They met at the ice rink. Juvia Lockser had been a bit bored and missed the feeling of being on skates, feeling the ice beneath her feet, therefore decided to head to her college's ice rink. She had grabbed her skates, put on her sneakers, and made her way to the rink. Thankfully, it wasn't booked for the day and no one was there. Slipping on her skates, she skated onto the thin ice whilst plugging her headphones into her ears and blasting music.
She was absolutely terrible at noticing anything around her once she gets into her 'zone', which was probably why they encountered. As she lost herself in the icy room and the music coming out of the small ear buds, a raven haired boy by the name of Gray Fullbuster made his way into the rink as well, expecting it to be vacant of course, but instead getting mesmerized but the spinning bluenette on the ice. He didn't know what to think, he had not expected to find anyone and he needed to train for the next hockey match, however as he saw her graceful movements all he wanted to was sit down and watch her for hours upon hours. Although he had no idea who she was, and it seemed like such a stalker-ish thing to do, he carefully made his way into the rink, hiding himself in the shadows while making his way closer to the ice.
That sneaky process would have worked if not for the giant hockey bag he held on his bag that banged onto the floor, causing a huge bang to echo through the room. Gray strung out a mutter of curses before picking up the bag, just as Juvia pulled out one ear bud and scanned her eyes around the room while skating towards the glass doors of the rink, then finally said loudly, "Is anyone in here?". At this point, Gray could have stayed quiet and then left, nevertheless he raised a hand and made his footsteps evident as he managed to finally reach the doors to the ice. And boy, did he not regret that decision. He didn't know her name, he didn't know where she was from or who she truly was, but in spite of that, he was compelled towards her small figure. Maybe it was the way her cheeks were flushed, or her long, and clearly unique, azure hair that cascaded down her back. Or, maybe, just maybe, it was a trick of mind and he just thought she was hot. Which was what Gray chose to go with.
Juvia had many emotions running through her. One of them was embarrassment since he saw her skate, another was exaustion, but the final one she couldn't identify. Her heart was hammering in her chest uncomfortably, her mind was a jumbled mess, and as he looked up and met her gaze, it was as if everything inside of her dissolved. He was so handsome, or at least that's what she believed. She didn't want to feel all this things inside her, she hated the feeling her heart was giving her, however she still managed to stand up a bit straighter and open her mouth (although she honestly wished she didn't). "Hi, who are you and what were you hiding for?" Her voice, to the boy in front of her, was soft and melodic, yet her words seemed so hostile and made Gray feel quite embarrassed for being caught "hiding".
"Uh, sorry. I'm Gray. I didn't mean to intrude but you were really good and I didn't want to cut off your session." He raised a hand to rub the back of his neck, a nervous habit of his, and Juvia gave him a slightly puzzled look as her cheeks heated up, but smiled nonetheless. And that minute she smiled, Gray could swear he could write paragraphs on how she looked. Her cheeks were rosy, her eyes bright, and her lips curled into this beautiful and breathtaking smile that pushed his "attraction" towards her even more. "Well, I'm Juvia, nice to meet you Gray-sama." she said gently, extending a hand for him to shake whilst keeping her positive smile evident. He carefully shook her hand, his thoughts a straight mess. They had known each other for literal minutes and Gray could already tell that somehow she would make a mess of his life.
And dear god, did she honestly make a mess.
The second time they met, it was at her dorm. She had been forced to move out of her old dorm into a new one, with a girl named Erza Scarlet. They had immediately became friends, much to Juvia's relief, and had began hanging out quite often, despite being completely opposite majors (Erza was studying law while Juvia was studying to be a biology major). The only difference between them was that Erza has a large group of friends, while Juvia only had one friend by the name of Gajeel Redfox. He was barely even considered a friend, more like a brother to her. Juvia was studying for a test at around 10 pm (she was really good at procrasinating) and heard a knock on the door. Her immediate response was that it was one of Erza's friend, however the scarlet haired roommate was spending the night with her boyfriend, Jellal. She slowly got up from her small bed and ran her fingers through her hair in attempt to make herself look decent, regardless of the fact that she was wearing a shirt two sizes too big and a pair of shorts that were hidden underneath the oversized hem of the shirt. She tugged the door open and opened her mouth to say that Erza wasn't home, but it happened to be Gray at the door. "Hey Erza listen- oh wait." Gray began, then realized that he had spoke too soon. His brows furrowed in confusion as he looked at the dorm number and at Juvia, then said, "Am I at the right dorm or did Erza move or something?" Juvia, who was also confused, shook her head slightly before saying, "Erza lives here, I moved in around last month since her old roommate left and I was forced out of mine. Do you need me to pass on a message or something?"
She wanted them to talk longer personally but would never say that aloud, considering they'd spoken once. "Oh well, shit. I needed her help in calculus, and she texted me saying I should come today but I got caught up at work and tomorrow we have a pop quiz and I know nothing about the lesson." He explained, running his fingers through his hair (which Juvia practically died at). Juvia thought for a moment, but before her brain could properly make a choice she said, "I could help you. I mean, I'm no expert on calc, but I took it last term and could probably try and explain, since Erza won't be home till tomorrow."
"No Gray-sama, you're getting the equations mixed up, you don't use that one here." Juvia explained for the 3rd time, taking Gray's pencil from his hand and rewriting the correct answer for him, explaining step by step. "I'm failing tomorrow, how fun." He said sarcastically as Juvia handed him back his pencil. "Are you calling me a bad teacher?" She laughed, and for a moment Gray just stared at her face while she laughed, a wide grin making its way onto his face. "I think it's more that I'm a terrible student, really. You're explaining quite well, thanks." Gray said, causing Juvia's cheeks to flare up. "Thanks, now try again with exercises 24, 25, and 26. If you get them right, you'll get a break." As she said that, she grabbed her own textbook for chemistry and began studying where she left off. It was silent for a few moments, the only sounds being Gray's pencil scratching against the paper. Juvia didn't really mind the quiet, since her brain was being filled with chemical equations and molecular structures, and honestly, she grew up in the quiet, since her parents had both given her up and lived alone for a big majority of her life (the other half being with her uncle).
After Juvia managed to finish the chapter required for her exam, she looked over at Gray to see that he was staring down at his notes with confusion. "Need help?" Her voice made him practically jump as he looked up at her, then reached up and rubbed the back of his neck. "I think I understood everything, it's just that some questions confuse me. All in all though, I'll get at least a B on the test tomorrow." He shrugged, then closed his book and looked over at Juvia. "What are you studying?" "Chemistry. I finished though, thankfully." She said, then placed the book on the bedside table before checking her phone for the time (not that it mattered to her honestly) before looking over at Gray. "By the way, why did you come here for Erza? I know she has loads of friends, but I didn't expect you to be one of them..." She trailed off, and Gray let out a small laugh. "Well we were neighbors as kids, and we had this group of friends growing up consisting of me, her, and a few others, and soon enough we graduated and decided to all stay in the same city. She was the smartest kid back in high school and so I still come to her when I need help in subjects." His smile stuck on his face as he said that, and Juvia nodded. "That's cute. I moved here in my first year of high school, then stayed for uni. Growing up though I wasn't as lucky in the friendship department as you, sadly."
They stayed silent for a few moments, and Juvia could feel herself getting sleepier. Gray opened his bag, shoving his books in it, then stood up. "Well, if you ever need someone to hang out with, you have Erza and I, our group doesn't mind additions, however a fair warning is that they will drive you insane, in the best way." He said, then pulled his bag onto his shoulder and gave her a small wave. Juvia stood up as he made his way out, saying a tired "good bye" as the door shut behind him.
The third time they met was through the deal Gray had made with her. After Erza found out about Gray and Juvia's encounter, she had made sure that Juvia would join in on their adventures from time to time, and today happened to be one of those times. Juvia had waken up early one Saturday, forcibly, by Erza and told her that Juvia would be joining her and her group of friends in a nature trip. "What even is a 'nature trip'?" Juvia had asked half asleep, putting air quotes on the words. "Simple," Erza began, "We go to this small lake in the woods and we spend the day there. We swim, hike, and then usually have a barbecue. We end the day with a huge bonfire that includes s'mores and stories. You're not allowed to ditch on me, so get up and put on a swimsuit and some shorts."
Juvia hated disagreeing with Erza, so she simple picked herself, threw on a lilac bikini covered by a white crop top and some frayed shorts, and packed up what she believed she'd need for the day. "Just so you know, I planned to skate today. The rink was meant to be empty." Juvia said as she slipped into her black van's, and Erza laughed. "Just so you know, Gray is co-captain of the hockey team. If you ever want to skate, just let him know and he'd probably reschedule their practice or something." She said, and Juvia rolled her eyes, but none the less followed Erza out of the dorm. They ended up renting a bus, or at least Natsu did (not that Juvia even knew who he was, she just listened to what her roommate had told her), and were using to drive an hour and a half away to the lake.
"I promise you'll love everyone you're about to meet, okay? I swear to you they're the sweetest people in the world, and you'll have a great day. It's better than skating alone, I can tell you that much." Erza basically ranted, as she and Juvia made their way to where the bus was, which was just a few blocks away from their dorm. Juvia nodded along to her words, her gaze ahead and her heart beating at a slightly faster pace. Juvia disliked meeting new people personally, and so hearing that she would be meeting such a large group of people was a nightmare to her. However she refused to turn around, only because of the bright smile Erza carried. Her scarlet haired friend was practically bouncing with joy due to the fact that all of her friends would become one large group, instead of having to talk to each separately. As the bus came into view, she could hear many voices loud and clear, and Juvia could feel her palms beginning to sweat. "This was a bad-" Juvia began, but Erza had cut her off mid sentence. "Everyone, meet Juvia Lockser, my roommate. Juvia, this is Natsu, his girlfriend Lucy, Mirajane and her siblings Elfman and Lisanna, Elfman's girlfriend Evergreen, Cana, Levy, Freed, Loke, Laxus, Bickslow my boyfriend Jellal, and finally, Gray, who you've already met before."
"OI GRAY SO THAT'S THE CHICK YOU-"
"SHUT THE FUCK UP NATSU!" Gray exclaimed, just as Lucy elbowed Natsu in the stomach, causing him to double over and grip his midsection in pain. Lucy looked back over at Juvia and gave a small wave and a smile. "Hi Juvia. I can promise you that my boyfriend won't be as annoying as he just was." Juvia smiled, giving a wave back. "Hi everyone." She said, and Erza clapped her hands together. "Alright well, let's get on the bus shall we? Who's driving?" She asked, and Laxus raised his hand, showing that he was the designated driver for the trip. Everyone began piling into the bus, and as Juvia followed behind them, an arm wrapped itself around her shoulder. "Alright so I'm gonna tell you from now, you're sitting next to me and I'm gonna promise we'll be best friends." Juvia looked over to see Cana had wrapped herself around Juvia, and she let out a small laugh. She could already feel like she could fit right in, and as Gray had told her before, they may begin to drive her crazy, but in the best way.
Just as the bus started moving, Juvia was sat beside Cana, who pulled out a carton of beer from her bag and offered one to Juvia. "Oh, I don't drink." She simply said, and Cana let out a sound of what seemed like disgust and shock together, and looked over to Erza, who was watching a movie with her boyfriend on the tablet. "YO ERZA, WHY DIDN'T YOU SHOW YOUR LIL ROOMMATE HERE THE WONDERS OF ALCOHOL?" Cana practically screamed, and Erza spun in her seat, giving Cana a dark look. "Because she's smart, on a scholarship, a great skater, works, and has a good life. She doesn't need alcohol to ruin that." She retorted, and as Cana sunk back into her seat, Juvia's cheeks burned a dark red. "Damn, Juvia you have your shit together, unlike half the people here." One of the boys, Juvia is pretty sure he's Loke, said with a laugh and Gray, who was sat beside him, laughed as well. "No wonder you could help me with calculus. I got a B+ by the way, thanks." He said, looking over at Juvia and giving a smile. Juvia's cheeks burned a bit more, and she smiled. "Good to know." He turned back around after she said that, however she could still see a smile on his lips as she heard him and Loke begin a new conversation.
Almost 45 minutes had passed, and everyone had already began treating Juvia as if she's been a life long friend. Lisanna had braided Juvia's hair into two cute french braids, Cana had joked around with her more times than she could count, and Lucy simply just made Juvia feel welcome enough to the point where she felt like she never wanted to leave. She thought she was the only one who felt this way, however Lisanna proved her otherwise. "Okay Juvia, I'm telling you from now: You're never leaving. Welcome to the squad." Juvia let out a small giggle as those words escaped Lisanna's mouth, and Erza, who had watched 2 movies with Jellal before joining on their conversations, smiled widely. "You're all welcome." She said simply, and her smile turned into a clear smirk. "Juvia, are you sure you're straight?" Cana said, and the bluenette practically choked on her own spit as everyone in the bus immediately quieted down, with the exeption of Gray. "Cana what the fu-" He began, but I cut him off. "I'm positive I am, believe me, I tried it." Juvia said simply, and Cana stared at her in disbelief.
"Oh my god, Juvia has tried to get with a girl. OH MY GOD, I have so much more respect for you." Cana said, then the small group laughed. "Why did you ask anyway?" Juvia asked, and Cana gave her a joking wink. "You're hot, and I'm bisexual and hopeful." Juvia's cheeks flared, "Oh well, who knows?" She said jokingly, and broke into a fit of laughter with Cana, while Levy said softly, "We all really do approve of Juvia joining this group."
After another mindless hour of jokes and 'flirting', they had finally arrived at the
lake and as Juvia hopped down from the bus, she took in the large surroundings, and to her, it was truly beautiful. The lake was clear blue, and Juvia personally adored swimming and couldn't wait to jump in, the land surrounding it was lush green, and lastly, what looked like a small dock was set up and had a grill and a long picnic table made of wood. She could also spot a big bonfire area, since it was the only spot where she didn't see grass. As she took this all in, Natsu had run past her, slipping his shirt off in the process and tossing it to the floor, splashing into the lake in a big cannonball. "YO, FLAME BRAIN, WAIT FOR US!" Gray screamed, just as he and Loke both stripped off their shirts and followed after him (and Juvia would be lying to herself if she didn't practically drool at the moment she saw Gray's toned chest, but that was something that'd stay buried in her brain). Mirajane turned to the girls and gave them a wide smile. "Well, shall we do the same?" She said excitedly, and the girls all began taking off their cover ups, Juvia joining in immediately then running after Cana and Erza, who had already gotten into the water. She did the same as the others and jumped in, allowing the cold water to hit her body, then resurfaced and gave everyone a bright smile. As soon as everyone was into the water (with the exception of Laxus and Freed, who were tending to the grill and the food), they had decided to hold a race, to which Juvia practically jumped at. "Alright, so it's Natsu, Erza, Gray, and Juvia all against each other. First person to Elfman wins. Ready?" Levy explained, and the four swimmers nodded. "Alright then, go!" She exclaimed, and as the words left her mouth, Juvia dived in and shot ahead of the 3 others, her legs propelling her ahead of everyone else, as she paddled her arms as well. She could see Elfman already, and as soon as her arm hit his own, she pulled herself to stand upright, as everyone cheered. "Damn, you're good." Gray complimented, him being in second place. Juvia smiled once again (she seemed to be doing that a lot) then said, "I was on the varsity swim team." "Wait then that's not fair!" He shot back, and Juvia laughed.
"Don't be a sore loser." She said, and stuck out her tongue, causing Gray to roll his eyes, but smile nonetheless. Her heart fluttered in her chest, but she chose to push that aside.
The sun had began to set as everyone finally pulled themselves out of the lake, then sat down to eat. The food itself was great, although they were just burgers and hot dogs, that Bickslow and Elfman had grilled. Juvia had decided to sit down next to Jellal, who Erza was clinging onto lovingly, and Laxus stared at them momentarily, before asking, "Are you guys related?" She and Jellal looked at each other, then Loke said, "I immediately assumed you guys were related too, I didn't bother to mention it though." Jellal turned back to the two asking, and shook his head. "Nah, we aren't related. I wish we were, it'd be cool." He said, and Erza gasped, then said, "That'd be so amazing, like both of you would be really close and I'm close to both of you, obviously."
"I don't have any siblings, sadly, so it'd be cool to have you as a sibling to me too." Juvia laughed, and then the conversation shifted to a discussion about annoying siblings started by Lisanna, who later got hit upside the head by her loving sister. When the food had all finished, the group headed over to the bonfire, and Juvia sat herself between Gray and Cana while Natsu quickly lit the fire. As everyone was roasting marshmallows, Gray had decided to strike up a conversation. "So, how are you liking this very loud group of people?" He looked over at her, and she momentarily shifted her eyes from the fire to his, but answered with her gaze back on the flames. "They're everything I've ever wanted in friends, so thank you for welcoming me. It's nice to not be an outsider anymore." She could see him smile in the corner of her eye, so she decided to stop being rude and look at him. As soon as she did, her heart practically jumped in her chest, because his smile was so gorgeous it bought so many unwanted feelings that she chose to ignore. "Well, you're always welcome here now, Cana basically pulled me and Erza aside and told me that everyone approves of you, so that we wouldn't try to make you be unwelcome."
She laughed softly at his words, and then said, "Please don't. I'd like to stay close." Gray looked at her for a moment, before pulling out his phone and handing it to her. "Put in your number. Now we'll have to stay close, since the chances of me passing it on to everyone is high." He smiled, and Juvia took it from his hands and entered in her number, saving the contact under her name. She handed it back with a smile, and after a few taps on the screen, Gray showed her the new contact name she had.
Skating Nerd
Juvia laughed as her heart went against her for the thousandth time that day, and Gray smiled. "The first time I met you, I saw you skate- wonderfully. Then I found out you're a total geek." She shook her head and shoved her shoulder into his. "There's nothing wrong with being smart. Thanks for the compliment though, but I don't like sweet talk." She laughed, and he shook his head. "I don't sweet talk. Keep that in mind."
And once again, she hated how much butterflies were exploding in her chest, but this time; she didn't stop them.