A/N: This is what happens when I am feeling uninspired; I repost stories. I have had time to write, but every time I sit down to actually, you know, write, I either;
a) totally blank on ideas/inspiration and stare at my computer screen wondering what is the meaning of life or,
b) want nothing more than to lay on my bed, watching Anime America and knit a shawl. (Take one guess as to what I did today.)
But I'll get back up there. I know there are a few stories I need to finish, and they will be, but right now, my brain feels like mush. I'm running on a few hours of sleep and an unknown illness that is plaguing my LIFE. So here, have some canon love. I'm going to go work on my shawl and watch more Anime America. And celebrate the fact that I HAVE FINALLY FINISHED WATCHING THE EDOLAS ARC. (THANK GOODNESS.)
Pairing: Gruvia (Gray/Juvia)
Prompt: I don't know if you know this but I can hear you singing anime theme songs in the shower every morning and I like almost all the shows you watch.
I apologize in advance to any Black Butler fans. I have never watched it, but I needed an anime to bash and spoil. So, sorry if you don't like that, but I regret nothing. Also, I didn't know this when I first posted the story, but the lady who plays Juvia in the English dub of FT also plays Ciel in the English dub of BB. 0_o Mind blown.
Juvia normally didn't mind her neighbor's morning ritual of singing anime openings in the shower. He had a nice voice and quite the repertoire. His version of Be As One by w-inds was AMAZING. It could be rather soothing. She knew most of the songs and would hum along as she showered, since the apartment was were really thin. Okay, that was a little creepy. They both had similar tastes in anime, Juvia had idly noted. She had never seen her neighbor before, but he had a really nice voice…
Juvia usually appreciated his morning vocal endeavors (especially when he sang Snow Fairy).
Except today.
Today she was in a bad mood.
Her alarm hadn't gone off in time. Which meant she would get a late start to her day.
She was out of coffee. Which meant she would have to buy an overpriced coffee that didn't even taste good (and Juvia knew good coffee. She hadn't worked in a coffee shop all through high school and college for nothing!)
And Gajeel was begging for a ride to work. Which meant only after being bribed with ice cream and him spilling the details of how he really felt about Levy (none of this pansy stuff about thinking she's just a little bookworm who was kind of cute), Juvia would take Gajeel to work.
What could she say? She was a sucker for Blue Bell cookie dough ice cream, a fact Gajeel exploited regularly.
But it was shower time, Juvia time. And she wasn't really feeling up to being serenaded (albeit secondhandedly) this morning.
Did that stop mystery man from singing?
No, it did not.
As her neighbor began the opening lines of the Black Butler theme, an anime she hated with a fierce and unrelenting passion, her patience snapped.
Maybe banging on the wall and shouting wasn't her best plan ever... She could have just gone over and politely asked him to not sing that particular song like a normal person. She'd get to meet him, too. But then he might stop. And she didn't want that.
So Juvia shouted.
"Stop singing that! Juvia hates that anime!" Oops. She didn't even know the guy and she was shouting at him while she showered. That didn't make her a weird person. Did it?
She could hear a slightly strangled yelp from the other side of the wall. Did he not know Juvia could hear him plain as day? Juvia must have startled him. He was quiet for a moment, possibly gathering his thoughts. It wasn't long before he shouted back.
"Well, I'm sorry! I just started it, okay? The song is catchy!"
Juvia was silent as the water poured over her. An evil smile worthy of Edward Elric curled her lips upward. Gajeel usually began running when he saw that smile. It boded well for no one. If her morning was ruined, she had no qualms of ruining her mystery neighbor's. She leaned forward and shouted at the wall.
"CIEL DIES IN THE END!"
A long silence stretched on with no end in sight. Had he heard her…?
"AHHHHHHH!" His bloodcurdling and rather feminine scream of fury rent the early morning air. Juvia jumped and nearly cracked her head on the tile of the shower. Well, now she knew he had heard her... "DANG IT! NOW I CAN'T FINISH IT! STUPID WOMAN YOU JUST SPOILED THE WHOLE STORY FOR ME! I HATE YOU!"
Juvia snickered. Her snickers turned into full blown gales of laughter. "JUVIA..." She gasped out. "JUVIA ISN'T SORRY! JUVIA HATES BLACK BUTLER SO SHE DISCOURAGES ANYONE FROM WATCHING IT BY SPOILING THE END!"
"WELL THANK A LOT JUVIA! I HATE SPOILERS! AND NOW I DON'T LIKE YOU VERY MUCH!" Woah, he used her name even when he was shouting? Juvia was impressed. She shut off the shower and got out, humming the whole time.
Then she realized she was humming the Black Butler opening.
"DANG IT! NOW YOU HAVE THE SONG STUCK IN JUVIA'S HEAD!"
"HA! IT'S ONLY FAIR!"
"JUVIA HATES YOU VERY MUCH RIGHT NOW!"
"WELL GRAY HATES JUVIA JUST AS MUCH FOR SPOILING BLACK BUTLER!"
"JUVIA ISN'T GOING TO APOLOGIZE TO GRAY NO MATTER HOW MUCH HE ASKS!" Wow, this was more fun than trying to get a reaction from Gajeel! Who knew Juvia would enjoy messing with strangers so much? Seemed that she had a sadistic side she hadn't noticed. Shouting matches at 7am were quite fun, Juvia had to say.
"WELL IF YOU WON'T APOLOGIZE THROUGH THE WALL, I'M GOING TO MAKE YOU! I'M COMING OVER!"
Juvia froze, confusion crawling over her delicate features. He was...coming over? She shrugged and pulled her shorts on.
It was only as she tugged a tank top over her head that she realized what he had said.
Her mysterious, anime singing, no doubt very cute neighbor named Gray was coming over to shout at her for spoiling Black Butler for him.
Oh boy.
Oh boy.
He was coming over! What was she supposed to do? How was she supposed to act? The bluenette had a sudden moment of panic as her body went on auto as she finished dressing and her mind went berserk.
A furious knock made Juvia shriek and jump ten feet in the air. Nearly breaking her neck as she stumbled over a pair of shoes she didn't remember leaving in the hall, Juvia hurried through her living room to the front door.
She peeped through the little hole in the door hoping to get a glimpse of her mystery man. She was frustrated in that endeavor and decided to just open the door.
Juvia wasn't sure what she had been expecting, but a very attractive dark haired, shirtless, and still slightly wet man was not it. Holy cow, look at his abs…
Juvia gulped. "Uh, hi." She managed to squeak out. He was staring.
"Hi," he said back, still staring. What was he staring at? He needed to stop. It was quite rude.
"I'm Juvia," she said, resisting the urge to wave a hand in front of his face.
"I'm Gray." He then seemed to remember that he was mad at her and scowled. "I have a bone to pick with you."
"If it's about spoiling Black Butler, Juvia isn't sorry." She crossed her arms over her chest. "Cute stranger or no, Juvia refuses to apologize. Black Butler is one of her least favorite animes."
Gray tipped his head to the side, studying her. "Then what is your favorite?"
"Fairy Tail!" Juvia exclaimed, a broad smile curling up her lips. "Juvia loves Fairy Tail. She really likes when Gray sings Snow Fairy or Be As One out of all the anime openings he sings." Wait, had she just said that out loud? As Gray's eyes bugged out, Juvia felt a sinking feeling in her stomach. Yep, she had said that out loud, where the whole world could hear that she listened to her neighbor sing in the shower and even had a preference.
Juvia wished the ground would open up and swallow her whole.
"You… Ah… Wha… You actually listen to my singing?" Gray blurted out.
Juvia fiddled with her hair, suddenly shy. "Yes," she said honestly. "Juvia enjoys hearing Gray sing in the morning. It makes her happy. She was just having a very bad morning today and she took it out on Gray. Juvia is sorry for that. Juvia likes hearing anime openings first thing. It makes her day a little better." Gray smiled slightly at that. "S'okay, Juvia. Hey, at least we finally got to meet this way." Juvia nodded and they were both quiet for a long time.
"Has Gray ever heard Taylor Davis's cover of the Fairy Tail theme?"
Gray shook his head. "I haven't. Is it good?" Juvia nodded eagerly.
"Would you like to hear it? Juvia doesn't have to go to work for a little while." Gray rubbed his chin, thinking out loud.
"Well, if you considered it your apology for ruining my morning, my anime, and my singing schedule, I suppose I could." He sent her a wicked look. Juvia snorted. "Juvia isn't sorry she ruined the anime, but she is sorry about the morning and singing. There, is Gray happy?"
He nodded. "Yeah, that'll work. Now, you were saying?" Juvia grinned and opened her door wider to invite him in. She belatedly realized that she had been forcing him to stand outdoors while they chatted.
"Come in, please." As he came in and they started chatting, Juvia knew she was going to have to tell Gajeel that she would not be picking him up.
She had better things to do.
A/N: Blue Bell ice cream is life. If you have never tasted it, you are a poor, unfortunate soul. And yes, I will continue to drool over Gray's abs as much as I can.