Since I heard an objection in one of the reviews, I won't be incorporating the OCxWendy into this fanfic. While I will make one at some point, don't expect it for a while. I want to finish a couple of my stories before I finally get to work on it. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy!

After returning from Edolas, the Fairy Tail wizards rejoiced upon hearing that Lisanna was still alive. In fact, the whole guild was partying like there was no tomorrow. Even though Zale wasn't a party animal compared to the rest of the guild, he was just as happy to know that Lisanna had survived. However, that wasn't what was on Zale's mind; he was more concerned with finally asking Juvia out on a date before something worse than the events that had just transpired could happen. He looked over toward the other side of the guild hall at Juvia, who changed back to the hairstyle and attire she had from when she was in Phantom Lord and was looking a bit down.

*Come on, Zale!* He thought. *You need to ask her out! Man up!*

He took a long, deep breath to calm his nerves… though it didn't help at all, then he walked over toward Juvia. The closer he got to her, the warmer his face got.

"J-Juvia?" Zale stuttered.

"Huh?" Juvia looked at Zale and blushed. "What is it, Zale?"

"Uh… uh…"

Zale couldn't get any of his words out. His nervousness and her beauty were making him babble like a baby. He kept shouting to himself in his head to snap out of it, but it wasn't proving useful at all.

"Are you all right, Zale?" Juvia asked as she placed her hand on his forehead. "My goodness, you're burning up! You must have a fever!"

"N-No!" Zale exclaimed as he grabbed both of Juvia's hands and held onto them, making her blush a bit. "Juvia, there's something I really need to ask you. Would… would you… would you like to go out with me? You know, on a… date?"

An explosion of steam burst from Juvia's face after hearing that and her face was incredibly red.

"Is this really happening?" Juvia asked, feeling a little dizzy. "Juvia isn't dreaming, is she?"

"I-I'm serious, Juvia. This isn't a dream. I really want to go out with you. So, will you-"

"Of course Juvia will!" Juvia jumped toward Zale and gave him a massive bear hug. "This is the greatest day of Juvia's life! Then we'll have our date and that will be the greatest day of Juvia's life! … Until our wedding!"

"I think you're getting too far ahead." Zale muttered.

The next day at her house, after taking a shower Juvia was having problems trying to figure out what to wear.

"Oh, nothing is perfect!" She panicked. "If Juvia wears something unacceptable…"

(Juvia's Imagination)

"I can't go out with a girl who doesn't have any fashion sense. I'm going to see if I can ask out Lucy."

(End Imagination)

"But if Juvia wears something too sexy…"

(Juvia's Imagination)

"Let's do it right here, right now! Let's make 33 babies together!"

(End Imagination)

"JUVIA CAN'T CHOOSE!" She hysterically sobbed.

Ding-dong!

Juvia snuck to her front door, looked through the peephole and saw Zale standing in front of it in his usual outfit.

"He's not wearing anything special?" Juvia looked like she was starting to get angry. "Does that mean he's not taking our first date seriously?" She suddenly had an idea pop in her head. "… Wait, maybe that's the answer Juvia needs!"

Zale waited outside for a couple of minutes before knocking on the door.

"Juvia, are you home?" He asked. "If you need a few more minutes, I can wait."

The door opened and Juvia came out, wearing the attire he saw her wearing the day before.

"Is this acceptable, Zale?" Juvia asked.

*Just be honest with her. That's what's going to help you through this.* He thought before speaking. "… I have to admit, I liked your previous look better."

Juvia looked like she was about to cry.

*Idiot! Why would you ask that?!* Zale yelled at himself in his head before trying to calm down Juvia. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to say that! You always look beautiful! How about we go wherever you want to today?"

Juvia started wiping her tears. "Sniff… Anything Juvia wants?"

"Anything. All I want is for you to be happy, Juvia."

"Zale…" Juvia stared into Zale's eyes and saw the sincerity in them. "You really think I'm beautiful?"

"Um, w-well, yeah." Zale replied with a blush on his face. "I mean, you placed third in the Miss Fairy Tail Contest. I, uh, voted for you, of course." He nervously rubbed the back of his head. "Dah, I didn't we'd be talking like this before our date even started."

"Oh, that's right!" Juvia gasped before walking ahead, taking Zale by the hand and looking back at him. "Juvia has just the place in mind."

Juvia had taken Zale to a crafts shop where several other people were making a variety of different items from yarn, straw and paper. As Juvia was sewing a doll and Zale trying his best to make a basket out of pink straw, he looked around to see that everyone else in the store was female; he was the only guy there. He looked back at the straw and questioned if he was properly making a basket. Craftsmanship has never been his strong suit even as a child and it kind of hurt him that he couldn't make something that looked nice for the girl he liked. What made him feel worse was that Juvia was doing excellent work on her doll. He figured that she had been sewing for years and must have been a hobby for her. Then he looked back at his barely-started basket and let out a pained sigh which caught Juvia's attention.

"What's wrong, Zale?" Juvia asked out of concern. "Aren't you having fun?"

"It's not that it isn't fun, it's just…" Zale took a deep breath before speaking up. "I really want to make a wonderful basket for you, but I have no idea what I'm doing. And doesn't that say a lot because I usually always have a plan."

"Do you want Juvia to show you how to do it?"

"It wouldn't feel right if I let you make your basket."

"Then let Juvia tell you how to make it."

"That'll work. Thanks, Juvia."

Over the next hour or so, Zale followed every instruction Juvia gave him and was finally able to make the pink basket. It didn't look great, but it seemed to be perfectly able to carry whatever was put in it.

"Sorry it doesn't look that good." Zale handed Juvia the basket.

"Juvia loves it." She happily accepted the pink basket. "All that matters is that you put your heart into it and made it with your own hands. This is for you, Zale."

Juvia handed Zale a stuffed, knit doll of herself.

"It's to keep you comfortable when it rains." Juvia said sheepishly. "Do you like it?"

"I love it. Thank you very much, Juvia."

Juvia's face lit up like fireworks upon hearing those words.

"Juvia is so happy you love it! Just don't let it replace the real Juvia."

"Nothing could replace you, Juvia."

She blushed and Zale realized what he just said.

"I-I didn't mean it in a really serious way. I just… I just said what was on my mind, that's all."

"No, it's all right, Zale. It gives Juvia comfort to know how you feel."

Both of them were blushing and awkwardly quiet for the next several seconds.

"Zale?"

"Hm?"

"Do you… like Juvia?"

"Uh, well…" Zale's face became even redder. "I… I wouldn't have asked you out on a date if I didn't."

"That makes Juvia so happy!" Juvia glomped Zale in a fit of joy.

Most men would want her to get off of them, but Zale was growing fond of Juvia's affectionate bear hugs. If anything, it spoke volumes of how much she liked and cared for him.

"Do you want to go somewhere to eat?" Zale asked. "I know a place that serves delicious food. Natsu and the others told me about it after they got a chance to work there."

After having a delightful dinner at 8-Island in Hargeon, Zale and Juvia returned to Magnolia just as the sun was setting.

"Juvia enjoyed our date today."

"I had fun, too."

They walked through the town's streets until they arrived in front of Zale's house.

"Would you like to come in?" Zale asked.

Juvia blushed furiously.

"I… I'm only asking if you would like some tea."

"Oh, uh, right. Yes. Tea would be nice."

Zale unlocked the door and Juvia followed him inside. This wasn't her first time in his house, but she was able to take in more of the aesthetic than before since that was shortly after their run-in with Callista.

"You really know how to keep your home clean, Zale." She said.

"Thank you. I kind of got it from my parents. They liked things clean and organized. If I ever had a wife, not that I thought I would ever have one, she wouldn't have to worry about cleaning or laundry or anything like that. I could handle it all on my own."

Zale went into the kitchen while Juvia sat on the couch as he made the tea. After a few minutes, he came back carrying two cups of hot tea, gave one of them to Juvia and took a seat next to her on the couch.

"Zale, what did you mean when you said you wouldn't have a wife?" Juvia inquired.

"It means that even if I wanted a wife, there's no woman out there who would want me as their husband. I've never been a hit with the ladies; they always went after Gray or Gildarts. They're the ones with confidence and sex appeal. So I figured I would be alone for the rest of my life."

SLAP!

Juvia slapped Zale clear across the face, leaving a bright pink mark on his cheek.

"… Oow! What was that for?!" Zale exclaimed.

"Don't you ever say that about yourself, Zale! Just because most girls go after certain guys, that doesn't mean that no one will ever fall for you! Look at Juvia! Juvia thinks you're the sexiest man in the world and doesn't care what anyone else says! But it's more than that. You're kind, smart, talented and willing to give your life to protect your friends."

"Do… Do you mean that?"

"Of course Juvia does. You've had Juvia's heart since that fateful day."

"Really?"

"Mmhm… Zale… Could you… close your eyes for a moment, please?"

Zale nodded and closed his eyes. Juvia leaned her face closer to his and gave him a peck on the lips. As soon as she moved her head back, Zale's eyes popped open and blinked like something unbelievable happened while Juvia just blushed and turned away.

"W-well, Juvia should get going. We should go on another date sometime."

"Y-yeah, we should. How about right after the S-Class trials?"

"… Hm? S-Class trials?"

"Didn't anyone tell you? It's that time of the year. Everyone goes crazy for jobs so they can get good favors with the Master and be selected as candidates to be promoted to S-Class. It supposedly changes each year, so preparing for it is far from easy. You used to be S-Class in Phantom Lord, right, Juvia? This is your chance to reclaim that status."

"Juvia doesn't think-"

"Don't sell yourself short, but know that I'll be applying myself this year, too." He smirked.

Later that night, Zale was about to head to bed when he saw that it was raining outside. He shuddered at the sight of it, grabbed the Juvia doll, lied down on his bed and fell sound asleep with the doll in his arms and a smile on his face.

A/N: Sorry this took so long. I was constantly sidetracked throughout the two weeks I was writing this out. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it! Stay tuned for next time!