I'm the EMT who found you after you were attacked AU
Juvia hated walking alone. Not only did she hate walking alone, she hated walking alone at night especially. It had been a long day for Juvia and she wanted nothing more than to get back to her apartment and curl up in her bed.
Something near her made a loud noise and she squawked, her hands fluttering up to her now racing heart. A raccoon scurried behind a dumpster just as thunder roared over them. Lightning lit up the sky moments later, followed by the downpour of rain.
'Rain always follows Juvia,' she sighed, her arms wrapping tighter around herself. What she wouldn't give for an umbrella right about now. She began walking a little faster. Her apartment was only a couple more blocks away, she could make it there.
Or so she thought.
Another loud bang made her squeal again, making her spin around in a circle, looking for the source of the noise. When she found nothing, panic rose in her chest. Juvia took a few calming breaths and began walking again, faster than before, but she couldn't help the sinking feeling that she was being watched.
Or even worse; followed.
That feeling made Juvia want to run the remainder of the way to her apartment. She ducked under a nearby picnic shelter and pulled out her phone. She sighed widen she saw she had yet to get a phone call from her best friend.
But a small hint of a smile pulled at the corner of her lips at the lock screen on her phone. It was a picture of her and Gajeel, her best friend whom she shared an apartment with. Gajeel had become her best friend when the two of them were roped into bad things, and eventually they found a way out.
Just as she was about to put her phone away, it began to ring. With a sigh of relief, she answered the phone call.
"I was wondering when you were going to call me."
"I'm sorry Juvia." Gajeel's voice answered. "The bookworm was helping me study for my chem test tomorrow. I'm just now leaving the library, I'll be home in about twenty."
"I'm a few blocks away. I'll see you there."
The line disconnected and Juvia felt a small sense of relief. Okay, Gajeel would be there soon, she wouldn't be alone for long. She and Gajeel had been through a lot, most of it together, and Gajeel knew she was afraid of being on her own for long.
The rain had let up and was now a light drizzle, so Juvia set back out on her travel home. Though she was close to home and had talked to Gajeel, she couldn't help but feel that she was still being followed. Like there was someone waiting for her in the shadows, just watching her as she scurried down the street.
As she walked by a narrow alley, a strong hand gripped her arm tightly and yanked her in the alley. She screamed, but most of it was muffled by a large hand clamped over her mouth.
Juvia was shifted so that her back was pressed against something warm, arms wrapped around her waist, pinning her arms at her sides and keeping her held down.
This was not good.
"Juvia, darling, long time no see."
"It can't be..." She muttered, her eyes raising to meet the owner of the voice.
'Oh god, please no.'
"Ah, how have you been? Still hanging around with that rat of a traitor, I presume? The man's smile was creepy enough on its own, add in all the nightmares Juvia had about this man...
Juvia wanted to cry.
"I've missed you, Juvia."
"I haven't missed you, Jose."
Jose's reddish black hair was still slicked back like he used to wear it and his green eyes were glowing under the moonlight.
"Have you been well, Juvia?" He ignored her remark, stepping closer to her.
"Better than I ever was with you." Venom dripped from her words, despite her fear of Jose. She was proud of herself for that.
There was a sudden sound of skin on skin and a tingling sensation on Juvia's cheek.
"I'm sorry, Juvia, but you know how much I despise being talked back to." Jose clasped his hands in front of him, focusing back on Juvia. "Now, you also know my opinions on letting old memebers back, but you are exceptional, Juvia. You and Gajeel both. I will make an exception, just this once, for the both of you."
It was true that Juvia was talented. Gajeel more so, but Juvia was as well. They often trained together during their time with Jose, and even after, Gajeel taught Juvia how to fight back and escape should she need it.
But her fear was clouding her mind and she didn't know what to do.
"Not a chance in hell am I coming back to the likes of you. Gajeel feels the same." She struggled to break free of the grip the man had on her, but he was far too strong. Suddenly she knew who was behind her. "Aria, let me go."
"I'm sorry, Juvia, but I can't-"
"Let her go, Aria." Jose's command floored Juvia.
"But you said-"
"I know, Aria. But she does not wish to join us, so all we can do is simply let her move on."
Aria reluctantly let go of Juvia, and she took a step forward. She gave a parting glance to Jose. "You are a sick bastard, Jose."
Juvia lifted her foot off the ground to walk away, but suddenly she was grabbed by the arms, once again, and thrown against the wall. Her jaw connected with the brick painfully and she cried out, struggling to push away from the wall.
"I gave you an opportunity, and since you didn't take it, it seems that I am going to have to beat some sense into you."
Juvia was strong, there was no doubt in that. But, with her fear and resentment of Jose kept her from breaking free or fighting back.
Still gripping her arms, Jose pulled her back and slammed her forward again, her jaw cracking under the repeated force. She cried out again, blindly kicking out at Jose.
"You should be grateful for me!" He screamed, throwing her into the opposite wall. The back of Juvia's head hit the wall, causing her to let go of a pained cry. She slid down the wall, cradling her head in her hands.
"I taught you how to fight!" A kick was delivered to her chest, effectively knocking the breath out of her. "I taught you everything you know, and this is how you repay me?"
Another kick was planted against her stomach and she yelped, clutching her stomach and falling over onto the wet ground.
"Ungateful." Kick. "Worthless." Kick. "Useless." Kick. "Bitch." Hands wrapped around her throat and lifted her off the ground. Juvia was certain a few ribs had cracked in the onslaught of Jose's attacks, and the straining made her cry out yet again. She clawed at his wrists, her legs uselessly kicking out as Jose slammed her into the wall, getting a scream from the blue haired girl.
Slowly, black dots began to overtake her vision, her ears buzzed and she felt as if her head was about to explode. Maybe she would get lucky and pass out from the pain.
After a few more seconds Jose released her, allowing her a few more moments to cough and try anything to force air into her lungs. Tears poured from her eyes and she tried to hold them back, tried to keep Jose from getting to see her cry.
"You might be strong, but you are nothing compared to me." Juvia looked up as Jose brought back his leg and swung it forward, connecting with her eye. She screamed, once again, and silently begged for the darkness to take her.
Juvia was pulled up by her hair, her hands reaching to grasp onto the wrists pulling at her blue locks, now dying purple with her blood mixing in.
"Beg." Jose shoved his face close to her own. "I want to hear you begging, screaming for me to let you go. To spare you."
"No." Her voice was wavering.
"Beg." He demanded, his nose nearly touching her own.
"No." She said slightly louder.
She cried out in pain when a fist connected with her right eye.
"Beg!" Jose screamed, his nose shoved up against hers. "Beg! Beg for Gajeel to come save you, beg for me to stop, I want to hear you beg!"
"No!" She mustered up enough energy to scream, driving her forehead into Jose's nose. He cried out, clutching his now bleeding nose while Juvia managed to push herself to her feet. She ran-or, stumbled-towards the alley exit, desperately hoping someone would see her, would help her.
But a hand gripped her arms, for the umpteenth time that night, and flung her beaten body back into the alley. Her back connected with the corner of the dumpster, sending her face first, crying, into the dirty ground below her.
"Stop." Juvia pleaded, curling in on herself. "Please, stop this." She repeated it like a mantra, hoping that someone could hear her desperate whispers.
Juvia felt Jose hovering over her, waiting for his fatal blow, the final strike, the end of her existence. Suddenly, his voice rang painfully in her ear.
"Come, Aria. It is time for us to depart."
"But, aren't you going to deliver the final hit?"
"No. I've done enough to her, now she must rot here do she can reflect on her decision before she passes. Come, Aria. We must leave."
Their footsteps padded away, leaving a half conscious Juvia curled in a ball, sobbing uncontrollably at the pain and torture she was suffering through.
She couldn't tell how long she had been laying in that puddle before she heard noise, noise other than her sobs of pain.
"Miss?" A voice said. Juvia thought of how soothing it sounded, even though her ears were still ringing painfully. "Can you hear me?"
Juvia's sobs stopped for a moment and she mustered the strength to crack one eye open. A young man knelt beside her, his hand lightly resting on her arm. He had dark hair, pale skin, and smooth features.
"Please help me." Juvia whispered, going back into sobbing.
"I need you to tell me your name."
"J-Juvia." She forced out through her sob.
"Juvia, in order for me to help you I need to know what hurts."
"Ev-every-thing."
The man blew out a breath and spoke again. "I need to carry you out of here, Juvia."
He moved to pick her up, but she yelped, trying to move away from him. She screamed in pain, clutching her head in her hands.
"Juvia, calm down. I have to move you and I promise I'll be as gentle as I can be."
"What... What is your... Name?" Juvia said between breaths.
"Gray."
She looked up into his eyes and locked with them. "Juvia... Trusts Gray." Her eyes fluttered and then she felt arms go under her back and knees before the darkness consumed her.
Juvia felt like she was going to die, to put it simply. Everywhere on her body, everything hurt. She couldn't remember what the date was, or her home number. She barely even remembered her name!
With a groan she tried to sit up, but helped in pain and flattened back down on the soft mattress beneath her.
Wait a second. Mattress?
She opened her eyes, finding lights shining down on her. She winced and squinted her eyes, raising her hand to shield the light. Juvia caught a glimpse of a thin tube and tried to shake it off her hand, but it only shook the tube.
"Hello? Earth to Juvia?" A familiar yet unfamiliar voice rang in her ears.
She shifted her head to the right, finding a man with dark hair and stunning blue eyes looking down at her.
Woah, who was this hot stranger, and why did she not know his name? And where the hell was she?
"Glad to see you're awake." He smiled at her and leaned closer to her. "What happened to you?"
"I was..." She trailed off, startled at how her voice sounded.
What was she doing? She remembered she was walking home and Gajeel called her.
She gasped. "Gajeel." She whispered.
"Gajeel? Did he do this to you?"
"What?" She squawked and winced immediately after. "No, Gajeel is my best friend and roommate. He wouldn't hurt me."
"Do you have a way I can get a hold of him so he knows where you are?"
"My cell phone." She stated, patting the pocket of her jacket. However, she patted her own stomach instead of the device and nearly screamed in pain.
"It must've fallen out during the attack." She whispered again.
"Can you remember his number?"
Juvia told the man the numbers and watched as he lifted something to his ear.
"Good evening, is this Gajeel?" A short pause followed. "Yeah, this is Gray Fullbuster, I'm with Magnolia EMS. Juvia has been attacked, and well, she's pretty roughed up." Another short pause. "She is awake, would you like to speak with her?"
Gray's face hovered above her own. "He wants to talk to you."
She nodded, reaching for the phone, but Gray just held it to her ear.
"Gajeel?"
"Juvia!" He roared and she winced.
"Please don't talk so loud, I think my head's about to bust."
"Sorry. Are you okay? Who attacked you? Why didn't you fight back?"
"I'm a little banged up, but it's not anything I won't be healed up in a couple days."
Gray scoffed. "I'm coming to the hospital to see you. I'm on my way right now. This isn't over, Juvia."
She groaned, rolling her head away front he phone. Juvia closed her eyes and tried to think of what had happened. She began walking as the rain eased to a drizzle, and she was walking by an alley when she was grabbed-
Jose.
She shivered, not because she was cold, but because of the tingling down her spine. Her whole body ached, and she wished nothing more for it to stop.
"Gray?"
"Yes, Juvia?"
"I don't feel so..."
Juvia felt sore when she woke. More than sore, she was still in a considerable amount of pain, but it was way more tolerable than it had minutes ago. Or hours? Days?
What day was today?
She groaned, forcing her eyes open. The bright white lights of the hospital room welcomed her and made her flinch at the brightness. Right, her headache. She glanced around, the curtain closed around her, leaving her alone.
Save for one person.
"Hey there." A familiar voice said from her left side.
She faced the owner of the voice. Pale skin, dark hair, and a small smile tugged at his lips. Even in her beaten and battered state, with her brain feeling like it was about to melt, she found the man attractive. Really, really attractive.
"Gray?" She croaked.
"Hey, you remembered!" His smile grew and he moved to sit on the edge of her bed. "I didn't think you would remember a whole lot. You got some nasty injuries."
"How long have I been unconscious?"
"A few hours. I'm surprised you're even awake."
"You... Stayed with me?"
His face turned slightly pink and he rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, yeah. I wanted to make sure you were okay."
Her own face turned red and she reached up to swipe a loose hair from her face. "O-oh."
"So, what happened to you?"
Juvia winced as images flashed behind her eyes. Jose punching her, kicking her, telling her that he would let her and Gajeel come back to-
Gajeel!
"Where's Gajeel?" She asked, trying to sit up.
"Easy there." Gray's hands gently pushed her shoulders back down. He grabbed a remit and slowly Juvia's bed began to move, taking her into a reclining position. "He went to go get some food. He said soemthing along the lines of he's 'so hungry he could eat a bowl of nails' or something."
"That sounds like Gajeel." She laughed, but it turned into a painful round of coughing. "Why does that hurt so bad?"
"You have a few broken ribs. And a couple of cracked vertebra. And a level four concussion."
"I really got beat, didn't I?"
"Bet your ass you did." Gajeel's steely voice suddenly said. Juvia looked to the door and smiled softly. "Hey, Juvia. Glad to see you're awake."
"I probably wouldn't be here right now if it weren't for Gray." Juvia, in a sudden bout of braveness, leaned forward and pecked Gray on the cheek. "Thank you for saving me, Gray."
Gray's face turned a bright red and he smiled sheepishly. "Uh, you're, um, you're welcome, Juvia."
A sudden loud noise made Juvia clutch her head. "Dammit Bookworm." He muttered, pulling out his phone and bringing it to his ear. "Hey, Shrimp," he answered, the rest of the conversation fading out as he stormed out of the room.
Juvia returned her attention to Gray just as he leaned forward, pressing his lips to her forehead. "Maybe we could meet again, only in different circumstances?"
Juvia, face fully red, nodded. "Maybe, this Friday, when you're feeling better?"
"O-okay." Juvia said and Gray smiled at her. Just as he was about to leave, she latched onto his wrist, regaining his attention. "You can swing by and check on me, if you'd like."
Gray's face possibly turned redder than Juvia's. "Uh, yeah."
She glanced around the room, finding a pen on the table beside her. She turned his hand over, palm facing up, and wrote down her address.
"I'll, um, come by tomorrow?"
"I'd like that." Juvia smiled and Gray returned it.
"I'll see you tomorrow, then."
"Okay. And Gray?"
"Yes Juvia?" He turned, hand on the doorframe.
"Thank you, for saving me."
"Anytime, Juvia."