The Heart Never Lies - A Gruvia Story

As A Family

AN: Just a bittersweet drabble after today's chapter – 512 – with Gruvia and hints of NaLu. :)

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Lucy snuggled closer to Natsu and glanced at his chest, where Happy was lying down to help him keep warm. Polyuska had told Lucy to just lie next to him if she wasn't going to give him her clothes (Polyuska had a cape but Lucy didn't see her rushing to cover her patient), the next best thing was to warm him up with body heat, hence Lucy's current snuggle moment with the Dragon Slayer.

She glanced past Happy and saw Gray, she could see the profile of his face and he was quietly staring at the blunette lying on the ground next to him.

It had been a surprise when Gray sat down and told them about Invel's words. He didn't speak after that, just sat next to Juvia and waited.

They were both waiting for their friends to regain consciousness, thousand of unanswered questions hanging over them and the uncertain future that waited for them. Lucy could feel in her soul her life would never be the same after that day.

All of their lives would never be the same.

Seeing the others were talking out of their earshot, Lucy turned her back to Natsu making sure she still touched him to help with his body temperature.

"What was he like?" Lucy asked in a whisper and her only indication Gray heard her was how his body tensed. "Natsu, I mean. You said he's E.N.D. What was he like when he changed? I didn't see it and by the way you two were fighting..." She let the words trail off. "So... what was he like?"

It took Gray a few moments to answer. "Driven to find Zeref." The Ice Mage said, his eyes fixed on Juvia's unconscious form.

Lucy wanted more information than that. "Did he attack you? Was that why you were fighting?"

"We attacked each other at the same time."

The blonde frowned in confusion. "If he didn't attack you then why-"

"Juvia died." Gray cut her off and Lucy's frown deepened, she glanced at Juvia and saw the soft movements of her chest as she breathed.

"Wendy-"

"She died." He interrupted again and Lucy's heart pained after hearing his tone, heartbroken. "Both of us were dying and with her final breaths she saved my life. I woke up and she was dead, but I could her inside my head as she said good-bye, as weird as it sounds. I held her in my arms and I begged for her to come back. There was so much blood." Gray gulped. "Wendy managed to save her, her heart must've been beating very weakly but I didn't know that. All I knew during that time was that she died. And it hurt more than I can describe you.

"Do you understand me, Lucy? Juvia saved my life, died and I came back empty. No, not empty. I was so angry. I was angry at Invel and I was angry at Juvia. She left me behind, alone. I was so angry I wanted revenge and that's why I went after Invel. Not for one second I thought of him as an enemy I needed to stop to protect the world. He was the man that killed her and I wanted for him to pay. It was that simple.

"I almost killed him and the pain didn't become any lighter. And then he told me about Natsu and how I was fated to be unhappy until E.N.D was dead. I didn't believe him at first but then I started to think about his history. So many unanswered questions, so many holes in his memory. But I was tired, I wasn't thinking straight. It had been years since I felt that much pain and then I saw Natsu.

"I hope you never get to be in his presence, Lucy. If I hadn't been the way I were, I probably would've felt fear. It was Natsu, but something more. Evil. I asked him if he was E.N.D. and he didn't answer, just kept going on and on about Zeref. I started to talk and think about all I lost because of Zeref and suddenly he wasn't Natsu anymore. He became a thing.

"All I could see was a demon. I saw Zeref. I am not proud of it, I know he didn't deceive us, he is as much of a victim of Zeref's as me but I just wanted... Shit, Lucy, I wanted to make someone else feel as much pain as I was feeling. I was being selfish and all I wanted was to hurt him. I said I wanted to kill him but I know I couldn't do it. I just... I don't know if I wanted him to kill me. I was so tired, so freaking tired of losing that I just... I was fighting with everything I had but I hoped... It doesn't matter now.

"Seeing Erza made my head clearer, and so did Natsu's, I could see it in his eyes. I should've done that. I should've talked to him but I was shattered. Every breath was painful because Juvia wasn't breathing anymore. Then I heard her voice and I saw her alive and my world fell around me again."

Lucy felt her eyes sting with tears for her friend. He had been through a lot in such small period of time. She could see how seeing Juvia die after saving his life would make him lose it; it was his greatest fear coming to life. Besides, everyone knew how much Juvia meant to him, even if he hadn't said anything. They knew it was just a matter of time.

And he thought they had run out of time. He thought he had lost her forever.

"I'm sorry." It was what she managed to say in a whisper and Gray finally looked her way.

"I don't know why I got a second chance and after today I don't think I deserve it but I am taking it. Juvia and Natsu are going to wake up, we will find out exactly how Natsu's life force is connected with Zeref's and we'll have a plan to defeat Zeref and keep Natsu alive." Gray told the blonde. "I was lost for a while but I know what's important and I know the truth: all of us are family and we don't give up no matter what. Zeref will be stopped and we'll go back home to rebuild Fairy Tail." His gaze returned to Juvia and Lucy was surprised to see him stealthily reach for Juvia's hand, but didn't say anything, afraid he got shy and stopped. "Maybe things will be better after that."

"I'm sure they will be." Lucy smiled softly when she noticed his thumb caressing Juvia's hand. Oh, there was a story there and even though she wanted to ask, she knew Gray wouldn't tell her. Maybe she could get the whole story from Juvia after a couple of weeks. "We'll make a plan when they wake up."

Gray nodded and after a moment, Lucy turned back to face Natsu – it was intimate, the way Gray was looking at Juvia, waiting, and she felt like an intruder. Instead, she focused on Natsu's face and touched his scarred cheek.

Stupid Natsu, getting hurt all the time and worrying her.

His temperature was lower than usual, but he felt much hotter than before so she was helping and so was the sleeping Happy on top of Natsu (the poor cat had been exhausted as well, worried about his friend).

All he needed to do now was to wake up so they could think about what to do. They were his family and they wouldn't back down just because things got complicated.

Complicated was what Fairy Tail was about and it was the best complication in the world.

They would figure it out together, all of them. As a family.

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AN: Let's hope we don't jump back to Erza and Eileen's fight after this week's chapter.