It took him a while to get used to those feelings.
At first he ignored them. But as more time passed, it became way harder to do so. Whether he liked it or not, he had to face them eventually.
So he did. He started thinking about them, questioning their meaning. The answer however never seemed to come to him. Why would he suddenly be filled with warmth, not the kind that made him strip of his clothes immediately, no it was the kind that made him feel comforted. The kind that gave him safety.
What he couldn't explain either was the sudden homesickness. He loves the guild and everyone there. But he never had a problem being on a longer mission and not being able to come back for a while. Now the thought bothered him. For some reason he'd already look forward to being back before he even left.
He also didn't understand the sudden happiness. He was known for his almost permanent scowl. So why did he find himself smiling so many times without a reason?
And the one thing that had him confused the most: Why did he feel all this whenever she was around?
He couldn't deny it. The warmth, the happiness, the comfort, the acceptance.. he felt them all at once whenever she was close to him.
It made him crazy. She was Juvia, his guild mate and friend. The strange woman who'd follow him around and give him love declarations whenever she got the chance. The woman who'd fight by his side, the woman with whom every unison raid turned out perfect, the women who'd lock him in a bear hug whenever he came back from a mission, the woman who'd prepare lunch boxes for him, the woman who always manages to find his clothes, the woman that would give her life for him..
That thought bothered him.
He didn't want her to do that. He wanted her to stay alive, be healthy, live a happy life. He wanted her to become the strongest water mage of Fiore, wanted her to get her S-Class title back, he wanted her to have success in evey mission. He wanted her to build more friendships and he wanted her to grow old and have the kids she always imagined. He wanted her to never feel alone again.
But most of all, he wanted her to always be by his side.
And that's when he finally understood. Why he was feeling this way, why she affected him so much. Why he would look around the guild hall for her whenever he didn't receive her hug the moment he entered the hall.
Because she's different, she has been from the start. Unlike the others, she wasn't just a friend. He could never put her in the same category as his other guild mates. Because to him, she's way more..
..she's his power to live.
A/N:
First of all, I'm so sorry for not being active lately. I hope you can forgive me.
Secondly, I want to thank you all for the kind comments you leave on each story. I love reading them and appreciate every single one.
A special thanks especially to sorrellkaren for you're detailed and lovely comments, I was smiling over each one and to tigerfire54 for being one of my most loyal readers.