Radiance

Erza was a beautiful, young lady. She had been the student council's vice president since her first year and had always been the top of her class. She was also proficient in fencing and was dubbed as a "saber genius". In addition to being elegant and formidable, she was also very kind. Everyone admired her, including Juvia. B-b-but...

"Stop spacing out and eat your food already," Gajeel muttered as he ate his own food. They weren't in the same class but as a habit, they eat their lunch together.

Juvia played with the fork. "Erza-san is so cool," she murmured. "She and Jellal-san looked amazing together. They should just date each other," she poutingly added, almost a whisper. Jellal was the student council's president. Juvia heard the two were childhood friends.

"Why do you care?" Gajeel asked, irritated that she wasn't touching her food.

"B-because..." Juvia glanced at the other table where Gray was. He was with his circle of friends: Lucy, Natsu, and Erza. She had noticed before that Gray was awfully closer to Erza than the other two, even saving a seat for her. She even heard from Lucy that he was adamant on being against Erza liking Jellal. He must've liked her so much!

She bit her lip in frustration as she watched Gray smiling brightly at Lucy. Wait, Lucy? Could it be, it was not Erza but Lucy? What other reasons could it be to smile so charmingly at a girl?

Lucy was also pretty, and she was from a prestigious family. Coming from old money, she didn't grow up rotten but instead was humble and good-natured. She was nice to Juvia as well, caring and very friendly.

"Aw!" She hissed in pain when Gajeel flicked her forehead. "Gajeel-kun!" Juvia pouted angrily at him as she rubbed her forehead.

"Shut up and eat."

"So mean!" She complained but still started eating.

After lunch, she separated with her brother and went back to her classroom. She was walking towards her seat when someone called her name. It was Lucy who also just came back from the cafeteria. Juvia looked behind her but Gray and Natsu weren't there. Even Erza.

Thinking about how Gray smiled at Lucy earlier, she gave the blonde lady a blazing stare.

"What's with the glare? Anyway, Aquarius-sensei instructed me to tell you to meet her after school. She said it's about the swimming team."

When Juvia heard that, she frowned. "So persistent," she muttered. She didn't really want to join any sports clubs but Auquarius-sensei wouldn't stop pestering her.

Aquarius-sensei was the lead coach of the swimming team. Juvia had met her once, at a swimming meet. She was friends with her coach so the two of them were introduced. Juvia forgot about her shortly after. But Aquarius-sensei didn't, and now she wouldn't leave Juvia alone.

Juvia sat on her seat with a sigh and Lucy followed and sat beside her. "This is the first time Aquarius-sensei insisted on someone to join her team. Everyone knows she's fussy. You must be a talent, Juvia! Why aren't you joining?"

"Juvia simply doesn't like to," she shrugged nonchalantly.

In the first place, it was just a hobby for her. She had no intention to join any competition. The last time was for a favor, and she wouldn't do it again. It wasn't because she disliked doing it per se, it was just complicated. Besides, she has Gray now, she couldn't be busy. She needed to support him in his endeavors. Especially at the moment, his soccer team was about to compete! Ah, she couldn't be absent in cheering for him.

Lucy nodded, as if understanding. "Oh well, tell that to Aquarius-sensei. Make sure to meet her, or she'll be mad at me."

"Sensei seemed nice though." A little tenacious, yes, but Juvia believed they could get along well if given other circumstances.

"Try living with her," Lucy made a face. Right, they seemed to be relatives. Then as if she remembered something, she fished out some paper from her pockets. "Here are the tickets. Bring that friend with you, another helping hand is always welcome."

Juvia's eyes sparkled in delight as she recognized the tickets for Gray's soccer game. Lucy and her friends were gonna cheer for him, and she was kind enough to bring Juvia and Gajeel along.

Gajeel wasn't really a soccer or a Gray fan, but he was acquainted with Natsu since they were currently classmates. And although they always fight and would definitely deny they were friends, they enjoy each other's company. Both being orphans and fond of cats, they had a lot to argue and talk about.

Beaming, Juvia held Lucy's hands. "You're so kind, Lucy-san. Juvia likes you even though you're her love rival!"

"I'm not your love rival! I don't like Gray that way!" She replied in an amused, annoyed tone.

Juvia blushed hard, feeling panicked. She had never said a word about her feelings for Gray to anyone but Gajeel. And knowing her brother, he wouldn't tell it to anyone. "H-how did you know Juvia... to G-gray-sama..."

Lucy chuckled. "You're totally obvious, Juvia! Even Erza knows you like Gray."

"W-what? S-so does G-gray-sama know?"

The blonde waved a hand. "Don't worry! He's as dense as an idiot. He doesn't know."

Juvia felt like the bricks on her heart slowly crumbled. She sighed in relief. Even though she likes Gray and would do all sorts of things for him, she was still too shy to confess her feelings. Besides, she had no plan to do that in the first place. It was enough for her to be able to stay beside him and help him when he needs it. It wasn't like she had no confidence that he would like her, definitely not!

"So Gray-sama is an idiot... huh." Wait, that wasn't what Lucy said.

"Who's an idiot?" a male voice came from behind Lucy. They were so engrossed with their conversation that they didn't notice his presence at all. When did Gray start listening to them?

"Gray! You! How long have you been standing there?" asked Lucy as if hearing what Juvia had in mind.

"Just now," he shrugged, his hands in his pockets. His gaze veered away from Lucy after that and turned to Juvia. He stood in front of her and stooped down so their faces were only inches away, "So Juvia... I seemed to hear you saying that I'm an... idiot?"

Juvia's cheeks flushed, both in embarrassment and admiration. The two of them were so close that she was afraid he would hear her chaotic heartbeat.

In an attempt to defend her self, she tried to explain. "T-that... G-gray-sama, you're not an idiot. It's J-juvia! Yes! Juvia is an idiot!" Not only did she stutter, she even forgot to think what to say resulting in her calling herself an idiot. She wanted to bury herself to escape this humiliation. Juvia, you're really an idiot!

Gray stilled and stared at her for a few seconds before he laughed out loud along with Lucy who was preventing herself from laughing since the beginning. Feeling ashamed, Juvia pouted as she watched the two of them guffaw. So rude!

She was about to speak when Gray put his hand on top of her head. "My bad," he said as he smiled at her.

Juvia's mind went into full-blown malfunction as she looked at him. It was as if the sun was behind him, emitting some golden light that made the world glow. This brilliance... reminded her of that instance when he illuminated one of her darkest days. He could really do the littlest things for her, and she would feel this way... giddy, hopeful, and saved.

That was why Juvia couldn't help but wish in her heart. Gray-sama, this radiance of yours, Juvia will definitely protect it!