Chapter 6: Internal flutters
"Hey guys! Over here!" Lucy called them from the outdoor table where she and Levy were already seated. It was a sunny day and even if it was still a bit chilly, Lucy wanted all the group to have lunch outside.
Gray smirked when he saw Natsu's face light up before his friend speeded up to sit close to his favorite blonde. The two of them weren't dating yet, but they were flirting with each other even more than before the ball.
As if on cue, Lucy asked immediately when Gray, Erza and Jellal joined them: "Did you see the pictures of the ball that Mirajane posted?"
"Pictures?" Gray repeated with a frown. "Wait. There was someone taking pictures at the ball?"
"Of course! Don't tell me you didn't see Jason running around with his camera?" Lucy retorted. "Look. His photos are great!" She handed him her phone.
"Hum. I guess." He mumbled as he scrolled the pictures. As he expected most of the pictures were photos of couples. It was probably a command of the official FT matchmaker Mirajane. Erza and Jellal immersed in a discussion and looking at each other with soft eyes. Gajeel telling something to Levy who was chuckling while Jet and Droy were arguing with each other in the background. Cana drinking. Lucy and Natsu dancing, both with pinked cheeks. Lisanna, Bixlow and Freed talking with conspirator faces and stealing glances at Elfman and Evergreen heading to the dancefloor. Max and Warren bickering while Nab and Laki sighed. Loke bending Juvia backward in a tango move and she laughing, obviously enjoying the dance.
Gray stopped at this picture, something rumbling in his insides. He was surprised by his reaction. He had felt it too during the ball when he had seen them dancing, but he could not determine where it came from. He had just the impression that something was wrong.
"Hey, Frosty Mind. Are you going to keep staring at these pictures as if you want to freeze the phone? I want to see them too."
Gray sent a dark glare at Natsu but handed him Lucy's phone without a word. Gajeel and Juvia chose that time to joined them. With no surprise, the piercing man sat by Levy's side but Juvia stood awkwardly for a few second before she took the last seat unoccupied next to Gray.
He did not know if the others noticed, but sometimes Juvia acted weirdly. Not in her weird way he had grown accustomed since the beginning of the year. More like she needed time to debate with herself before acting or talking. Wasn't she comfortable with them anymore?
He shrugged it off and finally bit in one of his sandwiches. He felt Juvia's eyes on him as she unwrapped her lunchbox which was decorated with snowflakes and white clouds. He knew she could not hold her curiosity for a long time and waited for the question about to come.
"What are you eating Gray-sama?" She asked looking at his sandwiches with interest.
"Caramade Frank." He answered remaining unfazed but grinning internally. Maybe she was acting a bit oddly these days, yet she could be so predictable sometimes.
"What is it?"
"What? You don't know? You have to taste one!" He handed her one which she took with precaution.
She examined the thing for a few seconds and then lift it up to her mouth, but as she tried to sink her teeth into the soft texture, sauce came off by the side of the sandwich and covered her hands.
"It's a bit sticky." She remarked staring at her fingers glued with syrup.
Gray smirked. "That's because you didn't eat it correctly."
"But Juvia hasn't done it before."
"Look, I'll show you." He raised his own Caramade in front of his mouth. "This is how you eat a Camarade Frank. First you had to open as wide as you can. Then you chomp it like that."
She followed his instructions and it was quite funny to watch her concentrated face as she expanded her mouth and took a huge bit of the sandwich. As she chewed, her eyes widened with surprise.
"That's delicious, Gray-sama!"
"Yeah. It's one of my favorite food."
She nodded with understanding and bit again into the sandwich. After she finished it, Juvia opened her lunchbox and looked thoughtfully at the fried rice with vegetables and the omelet roll inside. "Hum…" She said shyly. "As Juvia ate a part of your lunch, would you like some of hers to compensate?"
At first thought, Gray suspected a plan of hers as she had made many attempts the first month after her transfer with bentos with hearts and the word love on them. It had been embarrassing. But most of the time her food was good and she seemed genuinely offering, so he agreed and picked a carrot strip. "Thanks."
She had a radiant smile then and he felt a little bad for his previous thought. To hide his pinkish cheeks, he looked away and spotted Alzack and Bisca at a near table staring at them with flaming faces. He raised an eyebrow. What had gotten into them?
"Are you ready for your upcoming match, Gray?" Lucy asked, slapping Natsu's hand trying to steal her dessert.
"Yeah. Laxus came with new tactics, we still need a bit of training but we'll crush Lamia Scale." He answered with a grin. To say he was eager to confront the hockey team from Lamia University was an understatement.
"Are they strong?" Juvia inquired with naivety.
"They're one of the top five. But Gray has a personal rivalry with this team." Erza said with a sly smile and Gray rolled his eyes. "You're coming to watch the game, right, Juvia?"
"Of course! Juvia asked Yajima-san if she can be free Saturday afternoon. She's part of Fairy Tail now, she'll cheer for our team!" The blue haired woman explained with cheerful eyes.
Gray felt something weird in his insides again, but it was different from earlier. Warmer. To brush it off, he teased Natsu who had succeeded in stealing Lucy's cake and had his face covered with chocolate like a five years old. The pink haired bit back and the two wrangled until it was time to head back in class.
###
Juvia arranged the pastries on the stand with a smile gracing her lips. She had not stop smiling since lunch when she had been able to share Gray's meal. He even picked some of hers! And it happened for their 273 days anniversary! She had been so lucky!
"Ah~ " She sighed with awe as she remembered the moment for the nth time that day. Maybe next time, he would taste one of her customized bread. "Will he prefer Juvi-bread or Gray-bread?" She wondered out loud.
Hum, Juvia, your breads are delicious! Gray holds her hands and pulls her against his naked chest. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Days and nights.
Gray-sama! We should graduate first! She protests as he leans closer.
Juvia shook her head. No, no, no. She had to take a hold on her daydreams. It's against Erza's tactics. She had to progress with Gray step by step. He seemed more comfortable in her presence now. She should not ruin that with breads displaying his face. He would probably freak out.
She was pull out from her inner struggle by the chime sound of Yajima's bakery door.
"Welcome! Oh, hi Jellal-san!" She greeted the blue haired man who returned her smile.
"Hello Juvia. I want to buy a strawberry pastry. What can you suggest?"
She restrained the giggle that tickled her lips. "There Jella-san. There are strawberry tarts, macaron, and cheesecakes. But Erza-san's favorite is this one. It's a cake with a strawberry core and vanilla icing." Another giggle had to be hold when she saw a slight blush adorning his cheeks.
"Herm… Well, I'll take this one, please."
"Do you often offer cakes to Erza-san?" She asked as she packaged the cake.
"From time to time. Erza had tough days with her drama club recently and gifts are a mark of friendship."
"But you know each other for a long time. Marks of friendship aren't necessary anymore."
"We're best friends since kindergarten. But that doesn't mean we can't share presents. Many people think that big and pricey gifts are better to express your feelings. But I think small gifts mean more. You show you're caring, even if there's no special occasion."
She nodded while she handed him the cake box.
"Juvia's sure your feelings had reach Erza-san."
Jellal's face turned deep red and he leaved after mumbling his thanks. Juvia watched him with a smile. The two of them were the most mature of their group, and still they looked so innocent and almost childlike about their affection for the other.
"Small gifts…" She repeated in a low voice and clapped her hands. Her next evenings were going to be busy!
###
Gray completed his last lap and stepped out of the running track to grab his bottle. Running helped him evacuate the tensions about tonight's game but he had been careful not to exhaust himself. He checked his watch, he had the time for ten minutes of stretching before meeting his team for Laxus' final instructions.
"I knew you would be there."
"What are you doing here?" He turned toward his visitor.
"As charming as always." Lyon sighed. "Hello to you too. I wanted to see you a bit before the match."
"What's the matter?" Gray took his shirt and passed it over his head.
"Nothing. Just want to know how you're doing. Tear complained you didn't call enough and its true we both don't give news to each other very often."
"I'll call her tomorrow to tell her how I kicked your ass during the match." Gray smirked and Lyon rolled his eyes.
"In your dreams, Droopy eyes."
"Tell me that again after our victory."
He earned a light push on his shoulder and they headed for the hockey stadium.
"So? Every's fine?" Lyon asked as the younger man did not say a word.
"Pretty much, yeah. Studies. Essays and tests. Training. Parties. Natsu tantrums. The usual."
"Hummm. Tear told me there are newcomers in your group of friends."
"How did she know?" Gray frowned. He didn't remember telling her about Gajeel and Juvia.
"Jellal."
His frown did not decrease. How much Jellal revealed? Ultear wasn't as nosy as Mira or Cana about his private life, but she liked to tease him.
"It's good to know you open up to more people." Lyon continued. "You were so close up when you were kid."
"You don't have many friends either." Gray said angrily, feeling attacked.
"But I don't have your distant and cold attitude. I'm friendly with everyone and I dated girls."
"I have no problem with dating girls. It's just not my priority."
"It's okay if you prefer boys, you know?"
"I don't swing that way." Gray groaned and stopped on his track. Lyon had the skill to piss him off. "You're the one who could be gay."
"So, you have a girl in mind?"
"That's none of you business, Slanty eyes."
"Oh, so there's a girl! Who is she?"
"Gray-sama?" He heard Juvia's voice behind him. "Sorry to interrupt your conversation but Laxus-san wants you to join the rest of the team for the last instructions."
Before Gray could answer her, he felt like a wind gusting at his side and the next thing he saw was Lyon holding Juvia's hands in his own and looking at her with a weird expression. What that idiot had in mind?
###
"Is this what's been called love at first sight?" The unknown man asked her as he raised one of her hands and kissed its back.
"Heh?" She didn't know what to say and looked up at Gray who seemed furious.
"What do you think you're doing?" He growled as he swapped the hand of the man away.
"Meeting my future wife?" The man said back and Gray let out an exasperated grunt.
"You didn't even know her name."
"Oh, that's right! So much beauty made me forget my manners." He turned back his eyes on Juvia and smiled. "May I know how your parents named their angel?"
She blinked; she had never heard so several cheesy sentences in so less time. Even Loke wasn't that lame. "Huh… Juvia. Juvia Lockser." She finally answered.
"Juvia…" He repeated slowly, as if testing the sound coming from his lips. "My name is Lyon Vastia. Would you do me the favor of being my supporter tonight?"
"Hold on." Gray retorted. "She's a Fairy Tail student. She'll cheer us, not your team."
"That news crushes my heart." Lyon commented still looking at Juvia's face and then his eyes lighted up as an idea crossed his mind. "We'll make a deal then! If we win, Juvia-chan joins Lamia University."
"What? This is nonsense. You can't bet people! And she's studying meteorology!"
"No surprise there. She's a real sunray that chase all the dark clouds."
"What I meant it's there's not even a meteorologist department in your campus!" Gray almost screamed.
"I'll convince Baba-sama to create one just for my beautiful Juvia!"
Gray looked about to struggle the white-haired man when the rest of Lamia team called after him from afar.
"Unfortunately, I have to go, Juvia-chan. But we'll have all the time of the world after I win the game." Lyon brushed his lips against her knuckles and with a smile he turned to join his friends.
"What happened exactly, Gray-sama?" She asked still bewildered by the strange behavior of the man.
Gray sighed. "That's my idiot cousin being idiot."
"Humm… But… He didn't really think Juvia'd transfer to his university just because he wins a match, did he?"
"No, he's not what idiot." Gray answered but didn't sound convinced himself. "And don't worry. There's no way we lose against his team. Well, I should go or Laxus is going to lightning strike my ass."
"Ah, wait." She held on his sleeve as he took a step aside. "Juvia wants to give you something. If… If you want to!" She was blushing deep red and he arched a brow.
"What is it?"
"He… here." With both hands, she presented him a small silvery rectangle of woven cloth. A four-leaf clover was embroidered on it, clearly handmade. "It's a lucky charm. For the match. Not that Juvia thinks you're not strong enough! It's just… a silly gift."
For a short moment, he debated with himself if he should accept it or not. He didn't want to give her false hope but she had undoubtedly spent time to make this.
"Thanks." He finally took the gift and put it in his pocket. "We'll definitively crush Lyon's team. See you after the match."
"Yes!" She yelled and waved her hand as he ran to the stadium, her face glowing with joy.
AN: Lyon is in the place!
Again, I'm sorry for the long wait. I hope you still enjoyed this chapter!