#gruvia week 2018

[officialinuyasha]

Canon - Cultural Differences

What is Canon? "a collection or list of sacred books accepted as genuine." Originated from religious texts then it was used in Fiction which became more known especially as a Western concept. "The Politics of Film Canon" by Janet Staiger in 1985 https://www.jstor.org/stable/1225428

Canon in Western VS Japanese Media Mod Esther Esther Xiao Jia Jia: “There is no such thing as canon in Japan, so anything that approved by Rumiko is considered as official. Japanese and other non Anglospheric fans take something with huge similarities as a part of a group, rather than separating it because of differences. Canon is merely a term that created by Anglospheric fans”

Well-known Naruto translator OrganicDinosaur speaks about the subject of "Canon" https://twitter.com/OrganicDinosaur/status/1101961667397763074 They said: "A lot of people ask me about distinguishing what’s considered ‘canon’ or not, but honestly it’s a Western concept. I rarely encounter media disclaimers that say 公式設定 (Official Setting) or 二時創作 (Derivative Work) when it comes to delineating products/anime/manga/novels.

Certainly, I haven’t seen a staff interview where they explicitly use these terms when it comes to Boruto. In general, I tend to notice that JP fans accept all mediums as part of the real timeline. Contradictory events are basically still accepted that it “happened”… Somehow.

I spent two hours today talking to some of my JP friends and they were completely surprised about how much Western fans nitpick individual anime episodes and novels for how ‘canon’ they are. They never realized fans could “reject” particular parts of a franchise. 😂"

What Sunrise thinks is Official https://otakurevolution.com/content/gundam-what-sunrise-thinks-is-official “Watanabe: Regardless of whether it’s part of the formal mythology or something that Sunrise oversaw, the basis of what counts as “official” is whatever is in the footage. “

InuYasha Yashahime Translator Ayuuria speaks on the subject https://ayuuria.tumblr.com/post/640974253932560384/is-it-true-that-yashahime-isnt-canon-because "Rumiko-sensei is actually more involved in the series than we realized. I’m currently translating the Livedoor News Interview and it gives a lot of insight on the writing and creation process of the anime. I should have that done next week. Canon is more of a Western term. I personally consider it canon but to each their own. From what I’ve seen, the JP fandom has been mostly supportive."

I asked Ayuuria what word Hideyuki Tomioka used for "canon" at Anime Boston 2018 for the InuYasha Panel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acn1q9X30qs "He didn't really use a word for canon so to speak. He said Gensaku which means the original/source work (aka the work the anime is based off of)"

What the word “canon” actually means (Japan vs The West) https://fuck-yeah-gruvia.tumblr.com/post/622928679634386944/what-the-word-canon-actually-means-japan-vs-the "There is not a one-to-one translation for “canon” in the Japanese language, as it is a very western concept. However, they do have their own word for it, which is the actual definition of canon. In Japan, the word for canon is 公式 (kōshiki/official). But their perception of what constitutes official is different than that of the west."

The Story in Which Doosh Taught Hiro Mashima the Word, “Canon" https://koori-mizu.tumblr.com/post/167038684341 dooshiedoosh: "The Japanese Kodansha staff asked what we called it in America, so I flipped over the sign and showed them “Gruvia is canon.” What followed, is Mashima asking the translator what the word “canon” meant. I ended up replying, “official, together, real couple in the story.”"

Masahiro Ito dislikes Westerners always pushing the idea of "Canon" https://twitter.com/adsk4/status/1263288565980475392 "I hate the word "canon" they use frequently. :-] I really really really hate the people who always push his idea on other people." He also explains the four endings of Silent Hill are all "canon" the official endings or else they would not have made them. https://twitter.com/adsk4/status/1653201608556306433

Maromi Ika talks about the drama of Antis VS Proshippers https://twitter.com/maromi_ika/status/1626242873715998723 "I hate to have to tell you this story, but I have decided that I need to explain it in English because some people keep harassing me and my followers It is very long and in English using a translator, so some of the intent may not be understood, but please be sure to read it all First of all, I am Japanese and live in Japan. The idea or concept of Propshipper does not exist in Japan. All that is required to publish a work in Japan is zoning, and in fiction, all depictions are allowed, and It is considered an ugly act to speak ill of someone's work, no matter what their taste is. Some people advise me to block the person you are following because he/she is a proshipper. I do not discriminate against them as long as they are properly zoned. That is the rule in Japan"

Westerners and Easterners see the world differently

Source -

Chinese and American people see the world differently – literally. While Americans focus on the central objects of photographs, Chinese individuals pay more attention to the image as a whole, according to psychologists at the University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor, US.

“There is plenty of anecdotal evidence suggesting that Western and East Asian people have contrasting world-views,” explains Richard Nisbett, who carried out the study. “Americans break things down analytically, focusing on putting objects into categories and working out what rules they should obey,” he says.

By contrast, East Asians have a more holistic philosophy, looking at objects in relation to the whole. “Figuratively, Americans see things in black and white, while East Asians see more shades of grey,” says Nisbett. “We wanted to devise an experiment to see if that translated to a literal difference in what they actually see.”

The researchers tracked the eye-movements of two groups of students while they looked at photographs. One group contained American-born graduates of European descent and the other was comprised of Chinese-born graduate students who came to the US after their undergraduate degrees.

Each picture showed a striking central image placed in a realistic background, such as a tiger in a jungle. They found that the American students spent longer looking at the central object, while the Chinese students’ eyes tended to dart around, taking in the context.

Harmony versus goals

Nisbett and his colleagues believe that this distinctive pattern has developed because of the philosophies of these two cultures. “Harmony is a central idea in East Asian philosophy, and so there is more emphasis on how things relate to the whole,” says Nisbett. “In the West, by contrast, life is about achieving goals.”

Psychologists watching American and Japanese families playing with toys have also noted this difference. “An American mother will say: ‘Look Billy, a truck. It’s shiny and has wheels.’ The focus is on the object,” explains Nisbett. By contrast, Japanese mothers stress context saying things like, “I push the truck to you and you push it to me. When you throw it at the wall, the wall says ‘ouch’.”

Nisbett also cites language development in the cultures. “To Westerners it seems obvious that babies learn nouns more easily. But while this is the case in the West, studies show that Korean and Chinese children pick up verbs – which relate objects to each other – more easily.

“Nisbett’s work is interesting and suggestive,” says John Findlay, a psychologist specialising in human visual attention at Durham University, UK. “It’s always difficult to put an objective measure on cultural differences, but this group have made a step towards that.”

Nisbett hopes that his work will change the way the cultures view each other. “Understanding that there is a real difference in the way people think should form the basis of respect.”

[manjimelody]

Gruvia Week 2018  Day 7: You’re Mine

[tachipaws]

the highest function of l o v e 
is that it makes the loved one 
a u n i q u e 
and i r r e p l a c e a b l e 
being GRUVIA WEEK 2018
↳Day 5: Irreplaceable 

[gruviaweek]

After careful consideration, it has been decided we will have our official Gruvia Week after all. Thank you to all who provided feedback. :) It’s uncertain whether or not this will be the last Gruvia Week, depending on the activity and fandom. Hopefully it won’t be. Nevertheless, it’s time to get creative and enjoy this wonderful event we have kept going for SIX years! The official prompt list for Gruvia Week 2018 is out now! Those who are new to the week, unfamiliar, or would like to simply rehash, please click here to learn how to participate. Also be sure to follow the rules and guidelines. Feel free to ask questions, however please check this blog’s previous posts before submitting them. It’s possible your question could have already been answered. Gruvia Week will be held from April 1st - April 7th as always. It’s a month away, so lets save those dates and spread the word. ♡

*Remember to tag your work with #gruvia week (with the space).

*Special thanks to @giushia​ for the banner help and art. ❤

[cshead]

Gruvia Week - day 4 : PHOTOGRAPH

"We keep this love in a photograph" -Ed Sheeran

[lilynox]

Gruvia Week Day 3 - Journey and day 4 - Photograph

I finally had some time to draw. Honestly I wanted to contribute but I didn’t have that many ideas about how to make it work and while listening to Ed Sheeran’s Photograph I came up with this. I hop eI have enough time to also participate in the last day because I dont think I will be able to take more part in this T.T

Hope you guys like it. I still have a lot to improve and Happy Gruvia Week

PD: I have a ko-fi account so if you ever feel like donating, that would be really awesome and I would always be thankful :D

https://ko-fi.com/yaminoreturner

[malockser]

Day One: Promise 

Sooooo here we go with another one Gruvia Week ( YAY!!!) this is  the third time that i participate at this event and the first time that i didn’t forget and remembering one day earlier ^ ^’

Everyone have a nice Gruvia Week ~ 

Anime Top Arts / MaLockser ~ 

[hitomi-akera]

I wanted to do an edition for the week gruvia but I did not have time, however, I ended up doing this because I could not resist. This edition does not represent any special day, it could be said that it is an edition in commemoration of the whole week.

All images are property of Hiro Mashima.

Tenía ganas de hacer una edición para la gruvia week pero no tenía tiempo, sin embargo, termine haciendo esta porque no pude resistirme. Esta edición no representa ningún día en especial, podría decirse que es una edición en conmemoración de toda la semana.

Todas las imágenes son propiedad de Hiro Mashima.

[tea-lief]

*Gruvia Week 2018* Journey & Photograph

Plushies made by @squisherific!! Check her out!

[adoranymph]

Gruvia Week 2018 - Day 06

Nightmares

It had been a long time since Gray had had a difficult night. But tonight, it was another bad one, as his whimpers and restlessness in his sleep woke up Juvia.

Juvia lifted her head off his bare chest and watched his troubled face with increasing concern, feeling his hold on her tightening. She reached up and swept his dark hair out of his eyes, then brushed her knuckles against the side of his face.

“Gray,” she whispered, giving him a gentle little shake. “Darling.”

Gray gasped and his eyes snapped open. When they met Juvia's though they calmed as he seemed to remember where he was.

“Juvia,” he gasped, as if her name was a reassuring and protective charm.

“Gray,” Juvia whispered.

“I’m sorry, did I wake you?” Gray asked, catching his breath as if he’d been running.  He reached up and gently gripped her forearm, like it was a means to anchor himself back in reality.

Juvia pressed her palm to his heart, feeling how wildly it still beat. “Were you having that nightmare again?” she asked, frowning.

At which Gray snorted with a dry and cynical chuckle. “Which one?”

“The one.”

“Ah, no.”

“The other one then,” Juvia guessed. “The one about you and your father.”

Gray glanced at her and then glanced away, heaving a heavy sigh. “Kind of. I mean…it started out that way.”

“Tell me,” said Juvia, pressing in closer so she could nestle in the crook of his neck and shoulder.

But when Gray turned his head to look at her again, his eyes were downcast with guilt. “I’m sorry.”

“Sorry? For what?”

“For waking you.”

“You don’t have to apologize for that.”

Beneath the blankets though she felt him reach over and brush his fingers along the curve of her stomach.

“But you just had a baby,” he said, “you should be getting all the sleep you can.”

“Gray, I’m fine,” Juvia assured him. “And so’s Nieve,” she added, as their son slept soundly in the bassinet beside their bed.

Then Gray pulled her close and buried his face in the hollow of her neck. “That’s what my nightmare was about.”

Juvia knitted her brow, but she returned Gray’s embrace gladly. “You had a nightmare about…Nieve?”

“It started out like the nightmare I used to have about the day I had to fight my dad…but then it…changed.”

“How did it change?”

“I was fighting Nieve instead. Well…what I'd imagine he’d look like when he gets to be about my age when I…fought my dad.”

“Oh, darling….” Juvia ran her fingers through his hair.

Gray hugged her closer. “It…broke me,” he croaked. “I was forced to fight him. Like I was with you….”

“What brought all this on, do you suppose?” Juvia wondered, touching her lips to his cheek. “I know you’d never hurt our baby. You fell in love with him the moment you saw him, I saw that much for certain.”

Gray sniffed and swallowed before he answered, as if he were trying to compose himself. “I think it was from an awful thought I had earlier while I was first holding him. You were asleep and, either way, I didn’t wanna bother you about it, so I let it pass even though it bothered me.”

“And what thought was that?”

“Just…I thought about my dad, what it must’ve been like for him to hold me for the first time when I was born…and then I thought about how at that time…how he couldn’t have known then that one day he'd have to fight me like he did…and…I just thought…what if…someday…?”

He gave a dry sob. He was losing it again, his breaths and his words coming out strangled.

“I just couldn’t imagine…but now I see even more how much pain it caused him to have to fight me like he did. I don’t think I could handle that. I mean…he’s my son…my son…and…I love him so much, Juvia….”

And before he could stop himself, he was crying. Crying like he hadn’t cried since the day he thought he’d lost everything.  

“It’s just like when I couldn’t kill my dad,” he sobbed. “I could never do what he had to…not to Nieve...I wasn’t strong enough then, and I’m…still not….”

Juvia hugged him even more tightly and stroked his bare back as his words dissolved into chest-chokes. “But you won’t have to, Gray. Because we don’t live in a world like that anymore.”

As her words sunk in, Gray’s sobs subsided. He gulped and took a deep breath and managed to master himself, and then he lifted his head so he could look at her, his face still tear-streaked. “But…” he rasped. “What if…?”

Juvia relinquished her hold on him and took his face in her hands instead. “And even if it did come to that, you’d find another way. You always do. You’re very creative, you know.”

Which coaxed a watery chuckle out of him.

“Well…I have my moments,” he admitted.

“Oh Gray….” Juvia leaned up and pressed her lips to the top of her husband’s head and then pulled him close. And with his ear pressed against her chest now, so he could hear the sound of her heartbeat, he finally seemed able to really relax again, even as he clutched onto her like his life depended on it. “Shhhhhh,” she whispered, smoothing her fingers through his dark hair. “It’s okay…it’ll all be okay…I promise.”

“I’ve heard that before,” Gray croaked, but she could hear the attempt at a smile in his voice. As someone who had always just wanted him to be happy from the very first, it made her happy that she could still give him the hope he needed when he fell back into the dark thoughts that still lived in his head.

She had brought much more light into his life, so much that he was happier than he had probably ever been in a very long time. She knew that was especially true now they’d had a child together. Nieve represented a future that for a few hours, years ago, he’d thought would never happen—until she’d come back to him, come back to him when he’d thought he’d lost her forever.  

Even so, shadows still lurked there on the edge. After what he’d been through, they would always be there. But she was here now to always protect him, just as he’d always protect her. Nightmares came and went, but as long as they both found their way back to each other like this when they woke up again, then those demons were nothing more than fragile curls of smoke.

And with Nieve’s birth, all the more so.

“I love you, Juvia,” Gray whispered. “And I’m so happy that I get to love you for the rest of my life.” He looked up at her, and her heart glowed to see him really smile. “And…I plan on doing that for a very long time.”

“Same here, Gray my love,” Juvia whispered back, and met his lips with hers as they kissed each other in the quiet dark, as it started to snow softly outside.

Then came a tiny cough, followed by a tiny whimper as Nieve started to cry in his bassinet. And judging by her breasts, Juvia knew what her baby was crying for.  

As she untangled herself from her husband and swung her legs over the side of the bed, she felt him run his hand gently up her back. It was nice feeling for her own sake as she reached into the bassinet and pulled the wailing Nieve into her arms.

“Oh, there, there, baby, don’t cry,” she murmured, holding her son in one arm while she used her free hand to unbutton her nightgown. She was beaming as the hungry Nieve latched onto her breast and started suckling rather greedily. As he did, she gently slid her other arm underneath him so she had him cradled in both arms while she nursed him.

Then Gray sat up and crawled over to sit beside her, and with his knuckles, and a touch as soft as a breath, he stroked the fluff of his son’s hair that was as dark as his father’s.

“While I’m thinking about it,” he suddenly said, “I wanna make one thing really clear.”

Juvia looked up from her son. “Okay. What is it?”

Gray took a deep breath and let it out before he went on, fixing her with a serious look. “No matter what happens down the road for us, I will always do whatever it takes to keep our family safe. I think I’ve said that more than once.”

“Yes, but I sense there’s more this time.”

“Yeah. Because…that said…at the same time…I’ll also do whatever it takes to make sure that Nieve…and other kids we have…don’t have to go through anything like what I or what you went through. I want them to have both their parents—us, and grow up happy with us, even if at some point in their teens they end up all angsty and rebellious. Actually, I wouldn’t be surprised if any of them did, know what I mean?”  

Juvia gave her husband a small smile. “Yes, I know what you mean.”

Gray managed a smile back, and regarded their son in her arms again. “But I don’t want my nightmares passed onto them.”

“I think it’s a given that as parents we’ll want Nieve and any other babies we have to just be happy,” said Juvia. “Or at least, to be able to live their lives as happily as anyone possibly can.”

However, she could see that he knew she knew that this was particularly important to him. After all, it was equally important to her too.  

“Now I’m not stupid enough to think that I can raise him and any other kids we have without them ever having any nightmares,” Gray went on. “But…the worst I’d like those nightmares to be is ones about like…I dunno…running away from a snowbeast or something like that.”

Juvia snorted a laugh, which made Gray snort a laugh too.  And then they were both cracking up.

“Sounds like a plan to me,” Juvia chuckled as their laughter subsided.

“Well, I think so,” chuckled Gray, putting his arm around her shoulders, pulling her and their son close, trying to get their warmth as close to his chest as possible.

And as he leaned in and kissed his wife, she also knew that he knew that he needn’t worry about any more nightmares tonight. And neither did she.

[nalufever]

Promise

Gruvia Week 2018 - 5 sentence wonders

Gray raced through the crowded park, weaving around people and shouting, "Juvia!"

From behind the wading pool, Juvia stood and waved, "Gray-sama, over here!"

Skidding, slowing to a sedate pace, Gray sauntered the rest of the way as if he hadn't run like a love-sick fool. His voice was hoarse as he asked, "You already set out the picnic food?"

A sunny smile wreathed Juvia's face, "Juvia knew you would keep your promise to show."

[darkpoisonouslove]

Nightmares

Gruvia week 2018 day 6. Late (as usually) because I kept procrastinating like crazy. Anyway, I hope you’ll like it.

It was a lovely sunny day and Juvia was surprised that there was no one in the park. It was usually full of people even on rainy days. She supposed that some people were not afraid of rain. And neither was she anymore. Her days as the rain woman were over. She could enjoy the sunlight now.

She closed her eyes and sighed in content, feeling the sun rays caress her skin. Yet, something seemed off. There was a tingling under her skin. As if something was crawling underneath it.

She was suddenly hyper aware of her surroundings. There was something in the soil. No, not in. Under. It was calling to her. She could feel it in her bones, flowing through her veins. It was urging her to let it out, allow it to roam free.

Her hands started shaking from the force she was using to contain the destructive energy and she clenched her fists. Her nails dug into her skin, bringing her out of her trance. She noticed that the sunlight was gone. She looked up and saw thick dark clouds covering the sky. They had appeared so quickly. As if she had summoned them. But that wasn’t possible. The rain that had chased her all her life had been banished when she had fallen in love with Gray.

A drop of water fell on her hand, startling her. She hadn’t realized she had started crying. Her fingers brushed against her cheek but there was not a trace of moisture there. Another drop fell on her nose and her stomach got tied in knots. She outstretched her arm, her palm was turned upwards. Another raindrop landed on it. The water felt strange against her skin and was colored in a purplish shade that looked very familiar. Juvia’s eyes widened when she recognized it.

“This is my tale,” Keyes’ voice resonated in her mind.

Juvia shook her head in an attempt to shut him out of her mind. She tried to gain control of the rain but to no avail. Instead of stopping, it started pouring violently as if in confirmation of his words. Every raindrop felt like a whiplash against her exposed skin.

She tried to run away but something held her back. When she looked down at her feet, Juvia saw that her boots were entangled in the grass that was no longer green. It looked yellowish and ill, almost dead but not quite. Despite its fragile appearance it was strong enough to hold her down.

Juvia kept struggling against it but it only seemed to tighten its grip on her. It grew longer, creeping up her legs and snaking around them like tentacles. It was taking over the whole park as if nurtured by the rain, supplanting the healthy grass.

“What’s going on?” Juvia shouted but it was drowned out by the sound of the downpour and she barely even heard the words herself.

She received a reply inside her head though. “My tale only needs a little rain to blossom into its finest version.”

“No.” Her blood ran cold when she realized what he meant.

That was when she heard it. Despite the raging storm, she could make out the sound of something digging from underground. It didn’t take long for the first skeleton to show up. It was a tiny creature which she did not recognize. It must have been buried for thousands of years until Keyes’ magic mixed with her rain had brought it back.

Other skeletons started popping up too and soon there was a whole army. Most were tiny dead animals that must have lived in the park. But the rain was pouring over the whole town and who knew how many corpses rested beneath.

Keyes’ must have sensed her thoughts - or maybe even heard them since he was inside her head – because he spoke again. “Human beings are indeed such convenient tools. Thanks to you your friends will join my experiments.”

“N-No.” It came out strangled since his words had knocked the air out of her lungs. “Juvia won’t let that happen. Water slicer.”

The water blades cut through the grass that had already reached her knees and was squeezing her with almost enough force to crush her bones. Juvia ran as fast as she could but at every step the resurrected plants and animals were trying to grab at her and slow her down. She could not allow it.

“Water Cane.” The whip-like structure sliced through the grass like a scythe and shattered into pieces the skeletons it came in contact with, clearing a path.

After that initial obstacle she almost didn’t encounter any setbacks. The skeletons that had washed over Magnolia did not pay any mind to her. As if Keyes wanted her to find her friends and see the horrors he had in store for them.

When she reached the guild she was completely out of breath and could barely stand on her legs. She gritted her teeth and forced herself to keep moving despite the pain. She had to find her friends.

First she heard Lucy’s joyful laughter. She turned at the direction from which it came and her jaw dropped. Lucy was with a woman that very much resembled her. Or at least she would if she wasn’t a rotting corpse. Half the skin of her face was missing, her eyes were gone and Juvia could see her intestines through the hole in her stomach but Lucy didn’t seem to notice. She looked on cloud nine.

Juvia was uncertain of what to do. Her friend did not seem in danger and she had yet to find Gray. Lucy would probably be fine if she left her alone for a few minutes, just enough time to look for Gray.

She was about to turn around and proceed with her search but just then Layla opened her arms, inviting her daughter to hug her. Lucy did not hesitate even for a moment and sunk into her mother’s embrace. Her smile soon faded though when Layla’s arms closed around her like the jaws of a vise and her features contorted into pain. She was going to be killed by her mother’s affection which she had missed so much.

“Wings of love.”

Juvia’s magic pushed the two blondes apart, sending them flying in opposite directions. They both hit the ground heavily but the water mage was happy that Lucy was saved.

“Mom,” Lucy screamed in panic and dashed to Layla as soon as she got back on her feet.

Her mother met her with open arms and clutched her once again.

Juvia was at a loss. She didn’t know what to do. She couldn’t keep attacking them. While Layla was already dead, she could hurt Lucy. Besides, she had to find Gray.

She was still contemplating her next move when she heard Natsu’s voice. She debated whether it was a good idea to leave Lucy like that but she had no clue what to do anyway. Maybe Natsu would be able to help her.

She ran back outside from where his voice was coming. She froze in her place when she saw the enormous red dragon standing outside the guild. Natsu was standing in front of Igneel, looking giddy like a kid who just received an entire basket of candy.

The dragon looked a bit better than Layla but his jaw was now consisting of naked bones with no skin to cover them. However, that did not stop him from breathing fire directly at Natsu.

Juvia expected her guild mate to eat the flames but he did not do anything of the sort. He seemed too engrossed in staring at Igneel to notice that his scarf and his hair were already smoking. Even a fire dragon slayer could only take so much fire.

The dragon didn’t seem to agree though because it prepared to breathe fire again.

“Water bubble,” Juvia managed to activate her magic in time to protect Natsu from the fire. She had to find a way to snap him out of his state if she wanted to be of any help to anyone else. She couldn’t babysit him when there were other people who needed help. Like Gray. And Lucy.

A deafening roar made her jump. The source turned out to be another dragon which she recognized. It was Metalicana – Gajeel’s dragon. That was confirmed by its appearance and by the iron dragon slayer standing in his feet and looking like he might start crying any moment now.

This dragon was not in top shape either. His wings could no longer take him up in the sky in the condition that they were in. There were a few metallic pieces still jutting out from the bones but that was all. He had sure seen better days.

Judging by what had already happened, Juvia assumed that Metalicana would also try to kill Gajeel. She had no time to do anything though. The dragon lifted its front left leg and crushed Gajeel underneath it. The ground shook.

“Gajeel-kun!” Juvia’s desperate scream was lost in the clamor. She turned her back towards the iron dragon when he made a move, not wanting to see the crushed body of her friend.

Her eyes landed on Silver. He looked almost the same way he had the last time she had seen him. Except for the missing skin of his chest. She could see his heart that wasn’t beating. In front of him was standing Gray.

Juvia’s heart leapt in joy when she saw him. At least he was fine. But not for long.

Silver raised his hand ready to dish out some magic at his own son. And Gray probably wouldn’t do anything to protect himself. Which left her no choice but to do it for him.

“Water lock.” That wouldn’t hold Silver forever. He’d probably manage to escape just like his son had but Juvia didn’t want to hurt him. Not again.

“Juvia, what are you doing?” Gray yelled at her, his face contorted in both horror and anger.

“Juvia is sorry, Gray-sama, but I promised your father to protect you.” Tears sprang to her eyes and she gritted her teeth, trying not to crumble under his gaze.

“If you don’t free him, I will never forgive you.” Gray’s eyes were blazing with fire and she felt as if she would be burned alive.

Juvia shook her head, tears of helplessness and self-loathing spilling down her cheeks. She couldn’t let Silver go. She would keep her promise to protect Gray even if it meant losing him forever. But the hate in his eyes was too much to bear. She closed her eyes.

“What are you going to do now, water witch?” Keyes’ voice sounded once again in her mind, followed by his cold laughter.

It was coming from every direction, surrounding her. She was trapped in the whirlpool of his cruelty, unable to take a breath. Her knees hit the ground and a desperate sob left her mouth. She was shaking.

“Juvia,” Gray’s voice reached her and her heart clenched in her chest when she noticed how worried he sounded. She had failed him. And his father too. Her body was shaking even more violently.

“Juvia,” Gray said again but it didn’t matter.

She was slipping into darkness. At least she wouldn’t have to live with the shame of her failure.

“Juvia!”

Her eyes snapped open and she saw Gray’s concerned gaze. He was looking at her with so much love that she wanted to cry again. She must have gone to heaven.

“Thank God you woke up. I was starting to panic.” Gray managed a little smile even though he was still visibly worried.

“Wake… up?” Juvia finally put two and two together. “It was a dream.” Great burden fell from her shoulders when she managed to tell the dream apart from reality.

“Try with nightmare.” Gray brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes. “Do you want to tell me what you saw?”

“Keyes’ necromancy had merged with my rain when I had taken in a part of his magical barrier particles and he used it to bring back the dead.” Her lower lip trembled at the memories.

Gray hugged her. “Keyes is gone and so is the rain.”

“I think it came back because of his necromancy. It revived that part of Juvia,” she whispered and her eyes watered just at the thought of going back to that life when she didn’t know the sunlight. When she didn’t know Gray.

“It’s alright. It’s gone now,” Gray said and put a kiss on the top of her head.

Juvia pulled away. “Juvia had to hurt Gray-sama’s father again.” The tears started flowing just like they had in her dream. “Juvia didn’t want to but it was the only way to save Gray-sama.”

“It’s fine, Juvia,” Gray wiped away her tears and pulled her close again, prompting her to rest her head on his shoulder.

“Gray-sama lost his father because of Juvia,” she said and the self-accusatory tone stabbed him in the heart.

“That’s not true,” Gray said and before she could argue, he added, “I haven’t lost him. He’s right here with us.” The devil slayer tattoo on his hand became visible. “And he’ll always be here to protect us both.”

Juvia’s fingers tentatively brushed against the tattoo. The tears had dried and a faint smile was tugging at her lips. She had been right. Nothing could sever the bond between humans.

[leonalmalsy]

The Red String of Fate - Chapter 6

https://m.fanfiction.net/s/12887618/6/The-Red-String-of-Fate

Six chapters in. I've hit my stride.

[tachipaws]

 a typical day on Juvia’s Instagram feed ♡ ～('▽^人)

GRUVIA WEEK 2018  ↳Day 4: Photograph

[gruviaweek]

Just a reminder that Gruvia Week 2018 starts in 1 week. It’s held April 1st - April 7th every year. Visit the links below for more information.

About | Rules | Prompts

—DAY 1: promise —DAY 2: misunderstanding —DAY 3: journey —DAY 4: photograph —DAY 5: irreplaceable —DAY 6: nightmares —DAY 7: you’re mine

Tag your work with #gruvia week, have fun, and spread the love! ♥

[sweetmemories2606]

Gruvia Week 2018-Day 7

Oh My God. This is so late, I can't even...

I'm so sorry! You have no idea how hard it was for me to finish this one-shot, I just couldn't concentrate. 

But anyways, I did finish it and I must say, I'm pleased. 

The prompt for day 7, the last day, was "You're mine." Once again, I decided to twist it up and talk about "I'm yours" instead, hence the title. 

It was really nice to write a story more focused on Juvia after talking so much about Gray during this week. 

I guess that, the way I see it, Juvia's feelings are always so clear that there wasn't much to think about them. However, in this one-shot I decided to explore her doubts and fears about their relationship. 

So I hope everyone will enjoy it. 

Here's the info: 

Title: I'm Yours

Summary: When an unexpected encounter makes Juvia believe he might be cheating, Gray must do whatever he can to convince her of his love. It'd be a lot easier if he didn't learn of the fears and doubts she had hidden for months, making his own doubts about their relationship resurface. Will they remember why they'd taken a chance in the first place? 

Timeline: This story takes place while they're training for the Grand Magic Games. 

Warnings: It's important to note that this story is a sequel to A Not So Secret Affair, my prompt for day 4. Therefore, you'll need to read that one first in order to understand Gray and Juvia's relationship. 

Word Count: 3100 words. (I'm apparently incapable of writing shorter stories)

Link: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12896905/1/I-m-Yours

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12892020/1/A-Not-So-Secret-Affair

I'll post it here on Tumblr as well. Happy reading!