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Chapter Text

The mood at Lamia Scale is buoyant, with each team having returned from their mission, bringing with them glory and jewels. 

Lyon, Jura, Sherry, Yûka and Toby have all returned and are now taking a well-deserved break at one of the guild tables. They were soon joined by Sherrya, who couldn't make it because she had to help Master Ohba Baba at a meeting between the masters. Yuka and Toby told her about their adventure while the others listened and added a few details. 

The discussions continued, drifting onto other subjects. Sherry turned to Lyon, who was drinking his pint, and asked: ‘ Have you heard from the man in the bar?’  

Lyon puts down his glass and turns his head towards the young woman: ‘I told him I was leaving on a mission and that I'd contact him when I got back. He gave me his lacrima number before I left’ . 

Sherry smiled at this information ‘oh ~ is it me where you look happy?’ 

Indeed, Lyon can't hide the small smirk that springs to his lips. He likes the man and wants to see him again, and not just for one night. In response to Sherry, he shrugs his shoulders but she quickly understands and lets out a small shout of victory. Jura also smiles with amusement at seeing the two young people interacting in this way, they had become very close over the last few years. Not in a romantic way, but in a friendly way. Sherry's relationship with Ren from Blue Pegasus allowed her to detach herself and become a better friend. What's more, the night Lyon told them (just the two of them) that he was gay set the scene for a new, close friendship. 

The young man, not ashamed of it, had then told the others in a banal manner, causing some surprise all the same, several having remembered his attraction to Juvia from Fairy Tail. The mage simply replied that he had fallen in love with Juvia's personality, but that he still preferred men. What's more, when his feelings for her had faded, he hadn't been attracted to any other women, only men. 

The news had not taken long to spread and had even made the front page of Sorcerer magazine. Lyon, far from being embarrassed, confirmed in an interview ‘Yes, I'm gay’ before walking out. 

As he chatted with his friends, a man tapped him on the shoulder. Lyon turned to see who was calling him, and came face to face with a man sitting at the table next to him with other people. ‘Sorry to bother you, I wanted to ask you a question’. 

Lyon raised an eyebrow but agreed to the man's request, and Yuka and the others fell silent to listen to the question as well. This wasn't unusual, as many people came to Lyon to ask him questions, as he was the Guild's No.2 and had been its representative for several years. There were even rumours that he would be the next master of the Lamia Scale Guild. 

‘Yeah that's it, I wanted to know, how did you become gay?’ asked the man opposite him. A blank answered him before Lyon frowned. ‘What?’ he says. The man spoke again, ‘Yeah, how did you go from straight to gay? How did you get him?’ 

The silence grows, the room itself has fallen silent and is observing the exchange. Ohba Baba, seated at the bar, was waiting to see how things would develop, ready to intervene. Lyon, for his part, was still silent, observing the man; there was no malice in his eyes, just a real question. Stupid, but real. He picks up his glass before answering ‘I got bitten by a gay spider’. 

The man widens his eyes ‘No?! Come on!’ he says. Lyon takes another sip of his drink ‘No, she bit me and poof, I've gone gay’. 

The silence deepens, the room continues to observe the strange exchange. The man spoke up again, unsure of himself, ‘But er... how do you avoid being bitten? Where do gay spiders live?’ 

A number of people facepalmed at the man's question. Lyon got up from his chair and looked at the man with a smirk on his face: ‘Don't worry, you won't get bitten.’ He then goes off towards the bar to get another drink, then speaks again, ‘They only bite good-looking guys’.  

The room erupts in laughter and the good mood returns, with most of them laughing at the man. Ohba Baba also smiles and pats Lyon lightly on the shoulder. 

Chapter Text

The magical games and the Battle of the Dragons are finally over, and to celebrate the return of peace, a grand ball is organised to thank all the mages who fought. 

Lyon arrives in the reception hall with Jura, Sherry and the other Lamia Scale mages. He quickly notices the Fairy Tail mages, as loud and expressive as ever. His gaze fell on Gray, still fighting with Natsu over the buffet, no doubt. However, the young mage can't help but smile when he sees his friend. He's alive, Gray's moving, talking, shouting, punching, Gray's alive. And for that, he will never be able to thank Ultia as much as he would like. 

The image of Gray's body falling hard onto the concrete comes back to him, the feel of his limp body as he shakes it, the smell of blood dripping from his head wound, the emptiness in his wide-open eyes. The memory of Gray dead in front of him remains etched in Lyon's mind. Sometimes he dreams of that moment, waking up with a start. It then takes him a while to remember that there is a sequel to the story and that his brother is still alive. 

His thoughts are interrupted by Sherry's hand resting on his arm. He turns to her and meets her worried eyes. She knows what he's thinking and it worries her. Lyon puts his hand on hers and offers her a smile, ‘Don't worry. Everything's all right now. Go and join Ren, he's waiting for you.’ 

With a shake of his head, he points his friend in the direction of a young man, the famous Ren stares at her, squirming on the spot as if to prevent himself from joining them unexpectedly. 

‘Are you sure?’ asks the puppeteer, she wants to join the young man from Blue Pegasus but doesn't want to abandon her friend to his dark thoughts. 

‘Yes, I'll stay with the boys and join Gray and the others. Join us later, I'll look after Sherrya.’ Lyon winked at her and put his hand on the head of the youngest of the group. Sherry nods, then turns to her cousin.

‘You keep an eye on him. I'm counting on you!’ she tells her cousin.

‘No worries!’ replied Sherrya, with a big smile.

Lyon's eyes widened, ‘Hey, I'm the one looking after her! I'm the adult!’ 

Sherry sends him a wave before joining her boyfriend, not having listened to her guild mate at all. Lyon sighs then turns to Sherrya who is looking at him, he offers her a smile.

‘Right, shall we keep an eye on each other? ’ he says. 

The girl nods, her smile having doubled in size before joining the others in front of the buffet. 

oOo

The evening progresses and all the mages present find themselves more or less drunk. The stupid bets have been going on for some time now and, as always, Fairy Tail is in the lead. Lyon watches Gray and Natsu's food competition as he sips his drink. It's the same one he's had all evening. Out of the corner of his eye, he watches Sherrya chatting with Wendy, the two girls seem to be getting on well together and the ice mage is happy about that, she deserves to have friends her own age. 

Then, a burst of voices echoed across the room. A clamour, the sound of a chair being pushed back a little too hard, followed by a low, hoarse burst of laughter. Lyon turned his head and saw Bacchus Glow of the Quatro Cerberos Guild, visibly well into his stride, surrounded by a small crowd both amused and amazed.

Intrigued, Lyon approaches, stopping just close enough to observe. Bacchus is raising a glass - another one - to the cheers of a few of his companions.

‘Always pushing the boundaries, Bacchus,’ Lyon observes neutrally. The man sneers as he turns back to him, sweeping the air with a careless gesture. 

‘Ah, Vastia! What's on your mind? I'm drinking, having fun, and beating my own record!’ says Bacchus. 

‘Precisely,’ replies Lyon, crossing his arms. ‘Maybe you should slow down.’

Bacchus squints, his smile faltering. ‘And since when have you been a killjoy?’

‘It's not about being a killjoy. Just... you're drinking a lot more than usual. Faster too,’ replied Lyon. 

Bacchus bursts out laughing. ‘So what? Is that any of your business? ’

It's at this point that Lyon, instead of taking a stand, lets out a sigh. ‘I know what it is.’

Bacchus frowns. ‘Oh yeah?’

Lyon holds his gaze. ‘I've been in your shoes.’

A silence falls briefly, contrasting with the hubbub of the party around them. Bacchus tries to laugh, but Lyon's seriousness stops him for a moment.

‘It's just during an evening, Vastia. Nothing serious,’ says Bacchus, his eyebrows furrowed. 

‘It's always ‘just an evening’ at first. Then it becomes an afternoon, a matinee, a day. And in the end, you end up counting the times you're sober. It's easier to count,’ says Lyon. 

Bacchus sneers and raises his glass theatrically. ‘ You've got too much ice in your veins, Vastia. Relax a bit, go and have a drink instead of playing the moral father.’ says Bacchus, then turns away from Lyon, rejoining his companions.

Lyon stares at him for a moment, impassive. Then he simply shrugs. ‘Suit yourself.’ He turns on his heel without insisting. He knows how this kind of discussion ends.

Back among his people, Lyon grabs a glass of water and raises it to his lips, under the insistent gaze of Gray and the other Fairy Tail mages. Around them, conversations continue, but their circle has closed a little, intrigued by the exchange they have just witnessed. Jura and the others know, they saw him clearly when he arrived at Lamia Scale. 

‘What was that about?’ asks Gray, arms folded.

‘Nothing important.’ replies Lyon, looking out at the dance floor. 

‘Lyon,’ Gray insists, frowning. ‘ You sounded like you knew what you were talking about.’

Lyon sighs, rolls his glass between his fingers. Then, finally, he makes up his mind. ‘Because I know.’

He feels the stares on him, but keeps his tone neutral. ‘I used to be like him.’

Gray blinks, surprised. ‘Are you serious?’

‘Yeah. Until I got to Lamia Scale.’ says Lyon, turning to Gray and the other Fairy mages. He turns his head towards Jura, who offers him a smile. He also senses Sherrya moving closer to him. 

Gray seems to be trying to put the pieces together. Lyon gives him time, then resumes:

‘When we each went our own way after Ul's death... I got lost, I think. I came across some very unsociable people, drinking to kill time or whatever. I followed them. I drank with them, like them. It helped me too. Or at least that's what I told myself. It helped me forget Ul.’

A silence followed. Then, softly, he adds, a bitter smile on his lips:

‘Not everyone is lucky enough to run into Fairy Tail.’

Gray looks down slightly, jaw clenched. Lyon knows he understands. ‘Eventually you can't stand yourself sober, and every next day is self-loathing. But when evening comes, you fall back in, again and again.’

Gray says nothing. He doesn't have to. Lyon can see in his eyes that he understands far more than he's saying.

‘Were you a drunk?’ asks Natsu, breaking the silence. The mages turn to him, Lucy even hitting the fire mage ‘Natsu!’ , Gray clenches his fists, ready to hit him back ‘Shut up!’.  

Lyon steps forward and places a hand on Gray's shoulder, calming his fellow student. ‘It's nothing’. 

Gray opens his mouth, but the look Lyon gives him silences him. The ice mage turns to Natsu, ‘Yes, I was an alcoholic for a time in my life. I drew a line under that part of my life when I arrived at Lamia Scale. Master Ohba Baba, Jura and the others helped me to stop.’ 

Natsu nodded, understanding what Lyon meant, yet a question popped into his head and he asked it before he even thought about it. ‘ Yet you had a drink earlier and you drank.’

‘Yes, for a long time I didn't drink anything. For fear of relapsing at the first opportunity. But now I know I can have a drink without another one following,’ replies Lyon. 

‘That's why you went to see Bacchus, ’ says Lucy. Lyon nods and turns to the constellationist. 

‘He has symptoms that I recognise from having had them. I've warned him, he'll do what he wants afterwards. We can't choose for him. The will to stop must come from the person himself.’

Silence followed his words. Lyon turned to the table and picked up his glass of water, raising it in front of all the magi present. ‘This period is behind me. So let's put it behind us and enjoy this evening!’

The mages of Lamia Scale and Fairy Tail raised their glasses, toasting them all together. The evening then resumed its course. In the distance, Lyon caught Master Ohba Baba's eye, they stared at each other for a few seconds and then Lyon raised his glass in her direction. The old woman responded by raising her glass too. 

Chapter Text

After a successful mission, Erza, Natsu, Lucy, Wendy, Gray, Happy and Carla decide to drop by the Lamia Scale guild to say hello to their friends. It had been a long time since they had seen their friends. A lot had changed in the seven years the mages had been away, and there was a lot of catching up to do. As they arrived, they greeted the guild master and then made their way over to Jera and Sherry, the two mages seated at a table further away. After a few words, Gray asked where Lyon was, and the ice mage thought it odd that he hadn't seen his friend yet. 

‘He's on a solo mission,’ Jura tells them calmly. ‘He left a few days ago.’

Gray raises his eyebrows, a little disappointed, but mostly surprised - it's not Lyon's habit to go off on a solo mission. ‘How come?’ he asks. ‘It's a fairly simple mission, Master Ohba Baba asked him to do it. He's an old friend,’ replies the sacred mage. 

Natsu and the others stay to chat with the members present, Toby and Yuka joining them a few minutes later, offering them all a drink. It was then that Wendy noticed a cat curled up on a chair by the fire and a dog asleep under a table. She turns towards them and approaches it gently, holding out her hand for the dog to sniff. The dog seems to agree, as he licks her hand and then lets himself be stroked. 

‘They're adorable! Who do they belong to? ’ asks Wendy, scratching behind the dog's ears.

Sherry smiles, ‘Lyon. He leaves them here every time he goes on a mission. They're fed and pampered by all the members of the guild.’

The reaction of the Fairy Tail mages was unanimous, they were all quite surprised. Lyon with pets? That seems a little out of keeping with his ever-serious demeanour. 

‘I can't imagine him with a cat,’ jokes Natsu. Happy shakes his head sharply.

‘Or a dog,’ adds Lucy.

‘Lyon has always been the responsible type,’ comments Gray, more pragmatic. He observes the animals, these have no accessories apart from a collar for the dog with the Lamia Scale symbol. 

Sherry moves closer to the animals and gently strokes the cat, which begins to purr. ‘At first he didn't want any animals. Then he found Kaz in some dustbins and Shiro clinging to a tree in a forest.’

‘Abandonment’ said Erza, it wasn't a question, just a statement about the fate of many animals. 

Sherrya nodded. ‘Lyon picked him up and took him home. ’ She lets the cat go to its master Ohba Baba. The latter complains about it, then when she thinks no one is looking, gives the rest of her dish to Kaz. 

‘Kaz and Shiro had their insecurities, sometimes Shiro would bark when Lyon left and Kaz would become very clingy towards Lyon when he returned. He even told me that when he brought someone home, Kaz would urinate on the man's clothes.’ says Jera. 

Toby then nodded sharply, he'd had to sleep at Lyon's one night because his flat was under construction. Kaz had urinated all over his clothes. 

Sherry came back to them, leaving Wendy with Shiro, ‘Then he must have found a solution when he went on his mission. Master Ohba Baba lives at the guild so Lyon decided to leave Kaz and Shiro with him when he left, so they'd always have a presence. They've even become the guild mascots’. She smiled as she sat down again.

The Fairy Tail mages nodded. Natsu moved closer with Happy and they began to play with Shiro and Wendy. Gray and the others resumed their discussion, talking about their mission and planning a time for everyone to meet at an event. Then they had to leave Lamia Scale to catch the last train back to their own guild. 

‘Until the next time. Say hello to Lyon for us!’ said Gray as they left the guild. 

‘Tell him he's got some really cute pets,’ added Erza. 

Sherry and Jera waved at them, amused that even the Fairy Tail mages had been won over by Lyon's companions. 

oOo

A few months later, another mission forced Natsu and the others to return to Marguerite and the Lamia Scale guild. Like last time, they make a stop at the guild. As soon as they enter, they spot Kaz and Shiro playing with Sherrya. They head towards Sherry and Jera.

‘He's still on a mission’ , Lucy guesses.

‘That's right,’ replies Jura with a smile.

Just like last time, they chat to the guild members while playing with Shiro and petting Kaz. However, just as they are having a chat, a young man enters and immediately heads for the animals. 

Shiro straightens up and heads straight for the young man, wagging his tail and greeting him happily. ‘Hi Shiro. How are you, big boy?’ he says to the dog. He then approaches Kaz and offers him a pat on the head, ‘Hi big daddy’. A purring sound answers him and Kaz rubs his head against his hand. 

The Fairy Tail mages watch him, intrigued by this man who seems quite at ease with Lyon's animals.

‘Lyon's coming back soon, then?’ asks Sherry, smiling at the young man. 

The young man nods, returning her smile. ‘ Yes, he asked me to bring them home. Hi Jura, hi Toby, Yuka.’ He turns to the guild master ‘Hello Master Ohba Baba, thanks again for looking after them!’. 

The guild master grunts a few words, but the young man isn't fooled; he knows she's happy to have Kaz and Shiro with her. She even spoils them a little too much, according to Lyon.

Gray frowned. He or the others had never come across this man before and he didn't seem to be part of Lamia Scale. 

‘Wait, you mean... You look after her animals?’ asks Lucy.

‘Of course,’ he replies as if it's the most normal thing in the world.

There's a silence, then Gray finally asks, puzzled: ‘And just who are you to him?’

The young man gives them an amused look and replies in a light tone: ‘I'm his boyfriend.’

Fairy Tail goes blank. Erza nods, as if solving a jigsaw puzzle. Wendy smiles broadly. Natsu and Lucy exchange a surprised look before smiling, happy that Lyon is in a relationship. Gray, for his part, freezes for a moment before letting out a resigned sigh: ‘Of course. And he's not saying anything, the idiot.’

‘You must be Gray. Lyon told me about you, and all of you. The mages of Fairy Tail. Pleased to meet you, I'm Léandre.’ said the young man, smiling. 

Léandre stood up and walked towards the others, holding out his hand to Gray. The ice mage looks at the hand before taking it in his own and shaking it. ‘It's nice to meet you too,’ says Gray. 

Léandre smiles and sits down beside Sherry, who hands him a full glass. He thanks the young woman and takes a sip. ‘Lyon will be back in the night or tomorrow morning. He'll be happy to see Kaz and Shiro straight away,’ Léandre smiled. 

‘Hm, I'm sure he'll be happy to find someone else. I can look after the animals while you meet up if you like ~’ said Sherry, smiling, leaning towards the young man. 

The red quickly rose to the young man's cheeks ‘Sherry!’ he said. A general laugh burst out in the group, at the expense of Lyon's boyfriend. 

Erza turned to Léandre, wanting to know more about him. ‘What do you do for a living, Léandre. Are you a mage too?’ 

‘No, I'm studying architecture.’ replies Léandre, turning to Erza and the other Fairy Tail mages. 

‘How did you meet Lyon then?’ asks Lucy in turn, curious. 

‘In a bar at a party. We chatted all evening and then I gave him my lacrima number. He was due to leave on a mission a few days later. I must admit I didn't think he'd send me a message,’ said the young man. 

Kaz jumped up on the table and Léandre began to stroke me gently. The cat began to purr and lay down on the table. 

‘Why?’ asked Natsu. 

‘We were just chatting for an evening. I thought he'd forget all about us,’ said Léandre, shrugging his shoulders. 

‘But he didn't.’ said Gray, his head resting on his right hand, his elbow resting on the door.

Léandre smiled and stroked Kaz again, ‘Yes, he did. And I'm very glad he did.’ 

Gray remains silent, he and Lyon have grown closer since the island of Galuna and especially after his seven-year absence. There had still been some tension between them, especially when Lyon had been attracted to Juvia, but his feelings had passed. Lyon had even told him that he was happy for him and Juvia when they started dating. 

Gray had learned of Lyon's homosexuality one day when his and his brother's group had met up in a seaside town. They went to a bar and a man came on to Lyon. Gray had been rather surprised when he observed the exchange, not really understanding what was going on. Lyon had taken the man's number and then turned to Gray, who was still on his arse.

 ‘What? Don't you know I'm gay?’ was all Lyon had said to him. They then spent the evening talking about their lives, getting even closer. 

So Gray is aware that Lyon is gay, but he hadn't told him that he'd met someone and that it sounded serious. Gray was brought out of his thoughts by his friends' laughter and back to the present. He was going to have to tell Lyon off for this, frankly, who didn't tell their brother about their boyfriend?

Chapter Text

It's a big day at Lamia Scale, a journalist from the Sorcerer Magazine is at the guild to do a portrait of the guild. All the members are dressed up and so excited that Jura and Ohba Baba have to channel them. Sherry, Sherry and Lyon watch their master shouting at Yuka and Toby for the umpteenth time today. 

Lyon heaves a sigh, hoping that the report will be done quickly and that the guild will soon regain its composure. He had even thought of going on a mission that day, but the master had forbidden it, everyone had to be there to represent the guild. In fact, he, Jura, Sherry and Sherrya were the only ones who could represent the guild properly and Lyon knew it, as did the others.

A man interrupts his thoughts as he enters the guild. He was quite young, with blond hair and a big smile on his face as he observed the guild. He walks straight up to Master Ohba Baba, hand outstretched, stars in his eyes. 

‘Hello, I'm the Sorcerer's journalist! It's great that Lamia Scale accepted this report!’ he says, shaking the old woman's hand. 

‘Thanks to Sorcerer for featuring Lamia Scale in the next issue,’ replies the woman. 

The man begins to question various mages about their connection to Lamia Scale, the history of the guild and the role it has taken in recent major events. Master Ohba Baba rages on about a triad of rivalry and fraternity between them and Fairy Tail, even if Lamia Scale remains a high-ranking guild, future number one in the kingdom's guilds, whatever that old fart Makarof may think!

Lyon raises his eyes to the heavens; while the others say that his relationship with Gray sometimes tends towards that of an old couple, they have never seen that of Master Ohba Baba and Master Makarof. The ice mage watched the journalist interview Jera. A small smile tugs at the corner of Lyon's mouth, as his friend seems genuinely uncomfortable and overly humble about his involvement with the guild. As well as being the most powerful (behind Master Ohba Baba), he is also the most generous and attentive, never hesitating to take his time to help his comrades. 

Lyon himself knows that he's not the most patient of magi, with humans anyway. He can be absolutely patient with animals, but his patience can be halved when it comes to humans (especially Toby), the only exception being Sherrya. She sat down next to him, a glass of juice in one hand and a book in the other. Lyon smiles at her and turns to start a conversation.

Lyon even forgot the journalist was there, and Sherry joined them, hugging her cousin. The chat is pleasant, this is what Lyon likes and their new relationship with Sherry couldn't be better. 

‘Oh my god! You're Lyon Vastia! ’ says a voice just behind them. Lyon's shoulders tense and he turns his head to come face to face with the journalist who seems to have finished with Jera. Out of the corner of his eye, the ice mage sees his friend huff and puff and head for the bar, looking exhausted. 

Lyon doesn't have time to reply before the journalist takes her hand to shake it and continues talking very - too - quickly. ‘That's great! I absolutely must do an interview with you! You can't imagine how many fan letters we get! This issue is going to be a big hit! Having an interview with Jera of the Sacred Mages and Lyon the Ice Lion! It's going to be deadly!’ continues the journalist, not even taking the time to catch his breath. 

Lyon's eyes widen and he casts a look of distress at the girls. He's stuck and there's nothing they can do for him (and actually, they don't want to, it's more fun to watch him struggle). Because Lyon, contrary to what other people might think, doesn't particularly like being the centre of attention, this attention in particular. 

Lyon casts another glance towards the bar, Jera shakes his head, feeling sorry for his comrade, and Master Ohba Baba gives him a look, the message clear: he'd better not shirk this interview. Lyon blows out a breath, then turns his eyes back to the journalist who is staring at him, stars in his eyes. ‘Very well, I can answer a few questions...’ he says. 

‘Perfect!’ says the journalist. He immediately takes a seat opposite Lyon, places a recording lacrima between them and turns the page of his notepad. 

An ice mage in the spotlight!

Jason: COOL! Today I have the honour, or rather the PRIVILEGE, of interviewing an exceptional mage, the great, the fearsome, the CHARISMATIC Lyon Vastia from Lamia Scale! Lyon, how are you feeling?

Lyon: Honestly? Already tired out by your enthusiasm...

Jason: AH-AH, A MAN OF HUMOUR! I LOVE IT! Let's get serious. You're recognised as one of Fiore's best ice mages. What's your training philosophy?

Lyon: Rigour and discipline. Mastering ice magic requires absolute control and constant concentration. Nothing is left to chance.

Toby: You've got to be kidding me! The other day he was training in his pants in the common room!

Lyon: Toby!

Toby: What? He really did!

Jason: UNBELIEVABLE! We saw you in action at the Great Magic Games, and your duel with that mage from Sabertooth was EPIC! Tell us what it was like?

Lyon: It was an interesting battle. My opponent had some formidable magic, and I'd love to face him again.

Jason: OOOH, is that an announcement that you'll be taking part in the next games? 

Lyon: We'll check with Master Ohba and Jura.

Jason: And your proudest achievement on a mission?

Lyon: An S-rank mission in the northern deserts. I had to face a black mage alone, in hostile terrain, with a sandstorm that reduced my visibility. It was a tough duel, but I managed to adapt.

Jason: COOL! And now for a bit of relaxation! Let's talk about your guild!

Lyon: (sighs) It's not going to last, is it?

Jason: How are things at Lamia Scale? Is Jera a role model for you?

Lyon: Absolutely. He's an exemplary mentor, a mage respected by everyone. He's the epitome of quiet strength.

Jason: And Yuka and Toby?

Lyon: ... They're noisy. But loyal.

Jason: AH-AH, YOU FEEL A LOT OF LOVE!

Lyon: Mostly tolerance.

Jason: Let's go back to your early days. We know you were trained by Ul, but before that... what can you tell us about your childhood?

Lyon : ...

Jason : You're from the North, aren't you? What was it like up there?

Lyon: Cold.

Yuka: We've already heard him say that he didn't like dried fish because of an old memory...

Lyon: Thanks, Yuka.

Jason: Hahaha, great! But what else?

Lyon: Nothing important.

Jason: We don't know much about this period of your life. What were you like before you met Ul?

Lyon : Different.

Jason: In what way?

Lyon: Next question.

Jason: Wow, that sounds like a lot of history!

Lyon : ...

Jason: Have you ever cried when you think about your past?

Lyon: Jason...

Jason: Have you ever regretted certain choices?

Lyon: Everyone has regrets

Jason: Oh oh, I smell a MYSTERY! But seriously, was there a key moment before Ul that stood out for you?

Lyon: ... I'd rather not talk about it.

Jason: Ouuuuh, enigmatic! One day we'll know the truth!

Lyon: That day won't come.

Jason: Come on, a clue?

Lyon: Jason...

Jason: OK, OK! Let's get on with it! Let's move on to the subject everyone's been waiting for... Grey Fullbuster!

Lyon: Of course...

Jason: Still the famous rivalry?

Lyon: It's more complex than that. We shared the same teacher, we grew up together. It's not just a competition, it's also a mutual recognition of our strengths.

Jason: Wow! SUPER INTERESTING! So... who's the stronger of the two of you?

Lyon: Me, of course.

Jason: OOOOOH! CAN YOU HEAR THAT, GREY?!

Lyon: (sighs) Don't give him any ideas, he'll want a duel straight away.

Jason: And speaking of Grey... where did you get the habit of going topless all the time?

Lyon: It's a habit we picked up in training. Although Gray's got it worse than I do.

Jason: And that's a shame!

Lyon: Sorry?

Jason: AH-AH, think of the others!

Sherrya: It would be good for the guild's image.

Lyon: You're really looking to get frozen, Jason...

Jason: HAHAHA! OK, so... if you had to choose: Grey or Ichiya?

Lyon: I choose death. And why Ichiya?

Jason: OOOOH! We've touched a nerve! What if Grey asks you out on a date?

Lyon: I'm stopping this interview.

Jason: COME ON, IT'S FOR SCIENCE!

Lyon: Jason.

Jason: Yeah, yeah, I know, I know... I'm going to get frozen. OK, OK, let's move on to another hot topic! A classy mage like you must be in demand... So, the big question... ARE YOU IN A COUPLE?!

Lyon: ... Why do you ask?

Jason: The audience WANTS TO KNOW!

Lyon: That's irrelevant.

Jason: SO THERE IS SOMEONE! A FAIRY TAIL MAGE?! A BLUE PEGASUS?! A MERMAID HEEL?!

Lyon: Jason...

Jason: There are rumours of a possible affair between you and Minerva from Saberthooth. Do you have an answer to that? 

Lyon: ...

Jason: OOOH THE SILENCE IS SPEAKING!

Lyon: Do you value your life?

Jason: AH-AH! OK, OK, let's talk HYPOTHETICS! If you had to go to a desert island with a mage, who would you choose?

Lyon: Someone calm.

Jason: So not Toby.

Lyon: Definitely not.

Jason: What if it was me?

Lyon: I'd rather die.

Jason: OULALA, WHAT A COLD REJECTION! OK, last part: quick answers!

Lyon: Well...

Jason: If you had to kiss a Fairy Tail mage, who would it be?

Lyon: Nobody.

Sherry: Coward, even I would have answered.

Jason: Come on, at least a hypothetical answer?

Lyon: No.

Jason: Who in your guild snores the loudest?

Lyon: Toby.

Jason: Do you sleep in your pants or pyjamas?

Lyon: Why do you want to know that?

Jason: For the public, Lyon!

Lyon: ... Boxers.

Jason: OOOOH, REVELATION! And one last thing: have you ever had a crush on anyone?

Lyon: End of interview.

Jason: Wow, THAT MEANS EVERYTHING!

Lyon: Jason...

Jason: OK, OK! Any last words for Sorcerer readers?

Lyon: Avoid Jason.

Jason: HAHAHA! COOOOOOOL! THANK YOU LYON! And see you soon for another interview!

Lyon: I'm going to freeze him next time…

Lyon gets up and joins Jura at the bar, who hands him a full mug. Who on earth was this character and how had he not been cursed yet? 

Jason put his things away, thanking the whole guild for their cooperation in this special number. ‘All that's left is to take a group photo and we'll be done!

Lyon heaved a sigh but joined the others in the centre of the room, standing next to Jura and Sherry. Sherrya stands in front of him with their master. Lyon suspects that the article will cause a stir and that he will be hearing about it for a long time. However, the smile Sherrya gave him swept away all future worries. He puts a hand on her head and smiles at the photographer. 

‘Come on, kids! Let's smile and say LAMIA SCALE!’ says Master Ohba Baba. 

‘LAMIA SCALE’ Lyon shouts the name with the others, a sincere smile on his lips.

Chapter Text

A black pupil surrounded by white, that's what Lyon can see in the mirror. Opposite him, his reflection stares at him with the same disgust. 

How long has he been looking at himself like this? A few minutes, a few hours? Lyon has lost track of time. 

He remembers a vague number on the clock when he got home. 10pm if he remembers correctly. It was already dark. 

No matter, he had already decided that he wouldn't go to the guild the next day. That way he wouldn't have to get angry with his mates, shout at them or hit one of them. 

Sometimes that's what he wants to do. Yelling at them, telling them the truth, seeing their faces break down under his words, seeing some of them cry. And if some of them get too close, punch them, put all his strength into his fist and hit them in the face. 

Hit and be hit. That's what Lyon wants. He doesn't know if it's the first or the second that he wants most. What he wants is to feel something and it doesn't matter if it hurts. That it hurts him. 

Maybe that's why he often puts himself in more danger during missions. Jura and the master often scold him for it. Sometimes asking him if he isn't trying to die. A smile, an apology and all is forgotten. Except for Lyon. He himself doesn't know why he does it, but deep down he hears a whisper that it would be so simple. 

It's so easy to die on a mission. One mistake, one badly dodged attack, one careless blunder and he could rest. It wouldn't be anyone's fault, especially not his own. Just bad luck. 

It would be seen as a simple error of judgement during a mission and not his desire to die. That's why Lyon only takes S-class missions these days. If he dies, it will be because of the mission. 

Lyon knows he doesn't have the courage to finish it himself. He's already thought about it, when he's alone at home, when alcohol and cigarettes haven't calmed him down, so he thinks about it. He dares to think about it because he knows he has a safety net: his cowardice.

What will people say about him? When they find him at home, dead in his bathroom or living room? That he's a coward, that he's stupid, that he's selfish. 

It's this last thought that holds him back. He knows that it would be selfish to leave the others like that, without any explanation. He imagines the reaction of his friends, his guild, Gray, Fairy Tail, Blue Pegasus, - Lyon stops at this point and tries to think of something else. 

Lyon could laugh about it, the thing that keeps him in this life is not the love of his loved ones but guilt and the fear of being called selfish by them. 

Everything gets mixed up in his head, and he chastises himself for thinking about it, because he knows he'll be hurting other people. Yet there's a whisper in the back of his mind that he should be, that he should be deeply selfish and think only of himself. 

That's when Lyon knows that he's thinking too much and that he needs to do something, often go on a mission. He used to go to the bar, but he has put his alcoholism behind him. One bad habit takes the place of another, that's how things work. 

And when he can't go on a mission, he goes to the boxing gym near his home. He leaves magic behind and uses only his fists. He imagines himself in the place of the opposing boxer. He imagines himself punching, knocking himself down and lashing out. He knows how to play the attitude of the little bugger to get his opponent riled up and hitting harder. 

Left, right, hook, dodge, jab, block - or not - and Lyon feels alive when he feels the pain radiating through his body. If you feel pain, you're alive," he tells himself every time. And he continues until he can't stand on his feet. 

The next day, he's exhausted, sore but relieved and no longer feels like shouting at his mates, at least until the next time. 

That's what Lyon should be doing. Go to the gym and box, but it's 4am and the gym is closed. So he tries to control the anger inside him. He clutches the sink beneath him, his knuckles turning white. 

A black pupil surrounded by white, that's what Lyon has been staring at for hours. The reflection of his own disgust. 

Then the white shatters, broken into pieces by Lyon's fist. The cracking of the glass shatters the silence of the flat.

Breathing heavily, Lyon remains motionless, his fist still pressed into the mirror, shards of glass embedded in his flesh, blood dripping into the white sink. He can only feel his reflection staring back at him, judging him a thousand times.

Chapter Text

‘Is it OK? Is the banner straight?’ asks Lyon, perched on a ladder in front of their guild, opposite him Toby is perched on another ladder. 

‘Yes, you can let go!‘ replies Sherry, admiring the boys’ work. They join her and look round the clock. Old Ooba comes out of the guild and in a big voice announces. 

‘The Holi Festival can begin!’ 

Great shouts answer her and then an explosion of coloured powder covers the entrance to the Lamia Scale guild.

oOo

Team Lyon walks through the alleys of Margaret Town, admiring the decorations for today's festival. The whole town is playing its part, with food stalls, dance bands and colour battles around every corner. They themselves are dressed in traditional clothes. 

Lyon wears a white kurta made from light, flowing cotton and decorated with delicate embroidery on the collar and sleeves. He matched it with a pair of tight-fitting churidar trousers and open-toe leather sandals.

Sherry chose a pink and gold silk sari, whose shimmering floral motifs caught the light. The fine, slightly shimmering fabric hugged her figure gracefully, and she wore it with a short-sleeved choli. She braided her hair and added small jewels with golden highlights to complete her festive look.

True to her sober but distinguished style, Jura wears a midnight blue kurta with tone-on-tone embroidered motifs, accompanied by loose-fitting white pyjama trousers. A cream-coloured dupatta scarf was draped over her shoulder, adding a touch of elegance.

Sherrya opted for a turquoise and silver salwar kameez, adorned with pearls and refined embroidery. Her baggy trousers and long tunic with slightly flared sleeves gave her great freedom of movement.

Toby has opted for a cream dhoti, carefully tied around his waist, and a bright orange kurta. He wears a necklace of wooden beads as an accessory, and his hair is already sprinkled with coloured powder after a few bursts of joy.

Yuka is wearing an emerald green kurta with discreet gold embroidery, accompanied by loose-fitting white pyjama trousers. He also has a light dupatta draped around his neck, which he has already pulled up to avoid it getting covered in coloured powder too quickly. His silver bracelets tint slightly as he laughs, trying to escape the colourful assaults of his comrades.

Lyon smiles at the sight; he discovered this festival the year he arrived at Lamia Scale and has always been a big fan of this day, even if it takes several days for the colour to leave his hair. 

Children are running along the street, holding rockets in their hands that shoot out streaks of blue and red. They cleverly avoid them, a laugh coming from his throat as Toby's face is covered in the mixture of colours.

The group laughs and continues on their way. Sherrya admires each stand, and Lyon joins her. He buys several bags of powder and gives her one. He hands one to each of his friends and they start throwing their coloured powder. The battle soon escalated and everyone was covered in a mixture of every possible colour. 

Lyon ran his hand through his hair, some of it fell to the ground and the rest made his head itch, but he met Sherrya's gaze and she gave him a dazzling smile. The sensation was quickly forgotten and he set off again to attack the young girl. 

oOo

Further on, they come to a small square where a mage is having fun showing passers-by a few tricks. Toby is soon set upon by the children, who want to take a ride on the back of a multicoloured lion. Yuka stands next to her friend and introduces him as a trainer would present his animal, Toby plays along and soon every child has a turn. 

Jura, Sherrya and Sherry join in a dance together. The colours of the clothes make a beautiful sight, and the dance steps lift the layer of coloured powder from the ground, giving the dance a mystical air. 

As he watches his friends dance, Lyon feels eyes on him. The magician has left his place and everyone is looking at him, and knowing that he is part of Lamia Scale, they are expecting a show from him.

And why not? Lyon steps forward into the crowd and closes his eyes to concentrate. He takes a breath, then opens his eyes again. In his hands, two little birds are born and take flight through the crowd. The children exclaim and try to catch them. Soon the birds are joined by others, flying higher and offering an aerial spectacle for the audience, the light reflecting in the ice as they fly. Sprays of coloured powder are thrown into the air as Lyon controls their trajectory and leads his birds through the cascade of colour. 

We applaud him when he finishes his turn and leaves his place to another magician. It's time to join the others. 

oOo

The festivities are concentrated in the town park. The lanterns are lit and the crowds gather to admire the fireworks that are about to begin. 

Nobody is recognisable any more, let alone the original colour of their clothing. Lyon can still make out a tiny bit of white here and there, but the night is still young. There's plenty of time before morning. 

The rockets take off and explode in the sky, illuminating the city and its inhabitants. Surrounded by his friends and family, Lyon admires the spectacle. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees the two children they met at the beginning of the festival. They were making their own fireworks by throwing coloured powder over them. 

Lyon watches the children play, carefree, simply happy in the moment. He remembers being just like them. A little seed growing up under the shadow of an adult, unaware of the wind and rain. Now he's all grown up, he's the adult protecting these young children. So that they don't have to know what he knew, the despair, the loneliness and the fear of not seeing tomorrow. 

Now he is strong enough to see tomorrow and the day after. And although becoming an adult brings with it responsibilities, they will have to wait until tomorrow, because today Lyon is back to being a child with his friends.

Today they are just children having fun with the colours of the world. 

Chapter Text

The battle was raging between the mages of Lamia Scale and the black mages entrenched in a ruined castle. But the mission had started well: he was to escort archaeologists to a site and keep an eye on the surrounding area while they excavated. A simple mission on paper. Much less so now. 

Hiding behind a rock, Lyon replayed the last 24 hours in his head to see exactly when things had gone wrong. 

They had split into several groups, Toby and Yuka, Sherry and Sherya, Jura and himself. The group then divided the area into pairs and began their rounds day and night. 

No incidents were reported, the archaeologists were making good progress with their research and they would soon be able to leave the dig site. However, it was on the eve of their departure that all hell broke loose. Black mages appeared, hired by what appeared to be a business tycoon interested in building on the site. 

The discussion was short-lived, as neither party wanted to give up their position. The first spell was cast by one of the black mages in the direction of Sherrya. Fortunately, it was stopped by Jura and the fight continued until that moment. 

Lyon sighed and peeked out of his hiding place, one of the black mages was in his sights, so he created ice birds and sent them towards the mage. He took the opportunity to stand up and create an ice panther, which leapt towards a second black mage. 

An explosion sounded right next to him, making him lose his balance. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the enemy in question, another spell already charged in his hands. Still falling, Lyon clasped both hands together, but he knew he had no time to protect himself. He closed his eyes, bracing himself for the immediate impact, but felt something wrap around him, cushioning his fall. An arm covered in bark surrounded him and another struck the enemy full force. The ice mage looked up and noticed Sherry nodding at him, she had just saved him and he was going to thank her for that, but later. Lyon got to his feet and went back on the attack, dodging spells coming from everywhere. He glanced at Toby and Sherrya, who were still protecting the archaeologists further away. Their magic would soon run out if the fight dragged on too long. 

Lyon joined Jura, who had just buried several mages in an earthen prison. The two men stood back to back. ‘There are so many of them, we're going to wear ourselves out before they do,’ said Jura, blocking a spell.

‘Yes, we need to find a way to neutralise the commanders. It must be the two mages perched on the ruins,’ Lyon replied, sending an ice serpent sweeping through other mages. 

Jura looked up and saw two mages perched higher than the others, seemingly shouting orders. ‘We can take one each and neutralise them at the same time. Go and find Sherry, I'm meeting Yuka to tell her!’ said the sacred mage. 

Lyon nodded and in one motion, they sent an attack of ice and earth to flee towards their companion. They each explained their plan and then headed towards the two black mage commanders. 

Yuka took up position behind Jura, who protected them from the first commander's magic with earth shields. The two Lamia Scale mages thus managed to protect themselves from the fire attacks until they got close enough to their enemy. 

‘Tss, what do you think you're doing?! I'm going to burn your flesh and bones!’ the man raised his hands and created a fireball. Just as he was about to throw it at them, Yuka raised her hands in turn ‘Ripple!’ shouted the anti-mage. 

Waves enveloped the black mage and his fireball evaporated in a few seconds, leaving him shocked. ‘Well done Yuka’ said Jura as she dashed towards the mage. Jura arrived in front of the man, then pressed his hands to the ground at the foot of the fire mage and the earth moved up his body to completely imprison him. Jura only stopped his spell when the man's mouth was also covered, to make sure he couldn't cast a spell by speaking. He then stood up and congratulated Yuka on their duet. 

The blue-haired mage nodded but remained alert, as there was still a commander and a few mages still standing. He glanced at Lyon and Sherry. 

For their part, the two Lamia Scale mages were trying to get closer to the second mage, who kept throwing wind blades at them, one of which sliced through the rock right next to them. Sherry had taken up her tree puppets and was throwing pieces of rock at the man to keep him occupied while Lyon looked for an angle of attack. After a few minutes' observation, he realised that their opponent was using the wind to increase the power and speed of his attacks. A smile appeared on Lyon's face as he moved into position. 

‘Keep his attention Sherry. I'm going to need a bit of time!’ said Lyon to his guild mate. Sherry nodded and resumed her attacks while protecting Lyon from any debris. 

Lyon concentrated his magic and began to create a multitude of small birds which he sent in waves to different locations. The black mage sent a wave of wind towards the ice creatures but they used the wind to move, as if they were surfing on invisible waves. ‘What are you going to do with those pathetic ice sculptures?’ asked the wind mage. 

‘You'll soon find out,’ smiled Lyon, finishing off a final wave of birds that he sent in another direction. The ice mage straightened up and, after taking a breath, raised his arms. The birds began to fly more rapidly in all directions without any flight pattern. The black mage frowned and tried to destroy them, but he couldn't hit any, so in frustration he increased the intensity of his wind. 

This was what Lyon had been waiting for, and with a smirk he balled his hands into fists. A bird exploded in flight, releasing a chill that mixed with the surrounding wind, sending shivers down the spines of all the mages around him. Then another, and another. All the ice birds exploded in turn, mixing their coldness with the air around them, sometimes two cold winds hitting each other and creating another shock. The density of the air then dropped sharply, completely disturbing the black mage who was unable to regain control of his winds. 

‘What's going on?!’ he said, trying to protect himself from a gust of wind. 

‘The rising winds are influenced by the temperature. I've modified it so that you no longer have control over it,’ replied Lyon. He sent his last two ice eagles directly at the mage, who had no time to dodge them and was hit in the chest and fell to the ground. Vines encircled him and he was tied to Sherry's tree. 

The few remaining black mages, seeing their two commanders defeated, quickly fled the archaeological site.

Lamia Scale's group of mages regrouped and surveyed the damage to the site. It wasn't intact, but the excavations could resume and there were no serious casualties in their ranks.

‘Mission more eventful than we thought,’ said Sherry. 

‘Yes, I thought we were going to be bored, but we'll have something to tell the guild when we get back!’ said Toby. 

‘It would have been better if we'd had nothing to say. These archaeologists will have to remain under the protection of a mage for the rest of their excavation,’ said Yuka.

‘Yes, I'm going to advise them to apply to the magic council or the ten sacred mages for an S-rated mage team to be assigned to them for the duration of the dig,’ says Jura. 

The others nodded, even though the mission had been interesting and they had all learnt something about the history of their kingdom and magic, they all wanted to go home and get some rest. 

‘Right, let's get the archaeologists and our things and get on the road to the Gu-’ 

Lyon didn't have time to finish his sentence, a spell had just hit him on the head. He fell hard to the ground in front of his shocked friends and didn't move. 

‘LYON!!!’