Hiro Mashima blah blah blah fairy tail
A few days later Mira was serving ales in a newly erected guild hall. Erza, Gray and Levy were seated on bar stools around the bar. Natsu and happy were nowhere to be seen.
'Erza-chan' Levy began timidly interrupting Erza who was munching on a large strawberry cake. Erza spared Levy a glance and resumed devouring her food. 'Lucy and Juvia return today from the Trip, please go Easy on them' Lucy and Juvia had somehow escaped a demented Erza and boarded the boat waving happily as Erza screamed at the captain as the ship departed. (Juvia used her water magic to speed up the process).
Erza cleared her throat delicately 'in light of Lucy's Current condition I'm willing to the let the offence slide this time' Levy and Gray looked at Erza in surprise she avoided their eyes as Mira smirked.
'And this has nothing to do with A large quantity of strawberry Cake being delivered to the guild for you from Hargon, this morning' Erza sniffed ignoring Miras mischievous grin and went back to eating her food.
Levy and Gray sweat dropped and repeated in unison 'they black mailed Erza' Levy turned slowly to Gray in fear. 'Your dating the devil' Gray paled.
'Were not dating!' Gray snapped 'yet! I...I...I don't know I have to go..' He mumbled disappearing.
'Gray was flustered?' Levy murmured to herself, questioning if the world she was in was still the same one she woke up to this morning.
Mira hummed quietly to herself, finally content. Despite her lack of involvement most of her ships had finally paired up. Although she liked to think she had laid some of the ground work for their relationships. Little did she know, Her sweet caring little Sister was planning do some match making of her own. Involving a certain moody Laxus. Lisana had decided it was high time Mira found herself a boy friend, so she could stop obsessing over everyone else's loves lives.
Later that day, two clocked figures entered the port into Magnolia. Their hoods were drawn and they were doing a very bad of job trying to blend into the scenery. As they neared the main heart of Magnolia town, they said their goodbyes and went on their separate way.
'Whoo!' Lucy smiled straightening up and discarding her cloak. Juvia like wise had done the same. Their hair dye they were pleased to note had washed out easily. 'Looks like the coast was clear' Lucy grinned at her partner in crime.
'Juvias glad Lucy-sama. But wasn't that a little dramatic?'
'Are you kidding?! Could you imagine what would have happened if Erza had caught us? If I didn't have to sort things out with Natsu I would have been happy to extend my trip to Hargon for a month!' The two girls grimaced picturing Erza's wrath.
'Juvia thinks the cake helped' she smiled slyly, still surprised at their new friendship. Hargon had been lovely, but Juvia had missed Gray terribly and now the moment had come to confront him, Juvia was scared. How could she explain the kiss? It was funny the moment Juvia had first met Gray all she had ever wanted was him. Now that fantasy might become a possibility it terrified her! What If it didn't work? What if Gray hadn't forgiven her for trying to make him jealous?
'It'll be ok, go speak to him' Lucy put a comforting hand on Juvias shoulder reading her anxiety correctly.
'Will you be ok making your way back to the apartment?' Juvia asked worriedly.
Lucy laughed and waved of her of with assurances 'as long as I avoid any more transportation I should be fine'. Apparently the baby didn't like transport anymore than their father did. She barely made the short trip on the boat without throwing up, Juvia had surprisingly made a good companion. She had distracted Lucy with the tales from her childhood and the two had slowly bonded. They had a way to go but Lucy had seen enough to know that Gray was a lucky man.
Lucy felt a prickling sensation on the back of neck like someone was watching them, she glanced over her shoulder but could see no one following her. She chuckled at her own paranoia. 'Il be fine iv got some explaining to do myself' Lucy grimaced, sure that the news of her pregnancy had spread like wildfire throughout the guild. It was a cowardish move to run of without explaining, but everything between them had happened so quickly she needed a chance to think.
Lucy decided to head to her apartment first. Was she avoiding Natsu? Yes. But she also needed time after all that travelling to freshen up and feel human. Lucy had finished unlocking the door to her apartment, yawning slightly, she tried to push the door but it was jammed against something. With a mighty shove the door flew open, Lucy landed in an unceremonious heap atop a pile of dull looking swords. She stared around her apartment in bewilderment. Weapons of every shape and assortment lined her walls, throwing stars, daggers, sabres, even a wicked looking mace hung above her bedroom door.
Lucy couldn't seem to find words, instead all she managed to articulate was a loud sort of squawking noise, someone had transformed her apartment into a weapons room...or medieval dungeon. She was just about to call out to the landlady, when a hand appeared in front of her vision. She took it without thinking scrambling to her feet to come face to face with Erza and a wicked looking Scythe in her right hand.
Lucy paled. Erza raised an eyebrow in question. Lucy gulped, taking a step back nervously. 'Im sorry Erza-Chan, about the other night at the guild. I swear if you don't murder me il buy you a years supply of strawberry cake' Lucy wailed holding her hands up prayer.
'Huh?' Erza cocked her head to the side in confusion. 'Lucy im renting your apartment out as a storage space. There are no more rooms available to rent at Fairy hills and Natsu said you wouldn't be needing it for a while, so I thought this was the perfect solution till then'.
'The scythe...?' Lucy asked just to clarify. Erza laughed.
'I was just doing some maintenance on my weapons when you walked...er...tumbled in'. She shrugged as this explained everything. At Lucys disbelieving glance Erza muttered 'it's no different than you updating your wardrobe'. Lucy begged to differ but one look at the wicked looking Weapon and she wisely kept her mouth shut.
'As for the previous nights incident' Erza coughed under breath. 'Although you acted foolishly I believe we can overlook the matter just this once'.
Lucy grinned 'did you like the cake then? Juvia was right' Erza glared but said nothing.
Lucy was about to laugh when realisation caught up with her 'Wait, that flame head gave away my apartment?!' Lucy shrieked.
Erza nodded matter of factly. 'on account of you moving in together'
Lucy continued to stare at Erza dumbstruck. 'Where. Is. He' she hissed, fury radiating from her body at his audacity.
'Probably at the cottage. Lucy it was foolish to run of without talking to him. Natsu is trying to support you in the best way he knows how. He may not have said it yet but it's obvious he loves you, at least hear him out before you chew him out'. At Erza's words Lucy's eyes softened.
'I better go find him' she said turning to leave.
'oh and Lucy...congratulations. Im sure I will make a superb auntie and under my tutoring your child will grow up to be a fine warrior' Lucy's eyes nearly bugged out of there sockets but again wisely she said nothing.
'Bye Erza, and thanks' with that Lucy departed with a half smile. She was half way down the stairs when she heard Erza shout.
'Lucy! What about that cake you promised...Lucy..?!'
After scouring the guild to look for Gray and his apartment with no luck, Juvia let herself into her own room at Fairy Tail Hills. She sighed deeply dropping her keys into the bowl and shrugging of her blue overcoat. Juvias apartment was like a temple dedicated to Gray. Snap shots of him lined the walls. A murial of them together hung over the fire place. Her furniture was painted in a world of blue and Grey tones. It was elegant and reminded Juvia of water and Ice, the two colours completing each other perfectly. Juvia just turned the corner to walk towards her open plan kitchen and lounge, when she spotted Gray lounging naked on her blue damask sofa clutching a replica doll of himself. He was eyeing the object in question with alarm. It was like everyone of Juvias dirty fantasies come true.
In her dreams Gray would dreamily take her in his arms and swear his undying love to her...things got VERY PG from there. In reality all she could manage was 'Eeep'. Gray looked up surprised, he hadn't heard her enter.
'Juvia' he cleared his throat awkwardly, unsure of how to begin. Letting himself into her apartment seemed like a perfectly logical idea at the time, of course then he had found the photos and the doll...and random articles of his clothes she must have collected. None of this however surprised him, he had heard the rumours. Juvia had never denied her intentions.
'Juvia can we talk?'
'Eeeep' Juvia squealed turning a very deep red.
'Is something wrong?' Gray asked alarmed half rising from the sofa. Juvias eyes were drawn downwards and her blush deepened.
'Are you here to seduce Juvia?'she asked breathlessly. It was then Gray realised he was naked. In anxiety, he must have had another stripping episode he cursed, covering himself with the Gray doll...it didn't help.
'No don't be stupid' he said his cheeks colouring. Juvia deflated her eyes not meeting his.
'Then are you here to ask Juvia to leave?' She asked miserably. Gray just stared at her in confusion.
'Juvia is sorry for kissing Natsu it was selfish'
'Why did you kiss him?' Gray asked trying to ignore the stab of jealousy in his stomach. Juvia bit her lip considering her words. She dared to look Gray in the eye, her head raised in a regal almost defiant manner.
'Because Juvia wanted to make Gray jealous. Juvia loves Gray-sama but she is tired of not being loved' Gray was surprised at her passionate declaration. Other than her love for Gray she hardly voiced any of her own feelings, there was a side to her he wanted to know better. 'Juvia feels guilty but she will not apologise. Lucy and everyone tells Juvia she must be more open and maybe that is true' she went on pulse racing, Gray stared at her, in that moment she was utterly beautiful. Violet eyes blazing, chest heaving with exertion as if she had been running.
'But Juvia's life began when She met Gray-sama' she continued 'By accepting Juvia he allowed her to feel when she thought she was numb! So Juvia is slow to show her emotions because Juvia is still figuring it out'. She finished willing him to understand. Fairy tail had allowed her to grow when she had spent years denying herself these pleasures. Everyone expected her to know what she wanted when she wanted. She wasn't as sure in her appearance as Lucy or as sure of herself in battle as Erza. At the moment the one thing, the first thing she had ever been sure of was Gray. Wether as a friend, a lover, or even just a guildmate. For the first time she felt, and Juvia would be damned if she would let that go.
Gray sat there patiently waiting for her to finish. He was good at that, listening. Juvia willed her shaking hands to stop, and her pulse to slow. Gray grabbed some of his 'borrowed' clothes and changed keeping his back to Juvia thinking. Juvia was not above staring.
When he did turn her cheeks were a pretty dusky pink. Gray walked towards and her and to her credit she didn't back down. Softly he reached for her hand opening her palm. In it he placed an Ice rose he had made with magic so it would never melt. Juvia stared at the gift in wonder but said nothing.
'Why don't we start with a date?' Gray asked. Juvia stared at him for a full heart beat, before she launched herself at him showering him in kisses.
'J-J-Juvia' Gray said embarrassed, but the water mage quickly silenced his protests.