Scars:
"...it's been seven months since the mother killer Elena Alteria was arrested…"
Gray turned and looked at the radio lacrima.
"Has it really been that long?" he asked himself. He heaved a sigh as he continued to listen to the radio broadcast for a few seconds longer, then flipped the switch off.
It didn't seem like it had been seven months, not really. He still caught himself checking every crevice of his house to make sure Elena wasn't there. Meeko still had nightmares about nearly being kidnapped by Elena. Elena had become a new haunt in Gray's dreams, attacking his family alongside Deliora. Gray twiddled his thumbs as he sat on the edge of his and Juvia's bed, lost in thought.
The children were all in bed. Juvia was off doing something is some corner of the house. She was working on one of her many pet projects. A scrapbook for one of the kids? Sewing a doll for one of the babies in the guild? Making matching outfits for the kids? Gray shrugged as he ran through the possibility of things his wife could be working on, a smile on his face. He honestly didn't care how many rooms Juvia had overflowing with her numerous pet projects, as long as she was happily working away at something and being her normal self. She was crazy, no doubt, but he loved her.
Presently Juvia walked into their bedroom, stretching her arms as she yawned, only to then shudder and wrap her arms around herself.
"Brr! It's cold tonight isn't it, Gray?" she said.
"Yeah?" Gray asked as he went to turn on the house's heating system from it's pad on the wall. As he did so Juvia began to get ready to sleep for the night, shedding her top so she could put on her pajamas. She's just tossed her shirt into the dirty clothes hamper when she felt a warm hand on her side. She gasped slightly as she turned around.
"Gray?"
Gray's brow furrowed as he reached down and touched her stomach. Four scars marred her skin. One from the wound she'd inflicted upon herself in Alvarez to save him. Three given to her by Elena. Gray shuddered as the memories came flooding back.
At first he'd been sound asleep. Then he awoke to strangled scream. He lifted his hand just in time to see a dark figure pull a bloody knife from Juvia's abdomen before stabbing into her one, two more time. Gray had shouted her name and reached for her, only to be blocked by Meeko frantically jumping to his feet, screaming at the top of his lungs at the sight of his mother bleeding out. The dark figure grabbed him by the arm, her bloody fingers staining his skin before they disappeared through the floor.
Gray's hand trembled as it traced over the three stab marks. Juvia survived. They got Meeko back. Everything was fine. It had been seven months now. Gray should have been over this. And yet, he wasn't.
"Gray?" Juvia asked again as as she brushed his bangs out of his eyes.
"That's twice," Gray whispered.
"Twice?" Juvia cocked her head to one side.
Gray's bottom lip trembled. "Two times I've almost lost you."
Juvia gasped. "Gray…"
"Both times you were right in front of me," Gray said in a shaky voice. "I could have reached out and touched you. But I couldn't stop it!"
"Gray," Juvia wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pulled him close. "It's okay, darling. I'm right here."
"You were hurt," Gray sniffled. "You almost died! And I couldn't save you!"
Juvia tightened her arms around him. "You had to save Meeko," she reminded him. "True she'd hurt me, but she'd also taken our little boy. You had to get him back, and you did."
"But what about you?" Gray whispered. "You were lying right next to me and that monster just waltzed right past me and stabbed you! Poisoned you!"
Juvia let out a shaky breath. If she were being honest she still felt a little shaky even now. True, she was alive. She survived. But three women had not. Three women were dead, their children still missing. Juvia and Meeko were unbelievably lucky to be safe and sound in their house right now.
Juvia reached up a hand and stroked his hair.
"It doesn't matter now," she said. "I'm here. I'm still alive. You still have me."
"But…" Gray shuddered. "What about next time?"
"Next time?" Juvia's brow furrowed.
"The next time something tries to take you away from me. I wasn't strong enough to stop it in Alvarez. I wasn't strong enough to stop it seven months ago. Will I be strong enough in the future?"
Juvia pushed Gray off herself and cupped his face in her hands, straing him straight in the eyes. "Gray Fullbuster you listen to me. What happened is not your fault. Elena was, and is, a monster, a cold, heartless monster who decided she wanted me dead. We didn't know that then, though. We knew nothing about her. We had no way of preparing. You had no way of preparing. There's nothing you could have done that would have stopped this."
"That's what I'm afraid of!" Gray exclaimed. "I was powerless to save you! What if I'm still powerless the next time something tries to hurt you."
"We don't know that there'll be a next time."
"But what if there is?"
Juvia smiled softly at him and stroked her thumbs across his cheek bones. "Gray, from the moment I met you I've loved you. I've known for years we were meant to be together, and I fought for that future to become a reality. We are destined to be together, to grow old together. Nothing will stop that. No matter what I will always be by your side. I won't let anything take me away from you. I promise."
Gray just stared at her for a while, then he slowly closed his eyes and leaned into her touch, setting his hand on top of hers. "Juvia...I…"
"I know."
Gray sighed as he opened his eyes once more, his gaze inevitably falling back to her scars. He reached out and began tracing them again and he lowered himself to his knees. Four scars. Two near-death experiences. They were reminders of just how precious she was. Of just how much he loved her, he needed her.
There were more than battle scars on her stomach though. There were also stretch marks. Gray smiled as he traced the red tendrils on her abdomen before placing his hand over her belly. They were reminders too, of how all three of his children had grown in there. How Juvia had carried them and then given birth to them. How she'd give him his three greatest treasures.
Gray leaned forward and brushed his lips against the scar marring her side from where she stabbed herself. Juvai gasped then let her eyelids flutter closed as he kissed each of the three scars Elena had left on her. He then trailed each and every one of her stretch marks with his mouth.
Juvia sighed deeply as she ran her fingers through his hair. She shuddered as his hot lips warmed her chilled abdomen with each brush and touch. His breath caressed skin, causing a blush to spread over her face.
"Never leave me," Gray begged as he wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her close, burying his face against her stomach.
"I won't," she whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck, leaning down to press her forehead against the top of his head. Gray turned his head upward, brushing his face against herse until he found her lips and captured them with his own. He slowly stood back up, his hands travelling upward with him, grazing across her back until they found the back of her head, cradling it as he continued kissing her lips. She wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Gray, I love you," she whispered when they were forced to part for air.
"I love you to," Gray answered, letting one arm leave her hair to wrap around her waist, pulling her all the closer against him. "So, so much."
Juvia leaned her head against his shoulder, and he in turn burying his face in her hair. They weren't how long they stood there, and they didn't acre. They just held each other, basking in the warmth each one put off. Listening to the sound of each other's breathing. Tracing lazy circles across one another's skin. Just enjoying being close to one another.
Just enjoying being there, together, as they should have been.