A Lost Boy

Chapter 11

Gray and the lost boys immediately set to work on making a suitable house for Juvia. They used red wood to build the walls and the door, moss and leaves as the carpeting and the roof, an old shoe as a knocker, and they tied together a bunch of sticks to make a window. For her bed they gathered up all the fallen downy feathers of various ducks and geese who flew by and made them into one of the softest feather beds imaginable. They gave her a chair and a little table that they swiped from the pirate ship and they would have let that be the end of it but Elfman claimed that a lady preferred her home to have certain aspects like privacy, something that made her house look pretty, and things to help her freshen up and look nice.

So the boys gathered up some yellow leaves and used them to make curtains for the windows, decorated the house with wild island roses, and filled a bucket with fresh water scented with lily petals for when she needed to bathe. Also Gray gave her a comb and hand mirror from one of the mermaids at the lagoon so she could do her hair. They had just finished the house completely when they heard her make a stirring noise.

"Alright everyone look your best. Remember first impressions are important." Gray said.

"What's a first impression?" Sting asked.

"I don't know I just heard it from one of the grown ups once."

"Do you think she'll like us?" Elfman asked.

"Considering that we shot her out of the sky I wouldn't blame her if she didn't." Rogue said.

"We just need to look loveable and adorable." Gajeel said.

The children quickly went out of there way to look their very best and they waited with baited breath for her to appear. Gray flew back to their hideout to make everything ready for her. He had decided since she would be playing the motherly role in their pretend family it was only natural that he play the fatherly role since he was the leader of the lost boys and the oldest.

When Juvia woke up the first thing she did was examine her surroundings. She ran her hand across the redwood walls of the house then felt the softness of her downy feather bed. After that she smelled the island roses that decorated her windows and took a moment to brush her hair with the comb Gray had brought her. The house was quite beautiful and no doubt Juvia would be very cosy within it.

When she had finished with her hair the door opened and she came out. The lost boys whipped off their hats again and bowed politely. She looked properly surprised and this was just how they had hoped she would look.

"Where am I?" She asked.

"Miss Juvia." Gajeel said in his most gentleman like tone. "We apologize for the harm we have caused you, it was most certainly unintentional."

"And to prove how sorry we are." Elfman added. "We built you this house. We hope it's to your liking."

"It is lovely." Juvia said.

Seeing that she was pleased, the boys all went on their knees and holding out their arms cried

"Please be our mother Juvia Lady."

"Oh." She said, again properly surprised. "Well I...I...I would like to be your mother but I'm only twelve and I have no real experience."

"Do you tell stories?" Gajeel asked.

"Yes."

"Then you're perfect." Sting said.

"Very well. I will do my best."

The four boys cheered happily then led Juvia to their secret house that was built underneath a very big and strong tree. Captain Hades would have given his remaining eye to know where it was. But they were extremely clever about keeping it hidden. Always careful to cover their tracks, make sure that they were never followed, and never let anyone know which part of the island was their territory.