Gray Reverse's Card story – Bonding over Sweets

[kozvme]

 
Gray: Huff... Huff... hff...

Haaah~~~... I'm donee~...
I managed to fill the quota today as well... I feel like using the bench press might have become easier than before...

Marion: Perhaps you should increase the weight?

Gray: Marion-san...!

Marion: Looks like you're putting effort into it.

Gray: I- It's all thanks to you...!
I've been working hard while using... the training tips you gave me the other day as reference... 

Marion: Heh... Regardless of how many tips I give you, not everyone can easily put them into practice.
Even our rookies are quick to whine sometimes, especially in terms of strength.
If you can put those into practice, then you can have more confidence in yourself.

Gray: ...!

Marion: Has your body shape changed? I believe that was worrying you...

Gray: T- That's...
I feel like my stamina and muscle strength have certainly improved, but... it's not evident...
It's almost as if... it's taking a turn for the worse...

Marion: For the worse?
Don't tell me you've lost too much arm fat? You don't have to give up sweets, I'm pretty sure I told you thatー

Gray: N- No, it's the opposite...
My arms and face... are chubbier...

Marion: Say what?

Gray: I thought it was just my imagination, but... this morning Billy-kun told me my cheeks got chubbier... and...

Marion: ......

Gray: P- Please, don't stare at me too much...!



Marion: Stop covering yourself!

Gray: Uwawah!?

Marion: ... Taking a closer look, they might be chubby. That doesn't happen to me. 

Gray: Uughh~......

Marion: I've told you you can eat sweets, but there's a limit. Are you sure you didn't get a bit carried away and eat too much?

Gray: I w- wouldn't do such a thing...!
I follow your diet veeeery carefully, Marion-san...
Currently, I reward myself with cupcakes only when I work hard on my training...

Marion: Is that true?

Gray: I- It is... Uuh...

Marion: Something doesn't add up, then.
I understand not noticing changes, but for you to get soft and plump... I suppose there has to be a reason.

Gray: But what, exactly...

Marion: Do you have any ideas?

Gray: I h- hav...

Marion: ...?

Gray: No... Nevermind, I do not know why I'm getting soft and plump...

ーThe next day.


Marion: Victor, I'm coming inー

Gray: Ah... Marion-san! Hello...

Marion: Gray...?

Victor: Do you need something, Marion?

Marion: Why is Gray here?

Victor: I asked a question first, but...
Well, nevermind. Gray came to ask me a question regarding the content of today's class.

He is a bit different, however, since he has been coming here frequently even before the course started...

Marion: ... Heh?
You seem to be quite busy between training and substance learning.

Gray: O- Oh, no... I still have a long way to go compared to others...

Victor: That aside, did you come to bring me Nova's sweets again, Marion?

Marion: ... Right.

Victor: I imagined as much... It seems Nova has been in excellent condition lately.  He seems to have so much spare time on his hands that he is making sweets.

Marion: He made brownies today. I brought some here because it was too much to eat even with Jacqueline and Gast's help.

Victor: It was an apple pie the other day and a large quantity of malasadas before that. In the end, I am involved in this every time as well.

Marion: ... It's nice that he's doing well, but he makes too much.
The fact that he would be so happy about a certain someone's reintegration is beyond me.

Victor: What?

Marion: No... nothing!
Anyway, you don't like sweets much, right? If you don't think you can eat them, I'll bring them somewhere else...

Victor: Aah, if that is the caseー



???: At last!

Marion: ?

???: Hand over those sweets. I'm starving.

Marion: You're...

Victor: This gentleman is Jet.
Lately he has been showing up whenever there are sweets...



Jet: Gray said he's building up his muscles or somethin' lately, and stopped eating sweets altogether.
That's why I'm eating 'em instead. Kuku...

Marion: Sorry, what?

Victor: Jet and Gray appear to have similar tastes. He devours almost all the sweets that you bring here.

Marion: That's why Gray's all soft and plump...!

Victor: Soft and plump?

Marion: You! Enough! If you don't quit it, Gray willー

Jet: Hff, it's brownies today? Lookin' great.
I've eaten different stuff through Gray, but I wonder why the sweets you have here seem the most delicious?
This ain't a lab anymore, it's a cafe. The guy who made these is a genius, kuhahah!

Marion: ...!

Victor: We will let Nova know. I am sure he will be delighted.

Marion: .......

Victor: Is something the matter, Marion?



Marion: N- Not really... If you think they're that tasty, you can eat as many as you want.
By the way, which sweets did you like the most?

Jet: Haah? I dunno the name, but that. That huge toast with ice cream on top.

Marion: The honey toast, I see. It's the thing Nova is the most skilled at... I like that, too.
Speaking of, have you tried his pancakes yet?

Jet: Pancakes? ... Ooh, those. There was warabimochi on topー

Victor: Would you look at that? They started talking about sweets.
It seemed to me that Marion wanted to say something, but, oh well. Let me brew some coffee for you.