Who did Mira and Cana think they were? No one sees me meddling in their love lives. Definitely not in a public forum. I still need to punch something or someone. Natsu could only get me so far. Without me killing him. Or sending him to space. However, I still needed to blow off some steam. And what better way than some solitude in the woods and throw a pole in the water? Maybe the old fake fortune teller was onto something. A little fishing trip always managed to put me at ease. It's a good thing a certain blue cat wasn't following me for a free meal.

Besides, I don't think Lucy would allow it. She could see it all over my face. I was not in a good place. Then again, anyone could see that. But Lucy could pick up on my moods like no one else. Maybe that's why I liked having her around. Out of everything Natsu has brought home to the guild hall - artifacts, trinkets, Happy - there wasn't a doubt in my mind. Lucy was my favorite. Not just for me. But for the good of the guild. Now, I understood why Mira and Cana thought I had a crush on her.

Why did those two care about it so much anyway? Maybe it wasn't me with the alleged crush on Lucy and they were both into me. No. If that were true, they'd both be fighting over me. Besides, Mira's got her eye on a someone, a particular S-Class wizard. As for Cana, she's in a very committed relationship with a barrel of whatever she can get her hands on. I understand what they were trying to do. Mira and Cana just don't want me to be lonely. That much was true.

What they fail to grasp was that I didn't mind being alone. I liked being in my own company. Some peace and quiet drowning out the loud, hectic chaos that ensues on a daily basis brought me a strange sense of comfort. I guess all the time with Ur in the mountains really stuck with me. That's why I decided to go fishing. At the end of the day, I got to kill something. We'll call that my catharsis. That is...If anything decided to bite.

This sucked. I knew I had to be patient, but I've been at the same spot for the last hour and my pole hadn't even wiggled. I blamed Happy. I bet that gluttonous cat got his greedy little paws in my regular fishing spot and cleaned house. The fish were always biting here when I came any other time. Or maybe this was the kick in the karma for being so cold to Mira, who offered nothing but her help. Or for making Natsu my victim of circumstance. Or for being more trouble than it's worth. I pulled my line out of the water and decided on a walk. I was still out here to clear my head.

The woods that lined the outskirts of Magnolia were the best. Quiet, peaceful. I've hid out here on more than one occasion. When I first got to the guild hall and everyone wanted to corner the new guy, this was my safe haven. Ever since then, I've always retreated to these woods whenever I needed to clear my head. Wrapped in a blanket of lush greenery and...In my walk, the air temperature suddenly dropped. Not that cold bothered me, but I don't remember there being water in these woods. Uncharted territory? Color me curious.

Sure enough, I stumbled on a little pond in the middle of the woods surrounded by boulders of varying shapes and sizes. The rippling water sparkled in the sunlight. However, that may just be more than the sun causing that. I could've sworn I've seen every inch of these woods. Ponds don't just appear overnight. Was this magic? No. It seemed like just a pond. I wonder...

I peeled my shirt off and threw my pole in the water.

...

...twitch, twitch.

...

YANK!

As hard and as fast as I could, I reeled my line in, pulling in at least twenty fish. I didn't care if this pond was magic or not. It was mine! Finally, I caught something today! I thought I'd be going back to the guild hall without catching any fish. Lo and behold, I had a line full. I threw them all back, though. I could eat when I get back to the guild hall. They weren't big enough to eat anyway. Line after line came back fuller than the last. One more cast and I'll go home. I've calmed down enough to face everyone and apologize.

Thwippp...

"Ow!" a voice in the water squeaked. There's someone in there?!

"I'm so sorry," I apologized as the disembodied voice's upper half popped out of the water, her long, blue hair cascading over her shoulders.

"You didn't have to get me in the..." Then, she saw me. And those big, blue eyes of hers sparkled like the water around her. Her cheeks started to turn a light shade of pink, "Hi."

"I'm sorry," I took a seat on one of the flat rocks around the pond, "I didn't know anyone was swimming in here."

"I don't just swim here," she explained, "I live here."

What? How? I had so many questions, "In the water?"

"Where else am I going to live?" she wondered, laying near my feet.

"I don't know," I took a quick look around the woods for any evidence of a house, "But not in the water."

"But that'd be so hard for me," she hid her face.

"Why's that?"

"If I show you..." she played shy, "Do you promise not to run away?"

"I'm still here, aren't I?" I smiled a bit, trying to put her at ease. I poked myself in the chest around my guild mark, "You see this?"

"A guild mark," she noticed, "You're a wizard?"

"That's right," I nodded, "I've seen some weird things in my travels. I have a friend that's a celestial wizard. I have a friend that swallows fire. Said friend has a flying blue cat. I doubt whatever you have to show me will scare me off so easily."

"Ok," she pushed back from the rocks and a glittering fish tail flopped over in her place.

Immediately, my jaw hit the ground, "You're a mermaid?!"

"Is..." Her eyes welled up. Way to go, Gray. And you wonder why you have such bad luck with women, "Is that a bad thing?"

"No, no!" I tried to calm her down, "I've seen a lot of things, but I've never met a mermaid before...Well...One that wasn't trying to kill me."

"Who was it?" she gasped, "Mermaids are peaceful creatures."

"She just looked like a mermaid," I clarified, "But my friend, the celestial wizard I told you about? She was one of her spirits. Aquarius isn't exactly the nicest one she has."

"So, your celestial wizard friend attacked you?"

"No," I went on, "Aquarius just has a chip on her shoulder."

"She wasn't a true mermaid, then?" she figured, "Not like me?"

"No." I couldn't stop staring at her tail. I couldn't believe I was talking to a mermaid either, yet here we were, "Can I ask you a question?"

"Please," she allowed, "I'm sure you have a few."

"Can you get out of the water?" I asked.

"Sort of," she hoisted herself out of the water and onto the flat rock, "I can't exactly walk like you do, but I can swim really well. I'm the fastest one I know, but...Then again, I don't know many others. I like to lay on this rock when it's raining."

"Wouldn't you get cold?"

"I'm always in water anyway," she shrugged, "What difference does it make where it comes from?"

I laughed my stupidity off. She made a good point, "I guess it doesn't make any difference."

"Do you think..." the mermaid by my side got shy again, "Maybe I could ask you a question?"

"Sure." It's only fair, "What do you want to ask me?"

"Could I ask you...what your name is?"

Had we really been sitting here all this time, talking like we knew each other, but we're perfect strangers? That's weird, "It's Gray. What about you? Could I ask you what your name is?"

"Me?" she blushed, "It's...Juvia. Um...Gray?"

"Yeah?"

"When you leave here," Juvia played with a loose strand of her hair, "Will you come and see me again? Do you promise you won't forget me?"

"Sure," I promised, "I'd come see you again. I like this spot. Would that be ok?"

"Of course," she agreed, "On one condition."

I gave her a look, "What condition?"

"That you don't try to land my friends anymore," Juvia requested, jumping back in the water, "I don't like when people meddle in my water, let alone try to capture my friends."

"Oh," I threw my pole out in the woods, "Sorry."

"As long as you promise not to do it again," she stipulated, "I'll forgive you."

"Deal."

"Thank you." And in that moment, I actually saw Juvia smile. My heart jumped a bit. Only because it caught me off guard. I wasn't expecting it to be...So pretty, "Come in."

"Excuse me?" If her smile was enough to catch me off guard, that was a ball to the head from out of left field.

"Come in my water," Juvia reiterated, "You can...If you want. It'll help the scrapes on your hands."

My hook had caught me a few times since I've been out, but they scabbed over quickly, so I didn't even give them a thought, "You don't need to worry about them. I'm fine."

"Could I see your hands?" she asked softly, stretching her hand out to me, "I'll show you."

"I..." I wasn't sure how to feel about this, but a part of me trusted her. I put my hand in hers.

Juvia let out a little gasp as her skin came into contact with mine. Then, she brought my hands to the water. The sparkles from the water worked their way into my cuts and healed them from the inside. Once I took my hands back, they looked like nothing had happened. In all honesty, this water felt kind of nice. I'm sure if I jumped in here after I left the guild hall, I would've been right as rain again. Not cold enough to be a pond, but not hot enough to be considered a hot spring. It's perfect...

"See?" Juvia let my hands go, "I told you."

"Thank you," I studied them a little closer. I wonder what would happen if this pond were to freeze…I'm sure the fish…and Juvia…would freeze with it. I couldn't do that. I looked up in the sky and noticed the sun wasn't there anymore, "I should be going."

"Wait, Gray!" Juvia begged, taking my hand back, "Don't go. Please."

"Hey," I assured, "I'll be back. I just don't want to walk home in the dark. Tomorrow. I promise. I'll be right back here."

She didn't want me to leave. I could see it all over her face. Juvia wanted me to stay with her. If just for a little while longer. As much as it pained her, she let me go, "Tomorrow."

"Tomorrow." I affirmed. And just like that, Juvia's oasis in the middle of the woods disappeared the closer I got to town.

Juvia. I met a mermaid today. Now, I'm kind of glad Mira and Cana interfered in my love life. If I wouldn't have wanted to blow off some steam, I wouldn't have found her. She seemed a little jittery. Maybe she doesn't see that many people. I know I've never seen a mermaid before. Maybe I'm just quick to judge. She seemed sweet. And I get to see her tomorrow, too. Wait…Did I just make a date with a mermaid? Nevertheless, I got back to the guild hall unscathed and took a seat at the bar. I'm starving and Mira's cooking was unmatched by anyone.

"Welcome home, Gray," Mira joined me with a glass of lemonade in her hand and a snack, "Are you alright?"

"Better," I sighed out, biting the inside of my cheek.

"About earlier today," she began, "I'm sorry we meddled. You know Cana and I worry about you."

"Hey," I stopped her, "Water under the bridge. No worries."

"You seem to be in higher spirits," Mira noticed, "Where did you go?"

"Mira," I pointed out, "Didn't you just apologize for meddling?"

"I can't be curious about how you spent your day?"

"I just went out," I shrugged, finishing my lemonade and the pretzel bowl, "I'm going to bed. Good night, Mira."

"Good night, Gray."

I wasn't up for much conversation. The fresh air was getting to my head. The promises of a warm bed were far too tempting. And I just wanted to go to sleep. I still had a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that I met a mermaid today…And she's kind of cute.

A/N: Oh, Gray, you lovable, awkward dork. You and women aren't a good combination, are you? But you managed to patch things up with Juvia as quickly as you screwed them up, so you got that going for you!

Now, can I be gushy for a sec? You guys have been so sweet about this. I do hope to see more and more of you here. Thank you for giving such a good response to this story. And I couldn't go for much longer without introducing Juvia. Because Juvia's going to be the mermaid in this story! She's not a Phantom Lord wizard, but she can practice magic. She's a mermaid, of course she can. To make a long story short, thank you. It's a pleasure to have you. Now, I'm going to go make some food, edit a chapter of an original story I'm working on, and call it a day. See you next chapter! xx