Disclaimer: The characters belongs to Hiro Mashima
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Soulmate
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There was a certain rhythm stuck with her since Juvia was a child, for so long that she wasn't able to remember when was the first time she heard it. Or, well, more like two rhythms but one of them she did remember joining her just after the orphanage door closed at her back for the first time.
The second one was the soft pitter-patter of the rain, sometimes barely audible, sometimes thunderous like the storms at the sea. It followed her since that meaningful day, no matter how many charms she sew. And okay, maybe sewing couldn't change the weather of her new home but she could at least hope, especially when it seemed like the rain loved to follow her. Even the good days when the sun made its odd appearance on the sky seemed to damp as soon as she set a single step at the outside. Or maybe that was just her mood making the light seem darker? At this point, she was so used to her life going that way that she couldn't say what was the truth.
The first one, the one she couldn't remember when she first heard it, was a kinder sound. It was also soft, some sort of lullaby song to put kids to sleep. It had put her to sleep when she was still a baby, or at least her mother used to say that. She hadn't had time to explain what that song meant before the accident, but Juvia had learnt it with time. Many hours spent at the library, away from the rain and the other kids who used to make fun of her had at least given her a lot of time to read different books. Books about love, about pain and disaster, about family and hope. Books about soulmates.
Because that was what the song was, a soul song, the bond that she shared with her still unknown soulmate. The music that sounded in both of their heads when they were close enough to each other. And wasn't that an interesting point? Her soulmate had always been close to her, close enough to be heard and yet she had never caught a single glimpse of their existence. Once and again since she was barely an infant, if she had to believe her mother (and she did), they had been close.
Did her soulmate live just a few apartments down or up the old home she had with her mother? Did they share the same school when they were kids, before she knew the meaning of the song? She knew she had sometimes sang it at school, her teachers used to scold her for it. Her mother had smiled and encouraged her to sing the song whenever she wanted, saying it was the best way to find the person that destiny had chosen to bond her with. Juvia had taken her words to heart but hadn't been in the mood for singing lately. For many years actually.
And yet, her soulmate had remained close all this time. She heard the song at least one time a week, through school, high school and even college. Sometimes even more than once. She used to look around, trying to place a single person lingering close but it was always a crowd, a full class or an empty room. Where was her soulmate when she sat alone in her room and heard that single melody circling on her head? How close was close enough?
Over the years, she had seen many couples find each other. It was always a beautiful sight, even when it hurt a bit to know none of those couples was herself. She had seen them through the windows, one or both them raising their heads to look around as soon as the melody disturbed their thoughts. Looking, searching for each other until their eyes inevitably met and they ran or walked to each other, or just spent an eternity looking and memorizing their soulmate's face.
She even remembered a time when she had sat near a fountain, the rain slowly falling around her, the umbrella covering her head and the usual melody stuck on her thoughts. She had seen two people nearly collide before they raised their faces and found something she couldn't understand. She still didn't know how they realized what they were to each other, but she saw them singing in the middle of the rain, uncaring of the weather and everyone else. Lost in the world they created for themselves with their notes. She had hummed her own song that time, softly and lowly, and no one had come to her. It was only the happy couple and her.
Her soul song was both a blessing and a curse, since it kept her company even at the worst times when she thought there was nothing else for her but the grey clouds in the horizon. At the same time, she was so used to hearing it and not seeing anyone that she had already given up and she thought that her soulmate did the same. If they hadn't meet after so many years why would they the next time?
In all honesty, her soulmate was the main reason she hadn't left the gloomy city yet. She had given up looking around with the song but she still had hope she would find them one day. Her mother had said many times the song would lead them together and Juvia still believed in her words but… But it was still not happening. And with the song dropping so often she didn't think it would happen any time soon. So. She would be leaving.
She had gotten a new job offer and at a completely different city, far away from her current place. It wasn't the first time this happened, and she had rejected those offers before but maybe this was the push her life needed. Both for her and for her soulmate. Maybe they needed to get away to find each other? If she heard the song at a completely different place, this time she would look right? And, maybe, her soulmate would do too and they can finally be together. Or not. But at least she would know.
It had been a difficult decision to make, and she was still scared she would lose the only constant in her life but it was already done. She had sent most of her things the past week as she closed her last business at the city she grew up in, so it was only a matter of taking the small bag with the last of her clothes and boarding the airplane that would take her away.
The morning was rainy, as always, so she took her umbrella and waited for the taxi that would take her to the airport. She left it at the entry, a bit sad for losing it but knowing it would be very uncomfortable to take it with her. So, another thing left behind. She sat near her boarding door and waited, and waited, and then she heard the song's soft melody. It joined her wait, maybe for the last time, and she wondered if it was a sign. People passed around her, some of them hurrying, some of them at a slow pace. The rain hit the windows from time to time, pushed around by the wind.
Now it was her time to show her documents and find her seat. It was a full flight, apparently, but her row had only two seat so she guessed it wasn't that bad. She also had the corridor so she wouldn't have to worry about getting up or anything like that. It would be fine. She closed her eyes when the run began, silently giving her goodbyes for now to her soulmate. The plane flew and the earth was left behind becoming smaller and smaller by the second.
And the song was still with her. She gripped her skirt with both hands and bit her lips. What did it mean? How close was close enough? Did it mean her soulmate was in this same airplane or had she been living a lie all her life? She didn't want to look around, didn't want to get another disappointment. At the same time, she didn't want to lose this chance, if it was really a chance.
It was then when she heard it. The song, her song, their song but it wasn't just in her head but in her ears too. There was someone humming it near her, near enough she could hear it without strain. Near enough she could follow it and found the humming person. The humming actually came from her side.
She turned her head and saw the person sharing the row with her, a man with black hair who was looking through the window and humming under his breath while tapping on the glass at rhythm. His white shirt was open and he didn't seem too interested into anything besides the window. The sight stole her breath but she wasn't sure how to approach him. What could she say?
At the end she didn't have to say anything. At the end, the only thing she had to do was sing. And so she did, joining him in a duet so low it wasn't audible for anyone but them. He turned around, a bit sharp with how sudden his movement was but she barely even noticed. Their eyes met and she smiled, suddenly feeling shy. However, he returned the smile even if his was duller and that was enough for her.
Juvia couldn't remember who was the first one to talk, nor the first words they exchanged. It wasn't really important. She did remember what they talked about, about their lives, weirdly similar, their link, always present but distant, their future, if there was one. Since he was also moving out, there was no reason they couldn't look where this connection would lead them.
She realized he was kind of closed off, he didn't like to talk about himself too much even when he was making an effort for her. It warmed her heart to know she wasn't the only one who had been waiting for their song to join them, that at the end there was actually someone who appreciated her and wanted her in his life.
The travel was gone in a blink and she only noticed it was over when the speakers called the landing. He startled too and something passed his eyes, something Juvia thought was sadness so she hurried to give him her phone saying they should meet again as soon as they settled. He smiled again at that, the fleeting feeling gone from his eyes.
The doors opened and people started to leave the plane, but she didn't want to follow them. The hours shared together seemed too little after a life of waiting. It wasn't until he gently nudged her that she decided to stand and wait in the line. She let him pass before her, if only so she could look at him for a little longer. It was then when she got an idea, walking the line after the man she had been waiting for all her life.
She took his hand before she could change her mind and gripped it tightly, blushing as she did. He squeezed her hand and didn't turn, but he led her out of the plane step by step without hesitation. She smiled, her face still red when she dared to raise and look at the sky of her new city. The sun was high in the sky.