"i'm just

afraid to

be alone."

—

"Gray-sama, why won't you talk to Juvia?" The bluenette whimpered, a slight frown formed onto her thin lips. After the ice mage, Gray, had encountered the bluenette hanging around with his so called 'brother' Lyon— he refused to speak to her. No, he wasn't mad. No, he most definitely was not jealous either. Why would he, of all people care anyways?

"Why don't you go back to Lyon instead? I'm sure he'd love your company." He scoffed out, especially slurring the word 'love'— his voice sounding harsher than he tended to. The bitter and complicated feelings that churned inside of him made his throat feel tight and dry. Gray snuck a glance at the bluenette beside him, noticing her pale cheeks puffed up in irritation.

"As Juvia told, Lyon-sama had stopped by town and bumped into Juvia while she was buying sewing materials!" The water mage premised, her lips slightly parted as she let out a huff. Wh- Lyon-sama? When the hell did she start calling him that? The raven-haired moderately rolled his eyes, turning his back against her— resting his cheek against his left palm.

"Sure. That explains why you two were feeding each other crêpes, right?" Gray snarled back, his eyebrows furrowed in frustration— his teeth harshly gritting as he could still recall both mages clearly in his head. Juvia choked, madly shaking her head as she aggressively crossed her arms. "J-Juvia would never! Gray-sama is the only one Juvia would hand-feed crêpes to! Besides, Lyon-sama had shov—"

The ice mage clicked his tongue, halting the bluenette to a stop— swallowing the lump caught in her throat. The raven-haired could feel the pleading gaze of the bluenette against his back, shortly feeling a twinge of regret overcome him. "Is— Is Gray-sama mad at Juvia?.." She quavered, leisurely lowering her head— biting the side of her cheek with a small frown.

No, i'm not. Is what he wanted to reply with, though his lips dared not to part open. Then, what was he feeling? Why was he suddenly feeling so annoyed— so vexed? Well, all Gray knew was that whenever Juvia inched near Lyon— his stomach twisted. Above all, he singularly despised the idea of Juvia and Lyon. The bluenette was too of an, innocent woman for someone like him. Psh. Like he was any different from him anyways.

Gray kept his mouth shut, his eyes bestowed and stuck upon a wall that currently faced him. His face displayed on his usual, intimidating poker face— demising enough to send a shiver down a person's back. "Just do me a favour, and leave me be for the day." He briefly asked, this time his tone sounding softer— more frail, though a bit hurt. Usually, when he was alone— he'd be able to think more clearly. Or more so, hear himself and his problems out.

Juvia nudged on an understanding smile, shifting off of her seat. She bit the bottom of her lip, urging to wrap her arms around him— and just embrace him, tell him that he'd be the only man she'd ever love. Though, that'd surely exasperate her beloved even more. "Right. Juvia will go now." The water mage murmured under her breath, though audible to the ice mage's ears who didn't move an inch.

The bluenette sharply inhaled, cupping her hands against her pelvis. "And.. Juvia hopes Gray-sama gets better soon." She added, slightly raising her shoulders to a shrug— her light blue hair snaking off of her shoulders. Juvia sighed, swivelling her body away— gradually walking away from where she sat beside Gray. She pouted, pursing her bottom lip. Gray-sama must be mad at Juvia, isn't he?

—