Juvia and Gajeel followed Cana and Gray back to the hotel, but this time, the water mage wasn't stalking them. She walked normally beside her friend, crestfallen and thoughtful. Gajeel knew there was something wrong with her, usually she was always excited when it came to the stripper mage.

"What's going on, Rain Woman?" he asked. "When it comes to that idiot, you lose all reason and now you're so low and quiet"

Juvia sighed and looked ahead thoughtfully. "Juvia wanted to be with Gray-sama like Cana-san . They looked so good together. She wanted Juvia and Gray-sama's relationship to be similar," she said in a slightly sad tone.

Gajeel snorted and rolled his eyes. "I don't know what you're talking about, Juvia. You two seem inseparable in the guild, which makes me sick."

"Gajeel-kun thinks!?", she said looking at him in surprise.

"Unfortunately yes!" he grumbled. "Look Juvia… He doesn't even know we're here and that perverted drunk woman and he are on a job here and are friends. Just like everyone else in Fairy Tail. Also, I don't think there's too much happening between them. And besides, you're... we're just a short time between them. You can't expect there to be the same treatment they give each other and the two of us."

Juvia looked at him in amazement and, after processing the information for a while, she smiled and hugged her friend. Gajeel grunted, embarrassed by her hug and display of affection.

"Thank you, Gajeel-kun. You are Juvia's true friend", she said clinging to him.

"Alright, woman! Now let go of me!" he yelled in exasperation, slightly flushed and embarrassed. Juvia released him and laughed at him. They walked back to the hotel.


Gajeel and Juvia were heading towards their rooms and talking. "Gajeel-kun is right. Juvia must trust Gray-sama. She thinks we should come back tomorrow and leave them to their work."

"First sensible thing you've said all day," grumbled the Dragon Slayer.

They were passing in front of a door when they heard an argument inside the room...

"Cana! Why are you naked!?", Juvia heard and immediately identified that voice, she wouldn't confuse her even in the midst of 1 million people, it was Gray.

"As if you didn't know!" replied the brunette.

"But you need to stay now… and here?"

"And where else would I stay? I'm surprised you're still dressed."

"Don't give me that story!"

"Ah, at least you took your shirt off, HAHAHA!"

"Filth!"

"I don't know what you're complaining about, Gray. There's nothing here that you haven't seen before."

Gajeel and Juvia stood on the other side of the door listening with open mouths. They didn't know what to do or how to react. For Juvia the world seemed to collapse and her eyes filled with tears. For Gajeel, even though he considers them friends, hurting Juvia's feelings was unforgivable and he was filled with rage. Everything only got worse when he saw the state of Juvia, beside him. You can even hear thunder outside and a rain starting to fall. He knew very well that this wasn't a natural rain, it was Juvia who was causing it.

"Enough of that! I'm going to kill these idiots!" he was about to bust down the door, when a hand grabbed his arm. Gajeel turned back and saw Juvia's sad face, stained by the tears that streamed down her face. She begged him not to do anything, she needs him, her friend right now. Gajeel sighed and nodded. He helped her to her room.

He sat her down on the bed as they entered the room, closing the door behind him. Juvia was inconsolable and the rain was beating hard against the window. Gajeel paced like a beast trapped and ready to explode.

"I can't believe those two would be able to do that. T… that they are doing this", snorted Gajeel feeling hate.

"Can you... can you... can you hear them?", Juvia asked wistfully, looking only down. She couldn't look elsewhere.

"I think I could, but I don't want to hear anything," said the Dragon Slayer. "If you hadn't interrupted me..."

"Gajeel-kun, you would be regretting it right now. You may be angry now, but they are still our friends", Juvia said and put her hands on her face, stifling a cry.

Gajeel looked at her and snorted. "That guy doesn't deserve you Juvia. Stop running after him. What has he done for you so far? Anything!" Juvia didn't look at him, she kept her hands on her face, her head down and the rain continued to fall outside. "Look Juvia. Today I didn't do anything, for you. But tomorrow those two will see with me. Whether you like it or not", he sighed, looking at his friend in that state of deep sadness. He knew her heart had been broken, torn apart by the person she loved most in the world. He couldn't leave things behind, not when it came to someone messing with someone important to him.

"Damn it, Juvia! Look around you! Do you really think he's worth it all! He knows you like him, and yet he does what he does. He doesn't give you any satisfaction," Gajeel sighed again. "He's not obligated to love you back, but at least he should have the manliness to give you an answer, not keep you waiting for him your whole life, playing with your feelings. Want to love someone like that? Who doesn't care about you and is doing whatever with that drunk woman?" Juvia stopped and looked at him with teary eyes and swollen face. Gajeel seeing her huffed, anger taking over him again. "You know what, Juvia! I'm going to go over there and beat him until he's a man," he said, turning his back on her, heading towards the door.

"Gajeel-kun wait!", asked Juvia, making him stop in front of the door and turn his face towards her. "Gajeel-kun is wrong about Gray-sama. He is not like that"

"Stop trying to defend him and open your eyes, Juvia! He doesn't care about you or your feelings," the Dragon Slayer retorted.

"You do not understand! Gray-sama took the rain from her, he gave her friends, she is only happy today because of him"

"I can see it," Gajeel said sarcastically, noticing the rain outside and Juvia's depressed air.

"Gray-sama has never done anything to hurt Juvia. He was always a good friend and companion to her. He was always there for her when everyone in the guild was still afraid of her and he always supported Juvia," she said between sobs and tears. "If he didn't say anything to Juvia about him and Cana-san, it was because he didn't want to hurt her feelings. That's why they're hiding," she lowered her head, letting the tears run down her face and fall to the floor.

"If he really cared about you, he would tell you the truth", sighed Gajeel and turned around sitting next to her and pulling her into a shy hug.

This sort of thing wasn't easy for him, but his friend needed him right now. Juvia buried her face in his chest and cried copiously. She, like it or not, the next day Gray would have to deal with him.

Tired of crying, Juvia fell asleep on Gajeel's chest. He picked her up and laid her on the bed gently, taking her boots off so she was more comfortable and covered her. He decided to sleep in her room if she needed help and to keep her from waking up and doing something stupid. As soon as they changed guilds, they only had each other and a strong friendship developed over time. Gajeel wouldn't admit it, but he thought very highly of Juvia as a friend and wouldn't let anything happen to her.


"Hear something?" Gray asked.

"Except for this rain that started to fall out of nowhere, no," replied Cana.

"Is there anyone in the hallway?"

"It's possible, someone might have stopped to listen to you complaining for nothing", said the brunette with nothing covering her.

Gray turned to her, staring at her deathly. "I'm complaining because it's totally inconvenient to find someone wearing nothing in the middle of a room"

"Really, Gray? You talking about being inconvenient to meet someone naked. Have you ever looked in the mirror?", replied Cana sarcastically and looking at him maliciously.

The ice mage looked in the closet mirror and realized he was also naked and ran across the room getting his clothes. Meanwhile, Cana laughed at her friend and his despair.

"It's the dirty talking about the poorly washed. HAHAHA!", laughed Cana.

"Shut up, Cana! And go take your shower, and then I'll be," Gray snapped angrily.

"Yes yes. I'm coming, you stripper!", Cana said walking into the bathroom.

The next day, Gray was hunched over the window waiting for his friend to vacate the bathroom and finish getting ready so they could have breakfast and start their mission. They would need to meet with the contractor and see what the job was about. As they arrived late, they didn't have time to go talk to him the day before.

The ice mage was looking at the cityscape and the wineries in the distance thoughtfully when he heard the door open and Cana walking out in her underwear, something that didn't even bother him anymore.

"Clothes, Gray," she said to the fleece looking at her.

"Not again!" he snarled as he looked down at himself. I immediately walk across the room picking up and putting on the clothes he's thrown away without even realizing it.

After he got dressed he talked to his partner. "We have to talk to whoever hired us. Following the mission role he lives out of town in a winery. We can't waste time, understand!?", he said seriously looking at the brunette.

Cana shrugged disdainfully and sat on the bed crossing her legs sensually. "Don't worry Gray. You know I always do my job right and at my pace."

Gray sighed heavily and put a hand to his face, shaking his head in disappointment, but already expecting it. "Sometimes this way of yours irritates me. This is serious work. Could it be more professional?"

"I'm a professional, honey," retorted Cana with a naughty smile.

"Get up and let's go," Gray said with a slight smile on his face. If there was one thing about Cana, it was that he couldn't stay mad at her for long. The brunette with the cards laughed and stood up, following behind him to the bedroom door.

When he opened the door, he was surprised. There were two people staring at him...

"Juvia!", Gray said surprised and wide-eyed.

"Gajeel, too!", Cana said right away.

Juvia and Gajeel looked at them with strange expressions. She could barely look at Gray, while Gajeel seemed to glare at them and ready to attack them. Gray could tell Juvia was weird, she always ran towards him and hugged him when they saw each other, but at that moment she barely looked at him. Her swollen face looked like she had been crying all night, he thought.

"Hey…what are you doing here?", Cana asked and leaned on Gray.

Juvia saw and turned her face, saddened. Gajeel frowned angrily and made a disgusted expression at the two, who were looking at them expectantly.

Gajeel had already seen too much. "Aren't you ashamed!?" the Dragon Slayer yelled angrily. Gray and Cana looked at him confused, not understanding what he was talking about.

"Shame on what?" asked Cana.

"As if you didn't know!" he said irritably. "Don't think we didn't hear you two together last night," he yelled.

"Gajeel-kun!", Juvia grabbed his arm, trying to dissuade him. Gray looked at the two of them and he felt a slight discomfort rise in his belly.

"No, Juvia! I have to say this!", he turned to the ice mage and the brunette, after taking Juvia's hands away from him. "How long have you two been sleeping together?" he asked bluntly.

Gray looked at him blankly, but Cana laughed heartily. "Gray and I always sleep together when we go out on a job. Don't you?" she said in an amused, carefree way.

Gajeel looked at them displeased, he didn't understand how it was so simple for her to reveal something of that nature in front of him, even more in front of Juvia and with Gray beside her. After her reply, however, thunder rumbled outside and the sound of a thunderstorm rippled through the hotel. Gray looked around and his eyes landed on Juvia, who looked depressed and somber.

Gajeel looked at his friend and raged, refocusing on the other two mages in front of him. "How dare you admit it!? And how dare you ask about me and Juvia!? This can only come from a perverted drunk!" he yelled.

"Ga... Gajeel- kun. We'd better go", said Juvia, downcast and weak and sad, pulling him away. The Dragon Slayer, however, wanted to continue confronting the other two.

"Juvia, are you... Is everything okay?", Gray asked worriedly.

"Shut up, you perverted, clueless stripper!" Gajeel butted in between the ice mage and the bluenett. They exchanged defiant looks.

"HEY!", Cana said, with her hands on her hips and a disapproving look. "Don't call me a drunk! And if you don't sleep together it's because you don't know it's better that way, you idiot!"

Gajeel glared at her. "Excuse-me!? Do you think it's okay for two guildmates to sleep together!? I would never do that to Juvia or anyone else! You're an idiot!", he yelled, staring at her.

"Well, worse for you! I'm not the one who's going to spend the most on a hotel stay anyway," Cana shrugged and assumed a superior pose.

Gajeel and Juvia looked at her confused and not understanding anything. "What…what are you talking about?", Gajeel asked.

"What do you mean what am I talking about?", replied the brunette. "Two bedrooms adds to the fire. Sleeping together, sharing a room, we can split the bill. Isn't it logical? That's better than wasting money like you two."

"You mean you two were just…sharing a room? You weren't doing... you know...", Gajeel asked a little embarrassed.

Gray and Cana looked at him for a while , until they understood what he was talking about. When they noticed, Cana started to laugh uncontrollably and Gray blushed, feeling both embarrassed and irritated at the same time.

"HAHAHA!... Me... and... him? HAHAHA!", Cana laughed while Gray blushed and Gajeel and especially Juvia looked at them expectantly.

"Shut up!" Gray yelled angrily at the friend beside him. He looked at Juvia who was looking at him expectantly and with a little hope. "What made you think that we...?"

"Well...yesterday we were in the hallway when we heard you two talking and...", Gajeel started talking, not knowing where to start.

"See, I said someone was listening to your tantrum," Cana said, giving Gray a light pat on the shoulder, who frowned at her.

"You started it", he said and the two started to argue in front of Gajeel and Juvia, who had no reaction and could not understand what those two were talking about.

"Well that doesn't matter!" Gray said at last, after minutes of pointless arguing. "You don't know how uncomfortable Cana Alberona can be sometimes," he said to the two mages in front of him. "She was unclothed, but she was just going to take a shower. This all must have been a misunderstanding", he said looking especially at Juvia.

Juvia went in front of Gajeel, pushing him aside and looked at Gray with eyes shining, there was no more rain noise. "You mean… you mean there's nothing between Cana-san and Gray-sama?"

"Well…no, I mean…just friendship, I guess," he said with a slight blush on his face and awkwardly.

Juvia's eyes sparkled even more and she opened a wide and happy smile. She ran and jumped on top of Gray hugging him. "Juvia is so happy that Gray-sama is still single, just waiting for her!"

"Juvia, keep calm!" he shouted desperately. Cana looked at them and laughed.

"Apparently it was just a misunderstanding. But anyway, why do you have to walk around without clothes on?", Gajeel asked directly to Cana.

"She always does that," Gray commented.

"Stop trying to seduce Gray-sama, Cana- san!", Juvia said looking at her with a frown.

"Oh, shut up!" the brunette shouted. "What's the problem anyway? There's nothing here that Gray hasn't already seen. Besides he's used to it, he's just a whiner," she crossed her arms haughtily.

Juvia and Gajeel turned their attention to Gray, who looked at them annoyed. "What did she mean by that, Gray-sama? How could you have seen Cana-san's body with nothing on?", Juvia said sadly.

"No... it's not like that!", he said stuttering. "We… we live together, I mean… like roommates back in the day. Before she moved to Fairy Hills," he explained. "And because she's crazy, she always walked around the apartment with nothing on before showering. I got used to it," he shrugged, but with slight embarrassment.

"Stop calling me crazy! I just went from the bedroom to the bathroom. It was practical", Cana defended herself.

"You two lived together...!?", Juvia said looking between them.

"It was a long time ago. And we don't have time to explain", Gray replied, making Juvia even more curious.

"Well, now that it's all cleared up… You two still haven't said what you're doing here?" Cana asked.

"We are returning from work. It was just coincidence that we stayed at the same hotel as you two," Gajeel replied.

"It was fate...", Juvia said hugging Gray who looked at her annoyed.

"Well, it doesn't matter. Come on Gray!", Cana walked past Gajeel looking back, calling out to her friend. Gray freed himself from Juvia and followed the brunette. "You two can join us for coffee break."

Gajeel was going to decline the offer, but Juvia was quicker and readily accepted, dragging the Dragon Slayer along with her. The group of mages walked through the halls to and out of the hotel. Cana didn't want to eat there, choosing a diner a few blocks away. As soon as they entered and chose a table, Juvia tried to sit next to her lover, but Cana took her place, unconsciously. Gray and Cana sat side by side, on the other side of the table Juvia was next to Gajeel, unhappy. At least she was facing the ice mage.

"What are you two going to order?" Gray asked?

"I don't know. It was you who brought us here. What do you recommend?" Gajeel retorted.

"Juvia is not sure. Everything looks so good," she commented looking at the menu.

"And you, Cana? Any ideas?" Gray looked at the friend beside him. When Gray and Juvia went on missions, he would always ask what she would want and they would always sit together at restaurants or cafeterias. Seeing how close Gray and Cana were, she couldn't help but feel sad. She wished she had that intimacy they were showing.

" Hmm !... I'm not sure. Juvia is right, there is a lot of good stuff here", replied the brunette.

"From what I can see, there is no alcohol of any kind around here. Gihihi !", he looked at the brunette in front of him with a mocking way.

"That's no problem," Cana shrugged, surprising Juvia and Gajeel. As far as they knew, she alone consumed 1/3 of the guild's alcohol. Now she didn't even care to know that there was nothing like that for her in that place. They figured she would go into shock at the realization.

Gray realized they were stunned and couldn't help but smile inwardly. He knew the friend better than anyone in the guild, he could tell. "She always carries a private stash in her bag, in cases like this," he commented, snapping them out of their daze.

"W…what!?", Gajeel was even more astonished.

"Surprise!" shouted Cana, taking a bottle of wine from her bag and smiling broadly.

"This can only be a joke!"

After a while, they chose each other's orders. Cana fought with the waiter and later with the establishment manager because it was forbidden to drink anything alcoholic in that place. Juvia tried to intervene, calm the parties down, but Cana didn't back down. Gray was calm and did nothing to intervene, knowing full well how things would turn out. He just needed to get her attention the moment the situation calmed down and immediately the brunette took a deep breath and saved the bottle of wine for later, and she sat back down. The manager thanked him and everything went back to normal. Gajeel and Juvia looked surprised and not understanding anything about what had happened and how Cana calmed down so easily.

"Once we know animal behavior, it's easy to train," the ice mage explained, seeing how his companions looked at him confused.

"Hey! Don't call me an animal, you idiot!" retorted Cana.

"If the hood fit," Gray looked at her and smirked.

Finally breakfast arrived and they were able to have the meal quietly, talking and exchanging stories. As soon as they left that cafeteria, Cana took the bottle of wine she had kept and started drinking it as they walked down the city street. Juvia was walking beside Gray, she looked down shyly. Gajeel and Cana followed close behind.

"Gray, we have to go. It's about time we found the customer," said Cana.

The ice mage looked back and waved. "Yes, let's go," he replied. He turned to Juvia to say goodbye. "Well... see you later Juvia".

"See you later Gray-sama. Juvia will be waiting at the guild", she said smiling and with a slight blush on her face.

They said goodbye and the ice mage went to Cana. They started to walk in the opposite direction, however, suddenly, the brunette stopped and turned to face Juvia and Gajeel. "Won't you join us?" she asked.

Gray looked at her surprised and not expecting that kind of attitude from her. "Cana, they can't!" he snapped.

"Extra help can't hurt. Don't be so straight, Gray," she sneered.

"We just got back from work. Why would we accept another one?" Gajeel retorted.

"Yes, Juvia doesn't want to get in the way of Cana-san and Gray-sama's work. She thinks she better go home."

"Don't be such idiots! You two won't get in the way and like I said… We might need some help", Cana said looking at them firmly.

"They're right, Cana. Besides, this mission was chosen by both of us. Other mages cannot interfere," Gray explained.

Shoulder Cana. "Whatever. Are you two coming or not?", she said and started walking.

Gray sighed in defeat, he knew that when Cana Alberona put something into her mind, no one could take it away. "You can come if you want", he said scowling and started walking after the brunette.

Juvia and Gajeel looked at each other for a few seconds and shrugged. What did they have to lose, after all? They ran after the other two mages, with Juvia more excited to be able to get closer to the love of her life.