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impracticaldemon · 7 years ago

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Graylu Week 2017 ~ Chapter 5: Too Cold to Hold, Part II of III

fanfiction by impracticaldemon Words ~ 2550 | Also available on FFnet and AO3

Author's Note: Another story in which each chapter has more parts than expected. Welcome to Part II of "Too Cold to Hold", which is now going to be Part II of III. Part III is already partly written, however. ~Impracticaldemon

credit for cover image to Milady666 on DeviantArt [Link] & tumblr

Chapter 5—Too Cold to Hold, Part II Prompt: Fragrance (still for Graylu Day)

Lucy went out the closest door, teeth automatically clenching as the cold hit her like a solid force. She started walking around the big chalet, staying close to the wall for protection from the wind and snow, and so as not to get lost. She couldn't make out either Gray or his footprints, but that wasn't surprising under the circumstances.

She started calling once she judged that she was under their window. "Gray! Gray!" There was no answer, but the cold was increasing, which Lucy took as a sign that the snow spirits were nearby. She took a few careful steps away from the wall and then a few more, keeping the lit window directly behind her. The light had a slightly pink tinge to it which she assumed was Aries' fluffy seal on the inner window. There was suddenly a bright glitter ahead of her and a burst of magic. She stopped walking and cupped her hands around her mouth.

"Yo, Ice Princess! Get your ballgown-covered ass over here!"

"What the hell—Lucy?! Dammit."

A dark shaped loomed up out of the swirling snow and Gray was suddenly in front of her, looking oddly beleaguered. He was naked to the waist, which wasn't unusual, but his whole body was rimed in frost, turning his blue-black hair to dark-streaked gray. Even as he stepped closer to Lucy, she noticed something she'd never expected to see—he was shivering.

"You look cold," she said, then immediately felt ridiculous. They were standing in the middle of a snowstorm, after all, and he was only half-dressed.

Mind you, it was still better than blurting out her first thought, which was that he looked totally amazing—like some kind of Northern battle god facing off against the hordes of Winter itself. He carried a blood streaked sword in each hand, and it took Lucy a long moment to realize that the blood—Gray's blood—wasn't just contained within the weapons the way it usually was. She'd seen him make such weapons before, and it always made her shudder, since it looked so painful. This time, though, the weapons looked as though they were weeping gory, crimson droplets.

"Gray—what are you doing?!"

His response was a little slow in coming and sounded slightly slurred. "They can only be driven off by blood—at least, that's what I was told—doesn't kill'em but sends'em away. There's a lot of 'em though. Also, they're, um, somehow condensing the blood out of the ice, so I keep having to add more."

"So, basically, you're bleeding continuously. Great."

Lucy heard a faint buzzing noise over the wind, and then it felt as though the temperature dropped several more degrees. She huddled inside her coat, trying to come up with a quick solution. Gray took a deep breath, as if to steady himself, and then set his swords in motion. It was a little bizarre watching a man fight a cloud of snow. With his own blood.

"Did you find out why they're here? And angry?"

"Um, I don't speak snow spirit—do you? Like, I was trying to keep 'em away from the chalet, not enjoy a nice gossip." His sarcasm would have worked better if he hadn't sounded so winded.

"Hmm." Lucy considered her celestial spirits and then took out the gold key for the goat, Capricorn. Loke might be useful against angry snow spirits, but he didn't seem like the right choice right now for several reasons.

"How may I assist you, Lady Lucy," Capricorn asked a moment later. He was standing closer than usual and Lucy felt her neck crick as she struggled to look up at him. Like Aries, he had a light dusting of snow on his clothes and in his hair. She was about to ask why he had appeared almost on top of her, but then realized that he was standing between her and the knot of bitter cold that denoted Gray's assailants. Somehow, he blocked the worst of the chill.

"Oh I see," the tall celestial spirit commented, after studying the situation for a few seconds. "There are an awful lot of them, aren't there?"

"I can't see them," Lucy admitted. She suddenly felt embarrassed about the question she wanted to ask. Oh well, nothing ventured, nothing gained. "Capricorn, would it be possible to find out what they're upset over?"

Capricorn did an excellent imitation of a butler being flustered by an unexpected request—which is to say that he remained politely expressionless. "I can certainly make the attempt, at least," he told her.

In fact, the angry knot around Gray began to dissipate, and she saw him stagger slightly. She reached out for him but he shook his head at her. "I'm fine," he insisted. "And I don't want to hurt you by accident." He gave Lucy a tight, pained smile, and flexed his fingers. She suddenly realized—as she should have known—that the swords were fused with Gray's hands.

"Well, you'll look very sexy and heroic as you collapse into the snow," she told him, snapping slightly out of concern.

"Sexy's good…"

Lucy saw Gray's head turn and his stance shifted back to battle-readiness. She winced as fresh blood seeped into his ice weapons.

"I believe I have some understanding of the problem, my lady," Capricorn said at that moment. "If you could just stand still, Mr. Gray…"

"They're about to attack again," Gray told him wearily. "And honestly, I need to get this over with sooner rather than later."

"What have you found out, Capricorn?" Lucy tried to ignore the fact that she could barely feel her fingers.

"I could only get the gist of it, I'm afraid—linguistic and cultural differences being what they are between the celestial and elemental realms—but essentially I think there has been a major misunderstanding."

"Okay, what have we, or they, misunderstood?"

"They were hoping that Mr. Gray would come out to play with them like last time. Also, I believe they were impressed with the blood offering and now consider him a, er, member of the colony. As it were."

"I—wait—what?!" Gray was shaking his head. "I was taught that if you let any kind of gathering of snow spirits too close to your home, first you'd be cold and then you'd be dead."

"Yes, that is what would happen," Capricorn said gently. "You see, like most forces of nature, they don't really understand living beings. They no doubt find ice magic quite—how can I put this?—appealing. So they wanted you to leave the chalet and create more of your delicious cold."

"Delicious cold?" Lucy frowned. "Like food?"

"Not really, but close enough."

"But Lucy sensed danger or evil intent or… or whatever!" protested Gray. "Wanting to play is like, I dunno, a snowball fight or something. Not having a good time watching your new buddy die of hypothermia or bleed out or something!"

Lucy shivered, only partly from the cold. She was beginning to grasp the problem and how everything had gone wrong.

"So the snow spirits, or cold spirits, or whatever they are—they don't actually hate ice mages, they love them... literally to death." She thought for a moment and then added: "That's actually quite consistent with how most stories about the Fair Folk go—lots of tragic endings for people who forget that they just don't think the same way as humans."

Gray was staring stubbornly off into the snow, presumably towards the snow spirits. Lucy pretended not to notice that he had finally given up the weapons and was now trying to stop his cuts from bleeding. His next words dispelled the notion that he hadn't paid attention, however.

"So you're saying that the humans have had it wrong from the beginning. But why does the blood drive them off then?"

"It doesn't; or rather, it doesn't actually kill them. It's just that"—the elegant celestial spirit looked embarrassed—"well, most magical pacts used to be ratified in blood." He forestalled Lucy's next question with a slight sigh, "Including pacts with celestial spirits, of course. We've evolved since. The point is that everyone seems to understand that shedding blood is important. And Mr. Gray's theory that using blood within a magical weapon makes it more effective against spirits and magic and so forth is quite correct. So once a human starts bringing blood into something—well, either they're done playing with you or they're agreeing to something of grave significance. I suppose that somehow context determines whether it's a case of 'get lost or I'll hurt you' as opposed to 'I'm signing my life away.'" He cleared his throat. "I'm just putting a number of different theories together, you understand. Speaking with earth-bound spirits is always… challenging."

Lucy thought for a moment that Capricorn was actually going to sneer—he would have managed it well—but instead he maintained his calm expression and shrugged.

"So how did I somehow make a blood offering?" Gray demanded, coming back to immediate concerns. "I mean, I hear what you're saying in a general way about snow spirits and everything else, but as I mentioned, Lucy sensed malevolence—or just something bad—earlier, and I've never in my life been swarmed like that."

"You have found a way to fuse ice, blood and magic, Gray-san. You're fascinating to them—I think. At this point I really am just guessing. As for the ill-intent felt by Lady Lucy, I suspect that what she really sensed was the danger of you going out to meet such potentially—if accidentally—lethal playmates. She's really extremely talented."

"Don't need you to tell me that," muttered Gray. "So what do we do now? I guess you got them to hold off huh?"

"I told them that you were angry. They are—for lack of a better word—apologetic. Also, they are quite impressed that you have found a suitable wife." Gray stared speechlessly at Capricorn, and Lucy choked. The celestial spirit smiled gently at them. "They are suitably impressed with Lucy-sama's power, since she was able to summon me. They are curious how long it will take for there to be offspring."

"We're not even engaged!" Lucy and Gray spoke in unison, faces now flushed with more than cold.

"Ah. Well, they assume that Mr. Gray became angry because they inadvertently interrupted the, ah, mating ritual."

Lucy turned away with her hands over her face. Gray couldn't tell if she was laughing, crying, or just couldn't take the embarrassment any more.

"And to think I believed this would be a good place to gets away from it all!"

"Shall I tell them that the matter is resolved, Gray-san?" asked Capricorn gently. "Perhaps you could send a small token of friendship."

"Such as what?"

"I understand that your ice sculpture is quite talented."

Without another word, Gray brought his hands together, ignoring the half-healed cuts, and formed a perfect, long-stemmed ice rose. Lucy regarded it suspiciously, but he had apparently opted out of using blood to add colour.

"I see that you left the thorns on," she commented.

"It's how I was taught," Gray muttered, holding out the lovely crystalline flower to Capricorn. "Will you pass this along with my um, best wishes or whatever?"

The celestial spirit nodded. "I believe that this will be the end of the matter, at least for now."

"For now?" Lucy asked suspiciously. Gray's face echoed her question.

"Well… they are hoping to see your, er, offspring in the future." Capricorn's face was perfectly neutral. He bowed politely to Lucy. "As are the rest of us, of course." Without another word, he walked into the thickest patch of swirling snow, held up the ice rose, and then vanished.

The snow seemed to thin within moments, changing from waves of madly careening flakes to a more normal—and distinctly warmer—slow fall. The two humans let the flakes settle on and around them in silence.

"We should go in," Gray said at last. "You need to warm up and I want to help."

Lucy stared at him. "After all of that—not to mention learning that something important that you've known to be true since forever is completely wrong—all you can think about is"—she broke off, suddenly unsure how she wanted to complete that sentence.

"Well, yes," her boyfriend told her, tipping her chin up and stealing a snowy kiss. "You see"—he lifted her into his arms, since she wasn't moving—"you're pretty amazing, and I was just reminded that not only are you sexy and smart, you're a kick-ass mage." He paused halfway to the side-door to crush his mouth against Lucy's, and she found her arms winding themselves around his neck entirely of their own accord, fingers tangling in the back of his damp, snowy hair.

Time passed, and then Gray suddenly raised his head, eyes narrowing. Lucy wanted to protest, but the words died unspoken when she felt the drop in temperature and sensed that they weren't alone. The chill scent of snow under a clear night sky full of brittle, winter stars somehow overrode everything else.

Instead of setting her on her feet so that he could fight, Gray pulled her in closer to his chest. He frowned at the densest swirl of snow.

"Oy! We don't need an audience!"

The cold intensified for a moment and Lucy thought she heard or felt a rustle akin to laughter. Then the cold and the presence—presences?—withdrew, leaving behind a gloriously detailed snow sculpture of Lucy and Gray. It glistened with ice, apparently impervious to the admittedly mild wind.

"Um." Words failed Lucy. The people represented in the sculpture were noticeably short of clothes, their bodies twined together in a passionate kiss. They seemed very… happy.

"Oh gods." Gray squeezed his eyes shut. "I—I don't know what to say."

Suddenly Lucy burst out laughing and Gray looked at her in surprise. After a moment, she'd subsided to giggles. "You have pornographic snow spirits!"

"Hardly!" Gray hugged her, relieved that she wasn't upset and ready to defend his… what had Capricorn called them? His colony. "It's a trifle risqué, I grant you…"

"I think they may be doing more than kissing."

"Well, it's not really clear—and you're staring." Gray narrowly avoided a smack to the top of his head. "Besides, they live beside a, a romantic chalet. Maybe it's just what they're used to in human behaviour. Maybe they're just very open-minded. Maybe—"

"Let's go in."

[END of PART II]

A/Note: See you with Part III soon! As always, any comments, reviews, thumbs up, etc. are very much appreciated! Thank you also to those who are taking the time to check out my other stories. :)

tags:@eliz1369 @shell-senji @nalufever @hakusaitosan @canadiangaap @kazama-hime @graylu-fanfictions @fyeahgrayluweek @ftfanfics @gsut @sassyhazelowl

#fairy tail #graylu #fanfiction #grayluweek #impracticaldemon #graylu week 2017 #too cold to hold part 2 #prompt fragrance

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kiroiimye · 8 years ago

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Day 2: Déjà Vu

Hey everyone! My late submission for GrayLu Week, Day 2. Hope you enjoy it! Looks a lot better on Fanfiction.net though...look me up on Fanfiction! Same user. Prompt: Déjà Vu Disclaimer: I don’t own Fairy Tail.

“You were you, and I was I; we were two before our time. I was yours before I knew, and you have always been mine too.”

~ Anonymous ~

She was sure she had met him before. His spiky raven hair, those dark blue eyes, his smile. They were all too familiar to her. Familiar, yet unfamiliar. A strange feeling to have. Déjà vu.

From the time he had first met her, he knew. Was it the tugging sensation in his gut that told him? Or was it her all too familiar features of blonde hair, warm brown eyes, and sweet smile? Or both? * They both had shrugged it off at first, not knowing what to make of the strange feeling.

* She walked into the guild hall, dressed in a blue, white, and gold, high necked top. She wore a small golden colored bow tie at the collar. Her white skirt was short and looked similar to a kilt and she wore high brown boots. Her golden hair was tied in a side ponytail. One, fingerless black glove ran all the way up to her right shoulder. On her left, she wore silver bracelets.

He was sitting at one of the tables in the hall. He had already lost his shirt, but was still wearing his pants. His usual silver necklace hung on his chain. His black hair was tousled and sticking up.

The two didn’t exchange words as she headed for her usual spot at the bar. It was a day like any other day. But, that would soon change.

He stood up from his seat to go grab another mug from Mira. She was headed for her usual spot at the bar. She brushed past him, accidentally lightly bumping his arm. The mug spilled. An ominous wind blew.

“I’m so sorry!” she exclaimed. “Here, let me help you.”

She grabbed a napkin from a nearby table and wiped him off. Her touch sent shivers down his spine, although he wasn’t sure why. Their eyes met and there was a brief flash of recognition.

“Hey, do I know you?” he asked. “You seem kinda familiar. Like I’d met you before.”

It was the question on both of their minds. Do I know you?

“I don’t know, but you look like…never mind. I lost it,” she admitted. He smiled, put down the mug, and offered his hand.

“My name is Gray. What’s yours?” he introduced.

“Lucy. My name’s Lucy.”

‘My name’s Gray.’ ‘My name’s Lucy.’ A few keywords that led to it all.

A wave of memories. Overwhelmed, Gray stumbled backwards and Lucy fell on the floor. My name’s Gray. My name’s Lucy. My name’s Gray. My name’s Lucy…

* He stood there in brown peasant clothes, watching her from across the village. She was so beautiful, it hurt. Although she was dressed only in the plain brown dress, her brown eyes radiated with warmth and kindness and her blonde hair shone brightly. She was as bright as a shooting star.

“Go on. Talk to her.”

A boy with washed out pink hair prodded his black haired friend.

“I can’t. I mean, she’s the pretty new girl and all,” he complained. “And she’s already popular.”

The other raised an eyebrow.

“Just because she’s new, pretty, and popular doesn’t mean anything Gray. You’ve been staring at her for a while. Go on.”

He poked his friend again.

“Or I’ll ask her out myself.”

His pink haired friend’s words made him grit his teeth.

“Fine,” he ground out. “I’ll go.”

“That’s the spirit!” he cheered.

The black haired boy went over to the blonde.

“Hi, you’re new right? My name is Gray. What’s yours?” he babbled out in a rush.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t catch that,” she replied shyly.

He took a deep breath.

“My name is Gray. What’s yours?”

“Lucy. My name’s Lucy.”

Time skip…

“Gray! Hurry up!” she giggled as she raced the black haired teenager out into the field. “You’re so slow!”

Gray smirked at the blonde.

“Oh yeah? Let’s see you beat me!” he challenged confidently, putting on a burst of speed. “Last one to the meadow is a rotten egg!”

He raced ahead and the blonde haired teen ran after him. He reached the meadow first, his face slightly beaded with sweat. She came after, her blonde hair a mess and her dress rumpled. They were fifteen now.

“Ha! Beat you!” he said with an arrogant grin.

She pouted at him. “Stop that.”

“Hey, you’re the one who called me slow, Lucy!” he playfully bantered.

She giggled and collapsed onto the field.

“I’m so tired. But, I’m glad I got out of the village!” she said with a sigh.

He frowned and sat next to her. “Why?”

“Father’s forcing me into meeting another batch of suitors,” she scowled.

“Oh. That sucks,” he said seriously, involuntarily lacing his fingers with hers.

Lucy blushed as she realized what he was doing, but didn’t say anything.

“I don’t want to marry any of them!” she complained. “I’d rather run away!”

“What if one of the suitors was me? Would you run?” Gray asked.

She froze momentarily, before whispering, “No.”

He turned red at her answer and looked away.

“Gray,” she started.

“Yeah?”

“If I ran away, would you come with me?”

He blinked, surprised.

“Yeah. I would. You’re my best friend Lucy,” he finally responded. She smiled. “That’s good to know.”

They sat in silence for a moment, before he spoke.

“Run away with me Lucy,” he said simply.

Her head whipped towards him.

“What?”

“Run away with me. Marry me. I’ve loved you ever since I met you. I couldn’t stand it if you married one of those suitors. So run away with me and marry me,” he blurted out.

She froze at his confession and proposal.

“Luce?” His voice sounded concerned.

“Okay. Yes. I’ll run away with you,” she whispered.

His eyes widened. “Seriously?”

She smiled up at him. “Seriously.”

* They ran away that night, taking nothing with them but the clothes on their bodies. The two were married a week later, but were eventually caught by Lucy’s father, Jude, and his men. Gray was to be executed and Lucy to marry Dan Straight.

* “No! Please! Spare him!” she shrieked. “Father please! I love him!”

Her father’s face was stone cold.

“No. The only person you’ll love from now on is Dan Straight. No one else. Executioner! Ready the gallows!” he called out.

“No! Please!” she screamed.

His hands were chained and he was standing at the gallows, ready to be hung. Despite everything, he smiled at her.

“Don’t worry Luce. I’ll be okay,” he promised as he was forced to step forward.

“No you won’t!” she cried.

He smiled softly at her as the noose was fitted around his neck.

“If I could marry you again, I would do it in a heartbeat. I’ll see you in another lifetime, Lucy Heartfilia.” He gave her one last loving smile. “I love you.” The executioner pulled the lever and he shot straight up. His neck hung limply from the noose. He was dead.

She let out an anguished scream and fell to her knees as her father smiled grimly. Jude gestured Dan forward and her new betrothed put a hand on her shoulder and kissed the top of her head.

“Don’t worry,” he soothed. “The criminal’s gone now. No need to be afraid.”

Lucy screamed and with blinding speed, whipped out a dagger and slashed his face. Dan fell back in shock and pain, holding his face.

“YOU BASTARD! BOTH OF YOU ARE BASTARDS!” she screamed. “I HATE YOU!”

Jude looked as though he’d been slapped in the face. And before anybody could stop her, Lucy plunged the knife into her heart. Blood seeped out of the wound and she collapsed.

“Lucy!” Jude screamed.

He ran over to his daughter and checked her pulse frantically. It was too late. She was dead.

* But they would meet again. Someday. Years and years later.

* “Prince Gray. This is Princess Juvia Lockser of Blue Skull Island. She is your fiancé.”

“Yes. Thank you. Please leave.”

“As you wish, sire.”

The messenger bowed and disappeared out the door. The minute he was gone, the princess turned to him, eyes shining.

“Hello Prince Gray! My name is Juvia!” she squealed, overenthusiastic

“Yes, I know,” he drawled, bored.

One minute into meeting this girl and he could tell this was going to be a long engagement. Great.

“And these are my handmaidens. This is Meredy,” she pointed to a pink haired girl, who smiled and waved brightly. “This is Sue,” she gestured towards a girl with dark green hair. “And this is Lucy!” she squealed, pointing to a girl with blonde hair.

Something clicked in his memory. Blonde hair, brown eyes. Lucy.

“Luce?” he blurted out.

The handmaiden’s eyes widened and Juvia glared at her servant.

“Do you know him?” she demanded.

The blonde shook her head nervously.

Gray held his head.

“What was that?” he wondered aloud. “I’m sorry for my outburst,” he then apologized.

“Oh no! It was no big deal!” Juvia trilled. “Now, let’s go spend time together!”

The princess grabbed his arm and dragged him off.

Gray…? Lucy thought to herself. She heard that name before…

* “Lucy, the prince requests your presence,” a servant said to the blonde handmaiden.

“Thank you,” she said kindly, bowing slightly.

The servant smiled and gave Lucy a folded piece of paper.

“For you, miss.”

“Thank you,” she thanked again.

The servant bowed and scurried away. She opened the letter gingerly.

Come to my room.

— G.F.

She hurried off to his room.

* When she arrived, he was waiting for her. He slammed the door and locked it and advanced on her. She backed up.

“Do I know you?” he said simply.

She blinked, not expecting the question.

“How do you mean?” she queried.

“I mean, you seem familiar. Your hair, your face, your eyes, your voice, your name. Lucy.”

“You too.”

He reached out to touch her face. She shut her eyes as his hand lightly brushed her cheek. There was a spark and her eyes flew open. He recoiled as her eyes flew open.

“I remember,” he whispered. “Tell me if these words sound familiar to you.”

She gave him only the tiniest of nods.

“If I could marry you again, I would do it in a heartbeat. I’ll see you in another lifetime, Lucy Heartfilia. I love you,” he quoted with a slight smile.

Her eyes widened and it suddenly clicked. She hesitantly reached out to hold his hand. He let her.

“I remember you too.”

* Not long after, Lucy Heartfilia had quit her job as Juvia’s handmaiden and was hired at the Fullbuster castle. She and Gray eventually became friends again and on his wedding day, Gray ran. He took Lucy’s hand and they were never seen again.

* “It’s you.”

She froze in place, eyes wide. She stared at him, openmouthed.

“Isn’t it?”

He took a step closer. She backed up, wordless.

“Lucy Heartfilia.”

That was all he said. Her name. He hesitantly reached out and took her hand. She didn’t move.

“Lucy. Tell me if this sounds familiar,” he said simply.

She nodded as he began to speak.

“Don’t worry, Luce. I’ll be okay. If I could marry you again, I would do it in a heartbeat. I’ll see you in another lifetime, Lucy Heartfilia. I love you,” he quoted.

She stumbled backwards, overwhelmed by the wave of déjà vu.

He chuckled lowly, running a hand through his raven hair.

“To think. Fate brought us together again,” he mused thoughtfully.

“Yeah,” she finally managed. “To think.”

“We were together in all our other lives. You think we could be together in this one?” he asked. His voice held a tint of hopefulness. She offered him a smile. A smile that brought him an overwhelming sense of familiarity as well.

“I think you have a chance.”

* Because she was she and he was he, together before their time. She was his before she knew and he was always hers too. Their fates would be intertwined throughout the ages, and every lifetime after that.

* Done. That took way too long. But I had school. Don’t judge. I still need to do, like, five more prompts and one left for Grayza Week XD Better get to work. Welp, I hope you all liked this chapter! Don’t forget to review/favorite/follow/repost/like/comment/vote! Until next time! SoulHorse, over and out.

#grayluweek #graylu week #fanfiction #fairy tail #gray fullbuster #lucy heartfilia #2016 #day 2 #deja vu

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