● BLACK ▪ BLUE● ¤Gruvia¤

•13•

FAIRY TAIL GUILD HALL

"How is she?" Mirajane asked Gajeel, trying to dry off the bottom of a cup. "She's been like this for days..."

"What did you expect?" the Dragon Slayer asked gruffly, taking a bite of scrap metal. "You don't just get over something like that."

"Are you over it?" Elfman, carrying a crate, asked.

Gajeel didn't answer for a moment. "I have to be. She needs me to be."

Evergreen walked up to the bar, hefting two crates into her arm. Mirajane clapped, delighted that the small woman was so strong. Evergreen rolled her eyes and helped Elfman carry the crates to the back of the bar.

"Just don't push her, okay?" the brunette called over her shoulder. "That's not what she needs, to be pushed back into happiness." Her eyes narrowed, and Gajeel got the distinct feeling that she knew exactly what she was talking about. "That never works."
____________________________________
"Here, Juvia, do you want this?" Erza pushed the strawberry cake towards her, looking eager for Juvia to look happy. "I was saving it for later, but you can have it."

Juvia, still dull-eyed and heavy-looking, looked at the cake and shoved it back to Erza. "No, thank you. Juvia isn't very hungry for sweets."

"Uh..." Erza didn't seem to know how to respond to someone not wanting her favorite cake. "Uh..."

"Do you need anything, Juvia?" Freed, surprisingly, asked, sliding up next to Erza. "Anything you need, I can try-"

"Juvia doesn't need anything, Freed-san." Juvia traced another pattern into the wood. "Well..."

She needed Totomaru to be alive. She needed to not have a monster inside of her. She needed to not have a crazy man plotting to get her. But she doubted Freed could whip those things up in the kitchen.

"Oh." Freed stood up. Juvia noticed that he was dressed in brown pants and boots, wearing a white shirt and brown vest. A pack was slung over his shoulder. "Well, I'll be off then."

"Where are you going?" Erza asked.

"The master is sending out the Raijinshuu to look for Jose." Laxus stood behind them. "We'll be gone for some time, and we're not going to come back until we find something."

"Freed and Ever are renowned for their investigation skills, baby!" Bickslow cackled, resting his head on Freed's. "If there's something about Jose to be found, they'll find it."

"That's right." Ever was done helping Mira and Elfman with the bar work, and now she was standing next to Laxus. She was dressed similarly to Freed, except she wore a corset instead of a vest. "We're going to try, Juvia."

"Thank you," Juvia whispered hoarsely. She hoped they wouldn't get hurt.

"Stay safe," Wendy chirped, passing Bickslow a small container as he passed. "It's a salve. Just in case someone gets hurt."

"Thanks, kid! Sure it'll be of use."

Evergreen lingered by Juvia, then brushed the tips of her fingers against Juvia's shoulder. "Hey, I just wanted to say-" The bespectacled woman couldn't seem to get the words out, and her puzzled eyes looked at Juvia. "I wanted to say that, uh, we are going to try. I swear, I swear on my honor that I will fight against Jose."