Archive of Our Own ^beta

Gray's POV

Gray Fullbuster was not a man who enjoyed committee meetings.

He'd rather be in his studio, hands covered in plaster dust, working on scale models with his architecture students. Or buried in research about sustainable building materials. Or literally anywhere else that didn't involve sitting in an overly air-conditioned conference room listening to administrators talk about "synergistic cross-departmental initiatives."

But here he was, adjusting his glasses for the third time in as many minutes, trying to focus on the sustainability committee agenda in front of him. As one of the few faculty members in the architecture department who actually cared about green building practices, he'd been voluntold by Erza to join this committee. At least the cause was good, even if the meetings were painfully dry.

"Next on the agenda," Dean Erza Scarlet announced, her voice commanding immediate attention, "we'll be discussing the proposed Green Campus Initiative. Professor Fullbuster, would you like to present the architectural perspective?"

Gray straightened in his chair, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose, a nervous habit he'd never quite kicked. Public speaking wasn't his forte, despite years of lecturing to students. Something about talking to peers always made him second-guess himself.

"Right, uh, yes." He stood, clicking to his first slide. A few faculty members were already looking at their phones. Great start. "So, the architecture department has been researching sustainable building modifications for older campus structures. The challenge is that many of our buildings are historic, which limits what we can do, but there are still significant opportunities for—"

"Excuse me, Professor Fullbuster?"

Gray's head snapped toward the voice. A woman he'd never seen before sat three seats down, leaning forward with genuine interest in her blue eyes. She was striking—wavy blue hair styled in soft waves, wearing a cream-colored knitted vest over brown patterned trousers that somehow looked both professional and artistic. She radiated confidence in a way that made Gray suddenly aware that he was wearing the same button-down he'd worn two days ago.

"Yes?" he managed.

"I apologize for interrupting," she said with a warm smile that made his brain short-circuit slightly. "I'm Professor Lockser from Environmental Science—I just joined this semester. I'm wondering how your architectural proposals interface with the policy framework? Many grant opportunities for green initiatives require demonstrated compliance with state environmental regulations."

Gray blinked. That was... actually a really good question. And she was new? How had he not noticed someone who looked like that joining the faculty?

Focus, Fullbuster.

"That's—yeah, that's a great point." He fumbled with his laptop, pulling up a different slide. "We've been working primarily on the design side, but you're right that the policy piece is critical. I have some preliminary research on building codes and environmental compliance, but honestly, it could use someone with actual environmental policy expertise."

"I'd love to take a look, if you're open to collaboration," Professor Lockser said. "This is exactly the kind of project I'm hoping to integrate into my graduate seminar on environmental policy implementation."

"Yeah, definitely. That would be—that would be great, actually."

Erza was watching them with barely concealed amusement. "Wonderful. Professor Fullbuster and Professor Lockser, why don't you two coordinate after this meeting? Now, moving on to budget considerations..."

Gray barely heard the rest of the meeting. He kept sneaking glances at Professor Lockser, who was taking meticulous notes in a bullet journal that probably had color-coded tabs and perfect handwriting. Every so often she'd glance up, catch him looking, and smile.

He'd push his glasses up and pretend to be fascinated by the budget spreadsheet on the projector.

Smooth, Gray. Real smooth.

Juvia's POV

Juvia Lockser was trying very hard to focus on the budget discussion, but her attention kept drifting back to the architecture professor three seats away.

Professor Fullbuster was... not what she'd expected from an architecture faculty member. She'd been picturing someone pretentious, probably wearing all black and talking about "spatial theory" in an insufferable way. Instead, he seemed almost shy, pushing his black-framed glasses up whenever he was thinking, his dark hair slightly messy like he'd been running his hands through it.

And when he'd presented his sustainability research, stumbling over a few words but clearly passionate about the subject, Juvia had felt something flutter in her chest that was decidedly unprofessional.

She'd moved to Magnolia University specifically to grow as a scholar, to focus on her research, her students, and building a strong tenure portfolio.

But then Professor Fullbuster had smiled at her—this awkward, genuine smile—and said "that would be great, actually" in a way that suggested he didn't say that to people often, and Juvia's carefully constructed professional boundaries had wobbled dangerously.

The meeting finally ended after what felt like three years. Faculty members scattered quickly, but Juvia noticed Professor Fullbuster gathering his laptop with the careful attention of someone buying themselves time.

She approached him, bullet journal tucked under her arm. "Professor Fullbuster?"

He nearly dropped his laptop. "Oh! Professor Lockser. Hi. And it's Gray, please. Professor Fullbuster makes me sound like I know what I'm doing."

Juvia laughed. "Then please call me Juvia. I think we're going to be working together enough that formality seems excessive."

"Right, yeah. Juvia." He said her name carefully, like he was testing how it felt. Something about that made her smile. "So, the sustainability project. Do you want to grab coffee and talk about it? I mean, not right now if you're busy. Whenever works for you. Or we could email. Email's fine too."

He was adorable when he was flustered.

"Coffee sounds perfect," Juvia said. "Are you free now? I don't have class until two."

"Now?" Gray blinked like she'd suggested something wild. "Yeah, now's good. Great. There's a café in the student union that's not terrible."

"Lead the way, Gray."

They walked across campus together, and Juvia learned that Gray had been at Magnolia for three years, that he was up for tenure review in two years and mildly terrified about it, that he'd triple-majored in architecture, math, and environmental studies as an undergrad ("which was stupid, don't do that"), and that he had a research assistant named Natsu who was "enthusiastic but has the attention span of a golden retriever."

In return, she told him about her move from her previous university, her research on climate policy implementation, and her love of fountain pens and stationery.

"That explains the bullet journal," Gray said as he held open the café door for her. "It looked very... organized."

"I find that structure helps with creativity," she said, followed by a small awkward chuckle, then paused. "Sorry, I'm a bit nervous."

Gray looked genuinely surprised. "You're nervous?"

"Well, yes. You're the first colleague I've really talked to since moving here. First impressions matter."

"Your first impression was asking the smartest question in that entire meeting," Gray said, then seemed to realize what he'd said and turned slightly pink. "I mean, not that the bar was high, but—you know what, I'm going to stop talking and order coffee now."

Juvia bit back a smile. Oh no. She was in trouble.

They ordered—Earl Grey tea for her, black coffee for him—and found a table by the window. What was supposed to be a quick conversation about the sustainability project turned into an hour-long discussion about everything from green building certifications to the politics of academic committees to their favorite buildings on campus.

"The old library is architecturally beautiful," Gray said, "but from a climate control standpoint, it's a nightmare. Those huge windows? Gorgeous, but thermal efficiency is terrible."

"But the natural light must be wonderful," Juvia countered. "Sometimes environmental impact isn't just about energy efficiency. There's psychological research about how natural light affects well-being and productivity."

"That's fair. I hadn't thought about it that way." He tilted his head, studying her. "You're going to make me a better architect, aren't you?"

"And you're going to make me a better policy researcher." She smiled. "I think this collaboration is going to work well."

"Yeah," Gray said softly. "I think so too."

Their eyes met across the table, and for a moment the café noise faded. Juvia felt that flutter again, stronger this time.

Professional boundaries, she reminded herself. Professional. Boundaries.

"We should probably exchange numbers," Gray said, pulling out his phone. "For the project."

"Of course. For the project."

They exchanged contact information with the solemnity of two people pretending this was purely professional.

"I should get going," Juvia said reluctantly, checking her watch. "Class prep."

"Right, yeah, me too." Gray stood, nearly knocking over his empty coffee cup. "This was... this was really nice, Juvia."

"It was. Let's do it again soon? To discuss the project, of course."

"Of course." His smile was soft and genuine. "See you around campus, Dr. Lockser."

"See you around, Dr. Fullbuster."

As Juvia walked to her office in the environmental science building, she couldn't stop smiling. Her phone buzzed with a text from an unknown number.

Unknown Number: Hey, it's Gray. Just wanted to make sure this number worked. Also I realized I forgot to mention that I have some preliminary survey data about campus building energy usage that might be useful for your policy framework. No rush, but let me know if you want me to send it over.

Juvia saved his contact and typed back.

Juvia: That would be wonderful, thank you! I would love to see it. And this is definitely the right number. 😊

She hesitated, then deleted the emoji. Too casual. Then added it back. They were colleagues, and colleagues could use friendly emojis.

His response came almost immediately.

Gray: Great. I'll dig it up tonight and send it over. Fair warning: my organizational system is "everything in one folder with vague file names," so it might take me a while to find it.

Juvia: 😄 My organizational system is "color-coded folders with sub-folders and detailed file naming conventions." We balance each other out.

Gray: You're going to judge my desktop so hard when we inevitably have to share screens for this project.

Juvia: I would never judge! (Okay, maybe a little.)

Gray: I respect the honesty. 😊

Juvia clutched her phone, grinning like a teenager. This was fine. They were just colleagues working on a project together. Colleagues who had good chemistry and easy banter and made each other smile.

Completely professional.

"Oh no," she said aloud to her empty office. "I'm in trouble."

Lucy's POV

Lucy Heartfilia loved being a graduate student. She loved research, she loved teaching discussion sections, and she loved her advisor, Dr. Lockser, who was brilliant and kind, always remembered to ask how Lucy's thesis was going and always made time for Lucy.

What she didn't love was the ridiculous amount of data entry she had to do for Dr. Lockser's latest research project.

She was hunched over her laptop in the environmental science department's grad student lounge, trying to stay awake while inputting survey responses, when Dr. Lockser walked in looking... different.

"Good afternoon, Lucy!" Professor Lockser said brightly. "How's the data entry going?"

"It's... going," Lucy said diplomatically. "I should have everything entered by Friday."

"Wonderful, thank you." Professor Lockser started making tea at the small kitchenette, humming softly.

Lucy watched her advisor curiously. Professor Lockser was always put-together—today she was wearing a gorgeous maroon maxi floral skirt with a black knitted sweater—but there was something extra today. A lightness. She was practically glowing.

"Did something good happen?" Lucy asked.

Professor Lockser turned, teacup in hand. "What makes you ask?"

"You seem happy. I mean, you're always nice, but you seem extra happy."

A soft smile crossed Professor Lockser's face. "I had a very productive committee meeting today. I'm going to be collaborating on an interdisciplinary sustainability project."

"That's great! With who?"

"Dr. Fullbuster from the architecture department. Do you know him?"

Lucy's eyes widened. "Dr. Fullbuster? Gray Fullbuster?"

"Yes, do you know him?"

"My friend is his research assistant!" Lucy said excitedly. "Natsu talks about him all the time. He says Professor Fullbuster is really smart, but kind of awkward, and works too hard and survives entirely on black coffee."

Professor Lockser laughed. "That does sound accurate."

"Natsu says he's really nice though. Like, genuinely cares about his students." Lucy leaned forward. "So you're working with him? On a project?"

"Yes, we're going to be coordinating on some green campus initiatives." Professor Lockser's expression softened. "He seems very knowledgeable. And thoughtful."

Oh.

OH.

Lucy had seen that expression before. That was not an "interested in interdisciplinary collaboration" expression. That was an "interested in a person" expression.

"That's really cool," Lucy said carefully. "You should introduce me sometime. Since apparently our worlds are colliding through our advisors."

"That's a lovely idea. Perhaps we could all get coffee sometime."

After Professor Lockser left, Lucy immediately pulled out her phone.

Lucy: NATSU. Emergency grad student meeting needed.

Natsu: ?? Is everything okay? Did something happen?

Lucy: Everything's fine but I have TEA and we need to discuss immediately

Natsu: ...tea like gossip tea or like actual tea because you know I don't drink tea

Lucy: GOSSIP TEA. Meet me at the library in 20?

Natsu: On my way

Lucy grinned at her phone. This semester just got a lot more interesting.

Natsu's POV

Natsu Dragneel burst into the library study room where Lucy was waiting, nearly tripping over his own backpack in his haste.

"Okay, I'm here! What's the emergency?" He dropped into the chair across from her, his pink hair even more chaotic than usual. "Please tell me someone finally complained about Professor Gildarts showing up to lecture in pajama pants because I have been WAITING for that drama."

"Better." Lucy leaned forward conspiratorially. "I think Dr. Lockser has a crush on Dr. Fullbuster."

Natsu blinked. "Wait, your advisor? And Gray?"

"Yes! She came into the department lounge after some committee meeting literally glowing, Natsu. Glowing. And when I asked what happened, she got all soft and smiley talking about working with him on a project."

"Huh." Natsu tilted his head, processing. "That's... actually kind of perfect?"

"Right?!" Lucy grabbed his hand excitedly. "They would be so cute together! And you know Dr. Fullbuster better than anyone—do you think he'd be interested?"

Natsu snorted. "Lucy, the guy's idea of a social life is reorganizing his reference materials on a Friday night. He's been single the entire time I've known him. Claims he's too busy with tenure prep, but honestly, I think he's just awkward around people he likes."

"But is he a good person? Like, genuinely?"

"The best," Natsu said immediately. "He stays late to help students with projects, he writes insanely detailed recommendation letters, he bought pizza for our whole research team when we finished that big data collection last month. He acts all grumpy and antisocial, but he's actually really thoughtful. Just... y'know, bad at showing it."

Lucy's eyes sparkled. "Juvia is exactly the same way! She's so kind and supportive, but she gets nervous around new people. She does this thing where she laughs to break the silence when she's flustered."

"Gray pushes his glasses up when he's nervous," Natsu said. "Like, constantly. It's his tell."

They looked at each other, and matching grins spread across their faces.

"We have to get them together," Lucy said.

"Absolutely." Natsu cracked his knuckles. "Operation Professor Romance is a go."

"That's a terrible name."

"You come up with something better then!"

"Operation... Academic Love Connection?"

"That's worse, Luce."

"Okay fine, we'll workshop the name. But we need a plan." Lucy pulled out her planner—color-coded, naturally—and flipped to a blank page. "They're already working on a project together, which is good. That gives them built-in time to interact."

"Right, but knowing Gray, he'll keep it super professional and completely miss any signals," Natsu said. "The guy once had a visiting professor blatantly flirting with him at a department party and he thought she was just being friendly. I had to literally explain it to him later."

"Okay, so we need to create situations where they have to interact outside of work contexts. Casual settings."

"Oh!" Natsu sat up straighter. "The architecture department is doing a showcase next month. Students present their projects, faculty mingles, there's food. It's actually pretty cool. We could make sure Dr. Lockser knows about it?"

"Perfect! And the environmental science department is hosting a guest lecture series this semester. We could mention it to Dr. Fullbuster?" Lucy scribbled notes. "Casual invitations from concerned students who just want their professors to network."

"Sneaky. I like it."

"We have to be subtle though," Lucy warned. "If they figure out we're trying to set them up, they might get weird about it."

"True." Natsu drummed his fingers on the table, thinking. "What if we just... pay attention? See how they interact naturally when they're working together. If there's chemistry, we give them gentle nudges. If not, we back off."

Lucy nodded approvingly. "Look at you being emotionally intelligent."

"Hey, I contain multitudes." He grinned. "Plus, Gray's been working himself into the ground lately. It'd be nice to see him actually happy about something other than sustainable building materials."

"Same with Juvia. She's amazing, but she's always so focused on work. She deserves something good."

"Then we're agreed. Operation... whatever we're calling it... is officially in motion. We're basically like mission control for a romantic comedy."

"The best kind of mission."

Lucy felt a flutter of excitement that had nothing to do with the matchmaking scheme. Natsu's enthusiasm was infectious, his grin was bright, and when their hands brushed hers, she felt her cheeks warm.

Focus, Heartfilia. One campus romance at a time.

But Natsu was looking at her with warm eyes and a softer smile, and Lucy thought maybe—just maybe—there might be room for two campus romances.

"So," Natsu said, "want to grab dinner and strategize more? I know a great ramen place off campus."

"That sounds perfect," Lucy said, and meant it.

Gray's POV - Two Weeks Later

Gray had always liked the architecture building at night. It was quiet, just the hum of the heating system and the occasional footsteps of a dedicated student working late in a studio. He could focus here, spread out his research materials, and actually think without interruption.

Which was why he nearly jumped out of his skin when a light turned on in the adjacent office.

He'd thought he was alone on this floor. It was nearly ten o'clock on a Wednesday night. Who else would possibly be—

Through the window of the door, he saw a familiar figure with blue hair, settling at a desk with a stack of papers and a travel mug.

Juvia.

They'd been texting regularly about the sustainability project, trading research articles and policy documents. She'd sent him a beautifully organized shared folder with color-coded subfolders that had made him genuinely embarrassed about his own filing system. They'd met for coffee twice more to discuss progress, conversations that had somehow always stretched longer than planned.

Gray had firmly told himself this was professional collegiality. The fact that he'd started putting actual effort into his appearance on days he knew he'd see her was irrelevant. The fact that he checked his phone more often, hoping for her texts, was just because they were collaborating. The fact that he thought about her smile at completely random times was... okay, that one was harder to explain away.

He stood, crossed the hallway, and knocked softly on her door frame.

Juvia looked up, startled and dropped a book, then broke into a smile that made his heart do something complicated. "Gray! What are you doing here so late?"

"I could ask you the same thing." He leaned against the doorframe, trying to look casual and not like he'd just speed-walked across the hallway. "Burning the midnight oil?"

"Tenure portfolio prep," she said with a rueful laugh. "I'm trying to get ahead on documentation. And you?"

"Research revisions. Academic journal feedback is... thorough."

"That's one word for it." She gestured to the chair across from her desk. "Want to take a break? I just made tea."

Gray should say no. He had work to do. But Juvia was looking at him with those blue eyes, and honestly, when had he ever been good at saying no to her?

"Sure. Thanks."

She poured him a cup from her thermos—some kind of herbal blend that smelled like chamomile and honey—and they fell into easy conversation. Juvia told him about a frustrating peer review she'd received. Gray commiserated with stories about conference presentation disasters. They compared notes on difficult students and laughed about departmental politics.

"Dean Scarlet cornered me yesterday," Gray said, "and asked how the sustainability project was going. But the way she asked it was weird. Like she was fishing for information."

"She did the same to me!" Juvia's eyes widened. "She asked if we were 'collaborating well' with this knowing look."

"That's... odd."

"Very odd." Juvia sipped her tea thoughtfully. "Do you think the administration is concerned about the project?"

"Maybe? Though Erza seemed more amused than concerned." Gray frowned. "Actually, now that I think about it, Natsu's been weird too. He keeps asking about you."

"Lucy has been asking about you as well! I thought it was just friendly curiosity, but..."

They looked at each other, realization dawning simultaneously.

"They're not," Gray said.

"They wouldn't," Juvia agreed.

A pause.

"They're definitely trying to set us up," they said in unison.

Gray felt his face heat. "That's—I mean, that's ridiculous. We're just colleagues working on a project."

"Exactly," Juvia said quickly. "Completely professional."

"Right. Professional."

"Although..." Juvia bit her lip, and Gray tried very hard not to notice how distracting that was. "I suppose it means they approve? Of us being friends, at least."

"That's... actually kind of nice. In a meddling sort of way."

They shared a smile, and the air between them felt charged with something unspoken.

"We should probably get back to work," Gray said reluctantly.

"Probably." But Juvia didn't move.

Neither did Gray.

"Or," he said, surprising himself, "we could both admit we're too tired to be productive and call it a night? I could walk you to your car. It's late."

Juvia's smile softened. "I would like that."

They packed up their things, turned off lights, and headed down the stairs together. Gray held doors without thinking about it. Juvia told him about her weekend plans to visit a farmer's market. It felt natural, comfortable in a way Gray hadn't experienced with someone in a long time.

The campus was quiet at night, lit by streetlamps and the occasional glow of study rooms. As they walked, it started to drizzle—that light kind of rain that wasn't quite enough to run from but was definitely going to soak them if they stayed out long.

"Of course," Gray muttered, looking up at the sky. "I didn't bring an umbrella."

"I has one!" She pulled a compact umbrella from her bag, popping it open. 

But it was very small.

"That's not going to cover both of us," Gray said.

"Then we'll share." Juvia stepped closer, holding the umbrella between them. "Come on, unless you want to get soaked."

Gray ducked under the umbrella, which required standing much closer to Juvia than he'd been prepared for. Close enough that he could smell her perfume—something floral and soft. Close enough that their shoulders brushed with every step.

"Sorry," he said. "I'm taking up too much room."

"You're fine." Juvia looked up at him, and they were suddenly very aware of how little space existed between them. "This is nice, actually. Cozy."

"Yeah," Gray said quietly. "It is."

They walked slowly across campus, neither one mentioning that the rain was light enough that they could probably make a run for it. Neither one mentioning that they were taking the long way to the parking lot. Neither one mentioning that they kept finding excuses to lean just a little closer.

"Gray?" Juvia said softly.

"Yeah?"

"I'm really glad we met. Even if everyone is trying to meddle in our friendship."

Gray smiled. "Me too. And for what it's worth, I think it's working."

"The meddling?"

"The friendship."

Juvia's answering smile was radiant, even in the dim light. "I think so too."

When they reached her car, Gray held the umbrella while she unlocked the door, both of them reluctant to say goodbye.

"Text me when you get home safe?" Juvia asked.

"Of course. You too."

"Goodnight, Gray."

"Goodnight, Juvia."

He watched her drive away, standing in the drizzle, replaying the feeling of her shoulder against his under that ridiculously small umbrella.

His phone buzzed.

Natsu: Dude where are you? Your office light is off but your car is still here.

Gray: Walking to my car now. Was working late.

Natsu: You work too hard man. Go home and sleep.

Gray: Says the guy who texted me at 10:30 at night.

Natsu: Fair point. Hey, random question - you know Dr. Lockser from environmental science right?

Gray: Why?

Natsu: Just curious! Lucy's advisor. Seems cool.

Gray: Stop meddling, Natsu.

Natsu: I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT

Gray: Uh huh. Goodnight.

Natsu: Night! 😏

Gray shook his head, smiling despite himself. As he drove home, he couldn't stop thinking about blue hair and a warm smile and the way Juvia said his name.

Just colleagues, he told himself.

He was a terrible liar, even to himself.

Juvia's POV - Three Weeks Later

Juvia had learned several things about Gray Fullbuster over the past month of working together.

One: He was brilliant. Not just smart, but genuinely innovative in how he thought about sustainable architecture and urban design.

Two: He ran cold. Like, physically. The man wore short sleeves in sixty-degree weather and seemed immune to air conditioning.

Three: He was observant in ways that surprised her. He remembered she preferred Earl Grey to coffee. He'd learned she had a tendency to fidget with her pen when she was thinking hard about something. He always texted before calling, because she'd mentioned once that unexpected phone calls made her anxious.

Four: Juvia was absolutely, undeniably falling for him.

They were sitting in the campus courtyard on a surprisingly chilly October afternoon, laptops open, working on their grant proposal for the Green Campus Initiative. Gray was typing furiously, completely focused, his glasses sliding down his nose every few minutes until he pushed them back up.

Juvia tried to focus on the policy framework section she was supposed to be editing, but she was cold. She'd checked the weather that morning and dressed for the predicted high of 68, not accounting for the wind or the cloud cover. Now she was in a thin cardigan, trying not to shiver visibly.

"Okay, I think I finally got this section on structural modifications to make sense," Gray said, looking up. He stopped mid-sentence. "Wait, are you cold?"

"I'm fine," she said, but her body betrayed her with a shiver.

Gray immediately started shrugging off his jacket—a worn corduroy thing that looked soft from years of use. "Here, take this."

"Gray, no, you'll be cold—"

"I run hot, seriously. I'm comfortable." He stood and draped it around her shoulders before she could protest further. "Better?"

The jacket was warm from his body heat and smelled like his cologne—something clean and woody. Juvia pulled it closer, trying not to think about how intimate this felt.

"Much better. Thank you."

"No problem." He sat back down, returning to his laptop like it was nothing. Like he hadn't just done something devastatingly sweet.

Juvia looked at him—really looked at him. At the concentration on his face, the way his hair fell across his forehead, the slight smile that appeared when he figured out a tricky wording problem.

Oh, she was in trouble. Deep, deep trouble.

Her phone buzzed with a text.

Lucy: Juvia! Quick question about the data analysis for your paper - are we using parametric or non-parametric tests for the policy impact assessment?

Juvia: Non-parametric. The distribution isn't normal. Why, are you seeing something odd?

Lucy: No, just double-checking before I run everything! Also, completely unrelated, but how's the project with Dr. Fullbuster going? 😊

Juvia smiled despite herself. Lucy was about as subtle as a freight train.

Juvia: It's going well. We're working on it right now, actually.

Lucy: Ooh where?

Juvia: The courtyard. Why?

Lucy: No reason! Just curious! You two seem to work well together!

Juvia: We do. He's very thoughtful.

Lucy: Thoughtful is good!! 💙

Juvia: Lucy, are you and Natsu scheming again?

Lucy: I would NEVER. (Okay maybe a little.) (But only because we think you're both great and would be cute together!)

Juvia: 😊 Get back to your data analysis love.

Lucy: Yes ma'am! But seriously, he's a good one. Don't let him get away!

Juvia looked at Gray again, at the way he was squinting at his screen, probably needing to adjust his brightness settings but too focused to bother. At the jacket still wrapped around her shoulders.

She wasn't planning on letting him get away.

Gray's POV - Midterms Week

Midterms were hell.

Gray had always known this, but somehow every semester he forgot just how overwhelming it got. Student projects to review, exams to grade, research deadlines that didn't care about the academic calendar, plus his own stress about the tenure portfolio that was due in eighteen months but felt like it was due tomorrow.

He'd been surviving on coffee and spite for three days straight.

Natsu had physically removed a coffee cup from his hand that morning and said, "Dude, you look like death. When's the last time you ate actual food?"

"I had a granola bar."

"That's not food, that's sadness in bar form. I'm ordering you lunch."

"I don't have time—"

"Not optional, Gray."

But then Natsu had gotten pulled into his own midterm crisis—something about a student project that had gone catastrophically wrong—and lunch had been forgotten.

Gray was hunched over a stack of project reviews in his office, vision starting to blur, when there was a knock at his door.

"Come in," he called, not looking up.

"Delivery for Dr. Fullbuster."

Gray's head snapped up. Juvia stood in his doorway, holding a takeout bag and two cups of tea, smiling softly.

"Juvia? What are you doing here?"

"Lucy mentioned that Natsu said you've been stressed and not eating properly during midterms." She came in, setting the food on his desk. "I thought you might need sustenance that isn't coffee."

Gray stared at the takeout bag like it was a miracle. "You brought me lunch?"

"Vietnamese pho. I wasn't sure what you'd like, but it's cold outside and soup seemed appropriate." She pulled out containers, setting them up with careful attention. "There's spring rolls too, and some kind of lemongrass chicken dish that the restaurant owner insisted was good."

"Juvia, you didn't have to—"

"I wanted to." She met his eyes. "You've been working so hard. Someone needs to make sure you're taking care of yourself."

Something warm bloomed in Gray's chest, completely unrelated to the soup. "Thank you. Really. This is... this is really thoughtful."

"Well, we're friends, aren't we? Friends take care of each other." She sat in the chair across from his desk, pulling out her own container. "I hope you don't mind company. I have grading too, and misery loves company."

"I definitely don't mind."

They ate together, working in comfortable silence broken by occasional conversation. Juvia told him about a student who'd turned in a brilliant policy analysis that had restored her faith in humanity. Gray complained about a project that was architecturally creative but structurally impossible. They traded grading horror stories and laughed at the absurdity of academic life.

"How's your tenure portfolio coming?" Juvia asked softly.

Gray grimaced. "It's... coming. Slowly. I keep second-guessing everything. Is this publication good enough? Is my teaching portfolio strong enough? What if the committee thinks my research isn't significant?"

"Gray." Juvia's voice was firm. "Your research is groundbreaking. Your students love you. You're going to get tenure."

"You can't know that."

"I can know that you're brilliant and dedicated and exactly the kind of professor this university should want to keep." She reached across the desk, her hand covering his. "You're going to be fine."

Her hand was warm, her eyes sincere. Gray turned his hand over, threading their fingers together without really thinking about it.

"Thank you," he said quietly. "For the food, and the pep talk, and... just for being here."

"Always," Juvia said, and something in her tone made his heart race.

They stayed like that for a moment longer than necessary, hands clasped, before Juvia gently pulled away to return to her grading.

But Gray couldn't focus on project reviews anymore. He kept sneaking glances at Juvia, at the way she bit her lip when concentrating, at the soft smile that appeared when she wrote encouraging comments on student papers.

He was so far gone for her it wasn't even funny.

Gray's POV - The Rejection

Two weeks later, Gray sat in his office staring at an email that felt like a punch to the gut.

Dear Professor Fullbuster, Thank you for your grant proposal submission to the National Architecture Foundation. While your research on sustainable retrofitting of historic buildings shows promise, we regret to inform you that your proposal has not been selected for funding in this cycle...

He'd spent months on that proposal. Months of research, data collection, and preliminary studies. It had been a long shot—the NAF only funded about 10% of proposals—but he'd let himself hope.

And now it was just another rejection to add to the pile. Another thing that wouldn't be on his tenure portfolio. Another reminder that maybe he wasn't as good at this as he needed to be.

His phone buzzed.

Juvia: Gray, are you still on campus? I need to drop off some documents for the sustainability project and thought I could swing by your office.

He should tell her he'd gone home. He didn't want her to see him like this, spiraling and self-doubting.

But the thought of seeing her, of her calm presence and warm smile, was the only thing that sounded bearable right now.

Gray: Still here. Office door's open.

Five minutes later, Juvia knocked and entered, and immediately her expression shifted from cheerful to concerned.

"What's wrong?"

"What? Nothing, I'm fine—"

"Gray." She set down her folders and came around his desk. "What happened?"

He gestured weakly at his computer screen. Juvia leaned in to read, and he watched her face fall.

"Oh, Gray. I'm so sorry."

"It's fine. It's just a grant. There will be others." His voice sounded hollow even to his own ears.

"It's not fine if you're upset about it." Juvia pulled the other chair closer, sitting beside him. "You worked really hard on that proposal."

"Apparently not hard enough."

"That's not—Gray, you know that's not how grants work. There are so many factors beyond quality of research. Funding priorities, political considerations, reviewer preferences—"

"I know." He ran his hands through his hair, frustrated. "I know all that logically. But it still feels like... like I'm not good enough. Like I'm going to end up being one of those professors who never gets their research off the ground, who doesn't get tenure, who just... fails."

"You're not going to fail."

"You don't know that."

"Yes, I do." Her voice was fierce in a way he'd never heard before. "Because I've read your research. I've seen how you work with students, how much you care about teaching, how innovative your ideas are. One grant rejection doesn't define you, Gray Fullbuster."

He looked at her, at the conviction in her eyes, and felt something crack in his chest.

"I don't know what I did to deserve you as a friend," he said quietly.

"You were yourself," Juvia said simply. "That's more than enough."

And then she did something that surprised them both—she pulled him into a hug.

Gray froze for half a second before wrapping his arms around her, holding on tighter than he probably should. She was warm and solid and real, her perfume surrounding him, her hand rubbing soothing circles on his back.

"It's okay to be disappointed," she murmured. "But don't let this make you doubt yourself. You're brilliant, Gray. This is their loss, not yours."

He buried his face in her shoulder, letting himself have this moment of comfort, and thought about how easy it would be to just... stay like this. How right it felt to hold her, to be held by her.

"Thank you," he whispered.

"Always."

When they finally pulled apart, Juvia's eyes were soft, and Gray had the wild urge to kiss her.

Instead, he just smiled. "Want to go get coffee? I could use a break from this office."

"Juvia would love that."

Juvia's POV - The Incident

It had been a long day.

Juvia loved teaching, truly, but some days tested that love. Today had been one of those days—technology failures, student questions that revealed they hadn't done the reading, and a departmental meeting that could have been an email.

She was in her office, finally having a moment to breathe, when there was an aggressive knock at her door.

"Professor Lockser!"

Juvia looked up to see Brandon, one of her undergraduate students, storming in without waiting for permission. His face was red, his posture aggressive.

"Brandon, is everything—"

"This grade is bullshit!" He slammed a paper down on her desk. "I worked hard on this assignment and you gave me a C? This is going to tank my GPA!"

Juvia took a breath, forcing her voice to stay calm and professional. "Brandon, please lower your voice. Let's discuss this—"

"There's nothing to discuss! You're just grading me harder because you don't like me. This is completely unfair!"

"That's not true. If you look at the rubric—"

"I don't care about your stupid rubric!" His voice was getting louder, angrier. "You're a terrible professor and everyone knows it. I'm going to the dean about this. I'm going to make sure everyone knows how terrible you are—"

"That's enough."

Gray's voice cut through the room like ice. Juvia looked up to see him standing in her doorway, his expression cold in a way she'd never seen before.

"Professor Fullbuster—" Brandon started.

"Office. Now." Gray's tone left no room for argument. "We're going to talk about how to appropriately address concerns with faculty. Let's go."

Brandon looked like he wanted to argue, but something in Gray's expression made him think better of it. He grabbed his paper and stalked out.

Gray followed him into the hallway, and Juvia heard him say, "We're going to have a conversation about professional behavior and university policy on harassment."

Then Gray was back, closing her office door behind him, his expression immediately shifting from stern to concerned.

"Are you okay?"

Juvia realized she was shaking. "Yes, I'm... I'm is fine."

"You're not fine. That was completely out of line." Gray came closer, hovering uncertainly. "Did he threaten you? Because if he did, I can report this to the dean—"

"No, nothing like that. He's just... upset about his grade." Juvia tried to laugh it off, but it came out shaky. "It happens sometimes."

"It shouldn't happen. Ever." Gray looked genuinely angry. "Students don't get to barge into your office and yell at you. That's not okay."

"Gray—"

"I'm serious, Juvia. That was harassment. You don't deserve that."

And suddenly Juvia felt tears prickling at her eyes, because he was right. She didn't deserve that. And it had scared her more than she wanted to admit.

"Come here," Gray said softly, and then his arms were around her, pulling her close.

Juvia let herself lean into him, let herself be held. Gray was solid and warm, one hand cradling the back of her head, the other wrapped firmly around her waist.

"I've got you," he murmured.

"Thank you," she whispered. "For standing up for me. For being here."

"Always." His arms tightened. "I'm always going to be here for you."

They stood like that for a long moment, Juvia breathing in the comfort of his presence, Gray holding her like she was something precious.

When they finally separated, Gray kept his hands on her shoulders, looking at her seriously.

"I'm going to have a conversation with that student about appropriate behavior. And if you want to report this officially, I'll support you. Whatever you need."

"Just... can you just stay for a bit?" Juvia asked quietly.

"Of course." Gray pulled the other chair close to her desk. "I'm not going anywhere."

He stayed for two hours, working on his laptop while she graded, occasionally looking up to make sure she was okay, bringing her tea from the department kitchen, just... being there.

And Juvia realized that this—this quiet support, this protective care, this steady presence—was what love felt like.

She was in love with Gray Fullbuster.

The realization should have scared her. Instead, it felt like coming home.

Gray's POV

Gray hated faculty mixers.

They were always awkward affairs—forced mingling, cheap wine, small talk about research that no one actually cared about. But the College of Sciences and Architecture was hosting a joint mixer to "encourage interdisciplinary collaboration," and as someone actively collaborating across departments, he couldn't really skip it.

At least Juvia would be there.

He spotted her as soon as he walked in, and his breath caught. She was wearing a deep blue dress that matched her hair, talking animatedly with a group of faculty members. She looked confident, radiant, completely in her element.

And Gray was completely, utterly gone for her.

He'd known for a while now, if he was honest with himself. Probably since that night they'd shared an umbrella in the rain. Definitely since she'd brought him lunch during midterms. Absolutely since he'd held her in her office after that incident with the aggressive student.

He was in love with Juvia Lockser, and he had no idea what to do about it.

"Gray! There you are!" Natsu appeared at his elbow, grinning. "I've been looking for you. Lucy and I saved you a seat at our table."

"You don't have to babysit me, Natsu."

"Not babysitting, just making sure you don't spend the whole evening hiding in a corner." Natsu steered him toward a table where Lucy was sitting, waving enthusiastically. "Plus, you have the perfect view of Dr. Lockser from here."

"Subtle."

"I don't do subtle." Natsu's grin widened. "So when are you going to tell her you're crazy about her?"

"I'm not—"

"Gray. Dude. You gave her your jacket. You bring her tea without being asked. You get this stupid soft look on your face every time someone mentions her name. Lucy and I have a running bet on when you're finally going to make a move."

"That's—you two are betting on my love life?"

"Yep! Lucy thinks you'll confess within the month. I think you're going to pine uselessly for at least another two months because you're emotionally constipated."

"I hate you."

"You love me. Now go talk to her before—oh no."

"Before what?"

Natsu's expression had shifted to disgust. "Before Invel gets any more annoying."

Gray followed his gaze and felt his stomach drop. Invel Yura, a political science professor with an ego the size of campus and the personality of a paper cut, had cornered Juvia near the refreshment table.

"—would love to discuss your research over dinner sometime," Invel was saying, standing way too close. "I think we could have some fascinating conversations."

"That's kind of you, but I am quite busy right now," Juvia said politely, taking a small step back.

Invel stepped forward, closing the distance again. "Surely you can make time for a colleague? I've been quite impressed with your work. It would be a shame not to explore a potential collaboration."

Gray's hands clenched into fists. The way Invel was looking at Juvia, the way he kept invading her space—it made Gray's blood boil.

"You should go over there," Lucy said quietly. "She looks uncomfortable."

But before Gray could move, Invel said something that made his blood run cold.

"I've noticed you spend quite a lot of time with Fullbuster from architecture. I hope you're not limiting yourself professionally by focusing too much on one collaboration." Invel's smile was condescending. "He's a nice enough fellow, I suppose, but rather... awkward, isn't he? Probably not the best person to be seen with if you're trying to establish yourself at the university."

Oh hell no.

Gray started to stand, ready to march over there and—

But Juvia got there first.

Her expression shifted from polite discomfort to ice-cold fury in an instant.

"Excuse me?" Her voice was quiet, dangerous. "What exactly are you implying, Professor Yura?"

"I'm simply suggesting that you should be strategic about your professional associations—"

"You're suggesting that I should avoid collaborating with one of the most brilliant architects on this campus because you personally find him awkward?" Juvia's voice rose slightly, and other faculty members were starting to turn and watch. "That's quite a take."

"Now, I didn't mean—"

"No, please, continue. I'm curious to hear more about how you think I should conduct my professional life." She crossed her arms. "Let's be clear about something, Professor Yura. Dr. Fullbuster is an exceptional scholar, a dedicated teacher, and a genuinely good person. The fact that he's not interested in playing political games or schmoozing at faculty mixers doesn't make him awkward—it makes him authentic."

"I was simply—"

"You were attempting to manipulate me into having dinner with you by disparaging a colleague. That's inappropriate on multiple levels." Juvia's eyes flashed. "For your information, my collaboration with Dr. Fullbuster has been the most rewarding professional relationship I've had at this university. He's thoughtful, respectful, and actually listens to my ideas instead of talking over me or trying to impress me with his supposed brilliance."

Invel's face was turning red. "There's no need to be rude—"

"And there was no need for you to insult Dr. Fullbuster or make assumptions about my professional choices." She stepped back. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have colleagues I actually want to talk to."

She turned on her heel and walked away, leaving Invel sputtering.

And walked directly toward Gray.

Gray stood frozen as she approached, barely aware that half the room was watching them now.

"Hi," Juvia said softly, her cheeks flushed but her eyes bright. "Sorry you had to hear that."

"Don't apologize. That was... that was amazing." Gray's voice came out rough. "You didn't have to defend me like that."

"Of course I did. He was being completely out of line." She smiled. "Besides, I meant every word."

They stood there, staring at each other, and Gray felt something shift and settle in his chest.

He was in love with her. Desperately, completely, irrevocably in love with her.

And from the way she was looking at him right now, with soft eyes and a gentle smile, he thought—maybe, possibly—she might feel the same way.

"Do you want to get out of here?" he asked impulsively. "This mixer is terrible, and I know a much better place we could be."

"I would love that," she said, and her smile was radiant.

Juvia's POV

They ended up at a small coffee shop near campus, the kind with mismatched furniture and local art on the walls. It was quiet, cozy, and infinitely better than the stuffy faculty mixer.

Juvia was still riding the adrenaline high from telling off Invel. She wasn't normally confrontational, but hearing him disparage Gray—sweet, brilliant, wonderful Gray—had flipped a switch inside her.

"I can't believe you did that," Gray said, shaking his head with a smile. "The look on Invel's face..."

"He deserved it. No one gets to talk about you like that." Juvia felt her cheeks warm. "I might have been a bit harsh, but I wasn't going to let him—"

"Juvia." Gray's voice was soft. He reached across the table, taking her hand. "Thank you. For standing up for me. For saying all those things."

"I meant them. All of them." She looked down at their joined hands, then back up at his face. "You're... you're very important to me."

"You're important to me too." Gray's thumb traced circles on the back of her hand. "More than I probably should admit given that we're colleagues and friends and this could complicate things, but I can't—I don't want to pretend anymore."

Juvia's heart was racing. "Pretend what?"

"That I don't have feelings for you." The words came out in a rush. "I've been trying to convince myself it's just friendship, that it's professional respect, but Juvia, I—" He took a breath. "I think I'm falling for you. Actually, no. I know I am. I really like you."

Juvia felt tears prick her eyes, but they were happy tears. "Gray—"

"You don't have to say anything," he said quickly. "I just needed you to know. After tonight, after watching you defend me like that, I couldn't keep it to myself anymore. And if you don't feel the same way, that's okay, we can still be friends and colleagues, I just—"

"Gray." Juvia squeezed his hand. "Stop spiraling."

He looked at her, vulnerable and hopeful and terrified.

"I like you too," she said softly. "I have for a while now. I was just scared to say anything because I didn't want to ruin what we have."

"Really?" Gray's voice was barely a whisper.

"Really." She smiled through her tears. "You're brilliant and kind and you bring me tea without being asked and you held me when I was scared and you're just... you're everything."

"I'm really not—"

"Yes, you are. To me, you are."

They stared at each other across the table, both grinning like idiots, still holding hands.

"So," Gray said, "where do we go from here?"

"Well," Juvia said, "I think we should probably go on an actual date. One where we both acknowledge it's a date from the beginning."

"I would really like that." Gray's smile was soft and genuine. "Are you free this weekend?"

"For you? Always."

His answering smile made her heart soar.

They stayed at the coffee shop for hours, talking and laughing and holding hands across the table, and Juvia thought about how perfect this was. How right it felt. How happy she was.

She was in love with Gray Fullbuster.

And miraculously, wonderfully, he liked her back.

Gray's POV

Gray had been on dates before. Not many, admittedly, but enough to know the basic protocol. Dinner, maybe a movie, conversation about work and hobbies, the awkward end-of-night "should we hug or kiss" debate.

But this was different. This was Juvia.

He'd spent three days planning this date, changing his mind approximately seventeen times. Dinner and a movie felt too generic. A fancy restaurant felt too formal. Mini golf felt too casual. Everything felt either too much or not enough for someone as amazing as her.

Then he'd had an idea. It was probably too nerdy. Juvia would probably think it was boring. But it was authentically him, and she'd said she loved that about him, so...

He was going to risk it.

Now he stood outside Juvia's apartment building, bouquet of blue hydrangeas in hand (he'd googled her favorite flowers and asked Lucy to confirm), trying not to panic.

The door opened, and Gray forgot how to breathe.

Juvia was wearing a soft cream long sleeve under a dark brown corduroy dress, her blue hair in loose waves, and she was smiling at him like he'd hung the moon.

"Hi," she said.

"Hi." He held out the flowers. "These are for you. I know it's kind of old-fashioned, but—"

"I love them." She took the bouquet, burying her nose in the flowers. "They're beautiful. Come in for a moment while I put them in water?"

Gray followed her inside, taking in her apartment. It was exactly what he'd expected—organized but cozy, with plants on every surface, fairy lights strung along the walls, and color-coordinated bookshelves. An adjustable desk by the window was covered in neat stacks of papers and her beloved bullet journal.

"Your apartment is really nice," he said.

"Thank you. It's small, but I like it." She arranged the flowers in a vase with practiced ease. "So, where are we going? You've been very mysterious about the plan."

"Right, yeah. So, I have this idea, but if you think it's boring, we can absolutely do something else—"

"Gray." Juvia came closer, taking his hand. "Whatever you planned, I'm going to love it. Just tell me."

He took a breath. "Okay. So, I thought we could do an architecture walking tour of the historic district downtown. There are some really beautiful buildings from different periods, and I could show you some of the features that make them interesting from a design perspective. And then dinner at this Indian place near the waterfront. But seriously, if that sounds boring—"

"That sounds perfect." Juvia's eyes were shining. "I would love to see the city through your eyes. And hear you talk about something you're passionate about."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." She squeezed his hand. "Let's go."

Juvia's POV

Juvia had never been on a more perfect first date.

They started in the historic district, and Gray transformed before her eyes. Gone was the slightly awkward, nervous man—in his place was someone confident and animated, gesturing excitedly as he pointed out architectural details she would have never noticed on her own.

"See that building?" He pointed to a gorgeous old structure with ornate stonework. "That's late Victorian, probably 1890s. Notice the asymmetrical facade and the turret on the corner? That was a status symbol. And look at those windows—they're actually hand-blown glass. You can tell because the panes are slightly irregular."

"It's beautiful," Juvia breathed.

"Right? And the crazy thing is, it's been renovated three times, but they managed to preserve the original character. That's what good restoration looks like—respecting the history while updating for modern use." He pulled out his phone, showing her comparison photos. "See? They kept the exterior almost exactly the same, but inside they added modern HVAC and electrical without compromising the structure."

Juvia loved watching him like this—so passionate and knowledgeable, his eyes bright with enthusiasm, his hands moving as he talked. He kept apologizing for "boring her with details," but she kept insisting she wanted to hear more.

"That one," Gray pointed to a sleek modern building, "is interesting because it's new construction in a historic district. The architect had to balance contemporary design with contextual sensitivity. See how it uses brick and stone like the older buildings, but with cleaner lines? It's in conversation with its neighbors without trying to be something it's not."

"Like good integration," Juvia said. "It belongs but stays authentic to itself."

Gray stopped walking and looked at her. "Exactly. That's exactly it."

They stood there, smiling at each other on a busy sidewalk, and Juvia felt her heart skip.

"What?" she asked softly.

"Nothing. Just... you get it. You get why I love this." He took her hand, threading their fingers together. "Most people think architecture is just about buildings looking nice. But it's about people, and history, and how we shape space and space shapes us. And you understand that."

"Because you explain it beautifully," Juvia said. "I could listen to you talk about architecture all day."

"Don't tempt me. I will absolutely talk about it all day."

"Promise?"

His answering smile was soft and genuine. "Come on. There's one more building I want to show you before dinner."

They walked hand-in-hand through the district, and Gray showed her an old library that had been converted into a community center, a church with stunning stained glass windows, and a row of townhouses that he explained were excellent examples of adaptive reuse.

By the time they reached the Indian restaurant, Juvia's cheeks hurt from smiling.

"I'm sorry," Gray said as they were seated. "I totally dominated the conversation. This was supposed to be about getting to know each other, and I just nerded out about buildings for an hour."

"Gray, that WAS getting to know you," Juvia said. "I learned that you love history, that you care about preservation, that you think about how people interact with spaces. That you get excited about hand-blown glass and contextual design. I loved every second of it."

"Really?"

"Really." She reached across the table, taking his hand again. "You don't have to apologize for being passionate about things. It's one of the things I love about you."

Gray's expression softened. "One of the things?"

"One of many things," Juvia confirmed, feeling brave. "Should I list them? You're thoughtful. You remember details about people. You care deeply about your students. You bring me tea and treats when I'm stressed. You give excellent hugs. You're brilliant but humble. You push your glasses up when you're nervous, and it's adorable. Should I continue?"

"I think my ego can only handle so many compliments," Gray said, but he was blushing. "But maybe a few more wouldn't hurt."

They ordered food, the conversation flowed as easily as it always did. Juvia told him about growing up in a small coastal town, about her decision to pursue environmental science after seeing the impacts of climate change on her community. Gray shared stories about his undergraduate years, about the professor who'd inspired him to combine architecture with sustainability.

"What made you want to teach?" Juvia asked.

"Honestly? I didn't think I wanted to at first. I thought I'd go into practice, design buildings, maybe start my own firm." Gray twirled his pasta thoughtfully. "But then I was a TA in grad school, and there was this student who was struggling with a design project. He had this amazing vision but couldn't figure out how to make it structurally sound. So I stayed late one night helping him work through it, and when he finally figured it out, the look on his face..." He smiled. "That's when I knew. Teaching lets me help people discover their own brilliance. That's more rewarding than any building I could design."

Juvia's chest felt warm. "You're really good at it. Lucy talks about you sometimes—she has a few friends in your department. They all say you're their favorite professor."

"Lucy talks about you the same way," Gray said. "She's lucky to have you as an advisor. You care about your students' success beyond just their research output. That's rare."

They shared tiramisu for dessert, and somewhere between the coffee and the check, Gray's hand found hers again across the table.

"I don't want this night to end," Juvia admitted softly.

"Neither do I." Gray smiled. "Want to walk by the waterfront? It's pretty this time of evening."

"I would love that."

Gray's POV

The waterfront was beautiful at sunset—the sky painted in oranges and pinks, the water reflecting the colors, sailboats bobbing gently in the harbor. They walked slowly, close enough that their shoulders brushed, hands still intertwined.

"Thank you for tonight," Juvia said. "This was perfect."

"Even the nerdy architecture stuff?"

"Especially the nerdy architecture stuff." She leaned her head against his shoulder. "Juvia meant what she said. She loves seeing you passionate about things."

"I'm passionate about you," Gray said, then immediately wanted to take it back because it sounded like a bad line from a romance movie.

But Juvia stopped walking and turned to face him, her expression soft. "Yeah?"

"Yeah." He might as well commit to it now. "I know we've only been on one official date, but Juvia, I've been falling for you since the day we met. Maybe before I even realized that's what was happening."

"Gray..." She stepped closer, and suddenly they were standing very close, her hands resting on his chest, his hands settling on her waist.

"I really want to kiss you," he said quietly. "But I also don't want to rush anything or make you uncomfortable—"

Juvia rose up on her toes and kissed him.

For a second, Gray's brain short-circuited. Then he kissed her back, one hand coming up to cup her cheek, the other pulling her closer. She fit perfectly against him, and Gray thought this might be the best moment of his entire life.

When they finally pulled apart, both breathless, Juvia was smiling.

"I have wanted to do that for a while," she admitted.

"Me too." Gray rested his forehead against hers. "Can I do it again?"

"Please."

The second kiss was slower, sweeter, and when they finally separated, Gray felt like he was floating.

"I should probably walk you home," he said reluctantly.

"Probably." But neither of them moved.

They stood there, wrapped in each other's arms, watching the sunset over the water, and Gray thought about how perfect this was. How right it felt to hold her, to kiss her, to just exist in her presence.

"Gray?" Juvia said softly.

"Yeah?"

"I'm really happy."

"Me too." He kissed her forehead. "So happy."

They walked back to her apartment slowly, stopping every few blocks to kiss again because neither of them could help it. At her door, Gray pulled her close one more time.

"Can I see you tomorrow?" he asked. "I know we both have work, but maybe lunch?"

"I would love that." She kissed him softly. "Text me when you get home?"

"Of course."

One more kiss, and then Juvia disappeared inside her apartment, leaving Gray standing on her doorstep with a dopey smile on his face.

Juvia's POV - Monday Morning

Juvia was floating.

It was Monday morning, she had a full day of classes and meetings ahead, and she felt like she could take on the world. Because she'd spent all weekend texting Gray, talking on the phone with Gray, and going on a second impromptu coffee date with Gray yesterday afternoon that had ended with more kissing in the parking lot like they were teenagers.

She was in love, and she was happy, and she didn't care who knew it.

Well. She cared a little. They hadn't exactly discussed whether they were telling people yet. But also, she was pretty sure their students had figured it out weeks ago.

She was heading to her office, travel mug of tea in hand, when she heard footsteps behind her.

"Morning, Dr. Lockser."

She turned and her heart did a little flip. Gray was there, two cups in hand, smiling at her with that soft expression that made her melt.

"Good morning, Dr. Fullbuster." She tried to sound professional and failed completely. "What brings you here?"

"Had an early meeting with Dean Scarlet. Thought I'd bring you tea on my way back." He handed her one of the cups. "Earl Grey, right?"

She took the cup, fingers brushing his. "Thank you."

They stood there in the hallway, smiling at each other like idiots.

"I missed you," Gray said quietly.

"You saw me yesterday."

"I know. Still missed you." He glanced around—the hallway was empty—then leaned down and kissed her softly. "Have a good day, Juvia."

"You too, Gray."

He walked away, and Juvia watched him go, admiring the view and not feeling even a little guilty about it.

She turned toward her office and nearly dropped her tea.

Lucy was standing in the doorway of the grad student lounge, eyes wide, mouth open, looking like she'd just witnessed something earth-shattering.

"Lucy! Good morning!" Juvia's voice came out slightly higher than normal.

"Juvia." Lucy's expression shifted from shocked to absolutely delighted. "Did Professor Fullbuster just kiss you?"

"I... that is... I can explain—"

"Oh my god. OH MY GOD." Lucy rushed over, keeping her voice down but vibrating with excitement. "You and Professor Fullbuster are together?! When did this happen?! Tell me everything!"

Juvia looked around nervously. "Lucy, can we maybe discuss this somewhere more private?"

"Right, yes, your office. Let's go."

Five minutes later, Juvia was sitting at her desk while Lucy perched on the edge of the chair across from her, looking like all her dreams had come true.

"Okay," Lucy said. "Spill. When did you two get together?"

Juvia felt her cheeks warm. "We went on our first date Saturday night. It's very new."

"Saturday?! That was two days ago and you didn't tell me?!"

"I was going to tell you! I just... wanted to enjoy it privately for a moment first."

Lucy's expression softened. "I get that. But Juvia, this is so exciting! Natsu and I have been shipping you two for weeks!"

"I'm aware. You've both been very subtle." She couldn't help smiling. "But yes, we're... together. Dating. I really likes him, Lucy."

"He really likes you too. You should see the way he talks about you—" Lucy stopped, looking guilty.

"What do you mean?"

"Okay, so Natsu may have mentioned that Professor Fullbuster has been like, borderline obsessed with you for weeks. He remembers everything you say, he lights up when someone mentions your name, he's been completely gone for you."

Juvia's heart melted. "Really?"

"Really. And now I get to see it in action!" Lucy grinned. "This is the best day ever. Wait until I tell Natsu—"

"Lucy—"

"Don't worry, he won't tell anyone! Well, he'll tell Professor Fullbuster that I saw you two, but that's it! We're like a vault. A vault of romantic support."

Juvia laughed. "You two really have been scheming, haven't you?"

"From the moment I saw you get that look on your face when you talked about him after the first committee meeting." Lucy's smile was smug. "I knew. I KNEW you two would be perfect together."

"Well, you were right." Juvia sipped her latte, unable to stop smiling. "Thank you. For being supportive. And for caring about my happiness."

"Always, Juvia." Lucy stood. "Now I'm going to let you get to work, but I expect updates. And maybe eventually double date details?"

"I think that could be arranged."

After Lucy left, Juvia pulled out her phone.

Juvia: Lucy saw us. She's very excited and has promised to tell Natsu, who will inevitably tell you. Just wanted to give you a heads up.

Gray's response came immediately.

Gray: Ha. Natsu just burst into my office demanding to know why he had to hear about us from Lucy instead of me. He's offended I didn't text him immediately after our first kiss.

Juvia: Did you tell him?

Gray: I told him he's not entitled to a play-by-play of my romantic life, and he said that's what friends are for. Then he gave me a lecture about communication and emotional availability. It was very weird.

Juvia: 😄 He cares about you.

Gray: I know. I'm lucky to have him, even if he's annoying about it. Same way you're lucky to have Lucy.

Juvia: We have good people in our corner.

Gray: The best. Speaking of which, want to have lunch together? On campus this time, since apparently the secret is out anyway.

Juvia: I would love that. 💙

Gray: It's a date. See you at noon?

Juvia: See you then.

Natsu's POV

Natsu was having the time of his life.

"Dude, you didn't tell me!" he said for the third time, sprawled in the chair across from Gray's desk. "Lucy texted me and I had to find out secondhand that you and Professor Lockser are official?!"

"We've been dating for two days, Natsu. I wasn't keeping it a secret, there just hasn't been time—"

"Two days?! The first date was Saturday?!" Natsu sat up. "How did it go? What did you do? Did you kiss her?"

Gray's ears turned red. "That's private."

"That's a yes." Natsu grinned. "Dude, I'm so happy for you! You've been pining for like months, it was getting painful to watch."

"I wasn't pining—"

"You bought her favorite tea and kept it in your office. You rearranged your schedule so you'd run into her. You did that thing where you smile at your phone when she texts. You were absolutely pining."

Gray sighed, pushing his glasses up. "Fine. Maybe I was pining a little."

"And now you're not pining! You're dating! This is character growth!" Natsu pulled out his phone. "I'm texting Lucy. We need to celebrate this."

"Please don't make a big deal out of it—"

"Too late. Lucy and I are planning a double date. It's happening."

"Natsu—"

"Don't fight it, Gray. We're doing this because we love you and we're invested in your happiness." Natsu's expression softened. "Seriously though, man. I'm really happy for you. Professor Lockser seems awesome, and you deserve someone awesome."

"Thanks." Gray's voice was quiet. "That actually means a lot."

"Of course. That's what friends are for." Natsu stood. "Now I'm going to leave you alone so you can get actual work done before your lunch date with your girlfriend."

"She's not—" Gray stopped. "I mean, we haven't really discussed labels yet—"

"Gray. You're dating exclusively. She's your girlfriend. It's fine to call her that."

After Natsu left, Gray sat at his desk, staring at his laptop without really seeing it.

His girlfriend.

Juvia was his girlfriend.

He pulled out his phone.

Gray: Random question. Are we... I mean, is it okay if I refer to you as my girlfriend? Or is that too presumptuous? We haven't really talked about labels and I don't want to assume—

Juvia: Gray, you're overthinking. 😊 Yes, I'm your girlfriend. And you're my boyfriend. Is that okay?

Gray: More than okay. I just wanted to make sure we were on the same page.

Juvia: We are. And I'm very happy about it. 💙

Gray: Me too. See you at lunch, girlfriend.

Juvia: See you at lunch, boyfriend. 💙

Gray smiled at his phone like an idiot, then finally managed to focus on his work.

He had a girlfriend.

And not just any girlfriend—Juvia Lockser. Brilliant, kind, beautiful Juvia, who defended him to jerks at faculty mixers and brought him lunch when he was stressed and kissed him like he was the most important person in the world.

Yeah. He was the luckiest guy on campus.

Gray's POV - Six Weeks Later

Gray had always been bad at organization. His filing system was "put it somewhere and hope I remember where," his calendar was a mess of overlapping commitments, and his tenure portfolio had been a source of anxiety because he could never find half the documents he needed.

Enter Juvia.

"Okay," she said, sitting at his kitchen table with her laptop, color-coded folders spread around her. "I created a tracking system for your tenure portfolio. Publications go here, teaching evaluations here, service activities here. Each category has a checklist of what you need."

Gray stared at the beautifully organized system she'd created. "This is... Juvia, this is amazing. This must have taken you hours."

"I don't mind. I want you to get tenure, and the best way to do that is to be organized." She pulled up a shared calendar. "And look—I made us a shared calendar. That way we can see each other's schedules and find time together without constantly texting back and forth."

"You're a goddess," Gray said seriously. "Like, an actual organizational goddess."

Juvia laughed. "I just likes systems. And color-coding. And making sure the people I love are taken care of."

Gray's heart did that thing it always did when she said stuff like that. They'd said "I love you" two weeks ago, curled up on her couch watching a documentary about sustainable urban planning (because they were nerds who considered that a date night), and it still made him feel like he was floating every time she said it.

"I love you too," he said, leaning over to kiss her. "Even if I'll never understand your color-coding system."

"That's okay. You have other strengths." She kissed him back. "Like making cute sourdough bread and homemade jam and giving great hugs and being brilliant at architecture."

They'd fallen into a routine over the past month and a half. Study dates at each other's apartments, lunch together on campus when their schedules aligned, supporting each other through the chaos of mid-semester. And they'd developed rules—important ones that kept them both sane.

No work after 7:30 PM. Sundays were work-free days. They checked in with each other about stress levels and mental health. They celebrated each other's wins and supported each other through the losses.

It was healthy and wonderful and everything Gray hadn't known a relationship could be.

Juvia's POV - Midterms Week (Again)

"Absolutely not," Juvia said firmly, removing the stack of papers from Gray's hands. "It's 7:25. In five minutes, you're done working for the day."

"But I need to finish these project reviews—"

"They'll still be there tomorrow." She set the papers on his desk, then took his hands. "Gray. You've been working for twelve hours straight. You need to eat actual food and rest."

"Says the woman who was grading until midnight last night."

"Which is why you made me stop and watch that cooking show with you." She smiled. "We take care of each other, remember? That's the deal."

Gray sighed, but she could see him relaxing. "You're right. I'm sorry. I get tunnel vision when I'm stressed."

"I know. That's why I'm here to remind you to be human." She pulled him to his feet. "Come on. We're going to your place, and I'm going to teach you how to make proper stir fry."

"I know how to make stir fry."

"You know how to make sad vegetables in a pan. I'm going to teach you how to make GOOD stir fry."

An hour later, they were in Gray's kitchen, and Juvia was demonstrating proper knife technique while Gray watched, fascinated.

"The key is to cut everything the same size so it cooks evenly," she explained. "See? And you want the pan really hot before you add anything."

"You're really good at this," Gray said, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"My mother taught her. Cooking is like chemistry—follow the process, and you get good results." She leaned back against him. "Plus, it's meditative. Helps me decompress after long days."

They cooked together, moving around each other with easy familiarity. Gray chopped vegetables while Juvia handled the sauce. She taught him about heat control and timing, and he actually paid attention instead of just letting her take over.

"This is really good," Gray said when they finally sat down to eat. "Like, actually restaurant-quality good."

"It's just stir fry."

"It's YOUR stir fry, which makes it special." He smiled at her. "Thank you. For taking care of me. For making me stop working. For being here."

"Always," Juvia said softly. "That's what partners do."

After dinner, they curled up on Gray's couch. Juvia had brought her knitting—a hobby that kept her hands busy while helping her relax—while Gray read a book he'd been trying to finish for months.

"This is nice," he said after a while. "Just... existing together. No pressure to be doing anything specific."

"I think so too." She smiled at him. "This is my favorite part of the day. Just being with you."

"Same." He set down his book, pulling her closer. "I know we've only been together for about two months, but I can't imagine my life without you anymore. Is that weird?"

"Not weird. I feel the same way." She set aside her knitting, curling into his embrace. "You've become my home, Gray."

He kissed the top of her head. "You're mine too."

They stayed like that, wrapped up in each other, and Juvia thought about how perfect this was. Not perfect in a fairytale way—they both had stressful jobs and demanding schedules and their own anxieties and struggles. But perfect in the way they supported each other through it all. The way they'd built something real and healthy and strong.

Gray's POV - Sunday Morning

Sunday mornings had become Gray's favorite.

No work. No meetings. No emails to answer or projects to grade. Just him and Juvia, sleeping in, making breakfast together, spending the day however they wanted.

Today, they were at Juvia's apartment. Gray had stayed over the night before (which was becoming more common, though they were both careful about maintaining their own spaces and independence). He woke up to morning light filtering through her curtains and Juvia still asleep beside him, her blue hair spread across the pillow.

He took a moment just to look at her, to appreciate how lucky he was.

Then her eyes fluttered open, and she smiled.

"Good morning," she murmured.

"Morning." He kissed her softly. "Sleep okay?"

"Mmm. Better than okay." She stretched, then curled back into his side. "What time is it?"

"Almost nine. We slept in."

"Good. We needed it." She traced patterns on his chest idly. "What should we do today?"

"I was thinking we could go to that farmer's market you like. Maybe walk around the botanical gardens. Get brunch somewhere."

"That sounds perfect." Juvia looked up at him. "Gray?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm really happy. With you. With this. I just wanted you to know that."

"I'm happy too," he said seriously. "Happier than I've been in a long time. Maybe ever."

They stayed in bed for another half hour, just talking and being close, before finally getting up to start their day.

Gray made coffee while Juvia made them eggs and toast. They ate on her tiny balcony, enjoying the fall weather and planning their day. It was domestic and simple and absolutely perfect.

At the farmer's market, Juvia loaded up on vegetables and fresh bread while Gray carried her bags and tried samples of local honey. They held hands as they walked, stopping occasionally to look at handmade crafts or talk to vendors.

"Oh!" Juvia stopped at a booth selling plants. "Look at this one. It would be perfect for your office—it doesn't need much light."

"My office is a plant graveyard," Gray warned. "I forget to water things."

"Then I will remind you." She smiled up at him. "Or I'll water it when I visit."

Gray bought the plant, because he'd buy Juvia anything that made her smile like that.

At the botanical gardens, they walked slowly through the autumn displays, and Juvia told him about different plant species while Gray photographed interesting architectural features of the garden structures.

"We're such nerds," Gray said fondly.

"The best kind of nerds." Juvia squeezed his hand. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

They got brunch at a café with outdoor seating, sharing French toast and talking about everything and nothing. About her research on climate policy implementation. About his latest student project. About whether they should get tickets to the symphony next month (yes, definitely yes).

"I've been thinking," Gray said as they were finishing their meal. "About next semester. My teaching schedule is pretty flexible. I could shift some office hours so we have more overlapping free time."

"I was thinking the same thing. I need to adjust my seminar schedule anyway." She pulled out her ever-present planner. "We could coordinate better. Make sure we're protecting our time together."

They spent the next twenty minutes comparing schedules, finding pockets of time they could claim for themselves. It was practical and maybe not traditionally romantic, but for them, it was perfect.

"We're really doing this," Gray said. "Building a life together."

"We are." Juvia reached across the table, taking his hand. "And I'm excited about every part of it."

Juvia's POV - Evening

They ended up back at Gray's apartment as the sun was setting. They'd picked up groceries and were making dinner together again—something that had become their routine. Gray was getting better at cooking, more confident with his knife skills, and Juvia loved watching him learn.

"Taste this," he said, holding out a spoon. "Did I get the seasoning right?"

Juvia tasted the sauce. "Perfect. See? You're learning."

"I have a good teacher." He kissed her cheek, then returned to stirring.

They worked in comfortable silence, the kind that comes from being truly at ease with someone. Music played softly from Gray's laptop—a playlist they'd created together, mixing her favorite indie folk with his preference for instrumental jazz.

After dinner, they did dishes together. Gray washed, Juvia dried. It was simple and domestic and Juvia had never felt more content.

"Thank you for today," she said as they finished. "I needed this. Just... a day to breathe. To be with you without any work stress."

"That's what Sundays are for." Gray dried his hands, then pulled her close. "No work. Just us. That's the rule."

"It's a good rule." She wrapped her arms around his neck. "We're good at this, aren't we? At balancing everything?"

"We are. Because we communicate. We support each other. We have boundaries." He smiled. "Also because you're incredibly organized and keep me on track."

"And you make sure I take breaks and eat regularly and don't work myself into the ground." She kissed him softly. "We're a good team."

"The best team."

They moved to the couch, and Juvia pulled out her knitting while Gray opened his book again. The evening stretched ahead of them, comfortable and quiet and perfect.

"Gray?" Juvia said after a while.

"Mm?"

"I love you. So much."

He looked at her with so much affection it made her heart ache. "I love you too. More than I thought I could love anyone."

She set aside her knitting and curled into his side, and he wrapped his arm around her, and they stayed like that for the rest of the evening.

Content. Happy. Home.

Erza's POV - Three Months Later

Dean Erza Scarlet had seen a lot in her years in academia. Brilliant researchers, terrible teachers, political nightmares, and the occasional actual success story.

But watching Gray Fullbuster and Juvia Lockser's relationship develop over the past five months had been, quite frankly, adorable.

They thought they were subtle. They weren't.

The way they met for lunch every day. The way Gray always had tea ready when Juvia came to his office for their sustainability project meetings. The way Juvia would fix Gray's collar or straighten his glasses without thinking about it. The way they looked at each other like the other person hung the moon.

Erza was thrilled. They were both excellent professors, dedicated researchers, and genuinely good people. They deserved happiness.

Which was why she'd called them both to her office for a meeting that she was fairly certain would make them very happy indeed.

There was a knock at her door.

"Come in!"

Gray and Juvia entered together—of course they did—and sat in the chairs across from her desk. They were holding hands, Erza noticed with amusement. Not even trying to hide it anymore.

"Thank you both for coming," Erza said. "I have some news about your Green Campus Initiative proposal."

They exchanged nervous glances.

"The university administration has been reviewing your joint proposal for sustainable campus modifications," Erza continued. "Along with the policy framework and architectural designs you've developed over the past six months."

"And?" Gray asked, his hand tightening on Juvia's.

Erza smiled. "And they've approved full funding. Three million dollars over three years to implement your sustainability plan."

There was a beat of shocked silence.

"Wait," Juvia said. "Full funding? Three million?"

"The proposal was exceptional. Thorough, innovative, and feasible. The board was unanimous." Erza pulled out a folder. "You'll be co-principal investigators. Which means release time from teaching, research funding, graduate student support—everything you need to make this happen."

Gray looked like he might pass out. "This is... I can't believe..."

"Believe it," Erza said warmly. "You both did excellent work. This is going to be a flagship project for the university."

Juvia had tears in her eyes. "Thank you, Erza. This means everything."

"You earned it." Erza leaned back in her chair. "There is one thing, though. As co-PIs on a major grant, you'll need to disclose your relationship to HR. It's university policy for any romantic relationships between collaborators on funded projects."

They both went slightly pink.

"We were planning to do that anyway," Gray said. "We've just been... private about it."

"I understand. And for what it's worth, I think you two are wonderful together." Erza's expression softened. "You balance each other well. And this project is proof of how strong your partnership is, both professionally and personally."

After they left—Juvia practically floating, Gray still looking shell-shocked—Erza pulled out her phone.

Erza: Jellal, you owe me dinner. I told you they'd get the grant.

Jellal: I never doubted them. I just doubted the university bureaucracy. But I'm happy to buy you dinner to celebrate. 😊

Erza: They were so cute. Holding hands and everything. Young love is precious.

Jellal: You're getting soft in your old age, Dean Scarlet.

Erza: Don't push it. I can still kick your ass.

Jellal: I'm aware. It's one of the things I love about you. ❤️

Gray's POV

Gray and Juvia made it approximately thirty seconds out of Dean Scarlet's office before Juvia threw her arms around him.

"We did it!" she said, laughing and crying at the same time. "Gray, we actually did it!"

He picked her up and spun her around, both of them laughing. "Three million dollars. Full funding. This is insane."

"This is amazing!" Juvia kissed him enthusiastically, right there in the hallway. "I;m so proud of us. Of you. Your architectural designs were brilliant—"

"Your policy framework made it feasible. We did this together." He set her down but kept his arms around her. "Partner."

"Partners," she agreed, beaming up at him.

His phone buzzed.

Natsu: DUDE. Lucy just heard from someone who heard from Dean Scarlet's assistant that you got the big grant??? IS IT TRUE??

Gray: Yes. Full funding.

Natsu: HOLY SHIT CONGRATULATIONS!! We're celebrating. Tonight. No arguments.

Gray: Fine. But somewhere low-key.

Natsu: Deal. That pizza place you like. 7pm. Bring your girlfriend. Lucy and I are buying.

Juvia was checking her phone too. "Lucy wants to celebrate tonight."

"Natsu just said the same thing. Pizza at seven?"

"Perfect." Juvia slipped her phone away, then looked up at him with soft eyes. "Gray, this is going to change everything. For our careers, our research—"

"For us," he added quietly. "We're going to be working together even more closely now."

"Is that okay? I know some people might think it's too much, mixing professional and personal—"

"It's more than okay." He cupped her face gently. "I love working with you. I love being with you. Getting to do both? That's perfect."

She kissed him softly. "I love you."

"I love you too."

Natsu's POV - That Evening

The celebration at the pizza place was perfect. Casual, comfortable, just the four of them in a corner booth celebrating their friends' success.

"To Gray and Juvia," Lucy said, raising her beer. "The most brilliant research duo on campus."

"And the cutest couple," Natsu added with a grin.

"Natsu—" Gray started.

"What? You are! It's a fact!" Natsu clinked his glass against Lucy's. "You two are like, actual relationship goals. Lucy and I aspire to your level of adorable."

Lucy turned pink. "Natsu..."

"What? We do!" He looked at her with warm eyes, and something passed between them that made Gray and Juvia exchange knowing looks.

"Wait," Juvia said. "Are you two...?"

"Dating? Yeah." Natsu slipped his arm around Lucy's shoulders. "Have been for like two months. We were trying to be subtle about it."

"You were not subtle," Gray said flatly. "You've been mooning over each other since the day you met."

"Says the guy who spent a month and a half pining before finally asking his crush on a date," Natsu shot back.

"Fair point."

They ordered pizza—too much pizza, honestly, but they were celebrating—and fell into easy conversation. Lucy told stories about her thesis research. Natsu complained about a particularly difficult student project. Gray and Juvia talked about their plans for the Green Campus Initiative.

"I still can't believe it's real," Juvia said, shaking her head. "Three years of funded research. Graduate students to help with implementation. Release time from teaching so we can focus on the project."

"You earned it," Lucy said firmly. "Your proposal was incredible. I proofread parts of it, remember? It was so thorough and well-researched."

"That's because we're both huge nerds," Gray said with a smile. "We spent months on that proposal."

"Months well spent," Juvia agreed, squeezing his hand under the table.

"So what's next?" Natsu asked. "Besides the obvious world domination through sustainable architecture."

"World domination is definitely on the list," Gray said seriously. "But first, we need to hire graduate research assistants, set up project timelines, coordinate with facilities management—"

"He's asking about your relationship, dummy," Lucy interrupted, grinning. "Not your work plan."

Gray blinked. "Oh."

Juvia laughed. "Honestly, we haven't really talked about it. We've been so focused on the grant proposal. But now that we have funding and job security..." She looked at Gray. "Maybe we should talk about the future?"

"Yeah," Gray said softly. "Yeah, we should."

The conversation moved on, but Natsu noticed that Gray and Juvia kept exchanging these looks—soft, meaningful, full of unspoken understanding.

Those two were going to get married someday. Natsu would bet money on it.

Actually, he was already betting money on it. He and Lucy had a running pool about when Gray would propose. Lucy thought within a year. Natsu thought six months.

He was really hoping he was right. He could use the extra cash.

Gray's POV - 6 Months Later

Gray had been thinking about the future a lot lately.

About the grant, yes, and tenure (which felt more secure now with major funding), and his research trajectory. But mostly about Juvia.

They'd been together for almost nine months now. Nine months of being happier than he'd ever been. Of building a life together, of supporting each other, of falling more in love every single day.

He wanted forever with her. He was sure of it.

Which was why he was currently sitting in a jewelry store, looking at engagement rings and trying not to panic.

"Do you have something specific in mind?" the jeweler asked kindly.

"Something... elegant? Classic but not boring? She likes blue—her hair is blue, actually—but I don't know if that's too much for a ring..." Gray ran his hand through his hair. "Sorry, I'm not good at this."

"It's alright. Let's start with the basics. What's her style?"

Gray thought about Juvia. Her Pinterest-perfect outfits, her bullet journal covered in floral stickers, her apartment full of plants and fairy lights. "Romantic. Soft. But also practical—she's a scientist, she works with her hands, so nothing too fragile or high-maintenance."

The jeweler smiled. "I think I have some options."

Thirty minutes later, Gray left the store with a ring on order—gold with a small sapphire accent, elegant and timeless but with a touch of color that felt like Juvia. It would be ready in three weeks.

Three weeks to plan how he was going to propose.

Three weeks to panic about whether he was moving too fast.

Three weeks to convince himself that this was right—and to remember that it was. He and Juvia talked about everything. They'd discussed future plans, what they wanted from life, where they saw themselves in five years. They'd both mentioned marriage in abstract terms, both agreed that when you found the right person, you knew.

He knew.

Now he just had to plan the perfect proposal.

Juvia's POV - Three Weeks Later

Something was up with Gray.

He'd been distracted lately, checking his phone more than usual, sometimes trailing off mid-conversation like he was thinking about something else. And he kept suggesting weekend plans with unusual specificity—not just "want to do something Saturday?" but "want to go to the botanical gardens Saturday afternoon?"

Juvia wasn't worried, exactly. He didn't seem stressed or upset. If anything, he seemed... excited? Nervous?

She was in her office grading papers when Lucy knocked on her open door.

"Juvia? Do you have a minute?"

"Of course, love. Come in."

Lucy sat down, looking pleased with herself about something. "I just wanted to check in about the research timeline for next semester. With your new grant project starting, I wasn't sure how it would affect my thesis work."

"It shouldn't affect it much. You'll still have my full support as your advisor." Juvia smiled. "Actually, the grant means I will have more flexibility in my schedule. I'll probably have more time for meetings, not less."

"That's great!" Lucy hesitated. "Can I ask you something personal?"

"Of course."

"Are you and Professor Fullbuster... I mean, things are good? You seem really happy."

Juvia felt her expression soften. "Things are wonderful. He makes me very happy."

"Good. That's good." Lucy was definitely smiling about something. "You two are really perfect together."

After Lucy left, Juvia pulled out her phone.

Juvia: Lucy just asked if things were good between us in a very pointed way. Are you and Natsu scheming something?

Gray: Would you believe me if I said no?

Juvia: Not even a little bit.

Gray: Then I'm not going to bother lying. 😊

Juvia: Should I be worried?

Gray: Definitely not worried. Maybe... excited? If you're free Saturday afternoon?

Juvia: I am. What did you have in mind?

Gray: It's a surprise. Wear something you'd wear on a nice date.

Juvia: Now I'm very curious.

Gray: Good. 💙 I'll pick you up at 2.

Gray's POV - Saturday Afternoon

Gray had never been this nervous in his life.

The ring box felt like it weighed a thousand pounds in his jacket pocket. He'd checked it approximately forty times in the past hour to make sure it was still there.

He picked Juvia up at 2pm as planned. She was wearing a flowing dark sage silk skirt with an off-the-shoulder black top, her hair in soft waves, and Gray had to take a moment to just look at her.

"Hi," he said.

"Hi." She smiled. "You look nice. And nervous. Should I be concerned?"

"Not concerned. Just... trust me?"

"Always."

He drove them to the botanical gardens—the same place they'd walked on their first work-free Sunday together. It was a beautiful spring day, flowers blooming everywhere, and Gray's heart was racing so fast he thought it might explode.

They walked hand-in-hand through the gardens, and Gray tried to act normal. Juvia kept giving him curious looks but didn't push.

"This is nice," she said softly. "I love it here."

"I know. That's why I wanted to bring you here today." Gray stopped walking, turning to face her. They were in a secluded area surrounded by flowering trees, petals drifting in the breeze. "Juvia, can I tell you something?"

"Of course."

He took her hands, his heart pounding. "When we met, I wasn't looking for a relationship. I was focused on tenure, on research, on just... surviving in academia. And then you walked into that committee meeting and asked the smartest question I'd ever heard, and suddenly everything changed."

Juvia's eyes were getting misty. "Gray..."

"You made me want more than just surviving. You made me want to actually live. To be happy. To build something real with someone." He squeezed her hands. "You're my best friend. My partner. My home. And I can't imagine spending my life with anyone else."

He let go of her hands and dropped to one knee, pulling out the ring box.

Juvia gasped, tears spilling over.

"Juvia Lockser, will you marry me?"

For a moment, she just stared at him, crying and smiling. Then she dropped to her knees in front of him, cupping his face in her hands.

"Yes," she said, laughing through tears. "Yes, yes, a thousand times yes!"

Gray's hands were shaking as he slipped the ring onto her finger. It fit perfectly, the sapphires catching the light, and Juvia was crying and kissing him and he was kissing her back and laughing because she said yes, she actually said yes.

"I love you so much," he murmured against her lips.

"I love you too. So much." She pulled back to look at the ring, then at him. "It's perfect. Gray, it's beautiful."

"You're beautiful." He kissed her again, softer this time.

She was beaming through her tears. "We're getting married!"

They stayed there in the garden, holding each other and crying happy tears, until Juvia finally said, "We should tell people. Lucy and Natsu are going to lose their minds."

"Actually," Gray pulled out his phone sheepishly, "they might already know. Natsu helped me pick out the ring. And Lucy may have helped me figure out what kind of proposal you'd like."

Juvia laughed. "They're going to be insufferable about this."

"Absolutely insufferable."

"I can't wait."

They walked back through the gardens, Juvia admiring her ring in the sunlight, both of them unable to stop smiling.

"Can we go tell them in person?" Juvia asked. "I want to see their faces."

"That's exactly what I was thinking."

Lucy's POV - An Hour Later

Lucy was in her apartment with Natsu, allegedly working on their respective research projects but actually just distracting each other, when there was a knock at the door.

"Coming!" She opened it to find Gray and Juvia standing there, both grinning like maniacs.

"Hi," Juvia said, holding out her left hand. "I have news."

Lucy screamed.

"NATSU! NATSU GET IN HERE! THEY'RE ENGAGED!"

Natsu came running from the kitchen. "He proposed?! Already?! Dude, it's only been nine months!"

"When you know, you know," Gray said, but he was smiling.

Lucy pulled Juvia into a hug. "Let me see the ring! Oh my god, it's gorgeous! When did this happen? Tell me everything!"

"About an hour ago. At the botanical gardens." Juvia was glowing. "He was so nervous, it was adorable."

"I wasn't that nervous," Gray protested.

"You were shaking," Juvia said fondly.

"Well, yeah, I was proposing to the love of my life. That's nerve-wracking!"

Natsu pulled Gray into a hug, then punched his shoulder. "Congrats, man. I'm really happy for you."

"Thanks. And thank you for helping with the ring. You were actually useful for once."

"I'm always useful! Lucy, tell him I'm useful."

"You're sometimes useful," Lucy said diplomatically, and Natsu mock-pouted.

They celebrated with takeout and champagne, Lucy and Natsu demanding every detail of the proposal, Juvia showing off her ring approximately seven hundred times, Gray looking happier than Lucy had ever seen him.

"So when's the wedding?" Natsu asked.

"We literally just got engaged," Gray said.

"And?"

Gray looked at Juvia. "What do you think? Long engagement or...?"

"I don't want to wait too long," she admitted. "Maybe next summer? That gives us time to plan but not so much time that we're overthinking everything."

"Next summer sounds perfect," Gray agreed.

"I call maid of honor!" Lucy said immediately.

"And I call best man!" Natsu added.

"You two are so predictable," Gray said, but he was smiling.

"You love us," Lucy and Natsu said in unison, then looked at each other and laughed.

As the evening wore on, Lucy watched her friends—her found family—and felt overwhelmingly happy. Gray and Juvia, who'd found each other and built something beautiful. Natsu, who made her laugh and supported her dreams and who she was pretty sure she was going to marry someday too.

This was good. This was right. This was home.

Epilogue: Two Years Later

Juvia's POV

Professor Juvia Lockser-Fullbuster (she still got a thrill every time she saw her new name on her office door) was having a very good day.

The Green Campus Initiative was in its second year and exceeding all expectations. Their sustainable building modifications had reduced campus energy consumption by 23%, and they'd been invited to present their model at a national conference. Her research on environmental policy implementation had been published in a top-tier journal. And best of all, Gray had gotten tenure last semester with a unanimous committee vote.

They were thriving, professionally and personally.

She was in her office when Gray knocked on the open door, two cups of tea in hand.

"Delivery for Professor Lockser-Fullbuster," he said with a smile.

"Which one?" Juvia teased. "There are two of us now."

"The prettier one." He came in, setting the tea on her desk and kissing her hello. "How's your day?"

"Good. Productive. Erza wants to meet about extending our grant funding for another three years."

"That's amazing!" Gray beamed. "They'd be stupid not to extend it. The project is a massive success."

"Only because we're a good team." She pulled him down for another kiss. "How was your thesis defense observation?"

"The student did great. Really solid work." He settled into the chair across from her desk—his unofficial spot during her office hours. "Natsu asked if we're free for dinner Friday. Apparently he has news."

"Ooh, what kind of news?"

"He wouldn't say. But knowing Natsu, he's probably going to propose to Lucy."

Juvia gasped. "Do you really think so?"

"I helped him pick out a ring three weeks ago."

"Gray Lockser-Fullbuster! You kept that secret from me?!"

"Natsu swore me to secrecy! I wasn't allowed to tell anyone, not even my wife." He grinned. "But yeah, I think it's happening soon. He's been as nervous as I was before I proposed to you."

"I remember." She smiled fondly. "It was very sweet."

"I was terrified you'd say no."

"I would never have said no. I was already planning our future together."

Her phone buzzed with a text from Lucy.

Lucy: Juvia! Do you and Gray want to get dinner Friday? Natsu's being weird and secretive about something and I could use backup.

Juvia showed Gray the text, and they both grinned.

Juvia: Of course! Name the place and we'll be there. 😊

"This is going to be fun," Gray said.

"Poor Lucy has no idea." Juvia sipped her tea. "Remember when that was us? When Natsu and Lucy were the ones scheming to get us together?"

"And now we're the ones watching them fall in love." Gray stood, coming around her desk to pull her to her feet. "Full circle."

"I like our circle." She wrapped her arms around his neck. "I like our life."

"Me too." He kissed her softly. "Love you, Professor Lockser-Fullbuster."

"Love you too, Professor Lockser-Fullbuster."

They stood there in her office, holding each other, and Juvia thought about how perfect this was. How right. Building a life together, supporting each other's dreams, creating something beautiful both professionally and personally.

She'd come to Magnolia University looking for a fresh start. Instead, she'd found home.

She'd found Gray.

And she'd never been happier.