Claire POV-

As Jordan began waking up, she could feel a slight pressure against her hip. Jordan could also feel a blanket over her but she didn't remember throwing one on when she came home last night.

Last night.

Of course...

She had come home tired but not the slightest bit regretful. Breaking all ties with Dianite had been the right call, there was no doubt in her mind about it. The problem it seemed, was that now she had to watch her back.

By angering Dianite, she would have to be in constant lookout for fireballs and nether creatures willing to slaughter her all day.

That was so not a good thought to start the day with.

Jordan focused on her surroundings as she opened her eyes. The sun was boringly shining against her eyes from the balcony entrance and the birds began calling out to each other.

She was still wearing her clothes from last night, though her cape laid on the floor next to the bed.

Her black tank top was wrinkled and her black leather pants were no better.

As Jordan twisted around, she saw a bit of black ruffled hair Jordan could have recognized anywhere.

Tom must have spent the night over.

Turns out that pressure she felt against her waist was just his arm around her.

Jordan turned around to face her friend and ran her hands through his hair in a useless attempt to fix it.

He seemed so peaceful when asleep. They hadn't slept on the same bed for a while now. Last time they shared a room was...was when the shadows were alive.

They weren't in the same house though. Last time they had resided in her first house, the one she built when she arrived. Now they were in her massive tree home. Not only were the houses different but so were they.

Back then her and Dianite weren't a thing. Back then she was just trying to save her friends from an evil god. It was all still new to her, living in the world of Mianite.

Now, she had a war to prepare for and a home to get back to.

That last part was still debatable, perhaps she shouldn't go back home. But those were thoughts left for after her fist mug of coffee when she could contemplate all she had to do for the day.

Being lost in her thoughts, she failed to notice Tom had woken up and was staring into her eyes. Jordan has still running her hands through his hair absentmindedly and his arm was still around her.

"Oh hey. Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you" Jordan said

"Good morning Sparkles. I'm not complaining, its nice to wake up like this" he said, looking down at her and scooting closer

"It was freezing last night but you still managed to drop dead on your bed once Tucker and Sonja left" he said, his voice raspy from waking up.

"Well, I had a long day. But your right, its freezing" Jordan said, pulling her hands away from his hair and bringing the blankets higher for warmth.

"Thanks for letting me stay over. I was worried about leaving you alone" he said as he began stroking her equally tangled brown hair "Specially since you never told us what Dianite did to you"

She froze.

"I told you he didn't do anything. He was probably just trying to scare you guys. He dropped me off on the desert and I had to walk all the way back" she lied

Jordan wasn't sure if he could tell the extent of the lie in her words. Thankfully he just laughed and wrapped his arm closer, snuggling her into his warmth.

"Well it worked, we were out of our minds looking for you or waiting for the world communicator to announce your death. Also, your god disappeared when you were being taken. What's his deal?" Tom said, a hint of anger laced in his words

"He's recovering. Perhaps he used to much energy" she said, though she had been hoping to talk to Ianite in her dreams, but he never showed.

"I can't believe he's actually real"Tom said as he pulled up his side of the sheets up to his shoulders like her.

Even though the sun was out, the weather still managed to freeze her and in that moment, all she wanted to do was stay in the comfort and warmth under her sheets.

One she stepped outside thats when the unforgiving morning cold would greet her. Perhaps she could stay in bed for the day. She had nothing pending to do and she didn't have to get up for school or have parents tell her to be productive.

Perhaps she could just stay and rest for a bit, though some world ending event would probably interrupt her peace at some point. Might as well enjoy it while it lasts.

"I'm staying in bed today, want in?" She said

Tom looked at her as if she'd grown a second head.

"Jordan Sparkles actually wants to stay in bed? It is truly the end of times" He joked, a cocky smile splayed across his face.

"You can get up and train or go kill something if you'd like but I'm taking a few hours off" she said, closing her eyes and comfortably placing her head on Tom's chest where she could clearly hear his heartbeat pound against his chest.

"Are you kidding. Of course I'm staying in bed" he said

Jordan smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck, closer to his body to steal the warmth from him. One the other hand, Tom kept his on her waist and rested his head atop hers.

It was comfortable, to have a friend you could relax around and not have it be weird.

They had been around each other so much now that sometimes she thought he had been around all her life.

Just as she was about to drift off into sleep she heard distant noises of...steps?

"Claire I heard you came back safe last night and..." the voice behind her stopped.

That voice...she knew that voice.

Trying to fight the sleep from herself she loosened Tom's arms and turned around, still not daring to leave the warmth of her bed.

"Ez...Ezra?" She said, her voice cracking a bit.

"Sorry to wake you love, I assumed you would be awake by now. It's late" he said but his eyes drifted off behind her where Tom began rustling against the blankets, bringing them closer to himself.

"What the hell mate!? Can't you see where sleeping?" Toms said, opening his eyes.

Once they met Ezra's confused ones he shrugged and pulled you against him back into the warmth of the bed.

*****

Ezra POV

What on earth was the Dianitee doing in her bed.

That little brat smirked at him from behind Claire as he pulled her back against his chest all while never leaving his stare as if to make a statement or a challenge perhaps.

On the other hand, Jordan seemed calm....exhausted....but calm.

She still seemed fully dressed which was a relief in itself.

"Is there anything wrong? Why did you come all the way here?" She asked, not fighting Tom's embrace but straightening her hair a bit.

"I wanted to talk about what happened yesterday is all" he said.

"Ok. Sure, we can talk" Claire said as she looked him over, a worried expression on her face "Aren't you cold?"

Truth was, he was freezing but all the warmer attire they had brought over was surely at the bottom of the ocean by now.

"A little" he responded

Claire looked around the room and must have found something lacking because she frowned and let out a long sigh.

"I forgot to chop off wood the other day so I cant start the fireplace. You can grab one of these blankets if you'd like" she said, genuine concern in her eyes.

Perhaps she had concluded the lack of clothes he posessed was because of the sinking of his ship and she felt bad.

Very considerate of her.

He though they would be talking somewhere more private but it seemed she had no intention or need of hiding anything from Thomas.

Before he could grab one of the smaller animal skins lying on the bed Tom growled.

"I'm cold. If you take any of these layers of blankets off I swear ill kill you and turn your skin into a blanket" Toms said in a low voice

Perhaps in wasn't the blankets he was concerned with.

Now he really wanted to know what the Dianite champion was doing in the Ianitee's bed. She was now one of them so it was his responsibility to care for her.

"What's one blanket gonna do? Just let him have one" she said to the Dianitee

Tom just gave an angry pout and burried his face in her loose hair and neck.

"Fine. Ezra come join us then" she said and Erza's mind stopped working as he tried to analyze her words.

Tom's face lifted from its hiding place and looked at her, his mouth nearly hitting the floor.

Claire looked at them confused until something in her mind clicked into place and her face turned bright red.

"Not like that!!! I mean, just lay down with us because it warm under the blankets and neither one of us wants to get up and since we'll be talking for a while I though you might want to be warm? She said, shuddering with her words.

He had never been invited to a woman's bed to talk but it seemed like an odd thing to do with Thomas around.

But he really did need to talk to Claire to learn her story, what she knew about Ianite and what happened with Dianite yesterday.

Plus, Thomas was practically piercing holes with his stare.

With a hidden smirk, he began to take his way over to Claire. She nudged Tom to scoot to his side of the bed to make room.

Once enough space was cleared, she patted the bed and he sat against the headboard pulling the blankets forward to keep the cold from getting in.

He was such a fool....what on Mianite was he doing?

Ezra was on a woman's bed, a lady who happened to he his god's champion and a girl he had just met a few days back.

Then again, when it came to her, the lines seemed to blur. He had always felt comfortable around her and had never been afraid to get close to her.

But now with that clown with them....

"So, you're Ianite's champion" Capsize said, looking down at her face.

She was still lying down but she leaned her head against her arm to look up at him. The Dianitee still had his hands on her and it took an unexpected amount of self control not to pry them off her.

To protect her from the Dianitee of course.

"Yeah. It happened a while after I arrived on this planet. He spoke to me through my dreams but never told me who he was until I told him I chose to follow Lord Ianite" she said, her voice soft and sleepy

Ezra placed his sword against the nightstand and turned to face her once more, ignoring the outline of Thomas behind her.

"How did you know about him then? Most people don't talk about him or believe in him. Is he worshiped in your world?" Ezra asked

Claire flinched slightly

"No. I just, I must have heard it somewhere in the void on my way here" she said

"And then?" He asked, wanting to know more

"Then he accepted me as his champion, not just a follower like I had anticipated. We didn't get to talk very often because he was a prisoner of Dianite at the time and was getting weak"she said

They had know that Dianite had something to do with Ianite's disappearance and fading visions but being a prisoner of that monster had been horrific and he had only been one for a few days.

Ianite must have been imprisoned for years all alone with no hope of getting out.

"Is that why you were a prisoner of Dianite's? Because you went to set Ianite free?" He asked

Suddenly, Tom jerked upright and grabbed a hold of Claire's shoulders.

"What the hell does he mean by imprisoned?!" Thomas asked and Ezra saw all color drain from Claire's face

Apparently, Thomas hadn't been notified.

"It's nothing Tom, just drop it. And no, I was telling the truth when I said I went to avenge you and the other pirates" she said, trying to break hold of Tom but he wouldn't budge.

"What do you mean nothing!? When did this happen! What did he do to you!....wait, was it when you left for a couple of days after the sinking of the ship...I thought you.." Thomas said

Ezra could tell the grip on her shoulders was growing tighter and Claire wasn't saying anything.

"He didn't hurt me just locked me up for a bit, it wasn't so bad. It was justifiable I guess, I did try to kill him and his new champion" she said with a shrug, trying to play it off as something minor.

Thomas could tell as well because he grew even more pissed before his face relaxed out of nowhere.

"You know about Furia's new position?" He asked

"Yeah, tried to kill him that day, remember? She said

"Then why were you talking to him that day we first saw each other?" Ezra questioned, remembering what he heard that day.

She seemed mad but they also seemed as if they had once been friendly.

Claire snapped her face back to Ezra then back to Thomas. She was sandwiched between the two and couldn't escape this and she knew it.

"I know Furia from the times I went to the nether. One day I got lost and he showed me where to go" she said, stiff as a tree

"Times? How often have you been in the nether alone? I saw you once, that day you were delivering a message and Dianite made me leave. The day Furia almost killed us. Why would you talk to him? And how may messages did you have to deliver?" Thomas asked, no longer caring about the warmth as he shrugged the blankets of and got closer to her.

That was it.

Ezra pushed Tom's arms aside and brought Claire closer to his side of the bed.

Tom stopped looking at Claire and focused his angry face on him processing what he had done.

"Tom, I went a few times but he never hurt me ok. It...I was just delivering correspondence between the gods. And I was talking to Furia to see what he knew about Dianite's place and where Ianite could be" she said

"If you tried to kill him, why was he trying to get you on Dianite's side" Ezra asked, too curious to care about how rude it was to question her life

"Hold on, how often have you two known each other exactly?" Thomas asked

"We were both prisoners of you god" Ezra cut in " I'm surprised he didn't tell you so you could go torture some Ianitees with him. Perhaps he does favor Furia then"

"Shut it pirate. At least I'm a champion of the gods, unlike you who is just a follower" Thomas said and Ezra began to see red

"Ok. Ok! Thats enough! What's your deal?! I'm the one that kept secrets. Shouldn't you be mad at me?" Claire declared from in-between them.

"That and it wasn't Furia who tried to kill us that day Tom, that was Dianite. Thats why I got locked up. I was trying to kill Furia but then Dianite spilled the beans and I tried to kill him instead" she said, her eyes shining like glass, tears threatening to fall.

How many times had the girl before him stared death in the face and walked away?

"Lets just say that its true. Why haven't you told me all these things then?" Thomas asked Claire.

"I don't want to make you choose Tom. He is you god and I'm your best friend. I don't want to make things complicated for you" she said softly.

Her small voice and tears broke Ezra's heart. How many secrets has she kept for the good of others. How many burdens weigh her down everyday.

"That and there are some things I cant really explain to you properly so its best to just not say a thing" she added

Thomas shifted as if he would leave, then stopped, and turned back and ripped her from Ezras arms (which he had apparently wrapped around her at some point) and hugged her.

Ezra felt some part of him shift. Like his stomach had dropped at the sight and his blood boiled around him.

"Keep your secrets if you want. But know that you have someone who cares very much about you whom you can talk to, even if I don't say it very often" Thomas said

"So will I. Anytime you need me Claire, I'll be here for you" Ezra said before he registered the words coming out of her mouth.

She turned and smiled.

"Then can I hug you too? It's what friends do where I come from" She asked

A hug? They were always so close to each other but always out of instinct, never out of gratitude and friendship.

He nodded awkwardly and she fully turned around and hugged him.

It didn't last very long, but her familiar scent swirled all around him, making his mind go blank for a second.

"I'm thankful to have friends like you guys. I can't tell you everything and there is no one that is aware of everything about me but i'll do my best to be more open" Claire said, a bright smile returning to her face and she put an arm around each oh their shoulders.

"Oh and pirate boy, her name is Jordan. If you're gonna be her friend might as well get it right" Thomas said

Ezra did his best to look the green skinned man in the eye with as much distain as possible.

"I met her as Claire, and if she doesn't mind, id much prefer calling her by her birth name" he said causally

"Fine but just so you know I am still her best friend. Meaning you can't join us for movie night or sleepovers, you gotta be best friend material for that" Thomas whined

"Sleep overs?" Ezra questioned

Jordan laughed as she laid back down on the pillows.

"Why do you guys argue so much? We're on the same team remember?" She said

They both looked at eachother.

The wind decided to interrupt the tense quiet that had filled the room by knocking over an arrow by a dark quarter next to the window.

Ezra didn't turn around to look at it, just continued to stare Tom down.

The captain concluded that perhaps they were both on the fight against Dianite but they were enemies for another battle.

A battle he did not intend to lose.

For her safety of course. A champion of Ianite should not end up with a reckless man like Thomas. He would protect and care for her for Ianite's sake.

"Im tired. If you guys are done flirting with eachother staring into your eyes, I'd like to go back to sleep. Whatever we need to talk about we can do so after dinner" she said

Both guys stared at each other in disgust at the flirting comment but ended up pulling the covers and laying down next to her on opposite sides.

He didn't want to be rude or inappropriate, but he couldn't stop himself from taking her hand. Thankfully, she didn't shove it away.

Ezra relaxed and fell asleep faster than he ever had before.

*******

Tom POV-

As he laid there pretending to sleep, holding his best friend tightly against him he looked at her expression.

Even is sleep she seemed slightly troubled.

Perhaps he would go see his god tomorrow and find out just why Jordan had to deliver so many messages, talked with Furia so much, stolen by Dianite, imprisoned, and apparently almost killed but saved by that same god.

He never failed to notice that she had a more direct connection with the gods. Always talking to them. Sneaking into the priests house to discuss private matters about the gods.

Oh yes, he would talk to Dianite.

'I won'. The note Dianite had left him a long time ago popped into his mind. Won what?

*******

Dianite POV-

The lord of the nether sat in his throne room staring down at his subordinates with distaste.

They all kneeled in the throne room and didn't dare rise until commanded to. A part of him wanted one of his slaves to disobey just so he could burn him to a crisp. But they all stayed immobile, heads down, legs falling asleep, and sweat collecting on their skin.