"Erza. Erza, breathe." Jellal coaxes gently, clearly not wanting to startle her. He just finished telling her everything that has happened from his first confrontation with Gray two weeks ago to the one they had fifteen minutes ago, and Erza has yet to release the breath she is holding.

Erza exhales shakily and curls her knees into her chest to hide her face. She doesn't want him to see all the emotions she is feeling: guilt, pain, anguish, happiness, pride. She can't process them all right now, and she doesn't want him to know that. She's never wanted him to know that. He is always so stoic and composed and Erza has always tried to match him that way. It hasn't been difficult, as that is a natural part of her personality as well, but she has certainly held back at times when she hasn't wanted to in an effort not to disturb his zen.

Why? He's never asked you to do that. You're allowed to have feelings, dammit! As many as you want, whenever and however you want! Besides, he's just admitted to being anything but stoic and composed, not to mention how he showed up tonight.

Pay attention, Erza; he's still holding you, waiting for you. Not running, not hiding, not–

"Give it to me, Erza." He says quietly. "I can handle all of it."

She looks up into his unwavering gaze, and with his arm heavy around her shoulders, she suddenly realizes that he can take it. He can take everything she's carrying on her shoulders, in her heart, and he'll be able to take anything that may come up in the future.

She exhales again, and this time, she feels lighter and freer than she has in weeks. In fact, she starts giggling like a drunk, which draws an adorably surprised look from Jellal. She just can't help herself: she kisses him. He is startled at first, but Erza kisses him more insistently, until he moans into her mouth and threads his fingers through her hair. Erza reaches up to caress his face, making him hiss and draw back.

"What'd I do?"

"Not you," he is quick to reassure her with a kiss to her cheek. "Laxus."

"So you actually brawled with him?"

"Yes."

"Impressive."

Jellal chuckles. "He whupped me soundly."

"Oh, I doubt that." Erza smiles at him. "The last time he whupped someone soundly, Natsu was in a coma for a week. Speaking of them," she turns starry-eyed, "what are they doing? Lily won't even tell Levy!"

"They are searching for information on Dragon mates."

"Mates?"

"Gajeel is convinced that there is something special about Dragon Slayer mates, and he's got the rest of them worried about it, too."

"You don't sound convinced."

"I think Lucy already has the answer they're still looking for, and she doesn't seem concerned about losing Laxus." Jellal laughs quietly.

"Do you believe in soul mates?" Erza asks for the second time today.

"In a sense." He kisses her lightly then leans his forehead against hers. "I think we choose our soul mates."

That's the second time she's received that answer.

"You know," she says softly, "I decided not to wear my armor today because I thought it bothered you." Erza giggles at Jellal's stunned expression then sighs dramatically. "Never have I wanted to hide behind it more than I have today. That's how I know that it no longer protects me, but hurts me. The more I wanted it, the more I wanted to run away, to hide, and the more jumbled my thoughts became, until..." Erza blushes with embarrassment as she looks away. "Until I honestly couldn't remember you ever telling me that you loved me. In fact, I was convinced that you had never said it." She ventures a look at him and wants to cry at the wounded look on his face. "I'm so sorry."

"Don't be sorry, Erza." He kisses the back of her hand. "I'm the one who is sorry. If I said it so seldom that you can't recall, it is my fault."

"No, Jellal; it's mine. I let doubts take root and choke out the truth."

Jellal smiles and kisses her.

"The last time I told you I love you was sixteen days ago. You were furious at having been eliminated from the splatterball contest."

Erza grunts and crosses her arms, making Jellal laugh.

"So I took you into the forest and did this." He grabs her head in both hands and kisses her fiercely. When he finally pulls away, Erza is short of breath and has to blink several times to correct her vision. "Then I said, 'It's okay if you're a loser, babe; I still love you.' Ow!" He rubs his arm and laughs. "You pinched me then, too."

"You deserved it."

"If you say so." He laughs.

Erza shakes her head as a multitude of memories just like it flood her brain; there was nothing 'seldom' about how often Jellal professed his love to her. He didn't always profess it verbally, but he professed it in his actions and behavior, his very being. Erza feels like scum for allowing that fact to be occluded by her doubts. She feels so awful that she is even tempted to blame Gray, but that wouldn't be fair, either. No, she made her choices, and now she has to live with them.

"Do you still love me?" She questions quietly.

"Forever."

"I remember the first time you told me." Erza leans her head against his shoulder. "It was right after the battle with Acnologia, while I was in the hospital."

"Nope." Jellal shakes his head.

"What do you mean, 'nope'? You wouldn't have said it before then."

"The first time I told you I loved you, you were about six years old."

Erza gasps quietly.

"I had been listening to you cry for almost an hour–you snapped at me and everyone else to leave you alone when we tried to comfort you. But when you fell asleep, I snuck over to you; brushed your hair away from your face;" he mimics his words, ghosting his thumb over her cheek, "kissed you;" he kisses her chastely on the mouth, then puts his lips near her ear, "and whispered, 'Erza Scarlet, I'll love you 'til the day I die.'"

"Oh, Jellal."

"That's why there's never been another woman, Erza. I'm a thoroughly committed man."

Erza stares at him in dumbfounded amazement, then frowns. "If Laxus hadn't broken you, I'd tear your clothes off right here."

Jellal laughs loudly, the sound bouncing off the water, and hugs Erza tightly. "And I'd have to stop you."

"Why, dammit?!"

Jellal laughs even harder at Erza's puffy cheeks then gives her a peck on the lips. "I made a promise to Grandpa Rob."

"You what?!"

"I didn't completely understand it at the time." Jellal gives Erza a heated look and takes in her entire body before returning to her face. "And if I'd known how difficult it would be to keep such a promise, I would have declined."

"How much longer are you gonna make me w–?"

Erza stops breathing. Jellal is holding a simple silver band with a small diamond in front of her.

"That depends on you: are you still against eloping?" He smirks.

Gajeel bursts through the guild hall doors, sniffing the air even as he searches with his eyes. He zeroes in on Levy, who barely has time to smile before Gajeel has crossed the hall and started kissing her like he might never have the chance again. He slides his hands into her hair so that he won't slide them over the rest of her body in front of the whole guild. He's not sure how long he kisses her, only that Laxus is the one to stop them. Gajeel wants to pound the Lightning Slayer's face in with an iron pipe, but Levy's words stop him.

"Thanks, Laxus." She barely manages to whisper, and Gajeel notices that her lips are slightly blue.

"Dragon lungs, man." Laxus thumps Gajeel on the chest with a knuckle. "She needs to come up for air more often than you do."

"Holy sh–Levy, I'm so sorry!" Gajeel hugs her.

"Now we know." She giggles. "I'm mostly surprised it hasn't happened before."

"You gotta be careful with CPR, too." Rogue offers. "You could overfill the person's lungs and make them burst."

"Who knew there were downsides to Dragon Slayers?" Natsu muses.

"WE DID!" The whole guild shouts.

"Go back to drinking, you lousy sots." Laxus says back. "And where the hell is Wendy?!"

"Lily said she's at Lamia Scale." Levy informs them.

The Dragon Slayers all groan dramatically and slump into the nearest chairs.

"Mira!" Laxus calls over to the demon. "Keep 'em comin'. Natsu, call Wendy and find out when she's coming back."

Gajeel drags Levy over to him so that she is sitting on his lap. He kisses her again, less frenzied but no less desperate. He runs his fingers through her blue locks, peripherally enjoying just how soft her hair is. Playing with her hair is one of his favorite things to do. He often finds himself doing it without consciously making the decision to do so.

Fuck, what is he going to do if Levy isn't his mate?

She is my mate! I refuse to believe otherwise.

Gajeel's heightened senses pick up Natsu's quickened heart rate and he looks at the Dragon Slayer just as his nose shoots up into the air and sniffs. The rest of the Dragon Slayers follow suit then they all snap their heads toward the front of the guild where Wendy is just stepping through the doors.

"WENDY!" They all shout.

"AAAHHH!" She jumps, losing her footing on the steps and falls flat on her face.

"Wendy!" Natsu leaps across the hall to his fallen teammate. He picks her up and dusts her off. "Are you okay?"

"Y-yeah." She blushes with embarrassment. "I hate it when I do that."

"Dragon Slayer convention!" Natsu drags her back outside by the wrist, signaling the other Dragon Slayers to follow them.

"I love you so much." Gajeel looks sadly at Levy before kissing her again.

"Gajeel." She gently strokes his cheek and he can't help but turn his face in her palm so that he can kiss it. "Are you okay?"

"No." He says in a rare moment of emotional honesty then sets her on her feet. "I'll be back in a minute."

"What's goin' on, guys?" Wendy asks nervously as they all take a seat on the grass. "Is everything okay, Natsu?"

"What am I, chopped liver?" Laxus teases.

Wendy smiles. "You always look upset, Laxus."

"You're gettin' a little big for your britches there, kid."

"Banter later." Gajeel growls. "This is serious."

"Wow, what did I miss?"

"Wendy," Natsu pleads, "tell us you know something about Dragon Slayer mates."

Gajeel and the others all hold their breath as they stare at the young teenager.

"Well, yeah, but Grandeena said–."

The male Dragon Slayers all let out a series of whoops and hollers that mesh together in a hair-raising cacophony. Before they can finish, Erik and Kinana have joined the party.

"What the hell is this?" Erik drawls.

"Sit down and shut up!" Gajeel snarls.

"Kinana," Laxus says kindly. "Dragon Slayers only."

She looks a little taken aback but smiles, nods, and goes inside the guild hall. Erik takes a seat next to Sting and looks curiously at each of the other Dragon Slayers.

"Tell us everything, Wendy," Laxus says.

"How do you know who your mate is?" Gajeel demands.

Wendy looks at him, confused. "Why don't you guys tell me what you know and I'll fill in the blanks?"

"Igneel only said that he would explain to me when I got older."

"All I remember is Metallicana saying that Dragon Slayer mates are made for them."

Wendy blushes when she can't stifle her laugh. "Sorry! I'm sorry, Gajeel."

"I don't get it." Gajeel looks between Wendy and the other Dragon Slayers, but the men only shrug.

"It's just that Grandeena said male dragons like to feel special when really they're just lazy and insecure."

"WHA-?!"

"I don't agree with her!" Wendy waves her arms in front of her, her face turning red. "I'm sorry, that was rude."

"It's okay, Wendy." Laxus reassures her. "We want to know everything Grandeena said."

"Well...she said that Dragons and people are tempted to believe in Fate and soul mates and 'bologna' like that because it removes their responsibility in a relationship. If it doesn't work out, it just wasn't meant to be. She said beings give up their power to choose because of their insecurities about themselves and their own power and responsibility. If the Universe, Fate, whoever, made a decision without them about who they belong with then the Universe has to be the one to provide.

"But, really, we get to choose who we think mates best with our souls. It's hard work, since we can't rely on the Universe to maintain our connection with our soul mates, but at least we never have to worry that someone will come along that will make us or our soul mates be unfaithful because 'Destiny' made a decision without us."

The men stare at her attentively, like they're waiting for her to continue.

"Uh…that's it?" Wendy looks at each of them in turn. "Your soul mate is anyone you're willing to put in the work for."

"I think your britches are just the right size, Wendy." Laxus smiles at her.

Wendy beams.

"Is there a...mating ritual?" Sting asks timidly.

"Sort of, you just–."

Natsu covers Wendy's ears and shoots an outraged glare at Sting.

"Geez, man! She's barely thirteen!"

"Natsu, it's okay." Wendy shouts a little, trying to remove his hands from her ears but to no avail.

"No, it isn't, Wendy! You're too young—!"

"I know what sex is." She shouts a little louder.

"For fu—uhdges sake, Natsu, let go of her!" Laxus demands. "Someone's gonna hear her and call us in as perverts!"

Natsu moves his hands from Wendy's ears to her shoulders, leveling her with a serious stare. "Wendy, why do you know what sex is?"

"Erza and Lucy told me about it."

"What? Why would they do that?!"

"Well, I started my per—."

"Stop!" The Dragon Slayers beg.

Natsu looks at them all like they're crazy. "It's just her period."

"No offense, kid, but it's bad enough I gotta smell it on all the women in the guild, I don't wanna talk about it, too." Gajeel snorts like he's trying to get the scent out of his nose.

"Amen." The others chorus.

"I'm just saying, I know about it." Wendy pouts a little. "I can be an adult if you guys can."

The men all look at each other uncomfortably before looking at Wendy with even more discomfort, and Gajeel finally says, "I should've brought Levy."

"This was a bad idea." Laxus concurs.

"You're all wondering about the dragon mating ritual, right?" Wendy crosses her arms. "Do you want to know what Grandeena said, or not?"

"She told you about mating?" Natsu is flabbergasted.

"Mating isn't just about sex, you know!" Wendy shouts in exasperation.

"Keep it down, Wendy!" Laxus looks around nervously.

"Stop saying that word!" Gajeel says at the same time.

Wendy giggles despite her irritation with the three then uses her finger to cross her heart. "This will be an entirely appropriate discussion for six men to have with a thirteen-year-old girl." She waits until they are all looking at her before saying, "You just get married."

The Dragon Slayers drop their jaws. "That's it?"

"Don't say it like that; it's kind of a big deal," Wendy says.

"Yeah, but…" Gajeel's studded brows furrow as he thinks. "It's so simple."

"That's how everyone does it!" Natsu shouts. "Igneel made it sound like it was some complicated thing!"

"Nope." Wendy chirps. "I guess it doesn't have to be marriage, either, just some sort of ceremony that declares your intentions."

"Wendy," Laxus looks at her. "Did you have this conversation with Lucy?"

"Yeah."

"I gotta go."

"What is she doing way out here?" Laxus mumbles as he follows Lucy's scent into the forest. Even if Wendy had had more to say, he wouldn't have had the patience to focus on it; he must see Lucy or he's going to die, he's sure of it.

"She and Loke are taking Cana to Porlyusica's."

"How do you know that?"

"I can smell it," Natsu says as though he's concerned about Laxus's health. "Cana's bleeding."

"My nose isn't my strong suit."

"Obviously."

Laxus broods at the thought of Cana and Lucy spending time together. He never had a problem with it before, but Cana had never threatened to expose their time as friends-with-benefits before, either. That was something neither of them really wanted going around the guild or beyond, so they had agreed to keep it secret. Actually, Laxus is very pissed that she would hold something like that over him.

As he steps into the clearing in front of Porlyusica's home, he freezes.

"...definitely pregnant."

Though Porlyusica's door and windows are closed, he heard her voice clearly.

Holy shit! It's actually happening this time!

"Cana!" Lucy's voice squeaks. "I'm so happy for you!"

Laxus's heart drops to his stomach.

"Son of a bitch!" He shouts just as Natsu sends a column of flame shooting straight into the sky.

"WA-HOO!"

"Laxus?" Lucy bursts from Porlyusica's door. "Natsu?"

"Watch my hinges, girly!"

Laxus's brain short-circuits as soon as he sees Lucy. He picks her up, pins her against a tree, and kisses her cross-eyed. She doesn't even protest when he cups her ass and starts palming her breast. It isn't until he is doused with water that he comes back to his senses.

"You're worse than your grandfather." Porlyusica says with disgust, hitting him with one more squirt from the spray bottle.

"Damn, Lucy!" Cana whistles.

Loke is looking at his feet, but still can't hide that his face and neck are as red as beets.

Laxus groans and reluctantly pulls away from Lucy and sets her on her feet. He keeps his arm around her shoulders, though, unwilling to relinquish her completely.

"N-no kidding." Lucy manages to respond.

"Cana." Natsu is uncharacteristically calm, though his whole body is shaking with the effort of keeping himself on the ground. "Are you...are we having...a baby?"

She bites her lip, smiles, and nods her head.

Natsu grins wide and starts bouncing on the balls of his feet. "I probably shouldn't spin you around, right?"

"Do it and I'll kill you." Porlyusica promises.

"Cana. Please, can I kiss you? Like, kiss you kiss you, not–."

"Get your ass over here, Natsu."

Natsu is wrapped around her in less than a second, pressing her against Porlyusica's house.

"You let Natsu become a dad before me?" Laxus pouts.

Lucy is stunned for a few moments, then raises her eyebrow at Laxus. "That's a two-way street, ya know."

"I know," Laxus grins wickedly. "We're going to have to stop being so careful when we cross it."

Lucy swallows thickly and barely nods her head.

"You knew about Dragon Slayer mates."

"You knew about Natsu and Cana."

Laxus winces. Lucy laughs.

"Cana told me she blackmailed you. What she forgot is that I already knew you two used to hook up."

"Wha–?! How did she forget that?"

Lucy giggles. "She told me at our "I survived the Thunder Palace" girls-night-in and she was a lot drunker than usual. Being turned to stone made us wanna experience life...ironic that we can't remember those experiences."

"You remember that I slept with Cana."

"Oh, that would be pretty difficult to forget." Lucy laughs. "She said that 'thunder mountain' was a hell of a climb."

"Do you agree?" Laxus asks Lucy seductively, though he is blushing with some embarrassment.

"No." Lucy cruelly lets him hang on that for a moment before finishing with, "You're mindblowing."

Laxus kisses her almost-ferociously, then says, "I hate it when you do that."

"Mmmm, but I love it when you do that. Hey!" Lucy turns on Porlyusica and her spray bottle.

"Don't encourage him."

"Loke, you comin' with us?" Lucy asks Laxus lifts her onto his shoulders.

"Yeah." He nods.

"Peace out, ya old bat." Laxus smirks at Porlyusica before taking off at full speed.

"OLD BAT?!" She screeches.

"A little warning, man!" Loke laughs from a few yards behind. "She almost took my head off!"

They are quickly joined by Natsu, who is carrying Cana on his back. They are laughing hysterically, and the others catch their contagion quickly.

They finally slow down as they near the guild hall.

"Hey, is that Erza and Jellal?" Cana whispers as they near the guild hall. "Quick! Natsu, what are they saying?"

Lucy gasps, then looks down at Cana with wide eyes. "Do you see that?!"

"Lucy...It's really happening!"

The four mages gasp as Erza shakes her head slightly, then watch in confusion as she holds up her hand for Jellal to slide the ring onto it. Their ensuing kiss is like in the old movies: chaste, and awkward, and long.

"BOO!" Cana cups her hands around her mouth. "WHERE'S THE TONGUE?!"

Erza and Jellal are standing before them in a flash, eyes narrowed and arms crossed.

"How dare you interrupt my engagement kiss?" Erza demands.

"Oh, shit." Cana whispers.

"When's the wedding?" Lucy asks excitedly, ignoring the tension.

"Immediately." Erza states. "And Lucy, I wish you to be my maid of honor."

"Matron." Laxus corrects defensively.

"Don't ever call me that again." Lucy threatens.

"You're married, and I don't want anyone thinking otherwise." Laxus crosses his arms over his chest.

"I am not an old lady!"

"This isn't about either of you!" Erza snaps, making Lucy and Laxus jump to attention. "Jellal and I are going to talk to Master Makarov. I expect the guild hall to be reasonably clean and ready for our elopement in half an hour."

"I can do better than that, Erza." Lucy jumps from Laxus's shoulders. "Loke, Code Purple."

Loke grins then disappears.

"In half an hour, you'll have the froo-froo girly wedding you've always wanted, and the whole guild will be there." Lucy gives Erza a huge hug. "I'm so happy for you!"

"Not the whole guild." Laxus points out.

"Who?"

"Gray took a train outta here twenty minutes ago." Natsu says.

Laxus is surprised that Jellal seems almost as deflated as Erza at the news. If Laxus were in Jellal's shoes, he'd be washing his hands of the man.

"Do you want me to go get him?" Jellal offers, again blowing Laxus away.

It's not so far-fetched. Jellal loves Erza and wants her to be happy. You work with Team Natsu to make Lucy happy. It's the natural order.

"No." Erza shakes her head. "I've hurt him enough. It would be cruel to make him attend." After a tense moment, Erza breaks into jumping jacks, making everyone else sweatdrop. When she finishes, she grins at Jellal and says, "Let's go see the Master."

"Uh, Laxus?" Jellal stops Laxus from following the ladies and Natsu through the back door of the guild hall.

"Yeah?"

Jellal is quiet for so long that Laxus almost asks him what his problem is. "Will you be my best man?"

Laxus rubs his hand across his shoulder and grunts. "Why me?"

"Well, I was going to ask Lucy, but my fiancée beat me to her." He only half-jokes. "If not for you, though, I don't know if even Lucy could have gotten through to me."

Laxus chuckles. "She would've found a way."

"Perhaps." Jellal nods. "So?"

"Yeah, man, of course I will."

"Thank you." Jellal smiles and opens the door for Laxus.

A riotous shout hits them in the face and a chant of "Jerza! Jerza!" shakes the building.

Laxus claps Jellal on the back. "Welcome to the family."

El fin

Epilogue to follow