Author's Note: Another little story! c: This one I actually thought about around a year and a half ago or so, I don't know for sure but it has been sitting on me for a while. I'm relieved that I finally got it done! Just some fluffiness, I hope you all like it :) Thank you for reading and take care!

title: scar tissue
rating: K+
summary: The last thing he wanted was to be anyone's burden.

Sitting on an infirmary bed, Gray grumbled to himself, itching at the cast around his arm.

So he'd been a little reckless. Him and Natsu were put on a mission together, alone, so it really shouldn't have been that big a surprise that something went wrong.

While spontaneously ambushed during their mission, the boys had made it a competition to see who could K.O. the most enemies. In retrospect, they might have been a little too overzealous as they made their way back to the guild, Natsu favoring his unfrozen leg while Gray cradled his burned arm.

Eh, injuries happened, and Gray never minded them because they usually looked cool. But what he did mind—or rather what he hated because it was always so damn annoying and inconvenient—was the healing.

Shifting on the hospital bed, he sighed in exasperation. Why was he even here? The burn wasn't even that bad, and he missed out on hearing more of Natsu's whines to Lucy's scolding as she dragged him to the same hospital demanding his encased ice leg be properly taken care of.

Blinking, Gray idly glanced to the chair nearby where Juvia's hat and overcoat lay draped.

The water mage had naturally thrown a fit when she saw her beloved Gray-sama injured. She insisted on taking care of him no matter how many times he told her he was fine, and he discovered that the girl could be pretty damn stubborn as she "accompanied" him to the hospital and intently studied the doctor until he taught her how to soothe the burn and apply his bandages.

Seeing a figure approach, Gray turned his head, finding Juvia entering the room. She took careful steps, her vision obstructed by the stacks of medicine and fresh gauze in her arms.

He rolled his eyes and swung his legs off the bed, making his way towards her. She lost her balance and tilted one way, causing one roll of gauze to slip, and she peeped as she struggled to catch it before Gray smoothly caught it with his uninjured arm.

"Juvia," Gray called, placing the gauze aside, "you really don't have to be here."

"But Juvia wants to be here," she replied quickly, staggering a little before placing the bundle of medicine and gauze down. "Gray-sama should only be resting, the doctor said—"

"I know what the doctor said," Gray grumbled, itching his cast again. "I'm fine. That flame-brain couldn't hurt me if he tried."

He wound his arm around to prove it, but he hissed at the burnt skin scraping against the gauze, shooting a sharp pain through his arm.

Juvia winced, and he hated the sympathetic look in her eyes. He whisked his head away with a scoff, placing a cooling hand against his cast as he iced the stinging heat from the friction.

"Um…" Juvia began, her voice quiet and timid. "May Juvia change Gray-sama's bandages?"

He grunted, glaring at a corner. "Fine. Whatever."

She offered a small smile, taking a roll of gauze and placing it on the bed. She patted the sheets and Gray grumbled, sitting on the edge of the mattress as Juvia began carefully unwrapping the gauze on his arm.

Her face twisted at the sight of raw flesh as she placed the bundle of gauze in the trash. Lathering cooling medicine in her fingers, she tenderly massaged it into the injury. Gray grunted and Juvia quietly murmured an apology, continuing her treatment as he watched her face. She gently laid a damp cloth over the burn, her fingertips delicately pressing into it before she set it aside and took his arm, wrapping the fresh bandages.

"There," she said when she finished, smiling up at him.

He looked away when her eyes met his. "Thanks."

A faint blush tinted her cheeks as she flashed another smile. "Is Gray-sama hungry?"

"No."

"Does Gray-sama need—"

"I'm just gonna sleep," he muttered, reclining on his back as he lay his injured arm over his stomach and folded the other behind his head.

"Ah, of course," Juvia said, taking a seat in the chair beside the bed. "Juvia will be here if Gray-sama needs anything."

He grunted and closed his eyes, trying to ignore the way her words replayed in his head.

True to her word, she was still there when he woke up.

She was the first thing he saw when he opened his eyes. First a haze of blue, then her sleeping form as she slept curled up against the hospital chair.

He sat himself upright, heaving a quiet sigh. No way was that chair comfortable. He told her she didn't have to stay—her help was nice and all, but the last thing he wanted was to be anyone's burden.

Moving off the bed, he took her jacket and draped it over her shoulders. She sighed and nestled into her folded arms, smiling contently in her sleep.

Gray scratched his hair before taking a seat at the edge of the bed. She looked comfortable. He didn't understand how, considering he usually needed a flat surface and a cool room and—why was he still wearing his shirt?

No wonder he didn't sleep for long, he was still wearing his shirt that should've been off hours ago.

He brought his hands to the buttons, only to furrow his brow. He couldn't bring his second hand to his shirt. Damn cast, limiting his movements—why couldn't he just be rid of the stupid thing.

He tried grasping the button with his single hand, but the damn thing kept slipping through his fingers. Even when he did get a good grip on his shirt, the damn button refused to be undone.

He didn't realize how much he'd been cursing under his breath until he heard Juvia stir before him.

"Gray-sama…?"

She rubbed her eye, blinking a few times while he continued to struggle with the button. He could do this dammit—maybe if he just started from the bottom instead of the top—

"Um… does Gray-sama need any he—"

"I got it," he shot back, twitching as the button continued eluding his grasp. Juvia sat up straight, watching quietly with her hands folded in her lap.

He lifted his hand from the bottom button, moving for the one just above it. His second hand instinctively rose to meet it, but the cast once again obstructed it. Damn stupid thing—

"Gray-sama," Juvia called sympathetically.

He growled in frustration, dropping his hand to his side. "Just get it over with," he muttered, whipping his head away.

Her heart immediately skipped a beat. Did she hear that right? He was letting her assist him? In removing his shirt? Heat rushed to her cheeks, making her whole face pink as she shyly stood up and shuffled towards him.

Once she fell into place before him, her gaze fell to the white collared shirt that perfectly clung to his magnificent body. She couldn't believe it! To do something so… bold, with the weight of his gaze pressing onto her—her heart accelerated even faster, thumping in her chest.

Slowly, hesitantly, she raised her slender fingers, delicately taking hold of the top button. His body seemed to tense while her fingers trembled, gently slipping the button out of its buttonhole. She moved her fingers lower, and she saw the rise of his chest as he took a breath, making her stifle a squeal while she undid another button. But as the dip of his shirt deepened, opening his shirt wider and wider, Juvia flushed dark at the sight of his toned chest, trying to control the pounding beat of her heart as she finished her task.

Gray shrugged off his sleeves to his elbows, averting his gaze with a hint of a blush on his cheeks. Did she have to be staring at him like that? As if this wasn't awkward enough, not to mention a blow to his pride, her blatant ogling really wasn't helping—

She swiftly finished the last button, and he blinked when she wordlessly tugged off the sleeves and folded his shirt before neatly placing it aside. Her cheeks were still pink as her eyes flickered shyly to his, then dropped to his chest once more. Her gaze remained fixed, her eyes roving over each dip and slope of his torso and making him tense under the scrupulous attention.

"Uh," he coughed, looking away and shifting in his place, "you can go now—"

Her hand slowly rose, resting gently against the guild mark imprinted on his chest.

He glanced to the hand on his chest before returning his gaze to her face, only to raise a brow. Her expression was… different. Not bashful or shy, but… something else.

Her fingers glided lower, slowly trailing down his skin. The soft touch sent subtle shivers through his body, making him stiffen. She brushed his rib cage, gently skimming over the healing bruises, and her lashes hooded over her eyes. He tried to read her face, but her expression was indiscernible.

Her fingers brushed the x-shaped scar on his side before a sad frown crossed her lips.

"Did it hurt?" she asked softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

He blinked, following her gaze to the hand on his scar. The memory replayed instantly—him slashing his side with his ice to mix his magic with his blood, to overcome his battle against Ultear.

"No," he answered her, looking to her face. He remembered Ultear driving a sword towards Juvia's throat, and how he narrowly reached her in time to save her. "It didn't hurt."

Her expression grew more somber as her fingertips grazed over the scars of his body. "Juvia's sorry."

Gray raised a brow. "For what?"

She tilted her head lower, hiding her watery eyes. "Juvia… couldn't protect…"

He narrowed his eyes, opening his mouth to retort—only to pause. She was genuinely upset. She had brought her other hand to his own, squeezing in apology. Her eyes were fixed to his bruises and scars, but in sadness, not disgust.

The sight made his stomach churn.

"Hey, what's with that face, huh?" he said, leaning forward to meet her downcast gaze. "I don't need your pity. All these scars show that no matter what happens I keep getting up, keep moving forward, keep living."

Her eyes saddened once more as her gaze fell to his scarred chest, roving over the healing injuries.

"…But—"

"Besides," he added as her gaze rose to his face, "they look cool, right?"

She laughed softly, and he grinned seeing her smile light up her face. He then felt her hands over his, and he blinked when she leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on his forehead, right against his scar.

His face grew warmer while his eyes flickered from her face to the corner of the room. Juvia tilted her head and smiled as a light blush dusted her cheeks.

"Juvia doesn't mind Gray-sama's scars," she said, gently squeezing his hands. "Gray-sama is right. They are a sign of living."

He studied her for a moment before nodding, giving a small grin in return. "Yeah, exactly."

"And…" she continued, making Gray lift a brow when she averted her eyes and ducked her head. She brought one hand to her mouth, a cute blush adorning her cheeks as she mumbled, "Gray-sama always looks cool."

He felt his face grow warm once more, quickly averting his gaze. She always knew how to fluster him.

"Yeah, well," he muttered, absently toying with her fingers lingering on his hand. He cleared his throat, eyes focused on the corner of the room. "Thanks for your help."

Juvia flinched, suddenly aware of his fingertips brushing against hers as her face erupted to a new shade of pink. "Yes, o-of course," she stammered, cheeks flushing darker. "I… um…"

Following her line of sight, he quickly released her hand. "Right, yeah," he mumbled, scratching the back of his head.

She smiled fondly at him, lacing her fingers before her. "Gray-sama should rest."

"Yeah," he nodded, lying down against his side. "If you want," he added, his back facing her, "you could stick around, you know, if you're not busy."

Her smile grew wider as her heart fluttered in her chest. "Don't worry, Gray-sama. Juvia isn't going anywhere."

"Er, good," he replied, and she looked at him affectionately, leaning over to pick up a magazine—

"'Cause I might need help taking off my pants."

Her face steamed as she squealed, only to faint on the hospital floor.