Blood Seeker {Gray Fullbuster x Reader}

Chapter 8

Thursday, August 20
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"So, why are you redecorating?" You asked Jellal as you stood in his bedroom. His furniture had been moved into the center and draped with sheets, exposing the dark, midnight blue walls. Until ten minutes ago, you had no idea he was even thinking about redecorating. He had called a little while ago mumbling about needing to make changes and raging about how his room was too dark and depressing.

He'd been pacing since you arrived. You watched him walk from one side of his room to the other, staring at the blank walls. Jellal was very levelheaded, so this stressed side of him made you feel uncomfortable. He was passionate about the things that mattered to him, but you're talking about wall colors here.

His anxiety had you on edge. You tapped the outside of your thighs nervously.

"Just can't stand this shitty blue anymore." He held up a large can of light but bright green paint. His demeanor made your pulse skitter nervously.

You smiled through your concern. Something is really not okay with him. "Err...Jellal?" He was trading one extreme color for another.

The almost black blue was dark and moody, and lime green was bright and over the top cheerful. It was like he was desperate to force a happy facade.

"You hate it?" He asked.

"I don't hate the color, not at all, but there's no way I'd want it on every wall. You'll get a headache after ten minutes."

"I don't care. I need something vibrant. A complete change."

You picked up one of the many brushes he had lined along his chest of drawers. "Yes, it's definitely a change. Let's get started then, I guess."

He grinned. "What would I do without you?"

"Paint it yourself," you replied with a shrug, a small smile on your lips as you dipped the brush in the can of white.

"You holding up okay? Yesterday was...difficult," he said, smearing paint on the wall haphazardly. Even though this was only a primer coat before things got very green, you still stroked your brush up and down carefully, making sure the paint went on evenly.

Yesterday was one of the hardest days you had ever lived through. Not only was it a goodbye to Juvia, but it had also brought back memories of Erza's and Cana's funerals, when you felt so lost and empty. And to top it off, your friends and you had learned that you were drugged and framed for murder. Yeah, 'difficult' didn't quite cut it.

"It was awful, but I'm alright."

"Hmm, lie."

You stopped and turned to him. "It's not a complete lie, Jellal. Right now I'm doing okay."

"You're focused on the manhunt. When the killers found, you'll fall apart."

You kept quiet. Jellal knew you so well and had since you were kids. He was always the friend who'd given you the emotional support you needed.

"You know, I'm worried about that, (N/N). I couldn't stand seeing you the way you were after Erza and Cana ever again."

Chewing your bottom lip, you considered what he said. You had been a mess when they'd died—a big one. You didn't eat for almost a week and barely got out of bed. It was so hard to accept that you would never see them again or receive a text gushing about the latest episode of The Vampire Diaries, yelling about a favorite character being killed off in The Walking Dead, or demanding you go to Nando's for dinner. It still was. Sometimes I'll watch something, and your first thought is to text all four of the girls. The truth was, you worried about it too. Even after all this time, you still felt raw over the feeling of complete helplessness. Maybe if you could have moved, you could have done something to help. You'd not felt so useless again until you found Juvia and Lyon.