A/N: Four days full of Gruvia and still three more to go, yay! We are myentropicmess and worshiperofunknownstories and we are so happy to publish our third fic for Gruvia Week! Hope you enjoy it! ^^
Disclaimer: We don't own Fairy Tail and its characters, they belong to Mashima sensei! :)
Juvia entered the living room where Natsu and Lucy were chatting and taking care of the injuries they got in the battles they had to fight to get their friend back. She already remembered the time, not much time ago, when she was on the bed they were sitting on at the moment, ill because of waiting for her loved one at the outside, not being able to stop the rain. When she got better, Charle and Wendy helped to get in time to help the ice mage, who were in his darkest hours, obsessed with the mission his father entrusted to him.
"Natsu-san, Lucy-san, I see that you are better. Juvia wanted to thank you for bringing her Gray-sama back," she said as she approached to them.
"It's our friend and guildmate. And I made you a promise, remember?" Lucy said as a soft smile appeared on her face. Then, the blonde returned to Juvia the small necklace that the water mage gave her time ago.
"Juvia knows and she will help you in the upcoming adventures to make up for all the trouble you had to put up with."
"By, the way, where is Gray? I haven't seen him since we've arrived. I thought he was with you all this time," Natsu asked as he put a patch carefully on one of Lucy's injuries.
"Juvia doesn't know! She thought he was with you! She will check!" she said.
Gray-sama couldn't abandon her again, right? She checked all the rooms on her house, all without any trace of him being there until she reached the last room. His room. The room where Lucy found her, lying on the ground and made a promise.
She stood in the doorway, quietly spying Gray. He was moving nervously from side to side of the small bedroom that belonged to him six months ago. Every single drawer open and empty, but just a few things over the bed, among them, a small case half filled. Juvia's grip over the necklace in her hand tightened, as a small drop threatened to fall from her eye.
"Is Gray-sama abandoning Juvia again?" her voice broke even before she could finish pronouncing it. Not again, she kept begging in her insides.
Gray clenched his fists for a brief moment. Then, he continued with his task, not daring to answer to her nakama.
"Gray-sama-," she stepped closer and placed a hand in his naked back, touching the dark skin in his right shoulder. "Gray-sama, Juvia needs your answer."
"I'm leaving, Juvia," he said without looking at her. Instead, he kept putting some more clothes in the suitcase.
"Why?" Juvia asked, holding back her tears. "Did Juvia do something wrong?"
"Eh?" Gray said, turning around, looking at her. "No, it doesn't have to do with you. It's because of me. Don't blame yourself, alright?"
"But Juvia can help Gray-sama. What happened it wasn't his fault. It was because of the demonic mark on his skin that possessed him... But now Gray-sama is back, and Juvia can help."
"Nobody can help me Juvia. I'm wasted. A lost cause. This," he said, touching his arm, "wasn't possessing me. I was conscious. It was only intensifying emotions that I've already had. Revenge, hate, anger… Those were feelings I've always had since all the Tartarus' Hell ended. It wasn't some demon possessing me. I am a demon. A monster. And even if you brought me back, this mark is still here, reminding me what I've done and what I could become. And that's why I can't stay here Juvia," he said, giving his back to her, continuing to pack his belongings in his case.
"Gray-sama can fight his inner demon, and Juvia will always be there to help him," the bluenette said, letting the polished metal to slip through her fingers.
"Juv-" he muttered.
"No, let Juvia do the talking this time," she answered.
"Take care of Gray," Silver's voice striked her and gave her the strength to go on. She had made a promise to him. "And Juvia will keep it, father."
"Darkness can live in your heart, Gray-sama, but it won't do any harm unless you let it do it," she surrounded him with her arms, in a light hug.
Gray stood still, he decided to listen to her, at least he owed her that, even though the decision was already made.
"After Gray-sama left, the nights became dangerous. The shadows tried to hunt Juvia, and intoned gloomy words accompanying the melody of the rain, singing about how Juvia had failed to Gray-sama. But Juvia found this," she lifted her hand, and placed the small silver shape in front of Gray's still red eyes.
His gaze grow wide in recognition, feeling a slight trace of a long missing warmth in a heart that had remain in the absolute coldness for a too long time.
"It may not be big, sharp or pointy. It may be only a cheap representation of a blade that Gray-sama bought somewhere he can't even remember. But it's still a sword, and swords are meant to fight," she opened the lock and embraced Gray's neck with the thin string, returning it to the place where it was supposed to be.
"Please, Gray-sama, don't let the demon win. At least, not without fighting," she embraced him again and, this time he placed his dark hand over hers. "Ju-,Juvia-, I'm here with you, Gray-sama"
