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

♡ Ice Heart ♡

IT'S BEEN SO LONG FOLKS.

This was one of those abandoned ideas in the past when Festive Fun! was still ongoing and I lost all my progress on this particular one-shot and got so pissed that I decided to give it up. 

And yet, because of a recent icy experience and a recollection of festive memories, I present to you... the forgotten one-shot! 

The water woman with cerulean locks all bundled up in her jacket's hood rubbed her gloved hands together and breathed ice-cold air on them. Her cheeks were pink with cold and she could feel the icy chill burn her toes, well buried in a pair of white snow boots that matched the pristine blanket laid on the ground. Her deep sapphire eyes arched upward to glance at the falling snow, whirling around in pretty patterns, flaky bits teasing her as they landed on her face. She shook them off lightly, and resumed her marveling of the entire festival that someone had to help her snap out of her trance.

Namely, someone who had the talent of ice and snow at his fingertips.

A cold light slap landed on her cheek. Chilly fingers caressed her face already burning cold, which made her reel back with shock and conjure up a fountain to sock the enemy in the stomach. Luckily her brain was quicker than her movements, because it occurred to her that her fountain would freeze in a second tops in this cold weather. And also because she really didn't want to hurt the raven-haired male chuckling at her battle stance in the snow.

"Gray-sama!" His name escaped her lips with a stutter due to the cold numbing her mouth. His breath came out in misty wisps that hovered in the air like a lone whisper. Gray approached her slowly, raven bangs hanging over his alabaster forehead, and his dark-set eyes angled down to look at her. "Enjoying yourself?"

She caught herself before she could spit a retort and processed his question. "Very much, thank you." Her eyes surveyed the snow scene before her, a white landscape that stretched out of eye's view. Beautiful, unbelievable ice sculptures stood erect while snowflakes created a magical effect that made the scene seem surreal.

"It's a pity that Gray-sama wasn't permitted to join," she mused at the other guild members down by the sculptures admiring the hugeness and incredulousness of their sizes and shapes. Hopefully with the temperature dropping so low Natsu wouldn't exactly be able to do anything to those majestic figurines. Juvia kept her fingers crossed behind her back.

"We came a little late, and I hadn't planned on joining anyway," he replied, eyes looking out toward the scene she was watching. His dark eyes were more deep-set than ever, considering the two black circles rounding them. Her mind drifted back to two nights ago, when the guild had all returned to the suite they had rented for a good night's rest. Juvia's dorm had been situated to the west of the suite, where all the girls' dorms were, while the guys' were to the east. They all had to share a giant kitchen, a few washing machines, and only twelve bathrooms, which caused a lot of ruckus that led to yet another guild fight, just not in the guild.

When the anger and hullabaloo had died down Juvia had decided to pop down to the kitchen for a drink of hot milk, afraid she would freeze in her bed if she didn't.

Trying to make as little noise as possible as she slid down the stairs, Juvia heard the snores of a dragon-slayer or two and giggled. No one would hear her if they kept up that noise.

She was surprised to see light in the kitchen. Perhaps Master had yet to finish cleaning up that mess, and she steeled herself to help him as soon as she got there. She was even more surprised that the kitchen was spick and span, and that there was no master in sight.

"Looking for a midnight snack?" She jumped at the voice which always made chills go down her spine. Gray sat at the vast dining table, sipping his mug of coffee. Eye bags framed his once-alluring eyes, and Juvia immediately felt sorry for him.

"Are you alright, Gray-sama?" she asked, once she had a steaming cup in her hand as she sat down next to him. Gray seemed more open to her now that she'd made herself more approachable—that is, stopped stalking him—and he could talk easily and freely to her as if she were one of his friends. Juvia hadn't the energy to savor the thought of something that great, but she was comfortable like this. Soon, she knew, the time would come. She just had to grab that opportunity.

"I'm fine, Juvia." He blinked, once, twice, then yawned. "I've been losing a little sleep, that's all."

"Maybe Gray-sama slept too much on the plane? Or jet lag?"

"Juvia, the plane ride was a day ago, and I adapt quickly to colder surroundings. But no worries, I should be getting along well later on."

He had walked her back to her dorm and said good night, but Juvia was the one losing sleep that night. Wondering how her beloved could possibly not fall asleep at the blink of an eye made her anxious. But she was determined anyway to have fun at this festival, where everything around her—ice—was related to him.

Over the days she had seen his dark rings go from purple to black, and his eyes from gray to bloodshot. Now that they were alone she wanted to question him about it, but a single touch jolted her back into reality.

"Come with me," Gray calmly mumbled, clutching her hand in his and tugging her along. "I want to show you something."

He brought her down to where the guild members were and rounded a bend into a forest thick with fir trees. Juvia couldn't see where she was going, thus she tightly held his hand with faith he would lead her along. The snow was getting thicker inch by inch, and at one point she felt like if she were to take another step she'd freeze in time.

And she did.

Frozen she stood, the breath of her lungs all gone in a heartbeat.

A snow covered scene beheld her, but as she looked further she realized it was a familiar one. The tree was one of the rainbow sakura, and light had been set up to make it look like the entire ice tree was emitting a myriad of colors that danced like the Northern Lights. Beneath it was a bench sculptured of ice, and the flakes that fell ever so softly donned shades and hues, catching the light of the disco ball set into the tree.

The sculpture had taken her breath away. She didn't even realize that Gray had led her over to the bench and urged her to sit down.

Once she'd made herself comfortable, she looked up to see him grinning. "I call it 'Summer in Magnolia'," he announced, watching as the snow flakes fell and reaching his tongue out so several caught on it. "Like it?"

"It's so... breathtaking." She had to inhale another breath of cold air before wrapping her arms around herself. "It's... wonderful."

Another pair of arms wrapped around her. Her pink cheeks flushed red when she realized who those arms belonged to. Her hood slipped off her head, and her blue locks swayed in the wind, tangling up in long slender fingers that entwined them playfully.

"I'm happy." Hearing that liberated her. Never had she thought that the ice mage could feel peace after all that had happened to him in the past, and now, hearing it from his own lips that he was content made her heart spring with joy.

"I lost sleep over this." Juvia's eyes widened, and they ogled at him. He laughed. "It's just... today's the day, three years ago... that we attacked Phantom Lord."

"...And?" She still didn't quite get what he was saying.

"And on that day..." He smiled a little, and pulled her in tighter. "... I met you."

Thinking of all the ice magic he possessed, she would've thought him to be cold. But Gray's pulsating heart was very warm, so warm it was melting her to the very core.

This fic was based on China's Harbin Ice Sculpture Festival which took place in Harbin from 1st of January to 5th of January this year. And no, I did not go. More like I went to a negative 5 degree winter wonderland in a theme park. Yup.

Actually meant for Festive Fun!, but since that kind of got discontinued... meh.