your hand feels nice in mine.
requested! -> hii loved your natsu fic! 🤭 i’m glad that fairy tail content is coming back. i wanna request something similar w gray.. maybe it’s a hot day n he helps reader
a/n -> honestly it was not my intention to write for fairy tail today... but writing that natsu drabble was so fun and i can't help it im in a fair tail mood lol. also, for the sake of it, let's pretty juvia hasn't joined the guild yet okay?
pairing -> gray fullbuster x f!reader
it was far too hot.
ridiculously hot.
really, it shouldn't even be humanely possible for it to be this hot. hot enough that you were sweating profusely, it building up on your forehead and leaving you feeling gross and sticky. you were thirsty and your movements felt luggish, as if you might just pass out on the spot.
clearly, the universe had something against you because this was starting to feel like a personal attack.
your eyes flicker to your teammate who seems all too unaffected by the heat; which, yes, to be fair was to be expected. gray was an ice wizard and you knew he ran cold, so obviously this heat wasn't impacting him as much. he looked somewhat warm, you guessed, a small build up of sweat lining his forehead.
but he wasn't dragging his feet and he didn't look flushed or uncomfortable. nothing like you at least.
walking ahead of you, gray looks perfectly fine which, unfortunately, is just irritating you more. how was it fair that he was fine while you were practically dying?
"dumb ice wizard with your stupid ice powers and cooling abilities," you mumble to yourself, grouchy and annoyed.
you just wanted this mission to be over but it was looking like you were going to be stuck on this island for a while longer if the fact that you guys hadn't even found your clients target yet was anything to go by. the rest of team natsu had split up in search of them; natsu and happy with lucy and erza with carla and wendy.
which left you with the stupid, unbothered and cool gray.
truthfully, you're not even sure how you're going to even be able fight the damn target when you do reach them because it was so hot!
"are you okay?"
if he hadn't spoken, you would've ended up walking right into gray. but his voice is enough to snap you out of your own sulking, blinking as you stop and meet his gaze. his words seem genuine and you're sure he is concerned but the damn smirk on his lips just pisses you off more.
"fine," you reply sharply, turning to walk past him.
gray reaches for you before you can, his hand wrapping around your arm and halting your steps as he pulls you back towards him.
regrettably, even if his cold hand feels soothing on your skin.
"what—"
gray just lets out a chuckle, shifting you so you're stood in front of him before pressing his palm against your forehead. whatever you'd been about to say promptly falls silent the second it does. instantly, a cold, gentle breeze flows over you, enveloping your entire body in a cooling sensation that has your tensed muscles relaxing.
"oh."
"feel better?"
glancing up at gray, you blink at him, dazed. "much," you admit, nodding, "your magic feels so nice."
gray flushes slightly at your words, the compliment making his insides feel funny as he coughs, trying to pretend like that hadn't affected him. "w-well, i'm glad. you looked pretty miserable."
as the feeling floods you, you start to gather your bearings, now just realizing how close you were to gray. his hand was raised, pressed against your forehead, but his other hand still rested on your arm and the two of you were very close.
you feel your cheeks warm as you lower your gaze.
"th-thank you, gray." you mumble, feeling oddly embarrassed even though you can't reason why. gray was your friend and all he was doing was helping you, his friend, cool down in this ridiculous heat.
there was nothing to be embarrassed about.
still, that couldn't explain the flush on both of your cheeks.
"here," gray shifts, moving his hand and you have to resist the urge to moan at the loss of his hand. he lets go of your arm and moves to stand beside you. and, before you can dwell on the disappointment much longer, gray's face is burning and he's promptly turning away from you, avoiding your gaze.
your eyes then lower, seeing his hand held out towards you, palm inviting.
"gray?"
"hold my hand," he explains, muffled as he shoves his face into his coat collar (surprisingly still on). "i'll keep you cool."
the realization dawns on you, eyes widening. "o-oh," you mumble, forcing the words out as you glance at his hand once again. "okay."
slowly, hesitantly, you slip your hand into his, gray easing into the touch as he threads his fingers through your own, and squeezes.
true to his word, he lets his magic slowly seep out, cooling you and enveloping you in a consant cool sensation. but the heat refuses to fade from your cheeks, all the same, as the two of you avoid each others gaze.
"sh-should we get going?"
"ye-yeah."
-
"y/n?"
"hm?"
"why are you holding gray's hand?"
you snap your attention to lucy at her question, eyes then snapping to gray who's staring back at you, and then finally down to your intwined hands.
a second later, the two of you are pulling away.
"no-no reason!"
"nothing!"
lucy just blinks at the two of you, quirking a knowing brow.
"you guys sure?"
you send a lucy a half-hearted glare, knowing what she's insinuating, and given that she knew more than anyone else there, you refused to let her try and egg you on. "of course," you say firmly, and lucy just laughs. "it was just... hot. gray cooled me down."
hands on her hips, lucy snorts; "okay, then." then, stepping back, she shrugs. "i was just curious."
she leaves the two of you alone and both you and gray stand there for a moment, silent, not sure what to say.
then, gray speaks up; "i didn't mind, you know?"
"hm?" you mumble, meeting his eyes. he just gestures to his hand and your lips part. "oh. me... me neither. it... felt nice." then, you move to clarify; "and not just because of your magic."
"that's good," gray nods, flustered. "i'm glad."
"yeah."
"...wanna... hold hands again?"
you let out a breath of relief. "yes."
