Gray sighed as he walked home. It was raining and pouring all the time ever since he landed in Magnolia. And he knew the rain very well— It was Juvia. She might get upset again after he left her for missions without a word. It's not that he didn't want to tell her. He's just not used to an idea that there was someone who was waiting for him to come home. He knew she's been waiting forever, and she would continue to wait.

It's not that he complained of her being so persistent and clingy. If she gave up on him long time ago, he would not be where he was now. Going for missions, drinking with guild mates, hanging out with team Natsu, none of it filled the emptiness inside him. He had found a woman who could share his gift and his connection to magic. A woman that brought her joy and happiness to replace his misery.

When he saw the blue sky, he thought of Juvia's eyes. When he smelled lavender, it reminded him of a faint scent of her lavender lotion, the smell of her skin and her hair, and it invigorated him. Eating anything sweet automatically turned his thought to her amazing homemade bread. Recalling how she looked when he stripped her naked would have trumped what he felt seeing her blushing face.

He realized that she filled the void inside him, and that worried him more. It had never crossed his mind that he had to rely on Juvia to complete him.

As he unlocked his front door, he saw Juvia was sitting on her suitcase. Her eyes were fixed on him, and he thought he saw the emptiness in her eyes briefly. She then beamed a smile. "You're home, Gray-sama."

"Yeah, are you going out for a mission?"

"No, Juvia is leaving this place." Her voice sounded hollow, but he caught a glimpse of the sound of relief in her voice, too.

He snorted. "What? You're joking right?"

Juvia shook her head. "Juvia doesn't think it's working on us. Hence, it will be the best if Juvia is leaving."

His dark eyes widened and he balled his fists. "What did I do wrong? Is it because I left without telling you anything?" He asked, careful not to let Juvia know how furious he was— towards himself.

She then stood and carried her suitcase. "No, Gray-sama didn't do anything wrong. It was Juvia's fault. Juvia thought that if she was with Gray, Juvia wouldn't feel empty anymore, but she's completely wrong."

She smiled up at him and gently caressed his cheek. "Thank you so much Gray-sama. Juvia hopes you'll live well and find happiness," she said, tears welling in her eyes. He bit his lips to hold back tears he felt forming in the corner of his eyes. Is it really over? He thought to himself.

As Juvia moved to pull the front door open, only to find it frozen shut. She slowly turned her head to see the man she once loved. "Gray-sama?"

It was hard for him to speak because of the lump in his throat, but he eventually managed a hoarse sounding response. "What are you talking about Juvia? You're my happiness. I cannot let you go just like that."

He saw fear in her eyes. She might have seen a monster in him— a monster that she created, he thought to himself.

He then took her in his arms and pressed his full lips against her. Her eyes widened in shock, and she didn't pull away immediately. His kiss intensified as she tried to push him away. He knew she could fight him back if she wanted to. Yet the fact that she didn't, showed that she also wanted this.

"Please stop, Gray-sama," she was begging him, but her body couldn't lie to him. He knew every inch of her body, and every ounce of her soul. He set his hand on her left breast and fondled it gently as he drew her long hair aside, and kissed her neck.

She had to take a deep breath before she eventually raised her voice, "Stop, or you'll regret."

She had very serious tone in her voice, more serious than he had ever heard before. He didn't realize what she meant until he saw a hickey beneath her left collar bone. He then stopped right away. He then chuckled at the irony of realizing his foolishness.

"So there's someone else?" he asked, in most offensive tone.

"Juvia has said it was Juvia's fault."

He began to lit his cigarette to ease his anger. "Who the fuck is it?"

Yet, Juvia didn't answer him. "Please let Juvia go."

He figured if anything he was the one who ruined their relationship. He had found someone who could fill his void. Yet, he left her so often, without telling her anything, and it made her realize that she could live without him. Even many wondered how Juvia still loved a useless, foolish man like him. She might still love him, but she's no longer in love with him. He then melted the ice on the front door, and as Juvia was about to head out, she turned her head and still managed a small sad smile. "We've always had this place. Goodbye, Gray-sama." Then she's gone.

Gray laid down on the floor with a thin trail of smoke coming from his mouth. His eyes shut, wishing he could shut out his thought easily.

But it was impossible. Impossible to suppress all the swirl emotion in his head.

The truth, was so painful, and it scrapped at his heart with razoring pain. Juvia was gone— Gone from his life.

He loved to lay down on the floor when he's back from mission, and Juvia would just lay down by his side and laid her head on his broad shoulder. He still saw the image of Juvia laying down next to him and felt his heart squeeze— as Juvia's not here anymore.

The ache in his heart worsened. How dare she was— coming into his life and left as she pleased!

He didn't even feel to get off the floor and got into their bed. What was there to speed up for? Empty bed. Lonely night. Heartache and hollowness.

He was then crying until he could not cry anymore.

##

One month had passed since the day she left. Decided to move on, Gray had moved out the place they both used to call home, and rented another flat near the guild.

The guild was still the same— it was still crazy and chaotic as usual. The only thing that was different was her. Juvia was no longer waiting to welcome him upon missions. She was still be nice to him and smiled at him whenever their eyes met.

Nobody in the guild knew the man Juvia was seeing.

It could be Laxus— he seemed to trust her and handed her over the duty as his representative whenever he's out for missions.

Or it could be Lyon— he seemed to visit the guild more frequently when he's not on missions.

Or it could be the client that Juvia met during missions.

Or perhaps the stranger that Juvia met when she ran her errands in Magnolia.

He didn't know. He didn't bother to know anymore.

Because whoever the man was, he was the one who took away her rain.

Because it was no longer raining the day she left him.

Gray then glanced over the window, and he saw the blue sky. It still reminded him of her eyes—the woman that would always hold a special place in his heart, and the very same woman that he had to let go.

-end-

a/n: happy new year 2019 and thanks for reading and reviewing.