Insomnia
Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail.
She was there in his room, cobalt eyes focused only on him, he noticed as he turned his gaze from its tired stare on the ceiling to face her.
She was standing merely a few feet from his bed, but he could tell that it was her, even in the nearly absolute darkness of his room. Those were her gorgeous, azure eyes, her luscious, sapphire locks of hair, her silvery- blue nightgown. That was the unsure why she carried herself, her adorably timid expression.
It was her.
He sat up and scrubbed at his eyes, confused. And when her appearance still didn't fade away in the shadows as he had half thought it might, he was even more perplexed.
"J-Juvia?" He squinted at her in surprise, noticing as she bit her bottom lip. "What . . . are you doing here?"
He thought he saw her blush as she mumbled at the ground, "G-Gray-sama told Juvia that she could come to him whenever she'd like . . . ."
He blinked. It wasn't something that he could vaguely remember. No, he recalled telling her that, fully, honestly and with every ounce of himself. He'd been hugging her to his chest then, murmuring it gently into her ear and feeling her tremble against his body, her arms looping around his neck. She had been troubled. So he had told her to come to him whenever she was troubled.
And now, she was there in his room, seemingly exhausted, distressed, hesitant, and in her night clothes.
And so he was instantly concerned, beckoning her closer until he gripped her sweating hand in his, fighting to meet her eyes. "Is something the matter, Juvia?"
With her other hand, she clutched the hem of her gown. He could see it when she swallowed. "J-Juvia . . . Juvia can't get to sleep . . . ."
A ghost of a small found its way to his lips as he chuckled inwardly at the irony. Was it a coincidence that on the same night, his girlfriend was also having trouble sleeping? He had been staring up at the ceiling for what seemed like a century, his eyes burning with the desire for slumber, even though he couldn't. He could try, though, twisting and turning for a comfortable position, even though it seemed like for that particular night, a comfy position didn't exist.
And to add to it, she had been on the mind: Juvia. Her face, her smiles, her laughs, her antics . . . they were all he could think about that night and he couldn't just sleep while she was in his head. No, he had to think about the very first thing he had ever seen her do until the very last. And then reflect about it all over again until he got weary. But the problem was, he could never get tired of thinking about her.
"You know what? Me neither." He pulled her forward toward him and scooted over in bed. "C'mere, Juvia."
He grinned fondly at the way her cheeks heated as she eyed his shirtless chest nervously. "I-In the same bed as Gray-sama?"
He winked just to tease her. "Well, you came here at night. Where else are you gonna sleep?"
" . . . t-there's a couch in the living r—"
He cut her off. She was always so amiably modest and he totally loved her for it. But he didn't want to send her off into a different room, what with her undoubtedly coming to him for comfort because she was upset with something. So lightly, he guided her into bed and underneath his sheets. "It's okay, Juvia. Because if we can't fall asleep separately, we may find a solution together."
She smiled at him, something small, shy, but nothing short of loving as she crawled in next to him. Her lilies and seawater scent filled her air beside him, her hair instantly sprawled across the second pillow.
He glimpsed at her from the corner of her eyes, wondering what could've motivated her to come to him in the middle of the night with her troubles. How had she gotten in in the first place?
Her eyes met with his and he sensed that she might've noticed his inquiring glance, as her gaze lingered on his in understanding.
She played with her fingers, sighing through her nose. "Juvia was having . . . bad dreams, Gray-sama." Her jaw seemed to tighten with that and she closed her eyes.
He reached for one of her hands, and she gave it to him, resting her other arm across her stomach. He was watching her completely now, and the way that she was slightly fidgeting told him that there was more to it than a mere nightmare. "Do you wanna tell me what it was about, Juvia?"
"It was about you." There was a shrill, rigid edge to her voice and he raised an eyebrow. She was having nightmares about him? All if his dreams about her were anything but.
"About me?" He pressed softly, hoping that she would tell him more.
"Yes." She lowered her eyes. "About you."
Inwardly, he sighed, as they were getting nowhere and she seemed to notice his mild frustration, running her fingers tenderly over the back of his hand.
"Let's . . . not dwell deeply within this tonight, ne . . . ?" She moved closer to him, her head against his shoulder.
He looked down at her. She did appear entirely uneasy, her mouth nearly in a frown, eyes holding a secret that he couldn't decipher.
"It would help to talk about it, you know," he tried quietly, whispering against her hair.
Her eyes flickered to and fixed on his own as she breathed, "All the help that I need, Gray-sama, is in your company."
His heart felt as if it had melted with those words, with the genuineness, with the sweetness of her voice. Her company could work wonders for him as well, because suddenly, he was drained and felt as though he could finally fall asleep. He had spent most of the night fantasizing about Juvia and now that she was here, he didn't feel the need to anymore. He could go to sleep right then and there with her lying on his shoulder.
"Juvia?" He stroked his fingers through her silky locks. "Do you think that you could get to sleep, now?"
Her fatigued voice practically answered for her: "I-If Gray-sama let's Juvia stay here all night with him and never leaves . . . ."
Of course he wouldn't ask her to leave him. Not in the middle of the night. He wanted her there beside him, wanted her warmth in his bed. It was her legs that she wanted to shift against his, her body against his. She . . . she belonged in bed with him and he would never want anyone other than her to share a bed with.
He knew now that it couldn't have been a coincidence that she would have insomnia the same night as he . . . no, it was because of the fact that she completed his night. He could only sleep with her by his side, with his arms coiled around her waist, with her back alongside his chest. From the moment he'd found out he loved her, every simple task couldn't be done without her. Even sleeping.
He smiled to himself. Now, what would a life without Juvia be like? A life without Juvia wouldn't just be missing her, but a variety things. Surely a lot less amusement and absurdity. Less laughs and happiness on his part. No kisses to share. And now, sleep.
That would be completely outlandish for him, something awful to even consider, a total—
Struck with a sudden idea, he nudged Juvia lightly, requesting with the softest of tones, "Juvia, please tell me what your nightmare was about."
At first, he'd thought that she was just ignoring him or already asleep, but then, a couple beats later, she enclosed his arms tighter around her, murmuring, " . . . Juvia dreamt . . . that she had a life without her Gray-sama."
A/N: A life where Gray and Juvia didn't have each other? A true nightmare indeed.
And guess I got Juvia's nightmare idea from my other fic "The Real You." Short and sweet, ne?
And I might add two other chapters, only NaLu and GaLe suffering from insomnia away from their loved ones as well. It's gonna rock. So Alert you guys! And review please!