AN: Remember when I said about the laws being different because it is a fictional world? Well, here we have it!

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The Birds And The Bees

10 Weeks

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Two weeks holding on to that secret and Juvia was no closer to tell other people and by consequence, really facing it. She was up at all hours at night searching, looking for all the options and she knew she didn't really have much time: she still could hide it but she wasn't going to for much longer.

She had a list she had made when she found out, but had yet to start on it. Item number one was to tell someone.

She would. Soon, and as much as she wanted to tell Gray... not yet.

Her body had changed a little, the little protuberance on her stomach was s bit firmer and larger and her breasts seemed to have become larger as well.

Her boobs certainly had caught Gray's attention: they were slightly larger and while they had found time to made-out. It was unconsciously, of course, but Gray was a legs man and she could swear his hands were wondering much more to her breasts the past week than before. She snorted to herself – boys, so easy to distract. She had to loosen her school skirt a little, too, her bump a little bigger than before.

"...are you listening, Juvia?"

The blunette heard her name and looked up from her lunch just to see her friends eyeing her with interest. She was at the school cafeteria and while her boyfriend and some of their friends were a few tables over arguing about some game.

"Sorry." Juvia shook her head as if trying to clear it for a moment. "Juvia was lost in thought."

"You don't say." Cana rolled her brown eyes. "You've been spacing out a lot the past few days."

"Is your uncle back, asking for more money?" Lucy asked, concerned.

Since her parents had died when she was five, Juvia had been in custody of her uncle. Tsuyuo Lockser had agreed to wave any rights to Juvia for a good amount of money when the blunette was just fifteen. After spending six months in foster care, Juvia finally managed to ger emancipated and was now responsible for herself in every aspect.

Thankfully, her parents had been in the real estate business, so they had buildings all over the country and were smart and had a trust fund for their daughter the moment she was born and if anything were to happen to them, she would be able to access it fully when she was legally an adult at eighteen, but since she was emancipated, she could access it when she became emancipated. She was set for a while, regarding money, since the rent from the buildings kept coming.

"No. Thankfully." Juvia sighed. "He will come around soon, even though the lawyer drafted a clause when he signed the documents where he waved any rights regarding Juvia. But..." Juvia hesitated. "Juvia can't see him in the state he has been and let him go without helping."

"Juvia." Cana groaned and put a hand on her friend's shoulder. "You tried to help him get sober, the settlement money was good enough for him, but the situation got so bad you actually had to be emancipated. He almost hit you that last time. You had to lock yourself in your room to not get caught."

"I know all that." The blunette told her friend. "But he's Juvia's uncle even so. He took good care of me for six years before..."

"We know." Lisanna, who was on Juvia's other side, put an arm around her shoulder. "The things is... we can't help people who doesn't want to get helped."

"If you want to help him, perhaps instead of money... you could get him some food?" Lucy suggested. "He only comes to you when his drinking money is low."

"Perhaps." Juvia shrugged and then the bell rang, indicating it was time to return to class.

The girls started to move to go back to class when the boys arrived to stand next to them. Gray held his tray a little behind Juvia and she smiled at him over the shoulder. "Just a second, Gray-sama."

"Alright." He shrugged and once she was finished, everyone paired up, chatting, until they disposed of their trays.

Juvia twined her arm with Gray's the moment her hands were free and even though it wasn't Gray's favorite thing in the world, but after dating for a year, he got used to her displays of affection.

"I saw your expression change while you were talking to the girls." Gray asked while they were headed towards class. "You were happy, then pensive... then distressed."

The blunette sighed and rested her head on Gray's shoulder. It wasn't exactly what she had been thinking before, but Cana brought it up and now it was a concern, especially in her condition. "Uncle might be stopping by soon." She felt his body tense. They had met just when Juvia had gained her independence, but he had ran into Tsuyuo a couple of times and the man had always been drunk.

"Shit." He whispered. "Do you want me to talk to my dad so you can spend a few days over at our place?"

Juvia smiled a little. "Don't worry, Juvia knows how to handle her uncle."

"I don't like it... you all alone in that house, knowing he might show up anytime." Gray told her, worried. "And my dad surely won't let me stay over just in case." Gray rolled his eyes and Juvia almost snorted – Silver's worries were moot now that the bun was already in the oven. Besides, they never needed a sleepover to get some alone time. They entered the classroom. "Have your phone on you at all times, if he appears, call me, no matter what time and I'll come to you."

Juvia stopped him before they went their separate ways to go to their seats. "You are Juvia's knight in a shining armor."

Gray snorted and rolled his eyes. "Sure I am."

She giggled and tip toed to give him a peck on the lips and his hand wen to her waist, way too close to her stomach and suddenly the secret she was hiding came to mind. They stopped kissing and Juvia gave him a nervous smile but was saved to explain her mood change thanks to their teacher, Gildarts, entering the room and they needed to seat.

The class started, but Juvia's attention wasn't in it.

She needed to tell someone, she needed someone to speak about her situation and she couldn't speak to Gray yet, if she told Gajeel, the would freak out. Juvia looked around and saw her female friends. Cana, perhaps? She would be very objective. Lisanna would worry and try her best to take care of her. Erza would be very sweet after scolding her a little about protection, but Juvia had scolded herself enough.

Lucy!

Lucy could be rational, she would worry without fussing too much and Juvia was confident she wouldn't judge her too much.

Juvia bit her lower lip. She needed to talk to someone. God, she really needed to talk to someone.

Deciding, Juvia wrote a note and asked Natsu, who sat next to her, to give it to Lucy, who was on his other side.

The blonde frowned, looked at Juvia and then opened the note.

'Lucy-san, can you go to Juvia's house after school today? You can't tell anyone, but it's important.'

Lucy looked at Juvia, concerned, and nodded before putting the note away and Juvia sighed in relief.

Someone to talk to.

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Juvia's house wasn't too far from school, just a few blocks and the girls walked in silence, Juvia was too nervous to talk about it yet. She needed the comfort of her home.

Lucy gave her curious looks all the way, but the moment they arrived inside the house, the blonde said: "Alright... the silence is freaking me out here, Juvia."

The blunette sighed and waved Lucy to enter further in the house – it was a nice house Juvia bought a year before, with a second floor where the bedrooms were located – but Juvia led Lucy towards the living room and pointed to the couch, where Lucy placed her backpack and then sat down.

Juvia put her own backpack beside her friend's, but didn't sit down. Instead, she started to pace around the living room for a few moments.

"It's..." She stopped. "This is a secret, for now. Won't be able to keep it a secret much longer, but for now you can't tell anyone; especially Gray-sama. Oh, god, don't tell Gray-sama."

"Juvia." Lucy got up from the couch and put her hands on the blunette's shoulders to calm her down. "Take a deep breath and tell me what is happening."

Eyes wide, palms sweating, Juvia finally spoke out loud what was happening to her. "I'm pregnant."

It certainly wasn't what Lucy was expecting to hear, because her light brown eyes widened in surprise and her mouth hung opened for a second or two.

"I'm sorry, what?" The blonde asked in disbelief.

"Juvia's pregnant."

Lucy blinked three times and then said: "I think we need to sit down for this conversation." She took Juvia's hand and led them to the couch and once both were seated facing each other, Lucy took a deep breath and asked: "How are you sure?"

"One time without condom, three different positive pregnancy tests, Juvia's period is late by two months and her boobs are getting bigger. And there's this." Juvia took Lucy's hand and placed it on her stomach where the small protuberance was – it was small, but if you knew what to look.

"Oh, shit." Lucy's eyes widened even more and she paled. "This... You really..."

"Yes."

"Juvia, you were the one who sat me down and talked to me about protection and Natsu and I started to be intimate."

"I know." Juvia nodded. "It was one time. One stupid time and now..." She sighed. "Even adults makes mistakes, though."

"I guess you have a point there." They stayed in silence for a few moments and then Lucy stated: "You haven't spoken to Gray yet."

"No." Juvia shook her head.

"Why?" The blonde wondered.

"Because..." She sighed. "Juvia needs to decide what she wants to do before adding him in this equation."

Lucy frowned. "Why?"

"This will affect Juvia more than it will affect him." Juvia's eyes watered. "Of course, his life will change, but not as much as mine and I need to know what I want to do before I tell him."

"I see." Lucy understood. "So... I am the first person to know."

"Yes." Juvia nodded.

"As flattered as I am, why me?"

Juvia bit her lower lip for a moment. "Juvia needs someone to talk to her about her options and be objective about it. You are smart, you can help me."

Lucy hesitated for the first time since she heard the news. "Juvia... this is a big decision and I-"

"No, no." Juvia shook her head. "It will be Juvia's decision. She just needs someone to argue with about the options. There will be things Juvia won't have thought of and you might."

"You need a Devil's Advocate." Lucy stated.

"Yes."

Lucy nodded, ready to debate. "Alright. Hit me: what are the options?"

"As far as Juvia could research, there are four: Parenthood, adoption, abortion, family adoption." She told her friend.

There was moment of silence and then Lucy asked, trying to get to the point the best she could: "First, I need to ask you what you think of terminating the pregnancy." Lucy tried her best to keep calm, Juvia could see and it was for the blunette's benefit. "It's a viable, safe option."

"Juvia thought about it." Juvia said, honestly. "But... no. I think that's the last road Juvia would like to take. Family adoption is out of the picture: Juvia's only relative is her uncle and she would never."

"Have you thought about Gray's family?" Lucy asked, doing her job as Devil's Advocate already too well. "They might want it."

"No, Juvia didn't think of that." The blunette was honest. "Thanks for pointing it out."

"Apparently, that's my job." Lucy shrugged. "Adoption?"

Juvia shook her head. "Juvia doesn't think she'd have the strength to give her baby away to strangers."

Lucy hesitated and took Juvia's hand on hers and said, gently. "Juvia... it seems you've already decided. Haven't you?"

The blunette seemed confused for a few seconds before she nodded. "It appears so."

"Alright." Lucy nodded. "Now, let's get real and think about all pros and cons of this decision of yours, huh?"

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"I'll take care of Natsu, go talk to Gray." Lucy whispered to her friend when the bell of their last class rang. Juvia hesitated, but the blonde didn't let it go. "Juvia. You need to tell him what is happening and your decision. It's been five days since we talked."

"Juvia knows, she's just being a coward." The blunette sighed and went in the direction of her boyfriend, who was putting his books inside his backpack. "Gray-sama."

"Hey." Gray greeted her and didn't object when Juvia gave him a peck on the lips. "Want me to walk you to your place? Maybe watch a movie? Dad gave me the afternoon off." Juvia almost snorted – it was because of a suggestion like that she ended up the way she was.

"About that..." Juvia bit her lower lip. "We really need to talk today. Really, really, need to talk."

Gray frowned. "Is it about why you have been so quiet the past couple of weeks?" He asked and Juvia nodded – Gray gave her space, which she appreciated: he knew she would tell him whatever was bothering her, when she was ready. "Alright. I already texted my dad letting him know I was probably going to hang out with you, so..."

Juvia nodded, feeling herself get paler, her hands suddenly felt cold and her eyes watered a bit. She even felt a little faint.

Noticing her behavior, Gray frowned and put a hand on her waist. "Come on, whatever it is, I feel like I shouldn't be in the dark." He told her. "Your place?" All Juvia could do, was nod.

It was the time of the truth, then.

Gods, let her be brave enough.

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AN: I swear this will get better, I needed to establish some background first. Next chapter... the reveal. Sorry about the lack of real Gruvia interaction, next chapter it will be just for them and dramaaaaaa!