Work Text:
When Gray had left his apartment, he’d only meant to go for a short walk.
It was snowing, hard enough he could barely see three feet in front of him, and though the cold didn’t bother him in the slightest, he knew it probably wasn’t safe to stay out for long.
But still he walked, getting further and further away from town until he found himself entering the woods. Briefly, he wondered whether maybe he should turn around. Surely, it would be better to go back home.
It was an empty thought, and he knew it. The yearning he felt was too strong for him to ignore.
He trudged on. By now, it was almost impossible to see anything, but that was alright. He’d walked this path more times than he cared to remember. He could probably get where he was going with his eyes closed if he wanted to.
And yet, he felt lost. Why was he going there? He wasn’t lonely, and he certainly didn’t need shelter. His heart quickened at the first glimpse of the house lights. They shone brightly, like a beacon signaling the end of his journey.
Gray climbed the steps slowly, wanting to give himself a minute to compose himself, but the door flew open and he came face to face with Happy.
“You were right, Natsu,” Happy called over his shoulder, “Gray’s here.”
He stood in the doorway, shocked that Natsu had known he was coming when he hadn’t even realized it at first.
Natsu came out of the kitchen then, a big smile on his face. He wasted no time in grabbing Gray by the arm and pulling him inside.
“Here you go, Ice Princess, something to warm you up,” he said, handing him a mug filled with hot cocoa and closing the door.
But the warmth that flowed through Gray had nothing to do with the cocoa, or even the fire that blazed in the living room. It was as if a spark he’d caught only the barest glances of had suddenly flared into an ache he was helpless to stop.
And he suddenly understood why he was there. His heart had chosen.
He wanted to laugh at how ridiculous this was. They could never hope to work out. He knew that better than anyone. But wasn’t it at least possible?
They’d defied the odds so many times before.
“Oh, I made some popcorn too!” Natsu said, hurrying into the kitchen and coming out with a bowl filled to the brim with a singed mess that only he would call popcorn.
“Are you trying to kill me? In what universe is that considered edible?” Gray complained as he followed Natsu into the living room. He could feel Happy’s gaze on him and he stiffened, fearing the Exceed had figured him out, but for once he seemed content to give him a knowing look.
“Fine, starve then. See if I care.”
They sat on the couch bickering over anything that came to mind while the snow continued to fall, with no sign of letting up. And as silly as it seemed, here, in his rival’s and hopefully new love’s house, Gray felt truly happy for the first time in a long while.