Meredy lets the breeze cool her face and tangle her hair. There's no longer a need for the hood she's grown so accustomed to over the years. She doesn't have to hide, even here in the capital of Crocus where most officials would have captured her right away. She's free.

The other members of Crime Sorciere are elsewhere. Jellal had some things to discuss with Her Majesty, so he's still at the palace. Sorano went to visit her sister with promises of returning late that evening, dragging Richard and Sawyer with her, one more excited than the other. Erik and Macbeth went somewhere more peaceful, or at least they claimed that was what they were going to do. Meredy thinks they just want an excuse to be antisocial.

And Meredy herself? She's sitting on a high wall by the palace, letting herself relish in her freedom.

"Huh? Meredy?"

At the sound of her name, she looks down. The man standing on the cement path is Lyon Vastia, she realises, and she's just as surprised to see him as he is to see her. She's only really met him when there's been a war of some kind, so it's strange seeing him in such a casual setting. Her first instinct is to rush off, to protect her identity, but then she remembers that she doesn't have to and grins, jumping off the wall to land in front of him.

"Hi, Lyon," she says, holding back a giggle at the dumbfounded look on his face. "What brings you to Crocus?"

"A job, but -" He shakes his head. "I really feel like I should be asking you that."

"Her Majesty wanted an audience with Crime Sorciere," she says, an excited shiver running down her spine as she remembers the queen's words. She can still hardly believe it's real. "We've been pardoned!"

Lyon blinks before grinning widely. "That's great! So, you don't have to hide away anymore?"

She nods, folding her hands behind her. "Nope, I don't have to hide. None of us do." She scans the scenery around them. The citizens walking by are none-the-wiser to her, and she no longer has to worry about whether they actually do see her or not. "They've all gone to celebrate, we'll join up together tonight, depending on when Sorano and the others get back."

"Well, congratulations," Lyon says, leaning against the wall. She joins him a moment later. "You deserve it for all the help you've given us."

All Meredy says is, "Thanks," because she can't really agree, not whole-heartedly. When one has spent so long attempting to atone for their crimes, it's difficult to say they actually deserve something at the end of it. Instead, she changes the subject. "So, what's the job you have here?"

"Dark guild rumours," Lyon says, tone a tad more serious than before. "None of us think anything will come of it now that Zeref's gone, but there are still people here and there. We've had a lot of job requests that just want us to investigate."

Meredy nods slowly. Just because the dark wizard himself is now gone doesn't mean all of his followers are. She doubts they'll hold nearly as much power now, but it's best to find them and stop them before things start getting out of hand. "The worst is over, so if we can all survive Alverez and Zeref, we can survive this. Still - good luck."

There's hint of arrogance to his smile that she's never seen before, but in his defence, they were hardly in positions to smile whenever they'd met prior. "Thanks, Meredy. I should get going, but before that -"

He joins his hands together, and before she can remember why that gesture seems familiar, ice has begun to form. A single stem forms, petals shaping the top. She can't help but cover her mouth with her hands as she realises what it is.

An ice rose.

A smile makes her way to her face as she takes the rose by the stem, turning it over in her hands. "Thanks," she says, eyes alight.

He looks away, but the corners of his mouth are upturned. "See you," he says before walking off, raising a single hand in goodbye.

They meet again a few months later in October during Magnolia's Harvest Festival. He would be lying if he said he wasn't somewhat here for Gray and Juvia, but if anyone were to ask, it's because Chelia dragged him. It could be worse. Magnolia is a friendly place, and the atmosphere is bright and welcoming. It's a complete turn-around from how it was when he was assisting in its restoration.

He's walking along the river path, wondering where Chelia's run off to, when he hears her voice.

"Lyon? Lyon!"

He stops and turns as Meredy runs to catch up with him. She's dressed for the occasion, her dress a reddish hue that matches the autumn leaves, and he can't help but think she stands out among the other festival-goers. Her smile is as bright as the one she wore last he saw her. He wonders if she's always like this when there isn't an impending battle.

"I didn't expect to see you here," she says.

"Chelia forced me to come," he says, shrugging in what he hopes is a non-committal way. "Wendy told her about the festival and she insisted. What about you?"

"I wanted to be here," she says, and he doesn't doubt her for a second. "I'm not the only one. Jellal's here for Erza, obviously, and Erik's here for Kinana. Richard convinced the others to come. He was really excited. Are you staying for the Fantasia Parade?"

He starts walking again, gesturing for her to follow. She does. "That was the intention. Are you?"

"Yep! I haven't seen it before, so it'll be fun to, I think. I saw Millianna earlier and she was telling me about it. Then she got distracted by a cat."

The two walk around for some time after that, visiting stalls and talking about what's happened since they last saw each other. He tells her about Chelia's magic and how she's working her hardest to build it up again as well as the different jobs he's been on, some alone, some with the rest of his team. She tells him about Crime Sorciere's slow migration back to society and the shenanigans they all get up to. He thinks their idea to open an orphanage is particularly admirable, and he tells her as much.

The sun has almost disappeared over the horizon when a voice breaks through the street's chatter. "Attention, everyone! The Fantasia Parade will be commencing shortly! Please line up along the main street behind the banners if you wish to attend!"

Meredy all but squeals, almost dropping her cotton candy. "Finally! I thought it'd never start!" She takes his hand and starts pulling him in the direction of the main street.

He lets her do as she pleases until he spots another familiar head of pink hair in the crowd and pauses. "Chelia's over there, let's go." This time he's the one to pull her along, and she doesn't resist.

"Chelia, there you are," he says, earning the young girl's attention.

"Oh, there you are! About time, there's only a minute or so 'til it starts!" she says, then tilts her head as she spots Meredy. "Oh, uh - Meredy, right?"

Meredy smiles and briefly waves. "Yep, that's me."

Chelia opens her mouth to say something else, but her gaze falls on the two's hands and raises an eyebrow at Lyon. She's not as jealous as she would have been a while ago (he suspects that her sights are elsewhere). In fact, she seems smug.

He quickly drops Meredy's hand and ignores the way she snickers beside him. He's just lucky the parade starts then and there.

There are so many members of Fairy Tail that he doesn't recognise, he realises, but he still thoroughly enjoys the procession. It isn't the first time he's seen the parade in full swing, but it's been far too long since the last time that it's almost like a whole new experience. Chelia is certainly enjoying herself, cheering for people he's sure she's never met before, but his attention is constantly drawn to Meredy.

He watches her out of his peripheral vision. Her eyes are lit up, face illuminated by the parade's lights, and she seems to be having difficulty staying still. It concerns him when he thinks that maybe, just maybe, he would rather watch her than the parade itself. The thought forces him to shake his head and focus on the parade yet again.

He's starting to recognise more people as the parade continues, and he quickly looks towards the end of the street when he hears Meredy exclaim, "There's Juvia! Gray, too!"

It doesn't surprise him that Gray and Juvia are on a float together. Not only are their elements similar, but they are dating now. And not a moment too soon, as he'd told his 'brother' when he first heard the news all those months ago, earning him in a punch in the shoulder. It had been completely worth it, though.

As he watches Juvia, he's only mildly surprised that he doesn't feel anything. He's glad to see a friend, of course, but that's all. Whether his feelings began to fade once Gray finally made his move or whether it started long before then, he doesn't know, but he's glad either way. While he would never admit it outright, he really is happy for Gray. The two of them deserve it after all they've been through.

"They're so happy," Meredy says in a soft voice, smile serene.

He makes a single noise in agreement.

The parade continues until Makarov's float crosses the ending point. The audience cheers so loudly that Lyon's sure their voices will all be sore later, but he can understand their enthusiasm. Fairy Tail sure does know how to put on a good show.

As the crowd begins to dissipate, Chelia turns to him, full of energy as always. "I'm gonna see Wendy. C'mon, I'm sure she's with Gray and Juvia, too!" She pauses, the smirk back on her face. "Unless you want to stay." Her eyes flicker to Meredy, who is watching a particularly rowdy group of people attempt to dance like Lucy and Cana had during the parade.

He manages to keep his face expressionless as he says, "No, I'll come with you." He turns to Meredy and taps her on the shoulder, directing her attention. "Chelia and I are heading over to see the others."

"Oh, fair enough," Meredy says with a smile. "I'm gonna hunt down the rest of my guild mates, wherever they are." She laughs. "It was nice seeing you. Bye!"

She runs off into the crowd as both Lyon and Chelia say goodbye. Lyon finds himself disappointed to see her go.

Queen Hisui has really outdone herself this time, Meredy can't help but think as she takes in the ballroom's scenery. She doesn't think she's ever seen a room this big in her entire life, and especially not one as nicely decorated, nor as crowded. The room is dark, illuminated solely by fairy lights and glowing centrepieces that change form every so often.

The guilds of Fiore have all been invited to a ball to celebrate the incoming new year, and Meredy is still surprised that Crime Sorciere was invited, let alone actually here in the presence of the other legal guilds. It's all a bit overwhelming, really, but she isn't about to complain. Not when she has food and drinks and friends. This is the first new year she's actually celebrated rather than treating the holiday like every other day. It makes a nice change.

She watches the people on the dance floor, recognising more than she thought she would. Erik and Kinana are off to the side in a dark corner, whispering to each other, while Jellal is leading a slightly flustered Erza. Sorano had practically ordered all the other men from Crime Sorciere to dance with her, and had even dragged Meredy to dance on multiple occasions, so there's barely a time where she isn't dancing. Richard is her current partner, simply because Sawyer and Macbeth have escaped somewhere she can't find them.

Sipping her wine, she takes a seat in the corner of the room, unfazed by the darkness. She's alone for five to ten minutes before someone sits beside her and she hears the familiar, "Meredy."

She smiles over her wine glass at Lyon. "Evening. Enjoying the night?"

"Of course. I like a good party," he says, scanning the room just as she had done earlier. "And you?"

"I love it," she says. "I've never been to a ball before. Or a party in general, really, unless you count the Harvest Festival." She can't help but smile at the memory. It was definitely a fun time. "Are the rest of your guild here?"

"A good number of them," Lyon says. "You've met Chelia, I left her dancing with Wendy, Carla, and Happy. I don't know if you've met anyone else from Lamia Scale, but my teammates are most likely together somewhere, Toby making a ruckus, and I know Sherry is with her husband. He's one of the Trimens."

Meredy can only vaguely put names to faces. "I remember them, sort of. From the Grand Magic Games. I was focused on so much else at the time, but I do remember the battles. You were impressive."

There's that arrogance again when he smiles, and she briefly wonders if it was a good idea to inflate his ego. "Well, of course," he says. "Fairy Tail did win, though."

"That's because they're Fairy Tail," Meredy says, watching the Strauss siblings pass by, dancing together. "They have a knack for making the impossible possible. And I can't say I wasn't rooting for them to win. I owe them a lot."

Even her life. If it hadn't been for Juvia, she most likely would have died a long time ago.

"So do I."

His words surprise her, but she reminds herself that Lyon has known Fairy Tail far longer than she has, and so it's very likely that he was in a similar position to her. Not only does Fairy Tail make the impossible possible, but they excel at turning enemies to friends.

Before she can respond, perhaps ask what he means, he sets his empty glass on a nearby table and offers his hand. "May as well join in on the fun, yes?"

Ignoring the fluttering in her stomach, she takes his hand and lets him lead her onto the dance floor. "I'm warning you, I'm not that great a dancer."

"Then I'll lead," he says. "Just try not to concentrate on your feet too much. Rookie mistake."

Meredy nods and focuses on his chest. She'd never realised how different their heights were until now, but she's secretly thankful for it, because she doesn't think she would be able to handle looking him directly in the eye. She doesn't dwell on why that is, convincing herself she would be awkward looking into anyone's eyes. It's easier to forget that she isn't usually an awkward person to begin with.

She looks up only to peer over Lyon's shoulder, catching Jellal's raised eyebrow as he and Erza pass by. She copies his expression and pokes her tongue out. The childish action has him rolling his eyes, but he's smiling. She thinks seeing Erza has put him in a better mood.

"Should I be concerned that you're sticking your tongue out at a refined party such as this?"

At first, she's a little embarrassed at being caught out, but that disappears once she looks up and sees the amusement in Lyon's eyes. "I was just messing with Jellal. I think he was surprised to see me dancing with someone other than Sorano. He's usually so serious, it's good for him to lighten up a little."

"Erza's doing, I suspect," Lyon says with a knowing look. "It's the same reason Gray is in a better mood tonight."

He turns his head to the side and Meredy follows his gaze, smiling slightly when she sees Gray and Juvia. She doesn't doubt for a second that Gray wouldn't dance with anyone for so long and so closely if it were anyone else, and she once again feels happy for her friend. Focusing her attention on Lyon once more, she's surprised to see him smiling the same way she is, but when she thinks about what that might mean, she feels much better about it.

"You're happy for him, aren't you?" It's a statement, not a question.

Lyon whips his head around, forehead creased and mouth open as though he's about to deny everything, but his long pause doesn't do him any favours. His face relaxes. "A little. It was about damn time."

She giggles and watches a dusted pink spread across his cheeks.

She's far more comfortable after that, able to converse with ease, and she's gotten the hang of dancing, too. It's easier when she has a good teacher, and she tells him as much. She doesn't know how long they continue for, just dancing and conversing, but she knows that once he has to excuse himself to deal with one of his guild mates (Toby, if the shout from across the ballroom was any indication) her feet are sore and she's regretting every wearing heels. Yet the pain doesn't wipe the exuberant smile off her face as she returns to the corner she'd been sitting in before his arrival.

Not even five minutes later, the seat beside her is taken once again, this time by Juvia. Gray trudges along behind her, a drink in his hand.

"Meredy! Are you having fun?"

Meredy feels a sense of deja vu and laughs lightly. "I am! It's been so much fun."

Juvia's expression becomes playful as she hides her smile behind her hand. "Oh, I'm sure. Lyon-sama is very gentlemanly, isn't he?"

Despite herself, Meredy feels her face flush and she looks away. Even Gray's wearing a tiny smirk. Juvia really has done wonders with him. She just wishes that it wasn't at her expense. "Well, of course. We're friends."

She doesn't know if that's the right word for it. Acquaintances would probably be better, but she likes to think of them as friends. She wants to be friends. There's nothing wrong with indulging herself just this once, right?

"Friends, of course," Juvia says, lowering her hand. "Though if Juvia didn't know any better, she might say you two were a little more than that."

Meredy laughs because she doesn't know what else to do. "No, no, it's not like that at all, I promise."

And while she's (almost) sure it's the truth, her stomach drops as she says it.

Lyon would give anything to be back at Lamia Scale, preparing for another job. The Christmas and New Year holidays had been fantastic, and everyone is still in high spirits in early February, when the snow is starting to melt and make way for spring. He had been the same way, ready to take on another year. And then he'd received the letter in the mail.

Lyon Vastia,

We regret to inform you that your relative Ultear Milkovich has passed away. It is our duty to express her last will and testament, which was for you and her other relatives to go through the belongings at her current address and arrange for the property to be sold. It has been arranged for February 25th at 10am.

The address and the solicitor's name are listed further down the page, but he is too focused on the first paragraph for him to pay the others much mind. He was shocked when he received the letter, not only because Ultear had died, but because she considered him a relative. The closest relationship he had to her was when she was posing as Zalty, and that had all been a lie based on who she'd used to be. He was honoured, for sure, but surprised nonetheless.

This brings him to where he is now, sitting in front of a quaint cottage far enough away from the hustle and bustle of the city, but within walking distance to the closest town. Ultear spent the last few years of her life in a lovely place, he can't help but think as he looks around, waiting for the others to arrive.

He knows that if he's been invited, then Gray has, too. The other two founding members of Crime Sorciere are likely to be here as well, and he's dreading it. He knows how close Meredy was to Ultear, how they considered each other family, so it's inevitable that Meredy will be devastated. He doesn't want to see her cry. He assumes that she will, because she always seems to wear her heart on her sleeve, and he doesn't know if he'll be able to handle all the negatives that come with the positives in that regard.

But he'll try anyway.

"Yo."

Gray trudges up the hill towards him, his shirt already off, though his backpack still miraculously sits over his shoulders. Lyon nods in greeting before leaning back against the cottage wall, closing his eyes.

"How long until the others get here, do you think?" he finally asks, just to break the silence.

Gray shrugs. "Depends where Crime Sorciere is a the moment. They'll be here."

Lyon doesn't doubt him.

Ten minutes later, Jellal and Meredy roll up, and Lyon's stomach twists once he catches sight of Meredy's face. There are bags beneath her eyes and her cheeks are already tear-stained. This is a hard day for all of them, but it's the worst for Meredy.

After they all exchange greetings, Jellal says, "I'll need to get the key to the place from the solicitor's place in town. It shouldn't take long."

"I'll come with," Gray says. "I need as much fresh air as possible today."

Jellal agrees and the two walk off, promising to be no longer than half an hour as they leave Lyon and Meredy by the cottage entrance. Lyon doesn't even wait until they're out of sight to sit down where he'd been before, ready to fall asleep then and there from how peaceful the atmosphere is. He's still very much aware of Meredy, who sits down minutes after he does. He suspects that she wanted to watch the other two until they disappeared down the road. He chooses to stay quiet, not wanting to disturb her when she looks so deep in thought.

Five minutes later and he's about to doze off, only to snap back to attention when he hears quiet cries coming from his right. It's clear who they belong to, and he sits up in alarm, unsure of what to do. He opts for shifting slightly closer and resting a light hand on her shoulder. He doesn't want to overstep his boundaries or make her uncomfortable. The last thing he wants to do is make her more upset.

Another few minutes pass and Meredy's sobs allow her breaks in-between to speak. "Sorry," she says in a raspy voice.

He shakes his head. "It's fine. Cry to your heart's content."

Despite her tears, she turns to him and smiles. It's a sad smile, but it's still a smile nonetheless. It's progress. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he says, though he doesn't think she has anything to thank him for. He's just being a decent human being.

"I just - I miss her, y'know?" Meredy continues, sniffling.

He does know. He remembers how he felt when Ur died, how he'd wanted to blame anyone and everyone around him, how he'd wanted his revenge and his glory both. He hadn't been supported during that time, though part of that was because he was too stubborn to take it. He'd pushed away the one other person who cared, and it had been a long time before he was able to find closure. He doesn't want that for Meredy.

"I know. Trust me, I know," Lyon says. "I think everyone we know knows to some extent." Because Earthland knows they've all lost at least one person close to them. "And it's alright to miss her. She more than likely missed you, too. But we're here for you. And her."

Meredy's watery smile remains on her face as she moves over and gives him a brief hug. He's too surprised to reciprocate at first, but eventually slips one arm around her. He forces himself not to think about how warm she is. When she breaks away, she's still holding onto his arms.

"I know I just said it before, but thank you," she says. "I'm gonna be crying for a while yet."

"That's better than keeping it in," he says.

Tears are still running down her cheeks as she smiles and looks up at him. Their proximity is closer than they've ever been, not even when they were dancing, because now his face is closer to hers. It's hard to look away and he realises he still has one arm around her. He wants to let go, but at the same time, he really doesn't. And it's not only because he wants to comfort her to the best of his ability.

It's only when his eyes flicker to her lips for that brief moment that he begrudgingly lets go, because he isn't here to entertain those thoughts. Especially not today. Today is about Ultear, and he isn't about to open a whole other can of worms when Meredy is having a hard enough time as it is.

Jellal and Gray return then, and he doesn't think he's ever been so grateful for his brother's presence in his life.

It isn't the first time Meredy's gone on a job by herself, but it doesn't mean she's any less lonely. Usually, she would drag at least one of the others along with her, but everyone else is busy with either jobs of their own or construction of the orphanage. The council had asked for one of them and they couldn't just say no, not after all they owed Fiore, so here she is, camping in the middle of the forest with nothing but a fire to keep her company.

She goes over her plan in her head. She'll head over to the abandoned remnants of the dark guild hall, then report her findings. It's an easy job, only one person required, and it shouldn't take too long. That's what she's counting on, anyway. She's confident that she can hold her own if it comes down to it.

She's just about finished her dinner when she hears rustling from the nearby bushes. Alert, she rises to her feet and readies Maguilty Sodom, a dozen blades directed towards the noise. She keeps them there until the flora breaks apart to reveal a familiar white-haired gentleman, and she quickly lets out a sigh of relief.

"Lyon, hello," she says with a light smile.

Lyon seems surprised to see her, but he quickly returns her greeting with a nod. "I didn't expect to see you here, much less alone."

Meredy shrugs, sitting down in front of her fire once again. "It's an easy job, and the others are busy with other things, but the council wanted at least one of us to go check out the problem, so I volunteered. I could use a few more jewel to spend. You on a job too?"

Lyon joins her by the fire, though he sits further away. She chalks it up to him being an ice mage. "Yeah. Apparently there's a dark guild in the area, or there was, and their guild hall remains after they were chased out by another dark guild. The request was by some of the nearby locals who wanted someone to check it out, to see if it was really safe."

"Really?" Meredy pauses. "This guild wouldn't be the Voslus Guild, by any chance?"

Lyon's eyes widen, just a little. "Yeah, it is. How did you know?"

"The problem the council wants me to check out is the remains of the Voslus guild hall," she says, throwing him a grin. "They said they don't think the members will come back. Though I think if they were to come back, it would just be a few of them. I heard that guild war was nasty."

"Guild wars usually are," he says, eyes on the fire. "Lamia Scale has this rival guild, Orochi's Fin, and they invaded during Thanksgiving Day a couple of years ago."

She tilts her head. "Thanksgiving Day?"

"Yeah," he confirms. "It's Lamia Scale's celebration, sort of like Fairy Tail's Fantasia Parade. We have a talent show."

Meredy brightens at the idea. "Really? Do you participate? I wanna see!"

"I do," he says, laughing lightly. "Most of us do. A lot of us, like myself, show off our powers while we perform. My ice dance comes second only to the Sky Sisters. I know a lot of people look forward to it every year."

"Ice dance?" This definitely has Meredy's attention. She sits up straighter. "Now I definitely want to see."

Lyon looks down, and she doesn't think the red on his face is from the fire light. "You could always wait until Thanksgiving Day. You're very welcome to attend."

She leans forward, resting her chin in the palm of her hand. "Oh, don't get me wrong, I'm definitely going. I just want a little preview. You could consider it a form of advertisement for the whole event. Sell it to me." She's really hoping his habit of needing to show off makes its appearance.

Her enthusiasm must be contagious, for he stands up and steps away from the fire so he has enough space. "Alright, alright, but just a little bit."

She cheers and he starts to move, though it's his ice that captures her attention. He creates living things. Birds, panthers, lions. He even creates a sea for his ice dolphins and a school of fish that swim beneath the surface. She's never seen ice look so elegant before, never really seen it move, and she's sure she's grinning from ear-to-ear. A kaleidoscope of butterflies fly towards her, landing on her hair. She raises her hand and one lands on her finger. It flies off to join its friends once the performance ends and she applauds.

"Bravo, bravo!" she cheers as Lyon bows. "Alright, I'm sold. If I hadn't already agreed to go, then I would now. The butterflies are a nice touch. I love them."

"Good," Lyon says, sitting down, this time a little closer than before. If the fire bothers him, he doesn't show it. He reaches out to touch one of the butterflies, his fingertips accidentally brushing against her hair, and she shivers. It's not just because his hands are cold. "The butterflies are a favourite with the crowd."

She smirks up at him. "So the butterflies aren't just for me, then? I'm offended, truly."

"What, no, I -" He stops panicking once she starts to giggle. "My ice magic is for all the people."

The butterflies start to disappear as she says, "Even the ice roses?"

He blinks. "The ice roses?"

Rather than answering him, Meredy returns to her tend and rummages through her backpack before remembering the pocket she usually places her treasure in. It's in one of the secret compartments, just in case it breaks, though it's managed to survive just over half a year, so she doubts it's going to shatter anytime soon. She takes the silvery rose out of its home and brings it back out, refusing to let it sit too close to the fire.

"Remember this?" she says.

The look on Lyon's face suggests that yes, he does remember it. "You kept it?"

His genuine surprise makes her laugh. "Of course I did. It reminds me of the day we all got pardoned. It's a reminder that I'm free now, that I don't have to hide. Besides, a friend gave it to me. Isn't that reason enough to keep it?"

The way his eyes soften makes her breath catch in her throat momentarily, and she does nothing but watch as his hand closes around over hers. She didn't know ice mages could feel so warm. She glances at his hands before looking up, his face now closer than before, but still a respectable distance. It's as though he's asking permission. Rather than nodding, she leans in instead.

Bang!

They jump apart and it takes everything in Meredy to not toss the rose back into the tent as they scramble to stand up. She gently places it on her sleeping bag before following Lyon further into the forest, towards the source of the noise. Her intuition tells her that it's not another ally slinking around the forest at this time of night.

She almost bumps into Lyon's back as the two of them skid to a stop at the entrance to a clearing. Two men stand in the centre, one pointing a fancy gun at the other. A magic gun, if Meredy had to guess. The other is kneeling on the ground, clutching his leg. They both have the symbol of the Voslus guild on their shoulders. The guild hall mustn't be as deserted as the council thought. She'll have to report this later.

"Traitor," the man with the gun snarls. He hasn't seen the two newcomers yet. "You gonna sell us out to the fuckin' council? Just wait 'til their goons get here, I'll rip 'em to fuckin' pieces."

The man readies his gun, but by the time it's ready to fire, ice has blocked off the barrel. Meredy doesn't think the wizard is all that smart if it takes him more than five seconds to realise what's happened. When he does, however, he swivels around to face her and Lyon. Lyon is quick to stand in front of her, arm outstretched, but she lightly pushes it down. She isn't about to be protected.

"You would hurt your own guild mate?" Lyon asks in a low voice.

The gunner's lip curls. "He's no comrade of mine. He's a fuckin' sellout, a double agent. Bitch is givin' info to the council. They're even sendin' someone down here to collect our shit!"

Meredy steps forward and she feels Lyon tense beside her. "That would be me. What of it? You abandoned your guild hall and you're criminals. What did you think would happen?"

The injured man finally speaks up. "Don't - don't go to the guild hall. They heard about you. They're planning - they're planning an ambush. One of their mages has r-really good concealment magic."

His voice is shaky, and when she looks at him, she finds that his shot leg isn't his only problem. There are bags beneath his eyes and his clothes are torn. She wonders when he last ate. Finding out whether he really is a confidant for the council will have to wait. For now, she has to protect him, and so she strides over and stands in front of him.

"Traitor or not, he has valuable information. And there is never any excuse to end someone's life."

The gunner raises his gun. He smirks and touches something on the handle she can't see, then fires. There's a bright light and she has to look away. The next thing she knows, the ice has melted off the barrel and he's charging towards her, gun pointed. Her immediate reaction isn't to preserve her own life, but to turn to the other man and address him instead.

"Go, run to the ice mage over there, he'll -"

There's a sharp pain in both her torso and her head, and she falls to the ground.

Lyon rushes through his debriefing with the council, wanting to return to the tent Meredy is currently sleeping in as soon as possible. Someone looked over her injuries and determined that it was most likely the shock of the pain that made her pass out and not the actual injuries themselves. The gunner had shot her in the side, then knocked his elbow against her temple, but his gun was supposed to be long distance. He wasn't good at aiming at such a close range, and that had saved Meredy a lot of pain and trouble. The gunner, on the other hand? He hadn't come out unscathed.

With the criminal now in the council's custody and the confidant off to fill in the details Lyon can't, he can return to the tent. He's glad that the dark guild is in the process of being eradicated, but he also curses their timing, and he can't stop his mind from replaying the moment before the first shot. His hand over Meredy's, her eyelids slowly closing, both of them slowly moving closer, only to have their moment interrupted. He curses criminals.

Crawling inside the tent, he takes extra care not to step on the ice rose and places it in his lap once he's comfortable. Inspired, he begins to create, rose stems intertwining as his bouquet is made. People give sick people flowers, don't they? He's just doing what he can with what he has.

He's almost finished when a quiet voice says, "That's pretty," and he almost drops his masterpiece.

Meredy smiles up at him, clearly still tired, but he finds her as beautiful as ever. That realisation causes butterflies in his stomach, and these ones aren't of his own creation. It takes him far too long to recover, but when he does, he makes sure he finishes the bouquet before offering it to her.

"Flowers for the injured," he says, presenting them to her.

She laughs and takes them in her hands, holding them to her chest. "Why, thank you." Her expression turns serious. "What happened?"

"You were shot, but the guy's aim was off, so it grazed your side, and you were hit in the head," he explained. "The council came to collect those two, so they're gone now." He decides not to mention just how angry he'd been when she was hurt. Being emotional isn't a good look for him.

"And you're not hurt, are you?" she asks, turning her head to the side and looking him over.

He shakes his head. "No, no, I'm fine. Just a few bruises."

She smiles and he's sure he can feel himself melting. "Good, I'm glad."

They're silent after that, but it's not an awkward silence. It's peaceful. The only downside is that it leaves Lyon with his thoughts yet again, and he keeps trying to think of ways to bring up the fact that they were about to kiss before everything went down. He can't help but wonder if perhaps she was just caught up in the moment, or that he was going crazy and he imagined the entire thing. His doubts cloud his judgement so harshly that he almost misses her voice when she speaks again.

"Hey, Lyon?"

He watches her as she places her flowers beside her sleeping bag and shimmies her way into a sitting position. "Yes?"

She stares him in the eyes for a few moments, as if trying to figure out if she can do it for more than a few seconds, but she drops her gaze as she asks, "We were about to kiss, weren't we?"

His mouth goes dry. There's no point in denying it now. "Yes, we were."

He expects her to tell him that she doesn't see him that way, that it was a mistake, but instead she smiles. Her eyes are focused on her hands.

"It would've been nice, I think."

Her unexpected confession has him speechless. As his mind struggles to keep up, he must take too long, as she lowers her head even more, the smile disappearing. In a desperate attempt to make her feel better, he reaches over and lightly touches her cheek. She slowly lifts her head and looks him head-on. Properly this time. Have her eyes always been that bright?

"Then - then can I?"

He falls over his words, but she doesn't seem to care. She just nods and shuffles closer.

They meet halfway and he rests his free hand on her back, careful not to touch her wound. He feels her fingers in his hair, tugging gently, and that encouragement is all he needs to deepen the kiss. She responds in kind. He doesn't know how long they stay like that, just soaking in each other's presence, but they have to break for air sometime. Even then he doesn't let go completely, cupping her cheek as she smiles.

He mirrors her expression and leans in again.

Later on, he will take her back to Crime Sorciere and have a long talk with Jellal. He'll return to Lamia Scale and be subjected to smirks from Chelia and ecstatic shouts from Toby. When he tells Gray, he'll give him a knowing look and Juvia will say that she's known for some time. It'll all be a hassle, really.

But for now, he's content right where he is.

/Casually dips my toes into this fandom, hi hello i'm new and i have a lot of feelings.