"Belle! Stop being such a baby and give me that!" Cor Redfox yanked the Magic Tome out of his little sister's hand roughly, causing the ten year old to cry out and hold her injured wrist. Normally, Cor's father would protect his littlest daughter from his usually too-rough son, but today he was off on a mission with their mother.

Belle sniffled before dashing off and hid behind the counter. "Rosy, Rosy." She sobbed, and a blue braided girl whisked from behind the door and quickly enfolded the younger girl in a warm embrace.

"Cor's so mean." Belle whimpered, rubbing her eyes on her sleeve. "I wish Daddy was back, and Mommy too."

Rosemary Fernandez looked sternly at her, and the younger girl ducked her head. "I know, I cry too much." She mumbled. "But he shouldn't be so tough! I mean, I've got feelings too!"

Rosemary shook her head and put her hands on her heart, then her mouth. She then pointed at Cor, who was laughing loudly at something Volt Dreyar had said.

Belle tilted her head to one side. "Speak from the stomach?" Rosemary gave her a withering look.

"I know, speak from the heart. But that's usually too cliché, wouldn't you say?" Belle twiddled her fingers, not meeting the older girl's expressive eyes. Rosemary brushed some of the dark hair out of Belle's eyes, smiling softly.

"I'll be rooting for you."

Belle heard the words in her head, and knew that Rosemary was using her magic to speak. Everyone knew that though Rosemary was mute, she learned magic and communicated through that. However, she used it very rarely, and that made her words more of import than ever.

Belle nodded nervously, and bravely stepped up and walked around the counter to her brother.

Rosemary watched the exchange between the two, eyes never leaving the two siblings. Behind her, a blonde haired boy snuck stealthily up behind her, eyes were full of mischief.

Rosemary whirled around just as he pounced, jumping back a couple of feet and watched him face plant into the floor, a look of gleeful merriment in her face.

"Ow! Couldn't you LET me catch you for once, Rose?" Igneel Dragneel rubbed his head and sat up with a pout. "Geez, I'm two years older! You should respect your superiors."

"Then do so." A deep voice made the boy gulp and her turned to see Simon Fernandez looming over him. "Oh hi Tattoo face! Long time no-AAACK!"

Rosemary frantically pulled at her older brother's sleeve of his free arm, as his other arm was lifting a choking Igneel clean off the floor. "Have you been flirting with my sister again, Dragon boy?" Simon asked in a voice that made Igneel turn from deoxygenated blue to white, then beet red. "No! No! What are you…..agh!"

"Mother, I have him." Simon told a red haired woman behind the counter. Erza smiled from her spot, chewing her cake. "Thanks sweetie. You can hang him up now."

Simon obediently hung Igneel on the clothes rack. "Ack! Gah! YOU COULD'VE CHOKED ME!" Igneel screeched between coughs and raspy wheezing.

"Now listen to me, boy." Erza leaned her head in to smile evilly at the trembling nineteen year old. "If it weren't for your father, with whom I have shared many memories, I would've butchered you like a hog. But my daughter seems to like you, and I'm just here to remind you of one thing."

She leaned in closer, and as she spoke Igneel closed his eyes and prayed for salvation. "IF YOU BREAK HER HEART, I WILL BREAK YOUR SPINE."

Erza leaned back, smiling. "Are we clear?" Igneel nodded his head quickly and Simon picked him up and dropped him on all fours.

"ERZA! DID YOU JUST HANG MY KID UP LIKE A PIECE OF LAUNDRY?!" Natsu, as fiery as ever, threw a flaming punch at Erza's head and knocked on Simon's head instead. "Oops. Hello young 'un, now move over so I can hit your-AUGH!"

As she helped him up, Rosemary clucked her tongue as Natsu's daughters flew into the fray to protect their dad who was being beaten to a pile of pulp by an overly protective mother Erza.

"I know, my family is full of idiots." Igneel joked as his mother shrieked at the fighters, trying to calm them down, but only added to the din.

Rosemary cocked her head at Igneel, who sputtered in indignation. "What do ya mean by that? I'm surely not as idiotic as them!" The blue haired girl just shook her head, laughing quietly to herself. She put a hand on his jaw, pinching him teasingly.

"H-hey." Igneel turned red as she ruffled his hair like a six-year-old, still giggling, "You're so silly." The words echoed in his head, and he flushed again. "No I'm not…"

Rosemary just smiled at him, her gaze sweet and warm. Igneel's heartbeat raced, and his hand cupped her cheek, where the familiar blue tattoo shone against the cream of her skin. "You're gorgeous, you know that?" He murmured, leaning his forehead into hers. "I don't care if you can't talk, you're freaking amazing."

She put a finger on his mouth. "Language."

"I'm serious." Igneel insisted. "Should I prove it to ya…?" He leaned in deviously, smirking as their breaths intermingled and her eyes widened. "Maybe...just a little bit at a time…." Just as his lips touched hers they were interrupted by a squeal.

"MOM! IGGY'S MAKING OUT WITH ROSEMARY! WHERE'S THE LACRICAMERA?!"

Igneel's sisters, Nashi and Layla, had popped their heads over the counter and were staring pointedly at the older teens with interest. "Go on! Don't mind us!" Younger Layla chirped as Nashi bobbed her head in agreement.

"Leave the lovebirds alone." Lucy pulled her daughters away as both Igneel and Rosemary turned a charming shade of pink the shade of Nashi's hair. "Your father is now a bloody pile on the floor, so go call Miss Wendy over, will you?"

"Oh all right." Nashi and Layla both grumbled as they sped off in pursuit of the blue haired healer, two flurries of unrelenting energy that always whisked from one place to another.

Lucy smiled and turned to the couple still blushing on the floor. "Now you do your own thing as long as it doesn't involve intimacy." She waltzed off, humming, as Rosemary turned redder than a cherry while Igneel yelled after his mother "GEEZ! GIVE US SOME PRIVACY MOTHER!"

"Oh, there's no chance of THAT happening, boy." Rosemary let out a squeal as her father grabbed her and hid her behind him, usually friendly eyes suddenly dark with protective fatherliness. "Now, son of Dragneel…defeat me and this maiden will be yours."

"ALL I WANTED TO DO WAS KISS YOUR DAUGHTER!" Igneel wailed. "WAS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK?!"

"Oh yes." Jellal leaned in, eyes sparkling with bloodlust. "It was."

A/N: Leave a like and a review!