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INVITED
"Is mine, Effie!"
"No, give back!"
The high-pitched voices of two toddlers filled the whole house. One belonged to a dark-haired boy, the other to a rosy-cheeked girl with coral-coloured hair. Both were sitting on the floor playing with each other. Rather, wrestling with each other because of a toy, a plushie toy sword.
Juvia stared at the two children in awe. Very often she would just stop and stare at the little boy, amazement clouding her eyes. This was what it meant to be a mother, for sure. Every single thing her little Steel does was something to be proud of.
"Give back, Shhteel!" the shrill voice of the toddler girl snapped Juvia back. The water mage must put on her parent persona now and mediate between the two children.
"Steel-kun, please give the toy back to Effie-chan."
The boy looked at his mother, refusing to give up the toy in his hand. Juvia had to 'gently' snatch it from her son, handing it then to the little girl.
Tears started welling at the corner of Steel's blue eyes. Stubbornness took hold of him and he snatched the toy from the little girl's. Automatically, tears began streaming down her cheeks, its rosiness getting deeper and deeper as the emotions in her rose. The ends of her hair soon transformed into a shade of red. Panic rose in Juvia. Not a good sign!
Uh-oh! "Lucy-chaaaan! Effie's hair is changing!" she yelled.
As if on cue, a slender, blonde mage came running from the kitchen. She picked up the coral-haired girl and hushed her, "Effie, sweetie, calm down. You can't control your magic yet."
Enveloped in her mother's arms, the girl's hair reverted to its original colour. "Isn't that sword your gift for Steel, sweetie?" When the little girl nodded, Lucy continued, "Then why are you taking it away from him? That's not very nice!"
"No, no, no Lucy-chan. Steel needs to learn how to share." Juvia crawled closer to her son and softly pinched his cheeks. "Steel, didn't mommy tell you to be extra nice to Effie-chan?" The toddler took time to think it through before finally relenting. With outstretched arms, he held up the toy to Effie. Lucy put her little girl down, and the two children started playing again.
"Oh kids!" Lucy sighed out loud. She plopped down beside Juvia, who's now seated on the couch, just gazing at the children again. "We need some time-out, Juvia. For my next mission, why don't you go with me? After that, we can have a girls' night out."
Juvia knew what Lucy was doing. She had been trying for weeks now to coax Juvia to go out and have some fun. It's always home-mission-home routine for the water mage ever since she gave birth. Even her perky personality had dissipated a bit, which many of their guildmates miss seeing. In fact, it still felt strange to see Juvia and Gray aloof with each other, though amicable. Where in the world was the stalker and love-crazy water mage gone to?
"Juvia," Lucy carefully started, not wanting to ruin the mood. "I hope you don't mind me asking, but didn't Gray ever ask you to marry him?"
Juvia turned to look at her friend with an amused smile, "Why are you asking Juvia that suddenly?"
Lucy scratched her head. She posed the same question to Juvia when they were still both pregnant; it was on the day of Lucy's wedding to Natsu. The celestial mage felt a tiny guilty to bask in celebration when her friend, who's in the same situation, wasn't experiencing the same level of happiness. During Juvia's pregnancy, everybody could read the sad expression on her face, even when she smiled or laughed.
"Juvia's answer is the same as the last time. Gray-sama and Juvia shouldn't marry just because of Steel. It should be like Lucy-chan and Natsu-san. A marriage without love has no solid foundation."
The matchmaker in Lucy wanted to insist that Gray actually had feelings for Juvia, though that was her own assumption. Some of Gray's actions indicated his attraction towards Juvia. Lucy caught him glancing at Juvia many times. His jealous tendencies weren't obvious, but they were apparent to Lucy and Erza. (Natsu was simply clueless all the time!) One time Lyon arrived at the guild with Juvia and Steel in tow, Gray flared up. Of course, Lyon only met the mother and son by accident on the way to the headquarters.
"Stay away from my son!" he yelled at his long-time rival. "Stay away from my wom— from Juvia!"
Of course Lucy caught his near slip!
"Also, Juvia met Gray-sama's girlfriend at his apartment."
Lucy's eyes widened. Say what now? "Girlfriend? What are you talking about? Gray has never mentioned anything!"
The smile on Juvia's face didn't disappear. Whether she wanted to show that it didn't bother her, Lucy had a hard time reading her expression. "It was by accident. Gray-sama forgot to pick up Steel, but Juvia needed to go for her mission earlier. When we got to Gray-sama's apartment, a barely dressed woman opened the door. She was shocked, but Juvia wasn't!"
"Oh, Juvia, I hope you're okay."
"Lucy-chan, Juvia isn't affected by it anymore. Juvia only hopes that Gray-sama and his girlfriend didn't fight because of Juvia and Steel."
Lucy pulled Juvia into a tight embrace. Even though she was a lot closer to Gray (since she knew him first), Lucy's affection for Juvia has always been stronger. In fact, ever since the two of them became mothers, she considered Juvia her best friend.
The wheels in Lucy's head began turning. The writer in her wanted to come out and create a great love story for Juvia, even if it meant finally getting Gray out of the picture.
"Ha! We rocked yesterday! That is the epitome of girl power," Lucy roared as loud as she can. If she only knew that going on missions with just Juvia would be this fun and easy, she would've done it sooner. There were no annoying fights between fire and ice. There was no babysitting someone due to motion sickness, as well.
Currently, the two Fairy Tail mages were at a quaint restaurant. They met for lunch to celebrate a successful mission from the previous day. No hiccups or unnecessary destructions occurred, and for Lucy, that's a major accomplishment. Not to mention, when they collected their reward, they met such a dashing client.
"Lucy-chan, Juvia cannot believe we earned a lot of jewels for something that's not even S-class level!"
Lucy stopped munching on a chicken leg, already displaying some eating habits of her husband. "Juvia, while I attribute the success of this mission to our kick-ass skills, I believe Lord Slate Hawthorne increased our reward because of you!" she said in between bites.
Juvia cocked her head to the side, unable to fathom what the blonde mage meant. The look of confusion on her face made Lucy laugh.
"Oh, Juvia, Juvia, Juvia... what do I do with you? It was clearly obvious that Lord Hawthorne was smitten with you."
The water mage passionately denied her friend's speculation. "Lucy-chan is mistaken. Lord Hawthorne isn't smitten with Juvia."
Lucy shook her head. She wasn't just throwing out that idea from nowhere. She has eyes, and she clearly saw the way the young Lord Hawthorne stared at Juvia. The dude was love-struck!
"I can just imagine the headlines: the elusive third son of the Hawthorne Enterprises proclaims his love for Fairy Tail's resident water mage," Lucy declared with a sing-song tone using the chicken leg as her microphone. She was obviously having fun.
Hawthorne Enterprises owned several resorts, shopping districts, and residential compounds. Lord Slate Hawthorne was the one in charge of the company's residential areas. The two mages' mission was to dispose of villainous bug monsters plaguing one of the residential areas located in Magnolia. Exterminators were unsuccessful multiple times, so hiring mages was the last resort.
"Is he really that famous?" Juvia asked, not entirely caught up with current events and personalities in their town.
"Ho, ho, ho," the blonde mage snickered proudly, this time pointing the leg at her friend. She cleared her throat as if preparing for a great declaration, "His father just happens to be one of the richest men in all of Magnolia, and by default he is as well." Lucy faced Juvia, placing both her hands on the water mage's shoulders. "Aaaand, I've secured a dinner date with him."
Juvia gasped out loud, dropping the fork in her hand, covering her mouth with her hands, and widening her eyes as big as it can get. "Lucy-chan, how can you betray Natsu-san?" her lips quivered as if she was about to cry.
Lucy snorted. "Ha! I knew your higly imaginative mind would misunderstand. Of course, it's not just me who's going. You're also going."
To explain further, the third son of the Hawthorne Enterprises planned to have a victory party after the two mages defeated the monstrous bugs. According to their client, Lord Hawthorne, a victory party wouldn't be complete without the heroines. Lucy received the invitation when she went to the guild early morning.
Apprehensiveness was visible on Juvia's face. Lucy snorted out loud. "You're not allowed to say no, Juvia. This is the first time the two of us went on a mission and succeeded with a bang. Also, if one of us ditches it, it'd give Fairy Tail a bad reputation." Lucy hid her mischievous smile. "We don't want that, do we?" Juvia could only nod. "Then, we're all set for this Saturday. We have to dress to the nines, and enjoy our night!"
When Lucy is set on something, there's no stopping her.
Fidgeting, Juvia kept her eyes on her sweaty fingers. She was riding a grand carriage that was sent by Lord Hawthorne for her and Lucy.
Part of her nervousness was because of her clothes. She was dressed in a simple but chic knee-length dress Lucy lent her. The water mage didn't want to spend money shopping for a new dress, so the celestial mage's offer was welcoming. However, Lucy posed one condition — that she gets to decide what dress to lend Juvia.
It was a midnight blue lacy dress with a pencil skirt, which hugs Juvia's curves perfectly. Inside the lace was a skin-tone satin-like fitted dress. From afar, it gave the illusion of Juvia not wearing anything underneath the lace. The water mage wasn't sure if this was appropriate at all for a mother like her. It gave off sophistication, but certainly not modesty. Yet, she couldn't refuse Lucy's kind-heartedness (or forceful way, as Natsu pointed out!)
In a few minutes, she'd be arriving at the victory party alone. "Lucy-chan's a meanie!" she mumbled under her breath.
"What do you mean you can't go, Lucy-chan? You said the two of us should be present or else Fairy Tail's reputation would be affected!"
The blonde mage laughed sheepishly. "I know. I know what I said, but there's no helping. My Natsu is going on a mission this evening. It was a last-minute decision. I have to look after Effie."
"But, but, but Juvia can't go alone!"
Lucy hummed, as if she just came up with the brightest idea. "To make it up to you, I'll babysit Steel too. That way, you don't have to bring him to Gray, and Steel has a playmate. He won't get bored." When Juvia was adamant that she's not going since Lucy isn't, the blonde mage turned all serious and troubled. "It's bad that one can't go, but two of us not showing up, that's worse. You have to do this for us, Juvia. For all of Fairy Tail. You'll be our representative. We need Hawthorne Enterprises as clients!"
With that, Juvia was once again convinced by the talented celestial mage. She didn't even have the energy to reject and complain about the dress. According to Lucy, all Juvia had to do was just get through the evening, thank the Lord Hawthorne, and leave. If only things were easier done than said!
When the carriage came to a halt, the heaviness inside her grew. She loved parties and celebrations, but only when familiar faces were around. She's on her own for that evening. The carriage doors were opened, and she was escorted out. In front of her was a magnificent hall decorated with bright lights and flowers. Juvia was in shock. A few days ago, the very same place was infested with humongous bugs that drove many residents away.
"Impressive, huh?" Juvia was snapped out of her awe. She turned to the owner of the voice. In front of her was Lord Slate Hawthorne. "Who would think that a few days ago, this place was full of monsters?" He's around Gray's height, so he towered over Juvia even with her heels on. Like her initial impression of him, he wore a gentle smile to match his humble appearance. But even with a casual outfit, the brown-haired Hawthorne heir exuded an air of nobility around him.
"I am pleased that you accepted my invitation, Ms. Lockser." He held out a hand, and Juvia thought he wanted to shake it. When he placed a soft kiss on it, Juvia couldn't help but looked surprised.
"Uh, um, Lucy a-apologizes that she couldn't join us, L-lord Hawthorne," she stammered, highly conscious that she's blushing since he's still holding her hand.
"I understand her predicament. She informed me that she needed to go on a mission with her husband, as ordered by Master Makarov."
Eh? Huh? Juvia was confused, but she hid it from him. What he said didn't quite jibe with what Lucy told her. For now, Juvia let it go. Later she will interrogate her friend. "The place looks amazing," Juvia complimented, sincerely amazed of the transformation.
Lord Hawthorne offered his arm so he could escort the bluenette inside. "It's thanks to the residents that the place had been cleaned and re-decorated quickly. Of course, there will be some constructions and fixtures that must be done. Right now, the priority is to have fun and celebrate." Lord Hawthorne flashed his pearly whites, making the blue-haired recipient feel a little less nervous.
Once they entered the building, she was introduced as the Fairy Tail heroine who brought back the peace. The residents stood from their seats and applauded. Juvia bowed in gratitude, not knowing how to act. She felt elated and embarrassed at the same time. She also felt as if she doesn't deserve the whole attention, since she's only one-half of the heroines who annihilated the bugs.
It turned out to be a fun event. There were performances from the children, some singing and dancing, and a live band. The buffet was bountiful and delicious. The residents were gracious individuals who made Juvia at ease. Most of all, Lord Hawthorne stayed by her side, unless his attention was needed somewhere else. Juvia didn't realize she was having a great time, even without knowing anyone there.
As the celebration came to a close, the residents presented Juvia their gift for her and Lucy. The water mage had never felt this appreciated after completing a mission. She was glad she accepted Lucy's proposal to go on a mission with her. She was glad she attended this event.
"Please allow me the honour of escorting you home, Ms. Lockser," Lord Hawthorne asked politely, which Juvia couldn't reject.
Juvia expected an awkward silence between them once alone inside the carriage. However, it seemed the young Lord Hawthorne enjoyed conversations. He was describing in details every single establishment they passed, how the residents' houses were constructed, and the other plans he have for the particular residential area.
It was near midnight when they arrived in front of her apartment. Juvia thought about going directly to the Dragneels, but she didn't want to disturb anyone sleeping, most especially the two children. Just for tonight she will let her son sleepover at his playmate's place.
Like the gentleman he's displayed throughout the whole evening, the young Lord Hawthorne got out of the carriage and extended a hand for Juvia, as she climbed down the vehicle. When she straightened herself, she was standing a mere foot separating them, making Juvia blush once again. Instinctively, the water mage took a few steps away to widen the gap between them.
"Thank you for such a wonderful evening, Lord Hawthorne," she bowed to show her gratitude.
"Please, just Slate. Lord Hawthorne is my father," he chuckled. "But, I'm the one who's thankful that you accepted my invitation, Ms. Lockser."
This time it was Juvia who shook her head, "Then please, just Juvia."
Silence descended between them and Juvia decided it was time to bid him goodbye. Just as she was about to say her farewell, Slate spoke up, "I'm being courageous here, but I'm the type who faces situations head on." The confusion on her face made Slate laugh nervously. "What I'm trying to say is that... Juvia, I like you. I really do. First time I saw you, that's the one sentence that popped in my head."
Juvia was caught by surprise. She didn't know how to respond. Truth be told, she really didn't think about Lucy's assumption that Lord Hawthorne was attracted to her.
Without giving her the time to react, Slate continued, "Will you have dinner with me — just the two of us this time? I promise you I have clean and pure intentions."
"Ju-Juvia can't."
"I... see." The disappointment was clearly evident on his face. "I am still quite grateful that you were able to join me and the residents today. Have a good night, Juvia."
"Um, wait!" Juvia stopped him as he was about to get in the carriage. "It's just that..." Slate turned around, arching a brow in confusion. "Juvia can't go have dinner because... Juvia's a mom to a two-year-old boy."
There was no reaction for a few moments. He was taken aback. "I apologize. I didn't know you were married."
"No!" came out a little too loud. "Juvia isn't married or with anyone right now. But, but, Juvia has a son." She looked down on the ground, unable to face him. "Juvia's sorry she lied to you."
Slate laughed, which made Juvia look up. "You didn't lie. I never asked. And frankly, you've no obligation to tell me. Now that I know, is dinner with me possible?" He gave her a hopeful smile. He sounded persistent, but he really wanted to spend more time knowing the beautiful blue-haired woman.
It took Juvia some time to think about it. She remembered Lucy's words when she told Juvia to start dating: "Yes, you're a mom now, but you're still a woman. We have needs, and there's no law that says single mothers can't date!"
Even though she barely knew him, Juvia was comfortable around Slate. There was a tiny voice at the back of her mind questioning why not give him a chance. Why not give herself a chance?
"Di-dinner is okay," she said in a whisper, afraid to be heard by passersby. Instantly, he beamed — a reaction which embarrassed Juvia. He did seem to genuinely like her, and Juvia's not-so-oblivious to that. "Juvia has a mission to go to, but Friday will be ideal."
"Yes, that would be great. Thank you," he took her hand, until he realized he was acting a little too forward. "Sorry," he mumbled and sheepishly smiled, "But really, thank you for accepting." He bowed and bid her goodbye after giving her some details about the time he'd pick her up.
Juvia watched the carriage as it got further and further away. She wasn't sure if she did the right thing by accepting. Yet, the tiny voice from before kept insisting that there's nothing wrong with having fun every now and then.
Also, it was time to completely move on.
A/N: It took some time because… I'm not liking Gray for Juvia at the moment. I don't read the manga yet, but I read reviews/discussions, and I'm not really liking what's happening with Gruvia. I'm a Juvia fan before a Gruvia, and I just hate seeing Juvia sad. However, please be patient with me. I've completed this story in my head; it's just a matter of writing it out. So, I will not abandon this fic, even when my Gruvia feelings are diminishing a bit. I just want a happy, happy canon ending for Juvia!
P.S. The next one's a special chapter. It's supposed to be an epilogue, but I'd rather put it up now. Hopefully, you readers won't mind!
Criticisms and comments are always welcome. Compliments are well-loved (heehee!).