Hello, peoples! While this is my first (published) fanfic, I have written before, and have talked with another author who says I'm pretty good. :) But anyway, you want Fairy Tail, here it is. Note: I don't do lemons. You want them, stop reading now, because you're not going to find them here. While there is kissing, no lemons. This fruit stays safely out of sight.

Eight Years Earlier

"Come on!" Gray Fullbuster grinned at his best friend's command. "Hurry up; we only have a couple hours!" He ran after her slender form flitting through the trees.

"Meliera, wait up!" he shouted. She just ran faster. He scowled. She always had been the faster one.

Gray found her waiting for him at their usual play spot by a small pond. While he bent over panting, she said, "We only have a couple hours to say good-bye." Her quiet, solemn voice made him look up, wanting to have a mental image to forever keep. Her hair was falling around her face like a midnight void, perfectly framing her oval face. Her mismatched eyes looked at him sorrowfully. He gave her a half-hearted smile, trying to comfort her and himself before she left his life for a very long time, if not forever.

Meliera Kane was his only female friend, his only friend now. Normally he wouldn't have given her a second thought as a friend, except, like him, she had magic. While he was a normal Ice Wizard, she was… different.

Before he had met her, he had kept his magic to himself in an attempt to fit in. Meliera had no such boundaries. As she had once said to him, "It's a part of who I am. Why should I hide it?" Because she didn't even try to hide it, the other children at school made fun of her constantly, often making her cry from the ferocity of the teasing. To his discomfort then and shame now, he had joined in.

Meliera laughed, breaking him out of his thoughts. "Remember when we made an ice house on the pond when it froze?" He grinned; yes, he remembered that. Snow fell thicker and thicker as they recounted memories to each other.

"We should be going back," Meliera said, pushing herself off the rock they were sitting on.

"Wait," he said, jumping in front of her. "We don't have to go back." She frowned at him.

"Gray, don't be stupid. Of course we have to go back. We'd freeze otherwise." Gray shook his head.

"We don't have to go back," he repeated. "Meliera, let's run away." He jaw dropped in shock. At first he thought that she was going to agree and they could start planning their escape, but then she exploded.

"Are you insane, Gray?! We can't just run away. We have a duty to - "

"Our families, and our towns, and all that crap. Yeah, I know, you've told me that a thousand times before."

"Then you ought to remember it! Gray, you're ten, and I'm nine. We can't just run away."

"I have it all planned out though. Just hear me out, Meliera," he added, seeing that she was about to argue again. "We'll run away together and learn how to properly use our magic from a… a guild, or another Ice Wizard. And then we can start a guild together, just like we always wanted to. And it'll be the best guild in Friore!" He waited breathlessly for her response. She looked troubled.

"Gray, we can't. You aren't thinking about the things in between. How are we going to get to the next town? How are we going to eat? You aren't thinking! We have no choice but to go back."

Ok, then. Plan B.

"Meliera, I want to ask you something." She sighed.

"What is it, Gray?"

"I asked my mom about this, and she said I had to ask you first, and - "

"Quit beating around the bush, Gray, and just tell - Why are you turning so red?" He blushed even deeper.

"Meliera, I wanted to ask you if you would… if you would…" Meliera was red too now.

Very softly, she asked, "If I would what?"

"If, when we grew up, and I found you again, if you would marry me. Because… if I marry you, then no one could separate us again." She lowered her blushing face.

"Yes, Gray," she said quietly. "I'll marry you when we grow up."

Her departure was a quiet affair, attended to by Gray's family and Meliera's. They took her to the train station and as her train was leaving, she poked her head out. "I'll see you all again soon!" Gray started running after her.

"I'll find you soon!" he shouted. "I promise!" They both waved good-bye until they couldn't see each other anymore. Then he went home.

A month later Deliora attacked and destroyed everything he ever loved. His only hope was that somewhere, Meliera was out there waiting for him.

Note: this IS a Gruvia fanfic. It does happen. This is the only couple I'm revealing though. Bwahaha!