Fairy x Adventure

by Magnafeana

In a new era after the Alvarez War, Lucy, Natsu, and the rest of Fairy Tail not only face new challenges but watch as their kids go on new journeys, learn new powers, and battle new enemies and old! Join Luna, Nashi, and the upcoming generation of Mages on Fairy Tail and more on their never-ending adventure!

112. Adventure 112

Disclaimer: I do not own Hiro Mashima's Fairy Tail, any work professionally associated with it, nor any pop culture or classical references. All original plots and characters are mine.

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In a land far, far away lies the kingdom of Fiore, a small, peaceful nation of 17 million, and a place filled with Magic found in every home, bought and sold in every marketplace. For most, Magic is merely a tool, a mundane part of everyday life. For some, however, Magic is an art, and they've devoted their lives to its practice. These are the wizards. Banded together into magical guilds, they ply their skills in search of fame and fortune. Many such guilds dot the landscape of Fiore. But there is a certain guild in a certain town that soars high above the rest, one from which countless legends have been born. A guild that will no doubt continue to create legends well into the future. Its name...is Fairy Tail.

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LAST TIME, on Fairy Adventure: spring break started with a bang! Our heroes geared up to head over the island of Caracole for fun in the sun and fun with their special someone's. Meanwhile, Jasmine, Pacer, and Pearson's venture back to Fiore doesn't get off to a great start when Jasmine collapses. Thanks to Tesla ogling her goodies, she got the motley crew invited to a beach rave that had Ellie and Ines getting dirty in the sand. While Pearson struggles to control his temper not being able to see Jasmine, Pacer finds out the truth from Lance and Aurinia—the unborn twins are powerful God Slayers and Aurinia is a Custodian for the Gods. Nashi and Gary's walk on the beach has them on better terms about their future and the children they build into it. Communication for the win!

"Angel, don't you understand it yet? We're already in the future. And from how I see it? The view is perfect."

Gary truly knows how to tug on your heartstrings. Is anyone else afraid of Mama Bear Lisanna or is that just me?

---

Chibi-Nashi appears with a grin and a wave. "Hi, everyone! Ready for more Fairy Adventure? To keep your eyes safe, make sure you read with at least one light on in a low setting! Here is an update time zone table!"

Abbreviations – Time Zone Name • — • — •— • — Location • — Offset

MCDT • — • — Melandian Central Daylight Time – Melandia • — • UTC +7

CST • — • — • – Cipangu Standard Time • — • — • — Cipangu • — • – UTC +5

SST • — • — • – Sīchóu Standard Time • — • — • — Zhōnguá • — • – UTC +3

CIT • — • — • – Central Ishgaran Time • — • — • — Bellum • — • – UTC +2

CMT • — • — • – Charring Mean Time • — • — • — Minstrel • — • – UTC +1

FST • — • – Fiore Standard Time • — • — • — • Fiore • — • — • – UTC - 0:00

ACT • — • — Arcticados Central Time • — • — • – Arcticados • — • — UTC – 1

CAST • — • — • — • — Caracole-Alicanto Standard Time – Fiore • — • UTC – 1

ADT • — • — • – Alvarez Daylight Time • — • — • – Alvarez • — • — UTC - 2

AT • — • — • – Amazone Time • — • — • — • — • — Valchestria • — UTC - 4

EST • — • — • – Eastern Standard Time • — • — • – Meidiland • — • UTC - 6

She winks. "And see you at the end of the episode!"

---

This morning had a sleepy start now that the weekend had settled in. Saturdays, for some wards, meant more visitations and less onboarding. The administrative offices had minimal Saturday hours that would be normally between brunch and lunch. The mornings looked light enough with most preferring to save conversation with their peers until a later time. The mood disorder unit was up and about with morning chair yoga. A moonlighting resident was plum tuckered out, but he did not mind bringing his fiancé girlfriend into work. An under-observation patient looked bummed her father chose his carton of cigarettes was more important than supporting her. A very odd case ended up in triage where the young woman was embarrassed, but the nurse had seen it all at this point.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

Fetal Care Center – Inpatient Ward

Crocus Clinic Main Campus

Crocus

Fiore, Ishgar

8:04 AM FST

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

TATATATATATATATA!

A coordinator scowled when a blur passed and scolded, "Sir? Please no running in our unit!"

TATATATATATATATA!

M-five-thirty-four… M-five-thirty-four… M-five-thirty-four…

He skidded to a stop when he found the room number.

M354

He braced himself and knocked thrice on the door before saying, "It's Pearson."

A pause.

"Come in."

Pearson tried not to be too aggressive as he opened the door, and he honed his stare onto Jasmine. While Sharon was absent, Maddox was there with new clothes and worked from the clinical recliner. Pillows propped Jasmine up and her tray was latched onto the railing over her bed for her breakfast. Even so, without her make-up on, it was apparent she had been drained for several days and could use a fortnight of rest.

Jasmine hummed. "Pearson…" She tried for a feeble smile. "Hey."

Pearson softened as he came to her bedside. "Hey, Jazz." He nodded to Maddox. "Morning, Maddox."

"Morning." Maddox explained, "Miss Sharon went home to shower and change, and she'll be bringing back breakfast."

Jasmine lightly chuckled, but the way her face scrunched, that laugh cost her dearly. "I told her I'm not that hungry."

Maddox smiled. "Well, you know your aunt. When she's determined, she won't take 'no' for an answer." His eyes met Pearson to convey while his tease to Jasmine had been lighthearted, he was clearly worried.

Pearson took the seat on Jasmine's other side and tried to keep a light expression. "Didn't want to sleep any longer?" He stroked her cheek. "You should."

"No, I'm fine," Jasmine assured. "I want to be awake to meet the Apothecary." She rubbed her bulging stomach and looked at it in such fondness. "Hopefully, I can be discharged after meeting her."

Pearson and Maddox locked eyes and it felt like some secret promise not to break the news her discharge so soon might not be as probable as she wanted.

Pearson instead asked, "How'd everything go last night?"

Jasmine's eyes fell, and Maddox answered, "Everything went okay. They've been monitoring Jasmine's heartbeat and decided to do IV Ether instead of pills." He shifted. "Early this morning, the doctor came in and let us know the Apothecary would be here this afternoon."

"The doctor?" Pearson kept himself calm and collected. "What were they like?" Pale reds jumped to Jasmine's stomach. I know it's stupid. I read up about preemie babies, and I doubted anyone would pull anything when she's less than twenty-four weeks, but still… Aurinia's words…

"He's a nice guy," Maddox said with a shrug and his tail reached for his coffee. "He's been pretty insightful about the entire thing. Let us know that there could be a good possibility Jasmine starts drip IV therapy to assist her Ether intake, but the Apothecary will ultimately make the order." He took a few sips of his coffee.

"I see." Pearson cleared his throat. "Is he coming back this morning?"

Maddox shook his head. "No. The Apothecary and the other floor doctor will be arriving in time for the shift change."

So I missed him. Pearson clenched his hands into fists. I can't sense any lingering Curses or Black Magic in the room or the floor. Jasmine's soul and the twins' are all here and untouched. So what the Hell did he do last night to her? And Aurinia's words…

• — • — •

"What do you mean 'they're in grave danger'?"

The focus was in the basement guest room with sparse decorations and the LV was on a late-night show to pass the time for white noise. Pearson demanded into his Compact, "Aurinia, what the Hell are you—?"

"I don't have too much time to explain," Aurinia cut in. "But you need to get to Jasmine and her twins as soon as possible and make sure you can stay with her until the Apothecary comes, Pearson."

Pearson huffed. "Aurinia, I am quickly losing my patience. And that's pretty hard for me to do."

"I'm sorry." Aurinia slightly sounded like she meant it. "I know this isn't easy. I'll explain what I can to you later—and Lance. He deserves an explanation too. I don't care that you lost your trust in me, but what matters right now is that you stay with Jasmine at all costs."

Pearson snorted. "She doesn't want that."

"She doesn't want Pacer," Aurinia corrected. "But she'll let you stay. And you have the power to protect her."

"From what?" Pearson snarled. "What am I protecting her from? No one should know her twins are God Slayers, correct?" The silence birthed agitated him and terrified him. "No one should know about them, right?"

Aurinia spoke low and solemn, "What you need to understand about Custodians, Pearson, is that… Not all the ones remaining have stuck to the job our deities gave us. Even I was bent on turning my back on my purpose, but meeting Lance and feeling Baracles' warning gave me a push. But some Custodians are still bitter about our deities' abandoning us."

This made Pearson's stomach churn. "What are you saying, Aurinia?"

"I'm saying Jasmine is very vulnerable right now being in crowded areas," Aurinia told him. "You don't understand what lengths some ex-Custodians will go to to punish our deities for abandoning us. Just like me, they know when another Chosen of the Gods is about to be born. And they have the connections it'll take to make sure those children aren't born."

• — • — •

It makes sense other Custodians would be out in the world, Pearson thought, jaw taut. It'd be stupid to think Aurinia is the only one. And based on her and Lance's explanation, either those Custodians are being protected by the Archaeology Society or they're off-the-grid. And it's also no secret how bitter people are the gods abandoned them.

He thought about it more. On one extremism, a God Slayer could be coveted. If a Custodian obsessed with their faith found out the twins were God Slayers, they might be crazy enough to kidnap Jasmine and wait for her to give birth. That happened to Misses Dragneel, didn't it? And yet, on the other end of the spectrum, someone with a vendetta on the gods' abandonment might kill the twins as a big 'fuck you'.

He gritted his teeth. Which means we need to be more careful than ever. High-profile Mages seldom use hospitals because of those types of extremes. And with the twins being God Slayers, Jasmine can't keep coming to the hospital. We have to find her a private Healer in the US, maybe a Wiccan or an Apothecary. But they aren't cheap—

"Pearson?"

His attention jumped to Jasmine, and he noticed Maddox had left the room. He softened, leaning forward. "What is it, Jazz?"

"Where's…?" Jasmine licked her cracked lips. "Where's, um…Pacer?" She fiddled with the bracelets on her wrist. "Auntie Share said things looked tense yesterday."

Pearson's lips twitched. "He was breathing fire," he admitted, "but he's in the Greenheart Alps with the rest of our family." He hesitated, but when Jasmine's expression faltered, he murmured, "He wanted to come with me to see you this morning, but I thought it'd be better if I came alone. I know…you two haven't been getting along these past two weeks."

Jasmine heaved a sigh, closing her eyes. "I'm sorry you're in the middle."

"I've been in the middle since I found out you were pregnant." Pearson held Jasmine's frail hand when she flinched. "Jazz, don't sweat it. Pacer's prone to being hotheaded and impulsive. It's his thing. I know how to handle it. You worry about getting better."

"You shouldn't be in the middle," Jasmine whispered. "Not for this. You didn't sign up for this. Neither of you signed up for this."

"But we have," Pearson told her.

Jasmine refused to believe it. "A one-night stand doesn't consent fatherhood or being family or whatever, Pearson—"

"And that's a good philosophy to have," Pearson gave to her. "Because you're right. A one-night stand means jackshit about parenthood." Pale reds softened. "But Pace and I chose to be here. And I told you when I met you at your aunt's house. I love my brother. But I grew up with him. Right or wrong, I always stuck by him. And right or wrong, I'll stick by you too."

"But—"

"I can handle Pacer being a jealous fuck," Pearson promised her. "So don't even worry about it."

Jasmine pursed her lips. "What does he have to be jealous about?"

"Jasmine."

She sighed and looked at her pregnant stomach. "He doesn't have the right to be jealous. We're co-parenting, Pearson. That's our relationship."

"To me, you had a deeper relationship on Parent's Day with that kiss I walked into." When Jasmine fell into obvious discomfort, Pearson softened the blow. "It's not my place to give you advice on whatever relationship you have with him, Jazz."

"I heard your parents were here," mumbled Jasmine.

Pearson sighed. "And my parents understand your position. No one is going to force you into our family, and no one is forcing themselves to be around you and the twins." When Jasmine's gaze shifted, he quietly pressed, "Is that what you've been thinking? Why you've been distant?"

Jasmine did not answer.

From what Miss Sharon filled me in on, Jasmine never had a close relationship with her parents. Even Jasmine told me her mother didn't connect with her with postpartum and everything. I'm not sure about her dad though. Pearson saddened. I can't imagine not being close to my parents. But it's not my place to interfere with her life.

"We're here for you, Jazz," Pearson soothed. "Right or wrong, all right? So get some rest."

Jasmine heeded his words and closed her eyes. But she whispered, "Thank you."

"No problem." Pearson could see when Jasmine's body succumbed to the sleep it so desperately needed. Maybe the Apothecary or Granny Porlyusica or Miss Wendy will have some insight on Healers in the US we can trust. Jasmine is going to need all the support she can get. He cupped her limp hand with both of his and chanted, "Healing Wavelength!"

He could feel pulsations from his soul wash down her body until he felt the cracks and weak spots of Jasmine's soul. He repeated his pulsations over and over to soften the crackers and strengthen her soul.

I can't do much for her, but I can do this. I've been healing her when she's asleep, but the twins are draining her faster than I can heal her. However—he focused harder as a green aura outlined him and Jasmine's body hummed with a vibrant pink aura—I can still try. I won't give up. She's family. Right or wrong, I'll do everything I can for her.

Perhaps it was just him, but for a moment, as he touched Jasmine's battered soul and bathed it in soothing wavelengths, he briefly felt two pulsations rub him.

And he felt their childish curiosity.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

•

kazoekire nai hodo no omoi wo

itsu made mo okuri tsuzuke te kun da zutto zutto sen mo

•

kurikaeshi gokoro ni chikau yo

te wo nigiri zutto soba ni iru n da soshite kesshite hanasa nai yo

•

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Sunrise had come and gone with blue skies painted and thin clouds wandering the skies. Even this early in the morning, the beach was slowly filling up as runners and yoga enthusiasts came out onto the sand. The market filled up their stands with natives getting a head start on their purchases. It would be a minute until the markets filled with tourists.

HISSSSSS….

Case de Gary (as Tesla called it, and now the name stuck) was slowly gearing into life. While they had an itinerary to follow with group activities, couple activities, and other paired and solo activities, that did not start until Monday and Saturday and Sunday were the adjustment period to rest and relax. The kitchen swirled with breakfast aromas of the works—eggs, bacon, pancakes, toast, muffins—you name it. Rotation was up for meals, and Jaxton and Tesla were the ones to cater this morning.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

•

Casa de Gary

Caracole Island

Fiore, Ishgar

9:13 AM CAST

•

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Nashi yawned as she leaned on Ellie's shoulder at the island. "Mmm, why are we awake again?"

"The sky's awake, so you're awake," Ellie laughed as she fiddled with her tablet. "How are you still tired?" Her grin turned teasing when Nashi flushed. "Maybe I should thank Gary personally for making the rooms soundproof."

"Don't you dare," Nashi muttered. "How are you already dressed for the day?"

Ellie had decided on some faded high-rise mom shorts and a cute and collared crop top that said DO LESS GOD BLESS. "Because Ines got up to go for a run with all you monstres, so I decided to shower and look at stuff for the Lagelands."

"Um, excuse me!" Tesla shot Ellie a playful glare. "I didn't go for a run with all them. You should've visited me."

"I wanted to, but I think you were outside on the Compact."

Tesla remembered. "Shit, I was. Sorry."

"It's fine." Ellie asked, curious, "You were pretty happy with the call. Was that Dante and Carlisle?"

Tesla beamed. "Mmm-hmm! They have some traveling to do to reach Dante's teacher, but they touched down." She took off the scrambled eggs to set them on a burner pad and decided to get a start on the eggs-over-medium.

Nashi cuddled into Ellie's arm and asked Tesla, "How are they?"

"They're fine." Tesla smiled when Jaxton passed her with a graze to her hip and a ghost of a kiss to her nape. "Carlisle's freaking out a little about meeting someone so important to Dante." She gave a one-shouldered shrug. "Now that they officially adopted the cat, they decided to take it with them, and Carlisle was in a whole damn mood about that."

"Tell me about it," Nashi grumbled. "I'm in a whole mood since my Celestial Spirit is about to come back to me smelling like day-old crotch." She shivered. "Tesla, please stop picking him up. You don't know where he's been."

Tesla pouted as she cracked eggs over the skillet. "But he's so precious when he's in his Mallow Coon form," she whined. "And his purr is so cute and he's so soft when he rubs against me—!"

"He just does that to get a sick free pass rubbing against your boobs," Nashi huffed. "Don't give him that sort of satisfaction. You don't understand what Hell I had to endure when he learned about 'furries'."

Tesla grinned. "Cute, but I'm not one. And besides, I have my own raging beast to play with." She shot her boyfriend an inviting once-over. "Right, Jang-ta?"

Jaxton's smirk made Nashi and Ellie giggle.

Ines sprung into the room referred for the day with her crocheted halter top and some midi shorts. She saw Nashi cuddling with Ellie and drawled, "Daisy, you didn't warn me we're a throuple now." She came over to kiss Ellie's cheek then she kissed Nashi's. "Morning, girlfriend number two."

Nashi feigned outrage. "You ranked me number two?"

Ines winked. "Sorry." She wrapped herself around Ellie's back. "She's been here longer." She rested her chin on Ellie's shoulder while Ellie and Nashi laughed. "You should've come on the run with us. This place is beautiful."

"Désolée," Ellie said as she raised a hand to thumb Ines' own. "But I know we'll have a lot more time to explore. I'm just not a runner like the rest of you." She could not help her shy smile when Ines kissed the side of her head. "What's the plan for today?"

"A good one!" Justin bounced into the room in a tank top and some retro mesh short shorts. "Well, at least for some of us." He put his hands on Nashi's shoulders. "Remember what we registered for this weekend?"

Nashi blanked, so Tesla filled her in, "We registered for the beach volleyball tournament, remember? Since the prize is absolutely sickening."

"We get passes to an exclusive hot spring!" Justin elaborated, excited. "Today's the men's tournament and then tomorrow is the women's tourney, 'member?"

"Right…" Nashi recalled.

"And you're on my team," Tesla trilled. She playfully narrowed her eyes and pointed her spatula at Ines and Ellie. "And we're totally kicking ya'll's ass, thank you very much."

Ines offered her a sultry smirk. "I mean I'm not complaining if you're the one doing it." She broke into a chortle when Ellie gave a dramatic huff and Tesla winked.

Justin delicately sank into the stool next to Nashi. "Listen. I expect all four of you to be cheering for your favorite gay in nice, tight bikinis to distract the opposition."

"In," Tesla easily caved.

Nashi muttered, "Out."

"No…!" Justin lightly shook her. "What happened to being a good friend and doing me a solid?"

"My 'solid' is cheering for you period," Nashi said flatly. "I'm keeping it clean. But I'll happily support you if you want to be out there in a tight bathing suit."

Justin shrugged like such an ask was nothing to him (and it was not). "Done."

Ellie sniggered. "So today we have to deal with Tesla shaking it to get us a win and tomorrow, it'll be JJ. What could go wrong?"

"Many things." Gary came into the kitchen shirtless with only his shorts and cross necklace. "You better be careful, Tesla. You could breathe in Jang-ta's direction and he'll start panting." He darted to hide behind Nashi when Jaxton socked him an ugly glare. "Well, it's true!" he protested. "And you're on my team which means you can't be seduced!"

"Shut the fuck up with your whining," Jaxton grunted. "I'm not going to be seduced."

Tesla took that as a personal challenge and put the burners on their lowest setting and purred, "Oh, really?" She sidled up to Jaxton to play with the waistband of his shorts. "So if I told you I'm horny—" She laughed when Jaxton abandoned his duties to wrap his arms around her waist. "You're proving Gary right."

"I can control myself," Jaxton rumbled. "But I suggest you don't play with fire, baby girl."

Gary muttered to Nashi, "He's going to make us lose all because he can't keep it in his pants. How immature—"

SHING!

Gary ducked in time, wide-eyed, and saw a knife stuck in the wall behind him. "You could've killed me!"

"You moved fast enough; stop whining," Jaxton droned, bored.

Gary deflated. "You just try to kill me like it's second nature to you. I feel so betrayed."

Nashi snickered and rubbed his shoulder. "What time does the competition start again so we can have breakfast and get moving?" Her smile widened when Gary kissed her cheek.

Ace jogged in, still sweaty from his workout. "Competition starts at noon, but since we registered, we need to be there by eleven-thirty to make it for the opening ceremony and rules," he explained. He pecked Justin's lips. "Which reminds me." He looked down at his boyfriend. "Did we tell you the good news?"

Justin frowned. "What 'news'?"

"I was trying not to say anything," Tesla said sheepishly. "We sort of switched arrangements since Jang-ta can't play nice with Gary near him as you can see." She held up a hand when Jaxton looked ready to dispute that. "So Ace will be handling him, and you and Gary are doing doubles together." She weakly cheered, "Yay…"

Justin's frown deepened into a scowl. "What?" He shot Ace an accusing look. "Ace—"

Ellie clapped her hands. "Allez, JJ, this'll be fun, right? And Gary will be a wonderful partner!"

"Y-Yeah!" Gary smiled, sunny. "We'll win for sure, Justin!"

"Right," Justin muttered, resting his cheek on a propped fist. "Sure, yeah, it'll be fun."

Gary's smile faltered, Ellie's expression fell, and Nashi sighed, JJ…

"Breakfast is ready," Jaxton grunted. "Eat. Now."

Tesla tittered. "What the grumpy man is saying that we are gods and are blessing you with the fruits of our labor. Please grab a plate and enjoyed all the hard work we slaved over."

Ines laughed. "Yes, ma'am."

Nashi hung back with Gary as everyone got up to retrieve plates and glasses. She murmured to him, ashamed, "I'm sorry about JJ. He's just—"

"No, Angel, it's fine. I understand." Gary managed a weak smile. "Don't worry about me."

Nashi frowned. "I can talk to—"

"No." Gary swiftly shook his head. "That would make it worse." He watched Justin and how turned away from Ace, miffed with his boyfriend, and Ace was none-too-surprised about Justin's attitude. "Angel told me not to intervene with her relationship with Sparkles."

"This is different—"

"It's not," Gary softly told her. "I know Angel wants this to go away, but Justin and I have to work this out ourselves." He chuckled when Nashi looked ready to protest and kissed her nose. "Don't be too worried, Angel. Everything will be fine."

He doesn't trust me. Not that I can blame him. I can't feel hatred, but he's strongly against me. Sparkles was afraid Angel only wanted me for sex. Justin is thinking the same of me. I have nothing to prove to him, in all honesty. But Angel thinks of Justin as family, and I know she trusts him. And I still consider him a friend outside of Fairy Tail. So…

Nashi sweatdropped as a fired-up Gary honed on slightly disturbed Justin with gleaming eyes. I'll give everything I've got to win him over!

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Fairy Adventure 112

•

FLY HIGH!

•

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

The Greenheart Alps was swollen with vacationers and spring-breakers. Most who owned those homes were placed once tourist and vacation season struck up from April and proceeded ambitiously into August because their rentals saw more and more bookings, which meant more money in their pockets. Friday had been a horrible day to drive up to the alps midday, considering everyone non-native to the alps was trying to find their vacation home and haul their luggage.

The enlarged cabin home for the Strauss-Dreyar family was slow with life since plans consisted of going down to the commercial district of Greenheart and some other leisure activities for the family to do. The week in itself was packed with fun activities, but this weekend would help adjust to time zone differences.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

•

Strauss-Dreyar Cabin

Greenheart Alps

Fiore, Ishgar

10:45 AM FST

•

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Pacer had gotten up, but that did not mean he wanted to face the rest of his family. He brooded on the wrap-around porch in some shorts and an open button-down and rocked one of the wooden rocking chairs. His thumb slid around the screen of his Compact, ignoring group chats and other notifications in the hopes of someone else contacting him.

Pearson said he went to visit Slugger, and he'd tell me if she wanted me to come. Pale reds darkened. It's been two hours. Does she really not want me there? Or… His heart hardened as he remembered how close Jasmine and Pearson looked.

One of the side doors opened. "Not coming in?"

Pacer looked to see his aunt Mira had swept out to the porch, but he could not muster a smile. "No." He looked back at his Compact. "I'm not in the mood to get my ass handed to me again."

Mira sighed and took her place on the second rocking chair. "No one is angry with you, Pacer," she clarified.

Pacer snorted. "Yeah. Right. The way Mom was looking at me—"

"None of us expected you to come home and have children on the way," Mira gently reminded. "But your parents aren't angry with you. They might be disappointed, but they aren't angry with you." She shifted in her seat and noted the way Pacer stared at his Compact. "Pearson hasn't gotten back to you?"

"No." Pacer raked a hand through his mohawk. "He's taking his sweet time."

Mira heard the edge in Pacer's tone. "The way it was explained, Pearson knew about Jasmine's pregnancy before you." She saw Pacer tense. "Does that bother you?"

"No."

Mira raised an eyebrow.

"It pisses me off," Pacer admitted, agitated and reluctant. "We got into a fight about it, but I get it. She wasn't too sure about me since my reputation didn't help, but at least she had someone to support her. But I…" He roughly adjusted in his seat. "I don't know. I thought we were getting somewhere and then she just—!" He shook his head. "Never mind."

Mira tipped her head. "Pacer."

He huffed, wanting to get worked up, but anger was too much of a mental strain and the exhaustion settled in. "We had a date," he admitted. "It wasn't really a date or anything, but it felt like one. She wanted to talk about split custody, but it… It felt…right talking to her, y'know? I'd been supportive and learning about her and I just… I thought we were going somewhere." He touched his lips.

Mira softened. "I see. So what changed?"

Pacer's expression shuddered into frustration. "I don't know," he growled. "We went out on Parent's Day, and it was…amazing." His eyes sparkled at the memories. "We went shopping for the nursery." His lips twitched into an affectionate smile, faint and wistful. "She was still exhausted, but we were shopping together and she didn't mind it when I'd have us take breaks. It was fun."

"Shopping for the nursery is always fun," Mira agreed. "What happened next?"

"She was tired, so we went back to her place to cook dinner. It was nice, and we talked about…" Pacer shifted. "We talked about having the nursery at her place, and if I wanted to…I could stay there in her other bedroom."

Mira looked delighted at the news, but she kept herself reserved. "But I take it that sort of arrangement isn't happening now, then."

Pacer grunted. "No." He clutched the wooden arms of the rocking chair. "She just… She shut me out. It didn't matter what I said or did. All I got was another damn wall from her." All because of that one fucking Com call. And I still don't know what it was about.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

•

Two weeks ago…

•

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Jasmine's apartment had shifted, but it was not in a negative way. Her belongings remained, of course, it was her home, after all. But it was the little things that settled in with her. Some of Pacer's shoes—just slides and regular shoes—had made the journey over and little snacks he feasted on. Gifts from neighbors and coworkers excited for Jasmine's twins had been popping in day-in and day-out, from cute blankets and parent books.

Pacer looked casual—thanks to their outing—and he took over the kitchen. The sauce for the shrimp, green onions, and mushrooms was coming along. The noodles were finished and marinating in the sauce. The shrimp and mushrooms were sauteed and Pacer made short work of combing them into the noodles and sauce.

"Mmm… Smells heavenly."

"Oh, yeah?" Pacer grinned as he continued to work the pan, bathing the shrimp, green onions, and mushrooms in the creamy sauce. "Glad you approve, attorney." He decided to let the food simmer and went to the refrigerator.

Jasmine snorted as she crept to the little bar with her hair up in high twin tails and gone were her casual clothes for some comfy maternity ones. "Smartass." She blinked, surprised when Pacer came over and poured her one of the prepared smoothies stocked in the fridge. "Thank you."

"Sure."

Jasmine watched him with a keen eye as he turned away to return to the food. "You know, you'd make a very nice house spouse."

"Seriously?" Pacer threw her an arched eyebrow and an incredulous grin. "Not too many 'house husbands' have sleeves of tattoos, Slugger."

Jasmine shrugged. "Just sayin'. You cook. You clean. You can even do laundry and you know to wash the sheets every week." She stole a gulp of her smoothie. "Where the Hell has this version of you been?"

Pacer snickered before sighing. Something in his red regard flickered. "Buried underneath the rep I carry, I guess. Not like I was a slob living in dorms or with my roommates. But growing up in my family, everyone knows how to cook and help out. I'd always stay with my mom and dad to help fold laundry."

"And you babysat too," Jasmine observed, tilting her head. "You are a man of many surprises."

"Not really." Pacer turned off the burners. "But no one really expects a guy like me with a tanked rep and piercings and tattoos to actually have depth." A hint of bitterness soured his words. "I was just there for a good time."

Jasmine looked down at her smoothie, ashamed and guilty. "I'm sorry. I guess I lumped you in with that too."

"It's not like I did much to dissuade you," Pacer said with a humorless smirk as he got out the plates. "I was an ass towards you."

"Yeah, you were." Jasmine would not disagree with that. "But, um…" She cleared her throat. "You weren't…selfish in bed, so… I guess that scored some points for you being a decent person."

Pacer grabbed his tongs and started piling the food onto the plates, but he glanced back at Jasmine, amused and intrigued. "Should I be worried that part stands out to you, Slugger, and that you've had selfish 'pillow princes'?"

Jasmine blew out her cheeks with a huge eye-roll. "I'm not going to lie and say all my exes were amazing in bed," she flatly told him. "They had all the right materials, but they couldn't make it work." She rolled her head around, stiff and achy. "Honestly, you'd think with older men, they'd be more experienced. But they fuck like frat boys."

"Is this your way of saying that your type is younger men?" Pacer teased her. He finished portioning their plates and headed over to the bar. Jasmine moved to get up, but he stopped her. "No, it's fine. Sit. We can eat here. I'll get the rest. Just relax."

Jasmine gave him a playfully suspicious look. "If this is your way of bribing me into liking younger men, you have much to learn." But she froze when Pacer leaned in close.

"Considering we went eight rounds before you tapped out, I think you have much more to learn than I do," Pacer taunted with a wicked grin. He dodged her swift swipe and laughed when she openly glared at him.

"Yeah, well…!" Jasmine struggled for an argument. "Who lasts that long without Viagra, anyway? Please. You're obviously used to popping a pill and going at it like a bitch in heat."

Pacer cocked his head. "Is that your final argument against the accused, attorney?" He chuckled at her middle finger and rustled up some forks and napkins. "Kidding, kidding. But to answer your question…" He decided he would down his dinner with water. "I don't normally go for that long."

Jasmine narrowed her eyes. "Liar."

"I'm telling the truth!" He came back around to settle beside her at the bar. Now that they were armed with forks, dinner was on. "Seriously! I normally try to duck out after one round since I'm not exactly sticking around for the cuddling part."

Jasmine barked a laugh as she gathered her fettucine weesie on her fork. "Dude. You're such a horrible person."

"Oh, and you're better than me?" Pacer challenged in good humor. "I was with you in the parking lot when that one ex of yours came crawling out the woodwork, begging you for one more chance—"

"To be fair," Jasmine loudly cut in, "I make my stance very clear. I'm a busy woman. I don't have the time nor want to make the time for a relationship. They get me in bed and we part ways. Not my fault they get clingy." And she took her first bite of dinner to drive her point home.

Pacer's lips twitched. "And I'm the same way."

"Mmm!" Jasmine saddled him with a look as she thoroughly chewed.

"I am!" Pacer laughingly insisted. He scooped up a mouthful of food before holding a hand before his lips and told her, "Anyone I slept with knows the deal. I don't do sleepovers or cuddles or anything. I'm in. I'm out." He swallowed. "But then, you know how it is. Apparently, I'm the dick since I stuck to my word and I didn't cave into spending the night."

Jasmine sympathized. "I get that. I've been called a 'frigid bitch' multiple times for sticking to my word about leaving once we're done. People somehow have rose-colored glasses on when it comes to sex."

"Yeah." Pacer faltered. "Guess so…"

Jasmine noted his change of demeanor and decided to play Devil's advocate. "Something wrong?"

"Eh." Pacer gave a one-shouldered shrug. "I guess…I do feel bad. I was like that once, you know… The whole 'rose-colored glasses with sex' thing." He weakly chuckled over Jasmine's dramatic gasp. "Yeah, I know, I know, doesn't sound like me at all, but…" He looked down at his plate as the memories surfaced. "I was the romantic between Pearson and me back when. He thought dating was a chore, but I was the one to buy into my mom and Aunt MJ's romantic shit."

Jasmine tempered an entertained smile as she propped an elbow and rested a fist on her cheek while bringing her smoothie to her lips. "Aw… How sweet. My baby daddy had a heart."

Pacer snickered before letting it go. "Yeah…" He twirled noodles onto his fork. "I didn't really start dating until, maybe, thirteen-fourteen, I think?" He shook his head. "If dating even counts at that age. But I did the whole flowers and chocolates bullshit. Hand-holding and those cute cheek kisses and pet names." He exaggerated a shudder. "Fuck, I was so cringy."

Jasmine softly laughed. "A little bit." Another sip of her smoothie. "So who hurt you? Y'know, turned you from such a cringe romantic to a fuckboy?"

The memory stained in Pacer's mind, an old wound that did not like being picked at. "I thought this hot as fuck third year here wanted me," he confessed. "Pearse was the one warning me away. Being a Soul Meister, he can see compatibility between souls and personality traits—that sort of thing. But I was just so sick of it." He heaved a sigh. "I pretty much told him to fuck off. I really thought she was into me with how sweet she was. She kept insisting we should take things slow or whatever, but in the end…"

A pathetic laugh puffed from him. "Yeah. Guess I wasn't as special as I thought."

Jasmine frowned hearing that faint sadness threaded in Pacer's tale. "Hey." She hesitated, but she rubbed a hand down his arm in an attempt at comfort. "Women are bitches."

Pacer blurted an unplanned laugh in disbelief. "What?"

"Well, it's true," Jasmine said in her defense. "Women can really suck. Honestly? People suck. They pull shitty things and play all these manipulative games—it's exhausting to deal with it. I get why you stopped trying to deal with it. I certainly don't."

Pacer hummed and teased her, "So am I forgiven for being a bit of an ass to you?"

"Nope." Jasmine shot him a grin. "But you're very close."

"I like those words," decided Pacer. "But before you pop out our twins, I'm making sure I'm in your good graces."

Jasmine lightly shoved him before returning to her food. "Listen. Speaking of our twins, we need to—"

"You're okay with saying that?"

Jasmine frowned at him, bewildered at how awed he looked. "Saying what?"

"Our twins," Pacer repeated. "You're okay saying that?"

"Ah…" Jasmine blinked as though confused with herself. "Well…" Clearing her throat, she upturned her nose. "Well, they are ours, aren't they? I didn't just sit here and make them ourselves. DNA test confirms that much." She grumbled when Pacer kept staring at her and snapped at him around a mouthful of food, "What?"

A slow smile worked over Pacer's face. "Nothing." He nudged her. "I'm listening. What's up?"

Jasmine huffed. "As I was saying before I was rudely interrupted, all our nursery shopping and planning got me to thinking." She inhaled another mouthful of food, but her chewing slow down and a serious expression took over. "I've been…thinking about some things… About the nursery…and your place…"

A bit of fear tangled with Pacer's nerves. "Yeah?"

"Yeah." Jasmine had to take a deep breath. "And, well… I've been running some numbers and everything." She rapidly spoke, "And this is something that we both make a decision on, so this isn't any sort of presumption or whatnot, and I can have things adjusted—"

"Jasmine." Pacer felt his leg bounce, worried and nervous. "What's going on?" He checked, "Is this about the custody agreement?"

"Um, well…" Jasmine took her time to answer. "Yes, I…suppose it's about our agreement and our separation…"

Pacer felt his stomach drop. I'm going to be a weekend-only dad. That fear latched onto him and expanded. She doesn't want me around here.

Jasmine bit down on her bottom lip, eyes shifting, before she could not stop hemming and hawing. "I understand the custody arrangement we started working on emphasized on our separate lives and everything, but, well… I've been thinking." She huffed, frustrated with herself. "You know what? I am a grown-ass woman, not a damn teenager."

She turned to Pacer with that determined look. "I gave it some more thought about what you had wanted before. And if you're willing and on a trial basis, we could dedicate one nursery to one of my bedrooms, and we can convert the other bedroom into yours."

Pacer froze.

But Jasmine continued to bulldoze through this. "Through this arrangement, we'd have to work out a monetary divide with the household. I do not want us to combine finances, but we would have to work out about bills—"

"You're asking me to move in with you?" Pacer could barely comprehend much else.

Jasmine huffed again, prodding his chest. "This is on a trial basis," she stressed. "Look, I was judgmental. I know that now and when I'm wrong, I say I'm wrong." Her gaze lessened its intensity. "I'm not saying that we'll ever get married or anything like that. But I was wrong about this—us." Her lashes lowered. "You… You could've walked away." Her words small and delicate. "You never had to be here for any of this, but…you're here. And we're… Well, we're… We just…"

"We work." Pacer found his footing.

Jasmine flicked a shy glance towards him and agreed, "We work."

Pacer heavily swallowed. "Are you sure about this?" he asked her. Part of him wanted to shake himself for giving her the chance to change her mind and turn him away, but he needed this validation. "Slugger, I'm okay with us living apart—"

"I am too," Jasmine quickly backpedaled. She noticed the crestfallen look on Pacer's face and added, "But I'm…comfortable with the idea of you being here. In a separate bedroom," she was quick to amend.

Pacer's lips faintly twitched upwards. "Scared to sleep in the same bed as me again?"

"The last time I did that, I ended up preggo," Jasmine said dryly.

"You can't get any more pregnant now—Hey!" He laughed as he caught her hand before she could land her smack. "Easy, Slugger! I'm joking!"

"You and your jokes," Jasmine muttered.

Pacer simpered before resting a soft gaze on her. "Are you sure about this?" he asked her again, steadier and gentler this time around.

A deep inhale. A slower exhale. Her deep umber connected with his pale red, and she acquiesced with a nod. "I'm willing to try." A small tremor betrayed her words. "Can we just…try?"

"I'm okay with trying," Pacer murmured in breathless promise, quiet and desperate to not let this enchanting moment slip. "But you know I care about you, Slugger, and the twins. It's all three of you."

"I-I know." Jasmine could not escape the shake in her voice. "I know…Pacer."

Hearing his name on her lips never sounded so sweet. It would be too forward and selfish for him to ask her to say it again. "Then we'll try," he told her. "We'll work. For all four of us." He threaded his hand with hers as his eyes dipped to those inviting lips of hers that he had been dreaming to get another taste of. "I'll prove that to you."

"You don't have anything to prove." Jasmine lowered her gaze, a little bashful and unsure of this new territory. "You're going to make a great dad, Pacer."

"And you'll make a great mom," Pacer promised her.

"Do you really think that?" When Jasmine met his stare again, all her fear and anxieties displayed baldly on her. "Really?"

"Yeah," Pacer murmured. "I do." He brushed his fingers from her chin to her jaw and imprinted every moment before him as a treasured memory. "I never had a doubt in my mind that you'd be a great mom for the twins." He thumbed her ear for his eyes to dilate when Jasmine winced and a flush wound down her cheeks and neck. "You're still sensitive there?"

Jasmine nodded. "Yeah." Her eyes fluttered as her expression quivered between vulnerable surrender and embarrassment when he repeated the caress. Growing shocks spurred down her body and made her press her thighs together.

Pacer leaned forward as that surge, that primitive need warmed him. His fingers twitched, yearning to relearn her body with every curve, every dark spot, every sensitive area. He remembered how open and wanton her breath would become when he toyed with that sweet spot on her ears or made his way down the curve of her neck. But seeing her—this powerful woman who refused to tolerate his nonsense, the mother of his children—shiver beneath his touch was like a moth seeing a flame.

"Y-You don't have to do this."

Pacer blinked, confused. "Do what?"

"This." Jasmin tried to pull her hand away, but Pacer refused to let her go. "I know I look…like this. You don't have to do this to make me feel better or feel sexy, Pacer—"

"What?" A hard edge took to Pacer's tone. "That's what you think I'm doing?"

Jasmine bucked up what little courage was left from this conversation and challenged, "Isn't it?"

"I…!" Pacer both huffed and laughed in disbelief. "You're so fucking stubborn sometimes." Before Jasmine could argue, he told her without reservation, "You 'look like this'? You look like you're creating our twins."

Jasmine tried to turn away, exhausted and irate. "Pacer—"

"I'm not finished giving my testimony, attorney."

Jasmine socked him with an unholy glare.

Pacer continued: "Goddammit, Slugger, I'm not doing this out of 'pity' or some bullshit like that. I'm here with you doing this because I'm attracted to every single part of you. And yeah, that includes your stomach because fuck, you are a fucking masterpiece, Slugger, carrying our twins." He could see the shifts turning in Jasmine's head to try and hide her stomach that would not give an inch, but he barreled through.

"I know you didn't have to carry them." Jasmine looked stricken, but he preserved. "And I would've supported your choice. I can't even fathom how hard all this has been on you with your exhaustion and pain, and I want to help you every step of the way. But those marks you have aren't ugly or anything you should hide. You're a damn badass for what your body is going through. And a beautiful one at that. You don't know how much I've just wanted to take in every inch of you."

Jasmine mumbled, "I get it, okay? That's enough—"

"I still have my closing statement, attorney, and I'm going to use it."

Jasmine huffed, but she could not look at him until he tilted her chin for agitated yet vulnerable deep umbers to clash with harsh and heated pale reds.

"You don't know how lucky I feel you're giving all of this a chance—that we can just try," Pacer said. "You know the first thing I thought when I saw you in my lecture and you introduced yourself?"

Jasmine snarked, "What? That I'd look good without my clothes on—?"

"That you were intimidating as fuck and there was no way in Hell a woman with your confidence and sexy as fuck intellect would ever go for a guy like me," Pacer cut her off. At her surprise, he pushed, "It didn't matter where you were—you stole the room. I was pissed as shit my grades dipped that badly that I was voluntold into tutoring, but when I saw you were my tutor, everything about you turned me on. And right now?"

Jasmine flushed when Pacer gave her a heated dressing down.

"You don't understand how sexy you are carrying our twins and being a warrior of a mom," Pacer huskily rumbled.

Jasmine tried to put up a fight, but it was weak. "You're just saying that since I'm hitting a low—"

"Gods, you stubborn woman," Pacer growled. "I'm not just saying that! Do you have to argue with everything I say?"

"I'm an attorney," Jasmine lamely reminded, willing to escape from these feelings of abashment and exposure. "Arguing is my job—and it'll be your job too."

"You're right." Pacer splayed his free hand onto her cheek. "And if you're not convinced I'm telling the truth, I'd like to display my first piece of evidence." He narrowed the distance between them. "Is that okay, Jasmine?"

All of Jasmine's shored-up counters ended up being washed away with her whispered, "Yes."

Pacer wasted no time closing the final gap between them, and the kiss exploded the embers of heat and need that gutted them both. She could blame her senseless reaction on pregnancy hormones when she gripped his shirt and kissed him back just as hard as he gave her. They moved together like their lives depended on it, like the world was ending. But no matter if they pulled away for a quick breath, her taste intoxicated him and he greedily hung onto the next kiss and the next for more more more until he let go of her hand to cup her jaw. His skin tingled when her arms looped around him, and his tongue went for the seam of her lips—

BEEP!

"Hey, Jazz, I'm—!"

Jasmine sprung away from Pacer, eyes dazed, but the spellbinding heat was retreating. He panted with a predatory gaze locked on her with dark promises. The taste of her gloss—a sweet watermelon—stayed with him and he wanted to remember that flustered look on her face for a lifetime.

"Pe… P-Pearson." Jasmine turned with a weak smile to see Pearson's jaw dropped and eyes wide. "We… We were just—"

A marimba ringtone interrupted.

Jasmine swiveled as her Compact's flashlight light up as a notification flare. She checked her Com—

Pacer saw her face turn ashen and instant worry surged. "Slugger?"

"I have to take this," choked Jasmine. She grabbed her Compact and hide the caller ID as she picked herself up from the stool. "I-I-I'll be back, um…" But she could not finish her sentence when she abandoned the room to flee down the hall.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

•

And in the present…

•

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Mira sighed as she saw emotions of sadness and anger war on Pacer's features. "I'm sure she'll communicate her worries to you when she's ready and comfortable," she promised. "I know this stunted communication isn't easy—"

"But she's fine talking to Pearson," Pacer muttered. "She's fine with him. But when it comes to me, I get nothing."

Mira eyed him.

Pacer turned away, frustrated.

"Mind if I cut in?" Veronika had peeked onto the porch, but she held her question for Pacer alone.

Pacer rolled his eyes. "What is this, an intervention?"

"More like a tag-team," Mira supposed as Veronika decided to claim the swinging bench.

Pacer added, salty, "More like a gang-up."

"You don't have to listen to me if you don't want to," Veronika prefaced with a gentle swing of the bench. "We're not here to guilt you or razz you for answers or anything like that." She added when Pacer looked unconvinced, "I was pregnant by a one-night stand."

Pacer held his silence.

Veronika looked out onto the expanse of the property as those haunted memories resurfaced for the occasion. "Both of my kids were unplanned. You know that. But I went through with the pregnancies. The fathers… They didn't want that." She toyed with the necklace Spencer had gifted her.

"I was stupid to think they'd want anything to do with Lisa-Jane and Ivan," she revealed, giving him a piece of her past. "Lisa-Jane's father was furious when I was pregnant. I was in a whole 'love is blind' phase and I thought he'd be happy we could be a family. But that wasn't what he wanted. That wasn't what he ever wanted. It didn't matter how much I begged him to stay. He went into the military and left Lisa-Jane and me behind." No bitterness or ill-will went out to such a vile man. She had accepted his abandonment.

"Ivan's father," Veronika continued, shifting, "was different. He was a one-night stand. Met him when Miss Chelsea encouraged me to 'get our more' and watched Lisa-Jane." She shook her head. "I had gotten myself clean, but I went to a bar anyway. Not to drink, but, you know, to just…try and remember what 'going out' was like. He was stationed nearby, but he was the DD for his group. So we talked, he was charming, made me feel beautiful and wanted again, and then"—she heaved a breath—"the inevitable happened."

Something in Veronika's eyes dimmed. "Thing is, neither one of them wanted my kids. And even if they did, they would've been fathers and not dads. There's a difference in that. Lisa-Jane's father never wanted to try, and Ivan's father…"

Both Mira and Pacer held quiet concern for the darkness edging Veronika's thousand-yard stare.

"I'm jealous of her—Jasmine." Veronika tilted her for confirmation. "Her name's Jasmine, right?"

Pacer nodded. "Yeah. But why jealous?" He remembered how fatigued and ragged Jasmine looked when lying in bed with her skin dry and gray and dark circles beneath her eyes. "She's not having it easy, Ronnie."

"No, and I completely acknowledge that," Veronika validated. "We could all see this pregnancy must've been taking a significant toll on her—" She stopped seeing Pacer's pain and guilt. "But we could see how much you cared about her and your twins," she murmured. "I'm jealous she has someone like you so willing to support her with everything she's enduring. I had Miss Chelsea and Nik, but before that, Nik and I weren't on speaking terms and I was alone."

Veronika lifted up a leg to seat on the bench. "But," she added, "that being said… I understand why she's pulled away."

"What? Going to tell me it's my fault?" Pacer dared.

Veronika met his challenge with her own. "Are you at fault?"

"No! I—!" Pacer scrubbed his face. "I don't… I don't think so. I don't know, okay? I don't know." He looked angrily at his lap. "She barely talks to me as it is, so I have no idea what she's thinking anymore. I've been trying to be what she needs, but it's like we're even further back than square one. But she's perfectly fine with Pearse—"

"She's fine with him because he's not you," Veronika interrupted.

That rankled him. "Ronnie," he warned, "watch it. I'm not in the mood right now."

"I'm not trying to offend you," Veronika promised him, "but I'm telling you this just as a hunch. You're the father. You know that. She knows that. We know that. I'm not justifying her stonewalling you. Pacer, none of us knew you had kids on the way, so we don't know the situation between either of you. But did you maybe think because all you two were was a one-night stand that she had reservations you'd up and run like Lisa-Jane and Ivan's fathers did to me?"

"No," Pacer snapped harshly. "I thought I was doing a damn good job telling her and showing her I'm in this for the long haul—"

"And I'm sure you did," Veronika soothed him. "But no matter what people do to others, it's that person who has to accept what's happening for what it is." She caught Pacer's rising anger and did not falter. "Look, I can't speak for her. But what I can say is I was stupid when Lisa-Jane's father came back and told me everything I was desperate for him to say before. He pretended to care and gave me all sorts of false promises to get one last fuck in before he was deployed."

"I'm not—!"

"I'm not saying that's you," Veronika loudly said over his snarling protest. "I'm offering you an explanation why she could be this distant. You don't understand how mentally taxing being pregnant is. Some people love being pregnant every step of the way. And other people feel ugly and sick and afraid whoever the father is will pick up and leave."

"It's true," Mira said softly. Both her daughter and nephew turned to her. "Your mom went through those sorts of emotions," she mentioned to Pacer. "You should remember how she was when she was pregnant with the triplets."

That's right, Pacer remembered. Mom was a mess. Those early memories of his mother trying to hide her insecurities and how tense it had become in the house with her fear and his father's attempt at soothing her. Mom tried hard to pretend everything was fine, but I remember waking up and hearing how upset she was and Dad trying to calm her down. He could see the parallels between his mother's misery and Jasmine's withdraw.

"But that's…" Pacer tried and failed for the words. "What…? What am I supposed to do?" All his guilt mixed with agitation succumbed to exhaustion and failure. "I'm not her boyfriend. We discussed that. The only relationship she wants is us being amicable co-parents. I'm trying to show her that I'm there for her, but I…"

"Then you keep showing her."

Mira and Veronika exchanged a look and got up to move away for Lisanna to take their place, standing by Pacer's side with warmth in those blues for her eldest son.

"I never wanted any of you to see me when I was pregnant with the triplets," murmured Lisanna, stirring up those anguished times. "Your father did everything right. He supported me in every way. But I felt drained and ill so much all the time… I had it in my head he thought I wasn't beautiful and that he'd leave." She shook her head as though amused at how foolish she had been.

"Then… How did you stop having those thoughts?" Pacer ventured.

"I didn't," Lisanna admitted. "Throughout my last pregnancy, it took a lot of time on my part and your dad's part to talk through whenever I was hitting those low points instead of me hiding everything. The more we spoke about it, the more I felt better, but the thoughts were in the back of my head. But giving birth and seeing how emotional your dad was made me realize how much I loved him even more and how foolish I was for thinking such things."

"I don't have that with her," Pacer said, voice small and sad. "I'm not married or dating her—"

"No, you're not," Lisanna agreed. "But you don't have to be in a relationship with her, Pacer, for you to support her and talk to her."

"She doesn't want me." Envy rose once more for his twin. "She wants Pearson." He flushed under the amusement his mother flashed at him. "What? It's true!"

Lisanna could not help her chuckle. "It's just funny you're jealous of him. Honestly, I never thought the day would come. You both were so close." She sighed, smiling. "Do you trust your brother?"

"Of course I do," Pacer grumbled. "But—"

"Do you trust Jasmine?"

Pacer shot his mother an annoyed glare. "Yes."

"But not alone," Lisanna strung along. "You're worried the closer Jasmine is with Pearson and considering she trusted and confided him before turning to you…he's more than likely to have her than you. Especially when he's at her bedside now and you're here."

Pacer set his jaw. "Thanks, Mom."

Lisanna held steady against her son's temper. "From what you and Pearson showed me, Jasmine seems to be an intelligent and sharp young woman. If Pearson has feelings for her, you can't fault him for that. But," she added when Pacer tensed, ready to snap, "what their relationship isn't something for you to control. And what Jasmine's future with other people isn't something you have the right to get upset about." Blues softened. "I know you have feelings for her, Pacer, but right now isn't the time to press that on her."

She gripped the rocking chair. "Her soul… It was too weak," she remembered. "She's under significant stress. I know it's not easy on you. I know you want to be there to support her. We all do—"

"She doesn't want to meet our family," Pacer cut in.

"And that's her right," Lisanna told him. "Does it make me sad? Of course. Your father and I would love to get to know the mother of our grand-babies. But who she has around her is her right, and we respect that."

"And I respect that," Pacer insisted. "I just…! I wish I was there right now."

"We all do." She rested a hand on his shoulder and rubbed it. "Keep showing her you're here to support her. She's vulnerable right now and very weak. She has her defenses up because of that. But as long as you show her that you'll uplift her when she's low and feels so alone, I'm sure she'll come through." She brushed through his mohawk. "You're letting your hair grow out, huh?"

Pacer shrugged. "Haven't had the time to get it done."

Lisanna hummed and squeezed his shoulder. "Give her time. Show her you're patient and supportive. And things will work out. Maybe not to the degree you're hopeful for, but it'll work out in a positive way." When Pacer grunted, she tittered. "Why don't you come inside?"

"What, and face the Sinnish Inquisition breathing down my neck for more details about Jasmine?" Pacer snorted, shaking his head. "Yeah, no. I'm good." He checked his Compact again.

"Staring at your Com won't make anyone contact you fast," Lisanna reminded him in slight tease. "You need to keep yourself busy."

Pacer hesitated. "I'll be in in a sec."

"All right." Lisanna nursed him a solid look full of a mother's love. "You're going to be an amazing father," she soothed to him. "And I sincerely do hope things work out in your favor. You know you have all of us here ready to support you and welcome your twins—and Jasmine, if she ever does want to get to know us."

"I know." Pacer could not help but feel warmed by such a statement. "Thanks, Mom."

Lisanna nodded and left him to his own devices as she headed back inside.

Pacer unlocked his Compact to go to ⟪ Photos ⟫. He went to his ⟪ Favorites ⟫ and it did not take long for him to find his favorite pictures. One had been a goofier one he had taken of Jasmine. It was a burst shot. When he pressed his thumb down on the picture, it showed how relieved she was eating her sweet pickles and how mortified she was a second later that he captured the moment. He smiled to himself. To others, she's an ice queen. She has her 'attorney smile' for her business. But then she lets me see her so…free and out of her element.

He scrolled and paused.

It was the ultrasound of his twins—her twins—their twins.

He had committed the ultrasound to memory and that distinct happiness that those were their twins accompanied with that nagging fear. What if he was a horrible father? What if his children grew up to hate him? What if, what if, what if—?

He swiped left again.

It was another picture he had coveted of Jasmine during their time on a boardwalk. Her hair had been tossed up with a headwrap in a double twist turban and she had shelved out an old college sweatshirt (he grumbled when she claimed it was from an ex, but he was pleased she accepted a sweatshirt of his) for this venture. She was eating cotton candy when something stunned and awed her. The burst photo moved to show how she had grabbed him with childish excitement on her face and that wide smile on her lips.

His lips twitched before pressing against each other. Dammit. I'm fucked. He pressed his Compact against his chest as he sat back and closed his eyes. Pearson… I hate it when you might be right.

---

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

•

HYU…

DON-DON-DON!

•

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Excitement energized the air as the footsteps spread onto the warm sand. Dozens of spectators had come out with their sunglasses and swimsuits and split their attention between the exhibition matches locals had scrounged up on the volleyball courts or checking out the surrounding stands. Registered players for the tournament came to the sign-in desk and one of the coordinators would outline the guidelines to them. But those who came for the tournament were gossiping and placing quiet bets on the strongest contenders.

"Whoa…!"

Ellie could not help but be entranced as she looked around the scene with her hand keeping down her sunhat. "C'est tellement merveilleux! This is so wonderful! I didn't know this was such a large event!"

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

•

Medusa Beach

Caracole Island

Fiore, Ishgar

11:10 AM CAST

•

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

"Yeah. It gets crazy." Gary shouldered a light backpack with his aviators on. He pretended not to notice Jaxton's frosty demeanor effectively scared away a few women hopeful to nab selfies with them. "It's pretty nice, though. And I can finally compete!"

Ellie snuck him a curious look. "You never competed before? But don't you come here often?"

"Not as often as you'd think," Gary told her. "It's not that I didn't want to compete. But I didn't have a partner." He added rather loudly, "And the person I wanted to partner with was a complete wimp and got all sensitive about running around in the sand like a baby and being in actual sunlight. You might've thought he was a vampire or something."

Somehow, Ellie missed Tesla rubbing Jaxton's chest before he could make a mad lunge for Gary (and Gary feigned ignorance how quickly he could have met his fate), and she sympathized, "I get it. I hate being in the sun for too long because my freckles come out."

"Oh, he wasn't fearful like that," Gary tacked on cheerily. "He just was a complete and utter crybaby about being in the sunlight like a vampire—"

BAKI!

It happened so fast that Ellie had question marks with how tight Gary's smile came and the twitch of his eyebrow (and Gary was left to deal with the throbbing pain on his head while Tesla soothed a fuming Jaxton from trying his hand). "Is something wrong?" Ellie asked.

"Nope! I'm peachy!" Inwardly, Gary was sobbing. And my best friend is a monster.

A haughty drawl. "Well, well, well, if it isn't the famous Snow Boy himself."

Attention was turned as three newcomers approached, but the way they carried themselves meant all the difference. The woman was not as tall as her masculine counterpart, but she was confident in her thick curves and showed all sorts of body with her madras swimsuit. Her locs were in bantu knots with her hoop earrings and a lip ring bringing out a certain rebellious and confident flare in her, but what struck people were her burnt orange eyes.

The second newcomer was a shier gentleman who looked a little uncomfortable in his body, hunched over and maybe a few centimeters off from average height, and even in the heat, he kept on a comfortable blanket on him. The olive bronze of his skin did show he was lean and had muscle to him, but he preferred to hide them rather than show them off with his lengthy stark-white locs covering his right eye and his left an exposed yellow iris.

The man who had spoken was a few tones lighter than the young lady as he tossed a volleyball back and forth between his hands. His cornucopia of locs blended with a fade haircut and it was obvious he worked his body well, though his height was dramatically tall.

He smirked at Gary. "Didn't think you'd show your face again here, Snow Boy."

⌜ORUGA TOWN

Name: Windel Lawrence

Age: 21

Occupation: Caracole Heat / OH (National Volleyball League Div. 2)

Likes: volleyball Dislikes: vlogging

Special Note: Windel wants to become a professional volleyball player in the states—if only his mother would agree! ⌟

"Would've thought you would've stayed away from here," Windel mocked. "Not like a precious Snow Boy can take the heat."

"Oh!" Gary was all sparkles and joy. "Nice to see you again, Windel!"

"I didn't say it was nice to see you!" Windel put back on his smirk as he tossed his volleyball. "Don't tell me you're here to compete, Snow Boy." He spun his volleyball on one finger. "You wouldn't last five minutes in the sun without frying yourself."

"Oh, don't worry!" Gary was proud to show off his sunscreen Lacrima bottle. "I made sure to get the highest SPF sunscreen they had available, so I'm all set! But thanks for worrying!"

"I wasn't worried!" Windel caught his ball with a huff. "Look. I don't mind giving you a handicap, Snow Boy, if you're actually here to compete." He threw the volleyball to Gary, who caught it, and grinned. "You're going to need all the help your pansy-ass can get."

"Well, thank you! But really, you don't have to worry!" An icy-blue flash went over Gary's eyes. "I can take a little heat." He threw the volleyball back.

Windel gritted his teeth when the aggressive toss would have knocked him over had he been a hair slower. Why this fricken Snow Boy… He gripped the volleyball and pointed it at Gary. "Listen, Snow Boy, you might be a little famous, but this is my—!"

"Gary!"

Windel gawked—his moment shattered—when the woman squealed and scurried over to Gary for a hug. She ruined my moment to screw with Snow Boy!

Gary hugged her back with a chuckle. "Hey, Nisha! It's good to see you!"

"It's good to see you too!" Nisha chirped as she pulled away with a wide beam. "You told me you were coming down here, but you didn't tell me you were competing, you ass!"

⌜WEST LINCE VILLAGE

Name: Denisha "Nisha" Knowles

Age: 21

Occupation: Year 4 BA (Early Childhood Education) Student, Teacher's Assistant

Likes: lady rappers Dislikes: shrimp

Special Note: Nisha aspires to become a kindergarten teacher and help empower magical children and Aberrants at a young age! ⌟

Gary chalked up a rueful smile. "Sorry about that. It slipped my mind." His smile turned welcoming towards the other young man who had not spoken yet. "Hey, Jemaine."

"O-Oh!" Jemaine looked startled he had been addressed and nervous when all the attention was on him. "U-U-Um…"

⌜ORUGA TOWN

Name: Jemaine Froth

Age: 20

Magic: Reflector

Occupation: Year 3 BSc (Entomology) Student

Likes: his security blanket Dislikes: butterfly nets

Special Note: Jemaine might be a little on the shy side, but he's no-nonsense when it comes to the bugs and insects he cares for! ⌟

"He-Hello," he greeted with one hand on his opposite wrist as he tried to make himself smaller. "I-I-It's very nice to…" But his words became softer and softer his lips barely moved and you could not hear a word. The air distorted until he disappeared.

Silence.

The group sweatdropped. He's really that shy, huh?

Gary gestured to the rest of the group. "Everyone, this is Jemaine, Nisha, and that's Windel. They're friends of mine from the island—"

"I'm not his friend!" Windel huffed. He tried to declare once more, "Listen, Snow Boy, you—!"

Nisha gasped. "Oh my gods, you're Nashi!" She ignored how twitchy Windel had gotten she interrupted his big speech to hound a stunned Nashi. "Oh, you're so beautiful!" she crooned. "It's so nice to meet you because your man would not shut up about you." She hugged Nashi unexpectedly and whispered, "Thank you, thank you, thank you for taking him and putting the rest of us out of our misery, and thank you, thank you, thank you for advocating for equality." She quickly pulled back.

Nashi flushed, but she gave a smile. "Thank you, and it's no problem. It's nice to meet you too."

Nisha beamed at the group and exchanged heartfelt greetings before she pouted at Gary. "Where's your hot uncle?"

The group had question marks around them. 'Uncle'? The image of Lyon conjured between Nashi, Ellie, and Justin. That uncle?

Jaxton's eyebrow twitched.

"Uh…" Gary kept up his smile, but it looked a little weak. "Well… He, um… He…c-c-couldn't make the trip."

Nisha's pout furthered. "Really? Dammit. I'm legal and everything now and your uncle is so hot!"

"Mister Vastia is actually doing spring break at MagiaLand," Nashi filled in, still a little confused.

Now Nisha was perplexed. "Who?"

Nashi blinked. "Oh, did you mean our uncle Gajeel?"

"No, but he's a DILF on my list." Nisha frowned at Gary. "You haven't introduced your girlfriend to your hot uncle?" While Gary sweated, Nisha shot Nashi a giddy grin. "His uncle is a freaking ten. He has this whole 'silent and deadly' vibe going on, but his eyes are, like, the hottest thing ever—!"

Jaxton's hand twitched while Gary loudly laughed. "Ah-ha-ha…! R-Right! Um…!" He rubbed his neck. "H-H-He, um… He probably won't be coming back with me for a while." He turned away to hide his nervous sweating and pull away from Jaxton's glower. In fact, he's probably going to murder me.

"Aw…" Nisha looked adorably put-out. "That sucks. He always turned me down, but I had this huge plan to get him all over me."

Tesla's suspicions arose between Gary's rising anxiety and Jaxton's half-awkwardness and half-agitation. She offered an innocent smile at Nisha and questioned, "What does Gary's uncle look like?"

"He has these yellow eyes that scream 'daddy'," Nisha gushed. "He does have white hair, but he said he was young. He was just born with white hair." She moaned. "And it's, like, the softest thing ever. I just want to run my hands through it all day."

Jaxton's eye twitched when Tesla's nails tug into his arm and her smile sharpened. "Really? He does sound like he's 'daddy' material. Don't you think so, Jang-ta?"

Jaxton wisely stayed silent.

"Hey!" Windel looked flustered he had been ignored for so long. "I wasn't finished talking!" He narrowed his eyes at Gary. "Listen, Snow Boy, if you think you can win this, you—!"

Someone with a Megaphone Lacrima called: "All registered players, please report to check-in to make sure your team is listed and assemble for rules and guidelines!"

"That sounds like us!" Gary led the group and Nisha (who jolted Jemaine out of being invisible) towards check-in. "Let's go!"

Windel shouted, aggravated, "I wasn't finished with you, Snow Boy! You're gonna regret ignoring me!"

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

•

And then…

•

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

The group stood before the beach volleyball tournament bracket. Four miniature arenas had been put together, each with their own sets for the preliminaries for single-elimination rounds, with the large stage being tuned and readied with all the screens and accessories. Pamphlets turned into hand fans were passed out with people lining up to buy fun memorabilia and star mango cuisine.

Windel was quietly fuming while Ines pointed out, "Looks like you guys won't be facing each other until you get to finals—if you get to finals."

"Fine by me," Ace decided. He slung an arm around Justin. "Means the main event will be even more fun." He frowned when Justin wriggled away from his touch. "Baby—"

"I'm still mad at you," Justin muttered in a low enough tone so the others congregating would not hear. He glared at his boyfriend. "I don't like being set up, Ace."

"I know." And Ace was apologetic in that. He took him and Justin away from the group. "And I'm sorry for doing that. But I know you and I know how hard-headed you are." He chanced cupping Justin's cheek and smiled a little at how puffy Justin became. "You know it was nice for Gary to invite you here."

Justin huffed. "I know."

"Then you can play nice and be on a team with him." Ace chuckled over the speared glower he received and kissed Justin's brow. "I understand your reservations, but you're going to hurt Nashi this way by treating Gary like this."

Justin faltered in his anger and a flash of guilt went over him as he glanced back. Windel was trying (again) to declare something dramatic and arrogant, but Nisha shut him down as she struck up a conversation with the group with Jemaine keeping close to her like she was his lifeline and the only thing preventing him from going invisible. Gary had pulled Nashi close and she closed her eyes when he kissed her hair.

Justin looked away. I know I should be over it. Ellie was begging me to be on my best behavior since she knows Nashi's trying hard to appease Gary and me. And I don't want to stress her out… He sighed. "Maybe I'm being a little bit of a brat."

"A little?"

Justin huffed and shot Ace a look.

Ace snickered. "Go on."

"But"—Justin slid his hands onto Ace's shoulders—"I can play nice." Those sky blues fell. "It's just…hard. I know she doesn't remember it, but… When we went to visit her when she was recovering… She was having some sort of nightmare and crying…and she just kept saying his name."

• — • — •

"Gary… Gary…"

He watched, aggrieved, as Nashi laid in her hospital bed, asleep and connected to fewer machines than before. But tears wetted her cheeks as her expression pinched and twitched.

"Gary…" she garbled. "Gary…. Gary…"

• — • — •

I know I'm being unfair, Justin thought, grave and upset. Even Chi-Chi said something to me…

• — • — •

"Should I be worried you might kill him?"

Justin rolled his eyes as he packed his belongings. His suitcase was wide open on his bed, and he had folded a majority of what he needed for his trip. He turned down the rap music he was listening to to whirl onto Orochi peeking in his room.

"Ha-ha," Justin muttered. "Funny, Chi-chi, but no. I'm not one to get into catfights." He turned back to his luggage.

Orochi leaned against the doorway with his arms crossed. "Yeah, maybe not," he conceded. "But you're also one who holds grudges, Justin."

Justin kept rearranging his clothes. "Point being?" He huffed when Orochi put a hand on his arm. "I'm trying to pack—"

"You still barely acknowledge Ezra," Orochi reminded. No accusation was in his tone, but it was a stern reminder. "It's been years since he broke up with Saudade, Justin, and I know you made sure to barely speak to him when he was back here."

Justin gave Orochi an arched eyebrow and an impassive look. "Okay. So?"

Orochi let him go, but he made sure Justin saw the hardness in his eyes. "So, I know you. I know you hold on to things." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I'm not saying what Ezra did was okay—"

"Oh, but you certainly sided with him when Daddy was literally bleeding out because of him," Justin scathingly shot back. "And I mean 'literally', Chi-chi; she was hospitalized, in case you forgot."

Orochi could not forget that and clear remorse saddened his stare. "I don't think any of us could forget that, Justin," he murmured. "But we can't keep punishing Ezra. He's one of my best friends, and he's your cousin. And Saudade is happy with Majime. Isn't that enough?"

"Oh, it would be," Justin said with his tone tilting into something dangerous, "but then, y'know, your best friend and my cousin decided to attack Saudade." He threw down his clothes to face Orochi head-on. "And do you know what's worse about all this? She still defends him! Do you know how screwed up that is?"

"And I'm not saying it isn't," Orochi told him. Justin might raise his voice, but Orochi kept his voice collected in his ire. "Why do you think I'm leaving for Melandia to see him? I'm aware Ezra isn't acting like himself. Both Gary and I are concerned about this. We're not defending what he did to Saudade, Justin, all right? But he isn't…okay. And we just need to see what's going on that's making him not okay."

Justin rolled his eyes and went back to his suitcase. "Whatever."

Orochi did not bristle at Justin's attitude in his dismissal. He was used to rolling this off. "But this isn't about Ezra. This is about Gary."

"Sounds to me like you have problematic besties, Chi-chi," Justin chirped in a blasé tone. "Livy is the only one who seems to support and love people in a healthy way and doesn't show her ass when the people she loves get hurt nor does she maliciously hurt them—"

Orochi sighed. "Justin. Please. Listen to me on this, and I'll leave you to packing. Please."

Justin huffed again, but he stopped with his packing to sit on the edge of his bed and gesture to Orochi to keep talking.

"What Ezra did to Saudade isn't okay; I know," Orochi acknowledged, somber. "That's something that we don't have the right to forgive him for. That's Saudade's right. And I respect her choice in that. But that doesn't mean I don't hold him accountable for doing something like that." He settled on the edge of the bed as well. "We were both there that night when Nana was raped, Justin. You don't think I remember that? You don't think I remember how she was drugged out of her mind and all she could tell me was that 'it hurts'?"

Justin looked at his lap. "No." Tone soft, despaired. "I know you remember that."

"We saw the aftermath of something horrible, and we watched her recover," Orochi went on. "And none of it was easy—especially for her. And I know seeing her in the ED triggered that for both of us. But just like it was Nana's choice to not turn in those bastards, it is her choice how she deals with Gary not being there. Because he wanted to be there, Justin—"

"Then why wasn't he?" Justin did not fiercely challenge Orochi's claim. His voice cracked, aggrieved, and he offered the question with obvious distress. "Where was he, Chi-chi? That night. Where was he?"

Orochi deeply exhaled. "Justin, I know all you want to do is protect Nana from anything like that again. I know. You know I do too." A pathetic laugh left him. "More than I should."

Justin's heart broke. 'Chi-chi…'

"But Nana can defend her own," Orochi pledged. "And Gary has been a great support in that. He wanted to be there. Both of those times, he wanted to be there—believe me on that—but he wasn't. And he can't change that. But you can't deny how supportive and loving he is towards her. He can't change the past, but he's doing everything in his power to be there for her now. Why can't that be enough?"

Justin pressed his lips together, unable to argue.

Orochi got up from the bed, but he rubbed Justin's shoulder with his gloved hand. "You'll be with him for ten days, him and Nashi. You'll see for yourself that what I'm saying is true and you need to let it go. This is Nashi's choice. If you can't respect that…" He shook his head. "You might lose Nana's respect. And you could lose her."

• — • — •

Ace frowned when Justin leaned against him. "What's wrong?"

"Hold me for a sec?"

Ace wrapped his arms around Justin. "Sure." He caught Nashi's concerned look and mouthed in a minute. When Nashi nodded, he turned his attention back to his boyfriend. "You don't have to team up with him if you don't want to—"

"I'll do it," Justin mumbled into Ace's tank top. He pulled back a little, but neither let go of the other. "I'll play nice and be a good teammate. He's Nashi's partner. And I…" His eyes fell to the side and confessed, voice small, "I don't want to lose her."

Ace smiled and kissed Justin's forehead before bringing up a hand to cup Justin's jaw. "No one said you have to become his best friends with him like Jaxton—"

(Jaxton sneezed, disturbed.)

"—but at least be cordial and kind." He thumbed Justin's bottom lip and took pleasure how flushed Justin was turning. "No more being a brat unless you want me to pull out the nipple clamps and the vibrator." He caught Justin's hitched breath. "And I'm not going to be nice and let you cum, even when you're crying for it."

"Mmph!" Justin shivered when Ace's hand slipped to circle his nipple over his tank top. He shakily stepped back with the face of a blushing bride. "That was dirty," he mumbled in a whine.

Ace darkly chuckled. "And so was fucking me with my hands tied up and blinding me."

Justin gave him an exasperated look backed with heat. "You said you wouldn't use that against me."

"And I won't. Being a bratty little top won't be held against you. I'm keeping my word I'd let what you do when you top slide." Ace stepped forward to tilt Justin's face up and eyed those pouty lips that tempted him with every word. "But you're a natural brat. And I like breaking you." He silenced whatever protest Justin was trying to come up with with a heavy kiss that had Justin hang onto him. He fell so deeply that when Ace pulled away, he wrapped his arms around his boyfriend to support him.

Justin trembled with all his bark and bite gone. "You're going to make me enter the tournament hard, you ass."

Ace's eyes twinkled. "Then you better start thinking other things. Because as much as I want to hide you away and tear off your shorts to hear how loud you get when I'm sucking you off and rimming your ass…"—he pulled away—"we don't have the time." His grin broadened watching Justin squirm and adjust himself, and he laughed at how much it looked like Justin wanted to rush them to their own private oasis to finish what they started. "Come on. We'd better go back."

Justin had a combination of a scowl and a pout on his face when Ace wrapped an arm around his waist. "I'm telling Dante to send me pictures of our little one directly to me from now on."

And Ace could only laugh at such a threat.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

•

HYU…

DON-DON-DON!

•

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Daytime fireworks streaked the sky as the crowd roared when a large cubed Lacrima Screen showed an entire montage that added in clips from a popular volleyball anime alongside little segments from the previous beach tournaments.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

•

Tobe fly high!

Ase to chi to namida de

Hikaru tsubasa de

Ima zenbu zenbu oki satte

•

Tobe fly! Takaku fly!

Saihate no mirai e

•

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Tesla whispered to Ines, "Are they allowed to use that song officially? Isn't that from another studio?"

But no one could answer her question when the Lacrima Screen changed to show the broadcasters of the event in their booth. Both were locals with a little bit of an age difference between them. Whereas she had an exotic confidence and mature collection to her with her madras top knot and sundress, he had all the makings of a surfer with his crossed locs tamed into a short ponytail, his aloha shirt open to expose his toned abdomen and his shell necklace.

"Good afternoon, dudes and dudettes, beach babes and beach baes!" the younger announcer called in his surfer drawl. "We are live with you today for one of my favorite events during our spring break rush—the Medusa – Beach – volleyball – tournament! Make some noise, people!"

Whoops and cheers and applause stomped through all the stands set up.

"I'm one of your hosts and ranked number two surfer on this beach—Clay!" the surfer broadcast declared. He aimed a not-so-subtle interested once-over to the woman beside him. "And this is the number one beach babe in the area, Taraji! Taraji, how you doin', baby?"

Taraji indulged him with a light shake of her head and a slight smile. "I'm fine, Clay, but thank you for asking." She gave the audience her attention. "Today, we have sixteen men's teams competing for the title 'Kings of the Beach', exclusive passes to one of our most treasured hot springs on the island, and they'll be going home with three cases of our famous star mango rum. And isn't that a wonderful prize?"

The crowd roared with agreement as Clay cackled. "You know, Taraji, I totally dig those prizes, but I'd want a date with you even more." As the audience laughed and even Taraji smiled, he went on, "But onto the tourney, dudes and dudettes! We've got quite the turnout for today, so let me break it down for your beach v-ball virgins!"

The screens on all four courts halved to show the rules and regulations and the bracket and the amusing host duo.

"All right! So!" Clay started. "Beach volleyball has two players per team with no substitutions. Since this is a two-player game, there aren't any positions players need to stay in so long as they stay within the court."

Taraji added, "To win a point for their team, it can happen if the ball lands on the opposing team's court, if the opposing team hits the ball out-of-bounds, or if there is a fault or penalty made. Once one team reaches twenty-one points with a two-point advantage, they win the set."

"But that doesn't mean they win the entire match," Clay took over. "Each match has three sets for one of the teams to win best two out of three. If they make it to the third set, whoever wins at fifteen points with a two-point lead wins. And we'll give you the play-by-play if our players go over that limit."

"Once the players hit seven points, they'll switch sides," Taraji continued. "Teams can also call one time-out per set. Once the teams are announced, we'll do a tournament-wide coin toss to see which team will serve first and which team will receive."

"If you don't understand the rules yet, don't worry about it! Clay assured. "Our referees will be down there for each game to monitor, and Taraji and I will be doing our best checking in with our amateur broadcasts about what's goin' on down undah." He turned to Taraji with a boyish grin. "And I'd like to check in what's going on with you tomorrow night, beautiful."

Nisha had gathered Ellie, Nashi, Ines, and Tesla to sit with a few others she knew. But her eyes were gleaming with excitement. "I always love it when we get to do this during spring," she gushed. "Summer gets too damn hot, but the spring weather here is perfect for some volleyball." She teased Nashi, "Excited to see your man working up a sweat?"

"Maybe a little," Nashi supposed with a simper. She had passed on pompoms, but Ellie and Tesla bought some cheap ones at one of the stands and were rustling them around. "I would've thought Gary's done this before, to be honest. When we do guild summer retreats, he likes to play."

"Remember, he didn't have a partner," Nisha filled in. "His uncle didn't want to play and, well…" She rolled her eyes. "Windel thought Gary was a rival and he always partners up with Jemaine." She shook her head. "If they weren't fucking, I swear—"

"What!"

All four women looked stunned at Nisha's words.

Nisha grinned. "Surprised?"

"Um, yes?" Tesla could not believe it. "There is no way that's a thing."

"Oh, it is, sis," Nisha confirmed with a throaty laugh. "Del had to crash with Jemaine a little while back and one thing led to another and, you know, dot-dot-dot."

Ellie giggled. "C'est trop mignon! That's so cute!" she cooed.

"I admit I was a little worried since Jemaine's practically my little Fluttershy gayby and everything," Nisha said with a smile and her hands moving to emphasize her point. "And Del is like…a lot. He's dramatic AF bi-by. But"—she shrugged—"not my business. And Del toned it down trying to get Jemaine to go out. As you can see, Jemaine's not that big on people. Today was his 'I'll do this if this means I never have to go near people for three months'."

Ines softly grinned. "That's sweet."

Nisha took out some hand sanitizer. "Right?" As she cleaned her hands, she nodded to the ladies. "Are you all competing tomorrow?"

"Oui!" Ellie chirped. "I'm so excited for it!" She nuzzled her girlfriend. "Ines and I are on the same team, and Nashi and Tesla are teaming up. And the prizes look magnifique!"

Tesla ardently agreed. "When I saw that we get a spa day here with eye candy touching us all over and I'm naked? Pfft!" She waved a pompom. "Say no more. I am in."

As Ellie teased Tesla, Nisha turned to Nashi with an adopted serious expression and murmured low, "I meant what I said before. Thank you, Nashi, for doing what you're doing. Seriously. I texted Gary about how he better lock you down while you're out here doing the Iya Nla's work."

Nashi laughed. "Thank you. And I'm sorry. 'Iya Nla'?"

Oh!" Nisha showed the pendant hanging off her necklace that engraved feminine clasping hands in prayer. "Yeah. Great Mother watches over all of us—or so my mama tells me." She rolled her eyes for Nashi to laugh. "But honestly, I hadn't tuned into the trial until it blew up all over social media." Her burnt oranges softened. "My dad is Cursed, actually."

This surprised Nashi. "O-Oh. I'm so sorry."

But Nisha brushed it off like it was no big deal. "Thanks, but it's okay. We roll with it. It's not like he did anything to deserve it." She sighed. "Guess my great-great-granddaddy rejected some witch long ago for my great-great-grandma, so she Cursed him. And now all the men in the family don't necessarily look…human." Burnt oranges saddened a little. "And you can guess it's not the easiest thing to live with, you know, considering."

"I can only imagine," murmured Nashi, genuine. If people found out Gary and Skade were…well…that…or that Papa and Luke are Demons and Lu, Igneel, and I are half-Demon, we'd be burned at the stake. As accepting as Fiore is, it's not that accepting.

"It's why I chose to become a teacher, honestly," Nisha revealed. "Caracole is a little off-the-grid when it comes to mainland shit happening and all the politics, so when my dad moved here, he said it was a lot easier for him to get a job and my grandparents on my mom's side accepted him. But when tourist season strikes, you always have those assholes who think they're better than everyone because they look 'normal'."

She heavily rolled her eyes. "Bullshit, but it's whatever." She fished out her water bottle and a flask and saw Nashi's intrigued look. "It's my mommy bag," she explained. "Investing in a PDP was the best choice of my life."

"Definitely convenient," Nashi chuckled.

Nisha hummed as she took some sips from her flash and chased it down with water. "I'm hoping to use my degree and plow through my masters to help with Cursed kids and Aberrants so they can learn and grow in a stable environment and know that they are as human as we are." She gave Nashi a grateful look. "And this is why I'm thanking you. Because you're out there fighting for that sort of world that my dad could live in. That's amazing. You're amazing for doing all that you're doing."

"I'm not that great," Nashi admonished with a small smile. "But thank you." She looked at the court as the first teams were introduced. "Honestly, I don't think I had the same mindset this time last year. I might be a Fairy Tail Wizard, but…there was a lot that I was naïve to. I was so focused on my goal that I didn't stop and look around me."

"Ah! But there comes the chicken and the egg question," Nisha pointed out. "How could you know what's out there when you never knew it?"

"My papa likes to call it the Dragon and the egg," Nashi chortle. "But I know." She smiled when she saw Gary and Justin make it out. "Still, that won't change the fact that there is so much for me to learn and grow and do. My goal is important to me. But that doesn't mean looking around me isn't as important either. I can do both. I will do both."

This time last year… If someone mentioned Demons to me or Curses, I would've thought the automatic worse. But…I know better now. It doesn't matter what blood we have or power. It doesn't matter where you come from or what you are. What matters is what you do. Hickories steeled. And I'm going to show the world that.

"And now for the coin toss," Taraji announced as a virtual coin popped up on the Lacrima Screen. "Gentlemen, it's time for you to place your bets which side the coin will land on. The winning team chooses who receives and who sets. Are you ready?"

Everyone watched as the virtual coin sprung into the air and twirled. A five-second countdown went as calls were made until the coin landed on—

"And its tails!" Clay crowed. "Time to settle everything on the sand, my dudes! Let's play some volleyball!"

Gary and Justin had won the coin toss with Gary deciding to serve. He twirled the ball in his hands and wanted to approach Justin—

"Oh, if it isn't our little Snow Boy."

Gary and Justin looked at their opponents. While one was thicker than the other, both were impressive with their varying tones of brown and black skin. Though the one who had spoken had a sleeve of tribal tattoos that inked onto their pectoral and too wide of a smirk to be considered showing friendly sportsmanship. It was no wonder he had his own doe-eyed groupies with signs and pompoms in his honor.

⌜GINETA TOWN

Name: Elis Capellán

Age: 25

Occupation: Divemaster

Likes: scuba diving Dislikes: Selan dramas

Special Note: Elis loves to go scuba diving during "shark week" and is an awesome instructor—if only he stopped hitting on his colleagues! ⌟

Gary sighed as he twirled the beach volleyball. "Hello, Elis."

"Oh, don't give me that face, Snow Boy." Elis put a hand on his hip and raised his sunglasses into his hair to display lethal gray-blue eyes holding a lecherous glint. "It gets me turned on when you like to play pouty boy with me." He sauntered to the net. "By the way… You know I'm always willing to give you a private surfing lesson if you get tired of the snow, Snow Boy."

"I'm okay, but thanks," Gary said, dismissive. "Let's have a good game."

"Why don't we make this interesting?" Elis purred in teasing. "If you lose to me, you'll let me give you a private lesson." His eyes trailed down Gary's figure with his smirk broadening the lower he went. "A very private lesson."

TICK!

"Hey, queer-zilla!" Justin stood before the net with his arms crossed and do-not-fuck-with-me written across his face. "Cute you want to flirt and fuck, but he's straight. So cut it out."

Elis chuckled with his attention to Justin breaking for an eyeful of Gary. "Sorry. I don't talk to femmes or drags. Not my type. I'm more into…"—he let out a heavy breath as Gary practiced his serves—"the jocks with ink. No offense, Nancy."

"That jock is dating a very beautiful lady," Justin stressed. "Let's not put the 'whore' in 'horrible', shall we?" He moved forward to block Elis' view of Gary and snarled lowly, "Shut it – down. He's straight."

"That's what every man says," Elis breezily drawled. He held his hands up in mock surrender when Justin grabbed the net. "No need to untuck, twink. I've said what I needed to. But good luck." He made sure Justin heard every syllable as he said, "Because I'm going to win my prize."

Justin growled as he watched Elis slink away to speak to his teammate. That son of a…! He was about to blow a fuse and whipped around to bark, "Gary!"

Gary stopped practicing his serves to freeze in fear when Justin stormed over to him. He broke into a comical nervous sweat. "W-Wait! I-I-I-If this is about us being teammates—!"

"What the Hell is wrong with you!" Justin fisted Gary's tank top.

Gary gulped. "I-I can explain—"

"There's nothing to explain," Justin snapped. "Because I'm going to make one thing clear to you right now."

Gary flinched, heart racing. Oh, no. He's going to forbid me from ever seeing Angel again. He could see the tragic tale play out before his eyes in a loose adaptation of Romeo and Juliet with Justin as Nashi's overprotective father and—oh, well, it made sense Jang-ta was his best friend, but it sucked he was skirt-chasing after the renaissance Tesla instead of helping him and—wait, Angel and he were dying together and their graves were so pretty—

"You…!"

Gary closed his eyes, bracing himself.

"…are going to beat the ever-living-shit out of that tan twink over there."

Gary opened his eyes, not computing. Huh?

Justin let him go with an angry set of his jaw and glared at the other side. Elis noticed he was receiving attention, but it was clear his wink was for Gary. "Ugh…! I can't stand fags like him!" Justin gnashed. He whirled his scowl on Gary who jumped. "Why the Hell haven't you been telling his ass off for this?"

"U-Um, well…" Gary was having a hard time processing this. "I-It just didn't seem like confronting him would do me any good, so I just avoid him—"

"Shut up and listen to me," Justin cut in (and Gary shut up and made sure he was attentive). "We are going to bury him in the sand. You need to stop being such a pussy and let him have it."

Gary worked his mouth. "Let him have…what he wants from me or…?" He flinched when Justin started for him. "I'm sorry! I-I-I'm really confused—!"

Justin tuned out Gary's rambled excuses as he glared over at Elis and how smug he looked. Tan ass bitch calls me a 'twink'. Is he serious? Femme? Fine. Nancy? Whatever. But a 'twink'? And then he is literally the worst gay and hits on my sweet girl's man? I don't think so.

"—a-and then you said the 'f' word, which I don't even think I'm allowed to say!" Gary continued in a nervous ramble. "An-And—!"

"Gary."

He froze when Justin landed a hand on his shoulder and squeaked, "Y-Yes?"

"Don't worry. You're straight and naïve. I shouldn't have expected you to know how to fight. So"—a menacing aura overpowered Justin and he aimed his fury for Elis—"Mama J will take care of everything."

Internally, Gary was shedding tears. I think I want my real mom right now!

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

•

HYU…!

•

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Tension spread through the courts as the servers got to their marks. Their time was up for practice serves and now would be the real deal. Gary and three others had the honor of serving. They poised before the ball went into the air. Following it, they jumped up and—

SMACK!

The tournament had begun.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

•

BAKI-BAKI-BAKI!

•

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Beach volleyball had a different sort of intensity than its indoor counterpart, and yet it still maintained a sense of familiarity.

Those six players with their specified skill were swapped with two jacks-of-all-trades that covered the sandy court. Your feet and posture had to withstand shifty sand, which could be an advantage for dives if you took that opportunity. But what never changed was needing that awareness on the court—that prediction of your opponent's next move, that adaptability at the drop of a hat, and most of all, that connection you had to share with your partner.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

•

Do you know equality?

Wish I could believe in it

Can we all live in perfect harmony?

•

I don't get it!

Sometimes the world is not mine

They try to change my mind

I know, I can, I will change the world

•

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Every team had a different set of signals, whether it be their hands or with a movement, but the key was to have a rotation of signals to keep your opponent guessing.

Justin's subtle signal for an "angle block" on Elis and a line block on Elis' partner came in hand for Gary when Elis' spiked the ball across the neck. He had time-lagged his block, and Elis' partner had gone to get under it, but it was too late when the ball smacked onto the sand.

Nashi, Nisha, Ines, Ellie, and Tesla got up to cheer with others for the point with this set officially going to Justin and Gary's team.

Justin shot an annoyed Ellis a smirk and a blown kiss before turning to Gary, who looked hopeful for a high five. Though his expression faltered when Justin's smug mood faded and resigned to getting ready for the next set—

A hand on his shoulder stopped him.

Gary looked back, surprised Justin was offering a pensive look and a high five. It startled Justin how ridiculously excited Gary got for the offer and he flushed, but he gathered himself and passed him—

SMACK!

And they high-fived each other in passing with Gary's grin determined while Justin looked fired-up himself.

The games continued to show all the qualities of what athletics was about—sportsmanship and the ability to use your skills on the fly. Nasty digs and dives were saved with the comfort of the sand. Cheers and applause went out as points were made. The teams who had won their matches watched their opponents while others retreated to the stands to cool off.

Nisha was whooping in the stands as Windel's air spike landed barely in-bounds to give him and Jemaine the two-point advantage they needed to win the set and the match. But no one—especially poor, shy Jemaine—expected Windel to pick him up for a heart-stopping kiss for their victory (only for an embarrassed Jemaine to disappear and Windel frantically tried to apologize for acting recklessly).

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

•

You say nobody wants a war

What are they fighting for?

Is it true that only the strong survive?

•

I don't get it!

Sometimes the world is not mine

They try to change my mind

I know, I can, I will change the world

•

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Jaxton and Ace were destroying their opponents with them barely letting them score any points, but it made it all the sweeter for Jaxton when their opponents turned out to be the two men from the other day that were around Tesla at the bar. They both looked a little terrified to be near him with his lethal aura coming off him in waves (though Ace had to awkwardly laugh when a few outspoken women were crooning for Jaxton's attention).

Jaxton was practicing his serve, but his ear twitched, and he looked up to see Tesla cheering for him with her pompoms and the white bikini top that he loved. She mouthed you better win to him before shaking her pompoms. He wanted to smile when something disturbed him, and he saw those same two men drooling over every movement Tesla made.

He gripped the volleyball.

SMACK!

And Ace was left to profusely apologize to the referees while Jaxton did not care he had smacked one of the men with his serve and the man was comically frothing on the ground, unconscious.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

•

All I wanna do is make changes

It's always on my mind

All I wanna do is make changes

Don't act like you don't mind

•

Don't let me down

It's something you should know

Don't let me down

We're looking at tomorrow!

•

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Sets passed and matches came and went as the sun trickled into the west. More and more spectators broke from their everyday activities to swarm for the quarter-finals. It was a miracle Gary and Justin and Windel and Jemaine had all been paired up in different brackets for the quarterfinals. Sweat glistened off their body, but none of them were ready to walk away from today without their prize.

The girls had split to divide and conquer for their cheering. Nashi and Ellie stayed for Gary and Justin as they versed against a flamboyant fellow and a stereotypical surfer dude with frosted tips. The game had gone into the third set with twenty-five points to Justin and Gary and twenty-four points on the other side, but neither team was willing to throw in the towel. It had Ellie and Nashi holding hands when the other team got a point when Gary's dig did not make it.

Wind intercepted the other team's serve, but that was the hazard of being outside. Justin got underneath the ball for a bump that Gary pushed into a set. Justin could see he was being blocked and had to make a split-second decision when he jumped up. His decision made people gasp when he spiked the ball between the arms of the blocker so sharply that there was no time for a save.

And they were in the lead again.

Justin had been given the volleyball, but he offered it to Gary with a firm look and a nod.

Hit them hard.

Gary took a breath as he took the beach volleyball. Thankfully, the quarterfinals had not dragged out any diehard fans nor did the opposing team have as big of a reputation as Windel did with the natives. But that did not mean people tried to knock him off his game. He spun the volleyball in his hands and closed his eyes.

Comforting summer touched his winter.

Do your best.

Gary smiled and let himself feel the wandering breeze in the air. He could sense a change coming soon. Such a sensation made him miss having his wings spread out. But once the sensation hit him harder, he opened his eyes.

A hush spread across the court.

Gary spun the ball and practiced his toss making it a little further back. A topspin serve was easy enough to predict.

But his footwork changed, and his toss turned into a lift with him in a ready and open position, and his palm made clean contact with the ball.

A jump-floater serve.

Nashi and Ellie were on the edge of their seats when the flamboyant tracked the ball and committed to receive with his hands rather than his platform in a higher position. But where he could have done a drop step when the ball dropped, his correction came too late in the came and his transition played against him when the ball ricocheted off the edge of his arm. This teammate rushed, but it was in vain when the ball bounced out of bounds.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

HYU!

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

The referees called it.

Nashi and Ellie and others raved in the stands over the win to the semifinals. The opposing team panted, sweaty and beat, but they perked and smile when Justin and Gary had come up to the net to give them their congratulations.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

HYU!

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Intermission struck up so the players had time to rest of the semifinals and finals with an hour countdown on the screens. Fans rushed to get more drinks and food and gush about the tournament. One older brother had to endure his baby sister and her friends giggling over the hotness of a few of the players. Advertisements for a junior summer program came up from the local youth center.

Elis had been swarmed as fans of his wanted a piece of him to purr compliments and have the opportunity to talk to him. He indulged him with a charming smile and drawl, but his eyes sifted the crowd to find Gary and how happy he was speaking with Nashi. He frowned, but when Gary's glance caught his, he lobbied a smirk and winked.

Justin growled when he saw that and finished his gulp of his energy drink. "He just doesn't know when to quit, does he?"

"It's fine," Gary stated, unbothered. "I don't pay attention to it." He nuzzled an embarrassed Nashi and cooed, "How could I pay attention to someone else when I want to give all my attention and smiles to Angel?"

"H-Hey!" Nashi spluttered. "Don't hug me! You're all sweaty and gross!"

Gary pouted. "But we cuddle when we're all sweaty from having s—" He grinned against Nashi's hand while she looked ready to either faint or murder him with her bare hands.

Justin sighed as he watched Gary and Nashi's antics as Nashi scolded Gary for trying to speak on their intimacy only to falter when Gary kissed her hand. I can't deny how well they treat each other. Nashi might still be a little tsundere, but… He softened when Nashi snuck a kiss on Gary's cheek. They love each other. There's no question about that.

He heard Ace approach before he saw him and asked him in a murmur, "Why does it feel like I'm watching my own daughter leave the nest?"

"Because it might be in a way," Ace replied with a hint of a smile. He teased, "You raised her well."

Justin snorted. "Damn right I raised her well. Aunt Lucy certainly had a hand in things and so did Mister Dragneel, of course—"

"Naturally," Ace agreed, amused.

"But if it wasn't for me, my sweet girl would still be nursing granny panties and not letting her man know what her mother gave her." Justin smiled when Ace kissed his temple. "Sore that you're out of the running?"

Ace shrugged. "Not really. We had it coming when Jax knocked out our opponent with one spike—again. Even after the warning that we'd be disqualified if he did it again." He shook his head when Justin laughed at his dry tone. "But at least Tesla's consoling him over the loss." He nodded over to the couple.

Tesla was earnestly speaking to a few others she had gotten to know, but it was easy to see she was becoming flustered the more Jaxton's hands roamed her body and the dirty words he was whispering to her to tempt her to abandon the others and give him her attention.

Justin snickered. "Tess said they don't do beach sex, but I think he's wearing her down."

"Hey, Snow Boy!" Windel had declared this as he pointed at Gary. "Don't get so cocky just because you made it to the finals!" He smirked. "I'll take it easy on you if you make it to the finals, Snow Boy, since you're not as experienced here in the heat, but don't think of a second I won't—!"

"Angel, stop moving!" Gary whined when Nashi squirmed against his hold. "Angel is getting me all excited!" He held her hips, eager. "Does this mean Angel will wish me good luck by letting me—?"

TICK!

Gary laughed and easily blocked a half-agitated half-embarrassed Nashi's hits as she barked, "Don't say such perverted things, you stupid dog!"

Windel shook his fist. "Don't perv on your girlfriend when I'm talking, Snow Boy!" He huffed and groused, "Damn Snow Boy! Thinkin' he's the shit because he's getting laid on the reg! If he thinks he can win on my turf, he's got another thing coming! Right, Jemaine?"

But Jemaine gave him a visibly cold shoulder, still traumatized and recluse. "You kissed me," he mumbled, dazed, "with all those people staring…"

Windel panicked when Jemaine's form distorted and he disappeared. "No, Jemaine, wait!" He frantically waved his hands around and pleaded, "I-I-I'm really sorry! C-C-Come on, I know I was acting reckless, but I was just so excited and you know how I get when I'm excited! Jemaine? Jemaine!"

Gary laughed to himself watching how comically desperate and panicked Windel was as he pleaded for Jemaine to come out with vain promises to never do it again. He might be a big talker, but I don't think people realize how quickly his personality switches around Jemaine.

He smiled a little when Jemaine let his head be seen then the rest of his body. He shied away from Windel's hurried approach, ready to disappear, but Windel paced himself with low soothes. And Jemaine's white lashes fell when Windel grazed his jaw with gentle fingers.

"You okay?" Nashi checked.

Gary peered down at Nashi—his Angel—he drank in the sight of her with those eyes he could get lost in. It's funny. Windel sort of reminds me of me when I was younger. I was an ass, but even back then… I couldn't resist Angel.

Nashi fretted. "Gary?"

"I'm fine, Angel." Gary dropped a kiss on her brow.

"Good." Nashi blotted the hand towel she had brought alongside his neck. "You and JJ seem to be getting along well…"

Gary chuckled. "Yeah. I guess so." His eyes flickered to Justin as he looked all puffed up and ready for a fight the more Elis mocked him. I'm hoping we're on the right track by the end of the night.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Fairy Adventure

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Jasmine was awake in her hospital room with Pearson and Sharon at her side and Maddox gone to run errands. The LV had been turned onto a Real Housewives segment with Sharon and Jasmine snorting over some of the tomfoolery the black housewives were getting into with their disastrous trip to Sin while Pearson smiled seeing Jasmine active, even if she barely touched the lunch Sharon snuck in for her.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

Fetal Care Center – Inpatient Ward

Crocus Clinic Main Campus

Crocus

Fiore, Ishgar

2:30 PM FST

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Sharon finished her burger with a shake of her head when the antics of the housewives resorted to finger-wagging and some harsh reads. "See, Nini knows how to read, but little miss Ferrari cannot read to save her life."

Jasmine laughed. "She should learn from that one bad bitch in Flavor Town. Now she knew how to read, but bitch was crazy."

"Girl was psycho," Sharon agreed with a slurp of her slushie. "But she checked every one of those girls trying to get Flavor's attention. I give her props to that, but then she had to go on and get her own show." She rolled her eyes. "Getting' all ratchet and making it seem all we know how to do is pop off and shake our ass."

Jasmine raised an amused eyebrow. "Aunt Meadow tells me back in the day, she had to endure you at the flats with all your attitude."

Sharon sheepishly grinned. "We all go through that phase sometime or another. Not your aunt Meadow though. She was our prim and priss sis who couldn't stand partying."

"And then she married a manwhore and a known partier who changed his ways." Jasmine took a few sips of her ginger tea, her IV moving with her. "So, um… When are you marrying Maddox?"

Pearson stopped working, interested in this conversation.

Sharon choked.

KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK.

"Come in!" Sharon quickly accepted, much to Jasmine and Pearson's amusement.

A beautiful dark-skinned woman came in with her lab coat and her headwrap in a topknot. Something about the way she carried herself made those around her comforted and safe, and it helped her smile looked charming and genuine. Her eyes swept over Jasmine before bouncing onto Pearson and Sharon. She introduced herself. "It is nice to meet you all. I am Lupita Bankole, the Apothecary. And you must be Jasmine, our gorgeous mother-to-be."

"That's me," Jasmine agreed, relieved. "It's nice to meet you, Doctor."

"Oh!" Lupita laughed. "No need to address me too formally. 'Lupita' is fine and something I prefer, actually." She came closer to the bed to observe Jasmine and let her gaze dip to Jasmine's pregnant stomach. Flickers of soft joy came upon her stare. "Your ibeji are strong—this I can see. And full of such curiosity."

Something fell into place for Pearson while surprise shot Jasmine. "'Curiosity'?" she echoed. "What do you mean?"

"That's what I felt," Pearson realized. He explained to Jasmine, "I thought I felt two presences. I felt…something. An emotion. But I couldn't find the words. But that's what it was." He looked for confirmation in Lupita. "Wasn't it?"

Lupita hummed an affirmative. "Yes, these two are inquisitive about what they are by. They may not understand what goes on, but they certainly try."

"My twins…" Jasmine touched her stomach. "They're…trying to understand the world? But… Isn't it too soon?" Worry marred her features. "I thought babies can't respond or anything until later on?"

Lupita gently shook her head. "You misunderstand, Miss Jasmine. The ibeji cannot kick back, but that does not mean in curiosity they lack." She gestured with her hand. "May I try?"

Jasmine nodded, a little uncertain.

Lupita did not touch Jasmine's stomach, but she waved a hand over it. A perky lime green pulsed from her hand as she set herself into a rhythm with her wrist and hand circularly rotating as though she were brushing around a sphere. "It is true that it is later your ibeji will hear the world around, but it looks like their souls recognize your sound."

"Their…souls?" Jasmine looked at Pearson for an answer.

Lupita stopped her ministrations, humming in thought. "Miss Jasmine, I came to help you in your time of need. I would like to explain before I do any deed. Will you let me explain with just you and I or would you prefer guests nearby?"

Jasmine looked at her aunt for guidance.

Sharon urged, "It's your choice."

Jasmine wrestled with it before she requested, "I can do this alone."

"All right, baby." Sharon pressed a kiss onto Jasmine's temple and rubbed her shoulder. "We'll be outside if you need us." She nodded for Pearson, who gave Jasmine's hand a squeeze before he followed Sharon out of the room.

Jasmine took a deep breath once the door closed, and Lupita tilted her head, understanding. "I understand your need for privacy. You have been through much, so your charts told me." She softened. "Would you like to talk before I explain? I am here to listen to your every word and your pain."

Jasmine winced before she confessed, "I read up on how magical kids drain their moms a lot more than the average Spiritless mom, but…" She knitted her blanket beneath her fingers. "I'm just…exhausted all the time," she revealed. All the tears she had shoved down sprung up from the chronic lethargy and pain she carried around with her. "I know I need to eat, but I can barely taste anything. Even showering and trying to eat makes me so tired—!" She bit back the rest of her confessional.

Lupita spared Jasmine a few tissues. "It is okay to cry. I know this is hard. Your body and mind are changing, and you feel like you are falling apart," she empathized.

"But I don't want to fall apart," Jasmine tearfully whispered. "Everyone's worried enough as it is. I can't fall apart. I can't."

"Sometimes, 'can' and 'can't' matter not when it comes to being honest with our thoughts," Lupita murmured to her. She settled in Pearson's abandoned seat to examine Jasmine head to toe. "You are not a burden, not now or ever. But you hide that sort of fear, thinking you are clever."

Jasmine slowly pulled down her bundled-up tissues. "I don't want to turn into my parents." The truth was out. The secret fear she could not help but reveal to this woman who radiated soft soothes and gentle nurturing. "I can't—I won't do that to my twins. I can't. I-I can't—" But the words fizzled for a new round of sudden tears, and she choked, "I'm sorry."

"Your fears are valid and very much real," Lupita consoled. "In fact, many parents with tarnished paths feel that anxiety you feel. They worry and fret about their parents' old ways, that they fail to see how different they are and separate the past from today."

Jasmine sniffled and dabbed under her eyes. "My mom—" She hiccupped and sniff as she rolled the tissues beneath her fingers. "My mom—she…" Another quick sniff. "She had pretty bad post-partum," she explained. "At least, that's what I think. I don't know. We just…never connected, and I could tell she was depressed, but she never trusted doctors."

"It is hard to trust what you do not know," Lupita understood. "Some people never trust for that reason alone."

"I wish she did get treated," Jasmine breathed. "I wish she did…something, but she just—!" She blew her nose and calmed down the strong urge to sob over those remembrances of her mother. "And my dad?" A humorless chuckle. "I guess my existence ruined everything for him since he liked to remind me about it whenever he could." Those burnt umbers darkened. "Even with him in prison."

Lupita did not press that issue, but she extended a hand. Jasmine dropped her tissue and slid her hand into hers, and Lupita massaged the tension out from Jasmine's hand. "You carry that sadness, but it does not have to be a burden to bear. It can be recycled into a better way to show your ibeji the love you share. Anyone can be a parent, but that does not change the fact that it takes a mom and dad to put forth effort and true love in their act."

Jasmine closed her eyes when a seeping warmth expunged the minor aches and pains that the pain medication could not get rid of. "I know," she sighed. "I know it takes commitment and effort and actual love, but… What if…? What if my mom did have postpartum depression? And what if I do and then my twins…?"

"The doctor told me he examined you for depression and possible therapy," Lupita clued in. "That discussion we can have if you wish to talk to someone about your distraught thoughts. But it is your choice if you wish your distress to have a proper voice."

Jasmine swallowed, but her body relaxed once all those aches and pains traded for freedom she had not felt since prior to her pregnancy. "I… I'd be open to that." She blinked open her eyes. "I don't feel sore anymore…" She looked at Lupita. "How did you…?"

"The weakness to your soul and spirit caused such strain. I gave you an ablution to help your body heal from the pain," Lupita explained.

Jasmine did not understand. "What do you mean? And could I ask what exactly you can do that normal doctors can't? They said you specialized in magical MFM, right?"

"Yes." Lupita nodded and placed Jasmine's palm up to start an intricate pattern drawn with a forefinger. "I am a Wiccan from a country in Andüsa where my Ẹmi Nla gifted me power."

"And who is that?"

"She is the Spirit who breathes life into Wiccans as our power is bestowed upon us unlike other Mages where it is birth-given," Lupita explained. "I have received the power to harmonize soul, spirit, and mind. And with this purpose, I help others in kind. I have no specialty. I work in all fields. But motherhood and children have always held my appeal."

Jasmine recognized a tinge in Lupita's expression, but she dared not pry. "I'm sorry. I'm Spiritless, so I never really focused on Magic and everything, but… What are you going to do to me that will help? Will I stop fainting? Am I being put on more medications?"

Lupita throatily laughed at how surly Jasmine sounded at her last inquiry. "Looking over your charts and first-hand accounts, I believe drip therapy with Ether will bring your body up to the right amount. Your ibeji requires too great of energy for your pills to assist their need. As for other medications, that is your choice to take. I can prescribe them, but I prefer to give you potions to take."

"Potions?" Jasmine looked rightfully worried. "But what about the side effects? The addiction?"

"Potions receive such slander due to the ineptitude of the Spiritless of which they handle," Lupita informed. "My potions I brew are made strictly to help with no addictive quality for you to worry yourself." She smiled when Jasmine still looked unsure. "It is just my recommendation. You always have your say. But I am here to give you the options to make your pregnancy a little smoother along the way."

Jasmine looked ashamed. "I'm sorry. I know you're trying to help. I didn't mean to be judgmental."

"No need for apologies. You are right to exercise caution against me."

Jasmine stilled when the look in Lupita's eyes turned somber.

"I understand what happens when you trust far too easy," Lupita murmured. "But the life inside you needs you to think carefully. For you carry powerful ibeji others might find too powerful to be left alone and their strength catches someone's wandering eye."

"People would want my twins?" Jasmine looked both bewildered and spooked at the notion as she put a protective hand over her stomach. "What? Why? Because of the stuff with the Faction? But nothing like that has hit close to my home. I'm safe."

Lupita continued making indescribable symbols on Jasmine's palm. "In this world, in this age, you must be careful even when protected. For safe can turn to unsafe when you least expect it. You must be on guard and keep those who support you close. For you never know when the time will come when you need them the most."

Jasmine's heart monitor picked up her rising anxiety, and she wanted to fling back her excuses, but she ended up tumbling out, "I've been watching the news with everything going on. And how…" Her bottom lip trembled. "How Wizards are being dragged out of their homes in some countries. And the Faction and that Magic Council… All their fighting is giving more and more causalities." She looked at Lupita like a vulnerable daughter needing the comfort of her mother's words. "Is it really that bad out there?"

"Some places are worse than others, so I dare not give answers concrete." Lupita searched Jasmine's eyes. "But know that those around you will protect you and never accept defeat."

Jasmine gave a shaky breath. "Am I selfish for bringing them into a world like this?" she asked, conflicted and miserable. "They're Wizards. I know that now. But what if everything gets worse for them by the time they're born?"

Lupita told Jasmine in the gentlest of tones, "Your fears are not unfounded. Many have thought the same. But you and you alone bear that task of forging a decision to claim. Nothing has to be decided today. But on the assumption you want to continue, this is what I will say." She focused on Jasmine's thumb. "To protect you and your little ones from the greed of men, you will need a Healer outside of a hospital's den. I have a few friends who will be happy to aid in the rest of your pregnancy and a few years after, if they may."

Jasmine took in this information. Her heart rate did not lurch, but she was still unsettled all the same. "Should I not be here then?" she worried.

"Fiore is safe," Lupita assured as she moved onto Jasmine's pointer, "but we will make sure you are discharged soon. I can make a home visit, but that is up to you."

"You make home visits?" Jasmine asked, surprised.

Lupita nodded and went to Jasmine's middle finger. "I do. I work for the clinic and for Xerion, but my main base is Lamia Scale and whoever's home I am called upon." Now to the ring finger.

Jasmine watched Lupita work. "I thought I was doing everything right, but… There's so much I don't know."

"You did everything right on the Spiritless side," Lupita assured her, "but it is time to curve to the magical ways of life." She finished with Jasmine's pinky. "Would you like me to start the coordination between yours and the ibeji's hearts?"

Jasmine frowned as Lupita released her hand. "How could you do that?"

"Your ibeji are strong—stronger than most—but with a little Magic and a coax, I believe I can have them sate their curiosity and teach them their mother needs her own energy."

"You… You can do that?" Jasmine gaped. "Wizards can do that? How?"

Lupita smiled as she got up to move closer to Jasmine's bulging stomach. "Few Wizards have such a gift, unborn or alive. But your ibeji are ready to meet you. They just need a push to project what's inside."

Jasmine panicked. "You mean I'm going to go into labor?"

Lupita shook her head. "No. You are not. I suspect you will carry to full term. This is a different sort of birth." Her smile widened. "Are you ready to learn?"

Jasmine sucked on her bottom lip for a few moments, mulling and thinking and hemming and hawing. "Will it hurt?"

"No," Lupita replied. "It will not hurt at all. But I cannot promise you will not feel emotional."

"I can handle emotions. I cry whenever I see a puppy now," Jasmine muttered. "Well, um…" She shifted around. "H-H-How…? How do we do this?"

Lupita instructed with a hypnotic lilt to her exotic accent, "You must close your eyes and relax. No noise, no fuss. All you must do is focus. Breathe in and out, deep and sound, push and pull, nose then mouth."

Jasmine did her best to lay down on the bed with her eyes closed. A deep breath in and a solid breath out. She repeated even breathing in and out, cycling herself, but an odd tranquility lulled her. It tempted her like sleep would commonly do, but that pull down into murky depths was not there. Tingling coaxed her into a sway. A boat. It was like she was on a boat. She could feel the waves push and pull, to and fro, back and forth. Like the ocean cradled and nursed her.

Her eyes felt heavy, but her body felt lighter than it had in years. She felt like she was on the cusp of falling asleep, but something—that something—would keep her threaded to the edge, relaxed and comfortable and safe, but never enough that she departed for the land of dreams.

In the back of her mind, perhaps she registered the foreign language Lupita sung to her with its soothing croon and caress. The words were unfamiliar, but the melody sounded like something she had heard once in a dream of a dream. Something that brought forth her fears and squashed them to tell her you will be okay. Even if the world collapsed or someone left or she could not stop her tears, you will be okay.

It started with an innocent touch. She felt it. She was not crazy. She felt it. She could feel something intangible brush her cheek, light and airy and another emotion that befuddled her—No, she knew this. Curiosity. It was curiosity. It was so hard to describe such an emotion like curiosity, but all she knew was whatever had touched her had a thousand questions and then a thousand more. It wanted to bridge its confusion into comprehension. It wanted.

A different touch came to her breast. Impish, this one. It was not as airy and collected. No, this one had spunk in spades and, without a doubt, would be a complex and rebellious minx. But there was that curiosity again. It pressed against her heart, drinking in its steady beat, and for some reason, she could feel this touch—this presence—become so cuddly and clingy and docile hearing her heartbeat.

"Jasmine." Lupita's words drifted to her in this place, this space—this beyond. "It is time for you to open your eyes and see the ibeji."

It was harder to open her eyes than she thought. She wanted to stay with these touches. The innate need to nurture and love made her want to sweep them to her bosom and rock them until they were content. But she heeded Lupita's words and opened her eyes—

PUWA…

Burnt umbers widened. What…?

Nothing prepared her for this.

Describing what was before her felt beyond mortal comprehension. The hospital room existed as it was. But two crystalline presences with little shape to them bobbed before her. Their hues were vastly different, so much so that you might not think they were twins. The diamond-shaped presence swirled in mellow greens that wafted pine and forest. But the impish and tumultuous sphere bequeathed black-violet to its form with ember and soot breathing from it.

Jasmine could not move. What is…?

The greenish diamond approached her and brushed her cheek—

Curiosity. Want. Mother.

Jasmine gaped, so startled that both presences retreated to shrink down over her stomach as though afraid.

Afraid.

Jasmine cupped her hands over her mouth with her eyes wide and tears cornering her eyes. Nothing made sense, but everything made sense. "What did you do to me?" she whispered to Lupita.

"I gave them the push they need to come out from hiding and meet their mother-to-be," Lupita told her softly. "I did not think such an ancient technique would work, but your ibeji are powerful…" She smiled. "And they wished to see their mother from outside the hearth."

"I…" Jasmine did not know what to say. She did not know what to think. Her twins—her and Pacer's twins—were here before her in these ghoulish masses, and she believed it. It never registered, a disbelief or something of the sort. She believed it. Her mind knew. But she could barely speak.

The darker presence understood no attack would come and sprung back to its average size. It came close, but it was brasher than its twin and went for Jasmine's chest—

Curiosity. Want. Mother. Warm.

DRIP.

DROP.

She did not know when the tears started flowing, but she knew they would not stop. Too many emotions were inside her for her to compartmentalize and sort out. She could not hold back anything anymore. She could only cry. "These are my twins?"

The greenish diamond presence deemed it safe as well. It brushed her cheek—

Curiosity. Want. Mother. Sad?

Jasmine gasped. This one was…asking her about her tears? "I… I'm okay," she croaked, breathless and dazed. "M-M-Mommy's okay,"

The diamond stretched out into an odd shape before springing back into its form and brushed her cheek again—

Happy.

Jasmine's lips quivered before her eyes shut and her tears purged down her lashes and whipped her cheeks. But she held back in her baseless cries as she clutched her blanket. This was too much. This was all too much. Her twins—her unborn twins—were here, right before her eyes, in this soul-like projection emoting to her, feeling her, wanting her—

The greenish diamond joined its twin nuzzling her bosom, and she felt their joint emotions—

Curiosity. Mother. Warm. Happy. Love.

That broke something inside her.

It was not just a cry of her pain and the weeks she spent feeling her body was alien to her with its chronic pain and stress. It was not just the cry of her past and the shambles she came from to build a future for herself. It was a cry of relief.

It was a cry of happiness.

Lupita made her exit as quiet as possible and shut the door, blocking Sharon from barging in. "She needs time alone, so I cannot allow for you to interrupt how delicate she is right now," Lupita warned.

"What happened?" Sharon demanded to know.

Lupita straightened. "We must talk right away and make preparation to come. Her ibeji are too strong for their age and she must find protection." She turned to Pearson. "You must make sure she is within your sight. We cannot afford her missing for one day or one night."

"A friend told me it'd be better to hire a private Healer," Pearson inserted.

Lupita sagely nodded. "Yes. Your friend is right. A private Healer will make sure Jasmine and the ibeji are unharmed as they both mature. But we must act quickly—"

"What's going on?" Sharon needed to know.

Lupita looked at her with such serious eyes they felt cold. "The ibeji are powerful entities. That is why we cannot continue standing about. The longer they stay here exposed, it won't be long until someone else figures that out."

And beyond their vision, a pair of moccasins disappeared into another corridor.

---

The burning sun was getting ready for his retirement, tired for a long day of work now that he had to put in more hours than he wanted. He still had an hour left until official sunset, but no one could fault him for wanting to be prepared. Scores of tourists and locals had come out to watch the semifinals in action with two courts left outside the final court. The games had everyone on edge as the third set kept climbing higher and higher into ridiculous points. Recreational playing or not, no one wanted to lose.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

Medusa Beach

Caracole Island

Fiore, Ishgar

5:17 PM CAST

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Gary and Justin were in the third set with their opponents and the points never broke past a tie. The second one team scored, the other would counterattack with a point back. This was no longer a battle of points.

This was a battle of endurance.

HYU!

Groans and cheers rippled down the crowd in mass when Gary and Justin gained their one-point lead out of a tie. Maybe later others would find it amusing how invested they were doing the game with Ines swearing under her breath and Ellie crafting a wad of moss to squish as a stress ball. Nashi was muttering to herself about the referee's calls—she would never admit that she got her sideline coaching from her father in a million years—and Ace was rubbing his jaw, eyes flamed.

Tesla was rankled, but she noticed how relaxed Jaxton looked with his head cocked as he watched Gary. "How are you not swearing like the rest of us?" she asked him. "This is intense!" She shook her head, rubbing her pompoms together. "I can barely sit still."

Jaxton hummed, but he watched Gary closely as he and Justin spoke about their plan of action.

The next serve was up.

Silence scattered over the court.

Nashi wriggled on the edge of her seat. Come on, you guys.

Gary served a clean topspin that was received and set into a hard-driven spike, but Gary was ready to receive it. His dig launched the ball close to the net. Justin took the set just high enough, but with a block had been lagged for Gary's line shot for a rebound. Justin was quick enough to bump it for Gary to set it up for him. The blockers watched for Gary's movement, but—

FWIP!

No one expected Gary to shift and his body to tip back for his set.

Justin jumped up just in time for a cross-shot—

SMACK!

The ball smacked in-bounds—

HYU!

The stands roared with cheers and shouts as Gary and Justin took victory for the team. Ace was whooping from the stands while Nashi had stolen Ellie's pompoms and was jumping up and down at the win.

Clay and Taraji took to the screens as Clay pounded on his desk and hooted, "Bro, that was some tense back and forth, but I'm sure my dudes down there are feeling stoked they made it to the finals, right, babe?"

"I agree." It was comical how soft-spoken and punctuative Taraji was in comparison to Clay's drawl. "Congratulations on your win and a valiant effort to the opposition. We'll check back in with you for the finals and wish both teams the best of luck."

°•°•°•°

Now that sunset rimmed, cooler air coasted from the sea and the lighthouse was a calling beacon for the sailors. Orange bled into the sky to help smoothen the messy divorce between day and night, like a meditator trying to keep the peace.

The finals court felt like an official competition with stands and sponsorships banded across the stands and fencing. Hordes of people have filled all sides of the stands with their drinks and excitement crackled. Bets were placed all around for who would win, and some girls were loudly giggling and catcalling over the commercials played showing off rippling pectorals and filthy smirks. Camera Lacrima buzzed around as drones to capture the thrill of the finals from every angle, but a few dedicated cameramen were setting up at their angles. Mini-games went on for the kids, from a hula-hooping contest to a random dance play.

Shades in her hair, Nashi fanned herself with one of the pamphlet fans and sipped some of her star manga margarita slushie. "This has been a lot more epic than I thought beach volleyball can be."

"Definitely," Ace agreed. He twisted his cap backward with his sunglasses hanging off his tank top as he munched on some cheesy fries. "Shit's pretty crazy." He nodded over to a fuming Windel (Jemaine hid under his security blanket and decided to read one of his extracurricular books) and grinned. "Still sour about that lose, man?"

Windel huffed. "Whatever. It's not like Snow Boy can win if I couldn't win," he groused.

"Don't mind pouty boy," Nisha drawled as she fixed her lipstick. "He's just mad because the guys on his team are going to haze him for not winning the tourney and last time, he had to—"

"Denisha!" Windel snapped, flushed.

Tesla snickered with her legs thrown over Jaxton's as he languidly rubbed her thigh and nursed a specialty rum. "Your game ended in two sets, right?" she asked Windel, who started to shake with anger. "I thought you'd last a little longer—"

"I do last long!" Windel shouted, nearly blowing his top. "I—!"

But Jemaine's mumble made him freeze when he said, "You're going to make people stare over here… And then they'll stare at me…"

Windel frantically tried his best to keep a shrinking Jemaine from going invisible and profusely apologized, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I'll tone it down, I swear, okay?"

Nisha amusedly told the group, "He's lying. I should tell you about the time he got all hot and bothered so much so that he ended up—"

"Ah-bup-bup-bup! You swore you wouldn't—!" Windel froze when Jemaine shrunk down and controlled himself into an angry pout. "Whatever," he grumbled. "If I couldn't win against them, I doubt Snow Boy can."

Clay and Taraji appeared on the projected screens with Taraji's reserved smile and Clay's boyish grin. He crowed, "Yo, yo, what's up, my dudes and dudettes? Are you stoked for tonight's finals or what!"

The crowd screamed and hollered.

"We've had a pretty gnarly day with all these matches, but we're down to our final two teams dukin' it out to become the 'Kings of the Beach'," Clay continued.

Taraji's honeyed voice smoothed over the invigorated audience. "The preliminaries and semifinals might have been a battle of this, but the finals will become a battle of strength, endurance, and cunning. Our four players have had a long day pushing themselves to win. For them to make it to the top tonight, they'll have to show us who wants it more."

Clay aimed his grin towards Taraji. "And you know what I want, Taraji?"

She indulged him with a head tilt and a raised eyebrow. "What, Clay? Outside of dinner."

"What if I asked for dinner and dessert?" Clay teased her with a waggle of his eyebrows.

Taraji shook her head at his flirting and told the crowd, "Tonight, we'll see who walks away with the grand title of 'Kings of the Beach', which permits them exclusive entry to one of Caracole's sacred hot springs, cases of our famous star mango rum, two thousand jewel gifts each, and a complimentary private dinner night at Chef Carme's on a night of their choosing." She added in slight jest, "Perhaps if dinner and dessert were there, I'd accept."

Clay looked pleasantly surprised at Taraji's quip and howled, "Far out! My beautiful beach babe is gettin' me all fired up for these finals! Time for our strongest challengers to hit the sand and take this to the top, my dudes!"

Thunderous applause agitated the atmosphere. Nashi and Ellie were screaming with Tesla waving her pompoms and Ace and Ines clapping. Windel huffed, grumpy, while Jemaine focused on his book beneath his security blanket. But Tesla paused in her loud cheers when she felt a shift in Jaxton.

Jaxton watched the court, thoughtful.

Tesla frowned. "Jang-ta?" She scooted closer to him to flutter a hand down his chest. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Jaxton adjusted his grip on Tesla's thigh and waist. This should be interesting.

Clay introduced to the audience, "Time to show you the strongest teams to have survived to the final! Give it up for our dudes straight outta the mainland and Wizards of the most reckless guild we know and love—Gary and Justin!"

Gary and Justin came out onto the sandy court with Justin lapping up the attention while Gary offered a shy smile that broke into a beam when he saw Nashi cheering for him. Both men were gifted volleyballs. They had done an off-court warm-up, but they still had some time to practice a little more.

"And our next foreign fellas who came from a land far, far away!" Clay continued. "They put the hurt in the dirt with their consecutive two-sets-in-a-row wins! Give it up for…!"

Bare feet shifted against the white sand.

"…Levin and Reiner!"

A broad grin.

Nashi sucked in a breath, amazed. "Wow…"

The two men who walked onto the court got a fair bit of enthusiasm for their looks and none of it was unfounded. The grinning young gentleman had messy hair of a misty silver that he had thrown back and let hit his nape. Amused dark browns looked around the stadium, but he did nothing to keep the type up as he strode onto his team's side of the court. The other young man looked darker than his teammate, but it was not in a manner of vileness or physicality. He looked sour about something with thick black hair unruly and kept short and his right arm had a sleeve of silver tattoos that had more depth than simply aesthetics.

Gary cocked his head as he observed the sour gentleman. Something about him seems familiar…

"Reiner!" the young man with silver hair called as he tossed his teammate a volleyball. "Stop being so grumpy about taking out your piercings! You'll scare away the ladies!"

Reiner caught the ball with one large hand and shot his teammate a grumpy look. "Shut the fuck up, Levin." Moody dark blues looked around until they narrowed on Gary. He looks…familiar…

Nashi watched Reiner and Gary's staring contest, bewitched. Oh my god. She could see them both beside each other in her mind. They're practically twins.

"Go, Levin! Go!" came a passionate cheer.

Nashi looked beside her to see a well-endowed young man in a Hearts Kreutz bikini was rooting for the opposition with an extraordinary group of people beside her, quirky in their own way. But this young woman beside her had a set of star-sparkling violet eyes and with wavy brunette locks swept into an incredibly high ponytail.

Nashi could not help but think, Why does she seem familiar…?

The young woman noticed Nashi's look and gave a sheepish grin. "Sorry. Was I being too loud?"

"No, no, you're fine," Nashi assured. She nodded to the court. "Boyfriend?"

The girl snort-laughed. "No, that's my older brother." She pointed her pompom over to the brooding Reiner and explained to Nashi, "He's my future boyfriend." She pouted, irate. "But Levin's being an ass about it and said if he heard me cheering for Reiner, he's ratting me out to our parents about an…incident."

Nashi snickered. "This is why I'm grateful I'm an older sister. I get to make all the threats." She held out a hand. "I'm Nashi."

"I'm Vanda, but everyone calls me, 'Van," Van greeted, shaking Nashi's hand. Once the ritual greeting was over, Van teased, "I take it you're cheering for the other team?"

"Guilty," Nashi laughed. "I guess that makes us enemies, huh?"

Vanda guffawed. "No way! Maybe if Reiner sees me cheering for the other team, he might get jealous enough to ask me out." She grinned when Nashi giggled. "It's so unfair. Uncle Hamrio is such a massive flirt, but Reiner is practically the opposite." She huffed. "I keep trying to get him to look at me, but it's like he pretends I don't exist. I even tried surprising him naked and he slammed the door in my face!"

Nashi's eyebrow twitched as she smiled. "I-Is that so?" She's so forward. I don't think I could ever… Memories of her wine-drunk moments flooded back before a dreary aura hung over her. Why is Drunk Nashi so bold?

Taraji announced: "Ladies and gentlemen, our finals will be starting. If we could have your silence, we will begin with the coin toss to see which team gets the right to choose between serving and receiving. The captains have already made their selection. Heads will be Gary and Justin and tails will be Levin and Reiner."

A hush settled over as the screen transitioned into the virtual coin. The program was started as the coin flipped onto the screen for three seconds before coming down. It showed one side of the coin—

"And it's heads, my dudes!" Clay crowed.

Gary was the one to loudly elect, "We'll receive."

The crowd disbanded into cheers as a ball boy threw Levin a volleyball to serve while Gary and Justin exchanged a few words before getting into position. Some fans were crooning their avarice in the hopes one of the four would take them home, recognizing Gary and Justin for their work. The racked-up statistics impressed others. Elis, with two purring women under either arm, sipped a cold one as he eyed Gary with open interest, a naughty smirk, and his legs spread. Jaxton rubbed Tesla's thigh with intrigue towards the opposing team.

Levin faked doing his serves before he went for it and committed into a topspin.

Gary could see it coming. He darted to position with his wrists and hands clasped together and received the chance ball. Justin went next to get under the ball for an overhead set. Gary rushed and jumped up for his line shot, but Reiner was there to receive it.

The back and forth went on for a while. No real pressure or heat surrounded the court. It felt like a lackadaisical time at the beach where the four had decided to do a pickup game of volleyball. But the watchers were tensed, critical eyes tracking the ball.

Justin made an overhead attack to get it across before he looked at Gary.

Blue and blue met.

A decision made passed between them.

Reiner was the one to send the ball over, but it arched high in the sky. Most would let an "out" ball go. It was an easy point as long as no one attempted a receive. Maybe that was why gasps came out and eyebrows rose when Justin turned and bolted. He sprinted out of the court, but he did not stop there. Shock was all around when he stepped hard into a jump that turned into a round off front handspring that twisted into a tuck and he landed on the edge of one of the padded fencings of the court to springboard off on a flip—

SMACK!

He kicked the volleyball down.

FWOOSH!

The ball was headed straight for his side of the court. Some would have flailed like crazy to get under the ball and to their best to pass it onto the other side. Maybe others would call it a lost ball and let the other team take the point.

TATATATATATA!

Gary threw himself into a front flip that vaulted into something between a twist and a butterfly kick as his fists pulled back. Ice slowly forged onto his knuckles as the spiraling ball came in close, and a ring of icy-blue lit Gary's eyes with part of his lips curling up—

BAKI!

Reiner and Levin were both stunned when a whistling breeze passed them—

SLAM!

Justin landed on his feet.

Silence bombarded the stadium.

The line judges looked to see a large dent where the ball had initially hit only millimeters from the white line of the court. Their flags went down.

HYU!

And the crowd went crazy.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

Itsu datte kimi no sono-te wa

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Everyone was on their feet as such an epic win of the first point with Nashi and Ace cheering the loudest for their partners. Even Jemaine had a small smile on his lips.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

Itsu demo sekai o kae reru yo

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Gary turned to see Justin striding for him, and as they got close—

SMACK!

Gary and Justin had matching grins as they high-fived.

Elis slipped his arms from the cooing women, who pouted they no longer had his attention) and sat forward with his elbows on his knees. Well, well, well… He kept his eyes locked on Gary with his tilted smirk. Snow Boy really knows how to keep my interest.

°•°•°•°

Levin ruffled his hair with a chuckle. "Huh… Looks like these guys really want to play to win." He came close to Reiner and put a hand on his shoulder. "I think we've been challenged, Reiner."

"Fine by me." Reiner kept his eyes on Gary as the corners of his lips curled upwards. "I could go for a real fight."

°•°•°•°

"Wow…!" Vanda looked ridiculously amazed and awed as she looked at the sandy court. "That was so cool!"

Nashi laughed. "They sure like to show off."

She shook her head in amusement as Gary took the ball to set up for his serve, but her heart melted seeing his carefree grin. He's having fun. He's relaxed and enjoying himself. Her eyes lowered and her smile saddened. And I'm going to take that away from him when I tell him the truth…

"Is everything okay?" A concerned Vanda had asked Nashi this question.

Nashi forced her smile to be brighter. "Yeah! I'm fine! Just a little tired is all."

She looked back onto the court to watch her partner with hickories saddened. Gary… I hope you can forgive me for what I have to do. I owe it to you to know the truth about you. Her hands clenched. And about Skade.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

"Jibun ni wa nanimonai" sore ga kimi no kuchiguse

Daiji-sō ni zutto mamotteta yume o

Ima ja gomibako ni suteyou ka mayotteru

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Reiner and Levin had accepted the challenge with their own impressive moves. Justin had committed to an underhand serve to yawn across the net and out of bounds, but Levin rushed out of the court to put the ball back in bounds. The arch was high enough for Reiner to spike it, but he flashed fancier moves when did a backflipped and kicked the ball down in a cross-shot that the line judges agreed on.

Levin was cheering like a madman, enjoying the thunderous call of the crowd, while Reiner locked eyes with Gary.

And they exchanged knowing grins.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

Uragira rete bakari no hibi ni kenki ga sashita?

Hon'ne o kakushite tsukuri waratte mo namidanoito wa hotsurete miete iru yo

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Ellie was cheering her little heart out for Gary and Justin until a blue-violet petal landed on her nose. Ines was cackling as Ellie freaked she was showering those around her with gladiolus petals, a flower that stood for victory over an opponent. Nashi laughed as Ace helped pick the petals out from her hair while Tesla plucked one from Jaxton's hair and tickled his nose for him to smile at her giggle. Jemaine blinked when a petal land on his book only for Windel to get it off. He went to thank Windel only to be surprised by the soft kiss he was given.

Jemaine's face flushed pink while Windel brushed his nose against his with a soft smile.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

(Wow!) Genkai datte omou natte

(Wow!) Mendokusai Mon oitoite

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Even in the air of friendly challenge, mistakes were made. No game was perfect, after all.

Missed serves that hit the net happened and some hard judge calls about legality of contact and length of contact. The war waged on the sand-driven battlefield rarely gave either team an upper hand and pushed all four to their limits. Reiner cursed when his serve had extended too far and bounced out of bounds.

Justin's dive to save a ball had gone wrong, and the ball landed only centimeters from his fist. He clenched his teeth, angry with himself.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

Mōichido jibun ni chansu agete yo!

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

It surprised Justin when he turned to see Gary waiting for him with a hand out and a smile. He hesitated at first, reaching but still uncertain. Gary came forth to grab his hand and helped him back to his feet.

Understanding passed between them.

And Justin could return his smile.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

Itsu datte kimi no sono-te wa

Itsu demo sekai o kae reru yo

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Vanda and her posse were up-in-arms when Levin's shot was instantly rebounded. Reiner was there to help with an underhanded set for Levin to get his chance again. But rather than trying for another spike, Levin surprised everyone when he faced the net and did an overhead set attack instead, winning the point for him and Reiner.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

Tsudzukete ku koto yamecha dame datte

Kon'na mon janaidaro? Susume! (Susume!)

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Levin's attack on Justin and Gary put the ball close to the boundary line, but that did not matter to either. Justin was ready with a set, and Gary's powerful cross-court shot was incorrectly received to ricochet off Reiner's waiting arms before it landed.

Elis' eyes glistened as he watched Gary pump his fist before he and Justin shared a double high-five.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

Mukuwarenai sono doryoku wa `

kabe' o `tobira' ni kaerukara

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

The scores were driving up as one set bowed into the next. Points were lost and points were gained. The knowledge that only the strongest challengers could reach the top hung in the background, but it was not the priority. It was about enjoying the game, the thrill, the rush of it all. Enjoying every victory and planning how to counter after a defeat.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

Kowagarazu ni sa~a nokku shite

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

From attack hits to spikes, anything was possible. It wowed the crowd when Levin used his chest for a receive and when Justin tumbled and used his head. The crowd went ballistic for every crazy sequence dished with Clay hyping up the play-by-plays on the instant replay and even Taraji getting enthused at all the high energy.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

It will be OK

Let's go sonosakihe!

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Two sets down, but the third set was neck-and-neck. Neither party was ready to give, even when the points were ready to tip into the forties at this rate. Sweaty, they were, but Gary and Justin's magical training left both of them ready to endure for even longer (though Justin breathed a little heavier than Gary). Their opponents panted a little, but they braced themselves with their eyes fired up from the challenge before them.

All four were competing for that view of the top.

With the ball set in motion thanks to Justin's underhanded serve, Clay and Taraji were back with their announcements. Clay kicked it off. "All right, my dudes and dudettes, we are in the third set and things don't seem to be ending anytime soon with our opposing teams keeping it together so no one keeps their advantage for long."

"It makes me wonder how long any of the players can keep this up," Taraji mentioned. "As you know, two of the players are from the famous Fairy Tail Guild, the Kinetic Queen ranked A-Class and the Ice Devil ranked S-Class. And from what I've gathered, to train at their levels requires discipline and boundless endurance."

"It almost makes it unfair to play against them," Clay mused. "Those bros are some elite Wizards and that Gary Fullbuster is no joke with some of the records he holds. But their competition seems to be keeping up with the pace. It's almost like these dudes aren't even playing volleyball. It's like a war zone."

Taraji agreed. "And with the scoreboard climbing higher, it all leads to one question: which team wants to win this war the most?"

With the game a nail-biter, Nashi had wriggled to the edge of her seat with hawk-like eyes watching the ball like that was her assignment. Both teams worked hard to keep the ball in play and a line shot turned into a rebound where an overhead attack was received. But she had to admit she cursed when Justin and Gary lost their one-point advantage.

Ace was as tense as her, but he darkly chuckled at her swearing. "Intense, huh?"

"Definitely," Nashi grunted. "My mama says I get my bad tempers for sports from my papa. I've always been in denial about it, but I'm agreeing with her for once." Her gaze dropped to Gary, but she softened watching him and Justin speak. But at least JJ and Gary are talking.

"It's nice, isn't it?"

Nashi glanced at Ace, but he jerked his chin to Gary and Justin. "The two of them getting along," he explained. "It's nice."

Nashi looked back down at the court and had to agree. "It is nice." She held her fist close to her heart. And I don't want to ruin this feeling, but… Her eyes shimmered. What other choice do I have?

Reiner went for an overhanded serve, and the next point was set in motion.

Nashi's guilted stare hit her lap. She could not bear looking at Gary anymore. This weekend is supposed to be a break from everything. Do I really have the right to make things worse?

The crowd whooped when Justin's spike back had a failed received from Levin and the one-point lead was back.

Her summer stormily stirred, saddened. Her lips pressed together to stop their quivering. Is it really okay for me to break something this precious? Am I being selfish wanting to tell him the truth about himself? What he's done? Her knuckles whitened. I don't… I don't know if I should anymore. What if this breaks him? Her summer worsened in its anguish.

I can't do this, Nashi whispered to herself. I can't break something this precious. Wouldn't it be okay…if we went on like this? Wouldn't it be okay if…if he didn't know that…—her eyes shut to press back tears—…that his soul…that he—?

HYU!

Nashi's eyes flew open with her heart racing. What—?

The crowd went ballistic with their cheers and applause, and Clay howled, "And there you have it! These Fairy Tail Wizards don't disappoint as they win the set, win the game, and when the tournament forty-seven to forty-five! Give it up for our new 'Kings of the Beach', Gary and Justin, my dudes!"

Justin was jumping up and down as he drank the delicious ovation in his honor. "We did it! And now we get to go to the hot springs!" He whirled onto Gary, but his cheery expression faltered when he saw Gary had turned away from him. "Hey…" He crept up to Gary to see his intense gaze thrown into the distance. He followed it to be surprised Nashi had locked eyes with Gary, but she was not whooping like the rest of their friends.

She looked stricken.

It seemed like impossible moments passed between Gary and Nashi, eyes gleaming, before Nashi swallowed and looked away, holding herself protectively.

Gary tipped his chin down as his hands fisted at his sides.

Justin wanted to touch him, but he held back. "Gary—" He meant to scramble for a question, a statement—something—but he never got the opportunity when Gary's shoulders set and he stalked away.

Justin looked back to Nashi, concerned. He sighed when Ace noticed Nashi could not join in the merriment and sat with her, wrapping an arm around her.

Oh, sweet girl… His sky blues fell to Gary's rigid back. I guess I can't avoid this anymore.

---

Pacer knew he should not be here.

The reception area meant for visitors had winded down. Visiting hours were 24/7—make no mistake—but it was dinnertime and most who came through to get their badges and sign-in brought food with them. A family of six came bustling in with balloons and flowers and stuffies for the eldest son (he retained his uterus when he transitioned). A discharged woman looked ever-so-grateful her husband got a wheelchair for him, and it was adorable the way he fussed over her and her cravings. Someone had mistakenly come into the care center as they got tossed around the main campus looking for one of the labs for a blood test.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

Fetal Care Center – Reception

Crocus Clinic Main Campus

Crocus

Fiore, Ishgar

6:35 PM FST

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Pacer tried to keep himself preoccupied, but he knew the receptionists and coordinators coming in and out eyed him and his tattoos and piercings. Seeing their judgment made him bristle and his temper flared when other visitors kept their children close—innocent children who looked fascinated at his appearance than revolted. But he kept his agitation in check. It would do him no good to snap, especially in such a vulnerable ward where quiet and peace were stressed.

"You know you're asking for it, right?"

Esme's voice came in clear from his one EarPod as he kept himself busy on his Compact scrolling through Insta and Writeit. He scoffed at her and jeered back, "Shouldn't you be worried about your own stuff going on, Esme?" He heard all the noise in the background. "Where are you guys?"

"We headed down the mountain to go into town for dinner at some restaurant-arcade," Esme told him. "The kids are losing their shit over all the games." She snorted. "My dad nearly broke the Move It game when him and Elouise were playing. But we're all good here."

"That's good." Pacer shifted and casually glanced around. "Are you okay being around so many smells, though?"

Esme laughed. "I'm fine. Ye-ji's grandmother has this Josean tea for heavy nausea and gave the recipe to Ye-ji, so I've been drinking that whenever seafood comes around. I swear to god, you worry as much as Guil, Ye-ji, and my own parents."

Pacer smiled. "I just want to make sure the next prankster of the family makes it safe and sound so I can train them well."

"Pacer, I will personally neuter you if you teach Edouard or Emmaline to be as shitty as you were back in the day."

He had to laugh. "'Back in the day'? Dude, out here insulting me now? I've still got it. And just for that, I'm fu—messing with your shampoo." He needed to work on his swearing, but then again, having his father and his Uncle Laxus around, he grew up learning more swear words in Minstrish and Gordost than polite Minstrish.

"Ha!" Esme guffawed. "You can't even swear anymore! And you know I'll beat you up if you even try to mess with you. Guess becoming a father made you go soft, Pacer. Not like I'm complaining. You were a total dick."

"Thanks, Esmeralda," Pacer said dryly. "Remind me to get you nothing for Christmas."

Esme snickered before she sighed out her mirth. "Any progress?"

Pacer clicked towards the doors that brushed open for exiting visitors. "No. Nothing." He looked hard at his messages with Pearson. And Pearson's been quiet.

The last message from Pearson an hour ago read:

« It'll be a little bit before she's discharged. Things are looking up. Details to follow »

Pale reds steeled. I should be in there. What happened back there?

"Just be patient," Esme soothed. "And start convincing your baby mama to visit us in the alps. Your kids and mine will be born close together and could be good friends!"

Pacer shook his head, part-amused part-exasperated. "I'm not doing that, Esme."

"Why not?"

"Since it's her choice if she wants to meet the family," Pacer laid out like it was obvious. "If she doesn't, she doesn't. But I'm not going to say anything unless she brings it up." I don't want to scare her off. His gaze went downcast. I don't want to lose her.

Esme's loud whine interrupted his solemn thoughts. "That sucks, but I understand. We're a bit much." She muttered scathingly, "Too much for Saudade."

Pacer frowned. "I thought you were over that?" A note of caution came with his question. "You know she's a sensitive topic, and Ez asked us to stay out of it."

"Yeah, I know." Esme could not hold back her frustration. "I just don't understand why he won't talk to us. He dodges our calls and our emails—Mom broke down and wrote letters—but he returns them. The only reason we could confirm he's alive in Melandia was thanks to that one friend of his—Chace, I think his name is?" She clicked her tongue. "Like… It was barely a relationship—"

"Esmeralda." Pacer could not keep his intense warning. "You know Ez loved her, so don't even say that. I mean, Hell, we all loved her, Esme, and I know you and Evie had to fight Ezra for time with Saudade. It wasn't 'barely' a relationship."

Quiet.

"I'm… I'm worried Ezra did something to her."

That small, trembling confession made Pacer sit up straight. "What do you mean?" he asked warily. "Are you accusing Ezra of something that's a really serious offense?"

"No," Esme quickly put to bed. "No, I would never even imply that. I know I—!" She exhaled loudly. "I know how much Ezra loved her," she murmured, ashamed. "Okay? I know. I know how much he…he adored her. I know how much he struggled with his ASD and his powers and just…!" She took a pause to breathe. "It's just… We had a conversation last year about her and he said…"

Pacer's expression hardened. "What happened?" he needed to know. "What did he say?"

A shaky breath as the background silence. Esme whispered, "I think he Soul-Bonded them together."

"Shit." Pacer flashed an apologetic smile to a frowning receptionist, but that sort of news required a swear word or two. He lowered his voice to press, "Esme, that's a pretty serious accusation—"

"It's not an accusation, Pacer." Esme could not keep the misery out of her voice. "He said it was an accident."

Pacer mouthed fuck as he sat back in his seat. "Does Saudade know? It makes sense why he went ballistic at Justin's event now. She came with her boyfriend, right?"

"He didn't say she knew and I'm guessing she doesn't." Esme sounded on the verge of tears. "I poked around to ask Dad about it. He said Soul Mages… It's extremely rare to have that sort of control. Even Penny said that sort of technique died toward the end of the Middle Era, but if he did, Pacer…" A ragged breath.

Pacer sat forward and soothed, "Hey, hey, hey," he hushed her soothingly. "C'mon, Esme, you're okay."

"I got curious," Esme confessed, choked up. "You know how Penny's into all that stuff with how smart she is, so I asked her what would happen if someone did do that now and the other person, just…never knew. And you know what she told me?" She sniffled. "Pacer, Ezra can be arrested for a felony if some MC Soul Mage found out about this and I just—"

Pacer cooed to her, "Esme, where are Guil and Ye-ji? I need you to find them for me, okay?"

"Pacer, he'd be registered as an offender," Esme sobbed. She sniveled before breaking into cries that broke Pacer's heart. "I know that's why he's been drinking. I know that's why he doesn't come home. Because he knows, Pacer, he knows that h-h-he—!"

Pacer switched to ⟪ Messages ⟫ and found Guil's contact to text:

« I don't know where you are, but Esme needs you right now. Please find her. She's upset »

"Esme, Guil's coming to get you," Pacer promised her. "He's going to support you right now, but I need you to be honest with me. Have you told anyone else what Ezra told you?"

Esme hiccupped. "N-N-No—"

"Okay." Pacer licked his lips. "Okay, that's good. Let's keep this between us for now, okay? Until we can talk to Ezra."

Isn't Orochi visiting Ezra for this week? If Ezra really did do that sort of technique on Saudade and she never knew… He felt gutted at such a dark thought. I don't even want to think what would have happened if Ezra hadn't been stopped. Ezra never had a bad bone in his body, but… His hand clenched his Compact. For him to do that…

The call ended as a ping came to him. A message from Guil read:

« I have her. Thank you »

Pacer sat back in his chair, mind reeling. Shit. Pearson was the Soul Meister between us, but Dad still warned us about that sort of technique. It's blacklisted and removed from books. At this point, only that weird erotica talk about it. If it's consented, it flies under the radar. But nonconsensual? He rubbed his hand down his face. What the Hell happened between you and Saudade, Ezra?

The doors opened, and Pacer's attention snapped to see Maddox coming out. He took out his EarPod as he got up and rushed over to the serpentine Abberant, worried beyond belief. "Is everything okay?"

Maddox's tail flickered, and he could not hold back his surprise at seeing Pacer. "You're here? How long have you been here?"

"A few hours," Pacer told him without guilt. "How is she?"

Maddox grimaced. "She's better," he offered. "She's recovering from her Ether therapy and being discharged in the hour, so I'm running home to get her some other clothes. She's leaking and sensitive right now," he added to Pacer's puzzled look. He saw Pacer's look shift towards the doors and added softly, "She asked about you."

Pacer snapped those pale reds back onto Maddox. "Really?"

"Yes." Maddox would not lie about this. "Miss Sharon…isn't too convinced it's best for you to visit her right now, but Jasmine still asked about you." He winced. "It got a little tense. Miss Sharon doesn't have a high opinion of you considering yesterday."

Pacer scowled, but he begrudgingly could not find any fault with her wariness, considering his anger yesterday. "I get it."

Maddox's tail swept, and his reptilian eyes turned contemplative. "Give me a moment." He moved away with his Compact to place a call. It took him a moment, and he spoke more than listened, but once it was over, he came back to Pacer. "You can head to the room if you want."

That sort of news made Pacer want to sit down. This was unexpected. "Really?"

"Really." Maddox smiled at him. "Miss Sharon might not be in the best of moods, but if Jasmine wants you there, we can't deny her." His tail lashed.

Pacer read between the lines. The moment Jasmine wanted him away, Maddox and Sharon would support and enforce her wishes. "I understand."

"Thank you. The room is—"

"Five-thirty-four." Pacer bobbed his head. "Thank you, Maddox."

He knew it was rude to leave without a goodbye, but his need to see how she—how his family—was doing outpaced the manners his mother drilled into him. The receptionist did not believe him when he said he was authorized and called the room (which was procedural since he was not a care partner, but he could not be bothered with ire over the attitude she dished towards him) and looked reluctant to give him a pass.

The moment the doors were unlocked for him, he hurried down the hallway. Mothers-to-be were everywhere and a soothing lavender scene toppled over the clinical cleanliness. Some had come out to visit with family into the "family room" filled with comfy chairs, maternal books, and an LV. Others took a walk with their care partner in their maternity clothes and looked exhausted yet smiling. He blustered by—he ignored agitated looks and shrugged off understanding ones—until he found Jasmine's room with the door wide open.

And was she a vision.

The dark circles beneath her eyes would remain. Such things did not disappear overnight. But she looked perked up with exhaustion's toxic chains broken and gone. Her appetite was at its minimum, but she spooned an Encan yogurt parfait with blueberries and chopped walnuts. She laughed over something she watched on the LV with her smile bright and blinding.

LUB-DUB.

Pacer clutched the material over his heart. She's so beautiful…

Sharon noticed him first and her pinched frown meant nothing good. "Can we help you?"

Pearson and Jasmine turned to see him and both smiled. "Pacer."

"Hey." Pacer toed the entry line. "Can I come in?"

Sharon looked like she would refuse him, but she kept quiet for Jasmine to urge, "Y-Yeah. Yeah, please, come in." She instantly started apologizing. "I'm so sorry I haven't said anything—"

"Don't worry about it, Slugger." Pacer was fine to stand, but it surprised him when Pearson got up. "Dude?"

"You go ahead and sit," Pearson insisted. "I need to make a call." He caught Jasmine's worry and smiled to placate her. "I won't be far," he promised. "And I won't leave. I'm still coming over."

Pacer's irritation flared seeing how relieved Jasmine was of Pearson's assurance.

"Okay," Jasmine murmured. As Pearson left, Jasmine turned her attention to Pacer when he claimed his seat. A pensiveness flocked her face and she opened her mouth then closed it, troubled. In the end, she turned to her aunt and asked, "Could you give us a few?"

Sharon stayed put, eyeing Pacer with blatant disapproval. "Are you sure you two should be…alone, considering his behavior?"

Pacer bristled.

"It's fine, Aunt Share," Jasmine promised, tone soft and eyes stern.

Sharon got up, but she made sure to watch Pacer for a moment before she fled the room and shut the door, leaving it open a crack.

Jasmine shot Pacer an apologetic look with shame mixed in. "I'm sorry about that. She's just…protective is all."

"It's fine," muttered Pacer, bitter. "Not like my looks help, but good to know Pearson gets a pass."

Jasmine frowned over such an acrimonious comment, but she decided it was best to let it go. "I am sorry I didn't contact you and everything." She hesitated as she set down her yogurt on her tray. "You're their father. You should know how they're doing—"

"I care about you, Slugger," Pacer insisted, taking her hand in his. "That hasn't changed. Am I worried about our twins? Hell yeah. But I'm worried about you first and foremost because you're right here with me." Dark jealousy filled him with images of Pearson and Jasmine close, but he dismissed them before his mood soured. "How are you doing? How'd everything with the doctor go? And the Apothecary?"

Jasmine's eyes fled to her stomach and burnt umbers glistened. "We have a lot to talk about," she murmured to him. "We can't…discuss things here. It's…" Burnt umber connected with pale red. "It's not safe here."

Pacer hardened, but that was all he needed. "I understand." He brushed her cheek before he knew what he was doing. He could have retreated had Jasmine not closed her eyes at the contact. "But the question stands: how are you doing?"

"Better," Jasmine sighed, honest. "They'd been pumping me with fluids and the Ether therapy gave me back some strength. I'm a little tired, but I don't have any aches anymore." She jested, "I might be prescribed massage therapy. Fair warning."

Pacer grinned and wiggled his eyebrows. "Does this make me the lucky masseuse who gets to rub down your body?"

She snorted. "You or Pearson or a professional." She wiggled her toes. Her feet had barely expanded, but with her belly refusing to suck in, she could only see the tips of her toes. "Pearson gives some nice foot massages."

Silence.

Jasmine looked over at Pacer, but it registered how his jaw locked and his eyes burned. What is he…? It clicked, and she sighed. "Pearson is a friend. But I shouldn't have to explain that."

"I know." Pacer shoved down his envy. This was a precious moment between him and Jasmine. He refused to ruin it with immature wayward thoughts. "Whatever makes you feel comfortable, Slugger." He changed the subject. "Ready to go home?"

"Yes." Jasmine smiled when Pacer laughed at how aggressive she sounded. "I just want to go back to Aunt Share's, take a hot shower, and sleep for eighty years."

Pacer chuckled. "I bet." He cleared his throat. "When, uh…? When did you want to discuss things?"

"Oh." Jasmine owlishly blinked at him. "You're not coming over tonight?"

"Well, I…" He rubbed his neck. "I didn't want to assume I was invited or anything…"

"I guess I didn't make that clear either," Jasmine apologized, shouldering the blame. "I'd appreciate it if you could come over since we'll be discussing a few things today and tomorrow." It rushed to her. "Oh, but your family—"

"They'll understand," Pacer promised. "You're more important."

Jasmine did not know about that, but it gave her an in to tackle a burning question. "I know your family saw me and knows who I am. But Pearson told me your parents wouldn't…make me come around or anything…"

"No." Pacer shook his head. "They want to meet you, but they get it. It's up to you." He snickered at how relieved Jasmine looked. "Were you seriously worried about that?"

"It's a natural worry," Jasmine said in her defense. "You know how much LV I watch where the girl gets pregnant and she's forced to meet the baby daddy's family?"

"My family can be pushy, sure, and we protect our own, but you don't have to become an adopted Strauss if you don't want to."

Jasmine arched an eyebrow. "An 'adopted Strauss'?"

"It's, like, a whole thing," Pacer explained. "We sort of just 'adopt' people, be it literally or figuratively. But our adoptees are family no matter what. Oh!" He fidgeted with one of his pockets. "My little cousin Libby wanted you to have this."

"What…?" Jasmine accepted when Pacer gave her a small stuffed ladybug keychain. "What's this?"

Pacer nodded toward the keychain with something twinkling in his eyes. "Libby was there at the Sky Port when you collapsed and told me she was really worried about you. So she wanted you to have a sort of…lucky charm, so to speak. She promised she put enough Luck in it so you'd be okay."

Jasmine laughed before cooing, "Aw…! How sweet!" She clutched the keychain and put it close to her heart. "Tell her she's adorable and I promise to keep it on me always."

She could not help her bright smile looking at the cute ladybug. That's so sweet of her. I feel better already. She closed her eyes. I wish the twins could see this. I wish Pacer could meet them. But the Apothecary said the twins can't hear me yet, so I can't ask them to come out to see their soul projections. She sighed and looked down at her ladybug charm. Maybe a bit of luck would help.

To her surprise, a light red pulsed off the ladybug. What—?

PUWA…

Pacer was on guard the moment he saw them and stood up. "What the fuck?" His eyes rimmed with their green glow as he clutched Jasmine seeing these two…. He did not even know the proper words to describe them. These two auras popped out of nowhere. "Slugger, stay right there." He summoned his Magic and aimed it for the auras that fizzled and floundered as though distressed. "I can handle—!"

"No, don't!"

Pacer fumbled when Jasmine clutched his arm and yanked him back. "Slugger—!"

"It's okay!" Jasmine said this to him and the auras. "It's okay, I promise." She cooed towards the bluster of black-violet and the diamond-shaped vibrant green. "It's okay," she soothed. "Don't be afraid." Tears brimmed her eyes as she smiled. "Come over and meet him."

Pacer backed up when the auras glided for him, but he refused to stop protecting Jasmine. "Slugger, press the nurse button," he commanded. He held up a hand as his Seith Magic clawed onto his skin. "Stay away from us!" he snarled at the auras. It stopped the green diamond-like aura, but the black-violet aura persisted. "I'm warning you—!"

The black-violet aura touched his arm—

Curiosity. Confusion. Who?

Pacer's Magic dropped when he felt that touch hit his soul. It was that feeling when your hand glided against something cotton and loose or bubbly. It was tangible and yet if you gripped too hard, it would disappear. He staggered back, stupefied. "What the…?" He angled his body away when the green aura came forward. "Don't touch me—!"

The second the green diamond grazed his shoulder—

Curiosity. Confusion. Afraid.

"What the Hell," Pacer breathed, shoulders shaking for every pant. "What the Hell…" I can…feel them…in my soul. I can feel their emotions, but… I can barely do that with my family. How could they—?

Pale reds widened.

Jasmine knuckled away tears before she set down the key chain and opened her hands. Both auras fled to either hand, though the diamond squished itself before bouncing back into shape, silly and merry. She wetly laughed. "Pacer…" She looked up at him with the sunniest smile he had ever seen on her face. "Meet the souls of our twins."

°•°•°•°

Pearson had decided he made it far enough and nabbed a corner of one of the visitor's rooms all to his lonesome. He placed his call and once it connected, he had little time to exchange pleasantries. "She's being discharged."

"That's good." Lance was on the other side. "How is she?"

"Better." Pearson shifted as he watched the ground below. "I know you want to meet her, man, but now isn't the time. She needs rest and she has a lot to process this spring break."

"Her twins are God Slayers, Pearson," Lance reminded. "I understand she has a lot to process. I know she's Spiritless. But this is detrimental to her and her twins. I need to keep them protected."

"Yeah, and how's that going for you?" Pearson threw back. "Didn't you find and then lose one of your own?"

Lance sighed. "I know I haven't laid down the groundwork, but I'm trying. I can't ignore what was told to me. Having the divusiometer and now confirming it works means I need to double-down with every God Slayer I meet."

Pearson's gaze shopped around before he murmured, "How do we even know all the stuff you told me is right, huh? Can you trust this…this 'Veleda'? Or whoever she is?"

"I can and I do." Lance kept his words hard and honest.

Pearson rubbed his temple. "This isn't going to be easy, Lance."

"Trust me. I know that," chuckled Lance, timbre dry and worn. "There's so much I need to figure out and do. I was told I need to find and lead the next God Slayers, and this is my start, with Pacer's twins. I need to meet her. She has to know."

"Yeah, I know, I know." Pearson closed his eyes for a moment to think. "Listen… I'll bring it up to her about her meeting someone with a little more insight on the twins, but it's her choice if she wants to meet you, Lance. She's the mother, not you."

"Thank you," Lance breathed. "That's all I need. Just an opportunity." Three beats. "She's in so much danger."

Pearson sighed and looked down at the street again. "I know. I know." He switched his Compact to another ear when he saw Maddox pull up in the pickup lane. "I need to go. I'll keep in touch with you soon. And watch out for any unknown numbers."

A pause. "Should I be worried?"

"No. But you'll need to hear what they have to say."

"Noted. Thanks."

"Yeah. Bye." Pearson ended the call, tired and ready for a tall drink.

I'll need to loop Giovanni and Sindella about this for some power wards. Jasmine's going to need heavy protection to make it to full term. And even years after that. If someone finds out she's the mother of God Slayers, they might think she could mother other God Slayers. Disgust filled him. Unfortunately, I have to have that sort of worry someone would pull that.

He pushed away from the window to break back into the hall—

BAKI!

Pearson stumbled when he hit the person, but he saw the scrubs and felt worse about himself. "Oh my gods, I'm so sorry," he apologized. "I wasn't looking, ma'am—"

"That's okay," came bright soothe. "It happens. Are you a care partner for one of our beautiful mothers-to-be?"

Pearson awkwardly laughed. "No, no, I'm just, um…the uncle of the children-to-come, I guess?"

"And uncles still play an important role too!" she enthused. "Don't ever think yourself short, young man. I'm sure you'll be teaching your future niece or nephew all sorts of things."

Pearson's amusement became genuine. "Thank you, ma'am."

"Oh, please, none of this 'ma'am', business, it makes me feel old! Though, I suppose my name is a little hard to pronounce to Minstrish ears." Her lips pulled into a beam. "So if you'd like"—wide lime green eyes with white diamonds for pupils—"you can call me 'Nurse'."

---

The city was unfiltered with tourists from all over who came for a piece of paradise and murmurous conversation took up a majority of the sound. Minstrish was the baseline to speak, but that did not mean everyone who came spoke the language. Caracole emboldened the fashion with summer wear with people comfortably sauntering in bikini tops and flip-flops. A local band had gathered for an exclusive patio restaurant. A high-rise hotel had acquired a few influencers for spring break and all the staff was holding their breath for them to leave.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

« This is Líron City, one of the biggest cities in Caracole and host the Carabana Festival Parade. »

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Moon pasted into the sky, the tides purred as they to-ed and fro-ed onto their sandy lover, the shore. Teenagers had coveted a rich father's yacht down at the docks with the Spring Break Anthem booming. But those dressed lavishly and leisurely swarmed a restaurant built with interconnected, large cabanas. The cuisine from Balletic Sea from ahi nachos to the wagyu umami burgers. Light reggae music played overhead with the bar packed. Servers had come to present a Caracolean happy birthday to a shocked little girl. Someone had decided to do some sort of drinking challenge that would allow them to clear their bills and friends cheered them on.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

« Club Cabana is a popular indoor-outdoor restaurant and bar known for its sights, its flaming drinks, and even an exclusive pool. »

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

The Fioren-based group had come out, thanks to Denisha, and had a rancorous time with their new friends. Windel might have had a brash personality with friends, but he knew better than to rope Jemaine into his antics and was content letting him stay under his blanket, happily withdrawn from the crowd. Ace chatted up some of Windel's friends who were interested that he was a personal trainer and studying to be a sports physical therapist. Ellie wowed a few of the ditzier girls with her flowers, much to her embarrassment. Jaxton had little interest in speaking to anyone else, which was off-putting, but some found relief Tesla was perky and talkative. Ines looked like she was in a heated debate with a gorgeous, brown-skinned woman with a shayla as they went back and forth about MagiCross.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

Club Cabana

Líron City, Caracole Island

Fiore, Ishgar

9:37 PM CAST

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Gary tried to laugh, but it was hard when Nashi was beside him and each smile she gave looked harder and harder to keep up. His winter tentatively tried to reach her summer, but her heat had significantly receded from his reach. He brushed his fingers against her, but it was disheartening when she stiffened and moved her hand away.

She's… She's pulling away from me. Gary tried not to let others see how upset he was. It's like last time… He remembered Nashi's walk-out in December. He was prone to the cold and reveled in it, but the sting finally settled in during that moment. Did I do something wrong? He peered into his memories. Did I say something wrong? Was it…? Was it last night? Does she not want a family? Does she regret being with me?

That hit hard, and his blues were downcast. Maybe this was too much. Maybe I've been pushing her too much. I mean, look at me. His hand clenched. I'm nothing more than a Devil—a monster. I can't blame Angel for not wanting to touch me or feel me. Most things I touched, I killed or destroyed. His hand dropped. I'm nothing like her. I can't offer Angel a life she deserves. Maybe… Maybe she's realized I hold her back. And I'm selfish.

He blinked in surprise when Nashi got up. "Angel?"

"Ah, sorry." Nashi could not look at him when she feebly smiled. "I'm, um…just need to make a call. I'll be right back." She grabbed her Compact and moved away—

Gary caught her wrist, desperate. "But you'll come back?" Please don't leave again. He looked down, pressing his lips again. At least…say goodbye if you'd like to leave me again…

"I'll be back. I promised." Nashi kept her voice light. "The call won't take long." She turned to kiss his cheek, but she did not meet his eyes. "Okay."

"Right." Gary slowly slipped his fingers from her wrist. "Okay, Angel…"

He watched every step she took to leave the restaurant and took the stone path down to the beach. For a moment, he was back in the forest, winged, broken, alone. He forced himself to look away when his lips trembled. She won't leave without saying goodbye. She won't. He fisted his shorts. She promised. She won't leave.

The scent of warmth like the first day of spring.

Blues glistened. She won't leave like the person I'm waiting for. She'll come back. She promised.

"Snow Boy, what a surprise."

Gary turned his head away, but it did not help when fingers curled around his chin. He was forced to look up at Elis. A bodacious beauty pressed against him with eyes only for him, but Elis held no interest in her with his smirk down at Gary.

"No need to look at me with those eyes, Snow Boy," Elis clucked, his gray-blues impish against Gary's hard blues. He leaned down, taking his time studying Gary. "You get me all sorts of excited when you look at me like that."

A low snarl. "Release him."

Elis was none-too-surprised when a hand clamped on his wrist nor was he fearful of Jaxton's lethal expression. He removed his hand with an innocent surrendering gesture. "I just wanted to say hello to Snow Boy. It's been so long since we've seen each other after all." He let his eyes wander over Gary's form. "And he's certainly grown."

Jaxton's hands clenched and his throat flexed.

"But I can see when I'm not wanted," Elis sighed. He winked at Gary. "We'll have to meet before you leave, Snow Boy." Something in his eyes transitioned from aggressive flirt to predator. "I owe you a private lesson, don't I?" He walked off with the cooing woman in his arm.

Jaxton followed Elis' form with dark eyes stormy. "I've always hated him," he growled. He turned his dark glare to a sullen Gary and rumbled, "You okay?"

"I'm fine, Jang-ta," Gary dismissed. "It's just Elis. I can handle it."

Jaxton's dark regard bounced back to Elis and how he settled well with his harem of women. His lips curled into a snarl when Elis mocked him in a toast. That human never smelled right. His eyes narrowed at how bold Elis was observing Gary from a distance. Why the fuck is he always sniffing around Morningstar?

"Jang-ta, let it go," Gary sighed, but a plea could be scarcely heard. "I can handle it."

Jaxton huffed through his nose. "Fine." He clamped a hand down on Gary's shoulder and leaned to murmur in his ear, "Don't let him touch you again. He doesn't smell right."

Gary mutely nodded.

Jaxton let him go to go back to a worried Tesla. The moment he sat down, she rubbed his thigh and whispered, "Everything okay?"

"It's fine." Jaxton kissed her cheek, but he kept a close eye on Elis. I backed off when I first met him at Morningstar annoying me to death to drop it. He withheld a warning growl when Elis made his desire towards Gary known with a salacious lick of his lips. He clenched his drink and scented Tesla's fragrance through his mouth to keep himself calm. But I'm getting too pissed off to give a fuck anymore.

°•°•°•°

Nashi had taken off her flip-flops to trail through the sand. The moon bathed her with soothing beams, but she did not have the heart to be grateful. Eyes downcast and the sea breeze tussling her hair and sarong, her shoulders slouched as she walked.

I don't know what to do, she thought, miserable. He was so happy today. We're all happy. How could I take that away from him? I could be traumatizing him even more. I just… I just want him to know the truth. But how can I put my want over his happiness? Hickories shimmered. What sort of person am I? I can't keep going back and forth, but… I just… Her gaze glossed over. I don't know what to do. I don't know what to do.

She stopped in the sand, indecisive, upset, alone. A shaky inhale. Cael? Seraphim?

We cannot tell you what to do, Little One, Seraphim told her, all wise and comforting. It is your choice with what information you choose to reveal to your Chosen. We will support you in however you lean.

What if this was all a mistake? Nashi whispered. What if…? What if this backfires? What if this hurts him?

The truth hurts, Little Wing, Cael thought to her. Sometimes…the things we need most in life can hurt us the worst. But you were given something to overcome that pain—will. Your will to live can overcome that sort of pain.

Nashi clenched the thongs of her flip-flops. I'm scared, she admitted to both Agents. I'm so scared. He's been through so much. And I… She closed her eyes as a tear slipped. All I want is for him to be happy. Can't we be happy with the way things are?

Happiness is not a consistent state, just as love is not a consistent state, Seraphim reminded her. Both are acts you must commit to and work at. If you believe your happiness with your Chosen does not require this truth to work on bringing great happiness, then you may continue to live as you are.

But if this truth causes sorrow now and greater peace later, Cael thought, then you need to consider it. A candle cannot light the way unless it burns, Little Wing. Without that initial burn, you may find yourself in darkness for too long.

She could feel both Agents retreat, their words said and pieces done. She sniffled and looked up to the sky with its polka-dot stars and splashes of violets and dark blues. Mama said our family watches over us through the stars. So then… Please… If any of you are listening to me right now, then please. Her bottom lip trembled. Tell me what I should do.

She felt the heat of her flashlight from her Compact and looked down to see—Mama? She sniffed and swiped to answer the call. "Hey, Mama. How's your trip?" She tried to tease, "Shouldn't you and Papa be out and about right now?"

"We will—are," Lucy amended. "Your papa's taking it easy on me since this is my day back from my two-week tour."

"That's great!" Why did she call me? "When are you—?"

"Nashi, are you okay?"

She froze.

Lucy asked her again, dulcet, "Is everything okay?"

How? Nashi's hands clutched her Compact. How did she…? Her teeth gritted. "I… I'm…" I need to lie. She's vacationing with Papa. If I tell her I'm all right, everything will be fine. I'm fine. "I'm… I, um…"

DRIP…

DROP…

Nashi could not hold anything back. "I…!" Tears streaked her cheeks. "I'm not okay, M-Mama," she sobbed, dropping her shoes. Her knees buckled and she fell to them, weak and alone.

"Oh, Nashi," Lucy sighed, broken from her daughter's cries. "Walk me through it. What's wrong? Breathe first and then let's talk, okay?"

Nashi gulped as she tried to control her tears and her urge to hide and cry. "I don't know what to do," she choked out to her mother, aggrieved. "T-Tell me what to do, Mama, please, I—!" She broke into a hitched breath to hold back a sob.

"Breathe for me, Nashi," Lucy guided in soothing tones. "Take deep breaths for me."

Nashi did her best to even out her breathing, following her mother's instructions. When another stability let her eyes dry and she could swallow without wanting to break down, she asked her mother, "Did Papa always know who he was?"

A pause. "What do you mean?"

"Did he—?" Nashi sniffled and wiped her cheeks with the butt of her palm. "Did he always know he wasn't human? Did it ever matter to him what he was?"

It took her mother a fair bit of moments until she delegated a carefully crafted response. "When your papa learned he was what he was, it didn't matter that much to him. He knew who he was. The what didn't matter—at the time, at least."

"What do you mean?"

Lucy heavily sighed. "I think it'd be better if your papa answered that. Do you want me to get him for you? I know he's worried about you."

Nashi sniffled. "Please?"

It took a moment or two until Natsu came on the line, concerned. "What's with all the tears, princess?" he worried. His tone hardened. "Did that bastard hurt you?"

"No." although Nashi risked a vaguely amused smile at how gruff her father sounded. "He didn't hurt me, Papa. Actually…" Her smile turned grim. "I think I'm the one who will hurt him."

Natsu took his time to respond. "I heard you ask your mom if it ever mattered to me about what I was. You still wanna know that answer?"

"Yes." Nashi truly did. "Please, Papa."

A hush.

"Yes." Natsu sighed. "It did matter to me." Nashi's stomach dropped until Natsu added, "But only a few times. Now? I don't give a shit what I am as long as I'm your mom's husband and dad to you brats."

Nashi did not want to pry, but… "Why did it matter those few times?"

"Because in those few times, I did things I regret," Natsu told her without an inflection. He made his peace with his mistakes. "Human, Demon, Dragon—those were labels I never cared about. I am who I am. But being the Etherious King…" Nashi could envision her father shaking his head. "I did things I can't take back. And they're things I atone for even now."

"Like hurting Mom?" Nashi asked in a small voice.

"Like that," Natsu softly agreed. It sounded like he kissed Lucy's cheek. "And when your mom was pregnant, especially."

Nashi frowned. "How come?"

"You should know by now there are people in this world who want to get power any way they can," her father darkly spoke. "There are people who know I'm the Etherious King. A few people know Zeref was my brother. I never cared what I was. But seeing you in your mom's arms when you were born? I worried so much that everything I am, you'd be punished for it."

Nashi remembered the kidnappings. She could never forget Invel's cold eyes. And Mozah's warnings came back to light. "That means someone knows who you all are and what you are." Burning garnets. "And they'll come for you with everything they have."

Nashi clutched her Compact tightly.

"Knowing what I am never bothered me if it was only me to think about," continued Natsu. "But what I am affected my guild, my family—my Lucy. Even now, sometimes things pop up that make me worry about you kids. I know you're strong. I'm the one training you. But that doesn't make my fear go away. Still, I can be at ease knowing you're prepared for the world with the gifts you have."

"But…" Nashi bit her tongue. But…would Gary think the same? Is that how he would feel? Her eyes fell. He struggles for so long over his powers. And if I tell him the truth… Her chin dropped. Would that make him afraid for the rest of his life?

"But I wish someone would have told me the truth about what I am earlier in life."

Hickories widened. What…? She found her voice. "Why do you say that?"

"Maybe if I'd known about being the Etherious King, I could've helped a lot more people," Natsu mused. "Or maybe I could've learned better control early on, so by the time I met your mom, I wouldn't slip up. But the point is, princess. If I knew what I was and the whole truth about myself, it might've not changed a thing that second, but I know in the end, I would've had a better grasp on life." He added softly, "And I would've thanked whoever told me the truth for giving me a chance to fully live my life."

A neighing wind swirled around her. Papa…

"But I love the life I have," Natsu continued. "Can't really bitch about it now." He added poutily, "Maybe if I got a little more Lucy-Time, I wouldn't have anything to complain about."

Against the odds, Nashi laughed.

"That's my princess. No more tears," Natsu teased her.

Nashi laughed some more. "How do you always know what to say?"

"Easy. I'm a king and I'm awesome," Nashi boasted.

Lucy snorted and muttered from a distance, "Stop inflating your ego, Natsu. Nashi doesn't need to hear you talk yourself up."

Natsu snickered and whispered to Nashi with an audible grin, "She's just moody because she lost to me and now she has to call me 'Your Majesty' for the whole trip."

Nashi sweatdropped when her father cackled. Mama, please save yourself from this pervert, I beg you.

"And, princess?"

Nashi perked. "Yeah, Papa?"

"I might not like that popsicle you're dating and that you moved in with you—"

Nashi internally gasped. He's accepted reality. But a realization hit her and she wanted to cry. Wait, why am I accepting moving in with Gary as my reality!

"—but what I can say about him is that he's a pretty simple man."

Nashi failed to understand. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Don't get me wrong. The kid is complex." Natsu's tone changed to somber. "He's endured so much and he's twenty. I can't imagine the shit he's had to go through—even the battles he has to go through now. But he's simple because when it's just him, he doesn't care what he is. The fight is what's most important. But when it's someone he cares about, nothing in the world matters most than how the one he loves sees him."

Nashi still did not pick up on her father's advice. "Papa—"

"Sorry, princess, but I have to go. Your mom is trying to ditch me since it's Lucy-Time and she's a sore loser."

"What!" Lucy squawked in the background. "I am not—!"

"Anyway!" Natsu said cheerfully over Lucy's loud protests. "Time for me to cash in on my prize. Think about if you want a little brother or sister. Later!"

The call ended.

Three dots went across Nashi and a dreary aura claimed her. Mama should file for a divorce from that pervert. She sighed and looked down at her Compact. How people see him, huh… She tipped her head up with a deep nasal inhale of the wind and sea, eyes closing. How I see him…

°•°•°•°

Justin had a gas chatting away with a hilarious black queer man with full lips and all the latest gossip with the alleged scandal with a popular US music artist and all the clap backs he was delivering on Twit, but his smile fell a little seeing Gary withdrawn from the action. He debated over the next course of action when a server came to him with a fruity cocktail.

Justin cocked his head when Gary mustered up a smile to thank her, but that smile tightened when she grinned and whispered something before gesturing. Justin followed the gesture only to tense seeing Elis watching Gary like a hawk with that lopsided smirk. What the Hell is he doing?

Gary hesitantly accepted the drink upon the server's insistence, but he took not a sip over it. He palmed his cross necklace, and something washed over his face.

Justin broke from his conversation to reach across for Gary. "Hey—"

But Gary got to his feet. "I'll be right back." And he fled the table.

Justin followed him with his eyes as he left the restaurant and went down the stone path. Is he doing after Nashi? Something disturbed him, and he turned his head to see Jaxton glaring at Gary's abandoned drink. What's his problem?

Ace leaned over to him and whispered, "Do you know what's happening?"

"No." And that bothered Justin. "I don't know what's going on. I thought Nashi was fine, but then it was like…" He could not put his finger on it. Something changed. It's like there's a distance between her and Gary now. He shook his head when Ellie gestured for her to go after him. Nothing should have prompted it. But… It hit him.

Ace frowned when Justin stood up. "Baby, maybe you shouldn't…"

"Don't worry." Justin leaned down to kiss his cheek. "This has gone on long enough." He pulled back with softness in his eyes. "I'll be back with them, I promise."

Ace thumbed Justin's jaw. "All right."

Justin left him and gave Ellie an assuring gesture before leaving the table. I don't know what's going on, but I do know something's on Nashi's mind. I might not be able to help with that. Determination fueled him. But I can help with something else.

°•°•°•°

Gary broke into the sand and could see Nashi further down the beach. His winter tried to reach her summer, but her heat was far beyond reach. That made his decision as he went down the coastline.

I just want to make sure she's okay. His steps faltered the closer he got to her until he fell to a stop, uncertain of himself. But… What do I say? She said she'd be right back. He looked at her, so full of longing and conflict. She promised. She said she wouldn't leave. He turned away from her, but he could not force himself to move.

But… I can't feel her heat. He touched his chest. We're connected, but…she put up a wall. She's pulling away. She's…leaving again. He touched his cross necklace.

A forest humming with life, but it felt so quiet. Waiting. Always waiting.

His hand drifted to his feathered tattoo. If she's leaving… If she doesn't want to me and can't stand touching me, it's okay. I can wait. Blues dulled. I've always waited. His hand dropped. Even if she wants to leave and never comes back, I'll keep waiting. Is that okay? Is it selfish for me to keep waiting? Maybe…she doesn't want me to wait. His hand balled into a fist. But…

He turned back towards Nashi, those deep blues resolved. But that doesn't mean I can't try.

°•°•°•°

Nashi sighed as she got up from the sand. As she dusted off her legs, she thought, I've been away long enough. I don't want people to think I stormed off or am causing drama. Her eyes softened. But I still need to figure out what to do about him. He needs to know the truth, but… How can I even go about this? Would he even believe me?

She blinked when she saw her Compact light up, but the contact surprised her when she saw it:

MY ARES

Her brow knitted together. Galileo?

"A-Angel?"

Nashi whirled around—

Hickory clashed with cerulean.

Gary stood there, but his imposing height did nothing with him shuffling, anxious yet determined about something. "Angel, I…" He lifted his chin. "I-I need to talk to you—"

"No."

Both were perplexed to see Justin approach them, face unreadable. Gary's determination was shot and Nashi's heart fell seeing her best friend stoic.

"I don't want you to talk with him." But Justin gentled with a smile. "I want to talk with him."

Nashi blinked. JJ… She smiled when he winked at her. Thank you. She caught Gary's worry and felt guilty about how lost he looked. Hesitantly, she pulled back the wall she had put up and let her summer ease into a touch of his winter.

Gary stiffened. Then he looked at Nashi in overwhelming relief as his winter bathed over her. It was as though all his anxieties melted seeing her little smile, and his hedging was gone when he followed Justin.

Nashi turned back to her Compact with a frown before answering it on its last ring. "Leo?" Her eyes widened. "Leo?"

°•°•°•°

Gary admitted to himself that he could fight every scientist and monster ready for his blood, but he kept his head down, walking a little bit behind Justin, intimidated and worried. The lilt of the beach's tides with its crashes and retreats did not soothe his nerves. All he could depend on was that summer heat he could not get enough of.

"Chi-chi and I hated it when Nashi snuck around."

Gary looked up, but Justin did not glance back at him.

"Nashi trusted us with her secret as long as she came with us," Justin went on. "She met him at some party Chi-chi and I went to." He shook his head. "It wasn't like he had a bad reputation. We didn't know his actual name or anything. We only knew what Nashi filled us in on." Sky blues saddened. "We should've asked more questions."

The tide slunk onto the sand before hastily retreating.

"The party was in an okay-ish part of Fiore," Justin narrated. "But Chi-chi and I couldn't do since we had other things to do. We told her we didn't want her going to a party like that alone, and all she told us was this boy she met would take her, so she'd be fine. We didn't believe it for a second. We flat-out told her we weren't above ratting her out to her parents if she even thought about going alone to a party with this guy."

He gave a pitiful laugh. "She was pissed. She got angry we were 'big brothering' her and told us it was her choice and that we weren't saints. But Chi-chi wasn't afraid to start implying things around Mister and Misses Dragneel, so Nashi told us she wouldn't go. She was angry as Hell, though, so she didn't want to talk to us. And we trusted she wouldn't sneak out."

He stopped walking.

As did Gary.

The sea's breeze swirled and twirled around them.

"We had a bad feeling." Justin's words played softer, almost getting swept away in the wind. "Chi-chi was closer to the party. He was running an errand. I was going to do a job with my dad, but another lawsuit hit with Liberty, so we had to reschedule. Ellie was doing some training thing, so I told Chi-chi I'd meet up with him and we'd go to the party Nashi was talking about just in case. Just in case."

His hands clenched into fists.

Gary soothed, "Justin—"

"The sick fuck was seventeen."

Gary stopped, sickened.

"Nashi told us he was fifteen." Justin's voice held steady. "We didn't realize he was seventeen until she told us about him later. He was seventeen. She was fourteen." His knuckles were white. "Chi-chi found her before me. They dragged her out of the house and left her on the sidewalk. They left her out there while she was drugged out of her mind, and her legs… Gods, her legs…" His fists shook.

Gary swallowed when nausea rolled around and a burning desire whispered to him to track down each man and show them which one of them was the true monster. "Justin," he whispered, "you don't have—"

"She was hospitalized." Justin's voice cracked. "She still got pregnant after they put her on whatever it was to stop her from getting pregnant, but at least they put her on something for all the pain after they made sure her systems were cleaned. They drugged her water. Her fucking water. She didn't even drink. She got pressured to drink, and she didn't and I'm so proud of her for saying, 'no', but then they went and drugged her water."

Ice built up on Gary's fists. His winter stormed inside him, demanding blood for blood.

"But do you want to know what's more fucked up?" Justin asked him, not seeking an answer. "And I'm not talking about her not wanting to turn in her rapists. I'm talking about when Chi-chi and I visited her, worried out of our minds and so fucking guilty that she met her rapists at a party we took her to—I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about when she was having a night terror, screaming and panicked in her hospital room, and we couldn't calm her down. And you know what name she called to help her? To save her?"

All Gary's murderous rage dusted into sorrow. He closed his eyes. "Justin—"

"She called your name." Justin did not spit the words, but venom was in them. "She only called your name until they put her under. It wasn't Chi-chi or me or her family—it was you."

Guilt festered inside Gary. "Justin, please—"

"I'm asking you now—and you better have an answer for me." Justin pivoted and fisted Gary's shirt to force sorrowful ceruleans to clash with broken and anguished sky blues. "Where the Hell were you when she needed you?"

"I…" Gary fisted his hands only to slacken them. He could not look Justin in the eye. He could not meet that intensity, that raw pain, that guilt, that anger. "I wasn't there," he breathed, murmurous. "I know I wasn't there."

Justin tightened his hold on Gary's tank top. "She trusted you," he hissed. "She cried for you. She begged for you. And you weren't there. You promised her over and over again that you'd be there for her. She was fourteen and she was drugged and she was raped, but all she did in the hospital was ask for you."

His other hand came up to grab Gary's shirt as his sky blues gleamed with angry tears. "Where were you? She needed you. She trusted you, and you weren't there for her. It didn't matter how much we wanted to calm her down. She kept asking for you, you bastard, until she gave up and she shut down like she was empty. Where were you?"

Gary pressed his lips together.

"And in the ICU in December, it was the same," Justin snarled at him. "She begged for you. And you weren't there. You weren't there when she needed you—when she shattered." His hands tightened. "I am giving you one final chance to answer me." He wanted to make this clear. "Where – were – you?"

For a long moment, silence passed with the crashing waves and faded music that soundtrack to such intensity frothing around two men on opposing sides who shared a dark kinship with their agony and guilt.

Gary parted his lips. "I… I…" He steeled himself and lifted his head—

Justin froze.

Hard ceruleans stared into glossy sky blues, but a cloudiness countered the steel in Gary's eyes.

"I wasn't there." Gary lifted his hands to lightly cup Justin's wrists. "I wasn't there." He refused to break from Justin's stare. "I wasn't there."

All of Justin's pent of fear and anger and guilt bottomed out into a dazed confusion. "Why?" His hands trembled and released Gary's shirt, but he could not drop them with Gary holding onto his wrists.

Of this, Gary glanced away. "I wasn't there…and no excuse matters. Angel cried for me." He briefly closed his eyes. "And in the end, I wasn't there to protect her. She cried for me…and I couldn't reach her." He looked back at Justin and something between them shifted the air.

They mourned their failures towards someone precious to them.

"I can't promise to never hurt Angel again." Not comforting words, but these were words that came from the heart. "I know how life works. I know hurt can happen when you least expect it. But the thing is… I'm willing to learn to make sure I never intentionally hurt Angel. Because I don't. If I can minimize her hurt, I will."

Emotion flickered in Gary's eyes. "Her pain… I can't imagine it. I can't imagine her suffering." But he had seen it. He had been forced to keep his eyes open and his mouth gagged as she was kept awake when her wings were viciously sawed off her back. He had seen the dark memory that lured him into a fury that those men taking turns on her drugged body, lusting for their release over her consent and agency.

I've had to watch suffering… I had to feel it. And it all reminded me how I couldn't protect her from such tragedy. That gods couldn't exist in a world if they created this sort of suffering. Icy-blue sprinkled in his eyes. And that I would do anything to ensure Angel never suffered like that again. Anything.

Gary puffed frost before he looked back at Justin. "I have no excuse for why I wasn't there on either time. And I can't promise you I'll always be there." His gaze darkened. "There are evils in this world that won't hesitate to pounce during a single second of weakness. Safety is a necessity, but we treat it as a luxury. That is why…"

He lifted his chin with eyes consumed in ice blue. "I have every intention of doing everything within my power to build a haven where Angel can live without fear and suffering—where she can spread her wings and fly." The icy blue died for ceruleans to come back. "But until that day comes, I'm going to continue to fight by her side. I'm going to support and love her every step of the way. Even if she disposes of me like I'm nothing, I won't have any regrets. I'll keep supporting her and loving her even if she has no use for me anymore."

That's right. Even if she tells me she doesn't love me anymore or only wants me for my body, I wouldn't care. I'll accept it and keep waiting. I'll take whatever she can give me. I would even take her hatred. As long as she has her freedom, I don't care what happens to me—

SMACK!

Gary was wide-eyed with his head turned to the right and a handprint on his cheek.

Justin blinked. "Sorry. I just need to make sure this was real."

So you went and slapped me? Gary cried, cheek comically throbbing.

Justin sighed and gracefully wiped his cheeks. "Sheesh. You're more dramatic than an MAU on a Wednesday night. Talking about her disposing you like you're nothing and not even caring about it. Wow. Talk about being that desperate ex."

Inwardly, a chibi-Gary was sniffling with watery eyes. I'm not going to cry, I'm not going to cry, I'm not going to cry—

POKE!

Gary zoomed in on the finger that was on his chest.

"Listen here, Fullbuster," Justin started, agitated, "if your ass gets dumped, I don't want your sorry puppy eyes to guilt trip my sweet girl into taking you back. You better leave her alone, you got that? She doesn't need you creeping around like some stalker and trying to lure her back to you."

"O-Oh. O-O-Okay…" Internally, chibi-Gary sniffled even more. He really has no faith in me.

Justin ruffled his hair with one hand on his hip. "But then again, I'd doubt she'd ever break up with you." For as annoyed as his posture indicated, his eyes spoke differently. "She loves you. She really loves you, you know," he murmured. "I can see it. Even when you're gone, I can see it." A tick mark hit his cheek. "Which reminds me…"

Gary shrunk when Justin loomed over him and growled darkly, "You better not be trying to get any up north when you have a beautiful partner waiting for you at home."

"Yes, sir! Of course, sir!" Gary really wanted to cry. It's like I'm dealing with another Uncle Natsu or a Kyler. He inwardly sobbed when he saw the crazed king with his flames and Kyler with his wings and Staff of Miracles. I won't even get Angel down the aisle with all these death threats!

Justin huffed and pointed a sharp finger at him that could have been a knife. "I'm still pissed at you," he warned. "But—!"

Gary flinched, waiting for a sharp rebuke (sucking it up so he did not cry).

"Take care of her."

Gary's eyes flew open, stunned. What is…?

Justin sighed and looked beyond the shore and past the sea. "My only interest is to see my girls flourish. Ellie is blossoming—both literally and not-so literally—with her job and her schooling in the Lagelands. And I couldn't be prouder of her discovering who she is with Ines." Sky blues gentled. "I watched Nashi shatter. And I watched her recover. She flourished, make no mistake. But with you, she… She glows. Like she's an actual Angel."

Gary fondly remembered Nashi's spread white wings and agreed in a murmur, "She is."

Justin hummed. "I know she'll get hurt. I know she'll feel pain. You're not responsible for what happened that night or back in December. And I'm sorry if I implied it. I was furious you weren't around for the aftermath. I still am. But never blame yourself for horrible incidents like that. I hope they never happen again. And if they do, all I ask is that you be there for the aftermath. You don't need to become her will to live. You just need to be there."

Something triggered Gary to flashback to New Year's Eve when he fell apart, so broken, so weak, but Nashi looked at him with honest adoration that he felt undeserving of.

"Through whatever's happened to you then, through whatever happens to you now, I'm going to be right here like you were to me. I'm going to listen and learn. Every problem you go through, I promise you, Gary, I'll do the hardest part with you and we'll solve it."

"The problems will never go away, but…" Gary touched his feathery tattoo. "Whatever problem happens, I'll do the hardest part with her. I promise." I have a lot to learn when it comes to love. But I'll keep learning so I can always be worthy of it. And so I can love Angel the same way she loves me.

Justin closed his eyes with a smile. "That's what I'd like to hear." But he switched gears when he pointed at Gary with a glare that caught Gary off-guard. "But I'm still watching you, so if you fuck up, don't be surprised when you wake up in a giant kinetic hamster ball with glitter everywhere on your body."

Gary nervously smiled. "Y-Yes. Of course. Loud and clear."

Angel truly has scary people around her. He softened. But it's nice to have people who care about you so much. A loving aura built around him as he teased, "You know, you almost sound like Angel's father—"

"What the Hell do you mean 'almost'?" Justin seethed scathingly. "I practically raised her!"

"Y-Y-Yes, of course! Of course!" Gary quickly agreed.

"Stop being such a damn pushover! How the Hell are you supposed to fend off men trying to press up on my sweet girl when you just agree with everything!"

"Y-Yes, sir, I-I-I-I mean, n-n-no, sir, I mean—!"

"Why are you calling me 'sir'! We're practically the same age and that's homophobic!"

"REALLY?"

Justin watched as a scatterbrained Gary looked on the cusp of a mental breakdown, blubbering and floundering in his apologies and trying to come up with more appropriate wording. This man is supposed to be one of the most badass Wizards in our age bracket, but he shakes like a virgin seeing a realistic dildo for the first time. I guess I can't tease him too much. After all… He is Nashi's stupid dog.

"Gary."

He jumped, ready to protect himself—

"You did well today."

Gary blinked to see Justin's raised hand and his grin.

"We won." Justin winked at him. "So we're good. 'Kay?"

Gary blinked again. Then he smiled. "Right." He stepped forward with his hand raised—

SMACK!

They high-five once, twice, then gripped hands with matching grins.

Gary felt like a burden was lifted off his shoulders. This is it. Finally. I feel like we're back on the right track—

"JJ?"

Gary faceplanted into the sand when Justin backed up and sniffed, "I can't believe you clung to me like that knowing I have a boyfriend. Transphobic."

Gary popped up, flustered, with his hands waving about. "But you—!" He stopped when he realized Nashi watched from the outer perimeter. A film of unshed tears was over her eyes as she fidgeted. "Angel?" He strode over to her, intent to take her face in his hands, but the moment he was in front of her, he remembered when she moved away from him. He restrained himself from touching her. "Is everything okay?"

"I-I…" Nashi swallowed and looked down. "No."

Before Gary could soothe her, Justin interrupted. "I'll make sure we box your stuff." He stepped in to collect Nashi in his arms and kissed her hair. "Daddy Ace and all three of your moms plus your sex-addict aunt and uncle will be in the restaurant waiting for you."

Nashi bubbled out a laugh. "Thank you." She smiled when he cupped her cheek. "Thanks, JJ."

"I just want my sweet girl happy," murmured Justin. "And if he makes you happy, so be it. But do not ever pull that Little Mermaid friggen 'But Daddy, I love him' shit on me ever again, all right?" He smiled when she giggled. "That was a one-man-only usage, and you used it on your man."

"I won't." She closed her eyes when Justin kissed her forehead.

"I'll leave you to it." Justin hugged her once more before giving Gary the I'm-watching-you two fingers and leaving them to their conversation.

Gary wanted so badly to do the same and bring Nashi into his arms, but even with their connection partially open again, he held himself back. "Angel?" he prompted. "Is everything okay?"

"I…" Nashi swallowed. "I…" She shuffled on her feet. "I got a call from Leo," she ended up saying. "He's um…" She sniffed and rubbed the side of her nose. "He's not in the best shape right now, and he was…saying some things that I don't think he meant. I'm just worried about him and…" She was tormented when winter's envy impressed upon her summer. "Gary—"

"I'm sorry!" Gary blurted, upset with himself. "I-I-I'm sorry, I just…! I can't control it—!"

Nashi shook her head, dismayed. "I shouldn't have said anything—"

"Angel, wait—!" He reached for her, but her flinch back made him halt in his tracks, hurt. He harshly swallowed and kept his hands to his sides. "I'm sorry. I am, I promise. I know you're both friends. I know that. I trust you." But that did not stop him from hating himself that his jealousy—an ugly and insistent parasite—whispered in his ear deceitful reminders of her relationship with him before. "It's nothing," he vowed to her, scrambling, frantic, ashamed. "I'm sorry—"

He froze when Nashi hugged him.

She nuzzled into his chest. "I think we could both use lovey hugs right now," she mumbled into his skin.

All Gary's resistance was for naught as he swept her into his embrace, winter to summer, skin to skin. "I think so too," he murmured to her. He held her tauter. "I know something's on your mind. And if it's Galileo… I can handle it. I can handle the truth, Angel. Because I trust you more than anyone. If something is bothering you, know that I'll listen wholeheartedly to your troubles and do everything I can to erase your tears."

Quiet.

"Y-You mean that?"

Gary pulled back for loving cerulean to connect with teary hickory. He slid a hand onto her cheek with a warm smile. "Of course, Angel. Whatever you need to say, I'll listen until the very end and believe every word." He searched her glossy gaze. "Because if it comes from you, then that's all I need to know. I'm here for you, Angel. As long as you see that—and see me—nothing else matters."

Nashi's bottom lip trembled.

Gary encompassed her in a hug again. "It's okay to cry, Angel. Because I'm right here for the one I care about most."

And Nashi broke as her loud wail shouted up to the heavens.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

Come on now, dance tonight

We can boogie till the morning

There's no plans tonight

Gonna have a good one

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Gary held her through her sobs, a steady ship among her stormy waters. I can wait until she's ready to tell me. I'll always wait…

A cheery grin. Cherry blossom locks of hair. Pure white wings.

He nuzzled her, and his lashes fell.

…because it's you, Angel.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

Seaside no bijo

She's like an illusion

Pinku iro no neon

utsushidasu vision

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Club Cabana pumped in more and more clientele with the bar becoming rowdier. Jemaine had fallen asleep—bless his soul—but Windel had curled him into him while he talked smack with some of the guys. Ines was adamant over the fantasy team she put together against the other woman negating her claims and sensibility. Ellie had wowed some of the resident "airheads" with flower crowns. Ace might have spoken to others, but he had an arm around Justin. Tesla grew more amorous with Jaxton the more time went on, but he narrowed his eyes over how smug Elis looked.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

Himitsu no location (location)

Mabushii refection (reflection)

Hikitsukero attention yoru no nuke dasou

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Vanda tried her hand to look enticing to Reiner, but it made her comically rage when he was hounded with women interested in his silver tattoo sleeve. Levin held back his sister from charging over and she whined the entire while, but a glance back made her blink when Reiner instantly rejected the women with a brusque turn away only for them to lock eyes.

She smiled at him.

He looked surprised before he glanced away, awkward. But the blush on his cheeks was all she needed.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

Daremoga jealousy ni naru hodo ni sexy

katate ni wa Hennessy katachi dake tipsy

yarikata wa classic-hin yoku majestic

yokeinamono wa hora nugisutete sa

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Sharon's house might have been vast and warranted being called a "château", but Pearson knew which room Jasmine was in. Pearson had knocked, but when no one responded, he opened the door in the hopes to speak to Jasmine—

Pale reds widened, then softened.

The hallways light spilled into the bedroom to show Jasmine dead to the world with her satin scarf and the pregnancy pillow Pearson had bought her. Pacer had been her guard. He had not gotten into bed—they had too much to air out—but he settled in an accent chair he dragged into the room and fell asleep on that with his head lolled and his arms crossed.

Pearson smiled before he retreated and gently closed the door.

Pearson stood in the hall and held onto the door handle. We still have so much to do. There's so much that we need to discuss. But for now, they need their sleep to prepare for those conversations. And in the meantime…

He took out his Compact. Missed calls from Aurinia displayed on the screen.

…it's time for my discussion.

---

— • — • — • —

•

Come on now, dance tonight

We can boogie till the morning

There's no plans tonight

We gonna have a Good One

Mizugiwa no playground

Konna kyouku wo play

And we can dance tonight

Hey we gonna have a Good One

•

Wanna see you move like this

I like it, you like it

Side to side, front to back

He likes it, she likes it

Wanna see you move like this

We like it, they like it

Upside-down, inside-out

And it's gonna be a good one!

— • — • — • —

---

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

— • — • — • —

Four years ago…

On the night of Nashi's incident…

— • — • — • —

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

The moon was pasted in the night sky, bored of her stars and the world she watched over. The forest, dense and coniferous, looked ominous with its abnormally large sizes. The leaves crowded together to block the moon's beams, but sometime or another, the light speared through the canopy to provide splotches of light onto the ponds and grass and brush. Most of the monsters and creatures lurking among the trees retired to the homes for the evening with the creatures of the night, careful not to disturb bigger predators. One-legged and one-eyed owls hoot and took flight for the evening meal. An Umbrumiho stopped by a pond for a drink.

CRASH-CRASH-CRASH!

Frantic painting crashed through the bushes and the grass. A hand curled onto the left side of his stomach with a self-performed ice cauterization trying to hold up, but the blood on his hand would not go away. He tried to flap his wings, desperate, but each take-off resulted in an awkward tumble. His right wing had been horribly torn and his left had lasting bullet holes, but he did not care. He needed to get out. He needed to fly.

Spasming summer crammed with unwanted touches.

He stumbled to vomit with a half-cry. His dinner had been thrown up a while back and the tears would not stop, but he needed to keep running. He needed to find her.

"A-A-Angel," he whimpered, coughing. His winter tried panickily to soothe her, protect her—save her—but he could feel every jarring force rock into her and tarnish the beauty of her summer. He stumbled into a tree with his stomach spasming and his throat constricting, but he shoved down the urge to throw up to keep running. His dash and sorry attempts of take-off made him fumble and nausea festered until he spat blood and bile.

Summer writhed and clawed at a vicious connection plundering it.

"Angel," he panted with his icy tears streaming down his cheeks. I'm coming. I promise. I'm coming—

GA-GA-GA!

The bullet tore through his arm, burning him from the inside out, and he fell to his knees with a half-scream half-sob.

KAN-KAN-KAN…

Weakly, his ice shot from his palm to latch onto a branch. He hauled himself high into one of the monstrous trees and hide among the leaves. His heart thundered and his blood tasted metallic and earthy, but he gagged himself to keep his breathing quiet and not ruin his spot with the urge to wretch. His clothes had been shredded with knife wombs and pulling out that dagger from his back had been so excruciating, but all his training in The Room had prepared him to never pass out even when his body demanded rest.

Summer drowned in drunken despair and unheeded pleas.

Holding back his cry, he tried to reach his winter to her, but a wall was there. Nothing could connect them. Nothing could make her feel him cocoon her in the protection she had graced him long ago. He was stuck in this never-ending nightmare to feel soul-reaping anguish as her summer wreathed in endless agony from these invasions that would forever mark her.

Angel, he whimpered pitifully, wishing she could hear him. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

KAN…KAN…

He stilled.

Heavy boots walked through the grass. "Experiment six-six-six…AKA…Morningstar." This voice—gravelly and gruff through the mask—commanded authority and demanded submission. It could build armies and destroy hundreds. "Are you done running from me?"

Heavy breath expelled from an intricate gas mask.

He hid further into the tree and ignored the pain when his wings shifted closer to his body.

Threads of swirling white and gray twirled through thick locs. "It's been a few years since we've seen each other. You've grown." Another heavy exhale came out of the gas mask. Leather gloves rubbed against dual hilts. "You can't hide forever, Morningstar. We have ways to flush you out. But I enjoy the chase."

Boots stopped beneath the tree.

He shifted backward, muscles tense.

"You are needed back at the laboratory, Morningstar. I'm here to escort you back alive. That wasn't an option." Those boots turned. "And I was told to bring you back by any means necessary."

Gannon Lynk looked up into the tree with his gray eyes glowing and a click of his dual blades had the edges glowing in Anti-Ether. He was not a man. He was the Cerberus Hunter, the Hellhound of Hell. "You should understand what that means, Morningstar." An intensity burned through those glowing grays. "Her life is optional."

And icy blues pierced the darkness.

---

Voices of Characters in Order of Appearance

— • — • — • —

Pearson Strauss – David Matranga

Maddox Monacco – Cameron Bautsch

Jasmine Strother – Jasmine Brown

Aurinia – Seáne Kerslake

Nashi Dragneel – Laura Landa

Eliana "Ellie" Strauss – Aleixs Tipton

Hylia Lynk / Tesla Greer – Galena White

Ines Sharabi – Miichelle Hendley

Justin Justine – Ian Sinclair

Gary Fullbuster – Griffin Burns

Jang-ta "Jaxton" Yang – Eddy Yeong

Ace Benson – Billy Kametz

Mirajane Dreyar – Monical Rial

Veronika Strauss – Hilary Haag

Lisanna Strauss – Carrie Savage

Windel Lawrence – Dyllón Burnside

Denisha "Nisha" Knowles – Anairis Quinones

Jemaine Froth -

Orochi – Aaron Roberts

Clay - Robbie Daymond

Taraji -

Elis Capellán - Ty Mahany

Sharon Shuusei – Aja Naomi King

Lupita Bankole – Brenda Crichlow

Levin Glory -

Reiner Musica –

Vanda Glory –

Esmeralda "Esme" Strauss-Depardieu – Megan Hollingstead

Seraphim – Jameison Price

Cael – Jason Griffiths

Lucy Heartfilia-Dragneel – Cherami Leigh

Natsu Dragneel – Todd Haberkorn

Gannon Lynk – Akron Watson

• — • — •

Additional Voices

Opening Narrator – Mary McGlynn

Description Narrator – Mary McGlynn

Closing Narrator – Melissa Fahn

— • — • — • —

OPENING SONG

⟪ Walking with You ⟫

Novelbright

Lyrics by

雄大 / 勇太朗⌟

•

INSER SONG 1

⟪ FLY HIGH! ⟫

BURNOUT SYNDROME

Lyrics by

熊谷和海⌟

•

INSERT SONG 2

⟪ Changes ⟫

NAMBA69

Lyrics by

AKIHIRO NAMBA, Ko-hey, Toshiya Ohno⌟

•

INSERT SONG 3

⟪ HANDS ⟫

BLUE ENCOUNT

Lyrics by

田邊 駿一⌟

•

⌜ENDING SONG

⟪ Good One ⟫

HIRAIDAI

Lyrics by

EIGO, Dai Hirai⌟

---

•

•

•

•

— • — • — • —

Next time, on Fairy Adventure

•

Episode 113

•

CARACOLE ISLAND PLAYERS

— • — • — • —

•

•

•

•

TO BE CONTINUED…

---

Chibi-Luna pops up to flounce into the classroom. "Good day, cla—Oh my goodness!" Her fake glasses are on their hinges when she sees mountains of paperwork piled on her desk. "What's all this!"

The students chirp, "That's all the Fairy Lessons you skipped in past episodes, Teacher!"

Chibi-Luna sighs. "I suppose I deserve that." She perks up. "But I've come today with a new Fairy Lesson!"

"What are we learning today, Teacher?" the class choruses.

Chibi-Luna wriggles to slide the blackboard over to display all that she prewrote. "Today, we're going to speak about Wiccans like Lupita and Lupita herself!" she tells the class. "If you remember, Lupita is the main Healer for Lamia Scale, but Lupita also works as one of the few CAPs—Certified Apothecary Practitioner—and also as a CWP—a Certified Wiccan Practitioner."

"Wow!" the class enthuses. "Those sound fancy, Teacher!"

Chibi-Luna agrees. "That's because they are! You see…!" She moved over to show three people who surrounded what was labeled as an ETHER CORE. "Mages, Alchemists, and Alkahests alongside other races receive their power from the Ether Core of Earth Land, meaning they are gifted an Ether Spirit. But there are people who don't receive their powers from the Ether Core."

She moved to show another trio. "Cultivators and Wiccans receive their power from Guardian Spirits directly. Some Wizards are exceptions to this rule and receive their power from a Spirit, but Spirits can only give their chosens an Ether Spirit embedded with their power. Guardian Spirits or God Spirits give pieces of themselves to whomever they choose."

A hand flies up. "But Teacher, what makes Wiccans and Cultivators different?"

"A good question!" Chibi-Luna praises. "Cultivators sort of bend rules. To become a Cultivator, you have to have a Spiritual Core or Qi in your body. This is something you're born with—a direct power from the Spirit Realm. The four Guardians and their leader would then have to bless someone to use Cultivation properly. If unblessed, those Cultivators would turn to Demons or darker rituals to procure power.

"But Wiccans aren't born with anything in their bodies and their Guardian Spirits are solely Nature Guardians," Chibi-Luna elaborates. "Like Shamans, they are born Spiritless. They have to enter schooling and sacred rituals for their Nature Guardian of their culture to choose them. And unlike Cultivators, who solely use spiritual energy, Wiccans use both the Spirit and Soul—if they can make it through their rituals."

"Wow…!" the class gasps. "Miss Lupita is amazing!"

Chibi-Luna giggles. "She is, isn't she? Though rumor has it, Lupita broke a sacred law set by her Nature Guardian, which makes her rhyme. Taboos still work with any power and sometimes, those Taboos are really strange." She claps her hand. "And that's all the time we have for today's lesson!"

"Aw…!" the students groan.

"But Teacher, we haven't seen you in, like, a dozen episodes!" a student complains.

Chibi-Luna sweats, but she nervously smiles. "I know, I'm sorry. I took a little extended vacation, but I'm back now! And I'll be here to teach you more Fairy Lessons about the world we live in! If you liked Rave Master, Seven Deadly Sins, and Eden's Zero, I hope you're excited for more crossovers! Things are just heating up for our spring breakers, and the next episode is one you won't forget and is inspired by Avatar: The Last Airbender!"

She waves. "See you next episode!"