Team Redemption part 2

When Team Redemption eventually returned, the sun was scorching all of Magnolia and a heat haze danced throughout the streets. They entered the guild almost tripping over a practically naked Gray, who was sleeping sprawled out across the floor. Juvia began shaking with restraint as she longed to reach over and hug her precious Gray-sama and tell him about how much money she had acquired but she desperately wanted to follow Jellal's advice. On his way past, Jellal tapped her reassuringly on the shoulder before slipping into a seat beside Erza who was looking on at the bizarre spectacle with raised eyebrows.

Beads of water were now dripping from the rain woman's face as she stepped over the sleeping Gray with her eyes screwed tightly shut. Upon opening her eyes she gasped at her successful clearance of such a difficult obstacle and swivelled around to Jellal with a truly effulgent look. Jellal nodded at her with an encouraging smile and a thumbs up.

"I can see Juvia has a lot of respect for you," commented Erza. "Juvia is usually always loquacious but she seems very comfortable around you." As soon as she said it she inwardly cringed as it sounded like she was jealous. She wasn't. Not even a little bit. Curious. Not jealous. Yes.

"What was that all that about anyway," Erza said quickly gesturing to Juvia and Gray. Jellal grinned wolfishly but didn't meet her eyes.

"I just gave her some advice on the way back from that parody of a quest."

Erza snorted but attempted to conceal it with her hand and an inconspicuous cough.

"Romantic advice? From you?"

"I know. Me of all people."

"You must have been close before you formed Team Redemption. How did you get her to warm up to you so much?"

"We spoke during the Grand Magic Games," he replied.

"That's right. I forget you were both on Fairy Tail Team B. But really? Love advice to Juvia about Gray?"

Jellal shrugged his shoulders. "She gave me helpful advice. Well more like a pep-talk but different from your more motivational, deep one about not throwing my life away." He cleared his throat. "Anyway it's obvious Gray likes her but she's just so intense, no wonder he pulls away. I just told her to tone down her affection a little."

Erza gave him a withering look. "Is that what you were doing Jellal? Playing hard to get?"

He flinched. "Wha-?! No! No! Of course not! I couldn't fall in love with someone who walked in the light. It-" he began to stammer but Erza shushed him.

"I'm teasing."

Jellal's shoulders sagged with relief. He had to learn to unwind a little but he was slowly getting better.

"You know I spoke to Gray too during the Grand Magic Games," Erza chuckled. "Only I told him to do the opposite," she nudged Jellal's shoulder. She let a comfortable silence hang between them once more. Erza knew the people who were the most special to her because she could share such a comfortable silence and not feel the need to fill it with such false small talk.

"So it was advice for advice huh?" she eventually asked him. "Quid pro quo?"

"Something like that."

"What did she say to you? I'm very much intrigued," pressed Erza. Smiling, Jellal folded his arms in front of him.

"Okay. It was during the Grand Magic Games and it was the first time I'd really had a proper conversation with the infamous rain woman who referred to herself in the third person…"

Jellal sat quietly, deep in thought as the restless water mage sat across from him. The rest of Fairy Tail B were currently absent. There was clearly something on her mind.

"Can Juvia please ask Jellal something?"

"Yes of course, Juvia. Ask away," replied Jellal, pulling down his Mystogan scarf.

"Juvia does not understand why Jellal has not told Erza how he feels."

Jellal let out a breath slowly. "How did you..." He shook his head. "It's more complicated than that."

"Juvia does not think so," she stated with a shake of her head.

"Juvia…" Jellal began.

Juvia raised a hand cutting him off before he could lapse into his usual angst about atoning for his sins.

"Juvia does not understand Jellal's logic. Jellal was possessed and tortured and consequently was not in the right state of mind-"

"-But the point is Juvia I remember doing those things. It was me who committed those actions and so I must repent-"

"No."

"I must atone-"

"No."

"Juvia-"

"No."

Jellal sighed while leaning back, accepting defeat to the stubborn water mage. Juvia continued.

"Gajeel beat Lucy horrendously and tortured Shadow Gear, but Makarov saw the good in his heart and let him join the guild anyway. No one ever mentions it anymore and Levy is very fond of Gajeel now...so he has been forgiven. Gajeel was in the right state of mind…Jellal was not. Gajeel had far more to"atone" for in Juvia's eyes. Even Laxus has been grudgingly forgiven. Gray-sama has even forgiven Lyon for his past actions." She paused and looked at the floor before continuing."Juvia also has sins as Juvia was a member of Phantom Lord and so guilt came with association," Juvia stopped and beamed before continuing. "Juvia thought that Fairy Tail would despise her forever, but Fairy Tail took Juvia in with open arms. Juvia need not have worried about rejection as Cana revealed when Juvia sacrificed herself when fighting the Raijinshu. Juvia's point is that Jellal should stop suffering and move on. The rest of us have."

A sad smile tugged at the corner of Jellal's mouth. It was as sad as it was faint. He grasped Juvia's shoulder. "Thank you. That means a lot," he said before standing up. He looked over his shoulder at her. "But neither you nor Gajeel killed a good friend." And with that he pulled his Mystogan disguise back on and swiftly departed, leaving behind an extremely disappointed water mage. "Juvia tried Erza-chan," she muttered disheartened. "Juvia tried."

Jellal finished the story just as Wendy came over to their table along with Lucy.

"Hey Jellal. Did you get enough for rent money?" asked Wendy.

"And more. That quest had painfully too high a reward for the immense joke it was. I tried to give some of the money back but the client just wouldn't hear it."

"You tried to give the money back? Are you crazy?!" shrilled Lucy with eyes as wide as two moons.

Erza shook her head. "Only you Jellal."

Once again thanks for reading and all reviews are much appreciated. "Fairy Tail Salute*

Next Time: "A Wise Fairy Once Told Me"