"i realized the

truth, they can't

love me like you."

—

"Juvia!" The ice mage scrutinized his surroundings, coming to a halt from his sprint— heavily panting. His vision blurred due to the droplets of water snaking in his sockets, his ears only picking up to the melody of what sounded like boundless rain. Gray gulped, endlessly rummaging his brain as to where the bluenette could possibly be.

He couldn't seem to find her. Even with the deserted pavements, she was nowhere to be found— he'd even passed by the river multiple times; thoroughly checked the bridge, shops, anywhere he could think of. But she wasn't present in any. The noirenette tensed his jaw, clenching his fist. Did that pink idiot find her before me? Gray asked himself, feeling his stomach knot in frustration— though he shook his head and brushed it off.

Maybe she went back to Fairy Hills? He thought, glancing to the direction of the women's dorms. No— it doesn't matter. I can't give up. He reassured himself, when another bolt of lighting cackled above— wavering his attention, slightly catching him off guard. The noirenette paused for a brief moment, shortly after the streak— his ears had miraculously caught a ranging shriek. From behind?

Gray wheeled around and took a slight step forward, retracing his steps. Taking light steps onwards, which soon evolved into a sprint— his feet clashed with the small pools of liquids on the ground, creating 'splish-splash' sounds. "Juvia?" He called out under the waling sky, his onyx eyes traversing the buildings and shops— traversing the corridors and alleys as he passed them by.

"Gray-sama?"

The ice mage ceased, his heels dug deep in the ground— his chest suddenly feeling weighted; his heart sank. She sounded so scared, and her usual pumped, cheery tone trembled. "Juvia? Where you?" He outshouted, furiously looking around— when the desired water mage waved her arm out of a further corridor. Gray furrowed his eyebrows, quickly making his way towards her.

How the hell did I miss that?! He scolded himself, soon after dismissing his thought as he shortly came face to face with her. There, Juvia sat against a wall in a slim alley— her whole frail body shaking, her knees tucked in, her skin more porcelain as usual. Her hands clapped against her ears, and her chest rose heavily up and down. To add on, she was drenched in rain water— just as him.

Juvia swallowed, her breath hitching— she didn't expect, this. Well, she was pleased to see Gray again— but not in a scenario like this. The ice mage was one of the last few people she'd think she'd encounter. Regardless, the water mage had been trembling the whole time she had been sitting down for— the noirenette soon after kneeling down in front of her, hurriedly taking off his blazer.

"We gotta get you outta here." He murmured, gently setting his soaked blazer around her— hoping it'd at least refrain her from getting even more drenched. Juvia gulped, leisurely nodding— her cheeks flaring, swearing that it made the droplets on her skin evaporate; many wild, scandalous thoughts running through her brain. "You can walk, right?" The noirenette questioned, meeting her eyes— his orbs softening at her presence.

"J-Juvia tried.. but her legs.." Gray arched an eyebrow, peeking down at her slim pallid legs. Her bottom half refused to halt, her legs uncontrollably shaking— more violently than her top half. Gray hated seeing Juvia so helpless. He knew she was a strong woman, being one of the Element 4 and an S-Class Mage back in her Phantom Lord days. He frowned, biting his cheek. Gajeel was right. She really did have a big phobia of thunder.

"Juvia is sorry for such nuisance.."

"Don't apologize. It's not your fault." The noirenette hushed, heaving a sigh. Without hesitation, the ice mage inched closer to her. His firm arm snaked underneath her legs gathering them together, his other hand securely lifting from her back— he basically carried her bridal style. Juvia's eyes widened, her heart caught in her throat.

"Hold on tight." Gray grumbled, glancing down at the maiden he securely held— whose face burnt red, almost like a rose— or preferably like Erza's hair. His heart swore to explode at any moment now, even he was shocked. He'd never thought he'd perform such a bold move. The bluenette gradually wrapped her arms around him, her head hesitantly snuggled closely against his shoulder. She couldn't believe it— was she really being carried by Gray?

—

a/n;; i personally did not like this chapter. i did not like how i wrote this and laid it all out. it seems rushed and all but it izz what it izz. forgive me 😔