Hey so it's literally Valentine's Day and I saw no Gruvia updates and that upset me. So I never posted this chapter because Day 4 was taking forever (I found like 2 different drafts, 20 pages each like wtf, Idk if I'll ever get it out) but I already had this one done. So yeah I'm posting this for Valentine's day despite it not being Valentine's Day specific.

Day 5: Daunting

Gray still found it amazing how his life had ended up in this sort of routine. The life of a mage is full of adventure but coming home to his apartment now made him realize that this was indeed a home. Sure, it was fun to spend his days on missions, some lasting a couple days. But in the end he was always happy to make it back to the little place he and Juvia made a home.

He couldn't deny that Juvia is what made the place much homier. However, she technically didn't live there. It was his place, and she still had her dorm, but gradually she was spending more and more time there, leaving more and more of her stuff there. It was her second home, she practically moved in. Giving her a spare key came naturally too as it only made sense.

As for their relationship status, they were official more or less. Juvia still called him her beloved and Gray would blush when he would say out loud that she's his girlfriend. It had been that way since the 100 year quest finally ended. He ran into so many Juvias but he was happy when he finally got back to his.

And so the routine started, waking up and looking to his left to see if she stayed the night. Going to the guild to see if she is there. Maybe a mission, maybe together, maybe a long one, and maybe checking to see when they would get back. Eventually coming home for dinner. The ooos they would get as they left the guild together had no meaning after a while and died down after every night. Yes, even the guild was used to their routine.

But of course there was the next step.

It just seemed like the next step. They were practically married at this point. Gray was always reluctant to make the first move but even he knew it was time for the next step. And after that second Edolas trip he knew how it would eventually pan out. But most importantly this was how he wanted it to be. He wanted her home. He wanted to wake up to her blue curls every morning, not just on the nights she stayed. He wanted breakfast for two, dinner for two, et cetera. He even caught himself buying more home goods to accommodate another person in the house. More towels, an extra hamper, the second nightstand. The effort itself was a sign, right?

On his way to the guild the day he picked up the marriage registration form from city hall. He spent days filling in his half before eventually returning it to his nightstand. He considered writing her name in but left it blank. He didn't know all the required names for her half, so he decided to leave it up to her when the time came.

How was he supposed to ask her? He was clearly ready, he had filled out the paper, but proposals. He was never too big on these things. Looking back at their relationship did he even ask her out? Either way, this was different. He couldn't just assume that she would jump on board and accept it. Just ask for a signature and she'd give it. He'd take the form out occasionally and go over it trying to find a way to accomplish the daunting task. Needless to say, the form remained half filled out for a long time.

Gray walked into the guild with the rest of Team Natsu after their latest group mission. It took them a couple of days to complete but they arrived back on time. Another part of his new routine was planning out mission schedules with Juvia. She had also gone on a group mission the day before he left and knowing she'd be gone for a couple of days, he made sure he got back the same day she did. He would like to return before she did, but he figured Mirajane would tell her his planned return time if she asked.

Looking around the Guild he saw the usual guildmates in their usual positions but no Juvia. Everyone else was back so she should be back too. Maybe he'd ask Mira.

"Looking for your girlfriend?" Cana teased, barrel in her arm as she sat on the counter.

"Yeah," he said bluntly. Honestly there was no need for Cana to tease at this point in their relationship but she enjoyed it nonetheless.

"She said something about making dinner for her beloved Gray-sama" Cana continued teasing.

"How long ago was that?" he asked.

"I dunno, a couple hours." Cana wasn't the most reliable to tell the passage of time but a nod from Mira gave him enough assurance to think about the state of his apartment before he left. Laundry most likely scattered, dishes in the sink, and his night stand…. Open. He was looking at the registry before he left.

"Oh no." Gray said to everyone's confusion as he quickly ran out of the guild.

He ran home praying that he didn't leave the registry on the table. Honestly if he had, he should have known better. They always have dinner together, he couldn't risk them both being too tired to cook to leave it out. As he worked on it he'd put it in the nightstand. In his nervousness last time he checked it did he put it away? He couldn't remember! He didn't want her to see it, to find out that way. He knew how she was. Her half was blank and she might get the wrong impression. She had nothing to fear, but he knew there was a small possibility that her self-esteem would have her thinking otherwise.

They skies were clear as he arrived at his place. That was a good sign at least assuming she was there. He swiftly entered and called out to her.

"Juvia?"

No response.

"Juvia?'

The lights were on but there was no sign or smell of any cooking going on. He assumed that Juvia had been there for a while but upon reflection Cana didn't really specify if she went to his place first. In fact, she may have just gotten there and not seen anything. That still didn't explain why she didn't answer when he called.

He walked into the kitchen and saw grocery bags on the counter. At the table stood Juvia, a rather thick piece of paper her hand. The registry. He left it out and open on the kitchen table. Of course. She was frozen, staring at it, no emotion evident in her face. This was unusual. Was she in shock? Did she not want this? It couldn't be that. Even Gray wasn't unaware of her wedding daydreams.

"Juvia?"

Still nothing.

"Juvia?" he put his hand on her shoulder. She finally jumped.

"Gray-sama! Juvia was just!" she stuttered unable to form sentences. Her face was red. She was embarrassed at being caught snooping and the nature of what she was caught with.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to leave it out," He apologized. "I've been meaning to ask you to fill out the other half. I didn't mean for you to find out this way."

"You mean!" The realization hit her with such joy as she jumped up and hugged him, dangling from his neck. "Gray-sama wants to marry Juvia?"

All the scenarios he thought of for proposing ended with her in this position. He never did decide on how he was going to propose but it would seem like the deed was done.

"I filled out my half, I think all we have to do is get your side filled in and turn it in to City Hall."

"And then we'll be married?!" Juvia was excited.

"Yeah, I think it's official as soon as it gets turned in."

"Then Juvia will fill this out right now!"

He watched her work as she filled out her half of the marriage registry. Name, occupation, family names. She was putting him to shame with her speed.

"Hey so…"

She looked up as he spoke. Her eyes were sparkling with tears of joy. "Yes, Gray-sama."

"I was just thinking" he scratched the back of his head as he spoke. "Shouldn't we wait until you're fully moved in? I mean, I'm assuming you're gonna move in here, I can't enter the dorms and you already have some stuff here."

"Move in?" The realization struck her again, which even she must admit was foolish assuming she'd be married and still living in the dorms. "There is so much to prepare! Juvia needs to go to her dorm and pack up her things."

She stood up.

"But Juvia is so close she can finish this now even if it isn't turned in right away."

She sat back down.

"But, Juvia should tell the landlord she is leaving."

She stood back up.

"But if she moves out without being married yet.."

She sat back down.

"But planning a wedding takes so much time."

This back and forth was somewhat hilarious to watch. He watched in admiration, this was one of many things he loved about her.

"Hey, we don't need to have a wedding," He told her to calm her down, at least that was his intention. "When we turn in the registry we'll be married so there is no need for all the preparation. You can start moving your stuff in and—"

Her face fell. It made sense that Gray wouldn't want a wedding ceremony. He had gotten better at public displays of affection but the thought of everyone looking at him as he declared his love at an altar. It would a bit much for him. Realizing this she reformed her smile, thankful that she would still be getting married.

"In that case Juvia should be able to be moved in by the end of the week!" she glanced at the registry. She would finish it now. "Does Gray-sama want to turn it in on Friday? Juvia would rather be married on a Saturday, but the office will be closed then."

"Can you wait until Friday?" He teased as he watched her go back to completing the form. "Something tells me you'd turn it in tomorrow if given the chance."

"Imagine Juvia packing and unpacking her stuff on her wedding day! Or Juvia spending her wedding night alone because she's too exhausted to make it back here. Oh…" she paused. "Perhaps, it is not right to say wedding day if there will be no ceremony…. Would marriage day be right? No…"

Deep in thought she continued filling out the form. Birthdays and addresses. She was quiet as she completed her task but this was a different sort of quiet. Not the same quiet only minutes before as she filled out the form. No, something was wrong.

Gray couldn't deny that a wedding was something he never saw himself going through. He hated the teasing enough as it was from the other guild members so he saw this registry as good enough. Sure, his guildmates might be upset that they'd miss out on a chance to party, but they didn't need an excuse to do that.

He was never one for suits for obvious reasons. He knew his stripping habit had rubbed off on her and wasn't too keen on the thought of her taking anything off the wedding dress- he paused in thought. Wedding dress. Blue is her color but she does look good in white. He blushed a bit thinking about what she would look like. Half of the fun is seeing how the bride would look in her dress, always a surprise. He was depriving himself of that for the sake of privacy, but at the same time he was ok with that. And then he realized. He was ok with that, but was she?

Almost complete opposites when it came to self-expression, Juvia was quick to display public displays of affection. She didn't suffer from what he did when it came to presenting affection in front of the guild. Yes, she had toned it down from what it was way in the beginning, but was it enough? For the guild to know that Gray skipped out on a wedding ceremony, that would surprise no one. But for Juvia to skip out on a wedding ceremony? After all those fantasies and daydreams it wouldn't make sense. He should have realized it right away. She wants a wedding.

"I'm not being fair am I?"

Juvia paused at section 5. Date of Marriage Ceremony/Date you will start to live together. She looked up at him in confusion.

"This isn't what you want."

"What?! Juvia has wanted to marry Gray-sama ever since-"

"No, I mean, you want a ceremony. You want a wedding, with all of our guildmates, a dress, and a reception, don't you?"

"Juvia wants whatever Gray-sama wants," she answered somewhat complacently.

He sighed. He should have known it was going to go this way. "No, you don't. In all of your fantasies I seriously doubt any of them included turning a piece of paper into city hall and calling it a day."

"Juvia is used to Gray-sama's reserved nature. It's ok! Part of a marriage is accommodating the needs of the one you love. Having Gray-sama is enough.

"I agree. Part of marriage is accommodating. So let's plan your fantasy wedding."

"What?"

"We're going to have a wedding ceremony because it's what you want and I want you to have what you want."

"But Juvia only wants Gray-sama."

"Am I going to have to convince you to have a wedding?"

"Is it…ok?" She asks, "really?"

"Of course," he responded, "I took that smile away for a second just now and even that was too long. Whatever you want."

"Whatever Juvia wants," she repeated clearly daydreaming.

"So… I think we need to go shopping for the engagement ring tomorrow too, right?" he asked while scratching his face.

Juvia swooned .

A/N:

I'm using the Japanese marriage registry system here because it can be so unceremonious compared to the western civil marriages.

I planned to continue this on Day 7, Bliss, and maybe I will someday, Idk. Again whenever I post it. Same goes for the other days.