Revieeeeewwssss yay! Thank you!

Isanien, thank you so much! And you're welcome!

Mikasa-Chan, thank you for such a heartfelt review! I'll include the trap of Jellal in a coming chapter then :) concerning your p.s., I didn't include that but they are all fine and went back as the team to Fairy Tail, but didn't wait at Erza's home.

Lazy, haha, I had a lot of fun reading your review! Thank you! And I'm already trying to come up with your request; I love the idea!

Guest, haha, thanks so much for your review! I appreciate it so much!

Frangellica, I'm so happy you joined the gang, I love your reviews! Thank you so much for it! And also thanks for the reminder to have Laxus be his usual mocking and cool self with some comments; all noted! ;D

Somnolent Sushi Roll, your review takes up almost my entire screen, I'm sooo happyyyy! Thank you a million times for such a long and detailed review, pointing so many things out, I'm truly grateful! (insert heart emoji, you know, the nice one with the two small pink ones :D)

I'm always getting to excited, writing these Author's notes cause I get to read all of your reviews anew and in one go!

Hope you enjoy!

"I'm still curious," Lucy put a finger to her chin. "How did you know not to put the seal stuff on? Did Gray put his on and they didn't fall right back off?" She asked with a chuckle. Natsu opened his mouth but Gray drove his elbow into his guildmate's side.

"You don't have to spell it out," he threatened grumpily. Lucy rolled her eyes. They should have known. She eyed him more closely for a moment, though, seeing as he was shirtless and trouser-less, it was not hard to miss the still present marks. They were less faint than her own and Wendy saw to all of their cuts every day but the image alone gave everyone a reason for concern.

"Why don't you ask Wendy for another session – these look rather nasty," Lucy noted when finding the line around his wrist not to have closed entirely.

"Don't worry," he waved her off, "Juvia will- uhm," he stuttered, visibly panicking for a moment, "uh, she'll… probably, uhm, never see them…" he invented. She gave him a look. He swallowed but kept a straight, if not nervously sweating, face.

"Right," she let her gaze flash up and down just to let him know how entirely stupid the excuse was. "No wonder you freaked out when you stalked Erza and Jellal in the kitchen," she threw him a witty glance.

"It's not like that, seriously," Gray became unusually flustered, "don't even start on comparing me to her – she's like… she's so Erza; fierce with whatever she does, we're not-" he stopped when noticing to be rambling. Lucy raised a brow. These newly discovered feelings for his not-so-secret admirer were obviously not something that came easy to him.

"You were watching, too!" He exclaimed, fading out when realising to have raised his voice. Lucy ignored the caught blush on her own face.

"It's not like I had much of a choice," she defended herself and it was his turn to give a huff.

"Yeah, right. You were gaping at them like a madwoman,"

"Not true!"

"It's a miracle you didn't drool," Gray crossed his arms, more than glad to have gained the upper hand.

"Shut up! It was just so... so unlike Erza," Lucy became quiet. She tapped her index fingers together, wagging her knees.

"She gets what she wants, I guess..." he sighed.

"She does..." she agreed. Slowly, they looked up to exchange a glance of widening eyes, both thinking the same.

"You think they...?"

"Let's just close the topic."

"Right..." he nodded in agreement and she cleared her throat.

"I'm not following," Natsu blinked at them, confused. Uncomfortable, Lucy turned to him to keep him from asking for details, when two figures entered the guild hall. Speaking of uncomfortable, she thought to herself.

Jellal looked about as uneasy – if not more – than Gray had a minute ago. Though the Heavenly Body Mage's forehead was furrowed with a frown of concern rather than embarrassment and she could guess why.

Erza greeted her friends upon arriving at the bar and her beloved nearly forgot, mumbling something under his breath when they all said they hellos to the couple. Erza then lead the way up the stairs to the infirmary and he followed not more than a step behind. His entire body was radiating with unsettlement and Lucy wondered more than ever how this man was the same person as the monster Natsu had fought in the Tower of Heaven.

"Thank you, Mira," Erza said at the top of the stairs. Her guildmate smiled as sweetly as ever, though she retreated to a serious expression once Jellal had passed her.

"She's not awake, just to warn you,"

"Don't worry. I think he needs closure for the moment," Erza nodded gratefully. Receiving another smile and a supportive hand on her arm, she returned the gesture. "We'll be okay," she assured when her guildmate gave her another sympathetic glance over her shoulder. Erza watched for a few heartbeats longer, sighing to herself.

His troubles really made her heart bleed more often than she would have liked to admit. And although she caused most of them and could, with that, keep them somewhat in check, some things were simply beyond her powers.

In her head, she was already planning a day of relaxation for the two of them. She knew that the onsen did not like to see their wounds, not wanting to be responsible for any infections, but she was sure a hot bath would relief both mental and physical tension.

Erza's gaze immediately fell onto Jellal when she entered the infirmary. Hunched in his seat, probably staring at his unconscious guildmate. Quietly, she lifted a chair to put it down next to his, sinking down on it. Only then did she notice Porlyusica by the window, just before the latter opened her mouth to speak.

"She is suffering Major Magic Deficiency." She announced with the usual lack of empathy. "She should be fine in time but for now, there's nothing to be done." She declared. Erza gave her a nod, naturally not having it returned. Not that she minded; she knew nothing was personally meant when it came to Fairy Tail's Healing Advisor.

She noticed Jellal's jaw to be clenched, his brows furrowed. She had to frown herself, sorrowfully on his behalf.

"She looks exhausted," she honestly said. He sighed at that and his body seemed to lose some of its tension. For a second, she thought he would slacken completely but he remained where he was, back straight and head lowered. "But if there's a way to replace eyes, I'm sure she'll be alright sooner than you think," she tried, the cheerfulness in her voice soft, careful.

Her heart warmed at the sinking of his shoulders.

"I've never asked you about that, have I?" Jellal finally tore his vision away from his guildmate. He looked from one of her brown eyes to the other, as if comparing, then brought up his hand to cup her cheek. "It's beautiful – I couldn't tell if I hadn't known," he admitted, a fond spark in his own eyes.

From the side, Erza saw the smallest of clandestine smiles on Porlyusica's lips, curving with pride. He had a way of channelling into people's hearts, neither knowing nor intending, charming with nothing but the way he was. She felt a smile of her own form.

"Well, it's a master's work of art," she grinned.

"Sycophant," Porlyusica huffed. Erza pouted with slight annoyance in the old woman's direction. Jellal retreated as well, back to lowering his head, hands on his knees.

"I wasn't aware…" he muttered, as if uttering a compliment was something to be ashamed of. Still, he was very bad with receiving them, so he probably understood the Healer's sentiments of not wanting to be praised so openly.

"Where's that lunch I was promised…" Porlyusica growled, more to herself, stalking out the door. He must have left a bigger impression than she had originally thought, Erza concluded, aware that the human-shunning woman never needed to excuse herself to just vanish. It seemed she had wanted to return the favour of politeness she was unfamiliar with, all due to their similar social nature. Or anti-social nature.

Turning her attention back to her beloved, Erza was shocked when finding his lips to be quivering.

"I'm terrible, I'm such a terrible friend…" Jellal's voice shook slightly, his shoulders joining. Exhaling with pity, Erza leaned forward. She held his arms, rubbing them reassuringly. She felt her own eyes itch at his tiny sniffle. "I never even thought… of her when…" his frown intensified and he caught himself. Self-loathing written all across his face. "When that bastard-"

"But that's- no, Jellal," Erza desperately stroked down his upper arms, knowing they were the least bruised parts of his torso. "That doesn't make you a bad friend – you're not-"

"I was so focused on that trial…" he whispered. She sighed. Eyes falling closed, she leaned her head on his shoulder.

"You're not terrible. You're not obliged to constantly worry – she isn't recovering faster from that. I think Meredy would be glad if she knew," she said, feeling him stiffen with objection. "She'd be happy to know that she wasn't causing you trouble," she explained. Gradually, he relaxed again.

They fell silent for a moment. All she could do was hold on, gently hugging him from the side, leaning on him to let him know to be there. To let him know that she was still relying on him, no matter what.

"Ultear didn't leave her with you to be protected from the world," she softly said.

"Am I than easy to read?" Jellal's brows almost met but he smiled, if awkwardly.

"I like when I can read you," Erza mirrored the smile with a kind one. "Then I don't always have to squeeze it out of you," the corner of her mouth twisted humorously and he exhaled strongly through his nose. She gave a squeeze into her hug. His head turned away, though, back to watch Meredy's unmoving features.

"Being honest is harder when you don't want to hear it yourself, I guess…" he sighed, so she put her head back on his shoulder. "She shouldn't have gotten involved in all of this – she's still a child,"

"Maybe she was seven years ago,"

"She still is,"

"Didn't you say she might be older than me?"

"Only by a year…" he mumbled, caught, and she lifted her head, having to keep from putting her hands on her hips. With one of them, she found his, enclosing it where it was resting on his lap.

"You let me go on quests on my own,"

"It's not like I could keep you," he said between his teeth, but then eased a little. He really needed more sleep, she knew, already starting to form ideas on how to get him to recharge. To let himself do nothing for a while. "And I let her, too,"

"She just goes,"

"Same difference,"

"No, it's not. I know it gives you stomach aches when she's gone and you don't hear from her,"

"Well, after the last time I didn't hear anything, can you blame me?" Jellal retorted but without a hint of reproach. He sighed through his nose. He seemed to do so more often than breathe and she wished he would be doing it out of recreation and not sharply with those demons in his mind.

"You're not her keeper," Erza tried anew. "Ultear didn't appoint you to do it; you don't owe it to her," she calmly said. He listened, perhaps only due to being exhausted but it was a first. "And I know she feels overprotected – and that's not always a bad thing – but don't let it take you over this much," she gave his hand a squeeze. "Don't forget yourself."

He squeezed back, his chest rising and falling deeply.

"I'm sorry," he turned to her. Erza closed her eyes when his lips came to tenderly place a kiss on her forehead in silent thanks.

"Tell that to yourself,"

"I'd never,"

"You said you'd try," she blinked at him expectantly, though not strictly. Not rushing, she told herself, glad to be aware of her own flaws. He nodded in reply, turning back to watch over his guildmate for a few moments longer. She saw him close his eyes briefly, hoping he was trying, heart fluttering happily when assuming that he did.

They just sat there for minutes to pass. She surveyed him from the side, catching herself at some point to be tracing his jawline, marvelling at his eyes, adoring his hair. Her stomach twisted slightly, and she wanted to pull her hands away from his when feeling both palms to start to sweat. Still, she could not help herself.

"Jellal," Erza quietly started, "have you… ever thought about having-" she nearly jumped out of her chair when the door in their backs opened. Both turned, puzzled as to why there was a group of non-Fairy Tail Wizards entering.

"Erza," the leader of the three greeted.

"Hibiki," she stood.

"Sorry to be interrupting," Eve apologised. "We're here to pick up Ichiya," he explained. Ren was already bending over the bed of their weirdly inspiring teacher and the three politely excused themselves again after exchanging pleasantries and wishing them all the best and a quick recovery. They had probably heard the entire story, Erza assumed. She and Jellal followed out the room and down the stairs when Porlyusica returned from having had lunch, shooing everyone out of her domain.

"Master Makarov," Jellal bowed his head to once again ask permission to speak. She pondered as to when it would be a good point in time to address the topic – perhaps observation amongst the guild would be enough.

Makarov wheeled around a little more to face them.

"How is she?" He asked.

"The same, I'm afraid," Jellal said. "I wanted to ask you a favour, if it's not too much,"

"I'll be the judge of that," the Master's eyes twinkled playfully and Erza inwardly rejoiced at how he was bit by bit recovering his smug character again. Disciplined was never a bad thing, but seeing him this frail and serious had scared her. It still did.

"I… would like to wait for Meredy to be in a good condition until I join," he said. Team Natsu from behind the Master gasped. Erza could not help the pride her chest swelled with. She was surprised, however, that they had not been told before. "I know it's a lot to ask and the Council wanted an answer by today, and-"

"Oh, didn't the mail lose a batch of letters lately…?" Makarov innocently said, scratching his chin. Confused, Jellal stared. Erza had to roll her lips inwards, giving the cheekily grinning old man a look of strict amusement.

"Master," she scolded, though not serious. He grinned in return. It finally dawned on her beloved as well and she could see the concern melt off his face.

She nudged him, and he accepted right away when she proposed to go home. They stopped in their tracks when Makarov held out an envelope. Blinking, Jellal took it when it was obviously meant for him and not Erza. She frowned at the Council's wax seal.

Exchanging a glance, they wordlessly took it with them, leaving everyone – including themselves – in an anticipating silence. Lucy was the first to break it.

"He's joining?" she excitedly asked her Master who nodded coolly. "But… when…?" She wondered out loud.

"Well," the Master's croaking came next, "let's just say I made him an offer he couldn't refuse…" he disclosed with a hint of slyness in his tone.

"You sold Erza?!" Natsu burst out, receiving a hit from the Celestial Mage by his side. Shaking her head to herself, Erza ignored the riot they started, finally linking her arm with Jellal's and leaving for a little something that had just come to her mind.