my mistake [gruvia fanfic]

7

Enjoy chapter 7!

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Normal POV

A year has passed since Juvia left and Gray has never been the same. Since she left, every time he was in a fight with Natsu, which barely happened, he would look back to see if Juvia was watching and cheering for him and get punched. He was even less focused now that Juvia was gone than when she was around Gray. His mind was just blank all the time now.

Gray would always be at the guild bar sulking or at his home, still sulking. He would regret everything he ever said to Juvia and would be mad at himself for saying them out loud. He rejected any invite for a job with Team Natsu. Only when Erza was fed up with Gray and dragged him to the train was when he finally went on a job. He seemed life-less and pale, never wanting to get up to do anything. Everything about him seemed off and unusual.

And worst of all...

Gray had stopped stripping.

Whenever he actually went to the guild, Gray's clothes would have been messily put on, like his shoes were untied and his pants was sagging. He eventually got too lazy to do anything.

The guild would all ask him what's wrong, but he just ignored the questions, his mind filled with Juvia. Gray would have kept replaying that scene in his mind over and over, thinking of what he could have done differently and how that would have affected everything. But now it's too late to change it.

The memories were like scars that never go away. As Gray sulked, Erza, Mirajane, and Lucy would pity him because love is the one thing that can strengthen a person, or tear them apart.

"Oi! stripper-boy!" Natsu yelled, getting fired up.

"Why are you calling him stripper boy? He stopped stripping a while ago," Gajeel said as he finally showed up in the story.

"Go on a job with the almighty Team Natsu!" He ignored Gajeel's intro and was trying to get Gray out of his sulk position. He put his foot on a chair and his hands on his hips like a superhero looking into the wind.

"No, I'm good," Gray said as he put his head down on his arms, his words could barely be interpreted. Natsu was very close to picking up the Popsicle and slapping some sense into him. They were only trying to help and he was denying it all.

"It's a job in the mountains! You can search for Juvia-san there!" Wendy suggested and held the request in front if Gray. He looked up and saw that she was right. "We already got an approval from Mira-san so we can go right away!"

"Aye! Search for Juvia there and make up with her!" Happy cheered on. "Or make out.." He smirked and tried to hide it.

"Maybe you're right. I'll go," He lifted up his head and walked out of the guild with Team Natsu. Happy's jaw dropped a little as he thought Gray was only going to make out with Juvia. He smiled and followed the team out.

*******

Juvia has had great experiences with James. They would take care of the house and and catch their food. Juvia and James were like Hansel and Gretel, just without the getting lost or the candy or the witch... nevermind it isn't anything like Hansel and Gretel but they were like family.

They were like a good couple, but only called each other 'oneesan' or 'oniisan'. They were brothers and sisters.

"Oniisan!" Juvia called as she went home with a basket full of berries. There were some berry smudges on her lips and James giggled. "Juvia has gotten berries from the bushes."

"Onee-chan? Wow! That's a lot of berries! Maybe we could have a little more if you didn't eat them before you got here," James laughed and Juvia wiped her lips. They smiled at each other as they walked into the cabin.

"Freshly picked though!" Juvia said as she placed the basket full of berries on the kitchen table.

"Good job Onee-chan! I also caught some fish, so we could eat that for dinner tonight,"  James said as he also placed his catch down on the table and started to skin it.

"Sure!"

Juvia and James has never had such fun. They never thought that there were people like them around. It was such a coincidence that they had met. They have so much in common from their pasts so they knew what it felt like and they could help each other get through the tough memories.

They didn't have to pay much for food because they either picked or caught their meals. They did everything in the forest because they used all the items that was given in the forest, like they could wash their clothes in the river or use the trees as fire wood. While hunting for meals in the forest, both became stronger, stealthier, and more adventurous.

Juvia even forgot about Gray for a while.

*******

Team Natsu was on their way to the mountains on a train. Natsu's head was lying on Lucy's lap and he was trying not to puke everywhere. Erza was eating some cake, Wendy was talking to Carla and Happy, and Gray just looked out the window, the sun streaming down on his face. He was worried about Juvia since it has been a year after she left to the forest.

"Gray, I'm sure she still hasn't forgotten about you. You were probably Juvia's first real love," Lucy whispered, trying not to wake a sleeping Natsu on her lap. She patted his head as a snot bubble came out of his nose.

"Easy for you to say. You have Natsu," Gray implied and pointed to the pink-headed mage. He continued to look out the window.

"Urgll," Natsu's cheeks puffed up and he looked purple again. He looked like he was about to explode.

"Yup, my sweet Natsu," Lucy said sarcastically. She sighed and laughed, still patting Natsu's head.

"Hehe. You got stuck with Flame Brain huh?" Gray giggled for the first time in a year. It felt nice to finally laugh for once.

"Waddya ..urgg... say Ice Princess?!" Natsu tried to sound insulting, but he was trying to keep his mouth closed for he knew if he opened it, everything would fall out.

Everyone laughed at Natsu's attempt to argue with Gray. The team finally arrived at the mountains and Gray had a face of determination. He looked out into the forest and took a breath, then exhaled loudly. He was worried that Juvia could be hurt. He was worried about him finding Juvia, and then Juvia ignoring him and rejecting him.

"Go ahead Gray. Find your love," Erza gave him a little shove forward. He stumbled a bit before regaining balance. He turned around and gave everyone a smile.

"Thanks everyone," Gray said before taking off.