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Jellal awoke warm and cosy. He inhaled deeply, then again when noticing how his head was resting above hers. He checked whether she was still asleep. After a few seconds of regular breathing, he seemed convinced. He stuffed his face into the crown of her head, allowing his awakening senses to be bathed in the goodness that was Erza.

He loved this. He could not get over how much he loved this with all his being. His… sinful being? He had never actually put that question – put it as a question. It had always been clear. As plain as day. The only thing he had doubted were his worthiness – how worthy he was, not whether.

Jellal tightened his arms a little. It felt more than good to be able to do that. Not only because he could finally be with her, but because he was allowed. By himself, for the first time. She had talked it into him until it had settled in; until he could believe it to be true.

His arms tightened a little more.

Most times he had witnessed – which was seldom enough – people hugged delicately. At least women were rather held than actually returning the hug. He had held Meredy a few times, most notably after reading Ultear's letter. She had been crying and needed the support. He had been glad to give it; he had needed it, too. But comfort hugs were mostly one-sided as well.

Not with Erza. Nothing – and no one – was comparable to Erza. Everything with her was… more. A battle was more intense, a game was more serious, a wrong move was more fatal. A hug was more adamant.

She held but she also hugged back. And she did so with vigour. (She could probably break each and every of his ribs if she wanted to).

Jellal did not notice his arms to hold her even closer, burying his face in her hair, feeling his mind and stomach run wild and free. Liberated. It could focus on something – her, most of the time, or any of her glorious attributes – or it could just let loose and dwell on nothing. This was home – this was being just who he was then and there. Not the past, not the future, just… him.

"Mh," Erza gave a sleepy moan. Her hands were gripping the fabric of his shirt, a more uncomfortable groan following. He snapped back into the present. Glancing down – removing himself from the scarlet splendour – Jellal realised to have squished her awake. He loosened his embrace.

She relaxed, giving a sigh. Then she shuffled backwards. He waited, biting his tongue. He had almost taken his hands away, already back on his 'having sinned' path and trying to remove himself entirely. The fast grasp of her hands on his back reminded him and he forced himself to endure it. Endure the unknown – the possible rejection without deeming it as one himself. Because she was the living proof of his actions being accepted and so he would make himself await her judgement before taking his own, tainted one into account.

Erza scooted just far enough back to glance up, blinking crusty sleep out of her eyes. The light was bugging her, now that the blanket had been pushed down from their heads during the night. However cloudy, her eyes widened.

"Jellal…" Erza let go with one hand reaching out. Her concern made him worry and he was just as surprised as her when her thumb found a tear streaking down his cheek, gently brushing it away. "What happened? Was it a dream?" She cawed, swallowing to retrieve her voice. He had to smile. As much as he loved her voice, this was a side of her he greatly enjoyed; honoured to experience.

He wondered which traits and small things he had discovered that not even her guildmates knew. Or she herself.

Jellal shook his head into the pillow.

"I'm just really glad you're here," he smiled, blinking to get whatever was left of the water in his eyes out.

"You're either really glad, or…" she sighed, averting her gaze. "Jellal," he nearly winced, fearing whatever would come. Was she pregnant? "I want us to be more honest with each other." She said and he exhaled in relief. Then he processed what she had said, panicking anew.

Oh gods. She knew about the soup, did she not?

"I want you to tell me when you're uncomfortable with something – I can change,"

"I'd never want you to change,"

"And you can't lie to me about food anymore."

Shit.

"Ignoring to eat it nothing to joke about – we can eat at any time of the day," she nodded to herself and he sighed under his breath. He had to admit, that had been a rather stupid move. But she had been angry and he had not…

There was the worthiness again. He had to stop with that. Strike it from his vocabulary.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled. He felt her exhale softly now, daring to lift her gaze. Glancing up into his eyes, a tender smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. She was glad, too.

Erza tilted her chin up, closing her eyes and he dared to trust himself with reading her signs, placing a long kiss on her lips.

"Also, don't just throw people out of the house. It's rude."

"Sorry…"

Upon arriving at the guild, Erza was almost overrun with greetings. Every table shouted her name, welcoming her back, asking how she had been, reporting where her teammates were. She should have shown up earlier, she thought. At least to see how everyone was or pretend to get a job. Or get a job.

"Erza," Elfman shouted from across the hall, "Bisca was looking for you," he informed. She waited for him to approach, not wanting to yell. He seemed to be on his way to leave, anyway.

"Did she mention why?" She asked, and he negated. She smiled inwardly when he departed with Evergreen instead of Lisanna for his mission.

"Erza!" Levy called, waving her over. She had not even crossed half the way to the bar, when she was being interrupted another time.

"Oh, Erza," Mirajane said as sweetly as always, "welcome back. Master said he wanted to see you," she put down Macao's and Wakaba's mugs, smiling before clearing the table to the right.

Erza nodded, then turned back to Levy, who was sitting at her usual table. Gajeel was grumpily hanging over the maps they had been studying without so much as glancing Titania's way.

"If you have a minute, I could use your advice here,"

"I certainly don't," the Iron Dragon Slayer grunted, receiving a shove that did not move him a millimetre.

"You don't have to take the advice, but I would like to hear her opinion," Levy scolded and he scoffed to himself.

"I'll be right there," Erza informed, turning in the direction of the Master's office. She felt Gajeel's eyes on her back. She had showered, but Jellal had been so clingy again afterwards, she was sure to be discovered. Fortunately, he did not much care for any of her affairs.

"Hold up," she had to halt once again when Laxus deep voice addressed her. "There's something you should see," he said coolly, leaning against a pillar, arms crossed. She sighed.

"I'm just going to meet with Master,"

"He waited this long; another minute won't kill him," Laxus stood before her, squaring his shoulders, not letting himself be ignored. She straightened a tiny bit more, waiting, meeting his eyes. His hand went up, holding a poster between them and she narrowed her eyes to be able to read it without having to step back.

"This shouldn't be open to everyone; it's clearly S-Class," he commenced, "you should review them more carefully." He alleged, face straight as always. She supressed a sigh. It was true, it was her duty to review arriving jobs and classify them. However, it was a shared responsibility among all S-Class mages and he was one, too. He had never taken care of any of the evaluations in the past, avoiding all paperwork, denying the obligation as long as it did not involve wanting something from it. Like now.

"Then why don't you take it?" Erza's brow twitched upwards. She was not going to start a debate about his duties now.

"That's not how I meant it," he growled, seeming caught, "we all have the same chances," Laxus lifted his chin, looking down at her. She was as unfazed by it as he was during most situations of his life.

"Mira doesn't go on jobs, Gildarts is not here and I'm not challenging you for it," she waved a hand, passing him, "go on." She left him to huff to himself, solving the problem without difficulty. Now only the Master and Levy posed tasks to her. She had only come to show her face and hopefully find a short mission. She hoped it would not take too long; she wanted to get back home in time for lunch.

The door to the office creaked. It gave a click when she let the lock fall into place again. The Master was sitting at his desk in his wheelchair. Sadness flashed across her eyes. Erza was very slow with getting used to seeing him like that – it made her miss the old days, when he would plant himself right in the middle of the bar, watching his children brawl and drink and laugh.

"Erza," he greeted without turning. His voice was strained, though of age, as it had been ever since she had known him. It had aged up, however, or perhaps it was just the growing burdens of Fairy Tail's endless battles.

"You asked to see me," she stepped further into the room. He nodded, wheeling around to meet her gaze.

"I have received responses from the other Guild Masters. Some said that they recognised the wanted poster, though no one can name a source."

"So it has really spread across Fiore…" she pondered, strolling over to the window, staring out in thought. "I haven't heard anything new yet; did the others?" She asked, glancing over her shoulder. He shook his head and she resumed to watch the cloud-covered sky.

"Gray and Juvia found themselves in some kind of trap, but there were no signs of a plan – it could have been sheer bad luck. Natsu was probably too ignorant when he was being followed but Lucy said it had been a strategized ambush,"

"Were there witnesses?"

"No. He also burnt any evidence we could have used…" the Master sighed. She crossed her arms, armour clinking. It was so… mysterious and yet a threat so insignificant when regarding the power with which they were being attacked. Was it just to cause confusion or had the poster been some stupid joke to begin with? Maybe there was no client; maybe it was all a misunderstanding.

"Erza," Makarov pulled her out of her thoughts. He would ask her for her speculations but she had nothing new to contribute. She had not given it much thought, to be honest. Her mind and soul were with Jellal, her heart already soaring back home, hardly able to wait until she could see him again. "Has something happened?" He enquired instead of the anticipated question. She frowned, turning.

"Master?"

"You seem a little… changed," he regarded her curiously, a spark of warmth and suspicion flickering in his eyes. She cleared her throat, forcing her face to stay its current pale colour.

"Nothing to be concerned about," she managed at last, easing her features into a smile. He was not convinced, she knew, but he pretended to be, letting her off the hook.

She aided Levy with her route planning, then fetched herself an easy quest for that day. While walking along the channel, memories flooded back to her. The festival with its fireworks most prominently. She could not help but wonder whether Jellal had something new planned already. She was excited for anything he had in mind, starting to realise how she had not done so once.

She reached her client's house, when an idea suddenly struck her. The perfect thing to do! Cheering to herself, Erza turned on the heel. She would just come by later – the request was not time bound; she could deal with it in the evening.

"Jellal," he heard her voice, then the front door falling close. Jellal wiped his forehead. He had tried to recreate the ponytail she had experimented with, finding it convenient, though his bangs and the hair in the back of his head still hung loose, sticking slightly with sweat.

"You're back already," he greeted her happily when she entered the bathroom – he wondered if he had ever heard this tone of voice coming from his own mouth. He smiled when he saw her own standing open, sentence unfinished. Her gaze travelled across the floor, admiring his work where he had finally replaced the missing tiles.

"I also fixed the warm water – now we finally have some," he gave a sheepish grin, "and look," he pointed at the hole in the wall. Erza bent down to see, leaning over his shoulder where he was kneeling. He could not help the hint of pride his words rang with. "I reconnected the cables," he showed her a small piece of plastic, taking a spare one from its package to demonstrate. "It's called a lustre terminal; you put the cable into these openings and screw them tight," he explained. Her eyes were wide as she watched and listened. "They also call it 'chocolate block'," he said and she had to giggle.

"You did that all by yourself?" She asked with amazement, and he nodded, chest swelling a little. It really did feel good to not only get things done, but to do them himself. He had to tell her sometime how much he liked it; how she forced him to learn.

"Now I only have to render the wall," he tapped the lid of the plaster. Erza smiled when he did, complimenting his work. He dropped the lustre terminal, manoeuvring the one in the wall to the right place in order to start sealing it away. "Did you want to say something?" He asked, already absently.

Erza gasped, thoughts returning to the moment before he had distracted her.

"That's right – Jellal," she nearly exclaimed, fetching his attention back, "fight me!"