Hello readers! I'm back! With the collection of one-shots I had been wanting to write for so long. And trust me, there's more where this came
from. So I will definitely be adding to this collection.. just wanted to get it rolling.
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So this particular story, Is rated T. I hope you enjoy it^-^ Btw; I don't know for certain if Ice wizards can actually
get sick, but for this story, let's just pretend that they can;)
Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail
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The crisp autumn day held a slight chill in the air, as a gentle rain showered the town of Magnolia. Juvia hummed to herself as she strolled through the streets that had become scarce, due to the weather. The wide hood of her blue coat, shielded her from the rain and in her hands, she securely held the handle of a wicker basket. Juvia smiled as she thought to herself. 'Gray-sama will be so pleased when Juvia brings him this homemade soup and herbal tea. His sickness will vanish once he tastes Juvia's tasty soup she made with love!'
The bluenette giggled quietly and rounded the corner, bringing her to Gray's place. She quickly ascended the flight of stairs and stopped in front of his door. Holding the basket with one hand, Juvia took a minute to push back the hood of her coat and smooth out her loosely curled locks. After adjusting the hem of her dress, she took a deep breath and gently knocked on the door. She patiently waited as she could hear some rustling noises inside his apartment and then a thud sounded behind the door.
She lightly jumped at the abrupt noise, but then she heard the heavy lock unhinge and she quickly straightened herself as a small smile graced her lips. The door slowly opened, revealing a very weary looking Gray, who stood hunched over and groaned uncomfortably. His black hair was more disheveled than usual and his cheeks were slightly flushed. Juvia gently furrowed her brows as her heart ached with sympathy at how miserable her beloved appeared.
Focusing his eyes, he suddenly spoke. "..Juvia?"
The girl perked up and replied in a soft tone. "Yes Gray-sama, Juvia is here. She brought you yummy soup and has come to take care of you."
Gray leaned against the wall with a pained grunt and mumbled. "What? I don't -"
"Gray-sama!" Juvia suddenly exclaimed as she looked at him, his chest and feet were bare, leaving him solely in some pajama pants. "You're shirtless! It's too cold outside! Quick, let Juvia in." She said as she pushed the door open wider and proceeded to let herself in.
Gray groaned quietly as he moved his arm to let her pass, then promptly shut the door.
"Juvia, you know you didn't have to come over here. It's really not that bad." The ice mage said as he watched Juvia walk into the kitchen and set her basket on the counter.
"Don't be ridiculous Gray-sama, it's Juvia's job to be here for you. Now you just relax and let her take care of everything!" She replied with a warm smile.
Gray let out a quiet exhale while he leaned against the wall and tiredly rubbed his eyes. The bluenette walked up and took Gray's hand, getting his attention. "Come Gray-sama, you must rest." She then started pulling him over to his bed, despite his griping about being able to walk on his own.
Once she all but forced him onto his bed, she beamed brightly while saying. "Just stay right there, Juvia has a surprise for you!" With that, she giggled excitedly and left the room.
Gray spiked an eyebrow at her retreating form, then he sighed heavily and flopped backwards onto the bed. In his current state, even the most simple of physical activities, was exhausting. Just getting up to answer the door, wore him out and that in itself, frustrated him to no end.
After a couple minutes of laying there in silence, he heard "Okay Gray-sama.."
He then propped himself up on his elbows and turned toward the doorway, immediately widening his eyes at the sight. Juvia stood in front of him dressed in a pink nurse's uniform, complete with white thigh highs and a little hat.
His jaw went slack as he took in the whole look from top to bottom. "Nurse Juvia is here to take care of you, Gray-sama." She said with a wink and a smile.
Gray swallowed hard as his cheeks got a little more flushed. "Uh..." He trailed off, as Juvia sauntered up to him in her white heels and he quickly sat upright on the bed. Stopping at the bed, she then knelt down in front of him and smiled sweetly while lifting her arm up. Gray stiffened as her hand slipped under his messy black bangs and pressed her palm to his forehead.
She instantly gasped as her eyes widened anxiously, "Gray-sama, you're burning up!"
The ice mage visibly slumped. "Yeah, I-"
"Gray-sama needs to be resting!" Juvia suddenly exclaimed as she put both hands on his shoulders and started pushing him backwards.
Gray widened his eyes as his fingers gripped the mattress. "Juvia, quit it! I am resting!" He fired back.
The bluenette shook her head. "No Gray-sama isn't!" She cried and with an insistent shove, she forced him onto his back, ignoring his holler of protest.
Gray quietly growled as she straddled his waist, while her hands kept his broad shoulders pinned down. Her dark blue eyes were filled with concern as she looked down at him. "How long has Gray-sama had a fever?!"
He let out a small sigh, before answering gruffly. "Since this morning."
The water mage pouted sadly as she made a small nervous sound in the back of her throat.
Gray softly cleared his throat while looking her over and his brow raised ever so slightly as he added. "And you know, that little outfit of yours may be making the fever worse."
Juvia scoffed at that and moved her hand up, "Gray-sama, get your mind out of the gutter!" She said while gently flicking his forehead with her thumb and index finger.
Gray grunted in annoyance and turned away, protecting his forehead with his hand while frowning at the girl. Juvia put a finger up to her mouth in thought, then she climbed off of him and put her feet back on the ground.
After adjusting her uniform, she turned toward the ice mage and held up both her hands as she instructed. "Stay right there, Gray-sama. Juvia will be back."
He tried not to roll his eyes as he answered hastily. "Trust me, I won't move."
She simply nodded her head, then turned on her heel and marched into the kitchen.
Gray softly shook his head, before he relaxed his neck and shifted his gaze to the ceiling. Juvia pulled out a large bowl from one of the cabinets and started filling it with cold water. As Gray looked at the rough surface of the wall, he began making aimless patterns with his eyes, until his vision became heavily blurred all of a sudden. He promptly shut his eyes and groaned in mild frustration, while his hand came up and gently rubbed his eyelids.
Juvia came walking up to the bed then, with the large bowl in her hands. "Gray-sama, is something wrong?" She asked worriedly.
Gray continued massaging his eyes as he answered lowly. "Forget it, it's nothing.."
The bluenette slightly twisted her mouth as she looked at him, silently questioning his dismissive statement. Deciding not to bait him further, she let it go and put the bowl on his night stand. She then sat on the bed next to him, while dipping a small towel into the cool water, making Gray finally open his eyes and rest his hand on the pillow beneath him. Juvia lightly squeezed the excess water from the towel, then turned her upper body toward him.
"What are you-" He started to ask, but he stilled when her fingers swiftly brushed his bangs back while her other hand moved in and laid the damp cloth on his forehead.
Gray immediately relaxed at the much welcomed rush of cool and he sighed in content as his eyes closed. Juvia beamed brightly as her hands came back to rest in her lap. Knowing that she had helped ease some of his discomfort, made the water mage very happy.
The cold cloth felt heavenly against his abnormally warm skin and Gray relished the sensation as a few droplets of water rolled down his temples, while a barely audible groan emitted from him.
Juvia's eyes sparkled with delight as she tilted her head to the side and asked in a gentle tone. "Is that better, Gray-sama?"
His eyes remained closed as he responded with a simple, "Mmm."
Juvia smiled to herself as she watched him adoringly, enjoying how calm and serene he appeared. She tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear and her gaze innocently landed on his chest, observing it rise and fall with each breath he took.
But before long, Juvia surrendered to her old habits and her eyes started roving over his muscular torso leisurely. A light blush tinted her cheeks as she followed the deep ridges of his six pack abs toward his navel and beyond. She came to the alluring broad v-shaped indents that ran down his lower stomach and disappeared under the waistband of his pants. She bit her bottom lip as she lingered on the spot where the lines had pointed her to, then she suddenly realized what she was doing and shook her head.
'Juvia stop it! Gray-sama is sick and this is not the time to be ogling his marvelous body!' She scolded herself mentally.
After dispelling her naughty thoughts, Juvia exhaled quietly and brought her attention back to his face. She was quite surprised however, to find his dark eyes open and fixed on her with a questioning gleam in them. Her face instantly flushed in embarrassment and she timidly looked away, not noticing the corner of his mouth tug upward in amusement.
She quickly tried to think of something to change the subject and that's when she remembered the basket she brought. "Soup!" The water mage said suddenly and turned back to Gray who had a confused expression on his face.
"Juvia almost forgot, she brought some homemade soup with her! Do you want some, Gray-sama?" She asked with a hopeful and eager spark in her blue eyes.
Gray lifted his hand and nudged the damp towel up on his brow as he replied evenly. "Um, sure."
Juvia beamed excitedly as she stood up. "Okay, you just relax and Juvia will bring you some." And with that she spun around and headed into the kitchen gleefully.
The ice mage watched her go over to the wicker basket on the counter and pull out a large container with a secured lid. With a quite groan, Gray lifted himself up and leaned his back against the headboard, then caught the cloth just as it was about to fall off his forehead and tossed it onto the night stand. He then ran his fingers through his semi damp hair and enjoyed the refreshing coolness on his scalp.
After dishing some of the soup into a bowl, Juvia made her way back over to him, being very careful not to spill the food. Gray very slyly, snuck a glance at her long legs in those tempting white thigh highs, before he averted his gaze and cleared his throat as casually as possible. The bluenette was too busy concentrating on the bowl in her hands to notice as she walked up, then very smoothly, sat on the edge of the bed.
Getting a hefty spoonful, Juvia smiled warmly as she extended her arm and cooed, "Open up, Gray-sama."
He in turn, spiked his brow sharply while giving her an incredulous expression. "What, seriously? You know I can feed myself, Juvia."
The girl pouted sadly. "But, Gray-sama is sick! He shouldn't waste his energy on such a small task like eating."
"Lifting a spoon takes very little energy. I think I can manage." He said while reaching for the bowl.
Juvia gave him a very pleading look as her bottom lip trembled ever so slightly, making Gray's chest twinge painfully. With a defeated sigh, he dropped his hands. "Fine.. But just one bite, okay?"
The water mage's eyes sparkled with joy and she nodded her head in acceptance. She then got a fresh spoonful and leaned toward him eagerly. His face warmed in embarrassment, as he paused momentarily to scowl at the silver wear in front of him. He then swiftly took the spoon into his mouth, then clutched it with his teeth and pulled his head back, taking the utensil with him. Juvia blinked once then smiled at him endearingly.
"There, happy now?" He mumbled as he took the bowl from her hands and pulled the spoon out of his mouth.
"Mmm hmm. So how do you like the soup, Gray-sama?" She asked with a small tilt of her head.
After another spoonful, he slightly shrugged one shoulder as he answered. "It's fine."
Juvia simply beamed in return and watched him for a moment. She glanced down at his dark blue pajama pants with polar bears on them and she grinned in adoration.
Before long, Gray finished the soup and set the spoon back into the bowl.
Juvia turned to him and asked. "Do you want some more, Gray-sama?"
He gave a small shake of his head as he glanced at the dish. "Nah, I'm good."
Juvia nodded her head, then stood up and quickly adjusted her skirt, before she leaned toward him while extending her arm. "Juvia will take that for you, then."
Gray blinked at her, "Umm..."
Her eyes sparkled warmly as she gently took the bowl from his grasp, then straightened herself.
The ice mage looked away, feeling a little awkward. "You know..it's not like I'm totally helpless, Juvia. You don't have to wait on me hand and foot." He said in a low tone.
To that, the girl smiled gently. "Juvia knows that. She just wants to be there for Gray-sama in any way she can, because she cares so much."
Gray averted his gaze as he nervously ruffled his hair, his cheeks flushing in response to her confession.
Juvia's smile widened a little more. She knew him all too well. They had been going out for a couple months and she understood that he had a difficult time verbally expressing his feelings. She had told him how she felt and she knew that he cared for her, but she hadn't heard those words from him. But Juvia didn't mind, she promised to be patient and let things happen on their own.
"Now you just rest, while Nurse Juvia takes care of things." She stated while giving him a quick wink, then turned away and headed back to the kitchen.
He finally looked up just to see her disappear into the kitchen and he sighed quietly while slumping against the headboard.
Juvia went over to the sink and washed the bowl, then put it away. Looking around, she noticed other dishes, so she decided to clean them as well. And before she knew it, she had cleaned the entire kitchen. Admiring her handiwork, the bluenette released a satisfied sigh while wiping her brow. 'Not that's better.' She thought gleefully.
Putting the towel back, she left the kitchen and went to go check on Gray. As she approached the bed, she froze when she saw him laying on his side facing her, fast asleep.
She bit her lip to suppress an adoring whimper, then she very quietly, tip-toed up to the mattress. He was curled up on top of the sheets with one hand tucked under the pillow and the other resting on the mattress in front of him. Juvia held her cheeks with both hands as she beamed from ear to ear. She then knelt down to get a better look at his face. His lips were parted slightly as he breathed softly, barely making a sound in his slumber. The water mage tilted her head to the side as a light blush dusted her cheeks. Even though Gray was a very handsome young man, when he slept, Juvia always thought he looked more like a boy. The way his features turned soft and peaceful, much like a child. She sighed to herself, savoring this tranquil moment.
She took notice of how his face was still flushed, from his lingering fever and she furrowed her brows. 'Poor Gray-sama..' She thought sympathetically.
Glancing at the bowl of water on his night stand, Juvia reached up and dunked the cloth into the cold water. Once she wrung the towel out a bit, she very carefully leaned forward and pressed it to his temple. A very low and soft groan emitted from him, making the bluenette grin with delight. She kept it there for a moment, then moved her hand down and tried brushing aside a few of his bangs to get to his brow. The action tickled his skin and he slightly nuzzled his face into the pillow beneath him as a tiny guttural sound rose up from his throat. Juvia swiftly brought her hand to her mouth and bit down on the knuckle of her index finger to quiet her giddy squeal. 'Gray-sama is too cute for words!'
"Juvia.." His sudden deep voice, took her by surprise and she nearly jumped as her dark blue eyes widened in disbelief. She promptly looked at his eyes, making sure he hadn't awoken. But from what she could tell, he appeared to be still sound asleep.
She cocked her head to the side curiously and studied his face. When nothing else happened, she bit her bottom lip and leaned forward.
"Yes, Juvia is here." She said in a velvety voice as she touched the chilled cloth to his forehead. Her cheeks tinted a light pink as she noticed how he visibly relaxed once she did.
He released another pleased groan. "Love you.."
Juvia's heart skipped a beat as her breath hitched in her throat. She froze in place, her eyes wide and her mouth slightly ajar. Her knees suddenly felt weak so she sank down to the floor beside the bed with a heavy sigh. She placed a hand over her beating heart and looked back to the sleeping ice mage, her face flushed bright red.
'He really did say that! Even though it was mumbled, Juvia heard it clear as day. Oh Gray-sama...' She thought to herself as happy tears rimmed her shimmering blue eyes.
Gray shifted his head on the pillow and sighed quietly, making the water mage smile affectionately. She pushed herself up to her knees, then gently laid both her arms on the edge of the mattress and rested her chin on her fore arm. She tilted her head to the side and watched him sleep, the corners of her mouth curling upward in a blissful grin.
She then whispered. "I love you too, Gray-sama."
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Tee hee! I love the concept of a strong guy all sick and needing to be taken care of, but is too proud to ask for it:) So cute!