What Fairy Girls Want
by Ulquiorra9000
Chapter 20: lose yourself to dance (then lose your clothes!)
"I've never done anything like this before," Brandish Mu commented lightly, her arms folded over her chest as the friends rolled their way downtown to Club Thunder. "Feels like a waste of money."
"Waste of money? As if!" Natsu cheered, slapping a hand on the rented limo's ceiling. "This is how we roll like royalty, new girl! Get used to it!"
"But we've never done this before, either," Jellal pointed out.
Natsu rolled his eyes. "Fine. Then everyone will get used to it!"
"I agree," Erza said with a sexy toss of her scarlet hair. "After the ostentatious glamor of Crocus All-Star, I'm spoiled. Every night out must include a red carpet."
"Yeah! We're like celebrities!" Lisanna whooped, throwing out her arms and almost hitting Brandish in the face by accident. "We should have done this sooner, guys!"
"As long as there's enough people to split the rental fee," Lucy said with a chuckle. "I wasn't going to make a habit of this."
Elfman raised his eyebrows. "Huh? Don't you come from money, Lucy?"
"Kind of. But I ran away from that place," Lucy explained. "I'm growing up on my own. I don't need my dad's help!" She held up a defiant fist to eye level, a fierce blaze in her brown eyes.
"I know that feeling," Evergreen muttered while Elfman fondly draped an arm over her shoulders.
"Are we there yet?" Natsu hollered to the limo's driver.
"Just two blocks to go, sir," the driver called back.
Sweet!
Natsu and the crew had already pre-gamed for this evening of clubbing at a local bar, because let's face it, Club Thunder can't possibly compare to Crocus All-Star, so a nice buzz would make Club Thunder feel better after all. And it was a fine chance to watch the stoic, aloof Brandish down five mixed drinks and show no reaction, stunning the bartender. She also tipped well.
Lisanna warned her friends that her new friend Brandish was really something... and she was! What else was the crew in for?
Here they were!
"Club Thunder! It's been a while!" Natsu hollered, leaping out of the limo and taking Lucy's hand. "Come on, fellas!"
"Eh, I've seen worse," Brandish said as she scoped out the place. "How clean are the bathrooms?"
"Why do you ask?" Erza asked warily.
Brandish shrugged. "For when I hook up. I don't wanna get frisky in a smelly old bathroom."
"Amen to that," Elfman said, and Evergreen high-fived him. Oh yeah, they totally got it on when they visited Crocus All-Star's bathroom! It took a few hard drinks to get Elfman to admit that at the last house party.
This time might be a little different, though. Natsu's squad was made up of four couples and a handful of singles, with more of Natsu's friends promising to join them sometime this evening. Being in a real couple made this feel, how should Natsu put it...
Different?
It didn't take long for the squad to get in, and wow, it really did feel kinda cramped and basic in here compared to what Crocus All-Star had! Club Thunder was about half the size, and the bar only had a measly two bartenders instead of six, and with only half the fancy decorations.
At least the beat rocked! Natsu loved this DJ, always pumping up the crowd with energizing, lively beats. Tonight was no different.
"Flaming shots, y'all! Come on!" Natsu cried, throwing his arms up in the air. His friends cheered and joined him at the bar, where they all got their flaming shots.
"I've heard of these," Brandish said, eyeing her flaming shot.
"Yeah. You blow out the fire, then drink," Gray said. "The fire is just for show." He blew out his fire and drank.
"Except me. Watch!" Natsu clinked his glass with Lucy's as a toast, then threw back his head and downed that sucker. Ah, the heat added spice!
"Oh, yeah. Natsu the fire drinker," Lisanna said with a giggle. "I can't remember the last time I saw him do that."
The friends blew out their shots and drank, but hold on a minute... Brandish's drink was still aflame as she raised it to her lips!
"Wait!" Evergreen cried, reaching out to save Brandish from burning her face off.
Brandish casually downed the drink and set the shot glass on the bar. "What? Something wrong?"
Evergreen stared. "You... you're a fire drinker, too?"
"I've drank stronger stuff than that," Brandish said, wiping her lips. "Pretty tasty."
"Yeah! Team fire!" Natsu said, offering a fist bump.
Brandish stared at it until Natsu meekly lowered that fist. So cold...!
"Another for me! Woo hoo!" Juvia cheered, and she ordered another drink, followed by another. "Come on! Drink up, you prudes!"
"Whew. I ought to pace myself," Evergreen said, fanning her pink face. "Maybe in half an hour?"
"Aw, you're no fun," Juvia said, pouting.
"So, who's up for dancing?" Natsu said, clapping his hands together. "This beat's on fire! In, fact, let's make it a couples' dance-off!"
"Are you challenging me? The mighty Erza Scarlet?" Erza said, hands on her hips and a devilish glint in her eyes. "I'll mop the floor with you!"
"This floor really should be mopped," Jellal said, scuffing a foot on the floor. "I miss Crocus All-Star."
Lucy wrapped her arms around Natsu's right arm. "That's a fabulous idea, Natsu! Who's in? The winners get a free round at the bar!"
"That prize is as good as ours," Elfman said, cracking his knuckles as his girlfriend menacingly adjusted her glasses. "I may be big, but I'm no oaf!"
"He fell out of bed the last time we got intimate," Evergreen added, jabbing he thumb at Elfman.
Elfman winced. "Babe, why'd you have to say that?"
"I'm sorry. As compensation, you may decide what kind of foreplay we do upon returning to my place tonight."
Elfman brightened at once. "All is forgiven!"
"Have fun," Lisanna told her friends as they headed off to the waiting dance floor. "We singles will have our own fun..."
Natsu waved to Lisanna and Brandish, then smiled widely as the four couples wove their way into the crowd. "Which pairs face off first?"
"Since you brought it up, Natsu, you and Lucy will face my man and I," Erza declared, rolling her neck.
"Oh, crud..."
"Chin up, Natsu. We can take them," Lucy assured her boyfriend. "Just limber up and follow my lead."
"Let's do this." Natsu stretched out his mighty fine muscles, closed his eyes, and let the pulsing music flow into his soul. He felt the power rising... that's it... almost ready...!
Natsu snapped open his eyes and let loose with his body, becoming one with the rhythm as Lucy broke out into an elegent, twirly dance next to him. They had this in the bag!
Until Erza and Jellal joined hands and busted out a crazy routine twice as fancy and four times sexier! Their friends burst into applause and cheered them on, and damn did Erza and Jellal look smug about it! Jerks!
"We can do that, too!" Natsu shot back. "Lucy, you take my lead this time!"
He whipped out his arms and stepped to the left in a lunging motion, and Pow! He clobbered Loke, who just happened to be passing by.
"I surrender!" Loke yelped as he went down in a confused heap.
"Oh, shit!" Natsu scrambled over to help get Loke on his feet. "You okay, man? You just came outta nowhere!"
Loke beamed. "Just cruising the crowd lookin' for singles! Everyone else is here, too. Laki and Kinana were right over there..." He craned his neck to look.
"Who else is here?"
"Cana, Max, and Droy are somewhere in here, too," Loke explained. "Last I saw, Max was hitting it off with this cutie by that wall -" he pointed. "And Cana was schooling some punks about how to lose yourself to dance."
"Yeah, that's what I was trying to do," Natsu said, gesturing at his friends. "I'm pretty sure my team lost the first round."
"Damn straight you two did," Jellal teased Natsu and Lucy. "Next up is Elfman/Evergreen vs Gray/Juvia, and then the winning teams face off."
Loke snorted. "Oh man, I gotta see this."
So, he stood witness to Elfman and Evergreen outclassing the clumsy Gray and Juvia on the dance floor, with Juvia getting red in the face and pouting as Elfman and Evergreen high-fived once again. Then, the winning teams stepped up... and once Jellal slipped a bit, he nearly knocked Erza over, and the graceful Elfman/Evergreen team was declared the winner!
"Watch your step, buster," Erza said, giving Jellal a playful shove. "You cost us a free round at the bar."
Jellal hung his head. "Sorry about that."
"As punishment, I will decide what foreplay we use tonight," Erza stated, mirroring Evergreen's idea from earlier.
Jellal went pale. "Anything but that! Nooooo!"
But his obvious boner told a different story. Tee hee, Natsu got the feeling that pleasure and pain were two sides of the same coin in that bedroom!
While the singles in Natsu's club team kept drinking like fish (and so did Juvia), the couples got busy with round 2, and this time, Erza and Jellal got exactly what they wanted: sweet victory! Gray and Juvia couldn't keep up, so a woozy, irate Juvia stomped off to the bar to drown her woes in another flaming shot.
"She doing all right?" Natsu asked Gray as Juvia stormed off.
Gray sighed. "I dunno, my man. Juvia's been on edge for a while, and she won't tell me why. I'd say it was 'cause she got fired from PetCorps, but she seemed upset even before that."
Natsu fixed him with a look.
"It's not my fault!" Gray yelped. "Besides, Juvia would have told me."
"Hmmmm. Is she failing a class?"
"Like she gives a damn about that."
"Have you sat her down for a serious talk?" Evergreen asked loftily, arms folded neatly over her ample bust.
"I tried," Gray said, "but she likes to change the subject and get frisky. I can't say no to that."
"Gray, my good sir, your girlfriend is in a bad place, and she needs a boyfriend who can help her," Evergreen told him. "You have to get to the bottom of this before someone gets hurt. Someone has to take this seriously."
Gray craned his neck to watch Juvia down a few more shots with the singles, including Cana and Max. "You got it. Serious talk. Even if I have to tie her to a chair to stop her from running from the problem."
Elfman boomed with laughter. "Let me guess, that would just turn her on! Some people love bondage."
"Yes. Some have a secret longing for... for the helplessness," Lucy muttered, blushing and looking away.
Oh ho ho! Just when things were getting a little repetitive in the bedroom...!
After three more dance sessions, Natsu decided he needed a breather and headed to the bar to grab a mixed drink while Lucy kept dancing (she had such stamina!). A surprise awaited Natsu at the modest bar.
"What kind of mixed drinks do you like?" Freed Justine happily asked a green-haired beauty who sat on one of the bar stools like royalty.
"I'll get you one, too! With a lime wedge!" Warren Rocko added, pumping his fists.
"I'll get you all that, plus an olive and salt on the rim," some guy Natsu didn't know added.
"Mmmm-hmmm-hmmmm!" the green-haired beauty said. She tossed her hair and batted her lashes. "Why don't you all get me a drink, and I'll pick a winner?"
"Yeah! Good idea!" Warren exclaimed. He and the other guys rushed to place their orders, mobbing the bewildered bartender.
"Whoa, what's goin' on here?" Natsu asked as he joined the scene. "You scored not one, but..." He counted. "Nine dudes?"
"Well, I haven't rendered judgment yet," the green-haired lady said smugly. "They all did a fine job massaging my sore body after we all danced, but we're not done yet. Let's see how good their drink orders are."
Natsu watched the nine guys scramble to get their drinks. "Are you gonna buy them all drinks in return?"
"Ho ho ho! Silly boy. I repay them with my time," the lady said. "I'm Karen Lilica, by the way. Would you care to join us? What's your name?"
"I'm Natsu. And I'm here with my girlfriend."
"Ah. A shame. Well, back to dancing, dear Natsu. I'm busy." Karen snapped her fingers, and the nine guys hurried over with their various drinks.
"I paid double to make it perfect," Freed said eagerly, offering his drink first. "Please, enjoy!"
"We shall see." Karen took the glass and took a delicate sip. "Almost good. But the vodka overpowers the raspberry flavor."
"I'm sorry! It was an honest mistake!"
Next, Karen accepted Warren's drink, and deemed it "Meh." Karen tried them all, giving Natsu a stern look all the while. "Don't just gawk at me," Karen told Natsu. "Go back to your girlfriend."
Natsu clenched his fists by his sides. "This isn't right. Don't just use people!"
"These buffoons are happy. See?" Karen giggled and toyed with one guy's arm, and he was instantly on cloud nine.
"We're fine, Natsu," Freed told him. "Things aren't so easy for us single guys. We take any chance we're given."
"One of us might go home with Karen tonight," Warren added brightly. "I hope it's me!"
"I'd even help her study," another guy put in. "She goes to MCC, like us. But some of her classes are really hard. She needs a study partner."
Natsu fought for his words. "Freed, Warren! Come on, guys -"
"That's enough, bitch."
Everyone turned in shock as Cana Alberona stomped onto the scene, her brown hair a bit messy from dancing and a fire in her violet eyes. She pointed right at Karen. "I know your type! Using your looks to screw with guys and feel good about yourself."
"Get lost, loser," Karen snapped back. "These gentlemen know what they want. You have no right to -"
"I have no right?" Cana retorted hotly. "Fuck that! Clubbing is about respect and building a real connection with people. Not this."
"Hmph. Who are you to stop me?" Karen posed like she was a queen surrounded by loyal knights. "I do this all the time."
"It ends now. Freed, Warren, the rest of you, get a grip!" Cana cried. "You deserve girls who like you for you, not your favors."
Freed glanced at Karen. "But..."
Cana snapped her fingers and motioned to the dance floor. "But nothin', buster. Respect yourself, and find a girl who respects you, too. You ain't gettin' nothin' out of this broad. This is a game to her."
"How dare you -!" Karen got to her feet and took a few angry steps toward Cana.
Suddenly, Erza Scarlet's hand clamped onto Karen's shoulder. Karen yelped.
"Get out of this club before you leave on a stretcher," Erza growled in Karen's ear, a fiery aura surrounding her. The force of it actually ruffled everyone's hair and clothes like wind!
Karen went pale. "Uh..."
"Don't screw with my friends," Lucy added as she also joined the scene. "These guys deserve better than manipulative creeps like you. Leave."
"Who are you to -" Karen started.
"OUT!" Lucy barked.
Karen got the fuck outta there.
Freed, Warren, and the other seven guys blinked as though having a spell lifted off them. "What the hell just happened?" Freed said woozily.
"And what did I spend all my Jewels on?!" Warren cried, frantically checking his wallet's meager contents.
Erza clapped a hand onto Warren's back. "You guys should be more careful who you hang out with. Some girls will use you like that. Shame on them. But at the same time, I must admonish you for falling under her spell. You're better than that."
All nine guys hung their heads at once. "We're sorry," they said as one.
Erza put her hands on her hips. "That's better. Now, find some lovely girls to dance with, and see if you can salvage this evening."
"Hey, there are some now!" Cana said brightly, pointing. Sure enough, there was a squad of hot, giggling girls wandering around, clearly ready for a hookup. Just in time!
"Now we're talkin'! Come on!" Freed cried, motioning to the guys as they prepared to mingle like nobody's business.
Natsu turned to his girlfriend, all smiles. "That was awesome, Lucy. You got Karen right outta here."
"Oh. Was that her name?" Lucy asked.
"Yeah, she told me."
"I've heard of people like her," Lucy said, glaring at the club exit. "But I never thought I'd meet one."
Natsu nodded. "You'll get a few bad apples in every club. Guys do it a lot, too. They'll say these one-liners and brag to get girls in bed, then never call 'em again. Jellal, Gajeel, and I once dealt with this bozo last year who tried it on Laki. That was a close call."
"Somebody say my name?" a certain Laki Olietta said, emerging from the crowd of dancers, sweating and breathing hard from her exertions.
"Remember that time the guys and I chased some creep away from you?" Natsu asked.
Laki's eyes widened. "Is he back?"
"Naw, I was just tellin' Lucy that clubs always have a few scumbags floating around. We chased off this punk Karen who was trying to hypnotize our friends."
"Oh, my. Be careful out there, people!" Laki smiled, then melted back into the mass of gyrating dancers.
Speaking of those gyrating, sweaty dancers...
"WHOOOOOOO! I'M GOING WILD, Y'ALL!" Juvia hollered as she whipped off her top, smiling like a maniac. Her huge melons popped right into sight, barely contained in her lacy blue bra. Nearby dancers laughed, clapped, or just stared in disbelief as Juvia turned a nightclub into a strip club.
Natsu elbowed his best friend. "I think she's calling you, Mr. stud."
Gray groaned, slapping a hand over his face. "She's losin' it. I'll be right back."
Natsu watched Gray work his way through the beat-fueled crowd to get ahold of his girlfriend, only for Juvia to back up a few steps, unzipping her denim shorts. "Who wants to see the real me?" Juvia cried, and a few dancers, all of them dudes, cheered her on.
While Gray struggled to push through the dancers, his girlfriend sexily slipped her jean shorts down, wiggling her ass as she went, exposing her blue undies to match her bra. She twirled the jean shorts over her head before tossing them into the crowd, like a bride flinging the bouquet to a hungry pack of bridesmaids. Except this was the dirty version, with some chump grinning his fool head off as he caught the shorts in midair.
"Juvia!" Gray barked. "What the fuck! Get over here!"
"Gray, my darling!" Juvia threw up her arms, going red in the face from intoxication and excitement as another song came on. "It's time to let go of our inhibitions! Lose that shirt. You know you want to!"
"I'm gonna lose my shit if you don't stop screwing around!" Gray shot back. He reached out, trying to grab his girlfriend while the dancers blocked him. "You're in big trouble now!"
"Ooooooooh, I like the sound of that. Come and get me~!" Juvia winked, then weaseled her way through the clubgoers and made her way to the exit.
Natsu stared. "Hey, um... should we stop her?" he asked. "Erza, I think you're up."
Erza watched her drunk, half-naked friend skip her way out of the club. "I shouldn't interfere."
Natsu nearly choked. "Say what now?"
"Whatever's going on with Juvia, it's between her and Gray," Erza said. "And have you tried to catch a drunk Juvia? She's like a greased hog, but bites even more."
Gray, meanwhile, cursed up a storm as he fought to break free of the crowd, then sprinted out of the club. "Juvia...!"
Natsu and Lucy shared a look. "Should we call it a night?" Natsu asked.
Lucy nodded grimly. "I've seen enough."
o*o*o*o*
"Juvia! Where are you?" Gray called out, cupping his hands over his mouth. He wandered Magnolia's nighttime streets as cars and taxis motored past, with curious pedestrians giving him looks while he called out to his booty call. She could be anywhere! Was this what it felt like to have a dog slip out the front door and go who knows where?
"JUVIAAAAAA!" Gray howled.
"Gray, over here!" came a familiar voice from around the street corner.
Gray's stomach leaped into his throat. "Juvia! Stay where you are!" He sprinted at top speed, rounded the corner, and found his fully nude, giggling friend getting handcuffed by a couple of cops. Aw, shit...
"I've been so naughty," Juvia said with a hiccup. "Look, I'm in handcuffs! It's like that thing we did last week, but with less spanking. Hey, officer! Can you give me a good smack?" She wiggled her ass.
One of the cops rolled his eyes. "You're in trouble. The bad kind," he told her. "Public nudity and intoxication? You're going in a cell tonight."
"Oh! I've always fantasized about naughty sex in jail," Juvia crowed. She gave Gray a "fuck me senseless" look. "I'll put out in exchange for my freedom."
"Officers, she's my friend," Gray explained cautiously as he approached. "I promise she's not dangerous. Just drunk from the club."
"Buddy, you can explain at the station," the other officer said. He motioned at the nearby cop car.
Gray groaned again. "What a night..."
At the station, Gray's explanation was just enough to get Juvia released from the station later that night (barely), and the cops even lent her some clothes to get home with some modesty. After thanking the officers for understanding, Gray called a cab to take Juvia back to her place, shushing her each time she tried to speak up in the cab. Gray was not in the mood to hear it!
"Here we are," Gray said as he climbed out of the cab, escorting Juvia to her and Levy's apartment. "Home sweet home. Time to drink some water and sleep it off."
"Sleep together? What a great idea," Juvia slurred as they entered the front lobby. "But it's not as fun as the jail idea. Can we go back and borrow the handcuffs? And that officer didn't spank me. Will you do it?"
"Just get your butt in that elevator," Gray snapped as he pushed the call button. He didn't say another word, seething as he and Juvia silently rode the elevator to Juvia's floor. Good thing Gray had a spare key, because Juvia evidently left her purse (with its key) back in Club Thunder.
"Juvia! Gray?" Levy cried as she stepped out of her bedroom, alerted by the noise of the front door opening. "What's going on?"
Gray sighed. "Your roommate went apeshit in Club Thunder, got naked in the streets, and ended up arrested. I barely talked the cops into letting her go."
Levy held her hands over her mouth. "Oh my gosh! Is she okay?"
"Drunk, and when she sobers up, she'll no doubt feel humiliated. But otherwise, no real damage," Gray said. "Levy, can I count on you to take care of her tonight? Get her some water, for starters."
"Of course." Levy took hold of Juvia, guiding her roommate to Juvia's waiting bedroom. "Thank you, Gray, for watching out for her. Juvia's been in bad shape recently. She won't tell me what's wrong."
"She won't tell me, either," Gray admitted. "But I'm gonna have a really serious talk with her tomorrow!"
Levy nodded. "I'll make sure she gets the message. I can take it from here."
"Okay. Oh, and I'll have one of my friends get Juvia's purse. Good night." Gray gave Juvia one last worried look, then headed out, locking the door behind him. He stood with his back to the door, his mind swirling. How was he going to play this...?
o*o*o*o*
Gray only had afternoon classes the next day, and he waited until the last class let out before he texted Juvia to announce that he was on his way to her apartment. Juvia responded with a simple Okay, and soon enough, Gray was right back at his booty call's place, this time with a clearer head and the confidence to face whatever the hell the problem was head-on. This ended now.
"H... hi, Gray," Juvia greeted him meekly, sitting on the living room couch, toying with the hem of her knee-length skirt. She blushed. "Ugh. You must think I'm such a loser. I'm really sorry about last night! I could just crawl into a hole and never come out again!"
"It's all right. I won't judge you. We just need to talk this out," Gray said gently as Juvia clapped her hands over her face in shame. "Can I take a seat?"
Juvia made a quiet grunt, so Gray sat next to her.
"I know you don't like serious talk," Gray said after a few seconds, "but this has gone too far. Can you be strong for me and open up? Please? Take all the time you need."
Juvia slowly lowered her hands and sniffed. "I'm a mess, Gray. There, I said it. I have no idea what I'm doing with my life. I don't know where I'm going, or what I should do. It's just so overwhelming!"
"I'm sorry to hear that." Gray wrapped his arms around Juvia's shoulders and tried to remember the advice Mirajane had given him this morning during a phone call. "You can trust me with this, Juvia, because your feelings are perfectly valid. You can open your heart to me. I'll help you. Let's solve this together."
"That's... so romantic, darling Gray," Juvia said with a weak smile.
"Just doin' what I can to help a friend. You must be feeling so scared about everything, Juvia. It's perfectly normal. You're only human."
"Yeah, the dumbest human ever," Juvia moaned. She sniffed again. "I didn't want to tell you about this, Gray, because we're supposed to have fun together. I didn't want to ruin the mood with my problems."
Gray gave her a gentle squeeze. "But that's what friends are for! I'm not just your booty call. I'm your rock, Juvia. I won't be happy until you are, and that means you need to talk to me. Let it out, even if it hurts a little. I'm here for you."
"Oh, my. You're good at this," Juvia said with a nervous giggle.
"I got some pointers. Whenever you're ready..."
"It's simple, Gray," Juvia admitted. "I'm such a failure. Everyone else has their lives figured out, like Lisanna with her animal stuff and Levy's perfect grades, and even Natsu knows what he wants to do. And I've seen how Lucy lit a fire in his eyes! I'm nothing like that."
"We all grow up at different paces. It's not a race," Gray assured her. "It must be frustrating to feel left behind. But in time, you'll be just like them, too. I'm sure of it."
"I hope you're right," Juvia choked out. "Gray, you must be so embarrassed to have me around! Go ahead, say it. I'm not worth it anymore."
"I would never say that," Gray quickly said. "Listen: it's easy to stick around when times are good with your friends, but sticking around when times are tough is the real deal. Gajeel taught me that."
"Oooooh. That's a good point," Juvia said, her eyes glittering. "You always know just what to say, my darling."
"If you feel lost and helpless, Juvia, then a step in any direction is good enough," Gray offered. "You'll feel better just trying to move forward, and who knows what you'll discover along the way? Not everyone has life all planned out ahead of time. Matter of fact, I bet most people don't. You just find the courage to move, and the rest will fall into place."
"You make it sound so easy, darling."
Gray grinned. "If anyone can do it, it's you. It's never too late."
"Do you really think it could work?"
"I think it's worth a shot, Juvia. It's supposed to empower you. It'll give you the same fire in your eyes that Natsu has."
"Wow! That sounds like fun," Juvia said brightly. "I mean, it still sounds really hard. But if any direction is fine, then I can't go wrong! Right?"
"That's right," Gray said with a warm smile. "It hurt me so bad inside to see you suffering. Now's the time to open a new chapter in your life. Give it your best shot!"
"Yeah!" Juvia raised a fist, then leaned closer and kissed her friend/booty call. "You're giving a girl ideas, mister..."
Gray cracked a wry grin. "Not today, babe. It's your soul that needs some hot and heavy action. Starting with your job. Let's talk to Ur and see if you can get another chance."
"Awwwww. Do I have to do that boring job? It's Lisanna who likes animal stuff."
Gray gave her an admonishing look. "You need a sense of order and responsibility, Juvia. Forgive the dad talk, but it builds character."
Juvia hung her head. "Oh, fine. I'll do it for you. I mean... I'll do it for me."
"Now you're talking. I believe in you, Juvia. You'll go all the way."
"I love you so much, Gray. You always know what a girl wants."
"Happy to help. That's what friends are for."
Gray avoided the love part, because was it even true? Maybe not! Would being Juvia's lover make any difference? It's not what Juvia needed. It was never what she really needed.
It was another sign that Gray needed to man up and make a particular decision of his own. And soon. But he needed Juvia to get her own affairs in order first. Fortunately, based on that sudden energy in Juvia's eyes, neither of them would have long to wait.
"No more crazy Juvia," Gray's booty call vowed. "Gray, I apologize to you... to everyone... for letting my personal woes screw with my head. I just felt so terrible. I was running away from it all as it built up in my head. But no more!"
"All your friends will forgive you. I'm sure of it," Gray said with a confident smile.
"Good, because I owe a few people some apologies. Starting with Ur," Juvia confessed. She tossed her lovely blue hair. "Gray, darling, are you sure I can't apologize to you in a physical way...?" She jerked her head in the direction of her bedroom.
Gray got to his feet. "Sorry, babe. Like I said, it's your soul that needs some love."
"Oh, fine." Juvia pouted, then rose to her feet and went into her room to put on her shoes and grab her purse. "Can we start with Ur? And could you come with me? I don't wanna face her alone."
"Right behind you."