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Even though it was a surprise, the snow was beautiful. Juvia caught a glimpse of it falling onto Lucy's eyelashes before she gracefully blinked them away. The way crystals stuck to the ground and to them as if trying to cover them up and blend them with the ground gave it a frightening beauty. Especially when the snow started to pick up.
They were walking to the guild hall from their respective living quarters. Juvia didn't normally see Lucy this early in the morning, as her apartment was a bit further away (and she was often late when she set a specific time). But Juvia guessed she was running early today, for some reason. Juvia was too, seeing as they were the only ones there.
Soon, the snow falling was almost a blizzard. Juvia wondered if this could possibly be her doing, but she wasn't feeling some overwhelming emotion at the moment, especially anything that would cause her to gain some new power. Well, not any emotion that she acknowledged.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Lucy again.
Lucy was definitely regretting wearing her usual outfit, sleeveless top with a skirt, as the wind brushed up against her skin and the snow clung to her clothes and melted.
She decided to run and catch up with Juvia and she entered the guild hall.
"Where is everyone?" Lucy asked, crossing her arms to keep her warmth inwards.
"Juvia wondered the same thing. Maybe we're early?"
"Or maybe everyone forgot to tell us there was going to be a blizzard today…" Lucy guessed, vowing to kill whoever was sitting in the warmth of their houses right now.
Juvia laughed out of her nose. Lucy's face was twisted into an annoyed frown, but it still looked so cute. She didn't notice Juvia's eyes on her. Outside, the snow started to pile up, and it seemed like the two of them wouldn't be getting out anytime soon. Lucy sat down at a nearby bench, gesturing for Juvia to join her. Juvia did, keeping quite a few inches between them.
Still keeping her arms around herself, Lucy shivered, silently wishing Natsu was there to share a bit of his warmth.
"Lucy," Juvia said in a hushed voice, and suddenly Natsu was the farthest thing from Lucy's mind. "You're cold?"
Juvia unbuttoned the back of her shawl, and handed it to Lucy. "Juvia runs hot."
Lucy was taken aback, and froze, not taking the shawl Juvia was handing to her. She glanced down at Juvia's dress, the spot where her guild mark was visible, then back up to the dress's now bare neck. Juvia wasn't shivering, but Lucy knew she must be cold.
"No, it's fine, Juvia."
Juvia's mouth curved into the smallest smile, and she moved the shawl into Lucy's lap. "Juvia doesn't mind. Please."
Lucy reluctantly took the shawl, and spread it over her shoulders, leaving it unbuttoned. And as the fluffy liner touched her skin she realized it was much softer than she thought it was. She pulled the warm fabric in closer and lowered her head so the liner was touching her face.
"Good?" Juvia asked.
Lucy sighed when she looked back at Juvia. Of course, she now had the slightest cold tremor beginning in her shoulders. "Juvia…"
"What's wrong? Are you still cold?" Juvia rushed to pick up her hat and plop it onto Lucy's head. It was so soft, Lucy couldn't help but smile at the feeling of it. And she felt her body temperature return to normal.
"No, Juvia. I just don't want you to be cold." Juvia looked so bare without her hat and shawl. Plus, her hair was a bit messed up from taking the hat off her head so quickly.
Juvia frowned, obviously frustrated that Lucy wouldn't just let her help her out.
"... How about …" Lucy thought for a moment to come up with a solution. "We huddle together. I can still keep your shawl and hat on, but you won't be so cold."
Juvia blushed at the suggestion. Not only would it be embarrassing to be so close to Lucy, but she looked absolutely adorable in her hat that was just a bit too big for her head. Despite the embarrassment, she nodded.
At first, Lucy put her hands on Juvia's arms, rubbing them to warm them up. But she realized that Juvia's arms were covered, and it was really her legs that would be cold. She patted the spot to the other side of her so that Juvia's left side could be next to her. Juvia switched spots, and Lucy hugged her arms around Juvia, and pulled her close so that their legs were touching.
It seemed to be helping Juvia, and as much as Lucy didn't want to admit it, her legs had been cold, too.
Lucy leaned back a bit, their legs still touching. "Here," she said, brushing Juvia's messed-up hair into place with a finger. That's when she realized Juvia's face was redder than she'd ever seen it.
"Oh no, Juvia, are you too hot?"
Juvia shook her head. "Juvia is fine." It wasn't totally true. There was something Juvia had been wanting to get off her chest.
“Lucy… can Juvia tell you something?” Juvia asked. she said, keeping eye contact with Lucy, trying not to let her get distracted by Lucy’s hand that was rubbing circles on her shoulder. A thought shot into her mind that she was so lucky to be able to be looking at Lucy right now, because she was just so beautiful.
“What did you want to say?” Lucy broke into Juvia’s thoughts, making her jump a bit, and Lucy took her hand away at the movement. Juvia couldn’t help but miss it just a little bit.
“Juvia doesn’t think she has feelings for Gray-sama anymore.”
“Oh, no? What happened?”
“Um, well,” Juvia stalled, still figuring out what she could say and what might in one sentence ruin their friendship.
“Well, he’s never liked me back.”
“Oh,” Lucy said sympathetically, raising her hand back to Juvia’s opposite shoulder, and brushing her fingers down to her shoulder blade. She brought her head closer to Juvia's, hoping to comfort her. "You shouldn't just let go of your feelings for his sake, Juvia." Her eyes were filled with concern.
A shiver ran down Juvia’s spine –Lucy's hands were cold, after all – distracting her from the conversation. “It's not just that. Yes, Juvia was tired of being rejected. But…”
Lucy perked up, not expecting a 'but'.
“But there’s someone else that Juvia may… have a small… crush on.” Juvia’s face was now getting very red, not only at what she was saying but at the hand on her back and the look on Lucy's face.
Lucy smiled, though there was a twinge of disappointment or jealousy – Juvia couldn't tell – washing over her expression. "That's great!" Her face twisted into smugness as she realized the conversation was leading into gossip territory. "Who is it?"
"What!?" Juvia jumped again, but not enough for Lucy to move her hand away. Which only made Juvia more acutely aware how close she was to the one she had a crush on. Not only was it a crush , but it was a huge crush. Possibly bigger than the one she had on Gray, because this crush caused her to show her feelings inwardly, caused her to become incredibly embarrassed at any mention of Lucy's name, and it caused her to be utterly useless when it came to talking to her. Maybe only because Lucy had no idea about this huge crush.
Or so Juvia thought.
Long seconds passed and Juvia hadn't answered. If she had said something, made up a crush or told Lucy she couldn't say, it wouldn't be nearly as suspicious as it was now.
"Juvia– J–" Juvia was lost. Useless.
Lucy's smug face turned even more smug as she started to realize, before it softened as she leaned in towards Juvia.
Juvia didn't think she could get any closer. Lucy's arm slipped past her shoulder blade and around her neck. Her fingers were still subtly brushing back and forth, this time right above her collar bone. She inched closer, until her entire right side was parallel against Juvia's left.
Suddenly they were so close Juvia could feel Lucy's breath. It startled her, but this time she didn't jump away. Lucy wasn't making the move for the kiss all the way, but she was staring into Juvia's eyes in a way that made her really seem to want to.
So Juvia took the chance. "Juvia would like to kiss you."
Lucy beamed, glad she'd caught on to those feelings. And so glad they were reciprocated.
She noticed she hadn't replied, stuck in a moment of quiet anticipation, before she just nodded, ever so slightly, and both of them leaned in at the same time. They met a bit awkwardly, Lucy bumping Juvia's shoulder accidentally, but then Juvia's normally excitable demeanor softened. Still nervous, she broke it off quickly, Lucy starting to giggle out of the pure elation she was feeling.
For a second, Juvia misjudged the giggle for a mean-spirited joke towards her, but she knew Lucy would never do that and dismissed the thought as best she could. Lucy's laugh was so infectious, and the way her cheeks were now a bit pink too made Juvia join in the laughter. It was unbelievable. She was unbelievable. Lucy. The girl she'd just kissed .
The giddiness wearing off slightly, Lucy looked up and out the window, hearing dripping outside almost as if it were raining. But Juvia knew it was not raining, because she was the furthest thing from crying. So she looked up to see the melting snow falling from the roof outside the window. The snow melted as quickly as it had fallen.
Lucy moved the hand that was not still wrapped around Juvia's neck to her hand, curling her fingers slowly between Juvia's until she, too, slipped their hands into interlocking.
As they stood up, Lucy decided not to kill whoever forgot to tell them there was a blizzard coming, because it had become a miracle.
The snow had been piled high just a few minutes ago, but as they were now slowly warming up and opening the doors of the guild hall, neither of them realizing they were still hand-in-hand, Lucy and Juvia felt free.