Wow, 50... we're on fire, people!

Romeo and Laxus part is in the works; the girls' talk as good as done, though short so far. Might be a few chapters until them, though. I'll try to incorporate the guild more often if you'd like that. Let me know when the parts show up if you liked them that way so I'll know whether and how to include more ;) Oh, any I'm also very fond of Wendy and Erza, so she's always my number one choice for guild interactions.
Meredy will of course make some more appearances. In fact, a lot sooner and probably more often than others - she needs her dose of Jerza from time to time, too xD

Also, of COURSE I take your reviews into account; it's so much fun to shape the story together and happy reviews make me happy, too.

Speaking of happy, thank you sooo much for your reviews! I mention liking a long one once and get several long ones immediately... I don't know what to say, you guys are too kind to me! Thanks a million times!

Hope you enjoy!

Jellal moved too quickly for his own good. He pushed through the white of his vision that demanded sleep. She was not falling but he would not risk it. He picked her up, carrying her to the bathroom.

"It's not as bad as it looks," Erza said, unequipping her boots. "Just a scratch," she tried but he had none of it.

The chair's legs scraped across the tiles with a squeak as he pulled it over, gently setting her down on it.

"It's nothing to worry about," Erza repeated, "you look tired, why don't you let me-" she pulled on her skirt to cover the injury from his view but he immediately brushed her hand off. Shoving the fabric back up, he inspected the gaping wound.

It looked as if someone had bitten a chunk out of her. Bits and pieces of flesh hung from the top and fell from the bottom, and would he have put his fingers above the hole, it would have spanned two until meeting with the width of her thigh.

"What happened?" He asked without even a hint of reproach. He was too worried to be angry.

"There was a man who claimed to be Master of all Beasts, who had to be stopped because he clearly had none under control," she explained in a strained voice, unable to hide her pain completely. She was as pale as the bathroom tiles, drops of sweat having formed on her forehead. "He was a fool but I did not expect him to have a lizard that big…" she concluded while he hectically collected gauze and compresses at his feet.

It was hard to wrap bandages around something that was that far open. He bent the compresses to cover the hole with as much space as possible so that the gauze would not stick to the torn tissue. It was more than a relief that the bleeding had already stopped, the blood clotting and sealing off the wound, if only a little.

"It's okay, I can do that, too," Erza put a hand on his shoulder but it shook lightly so she removed it again, "I'll just take a quick shower and join you," she hinted at him going to bed again. Jellal gave her a long look. She was not even able to hide the pain from her face, her eyebrows twitching, smile forced to be convincing. Not working in the least.

"Don't move," he ordered, getting up to bring her something to eat. He prepared painkillers which he dissolved in a glass of water and she drank it greedily after filling her stomach. Slowly, the colour returned to her face and exhaustion started to push the brutal ache aside. Then, he lifted the chair with her on it up and into the bathtub, his arms' cries for rest unheard.

In silence, he washed her from her shoulders down, carefully scrubbing where there were no new cuts and bruises, softly patting those with a soap-soaked sponge. He circumvented the bandage, cleaning off the blood, gently applying pressure to massage her sore feet, calves and uninjured thigh. Erza sighed seemingly more than she breathed, her eyes falling shut long before he was done.

After helping her with towelling off, he handed her toothbrush over. Erza requipped into her sleepwear, muttering her thanks through the foam in her mouth. Jellal kissed the top of her head, leaving her until she was ready for bed and would call to be picked up.

She did not though. Either forgetting to fight or not having stood a chance in the first place, Jellal drifted into sleep mere seconds after sinking down onto the bed. He had wanted to prepare his side for her so that she could lay on her unscathed leg and still face him. Then the plan had changed into warming up her spot, failing miserably in the execution when his body had other things in mind.

He stirred when the light in the hall went off, stumbling out of bed to help his limping beloved. His head still throbbed and buzzed and he was glad when they had finally settled down.

He held her close and safe, swearing to himself to avenge her, should she not have already cut that overgrown reptile into pieces.

Sleep went as fast as it had come once again when Jellal heard rummaging and splashing. Panicking anew – and nearly jumping out of bed when the sounds did not stop as he opened his eyes, not having been a dream – Jellal felt his way to the door. Erza gave a disgruntled moan, but her sleep was lighter when she was hurt, luckily having let him go rather easily.

He gasped when stepping into water in the hall. Staring down, he saw it to nearly be reaching over the dorsum of his feet, flooding the hall. He hurried to the noises of the bathroom, finding the washing machine to be turned on. He hammered the off button and the water stopped pumping and flowing and frothing.

Sighing in relief, Jellal's hectic subsided. He was more than happy for it to only having been the washing machine. It had not even been a mistake of construction, since he simply had not finished installing it.

Most importantly, Erza was fine.

Turning back to the hall, he was proven the contrary. Erza stood there, feet bare and wet, leg cramped, slightly hovering and with a look as miserable as sin. She sniffled, her lips trembling as she tried not to let the tears that her eyes brimmed with fall.

His shoulders sank and Jellal crossed through the tiny flood to pull her into a hug.

"What's wrong?" He asked, coming to the conclusion that she must have turned the washing machine on. Probably to do him a favour, he assumed, shaking his head to himself. She should really have focused on her own wellbeing. "It's a good thing we didn't take care of the flooring and walls yet," he tried to soothe, ignoring the partially dampening carpet in the bedroom.

"I keep," she sobbed, her shoulders jerking, back hitching with gasping breaths. She could not finish her sentence. The skin on his collarbone warmed with hot tears.

"Don't worry," he rubbed her back reassuringly, "it's fine, it is," he assured, holding her tight when she fell into him with another hiccupping sob, "it's fine, love." He repeated. Slowly, her arms came up, hugging him back. Her fingers dug into his skin as compensation for the lack of a shirt she could clutch.

"I'm sorry,"

"Don't be," he whispered above her ear.

"You were so quiet and I thought," she sniffled, long and wet lashes tickling his chest, "I thought you were mad at me,"

"Why would I be mad at you?" He asked, taken aback. She tried to catch her breath when he released her a little to meet her eyes. They were huge and swollen and exhausted. "You shouldn't have walked home by yourself, that's true," he remarked and her lips frowned with another sob, "but I'm not angry, honestly," he went on, hands on her arms. "I'm just as tired as you are," he offered a smile and she returned it weakly.

"How about," he bent his head down a little, "I try not to hate myself when you stop blaming yourself," he bargained. Her eyes grew big and she stopped tilting up her head to meet his forehead halfway. Shocked, she returned his loving gaze.

"You would do that?" She asked as if he had just offered to transplant his every organ for someone to have.

"We'll both try, okay?"

"Our very best," she closed her eyes when their foreheads met, a warm smile stretching across her lips.

He had only found the broom they had bought instead of a mop. It worked well enough and he swiped all water out the front door until the concrete floor was merely moist. He had given Erza a towel for the carpet and she remained standing on it to soak up all water from behind the threshold until he was done. By now, he was so tired he thought he could beat her by sleeping through the entire day. Or several.

After locking the front door, Jellal carefully wrapped his arms around her knees. Erza smiled when he picked her up, resting her hands on his shoulders, even after lying down. For the final time that night, he hoped.

"Jellal?"

"Hm," he forced his eyes open, his exerted gaze trying to focus on her dark silhouette.

"Thank you for helping me," she said and he smiled tenderly. "It really hurt a lot," she admitted.

"Did the medicine work?"

"Mhm," she hummed, melting at how his fingers absently drew mellow circles on her hip.

"Do you need another one?"

"No, it's fine for now," Erza sighed. She wound her hand around his nape, lazily playing with strands of his hair. "Jellal?" She asked again but he kept his eyes closed this time. He gave her nose a small nudge with his own in reply. "Can I book you for tomorrow?" He exhaled strongly in silent laughter.

"You don't have to book me," he said with a smile in his tone, "I'm all yours," he pecked her lips. They were soft but slightly tattered, making him wonder whether she had chewed on them. Had he seemed that furious with her? Or had she already feared a fight while still hobbling home?

"Can we go out for dinner?" She asked, almost shily. He smiled, giving another comforting kiss. She returned it with grateful hunger.

"Of course,"

"And can we sleep in tomorrow?"

"Anything you want,"

"And I'll do your hair again," she made him laugh, wishes turning in to statements, "and we can buy some ice-cream,"

"And you'll see Wendy for your leg," he said instead of giving a remark on her cravings for ice-cream in autumn.

"But-"

"I won't go anywhere," he reassured and she only huffed. Then she snuggled closer again, stealing a few more kisses from his lips before dozing off.

They slept like logs and well into and through the morning. Jellal's rhythm did not allow the anticipated days of rest but he did not mind, getting the chance to watch his love sleep for hours on end.

"You asked me why it was different to have Meredy know from your guildmates,"

"Mhm,"

"But wasn't it the same when they," he hesitated, "uhm… when we were in the kitchen?" She paused, giving an uncomfortably pressed breath.

"It was a lot more frightening that I'd thought…" she admitted. "But just because we were so surprised," she added.

"Because you didn't want Wendy to come to heal you," he argued. Erza gave another tight sigh.

"That's not because of you – or of us, so to speak," she explained, "I just don't want her to see me like this – having to be carried around and taking painkillers," she went on. He opened his mouth but she was faster. "It's not that I mind them to see us together, only I'm… I have a reputation.
"I am not to falter. I have to remain strong for the team; they would worry if they saw me giving in and leaving it be. I should struggle and not be this affected and especially not rely on anyone to help me,"

"You said-"

"I know I once told you that you can only be strong knowing your weaknesses and that showing weakness doesn't make you weak but…" she sighed, avoiding his eyes, "they look up to me for strength. I don't want to let them down,"

"I understand," Jellal caught her eyes, "but that's not what I was aiming at," he pulled his lips into a lopsided grin. She blinked at him in confusion, suddenly feeling stupid for having defended herself so fiercely.

"Sorry," she frowned apologetically.

"No, no," Jellal put his hands around the one that she had in between them, "I like to know what you think," he placed a kiss on her knuckles, "I like to hear your voice, I like to listen to you speak," he pecked them with every sentence. Her features softened. "I'm glad you told me," he said and she smiled.

There was just no end to loving him. And vice versa, it seemed, rather obviously.

"I was actually…" it was his turn to frown. "You know when they," he hesitated again, not liking his choice of words but not finding a better one.

"Caught us," she supplied and he almost winced, even if it had been on the tip of his tongue.

"And you," he continued and squirmed again, not meeting her eyes, hands unconsciously winding and loosening as he tried to come up with wordings. She really wanted him to find them himself and not to give the opportunity to back out of his truth by using hers, but at the same time, she wanted him to keep going. Not resign out of lack of expressions.

"I just think that that way, you'd understand," Jellal tried another way, letting her fill the blanks instead of troubling himself further, "how I feel," he nearly panted, trying to only gasp for air under his breath. She let her eyes soften.

Gently, Erza wound her hand out of his, placing both of hers on his chest. His heart was racing but to her surprise, he looked up, meeting her soothing eyes.

"I'm not embarrassed about us, I want this more than you can imagine," he gritted his teeth as not to stop, "but I feel vulnerable when being watched," he confessed. It had had a taste of that – that feeling of being assailable when being caught. It had seemed like a sneak attack, shortly leaving her helpless and insecure, she admitted to herself.

"It's the same with Meredy, but somehow…" he fished for words again, chewing on the inside of his cheek. Erza leaned in to put a stop to his actions, capturing his lips with hers.

"I see," she whispered when parting, "I know now what you mean," she kissed him again and he sighed to relax for the first time. He sank into the mattress a little more. Then his hands came up to enclose her waist, the lower one digging beneath her to hold her tight.

"What do we do with all this newly gained information?" He asked, and she had to smile.

"Practise?"

"No," she laughed at that.

"Why not? Would you rather be caught by surprise again?" She smirked, nuzzling her face into his. His lips puckered, and her smile stretched until her ears when she felt him want to kiss whatever spot she shoved into him. And that she wanted it, too.

"I can't go up to her, saying 'hey, Meredy, wanna come over and watch us snog?' or something," he cringed and she laughed again.

"Make it look accidental,"

"Like waiting in the hall should she come in?" He jested and Erza laughed even more. It turned into softening giggles and moans when he teased her neck with more kisses and small nibbles. "Purely by chance, we were just about to go for it on the cuddly concrete,"

"Jellal!" Erza laughed, unable to give her voice the scolding strictness with amusement quivering through. She lightly pounded on his chest. His breathing tickled her neck and she tried to wind out of his grasp.

She did not notice how he slid his lower arm away from under her, then bent his knees which she had trapped between hers. She yelped when he suddenly pushed them up to sit, ending up on his lap, staring with huge eyes into an even larger grin of triumph. She gasped when his plan nearly failed and they almost toppled over again.

Finding his balance, Jellal took his hand off the mattress and back onto her shoulders, the other still winding all the way around her waist.

"What would the lady like to eat today?" He smiled and she beamed back at him. Would he have been food, he would have been the sweetest treat in the entire world. And she would have already eaten him up.

"Hmmm," she hummed, tilting her head, making a thoughtful pout, "maybe…"

"Yoghurt? Oats? Bread?"

"Baked apples," she grinned and he rolled his eyes, sliding his hands down to carry her anywhere she wished.