"Sorry that I made you come here, Juvia." Lucy said, sitting across from the bluenette. They are in the aquarium cafe and store for visitors. The staff was also allowed to buy stuff from here during breaks, and Lucy had asked Juvia to meet her there since she couldn't miss her work today.

"That's okay. Juvia was the one who asked for Lucy-san's help." Juvia said, fiddling with her bag. Lucy smile, watching the girl sitting across from her. Sometimes Lucy thinks Juvia is more bashful than her.

"So, what can I do for you?" Lucy asked.

"Lucy-san, if Natsu-san ask you for space then what would you do?"

"W-What?" Lucy asked, confused at the unexpected question. But Juvia was looking quite serious, expecting an answer from her. "I-I guess if he really wants t-time away from me then I would give it to him. I wouldn't want to force him to stay with me."

Juvia looked thoughtful at her words. Lucy could see something was bothering Juvia.

"Why are you asking me this Juvia?" Lucy waited as Juvia seem to focus her thoughts. Finally, she started speaking.

After the game

"Gray-sama, you were so great today! Juvia loves watching you play." Juvia said excitedly after catching up to him in the hallways. The game was over, and everyone has already left. However, Juvia had waited patiently for her finance to come from the boys' locker room.

"Thanks." Gray said, but his voice sounded like he was annoyed. Juvia looked over him and saw how tense he is.

"Is something wrong, Gray-sama?" She asked. There was no reason for him to be irritated. They had won the game, and he even scored the winning point.

"Nothing's wrong. I just want some air."

"Are you sure? Juvia can help you if you want -"

"Didnt I just say that it's okay? Just leave me alone!" He yelled, and Juvia flinched. She has never heard him scream at her. Even if he was bothered by her, he wouldn't yell at her.

"G-Gray-sama, Juvia just-"

"Ever since I can remember you're always there! You know what I want? Some space! Let me breathe free!"

Juvia was left speechless as she watched Gray walk away. She didn't know what she had done wrong.

Back at the cafe

"Why the hell would he say that?" A new voice said, and the girls looked up to see Natsu there with a tray full of food.

"N-Natsu-san! What are you doing here?" Juvia asked as Natsu sat next to Lucy on the table.

"I didn't have anything else to do so I'm spending today here." he said, bitting into his food blissfully. "Aquarius is fine with it as long as I don't touch anything important and don't distract Lucy."

"Aren't you distracting her right now?"

"She's on break. It's fair game right now." Lucy groaned hearing this, and Juvia giggled. "Anyway, what's this about Gray being a dick?"

"It wasn't like that." Juvia quickly defended. "Gray-sama just want some space."

"Yeah, and he asked for it while being a jerk. How many times have this happened again?"

"Wait, this happened before?" Lucy asked, surprised.

"Yeah, this is the 5th time this year." Natsu said so nonchalantly shocking Lucy. "To Gray's credit, he never yelled at her before. And it doesn't help that they aren't actually dating."

"What! You both aren't dating?" Juvia blushes in shame while Natsu rolled his eyes.

"Nope. Gray even tried to date other girls but this one just scares them away."

"Juvia doesn't understand why she can't protect her fiancé from other girls." She said with a pout.

"Juvia, I really don't understand what kind of relationship you two have but that isn't right. Gray clearly doesn't appreciate you and you're way too into this relationship that doesn't even actually exist." Lucy said. "How about you listen to him. Give him some space. Maybe even go on a date with someone else?"

Juvia looked at Natsu at Lucy's suggestion. He is Gray's best friend so he should know if it's good advice.

"I agree with her." He said. "If Gray thinks its okay to go out with others then why can't you?"

"Juvia don't know..."

"Trust me, Gray might even come to his senses if he sees that you can live without him."

"And if he doesn't?"

Natsu and Lucy shared a look. They could see how much that would hurt Juvia.

"I'll take care of that. First, we need to find you a date." Natsu said with a devilish smile. "And I know just the person."

------------N-------A-------L-------U------------

A week has passed since they met with Juvia. Exams season is coming soon, and everyone was in a hurry to stuff as much knowledge as they can into their heads. Naturally, that meant study groups. Not that anyone except Jellal is actually studying.

"Why are you all here anyway?" Natsu asked, looking around at his friends. Natsu hadn't planned on studying with the others. He would much rather study with just Lucy. But then this happened.

"What's your problem? Its not like we're in your house or anything." Gajeel said, playing around with a metal glass.

"No, but you're in my girlfriend's house." He grumbled while Lucy served drinks to everyone.

"Lucy doesn't seem to mind." Erza said, nodding thankfully when Lucy gave her a glass.

"That's because she's too nice to freeloaders."

"Well, she's definitely too nice for you." Loke said with a smirk. "Dear Lucy, if you would just give me a chance I would fullfil all your kitty dreams."

Lucy blushed and quickly moved away from Loke while Natsu snarled at him. Ever since that party, boys seem to hit on her at school all the time. Only when Levy showed her a video from the party did she get why all the boys were suddenly so "helpful" to her.

Apparently, someone had recorded her drunken self. She got to see everything, from her flirting with everyone to her "epic take down" of Dimaria. Lucy didn't know if felt proud or guilty. On one hand, Dimaria did kiss her boyfriend. On the other, well, toilet water.

"Keep talking and I'll burn that tongue." Natsu threatened, and Loke put his hands up in surrender.

"I wonder where Juvia is?" Gray said, slowly unbuttoning his shirt. He hasn't seen Juvia for a week. She completely avoided him at school and didn't even come to his house when their families had dinner together. Normally Gray would be glad to not have her hang of him. But the last time, he was really harsh towards her. Only Lucy's and Gajeel's word that they have seen her made him somewhat calm.

From across the table, Natsu and Lucy shared a secret smile. Their plan was working so far. Now everything depended on Juvia.

The doorbell rang at that moment, and Erza asked (ordered) Loke to go open the door. Lucy crossed her fingers and waited.

"Holy shit, Juvia!" Loke exclaimed loudly for all to hear, and they all quickly ran to see what happened. And there, in the doorway, was a dolled-up Juvia.

"Wow, Juvia. You look hot!" Gajeel said, only to get hit by Levy.

"Any special occasion?" Erza asked with a smile.

"Juvia has a date today. So she wanted to look nice." She said with a shy smile.

"What! You have a date!" Gray exclaimed, and Lucy quietly prayed that Juvia wouldn't back down now. "Why are you going on a date?"

Juvia looked at him with none of the usual affection or mooning. "Because she was asked." She said in an emotionless voice.

Natsu did a little fist pump. It took a week and a lot of tears (all from Juvia), but he finally got her to act less affected by Gray.

Gray seemed shocked at her behavior, and Gajeel laughed loudly at his best friend finally growing a spine.

"How about we all go back yo studying?" Levy asked, and they went back to the living room. All through the study session, they tried to ask Juvia who her date was. But Juvia never said anything, only that he will come to pick her up when its time, much to the frustration of Levy, Erza, and Gajeel.

Gray also seems agitated by this. He wanted to know who Juvia's date is, but she wasn't even looking at him. She sometimes asked questions to Jellal, Lucy, and Levy. But other than that, she kept her head in the book.

Finally, they end for the day, just as the doorbell rang. Juvia quickly took her things and left. The others also followed after her, wanting to know who this mysterious date is.

The door opened to a familiar figure.

"Lyon?!"

I promise I did not forget this fic. I just keep getting new ideas and I just jump from one incomplete WIP to other.
Anyway, hopefully this time I will post the next chapter early since I already wrote a base idea.
Till next time, bye!