#marimette

It was a blistery, winter evening in Magnolia. Every timeJuvia’s feet left the ground, she thought she was going to up and blow away. Clutchingher shopping bag tighter, she picked up her pace in hopes of getting to thewarm guild hall sooner. What she didn’t take into account was that the road wasicy, and she tripped almost immediately. Luckily for her, she fell into a warmbody instead of the cold pavement.

 “You alright, Juvia?” The words were like music in her ears,not because of the content, but because Gray said them. Gray…they had gotten soclose over the time they spent together. He used to avoid her and call her theenemy, and now he went out of his way to help her.

 She regained her footing and smiled brightly. “I’m fine,Gray-sama! I just slipped!” she reported.

 “I’m glad nothing worse happened,” he mumbled. “Here, if youlink your arm with mine, I can help you keep your balance.” She was on cloudnine. Gray, her Gray, asked her to link arms with him! It didn’t matter thatthis wasn’t the first time this happened, and it probably wouldn’t be the last.Juvia felt like she fell in love with Gray over and over again every time she sawhim. She delicately slid her arm through his and matched his pace.

 Gray looked down at Juvia. Her smile was so big that hecould have sworn her face was glowing. He couldn’t help but smile, too. She broughtso much light to his dark world. She never gave up on him, showed him howimportant love was, and even turned the day of Ur’s death into a day ofcelebration. She could turn anything bad into a blessing. He pulled the scarfshe made for him tighter around his neck and mumbled, “Man…I love you.”

 Juvia stopped and turned her head. “Did you say something,Gray-sama?”

 Gray glanced over and shook his head. “Must have been the wind.”That just slipped. He wasn’t ready to tell her yet.