Juvia could feel her eyes getting heavier and footsteps begin to drag by the second the more she progressed during her trip. She had gone for a solo mission (much to her dismay, she was hoping Gray would accompany her, but he was on a mission with his team, and Gajeel was taking care of a heavily pregnant levy) for about a week to get some money to pay her rent. It was simple really, find the man responsible for wreaking havoc on the coastal village and throw him into a cell. It wasn't as easy as the flyer made it out to be, which annoyed the water mage greatly. She didn't expect him to be a wind mage that blew her back with no problem every time and disorientated her, but she managed to knock him out around the 50th attempt with her water whip thankfully and turned him in.
Satisfied that she was finally done, got the money she needed and going home, she walked to the train station which took 30 minutes in total to get there by feet. A rustle startled the water mage and she stopped in her tracks.
"Hello?" Juvia calls out, blue orbs frantically searching the area around her. It was late at night and not really the ideal time to be walking but she really wanted to go back to her place (and gray) as fast as she could.
It was a spine-crawling silence that filled her with dread and she bites her lip.
"Juvia of the deep, is that you?" A voice rumbled. It was an all too familiar voice and her heart drove into panic.
There from the shadows stepped out a man with rich blue hair.
"B o r a. "She breathed out in horror.
He let out a vile smirk and the water mage felt like throwing up. Had he stalked her?
"It's been such a long time, Juvi. You've grown bolder and way more beautiful." He had a sultry hiss to his tone which caused Juvia to recoil and harshly snap at him.
"Don't call me that you jerk!"
He put his hands up in the air in a mock surrender. "My, My. This hostility! calm down. I just wanted to talk with you."
"Yeah, well I don't, so leave me alone!" She growled, venom in her words.
His eyes darkened considerably.
"I'm afraid not, you're coming with me."
All the sudden pain shot up through his cheek and side and he was startled. He looked to see the source and saw it was Juvia who unleashed an angry barrage of water at him.
She gave no chance for him to recover as she smacked him again, knocking him unconscious and made a bolt for it, sobbing her eyes out from pure fear. Her vision was blurry from the salty substance that escaped from her eyes as she ran.
Every horrible memory of him came back into her mind and she cried harder as she ran, the rain beginning to fall.
She wasn't aware she had arrived at the station until she slammed into something hard.
Or someone.
Letting out a shriek of terror thinking he somehow found her she fell to the floor and curled up, whimpering.
"Juvia!" A pair of warm hands were on her shoulders and they felt all to familiar. She heard the shuffling of feet and familiar voices.
Lucy? Natsu? Erza?
"Juvia, hey snap out of it!"
Gray?!
Juvia snaps her head up and there indeed was her beloved, gazing into her soul with pure worry in his gorgeous eyes.
Gray was startled when he saw his partner in this state, especially when she immediately recoiled and curled up in fear after bumping into him. A sense of protectiveness overcame him seeing that she was alone, and he figured she went on a solo mission. He kneeled in front of her, not letting go of her shoulders.
"Juvia…" he whispered, a frown etched on his face when he saw how hard she was crying.
"Juvia what happened?" Lucy voiced his question out loud as she wrapped an arm around the blue haired mage's trembling form.
Juvia's lungs burned for air, that's how distraught she was, and she sobbed out the following words.
"He found me..He…"
Gray felt a great rage stir up within him, someone did this to her, his face darkened considerably with said emotion.
"Who's he?" Erza questioned softly, kneeling on the other side of Juvia.
"Bora…Bora the prominence, my ex-boyfriend... the one who left me alone." She wheezed as Lucy cradled Juvia's head into her neck gently. The four mages eyes widened at this.
Gray found himself seething and clenched his fists.
Natsu kneeled next to Gray and gently got Juvia's attention.
"What exactly did he do?" He was ready to kick some ass again, especially against someone who caused his friend to be in turmoil. The fire mage felt the deadly aura radiating off the ice mage and understood that he felt the same, but his was more severe because this was the woman that Gray loves.
Juvia found her words soon after being comforted by Erza and Lucy, who still held a comforting grip on her.
"I was coming to the train station disorientated and tired, in a bad mood and was ready to go home after my solo mission. But I hear a rustle and I stop, and he appeared, he used a nickname I was highly uncomfortable with because he only used it when we were together, and it brought back horrible memories and he ...tried…to kidnapped me and I grew terrified because of the business he does. I held my own ground, knocked him out and just ran."
Everyone was silent listening to the girl's words with mixed emotion. Anger, Horror, Sadness.
Gray was filled with the first two and he suddenly stood up.
"Where is that bastard? Tell me where that little shit is, and I'll finish him off" He whispered harshly, the fury seeping out.
Juvia shakes her head, her eyes widening. "It's not worth it..I'm sure I'll never see him again."
Gray looked at her in disbelief. "Not worth it? He made you like this Juvia! He hurt you. That's unforgivable." His cheeks turned a light pink when he said those things and he blatantly ignored Erza's and Lucy's knowing looks.
Her eyes softened at the man who held her affections. "Just trust me. He isn't. I just want to go home." She murmured as she hiccupped quietly and wiped her eyes from exhaustion. Erza and Lucy helped her stand up seeing how she was wobbly and Gray bit the inside of cheek and let out a sigh.
The ice mage walked over to Juvia, he wrapped an arm around her waist and the other under her knees and lifted her up, carrying her bridal style.
On any other day Juvia would have exploded from pure giddiness but she was just so tired and wanted to sleep and forget about this horrible encounter.
"Sleep, Juvia you had a long day." Gray whispered into her ear with a soothing reassurance. He despised seeing Juvia so worn down and cursed himself for not being there to protect her. Almost immediately her eyes fluttered shut and her breathing evened out, her cheeks were still caked with dried tears. He cradled her protectively against his chest and ran his fingers against her long silky curls soothingly before he turned to the others who just simply stared.
Erza shot him a small knowing smile. "You don't even have to deny it anymore Gray, you love her."
Gray looked down at the girl in his arms and his face turns pink again, but he nods, confirming Erza's words
"C'mon let's get her home." Gray uttered as he stepped on to the now arrived train, his teammates following behind.
THIS IS SO BADDDD *FACETABLES* Hope you enjoy it anyway….