A/N: Hello! My first time writing, hopefully it's not too awful~ Super love JuviaxGray! Enjoy!
Juvia was glum, and that has been her mood for the past hour as they wonder aimlessly through the forest. She had kept a considerable amount of distance between herself and her one love, Gray-sama, which was not usually the case.
As for Gray, he was pretty annoyed as he marches on ahead of her. He had thought that since everything they had been through together, she wouldn't be so hesitate to act in dire situation, but boy was he wrong. While it has become a routine while on missions with his regular team that they would save Lucy's life, he didn't think he would have to do the same for Juvia. After all, she was a capable mage with considerable amount of magic, she was once an S class mage for crying out loud. Her hesitant to attack the enemies almost got herself killed if he had not been there to stop it, and that was pretty annoying. Sure, he had saved her life on more than one occasions but this time, it was different. They were different.
"Gray-sama…" She called out then, almost in a whisper but he heard her. "Juvia is sorry."
Gray could hear the sadness in her voice causing him to sigh deeply and stopped walking then turned face to face with her. "You don't have to apologize."
"But Gray-sama is mad at Juvia." She whimpers, tears rolling down her dark blue eyes as she look down.
"I'm not mad at you." He assured her, and when she didn't speak up, he went closer to her and held her chin up so she would look at him. "I'm not mad." He said again. "I'm just a little frustrated. Juvia, you had the bastard in your hands. And you could have taken him out but you didn't. He could've killed you! Why didn't you do anything about it?"
"Because she thought she could talk him out of it…" She admitted, "She didn't wanna hurt people unless she absolutely have to…Juvia doesn't think he's a bad guy at heart at all."
Gray sigh, of course Juvia would think this way. Memories of his conversation with Meredy came back then, it was before the Grand Magic Game when Meredy, Ultear, and Jellal had approached them. Meredy had pulled him aside to apologize for trying to kill him, something he didn't even know but not the least bit surprising considering her love for Ultear. She had explained that she had used sensory link with Juvia and tried to kill him by committing suicide. It was Juvia who had stopped it by injuring herself in the process which would explain the leg injury she had and the pain he felt. And it was also Juvia who had convince Meredy to live.
That was one of the many things he adored about her, her incredible kindness.
"Killing someone feels awful." He heard her say. "Their loved ones will be so sad too…"
He then thought of his father, who was brought back from the dead but was killed just as quickly when they were reunited. He was hesitant in doing the act himself, and it was Juvia who had destroyed Keith which in turns end his father once and for all. He remembered Lucy telling him in the aftermath about how devastated Juvia had been to take Keith's life even though she knew she had no other choice. She had been poisoned then and yet her only thoughts were of him.
He sigh again but smiled down at the silly little water mage before pulling her in for a tight hug. He rest his head on her small shoulder, breathing in her scent that was uniquely hers. "Just don't go getting yourself killed with your unusual compassion."
Juvia's smile returned then as she returns his hug, wrapping her small arms around his body as hard as she could and nodded.
It has been 3 months since the aftermath of Tartarus, and he wasn't sure when exactly it was that he had decided to allow Juvia to enter his heart or admitted that she had entered it long ago, but she now have complete control over it. The idea of it scares him at first but over time, he found himself completely enchanted by her and he couldn't get enough. The thought of not having her in his life now was too hard to comprehend, so he swore to keep her safe and by his side as long as he was alive.
"Let's go you weirdo." He said teasingly, releasing her enough from his embrace so he wrap an arm around her shoulder and began their walk again. "We gotta find the rest of the members and head back to the guild."
"Gray-sama," She said, blushing. "Your shirt."
"Ah dammit!" Gray cried, somewhere during this little exchange, he had stripped away his shirt again.
Juvia giggled at his surprise and the pair made their way through the endless forest.