A/N: A late upload. This was my contribution for the prompt "Comfort" for last year's Gruvia Fluff Fest.
Married Life
Juvia happily hummed to herself in the kitchen as she checked on the large pot roast she had cooking in the oven. She could tell by the softness of the beef as she prodded it with a fork that it would be about another half hour before it was done.
The chatter from her living room was an enjoyable sound to hear. The comfort of those familiar voices was just like she was hanging out in the guild, because her friends had come to visit.
Gray and Juvia had only been married for about a month, and Gray was currently away on a dangerous mission in which a client had personally requested his sole services. It was with a heavy heart that Juvia agreed to stay behind. Although no one knew better than she did how competent and powerful Gray was, she still didn't like the idea of not being able to assist him in his task.
The uncertainty and worry about Gray's mission weighed on Juvia's mind. She had known it would be hard, but she wasn't prepared for how hard as memories of Gray seemingly disappearing from her life, in which she had spent months not knowing what had become of him, raced themselves cruelly through her subconscious each day that Gray was away. These feelings were only intensified by the fact that this was the first time they had been separated since they had officially joined their lives together.
The day Gray and Juvia were married had been the happiest day of Juvia's life, and certainly her greatest dream come true. Sometimes she'd wake up and not want to open her eyes, in fear that she'd be back in her dorm room, quite alone, or worse, back in the orphanage, the rain insistently pelting her window. But that was thankfully never the case. Instead, she felt that soothing warmth of Gray's body heat as he lay next to her, sometimes with an arm casually draped over her, sometimes with his face nuzzled slightly up against her neck or in her hair. He always seemed to subconsciously draw nearer to her as the night wore on, and Juvia would never tire of it. It was heavenly, and yet it was real.
But, her nights this past week were cold and lonely, because her husband had gone away. Juvia's friends and fellow guild mates could tell she was feeling a bit down by Gray's absence, so Erza decided to throw Juvia a belated house warming party. Her friend's thought process was "better late than never."
Thus, Juvia was currently playing host to her closest companions within her guild, including Lucy, Natsu, Erza, Gajeel, Levy, Cana, Lisanna, Wendy, and the exceeds. Juvia, who always found cooking a relaxing hobby, was putting the finishing touches on her canapés, her mind in blissful peace for the first time in days. Juvia had her back turned to the front door. She busily fussed over the food, while she continued to hum a merry tune to herself.
Gray, his body a bit weary from traveling all day, suddenly entered the house, a large pack stuffed with essentials strung over his stiff shoulder. Before he could say or do anything, he was immediately greeted with the sight of his wife, bending over in the process of fetching a platter from a cupboard below the sink. He grinned mischievously, his eyes zeroed in on her position, and quietly deposited the pack on a kitchen chair, while he playfully inched nearer to her.
From inside the living room, Gray and Juvia's friends had a decent view of the kitchen. Unlike the humming, preoccupied Juvia, the sound of the front door opening and site of Gray had caught the other mages' attentions. They quieted immediately in surprise at his sudden appearance. Natsu was about to shout out to him in greeting, or insult, or a mixture of both. However, Cana, displaying a keen foresight, and voyeuristic curiosity, clamped her hand over Natsu's mouth, silencing him. She gestured to her other friends to remain silent and bid them watch the scene unfold, a smirk playing across her face.
Juvia was still bent over when she felt two large hands clasp firmly over her backside and squeeze. A squeak of shock escaped her lips, and she jumped. As she turned around, her initial startlement turned instantly to joyous surprise at the sight of her husband's sparkling dark eyes.
"Gray-sama!" she squealed delightedly, a big smile spreading across her face as she took in her husband's early arrival. Gray's hair was carelessly scruffy from travel, and he was missing his shirt, but Juvia thought those things just added to his attractiveness. She could feel the contentment wash over her as she drank in his return. She was so glad to see him again.
"I'm back," he said with a half grin as Juvia rushed to embrace him. He pulled her into a hug, his hands wrapping securely around her waist, as his lips met hers.
Their kiss was long, and deep, and glorious. Juvia easily got lost in it, her hands grasping his hair in an attempt to deepen it even further. It felt so good to have him back, as she reveled in his body, mouth and tongue meeting hers once more. The slight stubble on his face brushing against her cheek felt pleasantly familiar. She had been longing for this feeling all week, and now that she had it back, she never wanted to be without it again. As they separated, their faces still barely an inch apart, Juvia gazed lovingly into her husband's eyes.
"Welcome home," she said at last, still breathless from the kiss.
"I missed you," Gray confessed with a soft earnestness, a comfortable smile on his lips as his eyes remained locked with Juvia's.
Juvia's heart skipped a beat at this proclamation. Even after they were married, it was still a rare thing to hear Gray being so open with his feelings. Thus, every time he was so, it made it all the more special to his wife. Juvia blushed happily, but before she could reciprocate the sentiment, Gray spoke again.
"Let's get to bed," he said, his tone rougher and more seductive now. Gray seemed to Juvia as if he were a cat about to pounce on it's prey.
"Gray-sama!" Juvia said, overwhelmed by Gray's mood and devilish smile. She could feel Gray's arms grasp more firmly around her, drawing her nearer again.
Juvia was very close to abandoning all reason until her nose caught the whiff of her pot roast. "Juvia can't right now, Gray-sama, " she said apologetically, "Juvia is cooking!"
Gray gave her a disappointed, and almost sulking look. "I need you," he said, stressing the matter, and again, trying to pull her into another passionate embrace.
Juvia's eyes shined brightly at his insistence. "Oh, Gray-sama!" She was very pleased by Gray's amorous attentions, and though she'd love to give herself up to them without further ado, she truly did have other things to accomplish first before she could indulge them. Therefore, when Juvia smiled, and extricated herself by unwrapping her husband's arms from around her instead, Gray was left utterly bemused. Was Juvia turning him down?
"Juvia is sorry, Gray-sama, but dinner is almost ready, and Juvia can't be impolite to her guests," she insisted heavily. "But, Juvia promises to do anything Gray-sama likes afterwards," she said with bright reassurance. And as she gave him a slightly commiserating look, for it was hard for her as well to put this situation on hold, she went back to dutifully placing her canapés onto a serving tray.
Gray blinked stupidly, trying to process what Juvia had just said. "Guests?" he questioned hollowly, and his countenance was as if something incredibly heavy had just sunk into the pit of his stomach.
"Yes! Everyone has come over for a housewarming party. Wasn't that sweet?" she exclaimed happily.
Gray, a knot in his throat, and beads of sweat breaking out all over his face, turned his gaze slowly towards the living room. He was so distracted and intent on Juvia, that he hadn't noticed the large group of familiar mages holding court in his house, their owlish eyes gazing intently at the pair.
This was a disaster, in the way it could only be for someone like Gray. Even after Gray and Juvia had started officially dating, and then eventually wed, he still wasn't what you'd call openly affectionate by any stretch of the imagination. So, the sight of his friends' now fiendishly grinning faces, and the very recent memory of his lustful entrance, made his face burn hotly with embarrassment. He'd been rumbled.
"Go sit down, Gray-sama! You must be tired. Juvia will bring you something to eat and drink."
Gray didn't answer her. Instead he walked, as if his legs were filled with lead, towards his friends, who were still smirking maddeningly at him. He sunk into his favorite arm chair, and then looked at them all in dread, as if waiting for the ball to drop.
"So glad you could join us, Gray. We really need you," Cana teased viciously.
"Pervert," Gajeel stated bluntly, taking a gulp of his drink.
Gray's teeth gritted, as he made a sound of irritation. "Shut up!" he shouted before he could help himself, but his outburst was simply greeted by more taunts from the group.
Cana laughed raucously, while many of the other girls giggled. Poor little Wendy's face was beet red at the earlier flirtations of the married couple.
Only Natsu seemed quite unfazed by the proceedings, and instead had focused his attentions entirely on the tray of delicious appetizers making their way towards them courtesy of Juvia.
"Here you are, everyone. Help yourselves!" she said, placing the silver tray loaded with food onto the coffee table. "And this is for you, Gray-sama," Juvia handed him a tall, cool glass of water.
He drank it in one, for he was in desperate need of a cool down after the unwelcome shock of his friends' presence in his home, and the scene he had unwittingly put on for them. He rested the now empty glass beside him on the table.
"Would Gray-sama like another glass? Or a canape to eat?"
He shook his head in silence.
Juvia took the opportunity to sit in his lap, and wrap her arms around his neck. Gray didn't protest this action, but he tried to remain unmoved by her affections, and avoided her gaze. Instead, he stared at the once again happily chatting group, who were indulging in the savory treats Juvia had provided, a sullen look on his face all the while.
This did not go unnoticed by Juvia, who could only look on despondently. She knew what was going on in his head, because Juvia had realized a long time ago that Gray was often different around her when they were in private. Even after all this time, and even after openly declaring his love for her amongst their friends on the day they wed, he still never felt entirely comfortable baring his feelings for all to see. Juvia used to secretly cherish being the only one to see this other side of Gray, as if it was something special and vulnerable he trusted only her with. But sometimes, she wished he would embrace her without letting that self-conscious hesitancy color his actions when around others.
"A toast!" Erza said suddenly, lifting up her glass.
Everyone's attention, including Gray's, turned towards the red-head.
"To Gray and Juvia, their wonderful home, and their new life together! May the love you share continue to grow and prosper forevermore. I look at you two, and I think, may we all be lucky enough to find that kind of happiness," she said kindly, smiling at the both of them.
Everyone, their bellies now bursting contentedly with good food and drink, raised their glasses towards Gray and Juvia, while shouting words and sounds of approval at Erza's sentiments.
Juvia's eyes sparkled with tears. "Everyone…." she began, but was unable to continue, as she was so touched by her friends well wishes that her voice caught in her throat.
Gray looked from the supportive expressions on his friends faces, and the happy tears streaking his wife's cheeks as she smiled vibrantly, and he couldn't help but let the glow of the moment wash over him, too.
"Thanks guys," he said with deep sincerity. He looked tenderly at Juvia, and for the first time since their wedding ceremony a month previously, his awkward reluctance melted away. He brought his wife's face to his as he kissed her.
Juvia, her body feeling as if it would bubble over with joy, very enthusiastically returned Gray's kiss.
Many of the girls, led by Lisanna and Cana, started to joke about being scandalized by the couple's behavior.
Gajeel, his mouth stuffed almost to bursting with canapés, said loudly "get a room!"
There was more laughter, and their friends, cheered by the couples comfortable interaction, eventually turned away from the public display of affection to redouble their attentions on the food.
Juvia pulled away from Gray momentarily to whisper lovingly, "Juvia missed Gray-sama, too."
Gray's cheeks puffed in mock-indignation. "Took you long enough to say it," he said moodily.
Juvia giggled. "Juvia is sorry, but Gray-sama completely distracted her earlier," she said honestly as she recalled Gray's earlier embrace. "But Juvia will make it up to Gray-sama."
"Oh yeah?" he said, contemplating her with a fierce interest. "How?"
Juvia grinned slyly and whispered something into Gray's ear which appeared to please him very much.
"When?" he asked conspiratorially.
"Once everyone goes home," she said simply.
Gray brooded on this. "Would it be rude to tell them to go home now?"
Juvia laughed. "Yes, Gray-sama, it would."
Gray went back to moping, although mostly jokingly this time.
"It'll be worth the wait," she assured him.
He looked at her in loving reverence. "Yeah, it will," he agreed.
"It always is," she concluded, smiling adoringly.
By this statement, Gray knew she was referring to the history of their relationship in general, and a warm feeling flooded through him in a way only Juvia could elicit. He kissed her deeply again. The sounds of their friends' merriment wrapped around them like a comforting blanket of support, while Gray and Juvia were happily lost in each other's attentions.
After a day spent among the company of dear friends, and a night spent privately celebrating Gray's return home, they both couldn't help thinking that life was pretty damn great.
THE END