Thank you all for your patience and your kinds words for the oneshot I wrote for Gruvia day!
I want to thank you all for your continuous support of this fic, no matter how slow of a writer I am :')
I only write when I feel inspired, I don't want to rush this story in any way.
I hope you will all enjoy this chapter! ^^
Thank you Kae for proof-reading!
Gray tried to open his eyes. His eyelids felt almost glued together with the salty remains of the seawater that had soaked him earlier. He quickly realised he had fallen asleep on the infirmary chair, his upper body and arms resting on the bed in front of him.
His muscles felt stiff from sleeping in a bad position. Groaning, he lifted himself up. He let his gaze drift off the other side of the bed. It was empty.
Vague memories of the day before flashed through his mind. Tenrou Island, Lyon, Ultear, the Unison Raid he had performed with Juvia. A shiver traveled up his spine. She had been laying in that bed yesterday. Why wasn't she there anymore?
He stood up too quickly and had to find his balance again. Dizzily, he made his way to the door. He had to turn his head around the corner to finally realise where he was and what happened. Down the hallway, he saw Lisanna and Lucy walk, exchanging the latest gossip.
''Gray, what are you doing here?'' Lisanna let out as soon as she turned around at the sound he made.
''Where's Juvia?'' he asked out of breath, ignoring her question.
''She's okay,'' a voice behind Gray startled him. He turned around, facing his red-haired friend. Erza smiled. ''She just needs more rest.''
He let out a sigh of relief. ''Thank you.''
"While you were passed out, we started a little race to the next port before we reach Alvarez," Erza said, "I'm curious how they're doing without a captain."
Gray laughed. "As brainless as they can be, I trust Natsu, Gajeel and Laxus with the ship in my absence."
"I may have ordered Wendy to lift the Troia spell," his friend devilishly grinned.
His smile melted off his face. ''You didn't!''
''Captain!" They turned around, only to find one of Gray's crew members run towards them. ''Captain, you're awake!''
''Mest?'' Gray said in confusion, ''what are you doing here?''
''Oh I was just-'' he stammered, 'I-I happened to be-''
Gray lifted an eyebrow in suspicion. ''This isn't the first time you teleported here, is it?''
''N-no this is really my first time teleporting here.''
Erza interrupted him. ''I'm calling bullshit, you can only teleport to places you've been to before.''
Lucy exchanged a smirk with Lisanna. ''Now it makes sense.''
''Cana has been acting weird since you two went undercover in the Titan Nose guild,'' Lisanna said.
''L-let's go Captain,'' Mest said, avoiding any more questions, ''your ship and crew need you.''
The girls didn't even have the opportunity to react, as the two men vanished into thin air.
With a loud landing, they landed on the deck of their own ship. It took Gray a moment to adjust to the way more heavy rocking ship.
''Fullbuster!'' Gajeel yelled, ''where the hell have you been?! It's a mess here!''
''He was being loyal to his girlfriend'' Natsu teased, before feeling his stomach fluid well up again and ran to the railing as hard as he could.
''She's not my girlfriend!'' the captain blurted out with a bright blush on his cheeks. He stepped forward and took the wheel from Leo, ''thank you, I'll take it from here.''
''Where on earth are we even heading for?'' Gajeel managed to bring out, holding on to a pole as he started to hurl again.
''We're heading for the harbor of Vistarion!'' Gray yelled back over the strong wind as he adjusted the course.
''That's the capital city of Alvarez,'' Leo said, ''we can't just barge in there, we're pirates!''
''Royal pirates,'' Gray corrected him with a confident smile.
''Is this really necessary?'' Laxus asked, plucking on his formal clothes that fitted tightly around his neck.
Gray laughed. ''Do you really expect the Emperor of Alvarez to welcome us in our stinking sailor junk?''
''Yeah, you smell absolutely horrible,'' Natsu said.
''Says the one who smells of smoke,'' Gray backfired.
''Keep the bickering down at the palace, guys,'' Erza said as she cascaded down her ship's gang board.
She was wearing an astonishing dress made out of dark-purple silk. It contrasted beautifully with her scarlet, pinned-up hair. Everyone's mouth fell open, not used to the sight of the fierce captain without her normal attire.
After her, followed the rest of her crew; each of them dressed in gorgeous dresses.
Gray noticed his friend acting restless when one of Erza's newest crew members walked out of the ship. Natsu's jaw almost dropped when the blonde girl in a pastel-pink victorian dress walked by. She blushed when she caught him gazing at her.
Gray grinned. As much as his friend kept denying, it was obvious something between him and Lucy was going on since they met in Hargeon during a stop. It must have been fate that she eventually joined Erza's crew.
''Oi, Gray,'' Natsu said leaning in to him, almost whispering, ''do you think they could actually be princesses disguised as pirates?''
Just as Gray was about to answer, the last person came walking their way.
Juvia was wearing the most brilliant, topaz dress, reminding him of tropical oceans. Her hair fell down in waves on her collarbones and her ears and neck were adorned with shimmering jewelry. She waved at them as soon as she spotted him.
He gulped and almost choked on his dry throat. She was gorgeous.
''Yes,'' he said as he let out a hopeless sigh and waved back, ''I think they can.''
I hope you all don't mind me throwing some other ships (hehe, pun) in every now and then ^^
Thanks for reading!