I AM FINALLY BACK OMGGGG. sorry for being gone so long my loves. work and being sick has done me not good at all but now finally onto chapter 3! It took me a while to figure out how I wanted to write this one out but I figured it out. It's kind of just lots of fluff for Juvia, and Gray may actually be having...*gasps* feelings?!
Ch. 3 Not so numb after all
"YOU DID WHAT?!" Lucy's eyes were the size of saucers and as Juvia glanced around her quaint little room all the girls expressions seemed to be about the same. Juvia hung her head in shame at the expressions. "I kissed his cheek...he saved me from these perverts who had groped me and then he put his hand around my waist and told me he would always protect me... I'm so stupid!" Juvia's cheeks stained with hot tears as she sobbed quietly. She felt many warm hands encase her cooing softly comforting words and gentle strokes of the hands. Erza gently lifted Juvia's face from her hands an unbearably kind look on her face. "Juvia, you are not stupid. we just didn't expect that is all. Gray has always protected his friends...but never anything quite like that. We were just surprised."
A few moments later Cana sat closer to juvia and handed her a water bottle full of clear liquid. Juvia could smell the liquor from where she sat. Cana smiled mischievously, "Sooo Juvie, how well can you handle your liquor?" Juvia smiled back and took the bottle without fear and raised it to her lips. "Better than you can bet." She downed the bottle easily and tossed it back to Cana whose eyes showed an approving sparkle, "I fucking love this girl!"
The other girls all giggled in response. "So, Juvia, What was it like kissing Gray?" Lucy's curious eyes mimicked everyone else's. Juvia now feeling quite brave due to the alcohol giggled girlishly. "His face was...very soft. and warm. Everyone always said his skin is so cold...but it felt so warm to me. And his hand around my waist..." Juvia felt chills spiral down her back. "I wouldn't mind those hands going anywhere on me.." The girls all gasped as Juvia giggled. Cana swung her arm drunkenly around Juvia's shoulders as she laughed loudly, "HAH! I like this girl even more she's a big ol' perv!" Juvia blushed a deep red and looked away.
"It doesn't matter what I am, Juvia isn't liked like that by Gray. He was just protecting a friend like you said. He doesn't get feelings for girls, especially not ones like me. He is my friend and since he will protect me, I will protect him." The girls all hushed,as Juvia spoke, her soft spoken voice so strong. Lucy hugged her shoulders gently, "You were meant to be at FTA you know that? You protect your friends with your life and that's what we are all about. Welcome Home, truly Juvia." For the first time, in many many years Juvia felt as though her smile was real. Maybe, just maybe she wasn't so numb after all.
"Yeah yeah you guys can head over now, k see you then, bye." Gray slid his phone back into his pocket as his other hand unlocked the door to his room. Because the school was so huge every student had their own room (unless they wanted to pair up) boys and girls alike. It was game night and Gray's room was the one for this weekend so he set out what chairs and consoles he had. His room was always fairly neat, he enjoyed keeping it this way. It was his space, everything had a place and that's how it should be.
Gray turned just as the door banged open revealing several young men standing at it holding sleeping bags chairs and snacks. So many fucking snacks. Natsu walked in first followed by Laxus, Loke, Jellal and Gajeel. They all exchanged greetings as they set up areas, talking pointless chatter and occasional rough housing would break out until Laxus eyed them. Gray sat off to the side a bit where he always did when it was his room night. But tonight he had some shit on his mind that he just couldn't seem to get to go away. He had protected Juvia from those guys and in return she had...kissed him.
"Yo, Ice dick. You gonna play or sit there and think so hard your excuse of a brain will explode?" Gray sighed and slid his bean bag closer to the three massive screens all lined together. He sat next to Jellal who handed him a controller and gave him a kind look. Jellal had always been one of Gray's best friends, he was the only one who understood it was okay to be alone. They turned to the screen and as usual Jellal and Gray worked together and dominated against the other teams. That is until towards the end just as Gray was about to take the winning shot Natsu calls out to him, "So freeze brains, heard Juvia kissed ya." Gray's body went rigid his hands letting the controller slip from his cool fingers.
The other teams howled with victory and laughter as Gray sat there stunned. But the laughter soon died down when they realized neither Natsu or Gray were laughing. Natsu just sat watching Gray a very serious look on his face while Gray slowly recovered. Natsu leaned forward, "Is that true? I heard you even knocked the Jeremy douchebag on his ass because he groped her." Grays hands curled into fists at the remembrance of seeing her walk out and watching as the boys friend tripped her causing her skirt to come up enough for Jeremy to reach his hand up and smack her pert ass. "The fucker deserved what he got. You shouldn't ever disrespect a girl like tha-" "I heard you said you'd always protect her."
All the other boys now had turned to Gray their eyes all giving him the same look. Surprise. Sadness. Gray looked away feeling a deep pain in his chest. He hadn't said something like that in a long long time...Not since, not since the Grand Magic Games when he lost...her. Gray's head lowered in shame. He felt a hot hand rest on his shoulder as Natsu had moved to sit by him. "Look, dude, you gotta forgive yourself for that. She saved all of us... She wouldn't want you dwelling on this forever you know that. Ultear..." Gray winced at the name his eyes welling with tears. "She loved you and Lyon a lot man. She knows it wasn't your fault. You protected her as best you could, but that was her decision and what was meant to be done for her. Don't ever forget that."
Grays hand covered his eyes as his tears fell silently to the floor. None of the men in the room would look at each other, all feeling the pain of Gray losing his big sister. They all looked up as Gray stood and smiled. A real, genuine smile for the first time in a long long while. "I said i'd protect Juvia, and I will. I won't let what happened to Ultear happen to anyone else ever again." The boys all smiled and patted him heartily on the back. Gray turned to Natsu a dark look in his eyes, "Now. Back to the game Flame Fucker. You cheated and now it's time for a rematch. And this time, you won't catch me off guard." Natsu revealed a wicked grin as he hopped over to his seat. "Yosh! Let's do this stripper!"
And there we are! This chapter was short I know but it was cute and feels, the next chapter should be quite a bit longer. Make sure to review! I appreciate it more than you all know :)
