A gloomy inspiration
The rain. It always follows me, and as a result Juvia is lonely. So why is it... Why is it that you stay with Juvia, when the rain drives everyone else away? And why is it, Juvia finds her heart fluttering for you? Do you like the rain?
Chapter 4: A new inspiration
It was raining like always.
This time it was pouring.
Tiny splashing footsteps receding into the distance, where a young boy and young girl ran hand in hand through the torrent of rain.
Even though the clouds were dark, and the sky was crying, they both had smiles brighter than the sun.
It was funny how he was recalling such a distant memory at a time like this.
Gray and Juvia walked in silence for a while. He stared vacantly at the rain drops sliding down the edges of the umbrella.
Drip, drip, drip.
Occasionally he would glance at the silent girl next to him. She also happened to share his vacant look. He noticed that she hadn't looked once in his direction. He also happened to notice that she wasn't crying anymore. Her gloomy eyes were slightly swollen red but no tears dripped down from them.
He sighed with relief. Only slightly, so she didn't see his concern for her.
"Where are we going?"
She looked up at him and pointed her hands straight.
So she wasn't going to talk.
But everyone likes talking to him.
They walked further, and the silence overwhelming.
"That's good you've cheered up a bit."
Her eyes widened and a blush coloured her cheeks. Juvia nodded briefly and held out her hand. Gray looked down half expecting money in her palms, but there was nothing.
"What's wrong?"
"…Umbrella."
"Eh?"
Juvia grabbed the umbrella handle and held it above them.
She must've felt bad that I was the only one who was holding the umbrella.
"Hey it's alright, I'll do it."
Juvia shook her head fiercely, and Gray smiled at her.
"Alright, whatever."
The blue haired teenager sneezed once and nodded her head in triumph.
The two continued their way along the pavement until they reached a white picket fence. A large figure loomed in front of the entrance. Juvia dropped the umbrella and immediately sprinted towards him.
Gray growled sourly at the person as she jumped on to him, hands wound around his neck tightly, and he stumbled pulled down by her weight.
"GAJEEL-KUN!"
"Oomph! Where were you?"
Gray crossed his arms annoyed. Now they were acting as if he didn't exist.
Gray bitterly strolled over and picked up the forgotten umbrella and had every intention of going home. That was until from the corners of his eye he watched Juvia open the door of her picket fence, and went in.
Normally a person going into their own house wouldn't hold Gray's attention for even one second, but the fact that Gajeel was also going in managed to grasp his full attention.
"Oi, oi, oi, why is HE going in too."
Juvia turned around deadpanned. "Why not?"
Gray blushed slightly. "H-h-he's a fully grown male!" He looked around the house. "Where are your parents?"
"They're… not here." Juvia tilted her head in question. "Anyways Gajeel always comes over."
Gray's mouth opened in shock at the sudden information. Gajeel rolled his eyes.
He noticed the black haired teenager seething and a smirk found its way on his face. He draped an arm over her shoulders and rested his chin on top of her head.
His smirk widened when Gray growled, eyes blazing at him.
"Come on Juvia, let's go play some games…." He trailed off suggestively.
Gray's hands shot out and stopped the closing gate. Juvia stared curiously at him, and gray began sweating nervously, obviously not meaning to do so.
"Does Gray-san want to come over too?"
Gray dropped his head in defeat.
He was unbelievably confused right now.
The atmosphere was awkward to say the least.
Gajeel was currently sprawled out on her bedroom floor, stomach side up, munching on a biscuit and busily reading a book he picked up from her bookshelf.
Gray twitched.
He was stuck in a girl's house- someone he barely knew, and sitting with the culprit who had intentionally destroyed his club room.
Gray eyed at how relaxed he was.
It was as if he was the one living here.
And here he was sitting up so stiffly.
Juvia came in after a few minutes carefully balancing plates of food and drinks. Gray stood up to help, and she set up the relatively small table with food.
Gray looked down at the miniature spread. "You made these?"
Juvia nodded.
Gray curiously pinched one from the table and munched on what he had picked.
And it tasted normal.
Gray sighed.
Usually in shoujo mangas, the girl characters were either really bad cooks, or spectacularly good. She was neither, the food was a bit burnt on the side, but other than that there was nothing amazing about it. The cooking tasted so normal; there was nothing he could actually say about it.
Not that that he read Shoujo.
He would never.
And not saying that normal was a bad thing either.
She stared at him inquiringly.
Gray said nothing and took another bite. He squirmed a bit uncomfortably, adjusting himself a few times just to get comfortable.
Gajeel reached out to grab a dumpling stick. He munched experimentally and pulled a face.
"You burnt it again Juvia." He smirked. "Just what the hell is wrong with your oven?"
Juvia smacked him over the head with her free hand. "How rude, Juvia did her best to cook these."
Gray watched her carefree nature around him. He continued sulking to himself as he noted how differently she acted when she was with Gajeel.
He began to wolf down the dumpling balls, pouting as he did so. Juvia stopped messing with Gajeel for a bit and her eyes flickered over to the now empty plate.
"Gray-san… ate them all?"
Gray looked down at his last stick, and the pile of sticks in front of him. "Oh, I guess I did."
Her eyes widened in shock. "Gray-san… likes the slightly burnt dumplings?"
"Yeah, they weren't bad."
Juvia's eyes softened, and the corners of her mouth tugged slightly upwards. "Thank you."
It was like her whole face had changed with that small smile. Gray mouth slightly parted unable to contain his surprise.
"Gray-san?"
"W-w-what?"
"You were looking at Juvia very intensely," She watched him interested. "Is something the matter?"
"Err, It was nothing." He stood up abruptly. "It's a bit late, I think I'd better be going."
"Then Juvia will-" Gajeel held up a hand.
"How bout I show your friend out, I'm going too anyways."
Juvia hesitated for a bit then sat back down. "Alright, if Gajeel-kun insists."
"Alright, see you tomorrow."
"Yeah, good bye Gajeel-kun, Gray-san."
Gray sighed. Saying both their names together like that only proved the difference in their relationships with her. He was only Gray-SAN and he was Gajeel-KUN.
The two males walked out of her house. Gray was slightly further in front, with Gajeel looming behind.
"Hey you."
Gray turned around indifferently. "What?"
He suddenly found himself pinned against the brick wall, muscular forearms pushing against his throat. Gray's eyes flicked up until he was staring at the threatening face of Gajeel Redfox.
"I know you're out to get me, but this plan of yours is pretty low."
"What the hell are you on?"
Gajeel's eyes darkened. "I swear to fucking god, if you harm one hair on her, consider yourself dead."
Gray swatted Gajeel's arms off him and straightened his collar. "Don't jump to conclusions; I have no intention of doing anything."
Gajeel rolled a shoulder. "Why should I believe you."
Gray shrugged. "You have no reason too."
"Why else would you hang around gloomy here, we both know that you have a score to settle with me."
Gray trudged out of the small front yard and turned back around for a split second.
"I have no idea either."
The young teenager walked off in the sprinkling rain, his splashing footsteps eventually diminishing into the distance.
Gajeel scratched his head.
"He's a strange one."
Juvia had been quite busy that next morning.
She needed to think of a good story quick for the writing competition coming up but for some reason her mind was blank.
Perhaps she would be better off doing a poem rather than a short story. But poetry wasn't exactly Gajeel's strongest suit. The young woman decided it would be better if she discussed it with Gajeel. She quickly grabbed her bag, slipped on her rather mud clotted shoes and rushed out of the house.
By the time she had reached school it was sprinkling again.
The element of surprise had really disappeared after the first hundred times it rain around her.
The blue haired teenager sprung towards the library with much enthusiasm seeing as both Gajeel and herself had the first two periods free of class that morning. She continued with her fast pacing, her eyes catching sight of the stranger appearing from the corner all too late.
She rammed into him, knocking herself backwards and she toppled over.
Juvia opened her eyes quickly as a shadow hovered over her. A teenager with silver spikes and narrow eyes offered a hand up. Juvia quickly lifted herself up, politely thanked him for the offer and resumed her journey.
That was until a hand wound around her wrist and stopped her. Her fell herself pulled down and her head spun back around.
She was mortified to see him on one knee, hand resting on his chest in a dramatic manner.
"It seems I have fallen in love!" He chirped in a sing song voice.
"E-e-eh?"
"Fair maiden tell me your name."
Juvia completely in shock pulled him up, much to his delight, and pulled him away from the ever growing crowd.
Once they were out of sight she sighed and faded him.
"Great idea, I also agree that we should have our rendezvous away from prying eyes!"
"W-w-who are you?"
"I'm Lyon Bastia, and you are?"
Juvia squirmed embarrassed. She had never been confessed before and it was just too overwelming especially coming from a complete stranger. "J-j-juvia Loxar…"
"Such a pretty name for a pretty woman such as yourself."
Juvia stuttered her response a blush colouring her cheeks. She felt taken away from her comfort zone.
"W-w-well, Juvia… is…urr."
Gajeel, help Juvia!
Gray, hands in pockets strolled casually along the hall way. His eyes were half lidded, bags under eyes. This was all that woman and that man's fault. He continued to make his way towards class when a growing crowd caught his attention. He walked towards it and attempted to peer through the wall of bodies.
"It seems I have fallen in love!"
Oh, the voice was familiar enough. Gray turned around to stroll away after finding out the commotion involved his stupid half brother. Nothing good ever came with getting himself involved with the likes of him.
He immediately stopped in his tracks as soon as his ears picked up the stuttering of another familiar voice.
"E-e-eh?"
The voice undeniable belonged to a certain interesting Juvia Loxar. Gray pushed his way through the crowd only to find the two of them gone.
He twitched slightly before asking a swooning girl beside him where they went. She gave him a shaky point of a response.
Why was he trying to intervene? God only knows, he thought to himself whist skidding to a stop when he had finally found the two.
"Oi, Lyon what are you trying to do?" Gray crossed his arms in front of his chest.
The silver haired teenager stopped his advances and turned around. "Well if it isn't Gray. What do you want with me?
"Nothing," He shrugged. Juvia had began to creep away.
"Che, don't call me for nothing you bastard," Lyon growled warningly at him.
Gray knew he needed to stall him for a bit longer so that Juvia could make her escape.
Lyon began to turn back around to Juvia again.
"ERR, THE WEATHER IS NICE!"
Lyon paused momentarily. "Did you just say UR?"
"What? No why would i?"
"I clearly heard you!"
"I didn't you ass!"
Lyon huffed angrily. "Well, the young lady here doesn't need to listen to this garbage."
"Hey wait."
Lyon growled at him. "What the hell do you want Gray Fullbuster?"
"Err-"
"SEE YOU SAID HER NAME AGAIN!"
"WHAT?"
"It's like you're stalling, what could you possibly want…" Lyon trailed off and turned around to find Juvia in the midst of escaping. Lyon continued to switch his gaze between Juvia and Gray, and a smirk found its way on his face.
"You can't have this one." Lyon picked Juvia up bridal style. "I found her first."
Juvia began to sob. It wasn't everyday men picked you up… literally.
"Oi, what the hell do you think you're doing?"
"Sorry Gray Fullbuster, I'm saying this woman's mine."
Suddenly their glares created sparks, and the atmosphere went heavy with tension.
Juvia moaned wishing that her quiet and ignored life returned to her.
GAJEELLL KUN!
Hellooo kiddies, another late night update seeing as the first time I've been on fanfiction in weeks, I find the number of Lucy X Gray stories rising and thinking THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS!
This is one of the only stories where I don't have writers block :P
HAHAHHA, oh dear, well I hope u enjoyed this chapter, ideas would be excellent, really :)
ANYWAYSSS JUVIA LOXAR YOU LUCKY GIRL ;)
Urgh I'm tired, I'll edit this chapter when I'm feeling more… awake xD hahahha
Til next time,
Marinaaa~