Summary: Gray Fullbuster is a player both in love and in life. He plays Professional Basketball and is being groomed to be in line with Basketball Legends Michael Jordan, Lebron James, Kobe Bryant and Stephen Curry. There's just one problem, Gray Fullbuster is a play-ah. His life is a giant mess of crazy parties, waking up with random women and waking up in random women's apartments. Just living the life.
The opinion of the public on him is waning. To save the million-dollar endorsements in the verge of disappearing, Gray needs to change his image. Therefore, Gray Fullbuster, Fiore Knight's Team Captain and Most Valuable Player, will be in the next season of "My Star Can Dance".
There's another problem: it seems like his star isn't that bright since his partner, one of Fiore's prominent ballerinas, doesn't know him? His billboard is hanging in front of her dancing school! And it was a good billboard since all he was wearing was his six-pack and an Aztec bandana. How come she didn't notice?
She's In Your Court 14 Who is Gray?
I love the look on your face when you first see me
The way that you laugh at the silliest things
There's a million more, these are just a few
Of the many reasons I love you
- The Way You Smile, NewSong
…
The sun was still high but the fresh air in Isvan felt good on the skin. The breeze slapped on his exposed skin and kept him awake despite the long, quiet drive. Gray threw a glance at his girlfriend by his side, still soundly asleep. He felt bad for her missing the view. Gray contemplated waking her up but he decided against it, thinking she needed the rest. Besides, the drive back would give her a second chance at the view. For the meantime, he'd let her catch up with her sleep. He pulled her hand gently, careful not to wake her up, and pressed a soft peck on her knuckles.
The Lamborghini crossed the border that separated Gray's hometown from the great City of Magnolia. Isvan used to be a third-rate municipality, surrounded by medium cost housing and rough road. Not until Gray's success in the city, no one would have even heard of Isvan. The town was gradually developed in recent years. Today, Isvan was lined with fancy concrete houses and elaborate landscaping to go with them.
Gray could already recognize his neighborhood but his mother's house was still at the other end of that exclusive suburban village. When he reached the last white-fenced house, Mr. and Mrs. Connell's, Gray turned the curb into an asphalt road lined by coconut trees at either side. At the end of that road was the black, decorated gate that led to President Wakaba and Mika Mine's mansion.
The guards on post greeted their master Gray and opened the gate to let the Ghini into the compound. Gray pulled up right in front of the mansion's main entrance, snorting at the ridiculous fountain across the house. That wasn't there before.
President, his step-father, the fur wearing Wakaba Mine, did a good job renovating the old bungalow his family used to own. He couldn't even recognize anything from his old home, like he just replaced the entire thing. But the mansion reflected the President's style – extra and flamboyant.
He cut his engine off and turned to the sleeping figure beside him. He fought the desire to touch her face and kiss her lips. Ultimately, he learned that he had the slightest self-control where the ballerina was concern.
"Hey, girlfriend. Baby?" Gray's words were a soft rumble in Juvia's ears. He gave her a cautious shove, gentle enough not to startle the ballerina.
His girlfriend's lids fluttered open and she stirred in her seat, stretching her arms, heaving her chest up and finally waking from her dream. One set of amused eyes couldn't help but stare.
"Hey, babe, we're here."
"Was I asleep the whole time?"
She wasn't awake enough to make a wistful pout. Neither was she oriented enough to know her surroundings. But the moment she saw Gray, Juvia gave him that snoozy smile and a soft press on his lips.
"Now, that's what good mornings are made of."
She settled back to her seat, heaving out a contented sigh. Gray, wanting more after having a little taste, leaned in to indulge himself.
"If that's my reward, I really don't mind waking you up every morning. Even at night, and in between."
But before he could even reach that sweet pink haven, the evil woman from hell decided to show up.
"Oh, you're finally here!"
The steering wheel suffered Gray's disappointment. "Good morning, mother." He greeted without even trying to hide his irritation.
The ridiculously dressed President appeared behind Gray's mother, blowing a smoke from his pipe. His trademark fur-coat eating at his neck. But he was also leaning on a wooden cane. Gray never seen nor knew that he used one.
It was Juvia who climbed out the car first. She returned Mika's hug and that geezer's. He twitched at the latter. But no matter how much he hated it, Gray knew he couldn't go up that house without having to do it. So, Gray got out of his Lamborghini, already regretting.
President hugged him last, longer than necessary. He still smelled like burning tobacco and strong alcohol.
"Geez, the sun's still up and you're already drinking."
"It's called social drinking, you brat."
President Wakaba patted him at the back with both hands, stronger than usual too, before he released Gray from his hold. But he wasn't done yet. President Wakaba dropped his arm around Gray's shoulder and leaned on him like he found no use of his cane.
"You have good taste, brat." He said as he coughed after smoking his pipe.
Gray's eyes drifted to the direction where President was looking and easily comprehended what he meant. The two unknowingly shared a triumphant grin that guys like them often had talking about their impeccable taste in women.
"Yeah."
Both tilted their heads on the side as they appreciated the retreating backs of their respective women and then lower. Both were unashamed of what they were doing.
"Just like me."
That one Gray didn't agree with. Yes, his mother was a find but no, he wasn't like him. But when he turned to President to tell him off, he witnessed that smile and gleam in his eyes Gray knew all too well. His attention returned to the two women ascending the steps into the mansion. He was caught off guard when Juvia glanced back at him, smiling – that bright, contagious smile that lifted the corners of his mouth.
He knew his smile wasn't as sexy as he intended. It was one of those stupid-looking smiles that men like him knew about it. One of those stupid-looking smiles just like President Wakaba's.
"Let's go inside, brat. Don't keep your mother waiting."
Maybe, they weren't so different, after all.
President Wakaba was a few steps ahead of Gray. But he easily caught up with the man in the cane at the double-door entrance. The mansion felt a little different, a little strange. Gray would always feel that every time he came home, once every year. He needed to adjust to his own house.
"I guess mom is kinda bored again, huh?"
Gray commented, looking around the gigantic interior of his mother's house. Consulting his memory, it seemed that the furniture was moved around and the drapes, he noted, were freshly changed.
"You know your mother. She goes crazy whenever you come home."
Gray followed President deeper into the mansion. The man with the cane led him to an archway where he heard some noise – talking and laughter. He didn't see that absurd orange Mercedes at the entrance but Gray knew his team was here. And whatever his Vice Captain said about the color being lava, Gray would keep calling his car orange.
"You should come home more often."
Gray heard the unsolicited advice. Once a year was enough, right? And his mother visited him in the city anytime she wanted. Oftentimes, uninvited.
"Oi, Captain!"
He was right, Gray's team was already at the long table, enjoying the feast before them, headed by his feel-at-home Vice Captain, Natsu.
"What took your Lamborghini so long?" Natsu asked, gnawing on a piece of turkey leg. "My Lava made your Lamborghini eat dust!" he proudly exclaimed.
"You named that tin can Lava?" he barked back as usual.
"You guys made an interesting stop-over?" Loke asked, his double-meaning look jumping from his Captain and then at the ballerina by his side.
"Eat your food, jackass."
"Gray, manners."
His mother reminded.
"Just sit down. I'm sure you two are very much hungry."
Gray glared at the woman.
"From the travel, geez. Why are you so worked up?"
But Gray knew what she really meant. That wide grin wasn't fooling anyone, just adding fuel to fire.
"Don't mind them."
Gray told Juvia before he took the seat next to hers. He wanted to take her hand in his, place a soft peck on the back of her palm and maybe claim that kiss she'd been teasing him earlier. Just maybe not in front of the guys. He could handle their teasing but he wasn't sure about Juvia.
"And don't mind my cavemen of a team." He added, nodding at the four crudes gobbling the table clean.
Gajeel, Fiore Knights' Center, said something with his mouth full that no one in that table understood. No one except Fiore Knights.
"He said we need the protein." clarified Loke. "And you're the one to say." The self-proclaimed woman's man, pointed an accusing spoon at Gray. "You're just shy in front of your girlfriend."
"I once watched him finish an entire plate of chicken breast and he was still hungry." Juvia chimed in.
"Hey!" he teased.
"What? It's true."
"Don't go feeding my team with that information. They'd think they have something over me."
"It's common knowledge." Natsu joined in. "You haven't seen him guzzle a whole chicken. It's not cute."
"Turns you off, doesn't it?"
Gray felt an urge to punch the man sitting next to Juvia. He might be quite a looker, mysterious and brooding, but a little black eye suits Laxus too.
"Alright, alright. Don't scare my girlfriend away."
Gray knew he would quickly regret it but for the first time he let his men find his weakness. He was never going to hear the end of it.
After brunch and an hour of teasing from his teammates, Gray walked back to his car to grab his and Juvia's bags. They were arranged neatly at the backseat; his navy blue duffel and her pink animal-printed… he'll go ahead and just call it a weekend bag. He took the shoulder bag on the front seat and balanced the three on his shoulders. The gleam almost blinded him when the 10:00 a.m. sun hit his girlfriend's sequined bag.
When he entered through the living room, he found his teammates scattered around the sofa, groaning out of overeating.
"Ugh. I can't feel my stomach." Natsu sprawled on the Camelback, claiming it all to himself. "I don't think I can walk."
Gray grabbed a pillow and threw it on the whiner, hitting Natsu right in the face.
"Hey!" Natsu bolted up, regretting it almost immediately.
"No one told you to eat the whole table."
"He's right, Cap." Gajeel joined in. "I think I'm stuck in here."
Gray would have cracked a laugh at the picture of Gajeel, a size or two bigger than the armchair that completed the sofa set. The Team Captain threw the other cushion at Fiore Knights' Center which the latter easily caught in his hands. He had great reflexes and good at catching things.
"Let's not disappoint today." He stated, more sounding like a threat. Then, Gray picked up the bags he dropped on the floor and went his way.
"Fine, fine! Loke will not be disappointing any children today."
Gray was already at the first step of the grand staircase that led to the second floor. Still, Loke's voice reached him. He didn't have any doubts about that. They might look and act like a bunch of overgrown children, but the member of Fiore Knights were professionals. Plus, those cavemen were typically heroes to the young boys from the home. Gray was sure his men never disappoints, or their ego wouldn't allow them.
Hoopster ascended the stairs to the second floor, with his and Juvia's bags hanging on him, adding to his weight. But nothing he couldn't handle. He used the mid-morning sunlight to steer the carpeted corridor.
Gray paused to appreciate one of his favorite installments in the house. The floor-to-ceiling drapes were tied to the sides, putting the endless blue sky to view. The glass wall overlooked his mother's beautiful green garden; its continuous flow interrupted only by a white, double wooden door which led to the veranda. Gray reminded himself to show Juvia his mother's own grown garden. But the house tour would have to wait. There was somewhere else he wanted to take Juvia.
Gray dropped by at the guest room, wanting to know if Juvia settled in. He found her just coming out of the bathroom, sadly for Gray, all her clothes were still intact.
"Hey, beautiful."
Gray was such a smooth talker that his suave greeting earned a soft smile and a little blush from Juvia.
"Oh, hi. Hey, thanks for bringing those up." said Juvia as she took her weekend duffel and shoulder bag from Gray and placed them on the still made-up bed.
"That's all I get?"
The mattress dipped as Gray sat on the edge of the bed, next to Juvia who busied herself by taking out some cosmetic pouches and arranged them neatly on the bedside table.
"My arm felt really," Gray massaged his left shoulder where he carried Juvia's bags and twisted it behind, feigning muscle cramp. "sore carrying that leopard bag of yours. What do you have in there?"
He noticed the slight change in Juvia's blue eyes, probably remembering something – something naughty. The woman cleared her throat first, trying to fight the heat that was coloring her cheeks pink.
"Why?" she asked. "Isn't a 'thank you' enough?" Juvia was now taking out some other travel pouches inside the sequined bag.
Gray noticed she was trying not to meet his eyes, which was weird.
"Huh."
His girlfriend was acting really weird.
"What?"
Gray didn't answer. Instead, he pulled Juvia towards him, wrapping his arms around her waist and spreading his legs to let her even closer.
"Well, thank you is good but I need a…" Gray didn't finish his sentence on purpose and just puckered his luscious lips.
"You want a kiss?"
Gray thought he was being cute. He believed that too when Juvia finally gave him that beautiful smile.
"Yes, give me some of that sugar, please."
Juvia tucked strands of hair behind her ear before she pressed a quick peck on Gray's lips, resting her hands on his broad shoulders as she did.
"Like that?"
"Yeah, but more."
This time, it was Gray who softly brushed his lips against Juvia's, earning a soft 'mmm' from her. But he was the one who broke off the kiss too, albeit resentfully. It took so much of his will power to pull away from that kiss. But young, excited kids were waiting for him and his team. He was looking forward for it too.
"I know I promised to show you around the house." Gray looked up to his girlfriend who was still smiling at him. "But there's somewhere I'd like for you to see first."
"Alright."
Juvia awarded herself one last kiss before she pulled Gray off the bed and out of the guestroom. Downstairs, four Fiore Knights were waiting for them; and one of them – very impatiently.
"Geez, what took you guys so long? Let's go." Natsu didn't have any intention to let the couple answer. He just played with a rather smaller ball in his hands as he started to the door.
"Don't mind him, Juvia." It was Loke who apologized on behalf of his Vice Captain. "He isn't getting any of that lovin' so he's cranky." The rest of Fiore Knights followed behind Cranky. The couple, after sharing a short but guilty giggle, rounded up the close knit.
They took the Ghini for a spin. If Gray wasn't on the wheel with his eyes on the road, he would have enjoyed staring at his girlfriend by his side and it was a picture he'd forever etch in his mind. How her blue tresses rode the wind. How her eyes closed as she took in the breeze that hit her face. But most of all, the curve of her lips as she steal a glance at Gray and he'd catch her.
"You've never been to Isvan, right?" Gray kept his eyes on the road as he navigated the neighborhood. He'd steal a glance at Juvia who leaned back on the passenger seat, looking out into the rich neighborhood.
"Yeah. It's not as I expected."
Another glance showed Juvia now looking ahead the road as the Ghini purred into the main town and light traffic.
The Isvan Capitol was made of hard white-washed brick, topped with spiky spirals. It looked very polished and well-maintained. The surrounding buildings kept the motif going with needle roofs and that dirty white paint. It wasn't hard to spot the buildings which weren't part of the government compound. They looked like cream-colored boxes with solid paint and hard edges.
"It's very… current."
"It wasn't like this when I was a kid." Gray shared, both hands on the wheels as he maneuvered the packed four-lane.
"They named a gymnasium after you?" asked Juvia, amused eyes glued at the building bearing the Fullbuster name they just passed by.
"Not me, my dad." Gray clarified. "President donated it when I won my first national championship."
Juvia couldn't keep her eyes straight ahead as she kept seeing Gray's face all over town.
"Wow, my boyfriend is kinda important, isn't he?"
At one of the commercial buildings, a tarpaulin was hanging with words of encouragement for Gray and Juvia. They chose good photos of Gray and Juvia for the collage, same as the one they saw at the ballerina's hometown.
"That's right." Gray put off his sunglasses for a sexy wink. "Your boyfriend is a celebrity."
Juvia had to roll her eyes and they both laughed.
But Gray wasn't planning on taking Juvia on a town tour. That could wait. At the end of the brick houses, Gray followed the smooth curve. A minute-drive away from the main capital, the four-lane was sharply cut into two.
"This is what I am talking about."
Gray was more relaxed now, driving his billion dollar car into the countryside.
"This is what Isvan is made of."
The two-lane pavement was lined on either side by endless of green and nature, just the opposite of the white-brick capital. The wind colder on the skin as compared to that in the main town. The distinct smell of fresh air brought him back to his childhood, when life was simpler. When he was free to run around the rice fields.
"Hey! What is that?"
Oh, Gray sadly forgot about that.
"Slow down. Slow down!"
He was kind of proud of it. Or used to. Suddenly, a wave of embarrassment was weighing on him. Along with pesticides ads, why would anyone put up a billboard of his abs in the middle of the rice fields?
Writer's Corner: It's more fun to write in Juvia's perspective but we can't forget about our best boy, right? I hope you guys bear with this chapter. As you can relate to the Chapter title, let's see who really is Gray.
Also, let me take this time to thank you guys for your support and for always sharing your thoughts: glodenglowingsnowdemon, Alfys-World, RenesmeVivio, nik09, Star197, Elf, janeto13, Seashellshayne, hiccstridhumour, P. FullbusterBelieve, rosaji, Miharu
Drop some lovin', alright? Keep safe everyone.