Pairings: Gray x Juvia
Timeline: Ten years from the current arc
Genres: Romance/Humour/Family
Warnings: Fluff and mild cursing
Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail
Authors Note: I seem to have a liking for writing fairy tales for Fairy Tail. ;) So why not?
XXX
"Momma, read us a story!" the small blue haired girl cried, reaching out her chubby hands to her mother. Juvia smiled down at her, scooping her up to settle her down on her hip. The boy clutched at Juvia's skirt, tugging at the soft fabric.
"Okay," Juvia said, "which one would you like?" Koyuki pretended to think about it as Juvia took Oyu's hand and walked over to the couch. She sat down, lifting up Oyu to perch on her other knee.
Koyuki clapped her hands together and grinned, her front tooth missing. "The Little Mermaid!" Oyu pouted.
"I don't like this story! It's about a prissy little mermaid! I want to hear about a heroic prince!" Oyu protested, puffing out his cheeks. His black hair was spiky about his round face.
Juvia pursed her lips, trying to come up with a solution to appease both children. "How about Momma tells the other version? Momma thinks it's lovely." Koyuki exchanged a look with her older brother. He relented.
And so, Juvia began her story, "Once upon there was a little mermaid. She was very beautiful and the youngest of five other sisters! Her biggest wish was to go on land to visit the humans." Juvia paused, trying to remember how the story goes.
"Her father, the king, refused to allow her visit until she turned fifteen. Sadly, she agreed. On the night before her fifteenth birthday, the little mermaid visited the surface from afar, watching the fireworks in celebration for the Prince's birthday."
Oyu frowned, "Momma this is boring. Where's the good stuff?"
Juvia giggled, tapping his nose, "It's coming soon! Momma promises." Oyu sighed, nodding. "Now where was Momma? Ah yes, so the little mermaid immediately fell in love with the Prince. She watched the party for hours off to the side, madly in love with the Prince.
"Then suddenly something went amiss on the ship and fire appeared. People were screaming and fighting one another to get off the ship. Someone had knocked the Prince over board! The little mermaid refused to let her love die, so she quickly swam to find him and dragged him ashore."
Once again, Juvia was cut off by Koyuki's whimper, "Momma, this story is scary…" Juvia laughed.
"Nonsense! Trust me, my darlings, it'll get better," Juvia told them, kissing their fat cheeks. The siblings beamed up at her and snuggled back against her bosom, eager now for her to continue. "Alright, the little mermaid didn't have much time on the shore to help her Prince, so she managed to get him to safety and preform CPR on him."
"How does a mermaid know CPR?" Oyu asked sceptically. Juvia was mildly impressed he knew what that meant at such a young age, but he was his child after all.
Juvia ignored her son and continued on, "The prince awoke, startled and quickly the little mermaid threw herself back into the ocean. She swam back to her palace and told her sisters all about what had occurred back on shore. They encouraged her to seek out the sea witch who could grant her wish."
"Didn't her father say she could go on land for her birthday?" Koyuki questioned. Oyu nodded in agreement.
"Shh! Momma's getting there," Juvia replied stiffly. "Anyways, the little mermaid knew she only had one day on the surface with her father's magic but that wasn't enough for the little mermaid. So she went to find the sea witch.
"The witch lived in a dark cavern deep below the waters the little mermaid dwelled in. When she found the sea witch, they made a deal. The little mermaid could stay on land for three days as long as she sacrificed her voice. If she didn't return to the ocean before her time limit was up, she would turn into seaweed. The little mermaid agreed and woke up on land.
"She was almost immediately discovered by her love who thought she was nothing more than a mute. He brought her to the palace. Much to the little mermaids despair, all the Prince could talk about was his beloved who was traveling the sea.
"As hard as she tried, the little mermaid could not seem to get the Prince to fall in love with her. And on her second day on land, his love appeared. As it turned out, however, the woman he loved was really the sea witch in disguise!" Juvia made a horrified noise.
Oyu rolled his deep blue eyes, "This is so boring, Momma." Juvia gave him a look.
"It gets better, Oyu," Koyuki scolded, "I think…" Koyuki played with the straps to her denim overalls.
Juvia cleared her throat, "As Momma was saying, the Prince announced that evening at dinner that he would marry the sea witch tomorrow at sunset. The little mermaid just wouldn't have it. She ran to the sea and began to sob. To her surprise, one of her elder sisters swam ashore and handed her a knife.
" 'Take her life with your own hands, sister,' the older mermaid said, a harsh look on her beautiful face. The little mermaid was so distraught she didn't even think to consider what her sister was telling her. She loved the prince too much to see him married off to the sea witch.
"That very night, while everyone was sleeping, the little mermaid took matters into her own hands. She killed the witch.
"And once the little mermaid had slain the witch, she took the life of her prince and herself. The end!" Juvia finished cheerfully. Koyuki's eyes widened in shock, as tears watered in her icy blue eyes. Oyu clapped.
"Oi, should you really be reading that to children?" Gray asked sarcastically from the door way. Koyuki leapt off Juvia's lap and launched herself into Gray's arms.
"But, Gray-sama! It's a lovely story!" A pin could be dropped in their home and everyone could hear it.
Gray blinked, shocked, "In what universe?"
Juvia puffed out her cheeks and hugged Oyu to her, "Oyu liked it!" she paused for a moment, "And in Juvia's universe! Juvia thinks it's admirable that the little mermaid killed her love rival. But she was so blinded by rage that she accidentally killed her love and then she killed herself because she was so grief stricken."
Narrowing his eyes, Gray wandered over, patting his daughter on the head. He sat down next to his wife and wiped away Koyuki's tears. "Okay, Juvia, let me explain to you how sick that is what you just said."
Juvia huffed, "What Juvia said is not sick, Gray-sama! If Gray-sama ever said he loved another woman other than Juvia, I might just act the same way." Gray's jaw went slack.
"I liked it, though," Oyu interjected, pointing at Koyuki, "she's just a sissy." Koyuki stuck her tongue out at her brother and pulled on the skin below her eye.
"You're just a meanie!" Koyuki shot back, angrily crossing her arms.
"Oyu, Koyuki," Gray said, his tone a warning. The two went quiet immediately. Gray returned his attention to his slightly psychotic wife. "Juvia, I wouldn't love another woman other than you. Don't go assuming everyone is a love rival… Or take drastic measures like the little mermaid did."
Juvia opened and closed her mouth, trying to come up with something to say, "I… but you liked Lucy at one point!"
Gray arched his eyebrow at the same time both Oyu and Koyuki gasped, "Daddy liked Auntie Lucy?"
"I did not like Aunt Lucy," Gray responded, irritated. "Juvia, don't be ridiculous. I love you. Now would you stop frightening the children with such stories?"
"Juvia—I, but…" Gray leaned over and kissed her, cutting off whatever she had to say. The siblings made 'ick' noises and got off their parents laps, taking to the floor.
Juvia blushed once the kiss ended, "I love you, Gray-sama."
He chuckled, "I love you too."
"Juvia promises to never read our children stories like that again, even if Juvia does find the heroine's actions lovely." She kissed him again. Until she pulled back, confused, "But, Gray-sama, how did you… how long were you watching us?"
Gray pulled back, loosening his collar; in fact he pulled the whole shirt off, "Uh…"
Juvia smirked evilly, "Gray-sama…"
…
"I guess you can read them anything you want."
Poor tsundere Gray! Too embarrassed to admit he'd been watching them the whole time without saying a word, even to the point of letting Juvia read the children twisted stories. The ending wasn't great, but what can you do when you don't want to end it? It could have gone on forever and wouldn't have really made sense lol. So yeah, I hope you liked it!
~Emerald~
PS~ Their kids were named as such because of the meanings! Oyu means hot water and Koyuki means light snow. Hot water from Gray and Juvia's first fight and light snow for the fact that snow helps make ice and the whole cycle of condensation from water. (Actually, cold weather makes ice…)
