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He was more than happy to do that for Topaz, Because even if she didn't know it, she was doing the same thing for him.

/

'Hey August, Topa-," Kazi stopped in mid sentence when he saw the two.

"Oh hi, um…" August stuttered "we were just talking." He assumes that topaz didn't want Kaizi to know this unsettling information either. "She fell asleep." he said obviously.

"Well I just wanted to check on you guys, so when you're ready could you bring her inside with you," Kazi said taking one last look at the two before he stepped back inside.

"We should probably get back in there," August told Topaz, even though she was fast asleep. "We've got a job to do." he moved slowly as not disturb her. Then he picked her up the same was he had as they left the compound, princess style. And carried her to the door. He knew that everyone was staring as he walked into the guild hall, but he could care less. He could see Violet smiling at him from the crowd.

"Is she okay?" Lucy wondered loudly.

"She's just tired." he answered, "long day."

"Then I can take you to the infirmary and we can put her in one of those beds," Wendy said giving him a sweet smile.

August glanced too Kazi for permission. he shrugged, then nodded. "That sounds great," he said with more kindness than he usually had to spare.

"Okay follow me," Wendy said as she lead August away.

He flowed her up some stairs that lead into a hallway, then they took a left into a clean, white room with about 10 beds. August set Topaz down on the first one there, and slid his hands out from under her. Now that they no longer had Topaz to keep them occupied, they fidgeted at his sides.

"You must have had a rough time for her to be this tired," Wendy said," I mean for her to be able to sleep with all the noise."

August tensed, Topaz wasn't a heavy sleeper. On the contrary, she was a light sleeper. The only reason she hadn't woken on the train was because of Kazi. But now… he began to panic. He moved a now shaking hand over Topaz's forehead. It was burning! He didn't know what to do. Tell Violet he thought. She would know what to do. He turned to see big brown eyes staring at him in concern. He was trapped.

"Hey are you alright, i saw you start to shake, is something wrong?" Wendy asked.

"Um…" August's eyes darted behind him, to Topaz. Her face wasn't peaceful anymore. She let out a grown. The strain in her voice almost broke his heart. He glanced back to Wendy, who met his fear filled eyes with her kind, warm ones.

Wendy then shifted her gaze to Topaz and placed her hand on her forehead," She has a high fever, has she gotten enough sleep lately, enough food, too much stress?" Wendy asked August as she got up to get a wet rag.

The last words rang in his ears "too much stress? Too much stress?" he took a breath, and remembered his own advice to Violet earlier that day. Don't lie, just don't tell the whole truth. "Um, stress maybe?" he said "she doesn't like traveling that much…"

"It's alright, I wanted to know what might have caused it, but she's going to be perfectly fine," Wendy said giving August a warm smile," If you want to go downstairs and tell your friends that's fine." Wendy turned back to her work.

August watched as Wendy wiped Topaz's brow with the rag. The last thing he wanted to do was leave her, but the others would be worrying. Wendy was kind, and gentle. That much he knew. So with the last of his strength he tore his eyes from topaz and returned to the main hall..

"Hey August, we thought you would never come back down," Kazi said smiling, but his smile fell as he saw the Anguish in August's face," What happened?" he demanded.

"Something's wrong with Topaz" he said quietly, looking at the floor.

"What! She was perfectly fine this morning." Kazi said as he raced upstairs to find his sister.

"Are you okay?" violet asked, as August watched Kazi go.

"You aren't worried about Topaz?" he said.

"If it were that bad you would still be up there." said violet. "I'm worried about you."

"i 'm fine," august said, only realizing it was a lie after he said it. But it didn't matter, Topaz was less fine, and it was his fault. He went back up the now familiar path to the infirmary, only vaguely aware that Violet was flowing.

When he entered Kazi had a chair pulled up and was holding Topaz's hand. Wendy was bending over her, her hands appeared to be glowing but they soon faded and she pulled them to her sides," Topaz is going to be okay she just needs rest she should be up and around in two or three days, so I'll give you guys some space and head back downstairs if anything happens please tell me." She smiled and walked out of the room her footsteps echoing through the halls until it was quiet..

They sat in silence for a few minutes, only broken by Topaz's heavy, uneven breaths.

August took a long breath. He looked at Topaz, her face still twisted and hot. "I have something to tell you guys." August said, sounding a lot more confident than he felt. "When Topaz and i were outside, we were talking, and she started crying." he didn't have to explain why this troubled him so, but he did anyway, "and i know that back at the academy, we were always thaught that crying was weak, and that love was even worse." he stopped to collect his thoughts, "but her tears weren't weak. They were strong. Because tears are a sign of strength, the weaker you are, the stronger you can become." as the words left his mouth he realized that they left something else in his mouth. Truth. "But i'm scared. Because the same goes for love. But love's opposite is hate. And i feel so much hate for anyone and anything that hurts Topaz I can't even breath." he paused, realizing what he was really saying "and i can do that be cause i love her." warm tears spilled out of long dry eyes. "I love her." he repeated he forced all of his strength into those words. "I love her."

"Finally said it," Kazi said smiling back at August,"At least I can rely on you to help me keep her safe.".

August was shocked "you knew?"

"Of course we did dummy!" Violet laughed, "the only one that found out you love Topaz tonight, was you"

"You just had to realize, and then say it," Kazi said laughing along with Violet.

August blushed. There was a knock on the door.

"Hey guys," Gajeel came walking in with a smirk on his face with Natsu right behind him.

August turned his back and began frantically trying to wipe his eyes and face free of tears. Crying in front of friends was one thing, but targets? Out of the question.

"Whatchya doin',August?" wondered Natsu smugly.

"Nothing," he answered, turning to reveal his still puffy eyes.

"You sure cause your eyes look real puffy, and your nose is red." Gajeel said his smirk turning into a wide grin.

"Allergies?" Attempted August in a last-ditch effort.

"Cut the crap kid," Gajeel said tapping his finger to his ear," We heard everything."

"Typical," August said, sure why not the whole guild know. Then his eyes widened, and he glanced at Topaz, "that super hearing stuff doesn't work if you are sleeping right?"

"No," Gajeel said holding back a laugh," But the rest of the slayers downstairs heard."

August cringed. He noticed that Natsu had been awfully quiet. As if on cue, he asked "what's the academy?" August's stomach clenched.

"It's the school where we all went to before we came here, regular educational stuff and they taught us martial arts.' Kazi said, as a quick comeback to take the spotlight off August," was a real tough place." Kazi said winking at August.

"Oh" said Natsu "sorry i didn't mean too.."

"It's fine," violet said "we're here now!" she let a small smile show, and August knew that she wasn't pretending.

"Well I'm going downstairs to get a drink, I'll be just a minute." Kazi said walking past Gajeel and Natsu, and out the door.

"Why are you smirking like that?" asked August

"Which one of us are you talking to?" asked Natsu.

"Both of you," said August, "it's freaking me out."

"We're smirking 'cause we can, if you don't like it then don't look." Gajeel said.

Violet was trying not to laugh. Everyone had been so on edge lately, even August's confession was grim, but these members of fairy tail knew how to keep things light. She couldn't help but wonder if it was because, like herself, it was all they could do to fight the darkness. She laughed again, harder this time. August stared art her, almost horrified. That made her laugh even harder.

Kazi entered the room with a milkshake, and was shocked to see Violet laughing, but it made a smile appear on his face," What did I miss?"

Violet continued to laugh, she just couldn't help it.

"What he said wasn't even that funny," Natsu said

"But what did he say!" Kazi yelled the smile growing bigger as he watched Violet laugh since he hadn't seen her laugh like that in a long time," I think you broke her," he started to laugh as well.

"I don't remember what he said" Violet said between giggles, then continued her hysterical fit.

"All I did was say that he shouldn't look at us smirking if he doesn't like it," Gajeel pointed an accusing finger at August," it wasn't that special."

"Of course it wasn't special," Natsu taunted "it came out of your mouth after all,"

"Oh you wanna get beat up Salamander!"Gajeel shouted," Bring it on I'll beat you into the ground!" Gajeel turned to Natsu.

"I'll be the one doing the beating," Natsu said, setting his hand ablaze.

"Oh so that's how you wanna play it!" Gajeel yelled his fists turning to iron.

"What are you two doing!" a scarlet haired woman yelled walking into the room," this is an infirmary and as you can see someone is sick! so be quiet and don't start a fight!" she yelled sending death glares at the two.

"We were just showing them some magic, Erza," said Natsu..

"Fine, you better not be starting fights in this room, if you're going to fight go outside." She said still glaring at the two.

Violet pointed at Erza and continued laughing. August was almost positive she had cracked.

"What's so funny." Erza said glancing over to Violet while crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"I don't think she knows." Said August with a shrug.

Erza walked over and stood before August and Violet," What are you not telling me." she said.

Violet stopped laughing immediately. "What do you mean not telling you?" she knew that Erza Scarlet, the Titania was one of the strongest people there, if anyone was on to them it would be her.

"You are laughing and I don't understand why," Erza said and she pointed at August,' he also said i don't know, but i want to know what you mean." Erza bluntly stated.

"Oh that," violet said, "i don't know, Guess I just haven't laughed in a long time and it just all had to come out" only as she said it did she realise that was exactly what happened. She knew she wasn't like the others. Her magic was all about emotion and Conveying through her voice, so she had to have a lot of feelings, but it didn't mean she understood, where they came from. Much less how to make the ones she didn't want go away. She always felt like she was drowning, and all she could do was wait for someone to come along that both had the ability too, and the willingness to pull her out. She knew if she told the others this they would help her without missing a beat. But she knew that they wouldn't be able to. The only way for someone that can't swim to save someone from drowning is to switch places with them. She wouldn't wish this on her worst enemy, much less her comrades. The only was she could get out was to find someone that was strong enough to come get her, and make the return trip.

And for some reason she felt that the members of this wonderful guild could do that. But she didn't expect them to. No one in there right mind would risk their own skin for a stranger. And Violet was even less than that. She was going to be the end of fairy tail. She didn't deserve to laugh at their jokes. Much less expect them to save her.

"Hey Violet are you okay?" Kazi asked poking her lightly in the shoulder.

"Hum?" Violet mumbled, realizing she had zoned out, "oh, right. I'm fine."

" good," Kazi said," As much as I don't want to leave her i think we should go downstairs and let her rest." Kazi looked around at the others waiting for an answer.

August glanced at Topaz. Whatever that Wendy girl did it must have helped. They were in good hands here. "Okay," he answered calmly. "Let's go."

"We also need to find a place to stay." Kazi said glancing back at the others as he walked out into the hallway.

"I bet you could find a nice place at Fairy Hills," Erza suggested.

"Fairy Hills?" asked Violet. "Where's that."

"It's next to the guild hall," Erza said.

"That sounds nice we wouldn't have to walk very far." Kazi said giving off a surprisingly warm smile.

"How's the rent for a two bedroom?" wondered August.

"The rent is 100,000 Jewel a month for one room." Erza answered.

"That's doable!" said Violet. "Between the four of us that's…" she looked to Kazi.

"Then each one of us would have to pay 25,000 Jewel a month if we split it equally." Kazi said," Do we each at least have that much for the first month?"

"Yep!" said August. "But we will need some more if we want to eat…"

"Then take a job." Erza said as if it was as clear as day.

"A what?" Kazi asked confused.

"Jobs are like…" Natsu scratched his head. "You do a job and get money."

"Wow that really clears it up," August said sarcastically.

"What kind of jobs?" asked Violet.

"For example you could go defeat a monster or groups of them," Erza said," it all varies, you can go look at the request board downstairs."

"That sounds good to me." said violet. It sounded like fairy tail's jobs were similar to mission, although she assumed there was less killing in guild.

"Come on guys let's go hurry it up," Kazi said as he waited for them at the bottom of the stairs.

"Coming!" called August, clumping down the stairs, into the main room of the fairy tail guild hall. He may not be there because he wanted to be a part of this family, but he was anyway. Even though it was only for a few days, he had something he didn't even know he was missing. A home.