There's a Difference
Prompt: Scars
Disclaimer: Teachers don't get a lot of respect or credit, please don't sue. I simply enjoy writing Gray and Juvia the way I want to, and filling in the gaps to Mashima's story. I own nothing other than the plot.
[Setting: Post-Alvarez War; Some time before Ch. 545]
"Juvia!" Gray knew she'd be right behind him. There was no need to look back and check.
"Water Nebula!"
"Ice Hammer!" There never was a long lag between him calling her and then combining their attacks for that final blow, and it wasn't any different this time either. The snow baboon was down after the onslaught, "Nice work," he grinned.
"You, too Gray-sama!" Juvia smiled at him. It wasn't until he saw a few men from the town gawking at her, some even whistling, that he realised she'd stripped down to just her bra, and it did nothing but show her – ahem – assets.
"Oi!" Gray shouted at them, while standing in front of Juvia. Shielding her from more prying eyes.
His shouting drew her attention to her state of dress though. "Oh no! Where has Juvia's shirt gone now?" Looking at her searching for her top frantically, he realised she wasn't really aware of people's eyes on her at all, from the way she's looking around desperately for her clothes.
As she was walking in circles and bending down to find her lost top, he saw the scar.
Gray's brows furrowed. He'd been wanting to talk to her, but the opportunity never came. He'd been thinking a lot about what to say, but whenever he wanted to start the conversation, it's like the words were lost to him.
Whispers from onlookers and a few who dared to point at it – because the scar was quite huge – broke him out of his thoughts. Not wanting to put her on the spot or more embarrassed than she already feels, he quickly looked around for his shirt and held it out to her, giving the men a few good glares at the same time so he didn't have to look. Not that she wasn't bad to look at, quite on the contrary, but it's that… scar.
"Thank you, Gray-sama! Juvia's decent now." She sounded relieved as she took the shirt from him. Only then did Gray turn to face her again.
"You OK? You weren't hurt?"
"Yes! Juvia is fine! Gray-sama's attack covered Juvia's in good time," she smiled and reassured him, though her cheeks were still quite red.
Although Juvia never spoke about what happened… with them. Gray's been noticing that her hands wander there often. Her left abdomen. Whether Juvia is conscious of that or not he doesn't know, but it bothers him sometimes, that he was the reason she had it.
Gray was ready to give Invel some of his ice demon attacks when he said, "You may not be aware of it, but your heart is slowly being tainted by darkness."
"Huh? What the hell are you talking about?"
No seconds later, he and Juvia were bounded by Invel's ice lock, and he felt his consciousness fading, and his body moving of its own accord.
"You two will now fight to your deaths. The chains will not break until one of you dies."
He fought hard against the blows that he hit her with, but her grunts and yelps were not lost to him, as much as his mind tried to shut them down.
He never cared about his scars, because at least he knew what he was getting himself into when he got them. Like when he got the scar on his forehead at Galuna Island…
"It looks cool doesn't it?"
And when he had to fight against Ultear…
"I will seal your darkness for you…" he could still feel the wound on his abdomen bleeding, but he hopes that his blood on his ice will finally do the trick.
But if anything was to happen to her, he lost all sense of logic.
Gray kept himself hidden as he followed Ultear. He had to know what she was up to. Ultear reached a pink-haired girl whom she called Meredy, and lying beside her in the clearing was Juvia, unconscious.
He fought the urge to call out to her and run, but he knew there was more to Ultear than what she told him… His knuckles turned white as he balled them into a fist, holding the urge to run up and take Juvia away from there.
"I won't let Gray see a future… If he lives, then he can live it knowing the loss of a friend!" Ultear produced a sword, ready to strike against Juvia, who still wasn't showing any signs of waking up.
"Damn it! Screw this!" Gray cursed and produced an attack of his own.
His scars are reminders that he has fought and has kept on fighting. Yet, seeing scars on Juvia. Heck, seeing her get hurt – is different.
"Juvia!" he wanted her to chase after Zeref, but if her leg is hurt…
"Juvia's alright!" Even though she reassured him, she still dragged her leg a little as she ran off to find Zeref.
And when it really seemed like she was lost to him forever…
"Juvia's life belongs to you, Gray-sama."
Then he couldn't hear her anymore, not even in his thoughts. He didn't care how loud his cry was. Her body lied limp in his arms, the warmth from her body slowly fading.
Gray shuts down that thought immediately, but that didn't stop him from spacing out and physically shirking.
"Are you alright, Gray-sama?" Juvia was now leaning closer to him, inspecting his face and touching his arm.
"Yeah…I'm fine…." The warmth from her touch reminded him that she is here and she is safe. He steadied his breath and gave her a wry smile. She smiled back.
The rest of the way back to the guild went without much hassle. Juvia still couldn't find her shirt, much to her dismay. He held on to her hand all the way back to Magnolia, and she never asked any questions. Ever since that happened she seemed to be able to read him even more than she already did before, and his hands tightened around hers at the thought.
They'll talk about it. Soon.
A/N: I really do think it wasn't the first time Gray saw Juvia's scar in the last chapter. So here's some build-up to their eventual conversation…? As always, how was the drabble? Too short? Just right? Hated it? Loved it? Let me know your thoughts! ^^
