The streets were quiet, at least more than she expected, maybe because of the cold wind which continued to sweep the city. Who would want to go out under the prelude of an hivernal storm? Not a sane person.

She buried her nose in the collar of Grey's coat when a new frosty breeze reached them. Although she had given it back to him when they were at the hotel, he had put it on her shoulders again at the moment they quit the pawnbroker's shop. She didn't need it; she could have just invoked a coat; however, she didn't refuse his gesture.

He had always been nonchalantly caring with her, like it was natural for him. And with years he had learnt to slit her armour. He was able to notice her discomfort without her needing to say anything; just by looking at her, he knew. It was nice to feel understood in a few glances.

Eventually time passed, and she found reassurance in his presence. Not that she needed it, but she appreciated it. To some extent he understood her and sometimes better than she did herself.

Her phone rang, and she breathed deeply before picking it up.

"So you found them?"

"Not yet. We are in the same city. We are trying to localise them, but it takes time."

"We left you two more days after this date; we will contact another guild. If you fail again, you won't receive any recompense, and you would have to respond to the destruction of public property and collateral victims caused by your guild; we have turned a blind eye in recent years. Some are imprisoned for less than that."

"Understood."

"Miss Scarlet, your failure is a dishonour for the name of your guild as well as for your reputation." And then the conversation was finished.

She slowed down and finally stopped. She had clenched her fists to contain her revulsion.

She was calm, self-controlled and diligent; she had always been, and working with Natsu had strengthened those abilities. She would never have lost her nerves against a figure of authority. However, she could not stand injustice or despotism, and that was exactly what the man on the phone embodied: pure abuse of power.

She exhaled deeply before catching up with Grey. She had asked him to pass in front when her phone rang.

" So you pick up the red phone ? "

"You know that had never been a telephone line."

"Yes, but the parallelism seems relevant."

She regarded him.

"I guess it is, if we consider the threatening aspect."

He looked at her, perplexed. She was not the type to endure threats without saying anything, but it seems that she did. She had to put her pride aside, and judging by her tensed figure, she had hated every second of it.

"Just tell them to go to hell."

He knew she couldn't. She respected authority more than him. Nonetheless, she didn't sermonise him as she would have normally done. She smirked.

"Let's go."

He nodded, and they continued to walk under the coming snow. She put her hands in her pockets, and he smiled, realising how big his coat was on her.

She didn't realise it was that late. She had underestimated the distance to the hotel and totally forgot she had the key to the bedroom she shared with Lucy.

"So you are saying that you left Lucy without any room?"

"I never do this type of mistake usually," she snorted, closing her eyes. She felt guilty; he could hear that and the anger towards herself.

"By all evidence "

She glared at him.

"Relax, Er'z, just kidding. It's not the end of the world; you thought we'd be here before them. She will understand anyway; she's surely sleeping with Wendy."

" No, Wendy is already sleeping with Carla."

"Alright, so she must be with Natsu, waiting for us patiently. All's well.

At least all was well. They stopped in front of the guys bedroom, and Grey knocked, but no one answered. He tried again, looking at her; still no response. So she tried more resolutely, but once again, no response.

They looked at each other without speaking. She was not the talkative type; Lucy was. However, right now she would have said anything to break the tension between them. Anything, so why does nothing come into her mind ?

One key. One bedroom. They had thought the same thing; she felt it. However, she tried to ignore it. They will just be sharing a room. That was not a big deal. That happens between friends.

"Okay, it seems useless to insist. Let's go. There is still another bedroom.

She yawned.

"Okay, sleepyhead."

"Don't call me like that."

He smirked, and she tried to glare at him, but her eyelids indicated she was drowsy. He smiled.

"You're tired, sweetheart."

The room was big. Not huge or giant but more than comfortable. She opened her suitcase, picking a pyjama before disappearing into the bathroom.

He walked around the room. Finally he opened the exterior door and took place on the balcony, half closing the door behind him.

It was still snowing, but the wind was calmer – almost nice. He silently observed the city in front of him shine into the dark night, asking himself what their life would look like now that the war was over.

Fairy Tail was his family, but since its disbandment, things were different for him, at least. He had suffered a lot, maybe too much. He had never been the golden retriever type, but the years passed, and the worse it was. Traumatic experiences accumulate, and he had strengthened his penchant for solitude.

Sometimes burdens were less suffocating when no one was in the surroundings. They seemed to vanish, drowned in more darkness. Maybe because he didn't lose energy to deny them. Proportionally his lies had improved too. He knew that was bad, at least not sane. But he stopped to pursue his sanity a long time ago. He was broken, and he tried to stick the shards of his life together. It works until it breaks again.

Depression had haunted him and still does. Sometimes, he could feel the ghost of his loss and regrets sitting on his heart, embracing it until he couldn't breathe anymore. But with time, these visits had become more spaced and fleeting.

He had learnt to handle traumas. He had had to anyway. First the loss of his parents, then the one of his master and even of her daughter. And it had been Jubia. Jubia loved him and cared for him at a point which seems crazy, like if she needed him to breathe. She had suffocated him. But at the end of the fairy tale, she was the only one to stay at his side.

When his adoptive family had disbanded, adding one more loss to the picture, she stayed. She had never been a constant in his life, but this day she became one. His family was not here anyway; friends as best friends and even the one his heart cherished in a special way had disappeared. He thought he was going to die. Years later, he became this broken and mournful little boy again. An orphan.

Then, he had lost himself in rage and resentment, letting the dark magic consume his soul in the vain hope that it could annihilate anguish and regrets. The last gift of his father has poisoned him.

She may not have been able to save him from himself, but her presence had kept him alive. Juvia Locksear had saved his life, and when he had thought he had lost her, it was one time too many. He had been blinded by anger and almost let his demons win. However, he had stopped himself at the last moment and spared Invel's life.

Then his fight against Natsu had happened, and this time he had not stopped himself. He lost too much. His anger was too huge. He was ready to kill his brother, the guy with whom he had grown up. At this moment, he had definitely lost his sanity; even with all her love, Jubia had never been able to reach him and had turned her back on him long ago. But when all was lost, she reappeared; she stopped him from a loss he would have never pardoned himself. It was her; it has always been her.

"Mavis! It's freezing, Grey.

She gasped after opening the bay window. She only wore her pyjamas: a black camisole with some lace and a short, which of course were not helping. Then she tried to remind herself who she was : Titania, the queen of the fairies. The one who survived to death multiple times; she wouldn't let the wind, as strong and cold as he could be, win against her. So she tried to ignore having goose bumps. Oh, Mavis ! She couldn't; she was literally freezing.

"Your resistance to cold is really pitiful."

"As an ice mage, your opinion is biased."

He sniggered. Yes, she was the one who lightened his mood even when he was lost in his darkness. He finally turned towards her; he was hallucinating. Of course she was freezing.

"You are half naked! Seriously go inside. There was no anger in his tone, only worry.

"When you will, I would like to sleep, fast please."

"Since when can't you sleep without me?"

His satisfied and sly tone made her roll her eyes as he smirked.

"I'm a light sleeper, Grey, and I have trouble falling asleep after I'm awakened. So if you could avoid waking me up by coming to sleep now, that would be great."

"All you want," said he while he was opening the bay window for them. His hand on her lower back guiding her.

"Any preference for the side? And don't be ridiculous proposing to sleep elsewhere; there is no couch."

"I didn't mean to."

She gasped before closing her mouth, speechless. It was bold.

"Okay, Lover Boy. I'm glad for you that you still have enough energy to flirt, but I don't. Can we sleep now?"

"I don't care for the side. Just take one, and I'll take the other."

So she did, and he switched off the light before joining her. They haven't had sleep in the same bed for years. He loses the habit of sharing a bed. Even when he lived with Jubia in this tiny house, both of them had their own bedroom, no matter how many times she tried. First because of envy and then because of the nightmares that made him shout in the dead of the night, they didn't sleep together. And usually he never stayed sleeping with the women with whom he had sex. So once again, Erza was special.

Suddenly he was taken out of his thoughts. He could sense she moved a lot. At first he didn't say anything. It was dark, and he didn't distinguish much, maybe she was just searching for a better position. But he clearly heard chattering teeth; she was not moving; she was shivering.

"Are you cold?"

"N…No "

"Really?" He knew sarcasm sounded harsh, as he knew she lied to avoid appearing vulnerable, and he respected it, but right now she was literally trembling. He turned towards her but only saw her back.

"Okay…maybe… a little." She made a pause between each word to catch her shaking breath.

"Can I touch you?"

"You rarely asked."

"Yes, because usually I can read your eyes, but I can't right now."

She nodded and heard him come closer before he passed his arm around her waist, bringing her closer to him. She held back a gasp, feeling his thumb absently rub her ribs as his warm breath fell on her neck. She was casually losing all her composure. Her heart raced and her breathing quivered.

She turned on herself to put back some distance he let her do until she stopped to move, then he tightened his grip around her waist, pulling her head upon his arm, pressing her against his warm and muscular chest. She tried to stay composed. Grey. It was only Grey. Just a friend. A very attractive, damn friend.

It's not like their friendship had never known an ambiguous moment. She felt her cheeks burn and her stomach agitated. But the warmth felt right, and unthinkingly, she relaxed and started to be sleepy again. No matter if it was bad. She felt so good in his arms, loved and secure.

"Seems you're starting to warm up. Why… were you… so cold ? " He murmured, with a husky voice, feeling sleepy.

"Believe it or not, but a rude guy… force me to catch… him outside to… sleep."

She had closed her eyes, and her words had faded more and more. As she nuzzled against him, her nose absently brushed his collarbone. While she curled up, finally setting her head on his chest, one arm lay on him and the other against her.

He watched her, enjoying seeing her so peaceful in his arms. She was beautiful. He wondered if he had started dreaming without realising it; it seemed almost unreal. Eventually he laid his chin on her head and let his fingers play abstractly with her long, soft locks, letting her calm breath drift him to sleep.