The first time Lucy and Juvia met there were no introductions. They passed each other like ships in a storm. Until an intervening force brought them together. Soon enough Lucy was capsized; drowning as the water pulled her under.
"Don't worry, Juvia will not kill you," muffled through the deep blue. Waves barred their teeth in a poorly feigned smile. The depths of her eyes threatened to pull Lucy in as her conscious pulled away.
All in all, it was not the worst first meeting Lucy ever had; it wasn't every day someone took your breath away.
After Phantom Lord was disbanded, every so often, Lucy could feel a presence at her back. It ebbed and flowed like the ocean's waves. Gravity drawing cerulean into her field of vision.
Life without a guild, without friends, without family her heart ached at the very thought. Still, she didn't dare look back. Anything she did now would be pressuring. People deserved the chance to make their own choices, determine their destiny, follow their dreams. Father had denied her enough choices; she couldn't make that decision for someone else.
Rain persisted, on and off, rolling in with the tide. The soft pattering tapped at her window.
Once again, Lucy washed away, pulled under the water, drowning in Juvia's magic. The waves sang out a siren's song. Lucy. They called in the soft bell-like notes she had come to associate with Juvia's voice. Lucy. They sang in strange comfort. Lucy. What was she thinking? She couldn't win against a former s-class mage, not in a million years, much less a former member of the elite element four.
Jellal's creepy lackey cackled through the blue. Lucy. He should be counting his lucky stars; if he didn't conveniently use magic that nullified Juvia's. He would be finished. Lucy. Juvia wouldn't be possessed. They were enemies not too long ago, despite everything Lucy had come to respect her, but this wasn't Juvia's fight. She shouldn't have her autonomy stolen from her because of it.
Lucy! Wait, what? She listened close. This isn't Juvia. Not any of it! She looked at the half-crazed visage before her; there was nothing beyond those eyes, but the water. Juvia was the water. Juvia's conscious, or maybe her will, called to Lucy.
Juvia does not want to hurt her friends...although...it's a little presumptuous of me to call you that...A flood of feelings broke through turbulent waters. An ache settled in Lucy's chest. Her throat constricted fighting to speak words that were not her own. Juvia has truly come to love Fairy Tail...A fragile warmth shone. It seems so friendly...so warm...as though, even if it's raining outside, in the guild the sun is always shining...The glow ebbed. Just when...Timeworn bitterness settled. Juvia thought she was finally getting along with everyone...Pangs rained down tenfold. Unbearable. But it looks like...Juvia can only bring sadness...She could almost see Juvia with tears in her eyes.
Lucy gasped for breath, eyes watering, as Juvia tossed her across the corridor. Everything lost by the resurgence of a, temporarily forgotten, need to breathe. Limbs heavy, uncooperative, she pulled herself up with a resolve as eternal as the stars in the sky. She locked her gaze with the possession. Juvia would hear her, "someone who would shed tears for the sake of their friends could never be rejected by Fairy Tail!"
A glimmer of the real Juvia shone from her eyes.
An idea sparked to life. Fingers twitched over her keys. This was worth facing the Water Bearer's wrath. That hair could only absorb so much and her opponent would provide ample opportunity to set her plan in motion.
Juvia's poor imitation lunged at her a wave of water following in full force. She waited until they were face to face, she began to be dragged in, "Open! Gate of the Water Bearer, Aquarius!"
The shock was evident on Juvia's face. It rippled over Lucy. "You used Juvia's water to summon a spirit!?"
"As long as I have water, I can summon the ultimate spirit Aquarius!" A little flattery and they might just be spared from the Water Bearer's attack. Juvia was probably too worn out to shift her tides. "It's all thanks to you, Juvia!"
"Oh, shut up already, you stupid girls!" Aquarius released her anger onto everyone. For once, Juvia was swept away by waves that were not her own.
The swirling waters pushed them apart. Lucy reached out. She wouldn't let Juvia be hurt any further. "Juvia!"
"Lucy!" Juvia called as she fought the tempestuous waters.
Their hands met, locked together with newfound comradery. Magic amplified, the tides turned. They wiped the smug look off of Vildadus' face.
After some light threatening and barbs, Aquarius demanded a two-week vacation before, promptly, vanishing back to the celestial realm.
Juvia murmured, "How frightening..."
"Yeah...Aquarius has a bit of a temper. Especially when she's summoned on her day off. At any rate...we've taken out one of the bad guys. Jellal's not going to get his way that easily!" Lucy collapsed back on the ground.
"No, you were the one who defeated him," Juvia argued.
"We did it together." It was as if Juvia froze. "You cried out 'Lucy' back there, right? I'm really happy we're finally getting along." Maybe they were on opposite sides once, but they wanted the same things. Prickling under Lucy's skin, a phantom of the bone-deep ache of loneliness and longing lingered. No one should be denied a place to belong. A place to be loved.
Juvia's legs finally gave out so they were lying side by side. The tears were back in her eyes. At least, they seemed happier this time. "Juvia seems to be raining from her eyes," she sniffled.
Shoulders pressed together. "That's a cute way of putting it."
Fireworks lit up the night sky. The stars illuminated the ocean below. Finally, they could slow down, take a breath, maybe even rest for a while. This was a vacation. A free vacation and Lucy wanted to enjoy what was left of it.
Her heels dug into the cool sand as she glanced to her side.
Juvia stayed. Eyes sparkling, oceanic depths reflecting the celestial wonders above.
"Beautiful," Lucy whispered in hushed awe.
Juvia turned startled. Heat rose in Lucy's cheeks. Did she say that aloud?
"The sky," Lucy stammered, "it's beautiful tonight." Not the only beautiful sight.
The next morning Lucy waited for everyone in the lobby. Punctuality was definitely not one of Natsu's strengths. Erza left to collect him while she and Gray waited. Almost habitually, she began searching for cerulean.
A slip, discrete, Juvia was leaving. Without them? Nope. Not happening.
She pushed across the marble. Humidity hit Lucy full force. Salt, heavy in the air. Juvia was nowhere in sight; dark clouds rolled overcast above the turbulent waters rushing further across the sand. There was no way to know but she headed down to the beach. Raindrops began to fall like tears. She caught sight of a figure huddled down the shore. Lucy dropped down dripping wet.
"Um..." Lucy's voice caught in her throat. They were friends, were they not? Lucy made that assumption, but she never considered if that was what Juvia wanted. Why else would she run? "Are you alright?" It was a stupid question, she knew that. Juvia was not on the beach; those bottomless blue depths were vacant.
Lucy placed a hand on her shoulder in some vain attempt at comfort. They sat there drowning; until they were, far past, soaked to the bone. Juvia tilted her head to the sky, "before last night Juvia never saw the stars. She could not see fireworks either; Juvia ruined them for the people around her too. Juvia ruined plenty. This is why, no matter how much Juvia may want to, Juvia cannot join Fairy Tail. A place where the sun always shines...Juvia would certainly spoil it."
"I'm sorry, but..."Lucy paused a moment gritting her teeth, "sorry, if I'm overstepping...but, Juvia you couldn't be more wrong! How could you ruin anything?"
"The rain..." Juvia fiddled with her hands; fingers twined together and unraveled in rhythm.
"It's a force of nature. There's no escaping rain; it happens pretty much anywhere. It's out of our control. Whoever convinced you otherwise is wrong."
Juvia turned to stare at Lucy mouth agape and eyes wide enough to encompass the sea.
Lucy took the water mage's hand in her own. "Come with us. Fairy Tail doesn't care about the past." She chuckled to herself, "Look at me, since I joined the guild was destroyed, almost disbanded, and I put everyone in danger including the Master Makarov. If Fairy Tail hasn't kicked me out yet then I'm sure a little rain isn't going to bother anyone."
Juvia scoffed into her hands as her lips crookedly upturned.
"Hey," Lucy feigned offense, "you don't have to agree so quickly."
Lucy turned, a little too, dramatically and put on her best pout. A pout perfected against various tutors and caretakers. Through the downpour, a laugh rung like a windchime. Bell tones distracting. She decided to drop her facade. The sight that greeted Lucy took her breath away. Juvia could not hold back the way her lips quirk or the stars sparkling in her eyes.
"I promise, no matter what, that you will always have a place to belong; Whether it's with Fairy Tail or me. I'll make sure that you will every iteration of the sky there is and more," Lucy vowed. Her cheeks flushed further with every word as she swept Juvia off her feet. "So cmon, everyone's waiting. Erza's never been super patient and she's a little scary when she's angry," she quipped. She was not looking forward to facing Erza's wrath. Especially, after Natsu definitely riled her up, but it was worth it to see the first look of genuine happiness on Juvia's face.
Lucy walked away with one truth. There were few things, in the world, softer than Juvia's smile.