In The End - A Gruvia Fanfiction

VIII: A Past They Didn't Know

*Author's Note*

I've been slightly busy these days, and also reaching a Writer's block ><. This chapter might be a little boring and a bit of a filler but we're getting there. Happy Reading!

-Smiles: )

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The Night of The Incident

On the bleachers, a phone vibrated with urgency, beckoning its owner to take notice of the several calls attacking the screen.

"Yo Gray! Your phone has been ringing for some time now, is it an ex of yours?" One of the boys, Sting, cackled while his friend, Rogue simply shook his head and walked in the direction of the changing rooms.

Disregarding his taunts, Gray removed his headgear whilst exiting the ring through the small gate by the side. He approached his towel and water bottle set next to the device. The phone had just stopped ringing, the latest call from his pink-headed friend.

A frown formed on his face as he glanced through the call log. What could be so urgent that there were so many missed calls from his circle of friends?

He did not bother with the massive amount of text messages, especially when each text asked for him to call them, any one of them. So, he tapped on the first name on the list of missed calls.

"Finally! What took you so long?" Natsu's voice blared through the phone, causing Gray to pull away with a grimace.

"Stop yelling." He replied in annoyance before clasping the device between his shoulder and chin as he worked on the laces of his skates. "What is it? Why is everyone spamming my phone like there's an apocalypse about to happen?"

There was a split second of silence and he heard rustling behind the phone, almost like the phone was being passed to someone else. When the person spoke, he recognised it as Lucy's voice.

"Something happened, Gray, I- Ju-," the words came out like word vomit. "Juvia almost drowned."

Her words sent Gray's mind spinning as he shot up from his sitting position on the benches.

"What are you talking about?"

The idea of Juvia drowning itself was absurd. She was Juvia! The girl swam like she was part of the water herself, she is a skilled swimmer. What did she mean that Juvia almost drowned?

Her words begin to muffle and Gray could only make out that she was crying, causing the phone to be passed back to his roommate. "It'll be better if we tell you in person."

"Where is she? Which hospital is Juvia at? I'll meet you guys there-," Gray asked hurriedly but he was cut off quickly.

"We're at Mira's. No one can see her for today." His tone sounded awful without its usual blitheness. Any opportunity the pink-headed man could tease him, he would've taken it. However, the seriousness of the entire conversation only served to make Gray more nervous than ever.

It was all it took for the man to grab his belongings in a blind panic and leave.

He got to Mirajane's restaurant faster than it would usually take him. It was a miracle that the police had not pulled him over for treading the lines of the speed limit.

His hands fumbled with his helmet when he arrived, almost dropping it across the street. He also forgot to remove his keys from the ignition—an old man pointed it out to him afterwards—not to mention, he tripped on his own feet by the curb to complete the whole scene.

Gray was a mess.

Taking a deep breath, he pushed open the doors.

Being used to the buzz in the dim environment and jazz music playing at the bar at the end of the restaurant, it felt strange entering now that it was dead silent with the lights on.