Frozen in Time || Gruvia Fanfiction ✓

Chapter 3

~~~ Juvia ~~~

Juvia's hands were clasped over her mouth in shock as Erza finished telling her about Gray's past. It was as if Juvia had lost the ability to speak.

"There you have it," Erza finished. "Like many of the wizards in Fairy Tail, Gray has a troubled history. Although, he has chosen to deal with it differently than most."

Juvia set her trembling hands in her lap as tears spilled onto her cheeks. "I never had any idea... I-I feel so insensitive."

"There's no need to feel that way Juvia," Mira said with a reassuring smile. Mira had sat through the whole story with her, occasionally shaking her head to guild members who tried to make their way over to the group. "There was no way you could have known, and I truly believe that Gray didn't intend to hurt you."

Mira's kind words did little to comfort the Water Mage. Juvia looked up at the armor-clad wizard in front of her.

"You mentioned that Gray dealt with the pain of his loss differently than the other wizards. What did you mean?" She asked cautiously. Erza was extremely trustworthy, but was known for her temper. In fact, the moment she walked through Fairy Tail's front doors, the brawling immediately came to a halt and everyone went back to their normal routines.

Erza gave Juvia a sad smile. "If I'm not mistaken, I believe you have already witnessed it."

Juvia's thoughts flashed back to Gray's sudden angry outburst, the frozen counter, and leaving the guild hall in a rage. She felt her breath get stuck in her throat just thinking about it.

Erza must have noticed Juvia's pondering because she said," Gray has completely closed himself off. While many people eventually come to terms with their pain, Gray dwells on it. He relives that same experience everyday. Do not get me wrong, Gray is very devoted to Fairy Tail and his friends. I have known Gray for a long time, and his demeanor has not changed. I can't blame him for not letting the past go. I was in a very similar state of mind once."

Juvia sat on her stool silently, and few tears dropped into her lap.

"I just can't believe I never noticed before. I always knew he was distant, but nothing of this caliber. I don't deserve to love him when I can't even recognize when he's hurting." Juvia put her hands over her mouth and nose to muffle her sniffles. She looked from Erza to Mira, searching for any hope in their expressions but found none. "Is there anything I can do, anything at all?"

Mira and Erza exchanged uneasy glances.

"I don't think so Juvia. Gray has been alone for so long and has revisited his past so many times that he might never come out of the shadows he has sealed himself in," Mira replied hesitantly.

Juvia felt a knot form in her stomach, and she couldn't find the words to reply. She looked over at the cracked counter top, and noticed that the once frozen spot had now turned into a small puddle.

~~~~~~

It was raining. But that wasn't any surprise to the rain woman. She had lived her entire life with the stormy clouds and water droplets that never ceased.

Phantom Lord, a dark guild, had attacked Fairy Tail and in response the wizards of Magnolia had declared war. Juvia Lockser was one of the Element Four, a group of the four most powerful wizards within the ranks of Phantom Lord. Juvia secluded herself from her guild mates, even her fellow S-class wizards. For the rain never left her, and she had come to accept it.

It was during this war that she met him. An Ice Mage, her enemy that she had to defeat like all the rest. But he didn't want to fight, and all of a sudden powerful waves of affection for the young man hit Juvia hard. She too, did not want to fight this devilishly handsome wizard who had somehow stolen her heart in a matter of seconds. She had never felt such emotions.

It was when he made a comment about the rain that Juvia snapped out of her trance.

"Is it just me, or is this rain getting worse?" He asked, looking up at the clouds overhead. "Man, it's so gloomy."

Juvia stood frozen to the spot, those words ringing in her mind. All of the memories of her childhood came crashing down at once. The harassment and bullying, the terrible comments about the gloomy rain and her life-long solitude. In a fit of rage, Juvia attacked the ice wizard with scalding water. Everything she had just fantasized turned to nothingness, and she felt as if he was just like the rest of the bullies she had come to hate.

The Fairy Tail wizard managed to freeze her water attack, and with it, the rain. The frozen droplets fell to the ground and shattered. Juvia's mouth hung open as she watched.

"He's amazing," she murmured.

"Ice-Make Geyser!" He yelled, and ice erupted from the ground beneath her. Juvia screamed as she was completely encased in his magic. The spell broke and took the ice with it. Juvia started to fall over the edge of the platform they had been battling on.

I will fall to the ground and splatter like a raindrop, Juvia thought to herself as she tumbled through the air. A fitting end for a rain woman... Goodbye, gloomy Juvia.

But without warning, she felt herself stop falling. Looking up, Juvia saw his hand clasped around hers.

"Just hold on, okay? I promise I won't let you fall."

Juvia stared at him in shock as he pulled her back onto the platform. She laid on her back, still injured and tired from the battle. Then all of a sudden the clouds started to part, and beams of bright light shone down on the rain woman. Juvia blinked a couple times before gazing at the vast expanse of blue sky before her.

"Hey look, the sun is coming out," he said with a small smile.

Tears blurred her vision and ran down her face. "The blue sky... I-I've never seen it before."

The ice wizard looked over at her in surprise and replied, "Seriously? Well, there you go. It's pretty don't you think?"

~~~~~~

Juvia sat at a small wooden table in her dorm at Fairy Hills.  After bidding farewell to Erza and Mirajane, Juvia had come home in a hurry trying to rid herself of her guilt and terrible emotions. But Erza's words continued to replay themselves in her mind.

"Gray has completely closed himself off.  While many people eventually come to terms with their pain, Gray dwells on it.  He relives that same experience everyday," Erza had said.

Sitting idly by was not an option for the water mage. After learning about his past, Juvia could not bear to watch from the sidelines and see her beloved suffer in silence.

Juvia suddenly stood, knocking her chair over backwards in the process. She clenched her fists until they turned pale. A look of pure determination made its way onto her face.

Gray had saved Juvia from the darkness.

And now it was her turn to save him.

~~~~~~

  In this chapter, I referenced Fairy Tail Episode 25: A Flower Blooms in the Rain.

  Votes and Comments are greatly appreciated!