Quiet

Month 3 of Juvia's pregnancy

Normally Juvia was a very active person with a hyper personality but lately she would awake early in the morning to nausea and then sleep in till the afternoon or take random naps, he would regularly find her dozing off on the sofa or at the kitchen table keeping her head propped on one elbow while she fought to keep her eyes open and yet she would still say while rubbing her tired eyes "Juvia hasn't been sleeping well...". He looked at her in confusion "But didn't you just take a nap?" he asked raising an eyebrow; She looked away in embarrassment and tugged on the hem of her fluffy yellow nightgown "Yes..." she mumbled, still not looking him in the eyes. "So, why are you saying you haven't been sleeping well when you have been sleeping?" last night he remembered how peacefully she looked in her sleep after the party the guild threw for them and the expected baby, he remembered how she stirred in her sleep when he was about to leave on his usual late night missions which were pretty short he would usually come home around sunrise and snuggle back into his sleeping beauty before she awoke.

He realised she was beginning to tear up and panicked, oh no! Pregnancy hormones! "Juvia would always wake up in the middle of the night to no Gray-sama, she's worried that Gray-sama won't come home, she's worried that Gray-sama isn't getting enough sleep, Juvia waits for Gray-sama to come home so they can sleep together!" she cried. He blinks a few times realising how worried she is about him, she knew that he takes small jobs to save up money for the baby and comes home to help in the house but she was right about him not getting enough sleep. "Come on, no need for tears" he said soothingly into her ear as he hugged her and rubbed her back, she nuzzled into his chest, tears soaking into his shirt "Juvia's sorry for yelling, Juvia is just cranky from not sleeping well" she sniffled. He looked down at the water mage but could only see the top of her blue hair and her face hidden in his chest then an idea hit him, he picked her up bridle style she squealed in surprise.

He carried her to the bedroom and laid her on the bed "wait here" he ordered her as he swiftly left the room, she sat on the bed clutching her nightgown wondering what he was up to. Moments later she heard him coming toward the room, she looked up to see a huge tower of fluffy blankets in his hands "Gray-sama, wha-aa!?" the huge tower fell upon her, burying her in fluffiness. She popped her head out of the pile of blankets to see Gray in the fluffy navy oneise decorated with snowflakes she bought him last Christmas, her eyes lit up seeing him in something she bought him. He walked over to the bed, taking each blanket and throwing it over the bed so it was neatly spread out on the bed.

He crawled underneath with her and cuddled into her "Gray-sama what are you doing?" she asked slightly confused to why they would be in bed so early in midday, 3:30pm in fact. He smiled into her hair "It's supposed to get real cold tonight and I wouldn't want you and the little one getting a cold in the middle of my favourite season" he cooed as he gently stroked the small bump. 'Winter, fit for an ice mage' she thought, she turned around in his embrace and looked at him "But Gray-sama, it's still pretty early and bright out..." she looked toward the window, he looked lovingly into her eyes and she felt her knees go weak "Doesn't matter, I just want to sleep with the woman I love and spent time with little Jr. here" he said resting his head against hers, closing his eyes. She smiled and closed her eyes, letting the loving warmth carry her away into a deep sleep.

For the first time in a month Gray slept like a baby but was awakened by Juvia shaking him awake, he groggily looked around to see it was dark and looked at the clock, 11pm the time he usually got up at. "Gray-sama, wake up, you're going to be late for your mission" she said pointing at the clock. He looked at her and smiled sleepily "What mission?" she sat there confused "Doesn't Gray-sama usually leave at this time?" she blurred out, he chuckled and sat up "Well, I thought about taking some time off so I can spent time with you" he rubbed the back of his neck and looked at her, her eyes lit up and she hugged them and they fell back onto the bed. "For how long Gray-sama?" she whispered cuddling into him "About a week or two before I start working in the guild" he said looking for her reaction, she tensed, looked at him in shocked and sat up. "WHAT?! Gray-sama's going to be working in the guild?!" she said in complete shock, she knew Gray loved missions and fighting but working at a normal job didn't seem like him.

He chuckled again "Yeah, I'll be working as the new request manager, it pays well and has good hours so I can spend more time helping out" he looked at her and her expression became more calm, she leaned back into him "Gray-sama doesn't have to do something he doesn't like" she said feeling a little guilty for him having to give up something he loved doing. He wrapped an arm around her and stroke her blue curly hair "Don't worry, it's only for a year or two before I go back out onto the field, I just..." he looked down at her tummy and placed a hand on it "Don't want to miss a thing and I don't want you to go through it alone" he sat slightly up, making sure she was looking at him.

"I promise to be beside you every step of the way, through every month, every year and every day, to the end of the earth and to the end of our lives, but for now we will savoir and treasure every step we come closer to becoming parents" he can see she is beginning to cry, he takes her hand and looks into her eyes, it maybe dark but he can see the happiness in her eyes and the glistening of her tears. "But there is one step I want to take with you" she looks questionably at him but before she could ask he slips on the ring and asks in the softest whisper "Will you marry me?" She looks at the ring; mouth still gapping like it's the most beautiful thing she's ever seen in her life. "I wanted to get a ring that was as beautiful as you but this was the closest thing I found" he said looking at the ring, it was a simple thin silver band with small wave like details and waves near the brim where there was a blue emerald that sparkled as if it had its own little paradise inside.

She looked at him, her eyes tearing up "What is-"he was interrupted when she launched herself into his arms crying "Yes, yes Juvia wants to marry you!" he chuckled and kissed her forehead and rested his hands on her tummy as she held on to him for dear life throughout the night. That night they slept like happy logs wrapped in layers of fluffy warm blankets protecting them from the cold... mostly Juvia as Gray magically stripped from his onesie. Gray smiled as he held her closer, 'finally peace and quite...'