A/N: Seriously, thank you guys so much for all the reviews! Sorry it takes me so long to update. Here are some cute Graylu moments to make up for it. Also writing this made me ship LoLu too haha
III. A Market Affair
"Rise and shine, Princess!"
Lucy ignored the voice. "I'm having a dream," she mumbled to herself, still lying in bed. There was no reason she would set her alarm so early when she wasn't supposed to meet Gray until ten. Surrounded by comfortable pillows, ignoring the dim rays peeking through her curtains, she turned around to go back to sleep.
She wanted to try dreaming again. The two of them were on a mission together, which was strange because Natsu was usually the one to ask her on missions. As far as she could tell, they were fighting resort robbers at Akane Beach. At least, that was the explanation she'd come up with for why she was in a swimsuit. Gray being half-naked was nothing new.
She was attacking from the rooftop when one of the bandits pushed her over. On instinct, Gray had made an ice slide to catch her fall. Instead of landing on the ground, she had glided straight up into the air and was caught by a strong, muscular pair of arms.
She'd looked up to see Gray with the tenderest expression she'd ever seen him have. Once they both landed, he used one arm to pull her head closer to his. He was so close she could hear his heartbeat under his bare chest. Her breath was caught in her mouth as their foreheads touched and he'd hovered his mouth inches from hers.
"Lucy..." Gray whispered.
"Princess, we are here to help you get ready," said a different voice, female this time.
Lucy turned over and groaned into her pillow. When she finally forced her heavy eyelids open, she saw Virgo's face blinking at her.
"Virgo?" she asked groggily. "What are you doing here? I thought you didn't work on Saturdays?"
"She's making sure you win, of course," said the first voice. Lucy turned her head to see Loke sitting on a chair backward and grinning at her.
"Loke!" she squeaked and pulled the covers over herself. The lion spirit had quite a habit of popping up whenever she wasn't expecting him. "You can't just open your gate inside my apartment whenever you feel like it! What if I were naked?"
Loke held up his hands in defense and said "Whoa, there. I'm sorry I had to break in but we have a major situation going on in the celestial world. Also, I also had Virgo check first so I wouldn't burst in on you"
"A situation?" Now Lucy was wide-awake. She threw the blankets off herself and stepped out of bed. "Is the spirit king in danger? Is it one of you guys or a silver key?" Her hand instinctively reached for the keyring sitting on her bedside table. She sighed when she counted they were all still there.
"No one's in danger. We're just a little divided, that's all" said Loke, stroking his chin.
"You mean there's some kind of in-fighting going on?" she asked. This was serious. She needed her spirits to like each other - what if she had to summon two at once in combat? "Take me to the spirit world," she commanded Virgo.
Virgo nodded and grabbed Lucy's hand. A glowing portal appeared in the middle of her bedroom. She could hear Loke yelling at them as they stepped through.
"Wait! You don't need to go there yourself!"
With a flash of light, they both appeared in front of a tall, mirror wall. Lucy gazed at her reflection and saw that she was wearing celestial clothes. Behind them, she could see rows upon rows of clothes and immediately recognized the room as the celestial closet she'd visited a long time ago. Her mouth fell open as a familiar figure stepped out of the coat rack.
"Moo! I am udderly sure that our sexy Lucy will win us the competition!" said a drooling Taurus.
"Without my styling guidance, she won't just be a shrimp, she'll be a rotten shrimp," said Cancer, emerging coming out of the shadows of a bulky cabinet. He scoffed and leaned up against the cabinet door.
"Competition? What's going on?" asked Lucy. More spirits started appearing from the racks of clothes on the walls. Scorpio smirked at Lucy and took his place beside Cancer. Gemini chirped and joined Taurus and Virgo by the coat rack. Aries stepped forward, her eyes darting back and forth between the two groups. She made an apologetic face at Lucy and tiptoed next to Cancer and Scorpio. Lucy couldn't remember the last time she'd seen so many of her spirits at once.
At that moment, Loke burst through the portal, clutching his chest and panting. "By Mavis Lucy, I told you not to come!"
"I thought you guys were in danger. Will someone please tell me what the hell is happening?" demanded Lucy.
"Brother has made a bet with Aquarius on whether Gray will choose you or Juvia," quipped in Virgo.
"You WHAT-"
Loke started explaining as fast as he could before Lucy could strangle him. "I was having a conversation with Aquarius yesterday and may have let it slip that you were going on a date on Gray. Naturally, she said you'd never get a boyfriend, your personality was a mess, and since she and Juvia both control water...well you see where this is going. We've got five hundred thousand jewels at stake here between all of us." He turned to Lucy and tugged on her arm. "We need to-"
Scorpio pointed the stinger on his tail at Cancer. "We are siding with my girlfriend on this one. Water signs stick together," he said. Lucy had a hunch that Scorpio was secretly indifferent to the situation, but forced to side with Aquarius since they were dating.
"Don't worry Lucy, we believe in you! Because we believe in our own abilities!" chirped Gemini. The twins came forward and transformed into Lucy and Gray. The real Lucy watched Gemi as Gray create a rose made of ice. Only this time, Mini as Lucy giggled, blushed and accepted it. Watching them was even more hypnotizing than looking at Lisanna's drawing. She covered her mouth and smiled at them for a few more seconds before Aries finally spoke up.
"I don't think Gray will like Miss Lucy very much...I'm sorry," said the trembling ram. Lucy was almost insulted, but more curious as to why Aries would choose to not be on her side.
"What makes you say that?" she asked. She felt another strong nudge on her shoulder that must have been from Loke.
"Because time moves differently in the celestial world and he won't appreciate it when you miss the date," answered Aries.
Lucy's eyes became as wide as saucers. "Shit!" she exclaimed, sprinting back towards the portal.
"That's what I've been trying to tell you!" Loke howled after her.
Lucy dived through the portal and landed back on her bedroom floor. She was back in her pajamas. She scrambled to her nightstand as fast as she could and caught sight of the time on her alarm clock.
'9:27'
"Loke, I am going to murder you!" she screamed. "Now I only have thirty minutes to get ready!
"Well it's a good thing I got here so early," said Loke, tumbling onto the floor as well. "I thought it would take around four hours, honestly. But I hadn't counted on your little detour"
"What? It doesn't take women FOUR HOURS to get ready," said Lucy, smacking her palm against her forehead. "And I wouldn't have gone if you weren't such a melodramatic ass!"
"Huh, all women must be different" he mused to himself. "Anyway, that bet is why I'm helping you, otherwise there's no way I'd let Gray have you without a fight," he said, grinning. "Don't worry, I told Virgo to grab some clothes for you. Now go get ready and we'll take care of the rest"
"Fine" Lucy grumbled. She wouldn't be in this predicament if they hadn't shown up in the first place. "Can you ask Virgo if she'll hang my laundry from last night out to dry?"
She made her way to the bathroom to get ready. The sun shone brightly through the curtains, reminding her that the clock was ticking closer to ten. Three whole days, and she was still just as nervous as the first time she'd tried to ask. As she ran the water to brush her teeth, she could faintly hear the conversation between Virgo and Loke over the outfits Virgo had bought.
"No, not this one. Lucy said she was going to the farmer's market. Not the strip club" said Loke.
"Noted, dear brother. You mentioned they were cooking, may I suggest this one?" said Virgo.
"A maid? Personally, I consider that more of a costume than an outfit."
"If you insist, but I have a strong hunch Gray would appreciate it"
"Heh, I wonder why. Pajamas? Why'd you bring these?
"Oh! This was an accident. Say, in case we lose, do you think Lucy would punish me?"
Lucy quickly turned on the shower water. Punishing Virgo was the last thing she wanted to think about. She needed to come up with a script this time. Should she bring it up when they got back home? Should she confront him again? What would Mirajane do? The barmaid seemed to have no problems luring secrets out of her guests.
When she got out of the shower, it was already nine-fifty-three. She rushed to her bedroom to change into proper clothes. Loke and Virgo were sitting on her bed, with Virgo holding something blue and familiar.
"Is this one alright with you, Princess?" she asked.
Lucy received the outfit from Virgo and recognized it as the robin egg blue dress she'd seen the very first time she'd visited the celestial closet. On the bed, there was a messy pile of the rest of the clothes Virgo had bought. The sundress was the best she could have hoped for. She'd always secretly wondered how it would fit her.
"I'm sure it'll work," said Lucy, giving her a small smile.
The only way to know was trying it on. Virgo dressed Lucy's face in light makeup, then she quickly made her way to the bathroom to change. Thoughts of what to say flew through her head. "Erza wanted me to ask you something" Nope, Erza would kill her. "Do you wanna go out sometime?" However, she'd already asked him to go shopping with her; it was supposed to be his turn to ask! "Is there anyone you like in the guild?" Yes, that was a decent way to start. She could make it work from there.
When she emerged, Virgo and Loke were waiting for her. Judging by their expressions, she felt reminiscent of a bride who had stepped out in the perfect wedding gown.
"Princess, you look wonderful!" exclaimed Virgo.
"Thanks, Virgo," said Lucy, admiring the dress. It fit her bust and hugged her waist perfectly. When she walked, the fabric floated around her legs in gentle waves. As she looked closer, she saw the tiniest sparkles embedded in the cloth, shimmering like little stars.
Loke glanced up and down at her, sighed and said, "I'm having regrets". He shook his head, strode over to Lucy, and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Well remember, if Gray ever breaks your heart, I'll break his you-know-what. And I'll always be right here waiting for you."
Lucy snorted with laughter and blushed. Despite the mishap earlier, she knew Loke truly wanted her to be happy. Bet or no bet. If anyone knew Gray's taste in women, it was him. The celestial spirit had a gift of knowing what made people tick, what made their heartbeats accelerate. Lucy was decent at flirting. But Loke…Loke could charm the pants off an inanimate statue if he wanted to. It was fortunate that he was on her side.
As soon as she opened her mouth to thank the both of them for their help, the doorbell rang. Loke's eyes widened in panic. He placed a finger on Lucy's mouth as if to say "Shhh", crept over to Virgo and tapped her on the shoulder. They both nodded at Lucy and Loke gave her a wink. Then they vanished in a flash of golden light.
Lucy could hear her own heart pounding in her chest as she strolled down the steps to open the door for Gray. It was the moment she'd both been dreading and looking forward to, like getting back a test in school. Pausing in front of the door, she took a deep breath. There was no reason to feel so dizzy, right? Gray was one of her best friends, her teammate for god's sake! Her teammate who happened to think she was pretty...and liked to touch her hair...
The door swung open. There was Gray, leaning with one arm on the doorframe, wearing a collared white shirt and dark wash jeans. He gave Lucy a tiny smile when he saw her.
"Hey," said Lucy. It came out as a high-pitched squeak. Curse Mirajane and Erza! He was the one that was supposed to have a crush on her, not the other way around! She cleared her throat and tried again. "Thanks for coming."
"Anytime. Is that one of your celestial world dresses?" he asked, his eyes moving up and down at her outfit. Lucy could sense her cheeks heating up from his fixed gaze.
"Yeah, Virgo lent it to me. Why?" she asked.
"Because it suits you," he said, shrugging his shoulders as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Lucy smiled but her stomach was performing cartwheels on the inside. Thank God for her spirit friends. Gray had always been attractive, but he was looking especially handsome today so she deemed she should compliment him as well. His arm muscles were bulging as he leaned against the entryway and his silver cross necklace glimmered over his defined chest. It was strange; she'd never noticed how his nice his skin was. Guys she'd dated before always had dry skin and chapped lips. Gray's skin glowed in the sun and his lips were smooth and inviting. I wonder would it would be like to kiss them, she thought.
"So are you gonna keep staring or are we gonna go?" asked Gray, whipping her out of her trance.
"You have nice lips!" she blurted out, and immediately clasped a hand over her mouth. She was doing terrible at flirting so far. Loke was probably watching from the spirit world, embarrassed on her behalf.
Luckily, Gray was none the wiser. He tilted his head in confusion and said "Um, thanks I guess? I apply lip balm."
"Sorry, I was just trying to give you a compliment," she said. Mortified, she stepped out of her apartment and locked the door behind her, avoiding eye contact.
He chuckled and they both descended down to the street together. "I appreciate it. So, what kind of cake is so complicated that you'd need me to help you?"
"Would you believe me if I told you most of them?" insisted Lucy. She'd gone over the recipe book last night trying to find one that was plausibly difficult. There were dozens of cakes she'd never even heard of before - Croquembouche, tres leches, upside down cake. A section on shaped cakes had caught her eye with a particular cake shaped like a dragon. However, most of the shaped cakes were comprised of fondant, and Lucy and Erza both despised fondant. She'd chosen something shiny called a 'glazed cake'.
She started rambling to Gray about all the unusual kinds of cakes she'd seen in her book as they walked to the farmer's market. He was a great listener for someone who'd hardly shown a huge interest in food. Lucy's nerves melted the more they conversed. He was Gray - familiar and supportive, the person she could rant about anything to, the one she always spilled gossip with, he was her Gray. And despite not knowing his answer, she found herself falling for him.
"I can't believe they were out of food dyes!" whined Lucy, stamping her foot. The voucher the bookstore owner had given her was useless now. They would have to find another store and check if they sold any.
"Remind me again why we didn't just pick up a cake from the bakery?" asked Gray, raising an eyebrow.
For the last two and a half hours, the two of them had wandered all over the Magnolia market picking up the various ingredients on Lucy's grocery list. They located the standard ingredients like baking soda and eggs with no trouble. However, the rarer items were stupidly difficult to find. The pair of them ducked into several shops before they finally came upon items such as gelatin powder.
To Lucy, hanging out with Gray felt so natural, like holding a pen or summoning a spirit. They'd rarely spent long periods alone without being interrupted by someone, usually Juvia. On team missions, the constant tug and pull of combat kept them from extended conversations. Not to mention Natsu would usually either drag Lucy into a new diversion with Happy or drag Gray into a sudden brawl. At Fairy Tail, it was difficult to come within ten feet of the ice mage without the watchful, predatory eyes of Juvia lurking.
But that morning, they were free. They had dozens of merchandise stalls to explore. Oodles of restaurants and cafes and food stands to try. Therefore, the two of them ended up making quite the number of unexpected stops - mostly because of the enticing magic item stalls. Lucy had to convince herself she didn't need the rhinestone-studded pair of Gale-Force reading glasses, how matter how stylish they were. There was a silver key worth three month's rent that Lucy didn't have. While at a potions stand, she caught Gray staring longingly at a fire-dilution potion, no doubt dreaming of pranking Natsu with it.
However, now Gray's ice that he'd created to keep the refrigerated food items cool was melting all over Lucy's feet. Lucy was starving. Thanks to Loke, she hadn't had any time to eat before leaving her apartment. The hot weather and the lack of sleep were finally wearing her out. Moreover, with all the fun she was having with Gray, asking him if he had a crush on her had completely slipped her mind. She knew they should find their last ingredient and head out soon. They'd gotten everything except dyes for the frosting. The beautiful, marbled glaze patterns were the most important part of the cake.
She turned to Gray and said, "Well, homemade gifts are more meaningful. Didn't you ever get anything homemade when you were younger?"
"I didn't get many gifts as a kid," mused Gray with a faraway expression on his face. Lucy felt a twinge of regret remembering Gray had lost his parents early. "But Ur taught Lyon and me how to make homemade ice cream." He chucked and added, "It came with the hidden agenda of working out our arm muscles."
"Mmm…ice cream sure sounds delicious right now," she said longingly.
"Yeah, I'm starving," agreed Gray, placing a hand to his stomach. "I haven't eaten anything since I woke up"
"What? Why didn't you say anything?" asked Lucy, her eyes wide. "I would have given you something to eat!" Unless Loke had surprised Gray with an early morning visit too, she didn't understand why he'd skip breakfast.
"Well…I was hoping I could eat with you. Get lunch together," he said. He turned his head away and hastily added, "I mean, if you're alright with it."
Lucy wanted to find Loke, hug him, and scream with joy into his face. Gray was asking her out to lunch!
"Only if you buy me a drink," she teased.
Gray puffed out his chest. "I'm not a savage. I'll buy you the whole meal"
"Do you wanna try the Water Street Cafe?" asked Lucy. It was a cute brunch spot by the canal where many couples visited. Lucy had only seen it through the windows.
"Yeah, whatever you want. At this point, I'd eat Natsu's cooking if I had to" he chuckled.
Lucy opened her mouth to say that Natsu's cooking wasn't that bad; it was just that he really only knew how to cook fish, but in the process somehow inhaled a lungful of smoke. Eyes watering, she asked Gray "Do you smell that?"
The smell of burning oils hung in the air. Gray's nostrils were flaring and he had noticed it too. This time, instead of her shoulder he grasped her hand in his and started leading them around the corner, towards the smoke.
"Wait, what's going on?" she asked. Unlike three days ago, now she was the one following him, unaware of his motive.
"Speaking of homemade stuff, I want to show you one more thing before we go," he muttered. They turned down a side road Lucy didn't recognize. It was noticeably missing a line of shops like the other streets. There was only one booth there.
As they got closer, Lucy identified the source of the smoke as a glassblowing stand. There was an elderly man, probably around sixty, spinning molten glass into beautiful shapes. Gray appeared to recognize him and waved.
"How's it goin', Han?" he said, waving.
"Gray! How splendid it is to see you!" said Han as they arrived in front of his workstation. "And who's the beautiful girl you have with you?"
"This is my friend, Lucy" he gestured with his other hand. Lucy couldn't help but think of what any other guy would say after that prompt. Natsu would look around confused for the beautiful girl he was referring to. Loke would falsely declare her as his girlfriend, no - his other girlfriend. Gajeel (not that she'd ever go shopping with Gajeel) would probably be irritated with the man - "Beautiful? I wouldn't go that far."
"Well Miss Lucy, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance," said Han, giving her a friendly smile.
"When I was little, Ur used to take me and Lyon to see glassblowing demonstrations," said Gray, staring fondly at Han's creations. "She said to concentrate on sculpting ice the same way - not by chipping at it, but shaping it from within. It was one of our first magic lessons" His lips curved upwards into a smile and his grip on her hand grew tighter.
"They're gorgeous," whispered Lucy. There were glass figurines in all kinds of delicate, diverse structures. Though inanimate, there was such movement in the marbled colors and glass swirls that they felt alive.
Han took a red-hot piece of glass out of his kiln and began blowing into a pipe at it. The glass expanded into a molten bubble. Then he set it down and started to spin it and create a vase shape. Lucy watched the demonstration, mesmerized. She turned to see Gray's reaction and noticed his subtle face twitches. He must be remembering Ur, remembering his childhood, she thought.
"You miss her," she said. There were certain things she just knew from also losing a mother.
"Every day," he said, with a hoarse voice. He turned to face her and his expression was tender. "But when I think of home now, I think of Fairy Tail. I've got Natsu, Erza, Wendy" He paused. "And you"
"You'll always have me," she thought. Instead of saying it, she rubbed her thumb across the back of his hand. He stiffened and his eyes went wide, but their hands remained locked together.
Gray cleared his throat and tugged on Lucy's hand. "We should probably get going. Thanks for letting us stop by, Han". They took one last glance at the glass shop and headed for the café.
"Feel free to come again! And bring yer girlfriend with you!" Han shouted after them with a toothy grin. Lucy smirked to herself when Gray didn't correct him.
She could sense his grip on her hand loosening. Gray was staring straight ahead, but Lucy could tell it was the same kind of look he'd had before, the night he walked her to her apartment. Instead of letting go, she squeezed his hand and smiled at him. A blush crept up his cheeks and he started walking hand in hand with her down the cobblestone streets. They didn't say anything else to each other, so Lucy waited for him to let go first.
He didn't.
There was no indoor seating left at Water Street Café. When Gray and Lucy stepped in, it smelled of freshly baked cookies and roasted coffee beans. There was a running waterfall by the front wall where they found a host to seat them. The host apologized for not having tables left indoors, and handed them both menus.
Outside, all of the tables were metal and there was ivy and hanging lightbulbs. Lucy giggled at watching the breeze continuously sweep Gray's hair in front of his face, and him having to fix it.
"This is fancier than I expected," he muttered, perusing his menu. Lucy had to agree. It was like dining at a full-blown restaurant instead of a tiny café. She hadn't been used to such elegant decorations and food since living at her father's estate.
As they talked and ate their food, Lucy tried again to think of ways to bring up the question. She went back to picturing what her comrades would do. Starting with the reason she was her in the first place - What would Erza say? Out of all her friends, she was the most straightforward.
Erza's voice played in her head. "Gray. Do you wish to spend the rest of our lives together?"
She shuddered. Erza was too intimidating. Lucy suddenly had more respect for Jellal.
What would her best friend, Levy say? The bespectacled, solid-script mage was the reader to her writer. If anyone in the guild had a mystery to solve, she was their designated researcher.
She imagined Levy's cheerful tone this time. "Hey Gray - I'll bet if you gave me three guesses, I could figure who you like"
Everyone knows you like Gajeel, Levy, she thought. In terms of romance, reading people like Juvia was a picture book. Reading Gray was an epic novel.
What would Natsu do? He was best friends with both of them…in fact, she hadn't thought about how he'd react to her and Gray hooking up.
Natsu's voice was booming and threatening. "You're not interested in Lucy, right? Because I'll clock your ass two ways from Saturday if you hurt her"
"Lucy?" asked Gray, nudging her foot with his.
"Hmm?" she murmured.
"You dazed off a bit. You're not getting heat exhaustion right?" he said, glancing at her barely touched glass of lemonade. He leaned across the table and felt her forehead with his palm.
If her face wasn't hot before, it was certainly getting there now. Lucy took a deep breath. She needed to stop thinking about what other people would do. This was her battle. She would ask him her own way.
"I'm fine, really…I've been reflecting…and I wanted to thank you for helping me today. Really, you didn't have to go shopping, which is probably boring for you, and you didn't have to skip breakfast, and you didn't have to listen to me ramble about cakes, you didn't have to clear your schedule for me…"
Gray snorted. "Lucy, I think you've got it wrong. I didn't clear anything. Every time Juvia finds out I'm available on the weekend, she tries to ask me on a date. Thanks to you, I actually had a legitimate excuse this time. Usually, I say I picked up a one-person mission from the job boards"
"Oh," she said in a small voice. So that's why he agreed. "Well, I'm glad I could be your excuse," she said coldly, staring at her plate.
"Aww, don't be like that," he said, taking her hand that was resting on the table. Surprised, she looked up. "You're acting like I didn't enjoy it," he said, grinning.
Her heart leaped ten stories into the air. He was even holding her hand again!
"Besides, what are friends for?" he said.
Her heart crashed back to the ground. Back to the 'friends' status! Gray was the most confusing person on the planet. She had to ask him before she went mental.
"I was wondering...Juvia has been in love with you for such a long time. How come you've never dated her?" she asked.
He made a disgruntled sound and a crinkled his nose. "Because she's just a good friend. I thought that was pretty clear."
Thank god, she thought. He definitely didn't like Juvia, which meant there was still hope for her. "So, um, is there anyone in the guild you do like?" She held her breath and waited for his answer. Please say yes...just say yes...
He was silent for a moment and looked down at his plate. Then, he turned his head up ever so slightly to peer at her. However, all he said was "Maybe. It doesn't matter"
Argh!
"Gray, look at me," she demanded, pulling her hand away and starting directly into his eyes. There was no turning back now. "Is it me?" she whispered.
He turned redder than Erza's hair. "Look, I don't want to discuss this here, right now. Can't we eat and talk about it later?"
Lucy could feel a lump forming in her throat. "It's a yes or no question, Gray." Why hadn't he admitted it? Slowly, two possible conclusions rose up in her mind. One, that he had a crush on her a long time ago but didn't anymore. Two, he thought she was attractive and enjoyed being her friend, but nothing more than that. They would never date, never exchange presents on Valentine's Day, never kiss…
Gray seemed like he wanted to say something, but was unsure what. He finally opened his mouth to speak when suddenly they heard her best friend's voice.
"Lucy! Gray! I didn't expect to see you guys here!" It was Natsu, jogging up to them, with Happy flying not far behind. He was carrying a large, soggy sack over his shoulder. It smelled so dreadful Lucy had to cover her face with a napkin so she wouldn't gag.
"Lucy and Gray are on a dateee!" sang Happy. Lucy wanted to sink into the ground, while Gray looked like he was ready to beat Happy with a baseball bat.
"What? No way" said Natsu, laughing. His smile faded as he looked to Lucy and Gray, then the flowers on the table, then to all the couples sitting around them.
"What are you doing here, Natsu?" asked Lucy hoarsely. She forced herself to appear excited. If only they'd waited a few minutes to interrupt…
"And what the fuck is that smell?" interjected Gray, holding his nose. Several of the couples around them had similar expressions of distaste.
"Me and Happy were headed to the market to sell our fish," Natsu said in a much grimmer tone. He turned to Gray and said "Gray. I gotta have a word with you."
Lucy facepalmed. Could Natsu be any more transparent? If he had something to say about the two of them together, he could at least say it to her face. Gray sensed she was about to retort and put his hand on her shoulder.
"It's fine. I'll be back in a few minutes" he assured.
He got up from the table and followed Natsu and Happy into a nearby alleyway. Lucy waited a few seconds and then tiptoed after them. She pressed her back against the wall and tried to hear what they were saying.
"What do you think you're doing with Lucy?" demanded Natsu. Lucy had never heard him sound so hostile.
"You likeee her!" teased Happy. Her breath caught in her throat. Maybe if Gray were too shy to say it to her, he would at least tell the truth to them. She leaned in closer so she could hear his answer.
"It ain't like that, cat!" growled Gray. "She asked me for some help with an errand, and then we got hungry. Nothing's going on"
Lucy clenched her fists and sighed. He didn't have a crush on her after all. What was the point in hiding it from both her and Natsu? She sank down onto the ground and buried her face in her hands. There were still shouts coming from the alleyway, but she didn't care anymore. Don't cry Lucy, you weren't sure anyway, you only started liking him three days ago…
Except it wasn't true. She'd never been so sure in her life. If she'd only liked him for a few days, why did it hurt so much? When she blinked, a teardrop fell into her palm. Then she felt another one land onto her head. But wait, teardrops didn't work like that….
"So Aquarius was right," said a voice from above her. Lucy squinted through her blurry vision to see Juvia standing next to her. The water mage glared at her and said bitterly, "So love rival is pursuing Gray."
"Juvia?" asked Lucy. She stood up and wiped her eyes. Juvia's expression was like a thundercloud brewing with emotion. Lucy gulped and backed away a few steps away so Gray and Natsu wouldn't hear. Juvia followed her until they were back by a wall near the restaurant. However, when Lucy looked closer, she didn't see rage, but instead tears in her eyes.
"Love rival must let Gray go" pleaded Juvia, clasping her hands together.
"Juvia…I don't know how to say this, but there's no point okay? He doesn't like either one of us," said Lucy, putting a hand on her shoulder. It was uncomfortable, but it was the truth.
Juvia hugged Lucy's waist and started crying into her shoulder. Lucy furrowed her brows. She hadn't expected Juvia to accept it so quickly. Juvia looked into her eyes and begged again. "Lucy, please, please let him go. For Juvia's sake"
Lucy extracted herself from Juvia's grip. "Um, I think you've misunderstood something-"
"No, it's you that doesn't understand!" said Juvia, choking back a sob. "Juvia feared this day would come. If love rival ever reveals to Gray-sama her affections for him then Juvia…Juvia's chances are zero," she said, dramatically throwing back her head and clutching her chest.
Lucy was getting frustrated. "Do you know something I don't? Hold on a sec…" A distant memory rose like a fog in Lucy's head. It was the two of them sitting in the Fairy Tail cafeteria, discussing what to do about Gray. "We made a deal, remember? May the best girl win?" She narrowed her eyes and steeled herself. It didn't matter if she liked Gray or not, it didn't mean Juvia could simply break their pact.
"One last time, Juvia is asking you to do this for her," the water mage repeated. "Gray-sama is everything to Juvia. Because of him, Juvia has discovered the sunshine, Juvia has found someone to live for, Juvia believes in love…"
"No" The words escaped Lucy before she could stop them. "He shouldn't be everything"
Juvia's lip quivered. "What?"
Lucy stepped forward, her arms shaking. "You-you have the audacity to join the best guild in the world and say that one person, one person doesn't even like you back, is everything to you?! What about all your other friends Juvia?" She took a deep breath and let go of the frustrations that were building up inside her. It was wrong, all wrong. No one should abandon their friends, their ambitions, and their self-purpose over a guy. "What about Lisanna, and how she's been so nice to you and helped you, but when it came time for you to help her you disappeared to chase Gray? What about Gajeel, your friend that you've known even before you joined Fairy Tail? What about Meredy, and Cana, and Erza, who all believe in you so much?"
Juvia blinked. Slowly, she turned her pout and teary eyes into an angry scowl. The water mage indignantly muttered, "Juvia cares for her friends very much…love rival is not the only person in Fairy Tail who appreciates them …"
Lucy wanted to laugh in her face. Did Juvia not realize that Lucy was supposed to be one of her friends too?
"Do you? Or do you only care about Gray?" She shook her head and thought of their unison raid in the Tower of Heaven together. That Juvia was long gone. "Once upon a time, the Juvia I knew would give her life to save a friend. Now she can't even keep her promises. So no, I won't stop liking Gray because of you"
A few curious couples from the café were now staring at them. A giant cloud passed overhead, leaving the two women in its shadow. As soon as Lucy had said she wasn't giving up on Gray, Juvia's tears dried up. She wore an expression Lucy hadn't seen since their first meeting when she was still a member of Phantom Lord. Juvia narrowed her eyes and stepped closer to Lucy, but Lucy backed up against the wall with her arms crossed. It was time to stop enabling Juvia's behavior.
"Juvia thought Lucy would understand," said Juvia, shaking her head. "But even if she continues to pursue him…it will not stop Juvia. Juvia loves Gray more than rival ever could."
"You still don't get it," snarled Lucy "These choices aren't up to you! Loving Gray harder won't make him want you. You can't force anyone to love you in return. It's terrible and cruel and unfair…but it's a truth we all have to face, Juvia." She watched Juvia flinch slightly at her words. Two days ago, Lisanna was telling her about how much she missed Natsu but didn't want to keep him away from his friends. Just yesterday, she herself was miserable at the very thought of making Juvia unhappy. Loke had spoken the truth - You couldn't love someone without respecting them first. The more Lucy thought about it, the angrier she got. She stared Juvia square in the eyes and added, "The thing is Juvia, if he'd chosen you, I would have conceded. I would be happy for you. That's what love is…it's about wanting the other person to be happy. Even if it's not with you. But you've never given a shit about what Gray wants unless it's something you want too, huh? You love the idea of Gray, but I doubt you ever really loved him at all"
Suddenly, Lucy felt a searing pain in the back of her head. Juvia had summoned a giant hand of water and slammed Lucy into the brick wall with it. One finger warped around Lucy's throat, choking her. She could faintly hear screams, presumably coming from witnesses at the restaurant.
"You-you LIAR!" screamed Juvia into Lucy's face. "How dare you call Juvia's love not genuine?! You awful, lying, monster-"
Lucy struggled to pull the watery hand away from her neck. Her entire torso was pinned to the wall, and her arms were bent upwards and to the side. With all the might she could muster, she swung her elbow at Juvia and yelled, "Get off of me!"
Juvia yelped as Lucy's arm hit her in the nose, breaking her concentration. The enormous watery hand splashed to the ground and Lucy gasped for air and collapsed. A crowd of spectators had surrounded them, but through the commotion, they could hear two distinct familiar voices.
"Lucy! Juvia! What the hell is going on?" It was Gray, sprinting towards them.
"Why the hell are you guys fighting? This isn't like you!" said Natsu, following him.
The three of them rushed to Lucy and Juvia's side. Gray grabbed Juvia's shoulders to retrain her and Natsu helped Lucy stand up. Lucy examined her clothes and saw that the front of her dress was completely soaked. Blood was streaming from Juvia's nose. She let out a resounding wail reverberated through the streets as she discovered the blood all over her face.
"Stop hurting each other" whimpered Happy. "When Natsu and Gray fight, I know they'll be alright afterward. But when you two fight, it's scary"
"It's Lucy. She broke Juvia's nose!" snarled Juvia, pointing a finger as Gray handed her a napkin. Her hair was in tangles and she used the napkin to cover her face. "And she claims to be skilled with words…but she only used them to injure people"
Lucy had never felt so hurt in her entire life. A dam ruptured inside of her, and she exploded with fury.
"I've had enough! I've had enough from everybody!" she bellowed. Everyone's jaws dropped as they stared at her. She glared at Natsu first and said "Natsu, you have the audacity to be angry at me for hanging out with Gray when I'm with you for every other mission? And then you talk behind my back about it? I don't need to be protected by you over who I date!"
Then she turned to Juvia and felt an extra surge of anger. "You-you attacked me first! You come to me asking me the same thing for the thousandth time, and you still don't understand! You can't control whom Gray likes. And you can't stop me from liking him!"
Her face burned as she realized she'd just admitted to liking Gray…in front of Gray, his friends, and an entire crowd of people. But it didn't matter. There was a twisting feeling in her stomach and a searing pain in her heart as she faced Gray. Her voice came out small and defeated.
"And you…you had a lot of opportunities to give me a straight answer today, and you didn't. I guess I mean a lot less to you than I thought I did. Just do me a favor, okay? If you don't think of me as anything more than a friend, don't call me cute. Don't hold my hand. In fact, just don't touch me ever again."
She stormed off, not looking back at any of them. The twisting feeling in her stomach grew times worse. Her throat felt plugged up, as if she tried speaking another word it wouldn't even come. The only thing that comforted her was the idea of going home and curling into a ball.
What had she done? She hadn't been herself at all, antagonizing Juvia and hitting her in the face. Her reputation in the town was Lucy of Fairy Tail, the nice girl who used celestial magic and loved her guild. She refused to listen to a crying friend. She screamed at her friends in front of people. Forget liking her, Gray was going to hate her for this. Her entire guild was going to hate her.
As she walked back to her apartment, she felt a drop of water hit her head. Then another. And more and more until the sky itself echoed her pain, and no one could tell apart the water from the rain from the tears streaming down her own face.
Whew, finally done with Chapter 3. Have you ever been a 'Lucy' or a 'Juvia' where you and a friend liked the same person? I've actually been both (over the same guy too!), and the whole situation was a goddamn fiasco. So this chapter is partially inspired by my own experiences :)
Once more, I really appreciate anyone who reads this story and likes it. I can't wait for you to read the final part.