Nasha stared at the request board for a good five minutes, she groaned in annoyance as she found it difficult to pick one.

"Are you gonna get one or are you just gonna stare at the board all day," Raiden spoke, his feet up on the counter while he plays a game on his console lacrima.

"It's just difficult to find a good one," Nasha replied.

"Look at the far right corner, the flyer that has a picture of a giant sea turtle, that should be good," Raiden said, not even looking in her direction.

Nasha shifted her gaze following Raiden's instructions and there she saw the flyer he was talking about. It's perfect.

"This is good, we'll be taking this. Thanks, Ray." Nasha snatched the flyer off the board and she ran to her team.

"Hey, guys I found us a job!!" Nasha exclaimed.

"Great now we could go on an adventure!!" Calypso declared, flying around in circles.

"Count us out," Greige spoke. "I scored a date with Alice." He giggled.

"Don't listen to him, it's not a date." Alice retorted, not even blushing a little.

"It's a date, I said it." Greige pressed.

"Come on, you told me you just need to find someone who would come with you to that theater," Alice added.

"Exactly, the scene is perfect." Greige chuckled and slung his arm around Alice's shoulder playfully. "It's a date."

"Don't listen to him." Alice shook her head as Greige mouthed the words "It's a date."

"Let's just leave these two love birds alone shall we," Reiki said. "Unfortunately, I can't come I have a mission with Dad later."

"But c'mon, it's no fun if it's just me and Nasha. I consider the adventure, CANCELED!!!" Calypso dramatically exclaimed.

"Cali's, it's no fun without you guys." Nasha slumped down and walked back to the bar to return the flyer.

"I thought you were taking this?" Raiden raised a brow.

"The others are busy with stuff and dates," Nasha replied bitterly.

"Oh right, the date." Raiden chuckled.

"You seem affected." Raiden took the flyer and posted it back on the request board.

"No, I'm not!!" Nasha retorted way too quickly.

Raiden chuckled teasingly. "Sure."

"But I don't see why you are, didn't Greige ask you first?"

"How did you know about that?! You know what, I'm not even gonna ask."

------

Last Night

A young boy is preparing for bedtime, and though it's rather early, he's gone used to sleeping with the soft music of a piano playing as his lullaby. The music would last 30 minutes to an hour.

The tone varies from time to time but mostly it's soft, soothing, and pleasant to the ears. However, this time it's different, the music sounds sad.

"Mama, the music sounds sad, why is that?" The young boy asked his mother.

"I don't know, maybe he's feeling sad today." His mother replied, referring to the person playing the piano who lives above their apartment.

"We should give him some cookies. He loves cookies." The young boy said.

"That's a great idea, it'll cheer him up." The mother smiled.

The young boy got out of bed and helped prepare the box of cookies his mother had baked earlier.

The young boy and his mother left their apartment and ventured upstairs and knocked on the door of the apartment's pianist.

The music stopped and footsteps were heard, the apartment door opened revealing a teenager with curly navy-blue hair.

"Good evening, Mrs. May, Good evening, Tristan." The teen greeted them with a polite smile. "What brought you here."

"Well, I heard you playing a sad song and we brought cookies to cheer you up." Tristan presented him with a box full of cookies.

"I didn't realize I was." The teen said. "Thank you for the cookies though, I really appreciate it."

"Is Greige happy now?" The boy asked.

"Yeah, Greige is happy. Thanks, bud." The teen smiled. "You know what, since you're the one who cheered me up, I'll play your favorite set."

"Really??!!" The boy cheered.

"Of course, come in." Greige invited them inside and the boy was relatively happy to hear Greige play and also play with the stuffed toys he had lying around. After Greige plays the music, Tristan is sound asleep.

------

Earlier that morning

Greige is slumped down on the table and fiddling with his fingers.

"What happened to you?" He heard Sylvia's voice.

"You look like you've just been dumped," Rin added.

Greige lifted up his head momentarily and sighed.

"Did something happen?" Her mother asked, holding an issue of Sorcerer Weekly Magazine.

"Nothing much," Greige replied meekly.

"I would have believed that if there isn't a rain cloud above your head." His father chuckled pointing at the gray-colored cloud floating above Greige's head.

"Huh?" Greige looked up and saw the cloud. "When did it get there?"

"I mean, I know Nasha rejected you, but did that affect you that much," Sylvia said.

Greige didn't respond only failing to remove the said cloud from his head.

"It's not that." Greige sighed.

"It's a lot more difficult to find someone now, I don't want to feel like they're a rebound or something."

"Then, don't make it a big deal," Rin added.

"Easier said than done, I have an extra ticket to a play, it's like a fancy version of going to the movies." Greige groaned.

"Why don't you invite a guy? I'm sure Luke's available. Yaje? Raiden?" Sylvia said.

"Ulric will be there."

"Now, that changes things." Sylvia sighed.

"Rin's right though, don't make it a big deal, even if the place sounds like a place for a date that doesn't mean it's always a place for dates," Gray said.

"Just find the right approach for it, and Juvia believes it won't be too difficult for Greige. " Juvia added.

Greige paused and nodded. "That's a great point."

------

"Why me? I thought you'll be asking Nasha." Alice said as Greige asked her that morning to join him to watch a play.

"She said No."

"So, I'm a rebound? Is that what I am to you? Greige, I thought you are better than that!" Alice exclaimed dramatically.

"It's not like that. I invited Nasha first because I thought she would like it but apparently, she doesn't. " Greige said. "Alice I'm desperate here, I need someone to come with me to that play, Ulric will be there and it would be embarrassing if I didn't show up with someone of the opposite sex."

"Ulric, as in Ulric Vastia, Ulric Vastia of Lamia Scale," Alice said, almost on the verge of full-on fangirling

"Yes, that him." Greige nodded.

"But why would it be embarrassing if you didn't show up without a date?"

"Alice, I'm known as the guy who would ask a random girl for a date and won't be rejected, though I would never do that because that is playboy behavior but you get the point!!" Greige dramatically exclaimed.

Alice giggled at his antics. "Fine, I'll come with you."

"Really?"

Alice nodded. "It'll be fun."

"Great, I'll meet you here at 4:00."

------

Back to Present Time

"Dayum." Shutora whistled as Alice walked into the guild wearing a mint green dress that hugged her curves perfectly.

"Ali you look great." Shutora chuckled. "What's the occasion?"

Alice thought for the right words to say and all she could think of is that one-word Greige had been saying all day. She sighed and gave in.

"I have a date."

"With who?" Erica suddenly popped in.

"That'll be me."

Erica turned around only to find Greige wearing a three-piece dark blue suit with a dark green tie.

"You look great Ali." Greige smiled.

"Same thing to you but that is to be expected." Ali smiled in return.

Greige chuckled in response and extended out his hand. "Shall we."

Alice giggled and took his hand and they walked out of the guild.

------

Nasha watched them walk out of the guild and sighed.

"Why are you so down about it, you're the one who rejected him." Shutora huffed.

"It's not like that Tora, it just hurts that he can easily replace me like that," Nasha said.

"Nasha, you can't be with a guy if you don't show him that you're interested. Every time Greige makes some sort of move, you would reject his advances." Shutora said.

"But Greige and I are so different we're not a good match." Nasha lowered her head.

"That's not a valid reason and you know that!!" Shutora shouted. "If you continue doing this, you'll lose all your chances of being with him."

"What chance, I don't have any!!"

"Yes you do, you just can't see it, I'm a lesbian and even I can see it!!"

Nasha paused and stared blankly at Shutora. "There is..."

"Greige is a gentleman, we all know that, but he's not a stereotypical one. He does things to make everyone in his life happy. Take yesterday, for example, he clearly doesn't want to leave that pile of plushies that he is in but he did because you want to do that course with him and it would make you happy." Shutora explained. "So denying his request simply because theater is not your thing is a big punch in the gut. And can't you see, he's asking you out on a date!!"

Nasha felt like her life flashed before her eyes. All of those years of teasing, training together, going on missions together, those times when he would stay up all night with her because she wants to do something crazy, those times when he would...

And that night came into mind. That night where he saw him by the canal and basically told him that he'd make a good pair with Alice. Why would she even say that!!!

"Oh no!!" Nasha gasped.

Shutora chuckled. "You really are dense. Just pray that this whole thing with Alice doesn't give him any ideas."

"What do you mean??"

"I don't know if he's able to take Alice to that play instead of Sylvia or any of the guys means he might be considering leaning over to the other side."

------

"Alice, meet Ulric Vastia, he's my cousin in spirit," Greige said as he motioned over to a teenager who has light pink hair and pink eyes.

"Nice to meet you, you look even better in person." Alice smiled.

"Thanks." Ulric smiled back.

"I might say, for a guy, pink suits you a lot." Alice giggled.

"I get that a lot, but I don't mind." Ulric chuckled. "Pink is a color only real men can pull off."

"I saw Greige wore a pink shirt once and he looked so adorable." Alice giggled.

"Aww, thanks." Greige smiled in return.

"He does love being called adorable." Ulric chuckled.

"Only because I am," Greige replied.

The trio went inside the theater and they didn't have to wait too long before the play started. Alice had fun and she enjoyed Greige's company, he would speak up at times and tell her his insights about what was happening in the play.

------

The play ended and the duo bid their goodbyes to Ulric and started walking their way back, above them is the orange sky indicating that the sun is about to set.

"Hey, we should watch the sunset," Greige said.

"Yeah, that'll be nice, but how?" Alice responded.

Greige looked around for a bit and grabbed Alice's hand and dragged her towards a small land formation that ended on a ledge.

"Wow!" Alice gasped as she saw the view of the city and the orange sky enveloping it. "Oh, Greige this is beautiful."

"It really is isn't it." Greige smiled, still holding her hand.

Alice smiled and leaned her head over Greige's shoulder. "Thanks for taking me with you. I had fun."

"No, thank you, for tolerating my shenanigans, I could've brought Sylvia or even Luke for that matter but I wouldn't hear the end of it from Ulric, the fact that I can't get a date," Greige said, lowering his head.

Alice turned over to face his direction and lifted up his chin. "Don't say that. You have me don't you."

"Yeah, but I forced you to come.  Greige huffed. "If I didn't manage to get one, Ulric would tease me for days on end until the day I die, he'd even do it one last time at my funeral, probably he won't stop there, he'll still tease me every time my name comes up."

Alice giggled. "Would you stop being so dramatic! It's fine, it's over, you had me as your date and I had fun."

Alice tucked in one of the loose strands of his hair behind his ear. "You're one of the sweetest, the kindest, and the most passionate guys I know, anyone would be lucky to have you as their boyfriend."

"You think so?"

Alice laughed. "Are you kidding?! You're Greige Fullbuster, of course, they'll be lucky to have you!"

Greige smiled in response and observed Alice as she savored the scene before her.

"Hey, Greige, can I ask, what's your deal with Nasha?" Alice asked.

"Nasha," Greige spoke her name. "Well, I had a crush on her but that's all in past."

"Really? Because, when I first came to the guild, I noticed you had that look." Alice pointed out.

"Well, I just recently figured out the true nature of my feelings for her," Greige spoke.

"It's infatuation, and it can't turn into anything more than that because she seems to be uninterested in the likes of me."

"That's too bad. Are you okay?" Alice asked, gently holding him by his shoulders.

"I'm good." Greige gave her a warm smile. "It's getting late, we should eat dinner before we go back."

Alice silently followed him and tried to lighten the mood.

"You know, for a guy such as yourself, I'm shocked that you find it difficult to get yourself a girlfriend."

Greige gave her a heartily chuckle in response. "It's a curse."

Alice skipped towards him and locked her arm with his. They went their way back down and found a restaurant nearby and ate dinner.

🧋🧋🧋🧋🧋🧋🧋🧋🧋🧋🧋🧋🧋🧋🧋🧋

*inserts random emoji*

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