Chouchou Yosei
Sorry this took awhile!
Previously: being pulled behind the curtains in the haunted house. Juvia finally gains the courage to confess to Gray. After a while, he finally responds that's it's mutual, panics, than leaves her alone.
Juvia couldn't move. It was almost like the world was frozen still, and all that was left was emotions. Happiness, shock, fear, embarrassment. Her cheeks were flushed red and eye's wide, slowly she leaned forward. Gray's voice echoed in her head, that one phrase that settled everything was in repeat.
It was Levy that broke her trance. She pulled back the curtain of the exit and stepped into the small section. Levy tilted her head and crouched down next to her best friend.
"Juvia-chan? Gray-kun already walked out, is something wrong?" She settled a hand of reassurance on Juvia's shoulder. "... He's waiting for you."
The blue haired girl felt a rush of energy flow through and she took Levy's hand. She pulled Juvia onto her feet and together, they walked out of the Haunted House. Juvia nearly forgot her school festival was occurring, and that there was large bodies of people walking through the halls.
Gray leaned up against the wall next to the exit, his arms crossed and eyes focused on the ground. Juvia let go of Levy's hand and shuffled to the other side, clamping her hands together. Gray glanced at her.
"S-Sorry for leaving you in there... Alone..." Juvia glanced at him and shook her head no.
"What's going on?" Levy asked Lucy as she watched the two.
"Does he... Really like me?..."
"Juvia-san..." Gray looked at her again, making the blue haired girl blush. "I..."
His face was red, almost a deep scarlet. Gray could barely keep eye contact, he averted her eyes and looked to the left.
"Even though I promised you..." He started up again "I can't look around together with you anymore..."
Juvia watched him walk briskly away, she was upset at first. He promised her and now he pulled back on it, but than her eyes landed on the back of his neck. Grays neck flushed a deep red along with his ears, the young girl covered her smile that started to appear and looked down.
"He's red all the way to his neck... I don't think... He's the type to joke about this stuff." Juvia's blue hair cascaded around her, and hid her flustered face. "Gray-kun... Has a person he likes."
"Gray left?" Levy asked as she watched the hallway "...is that okay?" Juvia nodded in response.
"Juvia... Your face is red" Lucy pointed out, than Natsu ran towards them holding his costume.
"Sorry Hitode-chan!" He said "sorry it ended up looking like you two going in together was a pretty bad idea."
"Why are you slacking off?" The blonde clicked her tongue
"My shift ended!" Natsu said, slightly offended. "Whatever, Gray is about to start his shift,"
"What's he doing?" Levy asked
"The monster." He explained vaguely. The pink haired boy looked around and saw multiple people staring at Juvia. "You're... Still the center of attention, as expected of the pretty Juvia."
"Let's go," Lucy growled and stomped off, feeling Irritated.
"The roof!" Levy sang.
"Wait!" Natsu quickly chased after the girls and grabbed onto Lucy's wrist. She turned her head, looking calm. "I'll buy you three yakisoba!"
"No..." Lucy muttered and pulled her hand away "we can buy it ourself."
"Oh..." The pink haired boy dropped his hand, slowly walking away. Levy leaned her face into Lucy's vision.
Her face was crumpled up, and completely devastated. Her eyes glistened with hurt and near tears, and a bit lip that could bleed from her tight grip. Levy took a step back, it amazed her. Lucy was usually calm and ignored the boy, but now it was like a new girl. She didn't know how to react, or how to fix it. Than Juvia walked toward her. The pretty girl grabbed Lucy's hand and held it tightly, the worry and distraught look melted away. The blonde looked at her best friend, a small smile replacing the frown.
"Sorry, let's go."
Natsu held two cartons of yakisoba as he walked to the back of the dojo. Gray sat on the grass waiting for him, and once the pink headed boy sat down. They started talking.
"Juvia," Natsu started "is at the rooftop."
"..." Gray waited a second "you're not going to ask if we can eat there?"
"Lucy and I are in a fight..." He looked away "but this is about you, not me. You can go there alone."
"Ah...?" Gray looked at his friend who smiled as he ate his food "I don't plan on seeing Juvia-San anymore!"
"Did... Something happen?" Natsu asked, slightly shocked and confused. Gray didn't respond. "You don't have to tell me anything, but... Don't worry. You can always talk to me, don't forget that."
Gray stared at his best friend, forgetting how reliable he could be. He cleared his throat and looked at his feet, "when I left, how was Juvia-san?"
"Usual; being stared at." Natsu responded
"Somehow..." A long, and loud silence occurred
"What?!" Natsu growled, slightly annoyed
"It's mutual love, it seems!" Gray sputtered out quickly, turning to his friend and red cheeks apparent. Natsu stared at him.
No one said anything for a long while, until the raven haired grew frustrated "say something!... Are you doubting me!?"
"No..." Natsu said lightly "I'm happy for you."
"... Is it a good thing?" He asked
"Of course it is, what are you saying?"
"... What should I do?" Gray buried his face in his hands.
"Huh!?" Natsu looked at him and blushed lightly "what do you want to do?!"
"..." Another silence "What should I do?"
"What do you want to do?" Natsu retorted again. He looked away and sighed "Normally, wouldn't you guys be dating?"
Gray's eyes widened and he turned to his best friend, blushing wildly. When Natsu turned to him, red in the face too, they looked away and groaned
"You're blushing!" The pink haired idiot yelled
"So are you!"
"Hey," Lucy said as she watched Levy stare at her phone anxiously. "What's up?"
Her head hung low and suddenly drops of tears hit her phone's screen. Lucy's and Juvia's eyes grew and they rushed to her side. Levy felt her arms go limp and the heavy sobbing erupted.
"He... Didn't even notice me!" She choked out "Gajeel-kun, didn't even see me."
"Levy-chan..." Lucy held her hand and suddenly Juvia hugged her friend tightly. "I'm so sorry."
When she calmed down, which took a couple minutes, Levy headed to the bathroom to wash her face. Juvia and Lucy stood together on the rooftop. A cold wind brushed their hair and skirts, sending shivers down their spines. The blonde girl looked over at her friend.
"There are a lot of people here, as expected..." She said breaking the silence. "Did something happen?... Are you two still going home together?"
Juvia looked over at Lucy and her lips parted slightly as realization dawned on her. "Should we... Go home together? Something like that happened... What should I do?"
Levy jumped up and down in excitement as Juvia told them the news. Lucy sat down and watched the two girls blush and smile in ecstasy.
"I can't believe it's mutual love!" Levy yelled and hugged Juvia happily.
Lucy smiled and muttered a congratulations, feeling nostalgic. She leaned up against the wall, hidden away from the line of people for bowling. The blonde sighed, knowing she had to hide her troubles. It was a rare and probably a once in a lifetime occurrence, and she wanted Juvia to enjoy her love. She took the scoreboard remote from her best friend and smiled knowing she couldn't focus on helping customers.
The days where Juvia and Lucy could be happier, when she herself was a lot more girly and wore skirts. It's been 6 years since that time. Lucy hasn't worn a skirt or dress that wasn't a school uniform for that long. She really missed them, but Juvia's crying face always appeared in her mind. Lucy dug herself into a hole she couldn't get out of, cutting her hair to barely brush her shoulders and the only sign of being a girl was a blue ribbon holding her two braids at the back of her head. She wasn't pretty like Juvia, so she just gave up.
Now Juvia had a lover, someone to take away her foil and almost sister. While she was too afraid to fall in love, and too scared to let go of their memories together. Juvia has already grown up.
The blue haired girl sat down at the cafe booth, setting her bag next to her. The small bell on the door chimed as it opened, and Gray sat across from her. The two avoided eye contact and the silence spread through them.
Lucy stood outside the Cafe and watched her best friend blush lightly at the sight of her now mutual love. The blonde girl leaned up against the wall and sighed.
"What are you doing?" A familiar voice said. She looked up and gazed blankly at Natsu, he blinked at her. "You're usually gone by now,"
"I should be asking you that," Lucy said and stood up straight.
"Me!? I live this way," Natsu looked into the cafe and at the two "I wonder if she's doing well with Gray,"
"Even today," Lucy huffed "Juvia's going home with Gray."
"It's Gray, they should be fine-"
"If anything happens to Juvia! I'll kill him!" Lucy growled and menaced at Natsu, her rage emitting a bad aura.
"O-okay..." he said holding two hands up in defeat and fear "let's go home."
She started to walk away without him, Natsu grumbled and grabbed her wrists for the second time. Lucy stopped and turned to him, blushing only a little. He stared at her, and slowly she pulled her hand up from his wrist to meet with his hand. Natsu didn't pull away as she pressed her hands palm to his, and tighten the grip.
"I'll take you home." He said calmly and started to walk in the direction of her house, not breaking their hands apart.
Lucy felt happy and at the same time sad, she was still holding his hand but now Natsu was a couple paces in front of her. She took a quick step towards him and leaned her head up against his shoulder. Natsu stiffened and turned only his head to look at her, it was than he noticed she's been crying.
"W-why are you crying?" He asked nervously.
"Juvia... Will leave me behind..."
"Isn't love a good thing though?" Lucy felt her tears come to a halt, and slowly she looked up at him. He wasn't smiling like a joke, or was teasing her in anyway. Than a wide grin spread across his face, it was childish and a little ignorant. But Lucy felt her heart skip a beat, she pulled away from him and blushed heavily.
"I'm walking home alone!" The blonde girl yelled as she ran away from Natsu.
He couldn't help to find her reaction, cute.
Other couples for today, well mainly NaLu. Those two dorks!
Please review!