"No thanks. I'm entering a new age too. I've got to clearly lay out things that I don't like." Gray tossed his answer to her confession coldly over his shoulder as he walked away.

Juvia could feel the tears forming in her eyes; although Gray had brushed off her advances in the past she had attributed it to his closed off nature, but this had a certain sense of finality to it. Overwhelmed with a veritable maelstrom of emotion she rushed from the ballroom; the cerulean skirts of her dress fluttered around her as she departed. Her heels clicked on the polished marble floors of the palace as she ran until they hit the hewn cobblestone of the palace gardens. She slowed to a brisk pace once the balmy summer air greeted her; she continued on the path until met with a secluded alcove concealed by tendrils of jasmine. Alone, the last of her energy washed away, and completely drained she sunk to the ground and buried her head in her hands.

Gray had been letting her in, hadn't he? They performed a unison raid together, and he had saved her not once, but twice today. Juvia was confident that during that at that moment they were given to see into the future that Gray had thrown himself in front of her; no, she was certain that he had protected her. So why had he rejected her, and so soundly too, surely he was interested?

Her thoughts were interrupted as Juvia heard the sound of footsteps approaching. Hurriedly she got up, wiped her face, and prayed that she didn't look like she had been sobbing. She could not be seen like that; she would not regress back to even a semblance of the rain woman she was before Gray had saved Juvia and brought the sun into her life.

"Are you okay, Juvia?" the question startled Juvia back to the present, it was Erza, and she attempted to affix her on her face the cheerful vizard she wore on occasion before she responded and turned to greet her guildmate. Once Erza got a good look at her though that response vanished as Juvia was pulled into a crushing hug, "Of course not" Erza responded to her question.

"I am fine. Gray-sama was probably toying with my affections" she smiled weakly trying to assure not only Erza but herself too. That must be it! Gray just couldn't be honest about his feelings like she was so he reacted with a feigned aversion toward her; it wasn't as if he hadn't done that before, so nothing had changed after all. She had jumped to conclusions; how silly.

"Even if that was true there was no reason for Gray to treat you so harshly." Erza countered frustration with Gray seeping through her concern for Juvia.
"If?" Juvia snapped back indignantly. Who was Erza to speak about the matters of Gray's heart? Could Erza be a love rival? Was this a clever facade to push her out of the picture? No, that could not be she would have seen any interest if Erza had shown it; she had certainly seen through Lucy's subtle flirtations with Gray. Then how could Erza be so certain? Perhaps, it was a sisterly concern; Fairy Tail was a family, and Erza has known Gray for, easily, a decade.

Erza stared at Juvia, it was unnerving, for a moment then continued "I advised Gray, to be honest. He knew how you felt it was time for him to face it head on. That doesn't excuse him being so tactless, really intentional or not, but if that is feels then you should respect his feelings."

"How do you know that Gray won't change his mind later even if he is telling the truth now?! He could still have feelings for me!" Juvia refuted passionately, so she hadn't been imagining it. Gray very likely meant every word, as much as she didn't want to admit it, Erza had no reason to lie.

Erza took a pause to ponder her answer before she replied "Yes, it is entirely possible that Gray changes his mind, but I think that he meant what he said back there and if he does realize that he has feelings for you he has to decide that for himself. If you believe that Gray has feelings for you give him space to figure it out for himself."

"All I need to do is to show Gray-sama more than ever how I feel then he will realize his feelings for me!" Juvia replied with determination. Space would only close Gray off to her again. She would have to break down his walls herself whatever it takes.

Erza's face fell, if it was possible, and she looked even more concerned than before "That's not what I meant. If you pressure Gray into a relationship it will end with both of you getting hurt. Juvia you can't just force your feelings on someone like that; at some point you are going to have to accept that he may not feel the same way."

"I refuse to give up!" Juvia declared "even if you or anyone else thinks I should. Gray may not love me now, but he will!" then she stormed off into to the uncertain night with renewed purpose leaving Erza looking bewildered by a familiar brick wall.