Author's Note: Okay, I apologize in advance. This fic is heavy, and sad, and angsty, and it's because I had read End of Silence by Saya Moonshadow, then listened to Breathe by Anna Nalick, and continued listening to that song while writing this. This was also a prompt request, asking for Juvia to die during a Unison Raid attack, which is incredibly depressing and who thinks of stuff like that!? But on that sad note, I'm sorry for this angst, but I promise there's nothing but happy fluffiness to come!

title: life's like an hourglass
second genre: angst
rating: K+
summary: No one can find the rewind button now, so cradle your head in your hands.

They were invincible. Her water and his ice, swirling together, creating a picturesque vision of blue and white with iced sparkles glittering in the air.

With her hand in his, small but fitting so perfectly in his grasp with their fingers intertwined, they unleashed the most powerful attack their magic could mister.

He looked at her, a proud grin on his handsome, worn features. In their combined magic, she looked even more stunning, her hair flowing beautifully around her and her face so fierce in concentration.

Her eyes met his, and she smiled, one of the prettiest smiles he'd ever seen—gentle and shy but happy and loving, so full of vibrancy and life—

But then he felt it. So in sync with her, he felt the electrical current zapping through the air, shattering his ice before shooting straight towards—

"Juvia!"

He'd never heard a more shriller scream, and her scream seemed to never stop ringing in his ears. And the pain—it knocked the air out of him, sent his body keeling over with a dry wretch escaping his throat. His hand clutched his chest, heaving with strained breaths, but the electricity still shocked through him, leaving him convulsing and jerking and writhing on the floor.

—Except, the electricity wasn't passing through his body. It hadn't even touched him. She was the one convulsing, she was the one writhing, she was the one arching on the floor and screaming that perpetual ear-splitting scream and he knew how much it hurt because they were so unified in their magic. The damn tether in his chest only got tighter and tighter, but he was useless, helpless to do a damn thing.

The seconds passed for eternity—right, this was all happening in seconds, but why was her scream never-ending—and then she was on the floor, her hair a wet veil over her face, her body contorted and her eyes closed.

No, no, no—

He collapsed to his knees, her limp body barely inches before him.

She was steaming, her flesh burnt beneath the shreds of her torn clothes.

No, no, no—

He didn't even recognize his own voice screaming her name.

Their enemy was long gone. An assassin? Why only her? Why only target her?!

But Juvia, she was—she was—

He gathered her in his arms, brushing her hair out of her face. Her hair lolled against his forearm and her eyes were still closed.

"Juvia," he whispered, his voice a hoarse plea, "Juvia, Juvia—"

She always perked up at the sound of her name on his lips. This had to be no exception. She'd wake up, look up at him with those big blue eyes of hers, smile and assure him that she was okay and everything was going to be okay—

She stirred, and his body had never been more alert, tightening his grasp and cradling her to his chest.

"Juvia!" he shouted, eyes desperately searching her face.

Look at me one more time—

Her eyes gradually opened, slowly, wearily, and rose to his.

But they were missing her light, her spark of life, and his heart constricted.

She closed her eyes again, her face turning into his chest and her hand weakly grasping the front of his shirt.

"No…" she whispered. His ears strained to hear her voice. "Juvia… won't…"

But god, it hurt. Everything hurt. She'd never felt a physical pain so severe. It hurt to breathe, it hurt to speak. Just moving her hand to his chest to curl her fingers in his shirt drained what little strength she had left.

"I'm sorry," she heard him murmur, but his voice cracked. She opened her eyes to look at his face, only for her heart to swell with pain.

His expression was so vivid—since when was Gray such an open book? But she could read him so easily now, the tremble of his body, the breaking of his voice, the way his eyes held hers as if memorizing every detail of her face because he knew there wouldn't be a tomorrow or next day or next month.

This was it. Her last moments.

"No… no…" she chanted, over and over, as if that would stall death's beckoning call. But she had to try. She would fight through hell and back to survive this, and god she was fighting, she was giving every ounce of her will just to hang on a little longer.

He was crying, his eyes shut closed and his teeth grinding harshly together. Summoning the last bit of her strength, she brought her hand to his cheek, sweeping her thumb against the surging stream of falling tears.

She had to survive this. She had to, for his sake. He'd blame himself, shut himself away. Layer himself with guilt and refuse any voice of reason because the only solace would be her voice, her comfort, her presence telling him it's okay and he's okay and he'll get through this because he's so strong oh so strong and he must continue living for his comrades.

His hand covered hers, squeezing tight, and he wasn't bothering to hide the wretched sobs shaking his shoulders as he held her closer to him.

She begged him to stop crying. He had to stop crying or else she'd start crying—her eyes were already watering, but now the tears were falling, slipping down her cheeks with her hand still held firmly in his.

The thin grasp of life was slipping from her but she desperately clung with all her might. He'd lost enough people, and she didn't want to become just another memory. She wanted to keep him smiling and laughing and happy, just like what he did for her, whether he realized the weight of his actions or not.

But it hurt—oh it hurt so much. Not the pain of the electrical shock—that had long since faded, a sign her body was shutting down for good. No, what hurt the most was the cruel fate reality had set them in. She couldn't stay, no matter how much she wanted to, and he was powerless to watch her life slip away in his arms, knowing he couldn't do a damn thing to stop it.

She wouldn't be with him anymore. No more mornings at the guild, or pulling him off brawls with Natsu. No more hugs or impromptu lunch dates or strolls around Magnolia or shy reciprocations with his handsome smile and warm hands—warm, despite being an ice mage—and gentle words comforting her when she needed him.

But what really broke her was the mourning he would go through, mourning she was already getting a glimpse of as he held her and rocked her and cursed that he should have done something, he should have stopped it, it should have been me not you stay with me Juvia please stay with me please please.

Caressing his cheek with her eyes closed and her own tears flowing freely down her face, she almost wished she'd never met him. If they'd never met, he'd never have to lose her, and he'd be spared from all this agonizing pain. But she knew that was a lie—she would never wish to have not met him because he was the reason why she could pass in the arms of the man she loved with all her heart.

And she whispered that to him, her face tucked against the crook of his neck. She whispered, "I love you" and brushed her lips against his jaw and whispered again "I love you I love you" because that's how she wanted him to remember her, as the woman who loved him for showing her the sun and who wanted nothing more than for it to keep shining for him.

He'd be okay, she resolved. Even if she wasn't the one to piece him back together, she trusted the other guild members she loved with all her heart to help mend him. She'd always watch over him until it was his time to join her, and she'd wait forever and eternity for him, patient but at ease knowing that in time, he'd be okay.

As she leaned against him, in the arms of the man she loved, a peaceful smile crossed her face. Then her hand slipped away from his cheek, falling limply at her side to never move again.