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Guest: OMG, thank you so much for your kind words! I apologize for taking so long to update this work - life has been hectic lately and based on the lack of reviews, I was procrastinating on this fic because I felt like no one was reading it. So thank you so much for your review! I've been wanting validation (lol) that someone out there was reading this work, so thank you again for giving me it! (((o(*ﾟ▽ﾟ*)o)))
Chapter 10
"Natsu-san, would you like to come over to Juvia's apartment afterwards?"
"Sure!" Natsu agrees, easily. "It's about time I walked you to your apartment anyways. It's not right for you to walk alone at night - who knows what kind of creeps are out there!"
They finish cleaning and locking up the coffee rather quickly before they start walking for her apartment, with Natsu chatting enough for the both of them. Juvia chimes in whenever she sees fit - normally, she'd be more responsive but with the way her heart is beating, she doesn't think she can get more out.
After a few minutes of walking, they stop in front of Magnolia Apartments. Juvia chances a glance and notices Natsu swallowing hard, eyes glazed as if he is seeing a ghost.
"Should we go in, Natsu-san?" She asks, softly.
"Y-Yeah. Yeah, let's go in." He stutters, something that she's never seen him do before and doesn't like him doing. Natsu is always confident and loud and happy, not this unsure man in front of her. They walk into the apartments and step into the elevators. Juvia presses the button for the fourth floor and they ride the elevator in silence.
He finally speaks when the elevator reaches the fourth floor.
"Where's your apartment, Juvia?" Natsu asks, his voice hardly audible as they step out of the elevator.
"Juvia thinks you know which one, Natsu-san." Juvia says, gently, as they stop in front of her apartment. "Juvia needs to get something. Would you like to come in, Natsu-san?"
He shakes his head. "No. I'll wait for you out here." He says instead, watching her as she inserts her key to open the door to her apartment. The bluenette returns with her blue wooden box full of letters. All of which were written by Natsu.
"How...How long - "
"Juvia realized it just recently, Natsu-san." She reassures him. "Juvia had been reading the letters." She offers him a sheepish smile, handing him the box. "But Juvia didn't think anything of it. But...But on that day when Natsu-san warned Juvia about Erza-san..." The bluenette pauses, finding her words. "Juvia...Juvia's always had her suspicions, but that day confirmed it for Juvia that you were the author of those letters."
"Have you...Have you read any of the recent letters?"
She shakes her head. "No. After the letter about Natsu-san wanting to be someone's galaxy, Juvia stopped reading." And it was true. After seeing how emotional that phrase made Natsu and her feel, Juvia didn't want to use romanticize anyone's pain. Especially if it was Natsu's.
"I think you should read the next few letters then, Juvia." The salmon-haired male smiles weakly as he hands her back her box of letters, turning to leave and all she can do is watch him leave.
Frowning, the bluenette settles in front of her apartment door with the box on her lap, preparing herself to read through all of the letters that she's missed. What she doesn't prepare herself, however, is for how progressively vulnerable each letter gets.
...
My Other Half,
I decided to restrain myself from coming to see her. I acted so embarrassingly to her the last time I saw her that it'll just be unacceptable to come back and see her after how everything went down. She said something that I swear I've told you and I wasn't prepared for it that I just acted out. I shouldn't have done that, I know that. She didn't do anything wrong and she doesn't deserve to be treated that way because I've been hurt by you. I already apologized to her but it doesn't feel like it's enough. Erza always says that time heals things but I don't know if time can heal this. Then again, I didn't think I'd be getting over you and here I am...slowly but surely getting over you.
...
...
My Other Half,
It's Monday and I usually go to her coffee shop to see her and get homework done. Instead...I did homework in the library with Lisanna and Cana and it was weird. I love them both, don't get me wrong, but it just doesn't feel right doing homework anywhere else but at the coffee shop with her there. It's hard to believe that someone that you just met months ago can change your life so much.
...
...
It's Wednesday and again...here I am rotting away at the dorms instead of being at the coffee shop with her. I wonder how she is. Is she mad at me? Upset? I wouldn't blame her - I'm mad at myself too.
I should have done better. I will do better.
...
...
It's been a week since my resolution and...and I broke it. And I'm so glad I did - I missed her so much. Everything reminded me of her and it was torture not to be able to come visit her in the coffee shop or to text her. When I waited outside the shop until she came, I was worried that she'd still be mad at me. If she did, I wouldn't have blamed her. But it didn't cross my mind that she'd miss me, too. She even ran and jumped on me for a hug when she saw me. Just like what they do in the movies! I'm pretty sure she was about to cry though - I didn't think that me being gone would have made her sad. And even though it was my first time seeing her cry, I don't like seeing her cry. Especially if it was because of me. I promised her that I'd never leave her and I mean it. I always mean everything I say when it comes to her.
...
...
It's been a few days since I came back to the coffee shop and everything and nothing has changed. We still talk and do homework like always and nothing's been weird between us since the whole...thing but I still feel like something's changed. I've noticed things that I haven't really noticed before. Like how beautiful she is. Then again, the word 'beautiful' doesn't do her justice. It doesn't describe how mesmerizing her eyes are. Or how adorable she looks when she blushes. Or how badly I want to hold her hand. Or how much I want to kiss her lips.
Am I wrong for thinking these things?
...
...
Erza's finally acting on her suspicions about me disappearing from our friend group on Monday's and Wednesday's. She somehow got the location of the coffee shop and insists on visiting it. I have no idea when she's going to visit and I'm terrified at the idea of Erza meeting her. You know how Erza is - intimidating, overprotective, etc. I know that she can handle Erza but I'm just worried that Erza will scare her off and that we can't be anything more than just friends.
I don't think I can ever be happy with being 'just friends' when it comes to her. Am I selfish for wanting more when what I have with her should be enough?
...
She reaches the last letter and while it's simply two sentences, they hit her harder than anything she's ever read. Hurriedly locking her door, Juvia runs down four flights of stairs, the box of letters in her hands.
"Natsu-san!" She shouts, searching frantically for Natsu. As it turns out, her shouts were unnecessary - Natsu is right in front of her. He must have been in front of the apartment building the entire time.
"Her name is Lucy." Is what Natsu says in lieu of a greeting. "We met in high school and right away, it felt like I met the one. She was everything to me."
"Where...Where is she now?" Juvia asks. She is curious to know who this Lucy is. How she captured Natsu's attention. How he could call her both his best friend and other half for all of this time. How big of an impact their breakup impacted him. How hard he had to work to heal over her. How...How Juvia could ever fill in those shoes, if Natsu wanted. There's so much that she wants to ask, but that is all she can manage to ask.
A crooked smile graces Natsu's lips. "I don't know and I don't want to know. She always wanted more than what Magnolia Town could offer and...and I hope she gets what she's been dreaming of."
Juvia feels somewhat relieved, even if little to none of her questions have been answered.
"Besides..." Natsu turns to her, holding her hand in his.. His smile is no longer crooked, but something small, genuine. Earnest. "I got everything I've ever wanted right here in front of me." He picks her up this time, his arms around her waist which causes her to drop the box of letters.
"N-Natsu-san..."
"Juvia will you...will you be my girlfriend?"
Juvia answers by cupping his face in her hands, leaning forward. He accepts her answer by closing the distance between them by pressing his lips onto hers in a kiss.
...
My Other Half,
I think I finally found you. It's you, Juvia.
...
End of Chapter 10.
Fin.
(9/28/23): Hello hello! Thank you so much for making it to the end of this chapter AND to the end of this fic! There'll be a bonus chapter soon, so please stay tuned for that! But overall, this work is technically complete!
I just want to thank each and every one of you who supported this work for the past 3 years. This is my first NaVia work and I was so worried that it wouldn't get a lot of attraction, so imagine my surprise when I saw so many reviews and follows and favorites! I apologize for taking so long to update this work - life's been hectic and I haven't had a lot of time to write. But! But I'm so happy that I technically got to finish this work after so long! I will be working on new NaVia works, so please stay tuned for that!
(Shameless self promo, lol, but if you want to read another NaVia work, I have a NaVia oneshot titled 'Four Seasons' if you want to check it out!)
As always, please leave a review and I will see you in the extra chapter! Bye bye! (｡･∀･)ﾉﾞ