Gray walked into the guild still half asleep and walked up to the bar where Mira was grinning
"Good Morning Gray!"
"Morning Mira, can I just get some water?" Gray yawned but was interrupted by an arm slinging it over his shoulder
"So Gray, you must be pretty jealous!" it was a rosy faced Wakaba and Mackao, "I know I would be!"
"What are you two talking about?"
"Oh, you haven't seen it yet..." grinned knowingly, exchanging looks as if they'd shared a juicy secret. Mira tried to stifle a laugh as she handed Gray a glass of water. Gray, still groggy and now increasingly suspicious, sipped his water and raised an eyebrow at the two men.
"Seen what?" he asked, his voice a little sharper now. The last time someone had teased him like this, it hadn't ended well, and he wasn't sure he was ready for another round.
"Oh, nothing," Wakaba said, attempting to look innocent but failing miserably.
"Oh my, have you not seen todays issue of Sorcerer Weekly Gray?" Mira asked
"Uh...no?"
Beaming, Mira grabbed the copy behind her and handed the magazine to Gray "Centerfold." Mira said excitedly, Gray furrowed his brows and opened it up and his face turned bright red, There, on the glossy pages, was Juvia posing in just a lacy bra and panties, nestled in a luxurious pile of soft pillows, with her arms over her head. Her expression was innocent yet sensual, her gaze directed toward the camera in a way that left him speechless.
"Whoa-ho!" Wakaba cackled, leaning over Gray's shoulder. "Now that's a sight, isn't it?"
Gray snapped the magazine shut, his face a bright pink.
"Bet you'll have a hard time keeping the boys in line now!" Mackao teased.
"Shut up!" Gray snapped, clutching the magazine tightly.
"Oh, are you just a little jealous?" Mira winked.
Gray scowled, glancing down at the magazine before tucking it under his arm. Jealous? Maybe he was, just a bit.
"Th-there's nothing to be jealous about! Why should I be? she's not my girlfriend."
"Right, and I'm Queen of Hargeon." Mackao snickered while he taunted him, "Even if she isn't, you two are VERY close so you must not like the fact that every man in of Earthland is looking at her like this?" Gray's cheeks turned pink and looked away,
"It's not like that!" he insisted, though his voice lacked its usual edge. "Juvia can do what she wants. It's her choice."
Mira just raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Right, because you're completely fine with this," she said, watching his obvious discomfort. "You've always been so nonchalant, after all." Gray scowled, trying to ignore the way his heart pounded.
"Well, if it really doesn't bother you," Mira shrugged, her eyes twinkling with mischief, She placed the open magazine on the counter, Juvia's image staring up at him as if daring him to look.
Gray muttered something under his breath, unable to look away. 'Maybe she's not my girlfriend,' he thought, feeling a strange rush of possessiveness, 'but she's still mine...'
Without another word, he grabbed the magazine, tucking it firmly under his arm and left the guild, ignoring the chuckles coming from behind him. 'What's the big deal, it's just a picture.' As he walked, he passed by a group of teens with the magazine wide open,
"I wish the lace was more see through!"
"Look how pretty her lips are! Wow, I'd love to kiss her!"
Gray clenched his jaw, but as he walked, the comments kept coming, each one more personal and intimate than the last.
"I'm hanging this up above my bed!"
"Those legs are gorgeous! I wouldn't mind being between them!"
"I know, I'd love to feel them!"
'Why is this bothering me so much?'
"She's perfect, I bet she's got a hot body under all that too…"
Gray couldn't take it anymore. His entire body was tense, his jaw clenched so tightly it hurt. He kept walking, trying to block out the chatter, but the words kept cutting through, like daggers.
"She looks amazing! I wonder if she'd be into me..." A tall blonde man who was very muscular but only up top, his legs practically twigs.
'Into you?!' Gray snorted at the question 'Trust she's only into one person and it's not you.' His heart was racing 'It's just a picture,' he tried to tell himself again, but the knot in his stomach refused to loosen.
When Gray finally got home he tossed the magazine on his bed and took a shower. He stood under the hot stream of water, letting the warmth soothe his tense muscles as he tried to clear his mind. But it was no use—the image of Juvia kept flashing in his thoughts, her graceful figure sprawled across the pillows, her eyes looking right through the camera with that sultry expression. Her legs… he couldn't shake the thought of how beautiful they looked.
'Get a grip,' he mentally scolded himself, slapping his hand against the tiled wall. 'She's not some object for you to fantasize about!' But even as he said it, his thoughts kept drifting back to her—her lips, her eyes, her curves—and it only made his pulse race.
He took a deep breath, scrubbing his face with his hands to try to wash away the thoughts.
Gray groaned, shaking his head in frustration. He wasn't blind. He knew how stunning she was, but seeing her like that, out there for EVERYONE to admire... It felt different when he wasn't the only one who got to see her that way. Stepping out of the shower and wrapping a towel around his waist. He ran a hand through his damp hair, picking it up again and opening it up to her picture, finally able to take it all in in the privacy of his own home.
"God...those legs," Gray breathed, he sees theme every time he sees her but for some reason, they look different—they looked even more mesmerizing in the photo than he'd ever noticed before.
It wasn't that he hadn't seen her legs countless times before. He had. They were always stunning. But now, with the photo capturing the shape of them so perfectly, he couldn't help but feel a rush of heat surge through him. There was something about the way she was posed, so effortlessly alluring, yet so vulnerable in the soft folds of pillows around her.
Why is this hitting me like this now? Gray thought, swallowing hard as he tried to focus. The image in front of him was so vivid, and in the privacy of his own room, he couldn't deny how affected he was.
The way her body was laid out, her lips parted in that almost playful expression... It sent a jolt through him, and he cursed under his breath. This is ridiculous. It's just a photo.
But it wasn't just a photo, was it? It was Juvia—his Juvia. And seeing her in such a raw, exposed light... something stirred deep inside him. He felt possessive, protective, and oddly proud, but also jealous. All at once. Gray shook his head, closing the magazine with a snap and tossing it back on the bed, unable to look at it any longer. Focus, Gray. She's still the same Juvia. Nothing's changed.
But as staried at the magazine with a heavy heart and a pounding head, he realized one thing was for sure—his feelings for Juvia had only grown more complicated.
Gray groaned as his head was still throbbing from the lack of sleep. He'd been tossing and turning all night, the image of Juvia in that magazine flashing through his mind over and over. As he walked toward the guild, still groggy and frustrated, his focus wavered. Then, out of nowhere, he collided with something—or rather, someone—causing both of them to tumble to the ground.
"Gray-sama!" Juvia's surprised shout rang in his ears as she landed on top of him, her face flushed with the impact.
"Ju-Juvia!" Gray blurted out, his body stiffening as he tried to catch his breath. He quickly pushed himself up, but the proximity between them left him momentarily frozen. Her wide blue eyes were inches away from his, her chest rising and falling with the shock of the fall.
"Are you alright?!" Juvia quickly scrambled to her feet, extending a hand to help him up, concern written all over her face. "I'm so sorry, Gray-sama! I didn't see you coming."
Juvia took his hand, smiling softly as he helped her to her feet. "It's alright, Gray-sama. Juvia's just happy to see you," she said, brushing herself off.
Should he bring up the magazine? Part of him wanted to pretend he hadn't seen it, but another part of him knew he wouldn't be able to rest until he got some answers.
"So...I saw your, picture in Weekly," he finally said, rubbing the back of his neck, trying to keep his voice steady.
Juvia's face immediately turned pink, and she clasped her hands together, looking down shyly. "Oh… so Gray-sama saw it?"
He nodded, feeling his own cheeks warm. "Yeah… I, uh… I didn't know you were modeling now."
"Juvia isn't modeling! it was just for this week! She didn't expect to be in such a… bold pose though," she admitted, her voice barely a whisper. "The photographer insisted, and Juvia… Juvia wanted to try something different."
Gray's chest tightened at her words. The vulnerability in her tone made him realize just how brave she'd been to step out of her comfort zone like that.
"You looked… amazing," he admitted softly, his own voice unsteady. "It's just… seeing you like that—it was kind of a shock. Made me realize…" He paused, unsure if he should finish that thought.
"Realize what Gray-sama?" Juvia looked up, her eyes hopeful and bright, a hint of a smile tugging at her lips.
He took a breath, steeling himself. "M-made me realize that… I don't like the idea of everyone else seeing you that way..." He looked away, rubbing the back of his neck, trying to focus on anything but Juvia's radiant smile.
"Y-yeah, well…" he stammered, struggling to find his usual cool composure. "It's… I mean, it's just weird, okay?"
Juvia's smile grew, her eyes sparkling with pure happiness. "Gray-sama… you really mean it? You feel that way about… Juvia?"
Gray swallowed, his heartbeat thudding in his ears. He knew he couldn't back out now; her expression was too hopeful, and the truth had already slipped out. "Yeah," he admitted, his voice soft but sincere. "I don't want anyone else looking at you like that."
Juvia's cheeks turned a deep shade of pink as she clasped her hands over her chest, looking as if she might burst from happiness. "Oh, Gray-sama… Juvia's heart feels so full! Juvia never imagined you'd feel this way-"
Juvia's eyes widened as Gray's hand gently covered her mouth, muffling the excited squeal that he knew would escape. Her face turned an even deeper shade of pink when he leaned in, pressing a soft, lingering kiss to her forehead. The world seemed to slow down as her heart raced, savoring the warmth of his touch and the gentle affection in his gesture.
"Come on," he murmured, a small, genuine smile tugging at his lips as he dropped his hand from her mouth. "Let's go get breakfast. My treat."
Juvia's heart practically melted. She gave a small, enthusiastic nod, her eyes shimmering with joy. Walking side by side with him, she couldn't stop smiling. To her, this was the perfect start to the day.