Welcome, weekend.

Panda, thank you so much for another review; I can't tell you how much I appreciate it! There are still some pregnancy things coming up, so I'm more than happy to hear you're keen to hear 'em ;)

Mikasa-Chan, thank you so much for your review! I'm so happy you liked it so much; tears are a huge compliment :D also thank you a ton for your enthusiasm on the pregnancy months to ensue, because I would have been unhappy with a pacing too quick that would have left out the ideas I have in mind. But not to worry, I have plenty of both pregnancy and baby to come ;) you're right, apart from Meredy, Wendy, Lucy and Ambrose (and Porlyusica), no one is in the picture yet :D got something special in mind for the baby revelation, but I'll do my best for the pregnancy revelation as well! Let me know if you would like someone/something in particular included there, apart from the usual gang :D

"I think they might have postcards next town," Jellal supplied. Cumbersomely braiding her hair, he reopened it to try anew. He wanted to show Wendy that he had at least made some progress. Erza, however, was not making it all that easy for him.

It had all started with her lamenting how it was 'too late' and that she had 'missed her chance'. With careful approaches and a snack in hand, Jellal had come to learn that she wanted to lie down. On her front. Something she would not be able to do anymore for months, she had whined.

Something that left him utterly puzzled with that already huge chest of hers having been in the way for years.

Nonetheless, he had put his grey matter to work, resulting in a huge pillow fort. Not having enough pillows, he had resorted to rolled-up towels and a strategically fluffed-up blanket, finally arriving at a construction resembling something like a massage table, only with holes for the stomach and chest.

As it turned out, she was too heavy. Everything had deflated within an instant, the wobbly mattress catching her slumping down.

Surviving the ensuing tantrum about an admittedly foolish joke about weight in the face of a hormone-driven pregnant woman, Jellal had come out of hiding to courageously present a new idea. And so, chained to the spot – just the way she liked it – he had invited her to sit between his crossed legs, her own ankles crossed in the small of his back, arms hanging over his shoulders where she typed away on her lacrima.

"I wanted to write some, too," she was agreeing. "To the team and Master… how about you write to Laxus?" She suggested. He had to laugh. (It had taken a while for him to feel safe again with doing so, but she was ready for teasing by now.)

"What do I write him on a postcard?"

"I don't know," her tone betrayed a smile, "you're the writer, not me," she reminded. He swallowed a sarcastic 'evidently'. Small steps, he told himself.

Enjoying the feeling of her silky tresses through his fingers, he reopened the braid simply because he wanted to.

"While we're there, why not go on a date?" He proposed instead of answering. He was curious how the Lightning Dragon Slayer would react, but he truly needed to think about what to write if he did not want things to become even more awkward between them.

"What happened to saving up?" Erza interrupted his thoughts. He grinned impishly.

"Very good!" He dared, patting the top of her head. "That calls for a reward – how about a new dress?"

"Still not saving us money," she deadpanned.

"Impressive," Jellal chuckled. "You're at the top of the class, Ms Scarlet,"

"Mrs Scarlet, dearest," Erza corrected, "and this does call for a reward," she joined his with humour-laced tone. "How does coming up with budget-friendly date alternatives in the bathtub sound to you?" She proposed instead. He had to exhale in quiet laughter. It was not yet lunchtime.

"Including dessert, I reckon?"

"What's a bath without dessert?"

The sun shone brightly. People chatted animatedly as they passed by, and Erza's gaze drifted to any child's pushchair in the parc where the couple had eaten their lunch. A pleasant breeze nearly carried off their acquired postcards. One for each member of her team. One for Meredy, one for Mira, one for Laxus, one for Master, and one for Asuka. Even one for Crime Sorcière and its former members.

Looking up from her next masterpiece, Erza wondered why her husband was being so quiet. She watched him squint at her writing he should have approved minutes ago.

"Is it not good?" She asked. Truth be told, she might not have been the best when it came to writing letters, but it could not be that bad. Right?

"It's…" Jellal frowned fiercely, "a tad small," he illuminated. It lured out a frown of her own.

Handing him the next card – the one to Mirajane where she knew least what to write due to not being able to talk about her pregnancy yet, hence having written in extra-large letters to fill the space – she was stunned when receiving a similar reaction. Less frantic, though evidently struggling.

"Not better at all?"

"Slightly," he admitted. "It's somewhat blurry; I can't properly read everything," he sighed, giving up. Blurry was not at all what she had expected. She watched as he rubbed his thumb over his eye, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Maybe I shouldn't have crushed my eyes back then…" he mumbled.

"Crushed your eyes? Why is this the first time I hear about this?" Erza wanted to put a hand on her hip, having to weigh down the postcards instead as not to let them fly off. Summoning a sword to overtake the task – spooking a passing young man into nearly wetting his pants – she opted to rather place her fingers on his temples. Rubbing gently, she relieved what beginnings of a headache the endeavour had caused him. "We ought to pick up storytelling," she decided.

"I agree," Jellal wanted to nod, refraining from it when enjoying what she was doing. "I know the Dragon Slayers were raised by dragons, but I still can't bring myself to believe that your mother was one herself," he chuckled, fading out when she hummed positive. She remembered how uncomfortable and insecure he had been about the topic at first, marvelling at how far they had come – their level of trust that still strengthened and flourished.

"She was, I slew her," Erza said matter-of-factly. His frowned turned bewildered. "Besides the point," she dismissed, just like the gobsmacked look he gave her, unbelieving at how she simply brushed the issue off. "We can share tonight. For now, we should go see an optometrist."

"What?" He almost recoiled. "I don't need glasses," Jellal remonstrated.

"We won't know until we have a result of your eyesight test," she calmly argued. Easily sensing how opposed he was to the idea, Erza replaced her hands on his lap.

"And what will that change?" Jellal mumbled defiantly, almost like a child – like her when she did not want to see a point she knew was justified. Not meeting her eyes, he was clearly holding back a pout. She sighed. Then she exchanged her adoring smile with a reassuring one. Of all things Jellal cared about, she had not thought looks to be of particular importance to him. Perhaps there was another reason; a deeper reason he did not fathom either.

"What's so bad about glasses?" She watched where his hand fidgeted with the pen. He hesitated.

"I don't need any," he repeated, still sulking. There was a twitch in his arms which she noticed, interpreting it as a supressed urge to cross them. He gave a sigh of his own, becoming aware of his attitude. "And it's only reading that causes me trouble,"

"Which only makes up more than fifty percent of your day," she raised an unimpressed brow. It was what had gotten them this far – his excellent skills at the Magic Council. He merely huffed, too stubborn to admit defeat. "It's essential for work. You're already frustrated enough with those cases you received lately; we shouldn't encourage to unnecessarily impede mere reading," Erza insisted.

It only occurred to her then how he had had trouble reading before when trying to decipher Meredy's guest list for their wedding – something she had had not problems with whatsoever. She had not given it another thought, but it struck her for how long he must have struggled – especially at work. And how ignorant she had been.

"They're my eyes and I reserve the right to keep them… un-glassed," Jellal frowned to himself, continuing to avoid her gaze. Most likely because he knew how immature he sounded. Finally, an exhale of defeat. Of annoyance, but also of defeat. "They'll only make me look even older,"

"No they won't, and you don't look old," Erza immediately intervened. That topic had never ceased being sensitive to him. Putting the pieces together, she guessed it to be his primary problem.

"In comparison to you, I'm-"

"Well, in comparison to Wendy, I'm fairly heavy," she retorted.

"That's not an appropriate comparison,"

"Where am I losing you?" she smiled at him smugly. He scowled in return. Age was the least thing she would consider keeping them apart, if only figuratively speaking. In a literal sense, there was nothing she would allow to come between them. "We don't know what it'll look like until we try," she softened, pecking his cheek. "I'm sure we can find you some you like," she soothed. He nodded, unconvinced.

"Everyone I know who wears glasses is older than sliced bread," Jellal deflated with what he must have hoped did not sound too much like a groan. Leaning back on their bench, he now crossed his arms. Not disturbed one bit by the sword lying across their laps.

Giggling, Erza joined him, weaving a hand beneath his arm.

"Levy wears them from time to time," she stroked down his arm, getting it to relax. Loosening both arms at that, he let her seeking fingers to entwine with his own.

"But those are Gale-Force Reading Glasses,"

"And has the thought of them making her look old ever occurred to you?" Erza gave back without having to think. His following hesitation made her smile stretch, then wider the further his lips pursed in defeat he did not want to admit but openly displayed anyway. That was certainly something she greatly appreciated. Because spoken or not, it was honesty, and she was proud that he showed it – even if to no one but her, seeing as he composed himself around almost everyone else.

He began to collect their postcards, and she helped. Most ineffectively with each only using one hand, yet preferring their clumsy yet romantic way of handling things. Meredy would have called it cheesy without a doubt.

"And I always thought I'd need hearing aids first with all of yours and Meredy's squealing…" he muttered.

"Don't forget Mira's," Erza reminded. He raised a quizzical brow. "Once we make the big announcement," she wiggled, grin broadening.

"I don't want to announce needing glasses!" Jellal exclaimed, taken aback. "I was hoping no one would get to see and if they did, that it's more like with Meredy's last name where we all just pretend that it's established…" his voice faded out, eyes lowering once more. She had to smile. And he called her adorable… Giving his hand a squeeze, she caught his submissive eyes.

"I meant the baby."

"Oh, right," she had to laugh at his quick answer. And to smile at how placid he felt about it. Of course, she was convinced he would start panicking again once the announcement was actually due, but she hoped the moment would pass and he would embrace the congratulations as much as she would.

It dawned on her how they had not received a single congratulation yet. Meredy had nearly choked on her excitement, Ambrose had been busy giving them pep talks, and Lucy and Wendy had tried to cheer her up. People in Caelum had only seen her with a prominently pregnant belly, probably guessing the congratulations to have been in order long ago.

Somehow, she was glad about the latter. She wanted the first congratulations to come from a friend, not a stranger.

"I almost forgot no one knows. It had always just been Meredy and Ultear to share news with; that was the entirety of my contacts," Jellal pulled her back into the present, a sheepish smile on his lips.

"Strange to have such a big family all of a sudden," she consented. Tugging on his arm, she scooted even closer to him.

"Very strange…"

Having collected their postcards, Erza read them to him one by one. His grimaces worsened by the word, but he let most of them slide. This was Erza after all. Her friends would understand (somehow) and be happy to receive an original hideousness of the Queen of the Fairies.

Afterwards, she dragged him through town, visiting as many shops with glasses as he needed to find a pair he did not despise on himself. Trying on a few as well – partly to support him and make him laugh, partly because she enjoyed his compliments – they were occupied until the early evening.

A couple of Erza's brutally honest opinions later, Jellal settled with simple silver-rimmed glasses she found exceedingly attractive. Though, of course, he refused to wear them unless absolutely necessary, feeling ridiculous. When he did, however, she praised his look endlessly, coming to affectionately call them his 'specs'.

Erza heard the water run not ten after their return. It had been a good idea to have postponed the bath until the evening, seeing as the warm day had left them sweaty. With splashing noises where the tub filled – smaller than their own yet cosy enough for the two of them – it soon scented of honey and lavender as Jellal prepared it.

Ridding herself of her clothes without using magic, Erza pushed her arms through the sleeves of a bathrobe. She stopped in front of the wall mirror. It was long, showing off not only her face but torso, too. In love with the way her stomach rounded, peeking through the bathrobe with ease, she stroked down to cup it.

Eyes landing on her face, she regarded herself. A smile settled; a serene, content one. Pulling her hair behind her shoulders, she tilted her head. The last time she had looked at herself for this long a time and with a benevolent smile must have been back when Jellal had first returned to her life since their imprisonment; back then, at the hotel of Akane Beach, unsuspecting of the conflicting reunion withing the Tower of Heaven.

Feeling emotional with both the recollections as well as the current Erza staring back at her, pregnant and overjoyed in her marriage, she almost felt tears coming. A shout interrupted her near sniffle.

"Erza!" Jellal yelled from the bathroom. Startled, she turned to the door that never properly closed. "Erza, quick," he called, having her haste to find him standing there. Unharmed. Body tense, eyes huge with expectancy and… zeal? "Put on something sexy!" He bewildered her further.

"What?" She frowned. Perhaps he had hit his head?

"Do it!" He hissed urgently, gesturing with his hands while the rest of him was as if frozen to the spot. Confused, she did as she was told anyway. It took her a heartbeat to decide on something that still fit her, settling with a set of lacy underwear she knew he was weak for. Waiting, she stared at his unmoving face that practically brimmed with excitement.

Then, very slowly, a drop of blood ran down from his nose. Erza's eyes widened, brows constantly conflicting as to whether puzzlement or amazement was in order. His open-mouthed grin grew further, a boyish twinkle of triumph in his eyes as he lifted a finger to point at his nose for emphasis.

He looked way too excited instead of turned on.

She had to laugh anyway – most of all because of his jaunty expression.

"I felt it coming; I couldn't miss that chance," Jellal laughed himself. It took her a moment to catch herself.

"Perhaps it would be wisest to act on that then," she smirked seductively. After all, a bath was almost a shower, right?

Jellal shook his head. She wondered how that would work, already seeing the water splashing out to all sides in her mind, but when she opened her mouth to cut off his protests, she suddenly winced. It bolted through her like an electric shock.

"Erza!" Jellal reached out, when she nearly collapsed. Legs shaking, knees almost touching, she clamped both hands over her belly. Her heart was racing, adrenaline momentarily numbing her ears. With Jellal's help, she sank to the ground, a leg to either side. "What's wrong? Does it hurt?" He asked hurriedly.

"There was…" Erza somewhat gasped, eyes starting to focus again.

"Pain? We need a doctor – no, we'll go to the hospital! I'll get us a Magical Vehicle, or I'll fly us there with Meteor; hold on,"

"Jellal," Erza breathed. Paralyzed, he still held his arms around her, ready to scoop her up and carry her to the ends of the world should it be necessary. His breath hitched, halting entirely when she took his hand. Never blinking, wide eyes followed the movement where she directed his hand to her stomach.

Silence passed. Her skin was hot beneath his fingers – his and her own, her other hand holding down his, the slightest of quivering still detectable. He did not dare speak up again, perhaps expecting the worst.

Another moment went by, feeling like a whole minute. Then, all of a sudden, there it was again.

A kick.

A shiver violently rocked him, snaking down his spine. With a smile too big for her face, Erza lifted her gaze. Jellal's eyes were as if glued to the spot where their hands rested. They were bulging, looking close to stretching, maybe falling out. Tears finely laced his bottom lid, welling up to the surface.

As if in slow motion – clearly waiting like her; expecting and hoping for another movement any moment – he lifted his gaze, too. His smile formed gradually, the enchantment too vehement to react properly. Brain functions kept to the bare necessities, although she was not sure whether he was already breathing again.

Erza had to laugh when her own vision blurred. Hardly able to see anything but the growing smile on his lips, they laughed together. Then even more when the bathtub overflowed, hot water swashing around their knees, flooding the bathroom.

From that point on, it proved nearly impossible to get his hands off her belly.

In our world, sliced bread was invented in 1928.