With Great Power Comes Great Responsibilty

Chapter 47

Gajeel was working late on a story that night, leaving the house quiet with just Juvia and Levy. Levy lay resting in bed, while Juvia busied herself in the kitchen, preparing a warm cup of tea for her sister-in-law.

Outside, hidden in the shadows, the Black Dragon crouched beneath the kitchen window. His eyes gleamed with malice as he licked his lips with a long, forked tongue, savoring dark thoughts of what he might do to hurt her. Just as he made his move to slip inside, he was violently tackled to the ground.

"Stay away from her!" snarled the Blue Tiger, pinning him down before landing a solid punch to his face.

Inside, Juvia, her back turned, remained blissfully unaware of the danger just beyond the glass. She finished the tea, poured it carefully into a cup, and made her way to Levy's room.

"Here you are, Levy," Juvia said gently, offering the cup.

"Thank you," Levy replied gratefully.

"Would you like any honey or milk with it?"

"No, thank you."

"Are you feeling any better?"

"Much better."

"I'm glad. You mean so much to Gajeel. I haven't seen him this scared in a long time."

"You mean a lot to him too. He felt awful about missing your play."

"He shouldn't. Being there for you was far more important."

THUMP!

A sudden noise echoed from outside.

"What on earth was that?" Levy asked, alarmed.

"It's probably just raccoons getting into the garbage again," Juvia said with a calm smile. "I'll go shoo them off."

Juvia returned to the kitchen, grabbed a broom, and stepped out the front door. The trash cans had been knocked over, but there were no claw marks or trails of garbage—nothing that screamed "raccoon."

"All right, you nasty nocturnals," she muttered, stepping outside. "Get out of here and stop making a mess, or you'll be sorry."

She swished her broom through the bushes around the house, half-expecting a critter to bolt out. But nothing stirred.

"Huh. I guess I scared them off faster than I thought."

Just as she turned to go back inside, a chill ran down her spine. That strange, prickling feeling of being watched crawled up her neck. She paused, scanning the street. Houses, parked cars, glowing lampposts. Nothing out of the ordinary. Still, the uneasy feeling clung to her like mist.

Suddenly, a hand clamped down on her shoulder.

Juvia shrieked and spun, swinging the broom hard.

THWACK!

"Ow!"

Her heart nearly burst with relief when she saw who it was.

"Gray?! Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" she gasped. "You scared me half to death—I thought you were a mugger or something!"

Gray winced, rubbing his arm. "Jeez, Juvia... remind me never to sneak up on you again. You've got one hell of a swing."

She helped him up, still catching her breath. "What are you doing here at this hour? And sneaking around like that? You're lucky I didn't hit you harder."

"Is your brother home?" he asked, ignoring her question.

"No, he's working late. Why? Were you looking for him?"