This one will be about the moment Juvia sacrificed herself for Gray during their fight with Invel. At that moment he still assumes she's dead. It's probably the second last one I think.

After I finished my ongoing stories I might consider doing one with Juvia staying dead. I kind of hate the fact that she came back that easy from a plot's point of view. They went to freakin war! Where are the bodies? (Sorry) As a drama addicted I would have enjoyed it if she stayed dead. Lucky Gray she didn't and he deserves to be happy. Don't get me wrong. Though, it would be interesting to see another ending for the two of them. Tell me if you agree or at least wanna get a taste of a tragic alternative.

I do not own Fairy Tail.

Enjoy!

Chapter Seven: Missed chance

"This wasn't happening"

Drip. Drip. Drip.

"Juvia!"

Glacial breezes brushed his bare skin. Has it been this cold the whole time? He couldn't tell. His entire being didn't feel like his own body. He lost connection to himself the same way he lost connection to her last words. Gray was holding Juvia's slackened torso. He saw blood everywhere. Her blood. Juvia performed her nasty secret water make blood magic in order to safe his seedy self which resultet in her not moving. She was gone. Juvia had just died there. In his arms. She gave up on herself.

But why? Why was this happening? Why would somebody risk his own life for him again?! Why did people around him keep sacrificing themselves for his sake? Ur, Ultear and now Juvia? He wasn't worth the effort. How should he keep on living knowing that Juvia had rather died than living her own peaceful lifetime? How?

It was just not the time for her to go. He had so much more to tell her. He had so much more to explain to her. Dammit! He hadn't given her a proper answer yet. He wanted to tell her how much he relied on her. He could even imagine living with her just like they used to back in Amefurashi. Those six months... They were defining. They evolved from being strangers into comrades, from friends into intimates, from partners into soulmates. Juvia was all that. And it broke him utterly because he forfeited all those features at the same moment.

Gray lost composure and was only able to shout out his pain.

"Aaahhhhhh..."

More tears, spit and snot fell down his face. His arms shaked. Gray had no control over his movements. Time and space meant nothing. He was all alone and had to deal with the loss of the one and only person that had always given shelter to him. Juvia was... she was...dead.

"Juvia" It didn't work. Calling out her name over and over again wouldn't bring her back. Juvia will never ever again respond with the words Gray-sama?

"Juvia, I promise I'll take your feelings more seriously, so..." Gray sniffed even harder. It was too late. It took him far too long to realise he was ready to develope.

Was it really too late? Did fortune hate him that much? Was ist payback? Did he deserve all of that? Even if, Juvia did surely not. She had to live. She was so energetic, compassionate, fierce.

"Please, just open your eyes...!" Gray required to talk to her once more. Juvia had to prove she was still attainable. But she didn't...Only silence answered his demands.

Gray needed to look into her deep blue eyes again. Her eyes... They contained her true feelings. And to be honest, Gray saw his own feelings in those eyes by facing Juvia. She was his mirror. Gray conjectured she didn't perceive that, though.

"I'm begging you..."

Was this comparable to the phase when she'd felt left behind? If so it would only be fair for him to undergo the same distress, right?

"Juvia..." No, this was so false. He felt it. They were supposed to deepen whatever relationship they started to form when they first sleept with one another. It was meant to tighten. She promised to wait. And he depended on that. That promise was his lifebelt. It kept him safe from any doubt until the war was over.

Anyway, life had other plans for them, obviously.

Juvia, I...

I...

Juvia, wherever you are, I want you to know that-

I want you to know that I intended to get closer to you.

I fucked up!

I regret not fulfilling a deeper bond with you. I just suck at ties.

There is no reason to apologize any more. It's too late.

I feel shitty, though...

I...

I...

...

Gray couldn't think straight. He couldn't get the pieces together. Everything was a mess. His emotions, his cogitation, his body functions.

Juvia was truthfully inanimate.

Gray let her corpse sink to the floor. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Once again opened, his gaze observed Juvia. Whether this was a nightmare or not he had to went after that asshole who caused this tragedy. Only remembering his ugly face provoked Gray's sorrow to transform into madness. He was gonna pay. That dick was practically dead.

Invel, you son of a bitch. Taking away her future right under her... I'll annihilate you!

Phew! The feels! Hope you felt it, too!