You're all so kind and considerate, thank you, also for your patience.

Mitzy123, thank you so much for your review! Makes me happy to know you liked those team's dynamics and feelings! And that you pointed them out in specific, love that! Thanks so much also for just writing a second review, I feel very appreciated that you take the time to tell me your thoughts, also those coming in later. And well, yeah, everyone seems to like the pigeon xD

Mikasa-Chan, thank you so much for reviewing! Tenrou Island Arc is one of my favs, too! Yeah, there's much to learn from them, maybe a bit too much... in any case, thanks again so much for leaving me a review and letting me know what you liked!

foxydame, such a long review! Thank you so much! I love having to scroll and scroll. You mentioned so many things, I don't know where to start (I don't think I should; I'll be rambling on for forever ':D). I really am so happy knowing what you liked and how many things struck you! Thank you so much! I always find it hard to write about so many different characters at once but I'm glad you like the dynamics (and the pigeon xD)!

Somnolent Sushi Roll, thank you so much for such a looong review! (Imagine more exclamation marks) And they didn't do it in front of the poor oatmeal; they chose a parlour for more decency xD it's good to know that you, too, like the change of perspective. I'll keep that in mind! Ah, and you just point out such tiny details, I'm very happy to know they don't go unnoticed but are appreciated even. Thank you! Hehe, I always make others answer the phone xD I don't know if the review just stopped or if it was intended but the entirety of it made my day nonetheless!

Speaking of making my day, welcome Needs and thank you so much for taking the time and effort of leaving me so many reviews! It's always such a privilege to be getting them for old chapters even if there are newer ones! Fangirling so much, showering in praises, quoting even, I don't have the words to properly thank you but I'm really really grateful! Loved to read all of your reviews a lot!

I feel myself pulled into the real word by recent events but I don't wish for this wonderful phase of Jerza inspiration to end. Please continue to motivate me a expertly as you do so I can keep on writing and updating!

Night fell but the sun took its time to crawl down the horizon in the unchanging summer climate of Tenrou Island.

They had found multiple traps, some of them seemingly especially made for the creatures unique to the island – which were most of them, seeing as the chunk of land was too secluded for most species to migrate.

Having decided to wait until morning, assuming their targets to be doing the same, they started to set up camp, encountering a new problem.

"Oh," Lucy grimaced when unfolding the tent, "we brought the big one, but it's still only for three people." She informed with dismay. Wendy frowned with regret, feeling as uncomfortable as her friend when glancing from Juvia to Erza to Meredy.

"Don't worry, I brought our hammocks," the latter soothed with a smile. She tossed the second one over to Jellal who caught it. Then he began stringing it to two trees with an adequate distance.

"You sleep in hammocks?" Lucy could not help but ask. She could imagine it to be comfortable, but not every night. She loved her own bed far too much, already glad to be able to inflate something close to a mattress in their tent. Then again, Natsu had nothing but a hammock in his house, so it was definitely possible to find rest, she concluded with his level of energy in mind.

"We've used them most of the time – they conceal your tracks almost completely," Meredy winked. It was plain to see how used she was to camping outside, already done with setting her own hammock up, following Jellal's example.

"I want to sleep in a hammock, too!" Natsu yelled excitedly. Meredy grinned.

"I'm not switching places," she pointed at the tiny boys' tent.

"Juvia will switch with Natsu for you to take Juvia's place if you like!" Juvia nearly burst, also nearly running over Gray at the same time, grabbing his arm. He blushed profusely, keeping quiet which lured out giggling from the pink-haired mage. Lucy could not help but join in.

"Fine by me," Meredy stepped aside and Natsu threw himself into the hammock, twisting until falling right back out, still laughing gleefully.

Lucy wanted to address their problem of space again, turning her head to see it was not necessary anymore. It most likely had not been from the start.

Already changed for the night, Erza sat in the hammock of her beloved with her legs dangling for her toes to brush the ground, watching him unpack their pillow. Merrily oblivious to any debates that were going on, dwelling in her own world where she seemed to lose herself in his gaze over and over again. Clearly, no one was going to talk her out of sharing with him.

"You brought a toothbrush?" Juvia asked Meredy where they left Gray to set up the tent. He did not mind, obviously grateful for the cover of the colour of his face that only subsided slowly.

"You didn't?" Meredy frowned.

"When we camp for such a short time, we usually don't. Saves the trouble of having to find drinking water or from using up your own," she said, tapping her travelling bottle. Meredy tilted her head. She looked wildly confused.

"You mean you don't brush your teeth for an entire day?" She stared, perplexed. Lucy frowned, as did Wendy at how bewildered their newest member was.

"I'm afraid I'm the one responsible for that obsession of yours," Jellal volunteered, having overheard. "I used to tell her horror stories of dentists when she had mocked me a tad too much for my liking," he addressed the others. Lucy had to laugh, the other girls unable to keep from giggling as well. Erza gave his side a playfully scolding poke where they now sat together.

"Those were real!" Meredy protested, slightly shaken from the revelation. It made Lucy wonder from what age on she had been told those tales.

"I made them up," Jellal confessed but she interrupted.

"Also the one with the-"

"Jup,"

"And the-"

"Uhuh,"

"But what about the drill?!" She stared at him from across the campfire, blinking unbelievingly. As if not wanting to believe to have been deceived – to have fallen for them all.

"I still can't believe you bought that – who even has the space in their doctor's office for something of that size?" Jellal suppressed a snicker behind a grin. Her shoulders fell.

"But… but Ul agreed!"

"She could be on my side on occasion, you know," he defended himself. He might have called her a child, but he sure bickered like one when arguing with her about completely irrelevant things. It was more than amusing to watch.

"She wouldn't," Meredy narrowed her eyes, the fist around her toothbrush tightening protectively.

"Maybe she just liked you having a proper dental hygiene," he shrugged and even Gray was laughing by now.

"You've got to be kidding me…" Meredy sighed to herself, still not daring to skip, using her own water to rinse everything out. "I still can't believe you," she went over all the way to slap his knee, no matter the couple of minutes that had passed. "You were supposed to be the harmless one!" She complained, causing more laughter. "It's true," she turned to the girls, settling between them in front of their tent. "He was always such a sweetheart – in summer, he would stick out a leg just to we wouldn't get bitten by mosquitos,"

"Yeah, that was not because of Ultear threatening me…" Jellal muttered, loud enough for everyone to hear. They all laughed, Natsu already swinging back and forth in his acquired hammock. Gray's lips constantly formed a smile and Lucy assumed him to be enjoying the inside details from the former Crime Sorcière members even more than the rest of the group. Ultear's in particular.

"But you still did that, even after Ultear…" Meredy trailed off, a small smile raising the corners of her mouth again when both Lucy and Wendy put a hand on her shoulders.

"Habit, I guess," Jellal said, glancing away.

"Such self-sacrifice," Juvia swooned.

"Well, he sure knows how to handle girls…" Gray muttered and Lucy caught herself agreeing.

"You learn a lot about women over the course of seven years," Jellal tried to play his skills down. Or perhaps his voice was this meek due to the finger Erza trailed along his back. "Especially if one of them is just hitting puberty," he could not help the tease, shoving the attention right back off him. Meredy crossed her arms, turning away from him.

"It was only natural I'd crush on you – it wasn't like I knew any other breathing males around that time," she threw her hands up, not meeting his eyes at all costs. Lucy giggled, watching how Jellal's brows rose.

"Crush?" He stressed, seemingly hearing it for the first time.

"For like, two weeks," she puffed in response.

"I hope,"

"Yeah, ew, definitely," she shot him a glare, "I mean, that'd be like dating your brother – no way," she watched his expression change from below.

"Brother?" He asked, just as dumbstruck as before. Perhaps more. "Not… father?" His voice was tentative and everyone understood immediately. Any and all laughter died down, traded for soft smiles. Erza's hand settled with holding him round his side where she still sat next to him on the rim of the hammock.

"No, definitely big brother," Meredy adapted the smile, then grinned, burying their fight once and for all. His shoulders sank with the burden lifted off his heart so visibly. The grin turned into a smirk and Meredy's eyes twinkled at him again. "It's the only thing that would make sense 'cause Ultear had you in check like that," she snapped her fingers, and they all laughed apart from Jellal who rolled his eyes with a light blush.

"You're making it look as if I was the simpleton – I remember that time you thought I was Ultear and consulted me on those monthly horrors of yours," he nagged, making the girls laugh again.

"Monthly horrors…" Lucy had to snort with amusement.

"Only about the most embarrassing moment of my entire life," Meredy whined, though she smiled broadly at all the attention. She was blooming in their late-night chats, more than happy to be sharing even the most awkward stories. Jellal on the other hand was rather enduring it, though, with the positive responses and not least Erza's constant caresses, he thawed little by little.

"You're telling me?"

"For the record though, you had some really good advice for not having a clue on how to react," Meredy confessed with a grin. All she did was smile and even after they had all crawled into their tents or gotten comfortable in their hammocks, she smiled when falling asleep right in the middle of her new guildmates.

Erza awoke when there was a rustling in the bushes. She swayed for a moment, confused as to where she was, then remembering, keeping her balance as she lifted her torso up to peer into the darkness. She was by far more alert when aware of them being on a mission. And camping instead of staying at an inn.

Jellal rose to his elbows, following her gaze, naturally awake at any hint of a sound ever.

A petite figure disappeared between the undergrowth and Erza recognised it immediately, relaxing again. Wendy and her tiny bladder, she thought, feeling for her friend but also for her beloved who would always have his sleep interrupted.

Meeting his eyes in the dark, she noticed his slightly accelerated breathing for the first time. And she knew it was not due to the fright of noises in the night.

"Bad dream?" Erza's voice was hoarse and quiet. With one hand, reached for the pillow that was escaping him, propping it behind his head again for him to sink down. He took the invitation, giving her a smile. Then he shook his head.

"Just an… odd one," he admitted.

"About one of your cases?" Erza eased out of her alarmed position, crossing her arms over his chest for her head to be propped up. He was stunned for a moment – she could almost see the 'how' written across his forehead. "I figured you would dream of them at some point; I've been thinking about that. That if things get too heavy…" she sighed, "you can always stop," her eyes softened.

"Things can't get much heavier than already," he shrugged and she pursed her lips.

"Are you insulting or reassuring me?" She narrowed her eyes, lips tugging up playfully when he gave her an angelically innocent look. His arms wrapped around her in wordless apologies, though she had of course not taken any offence.

"It's fine, it wasn't anything dangerous, just," he frowned, "strange. I couldn't seem to solve the riddle," Jellal explained in a hushed voice.

"You don't have to," she leaned in for a kiss. "That's not your job,"

"Would still be interesting," he argued and she mirrored his smile. It broadened at the lines and circles he drew on her back. "I've been meaning to ask you," he said, sensing her not to be planning on sleeping right away. Both would wait until Wendy's safe return. "Does Tenrou Island have particularly much Ethernano? Just like there is only ever summer here?" He asked, bringing one hand up to rest behind his head.

"Did you feel your power rise when we arrived?" She asked in return and he nodded. "That's because of the Tenrou Tree – it grants all members of Fairy Tail protection and strength, including your magic."

"It's… incredible," he gazed up at the sky, the stars reflecting in his eyes. It was mesmerising to watch.

"You're incredible," she kissed his shoulder and he smiled down at her. They peered over the rim of the hammock again when the steps returned and waited patiently until Wendy had shuffled back into the girls' tent. "Jellal?" Erza fetched his attention back. "What do you want for Christmas?" She asked, catching him a little of guard. He frowned.

"Christmas?" He tilted his head.

"I've already gotten you all of those baking utensils…" she pondered out loud. She rocked with the vibration of his chuckle.

"You don't have to get me anything," his strokes took up in length, travelling all the way down from her nape to the small of her back.

"But it's Christmas," she pouted. He smiled at that and she could not help but return it. She stretched her neck, meeting his lips in a short but sweet kiss. "Think of something," she said, rather ordered where others would have added a 'please'. It was an order, but he kept smiling, hugging her close with both arms when she snuggled back in, probably up all night now that she had mentioned presents.

"Jellal…?"

"Mh,"

"Are we going to adopt that pigeon of yours?" She quietly asked and he vented a strong exhale of laughter out of his nose. That was something he needed to solve. The bird had simply returned on its own, no message delivered or otherwise having lost it. She knew he dearly hoped it to be the former case and so did she.

"It's not my pigeon,"

"But it likes you,"

"I thought you didn't like it," he reminded – reminded of that incident in the tree he was fortunately not informed about. His hand snuck beneath her top, not minding the thin coating of sweat if only he could touch her skin. She found the slightest of breezes that now reached her back more than pleasant, as well as his contact. "Do you want a pigeon for Christmas?"

"No." She pushed out her lower lip. "It'll only steal your attention from more important things – namely me," she said and his chest vibrated with another chuckle.

"We wouldn't want that," he tugged her into an even tighter embrace and she smiled as she closed her eyes one final time that night.

"She didn't!"

"She did!" Lucy almost exclaimed. "Here, look," she held out the opened pages of the Sorcerer Weekly. "It says it right there: Jenny Realight…"

"…refuses engagement to her fellow guildmate and teammate of the Grand Magic Games, Hibiki Lates," Meredy finished, her eyes flying across the article. "Ouch,"

"Yeah," Lucy agreed, "poor Hibiki."

Gray rolled his eyes so hard they hurt. He had only just returned from the first morning patrol with Natsu and Juvia, now finding the girls – and Jellal – engaged in a gossip chit-chat. Not that their targets were especially dangerous in comparison to previous enemies or that anyone had attacked – it was nice getting to hang out and be on a more slow-paced mission for once, but did they have to bring their stupid magazines everywhere…?

"…and then you take up another section –from the side," Wendy was saying to Jellal, "and just add it to the strand and continue braiding, like so," she demonstrated where she sat behind Meredy, overlapping curly waves of pink hair into a French braid. Not that Gray knew its name. Jellal frowned in concentration, trying to keep hold of the scarlet tresses in his hands while at the same time gathering another strand from next to her face. It slid out of the braid when he had only just started to repeat the procedure on the other side.

"We're back," Natsu announced, watching their circle with mild interest.

"Anyone there yet?" Lucy asked absently, receiving the Sorcerer Weekly, already skimming through in search of something.

"Nope," the Fire Dragon Slayer reported. Hardly anyone answered with more than a hum. They had found another story to chatter about.

Lucy and Meredy started a heated discussion about the new fashion brand the posing model of the edition was advertising. Erza nodded along seriously, troubling her beloved whenever shaking or moving her head too much. Wendy listened intently while also giving tips to the side, teaching with the same angel's patience he had while trying over and over again. It reminded Gray of the zone Jellal would fade into when cooking – as shown that one evening at Lucy's – now, too, completely focused on his task and on making everything perfect, even first try.

The couple had seemed as if falling out of their hammock that morning. With an arm each that had dangled out, most of the fabric of their swaying bed collected to one side – giving a full view of her softly snoring glory – and the threat of both to fall out any moment, Gray had watched with the tiniest sting of self-pity. Even someone as socially-awkward as Jellal was managing better than himself. And even in his sleep was he surpassing Gray, fingers grazing Erza's where they hung, as if having been entwined up until a moment ago.

The Ice Mage shivered when there was audibly excited breathing next to his ear. Shuddering out of the way, he glanced to the side to see Juvia rhapsodising at the scene in front of her, eyes seemingly forming hearts, hands clasped beneath her chin and wiggling due to her own vivid imagination. She really wanted to join –the crash course on braiding most of all, and he knew the scenario in that crazy head of hers involved him.

So he waited. He would not be caught dead asking to be taught how to do a woman's hair but there was always the chance she would 'force' him to…

"Gray, my darling!" There it came. "Juvia finds it looks like so much fun; won't you run your fingers through mine?" She grabbed his arm, pulling him towards the others.

"Don't say it like that, you make it sound so weird!" He protested. And then stopped – he had shown his disfavour, now he could submit to it with an annoyed face and fluttering heart he would never admit to anyone.

"Who's next?" Natsu asked, already behind Lucy, peering into the photoshoots she had opened in the middle pages.

"Jellal, we're up," Meredy registered the question, at least faster than him who was engrossed in Erza's hair. The latter gave a gentle nudge, preparing him for the shove he received next to get up. "Come on," Meredy repeated. She excused herself to Wendy, then waited until Jellal had untangled the mess he had created to the biggest extent he could while in a hurry, finally leading the way out of camp.

"Did you know that Christmas is coming up?" Jellal held a branch out of the way as he passed it.

"I think every living creature but you knew," Meredy said as she hustled along, now in front of him again. They fell into step when the hardly used path widened slightly.

"What happens on Christmas besides gifting presents?" He asked. He had not the foggiest idea of what happened during the probably most celebrated holiday of the year. He had never celebrated before. Even back as a Council member, there had not been a single time he had gone to the parties, only attending the ones that served with business connections, not social regards. And even those would not have been the prime examples as to how friends and family revelled.

"Beats me," Meredy shrugged. "But I think there's something involving a tree,"

"A tree…"

"Mhm. Inside houses– you know, the needle-y ones,"

"Conifers,"

"That, yeah." She nodded. "Be sure not to let Erza invent non-existent traditions, though," she then added. He made a mental note to look those up – he didn't want her forcing him into proposing at the wrong time. Or worse.

They had to jump to cross a small creek, pushing through the thicket when any pathing ended. It would hide their tracks, anyway, not leading to the camp. It was as if embedded into their genes, hiding traces of their presence and creeping along the least frequented routes. They did not have to speak any agreement aloud.

"Do you know what you're getting everyone?"

"Don't get me started on that… I cannot even begin to come up with something for Erza alone,"

"It's just a guess that they'll give you guys something; just for you not to be unprepared and embarrassed,"

"Thanks,"

"But how are you going to hide whatever you get her anyway?" Meredy lifted her foot over a thorny twig. She plucked at his shirt when it got stuck on another.

"That won't be the complicated part," he said, receiving a look. "We have secrets," he nearly huffed at her raised brows.

"Yeah, for like three seconds and then she reveals her new underwe-"

"Stop that," he growled. Meredy grinned at the light tint on his cheeks.

"Am I wrong?" She smirked, having to quicken her pace when he tried to shield his face by taking the lead.

"You're-"

"Too young to talk about these things, bla bla – you know I'm over twenty, right?"

"Do we know that?" He challenged and she groaned.

"We know now because I indicated a birth year when I joined Fairy Tail,"

"Besides the point. What I was trying to make you understand is: stop annotating my sex life," he courtly said. It was audible in his voice just how awkward it was to say that and he inwardly cursed at his own body's betrayal. The blush was now a prominent one, not to be confused with overheating. Meredy giggled.

"Oh, it's an entire life now," she wiggled her brows and he wanted to let out a groan that could be heard all across the island. "You do realise that your adorkable attitude is not really something to convince me,"

"I'll stop forbidding you requests with a male client," he bargained. Her ears perked.

"You can't forbid me that," she said with narrowed eyes. She was hooked, he knew. He also knew that she could be as obedient as him, how she hardly ever accepted those jobs and that she only did so with a very bad conscience.

"I'll stop nagging about it," he added. She hit the air with her fist.

"Damnit, that's such a good deal!" Meredy fumed under her breath. Nodding eagerly for encouragement, he lured out a reluctant pout from his guildmate. "Let me bet, you won't stop calling whenever I go meet the client, am I right?" She gave him a look, and even though she made it sound reproachful, he knew better. She was hoping he would.

"Probably," he said as if with regret and she gave an overdramatic sigh.

"Fine…" Meredy shook her head. Both carried a clandestine smile as they reached the hunting grounds, not showing it to one another.

Falling silent without having to coordinate it, they snuck through the undergrowth, all the way to the beach. Maybe he would gift her a trip to the beach, somewhere warm – Erza loved warm weather and showing off with her sundresses and bikinis. And he loved her in her sundresses and bikinis.

Jellal looked up from having studied a disabled trap when his side was being nudged. He followed Meredy's gaze, squinting to be able to see the tiny speck on the horizon.

"They're coming."