Juvia walked towards Gray and Cana from across the guildhall. The two were engaged in a heated drinking match and Gray in his competitively drunken state had been less than delicate with Juvia's affections today.
"Look Juvia, it's nothing personal against you… I just don't see you in a sexual way" he stammered at her after his fourth beer and her second attempt that day to sit practically in his lap.
"Don't bother with this one Juvia *hic* We've been at it all afternoon and you'd be wasting your time to try to get his pickled penis to stand to attention when he's this sloshed." Cana piped in crudely.
Juvia took the card mage's bait: "and just what would you know about Gray-sama's penis?" the jealously possessive words were out of her mouth before she could really process their implications. Gray's face went pale.
"More than you Drippy!" Cana spat back before thinking better of it. At these words the guild collectively held their breaths, and not without reason. About a decade beforehand to most (3 years to the concerned parties) Cana and Gray had a thing, a dating thing. They had been 16 at the time but such logical trivialities mattered little to Juvia when Gray was concerned. Cana was feeling particularly vicious and twisted the knife in deeper. "It's been years now but after Mira made S Class after walking over my unconscious body, I made Gray a man after our failed partnership in the test. A consolation prize for behaving while we trained…"
Slow on the uptake but quick to grasp the weight of her words, Gray snapped, slapping the bar to emphasize his anger and get their attention. "ENOUGH! BOTH OF YOU! CANA what happened was ancient history and even if it wasn't, JUVIA you need to STOP." He faltered then, seeing the tears brimming unshed in Juvia's shocked eyes; "please just stop."
Juvia turned on her heel and ran out of the guildhall. She locked herself in her room and was given space by her guild mates, although more from their own sense of self-preservation and fear than a desire to be actually helpful.
When a week had passed and Juvia had not been heard from or seen, Gajeel was ready to rip Gray limb from limb. After some convincing, the mages watched as Erza opened the door to Juvia's suite in Fairy hills.
The air was stale and her bed was made, no dishes in the kitchenette or laundry in the hamper. Juvia's room was too clean. Upon further inspection, her toiletries and toothbrush were nowhere to be found. The kitchen and her closet weren't bare, but the only thing in her fridge was a beautifully decorated strawberry cake and a note addressed to Erza, apologizing for leaving so suddenly but promising "another cake just like it upon Juvia's return from Margaret Town if you would keep Juvia's plants alive." Erza read it to the two concerned wizards. Gajeel seemed satisfied with the knowledge that Juvia meant to return but Gray's face went blank upon the revelation of her destination for her impromptu get-away… to the hometown of his elder "brother" Lyon Vastia.
_
Authors Note
After a decade's long hiatus I am attempting to start writing fanfic again! All mistakes are mine please no Juvia!haters in the reviews. While Gruvia is my FTOTP Lyvia has a special place in my heart as a plot that would not leave me alone!
this is unbeta'd but I'm open to inquiries from interested parties.