Thank you to everyone who reviewed/favorited my story so far! I am not a professional writer by any means, but I am so happy that you all like my story! Thank you so much rao hyuga 18, Lucy H Lover, dareaderreads, Copperreign12, and indrakshibhandar! It truly means a lot to me and reading your reviews always puts a smile on my face :) I hope you like this chapter!
Gray walked in the living room of their house one night after a mission. He was sore, tired, and missed his family so much more than he cared to admit to Natsu. He wanted to kiss his wife and baby, eat some of Juvia's wonderful cooking, and sleep for a good 9 hours.
He stopped in his tracks at the sight of his gorgeous wife, asleep in their plush chair, with two-month-old Mikado snuggled up in her arm, a flowery blue blanket tucked over both of them. Juvia was snoring lightly, and everytime Mikado moved, Juvia would move with her, keeping her safe in the circle of her arm.
Gray smiled softly. How did he ever get so lucky? He walked over to them quietly, and brushed back Juvia's bangs so he could kiss her forehead. She nuzzled up into his lips, and he grinned. She really did love physical attention. When he bent over her to take Mikado to put her to bed, Juvia woke up and clutched at Mikado, thinking she was falling out of her arms.
"Gray-sama?" she said, confused.
"Shh," he whispered. "It's okay, love. I am just putting Meeks in her crib. Then I will come back and bring you to bed."
"Gray-sama doesn't have to put Juvia to bed. She is a big girl, after all," Juvia said with a sleepy grin.
"I am doing it anyway," he told her. "Let me love you."
Juvia smiled softly and gave Gray a loving gaze. He grabbed Mikado and took her to her room, laying her in the white crib. When she cried lightly, he put her pacifier back in her mouth and patted her butt. "Shh, shh," he whispered. "Goodnight my love. Sleep well." With one last forehead kiss, he left the room and turned the lights off.
Juvia was asleep again when he got back to the living room. She must have been exhausted after four days with a small baby alone. Gray took the blanket off her and slipped his arms underneath her. When he lifted her, she twined her arms around his neck and rested her head against his naked chest.
When did that happen? he wondered. Oh, well. It was bound to come off eventually.
He felt her smile against his skin. "Thank you, Gray-sama. Juvia loves you."
"I love you, too, Juvia. Always."
"Juvia! Did you see that? She rolled over!"
Juvia looked over from the kitchen where she was cutting up vegetables for their dinner to see Gray laying on his stomach on the floor, watching Mikado roll on her activity mat. The four month old baby was always wanting to move these days, and tried her best to keep up with Isa and Demir, who were crawling all over the guild causing trouble. That very day, Isa crawled behind Elfman, tripping him and causing him to crash into Max and Warren, who flung their mugs into the air and hit Natsu, who blamed it on Laxus walking nearby. Suffice to say, there was a guildwide brawl that only ended when Levy snarled at the boys to be careful around her babies or she would make sure they weren't in a position to fight for a long time.
"Oh, Gray-sama! Juvia needs to take a picture for her scrapbook!" She ran from the kitchen to find her camera lacrima and came back in a hurry, blue curls flying everywhere in her haste.
"We can't miss this," she mumbled, taking picture after picture of her baby, wiggling on the floor.
Mikado lifted her head up for a few seconds, but couldn't keep it there; her face planted into the ground and she gasped in shock. Her little hands came up in fists and pushed against the ground, but she eventually gave up and turned her head to the side to look at her parents.
Gray and Juvia were enraptured by her every move. They couldn't keep their eyes off their baby girl. Juvia especially didn't want to miss a single moment, and captured each day with at least ten pictures to document Mikado's growth. Her and Levy had the bright idea to start scrapbooks for their children, and met up once a week to make new pages and print pictures. They had a blast working on their separate projects together, and Juvia even started making a wedding album from her and Gray's wedding. Lucy came sometimes, too, and worked on making a wedding gift for Natsu since he loved to keep mementos and things from their adventures together.
"Mikado, baby, look at Mommy," crooned Juvia, still holding her camera lacrima. She clucked her tongue and smiled at the little girl.
"She looks so angry," laughed Gray. "Look at her face, she's so scrunched up."
"It's hard work being on our tummy, huh, baby," sang Juvia. "Lifting up our heads is hard, hard work."
Gray looked on in amazement, so happy. His wife and daughter were the most beautiful girls in his whole world, and the love he felt for them was immense. Juvia and Mikado were wearing matching outfits today, and Gray could only chuckle at Juvia's sense of humor and taste in music. She was wearing a shirt that said I put my baby on my hip, and her hair was piled on top of her head in a messy bun. Mikado's onesie said, When she dips I dip we dip. Her black hair was pulled up into an elastic, giving her a little waterfall of hair on top of her head. Juvia slid closer to the baby, rubbing their noses together, making Mikado smile. Gray just couldn't help but grab her off the floor and pull Juvia close to him. He squeezed them in a tight hug, nestling his face into Juvia's neck.
"I love you both," he murmured into her skin, loving the feel of her warmth against his face.
"And Juvia loves you both as well," she whispered back. "And so does Mikado."
Mikado gave a cooing babble that corroborated Juvia's words, and Gray pulled them even closer to him in his embrace.
Juvia and Levy sat on a blanket in the guild, watching their three children playing. The five of them were on the second floor of the guild hall, and activity bustled around them. Levy was having her hands full keeping one year old Isa and Demir on the blanket and out from everyone's feet. There have been way too many times the twins have caused fights in the guild because they tripped someone, and Levy wasn't in the mood to deal with that today. Juvia, too, was having trouble keeping six month old Mikado out of trouble. The little girl was trying to crawl, and any day now she would be on the move. The three babies finally stopped trying to escape and were playing with a set of wooden blocks Laki made for them.
"Have you heard Bixslow and Lisanna started dating?" Levy asked Juvia, one hand firmly on Demir's wrist to keep him from throwing a block at his sister.
Juvia looked up from watching Mikado try to eat a wooden rattle, also courtesy of Laki. "No, Juvia hasn't," she said. "When did they start going out?"
"I think Bix asked her a couple weeks ago," Levy replied. "Was that when you were on that mission?"
Juvia smiled. "Yes, Juvia and Gray-sama took Mikado with them to a resort in Margaret Town for a really easy job to cool down the rooms, since their air conditioning lacrima broke. Mikado loved the trip, and we visited Lyon at Lamia Scale. Gray-sama wouldn't admit it, but Juvia knows he loved seeing his brother, and introducing Mikado to him."
Demir managed to get his arm free from Levy's grasp, and he threw the block, missing his sister and hitting Mikado instead. Her deep blue eyes widened, she stared for a moment before deciding she did want to cry, then started sobbing dramatically. Juvia and Levy sighed, and Juvia reached for her little girl. Before she could get to her, Isa reached her hands out and hugged Mikado.
"Awwww," both adults cried.
"Isa is so so sweet," said Juvia, grabbing Mikado, who was still crying, and giving Isa a little half hug.
Levy cooed at her daughter. "Is Mikado your best friend, baby girl?"
Demir, feeling left out, grabbed his mom's hair and yanked it. Levy winced, but grabbed him and brought him closer to the girls. "Demi, you hurt your friend," she scolded lightly. "That wasn't very nice. You need to be gentle."
Suddenly, the guild doors slammed open. Natsu came rushing through, dragging Lucy behind him. "We picked a day for the wedding!" he shouted. "It's July 7th!"
"Natsu!" Lucy shouted. "Stop dragging me around!"
Erza stood up. "Natsu," she said darkly.
Natsu skidded to a stop, Lucy crashing into him from behind. "Sorry, Erza," he said meekly.
Lucy fixed herself after her impromptu crash and shot Erza a thankful glance. Erza didn't notice, she was walking toward Mira, who was wearing a sweater over a T-shirt and jeans. Actually, Lucy noticed, Erza was wearing the same thing. Not thinking too hard about it, she made her way over to Levy and Juvia, who were watching the ordeal with amused smiles on their faces.
Lucy plopped down on the blanket and picked up Isa with a smile. "Hey there, babe," she said. "How are you?" She tickled Isa's chin, and the dark-haired little girl laughed.
"Hi, Lu-chan," Levy said.
"Hello, Lucy-san," said Juvia. "How are you?"
Lucy sighed. "Natsu kept me up half the night kicking in his sleep. I am so exhausted."
Levy laughed. "It must be a dragon slayer thing. Gajeel loves to keep me awake with his kicking, too."
Erza and Mira, who were talking in a corner of the guild, walked onto the stage together. Laxus and Jellal, who was in the guild for a visit today, were standing near them on the floor, watching them on the stage with smirks on their faces.
Mira brought a microphone to her lips. "Everyone," she called out sweetly, "Erza and I have an announcement to make."
Erza smiled and her and Mira both took their sweaters off. Underneath they were wearing T-shirts that said Baby on Board. The guild took a minute to read them and understand what it meant, and then there was an uproar of congratulations and questions.
"When are you due?" asked Levy.
"January," both girls replied.
"Wait, both of you are due in January?" Warren asked.
"You know what that means," Max smirked at him.
"Betting pool!" Vijeeter called, dancing wildly.
With that, chaos erupted. The whole guild wanted to get in on the action. The guild hadn't had a good betting pool since Mikado was born, guessing her gender, and they wanted to make sure it was a good one. Most people were in Erza's favor, though Lisanna and Elfman were staunch supporters of Mira giving birth first. Cana and Carla were forbidden from participating, since they had an unfair advantage.
"Enough!" Erza finally shouted. "There is no reason for this chaos. Calm down."
Mira agreed. "Besides," she added. "It is obviously going to be my baby." She gave Erza a sly smile.
"Excuse me?" Erza said. "It is obviously going to be my baby."
Jellal and Laxus, sensing impending doom, both went up on the stage to distract their wives.
"Erza," Jellal said soothingly, "do you want to get some cake? Lisanna said there is lots of it in the kitchen."
"Mir, let's go celebrate with Lisanna and Elfman, huh?" Laxus said to Mirajane.
Both girls turned to their husbands and were thankfully distracted. Laxus and Jellal unobtrusively fist-bumped behind their backs, both of them used to the ups and downs of being married to the two scariest women in the guild. They were always glad when their distraction techniques were successful.
Levy, Juvia, and Lucy, still sitting with the kids, were all hugging and crying and laughing. Demir and Mikado were looking at their moms and aunties confused, but Isa was unconcerned, instead playing with her blocks.
Gray and Gajeel came in from a mission they took together to find everyone in a rush of movement and shouting, more than normal for the guild. Both of them walked confused to their wives and children, only to find the girls crying and laughing.
"Um, what is going on here, Juves?" Gray asked.
"Shrimp, what's up? Hey, Bunny Girl," Gajeel added.
"Dada! Dada!" the twins shouted, struggling to get out of Lucy and Levy's arms.
"Erza and Mira are having babies!" Lucy cried.
"It's so exciting," Levy said.
Juvia leapt up to hug Gray. "This is what Juvia was helping Erza with. She is so happy for the two girls! They are going to love being moms!"
Gray swept Mikado up into his arms and Gajeel leaned down to kiss his wife and children.
"I missed it?" Gray said sadly. "I'm going to have to tell Erza off for not waiting for me."
Gajeel laughed. "Titania can't wait until every single person is in the guild. That would be way too hard. Besides, she will probably tell us in person, Stripper."
Gray sighed. "I guess you're right."
"How was your mission," Levy asked.
"Eh, it was fine," Gajeel said. "It was pretty easy. Just some looters bugging people on the road outside Acalypha. Took a couple hours."
Gray was still pouting, but when Mikado grabbed his face with her tiny hands and squeezed his cheeks he couldn't help but laugh.
"Hey," he told her. "What are you doing to me? I am gonna get you for that!" He tickled her belly, causing Mikado to giggle loudly, wiggling all over trying to escape Gray's hands. Juvia giggled too, and helped Gray hold Mikado down to tickle her.
Demir, seeing his friend in trouble, came stumbling over to the little family, and tugged Gray's pants, trying to help Mikado. "Up! Meeko! Up!" he said seriously. Gray looked down and laughed, handing Mikado to Juvia and picking the little boy up.
"She's fine, see? Just playing, buddy." Gray pointed to his daughter, still giggling in Juvia's arms.
Erza came over then, and Levy rushed to give her a hug. Gajeel patted her shoulder.
"Congratulations, Er-chan!" Levy shouted.
"Yeah, congrats Titania," Gajeel added.
"Erza-san!" Juvia exclaimed, noticing the redhead for the first time. "Juvia is so happy for you and Jellal-san!"
Erza smiled and came to take Mikado from her. "Well, thank you for all of your help and support, Juvia. I appreciate all of the love you and your family gave me when I was struggling." She kissed Mikado's nose, and the little girl smiled and fisted Erza's hair.
Gray put Demir down and gave Erza a hug. He pulled Juvia into the hug too. "Congratulations, Erza," he told her. "It's too bad you didn't wait a few more minutes until I got here, though." He grinned at her.
"I'm sorry, Gray. I would have if I would have known."
"It's okay. I just had to give you a little shit." Gray glanced at his little girl in Erza's arms, and at Juvia, both of their blue eyes shining, so similar in shape and color. "Seriously though, you are going to love starting a family of your own. It is the best feeling in the world. Nothing compares."
Erza shared a loving look with Jellal across the room, talking to Cana. "I can't wait," she murmured.
