there’s this vent in my building and every time i walk past it i feel like it’s gonna whisper in a raspy voice something like “hey kid you ever killed a man"
Fanfiction: Gruvia AU || Teach me why (chapter one)
Requested by @con-stellation-sThanks for the suggestion. Feel free to send me any requests via inbox or pm!
Brief synopsis: Gray has been at school for almost all his life. Working as a maths teacher, he encounters Juvia, the new home economics teacher. Through a series of unexpected events, the two become closer. However, as walls and feelings are torn down, secrets also arise…
Gray frowned, his scowl deepening as he peered down at the paper. A red ballpoint pen sat between his fingers, ready to scribble a big fat cross on the page.
Gray fumbled through the thick pile of stacked papers that towered over him and rubbed his knuckles against his jaw. Taking a glance at the ticking clock across the classroom, he collapsed into his chair.
The school semester had just begun and Gray was already regretting his life choices. He had obliviously made an assignment the first week back and to his surprise, every single student in the class managed to hand it in on time.
Tousling back his hair, he readjusted his reading glasses and grumbled. It was a Friday and the clock’s short hand hovered at six. He wanted to go home and sleep in on the weekend, not mark calculus questions that were mostly wrong anyway.
Gray huffed into his palms, watching his breath disappear into the cold air. He gazed outside at the whiteness. Tiny snowflakes floated into sight, spiraling in various directions before landing scattered across the concrete floor.
Gray wrapped his knit grey scarf around his neck and let it cover his frozen lips before standing to leave the classroom.
A hot coffee should wake him up.
The school was now empty, as students had already paraded through the hallways, desperate to get home as soon as possible. The silence was unsettling, as Gray was used to getting bombarded with students questioning him. It never occurred to him how quiet the school was in the evening. He stuffed his hands into his suit pockets, trying to stay warm for as much as possible. He’d been persuading the principal to change his classroom to one that was closer to the staff room.
“Gray-sensei?”
The maths teacher whirled to the soft voice. A petite young woman grasped onto a cooking bowl between her hands. Strands of her aqua blue hair spilled out from a chef hat. The classroom door was slightly ajar and a warm light radiated from the room. She slowly stepped out into the hallway, shivering as she did so. “Are you Gray-sensei?”
Gray raised an eyebrow at first, peering past her shoulders to the home economics classroom. Cake batter was smeared across the tables and layers of aprons were piled onto chairs behind her.
“May I help you?”
The girl nodded her head furiously. “Yes, yes, you may help Juvia.” She twirled on her heels and rushed back inside. After some moments of shuffling, she reappeared at the door and showed him a paper. He mentally slapped himself awake. He’d seen too many papers that his eyes couldn’t seem to focus on the words.
“Juvia’s the new home economics teacher and the principal has told Juvia about Gray-sensei,” she smiled. “Principal-san said that Gray-sensei is always here after school hours.”
Gray scowled.
“Oh! And if Gray-sensei wouldn’t mind,” Juvia quickly let the paper drop to a table. “could you please show me around the school?”
Gray wanted to decline at first, glancing at his watch. “It’s going to snow tonight and I want to get home before traffic hits.” He showed her his wrist. “It’s almost half past six.”
Juvia sighed, her eyebrows creased sadly. “Oh, okay,” she muttered. “Sorry.”
Gray groaned in defeat as he watched Juvia pout, twiddling her fingers at the edge of a light pink apron tied around her waist.
“I’ll show you on Monday.”
Juvia’s eyes lightened up. “Really? You really will?” Her hands were now around Gray’s shoulders. “Thank you so much, Gray-sensei! You know how troublesome high school students can get if you don’t give them a good first impression. Juvia wouldn’t want to be walking into the wrong place at the wrong time.”
Gray cleared his throat hastily and Juvia immediately got the message. She responded by pulling away.
“Have a good evening, Gray-sensei!” Juvia chirped. Gray gave her an awkward nod and turned to leave. He wandered down the hallway, left in utter confusion. The girl’s pleasant touch still lingered at his shoulders. He tried shaking this foreign feeling away but it still lumbered at his skin.
Gray pulled open the sliding door to the staffroom, grunting in response to the cold air hitting his face. He plodded to the coffee machine and forced open a drawer. Picking up a striped mug, he let hot coffee ooze into the glass and took a whiff of the bitter scent.
Gray glimpsed at the snow outside. The gloomy sky poured the white substance down constantly, piling the icy snow higher and higher. The black-haired man let out a frustrated grumble as he hurried down the hallway, his hands tightly wrapped around the snug cup.
He jerked open the door to the home economics room, panting loudly as Juvia yelped in surprise, letting a plate shatter to the ground. “W-what is it, Gray-sensei?!”
“You might want to hurry,” he exhaled. “The snow’s coming down hard.”
At the mention of snow, Juvia’s eyes traced to the window outside. Before Gray could say another word, the smell of something burning entered his nose.
“Oh no! Juvia’s loaf cake!” She hurried over to the oven and yanked it open. Her eyes widened at the toasted black substance that sizzled on the tray.
“We should hurry,” Gray urged.
“You should go first,” Juvia whispered, shuddering at the sight of the burnt mess. “Juvia needs to prepare for her lesson on Monday.”
“We don’t have time,” Gray barked. Juvia jumped at his hostility. “The school’s going to be locked.”
Before Juvia could reply, the lights flickered shut.
The two stood still in the darkness.
“W-what do we do now?” Juvia’s voice quavered.
“Shit… we were too late,” he grumbled. “Don’t move, I’ll come to you.”
Juvia nodded but realised that he couldn’t see her. “Okay.”
Gray pulled out his phone, tapping at it rapidly before opening the torch. He let the white glow illuminate the room, navigating his way to Juvia.
“Did the plate break?”
At first Juvia frowned in confusion but she winced when she felt her ankles sting.
“I-it probably did.”
Juvia gasped when she felt a warm grip on her wrist.
Gray’s low voice vibrated through the room. “I’ve got you.”
With a strong pull, Juvia was now enveloped between Gray’s warm body.
“I’m taking you to my room.” His voice was muffled against her hair. “There’s glass shards in here.”
The muted sound of footsteps echoed through the hallway. The area was darker now, with only Gray’s phone creating a faint ray. Juvia’s icy hands were caged by Gray’s warm ones. Juvia felt heat rush to her cheeks as she felt his hold tighten when they turned a corner. His tall figure loomed in front, acting as a guide for her through the murky hallway.
Gray halted to a stop and slid open the door, glancing briefly behind at Juvia before entering.
“We’re here.”
Juvia’s eyes adjusted to the darkness. The classroom was completely different from her’s. Tables and chairs were aligned in an orderly manner facing a desk at the front of the class. Gray’s desk was stacked with papers and textbooks, overflowing onto the wooden ground.
“Sit down.”
Juvia’s eyes trailed to a cushiony chair that was now rolled over next to her. “I’ll fix you up.”
Juvia hesitated at first, but when she saw the shadowy glimpse of Gray’s solemn gaze, she obeyed.
The light skimmed past the room and now glowed at her hands that were still latched between Gray’s. He scanned her skin, his eyes searched her body up and down, bringing the light to the skin his eyes had set on.
Juvia bit her lip, watching the dim figure of Gray crouch in front of her. He lifted her leg gently, running his finger across her pale skin.
“Does it hurt anywhere?” His low voice made Juvia jump.
“Juvia’s ankle,” she whispered.
He immediately studied both her ankles, tilting it under the lambent light.
“Hang on.” His hands left Juvia’s. She immediately yearned for his warmth. “I’ve got a few bandaids around here somewhere…” he muttered. He was now fumbling through his drawer.
“Gray-sensei?”
“Hm?”
“Sorry for causing you all this trouble.”
Gray kneeled back down, peeling open a bandaid and pressing it carefully against her ankle.
“You’ll have to make it up to me.”
“S-sorry?”
“Go out with me.”
AhhhhHHHH i wonder why Gray wants her to go out with him? ;) you’ll have to find out in chapter two >:)
