A/N: I meant to write this story when I first wrote my Tsuna Sawada story, but I forgot about it. Which is a shame because I really liked this idea. I don't really support the ship because I don't really think of Juvia or Jellal in that kind of way, but it's a question that always crossed my mind.
"What would happen to Juvia and Jellal if Gray x Erza became canon?"
Since the manga didn't leave much of a canon ending, I guess this can happen right after chapter 545.
This is Juvia and Jellal's story.
"WE'RE ENGAGED!"
Those were supposed to be the words that excited Juvia, the words that made all of Juvia's hard work worth it, the words that made nine years of chasing my bel- no it's just Gray now- finally end. Juvia guesses her chase did end, but it's not how Juvia ever suspected. To think Erza would be the one who stole her be- Gray, he's isn't your's Juvia...He never was. Juvia never thought the day where those two kiss so passionately would come after all, and in front of the whole guild as well?!
Juvia never would've expected the day. Never once did Juvia see her- Gray- show anything besides brotherly love toward Erza, or was Juvia simply blinded by her own one sided affection? That's a question Juvia couldn't answer right now. Not while she was staring at the engaged couple, Juvia had to make her escape, to regroup her thoughts and rethink where she went wrong. Was Juvia wrong from the beginning or did she fall short somewhere else?
Juvia slipped out of the front door as her guildmates celebrated the new couple. It's not like anyone would notice. Juvia never really bothered to talk to anyone besides Lov- Lucy's team, Laxus, Gajeel, Cana, Lisanna, and Mirajane, but most of them were forced upon her during the Grand Magic Games. Outside of that event, Juvia never really bothered to interact with anyone. She thought her- Gray- would be enough for her. In this moment of clarity, Juvia realized she had no one that could lend her a shoulder to cry on. Erza and he- Gray- had the entire guild cheering for them. Was it a mistake not to talk to anyone?
Juvia held back the rain with what little control she had over her emotion as she walked down the streets of Magnolia. She knew the moment the rain started to pour the entire guild would stop partying to find Juvia. That's something Juvia couldn't do to her be- Gray- and Erza. Juvia couldn't deprive them of their joyous occasion no matter how bad she felt. Or would they even bother looking for Juvia? The thought itself sent a shiver down Juvia's spine. She couldn't bring her to get on that train of thought.
Had they announced their engagement when Juvia first joined, Juvia was certain she would've fought Erza. The Phamton Lord Juvia would've attempted to kill Erza the first time Juvia had the chance. If she succeeded, Juvia wouldn't have any remorse for her action. Now... she couldn't bring herself to object the future union. To think, Juvia could change so much, but what now? There's no way Juvia could return to Fairy Tail in this condition, with a broken heart and depressed. Her house wasn't an option. Her be- Gray, it's Gray now Juvia- dolls were everywhere.
She would have to find another place to calm herself, but there was nowhere she could go. Juvia virtually when from her home in the dorms to Fairy Tail every day, besides the occasional mission. This town served no purpose to her besides the place be- Gray resides. Was that another mistake Juvia unknowingly made? With nowhere else to go, Juvia looked around. In the midst of mindless wandering, the water mage managed to come to a river bank.
"JUVIA!" Before she could react or attack, Juvia was tackled by a blob of pink hair. Thinking the worst, the guild noticing the lack of her presence, Juvia tried blindly fighting back. "Woah Juvia, it's me. Meredy!"
"Meredy?" Juvia's eye bludging out her sockets. She mistook Sensory Mage for the Fire Dragonslayer, Natsu might be his name. "What are you doing in Magnolia?"
"Hehe..." Juvia could never get used to that devious snicker Meredy had. "Jellal's finally gonna man up and ask Erza out."
"Oh..." I winced at the thought of him now of all times confessing his feelings.
"What's wrong?"
"Meredy, you shouldn't run off like that." Jellal came running up to the two of us. Juvia made a mental note about how they now longer had their Crime Sorciere uniforms. Now they were wearing normal civilian clothes. "I know you're excited, but you should be more careful."
"Hello Jellal," I announced my presence to prevent Meredy from being scolding anymore.
"Oh Juvia, what are you doing out here so late?" Jellal asked as the former Oracion Seis members came walking up to us.
"Er... Juvia was out for a walk. Juvia needed to clear her head for a moment." She tweaked the truth a bit. There's no way Juvia could outright say how broken her heart was. Excluding Meredy, Juvia barely knew these people. There's no way she could breakdown in front of them.
"Really? It's quite a walk back to Fairy Tail." Was it Angel or Sorano now? Juvia heard both, but she didn't which was right to call her. "You must have been walking for a while."
"Juvia has, but Juvia needed to."
"Did something happen? Is everyone okay?" Meredy did sound concerned but was it really right for Juvia to spoil the news.
"Woman, if you're gonna tell of what happened, get on with it." His name was mostly likely Cobra, the one person in their who tolerated no, how does Juvia put this lightly oh yes, bullshit. "I got someone to see."
"Er, Juvia needs to speak with Jellal alone." Juvia awkwardly shifted her weight from one foot to another. "Something has come up."
"Don't need to tell me twice." Cobra huffed, continuing with his stride to the guild. Some were a bit reluctant, but Jellal shooed them away.
"Is there something the matter Juvia?" Jellal asked when he was certain Cobra couldn't eavesdrop, but Juvia wasn't certain he wanted to eavesdrop in the first place.
"Eh... It's about Erza..." Juvia sat down on the edge of the river bank. "You might want to sit down for this."
"Okay..." Jellal eyed the water mage, clearly confused. Juvia could understand. Someone who you never exchanged more than two words to now wants to talk you about your crush? Anyone would be confused. "Did something happened to Erza?"
"Oh no, Erza is perfectly fine!" Juvia shouted before calming down. "It's just that... Erza's engaged to someone already."
"What? To who?" Jellal's voice cracked from either shock or disappointment. Juvia could understand each.
"M- Gray..." Juvia tightened her grip on her legs. The thought of her- Gray- being taken still stung. "They announced their engagement today."
"I see. I was too late." Jellal took the news about the same way Juvia did. "Maybe it's for the best. Gray's more worthy of Erza's hand after all."
"Huh?" Juvia knew he- Gray was an amazing person, but she never suspected Jellal would take the news like that. "What about you, Jellal? Juvia heard you were pardoned for your crimes."
"Yes, the Queen did forgive us for what we did in the past, but that doesn't change the fact that I still feel unworthy." The former wizard saint frowned, staring at his reflection in the water.
"Why? Juvia thinks you're a good person." Juvia said in an attempt to comfort him. She never did something like that before. "Meredy said you helped fight against Zeref's army and Acnologia."
"It felt so long ago that fight..." Jellal's eyes appeared as if he was looking past, wishing something more.
"Juvia knows." She said, trying desperately to keep the conversation alive. Juvia didn't want Jellal to wallow in self-pity, but what was she suppose to do? "Um... Jellal, what are you going to do now?"
"I... don't know. I had it all planned." He gripped his knee caps.
"Do you want to tell Juvia? It might help."
"Sure," He gave off a sad smile. "I wanted to ask Erza on a date. A date we both could enjoy. Then, I would join Fairy Tail after all this time. Eventually, we would settle down, get married, maybe even start a family."
"Juvia wanted the same." She blurted out.
"What? Oh, with Gray?" Jellal guessed, slightly feeling my pain.
"Yes, but Juvia doesn't know where she went wrong," Juvia admitted, submitting to the sadness in her heart. Not enough to let the rain to go, but enough to relate to Jellal.
"I would've asked myself the same thing," The blue hair mage relaxed a bit. "Were we so focused on the wrong points that we lost sight of what's important?"
"Juvia doesn't know." A tear rolled down Juvia's cheek. "Juvia know that you will find another person eventually."
"How can you be so certain?" He asked but didn't take his eyes off the starry night sky.
"Because Juvia believes that anyone can be loved," The water mage admitted. "It might be hard at the moment, but Juvia knows there's someone for everyone."
"Interesting theory," His smile was soft, in a caring way. "Hey Juvia, why were you walking by yourself?"
"Oh, Juvia couldn't bother the guild with her feelings. Tonight's Erza and Gray's night. It should a happy day." Juvia passed his question off with a simple wave. "Juvia didn't want to be a damper on the mood."
"Huh? Erza told me you had an apartment in the girl's dorm. I guess that's the first place they would've looked for you." Jellal figured.
"Um actually," Juvia blushed, embarrassed by her past actions. "Juvia's home reminds her of Gray too much. Juvia couldn't go there straight away."
"Do you want a hand?" He offered as the two of us stood up.
"Excuse Juvia?"
"I thought you would want to clear all your Gray stuff out." He chuckled. "I don't want to push the idea onto you."
"Juvia wants to move on, but Juvia doesn't what to do with all of it." The water mage confessed. "Juvia doubts anyone would want it."
"We'll think of something." Jellal encouraged Juvia to take the first step.
"This is where Juvia lives." Juvia opened the door, baring all her Gray memorabilia for Jellal to see. "Males are usually not allowed in Fairy Hills, but Juvia will allow you into her home."
"So this is your house," Jellal said with amazement in his voice, of all things. We placed our shoes at the entrance of my house. "Are you sure you want to get rid of all of this?"
"Juvia..." Was Juvia certain she wanted to make this move so quickly? She knew she had to get over Gray but was this too rash? No, Juvia must do this! Juvia must take the first step. "Juvia is certain. Juvia will get the trash bags."
"Fair enough, I'll start pulling the dolls off the shelf." Jellal waved his hand in the air as he disappeared into my living room.
Juvia's hand hovered over the bag for a moment. She reassured herself that this was the right move. Nothing with change if she doesn't change first. The Fairy Tail mage handed a bag to Heavenly Body mage and joined him in the cleanup. Juvia's blush became permanent as she desperately explained each of her doll's very existence to Jellal. Some Juvia could refute easily when Jellal questioned them, but there's no sane reason for a Gray body rag. In that moment, Juvia thought she might've overstepped the line between love and obsession. Thankfully, Gray would never see these monstrosities.
After hours of cleaning and explaining Jellal and Juvia snagged all her dolls, including her emergency Gray dolls. Jellal decided to show his gentlemen side and not interrogate Juvia about why she would need such a thing.
"What should we do with all of them?" Juvia asked, wiping the sweat from her brow.
"Wanna give them to Gray?" He offered.
"Um... Juvia couldn't face Gray if she did that." She took an interest in the dirt on the ground. "Juvia just wants them to disappear."
"We could always do that." Jellal threw two bags over his shoulder. He glanced over his shoulder and saw me standing confused in my home. "Is something wrong?"
"Um no, Juvia is just curious about what you meant." She answered honestly.
"I was thinking about making them into fireworks. Is that alright with you?"
"Yes, but fireworks? Jellal, these are just dolls. Juvia doesn't think they're flammable enough to become fireworks." Juvia countered with a bit of logic in her words.
"Come on, I'll show you." Jellal continued walking down the hall. Fearing someone would see him alone in the building meant for women alone, I Water Locked the rest of the bags and pursued Jellal.
Juvia found Jellal standing in the meadow between Fairy Tail and Fairy Hills. Juvia could tell the guild was still partying just as hard when she left. Juvia felt a pang of hurt when she realized no one noticed that she was gone.
"Juvia, you're alright?" Jellal asked while undoing the knots on the garbage bags. "You can back out of it if you're having second thoughts."
"Juvia isn't. Juvia's just wondering if anyone noticed if Juvia is missing."
" I think Meredy told everyone not to worry about us. That's just what I'm guessing though, nothing certain."
"That is right. Meredy went to the guild. Jellal, Juvia has a question." She asked while dumping the dolls across the meadow.
"Hmmm? What is it?" He rolled up his sleeves.
"What is going to happen to guild members? Did you not fulfill the purpose of your guild?"
"We all sat down and came to an understand and decided to go our separate ways. Richard and Racer are pretty close, so I think they said something about finding Richard's little brother, Wally."
"Juvia believes she met him in that tower. Erza said he and Sho are traveling together."
"That's definitely reassuring. Then, there's Sorano. She said that her younger sister was supposed to come by tomorrow to pick her up from Fairy Tail."
"A younger sister?"
"Yes, I think it was a girl name Yukino. The one from Sabertooth."
"They're sisters?!" Juvia nearly doubled over from the shock. Although Juvia could understand their physical similarities, Yukino and Sorano were far from having the same personality. "They're so different!"
"Sorano has changed a bit from when I first recruited her." Jellal smiled fondly at the memories. "Cobra and Meredy both want to settle at Fairy Tail. Macbeth didn't say anything though."
"Why? Does he not have a plan?"
"He didn't tell me if he had one. Midnight might take a journey to find his purpose in life." Jellal looked back up at the sky.
"And you Jellal?"
"Huh? I guess I'll stay at Fairy Tail until I can think of something." He finished setting up the dolls. "Are you ready?"
"Yes, Juvia is ready." She hardened her resolve. "However, Juvia doesn't know what you are planning."
"I'll lift that Gray dolls in the air. You just have to cut them up."
A ring of shivering golden light surrounded the two of us. When Juvia was positive no would be harmed, she unleashed a Water Slicer, containing all her pent anger, aggression, and pain. Shredding the dolls into cotton, Jellal used his Heavenly magic to convert the remains into several new rings of light. Shooting the light into the sky, he kept his promise and produced an array of golden fireworks. Juvia stood memorized by the beauty of Jellal's magic, trying her best to print this memory into her brain so she forever this moment.
The moment she took the first step towards change. Not only did she manage to remove her Gray collection, Juvia kept the rain at bay without needing Gray. Things were looking up for Juvia. Jellal finished the light show and slowly approached Juvia.
"How was it?" He asked with a wholesome smile on his face.
"Juvia is speechless. Juvia never knew your magic could be so beautiful." The water mage returned with a smile on her face, feeling lighter than before. She started collecting the bags when found one last doll. "How did we miss this?"
"Do you want to destroy it? You could keep as a reminder." Jellal peeked over my shoulder and judged the doll.
"No...No, Juvia has a better idea. Can we go to Fairy Tail, now? Juvia thinks she can face Erza and Gray." Juvia asked without realizing she didn't need Jellal's approval.
"We should go. After all, we should congratulate the new couple." Jellal softly smiled as I lead the way.
"Jellal, is it supposed to still hurt?" Juvia asked as they travel down the path to the guild.
"It still hurts for me, but I don't think it hurt as much." He admitted. "I figured the pain will go away as more time passes. A step by step sort of thing."
"Juvia thinks so too. Thank you for helping Juvia." She remembered that he didn't have to offer to help her, but he oddly did.
"It was nothing. You did comfort me when I taking in the news." Jellal's words had a weird effect on Juvia. A blush appeared on her face.
"Th-That's only because Juvia understood what Jellal was going through." Juvia countered as they entered the guild through the front doors.
Almost instantly, the entire guild hall had their drunken eyes on Juvia and Jellal. At least, some people had enough sense to avoid the alcohol.
"There you are Juvia." Lucy waved us over to the couple. Juvia could only guess what they have been through all night. Trying to force a convincing smile, Jellal and Juvia made their way to Team Natsu plus some other people. "Where have you been? Erza almost sent a search party."
"Juvia is sorry. Juvia just had to take a moment for herself." Juvia bowed apologetically.
"It's alright." Thankfully, no one served Erza anything alcoholic, or Juvia might've not gotten off so easily. Juvia overheard the stories about how Fairy Tail girls act when drunk. "It's nice to see you, Jellal."
"It's nice to see you too Erza," Jellal said, forcing the sadness out of his voice. "Congratulations on your engagement."
"Well, thank you." Erza either dismissed sadness in Jellal's voice or didn't notice. Juvia couldn't find the difference. Those two barely exchange words from what Juvia could gather.
There was a certain type of awkwardness in the air. Here stood two people who clearly loved two people that are planning their wedding. The guild knew Juvia loved Gray. At the very least, Meredy and Juvia knew Jellal loved Erza. Juvia alone never spoke these people. She couldn't see Jellal being close to any of them with the little free he had the past 9 years. Now Juvia and Jellal are supposed to continue a conversation with them? The idea was terrible the moment Lucy opened her mouth.
"So um Gray, are you ready to be a husband?" Juvia didn't know exactly if it was appropriate to even restart the conversation, or that she should cut her losses. Nevertheless, the quizzing look on everyone's face at the table gave her an answer. "Di-Did Juvia say something wrong?"
"No, you're fine Juvia." Erza was the first to recover, placing a bit of elegance in her voice. "I'm just used to you saying 'beloved Gray' or something of that magnitude."
"But Gray is engaged, it would be wrong if Juvia continued to refer to him like that." Juvia tried her absolute best not sweatdrop in front this group. "Juvia's trying to move past that phase in her life."
"Damn Gray, you're already old news." Natsu's roaring laugh shook the attention off of Juvia.
"Natsu!" Lucy said in a hushed tone. As those two argued, the rest of group fell silent. And at this moment, Juvia had half a mind to place the doll on the table and walk away, but she had enough sense to know that was socially inappropriate.
"That's very mature of you, Juvia." Erza took a bite of her cake with a smile on her face.
"Um Juvia, I don't want to be rude or anything, but what's with that doll?" Gray finally spoke up and to Juvia no less.
"Oh Juvia cleaning out her home, and she wanted to give Erza the last one of Juvia's dolls." Juvia glanced at Jellal, mentally asking him to pray to whoever and ask that no one finds this gift weird.
"The last one? What happened to the rest?" Wendy asked, void malicious intent. She was by far the most innocent and sweetest one of the guild in Juvia's opinion.
"Er... Juvia and Jellal got rid of them earlier." They didn't need to know how reluctant Juvia was about the whole matter.
There was a chorus of choking in the guild, from either from food, drinks, or air itself. Juvia quickly realized that the whole guild was listening to the conversation. Could Juvia blame them? Technically yes, but Juvia understood why they would do such a thing. A former- Juvia's thought process stopped cold in her tracks. What exactly was Juvia and Gray's relationship? Juvia long ago crossed the friend line, but they were never considered lovers. What was this new gray, ironic, area?
"It was nice catching up with you again, Erza." Jellal saved what little sanity Juvia had left with his quick thinking.
Juvia, wordlessly, placed the doll on the table and followed Jellal across the guild hall, far, far away from them. Juvia slumped into her side of the bench, mentally resisting the urge to turn into a puddle.
"Juvia exhausted herself." She groaned.
"I thought you did alright." Jellal let out a small laugh slip through.
"Juvia was until she decided to confuse herself." The water mage glared at the blue haired male. "What exactly is Juvia and Gray now?"
"Friends," Jellal put it in simple terms when the situation was more complicated than he thinks.
"Juvia crossed that line a long time ago." She huffed, puffing her cheeks out. "Juvia regrets her actions. Why would Gray even need a body pillow of Juvia?"
"Perhaps Gray still thinks of you as a friend? He's not cold enough to discard you from his life." Jellal's words sounded reasonable to Juvia, but was it really that easy?
"Juvia guesses," She sighed in defeat, somewhat accepting the truth.
"Or he could think of you like a sister?" He held back his laugh.
"A body pillow Jellal! A body pillow!" Juvia shrieked in a hushed tone.
"Fair enough," Jellal coughed, excusing his laugh. "So what happened to the body pillow?"
"Gray made Juvia sell it..." In retrospect, Juvia went overboard on her part. A body pillow should never be an option for a lover.
"Sell it? Why not return it?" Jellal raised an eyebrow.
"Juvia made it herself. Juvia has a lot of practice sewing. The Gray dolls were made by Juvia." She hesitated a minute before admitting her short comings. She had enough stress for one day. "Juvia's going to sleep. Today has been tiring."
"Do you want me to walk you back to your dorm?" Jellal offered.
"Juvia's going to sleep here tonight." Juvia curled up into a ball on the wooden bench. "Is Jellal going to a hotel?"
"No, I'll lay against the wall," Jellal mentioned, allowing a yawn to pass through his lips.
"Good night Jellal."
"Good night Juvia."