HOT N' COLD
Chapter 6
I do not own Fairy Tail.
- O – O – O – O – O –
"Gray!"
The young man smiled.
"Gray Fullbuster."
"Lucy Heartfilia…"
Oh, how she was glad she didn't stutter.
"I… I read the note. I'm sorry."
"Not much need to. We're here to talk. Let's take a seat."
They took a seat on the same table as they were on before.
Gray frowned. "Talk about what exactly?"
"Let me start with this…"
Gray gulped.
Lucy continued, "Do you believe in the zodiac signs?"
Gray raised an eyebrow. "I don't care much."
"Well, they give precise prophecies."
"Ur tells me to just make my own way."
Lucy decided to drop the topic about prophecies.
Maybe other people just didn't believe.
"Who's Ur?" Lucy asked.
"She's my master," Gray supplied. "We do this unusual thing called ice sculpture."
Gray smiled. "Practice. And it takes a lot of cold temperature."
"But the ice would surely melt right away!"
"Not if you have a very cold room or snow."
"You work on places like that?"
"It just takes a lot adjusting. And Ur tells me to be one with the ice."
Lucy smiled.
This Ur seemed to be a good teac-
"Where is your shirt?!"
Gray jumped from his seat as he saw his bare upper body. "WAAH!"
"What do you mean WAAH? You did it on purpose!"
Gray raised a fist. "It's her fault I got this weird habit."
Lucy rolled her eyes.
"Doesn't it bother you that you're wearing clothes in public?"
"No, it doesn't."
"But –"
"What are your orders?" a waitress asked.
Gray gave Lucy an apologetic look.
Lucy had an it's-okay expression.
"The same," Gray muttered.
"I'll try your taste." Lucy smirked.
Lucy told the waitress their exact orders and sighed as the waitress left.
"I'm really sorry," Gray started.
"It's really okay. I'm just expecting you to act like a gentleman this moment," Lucy said.
"I am a cool gentleman."
"Who sits naked with a lady in a restaurant?"
"Eh…"
"Natsu was here a while ago," Lucy stated.
"Did he read the note?" Gray asked.
"No. He sneezed with it, remember?"
"So I assume he was with Lisanna."
"No. He came here to apologize."
"Natsu doesn't do that. He must have been forced by Lisanna."
"What makes you say that?"
"He's a stupid dim-wit."
"From what I see, he's quite an obnoxious boy with a lot of wits."
"I can't believe it."
"Well, why do you two fight?"
"Isn't he being an idiot a reason enough?"
"You two look like close siblings."
"To hell with him!"
"Well, what else can I say about that…"
"Even Erza finds it hard to tolerate him."
"What do you think of Erza?"
"She thinks she is a great and responsible leader," Gray muttered disdainfully. "She acts like a boy who fights a lot."
"How about Lisanna?" Lucy mused aloud.
Gray shrugged. "At least, she can manage staying with Natsu."
"Actually, they look compatible. Natsu is different when talking about her."
Gray grunted. "What do you expect? He brought a stuffed toy with her and they fought over a name. Turned out it would be Happy."
"Yeah. I even saw that blue cat."
Then Lucy raised her eyebrows. "Say… Gray, do you have a childhood friend?"
"I was with them since I was young."
"Eh? What a very close bond!"
"Well, I have someone else. Lyon. More like a rival."
"Tell me more."
"We work together under Ur. But Lyon's goal is to surpass Ur's skills."
"Where is he now?" Lucy wondered.
"On a different guild."
"Natsu also said something about a guild."
Gray smiled. "If you want a job, join one."
Lucy chuckled. "You advertised it in a different way from what Natsu did.
"He's a lame guy."
"Your clothes, Gray," Lucy said blankly.
"What the-"
Gray shivered. "Uhh… It's cold."
"It's your fault for stripping yourself."
"Well, can you stop doing a habit of yours?"
"Like what?" Lucy challenged.
"Like combing your hair with your hand?"
"I don't do that."
Gray smirked. "I just caught you."
"Wha-" Lucy stopped. Her hand was right on her hair.
"Okay, you got me. But still, it's natural to keep your beauty."
"It's not beauty you have. You're boring."
"What?!"
"Anyway, I hope you'll get another job."
"Oh…" Lucy cleared her throat. "I did know that I will lose my job today."
"Hmm?"
"Cancer's fortune telling."
Gray hummed as if interested.
"What else did it say?"
Lucy decided to simplify the statement. "I will meet someone new."
"And… It happened."
"Yeah. And lastly, I will be happy."
"You'll lose your job yet you'll become happy?"
"I had the same thought. But I think it's going to happen."
"And does that connect with us customers? Eh… people?" Gray corrected himself.
"I think being a waitress was just a way."
Gray eyed Lucy carefully.
"By the way, Lucy…"
He put a hand in his pockets, searching for something.
"What is it?"
"I'll give this to you for an added apology."
Gray held out a hand.
There was a transparent glass box on his palm.
It looked like an ice cube…
"Wow," Lucy drawled, fascinated. "Is this one of your…"
"Ice sculptures, if you can say."
"It's wonderful."
Because inside the glass box was a rose made from ice.
It seemed to be shining brightly.
But Lucy had a question.
"Why isn't it melting yet?"
"The box is special. It doesn't absorb too much heat. But that isn't important, right? Accept it, Lucy."
Lucy gingerly took the box and stared at the rose.
"Where should I keep it?"
"Somewhere cold. I think it could come last for 3 hours by its own. But you wouldn't want to have it inside the refrigerator all the time."
"Thank you, Gray."
Gray patted Lucy's shoulder as he stood up. "Take care, Lucy. I shall be going. I still have this job-"
"It's okay. I think I will be joining that guils."
"Fairy Tail?"
Lucy winked.
Gray smiled.
Then he walked to the exit.
Lucy watched Gray step away from the table.
Yet she knew her day was complete.
She mused over a name as the ice rose sparkled.
- O – O – O – O – O –
I am so sorry but I had to end it like that XPPP
Lucy chose one among the two.
I hope you understood who it was! =)
