Chapter Text
Gray had just turned one year old when his parents, Mika and Silver, discovered they were pregnant with their second child. Though the pair grew to be excited about the new addition to their family, it wasn't exactly in their future plans to have another kid so soon. So, while financially, they were doing well, postpartum depression took its toll on Mika, ultimately leaving the pair feeling very anxious.
As months passed and Mika grew further in her pregnancy, they learned their little bundle of joy would be a baby girl. Like Gray, the young parents fell utterly in love with their daughter as they prepared for her arrival. They discussed many names until they finally agreed on the perfect one, Meredy.
When Meredy was finally born, Mika didn't fall back into the same depression as she did with Gray. Not because she loved her daughter more but because having Gray taught her valuable lessons that allowed her to be easier on herself when it came to parenting.
However, while her postpartum depression didn't return, having a newborn and toddler was not the easiest task, leaving Silver and her pulling at their hair. One of the biggest reasons was that Meredy was completely different from Gray, who cried every second of the day unless he was held by one of his parents. No, Meredy was a quiet baby who seemed like a blessing at first until they noticed small things she did, like never calming down to the sound of music or her parent's voice.
As days passed, things didn't seem to change, and while Gray was gooing and cooing by his first weeks, Meredy made no signs of acknowledging her parents. No matter how many times they called out to her, they could never seem to grab her attention.
After bringing this up with the Doctor at a routine check-up, they began screening Meredy for her hearing, leading to more tests and more screens until they finally determined she was deaf.
Silver and Mika were devastated, not because they were ashamed of their daughter but because they knew this would cause her barriers in life that would make it hard for her to overcome.
Both parents quickly enrolled in classes to learn sign language and began to teach their kids. Luckily due to how close they had them, Gray was still very young, which meant his brain was like a sponge, and he learned to talk to his sister relatively quickly. By the time Meredy turned five, everyone in the household was fluent, and even when talking amongst themselves, they continued to use sign language while speaking verbally out of habit.
Eventually, Meredy was fitted for a hearing aid which didn't cure her disability and only helped her hear some muffled conversations and noises around her, but after confining to her family that they often left her feeling more overwhelmed than anything, they never forced her to wear them unless she wanted to. Meredy had phases where she wore them off and on, she was able to speak with her family, but it was difficult to understand her fully, so sign language was always used. As she got older, she became easier to understand but still not the best.
When it came to education, the two kids went to separate schools due to their different educational programs since Meredy needed more help than an average student required. Though it scared the parents greatly to have their kids apart, it worked out for the better as Meredy was able to meet others her age that like her and not grow so dependent on her brother. She developed her own friends and lovely personality that demolished any fears and worries her parents had for her.
Now at the ripe age of 20, Meredy was no different than any other girl her age besides the apparent fact that her hearing was impaired. She graduated with full marks and moved on to attend the same University as her brother.
"Can one of my friends come over this weekend?" Meredy signed from her spot at the dinner table.
"You have friends?" The now 21-going-on 22-year-old Gray replied with a teasing smirk.
His sister, who used her newly found adult freedom to dye her hair bright pink, stuck her tongue out and threw her crumbled paper towel at him.
"It was a joke; calm down." Gray rolled his eyes humorously.
"Don't be mean to your sister, Gray." Mika signed and spoke as she laughed at her children's childish bickering before focusing on her daughter.
"That's fine; you know you don't have to ask. Is it a new friend?"
"Is it a boy?" Silver asked in fear; the thought of his daughter dating sent chills down his spine. Gray laughed, knowing his sister didn't have a fondness for the male species.
"Ew, no, but yes, it's a new friend, a girl." Meredy quickly replied before returning her attention back to her dinner.
"A friend?" Gray teased, forming a checkmark with his hands and holding it to his chin.
Meredy blushed but shook her head rapidly. "A friend." She clarified by locking her index fingers together.
When Saturday rolled around, Silver and Mika decided to spend their day running errands and catching up with old friends, letting their kids enjoy the house to themselves.
Gray was working tirelessly on his latest sculpture, scraping away any excess clay to form a smooth base, when he heard the doorbell sound. Knowing it was probably Meredy's friend, he made no effort to check the door since Meredy could see a live feed from her phone when anyone rang the doorbell.
It wasn't until it rang a second time, followed by a third time did Gray stomp over to his sister's room to let her know her friend was here, but in a very Meredy-like manner, his sister was knocked out in her bed, asleep, with droll rolling down her cheek.
When the doorbell rang a fourth time, Gray found himself running downstairs, ready to apologize to his sister's friend for Meredy's inconsiderate behavior, until he opened the door and felt himself freeze. He didn't know how long he was staring until she began to look around self-consciously, checking the house number once more. He could see the nervousness in her eyes as she raised her hands to speak.
"Is this the Fullbuster residence?"
Gray took notice of how fluidly her hands moved, almost like her slim fingers were dancing in the air. Her hair was an unusual shade of cerulean blue that oddly suited her well, and her skin was as pale as a cloud-filled sky.
"Yeah, yeah, I–uh, yes," Gray spoke, flustered as he got lost in her eyes that stared into his, but it wasn't until she started to look confused did he realize his mistake.
"Yes, Meredy is here." Gray quickly signed, embarrassed, while opening the door wider, inviting her to come in.
He could physically see her shoulders drop as all the stress left her body once she saw him use sign language.
"I'm Gray, by the way."
His cheeks blushed furiously when she chuckled softly, holding her hand over her mouth to cover her smile before jokingly replying, "Ah, Meredy has told me a lot about you."
"Nothing bad, I hope?"
"More or less." She teased, walking into the house. "I'm Juvia."
"It's nice to meet you, Juvia" Gray didn't know why he felt so shy, he had never been so clumsy or flustered when meeting Meredy's other friends, but then again, none of them had ever been as breathtaking as Juvia. He could feel the shells of his ears burn red just from looking at her, and he was grateful that his hair was long enough to cover them.
His mind screamed at him to say anything to continue the conversation or to at least make her feel comfortable, but his hand seemed paralyzed at his side. Eventually, after seconds of the pair staring at each other awkwardly, Juvia pointed towards the stairs. "So, is Meredy upstairs?"
After forgetting just why she was here, Gray mentally slapped himself for not bringing her to Meredy faster. "Yeah, just follow me."
Walking up the stairs, Gray took his time going up each step as he noticed Juvia slowing down to look at the picture frames hanging up the wall. She giggled at a few, some of Meredy, some of him, and Gray felt warm at the sounds she produced; the soothing melody showed proof of her contentment as she continued to the second floor. He wondered how much she could hear? Was she like Meredy, who could make out bangs and muffled sounds, or was she oblivious to the noise around her? If it was the latter, Gray felt pity that she would never know the sweet and tender laugh she seemed to carry.
Right before they reached the final step, Juvia paused completely as she looked at the family portrait. It was obvious the siblings were in their high school years, but besides that, not much had changed besides Gray looking softer around the edges and Meredy's hair was as black as her family's.
"Pink looks better on her," Juvia concluded, knowing her friend felt more like herself than ever when she finally got her hair done. It wasn't just about the shade complimenting her well, but her newfound confidence brought a whole other level of beauty out of her.
"I feel like I've gotten so used to the pink hair that thinking about her any other way just feels wrong. My mom nearly had a heart attack when she first saw her, but she got over it." Gray signed dramatically, causing Juvia to laugh. There it was again. That sweet melody.
"What about you? How did your parents react to your hair?" He questioned, trying to keep the conversation going, but he noticed the way her smile dropped for a second, maybe even just a millisecond before she just shook her head.
"It's just hair, no big deal. I've been dyeing it since the start of high school."
Before he could reply, the sound of a bedroom door opening caught his attention, and his sister ran out of the room with a stressed expression, no doubt thinking her friend was still on the front porch waiting for her. The left side of her pink waves were matted to her face while her eyes were still puffy from just waking up.
Seeing Gray's attention was directed elsewhere, Juvia followed his line of sight to where her friend was standing.
"You look like you were hit by a bus."
"You're such an ass." Meredy snapped back, grabbing Juvia's hand and pulling her into her room.
Juvia quickly looked back and waved at the raven-haired boy before her friend slammed the door shut, ending their brief meeting. Gray remained in his spot, his hand still in the air from waving 'bye' as he continued thinking about his sister's friend.
"Bye, Juvia." Her name came out of his mouth as a whisper, soon lost in the air of the silent house.
After that day, Juvia started coming around the house more often and even had the pleasure of meeting Mika and Silver. The two parents instantly greeted the girl with open arms, thanking her for becoming a crucial part of their daughter's life, to which Juvia thanked them back, saying Meredy is also someone important in her life.
Of course, the parents and Meredy weren't the only Fullbusters happy to have Juvia around. In fact, Gray seemed to linger in the living areas whenever Juvia came over. The boy who always skipped meals or movie night when it was just the four appeared to be all for it when Juvia was there.
Meredy often rolled her eyes at her brother's advances that not even he was aware he was making, which was no better than her best friend's cluelessness.
Juvia liked being around the Fullbuster family because they didn't walk on eggshells around her. Since their daughter had the same impairment, they didn't treat her like damaged goods like other adults. But what Juvia especially liked was how Gray treated her.
She knew it was only out of a place of kindness since she was his sister's best friend, but nevertheless, he took the time to get to know her and talk to her.
Different from the Fullbusters, Juvia didn't grow up with resources and going to school specifically for kids like her. Meredy and Juvia met by chance after volunteering for the same community center for young deaf students. She wanted to give back to her community and support kids who had even less than she did. Juvia knew firsthand how cruel kids and adults could be to someone like them.
Of course, Juvia has had friends through the years, but none quite like the Fullbusters and certainly none like Gray, who was fully able, yet was always so patient with his sister and her. She could see it on his face sometimes when he was tired, his mind constantly running as he spoke to his parents, but he always made sure to use sign language, even with the simplest of comments, to make sure the girls were included. Or when he almost got into a physical altercation when the three of them decided to take a trip to the store for some snacks, splitting up briefly to get what they each wanted.
Since Juvia was still new to the area the family lived in, she wasn't familiar with the store's layout. So after searching hopelessly, she decided to give up and try to ask a staff member for help, which consisted of her pointing to her ear and making an 'x' with her finger before showing them her phone for what she was looking for.
After a few minutes of having difficulty explaining what she wanted, Juvia felt an arm toss loosen around her shoulder while a familiar woodsy smell engulfed her senses.
"What do you want?" Gray lazily signed to her with his free hand.
Juvia couldn't stop her heart from racing as she fought to control the blush heating up her whole body. The way she fit into his side perfectly made her feel like a piece of a puzzle meant only for him, and because of that, she felt special, so much so that she made no effort to move from his grasp.
"These sweet potato snacks," Juvia explained, showing Gray the screen.
"Do you have these chips?" Gray asked the employee.
"For the thousandth time, no. I've been trying to tell her, but she wouldn't listen." The worker replied back, annoyed.
The corner of Gray's lip twitched as he took a deep breath to overcome his anger. He never had the patience for those who lacked common courtesy or simple human decency. "Well, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand she can't hear you. Using hand motions like a simple 'X' works just fine."
"Or maybe next time, don't leave a deaf idiot on their own; it's annoying for everyone else."
It took little for Juvia to guess what the employee said, using basic context clues and the disgusted reaction of the nearby shoppers. She wished she could say it didn't bother her. That she was used to a few mean words from strangers, and it meant nothing to her, but that wasn't true. Being disrespected based on something out of her control never got easier. However, at that moment, she wasn't worried about that; instead, she was more concerned about the man beside her.
"What the fuck did you just say?" Gray snapped, taking his arm away from Juvia and stepping towards the man.
Knowing that he fucked up, the employee decided to walk away before the scene got any worse but Gray had other ideas. He lunged for the man, prepared to hit the living shit out of them, until Juvia grabbed the crook of his arm, shaking her head firmly.
"Let's go." Juvia signed with worried eyes.
"No, he can't just get off after saying shit like that." Gray snapped back.
"It's an asshole being an asshole. He's not the first and certainly won't be the last, so please, let's just find Meredy and go." Juvia motioned with no room to debate.
The raven-haired man tsk through his teeth and ran his hand through his hair to calm himself. Juvia was right, men like him were a dime a dozen, but that didn't make him want to beat his ass any less.
"If it weren't for her, you'd be eating dirt right now.' Gray growled at the man before turning around, his arm still in Juvia's grasp.
Since that day, the pair felt more comfortable around each other. Juvia knew she never had to worry about people being rude when Gray was around, and Gray made damn sure, Juvia felt secure everywhere she went.
With Juvia being a year older than Meredy, the age gap between her and Gray was only around nine months; she found it easy to relate to both siblings and being over never felt like a drag. However, things were different when Gray's friends came over.
As lovely as they were, they didn't know sign language, not that Juvia blamed them. The deaf community in Magnolia was low compared to the rest of the population, and it wasn't exactly a priority for most people to learn. His friend picked up on a few things, like asking, "how was your day" but of course, Juvia never strayed from the simple "good" response since anything beyond that would just be waving hand motions to them. It was easier for Meredy since she could put on her hearing aid if she really wanted to engage with them, which was pretty often because, again, they were great people. Juvia couldn't help but be excluded; however, she never said anything. She didn't want to ask Meredy and Gray to translate everything for her because she couldn't hear, but it was hard trying to keep up with lip reading because of how fast everyone talked with each other.
But when Gray was with them, Juvia just couldn't help but feel like his deaf sister's friend. She'd also give an excuse, change it up from time to time on why she needed to leave. It was hard enough watching from the sidelines, but something about seeing Gray talk with others and have a real conversation caused a familiar feeling to build up in her chest that she knew all too well. To know the voice of her friends, to talk to them like a 'normal' person and say their name was something she was never going to experience.
Of all their friends, Juvia felt the most insecure after seeing the blond girl Lucy interact with Meredy and Gray. She was the best at picking up the basics of sign language; even though it wasn't much, she could converse longer than two phrases with the girls. On top of that, she could talk to Gray 'regularly.' Something Juvia could never do.
Juvia sighed and stood up from her spot on the loveseat when Meredy waved her hand from across the room, grabbing everyone's attention.
"Where are you going?"
"To get some water?" Juvia signed back quickly, wanting to get the attention off her.
"Wait, I'll come with you." Gray sprung up from his spot next to Lucy and their other friend Natsu.
"Does anyone else want something to drink?" Gray asked his friends.
Juvia waited silently for Gray, he asked as he continued talking to them. Then, not after too long, he headed her way, and the pair were off to the kitchen together.
Her palms began to grow clammy, and Juvia nervously tugged at the end of her shirt. She could tell Gray was also anxious about something by how he kept looking over his shoulder, but she didn't understand why.
Not until she pulled a couple glasses from the cabinets when he tugged on her arm to get attention. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine." She responded quickly with a smile to ease his mind.
"Are you sure? You look upset."
Juvia cursed her face for betraying her. She raised her hands to speak, but the blue-haired girl felt hesitant.
"It's okay; you can talk to me. Remember?" Gray encouraged, hitting her shoulder with his playfully.
"Your friends are great, but I just can't get to know them. I've been hanging around you, and Meredy so much that I forget that I'm not the only one in your all lives like you are in mine. Honestly, I just get a little jealous that I can't speak freely like they do."
"I didn't realize…." Was all Gray could say as he was lost for his words.
"I didn't want you to. Plus, Meredy is starting to wear her hearing aid more and more, which is great! She doesn't sign too much when they come over, so I assume her speaking has improved. These are big steps for her; I'm proud! So it's fine. Really, it's not a big deal; I'm getting used to it anyway." Juvia tried to convince him.
"But it's something you shouldn't have to get used to. I'm sorry."
"It's fine–"
"Stop saying it's fine; it's not fine." Gray snapped, and Juvia could see his frustration seeping off of him. His brows pinched together as his droopy eyes narrowed down.
"You don't deserve to feel like this. We should have known better." His hands moved slowly in a way to show his tenderness. Something that was shown infrequently by the young Fullbuster.
Juvia looked down at her feet in an attempt to hide her cheeks that were scalding from her blush. Her lips pouted in annoyance at how Gray managed to look cool in everything he did.
"Okay. Just stop; you are just making me feel embarrassed." Juvia replied shyly.
Gray rolled his eyes cheekily. Through her pouting lips, he could see the smile that was threatening to crack. Juvia was always a simple girl, even simpler to read. He would be a liar if he said he couldn't see how Juvia felt about him; he'd be an even bigger fool if he said he didn't feel anything similar. The lingering stares, delicate touches, and the warmth of being near. He felt it all, but he also felt fear. Fear of ruining the friendship between her and his sister if things didn't work out. Gray knew the way he was right now was no good, and asking her to wait for him to grow into a better man wasn't fair. But some of him hoped she would, even if he never asked her to.
He grabbed her hand and held it to his chest. "I promise you, as long as I'm here, I'll never let you feel left out."
Juvia smiled at him and gently pulled her hand away, tucking her loose strands of hair behind her ear. Opting out of replying, she decided to grab the cups of water and return to the room as Gray watched her.
"What the hell are you doing to me?" Gray whispered in a confused tone as he stared at Juvia walk away in admiration.
"Juvia, Silver, and I were wondering if you wanted to join us on our family trip since classes are on break? You already feel like a part of the family, so it feels wrong to go without you?" Mika asked in the middle of dinner, not realizing the casual bomb she had just dropped.
Juvia froze mid-bite as she looked between Meredy and Gray awkwardly. Meredy's eyes instantly lit up as she stared back at her friend with an upside-down smile.
"I don't want to be bothersome; I come over enough as it is. You don't need to worry about me." Juvia signed quickly, stuttering over some of her words as her fingers struggled to keep up with her mind.
"Nonsense, we love having you here, Juvia." Silver quickly added.
"But–"
"Just say yes; we all know you secretly want to." Gray interrupted while his other hand held hers down from further arguing. When their eyes met, Juvia felt a familiar wave come over her body, making it impossible to say no to him. So, she nodded mindlessly, causing the rest of the family excitement.
"This is going to be so much fun." Meredy cheered.
As days grew closer to the trip, Juvia returned to her apartment that was in the inner city part of town. It didn't attract the best crowds, but it was something she could afford with her scholarships. Besides being deaf, Juvia was also an orphan, something she didn't talk about often but did tell Gray and Meredy in brief conversations. Once she reached 18, she was removed from the system and expected to handle stuff independently.
The complex she moved into was popular with the young adults who were phased out of the orphanage. She learned about it from other kids who lived in the area, so it was a no-brainer that this would be her first place to live upon entering adulthood. It was here where she met a man named Gajeel, who looked to be a couple years older than her. She wouldn't go as far as to say they were friends like she was with Meredy, but they looked out for each other.
When Juvia cooked too much food, she'd stop by and leave him some, knowing he was often too tired to cook after work. On the flip side, Gajeel would wait outside, smoking a few cigarettes when he knew Juvia would be home late, just to ensure no one bothered her and she returned safely. Neither of the two talked much, neither knowing how to have meaningful conversations, so they didn't try, but the little actions meant a lot to them.
Juvia drafted a note to give to Gajeel, explaining that she would be gone and for how long, so he didn't worry.
Walking over to his door, Juvia knocked three times before waiting patiently on the side. If he didn't answer, she planned to just slip it under his door, which is what she was hoping for, but when the door opened, the familiar sight of his friend appeared. Her name was Levy.
Excitement rose on her face as she put her hands in the air, indicating she wanted Juvia to wait. She rushed back into the house and started pushing the wall of a man towards the front door. His expression showed he was apprehensive about coming, but his blushing cheeks showed he was embarrassed by something.
Juvia stared at the pair, confused, and raised her hand to give Gajeel the note. He quickly took it and ripped the paper open, reading its contents thoroughly as Juvia waited awkwardly. Once he was done, he just nodded, showing he understood, ready to close the door, but Levy stopped him and pointed to his pocket, causing his blush to return.
Gajeel rolled his eyes, pulling out a stack of cards attached to a key ring, and began flipping through them. Juvia watched with interest as she tried to understand what was happening. When he finally stopped, the heavily pierced man turned the cards so Juvia could read them.
"Have fun." It said, written in all caps.
Juvia couldn't contain her smile as she understood the cards were a way for him to talk to her. She quickly pulled out her phone, typing "thank you," showing it to him, and even signing it.
The pair waved their goodbyes, and Juvia returned to her apartment with a fresh reminder of the good in the world.
The day before the trip, Juvia returned back to the Fullbusters with her belongings. Since they were planning to leave first thing in the morning, it was decided Juvia would spend the night so they could travel together.
Meredy and Mika were out on some last-minute shopping for outfits, while Silver went out to fill the car with gas and get snacks for the road, leaving Gray and Juvia home alone.
It felt similar to the first day they met each other but without the unsettling nerves. The pair hung out comfortably in his room, Juvia reading on his bed while Gray worked on one of his many sculptures.
Juvia lay on her stomach as she "read" the book, but in reality, she secretly watched him move in his element. Each movement skillfully molded the clay to his every wish, and the foundation of his art became more precise with each stroke. His passionate eyes shined when he stepped back to analyze his work.
She hadn't noticed that her book had slipped from her hands onto the bed next to her as all her attention was solely focused on him. Her guard was let down, and Juvia was surprised when Gray suddenly turned around smiling at her. The blue-haired girl panicked and quickly grabbed her book, burying her face into it to look natural.
Gray shook his head at the girl's antics and walked over to the bed, easily pulling the book from her grasp.
"What do you think?" He asked and pointed to his work.
Juvia looked up as if it was the first time she had seen it and lightly shrugged. "It's okay." She signed humbly, even though she always thought Gray's work was amazing.
"Yeah, you're right; it could be better," Gray responded nonchalantly as he walked around his piece. Then, after pausing, the raven-haired man crumpled the clay without hesitation.
Juvia sat up with wide eyes as she ran to his spot in the room. "What are you doing?!"
"You said it was just 'okay,'" Gray explained, smushing the piece flat.
Juvia watched with tears in her eyes at what he did, at what she did. She pushed him away and tried forming the clay back together to its once beautiful structure, but it was no use. The damage was too far done for her novice hands to repair.
"It was beautiful. You did so well. Why would you do that?" Juvia cried, the wet clay from her hands splashing around while Gray laughed.
"Calm down, please. It was a joke. This clay is old and overworked; it would have never lasted. I was just crafting it for fun." He explained, wiping his hand on his cleaning rag, grabbing Juvia's, and doing the same.
"So you…lied?" Juvia sniffled.
"Not a lie, just refraining from the full truth," Gray smirked and gently cleaned the loose tears from her cheeks.
"That wasn't funny." Juvia frowned, pushing away from him and sitting on his bed. "I felt terrible."
"Fine, I won't do it again."
Gray lazily threw himself onto the bed next to her. He didn't admit it but liked how she felt next to him. Their legs touched as he entered her space, and her cheeks flushed red. He could tell his face looked the same as he continued to smile, a pleasant twist in his gut, followed by warmth. They were so close he'd have to barely even move to touch her soft skin.
It had been months since she came into his life, and it'd been months since Juvia ravished Gray's imagination, entrusting his fantasies with titillating thoughts of her beauty. Every day he began finding new qualities about her that he grew to appreciate. The way she smiled and her expressions when she told stories. The way she fell asleep with her head on his shoulder as the family watched movies on the couch. The way she looked into his eyes. Everything about Juvia, Gray relished in, and it scared him.
Her eyes flickered down only for a second, but Gray was all too aware of the look she gave as she stared at his lips. His tongue self-consciously ran across them so they wouldn't look dry. His eyes followed suit, and he watched her rose-pumped lips part, enticing him to come closer.
"Please don't hate me," Gray whispered out loud as he leaned forward. There was a strange comfort in knowing that he could speak his truth around her without being heard.
They moved slowly, both hesitating as their noses brushed together. Pulling back only to move forward. Juvia's eyes fluttered closed as his breath fanned against her face, her hand crawling to grasp the edge of his shirt just to make sure he was real, and just as their lips were about to touch, he was gone.
Juvia's eyes snapped open as she felt Gray's weight in the bed suddenly disappears. The raven-haired man fiddled in the middle of his room, his hand rubbing the back of his head as he stared at his door with an embarrassed face.
Looking in the direction of his eyes, Juvia flushed as she saw Silver standing in the doorway, looking back and forth between the pair with a raised brow.
"I should get back to Meredy's room; just to make sure I have everything I need." Juvia signed awkwardly, standing to her feet. Gray swiftly nodded and watched longingly as she slid past Silver to exit the room.
Silver waved the girl away and looked back to his son with a tilted head. "What was that?" His father asked, wiggling his brows.
"Nothing," Gray muttered, returning to his workstation and began clearing the clay disaster from earlier.
"Sure, it didn't look like nothing." Silver teased.
"Don't you have better things to do, old man?"
"As a matter of fact, I do. I was just coming up to let you know I was back from the store," Silver replied mockingly, walking out of his son's room with a huff.
As soon as he left, the younger Fullbuster grasped the sides of his desk, leaning forward, and let out a deep sigh. His head hung low, and his shoulders tensed as he thought of the scene just moments before. What would have happened if his dad didn't walk in? Gray raised his hand to his lips as he remembered the feeling of her nose brushing his. His mood lightened as delight bloomed inside, his body barely enough to contain his elevated spirits.