~Juvia~

"Good morning, Levy!" Juvia smiled, greeting the bluenette in the guildhall. She was sitting with her six-month-old daughter, Ayasha, and looked exhausted.

"Morning," Levy said, returning her smile. "How are you, Juvia?"

"Juvia is wonderful," she gushed, glancing over at her husband who was at the bar getting their breakfast from Mirajane. They had been married just over a year, and she couldn't believe how much her love had grown in that small time—and how it seemed to continue growing as she looked at him.

A small noise from beside her pulled her attention away, and she couldn't help but giggle as Ayasha cooed loudly at her. "May Juvia hold her?" Juvia asked, looking to Levy for permission. When she nodded, Juvia took Ayasha and snuggled her against her chest. "Good morning, little Ayasha. Gajeel-kun's daughter looks more and more like him every day."

"I know," Levy chuckled. "Apart from her hair, she doesn't look like me at all!" Ayasha let out a shriek of laughter, playing with Juvia's own blue hair.

"Watch out for that one," Gajeel growled, pointing to Ayasha as he took a seat next to Levy, "she pulls hair."

"Juvia doesn't mind," she smiled, tickling Ayasha's chin.

"Aya, look," Levy grinned, looking towards the guildhall doors, "here comes Iggy." Only three months younger than Aya, the pink-haired baby was tucked snuggly in his blanket as his father carried him into the guildhall.

"'Morning," Natsu beamed at the group as he and Lucy sat down.

Again, Aya cooed loudly, reaching for Natsu's bundle. He laughed, obliging her by moving Iggy closer. She giggled, poking his face with her small finger.

Juvia held Aya until she grew fussy around lunch time, and she bid the group goodbye as she and Gray left for a job. She couldn't hold in the loud sigh that escaped her as she took a seat next to Gray on the train.

"What?" He asked, raising a curious eyebrow at her.

"Gray-sama," she began, leaning her head against his arm, "Juvia wants a baby."

His entire body stiffened at her words. "W-What?" He repeated, his voice slightly higher than usual.

She lifted her head, meeting his eyes. "Juvia wants to have a baby with Gray-sama. We've been married over a year, and she thinks a baby would bring us that much closer."

"You've never mentioned a baby before," he said. He cleared his throat before continuing, "maybe we should wait another year or two. Kids are a big responsibility, and like you said, we've only been married a year."

"Does Gray-sama not want to have children with Juvia?" She asked, worried that that was really the problem.

"Of course I do," he said, grabbing her hands. "I just don't know if we should right now."

"Will Gray-sama at least think about it?"

He kissed her, nodding. "Yeah. I'll think about it."

She smiled at him, returning her head to his arm. I love Gray-sama, and I would really like to have a baby with him. Levy and Lucy look so happy when they're holding their children, and I want to feel that way too. Gray-sama would make a wonderful father as well, just like Natsu and Gajeel-kun.

Juvia couldn't help but feel distracted during the rest of their job. All she noticed in town were the couples walking with their children, or playing with them, or rocking new babies. She kept imagining her and Gray in those situations, and her heart swelled with want.

She'd never had a family growing up, so she craved one of her own with Gray. Until Fairy Tail, she had never considered the possibility that she would meet someone who could understand her rain, or who would make her so perfectly happy. She had never entertained the idea of having children of her own who she could shower with love.

But now she could, and she wanted that more than anything.

"-via. Juvia."

"Hm? Yes?" She asked, looking up at Gray. They had just gotten off the train in Magnolia, and were on their way back to the guildhall to have dinner with their friends.

"You've been kind of out of it today," he frowned. "Is everything okay?"

"Everything is fine," she told him, smiling. "Juvia was just thinking."

"About?"

"Nothing." She shook her head, grabbing his hand as they walked. "Juvia is happy, that's all," she lied.

"You're sure that's it?" He asked, raising a skeptical eyebrow at her.

She nodded. "Juvia is sure."

"Juvia! Gray!" Lucy called, waving from the group's table. The two joined their friends, chatting happily with everyone.

"Juvia!" Juvia turned just in time to be surrounded by pink hair.

"Hello, Venus," Juvia giggled.

"I haven't seen you in forever!" The girl pouted, pulling away. "Bixy and I went on a two-month job, and it seems like ages since I've seen you!"

"Bixy?" Gray snickered, looking over at Bixlow. The two of them had hit it off after Venus had joined the guild, and they had grown much closer recently. Venus was never shy with her emotions, and had told Bixlow immediately how she felt. Just before her and Gray's anniversary, the two had officially become a couple.

"Shut it, asshole," Bixlow snapped, punching him in the arm.

"Look how big!" Venus gushed, going over to where Lucy held Igneel. Juvia returned to her food as the two talked about Lucy's baby.

Her appetite gone, she pushed around the chunks of potato on her plate, sighing. Eventually, she had mashed all the pieces, and went to work on the peas beside them.

"Juvia." Gray's hand covered hers, stopping the abuse to the vegetables on her plate. "Let's go home."

She nodded, bidding everyone farewell as she followed Gray out of the guildhall.

"Alright, tell me," Gray said, stopping about halfway back to their house, "what's wrong?"

"Nothing—"

"You've barely spoken a word today, and you act like you're in a daze," he frowned. "Something's bothering you, so tell me what it is." When she didn't answer, he sighed. "Is it about the baby thing?"

"Juvia knows that Gray-sama wants to wait, but Juvia can't help but feel envious of Lucy, Levy, and Lisanna. They all look so happy with their families, and Juvia wants that, too."

"You want a kid that badly?" He asked.

She met his eyes, nodding. "But Juvia understands if you to wait. She's just being selfish." Not giving him a chance to reply, she grabbed his hand and continued towards their house. I shouldn't be so selfish. If Gray wants to wait, then there's nothing wrong with that. Having a baby when he isn't ready isn't what I want, so I shouldn't push him.

Gray stopped again, pulling Juvia to a halt beside him. "Gray-sama?" she asked, looking at him.

He was frowning, obviously thinking hard about something. Finally, he looked at her. "What if I make a terrible dad?"

"What?" She asked with a start.

"I mean, mine died when I was young, so I never had one. Ur treated me like her own child after she took me in, but it was just her. And gramps was kind of like a grandpa, but I've never had a father-figure in my life. At least not one I can remember very well. What if I suck at it?"

"Is that what's holding you back?"

He cursed under his breath. "What if I screw the kid up and they grow up to hate me or something?"

Before she could stop herself, she burst into laughter, wrapping her arms around him.

"What are you laughing at?" He asked, angrily.

"Juvia was so worried that Gray-sama just didn't want to have children with her. If that's what's wrong, then listen to Juvia." She pulled away, placing her hands on his cheeks and meeting his dark eyes, "Gray-sama will be an incredible father. Besides, Juvia will be right there beside you."

He sighed, a small grin splitting his lips. "I guess I've been worrying about nothing."

"Gray-sama has been worried about it?"

"Of course I have," he said. "Ever since we got married I've been worrying about it. I knew you'd want kids eventually, but I still wasn't prepared even after a year when you brought it up."

"Juvia has never had a family before," she told him. "She was always alone—until Fairy Tail, and until she met you. She's nervous about having a baby, too, but she knows everything will be alright. As long as she's with Gray-sama." Pulling him closer, she kissed him, wishing she could absorb all of his doubt and fears, and wash him clean of them. She knew deep in her heart he would be the best father, and she hoped he could someday believe that, too.

"Let's go home," she told him after several moments. He took her hand, nodding.

"You know, it can take some time to actually conceive," Gray noted as they got ready for bed that night. "So who's saying you'd even get pregnant right away. And you carry the baby for a long time once you do get pregnant, so that would be plenty of time to prepare for one."

"Gray-sama?" Juvia asked.

He kissed her, smiling. "If you want a baby, then so do I. Who knows, maybe I'll be really good at this whole parenting thing and even want a few more."

"You mean it?" She stared into his eyes, her heart hammering excitedly in her chest.

"I mean it."

With a squeal, she threw herself on him, kissing him as he lost his footing and tumbled to the floor.

I think we all know what's coming up next. *wiggles eyebrows*