Prepare your tissues.

''

Another of Her

5

''

It's been three months since that day. Juvia's parents moved into a city far away from Magnolia after being told of their daughter's attempt at suicide.

In her new school, Juvia was studying her Biology books at her usual bench, multitasking at its best, accompanied with a box of chocolate milk at her side. The strong winds didn't help her studying one bit, her books kept getting flipped uncontrollably. She thought of doing it inside the class, but the idea of reading in a crowded and noisy room discouraged her easily. She exhaled while realigning her super thick glasses, drank her chocolate milk, and then continued to read, ignoring the vicious winds like they were the whispers of the devil.

"May I sit here?"

Speaking of the devil, she didn't need to look up to know who it was, "Please."

Gray took seat beside her awkwardly. True that Juvia had allowed him to be seated in a ten-meter radius within her, but it was also true that she didn't put his existence in her mind at all. Gray was confused or too high of a prideful ass to talk first. And so, none of them spoke a word until either one was frustrated enough to talk, or to simply go.

Suddenly, Gray chuckled lowly, "Thank you for last time."

The blue-haired girl simply blinked in response. Gray chuckled again. "Ahh, I really fucked up, didn't I?"

Juvia's finger twitched. What was she supposed to answer? She wanted to slap him, scream in his face that he had hurt her, that his very existence grated her to no end. "I'm studying, if you're here to disturb me, you may leave." She almost said it with gritted teeth.

Gray stared at her. He knew this was her defense mechanism. The fact that he knew this was an irony itself. "Juvia, listen to me."

She halted everything she was doing, it was as if Fate paused the movie in the TV. She stopped even breathing because she finally heard her name being said with that voice. That one voice she had been crying in her heart for. Then, she decided she didn't want to go back to where she thought of Gray as a proper human being. She closed her book and stood up, ready to get away from catastrophe.

A hand grabbed her wrist, so gentle, so wary.

So warm.

"Give me a chance to explain, just this once. Please, Juvia." It was clear, the guilt in his edgy voice. That alone was enough to make Juvia stayed still like a rock. She didn't walk away nor sit back, merely stood there looking at the distance. If she was her old self, she'd react exactly by clicking her tongue, thinking Fate couldn't even leave her alone to study. Then, after heavily inhaling, he asked, "Will you go out on a date with me?"

''

Gray thought he had kept his promise.

Gray Fullbuster had kept his promise.

He wouldn't bother Juvia Lockser after they had broken up. But now here he was, standing tall in a city that's name he couldn't even rememver, not minding the wind that flapped his hair around. He had taken Juvia to a nearby lake, the both of them were staring off into the reflected sunshine on the water's surface. Juvia sat down, waiting for Gray to begin his begged-given explanation.

The guy wasn't saying anything though, because he knew he didn't have anything to say. Only a word. And he knew he didn't have the right to say it. He would wait for the right time, but he also knew it would be futile.

His mistakes were far beyond repair.

"I don't speak much," Juvia started. "I don't like speaking. It's only a social necessity that I don't have to follow. I'm an outcast, so it's fine. I enjoy it anyway. At least I belong to a place.

"When I see things as simple as a lake, many thoughts come to me and I want to say it all out loud so we can wonder about it. Like, ah, look! The water's so shiny I want to touch it all! How many fish live in here? Do they know each other? Do fish have their own language? If so, how is it spoken? Or do they use telepathy? Ah, I wanna know! Don't you think it'll be awesome if we can communicate with fish? Hahaha, I wanna swim in milk!"

He just stared at her, dumbfounded.

She smiled. "See? Now you know why I don't speak."

Her cerulean eyes dashed at him as if waiting for him to speak. He knew he should speak, but he knew he shouldn't. "…Yeah," Gray finally answered. "I think—"

"Let me finish." Juvia cut him off. "I don't speak unless people speak to me. They don't. They think whatever and decide that I'm a freak. Of course, I liked the status so I didn't think much about it. I didn't think about it because if I had thought, I would hate myself. I redeemed it unimportant.

"But you came and asked me to be your girlfriend." Her voice had an edge so she let out a bitter laugh. "Why?"

Gray didn't answer.

"Why, Gray Fullbuster?" Juvia pressed. She had to.

"Because!" He unintentionally growled. Ashamed and raged at himself, he cleared his throat. "…Because Natsu challenged me to make you my date."

"Yes. I know from the start."

She… knew?

"You know?"

"No, but I hoped I had known…" Gray's shoulders fell hearing that. "I don't blame you, though. My beauty charmed you that much?" Juvia winked suggestively at him. Gray gulped. It would be perfect it she weren't crying like that. He didn't notice it until now. Since when was she crying? "Haha, my skill in making jokes still hasn't improved. I thought it has been better. I thought I have improved. But I fell instead. I fell hard. I bled in the darkness I create myself. I was fine, but why did you come and bring me light…?

"…Why did you come and bring me light only to take it away?"

How much did he hurt her?

He couldn't bear it. He couldn't live with this. Gray looked down, he saw Juvia there, crying with shaking shoulders, her knees tight to her chest. "I'm sorry, Juvia." There he finally said it.

"…No." Juvia sobbed.

Whp was he kidding? He knew he didn't deserve forgiveness. He was a devil for her already miserable life.

"Forgive me…" But he said it again. He felt his heart clenching but he didn't care. He hurt someone. "Forgive me, Juvia…"

"No…"

"I'm sorry for lying to you, I'm sorry for ruining your life, I'm sorry for breaking your heart… I'm sorry… I'm sorry… I'm sorry…" He sobbed. Since when was he crying?

How much did he hurt himself?

Juvia looked up, her glasses wet with tears. She stood up and touched his hard cheeks with her damp hands. "We are two broken persons. What is so wrong about that? We live, that's why we're hurt."

Gray couldn't stop his crying. "I'm sorry, Juvia… Forgive me…" He couldn't understand why did he ask for her forgiveness.

"I don't know how to. I'm not fine anymore, Gray. The darkness scares me."

"I know, I'm sorry…"

"The light is gone, I belong to nowhere now."

"Forgive me…"

"Maybe I should just end all of this."

"…What are you talking about?"

"Everyone's fine without me."

His hiccups stopped, along with his heart. With widened eyes, he grabbed Juvia's limp shoulders, and said to her in a low, cold voice, "Don't you dare do it again." A tear rolled from his red eyes as he repeated himself even sternly. "Don't. You. Dare."

His voice was not the soothing one that whenever she heard it, her stupid heart screamed, "you're safe!" at her. Just now, he was definitely threatening her. She felt unsafe. The blue haired girl swallowed her tears as she felt strong arms embrace her and the owner head was on her right shoulder. She froze. Gray cried again.

What kind of emotion should she be feeling right now? Anger? Sadness? Disgust at herself for being so weak? Hatred at Gray for breaking her only life?

It wasn't like Gray really broke her life. Juvia proved just fine without him, her grades were still one of the best in Harmony High School, her routine wasn't even bothered, her hair grew a centimeter this month. Nothing changed. At least physically.

But her mind… It rotted. It kept thinking about how Gray would greet her at the gate in the morning—since she didn't permit him greeting her from her house—and how Gray would help her take the books on the higher stacks—it's not like she was short or something, but Gray was just taller—or how Gray would sometimes sneaked in some caramade franks into her bag—she couldn't admit her skipping meals habit, though. Gray was already a part of her life in this past two months. When he left, his presence lingered in her consciousness.

It almost drove her crazy. More that she found out the answer was that it was just a challenge. Just a dare. How far did she regress from a human being to something someone made a bet of?

Juvia almost laughed herself to tears, surprising Gray who had started to eased down into some sobs. They were still hugging one-sidedly, since Juvia didn't put her arms around him back. The guy held her tighter when he whispered, "I won't do this again. I promise on my life."

Didn't take long until Juvia hugged him back. She was smiling, but something was odd in that pretty lips. Ahh, there he did it again. Betting on people's lives.

"I will make you happy. I will be everything you want. I will—"

Juvia shushed him up. "Don't speak, Gray, you're breaking the mood." She snuggled into his neck deeper.

"I will protect you, Juvia. So, trust me."

"Okay."

Oh, she knew the feeling now. It was hope.

''

Half an hour after their breakdown, the sun was almost set. They stared again into the lake side by side, this time with swollen eyes and awkward smiles. Gray noticed Juvia had started to giggle whenever he dared himself to throw a joke. They talked about everything. Bit by bit, they were going to understand each other better.

The girl smiled more often. She was beautiful. Indeed, that was why he accepted the challenge in the first place. So, he told her just that. Juvia blushed. In turn, the blue-haired nerd told the guy why she decided to take into account his existence. She wasn't being all mighty or anything, she was just choosy on what to spend her attention to. It was because he intrigued her.

"So you thought I was handsome?" He teased, hoping the girl would blush again. Those rosy cheeks were going to be the death of him.

"Yes," Juvia deadpanned, in a honest, earnest, and innocent way. "You still are."

God, why did a creature this pure had to live in this cruel world?

"Juvia…" Gray called, he was sitting beside the girl—his girlfriend? His fiancée? Or still his friend?—he could no longer see as normal. She wasn't normal in any available meanings existed, but she was… Juvia. And Juvia was perfect for Gray. "Juvia," he called again.

She turned her head to face his. "Yes, Gray?"

But she was caught in a kiss. A kiss so soft it made Juvia's heart jump. What is this what should I do oh no, mother!

Removing each and all other choice, she pushed him. "S-Sorry, I wasn't—"

Shit, I scared her. "Don't worry, it was t-too fast, I know. I-It's fine." What are you stuttering for, Fuckbuster?!

Right before the raven-haired guy was about to bow deeply—he was 'Ain't Too Proud to Beg'—Juvia placed her hand on his eyes. And ever so slowly, she kissed him. Not too deep, not too light. Just the right pressure. She let go of his eyes midway.

She blushed madly, restraining her hands from covering her tomato face. "I-I wanted to try doing it first…"

Natsu, Erza, Lucy, Gajeel, Levy, Jellal, and Cana were surely going to kill him twice if they knew he had tainted her, again.

''

The End.

Thank you for all those who have supported me! Special thanks to: LolaRose-347, vivatitia, mgaa, Children of Light, NudgeThePyro, Juliani Scarlet, IndigoHailstorm, Ichihime94, divinecriticizer, GrayLyVia, NomChan, Sayo-chan1019, BrigitteoO, bumblebee chocolate, xgasai-yunox, BatmanBeliever0027, jellyfishyjelly, YukiOnnaMonet, Akari Ito, Laudi14, RyoSakuLOVER, kitty-ray, Celine-nee-sama, WinchesterSurvivor, stenciled-stars, Laila'sdream, Hitomi sakura red, icy-rain499, GruviaM3, Sweet Pimp Raveniaar.

You guys are TOTALLY AWESOME! XD

I'm sorry I left it all behind, I was scared; I lost my touch. Don't worry though, I'm definitely trying to get it back.

To be honest, I intended to kill Gray off since he deserved it, but decided against it. Do you think we need an epilogue?

08/12/2017 ~NollyLvn