Synopsis: AU. They needed a girl that was pretty enough, smart enough, and immune enough to the 23-year-old hockey superstar's charms. Juvia was anything but the latter; the benefits alongside the offer, though, were too good to pass up, especially at her current predicament. So…pretending to be Gray Fullbuster's girlfriend wasn't that hard, right?

Proceed with caution.

Standard disclaimers are applied.

Act 5: Music 123; Her Fairy

The next morning, a certain bluenette found herself up at the crack of dawn. She sauntered her way through the isles of the kitchen and fixed herself up with her favorite tea, this time placing it in a thermal tumbler.

With the intention of going to the music room, she halted and went to Gray's room. She found herself amused rather than nervous of entering the bachelor's room as she found herself focusing on the overlaying theme of her pretend boyfriend's – because they've yet to settle where they stand now so she's going to go with the closest and most steady label – room: monochromatic minimalism.

Ok, maybe he did have a palette in mind: fifty shades of grey.

Pfft. Juvia had to stop herself from laughing at her obvious lame joke.

The room was all white and black and gray and nothing else. It did feel like him though, she admitted. And while she wanted to delve more in the depths of Gray's literal personal space, she shook her head and went over to the shelves, looking for a certain book as her copy got burnt.

To her surprise, Gray said he had a copy too – a complete set a that.

Ohh.

Ok that made her a bit jealous of Lucy, but the man argued that he kind-of saw himself on one of the characters which got him hooked with the series. Juvia thought it was a fair enough excuse and thus she finds herself looking through Gray's mini library.

There weren't even any hockey books there. Just architectural stuff and some novels. It was then that Juvia was reminded that Gray did finish Architecture at the Uni. Licensed? Hell yeah. If the obvious framed board certificate hanging by the wall on Juvia's side wasn't enough proof.

Reminding herself that she wasn't there to delve in the glory of her pretend boyfriend, she soon found what she was looking for. She fished out the first book and held it in her hands, feeling the hard, leathery cover of Lucy's first creation: Fiery Tale.

Excited to re-read her friend's series and start the challenge she accepted, she went to the music room and sat on the sofa, placing her tumbler on the table, and later folding her legs. She then read through the book.

Later on, she found herself more immersed in the book than she ever had when she first read it years ago, realizing how each character had been so unique and how she found herself relating every one of it to people she knew.

She read how Lucy started with a celestial mage finding herself meeting an eccentric pyro fire dragon slayer and she couldn't help but think that's exactly how Natsu and Lucy met – minus the explosions and human trafficking that is.

And their very first culprit? Juvia burst out laughing after realizing that it was her ex from Phantom's. "I can't believe Lucy!" She's loving the blonde more and more for that.

Scratch that. She thought as she read about a certain stripping ice mage with an amazing body and a strawberry shortcake connoisseur with reequip abilities. Now that she's at that topic, she remembered telling Lucy how she loved that stripping ice mage's personality.

Should she place the novelist on a pedestal now?

It was no wonder how in the later chapters she found a certain blue-haired water mage crushing, or rather obsessing, on the ice-make magician.

That was her, right?

Because there was no way in Fiore there'd be any woman with blue locks, loves water, and talks in third person – and, we add one more truth coinciding with Lucy's book, head over heels for a certain fictional ice mage's real-life counterpart.

A brunette that loved to drink, white-haired siblings that can transform, a blue-furred cat? There was no doubt it was Cana, the Strauss siblings and Natsu's pet, Happy. Even the tsundere iron dragon slayer flirting in his own tsundere ways with the levelheaded solid script mage had to be his best friend and said best friend's lover.

And they went on adventures – enemies become comrades and comrades became family. They went through so much, Juvia couldn't help but cry at the later part of the book when she saw the ice mage die from saving her.

She was so owning the water mage's role, ok?

And Ultear was there saving the day with her life! She found herself crushing more on Gray's sister.

Juvia was so hooked in the book that she forgot the time. She had finished the book in one sitting – all in just a few more minutes before white-collared people made their way to their jobs.

She couldn't stop her trembling hands. Damn, she was too excited. The musician scurried to get her writing materials and started jotting down the torrent of words flooding her mind.

"Gather light…shine upon a brand new day" she murmured one line after another, believing that the waves of inspiration were just too much that she needed to voice it out so she could remember it all.

Everest was awake the moment its master was frantically searching for a pen and paper and followed her to the music room. The husky tasked itself to pick up the crumbled papers Juvia kept tossing on the floor every now and then.

And then the adrenaline finally subsided. She picked up Ever and gave her a hug that said they did awesome for a start of the day. She exited with the little puppy and settled it by the food bowl. A few minutes later, Everest was munching on her breakfast reward.

Juvia was happy but unfulfilled – she felt that the lyrics were too biased; it felt like it was just her interpretation of Lucy's amazing work. Shooting a glance at the digital clock by the wall, she thought it'd be okay to ask the novelist for her own opinion by then.

With a bite on her lip, Juvia pressed the call button on Lucy's contact and held the device over her ear. The ringing kept on for a few good seconds before she decided to turn it off, figuring that the blonde must still be under the sheets.

Before she could, though, her call was picked up. "Lucy? I'm sorry to call in you so sudden I–"

"Juvia?"

Juvia blinked at the croaky voice she heard from the other line. Now that wasn't anywhere near Lucy's pitch.

"It's Natsu. What's up?"

Oh. Well, she was in no position to ask what's up with them. Huffing at the fact that she had yet to wake up in her dream guy's arms, Juvia turned back to the call. "I need to speak to Lucy about something."

"About what thing?"

"Just something."

"Oh I see it. I ain't givin' Luce the phone, Juvia. Hell no."

Juvia's brows creased at the stingy Natsu she was hearing – was he always like this during the mornings? "It's important, Natsu. I promise I won't keep her too long!"

"Wanna keep her more than 2 days, eh? Nuh uh, Juvs. I need my Luce too ya kno –"

"Natsu? Why are you up so early?"

Juvia thought she heard the voice she wanted to hear and shouted over the phone to get her attention. "Lucy! It's Juvia! I need to talk to you!"

"Juvia? Hey, Natsu, gimme the phone!"

"And have you guys plan another one of your coups? No way in Tartaros, Luce!"

"Give it."

"No."

"Phone, Natsu."

"No~!"

"Gimme the damn phone, Dragneel or I'll shave off Happy's fur!"

"No! And how could you?!"

Juvia could hear the shuffling of sheets and clanking of objects from the other side. Were they always like that during the morning? Juvia inwardly commented as she bore witness – audibly that is, to the fiery sunrise of the couple.

It seemed that Lucy was out of earshot as she could only hear Natsu's shouts of furball justice. Sighing she decided to speak up. "Natsu? Please? Just a few minutes?"

"Hmp. Can ya guarantee that?"

Juvia sighed, how many rebellious fiascos did Natsu had to endure to behave like this just from a phone call? "Yes, Natsu. I swear."

"Ya do?"

"In the name of Happy's blue fur, I swear there's no coup happening, and I just need to talk to Lucy about something."

"Ohh. You're good at this. Oi, Luce!"

"WHAT? H-hey! Don't throw my phone like that!"

Juvia chuckled lightly and took a sip of her warm tea. "Is this you now, Lucy?"

"Let me…just…catch my breath…first, Juvia. One sec."

Amused, the musician played with her little friend for now as she waited for the novelist's flurry to settle, commenting how different her and Gray's morning was with the couple – not that she felt envious or anything. She just didn't see Gray as the clingy type.

"Alright. What was this about again?"

Hearing her up and at it for her, Juvia told her about her morning – the one-sit reading and the flow of lyrics that just hit her as fast as it disappeared before she could gather it all. She told Lucy, who had been very eager to listen, how the words came to be and what her plans were for the melody.

"OMG. I can't believe you're done with almost half of it! I feel so honored and thrilled!"

"You flatter me too much. It's not near done yet and like I said, I feel like it's too prejudiced."

"So you say. And you came to ask me for my opinion of your WIP?"

"Not quite, maybe later once I finish it. I wanted to ask you about your book."

Lucy happily answered each and every question the bluenette had for her.

Juvia only ended the fruitful call because her phone alerted her of its battery's nearing end. They conversed for more than an hour and she couldn't help but feel amazed that she saw through her friend's thoughts. They shared the same sentiments; she was on the same page with Lucy when the novelist talked about her feelings on writing the novel as she was on her interpretation with the upcoming song.

FT is about family and friendship – and anything and everything that makes it so beautiful.

As insipid as one pragmatic being rolling his eyes on such a realization, that of which Juvia would probably do the same if it was her past self – the self that decided to go rogue for three years, the overall theme held so much of an impact to her right now. Kind-of like how one ancient science figure, her foster father told her about, who shouted 'Eureka!' after a successful discovery.

She wouldn't have seen it through before – but right now it meant so much to her: family.

Juvia didn't realize how a hug could make the coldest of situations warm up; how hands could caress the ache of losing something you've held onto for so long; how a laugh can lift the spirits of the down.

Her family was her ultimate light – the radiance that guided her through her darkest of moments and shone for her, steered her to the brightest of days she thought she'd only see in movies and fictions.

"The very first time Natsu took me to FT, I found myself having so much fun just by hanging out with people I've barely known then – but Natsu was having the time of his life and I just knew they were amazing people. It was like you found yourself with your own fairy turning your world a full 360. I wanted to write a book about it; a world with established relationships like friendship and how they go from there. I want to see how people would light up at the backstories as to how each member of the guild came to trust and support and would even die for each other. It's fun and reassuring and overwhelming to have people behind your back, don't you think so, Juvia?"

Juvia couldn't help nodding her head as those last lines Lucy told her of over the phone resurfaced in her mind.

"I wanna go home. I miss Mer."

"Couldn't agree more."

"You miss Mer too?"

Deep azure eyes shot a certain white-haired goalie a look that said to stop whatever he was intending to start. He just got out of a well-deserved shower and this was the first thing he had to deal with?

Lyon only snickered at his grumpy brother before he laid sprawled on his own bed.

With one hand holding a towel and drying his hair, the other quickly checked his phone for any messages. None. Maybe she was busy with the challenge the old man tasked her of? A small smile made its way to his face at the thought.

That scene did not go unnoticed to the older brother as he rolled his stomach on the bed, propping his head on his hands. "It's times like this that I wish Merudy was a bit more like Juvia."

Gray's grinning features were immediately replaced by a bored, snotty look as he turned to his brother. "Don't."

"Oohh. How romantic~." But the tone the white-haired used was the least bit sincere as he eyed the pouting little man. Heh. Little man. Because for Lyon, this co-hockey maniac for a brother will always be his little man.

Gray wanted to retort but his phone interrupted – or rather saved Lyon from his trash talking. He answered the video call and made his way to the veranda.

Lyon didn't have to ask who it was because those glinting eyes gave him away. He wasn't going to let gray get out of their little banter so easily though.

"I'm telling Juvia you're preying on pretty women over here in Iceberg!" he shouted.

Gray, who had already been a few good meters away, shot him a rather confident look. "I only prey on her." he retorted, leaving Lyon asking if he really knew his bro.

Deja vu?

End of Part 3

I tweaked with Mashima's interview contents a bit and placed it here in the form of Lucy's answers. /grins/

It's fun to know that there are still a few who spare the time to leave a review; it makes me feel connected with you all. So, really. Thank you. I hope you don't get tired of leaving your fantastic thoughts.

Keep safe, everyone!

So Mashima said it's fun reading what fans say about his work and I think every author's like that, too. You don't know how much your reviews mean to us. It really keeps the fire burning! So don't hesitate on letting us know if you're still there, our avid GrUvia shippers! Much love.

-nakneknik