Chapter 2. Travel companions

A/N: Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed, followed and favourited this story! It really means a lot and puts a smile on my face! Here is chapter 2!

Gray and Juvia were making their way to Windmill Village, they had left the guild in the late afternoon after a quick stop at Fairy Hills so Juvia could pack some supplies. The two of them had been travelling for quite a few hours. They were making the journey on foot as the village was only a small one so no trains went there. The sun was beginning to set as the two wizards made their way together through the woodlands; the setting sun throwing beautiful gold colours through the naked autumn trees. The pair had spent the beginning of the journey chatting about Grays last mission, Juvia wanting to know every juicy little detail, cataloguing everything in her brain, analysing every word and sentence; but for now they just walked in a comfortable silence as fallen leaves crunched under the weight of their footfalls. As the two of them walked along the winding path Gray glanced sideways at the water mage walking next to him, she was being her usual quiet self like always when they travelled together, Gray would normally suspect that she was in one of her fantasy-lands but she didn't have that look on her face, that look being the one where she had big hearts in her eyes, pretty much drooling over whatever she was concocting in her brain. No. Now she was smiling to herself in a cheerful happy way, she seemed to be enjoying the walk, and he was too, the crisp autumn air mixed with the wetness of fresh rain was calming. Juvia wasn't bad company. She was actually good fun to be around, always keeping him on his toes with her declaration of love or her more serious conversations; she really could switch between the two of them instantaneously.

The wind whipped through the trees fiercely and Juvia had to grab onto her hat, holding it tight to her head as it nearly got blown away with the wind causing Gray to chuckle at her. Juvia turned to the ice mage pouting whilst still clinging to her favourite navy fur trimmed hat.

"What's so funny Gray-sama?!" The water mage asked as another gust of wind blew her long waves in front of her face making Gray laugh harder holding onto his stomach as she pouted at him.

"Sorry Juvia but you just looked so funny and cu-" he scratched his head. "Er well you know with that look on your face." Juvia continued to look at him un-amused at his amusement at her state of disarray. Before Juvia could answer back to Gray he had already reached for her hair "Here why don't you tie it back at least until the wind dies down a bit." He said as he gently pulled her loose blue waves behind her head into a ponytail. Her hair is so soft and silky. He realised he had stopped what he was doing to admire her hair a small blush creeping along his cheeks.

"Juvia doesn't have a hair tie Gray-sama." Juvia whispered feeling herself heat up at their close proximity, "And anyway Juvia doesn't like having her hair tied up." Her voice drifted off with the wind but Gray hadn't missed the sadness hidden in her voice.

"Ice-make hair tie." He whispered as a small hair tie made of ice formed around the watermages beautiful blue hair. He took a deep breath and grabbed her shoulders turning her to face him, as their eyes met he felt his heart skip a beat. What's wrong with me lately? His gray eyes met her blue ones and he started to feel funny, warm actually. He diverted his eyes to her hair. He couldn't see anything wrong with her hair tied back. If anything it made her look even more enchanting, she had a pretty face but she always hid beneath curls or loose waves, except that one time she had cut it. Gray thought it suited her better long, but he could understand why she cut it - she cut it like her ties to Phantom Lord. "What's wrong with your hair being tied back? I think it looks nice." His eyes flickered to hers again as he stuffed his hands into his pockets, he was being honest.

Juvia blushed even deeper at his comment "Gray-sama likes Juvias hair tied back?" She asked self consciously touching her cheeks, a blush lining them, and then her hair.

"Yeah sure I do. Why don't you?" He had picked up on her early tone about her hair.

"We should keep moving Gray-sama…" Juvia said as she turned to start walking off as the wind continued to whirl and she grabbed onto her hat again. Gray wasn't sure whether to drop the question or not. He pondered the thought a while longer scowling at his inner turmoil.

"Juvia?" He lowered his voice and looked at her as they walked side by side.

"Yes Gray-sama?" The blunette replied shyly not meeting his gaze, she couldn't she knew she would give in.

"You don't have to tell me. I know you're not as open about certain things in your past" Just like me, he thought. "But as crazy as it may sound…" he ran a hand through his black hair feeling uncomfortable. "I do trust you. More than anyone, more than even I think I know." Juvia was shocked at this revelation as his voiced trailed off. Yes they were definitely getting closer and closer and he had even died for her at the Grand Magic Games, they had all seen the vision that felt more like reality; but hearing that from him made her heart flutter. She clasped her hands in front of her as she looked to the ground, chewing her lip nervously.

"Juvia is flattered Gray-sama" she paused "and Juvia does trust you too Gray-sama, more than anyone in her life. It's nothing… silly really." She laughed trying to unsuccessfully lighten the mood. "Juvia just feels vulnerable when her hair isn't down around her face. It's a lot like wearing her hat and heavy clothing. It's another layer of protection from the outside world." She met his gaze before continuing, drawing confidence from the comfort of his eyes. "Juvia wasn't liked very much when she was younger because of the rain. Everyone made fun of her, so she used to wear her hat and tight curls, to hide more of herself from everyone else…" She trailed of as the memories of her taunted past flashed through her mind. The jeers, the snide comments, the bullying. She didn't really blame them though. Who would like all that rain?

Gray placed a hand on the watermages shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. "You don't need to worry about that anymore." His voice was more serious than he had intended it to be. "You have Fairy Tail now, a family, people who care about you. But I do understand. You'll always have that certain uncertainty." Juvia looked up at the raven haired man next to her as his hand held her shoulder. She placed her hand over his and smiled up at him.

"Thankyou Gray-sama." They stared at each other for a few moments longer before continuing their journey through the woodlands eyes front on the look out for any bandits that may try to sneak attack them, subconsciously walking slightly closer together than before, arms occasionally brushing.

A few more hours passed and the temperature had plummeted. Juvia let out a quiet yawn followed by a small shiver. She hoped the ice mage hadn't noticed. He wanted to make good time on getting to the village hoping to get there by tomorrow early afternoon. A bitterly cold gust of wind blew harshly through the trees and it was almost pitch black now, they'd have to set up camp soon. Juvia couldn't help but hug her body as the air tore through her. Gray looked to her before cursing under his breath.

"Crap. I forgot that you feel the cold. I'm so used to not feeling it." He placed his long jacket over her shoulders. "You should've said." He locked his gaze with hers as Juvia opened her mouth to apologise but Gray cut her off. "We need to find a place to sleep now anyway, it's getting really dark."

"It's okay Gray-sama, Juvia should've said. Thank you for your coat, but wont you get cold in just a long sleeve shirt?" Juvia peered at the icemage through her thick lashes.

"Nah, I used to train in the coldest mountains in just my boxers. I really don't feel it." He wasn't telling the complete truth to Juvia, sure he had trained in the coldest mountains when he was younger; but that was then and his body had acclimatised to the warmer weather in Magnolia. However being an ice mage he did still have quite a lot of resistance to it. "I think we should camp over there." Gray pointed to a small cave just a little off to their left. "Go and take some shelter. I'll go fetch some wood for a fire." Juvia gave him a small nod as she made her way over to the cave, settling in the entrance so she could see out into the woodlands and watch for Gray to come back. The watermage shivered and pulled Grays coat closer around her as another gust of wind blew past her. She took a sharp breath in as another shiver came over her making her nuzzling her cold nose into the collar. She could smell him. It was addicting. She closed her eyes as if to get closer to the smell as she inhaled again. Temporarily forgetting about the coldness.

Soon enough Gray returned with the firewood and they both ventured a bit further towards the back of the cave, further away from the bitter wind. Gray placed the fire wood into a pile and tried to start a fire, he could barely see in this darkness.

"Damn it. I'm so used to that flame brain just breathing fire I can barely make a fire out of sticks anymore." He said angrily as the icemage continued to rub some sticks together on a pile of dry leaves gritting his teeth.

"Gray-sama?" Gray looked to Juvia who was rummaging in the bag she had packed, which Gray had carried. "Juvia brought some matches." she smiled at him. "Juvia always makes sure to have matches on any job." She handed him the little box of matches.

"Awesome! Good thinking Juvia!" he grinned at the little box of matches in his hand as he took one out, swiping it along the side of the box to light it before lighting the fire. "What else did you put in that bag of yours?" He asked just as his stomach let out a growl. "Eh. Guess I'm hungry." Juvia giggled at her beloved just as her stomach too let out a rumble of it own. She hid her face in embarrassment as Gray chuckled. "Looks like that makes two of us then!"

"Juvia is so embarrassed Gray-sama!" She said as she laughed before turning around to her bag. "But Juvia did pack us bentos!" She got them both out the bag, handing Gray his first, before she removed his coat as the fire was warming her up now. She placed it down next to her bag and then sat down across from him to eat. Gray opened the Bento and was taken aback at what he saw. Normally Juvia gave him a bento made out of his face. But not this time. This time it was her face she had given him to eat. He sweat dropped, and tried to sneakily peer at hers without her noticing. Maybe she mixed the boxes up… he leaned around pretending to look for something. "Is something the matter Gray-sama? You haven't touched your bento yet?" The watermage looked at him her eyes filled with worry. Maybe Gray-sama doesn't like the food Juvia prepared for him?

"Uh. No, everything is fine Juvia. It's just…" He trailed off scratching is head. He felt silly for making a thing out it. It was just a bento. He tried to convince himself. A Juvia bento.

"If you're wondering why Juvia gave you one with Juvias face on it, it's because if Juvia remembers correctly when Juvia made Gray-sama bread, Gray-sama said that he didn't like to eat food with his face on it. So Juvia made you a bento with her face on it instead." Juvia smiled at him before continuing. "So that means that-" She was going off into fantasyland again but Gray interrupted her knowing exactly what she was going to say after the bread incident.

"Thanks. Juvia." He simply said to her a smile pulling at his lips. She always so thoughtful with everything she does. Even if she can be a be a tad crazy. He finished his bento and licked his lips. She really was a good cook. Everything she made was delicious. Juvia got up and took Grays bento from him, he looked up at her as she took the bento from him, their finger tips brushing causing them both to blush slightly. Juvia smiled down at him, causing his heart to beat even faster and as she moved away Gray couldn't help think about how the warm glow of the fire made her look even more beautiful. Shining on her, the side of her exposed long legs all the way up to her face making it glow with warmth. Juvia pottered about in her bag pulling out two sleeping bags handing one to Gray.

"Juvia guessed Gray-sama would forget to bring one." She said timidly, hoping he wouldn't take offence at her comment.

"Thanks, yeah I did forget." He scratched the back of his head. She knew him well. He never took a sleeping bag on any of his missions with the others. He set up his sleeping bag, looking to see where Juvia was putting hers. They hadn't done an overnight mission alone together yet and he wasn't going to put it past her to try and join him in his; he was surprised she hadn't brought a double. She set her sleeping bag up on the other side of the fire.

"Goodnight Gray-sama." Juvia mumbled as she let out a big yawn snuggling deep into the soft sleeping bag.

"Yeah night Juvia." The words felt strange on his lips. On all his jobs that he had been no one really ever said goodnight to each other. It was normally Natsu saying something like "don't wet the bed droopy eyes." And Gray would say something back to Natsu followed by Lucy moaning about why couldn't the two of them get on, then the three of them wouldn't get 'the glare' from Erza and all promptly shut up and go to sleep. But saying goodnight to Juvia was different. He couldn't quite place how. But it was. He rolled over away from her and drifted off into sleep. For a few hours, until he woke up.

Gray had awoken suddenly for some reason and he couldn't figure out why. Instinctively he turned to face his travel companion who seemed to be asleep across from the last flickers of flame from the earlier fire, just enough for him to see her. It took a while for his eyes to adjust to the light properly but when they did, he glanced over at her sleeping form again. She looked so peaceful. And cold. She was shivering in her sleep. He cursed himself again for not considering the sleeping arrangements. Juvia was sleeping with her back to the entrance, the wind blowing into her. Gray got up chucking his sleeping bag near Juvia before walking over to her and picking her up in her sleeping bag - gently so not to wake her. He placed her where his sleeping bag had been, before rummaging around in her bag to find the matches, using some of the extra firewood he placed it on the fire, lighting it again. The fires flames brilliantly lit up the cave causing Grays eyes to fall onto his coat and then to Juvia. He walked over to it and picked it up as he did he caught an odd smell. Juvias smell. He felt his heart squeeze as he hurriedly made his way over to her, placing the coat over the top, wiping a stray lock of blue hair off the watermages face before returning to his new sleeping arrangement. The icemage almost nearly fell straight into a deep sleep.

Gray woke up before Juvia the next morning and had been sat watching her sleep (he didn't care to admit) as he studied the map to plan their route to Windmill Village. It wasn't long before a certain blunette stirred, yawning and stretching before rubbing her eyes.

"Good morning Gray-sama." The watermage said smiling as she looked at him through bleary blue eyes.

"Morning." He replied curtly. Gray really wasn't really a morning person.

Juvia looked around the cave confused. "Erm Gray-sama, wasn't Juvia sleeping on the other side of the cave last night and how did Juvia end up with your coat?"

Gray looked startled "Er no. You're mistaken Juvia. Where you just woke up is where you went to sleep." He turned away from her ignoring her question about the coat.

"Uh, Ok Gray-sama, Juvia must've been really tired! " She smiled at him, he didn't answer Juvias question about his coat. She stared at the item of clothing in her lap thoughtfully. Did Gray-sama put this on Juvia during the night?

Gray turned back to face her "Yeah you were tired. We should get going soon." He stared at her, her hair was sticking out at all different angles but Gray still thought she looked beautiful.

"Alright Gray-sama just give Juvia a few minutes and we can get going." He grunted a response and looked back down at the map not really focusing on it. Today was a new day and he hoped they would reach the village by the afternoon. A few hours walk.

A/N: I really enjoyed writing this chapter :-D and I hope you guys all like it too! What did you think of my 'ice-make hair tie?' :-D

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