Just taking a little break from my other story because the feel train was rolling for chapter 416. Never written for Fairy Tail before but this was just to much fun to pass up! Of course Gruvia! Dunno what it is about me and writing about characters with ice magic.

Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail, I just love it!

"You are so...warm," Juvia heard Gray say between sobs. She almost couldn't believe what was happening. There they were, both kneeling in the cold snow as small snowflakes fell all around them. She held him softly as he cried, slowly rubbing the back of his head with her hand. Normally she would be overwhelmed with joy to be this close to Gray, but when she imagined what it would be like for his head to be between her chest...and she thought about it quite often, this was not what she had in mind. She shook her head softly, this was not the time to let her imagination run wild, but she didn't know what else to do besides hold him, this certainly wasn't what she was expecting to happen. When she followed Gray to his hometown she knew it wasn't going to be a pleasant experience, which was difficult for her to grasp since usually anytime around Gray was a joyful time. But this time she knew it would be different, this time she had to tell him something that was going to be difficult for him to hear. After they had defeated Tartarus, she tried a few times to tell him that she was the one who killed his father...well the necromancer that was controlling him anyway. Each time though she just couldn't do it, and when he suddenly up and left, she knew that she had to follow him. She was so afraid of what his reaction would be that she almost chickened out again, but she owed it to Gray and Silver to tell him what happened. She was expecting him to be angry, to yell and scream at her, just like it looked like he was about too. She certainly never expected him to break down and start to cry, even more shocking was that he was apologizing to her. Apologizing for what? She was the one who stuck down Silver, in her mind there was no reason for him to be sorry for anything.

"Why is Gray-sama sorry? Juvia was the one who..." Juvia started to say before she felt him shake his head slightly. Looking down at his hair she heard a few more sobs escape his mouth before he pulled back and slowly lifted his head. His eyes were red and puffy as they met hers.

"No," Gray began in a low tone, trying to regain his composure. "I have everything to be sorry for. That was my father and it was my responsibility to do what needed to be done. But instead I pushed that burden to someone else, I was a coward, and for that I'm truly sorry." Gray said as he looked down at the snow, his hair falling over his eyes.

"Gray-sama is not a coward!" Juvia responded quickly as she stood up, causing Gray to pick his head up. "Gray-sama is the bravest person Juvia has ever met! He fights to protect what is important to him and he never gives up! If anyone is a coward it's Juvia, Juvia tried to tell Gray-sama about what happened to his father, but every time Juvia got afraid, afraid that Gray-sama would angry and not want her around anymore." Juvia finished with a few tears forming in the corner of her eyes.

Gray looked up at her with his mouth hanging open slightly, not only did Juvia do what he should have done, but she was also carrying the fear that he would be mad at her. He really was an ass, he thought. This girl does anything and everything for him and all he does is make her feel scared. Gray slowly stood up and walked over to her, he then reached out and pulled her into a hug, something that was very uncharacteristic of him. "You never have to worry about that again, I promise I'll always be there for you." Gray said softly into her ear. As he hugged her that warm feeling spread through his body again. Did she always make me feel like this? He thought to himself. From all the times she would hang on him, he never recalled getting this feeling throughout his body, this comforting warmth that told him to not let go.

Juvia froze at his actions and words. Gray was never one to show much emotion, and he hardly ever, if ever initiated a hug with her. Maybe it was all that happened with his father or with the guild, or maybe it was because he had just cried his eyes out in front of her, whatever it was, Juvia could not stop a smile from spreading across her face as she slowly wrapped her arms around him and just enjoyed the moment. He wasn't mad at her, and he said he would always be there for her. Mavis, she really hoped she wasn't in her imagination again.

After a moment Gray pulled away, both of them silently missing the warmth of the other. Gray looked at her before looking down at his right arm, the arm that held the power of devil slayer magic, the magic that his father had given him. "I'm going to get stronger," Gray began as he looked back to Juvia. "I'm going to train to master this magic, I'm going to make sure I can always protect the people I care about." Gray said with a serious tone.

"Please let Juvia come with you!" Juvia called out, finally finding her voice, causing Gray's eyes to widen. "Juiva also wants to get stronger, so much has happened and so much more is going to happen. Juvia also wants to be able to protect what is important to her. Gray-sama knows that Juiva can hold her own in combat, Juvia is sure she can help Gray-sama master his new power!" Juvia said with passion in her voice and fire in her eyes.

Gray looked at her with wonder. Was she always this incredible? Always this confident and sure of herself? Had he been missing something these last few years?

Gray let out a small chuckle and put on a smirk. "It's not going to be easy, were going to have to train hard to keep up with everyone." He said. He was sure that Natsu had the same idea as him, to get stronger, and it would be a cold day in hell before he let that fire breather get the better of him.

"Juvia understands," Juvia said with a nod of her head.

"That also means staying focused on training..." Gray said, knowing that when it came to him, Juvia sometimes would forget about the rest of the world around.

A slight blush crossed Juvia's face. "Juvia knows that sometimes when it comes to Gray-sama, she can lose focus." She said before shaking her head and filling her expression with resolve. "But this is important, not only to Gray-sama and Juvia, but to the entire guild. Juvia knows it will be difficult, but she will do her best to keep on task...even if Gray-sama's new tattoo makes Juvia want to let Gray-sama take her right here in the snow." Juvia said causally as she looked off into the distance with a blush, completely missing how her words almost made Gray collapse.

After Gray recollected himself form Juvia's overzealous admittance, he couldn't help but look at her with a sense of marvel. Her determination and passion was making him feel like starting training right. He had always known how Juvia felt about him, she had made that extremely clear. She continued to pursue him even when he showed no signs of returning her feelings. He had never even given her a proper response to those feelings, he remembered how Ezra told him that he owed her a response during the Grand Magic Games, but he still hadn't given her one. It wasn't that he didn't want to, it was just, he really didn't know what to say. At first he was just annoyed by her antiques, then he learned to tolerate them, but now, especially after everything that happened with his father, he'd come to really enjoy having her around him. She was one of his best friends, but he suddenly found that line of friend beginning to blur. He shook his head to clear his thoughts, this wasn't the time, they had a mission to get stronger...but still.

"Juvia," Gray said calmly, snapping her attention back to him. "There's something I need to tell you," he said.

"Gray-sama can tell Juvia anything," Juvia said happily, causing Gray to smile.

There it was again, that feeling his stomach. "I know that you have feelings for me," he began somewhat awkwardly, he really wasn't good at this.

"Juvia loves Gray-sama," Juvia said without hesitation.

That only made it more difficult for Gray to speak. "I know I've never given you an answer to those feelings, mostly because I didn't know what to say. It's just...recently," Gray stumbled trying to find the right words as Juvia listened to every word, barely even breathing. "Right now we have more important matters to deal with, but maybe when this is all over and E.N.D is gone for good...we can...talk." Gray said as a small blush formed on his face.

Juvia wasn't even sure if she took a breath since he started talking. She knew that this was difficult for him but his words made her heart beat faster than she ever thought possible. "Gray-sama," Juvia squeaked out. "Does this mean?" She said, eyes full of hope.

"I..I don't know, I can't promise it will be everything you want... but, maybe," Gray responded, trying his best to not sound stupid and at the same time trying and articulate that he did in fact feel something for the blue haired water mage.

Juvia slowly brought her hands up to her heart, after all this time, maybe finally. "Maybe is good enough for Juvia!" Juvia exclaimed as she was about to tackle him in a hug before her mind made her stop. She had just promised him that she would keep herself in control, and no matter how happy she was, she knew that they had a serious fight a head of them. She quickly cleared her throat. "Juvia will be looking forward to that talk," she said, keeping her composure as best she could.

Gray let out a small sigh as he looked away and scratched his cheek. He could tell that he really just built her up, he could at least let her hug him. After all, she did just hold him as he cried. "I suppose we haven't started training just yet, so that promise isn't really in effec-"

"Gray-sama!" Juvia called out as she latched onto him with all her might, he swore that her eyes turned into hearts. "Our children will be beautiful!" Juvia called out loudly.

"What! C-children, isn't that a little fast?" Gray called out as he tried to pry her monster grip off of him.

Juvia let out a small laugh as she loosened her grip. "Juvia can't help it, Gray-sama just makes Juvia happier than he'll ever known." Juvia said with a bright small, she was now just holding him softly and nuzzling into his chest. This is going to be harder than Juvia thought.

Gray breathed out through his nose as he looked down at her. Seeing her bright smile looking up at him, he couldn't help but smile too as he lightly rustled her hair. They stood like that for another moment before pulling away and looking off into the distance side by side.

"I will defeat E.N.D at all costs," Gray said with a serious look.

"Yes," Juvia responded with a smile as she felt Gray's hand take hers. She happily accepted it as they looked out into the snow. They certainly have a hell of a fight ahead of them, but Juvia knew that as long as they were together, that it would somehow be alright.

"Gray-sama," Juvia said as she leaned into him slightly, causing Gray to look over at her. She gave his hand one more squeeze.

"You are warm as well."

We couldn't see their hands in the panel so my imagination is going with that! Can't wait to see the result of the time skip, I feel like Gruiva is very close to actually be canon. Hope you enjoyed and I'll be back working on my other story now!