Gray fidgets with the miniature communication lacrima in his pocket as he figures out the perfect time to excuse himself from the group.
"We could set up camp here." Erza declared.
Wendy nodded and started setting up the camp with Carla. Lucy, Natsu, and Happy soon followed. Gray sighed and placed his satchel on the ground, and helped out for a bit before sneaking away.
He walked a couple of meters away from the group and blended into the crowd of the town.
—
"Our tents are done." Erza proclaimed. "Now, Natsu, Gray, and I are going out to hunt for our dinner. Lucy, Wendy, you two guard our camp.
Erza fixed her armor and looked around and noticed that a certain ice mage is missing.
"Where's Gray?"
"He's here just a second ago," Wendy replied, shifting her head from left to right trying to find him.
"That jerk's slacking off again!" Natsu shouted. "I'm gonna find him and beat his lazy butt." He ran forward, leaving everyone behind.
Erza sighed. "I'll go hunting."
"Happy, follow Natsu and make sure he doesn't break anything."
"Aye, sir!!" The blue cat gave the knight a salute before flying away.
"Gray-san's grown habit of running away whenever we're about to set up camp or check in a hotel," Wendy spoke.
"Yeah." Lucy nodded. "It's weird, he never does that before."
"What could he be doing?"
—
"Hey, how have you been?" Gray said, leaning his back against a wall, his miniature communication lacrima prompt up in his ear
"Juvia's good, she just got back to the apartment. How's the mission?" A soft voice passed through the lacrima.
"Tiring, being able to hear your voice is sorta therapeutic."
"Juvia misses you." Juvia giggled, clutching a pillow to her chest.
"I miss you too."
Gray responded with a low chuckle before continuing their conversation.
"How's the guild?"
"Still the same. Although, we got some new members." Juvia responded.
"This isn't another Touka situation is it?" Gray arched a brow.
Juvia giggled. "No, this is different."
"Jellal, Meredy, and Cobra joined."
"I guess that makes sense." Gray nodded.
"Meredy planned on taking Juvia on a job with her and Jellal," Juvia added.
"Also with Jellal." It's a weird feeling but Gray doesn't like the idea of Juvia going on a mission with him even if he knows there's nothing wrong with it.
"Meredy thinks it'll be a fun bonding experience," Juvia replied.
It makes sense, both Juvia and Jellal are close friends with Meredy. It's normal for her to want both of her close friends to get along. However, Gray can't help but still get that uneasy feeling.
"Is there anything wrong, darling?"
"Nothing, it's great that they joined the guild, who knows, maybe in one of Jellal's missions, he'd stumble upon Erza again." Gray joked and he received an adorable giggle from the water mage.
"Where is Gray-sama now?"
"Some random corner in the town we're in, I gotta separate myself from the others mainly because Natsu is way too loud."
"Has Gray-sama eaten yet?"
"We just set up camp, Natsu and Erza are probably out hunting."
"You're not gonna help them?"
Gray shrugged. "They can handle it, I wanna talk to you."
—
Natsu is finally able to find Gray, he's leaning at a brick wall in some random corner, his miniature communication lacrima is up against his ear, clearly speaking to someone.
"Oi!! Stripper!!!" The dragon slayer called.
Gray jolted up, his attention shifted towards Natsu.
"Natsu's here, I gotta go." He spoke over the lacrima.
"Alright then, take care Gray-sama, Juvia loves you," Juvia responded.
Gray smiled before hanging up. "I'll call again tomorrow."
"Who's that?" Natsu asked, running towards the ice mage.
"It's just Juvia," Gray mumbled a response.
"Ohh he loves her~." Happy giggled while flying in circles.
"Ugh." Gray rolled his eyes. "This is why I don't tell you guys about stuff."
"Hey!!" Natsu gasped, offended by the statement.