Damn… we actually reached 50 reviews. You're incredible. Thank you so much for the support; it means more than I can express.
This chapter is the beginning of Lucy and Natsu's encounter, which unfolds fully in the next one—by the way, it's around six thousand words. Because it's longer, I decided not to put their entire meeting into a single chapter, as I felt it would flow better this way.
I hope you enjoy this first part. I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts. Thank you for making this journey so motivating.
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While Natsu was training on his own at home, Juvia arrived in front of the massive Fairy Tail guild door, her heart still warmed by her encounter with Gray. The building looked the same as ever—well, she still hadn't fully gotten used to how rundown it appeared compared to seven years ago—but the noise was exactly the same. It seemed the guild was gradually returning to normal, and just hearing the voices coming from inside already filled her with that familiar sense of belonging.
But before she could even push the door open, something caught her attention.
Erza was stepping out of the guild.
Juvia's eyes widened slightly.
"Erza-san!"
Erza turned her head immediately. For a second, she looked surprised… and then visible relief crossed her features.
"Juvia," she said, firm as always but with a softer tone than usual. "You're back."
Juvia nodded, walking toward her with light steps.
"Yes… Juvia has just returned."
Erza's eyes scanned her for a moment, quick and attentive. Then the question came straight to the point, as everything about her did:
"Natsu came back too, didn't he?"
Juvia couldn't hold back the smile that escaped—small, but full of feeling.
"Yes. He arrived a short while ago along with Juvia… but he said he needed to take care of a few things before coming to the guild."
The relief in Erza's eyes was immediate. It wasn't exaggerated or obvious, but it was undeniable. Her shoulders relaxed ever so slightly, as if an invisible weight had just been lifted.
"I see," she murmured. "I was starting to get restless with the two of you taking so long to complete the mission… Two weeks for a simple job isn't exactly normal… even for Natsu."
She crossed her arms for a moment, recalling the conversation she'd had with Makarov earlier. Even though the old man had said all those words to calm everyone down, her sense of responsibility had driven her to speak with the Master privately. She had insisted on going out to search for them again, but he had stubbornly insisted—between grumbles and unshakable confidence—that they would return on their own.
And he had been right.
She just hadn't expected it to be the very same day.
Juvia tilted her head slightly.
"Natsu-sama is fine," she assured her with conviction. "He just seems… different."
Erza raised an eyebrow. She had already heard about that, so it wasn't the real reason for her reaction. What truly surprised her was Juvia calling Natsu "Natsu-sama." Before, that kind of honorific had been reserved exclusively for Gray… hadn't it? Had the two of them grown closer during the mission? It was a very plausible possibility, especially noticing the tone of affection and emotion in the water mage standing before her.
"Looks like water and fire really do mix well…" she thought. Still, for some strange reason, a faint discomfort formed in her chest.
In any case, pushing that feeling aside, she replied to Juvia.
"Really? Everyone's been talking about it. Even if he seemed strange, I believe he'll return to normal in time…" She nodded slightly in reassurance. She had always believed that. Terrible things had happened in his life before, but Natsu had always overcome them and moved forward—that was precisely why she admired him so much.
Even so, with Juvia herself commenting on it now, a certain curiosity began to take root inside her. Maybe it would be better to see it with her own eyes. Should she visit him now? He probably wasn't home, since according to Juvia he had gone to take care of something… but she could stop by later.
Perhaps it would be a good idea to bring something he liked, just to cheer him up a little.
Originally, she had planned to leave on a mission to continue her personal goal of restoring the guild's reputation, which had declined over the past seven years. However, this seemed a little more important, so she decided to set that objective aside for the time being.
Putting her thoughts away, she asked, "Are you going in now, Juvia?"
"Yes. Juvia promised she would meet Natsu-sama at the guild…"
"Is that so? Good luck, then…"
Erza turned around, but before leaving the entrance area completely, she glanced back over her shoulder one last time. "Welcome back to the guild, Juvia."
"Thank you, Erza-san."
And with that, Erza went on her way.
Juvia stood for a few seconds longer, staring in the direction she had disappeared, still feeling in her chest that silent pride Erza carried for all of them… especially for Natsu.
Then she took a deep breath.
And finally pushed open the great door of Fairy Tail.
The moment Juvia pushed open the great door of Fairy Tail, the sound hit her like a wave.
Voices blended into a constant hum, loud laughter echoed through the hall, and the familiar smell of cheap food, alcohol, and magic filled the air. There was still mess, of course—crooked tables, chairs out of place. Some members were arguing near the bar counter; at one table Cana was drinking straight from a beer barrel. At another, Wendy and Carla were eating strawberry cake. She also noticed Mirajane serving drinks at a nearby table, next to the new waitress who had joined during the past seven years—Kinana, that was her name, right?
There was also Lisanna, her Natsu-sama's childhood friend, who at that moment was trying to hold back Elfman as he insisted on fighting another guild member to prove how manly he was… He would never measure up to her Natsu-sama.
It was all so familiar and, at the same time, strange.
So much had changed in seven years, and she was only realizing it now because before she had been drowning in her own sadness.
Seven years ago, a simple argument would end with someone flying through a wall. A lot of that had one very specific name: Natsu Dragneel.
Together with Gray, Gajeel, and the others, he had been the true magnet for chaos in the guild. Always ready to fight someone, challenging, provoking, literally setting the place on fire. That gave the place life, made everything louder, more intense… and also far more expensive to maintain.
Now, without him for so long, the guild had learned to rein in its own impulses.
And there was the harsh reality.
Fairy Tail was broke.
Literally and financially.
If something were destroyed now, there might not even be money for a simple repair. That was reflected in everyone's behavior: fights hadn't disappeared, but they were much smaller; excesses still existed, but they were rare.
The guild was surviving on what it had, for the time being.
Juvia took all of this in silently before her gaze, almost automatically, began searching through the crowd for pink hair.
He wasn't there.
A slight tightness gripped her chest.
She slowly emerged from her thoughts when she suddenly noticed the hum around her starting to change the moment she entered.
Eyes were turning toward her.
At first it was just a few curious faces. Then small whispers sprang up here and there, until within seconds practically the entire guild had noticed her presence.
The water mage blinked several times, surprised by the sudden attention.
She had only been away for two weeks.
Two weeks on a simple mission. In truth, the mission itself had taken just one week; the other had been spent with every possible second at her Natsu-sama's side… Still, it was only two weeks. Such a short time. She could easily have stayed much longer…
That alone was already odd. And Fairy Tail, as always, wouldn't let it pass in silence.
"Hey, isn't that Juvia?!"
"She's really back!"
"She completely vanished with Natsu on that mission, right?"
"Two weeks for a simple job… that doesn't add up!"
"…Weren't you here when the Master said they finished it in just one week?"
"Huh? Really? I was busy… So what happened on the way back that made them take so long?"
"How should I know, idiot!"
"What? Who are you calling an idiot?"
The voices started overlapping—curious, suspicious, eager for answers.
Juvia felt a slight shiver run up her spine.
For a moment she considered simply ignoring everyone and heading straight to a table to wait for her Natsu-sama… but she quickly realized that wasn't an option.
Cana was one of the first to stand up from her beer barrel, balancing with questionable skill.
"Ooooh, look who decided to come back from the beyond!" she said, raising her mug. "So, Juvia, are you gonna tell us or not? Where the heck have you two been all this time?"
Before she could answer, Levy appeared at her side, eyes shining with curiosity.
"Wasn't the mission just to get rid of some bandits? How did that turn into two weeks off the map?"
Even Wendy, sitting at her table, leaned forward attentively.
Juvia felt the weight of all those stares on her.
It was strange.
Despite always having been a bit isolated, now she felt… far too important.
She adjusted her hat slightly, cleared her throat softly, and tried to keep her composure.
"Juvia and Natsu-sama simply ran into some… unforeseen circumstances," she answered vaguely.
The reaction was immediate.
"'Unforeseen circumstances' is the polite way of saying things went south, huh?" someone commented from the back.
"You were gone way too long for it to be just that!"
"And Natsu? Where is he?!"
That specific question echoed through the hall.
Juvia's heart beat a little faster.
Before she could reply, a familiar voice cut through the noise:
"JUVIA!!!"
Lucy burst through the door with a bang. She had just finished dealing with issues at her apartment and was returning to the guild to chat with Levy when she spotted a blue figure entering the building. She recognized immediately—it could only be Juvia. Without wasting a second, she ran toward her, desperate to know if there was any news about Natsu…
Her entrance drew everyone's attention almost instantly, including Juvia's, who turned just in time to see the blonde rushing toward her, face filled with a clear mix of anxiety and relief.
Then Lucy grabbed Juvia's shoulders firmly.
"Juvia, if you're back… that means Natsu is back too, right?! And him? Is he with you? Is he okay? I heard you two went on a mission together and… and it took so long! I was worried…"
She spoke quickly while catching her breath, staring seriously into the water mage's dark blue eyes.
A sharp pang shot through Juvia's chest—pure, simple jealousy. There stood Lucy Heartfilia, the celestial mage who was always glued to her Natsu-sama, laughing at his antics, fighting with him like they were inseparable. To Juvia, she was without a doubt a rival for her Natsu-sama's love—someone with a closeness she secretly envied. How dare she ask about him with such urgency, as if she had the right… as if he belonged to her?
Juvia felt her heart beat wrong inside her chest.
"She's holding Juvia like this… asking like this…"
Thoughts started spinning.
Did Lucy-san love Natsu-sama too?
Had they shared too many missions?
Too many laughs?
Too many dangers?
Too many moments that should have belonged only to Juvia?
Juvia's gaze darkened for a second.
"No… no… this can't happen…"
Her shoulders slowly dropped; the air around her grew heavy.
Juvia had been with him for two whole weeks.
Juvia had taken care of him.
Juvia had walked beside him.
Juvia had watched him sleep.
Juvia had seen him smile again.
It was Juvia.
So why did Lucy-san act like she had so much right to be this desperate?
"Could it be… that in Natsu-sama's heart… there's still a bigger space for Lucy-san than for Juvia…?"
Her heart clenched painfully.
But then, like a snap typical of her, Juvia's face suddenly flushed.
"No… that's impossible!" Juvia clenched her fists, regaining her inner dramatic pose. "Natsu-sama walked beside Juvia in the rain, fought beside Juvia, ate with Juvia, slept near Juvia! Fate has spoken clearly!"
Though her mind was full of thoughts and people found it odd that her face suddenly turned red, she ignored everything with a forced smile and, somewhat reluctantly, decided to answer—now with a faint tone of boasting, as if marking her territory. "Yes, Lucy-san. Natsu-sama came back with me. He's fine… Juvia took care of him throughout the entire mission."
Lucy's eyes widened for a moment, mixing relief and surprise, but she didn't waste time. "He came back with you? Where is he now? He didn't come to the guild?"
Juvia hesitated briefly, but soon replied, "He said he needed to take care of some things at home first… But he promised he'd come later."
Without another word, Lucy spun on her heels and dashed toward the door, nearly tripping over a chair on the way. "I'm going there! I can't wait any longer!"
Juvia stood still, watching the blonde disappear through the entrance while jealousy still burned in her heart like a boiling drop of water. The impulse was immediate, almost instinctive, like a tide pulling her body forward. Follow her. Watch every step. Make sure no improper approach happened. Make sure Natsu-sama remained only Juvia's…
Her foot even moved half a step forward.
The jealousy still burned in her chest, hot and restless, squeezing her heart like an invisible chain. The image of Lucy running hurriedly, calling his name with such urgency, kept replaying in her mind like an unresolved scene.
But then, almost at the same instant, memories of the past few days surfaced within her…
Juvia felt her heart slow down.
The turbulent emotions inside her began, little by little, to calm.
She slowly lowered her head.
She realized something that, for the old Juvia, would have been almost impossible to accept: she trusted him.
It wasn't absolute, perfect trust—still stained by jealousy and insecurity—but it was real. She had walked beside him, fought beside him, shared silence beside him. That bond wasn't something Lucy-san or anyone else could simply steal in a rushed run to his house.
The tightness was still there.
The discomfort too.
She still wanted to follow her.
But she no longer felt the desperate need.
Juvia took a deep breath.
And then she smiled—small, discreet, almost shy.
She noticed the change with some surprise. If this had been years ago, just the shadow of another woman near Gray would have been enough for her to crash through walls, summon storms, and launch into dramatic pursuits without a second thought. She would have followed Lucy to the ends of the city without hesitation, consumed by paranoia and an uncontrollable heart.
But now… now it was different.
With Natsu-sama, she still felt jealousy.
She still felt fear.
She still felt that strange tightness in her chest.
But she no longer felt compelled to chase.
She chose to trust.
Because she truly loved him…
Juvia remained silent for a few moments.
The guild's noise, which for a few seconds had seemed distant, gradually reached her again, like the sound of a tide returning after pulling back.
Then a hand lightly touched her arm.
"Juvia?"
She blinked in surprise and turned her face.
Levy was beside her, wearing an awkward smile and a clearly embarrassed look. The small mage scratched her cheek, searching for the right words.
"Sorry about Lucy's reaction… she was just really worried about Natsu. Like… everyone was, actually."
Juvia looked at her for a moment, absorbing those words. Her first impulse was to close off again, but something in her expression softened. She let out a slow breath.
"Juvia understands…" she answered, her voice lower than usual.
Levy smiled, relieved.
"She didn't mean any harm, honestly…"
Juvia glanced away for a second, taking in the faces around her. Many were still openly staring with curiosity. Others whispered among themselves. The worry wasn't just Lucy's. It was spread across everyone there.
Before she could say anything else, Cana appeared again, holding her half-empty mug.
"All right, enough weird atmosphere!" she raised her voice. "Now that Levy's done the diplomat thing, is Juvia finally going to tell us what happened or not?"
As if that were a signal, several members crowded closer at once.
"Yeah, spill it already!"
"Were you really just stuck somewhere on the way?"
"Did Natsu pick a fight with someone strong?"
"Was it a mage?"
"Was it a Vulcan?"
"It was his fault, wasn't it?"
Questions rained down on Juvia from all sides—jumbled, impatient, full of curiosity and concern. Wendy stood up from her chair, Carla landed on the back of a nearby table, Elfman stopped his own argument to watch, and even Mirajane leaned over the bar counter to hear better.
If it weren't for her job as a waitress, she would have come over to ask about Natsu the moment Juvia walked through the door. Her worry still hadn't eased, and she had even considered visiting him the next morning to talk a little…
Juvia felt a bead of cold sweat run down the side of her face.
Being the center of attention still made her uncomfortable.
She adjusted her hat once more, cleared her throat softly, and tried to organize her thoughts before speaking.
"No… nothing that dramatic happened…" she began. "The mission was completed quickly. We just took a little longer coming back because of… special circumstances."
"Special circumstances?" Cana raised an eyebrow. "That sounds even more suspicious."
"Were you trapped somewhere isolated?" Levy asked, already imagining a thousand possibilities.
Juvia hesitated for a fraction of a second.
"Something… like that."
"See? I told you there was a story!" someone shouted from the back.
"And Natsu-san?" Wendy asked, biting her lip, genuinely worried. "Is he really okay?"
That question, unlike the others, came not from curiosity but from anxiety.
Juvia nodded firmly.
"He is. He's different… but he's okay."
The answer seemed to ease much of the tension around her. Some members exchanged calmer glances, others let out discreet sighs of relief. Still, curiosity was far from satisfied.
"So is he coming or not?" Cana pressed.
"He promised he would come later."
"Later when?"
"Exactly when is 'later'?"
The questions piled up again.
Juvia felt her legs grow a little stiff under all the attention, but unlike before, she didn't shrink back. She took another deep breath and stood there, firm, answering what she could and sidestepping what still couldn't be told.
And all the while, deep in her heart, even surrounded by voices, laughter, and demands, she held onto the same silent decision.
She would wait.
She would wait for the moment when Natsu finally walked through that door once more.
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