"Lyon-sama, you're home," Juvia said with a warm smile. That warm smile that made him feel like he was the only person in that tiny apartment, the only person in her universe. He had missed that smile since he went to Crocus. There was not a day went by without him thinking of her or longing to be with her.
"Yeah, is Ultear home?"
Why couldn't he just come out and said that he had missed her? It killed him not to be able to tell her his true feeling. But he was scared to destroy all the beautiful things they had together if he confessed. He didn't want her to reciprocate his feeling just because she felt she was owning him her life. That would be coercion.
"She's working now, so it's just me and Catherine."
Before Lyon opened his mouth, the door was slammed open. His eyes widened to see Ur, his mother standing there. Crap, how could have he forgotten that today Ur came back and he still didn't tell her that Juvia and Catherine were living under her roof?
"Mom?" He could hear his heart beat in his ears.
"Lyon, oh! You must be Juvia! Welcome to our family," she said, pulling Juvia closer to her and hugging her.
"H-Hi Mrs. Ur," Juvia stuttered. She was surprised as she didn't expect her warmth. At all.
Lyon raised his brow, trying to grasp the situation. Then he eventually realized that Ultear must have blurted out despite him telling her to shut up.
"I'm really sorry Juvia. I'm truly embarrassed by what my son had done to you, but I'm glad that you chose life, and now I have a chance to see my granddaughter," she said when they broke the hug.
Juvia looked confused at her words. She was still trying to process what Ur had just told her, but before she could clarify it she heard Catherine crying out loudly from the bedroom.
"I'm sorry Mrs. Ur. Catherine is awake, I have to see her."
"Oh let me see my granddau—" Her words were stopped by her son. "Mom, not now. We'll talk later. I promise," he said before following Juvia to the bedroom.
"Lyon," before she could continue her words, Lyon slammed the bedroom door close.
"I'm sorry, Juvia. I have to lie to them," he said softly, his voice full of regrets.
"What did you tell her exactly? Juvia needs to know," she said, turning her back from him as she breastfed her tiny little baby.
"I told Ultear that you are the mother of my baby. That's all."
"Why did you have to lie?"
Lyon took a deep breath. "Because Ultear didn't want to have you here as she was busy with school and crap, so I have to make up something—"
"By lying to your own sister and mom? Juvia doesn't understand why you have to lie. If Ultear didn't want us here, why don't you just tell Juvia so Juvia can leave? Did Lyon-sama think Juvia wouldn't be able to handle things on her own?" she cut him off with a sharp edge in her voice. She should have known better that nobody would ever welcome a poor, young single mother in their home. Nobody.
Her heart was not only hurt, but her pride was also wounded. She was tired of begging people to hire her for any job that she could not secure for longer a month when they found out she was pregnant. She was tired of begging strangers for pennies so she could afford one slice of bread. She was tired of being stared coldly by strangers because she was sleeping with her tummy growing bigger near the train station as she could not afford to rent a decent place to live in. She was just tired of everything.
Lyon cleared his throat, torn apart by guilt. Not the guilt of lying to his family. He did that hundred times, and they would always forgive him. But the guilt that he wasn't thinking of her feeling. He did what he had thought was best for her, without asking her what she wanted.
"I'm sorry Juvia, I should've told you this earlier. But I do want to keep you and Catherine safe," he said, his voice filled with sincerity.
Juvia didn't say anything. Instead, she just put Catherine gently in her crib, but she still refused to see him.
"Lyon-sama, you are a very adept liar. You fooled Juvia once, and Juvia won't let you fool her again," she said bluntly.
He cupped her chin with his fingers and the deep blue eyes staring back at him were cold.
"I wasn't fooling you Juvia. I did what I thought was best for you two because I do care about you and Catherine," he said steadily.
"Why do you care about Juvia? You only met her one day before you offered her a shelter," she insisted despite his eyes telling her the truth. She had lost her ability to read people since the day she found out she was pregnant. People that she thought she could rely on were betraying her; they kept pushing her for an abortion. And when she was away from home without any pennies, she had just realized she was living in an unforgiving world where people refused to help her without expecting anything in return.
"Because you are stunningly beautiful. Inside and outside. The fact that you chose life even though you have no reliable support system talks a lot about you. It just feels right whenever I'm with you. Even when we are in one room and we have nothing to say to one another, it still feels right. You are just a perfect company for me," he said. "Being with you is enchantingly great, and you have no idea how much I missed you when I was in Crocus," he added, staring at her lovingly with full adoration. His confession reverberated in her head. She paused for a brief moment as she felt a kind of happiness in her heart. She had to admit that his generosity were overwhelming, but to think that he liked her was harder to believe. She didn't understand what he saw in her.
She looked up at him, trying to search the truth in his eyes. "Juvia doesn't deserve your love," she muttered. When Lyon returned her stare with a heart-warming smile and unflinching love in his eyes, she could feel the great love and adoration for her in her heart. "Juvia deserves my love and anyone's love," he answered.
But you don't know about Juvia's past! She wanted to protest, but Lyon silenced him with a finger to her lips. "You don't have to tell me anything about your past if you're not ready for it," he said as if he could read her mind.
Juvia just nodded. "Thank you Lyon-sama," she muttered.
"Actually Juvia, I am thinking if you and Catherine want to move to Hargeon with me. Well, I'm still a student, but I have some part time jobs and I live in a small apartment. But if you want to live here, it's fine too. I'm sure my mom and my sister will look after you and Catherine—"
Lyon couldn't even finish his words when Juvia suddenly hugged him. She hugged like someone who's not used to hugging: she nervously held tight his torso, but cling on far too long as if she's afraid to let go. "J-Juvia and Catherine will follow Lyon-sama," she said in a barely audible indiscreet tone. His lips curled up into a smile and he patted her head. "Thank you, Juvia," he whispered near her ears.
###
"You do come to my place this time," Asuka said, opening the door to see Catherine was standing there.
"Yeah, Gray-sama rejected me. He said he didn't want to meet me until I graduate from high school," she scoffed, removing her shoes and shocks as she entered Asuka's house.
Asuka began to tease her and said, "Oh your mysterious boyfriend is so caring."
"He's not my boyfriend yet. And damn it my dad keeps calling me even though I hang up his call."
"You're still mad with your dad?"
"Yeah, can you believe it? He dropped me off in the street this morning and I had to walk two miles to get to the bust stop."
"Maybe he felt guilty. That's why he kept calling you. You should've answered him."
Catherine rolled her eyes. "Nope, I don't need to. He texted me, telling me that he would pick me up at midnight. Crap, I'd rather take a bus."
"Or ask your mysterious boyfriend to pick you up?"
Catherine laughed. "Hey, that's not a bad idea, but I don't want to disturb him. He might be working or sleeping at that time, I don't know. Oh speaking of the devil, Gray-sama texted me!"
"Good luck. Stay focused on your study."
Catherine sighed. "Just another boring message. I was expecting he would confess, but he never did."
Asuka narrowed her eyes. "So why don't you go see him and confess?"
"Why would I do that?"
"Because he's much older than you, so he would just take things slowly, I bet. What's the worst thing if he rejects you? He's not our classmate or anyone that we have to encounter every day."
Catherine paused for a moment. "You're right about that. Thanks Asuka!" she said, putting her socks and shoes on.
"What, where are you going?"
"To meet him and confess, you yourself said it. Duh."
"Yeah, but not now. Let's just study first, you can meet him tomorrow—"
"Thanks Asuka, you're the best," she winked and slammed Asuka's front door open and close.
Asuka sighed. She should have kept her mouth shut.