Chapter 2 - Blossoming Love

Juvia checked herself once more in her mirror. Then she gathered up the picnic baskets with the bento she had prepared for Gray, Cana and herself and headed out to the agreed picnic area in Magnolia Park.

It only took eighteen minutes for Juvia to get there on foot. She didn't know exactly where the meadow was so she stayed by the front entrance. But of course when Gray-sama comes, he will bring Juvia there! And before Cana comes he will confess that Gray-sama loves Juvia!

Soon enough someone came, but it was Cana not Gray. "Morning Juvia! Want to walk together to the clearing?" She was lugging a big barrel that smelled thickly of rice and alcohol (aka sake).

"But shouldn't we wait for Gray-sama?"

Cana laughed. "He's never tardy. He'll probably be there already! Juvia," she said, looking at her, "I think he likes you."

Juvia blushed. "Wha-what? Um, Juvia doesn't think so. L-let's go to the meadow now okay?"

Cana smiled. "All right let's go." She didn't say anything else about Gray the rest of the way to the meadow; instead she chatted to Juvia about the wonderful weather and guessed what Erza and the gang were currently doing. But Juvia's thoughts were entirely on Gray.

Aaah, Gray-sama? Could Gray-sama really love Juvia? Cana doesn't lie... dear Gray-sama, please tell Juvia yourself! Juvia paid only enough attention to give Cana short responses and follow her to the meadow.

Then there they were. Juvia spotted Gray sitting in a peaceful meadow - well it would've been peaceful if Gray hadn't been making vicious looking ice sculptures. He spotted Juvia and Cana approaching and quickly smashed them and as they entered the clearing he made it into an ice palace with actual windows (no glass though), an ice floor, transparent roof and spiraling steps up to a tower and balcony.

Aww, Gray-sama did this all for Juvia! And Cana... I'm glad this meadow is surrounded by trees... Juvia wouldn't want any strangers interrupting this picnic, Juvia thought joyfully. She blushed.

"Gray-sama thank you!" Juvia said shyly. Then she sat down at the ice table and handed out the bento lunches from her picnic basket.

"It's cool," he said, reaching out for the bento that had his name on it. Then just as he was about to grab it, he looked rather oddly at it. Juvia blushed once more, wondering if he recognized the design. The word "love" was shown on one side, in green and orange and yellow. Gray's face was shown on the other side with rice, corn, peas and ham decorating the rest. Gray blinked and then tried to look neutral as he took the bento but Cana noticed he was also blushing.

She took her own bento, which had her face on it too, a big barrel with sake spilling over one side and rice, shrimp, corn and chicken meat.

"Thank you Juvia this looks really good!" Cana guzzled down some sake and then started on the bento. Juvia smiled then flushed. No one ever really appreciated me before... dear

Gray-sama, I hope you like the bento...

She turned to Gray-sama, who was sitting on her left on one of the three ice stools around the triangular-shaped ice table. He was still staring oddly at it, but then he started eating starting with the vegetables, then the meat, then his face! Juvia stared in awe. Gray-sama is saving the word "love" for last... could this mean something for Juvia?

"Juvia aren't you going to eat your own bento?" Cana asked, looking up. "Your cooking's delish!"

"Agreed," Gray said with a mouthful of 'his' bangs.

Juvia felt her cheeks warming up. "Oh thanks I just wanted to see if you liked it first before I ate mine," she said, pretending to be the 'happy hostess'.

"Oh it's delicious!" repeated Cana before she drank some more sake and ate some more too (haha lol get it?)!

"Okay now Juvia will have some too," Juvia said and began to eat hers.

She glanced over at Gray a few times, then after a moment of awkward silence he spoke.

"So Cana, gone on any quests lately?"

"Only one, but it was really easy but I got a lot of drinking money. I had to beat up whoever it was that was sneaking around that town at night."

Gray looked confused. "Why? They weren't being harmful or something right? Just 'sneaking around' or whatever."

"Cuz they made the villagers afraid. But I beat the hey outta them," Cana said triumphantly on her ice stool.

"Juvia is sure you did," Juvia said.

Cana smiled. "Hey remember that time when we first met you Juvia? It was in that Phantom Lord incident... I'm so glad you came to Fairy Tail. Now that you're here I'm not sure what I'd do without you," she laughed.

"Thank you. Juvia loves Fairy Tail," the water mage said softly, sneaking a little look at Gray. Juvia loves Gray-sama too, she thought passionately.

"Yeah I'm glad you're here too," Gray added. "First time I met you, you were always so sad. It's good you cheered up a bit ever since you joined. It was almost a year ago right?"

Juvia's heart beat faster. Juvia's dear Gray-sama kept track of how long Juvia has been here! Yes Gray-sama, she have cheered up a bit because of you...
She couldn't handle it any longer. It was wonderful being with Gray but she needed to leave for a moment. "Juvia will go pick some flowers," she offered, "to liven up the place." She got up and exited.


yay! second chapter done! third chapter's on its way :)