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Leaving Hurts,
Hate Burns,
Love Heals

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Roses aren't always red
And violets aren't exactly blue
The society that we live in
never seems to speak the truth.
Smiles aren't always happy
and frowns aren't always upset,
people judge too quickly
and our feelings are what they forget

-(a.v)
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Chapter 16: The Plan

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Who would've thought that Juvia, the woman who loved her husband dearly, would still be mad at him a week later? Gray was shocked, to say the least. Usually, whenever they fought (it was a rare occasion, you'd barely find them fighting) it would only be a minor fight, smaller than the previous fight they had shared. It would mostly be Gray's fault, but Juvia would act like it was hers. Almost an hour later after them fighting, you'd find Juvia sobbing and saying too many sorry's to Gray, curled up next to him and begging for forgiveness.

So to say Juvia and Gray were still fighting because of Gray's unexcused absence for three months, was absolutely, positively true. It didn't just shock Gray, it shocked everyone else at the guild, too. The only couple who fought too much was Evergreen and Elfman, and sometimes Lucy and Natsu, but never Juvia and Gray. The guild was half expecting Juvia to have already forgave Gray, but the truth was that she hadn't. She was still way passed mad, furious.

Gray guiltily slept in a warm comfy bed while his wife slept downstairs, on a non-comfy couch crying herself to sleep, refusing to let Gray, without words, take her 'bed'. Gray had tried coming home earlier from to guild to get a head start at sleeping on the couch (like when you race to get the front seat in a car). But even when Gray fell asleep and thought he had successfully made it so Juvia could have the bed upstairs, he would suddenly wake up with a sudden force and pain from being forcefully pushed off of the couch by Juvia. Even then he knew not to fight it because one, they'd probably wake up Storm from Juvia raising her voice, and two, Juvia wouldn't give up her spot. So Gray went upstairs wordlessly while listening to the quiet sobs of his wife coming from downstairs.

Gray felt so guilty that he let that happen, but at the same time Juvia asked for it.

So he decided; he wouldn't sleep so it would match up to the back pain Juvia would feel from sleeping on the hard couch. Of course, the plan didn't pull through because as soon as Gray sat on that bed he was out.

Along with running out of ideas to be the same as Juvia with less sleep, Gray also was losing ideas of how to make Juvia forgive him. He tried all the thinking, and possible ways, but all of them would obviously end up in fighting. Storm was a big obstacle. Gray didn't want to fight infront of his son, but couldn't find a way to apologize to Juvia and not make her scream, cry, and yell and cause disturbance to Storm and make him think his parents were separating. That couldn't happen.

Sitting at the guild, Gray sat by himself while watching Juvia from a distance. It was at this time he actually found a smile on her face; watching her son play with Lilly and Gale, talking with Levy and Gajeel…..she looked truly blissful. She hid the fact that she cried every night.

Gray let a soft smile creep on his face as he watched her laugh. She looked so happy….Gray only wished she could be that way with him…..

Suddenly, a palm slammed on the table Gray was at on his lonesome. He followed the pierced arm to the not-known stranger who suddenly startled Gray, but with a quick glance at the mans face, it was Gajeel. Who, may I add, didn't look too happy.

"Gray-fuckin'-Fullbuster." Gajeel said as a dark aura surrounded him. "Follow me." he demanded. Gray didn't hesitate to stand and obey.

He followed Gajeel out of the guild through the town, and then to a park, where there was a bench Gajeel led him to. They both sat down.

He knew Gajeel would give him a stern talking to, and the silence that stood between them for a good moment proved it.

Gray decided to break it. "Look, I'm-"

"No." Gajeel says, which this reminds Gray of how Juvia reacted the first time he tried to talk with her. "Its not me you should be apologizing to."

Gray sighed, leaning back in the bench. "I've tried, okay?"

"And Juvia is still mad at you?" a dumb person could even guess what Gajeel wanted to talk to Gray about. "It comes to show that you haven't apologized enough."

"I really…tried. She still hasn't forgiven me." Gray says while closing his eyes, taking in another deep breath.

Gajeel also took in a breath, a long and dramatic one. "God, you annoy me. I would've punched your face in if it wasn't for Erza explaining the situation. And also Levy asking me to not kill you…"

"What?"

"Erza had told me why you left with no explanation, and it cooled me down. And now, a week later, Levy had asked me to go and talk with you with one plea. Thank her for not letting me punch and kill you." Gajeel explained. "Now, I knew you didn't want to hurt her from the start. I don't know why Juvia fails to see that, but you never know with that woman. It pains me to see Juvia act happy when I know she's not."

"I know, right?" Gray says, sitting up suddenly.

Gajeel smiles to him annoyingly before he continues. "So, that's why I decided to help a fellow man out." Gray tilted his head in question at this for Gajeel to continue. "I hatched a plan for a bastard to get his wife back happy before he's dead from failing the task."

"Okay, okay. I guess your ideas are better than mine, so go ahead."

Gajeel does his signature laugh before continuing. "My plan is; I go back to the guild and offer to Juvia that I take Storm while she goes out and treats herself, I know she gets calm when she does that, so that'll let off some of her steam."

"What about Storm? What would you do with him?" Gray asks.

"I'll keep him for the night so you two can talk without a bother." Gajeel smiles, even though it still makes him look mad. "I know how much Storm likes to get on in the action, so without him there it'll be easier so you two can talk freely. I will also tell her I'll return Storm home to you so she doesn't have to worry about coming to get him. But in reality, Storm's having a sleepover with the twins."

Gray ponders the idea for a while before answering. "Okay." he says with determination. "This is a good idea."

"I'm not done yet." says Gajeel who lost the smile and returned back to his scowl. "When Juvia gets back from her outing, make sure there is no means of escaping. She will try and come get Storm once she realizes that I was in on this plan you and I had. I asked Levy beforehand to distract Juvia from seeing you walk out with me so she doesn't suspect anything. Anyway, try to keep Juvia calm and not to raise her voice. Watch your own, too. Juvia gets fed up."

"Don't I know it." Gray says honestly with a smile. Being Juvia's wife for five years really made him learn a lot more about her. "Is that it to the idea?"

"Pretty much."

"Thanks, Gajeel." Gray says as he stands, "I'll go home and wait."

"Wait, Fuckbuster." Gajeel stands as well, walking back up to Gray. "Listen here. If she still hasn't forgiven you by tonight, just know you've really messed up and should never leave without letting her know. If she does forgive you, your welcome. Got it?"

Gray nods seriously and says "Got it." back before turning to leave.

"One more thing." Gray turns back around with an eyeroll, being stopped from walking away way too many times. But, his look vanishes once he sees Gajeel's deadly Aura. "If you ever hurt her again, whether it be for you leaving without letting her know, or something you did to make her upset….just know your as good as dead, and I won't let Titania and Levy talk me out of not killing you, because I'll be dead set on fulfilling it. I don't like seeing people I care about emotionally hurt by someone, especially my best friend."

Gray nods frantically, catching Gajeel's drift. Gajeel on a regular basis wouldn't scare Gray. But if it was about Juvia and something Gray had done himself, he was scared as if Gajeel was Erza.

"Good. Now, satisfy my best friend with a real and sincere apology. Make me proud."

Gray nods again with no word before walking to his home with no interruptions. He doesn't know why Gajeel scared him that much when it came to Juvia. Gray got almost the same talk when he had asked Gajeel for consent to propose to Juvia, and when they had announced Juvia's pregnancy with Storm. Gajeel had threatened Gray many times, not just for family reasons. He wasn't used to it, and planned to never be. In order to be used to it, he'd have to make Gajeel mad which Gray wasn't wanting to do.

But whether Gajeel scared him or not, he was still going to apologize to Juvia no matter what. Gray was actually thankful for Gajeel's actually good plan, because without it Gray would surely be a single man.

And he didn't want to lose Juvia. Not ever. She was to be his wife forever. For life and eternity. Always.

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I have decided to do these shout out tags because I have amazing readers of this story! So thank you to these people who I see constantly voting, commenting sweet comments, and just being themselves!

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Thanks again my lovelies OuO! I Appreciate the support!!!!

--Question--

     What do you think is going to happen next chapter? Will Juvia forgive Gray, or continue to keep him in the doghouse?

Find out next chapter!!! Coming soon!!!

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