MEANT TO BE | GRUVIA

18

Juvia coughed and rolled over. She had been stuck in bed all day. She woke up the night before with a fever, throwing up. Jennifer called off work to take care of her, which she was grateful for. After school, David came in to check on her, but left her alone after that. Now, she could hear Jennifer yelling at Gray. Their fights were becoming more intense, since the competition was coming up.

When the noise stopped, she closed her eyes and tried to go back to sleep. The ice pack in her forehead already melted, so her head was hot, and her pillow was wet.

The ice pack was replaced. She sighed in relief as her whole body chilled. "Are you feeling any better?" Gray asked, sitting on the bed beside her. Jennifer let him have a break, but only if he checked on Juvia.

"I am now," she said. She was mainly referring to the ice pack, but she was also glad he came to check on her.

"The new students came today," he said, brushing her hair out if her face. "They seem pretty cool. I think one if them likes Lisanna, though."

"That's good. Natsu is as clueless as a newborn," she giggled. She was starting to feel a lot better. She was glad that Gray was sitting with her. Believe it or not, she actually missed him. Maybe she was starting to like him a little...

"You're going to come over tomorrow, right?" he asked. "Chase is coming over. Ur said it would be nice for him to have a better impression of you."

"Did I meet him before?" Juvia asked. She felt like she knew him, all the more Ultear talks about him, but she was almost certain she hadn't met him in person.

"He came over the night we were drunk," he said, rubbing the back of his head. "So are you going to come?" He didn't know why he was asking. She would end up at his house anyways.

"Would you just pick me up sometime tomorrow?" she asked.

He chuckled softly. "I was just going to have you stay the night."

Juvia found herself blushing. She had spent the night as his house dozens of times before, but only this time did it bother her slightly.

"I better go back downstairs," he said, standing up. "We'll leave in a few hours."

X

"Ultear, can I sleep with you tonight?" Juvia asked. She nervously scratched her arm. She was in Gray's room, talking to him, but she said she had to use the bathroom. She used the time to ask Ultear.

"Uh, why?" she asked. She would be more than happy to, but she needed to make sure everything was okay first.

"No reason," Juvia blurted out. She didn't want to tell her that she thought she liked Gray, which made sleeping with him awkward.

"You can sleep in here," Ultear said. Juvia smiled and thanked her. She quickly left to go back to Gray's room.

After a few hours, it was time for everyone to go to bed. Juvia tried leaving for Ultear's room, but Gray stopped her. "Where are you going?" he asked.

"Ultear's room," she whispered. He walked over to the door and grabbed her hand, pulling her over to his bed.

"You didn't come over for a sleepover," he said, laying on the bed with her. "You're sleeping in here."

"B-but," she stuttered, blushing. She could feel his breath hitting her neck, making her blush more. She felt hot where he was holding her waist. She hadn't been in a relationship in a while, so she wasn't used to the feeling.

"Relax," he said. He noticed that she was unusually tense. He was wondering if something was wrong.

"O-okay," she stuttered.