~~~12~~~

Later that day, Gray watched grumpily from the bar at the table of people he called his closest friends and the future comers. They had been laughing at his future counterpart's stories of fighting Natsu for at least three hours. Juvia clinging to his arm tightly because his future self didn't mind at all. Well, Gray minded.

This future hot shot was stealing his friends away. It was him they were giving attention to, but not the Gray that felt left out. Usually if he was alone, Juvia would cling to him or something. Though not this time. Juvia was busy fawning over the other Gray, and that made him feel sick. He was losing her, to himself.

Gray sat at the bar contemplating over everything that happened so far. At how much he actually relied on Juvia. For support, for someone to talk to, for his own sanity. For making her laugh to lighten his own spirits. He needed her to be there. Future Gray is proof of just how much. When he arrived, he was a mess.

Erza continues to nag him about telling the bluenette just how he feels, but he's always just been too scared to let her in. Though, she already is in. She just might not know that yet. He does not want to risk losing her and Future Gray forgot that fear but it came back and kicked him in the ass. Why else would he be in the past? Future Juvia's dead. He said that Juvia died three times for him, be it real or not. It all hurts just the same.

Gray won't let that hurt consume him, yet having his future self just be near Juvia makes his blood boil. Especially when that future guy keeps looking at Juvia with those stupid lovey eyes of admiration. He looked at her that way every time she laughed and this dumb smile would always lighten his face when he saw her. Future Gray was so different it seemed so unreal, yet believable enough to put Gray's stomach in knots.

Jealousy would be the word to use… Maybe… But it was difficult. It was Gray himself pulling him on this wild ride of mixed dreadful feelings. Gray didn't know what to do about it since it was so complicated. Surely his future self should understand, but how could he explain it without embarrassing himself?

So, the day went on and Gray did nothing but contemplate his options and sulk at the bar. It wasn't until Levy and Lucy came around that he realized that it was coming night time. The girls asked the team where his future counterpart was as they had some information.

"Natsu, you think you can find him?" Lucy asked. "It really shouldn't wait. We need to find Ariana as well."

"Well, sure, I guess. I can try. Come on," the pinkette replied, walking out the guild with an anxious Lucy to his side.

Gray shifts at the bar and looks around the guild, noticing the loss of blue hair. Juvia, Future Gray, and Ariana were all missing. The ravenette sighed at the twisted feeling he had. He wasn't put off because he had a future counterpart, but because his future self was all lovey with his Juvia… Gray was sure he was crazy.

"Why so uptight, Gray?" a familiar voice called from behind.

Low and behold, there stood Erza the usual person that showed up when he was thinking those kinds of thoughts. Gray grunted in response and continued his frown. He did not want Erza to complicate things any more than it already was.

The scarlenette sat down next to him and continued, "You okay? Having yourself from the future must be hard to think around."

"Uh, yeah, I'm fine," Gray answered.

"You haven't joined a brawl or stripped at all today. You haven't even left this chair. If you think I will believe you, then you should know that I know you better than that. What's bothering you?" Erza inquired.

"Myself," he grunted in return, then stood up to add, "You know what? It's nothing. I'm just being a pussy, that's all. I'll be over it by tomorrow."

Erza insisted, "Gray, before you go… I know this may be a bad time, but… Could you find your future self? You might be the only one that could find him."

The ravenette paused before replying, "Maybe I'll find him where I'm going…" then left out the guild doors into the darkening of night.