*Juvia's POV*

I was on my way home from the mission. It was easy and I earned 150k jewels.

"Yo sprinkler," Gajeel-san called me from my left.

I looked to him then I waved and smiled at him, "Gajeel-san!"

He walked up to me and gave his toothy grin, "Sup sprinkler. You've been taking a lot of requests lately. I've never seen you that much. Something is bothering you."

I just shrugged and offered him a smile. He surely knows how to read me. He's my oldest friend afterall, since Phantom Days. He patiently listened to my stories, comforted me when Bora left me (and kicked his ass the day after), stood by my side and even joined Fairy Tail. Practically, he's like an older brother to me. I giggled at the thought and he looked at me in confusion and I said, "Want some ice cream?"

He nodded and we walked towards the ice cream shop nearby.

"Something's up. I can feel it. If you're planning on hiding it, you're doing a bad job you know?" He told me.

I shrugged my shoulders and sighed in defeat. I scooped an ice cream and ate it, "You're the only one who can read me well after all Gajeel-san," I softly smiled, "I feel happy that we're a guild again," I started, "But..." I looked away and remembered everything that happened that day at the tower.

"Oi, I knew something's up. Tell me," He said worriedly, "What happened?"

I told him the whole thing. From the time we went on our ways... How Gray and I lived together. He clenched his fists while he listened to how he left me and what he did at the tower.

"Its not raining though," He started to comment, "I'm proud of you," he grinned at me, "Dragon slayers should be hard core," but his demeanor changed, "But I can't forgive ice pants for that. I'll pay him a visit one of these days," he said with that familiar evil glint his eyes and winked at me, " Gee hee. Let me walk you home."

We walked towards my home. I hugged Gajeel and he hugged me back. Before I closed the door, "Any luck with Levy chan? She already kissed you. You should have made a move by then," I teased him.

"Shut up. We were busy okay. And it was not a kiss. She just gave me air. Got caught up with the council business and something. We never really had the chance to talk about it," he blushed.

"Whatever. Do a move then," I winked at him playfully, "Good night Gajeel-san."

*Gajeel's POV*

I was walking my way home, actually looking for Lily but perhaps he's already home by then. I stopped by a bar to grab a drink, remembering Juvia's story.

That woman became tougher, I owe her respect. She's a strong woman, being called Juvia of the Great sea, feared and respected by everyone back at the Phantom Lord days, an S-class mage and can sometimes be as fierce as Erza and Mira, someone I never dared to mess with after that one time when she almost gave me a rust and sent a couple of lightning from her rain, created a big thunder storm when I teased her and her rain. That's a touchy subject back then. It always rained back in our guild. Rainwoman, but no one dared to comment on her rain when they witnessed her kicked my ass. We became friends since then... because she's the only person with the virtual balls to go against me... and was able to successfully kick my ass.

But this one is a different story of pain. She never knew love or care back then, but I guess things changed. We gained real friends and that's enough to keep her from becoming that person again. She even stopped using the third person and changed her wardrobe. I was even shocked when I caught her scent... A scent similar to Laxus and Cobra, the second generation dragon slayers and she confirmed it. I was the only person, aside from Wendy, Lyon and Chelia, whom she confided that Jellal and Meredy obtained the water dragon slayer lacrima and purposely looked for her to give the magic. It amplified her powers and it suited her. Now, she's not just Juvia of the Great Sea... She's the sea itself.

I cleched my fist and gripped my glass that it shattered and I just apologized and paid for it and got a new one. "That damn ice bastard," I sipped on my drink and looked around the bar and noticed the devil who I was thinking about. I grabbed my drink and sat beside him. He knew that its me, so he didn't bother looking at me.

"Yo Metal head," he sipped on his drink, "Why are you here?" he asked.

"Could use a strong drink today," I answered, "Want to talk outside?"

He caught the threat in my tone, but I guess he knew the reason behind it. He must have expected it from me then.

We went out and I had my back on him.

He just stood there in silence.

I turned and aimed a punch which landed on his jaw.

He did not fight back. He did not even dodged or blocked the punch. He knew it was coming and he perfectly knew why. I threw in another punch and I did not bother in using my magic. I don't want to waste it on him. He never blocked or avoided any of my attacks. He just accepted it.

"That does not even cut for what you did to Juvia," I gritted my teeth in annoyance, I went to him and grabbed the collar of his shirt, "You bastard! You are aware of her feelings but you kept her by your side, you left her without saying anything! You could have left a note or something! She was dying when Natsu found her, Wendy almost ran out of magic, trying to heal her. She was not responding to her treatments! She almost died waiting for you to comeback, when clearly you don't have any plans!" I raged out and let go of him.

The demon slayer just stood there and sighed, "I'm sorry," he weakly said, "I never meant to hurt her."

"Sure you didn't," I answered back in annoyance and anger, "But that's the thing Gray, you did."

*Gray's POV*

The way that metal head said it stung painfully. I can't blame him for being in this kind of state. I already expected that this would happen.

"I never meant to, I tried not to," I just started to talk without thinking of what may come out of my mouth, "I left her when I noticed that the marks are spreading quickly. Its the only way that I could protect her at the time being. I never meant to be found, especially not by her!" He looked at me with evident anger, fist clenched ready to punch me, "I thought its over, I wanted to stay away from her because I don't want her to end up like Ultear and Ur!" I stopped. I panted because I didn't notice but I was actually shouting, "I will never stop regretting everything that I did to her," I said, not realizing that I was actually crying, partly because I'm already drunk.

*Gajeel's POV*

I looked at the ice mage kneeling in front of me. I never expected that he would cry in front of me. Sure, I am angry as hell, but seeing him right now... I think he's being tortured by his own memories and regret and no punch can ever match the pain that he's feeling now, a combination of guilt and regret.

"Get a hold of yourself demon-icicle. Don't melt your pants up," I told him, "Get up and make it up to her. She can be unforgiving right now, but give her time," I turned my back on him, "Don't take this as a sign that I have forgiven you, bastard. I still want to kick your ass, but looking at you right now, I can't feel anything but pity towards you. Serves you right for hurting my best friend, practically my almost sister," I waved my hand at him, "I'm off. See you around."

*Gray's POV*

I went home a bit drunk, but gladly I was able to make it with my clothes on (and my wallet too). I woke up feeling very sore and with extreme body pain, then I remembered that the metal head beat me up last night behind the bar.

"Sure you didn't, but you did," his words rang in my head and it stung me. I winced as I felt my head hurt.

"Fucking head ache," I got up and went to take a cold bath.