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The rain pounded against the windows of Fairy Tail's guild hall, casting a rhythmic beat that mirrored the pulse of Juvia's heart. She sat by the large window, her fingers tracing absent circles in the condensation forming on the glass. Outside, Magnolia was shrouded in a curtain of silver, and to Juvia, the storm felt oddly familiar—like home.
Gray Fullbuster, however, was less than pleased with the weather. He paced back and forth across the hall, muttering under his breath about how inconvenient the rain was. Every now and then, he'd glance toward the window, and inevitably, toward Juvia.
Her heart fluttered when his eyes landed on her, but he quickly looked away. It always happened that way. Juvia had long accepted that Gray was difficult to read. His emotional walls were high, built from years of hardship and loss. Despite everything, despite knowing that he wasn’t the type to easily admit to feelings, Juvia's heart had never wavered. She was in love with Gray, fully and deeply, even if it sometimes felt one-sided.
Gray came to a stop and exhaled sharply. "Why does it always have to rain when she's here?" he muttered under his breath. Juvia heard him and immediately felt a pang of guilt. She couldn’t help the weather; it responded to her emotions. And, around Gray, her emotions were always turbulent, like a storm she couldn’t control.
"Gray-sama," she said softly, standing up from her seat and approaching him. "If the rain bothers you, Juvia can leave—"
Gray turned to her, a flicker of regret passing through his eyes. "No, that's not what I meant." He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "It's just... I don't know. I guess I'm just on edge."
Juvia tilted her head, her blue eyes wide with concern. "On edge? Is something wrong?"
He hesitated, his eyes avoiding hers. "I don't know. Lately, things have felt... weird."
"Weird?" Juvia echoed, stepping closer. She was always cautious with Gray, never wanting to push him too far. But her heart always urged her forward, to reach out to him.
Gray sighed again, this time slower, deeper. "Yeah. I’ve been thinking a lot. About... everything. And I can’t get my head straight. It’s like there’s a storm in my mind that just won’t let up."
Juvia felt a pang of recognition. A storm. She knew those feelings all too well. Without thinking, she placed a hand on Gray’s arm, a soft touch. "Gray-sama, Juvia understands. You don't have to carry those storms alone."
He froze under her touch, his dark eyes locking with hers. For a moment, neither of them moved. The sound of rain filled the silence between them, creating a space that felt intimate, like the world outside didn’t exist.
Gray's gaze softened, something vulnerable flickering there. He didn’t pull away, but he also didn’t move closer. "I don't know how to not carry it alone," he admitted quietly. "I've been doing it for so long."
Juvia’s heart clenched. She wanted to take his pain, to lighten his burden. She knew how heavy loneliness could be, how it could wrap around you and refuse to let go. She had once been consumed by it, lost in her rain, before Fairy Tail—and before Gray—had shown her a different way to live.
"You don’t have to be alone, Gray-sama," she whispered. "Juvia is here. I’ve always been here for you."
Gray stared at her, his expression unreadable for a long moment. Then, finally, he took a deep breath, his shoulders relaxing slightly. "I know. I just..." He trailed off, searching for the right words. "I don't know how to let people in."
"You already have," Juvia said, her voice barely above a whisper. She could feel the weight of the moment, the unspoken connection between them. It was fragile, but it was real.
Gray’s eyes flickered with something—surprise, maybe, or realization. His hand slowly lifted to cover hers where it rested on his arm. The warmth of his touch sent a shiver down her spine, but she remained still, afraid to break the moment.
"You’re always saying stuff like that," Gray muttered, but his voice wasn’t harsh. It was soft, almost teasing. "You’re always... waiting for me."
"Because Juvia loves Gray-sama," she said without hesitation. She had said it so many times before, but now, standing this close, with his hand on hers, it felt different. More intimate. More vulnerable.
Gray didn’t flinch or pull away this time. Instead, he closed his eyes for a moment, as if gathering his thoughts. When he opened them again, his gaze was steady, his walls lower than they had ever been.
"Juvia..." he began, but the words seemed to catch in his throat. He let out a frustrated sigh. "I'm not good at this. I don’t know how to say what I’m feeling."
Juvia’s heart raced. She had longed for this moment, but now that it was here, she found herself almost breathless with anticipation.
"You don’t have to say anything, Gray-sama," she said softly. "Juvia knows."
Gray frowned, but it wasn’t the usual frown of irritation. It was one of frustration, of wanting to communicate but not knowing how. He took a step closer, his hand still on hers, and Juvia could feel the heat radiating from him despite the cold rain outside.
"I do need to say it," Gray said firmly. His eyes were intense, locked onto hers. "I need to tell you that... I care about you, Juvia. More than I’ve let on."
Juvia’s breath caught in her throat. Her eyes widened in surprise, her heart skipping a beat. "Gray-sama..."
"I don’t know how to do this," Gray admitted, his voice low and rough. "I don’t know how to be what you deserve. But... I want to try. I want to be someone you can rely on. Someone who can... give you what you’ve always wanted."
Tears welled up in Juvia’s eyes, but they weren’t sad tears. They were filled with hope, with the joy of hearing words she had waited so long to hear. She reached up, cupping Gray’s face in her hands, her touch gentle.
"Gray-sama doesn’t have to be perfect," she whispered. "Juvia loves you just the way you are."
Gray let out a soft chuckle, though his voice was thick with emotion. "You’re too good to me."
Juvia smiled through her tears. "No, Gray-sama is the one who is too good to Juvia."
He leaned forward, resting his forehead against hers, and for a moment, they stood together in the quiet of the guild hall, the storm outside mirroring the storm of emotions between them.
And in that moment, Gray knew he didn’t have to carry his burdens alone anymore. Juvia was there, and she always would be.