Fairy Tail: Journeyman

Chapter 4: That's Not a Name!

As I pushed open the glass door, there was a faint chime that signaled our entrance.

I watched as a pale figure with tight blue curls walked out from the back kitchen. As she finished wiping her hands on a candy striped towel she started her speech.

"Welcome to Grey's! What can I get for-"

There was a distinct change in her demeanor as she saw me. Her once warm and cute voice turned cold and slightly hateful. "Oh. It's you."

I smiled, my small attempt at amicability despite her apparent distaste for my presence.

"Hey Juvia! How are you today?"

Her dark eyes blinked. "I'm fine trollop. And yourself?"

My eye twitched, as I tensed to keep my cool. I widened my smile.

"Oh I'm so glad! And here I was worried that you might be in the middle of a lawsuit because of your ridiculous store name."

The tension built in the room as we locked eyes. A staring competition that neither one of us would back down from. Natsu seemed immune to the aura however and was instead already peering through the display glass drooling over the varying flavors.

"My darling gray knows that my store is nothing short of an expression of my love! He would never sue me!"

I chuckled. "Oh really? Have you talked to him about it?"

Juvia harrumphed, crossing her arms in front of her. "We don't need to talk about it. Our relationship is far more than the mind of a blonde floozy could comprehend."

I sighed. It really was no surprise why I never came here. No matter how good the ice cream was it wasn't worth such blatant disrespect.

I can't say I really blame her though. Truly I think it's admirable how dedicated she is to him. But could she just take a deep breath and get it through her thick waterlogged brain that I am not interested in Gray?

Natsu broke the air. "Could I try the tropical cake?"

"But of course!" Her deathly furious air shifted back to the cute customer service voice she had originally sported.

Juvia danced over to him, immediately gathering a slight sample on a colored spoon.

As Natsu shoveled the sample into his mouth, Juvia watched expectantly.

"What do you think?" Before allowing him to respond I saw her twist around as she squealed giddily. "Don't you find the flavors riveting? The perfect combination of an icy exterior with the warm flavors of summer, just like my darling Grey! His cool and icy exterior just serves to hide the deep emotions he feels as gentle as a summer breeze."

He blinked. "Uh... sure. I don't really get it but I'll take a scoop!"

While still continuing her endless barrage of metaphors, Juvia scooped out a large serving of the yellow cream onto a brown sugar cone.

"You gonna get anything?" Natsu looked at me as he finished paying for his cone.

I waved my hands in front of me in refusal. "No I'm okay!" It wasn't like after that whole experience I would've really held an appetite anyway.

As the glass door to the shop closed behind us I felt a deep relief wash over me. Why does she hate me so much? I rubbed my face with my hands in exasperation.

His mouth full amidst bites of ice cream, Natsu mumbled out, "So who is this Grey anyway?"

My shoes clicked softly on the walkway.