Fluff oneshot for Gruvia Week 2020 Day 6 - Failure

Scene is set during their time together in the Village of Rain

''I'm home,'' Gray said as he dropped his bags on the nearest chair. He awaited a reply, but it remained silent.

He cleared his throat; ''I'm home!''

Still no answer.

Something was off. She always noticed him coming home. Ever since they started living together in this little village, they each would go on separate missions an occasionally do one together. The quests would only last a few days but they both felt the emptiness of being alone when they went by themselves. As much as he didn't want to admit, he knew he couldn't be without her anymore.

Suddenly he became aware of the scent that was slowly irritating his nose. Smoke.

Panic struck him like lightning. 'Juvia!" he yelled as he ran towards the kitchen.

There she sat. On the floor, surrounded by pans of flour, butter, and eggs. She had her arms wrapped around her knees and refused to look up. Smoke circled around the oven door.

Quickly he froze the threat.

"I'm so sorry," Juvia said, still not looking up, "I failed to bake a cake again."

He couldn't help but smile. All this effort she had tried to put into it. He wondered what the occasion was this time.

It was as if she'd read his mind. ''It's our anniversary today,'' she started sobbing, ''it has been five-hundred days since we met.''

''I've told you before, you really don't have to,'' he said in an attempt to calm her.

"I miss my friends, they would know what to do now." he could hear her say, muffled by her own tears.

Gray felt his heart sink down his chest. It was already heartbreaking to see her like this, let alone her mentioning what crossed his mind often too. He sat down next to her, laying an arm around her shoulder. "I miss them too."

She looked at him with eyes like waterfalls. "Will the guild ever reunite?" she asked.

Gray let out a sigh. "I wish I knew. "

It remained silent for a, while, but they didn't mind. Sitting together amidst the chaos kind of felt peaceful.

"Do you-" he hesitated for a second, "want to try to make the cake together?"

"I would love that!" she said, her face instantly lit up.

He stood up. "Let's clean up this mess first."

"Yes!" She got up as well and started picking up the kitchen utensils from the floor.

"Darling, you've got something on your face," he heard her say from behind him.

He turned around; "That's impossible, I got nothing-" He didn't get to finish his sentence, as Juvia catapulted some whipped cream into his face. Leaving a blob on his cheek.

He reached for his face. His surprised face turned into a cheeky grin. He leaped forward and grabbed a bag of flour. "Now it's war!'' he let out with a laugh.

''Nooo!'' she yelled as she ran around the table, ''have mercy!''

He almost tripped over a broken egg on the floor, letting go of the bag, causing the flour to land over his head.

Juvia burst out in laughter; ''That's what you get for attacking me!''

She walked over to him, ruffling his hair to get rid of the flour.

He was thrown off guard by her sudden action but didn't complain.

He leaned in a little closer and wrapped his arms around her waist. ''I'm glad I met you,'' he whispered.

Juvia tightly hugged him back, knowing how rare it was for him to be open about his emotions. ''I'm glad I met you too.''