and I don't have to hide my feelings."
"Mildly flirtatious things." Gray amended. "I don't want you throwing yourself at me, and I don't want every conversation to be riddled with innuendos."
Juvia pouted playfully. "Fine, but if sex is off the table, and I can't be suggestive, then you need to keep your clothes on." She poked his uncovered abs to drive home her point.
Gray went beat red from the base of his neck all the way to the tips of his ears. He let his eyes trail over her figure, before locking their gazed. "Kay, as soon as we're done I'll go get my shirt, but that rule goes both ways."
Juvia quirked an eyebrow at him. She was pretty sure she'd kept her clothes on the whole time they'd known each other.
"Incase you get any ideas." Gray paused. "And no more wearing that little black dress of yours either."
"Really?" Juvia couldn't hide her disappointment about that one, she'd planned on wearing it again to Cana's.
"Really. I practically jumped you on in here the last time you were wearing it, and that's when I thought you were dating Lyon. So yeah, no more black dress."
Juvia glowered at him and crossed her arms in a huff. "Fine."
"Also no more kissing." Gray added.
Juvia froze at that, and looked up at him in alarm. "No more? Not even one?" New Year's Eve flashed in her mind and Juvia scrambled to reign in her disappointment. The dress was silly and annoying, but this one hurt. She didn't want admit that though, it might make him feel guilty, and the last thing she wanted was a pity kiss.
Judging by the way Gray's expression softened, and the conflicted look on his face, she wasn't doing a good job of hiding her feelings.
"It's not that I don't want to, but we both know that's a slippery slope." He stepped closer to her, and his fingers wrapped around hers as his thumb brushed over her knuckles. "I'm not thrilled about it either, trust me."
Juvia closed her eyes and leaned into him, letting her cheek rest against his chest. The heat of his skin surprised her and she nuzzled against him. It wasn't that she didn't trust him, or that she didn't think he wanted her, but she'd been hoping to replace the memory of her last new years kiss with a better one this year. That and she could use some luck.
Gray wrapped an arm around her waist and placed a soft kiss on the crown of her head and murmured into her hair. "I know this isn't what you want, but thank you. Thank you for being patient with me."
Juvia swallowed hard and nodded. In her mind she chanted for patience and courage, and told herself it was going to be worth it. Gray was worth it. She sighed and stepped closer, snuggling against him and relishing in the feel of his touch. It was going to be a long semester.
Anon Replies:
KiyomizuJ: Hey, sorry you're PM's are turned off so I'm responding here. You are so very welcome! Thank you for taking the time to read it and for your loving words of support and patience. I know it's been a long wait this time but comments like this keep me going and help me push through because gosh you're so sweet. *big hearts*
Guest 1: I'll be the first to admit, Juvia's probably the weakest character story wise, but that's what happens when you're a new writer and write as you go, and are basically posting a first draft. Most people here are happy though, so I'll still call it a win. And hey, at least there's thousands of other fics for you to read. I'm sure one of them will appeal to you more. Thanks for making it through to chapter 24 anyways, despite clearly not enjoying the story, and for the compliment about my grammar. I work hard at it :) Hope you find a fic you love.
Guest 2: Chapter is finally here!
Kimberlouxxx: Merci! Yes, they're finally talking. Followed by a lot more actual talking this chapter. Thanks for the support, and I have kept going. IKYSS is almost finished. :O
Guest 3: Best gratitude gift ever! I have no intention to stop writing, I love it even if sometimes it kicks my butt.
Quietharmonies: Thank you! I'm so glad. Honestly that talk was HELL to get right, but there was NO WAY I was posting it until I was satisfied and I'm glad a lot of people feel really satisfied with the way it was handled. I really wanted to touch on the fact that even though your parents may struggle to accept you coming out, that doesn't mean they don't love you, or that they don't want to work past it. I don't think we really see a lot of parents who are just conflicted, so I had to take the opportunity.
I know, it's hard not to want to rush things, but at the end of the day it's been a week, so taking it slow. Plus both of them have a ton of issues (as mentioned above) so they've got some REAL work to do.
I swear everyone loved Silver in this chapter. I loved him too though, and I really loved being able to use him to ground Juvia. Honestly I love their relationship so much. And thank you, they are all big beautiful messes, and I wouldn't have them or you any other way. :)
Guest 4: Thank you so much for that sweet little review. I promise that I write when ever I find the time and I've knuckled down this month to make sure that I can finish IKYSS for you all. Thanks for sticking with me and having faith in me.
Guest 5: Aww sweetie! Life is going better, still a bit busy, but I think I've finally managed to get some of the harder stuff worked out. You're very welcome, I told myself I'd see this through and I have no intention of quitting on myself or on the rest of you. There's only a few chapters left to go, and I promise to keep pushing until its done. :) And yes, hugs, love and support always help. *sending hugs and love back your way* Xoxo
Guest 6: Aww I'm so glad you loved it! And there is definitely a Chapter 25, also a chapter 26, 27, and 28. But that's where it's ending. I promise everything will be wrapped up by then though so don't you worry I won't leave you hanging!