The day Gray confesses his soulmark to her, she leaves Magnolia. She went straight to the station, bought some miscellaneous ticket to who-knows-where, and hopped on the next train.
It isn't that she's depressed, nor is it that she despises Gray; she just doesn't know how to face him without staring at his arm. She knows it's selfish of her, to avoid him when his soulmate wasn't her, but she simply couldn't continue being around him. The very fact of being in the same room as both Gray and Erza would suffocate her.
She needed a physical leave to collect her thoughts and rid herself of the disgusting emotions directed towards the scarlet woman.
To be honest, she fully knew that she could continue striving for Gray's love, regardless of the mark. Juvia has no doubt she can love him (she still does, anyway) even with fate screaming at her.
But she's also certain she'll never feel comfortable, knowing that someone else will always be a better fit. Even if Gray does end up loving her, cuddling her and showering her with love, a part of her mind will always wander to his arm. Always think "when will he be bored of her? When will fate pull them apart? When will he fall in love with Erza?"
She can't bear the thought of such an unstable, ugly life. Not ugly in Gray, but in her. In what she will think and do when she's pushed to her limits by the mere thought of what was meant to be.
For the first time in her life, she hates that she's a romantic. If she were any less of one, she's certain she can ignore all the facts and love Gray with all her heart. If she wasn't a romantic, she wouldn't give a damn about what adorns his arm.
She would be free of the chains, which she so believed was a beautiful string of love, called fate. She would be free to live her life unperturbed and of her own will.
Alas, she can't. Because Juvia Lockser, in all of her pitiful self, was a romantic. To the very core she will always be one. And it will always be her burden.
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Whatever ticket she bought, she figures she made a good choice. The town the ticket takes her is quiet and homely. It's not dead, but it certainly isn't lively either. The residents are all of the older generation; wise and calm in the way they welcome her.
Juvia's the first actual visitor they've had in years, they had told her. Most of the people who come are either doctors, merchants, or relatives of one of the townsfolk. It's nice, they say, to have a fresh young face to meet in what seems like ages.
Juvia's heart is a little bit warmer when she talks to them. They are all kind and offer her a place to say when they see dark, tumbling clouds above.
She doesn't tell them that she might be the one who brought the storm.
Regardless, she takes up the offer and follows one of the elderly women back to her small home.
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She stays in the village for a few days, helping out with the small chores the elderly are too old to do. Juvia's since learned to control her emotions, focusing on whatever mundane task in front of her so the elders can actually have a day of sunlight.
It's surprisingly calming, she realizes, to be with these people. They aren't rushing her to do anything, and she's free to act and live at her own pace.
Juvia doesn't realize just how tired she is until she lives here. She realizes that she's always been running; more often than not running to keep up with the other Fairy Tail members. Chasing after their gallant, heroic forms as they move forward in life. Dashing to ensure that her beloved Gray-sama is still within reach of her fingers.
Making sure her fast-paced friends don't slip through her grasp and leave her alone. She knows they wouldn't leave her for a heartbeat, but she still feels like running a marathon to keep up. To not drag them down.
And that very thought made her so unbearably tired.
Not for the first time since arriving at the town, she thinks it might be a good thing Gray had a soulmark that isn't her.
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On the eighth day of her stay, Juvia realizes she's probably imposed on the villagers for too long. They shake their heads, exclaiming that she was never a bother at all, that they are actually happy they get to pamper a young guest.
She spends much of the morning trying to convince them that it would be best for her to leave. She's in the middle of bantering when a voice calls out to her.
"Juvia…?"
The musky, deep baritone is unmistakable, and she flips around in surprise to greet the familiar face.
"Lyon-sama…?"
The said man is looking with widened eyes and a baffled face. He's about to open his mouth to speak, when several of the villagers rush to welcome him.
"Oh, Lyon! Welcome!"
"You didn't push yourself too hard, did you?"
"Good grace, you've gotten much more handsome in these past months, haven't you?"
The elderly surround him with contented faces, ruffling his hair and patting his back. Most of them even forget they were in the middle of getting Juvia to stay.
Lyon lightly pries them off, giving them quick greetings before making his way towards her. He explains quickly to the villagers that she's a friend, one he hasn't seen in a long time, and would like them to give them a moment.
The villagers grin, a few raise eyebrows, but they heed his question and disperse.
When he's certain no one will interrupt them, he turns his dark eyes to her.
"So… should we find somewhere to talk?"
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"Juvia didn't think Lyon-sama would come to a town like this."
The man laughs as he sits beside her. His white hair shakes as he lets out soft chuckles. They're seated on a park bench a short walk away from the town center, where no one really comes.
He takes a sip of the drink he buys from the town store.
"Well, it's more like my refuge, really. I came here for a small job when I first joined Lamia Scale, 'cause I wanted to start with an easier task closer to the guild."
It's only now that Juvia realizes Lamia Scale is only two train stops away from the town.
"And I guess I found a home with the townspeople? I come every few months to visit now. It's routine at this point."
Juvia hums in response.
He gives her a small smile. "I like that it's slower here. Less rush, rush, rush, if you know what I mean."
She mirrors his knowing smile. She fully understands what he means.
"And you, Juvia? I hear you don't usually come out this way in the country for jobs."
She flushes at his comment. She wonders if he knows it's because he's in this area that she avoids taking jobs around these parts.
After all, when she was still a bumbling Gray fangirl, Lyon's hard-pressed affections for her were troubling. Annoying, even.
But, back to the conversation.
"Juvia… wanted to get away from the guild for a while. Something happened, and…"
Lyon hums, but doesn't prod. Instead, he gets up and stretches.
"Is that so? You planning to go back now? I saw you trying to get out of their grasp just now."
Juvia laughs at his words.
"You could say that. But no, Juvia doesn't want to go back yet. She was thinking to go somewhere else. Maybe take a vacation around Fiore. She's never really had the chance to use her savings, after all."
Lyon turns around, letting out another thoughtful hum. He scratches the back of his neck, and sheepishly gives her a suggestion.
"Well… if you're not too against the idea… I could take you around? I know quite a few places that might interest you."
He doesn't tell her that he had desperately found those places in case she ever visited (though she never did till now).
Juvia looks at him, the gears shifting as she contemplates his offer. It would be nice to have someone take her around and talk to her.
But this was Lyon, who had fervently chased after her merely a few months ago.
He must have picked up her discomfort, because he immediately retracts a part of his offer.
"It's fine if you don't want to. I could just give you the directions to each of them."
It's heartbreakingly kind of him to be so considerate of her. Even though she knows he still loves her.
Juvia closes her eyes. She doesn't want to give Lyon false hopes.
"Juvia's thankful, Lyon-sama."
A slight disappointment flickers across his face, and he gives her a light smile.
"I figured. Then, I'll just…"
"That's not what Juvia meant, Lyon-sama. Juvia would be glad to have you as a guide. Just, Juvia feels bad that Lyon-sama has to take time off of work for her."
Lyon laughs at her statement. "Oh, I was taking a vacation anyway. And… don't worry, Juvia. I won't raise my hopes because of this."
God, this man was just too considerate.
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They leave the next day, because it was impossible to reason with the grannies who had insisted on them staying for one more night.
Juvia expected to ride a carriage or take the train, but Lyon had shook his head.
"Walking is better. It's really nice around these parts; you'll miss a lot if you don't walk."
She's glad she listens, because he's right. The landscape of the countryside was absolutely stunning. She briefly remembers that Lamia Scale was mostly surrounded by rural towns, not unlike the one she was just at.
So the roads around the notorious guild were quiet places, save for the few odd cities that bustled with young life. It's a lot calmer than Magnolia, which was always knee-deep in laughter and loud voices.
Lyon, for his part, is a wonderful guide. He takes her to all of the places he knows, explaining with detail what it is or why it's there. As the gentleman he is, he takes her only to the best restaurants and the most comfortable inns to stay the night.
He's so considerate that Juvia promptly forgets this was supposed to be a heartbreak vacation.
He's also kind enough to remain only a tour guide and occasional friend. He doesn't probe into her business, and never asks what causes her sudden flashes of unhappiness on their trip, even though she's sure he's curious.
It reminds her just why she was so afraid of seeing him. Because he's far too kind for someone like her, who only ever has enough love to give to Gray. She hates the person she is with him; so selfish and pampered that she feels lazy.
Like she's dumping all of her responsibilities on him.
Nonetheless, Juvia enjoys the trip much more than she expects. She admits to herself that it's nice not having to live up to anyone's expectations (even her own), being able to move to her pace and not having to run to catch up to the people in front of her.
It's in this trip that she realizes just how different Lyon is to Gray. How they, unlike what others may think, aren't two peas in a pod at all.
Where Gray only ever looks forward, rushing headfirst into the fray with a proud, confident smile, Lyon is much more thoughtful. Instead of driving himself straight into the conflict, he takes a step back to assess the situation.
Where Gray would take her wrist and pull her to run with him, Lyon stops and pushes her from behind. He is always a step slower than Juvia, both literally and figuratively.
In the entirety of their trip, he doesn't ever dictate their pace. It's always matching with him. He matches her pace with utmost care, though she later realizes he does it unconsciously. There's never a fast-paced moment, and she finds herself loving it more than ever.
So much she doesn't want it to end.
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They have travelled together for almost two weeks until Lyon tells her he has to go back to the guild.
"I'm sorry, Juvia. I got a message from the Master that there's an urgent job needing me. I have to head back to Lamia Scale."
She hopes with all her heart that her disappointment doesn't show on her face.
"Of course! Juvia's kept you too long."
"...Right. Well, I'll be leaving tomorrow, so I guess I'll have one more dinner with you."
He grins with all of his handsome charm, and Juvia's heart skips a beat.
She tries to ignore the fact that it's been skipping for the past two weeks on a constant basis.
"If Lyon-sama needs to leave earlier, Juvia can certainly eat dinner alone."
She means it, but she sincerely hopes he'll stay. Just for a little longer.
Lyon laughs. "Nope, you're not getting rid of me just yet."
Juvia grins back. Really grins back.
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Just as he promises, Lyon stays with her for dinner before leaving the next morning. He leaves before she wakes up, so his goodbye is reduced to a neatly written note left at the inn's front counter for her.
She's a little crestfallen that he did have to leave, but his note lifts her spirits.
On the small slip of paper is a kind apology, paired with a promise to make it up to her should she ever come back to the area.
The innkeeper must think she's gone insane, because she knows that she grins like a madwoman for the remainder of her time there.
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She returns to the guild after two months of leaving. When she walks in, she's greeted by anxious faces, who bombard her with questions about where she's been, what happened, and if she's okay.
She merely smiles and responds that she had simply taken a much needed vacation.
Both Erza and Gray stand apart from the cluster, giving her understanding yet somewhat guilty looks.
If she were still the same girl two months ago, she probably would have turned away. But she isn't, and she smiles back.
She hopes they realize that they have nothing to feel guilty for.
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It's Fairy Tail, so Juvia's swept back into the whirl storm of running and chasing after her guildmates. Only now, she doesn't let anyone pull her out of her pace.
She runs when she wants to, and declines when she needs a break.
Even with persistent offers for her to join them on a job or a trip of some sort, Juvia kindly refuses and tells them she has other plans.
Now, she prefers doing her jobs solo. Of course, the occasional group trip is still fun, but she doesn't cling to any team anymore. She also doesn't follow Gray wherever he goes.
The Master tells her she seems much more livelier than she did before, claiming he's never seen her so composed and content with life than now.
Juvia couldn't agree more.
After so long as a Fairy Tail mage, she was finally learning to live her own life.
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If anything else major changes, it's the fact that she takes monthly vacation trips away from Magnolia. Because even if she's learned to slow down and walk her own speed, she still needs some time away from the hustle and bustle of Magnolia and its surrounding cities.
And her vacation spot is always out in the countryside, near Lamia Scale.
And it is always with a white-haired ice mage by her side, as her own personal tour guide and trusted companion.
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Juvia tells him, on one of the many trips they take together, why she had gone on her first trip to begin with.
Lyon had listened, face unchanging as she slowly explained, bit-by-bit her and Gray's story.
Even after, when she found herself suddenly crying, he didn't say a thing, only embracing her and patting her head.
As cheesy as it sounds, she doesn't think she'll forget how warm he had felt; the way she melted in his arms. It had felt like she was a baby again, cradled by the warmth of her parents who held her close.
It felt like she was where she was supposed to be, in his steady arms with his hushed voice muttering words of comfort into her ear.
She later notes that, despite crying her eyes out that day, it doesn't rain a single drop outside.
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Somewhere along the way, Juvia frighteningly realizes that she has begun to long for something. Something she had sworn she'll never turn to ever again.
Yet she begins to find herself staring at her arm every other day, her heart wishing and praying for something to appear.
Desperately hoping that maybe, just maybe, fate will be kinder to her this time around.
She also finds herself constantly looking at her white-haired companion's arm every time she takes a vacation with him.
And she begins to become afraid.
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It's gone to the point that it drives her nuts. She doesn't want to be pulled by fate any longer. She doesn't want to be a romantic anymore. She's done with all of this "fated-to-be" business. She wants to live the life she chooses, not some stupid tattoo.
But she knows, deep down, that she'll never recover if she sees a pattern she doesn't want to see on her beloved vacation companion. She won't ever forgive the world if someone else takes her beloved away from her.
After all this time, she finally found the courage to love another man; if fate tears him away from her too, she'll be crushed.
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It first comes as an itch. An irritable itch on her forearm, beneath her wool sleeves. She tries desperately to wave the passing thought of don't tell me it's… and continues her duties for the day.
She has to take at least twenty deep breaths before she's ready to brave the unveiling. Somewhere in the back of her mind she hopes that whatever she sees will simply be pale skin.
But an even larger part of her clings to the hope that a pattern will be there; a pattern that will let her drive all of her love and passion to the one she's fallen for.
One more sharp intake of breath, and she slowly rolls up her sleeves.
She gasps.
It's the most beautiful thing she's ever seen. Juvia doesn't even think Gray's sword and ribbon could compare. The painting on her arm is breathtaking, awe-inspiring in its delicate glory.
On her pale skin, were two light green-blue eagles, shining in crystalline elegance, flying towards some far off destination. Around them was a shower of other white flecks, making the eagles seem as though they were soaring through the skies in all the freedom they have.
Juvia cries more than she's ever had before that day, cradling her arm to her chest in relief and elatedness.
She's yelling, thank God, thank God, thank God for more than twenty minutes in her apartment.
And she did so a bit too loudly; so much that Erza and Wendy from the nearby rooms came rushing to see if she was safe.
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The guild, especially Erza and Gray, were happy for her. And she would never forget the thankful faces they had when she told them that she loved the recipient of her soulmark.
She makes it a surprise for the next time she sees Lyon. Even though she's more than accepted her feelings a long time before her mark manifested, she didn't dare tell Lyon. So they weren't officially lovers, even though her guildmates (who had found out by accident when Laxus and his team had bumped into one of her vacation trips with Lyon) begged to differ.
Lyon also never brought the topic up, though he had braved many kisses on her cheeks and hugged her whenever they parted.
She assumes that they both never had the confidence to put their love into words.
Now, though, she's more than ready. There's no longer anything that will make her anxious, as much as she hates relying on soulmarks again. Nothing to stop her from loving Lyon Vastia with everything she has.
She takes extra care to keep her giddiness from showing, carefully planning a quiet dinner to tell him.
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Lyon is slack jawed and staring at her, blush rising from the tip of his chin to the edges of his ears. He stares long and hard at the artwork, as though making sure it doesn't suddenly change form in front of him.
He chokes up when she prods him to speak. "God, I… I didn't think… Oh jeez."
Juvia laughs at his flabbergasted look, something she's only ever seen once or twice her whole time with him.
"Is Lyon-sama happy, then…?" She teases, watching as he flushes deep red, turning from calm and handsome to flustered and cute.
He can't find the words to answer, but she already knows.
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A year after she moves in with him, in a small cottage in between their two guilds, he shows her with pride his own arm.
And she laughs and cries and laughs while she strokes the gorgeous blue raindrops on his skin. She's never felt so elated.
Of course, being the perfect person he is, Lyon doesn't let her stop crying.
Because right after, he drops to one knee and presents her with the most stunning ring she's ever seen.
And asks for her to love him for the rest of eternity.
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A/N: Gosh, this was a long one. I have always had a soft spot for Lyon and Juvia as a pairing, so I'm glad they finally got a story out of me. Alas, this ended up being more Juvia-centric than intended.
Thanks for reading!