Gray opened the door then stepped aside to let me go in first, I released his hand and stepped forward, where I quickly gasped in surprise. "WELCOME HOME!" Natsu and Lucy said happily as they stood in the middle of the living room smiling widely at me while I blinked rapidly trying to take in the whole room.

While the outside of the house had been plain and simple, the inside was bright and colorful. The living room was spacious with large windows with built in window seats, that had bright yellow cushions and soft multi colored throw pillows.

The walls had white trim but were each a different color; bright pink, icy blue and a blinding orange. Lucy and Gray's old couches where on one end of the room with more multi colored pillows and a basket full of different throw blanket was between them.

A large white coffee table was in front of them and a bright white fur rug was on the floor in front of a large stone fire place. At the opposite end of the room was Lucy's big TV. Pushed snug in between two large lavender book shelves that were overflowing with different books.

I stepped into the room and felt a small smile form on my face; everywhere there was a flat surface; shelves, window sills, coffee table, end tables and even on the floor; there were hundreds of flowers in vases.

I turned in a small circle taking it all in before turning back to look at Natsu and Lucy. "Everyone sent you flowers." Lucy smiled stepping slowly forward and gently hugging me. I tensed at the touch but wrapped my arms gently around her to return the hug. She smiled as she pulled away slighting and gave me a playful wink. "Some people even sent flowers a few times a day."

"Ya, that would be that dirt bag, Perry." Natsu frown as he crossed his arms over his chest in annoyance.

Lucy turned to her boyfriend hands on hips, "ANNNND Liam and Juvia and even Laxus." She said, before turning back to face me. "That last one was quite the surprise honestly."

I gave a nod as I moved over to a cluster of flowers that looked like they were made from water. I reached out and touch one only to have it make a small pop sound before splashing onto the floor. I jumped back in surprise and looked up at Lucy in panic.

Gray chuckled low in his throat as he stepped into the room still holding my bag over his shoulder. "Those would be the flowers from Juvia." I looked back at the flowers and leaded closer, watching the water and bubbles swirling around as if inside flower shaped glass.

"They're beautiful." My voice wheezed a little as I spoke and Lucy came up next to me and smiled. "They are, she made them herself. Thou they are very fragile, Natsu actually dropped one vase and we had to hang the rug out to dry."

My lip twitched in an almost a smile at the normalcy of our conversation. I glanced at Lucy's smiling face before I straitened up and turned to look at the room again. "It's all beautiful."

Natsu Beamed. "I did all the painting, but Lucy insisted on the blue color."

Lucy sighed "WE… painted and I told you, Gray is living here too we need to all share the common areas."

Natsu crossed his arms again and sunk into his scarf mumbling something about ice princess and stupid popsicle.

"Dude? I am right here." Gray snapped at Natsu, who turned and growled at him.

"HEY!" Lucy snapped, "There will be none of that. We all live together now, so make it work. Gray why don't you show Valkyrie her room while we set up for dinner."

Gray's attention shifted to me and his face quickly turned gentle again. "Is that alright with you, Val?"

I fidgeted with my figures as they all looked at me, "O-okay." I mumbled,

Gray turned and moved to go up a stair case I hadn't noticed before, the oak wooden steps creaked under our weight as I followed him. He turned at the top of the stair and pointed to the right.

"That is my room." He pointed to a closed door in front of us. "That is the bathroom, we will have to share." He paused for a minuet making me look at him. He looked as if he had just realized for the first time, that this was all happening. The thought gave me some weird comfort, that he might feel as out of sorts as I did.

Gray cleared his throat making me blink and look at him again, "We can work out a system or something later." He then turned left and walked over to another door. "And this one is your room."

He pushed open the white door to reveal an equally stark white room with a few boxes in the center of the white wall to wall carpet. A white bed frame was on one side, while a small white desk was on the other. There were three large windows one on each wall except for the one with the door and one of them had a large window seat with white cushions.

Grey stepped aside so I could walk into the room. I moved to the center and turned in a circle looking at all the empty white space before faceing Gray again.

He stayed in the door way, while he leaned in and placed my bag on the floor. "Lucy and Levy thought you would like to decorate yourself." He shifted on his feet as if nervous, "They have been reading… about how to help someone in your…situation." He looked at me as if gauging my reaction, but I looked away before our eyes could meet and moved to stand by the large window seat.

"And?" I asked quietly, I may not be able to look him in the eye when it comes up but I also was grateful that my friends were being so considerate toward me. Taking it upon themselves to do their own research, while I couldn't bring myself to even open the books Porlyusica gave me.

Gray let out a breath from behind me, "The books they read suggest that you should try to find an outlet. It is different for everyone who deals with trauma or… abuse." He paused again as if the word physically hurt him to say and I had to close my eyes, because it actually did hurt me.

"But," Gray took in a deep breath before continuing, "Whether that is talking, exercise, or being creative. It will be something that fits you, and it will help you to… cope."

I turned back to face him, "So the room…"

Gray smirked, "It is meant to be a canvas. If that is what you choose."

I quietly walked around the room again and considered the boxes briefly, I could feel Gray's eyes on me as he waited patiently. I moved to look out the other windows and ran my fingers over the new mattress on the new bed frame before I ended up near Gray again.

"Where?... the bed?" I struggled to ask, my voice cracking slightly. Gray shifted feet again and I saw the briefest flash of red on his cheeks before he looked away. "You didn't have one."

I felt a flicker of warmth in my chest and I forced down my nerves as I reach out and slowly touched his hand, Gray whipped his head back around to face be so quickly that I flinched back slightly but then moved to gently take his hand in mine.

"Sorry." Gray said gently, seeing that he spooked me. I smirked at him slightly and shook my head then moved to gently take his hand in mine. "Thank you, G-gray."

Silence filled the space between us as we stood in my doorway staring at each other still holding hands.

I tried to take in every detail of his face while he stared at me. His deep icy eyes that expressed his every emotion so freely, his tousled raven hair that hung slightly in his eyes, his perfect pale skin and his mouth that was parted slightly… and tasted like a peppermint snow cone yet felt soft and warm when…

I blinked rapidly before quickly stepping back, my face blazing a red hot with embarrassment as I bumped into the boxes behind me and lost my balance.

"Val?" Gray quickly reached out to steady me and I yelped in surprise as his large hands wrapped tightly around my arms.

Gray's eyes widened as he steadied me then slowly let go and raised his hands off me, taking a slow step back. "It's alright." He said calmly, "You're okay."

I groaned and cupped my face, "Gray…"

"Valkyrie." Gray called to me quietly and I looked up at him taking a shaky breath. "I'm here. No rushing. No sorry's."

I let out a small breath and gave a nod just as Lucy's voice came up the stairs.
"HEY GUYS DINNER IS READY… NATSU! PUT THAT DOWN! WAIT FOR THEM."

Gray chuckled before looking back at me with his usual smirk, "We better head down before your idiot brother eats it all."

I nodded again before turning to look around my room once more, then followed Gray.