Note: Have some Jerza because they are precious snow bunnies who need to be protected at all costs. This was done for JERZA WEEK! Also, awkward college AUs because yaaaaas.
Disclaimer: nuh bruh
Dedication: To Neji Hyuuga, who is still dead.
XO
by mirajens
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Cafuné (Portuguese) – to run your fingers through someone's hair; usually done in a soft and affectionate manner.
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It was a painfully harsh winter morning that found Erza Scarlet sprawled on her stomach in Jellal Fernandes' cramped dorm room, the former oblivious to how the latter stared at her with open adoration and longing. She'd shown up at his door at the crack of dawn, clutching a duvet and her backpack and sporting a sheepish grin, saying her heater was broken and if he didn't mind, she was going to bask in his room's free heat. Of course, Jellal let her in before she could catch her death in the thin bedclothes she was wearing. He offered her his bed while he was already taking out spare pillows and a blanket and putting it on the couch he was going to occupy, leaving her no choice but to shyly take up the bed. Though instead of falling asleep, they ended up talking. They spoke of inane things like Natsu's recent suspension and Meredy's latest man-prey. It had been a while since they last saw each other and naturally, they had a lot of catching up to do.
After a while, the talking died down and Erza pulled out a book from her pack. Jellal, in turn, began to read the atlas he'd been reading last night.
She wasn't to be disturbed from the moment she opened the book, as Jellal found out when he tried to strike up conversation again only to be ignored. He was sure she didn't mean to disregard him; she just had a focus on her that was unrivaled.
It was only now that Jellal thought to pay attention to the book in her hands. She was reading one of those raunchy romance novels which featured on the cover an undressed couple in the midst of passion, bodies oiled to show off their gleam and faces contorted to illustrate the sharp lust they felt. Seeing it was enough to make the conservative Jellal blush. Did Erza ever get ideas when she read those books?
Jellal shook his head vigorously, as if to dispel the thoughts. They were just friends. That wasn't a believable statement, but that's what they told everyone because just friends was easier than the in betweens and shades of gray.
So he went back to reading, because it was better than longing.
She spoke up a few moments later.
"Your hair's getting long," she regarded, doe eyes peeking over the top of her book.
He was an explosion of color with the explosion of royal blue atop his head, the burst of red almost dominating the left side of his face and two pools of hazel that followed her dutifully and Jesus goddamn, there was no one else in the world with a butt as firm as his. Erza would know, since she'd braved to touch it a few months back.
But that was beside the point.
Jellal fingered the strands that fell an inch below his brows. "I never find the time to go to a barber."
She scrambled up from her cocoon of her embarrassing Powerpuff Girls comforter and eagerly let herself into his narrow bathroom. "I'll cut it." She said simply, her tone leaving no room for argument.
Doubt wormed its way into Jellal's expression. Erza with sharp objects was not something he wanted to witness again, not after that one time in kindergarten when she cut up all the greenery in her quest to be Fiore's next best gardener. "Actually, it's fine. It's not that long—"
"Nonsense!" she piped up from the bathroom he just remembered he forgot to clean. He could see his bright red boxers hanging in his shower rod. "There's no need for you to suffer hair in your eyes needlessly." Erza emerged holding a pair of craft scissors and a dirty sheet. "Besides, I've had much practice. Simon lets me cut his hair."
He was about to refuse, he really was. But her smile was so wide and hopeful; Jellal found he couldn't refuse her. With those doe eyes, it wasn't any wonder Simon allowed her to touch his hair at all.
So he nodded his head and she approached with barely concealed eagerness that was just a little scary. She tied the sheet around his neck (a bit too tightly, causing him to choke for a second). He tensed slightly as she neared, forever self-conscious whenever his favorite girl came within a mile of him.
Without much thought to it, Erza took his head in her hands and bought him closer so she could inspect his hair. Jellal blushed; his face was in close proximity of her chest and if he looked closely, he could see the beginnings of her cleavage that peeked out from her pajama top.
Wordlessly, she took a layer of his hair between her two longest fingers and mechanically trimmed it. As blue stubs fell on his blanketed lap, all Jella could think was how surreal the situation was. Here was the girl he'd been in love with forever, cutting his bangs with the child scissors he used to cut his ramen flavor packets with.
Time few slowly for the young man as Erza moved around him, snipping here and there with practiced ease. There was a different kind of edginess now as she made soft humming noises while giving him a haircut. Erza wasn't as gentle with her grabbing of his hair (he swore his scalp was bleeding now) and one too many times Jellal feared she would cut his ear off with the force and speed she snapped those scissors together. But thankfully, he was still with both ears. He hoped his hair didn't look as disastrous as it felt.
It felt like an eternity before he heard her finally proclaim a proud "Done!" in the midst of his silent praying. A small mirror was pushed into his hands.
"Well?" Erza asked, already miffed that it took him so long to give her feedback. Jellal took a few moments more to appreciate the perfect subtraction of his hair. And maybe, he was still a little too glad that he didn't have a bald spot above his ear as he initially believed.
"Erza, its great!" he told her with a grin that warmed the redhead's heart.
"I'm happy you're content," she replied with a simper before reaching over and carding her fingers through the silky locks once, twice, three times. It took all of his self-control not to purr under her touch.
Life was good.
AN: Not gonna lie, I really struggled with this. Jerza is very hard to write, bruh. I just don't get them that much, you know? This is my first and probably last Jerza HOLD ME
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