Hello! This story and future chapters will be my submissions for this year's Gruvia week! They will vary in length depending on how far my mind takes me... but I hope that doesn't bother you. I will follow the prompts, plus my own "side prompt" based on the story. Just a heads up, this fanfic universe will omit the Alvarez arc and will strictly be following Gray's story. Enjoy the read!
Gruvia Week: Day I
Memory l Still
By being an Ice-Make Mage, immunity to temperatures that even reach absolute zero has no issue. That feeling of numbness any normal person would receive from exposure to extreme cold is something Gray Fullbuster would ever experience as long as stripping is his second nature. However, it won't be a special type of ice or snow that would make him feel cold for the first time in years, but a lack thereof. Naturally, you can never have ice if you do not have water.
The weather was absolutely perfect. The sky was still and clear with the sun shining just enough to illuminate the day without the bearing intensity of the heat. It was almost like time was standing still, allowing anyone to bask in the wonderful moment. But not even the beautiful ambiance can distract a few Fairy Tail members from how cruel reality really is.
Following the events of Avatar, the team felt fairly well about the state of Fairy Tail. Not only did they fight together as the guild's strongest team for the first time in a year, but also the hope that revival is possible. Natsu defeated the evil organization's leader, and the rest of the team managed to take care of everyone else despite being heavily out numbered. When it comes to a war between Mages, it will always come down to quality over quantity. Team Natsu delayed their celebration because they wanted to share the good news with Wendy who stayed behind from the fighting to take care of a Juvia who had fallen ill. Levy and Gajeel had met up with the team during the fight, but had to return to the Magic Council to resign in order to join Fairy Tail again. The one-sided, water-ice couple lived together during the disbandment of Fairy Tail. The two kept each other the much needed company after not having Fairy Tail anymore. Half a year into though, Gray accepted Erza's commando mission to infiltrate Avatar. Although Gray had benevolent intentions for it, for a awhile, the feeling of getting closer to E.N.D. made him anxious. But with that mission completed, he can accept setting aside his search for E.N.D.
It did not take Natsu's sass to make Gray feel like a bad guy for abandoning Juvia, but the now Ice Devil Slayer was more than willing to apologize to her after the weight of Avatar has lifted off his shoulders. When Natsu, Lucy, Wendy, and Happy first arrived to the temporary home of Gray and Juvia earlier that day, the entire place was just constantly raining with a sole cloud right above the tiny town. But returning from the Avatar battle, the sky was as clear as ever, the team taking that as a good sign. Rain did intertwine with Juvia's emotions. Right at the front door, Gray turned the knob, but did not open it yet. A normal routine for him was that the rain woman would constantly peek out the window awaiting for him to return. She would never give him the chance to even open the door for himself. He would always be greeted by the blue-haired Water Mage with a cheerful glee and tackling hug. It felt weird for Gray to not have this upon returning home, but Juvia was recovering and probably still resting. Gray would always feel uncomfortable with his water counterpart constantly staying by his side, but at the same time, he could never imagine anyone else being with him. He was genuinely sorry for having to leave Juvia without closure. Otherwise, she would not have to be so lonely, especially when your body is at a state where you need another person the most. Deep down, he had to thank Natsu for coming along with the team or this might have dragged on longer (actually it would have).
"Juvia-" Gray called out, only abruptly stop and taken back when he saw a certain Dragon Slayer and exceed standing on the other side of the room, in front of the opening to Juvia's bedroom. Wendy's head was down, hands cupped together, and a chilling aura filling the air. Charle did not want to look into anyone's eyes either. This eerie scene made everyone's heart drop. They did not want to believe what they had in mind, but they also have to expect the worst.
"Wendy...? Charle...?" Lucy stepped to the side with her fist pressing against her heart beating rapidly. After calling out their names, the two quietly took a few paces to the side to allow the crowd to see past the bedroom entrance. There was a white cloth covering a body in supine position. It was Juvia. Lucy had to say something before her body realizes what happened, before it hits her. "I-I thought it was just a fever..."
"It.. was more than just a fever," Wendy, the Sky Dragon Slayer and specialist of healing-based Magic, said in a solemn, low-tone voice. You could hear the guilt in her words and her attempt to hide away her sadness. She remembered the promised she made to herself a year ago that she will not cry and whine anymore. This event should not be an excuse for an exception of that vow, but it was difficult containing the sadness inside of her. She could barely speak, as she was even ashamed to be a healer. She wanted to apologize. No, she wanted to do more than that. But, there is nothing more that can be done. Before she could muster out another mumble to say sorry, she was disrupted by an sudden, single pat to the head. It was Gray, hair shadowing his eyes, but you can tell that he needed Wendy to be strong during a time like this. He kept his hand on top of her head until she felt better.
"Don't be hard on yourself Wendy," Charle in her exceed form tried comforting her partner. "You did your best."
"Gray-" Natsu called out to the person arguably suffering the most out of this news. If the situation was lighter, he would have poked fun at him at this point. I mean, the two have not been able to do their daily headbutting for about year, and Natsu had been itching to mess with his icy guildmate. But the coldness that everyone felt, made everything so depressing that anything you say may be inappropriate. And considering Natsu, he does not really say anything that appropriate unless he is on the battlefield. Of course, both fire and ice individuals had to experience losing their fathers for the second time. But Gray's relationship with Juvia was not so simple as father to son, or guildie to guidie.
"It's no one's fault," Erza said the words that everyone wanted to say. "But... I do feel responsible. I'm sorry Gray. I shouldn't have made you keep quiet about-"
"Stop it, Erza," Gray interrupted the S-Class' apology. He did not bother to turn around to look at her, but continued speaking as he could not look away from the white blanket. "Like you said, no one's fault."
He was lying. Despite what he said, internally, he was putting all the blame on himself. Gray did not have to disclose his location or his mission to Juvia. To him, he could have just told her a small lie so she would not worry. He could have said he was going on a trip, wanted to travel alone, visit his family graves, Lamia Scale, anything. In his mind, all he had to tell Juvia that he will be okay. Instead, he made her lonely, worried, and sad. He knew that Juvia's rain will always follow up with her emotions. He knew that she will not be happy without him. In the end, Gray would never have left her if he knew it would cost her life. Everyone had tears in their eyes at this point, allowing the opportunity for a moment of silence to respect Juvia.
"We should plan her funeral," Natsu suggested as he wiped away his tears. "It could bring everyone together again."
"Yeah... you're right," Lucy agreed with her soft eyes looking at the stern Fire Dragon Slayer. She had calmed down a bit, but everyone's hearts were still heavy.
Gray would not have it though. The word 'funeral' made him lose his cool. He tried so hard to keep his composure, stay strong, and pretend like he was accepting reality. He smashed the wall next to him with his fist, walked past Erza, Lucy, Natsu, Happy, Charle to the outskirts of the town. He lashed out with his bare hand on a couple of trees and rock. He hated how everything around him reminded him of Juvia, even his Magic. He was suffering so much. The sky was so still as if it was Juvia's life being cut off and forced to remain frozen. She had no more future, she had no more movement, she cannot walk alongside Gray. He hated how his tears reminded him of the rain that Juvia always brought with her. He felt so guilty that the amount he was crying did not sum up to how much Juvia cried for him. In fact, it only took her death for Gray to realize how little he did for Juvia. Many lives have been lost because of Gray. He felt like an angel of death. His mother Mika, his father Silver, his teacher Ul and her daughter Ultear... and now Juvia. The woman who has done so much for him, unconditionally as well. He hated the fact that Natsu wanted to use her death as a way to bring Fairy Tail together. After blowing off some steam and calming down slightly, his body started feeling paralyzed. He had never felt 'frozen' before, more or less, numb from the cold. It was as if his soul wanted to detach itself from his physical form... to move to the afterlife to take back Juvia. He could not lift his hand up, it was just struggling to move.
"GRAY!" the sound of Natsu's battle cry and a sudden kick jab to his back definitely made Gray to move by tumbling over some dirt and grass. He did not say or word, but slowly got up to his feet with his back turn toward Igneel's son. "What the hell was all of that about?!"
"Just SHUT UP, Natsu! You're the one that wanted to use Juvia to bring Fairy tail together! That's ALL you care about! What the hell is she to you?! Huh?!"
"She's a fallen comrade! Like with ANYONE in Fairy Tail, I am grieving too!" he yelled back and took a step forward. "You remember Lisanna?! We thought we all lost her! And we were all-"
"Well, Juvia is definitely FALLEN," he jolted his body around to get into Natsu's face and give him a punch to the face. Gray genuinely did not want to talk about any of this. He was not in the right state, the right mind to say anything he really means. He just wanted to escape. The two exchanged a couple of old-fashioned, street fighting punches and kicks. It was the way the two communicate. From every blow Natsu took from his friend, he could tell how much he was mentally shattered. They were not strong at all. Gray's strength was depleting because he was slowly losing himself. He was growing tired, and that would never happen under normal circumstances. From Natsu's pity, he give a quick jab to Gray's head which blew him to the ground where he would stay put.
"Juvia will never be forgotten," the Fire Dragon Slayer said with high value in his speech. He looked down on the spiky hair of Gray who did not bother to get up. "She will always continue living in our hearts."
"But...," he muffled through the dirt as tears started to flow down his cheeks to be soaked in the dirt. "Just as a memory..."
Thanks for reading! Follows, favorites, and reviews are appreciated! I apologize if this was a bit on the darker side, but I'm happy you gave it a shot. I'm sorry for any spelling and grammatical errors too... haven't had English class in years xD Thanks again for stopping by, hope you look forward for the next chapter!