Title: Our Story

Pairing: LyVia (Fairy Tail Fandom)

Summary: It was their story: of hurt, of hope, and of love.

Rating: K+

*Entry for Challenge # 1 (the Lyon X Juvia challenge) of Mrs. HopeEstheim's "The New Fairy Tail Writing Challenges."

*Words: 1562, without page breaks and author's note.

Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail.

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She sees him as nothing more than a friend.

For Lyon, the water mage was the best next thing that has happened to him – the first was his ice powers. He thanked the heavens for the opportunity to have met someone like her.

(He saw her worthy to be his partner in battles and to be more than just a friend).

The way her hair flowed behind her as she walked, the way her voice sent butterflies in his stomach when she speaks his name, and the way her eyes shone brightly (though it pained him because it was never directed to him), made him realize that she was someone indeed special.

"Lyon, Juvia wants to ask how you and Gray-sama met each other."

If his straight posture and stiff reaction wasn't an indication of his uneasiness (and jealousy) towards the topic, he doesn't know what else he could do to show his distraught at the taboo words.

It was always Gray –

-the better student,

-the better mage,

-the better man.

And him?

He was always second best.

(But for him, second best hadn't felt as bad as the case with Juvia.)

He loved her so much that he wanted to be the one who'll have her attention (if possible, for eternity).

He cleared his throat as he answered the water mage's question.

"We met when we were still studying our magic. But that's all there is to it." He ended his sentence with a firm voice – in the hopes that it would stop Juvia from asking more questions about Gray.

It did.

That as much as he tried, he could never surpass her true love.

So this is what pain felt like – it's like your heart was about to burst into pieces. It took all of his efforts and strength to stop himself from bursting into tears as he watched her cradle Gray's unconscious form in her lap.

He watched her stroke his face and hugged Gray's fallen body on the ground. He even tried to cover his ears to stop himself from hearing what she's saying to Gray.

"Gray-sama, please wake up already, Juvia would be the happiest on earth if you'd just open your eyes."

Call him evil but at that moment, he wished very hard for Gray to not open his eyes. A bastard like Fullbuster doesn't deserve his Juvia.

"Gray-sama, Juvia promises to love you with all of Juvia's heart"

He felt like freezing Gray and wished him eternal sleep.

"Gray-sama, Juvia loves you."

And he willed himself to walk away already because he doesn't know how he'd take it as he saw Gray cough up for air and as Juvia hugged him tighter.

Even in his downfall, Gray was still the better man.

So he tried to dull the pain in his heart by avoiding her like a plague.

For the next few days after Gray's recovery, Lyon was nowhere in sight.

He no longer pestered Juvia with dates nor showered her with red roses (he thought that red perfectly complimented Juvia's personality the best). He no longer walked by Fairy Tail's guild which saved him from coming up with lame excuses such as: I need to see my rival (when in truth it was 'I need to see Juvia'). He even spent a lot of time training and honing his skills so that his mind would be focused on something else but her.

Sadly, it never worked.

Because whenever he uses his ice magic, it would always remind him of water. Call it funny but he thinks Juvia was really like water – which pierces through everything even in the most hard-reached places, like his heart.

Lyon even tried to ask for a long-term mission just to get away from her.

(But he could not do it because he only needed to think of Juvia and all his resolve would crumble.)

Sadly, his plans didn't work. So he no longer resisted the need to be far away from her.

Slowly, as Lyon started to accept his fate, he resigned to everything by trying to just be as close as possible to Juvia. If his love wasn't enough, perhaps his friendship would be enough to make her acknowledge him. He would even allow himself to be lower than Gray if it meant for even a fraction of Juvia's heart.

And he never felt happier when she asked him out one day to accompany her on a shopping spree.

They went through a lot of places. She picked and tried out her choices while he (much to her protest) paid and carried the shopping bags. He doesn't care about the money or energy he spent because he could earn it back again-

-But not Juvia's smile that was reserved for him that day.

Their 'date' ended quite late in the night and Lyon could no longer suppress the feelings of happiness he felt because for the first time, she did not mention Gray in any way.

It was when they neared Fairy Hills when Juvia motioned for him to come with her on the mountain hill for a moment.

Then she cried.

She told him that she did not like what she's feeling right now. The hurt and the pain were too much to bear. She said she never knew how much her heart shattered when Gray told her 'Juvia, this has to stop. I could never love you back the way you love me'. It was like all of her energy seeped out of her as she fell on her knees and watched Gray's retreating back. She even admitted that she envied Lucy a lot because she has guys pinning after her – especially Gray.

He stood there in silence and watched Juvia cried her heart out, and when she finished, he reached out to hug her – making her feel that she's never going to be alone.

And then, a miracle happened because little by little, he finally sees the light he's been waiting for.

After Juvia's breakdown, he swore to himself to make her smile once more. So he tried his best to shower her with the affection she deserved.

He tried to be there on all occasions. Juvia's birthday, Fairy Tail's celebrations, parties, photo shoots for the magazine, Juvia's first solo mission, Juvia's celebration for passing the S-class exams, and countless events as long as Juvia was involved.

He was always there.

And in turn, she tried her best to be with him also.

The way she clutched his hands as he laid (almost dead) on the hospital bed, the way she almost choke Lyon with her hug while saying 'Juvia is very happy to see Lyon alive and well', the way she tried to return his kisses as a blush coloured her pale cheeks, the way her food tasted when she cooked for him on their first official date as a couple.

And even though she never told him 'I love you', Lyon was already contented that somehow, she was now his.

And so he took up his courage one sweet night and tried his luck by asking her the question that was three weeks lodged in his throat.

Their relationship lasted for almost a year, when hugs turned to kisses, and kisses turned to something more, until Lyon felt it was time.

He waited for Juvia as she returned from her mission. He was clad in his best suit, and was standing outside of Fairy Tail as he rehearsed his lines over and over again in his head.

As he was about to doze off to sleep, he heard her small voice waking him up.

"Lyon, Lyon."

He woke up almost instantly and asked her if she was okay and if the mission went well. His heart almost swelled when he saw her lit up a smile and extended a hand to help him up.

(He swears that he could never get enough of her especially when she smiles only for his eyes.)

When Juvia returned after giving her report to Master Makarov, he tried to ask her out to dinner, to which she said 'yes'.

They ate at their favourite cafe, with the beautiful stars twinkling above their heads, making the evening even more romantic than what he had planned. As soon as they finished eating, he took her hand and led her to a small lake nearby.

He was nervous as hell but he wouldn't back out now.

"Lyon, why are we here?" she asked him once they reached the edged of the lake.

It was nowhere near his plans but when he knelt down and took her hand, the words just flew out of his mouth before he could even think.

"Juvia, I love you, and sometimes, I feel like you love me too, so please, if you'd give me the honor to be your husband, I would be the happiest man on earth." He wanted to kick himself in the head when she stood there quietly. So much for being romantic.

But when she started to giggle and patted his head (to make him look up to her face), he finally heard the words he longed to hear.

"Of course Lyon, Juvia loves you too and would be honoured to be Lyon's wife."

And even though his confession was lame, he was glad she said yes. Finally, she was his.

Thanks for reading and I'm hoping to hear your wonderful feedback/comments/criticisms/thoughts.

hugs and kisses,

Fia