i lived (gruvia)
FINALLY FINALLY DONE! I had no ideas for this one because the prompt doesn’t sound very fluffy, does it? But my little brother helped me come up with the idea and I think it works alright lol. This one is super cheesy and I don’t really like it but enjoy! Onto Nalu Week, whoot whoot!
D-Day.
Today was the day. He had been planning and gathering his courage for a week and today, he was finally going to do it.
He sucked in a deep breath, brushed his shirt before realizing it was missing, and, too wound up to worry about his lack of clothes, quickly grabbed the small bouquet before walking as calmly as he could to the guild.
Lucy was the first to notice him, since Juvia hadn’t arrived yet. “Gray! Good morning! Is it happening today?”
Gulping, he nodded and she giggled at his frightened expression. “Do you think I’ll survive?”
She rolled her eyes good-humoredly and patter him on the shoulder. “Of course you will. She might squeeze you unconscious but she won’t kill you! You know she can’t live without you.” She winked.
Gray groaned. “Maybe I should ask Erza for some armor first.”
“Maybe you should put on some clothes first,” Lucy laughed. “Though, knowing Juvia, she won’t mind.”
The doors burst open and there she was in all her beautiful blue glory. “Gray-sama!” she squealed and immediately ran in his direction.
He panicked. “Quick, hide me!”
“Too late. Good luck!” Lucy patted him encouragingly once more and disappeared before Juvia could challenge her as a love rival yet again.
“Gray-sama! Was Love Rival flirting with Gray-sama again?” Juvia pouted as she threw her arms around Gray’s naked torso and hugged him tightly. “She frowned when she noticed the flowers. “Gray-sama, who are those flowers for? Are they for Love Rival? Are you in love with Love Rival!? Noooooo!”
“Oh crap! Juvia, calm down before you flood the guild again!” Gray looked around for help but everyone else was too busy running to safe places to escape the salty flood. “Juvia, listen to me! The flowers aren’t for Lucy! They’re for you!”
The tears stopped instantly. “J-juvia?” she stammered, blushing and gasping at the bouquet like she’d never seen flowers before. “Gray-sama bought flowers for Juvia? Oh, Juvia is so grateful for Gray-sama! The flowers are so beautiful!”
Scratching the back of his neck shyly and looking away, face pink, he held out the flowers for her to take. He was too embarrassed to notice all their guild mates gaping at them from their hiding places. “They’re called, uh, rain lilies. I just thought they were kinda fitting…”
She smiled at him and he was surprised yet again by the way his breath flew from his lungs and his words from his mind. She really was gorgeous, he’d always thought so, but he didn’t think he could ever get used to feeling like she punched him in the gut every time she laughed or smiled.
It was difficult, liking someone.
“The flowers are so beautiful. And they smell wonderful!” She took a deep whiff, sighing happily. “Is it a special day, Gray-sama?”
He stared at her, slack-jawed and deaf to her words.
She frowned in concern and stepped closer, lifting a hand to his forehead. “Gray-sama? Is there something wrong?”
He jerked away from her touch. “Uh, I, uh, um, er, well I just, uh, y’see, I, uh, my, my, y’know, I—my pants! Oh crap, where—dammit, this is not what I planned to happen, I’m so sorry—but where are my stupid pants—”
The clothing in question flew into his face and he yanked it away, glaring around until he saw Lucy’s unamused face. “Hurry up and confess already!” she mouthed aggressively. “Jeez!”
He swallowed and faced Juvia again. She was looking extremely confused, glancing back and forth between him and Lucy with increasing suspicion.
“Oh—no, Juvia, there’s nothing—I don’t like Lucy—I mean, I do, I love her because she’s my friend, see, we’re friends and I could never fall in love with her, I mean, haha, what even—”
“Gray-sama, is there something Gray-sama is trying to tell Juvia?” she interrupted, getting to the point quickly and making Gray internally groan. “Is Gray-sama trying to tell Juvia not to bother Love Rival anymore? If Gray-sama truly wishes it, Juvia will, of course, obey—”
“I’m in love with you!” he blurted and then slapped a hand over his mouth. There were simultaneous smacks on faces echoing from his guild mates scattered around the room and a groan or two. He thought he heard Elfman say almost disapprovingly, “It is manly to be blunt, but cutting her off was not manly at all”—though it was possible that was simply his imagination.
Juvia was on the verge of fainting. Her eyes practically bugged out of her head as she whispered, “Juvia must have misheard Gray-sama. Could Gray-sama…repeat what he just said?”
Was it really so unbelievable that he had actually fallen for her? Sure, he had not exactly been—emotionally available in the past few years, ready for a romantic relationship, but surely he hadn’t made it seem as if there was no chance he would ever return her feelings?
Based on her reaction, perhaps he had.
He grimaced. He really was a jerk.
Pulling himself together, he mentally snapped himself and met her eyes directly, willing himself to be firm. He stepped closer to her and noted how she caught her breath. Slowly, his hand reached for her free one and grasped it tightly, feeling her fingers tremble. “Juvia. I am in love with you. I…I know, in the past, I have never been very clear with my feelings and I know I sometimes acted like I could never love you back but…I just wasn’t ready. I had to face and accept my past completely and come to terms with my own guilt. And I finally have, thanks to you. You…have always been there for me, always accepted and loved me when I couldn’t do the same myself. You saved me. And I am so thankful.”
Juvia blinked and pulled out a shaky smile. “Juvia understands. Gray-sama is thanking Juvia but Gray-sama doesn’t need to. Juvia will always help Gray-sama, even if he doesn’t want or need it.”
“No!” Eyes flashing, he tugged on her hand and pulled her into a hug, burying his face into her hair. His voice was low and muffled by her ear. “No, that’s not what I meant. Juvia, I am thankful, but I wasn’t done. I was going to say that I didn’t fall in love with you because you saved me. I fell in love with you because you’re Juvia. You’re so strong and beautiful and loving and forgiving and passionate and loyal and—and—and I just couldn’t help falling for you. I love you, Juvia. Truly. Will you…will you be mine?”
She didn’t respond for the longest time. Gray feared that she had suddenly realized how much of a jerk he’d been and was about to reject him, but then she flung her arms around his neck and squeezed the life out of him.
“Oh Gray-sama, of course Juvia will be his! Juvia loves Gray-sama so much! She can’t believe he loves her back! Finally! Juvia has waited years for this day!” she sobbed loudly and happily.
“Ju…via…can’t…breathe…” he somehow managed to choke out, feeling extremely light-headed. He was seriously about to pass out.
“Oh! Juvia is so sorry!” She pulled away and, beaming at him, planted a loud kiss on his unsuspecting lips before skipping off jovially. “Juvia must tell Gajeel-san! Juvia is so happy!”
Gray hacked and coughed, rubbing his throat. Alright, I survived!
A large shadow fell over him and he looked up to find Gajeel standing over him more menacingly than Gray had ever seen him, his spiky bat resting casually on one shoulder. His sharp teeth were stretched wide across his face and his eyes were feral.
“Gihihi. Now I gotta good reason to beat the shit outta ya, ice bastard.”
Aw man.










