5

Juvia sat quietly in her kitchen, eating all by her lonesome as she watched other kids run around playing with each other. Her parents had a dinner at their house since her dad wanted to host a formal dinner for his department at his job. Many of his colleagues had children a few of them being around Juvia's age. Since her shyness always took over, including in school, she stood in the outskirts watching the other kids her age having fun.

It was frustrating for Juvia's parents to see her like this, her brother especially. Even at school the few moments the two siblings saw each other, Juvia would always run to Gajeel no matter who he was with, or what he was doing, she would be by his side until it was time to go. Including Laxus, she was attached to him like gum whenever she saw him at school. Gajeel wasn't going to admit it, but he sometimes became jealous when Juvia chose the blonde over him. In his opinion, from all the times Juvia had spotted Laxus, Gajeel determined that Juvia had a case of puppy love towards the blonde. It was rather weird for him to deal with, but he usually ignored it as he was happy Juvia wasn't shy of a person other than her family.

The frustration it built for her parents was immense. They had taken Juvia to a child psychologist to see if they could help in any way. They kind of did in a way. The psychologist had explained to Juvia's parents that it was natural for a young child to act that way. Within time their worries would be no more. In which the Redfox parents prayed for to come soon, since it had been a year that they had seen the child psychologist. Juvia was still Juvia, quiet, shy, and watched kids have fun while she stayed on the side lines wanting to interact but too timid to do so.

Other than five-year old's running around, there were other kids bit older than her, but younger than Gajeel. They all sat in her living room watching a movie on the television or talking to one another not wanting to hang out with kids younger than them.

What came for a surprise for the two Redfox siblings was Laxus' parents both worked in the same department as their father did, so the Dreyars were over as well. Laxus was in Gajeel's room locked in not wanting to be bothered by the other younger kids since the two were the oldest in the house.

Juvia continued eating her spaghetti oblivious of the mess she had splattered all over her face. She stood on her chair to reach for a napkin in the middle of the dining table and began to wipe her small face off from the red tomato sauce. Once she was done, she got off from the chair and walked outside to see what kids were out there playing. On her back porch were two girls, a pink haired one and a blue haired one playing with dolls on her back porch. Juvia scrunched her nose not wanting to play with such girl toys finding them icky, she turned to see where some boys were playing, and she grinned when she noticed they were playing football.

"Come on Gray, throw the ball already!" A pink haired boy shouted as they were all in positions to pass the ball. There were several boys there many of them taller than the small five-year old indicating that they were older than her by a year or two.

"Juvia wants to play football!" Juvia ran to them in her white slightly puffy dress with black dress shoes. Her cheeks becoming flushed as she stopped right in front of all of them. The boys turned to see her, and all moved their heads to a side wondering why a little girl, one in a dress, wanted to play with a group of boys.

"What do you know about football?" The boy named Gray frowned, since he was the one holding the ball.

"Juvia knows that you are the quarter back, Juvia wants to be a running back." She had learned all of the sports terms since Gajeel and Laxus joined the Midget Fairy Tail Private football team to gain experience when they would enter high school. Gajeel played wide receiver and either one of the running backs. Laxus was the quarterback and no other position.

"How does a girl know football stuff?" The pink haired boy asked, he had a missing tooth, as he spoke a slight whistle escaped every word he said. He was the only one who seemed interested on playing against a girl.

"Juvia knows since Oniisan plays and taught her." She replied as she walked a bit closer. "Can Juvia play? Please?" She glanced at the football then back at Gray who just scowled at her in disgust.

"No, you're a girl, girls don't play football. Go play with dolls or something." Gray spat turning around to the boys. "Come on guys, before Juvia gives us cooties."

The others listened and Juvia pouted, she felt tears burn her eyes, but shook her head wanting to ignore the sadness that surrounded her. She began heading back into her house before getting stopped by the two girls playing with dolls.

"Are you okay?" The blue haired one asked. She slowly stood up offering a small smile to Juvia.

"Do you want to play with us?" The other girl asked smiling brightly with her two front teeth missing.

"No, Juvia doesn't play with dolls." Juvia deadpanned earning a frown from the girls, she ignored the comments they made about her being mean. She headed back inside ignoring the presence of the kids watching the television and headed towards her brother's room. Juvia twisted the knob but it was locked. So, she knocked letting herself be known. Soon enough her brother let her in wondering what she wanted.

"What is it Juvia?" Gajeel sat on his bed with his PlayStation controller in his hands and a headset resting on his head. He was currently playing against a few other players in teams, Laxus included.

"Juvia doesn't want to be with the other children," Juvia frowned quickly turning to glance at Laxus who smiled at her. She couldn't help but blush once she turned back to her brother.

"How are you going to make friends then? You're five years old, I had a lot of friends when I was five." Gajeel quickly spoke to his headset before looking back at Juvia for an answer. Sometimes he wanted to throw Juvia to the wolves, so she could finally quit being timid. But thinking about the consequences from his parents had made him not want to.

"Juvia has a friend," she began turning to look at the blonde sitting on the floor resting his back against the end of Gajeel's bed. "Laxus is her friend, no?" Laxus glanced between the two siblings shrugging as he nodded. He was going to back Juvia up since he sometimes felt bad for the little girl being scolded by her older brother.

"Yeah I'm your friend Juvia," Laxus admitted winking at the little bluenette who quickly blushed from his action. He would never get tired of seeing her blush, it was something he would always find adorable. Of course, he wasn't going to tell Gajeel that, since it would probably stir up awkward problems between the two friends.

"See Oniisan, Juvia has friends," she beamed as she went to go sit by Laxus. Who ruffled her messy blue curls before going back to the video game on the television screen.

"Well you got a loser as a friend," Gajeel snickered earning a gun shot from said loser on the game. "I'm joking don't kill me, then we'll lose for friendly fire." Gajeel moved his player to a new position in the game and turned back to his sister. "Well, were playing Black Ops Two, in zombie mode. Feel free to stay and watch." Juvia turned to the screen to see many figures running around, there was so much movement she couldn't see what was really happening.

"Juvia's only six Gajeel, we'll traumatize her." Laxus turned to look up at Gajeel who was now laying on his stomach on his bed.

"She's watched me play many of my games, she's used to the guns and blood." Gajeel answered in a monotone voice since his full concentration went to his game.

"If you say sooo," Laxus glanced at Juvia who smiled up at him, he gently pinched her cheek, before continuing the game.

To his conclusion, Laxus was right. Two minutes in, Juvia was flinching and jumping every time the face of a gory zombie popped up on the split screen, including hearing the groaning voices coming from the dead. Gajeel was ignorant of his sister's fear as he spoke to whoever was on the other side of the headset as he continued playing. Laxus frowned and placed himself in a hiding spot in the game before gesturing for Juvia to hide behind him.

Juvia smiled feeling a blush cover her face once again as Laxus patted his side for her to sit closer to him. Juvia being Juvia went ahead and sat on his lap, resting her head against the blonde's chest. Laxus was a bit surprised but shrugged it off as an arm rested against her small back and the other on her lap as he continued to play the game. It was quite…comfortable and nice to hold the little girl.

"Is Laxus really Juvia's friend?" She whispered as she glanced between the television and the controller in his hands. Her mind began to wonder questioning if Laxus was lying or not. Laxus smiled at her whispering into her ear that he was her friend and that he would always be there for her like Gajeel.

"Hai," Juvia giggled snuggling closer to Laxus enjoying the warmth radiating from his body. She continued to watch the screen, not jumping as much as she did earlier. She could hear Laxus' heartbeat, she couldn't help but place her small hand against his chest to feel the thumping the heart made. Laxus quirked a brow as he looked down at the child's action, he shrugged the action off since she was a curious little girl. Eventually Juvia slowly fell asleep tuning out the noise from the television falling asleep to Laxus' heartbeat.

The blonde hadn't noticed Juvia fall asleep on him until it was getting time to leave. His back and butt were sore for sitting on the floor for so long and he wanted to stand up to stretch his legs. But couldn't since Juvia was sitting on him, asleep. He turned to look for Gajeel who was currently putting up his game console and removing the disc from inside of it, storing it in its respective disc case.

Quietly and gently, so he wouldn't wake Juvia up, Laxus stood up balancing Juvia against him so she wouldn't fall. He kept an arm around her back, the other resting under her legs. She stirred a little but, snuggling closer to the boy's chest.

"Hey Gajeel, Juvia fell asleep," Laxus whispered walking closer to his friend.

"Oh, here let me take her," Gajeel took his little sister in his arms, her head resting against his shoulder. "How long has she been asleep?" He slowly swayed side to side as Juvia whimpered from the new position she was being held.

"Dunno, maybe during the middle of the game?" Laxus stretched his legs and arms sighing at the feeling.

"Well, I'll go put her in her bed," Gajeel started walking out hearing Laxus offering himself to help. Gajeel nodded and watched as he pulled Juvia's bed covers down for him to lay her on. Once Juvia was in her bed, snuggled against her pillow hugging a stuffed puppy consciously in her sleep, the two boys walked out in silence not wanting to wake her up.

Gajeel carefully closed her bedroom door walking out into his living room.

"You know Juvia has a crush on you." Gajeel stuffed his hands in his pockets as he stood watching kids a year or two younger than him watch the television like a moth watching a lamp. Laxus blinked at the weird information given to him, he chuckled as he shook his head.

"It's puppy love, she'll forget about it sooner or later once she befriends other boys," Laxus grinned, Juvia was someone he liked watching over. He could say he was like another brother for her.

"Yeah, you're probably right, her eyes get this shine when you come over. She also dances in a circle as well. I hope she actually doesn't do that when she gets older." Gajeel smirked, it kind of bothered him that his five year old sister liked his friend. She would blush and grin whenever she saw Laxus, he almost got onto her earlier when she sat in his lap while playing video games wanting to tell her to sit away from him. It was a strange uncomfortable feeling he got when he overthought about Juvia and Laxus.

"It's adorable, but just puppy love. Sooner or later she'll be having boys over. You'll be wishing it really is just puppy love." Laxus scratched the back of his head, as he yawned. Seeing Juvia asleep made him want to go to bed as well. He had been over at his friend's house since midday, helping prepare the food and whatnot. It was almost ten and the guests were barely leaving.

"Well, I'll just have to beat them to a pulp, wanna help?" Gajeel grinned, his red eyes flashing a bit.

"Yeah, sounds like fun," Laxus laughed.

While the two pre-teens laughed about it now, they really didn't know what they were getting themselves into in the future.

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Leave a review if you would like, they're all appreciated!

~ Esketit