In The End - A Gruvia Fanfiction

VI: Misfits and Timings

Author's note at the end! Hope you'll enjoy this new chapter :)

—

"Come on Juv! We're going to miss the bus!" Gray yelled, buttoning up his shirt while he ran with his satchel slung loosely over his torso. Behind him, a huffing Juvia tried to catch up in her school uniform, holding down her skirt as the wind teased it endlessly.

The two braids she had done in the morning was coming undone from how hard they were running. She would've just tied it in a ponytail had she known they'd be running late.

Ahead of her, the raven-haired boy had suddenly stopped, trying to do his buttons while waiting for his best friend. Wearing his school shirt has always been a challenge since he loved removing it right after having it on and the buttons were so goddamn hard to put together.

"We're going to be late!" He exclaimed anxiously and begun dashing once again after she had barely caught up to him.

"It isn't my fault you were the one who woke up late!" She managed to yell and regretted doing so when the breath she took was wasted on yelling. Her torso hunched over, holding up with two arms on her knees. "I- I can't, caaahh!" She shrieked when her best friend grabbed her by the wrist and tugged her along.

"We can't be late otherwise who knows what Mrs. Chamberlin will do to us!" He tells her, pulling her along. Their normal route to the bus stop seemed longer than usual and it only appeared that way whenever they were running late.

"If I remember correctly," she swallowed, trying to match up to Gray's speed. "You're the reason why we're late all the time." The latter's tendencies to oversleep always resulted in their morning runs for the bus.

"Hey, sleep is important, Juv." He told her as they went down the street. After what seemed like an eternity, they finally spotted the bus stop a few feet away. "Come on, we're almost there!"

Juvia took another step forth but tripped on a shoelace that had come loose. Shutting her eyes, she braced herself for the concrete ground, instead, she was tugged upwards and landed on something soft on the ground.

A groan came from beneath her and she lifted her head to see a mop of black hair on the person's head. Gasping, she hurried to get up by supporting her upper body with her hands, only for Gray to groan even more when she pressed on his chest unknowingly. "Please don't do that." He coughed out, his face wincing in discomfort.

She quickly found support on the concrete ground, pushing herself away from him.

From afar, she could hear an elderly woman cooed. "Ah, young love."

Her face flushed beet red and she rushed to her feet, almost knocking over her best friend who was in the midst of sitting up. Was it just her or was the morning weather hotter than usual? Why was her heart racing so quickly?

"Let's go, the bus will be here any minute, we have to hurry-," she tried to distract herself but was stopped by a hand around her ankle. Her blue eyes stared in surprise at the boy on the ground. He gave her an annoyed look as he gestured to her undone laces.

Gray rolled his eyes and took the matter into his own hands when she continued to stare at him. Working his hands in an experienced manner, he did a quick knot that was secured and tight.

"If you fall again, I'm going to have to cushion your fall again." He grumbled. Hearing that, Juvia's racing heart could not stop. Her neck was heating up and she had to look away, not wanting him to see.

"All done!- Hey, the bus is here!" He jumped to his feet, grabbing her arm without a second thought before making a sprint for it.

It might have been then that Juvia found herself deeply entangled with her feelings for Gray.