Title: Special Treatment
Prompt/Request: Pregnant Mirajane or Pregnant Erza
Pairing: (Part I) Erza x Jellal and (Part II) Mirajane x Laxus
Note: Requested by an anon on Tumblr. I honestly didn't know what to write at first. And then I got inspired. Anon forgot to mention what ships he/she wanted for this, so I decided to sail my own ships.
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Special Treatment
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I
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It was a normal day in Fairy Tail; a lazy mid-week afternoon, the usual crowd of tourists flocking the souvenir stall has become fewer, and the second guild brawl of the day has just begun.
Everything, except maybe what goes on in the corner-most table, can be called normal.
The curious corner table is relatively quiet, with its occupants calmly observing the one who sits in the middle of her, er, bodyguards.
Erza Scarlet, seven months heavy with a baby, sits between her husband, Jellal Fernandez, and the guild's unofficial addition, Meredy. Her full attention is on a slice of cake in front of her—yes, it's strawberry cheesecake. Her cheeks are rosy with health and there's a certain happy glow in her eyes. The bump in her stomach did not mar her beauty.
A protective sphere is cast around their table to avoid accidents; not that it is needed, when she's already under Jellal's protection. When not glaring at anyone who poses a threat, Jellal stares at his wife fondly.
Sitting on her other side, Meredy watched Erza in amazement as the woman finishes her fifth slice of cake. Her attention is partly taken by her friend Juvia, who sits in front of them going on about her daydreams about a certain ice mage and what their baby would look like. At the next table sat Wendy, Levy, Gajeel and Charle, who are reading books related to carrying a child (or, in Gajeel's case, pretending to.)
"Erza," Jellal nudged his wife when she didn't notice the arrival of her team mates who are now standing in front of them.
"We passed by a baby clothes store on our way back," Lucy explained as soon as Erza lifted her gaze, handing her friend two paper bags. "We got you these."
Erza's eyes widened, "F-for me?"
Jellal chuckled, "You mean, 'Again'? They get you all sorts of gifts whenever they return from missions," he motioned to Meredy's side of the table, where paper bags and gift boxes that they received from guild mates and tourists just on this day are placed. Juvia smiles proudly as she addsanother Jellal doll on top of the pile, made especially for Erza.
"T-thank you," Erza accepted the paper bags and added them to her collection carefully.
"Erza, I bought you a fish cake!" Happy beamed.
"You want a massage?" Natsu offered.
This earns a glare from Jellal and a snicker from Gray. "Who'd want a massage from you, flamebrain? Isn't my gift the best, Erza? It's only proper, since you're going to name your kid after me, right?"
"What!" Natsu complained before anyone did, "No one's naming anyone after you, ice bastarggfff—"
He was dragged away by Phanterlily, who appeared in his battle form seemingly out of nowhere. In truth, he was secretly guarding his former sparring mate from the dangers of the guild. Gray immediately followed, announcing his readiness for a brawl. A cheering Juvia also trailed behind.
"What troublesome guys," Lucy complained with a sigh. "Are you okay, Erza?" She turned to her friend who wasn't at all bothered, because her attention is fully caught by Mirajane, who is entering the scene with yet another plate of cake.
"Mira-chan," Meredy called in concern, "Hasn't Erza-chan already had more than enough?"
"I want more!" Erza demanded in earnest.
The barmaid smiled as she gave the cake to Erza, then turned to wink at Meredy. "Don't worry, it's not her regular cake, though it tastes the same. I asked Levy's help to research alternative recipe that would give her and the baby the nutrition they need."
Before Jellal could mutter his thanks, Laxus walked by and gave him a pat in the head. "I know you don't need it buddy, but as my congratulations, I've ordered all of Erza's cake be listed on my tab. After all, that kid's bound to be one of Fairy Tail's strongest future mages, gotta take care of him, right?"
Overwhelmed, Jellal could only shake his head and smile tenderly at Erza. "They're spoiling you, aren't they." His wife suspiciously looked at the mages who are surrounding her, as if she found the notion impossible, before turning back her attention to her cake. Everybody guiltily laughed.
Jellal thought that he should consider putting a stop to the guild's over the top way of showing their care. Yet he really doesn't want it any other way.
It had taken them so long before they got to be together and he would give whatever it takes to make her happy.
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II
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The first trimester, according to all the pregnancy books she has been reading lately, brings about spells of cravings, mood swings, and morning sickness.
While Mirajane disliked middle-of-the-night cravings, and felt worried at the thought of mood swings—which she feared Mavis will need to save the world from in case she develops a very bad one— it is the morning sickness part that she hated the most.
Only on her way to third month, she is frequently wakened by a wave of nausea and wanting to throw up, like the one she is experiencing now.
With a groan, she freed herself from the arm protectively thrown over her, and ran to the bathroom. She turned the water on the lavatory as she threw up. Then she washed her face and gargled, feeling a little bit less weak.
As she finished cleaning up, she felt her husband's strong arms gather around her waist. His head dipped to the top of hers and somehow, it helped calm her.
"How about you skip work today?" he suggested.
Mira shakes her head. "I'm okay. I want to work while I still can…"
"Always the workaholic," He complained, peeking at her reflection on the mirror. Mira only laughed. Suddenly, he looked surprised, and moved his arms to feel the lower region of her abdomen. "Is this… a bump?"
She, too, felt her stomach. There it was, a very, very slight bump. She turned to her husband, who is right now, staring at her speechlessly; hands still touching her little baby bump. She smiled, thinking that for all his masculinity, he looks but a boy when excited.
"We should make the announcement soon," he coaxed.
"We don't need to, yet." At this rate, it would take at least two months before it will be big enough to be noticeable thru her clothes. "Besides, I want to wait," she said decisively.
He tilted his head, staring. Truth be told, while he at first agreed weeks ago to keep the news to themselves for a bit—because it felt more special that way—he now wanted to announce to the world that he is going to be a father, to Mirajane Strauss's baby nonetheless, and be smug and proud about it. So he had to know, "Why?"
She pouted, "Didn't you see how they acted around Erza when she made the announcement five months ago?"
Well, people at first were shell-shocked, but the excessive partying soon started and even before that died down, people have started their equally excessive— "…Special treatment?" An eyebrow rose as he felt somewhat puzzled. Mirajane was worried about getting special treatment?
"Exactly," Mirajane sighed. Before he could retort, she stepped closer and buried her face on his chest. They stayed in that position for a long time, before she stepped back to tell him, "I want to eat kuzumochi."
Ah, cravings. "It's three a.m., Mirajane," he pretended to complain.
"You don't have to go out and buy it." She pouted. "We have all the ingredients in our kitchen."
He stared at her, amused at her childlike expression. "…What were you saying about not wanting special treatment again?"
Her mouth opened to say something, and then returned to a pout, before she returned to hug him again. "I only want special treatment from you."
He smirked. Right now, it would be very hard to deny that he is a very proud and content man. He moved her away a little bit to give her a light kiss, before saying, "Our guildmates will be sad to learn that you don't want them to show when they are happy for you."
"Oh, I don't mean it that way," she quickly corrected. "But just look at how they started treating me after I married their new guild master. I swearnobody wants to request anything from me anymore, even when I'm the only waitress available. It's your fault, really," she sternly looked at him.
"I didn't say anything besides they better not give you trouble," The new guild master, none other than Laxus Dreyar, chuckled, "I didn't think they'd go as far as avoiding to order anything from you."
She pouted, "Took them months before they started acting normal around me again. I can just guess how they'd act when they learn I'm carrying their new guild master's son…"
"There's no escape for that one," He chuckled, omitting to add that if her colleagues in the magazine finds out, the least of her worries would be their guildmates; there would be the press and her fans. To that, he frowned in remembrance of the lengths the Raijinshuu had to go to secure their privacy when the news of their engagement was leaked. He made a mental note that they might need the same when they finally announce about their baby.
"I know," she huffed. "Even the former master will surely join in."
"It's his great-grandchild, after all," he grinned, the memory of Makarov's reaction when he declared his intent to marry Mirajane still rife in his mind. Now, sensing his wife's dwindling mood— hello, mood swings—he quickly attempted to lighten her mood. "Besides, special treatment is okay. Just showing that we care, like we're doing with Erza now, right?"
She nodded slowly, like a child.
In the past weeks, Laxus has learned that pregnant Mirajane is very emotional when mood swings attack– typically when the others are not around—but she was also very adorable and easy to please. And he knew exactly how to please her. "Fine, we're not telling them yet. Truth is, I don't want to have rivals yet in treating you special. Now… how about we make that kuzumochi?"
And just like that, she rewarded him with the happiest smile.
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- end -