A Snowball's Chance

Chapter 3

Once inside, Lucy offered Gray some fresh tea and a shower, which he gratefully accepted. While she brewed the tea, he slipped into her bathroom. All the soap in the shower caddy smelled girly and feminine so he considered searching under the sink. He opened the drawer to find some
rather embarrassing products. A good blush and a facepalm later, he slammed the drawer shut. The force behind it shook the wall and a painting fell, with it, a second object clattered to the ground. Gray inspected it. It was a toothbrush. He glanced at the holder on the sink, there was already a toothbrush there. Furrowing his eyebrows, Gray put the brush and the canvas back on the wall and straightened it. Who's was it? He wondered to himself while turning on the hot water. Speculation clouded his mind as the warm water danced on his skin. It hit him when he's wrapped a towel firmly around his hips. Natsu.
Of course Natsu, who else? I wonder if they're.. No, Natsu's too childish and Lucy is too-
His thoughts were cut short when a thundering crash and a scream sounded from the kitchen. Gray raced into the room, worried sick, when he saw Lucy on the ground, blood slipping from her hands.
"Sorry, I just dropped a glass and-" she met his eyes. This obviously wasn't the first time she'd seen Gray half-naked but something about this was different. Perhaps the droplets of water that accentuated his muscles. He whirled around the apartment in search of a broom. While his back was turned she couldn't help but appreciate his back muscles. She smirked to herself. He's actually not..no. NO. He's with Juvia, or will be. Doesn't mean I can't appreciate-No stop it...
By the time she'd finished chastising herself for checking him out, a blush had crept up her cheeks. Gray returned, successful on his search for a broom and dust pan. "Here, try not to move.. I say that, can you get on the counter?"
She nodded and hopped onto it. He swept up the shards and threw them away and followed up with cleaning the floor with some soap and water.
"Thanks Gray, sorry for the scare."
"It's fine," he assured her, " for a second I thought you'd been attacked and unable to defend yourself."
She frowned at this, "Are you saying I'm weak? That I'm not capable of-"
"Oh nononono! I mean, well, think of all the times you've been captured, Lucy. Your spirits have been helpful, yes, but you've got your whip and honestly, I rarely see you using it anymore. Anyway you're fully capable of defending yourself, you just haven't been taught very many, if any techniques. Either that or you don't use them."
She glanced at the ribbons of blood on her hands and made a fist, "Then teach me, Gray. I want to learn to fight."
Thoughtfulness dashed across his features, "Okay, sure, but on one condition... Actually more like three."
"Shoot," she posed.
"All right well first of all, I'd kind of like an explanation as to why Natsu's toothbrush is here, secondly, you need to bandage up your hands, and lastly.."
"Yes?"
"I want you to help me pull a prank on Natsu."