Series: Fairy Tail

Pairing: Gray Fullbuster/Juvia Lockser

Title: Drops in the Bucket (Pt 2)

Prompt: Making up After a Fight

Rating: E for Everyone

Word Count: 2716

AN: ONE WEEEK LEFT STARING TODAY! This fic is the second half of day 23.

An entire week had passed since the fight. After being discovered in the streets by Lucy, Juvia was walked home by the blonde, and had not left her apartment since.

The seven days had passed slowly, and she had spent a lot of time thinking about her words, and even more about Gray's. Were those his true feelings? That she was wasting their time? Was their love so fragile?

She had contemplated going to the guild, but she worried she would run into the ice mage, and his cold stare could break her heart further. She couldn't handle it. She wanted to hide for the rest of her life, than face Gray's rejection head-on.

There had been quite a few visitors in the week she spent locked in her apartment. First, Lucy had come by the following morning to try to talk about what had happened, since Juvia was too emotional to form sentences the day before.

But Juvia had just stood behind the closed door and told Lucy, "It is nothing. Juvia was rejected again. It happens all the time. Juvia will be fine."

But she was anything but fine. The young lady rarely travelled to the kitchen. The most she had consumed were some old valentine's chocolates and a seemingly unending amount of water.

She had to keep drinking water, because whenever the silence set in, and she realized she was alone, her tears would return until she ran dry.

Her next visit was from Lyon Vastia. Juvia heard him knocking at the door, pleading to be let in, begging for her to at least speak to him. But she wouldn't even open her mouth, she wouldn't move from her couch. She stayed silent, staring at the floor, until the man sighed, and left down the stairs again.

It was not Lyon's fault; Juvia knew that. It was Juvia's fault for using his kindness against Gray; it was Juvia's fault for giving Gray a reason not to trust her; and it was Gray's fault for being jealous; it was Juvia's fault for causing said jealousy. But even so, she couldn't talk to the white haired man. When she heard his voice, she remembered Gray's words.

"Why don't you just date him then?"

"You're wasting both of our time."

Those words broke Juvia all over again.

Her third visitor was a sharp tongue Gajeel, slamming on his best friend's door, demanding to be let in, swearing to destroy the 'damned stripper.'

Juvia cried through the door, begging him not to interfere, to not touch Gray.

"If anyone should be hurt, it is Juvia. Gray did nothing wrong."

"Hell to that!" Gajeel had hissed, "If he did 'nothing', why are you bawling your eyes out? I can smell your tears from here, Juvia. I know your crying."

"Juvia is made of water, she cries all the time." She lied, she knew he would see through it, but she could only make up excuses.

"I'll drag him here." The steel dragon had sworn, "I'll drag the sicko up the stairs and make him talk to—"

"NO!" Juvia had screeched through the door, her weight fell upon it as she slammed her arms against the door, and subsequently shut the man on the other side up. "Juvia cannot see Gray. Gray would only hate her more. It's better this way."

"The hell it is." Gajeel had groaned under his breath; "He's been at the guild every day. Just sitting around doing nothing. I want to squeeze his little head until it explodes."

"Then Juvia cannot come to the guild for a while." The water made had whimpered from inside her apartment, "Send Juvia's regards to her comrades."

And with that said, Juvia fell silent again, and replied to nothing her friend shouted, until he gave in a left her in her misery.

The rest of the week had been silent. So quiet and lonely—Juvia hated it—yet she wanted nothing else.

However, she kept running over the words Gajeel had told her. "He's been at the guild every day."

Why was Gray going to the guild every day? Was he ignoring her and living his life as usual? But if that were true, why wasn't he taking missions? Why go to the guild and do nothing?

Could he be waiting for her?

No. That was ridiculous. Juvia had been terrible to him. Gray hated her. There had to be another reason.

On the night of her sixth lonely day, Juvia folded her hands together, held them tight in front of her face, and took a deep breath, and prayed.

"Gray. Gray if you are waiting for Juvia, please stop waiting. Please come and save Juvia from her solitude."

Seven Days.

It was the seventh day since Gray had fought with Juvia, spoken to her like she was nothing, and left her crying in the streets.

He didn't even want to be alive.

Living with that memory was worse that death. How could he have been so cold to her?

Yet, she left him in a cold state. Gray travelled over to Fairy Tail every morning since their argument, and he sat at the table closest to the door, and he waited.

Every day the same events took place. Lucy would walk in, give a worried glance to Gray, but carry on without saying anything. Natsu would spit something like, "Nice going, loser." to him as he walked past. And Gajeel would glare at him. He would send threatening stares at the ice mage the entire day, his eyes promising to tear him to shreds if he had the chance.

But Juvia never walked in the door.

He spent all his time at that table, sipping water and munching chips when his stomach made a fuss, and didn't leave until the sun had long set, yet he didn't even catch a single glance of the bluenette six days in a row.

And now, in the early afternoon of his seventh day, it seemed it would be no different.

Gray had his head in his arms; at the same table he had spent the rest of his week. One hand was outstretched and fiddling with a cup of water. He watched the liquid splash around in the vessel, and thought about the woman who he had left broken in the streets.

He was stupid to wait for her. There was no reason for her to forgive him. He sighed and wore a broken smile, which he buried in his arms.

He heard a familiar hiss from Gajeel, as the dragon slayer strolled through the doors and kicked Gray's chair. But he gave no response. He would have taken the beating if Gajeel had given him one. He didn't understand why the man never did.

And just as that thought ran through his mind, he felt a pair of hands grab his shoulders and the ice mage was hurled to the floor.

"What? You finally get tired of looking at my tired face?" Gray mocked, but when he turned to his adversary, he didn't see the longhaired, steel dragon he had expected.

"What are you doing here?" Lyon snapped, and kicked Gray in the side.

"Oof! What the hell, Lyon?" Gray roared, and forced himself to his feet.

"Is this all you've done for a week? Sat around moping? You're absolutely disgusting." The white haired man chided.

"What do you care? All of this is your fault. If you hadn't given Juvia those stupid earrings, I never would have—"

"Have what? Gotten jealous? Called her unfaithful? Left her all alone for a week?" Lyon berated him time and time again. "A man like you doesn't deserve a sincere soul like Juvia's."

Gray couldn't even look at Lyon. It felt like he had punched him dead in the heart over and over. He couldn't find a single word to combat with, so instead he gave in. "Well, now that doesn't matter. Juvia won't talk to me again."

"What are you talking about?" Lyon growled, "Juvia won't open the door for anyone. She won't leave her apartment. She won't talk to anyone but you." Lyon gripped a fist so tight that blood trickled down his knuckles. "It always has to be you."

Gray stared at his long time rival with puzzled eyes.

"You know what she said to me when I gave her those earrings, Gray?" The fellow ice mage asked, laughing half heartedly, "She said, 'they look like ice. Like Gray's ice. Gray will love them.' Can you believe that? I bought her a gift. Me, another ice make mage, and all she could talk about was you."

Gray stood in place, just taking in Lyon's words.

The white haired man spoke up once more. "Have you really not noticed, Gray? Seven days straight and the rain hasn't stopped."

A strike of lightning lit up the guild, and Gray's eyes were opened. He had been so deep in his own depression he never noticed; the wet, cold walks to the guild; the muddy floors; even now, Lyon stood drenched in front of him.

Gray didn't say a word. As if his feet were on autopilot, the young man went storming out of the guild doors, racing down the streets towards Fairy Hills. His feet couldn't take him fast enough. In a flash, Gray slapped the ground and froze the wet pavement. He leapt onto the icy ground and slid up and down streets, moving as fast as his magic could take him.

As he reached the gate of Fairy Hills, Gray tripped off of his ice slide and stumbled to the receiver, ringing the doorbell over and over.

"God, who is it?" The matron's voice growled.

"Please, let me in." Gray pleaded.

"Oh, it's you. Thank goodness, I couldn't stand this rain any longer. Take care of your woman before I kick her out myself." The voice on the other end lectured. The receiver fell quiet again, and the gates began to open in front of him.

As soon as there was enough room to squeeze through, Gray did so and began running up stairs. Half way up, he slipped on the wet metal and came down on his knees, banging his head on the handrail on the way. He cursed under his breath, but forced himself back up and kept going.

When Gray reached Juvia's floor, he saw Lucy standing outside of the water mage's apartment door, slamming her fist against it.

"Juvia! Juvia please open up! Everyone's worried about you!" The blonde cried out, then turned her head. "Gray! You're bleeding!"

He thought he might have heard a gasp from the other side of the door. Gray limped closer, brushed the blood away that trickled from his brow, and gestured for Lucy to move aside.

"Juvia…" He spoke up, "I won't ask you to let me in."

"Gray, what do you mean?" Lucy whispered at his side.

"Because I don't have to." He dug his hand into his pants pocket and dragged out a key ring with a single key on it, and turned it into the doorknob. "I'm coming in, Juvia."

"No. Please don't." The young lady begged through the wooden door. Gray's heart stopped. She really didn't want to see him.

"Juvia does not want Gray to see her. Juvia looks horrible."

Gray exhaled in relief. It was only her lack of confidence that held him back. So he recited the line he gave her every time she complained about her looks.

"Impossible." And with that, he turned the doorknob and let himself into the apartment.

Juvia stumbled back from the door and threw a blanket over her head. Gray walked further into the apartment, and then apologized to Lucy, before shutting her outside again.

"Juvia, why are you hiding from me?" He asked softly, and reached for the cloth covering the young lady's face. She gave little resistance, but her eyes remained on the ground as he lifted the veil from her.

Juvia's eyes were red from crying, and dark rings surrounded them. Her hair was matted and damp, and her skin was so pale; far more than usual. Her frame looked thinner, and he worried how long she had gone without eating. She really did look dreadful.

"Juvia…" He gasped, and reached out to cup her cheek, but she backed away from his tough. "Did I… do this to you?"

"It's fine." Juvia gave a broken laugh, "Juvia deserves it after how she treated Gray."

"That's not true!" Gray hollered. Juvia leapt in surprise to his tone. Her eyes finally flicked up to his, but instead of the furious eyes she expected, she found a pair of painfully sorrowful hues staring back at her.

"It was my fault. I got jealous. I said things to you that I never imagined I would allow myself to." He balled his fists at his side and inhaled sharply through his teeth, trying to fight back his tears. "There hasn't been a day this week that I haven't regretted what I said."

"Gray…" Juvia spoke softly, her eyes tearing up, as she reached out for him.

Grays hands snapped up and snatched up Juvia's palm, holding it tight within his. "I'll buy you anything you want. I'll never fight with Lyon over you again. I'll do anything, if you'll just forgive me." He sobbed, cursing himself for setting his tears free as they trickled down his cheeks. "All I've wanted these seven days was to hold you again."

"Oh, Gray." Juvia whimpered his name, and broke from him grasp to step in close and wrap her arms around him. "If Gray had listened to Juvia back then, he would have known that all Juvia wants is Gray. Gray is all Juvia needs."

Gray choked back his tears, and hesitated to hold her, afraid to crush her thinned frame, but her body felt so warm against his. He softly placed over hand between her shoulder blades, and the other in the curve of her back. Juvia slid her head under his chin and nuzzled him.

"Please don't cry, Gray." She requested. But the man continued to shed his tears and rubbed his head in her hair. "Juvia won't go out with Lyon any more. Juvia will spend all her time with Gray."

"No, that's not necessary." Gray sniffed back his tears, and moved his face down so he could press his forehead against hers, and stare into her blue eyes. "You can spend your time with whoever you want. Like you said, Lyon is important." He kissed her nose softly and Juvia smiled tenderly. "Just promise you'll stay with me."

"Oh Gray…" Juvia giggled softly, and placed a tiny, warm kiss on his lips. "Doesn't Gray remember that Juvia promised that a long time ago?"

"Yeah, I guess I do." Gray chuckled lightly, and ran his hair through her hair.

"Hey! The rains stopping! Way to go, Gray!" Lucy sang from outside the apartment.

"Yeah well, get lost Lucy!" Gray shouted back at the door. "Juvia and I have some cleaning up to do."

"Well, I never…!" He heard the blonde grouch from outside, before stomping down the stairs.

"Gray, that wasn't very nice." Juvia complained. "Juvia does not need to clean, she has barely moved for the last week."

"Oh, I didn't mean the apartment." Gray said, and smirked down at the young lady. "I think we need to get the shower running for a couple of grumps who haven't bathed for a week."

A streak of crimson ran across Juvia's cheeks. "Oh." She said simply, her mouth making a perfect 'O' as she put together Gray's words. Then she pouted and puffed up her cheeks. "Juvia thought Gray said it was 'impossible' for Juvia to look bad."

"Oh, you look wonderful." Gray snickered "But I didn't say anything about your scent."

"What?! Like Gray is one to talk!" Juvia whined, and lifted a bit of her bangs that were now dyed red "Gray is so filthy, there is blood in Juvia's hair!" She grabbed the man's arm and began dragging him towards her bathroom. Just as she neared the door, she glanced back with a sly smile, "Juvia supposes her shower has room for two…"

The End