Never has the royal palace been so full of people like today.
The party invitation handed out by the King of Fiore attracted so many well-dressed people for the occasion. This might as well have been a first for the palace.
To accommodate them all, the King arranged several rooms to be transformed into dressing rooms, and they were nearly all filled with people getting ready. Some decided to show up in their civilian clothing and get ready at the palace. Most of the girls from Fairy Tail were part of this number.
Currently, Karissa was checking herself in the mirror to make sure she was ready to head out. Anyone could see that she was doing her best to hurry and leave the room with how she kept fluttering around.
"Why the hurry?" Mirajane approached her with a smile. "Excited?"
Karissa looked at Mirajane's reflection and grinned. "We promised to go in together as a family. Pandora already went ahead so I don't want to lag behind."
"Aw, that's sweet." Lisanna remarked as Mirajane went ahead and fixed the blue ribbon tied around Karissa's left shoulder.
Karissa was wearing an outfit that consisted of a black top that ended in a folded skirt with golden leaves at the hem. The sleeves were frilled in blue at her wrists. Underneath the top, she wore a longer deep blue skirt. It looked like someone discovered how to take the starry night and spin it into a fabric. It was long enough to reveal black low-ankle shoes with straps, the only shoes in the store that weren't completely high-heeled nor too flat. She also wore a white choker with a blue ribbon tied around it.
"You look very pretty tonight." Mirajane smoothed down her hair as well. "I like this side of you."
Karissa bit the inside of her cheek and nodded sheepishly.
"Your outfit suits you well." Levy remarked. It wasn't as flamboyant nor was it too classy. The easiest way to describe her outfit was noble-like.
Karissa curled a lock of hair behind her ear as she stared down at herself. Lucy, who was nearby in her underwear, noticed a slightly gleaming object on her ears. "Ah. You're wearing earrings too. Wow, they look so nice! It's ice blue! It matches your outfit."
Cana, who was sitting on the couch and fixing her makeup, paused and looked at Karissa's stud earrings. "Oh, you're right. What a nice colour. They suit you. Where'd you get them, Karissa?"
Karissa couldn't resist smiling.
"Oh, someone gave them to me."
The wind mage followed the signs that pointed towards the ballroom. On the way, she passed by a few people who were in the corridors, chatting excitedly about the party. She kept an out for familiar faces while making sure not to run into anyone by accident.
Eventually, she rounded a corner that had big windows, allowing the moonlight to pierce through and touch the inside of the palace. One of the things under its light was her twin brother. He was peering outside, admiring the view.
His hair was pinned back mostly on the left side, leaving his bangs hanging on his face. A white overcoat draped down behind him to his ankles while the front was relatively short as it ended just below his sternum, simply buttoned up by some buttons. Underneath, he wore a deep blue undershirt of which the collar was tied up by a green ribbon. His pants were white. Around his waist was a dark blue sash which was part of the blue ribbon tied on his left hip, the rest of it draped down along his left leg. His black dress shoes shone a little under the moonlight.
The gravity mage was able to notice the presence standing there in his peripheral. Upon realizing who it was, his face broke into a smile and he moved closer to greet his sister.
"Ahh, you look so good. I like this part of your outfit! It looks like the starry night."
Her brother really didn't waste time in complimenting her.
Karissa smiled softly and pointed at her hair. "You look good with some of your hair pulled back."
"Oh?" Clavis self-consciously fingered the pins behind his hair. "Sherry thought it would be a good idea. I never pinned my hair back before. I'm glad you think it looks okay." He chuckled sheepishly, trailing his eyes away to the side. At the same time, he paused when he noticed a bow tied on her back. "Hey, we're both wearing bows!" He exclaimed, shifting his position to show off the bow tied on his left hip.
"Oh shit. You're right." Karissa put a hand on the bow tied behind her. They both looked at each other's faces before snickering together at the coincidence.
As they straightened up and went to check out the window together, the place that Clavis thought would easily catch either Van or Pandora's attention, he placed a hand on the cool glass. He smiled timidly. "You know… I still feel uneasy about not feeling obligated to smile so that people will definitely like me. I'm so conditioned that it's frightening to let go of it."
Ohh. He's confiding in me… I guess I really got through to him.
Karissa reached up to pat his hand on the glass. "Well, as long as you're not someone that acts like they're from Raven Tail then you should be fine."
"Oh, those guys were an absolute load of shit." Clavis sighed. Hearing him speak that way made her snicker.
"...Well, I might be acting like a know-it-all when I don't even know what's guaranteed. But in any case, I'll be on your side."
Clavis gave his sister a small grin. "I feel like your words give me courage. Thanks, Karissa."
Behind Clavis, Karissa noticed a figure walking down the hall. He was yawning into his hand. It was Van. He was wearing all black. His overcoat was with a large collar that folded over the collar of his coat, barely revealing the white undershirt since the coat was buttoned up on his right side. His coat's sleeves were frilled in white at the wrists. His undershirt's collar was tied up neatly by a purple bow with a purple jewel. His pants were not long enough to hide the hint of purple socks in his black dress shoes.
He looked exhausted.
But when he noticed his sister staring at him, he perked up as if he woke up to an early Christmas gift. "Well, well, my two baby siblings are looking rather charming tonight."
Hearing his voice, Clavis spun around to greet his older brother. "Hello, Van! You look great too!"
"Don't I?" Van smirked and dusted off his sleeves. "I kept it simple. But I was worried I'd stand out too much with black. But," He flicked the blue ribbon on Karissa's arm. "I'm glad I match with someone tonight. Makes us look like a pair."
"Well, the only other option was pink and you know I'm not wearing no damn pink." Van laughed at her reply that didn't miss a beat.
"By the way, you look tired, Van. Are you okay?" Clavis asked him, brows furrowed with concern.
"Ah, I've been having a rough time sleeping lately. Had a nightmare or two about the dragon night." Van sighed, carding his finger through his black hair. His dark brown eyes slid away, hinting at his annoyance. "I just wish I could have had a proper rest while healing. Nothing I can't handle, though. Where's Pandora, is she not here yet?"
Karissa tipped her head while looking behind her. "She left first… I don't know."
"Maybe she went further ahead." Van placed his hands on his younger siblings' backs to push them along with him. "Let's go see."
Karissa walked ahead of Van with Clavis by her side. The sound of their footsteps were the only noise they added to the corridor that was filled with chatter. The more they approached the ballroom as instructed by the arrows, the quieter it got with the only sounds coming from behind the door that separated them and the ballroom. Just before the door was another hallway on the right which would serve as one of the paths to make a detour around the floor.
With Clavis' suggestion, they ventured down that hallway, hoping that perhaps Pandora would be nearby if she took the other way. As Karissa somehow became the one to lead the way, the shortest one out of them all, she frowned when she thought that maybe her sister had forgotten about their promise. She wanted to enter together mostly because Clavis seemed to enjoy the idea of it.
As they reached the end of the hallway, Karissa looked around but then suddenly came to a stop. She backed away fast, ramming her back into Van who groaned while Clavis steadied him from behind.
"What's going on–"
"Shh!"
Karissa pushed her hand on her brother's mouth while keeping one eye out for what she saw. Clavis and Van exchanged lost looks. What got their sister in the sneaky mood?
Discreetly, they took a peek.
"Oh." They simultaneously voiced.
It was Laxus and Pandora.
"Quiet. Laxus." Karissa looked at her brothers and tapped her ear and then did an 'ok' sign with her hand.
…
…
…
"You kind of dress like a noble. I saw some of the women walking around and their outfits are different from yours."
"It's nice to follow trends and all, but I rather choose something that caught my attention no matter the style. But somehow, noble-ish outfits make me feel good."
Laxus stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Well, I wouldn't know much about dresses anyway."
Pandora gave him a smirk before poking his chest with her left hand. "Maybe one day I'll educate you."
Around her neck was a white and dark pink choker that had a red rose-like fabric attached to it. She wore a single shoulder strap white dress with an intricate design. The trap was a magenta sash-like fabric that went from her left shoulder and wrapped around her right breast, atop her shoulder rested a pink bow. Her right leg had a purple high sock that stopped mid-thigh while her left leg had a white frill garter on her shin. White-heeled shoes with small white bows complimented her dress.
Her right hand was in a pink glove that had white frills around it.
As for her left, she wore a thin magenta glove that was long enough to hide her arm almost to the elbow.
It was what Laxus was mostly staring at.
It was the arm that hid away her scars.
As if sensing his stare, Pandora sighed and brushed her right hand across the magenta fabric. Her eyes eyed the spots where she already memorized the locations of her scars. Ever since Tenrou Island, she'd often stare at them at night and wonder how she ruined her arm like that. But if given the chance, she'd still do it to protect Karissa and Gray. "I'm not ashamed of it but I know it's not pleasant to look at. It's ugly. Everyone is dressed up nice and pretty for the night so why should I ruin the illusion?"
As she sighed and started dropping her arms back to her sides, his hand, without saying anything, grabbed her left elbow and held it up. Pandora stilled in confusion, but she jumped and her eyes widened when his middle finger slipped under the fabric and seamlessly pushed it all the up way to her wrist. His hand locked around her wrist and the fabric before stretching her arm as he pulled it close to him.
She stared in shock as he pressed his mouth against one of her scars, wordlessly conveying his thoughts.
Scars are beautiful on you.
Pandora blushed profusely over his act of affection and tried pulling her arm away. But he wouldn't let go and simply pressed his lips on the next one.
"Laxus! There are people here! Cut it out!"
He looked up with his half-lidded orange eyes. "Doesn't matter. Who cares what other people think? Your resilience and bravery are nothing to be ashamed of. If anything, they prove how strong you are.."
Pandora's eyes slowly shifted to look at her scars. Even if she thought those scars were ugly, Laxus would love them for her until she did the same. As someone who usually kept her head held high, it sometimes meant she needed to turn away from what would personally bother her. It was easier. But the times when she would stare at her scars, she couldn't help but feel flawed.
When he saw realization in her eyes, he pulled her sleeve and put it back in place before letting go of her arm.
"Thank you." Pandora whispered.
She didn't realize how much she needed to hear his words.
Laxus smiled gently at her, pleased that she felt the reassurance of his words in her core. Because of their shared history, his words were easier to penetrate through her walls of steel that served to reinforce her image of being 'strong'. Sometimes, she needed someone to pull her away from the pedestal she imagined for herself and remind herself that it was alright to be human.
"As long as you understand."
Meanwhile, Van, Clavis, and Karissa were staring in shock at what they just witnessed.
"Pandora is with him?" Clavis suddenly blurted, still whispering. "She scored big time."
Fearing of being discovered, Van and Karissa ushered their new brother away so that they could run away. Van was the first to lead the way, gesturing his hand to have them follow after in suit. He was aware of Laxus' keen sense of hearing so he wanted to avoid the trouble of having Pandora discover them.
Clavis and Karissa let out cries.
As Van spun around, the first thing he saw were sparks of light, and the air was buzzing a little as well. He sweat dropped when Laxus was standing behind him while holding up the twins by the back of their clothes. He looked like he was holding two mischievous cats by the scuff.
"You guys sneaking around?"
"Uwaa!" Clavis looked behind him, legs pulled up. "You scared me!"
"We didn't do anything!" Van whined, scratching the back of his head.
"You're the ones who were doing it out in the open!" Karissa argued, legs flailing around.
When Pandora rounded around the corner, she gasped in embarrassment. She was mortified. "You guys were eavesdropping?! I can't believe you!"
"Come on, dear sister." Van tried appeasing her by holding his hands up in defense when she came marching over to them.
"Like I said, you were out in the open!" Karissa threw up her arms in an exaggerated manner.
Clavis looked at his sister and then back at Laxus. "Do I call you my brother-in-law now?"
"CLAVIS!"
…
…
…
Eventually, the twins were put down and Pandora was left sizzling in embarrassment with a hand on her face. Laxus just sighed and patted her shoulder. With the cat out of the bag, what else was there to do but just accept it? Hell, even he was embarrassed but he knew it was going to be discovered eventually.
He just didn't think it would happen so fast. Thankfully, the three musketeers promised to seal their lips closed.
The only thing he wanted was to keep the Raijin Tribe in the dark for a little while, especially Freed. They'd go insane over the fact he was now dating Pandora since they'd be happy for the two.
He wanted to enjoy the peace for a little while longer.
To avoid looking at them, Pandora walked ahead of everyone. On their way to the ballroom, more people started gathering in the corridor to join the party, some were speeding through the halls with excitement while others simply walked and chatted. Laxus' group was part of the latter.
"Ahh! It's Laxus!"
"Oh my gosh! Laxus, hi!"
All four siblings stopped and looked back to find the lightning mage surrounded by women. He squinted his eyes and looked around himself. When the hell did they show up? From the looks of it, they looked like big fans… or big admirers. They were getting all up in his space with hearts in their eyes. He was just as confused as the family of four.
"Huhh…" Karissa sounded, blinking. "He must have made an impression on the female fanbase. Not just civilians but also our fellow mages…"
Van sighed and shrugged with his hands. "Women love getting hot and bothered over the strong-silent type." He lolled his head to give his sister a shit-eating grin. Pandora squinted her eyes at him before harshly flicking his forehead.
"Yeah… he must be really popular after the Games." Clavis stepped closer to the little crowd that Laxus was attracting. "Um, ladies." They all turned to him. "He has a girlfriend."
"Ehhh?!"
"What, no way."
"Who is she?!"
Some were saddened while others felt challenged.
As if on cue, all three younger siblings pointed their fingers at the oldest without looking away from them. The group of women stiffened when Pandora merely waved her hand at them with a straight face. Meanwhile, Laxus snatched a champagne glass from a passing palace staff's silver tray, startling him in the process. He didn't deny anything as he stepped away from the crowd of women to join Pandora's side, sipping it quietly while the girls remembered Pandora's battle against Jenny.
You would have thought that they were the ones who fought against her with how quickly they excused themselves and fled to the ballroom.
"Ohh! Clavis and Karissa!"
The twins stopped when they heard their names being called, interrupting their little sightseeing trip.
Upon entering the ballroom a minute ago, the twins couldn't help but be in awe about something so extravagant. It definitely looked like something out of a typical princess picture storybook. There were tables filled with delicious looking food and many people walked around with plates to eat their fill while talking to other attendees. The Masters of the light guilds, except for Lamia Scale's, who participated were all gathered in a small corner drinking some booze. They were drinking with former Council member Yajima, the one who called over the twins upon seeing them together.
"Oh my," Master Bob squealed with a hand on his cheek as he saw the two approach them, "why you two look so elegant! I love it!"
"Ahaha… thank you." Clavis bowed his head, respectfully. Karissa rubbed the back of her neck with a sheepish smile, silently accepting the praise.
"You two performed well on the last day." Yajima smiled proudly. "It was a good show. You both demonstrated battle intellect and skill."
"Haha! Our Karissa really got you good, huh, Clavis?" Makarov laughed jollily, lightly shaking his cup of booze. "You can't be too careful with her!"
"Heh, I heard Sorcerer Weekly wrote a big piece about your fight since it was the most destructive. You caused a lot of damage, Clavis." Goldmine chuckled, remembering the shock of the nearby staff who panicked over Clavis' lack of damage control.
Before they could say anything, Master Bob suddenly floated up to them and grabbed both their cheeks. Clavis' eyes widened almost comically as he panicked over the sudden assault while Karissa stood there with a look of defeat. He looked over to his sister with big question marks. He was met with her just waving her hand dismissively.
"Ahh, Clavis you also have the softest cheeks!" Master Bob praised.
"Master Bob apparently has an infatuation with my soft cheeks." Karissa was able to escape when Master Bob decided to focus on the older twin. "You learn to get used to it."
"I-I see…!" Clavis laughed sheepishly. Mentally, he was still so fucking confused. He noted to himself to keep at least ten feet away from him. If that doesn't work… run.
"Clavis," Makarov addressed him with a soft smile. Clavis' dark brown eyes moved to give the little old man his attention. At the same time, Master Bob finally let him go, leaving him to gently rub his cheeks to soothe them. "Pandora once asked me to request the Magic Council to interrogate Brain regarding someone named Clavis Sinclost." He looked at Karissa. "Because she heard your name being spoken by the enemy when they all thought you were dead. It was impossible for your name to have been known to the enemy if you passed away as an infant. So, they wanted to know." He looked at Clavis. "Seeing Pandora, one of my children, request this of me with a hint of desperation was not something I could deny."
Clavis was a little surprised to hear this. And when he looked over to Karissa, it looked like she didn't know about Pandora's request either.
"However, those slowpokes at the Magic Council never got the chance to get to it before Fairy Tail disappeared for seven years." Makarov scoffed with a roll of his eyes. "But, in the end, it all worked out somehow. You're here now with them. That's all that matters. I'm happy you are given the chance to know who your family is. And as someone who watched over Domilia and Zack and their children, I'd like to let you know that you're always welcome to drop by Fairy Tail where your second home is." He brushed his little mustache with a pleasant grin. "Think of it as a sister house."
The older twin couldn't help but feel touched by the old man's words. He was truly being genuine towards him. It shook his heart a little. "...Oh, uh, I don't know what to say…" He couldn't help but laugh a little. "Thanks…"
"You better not let Ooba Babasaama hear you." Goldmine nudged Makarov. "She might think you're trying to steal her member."
"Pah! She's too busy spinning over there!"
"Indeed." A new voice cut in.
Clavis and Karissa turned around to find Lyon approaching them with a smile. Karissa couldn't help but smile upon seeing him. "Hey."
"Hey, yourself." Lyon stood in front of her and eyed her outfit. "You look great tonight."
With how confident Karissa had been lately about her looks and the compliments she'd been receiving lately, she couldn't help but play cocky and put a finger gun under her chin. "I know right~?" But then she dropped the act and grimaced a little with a laugh, prompting Lyon to shake his head.
He looked over to his guild member. "Good evening, Clavis."
"Evening, Lyon!"
"You two haven't tried the food yet, right? What are you waiting for?" Lyon put one hand on each twin's shoulders. The three excused themselves from the Guild Masters who quickly waved them off to let them enjoy themselves. Clavis was the first to quickly run over to the table and check out what they had, exclaiming that he could already smell how good it was. Karissa picked up the pace and went after him, leaving Lyon by himself.
Lyon quirked a brow when he watched her bounce over to the table. With a sigh, he quickened his steps.
Clavis was situated on the other side of the table with two plates in hand. "Oh! Look, tempura!" He grinned while handing a plate to his sister.
"You like tempura?" Karissa inquired.
"Any crustacean, really." Clavis started selfishly dropping a lot of tempura on his plate. Meanwhile, Karissa was quick to grab a piece of chicken and some sliced beef. She was curious about how meat fit for a king would taste like. When she stabbed a fork into the piece of chicken and easily cut off a piece, she immediately opened her mouth and chomped on it.
"Mmpffmm?!" Surprised, Karissa jolted when she felt the bow at her waist suddenly tug behind her. In a panic, she looked over her shoulder with the fork in her mouth. Clavis, with a tempura sticking out of his mouth, stared at the person standing behind Karissa.
Their surprise made them identical twins.
It was Lyon. He was standing behind her and fixing the bow. When he noticed her looking at him, he looked up and sighed at her. "Honestly, at least tie it properly before heading out." Lyon scolded, amused at the look on her face. Just now, when she ran over to the table the blue bow around her loosened.
"Ah. I was in a rush to meet Clavis." Karissa shrugged, allowing Lyon to fix it for her. "I didn't realize it was loose."
"You look like her father like that, Lyon." Clavis joked with a grin.
Annoyed, Lyon looked at Clavis with a frown. "You should say brother at least. I'm not old." That only encouraged the older twin.
"But aren't you old now?"
"Hah?"
Karissa looked over her shoulder while holding the fork. "Yeah, you're old, old." She repeated the words she first told him when they reunited after seven years. In the middle of her giggling, she suddenly yelped when Lyon tugged the fabric tightly and grinned sadistically.
He leaned closer to her ear. "Then as the older person, I should warn you that using a spell like The Punishment of Absolute Zero was such a dangerous thing to do. It might have cost both you and Clavis your lives."
She shrunk under his gaze. Right, I forgot he was upset about that.
"Y-You and Gray both know a spell that might cost you both your lives too!" She defended as he finished tying her bow in place.
He clicked his tongue and pulled her cheek when she turned to face him after setting down her plate. "That's not an excuse, you fool."
She closed her eyes in defeat, letting him 'punish' her for her reckless behavior. As Lyon stared at her, he couldn't help but think back to the days when he and Karissa would sneak away into Ur's warehouse to read her ice magic books. Back to the time when he was very fond of her.
And that would never change.
She heard him sigh in defeat as he let go of her face and decided to drop his hand on her head instead. "Don't be too reckless." Her eyes peeked open to see Lyon staring at her seriously. He slipped his hand off her head and stuffed both in his pockets. "When we were kids, I didn't want to learn such a dangerous spell because I wasn't sure if I could handle it. If I died of hypothermia then how could I surpass Ur? Ice Shell was easier to do, at least that's what I believed before actually learning more about the spell. Fortunately, whether this is a good thing or not, you look like you know how to use it without getting yourself killed in the process."
"... You trust me?"
"If anyone can use such an energy consuming spell more safely than most, then logically it would be you."
Karissa stared back at him as she heard his indirect trust in her. "... Like you said, I'm not stupid enough to get myself killed in the process. I promise I won't do anything to worry you."
Lyon harrumphed. "Someone has to if that boneheaded Gray seriously lets you pull off that stunt."
"D'aw… how sweet of you." She fixed his lapels with a teasing tone.
In the back, munching on tempura, Clavis smiled happily at the two interacting.
It was always nice to see someone love another.
"By the way, how are your eyes?"
"Oh, they're fine. Porlyusica said there was nothing wrong with me."
...
...
...
"I AM THE KING NOW! ALL HAIL KING NATSU!"
Lucy, Gray, Karissa, Wendy, and Erza watched in horror as Natsu stood on the balcony with the King's crown on his head.
Earlier, the whole ballroom fell into chaos with all the guilds fighting each other. Crazy, really. It started with Yukino showing up which led to Sting apologizing and asking Yukino to return since Jiemma and Minerva were no longer at the top, giving Sabertooth the freedom to change into a more friendly guild. From there, the guilds somehow started fighting over her.
Thankfully, Arcadios bellowed a demand for silence, spooking everyone into stillness, for the King of Fiore was now going to speak to them. He wanted to express his gratitude to all who fought for the nation in its dire hour. Everyone shuffled around to stand with their members as they waited for the King to come out.
Only to reveal Natsu wearing his freaking crown.
The King was desperately trying to get it back while Natsu laughed like a maniac.
"What's the problem? We won, didn't we? So let me be King for a while! And you all can be my minions!"
Gray scowled deeply at this incredible stunt. "I swear… his mental age is still that of a five-year-old kid!"
"This is going overboard…" Lucy mumbled.
"Natsu-san…" Wendy nervously kept looking back and forth between Natsu and the fuming Arcadios.
"Master Makarov is going to pop a blood vessel." Karissa deadpanned with her arms crossed over her chest.
"ERZA! GET HIM DOWN FROM THERE RIGHT THIS INSTANT!"
Gray, Lucy, and Wendy winced for Natsu as Karissa's prediction came true. The female ice mage sweat dropped as Erza immediately obeyed the Master by leaping up onto the balcony rail, ripping a scream from Natsu's lungs.
Instead of watching a slaughter, Karissa and Gray turned away and started walking off, leaving Lucy and Wendy to cover their faces with their hands. As the two ice mages ignored the screams and angry shouts, they turned to each other and smiled. For the first time tonight, they got a proper look at each other.
"You look beautiful tonight." Gray wasted no time in attacking her heart. He found himself thinking again how the noble attire suited her so well. Like Clavis, he liked the starry night skirt of her outfit. It made her outfit look very unique. "It's very… you. I like it."
A sigh escaped her lips and she placed a hand on her chest. "Stop it. This is the second time you've said that to me and you're making me go through palpitations. How do you immediately drop the B bomb like that?"
He laughed at her honesty. The way her face was getting adored in a light red hue had him smiling slyly. "Well, I've already told this to Juvia, but since we've entered a new age, if I don't like something then I'm gonna be brutally honest about it. The same goes for the opposite, if I do like something, I'll come right out and say it."
Hoping to fluster him a little as payback, she poked his arm. "Well, you look very handsome tonight, as well."
Sensing her intention, Gray grabbed her hand and leaned closer with a smirk. "Nice try."
She pouted at him and looked away. "Boo. You're no fun."
"I'll take the compliment though." He squeezed her hand once before letting go. He left a warm feeling wrapped around it. "You having fun so far?"
Karissa perked up and nodded. Her hand pointed at one of the tables. "The food is so good! I finally get what it means to make food fit for a King! I'm sorry, but Arkus doesn't stand a chance even though I know it's damn good too."
"Right?!" Gray immediately agreed, expressing bafflement over the food of the palace. "Like holy shit, the meat they're serving is like some S-Class quality. And then you tell me that they get to eat like this every day?!"
Karissa chuckled as Gray's love for food became prominent. "Even if we were able to eat this in a restaurant, we'd only be able to get the tiniest portions."
Remembering this fact, Gray clicked his tongue. "The food would probably be the size of a small cube in the entire plate. It's messed up."
There was one time when she and Gray decided on the spur of the moment to go eat at an expensive restaurant after one of their jobs. The food they were served with did not impress them at all. It was a grand disappointment, especially for someone with Gray's appetite. They ate the food, yeah, because they'd have to pay for not eating it. However, the second they stepped out of the restaurant, she and Gray immediately went to the nearest fast food and ate a proper meal.
Suddenly, Karissa stopped walking when she recalled something. Gray stopped when he saw her standing there curiously, tipping her head.
"What?"
"Just now, sorry, my brain just realized what you said. You said something to Juvia about not liking something?"
Ah.
He sighed and carded his fingers through his hair. He looked around discreetly to make sure she wasn't nearby. "She tried tackling me in a hug while shouting how she loved me. So, I rejected her… like I literally said it." Then he sighed again albeit more heavily this time. "But… that just seems to encourage her."
She deadpanned at that. The image of Juvia springing back and declaring how Gray's cold rejection was dreamy somehow… wasn't impossible. After all, this was the woman who claimed that Gray shooed away the rainy skies from her, an impossibility as an ice mage, and somehow figured out that Gray was her fated one from that moment on no matter what. The delusion was almost impressive at this point.
"What spurred on the hard rejection?" Karissa asked him while moving away from the crowd of people passing behind her. Gray stepped back to make space for her near him.
"Like I said, we've entered a new era so I wanted to change a little. Also, Erza told me to make things clear to Juvia since she wasn't getting the hint despite me rejecting her advances." Karissa immediately pictured the Juvia sit-on-my-ass scene. "I get that she likes me but I only see her as a comrade, so I rejected her, because I really needed to make it clear… but well, you know how it went."
"I don't know how she does this. It's really something else. I once tried to reason with her back at the hot springs."
"You did? What happened?"
"I almost lost brain cells. I wanted to jam the chopsticks into my brain." She replied flatly. Then she jumped when people started circulating faster around them. What the hell?
A flat out rejection wasn't going to cut it with Juvia. "Haaa… I guess I'll just keep rejecting her until she gets it. She's gotta tire out eventually." Gray grabbed her arm and brought her close to him since she kept trying to move around people who were getting in the way.
"You think it'll work?" She knew Gray was too nice to downright cruelly reject her since he didn't want to hurt her more than he needed to. From another angle, it made him look like a softie. That she didn't mind, she liked that about him. But for Juvia… well…
The closeness allowed Gray to look her in the eyes.
"There isn't a chance for her, not when I'm looking at you."
On cue, music in the ballroom started playing.
She stilled at that simple line. It wasn't anything grand nor was it romantic, but it was enough to remind Karissa that he was serious about her.
It tickled her heart.
She bit her lip and lowered her eyes.
His words only reminded her of something important that she knew she needed to voice out tonight. Not tomorrow, not when they get back home, tonight. It was only right. Because if she saved it for another time then she truly didn't learn after all this time.
He wondered why she was looking so lost in her thoughts while looking away from him. Just as he was about to ask, a sudden enthusiastic voice called out her name. At the same time, the two jumped away from each other and looked towards the right where they found Sting waving at her, jogging over with a grin.
"Oh, Sting."
He was looking rather amicable tonight.
"Gray-san, mind if I borrow Karissa for a dance?" He grinned boyishly.
…
…
…
Gray squinted when the question registered. "Ha?"
WHAT?
Karissa did a double take when he asked her, of all people.
Then she noticed how people around her were going around finding partners to dance with.
Oh, that's why everyone kept moving…
But hold the fuck up!
"... I, uh, I can't dance." Karissa started backing away from both Sting and Gray. Dear god, what was happening?! "I just can't…!"
"It's fine!" Sting waved his hand dismissively with a laugh. "I'll lead! I'm not the best at dancing but I'm pretty sure I'm okay enough so we don't look dumb. Come on, this is a great opportunity to socialize!"
Karissa mentally screamed over the incoming panic about dancing. She was convinced that he was a little looser than the norm thanks to the alcohol at his disposal!
Like a storm, Sting simply went over to her and laughed merrily as he took her hand, and off he was, leaving Gray standing there flabbergasted with a tumbleweed passing by. After realizing that dancing was now taking place, Gray wanted his first dance to be with the person who was literally standing next to him just seconds ago!
Instead, he was left scrambling in search of a partner that wasn't a squealing Juvia running his way.
Hell, he'd rather dance with Lyon!
Sting smiled as Karissa kept her eyes on their feet, too focused on avoiding his feet. He chuckled when she inhaled sharply just as she missed his foot. True to her word, she really didn't know much about dancing since he had to show her where to put her hands. His hand at her waist was happily rapping on her to match the beat of the music while the hand in his was almost caught in a death grip him from how focused she was.
"No need to be so serious. Loosen up, Robin." Sting teased her.
She looked up with a frown. "I told you, I can't dance!"
"And I said I would lead, didn't I?" Sting squeezed the hand that was holding hers as if to reassure her. "Always so serious. But I like that observant side of you."
"Huh, what do you mean?" She willed herself to tear her gaze away from their feet but she found herself looking back down just as fast.
"After I lost Lector, not a lot of people bothered to ask if I was doing alright… except for Rogue."
That made Karissa look up. It brought her back to the moment when Sting tearfully gathered the maroon Exceed into his arms and held him tightly in his arms. After he recovered from the waterworks, he explained that Jiemma had 'killed' Lector but Minerva saved him and basically held him hostage until Sting won the games for Sabertooth. That story made her feel even more disgusted with Minerva, the woman who'd do anything to win even if it meant cruelly doing so.
"Really?"
Sting smiled to himself regretfully. "It's no surprise. Our guild wasn't the most friendly place. We were more like subordinates or coworkers than friends. It's not like your Fairy Tail where everyone gets to have fun with each other without the Master reprimanding you for looking weak. My Sabertooth was ruled under the iron fist of Jiemma who saw joy as only being allowed if we were number one and nothing less."
With Jiemma and Minerva gone, Sting and Sabertooth were free.
They were allowed to be human, they were allowed to be flawed like most humans who were naturally weak.
Karissa cringed when she stepped on his foot. "Sorry…!"
Sting shook his head and patted her waist as a sign of forgiveness. He lifted his gaze and his blue eyes met her dark brown eyes. "So, I want to use this opportunity to thank you. You were basically the first one to come to me and notice how I was feeling even though we don't know each other that well, you sat down and asked me if I was alright. I couldn't say it then but I seriously appreciated your concern when I was in a dark place." He smiled with furrowed brows. "You really have no idea."
…
…
…
"Are you okay?"
Sting's eyes widened slightly at the question.
It was strange.
She was asking him, the enemy, a genuine question. Forget the fact they were enemies, forget the games, forget everything around them… she was asking him as another fellow human being who could see how troubled he was.
That revealed enough about her.
She was compassionate.
But even as she showed compassion, he wouldn't reveal his problems to her. It's not like it would bring him back. It's not like she could get him back for him. It's not like Minerva would bring him back safely if Karissa decided to interfere if she wanted to. He was on his own for this. He was stuck on his own. It was his problem. And he was fine with that.
"I'm fine."
…
…
…
Such a simple question meant so much to Sting that Karissa couldn't understand.
"Ahh… you make me sound like a great person… I'm really not, trust me."
"At that moment, you were." Sting chortled at her humble display. "So, let me properly answer you this time: I'm alright. Thanks for asking, Karissa."
New impression of Sting?
The true him was a nice guy.
"You're welcome... Wow, you seem a lot different from the guy who laughed at people getting beat up."
"Erk… I wish I could go back in time and smack myself for that. Seriously, it wasn't until Jiemma was gone did I realized how I suppressed so much of myself to be Sting of Sabertooth. But that's going to change now, especially now that I'm the Master."
Karissa paused, stopping their dance. "You're the Master…?! How the hell did that happen…?"
The White Dragon Slayer shrugged. "It just kinda did."
"That's not an answer!"
"It wasn't an immediate decision. I didn't have a problem with it, so yeah." Sting huffed and pulled her along to continue moving to the music. "No need to be so interested in the specifics."
"Fine, keep your secrets, Eucliffe."
"I intend to, Sinclost." Sting played along. "Hey, you're getting a better hang at dancing. You're still slightly stepping on my feet though."
"Geh…"
…
…
…
Eventually, the music stopped, signaling the end of the first dance. Karissa was just glad she somehow came out of it alive. To be honest, she didn't have time to be concerned whether people were staring at her since she was too preoccupied on salvaging the Eucliffe toes.
He was walking her towards the side where there were fewer people.
"Honestly, you weren't so bad. You just need a little more work." Sting clapped her shoulder after seeing the way she sighed the moment she made it to the water pitcher.
"You kept me on my toes… like literally."
Sting did her a favor by grabbing a glass and pouring the water in it. "You know, while I'm being honest, I'll tell you something interesting since you still interest me." Karissa looked at him with an arched brow, accepting the glass. "I didn't realize until last night that I was more interested in you than I thought. It's strange how you're in my mind."
She paused just as she was about to drink it. Her entire body took a second to reset when she realized what he just admitted. "M… Me?! Wait... That sounded suspicious the way you said it just now! And I don't want to say it out loud in case I'm wrong…"
Sting shrugged. "Like I said, you interest me and you showing me compassion added to it. But I'm not putting myself out there because I want to focus on the people who've been around me and my guild. Instead, I'd like to be friends with you since you seem cool."
Why did it feel like Sting was throwing her mentally through the wringer with these unexpected twists?
"Man, you're full of surprises." She gave him a tired look. Actually, she couldn't help but admire how easy it was just to expose how he felt without fear of the consequences. She respected that, it was impressive.
"Heh, I'm just getting it out of my system before it gets worse. Besides, I know a losing fight when I see one. So, friends?"
She didn't see any reason to refuse, honestly.
"... Man, why not?"
Unbeknownst to them, two ice mages were eavesdropping from a nearby table. The one with lighter hair squinted his eyes in disbelief while the darker haired one was simply dumbfounded by the revelation.
Coincidentally, they met up at the same table after the first dance ended. A few seconds later, they spotted Karissa dragging her feet to the table closest to them, and she didn't notice them because she was too busy mentally recovering. And with Sting being honest and loud enough for them to hear, they just froze mid-bite of their food the second his little secret was exposed.
Lyon looked to his left where Gray was standing, nibbling a piece of crab.
"You―"
Gray glared at Lyon. "Don't even say anything."
"Anyway, imma go grab a drink with Natsu-san! See you, around Karissa!"
They both looked back towards the duo where they found Sting jogging away into the crowd in search of the Fire Dragon Slayer, leaving Karissa to shake her head in disbelief.
Lyon gave Gray another look, this time of exasperation. Gray was resisting the urge to flip off his senior since he knew exactly why he was giving him that stupid look. He especially didn't want to give Lyon the satisfaction of admitting that he did have feelings for Karissa.
The second song started playing.
Without saying anything, Lyon finished what he was eating before taking a quick swig of water, puzzling Gray, and even more when he made a beeline for Karissa. However, the second Lyon looked over his shoulder and gave him a quirked brow, Gray clicked his tongue with a twitch of his eye.
He's fucking with me, isn't he?
"Oi! Lyon!" Gray's eyes twitched as he sped after him. "Don't bother her!"
However, before either of them could reach their childhood friend, they were suddenly shoved out of the way by a loud person. "Ladies, ladies, please move outta the freaking way!"
"Come again?!" Lyon gaped.
"Cana?!" Gray exclaimed when he recovered. "What's the big idea?!"
"Come on, let's dance Karissa! They're about to play another piece!"
"What?! Wait! CANA! I JUST FINISHED DANCING! Argh, go easy on me…!"
From afar, Van was sitting on a chair by himself and enjoying a Crocus drink. It had a bitter foundation but yet a sweet aftertaste. His dark brown eyes were half-lidded as he scoped the place with a watchful eye. His gaze kept going back and forth between his siblings who he was able to spot amongst the crowds.
Pandora was dancing with Laxus.
Clavis was laughing in a conversation with Jura.
Karissa was frantically trying to keep up with a boisterous dancing Cana.
His lips rested on the rim of his cup as he kept his eyes on his youngest sibling, the baby of the family, the one who he needed to look after and help grow into an independent adult. The one who still had room to grow up. But as he watched her dance in this outfit, he was able to realize that she had taken another step forward instead of shying away from things not in her comfort zone.
The longer he stared at her, the more he could picture himself standing alone and forced to watch as the shadows of all his siblings grew taller, fitting the distance between him and them the farther away they got.
His teeth clenched against the glass.
…
…
…
"For your sisters?" Mirajane lightly laughed at the reason. It was such a kind reason. She always saw him as the kind of person who would help his sisters no matter what, always pushing them forward to be great. But even with that kindness… something was weird. "You're always there for them. It's so sweet." She gave him his drink with a pleasant smile.
"What can I say? I just love them."
"But you know, when I see you like that, I can't help but think that you're there but at the same time you're not."
He froze and stared at the white haired mage, his hand frozen just as he was about to grab his glass. Mirajane blinked at the flustered look on his face, she couldn't understand why he suddenly stared at her like she offended him immensely. She was about to say his name when she saw him just staring but not looking at her.
However, he just got up and left his seat, running away, leaving his drink behind and untouched.
…
…
…
His teeth let go of the rim.
For a few seconds longer, he continued to watch his little sister before turning away to get himself more to drink from the big bowl at the center of the table. The vibrant orange liquid almost shone under the sparkly lights from above.
When his hand touched the ladle, he peered into the bowl to see himself. Tonight, at this moment, he was not the only one seeing Van. Without a doubt, an identical face looked back at his troubled face. How unsettling. The reflection's eyes widened with surprise.
Everyone in life can lie.
But mirrors, reflections, do not.
Only when the mind and vision come face to face with a mirror does it begin to lie, for it will never lie without an illusion, a correction, fabricated by another.
Once more, mirrors, reflections, do not, ever, lie.
With a gentle sway of the ladle, the reflection became distorted.
As the ripples faded and the reflection stilled, there he was, once again, looking at his reflection. This time, a stranger was not looking back.
The ideal reflection gazed back at him, free of any worry: Van Sinclost.
"For someone who has no experience dancing, you got better."
"I should just be thankful this isn't some complicated dance. I like this slow dance. It's slow and repetitive. I think Cana's dancing forcefully upgraded my dancing skills though."
Gray chuckled when he saw Karissa cringe comically while lolling her head to the side.
Currently, he was the one dancing with her once Cana freed her to go dance with someone else once the music stopped. Gray, who had been dancing with Lucy after successfully avoiding Juvia, all but ran to get Karissa's hand since he knew Juvia was waiting, behind a pillar, to lunge for her chance with him.
Because he knew.
Once she got her hands on him.
She wouldn't let go.
At first, Karissa nearly freaked at the next person who wanted to possibly drag her into an impossible dance until she saw Gray smiling sheepishly at her. Almost immediately, she smiled back in defeat but not without having him promise that their dance would be sane for her.
Which is why they were currently dancing among the pairs around them. For their dance, for the following piece of music, the violins, the piano accordions, and cellos were playing, not all the musicians were playing this time to take a moment of reprieve.
Perhaps it was the three consecutive dances that were dulling her skills as a fawn in the field of dancing because Gray's compliment was contradicting the way her feet stepped on his, making her sigh in exasperation.
"Sorry." She gazed up at him sheepishly.
"Meh, it's fine. Your first dance with Sting… well, you might as well have been bashing his feet." Gray remarked, remembering as he watched her while dancing with Wendy.
"You saw that?!"
"Hard to miss someone dancing with two left feet."
"Ahrg, shut up!"
Gray snickered and pulled her along with him. "All I'm saying is that you've gotten better. Your second left foot has five right foot toes. You're getting there."
"That's a weird compliment, but I'll take it." Karissa narrowly avoided his foot to make good on his words. Unlike with Sting, she didn't have to always keep her eyes on their feet. She looked at Gray and tipped her head which made him raise his eyebrows as if to say 'what is it?'. "I'm surprised that you're actually good at this dancing stuff."
A smirk came on his lips as he shrugged. "You learn a thing or two when you improvise on jobs. Besides, I'm just as good as average."
She did not envy him. "Just lead me properly."
Gray pulled her against him. "Leave it to me, left feet."
…
…
…
"Gray-saaamaaaaaa!" Juvia wailed.
"Now, now, you can't just dance with Gray. You gotta dance with others too!" Cana grinned before spinning Juvia who continued crying.
"But Juvia wants to be in Gray-sama's embrace the whole night! Juvia wants to have a romantic dance with Gray-samaaaa! It's not fair that Wendy-san, Lucy-san, and Karissa-san get to dance with my beloved Gray-sama! This is the first night of the new era, and we should be entangled in a dance to celebrate!"
She was saying all this while pointing at Gray and Karissa who were dancing in the far end of the ballroom. Gray, who heard this, started ushering them even further away with a cringe.
"Oh dear." Mirajane spoke from the left side where she was dancing with her older brother.
"Talk about obsessed." Levy sweat dropped as she and Gajeel passed by the wailing Juvia.
"Get a grip, idiot." Gajeel bonked her on the head.
A little before the music ceased, Karissa was in desperate need of rest, ideally away from all the people, just for a little while. Gray was the one who suggested they go outside on one of the balconies since he could use a little fresh air. He had pulled aside the giant red curtains and then proceeded to push the glass door open for her. With a glass of water in hand that she swiped on the way, she went over the stone railing which was wide enough for her to sit on. As Gray closed the door behind him after letting the red curtain fall back in place, she already hopped on it with her back facing the city.
Her legs dangled on the side. Gray noted to himself how the skirt of her outfit made it look like she had the sky and stars on her lap. He came over next to her and folded in his arms on the rail, leaning on it to peer down at the city. Within the immediate vicinity, there was obvious construction going on thanks to the dragons' destructive rampage. Further into the capital, the lights of the city glowed in the dark where the citizens enjoyed their night, ignorant of the danger involving the dragons a few nights prior.
"Just looking at all of this just reminds me of how life still goes on." Gray spoke, breaking the silence. Karissa, who had been sipping her water quietly, shifted her right leg onto the rail to adjust her body so that she could also look at the capital. "There wasn't even a pause to let us heal."
Gray was all too familiar with this.
Despite any losses or pain he experienced, the world keeps moving.
Karissa's eyes shifted to the moon. "We just keep moving forward. Time doesn't wait for anyone to recover."
"Yeah. Just take a look at us. We were stuck in a seal for seven years, and time kept going without us."
The sight of the moon brought her back to when she went on that job with the Raijin Tribe. She was sitting on a bench atop the roof of the hotel she was staying at, staring up at the moon and thinking back on the day before Laxus came up and joined her. She thought back to what they talked about under the same moon.
The literal example she gave happened a few nights ago.
And it made her feel contradictory after everything that happened.
It was like she didn't learn anything at all.
Her gaze landed on Gray's profile. He just seemed to focus on the lights of the city, unaware of her eyes watching him closely. The light of the moon highlighted his features that she always found pretty. As she tore her gaze away, she looked in the opposite direction where the balcony door was covered, hidden away, by the red curtain, isolating the two of them with the night from the noisy party. She moved her right leg back down and she held her cool class between her palms on her lap.
"You know, with everything that just happened," Gray turned his head to see her bowing her head with her eyes closed. "I just don't learn and keep being stupid."
"What do you mean?" Gray prodded, furrowing his eyebrows.
"I contradict myself. I say this but do the opposite. But I guess I know the answer as to why I'm like that. My mind tells me to think carefully since it's my most trusted tool in any situation. But then my heart says something else."
Gray sighed and straightened up, resting one arm on the rail while looking at her. "There's nothing wrong with following your heart or your mind. But, in my opinion, you need to be aware of which one you use depending on the situation. The mind is careful while the heart is spontaneous. I know you're aware of which one to rely on though."
"I take pride in that." Karissa nodded slowly, laughing through her nose.
"So, what do you want to do?"
Her dark brown eyes opened. Her sight was met with the floor of the balcony and the glass in her hands. "After everything happened, I want to do what feels right, that's all I want. And with that, I start asking myself… why did I… Why did I stop myself from being happy? But then I know the answer, because I'm too rational. And then when I go back and forth. So now, I'm just letting it go and let my heart decide what feels right."
The dragon night was another wake up call to her answer.
Would she wait for another?
"Forget the one date. I just want to be with you."
Gray's lips parted at her answer but nothing came out. So, walked to stand in front of her.
Her eyes saw his hand take the glass from her hand and place it somewhere on her left side. She lifted her head and saw him holding both his hands out to her. He was calmly looking at her, inviting her to hold his hands.
She didn't even hesitate.
He pulled her off the rail and then caged her against it by placing his hands at her side. Taken back, she stiffened and stared at him, wondering what this response meant. Now, he was the one looking down at her as he leaned a little closer. Any sound she wanted to make was caught in her throat. She stared into his eyes, and the longer she did the more nervous she felt.
"I'm happy you're being honest. But don't chicken out now. Remember what I said about me being in a new era? I'll be brutally honest about things I don't like and about things I do like, and things that I want."
He paused as her hands came to clutch themselves in front of her belly.
"I want you to be mine. I want to be yours too. Whatever really, I just want to be with you, too."
They weren't holding back what they wanted to say now. What was the point of holding back anyway?
"You already know I don't usually have the confidence to be honest like this. But… because I love you, I want to be more honest about what I want too." Her right hand slowly touched his left hand which he allowed her to hold, even going as far as to intertwine her fingers with his.
In response, his right hand came to touch her on her left side. She looked at that hand and bit the corner of her bottom lip. "Once I get my hands on you," She looked back at his face. He was smiling a little. "Don't think I'll let you change your mind."
"Don't let me." She said softly.
"I won't." He promised. "You won't regret giving me your heart."
Gray wasn't really a guy of words. Crying girl and eloquence was not his forte. He was usually a man of action unless time called for words. And right now, words were not necessary anymore.
So he kissed her, smothering her surprise which she could only express by tightly squeezing his hand. His, the one at her side, held her firmly. And it was gentle even with how sudden it happened, gentle just how the world wanted them to be. When he pulled away, he remained close and watched the way her eyes opened and then timidly skittered away from his once she saw his, her face just screamed both happiness and stunned.
"You surprised me." She finally admitted as a pinkish hue started colouring her face. He thought it was cute how she tried avoiding his eyes only to come back to him.
"Didn't like it?" He released her head in favour of brushing away her bangs from her eyes, easily drawing her full attention on him. He didn't want to miss any of this moment. He used the same hand to brush back her hair and smoothly held her face. The ice blue stud earring glinted under his eyes. How lovely.
"I didn't say that!" She pouted.
He chortled lowly at her reaction which kind of irked her. How dare he look so calm and collected while she was combusting on the inside. It wasn't fair.
In retaliation to his amusement, she boldly but briefly kissed him. He stopped and did a double take. Almost immediately his cheeks became a touch of red as he let go of her to cover his mouth with the back of his hand for a second.
His mouth opened when he tried saying something but…
"Ah… uh… hm."
Karissa snickered at his reaction. Now this is even.
Her hand came up to hold his cheek. "Hehe… I love you."
The way she was smiling happily at him… He always loved the way she smiled. And under the silver moonlight, she looked especially beautiful, the glow of love she had for him made her shine.
This new light he had the privilege of embracing and sharing with her… it would be there in this new unknown future.
Their future.
Gray held the hand on his face and laughed.
"I love you too."
OMAKE:
"You know... you might have indirectly kissed Lyon."
"... What."
"Well, indirect kisses are like when you drink from a cup and then someone else drinks it. So, since both put their lips on the cup, it's like they kissed. So... I guess I was the cup, and you and Lyon just kissed."
Gray deadpanned with half-lidded eyes as Karissa stared at him while pointing at her lips. She was doing it on purpose. "Goddamn, Karissa. Don't put that mental image in my brain. That's disgus— " He suddenly ceased when something just registered in his brain. "Hold on..."
"Hm?"
"... You kissed Lyon?!"
"... oh." She forgot he didn't know about that. "No. I was talking about... Edolas Lyon, yeah! You saw that guy, right?"
"No, you would have specified if it was that weirdo! When was this? Oi, don't try to run away!" Gray grabbed her arm before she could try and leap off the balcony and escape with wind magic.
"It's embarrassing! Drop it!"
"You just told me I indirectly kissed Lyon, which is gross, so at least tell me when!"
"Does it matter?! I'm kissing you now!"
OWARI.
Hi.
Been a while, huh? My bad.
I was going to make this longer... but I wanted to leave this chapter more on the fluffy side. If you know where Gray and Karissa were touching each other before they kissed, then I applaud you!
Happy chapters are great before the shitstorm hits. ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ
Also, JUST TO CLARIFY, Lyon does NOT like Karissa romantically (just saying this in case ppl get wrong ideas)
It's really hitting me that I'm about to get to the important parts of this story. After 60 chapters, I'm finally scratching the itch while being nervous about potential butchering XD
After 60 chapters, Gray and Karissa finally get together.
Let's hope nothing bad happens ( ꈍ◡ꈍ)
Anyway, thanks for reading and I hope you have a nice day/night!
