I would like to throughly apologize for the lack of updating in ALL my stories. I was finishing up school and I started my first job, so this summer has been hectic.
Than my parents got divorced and I had to move away, so yeah. Things haven't been that great...
Here are two new chapters, and I AM SORRY!
Previously: Juvia and Gray were lacking the improvement, but Ultear failed on her confession and has backed off. With some planning, Natsu and Levy managed to get Juvia and Gray to walk home together! After awkwardness, Gray promises he'll walk her home on Wednesday's!
I love you all!
The classroom was jittering with excitement, Ms. Strauss was currently announcing the Culture Festival. But as soon as she mentioned it, the class started deciding booth or game. Juvia couldn't focus though, she was too busy being nervous and excited. It was Wednesday! The promised day for Gray to take her home, it was the last class of the day, and in just a couple seconds she could leave.
When the bell rang, Juvia managed to hold her excitement and wait for her friends. They started walking down the hall to the front entrance. "Our class is doing bowling... I wanted to do a cafe..." Levy said as they start to walk past Gray and Natsu's classroom. The door slid open and suddenly Gray started to walk out. He caught eye his eyes with Juvia's than turned away quickly, retreating into the classroom.
"Does he remember?" She shook her head "... It's alright."
In 30 minutes, Levy is working and the other two sat in one of the Cafés booth. She clutched her cup of tea tightly with her delicate hands. Juvia stared out the window with intense nervousness, it was a long weak for her and she has been anticipating this Wednesday for so long. The café's door opened and a perky waitress called a welcome, Juvia looked over to see non other than Gray sweating and breathing hard.
The two saw each other and a light blush coats their cheeks. Lucy took this as her sign to leave, and with a small good bye and a wink, she does so. Gray sat across from Juvia, the place where Lucy previously sat. Her heart pounded in her ears and a lump sat in her throat.
"Today... I must... Try my best to talk..." Juvia stared at the table and scrambled for words to say that could start a possible conversation.
"Club... Is very tiring... Right?" She said with a shaky and small voice.
"Ah!" Gray responded slightly shocked. "Today, not too much..."
"You're sweating... A lot.." Juvia said in the same voice but this time looking at him.
"That is... A bit... I ran here.." He looked away rubbing his face with his blazers sleeve "I didn't want to make you wait..."
Juvia blushed and stared at him with her shining eyes. She could only come up with one response "... Thank you...". It felt like she was floating.
The town was quiet, and the sun was setting as it always did. Everything was normal, but Juvia felt Grays warmth from his shoulder as they walked home together. Everything was obviously not normal. It felt perfect yet nerve wracking.
"It's almost... Time for the... Cultural festival..." Juvia said with her legs starting to shake. "What's class 1-B doing?"
"Haunted House!" Gray yelled in an overly awkward voice "what about 1-A?"
"... B... Bowling..." She muttered out.
"The conversation is flowing! I need more to talk about."
Juvia walked and strained for a topic, but the silence remained. She was so caught up in her thoughts she didn't notice they've reached her house. Gray bows politely and starts going back the way they came, leaving a dumbstruck Juvia.
Juvia went inside her house and took a shower, blow dried her hair than ate dinner with her parents. After making a cup of tea, she went up to her room and sat on her bed.
"Today... We talked about, the Cultural Festival..."
Juvia relived her day, going through each time she encountered Gray. The way he ran to the cafe in fear of her waiting, just the thought of that made Juvia rest her head on her knees to hide her blushing face.
"Gray-kun... The whole day... What kind of feelings do you have? Why did you run? Do you... Like me?" She sighs "another long week has started..."
A cool breeze ruffled their hair as they sat on the roof of their school. Juvia rummaged through her bag and pulled out a small notebook with a blue pen running through the spirals. She took the pen out and flipped open to the first page.
Thursday
Today I ate Lunch with Levy-chan and Lucy-chan!
As the week progressed, Juvia would flip to a new page every day and jot down an event that occurred. They would be small things, 'I ate on the roof today' to 'Levy spilled the paint'. She wanted something to talk about on her way home with Gray, so this would be her reminder. Than she wrote Wednesday in the corner, the day went by slowly for her.
Juvia took a deep breath as she left the cafe with Gray, and headed to her house. She glanced at her notebook and than at him.
"It's almost time... For the cultural festival.." She said, than scolded herself internally "I said this last week!"
"Yeah..." He said, oblivious they went through this before
"Umm, what do.. You do on your day offs?"
"Club activities..." Gray responded.
"... It's... Tiring right?" She asked, and clenched tightly at her bags straps.
"..." He doesn't respond, than turned his head to the opposite side of Juvia "the day before, and the day of the cultural Festival... I don't have club activities..."
She looked at him, slight wide eyed and shocked "is... That so?... Levy-chan, spilled the paint yesterday..."
Juvia didn't catch on to what he was hinting at, and they arrived at her house moments after she said that. Gray bowed politely and headed on his way, than that overwhelming feeling in her stomach appeared again. It's happened quite a bit now, and she knew what her body was telling her. Juvia took a step forward.
"Gray-kun!" She said in her loudest voice, which isn't that loud. He turned around and looked her straight in the eye.
"The cultural festival..." He started "the day of and the day after, I will send you home."
Juvia's eyes widened and she stared at him in befuddlement. The look made Gray advert his eyes and blush, she suddenly took a step toward him. He looked back at her to see a frown has settled on her face.
"Why... Are you using formal language?" Juvia pouted and he lost his balance, falling a step back.
"Eh- what?" He looked around "I unknowingl-"
"Banned." She said strongly, and a little forceful. "From... Today onwards, banned."
"... Eh.." He stumbled for a response, she doesn't usually act so headstrong. The new face was throwing him off "oh... Okay?... I do use slang as well!"
"The cultural festival..." She smiled lightly "please take care of me..."
The two went their separate ways and again started a week. All the classes worked hard to finish up their booths and games for the festival. Juvia and Gray met meekly, until Wednesday. After meeting at the cafe, Gray walked her home. She stared at her notebook, confused on what to say. This week was almost identical to the previous, this idea wasn't going to well for her so far.
"How has it been recently!?... Cultural festival... And such..." Gray suddenly yelled, making Juvia jump slightly "there... Was no formal language..."
"I'm fine..." She responded formally
"Juvia-san... Your using formal language..." Gray pointed out
"Are you doing well Gray-kun?" Juvia said in informal
"Ah..." He looked away, slightly embarrassed. Gray knew his face was red and when Juvia spotted a tint of red on his ear. She couldn't help but look away, smiling to herself "Yeah..."
"The cultural festival... I'm looking forward to it..." Juvia says quietly.
"Yeah... Me too..." He responds.
"Why... Although we're not using formal language, do we feel close to each other? Does Gray-kun speak to other girls with informal language?... Ah, Gray-kun... Doesn't talk to other girls."
She looks down, getting herself lost in thought again. Juvia uses a hand to stop a breeze from moving her hair too much and a slight red creeps up on her cheeks.
"Why... Only to me? Why does he take me home every Wednesday? Why does he rush to me once club activities are over? Why is he not using formal language? Why... Why is he talking to me? Why..."
Juvia bites her lip, and glances a look at Gray. His onyx hair and eyes, the cross he always wears on his bag, the scar under his eye. The stoic look, and his unwavering kindness. He was the man she fell in love with, she was just a Hitode in the sea. But... He did all this stuff for her.
"The more I think about it... The prouder I get... Gray-kun, how do you feel about me?"
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