Chapter 4 - The Interruption

"Hah, gotcha Gray!" A voice called triumphantly.

Gray shut the door hurriedly and swiveled around. "Daphne! So it's you behind all this," Gray scowled. She better not have seen me cry.

Daphne grinned deviously while she sucked on a Metamo stick. "Yes! Levy and Mirajane told me to capture you so I did! Apparently you got into some trouble with your girlfriend and she cried her heart out to Levy and Levy asked Mirajane what to do and Mirajane told me to capture you so I did because you got into some trouble with your girlfriend!"

Gray frowned. She's repeating herself... "All I did was -" He gave a silent sigh. Daphne was staring at him intently like a baby while sucking on her Metamo stick. Oh my goodness she's being so idiotic HOW DID I GET MYSELF INTO THIS?

"Yeah go on!"

"All I did was - eh, that is..."

Daphne grinned. "I already know. I told you - your weeping girlfriend told Levy who told Mira who told me!"

Gray gave her a look. "So why am I captured, hey?"

"So we can keep you from running away! And then you can sort things out with your girlfriend!"

"She has a name and it's Juvia," Gray said coldly. But is she my girlfriend still? Like I said to Natsu that day, she's probably appalled... Darn that Natsu, coercing me into agreeing to pay lunch for all four of us! Juvia and me, I'm okay with. Lucy, also okay. But that firebrain? He eats way too much then complains that the food isn't burnt enough! Stupid kid. And now it results into this - Juvia avoiding me, crying that I found out she doesn't truly love me, and I'm stuck with Daphne of all people and I can't even get out. Stupid, stupid Natsu!

Daphne took on a serious face. "Hey, calm down, I know... and this Juvia doesn't hate you like you told her you think she does," Daphne explained. "In fact she was crying because she thought you hated her now!"

Gray looked at Daphne curiously. "What?"

"Yup, she's depressed because you ran from her. If anyone's doing the running, it should be that Lyon guy, who likes your girlfriend!" Daphne said, giving Gray a sly smile. "You think I should give him some Metamo, cheer him up a bit? I'll give him a discount!"

Gray ignored that last part. "Juvia - she - wants to marry me?" he said in a low voice, unbelieving.

"That's right! Wait a second. You proposed to her? Oh yeah, Mira told me... I forgot... Hah! I didn't think you would have the guts to do that, so congratulations, Gray!" Daphne said nonchalantly.

"At this rate we won't get married," he muttered.

Daphne seemed baffled. "Come on, there's nothing wrong! You both love each other and yeah, right? From what I've heard from Mira, you two even..." she stopped there and grinned.

Gray gaped at her, shocked and angry. "We even what? If it's what I think you're thinking then you're wrong and she's wrong too!" Mira's gonna get it! he grumbled inside his head.

"No, no, nothing!" She waved a hand at him as if to shoo away his anger, her other hand holding up a beloved Metamo stick.

Then they heard footsteps and Daphne gave an excited grin.

"Come on, don't worry I'm sure he still loves you, he's just feeling hurt right now," a voice said soothingly from a distance, somewhere in the 'building'.

"Do you really think so Mira-chan?" a troubled voice asked. Gray recognized it. Juvia? And the first voice was Mira's... she is too much of a matchmaker...

"Yes Juvia, don't worry! Come here now and maybe you'll be able to sort things out!"

"Eh?"

The footsteps grew louder and suddenly the figures of a smiling, bouyant Mira and a disheartened Juvia came around a corner.

Gray scowled. This was all just a setup for me and Juvia to talk, but this time I've got nowhere to run! He glanced at Daphne, who was grinning and talking to the two girls. Juvia was nervously glimpsing at him, not taking part in the conversation. I'll just have to try and explain things to her. Even if I end up sounding like an idiot at least things will be cleared and we can just go on our separate ways after that.

Meanwhile Juvia was thinking about the same things. Juvia is scared of how Gray-sama will react. He is usually cool and collected but earlier he was very upset. Juvia hopes he is okay. If he doesn't like Juvia anymore she will cry a lot... but nothing will change except we will part afterwards. Juvia can bear it, because Gray-sama is not perfect for her if he does not like her anymore. Oh, Gray-sama, please do love her though!

"Go ahead, Juvia!" Mira's cheery voice broke into her thoughts.

"Eh? Oh, alright," Juvia said anxiously. She walked a bit closer to Gray, who didn't say a word but just shifted his gaze in another direction.

"Gray-sama," she said softly.

Gray frowned but didn't reply.

"Gray-sama, are you okay?"

He didn't say anything.

"Tell Juvia what is wrong. She cares for you, dear Gray-sama," said Juvia soothingly, all the while wishing he would just say something that would make everything right again.

"No she doesn't!" Gray burst. "Why would she, when her 'Gray-sama' is just an idiot who can't do anything properly, not propose or anything!" he yelled, wanting to turn around and run. Then he remembered his case and stood there steaming.

"That is not true!" Juvia yelled, tears welling up in her eyes as she ran over to her dear beloved and held him in a loving hug. "Gray-sama is nothing like that!"

"Ai!" Gray stood there shocked as Juvia embraced him, refusing to let go. Her tears spilled over and dripped onto his shoulders but he made no move to wipe them off. She still loves me? What?

Then he reached his arms around her and hugged her back. "I'm sorry Juvia for doubting you and myself... So..." He pulled away and held Juvia by the shoulders, looking at her with confidence. "Will you marry me?"

Juvia looked up at him, her deep blue eyes glistening with the last tears. "Gray-sama... Juvia loves you and she -"

"NO!" A loud voice interrupted.

Gray pulled away from Juvia, with one arm wrapped protectively around her shoulders. He looked in shock as he spotted the intruder. "Lyon!"


Lyon has arrived... and just when Juvia is about to say yes to Gray's loving proposal! what is he doing there? gruvia must win! :) I love them too much