Not entirely happy with this chapter, but hopefully you guys like it!
Juvia woke up to the sound of bustling around her. She was lying in a bed in the infirmary. Again, she thought sourly. Gray was sitting on a chair next to her bed, leaning over her, asleep. He's so warm, she thought, a blush covering her cheeks.
She looked around to see the source of the bustling. An older woman with pink hair was working around the blue haired girl Juvia helped earlier. The girl was awake now, too, and she was currently sipping some nectar out of a glass the woman was holding up for her. She stopped when she saw Juvia awake and looking at her.
"You're alive!" the girl said, looking to her with a grin.
"Shh," Juvia told her, looking at the sleeping face of Gray on her lap.
The girl covered her mouth, looking ashamed. "I'm so sorry," she whispered. "Thank you for saving me. Gray was telling me what happened a little bit ago before he fell asleep. Thank you so much."
"It's not a problem," Juvia told her. "I am just glad you are safe. My name is Juvia, by the way. Daughter of Poseidon."
"My name is Wendy," the little girl told her. The woman took the now empty glass and left the room, grumbling about talkative girls. Wendy watched her go with a giggle. "She's kind of grumpy," she said.
Juvia looked at the retreating form of the older woman. "I have never met her. I wonder who she is."
"Her name is Porlyusica," Wendy told her. "She helped us after that monster attacked. Chelia was here for a little while earlier. She wanted me to tell you thank you for helping us. She wasn't expecting an attack so close to camp."
Juvia smiled at the girl. "There is nothing to thank me for. You are part of Fairy Tail now. I haven't been here for very long, but I have recently learned that Fairy Tail means family. We all take care of each other."
Wendy yawned. "That's lovely."
"You look exhausted. You should go to sleep, honey."
Wendy looked at her for a minute and nodded. She snuggled into her sheets with a slight wince. "Good night, Juvia."
"Sweet dreams, Wendy," Juvia responded.
After a few minutes, the girl was snoring softly. Juvia smiled to herself. She looked at the sleeping face of Gray snuggled against her lap. He looked younger in his sleep, she noted, more innocent and happier. Normally he had a flat expression on his face. When he slept, it smoothed out more naturally.
Juvia tentatively ran her hands through his hair, pushing it back from his forehead. She ran her finger along the scar on his forehead, a thin line over his left eyebrow. She wondered how he got it. Her hand moved down to cup his cheek, loving how he nestled his head deeper into her palm. She closed her eyes, feeling warm and content, despite the pain in her whole body.
"Juvia?"
Her eyes flew open, finding Gray with his head still in her hand, looking at her worriedly.
"Gray," she breathed, not wanting to wake Wendy.
He smiled, then, lighting up his face. He lifted his head, then he hardened his expression. "Don't ever do that again! You scared me. I thought… I thought you were dead." His eyes turned dark and impossibly sad. "I thought you were dead and I couldn't get to you in time."
"What exactly happened?"
He grimaced. "When the Cyclops threw the branch at you and Wendy, you covered her body with yours. She didn't get any more injured, but you… You passed out, and your body was covered with cuts and gashes. You broke a couple ribs. Probably a concussion, too. Porlyusica did her best to heal you, but you've been asleep for hours. It's the middle of the night, now. I was so scared, Juvia."
It took her a few moments to comprehend all that he said. Judging from the headache, she assumed the concussion was more than probable. She felt sore everywhere, especially her torso, and there were a few cuts healing on her arms. Probably the rest of her body, too.
"I'm sorry about your coat," she said finally. "I bet there's blood all over it now."
"Sorry about-" He spluttered. "Juvia, I don't give a damn about my coat. I'm just glad you're alive." He took her hand in his, causing her to blush. "Please, be more careful Juves."
"Okay," she whispered. "I will."
Gray ran his hand through her blue curls. "You need to rest, Juves. Go back to sleep. I'll be here. I promise."
She didn't want to go to sleep, but his hand stroking her hair and his warmth made her extremely comfortable. She tried to fight it, but when he started to hum softly, she was a goner. She let her eyes close and she fell back into sleep's warm embrace.
When she woke up again, it was morning. She was completely alone in the infirmary. Wendy must have been better and Gray must have gone back to his cabin, she thought.
Not wanting to stay bedridden for any longer, she swung her legs off the bed and tried to stand up. She was not prepared for when her legs gave out on her, sending her toppling back onto the bed. She grunted but didn't give up, choosing instead to use the bedside table as a support.
When she got to her feet, she walked slowly and carefully to the door of the infirmary, not realizing that she was only wearing a thin nightgown until she made it outside.
"Why does this keep happening to me?" she grumbled quietly to herself. "Never realize what I'm wearing until it's too late."
She kept walking, trying to sneak her way to her cabin without drawing attention to herself. Unfortunately, it didn't work.
"Juvia! What are you doing out of bed?"
Gray came running toward her from the direction of the mess hall, holding a bagel in one hand. He reached her and grabbed her arm to help her. "What are you wearing? You're going to get cold. Here, cover up."
He shrugged off his Camp Fairy Tail long-sleeved T-shirt. Juvia took it while trying not to stare at his abs, and pulled it on over her head, wincing at the pain it caused her ribs.
"Are you okay? You look like you're in pain."
"I'm fine, Gray."
"Well, if you say so." He looked at her warily. "Well, anyway. I was bringing you breakfast. I figured you would be hungry."
"Thanks." She took the bagel from him and the two continued to walk to the Poseidon cabin. She started to eat on the way while Gray told her about their other friends.
"Lucy and Levy are worried sick about you," he was saying. "Flame Brain and Metal Breath are too, but they try to hide it." He laughed. "Erza was worried too, after she beat me up for not protecting you. Good thing she has Jellal to rein her in, or I would probably be in an infirmary bed with you."
Juvia looked him over worriedly. Sure enough, he had a few bruises on his sculpted body. "Are you okay?" she asked. "It wasn't your fault! I will talk to Erza!"
He blanched. "Don't do that!"
Juvia looked at him. "Excuse me?"
"Don't talk to Erza. Unless you want to get beat up, too. She has no mercy. She's a monster!"
"Gray! Erza is our friend!"
"That's why it's okay for me to say it," he said.
"Well, if you say so," she said doubtfully.
They reached the Poseidon Cabin. Gray helped her inside, then watched as she bustled about, looking for clothes to wear.
"Do you need help getting dressed," he asked, thinking about how hard it was for her to put his shirt on with her wounds.
She stopped moving, her face rivalling a tomato. "So sudden!" she blurted out.
"Gah! Not like that!" he yelled. "I didn't mean it like that! I just noticed how hard it was for you to put my shirt on. You're still hurt."
"Oh," she said, a touch disappointed, not that she would ever admit it to anyone but herself. "I should be okay."
"Okay," Gray said. "I will wait for you outside." He walked quickly out of her cabin and shut the door.
Juvia grabbed some clean jeans and underwear, then put them on. She took her nightgown and Gray's shirt off, but, not having any shirts to wear, put his back on. Her ribs only ached when she moved too fast, so it took her longer than normal, but finally she went back outside to meet Gray.
When she left her cabin, she saw Wendy and the girl called Chelia talking to Gray.
"Oh, hi Wendy!" she said.
Wendy looked at her and grinned. "Hi Juvia! This is my new sister, Chelia!"
Juvia smiled. "So you were claimed, then?"
"At breakfast," Chelia said. "Aeolus, god of the winds, claimed her." She gave the tiny blunette a big hug. "It's so nice to have a sister!"
Juvia laughed and clapped her hands, then winced. She grabbed her ribs, and said, "That's so lovely!"
Gray frowned at her. He turned to look at the two younger girls and said, "It was nice seeing you girls, but I need to make sure Juvia rests now. She's still injured. We will see you later, though, okay?"
Wendy gasped. "We will get out of your way, then, Gray! I am so sorry Juvia! I hope you feel better soon, okay?"
"Feel better, Juvia!" Chelia called, as her and Wendy ran off to the archery range to practice.
Gray turned back to Juvia. "Okay, Juves. Time to get you back to bed."
She groaned. "Gray, I am fine! I don't want to be bedridden any more. Please don't make me go back to bed." She gave him puppy dog eyes.
Gray practically melted. "Okay, fine. But you are staying with me today. I'm not letting you out of my sight until I know you are completely healed. And no strenuous activity! Ambrosia and nectar can do wonders but broken bones still take a while to heal."
"I've noticed," she said dryly.
"Was that sass?" he asked her with a smirk. "I believe that was sass."
"Maybe it was," she grinned. "What are you going to do about it?"
"Ewww." A male voice cut them off. "I did not need to hear that."
"Hey Eve." Gray turned to face the speaker, face a little pink.
Eve stopped pretending to gag. "Hey. When do activities start?"
"Right now," Gray replied. "And Juvia is coming with us."
Eve smiled and agreed with no questions. Juvia was glad for that. She followed the two brothers as they walked to start their daily activities.