A Flower Blooms in the Rain (Gruvia)

Chapter Seven

 CHAPTER SEVEN

Gray's POV

"Gray! Wait, you idiot!" I skidded to a stop and turned to face Natsu, who was storming after me with a furious expression on his face.

"What?" I asked. The heat of the afternoon sun was being to get to me and I was getting increasingly more frustrated. 

"Do you even know where we're going?" I stared at him for a moment and then felt my legs turn to jelly. I flopped down onto the baking desert sands, feeling it kick up under my feet and sting my face. 

"I knew it. We're lost, aren't we? Well?"

"We're lost." I admitted. Natsu scowled.

"Gray, you are a MORON!" He shouted. I could feel myself getting angry as well.

"It's alright for you, you're a fire dragon slayer! How do you think I feel, I'm an ice mage!" I yelled back.

"Well, if you hadn't run off like that in the first place-"

"What are you two doing?" We both whipped around to see Mira-Jane standing there, looking confused.

"Natsu!" Natsu staggered back a few steps as the full force of his blue flying cat hit him in the face. "Don't ever leave me alone again Natsu! I was so worried!" Happy howled. Natsu managed to prise his friend off his head and grinned.

"Sorry Happy. It'll never happen again."

"I hope not!"  The exceed bawled.

"Erm..." said Mira-Jane, tapping me on the shoulder. "Could you please answer my question?" I turned away from Natsu and Happy and looked at her.

"We were going to find Juvia." I told her. To my surprise she punched the air and grinned.

"Yes!"

"What is it?" I asked, feeling bewildered.

"Well, you see, we all took bets to decide if you loved her or not. Freed is going to kill me when he finds out. But, on the plus side, he owes me fifty jewels."

My jaw dropped. "You... you cannot be serious..." I choked.

"Do not underestimate the power of love Gray." She said with a smile.

Juvia's POV

It was so dark in here. I could feel it, the weight of the shadow, pinning me down and making it hard to breathe. The scent of fire, the odour of hot metal and baking stone mixed with the dust, the stench of burned powder and sulphur. It clouded the air.

I wondered when he was coming back.

My thoughts drifted to Gray. He was the one person who chased away the rain. He chased away the grey skies that surrounded me, filled my world with sunshine, making every day warm and yellow and happy.

I could hear the rain now. It pounded on the walls and the windows up above, hard and heavy enough for me to hear it, all the way down in the basement.

The candlelight puttered and went out.

I allowed myself the luxury of dying as the electricity continued to flicker over my body.

Gray's POV

I was back at the guildhall, nose to nose with Makarov. The FairyTail master was sitting on the bar as usual. But, unlike usual, he was being uncommonly disloyal and difficult.

"I told you once Gray, and I'll tell you again. We can't just go charging into a possible battle and minefield without a plan."

"You hypocrite! That has never bothered you before."

"He's got a point Gramps." Said Natsu.

Makarov breathed in and closed his eyes. "Fine," he said without looking at us. "Go and find Juvia. But don't just go on your own. Take someone with you." He finally opened his eyes. "Good luck."

I looked over at Natsu. I didn't need to say a word. "It's okay. I got your back." He said, clapping a hand down on my shoulder.

"Hey, Lucy!" Happy shouted. The blonde waved back at him.

"Yeah?"

"We're going on a road-trip!"

"Yes! Let's go!"

I rolled my eyes but followed Lucy out of guildhall and into the setting sun. A group of three. This could work.

Grell's POV

It's hard, hard. Letting go.

I finally feel at peace but it feels wrong.

Of course it feels wrong. You are a creature of destruction.

I could hear footsteps on the stairs.

My hands and feet are weaker than before.

They were getting closer.

One thousand silhouettes, dancing on my chest.

I shrank back, the chains on my wrists and ankles clinking. The door slowly swung open, a patch of weak light illuminating the room.

"Mr Sutcliffe? I do believe you have a report for me that is two weeks overdue."

I stared at the figure standing in the doorway.

No matter where I sleep, you are haunting me.

"Will?" I croaked.

Gray's POV

"Uhh, Gray! This desert goes on forever." Lucy whined. "And I'm sooooooooooooo thirsty."

"Don't worry Lucy. We will be out of here soon enough."

"Are you sure you know where we are going this time?" Natsu piped up.

I gritted my teeth. "Yes, I'm sure."

We continued to walk on in silence for a few minutes. With every step we took, we got closer to Juvia.

Hopefully.

I was walking on blind instinct. Putting all my trust in my love for a woman who, the first time I met, I was trying my hardest to kill. I shuddered now, thinking of it.

But maybe I shouldn't feel so bad. She was trying to kill me, too.

"Gray......." Lucy brought me out of my thoughts with more complaints. "Are we nearly there yet?"

"Yeah, when are we going to get there?" Happy asked.

I was beginning to feel like the exasperated father of two five year olds. There was a flash from behind me and I looked back to see Lucy encased in a giant walking clock. She waved at me and stuck her tongue out from behind the glass.

"No fair!" Happy cried, battering the spirit with his tiny paws. "Let me in too!"

"Clocks are no places for cats, she says." Droned Horologium.

"Stay out of this, you stupid spirit!"

A/N  Hey Guys! I'm sorry for not updating for so long, but I hope that this chapter is okay for now. I know nothing much happens in it, but a ton of stuff has been going on in terms of school and work and more school, so I haven't had time to develop it as much as I would of liked. Anyway,  thanks for reading and see you again soon!

UnderStars56