AN: Thank you to everyone reading this story and taking the time to leave reviews; I appreciate it more than you will ever know!

This chapter will continue with some of Juvia's backstory and switch back to the present.

WARNING: This chapter has heavy topics of noncon and abuse; please read at your own discretion

Chapter 4 Settling Debts

Weeks had passed since her alley incident with Bora, and Juvia continued to live with her "ignorance is bliss" mindset, knowing the shipment they were discussing was drugs. Her mind screamed at her to leave him; the double life he was living wasn't a world she needed to get involved with. She worked twice as hard as others to be at the top of her class; she received scholarships and grants from universities all over Fiore, giving her opportunities her parents always dreamed of. But her heart was harder to convince, he was the only constant thing in her life, and she wasn't ready to let him go just yet, but it was this inability to leave and the very moment she accepted Bora into her life that she doomed to fail.

It was the night of her 18th birthday, Juvia was finally legally allowed to leave Oak Towns Home for Youth, and Bora was taking her out to enjoy her coming of age. She was in awe of her boyfriend, who told her about the park date he had planned for her. He remembered she once told him in passing that she wanted to see the stars; she thought it would bring her newfound freedom, but what Juvia didn't know is a person who spends their time chasing the skies and aiming for the stars miss everything that is happening around them. Gradually the closer you run blindingly toward something, the closer you get pulled into the bonds of evil.

Juvia walked through the warm summer night with a smile as she and Bora traveled through the trees hand in hand. She was happy, as happy as someone who lived a life like hers could be. They occasionally stopped to share a few stolen kisses; as soon as Bora's hands began to travel, Juvia would tease him by running off so he would chase her. He seemed to enjoy their game of cat and mouse, and his cheeks turned up each time he caught her.

Juvia didn't have a lot, but she wanted tonight to be perfect since it would start a new chapter for her. So she saved up money and bought herself a dress. The white sundress reached just below her mid-thigh and had a plunging v-cut, insinuating her breast perfectly. Her blue hair cascaded in curls down her back and complicated her dress. She thought about how tonight would play out, she knew there was a possibility she and Bora might finally go all the way, and even though she was scared, she felt like it was time to take their relationship to the next step. Plus, she knew now that she was 18 that he would only push her further.

"Come this way." He smiled, tugging her hand.

"Where are we going?" Juvia couldn't help the childish giggles that pushed passed her pink lips.

He didn't respond; instead, he continued to direct the joyous girl forward. As they ran past trees, Juvia began to see the familiar glow of a campfire, and she relished in the thought of a romantic night ahead of them while they waited for the stars. She grew more excited as they ran in the opening; her heart was beating against her ribs until she recognized the familiar figures of Bora's friend, the elements sitting around the flame with beers in their grasp.

"Bora!" They greeted drunkenly, tossing a can of beer in his direction, which the blue-haired man easily caught.

"We were starting to think you wouldn't come," Totomaru smirked, and even though his comment was geared towards Bora, his eyes never left Juvia, precisely her frame. The cerulean-haired girl flenched and wrapped her arms around herself protectively as the man's eyes unashamedly danced across her figure, licking his lips and smiling when their eyes met.

"I told you I would come," Bora replied, sounding board as he moved to sit beside them. His hand held Juvia's in a tight grip as he tugged her onto his lap. His arm snaked across her waist and held her down against him, knowing Juvia rather be anywhere else.

The men eyed each other with knowing looks, but no one dared to speak, only causing Juvia's discomfort to grow. Bora must have felt how tense she grew by the minute because he pushed her hair to the side and whispered against her ear. "Don't worry, just relax."

Juvia wanted to, she really wanted just to be able to relax, but she didn't trust any of the other men here. No matter how many times she tried to convenience herself otherwise, it wasn't true, she knew they were all men of Phantom Lord, and they weren't men to take lightly, Bora included.

"I want to leave." She whispered back.

Bora rolled his eyes and chugged the last of his beer before throwing the empty can into the groups growing pile. He reached for a new one and wasted no time before draining the bitter liquid down his throat once more. "Don't be such a killjoy." He said simply, followed by a burp.

Juvia's nose scrunched as his beer breath flooded her nostrils, her mind screamed at her to leave, but her body was froze in her spot as her chest continued to pound. A lump formed in her throat as Bora's hands caressed the skin of her thighs, slowly tracing his fingers higher each time.

"Stop," Juvia whispered, holding his hand in place, but he ignored her.

She was too distracted by his actions to notice Totomaru move from his spot across from the couple to sitting directly beside them. She jumped when she felt his hands gently tug at her curled hair that ran down her back. "You somehow get prettier each time I see you." He flirted, twirling her locks between his fingers.

Juvia flinched from his grasp and tried to move from Bora's lap again, but her boyfriend only squeezed her down tighter. She tried to stand up once more, but Bora's vice hold prevented her from moving at all. So instead, she looked at him with a questionable glare, her eyes screaming at him to let her go, but Bora only stared at her unbothered.

That's when she felt a rough hand grasp her jaw, twisting her head painfully, as a pair of blunt lips pressed to hers. She cried out from the sudden tension she felt on her jaw, and they used that opportunity to push their tongue past her lips. When her eyes finally focused on the person in front of her, she saw that it was Totomaru who was kissing her.

Although she couldn't pull herself from her spot-on Bora's lap, she used all her strength in her upper body to shove Totomaru away from her in disgust. The push nearly knocked the three of them over, and Juvia used the opportunity to climb to her feet. However, she didn't wait for either of the men to collect themselves before slapping Totomaru roughly while her other hand came up to wipe her mouth. His cheek was red, and her hand stung, but Juvia could care less. She just wanted to go home to the orphanage she was excited to be away from.

"Juvia is leaving." She spat, ready to storm off, but she had barely begun to walk away when Totomaru's fingers wrapped around her arm, his nails digging into her soft skin, leaving welts. She opened her mouth to yell at him to let her go, but her words shoved back down her throat as he backhanded her roughly across the face. Juvia shouted in pain, and her legs gave out from under her as she was knocked to the side. The only thing keeping her standing was Totomaru's grasp on her arm. She looked at the man in shock, fresh tears threatening to spill from her eyes, then she shifted her glare to Bora, waiting for him to say something, but he only pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and began to smoke.

The feeling of betrayal and being heartbroken flooded her senses as Totomaru spun her around, so her back was pressed against his front. The hand that once held her arm laced around her neck as his other arm wrapped around her small frame just under her chest, pushing her breast higher. The tips of his finger traced the edges of her v-neck, dancing along the exposed skin. "I thought you said she was willing to clear your debts?"

"What?" Juvia's words were laced with perfidy. Totomaru chuckled, turning his head, pressing his lips to the shell of her ear, and Juvia instantly jolted away.

"He didn't tell you? His one of the shipment men for Phantom Lord, but you see, your little boyfriend decided to get a little greedy. His shipments were coming up shorter and shorter, he was getting sloppy, and Jose was starting to notice." Totomaru explained as his two other friends looked back in amusement. Bora, on the other hand, had avoided Juvia's daggering glares.

"But don't worry, little blue, I was able to talk Jose from killing your little boyfriend but not without a price-"

"Enough," Bora interrupted, standing up from his spot and tossing the bud of his cigarette into the burning flame. "I told you she's good, so she's good. She's 18, so you don't need to worry about getting charged for being with a minor."

"Yeah, just rape." One of the men on the side laughed.

"I'm sure that hasn't stopped you before." Bora shrugged, and when her pleading eyes finally met his, he only stared back at her coldly. His eyes held no remorse for what was about to happen, for what he planned to happen to her to get out of his own troubles.

"Bora, please." She begged one last time. This couldn't be the man she had loved so passionately these past months. He wasn't the same Bora she had just chased through the woods with just 10 minutes before.

"Make it quick."

Bora turned to leave, but the two other men stood blocking his path.

"What is this?"

"You think we'd just take your girlfriend, so you report us for assault and get away with everything for free? No, you will be a part of this Bora, so don't be afraid to get your hands dirty." Totomaru explained.

Knowing this would not end well for her, Juvia thrashed in Totomaru's grasp; she shook her body ferociously, throwing her head side to side in any attempt to loosen herself from him. "Let me go!" She screamed loudly, hoping to get the attention of potential nearby hikers.

She was about to scream again until one of the other guys, whose name she could never remember clearly, delivered a rough blow to her gut. The pain was sharp, and Juvia found herself gasping for air.

"Ma chere, all this screaming is no good; this can't be continued." The French man spoke in a disapproving tone.

Juvia's mouth gaped open as her stomach continued to ache; dizziness and metallic fluid flooded her senses as a thin trail of blood dripped from the corner of her mouth from Totomaru's earlier slap. She was still trying to stabilize herself from the man's impact when she felt Totomaru shove her forward into the soft piles of dirt.

Juvia let out a strangled yelp as she fell onto her hands and knees in front of the men. The flimsy material of the bottom of her dress lifted, giving them a higher view of her soft pale thighs. Totomaru laughed as Juvia quickly tried to pull the fabric down, but he slapped her hand away, tugging the dress further until he could see the plump skin of her ass that peeked out from her underwear. Juvia's attempts to crawl away were futile as the bigger man with them, who had yet to say anything throughout the entire struggle, quickly pulled her back from her ankles.

No matter how much she attempted to flee their holds, they only stared at her, amused as if they were enjoying the fight she was getting them. Her once white dress was tainted brown from the soil beneath her; it was almost humorous how much she spent on the dress in order to impress Bora, only for him to offer her up to cover his troubles.

Her throat was burning from the fearful girl's relentless cries as the group of men teamed up to hold her down forcefully. The two men she didn't know the names of each held her legs while Totomaru held down her wrist above her head.

Trails of tears fell freely from her eyes, and Juvia couldn't stop herself from hyperventilating, choking on her sobs as Bora approached her.

"Please, please let Juvia go; she won't say anything." She pleaded for her life, but they ignored her and stared at Bora expectantly. The dark blue-haired man was lost in gaze at Juvia's appearance and hesitated; she thought he might have changed his mind and would demand the men to stop until Totomaru's threatening voice spoke.

"Don't get cold feet now. Either you do this or deal with Jose, your pick?"

Without much coaxing, Bora dropped to his knees in front of her anguished form and moved between her spread legs. He leaned forward to press his forehead against hers, but Juvia quickly turned her head, not giving him the satisfaction. "I'm sorry." He whispered in her ear as he started pushing her dress up her creamy thighs, but Juvia knew the apology was empty, one to make himself feel better. Her chest fumed in disgust while he sucked on her neck, maybe in an attempt to make her feel something, to make this situation a better one for her, but she felt nothing but fear and hatred for all the men around her.

"Juvia will never forgive you." Bora's lips formed a thin line at her words. She felt Totomaru's hands squeeze her wrist harshly, digging his nails into her for his own pleasure as Bora began roughly tugging the fabric of her dress in different directions, ignoring how she cried helplessly.

Juvia's sobs became unsettlingly loud until she felt a rough hand claw at her neck, blocking her airway. "You will never forgive me?" Bora snapped as he pulled out a small blade from his pocket and began cutting away the side of her underwear. "You have teased me for months, holding out as if you are this grand prize, but I'll show you just how much you are worth." The man spoke bitterly, ignoring how Juvia's face turned red from her lack of oxygen. She couldn't even focus on Bora's other hand swiftly undoing his belt, pulling his pants down only far enough to release his throbbing member, the sadistic man feeling turned on by their positions.

Juvia's eyes shut as she waited for the feeling of pain to arrive until suddenly, there was a popping noise through the air and warm liquid splattering on her pulled her, halting everyone's movements. An iron smell of blood poured into her nose as the hand Bora used to crush her windpipe fell limp from her neck, and his body crashed onto hers.

She felt the two other guys release her legs as they reached for the holsters on their belts, but they weren't fast enough. Two more pops shot through the air, and Juvia recognized it as the muffle noises of a silencer on a gun.

Between the deaths of the three men, Totomaru lost his grip on Juvia; it took all her strength to push the dead weight of Bora off her frame, as she quickly covered herself, sitting up and crawling backward until she was flushed against a nearby tree.

Totomaru rose to his feet, ready to run, when a bullet entered his left calf resulting in a horrifying cry escaping his mouth. Juvia pulled at the edges of her dress as she watched Totomaru's attempt to crawl away from their assailants.

Soon two white-haired men walked into the clearing, guns held firmly in their hands as they approached the two-toned-haired man. One man was older; his hair was long and reached his mid-back, while the other was considerably younger. He wore glasses on the edge of his nose, and his hair was pulled to one side, held together by a thin hair tie.

The younger man walked towards Totomaru slowly, like a predator stalking his prey, while the hurt man willed all his muscles to try to flee. Juvia winced as she watched the man stomp the heel of his shoe against the bullet wound, blood splitting out of the hole, and painful wails roared from Totomaru's throat.

Juvia's body began to tremble as she forced her hands over her ears, trying to block out the noise of Totomaru's cries. She wanted to run away and go somewhere far away from this place, but her body was petrified with dread.

"That's enough, Invel." A low voice came passed the trees where a raven-haired man approached them. As he walked closer and Juvia got a better look at his face, she couldn't help but gasp.

"Of course, Lord Zeref," Invel replied as he halted his attacks.

Juvia never grew up sheltered, and if she was aware of who Phantom Lord was, then she surely knew who The Dark Lord Zeref was, the man who ruled the underground streets and all illegal activities that happened in the city. He had businessmen, police, and pretty much anyone with powerful influences wrapped around his finger.

She could help but shiver at the sight of the infamous leader calmly approaching Totomaru with an unreadable expression. "You and Phantom Lord try to challenge Spriggan? Try to mock our capabilities; you know I can't ignore that.'' Zeref spoke, kneeling in front of the injured man while tisking his tongue and waving his finger like he was talking to a child.

"I don't-I don't know what you are talking about." Totomaru huffed out through his pain.

Zeref frowned while nodding his head; Juvia almost thought he believed him until he swiftly reached over and stabbed his finger into the fresh wound on Totomaru's leg. Screams of agony filled the air around them, and Juvia roughly clamped her hand over her mouth to block the noise of her skittish sobs.

"Please, please, I'm sorry. I won't ever do it again, I swear." Totomaru yelled through his clenched teeth as his body jerked forward when Zeref twisted his finger in his flesh.

"So you admit that you just tried to lie to me?" Zeref whispered in a humorous tone. After a few seconds of self-incriminating silence, Zeref as he twirled his finger in the laceration, clawing his nails to scrap inside the injury.

"I'll do anything you want, please." He begged once more. Juvia could tell these words seemed to satisfy him, and Zeref carelessly ripped his finger from Totomaru with a smile.

"Anything?"

"Yes, please, I'll do anything."

With a manic grin, Zeref reached behind his coat and pulled out his gun. With a firm hand, he grasped Totomaru's and forced him to wrap his fingers around the handle. The other man's palms began to sweat as he clenched the gun with his quivering grip.

"I want you…to take this gun…." Zeref explained as he drew out each syllable of his words with anticipation, his hand clutching over Totomaru's to ensure he had a satisfactory clasp and turned the gun's barrel, so it was facing the two-tone-haired man. "Put it in your mouth and shoot it."

Totomaru stared at him in fear, his head shaking slowly as he stumbled over his words. "N-no"

"Do it," Zeref repeated, losing his smile this time.

"Please-"

"Do it!"

"No!" Totomaru sobbed.

Something passed the level of fury passed Zeref's face as he grabbed Totomaru by his hair with all his strength, chunks of his white and black follicles falling off into the dirt-filled ground as his other hand forced the gun closer to his face while growling, "Take the fucking gun, put it in your mouth, and fucking shoot it."

Totomaru's lips trembled as his face scrunched in pain, and his eyes shined in defiance as he shoved Zeref away with all his might. Juvia's eyes widened as the Dark Lord tumbled onto the ground, his elbows supporting his weight as he stared at Totomaru with interest. The man let out a deafening yell as he shut his eye tightly and pulled the trigger of the gun aimed toward Zeref.

Just like he planned, nothing came out. Not when he pulled the trigger a second time or a third, the gun was empty. The comicness in Zeref's face left as his eyes darkened. "Kill him."

Totormaru didn't have the chance to plead for his life before Invel pressed the gun to his temple and shooting him between his eyes.

As his body hit the floor, Juvia felt her arm enter a vice grip, and she was tugged forward by a woman with flaming red hair. "What should we do with her?" Juvia felt her heartbeat against her rib cage as Zeref's eyes gave her a quick once over as he silently decided her fate. Then, he moved towards her, lightly tugging her hair with his blood-soaked fingers and looking up and down her frame.

"Today must be your lucky day." Zeref said in a humorous tone before turning away towards the front of the group. "Send her to Brandish."

Juvia opened her eyes, gasping as she was pulled from the dream of her past, clawing at her skin as she tried to calm her breathing. Unfortunately, the hand she felt resting on her back did nothing to calm her down and only set the girl over the edge further with how much she wished it were Gray. It had been a few days since Zeref allowed Juvia out of the confinement of his bedroom. He was more possessive than usual, and as the days went by, Juvia could only wonder what Gray was doing. He'd be a fool not to know how her days were filled, but Juvia couldn't help and wonder if he used this time to find comfort from other outlets. She felt herself shiver, and the thought alone was enough to make her feel nauseous.

As she slowly opened her eyes, Zeref stared back at her with a concerned gaze. The sheets pooled to his lower half as he moved closer to her. He knew she had a nightmare; she had them plenty of times before, and he had his own shared few.

Her breathing was heavy as she tried to calm herself down, and she didn't fight as he pulled her in her arms. "It's okay."

Juvia rested her cheek on his chest as her forehead leaned on his neck. "What happened?" He asked hesitantly. Juvia pushed down her surprise; he was never one to pry.

"The night Zeref killed Totomaru," she answered honestly; there was a pregnant pause before she continued, "the things they try to do Juvia if Zer-if Spriggan didn't come."

Zeref remembered that night; they had followed Phantom Lord's movements for a while. They made many threats and accusations against Spriggan, enough so they could no longer ignore it. Their arrival when Juvia was assailed was nothing more than a coincidence, a lucky thing for her.

At the time, he never thought much about that night; it wasn't until much later, when he eventually started noticing Juvia, that he felt furious at the memories of the men holding her down and planning to take turns on the girl who was now his. A wave of similar anger rose to his chest even now in his bed as he thought about her with another man.

His arms tightened around her possessively as he thought about it over and over again, soon his thoughts drifting to the name she spoke in her sleep just days before. "Gray-sama," The name that haunted his every thought since the day she sloppily spoke it.

"Zeref-sama," Juvia whined uncomfortably, her hands pressing on his chest in an attempt to distance herself from him, but Zeref wasn't having it. She was his to do as he pleased; she should be thankful that he gave her the interest he did instead of trying to push him away.

"Juvia…" Zeref started in a careful tone. "Who is Gray?"

Juvia's body went stiff at the mention of her lover's name, a bodily reaction that was uncontrollably and undoubtedly unmissed by Zeref.

"Hmm?" He hummed, annoyed, as he dipped his hand into her neck, sucking at her porcelain skin.

"He is just one of Juvia's clients." She spoke in a shaky tone. She twisted her neck in an attempt to pull away from him, but Zeref used the opportunity to clamp his teeth down harshly at her nape, causing her to whimper in distress.

"Who is he?" Zeref asked again in a warning tone.

"He is just a client, Zeref-sama." Her voice panicked and betrayed her every word.

"You know how I feel about you lying."

"Juvia isn't lying." She tried to reason, but her plea was useless.

"Fine," Zeref grunted through his teeth. Red flames of fury flickered in his eyes as he forced Juvia to lie on her stomach. The full weight of his body pressed her further into the mattress as he possessively claimed her.

Tears dripped from her eyes as her hands clenched the sheets beneath her; every sensation of pain she felt from his thrust was matched with a similar wave of disgust. He'd be over soon. So she told herself as she buried her face into her pillow, muffling her arduous grunts while Zeref's nails dug forcefully into her skin as he pumped in and out of her on the rhythm of his own beat.

Juvia cursed herself for letting his gentle moments and sinfully skilled actions cloud her judgment of who Zeref was. She cursed herself for being reckless and allowing Gray's identity to be somehow known. They had been careful to keep their affair hidden, so much so that Juvia couldn't even begin to think of how Zeref learned that Gray held some importance over just a regular client.

Zeref, on the other hand, was battling his own internal demons as he tried to prove to her that she was nothing more than his plaything to take whenever he pleased. Unlike his soft comfort from before, this Zeref was harsh and merciless towards her. His hand pushed the side of her head into the bed as he moved in her like a madman. Juvia couldn't stop the sounds of throaty howls that escaped her mouth as Zeref continued to abuse her body.

His animalistic groans filled the room, and Juvia sobbed in discomfort as the tips of his fingers dipped into her skull. She did not attempt to fight back, knowing it would prolong her torture, and simply lay there until it was over. His lean body weakened with his release, and the raven-haired boss collapsed all his weight onto her, his hand lacing her hair and tugging it roughly, so his mouth was at her ear.

"Don't you forget who you fucking belong to." He huffed breathlessly, forcefully pushing her head away from him as he slid his body to sit at the edge of the bed. With shaky arms, Juvia lifted her body, trying to collect herself from the events that had just played out a moment before. She felt as if she couldn't breathe, fearing that her gasp would anger him, so she did her best to calm herself silently.

Rising to his feet, Zeref approached the broken girl, running his hand in her hair, ignoring how her body flinched sharply from his touch. In a way, it was good; this fear would keep her by his side. The raven-haired man quickly got dressed and left the room without another sound.

Juvia didn't move or say a word; she didn't even dare to breathe until she heard the sound of Zeref talking to his men further down the hall. She gasped for air, her chest tightening as broken sobs escaped her mouth. More than ever, it was clear to her that whether she stayed or ran, Juvia would die at the hands of Zeref.

Juvia carefully dragged herself out of bed, trying to ignore the pain that radiated between her legs, but every step she took felt like she was being torn further. She didn't hold back her sobs as she trailed along the foot of the bed for support attempting to head in the direction of the restroom. Juvia paused mid-step, crossing her legs and hunching over to relieve some of her discomfort. Her fist drained of color as she dug her nails into her palm, her lips pressed into a thin line, trying to contain her shaky breath while her eyes were clamped shut.

It wasn't until the sound of the door opening that Juvia was driven out of her concentration, and her legs gave out from under her. On instinct, the girl hastily brought her knees to her chest and held her hands up pleadingly, fearing that it was Zeref who had returned.

Juvia's body shook until a womanly sigh sounded through the room. "Oh, hon…" Her voice was full of pity as she went on her knees in front of Juvia and caressed her hair softly. Juvia didn't need to open her eyes to see who it was; frankly, she was too embarrassed to be found in such a state, not that he hadn't done worse before.

"He sent me to get you cleaned up."

"Brandish-san…" Juvia cried, leaning into her touch. The green-haired woman bit her lip as she let Juvia cry into her. Brandish had been in charge of all the girls who worked with the clientele that came into Spriggan. She trained, fed them, and, most of all, loved them. Unfortunately, the girls in their world knew little of kindness, most coming from rough backgrounds just like Juvia's, some even worse. However, Brandish loved all her girls as her own, and there wasn't anything she wasn't willing to do for them, or so she thought.

Seeing Juvia like this always broke her piece by piece; there were many girls Brandish had failed to protect over the years and many regrets she wished she could back on, but Juvia was by far her biggest failure. Unlike her other girls, Brandish did everything in her power to help them and lead them; if they failed, it was by their own demise, but Juvia was a different story. Once Zeref developed his sick fascination with her, there was nothing Brandish could do to protect her. When Zeref would send her to retrieve Juvia on days like these, she regretted every second of her life since she recommended Juvia to become one of the few elite girls to Zeref.

With her pale skin and big eyes, Juvia was an instant favorite in the crowd, she was constantly sought out, and men demanded her time. Brandish thought she was doing her a favor by sending her up the pipeline. The money was better, she had to deal with fewer men, and it was supposed to be safer. What a fool she was for always assuming she knew what was best.

"Juvia hates him," the broken girl choked into Brandish's chest, clenching the fabric of her coat while she rubbed the younger girl's back.

"I know, baby, I know. Let's just clean you up. You can stay the night with me, okay? Just leave me to deal with him." Brandish knew she could never defy Zeref entirely, but she could be very persistent and persuasive if needed. Of course, he wouldn't be happy with her for taking Juvia for the night, but he'd get over it eventually. After all, there wasn't a force in the world that could keep him away from her for too long.

AN: Later chapters will go more into Juvia's time arriving at Spriggan, but I think this is a fine place to leave it for now. I know many of you are missing Gray and want to see him again, fret not; he will be returning in the next chapter!

Side note: As most of us did, I feel like too many of us were okay with Zeref and Juvia's relationship until now, which is my fault for how I wrote Juvia in the second chapter.

I was trying to express the emotions of someones minds wanting one thing but their body reacts another way to they are confused about how they should be feeling which is why so many of us, including Juvia thought she might feel more for Zeref than she actually does.

I put alot of thought whether I was going to add the scene between Juvia and Zeref in this chapter and decided to move forward with it to remind everyone that Zeref is not good guy. He is abusive, sadistic, and controlling.