"Please!"
She ran as fast as she could.
"Please, be safe! Please, be all right!"
Juvia ran through the tunnel to the surface, where the ruins were located. Somewhere in between his rambles, Ki-Su accidentally let it slip where exactly Silver took Gray, after he grabbed him.
Juvia fought hard against the demon, but not hard enough to seriously wound him. She tried to dodge his attacks while listening closely. The demon was speaking about Gray, and by the sound of it, he was sure Gray would not survive his encounter with Silver.
She took most of the blows to her chest, which ripped her coat and left red glistering marks on her paper-white skin. She wasn't exhausted, but her magical power were draining fast and a single thought filled her consciousness as soon as she heard the demon chuckle amusingly.
"Please, be alive!"
She put all her heart into her blows to try and quickly finish the demon off, but it was only with Gajeel's help that they could immobilize him long enough for her to temporarily contain the Necromancer.
She looked at Gajeel and he nodded. He knew she didn't want to leave the dragon slayers alone continuing their own fights, but these stubborn boys would rather hug each other than let a woman lend a hand in a one-on-one battle, anyway. So with a look that told Gajeel Juvia believed in him and wished him luck, along with a vague "be careful", she let her feet lead the way and ran from this battlefield to the other, praying to get there in time.
Ice Shell.
A spell designed to unleash the full might and glory of the Ice mage. It will gather all the strength and power the mage possesses and release it in a single blow, covering its surroundings with a thick layer of frost and forever fixing that glorious moment of how a magic so pure and white rose above the darkness in front of it. This magic would leave nothing but an intricate and delicate piece of art: exactly, a frozen manifestation of life itself. Power, strength and will, all hardened for eternity and for all to witness. And, ohh… Gray would surely become a beauty…
Juvia felt her lungs burning, but she pushed herself forward. She couldn't run too fast anymore, so she was beginning to slow down, but she kept calling his name. She kept hoping he would answer…
"Please, answer me!"
As the path she was running on became steeper, she knew she was close. And surely enough, soon a bright ray of white hit her eyes and blinded her for a split second.
"Gray-sama!", - she kept calling for him.
When she could finally see again, she blinked and stopped in her tracks, noticing the broken ice beneath her feet.
Juvia didn't dare think anything. She couldn't bare the thought, so she just blinked again and started searching with her eyes.
In that moment, her eyes met his.
And just like that, blood poured over her heart, and it seemed like she was choking on the heat that suddenly took over. She felt the cuts on her cheek sting as tears streamed over them.
"He's alive."
She didn't notice Silver lying on the ground with a wide bloody gush in his chest. All she saw was Gray standing hunched over, now looking at her with red eyes, all covered in blood and panting hard.
His eyes grew wide for an instant after he saw her, and then he started to straighten, when he saw her running to him.
It was like a dream to him.
She was bruised, she was cut, she was obviously tired, and yet there she was, running towards him, just like any other day…. It was so mundane for her to do that, some part of Gray actually laughed lightly. Only this time, her face was different. Her brows were pulled together, there was pain in her expression, and her usually bright cerulean eyes were now flawed with tears.
He didn't move when she threw her arms around him. She called his name again and buried her face in his neck. She didn't know where to place her hands so they kept wandering from his face, to his neck, to his shoulders and finally rested on his back, pulling him closer to her.
She needed proof. She needed to touch him to really see that he's still here, and that he's still alive.
Gray winced at the contact. He let out a hissing sound through his teeth, and Juvia released him from her embrace. She took a step back and took in his form.
Dirt. Cuts. Bruises. Wounds. And his chest…
There was barely anything left of his chest. A scarlet rip was starring back at her, threatening to crack his body further.
He noticed her gaze and knew what she was thinking. Her eyes began to water again, but she didn't make a sound. She was still looking at his chest, bowing her head lower, and her shoulders began to tremble lightly.
Whether they were tears of joy that he was alive, or pain for his wounds, or both, or perhaps something else entirely, he didn't know but this isn't what Gray wanted.
He didn't want to see her cry. He raised his right arm and cupped her cheek, whipping away a drop with his thumb.
"Don't cry," – he breathed barely above a whisper.
Juvia began to shake and covered his palm with hers, pressing it closer.
"I'm still here", - he finished.
He made a promise. He remembered just now, that he promised he'd be here with her. And holding her right now, Gray felt relief because he was able to keep that promise, at least for a while longer.
" How could I ever leave you?... "
This right now was exactly what Gray never wanted to see.
"I don't want to see your face like this…. I don't want to hear you inhale so deeply…Please, don't' cry."
He rubbed her cheek lightly and called her name, to make her look at him.
It took less than a second for her to see what he wanted to say, so she whipped the tears away and tried to stop her sobbing.
She touched his hand again, this time with more care, and when Gray looked at her, he saw what always made his heart skip a beat: she was smiling at him.
So light and beautiful. This image of Juvia was the one that he'd forever keep in his heart. The one that kept him off the edge and would always bring clarity to his mind.
"Gray-sama", - started Juvia. It felt off to ask him if he was okay, when it was obvious that he wasn't. Gray squeezed her shoulder, and looked at the lifeless body of his father, lying in the ice.
"I have to say something", - said Gray, not averting his gaze from the body of the older man.
Gray took a breath in, tried to speak, but no words came out. He didn't make another attempt.
She was looking at him intently and did not miss the quiver his mouth made. A strained cry left his lips, as he dropped his hand to her back and snaked the other one around her waist. His fringe covered his eyes, but Juvia didn't need to see him to understand.
She put her hands lightly on his shoulder blades and let him drop his head onto her.
"Gray-sama did his best", - she started, - "He protected his friends."
Gray tightened his hold on her and Juvia felt the ache of her wounds but she did not dare to let go.
"Gray-sama was fighting for the ones he loves."
Gray could not believe her words….
How is it that she saw the person within him that he himself almost forgot he was?
She knew he would never abandon the people he cherishes with all his heart, and he would never knowingly bring them that kind of pain…
"How?", - he sniffled into her shoulder, - "How do you do that?"
"Hm?", - didn't understand the question Juvia.
He thought of her image he'd just recalled earlier: of her smiling warmly at him and softly calling his name.
How did she manage to bring him from the verge even when she wasn't there beside him? Could she always see that strong person inside him? Is that what made her stay by his side all this time?
Someone up in the clouds sure must love him, Gray thought.
"Gray-sama?"
He tugged a strain behind her ear, and barely whispered:
"Thank you…"
Juvia squeezed her eyes to hold back the threatening tears.
"I would do anything for you", - she thought.
Maybe she could. Maybe she knew him better than he thought.
Even though this wasn't the right time or place, even though this went against everything Juvia has ever imagined, in its own way, the cold breeze that surrounded them when their lips finally met made it perfect. The sweetest kiss and the softest embrace, to take caution of each other's wounds, forever sealed in their memories. There was no need for Ice shell to keep this memory, just their feelings was enough.
He was alive.
And she was alive.
And they will both come back to relive this memory: the moment they promised to, no matter what, always keep living for each other.
END
AN: My face almost broke in half after reading chapter 392, I was smiling for half a day for sure!
I just had to write... what is it now?... 4th story here! ... They sure are inspiring ^_^
I think there definitely should be a meaningful moment between Gray and Juvia by the end of this part of the arc... Unless Trollshima decides to strike again
"Anyway, Long live Gruvia! ^_^
"God, I love those two... T_T...