Hello dear readers! Thank you all for your patience and the sweet comments you've left in the meantime ^^
I hope I can make up for it with an extra-long, extra-shippy chapter! Enjoy :D
Thanks Kae for proofreading!
Gray, Erza, and their crews looked around in awe, completely silenced by the overwhelming magnificence of the emperor's castle. The marble walls in the ballroom stood so high, the pirates had to lift their heads until their necks would hurt to be able to see the ceiling. The most expensive red silk hung from the walls and all ornaments and chandeliers shone in shimmering gold.
They were the last to enter the room and were stunned to see tens, no, even hundreds of people. Erza leaned over to Gray. ''I thought we would have an audience with the emperor, what are all these guests for?'' she whispered.
''Welcome, everyone!'' A sudden voice resounded through the room. Everyone looked up to the balcony, where someone stood, accompanied by guards. He was rather short and his heavy, gold-stitched garments appeared to compensate for that. His hair was black and hung down flatly and his eyes were just as dark. The emperor radiated status, his stature was expressionless and calm.
''I expected him to be way older,'' Lucy whispered to Levy.
Gray overheard them and had to agree. His royal highness looked around the same age as them.
''We have some special guests tonight,'' the emperor spoke, ''Fiore's King Toma and Princess Hisui, accompanied by Fiore kingdom's special navy force.''
''Navy force?!'' Natsu blurted out as he slapped Gray's back. He couldn't contain bursting out in laughter. ''That's the fanciest name I've ever heard for pi-''
Erza didn't let him finish his sentence, a sharp punch between the ribs shut him up immediately.
''Now, my guests, enjoy the dance!'' The Emperor exclaimed with wide-open hands.
All pirates exchanged looks with each other. Dance?
''What do we do?'' Erza hissed to Gray, ''we'll all stand out like sore thumbs, no one of us has had dancing lessons.''
''Just avoid the dancefloor as long as possible,'' he replied, but was slowly losing his cool as he saw a certain someone approach him.
''I-I need some fresh air,'' he said in an attempt to get out of the room.
''You're going nowhere, Captain Coward,'' Erza sternly said as she held him back by his collar.
Reluctantly, he turned around to the ballroom again, only to find himself standing right before the very reason he tried to flee.
''Would you dance with me?'' Juvia asked with eyes shimmering with enthusiasm.
Gray blacked out. Deep down, he wanted to say yes, but the feeling of certain humiliation because of his non-existing dancing skills and the awkwardness of everyone watching them held him back stronger than his heart could fight.
''No,'' he said, averting his eyes, ''I'm sorry,''
The glow that had been all over her face before, died in an instant. ''Oh..'' she replied so saddened it broke his heart.
''W-we can get some food over there though,'' he said in a weak attempt to offer her something.
What are you thinking, Gray? He thought to himself. What kind of guy turns down a girl like her and then offers to go get some snacks?
''Sure,'' she said, somewhat more uplifted.
They walked over to the other side of the ballroom, where endlessly long tables were filled with foods and drinks.
Natsu had gathered up the courage to ask Lucy for a dance, and they were now very awkwardly moving around the dancefloor. Gray and Juvia couldn't believe their eyes when Fiore's King himself walked up to their group and requested Laxus to dance with his daughter. Gray vaguely remembered the lightning-wielder had been requested by the King as a bodyguard before. Could it be the princess was behind this idea?
''Everyone is dancing, huh?'' Gray said as he grabbed a handful of chocolate-covered nuts from a bowl.
Juvia was just dreamily staring at the dancing couples, her eyes glistening at the sight of so many royals in beautiful entourages. She was totally lost in thought, not even noticing the chocolate stain on her cheek. Without a secondary thought, he reached out his hand and carefully wiped away the stain with his thumb as his fingers lightly brushed her jawline. The sudden touch against her skin made her come back to reality. She looked at him with wide-open eyes.
He quickly jerked his hand away. ''Y-you had something on your cheek, '' he stammered awkwardly.
''Excuse me, sir,'' he heard someone say behind him. He turned around. A few girls around his age stood before them. They were giggling uncontrollably and a bright blush showed on their faces. ''Are you captain Fullbuster?''
''Ehm, yes, I am,'' he said, a little confused about the sudden attention.
''Would you dance with-'' she started her sentence but was brutally pushed aside by the girl behind her.
''Captain, please dance with me!'' she begged of him shamelessly. The other girls eyed her with murderous looks in their eyes.
Gray felt a feeling of panic rise from his guts. Not because those girls were now literally fighting over him and making a scene, but because the bowls and glasses behind him had started to shake violently. He looked next to him and saw his feeling was right. Juvia stood before the table with punch and drinks and the magic power she was radiating should have been noticeable to even non-magic-users. She stood with her fists clenched, her teeth ground with frustration, and her breaths were heavy and low. All liquids within her aura had started to stir violently. The sound of glasses clinking became so noisy, it caused the girls to stop their fight and looked at her in bewilderment.
''This is bad,'' Gray murmured to himself, at this rate, Juvia was going to let the water pour down on them and cause an even bigger scene. Without a second thought, he leaped forward and grabbed her by the hand.
''I'm sorry,'' he said as he turned his head towards the girls, ''I already have a date for tonight.''
Juvia looked at him in astonishment. ''W-what?'' She had no time to think, as she was dragged into the crowd on the dancefloor.
Gray looked around to make sure they were out of sight from the pack of fangirls. He let out a sigh of relief. ''That was a close one, eh? Let's go back to the rest.''
No response.
He looked behind him. She stood motionless in a whirlwind of dancing couples swirling behind her. ''I'm not your date tonight, am I?''
He could feel his heart shatter, leaving his chest clenching with a feeling worse than guilt. He had given her false hope. He was the cause her perfect night was going to be ruined. As much as he had promised himself to not return her feelings in the slightest to not let her be part of his cursed life, she left him no choice.
He held out his hand and uncomfortably let his other hand brush through his messy hair. ''May I have this dance?''
She gasped almost audibly. He glanced at her from the corner of his eye. Was she crying?
Her heart was pounding. She had been prepared to ask him, and she did. But for him to ask her? She had dreamed about it, but never considered it would ever happen. He looked the other way, but she could notice the bright blush that his cheeks had gotten. Gently, she lay her tender hand in his. ''Yes, I would love to,'' she said as tears of happiness welled up in her eyes.
One of the guards leaned over to the Emperor as they watched the pair clumsily twirl around the dancefloor. ''He's the one, right?''
''Yes,'' the Emperor replied, a confident, yet evil grin stretched across his face, ''he will be the perfect candidate.''