Author's note. Disclaimer only own the plot of the story. This is my first story, hopefully I will have it finished by Christmas, any feedback is greatly appreciated, enjoy :3

Juvia leant against the wall of her apartment in Fairy Hills staring at her recently bought dresses laid out on her bed. Fairy Tail had their annual Christmas ball coming up and Juvia needed to decide what to wear, she had never done anything like this before. She never had any friends of her own and being in a dark guild didn't equate to lots of celebrations for joyous holidays, so when she heard about the celebrations at her new guild, she was confused about all of the fuss for the Christmas season.

Despite all this, she still decided to put effort into having fun and celebrating the season with her new friends properly. She knew that she hadn't known true fun and happiness until she made true friends. Of course she always had Gajeel, who was like a big brother to her, and she was pretty sure that he would be in the same boat as her as they had both had similar experiences of life.

She held one dress up close to her body and studied it in the mirror. Juvia knew she had decided to put lots of effort in but, obviously, her outfit was a top priority because at the ball, she wanted to look perfect for her darling Gray. The dress was a deep ocean blue colour, it was strapless and flowed to her ankles with a large split up the side so you could see her thigh were her Fairy Tail emblem was. She threw the dress back down on her bed in annoyance, deciding it was too revealing and not in keeping with the festive season theme, she didn't want to look inappropriate for her Gray-sama.

After lots of debating and going back and forth, she finally settled on a dress. It was a rich green with only one strap on her left shoulder. The dress came just short of her knees and the edges were hemmed with a white lace. Happy with her choice, Juvia hung all of her outfits up and went to make herself some food before getting an early nights rest. With the party being tomorrow Juvia thought wisely that she should get a goods nights rest since she knew she wouldn't be getting one tomorrow.

The next day everyone was getting a little TOO excited about the ball later that night. "WHO'S FIRED UP ABOUT THE PARTY TONIGHT?!" screamed a certain someone who's catchphrase is known throughout the entire guild. Gray responded with a sigh. He was not in the mood to deal with Natsu, or even to get into a fight with him for that matter. In all honesty Gray was worried about the ball tonight, it was tradition, although not a necessary one, that the boys asked the girls to be their dates. With Gray being Gray, he could not decide what to do. Of course he didn't want to be rude and not ask anyone, and if he did ask someone he knew full well who it would be. Juvia Lockser. The problem with that being that if he did ask her then he would be admitting to himself that he had feelings for her. Being the stubborn male he is, he of course was not ready to let himself be aware of that yet.

"Hey, ice princess didn't you hear me?" Natsu sat next to him with a goofy grin.

"Yeah I heard you, just get lost" Gray was starting to get annoyed.

"Hahaha, you're just pissed off with yourself that you don't have the balls to ask her out"

"What was that flame brain!?" Gray growled through gritted teeth.

"Yeah that's right, your precious Juvia. You aren't man enough to ask her out which is why you're having a girly strop!"

"Oh yeah," Gray decided to flip the subject "It's not like you can talk."

Natsu stopped laughing at this "...what did you say?"

Gray tilted his head to the other end of the guild where the bar was situated at the young woman talking to her sister the bar keep. Lisanna.

"Don't try and change the subject," Natsu said staring at the floor blushing.

"You know it's true," Gray replied with a smirk.

"Fine!" Natsu yelled. Gray stood shocked 'is he actually going to do it!' He thought to himself.

Over at the bar. Lisanna was blushing as Natsu strolled up to her screaming confidence, but when he spoke "...you..come to the..ball..me" he mumbled sheepishly.

"Pardon Natsu, I didn't quite catch that" she giggled with a small smile that made Natsu blush even further.

"I said, would you like to go to the ball with me?" He said clearly, but he was still shuffling his feet and looking at the floor. It was now Liasanna's turn to blush.

"Y-yes I would love to" she smiled a wide smile, happy that her childhood crush finally asked her to be his date. Even if it was only for one night.

'Wow' Gray thought 'he did do it. Does that mean he was right? Am I really not asking her because I'm scared?' Gray sat contemplating his desicions, still not completely ready to admit his own feelings to himself. That was the when he heard someone enter the guild and it was the woman of his thoughts, and he didn't know why. But she had never looked more beautiful.