Fairy Tail Furious

Chapter 26

Readying his car besides Vidaldus in his Road Runner, Gray couldn't resist his small chuckle. "Let's say that that I get really protective of those I really care about," he shrugged simply, his demeanour slowing down to a stiff and unsure (which is very much unlike him). "Especially when it comes to you, Juvia."

Juvia mentally shook the thought away. "Because Juvia and Gray-sama have known each other since we were pretty young. Sixteen, or so, when Gray-sama joined?"

"Not like that," Gray mumbled. "It's more than that, Juvia, and you know that."

Juvia stole a quick glance before looking out the passenger window. "Gray-sama...Gray-sama knows that it's -" she cleared her throat and exhaled. Her cheeks burning harder now. "If Jose ever found out about anyone in a relationship outside of Phantom Lord's territory, things won't be good."

"Jose is more bark and no bite," Gray bit out, making Juvia bite her lip to hold back her giggle.

A tiny smile on her lips, Juvia played with her fingers. "I-if Juvia could, she wishes she could -!"

A loud, ear-splitting whistle echoed through the barriers of Gray's car, igniting the start of the race between him and the Trinity Raven rocker beside him. He stole a glance to his passenger, who went expressionless and stared ahead of her, leaving him to remind himself that this race was about her future. His foot on the gas and his right hand on the gear stick, Gray set himself on the poorly paved road on the mountain alongside with the Road Runner screeching its tires. He was thankful that they both had their seat belt straps across their torsos when he made the first out of the top, from lurching to different sides with force.

Juvia closed her eyes and breathed, feeling her heart rate slowing down with the smooth sound of the engine massaging her back in her seat and the sound of the screeching tires distracted her from reality. This was always a remedy for her, being inside a car when she was stressed or feeling ill; whether it was her driving or someone else, it was always the cars that made her feel better about everything around her, ever since she was very small.

However, riding inside Gray's car for the first time, is sparked a vivid memory that she buried deep in the back of her head. While she would be alright with her brother driving her around and make her feel better all the time, Juvia could remember how her stepfather used drive her and Gajeel around, way before her brother could drive by himself. It was different when her stepfather drove on the road, compared to her driving or even his own son's driving skills.

Whenever Gajeel's dad drove, even when he wasn't racing and just going for a slow ride, Juvia could feel how he was driving with a whole purpose behind the wheel. It was like Juvia could see her dad being part of the car, and vice versa, and then the whole world was in that one man's favor for that moment. Like now, inside Gray's car, with her in the seat, she felt how perfect and precise Gray's concentration was on the task.

Looking up, during a drifting turn where Vidaldus's ride was twisting alongside Gray, nearly pushing them over the edge into the rocky cliff, Juvia came to the sudden realization that her own hand was...

"It's okay," Gray's voice was stern, yet gentle in tone. Juvia's eyes snapped down to see her hand grasping his thick wrist in a vice grip, her knuckles turning white. Once Gray forced the gear to shift into drive, he briefly let go of the knob and flipped his palm upward. He tangled their fingers while his other hand held onto the wheel, turning it hastily. Bringing their hands up to his chin, he pressed his mouth to her stiff fingers, speaking against them. "It's going to be okay, Juvia."

But Juvia knew that. She knew that Gray had this handled perfectly in his mind, and she couldn't bring herself to doubt him. Juvia couldn't remember how she got to the point of holding onto Gray like that - she was calming down just fine! The blue haired woman certainly didn't want to come off that she was anywhere near nervous or afraid.