Phantom's wasn't exactly the place Gray and his friends went to, preferring to spend their time at Franky's but it was closed for a couple of weeks for renovations, they needed to find somewhere to hang out and Phantom's food was told to be quite good.

Gray let Cana slide on the booth and sat by her side while Lucy and Natsu sat opposed to them, the four of them chatting about a trip they wanted to take the next holiday when the waitress stopped next to their booth. Gray muttered a quick 'good evening', looked down to the table before he processed what he saw and looked back up to see Juvia standing there, a smile on her face.

"Juvia?" Gray blinked, surprised, while the girls exclaimed her name in delight.

"Hello." The blunette said, kindly.

"I knew you were a waitress, but I didn't know it was here at Phantom's." Cana said and Gray wanted to hit himself for never asking where she worked even though he knew it was in a diner.

"Juvia thought you guys liked to go to Franky's." She smiled to the brunette.

"We do, but it's closed for a couple of weeks and people say the food here is very good." Natsu informed her and Juvia hummed in agreement.

"It is." She nodded. "And since you are at my section, Juvia is going to be your waitress."

"Lucky us!" Lucy chuckled. "What do you recommend?"

"The hamburgers are very good." She said.

"What's the biggest one?" Natsu asked.

"That would be the 'Phantom Lord', three layers of burgers, lots of cheese, bacon and sauce." Everyone laughed at the name, including her. "Hey, Juvia doesn't come up with the names." She said in her defense.

"Now that sounds like a proper monster hamburger. I'll have one with fries." Natsu said.

"Just a strawberry milkshake for me. I'll steal Natsu's fries." Lucy winked at the blunette who smiled and nodded.

"Just a hamburger is fine and vanilla milkshake, please." Cana asked.

Juvia wrote down and looked at Gray, expectantly and he realized he had been staring like some creep since the conversation started. He cleared his throat. "Uh, the same as Natsu."

"Alright." She gave them a smile and walked off to the counter to ask for their orders.

His three friends started to chat about the coincidence of running into Juvia, and Gray hummed in agreement, but his eyes kept following the blunette around the diner as she talked to clients and took orders. Gray noticed she looked really good wearing the light blue uniform, it showed her beautiful legs. It was a bit tight around her breasts and it brought attention to it, most males clients would glance at it a few times while she took orders. Her hair was up in a ponytail, the curls bouncing when she moved and it showed the fair skin of her neck.

Cana's voice coming from his left took him out of his thoughts when she asked: "Admiring her, Gray?"

He looked at her and the couple across of him, all three looking at him with amusement written all over their expressions. "What? No." He managed to say in a higher pitch than necessary.

"She does look pretty even with that hideous thing." Lucy said. "Doesn't she, Natsu?"

"Sure." The pink haired man shrugged, not at all bothered it was his girlfriend asking it.

"And it is a miracle to look good with that thing." Cana snorted. "A little bird told me you two have been talking between your practice and hers at the rink."

"Who...?" Gray caught himself, but the damage was already made. "Fine. Yes, we talk for a few minutes before she leaves and my practice starts, but that's it."

"And?" Lucy pressed, very interested in the development. "Come on, Gray. Give us something."

He groaned, looked at Natsu, silently asking for some male assistance, but he only raised is hands in surrender, obviously not wanting to go against his girlfriend. With no more ally, he just sighed in defeat. "She's nice, okay? Funny." He lowered his voice. "But it's not... I am not... It's complicated."

"Hey." Cana put a hand on his shoulder. "It's alright to like her, Gray. To have a new friend who is a girl you don't know for years."

"And" Lucy added "if something else happens, is fine. If not, well, another friend is always a good thing."

Natsu rolled his eyes and cut to the chase. "Look, man. I know Daphne hurt you but you can't stop living because of it. Closing yourself up is not doing you any good and she" he pointed behind him and Gray saw Juvia a few tables away, writing down on her notepad "is the first girl I saw take you out of your shell."

"Natsu..." Gray all but growled.

"Moving on is hard, but it feels good once it is done and you see the opportunities. That's all I'm going to say about it." Natsu rested his elbows on the table and the two of them stared at each other for a few seconds before Gray looked away.

"I still can't believe Natsu can be this deep." Cana whispered, mockingly.

"Hey." Lucy threw her napkin in the brunette's direction. "Don't talk about him this way. Only I can do that." Cana laughed and threw it back at her.

Gray smirked at the light banter and unconsciously, his gaze returned to Juvia just in time to see her stop smiling to a few costumers, write down on her notepad and turn around in direction of the counter to ask for the orders. That was the moment Gray saw a hand connect to Juvia's ass in a slap and there was a round of drunken laughter from the guys on the table.

He saw red.

Gray was getting up from the booth when he saw Juvia turn around, close her fist and land the most beautiful punch on the man's face. He watched it all wide eyed as she grabbed the man's shirt and said, close to his face, while the guy held a hand on his bleeding nose: "Don't you ever touch me again." Her words were almost a hiss but everyone in the diner heard her. She let go of him.

Gray felt pride swell inside his chest: Juvia didn't need to be rescued at all. She could very well take care of herself.

"Bitch!" The guy whined and got up, like his other two friends, but Juvia didn't move. Each of them probably had one hundred pounds on her easily, but she stood her ground. That was when Gray finally took two steps towards them, but it was unnecessary: a tall man with dark greasy hair and a weird looking mustache came from the back of the diner.

"You know no one touches my employees, Tony." His voice was so cold, it sent shivers down Gray's spine. "I made it very clear the diner is off limits."

The man, Tony, finally seemed to realize exactly in how much trouble he was in. "I-I'm sorry, Jose. I forgot."

"Leave." Jose said with venom. Not a single movement from his part, and the three men were almost running outside. There was a moment of silence inside the diner before Jose smiled. "I'm sorry for the scene. It's all under control now."

There were whispers all over the diner, but Gray paid no attention to them. Instead, he watched Jose step closer to Juvia, put a hand on her shoulder and spoke a few words to her, quietly. She nodded, and walked close to the door that lead to the kitchen.

Gray sat back, stunned with what he had seen, and so were his friends.

"What the fuck?" Natsu whispered.

"What on earth's name did we just see?" Lucy asked.

"You all saw her punch that guy, right?" Natsu was clearly surprised.

"I knew I liked her for a reason." Cana seemed pleased with how things turned out. "That was a nice punch. I need to buy her a drink when we go out."

"Is she alright?" Gray asked, trying to have a better look at the blunette, but she had her back to them. He didn't wait for an answer from his friends, choosing to get up and walk in her direction. Once he was close enough, Gray spoke. "Juvia? Are you alright?"

She seemed startled and she took a moment to turn around, presumably drying the tears she was fighting by the time he finally saw her face.

"Yes. I'm fine." She dried another tear. "Sorry about that."

"You have nothing to be sorry for." He frowned.

Juvia looked up to him. "Waitresses shouldn't go around hitting clients."

"Well, clients shouldn't put their hands on waitresses." Gray pointed out.

"That is true." She snorted. "God, I need to go back in there and everyone will know I've been crying over some drunk jerk. They will think I'm pathetic."

"I don't know about that: I think they will be more focused on how you handed him his ass and didn't back off when he and his buddies got up from their spots." Gray strategically put himself between her and the rest of the diner, allowing her to dry her tears and fix herself.

"It was a good punch, wasn't it?" She chuckled, seemingly more in control of herself.

"Oh, yes." He smiled. "You are small, but vicious. That sure as hell hurt. Remind me not to get on your bad side."

"Deal." Juvia told him. "Thank you for check on me."

"Sure." Gray shrugged. "Are you going to be alright?"

"Always do." She smiled. "Juvia will bring your food in a bit."

"No hurry." He turned around and returned to the booth with his friends.

#

Gray was alone in the booth playing with his phone, his friends left an hour before and he was just passing time. When Juvia came with their food, the girls praised her for the quick thinking to punch the guy and Natsu raised a fist and Juvia bumped it with her own, telling her she had a nice right hook.

She came by a few times to ask if they needed anything else and before the other three left, they found her to say good-bye and Gray decided to stay.

"Gray-sama?" Juvia stopped close to him after their friends left. "You are not going with them?"

"Nah." He shrugged. "When is your shift over?"

The blunette frowned, but looked at the clock above the door. "Uh... in an hour or so. Why?"

"I'll give you a ride." Gray told her.

"That is not necessary." Juvia shook her head.

"I just want to make sure those guys are not coming back." He said.

"Juvia can handle herself." She raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, I know. I saw it." Gray smirked, remembering the punch. "It's more about me: I would feel better if I knew you got home without a problem." The words seemed to soften her. "Could you bear with me?"

He saw her cheeks get pinker and his heart started to beat faster with how adorable she got when she tried to hide it by looking away. "Yes." She looked his direction and walked away when a couple called for her.

Juvia refilled his soda a few times and while he waited, Gray used his phone to pass the time when an hour later she stood next to him, with her coat already on and her purse.

"Gray-sama?"

"All done?" He got up and she nodded. "Good, come on." Gray lead the way, a hand on the small of her back. Once they were outside, he pointed where his car was and they walked over in silence.

They got inside, he started the car and they drove in silent for a few minutes before he broke the silence. "So, where did you learn to punch like that?"

"Juvia's friend, Gajeel-kun, taught her." She told him with a chuckle.

"Ah, the mysterious friend." Gray smirked. "You should bring him to meet the others sometime, he seems to be a big part of your life."

"We had to be tough growing up in the system." Juvia said. "He looked out for me and Juvia did the same."

Gray hummed in agreement. "Does that happen a lot?" When Juvia looked at him in question, he clarified. "That... situation with that asshole."

Juvia sighed. "Once every two weeks or so a client gets a bit handsy with the waitresses. Most have no idea whose diner it is." It was Gray's turn to be confused. "You saw him tonight. Jose?"

Gray nodded. "Kind of scary guy."

"The diner is his legitimate business, he doesn't like when there is too much attention there." She informed him. "Jose actually has some clubs and according to some people on the staff, the police keeps an eye on him."

"The police?" Gray was clearly surprised.

"Yes." Juvia shrugged.

"And you work for that guy?"

She shrugged. "There aren't too many half time jobs that pay enough to live with. Besides, the tips are good."

Gray stayed in silent for a few moments. "Is he dangerous?"

Juvia hesitated to answer. "He is, but not at the diner. He makes sure no one bothers us; like tonight with him telling those men to leave." She said. "He is gross sometimes, check the girls out, but he never did anything to any of us."

He thought about it for a few seconds. "Just... be careful, alright? Especially with who you punch."

"Sure." She smiled.

"You know, anyone who sees you all dress up and skating would never guess you can kick ass." He pointed out.

"Always good to have the element of surprise."

Gray chuckled. "True. It serves them right."

Juvia looked outside of the window and then back to him. "How's the competition going?"

"Great." He was pleased to inform. "We are at second place right now, and in two weeks we have the finals."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. That's why you will probably see us practice like crazy." Gray told her. "Me more than the others."

"Why is that?" Juvia asked.

"The team we are against? My brother's the captain. He's graduating and this is his last competition." He glanced her way. "And there's no way I'm letting him win."

"Not even as a last hurray?" She smirked.

"If his team is good enough, they will win but not because I went soft just because he is my brother." Gray shrugged. "Besides, he'd kill me if he knew I threw the game his way."

"You two are very competitive, Juvia takes."

"You have no idea." Gray chuckled. "My dad taught him hockey after our parents got married and we made it a competition every step of the way."

"Who is better?" She teased.

"I have to admit we are almost even." He granted. "But I am better." Gray finished, smugly.

"When's the game? Juvia will have to watch this." The blunette smiled.

"Two Fridays from now."

"Juvia will request the day off." She informed him. "I quite liked the last game."

"Good." He said and they chit chatted for a while about trivial things until he stopped in front of her building. "Here we are."

She unbuckled the seatbelt. "Thank you. And sorry you had to go through all the trouble to bring me home."

"I wanted to." Gray shrugged. "Couldn't let you go home on your own after the night you had."

"That was very kind of you."

"Anytime."

Juvia opened the door, but before she stepped out, she leaned in and kissed his cheek. "Good night." She whispered.

"Yeah." Gray cleared his throat. "Good night."

He watched as she walked towards the building and when she looked over her shoulder and waved, he did the same, waiting until she was inside and the door closed before he had the heels of his hands on his eyes.

"Come on, Gray! What the fuck am I doing with her?" He whispered.

#

For the next week, Gray and his friends went to Phantom's almost every day and they guaranteed to seat in Juvia's session of the diner so she could stay a bit and talk with them for a while. Gray didn't take her home after she assured him she hadn't punched anyone in days. He smirked at that and stopped asking, knowing she could take care of herself.

The following Friday, he met her at a party, much like the one he saw her for the first time. But that time she was not wearing some unflattering dress; instead she had some tight jeans and a dark blue tank top that showed her figure quite nicely even when she had a jacket on. Her hair was loose and she was talking to some tall man he never saw before – he had long black hair, piercings on his nose, eyebrows and ears. Downright scary.

Gray watched them and saw Juvia laugh at something he said, while he rolled his eyes and pointed towards the table with the bottles and she shook her head, raising her cup a bit. The tall man shrugged and walked away, leaving her alone.

A moment later, she looked around and spotted him, grinning at the sight of him and his traitor stomach started to flutter with it, but he nodded in her direction, which she took as cue to walk over to stay in front of him.

"Hi." She greeted.

"Hey." He answered. "Have you been here for long?"

"An hour, give or take." Juvia answered.

Gray hummed in agreement. "Who was that you were with? I never saw him around."

"Oh, that was Gajeel-kun." The blunette told him and Gray recognized the name, it was Juvia's childhood friend, the one she said he wouldn't believe helped her pick up her clothes for her competitions. Well, she was right. He fit better with people who was part of a punk rock band rather than with a small blue haired girl choosing clothes.

"Your friend." Juvia nodded. "Now I can see why you told me he didn't look the type." He smirked when she giggled.

"Told you so." She looked to where said man was getting a drink. "He looks scary, but he has a soft side. Just last week he adopted a stray cat." Her gaze returned to Gray. "Named it Lily."

Gray snorted. "We can't trust looks anymore: punky over there is a softie; you look harmless but have a great right hook. The world is coming to an end." He laughed when she slapped his upper arm lightly, but couldn't hide a smile. "Do you want to get a refill on that?" He pointed to her cup, that was almost empty.

"Oh no." Juvia shook her head lightly. "Juvia's more than fine with just one cup. Trust me, you do not want to see me drunk."

"And why is that?" He asked, amused.

She wrinkled her nose. "Juvia is a sad drunk. Trust me, three more of these and she'll be sobbing on the floor a second later." Gray chuckled. "What about you? What kind of drunk are you?"

He snorted. "Oh, I am too much of a happy drunk. I become the most ridiculous version of myself: no boundaries at all. Last time I got wasted, I woke up naked on the roof of my building. Apparently I get hot and take all my clothes." Juvia covered her mouth to hide a giggle. "Yeah, laugh away."

"Sorry." She tried to stop the giggles. "You must've been so confused the first time it happened."

Gray couldn't help but to laugh as well. "It sure was an experience."

"Does it happen often?"

"Nah." He shrugged. "I don't like to lose control. Being a bit tipsy is fine enough to have a good time, and some occasions I don't even want that or to be around people who get too drunk. But other times... I won't lie, I want to get hammered."

Juvia hummed in agreement. "Since Juvia gets sad when she drinks, she has other ways to cope with things." He looked at her with curiosity and she elaborated. "Juvia bakes when she's stressed. A lot."

"Really?"

She nodded. "Yes. Cakes, pies, muffins, brownies. You name it. And they are quite good as well. Juvia sells them to the diner to have some extra money."

"Next time I go there I'll sure order it."

"No need." Juvia told him. "Are you practicing tomorrow?" Gray nodded in agreement. "Juvia baked some cupcakes this afternoon, she'll take one for you tomorrow. How about that?"

"Great." Gray told her. "At least you deal with stress better than I do." She frowned. "I smoke when I get stressed." She wrinkled her nose and he chuckled. "Yeah, yeah, I know. But I have to be really stressed out. I stopped a long time ago."

"What made you stop?"

He sighed. "When I was in High School, all the cool kids were smoking and I tried it; liked it, really. Until my father found out, that is. He and my mom sat with me and we spent an hour looking at pictures of smoker's lungs and reading all the downs of the habit. That was the moment I decided not to smoke anymore."

"Now it's only when you are stressed."

"Yeah." He agreed. "But my mother can never know about that. She promised to kick my ass if she ever caught me smoking again. And she will do it. I know her." Gray shuddered, thinking about his adoptive mother and how many times he had his ass handed to him.

Juvia chuckled. "She seems like a great woman."

"The best." Gray agreed. He was about to say something else when someone pushed him and he collided with Juvia. Gray turned around to yell at the guy who shoved him, but he was so drunk his buddies were trying to pick him up from the floor. It would've been in vain, so he just waved the apologies from one of the guys, off. When he looked back to Juvia, she was covered in beer from the neck down; he realized when he collided with her, his beer poured on her. "Oh, damn it. I'm sorry."

"It's fine." She told him, but Gray grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the bathroom. "Gray-sama."

Gray opened the door and pushed her inside. "That's why I don't like to get drunk and people getting drunk around me." He closed the door and grabbed the towel hanging there and started to dry her neck and down. "I'm sorry. That guy-"

"Gray-sama."

"-pushed me, I-"

"Gray-sama."

"-I lost my balance-"

"Gray-sama."

"-and just bumped into you." Realizing she was talking to him, he looked up and saw she was quite red on the face. Gray frowned at the reaction until he noticed exactly where the towel was: right on her cleavage. The one he had been glancing at the entire night. His eyes widened and he threw the towel on the sink, but the bathroom was small and he couldn't get away from her. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't-"

"It's alright."

"-mean to- I didn't even realize..."

"Gray-sama." She put a hand on his forearm to calm him down but the moment she touched him, it seemed as if his whole body lit up with just that. Her blue eyes met his for a few moments and then clearly shifted to his lips. His breath got caught in his throat and he was sure his face was as red as hers, his heart was beating so fast, like he was about to score during a game.

Did she want him to kiss her? Well, he knew that she was more than capable to break his nose if she was uncomfortable. He witnessed her skills.

Did he want to kiss her? It surprised him how much, but hell-fuck-yes, he wanted to kiss her.

Should he kiss her?

Before he decided what to do, the bathroom door opened and a young woman gasped when she saw them there. "Oh, sorry. I'll wait outside."

Gray cleared his throat and looked everywhere but the blunette in front of him. "I was just leaving." He muttered and all but pushed the girl on the doorway and he didn't stop even when Juvia called his name. He didn't stop until he was outside, leaning on his car and breathing fresh air.

'What is happening?' He thought.

He didn't want her. He didn't want anyone. All Gray wanted was to not feel a thing.

'Too late.' A tiny voice on the back of his mind whispered and an image of Juvia laughing when he was teaching her hockey came to mind and he groaned in annoyance.

"Oh, shit." Gray whispered to himself. He was so screwed.

#