Gray's lessons were a little different from what Natsu was learning. True the Fiorians were going to teach him how to speak but they were also going to teach him how to read and write, they would teach him etiquette, and most of all they would teach him about hygiene.
"Here we go Gray." Dr. Dreyar said leading the wild man into a room where there stood a tub of hot soapy water. "A nice hot bath."
Dr. Dreyar pulled down the curtains in the room and proceeded to strip Gray of his tattered pants much to his confusion. Makarov then had Gray get into the tub unfortunately Gray had never felt hot water before and it made him a little uncomfortable.
"Yipe!" He cried jumping from the tub.
"Dr. Dreyar is everything alright?" Juvia asked after hearing the sound of water splashing around. Her long time family friend then stepped out from behind the curtains dripping wet with both soap and water. Juvia put her hand to her lips to stop herself from laughing. "Are you okay?"
"I am fine." He said. "But perhaps we made the water a little too hot for him."
"Is there anything I can do?"
"If you would be so kind as to bring me more towels I would be eternally grateful."
"Of course doctor."
It took awhile but Dr. Dreyar managed to give Gray a proper bath. Once that was done he dressed him into some proper clothes and began trying to teach him how to read and write. But much like Natsu, Gray was no easy student. Their teachings and methods confused him very much and sometimes it irritated him but Juvia was as patient as she was gentle. She always spoke kindly to Gray and she never lost her temper with him. Truth be told she had an easier time teaching him than any of his other teachers because whenever she was in the room he never took his eyes off of her. Not for one second.
"Ice is cold." He said reading the sentence of an early reader's book that Juvia was using to teach him.
"Very good Gray." Juvia praised. "Now read the next one."
"Water is wet." He read.
"Oh you're doing wonderfully."
"Can I try to write a sen...A sen...What do you call it again?"
"A sentence."
"Right! Can I try to write one?"
"Of course." She handed him a small sheet of paper and a pen. "Now it doesn't have to be anything elaborate. Just simple."
He slowly and with great care wrote down his very first sentence ever.
"All done." He said.
"Let me see."
She took the paper from him and read the small sentence he had written. It was very simple, only made up of three words. But that simple, three worded sentence brought extreme blush to Juvia's cheeks when she read them.
Juvia is beautiful.
"Thank you." She said trying to hide her rosy cheeks. "That's very sweet of you to say."
"Why are your cheeks turning red?" He asked having not much familiarity with the process of blushing.
"Oh it's just blush?"
"Blush?"
"Sometimes when a person feels shy their cheeks will turn red. It's called blushing."
"What is shy?"
"Shy is when you feel nervous around someone or some people."
"Do I make you nervous?"
"Yes. No! I mean...Um...Oh dear."
"Is it because of what I wrote? Did I misuse the word beautiful? Does it mean something bad?"
"No. No you used it correctly. I think you did, I've never really seen myself as beautiful."
"Why?"
"I don't know. I've just never have."
"I think you're beautifuler than all the flowers." He said bluntly.
Her blush grew.
"Beautifuler is not really a proper word. The correct way to say that would be more beautiful than."
"Okay. You're more beautiful than all the flowers."
Her hands went to cover her blooming cheeks and she smiled.
"Ahem!" Coughed Gajeel who had just entered the room. "Am I interrupting something?"
"Oh no Gajeel I was just helping him read. He's doing very well." She said.
"Uh-huh and that's all you two are doing right? Just reading?"
"Of course. What else would we be doing?"
"Hmmm..." He turned to Gray. "I've got my eyes on you."
He left them alone after that.
"What's the matter with him?" Gray asked Juvia.
"Ignore him. He's only being intrusive and overbearing."
"What's intrusive and overbearing?"
"Two flaws that my brother needs to control. But we can discuss those later. Let's get back to reading shall we?"
"Juvia."
"Yes?"
"I miss the jungle. Would it be okay if I went there tomorrow? Instead of doing my lessons here."
"Yes. It would be just fine. Of course you need some time away from these stuffy and boring lessons. I'll inform Dr. Dreyar that you'll be taking the week off to do as you please."
"Would you like to come with me?"
"You mean to the jungle? Alone?"
"No. With me?"
"I don't know. I mean I'd like to but my brother is so protective and fearful for me-"
"I'd keep you safe and I'd bring you home before dark."
"Well..." She thought for a moment. She knew her brother would never allow it but she so desperately wanted to keep spending time with Gray and she did feel safe when she was with him. "Alright I'll go."
"Great! We'll leave tomorrow morning. I'll show all my favorite spots and you can meet my mother."
"Your mother?"
"Uh-huh. You'll love her. She's amazing."
"I'm sure she is. I can't wait to meet her."
The two then sat down and proceeded reading the book together. Unaware that they were being watched by a jealous Invel.