A/N: Hi all! Hopefully the first few months of the new year have been great for all of you? I know I've been away for a long, long while but in return, here is the longest chapter I've written. Enjoy!


"They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself." ~Andy Warhol

He could feel his life slowly draining away.

Through the cracks in his skin and then staining the cracks between the stone tiles. A suffocating, copper stench permeated the air, each strike stinging his open wounds. The lines between reality and nightmare were blurred and Jellal could no longer remember where he was or why he was here. Breathing was a wholly arduous task. His eyes were half lidded and his head hung low, strands of blue clustered with the sweat weeping across his skin. Whip after whip relentlessly broke the innocent child. His hands were tied by a thick rope, cutting deeply into his white wrists, and he hung like a lifeless doll from the wooden bar.

"Hey little runt, you should be grateful," his tormentor spat, "once our god is revived, we're all going to be in paradise."

The other slave worker, a rounder and shorter man, cackled and took a step out of the shadows. Jellal swallowed dryly. He refused to cry, especially not in front of these pigs. The masked man with the whip threw a sneer over his shoulder.

"What happened to the redhead anyway?"

The bluenet could feel snakes coiling within his stomach. He scrunched his eyes closed, trying to keep his breathing even. Please let her be okay. Please let her be okay. He mentally chanted those words like a mantra, over and over again, praying with all his might that the scarlet-haired girl was alright.

The shorter man grinned. "Those magic soldiers threw her back into the cells. Pity though, she was a pretty little thing. Just a few years older and I could've had my fun with her."

Jellal grit his teeth at the rumbling laughter that followed. Sick bastards.

Without a pause, the whip cracked at his back, at his chest, across his arms and his legs. A hiss escaped his lips, but he held his tongue from the string of profanities threatening to pour from his mouth. It felt like flames were dancing upon his skin, like pieces of flesh were being ripped from his body.

His shoulders relaxed, though, at the news that Erza was alive. It was all that mattered and now he could tolerate each strike with more strength than before. The thought of her smile and her wide brown eyes and the softness of her lips reassured him that, if fate would not allow him to survive his torment, he could at least die in peace. Jellal coughed out a waterfall of blood. Dark circles hung underneath his eyelids. The slave drivers spat at his feet and muttered nonsense about wasting their time. This was nothing. He had given his life in exchange for hers, and that was enough.

The whip resumed its work.

The boy's thoughts were clouded with each searing sting, drawing out streaks of bright red and trailing down to a pool beneath his feet. It was a miracle he had not yet emptied out the contents of his stomach. The slave drivers sought to break the child, mentally and physically, jeering at him and sadistically laughing at his lifeless body.

He hated this, he hated it all. Jellal knew that although he was a Fernandes, he was still a child and sorely lacked skill and experience. The past fourteen months of slavery had kept his potential at bay, the magic-binding cuffs around his wrists leaving him no hope of escape. None of his friends knew that he could use magic although he had his suspicions about Rob-ojisan. Heavenly Body Magic was extremely rare and ridiculously powerful; he was certain the slaves who had one been mages often felt his overwhelming presence, the raw power at his fingertips causing them to turn their heads when he passed by.

Jellal's strange hair was like a flashing light bulb among the thousands of dull, colourless slaves. His tattoo was a wonder to many, weirdly intricate and blood red. Some children asked if he'd been cursed while others believed he'd been part of a cult. The adults who knew about his family name put two and two together, but kept this knowledge quietly to themselves and offered him pitiful looks, though curious as to how the son of a noble could end up in such an unfortunate place.

However, there was one who had dared to ask. It happened on his second week in the tower.

"My, my. What is a boy like you doing in a place like this?"

Jellal snapped his head up, shovel half-way into the ground. He eyed the bearded man cautiously, but concluded that he held no ill intent and hesitantly replied.

"…I don't know what you mean."

The elderly man chuckled. The creases at the edges of his kind eyes seemed to deepen, and he put a wrinkled, reassuring hand upon the blue haired boy's shoulder. Jellal blinked. No one had sought to reach out to him since he'd arrived, and now he was talking to a complete stranger.

"My name's Rob. You can call me Rob-ojisan. I have a feeling we're going to get along."

He outstretched a hand. The boy felt a little uncomfortable with this man's forwardness, but nodded politely and returned the gesture.

"Jellal. It's a pleasure to meet you." He bowed. Rob-ojisan chuckled and placed a hand on the bluenet's shoulder.

"No need to be so formal," he gave a toothless smile, "I can see you've been brought up well."

The boy remained quiet. The sun was harsh this afternoon, and they could both feel the heat sapping away at their energy. Cries were heard as slaves were whipped for being too slow. With the level of noise of construction, Rob wondered if he would go deaf by the time this was over. His curiosity was burning as he turned to the boy beside him.

"You're a Fernandes aren't you?" At this, the bluenet went rigid. The old man pressed on. "I don't know much, but I do know that you look a little too high class to be doing slave work like the rest of us commoners. That tattoo and hair colour says it all."

The shovel dug deeper into the ground as Jellal resumed his work, too exhausted to look surprised. His gaze remained lowered with practised ease, and he found himself opening up before he knew it.

"I am. I was taken during the child hunt…too weak and useless to put up a fight. My entire family was killed, the servants included." The boy spoke grimly, pausing for a moment. "They were murdered in their sleep."

His grip on the handle tightened. The old man was silent, seemingly contemplating what he'd been told.

"I'm sorry." His tone softened. "I understand why they would choose to…dispose of a potential problem before it arises, but why you?"

"They need someone young and growing, with enough magical power in a few years' time to revive Zeref. My family and ancestors are –were –one of the strongest breeds of mages on Earthland. It is then safe to presume that I, being the most recent addition to the family, was deemed a suitable –"

"Sacrifice. For the R-system."

Yet again, this man surprised him. It was more than likely that he was a mage if he had any knowledge of the revival system. "Exactly."

A guard yelled at them from somewhere at the top of the scaffolds, and they quickly continued shovelling the rocks. The bearded man watched the boy curiously from the corner of his eyes, noticing that he was quite strong for his age and did his work without much difficulty. He also noticed that the bluenet's gaze kept flickering towards a pretty, red haired girl not too far away. She stumbled often, her limbs so thin they looked like they would break at the slightest amount of pressure, and was constantly yelled at whenever she tripped over. Tears were already brimming as she crossed her arms over her head like a frightened animal.

The other slaves kept to themselves as she was kicked, slapped, and brutally beaten by the furious guard. They were too afraid to interfere for fear of their own lives. When the guard lashed out his whip, hand held high in the air, the blue haired boy refused to stay back any longer. With shocking speed, his arms were tightly wound around the crouching girl and the whip landed harshly onto his back.

He clenched his teeth. Damn, it hurt like hell.

"Huh?" The guard blinked confusedly at the sudden blur of blue, features twisting into a scowl. "Move it, brat!"

The whip rained down again, but Jellal kept his arms firmly around the petrified redhead, taking blow after blow without so much as a grunt. White flashed behind his eyelids. The girl screamed, fingers wrenched into the front of his singlet like her life depended on it. Strong arms wrapped tighter around her scrawny form.

Then a gruff voice hollered, calling for the guard.

He reluctantly slid the whip back into its holster and turned on his heel but not before spitting at the children's feet. Once Jellal was certain they were safe, he leaned back, ignoring the pain that shot up his spine. The redhead was trembling uncontrollably.

"Are you alright?" He asked. The girl nodded, shakily getting to her feet and helping him up. Grandpa Rob quickly came to the rescue and slung the boy's other arm around his shoulders. Slaves watched with a mixture of pity and fright as they hobbled toward a large rock, laying the bluenet down gently. Murmuring and shocked gasps rumbled through the crowd, but they hurriedly resumed their work when Rob waved them away. Jellal let out a breath in relief, throat dry as he swallowed and scrunched his eyes. He felt the girl come closer and hesitantly settle down and kneel beside him.

"Why did you do that?"

Jellal turned to meet the most beautiful, mysterious brown eyes he had ever seen. It left him entranced, unable to tear his gaze away, and he blushed at their sudden proximity. Her hair was a bright scarlet. Such a pretty colour.

Why had he done it? Perhaps it had simply been on impulse. His blood boiled at the torment she had received but did not deserve in the least. It was disgusting how the guards took advantage of those weaker than them, and even more atrocious to attack children for their amusement. But he had seen it happen to many others, so why did it mean so much more with this girl? Jellal quickly scrabbled for a response, not knowing the answer himself.

"…Well no one was going to be your knight in shining armour, so I gladly took the position." He grinned cheekily, then regretted the action and winced. Grandpa Rob kindly rubbed the bluenet's back as they waited for his violent coughing to subside. A few moments passed before he met those beautiful eyes again.

"What's your name?"

"Erza." Her pulse quickened. Her saviour was undoubtedly handsome, the smile that split his face sending hundreds of butterflies blooming in her stomach. Something warm and sunny caressed her heart like a mother's tender embrace. She could feel her cheeks warming and frantically looked away.

"Thank you, for saving me. I owe you my life." The redhead shyly tucked some hair behind her ear, the bluenet nearly blurting out the words 'marry me'. He inwardly face palmed –well…she did practically admit her life now belonged in his hands, and what better use than spending it forever by his side? The bruises across her skin did nothing to lessen her natural beauty, and Jellal found himself unable to look her in the eyes. Both of them felt something special and mysterious, frightening yet exhilarating stirring between them. There was something in her eyes that made him forget how to speak, and there was something in his smile that made her heart skip just a beat faster. Grandpa Rob chuckled at the scene before him. The cuffs around his wrists and ankles felt lighter than ever before.

Even a pocket of sunshine could bloom in a dark, rotten place such as this. Love really was a wonder.

"Shut up, you filthy pigs!" Jellal growled. Another blast of magic hit him like a boulder, sending electrifying pain to his bones. His tormentors had discarded the conventional methods and begun using a different approach to breaking him down piece by piece. It burned like he was crashing through all nine gates of hell, it crackled across his skin like the claws of a demon.

I won't cry. Not in front of these monsters!

The whirlwind of raw, magic power shot forth from their staffs, ancient symbols carved into the lines of oak wood. What seemed likes years crawled slowly by. Blast after blast reduced the blue haired boy to an ugly rendition of a rag doll, hanging limply, helplessly, as he waited for his creator to take him away.

Jellal sluggishly collected his thoughts, a stream of blood freely flowing down one side of his face. His breaths were withering like flowers in autumn and his mind flickered in and out of consciousness. This was the price he had to pay.

It had initially been Sho's idea to escape through the secret hole in the wall. Simon had planned everything out and all Jellal had to do was lead. They had all been so desperate for freedom.

Unfortunately, all six of them had crawled straight into the tiger's jaws. On the other side, a whole squad of guards and vicious, snarling creatures had been waiting for them. Jellal could smell the fear emanating from his friends behind him, the guards demanding one person sacrifice themselves for the rest. Sho, the boy who he thought of as a little brother, broke out bawling. He could sense Simon, who he regarded as a best friend, frozen like a statue. The blue haired boy didn't even have to think before courageously standing up and admitting to have been the one behind it all.

In all his years, how would he have known Erza would be taken in his stead?

Erza had been the most reluctant to agree to the plan. In fact, she had discouraged them all, knowing what happened to children who disobeyed. It was like being engulfed by a titanic wave, the fear spreading through his body and curling fiercely within his stomach. Or had that been from the beating the guards had given him? Jellal had never felt so desperately lost in his entire life as he helplessly watched them take her away. Her lips trembled as she smiled reassuringly at the bluenet, telling him it was going to be okay.

Everything was going to be okay.

Boom.

His eyes snapped open.

BOOM.

The distant sound of an explosion. A big one.

Jellal strained to see the guards' expressions, too exhausted to be shocked at the absence of both his tormentors. Perhaps they had gone to see what the matter was. The boy would have merely dismissed it as an accident during construction, but his ears perked up at the sound of rumbling. No, not rumbling, an uproar of…people?

A war cry of thousands of slaves erupted throughout the tower, shaking the very foundations of the stone walls. The sky seemed to shrink back. He could hear the clashing of metal and from his position, just faintly see a swarm of slaves and guards, magic soldiers and creatures sweeping the shore like a battlefield. The tiny prison window beckoned him, yet the binds around his wrists and exhaustion from extreme blood loss hindered him from joining the revolt. His blood boiled and his limbs were tingling for revenge.

It might have been his unhealthy state of mind, but Jellal wasn't shocked in the least. He had a feeling the scarlet haired girl had something to do with the sudden uprising, if not been the actual cause. Erza had always been strong underneath that delicate exterior. No doubt she had finally snapped, he mentally chuckled.

Everything was going to be okay.

Just like she said.

They would come save him and he would finally live a life free of pain, free of suffering and be free to love the only person who had ever returned it tenfold. He drew in a ragged breath and waited.

And waited.

And waited.

The battle dragged on for hours on end and Jellal was having difficulty staying awake. The raw, stinging sensation of his open wounds had grown numb and he no longer tried to steady his breathing, as weak as it had become. The rough texture of the rope seemed to cut deeper into his wrists and his bony arms strained from the weight of his body. The copper scent of death swirled thickly, like an elixir of blood and torment. The cries outside had died down, with only the occasional scream and yell piercing the air. A few long moments passed before the battlefield was silent. The boy could vaguely make out the crowd of slaves gathering on the shore, the ships set to sail.

A triumphant cry, the chorus of thousands of voices filled the cloudless sky.

Sunlight gently filtered through the bars of his prison window, signalling the end of a long and tiresome year of slavery. The sweet sound of children and adults alike, laughing and crying, relaxed his shoulders. Jellal smiled, eyes drifting closed. You did it, Erza.

He would have happily let the heavy darkness overwhelm him, if not for the sight of the ships leaving. Leaving. The ships were leaving.

His eyes flew open and a spike of fear impaled his chest.

Screaming gripped the air, its claws wrenching into the blue sky and threatening to tear it apart. A sea of humanity hurried onto the quickly departing ships like sand sieving through his fingers. The entire tower was rumbling, shaking, groaning, crumbling like…like it was about to explode. No, please no. Jellal's deepest fear was beginning to unveil itself. He knew the core of the tower had a huge, pulsing magical ball of energy that glowed a stunning blue. The cracks in between the tiles of stone were glowing the same colour.

Struggling desperately against his binds, the boy yelled and screamed until his throat could no longer work.

"Help! Please, someone, anyone! I'm still here!" He panted.

More ships set sail and disappeared from shore, ignoring his pleads. The walls shook more violently and small pieces of debris continued to fall from the ceiling, engulfing his cries for help and hurrying the boats to depart even faster.

Jellal could feel the tears at the corners of his eyes as the last ship set sail, the waves bringing them to safety.

He was alone now. Completely and utterly alone.

The blue light was almost blinding, the tower growling violently like a caged animal.

In that rare moment, the boy thought of scarlet hair. Brown eyes. Her smile.

Everything was going to be oka–


Jellal jolted, sitting upright and gasping for air.

The darkness was suffocating.

Hands frantically groping in the semi-darkness, he wrenched his fingers into the covers and cautiously took note of his surroundings. Wooden floorboards. A bedside table. Soft moonlight dancing through the glass of the window. The ticking of the clock breaking the heavy silence.

5.38 am.

Still half in a daze, the blue haired man ran a hand over his face and tried to calm down. He swallowed nervously as he turned his wrists over and relaxed at the absence of metal cuffs. The marks were gone. The pain had only been a phantom of his past, and he relaxed slightly, hunching over and cradling his head in his hands.

It had only been a nightmare. The same one that had been haunting him ever since the incident.

Ghosts of the past never really let go, did they?

Bare feet padding across the polished floorboards, Jellal looked at himself at the mirror –really looked at himself. Dark rings sagged underneath his eyelids. Blue tresses ruffled messily from constant tossing and turning in his sleep. Lips chapped and dry. Cheekbones a little too prominent. He was pleased when he deemed himself to be in a suitable condition, but the feeling immediately went down the drain along with the blood he was coughing up.

Dammit. Not Again.

The mage roughly wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. The copper taste made him almost want to throw up. He took a few calming breaths before the next onslaught of violent coughing attacked and he was forced to hunch over the sink again.

I hate this.

Gasping for air, the sharp pain in his abdomen and back refused to subside. The fierce gush of running water echoed within the sterile whiteness of the bathroom, the blinding light sore on his slowly adjusting eyes. It was so noisy yet so quiet. With a quick snap of his wrist, Jellal turned off the tap and stepped back to fully view himself. Perhaps he had been a little too soft judging his own appearance.

The hard, defined lines of his collarbones were far too pronounced to be considered healthy. The simple white tee seemed to drape over his shoulders, too loose around his torso for him not to be considered underweight. The young man looked like death had warmed over.

Nothing a few magic pills couldn't fix.

A couple of tablets, and he would be revving at full throttle. Unfortunately for the bluenet, his visit to Porlyusica was long overdue and he had only just happened upon an empty medicine bottle the night before last. Being too proud, he simply put it off and was now paying the consequence. Kami-sama, he couldn't remember the last time pain had ripped through his chest so severely. At least he'd gotten some sleep. Four hours had been more than enough. The nightmares had been growing more intense since the week before.

The curse was undoubtedly beginning to fully manifest. It had been seven years, after all.

Porlyusica had advised him to take her specially created tablets. According to the rose haired lady, it would continue to delay the effects by years. So he dutifully obeyed. Jellal wondered how long he could keep this up. His condition was worsening day by day and eating away at his heart, the medicine tasted like horse shit but as long as it gave him a good amount of sleep he wouldn't complain.

He just didn't want to forever be battling the nightmares that threatened to swallow him whole.

"Jellal are you al –oh my goodness, we need to get you to a doctor."

The raven haired mother stood, eyes wide open and a swift hand over her mouth. Ur had heard the most horrific coughing echoing through the walls and flew up the flight of stairs immediately, whipping open the door. After a frantic search in the dark over empty bed sheets, she noticed the sliver of light coming from underneath the bathroom door. In her distress she'd forgotten to knock. The sight that greeted her was utterly heartbreaking.

Jellal tore his eyes from the mirror and faced the voice he'd dreaded to hear. Had he forgotten to lock the door? The bluenet's head was swimming and he quickly stabled himself, leaning sideways and gripping the edge of the sink. Acting perfectly fine was not one of his strongest attributes. He'd always been a bad liar.

"…Ma?" He breathed, chest tightening at the fear swirling in her ebony gaze. When was the last time he had seen his mother so scared? Snapping out of her daze, Ur examined his face between two slender hands, turning his head this way and that. The creases in her forehead deepened when she took in his scrawny shoulders and protruding collar bones.

"W-We have to go. Now." Her tone left no room for argument, yet her stutter left no doubt in the bluenet's mind that his mother was honestly petrified. Jellal could feel her fingers trembling on his shoulders and steeled himself. It wasn't even a big deal. Surely something as trivial as this wouldn't affect him in the least.

If he submitted, the doctors at the local hospital would no doubt be too curious for their own good. The curse was known only by a very small group of people –the only people Jellal could trust. It had plagued him ever since he'd been twelve, the symptoms suppressed by heavy medication, courtesy of Porlyusica. The rose haired mage had warned that the effects would wear off in a decade or so, and the bluenet would eventually develop an immunity to the tablets. The day had come sooner than he'd expected.

Swallowing the knot in his throat, Jellal reassuringly took his mother's hands in his.

"I'm alright, this is just a minor…incident. There's no need to worry." The blue haired man smiled rather unconvincingly, eyes apologetic. "I'm sorry for waking you up."

Cool, calming water settled over a capricious, flickering flame. Jellal inwardly heaved a sigh of relief. His mother would often smack him six ways to Sunday when he was in trouble, resulting in immense pain when he tried to sit down. Her anger was fierce and harsh like a typhoon, boiling and alarming like gurgling lava at the crater of a volcano.

Now, Ur was a thin sheet of ice, swaying against the dark, austere waves and cracking with every push. It was when she was like this that Jellal could honestly say he had gone too far. Keeping secrets from his mother was a low blow, even if it was initially meant to lessen her worries. The helplessness in her eyes was unlike anything he'd ever seen before. There was bleakness in the depths of those ebony pools.

Ur collected herself, straightening her composure and hands restlessly fluttering over the expanse of his shoulders. A drop of water fell from the hastily turned off tap.

"Did you take your medicine?" She frowned, raising a warning eyebrow. A reluctant shake of his head and Ur was fully geared up for mother hen mode. Jellal wouldn't have been surprised if she sprouted feathers and began clucking. He prepared himself for the oncoming lecture, like a fisherman recognising the tell-tale signs of a thunderstorm.

"What did I tell you about taking care of yourself, Jellal? Even Porlyusica went of her way to scold you about your bad habits. You have to obey her orders exactly, word for word. If you've run out then ask me! I have more than enough in the kitchen. It's bad enough that you're skipping out on some days but once you start being stubborn and try to last a week then…well, this happens! How many times do I have to tell you; take your medicine, take your medicine, take your medicine. It's getting tiring and I'm sick of having to remind you again and again, every bloody second of the day. Why won't you just listen to me, Jellal? What if you –"

"Ma –"

" –collapse in the middle of the day and I'm not around to scold you? You're…you're nineteen now for goodness sakes, and you're acting worse than a five year old. Grow up! I'm not going to be here all the time, Jellal, and if you don't start getting your act together I swear I'll send you straight to the hospital where you can –"

"Ma! Calm down, I'm–"

" –Don't you dare lie to me, young man. You are not alright, in fact, you look more like a corpse than a human being. We are going to the doctor this instant, and no buts or excuses this time, Jellal."

Panting lightly, the raven haired mother with narrowed eyes crossed her arms. She couldn't remember how long it had been since she had to look up at him instead of looking down. His eyes had always been a mystery of hues, sometimes a dark and molten amber and other times a calm saffron with a hint of olive. The colours seemed to change with his mood, unpredictable and composed all at once. It was difficult, like a puzzle of a thousand pieces, to figure out just what was going on in that mind of his –always thinking, wondering, pondering over the seemingly insignificant shards of life.

The blue haired boy was now a blue haired man. Jellal was no longer the cute, mischievous little brat that played pranks and napped lazily in the grassy fields. He no longer relied on her to put him to bed or to feed him warm chicken soup to heal those wounds so safely kept away. He didn't need to deliver the buckets of milk early every morning, accompany her to the local village and kindly carry the heavy basket of groceries all the way home. Ultear no longer needed her to scold the bluenet for skipping the little girl's collection of pebbles across the river. Her own daughter had grown into a fully capable mage in her own right, and so had her adopted son.

She had never wanted him to grow up.

But he did it anyway, without her permission.

That damn brat.

Jellal lowered his eyes shamefully, hands hanging limply by his sides and tone subdued.

"I'm really sorry, Ma. For making you worry." He rubbed the back of his neck, the same way he had since he was twelve. Another drop fell from the tap.

A sigh escaped his mother's lips, and she gripped his upper arms in a comforting gesture. Why couldn't he understand? She wasn't scolding him for being naughty or because he was in deep trouble, but because he was stubbornly putting his life on the line without even knowing it.

Jellal lifted his eyes.

The atmosphere relaxed and both mother and son fell into an embrace, postponed for far too many years. Jellal felt a little comfortable with this sudden act of affection and made to pull away, but Ur held onto him like he was the most precious thing in the world. Did arguments with scary women always end up in overly emotional hugs?

The bluenet was surprised at how small his mother was. Only a few years ago, the ebony haired woman had her chin resting upon his head and her arms easily wrapped around his shoulders. She would have to bend down to look him in the eyes or when the nightmares threatened to consume him, Ur would curl up behind the boy and effortlessly wrap her arms around his trembling frame, whispering soothing words and lovingly threading her fingers through his cerulean locks.

Now, the raven haired woman only just rest her forehead on his shoulder, her slightly aged hands rubbing his lower back comfortingly. Time had been kind and Ur still looked as young as ever, but her eyes were tired and her muscles sore from the duties of a mother. Jellal's throat swelled up, chest clenching at how frail and helpless she felt in his arms.

They finally pulled away, just a little.

"Ma?" He murmured.

"Hm?" She tilted her head, blinking at his uncharacteristic shyness. He seemed to hesitate, the words at the tip of his tongue before he blurted it out, all in a rush.

"Do I still have to go to the doctor?"

The ebony haired woman growled and her son shrank to the size of an ant. He received a painful smack on the head in response.

"Sit your ass back on the bed before I count to ten, or I'll knock you unconscious and drag you to the hospital myself."

Jellal was on the bed in a split second. Threats from Ur meant she was serious, and that was not a good thing. She closed the door behind her and glanced out the window, chuckling at the unwavering obedience of her son. A gentle pink and orange blended into the slowly lightening sky, casting a subtly warm glow over the bedroom.

Ur and her daughter lived in this townhouse, on a slight hill where the view offered quite an impressive part of Era. Jellal had stayed over for the night, refusing to answer their burning questions about Erza two nights ago but confirming that the redhead was safely back at her hotel. The Milkovich mother and daughter were simply dying of curiosity but held their tongues for the right moment to pry. Of course, keeping secrets for too long was often bad for one's health and Jellal would have to spill one day.

The city was yawning, and like a child stretching its arms, blinked sleepily awake to the still slumbering sky. Ur padded across the polished floorboards and opened the window by an inch, the sill budging from years of abandonment. Most of the time, Jellal would return to his own apartment or fall asleep in his office, but Ur insisted he stay over for the week to spend some quality time together. She had made the right choice.

Ur spun around and placed a hand on her hip, leaning to the side with a smirk playing across her lips.

"If you refuse to see a doctor then I'll send for Porlyusica. You're check up is so long overdue she's beginning to think I'm purposely keeping you away." Ur chuckled, an amused glint tinkling in her ebony eyes. "Now get some rest. I'm not letting you out of this house until Porlyusica gives the ay-okay."

Grinning, the raven haired woman pinched her forefinger and thumb together in an 'O' and lifted the three remaining fingers. A dangerous aura enveloped his mother despite her brilliant rows of teeth, and Jellal collapsed backwards into the pillows, mattress sighing under his weight. The bluenet flung an arm carelessly over his eyes.

"Don't groan at me young man."

The subtle warning in her eyes was enough to make him want to shield himself in the layers of sheets.

Jellal turned over and buried his face in the fluffy pillow. If any members of his guild were present to witness their master getting his ass officially whipped –he shuddered to imagine the hundreds of blackmail opportunities that would arise. The youngest national magic council member and ten wizard saint scolded like a puppy and told to go to bed? He would never live it down. Ur ruffled his blue tresses and gave him a hard pat on the back.

"You may think you're the almighty, all powerful and invincible Jellal Fernandes," she echoed his thoughts, "but you'll always be a little, annoying brat to me. So stay put while I go make breakfast. Does chicken soup sound good?"

The bluenet groaned again, his response in affirmation muffled by the pillow. His head felt like a ton of bricks and he was already half asleep, muscles loosening and eyelids heavy. Footsteps made their way to the door, and just when he'd thought his mother had left, a sing-song voice that meant nothing but trouble fell from her smirking lips.

"Oh, and when I get back we're going to have a nice, long talk about Miss Scarlet."

This was going to be a long day.


Sandals clacked lightly against the pavement. Red strands of hair followed every whim of the summer breeze. Chocolate brown eyes scanned the street signs, flawless skin soaking in the warm sun.

5th…6th…7th Street… This is going to take a while.

Referring to the note again for the umpteenth time, Erza mentally groaned and crossed the street, shiny cobble stones glinting under the late morning sunshine. She had left the hotel lobby half an hour later than planned due to her guild mates' reluctance to accept her excuses.

"No, Lucy, I'm not going on a secret date. And if I was I'd go alone."

"Gray, it's perfectly fine. I'll be walking in broad daylight."

"Natsu, I'm not on my time of the month."

"I'm just going to meet some friends, now move aside unless you'd like to be in two pieces."

They had asked every possible question they could think of, countering each and every of her hurriedly made up excuses. Who was she meeting? Where was she going? Didn't she want to come shopping with them? When would she get back? The redhead had decided enough was enough and growled, leaving them no choice but to quickly step aside and out of her stormy path.

Last morning, the blonde had continued to pester her about the mysterious bouquet of white roses, demanding to know just who her secret admirer was. It was not until Erza convinced her that she really hadn't a clue that the celestial mage backed down, raising a suspicious eyebrow. Gray had not been any different. The whole of yesterday, the ice mage had been sending her puzzling looks as though trying to figure her out. While having dinner with the team in the hotel's restaurant, he'd even summoned up the courage to ask what had been relentlessly pounding against the back of his mind.

What's your relationship with Jellal?

A sudden clanking of a fork against a plate. A long pause and a pair of wavering brown eyes. How did he know? The question had come out of the blue and Erza had answered the only way she could think of.

…I don't know anymore.

Quiet, shy, insecure. All the things Titania of Fairy Tail was not. Her eyes had lowered and lips pressed in a thin line. Lonely pain masked by layers of fake smiles and friendly punches and gentle reprimands. The redhead had been prepared to give a full explanation of her behaviour the night before but her team had simply avoided the subject; the ice mage had been the only one to dare to approach the issue. Gray was a straightforward young man and he preferred not to beat around the bush, but sometimes he couldn't read the situation or rather, refused to.

If you don't trust us enough to tell us the truth, then I don't see the point in being a team anymore.

He hadn't meant to snap, but the damage was done and Erza closed up like a clam shell, not a single word leaving her lips. Her mood had darkened and she'd returned to being the depressing, pathetic excuse of an S-Class mage, shoulders slumped and features contorted into a broken expression.

It made Gray angry.

He silently swore to have a good talk to the bluenet. The conversation was left at that, Natsu too engrossed in his food to care and Lucy sparing no hint that she had heard which wasn't surprising considering the sheer amount of noise in the restaurant. Whether he was inwardly fuming at himself or at the requip mage, Gray did not know, but guilt wrapped its fingers around his neck every time he glanced at the redhead, knowing fully well that it was his fault she was acting like this again.

Erza was obviously upset. Why couldn't she just let them help? Hadn't they always been there for her? Why was it any different now?

The only time she spoke again was in the lobby the next morning.

Turning a corner, Erza combed her fingers through her hair and straightened the hem of her summer dress. A pale vanilla shade, like the colour of wispy dandelions in the sunlight. The red haired mage dismissed the thought that she'd recently…probably become just a teensy weensy bit more feminine. Not that it mattered.

The weather was pleasantly warm and so the requip mage chose to forego her usual armour. Of course, that was the excuse.

She wasn't flattered by the wide-eyed compliments of her blonde guild mate that morning, and most definitely did not entertain the idea of being every man's secret desire.

Right?

It did not matter if she felt a little proud and of her curvaceous figure as young men turned their heads as she strolled by, one such man even going as far as to whistle with a smirk across his lips (he was handsome, but his hair was too dark a shade of blue). It did not matter if her silky scarlet hair and flawless white skin was the envy of every woman she passed by, or that the length of her skirt was shorter than usual and effortlessly captured the eyes of charming men, watching as the potential love of their life disappeared around the corner.

It all didn't matter because the redhead was too busy trying to drown out the thoughts of him with the lively noises of the city.

To no avail.

Glancing briefly at the street sign post, Erza wiped the thin sheen of sweat off her forehead and headed down the right direction. It wasn't clear as to who had sent her the note and even more confusing as to why they'd included a huge bouquet of white roses, but whoever it was, they would have to be complete idiots to dare to even rub her in the wrong way.

Kidnappers, perverts, old enemies, evil overlords –the redhead had mentally gone through the usual list, but according to the smiling hotel receptionist, the Oracion Tavern was a popular destination for those with hungry stomachs, tendencies to get drunk and broken hearts.

How convenient.

Erza released a sigh, lifting her foot backwards to readjust the sandal. The red haired mage supposed she had somewhat gotten over the ordeal. It was really just too emotionally exhausting to linger on the issue any longer, so she carefully placed it in the deep recesses of her mind, hoping that it wouldn't come crawling back in her sleep.

The events of that night had faded with time and whatever happened, happened. Her blue haired childhood friend had grown up, fallen in love with some other (slutty, bitchy, ass-kissing) girl and they were set to get married. That was that. End of story.

Frankly, Erza Scarlet just didn't give a shit anymore. Or at least she desperately tried not to.

Walking across the street with her head held high, the young woman scanned the note's details again out of habit and neared the building, looking like something between a pub and an inn. Gray was sure to be victim of a serious whiplash when she returned, attitude having changed a whole one hundred and eighty degrees. Her long journey to the tavern had given her plenty of time to mull over the past couple of days, and being the S-class wizard she was, Erza chose to cut all the strings she'd been tied down by and face the other, better direction.

Her steps felt lighter and shoulders relieved of a burden. The building was bordered tightly in between two others, making it appear narrower than it really was. Erza could faintly hear the sound of music. Old bricks and wooden beams made up its front and a few pots of daisies were placed beside the door. She tilted her head upwards, hand shielding her eyes from the sun, and smiled at the faded gold print above the mahogany twin doors:

The Oracion Tavern.


Jellal sat stiffly at the edge of the bed, back ramrod straight and palms sweaty. The room was covered in a blanket of darkness save for the sliver of light between the crack in the curtains. The ticking of the clock seemed to match the rhythm of his hammering heartbeat. Porlyusica had her lips pressed in a grim line, sitting across from him on a wooden chair Ur had kindly offered. She was flipping furiously through her ancient book that was almost falling apart at the spine, muttering words that made no sense yet she had a certain, alarming seriousness to her tone. Every minute or so, the rosette's hawkish eyes would flicker to the bluenet, then her nose would dive back into the tea-stained pages. The silver hands of the clock ticked rhythmically.

Ur held her breath, biting the tip of her thumb. A long moment passed before Porlyusica finally spoke.

"This isn't good."

Jellal had to suppress the urge to roll his eyes. No shit. His mother shot him a fearsome glare but the concern and restless anxiety in her eyes was as clear as day.

"What's wrong?" Ur asked, voice small. "If it has to do with the medicine, you know that Jellal's been very stubborn lately but I'll keep him in check from now on, I'll make sure –"

"No, Ur." The pink haired mage settled her glasses back onto the bridge of her nose. She released a tired sigh. When Ur was about to open her mouth again, Porlyusica held up a hand to stop her.

"It's not something we can do anything about." She carefully placed her words, worried that the mother might have a nervous breakdown. "Jellal has developed an immunity to my medicine."

Said young man furrowed his eyebrows as he took in the weight of the news, glancing at his mother only to realise she was doing the same. His hands curled into fists upon his lap. The walls seemed to cave in and the air turned suddenly stale. Porlyusica waited patiently for them to process what she had said, watching their faces pale and eyes widen in disbelief. She knew it was always better to be straightforward rather than beat around the bush, but in this case regret gripped her at the sight of Ur's glassy eyes.

"How?" The ice mage managed to enquire.

The bedroom darkened.

"The most logical explanation would be to say that he has been taking the tablets for almost seven years, along with any extra mixtures I've created along the way. His body has grown so accustomed to my medicine that it no longer has any effect. Whatever this curse is, it was ingrained into every cell of his body with the strength to completely override anything that may try to expel it –in other words, I've simply only bought Jellal time. There is no cure and eventually his body will begin to eat away at itself. Hades is a very, very powerful man and I have no doubt that his purpose was exactly that." Porlyusica turned to Jellal. "Had you previously been taking two tablets a day?"

The bluenet nodded. Ur was as still as a marble statue, neither uttering a sound nor moving the slightest bit. Jellal felt strangely calm despite the snakes that were coiling tightly around his stomach. There was a strained, strangled silence. The kind that prolonged for minutes and buzzed with the ticking of everyone's minds.

Jellal closed his eyes.

"This curse…I think Hades created it himself." He croaked, throat hoarse. "There was nothing I could find about it in the council library and that place is said to contain all the knowledge one could possibly have."

The healing mage adjusted her glasses and flexed her fingers. This morning had just been full of surprises. She had least of all expected the curse to reveal itself so suddenly and cause such heavy symptoms on the poor boy. It didn't make sense.

Porlyusica licked the tip of her index finger and turned to a dog-eared page. Her eyes scanned across the intricate symbols.

"Your symptoms are unlike any I've encountered. There are no visible markings on your body from the curse, which brings me to conclude that black magic had a significant role to play. I would even say lost magic may have been used in order to embed such a powerful curse into your body without a single trace."

The muffled closing of the tome echoed.

"Is there a cure?" Jellal was almost afraid to ask. Silence took its place before the doctor slowly stood up, chair legs screeching against the polished floorboards.

I'm going to die in a few years' time, aren't I? He guessed it had always been inevitable.

"I need to return home now if there is any chance I can create a stronger medicine. It will take time, but rest assured, I will do the best I can."

The rosette shuffled around, collecting her things and hurriedly placing them into her bag. Ur was fortunate to have literally bumped into the doctor on her way to the market. She had quickly explained the matter and the two had briskly returned home only to find the bluenet in the living room, half-collapsed in Ultear's arms. The raven haired mother had never seen her daughter so scared, so weak and so vulnerable. There had been tears brimming at the corners of her ebony eyes.

Mother, what's wrong with Jellal? Why isn't he breathing?!

Her son had been perfectly fine when she'd left him in the bedroom to get some rest, promising a good talk about his redheaded childhood friend and a bowl of warm chicken soup. The market would be swarming with civilians by midday and the ice mage decided a visit was long overdue. Of course, Ur had warned him not to leave his room, but when did the bluenet ever listen? Never would she have anticipated that a simple walk down the stairs would take its toll on the boy. He had always been strong for his age –too strong –and seeing him unconscious like a lifeless doll brought back deeply unwanted memories.

That talk about Erza would have to wait till' another day.

"Are you certain it isn't due to some other sickness? Just a serious case of flu or something like that?"

Porlyusica and Jellal snapped their heads sideways, having almost forgotten Ur standing beside them. Her presence was lighter than a shadow, her words a whisper of butterfly's wings. The raven haired mage was desperate to find a way out, any other method of escape from the jaws of reality. She found none.

The bluenet clenched his teeth. His mother was worried sick and on the verge of breaking down into tears. It was all his stupid fault. The rose haired mage made for the door, shifting the strap of her bag to a more comfortable position on her shoulder. She turned her head slightly in the direction of the mother and son. Lying would do the situation no good, so she hit them with the cold, hard truth, not holding back and refusing to sugar coat her words.

"The only way Jellal can be completely cured is to pay a visit to Hades himself. That man had the power to instil the curse, and he alone has the power to destroy it. The only reason he would want to see Jellal is to –"

"To repay my father's debts." The bluenet interrupted, eyes widening in realisation. How could he not have thought about this before? It made perfect sense. There couldn't have been any other reason why Hades had saved him the day he was washed upon the shores of Tenroujima Island. The only problem was that the bluenet hadn't the smallest clue as to what debts Hades had been talking about.

The rose haired mage nodded curtly. Glancing sideways at the raven haired mother, she placed a firm hand on her shoulder.

"You need rest, Ur. Jellal will be fine so don't let your worries affect your health." Porlyusica exchanged a glance with the bluenet. "For now, take two tablets a day as usual. It will help to alleviate the symptoms while I am away. Until then, take good care of yourself Jellal."

Ur hesitantly unlocked the door and stepped back to allow Porlyusica to leave. The elder woman smiled and swiftly disappeared. It didn't reach her eyes. They could faintly hear Ultear on the floor below thanking the doctor profusely before closing the door. Heavy silence ensued. Then quick footsteps hurried up the flight of stairs before a curtain of silky, black hair appeared around the doorway.

Ultear inhaled sharply. "Are you alright? What happened?"

The time mage had felt a little insulted when she was not invited into the room. There were secrets she was not entitled to know about her own family and it stung, but her mother's words were the law and Porlyusica could be one heck of a frightening woman. Still, Jellal was like a brother to her above anything else and it honestly scared the living daylights out of her when he had collapsed in her arms. One moment the bluenet had been greeting her with a 'good morning' and the next, his eyes had rolled to the back of his head and he was swaying dangerously forwards.

Ultear glanced at her mother, then back at the fragile form of the blue haired mage.

Seconds stretched into minutes.

The time mage could only watch, frozen, as Jellal buried his head into his hands, elbows on his knees and back hunched over in defeat. A heavy cough escaped his lips and Ur was kneeling before him in the blink of an eye, arms around his shoulders and patting his back in a comforting gesture. The floor was cold as Ultear took another step into the bedroom. The whole situation felt so surreal, as though she was looking through a thick pane of glass and watching helplessly as the scene began to unfold.

Jellal heaved a sigh, the sound as coarse as gravel. The air was suffocating.

"Ultear, I need you to get Hughes." He turned to face her, the dark rings around his eyes and paleness of his skin sending a shot of alarm up her spine. "I'm temporarily handing command over the guild to him, he knows what to do. Tell the others I'll be away for a while. I'm not feeling too well." Ur stayed deathly silent and she buried her nose into the tufts of ruffled blue hair.

The raven haired daughter did not trust herself to speak, instead, she squared her shoulders and nodded. He was giving her an excuse to leave and she gladly took it, needing some time to calm down after this whole ordeal. Jellal released a breath in relief and clasped his hands, leaning into his mother's embrace. He heard the sound of the curtains being drawn open, but the flood of warm sunlight did nothing to dispel the cold atmosphere of the room.

Ultear left, closing the door behind her.

Slender fingers trembled on the doorknob as she listened to her mother cry for the first time in seven years.


"Just water will be fine."

The scarlet haired woman could feel the pairs of eyes trained on her. The waitress raised a manicured eyebrow before shrugging and scribbling on her notepad. She had a silver fringe and straight hair that fell just below her shoulders. Erza had the strange feeling that she'd seen her before. That train of thought was broken as the waitress barked out the long list of orders, irritation marring her face.

"….and two milkshakes and a chicken burger. Is that all?"

Five heads nodded in perfect timing. The violet haired man with a white streak raised his hand, smiling widely.

"Could I also add another –"

"Shut up Hughes." With that, the furious waitress stormed off only to growl profanities at the spineless cooks.

The tavern was built rather similarly to the Fairy Tail guild, Erza mused. It appeared ordinary on the outside, but large and grand on the inside. There were round wooden tables spread around evenly and a large, exquisite bar at the front enticed civilians to have a good drink. The atmosphere was warm and lively, the rumble of conversation and the occasional burst of laughter from a group made her feel right at home.

The knight chuckled inwardly at the thought of her hosts' welcome. The second she'd stepped into the tavern, a younger girl had bounded up to her and latched onto her arm, chattering off about how delighted she was to finally meet the famed Titania. Then she'd been immediately dragged to the bar, squeezing through the crowd, where a small group of unfamiliar people were loitering around.

Erza's here guys!

It had all happened so quickly. They had excitedly introduced themselves, shaking her hands furiously or giving her a bear hug as though they'd known her for years. The next moment she'd been pushed into a chair and bombarded with question after question, those having missed the chance of getting a seat around the table simply content to stand around. Erza's head whipped this way and that, stuttering and completely overwhelmed by this reception. The violet haired man had shooed the growing crowd away and sat across from her, grinning wolfishly in an endearing kind of way.

"So, how are you coping with everything so far?"

Her head snapped up, broken from her musings. It was the same violet haired man. He looked around her age or perhaps a couple of years younger. The noise was deafening in the tavern, reminding her of the never ending excitement back at the guild. The man said something again but it was engulfed by the wave of hubbub.

"Pardon?" She raised her voice, leaning forwards with a polite smile. A lock of hair fell over her shoulder.

He cleared his throat, suddenly forgetting what he'd previously said. He inwardly whistled low. Erza Scarlet was a beauty, alright, and seeing her in the flesh was a hundred –no, a thousand –times more amazing than in the news or hearing about her second hand from the gossip circling around Fiore. The purple haired mage was certain he would've openly flirted with her, if not for the ugly prospect of having his body in four different corners of Earthland.

The boss would probably give his ashes to Knightwalker as a birthday present.

Another thing –Hughes was having the most difficult time of his life trying to find the similarities between the two counterparts. From what Hughes had observed in the last few hectic minutes of brief introductions and awkward food ordering, Erza Scarlet was the closest humanity had ever gotten to an angel. There was a certain kindness to her warm eyes and a sense of gentle maturity about her every gesture. The waterfall of sensual crimson hair entranced him (It wasn't Scarlet, dammit. Jellal must've been one heck of a colour blind kid). Her legs were to die for and her curves in all the right places, skin flawless as snow. It didn't help that she had the personality to match. He wasn't even going to begin about her chest for fear of the boss somehow telepathically reading his thoughts.

Jellal was one lucky bastard.

"I'm Hughes." The violet haired man stretched out a handshake but accidentally knocked over the salt. He gulped and mumbled an apology, scrambling to fix the mess.

Great. Well there goes my amazing first impression.

The redhead released something between a snort and a giggle.

"Erza Scarlet. It's nice to meet you."

The conversation continued cordially, not too distant but not too comfortably either. There were awkward silences every now and then, but Coco would helpfully pipe in and add her two cents. Sugarboy was rather strange, his hair style even stranger, but he was friendly and welcoming. The redhead was surprised to discover that Hoteye was in fact Wally's older brother, and she listened amusingly to his accounts of their childhood days.

The food and drinks arrived right on time. Angel (Hughes had called her that) had placed their orders onto the table before slamming her glass of water down, glaring at Erza and leaving without a word. The redhead frowned.

"Don't worry about it." Hughes shook his head and sighed. "She's moody a lot of the time. Angel's just got a huge crush on this guy, though she won't admit it, and he just flat out ignores her. Serves her right."

"But why is she so rude to me?" Erza bit out angrily. Had she unintentionally got off on the wrong foot?

"Probably deems you a threat. You are a gorgeously amazingly beautiful girl, you know. That's why I warned you to be careful walking on the streets alone." He grinned, referring to the note.

The red haired mage quickly lifted the glass to her lips.

The Oracion Tavern had been established two years ago with the purpose of earning enough money to support Crime Sorciere's endeavours. Once rich and powerful businessmen approached them to offer well-paid jobs, the tavern was no longer needed and they had to be even more careful during missions. The people who assigned missions had never seen their faces, only recognisable by the guild tattoo. Despite Crime Sorciere having grown quite wealthy for an independent guild, the tavern was still a place of fond memories and where Crime Sorciere members could socialize without fear of being caught. The closer they were to the council headquarters, the less the authorities would suspect any of them being responsible.

Jellal's case was absolute insanity.

But a guild leader without confidence and intelligence wasn't a guild leader at all. Most people respected him for the fact that he was a council member and yet he wasn't afraid to create a guild that broke the law for a living. If his activities were discovered, the bluenet would no doubt be executed on the spot.

Every member had sworn never to reveal a single word, and were willing to give up their life for the guild.

Erza put down her glass.

"Were all of you the ones who sent me the note and the flowers?" She rummaged through her handbag (the one she'd borrowed from Lucy) and swiftly pulled out the card.

Hoteye, Coco and Sugarboy exchanged confused glances. The violet haired man quickly explained.

"The note was ours. We all really wanted to meet the famous Titania when we heard you were in town." There was a shared bobbing of heads from around the table. "But the flowers were from someone else."

At Erza's curious eyes, he found himself talking more than he should.

"They were from a good friend of mine."

The redhead scanned the crowd, as though she would somehow magically find the mystery man. She blushed at the thought that he might've been –possibly have been –a secret admirer. Though, it didn't explain how the bouquet had arrived at her doorstep unless the receptionist had been a total idiot.

"I'd really like to thank him myself. They really were lovely roses, my favourite in fact." Her lip curled inwards shyly.

Hughes grew strangely serious. "Why?"

She frantically scrambled for an answer. Her mouth tended to run off unconsciously and place her smack into the middle of sticky situations. Erza didn't really like lying, but the real reason was too embarrassing to say out loud.

"Well because…because it reminds me of –"

"A fairy tale wedding you've always dreamed of having? And let me guess, a wedding dress too?"

Erza gaped, mouth opening and closing like a fish. Hughes chuckled.

"You could call it my amazing intuition." He shrugged and took another sip of soda. "My friend was going crazy that morning, pacing back and forth at the local florist. I told him all the bouquets looked the same, but he just raged on and on. Nonsense about finding fresh white roses, and even the slightly pale ones were not up to his standard. I can tell you, we stayed there for hours before he finally chose one. Really expensive too."

Hughes muttered under his breath childishly. "Then he conveniently loses the balls to give them to you himself and makes me do it. I mean, what kind of a friend is he?"

Though, the bastard doesn't know you're with me right now.

Slender fingers unconsciously fumbled with the hem of her dress. It was all too much of a coincidence. No one else knew she loved white roses, let alone how much she secretly dreamed of getting married. Her face flushed a deep tomato red, oblivious to the mage in seated in front of her trying to hold in his laughter.

Hughes was having so much fun.

Meanwhile, Erza was deeply pondering how to push the issue without sounding too eager. Or anxious for that matter. She swallowed nervously and glanced aside, forgetting how she had resolved to hate him only roughly an hour ago. Trying to sound as casual and uninterested as she could, the redhead kept her gaze on the pool of water inside her glass.

"What does he look like?"

Hughes almost fell off his chair. The laughter was bubbling at his lips. He felt a twinge of guilt at playing around with Titania but assured himself that it was for all things good in the name of true love. Oh, the days he would have willingly shut up to see his blue haired friend interact with the scarlet haired beauty. If even the thought of him made Erza blush, then how much more would Jellal react to seeing her dressed like this?

A heavenly angel with legs that stretched into oblivion and a figure that would make Weekly Sorcerer models weep. An aura of confidence that melted into her honey brown eyes. She had a sort of innocent sexiness that would bring men to their knees.

Give her a whip and she just walked out of my dreams.

Of course, she was a little weird when she accidentally bumped Coco's elbow and descended into a string of apologies, asking the girl to hit her as punishment.

The violet haired mage seemed to contemplate the question for a while, features twisted as though he'd tasted a lemon, acting worth winning an award.

"Ugly. Definitely ugly. He's dangerously overweight too, but there's a heart of gold underneath all those folds of fat. Not exactly the most hygienic man in the world and he's a year or so older than me."

Oh.

Erza refused to admit that her heart had sunk in disappointment. She had vowed to forget about the bluenet and forge a new path for herself. It was just another obstacle to overcome, and overcome it she would. Though, her facial expressions were like an open book and Hughes was having the greatest time of his life reading it. He supposed she would never make it in the entertainment industry as an actor.

Hughes was about to speak when she was pulled into a lively conversation between Hoteye and Coco. Something about visiting Magnolia and catching up with Wally. The violet haired man had heard about him once or twice, but when it came to matters of the past, Jellal would instantly seal himself in a cardboard box and keep the contents behind four brick walls. For some reason or another, it made his blue haired friend upset to even think about his old childhood friends and he would often change the subject or not talk at all.

The band finished their last note and everyone applauded, some even giving a standing ovation. Then the crowd settled down for the next song –a sweet, romantic ballad.

The light bulb above his head set off sparks.

He coughed politely to turn Erza's attention back to him, and she smiled with eyebrows raised in question.

"I was wondering." Hughes began, carefully watching for her response, "Are you single?"

The red haired mage spluttered, coughing as she settled down her glass of water.

"No! I mean, yes! I mean, I'm not…I don't really –"

"I could introduce you to my friend, if you'd like."

All traces of teasing and boyishness were gone. Hughes was calm and casual but there was a certain maturity to his tone. He absently swirled his milkshake around with the straw and glanced up every now and then to gauge the emotions that flickered across her face.

"Hughes, I really appreciate it but I don't…" Erza struggled to find the words, blushing embarrassedly. "I've never gone out with someone before."

"You're kidding, right?"

Erza shook her head and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. It made her feel awkward and out of place when people tried to bring up the issue of her non-existent love life.

"I'm not…attractive enough, I guess. He wouldn't –um, no one would actually fancy someone like me." She pursed her lips. "But thank you for the offer."

Kami-sama, it felt so weird to be openly discussing her deepest insecurities with a guy she'd only just met. But there was something about Hughes that made her feel like he was a good listener, someone she could count on. It was very hard to come by people like him these days. His playful teasing was surprisingly not annoying in the least, but allowed her to reveal thoughts bottled up for too long.

Hughes tilted his head curiously. He hadn't missed her slip of the tongue. She seemed to only be talking about one person rather than people in general. The way her eyes were unfocused, the biting of her lip and discomfort in her posture all confirmed his suspicions.

She honestly believed that Jellal had placed her on the shelf.

Unwanted and forgotten.

And she was hurting inside, her heart bleeding as she quickly patched it up with fake smiles and dry laughter.

Hughes knew what it was like. His own mother had had the same look on her face when his father left for another woman, leaving the two of them alone and struggling to make a living.

That was when the violet haired mage had assigned himself a personal mission: To bring his old friend and this new one together again. Both were stubborn and steadfast, but all they would need was a little push in the right direction and they'd be wearing rings in no time.

Perhaps in a couple of years. Nineteen was a little young at this stage.

He had to make her understand. It would heal Jellal in the process too.

"You know, it can destroy you." At her blank stare, he elaborated. "Spending the rest of your life finding the one, when they've been right in front of you all along. They don't all come riding on white horses. Sometimes they're the bad guy in disguise, you know what I mean?

His sudden deep and wide advice shocked Erza. She blinked and nodded hesitantly.

"I think so."

"Do you have someone like that?"

"Like what?"

"Someone who seemed like prince charming at first but turned into the big bad wolf."

Erza giggled at the weird analogy but Hughes seemed genuinely interested, waiting patiently for her to form her words. She seemed somewhat guarded but willing to open up a crack in her cardboard box.

"Well, there is this one guy." Hughes leaned forward, nodding in encouragement. Erza sighed. "I hate him."

The violet haired man snorted and she continued hesitantly, unsure of what she should say or shouldn't say. It wasn't that she didn't trust Hughes, it was just that she'd never been so open with anyone before. Not counting Jellal.

There was something rejuvenating and refreshing about finally letting it all go and having someone actively listening to her insecurities and emotions. To have someone truly care. Not counting Jellal.

Once Erza started, the rest came like a flood and she couldn't stop. Word vomit in its true form.

"…and he's so on-off all the time. One minute he's acting like he actually cares and the next, he's saying he doesn't want anything to do with me anymore. I just don't get it! And then after he walks me back he tells me he has a fiancée, and I just…"

Hughes raised an eyebrow. So it's true then. Jellal, you really messed up, huh?

"…didn't know what to do. We used to be really good friends and then he told me he hated me and then we became friends again but now argh! I don't know what we are anymore."

And you've messed up your girl too.

"I'm just sick and tired, Hughes. He's a total jerk and he thinks he can just play around with me because I still –wait, no I don't. He's so irritating and I can't stop thinking about him and he's driving me absolutely crazy. I never actually hate people because I believe there's always some good in a person no matter how evil, but that pathetic excuse of a human being is a big exception."

Erza took a deep and shaky breath, the shell of fury dissipating, leaving only a heartbroken girl.

"Everything about him makes me want to hit something and shred it to pieces. I…I hate him so much. I wish I'd never met him."

The redhead downed the remaining water in her glass in one big gulp, slamming it on the tabletop and heaving an exasperated sigh.

The violet haired mage waited for her to calm down. He sipped the rest of his milkshake quietly, contemplatively, and watched as Erza had a mental battle within herself. It was rather amusing to see the mature and powerful Titania lose her composure so easily, and over a man no less. Hughes decided to push the matter further. As he learnt more about her, she learnt more about herself.

"Do you really hate him?"

Erza's glare faltered, but the fire was crackling at full force. "Yes, I thought I just explained that."

Hughes lowered his voice, slowly pronouncing every word. This would either end up with him in the hospital or as a best man at their wedding.

"Then, to hate him so much, you must have really loved him once."

It was like a lightning bolt. Her thin eyebrows knitted in confusion first, then her lips parted just slightly and her eyes were frozen to the rim of her glass. The beating of her heart hammered in her chest and she suddenly felt the weight of those words settle upon her shoulders. Titania couldn't bring herself to face Hughes for fear that he would say something like that again.

In the deepest corner of her heart, she knew he was right. Unfortunately, the rest of her heart adamantly denied it.

"It was just a stupid childhood infatuation, and it passed away with time. I'm different now."

A confident smile stretched her lips but Hughes didn't look convinced. He simply shrugged and excused himself, mumbling something about getting another drink. Perhaps he should've picked a better choice of words, because she neither beat him up nor fully admitted what he wanted her to.

If the both of them were going to be as stubborn and clueless as this, then Hughes definitely had his work cut out for him.

Erza nursed her empty glass, thinking about Jellal. She was reminded of the last time they had parted, and it wasn't exactly on good terms.

Whatever it is we think we have between us, we should end it now.

It's wasn't love, Erza.

"Why are you still so naïve?" The redhead recited absently to herself, tracing the edges of the cool glass with her fingertips. Maybe she was too young, too inexperienced to really know what love was. The bluenet already had a fiancée, so Erza supposed he had a right to say so. He always was the most intelligent out of them all. Brave and headstrong and so kind and handsome and gentle and he was everything she'd ever dreamed of.

The redhead inwardly scoffed. Not anymore.

With the pain of the news of his fiancée, also came a burning curiosity to know just who he had fallen in love with.

How had they met?

Had he approached her first or had she?

What colour was her hair? Her eyes?

Was she tall or short? Mature or cute?

Did she kiss him first or did he?

Why did he – Erza furiously shook the thoughts of her head, drawing bewildered pairs of eyes at her strange behaviour. The redhead couldn't believe how nosy she was being. Jellal and his fiancée had more than likely known each other longer than she had known him, and she had no right to intrude on matters that did not involve her.

What happened in the past, happened in the past. No big deal.

The scraping of a chair against the ground snapped her to attention. Hughes returned to his seat, chuckled and outstretched his arms, fingers apart. His eyes were eager with rushed excitement.

"So, Er-chan. I had this –wait, can I call you that?"

Erza's eyes widened a fraction, but frankly she didn't mind in the least. Shrugging, she lifted her lips embarrassedly. Hughes brightened.

"So, Er-chan I had this crazy idea. It's amazing! Really amazing!" The violet haired mage waved his arms frantically. "But I need to know if you're free this weekend."

"I am, but I'll be returning to Magnolia on Sunday." Erza cautiously replied, uncertain of where this was heading. Surely, whatever he was planning couldn't be anything too dangerous or unpleasant? The three other guests of the table turned to listen.

"It's settled then!" Hughes lifted a forefinger. "I'll arrange a little amazing date for the two of you when he's free."

"Um, who?"

"My best friend!" He was insulted that she would forget so quickly. "You know, the one I talked about. The one who gave you the flowers?"

Oh. Him.

"No thank you!" Erza blurted. Although she was often optimistic and excited about making new friends, going on a date was different. The redhead didn't want to put herself in a position where things might go wrong. What if he turned out to be one of those blockheads who decided they were meant for each other, and should ride off into the sunset on a rainbow unicorn? It had already happened once, on a solo mission to Crocus. She shuddered at the memory.

"Why not, Er-chan?" The violet haired man pouted.

Erza ran a hand through her fringe and smiled apologetically. "I've never been on a date before. I don't know what to do." And I don't want to know what to do.

"I promise you, my buddy has more than enough experience in the field –he's practically a professional."

The mystery man was supposed to be unattractive, overweight and unhygienic. What kind of nonsense was he spouting off now? He seemed to be really bent on getting her together with his best friend. She hadn't the least idea what brought this all on. It was like strolling down a street only to have someone pull you aside, shove a party hat onto your head and ask you to party with them.

Erza still seemed unconvinced. Hughes pressed on.

"He's a real gentleman when it comes to ladies. If it's you, I'm pretty sure he'd do just about anything you ask. Just say the word and poof! A temporary doormat for your convenience. Amazing."

The redhead snorted.

"I don't think anyone would willingly do that. I'll be leaving in a few days, anyway."

"All the more reason to have some fun while you're still in Era. Who knows, he might be the one?"

Hughes wiggled his eyebrows and Erza couldn't resist the giggle that escaped her lips. They settled into a comfortable companionship and the redhead was surprised at how much her cheekbones were hurting. She couldn't remember the last time she'd smiled so much.

The empty glass gleamed as she absently spun it between her hands, lightly mulling over the pros and cons of his offer. The violet haired man was literally shaking in his seat with excitement. Erza had only just met him today, yet it felt like she'd known Hughes her whole life.

He made a brief comment about the amazing weather, rambling on about nothing in particular –the crazy, old shopkeeper he'd met the other day, a white cat that he'd wanted to adopt, some kids who once tried to play a prank on him but ended up failing miserably. There was something endearing in the way his eyes would light up, and after finding that he was a year younger, Erza felt like he was the brother she never had. It was uncanny how such a simple turn of fate could result in the most unexpected experiences.

Hughes pouted at her wistful expression and waved a playful hand in front of her unfocused eyes. She snapped out of her thoughts. After a few seconds of hesitation, he sighed.

"Still won't meet my friend?

Erza shook her head slowly. "Hughes, it's very kind of you to be going through all the trouble, but I'm not really searching for a…partner right now."

More like you can't let go of the boss, Hughes snorted, inwardly patting himself on the back, so I'll be the one to make sure you guys won't be able to keep your hands off each other.

A pause, then the violet haired mage rested a chin in his palm. This was one heck of a headstrong woman, but he would be the one to make her resolve waver. Being strong on the outside didn't necessarily mean one was also strong on the inside. Erza just seemed to be a master of that skill.

"Then start again. Find new love. You can't be hung over this one guy forever." Hughes gestured in her general direction. "Even Titania can have a little fun sometimes, am I right?"

Coco who had been previously involved in a serious argument between Hoteye and Sugarboy, whipped her head around, a mysterious sparkle twinkling in her eye. She'd heard bits and pieces of the redhead's relationship with her guild master from Hughes, and curiosity wouldn't kill the cat if it couldn't catch it. The young teenager had been the one to first propose the idea of meeting Erza Scarlet in the flesh. From innocently eavesdropping on her conversation with Hughes, it was easier than a piece of cake to understand why the boss held such affections for her.

There was something in her deep brown eyes that stirred warm, sunny butterflies from their slumber.

"I don't know." The redhead's eyes darted around nervously. Coco decided to step in and give a little push.

"You should go, Erza!" The brunette grasped the woman's wrists. "I know him too. He's the bestest master in the entire world!"

Hughes gagged.

Erza raised an eyebrow, blinking like a deer in the headlights. "…Master?"

"She said father! He's like a father to Coco!" A nervous laugh followed by a wipe of his forehead. Hughes inwardly heaved a sigh of relief when the redhead seemed to casually accept it and with the encouragement of Coco, relaxed into a thinking pose.

Perhaps she was overthinking it?

Whatever date Hughes was trying to set her up on couldn't be too bad, could it? Erza trusted his judgement but she was afraid of what might happen after. She wasn't the type to dive into a commitment headfirst without knowing how deep the water was. But then again, it was only supposed to be a date –nothing she couldn't handle. Hopefully.

There was a certain eagerness and excitement to Hughes' eyes that drew the tiniest tendril of suspicion, but that was quickly forgotten when Coco went prattling off about every splendid quality the mystery man had. He was very handsome, apparently, and a wealthy but kind man. Tall for his age but never looked down on others no matter their circumstance. Intelligent, strong and popular with the ladies. Erza shot a stony glare at Hughes. He at least had the courtesy to look ashamed for lying. What really grabbed the redhead's attention like children to bars of chocolate, was Coco's split second note that he was a powerful mage.

"…and sometimes he gets a bit cranky, but that's probably because –"

"Okay."

Hughes' jaw dropped. "Wait, what?"

Erza twisted her fingers together, forcing down a blush. "I'll meet your friend."

The violet haired man and brunette were dumbstruck, utterly speechless. It was a rather spontaneous agreement in an awkward sort of way, but it was already too late to back out and the red haired woman found herself cornered by the sly grin creeping up Hughes' face.

"It's only one date, right?" She clarified nervously. Her voice toned down a notch, eyes shifting lower. "Then I guess it can't be too bad."

"Yes!" Hughes fist pumped the air.

There was something stirring in her chest –a mixture of apprehension and yet she allowed a little spiral of excitement and anticipation to wind its way into her thoughts. She trusted whoever this mystery date was to at least be a decent man with standards, being somewhat like a father to Coco and all, and who in the right mind would pass up a free dinner? Lucy would be ecstatic when she heard. Hopefully, Natsu and Gray would stop sending her those wary looks and carefully timed glances as though she were about to fall apart. Titania was a strong woman, both in body and mind, no man –first love or not –could ever change that.

A tiny voice snorted in the back of her mind. Erza pursed her lips. The violet haired man leaned forward, a serious tilt to his eyebrows.

"I'm warning you, just in case. He might try to bring you home and…well." Hughes left the sentence hanging and received the darkest blush he'd ever seen in response. Step one of the mission: complete. Now all he had to do was get Jellal to agree with a couple of white lies here and there along with the piles of blackmail he had up his sleeve.

Erza grabbed the nearest mug of beer and downed it in one gulp. Quickly scrambling to find a distraction, she decided to question the most important strength she looked for in a man.

"Can he hold his liquor?"

Hughes smirked.

"You'll just have to wait and see."


A/N: So here it ends. If you have the time, please be so kind as to drop in your thoughts or criticisms. Reviews always make my day :)

Keep calm and await the next chapter!