Gray sighs, drumming long fingers on the table. A thin coating of ice begins to spread slowly across the wooden surface, belying his state of mind - he rarely, if ever, loses control of his magic unless it's a situation that really has him anxious.
This situation definitely qualifies as one of those.
Gray looks up at the large grandfather clock and sighs again.
Nine-fifteen. Jellal had said he'd be there by eight-thirty.
He looks outside at the sky and feels himself calm a little. There is just something about that vast dark blue expanse that captivates him, draws him in. No wonder that he fell for Jellal, then, what with the older mage's deep-rooted connection to the sky.
And his thoughts are back where they began - a blue-haired mage by the name of Fernandes.
Gray feels his insides clench in fear for his boyfriend. What if Jellal accidentally stabbed himself while tidying his kitchen? What if some dark guild has kidnapped Jellal? Worse, what if Midnight has kidnapped Jellal for more of his 'let's spend some emo time together' bullshit?!
And what if Jellal is cheating on him? After all, it's not like Gray is such a catch, anyway - it's entirely possible that Jellal has lost interest in him. The Heavenly Body mage had already busted out the classic "We need to talk," and brought Gray to this restaurant for a dinner date - which could very well be their last.
The film of ice, once thin, is now growing thicker. Gray flicks his fingers absently, dispelling his magic, and lets out a worried 'tch'.
"Sorry!" comes an apologetic voice, smooth and familiar. The hitch in Gray's chest that he didn't even realise was there eases out magically, and he blows out a puff of breath. "I was, um, doing something."
Gray arches an eyebrow, studying Jellal's rumpled suit and tousled blue locks as the older man slides into the seat opposite him. "...I'll say."
Something is an understatement. If Gray really looks close, it seems like Jellal has been engaged in some sort of strenuous activity - which may or may not involve Midnight's hands in his hair, and that suit coming off.
Gray's lip curls; the signs are all too obvious, point too much towards the fact that Jellal is cheating on him.
"So," he says as calmly as he can - which is a lot, considering Gray deals with the like of Natsu Dragneel and Gajeel Redfox on a daily basis - "what did you want to talk about?"
Jellal goes very red, almost red enough to hide his tattoo. "I - uh, actually - can it wait? Till we order and eat?"
What an asshole. If he is going to break up with Gray, he might as well just do it before they eat, because Gray will inevitably be left with the bill - don't all the heroines in movies end up like that when their cheating boyfriends break up with them over lunch or dinner?
"You're mad at me," Jellal states flatly as they peruse the menu card.
"No, I just feel like knowing the ingredients of a random French duck dish whose name I can't pronounce is way more interesting than talking to you right now." Gray drawls, not bothering to mask the sarcasm in his tone.
Jellal frowns. "I'm sorry I'm late, but you don't have to be so angry. I was doing something important, and I'm gonna tell you about it later. Just... not now, okay?"
Gray huffs and looks away, not willing to respond.
The waiter comes over, and Gray orders pasta, whereas Jellal goes for some strange chicken rice dish. Typical Jellal - experimenting with weird, crazy foods that Gray wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole if you paid him fifteen million Jewel to do it.
"That's so you," Jellal says when their food comes, looking at the pasta alfredo that sits innocently in front of Gray with an expression of weary amusement. "Going with the same stuff, tried and tested. Doesn't it ever get boring?"
Gray can't help but snort and respond, "What about you, Mr. Food Connoisseur Fernandes? Trying every item on the menu that could have come out of a horse's ass for all you care."
"At least it's different." is Jellal's lame reply.
"Pfft. That's all you can come up with?" Gray snickers and sticks his fork into his food.
Jellal stares at his own meal dubiously. "You may have been right. This does look somewhat like it came out of a horse's ass."
Then he shrugs and proceeds to dig in.
Gray stares disbelievingly at his boyfriend, who is blissfully chewing on his food without a care in the world, before realising he is supposed to be mad at Jellal.
They eat in silence, Gray feeling Jellal's gaze on the back of his neck, but not wanting to look up for fear of looking into those chocolate eyes and forgetting his anger. It's all too easy to make him do that when it comes to Jellal Fernandes.
Finally, after what seems like forever, they finish their lunch, and Jellal pushes his plate aside, as does Gray. The dishes are taken away quickly enough, and an awkward silence follows.
"So," Gray says, deciding to get this over with. "What did you wanna talk about?"
Jellal looks nervous. "It would be better if it was outside," he suggests. His hands are behind his back for some reason.
Gray leads the way out of the restaurant impatiently, and when they stop, Jellal clears his throat, blushing fiercely. His tattoo really does disappear this time.
"I - well, you see, it's been amazing. Dating you, and - and I don't think I could have been happier. I don't think I would have been happier. But sometimes-" his voice cracks, and he bends his head.
"It's just not enough?" Gray finishes bitterly.
Jellal looks up, and tears fill those huge brown eyes. "Exactly," he whispers. "Having you, oh, God, it's been so much good for me - more than I ever could have imagined. But dating - it just isn't enough anymore. So - so Gray," - and he pulls out something from behind his back.
Gray stares at the fluffy blue teddy bear, which wears a shirt whose lettering he reads out loud at the same time Jellal speaks.
"Will you BEAR with me for life?"
A ring hangs from the toy's neck, and on closer scrutiny, Gray realises it's made of silver, with a dark blue gem in the middle.
"Oh," he says faintly. "Oh, my God."
And to think he thought Jellal—beautiful, wonderful, sweet, kind Jellal—Jellal who was faithful above all else, would cheat on him.
"I - do you not like it?"
Jellal is looking anxiously at him, and Gray cannot help but seize him by the tie and pull him into a deep kiss.
"Does that answer it?" he asks huskily when they draw apart.
Jellal seems miffed. "No, since you haven't officially said yes," he says.
Gray grins. "Yes, yes, yes. Yes, I'll marry you. A million times, yes!"
To prove his point, he slips the necklace off the bear's neck and slides the ring onto his own hand.
"It's a perfect fit," Jellal says, looking wonderingly at the silvery band that shines on Gray's digits.
"You are my perfect fit," Gray answers, smiling shyly.
And Jellal smashes his lips into Gray's right there under the glimmering night sky, under the stars so like the diamond that gleams on Gray's ring finger, under that velvety blanket of nothingness that means everything to both of them.
For @grayserigala. Thank you so much for the prompt! I had so much fun writing this :DD
