Ok so I had a lot going on this week and kinda forgot to post my bad. I'll give yall one tonight and try to get yall one tomorrow to make up for it.
Also just a note this is an au so some characters ages have been changed. Who will end up with varion is not locked in yet so comment who you want and it is a harem so give me your picks max of 5. Only ones who are a guarantee are Lucy and Erza. So comment who you want and enjoy the chapter.
Aquarius floated there, arms crossed, water droplets still clinging to the air around her. She looked at Varion for a long moment, then turned her gaze toward the hallway leading deeper into the manor.
"Is there anything you can do for Layla?" she asked quietly. "Her magic is fading fast. I can feel it."
Jude's head snapped up, hope flickering in his tired eyes. Lucy gripped her key tighter, knuckles white.
Varion exhaled slowly.
"I can try," he said. "I'm not a healer, but I might be able to stabilize her."
Lucy's breath caught.
"You really think you can help her?"
"I'll do what I can," Varion replied, voice steady. "But I won't lie—there might not be much."
Jude stepped forward.
"Please. Follow me."
They walked down the hallway in silence. Lucy lingered close to Varion, glancing up at him every few steps. Wendy, Sting, and Rogue trailed behind, quiet and waited outside the room.
Layla's room was dim, curtains half-drawn. She lay in bed, pale and still, breathing shallow. When the door opened, her eyes fluttered open. They landed on Varion first.
She blinked slowly, confused.
"Who… are you?"
Varion stepped closer, stopping at the foot of the bed.
"You look like Anna," he said gently.
Layla frowned, confusion deepening.
"How do you know that name?"
Varion hesitated for just a second.
"I knew her. A long time ago. She was… a friend."
Layla stared at him, piecing it together.
"You're… from the Gate. The Eclipse Gate."
Varion nodded once.
"I came through when it opened. I've been looking for the others who came with me."
Layla's breath hitched.
"Anna… she said one of the kids, the oldest, would come through with all his memories."
"She was right," Varion said softly. "I remember everything. The valley, the dragons, the Gate opening. All of it."
Layla's eyes filled with quiet wonder.
"You saw her… after she opened the gate?"
"I did," Varion said. "She was strong. She made sure we got through safely."
Layla closed her eyes for a moment, a small, sad smile touching her lips.
"She always talked about you kids. Said you'd be the ones to fix things one day."
Varion didn't respond right away. He just looked at her—really looked—and felt the thin, fraying threads of her magic and life force slipping away.
"I can't reverse what's happened," he said finally. "The damage to your container, the part that channels your magic, is too deep. I can close the worst cracks, stop the bleeding. You'll live. But the magic won't come back. No more keys, no spirits."
Layla opened her eyes again. Tears slipped down her cheeks, but they weren't from sadness.
"That's… more than I hoped for," she whispered.
"I get to stay. With Jude. With Lucy. I get to watch her grow up."
Varion knelt beside the bed.
"Then I'll do my best, to be honest I'm not good at this type of thing but my magic is extremely compatible with celestial magic so it should work to mend it enough ."
He closed his eyes. Soft silver light gathered in his palm—warm, steady, instinctive. He placed his hand gently on her center chest.
The light flowed in slowly. The cracks began to mend—not perfectly, but enough to hold. Her breathing deepened. Color returned to her face. The faint glow around her steadied, no longer leaking away.
Layla gasped softly.
"I… I can breathe properly again. It doesn't hurt."
Varion pulled back, the light fading from his skin.
"It'll hold. You have a few dozen years now."
Layla reached out and squeezed his hand, tears still falling but her smile wide and real.
"Thank you. Thank you for giving me this."
Varion gave her a small, quiet nod.
"Rest. You need it."
He stood and stepped back. Outside the door, Lucy was waiting, eyes huge and shining with hope.
"She's going to be okay," Varion said simply. "She'll live. No more magic, but she'll be here."
Lucy threw her arms around him, sobbing quietly into his cloak.
"Thank you… thank you so much…"
Varion let her hold on, resting a hand on her head.
Jude appeared in the doorway, tears in his eyes, looking at his wife like he couldn't believe it.
"She's… really going to be alright?"
Varion nodded.
"She is."
The room filled with quiet relief. For the first time in weeks, the manor felt like it could breathe again.
Some time later
The manor felt different now—like the air itself had lightened. Jude sat beside Layla's bed, holding her hand, tears still drying on his cheeks. Lucy hadn't let go of Varion's sleeve since they left the room. Her cheeks were still flushed from crying, but she kept glancing up at him, eyes wide and grateful.
Varion noticed but didn't say anything. He just looked at her with a small, reassuring smile.
"You okay, Lucy?"
She nodded quickly, brushing a strand of blonde hair behind her ear.
"Yeah. I just… I didn't think Mom would get better. Not really."
"She will," Varion said gently. "She's tough. Like you."
Lucy's face turned pink. She looked down at her feet, suddenly very interested in the floor.
"I'm not… that tough," she mumbled, but there was a tiny smile tugging at her lips.
Varion gave her head a light pat.
"You are. You stayed strong for her."
Wendy tugged at Varion's cloak from the other side.
"She's nice," Wendy whispered.
"Yeah," Varion agreed. "She is."
Sting snorted from where he leaned against the wall.
Rogue just watched quietly, a faint smile on his face.
"You said you came through a Gate earlier and You've been looking for the others… right?"
Varion nodded.
"There are two more. Natsu and Gajeel. I can feel their magic, but they're farther away. I need to find them before they get into trouble."
Lucy bit her lip.
"You're leaving soon?"
"Tomorrow," Varion said. "I want to make sure your mom is okay first."
Jude looked up from the bed.
"You're welcome here as long as you want. Food, a bed—anything. It's the least we can do."
Varion shook his head.
"Thanks. But I should keep moving. They're out there alone for a while."
Lucy hesitated, then gave him a small, shy smile.
"Okay. Just… come back when you find them. Mom's gonna want to thank you again. And… I'd like to see you again too."
Varion met her eyes and nodded.
"I will."
As he walked down the hall with the kids, Wendy fell into step beside him, holding his hand.
"She likes you," Wendy whispered with a giggle.
Varion raised an eyebrow.
"She's just grateful."
Sting snorted.
"Yeah, right."
Rogue smiled faintly.
The manor settled into quiet for the night. Varion sat on the balcony of the guest room, just looking at the stars remembering all the good times he had with the kids growing up.
The morning came too quickly.
Sunlight filtered through the tall windows of the Heartfilia estate, casting long golden stripes across the polished floors. Varion stood in the entrance hall with Wendy, Sting, and Rogue. The three younger kids had already eaten breakfast and were ready to go.
Jude appeared first, looking like he hadn't slept much but smiling for the first time in weeks.
"Layla's resting comfortably. She asked me to thank you again."
Varion inclined his head.
"I'm glad."
Lucy came down the stairs next, dressed in a simple blue dress, her hair tied back with a ribbon. She looked like the young teen she was at 13 and just starting to change to look more like her mother.
She stopped in front of Varion, hands clasped behind her.
"You're really leaving?"
Varion nodded.
"We have to. The others are out there."
Lucy bit her lip, then stepped closer.
"Promise you'll come back and visit? When you find them?"
Varion met her eyes.
"I promise."
Lucy's cheeks turned pink. She looked down, then up quickly, as if making up her mind.
She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small folded letter.
"This is for you. It's… nothing big. Just a thank-you note. And my address. In case you ever want to write or… visit."
Varion took the letter gently.
"Thank you, Lucy."
She smiled, shy but genuine.
"Be careful, okay?"
"I will."
Wendy tugged at Varion's cloak.
"Can we go now?"
Varion ruffled her hair.
"Yeah. Let's go."
Jude stepped forward and interrupted "know you did not want payment but I must insist. You have the 3 little ones with you and are looking for 2 more. You will need money for hotels and food. Please take this and don't argue." he stepped closer and handed him a small brief case then backed away with a smile
Varion sighed then smiled and thanked him and promised he would use it properly.
They stepped outside into the crisp morning air. The estate grounds were quiet, birds singing in the distance.
Varion let his magic rise. Horns curved up from his temples, scales shimmered faintly along his arms, and his wings unfurled in a smooth rush of air—large, silver-blue, patterned like distant constellations.
Lucy's eyes widened.
"Wow you can fly?"
Varion gave her a small smile.
"Yep. It's faster than walking."
He extended his hands toward the kids. A soft silver glow wrapped around Wendy, Sting, and Rogue, lifting them gently off the ground. They floated a few inches up, weightless, held securely by the magic—close enough that Varion could keep them near him without them having to cling.
Wendy giggled, kicking her legs a little.
"It feels like swimming in the air!"
Sting crossed his arms, trying to look cool even while floating.
Rogue just nodded, calm as ever.
Varion looked back at Lucy one last time.
"Take care of your mom. And yourself."
Lucy nodded, cheeks still flushed.
"You too."
With one powerful beat of his wings, Varion launched upward. The silver magic kept the kids steady beside him as they rose. The ground fell away, the estate shrinking beneath them. Lucy watched until they were just a speck against the sky.
Varion angled northward, wings cutting through the wind.
Somewhere out there, Natsu and Gajeel were waiting.
And he was coming for them.