Dragons and Ice (gray Fullbuster Fanfiction)

Chapter 19

Gray's P.O.V.

I saw how Freed looked at her as she walked out the room. He kept glancing down at her lips as if he was gonna... kiss her. 

I try to throw the image out of my head, but I can't. What if she liked him more than she liked me? What if she doesn't even like me? 

"Acalia are you okay?" Erza asks running over. 

"I'm fine. It was just... Claustrophobia." She says quietly, avoiding meeting Erza's eyes. 

Erza nods, looking at Acalia's face in concern.
"You guys should get packing, everyone's leaving for Ryuzetsu Land at around lunch." She reminds us, walking off towards the master.

I look down to Acalia, her fingers playing with the hem of her shirt.

"Let's go pack up." 

She opens her mouth to answer but a shrill voice comes from behind me.

Fuck no.

"Gray-sama!!" I hear her  voice. 

Acalia raises her eyebrows looking behind me. I turn around to see a blue haired mage running towards us- I mean me.

I quickly throw my arm over Acalia. She looks up at me puzzled. 

"Just... Let the storm pass by." I whisper in her ear as Juvia reaches me.

"Gray-sama! Aren't you going to help me choose my-" Juvia stops mid sentence as she sees my arm over Acalia's shoulders.  Her doe like eyes harden into a cold glare to Acalia's direction. I feel her stiffen beside me. I squeeze her shoulder.

"Who's she?" Juvia sneers, her voice evident with rage. 

"My-" 

"HIS GIRLFRIEND!" I hear Natsu yell from the other side of the guild. Damn those sensitive ears.

"WHAT?! WHAT ABOUT OUR ANNIVERSARY?!" She yells flailing her arms wildly. 

Acalia's eyes widen and she looks up to me with a are-you-fucking-going-to-explain-something-to-me-or-am-I-gonna-have-to-do-it-myself face.

"Okay, one. We don't have an anniversary. Two. Acalia and I are just friends." I explain quickly. 

Acalia's P.O.V. 

 "Okay, one. We don't have an anniversary. Two. Acalia and I are just friends."  

Just friends. 

I've been friend zoned. 

Juvia looks at me with a satisfied smirk. 

"So, what kind of magic do you do?" She asks in a fake friendly voice that I've heard too many times.

"Water and Ice Dragon Slayer." I say simply, getting ready to leave this tea party. 

On Juvia's face is shock, then rage, then... Envy?

"Um... I gotta go." I say pulling away from Gray's light embrace. 

His eyes dart to mine widening. 

"I gotta go buy a swimsuit." I whisper in his ear before running out of the guild. 

~~~

Ahh... Thank god I got out of that conversation. That was the definition of awkward.

I walk down the street to the market place. As I walk down the busy streets, I quickly find a swimsuit boutique. I rush in, trying to get out of the claustrophobic pathway. People pressing down on you, squeezing you. I get anxiety just thinking about it.

A chime rings as I walk into the store. It smells like artificial salt water, what most people would call the "sea". If you've lived there for most of your childhood, you know what the actual sea is. 

"Welcome to Beach house! Would you like any assistance on your size?" A tall leggy brunette comes up and greets me in her skimpy clothes, showing way to much cleavage. 

"I'm fine thanks." I say, walking around the store. 

I've never really worn swim suit. Nor do I really know what one looks like. But I immediately regret walking into this store. It's filled with skimpy bikinis, showing too much skin. 

Behind the display cases are photo's of models wearing small bathing suits, posing in various positions. 

Skin. I can't show much of that. Definitely not. I discreetly lift my shirt, looking into the long, narrow mirrors. My stomach has too many scars of the past. A long slash runs down the side of my waist. Another from my collar bone down my chest. A three clawed mark on the side of my stomach. I pull down my shirt. I don't mind the scars on my legs, they aren't that visible. But the scars on my stomach are the one I'm most self conscious about.

I walk back to the leggy brunette.

"Sorry, do you have any thing that would cover up... your body?" I ask awkwardly.

What the fuck? Anything that would cover up my body? I'm in a fucking bathing suit store. 

"Oh yes, of course! we have a few shawls and body covers, although I won't understand why a pretty young woman like you would want to cover up." She talk rapidly excited, walking me over to the back of the store.

Most people just don't understand.

I don't want to be in skimpy bathing suits showcasing my body for men to enjoy. My body isn't a exhibit or an object. It's my body. It's my soul in a solid form. 

She takes me to the back- Of course the back of the store, and I find a stash of shawls and body wraps. I choose a blue green body wrap. If I'm going near my main land, or main water in this case, I have to wear my colors. I pick up the most modest bathing suit I can find and try it on. It only shows the slash on my collar bone and a bit peaking out from the bottom of the top.

Ah whatever. 

I pay, grab my stuff and rush out of the store, promising myself I wouldn't go back in there ever again. 

As I run blindly down the street I run into a person, falling on my ass.

"Watch it." He hisses, brushing his green hair out of his eyes.

"Freed?" I look up to face and spot his blue eyes. Yup. It's Freed, the kind of creepy, Laxus buddy dude.

"Acalia?" He looks shocked and lends me a hand, helping me up. 

"What are you doing here?" I ask, picking up my shopping bags. 

Freed hand sits on his sword, grasping the hilt slightly. 

"I was running some errands for Laxus."

Huh.

"Well... Uh, I was great seeing you here... I'll see you later." I trail off, taking steps in the other direction. 

"Yeah. I'll see you at the Ryuzetsu Land I guess." Freed says eyeing the store name on the bag and trying to look inside.

Pervert.

I awkwardly ave goodbye and run back to Gray's house. 

Opening the wooden door, the familiar scent of pine welcomes me, reminding me of Gray.

"Acalia?" I hear Gray call my name from the living room.

"Right here ice boy." I mutter, taking my shoes off. 
I run down the hall and into the living room. Gray sits on the sofa, a small brochure in his hands, his eyes skimming over the text.

"Master gave me a timetable on what we're gonna do there." He says handing me the pamphlet.

I look over it, then toss it to the side. What's the fun in life when everything is planned?