"Gray-sama... here's your food." she thrusted the lunch box infront of him. "Make sure to meet up with the others first, alright?"
He only nodded, his eyes focused as he laced up his boots. He stood up straightly and then faced the blue-haired beauty.
She beamed at the sight of him. "Here." she thrusted the prepared food once again, this time with both hands.
Gray stared boringly on it, he brought up one palm and scratched the back of his head. "Thanks."
Her smile grew wider, her eyes turning hearts. But before she could even say something, he turned his back to her, his hand was already on the door knob.
"W-wait!" she squealed, jumping on his side as she tugged the sleeve of his coat. "A-aren't Gray-sama forgetting something?" she pouted.
He rolled his eyes before turning on his side, she tip toed so her forehead could touch his lips.
Giggling, she whispered on his shoulder. "Juvia loves you."
Gray only grunted, though Juvia couldn't help but notice the pinking of his cheeks. He turned back on the door without a second at her.
Never did Juvia felt so happy at the moment. She couldn't believe that Gray is getting more and more comfortable now. It was truly a dream come true! Juvia would always say.
Upon hearing the door click, her facade began to fall. Her smile dropped as well as her shoulders, then she moved to secure and lock the door.
Removing her apron, she settled in one of Gray's stool in the kitchen.
She stopped taking missions for awhile now. Polyusica-san advised her to stay at home and recover more for the better.
The last battle did not made a good outcome for her, but not only for her since most of her guildmates almost died at it. The battle ended with a loud piercing sound of explosion that made the water mage lost her hearing ability due to sensitivity issues and her mage powers for a short time.
During those times, she wondered if when could she hear Gray's voice again, however, after a month of rehabilitation, she finally regained her magic but there are times where she couldn't quiet catch what the others are saying.
It's been difficult for her but that didn't stop her from pursuing her beloved ice mage since she thinks that she has a big chance to win his heart now. After all what happened in the battle, she's now certain that Gray loves her back though he's only being shy to admit it. She continues to follow him like a lost puppy, though Gray has already volunteered to guide her in so many ways since she's having difficulties in hearing and with her magic.
One big decision that she made was to move out from Fairy hills and join him to live on his own apartment, since they already did that before. Gray didn't say anything, he just welcomed her quietly when he saw her dragging her luggages on her way to his house.
She's been living in his house for three months now and Juvia's doing her very best to be a good service to him. She doesn't want to be a free loader, but Gray insisted that they should just live that way that they did before.
She's so happy to hear that from him.
But she didn't know how lonely it would be to stay alone in his house every time that he's busy attending a mission with his team.
She sighed and stood up, went to the sink and began cleaning the mess that she made while cooking his packed lunch.
"I hope that he'll like what I cooked for him today." she smiled thoughtfully to herself as she rubbed the rag on the tiled counter top.
Soon, she began to hum lightly. She's beginning to get use with this kind of arrangement between them.
"Gray-sama is so nice." she whispered to herself, still smiling.
She didn't know where does she get her confidence, especially since Gray hasn't opened about anything yet.
She already knew how caring he is and she thinks that it's enough for now. They're still young and she has considered it for a long time that Gray is not the kind of person who would want to settle down, and much more when it comes to labeling relationships.
She's just confident that after everything that had happened between them, she has a special place in his heart.
"Welcome home!" she quickly greeted once she opened the door. Her big smile turned into a frown when she saw Natsu, smiling apologetically at her. Her Gray-sama is on his back, his face very red. He snored loudly and Natsu turned his face disgustedly away.
"W-what happened Natsu-san?"
Natsu opened his mouth while moving to enter the house, Juvia opened the door widely settling beside the door.
She followed Natsu as he slumped Gray's body on the couch.
"Please be more careful." she rushed to Gray's side running her hand on his black hair as she knelt on the floor.
She turned to look at Natsu who looks exhausted and as he settled himself in one of the nearest stools.
"What happened?" she asked once again, turning her eyes back to Gray as the latter scooted closer to her chest. She wanted to hear what just happened but Natsu seemed to be not in the mood to explain anything.
She shooted a glare on Natsu. "Natsu-san, Juvia is asking... What happened to Gray-sama?"
And something surprsing happened. She saw how Natsu opened his mouth, and based on his expression it looks like he's already annoyed.
"W-what?" she asked once again, her eyes followed the movement of Natsu's thin lips. But she couldn't catch anything that he's saying.
"Are you alright?" Natsu's expression changed into a worried one.
She blinked.
"I said, we finished the mission a little earlier and we decided to go for a few drinks."
Big, blue eyes widened. 'H-how could Juvia respond if there's no voice coming out from him?!' she thought to herself irritatingly. Her eyes squinted as she looked at Natsu seriously.
Then she heard a long pinging sound and as Natsu moved his mouth while speaking, little by little she could her the faint clearness of his voice.
"-thought you're already healed? Are you still having problems when it comes to hearing?" His voice grew louder and louder until she could understand what he's saying.
"N-no..." she looked hesistantly at the fire mage. "Of course, Juvia is already healed!" There's no way that she's beginning to hear mutely again.
"Then why-" Natsu was interrupted when Gray stretched his body forward, sitting up as he regained his consciousness.
"I'm home?" he asked groggily.
Juvia nodded quickly, running to the kitchen to get a glass of water for Gray.
When she came back, Natsu was scowling at her. "Hey shouldn't you offer me a drink too? I'm the one who carried Gray's huge ass!"
"Were you two arguing?" Gray asked as he finished gulping his water.
Juvia shoot Natsu a guilty look but the pink-haired mage was busy enjoying his cold glass of water.
"N-no..." Juvia answered, sitting beside him. She fished something out of her pocket before thrusting it infront of his face. "Gray-sama, what is this for?" she pouted.
"Since ice princess is already good, I should leave already." Natsu declared moving towards the door but none of the two other mages seemed to care so much about him.
A soft click of the door was heard before Gray responded.
He frowned, his droopy eyes blinking slowly. "A phone lachryma?"
She nodded, still pouting. "Didn't you tell Juvia to use this if something unexpected happens? If there are surprise visits in the house? If she has something important to tell you? And more importantly if there's an emergency?"
He raised an eyebrow.
"But why didn't Gray-sama do the same?" she faked hurt, accusing him lightly. "Shouldn't you call me if there is some unexpected changes in your schedule?" she sighed at the end. "Juvia was waiting, thinking that we're going to watch something nice for tonight since you don't have a mission tomorrow." she paused. "Then you came home late and-"
Halfway from her talking, she felt like something was covering her ears. She couldn't hear anything except she could feel her hearing senses slipping no- fading away.
She saw Gray get his own phone lachryma and he started to dial on it.
If Gray didn't signaled for her to look down on her phone, she wouldn't see that the screen was blinking and his name and picture was flashed on the screen.
She looked at it for a second before turning her eyes back to him. He was smiling softly at her, red faced and his eyes were focused on her face.
She saw his mouth moved and she read him saying, 'Pick it up.'
She gulped. Looking down on her phone once again before she hesistantly slid the accept button. Slowly, she brought it near her right ear.
Then she saw him speaking. The corner of his lips turning upwards as his smile grew a little bigger.
He was already speaking thru the phone, but she couldn't receive anything on her end. Is there something wrong with my phone lachryma? Is there something wrong with Gray-sama's voice? Is there something wrong with my ears, again?
Her eyes watered while she focused on his talking lips.
'What are you saying? I can't undetstand you.' she wanted to tell him but instead, a different phrase came out from her mouth.
"I love you..." she spoke softly, but she isn't sure if it's too soft or too low for him to hear. After all, she couldn't confirm it by herself cause she didn't even hear it herself.
'Did I say it properly?' she asked herself. 'Did I?'
He paused from talking. Her eyes were set on his lips then she shifted it to his eyes.
Slowly, his head moved towards her and Juvia leaned forward.
When their lips met, a tear escaped from her eye.
He pressed deeply before he slid his own tongue to open her mouth.
'It will be fine...' she thought to herself as he continued to kiss her gently with the lips that she's been focusing on with earlier while he's talking to her on the phone, wondering if when she'll ever hear or maybe read his 'I love you's' to her.
AN: Hi! It's been a long time guys! I really missed writing. I've been having a block for a few months or maybe a year already (?) and it's a shame that I could only come up with a new story (and probably a CLIFFHANGER) for a start once again. I'm having trouble on how to start and explain the first chapter and this came out.
So this time, Juvia is losing her hearing ability. (Please don't be mad at me because I made her blind in Winter Maria and then now a soon-to-be deaf person (?) *I apologize for my term, ehem* I have nothing against people with disabilities, in which I can prove that I am thoughtful and caring to them. I just want to explore heart break and master the art of ANGSTy-ness. I hope you understand because I'm sure you also love being tortured with Gruvia angst fics. Huhu! Well then, thank you so much for lending some of your free time just to read this new fanfic of mine. I hope for your positive feedbacks but I'm open with flames too so no worries. Let's all be positive and wish that I'll have more motivation to continue some of my on-going fics and not to add many more on the list! I love you all!
