Gray still did not remember his life before finding Juvia in the snow that night. It bothered him very much, no matter how hard he racked his brain or dug deep into his subconscious, he just couldn't bring back any memories. Jellal had tried to help me remember when he got older but none of his treatments helped. The Crimson Lethe was a very powerful drug. Just one sip could wipe out a third of your memories forever and Gray had taken exactly six drops the night Jellal gave it to him. He really didn't mean to give the boy such a large dosage, but Gray had been throwing a dreadful and violent fit, he wouldn't hold still long enough for Jellal to properly measure how much he gave him.
The fits and flashbacks had ended but Gray still had dreams and nightmares of the past. That's what bothered him the most about it all. Instinctively, he knew those dreams were connected to his old life but because he couldn't remember, he didn't know what on earth they meant. It's truly a great struggle to have a large part of your life, a large part of yourself, just erased with seemingly no way to bring it back.
But that didn't necessarily mean that Gray was not happy with his new life. Jellal took care of him and educated him. He gave him excellent advice and was a wonderful confidant. However it was Juvia who probably made him the most happy, because she had a very special a way of seeing things. Ironic, considering that technically she couldn't see at all but in matters of what was really important in person. In matters of a person's heart and their soul, she could see better than anyone he knew. While others thought that he was a freak show to mock or perhaps pitied, she viewed him as a perfect equal.
Someone who had lost so much as a child and then had to grow up with an awful affliction. She knew that he was no less human than she was. No less a lost child, no less a pained soul, and no less a dreamer. This made him care for her more deeply than he knew, and at times could act very aloof toward her, but in truth she was the dearest person in his whole world.
The two of them were almost inseparable, especially when they were children. What a struggle it was for Jellal to keep them a part when a situation required it. Such as when Gray once became ill with measles at age ten and three years later when he insisted they stop sleeping together in the same bed. Eventually they understood his reasons and accepted the change, but some nights Gray or Juvia would sneak into the other person's bed. Usually if one of them had a nightmare. It was always innocent of course, they just lay side by side and talk about their hopes and dreams until they fell asleep.
Though the best way you could see the nature of the relationship, was to watch them on stage together. The way he looked at her, the way she listened to him, the way they would move, laugh, and dance together. Not a word was spoken on the subject but it couldn't have been more obvious. They loved each other. But no one knew in what way. Did they love each other as brother and sister? Or as husband and wife? Only time would tell.
"How much did we make today?" Juvia asked him as he was counting up the money they had collected during their performance.
"Well math and numbers hasn't always been my strong suit." Gray said. "But I'd say that we've made the perfect amount needed to buy a two months supply of food."
"Wonderful." She said. "So, shall we begin planning our next act? Or help Jellal with his elixirs?
"Neither. Not tonight."
"Why not?"
"Aren't you forgetting what day it is?"
"Yes it's Sunday. It's also the first of the three-day fair in honor of England finally being freed from King Faust and in honor of England's new queen."
"Yes but this day in particular marks something much more important."
"Really? What?"
Gray suddenly burst out laughing.
"What's so funny?" She asked.
"I can't believe you actually forgot."
"Forgot what?"
Though she quickly realized this when she picked up the scent of her favorite cake and heard her brother come in humming a familiar, holiday tune.
"Happy Birthday Juvia!" He announced holding a plate with a freshly baked cake.
It was her seventeenth birthday today and until now she had not thought about it once. Didn't even remember it. But Jellal and Gray remembered, and both men had saved up their money to get her a very special gift this year. Normally they would get her something small and fairly cheap, like a treat from the bakery or a wild flower or a hair ribbon, something not really valuable but she always treasured each gift no matter what the cost. However this year they felt that she deserved a gift that would last long. Something that she could keep forever. So with each show, Gray and Jellal pocketed a shilling or two in order to get her something really special.
"I can't believe it! I forgot my own birthday!" Juvia laughed at herself. "But you two remembered."
"Actually we three remembered." Jellal said, referring to the now fully-grown Carla who had become a lovely, snow-white cat like her mother, and she approached Juvia with her own gift for the girl. A white rose with a silver ribbon wrapped around it.
"Oh thank you Carla." Juvia felt the gift. "Oh how nice, a rose and a ribbon. Two of the usual in one gift."
She petted Carla who purred contently.
"But if she gave me the usual, what did you two get me this year?" She asked.
"Well open them up and find out."
Jellal handed Juvia his present which was wrapped up in white paper. She tore away the paper and carefully ran her fingers over the item that had been covered. It was a thick, braille book that told fairy tales from around the world. When Juvia read the title through her fingers, the instant surprise and joy couldn't have been more evident.
"Oh Jellal this is wonderful." She said clutching the book.
"It tells stories from England, Germany, France, Italy, Greece, Russia, Japan, China, even the Middle East. It also has stories that I've told you. A Midsummer Night's Dream, Saint George and the Dragon-"
"And Beauty and the Beast?"
"Of course. You'd think I'd get you a fairy tale book without that story?"
Juvia held out her hands and reached for her brother. He pulled her into an embrace, and she gleefully hugged his neck.
"You really like it?" He asked her.
"I love it! In fact I'm going to read it tonight before I go to bed."
"I'm glad."
"But it must've been so expensive."
"Not really." He lied. "Braille books are pretty cheap considering that only blind people use them."
"Here's mine Juvia." Gray said carefully placing a small box into her hand. "I think you're really going to be surprised by this one."
She lifted the lid of the box and felt around the contents inside. It was a necklace, one with a silver and pearl chain and a heart-shaped pendent with romantic, floral engraving. Her fingers studied the design and shape of the pendent, and when she felt the line on the side, she realized that this was a locket.
"Oh Gray." She sighed. "This is very sweet of you but I can't...I can't really use this."
"You idiot!" Jellal whispered to Gray. "What good is a locket to her? She can't look at a picture."
Gray only smirked.
"Believe me Juvia, this is the perfect necklace for you." He said. "Open up the pendent."
"Alright. But tell me, what photo did you use?"
"None." He answered.
"Then why..." But she went silent in awe when she opened the locket and a lovely melody started to play. Inside the locket was no picture or a frame to keep a picture in. Instead there was a tiny, mechanical, music-player. This locket wasn't made to hold pictures, it was made to hold a music box. Juvia's face lit up brighter than a star.
"Gray this is beautiful. The most beautiful gift I've ever been given. Thank you so much."
"You're welcome." He said pleased with her reaction.
"Will you help me put it on?"
"Sure."
She handed him the locket, turned around, and lifted up her hair. Gray carefully clasped it around her neck. For a moment he found himself glancing down at that white neck of hers and inhaling the scent of Gardenias that was coming from her hair, courtesy of the special oils and salts Jellal would make for her to bathe in.
"Now that we have given our gifts, let's have some cake and start celebrating." Jellal said.
He lit the candles on the cake, Juvia made a wish and blew them out, then Jellal started handing out slices. It was pound cake topped with vanilla icing and blackberries. Oh the memories that flowed through her mind when she took her first bite of that cake. Their mother would make the most delicious pound cake every Birthday, Christmas, or just to reward one of her children for doing well in their studies or chores. She let the two of them help her mix the batter, give them a little taste of it from the spoon, and then let them add embellishments once it came out of the oven. Though they each had their own favored way of adding something to it. Juvia as I said, liked it with vanilla icing and blackberries but Jellal liked it with cream and strawberries. The children would take turns deciding which one would get their way of decorating the cake. Then their mother would each cut them a slice and they eat it on the floor by the fireplace while their father would tell them a story.
After cake, Jellal brought out his violin and began to play a cheery tune. Gray took Juvia by the hands and they started to dance about in the carriage. Laughter and smiles were all around, it was days such as these that made them forget all their misfortunes. They'd forget that Gray was disfigured, the Juvia was blind, and that they were all too poor to even live in a simple house. At these moments they would even think that there was really nothing to be upset. They had shelter, food, clothing, warmth, and each other. What more did they need?