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Another bench hit the wall, then a guildmember. A mug flew her way, knocking the cleaning rag out of her hand. With throbbing fingers, Mira picked up the rag, unfazed. She was smiling in fact.
Erza had crushed each and every brawl, all those involved now either quietly sitting where she would not target them, or out cold. Nothing unusual. And with Lisanna out of harm's way, patting Elfman's bruises with a wet cloth behind the bar, Mira enjoyed the Fairy Tail-esque atmosphere.
Looking around the ruins of her rampage, Erza made grown men whimper like babies. "Where's Natsu?" She enquired. Half the Guild Hall shrunk, all of those previously involved in a fight and conscious averting their gazes. Erza narrowed her eyes. Mira watched with a chuckle as the Queen of the Fairies picked just the right table to throw over, glasses shattering on the ground.
Natsu and Happy winced. Slowly, they dared glance up at her, the cards in their hands trembling alongside their entire bodies.
"Hi, Erza," Natsu peeped.
"What are you doing down there?" Erza hollered. "Get up. This will only give you back pain and a terrible neck posture," she declared.
Gray, who was leaning against the wall unsuspiciously, snickered at the fearful nods of agreement.
"You too," Erza spun to glare at him.
"Me too what?" He raised a brow casually. Mira heard the insecurity in his voice anyway.
"Work on your posture," she looked him up and down, the way his arms were crossed and one foot propped against the wall. "That's no way to stand – 50 push-ups," she commanded.
"What?" He lost his cool, pulling a face.
"50 push-ups each!"
"Yes ma'am!" The boys squeaked at once. Natsu, Gray and even Happy dropped to the ground, huffing as they hurriedly followed her order. Erza crossed her arms – although, so Mira noted, with an exemplary straight back despite the heavy pregnancy.
From the corner of her eye, she saw Laxus descend from upstairs. He must have watched the chaos from a safe distance, now sauntering over to the bar with a tut. "Aw man," he shook his head. Erza whipped around to glare him down. Briskly, she was in front of him. Despite the significant difference in height, their eyes equally fired at each other, the tension almost tangible enough to make hair stand on end. The air was as if electrified.
The girls around the sole spared table held their breaths. Even those just awaking from having been knocked out stared, some creeping into the shadows in fearful anticipation. Natsu and Gray stopped mid-motion. Gray had also stripped mid-motion.
An eerie silence settled, not a cough interrupting. Erza's eyes narrowed further. Laxus arched a challenging brow, not twitching a single muscle. Even Mira felt a chill run up her arms, hands frozen as not to disrupt with squelching of her rag. Then, Erza stuck out her tongue.
Laxus blinked, confused by the uncharacteristic move, but she had already turned, whipping scarlet hair into his face. Tsking, Laxus went in the opposite direction. In this case – and Mira was convinced he did so to overplay his momentary bafflement – he went over to the girls' untouched table, uninterestedly picking up the Sorcerer Weekly from an indecisive Juvia's hands.
Despite the burning need to protect her beloved, she had not dared budge an inch, lest she worsen his punishment. Contrary to Laxus, she did not manage to ignore the way Erza defyingly slumped down on a bar stool.
"Cake, please," Erza ordered, nose high in the air. Mira relaxed again, the entire Guild Hall breathing a sigh of relief. She put on a gentle smile.
"We're all out of cake at the momen—"
"Mira, I can smell cake. Give me cake," Erza insisted. A couple of beat-up men flinched on Mira's behalf. Droy was hectically signalling her to stop refusing behind Erza's back, but Jet grabbed the gesturing hands to save his friend another armour-covered punch to the face. Mira was not worried at all.
"I'm sorry, Erza, but Jellal told me not to give you that much cake anymore, and you already had three slices this morning," she retold. Three slices within a handful of hours counted as not too much, right? Compared to what amounts she commonly preferred – and just how much she could eat…
"Well, Jellal isn't here, is he?" Erza growled. She seemed even angrier about the fact that he was not there than about the cake denial. Or the entire tussle just then.
It was easy to tell how anyone not yet having fled the building was praying for the former Wizard Saint more than their own wellbeing. Mira herself, despite being confident when it came to handling Titania's wrath most of the time, wondered how he coped. If he did at all; he might have gotten the hang of her on missions and in private, but pregnant was something no one was prepared for. Not even Erza herself.
Mira almost forgot about the last provocation, her mind getting stuck on the private business.
"That doesn't really change the instruction," she smiled innocently. Erza did not return it.
"Give me cake or I will take it from you by force," she slammed her fist onto the bar. Luckily, she had unequipped the gauntlets, making the glasses to clatter but not tumble.
Before Mira could answer, Elfman was on his feet. Encircling the bar, he planted himself next to Erza's stool. Droy's panicked gestures picked back up.
"It's not her fault she can't give you any," he reasoned around a swollen lip, "and she won't—"
"Who said you could stop doing push-ups?!" Erza combusted. Elfman winced, struggling to keep his shoulders squared.
"I-I wasn't even—"
"50 more, go!"
"Yes, ma'am!" He dropped to execute them quickly. Natsu and Gray sped up in their corner as well, even though they had already finished.
"Can't you say something?" Mira overheard Lucy whispering to Laxus. "You're probably the only one she can't tear to shreds that easily," she murmured. He huffed with irritation at the last bit.
"I'm not getting involved in that," he waved off. "Fernandes' problem," he said.
"Right now, it's kinda our problem though…" Lucy muttered, puffing her cheeks in annoyance.
"Cake, Mira," Erza equipped her gauntlet, rattling the few intact glasses threateningly as she gripped the bar.
"I'm afraid I can't—"
"Then I will," Erza got up, rounding the bar. Elfman tensed, still on the ground, but Mira only sighed as she was passed and the fridge inspected. It rumbled when the handle was being torn on, the door not budging. "You magically sealed the fridge?" Erza gasped as if someone had gravely insulted her family name. Aggressive and over-dramatically. This was getting better and better – and with better, Mira meant more dangerous. "Mira!" Erza whined.
The door might have been sealed, but it was not specifically reinforced, cracking when Erza hit it in her frustration. Her eyes lit up. This time, she lunged with the armoured fist. Mira was about to have her own hand be taken over by magic to protect the fridge, when salvation walked right in through the main gate.
"Please don't break the fridge," she calmly said, turning back to the bar, "otherwise you'll miss a different kind of surprise," she smiled at the new face. "Welcome back," she greeted. He had only just opened his mouth, not yet drawn a breath to respond when Erza's head snapped up from behind the bar.
"Thank you," Jellal smiled back.
"Jellal!" Erza burst from behind the counter. And then over the counter. The cake long forgotten so it seemed – at least so Mira hoped – Erza all but threw herself into her husband's arms.
"You're back early," Mira noted.
"Thank goodness…" Lisanna breathed to herself.
Both of them smiled at the reunion though. Mira even felt a tiny speck of jealousy bubbling in the pit of her stomach, but seeing them together was already more than satisfying to watch. Not to mention Erza being so lovey-dovey – and not raging anymore – was nothing short of lovely.
"My colleague is going on a diplomatic voyage, so I'll have to go back sometime next week, but I couldn't stay over the weekend," Jellal explained. Erza must not have been listening, because she was nowhere near upset where she rubbed her head to his ironed shirt. Not that it looked ironed anymore now, but he did not seem to mind.
He was still wearing most of his work's attire, apart from the suit's jacket that had dropped from his shoulder with Erza falling around his neck.
Mira slid over a drink, but he was not paying it much attention. The smile he bore when looking down at his wife was so soft, Mira felt a squeal rise up in her throat.
"I was wondering why you weren't home when there was fresh fruit parfait waiting for you – I had to eat it all myself," he shrugged.
"You didn't!" Erza gasped again, huge eyes staring at him with something between a threat and a plea. Praying for Jellal had never been more required.
"I'd never," he let the fondness of his eyes reflect in his voice. She exhaled in relief, the entire guild deflating alongside her. Mira could not help but 'aww' when his hands on his beloved's waist tugged at the same time her hands locked more firmly behind his neck, lips meeting tenderly. "So how is my love today?" He asked. He was either well-integrated or too blinded with affection to notice the havoc that was the entire Guild Hall.
"Busy," Erza puffed out her chest, in this case against him as she was not letting go, "of course," she complacently stated.
"Of course," an amused purr laced into his tone. "How's Violet?"
"Lively and kicking," Erza nodded.
"Literally," he blinked down where her belly pressed to his.
"Wants cake," Erza fleetly added. He had to laugh, easing the rest of the guild which had tensed up at the word 'cake' out of Erza's mouth.
"Do you think it would be happy with fruit parfait as well?" He smirked. Her eyes shone in response, too in love with the way he looked at her to form a reply right away.
"It might," she finally said.
"Might? That doesn't sound very enthusiastic," Jellal pursed his lips. Erza tightened her embrace lest he take back the offer altogether. "Maybe if I top it off with some orange-cinnamon punch? No, that's too Christmassy…"
"Christmassy is good," Erza immediately scrambled closer with her face, beaming hopefully. It was fascinating to see; the way he turned the tables without her getting wind of it. "Violet says it's good." She quickly rephrased. "I mean, I'm sure it will see reason," she backpaddled, swallowing the hungry drool of merely picturing his offer.
"Sure – better," Jellal grinned triumphantly. "What are we waiting for?" He asked, receiving an avid nod.
"Wendy," Erza called as if that was the natural conclusion to going home. Wendy blinked, tilting her head.
"Hey, if Wendy gets to come, I get to come," Meredy crossed her arms. Jellal redirected his with amusement raised brow from his wife to Meredy.
"Yeah, if she gets to come, we get to come," Natsu raised his voice. Gray slapped his arm, trying to shut him up.
"I'll come with you wherever you go, Gray my darling!" Juvia chimed in.
"Great," Erza beamed. "We can play my favourite game," she cheered, dragging Jellal over to her friends' table.
"So you can steal my bird farms again?" Jellal shook his head.
"We'll steal your cake, too," Wendy laughed, holding out her palm.
"Cake," Erza agreed, low-fiving her new team partner.
"Lucy and I will slay you all!" Natsu bounded over, leaning on Lucy's shoulders.
"No, we won't," she complained. Levy giggled, nudging her friend with meaningfully wiggling brows, triggering a light blush.
"Then we're coming too," Mira smiled innocently, taking Laxus arm. That private life still tickled her interest, because if what she had just gotten to see was what he tolerated in public, they had to be sickeningly adorable at home. She had to experience it for herself.
Laxus frowned at her, bewildered. With a growl, he announced his protests, pulling away his arm from hers. But the words got stuck when Jellal spoke up.
"Since we're mixing it up anyway, you don't stand a chance against us," he challenged his wife, elbowing Laxus. The latter swallowed his words, opposed to agree to something as trivial as board games, yet obviously in favour of teaming up with the former Wizard Saint.
"That's what you think," Erza retorted, eyes glinting with ambitious delight.
"Oh, that's such a great idea! It'll look so cute!" Lucy cheered, scribbling onto her list.
"And then per ring, there'll be a pair of tiny socks," Juvia swooned.
"Remember they're not married," Meredy reminded, plucking another grape from the bunch. "But we could hide them inside the cake – they'll never see it coming."
"Socks inside cake?" Gray pulled a face. "Gross."
"Mira can make it work, right?" Lucy turned to Mira, noting the idea down simultaneously.
"Of course," Mira smiled sweetly. "I'll cut out the space after it's baked," she explained. She was obsessed with their planning, any baby related topics making her eyes sparkle.
In comparison to hers though, Erza's were gushing with stars. She was nearly drooling, tense with excitement despite the fact that none of the preparations were for her. Jellal was convinced that had she not already been pregnant, she would have seen to it being done that very night.
He got up when Natsu started complaining again.
"You didn't even write mine down," he nagged next to Lucy. She held the list out of his reach, but he leaned over anyway. The bed sighed. It was a miracle it had not collapsed with so many people on it.
"For the last time, we're not bringing babies," Lucy retorted. "Where would we even get them from?"
"How is Levy supposed to shower in them if we don't bring any? Hers won't have hatched until then, right?" Jellal heard Natsu argue on his way to the kitchen.
He put on the kettle for tea, then checked the fridge. Erza had eaten plenty, and with Meredy playing the watchdog, he would have to go shopping if the others wanted to eat dinner with them.
It was not long until steps followed down the hall. Jellal gathered cups on a tray, then took out spoons and honey. A thud against the wall told him it was being used as a backrest.
"By the way," Laxus deep voice announced itself, "that's a lovely shade of lip gloss you're wearing," he mocked. Jellal smiled to himself, hiding it just like the lightest of blushes as he kept preparing their tea.
"It's hard to believe you were able to tear yourself away from next door," Jellal swiftly wiped his lips. Laxus exhaled with a mixture of annoyance and exhaustion.
"I could say the same about you," he crossed his arms. "Shouldn't you be all heart-eyed with them blabbing about babies and stuff?" He asked. Jellal gave a shrug. Turning, he supported himself against the counter, raising his voice slightly over the bubbling of the water.
"I'm having my fair share of that already," he said. "Besides, they're rather happy with planning that party."
"Waste of time," Laxus grumbled.
"I think it's sweet," Jellal countered. "And I'm sure Levy will appreciate it," he added. Laxus shook his head.
"Whatever," Laxus glanced out the window. It was already dark out, nothing but his own reflection greeting him. Silence shortly engulfed them. Jellal felt as if it should have been awkward, yet he was at ease and unbothered. Another thing he held Erza responsible for – this time not blaming, but inwardly thanking her. "So what does one ex-criminal do when he's not mushy in the head?" Laxus asked over the whistling of the kettle. Jellal nearly snorted.
He really was more than grateful to his wife – someone calling him a criminal barely scratched his confidence. At least with the knowledge of her right next door and safely within their four walls.
The last thought reminded him that he still had to tell her about those four walls…
"Work – though I'm afraid that doesn't always… solidify everything up here," he knocked on his own head, then went back to pouring their tea. Laxus huffed, clandestine amusement unintendedly leaking out. "It's somewhat tough at the moment," he admitted.
"Fake promises?" Laxus arched both brows.
"No, just the—" a squeal tore through their conversation, the bedroom exploding with excited giggling a second later, "that," he smiled sheepishly, "tends to get in the way."
"She makin' other things solidify?" Laxus dared. Both fell quiet for a heartbeat. Then Jellal could not help but laugh despite the colour rising to his cheeks. Laxus coughed, obviously wishing not to have said anything, but a hint of a smirk glimpsed back at Jellal when he offered a wide grin.
He took a breath to downplay the last statement – not that it was untrue, sleepless nights usually spent with baby-focused dream and horror scenarios alike instead of heated love-making. Just then, the bedroom door shut, bordering a bang, though more hectic than furious. Gray almost staggered towards them, holding his head.
"Get me out of there," he groaned. "Did you hear that scream? I think they popped my eardrums," he rubbed his temples, running a hand through his hair. Blinking a few times, he looked from one to the other when greeted with silence. Jellal held out one of the cups. Grabbing a chair to drop into, Gray gladly received the tea.
"You were so committed a minute ago," Laxus remarked. "Did you get cold feet with Juvia breathing down your neck every time the word 'baby' came up?"
"It's for Levy; of course I'm gonna help," Gray gestured with his palm facing upwards, then hooked his arm over the backrest of the chair. "The least I can do is plan," he reasoned, taking a sip. Laxus did not reply. Jellal looked back and forth between them with a tinge of satisfaction. He was for once not the one responsible for uncomfortable breaks. "Did you get the invitation?" He then changed topics.
"Who didn't?" Laxus grumbled.
"You goin'?"
"As if," Laxus rolled his eyes. "Can't say I'm interested in more people than Cana drinking till they hurl. At least she can keep from doing that…"
"Are you and Erza going?" Gray turned to Jellal.
"I didn't think the girls had already made invitations," Jellal carefully phrased. After all, they had not even picked a date when he had still been there.
"No, I mean Sting's birthday," Gray illuminated.
"They don't have a mailbox," Laxus drily said. Jellal pouted for a second. Opening a drawer, he took out the to-do list he had started after their honeymoon.
"I'm working on it," he prematurely promised, adding a new bullet point. His hand froze above the paper, the pen hovering for another moment. "Erza…" Jellal muttered between clenched teeth. Ignoring his blush, he continued as if there was no obviously with bright red marker added make love to Erza in the shower.
"You really not goin'?" Gray returned his attention to Laxus. "He's Sabertooth's guild master after all."
"So?" Laxus let on a bored expression. "I'm not Fairy Tail's guild master. What about you? I bet you're taking Juvia," he concluded.
"Yeah," Gray said a tad too immediately. And – of course – as nonchalantly as he could. "Won't you disappoint Mira if you don't go with her?" He teased.
"What's she got to do with anything?" Laxus growled lowly, but Jellal could see through both of their meant-to-be cool façades. Not that Laxus seemed genuinely intrigued by a relationship or anyone suitable to enter one with him, but the accusation had hit a nerve nonetheless.
The bedroom door opened once more, this time closing softly.
"She's gonna grouse anyway if she catches wind of you not going," Gray went on. "And you're the Master's grandson; she wouldn't be so wrong," he said, earning himself another indifferent grumble.
Jellal smiled when Erza pattered down the hall. She beamed back at him in response. Not interrupting the continuing fight, Laxus starting to defend himself, she went to sit in the other chair. With a mellowing smile, Jellal edged behind her. His fingers slid through her hair as if through water, the silken tresses loosening from their elastic the more he massaged her scalp.
She was tying it back more often by now. It had gotten longer again, though not significantly. Still, Erza had made a habit of wearing it in a bun, and he enjoyed loosening it before bed. Not going unnoticed was that it added to what Makarov had said – she already looked more grown up.
"… too grumpy anyway; you'd ruin the whole party," Gray huffed, setting down his tea with a clank.
"Says the one dubbed 'Droopy Eyes'," Laxus retorted. They glared at each other shortly. Erza glanced from one to the other. Her craving for destruction had died down entirely, so it seemed, Jellal's presence fortunately keeping her at bay.
Another silence settled, this time short-lived when Jellal piped up.
"And you call me anti-social," he mumbled, loud enough for them to hear.
"You are," all three – yes, three, Erza decidedly joining in – said at the same time. He blinked at them. They all chuckled, the mood lightening. Erza raised a hand, holding his lower arm when she tilted her head back to offer a smile as peace offering. He kissed her forehead, running his palms down her shoulders reassuringly.
"It's strange; we didn't even get an invitation," Erza mused. "Accidentally, I take it," she added. Of course, she did – Erza Scarlet did not think she needed to be invited to visit a party.
"We don't have a mailbox, love," Jellal gently reminded.
"We don't?" She tilted her head at him, frowning. Laxus slapped his forehead with his palm while Gray snickered. For almost a year, they had lived together now. Jellal pursed his lips slightly. He needed to work on that stress level of hers more than anything.
"I wrote it down for next week," Jellal tapped the list on the counter. Erza's gaze flashed to it. A spark of recognition flared up, a playful smile playing on her lips when she met his eyes. His blush deepened. Little did he know it would be his doom, for it betrayed them.
A split of a second was enough for Laxus and Gray to trade information through the fleetest of glances. Gray got up, Laxus using the instantaneous diversion to snatch the sheet of paper off the counter.
"That's more than I ever needed to know," Laxus looked away as promptly as he had scanned the list. Tossing it up, Gray caught it mid-air, eyes bulging once catching sight of the next-to-last point.
"Then why did you take it?" Jellal put as much indignation into his voice as he could, trying to overweigh his embarrassment. Laxus said nothing, coolly leaning back against the wall. The red of his cheeks told of a less unperturbed demeanour.
Gray was meanwhile staring at the words in red. The colour of his face rivalled Erza's hair, a strange combination of being terrified and turned on moulding his features.
Erza swiped the list from her guildmate's hands. In a single move, she put it back where it had come from, closed the drawer, and slung her arms around her beloved. Jellal did not hesitate to return the hug, mirroring her sigh with which she calmed them both.
"Can we go?" She asked into him, almost meekly. It was a trick, he knew. She was trying to overplay the way she had gotten them caught. She did not have to ask; she would go if she liked to. And if she did, then he would as well, that much was clear.
Still, he appreciated her way of apologising. That, and he did not feel as embarrassed as he would have thought, the boys' steaming heads proving rather entertaining.
"Of course we can." Resting his chin on her head, feeling her smile into him, he trailed a hand down her back. "When exactly is it?" He asked, just when something caught his eye. A shadow had appeared, five more peeking around the corner down the hall alongside it. Jellal returned the twinkle in Meredy's eyes with a gently scolding smile. No matter how much she lowered her voice, he could hear the "you see" she hissed at the others.
For once, he did not mind. Neither the girls spying down the hall, nor the two in the same room bothered him. It felt good. The way he was not sweating nervously, yes, but mostly the fact that Erza left her friends – and right when they had been discussing her new single favourite topic – just to be with him. To be near him despite having every opportunity later.
"In two weeks," Gray drew Jellal back into reality.
"Then I'll go to Era next week," Jellal mused aloud. Erza tightened her arms around him, but she knew better than to ask him not to go. Not that he could have blamed her had she tried. He did not want to leave her either, but with Ambrose gone, he needed to.
All he had to do was focus on work, be efficient, and earn himself the most time at home he could. That, and pray Erza would not throw another tantrum. Though whether he preferred her to do so in his absence or at the now two upcoming parties, he did not have to ponder for long.