That Text

Chapter Three

They went to one of the local pubs. It was a place they both attended regularly when back in college but never together. Juvia remembered watching Gray and Lucy from across the pub many a time when she would go out with Gajeel and Levy. They were always her biggest supporters.

It brought up some raw memories for her, but as she looked across the table at Gray who was looking back at her with a kind smile those memories ceased to affect her.

The alcohol continued to flow, they laughed and reminisced about old times. Gray spoke about his experiences in the army and Juvia spoke about her nurse training and about her job working with people with disabilities. Gray admired her for it.

They were mid flow with their conversation when their table was approached.

'Look whose here! I wasn't expecting to see the two of you together tonight!' Cana and her boyfriend Bacchus had approached the table, Bacchus looking sheepishly as Cana drunkenly sat in the chair next to Juvia.

Juvia had fond memories of Cana; she was always lovely to her back in high school. She remembered her being a good friend of Lucy's but a childhood friend of both Gray and Natsu. Bacchus however, she was unsure of. She knew of him, but she never really engaged with him back in school.

'Cana! It's been a while; I haven't seen you since our last Christmas party.' Gray trailed off his last sentence, trying to avoid eye contact with Juvia all of a sudden.

'Oh yeah! Great party! Not such a good ending from what I can remember of it... But look at you Juvia!' Cana wrapped an arm around Juvia pulling her close. 'It's been so long! You got hot! Look at the boobs on you now!' Cana hiccupped between words as she spoke. Juvia blushed at the statement, the alcohol was heavily affecting her at that point, and she felt fuzzy with her thoughts.

'I could say the same thing about you Cana! I haven't seen you since the end of high school.' She smiled kindly to her, gaining a smile back.

'God high school! How long ago was that now! Can you believe were in our late 20s now! You remember Bacchus of course! He was in a different form to us, but you might have shared some classes together!' Bacchus gave Juvia a wave, he was clearly intoxicated as well, a drunken blush to his cheeks.

'What brings you guys together tonight? I didn't even know you guys were still in contact from high school! The two of you were always the ones I thought were gonna be end game! Funny how things turn out eh?!' Cana held Juvia steadfast in her grasp as she laughed.

Juvia looked bashfully at Gray, who wore a blush on his cheeks. 'Were on a date.' He scratched the back of his head in embarrassment as he spoke. Juvia felt like she was going to pass out from happiness as he said it out loud. The butterflies in her stomach, almost erupting from her in response.

'A date!? Oh my gosh amazing! I always shipped you guys together; thought you were a much better match!' Cana leant across the table, grabbing Gray's arm in encouragement.

A deep blush showed on both Gray and Juvia's cheeks as she said that.

'Glad to hear it mate. Real shit what happened with Lucy and Natsu, couldn't believe it when I found out! I was completely oblivious at the Christmas party.' Bacchus put a reassuring hand on Gray's shoulder. Gray's eyes dropped to the ground, a serious and sad look on his features as he did so.

Juvia glanced at him, she had been cheated on previously, she knew the pain but never with someone she had been with that long. She hoped that she could perhaps heal him from that pain. But there was a niggling fear in her, what if her Gray-Sama wasn't completely over Lucy, they had been together for so long, what if she was the rebound?