Gray didn't tell a single wizard in Fairy Tail about his plans to propose to Juvia; he thought it would make it easier for the proposal to go smoothly. Gray had severely underestimated exactly how difficult his guildmates could make it, even without the knowledge it was happening.
The first time he tries to do it is the night he buys the ring. Gray is practically bouncing down the street, the long hours of draining side-missions washing away with the velvet box tucked safely away in the inside breast pocket of his jacket. He'd basically been working himself to the bone for the last week to gather the final amount of jewel he needed to completely pay off the sapphire set ring, and while he should be completely exhausted, he honestly couldn't have been more awake. It's a beautiful day, with clear skies and a warm orange sunset painting the horizon. The people of Magnolia are making sure they get the most out of the last reaches of the easy sunlight, the markets and homes alight with laughter and joy as winter begins winding down and spring begins to sprout.
Gray stops briefly to buy a bundle of hydrangeas and baby's breath, an excited kind of anticipation building in his chest. His eyes are drawn to the sky, watching as twilight falls over Fiore as he drinks in the sight of the river, his feet carrying him to meet Juvia so they can walk home together. His plan involves a quiet night by the fireplace in the tiny apartment where they share their lives. His plan involves hot dinner and slow kisses and moments where all he does is spread his palm against her lower back and press his face into her neck. His plan involves loving her with reckless abandon, just how he wants to love her for the rest of her life, and when the moment was perfect, he'd ask for the right to stay by her side until his last days.
His plan doesn't involve entering the guildhall and getting punched in the face.
"Natsu!" Gray can't help the snarl that crawls out of his throat as he stumbles back slightly. Natsu isn't listening though; he's too busy engaging Erza in what appears to be an all-out guild brawl. Gray seems to have found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. Even still, his jaw hurts like a bitch now, and he can feel the slight throb of a bruise forming over his right cheek. Without thinking about the consequences, Gray places his fist in his palm and steadies his stance.
"Ice make: lance!"
With a barrage of ice sent Natsu's way, Gray returns to his search for Juvia, holding what's left of the flowers in his hand. But of course, it isn't that easy. Natsu can't leave well enough alone, and soon Gray finds himself pulled into the fray, hurling insults at the dragon slayer while fighting every urge he has to pull off his jacket and shirt.
"Gray-sama!" he hears Juvia call his name over the chaos. She's sitting up by the bar with Mira and Lucy, grinning and waving her hand with an enthusiasm that initially Gray had found embarrassing, but now feels so fond of. The ring box feels heavier in his pocket, but he doesn't get to think about it long, as Natsu tackles him from behind, followed shortly by Erza banging their bodies together in an ill attempt to get them to stop fighting. Gray feels his bones rattle beneath his skin on impact. The ice mage and the dragon slayer fall to their hands and knees as a result of Erza's handiwork, and just like that, the fight is over.
Natsu, despite being very obviously bested, is still running at the mouth. Gray on the other hand is trying to assess the damage. Strewn around him are the remains of the bouquet he'd bought, but a quick pat against his breast pocket assures him the most important thing wasn't lost in the fray. He's sure to have some bruises to nurse in the coming days, and there are slight burns on his hands where he and Natsu's fire breath had gotten too close. Overall though, no harm no foul, and after getting his bearings he stands, brushing his jeans off and straightening his jacket.
"Gray-sama!" as soon as Gray manages to get his equilibrium back, Juvia jumps on his back, and he has to stagger forward to remain standing. Her laughter is right next to his ear, and he feels his heart swell, immediately reaching his arms back to catch and hold her thighs.
"Hello, my love," his voice is quiet, meant only for her. He turns his head to the side to look at her, and he doesn't fail to notice the flush across her face. Juvia is grinning with all her might, and overall feels a little unsteady. "Have you been drinking?"
Juvia giggles, nodding. "Cana was in a rare sharing mood, so Juvia and some of the girls had some drinks together."
Gray laughs quietly, tightening his grip on her legs. She wraps her arms languidly around his neck, and he panics slightly when her fingers brush the box in his breast pocket, but for whatever reason she doesn't notice it. "Take Juvia home, Gray-sama," Juvia sighs. "Juvia hasn't seen her boyfriend properly in days."
There's a love and longing in her voice that's almost tangible, and Gray had found in the time since he'd let her into his life that he struggled to tell her no. He thinks it might have had something to do with the fact that he spent so long denying her everything, that now he'd rather fight a god than let himself deny her anything. "Of course," he answers, allowing her to press her cheek against his and her hands to slide down the front of his shirt, a chill washing over him at the skin-to-skin contact. She begins shifting her legs to get down, but he laughs.
"Where do you think you're going?" Gray asks, a sly smile spreading across his lips. Before she gets the chance to get any lower, he hitches her farther up his back and takes off out the front door of the hall. Juvia squeals with laughter, one hand leaving his shoulders to hold her hat on her head. Gray runs as fast as he can down the pink and red stained streets of Magnolia, with Juvia's ankles locking around his waist, and the joy in her laughter makes his heart lurch.
Their apartment isn't far from the guild, but it's far enough that Gray is a little winded by the time they make it to the front stoop. He drops her there, and Juvia sways slightly on her feet, reaching out for his arm to steady herself. Gray catches her as she stumbles, and Juvia giggles. "Juvia had more to drink than she thought," the water mage puts her hands on Gray's collar as she speaks, pulling on his jacket as she braces her weight against him. He looks down at her pink cheeks and her bright smile as she holds onto him, and he really can't believe this is his life, that someone can love him this deeply. His chest burns with want and he almost drops down on one knee right then and there.
Almost.
Gray leads her up to their apartment, and as soon as they're past the threshold, Juvia ditches her shoes and flops down on the couch by the window. The ice mage fights the urge to undress, settling instead for turning his back to her to take his own shoes off. "What do you want for dinner?" Gray asks, trying to keep his voice calm. As nonchalant as he can, he pulls the box out of his jacket pocket and slides it into his jeans pocket. His heart is beginning to beat in his ear, and his stomach is fluttering with nervous butterflies. "We can get takeout from that little place down the road—"
As Gray turns around to look at the woman he loves so dearly, all the anxious energy disappears from his body. Juvia is fast asleep, a light snore drifting from her parted lips where she snuggles up on the couch. Gray smiles. It's so like her to get tipsy and fall asleep without even meaning to, lost in the feeling of belonging. He approaches her, pulling the box out of his pocket and kneeling beside the couch on one knee. "I love you so completely, with every piece of my heart," he murmurs. "Marry me…"
He pops the box open as he speaks, but Juvia remains asleep. Good practice he thinks to himself. There's so much there between them at that moment, and she isn't even awake for it. All it does is make him more excited to ask her for real.
Gray gets up from his place on the ground and walks back over to where he discarded his jacket, placing the box back in his inside breast pocket. He looks down at his hands and notices the burns from the fight earlier, and he decides it's best if he asks Wendy to heal them tomorrow. Gray doesn't think injured hands belong in his perfect proposal.
He crosses the room again to where Juvia sleeps, grabbing a nearby book of his before lifting her back slightly, sitting down and arranging them so she can lay on his thigh. She rouses slightly as he moves her, but after breathing a sleepy mixture of his name and a sigh, Juvia falls right back to sleep after turning on her side to face his abdomen. One of Gray's hands moves to rest on her back, tracing circles absently as he opens his book with the other. Even though there's a tiny bit of disappointment he isn't going to get to ask her tonight, he thinks it's worth it to wait so she gets the loving proposal she deserves.
With his book to keep him company and the light of his life breathing evenly within touching distance, he reads into the night, waiting for it to get late enough to carry her to bed.
"So why am I healing you?"
Gray lifts his eyes from his fingers to Wendy's face. He's sitting next to the dragon slayer on a stool at the bar, his hands in hers as blue light fills the space between them. Wendy looks a little too smug when she asks, as if she knows something he doesn't want her to. He becomes more aware of the ring in his pocket. "What do you mean?" he asks, making sure to keep his voice cool and collected. Gray flashes her his trademark grin.
Wendy tilts her head to the side, as if calling his bluff. "Gray, you've never cared about minor cuts and burns like this," she giggles. "So I know something's up."
He tries to shrug it off nonchalantly, but Wendy raises her eyebrows expectantly, and he knows he isn't going to be able to get away with lying to her. Gray sighs. "You're too smart for your own good," he grumbles. Wendy grins, seeming satisfied as she pulls her hands away. He quickly grabs one of them again and drags her off the stool into one of the back rooms of the guild hall, ignoring Mira's confused look as he does so.
Gray closes the door behind them and spins around to press his back against it, facing the young dragon slayer and crosses his arms instinctually. "Can you keep a secret?" he asks. Wendy nods enthusiastically, rocking back and forth on her heels and folding her hands behind her back. "I'm being serious," Gray says. "I mean nobody can know about this. Especially anyone in the guild."
Wendy rolls her eyes, before bouncing on her toes, clearly too excited for her own good. "I get it, just tell me already!"
Without another word, Gray reaches into his pocket and pulls out the velvet box. Wendy's eyes blow wide, swiping it from his hand and opening it. "No way!" she squeals, her voice rising slightly. Gray holds his finger to his lips to tell her to keep quiet, and she lowers her voice when she speaks next. "When?! How?!"
Gray shrugs, sticking his hands in his pockets and smiling lightly. "I bought the ring yesterday," he says. "I've been saving up for the better part of a year. I planned to propose last night, but there was that brawl, and she was tipsy when I took her home…" he trails off. "That's why I needed my hands healed," he tells her. "I didn't want to ruin the beauty of the ring with my injuries."
"It's so very Juvia," Wendy sighs, eyes still glued to the box. In the reflection of her gaze Gray can see the silver band glisten. "Did you pick it out? You did a great job, Gray."
The ice mage chuckles. "I did my best…" he pauses, leaning back against the door again. Since he hasn't told anyone about his plans to propose, this is the first time he's had an opportunity to ask someone if they thought she'll like it. "That's actually kind of a relief to hear."
Wendy bounces on her toes again, letting Gray extract the box from her hand and put it back in his pocket. "But why don't you want anyone in the guild to know?" she asks, folding her hands in front of her. "Everyone would be so excited!"
Gray brings his hand up to rub across the back of his neck. "And I'll tell them as soon as she has the ring on her finger," he assures her. "But as much as I love them, I can't trust everyone to keep their mouth shut," he pauses. "Everything has to go smoothly. Juvia deserves that."
Understanding flickers across Wendy's face, and she nods. "Fairy Tail wizards aren't exactly known for an abundance of caution," she agrees. She smiles though, closing her eyes and tilting her head. "But thank you for trusting me!"
Familial love blooms in Gray's chest, and he smiles softly, lightly ruffling her hair. "Just don't make me regret it, okay?"
Wendy's face looks determined then, her hands raising as her fingers curl into fists. "You can count on me!"
Gray can't help but laugh. "I know I can."
The second time Gray tries to propose is several days later. He really doesn't want to wait that long, but Juvia seems to be in demand for missions, and there is suddenly an endless list of jobs on the board that are best suited for a water mage. Juvia probably wouldn't admit it to anyone, but Gray knows how good it feels for her to feel wanted and needed like that, especially after all her time feeling like a burden in Phantom Lord. Who is he to take that away from her?
Even if he knows becoming his fiance will bring her joy beyond anything she's ever known.
Before she leaves for the last one, Juvia promises him she'll be taking a break for a couple days. That leaves Gray alone for almost a week with nothing but nervous energy. Wendy spends a lot of time with him at the guildhall trying to discreetly support him, and while he appreciates it, he can feel his bones buzzing every time he thinks about it for more than a few minutes. He's taken to carrying the ring with him everywhere, his paranoid thoughts running rampant with the fear that she'd get home before him and find it tucked away somewhere. Gray doesn't particularly have faith in his ability to find a good enough hiding place, especially since she was prone to cleaning every chance she got.
Gray plans to meet her at the train station, grab her right off the platform, sweep her off her feet. He wants to greet her with open arms and flowers that haven't been trampled. He puts on her favorite black t-shirt of his and counts the steps it takes to walk from the flower shop to the train station, the ring in tow. Nervousness is building relentlessly in his chest. Waiting to propose when they get home feels like an impossibility; he's sure he'll be on one knee right there at the train station.
What Gray hasn't planned on is the rain.
About halfway there it starts to drizzle, and Gray doesn't think much of it at first. There's too much energy under his skin to consider what it might mean. It doesn't occur to him until he's outside the station that the droplets feel unnatural. A sickly familiar sense of magic begins creeping steadily up his spine, something he recognizes but wishes deeply that he doesn't. And suddenly it is pouring. Huge hostile raindrops begin beating against the pavement, wind screaming violently in his ear and smacking his body with a force so hard he has to brace to keep from toppling over. Gray feels it this time, and he drops the flowers as he breaks into a dead sprint, ignoring stares from station workers as he jumps the turnstile onto the platform proper.
The train has just come to a stop when he catches sight of it, brakes screaming with the wet of the rain; he wonders idly if the storm has followed it all the way home. His feet are beating heavily beneath him as he runs the length of it, skidding to a slick halt as the door to the passenger car slides open, and Gray counts seven people getting off the train before he finds her. Juvia doesn't even look up as she steps down onto the platform. Her travel bag is clasped at her side while the other raises her pink umbrella over her head, and Gray feels his stomach lurch at the completely disconnected set of movements. Her body seems mechanical, untethered, completely at odds with the normal intention he's so used to seeing, her head in a bow so low he isn't sure how she can see where she's going. She's so preoccupied with looking at her feet that she walks clean past him.
Drip, drip, drop.
"Juves," Gray calls her name over the roar of the downpour. Juvia's feet stop just past him, but otherwise her stance doesn't change. Something tight and cold is coiling in his stomach, crawling with impossible slowness up his throat, fingers twitching at his side as he waits for her to react. He hasn't seen this version of her in a long time. Gray turns his body sideways, cups her raised elbow with his palm and stands half-under her umbrella. He's close enough to feel her tremble. Still, nothing. "Juvia," he says her full name this time, reaching his voice into the deepest parts of her chest, calling out for a woman who doesn't seem to be there. "My love."
All at once the something broken in her snaps back into place, and the rain is instantly lighter.
Gray watches in something akin to agony as she lifts her head, her dazed eyes slowly meeting his. Juvia looks as if she's just awoken from a dream. "G-Gray-sama?" her voice doesn't sound right, but it's clear at least that she's actually present in the moment. He squeezes her arm.
"I'm right here," he assures her. The instinct to tug her closer is strong here, but he recalls the last time this happened he came close to getting rocked when he tried to push her too fast. He's soaked to the bone. "Do you know where you are?"
Her eyes widen slightly, and her gaze darts back and forth. Her face colors in shame. "Yes," she whispers, bowing her head again. He resists the urge to push her chin up with his fingers "But… Juvia doesn't remember how she got here."
Gray's heart hurts as he watches tears spring to her eyes. Juvia begins swaying on her feet, her arm falling slightly and exposing her other side to the rain as her umbrella falters. "Hey," Gray shifts, placing both hands on her shoulders and squeezing. He turns her to face him fully. "It's okay. You're back with me now. That's what matters." Juvia sniffles. Confident in her comfort level, he moves his touch again, up to her cheeks this time, and continues. "Come home with me."
The water mage nods a little, and Gray makes sure to give her his most lopsided grin. As he guides her home, he doesn't ask about the mission; whatever happened, it was enough to bring her back to her rainwoman days, and he isn't in any hurry to make her think any more about it. She'd had plenty of time to do that on the train ride home. Juvia is silent on the journey, with Gray squeezing her hand anytime she trails too far away from him. When they make it back home, the rain is still steadily coming down.
Their shoes squeak against the hardwood in the living room, small sniffles and somewhat labored breaths falling from Juvia's body. A still moment passes between them, before Juvia turns to her boyfriend and tugs his shirt over his head, the sound of the wet fabric peeling satisfyingly from his skin. "Hey," Gray murmurs, welcoming her as she steps into his arms, head resting above his guildmark. "Let me run you a bath. You're freezing."
Juvia nods immediately, and Gray wastes no time in moving to draw the water. He adds bubbles, lights a candle, and pulls out her fluffiest towel. When she appears in the door to the bathroom a few minutes later, he doesn't comment on the way she's tracking water through the house. Instead he turns and begins undressing her. With a soft nod in permission, he wraps his arms around her body and unzips her dress, from her neck to the small of her back, watching the way it pools around her feet. He pulls her hat off her head and allows her to take care of her underthings, before picking her up in his arms and lowering her into the hot water of the bath. "Take as long as you want," he assures her. Juvia nods, but catches his arm as he turns to leave the room.
"You aren't staying with me?" her voice is small, much smaller than he's used to. He gives her a small smile. "I can stay with you if you want me to," he says, leaning down to run his hand over her hair. Juvia nods, before turning a soft shade of pink. He's unsure if it's the warm water doing it, or the nature of the next thing she says.
"Would you…" she pauses, biting the inside of her cheek. "Would you get in with me?"
Gray has to ignore the way his heart lurches. "Of course, my love," he says. He's already getting up to drop his jeans. She leans up so he can sit behind her, with her resting between his legs on either side of her. The water in the tub rises to the edge, and a not-insignificant amount of it splashes over the edge; Gray doesn't acknowledge it. Water can be cleaned up, he thinks, leaning back and wrapping his arms around his soon-to-be fiance. The silence is comforting as he lets his eyes trail over to his soaked jeans, thinking about the ring in his pocket. Bad timing again. He thinks about how he'll probably have to get a new ring box, imagining it drenched and ruined from the rain.
"Gray-sama?" Juvia's voice is stronger when she speaks again. If he listens carefully, he can hear that the rain has all but stopped. He presses his lips against her hair, humming softly so she continues. "Will you love me like this forever?"
The question is one she asks semi-often, a slight insecurity of hers that remained from the insane amount of time he spent running from her. Usually he didn't flinch; he's so used to reassuring her, and he'd do it every second of the day if she asked him, but with the context of the engagement ring not even five feet from them, it makes his breath catch in his throat. The truth is, every day he's grateful she waited for him.
"Until my dying breath," Gray manages. "Until the day you send me away, or the day I pass on." Juvia lets out a content sigh.
They stay like that until the water grows cold.
Gray found himself at his wit's end. Every time he tried to propose to Juvia it went wrong. It's been weeks since he bought the ring, and he still couldn't find the perfect moment to pop the question. He was losing track of his failed ventures.
He attempts to do it late one night at the guildhall, but finds Makarov pissed off at Team Natsu for destruction they'd caused on their last mission, waving a strongly worded letter from the council and a sizable bill above his head as Gray enters. Master yells fervently at any member of the team to get out of the hall, spoiling that plan. Gray tries to take her to a fancy dinner one night, and they end up gate-crashed by Lyon of all people, who promptly sat his ass between Gray and Juvia and shamelessly flirted with the water mage all night. They go for a walk beside the river that runs through Magnolia at sunset one night, but get interrupted by Natsu and Lucy dragging Gray away on a three-day mission. It seems like every time he gets close, things just go awry.
"Alright," Juvia sits beside him at a table in the guildhall the night he returns. She smells like the ocean, and Gray immediately feels warmer in her presence. "Tell Juvia what's wrong."
Gray looks over at her, but doesn't turn his body away from his dinner. "What do you mean?" he asks. Juvia gives him a soft smile, folding her hands in front of her chest.
"Juvia isn't an idiot," she reasons, tilting her head to the side. The ice mage can feel the ring burning in his jeans pocket. "Juvia can tell there's something bothering Gray-sama."
He takes a bite of his food, mostly buying time to think of a good response. "There's nothing you need to worry about," his voice comes out a little sweeter than he wants it to, uncharacteristically so, and he knows instantly that Juvia won't buy it. Still, he continues, placing his free hand on the skin of her thigh where the slit in her dress exposes her leg.."I promise."
Expectedly, Juvia frowns. "That's frustrating," her voice is quiet, lifting her arm so she can stroke her fingers against his jaw. He averts his eyes, afraid meeting her sincere gaze will cause him to break. "We're a team you know. Juvia is sure she can make Gray-sama feel better if he'd let me in."
Shoulders slumping, head bowed, Gray lets out a long sigh. "You have no idea," he mumbles. The guild hall is loud around him. He figures it's only a matter of time before Team Natsu drops to the table to eat together, like they do almost every night. It feels like every single member of Fairytail is present tonight. Juvia takes his chin in her fingers and guides his face to look at her; he was right. Meeting her eyes causes every tense musical in his body to relax, and every fear and doubt evaporate from his mind. Suddenly the guildhall is far away.
"I love you…" the words slip past his lips. "So much."
Juvia smiles, leaning forward and kissing him briefly. "I know," she murmurs, the melody of her soft laughter reverberating through his ears. Gray swallows hard, watching her turn to her dinner and begin humming. The urge to give in, ask her to be his wife right there, surges past his heart and up his throat, right into his mouth.
"Juvia, I-"
Erza and Lucy drop down on the bench across from them, and the moment is gone. The noise of the guildhall returns. Natsu appears and begins talking about splitting the jewel from the mission. Wendy sits on his other side. He shuts his mouth before he can continue, and the yearning in his chest intensifies.
The meal comes and goes as Fairytail's wizards linger and continue to be rowdy, but Gray's heart just isn't in the space. It's hard to not let the feeling of hopelessness creep across his skin; Juvia deserves the world. He can't mess this proposal up, but frustration is bubbling in his chest. Why couldn't he just get this right?
"Just do it."
Gray tears his gaze away from where he'd been watching Juvia talk with Gajeel across the hall. He hadn't heard Wendy approach, but he dropped his eyes to where she was suddenly standing beside him. "Pardon?" he says. His back is pressed against one of the beams at the side of the hall, waiting for his girlfriend so they could treck home; another day that'll pass with the ring in his pocket.
Wendy rolls her eyes. "You're driving yourself nuts," her words are so matter-of-fact. "Just do it. Give it all, give it now," the dragon slayer smiles.
Gray blinks at her. "She deserves better," he counters. After everything they'd been through, after how long she'd waited for him to be ready to love her, she deserved at least the best he could manage.
"Do you really think it matters?" she crosses her arms across her chest as she speaks. "Don't you think, regardless of how it happens, that the joy you'll bring her will overwhelm your idea of a 'perfect' moment?"
There's nothing he can say to that. The young girl sighs. "Juvia loves you to pieces. Don't wait another minute."
Something clicks in Gray's mind. The yearning in his body overflows. He can't physically wait another minute.
Without another word Gray pushes himself away from the beam behind him, making his way through his guildmates as fast as his feet can carry him. Why hadn't he thought of it like that? Some days he feels he's no different from the man he was before, waiting and waiting to feel like he was enough, to have the right to love her, when all she ever really wanted was for him to be him. Juvia loves him for everything he is, and forgives him for everything he isn't. Above all, she doesn't deserve to wait even another second longer for something she's dreamed of since joining Fairytail. A newly found determination fuels his every move.
"Juvia," he's breathless when he reaches her, and as soon as she's within arms reach he grabs her wrists. She doesn't bother to hide her shock; Gray isn't a particularly expressive man, not when it comes to public displays of affection, and the suddenness of his appearance must have startled her. Gray turns his eyes to Gajeel. "I'm stealing her for a minute," his voice is strong, maybe even a little possessive when he speaks. Gajeel looks at them, and Gray swears he can sense a knowingness to his gaze, but Gajeel doesn't say anything, simply nodding as he pats Juvia on the shoulder. Before she can react any further, Gray pulls her away from the crowd, towards the bar, his heart doing somersaults in his ribcage.
"Is Gray-sama ready to tell Juvia what's wrong?" Juvia laughs when Gray moves his grip from her wrists to her hands, guiding them to his waist. When she responds by slipping her fingers beneath his shirt, tracing small circles at his sides and back, he closes his eyes for a moment, focusing solely on her touch. What was he going to say? Tongue tied and fumbling at the mouth, he wants to kick himself. He'd spent so much time trying to figure out the when the how he'd barely even thought about what he was going to say to her.
"You were right," Gray blurts suddenly, eyes snapping open, but Juvia doesn't seem phased by his outburst. "There's something going on with me. Has been for weeks now."
The water mage nods. "Juvia and Gray-sama can handle anything, so long as we're together," her voice assures him. Her cheeks have turned pink, and he has a faint thought about how flustered the audience around them is making her. Somehow though, he doesn't care. Gray is still racking his brain, trying to figure out the words to convey all the desperate emotions inside his ribcage and at the back of his throat–
"Marry me."
The words are out of his mouth and into the space between him before he can catch them behind his teeth, and they take both of them by surprise. Juvia's face shifts immediately from soft comfort into bright red panic. Gray can't stop the small gasp he lets out when he realizes he just. Proposed. Right then and there. "W-What?!" her voice is raised and confused as she retracts her arms and takes a single step back. Gray smacks his palm against his forehead, and if wasn't kicking himself before, he's definitely kicking himself now.
"I knew I'd mess this up," he mumbles, shaking himself slightly. Juvia is on the verge of tears, and the love and endearment surrounding her panic and flustered expression shakes him from his shame and back into the moment proper. He runs hand across the back of his neck, trying to figure out how to salvage what he'd done.
"Gray-sama can't joke about that!" the water mage states indignantly, but a slight stammer in her voice gives her away. She crosses her arms, turning her eyes away from him as the first tear runs down her cheek. "Juvia doesn't find it very funny."
Not a single thing is going right in this moment. The need to protect overrides everything else. "Hey," Gray grabs her by her wrists again, pulling her flush against him. She's careful not to meet his gaze. "I'm not joking," the ice mage murmurs, so soft he's not sure at first she can hear him. "I'm just… really bad at it." As he speaks, he takes her chin in his hand and guides her to look up at him. Seeing her face meant being able to read her expression, and her expression always told tales her mouth wouldn't dare. There's hope, fear, confusion, but always love. No matter their situation, no matter what was going through her head, the resolute love she has for him is always painted across her face. The familiar feeling blooms in his stomach, growing like vines up his ribcage, and he takes comfort in the known, the understood, and he tries again.
He reaches in his pocket with unsteady fingers. I'm sorry, he thinks. Please let this be enough…
When he finally manages to pull the box out of his jeans, he places his hands on her hips to steady himself, dropping down to one knee. Gray feels more than hears her give a quiet gasp, her hands rush to her face to cover her mouth, and when he looks up at her, his confidence continues to grow, this time sprouting blooms that flower in his mouth. "You don't deserve to wait a moment longer," his voice is watery, but steady as stone. "Juvia Lockser, not a day goes by where I don't fall further and further in love with you. I've never been sure of anything more in my life…"
Gray pops the box open, and takes a deep, steadying breath. He finds her eyes, holds her still in his gaze. "Will you marry me?"
For a single moment, nothing moves. The air around them is quiet. Gray swears he can hear the blood rushing in his ears. In truth, he'd never really considered the idea that she might say no. However unlikely or unreasonable the fear is, paranoia grips him.
But then Juvia lets out a soft cry, her hands folding over her chest as she nods vigorously. Gray lets out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. The world spins again. Unbridled joy begins spreading from the tips of his fingers all the way through his body, the feeling warm and so real and gods he still can't believe this is his life. She steps forward, closer, and he's unable to contain himself, launching himself up to grab her around the waist and spin her around, and before her feet touch the ground again he's got his mouth on hers in a kiss that feels equal parts urgent and secure.
Juvia wraps her arms fully around his neck, and it's only then that he registers the insane amount of noise going on around them. Something akin to embarrassment bubbles in his chest, but it's quickly drowned out again when Juvia pulls away, gushing and telling him over and over again yes, yes, yes, Juvia would love to marry Gray-sama. It doesn't seem she's noticed the entire guild cheering and losing their minds around them. There's so much love in the room, all focused on them, and it was hard to feel truly embarrassed when the outpouring was ultimately so supportive.
Gray manages to pull her away from him just enough to slide the ring on her finger, but as soon as it's on she throws herself back into him. He laughs, so genuinely, without restraint, looking over her shoulder across the guildhall. Every single one of their teammates, friends, and family are on their feet, excited, cheering, grinning from ear to ear. Gray spots Wendy in the crowd, wiping tears from her eyes.
"Hey," he laughs, setting his hands on his fiance's shoulders, tugging her back so he can look down at her face. Juvia doesn't exactly let them get any further apart, shifting her touch to cradle his jaw, still crying to herself in short hiccups. "I'm sorry it was so public," he whispers, kissing her forehead. She looks around for a moment, but to his surprise, doesn't seem at all bothered at the audience.
"Juvia is so glad," she manages, her voice clear and bright against the sounds of celebration behind them. "Juvia got to share the most special moment of her life with all of her family."
A sense of pride overcomes Gray, and he kisses her again for only a moment. "I can't wait to make you my wife…"
Before he really gets the chance to enjoy the dark red love that stains her cheeks, their guildmates descend. Juvia and Gray turn back to back as they field congratulations and well wishes and gushing. Juvia is busy showing off the ring while Gray is getting clapped on the shoulder and insincere condolences to his bachelor status. They lean against each other, supporting each other's weights, and the sheer relief running through Gray's body feels euphoric. Gajeel approaches him to give him a speech about making sure he takes good care of Juvia, and as he's listening, Gray reaches his right hand blindly backwards. His fingers touch her left hand, and their hands intertwine.
The weight he'd been carrying for weeks is lifted, and for the first time in forever, his pockets feel lighter.