Hello dear readers! Thanks a lot for all the lovely comments on my Gruvia week contribution this year, I really enjoyed writing a oneshot again ^^
We hit 20.000 reads and 25 chapters today! Making this story my longest fic together with A Match made in Hell!
Strong Tides will last some chapters longer though! I already have a fitting ending in mind and I look forward to sharing the rest of this story with you! Bare with my slow updates just a little longer :')
Thank you for proofreading Margo!
''I had to!'' Laxus quickly defended himself, ''he was losing it, he would have hurt both me and you.''
Juvia was still too shocked to process what he was saying. She quickly got on her feet as soon as she felt the dizziness that the impact had caused leave her body. Tripping over the looseness of the sand that held her back, she managed to reach Gray's still body.
He lay on his side, his hair resembling a crow's nest after the electricity had escaped his body. He was breathing, but faintly. The last traces of the dark matter fainted from his fingertips into thin air. She held his hand and lay her ear on his bare chest. Her heart made a jump in relief when she heard a faint beat.
''What's going on?'' Erza came running over the hill, followed by both crews, wondering about the source of the sudden thunderclap. Her breath got stuck when she saw Gray motionless next to a crying Juvia.
''Wendy, we need you right now!'' She cried out in a panic.
A little girl with long, purple hair jumped out of the crowd that had now gathered at the top of the hill and ran down to Gray.
She quickly checked his pulse and read his organs' energy flows by laying her healing hands on his chest. She closed her eyes and steadily breathed out.
''The electricity only stunned him, it's something else that put him in this state,' her face turned dead-serious, ''his ethernano flow is heavily disturbed, I will need to do a transfusion.''
Gray slowly woke from his almost comatose sleep. His first instinct was to move his head, but even the slightest movement sent horrible stings down from his upper spine through his entire body. He inhaled a hiss through his teeth and let his head rest in the position he had woken up in. His body felt as if it had been stung by a thousand bees and slowly he started to recall memories of what had happened. A dark mess of thoughts in his head was the only thing he could recall before he'd seen a bright flash and his lights went out.
Through the numbing pain that was now fading away as he lay still, he could feel warmth on one side. Avoiding turning his head, he looked as far to the right as he could. Juvia was pressed against his side, resting her head to the side of his shoulder. Her bangs prickled his aching skin. She was breathing slowly and steadily, her breath condensing on the blanket beneath her chin.
His gaze drifted lower and he gulped in embarrassment. He wanted to turn away, but suddenly noticed something even further below. Her arm was tangled in a tube that was filled with a glazy liquid. Gray lifted his arm with effort and was shocked to find the same tube inserted in a vein beneath his wrist. His eyes widened when he saw the liquid ooze through the tube in pulses from her arm to his. It wasn't blood. The pulses did not match his rapid heartbeat.
''I guess the tables have turned, huh?'' he retorically asked himself.
He was caught off guard by the sound of a door creaking. As he turned his head, he saw familiar red hair peek around the corner.
He grinned through the pain to let her know it was okay to come in.
''Oh thanks Mavis!'' she let out, ''you've been out for three days!''
''Three days?!'' Gray let out and sat up straight, immediately regretting it and letting himself fall back. ''You can't be serious,'' he sighed, ''we're on our way to save people from a monster, you should have continued without me.''
''Who said we didn't?'' Erza said with a confident grin, ''We docked the ships this afternoon.''
''Inform me on everything that has happened while I was out,'' Gray demanded.
Erza lifted a brow. ''I think you need to rest a little more, your transfusion has just-''
''Everything.'' His eyes burned with determination.
Erza shrugged. ''Fine.''
She let her gaze rest on the still sleeping mage next to Gray and grinned devilishly.
''Feels nice, doesn't it?'' she teased him.
His blood shot to his face and he felt his cheeks heat up.
''It does...'' he admitted quietly, ''but don't you dare tell her I said that!''
Erza laughed. ''I'm getting Wendy, we need to know when you'll be up and running again.''
''I can't believe Wendy had me carried away to my own dorm as I was asleep,'' Juvia sulked as she stirred her oatmeal breakfast.
''Is it true you slept with Captain Fullbuster?''
She turned her head only to find herself being stared on by multiple sets of asking eyes.
''W-what?'' she muttered, ''who says that?''
''Everyone on this ship,'' Lucy giggled.
She felt her face change colour and knew it was no use hiding it, as her blush always contrasted against her pale skin.
''I just stayed by his side in the infirmary for the transfusion,'' she tried to defend herself, ''it's not what you think it is!''
''Girls, that's enough!'' Mirajane resounded through the kitchen. She made eye contact with the water mage and her gaze softened, ''Juvia, would you come over here, sweetheart?''
She gulped and nodded. She could feel the stares pierce through her soul as she turned her back to the room and walked over to Mirajane.
Mirajane lay her arm around her shoulder as they walked over the improvised bridge between the two docked ships.
''He's awake,'' she told her, ''and Laxus has come to explain what happened.''
As soon as they entered the infirmary, Juvia felt tears prickle behind her eyes of happiness. She leaped forward to embrace him, but was halted by Laxus gigantic arm.
''Whoah there, missy,'' he said, ''he's not in the condition for hugs. Your reunion will have to wait.''
She understood why, but right now there was nothing more she was missing than being by his side.
''I remember nothing but darkness and a sudden shock, Laxus,'' Gray said, ''please tell me what happened.''
Laxus gestured to everyone in the room to sit down and let out a sigh.
''Basically, you tried out your secondary magic and weren't able to control it,'' he said, ''you couldn't stop yourself and I prevented you from being corrupted by shocking you.''
Juvia tried to meet Gray's eyes, who looked down remorsefully.
''I remember now...'' he said with a slight crack in his voice, ''I'm so sorry this happened.''
''Don't ever try something like that again,'' Erza said merciless, ''we need you. Your crew needs a captain. We can't afford to lose you.''
''I promise,'' he said.
''Good,'' Erza said as she turned on her heels and gestured Laxus and Mirajane to come with her, ''now recover so we can slay that stupid monster.''
She closed the door behind her, leaving only Juvia with him.
Finally, he made eye contact with her. She had never seen his gaze so empty. Groaning with pain, he threw the bedsheets off his lower body and swung his legs over the bed's edge. With all the strength he could gather he stood up straight.
She didn't hesitate a moment and threw herself into him, sobbing against his collarbone.
''I'm so glad you're awake,'' she cried, ''you were... so cold!''
The last time he found himself in this position he had frozen her to avoid any conversation, but now he felt completely different. Despite his searing skin, he could feel her warmth radiate like a summer breeze. His entire body could collapse any moment, but her presence formed an immovable pillar supporting him.
He lifted his arms, which felt coated with solid lead, and draped them around her waist, resting his face in the crook of her neck.
''You saved me,'' he spoke softly and his breath on her skin sent shivers down her spine. He tightened their embrace.
''Thank you.''