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grayzaweek · 6 years ago

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Day 3: Rain

“You really like the rain, don’t you?”

Gray chuckled. The skies had opened up liberally, gracing the scotched earth with torrential rain. Nature wasn’t being shy on the usual accompaniments either, with gales blowing hard, lightning crackling every few seconds and the deafening rumble of thunder. Dark clouds had hung over Magnolia since dawn, so Gray wasn’t surprised at this afternoon squall.

“I was used to the cold, you know. Having trained in snow and all. Fiore summers in contrast almost melted me.” He shrugged. “So whenever it rained, I’d get out, half naked as I was, and just kinda run around in it.”

“I remember,” Erza said, smiling. “You never caught a cold, so I did not have to punish you. Now are you sure you do not want to come under my umbrella?”

She’d magicked up an umbrella as soon as the first drops started falling. Gray grimaced and shook his head as she offered him shelter again. He dug his hands into his pockets, closed his eyes and turned his face skywards.

“No thanks. Umbrellas are for losers.”

“Are you calling me a loser?”

“A loser? You? Perish the thought.”

The water was cold as ice, and the feeling of it running down his skin was one that pleased Gray to no end. His clothes were completely soaked and stuck to his body, which was something he didn’t realise he’d missed. It’d been a while since he’d gotten caught in the rain. He’d forgotten just how fun it could be.

“I like the rain, too,” Erza said and he turned to look at her. “Growing up… I never had the opportunity to play in it, but I would sit by a window and watch it.” She reached out to catch a few drops and brought them close to her face, smiling. “After I came here, I was always too busy with training and work. Besides, I was too old to be frolicking in the rain at that time.”

Gray hummed as he slicked his hair back. Though it was only 3 o’ clock in the afternoon, the pouring rain and the chilly gusts of wind had nigh de-peopled the streets. They’d been on their way home after returning from a quest when the weather had turned. After being away a week, being greeted by rain was a pleasant thing.

The gutters running beside the pavements were flowing like small brooks, wending their way down streets and overflowing the bounds. A small depression in the pavement had collected some water, forming a puddle, and Gray smiled.

“So you’ve never splashed in a puddle?”

“No.”

“Here’s your chance, then.”

“What?”

So Gray pushed Erza, who, with a muffled squeak, stepped right on the puddle, causing a mighty splash. She rounded on him, frowning, as if asking for an explanation. And Gray provided one by jumping in, splashing water all over her.

“Gray!” she protested indignantly. “What are you doing?”

But by then, Gray had gone giddy and did not care what the world thought. So he latched on to a nearby lamppost and swung around it, grinning widely as he came to a halt before Erza.

“I’m dancin’ in the rain,” he sang, and spun on the ball of his right foot, showering her further with stray water from his drenched clothes. She was not impressed.

“Gray-”

“Let the umbrella go, Erza.”

“What?”

He stepped closer and came under the umbrella. She looked up at him and tilted her head.

“Let it go, Erza,” Gray said quietly and covered her hand which held the umbrella. “Just let it all go.”

“And do what?”

“Enjoy the rain.” He smiled. “You’re never too old.”

She stared at him a moment and sighed. “If I get sick, I’ll blame you.”

“Mais oui, mademoiselle.”

“Don’t get cute with me.”

“Perish the thought.”

She still seemed uncertain when she sent the umbrella away to her closet.

“Now what?” Erza asked and crossed her hands over her chest. “We just stand here and get wet?”

“Where would be the fun in that?” Gray asked with a smirk. Before Erza could get a word in, he grabbed her wrist and twirled her, surprising her into a laugh, before pulling her to him. He placed a hand on her waist and tangoed cheek-to-cheek with her down the footpath, Erza now howling with laughter with every step.

With another twirl, Gray tugged her arms and placed his hands on her stomach and lifted her off her feet and spun her around before letting her down. Erza wrapped her arms around his neck and laughed into his chest. She was wetter than the crows perched on the lampposts, watching their antics.

“That was fun,” she told him and looked up, eyes twinkling. “I really enjoyed that.”

Gray smiled, watching the water droplets run down her face and neck. He leant in and pecked her forehead. Then her eyelids, the tip of her nose and her chin.

“I’m glad,” he whispered. “Now let’s get you home and out of those clothes before you catch a cold.”

She hummed and placed her head on his shoulder. Gray put an arm around her waist and walked her home, where the wet clothes were hastily shed and thrown into the laundry basket before she led him into the shower.

The rain didn’t let up all day, and only grew more torrential as evening approached. From his bed, Gray watched the heavy droplets collide against the window panes as lightning lit up the background. A depression, the weather reports said. The rain was there to stay.

Erza, who lay bundled in his arms, gently kissed his throat.

“Hey,” she said. “Never thought I would have to treat the rain as competition for your attention. What were you thinking about?”

He smiled and snuggled in closer. “Y’know. Stuff.”

“Important?”

“Not really. I loved watching storms when I was a kid. I’d count the seconds between the lightning and the thunder and figure out how far away it fell.”

“Lightning used to strike the Tower all the time during storms. I suppose they had ways to gather energy from it.”

“Did it ever scare you? The lightning?”

Erza shook her head. “Other things scared me more.”

Sighing out of his nose, Gray cupped her face and kissed her lips gently. She held his wrists and smiled into the kiss. The weather made it incredibly satisfying to just curl up under the sheets and be naughty together.

“I used to watch the light and figure out what kind of lightning it was, too.”

“Oh? Show me.”

And he did. Erza was a fast leaner, especially when she got kisses as a reward for saying the correct names.

“Bolt lightning.”

“Correct,” Gray muttered against her lips.

She chuckled. “And that’s sheet lightn-mmmm.”

It was a mutually rewarding learning process. A better memory associated with lightning for the both of them. Gray congratulated himself for having come up with it.

When it came time for dinner, Gray insisted they eat on the bed, but Erza was having none of that. Halfway through the meal, a vicious crack of lightning shook the very earth, and the lights went out almost immediately.

“This brings back memories,” Gray commented as Erza brought forth candles and a box of matches from her storage realm. “Candlelit dinner for free. Best day ever.”

“Power outages are uncommon these days, aren’t they?” Erza wondered as she lit the candles, illuminating the dining table. “I remember when it used to go for a few hours every other day.”

“You and me both. Don’t worry, though. It’ll be back soon.”

Except it didn’t. Darkness reigned supreme, with the rain dwindling to a drizzle. Gray had no doubt it’d swell again, but he took the chance to go outside and see whether the gutters had overflown.

They had.

“Erza!” he called excitedly as he went back inside. “The drains are like full-on rivers now! We can totally sail ships in them!”

Erza, who was gathering up the dishes, gave him a long look. “What?”

“You know. Paper boats.”

“Ohh. I would love to, but I don’t know how to make them.”

“I can show you. C’mon it’ll be fun.”

It didn’t take long to convince her, and it took even less time for Erza to figure out how to do it. She went all out, too, and drew windows and anchors on her boat. She nodded to herself after she’d finished. It was the most adorable thing Gray had seen her do that week.

“What did you name yours?” she asked him as they went out. Gray blinked at her.

“I didn’t. Why would I? It’s a paper boat.”

“It still needs a name before it can sail. Bad luck otherwise.”

“Seriously?”

“Yes.”

Gray shook his head, chuckling. “All right, then.” He held up the boat. “I hereby name you Princess Consuela Banana Hammock.” He glanced at Erza. “How ‘bout that?”

“Your boat is going to hate you forever with a name like that.”

“Yeah, yeah. What about you? What’d you name yours?”

“Grayza.”

“Ehh?”

“I just combined our names, Gray.”

Why. Why are you so adorable?! I can’t handle this!!

Gray cleared his throat. “Works for me.”

After setting their boats on the water, Gray and Erza stood and watched as the current took both boats downstream at a breakneck pace. She wrapped her arms around his torso and placed her head on his shoulder.

“The ship,” she said quietly. “It sails.”

“Yeah.” Gray put his arm around her shoulders and kissed her temple. “Yeah, it does.”

Hopefully, he thought, with a strong enough current, it would keep on sailing forever.

Thank goodness for rainy days.

#born-potty #grayza #grayzaweek #grayzaweek2018 #grayza week #submission #fanfiction #day 3: rain #day 3

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grayzaweek · 6 years ago

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Rain

Erza wasn’t often one to openly deny the company of other people, especially after she had learned to open her heart to allow the comfort of her friends inside, but this was a day where she decided she needed a bit of time alone. She needed some space to think over the past and decide if she was happy with the way her life was progressing into the future.

She supposed that was why she found herself outdoors and by the river. Since arriving at the guild during childhood, it had become her place to think. The reflection of the water also made reflection of the self somehow easier.

A still body was also helpful to a still mind, though she also noted to herself that remaining still made one more susceptible to being sneaked up on. It had happened to her a couple times at this spot… always by the same person…

Gray was a person she trusted with her life. There were many people like that here at the Guild, each of which had earned her friendship, trust, and respect. But he somehow managed to find her precisely when she didn’t necessarily want it, but needed it. He also managed to make her feel better, even if she had abandoned company to think about rather unpleasant things…

Jellal had become a topic of much thought for her within the past few days. After his rejection and his pushing her away, Erza attempted to convince herself that perhaps it was better that he had done so. They had known each other as children, and much had changed in their lives. They both had wounds to heal from, to learn from. But there was a chance that growing—that changing in any way could affect how compatible they were with one another. But Erza still wanted to love him, despite the looming idea that doing so would require that she remain stagnant, unchanging for his sake. Deep down, she knew that such a thing would end terribly for both of them.

Jellal felt he needed to atone. Erza saw no need. Jellal would refuse her to punish himself. Erza saw the action as hurting her as well. Just how much would he sacrifice—who would he sacrifice in order to feel redemption? She felt time would help to heal his wounds, but what would he forsake in the process? How long would he hold himself back?

And would he ever truly be able to embrace forgiveness long enough to realize who would be willing to support him?

Erza had thought he would. She had truly and deeply believed that he would, though his heart remained closed to her, closed to the world, and she began to wonder why it was that she had set so much of herself aside for him. She wondered how much of herself she was willing to sacrifice to the scars of his past, big and heavy as they were. She wondered whether or not he would be able to love in a romantic capacity and if she were willing to sacrifice the opportunity to grow and nurture herself for the chance that, in time, he would.

The sudden turn in their relationship had been the topic of thought for the longest time, and she had devoted many a quiet night to deep contemplation of the subject during the Grand Magic Games.

But one night, she had been joined. She had been joined by her friend and partner, who somehow already knew that she was not her usual self. He had claimed a need for fresh air, but she had known. Of course she had. He might have been tired of Juvia’s persistence and Leon’s banter, but he had also come to check on her. She knew it by the way he insisted on getting an answer from her.

She had told him she was all right. Because she had thought that her situation with Jellal had been on the mend. She had thought that, perhaps, she was just willing to sacrifice whatever was necessary to wait for him. But then, her own advice returned to haunt her.

“She deserves a straight answer.”

Gray had looked rather petulant at that, but she knew he had taken her words in. Possibly because of the truth that rang within them. Any person who cared deeply for another, any person who hoped to enter into a meaningful romantic relationship with another person, deserved a straight answer. Were she and Juvia so different that Juvia deserved a straight answer and Erza had to bend over backwards to scramble at scattered hopes? Even after Jellal’s actions and words had stated quite clearly that he was not interested in having a romantic relationship?

Erza stopped beside the river, gazing at the water that seemed so still. She, however, knew how quickly it moved from stone to stone, how everchanging it was beneath the surface. If she were to throw a stone into the water, it would ripple and there would be an effect, but then the current would wash the change downstream. It would not dwell, but instead continue to change. Perhaps humans were meant to be the same way.

Perhaps she deserved a straight answer just as much as Juvia did.

The realization came with a wave of pain. It also came with recognition of the fact that she had been putting herself on hold for a man who did not see a future with her, a feat she could do no longer. Her heart, which she had worked so hard to protect, ached terribly. Realizing that Jellal’s rejection should mean a well-and-true rejection instead of some romantic plea to see past his hardened exterior and into a heart that ached to love her gutted her, but she could and would kid herself no longer.

At first, she believed that the wetness on her skin came only from the tears streaming down her cheeks, the raw ache that came with having to face and embrace a painful reality. Then, gradually, she realized that her clothes had become soaked. Her ears opened to the multitude of sounds that were all around her. The soft thuds of water hitting dirt beside her, the splashes that came with water hitting its own kind. She became aware of the petrichor around her, giving her something truly fresh to enjoy. Her skin relished in the renewed feeling of water hitting it, making rivulets and carrying a small portion of her anguish away and into the ground.

It was rain. And it was entirely welcome.

There was something cleansing about the rain, something healing. The fact that it came just after she’d made her decision only helped her to solidify her course of action. She would treat Jellal’s rejection as a true rejection and attempt to move on with her life. She knew she would not be alone in this endeavor as she knew her friends would support her. She would not stop her friendship with Jellal, of course not, but she would no longer keep her own life on hold in order to anticipate what he would need in a romantic partner. She would live life on her own terms.

“You know, if I’d known you were out here, I would have brought an umbrella.”

Erza turned around to see a figure standing on the trail to her left, facing the direction she had just come from. And looking just as drenched. “Gray. What are you doing out in this weather?”

“Needed to go for a walk,” answered he. “Clear my head. You?”

“Roughly the same.” Now, with her issue sorted, she felt no need to deliberately avoid company. However, she wondered if perhaps Gray needed some time alone as she had. Though perhaps he would not have called out to her if he did. “Are you headed to the guild?”

“No.” Gray’s answer came quickly, but he coughed to seemingly cover his haste to answer the question. “No… I’m just…just taking a walk.”

“I see,” said Erza. She briefly surveyed her surroundings to decide which was the best way for her to get home. Cleansing and beautiful as rain was, wet clothes were not something to be worn for too long. She turned to Gray. “I’d advise you not to stay out in this weather for too long without an umbrella. You could catch a cold.”

Gray nodded in her direction and she took that as his farewell. She made quick work of the slight hill to the path so she could begin her trek home when she was halted.

“Erza, wait.” She turned to find Gray looking at her, a frown on his face as he seemed to search for the words he wanted to say. “I just…wanted to say thanks.”

Confusion beset the young woman. “Thanks? What for?”

“You gave me some solid advice during the games,” said Gray. “I know you said you had no right to give lectures, but that one helped me out. So, thanks.”

“I see. Then you and Juvia are…?”

“Huh? No, no… I told her I’m not interested in her in that way.” Gray shifted from one foot to the other and looked away. Erza could only assume that this development had happened recently, as she had believed that there was nothing wrong with the two the last time she saw them in the hall a few hours ago. “I still want to be friends with her, but it’ll take time. I think she’ll be glad that I was so direct with her later on, but it’s…going to be rough for a while.”

“I understand,” said Erza. And she did. “I’m in a similar position myself. I plan on taking a few quests to gain some distance from my own situation and begin to heal. If you would like, you’re welcome to join me provided that you don’t catch a cold.”

Gray’s head snapped back towards Erza, confusion evident in his features. “Wait, I thought that you and Jellal…?”

“No,” stated Erza, as much as the truth still stung to admit. “I intend to remain single for a long while. Whatever the future holds for me, I hope to be ready for it. I cannot spend my time waiting for a direct answer to change.”

While she knew she had only told Gray a part of the situation, it seemed enough for him to understand where she was coming from. Perhaps the nature of her advice and the comments she had made about being in a similar position had been all the information he had needed. His confusion melted away from his expression, leaving behind a sense of compassion and comradery.

“Makes sense,” he said. “Then I’ll see you at the guild tomorrow?”

Perhaps there would be pain tonight. Perhaps there would be pain for a week, a month, perhaps longer. Perhaps getting over her love wouldn’t be as easy as she was making it out to be, but with a lot of effort and the goal of improving herself in mind, time would tell whether or not the choices she made in the rain was a good one.

For now, however, she nodded at her friend with a determined smile.

“Tomorrow, then.”

#amynchan #grayza #grayzaweek #grayzaweek2018 #grayza week #fanfiction #submission #day 3: rain #day 3

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