Ten Days Until Christmas [Gratsu]

Four days left (2.0!)

OKAY BIG THING GOING ON:

It's a Christmas miracle!
I found a way to restore the lost chapter! So that's what this is. So now I guess there are two versions of this chapter out. But anyway I'm very happy about geting this version back.

******
Gray had just woken up when he heard someone knock on his door. He sat up in his bed and rubbed his eyes, and the person knocked again.

He pulled on a black t-shirt and checked if he was wearing boxers before walking to the door.

When he had just gotten to the door he heard the doorbell and sighed. It took the person on the other side three tries to find the bell, were they stupid?

Gray didn't bother checking through the peep hole to see if it was and when he opened the door he was quite shocked.

"Lucy?" he stuttered out. "How do you even know where I live?"

Lucy made a dismissive motion with her hand, showing off her pink Fairy Tail insignia.

"That's besides the point. Look- I came up with a plan. And it's super good if I say so myself. But there's a catch."

To Gray, this sounded like it didn't bode well. "Remember the promise you made."

"Gray... I'm afraid I can't keep that promise."

Gray was now furious, and it showed. "How dare you break the promise? You told me you were trustworthy, how can you just come to my house and say that you can't help any more? Even worse- you actually came up with a plan, which I'm guessing you won't tell me about. Am I right?"

Lucy nodded slightly. "I know I sound like a bad friend, but it wouldn't be fair to Natsu-"

"Then why did you make the promise in the first place? Promises aren't meant to be broken!"

"But I can explain! They were so happy, I can't break them up!"

"This whole thing was about breaking them up! Why did you agree to helping me?"

Lucy looked sad now. "I didn't realise we'd have to split them."

"Well I'm certainly not sharing the flame brain with someone else!" Gray suddenly calmed down, and turned away from Lucy, shaking his head. "Maybe you're right. Maybe I shouldn't break them up. If this is what Natsu wants, then he should have it. I've been so selfish. I should just go to the party alone."

"Gray." He turned back around and looked into Lucy's eyes at her words. "I can't help you, but I don't think you should give up. I can give you my plan- I actually brought the notes with me in my bag."

Lucy started to root around in her bag, looking for the notes. When she found what she was looking for, she took them out and looked at them for a second. "I accidentally put my coffee mug on the papers while I was working last night, so there are a few marks, but I hope they're still useful."

"Thank you, Lucy," Gray said honestly as he grabbed the papers that Lucy was now holding out.

"Remember, Gray, there are other people in the guild who would love to go with you to the Christmas party." She winked almost unnoticeably.

Gray laughed. "I'd never willingly go with Juvia as my date, I'd rather stay home."

Lucy laughed as well. "I guess that's true." She ran her hand through her hand.

"Are you still mad at me."

"Yes."

Looking disappointed but not surprised, Lucy smiled. "Well, bye then. Guess I'll see you later at the guild?"

"Suppose so. I'm guessing the keyword of that sentence is later." Gray yawned to prove his point, and Lucy chuckled.

"Bye, Gray."

"See you later."

An hour after Lucy had visited, Gray was sitting at his kitchen table, looking through everything Lucy had come up with. The plan was quite simple, with just a few complicated parts.

The main thing was getting Natsu to go to Gray's apartment. Lucy had concluded, and stated very clearly multiple times that the easiest way to do that was with notes. So Gray would have to hide at least three notes around town, guiding Natsu to his house.

Second step, that is when Natsu actually got to Gray's apartment, there was a part where it just said "improvisation."

If there was a word that was the opposite of improvisation that would be the name of Gray's autobiography. In battle was one thing, but while talking to people? Big no. He'd have to discuss that with Lucy later.

Three days left.