Gray had to admit. He and Juvia had become greatly closer than he initially allowed, and initially thought they would. She had entered in his life so abruptly that he didn't have the time to actually ponder about it, but heck - they were really, really close now. Dangerously close.

He wasn't really sure of when he had begun reciprocating her feelings for him, but he wasn't mad about it. He knew it was bound to happen when he started to spend more time with her, when he started noticing small details about her - the way her hair would flow when she moved too fast, or the way she walked, her arms swinging not too loosely, her legs stepping firmly on the ground; the way she smiled to him, or the way her unrealistic fantasies made the world a more interesting place.

Yeah. He had fallen pretty hard for her. Flat on the ground, probably.

Why had he started thinking about this? Ah, yes. Juvia had invited him to a simple walk on the streets of Magnolia again (they have been doing this for a long time, in fact). However, this time, she looked, say, more excited than usual. He found out the reason not too long afterwards - it was raining. But it wasn't a normal rain, and it wasn't caused by her either.

The day was sunny, but there was rain falling. And she was so damn happy, he wasn't getting it. They both had brought umbrellas, and each of them was opened, but she wasn't using hers to protect herself from the water. Actually, she was waltzing joyfully between the puddles on the ground, not bothering to dodge them.

"I thought you didn't like the rain that much", he commented, smirking, not noticing he had started to smile while watching her.

"Juvia used to despise it, but not anymore", she answered happily, her back still turned at him. "The rain that used to follow Juvia is no longer with her, but it was trying to comfort her, to be the friend that Juvia didn't have. She was too drowned in her self-pity to see it. But now, she enjoys it, because both Juvia and the rain are free from any boundaries now!", she finished, spinning on her toe.

"Oh? And what made you change your mind?"

She looked at him over her shoulders and flashed him the most damned amazing smile he'd ever seen on her face. The kind of smile that would make him go and hug her and kiss her and probably cross that friends-or-lovers line.

"You."


drabble that goes with this fanart of mine (/art/You-420392556 on deviantart)

hope you enjoyed it!