Seven Days

Chapter 5- Tuesday

Three days.

That's how long it took for the girls to decide that enough was enough, the weather wasn't going to get any nicer, and that the time had come to go swimming.

That's why on the fourth morning, instead of sleeping in (thoughts about a certain blunette had kept him up all night), Gray was perched on the end of the flimsy wooden dock, his eyelids drifting. The weather actually wasn't too bad, despite the light drizzle the sun was still shining.

Natsu and Lucy were playing some kind of weird wrestling game in the waist length water toward the shore, but it didn't look like Lucy was enjoying herself very much. Then again, all Gray could see was violent splashes, and all he could hear was frustrated squealing and laughter. Levy had somehow convinced Gajeel to give her a piggyback ride in the same area that Natsu and Lucy were in. She clung onto him excitedly as he drifted through the water, her eyes gleaming and her smile so bright that even the gruff man's eyes softened.

Footsteps on the wooden dock jerked Gray from his sleepy observations, and he turned to see Juvia strolling over to him.

All he could think was, woah.

She was definitely dressed for swimming- her hair tied back in a loose pony tail, her bare feet slapping the rickety wooden planks of the dock, a ruffled blue-violet bikini enhancing her every ample curve and- Gray, I swear to god.

He couldn't take his eyes off of her.

She finally arrived at his side, her smile bright enough to light up his whole universe, and he murmured a greeting.

"How come you aren't in the water?" She asked, crossing her arms and glancing at his blue trunks and bare chest.

"Well, I'm gonna get wet regardless, so why move when I can just sit here?"

She rolled her eyes, crouching down beside him.

"All you gotta do is float," she argued, her voice quiet and a smile teasing her lips.

"I would have to stand up to get in, and I don't want to do that," he countered, his voice more quiet, her smile infecting him.

"Well," she was practically whispering, her eyes sparkling mischievously, "I can help with that."

By the time he realized her plan, it was too late. She had already planted her (surprisingly strong) hands on his shoulder blades, and in one quick movement, she succeeded in pushing him off the dock.

He managed to twist around in midair and latch on to her wrist, triumphantly pulling her body close to his as they tumbled into the water. Her back was pressed against his chest, and his arm wrapped around her smooth belly.

He could barely hear her shrieks and laughter over their crash landing, and when they tumbled into the cool water, she slipped out of his hold. For a seemingly long moment, they lingered underwater, and he could feel her smooth hand sliding through his fingers, and he felt a sudden urge to grab her, pull her close, and never let go. He longed to wrap her gentle form up in his arms, to feel her heart beat against his, to surround and be surrounded by her. He craved her touch, her love, her.

But the moment ended, and they resurfaced all too soon. She glared at him in the shoulder length water, faking frustration but unable to stop a grin from spreading across her lips. For a moment he was confused, but then the fog in his head cleared and his memory of the past minute returned.

"What was that for?" She exclaimed, crossing her arms under the water.

"Same reason why you pushed me in," was his grumbled reply.

She opened her mouth, ready to deliver her retort, but was cut off when a (rather large) beach ball hit the back of her head. She veered around to find Gajeel roaring with laughter, his arm still outstretched. Levy was chatting with Lucy.

For a moment Gray wondered where Gajeel had even gotten the beach ball, but his thoughts were cut off by violent splashing as Juvia grabbed the beach ball and bounded over to Gajeel, no doubt for revenge. Gray followed slowly, coming to a stop beside Natsu and the other girls. He watched as the siblings wrestled for the beach ball, laughter tumbling from them. Gajeel held the inflatable high over his head while Juvia struggled to climb up his back and grab it, but she slid down each time.

"Levy! Help me!" Juvia squealed, and the tiny blunette eagerly bounced over, shouting out a war cry. Gray watched as the two girls overwhelmed the giant man, a soft smile on his face. He was jerked out his observations when suddenly an elbow dug into his ribs.

He jumped, and turned to see Lucy extract her elbow, a broad smile on her thin lips and a teasing glint her eye. She waggled her eyebrows, and Natsu popped up behind her, the same mocking expression on his face.

"So, Gray... Who are ya thinking about?" Lucy teased.

"It's not like that!" He informed her, crossing his arms.

"I don't really blame you. She is very pretty," Lucy continued, ignoring his protests. "She has a great personality too, and honestly, I think she's into you."

"Nothing's going on, I swear!" He argued, but he could feel tiny butterflies fluttering in the pits of his belly.

I think she's into you.

"Whatever," she muttered, a knowing look in her eyes. Then she hopped over to Levy, who was holding the beach ball high up over her head, and joined the two girls in their victory lap around an exhausted Gajeel. Natsu eased closer to Gray and opened his mouth to say something, but Gray grumpily cut him off.

"Don't say a word."

Natsu thought for a long moment.

"Okay then, cat."

"... What?"

"You told me not to say a word, so instead of saying a word, I said cat."

Gray stared at him for a long moment, dumbfounded, and Natsu smugly smiled back, his chin held high in triumph.

"Hey, when you two princesses are done flirting, you wanna play some volleyball with us?" Gajeel's deep voice snatched the two boys attention. Gray prepared a retort, but Natsu was already splashing over to the group, his pink tufts of hair being smoothed by the light rain.

It had been a long day, full of swimming and laughter and excitement. But now, the day was at an end, and the sun was sinking into the ocean, painting the sky with reds and oranges and violets. A soft rain cleansed the smooth waves and ruffled sand.

Gajeel and Levy were making dinner for everyone inside Lucy's cabin, and Lucy was taking a shower. As for Natsu… Hell knows what Natsu was up to.

Gray was resting in the sand, right about where the trees started, his back leaning on a thick tree trunk, a damp green towel in his arms. He watched Juvia as she slowly paced across the beach, observing the tiny splashes created in the shallow water with each step she took. Her body was soaked with both rain and sea water, but she didn't seem to notice. She had been swimming all day, and he could tell she was exhausted by the fog in her eyes and the lethargy in her steps. She paused in her pacing, and then sauntered over to Gray, hugging her wet arms.

"I'm cold. Can I have that towel?" She asked sleepily, and he obediently handed it over to her. She wrapped it around her shoulders, her fingers tightly gripping the edges, her eyes staring at nothing. Then she looked back at him.

"I'm still cold. Can you warm me up?"

For a moment he stared at her, dumbfounded, wondering if she was suggesting what he thought she was suggesting. Judging from the way her drowsy eyes gazed longingly at the gap in-between his arms, his suspicion was correct. He removed his arms from his belly and slid his knees a tiny bit closer to the ground, and she crawled onto him. She snuggled into the gap he created, her head resting on his chest, and he wrapped his arms around her so that one supported her back and her legs were draped over the other. She tugged at the edges of the towel, wrapping it around her body like a blanket.

"Gray… can I sleep with you?" Her voice was soft and sluggish, and her sleepy eyes met his, their indigo depths swimming with warmth.

"…what?"

"I meant take a nap, perv," she muttered, her voice dry. "I'm just really tired, and you're really comfortable, so… And just for the record, calm down. I can hear your heartbeat, and that's way too fast to be healthy."

He felt his cheeks grow hot, but if Juvia noticed, she didn't mention anything. She simply yawned, shifting her body closer to his chest.

"Sure, take a nap. You need one," he murmured, and she smiled gratefully at him. Then she turned her body towards him so that her face was burrowed into his (still bare) chest and one of her hands was sliding down his shoulder, and he felt like something inside of him melted. He carefully lifted his arm so that he could gently stroke her soft, wet hair, and he thought he felt her smile against his skin. Moments later her breathing was even and slow, and her body was limp, and Gray knew that she was asleep.

Do I haunt her dreams as much as she haunts mine?

Without really meaning to, Gray closed his eyes. A few minutes later, his hand went limp, sliding down to rest on the curve of her hip.

That's exactly how Natsu found them an hour later, snoring in the rain.

"Nothing's going on, my ass," he huffed, but he let them be. After all, two people missing from dinner meant more food for his black hole of a stomach.