Juvia could hear the strong heartbeat and the soft breath of Gray's while she rested her head on the top of his chest. He had fallen asleep twenty minutes before after they exhausted each other in the most delightful way. It was 4:11 a.m. and she was trying her best to gather courage to do what she had to, but the feeling of his warm better next to her made her hate the idea of leaving.

But she had to. She couldn't wait until the morning, not when she knew Gray would ask her to leave and tell her their night had ended; as amazing as it was.

Juvia had to leave because if he rejected her, she would break in front of him and she couldn't, not after he had held her so close. She sighed and, trying not to wake Gray, she sat on the bed and looked at him. His expression was soft and the sheets he had covered them with after their last round were on his hips.

Remembering it, Juvia could feel her cheeks warm; God, he was so good. Juvia had had one night stands before when she craved some human contact – sometimes to get off by herself just didn't cut it – but none of the previous men made her feel the way Gray did. After that explosive first time, Juvia climbed on top of him and it had been just as amazing, but the best part was when Gray's eyes flared up when her rhythm was way too slow for him and his patience ran thin when she refused to move faster. Annoyed, he spun her around – she giggled when he did that – and once Gray was on top, her laughter died when he started to thrust inside her and all she could do was to feel.

Gray had scowled at her once they reached their peak and breathing returned to normal. Juvia just pulled him and kissed his lips and by the time they were done, his scowl was gone. Gray told her he didn't like going slow during sex and she shrugged, telling him it never annoyed her, it was actually amusing.

She should have not said that.

When he was quiet for way too long and she was starting to freak out about him kicking her out, Gray had started to kiss her lips in a slow but tempting way, then proceeded to kiss his way down to her neck and breasts. Juvia knew he was trying to make a point about going slow, but she couldn't find in her the strength to complain. By the time he rolled a condom over himself and slid in her and started to thrust into her in a slow pace, exciting her, keeping her close but not enough to release, she was begging for him to go faster. His dark chuckle was the last thing she noticed before the world became blurry as he finally complied her request.

"I can see now why you find it amusing." Gray said between breaths when he fell next to her in bed with a chuckle.

"Changed my mind." Juvia told him. She rested her head on his chest and she could feel his chest move with his chuckle. A couple of minutes later, Juvia noticed his breathing even and noticed he'd fallen asleep.

It made sense, though, they were exhausted and Juvia wanted to sleep as well, but her fears prevented her from it.

Juvia kissed his lips and touched his jaw; only then she got up. She found her underwear and dress, put them on and stepped on her shoes. With a final longing look at the man sleeping on the bed, she left quietly.

#

The good thing about living across the street from the man you just slept with was that only the night-time doormen from their buildings witnessed her walk of shame. Not that it matter, she was a healthy twenty-eight-year-old woman with a healthy sexual appetite. She smiled to both men and proceeded to enter the elevator without paying attention to what they thought.

Snowball barked in excitement when Juvia entered the apartment and Juvia caught the puppy in her arms. "Sorry, baby. Mommy was... busy." Knowing she would not get up early like she usually did, Juvia put food and water for the dog. She kissed the soft fur and put her on the pink dog bed she bought for Snowball.

Juvia went to her bedroom, closed the door and took off her dress, stepping inside the bathroom. She looked herself in the mirror and could see her that her cheeks were pink, her hair was in a messy bun, but she looked... happy. It was so unusual for her that she took a moment to understand exactly what she was seeing.

Pushing the thought about not mentioning it again, Juvia basked in the feeling for a couple of minutes and smiled. Earlier, she thought that maybe that night was a mistake, that she would break her heart. Well, she would break her heart either way, at least now she had the memory of Gray kissing her, touching her, holding her. He had laughed with her, joked and didn't push her away when she rested her head on the top of his chest.

Whatever happened, she would have that night and no one would ruin it. Not even herself.

Deciding that she was going to enjoy the feeling until she couldn't anymore, Juvia stepped into the shower and then went to sleep with a smile still on her lips.

#

In the morning when Juvia arrived at work, Cana had told her that she already made reservations for lunch and Juvia apologized to her friend for leaving – even though she didn't regret it at all.

Juvia went inside her office and looked over what she had to do that day and did research on hers and Gajeel's next mission. She was so focused that it startled her when someone cleared their throat and she almost jumped from her seat.

Gray was leaning on the doorway, arms crossed over his chest, his face was impassive and Juvia didn't know what to think of it.

"You startled me." Juvia breathed, her heart beating faster – and most of it was because of seeing him again brought the images of their night together. And her cheeks felt incredible hot.

"You left." It was all Gray said.

Juvia blinked two times, trying to understand his words. "I did."

"And exactly why was that?"

"Well..." Juvia hesitated "We agreed it would be one night. You remembered me about it." She pointed out.

Gray raised an eyebrow. "It didn't mean I would kick you out of my apartment. Especially at 4 a.m. You could've at least told me."

"You fell asleep." Juvia shrugged.

She saw his cheeks pinked a bit. "I just want to say in my defense that I don't usually fall asleep right after sex. But we did it three times and I am only human." Gray cleared his throat. "I did stay awake long enough for you to tell me you'd leave, though."

Juvia couldn't refute that. She had chickened out and waited for him to sleep to avoid him. "Sorry." She told him honestly. "Juvia just wanted to avoid an awkward morning after." And to see you reject me, she finished in her head.

"I can relate to it, I did that a few times." He shrugged. "I just wanted to make sure we are good."

"Of course." Juvia smiled, feeling better knowing he never planned on being awkward with her.

"Okay, then." Gray nodded and was about to leave but stopped and walked to her desk. He leaned over, looked right into her eyes and said in a low voice. "Just so you know: this morning wouldn't have been awkward because I had every intention of waking you up and have my way with you before you left. It would've made both our moods better today." Juvia felt her whole body warm up and she gulped. Seeing that, Gray just smirked and left.

"This is playing dirty!" Juvia said once she recovered the ability to speak and he was out of the door. The only thing Gray did was to raise a hand as a good-bye without turning around. Once he was out of her sight, Juvia smiled to herself. Oh yeah, it was going to happen again. It was just a matter of time.

#

From: Gray-sama

08:23: I can see you.

08:23: This is ridiculous.

Juvia looked to the messages in her phone and smiled. As usual, she woke up early and walked with Snowball. By the time she arrived home, she grabbed a glass with juice and pulled a chair in front of one of the large windows at her living room.

And just like every day, at 8:15 a.m. Gray started to do his pull ups. Before, Juvia tried to hide that she watched him exercise at iron bar at the doorway of his bedroom but it didn't matter anymore; he knew she watched him and honestly, she had done way more than watch his body a few nights before. No time for subtlety.

To: Gray-sama

08:24: I'm not hiding, of course you can see me. ;p

08:24: Is it really ridiculous when you know I watch and still do it every morning?

She sent it and watched his reaction when he read it and scowled her way before sending her another text.

From: Gray-sama

08:24: Yes.

08:25: God, your neighbor IS watching. This is weird.

Juvia laughed and typed her answer while biting her lower lip. She sent it and a moment later her phone rang and she saw his name on the screen.

"Yes?"

"I am not an exhibitionist." He said.

"You are, Gray-sama." Juvia smiled, got up from the chair and went near the window. "You don't wear clothes inside your apartment. Juvia can see you."

"Don't say it like I walk around naked. It's my apartment. I can be only in my underwear if I want to." He emphasized the word. "I grew up in the cold and Magnolia is fucking hot."

"You don't even close your curtains." Juvia pointed out.

"My apartment." Gray told her. "Jeez, that woman is scrubbing that window for almost fifteen minutes."

The blunette laughed. "She needs an excuse to watch you. And you do this every morning you are at home."

"It's creepy."

"So, Juvia is ridiculous but she is creepy?" Juvia asked, amused.

"I don't mind you watching." Gray said and seemed to understand what he said because he coughed. "I mean... What I meant was..."

"That Juvia can watch you? I'll remind that."

"Shut up." He hung up and Juvia laughed when she saw him scowl her way. She waved good-bye and went to prepare herself to work.

#

A week later, when Juvia got at FT after being gone for two days, she went straight to Gray's office to see if he wanted to go out and eat Caramades Franks with her so she could tell about her mission but he was not in.

"Hey, Juvia. Just arrived?" Lucy asked after coming out of Natsu's office and going to her desk.

"Yes." The blunette answered. "Is Gray-sama doing a job? He's not here."

"Gray didn't come in today." Lucy told her. "He called in sick; didn't sound too good on the phone."

"Sick?" Juvia gasped.

"Flu."

Juvia wanted to ask more questions but she didn't need for Lucy to know that. "I see." Juvia controlled her tone. "Well, Juvia will be going home now, then. She's tired."

"Of course." Lucy watched her expression closely and then said in a low tone: "You know, there's a drugstore in the way of your apartment..."

The blunette was surprised for a moment before clearing her throat. "Yes, there is."

"He has no allergies we know of." Lucy winked and returned her attention to her computer.

Juvia hesitated for a few seconds before she turned around and left. She grabbed her purse from her office and after telling Cana she was going home, she got in the elevator.

Fifteen minutes later, she was in front of Gray's apartment holding a bag with medicine. She was crazy; he didn't ask for her help but she had to see how he was.

She knocked on the door a few times but got no answer. She tried again; nothing. Worried, she grabbed her phone and called him. Juvia could hear his ringtone echo inside.

A few rings later, he answered. "What is it?" His voice sounded awful.

Juvia sighed in relief, she didn't want to knock the door down, but would if necessary. "Open your front door."

"What?" Gray seemed not to understand her words.

"Juvia is at your front door." She explained it.

He groaned. "Fine."

Juvia waited and a minute later he opened the door. He was only wearing his pants but he looked awful, his cheeks were rosy, eyes glassy and sweat all over his body – some of his hair was glued on his forehead. Gray leaned on his doorway.

"Couldn't you let me die in peace?" Gray groaned.

She put a hand on his forehead; god, he was really hot. "Let's go inside, Juvia brought some medicine to make you feel better."

"Don't need it." He mumbled.

"Yes, you do." Juvia grabbed his hand and led him inside. "Have you eaten today?"

His expression turned sour. "No. Kept throwing up."

"I'll make you something." Juvia made him sit down on his couch and he just lied down. "You have to eat before I give you anything." The only answer she got from him was a grunt.

Leaving him on the couch, Juvia went to his kitchen and became annoyed he almost didn't anything inside his fridge. She would have to tell him to go to the grocery store soon once he was feeling better. She sighed and picked up a box with orange juice and a few crackers. It would have to do until she could find anything better.

After pouring some juice in a glass, she returned to the living room and saw that he was sleeping. It broke her heart, but she needed to wake him up.

"Let me sleep." He mumbled when Juvia shook him gently.

"In a few minutes. You have to eat." She told him and he whined. "Come on, just a little bit. Juvia can't give you medicine if you don't eat."

It took her a little longer to coax him to sit down and to drink the juice and then to eat the crackers, but he did as she instructed even if protesting all the way.

"I'm hot." Gray complained and Juvia touched his forehead once again – he was even hotter than before. She needed to do something.

"Come on up." The blunette helped him get up and then to his bedroom. Gray tried to go straight for bed, but Juvia didn't let him; instead, she took them to his bathroom. "You need to cool down a bit." She let go of him and watched if he needed any help standing, but he seemed okay enough. "Here we go, let's take you out of these clothes."

"What?" Gray sounded confused.

"You need to get in the shower." Juvia reached for the button of his pants and undid it and then the zipper. She pushed his jeans down and when she went for his underwear, he grabbed her wrists and looked scandalized. "What is it?" She asked with a frown. "This is no time for modesty, Gray-sama. Juvia already saw everything, no reason to feel ashamed." When he looked at her in confusion, she gasped. "Oh my god, did you forget we slept together? Really?"

His mind seemed to clear a little with her words. "Excuse me slipping off for thirty seconds in my feverish mind that we had sex." He let go of her wrists. "Trust me, when I'm in my normal mind, every time I look at you I remember we slept together."

Juvia's cheeks warmed up and she cleared her throat. "Okay, then. Can you take your underwear off?" Gray nodded and Juvia turned the water of the shower on and tested the water until it was lukewarm.

Gray was naked when she turned around and Juvia pushed the flashbacks of what exactly that body felt against hers two weeks before – he was sick, for god's sake. "Get inside, come on." Juvia held her hand to him and Gray took it. Once he was under the spray of water, she was stepping down, but saw him rest his body on the wall.

It took her a second to decide what to do. Juvia kicked off her shoes, her jeans following suit and then her shirt. Only in her underwear, Juvia stepped inside in the shower with him.

"Lean on me." She told him, putting him back under the spray and he did what was told, he his face on the crook of her neck.

"The water is cold." He complained.

"No, it's not." Juvia told him, while caressing his back in a soothing way. "You are way too hot and the water just feels cold. If it were cold, you could go in shock. It's lukewarm." His answer was to hum. A couple of minutes later, she told him to stand straight so the water could fall on his front.

Once he felt much cooler, Juvia turned off the water and led Gray out. She saw him shiver and grabbed his towel to dry him. She dried his hair the best she could and put the towel around his waist.

"I leave the towels there." Gray told her and pointed to a cabinet and Juvia was confused until she figured out he meant for her to have one too. The blunette complied his unsaid request and put a towel around herself.

She led them out of the bathroom into his bedroom and Gray went straight to his wardrobe and opened a drawer. He let the towel fall down and put on black boxers. Juvia saw him go to his bed and fall on the mattress. She put a blanket over him and told him not to sleep yet.

Juvia went to the living room, grabbed the medicine she brought for him and a glass with water before returning to where he was. She sat next to him in bed, asked him to sit down and gave him two pills and the water. After he took the pills, he lied down once more.

"Juvia will stay; she doesn't think you will remind to take another dose in eight hours." She told him.

Gray hummed in agreement. "I won't. Pick something to wear." He waved towards the general direction of his wardrobe and sighed when Juvia slid her hands through his hair. "Gonna sleep now."

The blunette smiled at how adorable he sounded and stayed looking at him for a few minutes until he fell asleep. She kissed his forehead and went back to the bathroom to take a proper shower.

#

The next morning when she woke up, Juvia felt oddly hot and she frowned in confusion of why. She blinked a few times and noticed there was an arm across her stomach and the reason she was feeling so hot was because she was wrapped by a warm body.

Gently, she turned around in his arms and watched his expression; he looked as peaceful as he had when they slept together. She put a hand on his forehead and sighed in relief when noticed his fever was almost gone.

She had to wake him up in the middle of the night to give him his pills and he whined, but took them and fell asleep right after. Somewhere after that he had put his arms around her.

Juvia gently pushed his arms away from her and got up from the bed. She hissed when her feet touched the cold floor. She grabbed her cellphone and went to the living room to check her messages.

From: Lisanna-san

07:23: Just tell me when you want to have your baby back.

07:23: I might not give her to you, though.

Whenever Juvia was out of town, Lisanna took care of Snowball and the blunette was really grateful, she'd hate for her dog to stay at a kennel for too long.

To: Lisanna-san

08:09: Thank you for taking care of her. Can you drop her at my apartment before you go to work?

08:09: And remember that I have a gun and not afraid to use it. ;)

Juvia went to his laundry room and saw that her underwear was dry – after she took a shower, Juvia had grabbed a t-shirt from his wardrobe and boxers and put them on, but couldn't go back home in those.

She took off the boxers and put her panties back on, but cursed herself when she noticed she forgot to bring her clothes with her.

Returning to the living room, Juvia spotted her clothes on his couch and ran there. She was about to put her pants on when by the corner of her eye, she saw movement. Gray was looking at her, his eyebrows raised at the sight.

"Uh... Good morning, Gray-sama." She said. "How are you feeling?"

"Better." He shrugged. "Hungry, though."

She sighed in relief. "Good. That's good."

"Thank you for coming over." Gray walked to where she was and Juvia put a hand on his forehead. "I feel better, Juvia."

"You are still a little hotter than usual, though." She bit her lower lip in concern. "Juvia will text you every time you need to take your medicine. She gave you the last dose at three in the morning, your next dose will be around eleven."

"Alright." Gray was looking at her strangely and Juvia felt her body heat up and her breath got caught in her breath.

"Um... Juvia will make something healthier for you to have for lunch. Is soup okay?" She suddenly felt nervous with how close he was.

"Sure, but I don't need to be babied." Gray stepped close to her and every time she took a breath, her chest touched his and the only thing between them was the shirt Juvia had borrowed from Gray.

"Not babied." Juvia stuttered. "You are not a baby." She looked appreciative at his body and then back to his face. "Not a baby at all. B-but you need to eat something and you don't have anything here." Gray put his hands on her hips. "Y-you re-really need t-to go to th-the grocery store."

"I do, yes." He said and put a hand underneath the shirt she was wearing and put them on her ass and then caressed his way up on her back and Juvia's breathing became faster.

"Gray-sama." Juvia warned him but didn't protest when he pulled the shirt over her head. "Gra-"

She couldn't finish the sentence because his lips were on hers and she surrender herself to him. Gray spun her around and gently lied her down on the couch with him on top of her. He kissed a trail down her throat.

"Gray-sama." Juvia breathed. "We can't. You are sick."

"Not sick enough to not enjoy this." He answered and Juvia was having a hard time recalling why that was a bad idea, especially when he was touching her.

"We need to stop." She managed to mutter before Gray push her legs apart and settle there. "Oh, god."

"That was how I was planning on waking you up that morning." Gray bit her neck and sucked the bite and Juvia moaned when he grinded his hips on hers, the only barriers between them was their underwear and it did nothing to hide his growing want for her.

"That would've been..." The blunette gasped. "Good. Very good." She put her hands on his hair and pull him back up so she could kiss his lips. When they needed to breathe, Juvia pushed him away just enough his forehead touched hers. "Gray-sama, we really can't."

"Juvia..."

"You were barely standing last night." Juvia caressed his scalp and Gray's eyes fluttered close. "Juvia thinks it wouldn't help you if we..." She bit her lower lip. "You are recovering."

"But..." Gray tried, but she cut him off.

"Trust me, this is just as hard on you than it is on me."

He let out a breathy laughter. "I don't think so." Gray pressed his hips on hers to make a point and she felt exactly what he meant.

"Oh god, stop it." She pulled him for another kiss and that time it wasn't so rushed. "When you are not sick anymore..."

"Goddamn it." He told her and let his head fall forward on the crook of her neck. "What a day to be sick."

Juvia giggled and her phone buzzed on the coffee table and she reached for it without Gray moving from top of her.

"What is it?" He asked her, watching as she unlocked the screen of her phone.

From: Lisanna-san

08:25: I'm leaving home right now with Snowball. Be there in ten. ;)

Juvia read the text and sighed. "Lisanna-san is coming over to return Snowball to me. She's ten minutes away." She looked to him. "Juvia really needs to go."

"Fine." Gray groaned and got up from top of her and handed her clothes. Gray grabbed a pillow and put it over his groin to hide his obvious arousal. She saw him watching her as she dressed and when she put her bra back she finally looked back at him. "The next dose is by eleven and then seven p.m. Don't forget it. Juvia will bring something for you to eat later."

"I don't like to be b-"

"Babied, Juvia knows." She rolled her eyes and put her shirt back on. "Juvia is not babying you, she's just being a good friend." She leaned towards him and kissed his lips. "Go to bed, rest, and drink a lot of fluids."

"Alright." Gray agreed and yawned.

Juvia showed him where she put the pills and told him she would text the time he should take them. Gray rolled his eyes and told her to go.

#

Once Gray recovered from his flu, both him and Juvia were on missions out of town and when one was in Magnolia, the other wasn't and Juvia was getting frustrated. She thought that they would have time to explore what was going on between them, but there wasn't any time.

When Juvia arrived at FT that morning, she stopped by her office and Cana told her there was a client at the conference room. Juvia thanked her secretary and grabbed the folder. The client owned a grocery store and there was a gang that was terrorizing the neighborhood and needed help with scaring them off.

Juvia bumped into someone while she was reading the file and she looked up to apologize, she saw it was Gray and her heart almost jumped out from her chest. She hadn't seen him since the day she brought chicken soup to him when he was sick, almost a week before.

"Hi. Sorry for bumping on you." Juvia breathed and she was sure her cheeks got pink. "When did you come back?"

"Last night." Gray told her. "You?"

"Last night." She answered. "Sorry, Juvia has a job-"

"Grocery store guy?"

"Yes." Juvia frowned. "How did you know?"

"I think we are sharing this one." Gray shrugged. "I hope we can resolve this quietly, I was supposed to have the day off."

"Me too." Juvia whined. "I'm so tired."

"Yeah." He sighed and pointed towards the conference room. "Let's go? The fastest we solve this, we are free."

#

Things did not work as they expected it to; the gang was not too compliant with their demands of leaving and the situation spiraled down when guns were drawn. Bullets started to fly and the next thing Gray and Juvia knew, they were hiding behind an old car in a sketchy neighborhood.

"Damn it." Gray said next to her before he raised and shot a couple of rounds. He hid once again and saw Juvia hang up her phone. "What did they say?"

"Three minutes before the police arrives." Juvia told him. "The good news is that they will see these thugs have all these guns and they will be going to jail."

"Yeah, happy ending for the client and not so happy for us if we get shot." Gray told her. The shots stopped and Juvia was the one who shot at the guys and saw them go for cover. They needed to get out of there, their ammos would run out soon and the other guys numbers over them. She looked around and spotted what would be their way out. "Juvia, get down." Gray pull her down behind the car just when the shots started again. "Are you out of your mind? You could've been shot!"

"Sorry." She told him and went for his pants, straight for the front pockets.

"Alright, as nice as this feels this is not the time." Gray told her, his eyebrows raised.

She giggled and kiss his lips lightly. "Cover me."

"What?" He frowned when his eyes shifted to her hand, where she held his keys.

"Cover me." She pointed at the general area the men were and then she ran away from behind the car and could hear Gray cussing at her; then shots from both sides. She ran in a z line until she was behind another car, waited until she saw Gray change his clip and nod her way before she ran again.

She hid behind a warehouse where Gray's motorcycle was parked and hopped on using the keys she got from Gray to start it. She had her gun in one hand and charged in Gray's direction, shooting at the bad guys.

"Come up." She told Gray, who looked at her in surprise for a second before got on the motorcycle as well. Juvia shot one of the guys on the shoulder when she felt him sit behind her. Juvia gave him her gun. "You shoot, I drive."

Gray took her gun and said: "Gotcha." And when Juvia drove past the thugs, Gray shot them and she hissed when one of the bullets grazed her leg, but kept the way until the men were down. She doubled back and when she stopped, Gray got off, gave her the gun back; Juvia also came down of the motorcycle and while Gray secured three men from his side, Juvia did the same with the other two by kicking their guns away and pointing her own weapon at them.

"Juvia?" She heard him call her.

"Yeah?"

"You okay?"

She felt the sting on her leg, but she knew it wasn't grave. "Fine."

Before they could say anything else, they heard police sirens and when the officers arrived, they raised their hands and dropped the weapons as asked. Juvia looked at Gray over her shoulder and saw the police search for more guns on him. One of the officers asked for an ambulance and Juvia knew they would be there for awhile.

#

Juvia felt so tired she felt she could fall asleep any second, but held on while her arms were around Gray as they rode his motorcycle back to their street. It took a while for the officers to take their statement but as soon they found out who the couple was, things went smoothly.

He parked in front of his building and waited Juvia to get down before he did the same. She gave him the helmet she used and Gray put it on top of his motorcycle before he looked her direction.

"That was not as fast as I thought it would be." Gray said and she sighed.

"Yes. Juvia thought we could've resolved this without bullets."

"At least they are locked up now." He shrugged. "The client and neighborhood are safe for now."

Juvia smiled tiredly. "All in a good's day work." She hesitated, not entirely sure what to do: they were friends but at the same time, much more than just that and the last time they were together for more than a few minutes, they almost had sex. Again. "Well, Juvia is going up-"

Her words were cut off when he crashed his lips on her, kissing her just as hungrily as that first night and she felt her whole body heat up. "Damn it, Juvia." He whispered before kissing her again. "What is it?"

"What?" She asked, confused and dazed

"What is it about you that makes me want to have you every time I see you." Gray put his hands on her hips. "It's like I'm a virgin teenager with a girl for the first time."

"I... don't know what to say to you." Juvia put her arms around his shoulders. "Juvia feels the same way."

Gray groaned. "Fuck. Seeing you riding my bike and then kicking ass..." He pulled her to his body and she could feel exactly what he thought of her actions that day. "Come upstairs with me. Perhaps if we have a second night I can stop thinking about you."

She didn't want that, she didn't want Gray to stop thinking about her; on the contrary: the more he thought of her, the better. But they couldn't go back to his apartment, not that night.

"I can't go up your apartment tonight." She whispered and but her lower lip.

"Oh." He saw disappointment in his expression and he let go of her hips, but she grabbed his shirt to prevent him from stepping away from her.

"What Juvia means if that she can't go up to your apartment because Snowball needs to be fed and I have to put water for her and..." She kissed him before she could babble more nonsense. "We could come up to Juvia's apartment."

He nodded and picked the helmets from the motorcycle. Juvia walked towards her building and Gray followed her close by. He looked incredibly uncomfortable and put the helmets in front of his groin to hide his erection and when the elevator door opened and they stepped in front of him and Juvia kissed his lips.

A soft cough made them stop kissing. Juvia turned around, but Gray kept her in front of him by putting an arm across her stomach so people couldn't his reaction to her.

Juvia's eyes widened when she saw the mid-forties woman with straight dirty-blonde hair, blue eyes, narrow face and button nose.

They were inside the elevator with Juvia's neighborhood, Mrs. Moretti. The same woman who watched Gray exercise every morning.

The moment Juvia recognized the woman, her eyes widened. Mrs. Moretti's got red when she looked at Gray but when she stared at Juvia, she became beet red and couldn't meet Juvia's eyes.

What was that about? Every time they met at the elevator, they smiled at each other; then why on earth...?

Damn it. That morning Gray was sick they had been on the living room when things got heated. And it had been around the time Gray exercised.

Mrs. Moretti had seen them.

"Oh, god." Juvia whispered and tried to hide her face.

"What is it?" Gray said in her ear.

"Nothing." She answered and the rest of the ride was silent even though Juvia could feel Gray didn't buy it.

When they arrived at her floor, Juvia muttered a 'good-night' and Gray threw a smile the older woman's way and she became even redder.

"What was that about?" Gray asked Juvia when she was trying to open her door.

"Nothing." Juvia answered too fast and saw Gray put down the helmets on the floor and he turned her around to look in his direction.

"Juvia."

The blunette sighed. "That's Mrs. Moretti." When she saw the confusion on his face, she cleared it up. "The neighbor who watches you exercise every morning."

His eyebrows rose up. "Oh, that's her? I didn't recognize her without a rag and, you know... cleaning a window." Gray narrowed his eyes. "But that's not why you look so red. Tell me."

"Remember when you were sick and Juvia spent the night?" He nodded. "Remember that morning?" His smirk told her he didn't forget at all about it. He put his hands on her hips just like he did and it felt very nice. "We were at your living room."

"Yeah?"

"At 8:15." She looked pointedly at him.

"Alright." He frowned.

"You exercise at 8:15." Gray didn't seem to get her, so Juvia spoke freely. "She saw it. Us."

"Oh." Gray looked surprised and she felt her cheeks get hotter. "Oh. Oh, god. I took your shirt off. We were dry humping like crazy."

"Yes."

"I can't believe it." Gray frowned. "I am painting my windows black. I am never opening the curtains again. She saw us?"

"That's why she couldn't look Juvia in the eyes." The blunette bit her lower lip. "If you don't want to stay... Juvia will understand." God knew the mood had cooled off a bit.

Gray narrowed his eyes before kissing her. "Let's get inside." At his words, she nodded dumbly and went to open the front door.

#

Snowball made such a fuss about Gray and vice-versa that Juvia thought for moment that he would pet the white dog all night long. Juvia put the food and fresh water for her dog. Seeing that his attention was still on Snowball, Juvia decided that she wanted his attention back to her.

Gray was on her couch, petting the dog, his helmets next to him. Juvia narrowed her eyes and decided her course of action. With a smirk, she walked past the couch, took of her shirt and threw it on the couch next to Gray, who looked over his shoulder, eyes wide when he saw her in her white bra Juvia and took it off on the way to her bathroom.

"If you want to join Juvia in her shower, now it's the time."

The next thing she knew, Gray was following her and already shedding his shirt away from him. She laughed when Gray grabbed her from behind and pulled her up from the floor and dragged her inside the bathroom.

#

It should be a crime for Gray to be that good at making her forget everything around her. They were under the spray of hot water and he was kissing her and touching her like he knew exactly what buttons to push to make her crazy.

He was kissing her neck, one hand down between her legs and the other fondling her breast. Juvia could feel his erection on her back. "I didn't know you could ride a bike."

Juvia processed his words slowly. "I can."

"It was one of the hottest things I've ever seen." He whispered and Juvia smiled.

"Good to know."

Gray stepped away from her and went out the shower to fumble over his pants while he did that. Juvia turned around and watched him as he found his wallet and took a condom from inside it. He opened the packet and rolled the condom over himself before stepping back in.

"Sex in the shower is dangerous." Juvia told him.

"Yeah, says the person who ran in the middle of bullets flying around today." Gray said before kissing her and pulling her up by the back of her thighs and pressing her on the wall.

He touched her to see if she was ready and when he saw that she was, Gray slowly slid inside her and all she could do was kiss him and hold him tighter.

"Just as I remembered." Gray breathed and started to move. "Just as good as I remembered."

Juvia smiled and pulled him by the hair and kissed his lips. "Right back at you."

Their moans filled the close space they were in and all Juvia could think was how happy she was about being so close with her. She could tell he was impatient, that his release was close –they shared one night, but she knew it wouldn't take much longer to him.

"It's alright, Gray-sama." Juvia whispered in his ear. "Let go."

"No." He was stubborn. "You aren't..."

"This is for you." Juvia told him and when he shook his head, Juvia grabbed his hair and made him look at her. "Let go." She kissed him and Juvia clenched her inner muscles. Gray gasped and moved quicker while she dug her nails on his back. She threw her head back and moaned when Gray lost all control and thrusted inside her.

A few moments later, Gray stilled and groaned as he reached his peak. Juvia felt him kiss the side of her neck muttering something she couldn't understand. He raised his head and kissed her lazily and Juvia gladly accepted it.

He slid out of her and put her down gently. Gray disposed of the condom at the trash at the corner of the bathroom and when he stepped under the shower with Juvia, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.

"This is humiliating."

"What?" Juvia frowned.

"That first night I fell asleep and today I couldn't wait for you. I seemed like a freaking kid."

Juvia chuckled and pushed some of his wet hair away from his forehead. "I don't need to come every time we are together. Juvia like just being next to you."

He frowned. "I don't like that." She raised an eyebrow. "What I meant was that I don't like leaving you hanging."

The blunette shrugged. "You could balance that later. We don't have to be at work until 9 and Juvia doesn't need to sleep early."

"Deal." Gray smiled.

"Let's finish this shower otherwise we'll get here all night."

#

Gray had left her apartment around three in the morning and only then Juvia got some sleep – god, he was serious when he said he didn't like to leave her hanging and wanted to balance things out. She was spent and every muscle in her body was sore.

The next morning they left their buildings at the same time and walked together to FT. Juvia knew she was blushing, but didn't care too much because Gray was grinning and she never saw anything more beautiful in her life.

They rode the elevator together and when the door opened, Gray put a hand on the door so it wouldn't close on her. She thanked him and felt Gray's hand on her lower back until they were close to Cana's desk – the brunette was typing on her computer.

"See you later." Gray gave her a meaningful look that made Juvia feel hot all over once again – it didn't matter she had him most of the night, she wanted him all over again. By the way he looked at her, it meant she would spend another night awake because of him.

'Can I get a hallelujah?' she thought and smiled shyly at him. "Yes, later."

Juvia said good morning to Cana and went inside her office with a smiled still on her face. She put her purse on her couch and sat on the chair behind her desk. She hummed a song while her computer turned on and checked her phone.

"Juvia?" Cana said by the door

The blunette didn't look up from her phone. "Yes?"

"Where is the weird sexual frustration between you and Gray?"

Juvia looked up in shock. "What?"

Cana crossed her arms over under her breasts. "You came in together today, he put a hand on your lower back and said 'see you later' as if you two would get down and dirty later." Juvia could feel her cheeks warm up and her look of surprise probably gave her away. "Oh my god, you screwed him?"

"Cana-san... shhh!" Juvia got up from her chair.

"Oh my god!" Cana grinned and then turned around to shout. "Lucy! Lucy! Come back here right now! Girl emergency!"

"Don't call-" Lucy arrived – she must've ran. "-Lucy-san- and you are here."

"What is going on?" The blonde woman frowned and closed the door of the office. "What's the emergency?"

"Juvia slept with Gray!" Cana was almost jumping in excitement.

"What? You did?" Lucy smiled.

Juvia couldn't lie to them, not when they knew the truth. "Yes, but..."

"Finally!" Lucy hi-fived Cana. "Gosh, you two needed this. I was afraid he was going to impregnate you with only the way he looked at you when you were not looking."

The blunette's cheeks got hotter. "Tell me all about it." Cana pulled Juvia towards the couch and made her sit down. "I have been waiting for this from the moment you told me you were in love with him."

"She told you that?" Lucy beamed.

"Yes!" Cana said. "Now, spill."

"Look..." Juvia caught their attention. "Juvia knows you think this is some kind of cute story, but it really isn't." They didn't seem to understand it, but she told what happened between her and Gray a month before at Lucy's party.

"What? My party?" The blonde woman gasped. "But..."

"Wait a minute. That happened weeks ago." Cana frowned. "Why did I get this vibe from you only today?"

"Because last night it happened again." Juvia's blush felt even worse. "It shouldn't have happened because we had agreed with only one night."

"Why did you agreed to it?" Cana asked, curious.

"Because Juvia rather had at least one night than none at all." The blunette saw the pity in their eyes for a split second. "But it felt so good, for both of us, I think, because we just couldn't stop. Maybe he felt lonely and knew I wanted him... I don't know."

The women looked at Juvia in surprise for a few seconds before Cana broke silence. "Juvia, I didn't tell you this before because I didn't want you thinking I was some kind of a threat, but I'll tell you now. Five years ago when I was still in the army, I met Gray in hostile territory and when we came back, we went out to a bar. We slept together."

Juvia's eyes widened and a knot formed inside her stomach. "What?"

"It was nice, but the moment it was over, we realized it was a mistake. Both of us had been alone for a while and we had this weird attraction. But as it turned out, we were only feeling lonely. We were friends and nothing more. After that night, we decided that we were better off as friends and here we are, five years later: I consider him like a brother and I like to think he feels the same way about me."

"Is there a moral to this story?" Juvia's tone was cold, she couldn't help it. God, she felt so jealous.

"Oh, stop it." Cana rolled her eyes. "It was good but I prefer my men blonder and bulkier. And it was five years ago, I don't want him. If I did want him, you'd have no chance? I know things that would make the filthiest men blush. He's all yours."

"Cana!" Lucy exclaimed, her cheeks were rosy.

"What? I do." The brunette shrugged. "What I need you to understand is that if Gray only felt lonely, he wouldn't come back to you. He'd say you were friends and move on. He doesn't beat around the bushed when he knows his feelings. If he keeps coming back to you... Maybe you know better things than I do – doubtful, but an option – or... maybe he feels that something between you two just clicked and he is not ready to leave it behind just yet." Cana smiled to her boss. "You better use this opportunity while you can, Juvia. You might not get another one."

Juvia bit her lower lip and nodded. The brunette grinned and said: "Now, let's talk lingerie shopping. I've been to your apartment to feed your dog and I went through your underwear drawers – oh, don't look at me that way you know I snoop around and Lucy, we are talking about your drawer soon as well. You know what? We are shopping later. Lucy can get red lingerie for Natsu and Juvia something black for Gray. I know my boys so I will help you find some things to get their attention." Both women looked scandalized but didn't stop their friend as she tried to explain them some of her techniques.

Thinking about her words, Juvia smiled. She wouldn't lose that chance.

#