Author's Note: As I said in the description, this story is shameless fluff. It's my love letter to the recent Gruvia developments, and specifically the Gloria chapter of Fairy Tail. I hope you enjoy reading it at least as much as I did writing it. ^_^
It had all started with a T-shirt. The only reason he had agreed to go on the job that changed everything was because of that stupid shirt. He still remembered the day she had given it to him. They had just announced the teams of the Grand Magic Games. Gray was alone in Fairy Tail team A's hotel room when there had been a knock on the door. It turned out to be Juvia, and, in her words, she had brought him a good luck gift. She shyly held out a black shirt, with a white butterfly embroidered on the front. She said she had sewn it herself especially for him. Why Juvia seemed to think he'd appreciate a butterfly-adorned T-shirt was beyond him, but he took it from the blushing girl with his thanks, while secretly thinking he'd never wear it.
After their exhausting battles in the GMG finals, in which Fairy Tail was victorious, the mages were all instructed to get healed up as best as they could, and to re-assemble immediately in the town square where the king was to make an important announcement. After Gray and his team were treated by Chelia from Lyon's guild Lamia Scale, Gray had rushed back off to the hotel room with the others to find something to wear, as his current clothes were torn to shreds. As he had looked through his bag, however, he was dismayed to find a tiny pile of either further torn, or severely unwashed clothes to choose from. As he pulled out the solitary, unblemished shirt with the butterfly design he had never regretted his stripping habit more. He waited for Erza, who had changed in the bathroom, to vacate the room, before putting it on. He stepped in front of the mirror. Sighing resignedly as he looked at his reflection, he shook his head, and muttered "Juvia….," before exiting the room without a backwards glance.
He got a couple of jeering 'nice shirt' comments from some of the guys, but he ignored them. When Juvia had seen him wearing it, her entire face lit up. And somehow, that made it worth it, but he'd never admit it to her. Unfortunately, the king's announcement was dire indeed, and a terrible battle of humans versus dragons ensued. Gray had been fighting a cluster of mini dragons that had dropped from the sky. He did manage to defeat them, but in the process he realized a little too late that he was once again topless. This thought didn't disturb him, until he remembered what he had been wearing. He tried to look for the shirt, but after dodging a couple of beams from the dragons and peering over the multitude of rubble before him, he knew that it was a fruitless effort. He'd have to tell her he lost it. She'd made it for him, and he had just tossed it away without a second thought. His insides squirmed with guilt.
However, at that time, Gray never got the chance to tell Juvia about the shirt. A strange thing had occurred to interrupt the confession. A vision flashed before all of their eyes, in which Gray was pierced by multiple dragon's beams while trying to save Juvia. He saw an image quite clearly in his mind, of his own body laying bloody and still on the floor. All thoughts of the T-shirt vanished from his head. They did eventually win that battle, but they later found Ultear's body, blackened and dead upon the ground. She had saved his, and who knows how many other countless lives in her sacrifice. Ultear, so similar to Ur - more similar they she could have imagined, in Gray's opinion - had given up her life for the sake of the world. It was hardest on Meredy, who knew her best. A small funeral was held, and their respects were paid.
A week after all the destruction had ensued, things were finally starting to get back to normal. Because they had won the tournament, Fairy Tail was awarded prize money, which meant they were able to get their guild building back. So, as they sat in the guild hall, some of the weight of the events and losses finally washing away, the thought of the T-shirt sprang suddenly into Gray's mind once again. He had taken Juvia aside, and told her, slightly abashed, that he had lost the gift she had given him. Her response to this news was worse than Gray could have ever imagined. Tears welled up in her eyes at his guilty expression, and right in front of everyone in the guild, she had hugged him. Completely taken aback, Gray was at a loss as to what to do, but then he heard her say into his ear, that there were far worse things that could be lost, and he was sure at that moment that the flash of Gray lying dead on the ground passed through her mind again as well. He blushed, as she thankfully released him, smiling.
The very next day, Juvia approached Gray with a request that they go on a job alone together. Gray mulled this over for as long as he dared. The truth was, when he thought of how long it had been since he had properly taken on a job request, the answer shocked him. He had not gone on any jobs since before Tenroujima, and the lost seven years. And what was more, he had not been on a job with Juvia, since just after she first joined Fairy Tail. So, any attempts to reject the request would come off very badly indeed. Therefore, he agreed, while telling himself that it was also his way of apologizing for the loss of the shirt. However, Gray had insisted on being the one to pick the job. He saw a likely looking request on the board that was only a half a day's travel from Magnolia. The job entailed that they track down a petty thief who was supposedly camping out in the neighboring woods of a town named Stackloth, and retrieve a stolen ancient document for the client. That sounded simple enough, and if all went well, they might be back in less than three days, and with a sizable reward to boot. Juvia didn't seem too thrilled with his job choice, but she agreed in the end. So, they arranged to meet the next morning at the train station, where they would depart for the largest city nearest their destination, Candle Ridge.
As Gray waited for Juvia on the train platform, he kept checking the clock, wondering what was keeping her. Just as he was getting anxious, Juvia finally turned up, looking out of breath, with just five minutes to spare. They boarded the train, and took their seats. Gray asked her why she had been late, and in reply, she held out a piece of black fabric, with a white butterfly embroidered on the front. She said it was to replace the one he had lost. Gray flushed, but Juvia took no notice. Gray thanked her embarrassedly, and promised to take better care of this one, before packing it safely away in his bag. Then a thought occurred to him, and he voiced it aloud: had she stayed up all night remaking this shirt for him? Judging by her red face, she had. He reprimanded her, but she shrugged it off. They ate a quick breakfast, and Juvia, clearly exhausted, slept nearly the whole way to Candle Ridge. Gray, realizing the need for her to be well-rested if she was going to be able to complete the job they needed to do, let her carry on. He spent the rest of the journey taking turns glancing at Juvia, and the view outside in equal measure until she finally awoke about fifteen minutes before they reached their destination. It was nearly noon now, and the sun was high. They knew if they wanted to reach Stackloth before nightfall, they needed to get moving almost immediately, because it was a long walk. They ate a quick lunch at a cafe near the train station, and then departed.
They made great time, and did indeed manage to reach Stackloth just before night had really fallen. They met with the client, a wealthy, middle-aged man who lived in a large house near the center of town, and he went over the details with them. After a quick assurance from Gray and Juvia, that he'd have his treasured document returned to him soon, they left to find this thief that supposedly had a hideout near the outskirts of town. Luckily for Gray and Juvia, the criminal, by the name of Languin, and his fellow thieves, did not seem too worried about being caught, as they had a fire blazing in their tiny hideaway. The smoke rising up from their dwelling's chimney was a dead give away. Gray and Juvia dispensed with all of Languin's cronies with ridiculous ease. They were pretty poor mages. However, they hit a slight snag when Languin made a desperate attempt at an escape, by dangling the ancient document over the fire. Unfortunately for Languin, though, he was dealing with an ice mage, and a water mage. Before the document even departed his fingertips, the entire structure, Languin, and all, were frozen solid, perfectly preserved in ice, courtesy of Gray. Juvia thawed out the document carefully, and there was no damage done. They chipped Languin out of his now frozen hideout, and Juvia enclosed the criminals in a water lock, and floated them to the police station, before returning back to the client's house. They were given the gentleman's thanks, along with their reward. Gray and Juvia celebrated that night at a local bar. Gray drank just a little too much, but with Juvia's help, they managed to procure two hotel rooms, where Gray tumbled into bed, his eyes heavy with the weight of drink and sleep.
When Gray woke up the next morning, still a bit groggy from the previous night's celebration, he saw a familiar black T-shirt laying over the back of a chair near the window. This was clearly Juvia's doing. He picked it up, and, with only a slight pause, put it on. Juvia smiled as he met her for breakfast. Still slightly out of it, he agreed to spend the day sight-seeing, instead of heading back to Candle Ridge as they had originally planned. They spent the rest of the morning walking through a local park, and then visiting a botanical garden the town was apparently famous for. As it was summer, their roses were in full bloom, which made Juvia very happy. They ate lunch at a quaint little cafe, before heading to the shopping district. And that's when it all really started for Gray.
They strolled passed the small shops, which sold all kinds of goods. Juvia stopped every now and then to take a closer look at something, Gray following at a snail's pace. Thankfully, his hangover was finally starting to subside as they reached a clothing store, which caused Juvia to squeal happily at the colorful array of hats arranged stylishly at the store's entrance.
Juvia smiled excitedly at him, as they approached the hats on display.
"Can we please stop and take a look?" she asked, clinging onto his arm.
He smirked slightly. "I guess," he shrugged, and she grinned widely, before bouncing off to browse.
Gray casually backed away to give other customers room to view the goods, as he wandered over in front of the neighboring flower shop. He watched Juvia try on hats, checking her reflection out in the mirror each time. He smiled to himself.
"Are you two together?"
"Huh?" Gray said distractedly.
An old woman wearing a green apron that matched the shop's awning came stooping out of the store. She obviously owned the place.
"You and that young lady," she said, nodding at Juvia, who was now bending over a pink, ribboned hat on display.
"Oh, yeah," Gray confirmed, taking her comment to mean if they were traveling together. Gray looked into her aged face, as each line crinkled up into a smile, her eyes now slits through her over-large spectacles.
"I thought so. You have that look on your face," she said warmly, and with a little chuckle.
"That look?" Gray asked, confused.
"Aye. Of a man in love," she declared with a knowing smile.
Gray's eyes widened, and he sucked in a breath. He could feel his whole face beginning to heat up. "WAAAH! No! I thought you meant - Not together like that! That's-"
Gray's frantic stammering was cut off midstream as the old woman nodded and patted his shoulder in a comforting way. "No need to explain. I know that look well. My husband and I were together for fifty-two years before he passed away last summer. He always looked at me just the same way. He was the great love of my life," she said wistfully.
Gray had no reply to this. He still felt distinctly hot and uncomfortable, his mouth hanging slightly open.
"Cherish every moment together. Every bit is precious," she finished sagely, her kind eyes boring into his.
Gray could only stare. Looking at her cheerful face, he wasn't sure if he wanted to clarify the situation, or not anymore. But it didn't matter, because at that moment Juvia came over to him.
"All done! Thank you for waiting, Gray-sama," she said, beaming up at him. It seemed like she hadn't bought anything, as the hat she had been eyeing was still resting on it's display, and her own fur-trimmed one was still sitting upon her head.
He turned away from Juvia to say his goodbyes to the old lady, but it seemed she had wandered back into the flower shop and was talking to a customer.
"Shall we do a little more shopping?" Juvia asked, the wide smile still on her face.
He agreed because they had so much time to kill. They ended up wandering into a small, but cluttered shop full of hair accessories, and jewelry. Juvia seemed thrilled, but Gray was significantly less so. He was about to tell Juvia that he'd wait for her outside when he caught a glimpse of himself in a mirror hanging at the end of one of the wooden shelf displays. He walked over to it, and stared at his reflection, lost in thought.
He could not get the conversation with the old woman out of his mind. Why did it matter so much that a perfect stranger had gotten the wrong impression about him and Juvia? He'd probably never even see her again, after all. And what was she going on about? What did she mean by that look? As Juvia walked through the neighboring isle, Gray continued to stare into the dusty old mirror hanging at eye level. Gray studied his expression, extremely self-conscious. I don't have any look. He tried to relax his face, and rearrange it into what he deemed normal. Once he was satisfied, he looked away, and then quickly back again, as if to make sure it hadn't betrayed anything in the seconds that had passed. Not that there was anything to betray. He didn't love Juvia, after all. Or, at least, not in the way the old woman had thought. He loved her as a friend, just like everyone else in the guild. They were close, this was true, but that was mostly Juvia's fault. It seemed like, wherever Gray was, Juvia was there as well. True, he didn't push her away. Why should he? He didn't dislike her company, and she wasn't doing him any harm. In fact, he liked Juvia quite a lot. Yes, he found her attractive, but that's because she was. Besides, all the girls in Fairy Tail were attractive in Gray's opinion. Juvia just happened to be especially his type, that was all. He couldn't help that. Anyway, they were just friends. That's how I think of Juvia, he said inwardly, trying to convince himself. And that's how Juvia….
But Juvia didn't think of Gray just as a friend. He knew that. Everyone knew that. She didn't exactly try to hide it. How could she be so open about stuff like that? How was she not embarrassed? When it came to romance, he truly could not fully fathom how her brain worked. It was so foreign to him.
And if he supposedly had a look, what did she have?
Now that Gray thought about it, Juvia actually had a pretty serious personality. He'd notice it at times when she was around others, how she'd be no-nonsense, and business-like. She'd rarely crack a smile. And according to Gajeel, she was downright frigid when she was still in Phantom Lord. The gloomy rain woman was what she'd been called. But, that's not the Juvia Gray knew. The Juvia that hung around him was warm, and silly, and overly-excitable.
She had a wonderful smile that was all his. And as he realized this fact, his heart began to race.
"Gray-sama!" Juvia said, suddenly popping up behind him, and startling him.
"Ah!" he yelled, and the other people in the small shop turned to look at him. His face felt flushed.
"I'm sorry, Juvia didn't mean to scare you," her face was anxious, as she examined his own in worry. "Are you ok?"
"I'm fine," Gray grunted, embarrassed and annoyed. "Don't sneak up behind me, that's all."
Juvia nodded, looking a little abashed, but she recovered quickly, and held out her hands to Gray.
He looked down at them. In her palms sat an ornamental butterfly pin, with different colored jewels studded around the wings.
"Juvia was thinking about buying it, and I just wanted Gray-sama's opinion."
Gray raised an eyebrow, as he looked at her anxious face, and then back at the pin. "You really like butterflies, huh?"
"Yes!"
"It's nice," he said simply, while truthfully not really having much of an opinion one way or the other.
"Really? Juvia thinks so, too, but if Gray-sama likes it as well, then it's decided," she said happily, and she made her way over to the counter.
Gray followed behind her subconsciously.
A plump woman with a friendly demeanor smiled up at them. "Found something you like, dear?"
Juvia nodded, and held out the butterfly pin for the woman to wrap. Gray was grateful that she was done browsing, for the stifling shop, coupled with his own uncomfortable thoughts, were making him hot, and he had the familiar urge to strip. That's when he caught site of his replacement t-shirt that Juvia made him which proudly displayed the embroidered butterfly on it's center. He looked back up as Juvia was about to hand over the money to pay. Without really thinking about it, he put his hand out, blocking Juvia from handing over the cash.
She looked at him in surprise.
"I'll take care of that," he said firmly, taking out some money from his pocket.
"Gray-sama…." Juvia trailed off, her cheeks red.
The woman smiled approvingly at Gray, while taking his money.
Juvia suddenly shook her head quickly. "No, Juvia can't -"
"I want to," he said earnestly, giving her a small smile.
Juvia reddened even more at this, as the woman handed back his change, and a small bag, containing the now wrapped butterfly pin.
"Now, now, dear, we mustn't be proud. Your boyfriend wants to do something kind for you. You should let him," she said with a wink.
The heat from Juvia's face easily could have cooked an egg at this point, as she repeated, "boyfriend?!"
Gray's own face was beginning to perspire, so he thanked the woman with a mutter, and quickly rushed Juvia out of the shop without another word. The slight breeze felt heavenly as they stepped into the fresh air. Gray sighed, half relieved, half annoyed. Another person had misunderstood Gray and Juvia's relationship. What was with this town? Gray cautiously looked over at Juvia. Her eyes were still wide, and her face still crimson, and he distinctly heard her mutter again "boyfriend…." He glared back at the shop, inwardly cursing the shop owner, and her assumptions. That's when he realized he was holding Juvia's pin.
"Here," he said, thrusting the bag at her.
She looked up at him, still blushing, as she took the tiny paper bag.
"Don't…don't take it to mean anything. I just - it's- repayment, for this," he said without looking at her, as he pulled at his shirt, to draw attention to what he meant. "Since I lost the first one, and you had to make a second one for me," he explained, still not meeting her eyes, and trying desperately to keep his face away from forming that look. "That's all."
"I see," Juvia said softly. "Thank you, Gray-sama."
He grunted in reply. He then heard the sound of paper rustling and chanced a glance at her. Juvia was unwrapping the butterfly from it's packaging.
She looked up at him, and their eyes met. "Could-could you pin it onto Juvia?" she asked, holding it out to him. "Please?"
Gray took it, while thinking, why can't she do it herself? But, before he could ask her, his field of vision was filled with Juvia's cleavage, and black tank top. She was holding herself very upright, indicating she wanted him to pin it to her shirt. Gray blushed, and took a step back.
"Please?" she said again, and she leaned a little forward on her left side, as if to say she wanted it pinned there. Her face was still flushed.
Gray inhaled deeply, and swallowed, deciding to just get it over with. He bent as close as he dared, and, not to injure Juvia, slightly lifted her blouse off of her skin, so he could place the pin. He pinned it as high as it would go. Why, today of all days, did she have to wear such a low-cut outfit?, he thought to himself ruefully. But, before he could get too worked up, he had managed it. The colorful pin sat perched against the black fabric, it's jeweled wings sparkling in the sun.
Juvia beamed up at Gray. "Thank you again, Gray-sama," she said happily, slightly twirling from side to side, as if to admire the effect of the jewels as the sunlight bounced off of them. "How does it look?"
Gray took a quick glance at her and the butterfly pin, before looking away. "It suits you."
Juvia smiled from ear to ear.
Gray looked up at the passing clouds, and the sun, which was slowly beginning to set. "Should we go find somewhere to eat?" he inquired, quite ready to get out of this judgmental shopping district.
"Yes!" Juvia agreed brightly, and they headed off down the street.
It was getting late, and darkness had swept over them. They walked along the dusty road in silence, their stomachs full, and their packs a little heavier now, than when they had first set out for Stackloth. They had to find somewhere to make camp soon. Over dinner they had decided against spending another night at the hotel in town as they had originally planned. Instead, they prioritized getting a head start back towards Candle Ridge, from which they could hopefully catch a train to Magnolia the next afternoon. It was Gray's idea to get moving, and he was grateful that Juvia had agreed without too much resistance. Gray worried that if they stayed overnight in town, Juvia would have procrastinated leaving for another day. During dinner she had said that she had seen a great spot in the park that she hinted would be perfect for a picnic. He also had caught her saying that the small town had a romantic atmosphere. That was enough of a reason, in Gray's opinion, to leave the place behind as soon as possible. So, after a quick stop to collect their things, and check out, they headed northeast back along the long, tree-lined road they had taken the day before. It was getting much cooler now as they walked, and the late hour crept over them. They had cleared a respectable distance in the four hours since they had departed.
Gray stopped suddenly, catching sight of a slight clearing to their left. Juvia stopped walking, too.
"Should we call it a night, do you think?"
Juvia was about to voice her assent, before it was cut off in mid-yawn.
Gray chuckled a bit. "Sounds like a yes to me. Let's go over there," he pointed towards the clearing, and Juvia nodded, and followed along.
Neither of them had anything to lay on, but there was a pleasantly high covering of grass on the ground, so they settled down on that, their packs behind their heads as pillows. It was summer, so even though there was a breeze, it was refreshingly cool, rather than cold. Although, that could simply be, because Gray himself was so used to the cold. He looked over at Juvia who had removed her hat, and pinned her butterfly brooch to it for safekeeping. It seemed she was trying to find a comfortable spot, as she repositioned her head on her overstuffed pack.
'You're not cold, or anything, are ya?"
"No, Juvia is fine," she said, smiling slightly, as she lay on her side, a few feet away from him.
"Ok, um, I say we try to get up by seven a.m. at the latest. If we get an early start, we'll definitely reach Candle Ridge with time to spare."
"Juvia agrees."
"Alright, good night."
"Good night, Gray-sama," she said sleepily.
That was the last thing Gray remembered. It turned out that he was more tired than he had thought, because sleep took him without warning. When he next opened his eyes, there was a blindingly strong beam of light piercing through the tops of the trees, right into his face. He sat up squinting, and looked around. Juvia was still asleep next to him. She was huddled up, her knees tucked in, and her arms wrapped around herself. She was still lying on her side, facing his direction. Judging by the position of the sun, Gray wagered that it wasn't that long after sun up. He laid back down, thinking he might be able to sneak in another hour of sleep.
He turned, and looked over at Juvia again. Her hair was falling slightly over her face. It was almost strange to see her so calm and quiet. As he looked at her, his thoughts wandered back to the previous day, and the words of the shop owners - specifically that old woman, and that supposed look he had. Well… that was just her opinion, and it was wrong. Nothing to get worked up over. But, what if it wasn't just her opinion? What if other people saw this look he supposedly had, too? That woman in the jewelry store, for instance. She had immediately assumed he was Juvia's boyfriend. Why hadn't he corrected her? Because, it didn't matter, that's why, he assured himself. His non-reply wasn't a confirmation of the relationship, but an affirmation on how ridiculous the assumption was. So ridiculous, it didn't even deserve a response. But still, Gray didn't like this vibe he was supposedly giving off. And then there was Juvia, and her smile that he had decided had belonged to him. Why did that make him so happy?
Gray was lost in deep contemplation for several long minutes before he heard Juvia make a small noise, and turn onto her back. She was still asleep, but Gray noticed now that she must be cold. The temperature had dropped even more significantly over night. He saw goosebumps running along her pale arms. He opened his pack, and pulled out a long coat he had brought along out of habit. He half crawled over to where she slept, in order to drape the coat over her sleeping form. As he did so, she gripped unto it, as if hugging it, a small smile playing on her face. Gray unconsciously smiled back as he watched her cuddling the garment. And that's when she said it.
"I love you, Gray-sama."
It was barely above a whisper, but there it was, out in the open. The trees, the grass, the sky, they all heard it. Gray sat beside her, his heart pounding, as he examined her face. Her eyes remained shut, and her smile still present, but her breathing was calm and rhythmic. She was still asleep. She buried her face further into his coat. He could only stare blankly, as the importance of her words seemed to hit him like a sledge hammer, so that he felt slightly light-headed, which in turn left him unprepared for the storm of emotions that then ravaged his body. Things he had been repressing came busting through him, as if several dams just broke within him, sending a cascade of thoughts and feelings to engulf him.
And at that moment, he knew that she drove him crazy in ways no other girl did. He knew he wanted to do things with her that he hadn't wanted to do with any other girl. And finally, as he looked at her, letting her unconscious words seep through him, he realized at last that he wanted to say those same words right back to her. But how to do it? How would she even react? Even a small, completely platonic act from him overwhelmed her many times. How should he break this revelation to her? He knew it was wrong to keep it to himself. He knew he needed to - no - wanted to say it. It was only fair. But, he reasoned, his heart fit to break through it's ribbed enclosure, it's not like she even knew she had said it to him. She was blissfully unaware of her confession. And if he was honest with himself, he was still a bit embarrassed.
I'm no good at this sort of thing, he thought, feeling like a failure.
And then a thought struck him as he watched Juvia's peacefully sleeping face.
Perfect. A quick and easy way to ease some of the pressure, he decided, smirking at his brilliance. Maybe others would call him a coward, but in his opinion, a sleeping confession deserved another in turn. So, with only a slight hesitation, he leaned over her, his lips close to her ear. He knew that it was cheating doing things like this, but he swore to himself that he would do things properly soon. Right now, however, this would have to do. He paused for a minute, took a deep, steadying breath, his lips slightly brushing the blades of grass that poked up around Juvia's hair, and breathed, "Juvia… I love you."
He had said it! A sense of relief coursed through him, and he smiled to himself. At least he had said it once. Surely, when the time came for him to repeat it to a, hopefully, conscious Juvia, it would be easier. Things were always easier the second time around. Flushed with his success, he pulled away from her, to look once more into her calmly resting face, but as he caught sight of her again, something was distinctly different about her. Specifically, that her eyes were wide open. Gray could have sworn in that moment that his heart had forgotten how to work. Juvia was staring at him, her face growing progressively redder as the seconds ticked by, and Gray knew then for certain, that she had heard. He jumped backwards, his palms grasping the grass and dirt for support. The only thing running through his mind was, holy crap.
Juvia was still laying down, her eyes staring unseeingly at the sky. Gray began to wonder if maybe she had fainted. In fact, he was beginning to hope it as well, because then maybe when she woke up again, she'd think she had imagined it, and all would be well. But, then Juvia sat up, his coat still clutched in her fist. She stared at him, her eyes unblinking. Gray stared back, not knowing what to say or do, as his own face burned with the heat of his known confession. And then, he felt it first. Cool drops of water were falling on his head.
Distracted, he looked up to see the sun shining around a large, solitary cloud above them. He held his hand out, and it slowly became covered with the large raindrops. A sun shower?
"Gray-sama…."
At the sound of his name, he looked back at her. Her eyes were brimming with tears. She was sobbing.
Genuinely alarmed at this reaction, he crawled a few feet back towards her. "Wha-what's wrong?" he asked, worried.
She seemed to not know what to do with herself. She sniffed several times, before saying. "Gray-sama said, th-that he loves Juvia?" It was more a question than a statement.
Gray, still on his hands and knees, looked into the water mage's tear-filled eyes, as the ground around them dampened. And then, knowing he had delayed long enough, he bit his lip, and slowly nodded.
At this, Juvia's eyes, still streaming with tears, crinkled up," Juvia is so… so happy!" she wailed between sniffs,
And before Gray could even begin to process the contradictory statement, Juvia had flung herself at him, causing him to topple over into the grass. Her lips met his, and the warmth of her mouth and body overwhelmed him. He had abandoned all thought, and it was amazing. He didn't need to think about this. It felt good, and it felt right. His arms wrapped around her, and the rain continued to fall, though the drops were fewer, and smaller than before. Gray hardly took notice, as all his senses were filled with Juvia. Her smell, her touch, her breath engulfed him, and he devoured her, as if a craving he had been denied for ages was finally being satiated.
After several long, wonderful moments, their lips separated, and they both sat up, Juvia with her legs tucked beneath her. With the back of her hand, she wiped at her eyes, which were still tearing up. She looked into his face, and suddenly, as if just realizing something, burst out, "I love you!"
Gray jumped a bit at the loud exclamation, but then he raised an eyebrow in amusement at her expression.
"I love you," she repeated again, her face determined. "I love you so much! I love you a lot! I love you! I love you, Gray!" she said, over and over, as if she could never say it enough.
Gray couldn't help it, he laughed. And then, he cleared his throat. "I'm sorry, I didn't catch that, could you repeat it?" he said, grinning.
Juvia stared at him, perhaps wondering for a second if he was being serious or not. But then she giggled, seeming slightly embarrassed, and slightly overwhelmed.
And that's when he knew the real moment had come, and he had to do it properly. He scratched his head uncomfortably, but marshaled all his courage, his eyes meeting hers, and he said, clearly and directly, "I love you, too, Juvia." And it felt good to say it, even if the heat from her gaze, and pleasure in her face caused his own to flush again.
To give himself time to recover, he looked away momentarily, and realized faintly that the rain was still falling, but the cloud was moving on behind Juvia, towards the road. And in the distance, reflected by that rain, was a rainbow. And that's when it hit him. It was her. Amazed, he looked back at Juvia again. Her eyes were still slightly red, but there were no longer any tears there. She smiled at him - that beautiful smile that was all his. And as he put his hand behind her neck, and into her hair, pulling her towards him again, he knew that he had just given her that look.
The End
Author's Note: This idea was born mostly from the Gloria chapter. Basically, my favorite parts of the huge Gruvia moment in there were those looks Gray shared with Juvia. I believe a look is worth a thousand words, and Gray was saying all kinds of things with his. ^-^ I also, obviously, totally buy into that whole fan assumption that Juvia gave Gray that butterfly t-shirt, so, before Mashima can disabuse me of this theory, I wanted to make use of it here. And finally, I just wanted to write a story where I could realistically see Gray saying "I love you," because that is the one thing I have yet to put into any of my stories. Hopefully, I succeeded. As always, thanks so much for reading! ^_^