Fairy Tail | Dragons, Demons, Fairies and Cats

Chapter 6

-3rd person POV-

"Gray?" Lucy said, the worry evident in her voice. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"Did the song make you cry?" Happy asked.

"I -" Gray's voice caught in his throat. "I wasn't crying!"

Solstice abruptly stood. "I apologize," she murmured. "I never meant to upset anyone." She walked to the cavern entrance. "I'll keep watch. Get some sleep while you can. Something tells me we'll be up all night," she said.

"Hey," Gray said, more gently now that he had calmed down. "I'm sorry. You're human too. You need to rest as well as any of us. Come here. I can see you're tired." Lucy's eyes widened slightly. She'd never seen him so compassionate and warm. She exchanged glances with Happy. Being the matchmaker he was, he, too, had noticed. Did Gray like Solstice?

"I'm fine," she hastily denied it. In truth, she was almost fighting to stay awake since she had stayed up all night the previous day. But she wasn't going to just admit that. Especially not to fairies.

"No, you're not," Gray' voice came more forcefully. "There's little chance those weirdos will come again. Here. Now, Sol." Sol. Ur had called her that all the time. Then she shrugged mentally. Heck, why not? She gave up resisting, sighed and swung her satchel from her shoulder, producing a navy blue cloak. She fastened it at her left shoulder and hesitantly stepped back to her previous seat beside the ice wizard. 

Gray, for the most part, was still comparing the Panther wizard to his former master and not believing his luck. He had found Ur's daughter! Maybe he should visit her after this quest. She was really cute, too. He had a feeling he just jinxed his good fortune, but he didn't care. As long as he knew she was safe...

Yawning, Solstice rubbed her tired eyes and felt her eyelids droop. "Maybe sleep won't be too bad..." she whispered. The wizard was asleep barely seconds after her eyes shut and Gray carefully laid her on her side, with her head resting on his lap. Natsu, meanwhile, finally stirred from the ground. He sat up, stretched and asked, "Is it night yet?"

"Nope. Still a few hours, at least."

Natsu's expression turned strangely thoughtful. "I had a dream where there was this amazing singing voice... Was that real, or - wait, did Solstice let you do that?!!" he half-shouted, gesturing wildly at the sleeping wizard. Gray bit his lip, Lucy giggled and Happy covered his mouth in an unsuccessful attempt to smother his laughter.

"You looooove her, Gray," Happy sang. 

Gray sighed and shook his head. "It's much more complicated than that. I suppose it all started when my village was attacked by Deliora..."

*     *     * 

"So that's why you've been so interested in her," Lucy murmured, massaging Gray's shoulders. He inclined his head mutely. "I knew something was wrong with you yesterday, but I just couldn't place it."

"So Solstice's mother was your master?" Natsu raised an eyebrow. "Why aren't you telling her, then?"

"I am going to tell her, just after this job. We need to focus on the job right now, and I don't think she knows that Ur is dead. It'll be a massive shock, and I would like to avoid all that for now." 

The Fairy Tail wizards were presently sitting in a semicircle, having moved Solstice off Gray to where Natsu was sleeping a few moments before. Gray glanced at her now, confirmed she was asleep and returned to the conversation.