Six weeks of holding the new life her and Gray had created and Juvia still couldn't believe Ava was real. She was so perfect, so amazing Juvia could keep looking at her for hours and not get slightly bored. Everything Ava did fascinated Juvia, to her cute frown when she was waking up to her cooing sounds when she was happy.

"Let's go find your Daddy, sweetheart." Juvia whispered to the baby and kissed her forehead. Ava had woken up after her afternoon nap, had her diaper changed and Juvia had stayed in the rocking chair at the nursery for a while. "Faye?" Juvia called the nurse, a woman in her forties with light blonde hair and hazel eyes, a bit on the heavy side and with a very kind heart. She had two children of her own, but they were already grown up and the older woman was fantastic with babies and shared a lot of tips. "Juvia will take this little one to see her father otherwise he will work all day long and worry about the meeting today."

"Of course, Lady Juvia." Faye nodded and smiled gently. "I will prepare the Little Lady's bath so she can meet all the other Lords all fancy."

"Thank you." Juvia said and walked out of the nursery. She was trying to wrap her mind around the fact that Ava would actually need to stay in the nursery during the night eventually, but so far she was still choosing to have her bassinet next to hers and her husband's bed. Gray, thankfully, didn't mind the infant sleeping there and took care of Ava during the night as well.

Faye had explained to her that as a first-time mother, it was normal for her to be overprotective of her baby. Juvia had tried to spend a night away a few days before, but ended up checking on the nursery four times during the night, the night nurse reassured her every time that Ava was fine, but Juvia couldn't help but to worry and didn't sleep. Besides, she chose to breastfeed on her own and needed to go feed Ava.

"How is the Little Lady?" Gajeel caught up to her when she was almost on the stairwell and Juvia smiled at the nickname people gave Ava: The Little Lady. A few minutes after Gray saw Ava, he told the guards to ring the bells and let the people know the Duchess had given birth to a little girl and the nickname started.

"Perfect as always." She answered and saw her friend peek at the baby, he still hadn't been brave enough to hold her but Juvia knew he already loved her.

"I gotta admit she looks better than other babies." Gajeel shrugged and stepped beside the Duchess while they went down the stairs. "She's not too wrinkled now."

"Will you let go?" Juvia chuckled, remembering the first time Gajeel had saw Ava and said she was too wrinkled.

They stayed in silence for a few seconds. "I just got word Jose's ship arrived." Gajeel informed. "Are you alright with seeing him?"

"Of course." Juvia agreed. "All the Lords are coming here tonight to meet Ava, Jose coming here is only natural as well, he said in his letters that he looked forward to meet the baby once I delivered."

"Just... I don't know, he hasn't seen you in a while." Gajeel told her. "You changed a lot since you became the Duchess. Remember that when you meet him."

"Don't worry, Gajeel-kun." Juvia smiled down to her daughter. "Juvia can handle him."

"Alright." He nodded and they stayed in silence until they reached Gray's office. He knocked on the door for her and waited until they heard the Duke's voice saying to come in. Gajeel opened the door and held it so Juvia could get in.

"Thank you." Juvia smiled to her friend and stepped inside the office, noting the men around Gray's desk and her husband were standing and all of them turned to look at her when she was in. "I'm sorry to interrupt."

"We need a recess either way." Gray said, looking at the men. "I will call you back later." The older men bowed in Gray's direction and started to walk away, bowing in front of Juvia as well and some of them even stopped for a moment to look at the infant and once they were alone, Gray kissed Juvia's lips. "Hello." Juvia smiled and Gray and looked down to the baby. "And hello to you, Ava." Juvia passed the little girl to her father, Gray kissed Ava's soft black hair and she yawned. "I can see she's having a tough day."

"Very." Juvia giggled and caressed the chubby cheek with a finger. "Sleeping, eating and pooping all day long can be tough."

"I bet." Gray snorted and started to walk when Ava fussed. "Are you ready for tonight?"

"I am." Juvia said. "It will be the first time Juvia will meet most of the other Lords since they pretty much refused to come to the Outside Wedding but it's their duty to come here and pay their respects to you and Ava." She sighed. "I am not expecting them to be happy to see me, but I expect them to be polite at least."

"They will regret if they aren't." Gray's face became dark but his eyes softened when he looked to their daughter. "I will be there with you at all times and I won't let anything happen to you or her."

Juvia smiled. "I know." Gray leaned and kissed her on the lips. "We should get ready in a few minutes; Faye was going to prepare a bath for her so Ava looks her best tonight."

"She'll easily be the most beautiful in there." The Duke said and smirked at his wife. "You are a close second, though."

"Juvia thinks she can deal being second if the first is this cute." The blunette giggled and rested her head on his shoulder. "We've had her for a little over a month and sometimes I still can't believe she is real."

"Except when it's the middle of the night and she's wailing." Gray joked and Juvia hit him on the shoulder playfully. "I know what you mean." He swayed the baby a bit. "I look at her and see you and me in her. She has my hair, your eyes and I wonder what she will be like when she grows up."

"We'll teach her to be the best version of herself." Juvia told him. "You know, I've always missed my mother even though I have no memory of her, but now after being a mother myself I am sad because of all the things she missed. I can't even think about missing her life."

"You won't." Gray said with certainty. "I'll make sure of it."

"Juvia is not worried." The Duchess told her husband. "Everything will be fine, but Juvia needs to go get ready: Jose's ship arrived and I want to show Ava to him."

"Alright." Gray kissed the baby's forehead one more time and gave her back to Juvia. "I'll go get ready soon as well, I just need to finish here." He kissed Juvia on the lips. "I'll go find you when it's time for us to go to the main hall."

#

"Master Jose!" Juvia said, excited, when she saw the older man step inside the library where Juvia had asked for a maid to bring Ava's bassinet. She smiled and went to hug the man who had been a surrogate father to her. "It's been a long time."

It had been more than a year since she had seen him and he looked just about the same, lean, tall and with his dark eyes.

"Juvia." It was his way of greeting, alongside with patting her on the back awkwardly.

"How was the trip here?" The Duchess asked after she let go of him. "Juvia gets sick every time she has to step in a boat, but it is much quicker to travel that way."

"The trip was fine." Jose said and stared at her, stern. "I see you still talk about yourself in third person."

The blunette looked down, like a child being reprimanded. "Juv- I slip into the habit some times." She cleared her throat. "Now come, you need to meet Ava." She smiled and grabbed Jose's hand, pulling him towards the bassinet, that was next to the comfortable chairs in front of the fireplace.

The older man let himself be conducted there and waited patiently as Juvia bent over the bassinet and carefully picked up the infant. Ava was awake, but quiet and Juvia gave her a kiss on the forehead when she had her in her arms.

"Master Jose, this is Ava." Juvia smiled widely as she stepped next to him. "She is just a few weeks old but already the light of this castle."

"Hm." It was Jose's answer and Juvia's smile faltered; it wasn't the reaction she expected at all.

The first time Silver saw his grandchild, he just couldn't kept smiling and looking to the baby. Juvia even saw him drying a tear or two while he talked to the newborn, but no emotion appeared in Jose's face.

Of course, she wasn't expecting him to weep at the sight of the baby, or even to want to carry Ava, but she expected more than just a grunt in acknowledgement and when Juvia looked up at him, Jose had his brows drawn together.

"Is something wrong?" Juvia asked, confused at his reaction.

"A girl, Juvia?" Jose said in disapproval and Juvia felt her whole body freeze at his tone. "You were supposed to give the Duke an heir."

Surprised with his reaction, the Duchess held her daughter closer to her chest as if to protect her from his words. "I did give him an heir and her name is Ava."

"Men want to have sons, Juvia, to carry out their names; especially Lords, and you give him a girl." He said the word as if it was some disgusting insult. "Do you know that by the old laws a man can break a marriage if his wife doesn't give him a male heir to further his bloodline?"

"Women can inherit now."

"It doesn't matter, Juvia!" Jose was clearly upset and his voice rose. "Your husband could send you back to the March tomorrow if he wants and most of the Lords would agree; they follow the old laws, I'm sure they would follow this one too."

"Gray-sama would never sent us away-" Juvia tried, but was interrupted.

"You don't know the pressure a Lord can get to produce a male heir. He might crack under it and I suggest you work on getting pregnant again soon and with a boy." Jose's tone was cold. "If you don't, you might lose your positon as the Duchess." He looked down to the baby in her arms and back to her. "Give him a proper heir, one he will be proud of, other than one that won't worth much other than marriage alliances when she grows up."

Juvia could feel her heart beating faster, her hands were sweating and she felt sick. Jose was speaking of Ava as if she was a mistake, as if she shouldn't have been born and if she had no right to be there.

It didn't matter to Juvia the slightest that Ava was a girl, her baby was so innocent, so perfect and loved; but Jose's words were so full of hatred and disgust she felt a ball of anger inside her chest get bigger and bigger.

"Get out." Juvia told him.

Jose looked at her in surprise. "What?"

"Get. Out." The Duchess snarled and spoke louder. "Right now, get out."

"You have no right to-"

"Oh, but I do. I have every right." Juvia could feel her eyes sting as she teared up with how much she wanted him gone, with how angry she was. "This is my home and I am the Duchess of this land. You can't come in here, insult my daughter and tell me she is worthless. Get out right now." She was almost screaming by the end and Ava started to fuss in her arms. "If you don't leave, I'll tell the guards to escort you out and you don't want that."

"Juvia-" Jose looked very affronted.

"NOW!" She finally yelled and he took a step away, his eyes wide. Ava finally started wailing with her mother's scream and two guards entered the library, looking worried.

"Lady Juvia? Is everything alright?" One of the guards asked, concerned.

"He is leaving." She said between gritted teeth without taking her eyes away from Jose. "Whether he wants to or not." Juvia gave him a choice to leave on his own or to let the guards escort him out.

Jose cleared his throat and his face became impassive again. "I will leave." He was clearly angry at her as well, but Juvia didn't care. "You changed a lot, Juvia."

"Good. Now leave." She told him, hoping he'd leave before she started crying.

He straightened his posture and bowed just a little in her direction, as etiquette required, turned around and left with the guards hot on his heels after they received a nod from Juvia.

The moment she was alone with her daughter in the library, Juvia finally let her tears fall and tried to calm the baby down. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. Oh, mommy is sorry she scared you, alright?" She kissed Ava's soft black hair. "Mommy is very sorry." She whispered over and over again for a few minutes until Ava's cries turned into soft whimpers. "That's it, love, mommy is here with you."

Juvia was moving Ava in her arms, just looking at her and her anger towards Jose was slowly vanishing, being replaced with love and protective instincts. "You are my perfect little girl, Ava." Juvia whispered to her daughter. "I wouldn't change you for a thing in the world, alright?" She knew the baby couldn't understand her, but she needed to voice her feelings. "I don't care if everyone else wanted you to be a boy, you are perfect just the way you are. I love you more than anything in the world and that will never change."

She was so distracted she failed to hear the door opening, but turned around when she heard her husband's voice. "Juvia? The guards told me-" The moment Gray saw her crying face, his eyes widened and he walked her way with quick strides. "What happened? Are you alright? And Ava?" He put an arm around Juvia's shoulders and looked down to their child, she seemed to be fine, but Juvia was still crying. "Juvia, tell me what happened, you are scaring me."

"A-are you disappointed Ava is a girl?" Juvia asked between sobs.

"What?" Gray was confused. "Of course I'm not disappointed Ava's a girl, she's perfect." His words only made Juvia cry harder and hide her face on his chest. "Shit, Juvia, please don't cry." He caressed her hair and brought her to a hug, careful to leave enough space between their bodies for the baby in her arms. "You know I love Ava, Juvia."

"I know." The Duchess managed to say when she stopped hiding her face. "But did you want her to be a boy?"

Gray didn't understand what was happening, it was the first time Juvia even brought the subject. "I wanted for us to have a healthy baby, I never cared about being a boy or a girl."

"Don't you want an heir?" Juvia sniffled.

"I have an heir." He frowned and put a hand on Ava's head – the baby had her blue eyes looking up at him and was very quiet, Gray felt a wave of love hit him. "What this is about, Juvia?" His gaze went to his wife, who was watching him. "You didn't seem concerned about this at all before. Why now?"

Juvia tried to dry her cheeks. "Jose was here. He said men, especially Lords, wanted male heirs and I-I-I gave you a girl, said Ava was worthless beside marriages alliances in the future." She sobbed. "He said there's an old law that says a man can leave his wife if she doesn't provide him with a b-boy."

Gray's jaw clenched with her words and he wanted to punch Jose. He never liked the man but his words to Juvia were downright evil and Gray just needed one opportunity to put Jose down to his position of scum.

"Juvia, don't believe a word he said." Gray put his hands on Juvia's cheeks to make her look at him, her eyes were puffed with how much she cried and his need to punch Jose became even bigger. "You are my wife; Ava is my daughter and neither of you are going anywhere without me. I love you and I love Ava more than anything and if anyone else isn't satisfied, they can go to hell." Gray told her. "If we only have Ava as a child, I would still be the happiest man alive. If we have more children, I will love them equally."

"What if we only have girls?" The blunette asked in a whisper, feeling slightly better but her voice shook.

"Then we only have girls." Gray shrugged. "I told you I don't care about gender, Juvia. I wasn't even supposed to be Duke: I was born the son of a farmer and his wife who happened to be the daughter of a Duke. As far as we know, Ava or any of other our other children won't want to rule and the Duchy will go back to Lyon's descendants." He sighed. "We never know what is going to happen."

"Are you sure-?" She asked, quietly.

"Yes." He said with certainty. "You two are my family and wherever you two go, I go, so no, I won't use any crazy old law to send you away and if you leave, I'll go after you, understand?" Juvia nodded and Gray gave her a sweet kiss. "I wouldn't change a thing about us, Juvia, and certainly not about Ava."

"I wouldn't either." Juvia told her husband. "I'm sorry I-"

"It's alright." Gray brought her back for a hug. "Those words came from a man you trusted and it confused you, but you can't fall for that anymore." He looked right into her eyes to get his point across. "Trust me."

"I do." The Duchess said without hesitation.

"Good. And if I see Jose, I swear to the gods I will-" He closed his hands in fists.

"No." Juvia shook her head. "Don't. He doesn't know better, doesn't know us." Juvia looked down to their daughter and watched as Gray touched her chubby cheek. "As long as both of us love her, she will be fine no matter what."

"Of course she will." Gray smiled when Ava grabbed his finger. "She is the best combination of us."

#

"Oh, good. She looks like you, Juvia. I am relieved she didn't get her looks from him." Juvia chuckled with Lyon's words while her husband rolled his eyes.

Lyon had arrived just a few minutes before and was more than excited to meet his new cousin and to Juvia's delight, he really seemed to be enjoying have Ava on his arms. "You are such a pretty little thing, Ava." The white-haired man commented, cooing to the baby, not concerned at all there were two tables full of Lords and Ladies paying attention to them. "Your father will be crazy in a few years when you are old enough to get married, it will be so fun for me to watch."

"She's not even two months old yet." Gray frowned in annoyance. "Let's hold off marriage arrangements until she's thirty."

Lyon winked at Juvia after Gray's words and the Duchess had to put a hand over her mouth to hide her giggles, but her husband heard them and he took Ava from Lyon's arms. "Shut up."

"And you, Juvia. Lovely as always." Lyon stepped closer to the Duchess and kissed her cheek. "Have you considered at all leaving my good for nothing cousin to-"

Gray interrupted him. "Lyon, step away from my wife." He narrowed his eyes and Lyon raised his hands in surrender, taking a step back. "Good, now..." He looked over his shoulder. "Dad? Come meet my cousin."

Silver was a few steps behind them and looked a bit surprised to be called, but walked to where his son was. During the 6 weeks after Ava was born, Silver had been to the Castle every day until Gray just told him to get his things and just move in if he was going to make the trip to and from the village.

Juvia noticed Silver seemed to have gained a bit of weight and didn't look so tired and worn out; his relationship with his son wasn't fully healed yet, but they were slowly getting there, trusting each other more and more.

Silver, of course, fell in love with his granddaughter at the first sight and whenever he could, he'd get Ava in his arms and quietly told her about his adventures at the sea and the grandmother she would never meet. It was fascinating to watch because Ava would fixate her gaze on him and just listen to his voice.

"Lyon, this is my father." Gray said, nodding towards Silver.

"I heard rumors, but I didn't think it was true." The white-haired man frowned.

"I will tell the whole story later on." The Duke gave his cousin a look and Lyon nodded. He turned to Silver and offered him a hand.

"Lyon Vastia." He smiled.

"Silver Fullbuster." The older man took the hand and shook. "Nice to meet you."

"Likewise." Lyon agreed. "I think you have a lot of catching up to do, huh?"

Silver nodded. "I'm still getting used to be a father again and now I'm also a grandfather." He looked to Ava, who was quietly in her father's arms and Silver's dark eyes softened. "I just want to spoil her."

"Just a little." Juvia walked to her father-in-law's side and twined her arm with his. "And only because grandparents are supposed to."

"I can't promise anything, Juvia-chan." Silver smiled to the Duchess and she felt a wonderful warmth in her heart whenever he called her that, as if she was his child just as much as Gray. "She will look at me with those big blue eyes and I'll just melt."

"Please don't." Gray sighed. "Someone needs to be able to resist her."

"That's what mothers and fathers are for, Gray." Lyon patted his cousin on the back. "Grandparents and uncles are supposed to do the opposite."

"You two will be of no help." Gray grunted and then looked to his wife. "Are you ready, Juvia?" The Duchess nodded and kissed Silver's cheek and then Lyon's before she stepped close to her husband, checking to see if Ava was alright, and she seemed to be dozing off, thankfully. "Let's do this."

Juvia straightened her body and held her chin up, ready to walk through the hall towards the table reserved for them at the great hall so they could present their daughter to the Lords. She knew most of them didn't like she had become the Duchess, but as long as they were polite, she was going to be fine. Juvia twined her arm in a way Gray could still hold Ava and they started to walk.

The Lords and Ladies got up from their seats in respect as they walked down the aisle towards their table and most tried to have a peek of the baby in the Duke's arms. Juvia felt better once she saw some of them smile her way and then to Ava.

"A girl!" The loud whisper caught her attention. "For generations their first born were boys and now this outsider comes and gives the Duke a girl. We shouldn't mix up and this is the proof."

Juvia heard the words and froze in place. She looked down to the child in her husband's arms, so perfect and loved. Hearing another person speak of Ava as if she was worth less just because they thought she should've been born with another gender, physically hurt her.

Earlier that day when Jose had spoken about Ava, she had doubted Gray for two seconds after Jose had planted the seed inside her head but now she knew better.

No one would speak ill of her daughter again, no matter who it was.

Untwining her arm from Gray caught his attention and they stopped walking, the Duke looked at her confused. Juvia gave him a look, turned around and walked towards the man who had spoken, stopping in front of him.

He was looking to another man, smiling as if he had just told the best joke in the world and when said man caught her, his eyes widened and the one who had spoken about Ava finally looked at her direction, smiling and all color drained from his face once he realized who stood in from of him.

"Lady Juvia." Both bowed and Juvia just stayed stoic, the whole hall was silent and Juvia could feel every eye was on her.

"What did you say about my daughter?" The Duchess asked in a cold tone and oddly even though she spoke quietly, everyone could hear her.

"We-" The one who had laughed at the joke was looking down to the ground. "We just-"

"We meant no harm, Lady Juvia." The one who said the joke mumbled and he looked anywhere but in Juvia's direction.

"It's my understanding most of you do not like me as your Duchess and you think my husband was supposed to marry a woman from Winter." Juvia didn't raise her voice in the slightest, but her voice echoed on the walls. "Even so I became the Duchess. You don't have to like me, I can't please everyone but my daughter is the rightful heir whether you want or not and you will respect her." Juvia looked around for effect. "There were attempts to kill me even as I carried her and none of those were successful, of course, and I am not looking for revenge.

"But," she paused and her next words were so cold even Gray was surprised "if anything happens to my daughter, even just a threat, I will see this person to be brought to justice. No one has the right to come to my home as a guest" she looked to the two men, who were staring down to the floor "and say the Duke's heir isn't what you wanted her to be. If anyone doesn't agree with this, the door is open." When no one left, Juvia nodded once. "Good."

The Duchess walked back to where her husband was waiting for her, looking very proud, her steps echoing and when she stopped next to him, Gray looked around to the crowd.

"And there are people who say she isn't fit to be the Duchess." He looked pointedly to some of the Lords who were most eloquent about Juvia's title. "I make my wife's words my own: our daughter is your rightful heir and you will respect her or there will be consequences. She will be raised to be a good leader, just like any other heir would. I will not tolerate discrimination towards her or any other children we might have, is that clear?" Most of the people in the room nodded. "Very well. Let's go, Juvia." He offered his arm and they finished the walk towards the table, their chins up.

#

"You are spoiling her." Juvia said with a smile when she entered the room and saw Ava sleeping on her father's chest while he was lying on their bed, reading some letters. Gray was caressing the baby's back and it had lulled her to sleep.

"It's not only my father who wants to spoil her." The Duke chuckled, put the letter away and carefully took Ava into his arms as he sat up on the bed. "I'll put her on the bassinet."

"No." Juvia told her husband when he got up from the bed and Gray frowned. "I need to get used to have her in the nursery during the night. I will wake up and go see her a few times, but I have to learn to have her there."

"Are you sure?" Gray asked and Juvia nodded. "I'll take her, then." Gray stopped in front of Juvia and the blunette kissed the baby and then her husband. "I will be back in a minute."

Juvia opened the door for him and closed when he left. She took off her robe and put it on the couch before walking towards the bed, taking the letter Gray was reading, away. She gave it a quick glance and put the paper next to her robe and then climbed to bed, waiting for her husband to come back.

It took Gray just a few minutes to come back. "The night nurse is there, so there's nothing to worry about even if you do not wake up three hundred times to check on her." He told her once he entered the room and Juvia smiled at him. "Ava didn't even move when I put her on her crib."

"She was very tired." Juvia agreed and watched her husband take off his robe and throw it next to hers, taking off his shirt as well and then his pants, only his underpants were left, and suddenly Juvia's body seemed to have lit up.

It had been so long since they had any time alone and even longer since Gray had touched her, but seeing him half-naked like that was giving her ideas. Thankfully the doctor had come the day before to check on the Duchess and Ava and guaranteed Juvia was healed and she could be intimate with her husband if she felt like it.

She was definitely feeling like it.

"Can I tell you how great you were today?" Gray, not noticing his wife's expression, said as he walked towards the bed and she kneeled on the edge of the bed, wrapping her arms around his shoulders when he was close enough, his hands resting on her hips. "Every Lord in the hall were only praises when they talked to me. You were impressive."

Juvia smiled and kissed his lips. "Thank you for supporting me."

"Well, I was afraid I was going to be scolded next if I hadn't-ow!" Juvia hit him lightly on the shoulder and then pulled him down to a deeper, slower kiss that left her whole body humming. "No jokes now" he said once their lips unlocked "you will always have my support, Juvia, especially if concerns Ava's future."

"That is very good to know." The Duchess didn't even realize her hands were traveling down his torso, just wanting to touch his warm skin. "What if Juvia wants to arrange for her to get married with Ryuu-chan-"

"She is a baby!" Gray cut her off and Juvia started to giggle. The moment he realized she was joking, his cheeks became pink. "Okay, so not always."

"Most of the time?" She asked, kissing his cheek and down to his jaw and neck.

"Most of the time." Gray conceded and sighed when Juvia's kisses turned into light biting. Gray moaned and his hands went from her hips down to her butt to bring her closer and Juvia smiled into his skin. "Juvia?"

"Hm?"

"What are you doing?" He asked in a whisper, his thumbs caressing her over the fabric of her nightgown.

"Seducing you." Juvia's hands touched the strong muscles of his abdomen, each contracting with her touch.

"It's working, but I thought we couldn't. The doctor said so." Gray said and Juvia finally looked to and she felt her want for him grow when she saw want in his dark.

"He said Juvia needed time to heal after Ava's birth, the usual waiting period is about six weeks." Her hands were slowly descending towards the edged of his underpants. "The doctor came here yesterday and he said Juvia is fine and if she wanted to, she could resume her activities with her husband." Juvia slowly undid the knot of the underpants and pulled it down, her gaze never leaving Gray's. "And I really miss making love to my husband."

"By the gods, you are going to kill me." Gray muttered and then his lips were on hers, and only stopped to kick the underpants away in annoyance and Juvia laughed at his cuss words but stopped the moment Gray kissed her again, a hand on the back of her neck and the other on her lower back.

Gray started to pull her nightgown and regretfully they had to pause their kiss for a moment so Juvia could raise her arms to help him take the garment off. She watched him throw it over his shoulder and their lips met again.

Juvia giggled when she finally lied down on the bed with Gray on top of her and Gray kissed her neck, and the sound turned into a moan when one of his hands went to her breast, massaging it. When Gray pinched her nipple, though, she hissed in pain and Gray stopped immediately, cutting the kiss.

"Juvia?" His eyes were wide and he was clearly worried. "Did I hurt you?" She shook her head and Gray scowled. "Don't lie to me."

The blunette put a hand on his cheek. "Just be gentle until we figure out what changed after I had Ava? I heard things go back to normal after a while, but now..."

"Or course." Gray nodded. "Tell me if I'm being too rough." Juvia smiled and brought him for another kiss. Juvia's hands went to his hair when he started to kiss her cleavage and then between her breasts, his eyes on her to make sure he wasn't hurting her.

After slowly kissing the side of her breast, Gray put one nipple inside his mouth and thankfully didn't hurt, and only when his teeth scraped her, Juvia moaned. She just couldn't understand the new quirks of her body.

Gray's hand slid between her legs and Juvia arched with just a quick brush of his fingers on her sex, and it surprised her. Apparently, her breasts were less sensitive to his touch, but she became much more sensitive down between her legs.

Seeing her reaction to his fingers, Gray smiled, changing his mouth to her other breast and slowly entered one finger inside her, then another, moving them inside slowly to get her higher until he could take her. His thumb caressed the bundle of nerves on top of her sex and Juvia actually squealed when he touched it.

"Gray-sama!" She breathed a moan.

"I missed hearing you saying my name like this." Gray kissed her lips while his fingers worked in and out of her until he found the spot that made her clench around him, her mouth in an 'o' shape. "Hang on, Juvia."

"Oh." Juvia moaned as it seemed Gray touched every single nerve of hers. "Gray-sama." Juvia whined a few moments later when she was losing her mind. "I need you."

"Damn it." Gray muttered removing his fingers from inside her and kissed her on the lips in a way that made her toes curl. He was on top of her and Juvia could feel his shaft sliding on her sex and even though it felt really good, she needed something else.

"Wait, wait, wait." Juvia breathed and Gray stopped moving.

"What is it? Did I do something wrong?" He looked down to where they met.

"No." She shook her head. "But.... Uh..."

He stared at her eyes. "Tell me."

The blunette bit her lower lip because of how much she wanted him and how embarrassed she was going to be with her next words. "Juvia was told she might still be... tender... down there." She could feel her cheeks get even warmer. "And maybe if I was... gods, this is embarrassing, but if I was on the top..." She let the sentence in the air bur Gray caught her meaning.

"You can set the rhythm and pretty much everything else." He nodded, clearly eager to please her. "Alright."

She blinked, slightly surprised. "Really? You don't mind?"

"Seeing my wife naked on top of me and getting her own pleasure?" Gray rolled to his back, bringing Juvia with him and the Duchess let out a squeal of surprise and when she looked down to Gray, his eyes were dark with want and his hands rested on her ass, moving her on top of him to get some friction. "I really don't mind."

Juvia nodded and kissed him tenderly. "I love you."

"And I love you." Since the first time, Gray was more comfortable with telling her his feelings for her and every time her eyes watered. Their next kiss was fast to ignite her need for him again, his work with his fingers just a few moments ago still making her lower half melt for him.

The blunette kissed his chest while her other hand traveled between them and she licked one of his nipples at the same time her hand curled around his shaft and Gray's loud moan was music to Juvia's ears.

"Oh, dear gods." Gray muttered as Juvia slowly moved her hand a few times. "Juvia, please." Juvia nodded and she positioned herself on top of him, a hand on his chest for support. She hesitated when she felt the nudge of him in her sex and Gray sensed it. "Juvia, look at me." Her blue eyes met his dark ones and her heart beat faster with how intensely he was looking at her. "Go on."

Slowly Juvia sank on his shaft and she closed her eyes to appreciate the feeling one she was full. She didn't feel pain at all, thankfully and when she opened her eyes, she saw that Gray had bit his lower lip and realized his hands were in her hips, holding her tight.

"Gray-sama." Juvia said, leaning a bit making the angle shift and she gasped in response, to which Gray opened his eyes.

"Does it hurt?" Gray asked and when Juvia shook her head, he sighed in relief. "Good. Good. Now..." He didn't elaborate but Juvia knew what he wanted because it was what she wanted as well. Slowly she moved her hips up and then down on him and his hands tightened on her hips.

Juvia watched Gray's expression and she could understand why he liked to keep his eyes on her when they had made love and it made her smile. Trying to find another angle, Juvia leaned a bit towards him and suddenly every time she moved, there was a brush in a special place inside her that sent her sparks inside her.

"I missed this." Gray said in a groan and then he looked up to his wife. "You feel so good, Juvia."

"You too." Juvia kissed him and she could feel the build-up inside her, the need to get her pleasure getting stronger and she moved faster, her forehead rested on Gray's and one of his hands left her hips to her breast and he rolled her nipple between his fingers gently, obviously remembering hurting her earlier. "Oh, like that." Juvia whispered.

Gray kissed her and Juvia's mind started to focus on only getting her pleasure, her movements turning unsynchronized but Gray let go of her breast to put his hand back on her hip and helped her return to a rhythm and Juvia could feel that wonderful ball of pleasure being built in her lower stomach.

It was swirling inside, she could feel it boiling, just waiting for that final push.

Juvia slid her hand between them and touched the bundle of nerves and she moaned loudly when she started rubbing on it.

"Fuck, Juvia." Gray whispered and Juvia saw that his eyes were focusing on where they were connected and then he looked back at her and perhaps he could see she just needed a little push to go over the edge, just a little something.

Gray's mouth closed on her nipple, sucking it gently and Juvia was falling into pleasure, her whole body tightening with the sensation and she could hear herself being really loud, but really didn't care, not when a second later she heard Gray's groan and then him emptying himself inside her.

She felt her muscles were liquid and she knew she needed to get off of top of Gray, but she couldn't gather the energy, not when she was still trying to breathe properly and so was he. There was a thundering sound coming from Gray's chest and Juvia frowned when his chest moved underneath her. It took a lot of energy from her to lift her head to look at him and she saw her husband laughing.

"What's so funny?"

Gray looked at her, his eyes sparkling in delight and he looked like the young man he was instead of the Duke with a hundred things to solve. "I just realized I am happy." He looked at her. "Completely happy. I have good lands with good people, my friends are great, my father is back to my life, my cousin and I are in speaking terms again, I am the father of the most perfect little girl and my wife is so amazing she made me love her." Gray laughed again. "Shit, I am happy."

Juvia smiled at his excitement and kissed him slowly. "I am happy too."

"Thank you." He cupped her cheek with one hand. "Thank you for helping me get here."

"Thank you for giving me the chance to." Juvia told him with tears in her eyes. "I wouldn't change a thing."

"Me neither." Gray's eyes softened as he looked at her.

Juvia was about to say something else when she felt her breasts started to leak as they usually did when she didn't feed Ava for too long. "Oh no." Juvia moaned in shame, put her arm across her breasts and she rolled away from the top of her husband, his shaft finally sliding off of her and Gray was looking at her with a frown on his face. "Damn it."

"What is wrong?" The Duke asked, concerned.

"My breasts are leaking." Juvia could feel her cheeks get hot. "Can you please hand me some cloth?" Gray nodded and reached for a small towel that usually stayed on the bedside table. He gave it to Juvia and she covered her breasts with it, trying to dry them. "I'm sorry to ruin the moment." She mumbled.

Gray snorted and rolled his eyes. "This didn't ruin the moment, Juvia. You are a mother now, with a mother's body and functions." He checked on the towel. "Do you need another? Or for me to get Ava?"

"No, I think it's stopping." She looked down. "It probably has something to do with..." If possible, her cheeks felt even hotter. "Making love. I fed Ava before I gave her to you so I could take a bath. This shouldn't be happening."

Gray's smile made Juvia's heart skip a beat. "I'll make sure to have a towel close by just in case this happens again."

"Thank you." Juvia kissed him and couldn't believe the emotional ride she had that day. She hoped the next time she saw Jose he had learned that Ava was not less loved for being a girl. She had earned some respect from the Lords, her husband had been the most supportive man and she couldn't believe her luck.

She couldn't be happier.