Hello All!
I apologize that it took me so long to update. My boyfriend recently moved in with me and school started up again so I've been a bit busy. I hope to post more regularly now that things have calmed down!
Thank you for all of your wonderful and helpful comments and I hope you enjoy!
Love ya bunches!
-ThatDorkyFangirl
"Did you… break up with her?" Mirajane looked at Gray as he sulked back to the bar. The ice mage nodded and slammed his head into the bar.
"That's weird, she seemed fine when she came up to me after you guys talked. I thought she'd be a mess." Gray grunted while the barmaid filled a pitcher for him to drown his sorrows.
6 pitchers later, Mirajane was hefting her guildmate over her shoulder to take to one of the beds in the guild. She threw him down and threw the covers over him, slightly frustrated at his drunken state.
The barmaid turned to leave only to feel a hand shoot out and grab her wrist.
"Mira?" Gray slurred. Mirajane turned toward him and kneeled down to be at his height.
"Yes, Gray. What is it?" Gray sighed and put his hands over his face. "Did I just make the biggest mistake of my life?" He asked and looked over at his long-time friend.
"Gray… I don't know. I wish I could tell you." Gray nodded and closed his eyes, quickly falling asleep as Mira sighed.
Juvia arrived at her and Gray's apartment, soaking wet from the rain. She had run the whole way back, refusing to stop in case she lost her nerve. She quickly unlocked the door and shut it behind her before slumping against it and sliding down to the floor. The water mage stared blankly into the room before her, finally allowing herself to process the day's events.
Gray had felt smothered. Juvia had broken up with Gray. They were no longer a couple, and she had cut off their friendship as well. And to put the cherry on top, Juvia was pregnant. But, at least she had a plan.
But, even with a plan, even if she knew what she had to do, even if logic told her it was best to take that year-long mission to give her time to recover… she still hurt. So, she let herself cry. She let herself feel the emotions she had been trying to suppress for hours. She allowed the rain to pour outside and the thunder to shake the buildings of Magnolia. She allowed herself to crumble.
Juvia awoke several hours later, her tearstained face and burning eyes a reminder of the emotional storm that had rocked her to sleep. She stood from the floor and cracked her back before looking over to the clock on the wall. The time read 2 AM. Gray would have been back hours ago if he were coming back to the apartment. She wouldn't be seeing him before she left. Oddly, she was okay with that. At least then she wouldn't get the chance to back out on her mission.
She walked into her bedroom and grabbed her large suitcase, lifting it and setting it down on her bed. She threw it open and began to neatly place her clothes into the suitcase. She hoped it was large enough to fit all of her stuff, but after 30 minutes, she was reassured that it was.
She folded the last of her clothing and placed it gently in the suitcase. Then she rushed around the apartment, grabbing the rest of her belongings. She grabbed her toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, and body wash from the bathroom. Gray had always disliked the floral scent of them, complaining that the smelled too artificial. She grabbed her favorite blanket from the living room, the one Gray had always refused to use, saying that it made him too hot. She went into the kitchen and grabbed her bag of BBQ chips. Gray always disliked them, saying they were too sweet to be actual chips.
Finally, she grabbed Gray's cross necklace. The one he always wore around his neck. He had given her the necklace on their first anniversary, saying it would protect her as long as she wore it. He had placed it tenderly around her neck and given her the sweetest smile… but now, he was no longer hers, she was no longer under his protection.
She looked at the glistening silver one last time, sighing before pressing it gently to her lips. She placed it gently on the kitchen counter, making sure the jewel faced up and glinted in the lights of the kitchen.
She took out a notebook. It was her favorite, an impulse buy on a mission with Gray. The notebook was shaped like a raindrop. She grabbed a pen and quickly scribbled a note before putting the pen away and placing it under the necklace. She looked at the clock, it was 3:30 AM. The first train to Espalier would leave at 5 AM.
Juvia walked to the door with the suitcase in hand, stopping with her hand on the knob to look back into the home she and Gray had built together. With a heavy sigh, she took the key to the apartment off of her key ring and placed it gently on the table by the door before walking out and shutting the door behind her.
Gray stumbled from the Guildhall at 3:30 AM and made his way home. He took his time, sliding his feet as he walked. Though it was what he wanted, he couldn't believe he and Juvia had truly broken up. She had been a constant in his life for years.
He sighed and kicked a pebble on the road with all of his might, it soared through the air and disappeared out of sight. Maybe, he didn't want to break up with her, maybe what he really wanted was to adjust their relationship. He had never expressed his feelings about her clinginess, how would she know? He loved everything else about her.
Maybe should sleep on it and talk to her in the morning. Maybe, they shouldn't have broken up, maybe they could work something out and get back together. Gray nodded his head to establish his resolve. He'd talk to her in the morning when he wasn't piss drunk and they could speak more.
He finally reached the door and took out his key, inserting it into the lock and opening the door. He stripped as he walked towards the bedroom door he shared with Juvia. He walked into the room in all his god given glory and flopped unceremoniously onto the bed and immediately fell into a deep sleep, not even noticing the lack of warmth beside him.
At 5:20 AM Juvia stood in line to board the train with a ticket in hand. Despite knowing Gray wouldn't come running after her, she couldn't help but to look for the familiar bare-chested man to come barreling towards her. Yet, he never showed up.
She sighed in defeat and handed her ticket to the tired looking conductor. He gave a nod and stepped aside for her to board the train. She shuffled her way down the aisle and shoved her suitcase in the overhead compartment.
Once she was settled, she pulled out a book and began reading. She didn't notice as the train lurched to a start, too engrossed in the story. A tap on her shoulder, however, roused her from her literary trance.
A young train attendant stood before her with a polite smile.
"Excuse me, Miss. Can I offer you something to eat or drink?"
Juvia smiled politely and nodded.
"May I please have some win-... I mean, some water please?" The attendant nodded and handed the young water mage the cup with her drink before moving along to the next passenger.
Juvia closed her book and sipped thoughtfully on her drink before setting it down and gazing at her still flat stomach. She rubbed it gently and let out a small smile. Though the situation wasn't ideal, she was still happy to have this child. She had always dreamed of raising a child and giving them the life she wasn't able to have.
Would her child be a water mage? An ice mage? What will they look like? Will she have a boy or a girl? These kinds of questions swirled in her mind and distracted her from the hurt she felt. She couldn't focus on her hurt, she needed to focus on herself and her child.
She giggled a bit to herself as thoughts of tiny feet and red cheeks filled her mind. The idea of a mini- her running around made her giddy and she couldn't wait to kiss her child's cheeks. She drifted to sleep with these thoughts swirling through her mind and a smile on her face.
Did you enjoy this chapter? I hope it made you smile like a Chesire cat! Please leave comments with praises or (constructive) criticisms!
Love ya bunches!
-ThatDorkyFangirl