Fairy Tail Fanfiction || Gruvia drabbles

The aftermath

"It's okay, I'm here."
Gray's low voice echoed through the cave, interrupting the dead silence. His hands enclosed Juvia in a warm embrace, but her body burned. She felt something wet dripping onto her open palm. The sickening smell of blood entered her nose.
"G-Gray-sama," she whimpered. Gray leaned down, clasping her hands in his scarred ones. "Is Juvia dying?"
Gray hurriedly shook his head. "No, you're not going to die," he growled. "Not under my watch."
Juvia's eyes peeled open slowly. Her eyelids were heavy and she was having trouble focusing on the mage that frowned over her lifeless body. Her throat scorched as she spoke. "W-where's the others?"
"Natsu and Lucy are coming over right now." He trailed his knuckles along her cheeks, his heart clenching as he watched Juvia's eyes flutter shut. "Wendy and Erza are also on their way."
"Juvia will be okay..." she whispered. "Right? Gray-sama?" Gray hastily wiped away a tear that slid down her eye.
"You'll be okay. We'll all be okay," he muttered, rubbing her shoulders gently.
Gray lowered a bruised arm to support the girl's neck, adjusting her so she leaned comfortably against his strong build.
The frigid rubble dug into Gray's knee but he ignored the sharp pain. His full attention was focused on Juvia. He struggled to stray his eyes away from her stomach that poured blood at an alarming rate.
Desperately looking around for something that can stop her bleeding, he pulled off his black shirt and tore away the sleeves. Holding it between his teeth, he wrapped the fabric around the raw wound attentively. He pushed her blue locks behind her shoulders, revealing a slash on her neck that ended at her collarbone. Gray clenched his jaw, gulping loudly as he felt his eyes water. "I'm going to lift your head," he croaked, his voice wobbling with fear. Juvia's exhausted pupils reappeared as she lifted her eyelids with trouble, giving Gray a small nod.
He clawed away another piece of the shirt from the remaining fabric and enveloped her neck inside. "Better?"
Juvia opened her cracked lips to speak but no words came out. Instead, she etched her lips to form a smile.
Gray felt nauseous, his shoulder wasn't helping as it cramped painfully. Blood began spurting from his joints. He glanced at the tattered shirt beside him, left with only a few pieces of shred.
"Shit... why didn't I bring more shirts," he grumbled.
Gray flinched as he felt a cold grip around his wrist. Juvia gazed at him with weary eyes. "Use Juvia's," she whispered. Her hands trembled violently as she began to reach down to her dress, attempting to tug at it but Gray hurriedly grabbed her hands. "I'll do it."
The ice mage stared at the blue material that barely covered her bruised legs. He sighed in defeat as he wiped away a streak of blood that trailed down his bicep.
Lifting the fabric away from Juvia's bloody thighs, Gray caught it between his teeth and with a harsh jerk, the dress teared away. He clenched his jaw as the water mage revealed a set of pale legs that rested against his lap. Scratches and purple blotches scattered across her skin, as if marking the number of times Gray had failed to protect her.
With difficulty, Gray managed to secure his arm with a lengthy piece of Juvia's dress that began to fade red.
Gray tensed as he heard a whimper escape Juvia's lips. Her eyebrows furrowed deeply and her pale face was whiter than ever. Gray pressed the back of his hand to her colorless cheeks. Gray had always noticed that she was lighter toned than the others at Fairy Tail, but he'd never seen her as white as a ghost.
Sweat damped her face as Gray propped his cold forehead onto hers, trying to cool her down. "You're burning," he muttered, his breath colliding with Juvia's cracked lips.
Tears trailed down her face as a splitting pain attacked her chest. Gray's eyes widened in shock.
"What's wrong, Juvia?" he spluttered. He shuddered with fright as he scanned her from head to toe, afraid to touch her with his rough hands. "Tell me, Juvia," he begged.
"It hurts..." she sobbed. She clutched tightly onto the edge of Gray's camo trousers. "Gray-sama, Juvia wants to go home."
Gray gritted his teeth as he watched Juvia curl her legs to her stomach, water dripping down her cheeks.
"Juvia, where does it hurt," Gray urged. Not knowing where to hold her anymore, he let his hands drop beside her waist.
"Tell me, please."
Juvia heaved away the light fabric that remained around her body. "Juvia's stomach," she choked. Gray scrambled through the light fabric, pushing it aside until skin arose. Her abdomen exposed a deep cut. Fresh blood oozed out, the red liquid puddling onto Gray's open palm. He was at loss of what to do. Water threatened to fall from his eyes as he held his loved one in his arms. He bit down on his lip, hoping the sting would divert his attention. He was going to watch another loved one die in front of him. He was going to watch Juvia die in his arms. A tear strolled down his cheek.
He immediately shook the thought out of his mind. He was sure Wendy will make it in time and Natsu will be there to support him. Perhaps even make fun of him and argue like they used to. Gray tightened his fists, letting the girl's blood stain his hands. He was going to bring Juvia home.
His arm stung with every move he made but he fought against the pain as he cradled the water mage in his arms, keeping her close.
"I'm going to take you home with me," he whispered, "I promise, so please, wait a little bit longer."
Juvia lifted a weak hand and stroked his knuckles.
"Gray-sama," she breathed, tears still running down her face. She placed her other hand on top of her wounded stomach to which Gray scowled at. "Don't you dare do anything stupid," he growled.
"Gray-sama, please help Juvia," she sobbed.
"I-I don't know what to do," he panicked. "What do you need me to do?" Gray rushed a hand through his raven black hair, glancing back at her fleshy wound. He grimaced at the bloody mess.
"Save our baby."
Gray widened his eyes in shock. A baby? More importantly, their baby? He couldn't believe his ears.
His heart throbbed with mixed emotions. He never thought he'd ever be a father. Neither did he think that he'd have a family of his own, but he almost collapsed as he realised all this was disappearing the moment he knew. Being a dad then being told that your child died before birth was not a life plan for Gray.
His hands wobbled as he hovered it over Juvia's stomach, where their baby was supposed to be growing healthily. Their baby wasn't supposed to die before birth! Gray pressed his face into his palms and tears streamed down his cheeks. He was completely devastated.
Juvia had stopped crying and instead, she gazed blankly at the ceiling of the cave, observing the piercing sharp rocks that threatened to collapse at any second. Her tears had dried away but her lips still trembled as her hands never left her abdomen, grasping at it tightly.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Gray asked, his teeth clenching. "Do you not trust me to be a dad?" The ice mage gripped his fists roughly, his nails digging into his blood-stained palms.
Juvia snapped her head to stare at Gray in bewilderment. "No! No, Gray-sama. Juvia has always dreamed of you being the father of Juvia's child," she weeped. "Juvia always had."
"And so have I," he growled. He secured a strong arm around Juvia's wobbling shoulders, resting his chin on her wavy locks. "I'll get us out of here. The three of us."
As if on cue, Natsu, Lucy and Wendy appeared in the distance. They limped with each step but their faces brightened when they neared the cave. The three rushed over and Wendy gasped when she knelt down beside the water mage.
Gray heaved a deep breath, relieved, knowing well that they were now safe. His eyelids collapsed and a piercing pain attacked his head. Natsu's bruised face was starting to blur, and before he knew it, the Dragon Slayer's voice became echoes as he blackened out.
•••
The sky was painted with a red and orange hue as the clouds began to descend further into the summer air. Gray and Juvia were rested against the king-sized bed that sat in the middle of the bedroom. The apartment was illuminated by the evening sun, causing Juvia to shade her eyes from the blinding light.
A bruised hand rested on her bandaged stomach and the other was clasped between Gray's hands. The water mage gazed at Gray, her eyes sparkling with joy. Gray gently nuzzled his nose into Juvia's neck, lightly kissing her bruised skin.
The ice mage sunk down further into the thin blanket, letting his hands snake around Juvia's belly.
The two remained in silence as they watched the sun sink behind the setting sky, basking in the day's last bit of warmth.
"Juvia was really scared that she'd lose you both," she sighed, making a circular motion with her thumb against Gray's palm. "Juvia wouldn't know what to do without you, Gray-sama." A tear sprinkled down her cheeks.
Gray peered up at the distressed mage and leaned in, letting his lips press against her forehead. "You know that'll never happen," he murmured, planting a small kiss on the bridge of her nose. "I will never allow that to happen." He flicked the tear away with his thumb. "I promise I'll be a good father."
Water rushed down Juvia's eyes like a waterfall. She eventually started sobbing into her hands. Gray couldn't help but chuckle, tightening his hold around her, but he made sure that he wasn't touching her wounds.
"Stop it, cry baby," he laughed. "How are you supposed to be a mother when you're still a baby?"
"Mm?" Juvia whimpered, wiping away her tears. "Gray-sama's right, Juvia will become a mother very soon," she grinned ear to ear. "Juvia will need to prepare now!" Immediately after finishing her sentence, she threw back the blanket and began to swing her legs off the bed. Gray quickly tugged at her wrist so she fell back into his arms. "Where do you think you're going?" he growled, a playful smirk rising at his lips.
"Juvia needs to buy clothes for our baby!" she gasped, her lips inches apart from Gray's. "Juvia also needs to tell Gajeel, Lucy-san, Leevy-san, Erza-san... Oh! And Natsu-san as well!" The water mage let her hands cover her mouth as her eyes widened in shock. "Oh no! Juvia still hasn't informed Wendy-san of the great news! After all, it's all thanks to her-"
Gray pressed a palm against Juvia's lips, sighing as she still continued to speak through muffled words.
"Calm down, Juvia. Wendy obviously already knows, she's the one who saved our baby."
Juvia blushed, playfully tugging at her hair. "Oh! Gray-sama's right."
Gray rolled his eyes before pulling the covers over their heads. Juvia let out a yelp as she felt Gray nip at her neck.
"Wait! Gray-sama!"
"What?" the black-haired mage grumbled.
"Our baby needs a name!"
Gray heaved a sigh. "Not now, Juvia. We have more important business to take care of." He leaned down to kiss her again but she pulled away.
"Gray-sama! How could you say that? What could be more important than our baby?"
"You, Juvia, you."
"Gray-sama! You're not taking Juvia seriously right now," she pouted.
"We don't even know if it's a he or a she yet," Gray snorted, resting his chin against his palm as he propped himself up with an elbow. "Can't we name it after it's born?"
Juvia stared at her hands, twiddling her fingers together. Her bottom lip irked up. "Fine."
Gray's playful grin made its way to his lips. "Perfect." He attacked once again, entwining his arms around her slim waist as he pressed his lips against hers.
"G-Gray-sama," Juvia mumbled between kisses. Gray groaned as he felt Juvia squirm below him. His hands crept to her hair, twirling her soft, blue locks between his fingers.
Gray let his hips straddle Juvia between his legs but he instantly flinched as he heard Juvia let out an inaudible scream. He hastily pulled away, looking down at the girl who's hair was now scattered across the pillow, cheeks flushed.
"Juvia hates to do this but her neck really hurts," she smiled gently. Her lips were now bright pink.
"Sorry," Gray whispered, letting himself drop back to his side of the bed. "You're irresistible..." he muttered to himself.
"Juvia heard that," she giggled.
Gray turned to his side so he could see the beautiful water mage lie beside him, her glimmering blue eyes staring back at him.
"Juvia."
His favourite word rolled perfectly off his tongue.
"Let's get married."