Chapter 40

Say It

Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or its characters, only my own OC's and Ideas

.:+:.

"So, uh... how does it look?"

Rogue blinked, glancing around quickly to the sound of Hora's voice behind him and breaking his attention off fiddling with the clothes he had on- which were nothing like what he was used to or normal, but dressing up was kind of required for this event at the Castle (even if he might have rather not).

"Hmm?" He mumbled reflexively in question as he turned, only to break off and go absolutely still once he was all the way around. His eyes went wide as they landed on Hora standing (perhaps a tad nervously) a few steps away in the doorway, and in an outfit that was clearly the subject of 'how it looked'.

She was in a dress, one that fit her figure nicely around the top with a cool blue color, before the bottom fanned out slightly and fell loosely with pure white folds of fabric for the skirt- a white that matched the ruffled collar tied about her neck with a dark blue ribbon. On both her arms she had white sleeves tied at the top with more blue ribbon, and that left her shoulders and lower arms exposed, while two long strands of ribbon attached to the back and front of her dress on both sides and tied into knots near her knees. Underneath she wore knee-high stockings of the same blue as the top of the dress, trimmed in white, and simple white flats to go with it... It, well- it was a dress.

A dress and a whole outfit that was surprising, and foreign on her, especially so the color as it was more blue, as opposed to the red she usually sported. But she did have a clash of scarlet breaking against the cool blue, from where her hair had been coiled into a braided bun and tied off with that red ribbon given to her by Ira. Which helped a little with it being foreign and unusual, but not much.

Rogue blinked once, stunned into stillness after his eyes quickly darted about her person, and then things fell quiet for a few seconds too long- but he couldn't help himself. Not even when Hora shifted a little uncomfortably in the bit of silence, her arms hooked behind her back a little unconsciously and eyes darting from him and to the side, her cheeks flushed faintly in embarrassment.

"The other girls picked it out for me." Hora murmured quietly, filling the silence herself rather than sitting in it too long. "I don't really do dresses... or dressing up at all really... Uh, but it's not like I had much choice in the matter, and I didn't think it was the worst thing they could have chosen... I mean it can't be awful right...? Not when they all agreed on it... And they kinda seemed pleased with it while Lucy and Cancer were doing my hair at any rate, so... Uhm..." She continued on, drawing dangerously close to being about to ramble- but thankfully Rogue seemed to start shaking himself out of his sudden stupor, and saved her from it by suddenly finding his voice;

"You look amazing." He murmured, and sounding almost breathless as he did. Hora stiffened, her face quickly turning red while Rogue's cheeks earned the pink dusting she had had just a heartbeat beforehand. She looked away from him hastily after her head snapped back toward him for the words, eyes dancing over the floor as she held her breath a moment for the sudden lurching of her heart and stomach, before nodding once or twice sheepishly.

"Ah... T-Thank you." She stammered softly, her eyes darting back over to him and smiling a little, if still a bit flusteredly. She shifted, taking a few steps forward in his direction, dark blue eyes glinting as she stopped just a pace or two short of where he stood, hands still linked behind her back. "You look great too, by the way." She told him lightly and he blinked, flushing a little more despite himself, but dipping his head a bit in thanks nonetheless. Hora smiled a little more for the rather shy reply- not that she'd been much better in her own (stammering) reply, mind you.

But anyway-

"Are you all ready to go then?" She asked, changing gears slightly and steering the conversation somewhere less flustering. He nodded again, his hands returning to fiddling with his collar for a moment or two after diverting his attention to her.

"Nearly." He murmured, Hora smiled as she watched his hands fumble a little more, before letting out a quiet sigh.

"You're failing." She chuckled quietly, unhooking her hands from behind her back and reaching up for him. "Let me." She hummed, and he hesitated half a second, before pulling his hands back to allow her room. He leaned over faintly while Hora pushed herself a bit onto her toes to get a better height, her eyes and Rogue's stuck to her own hands as she fumbled with the collar in his stead- and with much better luck.

Rogue's attention trailed off Hora's hands after a moment and found her face, his expression growing a little somber suddenly as she kept at it, and Hora certainly didn't notice the shift in mood... Well, not until he spoke up;

"Are you going to be alright?" Rogue asked softly. Hora's hands faltered a little, blinking a few times as she stalled and glanced up to catch his eyes.

"Hmm..?" She mumbled, before quickly offering up a small smile and looking back to what she was doing, her hands moving again. "I'm fine, don't look so worried. A party isn't gonna kill me, and I'm not gonna go crazy or anything. I'll find a nice good table to sit at, enjoy the food and the music..." She hummed, her hands slowing up and finished with adjusting the shirt, and her voice seemed to drop along with the smile she'd thrown on so quickly. Her shoulders sank a little despite herself and she dropped slowly back down from standing on her toes, dark blue eyes flashing as a small sigh escaped her. "... and brood, and argue with myself, and other-think everything while I'm doing it... probably..." She finished quietly and Rogue's lips pulled into a thin line at how quickly her mood seemed to deflate- though he couldn't say he was surprised. He had asked for a reason, because he anticipated that she wasn't really okay, and she wasn't gonna be much better even at the party.

She'd seemed incredibly downcast and on edge after having a quick word with Lyon a bit earlier, though Rogue hadn't had time to ask what they'd talked about before they both got caught up in the rush to get ready once the sun was setting. But now they had a small moment to themselves, since they both got ready faster than everyone else usually did, so he asked, because he was worried and he had to check in... even when the subject might have been a bit touchy.

"... Hora..." He mumbled and she seemed to chew on the insides of her cheeks at it, her eyes dropping closed as her hands ceased moving entirely and fell away from his shoulders, pausing on his chest instead and catching lightly around his shirt.

"... Gray hasn't come back." Hora mumbled quietly, "Lyon said Juvia told him he went out for a walk, and he didn't come back yesterday, or today." She murmured, shaking her head a bit, though her grip around Rogue's shirt got a little tighter without her meaning for it too. "Erza and Lyon did manage to track him down a few hours ago in the city, and tell him about the party tonight... he said he's planning to go, but he's not gonna come back here before then. Apparently he does this every once in awhile, just... goes off to be by himself... and I get it, he used to do the same thing when we were kids sometimes. And Lyon said it wasn't anything specific that's got him off and about, but..." She mumbled, swallowing slightly while Rogue listened quietly, his eyes glimmering while Hora's shoulders hunched just a tad.

"... But I'm pretty sure he's avoiding me." Hora sighed, her head bowing a bit in defeat as she said it, Rogue frowned slightly. "Hell, I don't even blame him... I'd avoid me too after how weird and awkward I was acting around him the whole time." She muttered, Rogue shook his head a little.

"I'm sure it's not that." He assured softly, "But I am sorry you haven't had a chance to talk to him yet, I know you've been hoping to get a chance all day." He told her, Hora nodded stiffly, a heavy sigh escaping her.

"Yeah..." She mumbled, her shoulders sinking even further and her voice dropping to a whisper. "... But it's not all bad, I guess... cause I... I still have no idea what I'm gonna say... Or even... What he'll... Do..." She admitted tensely, her voice wavering despite herself and Rogue felt his heart twist at it.

He shifted, stepping as close to her as possible and his hands moving up to catch either side of her face, gently tilting her head up again as he leaned down enough to let his forehead bump gently against her own. Hora's eyes opened halfway as he did it, their gazes matching as he held her steady, his thumbs brushing gingerly against her cheeks.

"Everything will be fine." Rogue promised her quietly, "You'll know what to do when the time comes, and it'll all be fine. You needn't worry about what he'll do, Hora... All he's going to be is happy to see you. Truly." He murmured, Hora swallowed again, her eyes gleaming and her soul aching and warming all at once for how certain he was.

She really really wished she could be that sure... But it helped to hear it, nonetheless. And it meant more to her that he said it- and knew it was exactly what she needed to hear- than she could ever express aloud.

Hora leaned into him a bit more, bits of her multicolor hair mixing with his jet black, their noses brushing faintly as the distance between them became near nonexistent. She forced herself a small breath, the warmth of it mixing with his own as her eyes dropped closed.

"Thank you."

.:+:.

"Ahh! Atia you look so pretty!" Lector said very (very) loudly, the red tomcat whipping around in air the moment he caught sight of Hora and Rogue headed down the hallway toward where he was- with Sting, Frosch, Yukino, Lucy, Carla, Wendy, Sherria, Rufus, and Orga nearby. All of who looked around quickly too, and the glee, surprise, and excitement in Lector's face was quickly echoed in everyone else's too.

"Oh my gosh, you do!" Lucy nearly squealed, Wendy and Sherria barely containing themselves as they bounced a little on their feet, and Yukino beamed, her hands clapping together in front of her excitedly.

"You look amazing!" Yukino chirped,

"Yeah, you look awesome." Sting smirked a little toothily,

"Fro thinks so too!" Frosch purred,

"That outfit looks so good on you!" Wendy and Sherria said in unison,

"Indeed, you look lovely Horatia." Rufus chimed in lightly,

Hora blushed at the calls and praises, both she and Rogue coming to a stop in front of the group as Hora ducked her head in a small, shy little half-nod.

"Ah, t-thank you guys... You all look great too." She murmured nervously and they all seemed to smile slightly in amusement at the clear embarrassment in her expression and voice, and the rather not so subtle attempt to divert the attention off herself too- not that it lasted long.

"Heh, you really do clean up nice Boss!" Orga smirked, the large man's hands finding his hips as he said it, a glint in his eye and especially so for the way Hora stiffened near immediately.

Hora rounded him, hissing slightly and instantly annoyed, her hands clenching at her sides and heated- not that Orga seemed bothered by it in the least, he just smirked some more.

"Damn it I told you not to call me that! You're supposed to keep using my name!" She snapped toward the God Slayer hotly, Orga shook his head.

"Nah, you said we can't call you 'Master'." He corrected easily, "So we're goin' with Boss instead. You never vetoed that one, so you're stuck with it." He said rather matter-of-factly.

Hora grit her fangs rather hard, her eye twitching a little and looking none too pleased-

"Oh that's right! You're Guild Master for SaberTooth now, right Hora?" Sherria popped in out of nowhere, breaking Hora's heated attention of Orga before it for any further than heated.

"That's amazing! You're probably the youngest person ever to be in charge of a Guild!" Wendy grinned,

"I suppose we should say congrats, huh?" Lucy smiled sweetly, Hora bit the insides of her cheeks, her irritation deflating and being replaced with little hints of nervousness all over again.

"Thank you... Though I'm not technically in charge just yet." Hora told them quietly, and they blinked in question at it. "Ira, DoranBolt and Lahar helped me fill out the paperwork for the Council yesterday and took it to Era, but it still needs to be approved by the Council before anything's official."

"Yeah, but as far as the Guild's concerned you're in charge." Sting told her, smiling faintly. "We don't need the Council's seal of approval to make it official or whatever, Hora." He hummed, Hora just cast him a fleeting look and then looked away entirely, a breath a bit like a huff escaping her as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Hmph, well anyway- are you guys ready to head out?" Hora asked, changing the subject entirely and earning eager nods.

"Yep!"

"Cool, then let's go."

Wendy and Sherria took the lead with Lucy and Carla close behind, followed by Lector and Frosch and then Sting and Yukino. Orga paused just long enough to offer his arm up for Rufus, the Minstrel smiling as he linked his arm in the God Slayers with ease before the both of them started off too.

Hora was quick to follow their lead but drew up when Rogue shifted a little on her right, but didn't start walking like she anticipated. She blinked, glancing his way quickly and a little confused, while Rogue seemed to fidget a little, red eyes glimmering as he hesitated, and then lift his left elbow up slightly, holding his arm out toward her in a silent, little gesture for her to... Take it.

Hora's eyes flashed, her mind quickly catching up with what he was doing, what he meant with it, and why he seemed embarrassed, and so unsure as he did it.

His cheeks had a tiny hint of blush to them and his eyes darted back and forth between her, the floor, and just about everywhere in between for those few seconds it took her to register the action- and then his cheeks flushed a little harder when Hora smiled, and linked her arm in his without a word, nor any further pause. Her shoulder bumped his lightly, linking her hands together around his arm and effectively locking herself into his hold. Rogue's eyes darting up off the floor to meet her own as she took him up on his silent offer, and she smiled a little more when she caught his eye... Which in turn earned a slightly nervous smile from Rogue, but a happy one all the same.

They started forward in perfect tandem with one another, quiet and content as they began to follow everyone else, and staying that way the whole time. They did earn a few glances over shoulders from everyone else ahead of them though, which earned plenty of smiles too, and looks of amusement.

"They're so cute." Yukino murmured softly under her breath as she cast a look over her shoulder toward the two, her hands twining together in front of her and expression softening at the sight. Sting let out a small breath at the words, nodding slightly as he shot his two friends a quick glance for only a moment, before his eyes trailed toward Yukino instead, and more importantly the way her hands were sort of wringing together as she looked back. Sting seemed to bite the inside of his cheek as he did, mulling for a few long heartbeats, before eventually, and hesitantly, stepping just a little to the side so he was walking closer at the Celestial Mage's shoulder.

His elbow brushed against hers as he held his arm out a bit for her, chewing on his cheeks pensively and looking unsure of himself- nearly awkward, actually. Especially when Yukino looked up at him in wonder and confusion for a moment, all wide-eyed and lost...?

She seemed to catch on after a bit though, her face going bright red and instantly all flustered and rushing as she tried to break the awkward pause, and linked her arm in Sting's a little stiffly... Not that she didn't want to do it, she was just caught off guard, and it took a few minutes for both her and Sting to stop being a little stiff and uneasy, and just relax after that.

Hora smirked a little as she watched the exchange between the two, Rogue beside her tuned in too and letting out a quiet, faintly amused breath at the sight.

Hehe, adorable~

Hora shook her head a bit and diverted her attention off Sting and Yukino for a moment, her attention landing on the blonde hair of Fairy Tail's Celestial Mage instead.

"Ah, Lucy- where's Salamander anyway?" Hora called lightly, Lucy glancing back at the question while Hora tilted her head a bit. "I thought he'd be with you?" She murmured, and Lucy seemed to wilt a little at the mention, a heavy sigh escaping her.

"I don't know, he ran off." The blonde muttered in exasperation, shrugging a little with a shake of her head. "I think he said something about wanting to get his hands on something... He probably headed off early to go stuff his face with all the food there's gonna be, knowing him." Lucy sighed, Hora smiled a little at the words, humming a bit in amusement.

"Heh, probably."

.:+:.

"This place is huge...!"

"Look at all the decorations! And the food!"

"The King really went all out in this, huh?"

"Everyone looks so nice all dressed up..!"

"This is so fancy, ah..!"

"Oh, there's Kagura and Erza! Come on Yukino!"

"A-Alright..."

"Come with me Wendy, let's see what else the King set up for us!"

"Okay!"

"Hey, let's go and get some grub, huh?!"

"Heck yeah!"

Hora blinked, her and Rogue paused off to the side not far from the entrance into the ballroom (and what long corridor they'd traveled down to get here). Neither she nor Rogue moved, not even when everyone else they'd come with were quick to wander off and start enjoying their own preferred aspects of the party.

To be honest though, both Hora and Rogue subconsciously stalled, their eyes wandering the (very!) large ballroom packed all up with tables, expensive chandeliers, flowers, marble pillars, and stacks upon stacks of similarly expensive and lavish food and drink... Oh, and packed with people too.

Hora swallowed slightly, her eyes flashing as she gave the crowds of people a quick look over and found many she did recognize- like the others in SaberTooth who had headed out separately from her, some others from Fairy Tail, Lamia, Mermaid Heel, Quatro Cerberus and Blue Pegasus too. But there was a ton more people she hadn't a clue who they were, what Guild they belonged to, or that she had ever seen before.

Lots and lots of people

She bit the insides of her cheeks as she gave the ballroom that quick scan and saw so many she knew, many more she didn't, and one in particular she did know and did not see at all.

Gray's not here...

Her eyes dropped a little at the realization, her heart clenching despite herself.

... Damn it.

Hora shook her head faintly at herself and glanced up toward Rogue instead, blinking slowly to see him sort of standing a little stiffly in his spot, red eyes narrowed slightly and looking a little wary at all the people and whatnot. She felt him stiffen a little unconsciously in her arm, her expression pulling a bit away from her own disappointment and turning sympathetic instead.

Rogue really wasn't much of a social butterfly. Even around the Guild he wasn't really talkative, or prone to jump into conversations, or anything like that, he never had been. Outside of that stony face he'd learned to put up under Jiemma's rule, he had always been a genuinely quiet and reserved person at heart, and he wasn't quick to relax around new people or those he didn't know for at least quite some time. Hell, the last week of having everyone from all the other Guilds around would probably have been pretty nerve-wracking for him, if he hadn't been so consumed in worrying over her and if she would survive the whole time... Hora forced herself a silent breath, her eyes flashing.

Either way, there was a lot of people here. It was pretty crowded already and she knew there'd be more still making their way in after them- which meant they ought to at least try and move away from the entrance.

Hora tugged her arm a bit in Rogue's hold, earning the Shadow Dragon Slayer's eyes almost immediately. He blinked in surprise and question as Hora offered him up a small, slightly weary smile, her head tilting left away from the entrance.

"Come on, let's go and find someplace to settle in, okay?" She hummed quietly, Rogue paused, looking a little unsure with the suggestion before nodding a little.

"Alright."

Hora pulled him gently along with her as they left the entrance behind, skirting the edges of the room as they headed a bit deeper in and Hora did her best to find a corner where there weren't as many people all flocked together, and where they might manage to relax a little without being caught up in a conversation right away.

They managed to get near the far end of the ballroom and not far off from a wall of doors leading to many different balconies without getting stopped, and Hora drew them up near a table that was a little separate from the rest and empty of other people. The other tables that were nearest to them were much the same, or had only a handful of people all content to talk amongst themselves and give neither Hora nor Rogue any mind. Which was perfect, it was a good place to give Rogue a chance to settle in to the whole Party thing, and Hora herself wasn't keen to get locked into a conversation or some interaction she might end up getting flustered or worked up over... She still had to be careful not to let her emotions get too far out of hand, lest Over-Drive act up and have her coughing. That would not be fun, especially not here.

And especially not before she ever even got around to the one conversation that was more than likely going to work her up no matter what she did- tch.

Well. Away from that for now-

Hora un-linked her arm from inside Rogue's, her attention falling on the small line of glasses stacked neatly on the table top in front of them and bending over a bit to give them a curious sniff.

Hmm... Champagne, sparkling water, cider, and wine.

She cast Rogue a sideways glance and straightened up, smiling slightly as she tilted toward the glasses.

"Any preference?" She asked lightly, he paused.

"Ah... wine." He murmured and Hora nodded once, handing him a glass. He took it with a small dip of his head toward her, his eyes landing in the cup as he held it for a few moments, staring at the scarlet liquid... before glancing up slowly, his attention trailing over their immediate area and the relative quiet of it compared to everywhere else. Rogue blinked, hints of realization and surprise dawning on his face as he did before his attention moved toward Hora again.

Did... Did she bring us over here to get away from all the crowds...?

Rogue's eyes flashed, his expression softening while his lips twitched slightly at the edges in a faint, appreciative smile.

"Thank you." He told her softly, breaking Hora off her debate of her own drink for a second. She shot him a sideways glance, her own expression softening for the smile on his face and the gentleness of his voice, nodding once.

"You're welcome."

Hora and Rogue stuck mostly to themselves for about fifteen minutes or so, the two of them getting caught up in quiet conversation between themselves. It was content that way, they'd not had many opportunities to just talk to one another in a normal sense, not after the last few days of apologies, ache, worry, confessions, and trying to settle everything in the Guild combined. But this wasn't that, this was relaxing and not at all uneasy or the like- it wasn't even hampered by nervousness or embarrassment either. Their conversation didn't end up spurring any awkward or flustered feelings, not like how they'd constantly managed to do around each other the last few days.

This was simple, and so nice, and it helped both Hora and Rogue to unwind a little from their own worries and uncertainties. After awhile Rogue seemed to start to forget about all the people and the commotion going on around them, and Hora started to worry less about not seeing that one particular person in the room. It was a bit of a nice reprieve from that, and those nagging unpleasant thoughts, stress, and worries connected to it... At least for a little while.

Rufus and Orga made their way over to where Hora and Rogue were at the twenty minute mark, picking up the conversation with Rogue in Hora's stead and she didn't mind. She was happy to simply sit by and listen to them, and a little happier to be able to tune in when Gajeel popped into the picture too, and Rogue seemed rather happy to be able to talk to the Iron Dragon Slayer he had thought so highly of since he was a child. Plus with Gajeel coming in- PantherLily was not far behind, and Hora ended up chatting with the Exceed quite contentedly for a few minutes just by themselves, before falling quiet and listening to everyone else some more.

It was a nice reprieve, and a good way to start off the uneasy notion of this party and what would come with it in general... But it did only last that little while.

"Horatia."

Hora glanced up and around, turning slightly from the rest of everyone else to the sound of her name. Her eyes found Lyon a few paces back from the table, the Ice Wizard's eyes darting quickly over her person now that he got a full look at her, and he seemed surprised- before smiling slightly, dipping his head toward her.

"You look wonderful." He told her softly and without skipping near a beat after seeing her in full. Hora blinked in surprise at it, before smiling a little sheepishly, hooking her arms behind her back and stepping away from the table and everyone else toward Lyon instead.

"Ah, thanks... You look good too, Ice-Boy." She hummed, he smiled a little more at the nickname, but simply nodded in response to the compliment before moving on-

"Have you been here long?" He asked next, Hora shook her head a bit.

"Not too long. Maybe like half an hour so, I think." She replied, "You?"

"Near the same." He murmured, "It took me a bit to find you, after wading through everyone else." He admitted, Hora nodded a little to it before she paused, her eyes flashing while her expression turned slightly uneasy.

"Have you seen Gray yet...?" She asked, her voice dropping significantly as she said it and Lyon seemed to sigh, shaking his head once or twice.

"No, not yet." He replied quietly, Hora's face fell slightly, her eyes dropping from Lyon and to the floor a moment.

"... Right..." She mumbled softly, Lyon grimaced a bit at it.

"He'll be here, I promise." The Lamia Mage assured her quickly, Hora swallowed, glancing back up from the ground and nodding stiffly, and only once.

"Yeah well... If you run into him first, maybe you can let him know I wanna talk to him..?" She asked quietly, her voice wavering slightly though she tried not to let it. Lyon's expression turned a little more sympathetic and a little more aching for it, though he stayed as calm as can be and nodded firmly.

"I will." He promised steadily, the Ice Wizard offering up a smile for her that was more gentle than most would ever dream of earning from him. It was meant to be reassuring, and to try to settle what clear nerves and worry she had about Gray not being there, the conversation she was set to have with him, and everything in between... And she couldn't help but smile slightly back- mostly because she did know it was a rare thing to earn from the Lamia Wizard, and a little because it made her feel a little better for a moment or two.

But only a moment or two- and hell if she didn't stay stressed, or continually grow more and more stressed as the minutes ticked by afterward.

She felt like her heart was beating too fast, her nerves ramping up as time ticked on and she remained on high alert for any sign of that Brother she lost so long ago (and lost again not too long ago as well). She did her best to give everyone else around her some amount of attention, and focus on what they were talking about and whatnot- especially if she were to be suddenly prompted- but her attention was severely divided, and she could not help it. Rogue seemed to grow acutely aware of her being increasingly on edge because his own attention on the conversations he'd been a part of got diverted several times when he cast Hora slightly concerned looks she was utterly oblivious to, which only made him a little more concerned.

She couldn't risk getting worked up before ever even having a conversation with Gray. Her nerves would be on a high no matter what, but stressing herself out beforehand was not going to help anything. Worse, it might even make the talking harder, and make her all the more prone to having Over-Drive act up again. Which would be awful-

Hora stiffened, the anxious shifting back and forth on her feet that had started a few minutes beforehand stalling, her entire posture growing suddenly rigid and eyes fixed out across the room she'd scanned for the thousandth time- only to draw up, finally. Rogue blinked, his gaze quickly following where hers had landed, and swallowing.

It was easy enough to pick out that head of raven hair among the crowds, even if Hora hadn't been rather obsessively searching for it. And now it was there, he was there, half-hidden by other people as he wound his way rather lazily through a few different crowds, eyes stuck straight ahead and headed toward what seemed like nowhere in particular... And totally unaware of Hora's dark blue gaze stuck to the Ice Wizard with the same eyes.

And perhaps unsurprisingly, Hora ended up freezing.

She couldn't move, her feet stuck in place to the floor and she faltered- but she shouldn't have faltered. This is what she'd been waiting for, he was there now, right there all ready for her to walk up to him and start that conversation. All ready to come clean on that last secret and lie of all the many she had kept to herself for so long, and been dropped into spilling and getting laid out in the open during all the insanity of the last few months, weeks, and days. He was right there, this was it.

Time to do it, go up to him, talk to him, tell him.

Hora shifted, her feet fidgeting slightly on the floor and earning half an inch forward before they stalled on her again.

Shit... Just... Just go.

She willed her feet to move but they wouldn't do as she asked, no matter how hard she tried. And the more she tried the louder the sound of her heart beating started to get in her ears, drowning out all the other chatter and noise of the party... The noise was getting way louder, and faster too-

"Hey, look at me a minute."

Hora jumped slightly, her eyes snapping sideways and off Gray while the sudden voice managed to cut straight through the thumping of her heart. Rogue was there next to her now, the Shadow Dragon Slayer stepping a few paces back from the table and everyone else as silent and inconspicuous as can be, and without even a hitch working its way into all their conversations for him ducking out so quickly.

Rogue's hand landed gently on Hora's shoulder as he called her attention to him, the dark-haired man leaning down slightly to murmur the words in her ear. When she looked up toward him he backed up some, though not much, his red eyes glimmering as they matched with her dark blue ones, and he could so easily see the anxiety and tension swimming in them. He stayed calm though, his face mimicking none of his own sudden worry and concern for how worked up she was getting- him being visibly stressed out about her was not going to help anything. So he remained cool and collected, because that's what she needed, and he offered up a gentle, reassuring smile too.

"It'll be alright, just take a breath." He told her steadily, Hora blinked, the words breaking her a bit out of her stiff posture while she did as she was told and took him a quick, and rather big breath of air... So big it actually hurt a little, and she felt a sudden upping in her chest and lungs of that feeling of beginning to simmer and burn, but swallowed back at it.

Damn it no.

You cannot freak out, or get worked up- not right now.

Fuck you Over-Drive you are not screwing this up right now, no damn way..!

She shut her eyes a moment, forcing herself another breath in and out, her hands linking together in front of her a bit tightly as she did it- but hey, the burning sensation in her lungs tapered out a bit, and the thumping of her heart in her ears didn't get to be as booming as it was before either.

Get ahold of yourself Hora you dumbass

She took in another big breath of air and seemed to shake herself out a bit, Rogue's hand leaving her shoulder slowly and the Shadow Dragon Slayer's expression softening slightly as a bit of his tension faded when she seemed to manage to settle herself again. She blinked her eyes open and shot him a glance, nodding stiffly and only once, her eyes flashing.

"Yeah, okay... I'm okay." She murmured quickly, and perhaps a tad breathlessly too- though only just. She smiled faintly at him and for half a second, "Thank you." She added softly, Rogue smiled a little back, nodding once.

"Of course." He murmured, red eyes glinting as he pulled back the rest of the way from her and tilted his head toward that raven head of hair across the room. "Good luck." He whispered, Hora swallowed, before nodding a little, her eyes breaking off Rogue and moving back across the way, her hands wringing around each other a little still- but when she went to take that first step forward, this time her feet did as she asked (even if her feet felt like dead weight).

The walk felt like a million miles, and not the fifty or so feet it actually was as she wound her way slowly around people and groups, giving none of them any mind as she went and never letting her eyes break from Gray for even a second. She couldn't lose sight of him in all the people, or let him slip away, and she couldn't stop or falter in her walking either... She was a little afraid if she did get stopped by someone in her path for too long, or paused even just a little, that she might not get her feet to start moving again. And if that happened there was no Rogue just next to her to snap her out of her own head, so she had to keep going.

Keep walking... You got this... Just get there, talk to him, say... shit, what do I say...?

Her hands tightened around each other, stalling in the constant wringing they'd been involved in the whole walk over till now.

Ah... Uhm, just... Just ask him if you can pull him aside or something, so you can talk for a bit. So you can... So you can tell him, and say it.

She wove quietly around the last person between her and him, and that was it. Her eyes locked on to his back and her feet stopped at last, her hands tightening around each other as her eyes glittered, and the thumping of her heart in her ears amped up in volume all over again.

Three feet, that was it. Just three feet of nothing between her and him, with nobody else really all that close by, and nobody paying her or him any mind. For a small brief moment everything seemed to close in on them, and it was just them in that giant hall filled with so many... Just him right there in front of her, and so close. This was it.

You have to say it

She swallowed, hard, dark blue eyes glinting and her throat and chest suddenly feeling like they tightened- while her heart raced and skipped a beat all at once.

"Ah... G... Gray...?"

It was a miracle his name even made it passed her lips with how feeble her voice ended up sounding just then, and she hated she couldn't stop it quivering, or even manage to speak the hell up. But despite the near whispered tone and whatever else, he did hear it, because the instant his name hit the air he stiffened ahead of her, shoulders hunching slightly and instantly sliding from nonchalance and near boredom into being on edge and tense. He didn't turn toward her right off, and when he did it was slowly, his hands in his pants pockets and gaze latching warily onto where she was standing. He must have recognized her voice, which was why he was so instantly on edge, but when his eyes landed on her the tension got broken by a little bit of surprise.

Surprise not because he didn't realize it was her who had called him, he definitely knew it was her- but surprise because of the way she looked. The dress was definitely a bit of a shock, but more so was the fact that she looked... Well, she looked fine.

A stupid thing to be surprised with of course, because he'd already known she was doing alright and had been healed up fairly well by now. But even so she did look okay, and way better than he had anticipated.

He saw no open wounds, no bruises, no blood, and no amount of that terrible sickly pallor and pale skin she'd had when things had been at their worst. She looked totally okay, and nearly perfectly healthy... Which even if it shouldn't have been surprising, it still was- and it was a bit of a relief too.

Gray's shoulders sank out of the little hunched posture they'd adopted to start, a fraction of his unease getting melted away as that sense of relief made a sudden and kind of unexpected appearance in his core. It felt a little strange to have felt that relieved with her being alright, since he really hardly knew her, but he wasn't heartless- and maybe it made at least a little sense. He'd been trying hard to help keep her alive, so being invested in her well-being and happy she was okay wouldn't be too far from understandable, right?

A small sigh escaped him for the thought, his shoulders sinking the rest of the way and dark blue eyes glinting faintly, the tension previously on his face giving way to something a little softer, and more at ease.

Right

"Hey." He murmured softly, shifting slightly on his feet to turn the rest of the way and face her more directly. "You look good." He told her lightly, Hora went rigid, eyes widening and her heart skipping a startled beat for the sudden and totally unexpected compliment(?)..!

Her face must have given away her shock or nervousness, because Gray shook his head faintly, a small sigh escaping him.

"You look better." He said instead, and Hora faltered, her shock breaking off again at the correction. "You seem like you're back on your feet for the most part, huh?" He hummed, and Hora faltered half a second more, before nodding stiffly.

"U-Uh, yeah." She mumbled, and he seemed to smile for just a half a second at the answer, before it was gone again and he just nodded a little back. Hora took a tiny step forward though, her eyes flashing as she pulled her linked together hands in toward herself a bit, "Ah, t-thank you for that by the way, and everything you did for me." She told him quickly, Gray tensing slightly at the mention of it though she didn't quite pause just yet. "I mean it, really. Thank you for everything, I wouldn't have survived at all if not for... All you did..." She mumbled before trailing off, her voice dropping and her words dying out as Gray seemed to grow even more uneasy with the thanks, his eyes darting off her and to the side as he seemed to grimace faintly.

"Don't." He mumbled, and a little abruptly too, which caused Hora to jump at the sudden words, her shoulders hunching slightly against the order. Gray seemed to catch himself soon after saying it though, his eyes flitting back toward Hora in time to see her almost flinch.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to... I just... Shit..." He apologized quickly before cutting himself off again. He bit the inside of his cheek, shifting uncomfortably for a moment while one hand came out of his pocket and rubbed at the back of his neck a tad uncertainly. For a second or two he didn't say anything further, and neither he nor Hora moved at all- not until the Ice Mage shook his head a few times, and let out a sigh.

"... Look, you don't gotta thank me for anything. It's fine." Gray started again at length, Hora blinked in surprise. "There's no reason for it, or anything else. After everything that happened I... I couldn't do nothing, not after what you... Tch." He mumbled quietly, his shoulders hunching a little despite himself as he cut off, while Hora stalled, her eyes flashing.

After what I...?

"... I don't get it all, it's crazy and weird, but... I know most everybody thinks that when we saw things happen, and people get hurt, and... And people die, and all that- that it was just sort of 'Vision' or something of what was gonna happen, but hadn't yet." Gray mumbled lowly, his voice dropping slightly on the word 'die' despite himself, while Hora swallowed against it.

"But crazy as it is, it did actually happen, it wasn't just an image or whatever... Time ended up rewinding at the last second, so none of it stuck, but it happened." He murmured lowly, "Even if it was only for a little bit before it got undone... All of that we saw, it was real." He murmured quietly, tensely, his eyes stuck on the floor and grimacing faintly as he said it, and remembered it.

Hora felt her heart twist along with her stomach as the memory of it came flooding back for her all over again too, and though she tried so hard not to let the images invade her mind, trying was mostly useless.

.:+:.

Hora's heart skipped a beat, because while their eyes were on her and Callan- none of them noticed the Mini-Dragon's directly on their flank, already ready to send off a burst of hot, high-powered Magic directly for them, and the first- directly for Juvia. Juvia, who like near everyone else, her eyes had not left Hora, not for a second, and she had no idea of the danger suddenly aimed at her. None of them had any id- wait..!

Hora's heart dropped, her blood running cold and instinctively pushing up against Callan's hold, blue eyes full of panic and fear when she saw someone else move, someone other than herself who saw that Mini-Dragon at the last possible second, and moved even when there was no time to- NO!

"Watch it-!"

"DON'T!"

Hora screamed the word, her voice harsh and breathless, and still loud enough they heard it- but it didn't matter, he'd already moved, and the Mini-Dragon had already sent off it's Magic beam.

The world and time itself seemed to slow down in that instant, trudging by at a terrifying snails pace and every millisecond of it transpiring too fast to even fathom- and yet every single detail of it was impossible to miss.

It was burning into her mind- in all their minds- in what few seconds it occurred, clear as a bell, every little detail, all of it- and she could not move, or do anything about it.

Juvia stumbled to the side, pushed that way and out of the line of fire at the last possible second, and with it there was no time for him to move either- him pushing her out of the way just put him directly in the way, and that blast of Magic tore straight through his chest like it was nothing.

No-

The terror that raced through Hora was clear as day in Juvia's face, and Meredy's, and Lyon's too- all of them suspended in time as that sticky crimson splattered into the air, born from the fist sized hole suddenly torn through his body. His teeth grit as he coughed some of that scarlet liquid up, his face both stunned, confused, and pained all at once.

N-no-!

There were more Mini-Dragons than that one, they'd pulled themselves from the surrounding rubble and closed in as soon as the Mage's let up in their fighting even a little, crowding in and quick to jump in on the carnage- maws open wide and Magic bubbling in the pits of their stomachs long before the first shot ever got all the way through his body.

NO-!

A second shot went off, and a third, fourth, five, six- way to many too count, all of them in rapid succession, each one tearing through him just as easily as the first, ripping him to shreds and his body jerked with each one. And with each shot, the splatter of his blood on air and against the stone grew frighteningly more solid... and the look on his face...?

Still so... confused, and p-pained... n..no...

The last shot went off, blaringly loud, and it felt like she'd gotten shot too, directly through her very soul, while it... it went through the his... h...his... h...head...

He hit the ground with a heavy thud, limp, umoving, his body riddled in holes, skin slick with scarlet dripping fast from every wound... and utterly.. s..silent... n...no... no...!

The whole world stopped in that moment, her heart with it- and she felt like every part of her mind, body, soul- all of it got ripped in two, torn to shreds just like he-

.:+:.

Hora hissed under her breath, her eyes dropping from Gray and to the floor, her hands gripping so tightly about one another her fingernails nearly pierced flesh- but that small prickle of pain was enough to snap her from the midst of the memory. She shut her eyes against it for a moment, holding her breath,

Damn it... don't get sucked up in that...tch...

Gray frowned deeply, a shiver running up his own spine when the already blurry recollection of being shot and then everything going black at the end rammed into him, and made his stomach churn. His own hands ended up clenching as Hora's had, though he surely didn't notice her sudden tension over his own, and he didn't look up from the floor either. He did pause a moment though- the pause something uneasy, heavy- before shaking his head slightly and continuing on, his voice even lower than it had been but heartbeats before.

"It was real, and it could have happened all over again... but you didn't let it." Gray murmured softly, Hora stiffened, her eyes snapping open again. He didn't look up though even when she did, his hand came off his neck slowly and buried itself back in his pants pocket like the other was, the Ice Mage's shoulders hunched a tad while his eyes dropped closed. "Even though you were beat to hell and you getting hurt in the middle of it didn't go away like it did with the rest of us- you were the only one who reacted at all. You're the one who took out all of the Mini Dragons, and even a bunch of them that were nowhere near us and bothering other people in the rest of the city. You probably helped out a bunch of other people with that huge Spell of yours, and... Well..." He murmured, a small breath escaping him as he seemed to hesitate a moment, before he shook his head once.

"... You definitely saved me... I kinda owe you my life for that, ya know." He added softly, tensely so, and Hora swallowed. But Gray didn't linger long on it, he just forced himself to glance up and shook his head one more time, dark blue eyes glinting as he caught her gaze for the first time since starting on the topic. "So don't thank me for anything. I had to start repaying you somehow." He told her levelly, his tone bordering on something like finality- Hora's heart sped up a bit, panic creeping in fast because that being the final word and end of the conversation was the very last thing she wanted.

"Y-You don't owe me anything..!" She said quickly (and perhaps a tad too loudly, but she couldn't help it, she was rushing). She took a tiny step forward toward him as she said it too, and mostly out of an unconscious need to anchor him in the conversation she was so afraid was going to sputter into an end before it had even started.

"I mean it, you don't owe me for any of that! I didn't do it so you'd have to pay off a debt or anything, I did it because I wanted- because I had to..!" She told him, her voice a little rushed and shaky, but no less genuine all the same, even as she corrected herself mid-sentence. She took another half step closer and stopped, shaking her head firmly while Gray blinked, his eyes narrowing slightly and looking a bit wary for the words, but Hora didn't dare pause. "I c-couldn't let you die, not on anything..! I'd never be able to sit still and not try to at least do something, regardless of being hurt or whatever else! I had to do something, anything...! A-And I'd do it again, as many times as I had to, and I'd never expect you to owe me anything or even want you to feel like you should..! B-Because me doing that is not something you should ever have to owe me for, it's not a favor, it's... It's your life, and I don't want you to lose it..!" She kept on, her pace getting a little quicker and a little more desperate with each word- while Gray looked increasingly more shocked, confused and uneasy with every single bit of it.

Hora didn't really register any of that though, least of all enough to stall what had nosedived into semi-rambling on her part. And certainly not enough to stop her from blurting out the next bit, or how painfully honest it ended up being;

"You don't owe me anything! I did it because I couldn't risk losing you again, I... I can't lose you again!"

Gray went rigid, Hora doing the same not a moment after the words left her mouth, and she snapped it shut so hard her teeth clacked.

O-Oh my god, did I really just-?!

Gray's face fell, the Ice Mage shifting a little on his feet away from her, grimacing faintly and looking extremely confused and unnerved. Hell, he looked downright uncomfortable, and Hora's heart dropped into her feet in both panic, disbelief, and horror with herself.

Because seriously- DID I REALLY JUST BLURT THAT OUT?!

Her hands snapped up and covered her mouth instinctively, her heart dropping through her feet and into the very pits of the earth as Gray's posture seemed to turn just a little defensive and guarded, the Ice Mage looking completely unsure of what to do, or even what that was.

FUCK I TOTALLY DID JUST SAY THAT! WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH ME!?

HE LOOKS SO WEIRDED OUT- OF COURSE HE'S WEIRDED OUT!

I'M A TOTAL STRANGER THAT JUST SAID SOMETHING A STRANGER NEVER SHOULD!

Hora's hands fell from covering her mouth, the Fire Devil Slayer about to take a frantic step toward Gray only to halt herself at the last second, since she was afraid getting closer might just unnerve him further than she already had.

Shiiiiiiiit what do I do?! How do I make me saying that not be so weird..?!

I mean I could just tell him who I am and then it would make sense- right...?!

B-But I wasn't planning to just blurt that out here...! I w-wanted to pull him aside somewhere else and- AND WHY DIDN'T JUST DO THAT IMMEDIATELY-?!

Gray seemed to grow increasingly more wary in the rather heavy silence that followed, both of them rooted in their places and stuck there, neither sure what to do or how to react and... Move on-

"Ah, Horatia! I have been looking for you!"

Hora's attention snapped off of Gray, the Fire Devil Slayer jumping more than a little at the sudden voice sounding off to their left and a little behind her. Hora's eyes matched with Erza's, the redhead all dressed up prim and proper, a drink in hand and smiling as she made her way deliberately through all the other people and straight toward Hora in no time at all. At Titania's heels was Mirajane, and at the call of her name on the air several other people all around the room suddenly set their sights on the Fire Devil Slayer too... Like more than several people actually, and more like a lot of people.

A lot of people instantly with their eyes trained to her, guided by Erza's voice cutting through the rabble with absolute ease, and all of them intent, curious, and entirely locked on her.

And why?

"It seems congratulations are in order, hmm?" Erza smiled, the redhead stopping beside Hora with gleaming eyes. "You may be a bit young to be a Guild Master, but I don't think that will matter. I am sure you'll do splendidly." Erza told her brightly, Mirajane nodding in agreement with a sweet smile of her own.

"You'll be a wonderful leader, Hora." Mirajane murmured, Hora blinked a few times, her mind stuttering at the sudden interruption and struggling to come to terms with what they were saying, and not letting her attention divert for too long.

"U-uhm, thank you... But I uh-" Hora mumbled reflexively while her eyes darted quickly off the two woman (as well as the sudden influx of people shifting closer to where they were all of a sudden) and back around toward where Gray-

She stiffened, her voice dying off abruptly when her eyes landed on an empty spot where her Brother should have been. And now there were three new people stepping into that hole that had been left there, smiling and murmuring things like congratulations and whatever, but Hora didn't hear any of it. Her eyes flitted straight passed them, rushed and searching the sudden crowds of people pressing in on all sides for any sight of him, her eyes flashing when she caught a tiny glimpse of his raven hair between all the people. He cast an uneasy look back as he slid between two people, and for just a split second their eyes matched, dark blue on identical blue as they both faltered for a moment, before he seemed to grimace faintly and look away again, a hand rubbing the back of his neck somewhat awkwardly before dipping out of sight behind someone too tall for Hora too see him around.

Hora's heart felt like it dropped into her feet, the organ twisting painfully as it went and then slamming down with an excruciating thump that reverberated through every inch of her, and left her feeling cold. Her eyes dropped from the crowds and all the people's who's faces seemed unnaturally blurred now, her hands clenching tightly around one another to the point her knuckles turned white, and she surely must have been hurting herself... but her hands felt numb in that sudden wave of cold, and she couldn't feel anything.

Three feet, that was it. There had been just three feet of nothing between her and him, and then less than that not long after. He'd been there, right there- that was it... but it was gone now, so so quickly.

Hora's eyes dropped closed, holding her breath a moment against the icy-cold burning in her very soul.

You should have said it

Gray stepped passed a few more people, bringing himself quietly through the gathering crowd to the edge and eventually away. He felt a little bad for leaving like that, but he'd been a bit unsure of what even to say or do after her little outburst- and when Erza suddenly interrupted and stalled the conversation, it seemed a good break to step away and just try to... settle.

He grimaced, stepping out to the edge at last and swallowing hard as the words ran on a repeat again, and continued in a ghostly echo on his mind.

I can't lose you again

He grit his teeth slightly, the hand on the back of his neck tightening a little while his stomach churned.

That whole thing was weird, she was weird, but that part?

That part was a lot more than just weird, it was nerve-racking, unsettling- awkward.

Gray suppressed a groan in the back of his throat, his hand falling off his neck with a heavy sigh.

I can't lose you again... What the hell is that even supposed to mean...?

Damn it, not just that, but what the hell did she mean when she said had to tell me something too? I didn't get a chance to ask her about it around the rambling and whatever else- tch.

I have to talk to her, but maybe for now it'd be better to let all this excitement about her being Saber's Guild Master blow over... Maybe by the time it does all of these... These feelings from what she said will go away too.

He sighed again, sweatdropping slightly at the thought.

I hope so anyway

Gray shook his head and stepped around the crowd, starting to bring himself past it and away to garner that space and time he hoped would help him settle. His eyes shift back toward the crowd slowly, biting the inside of his cheek as he gave one last attempt at looking back and catching sight of her fiery hair around all the others- which he managed, just for a moment. Passed everyone else and in a small break that allowed him a line of sight toward her, his attention landed on that Saber who had done nothing but irk him, confuse him, and just generally make him wary and not at all at ease- the next step he planned to take and bring him away further away stalled, and so did the rest of him.

Because just in that small second he caught a glimpse of her, he saw her eyes down and on the floor, her lips pulled into a thin line as her expression twisted, so... So crestfallen.

Gray stiffened at it, eyes widening and his heart skipping a half a beat in shock for the sudden look, and how heavy it seemed on her shoulders all of a sudden. His stomach clenched that time instead of just churning, swallowing hard against a lump that had found its way into his throat in reaction to it, and the small pang of guilt that hit him.

Hora seemed to force herself up and shake off a bit of that weight hanging over though, her eyes moving up and on to everyone else. A small smile made it's way on to her face, washing away the ache that had been there just a moment before- and so fast.

Gray faltered further for it, his shoulders sinking for a moment while his face fell instead, and his soul ended up aching as much as hers seemed to before she wiped it away so quickly it was like all that pain and discomfort and fear hadn't been there at all... And he had to wonder how long she'd had to practice to make it seem so easy to hide all that turmoil.

Hora kept up the smile, her attention diverting back to the crowds and people all around her, calling out congratulations for her new appointment as Guild Head, and well wishes for her in doing so. Many of the other Guilds who had yet to see her since the decision was made, and the others who hadn't quite been aware of Saber's new leader, but definitely heard it now, they all bunched in too. Which ended up for a lot of people, and a big buzz of anticipation and excitement on the air too- Hora couldn't quite share those feelings at that moment, but she tried.

She tried to shake off the coldness that had crept in and replace it with appreciation for all the good lucks and affirmations that she would do well- and she did appreciate them all, even if it didn't quite hit home just then. But unfortunately when the cold began to wear off it was not that appreciation that took the forefront- it was nervousness, and flusterdness, and all the like. She felt flustered with the attention mostly, but it got worse when people like Jura, Makarov, Bob, and the other Guild Masters tossed over their own words of them being sure she would do well... which lead to a quick downward spiral of getting worked up, and sort of getting rather overwhelmed with all the people all around, crowding in, talking to her, paying attention to her, and everything else.

Her nerves were quickly rising to a high all over again, and though she did her best to stay upbeat, polite, and entertain everyone's attention- it was a lot. And it only made how worked up and twisty she felt about losing sight of Gray even worse- and then it got even worse than that the several times she spared a quick look around at all the people to try and spot him, and never could.

He left

She could hear her heart pounding in her ears again, her chest tightening as a heat in the base of her lungs kept gradually strengthening, and it took everything to keep it at bay and keep herself from starting to crack under the pressure of it. The first chance she got to pull herself from the crowd (that had thankfully already started to thin from the rush to start), and step away without it seeming too weird or like she was running off- she did. She offered up a slightly shaky smile to the people she wound her way through, murmuring her thanks again for all the words she'd been given as she went, promising to catch up with some of them later, and then working her way out toward somewhere with less people, and preferably nobody at all. The first clear path out of the crowd was in the direction opposite of where she'd left Rogue, and though part of her would have maybe liked to catch up with him again, she was more focused on just being somewhere else, and fast.

She found an open balcony door leading to a garden-covered terrace ahead of her and made a beeline for it, Rogue on the other side of the room instantly alert to her leaving (after having been gritting his teeth at being stuck on the edges of the crowd moments before), and seeing her go that way. The Shadow Dragon Slayer went to follow her quickly, stopping short of tossing the people in his way out of his path, and instead melting into shadow and circling the walls to bypass them with ease, and follow. Sting, Lector and Frosch shifted from their spaces and started to work their way after Hora too- the three of them having been watching the pile-in around Hora, after having already tuned in warily when they'd seen her approach Gray at the start.

Hora didn't notice them following though, and she certainly didn't smell or hear them- her heartbeat was roaring in her ears, and she was holding her breath as she walked in an attempt to stifle what coughing she knew was fighting so hard to rear it's head. She was almost there, only with half a dozen feet left to go before the door, and already she could feel a bit of the air from outside wafting in, the sky a deep scarlet with the sun dipped past the horizon and already out of sight-

Hora stumbled, her heart skipping a beat in surprise when someone suddenly slid into her path, blocking her hasty retreat and stalling her rather abruptly. Further behind her Sting, Lector, Frosch and even Rogue staggered to a halt too- though neither Hora nor the sudden surprise someone noticed those four in the slightest.

Hora blinked several times, her eyes going wide in surprise as she ended up halting and was forced to take a good look at who it was that had quite deliberately stepped in her way- before stiffening a little, her shock shifting to unease and confusion when she registered the look on the bluenette's face, and it was... Intense and almost daunting...?

U-Uhm...?

Hora swallowed, hesitant for a moment before allowing herself a cautious, shallow breath- which thankfully was small enough she managed to intake some air, and not end up coughing for now.

"Ah... Juvia...? Is something... Wrong...?" Hora asked slowly, her voice teetering on breathless and almost wheezy- not that Juvia seemed to notice it. The Water Mage seemed to huff, her cheeks puffed up and a certain glint in her eye as she took several (very fast!) steps toward Hora, cutting the distance between them to near none and planting herself right before the Devil Slayer, while Hora fought the instinctual urge to lean back for a moment. She stayed still though, her hands being the only thing to move as they grasped to one another a tad apprehensively, and Juvia's eyes narrowed at the Saber.

"Juvia doesn't know what your intentions are with Gray-sama, but Juvia will not stand by and let you- Love Rival- win over my Darling Gray's affections!" The Water Mage muttered curtly, getting straight to the point and very heated- like in a simmering, three seconds away from boiling over kind of way. Hora went still though, the words causing her eyes to go wide, bristling a little in sheer shock.

L-Love Rival...?!

"W-Wait I'm not-!" Hora stammered out quickly, but Juvia glowered, leaning in a bit and staring straight into Hora's eyes with an intensity that set the Fire Devil Slayer on edge, her words breaking off nervously.

"Juvia will do anything to win Gray-sama's heart, even if that means Juvia must destroy all other Love Rivals! E-Even ones who have saved her Darling Gray's life...!" Juvia went on without pause for Hora's interjection, and Hora herself faltered a bit at the words, her eyes flashing when Juvia's voice wavered a bit, and seemed to drop imperceptibly at the end there. In fact Juvia's glowering lessened a little too, the daunting look turning faintly aching and uneasy now, though no less intense- Hora swallowed.

"Juvia is thankful for what you did to protect Gray-sama, truly... But Juvia cannot sit by and let you steal Gray-sama, or anything else..!" Juvia mumbled, her eyes glittering as her shoulders hunched, and her eyes dropped off Hora and to her hands clenching to the fabric of her dress, balling it slightly. "Gray-sama has been so tense the last week, and Juvia knows some of it is because of what happened, but the rest of it has something to do with you." Juvia mumbled quietly, Hora stiffened.

"Juvia doesn't understand it, but Gray-sama has been acting off. He's not been around the Guild, he's constantly going off by himself, he won't talk to Juvia or anyone else, and... and Juvia is worried...! Juvia just doesn't want Gray-sama to get hurt, or be lead on, or anything like that...!" Juvia kept on, while Hora's heart dropped into the pits of her feet at the words, her eyes flashing as she swallowed, hard.

He's.. he's really been acting that off...? B-Because of me...? That's why she's worried I'm... gonna hurt him...?

Juvia shook her head stiffly after pausing a moment, the Water Mage steadying herself again and earning back some of her steadiness and daunting from the start. Her hands tightened around her dress, the bluenette finding her voice once more as she looked up toward Hora again;

"Juvia would never want Gray-sama to be hurt by anyone, and Juvia will not allow i-!" Juvia started firmly, only for her voice and the intensity of her expression to get broken in surprise and shock when their eyes matched, and Hora looked suddenly so somber.

The Fire Devil Slayer seemed to have wilted a little, her eyes glittering as they swam with a million different emotions all at once- but of the many Juvia could see pain, and heartache there. Two things she had not anticipated to see in the Saber just now, at all.

Juvia's voice failed her, the Water Mage reeling and entirely confused- then further more confused and stunned when Hora's eyes dropped from her a moment, the Saber's lips twitching at the edges in a shaky, even more somber sort of smile.

"... You really care about him, don't you...?" Hora asked softly, her voice wavering a little and hushed, but Juvia heard her well enough, and blinked. Hora shook her head a little, her gaze moving back up to match with Juvia's again, the Fire Devil Slayer seemingly taking the silence as answer enough- and really she didn't need any answer at all. Juvia confronting her at all about this was proof enough, and proof further was just how uneasy and concerned the Water Mage truly was as she said what she did... plus;

.:+:.

"G-GRAY..!"

That wasn't her voice, it was someone else's- maybe many someones- and she meant to say it. She wanted to scream it, but her voice wouldn't come. Nothing came, she just froze, all the world around her, the chaos, the weight of Callan pinning her to the ground, the agony in her body from all the fighting- everything went deadly quiet in an instant. And all she could do was stare, the tears spilling from her eyes instantly, but even those were silent.

.:+:.

... that was Juvia's voice back then. I couldn't register it at the time, but it definitely was her.

Hora paused another heartbeat as the memory came and went, her eyes dropping closed a moment while she gave herself another moment or two to steady herself again, and push away the lurking heat and sting in her chest for just a bit longer... and for the very least, long enough to let her get through this, without getting thrown into a coughing fit.

Hora's eyes opened again after a minute, her gaze settling with Juvia's still slightly stunned one, the Fire Devil's expression pulling faintly- uneasy, sad, and even faintly scared.

"I don't want to hurt him, Juvia. I really don't, I'd never want to... And... And I don't intend to hurt him, or mean to, I promise. I'm not looking to steal his affection or anything either, I just... I need to talk to him, and it's complicated, but I don't intend for anything I say or do to... to hurt him, I really don't." Hora told the Water Mage, her voice tense and shaking imperceptibly. "I'm sorry everything's that's been going on has given you any reason to worry about him at all... I didn't mean to make him so uneasy, or tense, or do anything that'd affect him that way... I am sorry, Juvia." Hora murmured, her voice getting slightly hoarse on the apology- and an apology that Juvia's face fell flat for, her mind racing.

A dozen different ways that Juvia could have anticipated Hora's reaction to be to this confrontation, her actually apologizing, genuinely meaning it, and looking as sad as she did was not one of the scenarios the Water Mage could have ever-

"But I am really glad that Gray has somebody who cares for him as much as you seem to." Hora went on, her voice growing a little more wispy as Juvia went as stiff as a board, her eyes flashing at the words. Hora's somber smile got a little less so, becoming suddenly a little softer- gentler even- as the Fire Devil Slayer's dark blue eyes gleamed, and Juvia's breath caught in her throat, her heart skipping a beat.

She-?

"Thank you for looking out for him, Juvia." Hora told the (now not breathing) Water Mage quietly, her voice barely above a whisper and definitely bordering raspy now. The Fire Devil Slayer shifted on her feet at last, stepping passed Juvia, her smile fading to near nothing again as she did, one hand raising toward the bluenette in something of a tired wave. "... Maybe I'll see you later, okay...?" Hora mumbled, her voice scratching at her throat enough she had to hold her breath the minute she finished talking, and she averted her eyes from Juvia quickly too.

Hora started off again and Juvia hardly moved an inch at first, bluenette suddenly seeming to have been rooted to her spot as her mind struggled to understand... Well all of that, but mostly-

Juvia swallowed hard, turning stiffly and just enough to cast a look back after Hora's retreating form, her heart suddenly in a picked up and startled pace, her mind a storm and reeling, because just then? When that Devil Slayer smiled like that, and thanked her? With their eyes matched like that...?

Juvia recognized something in that Saber she never had before, something familiar- almost hauntingly so, and she could not place it. She couldn't place it, she didn't know why she felt it just then, she only knew that's what the feeling was, or something close to it;

I know that face

Juvia swallowed hard, her eyes gleaming as her hands clenched tighter to her dress, and her heart skipped another uncertain beat. She didn't even register the four figures of Lector, Sting, Frosch and Rogue quickly passing her by- her eyes stayed stuck to Horatia's back as the girl made her way out the terrace doors, and out sight.

I recognize her... But why...?

.:+:.

... He's been so uneasy, everybody's worried... Not just Juvia, I know Lyon has been too...

Her feet hit the stone of the balcony, leaving the marble floors, the grand hall, and all the people far behind, her eyes stuck down and not even registering each step. She just kept going.

... He's been acting off because of everything... Because of me, and all the shit that happened... How I was acting... How I've still been acting, all weird and... Shit.

She snapped her eyes shut, her hand coming up quickly to cover her mouth and keep it shut- keeping herself from taking in any breaths of air, just as she'd refrained since walking off all the way up to know. And she still refused, her eyes shut tight and her feet still taking her further out onto the terrace filled with plants, further toward the railing and farther out of direct view of the doors she had come through to get there.

She's afraid I'm gonna hurt him... I don't want to, I don't mean to- but me telling him anything is gonna affect him no matter what...? E-Even if it doesn't hurt him, it could right...?

It doesn't matter if he'll be happy to see me, or not, or anything else- because this is all really really hard...!

A-And I already made it worse by blurting all of that out earlier, and I didn't get a chance to explain or... Or anything, he left... I... Don't blame him for leaving, I made that whole situation really uncomfortable, but-

The heat and burning sensation in her lungs was rising, spreading out through her whole chest and making the urge to try and breathe all the worse, but she couldn't.

-but I... I didn't mean to...!

I just... I wanted to talk to him, I have to talk to him, and tell him... But what if telling him makes things harder...? O-Or worse...?

What if he really doesn't remember me at all, and it's not just that he doesn't recognize me? I-It makes sense he doesn't recognize me, I know that but... But what if he's blocked any memory of me out after all?

I know Lyon said he didn't, I know he talked about me- that's why Lyon knew who I was, but that was when they were kids..! When they were with their Master, Ur who... Who Deliora killed, and I was the one who was supposed to defeat it- that was the whole point of Arden giving me this Magic in the first place...!

Shit, shit- what if he doesn't wanna remember me? Or won't want to, if he ever realizes that I was the one supposed to kill Deliora, but his Master got killed doing it instead...? I know I was just a kid, but... But-

Her steps fumbled slightly on a rise in the stone she couldn't see with her eyes shut as tightly as she had them. Her eyes snapped open when she tripped, and she staggered a few paces forward before managing to catch herself, her one free hand finding leverage on the terrace railing she hadn't realized sheds reached yet, and saving her ending up on the ground. She paused for the first time in her walking then, her posture hunching slightly while the burning in her chest reached a new sharp point when one single, awful, and terribly invasive thought wormed it's way passed all the others and settled right in the forefront of her mind.

What if... What if telling him who I am is a mistake...? What if he won't want to know it's me..?

'None of that is true.' Lixue broke in steadily and without hesitation, his voice cutting through the sudden whirlwind wreaking havoc on her brain. And Hora could tell he was telling the truth- or at least she knew this was just her worries and fears running away with her after having been lurking for so long. Some part of her knew this was just anxiety and fear ramping her up and pushing her toward freaking out when she really could not afford to get freaked out- but hell.

Even knowing that did not keep the intrusive thoughts from hounding her, and it did nothing to lessen the pounding of her heart in her ears, the low roar of all the voices of everyone else and the music from inside, or the feeling of her chest on fire, or like she was suffocating-

She sucked in a sharp breath of air, the hand she had over her mouth no longer managing to help keep it shut, and she choked on it.

Hora's body folded instantly, the Devil Slayer dropping quickly into sitting on the balls of her feet and leaning heavily into the railing in front of her. Her fingers on the one hand dug into the stone edge of the top of the railing, while her other hand stayed covering her mouth as she started coughing. Each one felt like it was rattling her bones, and every scratchy breath of air jerking in and out of her lungs sent a fiery-hot stabbing sensation rushing through her... She almost missed the numbing cold she'd felt earlier when Gray left so suddenly.

"Shit, Hora..!"

"H-Hey..!?"

"Atia..!"

Rogue, Sting, Lector and Frosch faltered in their quick following after Hora when she suddenly bent over, and then the instant they heard the coughing start they darted straight across what distance still separated them right to her side. They hovered, Sting and Rogue bending down on either side of her while the Exceeds squeezed in by their knees, all of their eyes glinting like mad as their hearts picked up into a slightly panicked, fearful pace in no time at all. Rogue's hand caught under Hora's elbow to try and steady her while Sting's own hand found a place on her shoulder, their other hands landing on her back while the Exceed's paws landing on her knees, fur puffed up and tails twitching nervously as she jerked under their touch with each cough. And there came several of them, all of them faintly wheezy as they left her lungs and throat in short, jolting bursts... but the little fit of coughing lasted only a minute or two, the coughs slowing to slightly panting breaths in less time than any of them could ever hope- not that the short span of it made their knotted cores unwind all that much at all.

"Hora, are you okay..?" Rogue asked, his voice hushed and so clearly fearful. Hora grimaced, her hand falling from covering her mouth and head bending forward wearily, a small groan escaping her.

"... yeah... yeah I'm just... having a little mental breakdown... it's fine... I'm fine..." She replied breathlessly, the words making everyone stiffen and looking incredibly wary- not that she noticed, or cared much in the moment. Rogue swallowed rather audibly though, his hands on her person tensing a little despite himself.

This is exactly what he'd been afraid was gonna happen when she got around to talking to Gray, or about any of it- she was getting worked up just thinking about it, and then it got worse when she started to try getting to it, only to grow even worse than that when Gray dipped out of sight and she got surrounded by so many people all at once. And then Juvia popping up out of nowhere like that, and saying all of that stuff- shit.

She's coughing already, if she gets any more worked up she might... tch.

He swallowed hard again, the same fear and thoughts in his mind easy enough to see in Sting, Lector and Frosch too. They knew how much talking to Gray meant to her, they knew she had to do it, but if she got too stressed out and Over-Drive started to act up again, that would be awful. Worse than her not getting a chance to talk to Gray at all, even.

"Hora-" Rogue started, his tone dropping suddenly low, but Hora shook her head stiffly and cut him off.

"... No seriously, I'm fine." She murmured, her voice growing suddenly less breathless and more steady. She tilted her head up, but her eyes didn't find Rogue or anybody else, she just looked straight ahead passed the railing in front of her and out to the dark city far off twinkling with lights as the sun kept sinking. "... I'm not trying to freak out, but... I'm ramping myself up, my head keeps coming up with these terrible things and I know they aren't true, and I can't believe them... I know that, I just..." She trailed off, forcing herself a big breath of air that sounded a little more uneven than anybody liked- but hey, she didn't end up sputtering for it nonetheless.

She shook her head a bit, her eyes dropping closed again while her shoulders sank, her stomach still a huge knot and lungs still burning slightly... but it was getting less hot, the more she tried to quell it and all the whirling things in her head, and the longer she got to sit there and just try. She had to make it settle down, she had no choice, she could not let herself get this worked up... but...

"... I need a bit, okay?" Hora murmured softly after a small pause, her eyes opening again and casting Rogue a sideways glance, their eyes matching for a brief moment before she looked away again, and suddenly moved. Hora pushed herself stiffly up out of the crouch and on to her feet, her hand on the railing shaking faintly as she used it for leverage to get herself up all the way, and everyone else around her scrambled a bit- their hands hovering nervously and holding on to her the whole way, even when she didn't use them for any sort of support.

"H-Hold on a moment, don't push it-!" Rogue stammered quickly in the midst of it, Sting clicked his tongue.

"Hora slow up-!" Sting hissed too, but Hora shook her head again, pulling herself gently out of their hold as she turned, stepping back to lean into the railing behind her and sighing.

"I'm fine." She repeated, again, her expression softening as she saw the fear and uncertainty on their faces, and the way their hands still tried reaching out even when she pulled herself away. Her arms crossed over her chest slowly, shaking her head at them as they hesitated, looking still unconvinced. "... I mean it... I need a little to calm down again, but I am okay... I'm not gonna let myself get so worked up that Over-Drive starts to act up again, I promise... I didn't mean to get worked up at all, it was just... a lot... and a lot of people, and it's..." Her voice trailed off and her eyes fell to her feet, glinting faintly as her shoulders seemed to hunch.

"... I don't mean to worry you guys, or scare you... I'm sorry, I didn't know it'd be this hard or... or overwhelming... and I... I'm sorry..." Hora told them, her voice trembling faintly as it dropped to something just short of a whisper, and all four of them stiffened at it, bristling.

"Don't be sorry, Hora..!" Sting told her quickly with a curt shake of his head,

"Yeah Atia, we get it!" Lector said, his paws clenching into fists at his side wile Frosch nodded firmly, the little Exceed's eyes glinting.

"You don't gotta be sorry Atia!"

"We understand how difficult a situation this is for you, you needn't apologize for anything..!" Rogue added in too, red eyes flashing. "We are worried of course, but that's because we don't want to see you hurt, or have Over-Drive start to act up again- but none of that, or any of this is your fault or something you should feel guilty over..! We'll worry no matter what, because we care about you, but it's nothing for you to apologize for!" He hissed,

"What he said!" Sting murmured with a firm nod of his head toward Rogue, his eyes glinting as he seemed to force a small breath before going on. "Look Hora, we knew this shit was gonna be hard as hell, we know it's gonna take time and adjusting- we know you're trying as hard as you can not to get all bent out of shape about it, or worry us, or any of that. But you gotta quit worrying about us and how we feel about all of this, and focus on you instead!"

Hora blinked, her eyes moving up off her feet and up to them, her expression pulling in surprise and confusion all at once. They all shifted a pace closer though, leaning in a little and the Exceeds springing up into the air, their wings flaring as they brought themselves eye-level with everyone else... and they all looked so firm and steady now...?

"... What do you mean... focus on me...?" Hora mumbled uncertainly, and they seemed to bristle a little more at it, the fear and worry in their faces from just before getting overwritten with little bits of exasperation now.

"Hora you've been constantly putting yourself on the back burner and focusing more on worrying about us and trying to keep us safe and happy!" Sting told her, "Everything you do is for somebody else, even when you're all hurt and got your own stuff to deal with..! You put us ahead of everything even when Jiemma had you trapped, you pushed yourself harder and harder trying to protect and help everybody during the whole Dragon fiasco, even when you were barely on your feet and kept getting hurt worse!" He told her quickly, Rogue and the Exceeds nodding stiffly in agreement.

"You kept going and kept trying to take care of everyone, and save Yukino and Lucy, and everything else even after Jiemma tried to destroy the Possession Link, and you found out about your Brother in the first place." Rogue mumbled lowly, "You pushed away everything you were feeling about finding him alive and what you'd just gone through in order to get back to the Guild and make sure we were fine. And you kept pushing all of what you were feeling for the rest of it too- it's always somebody else before you, even when you're on death's door and your life is turning upside down!"

"Hell, I know part of the reason you said yes to bein' Guild Master was because you were worried about sticking it on me!" Sting added in, "I know some part of you wanted to do it because you care about the Guild, and you wanna make up for all the stuff that's gone on, and make things better for us- but that's still putting us ahead of you!"

"You've done so much for us your whole life, but after all of this it's way passed time you worry more about yourself than everyone else." Rogue told her firmly, "It's our turn to worry about you instead Hora, while you try and work out everything you need to. Let us worry and try to take care of you, so you can have time to focus on yourself and what you need."

"Yeah, that was what we were trying to get you to understand when we said you could leave the Guild Atia...!" Lector piped in, Hora stiffened slightly at the mention of it, her eyes going wide. "We know you care about us, but you have to worry about yourself too! You can't always be focused on taking care of everyone else, you have stuff that you gotta worry about figuring out for yourself!"

"We'd never have wanted you to leave, Atia, but we wanted you to have time to work through everything that's happening to you without having to keep all of us first!" Frosch mewed, "You just found out your Brother is alive after so long! We want you to have a chance to figure everything out that you need to with him, and what'll happen now without worrying about how it affects us over you!"

"Taking care of yourself isn't something you should ever apologize for!" Sting grumbled, Rogue shook his head hotly.

"You have to do whatever you need to Hora, even if it means we end up worrying." Rogue told her steadily, "Do what's best for you for awhile, not what's best for everyone else. We don't need you to worry so much about the rest of us right now, we're more focused on making sure you're alright."

"Yeah, all we want is for you to be okay, and for everything you got going on to work itself out okay too- no matter what it takes." Sting murmured, a small sigh escaping him. "Which means anything by the way. You've been holding the rest of us for a real long time and carrying everything all by yourself, but you don't have to do that anymore. We're here for you, whatever you need." He promised, the Exceeds nodding firmly as their tails lashed a bit behind them.

"Always." Rogue told her softly, his eyes glittering and burning an amber in the light of the setting sun.

Hora blinked, her eyes trailing over each and every one of them slowly, stunned into silence for a moment while her mind struggled to catch up with what they were saying, and how much they meant it.

She had always put everybody ahead of herself, but she'd never seen it as a bad thing... but maybe...?

Her eyes dropped from them and back toward her feet, her face falling slightly as her arms over her chest tightened a bit.

She'd never been one for leaning on other people, she had always been so secretive and reserved, and she likely would have remained that way if everything hadn't gotten so crazy and she'd been forced into revealing all she had. Sharing any of it had sucked, and it still sucked in many regards, so some part of her did just instinctively push it all away and find other things to focus on outside of herself, her own problems, and her own fucked up life. As long as everybody else was fine, and she could make sure it was fine- that always came first, and she never thought on it... But... are they right...? That I need to worry about myself for awhile...?

She bit the insides of her cheeks for the thought, dark blue eyes narrowing as her shoulders hunched a little.

Would I even know how to..?

She'd never done it, not really. Sure she could worry about herself in a fight enough to keep from getting hurt, but any notion of that always got thrown straight out the window when someone else came around, and she had to keep an eye on them, or try to protect them. Even just worrying about them being sad, or happy, or anything else always stayed at the top of her mind, and thoughts on her own feelings and emotions had always been left to stew in the back... Only to build up and fester inside of her, creating all these horrible thoughts and fears that had her soul churning, heart breaking, and lungs burning. All of it always getting heavier, hurting more, and tearing her up inside just like Over-Drive.

Hora's eyes dropped closed, her stomach flipping a little for how unpleasant a thought it was, and her core aching a little too. She grit her teeth faintly, her fingers digging into her arms and swallowing, hard.

... Shit... they are right, aren't they...?

I've been trying to do everything, carry it all this time all by myself... let it tear me apart from the inside out while I shifted my focus on anything but me- instead of trying to find a way to figure out and settle all the crazy shit in my life...

She held her breath a moment, her shoulders hunching a little more while her heart twisted.

Tch... and me trying to do all of it and not care about myself is just... worrying them even more. And I didn't mean to... I just... I got so used to living that way I-

Hora cut the thought off, her eyes blinking open slowly and lifting her head back up the little bit it'd fallen. Her gaze matched with theirs, shinning in the orange light, little specks of tears pecking at the corners of her eyes now, and their own eyes widened at seeing it.

"H-Hora, we weren't trying to-" Rogue started quickly,

"Y-You don't gotta cry-!" Sting stammered too, the Exceed's fur puffing up and looking instantly frantic,

"A-Atia..!"

Hora blinked, shaking her head slightly and glancing off to the side and away from them, the back of her hand coming up to wipe away the moisture hurriedly. She sucked in a quick breath of air that almost hitched in her throat, but she kept it from bothering her too much and instead sniffed a little.

"You're all so dumb... why didn't you just say any of that plain yesterday, instead of suggesting I wanted to leave..?" She mumbled softly, shaking her head a little more, her hand falling from her eyes slowly. "I wouldn't have been so mad at you if you'd said it like you did just now, ya know." She murmured, they paused, looking a little unsure of what to do. Hora forced herself another breath, her arms crossing over her chest again, eyes still down and face suddenly... somber.

"Look, I get what you're saying, I understand... I've never really thought about it before, that it might not be good to put everybody ahead of me all the time... but I can see why it's not great." She murmured quietly, "I am sorry for how long it's been taking me to work around to being different... to being more honest and open with all of you... I wanna do better on that end, I wanna be more comfortable with leaning on you guys more, I know you'll help me however you can... I want... I want all of that, I don't wanna give you reason to worry, I don't wanna keep being so strung out all the time, or hide so much... I wanna try." She whispered, her voice shaking faintly- but even despite the little waver, she meant it.

Sting, Rogue, Lector and Frosch paused, their faces falling and eyes gleaming, while Hora seemed to hesitate half a second, before looking back up again, blue eyes shining- nervous, aching, and almost pleading.

"I'm gonna do better, just... Just be patient with me please...?" She asked softly, tensely. "I'm not... I'm not used to being like that, at all... I am gonna try, but I'm not good at it yet, I need time to do better... Please, give me a chance to get around to being that, okay...? I know I've been super slow so far on a lot of things in all the mess, but I am trying... And I've started to get there at least a little here and there, yeah...?" She whispered, her eyes flashing as she offered them up a shaky little smile that wavered so badly on being rueful for a moment, their hearts ached at it.

... Hora...

They couldn't find the words, or even knew what to say for a moment- Hora didn't really mind though. Her smile got a tad stronger and a little more aching in the next moment, the Fire Devil Slayer's head tilting faintly as her eyes gleamed.

"And thank you... Thank you so much. For everything." She told them, her voice hushed as a few glittering drops of moisture appeared at the corners of her eyes all over again.

The four of them swallowed, their expressions softening as their hearts seemed to knot, and melt all at the same time. They nodded stiffly, tiny smiles taking appearances on their faces for a moment in reaction to hers, though they looked nearly on the verge of tears themselves for a moment too.

"You got it." Sting told her brightly,

"Yeah, whatever you need Atia, we're with you!" Lector purred,

"We promise!" Frosch mewed,

"We'll be here, always, and through whatever comes." Rogue murmured softly, nodding once more to her as he did, Hora let out a small breath.

She looked away from them again, both her hands moving up to rub at her eyes while she took in a big gulp of air and held it a few moments, her hands adjusting after getting rid of the tears and pressing against her cheeks instead. She was silent for a few heartbeats as she did that, still holding her breath the whole way with her eyes closed as she tried to... Settle.

Everyone else waited patiently, quiet themselves as they watched her and gave her as much time as she needed- like they promised they would. Eventually Hora let the breath she held back out, her eyes opening as she did so, and her hands talking slowly from her face. She shot them an uncertain look then, shifting nervously as she pushed herself away from leaning into the railing.

"Ah... So please don't take it the wrong way it anything, but... I think I need a bit, by myself." She murmured cautiously, and they all blinked, eyes widening in surprise. She swallowed, hooking her hands behind her back nervously, her eyes dropping from them and to the ground again. "... It's just... This is a lot, with everything and all the people, everybody paying attention to me, asking things, and... And with Gray... I need a bit to just be alone, so I can try and... Calm down enough I don't end up freaking out all the way." She mumbled, the words- or rather the request- earning wary and uneasy looks from all four in front of her.

And why not? They had no real want to let her out of their sights, especially not after everything, and knowing how shaky her health still was.

Rogue, Sting, Lector and Frosch exchanged uneasy glances between themselves for a heartbeat or two, before they seemed to swallow, their gazes turning on Hora again.

"Alright." Rogue relented softly, Hora stiffened, her eyes snapping back up in surprise.

Seriously, they gave in that fast-?!

"You've had everybody hovering over you for over a week Hora, we get you wanting to be left alone for a bit." Sting told her, a hand coming up to rub at the back of his neck nervously. "It's kinda impressive you haven't lost your patience yet..." He admitted, Lector nodding slightly with a small smile.

"Yeah Atia, you've let us fuss over you a bunch. It makes sense that you need a break from everyone." The red Exceed hummed,

"Yeah, you need space! We understand...!" Frosch agreed,

"Quite... Though please be careful in your own, will you?" Rogue asked, his red eyes glinting in what was clear concern. "You're doing a lot better Hora, but you are still hurt... I know you're trying to keep from having Over-Drive act up, so if you need some time by yourself, we'll give it to you. Just... Just be careful, alright...?" He murmured softly, shifting a tad anxiously on his feet as he said it and his hands wrung together in front of him nervously too. Hora's expression softened a little at it, their relent, and all else, nodding solemnly.

"I'll be careful, I promise." She told them all, but her eyes matched with Rogue's in particular. He hesitated half a second more for the vow, before nodding a little back, his eyes dropping from her a moment and adjusting.

"Okay." Rogue mumbled, his hands unlinking from each other and one of then falling in his coat pocket to dig in it. Hora's head tilted in question as he did, before her eyes widened when he pulled his hand back out and reached out for her, a card in his fingers...?

"Take this with you, please." Rogue murmured, "I had the Calling Card you made for us on me when Gajeel and I fought, and it got destroyed in all the mess." Rogue admitted softly, "Cana from Fairy Tail offered to make us replacements, so this one is for you to keep. We each have Cards of our own now that can connect to yours, and each others." Rogue explained, Lector, Sting and Frosch nodding as they pulled similar cards out from their pockets, smiling faintly.

"They aren't as pretty as the Cards you made Atia, but at least this way we can stay in touch." Frosch purred,

"Yep, and do stay in touch yeah?" Sting murmured, "If ya need anything at all, call us and we'll come running."

"Yes, we'll be there right away." Rogue told her steadily.

Hora paused, her eyes glimmering as she glanced between the four of them and then fell to the Calling Card Rogue was still holding out to her. Her shoulders sank slightly, both her hands unhooking from behind her back and reaching out to take it slowly, a tiny and appreciative smile pulling at her lips as her heart warmed.

"I will... Thank you, all of you."

.:+:.

(This chapter is split into two so you all don't have to read 40,000 words at once... enjoy the 'double' update >w<)