Denying Part 2

08

Juvia let out an exasperated sigh. She was reading numerous novels in which the leads fake a relationship and end up falling, but her's wasn't like how she read them.

Yes, Alex made her heart flutter. Alex could even give Juvia butterflies in her stomach and Juvia knew she liked Alex but it all seemed so forced.

Juvia wasn't ready for a proper relationship. She wanted to get to know herself more before investing her time on someone else.

She sighed. "Alex, baby, I'm going to the guild" Baby was a new term of endearment for the two ever since they started dating.

"Shouldn't we go together, baby? I wanted to announce our relationship to the guild today" Alex said as he hurriedly munched on his breakfast.

"I-I need to go ask Levy something really urgent" Juvia fiddled her fingers.

"Okay, baby, I'll catch up with you later" Alex smiled warmly, warm enough to make Juvia's heart melt.

She sprinted to the guild which took her about four minutes and ten minutes if she didn't.

With her hands on her knee caps, she tried to catch her breath and when she finally did, she walked haphazardly in the guild.

Juvia joined Natsu, Erza, Lucy, Levy, Happy and Gajeel's table. "Yo, Juvia" Gajeel ruffled her hair, being the angelic best friend he was.

"What's wrong Juvia?" Lucy asked, with her lips pouted. "It's Alex- He- I" Juvia ran out of breath. Should she tell her friends about Alex's swelling when Alex didn't even know about his own condition?

But her friends was her only family and they could be trusted, even if she bet the world.

"Slow down, Juvia" Erza said, trying to pacify Juvia. "Now, tell us" Levy said, peeling her eyes off from the book she was reading.

"Alex has a swelling in his brain," Juvia said.

After telling them about Alex's conditions, she moved on to the heartbreaking one.

"So Juvia obviously had to agree when Alex told Juvia to be his girlfriend" Juvia sighed, placing her forehead against the table.

"Well that was fast" Natsu said, with his eyebrows raised in surprise. "I know," Juvia said.

"He used to be a stranger I took him in about a month ago. Don't get me wrong, he's kind, he's warm and he doesn't fail to make my heart flutter but Juvia can't help but think this is way too fast"

"So you're dating the little ice devil because he's dying in three months?" Gajeel clarified while stroking Levy's hair.

"or four" Happy said. "Tell you what," Erza said, looking at me with her hazel brown eyes. "Love isn't pity, Juvia. And what you're feeling now is pity"

"I know you're fulfilling a dying man's bucket list but I bet my life he'd rather die knowing that you loved him rather than live unconscious of the fact that all you feel is pity."

"Wow, wise words from Gajeel" Natsu rolled his eyes. "This is serious" Lucy said.

"And this isn't like any novel I've read before" Levy said. "You guys better shut up, because speaking of the ice devil, he's here" Gajeel whispered.

Alex came to join the table, and as if completely by chance, he sat next to her.

He wore a lopsided smile, and had happiness brim through his eyes.

'Well good job, Juvia, you lead him on' Juvia thought. "Wait here" Alex said before standing up and clearing his throat.

He was headed to the guild's stage,  where Gajeel would usually sing his lousy excuse of a song.

Lucy, Natsu, Erza, Happy, Gajeel, Levy all looked at Juvia with their eyes widened, they all saw it coming.

"Everyone," Alex said in a loud voice, enough for the whole guild to hear. Lucy held Juvia's hand, whispering a "It's gonna be okay"

"Me and Juvia..." Alex trailed off. "We're dating!" All of the guild members jumped out of their seats in surprise and sooner, looked at Juvia with smirks plastered in their faces while Lucy, Natsu, Happy, Erza, Gajeel and Levy looked at Juvia in distress.

Juvia forcibly stood up and joined Alex on stage. Juvia closed the gap between them and wrapped her left arm behind him.

"Yes, we're dating"

"Get a room!" Bickslow screamed with his tongue hanging out.

A few moments later, after the guild members finally recollected themselves Alex and Juvia joined the table once again.

"How many days have you been dating?" Erza asked as she pierced her strawberry with a fork.

"It's our first day" Alex said excitingly. "You're really lucky to have her" Levy said.

"Why? Would you like to have me too, Levy?" Juvia said sarcastically as she rolled her eyes with a smile.

Levy quickly blushed and immediately looked at Gajeel who gave her a keen look.

"I'm just joking," Juvia said, waving her hand in front of Gajeel as if she were to dismiss the topic "unless if you really do, Levy-san"

The group of friends burst out in laughter as they tried to stop, failing miserably.

"Anyway," Erza cleared her throat. "Let's say Juvia really does end up with Alex, and marries him"

"That would change Juvia's surname, Lockser, into whatever your surname is" Erza pointed at Alex.

"So, what is your surname?"

Alex's eyes narrowed, as if he was punched in the guts. It took a while to recompose himself and answer the question.

When reality finally dawned upon him, he gave an "I don't know" for an answer.

Erza's lips pursed when she realized Alex didn't have a surname like her, after all, it was Jellal who gave her last name; Scarlet.

"I don't like your name," Natsu blurted out in the middle of the conversation. "It doesn't suit you"

Juvia bit her lips before saying,

"Gray Fullbuster, let's call him that"

It felt like it wasn't Juvia who said it, there was a pang of confusion when she said it. 'Where did I get that?' She said to herself.

"Gray Fullbuster, I like it"