Juvia rounded the corner, arms full of a huge bouquet of flowers. White and pristine, the flowers were absolutely beautiful and radiant, just like her Gray.
The tanned shopkeeper she had bought them from, who for some reason had a huge, round, red sticker on her forehead, had said in accented Fiori, "These are jasmines."
Jasmine. The name itself was so… so lovely. So fitting for her and Gray.
Juvia lowered the bouquet as she neared the guild, eager to catch a glimpse of her beloved.
And catch one she did.
Gray was standing right outside Fairy Tail, tall and handsome and beautiful just like he always was - and kissing Natsu.
Juvia dropped her flowers and rubbed her eyes.
Gray… and Natsu?
No, no, please no, Juvia prayed. Let this be a dream. Please, God!
She pinched herself once and looked again.
Gray had caught Natsu up in his arms now, holding the smaller boy up in the air and making out heavily with him.
Juvia felt tears rush to her eyes. The sky darkened and thundered.
She turned and ran, the rain Gray had made go away pelting on her back, brought about by the very one who had set her free from it.
When she reached her house, a familiar face stood there.
Cana's arms were crossed across her chest. Three bottles of beer, four tubs of ice cream, a Lacrima Player and some cassettes sat in a fat, overflowing bag by her side.
"I saw Gray and Natsu and knew you'd need this," she said to Juvia. "Got here just a minute ago."
She held out the bag to Juvia. "Junk food, movies and beer. All you need to get over someone,"
Juvia stared gratefully at Cana.
"Th - thank you so much," she managed.
"Ah, no prob," Cana laughed. "Now you going to let me in or what?"
Juvia blushed hard. Cana looked… so pretty laughing -
Wait, what?!
She shook her head rapidly. Cana was here to help her out of the goodness of her heart. She couldn't just be rude.
"Come on in," she said to Cana, plastering a smile on her face.
–
Cana was crying in Juvia's arms by the end of Titanic.
"Why'd - why'd he die?" she kept saying through tears.
Juvia patted her head. "There, there," she said feebly.
Cana's head suddenly sprung up, and she grinned devilishly at Juvia, her wet cheeks glistening.
"You know what we should do?" she asked slyly.
"What?" Juvia asked.
"We should have a food fight with Erza tomorrow."
"What?! Erza? No way!" exclaimed Juvia. "She'll kill us!"
"Nah, she can take a joke," Cana said, waving it off. "Come on, pleaseee?"
"O - okay, then, I guess," Juvia said timidly.
"Yeah!" Cana grinned, sitting up. "Now where's that ice cream? Let's watch Brokeback Mountain!"
–
A month later and Juvia and Cana were the best of friends. Thoughts like, "she's so pretty," "I really love her," etc., etc., lurked in Juvia's subconscious, but she would ignore them in favour of doing her best to not get over Gray.
Usually, Juvia would sit in her corner and mope until Cana dragged her off on a job. It was a pathetic sight, she knew, but she couldn't do anything else.
Today was especially bad, because Gray and Natsu were busy celebrating their one-month anniversary.
How, you might ask?
Well, by trying to eat each other's faces off.
Tears came to Juvia's eyes unbidden. She didn't notice the girl who had sat down next to her.
Cana looked at her worriedly.
"Hey, Via, it's been a month," she said. Via was what Cana had nicknamed her after a week.
Juvia sniffled.
"You've got to get over him," Cana continued. "Gray loves Natsu,"
"Gray loves Natsu," Juvia murmured.
"He doesn't love me,"
"But I DO!" Cana shouted, standing up and slamming her palms down into the table. "God damn it, Juvia! I've loved you since day one! How did you not see it!"
"Cana-" Juvia was shocked. Her world spun.
Cana - Cana, fearless, brave, amazing, kind, beautiful Cana - loved her?!
"God, Juvia, I can't. I can't be around you knowing you'll only be stuck on Gray forever."
Cana was crying. She stormed out of the guild, wiping angrily at her tears.
Juvia's heart broke.
Her Cana, her lovely Cana was crying. Because of Juvia.
Wait, when did Cana become Juvia's?
It didn't matter. Juvia's eyes flew wide, all her subconscious thoughts over the past few weeks flying into her head.
"Cana's so pretty when she laughs."
"Cana is so amazing."
"Cana is so strong."
"Cana is perfect."
"Juvia wants Cana to always be happy."
"God, Juvia loves Cana so, so much,"
Juvia loves Cana.
Juvia loves Cana.
And in that instant, any feelings she thought she had ever harboured for Gray flew right out of the window, replaced by Cana Cana Cana.
Juvia stood up abruptly and ran out of the guild.
"Cana, wait!" she shouted. "Juvia is so, so sorry! What Juvia felt for Gray - it's not real! It never was - Juvia never meant it like she thought she did! Juvia thought about it, and - and Juvia - and I - love you too!"
Cana stopped and turned around.
"What?" she said incredulously. "Juvia, come on-"
"No! Juvia thinks Cana is beautiful and strong and powerful and kind and gentle and loving! And Juvia wants to be with Cana!"
Cana looked at Juvia for a minute, then flew towards her, encasing her in a hug.
"Oh, Juvia," she breathed.
"Juvia is so, so sorry," Juvia muttered into Cana's hair.
"It's okay," Cana replied, pulling away from the hug.
Juvia knew what she was going to do a second before she did it, and leaned in too.
Their lips met, and it was far more magical than Juvia ever could have imagined.