Hello, fellow Gruvia fans! Here is chapter 2, still can be considered as part of the introduction to the story. Since the first chapter is about Juvia, this one is about Gray. I also want to thank SnowLili and a kind strange who left a review. Thank you so much, you guys have motivated me to update as soon as I can. Oh and I have fixed some problems in chapter 1 (regarding the paragraph). I copy paste it from Wattpad, the paragraph may get cramped because there was an error in the html or something. I'll be careful this time. Anyway, I also want to tell you that I am a slow-paced writer so please bear with me! I just can't make a rush story I don't know why. Thought this chapter is quite short.
Please enjoy! Here it is!
I remember her. She is Juvia.
The last time I saw her was the first time I met her. After my dad brought me back home, I had never got to see her again even if I nagged and whined, my dad still refused to bring me to visit Juvia and his father.
"I'm busy," he told me every time. You can basically guess what I did afterward. Cry and screaming, sometimes turning into a throwing-tantrum-monster-like child.
One time, however, he gave me a different reply.
"Why do you want to meet her so much, Gray? Do you like her?" he asked grinning like an idiot my father always be.
"WHAT? NO!" I grimaced, although I felt my cheeks warming. I didn't understand what happened at that time but right now I know it's called blushing. My dad laughed a little but the he stopped and he didn't say anything anymore. Even his expression turned back into a neutral expression.
When I think about it now, his behaviour at that time wasn't exactly his usual self. He is always silly and he likes making stupid remarks and jokes. Every time, every single time, I asked him if we could visit Juvia, he didn't do a lot of commentary.
I decided to ask him again when he stopped laughing.
"It's just, I've made my promise to meet her again. You told me that I can't break my promise!" I raised my voice and furrowed my brow. I thought I'd be ignored but my dad stopped whatever he was doing and looked at me. He sighed, his face turned a little bit sour.
"Gray, I'm really sorry. I want to bring you to meet her but I'm really busy. They live far away so please be patient, okay?" I was so ready to nag when I saw a glimpse of sadness in his eyes. He walked away from me and suddenly stopped.
"Besides, we want it or not, we are going to meet them soon," he said before continued walking.
Little did I know, he was busy finishing all business matters so he could make time, even if he didn't know, when Adrian Lockser's funeral day came.
The first time I attended a funeral was when Juvia's father passed away. Everyone was wearing black, people were crying but comforting each other at the same time. I didn't know a lot about Adrian Lockser, and I was still a 8-year-old child so I didn't really feel anything. I did realize, though, that it was a sad day because I saw Juvia cried. Unlike me, she didn't throw any tantrum nor whining or screaming. She just stood there, holding her pink umbrella, which contrasted her black dress so much, while crying quietly. I couldn't even have the balls to talk to her, scared if I might bother her. Even if I really wanted to see her before the funeral happened.
It was my first time seeing someone so calm in a funeral, but it was also my first time in a funeral.
The second time, sadly, is my mother's funeral, Gray thought.
Back then, he didn't understand why Juvia could be so calm but now he knew. It was not a calm and quiet emotion. It was numb. You just didn't feel anything.
15-year-old Gray was in a history class when suddenly the principal asked him to come to his office. He told him that his mother had been brought to the hospital and Gray didn't remember what happened after the principal told him because he was already running to the hospital. He was tired but he kept running. When he found his mother's room, he saw his dad and some of his mother's friends were already there. He saw his dad crying while holding his mother's left hand so tightly.
That time he knew, his mother fell in a bathroom because she suffered from stroke.
His mother survived for 2 years until she passed away.
It was raining when Silver was delivering an eulogy that Gray didn't even bother to listen. He went somewhere to smoke his cigarette and he found a bench. He sat there and lit his cigarette. He smoked quietly, letting his sadness, anger, confusion, and all those feelings he couldn't determine go with the smoke. Suddenly, he felt someone sat beside him. He turned his head and saw a blue hair.
Back then, he would be happy if he saw her but right now, all he need was to be alone.
He didn't even look at her, "Juvia, I want to be alone," and he thought she would go away from his cold words. But she was still there. Gray sighed and put out his cigarettes. He turned to face Juvia whose eyes were so puffy and red.
"Please, I don't want you here. I don't need support or any comforting words,"
"Well Juvia doesn't come here to do that, Juvia just doesn't want you to be alone. Juvia won't say anything, Juvia promises," She looked at him with innocent eyes.
Gray frowned but then sighed in defeat. She said she would not say anything so it'd be fine, I guess, he thought. They stayed like that for more than 20 minutes. No one spoke to each other, their eyes were fixed to something in front of them. Gray was about to leave when suddenly he remembered that he wanted to ask her something he was always curious about.
"Do you feel some sort of numb, when...you know, uh," Gray stuttered a bit. He assumed that Juvia would be confused but she just smiled. As if she knew. "Because back then I saw you so quiet, and..uh,"
"Well..., Juvia felt sad. Of course, Juvia felt really really sad. But...,"
Gray raised an eyebrow, "But...?"
"Papa told Juvia to be strong and Juvia has promised so..., Juvia could never break her promise,"
Gray could not believe her naivety.
"And you just follow what he said? Even though you couldn't?"
"Ah..., um..., actually...Juvia wants to be strong because she doesn't want Papa to be even sadder. That time, even if Juvia was only a child, but Juvia could see how hard it was for Papa to leave Juvia behind. Juvia just...didn't want to burden his feelings. Papa had always loved Juvia and Juvia always loves her Papa. After all, Juvia has Jellal, Jose, and Juvia's best friend, Meredy, so...Juvia is not alone," she smiled sweetly even though tears were threatening to fall.
Gray stayed quiet until she asked, "Is Gray that angry?"
"Angry? To whom?"
"To life," Juvia said innocently.
It hit Gray so deep that Gray's hands began to shake. Yes, he was angry. Furious.
"I just don't understand. My mom was fine and the suddenly-," his eyes watered. He quickly wiped his tears but it just wouldn't stop. "I was so close with her and my dad loves her so much,"
Gray was taken aback when Juvia put her small hand on his left shoulder. She smiled sadly.
"Juvia could see that Gray really loves his mother. Juvia think it must be nice to have a mother," she added while removing her hand from his shoulder. Gray turned his head slowly, realising what he just heard. At the very least, he had got to live with his mother for years while Juvia, if he wasn't wrong, hadn't even met her mother. For s sat closer to Juvia, making her very confused. He raised his left hand but he didn't put it anywhere. He left it hanging as if he wanted to touch Juvia. Juvia tilted her head, in an adorable way as always, looking confused.
"Can I hug you," so suddenly, without any warning, without even thinking twice, Gray blurted the words. It was a sincere question but then, he realised what he just said and quickly stood up to hide his warming cheeks.
Too late, thought, Juvia heard it and she was blushing so hard.
"..s,"
Gray thought he heard Juvia say something. He turned his body to face Juvia who was stil sitting.
"What?"
"Ah," Juvia startled from his grimaced but quickly recovered and still blushing, "Juvia...just said...yes," she said slowly and softly, almost like a whisper but loud enough for Gray to hear it. Gray's eyes widened, surprised that she accepted his request. However, though, he really did want to hug her. To share her burden instead of sharing his. Having someone to comfort him was also not bad. He was stupid for telling her to go away at first.
"Can you...stand up?"
Juvia looked up to see Gray's face but looking down when she stood up timidly. Both of her palms were clasped together, her fingers fidgeting nervously. She couldn't control her blushing cheeks nor her beating-like-crazy heart.
Almost like a dream, Gray hugged Juvia. He was wrapping his arms loosely around her but when she moved her hands to wrap them around him, he tightened the hug. They were hugging for a minute or so; embracing each other, sharing their empathy, and relaxing their pressure on life. Gray moved his hand to Juvia's hair when Juvia moved to hide her face in the crook of his neck, and began stroking her eyes gently.
"Gray,"
"Hm,"
"You're warm,"
Gray opened his eyes (he didn't even realise that he closed his eyes), couldn't believe what he just heard. Not only because she didn't speak in third person but also because he felt his heart beating so fast after hearing what she said. He was so confused that he broke the embrace. Juvia looked partly confused, partly disappointed.
"Sorry, I don't want any misunderstanding,"
"What does Gray mean?" But Gray only shook his head. Juvia, even if she was still puzzled, smiled in understanding. She couldn't help the strange feeling that slowly blossoming inside her heart.
"Juvia hopes Gray could let his mother go. That way, she will not leave with any burden," Juvia stepped closer to Gray, her blue eyes staring straight to Gray's dark ones. He smiled.
She is right.
Maybe I'm the crybaby one. Hating life that I just started just because it disappoints me once. Fucking spoiled brat.
And I remember a riddle.
Two people fighting but no one win or lose. Why is that?
I still don't know the answer but I can guess.
Because they weren't fighting with each other. They were fighting with themselves, their own lives.
Though however, right this moment,
In our case,
We both lose.
When they went back to the funeral place, Gray asked Juvia.
"Why are you still talking in third person? Is crybaby Juvia back then still trapped in present Juvia?" Gray chuckled.
"That is really mean, Gray Fulbuster" Juvia tried to slap Gray in annoyance while still smiling but Gray dodged it easily. He laughed and then glanced at Juvia's face. She was blushing?
"And why are you blushing? Do you have a fever?" His voice was a little bit worried.
That made Juvia blush harder.
"Oh God, you should see your face, Pfft-," Gray put a hand to supress his laughter. "I might call you Juvi-tomato from now on,"
"Gray!" Juvia opened her mouth in shock and slapped Gray's arm playfully, this time Gray couldn't dodge it. "Juvia will make a nickname for Gray, too!"
"Show me what you got, Juvi-," Gray thought for a second about a round and blush-coloured object, "Oh! Juvi..pft...Juvi-nipples,"
"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! Juvia doesn't know Gray is a pervert!" Juvia closed her eyes and she put her hands on her ears, screaming at Gray. Gray was laughing so hard he almost tripped.
"Fine then, from now on, Juvia will call you Gray-sama!" And that left Gray confused.
Thank you for reading! I know this chapter is quite boring. But this chapter will probably..., maybe...crucial for the upcoming chapters! Please please bear with me.
Oh, I'm also a newbie writer. I like to write but I've never posted my writing to be seen by anyone before so I hope you can leave a review to give me some insight. Especially grammar and vocabularies since I'm not a native in English language. Thanks! Will update soon!