Best-Laid Mistakes
Chapter 4
by Contrail
Disclaimer: Fairy Tail belongs to Hiro Mashima, and is being used without permission. No profit is being made from this story.
Juvia gradually got everything in her apartment either tossed or boxed, and by the first Saturday in November everything was ready to either be moved to Silver's house or put into storage - the latter category included most of her furniture. Gajeel showed up with his truck around 9 that morning, and growled at her when she tried to lift almost anything.
"You do realize that Juvia's hardly an invalid at this point, right?" she asked him wearily after what felt like the tenth time he'd taken something from her. "The little one has a lot of growing to do before they really start weighing her down."
"Not taking any chances," he retorted, and Juvia sighed as she brought one of the smaller boxes out to the truck. Because she was hardly allowed to help, the loading of the truck took much longer than she thought it should've. Once everything that was going was on the truck, it was a short drive to the storage unit she'd rented. By the time everything that was going into the unit had been packed into it, it was after 3.
As they were driving towards Silver's house, she remarked, "If Juvia had known Gajeel was going to keep her from helping so much, Juvia would've asked her boss's son to come over and help."
He rolled his eyes, "Quit complaining, I got it done, didn't I? 'Sides, no way we could've fit someone else in this truck, and we don't need a whole caravan just to take care of your stuff."
Juvia sighed and looked out the window. The neighborhood Silver lived in was a quiet residential one, with plenty of trees and parks for kids to play in. As they got close, Gajeel said, "Huh. I kinda feel like I've been over here before, but I can't remember what for…"
Gajeel backed into the driveway to make it easier to unload, and while he went to lower the tailgate Juvia hopped out and headed towards the house. She'd texted Silver to let him know she was almost there, so she wasn't too surprised when Gray met her halfway. As she lead him back towards the truck, Gajeel came back around the end of it with the first load of boxes and froze when he spotted Gray, his eyes widening. She glanced at Gray, who looked just as shocked. "You!" they both shouted while pointing at each other.
Glancing between them again, she asked, "You two know each other?"
Gajeel nodded. "He's a friend of Natsu's. Knows Levy, too." That made sense - Gajeel didn't go out of his way to make friends, and really only had one besides her, a large dark-skinned man named Lily. But he and Natsu had been raised as cousins before they lost their parents, even though they weren't actually blood related, and had reconnected after they both got out of the system. Gajeel had even ended up meeting Levy through Natsu's then girlfriend Lucy.
"So how do you two know each other?" Gray asked, looking at them with an eyebrow raised skeptically. She knew they didn't exactly look like they went together, with Gajeel's long wild hair and piercings contrasting with her more demure demeanor.
"None of your business, Stripper," Gajeel replied brusquely. She was torn between sighing because of Gajeel's attitude and raising an eyebrow herself at his nickname for Gray.
Gray's brows lowered. "I think that it became my business when my dad invited her to live here."
Gajeel grip on the box he was holding tightened. She moved towards him and laid a calming hand on his forearm, making him glance towards her. "It's okay, Gajeel." Turning towards Gray, she explained, "Juvia grew up with him at the same orphanage."
Stepping away from Gajeel, she continued, "The boxes aren't carrying themselves, so…" Gajeel grunted and started carrying his load towards the house, while Gray shot him one last look before following her.
As he reached into the truck for a box to carry, Gray commented, "I don't know how someone like you can put up with someone like him."
She shrugged. "Juvia's tougher than she looks. And he's not that bad once you get used to him. He's a real softie for the ones he cares about." She couldn't keep from giggling at the incredulous look Gray gave her at that statement.
When she tried to pick up one of the boxes, he frowned at her. "Are you sure you should be lifting that?"
That made her groan. "Not you, too! Juvia's pregnant, not incapable!"
Gray raised his hands in an apologetic gesture. "Sorry, I just don't have much experience with this, so I don't know what you should or shouldn't be doing."
Juvia took a deep breath, trying to calm down. "Juvia's sorry, too. Gajeel hasn't wanted Juvia carrying almost anything and it's been getting on her nerves."
"Yeah, that's gotta be frustrating," he agreed. "Did you ask your doctor about it?"
She nodded. "She said that Juvia could still do everything she used to right now. Juvia isn't even feeling as tired as she has been."
"Well, then pick that up and let's get this stuff into your new room." They took the boxes into the house, Gajeel giving Juvia a dirty look as he passed them. The room Juvia was going to be using was on the first floor and used to be an office, but Silver and Gray had cleared it out. There were other bedrooms upstairs, but while the stairs wouldn't be a problem for her now, in a few months they'd be a challenge.
Juvia continued to help as they stacked boxes against one of the walls, but both Gajeel and Gray agreed that she wasn't allowed to carry any of the furniture. There wasn't too much of that - just a bed, a bookshelf, a nightstand, and a lamp. Juvia directed the placement of the furniture, making sure it was arranged to her satisfaction.
By the time everything from the truck had made its way into her room, it was after 7. Silver offered to order dinner for all of them, but Gajeel and Gray both turned him down. As Juvia was escorting him to the door, Gajeel turned to her. "Are you sure you wanna live here? I mean, your boss seems like a decent guy, but Gray's a perv."
"A perv?" Juvia asked, frowning.
"Yeah, what do you mean, a perv?" Gray butted in, having over heard them as he was getting ready to leave himself.
"What else do ya call a guy who'll take off his clothes in public?" Gajeel shot back.
Flushing a bit, Gray growled back, "That only happens when I get really drunk!"
"Oh, really? Then where's your shirt now?"
Gray looked down at himself and his face flushed more as he realized he'd taken off his shirt while they were moving stuff. "I got hot!" he snapped, voice defensive. "Lifting stuff works up a sweat!"
"It's November!" As Gajeel and Gray bickered, Juvia let her eyes wander over Gray's exposed chest, thinking that she wouldn't mind getting to see his well-muscled torso more often. But if she said that, Gajeel would be dragging her out of here.
"It'll be fine, Gajeel," she told him, breaking into their argument. "Gray won't be around that often - he lives in his own apartment. And Juvia is sure that Father won't let him do anything untoward to her."
Gajeel sighed. "If yer sure about it…"
"Juvia is," she replied firmly.
He nodded, though he was still frowning. "You know how to get ahold of me if you need me."
She nodded back, then enfolded him in a hug. "Thank you for all your help today."
"Yeah, yeah," he grumbled as he looked away, but his arms rose to wrap around her gently for a long moment before he pulled away. Pointing at Gray, he said, "I'll be keeping my eye on you," before turning and heading out the door.
Gray let out a sigh once he was gone. "Overprotective much?" he griped to no one in particular.
She shrugged. "Juvia's luck with men hasn't been the best, so he has some reason for his concern." Tilting her head to one side, she asked, "Does Gray have trouble keeping his clothes on?"
He looked away while scratching the back of his head, but she could see his cheeks starting to go red again before he turned away. "There have been a few incidents, and I do get hot easily so I take my shirt off more than most guys… But it isn't like I run around flashing people for kicks or something! Gajeel was making too big of a deal about it."
"Juvia believes you," she told him with a kind smile, and he turned back to her looking a little relieved.
"Well, good." He glanced around, then continued, "I should be heading home myself."
"Shouldn't you put your shirt back on before you go?"
He looked down at himself again. "Shit." She tried to muffle her giggles behind her hand as he searched for his shirt, finally locating it in the living room near the door to her new room. Pulling it back on, he gave her an awkward wave as he headed out the door. Thinking back on their interactions that day, Juvia was glad he hadn't been as standoffish as he had been the first time they'd met. Maybe he was getting used to the idea of her joining his family.
Silver still got takeout for himself and Juvia, and they chatted lightly as they ate. By the time they were done with dinner, Juvia was starting to yawn. She might've overworked herself a little out of her irritation with Gajeel babying her. Bidding Silver a good night, she headed to her room. Most of her things were still in boxes, but the bed had been made and she had some clothes to wear the next day, so all she had to do before crawling into bed was change into pajamas.
Juvia woke up feeling refreshed the next morning - she'd been tired enough that she didn't have much trouble falling asleep, even in a new place. Pulling on a robe, she gathered her bathing supplies so she could take a shower, thankful that the first floor had a full bath. After she got out of the shower, delicious smells lead her into the kitchen.
"Morning," Silver greeted her cheerfully, glancing towards her from where he was cooking an omelette on the stove. "This is just about ready, so go ahead and take a seat."
The table had already been set, with a plate of fresh toast in the middle of it with butter and jam ready to be spread on it. As Juvia sat down, taking in the scene, she could feel tears gathering in her eyes.
"Here we go-" Silver was saying as he brought the skillet over to put the omelette on her plate, only to stop short when he saw her tears. "What's wrong, sweetheart?"
She shook her head. "It's just- Juvia doesn't remember the last time someone made breakfast for her like this."
Concern shifting into understanding, he smiled at her and finished depositing her omelette in front of her. "Well, you'll be getting them a bit more often from now on," he told her lightly.
As he turned back to the stove to cook his own omelette, Juvia helped herself to some toast to go with her eggs. The food itself wasn't anything special, but she couldn't keep from smiling as she ate.
Once Silver finished up his own breakfast and joined her at the table, he commented, "It'll be nice having someone else living in this old house again. It's too big for just one person to be rattling around in it, and that son of mine always seems to busy to visit."
She nodded with a shy smile. "Juvia is happy to be welcomed here."
"It's been even longer since this place has heard the putter patter of little feet," he remarked. "I do hope your little one will be less trying than Gray was, or my hair will probably be all white by the time they're grown."
As Silver proceeded to tell some stories about Gray's childhood, Juvia found herself relaxing more than she had since she'd first found out she was pregnant. She wanted the child growing within her, of course, or she wouldn't have chosen to keep it despite the circumstances, but now for the first time she was starting to get excited about what life here with her child would be like.
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