ren (⁎⁍̴̆Ɛ⁍̴̆⁎)

eighteen // aggressive shipper // gruvia doodles and fanfics (#inspectinggfanfics) ❄️☔️  wattpad, fanfiction.net and twitter: @inspectingg

[inspectingg]

The Exterminator - ongoing also on fanfiction.net

Synopsis: The administration indisputably decided that social status not only determined one’s wealth, but also life or death. Driven by corruption, those who thrived at the top of the chain dominated the world. Desperate to seize absolute control, Exterminators were given the decree to kill. With the entire fate of the human race under their control, it is imperative to lose all morality and sentiment. When killing people is a full-time job, it becomes second nature for Gray Fullbuster. But when the first person he has ever vowed to protect was his next victim, he makes the difficult decision to keep her under his care, training her to kill – or else be killed.

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3 

Chapter 4 

Chapter 5

Chapter 6 

Chapter 7

Chapter 8 

Chapter 9 

Chapter 10 (TBC)

Illegal Feelings - coming soon!

Prologue

Chapter 1 (TBC)

All about Gray

A jealous Gray 

A clingy Gray 

A protective Gray 

A hungry Gray 

The Aftermath 

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Angst

One-shot 

Teach me why 

Part 1

Part 2

Gray’s feelings

One-shot

Gray’s heart

One-shot

Gray’s future

One-shot

Juvia’s insecurities

One-shot

Bodyguard AU

One-shot 

Gruvia on vacation 

One-shot 

Gruvia Happy New Year 2019 Special 

One-shot 

[inspectingg]

Exterminator (Gruvia AU) Chapter 9 - Flourish

© 2023 inspectingg (on tumblr, wattpad and fanfiction.net). All rights reserved.

Synopsis: The administration indisputably decided that social status not only determined one’s wealth, but also life or death. Driven by corruption, those who thrived at the top of the chain dominated the world. Desperate to seize absolute control, Exterminators were given the decree to kill. With the entire fate of the human race under their control, it is imperative to lose all morality and sentiment. When killing people is a full-time job, it becomes second nature for Gray Fullbuster. But when the first person he has ever vowed to protect was his next victim, he makes the difficult decision to keep her under his care, training her to kill – or else be killed.

Genres: romance, action & dystopian.

This fanfiction contains violence and sexual content. Reader discretion is advised.

Author’s note: two chapters updated in a row!? i'm trying to squeeze in as much writing as i can before i get busy again x0. i hope you guys enjoy another chapter of juvia suffering :( ! trust me it will get more fluffy in a few chapters' time :3 there is an exciting gruvia scene in this chapter that will make you hot and bothered ;)

Chapter IX - Flourish

Juvia’s gaze aimlessly fell to the metal bars that meandered around the edge of the tunnels. The ten-metre fall loomed at her feet, inviting her to take another step. Its gloomy shadows enticed her to swing her legs over, straddling the metal between her thighs until she could no longer feel the ground beneath her. 

Jump. 

Her eyes would roll backwards as she was brought back into the tunnel. The wind fights against her hair. Her skin burns from the force and she’s taken by the void. Before she could test those thoughts, she is interrupted by the clatter of Erza’s boots. 

“If you want to die, do it somewhere else.” The Commander’s scarlet eyes flickered between the drop and Juvia’s staggering figure. “I’m busy as it is already.”

“Why did you pair me with Gajeel?” Erza stopped in her tracks. “All my opponents have been in higher ranks,” Juvia stammered. “I don’t see how that’s fair.” Erza immediately swirls her head to face the drifter. 

“I’m always fair,” she hissed. Raising a hand, she slipped a finger down Juvia’s cheek. “I gave you the opportunity to climb the ranks.” Juvia flinched from her nail scraping down her bruised skin. “If you bothered to fight properly, you would’ve rosen the ranks and we wouldn’t be having this conversation right now, would we?” Her breath hammered against Juvia’s face. “You’ve gotten plenty of help already from a certain someone.” Juvia gulped in response. “Does that answer your question?”

Juvia gave her a small nod and moved away uneasily. 

“Good,” Erza smiled. She turned her head to leave, allowing her hair to follow her like a blaze. “Oh, I forgot to tell you.” Juvia flinched as she felt her face burn. Erza’s lips adorned an intense red tint as she let a tongue flicker against her upper lip. “Bora is alive.” 

Juvia winced as a ringing punctured her ears. “You’ll pay. You’ll pay. You’ll pay” She was once again faced with the disfigured man who taunted her with a playful smile. Its flesh gleamed bright red and patches of skin peeled away, revealing the face of a normal man. His features twisted from blotches of red and reverted back to an ordinary man. Juvia couldn’t help but approach him carefully, started by his transformation. She raised a hand in shock, but was knocked over her feet as a stench tickled her nose, sending a rush of sulphur into her oesophagus. She lurched over to cough. A sting at her shoulder caught her motionless. She convulsed as she found a familiar dagger hanging out from her flesh, sending blood running down her body. Before she could recover her posture, the man twisted his neck to meet her face-to-face. 

“Juvia Lockser,” it shrieked, “you’ll pay.” 

Juvia screamed as a fist suddenly hammered against the man’s face repeatedly. With every hit, his face distorted into patches of red and black. Before she could stop what was happening, she realised the man was the one that tried to throw her over the edge, and Gray had killed him. 

A guttural sound escaped his lips and the man began to whimper, its lipless mouth formed a pool of blood before eventually dissipating away into its rotting body. A puddle of frayed skin and flesh piled into a viscous liquid that slithered into the earth. 

Juvia collapsed as her legs gave out. Every moment since she has existed felt like a crime. She buried her head into her hands. An ache grappled at her chest and she let it lave over as she crumbled to the floor. Juvia stared at the reflection of herself on the tiled ground. Before she could take a look, she felt her stomach jab at her skin, as if trying to escape. Her own existence disgusted her. No longer was she able to cry away her pain and troubles. It wasn’t physically possible for her anymore. Dabbing her eyes with the back of her hand, she was surprised to find them dry. She was fearful of how weak she was. A sudden feeling of needing to be strong washed away the unrelenting pain in her shoulder.

»»————-　⚜　————-««

The trenches were silent. All the other recruits were in bed but Juvia stood at the centre of the training grounds. She formed her hand into a fist and lashed out onto a punching bag. Her bruised arms raised tirelessly, trying to match the speed she was constantly hit with. She felt her blood boil when she let Bora’s elbow slam into her face. Juvia threw out another punch, allowing the bag to sting her knuckles. His grip strangled her until she could no longer think straight. Her feet casted a blow to the rough fabric. A crude smile plastered across his face as he pierced the knife through her shoulder. She sent out an array of jabs, letting her blood race through her body. Her ragged breathing vibrated through her ribs, shaking her lungs rapidly. Her knuckles ached and her stomach clenched from the extraneous motion. Her shoulder was hammered with pain. However, she was too enraged to care. A shrill scream repeatedly encircled her, and she only accelerated her movements, desperate to drown everything out. 

A cold hand suddenly enclosed her knuckles. Juvia jerked away in surprise and tumbled backwards. Her waist was enclosed by a strong arm and she found herself staring into Gray’s onyx eyes. A rush of heat flowed through her face as she found her palm pressed to his chiselled chest. He gripped her body against his as he leaned down to inspect her. 

“You’ve lost weight.” 

Juvia promptly took a step to steady herself, pulling away from him. She patted down her clothes and swept a lock of stray hair behind her ear. “Why should that concern you?” she muttered. 

He tousled his hair away from his eyes as they surveyed her cautiously. “You’re right, it doesn’t,” he replied bluntly. 

Juvia felt her eyebrow twitch in annoyance. She wasn’t sure what these feelings were but they confused her. She wanted to stay in his arms, but she was too scared to be close. When he tipped his head closer towards her she wanted to entangle her hands in his hair and kiss him. But when he would nonchalantly touch her with an aloof demeanour, she wanted to slap him away. 

“You…why are you talking to me?” Juvia unconsciously bit her lip. “I thought I said I didn’t want to see you ever again.” 

Gray sighed as he brushed a hand behind his neck. “I don’t know.” His eyes drifted down to Juvia’s feet. 

“That’s all you say,” Juvia muttered. “At least you could make up something.” She took a step back when he leaned down on a knee. “Anything.” 

“I don’t know how to express myself,” he grumbled. His hands followed her stride and caught the loose shoelace between his fingers. “I’m… not sure why I act like this.” No words left Juvia’s mouth as she swallowed down a sob. She watched in silence as he lowered his head to fix her laces. Her heart pounded vehemently. She pressed a palm to her chest, a pointless attempt at calming it down. His charcoal locks swayed gently with every movement. Juvia suppressed the urge to touch his hair. 

He eventually let go and revealed a tight ribbon at the centre of her shoe. “I do know one thing.” Juvia trembled as he rose, allowing his sculpted figure to tower over her. His gaze locked onto Juvia’s quivering eyes. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

Before Juvia could respond, she let out a yelp as he sent a swing at her leg and let her fall backwards. He caught her right as she prepared for a harsh collision. 

“You need to be cautious of everyone,” he whispered. She quivered as his breath tickled her ear. “If your opponent is bigger than you, hit them in the diaphragm.” Juvia forgot how to breathe as she felt his grasp tighten around her waist. With a jerk of his arm, Juvia was pulled back upright. 

He suddenly yanked her arms away from her sides and pinned them together with a steady grip. “When a man takes advantage of you in a fight,” he muttered, “remember to kick them in between the legs.” Before he could finish his sentence, he swung Juvia’s body around and rammed it against the wall. She screamed in response and her eyes widened as her back collided against Gray’s arm. Juvia struggled against his hold but he did not budge. His other free hand trailed down her hip and latched on her underthigh. Juvia mewled in response but quickly pressed her palm to her mouth in surprise.

“If someone is about to kick you, get closer to them.” He trailed her thigh with a thumb. “They won’t have enough room to land an accurate hit.” Juvia’s arms flailed desperately above her head. She swallowed hard as the sensation of his hand on her thigh started to leave a burning trail. His chest was pressed against hers and his other hand tightened around her hands. With an aggressive tug, Gray wrapped her leg around his waist. “Are you listening?” 

Juvia blinked in shock, her lips moving to form words but nothing was uttered. His eyes were steady as he peered down at her. She felt every one of his exhales caress her cheek. With his body encased around her, every feature on his face was captivating. His lips were slightly chapped, but they invited her to lean in closer. The way his eyebrows furrowed together accentuated his charcoal gaze, sending her into a state of frenzy she never knew she had in her body. Even the scar etched on his forehead striked her heart. 

Juvia found herself completely infatuated by Gray, the Exterminator who could kill her at any moment.    

[inspectingg]

Exterminator (Gruvia AU) Chapter 8 - Tears

© 2023 inspectingg (on tumblr, wattpad and fanfiction.net). All rights reserved.

Synopsis: The administration indisputably decided that social status not only determined one’s wealth, but also life or death. Driven by corruption, those who thrived at the top of the chain dominated the world. Desperate to seize absolute control, Exterminators were given the decree to kill. With the entire fate of the human race under their control, it is imperative to lose all morality and sentiment. When killing people is a full-time job, it becomes second nature for Gray Fullbuster. But when the first person he has ever vowed to protect was his next victim, he makes the difficult decision to keep her under his care, training her to kill – or else be killed.

Genres: romance, action & dystopian.

This fanfiction contains violence and sexual content. Reader discretion is advised.

Author’s note: It has been a while! happy new year :)) after a two-year hiatus, i’m back baby. pls remember to reblog/like if u enjoyed it means a lot!

Chapter VIII - Tears

An ear-piercing ring sends Juvia down a tunnel of darkness. Her hair is thrown back and every strand slashes at her face as a powerful gust rushes through her locks. The familiar feeling of losing her balance and being discarded into a void penetrated her stomach. She felt a burn in her throat and an agonising screech that can’t seem to go away. She clenched her ears in terror as she fell. 

Suddenly, a visceral figure entered her vision. She forces every joint in her body to look away, but her eyes helplessly dart to the glowing shadow and she feels her gut clench. A faceless recruit hovered right beside her, his lifeless body flailed in the air as it descended at the same speed as Juvia. His disfigured face was drenched in blood. Skin clad in a wet pool of mauve, his body was barely held together by what remained, Juvia could barely make out the man’s facial features. 

To her horror, his slippery lips lifted into an unsettling smile. Juvia’s arms thrashed against the wind in an attempt to get away as the man began to gradually inch closer to her. His flesh scraped against his detached cheek as his smile widened. Words escaped his lifeless mouth. “You killed me, you bitch.” Its voice wailed, sending a high-pitched echo through the tunnel. Juvia suppressed a sickly feeling that almost escaped from her mouth. “How dare you.” Juvia’s eyes widened as the voice became deafening. “You’ll pay”. 

Juvia’s eyes fluttered open as the sound of an alarm invaded her ear drums. Juvia felt her body stuck to the mattress. Sweat dripped from her forehead and pooled at her cheeks. She took a deep breath and could faintly smell the scent of citrus enveloping her body. It did not smell nice anymore now that she was back in the recruits’ chambers. Before she could realise what happened, she heard a booming voice. 

“Up you get.” Juvia whipped her head up to find Gajeel standing at the end of her bed, arms crossed. “You’re going to be late at this rate,” he sighed. Behind him, the other recruits were hurriedly getting changed. “It’s time for the next round.” He tapped her bed frame gently with a gloved finger. “I’ll see you in the trenches.”

Erza’s heels create an ominous echo through the subterranean as she paced back and forth. Her eyebrows furrowed as she studied her watch. “Number twenty-three and forty-eight,” she barked. Two recruits immediately step forward from their positions. “One-hundred push-ups for being late.” The two exchanged concerned looks but immediately fell to their hands and feet. “I’ll make that two-hundred if this happens again.” Scribbling on a form, she returns to her centre position. “Based on the previous round, those who won have the privilege of wielding a weapon.” Erza’s eyes flickered dark. “Those who didn’t,” she let the form drop to her feet and crossed her arms, “will wield nothing.” Juvia felt her stomach fall as Erza sent her a glare. “Of course, I make sure everything is fair.” She raised her wrist to glance at her watch. “The pairings will be announced soon.” 

Gajeel approached Juvia and extended his fist. “I’ll help you train, Juvia.” She cautiously glanced at his other hand that wielded a dagger. 

“Are you sure, Gajeel? I don’t want to waste your time.” The truth was that Juvia was afraid. She didn’t know who to trust anymore. Last night’s encounter with Gray shocked her and she was even more confused than ever. His actions and words didn’t match at all, and Juvia wasn’t sure she could depend on anyone apart from herself. 

Gajeel rolled his eyes. “I’ve been wasting my time enough these days after meeting you. This won’t take up too much time.” Juvia gave him a small smile. “Besides, once you’re trained you can save your own ass, right?” He taps at his eyebrow. “It’s a long-term strategy.”  

Gajeel guides Juvia to a corner with fewer recruits and demonstrates a powerful punch. “Make sure you take the offence in a fight. Especially if you think you overpower them. A strong mentally can help you win.” Juvia nodded cautiously, mimicking Gajeel’s punches. “However,” he paused. “It can also be your downfall. Make sure you know when to punch and when to dodge.” Out of nowhere, Gajeel launches his fist at Juvia. She immediately ducks down and covers her head in shock. Her heartbeat crashed against her chest, as memories of being mauled almost to death seized her conscience. Her lungs pounded uncontrollably as she realised that she forgot to breathe. Gajeel immediately bends down to help her up. “You okay?” 

Juvia forces herself to stand. “I have to be okay,” she muttered under her breath. 

Before Gajeel could respond, the luminescent board flashed an array of vibrant colours. Words glitched as it began revealing the pairings. Juvia unknowingly bit down on her lip, her eyes rapidly scanning the list of foreign names. Finally, she found a familiar name. Her eyes focussed on Gajeel’s name, which was positioned right next to her’s. Unconsciously, her fingers began tracing her shoulder. Juvia lost count of how many times her heart sank that day, but she knew it was just the start of her problems. 

»»————-　⚜　————-««

“I won’t go easy on you, Juvia.” 

Juvia bit her lip but quickly relaxed her jaw when she felt a metallic taste enter in her mouth. She was bleeding before the match even began. Recruits piled around to watch as Erza raised an arm. “Fight.”

Before Juvia could even think about whether to be on the offence or defence, she felt the air knocked out of her as Gajeel’s figure lunged towards her violently. She instantly fell backwards and gasped when her head crashed against the hard surface. 

“Sorry,” Gajeel mumbled before smashing the dagger handle against her cheek. “You know how difficult it was for me to get here,” he grimaced. Juvia felt her mouth open but no scream escaped her lips. She blinked in shock as a fist pummelled against her stomach. The same ringing pain entered her head. She felt her shoulder throb painfully and struggled to stand back up as Gajeel delivered a whack at her side. She felt her trust in him crumble everytime he apologised.”I’m sorry,” he would repeat again and again. His expression became foreign, and Juvia almost couldn’t recognise him. Suddenly, a flashing image of the disfigured man interrupted her vision. His disjointed teeth gnashed loudly together, spluttering blood everywhere. “You’ll pay. You’ll pay. You’ll pay”.  Juvia felt her body fuse into the ground. Her vision clouded but she refused to let the void take her. She helplessly let her gaze fall on Erza, who met Juvia’s desperate gaze with a dull stare. The winner was obvious by now, yet she remained nonchalant. As if on cue, Juvia felt Gajeel’s attack subsiding. 

Erza raised an arm. “The winner is Gajeel.” 

Gajeel immediately grabbed Juvia’s shoulder and pulled her up. “I’m so sorry, Juvia.” He swept away a strand of her loose hair, tucking it behind her ear. “You know how it is.” Juvia felt a shock hit her heart when she found his gaze softened. He was unfamiliar and Juvia felt even more lost than she already was. For the first time in her life, she missed the feeling of being alone in the tunnel.  

»»————-　⚜　————-««

Blood pooled into the drain with every scrub against Juvia’s body. She gritted her teeth and her body shuddered as she let the cold water wash over her. The stabbing pain at her shoulder never subsided and instead, it became even more painful. Whining quietly, Juvia sunk the ragged cloth across her bruised skin roughly, frantically trying to remove all evidence of her weakness. Her veins pulsated through her injuries, and her muscles burned every time she bent over to work at her sides. She glowered at her appearance through the metallic tiles. Her body limped at the wrong places as every part of her represented defeat. Her fingertips grazed her cheek as her eyes followed every purple mark that stuck to her body. 

An unbearable burn radiated from her chest. She fell to her knees and recoiled until she was completely flooded by the pouring water. Juvia remained lifeless until she could no longer hear herself over the sound of the shower. Hesitantly, she allowed a tear to fall down her bloodied cheek. Her throat burned, desperate to suppress a sob that threatened to escape. She wasn’t going to stay weak anymore. Juvia was determined to find the same confidence she had in the tunnels. Grasping at her shoulder, she bit her bloodstained lip and let out a painful hiccup. She felt nauseous as her mouth opened up to release a cry. The painful memories she accumulated over the past few days started to overflow. 

Toppling onto the frigid floor, she finally allowed herself to cry. An agonising pain spread through her chest as she let her tears flow down her face. She could no longer think properly, as she screamed into her bruised palms. Her tears fused together with blood as it snaked down the tiles before disappearing into a dark void. She promised that today was the last time she would cry tears of weakness. 

[juviasblog]

[bbygirljuvi]

Gray to every living organism he came across: Juvia? I love juvia. She means the world to me. I would die for her. Juvia...She’s my power to live. She’s the only one in my heart. How can i not worry about her?? She’s the only thing in my mind too. And we make cute babies. Aperiently. I missed her so much. I wonder how’s Juvia doing. But I’m not worthy for her yet. I want to become someone who can protect her. Juvia.. I don’t want to be happy I want to make Juvia happy.

Gray to Juvia: (-_-)

[fuck-yeah-gruvia]

Greige from the new chapter appreciation set ♡ What Gray wants ❅

[gruviaftw11]

FR he’s just too cute😩💙💙

[lei-z-fan]

Fights in 100 Year Quest-

Literally Nobody:

Gray in the middle of Battle: JUVIA! JUVIA IS MY LIFE. JUVIA IS MY WORLD! 😡😡😡

[lei-z-fan]

ITS BEEN LIKE 6 MONTHS - PART 2

Okay. THIS HURTS.

He is trembling

This turn man. The fact he wants this so bad, it’s just heart breaking. It’s interesting to me that the witch chose Juvia to relay this message and not Ur. It kinda gives off Coraline vibes, other mother type shit.

Before moving on to the next page, I felt like Gray held a lot of guilt. To be honest, I was thinking that Gray prevented himself from enjoying this fantasy because he felt like he didn’t deserve it. Gray really shows that he is a character that bares a lot so much to the point where he didn’t value his life and was ready to sacrifice himself multiple times, so it wouldn’t surprise me.

I’M TELLING YOU!!! CORALINE VIBES!! OTHER JUVIA CONFIRMED!!

HE SAID IT! HE SAID IT!

AH IT FEELS SO GOOD! HE WANTS TO BE WITH JUVIA. HE WANTS A FAMILY WITH JUVIA.

HONESTLY. HONESTLY. I was not expecting that response. That was. Wow. It just made me rethink the whole fantasy and him denying himself to dwell. Really I thought he was gonna say something about like “even though you gave me everything I wanted, I have people that depend on me” but wow. He really does live for Juvia. Like- THE DEDICATION. All of his wishes granted, without HIS Juvia it’s nothing… I really wonder what’s gonna happen in the next chapter. Like I know. But I wonder if he will elaborate that statement further.

Bonus:

The Gruvia Fandom during the six months waiting for crumbs

[xwaterice]

About Gray’s final words in chapter 84

I think the last time I wrote a meta about Gruvia was like… years ago for chapter 499/500, in the original story. ^^”  Today though, after reading certain comments about chapter 84 from FT100YQ, I felt like some people need to read this- I personally do not think that what Gray said needs an explanation. Gray has been and keeps being very blunt and crystal clear with his intentions about Juvia: juvia means the world to me, I wanna become a man who can protect her, and then I swear I will make her mine, she’s my power to live… okay, that’s a lot. it’s just a matter of reading comprehension and context at this point.  “I don’t want to be happy.”

I guess this is the “problematic” part. Context will help us: Gray had just had a taste of what happiness is to him: loved ones from his past (Silver, Ur, Ultear), loved ones from his present (Juvia) and even loved ones from his future (Greige) all gathering together as a family to celebrate a special occasion, his birthday. He had a taste of his perfect dream life and it’s important to notice that, not even once, he fell for this “trap”: he keeps saying to himself “it’s a dream… it’s a dream…” and finally “IT’S WRONG”.

Why is it wrong? Because he knows he’s living a FAKE reality, simply as that. Silver, Ur and Ultear won’t come back to him. He knows this is his personal utopia: the past is the past, what is lost is lost. It’s his selfish desire and he knows that accepting this fantasy means not only losing the present and future (real Juvia, Greige and the family he wants to start) but also dwelling on the past- and, after over 500 chapter from the original story and sequel, we all know he wants to look forward to the future and just be over it already. It’s a fact. Why should he stay in this fake dream, then? Why should THIS be his happiness? There you have it. He doesn’t want to be happy- he doesn’t want to be happy like this. Context. Many are interpreting it as he doesn’t want happiness in general because he’s either feeling guilty or because that bitch Juvia trapped him in a love story he clearly doesn’t want (lol)… but nope, his sentence just need context.  Gray wants to be happy with Juvia and Greige.  The hallucination starts with Juvia as his wife waking him up lovingly and his son greeting him with a very sweet “daddy!”. This is what he wants, what makes him happy: having the family he’s always dreamt of, that family which was stolen from him as kid by Deliora. This is his happiness- present and future. His very happiness is his power to live, his strenght… it’s that one woman he’s fighting for, he’s living for. It’s Juvia. And you know what comes next?

“I want to make Juvia happy.”

Her happiness is his. His happiness is hers. They love each other so deeply and it’s so crystal clear… as I said, it didn’t even need an explanation. If you love someone you want them to be happy- and in Gray’s case, considering the context of the chapter AND his ongoing development, this is his new hapiness. He’s not denying his own happiness as many said for the sake of Juvia: yes, she’s his priority right now, but he’s not really putting hers over his. They will be happy together with a wonderful kid(s) hopefully in a new future. 

I love Gray because his development is one of a kind in Fairy Tail. He’s a special person and deserves the world. Also, let me just say one final thing: with this chapter he definitely gets the crown for the most romantic boy in FT. A lover boy  through and through like Juvina would say. haha! Enjoy this chapter guys, we’re in for something big.

[lei-z-fan]

Ch. 84 Gruvia Memes

[lovelockser]

love how gray is on full juvia brainrot in 100 yq like

gray immediately thought of juvia when they were talking abt romantic love

gray saying he wants to be confident & become a man who can protect juvia & go get her no matter what

gray noticing something might be wrong with juvia

juvia telling gray not to worry abt her but gray immediately thought how can he such thing

and of course gray saying that juvia is his power to live <3

gray telling juvia that he's glad she's safe

gray instantly turning to juvia once she called him & even told her that he's also glad to see her safe

gray's world of happiness that he dreamt of includes having a family with juvia & saying he wants to be there forever

but he can't do that because he prefers juvia's happiness over his 🥺

gray & juvia really came in a long way :( look how much they've developed :( seeing gray gradually becoming more outspoken for his love for juvia melts my heart i love them so much :(

thank you mashima for this (.... and now we wait for the gruvia kiss 😜)

[melllllly]

グレジュビ

© NG

Because the Gruvia fandom needs some love now. ♥♥♥

[melllllly]

© あおい

Trans© melllllly

This was what the Japanese fan dreamt of and she decided to draw it out.

[gottalovegruvia]

Gruvia Headcanon

Gray seems like the type who would suck at telling Juvia when he wants her, so instead he just picks her up and carries her to the bedroom.

[inspectingg]

Exterminator (Gruvia AU) Chapter 7 - A drifter’s realisation

© 2021 inspectingg (on tumblr, wattpad and fanfiction.net). All rights reserved.

Synopsis: The administration indisputably decided that social status not only determined one’s wealth, but also life or death. Driven by corruption, those who thrived at the top of the chain dominated the world. Desperate to seize absolute control, Exterminators were given the decree to kill. With the entire fate of the human race under their control, it is imperative to lose all morality and sentiment. When killing people is a full-time job, it becomes second nature for Gray Fullbuster. But when the first person he has ever vowed to protect was his next victim, he makes the difficult decision to keep her under his care, training her to kill – or else be killed.

Genre: romance, action & dystopian.

This fanfiction contains violence and sexual content. Reader discretion is advised.

also available on fanfiction.net !! tysm for the support and reads <3 truly appreciate it! obviously I didn’t post this in time for valentine’s, but I hope you all had a lovely day w/ your loved one/s. 

Chapter VII - A drifter’s realisation

That night was the first time Juvia noticed the shadowy marks that scattered across his body. When Gray raised his biceps to discard his shirt, Juvia laid her eyes upon a mauve stripe that roiled around his ribs, descending down and swirling into a labyrinthine pattern. It branched across his hip bones and danced across his chest, steadily rising along with each breath he took. Dark bruises marked his toned body, where scars implanted into his skin for the rest of his life. His perfectly sculptured body sent Juvia’s heart pounding irrationally, but its worn state sent her in shock. Two paralleling strikes across his back caught her eye; with each of its ends blistering and blending into his tanned skin, injuries marked him all over. A raw wound leaked at his collarbone.  

           “You’re bleeding,” she spluttered.

Gray’s eyebrows knitted together and once again shut her up by force. His lips swallowed her violently, capturing her shaking body in between his. She squirmed in his hold, desperately pressing her hands against his chest to stop him – but to no avail. Juvia gasped into his lips as she felt a hand roughly grasping at her thighs. His other hand intertwined through her messy locks as he pushed her against the wall. He was suddenly desperate to gain control over his victim, yet something inside him felt damaged.

The burning current in his body was dying down, but a new sensation that inundated at his chest couldn’t calm him down. This newfound feeling of caressing someone else’s body with such zeal shocked his heart. It began to clobber against his chest. Suddenly, Gray anticipated the same venomous acid to rise up through his throat; but nothing came. All he could feel was something blooming at the pit of his gut, and as his curiosity beckoned him to explore this foreign instinct, he found himself prowling past her delicate skin. Tangling his fingers between her blue hair, his lips embraced hers hungrily. But just as he could feel his body burning with pleasure, he felt his heart ache when he saw tears run down her cheeks. For the first time, Gray had lost to his victim. Rather than a thirst for blood, he found himself willing to bend his rules for her. The way those tears drained down from her sapphire eyes to her neck left him bruised. The injury at his collar was completely forgotten as all he could see was the pain he had inflicted.

           “You should leave,” he urged ruggedly. Pushing a hand through his dishevelled hair, he pointed towards the door.

Juvia found herself being discarded once again by the exterminator. Yet this time, his bitter eyes were sombre and his lips quivered. Gray was desperate this time, and that made all the difference. His physical condition only encouraged Juvia to stay, and she made sure he knew.

           “I’m not leaving tonight,” she announced. Her fists were tightly squeezed together, and she let her eyes be the ones that found him.

Approaching from the darkness Gray was imprisoned for life, he suddenly found her sparkling in a place that was unknown to him. The way her skin gleamed bright in the dull room aroused him to stagger nervously towards her. The way she radiated a sense of devotion and fervour interested him; this unfamiliar feeling of holding onto her for dear life. But when her slender hands were once again within reach, he was paralysed. A fear rekindled in his heart, and he was starting to struggle to pump oxygen through his lungs. A purple haze obscured his view of her illumination. She was once again out of reach. Falling backwards, Gray felt his body collide against the wall.

           “I’m tired,” he exhaled. “You can clean up first.”

Juvia was speechless. His once-taut figure limped and his breath became rugged. All Juvia could muster in response was a small nod as she retreated.

»»————-　⚜　————-««

Juvia drew in a sharp breath as the frigid water trickled onto her pale body. The bleakness of the water sent a chill running down her back and she desperately ignored each stinging drop that fell onto her skin. Allowing each trail of water to seep into her, she rubbed ferociously at her arms. The blemished remains of the knife wound at her shoulder was still prominent; a lurid scar pierced through her skin. However, a fragrant caught her attention. Bending down to a small bottle that sat alone in the corner of the facility, Juvia carefully raised it to give it a sniff. The pungent scent exuded a comforting smell; combined with the burnt smell of wood and citrus, something else wafted into her senses. Curious, she poured the bottle onto her hand and watched the periwinkle liquid dribble into her palm. Her finger slathered across and she peered at the bubbles that began to form. Massaging the foam across her arms, she beamed in delight as she allowed herself to be covered by this new scent.

At the corner of her eye, she could see the shadowy figure of Gray who stood by the light. His chiselled body was illusory through the thin piece of cloth that was drawn in between them. Despite the freezing water, Juvia could feel herself heat up. Her nakedness dawned on her as she realised that the unisex shower awaited her back in the chambers. She would not have the comfort of the same privacy. Afraid to be spoilt by this privilege she could possibly never experience again, she hastily stepped away from the shower. The icy water receded.

Opposite her, a full-size mirror reflected her bare body. She couldn’t recognise herself. Her hands nervously scrambled across her face, finding it difficult to believe that it was her. Shades of purple scattered across her legs and abdomen, marking her like a world map. Her dishevelled hair embraced a pair of swollen cheeks, emphasising her blood-shot eyes. Each lock became cobalt blue as her hair darkened from the moisture. Her body was thinner than ever; and she could see how her wounds exacerbated her sickly appearance. Her features were so foreign to her and all of a sudden, Juvia became self-conscious. Her lips were red and bloated; teeth marks etched across them reminded her of a certain someone. As if on cue, she saw Gray. Without realising that the curtain had been drawn back moments ago, she twirled in surprise. Her arms immediately guarded her exposed chest. “How long have you been standing there!?”

           “Longer than you’d like.”

Juvia yanked the dangling cloth down, carelessly wrapping it around herself. “What are you doing?” Juvia babbled, unable to form another proper sentence as she could only gawk back at the man.

           “I was going to tell you that the shower only lasts for a few minutes.” Gray held out a towel. “I came to give you this.”

She hesitantly reached out a hand, but immediately reddened as she realised that the cloth loosened. Almost instantaneously, his eyes flickered down. Dark orbs followed droplets that streamed down her naked legs.            “Stop looking!” Juvia screamed. Her voice caused him to smirk in amusement. Threading a hand through her hair, he weaved the towel into her locks. Juvia took a gulp as his lips inched closer to her face. His other hand wrapped around her naked back and Juvia let out a breath she didn’t realise she was holding.

           “What if I refuse?”

Gray inhaled and she shuddered in response, shivering from both the cold and the way his breath tickled her neck. His murmur broke the silence.

           “What is this smell?”

“Sorry, I didn’t know if I was allowed to use it.” Juvia peered at him, studying his features carefully. “Was I not supposed to use it?”

Gray’s brows crossed together. “It’s fine.” He suddenly broke away.

           “Gray, I’m sorry,” Juvia cried out. “I keep saying the wrong things.” She felt her throat burn as another tear threatened to fall. Gray turned his back to her.

           “I told you, it’s fine. It doesn’t belong to me anyway.”

Juvia quickly wrapped the towel around her body firmly before approaching him once again.

           “Who does it belong to?” she whispered. Juvia tried to look at him properly, but his eyes remained cold and distant. She tried again, “it smells nice.”

The lantern light flickered like a violent tango, its flames nearly dying out but each spark simply ignited itself once again. His raven-black hair was disarrayed as he turned to her.

           “It belonged to the first person I killed.” He left out a dry chuckle. “And I don’t even remember who it was.”

Juvia grabbed at his arms and to her surprise, Gray flinched. She quickly pushed away the depressing thought and furrowed her brows.

           “Why do you kill?” Unexpectedly, her voice wavered and she could feel her oesophagus contracting together. “How come you’re an exterminator and why are the other recruits trying to become one?”

Gray averted his gaze but answered her with a solemn sigh. “The administration.”

           “The administration?” Juvia was resolute that she wanted more answers. “Who are the administration? What do they do and what do they want?”

Gray pinched the bridge of his nose, heaving an exhausted breath. “You should get changed.” As he spoke, he held up her clothes. “It gets colder in the mornings.”

           “The mornings?” Juvia’s attention teetered. “What are mornings like?”

To this, Gray was the one who was surprised. “You don’t know mornings are?” Juvia cowered from his confused glance, afraid that she’s said something wrong again.

           “I-I have never left that tunnel. I woke up in that tunnel and I thought my life was going to end in that place as well.” Strangely enough, she couldn’t muster any tears. When the eeriness of the tunnel reminded her of how she was suffocated by its very emptiness, her heart felt just as depleted.

Suddenly, she felt a pair of frigid hands clasp between hers. Warily, her eyes trained to Gray’s face.

           “You should go,” he smiled weakly.

Juvia jerked away from his hold. How come Gray was always the one who told her what to do? Why was he the one who controlled how she lived her life? Who did he think he was; taking her wherever he wanted, telling her that he wanted her? Her stomach sizzled with a scorching pain.

           “No, Gray,” she seethed. “You can’t tell me what to do.” Her sudden outburst caused Gray to clench his jaw. “You’re supposed to kill people, so why aren’t you killing me when I disobey you?” Juvia snatched the clothes from his hands. Recklessly letting the towel fall to her feet, she suddenly lost all rationality. “You take me whenever you want to,” she rambled. Juvia shoved the leather pants on, allowing the material to slip past her pale legs. Gray could only watch in silence. “You say that you want me, but then you discard me whenever you want.” Juvia realised that she was letting her mouth run wild, and yet she had no desire to stop. She slipped the shirt through her head and pulled it down over her breasts. “Why does everyone assume that I know just as much as you all do?” She stumbled into her leather boots and as she threw him a final glare, she turned to leave. “Thank you for saving me so many times, but I don’t think I’d like to cross paths with you ever again.” The moment she said those words, she knew she regretted them. It wasn’t her intention to yell at him, but she was too lost and confused to understand what she wanted. It was that frenzy she felt whenever she saw him that made her even more perplexed. When he would seize her body within his much stronger one, she could feel herself melt within his hold. The way he would hurriedly interlock their lips together left her wanting more. She wanted him to taste her all over; and let him take full control as they melded into one another as morning came. She wanted to see what morning was and experience everything she never did with him. Every tear she shed was for him and when her vision would darken, the first person she would think of was Gray coming to save her. The distance he would draw between them only enticed her to embrace him. His stoicism urged her to pull down those walls he unconsciously built up. That was when she realised she wanted him, but it was all too late as she let the door close behind her.  

[inspectingg]

Exterminator (Gruvia fanfiction) Chapter VI: Cascading feelings

© 2021 inspectingg (on tumblr, wattpad and fanfiction.net). All rights reserved.

Synopsis: The administration indisputably decided that social status not only determined one’s wealth, but also life or death. Driven by corruption, those who thrived at the top of the chain dominated the world. Desperate to seize absolute control, Exterminators were given the decree to kill. With the entire fate of the human race under their control, it is imperative to lose all morality and sentiment. When killing people is a full-time job, it becomes second nature for Gray Fullbuster. But when the first person he has ever vowed to protect was his next victim, he makes the difficult decision to keep her under his care, training her to kill – or else be killed.

Genre: romance, action & dystopian.

This fanfiction contains violence and sexual content. Reader discretion is advised.

Chapter VI - Cascading feelings

“Where on earth did the captain take you?” 

Gajeel’s boisterous voice echoed through the empty chamber, only to receive a playful punch from Lucy. 

“You’re so loud, what if someone heard you?”

The dark-haired man simply scoffed. “It’s not like all sixty-one of the recruits saw them or anything,” he commented sarcastically. “Even Commander Scarlet was left speechless.” Gajeel turned his attention back to Juvia, who sat at the opposite side of Lucy’s bed. Her shoulder hammered painfully, yet all she could think about was Gray. His cold lips on hers. The way his muscular hold would never leave hers. Juvia’s voice caught in her throat as she finally allowed herself to speak. 

“I-It doesn’t matter anymore,” she sighed. She felt her eyes burn, but she was not going to let another tear fall. “Thanks for worrying,” Juvia whispered, “but could I have some time alone?” 

Gajeel and Lucy exchanged a frown, but eventually nodded in sync as Juvia’s eyebrows creased painfully. “Please?” 

Juvia had no idea what time it was, nor what day. The walls of the chambers were left unscathed and she completely forgot about her tally she made back in the tunnel. Juvia exhaled but she instantly regretted as her shoulder flinched with a sudden pain that jolted through her entire body. 

Before she could slip beneath the covers, she felt a blow across her face. The shock spread across her cheek, swelling painfully. 

“Have you knocked her out?” 

The familiar voice instantly sent Juvia’s eyes fluttering shut. Suddenly, she felt a coarse surface entwine her wrists together. A cloth was roughly shoved into her mouth, causing Juvia to gag.

“Carry her over here,” a second voice muttered. Juvia felt her body moved away from the bed. “I’ll follow you.”

Juvia bit down on her lips as she held back a scream. The man’s grasp seized her shoulders and they burned against her muscles as she felt herself being hoisted away from the chambers. 

“Be as quiet as possible,” Bora seethed. 

Juvia’s eyes slowly opened and she found her body hanging against the metal bar, inches away from falling into the pit. A rush of cold air cascaded against her face as her doom was presented in front of her.

“Should I throw her over now?”

Juvia almost jerked with fright as his voice echoed through the empty halls. Bora contemplated before snarling with a sinister thought. “No…” Juvia winced as she felt a harsh hand against her shoulder. 

“Bora!” the other man barked. “What the hell are you doing? I don’t want to be caught.” 

Bora simply ignored him, his hands clawing onto her injured shoulder. Juvia screamed through her restrains, but what caused her to sob helplessly was when she felt another hand slide nonchalantly into her shirt. His skin sent her cringing as she felt his fingers snake around her hips like a slug. 

“You’re the one missing out,” Bora snickered. Juvia could feel her blood boil, desperately trying to writhe away from his unwelcomed touch. With all the energy she could muster, she kicked Bora’s face, sending him staggering backwards. 

“What the fuck?” The other man reached out in an attempt to push her over the edge. Juvia slammed her eyes shut, letting out a scream as she felt a force against her. 

Suddenly, she felt her hip crash against the metal railing as a strong hand encircled her. Juvia’s eyes fluttered open, landing on Gray. His face remained expressionless as he swiftly removed the cloth from her mouth. 

His eyes were bloodshot as he creased his eyebrows at the two attackers. Bora backed away, panicking as Gray settled Juvia down onto the ground safely. 

“Gray,” Juvia whispered. However, her whimper was left unanswered as Gray promptly turned away.

“C-Captain Fullbuster, please give me another chance.” Bora’s lips trembled as he immediately backed away. Juvia could swear that she saw Bora’s pants darken as he quivered in fear. With all motion lost completely, Bora fell backwards as Gray approached him with an obscurity Juvia had never seen in her entire life. A bleak haze casted over his pupils, hovering over his darkened eyelashes. Juvia could no longer remember the rope tied against her wrists and the throb that hammered at her shoulder. His eyes no longer mirrored the tame expression he held for her. It was almost as if he was a stranger. 

Gray’s arms bulged as he thrashed fist against Bora’s face. With a swift step, he hurled the man over his shoulders and before Juvia could realise what was happening, Bora’s holler echoed through the pit as he descended into darkness. 

Gray’s figure calmly approached the other man, whose face was distorted in pure fear. Juvia finally found her voice again. 

“Gray, please,” Juvia cried out immediately. “Please take me away.” 

Juvia held onto her breath as she watched Gray come to a complete halt. His eyes met hers for a brief moment as he turned to face her. Baring his teeth, Juvia watched in terror as his lips widened into a sinister smirk. Inevitably, Juvia shed the tear that she never knew she had kept at bay. His eyes glowered in delight as he snarled through his teeth. 

“I will.” 

But Juvia knew his words were no longer trustworthy as Gray had simply smashed his fist into the man’s face. His energy heightened with each blow he delivered. Juvia’s hands were now burning against her constraints as she desperately tried to tear away from them. However, her feet remained motionless as Gray’s merciless strikes continued. His knuckles flared red, crashing effortlessly into the man’s face until he was barely recognisable. The resounding howls of the man diminished with each attack. Juvia could only stare. 

Red splattered across Gray’s cheek as he delivered the final blow, leaving the man faceless. Gray wiped the back of his hand across his face, smearing the blood until it tainted his skin. The exterminator 

Juvia could only stare as a pool of blood began to expand around the motionless body. Her throat scorched against her saliva as she finally allowed tears to stream down her face. Her lips became ajar and let out a screech as all her fears suddenly ate at her. The overwhelming feeling of despair decided to hit her right at that moment and she realised that it was all because of Gray. All her pain and suffering were the result of Gray helping her – and he didn’t even know why. 

»»————-　⚜　————-««

Juvia shuddered as she watched Gray scrub at his knuckles. They glowed a mauve purple under the flickering light, revealing scatters of bruises all across his hand. 

“Why did you do it?” Juvia’s voice penetrated the silence. Gray paused, his eyes darkened in thought. He curled his fingers into a fist and proceeded to harshly rub at his injuries, attempting to wipe away the blood from his hands. He suddenly gritted his teeth in annoyance, realising that Juvia’s gaze never wavered from him. His knuckles were now clean, but instead, a glowing wound glared back at him. 

“Could you at least tell me that?” Juvia whispered. She remained determined, rising from the bed, ignoring the lingering pain at her shoulders. “Why you killed him?”

Gray flinched as he suddenly felt a pair of soft hands rested against his back. A shaky breath brushed against his shoulder as she gently leaned against him. “I-I still trust you,” she murmured. In an instant, something triggered at his heart and a cold breeze rushed through his bloodstream as he felt a flame dissipate away. Gray strained his body from thrashing violently as a hurricane within his body began to grow, thrashing across his chest. His bruised hand hastily grasped onto his chest, bunching the material into his fist he suddenly couldn’t contain himself anymore. The smooth skin that touched his rough one sent a spark against his throat. Swallowing hard, Gray turned to face the girl. Shaking, he struggled to touch her wet cheeks. 

It was the second time he saw her cry, and for some reason, it really hurt. Something in his heart would grapple for life, as if letting go will send him into an eternal abyss. To his surprise, Juvia immediately nestled her cheek into his palm. 

“Will you tell me, Gray?” With her petite hands, she guided his other hand to her waist. “Please, I want to know.” 

Juvia’s sapphire eyes reflected his dark ones, and he couldn’t seem to look away. The way he felt himself burn from her touch caused him to lose all sense as the words she spoke were lost. He could only focus on the way those supple lips slightly opened and closed, revealing a place he wouldn’t mind venturing again. Gray cautiously grazed his thumb across her pale cheek, wiping at another tear that trailed down her face. 

“You needed help,” he muttered. Inching closer, Gray allowed his forehead to rest against hers. Juvia nuzzled her face towards his, but didn’t back down. 

“Yes, I needed help but why did you help me?” Juvia paused, moving her face away for a brief moment. Gray refused to part from her warmth and groaned softly. “Answer me, Gray,” Juvia demanded gently. She let out an inaudible gasp as she felt her body being pulled in closer. The tip of their noses touched briefly before she felt his eyelashes flutter open against her face. His onyx orbs bored into her.

“Because I could.” His husky voice infiltrated her and she let it vibrate through her body. He threaded his fingers between hers. 

“T-That’s the same as not knowing,” Juvia stuttered. She became breathless as she felt the coldness of his fingers link between hers. “Give me the real reason, Gray.” 

In response, he simply tightened his hold, curling his fingertips around the back of her hand. Stroking her hand gingerly, he clenched his jaw as he realised that he didn’t have a real reason himself. 

“I have this strange feeling I have never felt before,” he hummed against her. Juvia gulped in surprise as she felt his lips skim her philtrum. “I really want to touch you.” 

Juvia could feel her face burn as she felt his hand leave his cheek and trace over her chin. The idling touch of his fingertips almost seemed to teased her as they trailed down to her neck. 

“I killed them because I want you.” 

Juvia couldn’t find her voice as his lips closed the gap between them. The way his lips protruded across hers left her stunned. His teeth gently tug at her bottom lip, begging for entrance. Juvia obeyed his command, eagerly letting her mouth ajar. The delicate twirl of his tongue expertly danced with hers, locking for a moment before he slanted his mouth so he could enter farther. Juvia let out a moan as she felt his hands embrace her tightly against him. With their chests pressed together, their hearts collided and waltzed to the same captivating rhythm. 

Reluctantly, they pulled away, gasping for air. Juvia shuddered in delight as she felt his finger rub against her hip. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in so their foreheads touched once again. 

“Gray?” 

The exterminator allowed his eyes to survey her carefully. 

“Thank you for saving me,” she mumbled. “Again.” 

Gray let out a deep chuckle; once again giving Juvia butterflies in her stomach. 

“Do you feel guilty?” 

Juvia immediately regretted speaking as she found herself losing the heat from touching him. his arms tore away from hers and his body immediately retreated away into a place Juvia found difficult to see. 

“I don’t have to feel guilty.” He turned slowly to look at her again. “And neither do you.” 

Juvia frowned, looking down at her feet in both annoyance and disappointment. 

“I’m grateful that you saved me, Gray, but why did you do that to him?”

She flinched as Gray’s fists calmly reached down to the hem of his shirt to pull it away roughly. 

“Do what?” He turned, etching the sides of his lips into an empty smile. “I don’t understand, Juvia,” he laughed dully. “I killed him for you, didn’t I? How I do it shouldn’t matter.” 

Juvia hesitantly rested a hand on his bare back. “But… didn’t you think that it was inhumane to kill him like that?” 

Gray simply cocked an eyebrow in confusion. “Inhumane?” His eye twitched for a brief moment before tossing the shirt aside. “I don’t understand?” He approached Juvia once again, this time, an unfamiliar glower haunted him. Juvia backed away unknowingly as he once again caught her between his arms. Roughly capturing her lips again, Juvia cried out in shock. His lips hungrily overlapped against hers, consuming her whole. Juvia desperately tried to tear away from him, but her refusal of his touch only caused him to grasp her harder. His teeth bit at her lips and Juvia could feel them swell as he slipped his tongue between hers swiftly. Finally, he let go of her, but this time Juvia felt her heart sink with emptiness. She felt lonely as his eyes never once looked at her the second time they kissed that night. And as someone who has been on her own for all her life, this was the loneliest she had ever felt. 

[inspectingg]

Exterminator (Gruvia fanfiction) Chapter V: And he falls

© 2021 inspectingg (on tumblr, wattpad and fanfiction.net). All rights reserved.

Synopsis: The administration indisputably decided that social status not only determined one’s wealth, but also life or death. Driven by corruption, those who thrived at the top of the chain dominated the world. Desperate to seize absolute control, Exterminators were given the decree to kill. With the entire fate of the human race under their control, it is imperative to lose all morality and sentiment. When killing people is a full-time job, it becomes second nature for Gray Fullbuster. But when the first person he has ever vowed to protect was his next victim, he makes the difficult decision to keep her under his care, training her to kill – or else be killed.

Genre: romance, action & dystopian.

This fanfiction contains violence and sexual content. Reader discretion is advised.

Here’s chapter 5 :3 here is the link for the same story on fanfiction.net if it’s easier to access from there! If you enjoyed, pls like/comment/reblog, I really appreciate your support <3 thanks for reading!

Chapter V - And he falls

Juvia glimpsed at Gray, whose features flickered against the lantern light. Her fingers cautiously hovered to his face, inches away. His jaw tightened as she gently caressed his cheeks with a trembling hand. 

“Do you now know why you helped me?” 

Gray replied with silence. His fingertips brushed against Juvia’s shoulder as he rebandaged her wound. At the corner of her eye, she watched as his hands worked swiftly. They twisted and turned, adjusting the white fabric so it secured against her shoulder. His eyes were obscured by strands of raven-black hair that had fallen to his face. She took a gulp as she felt his palm drift across her bare back. With a gentle tug, she let out a small grunt as Gray readjusted the safety pin. 

“Somehow you always need saving,” he muttered. Juvia quietly pulled her knees to her chest, covering her exposed upper body. 

“And somehow you’re always the one doing the saving,” she replied. Gray sent her a glare before tossing one of his shirts at her lap. Juvia hurriedly pulled it over her head. 

“Is this how you thank me?” Gray turned, stripping off his own shirt. “I can throw you back in there anytime I want.” 

“You won’t.” 

Gray paused, his shirt dangling at his elbows as he paused to look at her. Juvia sat upright, her eyes staring right back at his. She appeared tiny with his shirt on, its baggy sleeves pooling at her elbows comically. 

“Why?” he scoffed. “Do you want to wager your life?” Gray threw aside his shirt, but instead of retrieving another one, he began to approach her. “You trust me.” 

Juvia felt herself shifting against the mattress. “What makes you think that I will always help you, Juvia Lockser?” Gray suddenly lunged forwards, an arm bracing the wall behind her. “I can easily kill you,” he slurred, gingerly brushing away a strand of her hair. He jerked his chin to her injured shoulder. “And I will actually kill you.”

Despite his advancements, Juvia tried to remain as still as possible. 

“I will wager my life.” She took in a deep breath. “I do trust you, and I think you will always help me, but neither of us know the reason.” Gray twitched his eye in annoyance. “If you wanted to kill me,” she exhaled a shaky breath, “you would have done so already.” Juvia’s hands trailed against his bare chest. His pecs rose against her touch, slowly exhaling as her fingers grazed against his chiselled jaw. “I… really do trust you,” she whispered. “But I don’t know why, Gray.” 

Gray’s eyes flickered in surprise, his hands clenched into a fist tightly before he pushed himself away from her. 

“Don’t,” he growled under his breath. Juvia’s lips parted, but she was interrupted. “Stop talking.” Gray suddenly approached her once again, this time, his body lunged at her with a greater force. He angled his lips so they hovered inches away from hers. Juvia could feel his palms crawling up her thigh. His arms caged her in and all she could see was Gray. His eyelashes were lowered as he peered at her with caution. 

Unconsciously, she closed the gap between them, brushing her lips against his. He instantly responded, his agape mouth driving against hers. They sealed lips for another brief second before Gray pulled away. Juvia’s eyes fluttered open as she flinched with shock. The way his eyes glazed over her made her stomach spiral. She felt her heart pound against her chest like a whirlwind, and she let it overwhelm her with fervour. 

His intense eyes reminded her of his troubled gaze when she wailed against the hold of the doctor. As he lowered her down onto the bed, she almost fainted from the pain at her shoulder. His hands faltered closely around hers when she watched the unknown man extract the blade from her shoulder. Blood stained her clothes and yet all she could see was his blurry figure. Her arm throbbed, hammering violently against her head. A final wave of pain washed over Juvia, forcing a shriek out of her mouth before she gasped for air. 

“You’re okay.” 

Juvia nodded, her eyes heavy, and the last feeling she could remember was his thumb stroking her knuckles as she began to fall unconscious. 

The way he stared at her when she slowly awoke mirrored the way he looked at her now. 

“You care about me,” Juvia whispered. She ignored the thrashing of her heart and slanted her head, attempting to look into Gray’s averted eyes. “Gray,” she urged, “why?” 

“Stop talking!” he barked. Juvia refused to back down as she wrapped her hands around his neck. Gray avoided her gaze. 

“Look at me,” she screamed. “Why did you help me?” She pulled against his strength, forcing him to face her. Gray’s eyes shifted uncomfortably as her pupils stared widely at her. 

He cringed as Juvia once again captured his lips with hers. Overlapping her mouth over his abruptly, she pulled away. 

“Why did you take me here?” Her fingers dug into his neck as he once again resisted her grasp. “Tell me, where is the tunnel now?” Gray’s hands wrapped around her outstretched arms, eventually giving in to her persistence. 

“All of your memories were supposed to be removed,” Gray growled. This time, he was the one who took a hold of her neck. “But you, Juvia,” he drawled, “somehow still have a mind of your own.” He pressed a thumb against her skin and paused, feeling the rapid clobbering of her pulse against his hold.  

“Drifters are supposed to be devoid of any thought.” He slowly wrapped his palm around her chin, tugging it up so he could inspect her carefully. “You, on the other hand, still had the rationality to save others.” 

“You tried to kill her children,” Juvia yelled. She instantly withdrew from his grasp, slapping his hand away. “You’re… the same as a murderer,” she croaked. “Do you know what it’s like to live in that tunnel?” Her hands trembled as she tried to push away dark thoughts. “You’re a murderer, Gray. Exterminators are basically murderers.” Her throat burned as she uttered the last word, trying her best to gulp back a sob. “Yet I’m so attracted to you,” she yelled, wiping back tears. “Why didn’t you just kill me?” Juvia creased her eyebrows, her features twisted painfully as realisation hit. “Am I just a plaything for you all?” 

Gray pulled away, grabbing at her collar violently. “You’re an inconvenience to the administration, Juvia. Do you understand?” Juvia gasped out in pain, her shoulder receiving the force of his grasp. “And right now,” he snarled, “you’re being a hindrance to me.” He raised a pointed finger to the door. “Leave, before I regret my decision.” 

Juvia felt her throat burn as she desperately tried to swallow a sob. “What else do you have to regret?” she screamed back. “You don’t regret, Gray. Don’t all you do is kill?” Juvia exhaled deeply, her breath wobbly as she tried to claw away his grip. A flash of anger tainted Gray’s eyes red. His eyebrows bulged together until he could feel his vein emit a purple glow. His fists clenched and they were close to being clobbered against her trembling body. His grasp against her tightened, jolting her closer. 

The image of blood splattered across his vision. Bodies bare and lifeless. Their inscrutable faces turned white as blood drained from their necks, forming a deep ocean of blood. Gray’s nose twitched as he inhaled, the memories of every victim permeating into the earth. 

His hand strangled at her neck, each finger curling around until Juvia. 

“You know nothing,” he muttered. The image of an empty face suddenly flashed before his eyes; its discerning scar slithering down from his forehead, but its features remained blurred. Before Gray could concentrate on the familiar face, blood exuded from his neck. A blade punctured his flesh, and the handle of the dagger was clenched by Gray himself. Staring back at the faceless man with shock, Gray let the weapon fall with a clatter. At the corner of his eye, he watched in horror as his father creeped up from the ground. The concrete cracked at his fingertips as they slowly crawled up. His features became distorted with raw flesh and purple acid, mixing until it burned his face with a fracture.

“Gray!” The shrill sound that escaped from his father’s lips sent an ear-piercing sound through the narrowing walls. “Who did you kill this time?” Suddenly, the blade was once again in Gray’s hands, staining them with mauve liquid. “I expect great things of you,” his father screamed once again. This time, his voice sent a sharp pain through his head, sending Gray into an infinite cycle of flames that never died out. “Gray Fullbuster!” The repeated shrieks penetrated Gray’s head like a parasite, endlessly tormenting him. His eyes suddenly focused back to the girl who was heaving with pain. 

“Gray!”

His eyes were bloodshot when he finally regained consciousness. His hands trembled against Juvia’s faltering voice, her throat swelling as his grasp instantly relaxed. Juvia collapsed onto the bed, coughing vigorously with her hand finding its way around her neck. Gray urgently rose and staggered backwards. His fingers pinched at the bridge of his nose, refusing to face her. 

“I told you to go,” he inhaled. His voice quivered as he hastily glanced down at his hands only to find them empty. “I don’t want to regret killing you too.” 

Juvia winced as she pushed herself up from the bed. Her uninjured hand pressed against his chest gently. She felt her heart pound, terrified, yet the courage to approach him arose from a place she didn’t’ know she possessed. 

“I’m sorry, Gray,” she whispered. “I – I.” Juvia lost the words she wanted to say. “Thanks for saving my life.” 

After she heard the slam of the door behind her, she allowed a tear to roll down her cheeks.