One for him and one for her
Summary: "When things have already gone right for us, we're going to eat one whole each."
A/N: Hi minnaa! It's my first time doing a JerZa fanfic but I've always loved them! So please enjoy reading! ヽ(^o^)ノ
Disclaimer: My name is not Hiro Mashima.
"Oh hello, Erza-chan!"
She returned a smile at the good ol' bakery shop owner whom she knows very well.
It has been years since she discovered this wonderful place and started ordering the same cake every now and then. Once she first tried their version of it, she claimed it as the best if not in the world, in the whole continent at the very least. She makes sure to buy no less than once a week because if the break is longer than that, she starts to get cranky – as if really conscious of its fading taste in her memory.
"You know what I want." She sat on the counter.
The old guy then showed a rather troubled face, "Sorry, Erza-chan, but it's out of stock…"
"Out… of…"
He comforted the girl who suddenly appeared gloomy, "But we still have other cakes for you to try out. I mean, it's the only thing you order ever since and—"
"You have never been out of stock…"
"Yes, but then earlier this week, limited ingredients were delivered so we only had limited output… Unfortunately, it's all sold."
"Oh… when can you make another one?"
"Probably at the end of the week, we'll be able to create some. For the meantime, how 'bout you—"
"It's okay…" she stood up from her seat, "I'll just wait for four more days." She headed towards the door.
"Erza-chan, may I ask you something?"
She stopped from her track.
"W-why don't you want to try our other cakes?"
"It's not that I don't want to try them," she looked back and then showed him a sweet smile, "It's just that I don't like any other else but the Strawberry-flavored ones."
She closed the door and headed towards the guild without even giving a last glance at neither the shop nor the seller. She just walked straight to her path.
She was disappointed, yes, she couldn't deny it. She has been looking forward to having a mouthful of her favorite food, and yet the conditions are against her this time. She then wonders, if she got there earlier, would she have been able to get even just a slice?
As continued to her path, she thought about the words of the old guy: "Why don't you want to try out our other cakes?"
She supposed that her answer was true. It was what she really felt. She does not love any other cake, except for it.
But as she thinks and thinks more about the aforementioned, she began to recall that one specific moment in her life.
.
.
It was still back in the Tower of Heaven – when she was still with Simon, Sho, Milliana, Grandpa Rob, Wally, and of course, Jellal.
"I've never liked those."
"Which?"
The frail scarlet-haired child pointed at something several meters away, "Those."
"Oh…" he rolled his fingers to make the shape of a telescope, "You mean… Cakes?"
She nodded. "I don't like them."
He sat beside her, "You know, I have never tasted one."
"Really?"
He nodded. "But since you don't like it, it must taste bad."
"Well, no, it's not that…" she tried to come up with a good answer, "I just think it's a little too sweet…"
"Eh? And I thought you liked sweets."
"I do, but not those which are overly sweetened."
"That's odd. I mean, don't you have a sweet tooth? I think kids are supposed to have that."
"I don't really know but I just easily get tired of it. Instead of wanting more, I'd rather not take any bite at all."
He chuckled, "You seem so serious for someone at your age."
"What's happiness anyway, Jellal?" she looked at him, with eyes so innocent yet also corrupted with fear, anxiety, and weakness.
Seeing his friend like that, he knew he had to say something that would make her feel joy. "Say, Erza. Do you want to help me eat my very first cake later?"
"Huh? How? We aren't exactly free here."
"I know." He then whispered to her ear, "But it's already there."
She comprehended what he meant, "Oh, I see. But what are we going to do? Steal it?"
He winked at her, "It's okay, besides they're the first ones who stole something far more precious to us – our childhood."
"I understand. What do we do?"
"Well, I see no guard so let's just move towards it and pretend to be working. Then once I'm already close enough, make sure to block me and I'll take it."
And they did as what he planned. It took them a couple of minutes to make sure they could do it without anyone noticing. And after successfully getting what they want, they gradually moved out and went inside their prison cell.
"Aren't we going to call Grandpa Rob and the others?"
"It's just half a slice, Erza. I don't think it's enough for us all. Aside from that, clustering into a group would only make the guards notice it. Don't worry, I will make sure that they will eat some next time!"
"O-okay… if that's what you say."
"So… what do we have here…" he looked at the slightly eaten piece of dessert. "It looks like it has a strawberry on top! I bet this tastes heavenly!"
"You like strawberries?"
"Absolutely! I may have not tasted any cake yet, but I totally love strawberries!"
"I have never tasted one…"
"Really? That's weird." He chuckled.
"Why?"
"You've never tasted strawberries but you have already tasted a cake? Are you sure it was even a cake that you ate?" he snickered.
"Yes!" she puckered, "I think it was months ago when I got curious of what the fat guard was eating. It was a brown cake, probably chocolate, and I found the taste rather plain – it was just sweet, maybe too sweet, so one bite was enough for me. And excuse me for not tasting any strawberries before! I heard some people say it's sour so I'd rather not eat it."
"Oh, so you've had one bite of one cake and you supposed that that would be the taste of all the other cakes? And because of what some people say about strawberries, you don't even dare to try it? You're so funny."
She crossed her arms, "Shut up."
He reached the platter to her and smiled, "Try this."
"Hmp." She avoided his gaze.
"Come on, Erza. I was just teasing you." He moved closer to her.
"I'm not angry."
"Then if you're not, take some of this?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because we took that for you."
"Well, you helped me get it so you should have your share too."
Then she gave up. She slowly removed her hands from being crossed and looked at him.
"Go ahead."
She stared at it, resembling how her first cake tasted like. "I'm not really sure about this… It looks kinda attractive but I feel the bad aura behind its beauty…"
He laughed, "How will you know if you don't even try?"
"I…" she looked down, "I might not like it. Unlike you, I don't even know how Strawberries taste like and I'm not even sure if I'd like it…"
"Erza." He patted her head, "Just try. Please."
And as much as she didn't want to admit it, she always loved that feeling – how he has his ways to persuade her. From the time when he named her "Scarlet" because of the color of her hair, she has become more conscious about it – she began to appreciate its beauty. As time passes by, it seems like he touches her hair more often, and she liked it for it makes her feel better every time.
Every time.
It works every single time.
She blushed. Fine. Here goes nothing.
She then slowly took a small piece of it and gulped the lump in her throat.
"Don't worry, it won't be like the first one. This has strawberries so it should balance the sweetness you're talking about."
"I'll only do this because I trust what you're saying."
He replied with a smile.
And finally, she takes it in her mouth.
She closed her eyes, anticipating the gross taste she would feel… But no. She was mistaken. The flavor was not too sweet yet not too sour. The components were bursting in her mouth and she never thought she'd like it.
"So, how is it?"
"… The fat guard had an increase in standards of food."
He grinned, "See?!" and then took as bite as well. Seconds later, his eyes sparkled. "So delicious!"
After a few seconds, they managed to finish it.
"That was a nice meal."
"I wish he has more." Then he looked at her, "I'm glad you liked it."
"I'm glad you encouraged me to try it." She smiled back.
"Next time, when we are no longer prisoners, when things have already gone right for us," he patted her head again though this time, he did it slower, "We're going to eat one whole each!"
.
.
Then she once again thinks about the old man's question.
Maybe, the food is not what she has constantly loved…
Maybe, it has always been the person it reminds her of.
.
.
"I feel bad for Erza-chan."
"It's okay, boss. We'll just do more for her soon."
"If she has just arrived half an hour earlier, she would have bumped into the person who bought the last two boxes… Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever seen that guy come here."
"Maybe he's a critic?"
"I don't know… but I won't forget him, that's for sure."
"Eh? Why?"
"Well, he has this weird red mark above and under his right eye – I'm not really sure whether that's a tattoo or a birthmark."
- END -
A/N: Sorry if you see mistakes! I hope you liked it! Reviews are appreciated! Thank you! \(◦'⌣'◦)/