AN: Did you really think we wouldn't have a Rose x Gajeel moment? :D
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"You are my everything
Nothing your love won't bring
My life is yours alone
The only love I've ever known"
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My Everything
Day 06 – Chocolate
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Gray held his daughter's hand as they walked down the street in direction to the supermarket. Rose had just turned five and he knew from previous experiences that one second letting go of her hand and she would bolt, making him worry while looking for her.
"Daddy, daddy!" Rose caught his attention. "Look, it's Uncle Jeel!" She pointed to across the street where the Dragon Slayer was and as soon as he heard the little girl's name, he turned around – Dragon Slayers and their amazing hearing. He, then, started to walk their way, much to Rose's excitement.
"Hey, ice cube." Gajeel looked to the little girl next to Gray with a small smile once he was close enough – it was no secret Gajeel was absolutely in love with Rose, he had been ever since he had seen her the first time.
"Hi, Uncle Jeel." Rose waved at him and smiled back at him. "You look sad. Do you want a hug?"
The Dragon Slayer snorted, but nodded. Rose, then, let go of her father's hand and raised her arms in Gajeel's direction. He stepped next closer and took Rose up, the little girl wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek.
"Mama always says that kisses make you feel better." Rose hid her face on the crook of her uncle's neck.
"Your mama is right." Gajeel hugged the little girl and Gray smiled lightly at the scene. Who would've thought the fearsome Dragon Slayer would become the silliest man when a five-year-old girl wanted to make him feel better. "Just so you know, your mama is always right; when she tells you are too young to do something, especially dating, you listen to her."
Rose laughed and it made Gray's heart flutter with love with the innocent sound. "Daddy said I need to be forty for that."
"Forty-five." Gray crossed his arms over his chest, with a smirk on his face.
"Mama said sixteen." The girl grinned.
"Then you listen to your dad on that one." Gajeel chuckled when Rose laughed and nodded, her curls bouncing as she did so. "Where are you two heading?"
"Supermarket." Gray answered. "Juvia is craving chocolate and since she is the size of a house and would take hours for her to get some, I offered to come and take Rose out for a bit." He took in Gajeel's appearance and just like Rose had said, he looked sad. "Wanna walk along with us?"
"Sure." Gajeel shrugged and handled the little girl until she was seated on his shoulders, while she laughed in delight. "Hold on, ice cube."
"Alright!" Rose grabbed her uncle's hair and giggled when they started to walk, Gajeel holding the little girl's feet just in case.
"So, why the long face?" Gray asked, putting his hands inside his pocket.
It took Gajeel a few moments to answer, but he did so after looking at Gray, probably battling inside whether the Ice Mage could help or not with his problem. Deciding it couldn't hurt, the Dragon slayer spoke. "Levy wants a kid. We've been together for eleven years now and it was fine, she said she wanted to enjoy what we had before she thought of that. When Lucy and Juvia got pregnant, she said it wasn't the right time for her yet and she would play around with the babies for a while, not expect them. We went to missions together, traveled a lot. We really made the most of it.
"When Juvia got herself knocked-up again, I think Levy realized it was what she wanted, it was time or whatever. That was seven months ago. Juvia is about to pop the kid and today Levy took a test and it was negative again." Gajeel sighed. "She is so heartbroken. I mean, I know you and Juvia were trying to have Rose, but the second was unplanned."
Gray snorted with the understatement. Juvia hadn't brought up the subject of having another child and neither did he, both happy enough with just Rose. But, somehow, she had gotten pregnant even when she tried to prevent it. The moment she told him, Gray lost his ground for a bit; he would have to through it all once again, the fear of something go wrong, the fear of having another little human depending on him. But that time, he was also excited, knowing how much he'd love the new child no matter what.
"You guys were not even trying and Juvia got pregnant." Gajeel groaned. "We are, and nothing. I hate it seeing Levy sad and this time I can't fix with a punch on someone's face. But… maybe it's for the best?" The Dragon Slayer asked. "I mean, who am I kidding? Me as someone's father? It would be dooming the kid."
"I used to think the same thing." Gray shrugged. "When Juvia told me she wanted a baby, I was terrified of being a bad father. I still do, actually. I screw up from time to time and the fear never really leave us." He looked up to his daughter, who was humming a song to herself and smiled. "But moment I looked at Rose… You love your wife with everything you got, but until you've had a child you don't understand just how much deeper it can get.
"Everything you do is for them; you can make yourself crazy trying to protect them from everything, trust me, I know. I was so overprotective of Rose when she was a baby, it was maddening. But then… your child looks at you and smile. It makes the world right again." Gray shrugged. "You are great with Rose, she loves you. It's okay to feel scared, but don't let it prevent you to do anything, we are afraid of a lot of things but we can't let it rule our life." He repeated what his wife had told him a few years back – it was good advice. They stopped once they reached the supermarket. "And don't worry, these things take time. It took us four months for Juvia to get pregnant the first time, you guys are just taking a little longer."
Gajeel nodded and took Rose from his shoulder to put her on the ground next to her father, kneeling by her side. "What do you say to your uncle, Rose?" Gray asked the little girl.
"Thank you for the ride, Uncle Jeel." Rose kissed her uncle's cheek.
"You are welcome, ice cube." The Dragon Slayer smiled.
Gray chuckled with how silly Gajeel looked. "Everything you are feeling for Rose right now?" Gajeel looked at him. "For your own kid, you'll feel a thousand times more."
"Aw, hell." Gajeel sighed in defeat and Gray patted the other man's back.
"Get ready for the moody swings and cravings." The Ice Mage took his daughter's hand. "Speaking of which: come on inside, Rose. Your Mama needs her chocolate."
"Alright." She smiled to the Dragon Slayer. "Bye Uncle Jeel!" She waved.
Gajeel smiled and waved as well. "Bye."
"It's worth it, trust me." Gray told him. "Go visit Juvia sometime, she misses you." His wife was in the last days of pregnancy and was really tired to get out of the house too often but she also missed her friends.
"Yeah, I will." Gajeel nodded in his direction before turning around and leave.
"Now, Rose" Gray looked down to his daughter "which chocolate do we get?"
Half an hour later they arrived home and saw Juvia lying down on the couch, with a book in her hand, the other caressing her expanding stomach lovingly. Rose ran to her mother to hug her.
"Hello, darling." Juvia chuckled.
"Hi, Mama." The little girl said it back. "Daddy and I bought you three chocolates!" She lifted three little fingers.
"Three?" Juvia fake gasped to humor her daughter.
Rose nodded. "Black, white and one with strawberries inside. We didn't know what you'd want."
"Thank you, baby." Juvia kissed the little girl's cheek and groaned when she sat down, Gray by her side in a moment, helping her up. "Thanks, Gray-sama." She kissed her husband's lips when he gave her the bag with the purchases. "Oh, these are Juvia's favorites!"
"I know." Gray chuckled and put a hand over her stomach while Juvia fought to unwrap one of the chocolates while Rose stared at it, knowing she'd get some of it. "We saw Gajeel on the way."
"Really?" Juvia finally managed it to open, taking a piece and feeding their child. "Go play for a while, honey. You can have more after dinner." With the prospect of having another piece, the little girl ran to her bedroom to entertain herself.
"Did you know he and Levy are trying to have a baby?" Gray asked and ate the piece of chocolate Juvia offered him.
The blunette gasped. "They are? Oh, that's terrific!" She beamed. "Gajeel-kun is going to be such a great dad! He already loves Rose, imagine one of his own?"
"That's what I told him." Gray shrugged and he watched as Juvia finally ate her chocolate and made a sound of pleasure, glad something so simple could make her happy.
"You are a great friend, Gray-sama." She gave him a peck on the lips and then offered him another piece. "Juvia hopes they get good news soon. But I must talk to him once Levy-san gets pregnant. He can be a little dense and tell her she's huge when the time comes." She gave her husband a pointed look.
"Well, I made that mistake just one time. I learned my lesson, I can tell you that." Gray snorted and Juvia giggled, happy.
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AN: I just couldn't not add Gajeel somehow, you guys know I love him and having him being a silly man when it comes to his best friend's daughter is just too gold not to explore. HAHA I hope to see you guys tomorrow for day 7! ;)
Thanks to: gubugabuga, Nephilim-Fairchild21, Guest, Darkhope, cybercorpsesnake, DontEvenAsk, P. FullbusterBelieve, endingsarenotalwaysbad, Snavej, rebekfanai06 and laefa, who reviewed! Thank you very much!
12/13/2015 ~ BonneyQ