Jellal buttoned up his camo shirt, fingers shaking lightly. Taking a breath, he grabbed his cap from the chair next to the mirror he was standing in front of. It was his first real mission out on the field.

    He hoped it would go well.

    He imagined the glory and fame that it would bring him and his family if this went well. He imagined medallions, strapped to his uniform, a glittering treasure adorning his chest.

    He was going to make her proud.

    Grabbing the duffel placed near his feet, he hurriedly tied his boot laces and marched out of the room. In the living room lay his comrades, dressed similarly in shades of dark-ochre and sable.

    "You took a long time getting dressed," wheezed one with white-blond hair. Scars lined his body, living evidence of his bravery and experience.

    "Yeah, well," Jellal rolled his eyes, his hand tightening on the strap of the duffel. He wasn't going to lie, he was terrified, "Real men take time to get dressed, don't they?"

    The white-haired man huffed in appreciation, and nodded, banging a fist on his chest, "That's right!" he growled.

    A pair ran out of another bedroom, squabbling. Natsu - the one with pink hair - had his buttons mismatched and trousers looming dangerously around his waist, while the other - Gray - was wearing well...

    Um. What was he wearing?

    Jellal scoffed, tsking before grabbing them and sending Gray back to get dressed. Natsu protested, before shaking his head.

    "That ice-brained idiot called me a cockroach!" He screeched, redoing his shirt clumsily. Like Jellal, his hands were also shaking, making it nearly impossible to get ready, but unlike him, they were shaking from excitement.

    Adrenaline.

    "That's because you are a cockroach, you flame-headed half-a-brain-cell looking-"

    "What did you call me?! Get your ass out of there and say it to my f-"

    "That enough," Jellal chided, grabbing Natsu arm and puffing exasperated. Somehow, the sakura-haired man had managed to wear the shirt inside-out this time.

    Rolling his eyes, he did the buttons himself, ignoring the heavy pulsating of his heart, "With you two imbeciles, it's a wonder we even got clearance."

    "That's damn right," Laxus came in through the front door. He was already dressed, and rather impatient by the looks of it. Jellal bit his lip, "And if you don't get yourselves outside, we're going to never get clearance again, you-"

    "We're hurrying, go wait outside." Jellal intervened diplomatically. He could understand that everyone's spirits were high, but they shouldn't be fighting now. Not when their lives depended on teamwork.

    "Admiral Makarov's in the van," Laxus growled, his lip curling in mock-detest. Jellal smiled. The father-son duo, although bickering pair, were quite close.

    But, of course, with their strong egos, they would never admit nor show it.

    "Well let's get going, shall we?" Gray emerged, his dark eyes hooded, narrowed. "Wouldn't want this moronic baboon to make us any late-r."

    "Was that aimed at me?" Natsu shrieked, his hand forming a ball as he got up to confront the iceman, "Have you even looked at yourself?!"

    "Yes," Gray smirked, sending a wink across the room. His posture showed the confidence the man held in himself, brought on from years of- you know what, I'm not even going to get into it.

    "Ok, finally!" Jellal cursed, grabbing Natsu's wrist and threatening him to behave, "Let's go, you pair of wusses, or no one's going to get any medal."

    Oh after that, they behaved all right. 

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