Magnolia or what used to be Magnolia was eerily quiet, the sound of shifting ruble, and grunts as the mages dug out the city, looking for survivors. Tartaros, the battles surrounding FACE and END had decimated the city and surrounding country side. Erza was wearing one of her strength enhancing armors and lifted a massive part of a collapsed wall, looking, hoping for life. There was a small hand clutching a doll. She grit her teeth expecting the worst, then the hand moved and the faintest of sighs was heard.
"Survivor! Natsu, Wendy, it's a child, hurry!" Erza called out, making both Dragon slayers jump. Natsu hurried under the lifted wall and started to dig, Wendy grasped the small hand speaking soothing words and pumped healing magic into the small girls body. Once they had cleared the girl out of the ruble Erza dropped the wall. Despite her armor, and the use of second origin, she could feel herself waning.
The guild alliance Wendy had managed to summon to the battle had stayed on for most of the clean up and search for survivors. The stronger of the Magnolia citizens were now part of the search and rescue crews and some had started rebuilding, it was their home after all. Earlier that day had seen Mermaid heel depart, Erza could see Master Bob along with Ichiya speaking to Makarov, most likely ready for Blue Pegasus to take their leave. Erza released her strength armor in favor for her usual blue skirt and white blouse, forgoing even her customary chest plate, and ducked discreetly behind some debris when she noticed the short womanizer start sniffing the air. She was not in the mood. Looking over her shoulder she didn't notice the figure standing in front of her until she had knocked both of them down.
"Unf, I'm sorry, I wasn't looking where I was…" Erza blustered out.
"It's alright, I should have noticed my surrounding better…" The cloaked man was on one knee offering a hand to her. When she looked up she was met with familiar brown eyes, blue hair and a very distinct red tattoo over the right side of his face. "Erza.."
"Jellal." She sat where she had fallen arm half extended to accept his help but now frozen. She hadn't expected him to be here. He had filled Crime Sorciere's ranks, and they had done more than their fair share of fighting against the common foe, but the fact remained they were a guild of known criminals. She hadn't expected them to stick around so long after the battle was won. Add to the fact that her heart had taken on a life of its own, beating in her throat causing a blush to stain her cheeks the longer she looked up into his eyes.
Jellal found his senses first, reaching to grasp Erza's hand and pulling her back up to her feet. He felt his own cheeks darken as he took in her expression, blushing, mouth slightly open in surprise, long red hair blowing around her back and cheeks, large brown eyes going through a gamut of emotions ranging from surprise, anger and relief. The electric charge pulsing between their hands was unmistakable. He didn't want to let go and it was with great reluctance that he did.
"What are you still doing here?" She asked, meaning to sound forceful, commanding, he was tempting fate being here. The royal army was supposed to be arriving any day now to help with the rebuilding efforts, and to arrest the remaining Tartaros members who had managed to survive, Dranbolt was looking after them. "You're still a wanted criminal, do you want to go back to jail?" Try as she might her voice came out softer then it would have had she been admonishing anyone else, and her concern for him was plain.
"I've sent the rest of my guild ahead with Meredy, I owe, Makarov and Magnolia a debt, I couldn't leave without helping." He couldn't leave without seeing her again, without torturing himself with the one desire he wanted above all others, the one thing his sins and darkness demanded he never have. He hadn't intended for her to see him, he had been working in a different quadrant on purpose, but had caught glimpses of her determined and strong face, her wild red hair for which he had named her so long ago. "I was planning on leaving in the morning." His hand twitched when a long strand of her hair ran across her face, the urge to tuck it behind her ear almost unbearable.
"Her perfume is near, the scent of strength and beauty, the most perfect flower, Erza. I must bid my youthful blossom adieu...Men." Ichiya's voice was near. "Yes Senpai!" His ridiculous team answered him and she heard footsteps scatter.
Erza turned panic stricken eyes on Jellal, who couldn't help the amused smile on his face. She mouthed the words hide me to him and Jellal had to stifle a laugh.
"Please" she grasped his cloak giving him the biggest puppy dog eyes he had ever seen. Jellal looked around mapping out his trajectory, once satisfied he stepped closer infusing his body with his own magic causing him to glow yellow white ever so slightly. He put his arms around her waist and he swallowed the happy moan that wanted to escape his lips when he felt her press against him. He was blushing again, and if he had bothered to look he would have noticed Erza's face was only just a shade lighter than her hair.
"Hold on tight." He said softly into her hair near her ears, she smelled like dust and sunlight and sweat and spring rain. He allowed himself to inhale her before activating his spell. "Meteor." In a flash Jellal had them out of the city limits and a few meters into the surrounding forest leaving only a quickly fading white streak in his wake. "There, safe and sound from the terrifying Ichiya Vandalay Kotobuki." He chuckled into her hair enjoying the feel of her so close to him more than he should. He reasoned he was only doing a friend a favour but if he was truly honest with himself being alone with Erza was both a curse and a boon. It was an exercise in will power, and with her arms around his neck and his own hands on her waist he doubted his will would last very long. He stepped away from her, then took another step back, finding a log to sit on running a quick hand through his hair. Reminding himself of all the reasons Erza Scarlett was off limits to him.
"You try suffering through his constant pickup lines and clammy grabby hands and tell me he's not scary in his own way." Erza shot back, missing Jellal's warmth as soon as he stepped away. She was used to this from him by now, ever since they had nearly kissed on the beach so long ago he had stopped himself, during their information exchanges during the Grand Magic Games he had made sure to keep his distance. The charged air between them was thick with unspoken words, lust, need and love. With Crime Sorciere having more members, and the immediate threat gone Erza had no idea when she would see him again. The thought made her bold. She took a seat beside Jellal on the fallen log her leg flush with his, shoulder to shoulder. She leaned her head on him. To her surprise he tilted his own head to rest on hers, she felt him exhale with a sigh.
"What will you do now?" Erza asked quietly. Her hand was shaking but she moved it, twining her fingers in his.
"Keep going after Zeref, he was behind this, but again he escaped. Other lesser dark guilds will crop up in the void the major dark guilds have left. I'm sure we'll keep busy." He watched her pale slender fingers in his, feeling the callouses caused by long years of honing her swordsmanship and mastering other weapons. Her strength and force of will, her sensitivity and kindness never ceased to amaze him, to look at her anyone could see she was a beauty, but it was everything that was unseen that had captured his heart even as a child. Jellal turned his head towards her and he could feel her tilt her head up towards his. He wanted to kiss her, tell her he loved her, hold her and never let go, but that was a dream. It's what he was striving towards, to be able to walk with her in the light, and he was still filled with too much sin and darkness, he didn't deserve the moments they shared, she deserved someone far better than him, someone she could love openly, an honest man who hadn't killed her friends and family, who hadn't tried to kill her. Anyone but him, as much as it would hurt him so long as she was happy he could endure. He stood up, took a step and found his hand still trapped by Erza's.
"Stay with me." She asked softly, nearly a whisper but Jellal heard it, frozen on the spot.
"Erza, we've been over this, I have a fiancée…" His voice shook, the lie obvious and desperate.
"Don't." She stood up and went to stand in front of him. "Don't lie to me, Jellal. Especially not with such a pathetic lie. Why? Why can't we? I know it's complicated with your circumstances, but, our feelings…Why? The truth." She looked up at him challenging and defiant, no longer willing to accept his vague answers. She held fast to his hand.
"Erza." He took her other hand in his, and looked down at them instead of into her eyes. "We can't be together because I'm tainted. You of all people know what my sins are, what I've done, who I've killed. You're my light, my sun, and I'm still so full of shadows, I don't deserve to be with you, I won't dirty you. And you, Erza, you deserve someone who can walk beside you, who you won't be ashamed to be with, who can give you the life you deserve, a house and a family. You deserve a life that won't have you looking over your shoulder all the time, a life that isn't filled with hidden secret moments that can only be shared in dark and shadow. You deserve more and better than anything I could ever give you. I love you Erza, and I won't drag you down into the mud with me."
"No, I don't accept that." Her voice shook, he loved her, she should be happy, but it felt like a blow to the head. "What about what I want Jellal? You don't get to make all the decisions." Tears spilled out of her eyes. "I don't want a house and a family unless it's with you. I will walk beside you with my head held high because you are struggling and atoning for your sins, I will walk in light or shadow with you. I don't want anyone else, because I love you, I've always loved you, and I can't change how I feel, and neither can you. I deserve the man that makes me happy, who makes me feel like I can fly with just a word, and that man is you." Her tears fell and her words got stronger, she wasn't going to give up on him simply because that's what he decided was best.
"Don't cry Erza. Please don't cry." He rasped in a hushed tone, the lump in his throat preventing much more. Instead he let go of her hands and busied himself with wiping away the tears on her face with his thumbs. He ran his hand through her hair, feeling it's softness, finding the contour of her ears and neck, wiping tears, he kissed her forehead. "I'm sorry, it's my fault, don't cry" He kissed a tear stained cheek, then the other. Erza's hands grasped the collar of his cloak and the next kiss was on her lips.
Erza felt dizzy, his lips were on hers and it took them both a moment to register what had happened, but Erza wound her arms around his neck the second she felt him try to pull away, pulling him towards her instead. His resistance crumbled and he fisted red hair in his hands pressing his lips onto hers harder, his other hand wrapped around her waist pulling her as close as she could get. The repressed emotion they both felt opened a floodgate, and the kiss was a frenzy of passion. Their mouths opened and tongues clashed battling for supremacy. They groaned into each other, wanting to slow down and savor the moment but the need to touch and experience each other was too much. Jellal picked Erza up by her thighs wrapping her legs around his waist pressing her up against a tree lifting her skirt as he went, slamming against the trunk harder then he intended but Erza didn't seem to care, or even notice, her lips having moved to his neck, fingers unfastening his cloak, unbuttoning his shirt. His own lips found her neck fingers attacked the small buttons of her blouse but in the haze of lust they proved problematic and Erza opted instead to rip her shirt open popping buttons as she went. The simple white lace bra she wore underneath was perfect, Jellal swept thumbs over her already hard nipples, and he kissed down her collar bone and cleavage, tugging at the bra until a proud pink bud emerged, he covered it with his mouth, licking and sucking while tugging at the other side freeing its twin.
Erza threw her head back, the feel of his mouth and tongue on her breasts was sending shockwaves to her core and she rocked her hips, keening and moaning while he stroked and squeezed, sucked and nipped. She felt him hard beneath his pants and rocked her hips again, rubbing herself against his still clothed length. She felt his strong hands on her thighs, opening them slightly and he began rocking his own hips in time with hers. He stopped kissing and simply leaned his head against her shoulder, breathing her in, moaning at the friction and in frustration. He stopped long enough to look around, setting Erza down for a moment in order to grab his cloak and lay it flat on the forest floor. His mind almost started working again in that moment, the guilt stabbing him in the gut. Erza kissed him before he had a chance to react to it, pulling him down onto his cloak, working his belt. She unclasped her skirt and unhooked her bra leaving her in a white pair of panties. Jellal looked down at the woman beneath him. She was perfection in his eyes, every curve, freckle, and scar was beautiful.
"God help me, I love you, Erza." He said with a rasp. He found her lips and this time the kiss was far more tender, and slow, tasting her, feeling the emotion instead of simply reacting to it. He was in awe that she cared as much for him that he did for her. That she wanted him as much as he wanted her. He touched her slowly memorizing every curve and contour, the way her nipples pebbled, the pinkness of them. The way her belly was both hard and soft, the way her hip bone jutted out and how when he kissed her there she squirmed and hummed. He kissed her over her already wet panties, licking her through the fabric, inhaling her musk that somehow reminded him of strawberry cake frosting.
Erza felt her legs go wide, the friction and dampness of his tongue through her underwear was making her eyes roll, she fisted his blue hair in her hands and tried rocking her hips only to find him holding her in place. She tried pulling her underwear out of the way but his hands batted hers away as he continued to lick at a leisurely and slow pace, making the white fabric see through with the combination of his tongue and her own wetness.
"Jellal, please." She panted when the teasing became too much. She met his brown eyes, dark with lust and desire, he licked his lips, and and tugged the panties off. He placed a finger between her folds rubbing against her sensitized core, making her arch her back and moan. He added another finger rubbing her clit between the two fingers without directly touching it. He placed his tongue over her pulsing nub taking it between his lips and sucked plunging the two fingers inside of her. Erza screamed. Jellal curved his fingers finding the secret place inside of her and set a fast pace, willing her to explode. Her hands were in his hair pulling as she bucked. His name fell from her lips like a mantra, her eyes rolled and her core wound tightly until her vision exploded into a millions black and white stars, and her walls pulsed and tightened around his fingers, her entire body was rigid one second, then everything relaxed as the intense pleasure passed.
Erza guided his head back up and kissed him, tasting herself on his lips and tongue. She reached down finding his hard length, and stroked it with tentative fingers. His entire body shuddered from her touch. Erza was still a virgin, there really had been no one else in her mind that was suitable to giving it over to except the man she loved. She sat up forcing Jellal to a sitting position and stroked again not entirely sure of herself but liking the reaction he gave her. He cracked an eye open and covered her hand with one of his, increasing the pressure of her strokes and the pace, before letting his head loll back and letting out another moan. She decided to do what he had done to her, and licked the beading moisture at the tip of the head, Jellal nearly jumped when he felt her tongue on him. She licked and teased his head and his moans became more insistent and desperate. Erza moved up and straddled him, guiding him into her. His hands went to her hips, and she lowered herself onto him. Her mouth made a small o then a slightly surprised look.
"Erza, are you alright?" He asked gently, being enveloped in her warmth sent his world spinning.
"Yes. I just, feel so full. It's…It's nice." Erza shifted and moved and they moaned together, Jellal guided her hips and Erza quickly found her pace.
He held her on her lap, letting her ride him, they built up quickly, and Jellal began meeting her thrusts until it almost felt like he was lifting and pulling her down. Erza was drowning in a sea of sensation and her coil began to tighten again. When she snapped Jellal didn't slow his pace, it became more erratic as her fluttering and tight walls pulled out his own climax with an impassioned shout of her name, spilling himself into her, connecting to her on the most primal of levels. They fell into each other gasping for air in a tangle of limbs, wanting to stay close and not wanting the moment to end, Erza kissed him, his face, cheeks and eyes humming softly keeping her body wrapped around him, floating in her haze and utterly content. Jellal wrapped his cloak around their sweat covered bodies and held her tightly, fighting with himself, guilt for the joy and love they had shared, shame for allowing it to happen in the first place, anger that they had so little time. Erza captured his conflicted face in her hands, and kissed his lips softly but with purpose.
"Don't torture yourself. We both wanted this, I wanted this, and I've wanted you for a very long time Jellal." She stroked his face, tracing the red tattoo and stroked his hair. He allowed her to comfort him, he shuddered and buried his face in her shoulder and hair. "I love you Jellal Fernandez, and there is nothing shameful or bad about how we feel about each other. Do you understand?" Her voice shook and he managed to nod, swallowing the emotion building in his throat.
"I'll try to live up to you Erza. To be the person you see in me, I will be deserving of everything you've given me, and somehow…somehow we'll be together and share all our dreams. I promise, I'll try." Even as he spoke the words he didn't know how it could happen, or if he would ever believe them, but he wasn't lying, this is what he wanted, and come what may he was what Erza wanted. He was jaded enough to know he wasn't loved by fate, that their chances at happiness were slim, but Erza had an uncanny way of giving him hope. So they slept under the stars, making love, memorizing the other, and talking about the little house they would build one day, about whether their children would have blue hair or red and let themselves trust in their dreams for at least one night.