OK Then

Chapter 12

And, well, the rest of the year coursed on rather smoothly, save for Juvia's constant clinging of Gray. She basically never left his side now, turning into the one following him instead of the other way around. Gray was extremely bothered at first, trying to soften Juvia's attention and build the space they had before, but it really grew on him. It even seemed like he enjoyed the focus sometimes.
Juvia was spending another weekend studying for the pre-summer finals, diligently jotting solutions to her Arithmetic problems before switching to Literature & Spells writing, reading a heavy textbook on Nordic Rune chants and symbol circles. Juvia memorized a page on summoning with scripture chalk and the proper way to enunciate a spell introduction before the air suddenly became freezing cold. Like the dorm's AC suddenly turned to full blast or she "turned on" the winter charm circle she wrote in her Lit notebook. Juvia turned to her window, second-guessing herself that she had, in fact, shut it tight.

She nearly fell from her chair from shock.

Gray was crouching there, arm over his head and leaning on the pane of glass. He had no definite expression, but his shirt and hair were messy and unkempt and billowing in the night wind. It was as though Gray had rolled out of bed after a heavy draught of sleeping, or he took extra care not to tidy his appearance before walking--or climbing--out of his room and coming here.
Speaking of which...
"What are you doing here?" Juvia whispered to him excitedly as she opened the window with a mixture of euphoric glee and shock. It was like a romantic rendezvous!
Gray shrugged carelessly and gripped the beam overhead, staring down at Juvia and trying to hide a bright grin. "Just wanted to see if you're open to go anywhere tonight. Planetarium's empty if you wanna go."

Yes, thought Juvia. A million million million times yes. Say yes.

"I-I need to study." she said instead, her heart rate climaxing to the point of exploding with love-lorn fantasy. Gray looked half disappointed, reaching to close her Spells book with his extra hand. Juvia nervously glanced at her open notebooks, quickly closing her Chemistry notebook before Gray noticed her little heart-shaped doodles struck with arrows and J+G and Fullbuster in their centers. She blushed fiercely as Gray quirked an eyebrow in the direction of the pages. Gray rolled his eyes playfully and tugging on her shirt sleeve. He tilted his head, giving her a small smile and cocking his head, silently inching her to go with him. "There're gonna be a few shooting stars out tonight. If you're worried about your homework, I'm sure your can take a few notes for your teacher or something. Besides, it's only for tonight."
Juvia nodded happily, taking Gray's hand and exiting her room, the pages ruffling from the breeze outside. They ran silently and quickly across the school, jogging over the lush meadows before coming upon a clearing. Juvia laughed loudly, the adrenaline in her body making her tittery and elated as Gray shushed her and tripped over a rock. Juvia nearly died of giggles before tripping alongside Gray and falling backward. They burst with laughter at each other, holding their stomachs as the sky further dimmed from the setting sun. Juvia looked up, feeling a little pelt and the drizzle of water down her face before the weather turned from clear to a slight sprinkle. Juvia cowered, shrinking back and whimpering a little before Gray came up to her and extended his hand. She nervously accepted, shocked from the sudden rise and hug and twirl of her body before Gray stood her next to him. She shivered, still scared, watching Gray walk over and stomp in a small, shallowly filled puddle and send more water everywhere. "C'mon!" he yelled, smashing a foot into another little pool of water. "It's fun, trust me!"
Juvia hesitated, standing away from the scene. Gray let his shoulders droop, walking over with soaked feet to her. He smirked, stomping in a puddle and sending a little bit of water over to Juvia. The girl hesitated, barely moving an inch before Gray picked her up in his arms and jumped into puddles all around the clearing. Juvia yelled for him to stop, laughter spreading through her as Gray kept hopping into puddles one by one and sent water everywhere. She clutched onto him, shrieking with fear and the butterflies in her stomach before wriggling, reluctantly, out of his arms and lamely stomping into a puddle of water, sending tiny drops into the air. Gray shook his head, showing her how to do it properly: with a large jump and a heavy hit. Juvia tried again, giving off a larger effect. She giggled lightly, stomping all around and yelling for Gray to join her. He obliged cheerfully, jumping with her and sending water all over the place before they ran out of the clearing, the rain intensifying and the puddles getting more abundant. They ran into each one, splashing each other and dying of amusement and chuckles, giggles, chortles, shrieks before they saw the planetarium in the distance, dark and large and brimming with memories of star-gazing. Juvia pulled Gray to the building, already climbing and reaching the top before Gray even reached up an arm. They sat, panting at the top, the thunder and rain no longer a concern to Juvia. For some reason--wink wink--Juvia was far more concerned with the fact that Gray's shirt was attractively clinging to his body. Juvia blushed deeply and stared at a soaking-with-rain wet Gray as he leaned back on his hands, breathing fast and heavy as a button came undone and exposed some of his chest. Ooh, what if he stripped right now; Juvia can't take anymore lovely and romantically placed happenings! But how.... um... lovely they are indeed...
Juvia scooted closer to Gray, their breaths quick and tired from their running around school grounds. The rain kept pouring, drenching them as Gray tapped her shoulder and pointed her gaze up to the sky. Juvia gasped with the least bit of sound despite her breathlessness. There were shooting stars, glimmering and sparkling quickly across the sky in the dozens. Beautiful.
Gray smiled, turning to her and giving a small bit of talk at a baffled and amazed Juvia, their breaths and hearts still fast from the exercise. They were both exhausted, but still stared with vigorous energy as the bright lights flashed across the shimmering night sky.