Summary: I'm a mess inside and you're the only one that can fix me. [[Gruvia]]

Word count: 7300

Pairings: Gruvia, mentions of Nalu, Gale, JuviaXRufus

Genre: Romance/angst/hurt and comfort

Rating: Mature

A/N: I always wanted to try some angst, maybe I'll fail with that genre but bleh—You know me, loves Drama and Drama and more drama. This is one of the dumps on my documents.

Disclaimer: Shhhh, Me don't own Fairy tail.


You forgot to tell me you Love me

'

'

So it's gonna be forever

Or it's gonna go down in flames

~'~

At the young age of 17, Juvia Lockser had known what it felt like to fall in love. She got married at the age of 21, and a year after she and her husband was blessed with a cute baby boy they named Gabriel. She had never been so happy in her life, she thought nothing could ever break them apart.

And just like everything else, nothing was perfect and her fairy tale-like life suddenly got crushed when her husband asked for a divorce.

~'~

She watched him go to work with a smile on her face, she watched him smile at her with deceit, and she watched him be unfaithful.

Their life was so perfect. She married her first love and on the first year of their marriage they were blessed with a healthy baby boy, they named Gabriel, their little angel. He was so solicitous, he might not be vocal when it came to his feelings, but he always made her feel it. And she never failed to tell him how much she loved him, so what made him so cold to her?

What made him drift away from her?

What made him wanted to leave her?

"mummy sad?" her two year old baby asked, his big innocent raven-eyes blinked towards her as his chubby little hands held her face in between. Juvia smiled softly, tears still falling from her blue orbs, "N-no" her voice weakly trailing away. "Mummy is just tired."

"oh. Okay, but no sad mummy." he shook his head, his curly blue hair bouncing and his cherub face made her somewhat stronger.

"He thought I'm blind, he thought I'm deaf, he thought I'm numb….but I'm not, I'm a wreck inside." She watched as her baby's face turned into a questioning gaze and Juvia just hugged him tighter. For Gabriel, she would be strong.

~'~

"You should take a rest Juvia, I know you need it." Lucy advised, as she followed the blunette's frantic movements. Juvia was currently in a state of panic because she had to pick her son at school and she had to finish loads and loads of paper works.

Juvia turned her head towards the blonde. "Lucy-san, I can't take a rest right now, Aquarius-san will be furious at me once she found out that I missed something and I have to pick Gab later from school." Lucy just sighed as the blunette walked around the office arms full of papers.

"Why not ask Gray to pick Gab?" once her words came out, Lucy immediately cringed, because she knew how sensitive Juvia was whenever she heard her ex-husband's name.

Yes, her ex-husband, that cheating no-good-of-an-excuse-of-a-man Gray Fullbuster. The famous Gray Fullbuster, the owner of the famous Ice Lance Corporation, with his money, even though he and Juvia were divorced, Juvia could still live with luxury and no worries, who would have thought that the beautiful 27 year old woman would be very adamant of not using the money that her ex-husband had been giving to her for sustenance.

Juvia stilled her movements and slowly looked at Lucy. "Juvia—I didn't—"

"No, it's alright. You're right." Lucy's chocolate brown orbs watched as Juvia's long wavy hair that fell like springs of curls on her back bounced.

The older woman looked shocked; she could not believe that Juvia was not angry "I'm right?"

"yes. I'll just call him."

The blonde could not help but be saddened when she saw how Juvia's face hurtled in pain. It had been two years since the two had divorced and up until now, Juvia would still cringe at the mention of that guy.

Once she was outside, Juvia heaved a heavy sigh she did not know where she got. Looking down at her phone, she searched for her ex-husband's name. When it started to ring, she could not help the pain covering her heart, because she knew that she would hear his voice, and out of all the things she had loved about him, she hated all of him.

"Hello" his voice deep and husky, her grip on the phone got tighter, she rarely called him. Even though, they were not together he still gave her his personal phone number and not his business phone number.

"C-Could you pick Gab at school? I will be working over time."

She waited for his answer, he seemed hesitant, "Juvia?" the way he said her name made her shiver and she hated it, two years, two years had gone past between them, up until now he had an effect on her and she hated it.

"Yes, it's me."

From the other line she did not want to believe it but he seemed to be smiling and she did not want to raise her hope up. "Uh…of course, I can pick him up." There was a long pause between them. Neither of them wanted to speak up, just savoring the silence that had transpired.

"….Is there something else?" he suddenly asked. There was hesitancy in his voice that made her heart beat a tad faster. It felt like he wanted to prolong their conversation.

"..No, that's all, thanks."

And she hunged up.

~'~

"Isn't he wonderful?" she asked as she watched her husband gaze at the bundle in her arms. His eyes full of wonder and love for the baby. When their eyes met, she felt her breath hitched up and he gave her a watery smile.

"thank you." He whispered as he brushed his lips on her temple, later on she felt tears falling down her eyes. She looked down at the bundle of joy in her arms and could not help but think that he was an angel sent from above.

"I love you, Gray." She might be very tired due to child birth but seeing her boys made her stronger. Gray stared at her with full of love and she suddenly felt conscious, her hair stuck in every direction and bags under her eyes but he looked at her like she was some goddess and she felt her cheeks tingled with blush.

"Me too."

~'~

When she got home, every fiber of her body was screaming with pain and every move she did made her want to curl up in bed. She fished her key out and when she opened the door she was greeted by the sight of her 5 year old son, Gabriel and her ex-husband Gray Fullbuster watching cartoons.

No matter how many times she denied it, Gabriel looked like an exact copy of him, and she did not know what to feel when her son looked at her. Myriads of emotions would come crashing on her and she hated it.

Unfortunately the first one to notice her was Gray, when their eyes met, her breath hitched up like before. His dark eyes widened upon seeing her standing at the doorway with her coat halfway done and her body hugged by her sleeveless black dress. His eyes traced every curve of her and she did not like it because she could not make her heart calm down.

"Mommy!" and she thanked God that their son was with them. She was the first one to look away; she smiled at her baby and opened her arms. The blue haired boy quickly jumped out of the couch and came running in her arms. "Sorry, mommy wasn't able to pick you at school."

The boy raised his head up and kissed his mom on the cheek, "It's alright daddy was there." Her smile turned a little crooked and Gray noticed how it turned fake. Gabriel walked towards his dad, and Juvia just watched as the two talked, she went towards the kitchen and was surprised when she heard footsteps behind her.

"Have you eaten?" he asked and she swore that he was behind her, his body warmth enveloped her and her heart beat like someone was drumming it.

"Ah, no, not yet." She planted her hands on the kitchen counter to help her steady her feet, because he could still make her knees buckled up.

"I bought some food, Gabriel had eaten and...Um, I can join you." He whispered on her ear, and good thing that their son was on the living room watching tv and could not witness them. She wanted to turn around and push him away, the air was becoming more suffocating as time goes by and she needed to breath.

"I already told you to stop working." His voice low and gentle, he sounded like he was concerned of her well being.

"Can you please move away?" she finally found her voice, a light rustle of clothing and the absence of his warmth proved that he had moved away. When she turned around he sheepishly rubbed the back of his head and apologized, she just ignored him, headed outside the kitchen but stopped when he gripped her wrist.

The blunette found herself looking at the hand that was holding her, when she lifted her gaze, she was greeted by his serious face. She wanted to continue on ignoring him, thinking that he was not there with her. "Is the money I'm giving you wasn't enough?" Her face turned red with anger, she did not like the way he was talking, and what made him think of that.

"Is that what you think of me? Do I really look like I wanted money?"

"No—that's not what I meant—"he shook his head and tried to speak up but Juvia was faster.

"I'm not working because your money is not enough, actually it was more than enough, well, to tell you the truth, I don't want anything that comes from you, I want to cut all the connections I have from you" his grip on her wrist slacken but that did not stop her from saying more, her tiredness fueling her anger.

"I don't even want to see your face anymore. Look Gray, all the money you're giving me is for my son. And even if I get even poorer, I will never touch even a single penny on the money you are giving. I don't care if you're rich or not, so don't associate me like your women" The adrenalin that was passing through her veins was finally dying down and she suddenly got aware of how hurt he was or how embarrassing she had been but she stood her ground. She would not cry in front of him. She hoped that her son would not hear them fighting.

She searched for her voice once more, "now if you excuse me, I lost my appetite." All she wanted was to be left alone, some place where she could wallow on self-pity and think of all the things that she regretted.

"If you don't want me here, fine, I will leave. Just… eat, you are really tired and you need rest." His voice weak, and as she looked at him, she could see that he was tired as well.

Tired of what? She would never know.

As much as she wanted to tell him that it was alright if he joins her eat but then he had already left her alone standing at the middle of her own kitchen, heartbroken and eyes welled up with tears.

Why did she feel like this? Arghh, she hated herself.

When she finished eating, she saw him picking up his things; he had already tucked Gabriel to bed. She knew that Gray spent time explaining to Gab why he could not stay for the night, she knew that Gabriel knew but he was so adamant of denying it. It hurt her when she signed those papers but it hurt her more knowing that her son could not have a complete family. When he noticed her, he stopped what he was doing; he seemed like he wanted to say something but thought to not voice it out. "Thank you for taking care of Gab while I'm away." She whispered but enough for him to hear it. The silence in the house made them aware that they were the only ones awake.

He tried to give her a smile but failed. "It's not a problem; he's my son as well"

She nodded and proceeded towards him and helped him with his coat. "Thanks" they were so close to each other that his breath had kissed her temple. Running her palms down the lapel of his coat, she tried to find her voice to apologize but all she found was how much she had humiliated him and herself, and her hands gripped his coat a little tighter when his hands enveloped hers. It still felt so good, so warm that she had trouble pulling away. She did not understand what made her look up, he was still handsome and the years did more justice, that was why a lot of women wanted him, he was with looks and wealth, that was why a lot wanted them to break up, and they were successful at that.

They were successful of wrecking a family.

Neither of them knew who started to close the gap, but they were slowly leaning to each other, when his nose bumped hers that was when she pushed him away. She jumped a few feet away like he had burned her. "Uh—it's already late, I'll—um, walk you out." She stammered and proceeded to walk towards the direction where the door was.

"Juvia—" she saw him reach for her hand but her voice was sharp like a knife, cutting him.

"You have to go." She did not want to look his way; she did not want to be close to him. When he was outside the door, he looked like he wanted to say something but Juvia had closed the door between them.

Gray smiled sadly, "I'm sorry." He whispered like he was talking to her. And he knew that there were a lot of things in between them. And he could not help but want everything back.

"But I want you back, Juvia" he whispered into nothingness.

~'~

"Can you do me a favor and loosen up Juvia?" Cana asked as she took a seat beside her, a tumbler in hand, but knowing her friend, she must have smuggled a beer in it. Juvia just shook her head and ignored the brunette.

"Oh, come on. Are you still in love with that ex-husband of yours?" Cana did not seem to be sorry when she saw how Juvia's hand stopped from typing. In fact, that made Cana more interested. "The only way for you to get over your ex, is to fuck another guy"

Juvia looked at Cana with wide eyes, she was so flustered hearing those, way for Cana to be a good friend. "Cana-san!" she reprimanded her. The brunette just looked at her. "What? Don't act like you are still a virgin Juvia"

The blunette fumed more upon hearing Cana's words. "That was not what I meant, Gosh!"

"So? Will you go with us? Let's go clubbing!" Her friend threw her hands in the air and almost fell down the chair.

"I can't, No one will look after my son." She said and once again, started typing, her attention on the files in her computer.

"Oh, you're such a killjoy, why don't you leave him to your ex, I'm sure he will not say no to your son." Cana advised.

The brunette watched as Juvia contemplated for a while. "Maybe…I could go for a drink or …two."

A face-splitting smile graced the brunette's features; she slung an arm around the curly blue-haired woman. "That's the spirit, have you been with a blonde? I'm sure you will like this one."

~'~

Maybe it was her fault, she forgot that she had a husband; she poured all her attention on her baby; that she forgot that there was someone who needed her as well.

When he entered the room, she was already sleeping, lying on her side. He saw her stirred when he went under the covers. A groan went out of his mouth upon seeing her wearing a short pink nightgown. The dress had been crumpled due to her sleeping but it still clung to her and emphasized her wonderful curves.

He planted his hands on the side of her hips, massaging it. His lips found its way on her neck and slowly his hands crawled towards her breasts, instead of responding enthusiastically, she gently took his hands away. "Gray-sama, Juvia is really tired. Maybe, next time."

"Of course, I understand."

And those continued, their intimacy was left behind, all her attention on their child, while he drowns himself to work. That was how they first drifted apart.

~'~

"It's Ms. Lockser." She corrected for the hundredth time. The principal could not put it in his mind that she was not Mrs. Fullbuster no more. When she and Gray were still married they had enrolled Gab to this school for him to have friends since they were scared that he might be anti social. And back then, the principal knew she was Mrs. Fullbuster.

"Eh, I'm sorry Mrs. Fullbu—I mean Ms. Lockser" the man in front of her smiled apologetically and Juvia just look at him with bored eyes. She turned her gaze to her son outside the office, who fidgeted a lot.

"you see, Mrs. Full—Ms. Lockser, Gabriel is one of the smartest students here, but lately his grades were declining and we are worried but the boy does not play with other kids anymore. His teacher noticed that he prefers to be left alone and just watch kids play."

Juvia felt her heart ached; she looked at the boy again, and frowned at the principal. "But he did not seem like that, at home, he always…." The principal waited for her to finish her sentence and that was when she was reminded that she was not always with Gab and that she rarely spent some time with him anymore.

"I know that I am not in place but, is there something wrong at home?"

She was fast enough to shake her head. "No. nothing's wrong."

The principal just smiled at her. "I see, maybe he just needs some rest. Thank you for coming Ms. Lockser."

She stood up and shook hands with the man. "Thank you too."

When she went out of the office, Gabriel was quick to hug her, her hands pet his hair down, and frowned. Their situation was affecting him. "Are you hungry, we can go to McDonalds'?" she asked with an unsure smile.

Her baby looked at him and smiled widely. "Yay!" He sure looked like his father, from his eyes, his lips, his nose, the only thing he got from her was her hair color and chin, when they were inside her car, and he asked her a question that made her stunned. "Will daddy be there?"

She took a shaky breath. "No." She knew that he would be hurt. "But later you will spend time with daddy."

"Really?" he perked up, and that made her smile.

"Yes."

~'~

When she dropped him off to his father, she could notice how happy her son was. "Daddy!" her blue eyes followed as her son ran towards his father.

"Hey, little guy." He greeted as he hugged his son. When their eyes met, Juvia could only nod. "Hey." He greeted her.

She watched him told his son to go inside that there were toys waiting for him, and he stood up and walked towards her. He took the bags from her and she told herself that it wasn't intentional when his hands brushed her knuckles.

"You can go inside. There's tea. Uh—earl grey tea, that's you're favorite right?" he offered, but she merely declined.

She looked at him, apologetic, a tired smile on her face, "I just came here to drop him off, there are a lot of things I need to do, so I have to go now"

When his face turned disappointed, all the thoughts saying that he wanted her to be there she forced out of her head. There would never be 'together' again. She did not want to, not anymore. Love had hurt her enough and she did not think she could take another blow.

"Oh."

"bye." she waved, she heard him shout 'take care' as she walked away. She failed to see how his eyes lingered on her walking form.

~'~

The blazing sound of music hurt her ears and she had not spent a minute inside the bar, she wanted to go out and go home already. She was about to turn around when Cana shouted her name and she flinched when everyone's attention was turned towards her. She should not have agreed with Cana, everything associated with that woman was disaster, she was sure something wrong would happen.

"You're late" Cana told her, but she did not seem to be angry at her. The brunette gripped her elbow and guided her towards their seat.

"Cana, I will go home now, I'm sorry." She tried to tell the brunette that she would go home, but she would just ignore her, but this time she got irritated. "What? You just got here."

"I'm sorry—"

"Come on, even Lucy is here with us." Juvia was surprised to see the married woman drinking. Lucy Dragneel was with them, partying. "Don't worry it's a girls night out, no boys. So that you can stay loyal with your ex" Juvia replied with rolling her eyes.

When the girls saw Juvia, they were quick to greet her. "We thought you will not be here." Levy Mcgarden was Juvia's best friend's fiancé. Gajeel was the best friend she could ask for, when he found out that her husband was cheating on her, he was there to comfort her and even asked to beat the guy up.

"Levy-san, what are you doing here? Gajeel-kun will be mad once he found out you're drinking." She took the seat next to the blonde and she greeted the other girls with them.

"Oh come on, he's my fiancé not my boss, I can still do things with or without his permission." It made her smile how all of her friends, married or not, was able to voice their thoughts and not scared of the consequences. They were all brave, unlike her.

She had a lot of chances to confront Gray before but she never did. She was scared, she was weak, and she was the loser. Her lips were kept mum for the sake of her child, for her family. Everyone knew how she could easily get jealous but she never lashed out on him, she never did. Having a child did wonders to her; it felt like she had turned into a different person. The real Juvia back then would have been pointing fingers at Gray and demanding explanation but that never went out, she never questioned him. She believed him even though there were proofs and evidences of his unfaithfulness. That what love was, unconditionally loving and trusting, and she was a complete fool.

Before she knew it, she was downing glasses of alcohol, tears stubbornly falling out of her orbs. Could she drown if she continued drinking? Would she be numb if she continued pushing her pain away? Would she be the victor this time if she be ignorant? Would she be finally free?

Because even thought they were divorced, she still felt like a prisoner.

She wanted to kill the part of her that telling her that she was still his prisoner.

She was about to chug another glass when a hand holding a handkerchief stopped her. When she lifted her head she saw a handsome man with blonde hair in a pony tail. She looked around and saw that her friends were not there with her anymore.

"Don't worry it's clean." His voice had this suave tinge that could make any woman squeal. Reaching for the handkerchief, she whispered her thanks.

He gave her a glance and put his attention in front, where everyone was happy dancing like no problem. Wasn't it supposed to be like this? Party like there were no problems. He put his elbows on the arm chair and sat back coolly. She studied him warily, eyes narrowing as she studied him. "A pretty woman such as you should not cry." She felt her cheeks burn from his compliment but it got worse when he smiled at her, "I bet you look even more beautiful if you smile."

"I—I am not the kind of woman that can be easily swooned with flowery words." She pouted at him.

He chuckled and she felt her heart beat faster, since when had someone other than Gray made her feel like this. "I'm Rufus." He extended his hand for a shake; she looked at it with caution. "I don't bite."

"Juvia. Nice to meet you Rufus-kun" she gave him a smile.

"That's much better".

Rufus Lore was surprisingly a funny guy. He worked as a lawyer, the same age and the same built as Gray. The night was, well, good, talking with him. For a moment, she forgot about her problems, she forgot about Gray.

They were laughing and she could not remember what that was, but his laugh made her laugh as well. And then she stopped, like she was electrocuted.

"What's wrong?" Rufus, worried, touched Juvia's shoulder.

She frantically looked around. "Wait, where are my friends?"

Rufus looked around as well, "Aren't you alone?"

"What ?! No! I'm with my friends"

"Well there was nobody else with you here".

Upon hearing those, she smacked her hand on her forehead. "Damn, I know they were up to something" She stood so fast that Rufus was alerted, she gathered her things, and damn the alcohol was working because she almost toppled over. Good thing Rufus caught her.

"I have to go."

He gripped her wrist. "Wait—don't tell me you're driving home." Juvia blinked at him and he sighed. "You're obviously drunk; I'll drive you back home." He offered and she looked at him suspiciously. What I this guy was some kind of criminal? A rapist! Juvia knew that she was not someone who judged but she was on a bar and all the scenarios came into her.

"Look, you know my name, where I work, and you have my phone number, you can chase me if I do something wrong." Well, it was true that she knew his name was, where he work and they exchanged numbers—something that she would regret, she blamed the alcohol.

~'~

When they entered his car; that was when she was aware that she was drunk. So drunk. She was laughing at every single thing he was telling her. Good thing that she had already told him her address because she did not know if she could think straight.

He stopped when the traffic light was red, there were few cars around them, and she did not know what the reason she talked about her past was. "I'm divorced, and I have a child." She ignored the burning sensation that his gaze had sent on her, her fingers idly making patterns on his car's window.

It was so quiet and it felt so slow. She smiled bitterly when the car started moving. She was hoping that he would start talking again, in a way to soothe the silence; she was never fond of it anyway. In silence, she could hear her thoughts; she could hear how everyone's mocking laughter and insults, their judgmental stares and disgusted looks thrown at her. In silence, she was Juvia Fullbuster who was on fault, and not the woman who was hurt.

He just let her cry on the side. When he helped her out she was still crying and he did not even bother to offer her a handkerchief. Somehow Juvia silently thanked him for not saying anything. Why did it have to hurt so badly? It had been so long yet she could not forget about him.

They were in front of her house, her door opened, he smiled down at her as she sniffled, his hands were rough but gentle as he wiped her tears, and Juvia blamed the gravity when his lips went down to press on hers.

~'~

"So how was it?" Cana came rushing towards her with a knowing smirk plastered on her face. With a blank expression, Juvia replied with a "Good."

The brunette threw her hands up in exasperation. "Oh come on, Throw me a bone here, I saw you leaving with a guy last night." She wiggled her eyebrows, hoping that Juvia would understand what she meant.

That caught her attention, she idly blinked towards her and her anger last night came surfacing. "You left me last night. You did that on purpose. Now tell me what more did you do?!"

Cana just smiled and leaned back on the chair next to hers. Sometimes Juvia wanted to strangle the brunette. "I did not do anything; in fact I don't know what you were implying"

The blunette breathed a sigh, wanted to calm herself. "You left me alone last night." She hissed through gritted teeth. "Okay, okay. I left you—we all did, so that you could meet someone, I notice that he had been eyeing you all night." She said while raising her hands in mock surrender. Juvia knew that they all meant good but then could they keep their noses on their own business and stop matching her with someone. They all tried that before, they had sent her into blind dates which she did not go to; they tried to push her to some guy walking on the streets and when she said push her, that meant literally. She knew that they wanted her to move on, but she did not want to do it by using some guy. She believed that she was on the verge of moving on, she didn't need any man to prove that she had moved on, being single didn't meant she was still stuck, it also meant that she had long gone proven to herself that she was strong enough to not need a man. All she needed was her son, and her family and her life was perfect once more.

"He is a nice guy, but I can't Cana-san, I don't want to use him" she explained, her face showed her inner turmoil, and it pained her more remembering the kiss. It left a nasty stung on her tongue and she hated that it was because she felt like she betrayed Gray.

"Hey, hey." Cana placed her hands on her shoulder, a way to steady her. "Look, we're not saying you should use him, we just wanted you to try."

"Your world does not revolve around Gray anymore, you're not betraying him, and you two are not together anymore. Juvia, you are not cheating on him, how long was it? Two years. It is time for you to meet someone else, and maybe...fall in love again." Juvia smiled at her friend, Cana could read her like an open book, and she was one of her closest friend. Upon hearing her words, she could breathe once more, she was not betraying Gray, and she was not doing what he did before, simply because they were not together anymore.

~'~

Juvia's day went on without any commotion. Tonight Gray would bring her son back. They had agreed that Gray would be allowed to have her son with him twice every month. Gray was a very busy man, he had a company to take care of, sometimes he had business trips abroad , and his only free time to be with their child was for only two days.

Juvia went grocery shopping, she was thinking of cooking her son's favorite foods. And on top of her list was fried chicken. She parked her car, checked if it was locked and proceeded to get her groceries. Humming her favorite song, she fished out her keys. When she was on top of her front stairs, she put her hand on the doorknob and was about to push the key in it when she almost toppled over. A frown marred her features, she was sure she had locked it when she left early in the morning; she gently put her grocery down the couch. Like a sleepwalker, she felt her way towards her house, making sure to be stealth and quiet, she did not even turned the lights on. She turned towards the kitchen and was surprised to see Gray sitting there with only his phone lights on.

"Jesus! Gray, you almost gave me a heart attack." She put a hand over her heart, calming it down. Because, damn him, for scaring her. Flipping the light switch on, she stilled when he saw the way he was staring at her. She had never seen him like that. He glowered at her with so much anger. His eyes were dark and wild, making Juvia flinched from where she was standing.

She reached for her hands and squeezed them together. Despite not speaking and him sitting a few meters away from her, she could feel the oozing hatred he was excruciating right now

"Where have you been last night?" he asked; his voice calm despite of the seething anger that was evident on his handsome features.

She ignored him and went towards her refrigerator and took a juice out. "Where is Gabriel?" she noticed that the boy had not came running towards her like he usually do. Now it was Gray who ignored her, he craned his neck to look at her. "I won't repeat myself again, Juvia. Where were you last night?"

A dimple appeared between her eyebrows. "It's none of your business where I was."

After hearing those words, Gray immediately stood fast that the chair he was sitting on tumbled over. His face red with anger, his hands curled into fists. "Are you dating someone? huh?" he asked through gritted teeth.

She could not believe him. "What?" she asked incredulously.

"So now you'll play coy with me! What will Gabriel think once he found out?" he scoffed at her, his stance mocking her.

"What are you talking about? Found out what?"

"—that you are clubbing every night and flirting!" Juvia felt fire coursed through her veins, warmth suffused her face with anger following on its heels

"How dare you! I am not doing such things", she shouted at him from the top of her lungs.

"Really?!How about this?!" he walked back to his bag, took out something and threw it at Juvia. Her blue eyes widened when she saw what he threw at her, there were pictures of her at the club, her drinking, her smiling, her talking with…and kissing Rufus.

It seemed like the world stop moving and it became clear to her, that he never trusted her. "Wha—are you following me?"

When he saw tears welling at the corner of her beautiful orbs, Gray felt worse. "I—I "

"What the hell do you think are you doing?" she slowly spat at him.

"I'm looking out for you, Juvia." He weakly said, his voice trailing off.

"You don't have to. I'm a grown woman, a—a-and, It's not like I meant something to you" she hiccupped while shaking her head no.

"But you do—"

"It's not like we're together" those words seemed like had slapped him, he was taken aback.

"I—I-I'm still your f-friend, and friends look out for each other like family", Gray almost choked when saying the word friend and thinking that they were just friends. And the possibility of him and her just being friends from now on was killing him.

She faced him, her eyes stared at his. "Gray, my friends are happy that I'm having a social life, they're happy that I'm meeting up guys; that I'm partying, and just…being happy" She knew everything that came past of her lips were her pain over these years. "And if you think we are still family then think again. Cause we're not."

"J-juvia—" he tried to touch her but she swat his hands away.

"To Gabriel, yes. But not to me, not anymore" She watched as his gaze wavered... "So don't act like you were hurt because you're not. And you have no right to question me in my own house, you don't have to lecture me because you're not my mother nor my father and more specially you are not my husband. Not anymore." She poked him right on his chest with her finger as she said every single word.

"Those things—" he shook his head, reaching out for her hands but once again shoved by Juvia. He wanted her to stop because he couldn't, he couldn't take it all.

"You know what Gray, it's actually not your business if I wanted to go clubbing, go home late and wasted, or if I wanted to meet up with a guy or go home with him, or kiss him." She looked at him like she had found something she had been looking for. "I am single and have every right to, it's not like I'm hurting someone…..I'm not cheating you." she whispered the last phrases at him "And did I ever stop you when you cheated on me?"

"Juvia" he recoiled from her. Shame and regret flashed through his eyes but that went unnoticed by the blunette.

"Oh that's right, I did not. Did I go to any of your dates and ruin it? Did I ever tail on you? Huh?

"Juvia please—"

"Oh that's right I did not. Did I even confront you that what you were doing was wrong? Did I ever stop from what's making you happy even if it killed me inside?"

He hung his head low, not wanting to look at her face, he had no right to look at her. "N-no."

"Then why are you stopping me?"

He looked like he wanted to disappear right there. Juvia sighed and tiredly wiped her tears away. When she turned her back at him, Gray spoke. "I-Is he making you happy? D-do you like him?"

Stopping at her tracks, she faced him once more. "Like? I don't know. I think I'm in love with him." She couldn't understand why she had lied to him or why she felt contented seeing his hurt expression.

~'~

"You don't have to worry, you're wife will not know about it." Gray did not know what made him talk to his ex-girlfriend. Angel was still the same from what he remembered; she was still beautiful, seductive and sinful.

"Angel, I –cant, I love Juvia" he said as his eyes traveled down the exposed cleavage of the said woman.

She chuckled, her laugh, a sin that came past from the lips of an angel. "I never said we should be in love to have sex, Gray. Yes. Sex." She whispered on his ear, her breath made fluttering kisses on his cheek and jaw, her breasts pressed up against his, he could feel his air shortening. He could not breathe.

"I—"

"Shut up and just kiss me." The tip of her tongue traced the corner of his lips.

"I—I'm sor—"

"You can think of me as your wife." He had been sex-deprived, he's a man with blood on his veins, how could he say no to a woman such as her? When her lips planted on his, he felt alive once more. His blood was singing in his veins and as he planted kisses on her neck, he tried to picture her with those innocent sweet smiles and those blue hair and eyes.

~'~

"I-Is he making you happy? D-do you like him?"

. "Like? I don't know. I think I'm in love with him."

"I-Is he making you happy? D-do you like him?"

"Like? I don't know. I think I'm in love with him."

"I-Is he making you happy? D-do you like him?"

"Like? I don't know. I think I'm in love with him."

"I-Is he making you happy? D-do you like him?"

"Like? I don't know. I think I'm in love with him."

"I think I'm in love with him."

"I think I'm in love with him."

"I think I'm in love with him."

"I'm in love with him."

"I'm in love with him."

"I'm in love with him—"

His vision started to blur, his heart ached, and his head ached, his whole being ached. He knew that he had hurt her before, that he deserved to be tortured like this, his heart slowly and agonizingly be tortured with the thought of Juvia falling in love with somebody else and not him.

But he could not help but wish just even just a tiny bit, or even a speck of dust, he still have a place inside Juvia's heart. Because she was the best thing that ever happened to him and he was a fool to ever lose someone like Juvia. Those two years without her by his side made him rethink of his life. Every day he reminisces of their happy times, he wanted to relive those moments when he was the one who put a smile on Juvia's face.

But now, seeing those pictures, seeing her smiling and laughing with someone else, kissing someone else, he knew that he could never be with her. Not now or ever.

With a bottle of vodka on his hand, he chugged down the bitter taste of alcohol, hoping it would drown him, and his heart so that it would make him numb.

The last thing he knew was losing control of his car, and pain all over his body. And blood…

Lots and lots of them.

~'~

"I love you Juvia." When those words came out of his mouth, she stilled and let it flow through her. Happiness stiffened her, she could feel the tears flowing down her eyes. Her heart drummed inside her ribs and wanted to be freed.

Even though they were together, Gray had not once mentioned he loved her. Yes he showed it to her, he made her feel it, but this was the first time he said the sweet words. He knelt down in front of her, snow falling around them, her cheeks red and her hands shivering in front of her.

When he gazed up at her with those eyes, Juvia knew she could never say no to him. "You knew I was never a sappy or a romantic kind of guy, I tried to be the best for you…You are so awesome, you don't know how happy I am that you are with me, that you chose me despite of…me being a jerk,..I want you to know that I loved waking up next to you, I loved it whenever you get jealous, whenever you cook meals for me…and watching you go back and forth inside my house made me realize that you belong there...with me, and I want that to remain forever." He stopped for a moment to fish something out of his pocket and he held her left hand. Upon noticing her shaking, he gripped her hand tightly, he was supposed to be the one shaking and nervous not her. When he had opened the small red velvet box, he gazed up to her, silent tears still falling from her eyes, his smile came out shakily.

"Will you marry me?"

And when she opened her lips and the word 'yes' came out, Gray knew that he would always be happy, Because of her.


Don't tell me this is over,

if the high was worth the pain.


A/N: Please, do not cry. I still love me gruvia. I LOVE GRAY AND JUVIA! I LOVE GRUVIA!

And I wish for a happy ending.