Chapter 2-Say It Right
As Juvia continued walking through the streets, Gray eventually caught up to her.
"Juvia, what's wrong?" Gray asked.
"Nothing is wrong." Juvia lied "Juvia is actually feeling quite fine."
"Come on, you're hiding something from me." Gray replied.
"Juvia just needs to be left alone right now." Juvia replied back.
From that moment, Gray grabbed Juvia's hand and pulled her towards himself.
"Look, I care about you, and there's no reason you should hide anything from me." Gray explained "If you have something to say to me, say it now."
Juvia then took a deep breath and began to burst out what she was going to say.
"Juvia loves you so deeply, Gray, and believes that we were meant for each other." Juvia shouted before turning away in embarrassment.
There was a long silent pause between the both of them and eventually one of them broke the silence.
"How long have you felt this way?" Gray asked.
"Juvia has felt this way since our first encounter." Juvia answered as she turned her head to look at Gray "She was going to tell you today, but never expected to say it in this unforeseen circumstance. Juvia has seen you and Lucy together holding hands and looking into each other's eyes, which reminded Juvia of how Lucy has often tried to claim you as her own."
"What are you talking about?" Gray continued asking.
"Juvia and Lucy are both competitors for your affections." Juvia continued answering "Assuming that you will choose Juvia as your lover."
"Juvia, I don't feel that way about Lucy." Gray answered back "Lucy and me both share a bonding friendship as teammates, but we only see each other as friends."
"So, are you in love with Juvia then?" Juvia asked.
"I—I don't know." Gray answered "I've never given this much thought. But looking back on the bond that we've shared with each other all this time, I believe I could be in love with you."
"Gray, you don't know how incredible it is for Juvia to hear." Juvia commented "But who knows what Lucy has a say in this? Juvia is a bit upset about the possible romantic feelings that Lucy might harbour for you."
"Lucy is not in love with me." Gray admitted.
"How do you know that?" Juvia asked.
"It's because she's in love with someone else." Gray answered.
"Juvia advises you to tell who Lucy is in love with." Juvia requested.
"Lucy is in love with Natsu." Gray replied.
"Are you sure about that?" Juvia asked "Lucy never seemed to mention having any feelings for Natsu and we've never seen them interact that way with each other."
"Lucy and Natsu have been keeping their relationship secret in order to prevent receiving any attention about their romance." Gray explained "They have done a skilled job at making sure that no one in the guild hall knows."
"I see, but why would they have the need to hide their romance?" Juvia continued asking.
"Now, I don't know the motives behind that decision." Gray continued answering "What I do know is that Lucy isn't in love with me because she's in love with Natsu. Now that I've told you, can you please keep that secret?"
"Of course, Gray, Juvia would do anything for you." Juvia agreed.
"So, what are you doing tonight?" Gray asked.
"Juvia doesn't have any plans for this coming night." Juvia answered.
"I would love for us to have dinner together tonight." Gray suggested.
"Juvia would love that, Gray." Juvia replied.
"So, I'll come by your place tonight?" Gray asked.
"That sounds great." Juvia answered.
As soon as Gray and Juvia began to return to the guild and parted for a while to meet later tonight, Juvia was suddenly ecstatic over the fact that she finally scored a date with Gray. Meanwhile, at the guild, Juvia suddenly began to think to herself of the fact of how she misunderstood the interactions between Lucy and Gray. She was no longer worried after noticing the events of Gray revealing his romantic feelings for Juvia, and how Lucy was actually in love with Natsu. However, on that matter, Juvia was worried of the fact that Lucy and Natsu were keeping a secret relationship. Juvia felt that even though she wanted to be with Gray, she didn't want her own relationship to be a secret. Juvia's current thoughts about love made her unable to handle keeping a secret and eventually began to speak while she was seemingly all by herself.
"Juvia can't believe this is a secret." Juvia said to herself "Lucy and Natsu are in love with each other."
Unfortunately, at that moment, Erza Scarlet was coincidentally nearby, and was fascinated with the news. And just like that, gossip about Natsu and Lucy being a couple was suddenly spread throughout the guild, and like all gossip, Lucy was one of those who overheard it and began to find out who spread the word about that. After a while, Lucy eventually found out that it was Juvia was spread the gossip. Lucy then confronted Juvia angrily.
"How could you tell everyone in the guild hall that I'm in a relationship with Natsu?" Lucy angrily asked.
"I'm sorry, Juvia didn't mean to spread any gossip, and it's just that it's a huge bother that you have to keep your own romantic endeavours a secret." Juvia answered "Gray and Juvia are now a couple, and will confidently display our relationship out in the open. Juvia believes that it would be a wise decision for you to do the same for yours."
"Who even told you about this, anyway?" Lucy continued asking.
"Gray told me." Juvia continued answered.
"Why did he tell you?" Lucy continued asking.
"Gray said so in order to confess how much that he was in love with Juvia." Juvia continued answering.
Just like that, Lucy suddenly left Juvia while still in the angry tone she was. Lucy suddenly began to look for Gray in order to confront him for being the one responsible for letting the gossip about her relationship with Natsu spread throughout the guild hall.