Hello, dear readers! First of all, thanks for your comments on the last chapter. I'm glad to see you're just as excited to read this chapter as I was to post it. I have to say, I'm very satisfied with it. I think the characters are very much in characters and one can really feel their emotions. I even cried a bit as I was revising it. So I think you're gonna like this one.
Now, starting from the next one the story will be following a different route than the anime. The next few chapters will be mostly about the development of Gray and Juvia's romance and of course, the major plot. You can expect more scenes with Zeref and his allies as the time for his final plan draws near. You can also expect more mysteries and plot twists to come. This chapter only holds the first one, there is more craziness to come.
Now, for the shoutouts:
Martygruvialover: Yeah, Gray was kind of an idiot, as we've already stablished. But worry not, from now on he'll be a good boyfriend. I hope this chapter's worth it, I'm very happy with it, but who knows...
I remember you nominated Deliora a few chapters before. I guess you didn't think it might be worth mentioning him again. But my hints pointed towards him, so next time I do a challenge you should focus on them.
Nima: Thanks! I do enjoy writing cliffhangers, it's the perfect way to keep readers interested. You should see next chapter, the cliffhanger there will be even better than chapter 10.
KassfromVenus: Thank you for you comment. Good, there is a lot of info on her past here.
cityhick: First of all, thanks! :) Good thing you like GaLe, I have big plans for them. though it seems like it's gonna take longer than I expected for them to be together, but a lot can happen before that.
IMPORTANT WARNING: This chapter is M-rated because of violence and other mature contents (things are heating up here ;). It's nothing too explicit, but just to be safe, I'm rating this M.
Happy reading!
Two Pieces-Demi Lovato
We don't know where to go, so I'll just get lost with you
We'll never fall apart, 'cause we fit together right, we fit together right
These dark clouds over me, rain down and roll away
We'll never fall apart, 'cause we fit together like
We fit together like
Two pieces of a broken heart
"You were there." Juvia repeated a few times, still in disbelief. The two men stared at her in confusion and worry.
"Juvia?" Gray asked and she looked at him, eyes brimming with tears.
"Why didn't you ever tell me?" She asked and he looked even more confused.
"Tell you what?" She swallowed hard before answering, voice shaking.
"That you were there too." She looked so lost, so broken and Gray didn't have a clue to what was going on. Lyon, though, he understood.
"Wait, did you…" He paused to take a deep breath, heart racing as he considered her words.
"Antartica. I lived there too." Silence followed her statement as both stared at her in disbelief while the group behind the tree was absolutely stunned.
"Wait, what?" Lucy muttered while Levy and Erza had their mouths open.
"Impossible." The red head whispered, looking between the three people as if searching for a confirmation.
"No way!" Gray completely lost his composure and had to grab the tree near him in order to keep himself standing. Shocked couldn't even begin to describe what he was feeling.
"How could this be? I lived in Antartica for nearly ten years, I don't recall you being there." Lyon was confused. But then he recalled that he had never met Gray either, during those 9 years, so it was possible Juvia had been there as well.
"I moved there when I was 7, a few months before Deliora…" Juvia didn't need to finish her sentence, they knew. Tears were spilling from her eyes, unstoppable.
"You were there when he attacked." Gray stated while he took a few steps in her direction, still disbelieving what was happening. Could it be that their connection ran much deeper than they had assumed?
"Yes. It was one of the worst days of my life." Juvia lowered her head as the tears kept coming. Of course, there was no need for them to know that Deliora's attack was hardly the worse she had suffered in life.
"I can't believe it! All this time, I thought I was the only one who knew what it was like, but you did too." Gray's voice was always shaking as he was overcome with so many emotions it was overwhelming. Hope. Fear. Love. Doubt.
His legs were moving of their own accord and he barely realized that he was right in front of her now, so absorbed he was in his own thoughts and emotions. The water mage stared at him and her eyes mirrored the same emotions he felt. She hadn't moved since the big revelation, still on her knees on the ground.
From afar, Lyon watched them silently, knowing better than to interrupt the moment. It wasn't about him, after all, though it hurt him to think so.
"I lost everything that day." Juvia whispered as flashbacks filled her mind.
"Daddy, can we make chocolate pancakes for dinner?" The young girl asked her father as he sat on the couch.
"Again? We had pancakes yesterday, sweetheart." The brown haired man replied while raising an eyebrow.
"I know, but I want them again. Pleeeaase." She gave him her best pleading look, blue eyes that were identical to his wide open and a pout on her lips.
"You're too much like your mother. She would always give me that look." The man replied as he picked up the little girl and placed her on his lap.
"And you would always say yes." She told him while giggling and he smiled as well.
"Can't say no to this cute little face." She giggled even more as he started tickling her. Soon another small voice was heard.
"Daddy!" This time a little boy with blue hair and big brown eyes walked into the room.
"Come here, buddy." The man called and the boy ran towards them before flinging himself at their father.
"I'm hungry." The little boy said and the little girl excitedly spoke before the man could reply.
"Let's have delicious chocolate pancakes for dinner!" She suggested and the boy's face lightened up.
"What do you think, Henry?" The man asked and Henry nodded.
"Yeah! I want pancakes!" The man laughed at his excitement while the girl gigged. At that moment, they were happy. But it ended too soon. It was only a few minutes later that they would hear the sound of houses crashing and screams of terror and pain. And then everything would fall apart.
"I lost everything too. My parents, they died to save me. They're the reason I survived the attack." Gray admitted, feeling tears of his own threatening to fall. Somehow, amongst all the pain and sorrow, he felt a sense of relief. He wasn't the only one anymore, there was someone who understood him, understood the pain of losing everything so suddenly. And for it to be her, it was so perfect he just couldn't believe it. It truly felt as if they were meant to be together.
"I'm sorry." Juvia sobbed and he couldn't take it anymore, he fell down to his knees as well, right in front of her. He put aside the fact that their friends were watching them and that Lyon was only a few feet away. All he could think about, all he could see, was her.
He had never realized it until then, but he needed her. Desperately. She had become so important to him that the mere thought losing her could break him, as it had for the past few days. Staying away had been so difficult when all he wanted was to hold her and tell her the truth. He had wanted to confess his feelings for so long now, tired of keeping it all bottled up. But he had been so afraid of losing her that he had gone against his heart's wishes and that had only caused him pain.
It had hurt her as well, he could tell. He hadn't needed Gajeel to say that she had been suffering for the past week, he knew it. After all, he was well aware that she was in love with him and so he knew that the pain he had felt over the possibility of losing her, she must have felt a hundred times worse. She must have been beyond broken. And Gray hated being the cause of her suffering, once again. He wanted to be with her, wanted to find happiness by her side. But he was still so afraid, terrified that she would slip away if he decided to just let it go.
"Juvia…" He tried to say something, but couldn't. His throat was hoarse from the tears he was trying to keep at bay and he was one-second away from completely losing it.
"You were there." She whispered once again, looking down to the floor as she cried, and Gray couldn't take it anymore. For the first time since they had known each other, he broke down. He let her see his vulnerability, let his friends see it for the first time in years. Gray Fullbuster never showed his emotions, he kept them deep inside. But that had changed after he had met her.
She had brought out a new side of him, just as he had done for her. He had become happier, even if he would deny it when his friends had asked. He had become lighter, the weight of his tragic past no longer overwhelmed him like it used to. Juvia had showed him that it was okay to let go now and then, to allow yourself to feel without fear of getting hurt.
And he was immensely grateful because without her, he would have never known what it was like to love someone with all your being. To feel this intense and overwhelming feeling that at the same time made him hotter than Natsu's flames, but also colder than Antartica during winter. He couldn't describe it, but the love he felt for her was the only certainty he had at the moment. And he hated that the fact that it had taken so long for him to realize it, for him to allow these emotions to take over. He had made her wait for so long, made her suffer because of his apparent indifference.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She was stunned when he flung himself into her arms, head buried on the crook of her neck as he let the tears fall after holding them back for so long. He cried like he had never before and didn't care at all about who was watching. All he wanted was to feel her warmth, her comfort. To feel her.
It didn't take long for her to wrap her arms around him, just as tightly. She rested her head atop of his and allowed her own tears to keep falling. "It's okay." She repeatedly whispered, even though she knew it wasn't true. It wasn't okay, he wasn't okay and neither was she. They were two broken souls, drowning in sorrows of the past. A past long gone, but that still haunted them both.
"No, daddy!" Juvia stared in horror at the body of her father as he lay motionless beneath the ruins of their home. He had protected them when the attack came, had used his magic to prevent the ruins from falling on top of them while the two children escaped. But he had been weakened by pieces of glass diving into his body and soon he had fallen to the ground. Dead. Gone. Forever.
"Daddy, come back." The young boy yelled while holding tightly to his older sister's hand. They were both terrified.
"Please, daddy. Don't leave us." Juvia took a step in his direction, but then she remembered his last words to her. He had told them to run away, find somewhere safe. Juvia had promised she would do so and she never broke her promises.
"Juvia, look!" She heard Henry yell in horror and she saw a large chair flying towards them.
"Henry, behind me." She quickly told her younger brother and he did as told, little arms hugging her legs. She was only a child, barely 7, but Juvia knew her way around magic. She had inherited her mother's water magic after all. And she was strong, even at such a young age. It always amazed her father and others who knew her, how a small child could perform such advanced water spells and even hold her own. Juvia had always been thankful for her powers, and that day she was no exception.
She was able to hold off the chair with ease, a simple water lock and she had sent it away. Unfortunately, she forgot to look behind her and failed to see a huge wardrobe coming their way. Henry managed to duck just in time, having seen it coming, but by the time he warned her, it was too late. She tried to send it back, but the wardrobe hit her in the temple and before she knew it, she was unconscious.
She must have been out for only a few minutes, but so much changed over that time. She didn't know what awoke her, maybe it were the screams of sorrow from other villagers or the reminder that Henry still needed her. She sat up slowly, rubbing her injured head while groaning. It hurt. A lot. But Juvia couldn't focus on that, she needed to find Henry. She had crawled a few steps, still unable to stand up when she saw him.
"No." She whispered as her breath got caught in her throat. He wasn't very far from her father, his body lying on the floor just as unmoving. She sped up her movements as she approached him. She knew even before she turned his body around and saw his frozen eyes and pale face. She knew that he was gone.
"No!" A strangled scream left her mouth as she cradled his broken body in her small arms. There was blood, so much blood.
"Henry! Please, Henry!" She begged him to move, to give a signal that he was still alive. He couldn't be gone, only a few seconds ago they had been running away side by side. He had been okay, aside from fear. "I should've protected you." She whispered after a few minutes of crying and screaming her heart out. She felt so much pain she thought she was going to die. That didn't sound so bad, she thought.
But she didn't die. Because of the woman, the one who had 'rescued her.' And for many years to come, Juvia would remember that night and she would regret it because if she had stayed, she would have died with them. She would have found peace instead of being constantly haunted by nightmares, memories of them. Her family.
For so long she had suffered because of their loss, until Gray had come into her life. And he had become her entire world, her focus had been on him and only him. That's how Juvia had finally been able to move on and she was immensely thankful to him for allowing her to escape her demons.
"We should go." Lucy said quietly while they watched the young couple hold each other.
"Yeah, it doesn't feel right to stay here, we're intruding." Levy agreed, but Natsu shook his head stubbornly.
"If Lyon can stay, so can we. It's not as if Gray doesn't know we're watching." Lucy glared at him, wondering how he could be so insensitive.
"This is a private moment, Natsu. They deserve to be alone." She told him firmly and Erza glared at both.
"Will you two shut up? I can't hear them." They stared at her in confusion, but she simply ignored them and looked back at Gray and Juvia.
The ice mage removed himself from her arms after a few minutes of crying and he attempted to dry his tears while staring at her intensely. During his break down, he had reached two conclusions. First, he was now absolutely certain that he loved Juvia Lockser more than anything. And second, there was no way in hell he would be able to stay away from her after what he had just learned. He wasn't that strong.
"Are you okay?" She asked him ever so gently, a soft hand placed on his cheek as she attempted to dry his tears.
"Not even close." He replied hoarsely and she gave him an understanding look, letting her hand fall down so she could hold his.
Juvia knew what it was like, having to relive the past. Part of her felt guilty for telling him about Deliora and Antartica, but the knowledge that they had once lived in the same village was something she couldn't just ignore. It was a sign, she just wasn't sure of what.
"I thought I could stay away from you, keep my distance so that you'd remain safe. But I'm not that strong." He admitted, squeezing her hand tightly.
"Neither am I." She said before sighing deeply. "It shouldn't be so hard, protecting the people I love. But as you know now, I'm not so good at that." He knew then she was talking about her brother and how guilty she felt over not being able to protect him.
"That's not true. You've protected me so many times, Juvia. Back in Tenrou Island, for example." They grimaced at yet another hard memory. "I just wish I could do the same for you."
"What are you talking about? Are you forgetting that just a few days ago you died trying to save me?" She questioned, letting go of his hand. Gray winced at the memory.
"I was selfish, I didn't even consider the fact that you could have dodged that laser or used your magic to protect yourself." He admitted and she looked like she wanted to protest, but he continued. "All I could think about is that I couldn't lose you." She stared into his eyes, seeming to be searching for something.
"Gray, why did you…" He knew what she was going to ask.
"Because I love you." The ice mage confessed at last, so quietly their friends didn't hear him, only the dragon slayers. Both smirked. After they whispered to the others what Gray had said, Lucy, Levy and Erza had bright smiles on their faces while Elfman whispered something about Gray 'finally manning up' and Evergreen agreed before they shared an intense look they thought no one else saw.
Juvia stared at the ice mage with widened eyes, a hopeful glint in them.
Of course, she had suspected it. From the moment he had kissed her, back on the Grand Magic Games, she had sensed his feelings might have grown. But she had forced herself to ignore it, knowing better than to get her hopes up. She had done so many times and only ended up broken.
After Gray had died for her, she had almost been sure. She had known, however, that it didn't necessarily mean he loved her. He was, after all, a hero. Saving people was an instinct, even if he didn't like her he would have saved her. Besides, fear and pain had made her step away from him and she couldn't allow herself to think about his feelings when it would only make it harder.
"Are you...Are you sure?" She asked, swallowing hard while trying to contain the new flow of tears. It was no use.
"Yes." He spoke without hesitation and Juvia's heart was filled with joy. "I'm sorry I took so long to realize it, Juvia. But the truth is I am completely, hopelessly in love with you." Gray vaguely recalled Mira's speech she had wrote for him when he first planned on confessing and mentally thanked her. "I can't fight these feelings anymore, even if it means you might be in danger because of me. I just... I love you too much to let you go." He finished, looking expectantly at the woman who held his heart.
"I love you too. More than anything." Juvia replied and her face broke out into the most beautiful smile, though the tears kept falling. He didn't hesitate to bring her closer, both arms wrapping around her waist tightly. She placed both hands on his face, looking into his eyes with so much love and adoration he thought his heart might burst from happiness. He hoped his own eyes reflected how much he adored her as well.
It wasn't long before they leaned in and kissed, gently yet intensely, passionately, desperately, just like that first time. All their love, their shared pain and sorrow were poured into the kiss as they tried to make the other understand without needing words. And they understood. The kiss symbolized a new beginning for them.
They were completely oblivious to the rest of the world, unaware that Lyon quietly watched them with a bittersweet smile before he decided to leave.
"Okay, now we really should go." Lucy said while looking away from the couple with a small blush on her face.
"But we just got to the good part." Erza protested and they all stared at her with raised eyebrows.
"Come, Titania, let them have their moment. Alone." Gajeel spoke firmly and the red head sighed. With one last glance towards the newly formed couple, she followed her friends as they silently left the scene. Each member of the group felt happiness knowing that Gray and Juvia would be okay, there was no reason to worry. They would be happy, together.
Lyon walked away from the couple as silently as he could, understanding they needed to have their private moment. The news that Juvia had lived in the same village as him and Gray and suffered the same fate thanks to Deliora was still burning in his mind. It was unbelievable, how the most unlikely possibility had become true. Her connection to Gray ran deeper than any of them had imagined and Lyon wasn't sure if it was a good sign or a bad one. He hoped everything would be okay between them.
"They'll be fine, they have each other." He sighed, watching them confess their feelings for each other and finally get together had pained him, although not as much as he had expected. Lyon took that as a good sign, even though it had only been 11 days since Juvia had broken his heart, seems like he had already started the process of moving on. He knew the only reason he was going forward with his decision to do so is because he seeing her heartbreak after Gray died had opened his eyes to the truth.
Of course, Lyon had been aware that she was in love with Gray before. It had been clear as day, no one had any doubts. But being in love with her himself, Lyon had hoped her feelings might change. Even after her rejection, his stubborn heart still believed she could love him one day. But then Gray died and Juvia had been so broken, her screams of pain and sorrow had been so agonizing that Lyon finally realized it. There was no chance for them. She loved Gray too much, her heart had no space for anyone else.
He saw it in the way she looked like she had died herself after Gray was gone. Seeing her body lying next to his sort-of-younger brother, just as still as the dead ice mage, Lyon knew. He had no choice but to let her go.
But letting go isn't easy, his heart still wanted to hold on. And fighting against his inner desires had been hard, but he had managed to stay away from both of them for a week. Until Juvia had contacted him, asking him to meet her. She had said it was important and Lyon hadn't hesitated to go. He would never deny her help, whether he loved her or not.
It was fortunate that Gray had appeared, because Lyon had been close to losing it. Seeing her in pain, suffering over Gray's death and blaming herself, he had been so close to taking advantage of her broken state and asking her to give him another chance. He hated himself for thinking it, knowing it was wrong, but he couldn't stop his heart from hoping.
But once again hope brought him misery when Gray appeared and Lyon had seen so clearly how much he was hurting, how he loved Juvia and wanted to be with her. Seeing these two being in love yet deciding to stay apart had angered him. They were so lucky, to have someone return their love. They were being stupid and Lyon hadn't been able to take it anymore. He had snapped at them, begged them to see what he could see, to stop being so stubborn and just be happy already.
He didn't even know why he had told them that, it was the opposite of what he felt. But then he realized, even though his heart was broken, he cared about them, even Gray. He didn't want to be the one who stood between their happiness, so he had given them his blessing even if indirectly and unconsciously.
"I wonder why doing the right thing only brings us so much pain sometimes. " He muttered bitterly as he crossed through the castle gates. He wasn't going to the party, there was nothing for him there.
"At least she's happy. That's what I need to focus on." Lyon tried his best to suppress the anger and sorrow that threatened to overcome him, the desire to go back there and beg Juvia to be his. He couldn't. He needed a distraction.
He sped up his movements, wanting to arrive at his location as quick as possible. He was so glad that he had found a way to keep his mind off what had been going on, to distract himself from his pain and sorrow. It had worked for the past few days, so he knew it would work tonight as well.
A few minutes later, he finally arrived at the inn where he had been staying alone, not too far from the castle. Since Lamia Scale was the second most popular guild in Fiore, they had been able to achieve separate rooms for the members unlike Fairy Tail, who had needed to use one room for all members of their team. Lyon had never been more glad for the money his guild had, there would be no one else there to know what would happen. It would remain a secret, just as he wanted it to be.
"Hey, you're back!" Lyon smiled towards the person sitting on the queen sized bed. She was wearing her usual red dress, her cape had been dropped over a chair. Her hair was loose now, pink waves covering her back and shoulders. The boots she usually wore were by the chair as well and she was comfortably sitting on the bed.
"Hello, Meredy." Her smile immediately turned into a frown as she took note of his sad tone.
"What's wrong? Is Juvia okay?" She stood up from the bed and walked his way as he closed the door behind him before locking it.
"She's fine, she's with Gray right now." Understanding the hidden meaning of his words, Meredy nodded as she tried her best to contain her excitement at the news.
"I'm sorry." She told him as she was now in front of him. Lyon gave her a weak smile while he wrapped his arms around her waist.
"It's okay. I just need to take my mind off it." She nodded in understanding before gently removing his cape. Lyon wasted no time in taking off his blue and yellow blazer and white button up shirt before he kissed her. It was intense and desperate, but there was no passion. They weren't a couple, weren't in love. Their kisses didn't have the same meaning as Gray and Juvia's had.
"You know, maybe you should talk about it. It might help." Meredy pulled apart and kept her hands pressed on his naked chest, his were still wrapped around her waist.
"You've said that many times, Meredy." She sighed and removed his arms from around her waist.
"I'm just saying, this isn't a healthy way to deal with heartbreak. I feel like it's wrong, what we've been doing." She admitted and Lyon was taken aback. It had been her idea in the first place. But truth be told, she had been vulnerable on the first time they had been together, having just lost her mother that night.
"It's not wrong. We're two adults, dealing with our problems the best way we can." He removed the distance between them and kissed her again, more gently this time. It usually helped, kissing her. Even if it wasn't romantic, it did distract him from his thoughts.
"You mean escaping our problems." She said firmly after they parted. Lyon removed his hands from her waist.
"So what are you saying? Do you want to stop?" He knew they probably should, knew that sleeping with her while he was still in love with Juvia was a terrible idea. But he was broken and being with Meredy had helped him stay together, even if it was only an illusion.
"I don't know. Everything feels like it's falling apart, I just don't know what to do anymore." She sighed, suddenly looking lost. Lyon understood exactly what she was feeling.
"I know. But I need you now. Please, help me forget about the pain." She looked unsure and he gave her his best pleading look."Please, Meredy. I really need to feel something other than heartbreak right now."
"Okay. You sure know how to be convincing." She replied after considering his words for a few moments, raising her hand so she could gently touch his face. His face broke into a small smile as he moved in to kiss her again.
It wasn't long before his hands found the zipper of her dress and he slowly pulled it down, waiting to see if she would protest. Once she didn't, he finished pulling it down before breaking their kiss so that he could remove it.
"Thank you." He said after she had been stripped of it and she didn't reply, instead bringing his face close to hers for another heated kiss. He wasted no time in pulling her up and she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, her legs locking around his waist. He started walked towards the bed, nearly tripping over her boots.
Lyon gently placed her on the bed, her hair spread across the bed like a pink blanket and Lyon couldn't help but notice she was beautiful. But she wasn't… He settled himself on top of her and began trailing a path of kisses along her neck, stopping himself from continuing the thought.
"You know, we are going to talk about it afterwards." She said breathlessly as he kissed her shoulder,. Her hands stopped exploring his naked chest and he stopped to look at her.
"We'll see." He replied with a small smirk before he kissed her lips again and Meredy couldn't stop thinking that this was definitely wrong. They should be discussing their problems, not avoiding them. However, Lyon wasn't the only one who was broken and needed a distraction from the real world, so she allowed him to keep kissing her even though she knew his mind was on Juvia. She tried to stop own mind from thinking about Ultear, even if briefly.
It felt good to let go of the pain, of the sorrow and heartbreak of losing her mother. That was exactly why Meredy had suggested to Lyon that they help each other out. She knew he had been suffering as well and thought that sleeping together was a pleasant way for them to forget about everything. It's true that she had been vulnerable that night, wounds still fresh, but her decision hadn't been driven by her pain. It was the knowledge that it would work that made her suggest her plan to Lyon. She knew nothing was better for distracting your mind than sex.
He had agreed because he was hurting, but also, they were somewhat friends, so it wasn't that crazy. They had connected after that afternoon he poured his heart to her and so it wasn't like they were two complete strangers sleeping together. They weren't intimate either, the sole purpose of their nights together was to distract, not form any sorts of bonds. They were two friends helping each other out, nothing more. Besides, it was just a temporary arrangement, at least that's how they wanted it.
They would have never expected their lives to become so complicated afterwards, but it seems that when it comes to love and heartbreak, nothing is ever simple.
"Good night, Erza." The red head was immensely surprised to encounter Jellal near the palace, he should be as far away from that place as possible.
It had been a few minutes since she had left Gray and Juvia alone, along with the others. They had decided to go their separate ways. Levy, Gajeel, Lucy and Natsu had returned to the party while Elfman and Evergreen had disappeared on them, after threatening them if they said anything. The others had promised the two to keep their secret, although it wasn't really a secret anymore. Everyone knew they were together.
"Jellal? What are you doing here?" Erza questioned him, curious.
"I was just looking for Meredy. She's been disappearing a lot these days." He replied and she could tell he was nervous and a bit uncomfortable. The red head knew exactly why. It had been a week, but she remembered clearly what happened between them that night, how she had confessed her feelings for him before passing out.
"Oh. I wish you good luck, then." She gave him a tight smile before turning around and walking away. She couldn't face him, not after she had confessed to love him and he had avoided her for the past few days. It was a clear rejection, in her eyes, and she had been trying her best no to think about it. Being so close to him after what had happened hurt her and the last thing Erza wanted at the moment was to deal with her broken heart.
"Wait!" Jellal called and his tone was so desperate she stopped.
"Is there something you want to say?" She turned to look at him, eyebrows raised and face impassive, emotionless. She wouldn't allow him to see how much she was hurting or how his actions had affected her. Not even Jellal would be allowed to have power over her, at least to his knowledge.
"You know." He swallowed hard and Erza looked at him in confusion. She had no idea what he was referring to, so she only raised her eyebrows higher.
"Know what?" She asked and Jellal sighed deeply before he closed the distance between them. He was suddenly close, too close. Her stubborn heart started beating faster with hope and she cursed it. Cursed herself for being so affected by him. She was Erza Scarlet, the strongest mage in Fairy Tail. This lovesick, scared, hopeful girl was nothing like her.
"You must know. Why else would you have confessed your feelings even after I asked you not to?" She was taken aback by his reply and stared at him open mouthed.
"Jellal…" She tried to say something, but nothing came out as his arms wrapped tightly around her waist and suddenly she was pressed against him, she could feel his heart beating now, just as wildly as hers. Her own arms wrapped around his neck as they stared intensely at each other.
"I'm sorry." He whispered gently, eyes avoiding hers. "Sorry I have avoided you, sorry I made you suffer for so long. I am truly sorry, Erza, for everything." She was touched by his apology, though it was unnecessary. She had long since forgiven him.
"You idiot." She grabbed his head and forced him to look at her. "I'll never understand why you refuse to accept my forgiveness." She shook her head while laughing humorlessly.
"I don't deserve it." He replied brokenly and Erza stared at him firmly.
"Stop being so stubborn and just let me help you." He looked stunned and Erza was determined. Even if he didn't love her, she wouldn't let him go. Not yet.
"You have to let me go. It's best for both of us if we stay away from each other." He said, as if reading her thoughts. She shook her head vigorously, her hands falling to his shoulders.
"No, it wouldn't. I can't let you go." She told him firmly and before she could stop herself, the words came out of her mouth. "I love you." The confession caught both of them by surprise, his eyes widened while Erza tried her best not to appear as nervous as she was. She wasn't in danger of passing out now, there was no escaping his answer.
"Erza…" Jellal swallowed hard, looking conflicted. Her heart beat furiously inside her chest and Erza knew she couldn't take it if he rejected her, even though she couldn't be sure he would do so.
"Don't say anything." She pleaded and he looked into her eyes, she didn't even realize there were tears falling down her face until his gentle hands started wiping them.
As she requested, he said nothing. But what he did, well, she hadn't been expecting it. Before she knew what was happening, he had brought her face closer to his, still staring intensely into her eyes. She was overwhelmed by the pain reflected in his, but she didn't have time to think. With another deep sigh, he closed his eyes and suddenly he was kissing her.
She was caught by surprise once again, but easily relaxed and kissed him back. It felt more wonderful than she could have dreamed and she had to hold onto his shoulders to keep her legs from falling, they were suddenly so weak. His hands left her face and moved down to her shoulders and then her waist as he brought her closer.
Erza knew then. She knew he was just as broken as she was and needed her as much as she needed him. She vowed to herself that she wouldn't let him go this time, they would find a way to fix their broken hearts together.
Gray and Juvia pulled apart from their kiss a few minutes later, both had wide smiles on their faces. He kept his arms around her waist and she didn't pull her own from around his shoulders as they stared at each other dreamily. "Is this real?" She asked breathlessly and Gray chuckled.
"Maybe another one will make it real." He told her and her smile widened before she kissed him excitedly, unintentionally knocking him on the ground. He was barely aware of pain as his head bumped on the grass. His arms explored her exposed back, since her gown was backless, one of his hands undoing the lace that kept her hair tied up. Meanwhile, Juvia kept one hand on his shoulder and the other explored his naked chest. He shivered with the feeling of her cold hands on his warm skin.
"Definitely real." Juvia said after she pulled away, sitting up while he remained on the ground, too stunned from her passionate kiss.
"I can't believe it's taken us so long." He commented breathlessly.
"Well, someone was a little slow." She told him while raising her eyebrows.
"You can punish me for that later. Right now, I just want to be with you." He pulled her back to him and she happily settled her head on his chest, wrapping her arms around him.
"This is nice." Juvia muttered after sighing in content.
"Yeah." He replied simply, running his fingers through her long blue hair. There was comfortable silence for a few minutes until she broke it.
"We have to talk." She whispered before pulling herself off him and onto the ground. She rolled on her side and rested her head on an elbow while looking at him.
"I guess we do." He sighed. "Look, Juvia, I am so sorry that I…" He stopped talking and stared at her in surprise when she shook her head.
"No, not about that. We've already cleared up that you were an idiot." He raised an eyebrow at her last word, but said nothing. "What's going to happen now?" At first he looked at her in confusion, but once her words clicked in he felt the familiar fear as he recalled the promise he had made to himself. A promise he didn't think he could keep anymore.
"I don't know. I want to be with you, I really do. But…" He didn't need to finish, she understood.
"I know. You're scared that something terrible might happen if we get too close." He confirmed with a nod and she sighed deeply. "I feel the same. I'm terrified, Gray. But I know that I can't stay away from you anymore." Her free hand gently touched his cheek as she looked into his eyes, intensely, determinately.
"What do we do, then?" He was unsure, confused, afraid. And Juvia didn't have all the answers. However, as she recalled a recent conversation with Erza, she knew what they should do.
"We should try to go one day at a time. Not think much about the future or worry about what might happen. Or else we'll go crazy." She replied as she let her hand fall so it could grab his. He squeezed it before sighing.
"I guess you have a point. We can't know the future, so we can't know what awaits us. We need to have faith that everything will be okay." He knew it was right and cursed himself from not thinking it before. It was hard to be positive when so many horrible things happened in your life.
"Exactly." She gave him a short kiss and once she pulled apart, they were back to smiling at each other.
"But I want you to promise me that you'll be careful." He looked at her with concern, his tone more serious than ever. Juvia knew that he needed that promise, that it would ease his worries.
"I do. As long as you do the same. No more being reckless." She pointedly said and Gray nodded before bringing her closer so she could lie on top of him once again.
"No more being reckless. I promise." He said before kissing the top of her head. She placed her hand on top of his on her stomach.
As Gray held her close, he suddenly remembered that their friends were there and his face heated up. He stood up abruptly, shocking Juvia, and looked for them until he noticed that there was no one else there. Even Lyon was gone. "Strange." He muttered and Juvia sat up as well.
"What's strange?" She asked before her gaze followed his."Lyon's gone." She said in confusion.
"He probably decided to give us some space." He told her upon noticing her worried look.
"I hope he'll be okay, this couldn't have been easy for him." She said and Gray attempted an encouraging smile.
"He'll be fine. He wants us to be happy, he said so himself. He just needs a little time." He reassured her and Juvia decided not to think about it at the moment. She wanted to focus on the happiness she felt that Gray had finally returned her feelings and they were together at last. She crawled towards him before wrapping her arms around his middle from behind and placing her head on his shoulder.
"Everything will be okay." She whispered and he nodded in agreement. They would be fine, he hoped. They would protect each other, no harm would come to either of them.
In the back of her mind, Juvia thought back to the events of Antartica and the woman who had rescued her. A chill went down her spine and she suddenly felt cold, stepping away from Gray as she crossed her arms while shivering. The ice mage stared at her in concern before standing up. She looked at him in confusion as he walked towards the tree before coming back with his blazer. With a small blush, he offered them to her and she gladly accepted it, though she wasn't cold. She didn't want him to worry, they needed a break from that, so she simply smiled before kissing him again.
As they remained there, happily settled in each other's arms while they silently watched the star filled sky, Juvia couldn't shake off the feeling that something wasn't right.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOM! I KNOW! THIS IS CRAZY! Bet no one saw it coming!
Well, what did you think? Did anyone consider the possibility that Juvia and Gray had a childhood connection? The flashbacks in chapter 3 were my biggest clue to this revelation.
Did you enjoy the flashbacks to Juvia's past? There will be more as the story unfolds. You can expect GrayXSilver flashbacks as well.
Are you happy now, Gruvia fans? Did you like Gray's confession? From now on, you'll be getting mostly happy chapters about these two.
The same can't be said for all the other couples, though. Nalu are going to have a hard time with future Lucy's death and GaLe's development will take a while.
As for Jerza, well, it will take a while before these two can truly be together as a couple. Don't forget, Jellal's a wanted criminal after all (and a big idiot who thinks he's as bad as Zeref). By the way, did you like their scenes? You're welcome for that kiss ;)
Lastly, let's talk about the other main couple of this story, Lyon x Meredy. Do you like them? Do you understand the reasons behind their decision to start sleeping together? I know it's too fast, but that's just how their relationship will be portrayed. The feelings part will take a while, though.
Coming this weekend: Gruvia traveling together to Antartica, more on Lyredy and another revelation.
Think we can make it to 4 reviews?
