Twelve Days

Summary: Fairy Tail. That is the name of the club where Gray met Natsu. That was April. He never expected to see Natsu again after that. Then he hears news of Fairy Tail's new coffee shop. He goes there one day, and sees spiky hair; a familiar shade of pink. 12 Days. What significance do they bear? 12 Days, occurring over time, in which the meeting between two people was predestined. Those 12 Days would change their lives.

Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or any characters

Chapter 1

23rd December

"Gray? Are you going to try out Fairy Tail's new coffee shop for me? They've grown big; first a club, now a coffee shop, what next?" Ur yelled from upstairs.

"Yeah, fine! Just don't yell!" I shouted in response.

An average day. An average hour. An average minute. An average second. Nothing strange. Everything average. Common. Typical. Nothing's new. Nothing at all– Natsu.

Except for him.

"Okay, I'm leaving now!"

"See you later, Gray honey!"

Two siblings. One house. Two bedrooms. Lots of conflict. Not exactly the most delightful of situations. But our mother, Ur, tries her hardest. Married multiple times, trusting her partner with her children. All of her husbands were mistakes.

Of her past husbands, my father was the worst one. I was only a child at the time, yet I witnessed a verbal fight which got physical. I never saw my father after that. Ur noticed me and ordered me straight to bed. My father merely looked at me and sneered. I couldn't respond. I didn't tell Ur, but my father had hit me before, many times. I couldn't muster telling her, as I knew she would cry, and that, I couldn't bear.

Many years later, I heard rumours around town of the infamous Salamander. Black Flames. That's all I heard. A fire came close to our house once. I woke in the middle of the night, one time, and complained to Ur about smelling smoke, after I woke her up. She was kind, despite the annoyance she must have felt at being woken up. She claimed that I must be imagining it, until she looked out of the window and saw it for herself.

She proceeded to call the fire department about seeing black flames nearby. They arrived, eventually, but not until after I heard the screams of the neighbours. That, and someone shouting in glee, uttering, "I am the supreme Zancrow".

Despite the terror I felt during that event, I attempted to keep the nightmares at bay and led my life as normal, to the best of my ability. Things were fine until I met the man beneath the mask. I met the infamous Zancrow. He attacked me, and I was bleeding profusely by the time the police, that a passer-by had called, arrived. The doctors said that I would have a slight scar on my forehead because of the black flames that Zancrow burned me with. It is a day I'll never forget.

Now, a decade after the initial argument, and the start of events filled with horror, I was in college. Studying my last year of computing. I never expected that things would take a certain twist this Christmas.

There are twelve days in which a particular key event happened, over time. One, that would mean the world to me. Those twelve days will forever remain in my memory, banishing the fears that constantly taunted me.

For now, I'm heading to Fairy Tail's new coffee shop. I didn't expect a trigger for events to come to occur.

Ding

I flinched. The sound of the bells in coffee shops always make me cringe. They were concernedly loud and I'm surprised that nobody has yet complained.

"Ah, Gray! Fancy seeing you here. You want your usual from before, I bet"

I blanched. Of all people to be working here, it had to be Lyon?

"How do you even know my usual meals when I eat out, Lyon?" I asked, incredulously.

"You got me there," he teased, "but it's always fun to see you look dejected at my presence"

"Isn't that a bad thing?"

He merely stuck his tongue out at me in response.

The relationships I had with my siblings weren't the most pleasant, with constant teasing growing up, ganging up on me, just because I was the youngest of the three. They always did it when Ur wasn't watching, and I never had the courage to tell her about their bullying, due to my generally passive nature, but also due to their childish threats.

Years later, my relationship with them has improved, but certainly more-so Ultear. She's grown up significantly since then, even going as far as to adopt a child, Meredy, who Ur accepted into the family with open and loving arms.

Lyon, however, has barely matured, and is still forever teasing me. At least now, he is merely a nuisance and nothing more.

"Anyway, a certain someone is here to see you~" he teased, gesturing towards pink hair.

I felt my heart stop.

"I-it can't be" I stuttered.

How does Lyon even know about him?

After so long, it was–

"Hello, Gray. You are still number one on my most likely to attack list, you know?"

Meredy.

Was I that desperate to see him? It's not like they have the same shade of pink in their hair anyway. Or salmon as he would like to call it. I chuckled softly to myself.

"It's salmon, got it ice-pervert?!"

Just because I mentioned I liked winter.

"Um, Gray?"

I was whisked out of my blissful thoughts by the ever annoying Lyon.

"What?" I said harshly.

Ding

"Gray-sama, Lyon-sama, Juvia is here!"

I smirked. I knew Lyon's weak spot. Juvia. They'd been dating for just over a year, Lyon instantly falling head over heels for her, but Juvia taking slightly longer to notice his affections.

"J-Juvia, honey!" Lyon gushed.

"Lyon-sama!" Juvia responded, rushing in to embrace him.

Looks like my trick worked in getting Lyon out of my hair. I texted Juvia the moment I saw Lyon, knowing what a nuisance he'd be.

"Number one"

I sighed. "Meredy, do you have to call me that in public, scratch that, at all?"

While Meredy was the ever so adorable adopted daughter of Ultear, and therefore my adopted niece, she did have some annoying points, such as her rank list of people most likely to attack. But, hey, she's a kid, and her upbringing sounded scary, from what I heard, and I can't imagine what else went on. All I heard was something about Grimore Heart, a criminal organisation, and their kidnappings of young children. Meredy didn't know her parents, but it's safe to say that Grimore Heart took them out, with the village they razed along with them. They didn't tell Meredy this, of course, so she went along, unknowingly, with any ploy they came up with.

"Meredy…" I pulled her in for a hug. She was my family, more like a little sister than anything, even if she was my adopted niece.

"Number one," she muffled from my shirt, "Let me go"

"Sorry," I laughed, "I don't know what overcame me"

"Regardless" she began.

She sure shook that off quickly.

"What was with your goldfish expression when you saw me?"

I cringed. She saw that? I didn't want to explain but it looks like I have no choice now. She's very persistent when it comes to count.

"U-um, there's this guy…" I started.

"And you love him, and want to get married and have thirty babies" she finished, with hearts in her eyes.

I sweat-dropped. Either there was something I didn't know about Ultear, or Juvia's romance fantasies, whenever she visited, had rubbed off on Meredy.

"I don't know about that" I laughed half-heartedly.

"Oh?"

She looked disappointed, gazing at me with droopy puppy eyes.

Was she that interested in my love life? No, worse. Was she one of those shippers?

"There's nothing wrong with being a shipper, you know?"

She can read minds now?

"Shipping's great!" she continued, starting to fangirl gush, "so many romantic situations, so many couples that look so cute~ together," she added with a squee. "And even better–"

"Oh, look at the time, I need to go"

"Hey, what?" she glared at me.

Coffee shop critiquing can wait, if it means escaping Meredy's wrath.

"Number one, I won't let you get away with this!" she screeched, as I ran out of the door.

Phew, I was out. I had made my escape for the moment at least.

"Hey" I greeted, entering the house.

"Oh, Gray! How was the coffee shop?" Ur looked at me expectantly.

"O-oh, it was great," I said, avoiding her eyes.

"Don't give me that, I know when you're lying to me"

"Fine…" I grumbled.

"So~ What happened?" she asked.

"… Lyon"

My dejected expression said it all.

"Oh, Gray, I wish you three could completely mend your relationship already. It pains me to see you like this. Look at Meredy; she fits right into the family, and she's not blood. Couldn't you take an example from her?"

"Yeah, and her most likely to attack list," I scoffed.

A reason why the three of us had a rocky sibling relationship is because none of us were fully related by blood. Only half, on our mother's side. Each of us had our own father.

"Hmpf," I harrumphed, "Anyway, I've got things to be doing, so I'll see you"

"Yeah, like not checking out the coffee shop I asked you to"

I gave her a pointed look.

"Haha, you know I'm only joking sweetie; have a good one… doing whatever," she ended, jokingly.

"Yeah, see you," I said.

24th December
Evening

"Fine, I'll leave! Bye!"

I slammed the door behind me.

I shook my head thoroughly, in attempt to expel the negative feelings within me. Thinking about it, it probably wasn't the most mature thing I did, leaving like that, but the argument was intense. It had happened earlier this evening.

I had been out for a short walk; winter being my favourite time of year to walk, and needless to say, reminiscing about Natsu. I got back to the house, feeling pretty happy… That is, until I walked in. Who could be happy to see what I did? The sofa, with Ur's favourite duvet draped on it, Lyon and Juvia making out on top. Even worse was that Ur's favourite plush, a snowman/dog look-a-like dubbed Plue, was pressed tightly between their bodies.

"Lyon" I stated, coldy. When he ignored me, I tried again, raising my voice this time, "Lyon!"

"Mmpf," he said, pulling away from the kiss, "What's up little bro?"

"You know what's up," I hissed. "That's mother's favourite duvet! And Plush!"

He looked at me, incredulously, but then devilishly, almost as if he was attempting to try my patience. "So?"

"Don't give me that!" I roared. "Our mother has done so much for us, and you would sully something precious to her?!"

Lyon had always been the rebellious one.

By this point, Ur and Ultear had walked into the room, the former gasping at what Lyon was doing on her favourite duvet and plush, and the latter yelling quietly at us to quieten, as she didn't want Meredy to be woken up.

"You shouldn't have entered the house and caused an argument, Gray~" Lyon cooed.

Damn he was frustrating. But what he said, annoyingly enough, was true.

Considering I liked to take my walks quite late at night, I knew that most of the household would be asleep; I just got so enraged to see Lyon sullying the duvet and plush like that. That plush, in particular, is incredibly important to Ur, helping her through all of her lonely and vulnerable times, providing a sense of comfort, when her children, as bratty and self-obsessed as we were, would not. I would often hear her crying softly to Plue.

"It's just a plush, Gray," Lyon cooed once more, hoping to rile me up.

"Lyon!" I shouted in frustration.

"SSHH" Ultear hissed, angrily.

We heard movements from the back room. Meredy slowly walked in, rubbing her eyes groggily, while Ultear gave us death glares. "Waaahats going on, big bro Gray, mama Ultear, mama's mama, Ur… the other one," she yawned, ending with a glint of malice in her eyes.

While Meredy and I got on to the point of perfection, with her calling my big bro, instead of uncle, as adoption laws would request, she and Lyon never saw eye to eye, due to his rebellious nature, constant flings, which everyone but Juvia knew about, and his negative attitude towards Ultear and I. She views him as the catalyst in our family. She may have said that I was number one on her 'most likely to attack' list, but he, she genuinely dislikes, at points.

"Go back to bed, brat!" Lyon yelled, causing Ultear to walk over and whack him, silencing him with yet another death glare. Those, she was good at.

Behind Lyon, Juvia was standing timidly, shivering, scared, almost to the point of making me feel bad for her. She didn't know much about Lyon. Like the fact that he'd been dating about five other girls, on and off, since the start of their relationship, and who knows about other flings.

"No," Meredy declined, albeit nervously. "I don't like seeing this family in such disarray; I want it to be happy," she sniffled, Ur walking over to hug her.

Ur then glared at her sons. "You two, apologise to Meredy, right now!"

"It may be–" Meredy tried to say.

"Huh?" Ur pulled off Meredy.

"It may be… because of big bro Gray's boyfriend!" she exclaimed happily, as if she'd never been sad moments ago.

Silence. Only to be broken by–

"Oh? Gray's got a boyfriend?" Lyon teased.

"No, it's not what you… what you thi-think... " I protested, quietly.

"Good," Lyon responded coldly, "if I find out you are that, then I will find him, and take him down"

I knew Lyon's homophobia was bad, but this bad? As if he has a right to get involved in my life in the slightest anyway!

I backed away, feeling apprehensive, Ultear looking between me and Lyon, with shock, and Ur glaring at Lyon.

"Leave this house, Lyon, right now!" Ur shouted.

"No…" I heard Meredy speak faintly. "NO! STOP FIGHTING!"

She walked over to me. "Number one, I'm sorry. I didn't know you didn't want Lyon to know. I didn't know, I didn't–"

"Get away from me!" I yelled uncontrollably, distraught, backing away even further.

Was my home going to be inaccessible, because of Lyon? This is why I didn't want this information out!

"Big bro–"

"NO!" I interrupted her.

I started heading towards the door, in attempt to escape the carnage, but before I got there, I felt a malicious aura behind me. "Gray…"

"Yes, Ultear?" I said, meekly, turning around to face her.

Slap

I grasped my aching cheek in pain and shock. "Ul–"

"DON'T speak to my daughter like that!"

"Ultear, I'm sorry…" I whispered.

"Haha, Gray got told!" Lyon yelled across the room, from where he was being lectured by Ur.

Lyon was forever childish.

"Lyon!" Ur shouted. "Leave!"

To which he responded with, "No! Gray should leave! He's the catalyst here!"

"You know what?" I said, feeling the first tears form, ignoring Lyon's "Aw is cutesy baby Gray crying~?".

"Fine, I'll leave! Bye!"

I slammed the door behind me, trying to forget what had just transpired, and letting the first tears fall. Now where am I supposed to go?

25th December

I was fortunate. I had been wondering where I could go for the time being, until my family sorted itself out, wandering the nearby park and my friend Cana had been out and about anyway, and let me stay over for the night. Amongst her constant attempted persuasions of getting me to drink alcohol, and her general drunk behaviour, she tried to convince me to stay round on Christmas, insisting I'd be lonely without her.

I wouldn't give in, however, and stood firm that I didn't want to be any more of a burden on her, staying at her place with no notice, ignoring her saying it would be fine, because of an argument with my family, that I had.

Now, I was heading to Fairy Tail's coffee shop. I didn't quite know why, but I had a feeling it would be a nice place to be. I hoped Lyon wouldn't be there as he'd most likely be grounded, and it was Christmas so maybe it he wouldn't be working? and I couldn't see any reason otherwise why it would be a bad experience. It gave me a reason to try out the menu there as well, which I knew Ur would be pleased with. When I'm allowed back at the house that is… Hopefully.

I entered the coffee shop, once again flinching at the loud noise of the bell, and stopped. Lost in my own world. It couldn't be–

"Hey, Natsu, there's someone staring at you~"

"Of course there isn't, Sting. Don't lie"

"No, seriously," he pointed at me, Natsu following his gaze.

I was standing still, as if frozen in time. I felt my heart beat steadily faster as the seconds past. It felt like it would explode when his eyes reached my own.

"G-Gray?"

"Feel free to take your break now Natsu. Wait, actually, I think your shift may be over. Just cover mine in the future or something. It's not like it's busy. I'll tell the boss it's an emergency" Sting rushed.

I felt as if I was going to faint from the blood rushing through my body, causing me to have an intense flush.

"Gray, is that you?" Natsu asked excitedly, walking closer to me.

"N-Natsu?" I finally stuttered out.

"It is you!" he walked closer to me, eventually reaching me and grabbing my hand, he pulled me out of the coffee shop, and round to the back alley way, just behind it.

Not like I could have stopped him, even if I wanted to.

"Gray, what are you doing here? It's so great to see you!" Natsu exclaimed.

I flinched. Bad start. "Um, I'll explain later? Anyway, you work here?" I said excitedly.

"Yeah, I've been working here for a while! Gray? What's up? You seem distracted"

"Natsu…"

Yeah. Distracted by his lips.

"Gray~"

I hadn't realised it, but his face was closing in on mine.

"I've missed you, Gray…"

And then he was on me.

Author's Notes: Thank you for reading; I hope you enjoyed, and I'll hopefully see you in the next chapter.

Please leave a review, to tell me what you thought; I'd really appreciate it.

I'll see you!