Just a short piece for the spooky season! Something to lighten the mood after that angsty chapter!

A lot of you are really close to guessing what's going to happen next chapter! I'm excited to see you're reaction when it's ready ehe

I think I'll write a separate Halloween story that doesn't have to do with this story, but idk if I'll have the time lol I have so much homework to catch up on!

Just to preface, this is before Natsu and Lucy's fight, so not in line with the current trajectory of the story! Please keep that in mind!

Juvia waved, smiling at the kids who laughed and ran off to the next house on the block. She closed the door and set down the bowl of candy she held, walking back into the living room to sit.

She jumped slightly, holding back a squeak as the floor above her thumped heavily. It sounded like he had fallen off the bed again…

The two were home alone this weekend, a full moon on Halloween spelling unforeseen disaster.

Silver and Mika were out of town on a business trip, their arrival delayed by the same situation. They were hoping to be home before the moon rose, but a late train had them stuck in a hotel somewhere in Akane Beach.

While Silver was less likely to cause trouble, Gray was always a little unstable during the moon's highest peak. His half-wolf nature was very unpredictable; the family never sure what to expect at times.

Juvia wanted to comfort him but she promised Gray she wouldn't go upstairs. He advised her to stay the night at Lucy's since Natsu would be there too, but she didn't want to leave him alone. She put a water lock on his door and window to keep him sealed, but there was no knowing if he'd freeze them to get out. She'd rather not have the neighborhood kids running away in fear if he left the house.

He was more aggressive than usual, Juvia preferring when he fell on the sweet end of the spectrum. Sometimes he'd act like a clingy puppy and sleep in her lap all night, wagging his tail as they cuddled in her bed. Other times he only grew ears and a tail, his magic a bit haywire, and snow would fall at any time of day. And at times like this, he would scream and kick, almost foaming at the mouth as he barred his teeth angrily. Finally, his eyes would turn a piercing icy blue, the bright color mimicking a beacon that urged Juvia to almost bow in his presence.

Gray was in the kitchen making a snack when the first headache came, a bowl shattering in his hand as he gripped it too hard.

He groaned, massaging his temple with one hand as Juvia carefully picked out the shards of glass in his skin. He kept opening and closing his mouth, his jaw uncomfortable as she took her time bandaging him up. She watched nervously as his fangs uncomfortably grew out, the process, unfortunately, forcing itself on the winter sprite.

This is who he was, but at the same time, it wasn't. An impossible yet entirely possible transformation taking hold of Gray's delicate soul.

Juvia looked up from his hand, wondering to herself how she could make him feel better. And those eyes...he looked at her with those eyes again. Her throat felt tight, her knees almost weak as she set down the gauze she had in her hand.

He tilted his head, watching her with an odd curiosity.

"Juvia." His voice was foreign, rough yet smooth at the same time. It echoed in her ears and wormed its way into her body, almost suffocating her with its intensity.

"Y...Yes?" Her tongue felt dry, his ears popping up with the spiked ends of his raven-colored hair. His tail swung out from behind him, wagging slightly before curling around his upper thigh.

He reached out for her hair, taking a strand with his injured fingers. He brought it to his nose, taking a small step forward as he breathed in. There was a low growl in his chest, his eyes lifting to meet hers once again.

"You—" He began, cutting himself off as he reverted out of his shift. She felt the heavy weight on her chest lift as he looked at her with those eyes she recognized. His dark blue ones were unnerved, Gray running away as soon as he felt his body respond to his will.

Juvia followed after him, frowning as he slammed his bedroom door and screamed for her to stay away for her own good. She felt her bottom lip twitch as she heard him throw things around, finally calming down when she locked his door.

So she distracted herself with trick-or-treaters and an old black and white film to pass the time.

Erza called every once in a while to check in with her, advising the mermaid to spend the night with her. Gray didn't seem like he was in the best state of mind.

"Juvia's sure Gray-sama will come looking for her if he gets into trouble," She explained to the valkyrie as she picked at her dinner. "It's better for Juvia to stay nearby in case he breaks Juvia's spell."

"Do you really think he'd be able to? Your water lock is prettier impervious." Erza said from the other end of the line.

"Juvia's sure Gray-sama's ice magic could find a way if he tried his hardest," She sighed. "Juvia knows how hard this can be on him, so she should keep an eye on him."

"He hasn't done anything to hurt you, right? You're safe?"

"As safe as Juvia can be! Don't worry, Erza-san, Juvia'll be just fine."

Even Gajeel texted her to ensure she was alright, knowing that even if Gray put her in danger, she wouldn't leave his side. He complained that she trusted him too much, but what could she do? She loved him and trusted that he would never hurt her.

But she couldn't explain that feeling to anyone else, not even her adopted guardians. The terrifying pressure those icy blue eyes put on her.

It made her want to cry and cling to him at the same time. Even if Juvia was ready to submit her body and soul to him through marriage, she knew those eyes were asking more than that from her.

He never looked at her for too long, Gray always taking back control and running to where she couldn't see him. She wondered if he knew, if he could understand what that part of him wanted from her. But he never talked about what happened between them when he woke up free from the moon's clutches.

If they were ever sleeping in the same bed, he'd be gone the next morning, sitting at the dinner table as if they hadn't been together all night. But she could tell by his blush that he remembered, which was good enough for her.

She opened the door again to greet the next group of kids, giving them each a big handful as she complimented their costumes.

"Oh, and look at you! Juvia is a mermaid too; what a wonderful costume!"

"Onee-san? Who's that scary guy behind you?" One of the girls asked as she peeked around Juvia.

She felt his aura hit her back, the mother's giving her a questionable look as she quickly asked them to leave before rushing inside.

"Gray—" He grabbed her wrist harshly, not caring as the bowl she held fell to the floor. She winced as he pulled her long, Juvia repeating his name over and over.

"Gray-sama, please, what's wrong?" A shiver ran up her spine as she stepped on the shattered ice that covered the floor, the wolf still silent as he pulled her into his room.

He closed the door with her back against it, his hand still tight on her wrist.

"You…" She shuddered, feeling that weight overcome her again, his aura stifling her own. She found it hard to breathe but couldn't even fathom the thought of looking away. He was so beautiful. "Are you scared of me?"

She rose a brow, slowly shaking her head as he dipped his against the crook of her neck.

"I can smell fear, you're scared." He growled back.

"Juvia...Juvia's not scared, honest. You just...Gray-sama like this...makes it very hard for Juvia to feel...normal." Her throat felt dry as she answered, her lip twitching as he rubbed his nose softly on her skin.

"Do you feel it right at the center of your heart?" He asked, his hand falling to her waist. "That big knot of pressure that feels like it's falling into your stomach?"

"Yes…" She answered carefully, feeling warm as he captured her gaze again.

"And it presses on your chest and makes it hard to breathe? And your knees feel so weak that even if you wanted to run away, you couldn't?"

She nodded as he caught her gaze again, a wicked smile slowly spreading across his lips.

"You'll do what I say, won't you?" He asked, retaking her hand as he led her over to the edge of his bed.

"...Juvia knows it's the moon talking, not you."

"Who said this isn't me? This is part of who I really am, you know. I'm that little voice at the back of our mind, our instinct, our true desire. I'm the wolf who wasn't supposed to exist."

"You've never told this to Juvia before." She swallowed the thick lump in her throat as he coaxed her to sit against his wall, Gray leaning over her as he played with her hair.

"I couldn't tell you before," He shrugged, her breaths still heavy as he spoke. "So? Will you do what I want? Before he wakes up?"

"Will Gray-sama remember in the morning?"

"Not unless I want him to. And I'd rather keep this a secret between the two of us."

His hands gently caressed the length of her neck, her head leaning back slightly as he looked down at her. She stared at that alluring shade of blue, watching his ears twitch and his tail way from over his shoulder. His tongue licked the tips of his fangs, the wolf slowly closing the gap between them.

It was the kind of kiss she never expected to share with Gray, the kind of kiss she wasn't ready to share with Gray. Maybe when they were older and he was confident enough to confess his feelings for her. But it seemed like entering a cheat code in a video game. He wanted this, somewhere deep down in his subconscious that grew a mind of its own. She didn't want this without his consent.

But the voice was right in a way. This was a part of him, of who he really was. Someone separated from him, yet always beside him, part of his decision-making. Was this really fair to either of them without the rest of him to keep it in line?

"No," He shook his head, tears pricking the corner of his eyes. "Please, don't stop. You don't know how long I've wanted to..."

He panted as Juvia pushed him with her hands on his shoulders, tears already streaming down her face.

"I want to kiss you so much. All the time, every day. On the forehead, on the cheek, on your lips, shoulders, fingertips, chest, legs...Juvia, please…" His hands held the shape of her face, Juvia crying as she shook her head.

"I know...but, we can't...you know that. Not if he doesn't know."

"He can't! He'd never let us touch you again, Juvia! He'd rather die than live knowing he kissed you like this." Her wrists weakly crumbled as the over-emotional wolf pulled her into his arms, crying on her shoulder as he held her. She cried too, staining his pajama top and tugging at the fabric with her hands.

"Just for tonight," The wolf pleaded again as they both began to calm somewhat. "It kills me that I never get to be with you. It's torture for a wolf; it's getting to the point where I can't stand to be away from your side; I don't get enough of you throughout the day. We have to keep it between us, you know how he is. He can't even look at you in a tank top without feeling guilty."

"Does it hurt?" She sniffled, the wolf nodding as he clenched a hand over his heart.

"We feel it every night like our heart is fading away. You're my heart, Juvia. My love, my everything. I want to fill my heart with every part of you, every second of the day."

The mermaid felt a blush crawl onto her face, staring in blank awe as he wiped away her tears.

"Your...your love?"

"Don't play around," He snickered, his tail swishing eagerly behind him. "You know that I love you more than life itself. I love you, Juvia."

"Gray...Gray-sama…"

"So? It's not just normal kissin', okay? It really fills up the hole in my heart set aside for you. I need to make sure you feel loved."

"R-Really?" She gulped as he nodded, attached to the sight of his playful gaze as he laid her against his pillow.

"That tsundere barely knows how to take care of you, let me when I have the chance."

Juvia sniffled again as she nodded, feeling swooned by this new side of Gray. This was how he acted in her fantasies; straightforward and manly, the take-charge type that never hid his thoughts from her. She was jealous of Lucy at times, knowing that Natsu would never hide things from her. But now, she finally had a chance to heal the person she loved. And who loved her.

She delicately wrapped her arms around his neck, her tongue sticking out to catch the salty taste on her lip.

He lowered himself again, his arms propped up to cage her head. He moved on hand to hold her chin steady, whispering as she gently closed her eyes.

"Stick out your tongue."

Just one more time in case you didn't read my notes, this happened before the fight between Natsu and Lucy, hence why they were hanging out together.

For legal reasons I refuse to use the word alpha

And I hope this came across in a way that made sense, the more wolf-human side of Gray is very emotional and his moods can shift really quickly without the more human-wolf side of Gray to keep himself in check!

He's a bit more juvenile and childish, and very protective, which I can't wait to show you in future chapters!

See you in my next post! Hope you enjoyed!

Keep in mind that this chapter will have something to do

Inspo music - Jordy Chandra ~ Can We Really Make Each Other Happy?