#ftreversebang2022

Fairy Tail Reverse Big Bang Team 13 Entry

Event banner by @oryu404

Signup Dates:

Artists - Jan 1 - 31

Writers and Betas - Jan 1 - Feb 9

Artist Initial Check Ins:

First Check In (Feb 9) - Minimum requirement is a rough sketch

Second Check In (Feb 20) - Minimum requirement is line art. You will also need to fill a short questionnaire for each fan art entered. This will allow you to communicate to potential writers any triggers or things you don’t want in the stories at claim time.

How does this work?

The Fairy Tail Reverse Bang is an art first event. Artists will provide fan arts that suggest a story. Writers will then have a chance to claim a fan art and write a story inspired by it.

This event will run in phases with check-ins throughout to help everyone stay on task. Posting is scheduled for May. Check the form for the complete event schedule.

You may sign up as a writer, an artist, or both. You may also sign up as a beta reader or a pinch hitter.

We will place all sketches and artist preferences in a document for the writers to select which ones they are interested in writing a story about. We have set the minimum word requirement at 2,000 words based on the results of the interest check.

Matches will be blind and made in the order they were claimed. Once all arts are claimed, we will continue to assign the remaining writers. It will be possible for one art to be assigned to multiple writers.

An email address is required to participate in this event. We will not share your information with anyone.

This event is open to all content creators in the Fairy Tail fandom.

Rules:

We will not tolerate ship or character bashing.

All @ftguildevents are LGBT+ friendly

We will not accept any content that portrays incestuous relationships

We will not accept any content that portrays romantic relationships between adults and canon minors.

If you have any questions, please send an ask to @ftguildevents or join our event Discord.

Please REBLOG to help us get the word out!

Aha! I’m back with my second entry for the @ftguildevents 2022 Reverse Bang! I love Mystogan and Wendy’s sibling dynamic, and wing aus, so this was incredibly indulgent for me, and a lot of fun to work on.

A writer has made a story based on this, and you can check it out here!

1. Wings of Wonder by @curiouswren

Rating: G Category: Gen Words: 2130 (complete) Summary:

Word Count: 2500

Fluff, Romance, Hurt and Comfort

Summary: Natsu's started a fight in the guild hall again, and Lucy must yet again try and calm him down. But things go awry this time, and she ends up burned. Now Natsu can't bring himself to be around her. He blames himself for her injury and has convinced himself that he's too dangerous to ever be around her again. What will Lucy do?

Hello, everyone! Here is my story for the Fairy Tail Reverse Bang hosted by @ftguildevents! I had fun participating again this year. Please do be sure to go check out the art done by my partner @xfangheartx​!

My contribution to the Fairy Tail Reverse Bang, hosted by @ftguildevents !

Summary: Natsu blames himself when he accidentally burns Lucy's hand during another brawl and he believes that he's too dangerous to be around, so it's up to Lucy to reassure him that he's not.

This piece is Fraxus (Freed x Laxus) and was written for the FT Reverse Bang 2022, hosted by @ftguildevents ! I signed up with a different account ( @furidojasutin ) but I’m having troubles with the E-mail and the password because I’ve been absent for so long, so... I’m glad I’m one of the admins here haha.

My partner for this was the amazing @artd-nsfw ! I was super glad to be paired up with her. I absolutely love her art and also the Fraxus piece she drew for this event. You can find the matching art piece >right here<. Please go support her wherever you can!

“Are you not going to join them?”

“Oh, no.”

“Why's that? Is it not classy enough for you, Mr. Justine? I would understand why a man like you wouldn't want to participate.” With his chin resting on the back of his hand, Hibiki leaned forward in question.

Some members of the Blue Pegasus guild and some of their guests had decided to engage in a drinking contest. Ren, Master Bob, Bixlow and Laxus were participating, among others. Though Bixlow already seemed to be out of it.

Freed smiled, amused. He had long gotten used to the flirtatiousness in the way all of the Trimens often interacted with lots of people,Hibiki especially. It was all in good spirit. When the Fairy Tail guild disbanded they'd had plenty of time to get to know each other better, and appreciate one another. “It's not that, exactly. I'm not in a particular rebellious mood right now.”

“And that's all?” Hibiki questioned, sensing that there was something else.

There was a small pause. Freed's eyebrows quirked and he took a sip of his beverage of choice. “I know I wouldn't stand a chance. Had I participated, I would already be lying on the floor. That wouldn't be a fun competition, now would it?”

The response was a chuckle and Hibiki nodded in agreement. “That's fair.”

“What about you, Hibiki?”

“Oh, I feel the same. That, and I feel like we might have a different purpose tonight.”

Just on cue, there was a loud crash from the other side of the guild hall. The drinking contest went on, not caring about anything other than the own havoc they were creating with it. Instead, the sound originated from a table that had been moved too strongly and both Hibiki and Freed turned their heads towards the scene.

“There it is.”

Evergreen and Jenny were throwing some passionate sentences at one another, fire in words and eyes, though nothing truly vicious. Apparently they had engaged in an arm wrestling match, and Freed wondered if this party had turned into a tournament instead. And if that was the case, he might have to find something to participate in after all. He too wanted to put somebody in their place.

As the boisterous discussion between the two confident women continued, Hibiki and Freed exchanged a look.

“Do you want to check on them, or should I?”

It wouldn't hurt to make sure before the table got destroyed completely, especially as it seemed that the two of them had consumed quite some alcohol as well.

And Evergreen was a lightweight, too. As was Bixlow. And himself. A pattern there, huh.

“It's alright, I'll go look after them.” Of course, chivalrous as ever. And he was sure that Hibiki actually worried, as there was a heart full of care behind all that playfulness he displayed. “I'm sure you'll be fine on your own.” So Hibiki excused himself with a wink and Freed shook his head before taking another sip, a faint smile on his lips.

As he did that he couldn't help but wonder; if looking after Evergreen and Jenny was Hibiki's purpose of the night, what was his purpose tonight?

Freed didn't have to wait for his question to be answered because it didn’t take long for a certain someone to grace him with his presence, a drink still in his hand and his walk not exactly straight.

“Hey,” he greeted his new company, looking him up and down and watching how he didn’t hesitate to enter his personal space and make himself comfortable. That was completely fine.

“Hey.”

“Are you drunk?” A rhetorical question, really. There were a few indicators for Laxus' current state.

Firstly, the way Laxus was leaning into him with his arm loosely wrapped around one of his shoulders. Most of the physical closeness they shared were shown in private rooms, no matter the kind. Not because one of them was ashamed or for any other similar reason, just because they simply preferred it that way. So while public display of affection was rare, it wasn't completely non-existent.

Alcohol altering some patterns was one of the possible triggers.

Secondly, going hand in hand with the proximity, the strong scent of alcohol wafting from Laxus. When he approached, Freed involuntarily crinkled his nose at his boyfriend's breath. He himself had mostly abstained from drinking tonight and although the scent of alcohol was filling the entire hall, it was definitely more intrusive when right next to his nose.

But it only bothered for a second.

And thirdly-

“Eh? Nah, just a little tipsy.”

-the way Laxus half-heartedly tried to deny it and the way he had a light sway in his voice.

“Okay,” Freed tipped his head a little, deciding that he would indulge in his boyfriend's answer for just a moment. A treacherous little smile had already formed on his lips and he didn't bother to try and not let it show in his tone of voice. “I've had one mug of beer and I doubt I'll drink more than this second one right here. Now, I know that you've got a high tolerance but I also watched your little debacle with Master Bob over there and eventually I stopped counting how many mugs of beer were involved. Can you tell me, perhaps?”

The candid smile that had previously been on Laxus lips, and Freed already missed because it was so heart-warming, changed into a frown within a split-second. “No and 's not important anyway. I tapped out, the old man would've kicked my ass.”

“Yes, and we both know you don't like having your ass kicked.”

“Only if it's you who's doing it,” Laxus grinned and it actually managed to catch Freed off guard. Cheeks tinted red from the surprise but then he let out a quiet laugh and shook his head, leaving his boyfriend's statement pass without a comment for the time being. The time they had spent as part of Blue Pegasus and as hosts had initially shown that Laxus sucked at any kind of flirting – he was neither interested in doing it nor did his social awkwardness help in those situations, although Freed knew that he had begun working on this issue.

Turns out Laxus was able to flirt, well or clumsily, under two different circumstances – when he had consumed enough alcohol and when he was genuinely interested in the other person. Or just the latter. Because then he actually tried to make an effort.

“Right, right. Why did you start a drinking competition with Master Bob anyway?”

“Is that important?”

He could have claimed 'yes' because there was a time when alcohol consumption certainly didn't bring out Laxus' best sides. The tendency for testiness had decreased over time and Freed liked to think that it was thanks to the dragon slayer finding his inner peace.

There was less stress all around and Laxus had taken lots of time to rediscover himself, reassess his values and who he wanted to be. It was all still a work in progress – did this journey ever truly end for anyone anyway? - but it was impressive how much progress his boyfriend had made and how much had changed in the course of just two years.

So he could've claimed 'yes' some time ago, but now he could just brush it off and smile because it didn't matter. Laxus was relaxed and despite the drinking contest being a lost cause, he also looked happy as he continued to lean into him.

“No, you're right, it's not.”

“Good.” Laxus exhaled softly and his fingers fumbled their way along the front of Freed's shirt until they found his chin where they lingered. There was immediate tension when he softly caressed the skin and Freed felt the pleasant tickle along his spine, warm and pleasant. “Can I kiss you?”

xxx xxx

“Can't sleep?”

Laxus didn't flinch at his voice, he knew he could sense him walking up. He still figured that it would be best to be considerate with his approach to test the waters. After all there was a good chance that Laxus wasn't in the mood for company.

And the dragon slayer didn't turn his head when Freed came to stand next to him, he just shrugged and pinpointed something invisible in the distance, staring ahead. “Just needed some fresh air.”

“Okay,” Freed nodded and fixated the same spot as Laxus for just a moment before slightly turning his head. Perhaps he would spot anything on Laxus' face that revealed that he's had a nightmare again even though he of course hoped that this wouldn't be the case. His friend wasn't particularly good at communicating his thoughts and feeling... But he supposed he himself wasn't one to talk.

Laxus shifted his stance slightly, maybe he was feeling some discomfort after all. “I could ask you the same.”

That was fair. “I was feeling uneasy for some reason, so I too figured that some fresh air might help.” That wasn't the whole truth. After noticing that Laxus was gone, he had been a little worried and decided to look for him. The night sky was very beautiful and even though the fresh air hadn't been his true priority, it immediately had a soothing effect on him. The quiet peace and Laxus' presence calmed him and his mind and part of him hoped that he could be the same for the other man right now.

The two of them stood in silence for a a few minutes before he decided that he should at least ask if Laxus wanted to talk about whatever was keeping him up that night, and what had troubled him in the last couple of weeks. He had a good guess what it was. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Laxus exhaled slowly. “Talk about what?”

The nightmares, the fear, the worries... There was a lot he could say because there was just so much at the forefront of their minds. The guild's disbandment had hit them all very hard and Laxus' sickness... Laxus' sickness hit even heavier. He was sure that Ever and Bixlow were just as worried as he was, but he was thankful that Laxus had decided to confess to them after all. Nobody else knew about the current situation. Nobody but the four of them.

There was a long pause before Freed sighed. “Has it gotten worse?”

“What? No, I'm fine.”

“You're clearly not fine, Laxus.” The words sounded harsher than he had intended for them to be and he immediately regretted it. There shouldn’t be such fire in his voice. “I apologize.”

“Tchz...” For the first time in minutes Laxus actually turned his head to look at Freed and his eyes betrayed what was burning inside him. Something was clearly racing in his mind. “You should know me better than to think that I would let some shitty sickness beat me. I'll go down fightin'.”

Freed decisively shook his head. That wasn't something he wanted to hear. It immediately triggered the fear that had found a home somewhere deep within. “You won't go down at all.”

“I'm just sayin'-,”

“No,” he cut in, almost angry. “I promised that we would find a solution.” A cure. Even if that was the last thing he would be doing, there was no way that he would let Laxus... disappear. Die. “And you should know me better than to think that I would break a promise, I-”

“Dammit Freed!” Emotion flooded Laxus' exclamation and Freed was taken aback by the sudden outburst. The dragon slayer was making direct eye-contact with him now, orange colors sparkling under the moonlight. It was beautiful, like a golden flame almost. “This is different. Fuck, we don't even know if there is a fuckin' way to heal this shit.”

The scene had escalated so quickly that Freed was overwhelmed by his own mind, and that wasn't something that happened often. He liked being the master of his own thoughts and emotions, of the things that happened around him. But this situation demonstrated perfectly how that wasn't always possible.

Worry, fierce ambition, fear... love. It all was clashing together at once. It was too much. And while he was all wound up in this spider web in his mind for a moment, Laxus continued to talk and he suddenly sounded calmer than ever.

It was a rarity. It caught him by absolute surprise and he found himself mesmerized.

“I won't go down without a damn good fight, you hear me? And I know that Ever, Bickslow and you, you'll be fightin' with me.” There was a pause and Freed wasn't sure if he just imagined the shiver in Laxus' exhale. “Especially you. Look... Fuck.” Raising his hand Laxus scratched the back of his neck in what seemed to be tinge of awkwardness. Freed was still captured as he examined Laxus' features and listened to his voice. Something was... different. “It's not the... the fucking nightmares or the curse or the old geezer or the damn disbandment. Not this time. There has... been somethin' else and I wondered if it will be too late for me to say somethin' sometime.”

“What?” Freed tried to ignore that, again, Laxus was talking as if his death was inevitable. He despised thinking about it and he didn't want to envision the scenario. It was simply not an option. But instead of saying something, he figured he would try to ease the mood a little. Something was up and it was rare that the dragon slayer opened his heart like this, even towards him. His best friend. “Is it about the horrible host skills you've been presenting? Are you worried that there is something you will never improve at?”

Laxus blinked, caught off guard. He had previously been avoiding Freed's gaze, now he was looking at him again. Perhaps this helped a little to ease the tension. “What? No, I don't even wanna be good at it. It's a useless skill anyway,” he snorted and Freed's lips curved into a faint smile. “Ichiya has his new Aces already, been tellin' me that Bixlow and you are pretty popular.”

“Oh, he did? Well, you never know when you are going to need a skill of this kind.”

“Tchz yea, well. Anyway,” Laxus muttered and scratched the back of his neck again. Was he getting more nervous? Had it not been in the middle of the night then he would have spotted the light red tint on the dragon slayer's cheek. “I was wondering...”

Freed's smile disappeared. He furrowed his brows instead when there was no continuation of Laxus' sentence, at least no immediate one. Laxus was looking away still and he could see the inward fight on his face clearly. What was the matter?

“Laxus?” He decided to ask, cautiously. “What is the matter?”

“Can I kiss you?”

Was he... dreaming? For the second time this night, Laxus had made him go speechless and with so little words, too. Had his best friend just asked him if he could kiss him? His best friend who he's had feelings for for a very long time?

And he had always thought that Laxus was the oblivious one. Just now he had been just as oblivious and it had him rooted on the spot. Unable to move, unable to reply. Even though he wanted to, so badly. He could feel his heart beat harder in his chest, he didn't think it had ever beaten so vigorously before.

At this moment it was as if no battle he had fought, no injuries and fear he had endured could compare to what Laxus' question was doing to him right now.

“Fuck... I'm sorry.” Without glancing at Freed Laxus turned around, ready to flee from the situation. The nervousness seemed to get the better of him after all. That he would experience such a moment; Laxus willingly fleeing. “This was a bad idea, I'll just...”

“Laxus!” And it was his fault that Laxus wanted to flee. What was he thinking, just standing here and torturing his best friend, his love, with no answer? He would have gone crazy too. And he was going crazy right now, but for an entirely different reason. A wonderful reason. “Wait!”

The dragon slayer stopped dead in his tracks, his shout had been effective. Watching that, Freed finally found himself able to move again, thawed from his frozen state. His hands suddenly felt a bit sweaty but he didn't care. The sound of his heartbeat was overcoming the thick and heavy silence around them as he made his first step towards Laxus, and then the following ones.

And after that, there were just fireworks. Beautiful, unique, unforgettable fireworks.

xxx

“Can I kiss you?”

Freed smiled and thought back to the first time Laxus had asked him this particular question. He would forever cherish the moment, and every moment in the future Laxus would initiate intimacy like this. “You may.”

His boyfriend didn't need to be told twice. He closed the few inches of distance between them and joined their lips in what was a slow and soft kiss. Freed immediately tasted the alcohol on Laxus but that was as little of a problem as the scent was. The kiss was all but rough, he felt how Laxus' fingers wandered from his chin down to his collarbone and he relished in the feather-light touches. After all the times they had kissed since they had become a couple, he still couldn't get enough of the sensation of kissing Laxus and how it made him feel.

As light as a feather, as intense as the night, as stormy as the ocean and as powerful as thunder. All at once. It was an all-consuming experience, something so heavenly he at one point thought he would never be allowed to experience.

At moments like these, Freed was especially thankful for how everything turned out. He was thankful for his friends and for the families he had found, because Blue Pegasus had certainly grown on him as one as well even after Fairy Tail had reunited. He was glad that nothing had happened to Ichiya and that his best friends, Ever and Bix, were still here and alive with him. He was glad that he had been able to keep his promise towards Laxus and that Laxus was cured. And not only cured, but happier. Happier and his boyfriend. What else could he wish for now, except for continuous health and peace?

Laxus was the one to move the kiss from his lips to his neck and he could feel him hum against his skin. It was hard not to lean into this tempting touch so Freed decided to indulge for just a moment and closed his eyes as the dragon slayer kept spreading little dwelling kisses on the exposed skin of his neck.

“I love you,” he sighed and opened his eyes again, tilting his head just enough so he could make eye-contact with his boyfriend.

“Love you, too.”

The lopsided grin Laxus wore was contagious and so Freed smirked in return, nodding towards the mug of beer that was still resting in the dragon slayer's other hand. “Didn't you want to put this down?”

“What?” Laxus blinked as though he had sincerely forgotten about the drink in his hand. The grin made a quick comeback, however. “Nah, would be a waste. That's the last one.”

“Ah,” Freed hummed and decided to tease his boyfriend a little more. “And what is the deal with your unbuttoned shirt, anyway? Are the buttons broken?”

Once again he seemed to have surprised Laxus and once again the grin widened quicker than anticipated. The dragon slayer leaned in, his cheeks red from the alcohol and redder than before thanks to the moment of intimacy. “Don't even act like it's a problem. But if yer jealous, how about we make your shirt match mine?”

It hadn't been his intention but now Laxus actually felt prompted to put his mug of beer on the counter next to them. Why? Because of course he needed to fumble with the rune mage's shirt now and Freed couldn't help but laugh when Laxus' sneaky fingers tried to go to work. “Laxus, I'm fine, thanks.”

“Oh, what? Don't ya think it's unfair that you get a show and I don't?”

“A show? You standing here with an unbuttoned shirt is supposed to be a show? Or do you mean the drinking contest that you miserably failed at?”

“I take that personally.”

“Go ahead.”

Both men smirked at each other in challenge, Laxus' fingers still grabbing at the fabric of Freed's shirt lightly. The dragon slayer's gaze was a tad bit cloudier due to the beer but he was still holding the eye-contact until he leaned in to steal another kiss.

Freed welcomed the touch and gladly reciprocated, his lips moving in natural rhythm with Laxus’, feeling electrified yet again. “You know what,” he muttered into the kiss while grabbing Laxus' wandering hand and intertwining their fingers.

“Hmm, what?”

“I actually do feel a little left out. How about we find another challenge for tonight's party. I'm fairly certain that there's something we could team up for.”

They both moved apart and Freed knew he was going to get approval when he spotted the sparkle in Laxus' gorgeous orange eyes. “Let's kick ass together.”

“Let's kick ass together.”

And so both mugs of beer were left on the counter as the two men returned to the crowd to find a, probably ridiculous, challenge and their opponents. Time had proven that, together, they were invincible.

Nothing could stop them.

I had a lot of fun writing for the reverse bang hosted by @ftguildevents 

I had the pleasure of writing a fic inspired by @blueoceanarts amazing artwork. I hope you all enjoy! You can find the art here!!

Pairing: Gruvia 

Warnings: Mentions of blood, scars and pain. 

---

She stares at the ice wall before her. It's massive and sparkles with an unsteady glow. This magic is much different than her beloved. It doesn't hold the same strength and grace as the ice that he creates. There is a darkness that lurks inside the fractals.

There's only so much that she can do. Heat is what she needs in order to burst through the wall and help Gray on the other side. She has no clue how he's holding up and she begins to fear for the worst.

The wall had grown and circled around the men in the center. She has no choice but to go through. Although she loved the combination of their water and ice magic, there are certain limits that the both of them have.

Juvia glances towards her hands and then back to the wall.

“Juvia has to break through.” She says to herself. But there is a fear bubbling up inside of her. She knows very well that it will take an incredible amount of force to demolish even the smallest hole. Perhaps a tsunami is not enough.

Time is of the essence and there's not much room for waiting. Her hands catch her attention again and this time the fear of realization runs through her. On each of her palms holds faint scars. Scars from her childhood of over doing her power and causing herself inattentional danger.

She hadn’t meant to do it and vowed to never push herself to that extent, but now isn’t a time to reminisce. She needs to help Gray.

Slowly she takes a step back and throws off her coat. She takes a steady breath before aiming at the wall, praying that it will work.

“Melted Geyser!” She screams and sends a sharp water blast through the ice.

She hears the crack of the ice. It begins to splinter as boiling water forces its way through the thick walls. As the hole begins to appear, her lungs cave and she lets out a trembling scream. The water she emits runs at a temperature hotter than what humans are capable of obtaining. She pushes her body to the limits, tears blurring her vision as she continues with the boiling rampage.

She's entering a point of danger. Her body can only sustain so much heat. She feels like she is eveaporting. Her body twisting and begging for the cooling sensation she naturally has but it doesn’t give. Her knees buckle and she can see the light coming from the other side.

The only thing in her mind is saving Gray as her vision blurs.

–

Gray glares at the man before him. Another ice wizard but working for a dark guild.

“Murdering innocent people for power? You disgust me.” Gray spats at him. He couldn’t stand people like him. Cruel and evil who mock and prey on the powerless.

The man does nothing but laugh. The ice wall surrounding them makes Gray’s skin crawl.

He got separated from Juvia a while ago and he knows she's on the other side, he just has to get to her now. He can’t move or rush to break the wall either. He has to be patient and hope that she can get to him first, for now he can keep the man preoccupied.

He lunges at the man but he's too quick and forces Gray back with spikes of ice.

“Juvia, come on. Where are you?” He mutters to himself. As long as she's okay that's fine, but back up would be nice. “Stupid ice wall.” He says as he prepares another attack.

There's a rumbling from the wall that makes them both stop and turn. A treamble runs through the earth and shakes them. Gray’s smile appears knowing that this has to be Juvia’s doing.

He then hears it. The sound of the wall cracking and he sees the seam running up the wall. The dark ice wizard turns to try and reinforce it but Gray hits him hard with an ice blast to the back.

He watches the man fall to his knees, and just when he is going to get in another blow, he hears Juvia. His smile drops from his face.

It's a scream he can only categorize as brutal and possibly fatal. A type of sound that is squeezed from the lungs and bruises the vocal cords. A sound he never wants to hear again.

But as he turns and watches Juvia fall to her knees, her scream is on repeat in his head. He forgets the man and sends a cascade of ice towards him as he runs to her. His heart hammers from his chest and he can see her eyes fluttering and trying to stay open.

“JUVIA '' He shouts and the water that was blasting in the air comes crashing down like a rainstorm as he reaches her. His knees scraping against the earth as he catches her torso and pulls her to his chest.

Gray doesn’t care about the way the man behind him whimpers in pain and runs the other way. He doesn;t care about the mission or the reward, only about his girlfriend in his arms.

“Juvia?” He brushes her blue locks from her face. Her body is like ice but her chest still rises and falls and he can feel her faint breath against his skin. “What happened?” He whispers as he searches around for an answer.

His eyes zone in on her hands. Blood drips from her palms as if something has sliced them open but there's nothing but the wall of ice near them. Unlike the rest of her body, her hands burn. It's as if they have their own personal thermostat that's cranked way too high for anyone's health and he holds them to help cool them down.

Slowly he rises and holds her in his arms.

“Gray-sama?” Juvia mumbleds against his chest.

“I got you, just hold on. We’ll be at the hotel soon.” He says and her eyes shut as she falls asleep to the sound of his heartbeat.

—-

By the time Juvia wakes, night has fallen.

She sits up, her head slightly pounding but she feels alright.

“Gray?” She calls to him and notices that he has fallen asleep in one of the plush chairs. She stands and walks to the bathroom and begins to wash her hands. Her body has mended most of the damage on her palms but a present scar is still there.

She feels a warmth behind her and looks up in the mirror to Gray hugging her from behind. He places a kiss to the side of her head and she turns in his arms to peck him on the lips.

“You worried me.” Gray says.

She can tell he's holding back on his anger and it pains her. “Juvia didn’t mean to scare you. She had no other choice.”

He sighs and walks back to the bed, flopping onto his back. “I know, but, what even was that move?”

“Melted Geyser. When Juvia was a little girl, she got very upset one day. Somehow she was able to change the temperature of her water, but she wanted to see how far she could go. Juvia has no problem with the cold, of course she can’t freeze her own water but she can boil it.”

Gray chuckled. “I know that. I was once water locked in a boiling bubble.”

She rolls her eyes and playfully smacks his arm. “Anyways, Juvia wanted to see. She practiced and was able to get a small boil going. But on the day she got upset, she let out a cry and the water temperature escalated greatley that it ended up hurting her. Since then, Juvia has been careful on how hot she makes the water. If not, then what happened today occurs.”

Gray sat up and looked at her hands. They were much better than they were hours ago but it still made him feel anxious to know that this could happen again. And he knew she wouldn’t hesitate either.

“Does it hurt now?” He asked and she shrugged.

“It stings a little but it's nothing that Juvia can’t handle. Once we return home, Juvia is going to go see Wendy.”

She can tell that he still isn’t satisfied.

“Gray, my love, Juvia is okay.”

“You got hurt because of me.” Gray frowned.

“A small price for your safety, they will heal.” Juvia shrugged.

“I just don’t like seeing you hurt.”

“Juvia knows, but she would do it again and again. Do not pretend that you wouldn’t risk yourself for Juvia so there is no need to think that she would not do the same.”

He leaned his forehead against hers. “I’d risk my life for you.”

“As would I.”

Gray takes her hand. “Ice make flurry.” Suddenly a small cloud appears and snows lightly on her palms.

She has always taken a liking to his magic, as if it was a phenomenon of its own. The flurries hit her skin and provide a sweet relief.

“Scars are not always bad. They can remind us of what we have and what we treasure in life.”

She lifts the edge of shirt up to look at her stomach where a fine scar lays. Looking at it, she can still remember clearly of the ice chains and her sacrifice. In the same breath, Gray reaches to his own matching scar. Although that was one of the scariest moments of his life, he's not sure if he would trade it.

He had a few scars from when he was younger. If you looked closely, you might be able to see them but he has started to forget about those marks. He once had a small red line near his eye where Lyon had accidently hit him. A few where he was practicing with his magic without Urs supervision and he wasn’t fast enough to move out of the way for his ice spikes.

Although most of his scars had left, there were only a few that remained and caught his attention. The stomach scar that he shared with Juvia, a mark on his calf from Erza’s sword, and even a mark here and there from the many fights with Natsu. Each had a history and a story behind them.

“What are you thinking about?” Juvia asked to pull him from his thoughts.

“All the times I got dinged up as a kid.” He smiled. “I once sprained my arm jumping off some stairs I made. Ur was so mad at me. To be fair, I thought that the snow would be a lot softer.” He turned to look at her, never getting tired at the way her dark blue eyes captivated him. “Also about what you said. Scars aren’t bad. They keep us grounded.” His hand found its way to his guild mark where underneath each peck was a faded surgery scar from years ago, scars that he was the most proud of.

She places her hand over his, a beaming look in her eyes. “Everytime Juvia looks at you, she falls in love again.”

“And everyday you get more beautiful.” He smiles.

Her own smile gets taken over by a small yawn.

“I think we should lay down, you’ve had quite the day.” Gray watched as she tried to suppress another yawn.

“Juvia doesn’t know what Gray-sama is talking about, she slept for hours.”

He only laughed and fluffed up the pillows before laying down and Juvia followed. She rested her head on his shoulder as he started to trace patterns on her arm.

“Thank you.” Gray whispered.

Juvia turned to look at him. “For what?”

“Saving me. Protecting me. Loving me.” He said.

He could see the slight pink rise to her cheeks. Even after all the time they have spent together, he has never failed to make butterflies in her stomach or blush.

“You will never have to thank Juvia. You have her heart till the end of time.” She kisses his cheek. “She will always be there by your side, scars and all.”

“I love you Juvia.” Gray whispers as he kisses her softly.

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