Vivid Red

Jerza week, prompt 'Cardinal.'

They joked about it from time to time, that Jellal's crimes were his cardinal sins and Erza's hair also linked her to the word. Their guilds got in on it too, laughing about how that made them soulmates just because of that word. When Jellal took it a little too seriously at times, Erza would kiss him sweetly and reassure him of all the reasons why she loved him, a smile would come to his face and they'd walk off together to find somewhere private so they could talk.

Today was one of those times; Meredy had gotten drunk and started blabbering about random things when it inevitably came back to the word 'cardinal.' She kept on talking and eventually, with a scowl on his face, Jellal slipped away with Erza in tow. He was particularly angry this time; he'd run into some trouble with a couple of thugs in town and after defending himself from their attacks had been forced to run from police. Needless to say, he hadn't been a ray of sunshine when he got to the Fairy Tail guild.

Erza was doing her best to calm him down but all of it seemed to make him more agitated, which she was worried about – Jellal never really got this angry over anything. When he finally stopped stomping his way through a forest, he looked up at the sky and started yelling obscenities, with Erza standing in the background shocked, and blinking owlishly. Some of the things he screamed about brought a faint blush to her face, and other things he rambled on for so long she didn't understand what he was saying anymore.

He calmed down after another ten minutes and slumped down on a log, Erza sidling up next to him and wrapping a comforting arm around his shoulders as he panted for breath.

"You had a lot to get off your chest there." His face reddened more from embarrassment added to his exhaustion and she smirked at his 'innocence' before getting back on track. "Why didn't you talk to me about any of this?" He turned his head away, mumbling something about not wanting to bother her with his silly worries. She huffed in annoyance and slammed his face into her chest – which unfortunately for him, was still covered in her 'casual' armour.

"Don't be so silly, I burden you with my drama and I want you to do the same." She smiled, what she hoped was pleasantly, and he looked at his feet, still not completely used to receiving such affection from her, but not unwelcoming to it either.

"Erza?" She hummed and loosened her grip on his head, giving him the chance to pull back and look her in the eyes, still a bit flushed at having been directly on her breasts.

"I'm sure you are aware that we have been together for two years now and that I love you more than anything in this world." A frown came to her face and he instantly tried to disperse her worries; that he didn't intend to break up with her.

"Don't worry; I have no wish to leave you ever. Though you may not agree with that after what I want to say." She gestured for him to continue and he took in a deep breath, praying to any gods that didn't loathe him after all he'd done, that she wouldn't kill him. "I want to make love to you." They both simultaneously went a vivid cardinal red, but she didn't punch him so he looked at her for an answer.

While still a little embarrassed at what he'd just told her, she nodded, whispering that yes, she wanted the same. A second after those words left her mouth she had to admire the clashing of Jellal's red face with his blue hair.

"But, we are not doing this in a forest." He shook his head rapidly and she grasped onto his hand, gently tugging him towards the Fairy Hill dormitories, their faces bright with excitement and anticipation, a sweet pink still lingering from their thoughts and conversation the moment before.

She looked back to smile at him, enjoying the colour he went and the smile he gave her in return.