Gray was truly a big softie at heart, he wasn't as cold and serious as people thought all the time. When it came to anything he found cute, he just couldn't help himself, sometimes even getting carried away before he had a chance to think about what he was doing. This might be one of those moments. The ice mage had offered to take Griege in for the night, or however long these kids would be stuck here, but he never actually stopped to think about a plan. It's not like Gray lived a life of luxury in a huge 5 bedroom house, the place he lives in has a single bedroom, and it's for himself. He rarely has company over so he doesn't have spare sleeping arrangements, he barely even has a spare set a sheets for his own bed, but he was going to have to figure something out, and so he did.
"Okay, I'll sleep on the couch, you can sleep in my bed. Sound good buddy?" Gray probably could have gotten away with suggesting thing the other way around, this kid was 7 years old after all, he could easily fit on the couch that the ice mage would likely be falling off of in his sleep tonight. But if it was just for a single night, Gray could tough it out and sleep on his own couch.
"Can you stay with me until I fall asleep?" Greige seemed nervous to ask, but Gray couldn't tell if the boy was nervous from everything that happened today or because they were pretty much strangers to one another. Gray could sympathise with the boy either way, and so it left him no choice but to cooperate.
"Of course buddy. I'll stay right here." Gray just couldn't find it in himself to say no to the boy for anything, and so he sat down on the floor right next to his bed where the boy was tucked in. As the ice mage sat there next to the bed, he let his head rest on the side of the mattress, not realising that he closed his eyes and was starting to doze off. He would have fallen asleep too if it wasn't for an unexpected knock at his door, nobody really ever comes by his place, and especially not at this hour without warning. Worried it might be an emergency Gray jumped up and headed for the door, and after opening the door he realised that his visitor wasn't all that unexpected. Gray had opened the door to see his guild mate standing on the other side of it, more specifically, the blue haired water mage; Juvia.
"Oh. Juvia... I wasn't expecting anybody to drop by, don't you think it's a little late?" The ice mage thought that he probably should have seen this coming, Juvia would use any excuse to come see Gray or spend time with him. Their Edolas child appearing out of nowhere was definitely a reason he couldn't argue against for a visit.
"Well Juvia wanted to spend some time with Griege, and with my darling. It will be like we are a family!" This was all Juvia had to say for herself before she made herself at home and walked in uninvited.
"Keep it down would you? He just fell asleep." Gray wasn't really sure where that came from, it was like an instinct, he sounded like a tired father who just got his cranky baby to sleep.
"Juvia didn't know. Juvia is sorry." The water mage did feel bad, she hoped that she was quiet enough to not wake the boy, but she was a little sad that he was already asleep.
"It's no big deal. I'm not really sure where that came from anyway." Gray was a little sheepish from the slip up, he scratched the back of his head out of habit from embarrassment.
"Should Juvia leave then?" The blue haired woman seemed a little disappointed at how short the visit was, but she didn't want to stay if Gray wanted her gone.
"No that's okay, you can stay for a little longer. I can make us some tea, it's a little chilly out tonight and you walked all this way, I'd feel bad just sending you away right after you got here." Gray had quite a big tolerance when it came to the cold so he wasn't completely sure if it was chilly or not, but he would feel bad making Juvia leave right away. The ice mage didn't really mind her being there anyway. He thought it was kind of nice to have company every once and awhile.
"If my darling insists." Juvia couldn't help but feel a little warm at the invitation, Gray has always been so kind to her, and that's why she loves him.
"I'll start the kettle, you can just get comfortable on the couch." And so she did just that.
Gray was only in the kitchen for a minute to fill the kettle and put it on the stove, he figured time would probably go by faster talking to Juvia rather than watching the water boil. The dark haired man had returned to the living room after he turned the stove on, getting comfortable on the couch beside her, and Juvia of course moving herself closer when he did.
"It's so crazy how those 2 just appeared today, isn't it?" Gray didn't even know what to talk about, but he knew if he didn't say anything at all that it would be more awkward. He was hoping that this question would at least lead into a comfortable and normal conversation, he just needed to get the ball rolling.
"Juvia was shocked, especially seeing how much Greige looks like my darling." The water mage was right, the boy looked strikingly similar to the man she loved.
"Really? I thought that he looked just like you. He's definitely got your eyes." And the ice mage was also right, the boy looked just like Juvia but with dark hair, and you couldn't argue that they had similar eyes.
"Does my darling think that if he and Juvia had our own child that he would like like Greige?" The question normally would have caught Gray off guard, but he had already thought of that question a million times today. So his answer wasn't really something he thought through before he said it. Although he probably should have.
"Hopefully." Gray meant it, but he didn't mean to say it out loud.
"What?" Juvia was lost for words, of course she wanted to hear that answer, but that's why all she could say was what. She thought that maybe she was imagining it, the answer was so out of character for Gray. The ice mage realised his mistake after seeing the woman blush.
"I mean, like how cute he is, I would hope our child is as cute as he is." Gray wasn't doing a great job at defending himself, more like he was just digging a bigger hole.
"Our child?" Juvia might pass out. "Say it again my darling." She might pass out but that doesn't mean she wants him to stop saying it.
"I'm just saying that IF we had a child together, that I would want him to be as cute as Greige is." The word 'if' wasn't doing what he thought it would for Juvia, she wasn't even hearing the 'if' even though he very clearly enunciated it. At the same time, Juvia didn't want to ruin this moment with her darling by overreacting, so she used every ounce of willpower she had to stay mostly calm.
"Juvia is sure he would be. Juvia would want our child to look like her darling, and for him to grow up and be as strong as him too." This conversation was making her feel nothing short of bliss.
"I think I would rather our child look like you, and if he grew up to be as strong as you I think that would be better. I mean you're stronger than me in most ways." He always did this, Juvia didn't like when he did this. Putting himself down and thinking he's weak, in Juvia's eyes Gray was the strongest man in the world.
"Maybe he would grow up to be just as strong as both of us, how does that sound?" Juvia wanted to make Gray feel better, but not completely disregard the way he feels. This seemed like the best way to do it.
"Yeah, maybe." Gray put on a little smile at this. Then there was an awkward silence. Juvia moved a little closer, wanting to make sure her beloved wasn't mentally beating himself up after the comment he had made.
"Darling?" She put her hand on his, which sat in the little space there was between them. "Juvia thinks you are a very strong man, Juvia thinks that when your family and the people close to you are in danger that you become the strongest man in the world. My darling is the reason Juvia joined Fairy Tail, and Juvia couldn't imagine being anywhere else."
"I'm glad you joined Fairy Tail after." Gray truly felt this way, although embarrassed to admit it. The two then looked each other in the eyes, the tension beginning to form.
"Juvia is too." Not looking away, the tension seemed good. Juvia couldn't even look away if she wanted to, the way her darling looked at her seemed so warm and loving. Then the ice mage had done something she never thought he would actually ever do. He inched closer, just barely. If she wasn't so focused on him she probably wouldn't have noticed. the water mage took this as an invitation to do the same, and so she inched closer, just barely. The blue haired woman's heart began to race, face immediately turning bright red, her skin was feeling hot. Gray had taken her slight movement as an okay to inch closer again, and so he did, just barely. Juvia couldn't believe what was happening, they were really going to do it, they were going to kiss. Her heart raced faster, her skin burned hotter, and her thoughts began screaming. She inched closer again, just barely. It felt like it would taken an eternity for their lips to finally meet, but Juvia would wait that long if that's what it took. Gray also felt this way, but he was a little more impatient then she was, so this time he inched closer, close enough to feel her breath on his skin, her fast breath, he knew her heart was racing because his was too. Juvia couldn't even think of anything at this point, the sound of her heart pounding on her chest and her screaming thoughts made it impossible. But even so, she inched closer. Gray isn't even sure what came over him to do this, it just felt right, and that's all that mattered. The ice mage inched closer again, this time also tilting his head just slightly to the left. Juvia mimicked this by inching closer and tilting her head to the right. They were so close now, they have never been this close before. Face to face with her beloved, waiting on the moment she would feel his lips on hers. Juvia's thoughts were screaming louder, so high pitched, it was almost distracting. Their lips brushed against each other, just barely. This was to moment, there was no turning back after, but that was okay with both of them. Gray's thoughts were also screaming, this has never happened before but he just chalked it up to him being so nervous, so unprepared. His throat was drying, were his lips chapped too? It was too late to think about that now, they were already too close to stop, the moment would be ruined. One more second, that's all they needed, one more second and their lips would finally meet. They inched closer again, just barely. Gray had just a moment of clear thought, and it was that he had a drink for his quickly drying throat, his nerves were getting to him. A drink? Screaming thoughts? High pitched? Wait a second...
"The kettle!" Gray finally remembered the kettle he had put on the stove, he had long forgotten all about the tea he offered to Juvia what felt like a millennia ago. Once the man had realised his mistake, he quickly pulled away and jumped up to the stove to take the kettle off. Juvia had forgotten all about it as well, the mood for tea long gone. All she felt now was defeat.
"Sorry Juvia, I almost forgot about our tea. Do you want-" The ice mage's sentence ended abruptly after walking out to find the blue haired woman no longer in her spot on the couch. "Juvia?" He was so confused as to where she could have gone in such a short time. He looked around for a moment before realising she had left when he got up.
On a road near Gray's house, a blue haired woman could be seen walking the street by herself, muttering about how she's been defeated. And about how she will never have tea again? Not even looking up from the road she walked, she headed toward Fairy Hills where she lived. Juvia not needing to see where she was going, probably because she has walked this path a thousand times. That was the end of her night. While back at his home, the dark haired man poured himself a cup of tea to relieve his dry throat and think about what he had almost done. The pair both feeling the same defeat.