Anonymous said: Heyy Bonney! How are you doing? Happy woman's day (a little late, i know) I don't know if you are taking requests but if you are could you write an AU where Gray has a child with an ex wife, like they were only married because she got pregnant or whatever (but he's with Juvia now) which causes tension between Gray and Juvia?

AN: As usual, when I receive a prompt, things do not go as the person imagines it's gonna be haha Sorry about that but I hope it's okay!

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Mama Bear

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Gray held on to his five-month-old daughter close to his chest while Juvia finished dressing their six-year-old son, Ash. He was nervous and holding the baby calmed him a little, according to Juvia and he felt slightly better when he felt her warmth, her addictive baby smell and he couldn't help it but to kiss the dark blue curls – she was a mini-Juvia, but she had Gray's frown whenever she was upset at something.

"Have you taken all the toys you want to show to Daphne?" Juvia asked the mini-Gray in front of her and the little boy gasped – he was the spitting image of his father with brown eyes, though.

"I forgot my new dragon!" Ash said. "It's in my tree house!"

"Well, you have time to go get it if you want it." The little boy nodded and ran from his bedroom. "No running, young man!"

"Sorry, Mama!" He yelled but by the sounds in the house, he just slowed down a little and Juvia chuckled while getting up from the floor and getting Ash's backpack.

"I still can't believe you are driving him to see that... that..."

"His mother." Juvia told him.

"She disappeared the moment he was born and now, after six years, she wants back into his life just like that?" Gray wondered, angry and Iris, their daughter, fussed a little after sensing his father's humor. "Shhh, princess, it's alright."

"I don't like it either, but the judge gave Daphne Supervised Visitation rights and we have to take him to the Center and since you are all freaky about it, Juvia will do it." The blunette left the little boy's room and her husband followed her. "Don't worry."

"I was a single dad for almost two years until we made our relationship official. You've been Ash's mother since he was two, known him since he was a little over 9 months old." He told her. "And we have a pretty good life here."

The couple went down the stairs. "We do, but this is happening, Gray-sama. If the social worker thinks Daphne is upsetting him somehow, he'll take Ash out of there and trust me, Juvia will be around to take care of her little boy."

"We should've fought harder." Gray told her while she checked her purse to see if she was all ready to go. "We could've prevented this from happening. You are his mother in everything that matters, not her-"

Juvia sighed and looked up to her husband. "Juvia knows. She loves him just as much as she loves Iris-chan." She put a hand on the baby's soft curls. "Juvia loves him so much she's willing to let him get to know Daphne."

Gray frowned in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Do you think Juvia likes this?" The blunette asked with a sigh. "I have raised him for four years, but she gave birth to him whether I like it or not. She'll always have that, and I am terrified Ash-chan will love her more than he loves me but... We can't the chance to keep them apart and for him to grow up hating us for doing so. Keeping them away from each other might actually be worse, especially since he knows he didn't grow in my tummy, like his sister."

"He'll never love her more than she loves you." Gray assured her. "You are his mother. His Mama."

"I really hope so." She told him with a sad smile, she loved when Ash called her mama. "If it happens, though... I just want our little boy to be happy, even if it means sharing him with her. Besides, Juvia doesn't want him to hate us as he grows up because he will have questions about her we won't be able to answer and if we deny them contact... he might be bitter because of it and because of that as well... we are doing this."

Gray sighed and kissed the top of her head. "You are a much better person than I am."

"Juvia doesn't know about that." Her tone was bitter. "If that woman upsets my baby boy for any reason, she'll have to deal with me and we'll see how much of a better person I am. That's one of the reasons I'm going: to set her straight if she messes with my boy."

For the first time in hours, Gray chuckled. "You are such a Mama Bear."

"And proud of it." Juvia shrugged. "No one hurts my babies." Her blue eyes met Gray's dark ones. "If Juvia ever messed up with her children, she'd want another chance and this is what she's getting. If she falls off the wagon, we'll have to prioritize Ash-chan. But first she'll have her second chance." Gray hesitated but nodded.

"Alright. I guess that if I messed up and got my life together I'd want a second chance as well." He sighed. "Let's hope she doesn't screw this up and leaves him again, he can understand what is going on, now."

"We'll deal with that if it comes down to it." Juvia told her husband, who nodded and a moment later, they heard the backdoor close and then fast steps on the floor coming their way. "What did I say about running, young man?"

Ash slowed down and peeked from behind a wall. "Not to?"

Juvia rolled her eyes and motioned him to come closer. "Did you get your dragon?"

"Yes!" Ash nodded, excited and put the white and blue dragon inside the backpack Juvia had brought with her from his room. "Do you think Daphne's gonna like it, daddy?"

Gray gulped but nodded. "Of course she will, buddy. It's too cool for her not to."

"It is." Ash beamed in excitement and his brown eyes were sparkling. "Can we go now, mom?" He asked – he was as curious about Daphne as any six-year-old would ever be about someone who grew him in her belly. He put his backpack on. "I don't want to be late."

"Of course, baby." Juvia nodded and stepped closer to her husband and kissed Iris' soft cheek. "Behave for your Daddy, princess." The blunette looked up and gave Gray a very chaste kiss on the lips. "Behave for your daughter, Gray-sama."

"I don't know, we were planning on having some hookers over, getting some booze and pizza." He rolled his eyes as he spoke sarcastically.

"What's a hooker?" Ash asked, confused

"Aaaaand we are leaving." Juvia said. "Hug daddy good-bye while Mama goes get the car." She made kissing sounds towards her husband and daughter.

Once Juvia left through the front door, Gray kneeled in front of his son – the first person he ever loved since he was seventeen and lost his foster mother – and did his best to smile. "You behave yourself, okay? No running around and giving your mother trouble."

"I won't." The little boy rolled his eyes. "I just want to meet this Daphne lady. I mean, she did grow me in her belly."

"She did." Gray nodded. "If you feel bad at any time, talk to Carey, okay?" Carey was the social worker assigned to overlook the interaction. "He'll get your mom and she'll drive you home."

"Okay." Ash shrugged with the innocence and simplicity of children. "Mama said we will get ice cream later but don't worry, we will get you some!"

"Thanks, little man." Gray chuckled.

"Okay, bye daddy." Ash hugged Gray awkwardly trying not to squish his sister between them. The little boy kissed the baby's cheek. "Bye Iris, see you later."

"Bye, Ash." Gray waved as his son bolted to the door to meet with Juvia and Gray sighed, looking down to his daughter and met the beautiful blue eyes she inherited from Juvia. "I hope we are doing the right thing, baby girl. I really do."

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AN: Sooooo, I've never had a stepchild but after some consideration, I tried to make Juvia herself and I would want think I'd react in a similar way. Being child of divorce, I know what it's like to miss a parent growing up and wondering what he's like so I'd like to believe I would consider that a lot. Well, we only really know what we will do once it happens to us so I hope you enjoyed the story nonetheless!

(I chose Daphne -again- because she's the only female I don't like that's linked to Gray and it's canon, even though she only appeared at the anime.)

03/17/2018 ~ BonneyQ