'How about this one?' Gray showed Juvia a pamphlet.
She shook her head when she saw the costs. 'We can't afford that one.'
'I can take more quests.'
'Juvia needs help taking care of the baby as well. How about these?' She slid the pamphlets under his nose.
Juvia kept on searching while Gray read the details. Juvia was now 4 months pregnant. Her baby-bum was relevantly small for the baby, but it became difficult to hide her belly.
Juvia would sometimes stay over at Gray when it became late. But she tried to sleep at the dorm at regular base. Meanwhile they would search for an apartment where they could live together by the time the baby arrived, but was proven to be quite difficult to find a rather large place with low rent.
'This one needs lots of renovation to make it safe for the baby', Gray slid it to the reject pile. 'But this one sounds good'.
They didn't tell anyone that Juvia was pregnant.
Gray didn't want anyone of the guild blowing everything out proportion now he told Juvia how he felt. But more important, Juvia didn't want to tell people that she was possibly raped. It wouldn't do any good if they told everyone it was Grays baby, only to find out it wasn't.
But it is possible that someone would ask Juvia soon about her growing belly, she showed several symptoms after all.
They wouldn't run away from the guild. If someone asked, they would calmly explain the situation and see how they would react. They know everyone would be supportive in the end.
Juvia gasped. 'Look!'
Gray looked towards Juvia, expecting her to found a fitting house. But she was pointing towards the window. Behind the window they saw Natsu peeking behind the curtains.
Grays heart dropped and cold sweat covered his body. This was fear.
Natsu started running towards the front door when he saw Gray looking back at him. Not even a second later he was banging on the door.
'Hide the pamphlets', Gray ordered while walking towards the door.
'Open up Gray!', Natsu kept knocking on the door as his life depended on it.
'Just a moment. I'm not dressed!'
'Since when do you bother?' Natsu growled back.
Gray looked back to see that Juvia hid almost every pamphlet under his bed. When everything was clear he opened the door a little bit. With his foot he made sure Natsu couldn't swing the door open.
'What is it, Natsu?' Gray growled.
'Is someone else here?' Natsu tried to peek but Gray blocked his view.
'No'
'I was sure I saw some blue hair... Is it Juvia?' Natsu whispered the question with an evil grin on his face.
'There is no one'
'Could it be the body pillow she gave you?' the grin on Natsu's face was truly the one of a demon.
'I told you there is no one', Gray tried to push him away.
'You know I could just smell it if someone was here'.
'Don't you dare', Gray grabbed Natsu's nose, preventing any sniffing.
Out of nowhere the blue exceed suddenly the blue exceed was heard behind Gray. 'Oi Natsu, Natsu! Juvia is here!!'. Gray quickly turned around to see an open window and Happy pointing at Juvia. Happy had a smile that matched Natsu's grin perfectly.
'Good morning Natsu-san, Happy-san', Juvia laughed embarrassed while waving. (Just smile and wave boys... just smile and wave)
'Good to see you here, Juvia!' Natsu was able to push Gray away and walked up to Juvia, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. 'Did Gray finally make a move?'
Gray stood a few meters away but could faintly hear the whispered question. 'Oi Natsu! Stick that nose of yours somewhere else!' Gray balded his fist.
'Not denying anything?' Natsu kept teasing.
'Gray-sama didn't. But Juvia doesn't want Natsu-san touching her', she lifted the arm from her shoulder.
'What are you doing here anyway, Natsu?' Gray wanted him out his apartment as soon as possible.
'I'm just wondering if you wanted to join us on a quest again. We haven't since you brought Rose home.'
Gray glanced over at Juvia. She signed him it was alright. Luckily Natsu didn't notice.
'Sure, count me in'.
'Great! Let's go to guild. We haven't picked a quest yet.' Natsu started running away with Happy following him with a loud 'Ayyy!'
Gray and Juvia followed the enthusiastic boy to the guild. They tried to keep up with Natsu's pace but were left alone after a little minute.
'Gray-sama, could you slow down? Juvia's feet hurt again', she flinched when she felt a sharp pain.
'Let me take a look at it', Gray leaded her to a bench so he could take off her shoes. 'Your feet are a bit swollen... Shouldn't it have stopped hurting by now?'
'Every pregnancy is different', Juvia defended herself.
'You should go to the doctor, just to be safe'.
Juvia nodded. 'I'll come with you if you'd like that', Gray added.
Juvia nodded again while Gray helped her putting on the shoes. After that he turned around and knelt down, showing his back. 'Jump on'.
The watermage quickly turned red. 'It doesn't hurt that much'.
'Don't lie', he looked at her. 'Now jump on'.
Juvia wrapped her arms around his neck while Gray supported her legs. It wasn't that far anymore to the guild. Juvia had become heavier, but Gray could still lift her with ease.
Arriving at the guild Juvia said she would walk the last meters to a bench. She sat down at a table close to the door where Levy and Rose were sitting.
At the same time Gray walked over to the others to pick a quest.
'Good to see you join us', Erza patted him on the back.
Natsu was still as excited as he was a moment ago, jumping up and down without stopping. 'Let's choose the most difficult one we can find'.
'Fine by me', Gray said as they walked to the request board. They were still deciding what quest would be better when Gray was approached by one of the blue mages.
'We are right back', Rose told the others of his team. She grabbed Grays arm and walked to the entrance-hall where there should be less people.
'I'm going to lift that curse', she explained before the icemage had a chance to complain. 'It will probably hurt, because I'm not going easy on you'.
'Fine by me', Gray sighed in relieve. The thought that he was still cursed, had nagged his head for a while now, although he didn't want to admit it.
'Only because that girlfriend of yours asked you', Rose grew her nails a little longer and pressed the sharp point on his chest. She was about to locate the curse within his body when she stopped.
'What's wrong?'
'I never said thank you.. or did I?' Rose didn't sound irritated for the first time since they met.
'You don't have to'.
'Maybe I want to... So thanks'.
'It was my fault to begin with. But I'm glad we can go on after this.'
'Sounds good', Rose smiled before digging her nail in his flesh.
Gray flinched in pain as Rose searched for the curse in his body. With her nails she dug in several places she would expect the curse to hide. After a while, searching back and front, she growled; 'It's impossible! It's not here! I'm sure I cursed you'. She pressed the palm of her hands against her temples. 'Think, Think'.
'Wouldn't it be good if the curse is gone?'
'It can't be gone! That's not how it works', Rose seemed in real panic. 'Maybe I didn't search good enough'. She dug her nails in his flesh again.
Gray flinched in pain and covered the place Rose had dug her nail without control. This time it really did hurt. 'You've searched almost everywhere. It's not here'.
'Don't tell me you've lost it'.
'I don't even know how to loose something like that'.
Rose glared at him. 'You're an idiot'.
'It will work out. Let's come up with a plan instead of stabbing me more'.
'Fine. But you should know this is your fault.'
Rose walked back to Juvia and Levy when she stared at the baby-bum of Juvia and gasped for air.
Gray walked back to the request board, glad that he wasn't cursed after all, while Rose came to a conclusion.
'Gray!' she yelled through the guild which made people turn their head. She took a big breath before yelling even louder. 'YOU MADE HER PREGNANT, DIDN'T YOU?' Her finger was pointed at Juvia.