It's Monday!
So to those of you who caught it... last week's chapter was a reference to events in the manga. (I don't actually read the manga, so I don't know what the actual chapter number is. But I've seen fanart and comments and discussion, so I get the gist of what went down.) From what I can tell, that was a key event for Gray and Juvia's canon relationship, so I figured I needed to parallel it here.
Just a warning... this is going to be a tough chapter for some of you guys. And probably not in the way you expect. (Sometimes I parallel, sometimes I subvert, sometimes I lampshade. I always try to be unexpected. Doesn't always work, but I do try.)
I feel like my goal as a writer is to focus on creating a (subjectively) 'good' story; I'm not as concerned about what truth-in-canon was or even how I personally feel about it. Like a film director, if I think a character is a good fit to play a certain part in a story, I'm casting them for the role, even if I hate the character or dislike the ship or whatever. Because odds are, somebody likes that character or ship. Then, it's not about me, at that point; it's about them. So I try my hardest to do a good job with it and give them a story that will entertain and delight them, and that I can be proud of having written. Although, whether I was successful or not is up for debate. :)
But enough rambling... Let's cut to the chase and rejoin Gray and Juvia... who are finally in the same place. It's still not a good time for them to catch up, though.
Guest: Or we could turn this into Snow White or Sleeping Beauty instead, right? Just kidding! We're not actually doing that, unfortunately. (I totally thought of that just now.)
I12Bfree: :P I like a good crash and burn. Actually, just a crash. In the original draft, the attack was fire-based so there was some burn going on too, but I realized that Jose's shades don't do fireballs, so we ended up here.
Guest: Hey, thanks! That's a neat perspective, and it sounds like you put a lot of thought into it. I don't know that my stories necessarily reflect my opinions. I'm usually too busy trying to do the opposite of what's expected (after I've convinced you that I'm going to play it straight, of course). However, it's true that I have my biases (don't we all?) and they sometimes sneak their way into my stories.
- K. Chandler
It felt like he had been stabbed through the chest.
Small hands rolled him onto his back, sending a fresh wave of pain through his torso.
"Gray! Gray!?"
It was a woman's voice. Distant. Frantic.
Cool fingers brushed gently across his cheek. He could feel a hand carding through his hair, comforting and familiar.
Just like the other time. There was someone there with him then, too. He couldn't remember. Why couldn't he remember?
Gray opened his eyes slowly, blinking as the world came back into focus. A pale, worried face hovered above him.
"Juvia?" he gasped, his voice little more than a rattle. He coughed weakly, each breath tearing through his lungs like fire.
"Oh, thank goodness!" she said, relief shining in her eyes.
Gray started to push himself up, the movement sending agony flaring through his chest again. The edges of his world were starting to darken, his vision blurring frighteningly. He fought the pull of unconsciousness.
Juvia's hand clamped itself on his shoulder, holding him down. "Don't try to move. Just hold still, okay?"
Gray nodded, forcing his eyes open again, "Y-your voice… How?" he croaked, his words triggering another painful fit of coughing. He could feel his strength leaving him.
"Shh, it's all right. You're all right, darling. Breathe," she coaxed, her gentle hand rubbing circles across his chest.
Gray moaned in protest, gasping sharply as he felt something shift in his chest. He batted her hand away weakly. "Don't," he panted, breathless and dizzy. The world around him was fading. "Hurts."
"Sorry." She pulled away quickly, making Gray regret the loss of physical contact.
"J-Juvia, I…"
"No, don't say anything," insisted Juvia gently as she took one of his hands.
"But I…" Gray coughed again. "You..."
"Stop that," said Juvia. She didn't let him finish, shutting her eyes.
Gray relaxed as a soothing coolness crept its way up his hand. Gray could feel the tell-tale pulse of magic as the sensation spread, to his wrist, his elbow, then his shoulder. His entire arm was comfortably cool and numb, like it was being bathed in a healing balm.
The refreshing feeling spilled into his chest and through his legs, spreading as if it were water. The pain faded into a dull throb, as if washed away by this magic. He could feel the bones and damaged tissue knitting itself together, smoothing the ache away all together.
This, too, Gray remembered. Someone had grasped his hand like this after he had been pulled from the wreckage of the original Fairy Tail. Juvia had taken Lyon's hand this way as he lay dying from poison. And Natsu's after Levy had dropped a dictionary on his head.
Waves of comfort lapped at his body. The magic flowing through him made him feel weightless, almost like he was floating. Then, gradually, the feeling started to fade as he drifted back to himself. Fading away, away… into nothing.
Slowly, Gray opened his eyes.
"Better?" Juvia asked, almost shyly. She was still holding his hand.
More than just better. He felt… unbelievable. Even his fatigue and soreness from the battle earlier was gone.
Juvia didn't stop him when Gray pushed himself up on his elbow.
"You're the girl from Akane Bay," said Gray quietly. "You're the one who saved my life after my ship exploded." He searched her face for confirmation, even though he didn't need it.
A small smile pulled at Juvia's lips. "You… remember me?"
"I remember you…" Gray swallowed hard. "From the night the Fairy Tail sank. You were the ones who attacked us too, weren't you?" he asked, her voice low. He couldn't help the note of accusation in his voice.
Juvia gasped. "No…" She shook her head, her eyes growing round. "I-It's not like that," she whispered, her expression crumbling.
"You're trying to tell me that wasn't you?"
"It… it was. But…" Juvia shook her head.
Gray let out a slow breath, fighting to keep his voice even and free from emotion. He deserved answers. And she deserved a fair chance, free from judgement.
"You attacked us. But then you saved my life. Why?" he croaked.
"Gray…?" she whispered.
"Answer the question."
Juvia's lip quivered. "I didn't… know you back then. But I wanted to," she admitted, raising her eyes to meet his.
"Is that why you got mixed up with Jose?"
"I needed to know," she said. "I had to know who you were and if what they said about you was true."
"Did you find what you were looking for?" he asked finally.
Juvia's gaze grew distant. "I know you now. You and the others are nothing like I thought you'd be. You're different. A good kind of different."
"…You're different than I thought too," said Gray.
Gray surveyed Juvia carefully, his lips pressed in a thin line. Who was she really?
She was the girl who had destroyed his ship.
She was the girl who had saved his life. Although, technically, they were probably even, since he'd saved her too.
But Gray couldn't help the tug in his heart that he still felt when he thought of her.
All those weeks she'd spent at the castle, Gray had gotten to know her. After the time they had spent together, Gray couldn't see Juvia as some kind of monster. She wasn't some sort of horrifying creature that attacked unsuspecting sailors.
She was the pretty girl he danced with at a party. She was the gentle soul who had held him when his world was falling apart.
It didn't matter if she was a human or a Sea-Person. She was Juvia.
Gray reached for her hand, helping to pull her to her feet.
And even though he knew she was better than he deserved, she was the one that he needed.
And after that final dose of angst, we're ready for the reconciliation scene. (No, that wasn't it. This was the tough conversation that I've been promising. I sort of needed them to figure this out before they could really be open with one another. In this story, both Gray and Juvia have had their share of secrets. I didn't think they'd ever be okay if they didn't talk about it and put it behind them. Moving past that is sort of a big deal, so I hope I didn't make it too easy for them.)
There's just one last thing for them to figure out (other than the Jose thing). We've seen this universe's Gray default to being dutiful Captain first and committed boyfriend second. I've hinted before (in an A/N towards the beginning of the 2nd arc) that until Gray was ready to take on challenges with Juvia together (as opposed to trying to solve them himself or running to his Navy buddies like he typically does) this wasn't going to work out. He still has yet to prove that he's ready to do that. Good thing we've got one more chapter before the epilogue for him to get it right. XD
I struggled with how get rid of Jose. As much as I've been trying to make references to canon, I didn't want to do... that. Seemed sort of lazy to me... XD And with a cast this large, I wanted everyone to get a final curtain call. I didn't quite get everyone in, but I think I did okay. We have that to look forward to next time too.
Next time, in Silence: "Together, then?" he asked, extending his hand to her.
Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.
