Winter Coats:

AN: So...apologies in advance. Winter is in full force and your girl slipped on a slick patch on her patio and gouged her hand on a broken piece of concrete. I am currently unable to use the last two fingers on my right hand so there may be a lot of typos in this.

Magnolia had grown quite a bit in the past few years. It was no longer a small town in the country but a bustling city with a sky rail, a mall, a radio station, and two guilds. However, clearly one of those guilds was favored and more accomplished than the other, as Twilight Ogre Guild Master was clearly aware of as he and a half dozen of his wizards filed their way into Magnolia's newly opened Shopping Mall.

"This is pathetic," Banaboster muttered to himself. "See boys? Seven years! For seven years we were the kings of this town. Now look at us! Having to work as security bums at a shopping mall to pay the bills."

"And it's all thanks to those Freaky Fairies!" one of the Twilight Ogre wizard, an orange-headed, plump woman, standing behind him declared.

"Speaking of which, look at what's coming!" another black headed, thin, and wiry woman said.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIII

"Ooh! A cookie shop!" Eva cheered as she stood on her toes look in the display case.

"Look, that one's shaped like Happy!" Minette said as she stood next to her sister and pointed to the cookie in question.

"Lemme see!" Von begged, jumping up to try and see from behind his sisters.

"Not right now," Erza said as she gently pulled the triplets from to window.

"Can we got to the cookie shop instead of the clothes shop?" Minette begged.

"No. It's getting cold quick this year," Erza said as she grabbed Minette and Eva's hands. Roman, who had been trailing obediently behind her, took Von's. It was only the beginning of fall, they were still planning the Harvest Festival, and it was already getting chilled outside.

"All four of you have grown and you need new coats, boots, sweaters, and gloves," Erza explained as she led her children to a boutique and opened the door, ushering all four inside.

"Welcome to the Children's Corner," a receptionist called. "How may I help you?"

"I need to get these four sized for winter clothes," Erza said as she gently pushed her children forward.

"Alrighty, then," the receptionist said as she took off a measuring tape from around her neck and approached the children. Eva skipped forward, smiling brightly as she held her arms out to be measured.

Erza began scanning the various clothing racks. She noticed one stocked full of glove, beanie, and scarf sets. She smiled as she picked up a shopping basket and began looking through them. There was a darling pink set decorated with white bows on the top of the hat, the wrists of the gloves, and at either end of the scarf. Eva would love this one and look absolutely precious in it! Erza put the set into her basket just as she heard a scoff from behind her.

"Look at this! Can't just go get those kids clothes from the general store. She's gotta go to a boutique with designer clothes. Stupid Fairies thinking they're better than everyone else!"

Erza lifted her gaze to see who was talking. Oh, just a couple of women from Twilight Ogre. Looked like they'd taken a job as working as a security guard for the night judging by the badges they were wearing.

Erza went back to looking through the scarf, hat, and glove sets. She wasn't going to do them a favor by making their job interesting tonight.

Oh! An orange set decorated with red, white, and black dragons! Perfect for her little dragon slayer! Natsu would probably be jealous and come by and get one for Igneel, but who cared?

"Mommy, are you picking scarves out for us? If so can you gimme the one that looks like a cupcake?" Minette called as she stepped up to get measured after Eva.

Erza turned and saw a white set that was decorated in a colorful confetti design that did kind of look like sprinkles. She chuckled slightly as she put it in the basket.

"Of course, sweetling."

"Look at that? She lets her kids talk to her like that?"

Erza sighed and rolled her eyes. Ah, yes, these two were just looking for trouble. Well, she wasn't in the mood today. She'd come here to buy adorable outfits for her children that would keep them warm during what was bound to be a long and harsh winter and that was what she was going to do. She found a gray set with black silhouettes of ninjas on it for Roman and tossed it in with the other three.

"Eva, Minette, have you both been measured?" Erza asked.

"Yes," both girls answered.

"Come here and pick out a set for Portia and Vera.

Both of the Orlando girls had coats, but no hats, scarves, or gloves. Besides, the coats were getting a bit tight on them. Benedict had a brand new coat thanks to Farrah, but not other winter stuff.

Erza found a green set decorated with colorful music notes. "Roman, do you think Benedict will like this one?"

Roman turned his head from where he was getting measured, looked at the set, and shrugged. "I guess. It's hard to tell what he likes and doesn't like."

"Hm…" Erza looked back at the set. "Do you think it would be wise to just get a plain set for him then?"

"Maybe," Roman shrugged.

Erza put the music note set up and picked out a black and white checker set and tossed it into the basket.

"Do you see that?" the whispers came from behind Erza again."She's only buying nice stuff for her kids, not anyone else's. What a piece of crap! So that's how Fairy Tail treats their orphans, huh?"

Erza began to whirl about to face the two women, but stopped when Eva asked:

"Is everything okay, Mommy?"

Erza sighed. This was supposed to be a fun day for her and her children, those two low-lives weren't going to ruin it for them.

"I'm fine, darling," Erza said as she patted Eva's head and bent down to her level to take the purple pony-decorated set from her. "Who did you picked this one for?"

"Vera," Eva answered as Erza put the set in the basket.

"And this one for Portia!" Minette said as she all but tackled Erza to give her the red set decorated in white diamonds she had picked out.

"Look at those girls!" The Twilight Ogre wizards scoffed. "Absolutely wild and out of control!"

Erza couldn't help but snicker. Oh, this was no where near out of control! The triplets could definitely get out of control, and this was not it!

"I finished the measurements, ma'am. Your children are the following sizes: Child's 4, Child's 6, Child's 6, and Youth's 1."

Youth? Erza glanced at Roman who was playing some sort of patty cake game with Von. Roman was in youth sizes now? Her little boy was growing up way too fast. She thanked the receptionist and then began pulling coats for her children to try on.

"Minette, Eva, is Portia close to your size?"

"Umm...I think so?" Eva shrugged.

"She's a little taller than us, though."

Erza nodded and chose to pick out a coat two sizes bigger than Minette and Eva's. She was already planning on going a size bigger for all of her children so they could have growing room. She then began looking at the toddler's coats, trying to gage which would fit Vera. As she stared at the tiny jackets her children began to get antsy behind her.

"Do you four remember your sizes?" she asked.

"Yes," all the children answered.

"Go pick yourselves out some sweaters," Erza said. "And some socks."

"Do you need us to pick sweaters and socks for the Orlando kids too?" Roman asked.

"No, b-"

"UH! Look at that! She's not buying those poor orphans anything!"

Erza rolled her eyes as all her children whipped their heads around to the Twilight Ogre wizards.

"No, because the Fullbusters are going to buy them sweaters and socks when they come get winter clothes for their children," Erza explained.

"Okay," Roman, Eva, Minette, and Von all said without taking their eyes off the Twilight Ogre wizards.

"Psh! You'd think she'd tell her kids it's rude to stare. What a horrid mother!"

Erza continued to ignore them as she picked out a tiny seafoam green coat pink coat that looked like it would fit Vera. Hanging right next to it was a pink coat that would go adorably with the scarf set she'd chosen for Eva.

"Eva, can you go try this on...Eva?"

Erza turned around and noticed that all her children were gone. "Eva? Roman? Minette? Von? Children?"

"AUGH!"

Erza whirled around and saw a giant figurine made of clothing swinging at the two Twilight Ogre wizards.

"What the-" one of the women shouted just as two flashes, one coated in red fire and one coated in yellow, heavenly light punched each of them in the face. As they stumbled back Roman appeared behind them, requipping his bow staff and batting the woman into a rack of shoes.

"Ugh…"

"Wha-"

"DON'T TALK ABOUT OUR MOMMY LIKE THAT!" all four of the Fernandez children screamed in their faces at the exact same time.

Erza blinked, then set a hand against her chest. All day she's simply been ignoring the two naysayers, but the minute her children heard them talking badly about her they jumped into action.

"What the heck!?" the receptionist screeched.

"Oh, erm," ERza scratched the back of her head. "We'll clean up and...erm...pay for any damages."

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

"Mm," Erza sighed as she stepped into her house and caught a whiff of something good in the kitchen. She set her shopping bags down on the coffee table as she headed to the kitchen.

"You four go get washed up for dinner," she told her children as she stepped through the dining room and into the kitchen.

Jellal was standing over the stove, stirring a pot of what smelled to be chicken and rice soup. He took a small spoonful to taste a bit. He then took a pinch of salt and tossed it in to stir in. Erza walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his chest. Jellal smiled as he took one of her hands in his and brought it to his lips.

"Welcome back," he said as he kissed her finger tips. "Your hands are cold."

"Well, it's quite chilly out there," Erza answered as Jellal turned around, taking both her hands in his and cupping them to his lips, puffing warm breaths onto her chilled fingers. Erza smiled as she watched him. Once her fingers were warm he kissed each of them again on the back.

"FOOD!" Minette cheered as she raced into the kitchen. Jellal made a quick twist of his upper body and caught her by the arm.

"How many times have I told you not to come running through here while I'm cooking?" he scolded her. "That's just an accident waiting to happen."

"Sorry, Daddy," Minette hung her head.

Jellal took a bread basket off the counter, already filled with garlic bread, and set it in her hands. "Go put that on the table and don't eat any yet."

By then Roman had filed in and , without being asked, took six plates from the cabinets and headed to the dining room to set the table. Erza began filling glasses full with ice when Von and Eva came skipping in, Eva looking through the drawers for silverware.

"Daddy, we went to the mall today," Von said as he stood at Jellal's side.

"That so?" Jellal asked as he took a top off another pot to check on the steamed broccoli inside of it. He took a tiny piece and handed it to Von. "Tasted this for me. Does it need anything?"

Von popped it into his mouth. "More pepper."

"Alright," Jellal nodded, adding pepper to the pot and replacing the lid on top of it. "What did you do at the mall."

"We got winter stuff, and there were these two ladies there and they said mean things about Mommy."

Jellal quickly turned and looked to Erza. She gave him a small shrug to tell him it was no big deal, but he wasn't convinced.

"Is that so?" Jellal asked. "What did they say?"

"They said she was a bad Mommy, and that she didn't take care of us or the other kids in Fairy Tail so we told them to shut up," Von answered as he began searching for napkins to set the table with.

Erza finished filling up the glasses with ice and began carrying them (yes, all six at once) to the table.

"So-" Jellal began to ask.

"It was just Twilight Ogre, nothing to worry about," Erza said quickly, pecking him on the cheek as she continued out to help her children in setting the table. Jellal still wasn't satisfied but decided to let it slip for the time being so they could enjoy a nice dinner together.

He opened the broccoli to taste it again.

"Daddy, look at my new winter stuff!" Eva said as she skipped back into the kitchen decked in her pink coat, scarf, gloves, and hat.

Jellal look down at her, then pretended to be surprised. "Wait a minute, where is Eva?"

"Daddy, I'm right here!"

"No, no, all I see is a pretty little princess, where's Eva?"

"Daddy, it's really me!"

"Oh?" Jellal pushed the hat back slightly. "It is you under there, isn't it?"

"Uh-huh, you like my new clothes?" Eva asked.

"What about mine?" Minette added, charging in dressed in her newly acquired attire.

"And mine?" Von asked following behind her.

"Well, you all look splendid," Jella said.

"We know," Minette smiled as she swaggered out of the kitchen.

Jellal chuckled and shook his head at her as he poked his head in the dining room. "Roman, are you not going to join the fashion show?"

Roman gave his father a cutting glare that made Jellal laugh as he turned around to get the food off the stove to put on the table.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Erza gently set Von in his bed, tucked him in, and kissed his forehead. The triplets had collapsed in the living room after playing some strange game of keep-away with their new winter gear.

Jellal was carrying both of the girls, one in either arm. He first set Eva down in her bed, then Minette in her's. He then tucked both girls in and kissed both of their foreheads. As Jellal took care of the girls Erza tiptoed into Roman's room. He was lying on his stomach, an arm hanging over the bed, a comic clasped in his hand as he snored. Erza chuckled at him. She took the comic from him and set it on the nightstand before tucking him in and kissing his forehead. She tiptoed out of his room and then headed to her's and Jellal's. She began digging through her drawers for some pajamas.

"Erza?" Jellal asked as he walked into their bedroom and closed the door behind him.

"Yes?"

"What exactly happened at the mall?"

Erza sighed and shook her head. "Jellal, it was nothing."

"But what happened?"

"A couple of Twilight Ogres were working there as security guards. They tried to get a rise out of me and ended up getting a rise out of our children."

"Hm," Jellal's brow furrowed. "But what did they say?"

"Nothing of importance. Whined about how I bought boutique clothing for our children, then complaining that I didn't teach our kids manners, silly things. Anything to try and annoy us," Erza said as she picked out a set of pajamas and began heading to the bathroom.

Jellal caught her arms and pulled her away from the bathroom door, though. Erza may not think much of it, but he certainly did. Erza was an amazing mother. She bent over backwards to make sure their children had everything they needed. She went out of her way to make sure they felt safe, and loved, and appreciated. To think that anyone would question her abilities, and in such a public and potentially humiliating way!

"Wait, wait, wait," he said as he began pulling her towards a chair against the wall.

"What?" Erza cocked her head to one side.

"What else did they say?"

Erza sighed, smiling softly as she rolled her eyes. "Jellal, I'm fine. Really. It was nothing more than an annoyance."

"Still" Jellal said as he took Erza's pajamas from her hands, setting them on a dresser as he sat down in the chair. "You shouldn't have had to have endured that."

"Jellal, it's fine," she chuckled.

"Perhaps, but," Jellal pulled Erza into his lap, setting one arm behind her shoulder and one around her legs. "I'm still thinking that I should try and make it up to you."

"Oh?" Erza smiled as she set her arms around his neck.

Jellal nodded then leaned forward and snared her lips with his. Erza sighed as she cuddled closer against him. He tightened his grip around her shoulder, running his other hand softly up and down her legs, causing her insides to turn to mush. He wasn't being hungry, or rushing anything, he was being gentle, appreciative, taking his time to really pour as much love into every second, every movement, every breath.

He gently ran his hand over her hair as he pulled his lips away from hers.

"You are a treasure," he whispered, causing her to smile as a blush formed over her face.

Jellal stood up, lifting her in his arms as he kissed her lips once again. He carried her over to their bed and tossed her upon it. Erza giggled as she plopped onto the mattress, gleaming as Jellal crawled onto the bed and hovered over her, one hand on either side of her head. Erza wove her fingers into his har and pulled his head towards her, and they began kissing all over again, now more eager, sloppy, and passionate.

"Maybe I should get those Twilight Ogre girls talk badly about me more often," Erza gasped when she and Jellal had to break for air.

Jellal chuckled as he leaned down towards her neck. "If you wish, though if it's my attention you want all you have to do is ask," he whispered before brushing his lips against her neck, parting them slightly only to close around her pulse.

"Hm," Erza moaned as an idea came to mind. "You know, as much as I'm loving this I do still need a shower," she said in a coy voice.

"Hm," Jellal smirked at her as he leaned back on his knees. "What a coincidence, so do I."

He stood up and then pulled Erza to her feet, leading her into the bathroom.