The Art of Trouble

Chapter 18: The Wine Speaks

The assumed couple continued to bathe in the spa bath, still conversing and laughing easily, not anymore conscious of their current state and even the blonde mage didn't notice that she had already taken off her soaked dress.
Apparently, while Lucy was inside the bathroom, Gray found a wine rack containing a large bottle of vintu. Delightedly, he grabbed the bottle and poured it to his and Lucy's glass. When a couple of hours came, the bottle was now half-empty. The young woman's face was now as red as one of the petals floating on the water, and while the latter's was just normal, his actions spoke differently. He kept on guffawing in every conversation they had.

"I can feel the effect of this vintu already, damned, maybe we should stop now." Gray sighed, without missing a chuckle at the end of his words.

"Ahahah, you bet. And wad'ya say? You almost peed on the floor? Haha... I was really shocked when I opened the door and saw you butt-naked. You should've seen yourself, ice boy. Haha..." Lucy blabbed in jest. After all, it was all funny seeing Gray's gestures in trying to hold his pee.

"Whatever. It was your doing, because it took you so long to get outside the bathroom. "

"Whatevs, too, Gray, it's your fault for tossing me here and stripping off like that. Perv!"

"Hey, don't get me wrong Miss Nicey. You started it by punching me hard on my arm." Now, Gray was slightly irritated by his blonde partner, he gestured once again, as if threatening to do something against her. Perhaps, he would drag her under the pool this time.

"No, it's you, because you teased me that I'm really good at being a bride. You don't even know, how strange and nerve-wracking that felt." Lucy expressed her frustration that she should've let go earlier that night. Then, it occurred to her that it only felt right, divulging such a feeling to the person in front of him.

"Believe me, you did a great job, Lucy. I'm not teasing you, and don't say I didn't know how it felt back there, the truth is I was nervous as hell. That's why I told you, I spaced off. But you,
I think you pulled it off. Please, just accept my gratitude to you. For doing your best."

Lucy saw the gravity of Gray's words in his eyes. She realized, it was wrong of her to think of Gray, mocking her. She even punched him on his arm, and almost did it unto his face. Had she really become that sensitive to herself? First, she thought Lameria didn't trust her, and then she misinterpreted Gray's words. She really needed to stop overthinking and focus on what she can do for this mission.

"Lucy? Are you oka-."

"Sorry... Sorry for how I reacted." Lucy interrupted Gray. Her eyes went towards the petals on the water, and she unconsiously encircled her hands, and swirled the petals around.

"There's nothing to apologize, well, except for almost making me pee..." Gray tried to make a lighter mood out of their atmosphere, but seeing Lucy being emotional, he decided to be silent. He only waited for her to say something once again. On the other hand, Lucy's mind drifted off to the event that just happened a while ago. She tried to replay every part of the moment. Then, she remembered the part when she walked through the aisle with her long, white gown. As she paced along, her gaze went directly to her partner, waiting for her under a huge tree. One way or another, the moment felt right.

"Gray..."

"Yes, Lucy." He smirked, however, he wanted to be polite with his response.

"Wouldn't it be stupid if I would honestly tell you that, for once, I thought it was real?"

"What?"

"I mean, our marriage... Back there, when we had it, I imagined it to be real." The celestial mage confidently acquainted her assumed husband. The latter was a bit surprised, but, he recovered as he thought that she and him almost shared the same sentiment.