Fairy Tail belongs to Hiro Mashima

Playing House

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"Ugh, I did not sign up for this."

"But Gray-sama, it's just a job!"

"Juvia, this clearly is a babysitting job. It's just like we're looking after Asuka! "

"Gray-sama and Juvia are getting paid for this. It's only for two weeks."

A groaned escaped his lips. It wasn't like this at first.

A month after the Grand Magic Games and that Eclipse Gate and dragon ruckus took place, everything was almost back to normal. Fairy Tail had won, so they got to take home the prize and they earned people's respects again, which in return, was good for them because the guild was bombarded with so many job requests. This just proved that citizens trusted them back as much as they did seven years ago.

Most of them went out on jobs in groups. The guild members, especially those who were in Tenrou Island for seven years, were getting warmed up. They haven't gone in missions after the incident, just some training for a period to get ready for the competition, and now that it has ended, Fairy Tail had to face the real deal.

That's why after a semi-difficult job with his team, Gray wanted to go on a mission on his own. The guy needed to get back on track as much as he possibly could. Besides, he was still low on cash and the money from the last job he went with his friends was cut in half considering how many structures his group had managed to demolish.

Scanning the board to find a suitable job for him that suited his need for money and his skills, Gray felt an all too familiar presence behind him.

"Gray-sama!" Juvia squealed, as she hugged him from behind. This type of attack was common between the two of them, at least for her. He did not mind as he used to before, in fact, if he was honest with himself, he kind of liked it. It was tolerable and he knew the girl didn't mean him any harm. If anything, Juvia was just being herself, being affectionate and open with her feelings.

"Oi. Oi! Stop that!" Although he was completely used to it, sometimes Gray was still embarrassed.

Juvia giggled softly and she let her arms slid away from his body. The water mage joined him in looking at the board. "Is Gray-sama going on another mission?"

He gave her a nod. There were just too many missions on the job and he can't pick any!

"May Juvia come with you?" She asked shyly. The water mage thought that maybe he wanted to do a job alone but she just missed him so much. She hadn't seen him in a week, since Gajeel literally dragged her to go on a mission with him. Spending time together with him was always fun and she would never pass up an opportunity to spend much more time with Gray.

He made a resolve that he would do a mission alone, but one company wouldn't hurt, especially if it's Juvia. They worked together before, and after battling out Chelia and Lyon in unison during the Daimatou Enbu, he concluded that their complementing magic do wonders in a warzone.

"Sure." Gray was now eyeing a certain job and picked it up for the two of them. "Would this one be okay?"

"Everything is okay, as long as it's with Gray-sama!" Juvia exclaimed as she excitedly read the mission paper with him.

Mages Needed!

We are in dire need of capable mages that could guard lacrima crystals from a group of hooligans. Further details will be given when the job is accepted.

Location: Town of Basil, near the City of Crocus

Reward: 900,000 jewels

Both of them went to the counter where Mirajane was and handed her the paper to record that it had been accepted. She smiled at them while wiping the beer mugs. "Just the two of you on this mission?" The takeover mage smiled knowingly, but something about it made Gray thought that she was implying something.

"Yes, Mira-san! Juvia will do the best she can to help Gray-sama!" The thrill of another mission with him overwhelmed her to no end.

Meanwhile, Gray folded the paper and put it in his pocket. He turned to Juvia to give her instructions. "Meet me at the train station at 8 AM."

Juvia was at the train station half an hour before the time they had set. She was excited. During the past weeks after their horrifying experience with the dragons, Juvia's life pretty much revolved around the guild, missions and training. She was training especially hard not just for her friends, not just for Gray, but for herself. After that vision they saw that left most of them startled, which they later learned were all true, Juvia didn't like the thought of someone, especially the love of her life, risking his life for her. That's why she needed to get stronger for her sake so that nothing like that would ever happen again.

Her thoughts were disturbed by the shuffling of someone beside her.

"You seem to be out of it. Are you ready to go?" Gray said, putting his bag down and ruffling his hair.

Juvia smiled sweetly. "Good morning Gray-sama…" She was ready to do this job. "Of course. Juvia's always ready for anything!"

"That's good to hear, then."

They had a little conversation before the sound of the train getting ready to take off filled their ears. It was their signal to ride the vehicle on the way to Basil.

"Oh, you're from Fairy Tail! Yes, Come in, come in!" A man in his late twenties said as he asked the mages to come inside his house. It was more of a mansion, really. The place was big, it was even bigger than their own guild base.

"Please sit down. Do you want something to drink?"

Gray and Juvia looked at each other. "We're good."

A woman appeared from another room and joined them. Gray assumed that she's his wife. "Dear, they're here!"

"Oh, hi! Good morning! Please make yourself at home." She kindly told them, as she held some box in her hands.

Gray narrowed his eyes to the couple. It seemed…odd that they looked like Gray and Juvia. He shook the thought off of his head for a while, he must be imagining things. His focus should be on this mission.

"I'm Jared Anderson and this is my wife, Selina." They sat opposite on another couch as they started to discuss the mission.

Gray was first to ask something about it. "So, you need someone to guard some lacrima crystals… what about it?" They needed all the details, so it's better for them to spill them out.

Jared took the initiative to explain. "A friend of ours passed away recently and he gave us this." He took something out from the box that his wife had been holding a while ago. It was a small lacrima. The crystal had a dark bluish color and had an indefinite shape. "He said that this contains god slaying magic."

Juvia looked at it closer and examined the crystal. "God slaying magic? Isn't that the magic that Chelia is using?" She turned her gaze to Gray for confirmation.

"You're right."He turned his body to where their clients were to ask them another question. "Did your friend tell you where did this come from?"

Caressing the lacrima as if reminiscing something, Selina sighed. "He didn't tell us, but some people attacked his house once before he died. We're assuming it is related to this."

"They must be a group of mages searching for other magic resources." Gray analyzed the situation. It wasn't a secret that god slaying magic was a type of lost magic and it was extremely powerful. It's one of his theories, and maybe there was something more.

"Are there anything else like this in your care?" Juvia had heard a lot of stories about these kinds of lacrima crystals. Most of them are sold by mages in the black market, usually used for human trafficking. Possession of these kinds of devices was severely dangerous.

Jared pondered for a while, whether to tell them the information or not. "Well, there's one… but we've already used it."

Already used it?

If they did that, on what particular use had the lacrima served its purpose? "Where did you use it exactly?" This information was crucial. If they had used it, chances are the thugs are after them also.

"We have a daughter," Selina muttered, loud enough to be heard by the mages. "She's…her body is too weak, and we were told that lacrima crystals like that could save her life and…" She hadn't finished her sentence.

Her husband finished her sentence for her. "She survived, but we're also told that the lacrima should not be taken away from her body. She'll die if someone does that."

For a moment, the four of them went silent. Gray and Juvia were looking at each other. Both Fairy Tail mages experienced first-hand that people who had lacrima instilled in them were powerful and can become dangerous people.

"We're leaving to talk to the Magic Council about this." Breaking the silence, Jared put the crystal in the box for safekeeping. "It's too risky to talk to them over a lacrima ball."

"Please guard this one. It contains too much power to be possessed by hooligans." Selina began to stand up and in courtesy, both Gray and Juvia stood up as well. "There are extra rooms in this house, so just ask Deanna, our housekeeper, to lead you there. Feel free to roam around the house."

"Gray-sama and Juvia will do their best to protect this precious thing!" The overzealous water mage said to their clients.

"You can count on us." Gray said quietly. He took note of all the information he got and reminded himself to think about them tonight. "Have a safe trip."

Shaking their hands, Jared muttered thanks to the mages, silently relieved that mages from Fairy Tail came to their rescue. He knew they were more than capable of this mission, and he'd seen them fighting in the previously held magic tournament in the capital city.

Selina, however, was warmer to her guests. She gave both of them hugs and her thanks, and her hug especially lingered on Juvia a little longer. "You look like me when I was your age," She whispered in Juvia's ear. "I only have lighter hair."

As she smiled with her revelation, Juvia held her hand and gave her farewell. "Take care, Selina-san! Jared-san! Be safe!"

As soon as Deanna, a petite brunette in her late thirties, led them to their respective guestrooms, Juvia was awed. It was almost as big as her room in Fairy Hills! She immediately lied down on the bed and let out a breath. Her muscles were still tensed from the trip. They walked a good thirty minutes to reach this place, so it was a tiring day. It was almost sunset, and the couple had just gone to contact the Magic Council.

She decided to take a bath first, before she discussed matters with Gray as to how they will guard the mansion.

Meanwhile, in another room, Gray was in his boxers already. He got really uncomfortable during the whole talk with the clients with his stuffy clothes on so he stripped in this room as soon as he walked in. He thought of how big the place was, and if the couple wanted to guard this house, it was necessary to wander around and look at all corners to see if there were entry points for burglars. Relaxing for a bit was okay, since the box was with him, he thought that it was safe as of the moment. A knock on the door pulled him out of his reverie. Gray quickly answered it, surprised to see Juvia with a crying woman and a young girl.

"Gray-sama, we have a problem." By the tone of Juvia's melancholic voice, it was a serious matter.

"Why is she crying? What happened?" He wasn't good with crying women so he let Juvia calm the woman down to talk.

"Well," Deanna started with a sob, "My husband sent me a letter telling me my son is ill." Her tears were still falling as she finished what she was saying. "I just read it now, because I'm too busy with chores earlier, but now I have to go and tend my son's illness!"

Gray didn't see the problem until she continued. "I already contacted Mr. and Mrs. Anderson about the matter and they grant me permission to leave for a while."

Nope. Gray still didn't see the problem.

"And, they told me to tell you guys to look after little Erin here…"

Oh.

Now he saw it.

Honestly, no matter how close he was with Asuka, Alzack and Bisca's daughter, he knew that he was not a child-person. Nope. Not at all. He was an easily irritated type actually, always frowning from children making fun of his stripping habit on the streets and the like. So, there.

He groaned and looked at Juvia. Right now, she was her only savior.

"Gray-sama, it's just for two weeks."

"Juvia, come on! You actually agreed to this?!"

"But Gray-sama, part of our mission is to guard and protect everything and everyone in this house, and that includes the young mistress!"

He gave up, really he did. As much as he tried to deny it, Juvia was right. They already made a deal, and Fairy Tail ages were true to their words.

Glaring at Juvia for what seemed like a minute, he sighed. He was defeated. "Fine!"

"Oh! Thank you! Thank you!" Deanna had her tears rolling down on her cheeks once again and then he knelt down to talk to the young girl. "Lady Erin, these guys are here to protect you and your home," She caressed the child's cheeks. "Listen to them and protect them as well, alright?"

The girl in pigtails beamed at her. "Yes! Erin will do the best that she can!"

Oh, that third-person speech! It seemed that Gray would have to deal with a little Juvia right here!

"Gray-san, Juvia-san, I'll go back to get my things." Wiping away her tears, she smiled at them. "Thank you so much. Take care of lady Erin, she's a precious one. She's a really sweet girl!"

She walked away slowly and stopped in her tracks, forgetting something to tell the two. "I almost forgot! Mr. and Mrs. Anderson told me they'd triple your reward!"

Well, that was a consolation.

With the older woman out of sight already, the young girl approached the Fairy Tail mages. She smiled at them and Juvia smiled at her too. She liked the little girl. It reminded her of her childhood appearance. And not to mention her manner of speaking.

"Good evening! My name is Erin." She had a cute voice. She resembled her mom; the young girl got her eyes, but her hair she got from his father. It was dark violet, almost close to black. And she had this cute blush all over her cheeks. "Erin has been told that you two are Juvia-san and Gray-san."

Her next question startled both Gray and Juvia, and instantly flushed their cheeks.

"Are you two the substitute Otou-san and Okaa-san?"

Juvia nearly fainted from happiness. "If that's what Lady Erin wants…"

"Hey, hey! Stop that!" he swore smoke was coming out from his ears because of the hotness of his face.

This was going to be two weeks of agony on Gray's part.

Hi! So I started something. The idea was playing in my head for quite some time now and I have to write it down. Originally, I was planning to name the young girl Chi-Chi but that's what my baby brother has been calling me from when he started speaking. He couldn't say my nickname well, at least not now. Anyway, I hope you like the concept of this story. I decided it's going to be a drabble thingy, so do expect short chapters.

Forgive my mistakes. I wrote this in one go. I'll edit them later.

Could you be such sweeties and leave me a review? They're really motivational! Thank you!

:D