Heh, this one came out shorter than I thought. Thanks for the love~! Enjoy
The Dragneel household was complete mess for the next few days. Igneel began having a drinking problem, and spent the hours drowning himself in wine and crying over his son. Rogue was also heavily affected; instead of his patient self he turned into a more aggressive and impulsive man. All the servants were terribly afraid of him because he would yell at them for the smallest of reasons. Rogue walked into the dining room sensing all the servants tense up and look at him.
"Happy…" Rogue looked for the young blue-haired boy.
"Y-Yes, Rogue, sir?" He stood in front of him, standing tall and visibly nervous.
"Has Natsu sent any news?" The raven haired male slumped on the chair and rubbed his temples trying to contain his irritation.
"N-No sir." Happy looked like he was ready to soil his pants. "He didn't mention much, but all he wanted me to tell you was that he was sorry he didn't come and say goodbye to you."
Rogue's façade hardened drastically. "That's all that idiot has to say to me? After all the hardship and pain this family is going through?" He clenched his fists and looked like he was ready to kill Happy. "Tell that fool when you can that this family is a complete mess without him, and that we all miss him. I need to go and beat something up." Rogue knocked Happy over as he pushed past him. He entered Natsu's room like he was ready to burst; Rogue could feel the shadows cover his body and he fought hard against his negative thoughts. Look at me. I'm turning into someone else. Rogue collapsed on his knees in the center of the rug. Sting you left us too early, you were that light in our day. You and Natsu were the biggest idiots together, but you both always managed to pull us together. I miss you guys. I love you guys. Rogue held his face and couldn't stop the tears from falling down. His shoulders started to shake as he let out every little bit of pain that was suffocating him. We're all falling apart without you two.
Things weren't going so easy in the Lockser household either. The days were always bleak and dreary, and constantly raining. Juvia walked in the hallways aimlessly, struggling to breathe because of how hard she was crying. She gasped out, choking for air and thunder rolled out in the distance. Ultear watched her daughter from a distance, thinking that she was grieving heavily over Gajeel's death. She decided to go to Jellal who was in his study looking aimlessly into the fire before him. "My lord, our daughter has not stopped crying since Monday. I believe it's time that we alert her of Noble Gray's plans." Jellal only nodded and waved her off, not really interested in what she had to say. Ultear rolled her eyes and looked for Lucy. She found the blonde picking up some napkins that were littering the ground. "Lucy-san. I have to ask you a favor."
She looked up at her. "How may I help you Madam?"
"I need to speak to Juvia, could you go and fetch her for me please?" Ultear asked. Lucy only nodded and hurried off to get Juvia. It didn't take long until Lucy brought in Juvia, who was crying once again. "My dear daughter, why do you cry so much?"
Juvia tried hard to keep it together. "Juvia's heart cannot accept the fact that he's gone." She made a little noise before she managed to stop crying.
"You're not crying because he's gone, I bet. You're crying because the villain who has killed him is still alive." Ultear's face darkened. "That damn Natsu got away with murder."
Natsu-sama is far from a villain. "Oh God has forgiven him, and Juvia forgives him too with all her heart. But no one could've hurt Juvia the way he did."
"It's because he's still alive that we're suffering so much!" Ultear disregarded Juvia. "I will send a man to Hargeon, where that coward probably resides, and he will poison his drink so that Gajeel could be avenged!"
"Juvia could never be satisfied with Natsu until she sees him dead." She had a double meaning to her words that only Lucy managed to understand. "Dead is how Juvia's heart feels when she thinks about Gajeel. Dear mother, if you do manage to find someone to poison him, Juvia wants to mix the poison herself so that Natsu c-could die by her hands."
"And soon enough daughter you will have that closure." Ultear grabbed Juvia's hands. "I have great news to end your days of sadness. You have a wise father; he has arranged a sudden day of joy that I bet you did not expect."
"What is it?" Juvia looked at her mother in anticipation.
"In two days at St. Fiore's church, Gray will make you there a happy bride." Ultear smiled widely expecting Juvia to jump in joy.
She wasn't ready for Juvia to rip her hands away and step back. She wasn't prepared for Juvia's loud voice either. "No! Juvia swears by St. Fiore's church and by Saint Fiore too! Gray will not make Juvia a joyful bride." Juvia screamed at her with all the hatred she could. Ultear moved back in shock. "You knew Juvia didn't love Gray from the start. Tell Jellal that Juvia refuses to marry Gray, she'd rather die than marry him." Tears started to fall once again from her face.
"Tell him that yourself. He's coming soon." Ultear started to cry and ran out of the room. Lucy rushed to Juvia and hugged her protectively. Ultear happened to run straight into Jellal.
"Why do I still hear Juvia crying?" Jellal asked. "And why are you crying? Didn't you tell her the happy news?"
Ultear glared weakly at him. "She won't do it. She spat it back right into my face after I told her. She gives you thanks but refuses." Ultear told Jellal what Juvia said to her, and he only looked at his wife in shock.
"I don't understand, how could this be? She refuses?" Jellal started shaking from his rage. "Does she not realize what a blessing was given to her? Unworthy she is of having Gray! That ungrateful fiend! Wife, let me see her!" He slammed the door open.
"Oh father! Do not make Juvia marry Gray! She is not ready and will be unhappy if she is rushed into this marriage!" Juvia begged on her knees but Jellal kicked her to the side. Juvia screamed out in more shock than pain.
"Stop it!" Ultear tried to contain her raging husband.
"You're a spoiled little girl, a wicked monster, a disappointment to this family!" Jellal angrily advanced over Juvia who was crying uncontrollably. "You've dishonored me, you better be ready to marry Gray in two days or else I'll drag you there myself! You're a disgusting piece of garbage. You are unappreciative good for nothing freak!" He lifted his hand ready to strike her, but Ultear grabbed his arm in defense.
"Stop, stop it! Are you mad?!" Jellal shoved her aside, and Ultear crashed into Juvia's nightstand, knocking over everything on the table.
"Please father, listen!" Juvia begged again.
Jellal cut her off before she said another word. "Forget about you, you worthless girl! You disobedient wretch! Go to church in two days or never look me in the eye again. Don't acknowledge me or call me father. I feel like beating you. Wife, we thanked God for the blessing of our one daughter, but know I see this is one too many daughters. We were cursed when we had her!" He raised his hand again but Lucy got in the way this time.
"God in heaven bless her! My lord, you are wrong to talk to her like that." Lucy didn't even flinch. Juvia hid behind Lucy's dress skirt looking at Jellal with watery eyes.
"You mumbling fool! You are irrelevant in this argument! Know your place you whore or else I'll cast you aside." Jellal roared.
"You're getting to angry! Calm down!" Ultear cried out.
"Goddamit! It pisses me off. Every minute, every second, my top priority was to find her a loving husband. Now I've found a man from a noble family full of good qualities, the man of every girl's dreams! But this wretched whimpering fool disapproves of my offering and tells me she's too young to get married? She can't fall in love with him? Please excuse me? I'll excuse you." Jellal waved his finger like a madman. "I'll excuse you. Eat wherever you want but you can no longer live under my roof. In two days if you are not saying your vows you can beg, starve, die in the streets! I swear on my soul I will never take you back or do anything for you. Die in shame you brat." Jellal stormed off yelling loudly and knocking over their china.
Juvia sniffled out and watched Ultear leave. "Oh please loving mother! Help Juvia, do not cast her away!" She grabbed the skirt of her dress pleadingly.
"Don't talk to me." Ultear didn't look at her. "I can't help you; do as you please because I'm done worrying about you." Ultear batted Juvia off and scurried away.
Juvia sat sobbing all over again. "Oh Lucy!" She ran with open arms to her. "Lucy! Please do you have any words of comfort? Is there any hope at all?!"
Lucy grabbed either sides of Juvia's head. "Have faith child. Here it is: Natsu is banished, and it's likely he will never return to you. He is of no use to you." Juvia looked up at Lucy wondering what she was going to say next. "I believe it's best you marry Noble Gray." Juvia sat back looking at her in betrayal. Lucy stood up and walked to the room picking up her things that Ultear knocked over. "Natsu is a worn old rag compared to Gray! You'd be happier in your second marriage, because it will be better than your first. Even if it's not better, your first marriage is over." Lucy cracked a half-hearted smile.
Juvia looked at her hands, her hair covering her facial expression. "Are you speaking from your heart?"
"From my heart and my soul. If not, curse them both." Lucy did a silent prayer.
"Amen." Juvia looked at Lucy, expressionless.
"What?"
Juvia stood up trying to contain the betrayal she felt. "Well, you have given Juvia great comfort. Go and tell mother that Juvia has gone to confession. Juvia has upset her father, so she's going to Friar Marvell's cell to confess and be forgiven."
"Okay Juvia-chan." Lucy walked out, already feeling bad about the things she said.
Once Lucy was out of earshot, Juvia let her bitter expression come on. "That dammed lady! That most wicked fiend! Is it a worse sin for her to want Juvia to break her vows, or for her to say such horrible things about Natsu after she praised him so many times before? From now on, Juvia will never tell you what she feels in her heart. Juvia is going to the Friar to find out his solution, just like Natsu-sama told her to do." She reached for her long coat and walked out.
Thanks for reading :)
