bits&pieces Chapter 19: I Could Never Hate You, a fairy tail fanfic

Tumblr Prompt Request
Requested by: firebolt-101

54. "I don't hate you. I could never hate you. That's the problem."

Gray Fullbuster paced the floor of his living room. Three stomps forward, turned around, and then three heavy steps covered the same ground. He paused for a second and threw his girlfriend, who was seated at his worn-out couch, a side glance. Her vibrant blue hair covered her face as she hanged her head low in shame and guilt. She better, he thought. His narrowed eyes travelled down the mounds pushed together by her tight, low-cut dress. Heat shot up his head, his blood boiled. The picture of Natsu nuzzled between his girlfriend's generous breasts was burned in his mind. He shuddered. Fire raged inside him with an intensity of an awoken E.N.D, threatening to escape his body. Gray Fullbuster wasn't just angry, he was fuming.

Earlier that day, when Juvia informed him about the girls' plan to hang out, Gray didn't want his girlfriend to go. Especially, when he saw Juvia in her low-cut, high-split dress accentuating his favorite parts of her body. Gray wanted to keep the water-mage to himself. Maybe, they could ruin his newly bought sheets. But it was Girls Night. He didn't want to take Juvia's freedom away. Unfortunately, that included not telling her what she should and should not wear. It was not like Juvia didn't respect his opinion about it. She would always ask and Gray always tried to play it cool; as if he didn't want to kill those bastards ogling his girlfriend when all he wanted to do was freeze them to death.

So, despite his reservations, Gray let his girlfriend go. Besides, Juvia was one of the strongest Fairy Tail mages; she could washout anyone with a flick of a finger. Also, Erza was going to be there. Juvia was in safe hands.

But boy was he wrong.

Gray had been sitting comfortably at his couch. He turned down the boys' invitation and decided he was going to wait for his girlfriend to get home. His bed was waiting for the both of them.

Juvia's dress got his heart and pulse racing. He was going to rip it off her once she came home and he wouldn't be sorry about it. The thought of Juvia pressed against his body, hot skin to hot skin, pulled the corners of his mouth upwards. But that's for later. For the mean time, he threw his head back, crossed his legs over his coffee table and relaxed.

A call from a purring Lucy peeled him off the couch. Gray bolted to the door only to come right back in when some stranger yelled at him and called him a pervert. He put on some decent clothes and rushed over to the bar in lightning speed. His girlfriend was going to get an earful.

It felt as if lightning struck him the moment he saw Juvia snuggling flame-brain at the bar. And Juvia was calling fire-breath Gray-sama? Gray Fullbuster saw red. He whizzed over to where the two were, ears red and smoking in rage.

"Juvia already misses Gray-sama."

Gray heard his girlfriend whine, pulling the man, who was not him, against her chest. The tears streamed down her grief-stricken face. She was still the sad drunk that she was. Only now, he had to add 'fails to recognize people' to that list.

Natsu mumbled something Gray could care less. The ominous aura already enveloped the ice-mage, swallowing him whole. Jealousy blinded and deafened Gray.

"Juvia." His voice was calm but the acid in it burned the spectators around the trio.

"Huh?" Juvia looked up at him through wet lashes, brows furrowed in confusion. "There are two Gray-samas?"

"Oi, Gray." Natsu managed to say, still wrapped around Juvia's tight embrace, face deep into the cleft between her breasts. "Get your girlfriend–"

Natsu didn't finish his sentence since Gray already sent him flying to the other side of the club.

Gray dragged the confused and drunk Juvia out of the club, ignoring the nasty look from the crowd. Even walked past through Erza Scarlet who yelled after them. He knew exactly where this new bad drinking habit came from. He didn't like it one bit.

Back at his apartment, when Juvia finally sobered up, Gray told her what happened. A drunken Lucy had called, giggling and amused at the fact that Juvia was throwing herself at Natsu. Blue eyes widened for what Gray took as her clear recollection of the events. Hundred apologies rained on Gray but he wouldn't be easily appeased. In fact, it was his poor, shabby floor which took the hit.

Gray couldn't get the image of some other man snuggled up to Juvia, enjoying what belonged only to Gray. She was his! All of her. They both made that clear. So, what was Juvia doing snuggling up to that fire clown?

"Juvia is really sorry. She was drunk and was seeing Natsu-san as Gray-sama."

The last sentence stopped the fuming ice-mage from his pacing and made him look at her; eyes widened in an ugly cross between appalled and utterly confused. Gray surely thought a vein popped in his head too.

"How could you even make that mistake?"

Really? How could the water-mage mistake him for that flame-brain? Their hair colors were different. Natsu had a funny shade of pink and his was as dark as the smoke cloud forming after a volcanic eruption – which was not far from what he was feeling, listening to Juvia's excuse.

"You shouldn't drink more than you can handle. You should know that Juvia."

For the first time since they got together, Gray raised his voice at the guilty water-mage.

"Juvia is aware, Gray-sama."

"No, you are not. Because if you were, you shouldn't have gotten that drunk. What if some other man took advantage of you? What if I didn't come to get you? What would you have done? Huh?"

He could already hear Juvia bit down a sob.

"That's why Juvia is sorry."

"No, sorry won't cut it."

"But nothing bad happened to Juvia." She reasoned.

But a green-eyed monster did not know logic. Gray was jealous and he couldn't see reason.

"Nothing, for now."

This time, Juvia could not hold back the tears and let them stream like a waterfall.

"D-does Gray-sama… H-hate Juvia?"

No, but he hated to see her cry. He hated it more when he was the reason for it.

Gray rubbed both palms against his face. He took a long, deep breath and tried to collect himself. His anger subsided and simmered down to frustration. Juvia was at fault and now he was the one feeling guilty. The table was quickly turned against him and left without a choice, the ice-mage conceded.

"Of course, not." He answered; his voice was gentle and coaxing.

Seated closely next to Juvia, Gray noticed how the poor girl was shaking. Whether from the cold or from his yelling, Gray scolded himself for seeing it too late. He wrapped his jacket around the water-mage's shoulders ever so gently.

"I don't hate you. I could never hate you. That's the problem." He held her chin, turning her to face him. Gentle midnight eyes found Juvia's blue ones. "You know that no matter what you do I could never hate you." He said as he wiped a tear with his thumb.

Gray held her gaze, his eyes softened as he gave his woman a reassuring smile. It didn't take Juvia long to respond to it and smiled through her tears. Peace finally settled between them.

"Is there anything Juvia can do to earn Gray-sama's forgiveness?"

He found himself drawn to her coaxing blue eyes. They were begging for forgiveness and Gray was helpless. She could easily drown him in those round blue eyes.

Gray thought for a second, not wanting to waste this opportunity. He remembered his plans from earlier. After Juvia gave flame-brain some taste of what belonged to Gray, she had to work for his forgiveness.

"C'mon." Gray took his girlfriend's hand in his, pulled the confused Juvia off the couch, and led her deeper into his apartment.

"Where is Gray-sama taking Juvia?" She asked.

"You said you wanted to earn my forgiveness? So you're going to do just about that." He vaguely informed, locking his bedroom door behind the water-mage.

And that's what Juvia did; she apologized the whole night and apologized some more the following morning.

Writer's Corner: So, I was thinking of writing down one angsty drabble which is more in keeping with the prompt but you guys know we don't do angst that much. Lol. I'm not very good at it. Oh! OH! Did you guys read Fairy Tail 100 Year Quest? Gray is so in love with Juvia. Like SO IN LOVE with his woman. I'm so hyped up. Anyways, this request has been sitting around my inbox for more than 2-3 years I guess. I'm kinda slow in taking on and finishing requests but I see it, you guys. So c'mon and drop some request.

What do you think about Juvia's apology?
Of course, sending you guys some subtle Navia love. See ya!