Okay...here you go...
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 8
June: Falling in Deep
"And it feels like it's the first time…"
"It's so confusing…" I whisper to myself, opening my eyes and sitting up on my bed after I recalled the last time Gray and I…communicated.
I wanted to yell, but I can't seem to bring myself to do so.
"You're…" he began, his lips getting closer, causing me to shut my eyes, only to open them again when I felt his breath against my ear. "…annoying."
"H-huh?"
He pulled away from me, but his bangs hid his eyes, so I wasn't able to see how he looked right now, especially since he turned his back to me to pick up the box of popsicles that fell.
"Gray...?"
He ignored me, and just placed the box down on the table, afterwards, stepped outside the kitchen, silent as always, and I felt my knees give in, and I fell to the floor, eyes half-closing as I replayed what just happened.
Why did he do that? Why was he acting this way? Why did he call me annoying? What did I do wrong? Should I have given in? Did he expect me to? Did he take our joke seriously? Did he actually think I wanted to do it with him?
"Oh God…" I closed my eyes and pulled my legs up against my chest. "God please…" I hung my head, refusing to cry over a silly matter. "Please no…" I murmured repeatedly. "Don't let him take it the wrong way…please…"
Thing is, what was I talking about? Did I mean that I didn't want him to think that I wanted to do it, or did I want him not to think how I don't want to do it with him? Actually, do I even want to do it, or not?
"I'm confusing myself…"
We didn't even fight, Gray just suddenly stopped talking to me, even at work; except for the occasional greetings of 'good morning' or 'I'm leaving' or 'I need this for a customer' and other general things. In short, we only talked if needed, but he still took me home after work, so I guess he's not as angry as I thought he was, and I didn't want to assume things just like that either. He still comes over for dinner whenever my parents ask me to invite him, and he acts normal around me when mom and dad are present, or even when we go on a group date, which Mira or Cana always insists. He still plays the part of being the "perfect" boyfriend, as I've dubbed him, whenever we're out with the others, but we've never had a date when it's just the two of us for weeks.
And I miss him…
…Does he miss me too?
Natsu yawned, loudly at that, and I tried my best to not listen on what he and Gray were talking about.
"If you're so bored, leave and do something."
"Don't be such a jerk, you jerk! I'm keeping you entertained." I glanced at them to see Natsu smell the flowers that Gray was busy watering. "I still don't get why you put up with this job, no offense Mira!" he immediately added, in case my best friend would suddenly beat him up. "And Gray, do you really need to have two jobs at once?"
I blinked and looked at them with wide eyes. Since when did Gray apply for another job?
"It's better to have two jobs Natsu," he answered, still watering the flowers. "I can make ends meet with this job, but I can save more if I have another."
"But you still have your salary from NDA!"
"It's not going to last forever you idiot."
"At the rate you buy things, it might." He shrugged. "I mean, you don't even buy anything to entertain you! No video games, no consoles, nothing!"
"…I'd rather buy something necessary."
"But those things are a part of life!"
"Your life, not mine."
"Dude, how can you live like that? What do you do in your spare time?"
"Sleep, think, work out, walk around, jog – the usual bit…"
"You retired from NDA, yet you still do the daily routine you do when you were still in NDA."
"Got a problem with that?"
"…I can never understand you."
"Hn."
I was getting irritated, because they kept talking about those things; NDA stuff, what they do, and other more topics which do not include why Gray and I aren't talking.
Wait; come to think of it, he only acts that way when it's just the two of us – so he really is avoiding people from finding out! Ugh! Why is my boyfriend smarter than me?! No – wait, I refuse to admit that. So…
Why the fuck am I so dense?!
"So I've got a date, don't expect me to be home," Natsu said.
"Hn. You make it sound as if we're a gay couple. Screw you for that," Gray replied.
"What the hell?! I'm just saying in case you wait up!"
"Natsu, you're a grown boy now, I don't need to wait up."
"I'm a grown man! MAN!"
"Hn. And I could care less what you do. Just don't come home drunk, and don't even think about bringing your date with you, or I'll get my rifle out and shoot your ass."
"And so, you'll be literally calling me an asshole."
"Hn."
"Still, why don't you go out and take in a movie, I think it's better if the girl thinks I have my own place, right?"
"…Don't make me kick you out of my house."
"Aww come on! I'm only kidding! And besides, you can't stand your best buddy!"
"Sure I can, it's the only reason why I'm still alive when you leave me alone for missions."
"Oh come on, those missions are easy! You can take those suspects on your own!"
"It's better for you to shut up now before I actually consider kicking you out."
"Okie-dokie jerky," Natsu grinned.
"...?"
"Er…"
"…I'll pretend I didn't hear that."
Great, all I learned from their conversation is what Gray does back in NDA when in a mission, and that Natsu has a date.
"Damn it! Fucking asshole! I wish you'd just go to-" I cut myself off after placing two hands against my mouth, my eyes wide open as I glanced at the occupants of the flower shop.
Natsu was staring at me with a surprised expression, and Mira was twitching, and I noticed why – because there was an elderly woman who was looking at me as if she was about to have a heart attack, and Gray had his eyebrow raised, eyeing me as if silently asking if I was on drugs.
"Um…" I blushed. "Bee," I murmured, turning my back to them as I continued tending to the flowers, somewhat glad that only one customer heard me, tough luck it had to be an old woman.
I twitched in annoyance at how Natsu shifted next to me, turning to me, opening his mouth as if to say something, then closing it again. He repeated this process for about…a dozen times or more, and I was running out of patience.
"WHAT?!" I yelled, glaring at him.
"…Uh…well…"
"Geez, if you have nothing to say to me then just shut up."
"Alright, alright, don't act as if you've got a stick shoved up your ass – that's Gray's job."
He earned a punch on the back of his head from Gray because of that, and I would have laughed, if I wasn't in such a bad mood.
"Don't you have a date to go to?" My boyfriend said, passing me the extra helmet.
"Well, yeah, but…will you…" He glanced at me, and then back at Gray. "...her?"
"Just go."
"Fine, jerk." He grinned at us, bidding goodbye before turning to get inside his car and leave.
Apparently, it was Natsu's car that brought the whole NDA bunch, and Jura's van that had their luggage with them.
"You want to come over?"
I blinked, before looking up at Gray.
"Huh? Sorry, what?"
He sighed, and I could have sworn I saw a small smirk tug on his lips before he put his helmet on.
"I asked you if you wanted to come over at my place."
"Oh…" I put my helmet on and got on behind him. "Sure," I answered, my arms wrapping around his waist when he started the engine. "Just don't poison me with your cooking…"
"Hn. Don't worry, we're having take out." Was the last thing he said before he rode off, heading to his place.
I had no idea why Gray suddenly offered to have dinner at his home, but anything that would give me a chance to spend time with him, or maybe even be able to talk to him again.
Right. I did not intend for this to happen.
So far, we haven't spoken a word to each other, nor did we show any signs of being uncomfortable. Well, he did anyway, as for me, I'm not sure.
Gray is a well-trained soldier of NDA, and Jura highly speaks of him when we last talked – which was…a week ago, when the older man came by the flower shop to purchase something and decided to have a little chat with me.
Sighing, I found myself running a hand through my hair, one of the habits I kind of picked up from my boyfriend. "Gray...?" I called, and he turned to me, and I was lucky enough to say his name when he just finished disposing the Styrofoam and plastic utensils we used.
"You need anything?" he asked back.
"No, I'm fine…" I murmured. "But I…well…" I looked up when he took my hand in his and tugged on it for a bit, a sign that meant to follow him. I got up from my seat and let him lead me to the living room. However, before we could sit down, my brows furrowed, and I suddenly pulled my hand free from his grasp, and he turned to me, a bit shocked at what I just did, before returning back to his calm expression.
"Lucy?"
"What's wrong with us?" I asked, daring to meet his gaze.
"What do you mean?"
"The last time we…ever talked, we had an argument."
"I wouldn't call it an argument," Gray said. "You were just being annoying at that time."
"And am I being annoying to you again?"
He sighed. "In a way, yes, you are."
"Ugh! You're being annoying too! Why won't you just tell me what's wrong?! Or why you acted that way?!"
"It was the only way I could think of."
"For what?!"
"It's better if you don't know."
"And what makes you say that?!"
"Lucy…"
"Don't tell me to drop it Gray! Don't tell me to forget about it!" I yelled. "I don't understand you, even if I try to! What are you implying?! What are you planning?!"
"Lucy, please…"
"Do you even love me?! Or are you like Dan?!"
He glared at me for that. "That's just going too far."
"Just answer me damn it!" I cried. "Just admit that all you want from me is sex!"
The next thing I knew, Gray had grabbed my wrists, painfully too, and he had me slammed against the wall, and I dared to look into his eyes, and my own orbs widened at what I saw: Anger.
I was scared - I was afraid of what he'd do next, but more importantly, I was much more terrified at the idea of not trusting him any longer.
"And if I said that's what I want?" he hissed, and I remained silent. "Do you honestly think I'm as low as that bastard? If all I'm after is sex, then why would I bother committing myself to you?"
I shut my eyes, trying to force my tears back.
"Why would I give you the most important thing in my life? Why would I entrust it to you?" I felt how his forehead leaned against mine, and I opened my eyes to see his eyes closed, his brows furrowed. "How could you think of me as that kind of guy? How could you even compare me to him?"
His grip on my wrists loosened, until he completely let go, one hand deciding to press against the wall next to my head, while the other hesitatingly brushed away some strands of my hair from my face.
"Did you actually think I could do what he did to you?"
I remained silent as Gray continued to speak, and each time he would, I could feel how it must have hurt him, after what I accused him of.
"Lucy, I…" He opened his eyes to meet my gaze. "I'm starting to think that you never trusted me."
"That's not true! I trust you Gray! I really do!"
"Then why did you-"
"I'm sorry!" I cried out, fists clenching, head lowering, tears leaking, and whole body shaking. "I'm so sorry…"
I don't know what Gray was currently feeling, what I do know is that I hurt him, and even if he somewhat hurt me too did not matter to me any longer.
"I'm sorry…" I repeated, my hands shakily placing themselves against his chest. "I'm sorry…" My fingers clenched the fabric of his shirt, and I leaned my head against him, crying some more.
Truthfully, I wasn't surprised when Gray's arms wrapped around me, pulling my body closer to his. He remained silent as I cried and apologized continuously, he said nothing as he stroked my hair in a comforting manner, he did not make a single sound even when he pulled away slightly to look at me and wipe the tears away.
"You're being annoying again," he said, his lips pressing against my forehead. "Stop apologizing."
"Sorry, I just…"
"Look," he said, pulling me back into an embrace, his head tilting slightly to lean against mine. "At that time, I really was tempted, that's why I kept my distance, so that I won't be able to do anything to you."
"Then, how come you acted normal around others?"
"I don't want them involved in our own problems, because I want us to fix it, and I was much more at ease when there were other people. I was assured that I wouldn't do anything to you."
"What about now...?"
"Hn." I looked at him, seeing a smirk. "You're not doing anything to tempt me Lucy. What do you think?"
"Well, just making sure…" I murmured. "I'm really sorry."
"I know, I'm sorry too."
And after a long while, I was able to smile at Gray again, and I was able to see his grin too, and I was able to kiss him once more.
"One question," I murmured when we pulled away, and he gave a nod. "Why did you only tell me now?"
"Natsu's not here to give out remarks."
"Heh."
I raised a brow at Mira.
"It is amusing," Erza supplied.
"No doubt about it," Cana added.
"Yeah," Levy agreed.
I kept my brow raised while I stared at all four of them.
It was our usual "Girls' Night Out", and after telling them what had happened between Gray and I, they all seemed to agree with something I don't get.
"Could you please enlighten me?"
"Oh come on Lucy!" Mira snorted. "Surely you know…"
"No. I don't."
Cana laughed, throwing her head back at that. "We were wondering when the two of you would actually have a misunderstanding."
"Why?" I asked. "Misunderstandings are what usually lead to break ups."
"Not really," Erza said. "I mean, from how we know Gray, and from how we know you, a misunderstanding would be the last reason of your break up." She stopped. "No, wait, second to the last, because the last would be cheating."
"Yeah, I can't imagine you or Gray cheating on each other," Levy commented before taking a sip from her Long Island Iced Tea. "And misunderstandings usually mean how both parties have fallen in too deep."
"Um…explain?"
"For a smart girl," Mira tapped my forehead. "You sure are slow." She grinned. "Anyway, you and Gray seem to be a picture of perfection, in the relationship language." She nodded at that. "And with the way you two act with each other, we were expecting a misunderstanding to happen soon, because when a person is in love, he or she can be blinded by it, and that's the cause for misunderstandings."
"I wasn't blinded, I mean, I just failed to…understand the scene properly." I sniffed. "He acted different all of a sudden without telling me anything, so I thought he was disappointed because of…yeah…"
"You think Gray Fullbuster, who is oh-so-deeply in love with you, would be pissed because you refuse to have sex with him?" Mira made a "pfft" sound and continued. "I mean, did he even ask you to have sex with him? Or forced you?"
"No…but the way he-"
"Did he or did he not force you?" Cana cut off.
"He didn't."
"Then you most likely thought too much." Erza shrugged.
They were right; it was most likely my fault. But I seriously had no idea that Gray was tempted, and I didn't know I actually was able to seduce him without trying. Then again, his friends did say that I was the first girl whom Gray had any thoughts of… impurity, and sure, it seems normal for a boyfriend to think of those things about his girlfriend. I guess I just expected too much from Gray, and he's not even expecting anything from me.
Again. I feel like crap.
"Who's say we flirt a little?" Mira suggested with a teasing grin. "Our guys trust us anyway, and it would be fun if they catch us and be jealous."
"No thanks," Levy said, ever the shy and innocent one.
"Hmph. I'm game, I'd be glad to get any reaction from Laxus!"
Erza shrugged. "Go ahead, I'll sit and watch, I mean, you haven't seen Jellal get jealous."
Their attention soon turned to me, and I was torn between yes and no. Why? Well, if I agreed to flirt, I would be seeing Gray's jealous side again, and he'd shower me with multiple affections, but then, he might think he's lacking in our relationship, and might even jump to conclusions, so I guess I'll play it safe.
"My boyfriend is an ex-soldier, what do you think would happen if he catches me dancing or flirting with a drunken guy?"
"Said guy would be having a trip to the hospital."
The girls turned to who was behind Lucy, and Lucy was at a loss for words to see her boyfriend standing there, right next to Natsu who was laughing.
"Go on Lucy! Dance and flirt with a guy! I wanna see Gray punch the living daylights out of him!" Natsu urged, earning a mocking glare from Gray, since my boyfriend surely didn't mean to do that to his best friend.
"W-what are you two doing here?!" I asked, not noticing how Mira and Cana had left to flirt and dance.
"This asshole" -Gray pointed at Natsu- "…wouldn't stop annoying the hell out of me until I agreed to accompany him here."
"Why do you want Gray with you?"
Natsu grinned. "All the ladies end up looking at us."
I twitched and strangled Natsu. "You're using my boyfriend to get yourself laid?!"
"Ouch! You hurt my feelings!" Natsu said in a fake hurt tone. "I'm not using Gray to get myself a girl. I'm only taking advantage of our friendship!"
"That's the same!"
"Lucy, I'd appreciate it if you'd stop doing that."
I blinked to look at Gray, wondering why he would want me to stop attempting to kill Natsu.
"You're causing a scene," he explained, glancing at some people around us who were watching in amusement.
"Oh, sorry." I let Natsu go, my face turning red from embarrassment when Gray smirked at me. "Well, since you guys are here…"
"What?" Gray raised a brow in amusement. "Disappointed that you can't flirt with some other guy?"
"Huh? No!" I said in defense, turning to him. "I never intended to!"
"Hn, good." My face turned even redder, if possible, when Gray pulled me to him, one arm around my waist while the other held the back of my head against his chest. I looked up at him without moving my head, seeing his eyes glaring at some guys who were most likely eyeing me, and I could feel myself shiver when he whispered against my ear.
"Because you're mine." He grabbed my chin to lift my face and kiss my lips.
Normally, I hate possessive men, but in Gray's case, I actually like his overprotective side.
"Hey, Gray," I called out. "You haven't told me about your other job."
"Oh, that." He sat down with us when Erza and Levy asked him to join us, since Natsu went off with some girl who flirted with him. "I was kind of forced to take that job."
"Which is...?"
He sighed. "Teaching."
When Gray said teaching, I actually thought that he was going to teach kids, but big surprise! He wasn't teaching them, he was babysitting them!
"Tell me again how you got this job?" I asked, laughing nervously as some of the pre-school kids were being violent.
"Jura's friend is the owner of this school."
"So how were you forced?"
"Belno is a woman you would not want to mess with…"
I just sighed and twiddled my fingers. Sitting there on the teacher's chair while the teacher himself only leaned against the desk with his arms crossed made me fidget, for some strange reason.
"I thought you teach them?"
"Hn." Gray closed his eyes and sighed. "Their class is advanced."
"Wait, when did you start this job?"
"Last week."
"Then how can they be advanced?" I paused, and then eyed him who was avoiding my gaze, and I couldn't help but grin. "How advanced are they?"
"Hn." He took the whistle that hung around his neck and blew on it, causing the once noisy classroom to be silent and still. "Sit down and get your notebooks and pencils."
The kids did as they were told, and I wondered briefly if this was the same class as earlier.
"Solve the problem I'm about to dictate, and I'll only say it only once, got it?"
"Yes sir!"
I sweat dropped. I think Gray trained these kids and did not teach them.
"Five plus ten is equal to fifteen, divided by five results to three, then multiply it to four to get twelve." He paused, watching as the students wrote everything down. "There is a class of twenty four students, and each would like to have an apple, how will you distribute twelve apples to them equally?"
I blinked, and then raised a brow when the students all raised their hands.
"Lucy, what do you think is the answer?"
"It's not possible, because…well, if each kid wants a whole apple, then only half the class will be able to receive one!"
"Hn, let's ask the kids then." Gray turned to his pupils. "Nishiro, what's your answer?"
"Cut every single apple into half!" He grinned.
"Is that everyone's answer?"
"Yes sir!"
I sighed and looked at Gray. "Was that a trick problem?"
He smirked at me. "In a way." He nodded at the kids. "Alright, go back and play." And the class was noisy once more. "You see, it's not a typical math problem that you have to solve with your brains." He shrugged. "It's more on values, since kids these days ought to learn more about morals and such. Education is important, that's true, but in this world, being the smartest kid in school can't exactly get you anywhere or everywhere with intelligence alone."
"Connection...?"
"Hn." He poked my forehead. "This class consists of twenty four students, if I had twelve apples today and they all wanted one, but realize only half will get a whole one, how will the other half be able to eat? Simple, one child shares with another."
"But…we all know how most people grow up and become selfish."
"Only if they're not taught properly and early." Gray shot back. "If people, no matter how smart they are, can only think like the innocent kids in this room, then maybe there wouldn't be too much problems in life." He smirked. "You'd be surprised at what their definition of love is."
"Really?"
"Aa." He looked at me. "What's your definition of love?"
"An emotion that can cause pain, but also happiness; in other words, it's an emotion that can lead to either a positive result or a negative ending."
"That's not how they see it."
"Then, what's their definition of love?"
"See that girl over there?" I nodded. "She told me that love is when her mother and father still hug and kiss even after a huge fight." He looked at another child. "That kid said that love is when his father is strict with him in school, but whispers how proud he is of him, no matter what his grades are, at night when he sleeps."
I notice how Gray's eyes soften a bit. "You know, they all ended up asking me what my definition of love is." He smirked slightly. "I told them that I thought of it as a hindrance at first, until I also became a victim of it." He shook his head slightly and turned to me, and I couldn't comprehend what his gentle look meant. "When they asked me to explain myself, I said that love is when I'm with someone who goes by the name of Lucy Heatifilia."
I blinked when I felt someone poking my arm, so I looked to the culprit and saw Mira who had her eyes narrowed at me, before sighing exasperatedly.
"Huh?"
"Geez! I've been calling you and poking you! You finally woke up from dream land!"
"Oh, sorry…I just…had too much in my mind."
"Spill," she ordered, crossing her arms in front of me. "And I won't wait until closing time, there are no customers today anyway, and it's just the two of us since Gray has that teaching job."
"It's Gray," I confessed. "And no, we didn't have an argument or misunderstanding, it's just that…" I sighed. "I don't know, he never says 'I love you' but sometimes, I don't know if he's saying it indirectly."
"How so...?"
"Well, for instance, he'd say that his dog tag is the most important thing to him, and I'm the most precious person in his life; translating that to the language of confession, it means that NDA has been everything to him, until I came along and then I became his everything." I looked at Mira's baffled expression. "And yes, I can perfectly understand Gray language," I muttered, recalling how my friend had said that she can't interpret 'Gray language'.
"If you can understand him, then why do you even bother to daze off into space about his confession?!"
"I can't seem to get used to him saying 'I love you' indirectly, since it always stupefies me, you know? Like it's the first time he's saying it."
"Duh, he doesn't use the same line all the time."
"…You're right about that, but…"
"Lucy, just accept the fact that you've fallen in deep." She grinned. "And you don't want to resurface any longer."
"Sorry for being dense but, could you explain that?"
"I am so tempted to hit your head but fine." She sighed. "You're in love with him, as in too deeply in love! So deep that it would be a miracle if a rescue team can pull you out of the depths of the ocean floor! And I don't mean the open ocean depths, I meant the dark parts! Like where the angler fishes live, or where science has yet to explore! Where no man has ever gone! That's how deep you've fallen!"
"How can you tell?"
"Let's take the test," she murmured. "If you see him walking with a girl you don't know next to him, how would you really feel and how would you react? Don't think of the consequences!"
"I'd feel angry, jealous no doubt, but I'll find out who the girl is first before jumping to conclusions."
"Let's say he stops being sweet, no longer says those 'I love you' lines of his, and seems to ignore you a lot, what would you do and how would you feel?"
"Talk to him, and…of course I'll feel sad."
"If he dies?"
"Mira!"
"Just answer!"
"I'd die…" I murmured. "Maybe not literally, since he'd most likely get angry, but I'd definitely find living my life so worthless."
"If he breaks up with you...?"
"…I might actually kill myself."
"Might...?"
"Okay fine! I'd definitely kill myself."
"If he gets someone pregnant?"
"…I'll be hurt and angry."
"And if he says he loves you?" She smiled. "As in, the words I, love, and you."
"…" I didn't know how to answer, but I could feel how my eyes have grown teary in just imagining him saying those three words. "…I…"
"You don't need to answer that Lucy, I already know." Mira hugged me, and I remained rigid. "Your answers only prove how deep your love is, and trust me on this, if you've reached the ocean floor, he most likely arrived there first, and only waited for you."
"Mira…"
"I mean." She pulled away. "He waited for you to jump off the boat called Dan." She made a gagging sound and I giggled. "He waited for you to fall, just like how he fell." She shrugged. "Ah what the heck, I'll get straight to the point, a drunk Natsu told me, alright!"
"…"
"Yeah well, you and Gray left early, leaving us with Natsu, who was drunk as hell! And…" She laughed. "We interrogated him about Gray's feelings for you since we're just worried and all, and he sort of said the same words as what I said, and no, it wasn't how Gray worded it." Her amused expression turned to that of amazement. "It would be better if you actually heard it from Gray himself, since it would most likely leave a huge impact."
"I'm going to kill him for that."
The two of us jumped a bit when we heard Gray speak, and we turned to see his face red, eyes narrowed, and head turned away from us.
"He was drunk Gray," Mira said nonchalantly. "And we pestered him about it."
"What exactly did you say?" I asked, interrupting Mira. "And don't even change your words."
"Hn."
Mira and I were taken aback when he looked at me seriously, no blush evident on his face.
"I said: I would wait for Lucy to get over Dan, I didn't care how long it took, like how our commandants used to let us stand still under the hot scorching sun for the whole day and make us wait for them to dismiss us."
"Go on…" I whispered.
"I would wait for her to come to me to tell me how she feels, and I would still wait for her to reach the position I'm in."
"Which is...?" I asked, and Mira muttered how that was what Natsu asked as well.
Gray shrugged. "Lost in space and can never be found, no longer drowning in the ocean but already drowned, missing in action yet already buried six feet under." He kept his eyes on me. "In other words, I've fallen in too deep."
"How long...?"
"Too long," he responded. "But if you're still not there, I'll wait longer."
"Not a little longer?"
"Wait until you make your final decision."
"How would you know?"
"Six steps," he answered. "It's your choice if it's forward or backward."
Somehow, I forgot Mira was there, since our eyes remained on each other, even when I was already moving.
One…
"Because whichever you decide," Gray continued.
Two…
"I'll make sure you'll be happy with your decision."
Three…
"How?" I asked.
"Because it's either I'll be with you, or I'll leave you alone."
Four…
"If it's the former?" I asked.
"You'll find the answer to the question of 'Is there such a thing as forever'."
Five…
"And if it's the latter?"
Gray smiled.
"I won't force you into something you don't want."
One step could make a difference, I know that, but mine was literal; this decision could be a life and a death one for my heart.
"How do you know what I don't want and really want?"
"Then take that one step left and you'll know my answer."
Mira was most likely surprised earlier when I took the five steps backwards, but I wanted to see what Gray would say, and how he would react.
"If I take this one step left, would you give me your real answer?" I asked. "Would you give me the first answer you thought of or felt?"
"I promise."
I took the last step backwards, now six more steps away from him, and I suddenly felt his lips on mine, his arms around my waist, and how he pulled me closer.
Mira held back her squeal to not ruin the moment, I know, because I knew how Mira always reacts to romance scenes.
Gray pulled away from our kiss.
"You stepped back, because you're afraid," he told me, and I nodded. "But I stepped forward, because you know you can't run away from your fears all the time Lucy, but I want you to know that I'll be with you to face them."
We were six steps away from each other earlier, and it was either I close the distance, or I add another six steps in our gap. He told me to move forward or backward, and said that he'll make sure that I'll be happy with whatever I decide on. I wanted to test him on that, because as what he said, I was afraid – because being heartbroken is something I wouldn't want to experience again.
If I closed the gap, I would be happy because I'll be with him and know that there could be a thing called forever, but if I moved back, it means I don't want to be with him yet I wouldn't be happy,
How do you know what I don't want and really want?
He said I'll know if I took the last step, and he knew…
That's why he rushed to me, and I was happy.
Gray knew that I really wanted to be with him, but I stepped back because I was scared. He made the move to close the gap, meaning that he already reached his limit in waiting, and that I've already given my answer, so he had to make the move to save me from a wrong decision, and in order for me not to be so scared, he would be there for me.
"You can run, but I'll chase you," he whispered, pulling me closer. "You can hide, but I will find you."
"And if I say I hate you?"
"I'll still say I love you."
And I can't believe he said it, he finally said those words.
I love and trust you, I really do.
"That anybody's ever brought the sun without the rain."
I really liked this chapter XD
Those of you wondering who Belno is, she's that lady in the magic council.
Till next time, which will be...this weekend or maybe Friday...