Say Those 3 Words (A GruVia Fanfic)

Chapter 19

Oh wow hi Wattpad haven't seen you in years

Jeez I haven't updated in months; is anyone even still reading this??

LOL probably not but if you are then props to you guys

It seems I wrote this a while ago and I recently looked back and touched it up a bit before deciding to give this to you readers after such a long wait!

Also know that I read ALL of your comments and your support means so much to me, so thank you guys <3

Final chapter before the epilogue! You ready?

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~No One's P.O.V.~

The rain poured hard that day.

It was almost as if Mother Nature knew of the tragic event that happened on Earthland, and wanted to pay homage to the poor Water Mage being put to rest with the rain that had plagued her for so many years of her life.

Each and every single member of the blue-haired Mage's guild was outside on this rainy day, some holding umbrellas, others having their hands preoccupied with wiping tears, hiding teary-eyed faces, and/or consoling a fellow guild member to hold a parasol. They all stood in an orderly fashion, which was a rare sight for a guild such as Fairy Tail. But, every member knew how serious and important this and any funeral was, and either way, none of them had the strength nor the motivation to be angry or furious or even happily reminisce about the Rain Woman.

Not even Natsu, who merely stood by and comforted a hysterical Lucy while shedding tears of his own that silently streamed down his cheeks and mixed in with the heavy rain. He would be angry and cause a hysterical/furious rebellion, but.. one look at a certain raven-haired boy's face had diminished his anger like ice being poured onto fire; gradually fading away until it's fully replaced with grief.

Now, another Dragon Slayer on the other hand...

"IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT YOU F***ING BASTARD!" Gajeel screamed at the top of his lungs, his red eyes practically glowing with rage, fury, and grief with tears pricking the corners of them. He was being held back by Jet and Droy, but it was obvious that the two of them alone couldn't hold him for long. "IF IT WASN'T FOR YOU AND YOUR SHITTY ATTITUDE, JUVIA WOULD STILL BE ALIVE! YOU SICK BASTARD!" The Ice-Make Mage didn't respond to the Iron Dragon Slayer's harsh words; instead, he kept his gaze on the gravestone a few feet away from him.

"Gajeel! That is enough!" Master Makarov firmly planted his cane onto the damp grass. "Juvia, Juvia wouldn't have.." The Master of Fairy Tail's breath hitched as he uttered her name. Another wave of grief temporarily overwhelmed Gajeel, but it soon turned to rage. Before he could shout any more swears, however, Levy came up to him and hugged Gajeel from behind.

"Gajeel," Levy sniffled, said Dragon Slayer's eyes widening at her warm embrace. "J-just don't...It won't..it won't bring Juvia back..." The rain mixed with the short bluenette's tears as they traveled down their chin, but still she kept her grip around the Iron Dragon Slayer. Gajeel stood there, stunned for a second before he gritted his teeth and looked up to the clouds.

"GOD DAMNIT!!" Gajeel screamed into the stormy skies, tears flowing down his face as he did so. Every other Fairy Tail member soon followed, sobs and cries of sorrow coming from every direction.

Surprisingly, it was Gray who was one of the only quiet ones. His head hung down, and not a single sound was uttered from his mouth as he just stood there with a slouched expression. Since he was at the very front, no one could see his face, but nobody had to see to know that large tears, bigger than the rain droplets pouring down, were traveling down the cold Mage's face.

~☔️~

Time passed. Eulogies were read, tears were shed, respects were given. After the Water Mage's body was buried, the members of Fairy Tail slowly trickled away from the graveyard in which their other former members were buried. About two hours later, not a single soul was left at the graveyard...

...Well, except a certain raven-haired boy.

Gray's head was still down as his shoulders sagged. He--quite literally--hadn't moved a single inch from where he stood. Nobody could see it, as Gray was the only one still there, but tears still left his cheeks damp, even though the rain had long since gone and left only the gloomy gray clouds. The fact that the Ice-Make Mage's eyes had completely run out of them, however, could be why he was no longer shedding tears.

But yet, in all honesty, his mind was nothing but a blur. There were no comprehensible thoughts of guilt, grief, or anger. He just felt...empty. Dazed. Was this what grief felt like? Sadness? Guilt?? Those didn't seem right, though, as he had felt all those emotions before, and none of them felt like this.

...Was what he felt heartbreak?

If he could form actual thoughts, he'd probably think that he deserved it, after all the horrible treatment he gave to the bluenette.

But, all he felt was emptiness, like everything that had made him full just poured out like a bottle being tipped and its contents being emptied out due to something causing it to, and in this case, the cause was the death of the woman he loved.

Was it really only because of her death? Or was it because he only realized he loved her right before she died? Or because she was his all along, but he just never accepted it?

They could all be right, for all he cared. He just...he just wanted this feeling to go away--

--No.

No, that was wrong. It wasn't the feeling he wanted to go away.

He wanted her to come back. If only there was a way where he could just bring her back to life...he'd do anything for that to happen.

"Oi, Ice Princess." Suddenly, a familiar voice broke the silence that surrounded him.

"Natsu.." Gray mumbled, his voice fragile and broken. "Just..just leave me be--"

"Kh--!!" All of a sudden, Natsu went in front of Gray and punched him right in the abdomen. Both Happy and Lucy only flinched as they felt a sense of deja-vu from the scene unfolding before them.

As dark spots started blotching his vision, he could only grip the Fire Dragon Slayer's shirt as he started to lose consciousness. The Ice-Make Mage didn't want to go, he didn't--no--couldn't leave her grave. It was his fault that she was buried under there, he should at least somehow repent for what he'd done... His awareness rapidly fading, he could only grit his teeth in anger and look up at the pinkette.

"I'm, gonna..kill..." he mumbled as his vision quickly faded into black and he finally blacked out. His body was caught by Natsu, who just lets out a small sigh.

"Why do you gotta always act like this when you're grieving..?" the fire Mage grumbled under his breath before slinging Gray's body over his shoulder. "Come on, Happy, Lucy! Let's go back to the guild."

"...Okay..." The two of them sweatdropped, not sure what else to say. Without any regret in his actions, the Dragon Slayer raised his arm and waved his hand as he started to walk away.

"We'll come visit later, Juvia!" Natsu says nonchalantly before leaving the graveyard, catching his two friends off guard. Happy just grinned, but Lucy frowned.

"Will Gray be okay?" she asked out loud.

"I'm sure he'll be fine after some time," Happy responds. "Natsu and Erza and the guild will make sure of that!" Lucy pursed her lips, but then smiled and nodded.

"Yeah, you're right," she agrees, and the two of them go after their salmon-haired friend carrying the once-grieving ice Mage.