Waiting For You ▪ [Gruvia Fanfiction] BOOK 1 ✔️

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Gray slowly approached the staircase trying not to make any sound.

Natsu and Happy were still in the building. Porlyusica, Fairy Tails consultant pharmacist, sat next to the boys and was looking over the wounded mage.

The staircase creaked under Grays feet as he climbed the stairs. Stealing that necklace felt like a good idea back when he had been sitting downstairs but now, being right infront of the office... it didn't feel right anymore.

To Grays surprise the door was open and the necklace was in open sight on the wooden desk. Grays heart pained for a second as he realized that Master hadn't hid it because he trusted them enough to not take it.

"Sorry Gramps", Gray sighed as he took the Amulet and put it in his back pocket.

He knew that he had to act quick now, in the morning it's going to be discovered that the necklace is gone. It's not like he would be the first suspect but his friends were smart, they'd connect the dots.

Back in the main hall, Gray was passing the entry to the stairs that led to the danguons. He stopped. He realised that his heart ached to see Juvia one more time.

"We have the necklace. Why don't we just destroy it? Gramps mentioned its magic is weak"

"We can't do that. We don't know enough about it. It may be weak now but, Juvia was wearing it for so long and didn't feel it either. We aren't fully informed of what it's capable off."

His friends words echoed in his mind. Knowing that they're in the building and are unaware of his double-crossing right now, woke some guilt in Grays heart.

He stood infront of Juvias cell, examining the necklace in his hand as if it would give him some kind of an answer. Gray looked into the cell and watched the sleeping girl for a moment. He already turned around and wanted to leave when a thought accured to him.

What if Juvia does something to herself and he won't be there?

The Ice mage promised her he would always be a step away, he knew he couldn't just leave her like this. He also knew that his girl would not agree of his plan, she would want to stay here, scared of hurting anyone else.

"I'm sorry Juvia." He silently opened the cell door with the key she entrusted him and went inside. He rose her on his back and left the cell again, locking it. "I'm sorry I can't keep our promise."

He started to walk off again. This time the warmth of Juvias body embraced his back. He didn't feel so alone anymore and hoped she'd be able to forgive him somehow.

"Ice Make: Juvia", he whispered and back in the cell the girl was locked in, appeared an ice replica of the Water Mage, sleeping peacefully and covered under a blanket. He hoped that this would be enough to buy him some time before the guild would realise what he had in mind.

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In the meantime, two other Fairy Tail members - Erza and Mirajane had just arrived in Lotus. The city where Gray had first came in contact with the necklace, but to their surprise no such address existed.

They had asked the neighbours if there had ever been a house and if any Mrs. Mar had been living here, but no one could say that any such person lived here for sure.

"This is weird, maybe Gray gave us the wrong address?" Erza wondered.

"I don't think so, I took the job papers those two were on - this is supposed to be here", Mirajane said comparing the street name sign with the paper in her hand.

"Something feels off, let's return to the guild." Erza decided, mounting the deer they had come here on.

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Gray had found some small cave surrounded by the forest near Magnolia. He improvised a pillow out of his shirt and laid Juvias head on it.

Thankfully she hadn't woken up on the way here, he honestly didn't know what he would have told her.

He leaned his back against the cold stonewall and took the necklace out again. It dangled from his hand and he watched it closely.

"Should I just freeze it", he wondered out loud. He did just that with the intentions of shattering it but it seemed to have no effect. "What the hell..." he mumbled, confused as to why he can't shatter his own ice.

To his surprise the Amulet started shining again and the ice melted on it's own. Shocked, he let the object fall from his hand, leading in a loud bang sounding off in the whole cave.

"Huh.." Juvia woke up and started to look around disoriented. "Darling... " she mumbled as she noticed Gray sitting next to her. "What's going on?" She rubbed her eyes and sat up.

"I'm sorry Juvia", Gray sighed. Her big eyes looking up to him and marks on her forehead were asking him to explain further. "I promised to always be a step away, I wanted to keep that promise."

Juvia was clearly touched by Grays words, blushing slightly. She looked on the floor. The stone she was sitting on reminded her that she still didn't know about their whereabouts.

"Gray-sama where are we?" Gray picked up the necklace and hid it in his palm. "A bit outside of Magnolia, you should be safe here," he assured her, "Once I get rid of this, you should be back to normal." He had opened his palm and was looking now at the treasure.

Gray noticed the fear in Juvias eyes as he mentioned the object that took advantage of her. It was supposed to give her some joy, but it only caused the opposite.

"To think this is all my fault..." he trailed off, staring deeply at it. "I shouldn't have..."

"No", Juvia put her small hand on Grays back, comforting the Ice Mage. She realized that he was really blaming himself for all that had happened, "You couldn't have known!"

Gray put his palm on her hand. Small tears burned his eyes, ready to roll down his face. "All I ever wanted was to protect you", he looked up.

Juvia was shocked to see him like this. The tears already made their way down his face. His head fell down and he buried it in Juvias chest, embracing her petite body with his arm. "Forgive me!" He cried.

Juvia knew he could hear her heartbeat right now. It was going crazy. Her mind was torn between screaming in joy because of Grays confession and not doing anything, just holding him as it was clearly what he needed right now.

She decided for the latter, "It's alright", she whispered in his ear and soon they both snoozed off, spending the rest of the night sleeping in eachothers arms.

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