Who's ready for more? *grins* Well, here's the next chapter folks. I thinks it's slightly longer than the last chapter.

I don't own Fairy Tail or any of its characters, and I do not own this plot. This belongs to CrAzY-SiLLy-Me, whom I thank very much for allowing me to use her plot to make more GraLu stories.

~Say It Again~

Chapter 7

May: Let's Play Military House

"The thing about me is that I really wanna let you…"

"And then she went running to her father and cried!"

They laughed, but I groaned and pouted at my mother for telling that story to Gray. It was embarrassing, since at that time, I wanted to learn how to cook, but I ended up burning the pancakes that I planned to do for my parents. Unfortunately, my mom walked in on me in the kitchen during that time when she smelled the burnt aroma, and I ended up running to my dad to cry.

"But now," my father continued, looking at me with a smile. "She can cook as good as her mother."

"Sometimes even better…" my mother added, swelling with pride.

I glanced at Gray who was next to me, and he gave me a small grin.

Today, my father had a day off, and he remembered how Gray usually spent his day at home by himself, so he called him over for dinner. The flower shop would be closed tomorrow since the Strauss family went off earlier for a reunion, and I'm pretty sure they won't be back until next week, knowing Mira's mom, since she would beg to stay a little bit longer in Clover Town.

"How about you, Gray?" my mom asked as my boyfriend looked at her. "Since you're living by yourself, I assume you're a pretty good cook?" She smiled. Mom always did have a weakness when it came to guys – for one thing, she liked Gray for his looks, but as she got to know him, she learned to love him as a son, and she once told me that she couldn't wait to hear him call her 'mom' someday. Also, dad had a few tricks when it came to cooking, which kind of won mom over, so if Gray is pretty good with regards to culinary skills, then she'd definitely beg me to be the one to propose to him.

"Well…" He scratched the back of his head, face a bit red. "I'm not-"

"Oh don't be so modest!" I said, cutting him off while he looked at me with a confused expression. "The only flaw you have is that you still act like a soldier at times." I grinned, and my parents laughed.

"But-" Gray tried to say something, but my father interrupted him.

"Time for dessert then!" He got up and took his "work of art" from the fridge, and while he and mom were busy serving, I grabbed Gray's hand underneath the table and intertwined my fingers with his. I noticed how he kind of forced a smile, before turning back to my parents when they called his attention. Hmm, I wonder if he was hurt from my comment…

"Thanks for coming over," my mom said, smiling brightly as always. Gray had bowed down a bit as a sign of respect, and my dad had always liked that trait of his.

"Thank you for having me," he said to my parents, who blinked for a few moments before smiling. Gray then turned to me, and this time, he gave me a real smile. "Night." I nodded, raising my dog tags to my chest, knowing that he won't kiss me in front of my parents, and in turn, he held onto his tags, before turning to leave.

"I noticed…" my father began, as my mom and I turned to look at him, seeing his eyes fixated on Gray, until he had rode off. "Each time he takes you home, or whenever he's about to part from you, he doesn't kiss you."

"Gray said he didn't want to be disrespectful in front of you," I said. "He mentioned about him kissing me here improper."

"That is one heck of a boy you've got there Lucy." My mom grinned.

"Yeah…" I smiled. "I know."

I woke up to the sound of my phone ringing, and I looked at the caller ID, wondering why Natsu was calling me.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Hey Lucy! I need help over here!"

My ears picked up the sound of pots falling, and I heard Gray yelling at Natsu for being too noisy or messy – I'm not sure.

"Why? Is Gray trying to kill you?"

"Heck no! And what gave you that idea?!"

"Just a guess." I grinned. "But what's up?"

"Your boyfriend is sick, and he still refuses to get his ass back up in his room to rest!" I blinked when Natsu started yelling at Gray. "Anyway, can you please come over? I really suck at cooking here, and I'm not about to let my best friend eat something that isn't even edible! Not to mention, I don't really want him to be left in the kitchen."

I wondered what Natsu meant about that last statement, but I sighed and told him I'd come over after making him go to the supermarket to pick up a few things I'll need to give Gray some power juice – it's a lot better than medicine.

"Mom!" I called out, changing into a shirt and jeans before grabbing a jacket. "I'm going over to Gray's, he's sick and his best friend is dying over there!"

"What?! How can Natsu be dying?!"

"Figure of speech," I muttered, grabbing a glass of water. "He isn't good at taking care of sick people."

"Oh, I hope it's nothing serious." My mom looked worried, after all, she's taken a liking to my boyfriend. "Call me if you need anything, okay?"

"Sure mom." I kissed her on the cheek and soon left, rushing over to Gray's place.

As soon as I got there, I rang the doorbell, and Natsu was the one who answered, and boy, he was a mess. "Finally!" He grabbed my arm and pulled me inside before leaving. "He's in the kitchen!" he yelled before running off to the grocery store.

Sighing, I closed the door behind me and locked it, and then headed over to the kitchen to see the damage.

"Wow," I said out loud, seeing a lot of pots on the floor, a few ketchup stains here, and some spices scattered on the counter.

"Natsu's fault," Gray muttered, and I looked up at him, seeing him in front of the stove, eyes narrowed at the piece of meat that seemed to be overcooked.

"You suck at cooking," I joked, and he turned his head to my direction.

I couldn't help but laugh when I saw him glaring at me. It wasn't the first time he looked at me that way, but somehow, this particular glare of his made him a lot cuter.

"It's not funny," he grumbled, turning away to look at the burnt steak on the frying pan. "It's not like NDA taught us how to cook."

My ears picked up the words he muttered, something about war, guns, shooting, running, and many more.

"I came here for a reason, you know," I said, placing my hands on my hips and raising a brow at him, my lips giving a playful smile as he turned to me. "Natsu called and said you were sick, I sent him to the supermarket, so now, you'll just have to lie down in bed and leave everything to me."

"But-"

"No buts Lieutenant." I grinned. "Pretend I'm your Captain."

"Right, my former Captain happens to be a tall, bald guy not a short, blonde girl."

"I said pretend," I muttered, walking over to him to place my palm against his forehead. "You're burning up, go to bed." I turned off the stove and pushed him towards the stairs. "Be a good boy and rest."

"I'd rather not," Gray said, stopping to give me a harder time pushing him.

"Fine. Then stay on the couch." I pulled him towards the living room and made him sit there. "Now, try to get some sleep." And when I was about to leave, he pulled me, and I ended up on his lap, my face flushed. I never expected him to pull a stunt like this, and I fought the urge to look at his eyes. "I can't sleep," he murmured, and I noted that his nose must be stuffed, and I feel stupid for not noticing it before. "Is your throat sore?" I asked, he shook his head, and I dared to look up at him and rested my forehead against his, both our eyes simultaneously closing. "You're really burning up…" I said worriedly.

"Hn. I can't sleep because of my cold."

I pulled away, my arms remaining around his neck. The next thing I knew, Gray laid down on the couch, me on top of him, not complaining as I snuggled closer to him, smiling contently at our position.

"I'm not hungry anyway," he said, eyes closed. "But just…stay…" he trailed off, and I looked at him, seeing him sound asleep, and I smiled before leaning over to kiss his forehead, then went back to my position on using his chest as a pillow, his heartbeat lulling me to sleep, his warmth making me relax, and his arms around my waist making me feel secure. I tried to stop a giggle from coming out, since he said earlier that he couldn't sleep, but all he needed was the right pillow – which happens to be me.

"Okay, now hand me that – damn it Natsu, stop grinning!"

"Sorry," he said, handing me the sliced oranges. "But come on! I didn't expect to come back and be greeted by the two of you on the sofa, and you on top of him too. What do you think I should think?" He grinned yet again as I asked for the sliced lemons.

"You have a very perverted mind."

"And I'm damn proud of it!" he cried out. "Anyway, what's with the lemons, limes, and oranges..?"

"Gray's cold."

"Citrus power much? Why not just give him a medicine?"

"I'd rather he get used to fresh fruit juice."

"Hm." Natsu shrugged. "It's not like he ever took medicine before when he got sick." And he grinned yet again. "His father would love you."

"Huh?" I looked at Natsu just as I poured the finished product into a glass.

"Gray's father…" He gave a soft smile. "He may not show it but…he cares a lot for Gray, and he never did let his sons take medicine whenever they're sick, he'd always make them rest, drink a lot of water, or make a specific juice combination of fruits and vegetables." He grinned. "Funny how you're a former nurse, who would most likely make Gray drink medicine, but you didn't."

I looked at the glass I held in my hands for a while, wondering what Gray's parents were like. "I lost trust in medicines after it failed to cure a sick little girl in the hospital, apparently, the doctor was faking everything, just to gain profit from the company that produced that certain medicine." My eyes narrowed for a bit. "Ever since then, I researched a lot about the nutritional value of fruits and veggies, and opted to use them as medicine instead."

"Heh." Natsu smirked. "His father would definitely like you."

I smiled a bit. "Anyway, hand me that bowl Lieutenant."

"Yes ma'am!"

"Here." I took a spoonful of chicken soup from the bowl, blew onto it for a bit, before feeding it to Gray, who didn't complain about me babying him, despite Natsu's jokes. "How are you feeling?" I asked when he took a sip from the juice I made.

"I told you, I'm fine,"he said, looking away, his face red, whether from embarrassment or from his fever. "You don't really have to do this, you know?"

"I want to," I said, smiling. "Female instincts, motherly instincts, or medic instincts..." I grinned. "Now, open up."

As soon as Gray finished his soup, the doorbell rang, and Natsu got up from the couch to get it.

"Why did you cut me off?"

"Huh?"

Gray looked at me. "Last night, you stopped me from telling them that I can't cook." His eyes narrowed. "I don't really like lying."

"I thought you were being modest." I looked down. "I'm sorry." I felt his hand grab the back of my head, and soon, his forehead touched mine.

"I'm not angry, okay?" He clarified. "Why are you always thinking that I'm angry at you?"

"Maybe it's because of the way you look at me with those eyes." I pulled away, but his hand remained there. "You have very expressive eyes Gray, and I always feel like drowning in them."

"I can agree to that."

We both looked up, and I saw a woman with purple hair smiling warmly at us, and she patted Gray's head.

"The men in the Fullbuster family have expressive eyes that make up for their lack of words." She looked at me, the smile not leaving her face. "You must be Lucy, my son's girlfriend."

I gaped, now knowing where Gray's looks came from.

"Mom, would you please tell me next time if you're coming?" Gray sighed, gripping my hand to wake me up from my stupefied expression. "And where's Natsu?"

"Outside, helping your father with the groceries, you know how he is when he knows you're sick."

I felt my heart beginning to beat fast. Normally, it's the fathers I'm worried about in meetings, since mothers tend to grow on you. So, when I looked up upon hearing the masculine voice of a man named Lamar Fullbuster, if my memory serves me correctly, I suddenly got up and bowed down to the Fullbuster patriarch. "Good afternoon sir," I said, unsure if I should lift my head yet.

"Hn." Came the man's reply. I took a quick peek at him, and saw how he eyed the place, and then at the glass Gray was holding, afterwards, gazed at the now empty bowl that contained Gray's soup earlier. "Why aren't you in bed Gray?"

I don't think I like that tone…

"Hmph. You'd think he'd actually pick someone from NDA."

I tried hard not to listen to his parents talking inside the kitchen. His mother was a good cook, as what Natsu said, while his father specialized in making fresh juice combinations.

"Hush, Lamar. She doesn't seem so bad, and she seems to take care of Gray the way you do when he's sick." Her voice sounded teasing, and I couldn't help but smile at her carefree attitude, but I ended up frowning when his father grunted, at the same time, I kind of stopped myself from giggling, now knowing where Gray got his attitude from.

"I still don't get why he didn't pick Mika."

I couldn't help but rush upstairs and cursed at myself for even attempting to enter Gray's room. I mean, dad made sure that I would never enter a man's room, ever. And neither should a boy come inside mine as well. However, before I could even walk away, the door opened, and I heard Natsu call me.

"Aren't you going in?" he asked.

"Eh?"

Apparently, in NDA, it wasn't much of a big deal if guys or girls entered the room of the opposite sex. In fact, in the military, both genders take a bath in one big bath house! Hmm…so does this mean that Juvia has seen Gray nude?

.

.

.

Just the very thought of it is making me pissed off.

"Just go in." Natsu grinned. "He'd most likely listen to you than me anyway."

"Um…" I hesitated when I poked my head inside the room. I spotted my boyfriend sitting on his bed, a bit annoyed, and nowhere near sleeping. "Hey…" I called out, and he looked up, his scowl instantly replaced with a blink and a raise of a brow. "You should be resting…" I said, looking away, my cheeks a bit red.

"Aa…"

"Yeah…"

It felt awkward, and if Natsu hadn't pushed me inside and closed the door behind me, I still would have been standing outside like an idiot. However, it wasn't really right to be inside a boy's room, alone with the said boy.

"So…uh…do you need anything?" I asked, unsure of what to do or what to say.

"I'm fine."

"I see." I smiled nervously, and he sighed and looked away.

"You don't have to be nervous."

"E-eh? Well…it's my first time to actually be inside a guy's room."

"I kind of figured that out on my own." Gray looked at me. "You want something?"

"Huh?"

"There has to be a reason why you're here."

"It's…well, it's not really that important." He motioned me to come over, so I did, and sat down next to him when he pulled me. "G-Gray?"

"Sorry about my father," he said, looking down for a bit. "He's just…jealous."

"…err…what?"

"He's used to being the one in charge each time I'm sick, and I guess after seeing you take care of me, he kind of…you know."

"Oh…" I looked down for a moment, before daring to lean my head on his shoulder and closing my eyes, my hand finding his as our fingers intertwined automatically. "Hey, Gray, your father knows Mika…"

"Aa."

"He seems to be a bit bitter about it…" I said carefully. "I don't think he likes me."

I felt how Gray's grip on my hand tightened, and I looked at him in an instant.

"Don't worry about it."

"Gray?" He looked at me, and I saw the shock in his eyes when I gave him a pleading look. "Why won't you tell me about her? Why do you keep it a secret?"

"It's…complicated."

"But-"

"Why do you want to know so badly?"

"…It's your past, Gray, of course I'd want to know."

"You know enough about her, that's basically it."

"So, your father knows she likes you, yet is pretty much annoyed that you didn't pick her?"

"…Aa."

My arms instantly wrapped around him, making him lie on his bed as I used him as my pillow.

"It's so tempting to stay here with you, and not go home."

"…Hn. You sure change topics easily."

"Just go to sleep."

"Stay here then." I felt Gray's arms wrap around my waist, and his nose bury itself in my hair. "Somehow, I find it easier to fall asleep when you're next to me."

"That's so sweet, you know?" I smiled softly. Cuddling a bit more towards him as I felt his even breathing; so far, I've figured that Gray easily falls asleep if I'm next to him, and it's making me smug, knowing that Juvia can never be able to give off the same effect – although the part where she's possibly seen him nude is ticking me off. "Fullbuster."

"Hn…"

I held back a laugh at how cute he sounded.

"Has Juvia seen you…well, nude?"

I felt Gray pull away, so I looked at him to see his brows furrowed.

"What the hell made you ask me that?"

"Natsu said that guys and girls in NDA took baths together in one big bathhouse! Not to mention that girls or guys entering the opposite sexes' rooms isn't such a big deal, and well, it's kind of annoying since it's making me think that she's been inside your room more than once, most likely, and has obviously seen your body in all its naked glory more than once, that's for sure, and she'd most likely had had naughty thoughts of you and her, getting all steamy and-" I've realized that I've been ranting, especially since Gray had placed a hand against my mouth to keep me quiet. I mean, obviously he can't kiss me since he'd be passing on his virus.

"It's true that both genders take a bath in the same bathhouse, but haven't you learned from our trip to the beach last month that I am not comfortable in-"

"Yeah, yeah, I get it," I muttered. "I was only making sure she hasn't…you know…"

"Tch. Idiot," he teased, smirking. "You're being jealous again."

"Oh like you're not each time Loke flirts with me!"

"Hn. So we're even then."

"You know what? Just go to sleep."

"Heh." He pulled me closer. "As long as you stay put..."

"As if I'll be able to go anywhere, your grip around me is preventing me from moving..."

"Hn. Just making sure," Gray whispered. "Wake me up the moment you open your eyes."

"Mm."

"Gray," Lamar called, causing his youngest son to look up. "Drink this."

"Aa…" He was about to reach for the glass, but I took it for him, nurse instincts kicking in.

"You shouldn't be exhausting yourself much," I said, passing the glass to him, before taking a seat next to him.

"You're babying me." He smirked, and he took a sip. "And I don't really like being spoiled, you know."

"I know, but I think you're enjoying it."

Ur cooed at how sweet we were, and glanced at her husband upon hearing a grunt of annoyance coming from him.

"The sweetness is giving me cavities," Natsu commented from beside Ur, since Lamar was at the head of the table.

I only turned a bit red and smiled at them. "Sorry, it's just that…I'm used to taking care of people who are sick."

"It makes me wonder why you don't go back to the hospital," Gray said, smirking since he knew for a fact why I still worked at the flower shop.

"Oh, so you were a nurse?" Ur asked me, smiling brightly. "It's funny since I used to be one as well."

"I guess we have a weakness for soldiers then," I joked, and the two of us laughed. I remember how Gray told me that his father and sister were once soldiers in NDA.

It felt comfortable being around Gray's mother, but his father just won't drop the cold stare, and it was really making me feel uneasy, despite how Gray tried his best to assure me by grabbing my hand underneath the table.

"How long have you two been together?"

I was surprised that it would be Lamar who would ask that question, but I managed a small smile and opened my mouth to speak.

"We've known each other for five months and a half sir, and we've been together since March."

"I see." He drank his tea. "So, Gray, how is Mika doing?"

I sensed how my boyfriend stiffened, but I tried to keep myself relaxed.

"We've talked about this dad." I didn't really like how Gray's tone sounded, it was pretty cold at some point. "You know very well what happened."

"If you didn't reject her, then maybe it wouldn't have happened."

"Why do you always bring that up anyway?" Gray soon stood up, and his father soon followed as both of them glared at each other. I've never seen Gray act this way before, especially to his elders – and the man he's currently directing his glare at happens to be his father too, who is also pushing his buttons, apparently. "You know how I hate talking about her, about that," he continued, fists clenching, and I kind of opened my mouth, about to call Gray, but Natsu sort of kicked me under the table and shook his head at me when my gaze met his. I turned to Ur, who had a scowl on her face, yet her eyes were looking worriedly at her husband and son. "Why can't you just get over it? It's not your fault! It's not mine either, even if I did, at some point, blamed myself! But if I continued believing that I was the cause of her death-" okay, I didn't expect that. "-where do you think I would be right now?!"

"Don't you dare raise your voice at me Gray."

"Then stop being such an asshole!" He walked off, not looking back even if Lamar had called him a few times with a warning tone, even going as far as yelling an empty threat. It was empty, because I knew for a fact that his father cares so much to not make the threat a reality.

Sighing, I got up, excused myself from them, and ran after Gray.

"Hey," I called out, knocking a few times on his room's door. "Can I…come in...?"

"It's open."

I smiled a bit and entered, shutting the door behind me as I looked at the knob. "You want me to lock it?"

"Hn."

I took that as a yes, and afterwards, I approached his seated form on the floor, knelt down in front of him, and gave a small smile.

"What?" he asked, not looking at me, and I just giggled a bit. "It's not a laughing matter."

"You're making me laugh," I said. "But you know, you shouldn't have lashed out like that. He still is your father."

"He provoked me."

"He who happens to be...?" I smiled and raised a brow, my tone sounding like a teacher speaking to a pre-school kid. Gray raised his head to look at me, his arms lay limp on his side but his stare said it all – he felt bad for answering back to his father, he felt angry that his old man pushed his buttons, he felt ashamed that I had to see that side of him, and he felt guilty about what happened to Mika. "Communication will solve this." I said, a bit chirpy at that. "But it seems both you and your father need to work on your social skills."

"Mika…" He trailed off before continuing. "She didn't love me, she was obsessed with me."

"Go on," I urged, placing a hand against his cheek to push away the dark strands of hair that kept me from getting a good view of his face.

Can you blame me? Gray's hot!

.

.

.

Okay, back to the topic.

"When I said I didn't love her, she threatened to commit suicide, but I didn't buy it." He sighed. "She was, however, trapped in her mind, and thought too deeply, that when she was crossing the street one day, she wasn't aware of…"

I understood what happened next. Mika most likely got hit by a car, or something bigger, that led to her death. "So you blamed yourself, and your father felt responsible, because you're his son."

"Aa."

He didn't push me away when I hugged him, and slowly, he returned the embrace, and I knew he was grateful for it.

"Try to understand your father, Gray," I whispered. "Try to open up."

"Hn, I know…" He whispered. "I know."

"So," I pulled away, getting up. "Shall we go back?"

I did not expect him to stand up and smirk at me.

"Gray...?"

"Later." And he kissed me, and I kissed him back, because honestly, how can one resist a guy like him? Not even my friends were able to hold back their squeals when Gray seduced them, and yes, even Mira fainted due to her nose bleeding non-stop when Gray was seducing her. I still can't get the image out of my head on how he smirked at me at that time, raised my head to him by grabbing my chin, and may I add that he did so forcefully? And yes, that side of him had me flustered and wanting more, and just one sentence from him already had me give in, and it's echoing in my head right now: I want you squirming under me.

"Gray…" I whispered when he lowered to my neck, the two of us forgetting that he was sick, and that he had just kissed me. Wait, I just remembered that, crap. Oh well, his kisses were amazing! I don't give a damn if I get sick! But he better take care of me if I do get sick.

"…Gray…" I wrapped my arms around his neck when I felt my back hit the mattress. I wasn't worried, I wasn't scared that he'd go too far, because he has yet to actually grope me in those areas – I mean, sure, his hand has been creeping up my shirt, and the other has been lingering onto one of my thighs, but that's about it, he didn't touch my chest or my most delicate spot. He only kissed my lips, or my neck, or my cheeks, or my nose, or my forehead, and even my ear - but that's it.

"Hn." I felt him smirk. "Am I seducing you again?"

He pulled away to look at me, his hands supporting his weight as he hovered above me, and gosh, I had to thank every saint out there, I couldn't help but thank God over and over at the view I had – sure he had a shirt on, but since he was on top of me, bent over, I sort of caught a glimpse of his collar bone, and even the upper part of his chest.

"You have no idea how good looking you are," I said out loud, blushing upon realizing that. "Um…I mean…uh…"

"Want another round?" Gray smirked, grabbing my chin to make me look back at him when I turned my head away. I tried to will my eyes to look somewhere else, but his gaze kept my orbs glued to his, and my cheeks turned even redder, if that was possible. His smirk did not leave his lips, and when he lowered his head to my ear, I shivered and felt my cheeks grow hot at what he said, "Ready for bed, Captain Lucy?"

Shit, I think I'm having a nosebleed…

I smiled and waved goodbye to Gray's parents, thanking them for dropping me off at home. And for the record, Gray and I did not do anything – he was only seducing me like he did last month, only this time, it was much more intense, since there were no rules that held him back, and the fact that we were alone in his room. That aside, I'm glad he managed to patch things up with his father, and it turns out that Lamar isn't such a bad guy, in fact, he even gave me a small smile and thanked me for taking care of Gray. So yeah, a case of jealousy and the lack of communication – those were pretty simple problems, and I'm glad I was able to help out.

"How is Gray doing?"

"He's fine mom," I answered, kissing my father's cheek.

"Are you sure he's alright?"

"Yes dad, don't worry."

I ran upstairs and locked my room door, afterwards, took my phone and called Cana. Mira was most likely busy with her reunion in Clover Town, and I don't want to bother her, so might as well call the next best girl to talk about Gray and his advances.

"Cana!" I squealed. "I just had a nosebleed!"

"You what?!" Cana yelled back. "Why would I care if your nose bled?"

"You would because Gray caused it."

"Alright, spill."

And so, for five straight hours, we talked, and most of them revolved around my boyfriend, and I swear, Cana won't even bother switching topics and kept asking me questions about Gray. However, she did answer my question about Laxus, and she just told me how many times they have done the nasty – and honestly, I had to slap myself when I visualized Gray and I doing it in his room.

The next time I go over at his place, I'm avoiding that room of his – it's not good for my health - but the most surprising part is that I actually imagined that!

What the heck is happening to me?! I'm becoming a pervert!

"Cana…"

"Yeah?"

"I'm worried," I said, looking outside the window, seeing how a drizzle just started.

"Worried about what?"

"I… Don't tell anyone, okay?"

"I promise."

I gave a small smile, knowing how Cana always keeps her promises. "You know how I strongly believe in sex after marriage, right?" She responded with a yes, so I continued, knowing for sure how she's interested to know what bugging me. "Well, when I was with Dan, I never thought of anything related to lust, I never even dared to imagine him topless, or naked for that matter." I held in a giggle when my friend made gagging sounds from the other line. "And truth is, I couldn't even force myself to imagine me making love with that guy even after getting married…" I trailed off, and Cana had to call me twice to get my attention back.

"Cana…" I murmured, hugging myself. "Just a while ago…I let Gray push me onto his bed, I let him lie on top of me, and I even let him touch me…"

"Wait, I thought you said he didn't-"

"Touch me as in without the groping of the private parts."

"Oh, skin to skin contact?"

"Yeah."

"Wow, you've changed."

"I know, and the thing is, I'm starting to think that I might just give in when he wants to do it with me…" I furrowed my brows. "Right now, I'm nervous, scared, and unprepared, but whenever I picture the scene, I find myself unable to resist him. In fact, I even visualized doing it with him earlier, in his room." I lied back down and stared at the ceiling. "Hey, Cana, is something wrong with me?" I asked, placing a hand against my forehead. I didn't need a mirror to check if I was blushing, because I knew that I was, and I felt how warm my cheeks were. "Am I sick or something?"

"You know what's wrong with you?" I listened, getting a hunch that my friend was smiling on the other line. "You're completely, devastatingly, and hopelessly in love with him, and there's nothing wrong with that."

"B-but having sex...?"

"There's another term for it Lucy." I knew she was smiling widely. "It's called making love."

"…I…am speechless…"

"I can tell, and I'm really proud of you, because you finally found someone whom you have learned to love seriously."

"…Gray, he said that Dan never loved me…"

"Damn right he didn't," Cana snarled. "He was only after you for sex Lucy! But you never did listen to us."

"Blinded by love?"

"No, you were blinded by fear – you never wanted to be alone or left out in love. Admit it."

"…Yeah." I gave a bitter smile. "Gray said the same thing."

"Well, don't let that guy go. He's rare." She laughed. "I mean, a guy as hot as him, with brains no less! Not to mention, former soldier…" I heard her clicking her tongue. "Most importantly, he loves you just as much as you love him, and he actually understands you, as if he can read you like an open book!"

"There's just one thing I need to ask him Cana, I'll…I'll call you back."

"Wait." I did. "It would be better to ask him in person, whatever it is."

"Why?"

"It gives you another excuse to see him." She laughed. "Kidding aside, well, communication between lovers is important, and it's better to do so when it's in person." I felt her smirk on the other line on the next thing she was about to say. "When did you and Dan ever talk about serious matters in person? It was always through phone, mobile, or online chatting! And if you do see each other, both of you get on with the physical affection, and even if you don't let him go too far, you once dropped your guard when he forced his tongue in your mouth."

"Don't remind me," I muttered. "I got mad at him for that."

"And all it took was more kisses and hugs and you forgave him."

"DON'T REMIND ME!" I whined. "But yeah…"

"Well, this time, better not do the same thing, and besides, I think Gray enjoys seeing you and talking to you."

"…Yeah."

We both bid our goodbyes, and I stared at my phone for a moment, before glancing outside the window, wondering if my parents would allow me to go to my boyfriend's place.

"Better call Gray first." I dialed his home number, a bit anxious to hear his voice again. "Pick up…" I murmured, deciding to hang up on the fifth ring. I stared at my phone, and tried calling again, and I was happy when he picked up on the second ring, but my smile turned to a frown when I realized that it wasn't Gray who answered – much to my dismay.

"Hello~ Bastard Gray Fullbuster's Residence! Loke speaking!"

"…I'm going to strangle you for insulting my boyfriend," I hissed.

"Lucy...? Hey! It's Lucy! How are you doing hot stuff?"

"Give. The. Phone. To. Him."

"Like hell I would. I know you want to talk to me."

"Loke! Give the fucking phone to Gray!"

"Tsk. Such language Lucy. It's turning me on."

"Damn you! Asshole! Jerk! Bastard! Fucking playboy! Shit-face! Ass-"

"You already said asshole…"

I stopped, cheeks turning red. I recognized that voice anywhere, and I suddenly lost the ability to speak; but I'm glad that he's feeling better now.

"Lucy...? Are you still there or have you forgotten to breathe?"

Oh, I can so tell Gray's smirking.

"Um…sorry," I apologized. "I thought Loke was still…you know…"

"Hn. I got Natsu to take care of him."

And I could hear the faint sounds of a laughing Natsu and a cursing Loke, plus the sound of pots falling or banging, and more cussing from Loke.

"Who…else is there?" I asked, a bit hesitant.

"If I told you Juvia is here, will you be jealous?"

I twitched, Gray loves to annoy me when it comes to that, and he enjoys seeing me so worked up about Juvia being near him, or how I'm always so envious, despite being his girlfriend.

"Is she...?" I asked, clutching the phone tighter. "Don't lie."

"I haven't lied to you, Lucy," he answered. "And yeah, unfortunately, she's here." He paused, and added. "Care to save me?"

A giggle escaped my lips, and I could only wish my parents would allow me to sleep over at his place, or he over here. "Actually," I started, staring outside my window. "I was planning to head over there, but I wanted to ask you first if I can."

"Stu-pid."

"Hey!"

"Heh. Of course you can come here." I smiled at his answer. "You're always welcome here Lucy, you don't need to ask me."

"Habit," I replied. "I'll go see if my parents will allow me."

"Hn. Call back if you can or can't."

"…Just make sure it won't be Loke who will answer."

"Will do."

I tried to stop myself from laughing when I heard Loke crying out in glee: "Lucy's coming over! Lucy's coming over!" I couldn't help but smile when I heard Juvia telling him to shut up. She obviously still hates me for being Gray's girlfriend, but if she didn't like Gray, then maybe we could have been good friends. Oh well, can't win them all.

"Here goes," I said to myself, taking the spare key that Gray gave me out of my pocket. "But…how am I going to talk to him in private...?" I shook my head, feeling idiotic for talking to myself, before unlocking the door with the key. Everyone had turned silent, and I hesitated a bit to open the door, since, after all, I'll be in a house full of soldiers. "Come on Lucy, don't be a wuss," I whispered to myself, pushing the door open and giving a bright smile to the people inside. "Hey guys," I greeted, entering when Natsu took the plastic bag I had in one hand, plus the umbrella that I brought in case it started to rain again.

"Lucy!"

I side stepped, so Loke missed me, and ended up tumbling on the floor.

"So, what brings you here?"

I tried to stop myself from glaring at Juvia when she stared at me in a haughty way, her arms crossed and hip slightly leaning to the left.

"Oh I don't know." I shrugged. "I was supposed to have sex with my boyfriend but it seems that I can't since you're here."

My ears picked up Natsu's laughter and Loke's cry of protest. I smirked upon seeing Juvia's glare, and how red her cheeks were, and I can't help but walk pass her, head held high.

"Really now?"

Shit. Gray heard that?!

"Um…hi…" I said, feeling embarrassed, especially since he's smirking at me in a knowing way. "That…well, it was…yeah…um…uh…"

"So, should we get on with it now or do you want to go to a nearby motel?"

I caught on to his joke, seeing how he had glanced at Juvia's annoyed glare.

"I don't really mind where. It's you anyway."

"Hn. How about here?"

"Fine with me."

"Now?"

"Can't wait any longer."

And I tried to hold back my laughter when I heard Juvia yell a curse and stomp off, leaving Gray and I in the kitchen, since she disappeared behind the door.

"You know," I looked back at Gray when he spoke, and I blushed when he had me cornered, since my back just hit the counter. "It's tempting," he said, leaning down to touch my forehead with his, his eyes closed, while my cheeks began to grow warm and turn red. "I seem to lose self-control at times when it comes to you."

I laughed nervously. "Why?"

"I don't know," he answered, opening his eyes. "Maybe you're just too alluring."

"Right." I pushed him away and headed towards the plastic bag that Natsu left on the table. He sort of left when Juvia got pissed off after my joke with Gray. "Anyway, I got some popsicles, want to eat them now or-" I sort of cut myself off when I turned to see Gray looking at me seriously, and I could feel how fast my heart was beating, because his stare was different, and I had a hunch that he was serious about being tempted.

My heart won't stop beating, and I know pretty well why it won't calm down.

"G-Gray..?"

I was nervous, but I wasn't afraid.

"Hey…"

Even as Gray continued to approach me, even when he had me backed up against the wall, even if he's staring down at me with those eyes of his, his eyes that show so much, yet hide too much.

"I'm…uncomfortable right now."

And his silence is deafening; he won't say anything, or even make a sound – not even that famous 'hn' of his is not leaving his lips.

"…And you're getting too close for comfort…"

His head was getting nearer, and so were his lips.

"Oh, look! I dropped the popsicles!" I made a move to escape him, but I froze when his hand slammed against the wall next to me, preventing me from escaping.

My eyes darted back to look into his, and for the first time since we've been together…

"Gray...?"

…I was scared.

"Open that door and walk into my life."

I feel slightly evil for the ending, but it's not really a cliffhanger...

Whatever, hoped you all liked it.