Love In The Ice - A Gruvia Story [COMPLETE]

First Step

The day after the party, Juvia couldn't stop thinking about what happened in the bathroom, how much she wanted Gray to kiss her and how he seemed to want to do that as well, but by some reason didn't act on it.

But it was fine, she couldn't have anything with him. Not after Bora, it would be a mistake.

Then why couldn't she stop think about him? The way he smiled, how passionate he was when he was talking about hockey or architecture, how sweet he was when she had hit that man at the diner. He had sent all the signals that he was interested in her, but when it was time to make a move, he ran away.

Knowing she needed to understand why he acted that way (out of pure curiosity, of course), Juvia met up with Cana and Lucy after they spent a couple of hours at the mall, they were going towards the bus stop, the blunette couldn't help but to bring up the subject.

"So..." Juvia cleared her throat when the subject about tests was finished. "Juvia was wondering something."

"Oh?" Cana was sending a text on her phone and Lucy looked at her, waiting for the question.

The blunette hesitated for a second before speaking. "Yesterday night, at the party, something almost happened and Juvia just wants to know why it didn't."

Cana's attention immediately changed from her phone to Juvia and Lucy gasped, knowing it was something juicy. "What happened?"

"At the party, when Juvia was talking with Gray-sama" Juvia ignored Lucy's excited squeal "someone bumped into him and he spilled his beer on me." Cana snorted. "He dragged Juvia to the bathroom to help her clean up." She bit her lower lip for a moment. "When we were there... Juvia doesn't think he realized what he was doing, but he cleaned up this... area." She moved her hands over her chest.

Cana laughed. "I didn't think he had it in him. Very forward of him."

Juvia could feel her cheeks get hotter. "Once he did realize what he was doing, we... looked at each other and for a moment there, Juvia could swear he would kiss her, all the signs were there, but someone opened the door and he didn't. He just ran away and didn't even look back when Juvia called his name." The blunette finished, frustrated.

Lucy and Cana looked at each other for a moment and the blonde was the first to speak. "Well, Juvia. Gray has always been closed up and it takes a while for him to open up, always did."

"The thing is, now he's even worse because his ex-girlfriend, Daphne... she broke his trust and he really liked her. They were together for eight, nine months?" Cana asked and Lucy nodded in agreement. "But then, she cheated on him with a former member of his team." Juvia's eyebrows rose up. "Yeah. The guy had graduated a semester before and apparently they had been meeting behind Gray's back for four months before Gray caught them at her apartment."

Lucy sighed. "She gave him a key but Gray doesn't like to drop by unannounced anywhere, he always calls or texts to make sure it is okay. That day, though, he forgot his backpack at her place and she was supposed to be working, so he thought it would be okay to just stop by quick to get it."

"And he found her in bed with the guy." Cana looked pissed off. "She said she was meaning to break up with him for a while but didn't have the courage to do it, so, of course her answer was to lie and cheat on him for months. That bitch."

"It's been six months and I haven't seen him dating anyone since." Lucy shrugged. "To be honest, I don't think he even looked at another woman in that time. But he looks at you."

"What?" Juvia felt her heart beat faster.

"I don't know what you did, but ever since you two met, he's been less cranky." Cana told her. "I don't know what can come up from this, but you make him look alive when you are around. I saw you two talking, he likes you." The brunette stared at Juvia. "And you like him, am I right?"