Chapter 34

"Archer, how I've missed you"

Archer sighed as she was pulled into a bone crushing hug by the humanoid dragon she had recently found. Erza was of course nearby and quickly hid her little laugh at Archer's expense. She really looked like a disinterested cat that did not want to be there. Silver,who was on Archer's head, had to leave her space to avoid being pulled into the hug. The two week old exceed sprouted small wings and made her way to Erza. There she found a comfortable place in her ŀȧp and stretched out over her, ready for a nap.

"You've been sleeping most of the day " Erza said as she scratched the back of the exceed's ear. Silver was interesting to say the least. An intelligent exceed, as Archer liked to say. She hasn't said a word yet and tends to just sit and watch. When she's not watching she's asleep on Archer's head or hidden in her jacket. If she's not with Archer she could be found following Erza until she was accepted into her arms.

As expected no words were said and Silver simply closed her eyes and went to sleep.

"Juniper"Archer said the woman's name the same way a child would when being publicly humiliated by a parent. She squirmed out of the woman's grasp and gave her a pointed look. The woman returned the look with one of her own. She then smiled. That smile turned into a small laugh.

"Why, you never change" Juniper pressed a finger to Archer's forehead, smiling at the way she furrowed her brows. She giggled and pushed her hair behind her ear. Green locks still managed to slip past, but she paid them no mind.

"I can say the same to you"

"Is that you, Juniper? "

Archer let out another sigh at hearing Demeter's voice. She was quick to slip away and let the nature women talk. She found Juniper, which meant another motherly figure was added to the group. She would be coddled again. At least the two weren't around Anna and Irene. She would really be in for it if that was the case.

"She asleep again? "Archer asked as she approached Erza. She plopped down next to her before fully taking in Silver's still form

"Yeah"

"Well, she's a cat" Archer shrugged. "Though she sleeps far more than the others"

Erza hummed, sparing a glance at Archer. She had fell back into the high grass they found themselves in and stretched.

"Any missions soon? "

Archer shrugged. "Not sure. I quite enjoy my time at home with you and the others"

Their friends from the guild tend to visit more often. Natsu and Gray got into a fight just the day before and did some serious damage to their backyard. Cana and Mira always pull her into their little conversations. She was almost always their moderator. Levy of course kept up with her questioning. She moved on from Archer and started questioning the gods and goddesses along with the dragons. The exceeds settled in pretty quickly.

Archer had something confirmed in the last two weeks. It may be very insignificant or maybe not, but it was important to her. The matter concerned Frosch's gender. She never knew if the exceed was a boy or girl. Male or female. She found out and has some peace of mind now.

Turns out Frosch is girl.

She suspected. She felt a bit of pride at being somewhat right.

"Weren't you going on about the S-class trials and stuff"

"You and I both know I'll be a candidate " Archer said. "And so will you"

Erza sighed and joined Archer on the grass. She stared up at the cloudless sky, instantly relaxing.

"So, what do we do then? "

"Go about our day and continue to hunt down my keys"

Speaking of keys. "So Juniper is the nature dragon"

"Yeah"

"And Demeter is more or less mother nature"

"Yeah"

"So both are motherly"

"Yes" a huff. "Yes they are"

Erza smiled. Ah, that meant double trouble for Archer. She didn't seem to like being coddled or mothered. She would always pout whenever Demeter checked on her or scolded her. Now she had Juniper too. It should be fun to watch.

"Laugh at my struggles why don't you"

"I wasn't laughing" Erza smiled and could feel the laughter bubbling up.

"But you want to"

She bit her lip and looked away from Archer, giggles spilling from her.

"Yeah. Yeah"

~~~~~~~

"Hello Archer"

Archer entered her room to find Mira and Cana already residing in it. Erza came up behind her and peered over her shoulder, arching a brow. Silver, who was on Archer's head looked at the two, recognizing them immediately. She then took no more interest in them and returned to doing nothing in particular. Archer didn't seem one bit concerned about the fact that the two were in her room. They broke in. How? She did not know and did not bother asking.

"How did you two get in here? "Erza asked what Archer did not care about. Mira smiled smugly while Cana shrugged.

"Told you Archer wouldn't care one bit" Cana said to Mira. She knew very well that Archer would care little about them appearing in her room. Nothing seemed to faze her. She didn't know why Mira even bothered. "Interested in a game of cards? "

"Depends" Was Archer's response as she glanced at the cards.

Erza looked between them, a question in her head. Was this normal? No. Of course not. She was at Archer's house everyday. She would know if the two entered her room like this. She realized that Archer's nonchalance should have been totally expected. This was Archer they were talking about.

Archer climbed into her bed, immediately finding place under her covers. She hardly cared that Cana and Mira were present on her bed. Cana started sharing the cards while explaining the rules to the new game. Archer nodded along while taking her cards

Archer could really care less, Erza realized.

Oh well.

She joined them on the bed, catching sight of Silver. The exceed seemed to have fallen off Archer's head and made to sit at an angle where she could see everything. That just so happened to be Mira's head. All of them watched as the little exceed went on her mission to scale the mountain that was Mira.

"Why doesn't she just use her wings? "Mira asked as a paw stepped on her nose.

"Physical exercise is good. Climbing builds great muscle" Archer said simply.

"I'm not a mountain to be scaled"

Silver adjusted herself on Mira's head, eyes roaming over the bed beneath. When she was content she sat quietly and patiently awaited the game to start.

"What is with her? "

"She likes to watch"

The game was set in motion and everyone had their cards. Erza didn't know how she was pulled into the game, but she was there. Might as well go along with it. Cana had an amazing poker face unlike Mira, who gave everything away with her expressions. Erza wasn't serious about the game so she hardly tried to conceal her reactions. So it was mostly Cana and Archer.

"Is it fair to have that mask on? "Mira asked at some point. "It's impossible to read you"

"Sore loser" Erza muttered.

"What was that, redhead? "

Erza smirked. "Nothing. Just noticing what a sore loser you are"

"Me? "Mira scoffed. "At least I didn't lose within the first ten seconds of the game"

"Has Mira succeeded in finding anyone for you yet? "Archer asked, decided to start a conversation.

"Of course not. I told her it was useless. I don't like any of the idiots in our guild" Cana rolled her eyes. Mira never learns.

"I wonder if she'll ever think of herself as a candidate "

Cana quirked a brow, actually wondering about that possibility.

"Who knows" Cana didn't seem to care much. "She's still dedicated to you and Erza"

"We're one of her ships, I hear"

"A passion actually"

"That so? "

"Something about you two being perfect for each other"

"I find Mira to be a very dangerous romantic"

"You and me both. Keep an eye out"

"Will do" Archer dropped a card and collected from the deck. She had a good hand. A few more plays and victory might be hers.

"You're not bothered by it at all, are you? " Cana collected the card Archer had dropped.

"By what? "

"Mira shipping you two"

"Should I be? "

"I don't really know. You're the first person I've met who's been so casual about being paired with someone "

Archer shrugged.

"What are your thoughts on it exactly? "Cana wondered.

"I don't care about it much. I can't really. I don't possess the emotions, I think" Archer admitted. "Next to that I wouldn't mind. I actually like Scarlet although I don't know how attached I am yet. If it turns out that I have feelings for her or if I do develop them I'll be perfectly fine with it"

Ah, well. That was more than Cana expected to receive in answer. It was an interesting reply to say the least.

"Oh" Archer seemed to remember something. Cana could hear the amusement in her voice. "There is also the fact that Scarlet told me to marry her"

Cana spluttered and bursted out laughing. Mira had a huge smile on her face at the words. The minute she heard them her fight with Erza ended. She had been ignoring most of their talk, but caught the important bits.

It was gold to her.

Erza was quickly becoming the color of her hair. She didn't think Archer would tell them that. It's embarrassing. But then again Archer is Archer. She was regretting those impulsive words. Well not really. She still believed Archer would be the perfect wife. So she will not take back her words.

Doesn't make it any less embarrassing though.

"You move quick don't you, redhead? "

"Shut up, demon"

"Again Scarlet, why do you get red when this is brought up? "Archer asked with a slight tilt of her head. She was genuinely curious.

"Because it's embarrassing" Erza ġrȯȧnėd.

"It is? "

"Yes Archer it is"

"Why? "

Erza can't. She really can't. She ġrȯȧnėd again and burried her face in a pillow. She really can't with Archer sometimes. She really was a child.

"You'll get it when you're older" Cana repeated former words with a hand on Archer's shoulder.

"I will? "

"Yes you will" Mira nodded. "When you mȧturė"

Silver was also very confused. From what she understood Erza wished to marry Archer. Here she was thinking they were already wed. She was still an infant before all else so of course she saw the two who took care of her as parents. And from that one book she stumbled upon just the other day she took it that parents are usually wed. So in her mind Archer and Erza were married. It made perfect sense to her.

Now she learns that is not the case. She was mistaken. She frowned. Well that won't do. She needs to do more research. She can't be wrong about something so simple.

"Cana" Mira sang the girl's name happily.

Cana looked at her, suspicion on her brow.

"I heard what Archer said. It's pretty genius"

Cana didn't say anything. She only narrowed her eyes at her demonic friend

"So I will be shipping the two of us starting today" Mira grinned and earned a jab to the side. She flinched and almost fell into the bed.

"Absolutely not" Cana immediately shut it down

"I'll dub it CanaJane"

"No! "Another jab, this time she did fall.

"You wound me"

"You're an idiot. I don't like you like that"

Mira pouted and rolled onto her back. She then smiled again.

"But then, what if I like you like that? "

Cana faltered for a minute, but did not let Mira fool her.

"No you don't"

"How would you know that? "

She clicked her tongue. Of course she could not know that.

"I'll take you out later and then we can go to my place"

Cana's brow twitched in annoyance and she jabbed Mira again.

"We are ten! Stop being an idiot! "

"Hey that hurt. Stop being so cruel" Mira whɨnėd. "I'm just offering a date"

"Come back in five years then"

Cana regretted her words when the smile on Mira's face grew.

"Alright then, I will"