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Anchor's magic dissipated into the air and for a long moment, neither of them moved.
Gray's chest was still heaving. The silence that followed the fight rang louder than the battle itself had.
Because Juvia was standing three feet away from him, soaked to the skin, her hair plastered to her cheek, staring at the downed like she wasn't sure it was over yet.
She'd been the one to pull him back from the brink twice during that fight and he could still feel the ghost of her lips against his. Warm, frantic, and terrified as they gave each other their own air.
Twice.
Gray dragged a hand through his hair, and the words came out before he'd fully decided to say them.
"So, uh, about the whole —" He gestured vaguely between them, then dropped his hand quickly when she looked confused. "I mean, you with the, uh... That's — I just wanted to say, uhm —"
He didn't even know where the sentence was going, or how to say it, because all he could think about was how he would ever get to kiss her again.
Juvia's expression shifted immediately. The brightness that had been there, the relief that they'd won, that they were both still standing, dimmed with his stuttered words. She looked down at her hands.
"Yeah, Juvia knows." Her voice was quiet, and his heart broke a little because she just looked so sad. "We can talk later, right?" She shrugged dismissively and rolled her eyes as she spoke.
He'd never heard that kind of resignation in her voice before. He heard his own voice from almost over a year ago, clear as if he'd said it five minutes ago.
I'll give you my answer after the battle is over.
Then…
You can't expect her to wait around for you forever.
Juvina's teasing voice from months back when he was telling himself there'd be time for him to become more confident in himself. But now he was looking right at the consequences of his stalling.
Juvia, completely soaked and tired, and already turning to walk it off, like she'd walked off every other almost that he'd given her over the years.
He didn't think, he just moved.
He needed her to be happy.
Two steps closed the distance between them, and his hands were cradling her cheeks. Cold fingers against her damp skin, tilting her face up to his. Her breath caught, eyes wide, lips parting to say his name, but he didn't let her finish it.
He kissed her.
Properly, this time. Not out of necessity or a fight for breath. He kissed her like he'd been holding it in for years, because he had been. One hand slid back to bury itself in her wet hair, the other pressed firm against her jaw, tilting her further into him to get more friction between them.
She went stiff with shock for half a second, a small sound catching in her throat, and then she kissed him back.
Her hands fisted into his hair and pulled, bringing him in closer and smooshing their faces harder together, and he groaned low against her mouth at the feel of her pressed flush to him.
He kissed her harder for it, tasting salt where her earlier tears had slipped free. She kissed him back with everything she had, three years of waiting for him had finally found somewhere to go, her fingers dragging to curl against the back of his neck, holding him there like she was afraid he'd vanish the second she let go.
The world narrowed down to nothing but her, the heat of her mouth against his cold being, the way she gasped his name into the kiss when he bit her lower lip, the slide of his thumb along her jaw as he tilted his head to chase her deeper.
He wasn't sure how long they stood like that, only that when air finally became a necessity did he think to move, but he still was reluctant to give up even a fraction of an inch.
When he finally pulled back, just enough to breathe, he didn't let go of her face. He rested his forehead against hers, both of them a little wrecked, chests rising and falling too fast, close enough that his next words were spoken directly against her mouth.
"I love you."
He felt her breath hitch and she went stiff against him.
Gray pulled back another inch, just far enough to actually look at her, at those wide blue eyes, her parted lips, the color rising in her cheeks. He wanted her to see his face when he said it, wanted there to be no more room left for doubt.
"And… you're mine," it was the easiest thing he'd ever said out loud.
Juvia's eyes went glassy almost instantly, tears welling up fast. Her voice came out small and hopeful, "...And you're mine too?"
Gray huffed out a soft laugh, a little rough at the edges and the sound of it seemed to undo her further, because a tear finally slipped free down her cheek.
"Yeah," he nodded earnestly, his hands tightening their grip around her head in affection. "I'm yours too."
That was as much talking as he had patience for.
He was already leaning back in before she could say anything more, hand sliding into her hair again, tilting her mouth up to meet his.
This kiss was slower than the last, her breath stuttered against his lips and he had every intention of making up for every single day he'd made her wait, one kiss at a time.