TRISTFUL. GRUVIA

XVIII. FALLEN

g.f 

The rain poured and poured, not ever seeming to have a break. It just kept on going, it's familiar rhythmic beat that hit the ground echoing in my ears non-stop. Those clusters of liquid that were falling from above soaked into my hair, dripping down my face. The sky was coated with shades of gray, shielding it's true form of a bright blue from the rest of the world, reflecting the aura of my surroundings.

Several stories towered aloft me, the building that stood before me quite huge. Trying to ignore the storm that was brewing, I moved onto the next doorstep that was aligned across this array of connected apartments. My eyes traced along the stamp of words that were imprinted to the left of the door. The number that was written stated, 18.

This was it..I had arrived at Juvia's. I glanced at the note card that Lucy had handed me hours ago, just to make sure that I was correct. The two numbers matched.

My hand folded itself into a fist as it knocked onto the hard, wooden, door. I was hoping that she would answer. I needed to talk to her..if we could become closer, I figured that it could help trigger her memory.

After waiting for a few seconds, the knob abruptly began to twist, as if a key was being inserted, the door making a slight creaking noise as it widened. I could make out a figure hidden behind it, the girl's blue locks in clear sight. Juvia tentatively peered out, her somber gaze meeting mine. Her appearance gave me a feeling that she must've been through such misery. She blinked, her eyes drifting away from me shortly after, as if she were afraid to look any longer. Her lips then drew open, words beginning to form from her mouth, but the sound it produced almost inaudible.

"S-Silver? Is it really you?"

"Y-yes," I awkwardly replied, my mind completely irresolute upon what her reaction could possibly be.

One single tear rolled down Juvia's cheek, a smile configuring itself onto her face. Her heels lashed against the surface as she abruptly rushed over to where I stood, her arms wrapping themselves around me securely. She gave off a radiant temperature, her soothing warmth sending chills down my spine, my body tending up at the feeling. I reached out towards her, my finger brushing against her skin, wiping away the trickles of liquid that was glazed all over.

Her breath exhaled onto my chest, her muffled voice softly murmuring, "I am very blessed that you are still alive.. If you had died, I would honestly not know how I would be able to survive. I-I couldn't bare to lose another person, Silver..please don't leave me, don't leave me like he did."

My eyes narrowed on hers, my jaw now clenched as a sense of anger suddenly washed over me. It pissed me off to know that someone was damaging the poor girl's life much more than I had already done..she deserved to be happy, but no one seemed to give her it. "Who the hell hurt you Juvia?"

She shook her head, her eyes wandering below her. It was as if she were now refusing to acknowledge my presence. "I..I can handle it on my own. It was my fault anyways, I was the one who had caused the trouble," Juvia reassured.

I cupped her chin and lifted it up, forcing her face to be in short proximity to mine. "You can tell me anything," I told her, "I'll help you get through whatever your problem is."

"Are you sure? I..you've already done so much for me, I'm going to feel bad if-"

"I'm doing it because I want to," I interrupted.

"Well then, thank you very much.. It really means a lot to me," Juvia commented, pushing her hair aside so it didn't cover up her face.

"Now, tell me who the guy is."

"L-Lyon.." She muttered.

"That bastard.. What did he do now?" I inquired.

"It was me..not him," Juvia clarified, "I accidentally yelled the words, 'leave me alone', but it wasn't meant to be for him..it was just all a misunderstanding. However, he doesn't know that..he doesn't think that I love him, or that I ever did, even though I truly do. I-I miss him.."

"Oh."

That was the only thing I could say, the only response I could come up with. I now felt confounded, torn between the single question that Lucy and Ultear had left me with in the past. When she had just confessed her love for Lyon, I had felt a pang in my stomach..one in which brought a strange wave of emotions upon me, one in which caused me to feel in great misery. Was I perhaps..jealous?

No.

I couldn't be.

"Silver?" She asked, adjourning me from my thoughts.

"Oh right..I got distracted, sorry," I conveyed, "If I were you, I'd go talk to him and explain what had happened. I can promise you that he'll understand the situation."

"Yeah, you're right..thank you so much for the advice. I am going to go talk to him now," She said.

I nodded as I watched Juvia walk away..as I watched her run towards the love of her life. Her footsteps trailed farther into the distance, as if it was her goodbye to what we had once had, of what we were supposed to be in her eyes.

My lips curved into a frown, my head spinning as I knew how fate would end for the two of us. As her footsteps trailed farther into the distance, I knew that this was her goodbye to me..to us. What we had once before, what we were supposed to be, was no longer there. In her eyes.

I should have probably been happy for this, I should have finally felt at ease that she had moved on from me. However, I now realized what I had been missing all of this time. I had finally admitted to myself a fact that I had denied many times before, a fact in which I had never imagined of being possible.

I had fallen in love with the rain woman, but she had fallen for another.

I was too late.