So this is going to be a series of Gruvia one-shots. The idea behind this was to explore canon-compliant conversations and scenarios that might've happened behind the scenes over the course of the series, detailing the progress of their relationship. Some of these will be a lot longer than others, and the point of view will switch around. I don't know how frequently I'll be updating this, but I wanted to share what I have. Enjoy!

Short 1

POV: Gray, 3rd person

After defeating Wendy and Mest in the first phase of the S-class trials, Loke and Gray have a chat about a certain water mage's feelings.

"So Gray, what's up between you and Juvia?"

Alone in the cave system on Tenroujima and well ahead of the team they'd bested, Loke broke the silence by popping the sudden question.

Gray felt irritation bubbling in his chest at the intrusive question. He'd been asked this question by several other guild members in the past few weeks, but he'd hoped that Loke might hold back. He should've known better, he thought. Loke was a notorious romantic.

"What do you mean, 'what's up?'" Gray retorted, feigning ignorance. He shot his partner a glare, hoping to make him back off.

Loke wasn't fooled. "Don't play dumb with me. You must know how she feels about you."

Gray felt his cheeks start to warm and quickly looked away so Loke wouldn't see it. This is why he hated it when people tried to talk to him about Juvia. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't really think about the situation without a jumble of emotions screwing with his head.

Of course Gray knew that Juvia had feelings for him. He wasn't a moron, and she was far from subtle. He'd noticed it first after she joined the guild, and had been trying to ignore it ever since. For a while, it had been easy. He just blew it off as a schoolgirl crush and figured she'd get over it with time. More recently, though, it had gotten much harder to ignore.

Gray didn't often do missions with guild members outside of his team, but Juvia was a bit of an exception to this. Her feelings aside, she was a powerful wizard and her magic was extremely compatible with his. A couple weeks ago, just before the S-class trial fever hit, they'd gone on an overnight mission together. While they'd been camping, she'd made a few comments that had forced him to really look at her for once, and he'd realised that her feelings went way deeper than a crush.

Ever since, Gray's thoughts about Juvia had been a jumbled mess.

"Gray?" Loke pressed when the silence went on a little too long.

Gray ran a hand through his hair. "I know." He admitted. "She's just so…"

"Overwhelming?" Loke guessed.

Gray grunted. Overwhelming might be the right word. Her feelings were always so strong, so present, that he hardly knew what to do with her. He tried so hard to push her away, to have a normal relationship with her like he had with any other member of the guild, but she made it impossible. And if they weren't friends, like he was with the other guild members, then what were they?

Sure he liked her. Juvia was powerful, kind, and if he was being totally honest with himself, she was a very pretty girl. He just wasn't sure whether his feelings were in the same category as hers. Hell, he wasn't sure their feelings were even on the same planet. Besides, the idea of a relationship like that terrified him. The idea of a relationship with someone as intense as Juvia scared him even more.

Loke asked. "You plan to do something about it?"

Gray shrugged. "I dunno." He said. "I've got to do something eventually, but…" He tried to think of a way to express this, his fear, his uncertainty, his jumbling emotions, but no words would form. He shook his head.

"I get it." Loke answered. "You don't know how you feel about her." Loke smirked at him. "Don't worry too much about it. Juvia seems like the kind of girl who would wait a thousand years for you. Just remember, Gray, it's rude to keep a girl waiting too long."

Gray smirked back at him. "As if I'd want to take romantic advice from you," He teased. "The guy who had a new set of girlfriends every week."

Loke waived his hand at him. "My natural charm attracts them to me. How could I deny them their chance? It's a stroke of misfortune that I never seem to find a girl I'd like to devote myself to."

"Aren't you devoted to Lucy?" Gray asked, slightly confused.

He smiled a little sadly. "Naturally, as her spirit, I am fully devoted to her." He said. "But I could not be a partner to Lucy. That's not to say it isn't fun to flirt with her, of course."

Gray had never so much as considered trying to flirt with Lucy, but he could admit it was fun to watch her react when Loke tried to flirt with her.

Loke didn't ask him about it again, but the words stuck with him.

It's rude to keep a girl waiting too long.

He had to do something. And although he was far from ready to start a relationship, he thought that maybe… after the trials… he might like to spend some time with her.

No, he thought, solidifying his conviction. He would spend time with her.

This, at least, he could promise himself.