❝ What the heck— ❞

█▐ ❆ ࿐ᐤ   THE ICE-MAGE STUMBLED back from the impact, his shoulders tensed as their frames impendingly impendingly coalesced. He was momentarily rendered distrait by the STARTLING gesture       with his brow ridged at the invasion of space as nuances of befuddlement pillaged his pacified physiognomy. From the forgotten nether of his mind, a disjointed concept of AFFECTION unearthed itself ; promptly &&. severely festering the crevices of his cognition.  

                      ❝ You are… hugging me. ❞

  Juvia’s outward display of physical contacts continued to BAFFLE Gray, causing the prominence of his cheeks to acquire a radiant amaranth complexion as he remained poise within her vicinity. Quite the melodramatic individual ; nevertheless, under no circumstances was he to condone T H I S. No to condoning the slender arms of warmth embracing him so — intimate, so close that her indistinct breathing could be distinguished. No to condoning the astounding sensation produced from noting her unruly heart beating alongside his own, beyond their clashing chests. Yet, his steely gaze eventually flickered in DEFEAT, obsidian crown bowing to insinuate a subdued resignation ; although the embrace was not always unwelcomed, Gray was customarily smitten to his perpetual desolation to ever indulge in the prospect of such gesture.

  Calloused palm ventured forward to idle upon his partner’s lower back, the pad of Gray’s thumb grazed the dip of Juvia’s spines awkwardly. How does one reciprocate affection again?

     ━━  Eh, not that it matters now.

     His cold exterior facade was PENETRABLE. Perhaps it merely took the precise combination of figure &&. act to break into admittance to himself. Perhaps it was Juvia’s wretched demeanor ━ that made him pressed her CLOSER against his chilling thorax and buried his nose into her coral-colored hair. 

      ❝ Shh… Shh, I’m here… It’s okay, it’s over… ❞

⠀

      ( After all, he DOES want to freeze her presently aching &&.
                  stormy heart … if  such  was  the very  least  he  could  do. )