Hello and thank you so so much for all of your kind reviews!

Several of you have commented on Natsu sniffing the bed; thanks for letting me know you were amused by such a tiny detail; it was literally like one sentence but oh well :D Someone's gotta notice...

Also, and I can hardly believe it, several of you have said to have liked the fighting! THANK YOU! I really never consider myself to be good at them and I always take forever to even convince myself to start on writing them, so thank you so much for letting me know! It motivates me so much!

Isanien, such a long review, thank you so much! Love to read your opinion!

Because I'm so stunned, thanks to the guest who pointed the fight out! I appreciate it a lot!

To the guest who has an account and doesn't log in, I don't know either if I meant you xD and don't worry, the story won't end with them solving the poster guy thing. Also love how you just straight down defend Jellal having nearly killed someone xD that's love right there!

Somnolent Sushi Roll, as always, I look forward to your reviews the most! Thanks for mentioning the umbrella, too, I added that last minute while rereading; I'm glad you liked it!

Mitzy, Author-San thanks you for reviewing! I'm always very happy to do my very best and update soon when I get these wonderful reviews! Thanks a ton, you're too kind to let me drool at all of these paragraphs :D

Mikasa-Chan, welcome back and thank you so much for reviewing! And wow, did you seriously read all of it again? That's 170k words - more than double of Harry Potter 1(or two)!

Iiiin any case, I have no idea whether anyone reads all of this but I'm always glad to be showing my appreciation for such kind readers!

Hope you enjoy!

Morning came too quickly for Jellal's taste. Mira arrived with the sun's first beams, balancing a tray on one hand. She smiled sweetly when spotting them in the same infirmary bed instead of separate ones, Erza clutching Jellal with her arms around his back and her legs holding one of his captive. She was still asleep, though the noise, the light, and probably the unaccustomed bed made her stir.

"Good morning," Mira greeted and he grumbled something back, cursing at how croaking his voice was. Every muscle in his body ached, cramping when he moved them. They burned, howling at him to stay motionless. Erza gave a soft moan in her fading sleep, snuggling closer to keep the sun out of her face. It hurt like hell. Still, he stroked down her back and she sighed.

Sitting up, he enticed unintelligible complaining from his beloved. She blinked her eyes open, glancing up at his tired face. Then she wordlessly accepted, making herself comfortable with her head on his lap, hugging his stomach to her face. He smiled gently, having to blink to stay awake.

Mira's eyes shone fondly and with the hint of a tease he was sure she was saving up for later. She put down the tray onto a small table next to the bed, revealing two cups of freshly steaming tea.

"How are you feeling?" She asked in her carefree and friendly voice. He must have looked better than he felt, Jellal thought, uttering a 'fine' in return. "Would you like breakfast here or in the guild hall?" She offered and he picked the first option.

Silence fell after she had left the room and not without another broad smile at her sleepy guildmate. Jellal sighed under his breath. He sank with his back against the headboard, flinching when feeling the galvanic sting of the electrocution device shoot through his body, flaring up his sore muscles. Erza lifted her head.

"Are you okay?" She asked, blinking with the sun in her eyes. He put a hand on the top of her head, shielding the blinding beams with his arm.

"I'm fine. How about you?" He returned with concern. She hummed positive, absently. Her attention had wandered to his bandaged arm, noticing the dried blood. She shuffled under the blanket, pulling her legs beneath herself to kneel in front of him. She took the hand from atop her head, fingers mellowly tracing the protruding tendons to his fingers.

Tenderly, Erza ran the tips of her fingers along his hand. It was as if dipping a blistering burn into cold water – hurting like icy fire at first, then gradually soothing. He exhaled in relief. When having repeated her motion a few times, Erza cautiously fumbled for the end of the gauze. She took it off so slowly, it was as of waiting for protests. He remained quiet.

A small gasp escaped her lips when she caught sight of his mauled hand. His skin was still shredded, revealing to have exploded, burst from his raw, with blood crusted flesh and hanging off the sides. His knuckles were just as roughed-up as the rest, though still covered in scratched, harsh skin. From his wrist on, red scars ran up his arm in random patterns, as if having been struck by lightning. And then there was the slice of her sword, framed by several thin holes that perforated deeply.

"He is smart – he knew attacking you in your sleep would cost him a head," Jellal said, slightly lifting his arm with the cut. She frowned with pity, not letting herself be cheered up by his easy tone of voice. She brought the wound to her lips, placing a soft kiss on it.

"I'm sorry,"

"Don't worry," he said, cupping her face. Letting go of his arm, Erza put her hand over his on her jaw, leaning her cheek into it.

"I can't believe he would wait to attack until we were spent …" she muttered angrily. Jellal felt his cheeks flush with blood.

"I don't think he's that smart… right?" He asked. "I'm sure it was a coincidence," he said and she nodded.

"Even so, he got us good."

"And the window," he added. She gave him a look but he could see the tension lift from her shoulders. He dared to grin, conjuring a reluctant smile onto her face. She pushed her lips out in played annoyance, eyes sparkling playfully up at him.

"I know what you're thinking," he said upon which she lifted a brow, "you're just dying to tell me where the bathroom is," he said and she snorted with laughter. Genuinely smiling now, Jellal took the light hit to his chest.

"Turn right and down the hall," Erza said, shaking her head to herself, "it's the last door,"

"Thanks," he pecked her cheek, then made his way there.

"Yes?" Erza – now in her blouse and skirt – picked up, holding her communication lacrima to her ear. She glanced up to see Jellal return, who gave a questioning glace.

"Jellal?" The voice on the other end said and she recognised him to be Racer. Or Sawyer, she reminded herself.

"This is Erza," she informed.

"Is Meredy with him?" Sawyer asked, not even questioning whether his guildmate was there with her. It was rather obvious to anyone who knew them. She frowned, sitting down on the bed. Jellal sank down next to her, harking for the caller's voice.

"No, we haven't heard from her in days," Erza disclosed. She knew he had asked Meredy to come sometime, the day they had baked together. He had checked several times but his closest guildmate had never answered. It was uncomforting to know that there was no way to tell whether the messages had been delivered at all or whether she had simply not read them after receiving them.

"Oh, so you're a 'we' now..." the independent mage mocked, a smirk in his voice but she just put a hand on her hip.

"Of course we are, we've been together for months-" Erza nagged, noticing Jellal's waving hand and cringing expression, asking for the lacrima. With a short huff, she handed it over.

"Yes," Jellal greeted, pulling a face again at what she assumed to be more teasing remarks. He endured them, waiting for the next question. "No," he said. His gaze wandered to the window. "No, she wasn't," he went on. Erza watched the concern wrinkle his forehead. She reached for her comb, brushing her hair, eyes never leaving his back.

"I don't know, she didn't answer," Jellal replied into the lacrima, "right. Okay. Thanks, Sawyer." He ended, sighing after having found the red icon on the screen.

"Do you think something happened?" Erza asked, frowning with pity at his distressed expression. She gestured for him to come over, letting him untangle her hair, knowing it calmed him, if only a little.

"It's not like her not to answer…" he muttered, "and Sawyer says she comes by at least once a week at Richard's café," he added.

"Perhaps Juvia has seen her," Erza tried to comfort. As if summoned by her name being spoken, the Water Mage entered the room after Team Natsu. They asked how the couple was, bringing breakfast and more unsettling news.

"Ichiya?" Erza tilted her head with bewilderment. She straightened it again when it messed with the braid Jellal was doing, sitting behind her, legs crossed.

"Hibiki said he went missing a few days ago," Lucy retold.

"Meredy is missing, too," Erza joined. Juvia's eyes widened with worry.

"The good thing is, those guys in the dungeon are awake – Mira is grillin' 'em," Natsu grinned mischievously. Erza nodded. She fully trusted the She-Devil to be able to get pretty much anyone to talk. And she was very skilled when it came to spotting a lie. She had been the first to eye Erza differently when her relationship with Jellal had still been somewhat of a secret.

That, and she could be rather sadistic.

"Levy found a fitting sample," Wendy piped up. She had come towards the bed, now glancing politely from Jellal's busy, wrapped-up hand to his face.

"It's that bar in the west quarter," Gray supplied.

"The ginger dip…" Erza muttered conspiratorially. Jellal had finished Erza's braid, letting Wendy try again to heal his hand and arm. Erza swallowed when seeing how shoving up the other sleeve revealed more holes.

"We wanted to wait, though," Wendy said. "For Warren to return from his mission and for you to rest up a bit," she smiled and Erza returned it gratefully. She still felt a little dizzy from whatever she had inhaled but she knew that Jellal needed the break more than her. She was glad for it to be given.

The couple left the guild with Wendy, Charle and, surprisingly, Laxus. The unimpressed S-Class Mage followed them like a shadow – a huge shadow –, lips sealed for most of the way and even inside the house. Erza locked the front door again and they all stared at the broken window and crumpling wall in the bedroom after Laxus had moved the dresser aside.

Jellal made them all tea and later, they went on a most awkwardly silent trip to buy a new window. While Wendy and Erza could chat, she knew that her beloved felt very uncomfortable in the presence of the Lightning Dragon Slayer. She was more than curious about what they had been discussing in the meantime. She decided not to ask now, simply flopping into bed the second their shortly appointed bodyguards had left.

She glanced to the side out of one eye, watching Jellal inspect the shards around the window frame. They had not yet come up with a solution for the cracked wall but it was not as urgent. His movements were still stiff and he flinched at certain angles he bent his torso, avoiding them then. She frowned with pity and thankfulness. And she hoped for them to have more than just one day before setting off again. That fact that he would be coming along lifted her spirits, though – it gave her peace of mind to know where he was. That she could keep him safe, too.

"Bath?" Erza asked. Jellal turned, obviously having been lost in thoughts, taking a moment to process her words. Then he smiled, accepting.

Two days later, the new window had arrived. Jellal had watched intently how it had been installed, then scrutinised the sealed off edges again.

Ever since seeing the blistering lightning scars all across his back, paired with countless dark purple bruises that cluttered his torso, Erza had stuck to him like a magnet in the shower or bath. She would sit behind him, either distracting from the pain with as much gentleness as the usually fierce warrior could summon or covering every last bit in soothing balm to help the healing process. Wendy had come once but used most of her time on his hand which he was able to use again by now.

Erza newly bandaged his wounds every day, forbid him to do anything straining and uttered by far less wishes than usual. Still, he was exhausted. So was she, but her sometimes fussy stomach and concern for him were not yet enough to keep her from sleeping. She knew he hardly did, breaking his head over everything and anything. Harking into the night, staying alert and rising with the sun without having closed his eyes for more than a few hours.

Erza often pondered whether it would have been a better idea to sleep at the guild for those cold nights with the unrepaired window – and beyond. But he felt a lot more comfortable at home and she found she could do him that favour, not minding either way as long as he was there.

"You know you'll have to let me pay if you guys disband the guild." Erza said, sipping her water. He remained quiet for a moment, thinking. Of course she was right, he knew, and it seemed as if all members of Crime Sorcière would agree but… then what? He could not just live off her hard-earned money.

Picking up his own glass, Jellal took a careful gulp to buy himself more time. He knew she had taken him out to a restaurant to distract off his worries, more than to spare him the cooking as she had argued. He was glad either way – most of all since it had spared him her cooking. Eating out brought new concerns, however, and he eyed her closely with every bite she took, as if waiting for her to throw up on the spot.

Erza showed no signs of disgust about her lunch. On the contrary – she even ordered a second helping.

Closing his eyes briefly, he prepared to ask. He already knew she would never utter a single word of doubt but perhaps that encouragement was exactly what he needed. He took the chance.

"Do you… really think it would be a good idea if I joined Fairy Tail?" He dared, almost as a sigh. His brain felt sore with the thought, as if having run over hot coals on bare feet for hours on end. Right after those confusing blatant 'hints' she gave towards marriage, joining her guild caused most of his everyday tribulations.

"Of course it would!" Erza exclaimed, a little too excited. She leaned back into her chair again when people looked over. He sighed. He could not meet her eyes when she was one hundred percent positive while he only dwelled in the lower forties.

"But I caused everyone so much trouble..." he argued.

"No, you caused me a lot of trouble," she retorted straight-faced, continuing to eat. He sighed again, knowing that she was just teasing but feeling guilty anyway. Noticing, Erza put her cutlery down. She reached across the table to find his hand and he almost had to laugh at the speed she tried to munch down her food in order to be able to give him a speech.

"I've humiliated the guild at the Grand Magic Games," he said before she was done.

"That wasn't your fault; it was 'Mystogan'," she gave back almost immediately after having swallowed.

"Don't you think that most people still associate me with him? How he made everyone miserable whenever he was there,"

"Okay, hold up there," she held up on palm. "Sleeping is not the same thing as miserable,"

"I mean the confus-"

"I for one have never been happier than when going to bed for the last months," she linked her fingers with his and he blushed, stunned. She used that opening to strike anew. "And Mystogan is neither someone who is disliked in Fairy Tail, nor does anyone confuse you with him. We've been over that.

"Apart from that, you failed to mention the time you saved us by merging with the lacrima of the Tower of Heaven and directing its beam into the sky," Erza went on and he kept quiet. "Or when you sacrificed yourself for the destruction of Nirvana,"

"Which failed completely..." Jellal muttered, eluding her gaze again.

"And when you saved us all by pushing Acnologia into the time rift,"

"I didn't do that, the ship did,"

"You went out there to do it." Her voice picked up urgency and he felt her eyes burn into him to find his. "You were ready to die for our sakes; for the world's sake," she squeezed his hand and, after a moment of hesitation, he squeezed back. "Jellal, you've saved me countless times, and if you hadn't, Fairy Tail might have never had a 7th Guild Master – if anything, we owe you."

"I did that to help you, Erza, not the guild..."

"You protected me and Wendy both against Acnologia. You would make a wonderful guildmate," she brushed her thumb along his palm, and when he didn't respond, continued. "And you did help us win the Grand Magic Games.

"If it hadn't been for you, Natsu and the others wouldn't have unlocked their second origin and we might not have made it into the second round at all," she said but he shook his head.

"That was Ultear, not me," he pointed out, catching himself to only be speaking up when being able to object.

"But you brought her. You came back," he looked up at the slight wobble in her voice. On the brink of tearful, Erza softly smiled at him.

"To you." He said firmly, finally able to meet her eyes. They shone like a kaleidoscope in the light of the chandelier, capturing him in their beauty.

She gave his hand one last squeeze, then let go to continue eating.

"And anyway, I'll cut down whomever doesn't accept you," she stabbed her fork into her food and he undisputedly believed her. "Oh, by the way, we wanted to meet up to discuss some tactics later," Erza changed topics again. This time, it did for once not occur to him that it was also a means of distraction while at the same time relevant. "At Lucy's place,"

"For the mission?"

"Exactly," she nodded. "I'm sure Mira did a splendid job and was able to see through their lies, but we can never be too sure. He might have lied to those henchmen in the first place – or he might know that they haven't returned and set up a trap,"

"Expecting us,"

"I'm sure he is,"

"Or she,"

"What?" Erza frowned. The pickled beetroot slipped off her fork. She picked it back up, chewing without ceasing to watch him.

"For all we know, it could be a woman, too," Jellal supplied. He could see her ponder whether they had ever considered that as a possibility. Just like the fact that the person who had spilled gravy on their wanted poster was the same as the restaurant owner of said gravy – it could have well been someone having eaten there only once.

Still, he knew that they would follow that clue anyway. It was their only lead. That and the captured men in the guild's dungeon.

"You should mention that," she said, sipping her water.

"Mention…?"

"You're coming," Erza said decidedly. Jellal glanced at her from below, taking his time with choosing his next bite. And he was running out of them. He needed a moment to collect his thoughts and he could feel her knowing gaze, being aware of him making up arguments against going. "Jellal," Erza crossed her arms as she leaned back in her seat, "you-"

"I know, I know," he sighed, avoiding her eyes. "I asked to come along so I have to go to the meeting as well,"

"You always have such smart ideas; just look at how you guided us through that seized village,"

"But those were my previous targets,"

"So? You've been on jobs before," she stuffed her mouth with another beet.

"I didn't mean-"

"They were strangers to you before you started investigating,"

"I wasn't being watched then,"

"Meredy was there,"

"Not all the time,"

"But for seven years, she was," Erza pointed out. And at him with her fork. He exhaled sharply through his nose. Slowly, her shoulders fell. She let her features soften along her voice, though the slightly desperate frown remained. He cut her off when she had only just opened her mouth.

"I never said I wasn't coming," Jellal said, still keeping his gaze on his by now empty plate. With sympathy and the tiniest hint of exasperation, Erza kept quiet. She called for the bill and only broke the silence once they had returned home.

There, she carefully wrapped her arms around his torso, nuzzling her face into his back.

"Help me make a snack for later?" She asked in her own way of asking for things. She waited for another heartbeat, then opened her mouth but he surprised her by answering first.

"I had wanted to try making mochi sometime…" he mumbled and she smiled widely at that. "They'd be practical to carry around," he added. Erza shoved herself further into his back, nosing where she knew it to be the least cluttered with bruises. It hurt but he did not mind.

They hardly ever spoke those special three words but he felt them every day, with every of her gestures, hoping to be transferring similar emotions.

"No peeking!" Lucy yelled at Natsu who deliberately leaned over to have a look at her deck. She fumed more comments at him and he shrugged, eyeing his own cards more critically. Happy whispered something into his ear, having spied to the other side. Half of the group howled in dismay when his next move did them no good.

Erza smirked to herself. She had seen it coming. She had already calculated every possibility in her head, now plucking at the card she would play at her turn. Gray made a face at the deck in his hands while Juvia pointed at a certain one, quietly but insistently trying to persuade him of her strategy.

They had discussed tactics for their mission for hours. Everyone had been delighted by the desert Jellal and Erza had made, then even more when Wendy had announced to have brought her cards, diving into a round right after finishing with quest related topics. A single round had turned into several ones but their fighting spirit was still ablaze.

All but Jellal's, Lucy noticed. She jerked her head towards Erza, directing everyone else's attention, too.

He had been nervous from the start, having understood right away that Lucy had not invited them but rather that they had invited themselves. He had kept to himself, trying to merge with the furniture and generally been the quietest, most pleasant and undisturbing guest one could have.

When the game had started and Wendy had apologised for only having one deck, they had formed teams – Natsu and Happy, Gray and Juvia, Erza and Jellal, and Lucy, Wendy and Charle. He had volunteered to just watch but Erza had not let him, asking his advice as often as her ambition had allowed. Still, he had observed for most of the time, captured by her sitting between his crossed legs.

Distracted from her move by Lucy's jerking head, Erza glanced to the side without turning. Jellal's head was still on her shoulder where he had peered into her cards. Only now, it hung a little. His eyes were closed, his breathing even and his hands over her stomach had ceased their unsuspicious strokes.

Erza smiled warmly.

"Is he asleep?" Natsu asked, tilting his head. Lucy shrugged with a nod and a smile of herself.

"Juvia's body can hold Gray, too," Juvia offered, trying to crawl below her crush's arm and into his lap.

"You make it sound so weird!" Gray grumbled, shoving her away. Her face fell into a sorrowful pout as she retreated. As unnoticed as possible, he nudged her lightly, and she brightly smiled at him, taking the invitation – or permission, as he would call it in front of others – to at least lean against his side.

Erza watched Jellal from the corner of her eye. She felt sorry for him, constantly exhausted and concerned for his two most important persons. The uncertainty of Meredy's situation – whether it was serious or nothing at all to worry about – was making him insane, shown clearly by the darkening rims below his eyes. It looked as if weights were pulling his lids down.

"Maybe we should wait another day…?" Wendy proposed, and Lucy nodded, though indecisive. They all knew they had to act as fast as possible if they wanted to avoid information of their undertaking to leak to their target.

"It should be alright; he's more of an early bird," Erza attempted to assure, her tone gentle as she regarded him. At the sound of her voice, Jellal blinked his eyes open, taking him more and just one moment. They were so reluctant to obey and so small from tiredness. He really had dozen off.

Erza put her cards down, then lifted a hand to cup his jaw.

"How about we get some sleep before tomorrow?" She asked. He supressed a yawn, triggering one from her and she infected half her team with it. With a deep sigh of forced concentration to stay awake, Jellal raised his head off her shoulder.

"If you like," he said, never placing his own needs before hers. Though trying, she found, since he had given the opportunity for her to decide in his favour. And that was clearly sleep.

He walked home with dragging boots. Erza watched his closed eyes with pity while he brushed his teeth.

"Don't you think she could have lost it?" Erza proposed and it took him almost a minute to follow, shaking his head. She knew his thoughts were with Meredy as much as with the head hunters.

"No, she never- well…" he rubbed his head, raking his fingers through his hair, "hm… perhaps…" he yawned. His frown did not ease but his shoulders sank. Erza pulled on him, insisting on having him lay on her, hoping dearly for the magic that had made him sleep in the other night to work again.

He did fall asleep before her, almost immediately and she prayed for his for once deep slumber to stay awhile.