Chapter Summary: Baby-sitting with a hitman is not as it seems.
Disclaimer: Nu-uh. Not mine.
Warnings: Curses and all.
"What are you doing?"
"Why, bottle-feeding her, of course."
"You're treating the bottle like it's spurting icing, Erza."
"I am not!"
"Yeah. Why don't you ask her?"
"She's one year old, Gray."
"Exactly. Now, give her to me and you go make her food."
"Are you underestimating me?"
"No. I'm simply teaching you."
"Ugh... Fine."
Finally, Erza gives the little angel to Gray's care. You won't believe it but on a Sunday morning when they're supposed to watch a movie together, they end up going care of little Mizu-chan of the neighborhood instead.
And you can already guess what happened in the household.
"Gray, you're strangling her!"
"And you're swinging her way too hard-Ew, that's gross..."
"My god Fullbuster, she's a kid... It's-Ohmy..."
A smirk, "See?"
"Damnit! Put your clothes on, stripper!" A loud groan was heard after a couple of thuds and whacks.
The whole fiasco suddenly stood still. They just stared at each other, then to Mizu, then back to each other. One question left hanging in the air,
"What is that burnt sme-"
"WHO THE HELL LEFT THE KITCHEN BURNER OPEN?!"
Fingers pointed away from each other. Gray pointed at Erza just as how Erza blamed him. But that doesn't last long as soon as the infant cited a shrilling voice at the top her lungs.
"Damnit! Here, hold Mizu-chan for me!" The raven man, once again half-naked, rushed swiftly to the kitchen to see a living fiery hell already sitting gloriously on the counter. He muttered a curse, his brain choosing now of all times to freeze and go sentimental.
No shit, Gray. Keep your ass on the line!
The little infant's wail cut him off terribly, and in an instant he found himself dashing to get a pail of water and throw it on the fire. The flames died out eventually, leaving a trail of smoke that smelled awfully of burnt turkey and metal and all.
But to Gray, it smelled different. It triggered something different. He was stuck frozen again, staring at the burnt pile in front of him.
"-ray... Gray..."
"..Da... Da. Da-da!"
Wait what?! He turned abruptly to see little stubby hands reaching for him, Gray held up his finger but sadly the infant didn't seem to notice it and went for his raven hair instead specifically in the forehead part- glomping on the man. Mizu stroked and pulled out his hair playfully, giggling at her own actions. Then, her hands moved curiously to the etched scar on the forehead: little Mizu frowned at it.
However, a cute giggle escaped her lips when she decided Gray's cheeks were better to play and stretch about.
The older man sweatdropped, "What the-"
"Language, Gray..." Titania tried to sound stern but can't help but laugh as well as Mizu stretched and drummed Gray's cheeks.
Finally, a cute yawn escaped from the little girl's lips and both adults knew Mizu-chan is about to for a bed time. She retracted and slowly made her way to the redhead's nape of the neck, curling up into a ball and burying herself in Erza's warmth. Little Mizu was asleep in no time.
"..Ma-hma..."
A tinge of red crept up to the Titania's face, overwhelmed by the feeling of being a parent.. A mother. Of course, every woman would've wanted to build a family of her own, right?
Gray caught up and urged Erza to put her back in the crib, but seeing the tightness of the little infant's grip on the redhead by what little of strength she has, he nodded in understanding and let the redhead make her way to the bedroom.
Cleaning up would be his business, he thought. Somehow struck with a bizarre feeling when he heard those syllables come out of the little kid, Gray wondered why he kept smiling through the whole ordeal of cleaning the kitchen and the living room at all.
When he came back to check on the two, he sighed in relief seeing them both sleeping soundly and cuddling close to each other. He vaguely wondered what it looked like if they were to have a family of their own... Erza would be a great mother for sure..
He stared blankly on his hands, stone cold eyes not saying anything. Then, somehow his attention was caught with a vibration of his phone.
-You look ridiculous, Gray Fullbuster.-
He would've snorted about how the message went. He would've shrugged it off without paying much attention to it- it could be one of his colleagues messing with him. But no. He has no colleagues of that kind anyone would've thought of. And nobody knew his true name except Erza... And...
Oh, shit. Gray's eyes went as wide as dinner plates, and his blood ran cold. The bastard knew where he was, and had possibly known all along! Suddenly the image of the scarlet and the kid came forth in his panic-stricken mind.
Shit. He can't... He can't drag them to this mess he was so careful on avoiding all the time.
Steel black eyes glared at all of the part of the house; the windows and every nook and cranny that'd be susceptible to entrance from the outside. Natural instincts overcame him as he let his body move like an automated machine. He ran back to the living room and activated all the security systems he once built with a reluctant scarlet constantly convincing him not to.. Now he has a legal reason to give her why he had to do all those technical things.
There's the slightest movement he heard upstairs and he didn't have the mind to wonder how he can leap four steps at a time on the stairs. He dashed towards their room, heart already wanting to escape ribcage.
It was Erza... Just the mattress groaning at the slight change of position of the redhead who was trying to find a more comfortable position for her and the sleeping child.
Gray was relieved that they weren't awakened.
But that doesn't last long, either. The words rang into his brain once again and adrenaline was rushing to him like the old times. He made a decision. A decision he's surprised to make himself.
Maybe... Just in case...
He stared at the sleeping goddess peacefully. It took a couple of moments more until he could find it in himself to approach the redhead and gently place a kiss on the space between her brows.
Just in case this will be the last time...
The light press on Erza's head was enough to stir the redhead beauty on her sleep, as eyelashes already threatened to open. But Gray prevented them to, whispering a soft voice to Erza's ear-
"It's alright. You go to sleep." Gray hid every surging emotion that'd shake his voice. Erza knows when he's not telling something, and Gray is moved by that. But this is not the time he'd gladly appreciate it.
Erza must be tired and all-thoughts hazy and cloudy and brain just wanting a good night sleep, that all she could muster was a gentle nod, consciousness slipping just as fast as how her eyelids shut close again and feeling relieved, reassured.
Gray took a step back and took a moment to remember every lovely detail of Erza's face that he's come to love.
He glanced to Mizu and smiled genuinely, eyes gleaming in a warm way. He didn't know what urged him to plant an affectionate touch on the child's face- just a short-lived one enough to fill that space inside him. He smiles at the angel in front of him. No, there are two angels in front of him. The child reacts on the gentle, almost-fatherly touch in her sleep and smiled as well.
To Gray, it is enough... For now, it will be enough.
Like the wind, the raven man is gone again. This time, without the scarlet's knowing.
A/N: *is in a hurry*
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I WUB YOU ALL! *heart*heart*
Next chapter hint: What is Gray's decision? Will Erza ever know?