Hello! I realize I just published a Fairy Tail story that isn't complete yet but I swear I'm working on the next chapter! It's just that this idea came to me after reading chapter 399 and I had to get it out before I forgot! So, please read and enjoy some fluff!
She sat in the infirmary, holding a mirror compact in one hand, and her cheek in the other. Porlyusica said earlier that she was impressed with Juvia's swift recovery, though much of it had to do with the physical and magical therapy Porlyusica guided her through, shifting magical particles around through her body and essentially doing a cleanse with her water magic. That itself took time and energy, but regardless, she was still healing much quicker than many of her guildmates.
Her cheek, however, though it would heal, would heal scarred. When Juvia was first told this, she didn't seem to mind, but at that time, she was simply happy that everyone was back at the guild alive and recovering. Now that she's gotten to have a little bit of time to herself, she's gotten the chance to contemplate some things, most especially, her face, specifically her right cheek.
This wasn't necessarily a peculiar concern for any individual; anyone would have mild concerns for a major wound to the face and the result it would have on them cosmetically speaking. But naturally for her, Juvia's concerns ventured a little further than that. Naturally for Juvia, her primary focus is always of Gray Fullbuster, and what he might think of the new mark. Sure, Gray's a cool guy, but would he think the scar was cool on Juvia? Even though Gray himself was a cool, tough guy, Juvia has always been more…dainty than that.
But what if this is what pushes Gray to finally truly admit his feelings of love for me?! What if Gray wishes Juvia was more of a "bad girl" type? Juvia began to play the scenarios in her mind, of changing her wardrobe, maybe picking up a smoking habit, but those thoughts immediately poofed from her mind. No, if Juvia was supposed to be that type of person, that's who she would have become when she was a member of Phantom Lord, definitely. No, Juvia, though her self-esteem is unmentionably low, still had some pride for herself and her true character, and shook off that thought. But with that thought now perished, what of her scar? Things were finally starting to look up. Even if their relationship was never to take the next step, just being as close as she had been to Gray recently would have been enough for Juvia.
Her face remained flush as she shut he compact and drew her clutched hand to her bosom, right hand still on her cheek. Juvia traced the wound with her index finger slowly. What if it becomes what Gray always looks at first when he sees her?
Mirajane approached Juvia's bed, holding what looked like a change of clothes. "Juvia, it's so good to see that you've been making steady process!" she said cheerily, tilting her head to the side with a grin.
Juvia tipped her head down, and subconsciously spread her hand to cover the right side of her face. "Oh, Juvia is happy, too!" she replied.
"Well, I brought you these," Mirajane said, holding the clothes out to her, "You should probably try walking about, Juvia. It would be good for you to get moving a bit."
Juvia graciously accepted her offering, and quickly nodded in reply. She steadily rose from the bed, and carefully took her time walking to the bathroom to freshen up and change. It doesn't take much for Juvia to rejuvenate herself, being of water, and she moves on into her new found clothes given to her by Mirajane. About to leave, she looks at herself in the sink mirror one more time, and she finds her hand creeping up to her face again.
No. Juvia shuts her eyes, and throws her hand down at her side in a fist. If she was going to step out into the guild hall and face Gray, she needed to clear her mind. She wouldn't be able to predict or foresee how their next interaction would go; she would have to wing it. Juvia mustered all of her courage, even if doing so was with cheeks tinted rose and fingers grasping at the sides of her dress, and walked back into the guild hall.
Things were quiet. Nothing unreasonably silent, but it was just simply quiet for a typical afternoon at Fairy Tail. Juvia took cautious steps, now a fist at her chest and a hand still clutching fabric at her side. Even though she was feeling better, she still needed to take things easy, and she promised herself she would try to do so without over-thinking things with Gray. She decided to play it safe for now, and sat down at the bar. She knew that she could at least have pleasant conversation with Mirajane, and that Mirajane would keep her pleasant company.
That is, until Juvia felt a presence to the right of her. Someone had sat down only moments after she herself had taken a seat. Her face immediately got warm, she inhaled sharply, and shut her eyes. Don't be Gray-sama don't be Gray-sama don't be Gray-sama.
"It's good to see you out and about."
Juvia didn't even have to look.
She could pick out Gray's voice in a crowd of a million.
"Juvia appreciates you noticing, Gray-sama," Juvia says earnestly, attempting to flash him a smile, but she kept her eyes open so that she could gage his facial features as he in turn saw her face for the first time since they got back to Magnolia.
Gray initially had held eye contact with Juvia, as he had begun to show a soft smile for her, but then his lips and eyes shifted slight, as he notices the side of her face, and Juvia's hand again subconsciously shot up to cover her scar. She could feel the "kdunk"ing of her heart heighten and a white dizziness forming in the back of her mind all because of her rush of emotions in those few seconds that his expression shifted while looking at her.
"J-juvia, Juvia is going to have a scar, now…" Juvia stuttered and said softly, quickly bringing her face back straightforward so that she didn't have to look right at Gray, as if that would ease her flood of feelings that were coming on just as strong as any tidal wave she was known for using to take out a foe. Hand still covering the right side of her face, her fingers started to curl and her hand slowly became a fist, as if she was trying to grab the permanence away, but failed. She could feel her eyes getting hot, and the air getting sticky. She didn't mean to cry, she really didn't. But she had too many emotions to sort through to try feeling.
But all of that halted she felt another hand on top of hers.
"Wait, let me see."
Juvia felt her hand being guided away from her face, and suddenly another hand caressed the left side of her chin, turning her face once again to the right. No tears yet, but her eyes were glossed over, lips parted in surprise and confusion. Gray's eyebrows were gently pinched as he reviewed Juvia's cheek, and an eternity passed for Juvia. This was it. This was the moment of truth.
"That's pretty cool."
What?
Juvia's right hand still in Gray's left, Gray retrieved his own right hand and used it to push through his hair, revealing his forhead. "We match now," he said, quickly followed by his cool guy grin, still holding his hair back.
Was what Gray just said even real?
We match now.
And that's pretty cool.
"Although," Gray continued, continuing his hand through his hair to the back of his head, now sheepishly looking away, "I do feel kinda bad. You do have that mark because of me, right?"
Juvia blinked. She had never processed it that way. She didn't have the scar because of Gray; what she did, she did it for him.
"So really," Gray went on, this time, looking down into his lap, "it's a reminder of what you've done for me, so…" it was then Juvia realized Gray was still grasping her hand, because in that pause of speech, he squeezed, "I think I'm trying to thank you."
Juvia felt flooded over once more, but this time, for different reasons. What was happening? Why was Gray saying all of this? Shouldn't he be angry for what she's done, not grateful? Shouldn't he be repulsed by her scar, not think it's cool? While still not finding words, Juvia could feel her eyes drying, the atmosphere lifting, and though they were indoors, Juvia knew the sun shone for her.
Some processing later, Juvia knew that talking like this was hard for Gray. Even though he lived an honest life, he didn't open up much about his feelings, but he also knew to give credit where credit was due. Apparently Juvia was deserving of some due credit, and she began to smile softly, her eyes half-closing, not looking at anything in particular. "Juvia is glad…that Gray-sama is happy," Juvia said, lifting her eyes back up to meet Gray's.
And when she said that, Gray's face tensed, his cheeks dusted. He never knew quite what to do when they were caught in these somehow simply intimate moments, and he never knew quite how to push through them. The feelings he had, he never knew if he should press on, or pass them through. But, that look on Juvia's face, that look that always managed to twist his insides and catch his breath, despite how crazy she could be at times, was making him question the rush of heat to his face he was feeling once again.
"Yeah, well," Gray said, trying his best to not look away, but he was finding it so hard, "I'm glad you're back on your feet." Nailed it. She looked so precious and innocent, even with the scar, and why was it so hard to just look at her right now, without feeling like his throat was closing up? Did he eat something that was giving him a reaction? No, he hadn't eaten anything yet that day. He came straight to the guild that day, eager to see how everyone was doing, but not specifically Juvia, or anything like that. Of course not. Everyone was his nakama, but Juvia was just…closer nakama. That was all.
"Will Gray-sama ever let go of Juvia's hand?" Juvia piqued, somewhat tauntingly, but definitely light-hearted and only in jest.
Gray's cheeks immediately tinted, and he again turned his face away, "Well, yeah."
But he didn't when he said that.
We match now.
And that's pretty cool.