" When do we arrive ? "

Natsu was sick but he tried to pretend the contrary. He refused Wendy's help, he was too angry against Erza to be receptive at any support sorts and Wendy couldn't help someone who refused it. Atmosphere was tensed no matter how the girls, except Erza who was silent, and Happy tried to colour it.

" Less than one hour "

" I was not addressing to you "

Erza didn't said anything, she just looked at him until he stopped to glare at her with haughtiness. She was patient and he was sicked : she knew that even all his anger couldn't fight the sickness eternally, so she waited until the nausea be stronger than his hatred and finally he looked down.

She hated be in conflict with any of her friend. She really wanted to reconcile with him but she knew he was not ready to heard what she had to say. Talking would had been useless, so she did the best thing she could : she waited. Natsu was impulsive but not resentful. The anger would pass and eventually they could have a conversation.

After ten minutes Wendy began to be nauseous too. Natsu fought ten more minutes before collapsing on Lucy's knees while Wendy was alseep against Grey's arm.

" It will pass to him " said Lucy trying to improve the mood.

" I know it will but he is right " She talked absently. Objectively he was right, the Council force her to obey. This mission was not ordinary, that much was obvious. At first, it was a simple confidential request, but as time went by, this confidentiality seemed to hide a lack of official authorization, to the point that she began to doubt the legal aspect of this request.

"Don't be too hard on yourself !"

She hadn't expected that outburst, but Lucy's voice pulled her out of her thoughts. The blonde almost immediately looked down at Natsu, surprised, and covered her mouth. Apparently, she hadn't planned on speaking so loudly either.

"You're the leader, you make the difficult choices and we follow you. We know it's not that easy for you. You're the one who makes the hard decisions."

Lucy hopped she had find the good words. She knew that Erza was too strong and sophisticated to share any dismay if she ever crossed it. She was impassible.

" You always tried to protect everyone, that's your problem Erz'" Grey turned towards her, his voice was calm and composed and for an abstruse reason it was relaxing.

" Nevermind. Let's just finished this mission "

She made a terrible rictus but Lucy smiled back

Gray didn't try to comfort her. He had already defended her in front of everyone by stopping Natsu earlier, he didn't want to cross the line again and risk hurting her pride. She was hurt but he knew she preferred to handle it alone, at least that's what he would have preferred and they were quite similar, so he pretended to not see anything. That was how it was between them, she respected his privacy and he had enough respect for her to do the same.

" We will go on the hotel to register us. You could begin to investigate during this time "

" Perfect ! "

" Aye Sir ! "

But even all the enthusiasm of Lucy and Happy could not elicit a smile from Natsu. The three of them gone letting Erza Grey and Wendy. Grey got Lucy's suitcase and they left to the hotel.

" Carla, look at this a coffee shop ! Cherria talks about it all the time "

Erza and Grey exchanged a look before looking at Wendy and the stars in her eyes.

" Just go girls. I will send you the address. Try to take advantage of it to gather information. We will all meet up this evening."

Wendy and Carla nodded and Erza took Wendy's suitcase with her. For once she didn't take her usual among of luggage but just a suitcase so she could handle Wendy and Clara stuff.

" The name of the reservation please ?"

" Scarlet and Dragneel"

It was not a palace like their previous hotel but a two stars hotel. She especially paid attention to its location in the center of the city more than anything else but it was a charming place. The receptionist searched one more minute before smiled to them.

" Humm. Two Bedrooms one suit with an extra bed and a single one with two beds for your Dragneels' friends but you pay for the all. That was that ? "

" Yes totally "

Suddenly the man had loosen his smile staring at the screen with obvious contrariety then confision.

" I'm sorry but it seems that the suit is not avaible anymore, a couple had also reserved it and i gave them the key hour ago. I'm confused I don't understand how is it possible "

Erza tried to smiled regarding the hour. It was already quarter to two. Grey tried to hide his impatience too. Objectively this man had nothing to do with this and it would be unfair to hold it against him, especially since it wouldn't help them resolve the situation any faster.

" I don't know what to said to you. There is no other suits and i supposed you wanted to be with your child. Otherwise I could propose to you two classical bedrooms with one bed king size "

The two of them look at each other trying to not laughing but they regain composure. They had mages to find and had loosen enough time.

" It will be perfect. No worry"

" Are you sure ? "

" Yes totally. Thanks "

" One of the bedroom had a balcony and I will made a gesture on the price "

They thanked the man while an employee took their luggages and accompanied them to the bedrooms.

First they gone in a shop to buy sunglasses and he chosed a bandana to cover bis messy pink hair because even if he was angry against Erza he didn't want the mission failed because of him. Time was passing fast. Lucy smiled she laughed also and just like that, because he was with her, his gloomyness started to vanished.

" Are you still angry ? "

" Never against you "

Lucy blushed and tried to ignore it by punching his arm in a more playful than hurtful way. He absently pretended to be hurt while he was thinking of what he had said. Even him was surprised by his response.

Usually, he was cautious with this type of topics, deliberately pretending to be oblivious, when he was more than aware that the line between his friendship with Lucy and something else was very blurred.

But this affected dumbness translated nothing more than selfishness : he pretended to not see their situationship by speaking of good friendship because he knew that, as long he would do it, Lucy would be unsure. She was waited for him to do the first move and he knew it ; it was the better compromise he had found.

He couldn't just let her go, she was become too important for him but she was not enough to force him to give up his freedom. Only the idea of having to explain himself on what he did of his free time or his mysterious disappearance was enough to stifle him. It was selfish, he was selfish.