Juvia leaned against the doorframe, knees threatening to give out from under her. The fingers of her left hand remained fisted tightly in the fabric of her dress, chin trembling as she stared at the man on her doorstep.
"Hey Juvia," he murmured, hands shoved into his pockets. Strands of hair lay draped across his forehead, hiding pieces of his icy blue eyes. Snow fell from above, and Juvia couldn't help but think that he looked like an angel.
"Gray, my darling," she breathed. Her hair was a mess, half pulled up and resting in a tangled heap at the base of her neck. Her tights were torn at the knee, her dress rumpled and stained, as well as soaked through with water in several places. Bags stood out under her eyes and her voice seemed strained and exhausted when she spoke his name. But her cheeks were aglow, likely from embarrassment but perhaps just from sheer joy, and her eyes glistened with unshed tears. She looked like a mess. Gray thought she'd never looked more beautiful.
They stood there for several long moments, simply taking each other in. She tucked hair behind her ear. He shifted his weight from one leg to another. She shivered from the cold air hitting her wet skin and clothes. He shrugged his coat higher.
Juvia bit her lip, the urge to laugh or cry or shout or yell or just anything nearly bubbling over. She opened her mouth, closed it again, then sobbed. Here was Gray, her Gray, and she had no idea of what to say, no idea of what to do. She'd dreamed of this moment for years, and yet now that it was actually here, she had no idea what to do. Should she throw herself into his arms? Should she scold him for what he did? Would he even want her after so long? What if he had moved on? What if he no longer loved him? What if he only came here to break things off? What if-
A cry broke the silence of the house and through her dangerous thoughts. Juvia jerked, her eyes immediately pulling away from Gray and instead looking up at the stairwell behind her. She recognized the voice and the plea; every night it was the same. Still, she hesitated to rush inside, instead sending a shy glance back at Gray.
"Is that…?" Gray trailed off, voice breaking.
The Water Woman nodded, a lump in her throat. He read my letter. But why didn't he call? She took a shaking breath, steeling herself for what was about to happen. "Do you," she cleared her throat, "do you want to come in?"
"Uh, yeah. I would." The lines of her lips pressed together, rising in a tight smile as she stepped back, allowing her love into her house. Air rushed into his lungs and back out, releasing all of his worries into the freezing night air. Then he took those steps forward, closing the distance between him and Juvia. Only a half foot of space separated them, and she lost the ability to breathe. A tear slipped from her left eye, leaving a shimmering track down her cheek.
Another cry rang through the house. Juvia sniffed, dashing a hand across her face and turning to the stairwell, oblivious to the hand Gray had started to raise. He let it drop, clearing his throat and pretending it hadn't happened. "Upstairs," she murmured, setting her shoulders to face whatever new monster had been conjured tonight.
Gray trailed behind her as she led the way through her house. It was small and cramped and dim and messy, but it was hers. The living room and the kitchen blended together, a small table shoved into the far corner under a window serving as a dining room. A hallway divided the far wall, a door at the end that he guessed led outside and several more doors that were a mystery to him. There was barely any space on the floor beside the path from the stairs to the door, and even then, the couple still had to weave around books and toys and piles of clothes.
But they made it to the stairs, and they began the descent upwards. Gray's attention was drawn to the assortment of photos lining the narrow stairwell. His eyes danced from one portrait to another, Reedus's talented hand visible in every stroke and line. This time his hand really did rise, fingertips brushing gently over a framed canvas. He'd never posed for this picture, and yet staring at it made him believe he had been. He wished he had been. The love in their eyes, the gentle hand on her waist, their arms and hearts full.
"It was a gift last year," Juvia said, pausing at the top of the staircase and looking down on her love. She smiled, remembering the day she'd received it. "It was our anniversary."
"Which one?" He snorted quietly, taking his eyes from the portrait and meeting her eyes. She laughed, wrapping her arms around her waist.
"Our real one. The day Lucy got her award and you finally admitted you liked me back."
"September 12."
Juvia's smile could have lit up a winter's day. Which, he supposed it did. "You remembered." Gray flushed, rubbing the back of his neck. She bit her lip, heart fluttering. "Uh, Levy and Gajeel got Reedus to paint that for me. Well, Gajeel insists it was both of them, but Levy said it was all his idea. The, uh," she flushed, clearing her throat, "they liked knowing what you look like."
Gray took a deep breath, looking past the woman and at the door behind her. "And they're…"
"Mhm," she responded. And the call that sounded once more only confirmed it. She inhaled sharply, pulling her thoughts back to the matter at hand. She wiped another tear away with a shaking smile. "Shall we?" And she pushed the door open.
"Oh, my darlings, it's alright." She swept into the room, waving her hand at the water fixture on the wall. The water churned up small beads, the beads coming to life and casting an ever-changing pattern of light on the room. The dim glow illuminated the two beds against the wall, shadows sent dancing by the two moving figures.
Juvia paused by the closest bed as the young boy held up his arms. She picked him up and propped him on her hip before sitting on the other bed, the little girl snuggling against her mother's side. "It comed again, Mama! The monster comed again!"
"Shh, it's alright," Juvia murmured, stroking the girl's hair and tucking her closer. "I've told you before, there's no monster."
"It's real, Mama, real," the boy whimpered, hiding his face in her side. "Real scary."
"No, darling, I promise, it's not real." Juvia sighed, pressing a kiss to her son's head of black hair. "Please, sweetheart, go back to sleep," she begged. "There's no monster. There never is. So please, love, both of you need sleep. I need sleep."
"Don't go, Mama," he cried, sniffling and clutching her arm even tighter. "Don't go." Juvia rolled her shoulder, unable to free her arm from his tight grip.
"Stay, Mama." The little girl hugged her mom, looking up with large blue eyes. "Sleep betterer with you."
"And I sleep better in my own bed," she responded, Gray finally catching the pure exhaustion in her voice. He leaned against the doorway, taking in the scene of the small family before him. What should have been his family. What could have been. What still could. If she let him in. God, he hoped she would.
She looked up at him. She smiled tightly, what looked like sadness evident in her gaze. He swallowed hard, opening his mouth before closing it. Then the little girl raised her head and blinked. Ice blue eyes met ice blue eyes, and Gray had the odd sensation of looking into a mirror. Short black hair framed the large eyes standing out against her pale skin, eyes that sparkled with curiosity and intelligence. If he had any doubts before, he knew at that moment that this was his daughter.
"Who that, Mama?" The girl whispered, drawing her brother's attention to the man in the doorway. The twins stared, drawn to the black haired man for some unknown reason.
Gray swallowed, taking a step into the room. "I, uh." He cleared his throat. "I'm, I'm Gray."
"I'm Sylvia. This Storm," she introduced proudly, loosening her hold on her mom's arm slightly.
"I know," he murmured, moving to sit on the empty bed. Juvia held her breath, heart pounding as the love of her life met their children for the first time. His face was so open, so soft. She'd never seen him this way. He almost seemed scared. He cleared his throat, searching for the right way to tell these kids that he… god, it was all so real now.
"Are you Daddy?" Storm whispered, peering around his mom's arm to look at the man. When Gray looked right back, Storm hid against Juvia once more.
"Yes, Storm. I'm your… I'm your dad." The air left his chest in a rush of air, the words finally out in the open. The twins stared up at him in amazement, and Juvia did too. She'd grown tired of staring at his picture or fantasizing of his return. Nothing could compare to having him right in front of her. "Pretty smart kid, huh?"
Juvia smiled, brushing Storm's hair from his forehead. "Yes, they are, aren't they?"
"Mama said, she said, Mama say you come home." Sylvia struggled to get out, the words not matching together and yet making perfect sense in her head.
"Night night stories," Storm agreed, his grip on Juvia's arm beginning to loosen.
Juvia flushed, looking down at her children instead of meeting Gray's eyes. "I told them stories about you every night. It was the only thing that could put them to sleep."
"What kind of stories?" Gray said, his words laced with amusement. He was well aware of what tales Juvia's mind could create.
"Oh, how you'd saved me, how you saved your friends, how you saved the world so many times. And how you were saving the world again. That you'd come home someday, a hero again. A hero we should always be proud of."
Gray stared at her, heat rising in his chest. He rubbed the back of his neck, unsure of how to respond. Juvia glanced up with a shy smile, hoping she hadn't scared him away. Of course she hadn't. Why would she? He loved her, didn't he?
"Stay, Mama," Sylvia said, breaking through the spell. She looked up at her mom with imploring eyes. "Don't go. Scary monster." Even despite her curiosity of the man calling himself her dad, the terrifying creature haunting her and her brother was still at the forefront of her thoughts. Storm nodded emphatically, burying his face in Juvia's side once again.
"Darlings, I've told you. There's no monster." She sighed, starting to rise. Sylvia clutched her tighter, preventing any further movement. "Sylvia, sweetheart, I can't stay all night."
"No," the little girl said, using all of her considerable toddler strength to keep her mother in place. "No. Stay."
Juvia fought down a sob. It didn't matter if Gray was here or not. They'd never go to sleep. She'd put them down, she'd go downstairs, and maybe if they were lucky, she and Gray would get twenty minutes to reconcile before the kids began crying again, and then the whole cycle would begin again. She loved her children dearly, but she couldn't handle this much longer. She wanted to sleep. She wanted to spend time with her darling Gray. She wanted peace. She wanted sleep.
"I'll make you a deal," Gray said instead, keeping his eyes locked on Juvia. He smirked slightly, setting the Water Woman's heart aflutter. He leaned back, bringing both his hands before him. Both twins looked on, confused as to what he was planning to do. But when a cool mist surrounded him, they both stared in excitement.
"Mawic!" Storm gasped, unable to form the word properly and yet coming so very close. Sylvia clapped her hands, giggling as the cold mist grew and grew, surrounding the Ice Make mage until a flash of bright light cut through everything else in the room. Storm gasped again, looking at the ice sculpture now sitting proudly on the nightstand. "Mama!"
And it was. Gray had somehow created a statue of Juvia, and she certainly recognized the scene he'd recreated. She'd never seen it from the outside, though. Judging by the clothes, it was from their very first fight. Her arms were outstretched, ice bursting from her palms before curling around behind her to create a wall of ice. Her face was contorted in a fearsome yell, bravery and love and strength etched across her features. A soft gasp of air slipped past her lips as a hand came to rest over her heart. "Oh, Gray, my darling."
"Your mom's gonna keep that monster away," he said, finally looking at the kids again even though they weren't looking at him. They were too engrossed by the ice sculpture that had appeared out of nowhere. "She's pretty cool, isn't she?"
"Mama." Sylvia tugged on Juvia's arm and pointed at the ice. Juvia pressed her lips together before smiling, eyes welling with tears as her chin began to tremble. "Pretty Mama."
"Super pretty," Gray agreed, satisfaction rushing through him at the sight of her flushed cheeks. "Look at her. She's really tough. She'll scare any monster away. She was pretty scary in this fight, too."
"I lost that fight, darling," Juvia reminded him, cheeks hot and eyes lined with glistening silver.
"Only because I took the rain away." The corner of his lip raised. She laughed slightly, wiping a tear away. Then he looked back down at the twins. "No monsters are going to get you. Not while your mom's here. And not while I'm here." He shifted and reached out an arm. Juvia sniffed, and passed Storm over to his father. He reluctantly let go of her arm, and Gray settled the boy on his lap. Storm looked up with wide eyes, longing to return to his mom and yet so interested in the man holding him. The corner of Gray's mouth remained upturned as he moved his son from his lap back to his own bed. Storm's eyes went from his dad to the statue and back again, forgetting about the fear that had woken him and his sister just minutes ago. Juvia wet her lips, beginning to tuck Sylvia into her own bed as well.
"If you get scared," Gray said, smoothing a hand over the Storm's hair, "then your mom's right here with you. She'll keep you safe."
"Pretty Mama," Sylvia whispered again, snuggling further under her blankets and blinking up at her mom. Juvia smiled, leaning down to press a kiss against her daughter's forehead.
"Are you going to get some sleep now?" Sylvia grinned sleepily, turning over on her side and watching both of her parents.
"Story?" Storm asked.
"I'll tell you whatever stories you want to hear tomorrow. Right now, you need to get some sleep." Juvia rose to her feet, stumbling slightly as her head spun, lack of sleep rushing back. Gray reached out a hand, steadying her by a gentle press against her elbow. She smiled over her shoulder at him before looking down at Storm. "Sleep well, my darlings. I'll see you in the morning."
"Night, Mama," Storm said, blinking up at his parents. "Love you."
"Love you too, sweetheart." She blew a kiss at the twins, moving toward the door with Gray in tow. Then she waved her hand at the water fixture, and the lights began to dim. Juvia smiled one last time before letting the door fall shut, a gentle click following them out.
The couple stood silently in the empty hallway, Juvia's hand still sitting on the doorknob. Her forehead rested against the wooden door, heart starting to pick up. She heard Gray clear his throat. God, why is it so awkward now? Even before we were together, it was never like this. Does he hate me now?
"Uh, Juvia, I-"
"I'm going to take a shower," she interrupted, looking at him out of the corner of her eye. She couldn't quite see him fully through the curtain of frizzy hair, however. "If you're hungry, I think there's some leftovers in the fridge."
"Um, okay." Gray shifted, staring at the side of her head. She smiled slightly, but he caught the hand that swiped at her cheeks. "Need anything?"
"Unless you can give me a year of sleep, I really doubt it," she laughed weakly, brushing hair behind her ear. "I, uh, won't take long, I promise."
"Take your time," he murmured, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "I got all night."
She smiled again, another tear slipping down her cheek against her will. Then she started down the stairs, leaving Gray standing on the landing and watching her go. She forced herself to not look back and instead go straight to her bedroom, feet dragging and chest heaving in a yawn.
Gray sighed, running his hand through his hair. He glanced back at the closed door behind him before following the Rain Woman down the stairs. She had already disappeared into her room, the sounds of the shower ringing through the house. Now that she was no longer leading him to his children, he was fully able to get a look at the state of the house. He squared his shoulders, determined to start making things up to her. So he took his coat off, rolled his sleeves up before his shirt was promptly discarded, and got to work.
XXX
Cana knocked on the door, a half empty bottle of wine dangling from her fingers. She pulled her coat tighter when a gust of wind made her shiver, and she drummed her free hand against her thigh. "Come on, Juvia," she muttered, glancing over her shoulder for a second. "Are you going to just let me freeze out here?" The door finally swung open and bathed her and the street in warm light. Cana sighed, looking up with a slightly drunken grin. "Took ya long enough."
The next moment her eyes grew wide, the bottle almost sliding from her fingers as her face dropped in shock.
"So that's why she called me Cana when I got here." Gray leaned against the doorframe, smirking at his oldest friend, unless he counted Lyon which he sometimes didn't. He crossed his arms, snorting as she shook her head.
"Goddamnit, Gray. Thanks for scaring the shit out of me." Then she beamed, throwing her arms around him in a hug. He staggered backward a step with the force of her attack before relenting, hugging her back with a grin.
"Hey Cana. I missed you too." He squeezed her tight for a second before letting go, her arms releasing only a second after. She stepped back, shaking her head as she looked him up and down.
"Shit, you look good. Did you just get back in? Wait, where's everyone else? Crashing at Lucy's?"
"Right back at you. Seriously, it's like you didn't change a bit. But no, they're at Levy's. We ran into Lily and he, uh, he gave me directions here." He cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his neck. Cana narrowed her eyes, suddenly remembering that this was, in fact, Juvia's house and there was a reason why she was here so late at night.
"You're gonna let me into this house, Fullbuster, and we are gonna have a nice, long chat." And without further ado, she pushed past him into the house, shrugging her coat off once she was in the foyer. Gray sighed, closing the door behind him and mentally preparing himself for the next hour of interrogation.
Cana hung her coat on the hooks by the door, revealing the red bikini top and tight black pants she still wore even in the snow storm raging outside. Her blue bag swung against her hip as she leaned against the wall in an accusatory manner.
Gray waved his hand with a sigh. "Just get it out. I know you're mad at me."
"Mad? Whatever gave you that idea?"
He lifted an eyebrow. "Cana, I've known you for fifteen years. I know when you're upset at me."
"Good. That means I don't have to explain this to you." She stood up straight and pointed her finger at him. "You're just like my old man, you know that? You go off, having adventures without a care in the world, and you don't once let her know how you are. You know she's been worried sick for months now, all because you don't have the decency to pick up the goddamn lacrima."
He opened his mouth to respond, but Cana beat him to it. "Oh, but don't worry. Once she actually sent you a letter, oh, you came running back home with your tail between your legs. Two and a half years, and you never once responded to her calls, you never once sent her a letter, you never once tried to get in contact with her. So don't think you can just waltz back into her life and act like nothing's changed just because you feel bad."
"Cana, can I-"
"No, you're going to let me talk, and you are going to listen to every single fucking thing I say. She's not going to tell you how hard these last three years were on her, so that means it's up to me. And Lisanna and Mira and Gajeel and Meredy and pretty much everyone else in this guild who cares about her. This is the second time you left her, you know that right? At least this time you gave her a warning and some kind of contact. Maybe she'll be lucky if, next time, you keep her updated the whole time you're gone. And since it keeps getting longer, you'll be gone for what? Five years?"
"There won't be a next time!" Gray finally snapped, glaring down at the equal angry Magic Card mage. His chest rose and fell rapidly as he fought to control the rush of emotions coursing through him. He pulled on his hair, groaning and desperately searching for a way to put into words the thoughts in his head.
"I swear, I had no idea about the kids. When I got her letter last month, I just, I don't know, it was like nothing made sense in the world anymore. Ask Natsu, I couldn't think straight all night. I just kept thinking about her. About how I let her down, and how I wasn't here when she needed me-"
"She didn't need you, Gray," Cana said coldly. "Of course, she pushed herself to the brink of exhaustion and might have killed herself if Lisanna and I hadn't forced her to stay home, but she's just managed just fine on her own."
"But she didn't have to." The depth of his feeling was evident in his tone of voice. "Yes, she's brave and strong and can do whatever she wants to. But I'm her… she's, I don't know, Cana, but I care about her, and I put her in this situation. I should have been here to help her, to keep her safe so she didn't have to worry or stress or, you know, raise two kids on her own."
"She wasn't on her own," Cana cut in, and Gray threw his hands up.
"Shit, Cana, can I get a sentence out without you cutting me down? I'm not trying to apologize, I'm not trying to say this is all going to disappear like it was nothing, and I'm certainly not trying to come back into her life just because I used to be. I, I never wanted her to wait around for me."
"What else did you think she would do? She's been in love with you for years, and, somehow, you knocking her up and disappearing for three years certainly did nothing to make her like you any less."
"I didn't ask for this." His voice was deathly quiet, emotion gone from his face. All that remained was the anger and pure grief in his eyes.
"Well, you better get ready because guess what, you're going to provide for those kids no matter what you want."
"That's not what I meant, Cana, and you fucking know it. I… it's been tearing me apart, this past month, knowing what she's had to go through because of a dumb mistake- no, not a mistake. These kids aren't a mistake. God, I can't, I just, I don't know what to say." He groaned again, tearing his hand through his hair and staring at the ground.
"Do you love her?"
"What?" Gray looked up, eyes burning against his will.
Cana leaned against the wall, taking a swig from her bottle. "Do you love her?"
He took a shuddering breath. "Yes. I do."
"Say it. Look me in the eyes and tell me you love her."
"I… I can't."
"Why the fuck not?"
He shook his head, his eyes lowering to his feet before meeting hers again. "I've never told her that I… I never said it to her. So the first time I say it, it will be to her, and no one else. Besides, she knows how I feel."
"She doubts it," Cana responded in an equally quiet tone, the anger gone from her voice. She'd said her piece. She swallowed, some part of her thinking that perhaps he deserved the anguish she'd caused after all he had done to Juvia. He didn't mean to, another part argued. He's telling the truth, he never meant to hurt her. "You know her just as well as I do. Probably even better. So you must have known that even though she stayed desperately in love with you, every day you remained silent was another day she spent wondering if you had moved on or no longer loved her or hated her. You know that."
"I do," he agreed, looking down at his feet again.
"So what are you going to do?" She asked, the fight finally leaving her. Gray was just as much her friend as Juvia was, even if she wanted to beat his ass sometimes.
He shrugged, meeting her gaze again with a half smile and tears still stinging his eyes. "Talk to her, I guess. See how she feels, what she wants, I dunno. I'm really bad at this kind of stuff."
Cana laughed, downing the rest of her wine in one go. "You're telling me." She sighed, coming to Gray's side and throwing her arm over his shoulders. "You know, you might just turn out all right. But I'll warn you one time. Break her heart, and there won't be a body left for them to find."
"I think she'd kill me first. That, or Gajeel."
"Probably," the wizard agreed with a lazy grin. Then she finally turned her attention to the house as a whole. Her jaw dropped, and she stared at Gray in disbelief. "Fullbuster, did you do all this?"
"Uh, yeah?" And she was right to be shocked. Juvia's house had always been a complete disaster, and yet here Cana stood in a clean room, practically no mess to be seen. The counters were clear, all of the loose flyers piled neatly in one stack, the dishes cleaned and drying by the sink, old takeout containers thrown away. The couches and chairs that made up the living room were mostly clear as well, leading Cana to believe that he'd been in the middle of cleaning up the toys that had consistently littered the floor for the past two years. She laughed breathlessly, turning to face him.
"Damn, Gray, you got it bad." She punched him in the shoulder with a wink. "But that's one way to a woman's heart. I mean, keep doing things like this and I might fall in love with you."
"Yeah, right," he snorted, suddenly extremely self-conscious. She grinned, moving toward the kitchen in the hopes that Juvia had bought booze since she'd last been here. She knew she'd come up empty, but there was no harm in looking.
At that moment, a door further down in the house opened. Juvia hummed under her breath, combing her fingers through her hair and drawing the lingering water out. The shower had done wonders for her. Energy coursed through her veins and pulsed under her skin, her face bright and joyful. Her hair was clean and smooth for the first time in weeks, and she was walking toward her darling Gray. What wasn't there to smile about?
Gray glanced over at her as she approached. He couldn't take his eyes from her. She'd pulled out her old clothes, the same style as she'd worn when they last met. Her long purple skirt was held up by a white sash, the trim brushing the tops of her brown boots and slits along both sides revealing plenty of thigh. A purple and white top hugged her figure, a green tunic peeking out the bottom and hanging in a messy bow from the neckline. His gaze drifted to the guild mark standing out brightly against her pale skin, and she caught the direction of his attention. She flushed with joy, biting her lip and perhaps pulling the gap in her skirt a little farther. Well, no one ever said she was shameless. Besides, it wasn't anything he hadn't seen before.
Cana cleared her throat, knowing full well that Juvia was completely unaware of her presence. The Water Woman looked over with a blink of surprise, a sheepish smile splitting her face. "Oh, Cana, I'm so sorry. I forgot you were on your way."
"Yeah, I figured as much." She grinned, leaning over the island with crossed arms. "You don't look as exhausted as you sounded."
"A hot shower really does wonders," Juvia sighed, hugging her waist with a warm smile. Cana rolled her eyes with a smirk, propping her chin up on a hand as she looked back and forth between her two friends.
"Hmm, yeah, that's what got you so happy. Uh huh." Juvia turned a bright red, color deepening as Gray's cheeks flushed in turn. Cana's grin widened. "Say, Juvia, did you see what your man did?"
Juvia looked around her house with new eyes, barely recognizing the space she had called home for the past two years. "Oh," she said, hands clutched over her heart as she turned in a circle. "Oh, oh Gray." Gray stared at Juvia, still fighting the urge to touch her. Her blue hair was still ever so damp, clinging to her neck and shoulders. "Gray, my love." She turned back to him with eyes brimming with unshed tears. "This is wonderful! Oh, oh, darling," she gasped again, and they locked eyes, blue meeting blue in a gaze of fierce emotion. Cana smiled. He may have let her down, but I don't think he ever plans on doing it again. And she's been head-over-heels for him for years and years. Maybe I should leave them alone for a bit.
"Are the kids asleep?" Cana changed the subject, sliding away from the island in order to rifle through the cabinets again. Gray and Juvia remained apart, even though it was obvious to Cana how much they wanted to be with each other. God, they definitely need some alone time.
"We put them asleep about half an hour ago," Juvia finally said, tearing her gaze from Gray as she looked at Cana. "Oh Cana, you know I don't have wine here."
"One of these days, that is going to change. And have they really been asleep this whole time? No demands for another story or to get rid of the monster or anything like that?"
Juvia shook her head, coming to sit at the island while still marveling at the clean surface. "No, I believe they won't be troubling us at all tonight." She shared a small smile with Gray, causing Cana to raise an eyebrow. "I'm sorry Cana, I seemed to have dragged you all the way out here for nothing."
Cana snorted, pulling a fresh bottle out of her bag. "Hey, don't worry about it. It just gives you two the chance to get out of here."
"Um, are you trying to kick me out of my own house?" Juvia asked, raising an eyebrow at the Magic Card wizard.
She winked. "Oh, come on, I haven't been in a room with two people who wanted to kiss each other more since Bickslow and Lisanna on their wedding day."
Gray blinked, thrown off more by the new information of his friends' marriage than by the jab Cana had just made at them. It hit Juvia fully, however. She flushed even darker, looking over at Gray from under her lashes.
Cana's smirk grew as she came to lean on the island again, directly across from the Water Woman. "You got a lot of shit you both need to talk about, and I don't want to get in the way of that."
Gray scoffed, crossing his arms and giving her a look. "Oh, so your whole spiel earlier wasn't you getting in the way of things?"
She took a long chug from her bottle with another snort. "Oh, trust me, I have a lot more I could say."
"No, no, we're going," Juvia interrupted, knowing exactly how long Cana could go off for. Many late nights had been spent by both of them getting drunk and complaining about the unfairness of the world while her children slept fitfully upstairs. And there was only so much defending Gray that drunk Juvia was able to do. Or really wanted to do. "You'll stay with the kids?"
"Yup. You know how much they love me."
"They love you because you give them whatever they want."
"What's so bad about that?"
"Oh, I fear for the day you have children of your own."
Cana laughed at that. "Yeah, like that's gonna happen. Trust me, I'm just as happy to spoil your kids and annoy the crap out of you."
Juvia sighed with a smile, shaking her head and setting her powder blue hair into motion. Gray watched her with a slight upturn to his lips, and Cana rolled her eyes. "God, just get out of here before one of you jumps the other."
"Cana," Juvia scolded as she pushed herself to her feet. But she moved toward the door, reaching for her fur hat hanging on the wall. She peeked over her shoulder at the Ice Make mage. "Gray, darling, I know the cold doesn't bother you, but perhaps you would fare better with a shirt on?"
Gray glanced down in surprise. Cana and Juvia shared a look, and the Water Woman laughed. "By the couch, darling." As Gray moved to grab his shirt from the floor, Juvia took his jacket from the hook next to her hat. She held it out to him, and he shrugged it on after his shirt. She pulled the hat over her slightly damp hair, no longer caring how it looked afterward as she opened the door, throwing her gratitude for Cana back over her shoulder. Here was her Gray, her darling, her love. Oh, they had so much to talk about.
So there we have it, one extremely long chapter later. Did any of you guess Juvia's secret? I tried to give hints, like in the oneshot where there were kids crying but Levy and Gajeel weren't there. Really subtle, but I certainly was trying to keep it a surprise ;) And Cana really went off here, didn't she? Juvia's not really had many close friends in the show, except for Meredy and then a little bit of Lisanna at the S-Class trials, but I've always thought of Cana being one of her good friends, especially with how they acted together in the beginning when Juvia sacrificed herself for Cana during Laxus's takeover. I think she definitely did her duties as friend well in this scene, right? And poor Gray, he's so conflicted.
I'm sorry this is coming out late; I was going to write Gray and Juvia's next scene into this chapter also, but that was at least 2,000 words more, and this was already at 6,000, so I figured this was a good stopping point. But never fear, next week's shall be full of their converstaion and anything you missed from their interactions this week. Thanks for the wait, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter!