SHOWING AND REJECTING AFFECTION
A one-shot GRUVIA fan fiction
-ooooooooooo-
Juvia Lockser handed out one of the guild requests to Mirajane Strauss. Mirajane had stopped cleaning the counter table and took out a thick log book.
The white-haired take-over mage calmly asked, "going for a quest, Juvia-chan?"
The rain woman nodded. Mirajane smiled weakly as she opened the log book and wrote down information of the quest.
"Juvia Lockser. Babysi-"
The calm S-class-cum-bartender stopped in the middle of writing the information and shifted her eyes to the water mage. She was surprised, "Babysitting?"
Juvia nodded.
The take-over mage smiled again and continued writing. A line between her brows appeared. Confused, she commented, "this is the first time Juvia took a light request."
"Juvia just needs to kill time while waiting for Gajeel-kun," the water mage shyly said.
"Ah, Gajeel is currently on a quest with Levy-chan," Mirajane smiled.
"Hai," the water mage replied timidly.
Suddenly, a corn-haired man entered the guild premise and walked straight to the counter. He was wearing a simple t-shirt and a pair of baggy pants. The two ladies shifted their gaze to him. Mirajane quickly recognized the fellow.
"Ohayou gozaimasu," the man greeted, "as usual, Mirajane Strauss is cool, cool, cool."
"Jason-san," Mirajane greeted awkwardly. The take-over mage was already used to the visits of Jason-san, one of Sorcerer Magazine's writers.
"You have already interviewed me two days ago," Mirajane said. Somehow, her tone sounded like she was a bit annoyed. Regardless, she nicely asked, "what do we owe the pleasure of being visited this time?"
"Oh no, no," Jason replied in an enthusiastic voice. He took out a pen and a notepad, "I am actually here to interview this cool, cool, cool water mage here."
His eyes gazed upon Juvia who was near the two of them. Overhearing what Jason uttered, Juvia, surprised, said in a high-pitched voice, "Juvia?"
The reporter nodded and smiled. The take-over mage, on the other hand, was also as surprised as the water mage.
"We received too many requests for Juvia Lockser's interview," Jason explained to the blue-haired Fairy Tail member, "her appearance at the Grand Magic Games truly boosted her popularity, especially to young romantic girls."
"Juvia did not do anything," she protested, dense to her actions during the competition. For the water mage, everything she did was normal and done in a daily basis.
"The way you professed your love to Gray Fullbuster during the naval battle truly helped the other girls overcome their fear of confessing love to someone," Jason laughed in between narrating, "one fan even wrote to us telling that what you did is a sign of bravery."
Mirajane who was listening to the narration of the reporter chuckled. The water mage blushed furiously.
"Many fans are intrigued as to how you show Gray Fullbuster your affection on a daily basis," Jason continued, "so I am here to interview you."
"Juvia feels awkward," the water mage confessed.
"Ah, you are so straightforward, my cool, cool, cool water mage," Jason smiled weakly as he already sat on one of the counter stools and started scribbling on his notepad. Somehow, the Jason's use of my made the rain woman shiver. He continued, "I hope you don't mind getting interviewed."
"You must do it, Juvia," Mirajane encouraged the rain woman who was already blushing, "it will boost Fairy Tail's popularity."
The reporter nodded in agreement. Mirajane persuaded, "it will also help Master Makarov's campaign of letting people know that Fairy Tail is not only the strongest guild in Magnolia but also the most accommodating group of people as well."
"It will not take a lot of your time, Miss Lockser," Jason happily shared.
Juvia sighed and sat on the counter stool next to the reporter. Mirajane wholeheartedly smiled and whipped up a mug of beer for the reporter and a glass of orange juice to her fellow guildmate.
"Simply answer this question," Jason started, "Can you give four things that Juvia has done in order to show her affection to Gray Fullbuster?"
She recalled to herself the instances as she tried to provide the answer to Jason of Sorcerer Magazine.
-ooooooooooo-
The Fairy Tail Water Mage's Ways
By Jason-san
1. Cook good food.
The water mage entered the guild pub. Just as she entered the premise, she already saw her target: Gray Fullbuster.
He was sitting on the counter stool and talking to Mirajane Strauss. Right beside him was Cana Alberona, the popular drunkard of the guild.
She stared intently on a box wrapped in a blue cloth with printed snowflakes and murmured to herself, "Juvia must give this today to Gray-sama."
She spent half of her day in the dormitory kitchen. After learning an old recipe from Levy McGarden, the solid script mage, she tried cooking it.
"According to history books, this is the best recipe for romance," Levy-chan said as she handed out a piece of paper with scribbles, "as this is said to make a person fall in love with you."
"Juvia wants this," as the water mage snatched the piece of paper from the hands of the solid script mage. She unfolded the piece of paper and read the scribbles.
The water mage blushed furiously as she fantasized how the ice mage will instantly fall in love with her after one bite of her output.
She then gulped and approached the "Ano, Gray-sama," Juvia shyly said, "Juvia made something for Gray-sama."
She held out a bento box and gave it to the ice mage. The two remaining girls, Mirajane and Cana, snickered as they watched the two.
"Huh?" was the only sound produced from the ice mage's mouth.
"This is for Gray-sama," Juvia blushed furiously. The ice mage nonchalantly accepted the gift of the water mage.
"Gray-sama will love it!" she exclaimed before going out.
2. Dress to impress.
"Juvia, you look radiant," Lucy greeted the water mage as the latter entered the guild premise, "that dress looks good on you."
The water mage was wearing an ecru knee-length dress with straps paired with strappy blue sandals. A blue ribbon wrapped around her waist served as an accent. The blue accent matched her wavy blue hair. Somehow, the dress made her porcelain skin stand out even more.
When she entered the guild pub, most of the men looked at her way, including the perverted old men of the guild – Wakaba and Macao. Their eyes almost popped out.
"Father, you are disgusting," Romeo disappointingly whispered to Macao.
Even Droy and Jet looked at her way. The water mage, unconscious of the effect she has brought to the men of the guild, overheard Levy saying to Gajeel, "oh, so you also want me to wear something like that?"
"Stop overanalysing, shrimp," Gajeel explained, "you will always look fine whatever you wear."
The solid script mage blushed furiously. Juvia looked at their way and smiled towards the two.
"Coming from Juvia's love rival," Juvia muttered darkly, "Juvia accepts Lucy's comment."
"I am not your love rival, Juvia," Lucy irked, "I am just complimenting your outfit."
"Love rival is just jealous," the water mage continued to mutter as she approached the iron dragon slayer and the solid script mage.
"Gajeel-kun," the water mage greeted, "Levy-chan."
The iron dragon slayer asked, "change of outfit, Juvia?"
"Just for today," she simply answered as she joined the two on the table.
"You look beautiful on that dress, Juvia-chan," Levy cheerfully said to the water, "it fits your figure elegantly."
"Trying to impress someone, perhaps," Gajeel annoyingly said. Somehow, Juvia already figured out what the iron dragon was implicitly trying to say.
"You are making a fool out of yourself for that ice-dumb," Gajeel commented as the two of them were on their way to guild from their one-day quest.
Obviously the iron dragon slayer isn't a fan of Juvia's showing of affection to a certain guild mate of them.
"Juvia isn't making a fool out of herself," the rain woman answered in a dignified manner.
"Rain woman, you are an Elemental Four and is considered as one of the strongest elemental controllers in Magnolia" Gajeel argued, "yet you are showing people your weakness."
"Juvia was an Elemental Four," she corrected his partner by reiterating the use of the past tense; "Juvia does not even consider herself a strong elemental mage."
"You wouldn't be considered as a candidate for the S-class in such a short time you've stayed in the guild if you are not strong," Gajeel bitterly said as both of them almost have the same span of time in Fairy Tail, "Master must have seen something from you."
"Gajeel is too kind," Juvia shyly smiled.
"Stop following that stupid ice pants-stripper Gray," Gajeel suggested, "why don't you just return the other ice mage's affection?"
"Who?"
"What's-his-name," Gajeel described, "the one from Lamia Scale."
"Ah, Lyon-sama," Juvia muttered. Juvia looked at her partner and threw the question, "if Juvia told Gajeel to stop swooning Levy-chan, would Gajeel do it?"
The iron dragon slayer remained silent.
"Juvia hopes that Gajeel-kun now understands the case," Juvia melancholically smiled.
"Don't mind, Gajeel," Levy interrupted the water mage's train of thoughts, "you look stunningly beautiful."
The water mage smiled weakly.
"Men are all staring at you," Levy continued to praise the rain woman, "I do not know if it is a good thing or bad thing."
Juvia looked around and saw that all the Fairy Tail men were staring at her. When the men noticed the water mage's attention was on them, all of them broke their gazes and pretended like nothing happened.
Juvia's eyes continued to roam around as she was looking for a certain mage. She, then, saw her target sitting on the counter stool. Near the ice mage were Mirajane who was making an inventory of several bottles on the bar shelves and Erza who was enjoying her cake. The target seemed to be picking a fight with the requip mage. The requip mage, on the other hand, remained calm and unmoved.
Gajeel followed the water mage's gaze, "expecting him to look at you?"
Juvia broke her gaze at the ice mage and looked at Gajeel and Levy. She shook her head lightly and smiled weakly.
3. Profess your undying love publicly.
"Juvia doesn't get why Lyon-sama is here," the water mage pouted in a child-like manner.
"Lamia Scale was asked to take this quest," Lyon Vastia, the ice mage from the other guild, proudly answered.
"Fairy Tail was also requested for this quest," Gray Fullbuster bursted. Gray, Wendy and Charle took the quest to defeat a dark guild. Juvia, upon hearing the quest, requested to tag along. All of them were waiting outside the mayor's door while Wendy, Charle and Chelia were having a conversation with the leader of the town. Gray boasted, "no need for an imbecile like you here."
"I'm not going to stoop down to your level, Gray," Lyon coolly said. He, then, shifted his focus on the water mage. He took Juvia's hand and said, "Don't worry, Juvia-chan, I will protect you."
"No need protecting Juvia, Lyon-sama," Juvia awkwardly pulled her hand away from Lamia Scale's ice mage.
"Oh, your hand is too soft," Lyon dreamily said, "and warm."
"Juvia feels awkward," the water mage felt conscious when she heard Lyon Vastia's description about her hand.
"Stop creeping her," Gray defensively said.
Juvia squealed as she went beside Gray and clung herself unto the arm of the ice mage, "Gray-sama!"
"Oi, Juvia," Gray awkwardly tried to sway the water mage away from his arm. However, the water mage tightly wrapped her arms around his left arm, "stop it."
"Juvia needs Gray-sama's protection," she blushed furiously.
Gray continued to pull himself away from the water mage, "Oi, what happened with 'no need protecting Juvia' a while ago?"
She confessed, "Juvia loves Gray-sama!"
Gray avoided the gaze of the water mage and blushed slightly.
Lyon asked as he shook his head, "what did you even see with that dumb-ass, Juvia-chan?"
Juvia disregarded Lyon's question; on the other hand, Gray replied cockily, "you are the dumb-ass, Lyon."
The Lamia Scale's ice mage was about to retaliate when the door opened. The trio, Wendy, Chelia and Charle, came out from the door. Chelia started, "both guilds were requested for this quest."
"Ano, I'm happy that I'll be able to work with Chelia again," Wendy smiled at the sky god slayer.
"I think that we should divide the group into two so that we can finish this quest soon," Charle suggested.
"I want to be with Chelia," Wendy initiated enthusiastically.
Chelia also enthusiastically agreed, "we will have fun!"
"Juvia, Gray and Lyon should team up as well," Charle added, "since your elements complement each other."
"I will protect Juvia," Lyon promised Charle. Charle, on the other hand, found it weird, "no need to tell me that, ice man."
The rain woman happily said, "Juvia will be spending time with Gray-sama!"
4. Protect your loved one.
It was already a proven fact for everyone in the guild that given a chance, Juvia would selflessly give up her life for Gray Fullbuster.
She had once saved Gray from Simon's attack by transforming herself into a mass of water and hiding the ice mage inside her. She even came to the point of hurting herself to save Gray from Meredy.
Using her Water Nebula to ward off the opponents going near Gray, she felt like she was in a trance.
"Juvia-chan, focus," Lyon shouted from a distance. Juvia, who was in a trance, stopped her daydreaming.
Juvia looked around and realized that she was surrounded by a group of dark mages. The two mages were also in the middle of battle.
"Some of them are trying to run away," Lyon shouted, "I'm going to follow them!"
Lyon started to follow the other members of the dark guild. Juvia's forehead creased as she watched the dynamic ice mage disappear from her sight.
Noticing Juvia's inattentiveness, Gray repeated Lyon's warning, "Juvia, focus!"
One of the opponents attempted to physically attack the water mage, however it was found ineffective.
"Shin shin to," she said seriously as her eyes pierced through the opponent who was dumbfounded, "Juvia's body is made up of water."
"Water Cyclone," she muttered. Juvia was able to create a torrent of water out of nowhere and swept away the opponents surrounding her.
She, then, looked for Gray. The ice mage was already in the middle of the battle with a group of mages as well. She was about to run towards her nakama when she suddenly stopped upon hearing someone behind her calling her name, "Juvia."
Her eyes grew wide as she recognized the voice and looked back.
"Bora-san," she stuttered.
"I wasn't expecting to see you," Bora smiled at her, "and you still looks good."
"Bora-san is a member of the dark guild?"
Bora replied, "the guild is willing to pay a large amount of money for those who wanted to do a freelance job of finishing off nosy people."
Juvia remained serious and silent.
"You've changed, Juvi," Bora sheepishly remarked. Juvia froze upon hearing Juvi. Her ex-boyfriend used to call her Juvi as a pet name. The blue-haired man continued, "you're still beautiful."
Her brows met, "Bora-san, Juvia wishes not to be affected by your calling her Juvi."
"Seems like rain is not following you anymore," he looked up the clear sky.
"Juvi, come with me," he announced as he extended his arm towards the water mage.
Juvia Lockser of the Great Deep Sea felt her tears trickling down her cheeks.
-ooooooooooo-
"I do not have time for that," Gray answered in a straightforward manner as he chugged down a portion of his beer. He was sitting on a table at the guild pub alone.
"Even just a little," Jason pleaded, "since you are cool, cool, cool."
"Nah," Gray muttered. His droopy eyes were staring at the reporter in a disgusted way, "can you annoy someone else?"
"You are specially requested by a lot of fans out there," Jason reported, "they are all requesting for Fairy Tail's Gray Fullbuster interview."
"What's in it for me?"
Clueless for the answer of the ice mage's question, Jason scratched his head lightly. Mirajane, who was serving beers to Gajeel and Panterlily the next table, overheard the entire conversation between the two male. She threatened the ice mage in her sweetest tone, "I will tell Master Makarove that you've refused to be interviewed. You know that it is not good for the reputation of the guild."
"I don't fucking care," he boasted.
"I'll tell this to Erza," Mirajane threatened again.
"Tch," Gray spited, "fine."
Mirajane smiled and went back to the counter. On the other hand, the reporter's face lightened up upon hearing the ice mage's change of mind. Before he enthusiastically opened his mouth, the ice maker of Fairy Tail interrupted, "just make it quick."
"Oh, this will be quick," Jason chuckled, "as some people view Gray Fullbuster as a master in rejecting people."
The ice mage's eyes narrowed upon hearing the word reject.
"Men who do not know how to refuse accepting other people's feelings, look at you as their inspiration," Jason continued, "to become brave enough to reject someone."
"That is plain bullshit," Gray said in disbelief, "I do not reject-"
Before he was able to finish his sentence, the word somehow reminded him of the water mage and how he continuously disregards her one-sided public display of affection.
"Just answer this question, Gray," Jason started scribbling on his notepad and attentively readied his ears for the ice mage's answer, "how does one subtly disregard someone's affection?"
-ooooooooooo-
The Fairy Tail Ice Mage's Ways
By Jason-san
1. Share the food with other friends.
"Saving a village from a heatstroke, 90,000 Jewels, done in two days," Mirajane muttered as she wrote down the details on a log book used as a record for all the quests taken by members of the guild. Cana, who was sitting beside Gray, happily chugged her beer from her mug.
"I think I'll get another quest tomorrow," Gray replied happily. After Mirajane had kept the log book in one of the drawers, she whipped up a wooden mug and poured beer unto it.
"You seemed to be enthusiastic in taking quests," Mirajane commented.
"I'm just in the mood," Gray coolly said.
"Good for you," Cana remarked as she chugged down the last portion of her beer and gave the empty mug to Mirajane. The take-over mage instantly refilled the mug with beer and gave it to the card mage. Cana took the newly refilled mug and whispered to the two, "oh, here comes the rain woman."
Juvia went near Gray and said, "Ano, Gray-sama," paused for a while and continued, "Juvia made something for Gray-sama."
Gray could see from his peripheral vision, the snickering of the two fairy mages. He, then, looked at the water mage and said, "huh?"
"This is for Gray-sama," she said as she handed out a box neatly wrapped in a blue cloth. The dark blue cloth has light blue snowflakes print. It reminded him of an iceberg floating on the ocean. It was a reminder for him that their powers complement each other.
He indifferently accepted the gift of the rain woman. The rain woman, on the other hand, squealed in delight, "Gray-sama will love it!" before going out of the guild pub.
"Juvia is so sweet," Mirajane commented.
Gray opened the wrapper and saw a neatly decorated bento box. It was an assortment of different viands. A contrast of colors – red, blue, green, black, orange – covered the entire box.
"An intricate design," Mirajane peeked, "it looks like a labor of love."
Gray flinched at the word love.
"Aren't you going to eat it, Gray?" Cana asked teasingly as she chugged down the remaining beer and gave it to Mirajane. The take-over mage quickly refilled the mug and brought it back to Cana.
Gray's face went stoic.
"It looks and smells good, Gray," Mirajane cheerfully added.
The ice mage said indifferently, "if you want, you can eat it."
"It is Juvia's labor of love," Mirajane hesitated. Cana, on the other hand, already had two spoons with her hand and scooped a little from the bento using one of the utensils. She popped the spoon into her mouth.
"Cana!" Mirajane exclaimed, "that is rude."
"He said that we can eat it," Cana slurred as another spoon appeared on her empty hand and handed it over to the take-over mage.
Mirajane hesitated again and asked, "is it really fine with you, Gray?"
"Tch," was the only sound Gray made before taking the other spoon from Cana's hand and scooping a spoonful.
For every spoonful that he consumed, he felt a slight thug in his heart – something he cannot explain fully.
2. Consistently remain indifferent.
"I just hope that Natsu's quest lasts longer," Erza commented as she took a spoonful of her strawberry cake, "I would love to savor peaceful times like this."
"That flaming dimwit always causes trouble," Gray commented as he finished his third bottle of beer.
"You also always cause trouble," Erza corrected.
Mirajane, overhearing the conversation between the two, laughed in a lady-like manner. From the bar shelves, the take-over amge shifted her gaze to a far direction. Her eyes twinkled as if she has seen something amazing. The two other mages, Gray and Erza, noticed the white-haired barkeeper's facial expression and followed the gaze of the take-over mage.
Erza's spoon remained mid-air. Her jaw dropped slightly. Gray Fullbuster, on the other hand, had his eyes opened wide in disbelief.
Clad in an ecru knee-length strappy dress, the Fairy Tail's only water mage, entered the guild building gracefully. The blue ribbon around her waist matched her azure hair.
"You may now stop staring at her, Gray," Erza noticed the ice mage's gaze. The raven-haired mage quickly broke his gaze and looked at the requip mage. The two mages, Erza and Mirajane, were watching him.
"What?" was the only word that came out from his mouth.
"You were ogling at her for a long time," Mirajane described. Erza followed Mirajane's comment by saying, "sometimes, you need to be clear to her."
"What?"
"Don't fool me, Gray," Erza said in a serious tone before continuing to eat her cake, "I'm not dumb."
Gray furiously asked, "what are you implying?"
Mirajane asked to break the tension between the red-haired mage and the raven-haired mage, "isn't she beautiful, Gray?"
"Juvia?"
The ice mage made a quick glance at the water woman who was walking towards the iron dragon slayer and the solid script mage.
"The dress looks good on her," Mirajane complimented.
He glanced back at the counter table and said, "she always looks good – regardless of what she wears."
Erza said in a matter-of-being-all-knowing tone, "why don't you tell her that? Every once in a while, a woman wants to be complimented."
"Nah," he muttered shyly, "not my style."
"Gray and his ice-hard ego," Erza teased.
"Stop being an all-knowing!" Gray furiously yelled at the requip mage. It was one of the times that he felt brave enough to stand against Titania. He thought that it must have been the alcohol that gave him an extra courage to pick a fight with the Fairy Queen. It was a lucky instance that Erza was not in the mood to retaliate. She remained calm as she continued to eat her strawberry cake.
3. Pretend to be oblivious.
"Juvia doesn't get why Lyon-sama is here," the water mage, pouting, said as she crossed her arms together.
"Lamia Scale was asked to take this quest," Lyon Vastia, the ice mage from the other guild, proudly answered.
The appearance of Gray Fullbuster's rival did not please him at all. As a matter of fact, he found it annoying.
"Fairy Tail was also requested for this quest," he bursted, "no need for an imbecile like you here."
"I'm not going to stoop down to your level, Gray," Lyon coolly said. The dynamic ice mage took Juvia's hand and said, "Don't worry, Juvia-chan, I will protect you."
Gray's brows knitted together. Seeing the rival ice mage's advances towards the water mage somehow irritated him.
"If we win the Grand Magic Games, Juvia will join our guild."
What Lyon Vastia proposed as a bet before during the Grand Magic Games echoed inside his head. He thought to himself, "what a stupid proposition coming from a dimwit like him."
He tried suppressing himself from attacking Lyon. He fought the urge to remove his hand against hers. However, the water mage did the removing herself.
"No need protecting Juvia, Lyon-sama," Juvia awkwardly pulled her hand away from Lamia Scale's ice mage.
"Oh, your hand is too soft," Lyon dreamily said, "and warm."
"Juvia feels awkward," the water mage felt conscious when she heard Lyon Vastia's description about her hand.
Gray, on the other hand, took the dynamic ice maker's description seriously. Taking advantage of Juvia's kindness and naivety is not acceptable for the ice mage – especially if such advantage was done by his rival.
He shook his head upon hearing himself considering Lyon as a rival. He no longer considered Lyon his rival after patching things up at Galuna Island. He thought, "why do I still consider that ice ninny my rival, by the way?"
"Stop creeping her," Gray defensively said towards Lyon. Somehow, the ice mage cannot understand as to how his co-pupil annoy him all the time – appearing every time he is with Juvia.
Juvia squealed when she heard Gray's comment and went beside the ice mage. She clung herself unto the arm of the ice mage, "Gray-sama!"
"Oi, Juvia," Gray awkwardly tried to sway the water mage away from his arm. However, the water mage tightly wrapped her arms around his left arm, "stop it."
Somehow, the contact between their skins created tiny sparks of electricity that shoot up to the ice mage's spine.
"Juvia needs Gray-sama's protection," she blushed furiously.
Wanting to stop the feeling of being tickled by imaginary electricity, Gray continued to pull himself away from the water mage, "oi, what happened with 'no need protecting Juvia' a while ago?"
She confessed, "Juvia loves Gray-sama!"
Gray froze upon hearing the word love. It was as if he heard a crack of ice inside his chest. He tried to shake away the thought of melting like an ice. Incoherent to other people's hearing, he muttered to himself, "ironic for an ice mage."
Somehow, it disappointed him that the water mage referred to herself in third person. Gray considered it a detachment of the water mage to herself. It was as if it was a shallow confession.
"I love Gray-sama!"
Imagining the rain woman mutter this made the ice mage blush furiously.
Lyon asked as he shook his head, "what did you even see with that dumb-ass, Juvia-chan?"
Upon hearing Lyon's comment, Gray's train of thoughts stopped. He, then, replied cockily, "you are the dumb-ass, Lyon."
Suddenly, the trio, Wendy, Chelia and Charle, came out from the door. Chelia started, "both guilds were requested for this quest."
"Ano, I'm happy that I'll be able to work with Chelia again," Wendy smiled at the sky god slayer.
"I think that we should divide the group into two so that we can finish this quest soon," Charle suggested.
"I want to be with Chelia," Wendy initiated enthusiastically.
Chelia also enthusiastically agreed, "we will have fun!"
"Juvia, Gray and Lyon should team up as well," Charle added, "since your elements complement each other."
Gray felt confident that Charle was referring to Juvia's and his elements. It was already an argument proven many times as their Unison Raid is considered not only visually appealing but also lethal as well.
"I will protect Juvia," Lyon promised Charle.
Charle replied, "no need to tell me that, ice man."
The rain woman happily said, "Juvia will be spending time with Gray-sama!"
Gray sighed as he momentarily looked at the water mage. He thought, "I will protect my nakama against the pervert like him," and then shifted his gaze to Lyon.
-ooooooooooo-
"What's the last one, Mr. Fullbuster?"
Somehow, Gray did not hear the reporter's question. Jason cleared his throat and repeated the question, "what's the last one, Mr. Fullbuster?"
The ice mage made a long pause. He stood up from his seat and said, "you know what, I'm no longer in the mood to be interviewed."
The reporter, Jason, dropped his jaw in disbelief. Mirajane was also in a state of confusion. Leaving his unfinished bottle of beer, Gray walked away and continued, "screw Erza, Mirajane."
He pondered on his last thought. Remembering the instance wherein he saw the water mage, a previous member of Elemental Four and a powerful S-class mage, in her most fragile state is a disturbing image for Gray.
Surrounded by several mages from the dark guild, Gray produced ice blades from both his forearms and started attacking each of the opponents.
"Too easy," he muttered in a cocky manner. From his peripheral vision, he tried to keep track of his partner, the water mage.
Somehow he stopped himself in the middle of the battle when he noticed that the water mage was not moving at all. The ice mage quickly finished off his set of opponents and watched the water mage from his standpoint.
In front of Juvia was a man with a short spiky blue hair. He was wearing a cape and has a mark on his right side of forehead. The two seemed to be in a serious conversation.
"Juvi, come with me," the unknown man announced as he extended his arm towards the water mage.
Gray frowned upon hearing the unknown man called Juvia as Juvi. It somehow made an impression at the ice mage that the two knew each other.
He watched the two mages from a distant.
The unknown man took a step forward. Instantly, Juvia made a step backward too.
"Let's start all over again," he said, "this time, I will make you happy."
"Yamete," Juvia answered back, "Juvia no longer wants to have any connection with Bora-san."
Gray flinched when he heard the name Bora. Lisanna once mentioned to him that Juvia used to have a beau named Bora.
"Juvi," he called again.
"Stop," Juvia pleaded – her voice was cracked, "Water Nebula."
Bora was able to dodge the columns of water.
"Yamete," Juvia's voice somehow softened and then casted another magic, "Water Cane!"
Again, the fire mage was able to dodge it as well.
"I, too, have changed, Juvi," he smirked, "I grew stronger. I worked harder."
From Gray's point of view, the water mage's face could be seen yet somehow, he could sense that the rain woman was crying.
He casted a fire ball from his left hand and threw it towards the water mage. Distraught over the fact that the man was able to dodge her previous attacks, Juvia was not focused. Bora, then, produced multiple fire balls around him and casted it towards the water mage. The water mage tried to dodge all of them but failed to do so for the last fire ball. The last one hit her forcefully, knocking her out unconscious on the ground.
It was his instinct that pushed him to run towards her.
"Juvia," he murmured to the unconscious water mage. He knelt near the rain woman and gently placed his calloused hand on her soft pale cheek. His finger then shifted near the neck as he tried to feel for a pulse. Upon hearing thumps near her jaw, he stood and faced the man.
The unknown man named Bora was also taken aback on the ice mage's action. The ice mage's cold dark blue eyes stared intently at Bora.
"Pest,"Bora muttered.
"Ice Make: Lance!"
Iced lances made its way towards Bora; however, the fire mage was able to dodge it. The opponent retaliated, "Prominence Typhoon!"
Gray confidently stood against Bora and materialized, "Ice Make: Shield!"
"Not bad for an ice maker," Bora commented while dodging all the attacks of the ice mage, "but remember: fire can burn away ice."
"Not my ice," Gray answered back before summoning, "Ice Make: Ice Wall!"
A tower of ice sprouted from the ground, freezing Bora in no time. The ice mage breathed heavily and instantly focused his attention to Juvia.
He thought that if there is a thing that can be called a Gray Fullbuster's way: it is protecting his nakama.
Gray Fullbuster took the unconscious mage on his arms.
He smiled weakly, "Or rather, protecting my nakama's emotions. After all, you are my nakama."
Lyon from a far distance asked, "what happened here?"
Jason wept, "I will not be able to publish this article if one of them refused to finish the interview."
"Now, now," Mirajane consoled the reporter by giving him a glass of juice, "surely, you'll be able to look for another interesting topic for your interview."
The reporter from Sorcerer Magazine wailed once more.
While walking around Magnolia, Gray could not help but notice that someone was following him. He turned around and saw Juvia, who was smiling at him.
"Ano, Gray-sama," she shyly greeted.
"Oi," he answered back. His face was undetectable to any sign of emotion.
"Juvia saw Gray-sama walking out of the guild," she explained, "and Juvia decided to follow Gray-sama."
The rain woman blushed furiously, "Juvia wants to spend the entire day with Gray-sama!"
She clung herself again on Gray's arm, never letting the ice mage go.
"Oi, Juvia," he awkwardly tried to take his arm away from the water mage, "this is embarrassing."
"Juvia just wants to spend her day with Gray-sama," she pouted in a childlike manner.
"Oi, Juvia," he calmly said as he placed his free hand on the water mage's head, "you can now let go of my arm."
She exclaimed enthusiastically, "no!"
Gray had realized that her infectious smile affected him in such a way that somehow, it made him want to see her smile more.
"Oi, Juvia."
The water mage did not budge. Her eyes closed, Juvia continued to clung herself like a koala to Gray. The ice mage was left with no choice but to sigh in defeat. He smiled faintly.
FIN