Thank you so much for your reviews, KiraKate! I completely agree - I'll be disappointed if there won't be a Jerza enconter and reaction about Erza's hair cut short.
Sorry for taking so long and thanks for the motivation to finally get this done!
Hope you enjoy!
Lucy couldn't stop smiling. It was still just a draft, and it was still just an acceptance letter, not a fantastic review, but she was happy nonetheless. Mostly, of course, she was happy about her friends celebrating her for something so small as if she'd just single-handedly won the Grand Magic Games.
"Lu, where did you want this to go?" Levy asked. She threw a glance into the living room as always. She was still struggling with having someone relieve her off her babies – other than Gajeel – but it was doing her good. Gajeel being out on a mission and not hovering over the temporary babysitters was helping too.
"Oh, anywhere," Lucy said. She pursed her lips, having followed Levy's gaze to the overfilled kitchen counters. What a good thing it was that Natsu and Gray had come – not that she had expected them not to. The girls always brought food, and lots of it, and the boys saw to it that there would be no leftovers. "Here," Lucy had to giggle, Levy mirroring it when Lucy shoved the salad aside, leaving a bowl of crackers in the sink to create space for Levy's dip.
"I don't know how we'll fit Jellal's dessert," Levy mused. "He said he'd bring some, right?" She asked, a tad too eagerly. Not that Lucy could blame her.
"He did – they should be here by now…" She peeked her head out of the kitchen. "Meredy, you told them it's tonight, right?" She asked. Meredy held up a thumb as confirmation.
She was slouching more than she was sitting on the couch, her legs draped over Juvia's lap. Both of them guarded one of Levy's boys, and both of them looked equally delighted with their task. Natsu was crouching on the ground, enviously peering from twin to twin.
"Can we eat yet?" Natsu drawled, dropping his head back to give Lucy his puppy eyes. She crossed her arms.
"I told them we're at your place, not the guild," Meredy ignored his whining. "They should've been here by—"
The door flew open, making all of them jump. Tetsu and Gale hiccupped in shock, too tense to start crying. Levy's legs twitched in the direction of her boys, but the entire room seemed frozen over when they saw who was standing in the doorway.
Her eyes wandered from side to side.
Lucy felt her heart in her throat, her mind running wild. But… but Anima was closed. Gone. It had run out of magic, leaving Edolas and its people separated from Earthland for ever, yet…
Yet there she was, Erza Knightwalker, a dark aura surrounding her. Her hair up in a high wavy ponytail, one eye overshadowed, the same grim expression on her face as she surveyed them one by one. The same scar across her nose.
"Erza…?" Lucy asked hopefully, insecurely. Hope was farfetched, she had to admit, not least because her knees were shaking slightly. It couldn't be, and yet, there she was, the same scarf, the same greaves. All that was missing was her weapon, but Lucy had no desire of ever seeing it again.
She flinched when Erza suddenly fixed her with her eyes.
"Where is Scarlet?" Erza darkly asked. Meredy and Juvia – holding the twins to them protectively – gulped. Natsu winced when Erza's eyes flashed to him, a murderous spark sending him scrambling into the closet.
"Hey!" Gray – apparently having been faster – grumbled when Natsu squeezed in next to him.
Erza turned to the closet, stalking after Natsu in a menacingly slow, with sharp metal clinking pace. The only thing to be heard besides her steps was the rattling of the closet itself. Had Lucy had the time to think, she would have cursed how her clothes were now being smeared with sweat of fear.
Erza raked open the closet doors, making the boys screech.
"You!" She pointed at Natsu. He yelped, then fell to his knees, bowing repeatedly with his hands clasped in prayer.
"Mercy, oh gods, please, I didn't do it— I didn't touch the snacks, I swear— I'll do anything, just whatever you do, don't meet our Erza!" The words rushed from his tongue, his fear of both Erzas in the same space still traumatising him. She grabbed him by his scarf. He gave a panicked, strangled squeak.
"Erza," a new voice interrupted. A familiar one.
Lucy turned her head slowly, and she was sure the others only redirected their gazes, still frozen, still holding their breaths as to escape Erza's wrath.
Mystogan. Lucy's brain was as if on fire. The cloak, the hat, the bandages, even the staffs.
"Mystogan?" Lucy could not help but breathe. The others didn't dare yet, staring on in frightened disbelief.
"Help meee," Natsu blubbered with tears, dangling from Erza's fist. Gray was now the furthest in the corner possible, becoming one with the wood and judging by the colour of his face, quite possibly having abandoned breathing altogether.
Erza dropped Natsu. She matched up to Mystogan, steps thundering, eyes blazing like lightning.
"I'll ask this only once – where is Scarlet?" She hissed. Her face was not a centimetre away from his masked one. A moment of silence kept on robbing them their breath.
Slowly, as if fearing her to lash out when provoked, Mystogan reached behind his back. Something shuffled, fabric rustling, when he brought to the front what Lucy had not even managed to process yet. Cloth, tied with a knot.
"Ta-da!" He presented Rosemary in her baby sling.
"There she is," Erza beamed, having her baby's eyes shine back at her.
"It's you!" Natsu and Gray hollered at the top of their lungs. Levy deflated against the wall with relief, while Meredy and Juvia released the boys from their emergency clutches. Lucy wasn't yet sure whether to scream or laugh. She decided on the latter when Erza and Jellal had to laugh at their friends' reactions.
"Told you it would work." Erza nudged her husband. He shook his head with an amused smile, loosening the disguise around his face.
"And I told you it wasn't a costume party," he mildly chided what sounded like an argument they had had for hours.
"And we won anyway," Erza declared with proudly puffed cheeks, hands on her hips. She requipped into a dress then, tied up her hair and wiped off the scar she had apparently drawn quite realistically over her nose. Or perhaps only just believably – no one would have dared come closer to check.
"That was mean, Erza," Gray said, finally laughing. Natsu grumbled something similar with less enthusiasm, then disappeared in the bathroom.
"It was brilliant," Erza simply complimented herself. She took Rosemary from Jellal, summoning him a set of his own clothes to change into. "I thought your party could use some spice, and I was right."
"Spice and tears…" Jellal muttered, glancing after Natsu.
"You just needed to be the centre of attention," Meredy teased. "Ow!" She shrunk with the mildly reprimanding fist landing on the top of her head. "Hey, baby present," she nagged, then laughed at how Erza wouldn't send a strict look after her scolding gesture. Caught red-handed. Licking her lips, she overplayed almost having spooked the twins.
"And didn't he do so well?" She bent down to just help herself to Gale. Meredy's mouth stood open in oncoming complaints, but then she waved it off, leaning back. "Yes, you did, being all quiet and calm," Erza said in a baby-singsong, rocking both him and Rosemary. "Maybe next time you'll be ready to fight back—"
"No, they won't," Levy immediately intervened. It made the others laugh – all except Jellal, who shared a worried glance with his own baby. Not that she returned his concern; she was merely happy to see him being there.
Tetsu gave a noise, so Erza didn't hesitate to gather him up as well, more than content with her load. Jellal used the moment of distraction to change places with Natsu.
"They suit you – but that's nothing you didn't know already," Meredy remarked.
"Who would've thought that Erza of all people would be so much into kids?" Levy asked with a tender smile.
"Wendy was a hint," Lucy said, grinning.
"Where is Wendy?" Erza looked around, seeing her nowhere.
"Not crowded enough yet?" Meredy raised a brow, tapping Erza's elbow.
Erza beamed down at the three clueless babies in her arms. "Never."
"Erza!" It came from the bathroom, making them laugh again. Jellal emerged with a light pink on his cheeks, shaking his head disapprovingly. She only kept smiling, a flirtatious spark in her eyes. Outstretching a finger to touch Mystogan's disguise, she let the clothes disappear. The glow returned right away, smaller this time, and Jellal had to catch it with her arms occupied to the brim. "Dessert," he announced, handing the baking dish to Lucy.
Natsu and Gray shot over at once, on Lucy's heels as she tried to desperately defend the apple crumble's life until reaching the fridge. Juvia joined, if only to closely observe her beloved in the same room as her supposed love rival.
"I can't believe you all fell for Knightwalker though," Meredy said, having given up on Gale being returned to her.
"You did, too!" Levy pouted.
"I was generally alarmed for your baby's sake."
"Right," Jellal gave her an amused look, leaning over the backrest of the couch.
"I wasn't even there when you met her," Meredy shrugged in her defence.
"But you saw me dozens of times in my disguise," Jellal argued.
"Also the details were really amazing," Lucy nodded at Erza whose chest puffed self-complacently. "I actually believed you were her – you had the scar and all."
"She cut off her hair, remember? Although it has been years…" Erza noted. "But it was her original outfit – I stole it back when we tricked the soldiers into following my orders," she retold.
"Ruthless," Levy whispered to herself.
"Can we eat?" Natsu remined with a pleading huff. "And can I start on whatever he brought?" He pointed at Jellal, then the fridge, impatient. Another laugh travelled the room.
"You can get it all over here – except the dessert," Erza ordered. Carefully, she sat down on Juvia's previous end of the couch, stretching her legs over Meredy's lap to cradle her three treasures against her. Levy joined her, kneeling on the ground where she could stroke over Tetsu's head. He was relieved to have his mother near, yet did not complain about being with Erza – not after the babysitting nights they had spent together.
Once everyone had settled and picked out their favourite food, Tetsu grew slightly restless. Levy picked him up to feed, and not a moment too soon, because he set off his brother and Rosemary in a fit of jealousy-driven hunger.
"You just ate when we left…" Erza mumbled, letting Rosemary latch on anyway.
"Dessert," Jellal supplied, receiving an affirmative hum both from his wife and daughter.
"Did you bring the bottle?" Natsu shuffled over. Meredy snickered at the way it made Jellal stiffen, prodding his arm playfully. Erza shook her head. "Unfair," Natsu grumbled. "If I had a Mini-Natsu, I'd always have the bottle to feed him – why is it that only girls can do that?"
"We deliver them – we get to enjoy the perks," Erza reasoned, and Levy sighed at the memory of birth.
"And it's not like nursing is the only way to bond," Jellal patted Natsu's shoulder encouragingly, something that made Erza smile. "You played with her before," he said. Natsu nodded, though his pout would not retreat. Jellal knew why – he himself was envious of the attachment that came with nursing and he could not wait until Rosemary would finally be able to eat his food. "It's true that only women can nurse, but you don't have to have been pregnant to do it."
"You don't?" Levy frowned.
"If a baby tries often enough, the body will adapt and produce milk to keep up with the demand," Jellal explained. "Wolves do it too."
"Amazing!" Natsu's eyes began to sparkle. "Lucy—"
"No!" Lucy folded her arms closely over her chest, then edged backwards into the kitchen.
"Like wolves," Erza tutted. "Maybe it's a magic thing," she pondered aloud, not yet warmed up to the idea of reaping rewards without the effort.
She blinked twice when Jellal's head had suddenly appeared next to hers. "So then you admit to directly be feeding her magic?" He held out a finger accusingly. Seeing the amusement in his eyes, Erza relaxed again, letting her eyelids drop slightly.
"Whatever makes you think such a thing, dear husband of mine?" She curled her hand around his finger, slithering up his arm to grab his shirt and pull him in the missing few centimetres for a teasing peck on the cheek. She chuckled, nosing his face, then laughed even more at her friends' confused faces. "We once speculated that a woman's magic power could be measurable by the size of her breasts," Erza disclosed, making Jellal blush lightly.
Gray snorted. Levy pouted, pretending not to care.
"That can't be accurate," Meredy – in the spirit of her adoptive family – protested as if it were a potentially relevant theory. "You're much stronger than me," she said to Erza, then glanced from her chest to her own. Lucy nodded her agreement, still keeping an eye on Natsu.
"We could weigh them," Erza proposed, only half joking, "through it wouldn't be just, seeing as I produce milk." She lifted one gently, seeing as both were occupied.
Levy only held Tetsu closer to her, a lasting scowl furrowing her brows. "Weigh them…" she grumbled, knowing she could not just prop hers onto a scale like the others.
She was interrupted by Lucy who squirmed audibly, Natsu having crept up to her. "Let's try it!" He laughed, trying to get a grasp on what she protected so fiercely. "They're already the size of your head – each," he snickered. "I wanna know if your brain weighs more or one of your—ow!" He dodged her next smack, laughing even more.
"Would you like to know the weight of my chest, my darling?!" Juvia had spun to Gray, her chest in hand, presenting them to him. He recoiled, complaining immediately, something that oddly enough only spurred her more.
They all looked up and paused their laughter when the door opened. Wendy stared back, eyes wandering from one to the other, an uncomfortable expression on her face.
"Somehow, I feel offended…" she muttered even without having heard.
After having eaten their fill and eliminated dessert, if was of course time for games. Jellal resigned early on, sitting out his third round by now. With his head against Erza's leg and his daughter's hands in his hair, he had nodded off already. Rosemary was not too far behind, supported in the nest that were Erza's crossed legs, her eyes falling shut every now and then.
"He does seem so much older…" Lucy sadly said. "I mean, he's always been old – well, not always, but you know."
"It shows so much more than it used to," Levy agreed.
"The wheelchair isn't helping," Meredy quietly added.
"Juvia is just glad that Master didn't become part of the Council even though he's a Wizard Saint," Juvia said, being met with agreement from all sides.
"And even though he's more powerful than Jura," Gray noted.
"Wasn't Jellal also ranked much higher? Or Siegrain was," Lucy asked.
"He was – I'm positive that Jellal could beat Jura if he truly had to," Erza affirmed.
"With Sema," Meredy said, pride and ambition sparking up in her eyes. "If he'd actually use all his powers – Darkness Magic, Abyss Break and so on – he'd win without much of a fight," she grinned, infecting Erza.
"But to cast Abyss Break, you'd have to master all four elements," Juvia gasped, her eyes the size of Levy's who had of course read a lot about the forbidden spell. Erza only nodded again, letting her cards sink after her turn was over in order to keep her tired baby from tumbling over.
"He has these golden flames that taste super gross but are so cool and powerful!" Natsu raved excitedly.
"So then he has the same type of magic as Jura too, right?" Gray asked. "Not to mention water and air and Heavenly Body Magic," he enumerated. Erza's smug expression blossomed further with every comment. She stroked Jellal's hair where her daughter's grip loosened. It was a blessing that Makarov had not been pressured to join the Council, but Erza found herself just as content that Jellal had not been chosen either.
Rosemary fell over then, across her father's head. Jellal stirred, eyelids only fluttering. Erza had to smile. She picked Rosemary up. But the loss of contact to his baby made Jellal rouse more suddenly, so Erza set Rosemary on his chest. His eyes closed again, his arms coming up and around his daughter as if automatically. Mumbling something incomprehensible, Jellal turned onto his side, his head still on Erza's lap and his arms snuggling his baby to himself, who fell asleep alongside him.
Erza smiled, then again when being offered another infant. Gladly, she watched the twins while Levy got changed. The others mirrored her, disappeared and returning from the bathroom to unfold their sleeping bags. Erza waited until Meredy and Levy retrieved the boys to requip. Her ears perked when she heard Lucy, Natsu and Gray whisper.
"… would be boring without them."
"Don't you find precautions because of the babies kinda boring though?" Gray asked.
"But baby!" Natsu whined.
"I wouldn't mind – means I get to lay low too," Lucy nervously giggled, "but I'm less sure about Erza and Jellal; it's not a very… foretelling request," she said, the job flyer rustling in her hand. "And Gajeel would never agree."
"He has, actually," Levy piped up. The hint of smugness in her tone made Erza's eyes narrow. It was a kind sentiment to be wanting the entire team together on a mission – one that had to be honoured in some way – but it was an entirely different story with Gajeel agreeing to be going with Levy and the boys.
Erza outstretched her hand. "Let me see that," she let them know to have heard. Lucy exchanged a glance with Gray. He took the flyer, giving it to Erza. It showed the drawing of a tower, more ruinous than ominous.
"It sound sorta ridiculous, having to find an entire tower somewhere in the forest – too easy," he said.
"Which is why we think there's magic involved – we weren't sure you'd want to risk it," Lucy came over. Erza studied the request. The words hardly rang and alarming bells. Then again, she did not read them properly, the fact that Gajeel had agreed to come circling through her head. The perfect opportunity for more first-time father bonding.
"Alright," she slowly said, "we're coming."
Natsu cheered quietly, fist bumping Gray.
Without moving Jellal, Erza lied down, his head remaining on her lower leg. She summoned a pillow. With her head at the height of his stomach, they formed what felt like a protective circle around Rosemary. Erza knew that for as long as they were together, no harm could come to their daughter. In her heart, a different flame fluttered – her sense of adventure. After weeks and months of mostly having stayed put in the house, she couldn't wait to go on a mission with her friends again.