Demons were powerful beings, that was undeniable. But this was at the loss of a sense of caring, honor, or will. The instant that Keyes recognized those mortals he had so amusedly looked down upon had backed him into a corner, he began to crumble.
“You foolish, weak humans!” He growled, though he stepped back as Jellal narrowed his gaze at him. “When will you learn to quit when faced with overwhelming, superior strength?”
“There is no such thing to Fairy Tail!” Erza yelled, having re-equipped into her Adaraxia Blade Wing armor. The impressive swords that made up her wings fanned out around her as she stepped up next to Jellal. “When we stand together, we overcome anyone who calls themselves our enemy! Haven’t you learned that by now?”
“We beat your ass once back in the war between us and Tartaros, so really this shouldn’t have come as a surprise,” It was Gray who was the first to step forward. Though his chest rose and fell at an elevated pace expressing his exhaustion, he still looked willing to fight some more. “Even if you’ve gotten stronger, you’re still alone. Natsu and the other dragon slayers proved the will of your heart combined with those around you can overcome any amount of power when they beat Acnologia.”
Keyes followed Jellal’s gaze, where the resurrected body of Hades was finally fading away into nothing. With Levy’s enchantment negating his demonic powers, his seemingly-permanent Necromancy curse had also finally been canceled out.
“We’re gonna end this now! For real this time!” Natsu slammed his fist into the ground, a burst of flame erupting once again from the impact. “I’m sending you straight back to the Book of Zeref!”
From around him, a blazing dance of flames rushed at the demon, congregating into a single pillar that consumed Keyes in a brilliant display of magical power. Wordlessly, Gray created a bow of ice just as he had when they fought Mard Geer, and the excellent marksman that he was, saw his demon-slaying arrow fly true. Erza spread her arms, and her wing blades all at once converged on him.
“We still need more magic? Damn!” Gray grunted in dissatisfaction.
“That’s fine, leave it to me,” he turned back just in time to see Jellal take off into the sky once again using Meteor, darting across the sky in a familiar pattern as he drew magic circles at his breakneck speed.
“May you be judged by the seven stars of the heavens!” Jellal’s voice echoed through the courtyard with iron-clad conviction while casting the spell he was most recognized for. “Grand Chariot!”
The intensity, the measure of Fairy Tail’s combined hearts beating as one, finally was too much for Keyes to take and Jellal’s Heavenly Body magic, as the one to start the fight, was also the one to end it. The Demon Gate let out a roar of agony, but instead of dissipating into smoke this time, melted into the ground as shadows before they too, scattered and disappeared under the light.
Each wizard could feel it in their chest as the bane particles ceased to exist with the demon who had created them. Despite this, a silence hung over the courtyard as the walls of Levy’s enchantment came down, as if they still couldn’t believe everything that had just occurred.
“Oh my gosh! You guys! Natsu! Gray! Erza!” A young voice suddenly called from the sky, breaking the silence. “Gajeel! Are you all okay? Jellal! Erik!”
Jellal rose his head at his name and spotted three silhouettes with wings descending from the sky. Wendy was the first to land, having been the one who yelled for them. Carla appeared beside her as the other two wizards landed. To everyone’s surprise, it was Lyon and Chelia of Lamia Scale who joined her, carried by Pantherlily and Happy respectively.
“Natsuuuuuuuu!” Happy wailed, rocketing himself like a missile into Natsu’s chest, sobbing.
“Hey little buddy. You’re okay!” He exclaimed. “I was starting to get worried about where you were!”
“What do you mean ‘starting’? Natsu, you’re so mean!”
“Lyon!” Meredy exclaimed, a comically exaggerated blush had appeared on her face when she realized he was standing in front of her. “Wh-what are you and Chelia doing here?” She shot Erik a glare and elbowed him hard when the dragon slayer began chuckling beside her.
“Carla, Happy, Lily and I got away when Hades first started attacking the guild,” Wendy explained to the confused, battered wizards as she and Chelia dispersed to heal the injured members of Fairy Tail. “We flew to Lamia Scale because I knew Chelia could help me heal everyone, and I thought Lyon might be able to help fight him off.”
“I’m quite relieved to see you no longer need my assistance,” Lamia Scale’s ace wizard replied while still looking at Meredy, before his attention was diverted to his rival ice mage and brother. “You too, Gray. I can’t help but get worried about you, my little brother. Especially when Juvia is unable to help you.”
“Shut up,” Gray grunted, but the smile on his face gave away his true feelings. He turned back to the glacier holding her, Laxus, and the Thunder Legion, pushing both of his palms against the ice as he worked to take it down.
“Gray, what is this?” Lyon asked, studying the ice as he walked up beside him. “I’ve never seen anything like it,” it was then he noticed the wizards suspended within it, noticeably the water mage who was carrying Gray’s child and whom he previously also had feelings for, and his expression hardened. “Why is Juvia in there? Did Hades do this?”
“No, I did,” Gray huffed. “It’s some sort of healing ice. It protected them from bane particles and caused them to regain consciousness. I still have no idea how I did it. Keyes tried to attack Juvia... and I just remember feeling furious, that I couldn’t let him touch her.”
“Keyes?” He echoed in confusion.
“That’s right,” Jellal grunted, from where Wendy was working on healing his injuries. Levy was also casting another ‘PURIFY’ solid script over the group for good measure. “It was Keyes who attacked Fairy Tail. The Hades we fought was just a reanimated version of the true Grimoire Heart master. Hades is still dead.”
“I thought all of Tartaros was gone! Especially Keyes. Juvia killed him,” Wendy was shocked to hear the news as well.
“Yes, but he said it was because of Zeref’s death that he was able to use Necromancy to revive himself,” Erza answered. “Hopefully now he stays that way.”
With a sound somewhere between crumbling rock and shattering glass, the icy cocoon protecting the wizards within it opened. The onlooking group watched in awe as Laxus and his Thunder Legion appeared, unscathed, as Laxus reached up to help the three of them down off the ice.
And all the gathered fairies watched as Juvia slumped forward into Gray’s chest, who had already been rushing to meet her the moment he opened the glacier he’d put her in. She looked up to him, smiling as Gray shifted his arms to slip one under her knees and lift her off the ground.
“Wendy, will you check her out for me?” He called down to the dragon slayer with some desperation. “Can you make sure Juvia and the baby are okay?”
“Of course!” She waved back at him. In response, Gray slid back down the ice with her before letting her down back on her feet at the bottom.
Juvia reaches up and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek, whispering something in Gray’s ear that caused both him and Wendy - who had been standing nearby, along with her enhanced dragon slaying hearing and perpetual bad luck in always overhearing the wrong things - to blush across the entire width of their faces. She smiled innocently at him as Wendy nervously got to work.
Jellal let out a bit of a chuckle, watching as the rest of his guildmates gained their wits again, reuniting with relief for one another. Gajeel and Levy had joined back up with Lily, and all three were gathered around Jet and Droy as they came to. The Strauss siblings had joined Laxus and the Thunder Legion not long after they all woke up, with both Mira and Lisanna beginning to examine the group’s injuries.
He saw as Erza made her way toward the doors of the guild hall where Alzack and Bisca had appeared, the former cradling their daughter in his arms. Asuka was still unconscious from having what little magic was in her drained from her body, but because neither parent looked extremely worried he figured she must be okay, perhaps even just sleeping after waking from the whole ordeal. It was a moment of relief for all who had experienced the pure terror Keyes had subjected them to, as life had been breathed back into Fairy Tail.
“Damn it’s loud again,” Jellal turned when he heard Erik speaking, and he saw the dragon slayer and Meredy nearing him.
“Oh stop pretending like you aren’t happy everyone is all right,” the petite wizard scolded him.
Erik yawned, indicating he was purposefully ignoring her statement. “Even though it’s loud again, I can still hear what you‘re thinking, pinky. Why don’t you go talk to Lyon instead of bothering me with both your lovesick voice and thoughts? It’s too bad he didn’t get to play hero for you, huh? Although, I must say you’ve got quite the imagination.”
She blushed again. “H-hey, that’s...! You’re horrible! Agh, get out of my head you ass!”
He rolled his eyes and looked to Jellal, a look of bored annoyance on his face. “Look, if we’re done here Jellal, I’m just gonna-“
“Erik!” His composure, however, was caught off by the sharp cry of his name that also echoed from the guild hall entrance. And there stood Kinana, the very sight of her which immediately stripped his indifferent facade away.
“Kinana...” he gasped, and Jellal couldn’t help but chuckle at him too, as his mind seemed to instantly stop, relief flooding his face so quickly that the Poison Dragon Slayer looked as though he were about to cry. The next instant she had crossed the courtyard and flung herself into his arms, nearly knocking Erik over in the process. He held her tightly though, wrapping a hand around to cradle the back of her head like he couldn’t believe she was all right.
“You’re okay... you’re safe...” he was mumbling. “Kinana...”
Meredy rolled her eyes and continued over to Jellal’s side. “Can you believe him? Such a softie when it comes to her.”
Jellal smirked and turned his gaze to her. He was about to ask her if she was all right when a sudden ignition of flames erupted from where Natsu stood. Surrounded by so many reuniting couples, it was blatantly obvious what had him so upset when Jellal realized there were still two members of Fairy Tail who were not amongst the joyful crowd.
“Lucy!” Natsu’s despairing exclamation immediately darkened the mood of the celebrating guild members. “Where’s Lucy? And Cana?!”
When no answer came, only stunned realization from his friends, Natsu whipped around to glare at all of them. “We defeated Keyes, right? His curses should be broken too! Whatever he did to them, shouldn’t they be safe now?!”
“Calm down man-“ Gray started, but was cut off by another furious eruption of flames from the dragon slayer. Instinctively, he pushed Juvia back.
“How can I calm down when I still don’t know where Lucy is?!” He roared, causing the air around him to heat up and expand, his guildmates groaning in protest. “I promised to always protect her, and I did it, didn’t I? No... I fought Keyes with everything I had to bring her back, and it still wasn’t enough.”
When no one responded again, his shoulder slumped forward and the heat suddenly disappeared. “I-I promised,” This time when he spoke, his voice had dropped and he had never sounded more defeated. “I promised... I would tell her today.”
Upon realizing what he meant, Erza’s eyes widened. “Natsu...”
Despite being forced by Gray to stand behind him, Juvia pushed past her boyfriend and was the first to approach Natsu. She placed a cool hand on his shoulder, the effect instantaneous as all the tension began to disappear from his body, leaving him trembling. He rested his forehead on the water mage’s shoulder, pushing his nose into her. Happy, who had started to cry, flew over and landed on Natsu, clutching tightly as he sobbed for their missing partner.
“I- I’ve never seen him like this before,” Gray mumbled in somewhat of a state of shock. He knew the extent of Natsu’s feelings for Lucy, but he had never expected to see him so distraught.
“Could Keyes have done something to them that wasn’t a curse?” Erza wondered aloud. “But even then, wouldn’t anything he have done been canceled out when he was slain?”
“Yes,” Jellal drew their attention upwards with his face to the sky. “It just took some time to be undone. Look.”
A crack ran across the clouds itself, much like it had when the dragon slayers fell from the ethernano dimension just outside theirs after defeating Acnologia. The very fabric of time and space, opening up as Keyes’s power completely and finitely faded from the world.
And from that crack came the screams of two girls as they plummeted from their inter-dimensional prison. One brunette and one blonde, the members of Fairy Tail who had been missing when Jellal and his team had arrived. While most of the group on the ground were stunned by their sudden arrival, two of the wizards leapt into action.
“Lucy!” Cana shrieked, reaching for her friend, but the two of them separated quite quickly in free fall.
“Happy!” Natsu exclaimed desperately, and his partner gave an intensely gleeful ‘Aye, sir!’ as he spread his wings and pulled Natsu from the ground. The combination of Exceed and dragon slayer, familiar in its own right, rocketed through the sky toward Lucy faster than anyone had seen either of her boys move. Natsu plucked his partner out of her free fall effortlessly, and Happy was already a mess of emotions when he set them both on the ground gently.
Lucy screamed and gasped all at once, in shock that it was all over so suddenly. She stared up at her partner for a moment in silence before speaking, her voice trembling.
“Natsu...?” She sounded as though she didn’t believe it was really him.
At the sound of her voice, the tears that had been so close to falling, that had threatened him before spilled forth silently. But there was a smile on Natsu’s face, a smile of so many emotions all at once. Relief. Guilt. Anger. Frustration. Protectiveness. Love.
He placed a hand on the top of her head, reminiscent of the gesture he had once offered the Lucy of the future during the events before the dragons descended upon Crocus. And he pressed his forehead against hers as he closed his eyes and revelled in having her so close to him once again.
“Lucy,” was all he whispered, before she too, crumbled into tears.
It was Jellal who rushed to catch Cana before she struck the ground. With no Exceed to take him into the sky, Jellal positioned himself beneath her; he crouched, leaning his hand down in preparation as he gathered the little magical power that had returned to him.
And then instantly Jellal sprang up, surrounded by the blinding light of his magic. Like a celestial body, he swiftly met Cana in the sky and landed with the Cards Mage safe in his arms. As quickly as the moment had occurred, it was over and relief flooded his face with both Lucy and Cana finally safe.
“Thanks, big guy,” Cana planted a kiss on his cheek, which left Jellal stunned. “But ya might wanna put me down, wouldn’t want to make Erza jealous would we?”
With his face turning the shade of the aforementioned wizard’s hair, Jellal gently set Cana down on her feet.
As the guild took that cue to surround both girls and tears were shed, Jellal couldn’t help but realize he would’ve never felt like he did now if he hadn’t joined Fairy Tail. It was pride, but a pride that burst forward as magical power over the family that was their guild. His eyes settled on the flash of scarlet that wrapped around Lucy and shoved Natsu out of the way. He had protected this family.
It was a guild - a family - that he now belonged to.
~
“We do have something very serious to discuss, however,” Erza spoke authoritatively to the guildmates before her. Once the tearful reunions with Lucy and Cana and the rest of the guild had been calmed down, the wizards had all moved back inside Fairy Tail and several of them had left to fetch Porlyusica. “And that would be the information Keyes told us about why he had attacked our guild in such a manner.”
Erza had then gathered a group of the wizards who had been involved in the incident, including those present at the guild who had learned the secret of the Fairy Tail previously.
“Right, that there is a new Fairy Heart amongst our members, which someone could potentially use to create another Lumen Histoire,” Levy agreed.
“It troubles me as to how Keyes would have come across such information,” Jellal muttered darkly, his face concerned. “And how he even knew what the Lumen Histoire was. He believed that Lucy or Cana have the same abilities as the first master, because they’ve both learned one of the sacred Fairy spells of the guild.”
“But didn’t that happen because Master Mavis had the Ankhseram curse cast on her?” Gray crossed his arms. “She was immortal, but was left somewhere between alive and dead because Zeref’s curse had been around far longer, and was stronger than hers, and also because he loved her but she hadn’t returned that same love for him. That’s what we learned from Master Mavis and Zeref during the fight against Alvarez. The curse of Contradiction worked on another immortal because she was the one he felt for most in the world.”
“Realistically, he couldn’t make another Lumen Histoire with Cana or Lucy even if they were the next Fairy Heart either, because neither of them had the curse set upon them,” Mira expressed softly. “And I don’t think that curse is something you could force upon someone. It seems to me the person themselves has to wish to defy death or the cycle of life. Brainwashing, or mind control, that wouldn’t change the fact that the target wouldn't truly feel the way that makes Ankhseram punish people.”
“I think we’re giving Keyes too much credit,” Erza answered. “I can’t imagine he had the entirety of his attack planned out. If I had to guess, this is what he knew:
One, that Fairy Tail was hiding the secret of the Lumen Histoire. The only explanation for this would be Zeref telling him at some point, or he heard it from one of the Spriggan 12. Two, that the Lumen Histoire is created from a member of our a guild. Three, Mavis could perform all three of the Fairy Spells, and only passed down Fairy Law. No one besides her has ever used Fairy Glitter or Fairy Sphere, until Cana and Lucy,” She gritted her teeth. “I think he was going on a whim with what he was going to do to Cana and Lucy. He had no idea how to make them into the Lumen Histoire, only believing that one of them has the potential for it.”
“But we have no way of knowing which one it could be,” Gajeel pointed out grimly.
“Is there any proof that one of them is it at all?” Erik suggested with a cynical sigh. “Or are people just gonna keep coming after them for no reason?”
Jellal was especially disturbed by this thought as he glanced at Erza.
There was the soft sound of whimpering, which drew everyone’s attention. It was Lucy, trying desperately to hide the tears that were coming down her face. Every member gathered there understood why. Both she and Cana had described the dimension that Keyes had locked them in. The unending darkness had made time stretch on forever. If they hadn’t had he each other - grasping hands the entire time so as not to float apart - they could’ve easily been driven insane. Undoubtedly, she was upset over the thought of having to go through something even remotely like that again. That the lust for power was so great in some people, some dark wizards or corrupted masters or something of the like, that there was a very real possibility of having to endure worse. Though she was already tucked against him, Natsu pulled his partner in closer to comfort her.
Jellal sighed. “Unfortunately, I don’t really think there’s a way of determining which of them it is, or if either Cana or Lucy are truly the Fairy Heart.”
“You’re kidding right? It’s obviously Lucy,” Cana got on her feet, leaning over the table. Everyone’s attention immediately went to her. “And I’d bet she really is the new Fairy Heart! There’s no one else who’s ever been in Fairy Tail more similar to Mavis Vermilion than her. Not only did Lucy use Fairy Sphere against Acnologia, which is what made her the target, but she loves Fairy Tail more than anyone else I could ever know. She believes in Fairy Tail more than anyone else. Remember during the end of the Battle of Fairy Tail, when everyone was arguing, yelling at each other even while Gray made it apparent that we were running out of time?” She threw her thumb in the direction of Lucy. “She was the only one who rallied everybody, because even though she hadn’t been in our guild all that long, she loved it more than all of us back then. She showed us all up, I even remember Macao congratulating her on getting all our heads out of our asses. During our war against Tartaros, she saved all of us by herself! And after the guild broke up... she kept track of everyone, was the only one willing to reach out and ask everyone to return to our home. She barely knew me as more than a guildmate, no where near the level at which she knew Natsu and Gray, and yet she partnered up with me against them for the S-class trials on Tenrou Island. We might’ve ended up fighting Freed and Bickslow, but we could’ve very well been put up against Natsu and Happy, her damn partners! Lucy went against them for me, because I asked her! Because I needed her help!”
When no one said a word, Cana sneered and crossed her arms, continuing her point. “This isn’t about just the damn spells... what makes Lucy the Fairy Heart, what makes the Lumen Histoire such a powerful weapon... is the love she has for the guild. No one alive loves Fairy Tail like Lucy Heartfilia.”
The aforementioned female stared in shock at her friend, listening to her long speech. After a while, she drew in a shaky breath. “You’re right... I love Fairy Tail more than anything. But that makes everything so much more painful,” her voice was soft, but when she spoke again it got even quieter. Jellal had to strain his ears to hear her. “If I’m the new Fairy Heart, then I’m putting everyone in danger by being with the guild.”
Immediately, everyone around the table began to protest. Even Jellal himself; Lucy had been part of the light that saved him, too. He’d just as quickly put himself between her and danger as he would Erik or Meredy. The protests seemed to only hurt Lucy more, however, as he saw her bite her lip, holding back something whether that be tears or anger. He understood her frustration. She didn’t ask for this. When Lucy joined Fairy Tail, she wanted a family that she could live with, laugh with, love so wholeheartedly and where she could be herself; none of them could anticipate it would only lead to making her a target for those who might learn of the Lumen Histoire.
Natsu got to his feet, instantly silencing everyone. Lucy looked up to him, and in that moment Jellal wasn’t sure what they communicated to one another but he saw Lucy’s eyes widen. Her partner clenched his fists, and Jellal was almost worried he would burst into flames just as quickly as he had while fighting Keyes - he looked so furious.
“After everything, we would never give you up Lucy,” Natsu answered through gritted teeth. “We wouldn’t do it back against Phantom Lord, and we sure as hell wouldn’t do it now. If anyone other than you even suggested it, I’d torch them on the spot!”
Lucy looked down to her lap, smiling gently to herself. “You’re right, Natsu... I shouldn’t have even thought of it. I would never want to leave, I... will always fight to protect Fairy Tail.”
The group of wizards were silent for a moment, until Erza cleared her throat.
“We’ll have to be extra vigilant in who knows this information,” she concluded. “The secret of the Lumen Histoire was exposed by Zeref, but that doesn’t mean people have to know it can be created again. And, if at all possible, I’d like to keep the people who know Lucy is the new Fairy Heart to those present in this room.”
“I’m the new secret of Fairy Tail,” Lucy said softly. “But I can’t promise that I won’t give myself up if something like this happens again. This guild means everything to me. My family means everything, and you all got hurt because of my love for Fairy Tail.”
“And we love you too, Lucy,” Mira answered in her melodically sweet voice, reaching over and putting her hand on top of Lucy’s on the table. “That’s why we won’t let you do anything like that.”
“You really are just like Master Mavis, Lu,” Levy shook her head. “Willing to do anything to protect the guild. You’re more important than the secret. You’re our family.”
“I suppose we’ll just have to protect Lucy from anyone who might come looking for the Fairy Heart,” Jellal smirked, looking at the dragon slayer beside her. “Think you can handle that?”
Natsu clenched his fists at his side. “I’d already do that. No one’s ever getting through me.”
Lucy got to her feet, grabbing his arm. Natsu looked down at her for a moment, and for the first time his expression softened. When he spoke again, the same determination was there, but his voice was gentle.
“No one’s ever gonna hurt Lucy again.”
“You should be celebrating with everyone else, Jellal.”
Jellal broke his gaze from watching the other members of the guild. He was particularly unable to keep his eyes away from the dragon slayer and his celestial wizard, who couldn’t have separated for more than a few minutes since being reunited. He looked up to see the source of his strength, the brightest beacon of hope in his life, join his side. Erza gave him a sly smile.
He groaned and leaned back against his hands. “Nah, think I’ll leave the celebrating for the people who weren’t at the real party. Wendy’s magic is getting better and better all the time, but I’m still almost too exhausted to stay awake.”
“Hm, you could lean on me then. I don’t mind,” he heard her laugh.
Jellal made a slight guffaw in protest. “Are you making fun of me?”
“Hardly. I don’t think anyone fought more than you did. Natsu and Gray might have fueled their magic with their fury, but there was one point at the beginning where you were the only thing standing between Keyes and our guild.”
“They were driven like that because Keyes had hurt the girls they love,” Jellal glanced up at her. “I was furious like that too, at first. When I saw you had been hurt.”
There it was, that sweet blush she did that he found so endearing. Erza was always so confident, but he found she shied away a bit when he was as open with his feelings as he wanted to be. His smile widened a bit more when he felt her take his hand.
Jellal looked back toward the guild again, toward the wizards he had been watching before.
“I’m sorta disappointed. I thought Natsu would’ve taken the opportunity I gave him to confess how he feels to Lucy like he said he was going to. So he chickened out in the end, did he?”
“I knew he wouldn’t be able to after that,” Erza spoke fondly of her guildmate. “It seemed like the perfect moment of course, especially after what Lucy said about leaving Fairy Tail to make sure no one gets hurt again. But Natsu has never been one to do things the same way other people do. I think it’ll happen either in the middle of a guild brawl or while he’s on a job with her, just the two of them.”
He chuckled. “Still, it would’ve been something rather nice for the guild to celebrate after the day we’ve had.”
“We are celebrating; that everyone is safe now. Besides, I can’t imagine Lucy is completely unaware of how he feels,” she continued. “When Natsu first confided in Gray and I that he had feelings for her, he actually wasn’t that bad at hiding it. However, as time went on he became more obvious and once Mira knew pretty much the entire guild did. So I think that Lucy has at least some idea.”
He turned his attention toward the two of them again, where Natsu sat next to Lucy with his arm around her shoulders as he argued with Gray. His rival was sitting with an arm drawn around Juvia’s waist. Honestly the only difference Jellal could see between the two pairs was that one was dating and expecting a baby.
“Lucy isn’t exactly subtle with how she feels either, but Natsu isn’t well versed in social cues like that,” Erza noted with a smirk.
“Unbelievable,” he shook his head. “They both told you, and you aren’t going to do a thing about it?
“I intend to let it happen naturally.”
Once again shaking his head at Erza’s answer, he waited a moment before speaking again.
“She’s his strength... just like you are mine.”
Erza stumbled over her words in response, but Jellal didn’t even notice as he sat up, brushing his hand over her cheek. But he kept going, leaning over and stealing a kiss from her.
When he pulled back, her face matched her hair and there was a dreamy look in her eyes. It never mattered whether she was in the middle of a fight, scolding Natsu and Gray for their antics, or simply caught flustered in a moment like this; she was always the most beautiful woman in the world to him. It was almost embarrassing how much he was enamored with her, if Jellal wasn’t completely sure of himself and their relationship. All was well - perfect, even - until Erza gathered her bearings again.
“Shouldn’t you not be kissing other woman, lest your fiancée finds out?”
Jellal choked on the very air. “Are you ever going let me forget about that?”
“Not for a little longer,” she teased, before boldly returning the gesture.
