AN: Soooo, today is my birthday! I am officially a Hobbit adult! Please read and review as a gift <3

Just a note... I apologise in advance. Ya'll know I love my dramatics. If I say it will be worth it will it make you guys feel better?

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What If We Rewrite The Stars? – Part VI

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After a whole life of being ready for battle, it was just a second nature for Juvia to always bring her armour and swords with her wherever she would go, even a seemingly harmless ball. She was relieved she did, she hated fighting is something unfamiliar.

Juvia had just finished putting it on and was braiding her hair when Gray got back to their room.

Three days before they were just friends flirting (more from her, of course, with the Mating Bond and all) and now they had a bedroom together. Also she had already lost count how many times she kissed him. What a great thing to have lost track of.

He had his armour on already and it was different than the one he wore at the Night Court, this was his Winter Court one, with more decorations around the metal, and he had his sword around his hip.

"Sorry, they had taken my armour to polish or some shit." He told her. "As if it's going to matter when we are in the battlefield." He stared for a second as Juvia finished braiding her hair, her pointy ears more prominent with the style.

"Appearances." Juvia reminded him. "You are the Heir at the moment, you should act and dress like it." She picked up her twin swords and put them in their scabbards on the straps of her back. "Do we have a plan? How close are they?"

"My uncle sent a snowstorm their way, so they are going ahead much slower. We are making a stand in an abandoned village." Juvia hummed in understanding. "About a plan, yes, we have one. Some of it might involve you if you accept." Gray crossed his arms over his chest. "There's a river close to the village so we need you drowning those fuckers before they get too close."

Juvia nodded. "I can only use my magic so much, so we must be very strategic. I have my swords too, so it should be fine."

Gray agreed and sighed, passing a hand over his face. "You know, this is really not how I was expecting our night to end up."

Juvia giggled and got closer to him. "Me neither. I imagined more nakedness, moaning and orgasms. That dress was a waste."

Gray laughed out loud. "Don't you ever insult that dress. Best damn thing I've ever seen anyone wear. You should wear it again. Just for me, when we are back home."

"Deal." Juvia tip toed and kissed him lightly. "Are the others ready?"

"Yeah. We managed to find some armour for them." Gray said. "Natsu was very reluctant to let Lucy stay, but she promised to only use her bow and arrow from afar and keep hidden. Cana will be close to my uncle, ready to winnow to Velaris to get reinforcements if need be. We will be with Lyon and Meredy close to the river for obvious reasons." He motioned to her. "We will cover you."

"We should go." Juvia told him and Gray nodded but before they left, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her like he did at the library just a few hours before; like he wanted to do that forever.

"Tell me again?" He asked, breathless, his forehead resting on hers.

"I'm yours." She whispered, just as out of air. "No matter what."

#

The tall ice wall the High Lord, Gray and Lyon (who was also an ice wielder) looked strong enough Acnologia's army would have a hard time going through it.

Anyone who could use magic was going to be the first line of defence. The army would have to go through them, then the wall to get to the Winter army. Some archers were placed just above enough from the wall they could see and shoot arrows the best they could.

They could do it.

It was eerie quiet; the sun was coming up, the white snow on the ground and trees looked beautiful and yet Acnologia's army was almost there. They were posted in an abandoned village so they would have enough cover if needed be.

"I'll say this again: this is not how I thought my night was going to end." Gray grumbled.

Juvia giggled, trying to lighten up the mood. "Should have Juvia kept her dress for the battle?"

"Oh, yeah!" Lyon's voice came from Juvia's other side, and she could see Gray grit his teeth in annoyance.

Juvia, Gray, Lyon and Meredy were on the front lines. Ultear had left them to prepare for a ritual. According to Gray, she was some type or sorceress, he didn't understand it and was too scared to ask but she wasn't too far away, wanting to keep an eye on her daughter.

"Lyon, the condition for you to come with us was that you would be quiet." Gray said.

"I lied." Lyon was almost beaming. "Juvia-chan, about that magnificent dress..."

"I see them!" One of the soldiers yelled from the top of the wall. "They should be here in five minutes. They are almost at the river!"

Juvia focused on the battle, then, taking a deep breath. That was her role, to get as many as possible before they were anywhere close to the wall. She walked straight in, Gray and Lyon next to her, both suddenly serious and focused and Meredy on her back.

She saw the familiar dark uniforms of Acnologia's army, and she had flashbacks about that day at the Night Court village. They were going to do better today. They had to.

"Are you sure you can do it?" Lyon asked.

"I guess we will find out. Seeing that Juvia is the one who suggested it. Also, it's a little late to change the plan." Juvia replied and with deep breaths, she stepped into the water just enough she could feel the connection – her power worked better with a tether to her element.

It was a shallow river, truly the deepest end would reach Juvia's thighs, but very wide and with a strong current but the soldiers would have no problem crossing.

Juvia leaned over and put her hands in the freezing water, it was so clear and beautiful. She closed her eyes, and she could feel the whole river, the strong current just wanting to go faster and the moment she felt one of Acnologia's soldiers step in the water, she shouted:

"Now!"

Gray and Lyon immediately shot up a burst of ice that turned into a large snowflake of ice in the sky, one to their right and another to their left. Juvia could hear the Winter soldiers get ready with the signal, but she needed to focus on her task.

It took so much of her strength but every soldier who stepped into the river gave her a better idea of the size of the wave she needed.

She got back up, a stream of water going from her hands to the water at the river to keep the connection and through all the length of the river, the water started to raise as a wall getting closer and closer to the shore as Juvia walked in towards the middle of it. She could feel the river protesting and she had to hold on a little tighter.

Juvia would imagine what it looked like: a fae raising the water of a river into a wall, not a drop on the ground that she walked in as she pushed the water as much as she could across the whole length of the river.

Knowing she couldn't hold it any longer, Juvia pushed the water in the direction of Acnologia's army, the wave crashing into them, and she could hear their screams in terror and confusion.

Juvia opened her eyes, and she immediately closed her hands into fists and the water stopped advancing on them. It went still for just one second before Juvia started to pull the water back, the soldiers with it.

With a scream, Juvia raised her arms, and she had all the water from the river suspended, hundreds of soldiers stuck inside, she could feel they were trying to escape but besides Gray, no one ever escaped her Water Lock. It would take a few minutes to drown them. She could hold on. She would.

"What the fuck?" She heard Lyon whisper in wonder.

She heard Gray run towards her. "Lyon, cover her!"

As she held the Water Lock above their heads, some of the soldiers who were not in shock at seeing their comrades drown, started to shoot arrows in Juvia's direction and both Gray and Lyon started to shoot ice in their direction, hitting them perfectly. Juvia could hear others along the river protecting the territory, a burst of light and she knew it was Natsu using his fire.

It felt like forever and Juvia was starting to get tired, but she held on. They were almost all gone.

"Gray-sama." Juvia said in warning. "Thirty seconds."

"Got it." He shouted at her. "Lyon, cover us!" Gray then shot ice to the sky again, a different pattern and Juvia could hear 'retreat' and 'ice wall' from their side of the river Juvia felt his arms wrap around her waist and he started to pull her back to the river shore. "How are you doing?"

"Hurry." Was all she said, and Gray walked quicker, pulling her, Lyon just a little ahead of them still covering them but very few were trying anymore, knowing something was about to happen.

Once they were back at shore, Gray passed Juvia to Meredy and yelled: "Ice Wall!" And she could hear it being repeated along the riverbank. Juvia was close to be drained and she let Meredy support her weight.

He and Lyon started to create an ice wall and Juvia looked to her sides and saw that others with magic were doing the same and soon a smaller version of the one behind them was up and Juvia finally let go of the Water Lock and the water with the bodies of the drowned soldiers, fell back in place, creating a strong wave that would have overcome them if not for their Ice Wall.

"Hold!" Lyon screamed, he and Gray had their arms up on the wall to keep it up because of the pressure. "Hold!"

Juvia raised her hand towards the river and using the last bit of her magic, she calmed the river, levelling it back to where it should be and soon, it was back as it had always been: flowing to the sea.

Both males finally stopped touching the ice and they looked behind them, where Meredy was supporting Juvia's weight. Both were looking at her in wonder and surprise.

"I guess I could do it after all." She smiled weakly.

"And I guess the story about you and your cousin stopping an invasion was true." Meredy whispered; she was also impressed.

"There must have been... a couple hundred soldiers just... gone, now." Lyon said. Even Gray was looking at her with wonder; he never seen her use her powers fully, last time he arrived just as she weas ready to die.

"Juvia just needs to rest for a few minutes to recharge." She told them. "Just enough time for the enemy to gather their wits to what just happened."

Gray stepped closer to her and took her away from Meredy. "Come on, let's go behind the wall for the moment."

#

It took the enemy about half an hour before they attacked again, and it was just enough time for Juvia to get back her magic and go back to the battlefield.

Using a combination of her weapons and magic, Juvia was going through them just like she had done it all those months before, but this time, there was an actual army on her side, trained and ready for it.

"Juvia!" Meredy screamed from a few meters away. "My mom sent me a message to let five of them through!"

Knowing little about Ultear's powers, she was not about to argue. "Do it." She nodded – Juvia was in charge of that section of the wall.

It was clear Meredy was well trained because of how well she pretended to be clumsy and let five Acnologia soldiers pass her and go into the woods and then resumed to use her magic and sword to slaughter them again.

The interaction wouldn't come into Juvia's mind until much later. She needed to focus on fighting, and she was relieved to see the enemy troops thinning and even though the Ice Wall was breached, it seemed the Winter army was holding their own and were not overwhelmed. The sun was starting to set, but things looked like were working in their favour. Juvia sighed in relief.

"Juvia." She saw Meredy get closer to her after Juvia had finished one of the soldiers and there were none around. "I haven't seen my mother all day. Do you think she is okay?"

The older female softened with the girl's concern for her mother. "Juvia is sure she is fi-"

"Look out!" Juvia heard Gray's scream and then both her and Meredy were being tackled to the ground as a number of arrows whooshed over their heads.

Shit, Juvia had lost focus and it almost cost her and Meredy dearly.

"Don't lose yourselves, this is a warzone!" Lyon, who had seen what had happened yelled while plummeting an enemy to the ground and freezing them.

"I'm sorry." Meredy muttered, feeling guilty.

"Pay attention." Gray said angrily to both of them and got up, offering Juvia a hand first.

"I am sorry, Gray-sama." She told him. "Juvia is usually not this careless in battle." She turned to help Meredy up when she heard Lyon yell her name in a panic.

She looked over her shoulder in confusion and before she could react, she saw an arrow going straight in her direction and then she was back on the ground, had been shoved by Gray.

Juvia fell on her back and saw the back of the arrow going through his chest, on the left side.

Her heart stopped for a second and before she could do anything else, five more arrows came out from different sides of the battlefield, hitting Gray on his torso over and over again.

She had seen worse things in battle, but nothing could have prepared her to hear Gray's quiet, surprised: "Heh...?" and a second later he had an arrow in his skull and his body was falling backwards.

It was like Juvia was watching it in slow motion, his body full of arrows, eyes still wide open and as his body's fell on the icy ground, Juvia felt the mating bon, the beautiful sparkle inside her chest, disappear into a pit of nothingness.

All she could do, was scream his name: "Gray!" She didn't look at her surroundings, didn't care if she was the next, all she could do was to kneel next to him. "Gray? Gray-sama?" She touched his shoulder. "Please."

She knew, though. He had died protecting her, protecting her from her mistakes in the battlefield.

The pit of nothingness in her chest was consuming her and she felt tears fall but she couldn't look away. He was gone. Dead.

"Healer!" She vaguely heard Lyon scream and Meredy was kneeling behind her, crying and sobbing. "Healer! You have to help... Gray." His voice getting lower. "It went... right through his skull..."

Juvia's power started to come off her in waves, she could feel the river answering to her, to the nothingness she was turning. She was going to kill them all, she was going to drown the world in sorrow like she was feeling-

"Look out!" Juvia heard Gray's scream and then both her and Meredy were being tackled to the ground as a number of arrows whooshed over their heads.

Shit, Juvia had lost focus and it almost cost her and Meredy dearly.

"Don't lose yourselves, this is a warzone!" Lyon, who had seen what had happened yelled while plummeting an enemy to the ground and freezing them.

"I'm sorry." Meredy muttered, feeling guilty.

"Pay attention." Gray said angrily to both of them and got up, offering Juvia a hand first.

"I am sorry, Gray-sama." She told him. "Juvia is usually not this-" They all froze for a second and memories flooded their heads.

Gray pushing her out of the way, the arrow on his chest, the arrows on his torso... the last one on his head and the feeling of the bonding going away. The feeling of nothingness consumed her. Her eyes begun to prickle with tears and she couldn't breathe.

"What was that just now?" Lyon asked and she knew it hadn't been just her.

"I'm going to be killed?" Gray asked in disbelief.

"A dream?" Meredy wondered.

Juvia shook her head and said, barely trusting her voice. "Juvia saw it too."

"What was that...? Seeing a copy of yourself getting killed really brings chills up the spine." Gray said, looking away, disturbed and Juvia's own body got chills up her spine.

Juvia didn't trust herself to speak anymore so Meredy pointed to where the first arrow was supposed to come. "They are supposed to come out that way and then-"

A soldier from Acnologia appeared and docked an arrow in their direction. Both Gray and Lyon were quick to freeze him and then the others what would show up to shoot Gray his final blows.

"It really happened! Lyon said, surprised. "What the hell is going on? Did someone warn us of what was going to happen?"

Gray looked at the treeline and whispered to himself: "Someone..."

Juvia dried her tears and she pushed away all the feelings for the moment except anger. She was so angry Gray had almost died.

No. He had died and she had to see it, feel it.

She looked at Meredy. "Meredy-chan, go behind the wall, help over there." The pink haired female frowned in confusion but nodded. Once she left, Juvia turned to Gray and Lyon. "You two should go as well. Tell as many from our side to leave and maybe fix the parts of the wall that were broken."

Gray frowned. "Why?"

Snow started to fall, and Juvia knew it was her rain, her barely contained feelings and by the way Gray looked up and then back at her, he knew it too, as she had told him before how her powers manifested. "Because Juvia will wipe out everyone from this side." She said between gritted teeth, and she started to walk towards the river, to draw more power from it. "Go. Don't worry about Juvia, she is focused now. Things are clear in her mind."

Lyon actually paled a little at her words and how cold she sounded and nodded while Gray narrowed his eyes for a second then nodded. "Be careful."

Juvia nodded and she waited until she saw them hop over the hole at the wall and seal it back, focusing on the enemies who wanted to follow.

Focusing on her body, drawing as much power she could, Juvia changed it to water and a moment later, all the enemies could see was Juvia's water form drowning them in dry land.

Maybe she was not half nymph, maybe she was a water wraith and that day, she was more than happy to be one.

#

A couple of hours after the sun set, they finally declared victory. There were search parties for any soldiers that managed to escape, but they had won.

Juvia was exhausted as was everyone who could winnow, so instead they managed to get carriages to bring them back to the palace.

Natsu and Lucy were huddled together in one corner, she had her head on his shoulder and his eyes were closed, most likely from exhaustion like all the others. Meredy was asleep with her head on Lyon's shoulder, Lyon was trying to fight sleep, Cana was sitting next to Juvia, looking up to the sky for most of the journey and Gray had sat as far away from her as he possibly could and for once Juvia was relieved.

He had barely looked at her since they declared victory. She needed to talk to him but not just yet. Not with so many people around.

She was so angry she could-

Juvia noticed it started to snow and she had to take a few deep breaths before they were stuck in a snowstorm. Slowly the snow stopped, and Juvia opened her eyes and noticed Gray was looking at her. He looked away a moment later.

They just needed to make it to the palace, then she would set some things straight.

#

Once they were in the castle, it was late in the night, Juvia could barely believe she had been in a ball just less than a day before.

Gray went to meet with his uncle and Juvia excused herself to help Cana find her room – she had winnowed the seriously injured back to the castle so many times she was exhausted. Juvia ran to the kitchen and got some fresh stew for her friend and even though she should probably eat, Juvia knew she would throw up if she did.

After making sure Cana was in bed, Juvia left with a purpose in mind.

Only a few doors down, Juvia barged in the room she shared with Gray and saw he was taking off his armour, she was still wearing her bloodied one as well, she didn't even stop to clean herself up yet. She could feel the tension straight away when he didn't even turn around to look at her, but Juvia was a storm brewing.

"What the fuck did you do?" She snarled.

"Hm?" He pretended not to know what she was talking about.

"You... you..." She couldn't even speak she was so angry. "I don't care what anyone else is saying, it happened. You died."

"I am alive now." Gray shrugged, still not facing her.

"Gray-sama." She said and he didn't seem to listen to her. "Gray." She tried again and then losing her patience, Juvia yelled. "Stop being a jerk and look at me right now." She only ever raised her voice in certain occasions, and she never thought she would yell at Gray in anger. He stilled his movements then turned around. The person she saw was not the male who had danced with her the night before and exchanged sweet kisses, or the friend she made. That was the Gray she met when they met first; she was sure if he were a cat, his hairs would be raised. "You pushed me out of the way of those arrows, and you died. I saw it, I felt it." He raised an eyebrow as if he didn't know why she was so upset. "Do you realise how it felt like? To see you stuck with seven arrows? One right between your eyes? I had your blood on my face. Right here." She pointed at her cheek and even though she knew it wasn't there anymore, she could all but feel it. "You had no right to do that. Those were meant for me. What if time hadn't turn back?"

"Did you want me to just see you die instead?" Gray finally showed some emotion and his voice rose a little too.

"Yes!" Juvia's eyes watered as she shouted back. "You can go back to live normally if I die, I can't do that."

"Yeah? It would be so fucking easy for me if you had died instead?" Gray took a few steps her way "It would make everything better for me? Huh? I would have been just fine. Cold hearted Gray would just go and move on to the next pretty female who winked my way?"

"I am not saying you wouldn't be sad, but..." Juvia took a breath, trying to control herself. "You don't know the feeling I had when you died, and I never want you to experience that. You would move on. I wouldn't be able to." She was so close to tell him about the mating bond but especially after what happened that day, she could not tell him.

"This is why I had my fucking rule." Gray snarled. "Things get fucked up when friends get involved, Juvia. But you had to break all the rules? All my carefully placed rules. They were placed for a reason and you just had to fucking wreck it all, didn't you?" He started to walk from one side to the other. "I was living a very peaceful life, getting my needs met in a pleasure house once in a while but you had to show up and just... unstable it."

"This is not about your rules."

"Oh, but it is about my rules." Gray pointed at her. "I wouldn't have been so worried today if we hadn't started whatever the hell that was."

"Don't you put this on me!" She sounded exasperated. "You would have done that if any of your friends were in danger and you know it." Juvia stepped closer to him. "This is about you thinking you can just step in front of me and kill yourself to save me. I do not want you to do that for me. Ever."

Gray snorted. "You are being such a hypocrite because you would have done the same. Actually, you fucking did. Remember you were going to die protecting a tiny village from attack?" He poked on her armoured chest. "You would have been dead if I hadn't pushed you away."

"Then time would've turned back, and Juvia would have been fine." She told him, poking at his. "Don't you ever do that again."

Gray raised an eyebrow. "You can't tell me what to do."

"It's my life, I don't want you to do it."

"Well, it's my fucking life and I will do whatever I want." Gray told her and Juvia wanted to strangle him – she never would but by the Mother she wanted to at that moment.

"Urgh, you didn't see yourself after..." Juvia whispered, anger suddenly leaving her. She was so tired. She hadn't slept in two days, was physically and emotionally drained. "I can't go through that again." Juvia was almost laughing in hysterics. She couldn't stop replaying the moment her bond went quiet and numb, gone. It was too much. It was just a few seconds but it felt like an eternity. "I can't." She whispered.

"This is what we get for getting involved. I was reckless in the battlefield and so were you." Gray told her angrily. "I think it's because how close we became the past few days. We have crossed some lines, but we should stop it here. It's impacting us more than I thought it would." Juvia looked up, her heart beating fast she saw him pass a hand through his hair. "It was a mistake to start this." He was so angry, at himself or her she didn't know, but he had finally said it.

They looked at each other for a moment, Gray's eyes widening for a second, as if he had just realised what he said. Like hadn't meant to say the last part out loud.

But there it was.

The worst part was that he was right. It had been a mistake.

Juvia cleared her throat, trying to hold back her tears. "You are right." She saw his eyes widened just a little bit more and she was certain he thought she would protest, since she was always the one who wanted to be more. "We... we should be friends. Just friends."

"I..." He hesitated, clearly somewhat recovering from his anger. "Yeah. Just friends."

She looked around for a moment and nodded. "Okay." She walked to the wardrobe and found one of the bags she brought from Velaris and moved to the dresser next to it where she knew the servants had put her clothes in.

"What are you doing?" Gray asked, approaching her.

"I will come back for the rest tomorrow; I just need something to sleep in." She walked past him to the side of the bed she had occupied when they had shared it and pulled her trusty dagger from under it. "And my dagger. I assume Juvia's old room is still unoccupied and clean?" She scoffed. "It doesn't even need to be clean, honestly." Juvia started to go towards the door, but Gray grabbed her by the elbow and she stopped, not looking at him.

"The rubies are still not rescinded, there might be another attack." He told her and sounded genuinely worried for her and Juvia moved her arm so he let her go. "I can sleep on the sofa; we don't need to-"

"No. It's better this way." Juvia said, not turning to look or she might crumble completely. "If anyone wants to attack me tonight of all nights, good luck to them. See you in the morning, Gray-sama."

Without looking back, Juvia left the room and once she was outside, she walked a few steps and the tears started to threaten to fall. She just had a few more meters to go, as their rooms were next to each other, but it seemed too far away.

Her chest hurt, the mating bond protesting every step of the way she took away from him, protested about the words she said and heard but all she could see was his death, over and over, the desperation she felt, then the void of where the bond should have been and suddenly her armour was too tight, there wasn't enough air.

She had to put a hand on the wall to keep herself upwards. She had known for weeks something bad was coming. Why didn't she trust her gut? They should have stayed in Velaris. She should have never come to Winter. She should have never asked him to share a bed because now she knew how he kissed, how he made her feel when he touched her. She knew how it felt when they were just holding each other, enjoying themselves.

It was all gone now.

Her vision was starting to become blurry and Juvia was trying to take off her armour, she would be able to breathe if she just...

"Juvia? Juvia, what's wrong?" She managed to look over her shoulder and she saw Lucy and Natsu walking her way, their armours long gone. "Are you hurt? Do you need a healer?"

"Can't breathe." She was still trying to undo the straps of her armour.

"Okay, okay." Lucy nodded. "Let's bring you back to your room. Natsu." She commanded and the male picked her up effortless in one motion and turned to bring her to Gray's room while Lucy grabbed the bag.

"No. Not there." She told them and both looked at her in confusion. "My room. Next door. Please." Juvia said between deep breaths.

She saw a confused look pass between the couple but soon Lucy was leading the way to open the door to Juvia's bedroom and Natsu was going inside with Juvia.

He placed her gently on the foot of the bed and alongside with Lucy, they started to help Juvia out of her armour and as soon as the top part was off and she had her leathers, it felt a bit easier to breathe.

"Feeling better?" Lucy asked, gently, after her friend had taken some deep breaths.

"Thank you." Juvia gasped.

The three of them stayed in silence until Juvia's breathing seemed somewhat normal again. She noticed Natsu had lit up the fireplace in her room and some candles – clearly no one expected her to return that night.

"Why are you back in your room?" Lucy probed gently. "I thought you and Gray had agreed-"

"There's no Juvia and Gray anymore." Juvia told her quickly. "I won't let assassins kill me, don't worry; we don't need to share anymore."

"Did Gray kick you out?" The blonde asked with a frown, realising what the bag she carried for Juvia was.

"Mutual agreement." Juvia said and she wanted to throw up at the thought.

Lucy narrowed her eyes and then motioned to her mate with her head to follow her. She tried to whisper, but Juvia could hear it. She would need to teach Lucy to be more subtle.

"Go check on Gray. Something is not right." Lucy said.

"Yeah, he was in a shitty mood earlier." Natsu told her. "I thought he was just tired. We all are, but this seems different."

"Clearly something happened between them. I have Juvia, you go." Juvia saw Lucy give her mate a peck on the lips, closed the door when he left and walked back to sit next to Juvia. "So... what happened?"

Juvia didn't know how to start to explain her feelings, but maybe... just maybe Lucy would understand her. She was the only person who she knew, could possibly understand.

"You can't tell anyone what I'm about to tell you." Juvia looked at Lucy, tiredly, and the blonde nodded. "Not even Natsu-san."

That caught Lucy's attention. Juvia had never asked Lucy to hold something back from her mate. She knew very well they talked about her and Gray and she was fine with it.

"I won't." Lucy finally said. "Whatever it is, is clearly important enough you want it a secret."

Juvia nodded and looked to the flames in the fireplace, trying to say the words out loud. It seemed harder now, somehow. It held more weight than it did before.

She finally looked back at Lucy, who was waiting patiently. "Gray-sama is my mate."

Brown eyes widening, Lucy gasped, and she put a hand over her mouth. "By the Mother, it makes so much sense. How did I not see it before?" She whispered to herself. "That's why you moved to the Night Court, why you are always close to him, why he-"

"He doesn't know. It hasn't snapped for him." Juvia cut her off and Lucy was surprised.

"Are you sure? With the way he acts around you? Natsu told me he had never seen Gray that way about anyone else."

Juvia laughed with no humour and placed a hand over her chest. "I would know if he had."

"Oh." Lucy and Natsu's bond snapped at the same time, so they always knew what it felt like to feel the other. "I see." The blonde nodded and then shook her head. "Actually, no I don't. Why are you here instead of sharing a room with him?"

Juvia took a deep breath and she felt her eyes prickle with tears. "Did you feel it during the battle? The flash-forward? A glimpse of the future?" Lucy nodded and Juvia braces herself for the her next words. "Gray-sama died."

"Wh-what?"

"Juvia has memories of Gray-sama pushing her away to save her life, then he was hit with six arrows. I saw each go inside his chest, the bond on my chest growing weaker with each of them." Juvia put a hand over her own chest, her tears were falling now. No need to hide them anymore. "The last one went through his head." Lucy gasped. "Then the bond... died with him. I had a beautiful sparkle in my chest just a few minutes before and then there was a void so deep I thought would consume me.

"His blood stained my face, my armour, I saw... fuck, I saw... the arrow in his head..." Juvia sobbed and suddenly Lucy had her arms around her. "He was dead, Lucy and I died at that moment too. All I wanted was to destroy and kill. Then suddenly everything was repeating, and we got memories from a future that no longer existed. But I still feel it, even though my bond is right here, the memory of that void..." Juvia shook her head. "I don't want his bond to snap anymore, I thought I did, but I don't, not if I die first."

"Oh, Juvia." Lucy had her own tears falling.

"I would rather die right now and he never have his bond snapping in place than have him feel what I felt today." Juvia told her. "It was just for one fucking minute and I can't stop feeling it. Why can I still feel the void if he is just in the other room? Safe?"

"You are exhausted." Lucy told her. "We haven't slept in two days, we all saw what you did with the river, then you fought for a whole day with no rest and you had this awful, traumatic experience I don't even want to try and put myself in your place because just thinking about it would hurt me but actually living it?" She took a breath. "You need to rest."

"No." Juvia shook her head. "It's over now, Juvia talked to Gray-sama, we agreed this was all a mistake, we will stay just friends. We should have never gotten involved. He had rules, I wanted to break them, we shouldn't have broken them." She realised she was started to sound a bit hysterical. "It's good that we decided that. I will stay in Velaris for now, of course, I don't think I can stay too far from him just yet and maybe I can slowly move away from him and just... know he is okay. That's all I want. All I want is for him to be safe and, and, and to never feel like I felt today." Maybe a lot hysterical.

"Juvia." Lucy cupped her friend's face with her hands and made her face the blonde. "Juvia, honey, you need to rest. Exhaustion is eating you up. Everything will look so much better in the morning." Juvia shook her head. "Yes, we will get you cleaned up and you are going to go to sleep."

"I'm going to see it again in my sleep." Juvia muttered. "I know I will. I don't want to keep reliving it."

Lucy was trying her best to try and help her friend. "Okay." Lucy said slowly. "Let's get you cleaned up. Stay here, I will draw a bath for you." Juvia didn't have the energy to fight, she just watched as Lucy went to the bath chambers and started the water, returning a moment later. "Get up, I will help you with your leathers." Lucy started to unbuckle them before Juvia could protest. "Who would have thought all that time helping Natsu get rid of his own leathers would get in handy for someone else?" Juvia knew Lucy was talking to fill the void in the room. She chatted until she had undone Juvia's braid and, standing in just her undergarments and then led Juvia to the bathroom and turned off the tap of the luxurious tub. "Okay, you go in, and I will be right back. Can I trust you to stay here?"

"Nowhere else to go." Juvia started to remove her undershirt and Lucy nodded before leaving the room then Juvia's bedroom.

Once she removed all her clothing, Juvia got inside the bathtub, and she sighed when the warm water touched her sore body. Just like after every battle, her whole body ached and this time she declined seeing a healer – there were others much worse than her few bumps and bruises. She submerged herself for a while and just tried to clear her head.

Everyone was safe.

All her friends made it back.

She repeated the process a few times and she finally found it was time for her to properly clean herself. She emptied the tub and turned the tap back on, using the new clean water to help her wash the grime from her body, the soap smelled okay enough. She just... wanted to scrub off the day away.

Once she felt she was clean, Juvia got out and wrapped herself with one of the towels left there and went back to her room and she saw Lucy was back, waiting for her, sitting on one of the chairs around the small table, a few items in front of her.

"These are the only sleep clothes I think you had in your bag." Lucy pointed at the shorts and shirt on the bed and some undergarments. Juvia's thankful smile was weak, but she started to get dressed. "I went to the kitchen, I got you some bread, butter, and cheese. The stew was gone, I'm afraid, but it should do. I also found a healer and explained I needed the strongest sleep draught they had. I had to explain it was for you but nothing else." She was quick to add, Juvia opened her mouth and Lucy raised a hand. "Before you say you can't take it because of the rubies, there are two guards outside your doors."

"What?" Juvia frowned. "No one knew Juvia was going to sleep here tonight."

"I thought it was weird too, so I asked." Lucy said triumphally. "They said the Heir personally asked them to guard the door tonight."

Juvia was speechless for a moment then shook her head, walking in Lucy's direction and she sat across from her friend. "He is worried because I am still his friend, we were friends before... whatever it was we had. It means nothing." She looked at Lucy. "Isn't Natsu-san waiting for you?"

"I stopped by our room; he wasn't there yet. I guess he is still with Gray." Lucy gave Juvia a big slice of bread with butter and cheese. She saw Juvia's face of disgust – nothing looked good at the moment and she still felt like she was going to get sick at any point – but Lucy wasn't having it. "For you to take the draught you need to have something in your stomach and only the Cauldron knows when you ate last. Come on. At least half of it. I am not moving until you do." She crossed her arms over her chest and her eyes had determination in them.

Feeling like a child, Juvia took the food and ate as much as her stomach could take and even though it wasn't exactly half, it seemed to appease Lucy. "Now you have to wait about fifteen minutes before taking the draught. Come on, I will wait with you."

Lucy took the vial with the sleep draught and urged Juvia back to her feet – the blue haired female had to get her dagger from her bag – and put her to bed, much like Juvia had done with Cana earlier that night. Once Juvia was lying under the blankets and her dagger was secure under her pillow, Lucy sat next to her, facing Juvia.

"How are you feeling?"

"Less hysterical?" Juvia offered.

Lucy snorted. "Well, I guess that is an improvement." Her eyes softened. "I thought about what you said, about not wanting Gray to have the bond so he couldn't feel the pain to lose you if you die before him." Juvia waited as the blonde gathered her thoughts. "He would suffer anyways, Juvia. We all would. I know you are trying to protect the ones you love from pain, but unless you have no one in your life who likes you, people will miss you, and feel hurt if anything happens.

"I am always terrified when Natsu is away." Lucy confessed. "That's why I wanted to learn how to fight, so I can go with him. Having him within my sight during battle was hard and I wanted nothing more than to protect him from everything, and I must say, those bow and arrow lessons paid off, because I am certain I saved him a few times today. You impacted my life, I am your friend and if you had died today, I would have mourned you as much as I would Gray, one of my oldest friends. We are not in charge of others' feelings.

"What I am trying to say is... don't close the door with Gray just yet. Don't let go of the bond, I know you are afraid, but love is so much stronger than fear." Lucy grabbed Juvia's hand. "Take your time to heal, to come to terms with what happened today because it was something traumatic but right now, all I am asking is for you to rest as much as you can tonight."

Juvia's eyes were welling up again and she nodded. Lucy gave her the draught and Juvia didn't hesitate in taking it. She needed a few hours of dreamless sleep.

"Thank you. For everything." Juvia whispered.

"Anytime, my friend." Lucy said gently, a hand on Juvia's hair. "Don't worry, the healer said it would act fast. I will stay until you fall sleep."

Juvia could feel her eyelids get heavier by the second and the soothing motion of Lucy's hand on her hair made Juvia finally be able to jump into darkness.

#

Somehow waking up had her body even more sore than when she went to bed. Juvia blinked at the bright sunlight, and she could feel her whole body ache, so she stretched as much as possible until the pain dulled a little.

She sighed and realised she must have slept through breakfast, which never happened, because of the sleeping draught. The few times she had taken any, she was always late to wake up and a bit groggy for a few hours, but the effects were a little price to pay if she had no dreams.

Juvia got up and went straight to take a bath and the only other clothes she had taken from Gray's room were a dark blue coat and skirt with two slits over her legs but with her leather boots she would be warm enough for the day. She put on her bracelet and two smaller daggers in hidden scabbards on her belt and two more hidden away in her boots.

She forgot about the guards by her door and all but jumped in surprised when she saw them standing there. Juvia cleared her throat and closed the door behind her and told the guards: "Juvia will be away for the day, please, go rest. Thank you for guarding the door. You won't need to return tonight, I will talk to the High Lord."

"Of course, Ma'am." One of them said and both lowered their heads in respect. "If- if I may, my lady?" Juvia nodded, in confusion. "You and your friends helped save out homes yesterday. If we need to watch your door for a few days, it's a small price to pay."

"Thank you, but you all should be resting. I can take care of myself." She smiled at them. "Please, go rest."

"My lady." Both moved and Juvia walked towards the dining hall, following the delicious smell. Thankfully she was just in time for lunch, it appeared.

The High Lord and her friends were sitting around the table as the food was being brought in and they all smiled when they noticed she was there. She noticed Lyon was also there and grinned at her.

"My lady, I was hoping you would join us." Yuki smiled. "I saved a seat next to me just in case." He pointed at the empty chair by his left side. Gray, was on his right. They would need to sit across from each other but Juvia couldn't deny their host and nodded, walking in his direction. Juvia's eyes met Lucy's and she offered her friend a small thankful smile. Once she was seated, Yuki turned to her. "Lady Lucy told me you were exhausted and you would need some time to rest. How are you feeling?"

"Much better this morning, my lord." Juvia smiled at him. "Yesterday was... draining."

"It was." Yuki agreed. "Thanks to all of you, with your help, we won the battle." He said to everyone on the table. "Having some extra magic users might have been what we needed yesterday. All of you will forever have refuge in my Court, my friends."

They all murmured their thanks and they started to eat. Juvia still didn't have much of an appetite, so she just ate a few bits and pieces.

"Lady Juvia." Yuki turned to her. "I heard you didn't let the healers check on you after the battle. Why was that?" Juvia looked at him in surprise and she saw Gray's head snap their direction but her eyes remained on the older fae. "I'm the High Lord, I make it my business to know everything that goes around my palace."

"Well, Juvia only had some scrapes and bruises. The healers needed to focus on the ones that were more seriously injured. In the end, Juvia was mostly just tired."

"I see." Yuki hummed in agreement. "I also heard you are back in your original quarters." He said, conversationally enough it was meant to be casual but clearly wasn't and just loud enough for Gray to hear as well. Juvia could see Gray still his movements for a moment. "I thought you and my nephew had an... understanding." He raised an eyebrow and Juvia could feel her cheeks warm slightly; of course, he knew what they had been up to the past few days. "The rubies are not rescinded yet, so I was just wondering why."

Expecting the question at some point over the next few days, she was prepared. "Juvia talked to her cousin towards the end of ball and he said he would convince my uncle to rescind them. Also, after the battle yesterday, Juvia would have been surprised if anyone would have tried. It was very kind of Gray-sama to send the guards last night, but that won't be needed anymore. Juvia can protect herself." She told him.

"So I've seen." Yuki said, studying her. "Was that all?"

Juvia could feel Gray's eyes on her, but her attention was completely on his uncle. "Yes, sir. We agreed it was the best course of action. Juvia was just invading his space."

The High Lord hummed and she couldn't tell if he believed her or not. "I see. Well, I hope you all do not let yesterday's events ruin your visit to my Court."

"Of course not." Juvia said politely. "There are a few places in the market Juvia wants to visit."

"Ah, great." Yuki turned to Gray. "Will you be escorting her today, Gray?"

He cleared his throat. "Apologies, uncle. I got word my father is back, and he wants to meet."

"Ah yes, of course. One must be able to catch Silver when he is in town, or it will be months before you see him again." Yuki chuckled. "Tell him to stop by tonight, come for dinner."

"I will." Gray agreed.

"Lyon." The High Lord spoke a bit louder so the younger male could hear him. "Would you be able to accompany Juvia to the market? I think she would benefit of a local guide."

"It would be my pleasure, uncle." Lyon smiled and winked at Juvia, making her smile a little – there was a comfort and see someone treat her the same way as before.

On the corner of her eye, she saw Gray still and grip his hand on his fork a bit tighter, but she just smiled at the High Lord politely and the older male turned to Gray, innocently. "Are you okay, nephew?"

"Yup. Great. Never better." Gray answered very quickly and got up. "I need to go meet father. See you all later. Uncle." He bowed in his direction and left without saying another word or even glancing her way.

#

The others were a bit ahead, looking at the beautiful things it had to offer, but Juvia was just a few meters behind, looking at everything absentmindedly.

"How are you?" Lyon asked her while they walked through the market.

"Fine?" Juvia said in confusion.

"I mean about yesterday." He asked softly. "Seeing... what happened with Gray." Juvia stopped walking and she just stared at Lyon. "I am asking because even though Gray just stayed a few minutes after you arrived, he was acting weird even before, I sensed some... tension between the two of you. To be fair, I think everyone did." Juvia still didn't know what to say. Lyon sighed. "He was ready to kill me two days ago for dancing with you during a ball, where, mind you, is where people dance with each other. But today he bolts when uncle mentions me being your guide through the town? Not even a small protest? Or dirty look? I got nothing from him, just felt the waves of... jealousy? Anger, maybe?"

"There is nothing to be jealous or angry about." Juvia managed to say.

Lyon crossed his arms over his chest. "I had nightmares all night last night. He died, Juvia. I know he did." Juvia's body tensed. "He died saving you and we got lucky. But I saw my brother die, Juvia. I am not okay. So, I am asking how are you?"

After a moment, she whispered. "Not okay.

"Of course not." Lyon sighed. "But I expected you two to be closer this morning, not farther apart."

"We have decided to not... pursue whatever was happening between us." Juvia told him. "it's for the best."

"Bull shit." Lyon snorted. "You two cannot be serious."

"It's better for everyone if-"

Lyon shook his head. "Again, I call bullshit. I think you two are terrified of what happened yesterday you are both pulling away to avoid getting hurt." Juvia opened her mouth to defend herself, but Lyon cut across her. "I have known Gray for about a hundred and ninety years and do you know how many times he wanted to kick my ass for looking at someone he was interested in? Once, two days ago. Gray doesn't do that shit and he did it for you. That's how I knew you were special to him." Lyon passed his hand through his hair. "Look, Juvia-chan. I understand, you got the fright of a lifetime yesterday. But I know Gray and... if you give up, he will too. If you get inside your head, you will lose him forever. He will close up again and it's going to be even harder to bring him out. It's up to you if you want this to happen." Juvia hesitated but nodded.

Lyon offered her his arm. "Now, let's find the others. They are probably thinking I am ravishing you somewhere."

Juvia laughter was real for the first time that day. "You wish."

"Oh, do I ever, Juvia-chan."

#

Juvia was grateful for the palace's staff, as when she returned to her room that afternoon, the rest of her clothes were in place, and she didn't have to knock on Gray's bedroom to ask to retrieve her belongings.

She received a note from the High Lord asking her to arrive at dinner a bit earlier than the others so she quickly changed clothes to a simple dark blue dress and went straight to the dining hall. She heard loud laughter just before she entered the room and for a moment, she thought she had walked in Yuki and Gray having a few drinks before dinner, but the scent made her look again and she realised that was not Gray.

That was undoubtedly his father.

"Ah, there she is." Yuki said, happily. "Juvia-chan." Oh, well, he was clearly not fully sober if he was calling her that. "This is Gray's father, Silver."

If Silver looked a little younger and didn't have a long scar from his hairline to his left eye, he and Gray could have been twins. There were differences, of course, but in a first glance, getting them mistaken by another was understandable. No wonder Yuki told her people said Gray looked more like his father.

"Silver-sama." Juvia bowed her head in respect – she still didn't know what she would do about the bond and Gray, but she still wanted his family to like her. "It's very nice to meet you."

"And you, my dear." Silver got up from his chair and offered her a big hug, squishing her in place and Juvia didn't know what to do. "I have been waiting for so long for my son to find someone." He let her go and Juvia was still at a loss of what was happening.

"She is great, Silver." The High Lord said. "You should have seen her yesterday, lifting the whole fucking river. Once Gray takes over for me, the next generation will be nothing but spectacular."

Juvia's eyes widened. "What are you-"

"Come, sit with us." Silver led her to sit next to him and Yuki was already pouring some wine in a third glass and putting in front of her. "I want to meet the one who turned my boy to love."

"Wow, that's... no." Juvia reached for the wine quickly and drank it in one go. "I think you two have the wrong idea-" Yuki poured more wine for her.

"I know my son, I knew there was something off with him today and lo and behold, it was lady problems." Silver said, excited, wiggling his eyebrows at her. "Don't get me wrong, I know that boy is no virgin but he doesn't do relationships, and today and I made him tell me what was wrong and he told me he was having issues with a lady friend." He pointed at her. "And from what Yuki here has told me, that lady friend is you, my dear."

"So, we are going to help you with these issues." Yuki said as excited as Silver.

Instead of answering, Juvia just drank the glass of wine. "That is..." she tried to find the best way to describe what was happening "sweet of you two, but it's... complicated. And personal." She said, pointedly, hoping they would get the message she shouldn't be talking to them about it.

"How complicated can it be?" Silver asked, adding more wine on Juvia's glass.

"He told me what happened during battle yesterday." The High Lord said, suddenly serious.

"He did?" Juvia was surprised and she drank a little more of wine. Fuck, that was delicious, and she really needed the alcohol meanwhile Silver was quick to add more in her cup.

"He is my Heir. He had to give me a full account of what happened." Yuki told her and she sighed. She remembered well, giving full reports to her uncle after meetings or fights. She couldn't hide anything.

"From what Juvia can gather, most regular people don't even realise it happened." Juvia muttered. "No one was speaking about it during our trip to the market, but I overheard many soldiers whispering about the visions of the future that saves their lives. Saved mine." She sipped on the wine, realising they were trying to get her drunk. "I am just glad we got him back."

"Him?" Yuki probed.

"Gray-sama?" Juvia frowned in confusion. "He saved my life when-" looking at both men she finally saw it, the vague sentences, open to interpretation. "He didn't tell you. You were misleading me into telling you what happened." Juvia said instead and if she hadn't been so angry at being cornered that way, she would have found hilarious that a High Lord and a male that had to be at least four hundred years old were looking like they were being scolded by their mother.

"Juvia-chan, I apologise." The High Lord said. "I thought... well, I saw you both when you left the palace, and you were looking young and in love. When you came back, you looked like you never even met each other. I knew whatever happened, it was in the battlefield."

"From what I could gather, though, he saved your life?" Silver's tone was concerned. "And what was that about getting him back?"

Juvia shook her head. "I shouldn't. If he didn't tell you-"

"Gray might not be from my Court at the moment, and he might not answer all my questions but if I have to go to Lyon and Meredy to get answers, I will. Gray is my nephew and Heir." Yuri spoke with such authority Juvia remembered he was the High Lord, not some regular meddling uncle.

She didn't want Lyon reliving it. Shit, she didn't want Meredy doing it either. She was so young and had seen her uncle die in such manner.

Oh, fuck. Great. She wanted his family to like her and now they would know they almost lost Gray because of her.

Juvia finished the last of the wine in her glass and put it down on the table. "He died." She wasn't looking at the males, focusing on the glass, but saw both of them get very still from the corner of her eye. "He pushed me away in a dangerous situation and got hit by seven arrows. He died protecting me." Juvia was the one to reach to the wine and fill her glass, then, as she let them digest her words. "We came back and had our memories and we managed to get to the assailants before they got him, or me. We are both alive, but if whatever happened, hadn't happen, he would have been dead because of me."

The three of them became quiet for a long while, Juvia was refusing to look at either of them, just sipping on her wine.

"He truly did?" Silver asked in a quiet voice. "He died?"

"It was for a minute or so, but yes." She answered quietly. "It was the worse minute of my life."

"So why are you two not... together?" Yuki asked, curious. "You are both alive and well and it seems like you care about each other a lot."

Juvia snorted, reaching for the wine again. "Lyon-sama suggested, oops," a little bit of wine spilled over and she noticed Silver passing the bottle to Yuki, so it was out of her reach. "He suggested it's because we are both afraid to lose each other so we are using this as an excuse."

"Sounds about right." The High Lord sipped on his own wine.

"That's my fault. Well, at least Gray's reaction is." Silver said. "When Mika died, I... I was overwhelmed with grief. I left Gray with Yuki to fight a war and barely saw him grow up. I think... I think he doesn't want to end up like me." His brother-in-law put a hand over Silver's shoulder. "That's why he was never serious about anyone."

"People grieve in different ways." Juvia told him, gently. "You made sure he was safe before anything else, he knows that."

"Yeah, but what does it say about our relationship that he remembers Mika's death more than the beautiful times we spent together as a family? That's... that's what I want for him." Silver said. "If he can't have that because of how I reacted when she died, I failed as a parent."

"Oh, Silver." Yuki sighed. "He turned out okay."

"Not if he can never fall in love." Silver said. "He will be missing out on so much-"

"Tell him." Juvia interrupted him. "Explain it to him. He can't know something if you never tell him. If you think this is holding him back, talk to him. He is right here in this palace."

"I think I might." Silver nodded. "More than anything in this world, I want him to be happy. I was devastated when Mika died but we had years together, she gave me Gray, we were happy. I want him to experience what I had with his mother."

"Was she your mate?" Juvia asked, boldly.

"No, it never happened. But I loved her, more than anything, never cared we didn't have a mating bond, especially being as rare as it is. Having a mate must be nice, but it isn't all that matters." He told her. "Love is."

"Hear, hear." Yuki raised his glass and took a sip. "Now, what's holding you down?"

"I don't want him to feel what I felt when I saw his dead body." Juvia admitted, the wine making her tongue loose. She wasn't drunk, but another couple of glasses... Especially with the little food she had the past couple of days... "I don't ever want him to feel or see that."

"So, you are two fools in love who are trying to control things that you can't control." Yuki chuckled.

"I think so."

"Ah, to be young and stupid again."

"Well, I will talk to my son tonight. Set a few things straight." Silver sighed. "You, my dear, should work on your own insecurities. You can't make these decisions by yourself. There are two of you."

"After our fight last night, I don't think he wants anything to do with me."

"I had to hold him down while you danced with the closest thing he has to a brother he was so jealous." Yuki said. "Trust me, he wants everything to do with you."

Juvia sighed. "Wine, please."

#

It was actually hilarious to see Gray's expression when he arrived for dinner and his uncle, father and Juvia were laughing out loud listening to some of Silver's stories.

The others might have found it funny too because they all snickered at him, Natsu even patting his back.

Aside from that, dinner was pleasant – apparently everyone knew Silver, even Lucy, even thou she only met him one time. Juvia stopped drinking wine once her friends arrived, preferring to drink water to sober up.

Juvia pleaded with Yuki to not add any soldiers by her door; she would be fine. He was reluctant to say yes, but caved in, saying he would be very upset if she died, and Juvia just laughed. She noticed Gray didn't seem to like the plan, but he didn't say anything on the matter, resuming his conversation/drinking contest with Cana.

Juvia noticed Gray and Silver leave the room before everyone else and hoped he listened to what his father had to say, even if he wasn't going to use it with her. She wanted his happiness.

Still exhausted from everything happening in her life, Juvia excused herself before her other friends and the High Lord and she offered Lucy a small smile to let her know she was okay, and the blonde nodded in response saying her good night.

Juvia went straight to the bathroom, and finally took full advantage of it, using the nice smelling salts and having a nice hot bath in the luxurious tub that it was deep enough she could stand and still be covered with water. For the first time in two days, she was calm and at peace as she floated on the water. She used to float away on the sea back in summer whenever she felt troubled and the water always helped soothe her.

After taking everyone's opinions and outlooks into consideration and taking in her own feelings and insecurities, she knew what to do and she felt a little stronger because of it. She had no idea if Gray would follow her plan, but all she could do was try.

She heard the bathroom door barge open, and she didn't hesitate to stand up and immediately send a Water Slice towards the sound, only to see the water turn into ice and fall on the ground in pieces.

"Shit." She heard Gray say and she finally saw him, looking at her. "Juvia, it's me!"

Her eyes widened, Juvia gasped and she lowered herself into the water to hide herself. She used quite a bit of it in her attack. "Gray-sama? What happened? Is everyone okay?"

"Yes!" He looked annoyed. "I thought you weren't. I was knocking at your door and got no answer, I thought someone had gotten to you!"

"Oh." Juvia said, she must have stayed in the bath longer than she anticipated because she was enjoying the feeling of relaxation. "Juvia is fine."

"Yeah, I can see that." He passed a hand through his hair, still looking a bit shaken.

They stayed in silence for a moment. Juvia rose from the water, and she knew it would barely cover her breasts and Gray's eyes went straight to them as expected and as if he had just realised where they were, he jumped and turned around.

"Anything I can help you with?" Juvia asked, amused, getting out of the water slowly.

"I... I wanted to talk to you." He said.

"Here?"

"Clearly not, I..." He cleared his throat. "I will wait in your bedroom."

"Why bother turning around? You have seen it all." Juvia couldn't help it but to tease him and she felt like they used to be a few days before, it felt like them.

He stopped by the door. "As a matter of fact, I did not see it all. The dress was revealing, and I saw and touched a lot, but I did not see it all."

"Turn around and you will." She said trying not to laugh.

"I'll be in the other room!" He yelled as he left, and all Juvia could do was giggle.

They would be okay, even if just as friends.

#

"You could go change." Gray had his arms crossed over his chest.

"I could." Juvia had her own arms crossed over hers.

"Are you actually going to make me talk some very serious things with you while you are only wearing a towel?"

"You are the one who interrupted Juvia's relaxing bath." She shrugged.

"Fine." He sat down across from her, on the same seat Lucy had the night before, the small table between them. "I... I came to apologise." He said with difficulty.

"Oh, how did that feel?" Juvia chuckled.

"Like I swallowed poison, thank you for asking." Gray admitted – saying he was wrong was something he hated doing. "But I am sorry for yesterday. I... I acted like a jerk and you didn't deserve that."

"Thank you." Juvia offered him a sad smile. "I need to apologise too; I was also a jerk to you. I am sorry."

"Well, that was easy." Gray got up.

"Nope." Juvia told him. "Sit down. We have a few things to sort out."

"Had to try." He muttered and sat back down. "Fine. Let get this over with."

"Way to show a girl she is special." Juvia chuckled and they stayed in silence for a few moments. "Do you really think us getting involved was a mistake?"

Gray didn't answer straight away, but he did look away from her. "Yes. And no." He sighed. "Yes because I had a perfect system to not get attached to anyone and it was working. No feelings but my friendships'. It was safe and it worked. For almost to hundred years, it worked. Then you come into my life and a few months in, wrecks it all. Caution was out in the wind." He looked back at her eyes. "And 'no' because those moments we were together were..." He cleared his throat. "It was more than physical, and it was nice. It was like I was just a normal guy living a normal life."

"Why do you think you are not a normal guy?" Juvia tilted her head in question.

"Everyone who is around me gets hurt, dies or leaves." He told her. "My mother died, my father left for years, Ur lost her leg, I can't count how many times my friends almost died. I am pretty sure I am cursed and I don't want to see you hurt too."

"Gray-sama, you are not cursed." Juvia said, gently. "We live very long lives, of course we are going to lose people, they will get hurt, especially in our line of work, the way we lead our lives. It's no one's fault."

"Doesn't feel that way when it happens."

"It doesn't." Juvia agreed. "Was that why you were... freaked out yesterday?"

"Besides from dying?" He snorted. "Yeah. If I had been one second late, those arrows would have hit you. It was luck how everything happened, but I could have been late."

"You weren't."

"Not this time." He said. "What if I am next time? I saw what feelings did to my father." So, they did talk. Juvia thought. Good. "I saw what loss looked like. I saw him hugging my mother's body and scream, scream and scream. I can never get that sound from my head when I think something might become serious and I back away." Gray told her. "Do you know how many times I walked away from you with that echoing in my head? This warning?"

"You still came back."

"I came back. Over and over. I didn't reinforce my boundaries, my rules, I didn't push you away. Somehow, I couldn't. Still can't, as me being here proves it." He admitted with a dark chuckle. "I don't know what to do because I know getting close is going to hurt, but being far is not fun either."

"I feel that." Juvia agreed. "More than you know."

"How about you? Do you think it was a mistake?" He asked, looking at her.

"I did, for a while. It was... a lot." She replied, softly. "Your hypothetical actually happened to me yesterday. I saw you die because of me; I am not worth you losing your life." He opened his mouth to protest but she held up her hand asking for him to wait. "Don't try it, you won't change my mind on that. I don't want anyone dying to save me. Especially not you." Juvia blinked a few tears away. "I also don't want you to ever feel what I felt when I saw you die and that... killed me a little bit too."

"You said you thought so for a while. You don't think it was a mistake anymore?" Gray asked.

"After gathering information from various sources," She said and he snorted "I think us not exploring this is the mistake." Juvia could see the surprise and interest in her logic in his eyes. "We are already involved, one way or the other. There's no going back from what happened yesterday. I don't know about you but being far apart and standoffish with each other felt awful." Gray nodded. "So if we are not together we suffer because of it. So, all we get out of it is misery. Then, if we are together, we are creating happy memories and yes, something might happen. It doesn't mean it will. At least we will have had good times together that the other can carry in their memory." Juvia looked at him in the eyes. "I think if we don't try, we will regret it." Juvia sighed and bared her heart. "I did say I am yours. I wouldn't have said it if it weren't true. If you want me as a friend, a lover, something more... doesn't matter. You can take your time to choose which one you want and I will be it. My heart is yours and I can't and won't change it."

Both of them leaned back on their chairs. Juvia was looking at the fire in the fireplace behind Gray and he seemed to be very interesting on the closed window, lost in thought.

"What... what does something more entail?" Gray asked, still looking at the window and Juvia's heart was racing, hope blossomed in her chest.

"Whatever we want it to." She said, still looking at the fire and trying to sound nonchalant about it. "Most likely exclusivity and being seeing in some sort of relationship. We might label or not. It would be our business, no one else's."

"Hm." Gray was still lost in thought for a few minutes and Juvia let him. She would not rush this. "My parents were married for fifty years before they had me. He told me they were mostly happy, they had their moments, but he cherished those years and then after I arrived as some of his most precious memories. Even after she has been gone for two hundred years, he was telling me all about it with fondness. He had to go through grief, but in the end, he still remembers their time together as something beautiful. He was sad for what he lost but happy now for all he gained."

"Everyone deals with grief differently." Juvia told him. "All those soldiers I killed after I told you and Lyon-sama to go behind the wall? It was just a little part of my grief. It was still fresh. I still remembered."

Gray finally looked back at her. "I want to do this, I want to feel... what I was feeling when were together at the library, at the ball. But I-"

"Am fucking terrified? Welcome to the club." Juvia chuckled. "It wouldn't be personal growth if we weren't scared shitless." Gray snorted in reply. "Just tell me what you want and I will make it happen."

He looked at her for a moment and said: "You. I want you."

Juvia's heart was beating fast. She got up from the chair and motioned him to move. "Come on, stand up."

"What? Why?" Confused, Gray got up and Juvia stepped closer to him.

"Because I very much want you to kiss me. Then, you I would like to be carried into that big comfortable bed behind me so I can exhaust you with all the unspeakable things I intend to do to you."

Gray smirked and his scent cleared changed to arousal as he stepped closer. "What unspeakable things?"

"Can't say, but I am very willing to show." Juvia told him.

"This could end up horribly wrong." Gray put a hand on her hip, the other on her cheek.

"Or not." She whispered. "It could be amazingly right."

"I guess we will find out." He whispered back and leaned in to kiss her, slow and tender and Juvia sighed in relief to be feeling him again, to have him so close; the bond in her chest glowed in happiness.

They kissed sweetly for a few moments and after a while he deepened the kiss and Juvia could feel her body get warmer as his hands started to wander but Juvia had a plan.

She stopped kissing him abruptly when she felt his hand try to reach the knot on her towel. "No, no, no, Gray-sama." Juvia smiled and pushed him away and he stared at her in confusion. "You see, like we said before, you have seen most of Juvia's body but I have not seen yours. You slept with your clothes on when we shared a bed. That is a little unfair, don't you think?"

He looked at her with narrowed eyes. "What do you want?"

Juvia sat back on her chair, legs crossed like a proper lady, hands on her knees. "To see the goods, of course. It's only fair, after all."

"So, you just want me to undress?" Gray asked, amused.

"And make it good." She winked at him and Gray just shook his head in disbelief as he removed his coat.

"Once I do this we better jump on that bed and have sex." He said while taking off his shirt, Juvia's eyes focused on the beautiful skin there, he was built so well she knew her arousal scent had kicked off. She could smell his and it was driving her crazy. "Every time we say we will leave it for later something happens."

"Oh, Acnologia can knock that door down while we are doing it and I wouldn't stop this." Juvia bit her lower lip when he reached for his belt.

"Are you not afraid 'the goods' are going to disappoint?" Gray asked, amused.

"Gray-sama, I have rubbed myself all over your body, I know exactly what good to expect." Juvia wanted to tease him so she uncrossed her legs and she knew he could smell her because his movements stilled for a moment.

"Fuck." He fumbled with his pants and he had to sit to take off his boots. "Stupid ass boots." Juvia was having the time of her life watching him. It was quite adorable and she was happy she had asked for him to undress. "Usually I'm much quicker at undressing myself." He was working on his second boot.

"Maybe next time start with your boots?" Juvia said, innocently and Gray threw her a dirty look. Once his boots were off, Gray pulled down his pants and stepped off of them, in triumph, he was wearing only his undergarments.

Juvia made a circle motion with her index finger and Gray rolled his eyes before turning around so she could see him. Oh yes, he was made for her. She was never too attracted to big muscles, and Gray had just the right amount. It was ridiculous how it looked like he had been sculpted.

She could see the tent in his undergarments and she couldn't wait anymore.

"Are you done?" His eyes were so dark in need.

"Yes." She said, breathless.

"Thank the gods." Gray met her halfway as she launched herself into his arms and kissed him as hard as she could.

Gray quickly out his hands under her thighs and pulled her up, Juvia wrapped her legs around his waist and without breaking the kiss, Gray started to walk towards the bed and placed her on top of the mattress carefully to not break contact.

Juvia could finally touch his skin and she was happily exploring his back while Gray had his hands going up and down her legs then to her ass, like he had done at the library.

One of his hands moved up and tried to untie Juvia's towel but it wouldn't budge. "I swear I will trip this thing off."

Juvia giggled and started to undo it. "Juvia learned this know back in-"

"Juvia, you can tell me all about this know when I am not trying to get you naked to fuck you throughout the night." He told her and she could feel a rush of wetness pool between her legs and once she finally undone the knot, Gray was the one to open the towel to revel Juvia's naked body. He got up from the bed and looked at her with wild eyes. "I knew you would be beautiful. I undersold it to myself."

She slowly sat on the bed, Gray watching her every move as she reached out to his undergarments. She started kissing his neck then chest while her fingers looped inside the garment and she moved her hands a little so she could brush against his hardness and Gray shivered with the touch. She looked up to him as she pulled it down, letting it fall to pool on his feet.

With eyes still locked, Juvia reached for his cock and wrapped her hand around him and she was pleasantly surprised with what she found and Gray cussed as she moved her hand up and down.

"Stop." He said, breathless and she did, confused. "I am coming inside you tonight, Juvia. You can do whatever you want after, but tonight, it's only going to be inside you."

Those words alone made her shiver. "Then take me." She whispered to him. "I'm yours."

She knew what the words would do to him and soon she found herself back on the mattress with Gray's body on top of her but not with no barrier between them. She could feel all of his warm skin on hers, his muscles, his hard cock between her legs, sliding on her already wet sex.

Gray's mouth was on Juvia's breasts and she gasped and mewled and his ministrations. She moaned loudly when he used his teeth while sucking her breast, holding the other one in a hard grasp. "Oh, fuck." Juvia moaned, the combination of his mouth, teeth, hand and hardness driving her insane.

"I have been waiting to play with these for so long." Gray muttered. "They are very sensitive." Juvia just nodded in agreement, unable to form words. "And they are mine, aren't they? Like all of this." He touched her between her legs and his fingers slid in easily with how wet she was. "This is also mine, isn't it?" Juvia nodded as his fingers started to pump in and out of her, he curled them just in the right place and Juvia moaned loudly over and over. "Here's what's gonna happen now, Juvia." Gray kissed her neck. "I am going to get you so close to coming you will beg me to let you, but I won't let you." He said and his fingers started to work faster inside her, all she could do was to hold on to his back, she was certain he would have marks in the morning. "I will get inside of you and then you will ride me. Do you understand? I was promised a ride at the ball, and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since."

Oh, she was close. He was such a fast learner; he already knew so much about her body after one night.

"Ah, Gray-s-" She was so close to her release she could almost taste it and then he removed his fingers from inside her and Juvia groaned in protest. "No." She whined.

"You know what to do." Gray said in her ear and Juvia lost no time in flipping them over and she looked down to his hard on – she had so many plans for it, but later, she needed release and so did he. She grabbed it, pumping it a couple of times, earning a groan from her mate and she lost no time in positioning it on her entrance. She lowered herself slowly, eyes closing to enjoy the feeling of being stretched by him for the first time, having him inside her for the first time.

Juvia glanced at him and his focus was solely on where their bodies met, hands in fists as he didn't want to rush her. Once he was fully inside her, they both stopped and looked at each other. No coming back now.

She never felt this full before, body or soul. The bond in her chest glowed as bright as the sun.

Gray grabbed her by the back of her neck and pulled her to a rough kiss and Juvia's hips started to move, looking for release.

It took them a couple of tries but they found a rhythm that worked perfectly for both of them, she was moving on top of him, riding him as hard as she could, Gray's mouth on her breasts were just making her get closer to her release. He was not gentle with her breasts, she would be sore, sensitive and marked in the morning and by the gods she wanted him to do whatever he was doing forever.

"Gray-sama." She said as warning, she was so close she could taste it. "I'm-"

"Take it. Let me see you come when my cock is inside you." He panted and found her lips to kiss her and his hands went to her hips, speeding her movements and Juvia could barely hear anything anymore, just feel. "Come screaming my name." His thumb grazed her clit and suddenly Juvia was screaming his name and coming like she never did before. Pleasure coursing through her body like a wave crashing on a rock.

She let him spin them around, her back on the mattress and his lips found hers, her leg over his shoulder and a hand between them as he caressed her bundle of nerves over and over in pace with his own thrusts inside her and Juvia kissed him back, biting his lip, her hails digging in on his back. "You are mine, Juvia." He said between kissed. "Say it."

"I'm yours." She managed to say and her voice sounded foreign to her, as she could not recognise the whine that came out of her. "Fuck, fuck, fuck." She said, feeling her body start to prepare itself for another wave of release.

"I am." Gray groaned in her mouth. "I am fucking you, Juvia. I am going in deep inside you and then I am going to come inside you." He kissed her roughly, his ministrations on her clit getting as erratic as his own thrusts. "Say it. Say it again."

"I'm yours." Juvia said it and when her release found her again and a moment later she could hear Gray groan as he spilled himself inside her and Juvia couldn't think at all.

She was aware of his weight on top of her but she found it comforting, his face hiding on the crook of her neck and he was softening inside her. She had her fingers going through his hair.

"Now we know the answer." Gray said, not moving from her just yet.

"Hm?" Juvia asked.

"This was amazingly right." He told her and Juvia smiled.

#

AN: Technically none can be mad at me because I fixed it what I broke! AND I gave you smut! AND it's my birthday.

Thanks to: choupi975, ClaudeSimbou, NessaliaaRossa and panda2360 who reviewed! You are awesome and I hope you enjoyed it!

13/01/2025 ~ BonneyQ