Disclaimer: Fairy Tail does not and sadly will never belong to me but this plot does! I'll sue you if you attempt to steal it haha ^w^ *LOL*

*THIS CHAPTER IS DEDICATED TO ALYA STARBRIGHT FOR BEING SUCH A SUPPORTIVE READER ^.^*

(A/N: Chapter 16! Yipee~! After this chapter, I'd have broken my Mystery Lovers record :D and now I have successfully graduated from the '15 chapters and below' category and shall soon enter the '20 chapters and below' category! Let's have a wonderful chapter ne?)

Previously on D2L: "Hey, you're spacing out on me again" Gray waved a hand in front of her, snapping her back to reality. Lucy, without thinking, in a swift motion, inched towards him and in the next moment, she was there, close to him with her head resting against his chest. Gray's eyes widened at the sudden contact and could even feel a bit flustered, something he hadn't felt in quite some time.

Lucy could feel her guilt escape her and relief flooded through her. She could stay like this forever…she needed him, she thought. He truly was Gray, the color of her, until some weeks ago, colorless life.

Continue:

"We've got just exactly a week before the end of the challenge…" Natsu said, yawning as he slumped himself on Loke's bed.

"Hmm… Gajeel can't win this one. Gray's already number one on Lucy's list – she DID give him a 10 on 10 in that truth or dare game yesterday. It shouldn't take him long to get a confession" Loke said.

"But you know… I kind of feel sad for Lucy. If she really does fall for him, she'd be really heartbroken…" Natsu said.

"Yeah…but Gray doesn't want to do this either. He just wanted to help Wendy and Gajeel being as adamant as he is, this was probably the only way to get it done and you know how much Wendy matters to Gray."

"We'd better get some rest now for tonight" Natsu suggested and Loke agreed.

xXx Back with Lucy and Gray! xXx

'Vanilla…' Gray thought taking in Lucy's fragrance as she was so close to him. He finally returned the embrace and wrapped his arms around her waist with his left hand while stroking her head with his right.

"You okay?" He asked her and she nodded before pulling away. She felt heat climb to her cheeks as she thought that she had been so close to Gray and kept her eyes averted. Gray could feel the urge to hold onto her but put the feeling aside immediately, 'have I really fallen SO bad?' he thought to himself. He slipped his hand into hers and caressed them slowly, watching her reaction carefully. He noticed the blush on her cheeks and the way her eyes widened a bit. He couldn't help but smile at the reaction, he really did have an effect on her then, he thought.

"C'mon. We've got half an hour more" He said and they began venturing through the fair, buying different snacks and taking part in different activities.

"Ta-kun! That one! I want that one!" A short brunette said to a blonde guy.

"Hai, hai. I'll surely win it for you" He said in a fired up manner as he inserted a coin into the machine and began to play.

Lucy continued to stare and Gray turned again to find that the blonde was no longer following him. He sighed. Why was this situation becoming a habit?

"You know Luce, I think I've said this a million times today… seriously, why won't you just ask me to do anything for you?" He asked her and she began to avert her eyes again, blushing again. He wanted her to be demanding things today… Today was her day after all. Why wouldn't she? Or did she feel like she didn't have any right over him? He so wished he could tell her how much she unknowingly did…

"You've been really quiet around me all through today. Is something wrong?" He asked again.

"No…" she replied despite her mind was screaming things like, 'YES! EVERYTHING IS WRONG! Because I want you to see me differently now…'

Gray sighed again, "Okay then. Don't tell me. But anyway, for now let's play that" He said pointing at the now vacant toy machine. It was one of those machines filled with many stuffed toys that the player had to try and grab by operating the mechanical arm inside. Lucy felt her insides warm up a bit… She felt as though her luck was at a high today. Gray was practically doing EVERYTHING she wanted today. She wondered though, if EVERYTHING was really the right word.

"So which one do you like?" He asked.

"You can really get one?" Lucy asked with a hint of surprise.

"Are you doubting my abilities?" Gray smirked.

"B-but none of the other couples got one, I saw. And, I've never won anything from these machines before. They're just a bluff. L-let's go somewhere else" Lucy suggested as her memory wandered off. She always loved this game…but that 'love' soon disappeared. She felt her subconscious laugh at her.

'Unlucky in life and in games' the said figure in her head snarled as she said. Lucy ignored her as she went back through some memories.

"Come on! You can get at least one for the girl you love right?" Lucy laughed as 'he' did his best to try and pull out the white bunny plush that Lucy had wanted.

"Lucy this is really not working." 'He' said to her.

"Giving up already?" Lucy smirked and he scowled.

"Must you ALWAYS push my pride?" He asked in a joking manner and Lucy laughed as she punched his shoulder playfully.

She remembered how, despite trying over a billion times, they hadn't won a single thing… Her trance was broken when she heard a click of a coin and saw that Gray had inserted a coin and the machine was starting up.

"C'mon hurry. Choose" He said to her with a smile, "Even if these things are a bluff, if you want something, I'll be the one to get it for you" He said with a wink and Lucy felt herself gasp slightly. Why did he always say things that took her breath away? She browsed through the soft toys inside and noticed one that was totally sticking out and was so different from the others.

"That one" she said as she pointed at a white plush with an orange cone-like nose and a smiling mouth.

"Roger" Gray replied and began to operate the machine with ease. Lucy watched with a feeling of excitement; she watched carefully and closely as though the world depended on them winning that plush! But she was just curious AND anxious on whether Gray would be able to get it. She had always been tense while playing the game. It was partly why she used to enjoy it – WITH someone she 'thought' loved her.

She felt herself glued to the glassed exteriors as Gray carefully carried the plush, her breath was caught in her throat, 'It's gonna fall now' she felt herself give up, 'this is where it always falls' she remembered. She watched anxiously.

'C'mon…' Gray thought, concentrating hard. It was almost hilarious how the two were looking so serious about it! Surely the aura they were emitting was keeping away other couples from that game.

Lucy gasped in utter surprise! The plush had actually fallen into the hole! Gray had actually won it! But then again, was there ANYTHING he couldn't do? She smiled as she thought this. Then she remembered his words and of course he was also there to remind her.

Gray bent and took out the plush from the receiving box and then held it towards Lucy, "There. I told you… if you want it, there's no way I won't get it for you"

Lucy felt warmth flood her…

"Ne Gray…?" She murmured.

"Hm?" He replied.

"I…" She began and Gray felt his heart stop. Was this IT? Was she really going to say it? Was it all going to end from here or would it only mean a new beginning? He waited anxiously for her to continue, his thoughts wandering.

"I missed this…" She completed. Suddenly, Gray felt so stupid.

'Oh…' he thought face-palming his inner self. But he didn't fail to notice how worked up he had gotten just thinking she was about to confess. He had never been like this about confessions from other girls at least. Then coming to earth, he realized what she had said and felt a bit puzzled, "Missed what?" He asked.

"This…" She said again, pointing to the game.

"Oh that. You seem to have some history with it don't you" He said curiously and then felt like she he shouldn't have, "Maybe some other time, when you feel more at ease, then you can tell me all about it" He patted her head.

"Hmm…it's about time we left." He said, looking at his wrist watch.

Gray ignited the engines and they began speeding down the driveway towards Lucy's home.

"Um, Luce?"

"Hm?"

"Why did you choose that plush out of all the other ones?" He asked curiously, because truly speaking, it was a really strange one. Lucy felt her insides burn at the question and she felt like her face would explode! But she still answered…

"Because…it makes me think of you" She said softly and hesitantly. Gray felt his eyes widen a bit and he almost flushed – NOT a Gray Fullbuster thing… she wanted to think of him? Then he felt a bit stupid again.

'Chill Gray' he sighed, 'she said that STRANGE plush reminds her of you.' Emphasizing the 'strange'. Was he that strange according to her?

"Really? How?" He wanted to know.

"…" Lucy remained silent, looking down at her lap and began fidgeting more frantically. Gray did what he always did and held onto her hand to keep it from fidgeting.

"Isn't it about time you stopped getting nervous around me?" Gray joked.

"I'M NOT!" Lucy denied immediately, though she really wanted to say otherwise.

"So…you think I'm…strange?" He decided to ask straight-forward. Lucy arched an eyebrow at the question.

"Strange?" she queried and he shrugged.

"Well, you said that that strange plush makes you think of me" He replied. Lucy shifted a bit… Gray took notice of course.

"…" came the reply in absolute silence. Lucy didn't know why but she couldn't bring herself to tell him. She wanted so badly to tell him how she felt but for some reason, she was afraid – afraid, he'd not want her; afraid that if he didn't want her then confessing to him would only ruin the relationship they did have right now. There was no way she wanted to destroy this… She treasured it way too much – she treasured HIM way too much…

Gray sighed, "Some other time?" He laughed lightly. It was like most of their conversations ended this way. Deep down Gray wondered, 'why isn't she opening up?'

The car came to a halt and they arrived at Gray's. Lucy looked at him with a confused expression.

"Trust me…just come in for a while" Lucy felt curiosity paint her being at his words. She could feel the tingling feeling she hadn't felt in a while, until she, of course, met Gray.

She walked through the front door anticipating. The inside was pitch dark and she felt her grip on Gray tighten a bit. The suddenly she felt him lean closer to her,

"Happy Birthday Luce" He whispered to her as he hugged her from behind, making her breathing halt and her eyes widen. The lights came on immediately and the Fairy Tail gang emerged, "SURPRISE! HAPPY BIRTHDAY LUCY!" They said together. Lucy felt her mouth hang open in shock…

'…February…9th…' She thought her mind squirming in realization…today was her birthday…

(A/N: So how many of you have experienced this? Like, forgetting your own birthday?

Short chapter, I know. But that only means that there'll be an update again this week :D So you get 2 chapters in one week. (This only happens when I don't manage to write a chapter that's long enough which is why I must then update two) So look out for Chapter 17 this Wednesday!)

NEXT CHAPTER: Truly, Fifty Shades of Gray… (A REALLY SPICY CHAPTER! So be sure to look out for it!)

Until Wednesday,

Ja'Ne!