Some Graylu fluff lying in my drafts since March for some reason. A 1.1k word one-shot, rated T for suggestive themes.
"Bull. Shit." Declared Cana bumping his shoulder with hers.
Gray shot her a dirty look from over his drink. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"It's supposed to mean bull. Shit," she enunciated unnecessarily. "Like hell you're in 'touch with your roots,' you can barely speak the language anymore without a Magnolian accent."
'I can speak it just fine,' he defended in his mother tongue, moving to pout into his beer.
'Is that right?,' Cana followed suite. 'I hope you can speak more than one sentence, though.'
Gray was about to make a snide comment, just as Natsu, Happy and Lucy entered the guild.
"Welcome back!" Mira called from the bar.
"Thanks Mira!" Natsu exclaimed, as the group made their way to Gray and Cana's table.
Cana set down her barrel for the first time to greet Lucy. "Whatcha drinking today?"
"Can't," she sighed. "This job paid us just enough for my rent. The rest went in damages."
"Tch, you'd think after a year off in training you'll learn how to destroy a little less," said Gray, rolling his eyes.
"I agree," said Erza, interrupting Natsu's retort. She took a seat next to Cana, facing the fire mage. "You should learn to handle your abilities better, Natsu."
"But Erzaaa," Natsu whined, "you don't even know what happened."
"That is fair. Enlighten me."
Natsu launched into his story and Lucy scooted a little bit to avoid his swinging arms.
Cana rolled her eyes. 'Back to our conversation. Can you do more than one sentence?'
"Huh?" Asked Lucy, while Natsu continued on.
Cana was quick to answer. "I'm getting Gray to speak more in the Northern dialect from his village."
"Oh? Wait, you're from the north too, Cana?"
"Mom was, yes. But you carry on, I'm not done testing stripper-boy here."
Lucy simply laughed and turned back towards Natsu.
Gray had yet to take his eyes off of her.
"What?" Gray exclaimed, gaining everyone's attention.
He mumbled an apology, not meeting anyone's eyes. Natsu replied with an insult before carrying on.
'What was that for?' he hissed.
Cana smirked. 'Calm down, lover-boy. Short of actual poetry, it's the perfect proof of your language skills. Plus, impress me and you'll win browny points with Her Best Friend and you know that'll come in handy.'
Gray thought over it, before sneaking a quick look at Lucy. She seemed suffiently preoccupied (though not too convinced) by Natsu's story.
It definitely was tempting. He'd be talking about her while she was right there. The liquid courage coursing through his veins also seemed to agree that it'd be a fun thing to try.
Gray took a breath and casually turned around in his seat. He rested his elbows on the table and looked out towards the bar. His body language was as causal as he could manage, considering everything.
'Can't even say the name, can ya?' Cana teased.
'This is crazy enough without me actually spelling it out for her, even with the language barrier,' he grit out.
Cana laughed some more at his expense, waving dismissively when she received questioning looks from the others at the table.
'Fair enough. But who's amazing?'
'Do I? Is it the armoured one? Or the water woman. Don't tell me it's the fire guy!' she prodded, careful to not use any name.
Taking a cue from her, Gray clarified. 'The one of the stars.'
'Ohhh, so poetic! Care to tell me more about her?'
Low-key excited at the prospect of safely expressing his thoughts, Gray thought out his words through all the alcohol. He didn't even need to look at her to describe her.
'She really is amazing. She's brave and strong and so talented? And she's got so much love and respect almost everyone, I feel like I've actually become nicer just by being around her.'
Cana hummed her agreement, mid-swig.
'And she gets me. She knows when to give me my space and reads my moods so easily. Talking to her is super easy. I can really be myself around her, you know.'
'I'm surprised you have mentioned her smile or hair or bod.'
Gray turned a bit pink. 'Yeah sure, that's definitely there. She's gorgeous through and through.'
'Uh-oh. M'boy, this sounds way more serious than a crush,' she teased.
Gray paused for a moment. 'It definitely is,' he confessed, the truth of that fact hitting him yet again. His drink lay long forgotten.
'Then do something about it! Ask her out of something.'
'What, no! We're definitely not in that kinda space and I like what we have now.' He ran a palm over his face.
'Just try for more, why don't you?'
'What? Just tell her I want to hold her hand and share cuddles and also want her make her scream my name? Yeah, I can definitely see that going well, Cana.'
'Um, maybe not those exact words?'
Gray froze. For the first time in years his blood turned cold. He snuck a glance at Cana.
Oh, and it was downright evil.
Breathing in short bursts, he slowly turned around, towards the person who has just spoken.
'H-how?' he managed through his stupor.
'One of the languages I was instructed in back at the Manor,' Lucy said, softly.
Gray felt all his strength leave him as he dropped his head loudly on the table.
Cana, having decided that she had inflicted enough trouble, picked up her barrel. She managed to usher some very confused teammates away from the blushing pair.
'When did you start paying attention?' he groaned into the wooden table. He didn't trust his guild members to not eavesdrop, despite putting some distance, so stuck to the now cursed dialect.
'Something about "she" being cute?'
She was actually teasing him.
The earth could have swallowed Gray just then and he would only have been grateful. 'So, basically, everything?'
He didn't dare raise his head, but knew she was nodding.
A few gruelling moments later, he felt her poke at his arm.
"I was, um, planning to go on another mission. For rent money. Care to join me?" She switched back blushing even as she teased him, 'I'd love to hear more about this star-woman you spoke of.'
Gray peeked at her through his eyelashes. She was as red as he definitely was, but there was no disgust. Or hostility.
"Sure, I'm game," he feigned nonchalance, gaining the courage to sit up straight.
Lucy smiled (whoops, his heart), before getting up to examine the quest board. He followed, still very much in quiet but joyous disbelief. They selected a mission, logged it with a suspiciously starry-eyed Mira and stepped out of the guild.
They agreed to meet up at the station. But not before Lucy stood on her toes and planted a soft kiss on Gray's cheek.
It was an excuse, he realised, to whisper in his ear: 'I wonder how your name tastes on my tongue.'
Gray watched her wink and saunter off, unsure if his heart would ever recover.
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