Thaaank you so much for your reviews! And so loooong, I'm so happy!

Thank you for elaborating so much on the chapters, I appreciate it a lot! I'm always glad to hear which bits you liked most ^^

And yes, Meredy ships them xD who doesn't? Also gosh you're all so kind and polite, I can't say it enough but thank you for thanking me - you don't have to :D

And finally, welcome back Nina-Chan202!

Without further ado, I hope you'll enjoy!

Jellal scraped off the dirt from under his nails, the water running over his hands shortly turning the sink brown.

He had managed to find several jobs during the past four days, one of them in particular enabling him to set his newest plan into motion: having a legal copy of the compass made. As much as disgustingly rich people sickened him with their abundance of prestigious items and oversized mansions, they paid well and who was he to remind them that setting something ablaze was a task any non-magician could have done for a third of the reward he had been given.

Too late, had Jellal noticed how utterly expensive the commission to the jeweller was, urging him to complete a few smaller tasks around town. They had given the opportunity to finally plant flowers in the flower pot – hence the under-nail scrubbing –, and, while being at it, buying more flowers for Erza to come home to, topping it off with a batch of exported strawberries for an even bigger smile of his beloved and ending up with no money, whatsoever.

Only slowly did he realise that he was bad with money.

But there were so many things she liked, the inner voice that usually trounced him piped up. Who could say 'no' to a small gesture of appreciation, especially when it was for the mighty Titania? That lethal, cuddly hunk of woman.

The sun had already descended and he had to turn on the lights. He watched the gently nodding silhouettes of the fuchsias and the phlox out the kitchen window while brushing his teeth. He waited a while longer, reading, occasionally returning to the kitchen to peek out onto the empty street whether she was coming home at last.

When she had not after another few hours, Jellal finally plunged the house into darkness, ensconcing himself beneath the countless duvets she refused to reduce in number. It took the usual hour plus to fall asleep, and he was not yet close to drifting off when the familiar rumbling of a certain cart clattered down the street, then stopped. A moment later, front door's lock clicked, then again, closing.

He got up.

He was glad for his ankle to be healed by now, only brownish bruises left.

"You're still awake," Erza said as hushed as she could. She unequipped her boots, coming to greet him. Jellal sighed while she inhaled deeply. Her armour traded for sleepwear and she pressed herself up to him, relishing his sleep-warmth and scent, brushing a hand up through his hair. Just then, Jellal felt his eyelids grow heavy, finally feeling ready to actually sleep.

"Were you successful?" He asked once she had settled in bed with him, her body sinking into the mattress, welcoming it.

"Quite so," Erza nodded, bumping his forehead with hers, "by chance, more than anything," she explained, "we found some unexpected hints, perhaps concerning the man of the poster,"

"The one from the mansion?"

"We can't know for sure whether that was him or his magic, or perhaps someone responding to his request." Erza reminded, sounding as if she had already pointed that out several times, most likely to her teammates during the past days. "We met The Trimens – Blue Pegasus' Team – when we were about to leave and they told us about some strange magical energy.

"We followed that but lost it after the train ride to Onibus. A Dragon Slayer's nose is only so good after having been motion sick for over an hour…"

"But that's one station away from Magnolia," Jellal stared at her in the darkness. His hands drew her closer, as if subsequently trying to prevent her from going there. Erza lowered her voice a little more, her own arms giving a reassuring squeeze around his back, making him aware of his actions.

"It was just the trail; whoever attempts to hunt us doesn't necessarily have to be here or anywhere near," she said, continuing when he did not seem any more soothed than before. "And besides, we don't know whether it actually had something to do with him." She nodded, again against him, as if trying to transfer the gesture and with that the consent onto him.

Jellal sighed under his breath, watching the rising and falling of her chest, thoughts turning in circles.

"Don't worry about it," Erza nudged his nose with hers. She placed a loving kiss on his lips, pulling away when something else came to her mind. "Oh, and I had to say that we're together, there was no way around it," she added, making him choke. And blush. And accelerating his heartbeat.

Jellal swallowed at his now scratchy throat, unknowingly digging his fingers into her back. His brain was squalling, scenarios surging throughout. He had not been prepared for that. He wanted her to take it back without having to say so – he was such a coward, he could not even justify to himself why it bothered him so much if people knew just how much he loved her.

"He was being so irritatingly persistent, I honestly hope it was the last of his obtrusive wooing," she rolled her eyes, though he could not see. It was very much audible in her voice, however.

"Wooing?" He heard his own voice cut more sharply than intended, unable to help the sudden panic and possessive edge to it. Her hand wandered up to his nape, drawing mellow circles before entangling in his hair like she had when allaying him from his nightmare.

"Ichiya." She said and he relaxed instantly. No competition there. "Don't think you have any rivals," she spoke his thoughts like so often, "I'm yours and I intend for it to stay that way,"

"I should take that hint, shouldn't I?"

"You'd be wise to," her lips twitched into a one-sided smirk and he returned it somewhat sheepishly.

"And…" Jellal readjusted his legs hold around hers to play for time, feeling uncomfortable for asking, "the others were… ehm,"

"Not there at that time," she conceded, sighing slightly hopelessly when he deflated with poorly hidden relief. "You don't mind Meredy knowing – why are they such a difference?" She asked, dropping him right off on the mine field of wrong answers he was now trapped in. How could he tell the truth if he did not even know himself? And how could he persuade her that that was the truth, seeing as everything he said was either a lie, or sounded like one, anyway.

"I've already lost all credit with her; that's a dead loss," he grinned. It faded when her hardly-distinguishable expression remained as calm and soft as her voice.

"You do mind her watching, though," she reminded and he shrunk a little. She hauled him right back, massaging his scalp ever so gently, fingertips parting strand after strand, the other hand drawing him closer whenever he distanced himself. He received an encouraging kiss before being able to answer.

"Thank you for not going through with it," he quietly said, knowing he would come up with something else should she ask him to repeat it. He really was a coward.

Erza tilted her head into the pillow, searching her memories for what he was implying, acting the other morning out in her head to be able to follow.

"You shouldn't thank me," she surprised him, "you can be angry I didn't take your side – I should have," she remembered the way she had teased him with that unquestionable power she had over him.

"You didn't have to take my side; we don't have to agree on everything," Jellal said. "I'm just grateful that you didn't persist," he repeated. He felt her arms tighten, daring to mirror her, nestling in close with his face against hers. Her eyelashes tickled his cheeks, disclosing that she was watching him. He blamed his racing heart. It was still nothing to belittle, talking about feelings, the awkward ones in particular.

Erza finally closed her eyes, giving the impression of letting the topic go. He was only glad to have escaped from the previous one, his head still fuming with unanswered sentiments.

Why was there no easy way out of it? A skip in time to where everyone was familiar with the situation, including him. A time where he was adapted and cool and nothing but free – a pardon was one thing, but the mind was not so easily persuaded.

"You don't have to be embarrassed about it," Erza broke the silence and he felt his stomach contort.

"I know, I know... I'm not," he sucked in a breath, "embarrassed, just..." Jellal hesitated, trying to sort those confusing bubbles inside of him into accurately labelled drawers of feelings. It worked about as well as expected. "Well, maybe a little..." he confessed, unsure about what else to say.

Was it embarrassment? It was hard to tell, but that was the closest thing to it he could think of.

"Why?" Erza asked, still as collected as before. "If it's about whether you're a good kisser, that's nothing to be concerned about, trust me," she nodded, accidentally prodding his forehead again. He felt her growing smirk when she pressed her lips against his. It enchanted him every time, over and over again, jolting his heart into a fluttery frenzy. He managed to crack a weak smile when she released him. "And even if she doesn't notice that, she will see how much I love every second of it," Erza put his thoughts into words again, going in for the second round.

Jellal sighed. He reached behind his back, finding her hand. He placed a fond kiss on her palm, mumbling his thanks. She smiled, interlacing her fingers with his, nuzzling her head below his chin.

Releasing her hand, Jellal embraced her firmly, dipping down his own head past hers to trail a line of kisses across her shoulder, ending with a long one on her crown.

"I still don't need her to watch..." he whispered. Erza's lips curved into another smile against his collarbone. Her thumb picked its motion back up, drawing affectionate circles on his shoulder blade. It would come to a halt soon – she never stayed awake for long when they cuddled.

"I've been wanting to do that…" she breathed, just before drifting off, "kiss you in front of someone…"

It was the warmest and cosiest autumn morning Jellal had ever experienced in his life. And it was not due to the weather.

There was nothing unusual about them moving in their sleep. At some point, they would find the other again and return to their original cuddle or Jellal would get a hold of his beloved, spooning and nuzzling into her in his fading sleep. This time, they had switched roles.

Only Erza did not quite have the concept of spooning down.

Jellal blinked against the light the curtain allowed in, telling him that it was already late. He found her arms around his chest, holding on to one another for maximum tightness, similar to her legs. Her feet crossed above his stomach, keeping his torso trapped, squishing her face into his back so that he wondered how she was still comfortable. Or breathing. It made her snore quietly, conjuring a smile onto his face.

He stroked over her arms. Erza gave some sleepy moans in response, grabbing hold of his shirt. He tried again, feeling her vent another groan against his spine, champing blissfully. He supressed an adoring chuckle, unable to keep his ribcage from vibrating. It reached her face and she complained with more grumbles.

"You awake?" He asked, stroking down her arms to her hands. He waited for a minute, feeling her breathing to have lost its evenness. She hesitated.

"No…" Erza sulked and he laughed. "No!" She gasped when he moved, stopping him, "beeed," she whined, tightening her grip on him.

"It's late," he reminded. It did not meet any approval. Or attention.

"I was so lonely…" Erza murmured into his back, "for the past nights," she shoved herself up to reach his neck. Jellal's eyes closed of their own accord when her lips placed a hot kiss on nape. "I missed you," she whispered against his skin, continuing to plaster him with lazy kisses.

"I missed you, too…" he sighed unintentionally. "Breakfast," he cursed at his thinning voice when she lightly suckled at the crook of his neck, "is already waiting," he managed. Erza tightened her arms to scoot closer, reaching his jaw. She turned his head with the tip of her fingers and he melted into the kiss she demanded.

He turned over completely.

"Mmh, cake?" She asked in between kisses, pulling on his shirt.

"Sadly not," he breathed into her mouth, being shoved onto her. Not that he minded.

"Strawberries, maybe?" She purred, biting his lip. He responded the same way, enticing a moan he loved with all his heart. It was still warm and nothing but loving, the longing of the past days abating like a piece of fabric, soaking with water that slowly spread through the fibres.

"We have a winner," Jellal grinned against her lips. She giggled.

"My next guess would have been chocolate pudding," she said, eyelids fluttering open. He gazed into her eyes – pools of adoration – understanding that she was giving not-so-subtle hints again. He put his forehead to hers. Then he kissed that spot, caressing her face with more.

"I did try another recipe yesterday," he retold, wandering down to return the favour to her neck, "but it did not quite work,"

"Did you burn it?" Erza sighed dreamily, hands buried in his hair.

"No," he went back up, treating her to another kiss on the lips before sitting up, "it just didn't rise,"

"I can help with that,"

"The soufflé, Erza," he gave her a look, amusement sparking through. She giggled again, smirking at his awkward blush.

"Can I try it?"

"I ate it," he shrugged apologetically. "Come on," he nudged her leg once, then got out of bed. Erza gave a vocal, discontent yawn.

"No, stay," she pulled every vowel, shuffling the blanket back around her. Obviously regretting that she had not kept him prisoner when having had the chance.

"It's late,"

"Who cares?"

"Don't you have to report at the guild?" He asked. She pushed her lips out into a caught pout.

"Come back," she whined instead of answering. He watched her protest and fuss for a moment longer. Then a smirk crawled onto his face.

"Alright, then I guess I'll just shower by myself," he turned for the bathroom. The sheets shuffled.

"I'm up, I'm up," Erza groaned with irritation, the pout still present when she followed him, "cheater."

"I can't believe Ichiya would try that,"

"I can't believe he's the first one to know," Erza frowned to herself. She handed him another washed strawberry, which he took, cutting off the leaves as narrowly as possible. "I mean, I'm sure they all speculate, but it's been over a month and they still haven't asked-"

"So then you do remember the date?" Jellal interrupted, staring at her intently. Erza cracked an easy smile. She turned back to her task, thoroughly rinsing the next strawberry.

"Hmmm, maybe," she hummed, innocently tilting her head. And grave mistake. She gasped when his lips tickled her exposed neck, jumping when his arms wound around her to keep her in place while his fingers danced at her sides. She burst with laughter, struggling against him.

"Tell me," he lovingly groused above her ear.

"No," Erza panted, glad to be shown mercy before having the chance to accidentally punch him again. She slid away, resuming her work as if nothing had happened. "I'll just keep hinting for a different date to be remembered," she smirked over her shoulder. Jellal sighed deeply, rolling his eyes with a smile she could almost label as timid. It also told her that she was getting somewhere.

They went on in silence for a while but she felt his gaze flash over to her every so often. She did the same, just to tease him and see him pull away first. His blushing face was one of her favourite things to look at.

That, and she could not keep from staring past him at the flowers he had planted, as well as the bouquet he had picked out for her.

"This one's squished," she informed, handing it to him to dispose of.

"You can still eat it," he noted, eyeing it.

"But it's squished," she insisted. Of all people, she was not one to waste, especially when it came to strawberries, but that one was nearly falling apart between her fingers.

"So?" Jellal positioned the knife. "It'll be squished in your mouth, anyway," he said. She put her hands on her hips.

"You don't live off scraps anymore, Jellal, treat yourself to an unsquished strawberry," she said, groaning when he popped it into his mouth, green and all. Erza rolled her eyes, hopelessly shaking her head.

"Sometimes…" she said under her breath, picking up the next one. It slipped through her fingers, landing in the sink.

"This one's a strayberry,"

"You're a strayberry," she forced it after the other one, stuffing his boyish grin.

"Didn't these cost a fortune?" Erza asked, admiring the bouquet on the table for about the hundredth time that morning. Jellal smiled. He made a mental note to remember how much she loved getting flowers and that his chosen constellation had been a good choice.

"I wouldn't know, I don't usually buy flowers," he honestly said, though, of course, he was aware that they had been the most beautiful and elegant ones in the entire shop. He wanted to deal himself an inward blow for trying to convince himself that this sort of half-truth was perfectly good honesty instead of a well-manufactured lie. He gave himself a pass when watching Erza with her face propped up in her hands, head tilted and eyes shining at them, completely enamoured.

It took her a while to return to the present.

She sighed to herself rather delightedly, grabbing a strawberry and munching on it. The table was once again densely covered with documents. Jellal put down her tea, then returned to the stove where he flipped over her first French toast.

"What is this?" Erza muttered to herself. He glanced over his shoulder.

She was cutting open an envelope, pulling out a single piece of paper, frowning at it fiercely. She turned it over, staring at it from all sides, searching the envelope, not finding anything but that apparently darn single sheet.

"What's the matter?" Jellal asked, arranging the first half of her breakfast on a plate.

"It appears that we have been deceived…" she darkly growled at the paper. "Whoever prepared our reward for the last quest clearly did not think of us too highly," she turned it over again, then slapped it onto the table, "I should have checked beforehand…" she puffed.

Jellal let his eyes soften. Carefully, he shoved a few documents aside to make room for her plate, visibly cheering her up in an instant. Her eyes sparkled at it and she nearly snatched the cutlery out of his hands. He smiled when she closed her eyes as the first piece spread its sweetness on her tongue. She could be so easily pleased sometimes.

"May I have a look?"

"Be my guest," she mumbled between toast and cinnamon, stuffing another piece after the first, even if that was not yet gone. He took the envelope with the sheet in it to the stove, fearing that she would eat faster than he could fry. He turned the toast over.

"It's a cheque," he analysed.

"A cheque?" She turned, shoving her bite into one cheek to be understood.

"From Bosco, if I'm not mistaken," he studied it.

"That's where the mission was, yes," Erza explained, astonished. She had not told him that, he knew, but the address of the payee matched the bordering country of Fiore. "I thought for a second that this was their currency," she went on, suddenly next to him, holding out an empty place. Jellal blinked at it, not even finding a single grain of sugar to be left.

Erza glanced at him and back at the cheque with expectant, all the while impatiently thrusting the plate against his arm.

"It's a means of payment," he explained, checking for the toast to be ready. She merrily withdrew with it. "The drawer signs it on the face for you to honour at a bank," he went on, placing the envelope alongside the cheque and a glass with sugar and cinnamon next to her. She lavished her toast with it, narrowing her eyes at the previously strange sheet again.

Jellal hurried to fry another slice, seeing as she was far from satisfied with a mere two.

"But I don't see a face; they must have made it invalid on purpose," she angrily huffed. He laughed at that. Confused, Erza turned to give him a puzzled look. Unbeknownst to him, she would soon change seats in order to be able to constantly watch him without having to crane her neck.

"No, no," he chuckled, flipping the toast, "the 'face' is the front,"

"Oh," she retracted her lips awkwardly, "I've never had one of those," she confessed, eyeing it once more.

"It's rather considerate of them not to send you off with that amount of cash in your pockets," he said, swinging the pan over to where she was. Erza's eyes widened and she hastily crammed her mouth with the rest of her toast, lifting her plate to receive the next. "I'd assume the other members of your team have obtained their own," he guessed, though he knew with her name solely written on it. There was the possibility of her being the one to share the money amongst her friends, but it was unlikely.

"Mm," Erza tried to speak with her mouth still overloaded, "the poor ones will be very confused when they see them," she nodded, thinking of Lucy and her rent money most of all.

"So were you," he grinned.

"But they don't have a Jellal," she pulled a smug expression, cheeks round with food. He exhaled sharply in nearly suppressed laughter. "How do you know?" She asked, the ambitious spark in her eyes returning when he dumped the last toast on her plate, steaming and smelling deliciously.

"I've issued some on behalf of the Council,"

"Really?"

"Occasionally," he shrugged, pilfering a strawberry.

She gladly munched on, finally noticing that he had not made something for himself. She glowered over his shoulder until she was sure he would continue and eat the next forced toast himself. Then she grabbed her cheque and went to cash it in at a bank, giving him the time to scan the other documents on the table as he ate.

What horrors he discovered.

He was not sure how someone as sophisticated, polite and usually well-spoken found a number of words this unfitting in their current arrangement. The subject line read 'apology' and the other sheets clearly stated the case Fairy Tail had to apologise for to the council, but… How?

Jellal frowned so fiercely, his brows almost met above his nose. His fingers itched to smooth out what would most definitely be taken as offense, taking her pen and starting from the top. He gave his handwriting an extra curl and more than one fancy wording for her to be convinced to accept his version without having to know the real reason he changed her letter from top to bottom.

He was not surprised that, when she returned, she nonchalantly retold that after her last written apology, the addressees had gone after her with weapons.