I felt like confessing that I started this story with only a mid-point in mind and no idea of how I'm getting there…maybe this is a bad time to say it, though? Nevertheless, you need an update and I'm past due to oblige.

Here, may I introduce my lovely readers to Perpetual Rain's second chapter?

I sincerely apologize for the shortness of the chapter.


As Juvia stood in her room, clad in only her fluffy towel and staring at where the dawn cast dim, rain-shadowed light through her curtains, she felt content. She might not always be contented as she was now, but she wouldn't let that get her down. She had decided that years before, when she had finally been fully accepted into the grand scheme of things at Fairy Tail.

"This is just another day," Juvia said aloud, smiling softly and opening her wardrobe. "Just another day, and Juvia will make the most of it, just as she always does."

As she held her chosen outfit for the day in one hand, she made the abrupt decision to turn and head back to the bathroom. The rain sounded lighter now than at first, and she had a gut feeling it would let up soon, so in the meantime she'd take a nice, warm bath. This way, the chill left over from her personal rainstorm would be chased away, and she wouldn't have to deal with the rain outside pouring down on her.

Although she didn't let the rain bother her anymore, she knew it would still keep her spirits up better if she avoided it after one of her own storms had taken place. When she'd had her own personal raincloud hovering over her, she knew that she was in a weak place, and she didn't want to force herself. Not today.

It was the anniversary of her first encounter with Gray, and in just a few short weeks would be the anniversary of the day she joined Fairy Tail. Juvia was going to make the most of it. She would shine as brightly as she could for him because he had shone brightly for her when it mattered most. She didn't care that he may not pay her the attention she gave him. Juvia was well accustomed to the feeling of unrequited love, having lived with it for several years, and she was okay with that. She was content with what she had.

Perhaps she hadn't progressed very far with her beloved Gray Fullbuster—that much was certain—but she wouldn't let that get her down. As long as their friendship continued to grow closer and their bond continued to draw tighter around them, she would be fine. Because they had grown closer; there was no doubt about that. It wasn't unheard of for the two of them to go out on jobs without the rest of the team, like Lucy and Natsu did on occasion.

So Juvia soaked in her warm bath, letting the heat soothe her tensed muscles, as she considered the day ahead, and tomorrow, and the next day. The possibilities were endless, and she would see them through.


"Good morning, Juvia!" Mirajane Strauss, the lovely and effervescent Fairy Tail cover girl beamed as the water mage walked in. It was always somewhat comforting after one of her few personal storms, to walk in to such a cheerful personage greeting her.

"Good morning," the blue-haired woman responded gently, taking a spot on one of the stools at the bar. "Could Juvia get a glass of water when you're done?"

The eldest white-haired sibling was already pouring some sort of alcohol for Wakaba, and it was only about nine in the morning. Juvia was perfectly fine with waiting for her to finish that job first—after all, this was her home and she'd become quite used to this sort of behavior, even as early as this. If they were in particularly good moods, Natsu and Gray would start at it in the next ten or fifteen minutes and there would be a brawl.

"No problem! I'll have it right away! Let me get Laki's orange juice first, then I'll be right there!"

"Take your time," Juvia smiled softly, "Juvia can wait."

Mira just laughed, a light, tinkling, bell-like sound, and handed to drink to Wakaba before reaching into the ice box—fully stocked by Gray—to pull out the morning's freshly squeezed orange juice. She carried the pitcher to where Laki sat and refilled the glass in front of her, replaced the orange juice, and proceeded to get Juvia som ice water.

"Your hair looks nice today, Juvia," a voice said from her left, and she turned to find the voluptuous blonde celestial mage grinning at her. "I like when you don't put your curls in."

"Juvia thanks you, Lucy," was the sheepish response as the water mage subconsciously twirled a wavy lock around her finger.

"No problem! It looks really good on you!"

Lucy Heartfilia took the stool next to Juvia then, asking Mira for one of the new cappuccinos that the barmaid had been experimenting with for a couple of weeks now. The blue-haired mage took a moment to examine her friend, the one she'd once called a love rival so heatedly...before it became apparent that she was really just Gray's friend, as she'd insisted the whole time. Her attachment to the dense pink-haired dragonslayer grew slowly more obvious, even in its utter subtlety. And when Juvia had realized this, there was nothing to keep her from becoming closer to the blonde than she already had been.

The friendship between the two had changed vastly for the better, and Juvia felt she could boast that only Levy, Mira, and Erza were above her among Lucy's female friends. And that feeling was worth more than she could express.

Lucy started a small conversation and Juvia entered it happily, willingly. After the night of doubtfulness and restfulness that had plagued her, such frivolous conversation at Fairy Tail soothed her even more than that warm bath had soothed her muscles and aches.

The only thing that could have made the situation better was the brawl that Natsu and Gray started not even five minutes after Lucy sat down. Juvia didn't care that Erza's strawberry cake decorated the back of her head—not as much as she acted like she cared, anyway. What she cared for was the reason to join in unashamedly, sending her water magic indiscriminately at the two responsible.

Behind her as she advanced upon the two quarreling mages she heard Lucy let out an exasperated sigh, but she knew the blonde was used to it and liked the fights just as much as she herself did.

It didn't matter that Erza would come at all the brawlers with her swords flashing, because Juvia could just turn her body to water and avoid the biggest injuries that way. It didn't matter that everyone would soon be in on this instead of just the Titania, the Salamander, Gray, and Juvia as it was now. What mattered was this time that she could be close to all of her family.

And just then, Natsu dodged her water slicer and a soaking wet Gajeel looked up at her through his drooping hair. Were she a lesser mage, she would have felt fear at the piercing look in his red eyes and the smirk on his face, but as it was it excited the fighter's blood inside her. So as Gajeel came for the blue-haired woman, she tried her best to ignore the shirt that had just fallen at her feet—ignoring Gray's stripping habit, or at least blocking it out temporarily, had become easier with time, although she quite enjoyed looking when she thought no one would really notice.

"Juvia, duck!" someone said behind her and without a thought she did as she was told. The word wall appeared in front of her and she turned to find the solid-script mage, Levy McGarden, beaming at her. "I'll distract him, you go play games with someone else!"

Gajeel was Juvia's best friend…but Levy was destined to be his mate. The two might not really realize it yet, but Juvia saw it and nodded to Levy.

"Juvia will leave him in your hands, then," she said, glancing around the guild to find her next target.

And this was Fairy Tail; this was the place she'd come to see as home.


Everyone was exhausted and the Master, as always, was furious. It was widely known that his fury when it came to the brawls was mostly faked, but it still made all of his 'children' feel guilty for upsetting him. So even though they were tired, those involved with wrecking the guild as well as those that remained neutral were found clearing up the wreckage and tidying back up. Laki was using her magic to repair the tables and chairs that had been broken or damaged, Erza was barking orders, Natsu and Gray and Gajeel were all reorganizing the tables that had been repaired, and Juvia, Lucy, Mira, and Levy were sweeping up the debris and mopping with a few of the others.

Now there was laughing. Everywhere, the guild members were goofing off and joking with each other even though, not even half an hour earlier, they had been throwing punches and magic at each other.

It was strange, to say the least, especially to any outsiders that had the fortune—or misfortune?—to enter the guild hall at the end of a fight to witness the cleanup stage. When they first walked in, they would wonder what had caused the rumored close-knit guild to start an all-out battle between members, but as the cleanup began and everyone was laughing or joking with one another, they would probably be confused. Juvia knew she had been when she first joined. But now it was all part of the fun and the attachment and she wouldn't trade it for the world.

The small glass of whisky that Mirajane produced for her after they finished the cleanup was well worth it, and even though she sipped slowly, the warmth of it going down soothed her.

"Hey, Juvia," a voice said as someone slid onto the stool beside her. She turned her attention to him and was only mildly surprised to find Gray sitting there, Mira starting to pour him a glass of the same whisky she'd given the water mage. "What do you say to going on another job this weekend? I'm low on cash, and isn't your rent due pretty soon?"

The blue-haired woman swirled what was left of her drink in a circle and said, "Juvia is fine on money, but she'll go to help."

The ice mage grinned at her and held his glass up. Without even asking, she lifted hers and clinked it against his before taking a drink. This was usually how this went between them…and it was a start. It really was, even more so than just joining the guild had been those few years past.

Sitting here with Gray beside her, just drinking like old pals, was why she was content. A part of her would always want more…but this was fine. For now, this was perfect.

But everyone knows that the days of content always come to an end.


I apologize for the fact that this may seem like filler. I'm still trying to establish a baseline for the story. At this rate, though, the next chapter may have the beginning of the actual story.

Please be patient with me! I still have trouble writing Juvia's character out so this is giving me some problems.

ALSO, a few more announcements: I start my summer job tomorrow, May 15, 2013, and it will be ten hours a day, 4-5 days a week. It's decent pay, but drastically cuts down on writing time. I'll do my best, though.

AND the next thing: I have a writing forum that's rarely visited. I'm trying to do some tips for what to do and what not to do, as well as a few unprofessional how-tos. It's the Writing Dos and Don'ts forum created by me. You can PM me if you want more details!

Anyway, thanks for reading!