Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail

Gajeel And Juvia: How It Started

"Drip drop drip drop." a fourteen year old girl named Juvia Lockser mumbled as she aimlessly walked around though the rain.

It had been about a week since she had joined the guild Phantom Lord and it wasn't exactly what she had expected from it.

Yes, the people there didn't bully her like the kids from her home village had done but they also didn't seem to like her like she had hoped.

They respected her but that was only for her power.

Even if she didn't get yelled at and abused, it wasn't much different as she was still alone.

Suddenly she heard a loud crunching sound and turning her head she was surprised to find her fellow guildmate Gajeel Redfox sitting on the grass with his back turned towards her.

'Should Juvia talk to him?' she wondered to herself and before coming up with a decision in her head she had found her feet already walking towards the young man.

"Uhm... E-exuse me..." she said timidly, hoping she wasn't disturbing him as she knew he could hurt her if she got him angry.

After all, Jose had described him as the guild's star when he had been showing her around the place.

Luckily for her that didn't seem the case as he only let out a soft "Huh?" as he turned around, a few iron nails poking out of his mouth, shocking Juvia.

She had heard rumors of how he ate iron but she didn't think it would have been true.

She however shook the shock off, not wanting to accidentally offend him or anything like that.

She gathered up her courage and stepped closer while asking "How are you, Gajeel-san?" mentally cursing herself for the lame question.

Gajeel raised an eyebrow but answerred none the less "Guess I'm fine. You?"

"Juvia is also fine."

She sat down next to him and they sat in awkward silence for a few moments.

"Uhm... Gajeel-san, what are you doing out here all by yourself?" Juvia broke the silence.

Gajeel gave her a weird look and said "I could ask you the same, you know. And what's up with this 'san' shit? We're the same age."

That was true as he was only two years older then her at the age of sixteen.

Juvia however ignored that statement and told him her story.

"Juvia is a rain-woman. Wherever Juvia goes the rain follows so no one wants Juvia around." she told while remembering all the times in her live people, young and old, had told her to go away or even die, throwing rocks at her and getting angry when they went through her and so didn't hurt her.

Tears started to stream down her face.

"It hurts." she whispered, clenching her heart.

Gajeel sat there, watching her for a moment before opening his mouth.

"So what? My own father just one day abandoned me but I'm not crying. See? All alone and not one tear." he told her nonchalantly and slightly boastful.

"So strong!" Juvia cried out in admiration, her eyes sparkling as she watched the strong man next to her.

But then she noticed him shaking.

"S-see? I-I'm n-n-not c-crying." Gajeel's eyes were filled with tears which he fought to hold but it was useless.

"Wahhh! Gajeel-kun!" Juvia whined as two comical rivers of tears started running down her face.

She hadn't even noticed that she had used the 'kun' honorific instead of 'san' as it had just happened automatically.

They just sat there, feeling sorry for themselves when they slowly looked at each other.

A snort from one of them.

A snort from the other.

And then they both lost it and burst out laughing together.

"See?! You do cry!" Juvia teased.

"You look so ugly when you cry!" Gajeel retorted.

Juvia faked a gasp and yelled "That's not a thing to say to a lady!" while playfully slapping his shoulder.

"Getting voilent now, are we?! Well, alright, guess I'll return the favor!" with a wide grin Gajeel grabbed the girl in a headlock and started gicing her a noogie, his grin growing when she shrieked in protest but still also laughing.

Her attempts to wrestle herself away from him resulted in him falling onto his back with her on his chest.

They both lay there for a while, laughing happily at the silly moment before finally calming down a bit.

Juvia shifted a bit so she was lying completely on top of him on her stomach, lazily plopping her chin on his chest.

"Gajeel-kun is not nearly as bad as eveone says he is." she said without thinking before gasping and rolling off him, covering her mouth with her hands.

"Gihi! It's fine! I've heard the rumors about me and I don't mind. Keeps the freaks out of my face." Gajeel just shrugged as he also sat up.

"And you know what?" he asked her.

"What?" she asked timidly.

"I don't mind the rain so much."

Juvia gasped at what she heard.

"D-does Gajeel-kun mean that?" she asked, feeling her whole body tremble from the shock.

"Sure. It's kinda like a free shower and with the way I smell like I need all the showers I can get." he grinned at her and she giggled.

Then she realised something.

"Juvia and Gajeel-kun get along really well." she pointed out.

"Really now? Didn't notice." Gajeel smirked.

"Juvia thinks... I think we could be great friends." Juvia looked down at her lap before bravely raising her eyes and looking into his wide ones.

"Friends..." he repeated as if the word was new to him, thought it probably was as he also didn't seem like someone who had many if any friends through his life.

He seemed to think it over before smiling (not grinning but smiling) at her.

"I'd like that." was all he said before Juvia lauched herself at him with a happy sqeal and hugged him, tightening her grip when she felt him hug her back.

They sat there for a while, just simply enjoying the feeling of being hugged before Gajeel let go.

"Come on, Rain-woman. I'll walk ya home." he told her and already started walking away.

Normally Juvia would have been hurt when someone called her with that old nickname but she didn't mind it when Gajeel did it.

All the other peopl in her life had called her that out of pure hate towards her but when Gajeel did it it sounded... affectionate.

Juvia quickly run to catch up with him and tell him.

3 years later

"And that was how Juvia and Gajeel-kun became best friends!" Juvia proudly finished telling her friends from Fairy Tail how she had become such good friends with the iron Dragon Slayer after Lucy had asked her.

All of the girls all had smiles on their faces and most guys too but some were also grinning evily.

"Whahaha! Metal-head cried!" Natsu laughed as he and Gray leaned on each other for support.

"We are so gonna get him with this!" the ice-mage grinned.

"You two stop that right now!" Lucy ordered, her hands on her hips.

"Being able to crying even in front of others is MAN!" Elfman boomed and this was one of the few moments where many people, even Evergreen, nodded in agreement.

Natsu and Gray however seemed to be alreasdy to far away in their dream of teasing a bright red iron dragon slayer.

As if on cue the doors of the guildhall opened and Gajeel came walking in.

The idiotic duo stormed his way, ready to start taunting him but then they were both punched on the back oif their heads, making them fall over and slide into a wall.

Looking back they had expected to see Erza but instead of the great Titania they found Juvia standing where they had been only a second ago.

Eveyone seemed shocked at what had happened.

"J-Juvia? I thought you loved me?" Gray weakly asked, watching the woman fix her stance and let out a ''hrmph!" noice.

"Juvia does love you, Gray-sama." she said and when was about to ask why she had hit him then she added "But she will never let anyone bother Gajeel-kun." making his and Natsu's jaws drop.

"Gihihi! That's my girl!" Gajeel laughed as he walked up to his blue-haired best friend and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

At that Juvia turned completely happy again and smiled up at him.

"Is Gajeel-kun hungry? Juvia has some new silverware at home." she told him and without waiting for an answer she linked their arms and started walking away, pulling him with her.

Before the doors closed behind them you could still hear Gajeel say "Damn, couse I'm hungry! You always got the best snacks for me, Juv!" and the doors closed.

Everyone looked at the duo that was still lying on the floor.

"Geez, if Juvia already does something like this when someone plans to taunt Gajeel I'd hate to see what Gajeel would do if someone planned to taunt Juvia." Lucy spoke up and the rest of the guild all silently nodded.

Gajeel was already pretty voilent when he was in a good mood so nobody wanted to take any risks.

But one thing was for sure.

The two former Phantom Lord mages were still perfect examples of best friends together.

The End

I just love those two as friends! Please review and read my other stories!