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Chapter Text

This man was not Mystogan.

Day by day, this suspicion spinned endlessly in Erza's head, slowly turning into a certainty. This man, sitting in Mystogan's seat, was not Mystogan.

It had started with something as small as a sock.

See, on Monday, just like on every Mondays, Erza had opened the heavy doors of the guild hall at dawn. She enjoyed this kickstart to her week; she woke up at five and went out for a jog throughout the gorgeous gardens of Magnolia. It smelled like warm bread and seasalt and incense as she had crossed the first merchants setting up their market stand before lingering in the town square, breathing in the crisp morning air and filling her lungs with the promise of a new month. Today was August; which meant that her monthly meeting with Mystogan was due at around 7 am. Years ago, they had settled on these catchup sessions in order to gather news, assess dangers, and keep up with the Master's general health and efficiency. Mystogan had dealt in the shadows; reported about guilds which planned on attacking the halls, or stealing from the guild funds, or shady communities that infiltrated the town. Erza had provided him with financial information, with diagnoses and analysises of Makarov's behavior ( because he had been aging, and neither of them had been blind to that ), and the overall performance of the guild. They discussed many management issues- from to-become S class members to which color they should repaint the guild hall.

Mystogan was religiously devoted to the guild. Which, at first, came off as a surprise to her- this random, mysterious individual, had for long preciously conserved his identity from Erza. But when masks came off and origins were thoroughly explained, Titania had barely been troubled, and had convinced him that this would not change anything in their perfectly serious, colleague-like relationship. A trip to Edolas had taught her all that she needed to know; and Mystogan was a too-precious member for the organization of the guild, now that they had tragically lost Master Makarov. The powerful mage, despite being seldom present due to his royal occupancies, was still deeply attached to his many years spent in Fairy Tail; and was always delighted to collaborate with Erza in order order assure it's rightful development.

Today, they were to discuss an exchange, which consisted in sending young Edolas mages in Magnolia and vice-versa. Mystogan was convinced that this could only help their personal and magical development, and Erza thought that it seemed to be a damn good idea. She was giving it some reflexion as she straightened her crimson hair in her bathroom, getting ready for their meeting. Of course, parents would need to be reassured about their next of kin going to, arguably, another dimension- but strong and accurate communication could efficiently convince them, just as Mystogan had convinced her. Erza summoned a crisp white button up, a straight pair of black stilettos ( she was not going to let him forget who was the leader here), and zapped out of her dorm towards the hall.

And at first, nothing seemed rather odd about Mystogan. His face was almost entirely masked, as ever, and his body was covered in that long dark cloak of his. He was early -as usual, he always arrived before her, and was busying himself with something behind the bar while she barricaded the entrance door behind her.

" Good morning ! I got us some fresh bread, right from the baker. Care for a piece of French toast ? " Erza saluted with an amicable smile, abandoning her craft-paper bag on the bar's counter top as she shouldered her steel-reinforced coat off.

Surprisingly, Mystogan jumped. He was known around the guild for his killer instincts- some said that he could smell you from Hargeon before you set a foot in the guild. But, it was also seven o'clock. In the morning. Erza felt like everybody deserved to get cut some slack on Monday mornings. " Erza, " he greeted politely, turning around to face her. Something odd flashed in his eyes, as if disoriented, but it was tough work to read his emotions in a ten centimeters slit across his face. " Good morning. In fact, that would be lovely.

-What are you doing over there ? " Erza questioned with humor, hopping on a bar stool to take a look over the counter. Mystogan seemed to struggle with the bar's old fashioned coffee machine. He had inserted the portafilter in the wrong way- and she now guessed that he was struggling to get it out. " Oh, sorry. I would've prepped that for you yesterday evening- I didn't know you started drinking coffee?

-Oh. Yes. Rough morning," the enigmatic mage admitted, shuffling around the bar in order to give her some space. Erza conjured a steel hammer, which she slammed accross the portafilter handle. It gave away instantly. " I- Uhm. Sorry. For getting it stuck. I drink press, in Edolas. I don't know how..

-It's fine, really, no worries. God, this should be our first matter of discussion, " Erza joked as she fired up the small stove behind the bar. " This coffee machine drives Mira nuts- she even tried to take warm drinks off the menu. But anyways. I could buy some filter, if you'd like. You know you're my rare guest of honor. " Erza added with a playful smile while she coated the bread in egg, and butter, and crispy sugar. Having a sweet tooth definitely had its pros: she made amazing sweets. In the corner of her vision, she caught Mystogan's temples reddening. He cleared his throat.

"Do not trouble yourself with that," he affirmed. His clunky magic scepter hung at the wrong angle in his back. Mystogan was right-handed, yet today he had tied it over his right shoulder. Indeed, as he said, he looked like he was having a rough morning. "I am sure this coffee will be rather excellent. Should I.. What are all these buttons?

-Oh," Erza chuckled. " I uhm. Actually, I don't know. I don't drink coffee. Maybe we like. Pick a button and hope for the best ? "

Mystogan nodded; she selected " Double Expresso " and placed a chipped mug underneath the sprout. It bore ceramic cows that said MOOOOO whenever one pressed his finger on it. Erza thought it was hilarious to see his face go blank when he accidentally pressed his index to the animal.. Hey, being a guild leader did NOT equal to being mature: especially when your name was Erza Scarlett and it was seven in the morning. Mystogan looked like he thought that it was too early for this- but, gentleman as he was, she knew that he'd never admit that. In fact, he was rather used to her pranks and jokes and unending attempts to get him to relax around her. She believed that her presence made him tense- perhaps because of how intimidating her Edo counterpart was. And how the latter was also, his wife. This thought brought a visible cringe to Erza, which he didn't seem to question.

When the bread seemed perfectly caramelized, Erza laid two pieces of the French toast on separate plates before topping it generously with maple syrup and cinnamon. When she handed one of the plates to Mystogan, he thanked her kindly- and sneezed incredibly loudly. Rrza bit back a fit of laughter. " I'm sorry," he cringed.

" Is it the cinnamon? Are you allergic? Jellal is allergic to cinnamon, maybe it carries over-

-NO! I mean, no-" He corrected, clearing his throat once again. " I'm just.. It makes me sneeze. But it's delicious. It just.. Itches my nose. "

Erza snorted as she dipped a bag of strawberry-vanilla tea in her boiling water mug. " It itches your nose. Got it. " Titania crashed back down besides him, making sure to leave an empty space between them as she always did. Her feet already ached in her heels ( but she loved how powerful she felt in them ), and her hair was overwhelming warm, but she was excited to eat her breakfast in good presence. It was always a pleasure to catch up with friends. Mystogan tipped a sugar cube over the edge of his mug ( while carefully dodging the cows, ) and while reaching for his spoon, succeeded in awkwardly making it fall: the steel spoon hit the dusty floorboards in half a second. " Oh heavens, " he sighed.

He leaned forward, to pick it up, but so did Erza. They only managed to bump against each other's forehead, which extirped a yelp out of him and an accidental curse out of the redhead. Mystogan rubbed his forehead while Erza bent over to pick up the utensil- and noticed two odd details. Mystogan wore mismatched socks. Of course, this could happen to any normal person, especially one who had to wake up at four in the morning to commute to another dimension. But it just rang bells in her brain, for unknown reasons. He was so respected and highly admired- he was royalty, after all. Weren't kings supposed to be flawless at all times?

And stranger even: his cloak was oddly short, which is what made her able to notice this matching error. Mystogan's cape was basically something like an urban legend for newer members; some said it magically floated up at each of his steps, or that he had earned it by hunting a wind god and bringing home his head. It was always spotless and perfectly tailored; it's material was obsidian black, and looked so unbelievably soft that Erza had many times tried to summon such a piece of clothing and failed. It usually dragged after his feet like a bride's train down the aisle, trailing his pacing like a shadow. But today, it was inexplicably short. Ankle length- barely.

Erza played it off as best as she could, masking her surprise with a clearing of her throat; she was a fantastic actor ( at least, she had gotten better from her theater debut ). She handed him back his spoon, and sipped on her tea. " Thank you, " Mystogan said, as he twirled his chair around to eat, hiding the soft features of his face. She could only see his covered back, the shape of his strong shoulders and sharp arms, the hood of his cloak.

" No problem. I'm sorry, for making you come this early.

-Do not apologize, Titania. The world belongs to early-risers, after all."

She hummed in agreement, concealing her suspicion as she stared at the edge of his sock. One was grey, and the other pitch black. In the darkness, one could pass as the other. Perhaps he had gotten dressed in the middle of the night. But then, what about the cloak ?

Erza enjoyed the silence, which she often found comforting, especially during these mornings. There was something that soothed her in his company. She knew that he would never be him, of course, and she wasn't sure whether that resemblance was what made her feel so safe. But she happily basked in it, the reassuring warmth of his presence, the soft crumb of her sugared toast, and the faraway song of the early birds.

Once he was done eating, Mystogan spun back around, his composure once again built up. He piled up their empty dishes and she put them away, not bothering to wash them upright; they had bigger fish to fry. The mage produced a large, voluminous file from his heavy bag and spread it open over the bar. " So, about the Edo-Magno project, right? "

Suddenly absorbed by all these ideas and promising papers, Erza nodded, leaving behind her maniacal questioning. " About the project, yes. So, the other day I was thinking... " Erza straightened her back, popped her phalanges, produced a fountain pen out of nowhere: which she could barely use, since her handwriting was so unreadable that Mystogan had to handle most of the paperwork, and got down to work.

On Tuesday, the second, Erza awoke to heavy downpours drumming against her bedroom's windows. She had taken care of a last minute mission along with Lucy on the previous evening, and had only reached her bed at something past four in the morning. Then, she had struggled to find sleep, slumbering in those strange lands between consciousness and dreams where her nightmares came back to life and clawed at her brains.

Titania shuffled in her sheets as she groaned, rubbing the back of her hand against her forehead. She was covered in sweat- and her bedsheets looked like a war scene, crumpled and halfway abandoned to the floorboards. Mechanically, she checked her stomach; her dream had obviously not carried over, and she bore no stab mark where Jellal had impaled her on a shard of the Tower of Heaven's lacryma walls just seconds ago. She allowed herself a moment to breathe, to ground herself. Five things to see, four things to hear.. She practiced these exercices, over and over again, one night terror-filled night after the other; until eventually her exhausted body offered her some grace and shut in for twelve hours of blank rest.

It was terribly warm in her room- this deep, moist heat which only came accompanying summer rain. The skies threatened to break out as Erza slithered out of her heavy blanket. She hurried to her window, overwhelmed and anxious and urging for fresh air. Her body, discontent of such a sudden move, exploded in vertigo: stars swam in her vision. As a heavy knock echoed on her door, the redhead moaned, disoriented. The world spun around her, an endless carousel of blurry shapes and continuous rings in her ears. The window cracked open under the blind pull of her hand- and the wind violently crashed over her boiling skin, rendering her conscious enough to hear a male voice calling her from outside the dorm. " Erza ?? Erza !! Open up?

-I'm.. I'm coming.. " Erza mumbled weakly as she aimed to crash back on her mattress, but missed terribly under the influence of her dizziness, ending up sprawled on the floor. The pain of the impact didn't even register; she could only distinguish the cold floor suddenly arching and spinning around her, and the nausea building up in her throat. She brought her hand back to her forehead again- and found it boiling hot. " Erza ?? Erza, what was that noise? "

What was left of active thought in her brain panicked, worried about whoever was stressing out behind her door. What if they were having a serious problem, or if the guild was requiring her presence ? What if it was the Counsil ? God, she prayed not. Erza was still in her strawberry-patterned pajamas; and in that state, she would never be able to conjure anything suitable. In fact, she wasn't sure about whether she'd even be able to stand up without barfing over her front door.

" Erza, I'm coming in. " The voice announced, determined, while the stars blurred to give way to darkness. Titania struggled against it- at least, long enough to hear a loud thump, the sound of wood giving way to force. There went the money she had made with Lucy yesterday; the locksmith would be just delighted to hear from her again. She had lost her key just a week ago. Erza sincerely wondered how Lucy never lost any of her keys.

The figure barged into the room. She was unable to name it or identify it; it just looked like a blob of shadow, in stark contrast with the immaculate white of her freshly repainted walls. She felt nothing, heard nothing, saw nothing, for a while- before a flush of water crashed over her face, ice cold drops running right down her face, over her eyelashes and down her sharp cheekbones, losing themselves in the crook of her breasts. It was like a snap of technicolor in the middle of a black and white movie: her spirit snapped right back to consciousness, her hearing clearing and vision restoring.

Mystogan stood over her disheveled body; her head laid atop his lap. His horrified eyes snapped right into hers as she opened them entirely, and he was preparing another cold shower from a plastic bucket before Erza rose her hand up. " Wait !! Wait, " She called out as she tried to rise back to a sitting position, the nausea hitting through a sudden wave of bile in back of her throat. " I'm gonna be sick- "

Her stomach lurched painfully and Erza gagged, the sound resonating against the small room as the rain continued to hail outside. Mystogan, immediately recognizing this foretelling symptom, shoved the blue bucket ( her popcorn bucket, she thought sadly, ) underneath her chin and delicately held back her crimson hair in a tender but firm grip. " It's okay, " he whispered, his free hand hovering awkwardly over her back as if he had decided to rub it but gave up at the last instant, " Let it out. It will help. "

Erza emptied the meager contents of her stomach into the bucket, acidic tears slipping out of her tender eye. She hated being sick- how it made her feel weak and vulnerable, how she couldn't wear any armor against it or fight it with a blade. She held tightly on the rough edge of the bucket, cold chills running down her back, hair sticking to her sweaty nape, and begged for it to be over quickly.

When the rush finally crashed out, and her guts relented on giving away their nutrients, Erza gave out a shaky sigh of relief, pushing the bucket aside and crashing back onto the man's thighs. She closed her eyes, trying to regain her composure as he looked down at her blanched face. She tried to gather her words, unsure how to address a man that you barely knew that came to your rescue as you passed out and merely threw up all over your pajamas. " I'm so sorry, " she mumbled. " I.. I'm sorry. Thank you.. But I'll be fine, don't worry. Did you.. Need anything? "

It was obvious that it cost her immensely to push a couple of words out, and Mystogan shook his head. He shifted his arms in order to place one under her shoulders and the other under the small of her back; and warned her that he was about to lift her before carrying her back to her bed. Erza could not find the strength to protest, nor complain, and simply whined softly, reflexively bringing her hands to her stomach. Underneath her body, her mattress felt comforting and soft; and Mystogan was spreading a brand new, clean-smelling bedsheet over her limp figure instead of her smothering throw on blanket. He sat on her bedside; and she opened her eye, the room finally stable around her.

" What happened? " He questioned simply, crossing his hands firmly against his chest as if to prevent them from reaching out to her. He had given up on his dark bandana, lost somewhere along Erza's floor, and his smooth azure hair spiked out around his skull like a holy halo. Her heart dropped to her stomach, this vision bringing her such ache and longing that she could almost feel it physically, a strong pinch in her chest like the press of a too hungry grasp over her heart. Oh how she ached to see him again, to catch up and listen to his long lost tales of mythology and astronomy. The violent ressemblance to Mystogan threatened to set something lose inside of her, walls dangerously close to breaking down as she tore her gaze from his fluffy strands of sapphire hair. It isn't him, she reminded herself. It is NOT him.

" I don't know. Maybe I ate something silly, yesterday evening. We went out for a mission with Lucy, and I just.. I don't know, " She stammered, struggling for her words as his gaze burned into her skin, leaving her feeling exposed and sensitive under his gaze. She was suddenly so aware of her missing eye, of the sloppy flap of purple, bruised skin that hung over the empty orbit where a twin brown eye should rest- that she felt like she wanted to bury herself in a hole and cry. " I couldn't sleep when I came home, too. It's just.. And also, it was very warm in here.. I'm just not too sure.

-I overheard Natsu say that Lucy was sick this morning, in the hall," Mystogan clarified as he tore his eyes away from her, fixing them on the thunderous clouds outside of her bedroom as he fidgeted with a leather strap around his wrist. Erza had never seen him wearing jewelry before. " And I thought it odd that you still weren't meddling about after lunchtime. "

Erza hummed, twisting on her side in order to bury the bad side of her face in her pillow. She avoided his stare and busied herself pinching an invisible spot on her bedsheet. " I'm glad you did. Lucy is going to kill me. "

Mystogan chuckled, reaching out for his abandoned bandana and tightening it back up over his hair. " She's in rather bad shape, apparently.

-Oh, I can believe that. The farmer offered her this terrible warm beer yesterday evening, as a way to thank us for coming in so late. I refused to drink it- I was already feeling slightly off, for some reason. But Lucy.. She just has this urge to please people, even if they're random strangers who lost their cows at one in the morning. She gulped it to the last drop."

Mystogan grimaced, half humorous, half seriously worried. " Heavens.. "

Silence broke between them. Erza grasped for words, but couldn't find any: she was positively exhausted, and her mind threatened to carry her back into Morpheus' arms at any given moment. She felt gross, sweaty and smelly, but her body seemed to have given up on any motivation she had to shower or brush her teeth. She felt like sleeping for another hundred years.

" You should rest, Erza " Mystogan instructed as he rose to his feet, quickly assessing her sleepy eyes and slowing breath. " I'm going to get you some medication, and some chicken broth. If you need anything.. I'll leave a portal open, " he added as he handed her a sun-shaped trinket. It was made of a shiny, heavy material, like brass; and was as clickety as a brand new toaster push button. " Just press on this button and I'll be right here. I insist. Do not hesitate. "

Erza nodded, fidgeting with the vocal portal remote. It's sun-like shape reminded her of many nights spent around a bonfire, where Jellal had read her the cards and she had randomly imitated his expertise, spreading cards accross the dry grass.

He often picked the Sun, reversed: discontentment, unmet expectations, disappointments. Erza always turned the Queen of Swords; so much that it was pleated from wear and tear, and Jellal always repeated the same reading like a mantra: " Your brilliance through steady flame illuminates the darkest of spaces with the radiant light of truth " . She had no idea what it meant ( she didn't actually believe in the arcana, ) but she knew that he used the Queen of Swords as a bookmark, as a lucky fortune trinket, as a good oath. In this moment, she missed him oh so dearly, and she held the trinket close to her heart which bled silently in her chest.

Mystogan spun to leave the room, and Erza reached out for his hand. It was not soft as she had imagined, but callused and scarred: the hand of a laborer, or mayhaps, the hand of a criminal. " Thank you, " she interjected. " Truly.

-Anything, " Mystogan replied as he gave her one last glance. " Anything for you, Titania. "

Once Erza had recovered, despite still occasionally feeling feverish sweats and marmalade limbs, she had hurried back to work. In her two full days of rest, not much had changed; Gray and Natsu were still playing their own twisted version of chess where they slapped each other when one took over a pawn, Juvia was still reading local folk stories to younger guild members, and Mirajane was still popping bottles of fresh beer open for melancholic mages. Lucy was still nowhere to be seen- and neither was Happy. Natsu must've left him to watch over her, going in rounds as they usually did whenever a member of their trio was stuck in bed. Erza approached their table quietly while Natsu sent a punch flying to Gray's jaw- and the ice mage jumped to his feet, ready to strike back.

" BOYS ! " Erza suddenly ordered, making them jump simultaneously as they slowly turned their heads towards her like frightened kittens. " What is going on over here ?

-Nothing, Erza!! We're just training ! For this play that we've been practicing ! " Natsu assured as he gave Gray's shoulder an exaggerated pat, lacing his arm around the mage's nape. " Right !!.. Right Gray?

-Of course. We would never dare to fight in your vicinity, Erza, " Gray stated with an amused smile, shooting her a playful wink as he shrugged Natsu's hand off his shoulder. " Feeling better ?

-Well, good enough to be back. " Erza sighed, crashing down on one of the creaky chairs that Elfman had unsuccessfully tried to oil up. She stared at the chess board with interest, counting down the pawns before quirking a perplexed eyebrow. " Natsu is winning??

-I think he cheated, " Gray affirmed. " Like, he just made up some rules on the go. I think you should slap him- just as punishment for that, y'know ?

-No, Erza- He was the one who starte- AOUCH !! " Natsu rubbed his cheek as soon as the impact of Titania's slap hit, whining while his skin turned crimson. Erza gave him a friendly smile and a pat on the head: she knew that it would not truly hurt him.

" Well well. You know what Makarov would say.

-Yeah, us Fairy Tail mages aren't cheaters, bla bla bla, " Natsu mimicked as he put the wrongfully stolen pawn back on Gray's side of the board.

" You two are seriously unchangeable, " she complained as she returned Mira's wave, who saluted her from afar. " Seriously. I hope Lucy will be back soon. I can't handle both of you guys at the same time anymore- I'm too old for this.

-That's true, " Natsu answered with a nod. " You're like, 25, right ? You're basically a dinosaur by now.

-You little piece of flame-eating shi-"

Gray chuckled, gulping down the last of his frozen beer, obviously amused by their behavior. He dropped his hand in his lap, took a look around the hall, and leaned back towards Erza. " Hey, by the way, I need to talk to you about something.

-Oh, really? " The guild master frowned, perplexed.

" Yes, but.. Not here, " Gray replied as he threw a discreet glance towards Natsu. The latter rolled his eyes, pushing his hands on his knees to get to his feet.

" Alright, I got it. Scheme whatever you want to, fuckers. I have to go check on Lucy in anyways-

-You should bring her some flowers, " Erza advised. " I think she'd appreciate it.

-I could. Or, I could buy a mega sushi plank of her favorites while I endure one of her girly TV shows.

-Actually, that sounds like an even better plan. You're getting better at this, Natsu- Did you train him? " Erza asked Gray, who shrugged- Not saying neither yes or no.

Natsu took off in a hurry, eating the last piece of spicy garlic bread that they had snacked on with their beers, and Erza took place in his seat, the fabric scorching warm from its contact with the Salamander. She winced before resting her elbows on the armrests. " So. Is something the matter ? Is it about Juvia?

-Juvia ? " Questioned Gray, seemingly surprised. " No, no, everything's okay with Juvia. We're- Managing. Just, you know. Setting boundaries and stuff. Whatever serious people in relationships do.

-That sounds lovely.

-Yeah, " Gray grimaced. " Whatever you say. No, look. This is.. I mean, this is gonna sound weird but this is about Mystogan. "

Erza was completely taken aback, her heart dropping to her stomach. She could feel her skin betraying her, her cheeks heating up like a burning stove, as she thought back about the curious intimacy they had shared while she was sick. She remembered clearly how he had carried her to her bed, combed her hair, brought her soup. Hell, he'd even fallen asleep on one of her chairs while looking over her- Oh god, this was incredibly mortifying. Erza tried to hide her embarrassment as much as she could, clearing her throat and looking distantly towards the hall banquet before looking back at Gray. " About Mystogan?

-Yes.

-Well, what about him?

-Are you okay? You look.. Weird.

-Oh no, I'm fine. I just- Still have some fever. And stuff. You know. "

Gray nodded. " Makes sense. So yes, about him. It's just.. I mean maybe it was just a mistake, but it felt weird.

-Shoot ahead, " Erza insisted as she dug in a half-empty bowl of peanuts.

"The other day, I went out for an errand- You know, I thought I'd buy some chocolates and crosswords for Lucy, since Natsu said she was crazy sick. I mean, when he said that, I thought he meant that she was on her deathbed, you know? Not that she was throwing up bread crumbles."

Erza chuckled. Natsu was known for being just the slightest bit over the top- especially when it came to Lucy. She hummed, inviting him to continue.

"And so, I thought I'd drop by my dorm first, so I could leave the rest of my groceries there. Juvia wanted to have lasagne for dinner. "

Erza trying really hard not to tell him to just cut to the chase, the image of Mystogan's face over hers burning in her retina.

" So I go to the dormhall, walk down the corridor, and- The door was already open. " He paused as Erza quirked a brow. " Not like, you know, bodily forced, more like magically open. The brass of the lock was weird, too. Almost glittery. Shimmering?

-An intruder ?!

-No. Because then, of course I prepare this sharp ass icicle in my hand and open the door quietly- And Mystogan is just there. Standing in my room.

-What??"

Erza could not even summon the scene in her head. Mystogan in Gray's room? What could he have been doing over there?

" Was he searching for something? " The redhead questioned.

" No- That's the weirdest thing. Like, he just.. Stood there. Looking around. As if.. If he was lost or something. I even asked him if he was okay- Which kind of meant, you know, what the fuck are you doing in my room.

-And then?

-And then he blanched. Severely. Seriously, I think he was highkey mortified. He started stammering, I think he was looking for the right words. But then, he just said he had " made a mistake " and apologized.

-Do you think he was lying?

-I don't know him that much, but honestly, I don't think so, " And there, Gray started whispering. " He looked like he was just searching for his own room and just. Chose the wrong one. Like he had never been here before. "

Erza felt a foretelling shiver running down her back. She knew that her instincts usually never lied, and somewhere deep inside, her brains knew. The irresistible pull, like a magnet. The softness of his touch, the suddenly change of speech and habits. And now, this odd episode in Gray's room.. But she could not bring herself to believe it- Not without irrevocable proof. She couldn't just go up to him and assert her growing doubts without facts, without evidence.

" Thank you for telling me, " Erza spoke as she rose to her feet, following closely by Gray. Sensing it's two players gone, the chess pawns reset themselves automatically to starting positions. " You led him to his quarters afterwards, I guess?

-Yeah, of course. "

Erza nodded, the gears of her brain twisting and turning to form a plan, a scheme, anything that could help her figure this whole mystery out. Because she would not -never in a lifetime- go and ask Mystogan if he wasn't himself. What if it actually was Mystogan? She would never recover from such embarrassing shame.

Erza came up with something; although it wasn't a glorious plan. Something more.. Rudimentary, authentic. But for that, she would need help from a precious ally, which was currently out of order. But perhaps that after a maxi sushi plank and three episodes of Akane Girls.. Titania thanked her friend, poured herself a mug of tea, and set off to her room, a carefully built plan building up in her mind.

Chapter Text

" So let's just.. Let's just go over this one more time, so I don't feel like I'm completely insane. You think Mystogan isn't Mystogan. "

Erza hummed as she led Lucy down the men's dorm corridor. It smelled like dust and fried food in the hallway, an oddly testosterone-like scent, which made the redhead scrunch her nose in disapproval. " Heavens. I have to do something about this smell. Are they hiding a corpse in the walls or something ?

-Most likely. Like, Natsu and Gray's dorms are on this side. Actually- Didn't you want to pass by Gray's dorm? It's right here, " signaled Lucy as they stopped in front of a shut door. Gray and Natsu, after being promoted to S-rank just recently, had decided to move out of their quarters to share a studio, like many upper level mages did. Erza had offered Lucy countless times to move in with her, enchanted to have some company around, but the celestial mage loved her small apartment in town way too much to leave it behind.

Erza came to a halt, and took a close look at the brass keyhole which kept the door shut. The handle was intact- And it wasn't like they'd go searching for fingerprints. But Gray was right- a slight coat of shimmery powder covered the lock, not unlike magical residues. Many powerful mages had limited knowledge about element-bending, and their expertise was often too small to crack a lock without leaving any evidence of it behind. Erza dragged her fingertip accross the keyhole, trying to gather some of the brass glitter on her skin, but it simply evaporated away like stardust.

" Can't say anything for sure, " Erza noted as she took a step back, " But this could've been Jellal's doing.

-You should've told me. I would've invited Natsu to sniff his scent down or something.

-What is he, your labrador? " Erza snorted as she continued her way down the hall, towards the building's attic. It had been completely rehabilitated as a large studio, which Mystogan and Laxus had been sharing for years, as close friends. It's access was cleverly hidden behind a spell, which revealed a ceiling trapdoor. Erza pulled on the handle, the creaky ladder groaning as it unfolded its way to the floor.

" So, you think Mystogan is actually Jellal.

-Positive," answered Erza as she shook the air with the back of her hand, trying to shoo away dust bunnies.

" Because.. He wore bad socks..?

-And the cloak," affirmed the redhead.

" What if he just ran out of clothes? I mean, I also wear bad socks when they're the only ones left, " Lucy answered as she tied her hair in a ponytail, seemingly intimidated by the upcoming ladder ascension.

" There were other things, too, " Erza spoke curtly, obviously unwilling to into much details. She signed for Lucy to shush with a finger to her lips and pulled herself quietly up the ladder, one foot after the other, the top of her ruby hair peaking out from the opening in the apartment's floor. She listened closely for any sign of a presence: a voice, a creaking in the floorboards, the rumble of a stove cooking. But she was only faced with deafening silence, the studio impressively quiet despite the dorm's overall buzzing activity. From the top of the ladder, she signaled Lucy that their coast was clear, and brushed dust off her blouse. From what Erza had gathered, Laxus had been out on a job for the past month, something involving travelling abroad, and wouldn't be back before September. And for Mystogan, she had sent him on a false query yesterday evening, kindly asking him to investigate a " shady gathering in town that she suspected to be filled with wrongdoers ", but was truly just a couple of Fairy Tail members in dark cloaks to whom she had promised free beers.

" Other things? Like what? " Lucy enquired with a curse, as her boot got stuck in one of the steps and threatened to trip her over. Erza kept quiet, trying her best not to recall the previous events that had ignited this doubt in her. If she did, she knew that her face would betray her, and her best friend would talk her ear off begging her to tell her about it ( in the crunchiest details, of course. )

" Like.. You know, small things. Drinking coffee even though Mystogan hates coffee. Look, I just.. I have a feeling. You have to trust me on this.

-Of course, " blurted Lucy. " Always. "

Erza was grateful for the blondie's blind loyalty. After all, she had too accompanied Lucy on crazy side quests: spying on Natsu's occasional solo missions ( because what if he's out there battling demons with another, stronger mage ? ), helping her find a rumored fortune teller in the sewers of Magnolia ( because i need reference as there's one in my book!! ) and many, many other questionable afternoons spent in great company. Their friendship had seen minor tragedies, yet so many major joys. Lucy had been at her bedside for days when the Master had died and she had been grieving and panicking about what this meant for her in the future. She had also been there when she had fought her disappointment over Jellal's silent response to her correspondence. They had taken countless trips to the library, to the bar, to the shops. She was the closest thing that Erza would ever get to a sister.

" And also, like.. If you feel like it's him, it's probably him. You guys are basically two sides of a coin, at this point, " Lucy stated while taking a look around the small sitting room. It was orderly, bookshelves filled with yellowing novels and magical artifacts displayed on dusty furniture. Everything was as if frozen in time- this room hadn't been actually lived in in a while. Yet, the window was cracked open, as if to let some of the fresh breeze cool down the moist, damp temperature of the space.

" Wow, it's so- I wish Natsu and Gray's dorm was like that, " Lucy grimaced as she laid her hands over her hips.

" Mystogan is very orderly, " Erza added as she opened a door at random. " So is Jellal. This must be Laxus's room. "

The bedroom was a pigsty, compared to the main room's clean lines. The walls were covered in old Sorcerer's Magazine posters, vinyl records, maps and completed job queries. It quite positively smelled- of something very masculine, like those sandalwood deodorants that just inherently smelled of men. Video games rested in unbalanced piles that looked ready to crash at any given time. Erza shut the door quietly.

" You're telling me Mystogan ISN'T a fervent pinball gamer ? " Lucy joked as she checked the inside of the fridge. It was completely empty- and immaculate. Erza rolled her eyes with an amused smile as she twisted the doorknob of the neighboring bedroom. " This must be Mystogan's room, " she stated, before pausing abruptly. The sudden reality of what she was about to do was starting to kick in: the absolute shame, and madness of it all. Was she truly about to trespass in a guildmate's bedroom AND go through their belongings, just to prove some kind of nonsensical instinct ?

" Oh god, " Erza whispered as she dropped her hand from the handle. " Oh god. Maybe we shouldn't do this.

-What? But this is the precise thing that we came here to do ! " Lucy complained as she walked past Erza and barged into the bedroom. " No turning back now ! "

Erza winced, eyeing the trapdoor's latch. There was still time to cancel the whole ordeal, to trace back their steps without second glance. She could risk going to Mystogan and looking like a total fool by asking for his ID. Or maybe just ask sincerely and voice her concerns. " Lucy, we should just go back. Seriously. Maybe I'm just getting over my head- "

Her voice was interrupted by the sound of creaking underneath them. Eyes wide as saucers, the two girls stared at each other in alarm, frozen like deers in headlights. The sound was getting closer and closer. Erza followed whatever the hell her instinct told her to do; she closed the door silently shut, yanked on Lucy's wrist and shoved her underneath the double bed. Then, she slid herself in the narrow space as quietly as possible, holding back her breath, and clapped her hand over Lucy's mouth while the sound of the shutting trapdoor resonated through the studio.

The steps approached softly, the sound of the doorknob turning as loud in their ears as a firework. It was dead silent, apart from the old door and the rain thundering against the windows. The celestial mage had closed her eyes, as if in silent prayer. As if they were final girls in a horror movie- when truly, they were simply the monsters in the closet. Erza focused her eyes on the leather of the boots that circulated around the bed, the fabric old and bearing visible wear and tear. The soles were stained with mud and the leather had started to peel off. The shoes looked vaguely familiar, but boots were boots; and Erza could've spotted such boots on any mage in the country.

The silhouette wandered around the bed, shuffling around in search of something, as if the room was not sorted as clearly as a tetris puzzle. Finally, masculine hands reached for a dagger, which they tucked in the right sleeve of their cloak's sleeve before hurrying back out of the room.

Erza and Lucy waited for a beat, crazed eyes still planted in one another's, until Titania deemed it safe to come out of their hiding spot. She released a long breath which almost resembled a sigh while massaging her temples, honestly exasperated by her own senseless idea. Lucy shook her head, giving Erza's shoulder an encouraging pat as she took a look around the room. As she stood up and unfolded her lean body from the narrow space under the bed, something crinkled under her movement, like crunchy dried leaves. The blondie didn't seem to catch any of that, examining the numerous posters and maps attached to the surface of the walls.

Astronomy plans, filled with constellations and datas and close up of burning stars, covered the peeling paint of Mystogan's room. Some sky blue post-its added further information in elegant cursive handwriting, the type of calligraphy that belonged to a duke- or a king. Lucy brushed her fingers against the posters, retraced the lines of the constellations, felt the heat of this passion for the skies and space in her very blood. She examined the spines of numerous, dust-covered volumes, which ranged from " astrophysics for people in a hurry " to " you were born for this : astrology for radical self-acceptance " , passing by " treasury of folklore: skies and stars " and " turn left at orion " . On an old desk whom overspilled of various letters and dried flowers and bits and bobs, rested a brass unfoldable telescope which seemed to have been recently used. A fancy-looking fountain pen laid, uncleaned, next to an aubergine ink pot and dripped onto the wood of the furniture. The lair of an astronomy freak, who Erza knew spent many nights head in the stars, studying the planet's rotations and the weather and the tides and anything that could relate to the stars.

Lucy continued to examined every trinket, utterly fascinated, as Erza tore her eyes from the papers hidden under the bed. She hesitantly opened one of the closet doors; it was empty except for another pair of leather boots and another cloak, which both seemed bigger than the ones Mystogan currently wore. They still bore a brand new price tag. Erza looked around for anything peculiar, but couldn't find much evidence and reported her attention back on the rest of the room. She never would've guessed that she'd have this much trouble differentiating Jellal's doppelganger from the real deal.

Candles, which had previously dripped wax unto the bare furniture, still perfumed the room of amber and dried ink and warm citrus. Erza noticed incense burnt to a crisp on a windowsill, which immediately threw her back to when she had rested in Jellal's tent during her adventures in Crime Sorciere. Hesitantly, she slipped an incense stick in her pocket: he would not even notice, and yet, she would spin the trinket between her palms and reminisce their long lost memories for weeks. The surfaces, despite being covered in souvenirs and odd artifacts, were impeccably clean. There was no stray sock, no abandoned underwear in a corner. Only stray coffee mugs on the bedside table, resting sadly besides a velvet pouch.

" Well. He's a nerd, " Lucy noted as she finally reported her attention back to Erza. " But a very smart, precise, and elaborate nerd. These maps are.. They must have taken years to draw. Like, they were handmade. The ink has leaked and bubbled on some of them. "

Erza hummed as she sat on the bed. Deep down, she already knew what was inside this pouch- yet, her fingers still tingled as she reaches out for it. Her slender fingers pulled on the elastic, loosening the strings before reaching for the object within the fabric. Rectangular and smooth.

Inside Erza's fingers was Jellal's tarot set.

She tried to keep her composure; because maybe Mystogan was also really into card reading and psychic beliefs and karma. But as the redhead spread the cards across the crisp duvet, one by one, there was no doubt left to ponder over. The Sun and the Queen of Swords were wrinkled from use, pleated and worn like an old pair of shoes. The ink had washed off at the border of the cards and it was rubbing off on her nails. Erza imagined Jellal pulling his own cards, brows furrowed in focus, and throwing the Sun away, full of frustration as he drew the same card, the same answer for the umpteenth time.

" It's him, " she declared. There was no need for further explanation, for development: Lucy believed her on sight. Full of curiosity, she held out her hands, and Erza handed her the deck. She knew that Cana would be delighted to hear about a fellow arcana adorer; but that she would utterly horrified by the quality and state of this deck. Jellal believed in simple things; he had bought those cards for ten jewels from a suspicious seaside merchant. They had never left his side.

Erza had offered him the velvet pouch. It bore his initials on the verso, which she hadn't examined earlier. J.F. It still smelled of lavender and sage, which the fortune teller she had bought it from promised would continuously cleanse his cards.

Lucy hummed, the irrefutable proof of the man's identity right in her hands. The redhead felt like an anvil had dropped down her stomach. The realization that he had been around her for the entire week, had taken care of her, had carried her to bed. The bewilderment and shock provoked by this lie. And the incomprehension. Why? Why this impersonation, when everyone would welcome him with open arms? Erza found herself at a loss of words, a loss of everything. She barely knew how to react, or what was the next sensible thing to do.

Underneath her boot had stuck the loose sheets of paper which they had discovered while coming out of their hiding place. Erza grimaced as she ripped it off her shoe; her sole had left a neat, grey footprint in the corner of the document. The two pieces of paper produced a sickly sound as she separated them: she had stuck them together while stepping over them. She unfolded the first document, discovering what seemed to be royal correspondance.

" Dear Mister Jellal Sterling Fernandes;

It is a delight to finally be able to address you, as odd as it is. I have been extremely occupied under my new position as Main Royal Entity of the Kingdom of Edolas, and will therefore be unable to attend my meetings with Madam Erza Artem Scarlet-"

Erza grimaced at the sight of her full name. She didn't even know that Mystogan was acquainted with this detail.

"-concerning the well-faring of the Fairy Tail Assembly and the overall well-being of the guild. Her Majesty Erza Enyo Knightwalker has heard many tales of your wisdom and has therefore suggested me to reach out to you as a temporary replacement to my Earthland functions. This would include attending to meetings with Madam the Guild Leader, completing her assigned missions and enquiries, and residing in the Fairy Tail domain for the entirety of the first fortnight of August. My wife and I confide in your ability to fulfill this demand, and kindly ask you to discuss it with Madam Scarlett in order to confirm the validity of this offer. We were hoping that the good nature of your shared bond would make this replacement natural and profitable for the both of you.

Do not hesitate to send more correspondance in order to ask any remaining interrogations and confirm your attendance to the aforementioned events.

Thank you truly,

Ruling King Mystogan

Kingdom of Edolas. "

Erza gently folded back the letter. Mystogan's handwriting was almost identical to Jellal's: graceful script written in pen and ink. Yet, when she observed it with sharper attention, she noticed that Mystogan's letters were bigger and neater, whereas Jellal's were smaller and, sometimes, more chaotic, as if he was running out of space with each supplementary letter. She passed the letter to the celestial mage, who pulled out a pair of wireframe glasses from her leather belt ( Lucy's eyes were starting to go bad from too much reading before bedtime, ) and got to reading it as well.

Erza opened the second letter. It was a sad, abused piece of paper: covered in ink stains, crinkles, coffee mugs helices and smudges. Most of it was indecipherable- sentences ruled out, crossed over, covered in large traces of opaque ink as if hidden by a hateful fingertip. In the top left corner, she could read her name in Jellal's careful handwriting.

" My Dear Erza,

I hope this message finds you well. Much time has passed since my last letter and I'm really I deeply apologize for the radio silence. Truly, it is getting harder and harder for me to write these letters without spilling my heart out overthinking each of my words without wishing that I could simply speak these words to you out loud, in your presence. Yet, I remain a coward Though, I can barely find time

//// "

The message ended in a dark stain which prevented any eyes from reading what was written underneath. After skipping a couple of lines, Jellal had attempted to start again, probably on a further day as the ink went from sepia brown to rich burgundy red.

" Erza,

I hope you are well. I am enquiring to you about an urgent matter. King of Edolas Mystogan had penned me about his inability to make it to your monthly meeting. I was therefore asked to exceptionally replace him "

" My Dear Erza;

It has been long since I have heard from you. I have heard about many of your achievements throughout my latest travelling and felt a large sense of pride my chest at each of the article I read in the Sorcerer's Magazine. It is good to know that you are being as successful and admirable as ever. I will get straight to the point. Mystogan has reached out to me and- "

The rest of the paper had been ripped away. Probably in an frustration induced movement- the rip was hazardous rather than neat and controlled. Erza hesitated, nibbling down on her lower lip, before tucking the letter in her pocket. Lucy had slipped the letter from Mystogan back under the bed: she looked vaguely impressed. " Feels weird to recognize Mystogan as like, you know. Royalty. To think that he used to casually drink beers with us every now and then- Remember when he took Wendy to the beach with us ? "

Erza nodded vaguely, her mind wandering out in faraway lands. She couldn't put a name on the emotions crossing her heart: they were so very numerous and different. She felt conflicted, disorriented. Worse, she had no idea how she would approach the man or resolve this conflict. While she worried on a bloodied cuticle, Lucy approached her calmly, resting a hand on her shoulder.

" Erza? Are you okay? "

Titania hummed. The blondie shifted so she could stand right in front of her, grapping both of the redhead's hands in hers. There was such tenderness and love in this small gestured that Erza felt her heart swelling painfully, and her vision blur with tears. She had cried many times before Lucy's eyes: in lonely hotel room suites, in the guildhall, on the train. She did not care about the shame or the embarrassment of expression emotion around her friends anymore: she had guarded her heart for so long, and she no longer found it worth to put so much effort into hiding her feelings. Because feelings were strength: feelings meant that her heart still beat and she could still breath.

" Not really, " she admitted plainly as Lucy escorted her out of the room. She could not shake the smell of Jellal's smoky cologne out of her nostrils. " I don't know what to do. "

A couple of hours later, Erza nursed her cup of red wine, deep burgundy shades swirling amongst the spotless glass. Mira busied herself by keeping her aware of the latest drama and gossip: details of Gray and Julia's new residence ( I've heard it's very lovely- right in the outskirts, near Clam Lake ), rumors of incoming travelling merchants which sold enchanted wares, positive feedback from the farmer who had gotten Lucy and herself sick after they had successfully rescued their cattle. She hummed along; Erza was not really one for gossip, but Mira's tales combined with the sweet buzz dulled her worry and paranoia, which had persisted from their visit in MystoJellal's dorm. She had switched her casual blouse for a nicer, sleek black dress which she paired with matching matte gloves. She had missed the feeling of this glorious protection over her skin- despite being thin, the gloves felt like safety.

Tonight was Wednesday, which meant that it was Live Music Night in the guild hall. One of her and Mystogan's first project when she had inherited the title of Guild Master was to turn the guild in something more than a guild. She had wanted this place to host events, welcome families and children, maintain local culture, and encourage overall partying and social gatherings. They had organized many types of events which still held strong. Of course, they had their flops ( Erza was utterly disappointed to see that very few people had showed up to her strawberry cake workshop, but all the Fairy girls did and that's what had mattered in the end ), but they also had their successes: Juvia's bi-weekly fairy tales reading session for the kids in town, quiz nights ( Mystogan ( or was it Jellal?? ) had attended once and marked a high score that STILL stood undefeated two years later ), local business markets, simple magic training for children and the elderly and much more. But Erza's favorite would forever be Jazz Night. There would never be anything that she'd enjoy more than some live music, her friends swaying around the room, long dresses and linen button ups, snacks and bubbles and crystal-clear laughter. It felt peaceful and pleasant, not as overwhelming as full blown festivities but not as underwhelming as the traditional Fairy Tail banquets.

" And so, I take her to this bar.. " Mirajane rambled, telling her about her latest date with a purple haired punk named Octavia. " She was.. Gorgeous. Erza, I'm talking, GORGEOUS. COVERED in tattoos. And I'm like, so which one's your guild mark, " Mirajane continues as she polishes a handful of teaspoons, " and she goes ' Oh! I'm not in one. I'm not really into all of that. ' When I tell you, my heart DROPPED. "

Erza chuckled lowly as she finished the last of her wine, the bitter aromas of its red fruits and licorice tickling her tastebuds and tinting her lips a bold berry color. She tipped her glass forwards, encouraging Mirajane to refill it. She did not have to ask twice. " Oh Heavens. Bad luck. What then ?

-I told her my Guild Master was awaiting for me, for a meeting. And that she was Titania, of Fairy Tail. She got pale as a ghost. I don't think there'll be a second date.

-My, my. All of these love things are just an awful bother to deal with, " Titania sighed as she tucked a strand of crimson hair behind her ear. She swirled the glass and smelled it, as if it wasn't the exact same one that she had just drank. Her cheeks were coated in a warm flush. " Look at those two. I swear, it drives me crazy. I wish I could just take both their heads and give them a hand. "

Natsu and Lucy were goofing around in a corner of the room, laughing and stepping over each other's feet as they tried to dance to the beat of the saxophone. Lucy was already gone for- Erza would NOT try and contact her the next morning before three in the afternoon- but Natsu held on her so carefully, with such tenderness, as if she was made out of precious porcelain and would shatter if he tore his eyes off her. He blushed underneath her doe eyes, her sharp smile. They looked utterly in love.

" I know, right? Like, c'mon. It's been SIX YEARS ! " Mirajane exclaimed, falsely exasperated. " And Lucy is also like oh, I should go and put myself out there, it's never gonna happen in anyways, I should move on..

-Honestly, it's probably going to burst in the open one day, in anyways. One of them won't be able to contain it anymore. It's just a matter of time. "

The two women remained silent, quietly resuming their activities: Mirajane to her cutlery polishing, Erza to her absent reflexion. The sound of a high stool's leg scratching against the wooden boards nexr to her tore her out of her reverie. She snapped out of her trance, and laid her eyes on Jellal's- or MystoJellal's, figure.

He was surprisingly unmasked, and still clad in his large, obsidian cloak. A natural stumble grew at the edge of his hairline and on his chin; his sapphire strands were disheveled around his face in a way that Erza found so attractive that she found it hard to contain herself from pointing it out. She found comfort and utter beauty in his delicate, almost feminine traits; she ached to trace the pattern of his odd scar on his cheekbones.

But obviously, Erza did none of that. " Mira, can I get a glass of white please ? Sweet, " she added, as Jellal hopped on the bar stool.

" My searches for what you talked to me about were inconclusive, unfortunately, " Jellal stated as Mirajane poured him a generous glass of wine. " Well, I did see them, but I could not get in contact with them, sadly. They seemed rather.. Hostile. "

Erza shrugged. She didn't miss the way his eyes hung around crook of her neck, the curve of her muscular shoulders, the waterfall of tiny ruby gemstones cascading down her lobes. A flash of surprise crossed his eyes: exactly the reaction she had meant to elicit. He had gifted her these earrings himself, for her twenty-fifth birthday: in an envelope full of dried lilies and silk ribbons.

" Well, that's a shame. But I am not too worried. Their group didn't seem large enough to cause any notable trouble.

-You are right, indeed, " Jellal nodded as he took a first, generous sip of his glass. Erza wondered if he felt the razor-thin tension that ran between their too-close legs under the countertop. " But it's rather strange. I felt like some of their faces were very familiar.

-Were they? " the redhead feigned with a quirked eyebrow as she stared into his eyes. Hazelnut: green as moss, brown as oak bark. A forest fire in waiting.

" In fact, I am pretty sure I have seen them around here, " the man added with a hint of restraint. He was testing the grounds: Jellal was unto her.

" Perhaps we have traitors, " Erza answered after a pause, her skin suddenly warm and moist and her head just a tiny, tiny bit woozy. Perhaps the drinks were starting to kick in: right when she needed them NOT to. Jellal nodded with an almost imperceptible shrug. She smelled the musky cologne that had oh-so tainted her nostrils in his bedroom. " Perhaps we do. I dare hope not. "

They remained in silence: Erza was surprised to find this moment terribly palpable and awkward. She felt as if she should say something, should say anything: but she could not trust herself not to burst into flames in the middle of the celebrations if they started this discussion here and now. Jellal, intrigued by her silence, reopened the conversation while swirling his wine.

" You are awfully quiet today, Titania. Is something the matter?

-Yes, " Erza admitted with a short sigh. She was so tired of pretending. " Actually, I do have a problem- A terrible, terrible problem. "

Jellal rose his eyebrows in surprise, taken aback by such honesty. Already, a sweet flush coated his cheeks: he seldom drank and, Erza knew, had a terrible tolerance to alcohol. Yet, he had not rejected her drink, and was in fact sipping it avidly; a little too quickly for an occasional drinker. It occurred to her that the guilt of this little playing act might be eating him alive.

" I must do my best to help you then, Erza. May I enquire about what's bothering you? "

Erza nodded. The jazz band switched their joyful melody to a slower, smoother track as the clock rang midnight. " Of course. I fear that I do not only suspect- I know, " and she insisted on that last word, " I know for a fact that there is a traitor in this guild. "

Suspicion flashed in Jellal's eyes. Erza drummed her nails absently on the countertop.

" How can you be so sure of that?

-Are you insinuating that I do not know my guild members enough to recognize an impostor?

-No! Of course not, I- " He grasped for words, settling for a frustrated breath before starting anew. " I simply wondered. That is all.

-I can just.. Feel it. I can feel it. " The end of her sentence hung in the unsaid. What she really meant was: Can't you? Can't you feel it, the tether between us ? " I fear that this impostor is mistaking me for an idiot. A fool. As if I would not recognize them in a crowd. Amongst millions. Blindfolded and deafened."

Her words hang as heavy as lead in the silence.

Jellal cleared his throat.

Erza shook his head desperately. Her pulse menaced to explode like a grenade. Her throat felt pressured and strangled by a thousand of invisible hands. She waited for him to come clean, as she finished her glass, but he didn't. He continued to drink in silence, his eyes absent and hollow, as if lost in either thought or pain. His silence felt like a fresh blade on her heart. It pained her more than expected, to be met with this absolute cowardice.

" I don't understand. I wish I could, but I don't. "

Ultimately, she gave up. Jellal had nothing to say. Exasperated, Erza pushed her glass back towards Mirajane. This silence was driving her mad- He was driving her mad.

" I should wish you a pleasant evening, Mystogan, I suppose " Erza saluted as she got off her seat, before she could wreak havoc upon him and humiliate herself in front of her guildmates. She stumbled hazardly, her limbs fuzzy and brain cotton-like. She had wished for this evening to end in comfort: in apologies and embraces and half-lies. But there would be none of this. There would only be stinging disappointment, which would never ever serve her right, and never sting enough to tame her undying hope.

Jellal's eyes reminded her of a wounded puppy. He was so unbelievably quiet and unexpressive, but you would have to be blind to ignore the sorrow in his stare. She didn't know what hurt more: his despairing stubbornness or the knowledge that she was inflicting this pain to him openly and willingly. " I must advise for you to pack your bags early on tomorrow. I have arranged for your vessel to transport you back to Edolas. I fear your help here is no longer required. I don't deal with crooks, or fakes. "

She waited a beat, wishing for anything, any sign that he was ready to strike back with an apology, an explanation. Yet, Jellal only lowered his chin- he could not even hold her eyes. Erza shook her head in irritation- she was so, so tired of this- and left the room, not sparing a glance for the heartbroken mage left in her wake.

Chapter Text

Erza strained against Natsu's strong arms, sweating and sobbing, as the Officer approached Jellal's slumped figure. His hands, bound together by a cruel restraining spell, were covered in dirt and blood. She knew how this looked: his hair matted with dust and rubble, caked blood under his fingernails, sorrowful expression under his courageous facade. The redhead shoved and shoved her body against the brute force holding her back. Her knees buckled under her own weight as her tears dangerously threatened to spill. She was full of rage, of this desperate sense of justice and regret: for the first time in what seemed like centuries, she felt ready to beg.

" Jellal Sterling Fernandez, " The Officer started as his soldiers approached him to surround the criminal, hands on the hilt of their weapons. " You are being arrested, on behalf of the National Magic Council of Earthland, for the following list of wrongdoings: aggravated war crimes, mass crime against humanity, large-scale murder, national conspiracy and betrayal..

-Let him go! " Erza cried, kicking hands and elbows to get out of Natsu's muscle cage. " You can't do that !! I swear, I will-

-Erza, " muttered Gray as he laid a hand on her shoulder. " Please. Don't make this even harder on yourself-

-They can't just take him away ! Under what rights- I want to see your papers ! " Erza continued as she shook Gray's hand away. Her muscles burned from effort, and her knees buckled dangerously before giving out. She barely felt the impact as they hit the floor, and gravel scrapped her knees raw. She could not believe it- that she was on the floor for this man, this monster who had killed her friend, who had barely spared her life.

But the Devil had escaped from his eyes. They were so clear, resigned, serene. She knew that he would accept this fate remorselessly, without struggle nor battle, as they dragged him into the Jurisdiction's transport. One of the soldiers scowled before zapping him freely in the gut, Jellal's whines of pain resonating through the surrounding forest.

" Erza, " he coughed as he looked at her over his shoulder. He bit over his lower lip, holding back a pained moan, as he held himself as tall as he could. " It will be alright. Do not feel like this- You must keep battling. You must keep smiling-

-Shut up, bastard, " ordered one of the Soldiers before sending their punch across the man's jaw. His eyebrow split; blood ran over Jellal's scar. Erza felt the last of her composure shatter as he bent over to enter the vehicle.

" No, " she pleaded, then sobbed, crimson hair stuck to her warm cheeks. The fight was slowly seeping out of her, and Erza could feel her body tire out at the moment she needed it the most. Lucy hugged her from behind; Gray squeezed her hand. She felt sick and awfully helpless , and Jellal gave her one last tender look as they slammed the doors, severing what was left of their connection.

" No! No, please just.. Just take me ins- "

" Erza? Erza !! "

Erza's body shrieked and shook as she awoke, dream carrying into reality as she struggled against the heavy arms around her.

" Stop ! Please, I need him here ! Don-

-Erza ! Erza, stop! It's me ! "

The familiar voice shook her out of the visions, the world tumbling into something more actual, more concrete. She frowned in confusion, slowly calming down her body as her full consciousness returned to her in fragments, then fully. Her heartbeat slowed, then steadied, while she caught back her breath: the gentle arms let go of their firm hold, allowing her some freedom as she took in her surroundings. She could only see blue: shades of blue, midnight, sapphire, azure. It bathed in the room in which she stood, coating her bare arms in periwinkle moonlight and the brass trinkets in the living room in stardust-like lighting. She felt utterly disoriented, as if she were sent into a time-travelling tunnel or a dimensional portal.

Jellal looked at her, exhausted and out of breath: two scratches crossed his cheekbones, as if he had just been in a feral battle ( which probably had been the case ). His white chemise made him resemble an old pirate; his eyes were crusted with sleep and hair tied back in a half-bun. He looked so much like the man that she had just wanted to save that she longed to hold him in relief.

" Are you okay? " He questioned, laying a hesitant hand on her shoulder. " You were.. Asleep.

-What are you doing here ? " Erza blubbered as she looked around, struggling to recognize the familiar features of her room. Probably because this was, in fact, not her bedroom in the slightest. Jellal looked slightly amused. " What am I doing here ? Well, this is my room. I mean, Mystogan's room.. But you know this already, right? "

Erza was struggling to put the pieces together, but some of them came back to her in scattered memories: the letters she had found earlier on with Lucy, the drinks on Jazz Night. " But.. But you were.. They were.. Oh my god, you’re here,".

She sighed in lungs-freeing relief, and in her euphoria, allowed herself to crash down like a wave in his embrace. Unsurprised, Jellal held her there: at first, hesitantly, then firmly, as if unwilling to let go. Erza felt the ends of his hair caress the crown of her skull, the brush of his collarbones against her jaw, the warmth of his contact. She longed to stay here forever, to forget all about the treachery and the lies and the skeletons in their closets. His hands ran absent circles around the mid of her back, triggering goosebumps on her bare skin. Despite being mostly uncomfortable in this standing position, she dared not move, scared to lose this moment, to feel it run between her fingers like sand as it always did. 

“ It’s okay, “ Jellal whispered as he laid his cheek against her forehead. She knew that the intimacy of this moment would haunt her for months. “ Whatever you were seeing, or.. Or experiencing, it’s gone. You are safe here. “

Every now and then, it felt very nice to be comforted instead of comforting. Erza nodded as Jellal stepped away, and something within her screamed no, no, but he simply opened his bedroom’s door wider and stepped inside. “ Come in, I’ve made some valerian root tea. It will help. Just.. take your time chasing it away. I am right here, if you need me. “

Erza remained silent as she entered the bedroom. Surprisingly, she had never been here with him: actually, she had never been here at all before shamefully visiting the room with Lucy. Phosphorecent lights glimmered on the ceiling, such as ones you’d stick up in a child’s room; yet they glowed curious shades of warm oranges and projected a comforting ambiance all over the room. A single candle glowed on Jellal’s bedside table, resting on a silver candleholder rotten with time. Wax dripped over a yellowing newspaper, the headlines proudly announcing that “TITANIA OF FAIRY TAIL DOES IT AGAIN” . The redhead bit back a smile as she sat down gingerly on the edge of his mattress, folding back her freezing feet beneath her thighs. This quietness was comforting: the wind blowing out of the attic’s window, the slurping sound of Jellal pouring two chipped porcelain cups of tea, his slow steps resonating in this silence.

Erza was tying her hair up, freeing her damp nape, when he handed her the mug. She gladly accepted it, and Jellal sat crisscross in front of her, keeping a safe distance that her heart willed to cross. She saw joy and tranquility in his eyes: his wary, uptight guard settled down, for now. Titania took a careful sniff at the steaming content in the mug, and grimaced, stealing a chuckle from the astronomy mage. “ Heavens, “ she swore, “ Are you trying to kill me ? 

-It’s the reishi mushrooms in there. I promise, they’re harmless- They just reek. “ He slurped loudly from his cup, then winced. How could she have even doubted that this man had been Mystogan?

“ I didn’t know you still had trouble sleeping. I thought you had told me that it had gotten better?

-Well, it depends,” Jellal shrugged. “ It comes and goes, you know. But lately, being here..”

He didn’t have to continue his sentence: Erza hummed in comprehension. Being around her. That’s what triggered it: and deep down she knew that his presence also tended to intensify these effects throughout her nights as well. She took a tentative sip of her tea and tried her best not to spit it out: it tasted even worse than it smelled. “ Oh god. This is awful. “

Jellal laughed whole-heartedly and handed her a box of cookies hidden in his bedside table. She imagined him sneaking snacks in his bedroom like a teenager and found it deeply endearing; she found it especially hard to forget that Jellal had never been allowed to grow up as they had, to be a developing child or a teenager. He tentatively scooted closer, knees barely touching, before reaching out for a hardcover book and resting his teacup on it. “ I didn’t know you were a sleepwalker. How did you even get up the ladder? I had left the trap open, but.. 

-I don’t know. I was just.. Dreaming. Of these terrible things.

-I was scared you’d break a leg, or something. I tried to get you back to your room but.. You just wouldn’t stop calling out to me. “

Erza felt a blush creep on her cheeks, and she desperately hoped that the room was dim enough to conceal it. She opted for the truth as she restlessly popped her knuckles.  “ They were taking you away. It’s just.. Really hard. To remember. 

-I’m sorry. I’m sorry I had to leave you behind, that day-

-You had no choice. Neither of us did. But the look on your face.. You didn’t even know who you were, or who they were and they just.. Dragged you away. Like this. One moment you were back, and it was already so hard to process, and then you just.. Weren’t. “

Silence befell over them as Jellal drank the last of his tea. He laid the cup on his bedside table - trying to skillfully conceal the newspapers with it- before resting back over his mountain of pillows. He shifted on his left hand side, and Erza occupied the rest of the neighbouring space, giving up on her undrinkable beverage. They rested in silence, and she avoided confrontation until it burned on the tip of her tongue, impossible to hold back. She turned on her side and planted her eyes on his gracious profile: the curve of his scar, the green of his eyes, the quirk of his content lips. “ Why did you not tell me? “

The mage mirrored her, laying on his side as he searched for his words. She could see how badly he wanted to talk, but there was always this foolish restraint that blurred their communication and turned beautiful things into dust. But this time, Jellal spoke.

“ I was scared,” he admitted shamefully, his eyes fleeing hers as he picked on the bedsheet. “ It’s like- I couldn’t even talk to you. I was mortified- to imagine myself wandering around these halls like I belong, making decisions as if they were mine to take. Even trying to reach out and talk about it.. It felt unnatural. Like something I was secretly not allowed to do. Honestly, I contemplated declining, for so long..

-Yet, still? “ Erza encouraged. She didn’t know when their hands had met and fingers interlocked, but now she did, and it felt ridiculously nice. 

“ Yet, still. I was.. Positively dying to see you,”  the mage breathed out, cheeks flushed as his fingers curled over hers. “ I ached for your presence. When I thought about the letter underneath my bed and the promise of this time spent by your side, it was like holding this bomb that I really, really wanted to explode,”

A quiet break passed by as Erza took in all of which he had said. She herself felt like her heart, her body, was about to burst. Her heart beat erratically in her chest, threatening to rib across her ribs or fall down to her stomach. She felt something dangerous catch in her breath as she looked at this man who had just bared his feelings raw for her.

“ I’m sorry, “ Jellal grimaced as stared back at the ceiling, visibly embarrassed. “ I know I never should’ve done that, Erza. And I understand if you wish to send me away- even right now. I know what I’ve done.. It’s unacceptable. I should’ve just told you and.. And known you’re too clever to be fooled, “  He added, with a pained chuckle. 

“ You should’ve, “ The redhead started as she brushed her thumb atop the back of his hand. She stifled a yawn- and failed miserably. “ But you didn’t. What shall I do now? Banish you from these grounds? Cast you away?

-Perhaps.. But then, who’s going to hold your hair back when you’re sick ? “

Erza grabbed the nearest pillow and sent it flying to his face, hitting him mid-chuckle. His eyes sparkled: he looked immensely relieved, and Erza herself felt most of her rancor vanishing in away as his laugh resounded like butterflies into the room. She continued to pummel him with the pillow, more interested in the so-rare sound of his giggles than in her actual revenge, while Jellal half-struggled to get himself out of this sticky situation. Eventually, Erza tired out, and Jellal caught his breath, mouth still frozen in a joyful smile so contagious that she could not bite her smile back either.

“There. I feel better now. Also, you fucking suck at making coffee, by the way, “ the redhead accused as she crashed down next to him, laying her head over his shoulder. He opened his arm to let her in, and she swam in the warmth of his touch, wishing she could hold tight enough to never let go. His cotton shirt was slightly scratchy but it smelled like cologne, and she was already scheming over how she’d keep it in her infinite mental wardrobe.

“ Sorry that I don’t know how to use your coffee machine from the year 430,” Jellal muttered teasingly as he stared at the stars overhead.

“ AND, you suck at NOT being suspicious. Like, you could’ve asked Mystogan to at least tell you where his room was. Gray finding you just standing in his room would’ve rang alarm bells in any guildmember’s head. 

-I was confused- At least I didn’t end up in the women’s dorm.

-Oh yeah, I would’ve had such a wonderful time explaining to everyone that my dear friend Mystogan is actually NOT Mystogan- and is also, actually, a creep.

-You offend me. I live surrounded by women. 

-Yeah, yeah, whatever you say..” Erza joked as she burrowed herself a bit further in the crook of his neck. His arms locked around the small of her back and his nose nuzzled her forehead. She wished that she could affirm that it was their first time ending like this, but it clearly wasn’t. She knew her way around him, and his body, like a magic compass. It would always be very incomprehensible, how much easier it was for them to be bodily close to one another than to express out loud however they felt- but she would not have it any other way. She was aware that she hadn’t offered him a clear response, about what he had admitted earlier and whatever it engaged: but this would be a problem for later. For now, she wanted to hold him close and bask in this love ( because she would be a fool to not call this love). She closed her eyes and pretended like she didn’t hear him sniff her shampoo off her hair. 

“ I can’t sleep.” She declared firmly as she laced her hands around his neck, cuddling closer. 

“ Erza.. It’s been five minutes. 

-Tell me a story. Please. “

And he did. He told her about Northern Gods, about their rites and legends, how the people would gift them offerings and dance around tree-tall bonfires to keep their toes warm. He told her about how they read the stars from their mountaintops, and how fascinated he had been by the new constellations that they had kindly pointed out to him. He told her about how easy life felt in places where people didn’t know of your name, or your past, or what you’d done: about how he’d wished to never return but duty called and he oddly missed buying the Daily Sorcerer Magazine to get the latest news of the Fairy Tail guild. He told her that he didn’t actually like coffee, but it was pretty efficient and he loved enjoying his day fully, from dusk until dawn. He told her about many things, whispering tales and anecdotes until he watched her doze off in his arms, her breath steadying and eyes fluttering closed, until he barely dared to move in order not to wake her up. And when Erza fell asleep, he held her close enough to think that perhaps, being Mystogan just a tad bit more regularly might not be too bad. 

The next day, Erza awoke in Mystogan’s disheveled bed, tangled in their night blue bedsheets. The sun pierced through the blinds, and she burrowed her head back into the pillow right after cracking her eye open, moaning in discontentment: she had slept through the rest of her night like a baby. It was rare for her to get such fulfilling rest, and she therefore clung to it as much as she could, dozing in this state between sleep and consciousness for long moments. She stretched between the pillows, the bed cold around her. Erza did not even question it: Jellal was gone. She was used to the hit-and-run of it, the ephemerae of their shared moments, and it was now significantly harder to be pained or surprised by it. She simply felt grateful, for what tenderness and honesty he had offered her, and she memorized the bribes of memories as vividly as possible, unwilling to let go of them just yet.

Yet, when Erza opened her eyes, Jellal’s large bag still hung against the bed’s foot, and his cotton blouse lay discarded on the desk chair. There was no sign of his actual presence, but he was still there- somewhere within the guild. This certainty relieved an undeniable hidden sorrow deep within her heart: just because she had accepted that this was how things would forever be, didn’t mean that something still shattered profoundly within her whenever he left her behind. With a lighter chest, she stretched her limbs, cracked some articulations, and stood from the bed. A note on Mystogan’s desk caught her attention: she rubbed her eyes before reading it. “ My dear Erza: I had some urgent matters to deal with in town. Will be back before lunch. Do not wait for me if not. “

She was surprised, but not utterly shocked: Jellal’s visits sometimes lasted hours, sometimes weeks. And then, he vanished into thin air. But not this time, or at least not for now. The redhead took her sweet time waking up, as if duty was not calling at any hour of the day in the Fairy Tail halls. She opened the blinds wide, accepting the sun’s warmth on her face, and showered in the studio’s small adjoining bathroom, where all the shower gels were called odd manly names like “ 24/7 2 in one pure sport for men “ , which definitely made her cringe. In a small corner hid a small inn sample which was labeled as bourbon/vanilla, and she thought it wouldn’t be too bad. She lathered her skin in smooth lotion ( it smelled heavenly ), which still bore the trace of someone who had dipped their fingers in, and summoned a leather armor to wear atop flowy pants and a loose blouse. It was way too warm to wear anything metallic or fully protective- and her day would not involve any action. Only boring paperwork. Boring paperwork and..

She had this odd feeling that she was forgetting something crucial on her agenda, but could not, for the life of her, remember what. After all, her head still felt a bit foggy from the previous evening’s wine, and the encounter that had happened in between. Erza shrugged it off as she braided her hair, deciding that it shall not be too important if she had so easily forgotten about it. She carefully laced her boots, buckled the loose ends of her armor, and cautiously made her way out of the studio, making sure to shut the trap behind her. The redhead did not even bother to stop by her room: after all, she had come here hands empty.

In the guild hall, Lucy nursed a mug of steaming tea the worrying color of pale urine: Mirajane’s legendary hangover remedy, chamomile with citrus and ginger and also something caffeinated that Erza did not even dare question. She was holding her head as if it weighed the world, apparently regretting her careless dancing and mischief from Jazz Night. Erza poured herself a very large cup of verbena tea ( she shivered when she thought of yesterday’s mushroom tea, but god ho efficient had it been! ) before sitting down next to her friend.

“ Wow, someone looks like THEY had a good night. Unlike stupid me, “ Lucy whined as she turned to face Erza. Titania chuckled as she tasted her tea, burning her tongue in the process. 

“ Don’t say that. At least you had fun! 

-Yeah, indeed. But my toes are sore from Natsu stepping over them yesterday. I swear, he’s a terrible dancer.

-I should teach him my frenzied salsa.” Erza declared with a smile. Lucy snorted. 

“ Let’s.. Let’s not.”

Erza giggled whole-heartedly as Lucy nibbled untastefully on her bland toast. Every bite looked like a full-on combat.

“ I’m glad Natsu was there. I seriously cannot trust myself with a drink. I always think I’m getting better and then I’m just.. Not.

-To be fair, Mira puts an INSANE amount of rum in those pina coladas of yours. Like, seriously. It’s frightening. Also, your name is not Kana Alperona.“

Mirajane smiled innocently, like a cherub, as she poured coffee into a brass portafilter. She looked fresh as a daisy. Erza wasn’t sure whether she’d overshared about anything yesterday evening and that suddenly made her quite anxious. They could not know; she’d have to conserve Jellal’s facade. Things would be too complicated otherwise, and a fleeting word to the wrong friend or family contact.. It was too risky. Plus, if he were to come clean, she wanted him to do it himself. Lucy detailed the warrior for a second, as if intrigued, before slurping some more tea.

“ You look weird today.

-Gee, thanks. You don’t look that much better.

-No, I mean like.. Good. You have a weird glow on your face. Also, you smell weird. 

-I switched shampoos, “ Erza affirmed as she shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She felt like Lucy was scanning her with X-Ray lasers. “ It smells good, right?

-Yeah, if you were called something fancy like Hippolyte The Third and studied medicinal herbal magics in the university of Era, “ Lucy shot back. “ But it does smell good.

“ Thank you Luce. I know I can always count on you for support and positive reinforcement.

-You’re welcome. Sorry, I feel like shit. I shouldn’t take it out on you like that.

-It’s okay. You’re forgiven. I’ll just assign you to clean the communal toilets today, I guess.

-You are diabolical, Erza Scarlet, do you know that? “

Erza chuckled. She struggled hard to stop peering over her shoulder every five minutes, impatient to see the hooded silhouette enter the building at any given time, and she was grateful that Lucy was too busy being miserable to notice. Yet, the celestial mage crossed her legs, keys tingling on their ring over her hip, and caught her eyes. “ So, did you solve the whole Mystogan thing?

-What?

-You know, “ Lucy lowered her tone to a whisper, “ With Jellal, and stuff.

-Perhaps. We really have to keep it under control: if anybody knows..

-C’mon Erza, I’ll be mute as a tomb if you ask me to. I would never dare.. 

-I know, I know. It’s just.. Stressful. “

Lucy gave her a compassionate nod as she dug back into her meager breakfast. 

“ Of course, I can only imagine.. But don’t worry. Nobody else has to know. It’ll stay between us, Erza. I swear on my life. 

-Thank you. Also, thank you for coming, yesterday. I know it was crazy to do, but-

-Please, I had the time of my life,” Lucy grinned. Her blonde hair was backlit by the sun and she looked angelic despite the sickly pale tint of her skin. Erza thought that being twice ill in the matter of a couple of days must be frankly exhausting. “ Always ready to do some insane trespassing with you. Seriously. “

Erza smiled wholeheartedly. Lucy was right: she felt brighter than she had in months, the world suddenly cleared of any worries or clouds. She felt like she could breathe clearly and take on a mountain. In fact, she was already planning on which treaty and admissions she would tackle first: and how she’d even make an effort to clean her messy desk before doing so. Then perhaps she’d take a stroll around town: perhaps Jellal would appreciate her help for whichever problem he had to take care of. 

Yet, it only took Lucy a couple of words to turn her enthusiasm to crumbles. She frowned -and already Erza could guess that something was wrong-, before enquiring: “ But how are you going to deal with the Council?

-The Council? What about them?

-Well, today is August fourth, right? “

Erza’s heart dropped down to her stomach as the realization hit. This was what she had forgotten about. August Fourth meant that today was the day in which the Council would lead their annual guild examination: a couple of diplomats would come over, speak with each member and enquire about their quality of life. They would make sure that no mage was working illegally or unregistered amongst the guild- and scan random members to check their legal identity. Surprise searches in the rooms and the general quarters would be implemented, which left no room for fraud or misbehaviour. 

She did not care about the results of this investigation: Erza estimated that she was doing a decent job with leading the guild and had ( regretfully ) a strict paperwork policy to index the members, which were to fill several forms on inscription. She was also certain of the cleanliness and general comfort of the guild. But this meant that Jellal.. Jellal was out there. In town, surrounded by members of the Council who wished for nothing more than to see him put behind bars. Or worse, dead and in the ground. At this perspective, she felt her heart quicken, her breath hitch in her throat. Her face had lost its colors and a peak of adrenaline made her head spin. She stood in shock, dread eating and buzzing at her fingertips. 

At this very moment, as if telepathic, Jellal burst through the hall’s large doors, concealed by Mystogan’s identity as he had been for the last few days. Immediately, she read and recognized the utter distress in his eyes while he approached her: to any other, he might’ve looked casual, but she could guess the tension in his shoulders, the hurry in his pace. He leaned over to her shoulder, breathing in her ear before stating: “ They’re coming. “

Jellal filled his backpack in a rush as Erza hurriedly locked the attic’s door, the huge lock clicking in place quite loudly. He shoved several unrelated items in the beg: his pouch of tarot cards first, then a dozen of heavy leatherbound volumes, a toiletry bag filled to the brim, various items of clothing, a correspondence set, a folder full of maps and precious papers, and other trinkets of which Erza had lost count. She worried on the leather straps of her armor as she watched him pack up, the sudden sadness of his departure crashing on her like a tsunami. Her heart pinched painfully- gone was the lightness which tinted her pace earlier. She could already tell that this good day was about to turn into a very sorrowful one. 

“ Wait- I want you to have this, as well. I wanted to give it to you last time, but..”  Erza spoke hurriedly as she summoned a dagger into her hand. It was made of precious ivory bone, veined with purple magic. It glowed with an eerie shimmer: the leathered handle had been worn out from use, reduced to peeling particles and warm tissue. It was small enough to fit into his sleeve. “ It will sing whenever.. Whenever they’re near. So you and the girls know when.. When to run, “ she justified as she handed him the weapon. It had taken her months of mingling with suspicious mages to finally have this dagger enchanted as she had wished it to be, dealing with enchantments sordid enough to have her guild closed down forever if it had been discovered: but she had been ready to pay the price. 

“ Erza, I can’t-

-Please,”  she pleaded, pushing the weapon further into his hands. “ I beg of you. The worry.. It eats me alive sometimes. I need to know that you are safe out there. “

Jellal nodded, reluctantly agreeing. When he gripped it, the mysterious magic turned from mauve to crimson red, singing to its new owner as it sensed the nearby presence of danger. A strand of scarlet hair laid interlocked in between the leather straps, frozen in time. Emotion crossed his face, and for a moment, Erza was worried about tears peeking in the corner of  his eyes. But he did not shed any: instead, he slid the dagger in the inside of his sleeve before dragging her in a tight embrace, burying his head in the crook of her neck. 

“ Thank you,”  he whispered. He held her desperately close, and she could not help but press herself even harder in his anchorage, as if this could prevent him from leaving. She ached miserably: this rollercoaster of emotions was wearing her thin, and she could feel her defenses dangerously lowering as she struggled to keep her pain concealed. “ Thank you, Erza. For everything.

-Don’t forget to write back. The Fairy Tail Parade will take place in a month. You better be there, or else..

-I dare not cross your orders, my dear.” He replied as he took one last good look at her. He delicately pushed a strand of carmine hair out of her face and laid a curt peck on her forehead, then the back of her hand. Erza’s heart skipped a beat before she helplessly watched him slip his bag on, his cloak’s hood over his head, his scarf over his nose. “ Take care, Titania, “ Jellal ordered as he slipped over the windowsill. It was easily a bonebreaking fall down, but she knew that he’d manage, somehow: he was agile as a spider, sharpened by years of hiding and spying. “ Oh, and don’t work yourself sick again. I will know. And I will kick your ass. “

Erza smiled sadly as he glanced back over his shoulder. She knew that she would not be able to hold her tears back much longer: that the dam would burst open as soon as he’d disappear from her vision. “ Only if you write back. That correspondence set is useless if you don’t put it to work. 

-I will, I promise. I promise, “ he repeated to reinforce the vow, furrowing his brows as if to actually swear it to himself. “ Until next time, Erza. “

And just like that, Mystogan was gone.

“ To His Majesty the King of Edolas;

I hope that you are faring well and that your land is prospering. I have heard of ravishing news, that Her Queen Madam Knightwalker is bearing an heir! I wish to send you my most distinguished wishes about this happy event! I promise to visit in the near future, with my closest friends which you already know well, to perhaps assist Her Majesty and overall share a moment of conviviality and bonding with our “ us’s “ of the Other Side. 

I also wished to pen you this letter in order to inform you of the results of my latest collaboration with Jellal Sterling Fernandez, which you had sent as replacement due to your busy schedule. Our activities have fared impressively well, and the Edolas Exchange Project has now matured to a conclusion. Any loose ends have been tied, and it is now ready to be actually put in place. Perhaps this could be executed once your heir has breathed life and you are back to your functions. There is no rush: I insist on you taking care of yourself and your kins before worrying about the matters of any kingdom or guild.

I will also suggest prolonging this replacement, due to the current circumstances. I want nothing more than you and Madam Knightwalker to be safe and healthy, and therefore believe it might be better to suspend our collaboration for the next six months. Jellal has agreed on carrying on these activities by my side for the time being, and will return to assist me with the organization of this year’s Fairy Tail Parade and any other preoccupying matter. 

I meant, as well, to thank you for having the instinct to reach out to Jellal for this instance. It was lovely to work by his side and I assure you that our partnership will be as ( if not even more ) fruitful than when you and I work together. He is an efficient guild master and his attention to security and detail can only benefit the Fairy Tail Guild. I am, to be completely transparent with you, working very hard on trying to convince him to remain as a permanent member of the guild, but perhaps it is not the time yet. He is, also, a busy man who for now wishes to respond to his responsibilities amongst his own, which I can easily understand as a guild master myself.

Do not preoccupy yourself with myself nor Fairy Tail for now, Mystogan. We will easily carry out our success and safety until you are back and ready to cooperate once more. I wish you a very tranquil life for the time now being, and my kindest wishes to Madam Knightwalker.

My sincerest regards,

Erza Artem Scarlet

Fairy Tail Guild Master, Fiore. “