Hello everyone! Sorry its been awhile. Things got busy at home and needed to be taken care of. But now I have returned with the last chapter of the first book! Don't be sad! I have plenty more well on the way! Also stay till the end for a special sneak peak!
Last time: Krysta's friends came to see her and Gray asked her out.
Now: Krysta and Gray go on their first date.
Chapter 25- First Date
That evening…
Krysta stood nervously in front of her bedroom mirror. She was looking over the outfit she had picked out to wear that evening. Krysta didn't have much for nice or even fancy clothes, but what little she did have always seemed to work at a moment notice. However, this wasn't a moment notice.
After Gray took off that morning after asking her out on a date, Krysta showered and ate some food. She then went through her entire closet and tried to figure out what the hell to wear. She even had a point where she sat on her bed, clutching her stuffed bear thinking about Lena and what she would say and do in this situation. Finally, she found the courage to get out of her bed and just pick something.
She had decided on a blue blouse and a black skirt. The only skirt she owned. She also put on her black combat style boots to help her feel comfortable as skirts we not her thing. Well those and the fact she wore a pair of spandex shorts on under the skirt too. The main reason she picked this look as this was the one, she wore the night of her 18th birthday when Lena had decided to take her to a fancy restaurant for dinner. Only the difference between then and now was the shoes. Lena made her wear flats.
The other difference was that Krysta actually made an effort to look nice. The only struggle she had was with her own hair. She could brush it, braid it, or wear up in a ponytail and that was it. Other than that, she still had much to learn about beauty. Thankfully, the Land Lady, Judy, came by to check on her again. She had explained to Judy last night everything after Gray had left as the old woman was up at the time and came to check on her. She had told her about what happened with Lena. This time though, she brought Krysta some food and even offered to help her with her hair problem. Now Krysta's hair cascaded onto her shoulders in lush curls.
Lena had tried to do something like that to Krysta before, but Lena had very little practice with hair. The only person who was pro with hair and especially Krysta's was her friend Zira. So having Judy over and doing her hair was an experience that made her homesick and happy all at the same time.
Once Judy left, Krysta finished getting ready by adding some subtle make-up. And now she stood, waiting for Gray to arrive, but still surprised at how she looked. The wait wasn't for much longer as she soon heard a knock at the door. Her heart skipped a beat. She headed for the door. When she opened it, her heart stopped.
Gray stood there in a maroon button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up. He also wore a solid black tie that he was tugging at and in a pair of black pants with black leather shoes to match. His hair was also neatly combed to the side and she could smell his cologne. It smelt like fresh snow in the woods. It took him a second to realize she had opened the door. He smiled down at her.
"Hey," he said. "Are you ready?"
Krysta nodded. That's when she realized only her head was visible to him. She took a deep breath and then stepped fully into his view.
"Whoa…" Gray said as his jaw dropped to the floor.
Krysta blushed. "Do you like it? I feel overdressed."
"No! You look amazing," Gray said coming out of his daze. That made Krysta smile. He then offered her his hand. "Shall we?"
Krysta nodded. She grabbed her keys and her satchel from their spots next to the door. She then exited, making sure to lock it in the process. She then took his still extended hand and he escorted her outside. Once outside, they headed off on their date.
Gray had thought about for hours what to do on this date. The idea he came up with was the only one he could think about that would give them enough privacy from any wandering eyes. Gray led Krysta to his secret spot that overlooked Magnolia. As they walked through the narrow path once again, Gray held her soft hand in his and instructed her to close her eyes.
Once they reached the clearing, Gray released her hand and moved over to his surprise for her.
"Open," he said.
Krysta opened her eyes and made a face.
"Uh… what a nice… rock?" Krysta said unsure.
"Give it a second," Gray said with a chuckle.
Gray then tapped on the rock. Suddenly a crack spider webbed out all across the rocked feature. It then turned to ice and dissolved away to reveal a picnic basket and blanket all set up for them. Krysta gasped at the sight of it.
"Oh wow," She said coming over to the set up. "How did you do that?"
"I can make duplicates with my ice magic that look like the real thing," Gray said. "However, it only takes a single tap sometimes to destroy the duplicate."
"Well I guess it's a good thing no Vulcans or other wild animals came by and tapped it huh?' Krysta said as she took a seat on the blanket.
"Yeah, hehe, otherwise we wouldn't have anything to eat," Gray said taking a seat down next to her.
"That would suck," Krysta said very serious. "Cause me and food are like besties. And I get cranky when they are not around."
Gray laughed at that. It made Krysta smile.
"Well allow me to reunite you with your best friend," Gray said as he opened up the basket.
"All joking aside, what do we have on the menu tonight?"
"For tonight, we've got sandwiches, chips, and fresh picked fruit from the market. And for dessert," he reached into the basket and pulled out a box of warm, delicious smelling cookies. "Freshly made chocolate chip cookies from the bakery in town."
Krysta inhaled deeply then sighed. "They smell so good. I love chocolate chip cookies."
"I know," Gray said as he continued to unload the basket.
He pulled out a bottle of cider, two glasses, plates and silverware, and a couple of light lacramas for a little mood lighting. Also so they could see what they were doing and eating. Krysta looked at him surprised.
"Wait, what? What do you mean you know?" Krysta asked. "Are you a mind reader now?"
He chuckled. "No, I just remember it from when we grabbed ice cream after your first job. Remember, we were standing in line to order and you couldn't decide between an ice cream cone, a cookie, or both. Then you went on about how you know how to bake and you learned from Lena." He then bit his tongue as he realized that he just brought up Lena when he was supposed to be distracting Krysta.
However, the blush and amazed look on her face told him otherwise. She cleared her throat.
"You remember me saying all of that,' Krysta said with a hint of surprise in her tone.
Gray blushed and nodded with a goofy grin on his face. He scratched the back of his head as he turned his gaze away for a second.
"Yeah," he said sheepishly then looked back to her.
She was smiling at him and reached over placing her hand on top of his.
"I am touched by this, Gray," she said. "This is the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me. So thank you."
He smiled back. "Don't thank me just yet. You haven't tried my cooking."
They both laughed at that.
Soon they dug into the food and cider while they watched the city wind down for the night. After a while of eating, drinking, and laughing, they found themselves laying out on the blanket gazing up into the starry sky. Gray was laying cross legged with one arm behind his head. Krysta was also laying cross legged, but both hands behind her head.
"Can you believe that I've only been with this guild for a few weeks and it feels like months have passed?" Krysta asked breaking the silence.
Gray turned his head to look at her.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"Well I mean you and I met for the first time a few weeks ago. Then I joined the guild, went on my first job, found my new home, made friends with everyone, went to the beach, stopped a bank robbery, battled a dark guild, discovered my parents are still alive and my mother is a dark wizard, and lost the woman I looked up to and considered a mother to me." She paused. "And that all happened in a few weeks. Is it always like this with the guild?"
Gray thought for a second then turned his gaze back to the stars.
"Yeah sometimes it is," he started. "One day you are bored around the guild then like three days later you are stuck in a huge battle with a dark guild. You get used to it after a while and don't really think about it too much."
Krysta nodded. She then frowned and sat up. As she did that, she brought her knees to her chest which caused her skirt to hike up a little. Thankfully, she was wearing spandex. She placed her chin on her knees. Gray laid there and noticed her move. He sat up as well and placed a comforting hand on her back.
"Hey, you okay?" he asked.
Krysta nodded. "Yeah, I'm just… thinking."
"What about?'
"Lena. Her upcoming funeral. If I have the strength to even go."
Gray frowned. "I don't think there is such a thing." Krysta turned her head to look at him. He continued. "I mean when someone dies, I don't think anyone truly has the strength to go. I think they go and get strength from those around them so they can make it through the funeral. Like their friends and family just being there to support them, but also give them strength and support to say good-bye to the person they've lost. Besides, it's more about saying good-bye and celebrating their memories, right?"
She nodded. "That is really wise,' Krysta said. "I didn't expect that."
He smirked for a second. "Yeah well. Honestly, I have never actually been to a funeral, but I have lost my fair share of people and ended up having to honor their memories on my own. This was just something I heard when I was younger." He then frowned.
Krysta straightened up.
"What do you mean?"
"I've lost my parents, my master Ur, and even her own daughter, Ultear," Gray said looking down. His hair covering his eyes. "Everyone who has ever gotten close to me, I have lost. That is part of the reason… actually I think that is the reason…"
"You never admitted how you felt toward someone before," Krysta finished.
Gray nodded. "That's one of the reasons I rejected Juvia as I thought it was the best way to protect her. But you." He looked back to Krysta and felt his heart skip a beat. "You are different. I mean I could have never told you how I felt and pushed you away, but just the thought of it made me sick. In my head, I feel like I am taking a big risk and that some day I might lose you too. But my heart is telling me to take the risk and if that day comes then… I don't know."
Krysta reached over and grabbed his hand. He looked at his hand then at her.
"Gray, I am very proud of you," she said. He raised his eyebrows surprised. "You have had a difficult past and have lost many people who are close to you. But if you keep pushing others away, you are going to find more heart ache and pain then love or comfort. The fact you admitted how you felt toward me and the fact we are sitting her now doing this is a really big step. And we are wizards. We put our necks on the line every time we face something dangerous. If you fear for that day or for the future in general, then you'll never be comfortable in the present. Just live your life and make happy memories with your friends. And if that time comes, we can figure it out together. Cause I am not going anywhere, Fullbuster."
Gray smiled. "Now who is the wise one?"
Krysta chuckled. "Hey, at least I get my wisdom from reading. I can't speak for you."
He gaped at her. She laughed. He playfully shoved her. She playfully shoved him back. They then both just sat there chuckling.
"I think you'll be just fine at the funeral," Gray said after a moment. "And you won't be alone. You'll have Dale and your friends from your hometown. And if you need us, we can be there for you too. Well I can't speak for everyone in the guild, but I will be there if you need me."
"Are you saying you would go with me to her funeral?" Krysta asked surprised. "Not exactly an ideal date."
Gray chuckled. "No duh. I would never consider it a date. That would be too weird," he said. "You are my friend and just like the rest of the guild, I've always got your back. So I would go as a supporting friend, not a date."
"Thanks. That means a lot, Gray," she said with a smile.
They sat there for a second, staring at each other. They both blushed when they realized what they were doing. Krysta turned her head away first. Gray sat there smiling. Suddenly, from town, the Cardia Cathedral bells chimed.
"What time is it?' Krysta asked.
"Uh… I actually don't know," Gray said. "If I had to guess, we have been up here for a few hours."
"Then we should probably head back here soon, huh?" Krysta commented sadly.
"We don't have to go back yet," Gray said. "There's no law in place that says, 'all towns folk must be in doors by midnight.' We could stay here until dawn if we wanted too."
Krysta chuckled and shook her head. "As much as I would love to lay her with you and star gaze until dawn, I can also do that from the comfort of my own bed."
Gray chuckled. "I'm just kidding, you know. We can head back whenever you're ready."
Krysta nodded then made a face. "Wait, you said midnight?"
"Yeah," Gray said with a nod. "What's wrong with midnight?"
"Nothings wrong with it," Krysta said as she reached for her satchel. She dug around in it for a moment before producing a small little planner. She flipped it open and shuffled through the pages. She stopped about halfway through it. "Just as I thought."
"What?" He asked. "I'm in suspense here."
Krysta turned the planner toward him and showed him the page she flipped to. The two pages showed the whole week on them. However, everyday except for Thursday through Saturday, were crossed out. He then noticed that the day Krysta was pointing at was tomorrow, Friday. He looked at the single note scribbled on it. 'My 19th birthday.' Gray gasped and looked up to her.
"Is it seriously your birthday tomorrow? Or I guess today? Right now?" he tried to ask.
Krysta nodded. "If its midnight right now then yes. Today is my birthday."
Gray smiled. "Well, Happy Birthday! I kind of wish I knew sooner so I could have gotten you something."
"Thanks, and you don't need to do that," Krysta said as she put the planner away then looked at him. "This evening has been already an amazing gift."
Gray blushed at that. He scratched the back of his head again as another goofy grin came to his face. As he sat there, grinning like an idiot. He wasn't paying attention at all to Krysta. He suddenly felt her lips on his cheek. That pulled him out of his trance. He looked at her shocked. She had just kissed him on the cheek! He felt his face turn bright red. Her face also just as red.
Gray was at a loss for words. But soon he found some.
"What… what was that for?" he asked still shocked.
"To say thank you," Krysta said with a smile. "For everything. This evening. Saving me. Comforting me. Everything."
He smiled too. "You said everything twice."
"I know. I just want to make sure I get the point across."
"You definitely did."
She giggled at that. He didn't expect the giggle, but it caused him to beam at her.
They soon decided to call it a night. They cleared up the basket and blanket then made their way back into town. Soon they reached Krysta's apartment and stood just outside her door in the hall of the building. Krysta turned to Gray, her hands fiddling with her keys.
"Thanks again. I had a lot of fun," she said in a hushed voice as she didn't want to wake her neighbors.
"No problem. I had a lot of fun too,' he said in the same tone.
There then was a silence again.
"Well I should probably get going," Gray said. "See you tomorrow at the guild?"
Krysta nodded. "Yeah, sounds great."
Gray nodded too and waved her off. Krysta bit her lip with a smile as she turned toward her door to start unlocking it.
"Hey Krysta," she heard Gray say from behind her.
"Yeah…" she said as she turned to discover him, hesitating near the stairs.
Gray set the basket down and walked over to her with such determination. Once he was close to her, Krysta realized how little distance he put between them. She looked up at his face that was near enough for her to see the blue shimmer in his eyes. He then reached for her loose hair with one hand and tucked it behind her ear as he moved in even closer. He then leaned down and brought her chin up in the process. Before she knew what to do, his lips met hers.
Krysta's heart screamed. Gray Fullbuster was kissing her! And she was kissing him back! Slowly, he pulled his lips away. Both of them were blushing and it was obvious. Then a smile grew on his lips.
"Good night Krysta," Gray said.
"Good night… Gray," Krysta said, her heart pulsing faster.
Gray then turned and head back for the stairs. Before he disappeared down them, Krysta stopped him.
"Wait, Gray," he stopped and looked to her. "What do we tell the guild?"
He chuckled. "I don't know yet. But we can figure that tomorrow."
Krysta nodded and waved him off before disappearing into her apartment. Krysta was on cloud 9 and she didn't come down from it until she fell asleep. This time with a smile on her face.
I think I'm gonna like it here.
REVIEW! THAT'S THE END! FOR NOW! Stay tuned for Book 2! Coming soon to a internet near you!
Here's a sneak peak!
Fairy Tail Adventures Book 2: A Dragon's Power
Someone is after Natsu's Dragon Slayer Magic for dark deeds. But how will they get it? Going under cover, this menace learns Natsu's weakness and use them against him. The gang must work together to make sure that Natsu doesn't get taken, but what if someone he cares for does instead? Extreme Nalu, Gray X Krysta (Graysta).