Silence

8

"I want you to be my best man!" Gray said with a bright smile on his face. He was leaning against my table. Gajeel munched on his cup and grunted.

"I'm definitely feeling the love right now," the raven said, disappointedly. I glared at him. Of course, he was ruining a great moment. "Shut up! Not everything is about you!" Gray snickered and looked back at me.

"Well?"

I sweatdropped. I wanted to say yes, but then flashbacks from the dream I had made me want to say no. But maybe it would be different? I nodded my head. "Absolutely. I would love to," I said. Gray slapped my shoulder in a friendly way and made his way towards the bar. Once he was farther away, I leaned my head against my fist and sighed before taking a sip from my water, and I continued until I finished it. I forgot that Gajeel was even at my table. So, I basically jumped when I heard him snicker.

"Someone's off in dream land. Whatchya thinking about, Salamander?" the raven asked with curiosity. I only grunted in response. I was not in the mood to answer his question. Gajeel rolled his eyes and went back to eating his cup. Once he finished, he left me alone at the table I sat at.

I looked around the guild hall to see if there was anything interesting going on. The only thing that seemed interesting was the fact that Droy was trying so hard to reach the top step of the stairs.

It just wasn't super interesting. So, I looked around some more. I saw Reedus painting a picture of Lucy and Levy, whose arms were wrapped around each other's shoulders. It made me wish I could paint like that. But I wouldn't be able to sit around for that long. I wanted to go on a mission so badly! But I had just came back from one. And the rest of my team probably wanted to do something else.

I then felt someone tap my shoulder. I groaned and looked over my shoulder to see who it was. I met eyes with a smiling Mira.

"Is anyone sitting here?" she asked with a soft voice. I raised an eyebrow, but shook my head no. She sat down next to me.

I heard her sigh as she looked in the same direction as me. It's seemed that she noticed I was looking at Gray. I then felt a sudden stare on my right cheek. A small giggle came from the silver haired woman that sat next to me.

"How are you holding up?" Mira asked with a worried tone. I only sighed for an answer. I felt her look away, and she got up. She came back a few moments later with two cups of water and a small silky bag. It was a velvety color and it had two strings that would hold it closed. On the front of the bag was the Fairy Tail emblem. Just seeing it on there made me smile.

Mira placed a cup in front of me, and I quickly took a sip. She did the same with her cup. Mira then looked deeply into my eyes. She grabbed both of my hands and smiled. I flushed a little. Her hands were warm and soft. It made me wonder what her secret was. Hand lotion? Doing the dishes?

"I want to give you something. It's a small gift, but you'll like it," Mira said while looking at the bag. Her eyes sparkled as she opened it. She pulled out a small blue crystal and opened my hands. She made them like the shape of a bowl.

She dropped the crystal into my palms and closed my hands together. I watched as she did everything, only for me to raise an eyebrow in the end.

"Was that supposed to be a ritual or something? Because that did nothing?" I questioned with a bored tone. Mira only laughed. She shut the bag and walked away.

I shrugged to myself and opened my hands. I never really got a good look at the crystal. Looking at it now, however, I realized it was beautiful.

It was transparent. You could see little cracks inside of it. The edges were faded white, as if it was broken off of a bigger piece. But what brought my attention to it the most was that there was one, tiny red part of the stone.

I gasped just looking at it. It made me wonder why the rest was blue and only that one part was red.

I could feel the table shake a little, only to be startled by Lucy herself. It's seems that Reedus has finished the picture.

"What's that? It's so pretty," Lucy questioned. Her face was close to mine. Her eyes were filled with wonder and curiousity. I wanted to tell her what is so badly, but I didn't know myself. I just hummed.

"Mirajane just gave it to me." Lucy nodded slowly. She then sat down next to me and watched as I investigated it. She pointed to the tiny red spot on the crystal. Lucy cocked her head to the side and asked, "Why's that part red, but every other part blue?"

I shrugged to her. "That's what I wanna know myself. Let me ask Mira," I said before standing up from my seat and making my way towards the working girl. I sat down on the bar and put the crystal up to her face.

"Explain this to me!" I shouted a little too loud. Everyone looked in our direction. It made me feel kind of nervous, but I should be used to this now. I was soon joined by Lucy when Mira placed a hand behind her head.

"I-I can't tell you here. Can we talk somewhere else?"

I've never seen the girl so nervous, so I guessed it was kind of important. I nodded, and she yanked me across the counter and into the kitchen area.

The only time I've ever been here was when I had to make something for a party. I hadn't realized how much it had changed. From old, run down counters and cabinets to shiny, new wooden cabinets and marble counters.

The ovens were sparkling, the pans were hanging in an order of smallest to biggest, and even the cooking utensils were organized.

"As you know," Mira started, "this is a crystal." I nodded, motioning for her to continue, but she didn't, so I hummed for her. She smiled.

"However, this is no ordinary crystal. This crystal is attached to Gray." I froze, and my mouth dropped. Mira would do anything to get someone with the one they loved, wouldn't she? So how was this rock going to help me?

She seemed to have been reading my mind, because she said, "Let me explain." I nodded. I was very interested in what she was going to say.

"The rock is the color of his loved one's emblem." So it was Juvia's color. Hers was the exact color of blue that the crystal was wearing. I sighed in disappointment, and the silver haired woman seemed to understand. Instead of feeling the disappointment I was feeling, she instead smirked.

"However, this little red dot is also the color of an emblem. Which means, there is some hope for you," she said. My eyes widened. That little tiny red dot was my chance of being with Gray? No way! So he did like me! Either way, I still had one question in mind.

"Does it change colors?" I asked. I only recieved a stare from Mirajane. She gave me the same look for a while, so it probably meant no. I sighed with disappointment, and after a while, I saw her smile out of the corner of my eye.

"Of course it does, silly! That's why there's a little red dot! I've had this since you told me you liked him. That little red dot wasn't there before!"

After she said that, my soul felt like it was going to burst with joy. My eyes widened with excitement. My heart began to flutter out of my chest.

"Where did you even get this from!?" I squealed while snatching the crystal from out of her hands. I squeezed it tightly, and Mirajane laughed silently.

"Believe me Natsu, I have my ways," and she left me alone in the kitchen.

I sighed with relief. I was alone and it was peaceful. I liked the quiet for some reason. It calmed me down. I looked down at the crystal that lied in my hands and smiled a sad smile.

Maybe there is a little hope for me...