Gruvia: Secret Lovers

An average day in the Fairy Tail Guild was playing out just as normal… Erza was eating cake, although it looked like the all the cakes were starting to take their effect on her hips and thighs, upon noticing this herself she decided it was time for more cake to make herself feel better. Cana was drinking away at dangerously high doses of alcohol straight from the barrel, so drunk her face was beginning to blush pink. Natsu was challenged by Elfman to a manly push-up competition and was being cheered on by happy and Lucy whilst Elfman had Mirajane and Lisana rooting for him. Gray had left recently to do a fairly hard job, one that would usually require two people but he insisted he was strong enough to go at it on his own and left with almost no one noticing. ALMOST… He knew deep down he could never slip anything past her. In fact, he counted entirely on the possibility and hoped that she would follow him into the forest because… he had to get something off his chest that was only for her ears. When he found himself on the road in a forested area, clear out of the way of the Fairy Tail guild hall, he shot a quick look behind him and sure enough, there she was… Juvia. Hiding behind a tree with just her head peeping out to keep an eye on him. She knew she had been spotted when Gray stopped in his path and smiled at her. Accepting her cover being blown, she slowly walked out from behind the tree in shame with her face blushed cherry pink. Gray walked towards her to meet her halfway with his hands in his coat pockets, moist with nervous sweat as he now knew he had to ask her here while they were alone. He already knew what the answer was going to be for his question… but it still made him nervous to ask.

"Gray… now that you have spotted me… may I accompany you for the rest of this job?" asked Juvia, her voice quivering.

"Job? I ain't on a Job… That was just a set up, I kinda figured you'd follow me…" Gray replies, he could feel his face blush more and more with every second. However, in comparison to the colour of Juvia's, Gray's blushing was nothing. He found himself gazing into her huge watery eyes that glistened like the stars of the galaxy, but he couldn't tear his eyes away. He began to think how stupid he would sound after he asked Juvia his question, after all she had probably been praying for him to ask her every night, and he picked now to ask her this… but he had to do it sometime.

"Oh… You wanted me to follow you…" Juvia implies in her flirtiest voice, her eyes widening and her head rising. A small flicker of hope ignited in her eye so obvious Gray found it adorable, in her over whelming excitement for what she thought might be coming next she found herself not being able to sit still and began to bob up and down on the spot.

"Yeah… Listen there's something I gotta tell you" His voice becoming more assertive, he straightened up and took a deep breath… he had to do this now.

Juvia's eyes were now starting to water with anticipation, she adjusted her stance so she was ready to throw herself at Gray as soon as he said those words she had ever so longed to hear from the day she first met him.

"Just say it My Beloved" she was screaming in her head, barely able to stop it coming from her own lips.

"... There's this water fall over here that flows into this huge lake, and the water looks strange, like it has a rainbow inside it. I was wondering if it would maybe boost your magic attack powers and maybe even make you stronger" Stated Gray, hoping he didn't put her off just yet, he had to time it right.

Once again Juvia's hopes and dreams had gotten the best of her and had risen her hopes to high. It seemed that the universe didn't want these two to be together, just a simple passionate gaze would be enough to satisfy her beyond comprehension, but even that seemed to be asking too much from Gray, as it was always. Her watery eyes of happiness turned to misty eyes of sadness, her face that blushed with happiness was now flooded with the expression of both embarrassment and disappointment. She turned to hide her face from Gray, as she did not like show him her weaknesses.

"Juvia… You okay…" Gray asks noticing her tears and slight sniffles.

"Oh… look I'm sorry, I didn't know that you couldn't-" Gray began to explain pretending to jump to conclusions, it aced him to see her this way, but he wanted her to be happier than she had ever been when he confessed, so he would make her sad first, then her happiness would be amplified.

"It's… *sniff*... it's okay Gray… *hiccup* Thank You for trying... to help me get stronger… I…" She couldn't speak anymore, she turned, dropped to her knees and buried her face in her hands in an attempt to suppress the sniffles and hiccups. Her mouth now filled with the taste of the saltiness of her own tears. Her face was tear stained and all of her willpower was focused on trying to stop crying and to be strong for her beloved, to show that she was okay and that she wasn't hurting. But inside she was once again shattered and would have to rebuild herself on her own for the next desperate attempt to get his attention.

"Juvia..." Gray whispered compassionately, his expression went from concerned to relaxed. He didn't want to see her like this anymore and grew the smallest one sided grin and approached Juvia. He did not look Pitiful nor concerned, he looked welcoming and warming. He walked around to her front and got down on one knee so he was eye level with her. He slowly placed his hands on her hands which were concealing her face and began gently trying to move them so that he could say this to her face.

"Gray… Please...*Suppressed Sniffle*... I'm fine…" Her grip on her face tightened as her tears began to seep through the gaps in her fingers once again. Though Gray's hands on hers began to weaken her for a short while, but she was determined to not let her beloved see her in such a state.

"Hey… I have something else I gotta tell ya, and it's kinda rude to not let me say this to your face, so…. Please let me see you" Gray spoke softly. Juvia couldn't believe what she had just heard… Gray had spoken with the utmost passion in his voice, no doubt from his heart and was aiming at her. Realizing that this wasn't another day dream of hers, Juvia's sobbing came to a very sudden stop. As if someone had hit a button to turn off her sadness. Through a small gap in her hands, Gray was sure he saw her frown turn into a very hopeful, happy smile. Juvia reluctantly removed her hands from her face, revealing running mascara, a tear stained face, a cute red blushed nose, Cherry like cheeks and eyes still flooded with water, but it was not tears of sadness in her eyes, they were tears of hope.

"Y… Yes?" Juvia mumbled gazing into Gray's eyes with an equal amount of passion as Gray's words. She began to bite her bottom lip from anticipation, looking as though she was ready to mouth the words that she ever so desperately needed to hear from him.

"I was wondering…" He whispered coming closer, placing both his hands on her warm cheeks and wiping away her tears with his thumbs. Juvia snuggled her face against Gray's hand, goosebumps running all over her body… was this it? The moment she had been waiting for?

"...If you would have the time to do something for me?" He said standing back up and offering both his hands to her, but Juvia couldn't help but feel let down once again, and so her face began to leak with tears again, and the joyful look in Juvia's eyes died down. The happy look on her face vanished and was replaced with the look of mercy and desperation. Her huge smile turned to a sad frown, her lower lip trembling and quivering with sadness. She was on the verge of crying her heart out in front of the man she loved, Gray's face however had no change in it whatsoever. He maintained his look of passion and kept up his welcoming body language.

"...Would you go to dinner with me tonight?" Asked Gray as quietly as possible. Juvia wasn't sure if he was purposely getting her hopes up just to crush them or was genuinely asking her to dinner, but she didn't care.

"Jus… Just the…" her voice began to rise in pitch "…Two of us?!" she asked, the sadness in her voice slowly tuning up to excitement. Her eyes now began to dry themselves as she looked back up at her beloved to see him smiling at her. The tears that remained in Juvia's eyes only enhanced their magnificent sparkle, Gray felt privileged to see them at the peak of their beauty and still couldn't stop gazing into them, he wanted to take Juvia into his arms and carry her away from everything so they could be together, free of stress and responsibility.

"Well Ye-" Gray began but was interrupted by Juvia launching herself off the ground and onto him, wrapping both her arms around him and locking her hands around him, not willing to let go. She buried tear soaked face into Gray' chest, the feel of warm embrace was enough to melt even Gray down to his very core. Even though he was taken off guard by Juvia leaping onto him, he couldn't deny that this was the best way things would go down, and he wouldn't want it any other way. As they both fell, her arms only tightened around him, Gray's quick reflexes allowed him o respond quickly by wrapping one arm around Juvia's waist to keep her close to him and extended the other out to protect them from a hard fall. Juvia however was in a different place entirely. Freed from her cage of constant depression, hurt and desperation and was now safe in the warm embracing arms of her beloved, where she had longed to be for over a year and where she intended to stay forever.

Just before they hit the ground, Gray heard Juvia constantly repeating the words "I love you" into his chest. Gray had already turned to mush in Juvia's arms and decided he didn't care if they were falling, he swung his free arm around her waist and snuggled his face against her head. He finally had the chance to embrace his beloved and intended to start as soon as possible. Both of their grips tightened as they braced for impact, However Gray was making sure he took all of the damage, he had no intention of letting his beloved getting hurt, whereas Juvia had the same Idea.

As Juvia attempted to twist them in mid-air so she would be underneath Gray and take the damage, Gray made sure we was staying where he was, however Juvia was stronger than he expected and ended up overbalancing himself in the air and so they both ended up on their sides, sliding across the dusty ground but giggling as they came to a stop. Soon the giggling went quiet and the two just gazed at each other for a while. Juvia prayed this wasn't one of her stupid dreams, and Gray couldn't be happier that he had now got this off his chest and was now in the embrace of his beloved Juvia.

"I'm gonna go ahead and say that's a yes" Gray laughed breaking the silence, he wasn't hurt from the fall and neither was Juvia, but as Gray laughed, Juvia's face grew more serious.

"Gray, Why have you never asked this before? I have made my love for you clear as day ever since I first met you… why now?" She asked, her voice quivering with happiness and shock which she clearly could not help.

"When we first met, I didn't know what the feelings I had for you were, I needed some space to think about them... and when I knew for sure… I just couldn't get you alone. Like in Crocus, I was looking for you, then you came from behind me and asked me for dinner and you have no idea how much excitement I had building up, but then Lyon had to show up… and every other time we were alone I never had the confidence, and I didn't want to give you a hint so I just tried my best to ignore yo-" Gray's lips were pursed by Juvia's finger, her eyes watering with happiness again. They both sat up and met eye to eye, Gray placed both his hands on her cheeks. "Stop that crying now, you're strong" He whispered pressing his forehead against Juvia's. Juvia's face now shock, as Gray wasn't really one to show much compassion for others. He was one to let them get stronger on their own, upon Gray noticing her shocked expression, he giggled again and said

"One thing that most others don't get to know about me is… I ain't all just cold Ice…" Said Gray, Juvia smiled and wiped away her tears and before Gray had the chance to even breath another breath, she pressed her lips against his. She felt Gray tense up at first, as he didn't expect this. But slowly his body began to relax, Juvia placed her hand over Gray's…

They were one now.

After a moment or so, Juvia pulled away, her blush intensified as he smiled as her. "Sorry… I've just… wanted to do that for a while now…" Giggled Juvia, Gray laughed and winked at her.

"I think it's time we get back, I still have to treat you to dinner you know" said Gray raising one eyebrow at Juvia with his big half smile. He took her hands, helped her up and they both began to walk back to the guild hall hand in hand.

"Listen Juvia, now you know I like you, can we keep this a secret from Natsu and Happy and everyone? you know how they are…" Gray asked politely

"Of course my love, I agree" Sang Juvia skipping alongside Gray, both her hands clasped around his one hand.

"And hey, you don't have to hold my hand so tight, I'm not gonna run off anywhere" Gray giggled as he walked with a little skip in his own step, but was stopped by Juvia. She pulled him close, wrapped both her arms around him arm.

"Promise me Gray… Promise me you will never leave me" He could hear the sacred quiver in her voice, she still thought this was too good to be true and feared Gray might leave very soon, so she had to be sure he wouldn't as she knew Gray wouldn't break his promise to a friend. But Gray only found this clinginess more adorable than ever, and understood completely why she would ask him to do such a thing, had already made a vow to himself that should he ever become one with his beloved, he would never leave her or even neglect her as he had done so before.

"I Promise I will never leave you… I swear it by my life, I won't leave you. Ever" spoke Gray softly, this was without a doubt the best moment in Juvia's life, she stood on her tiptoes to reach him and slowly kissed him on the lips.

"That's our seal, that I will never leave you and you will never leave me, beloved" Stated Juvia when she pulled away. Gray in the heat of the moment swept Juvia off her feet and held her so close and tightly.

"This is our pact now, we stay together forever" Said Gray.

"Forever" Juvia repeated with a tearful smile, snuggling into Gray's chest, her hand on his heart. The guild hall was just ahead, as of then, they were secret lovers.