♡ Snowdrops ♥ GrUvia One-Shots (Ice and Water)

♥ Standing In The Dark ♥

Around the busy streets of The Big Apple came a pale youngster with raven tufts of hair sticking up all over the place. Donning a denim jacket and ripped jeans, his sneakers made squeaks as they trudged down the damp pavement just after an twilight shower. Hands in his worn pockets, a signature scowl resided in his hard face as he shifted around for comfort, what with the heavy acoustic guitar he slung around his back.

His sneakers slowed to a halt in front of a glass pane of a cafe, a pub, more like. Gray's dark eyes flickered, shrugging and setting down his case. And then, he saw someone.

It was Juvia Lockser, the Juvia who always followed him around when he was playing in the streets, always wanting to be near him, always wanted to sing a duet along with him. Her voice wasn't even half bad.

And then she had met Gray's distant cousin, Lyon. And she had fallen for him even more than she had fallen for Gray himself.

He didn't even know how they had met. He was just busking in the streets, just his usual hobby when the blunette approached him, in a cream turtleneck and mustard trousers, and asked, "Um... may Juvia do a duet with you?"

He was alright on his own. He could even manage the business his father handed down to him single-handedly, complete with freshly pressed suits and shiny shoes. When he came home from work, which was rather in the early evening, he'd don some casual clothing and make his way into the streets to perform for some extra profit. For fun, mostly. But she was so insistent, so persuasive, that Gray could not help it, but agree to her wishes.

They had sung Lucky by Jason Mraz, and Gray had never been that fruitful in his business. But he was a soloist. He didn't want anyone walking behind him like a puppy. So Gray ditched her.

And now she was with Lyon, right there in that pub he had just stopped in front of. She was no longer that shy, secretive girl he had met that day; she was wearing a LBD that showed off her porcelain legs, her dainty feet in high black boots, and she was rocking her hips on the bar. Lyon stood somewhere near beside her, grinning.

He did not even realize he was staring when their gazes met. Her orbs darkened with some sort of recognition long ago, and fear, even? He did not know. Immediately he swiveled his head away from the window.

Carefully he unzipped the case and brought out his beloved guitar, then edged the guitar away from the sidewalk so it wouldn't block anyone. He was not going to give up the opportunity of playing here; it was a good strategic spot, and also he could watch Juvia. Well, he could be near her, that was all.

His long yet clean fingernails made a single strum reverberate in the square. His eyes clouded with mirth when he noticed heads turn. Of course, no one could recognize him here, in this. He looked somewhat like a scruffy street urchin.

He strummed a few opening notes, his face looking like he was deep in thought, and inhaled.

Sitting here wide awake

Thinking about when I last saw you

I know you're not far away

Close my eyes and I still see you

Lying here next to me

Wearing nothing but a smile

His voice seemed to enchant the audience gathered around him, seemed to overpower the music blasting inside of the bar. He did not even notice them, but as he sang the last line, a small smile made its way onto his face. And at that moment, no one knew how broken he felt.

I gotta leave right away, counting cracks along the pavement

To see you face to face thinking about the conversation