Blood Seeker {Gray Fullbuster x Reader}

Chapter 25 + 26 (alternative ending)

Tuesday, February 7
———

"I can't believe it's been eighteen months," you said, stroking Juvia's headstone.

Today marked a year and a half since Juvia and Lyon had been murdered. Time had moved painfully slow but also too fast. You missed Juvia every day, but you had finally come to terms with the fact that you'd never see her again.

Gray sat beside you, not really knowing what to say. That hadn't changed. Even after the two of us being practically being joined at the hip, he was a still a bit rubbish with feelings. Still, he managed to make you feel like the only girl in the world with just one look.

"I know, babe," he said, squeezing your knee.

"I've lost far too many people." You turned to him and gripped the hand that was now resting on your leg. "I almost lost you too..." Your throat closed with emotion. It was too difficult to think about that day.

"Nah, was never gonna happen. Natsu has awful aim." You swallowed hard and dropped your eyes to the grass. Gray used humor; You were so not there yet. "Sorry, that was insensitive. You'd think after all this time, I'd get better at that stuff. I'm sorry, (Y/N)," he apologized.

You couldn't help but smile. The most inappropriate things spurted from his mouth, but he never failed to make you smile. You could be so distraught and one awkward word from him would put a grin on your face.

"You're better than you give yourself credit for...sometimes," you said.

"You're just saying that because you want to get in my pants."

Rolling your eyes with your lips curved, you turned your attention back to your friend. "You would have been rooting for Gray from the start, Juve."

You had no doubt Juvia would have liked Gray once she really got to know him. She would have been the one sitting on your bed, going on and on about how obvious it was that you would eventually happen.

"She had taste," Gray teased.

Well, that wasn't quite true, but you didn't want to bad mouth Lyon.

"Say it," Gray said in a dead tone. "Whatever you're thinking about Lyon, just say it."

You squeezed his hand. "No. You already know what I think. I'm not going there again. Not anymore." Not now he wasn't around. Everyone knew your opinion of Lyon, so you didn't feel the need to keep reinforcing it. You let it go.

"Such a good girl," Gray muttered.

"You know why, Gray," you whispered.

"I do. I just don't know what the difference is. You think it, so why not say it?"

Gray was the type of person who would stick to his convictions no matter what, whereas you believed that after someone was gone, you shouldn't speak ill of them—aloud anyway.

"Because he's dead. I won't be the type of person that pisses over—" Gray's burst of laughter made you roll your eyes. He loved it when you swore because it didn't happen often. "There's something very wrong with you."

"My life would be very dull with you, (N/N)."

I think that's the other way around.

"I never know what to say when I visit Lyon or Pete," he continued. "People around are chatting away, and I'm just sitting there like an idiot."

"You don't have to say anything. It's enough that you visit."

"Please," he said. "Lyon is definitely up there making some snarky comment."