Summary: Meredy buys a painting of Erza….

Pairings: Implied Jellal/Erza, Meredy/Jellal friendship, implied parental Ultear/Meredy, and Reedus/Money.

YouTube Prompt: a Reedus tribute to the song 'The Painter' by I'm from Barcelona. Because Reedus needs some love and this song is so Fairy Tail.

"Happy Birthday, Jellal!"

Jellal took in the large parcel Meredy excitedly presented him. It was most definitely bigger than the bubbly pink-haired girl and she seemed to stagger under its very weight. "It's….erm….a bit big, isn't it?" he asked. "You do realise we'll have to carry it everywhere."

"Yeah I know," Meredy said a little sheepishly before a sudden evil smirk took over. "But I have no doubt that it'll become your most precious item."

Jellal couldn't help but shudder at that. There was something very ominous about how Meredy worded that, almost like a threat to his state of mind.

"Well then," he said hesitatingly, "Thank you."

"Go on!" Meredy virtually threw the present into his arms and now he was the one staggering under its weight. "Open it!" Jellal obeyed instantly as he gently and very neatly began to undo the sellotape binding the brown paper in the corner. "Oh for Christ sake!" Meredy snapped losing all patience. "Just rip it open like a normal human being!"

"But-"

"We're not going to be using it again, trust me," she rolled her eyes at that. Who would have thought the most wanted criminal in all of Fiore was bloody OCD. Seriously if the magic council really wanted to capture Jellal so much they should just leave a massive coffee stain on the council table. He'll sneak it to clean it and that would be that. "Just rip it open!"

Jellal obeyed….though mostly because he was terrified of Meredy. The sweet-natured girl had a deadly temper to her like most sweet girls he knew, Erza, Ultear, Mirajane, and he thinks Lucy might be sweet but he had seen her kick Natsu enough times to make him doubt it….

Point is, he didn't want to infuriate Meredy any further and tore open the parcel at her command.

His eyes widened at the most beautiful sight he had ever seen. "Meredy," he whispered in awe, his cheeks turning a bright red, so red that his tattoo couldn't be seen. "It's beautiful!"

It was a painting of Erza. Much to Meredy's disappointment Reedus did not paint her in racy lingerie like she had asked ("I am not suicidal," had been his dry reply to the request.) but he had made Erza look very sexy, if you ask Meredy. She had a very sultry look about her, and her glorious red hair fell perfectly about her like a waterfall of crimson silk, and although she was wearing a boring set of navy blue camouflage pyjamas, they were low cut enough to look alluring especially against the pearly whiteness of her skin.

Jellal was staring at the painting with such a hungry look, that Meredy couldn't help but giggle. "Shall I leave you two alone?" she teased.

Jellal blushed even more (if that was possible) and quickly looked away from the painting. "Thank you," Jellal smiled sweetly. "I'm very grateful. Believe me, it's the best birthday present I've had in a very long time." Meredy can imagine. She, at least, had memories of Ultear holding little parties, singing her happy birthday, and showering her with presents. Jellal had none of that. Most of his birthdays were spent either in slavery, in possession, or in prison…..boy, no wonder he was so repressed. "Let's get something to eat," he said cheerfully, "I could do with something nice for lunch. How about you?"

"Erm…."

Meredy desperately tried to think of something to distract Jellal but it was too late. He pulled out the money pouch from the rucksack and instantaneously his smile fell off his face. "Meredy…" he said slowly.

"Yes?" Meredy blinked innocently.

"How much did that painting cost, again?"

"Well you see….."

"Meredy!"

(Meanwhile in his art studio Reedus was rolling in gold and enjoying it, immensely.)