A/N : This is my first fic, and I cowrote it with a friend. Please read and review, tips are appreciated.
Disclaimer: Fairy Tail belongs to Hiro Mashima. The cover art is also not mine.
Jerza: Cold
It was winter in Magnolia. With winter came heavy snow, ice, and more snow! The members of Fairy Tail were returning to the guild due to the harsh weather. However, Team Natsu happened to be running late. They were caught in the middle of a giant blizzard and with only five miles between them and the guild, the walk seemed to be getting longer by the minute. As the team got closer to the guild Erza's nervous feelings began to grow, and Lucy, Fairy Tail's Celestial wizard, couldn't help but notice her out of character demeanor.
"E-Erza?" Lucy shivered." Why do you look like you just saw Ichiya or something?"
"N-no r-reason." Erza stated, trying to maintain composure.
Gray cut in, his clothes absent. "I heard Jellal was supposed to arrive today. Mira said that he had some important business with the master."
"Gray, you stripper! Don't go streaking in public! You pervert!" Natsu yelled.
"Wha? Gaah!" Gray had just realized the untimely absence of his clothing.
When Gray's words rang through Erza's ears a series of violent shivers erupted throughout her. Happy struggled to fly through the snow storm's harsh winds. He couldn't help but notice Erza's state of discomfort. He decided to take advantage of her momentary weakness.
"Jellal liiiiiiikes you." Happy quipped.
Suddenly Erza stopped in her tracks shooting Happy a glare with the abilities to freeze over hell if desired. Lucy swallowed nervously.
"Uhh Erza, don't you think we should be going back to the guild now?"
Frustrated, cold, and the lack strawberry cake pushed Erza over the edge.
"YES lets just go please." She snapped back.
After what seemed like hours the team finally reached the guild hall fully exhausted with little to no energy left. The guild members were huddled around the only fireplace in the building.
"Gray-sama! I'm so glad you're safe!" screeched Juvia, launching herself at the ice wizard.
"J-Juvia." Gray blushed as she hugged him tightly, her grip not loosening.
"Juvia really missed Gray-sama." She said whispering sweetly, still hugging Gray around his neck.
A deep crimson spread across Gray's features. "Yeah… I missed you too..."
Mira approached the team holding a plate of mugs filled with hot chocolate." You must be tired after the long trip." She remarked with a small smile. "Go sit by the fire and warm yourselves."
Natsu, Erza, Gray and Lucy had no hesitation and rushed over to the fireplace to join their fellow guildmates anticipating the warmth of the fire. Things were going well, the guild was fully operational even in the depths of this winter storm. The warming glow of the fire and the taste of hot chocolate (with a shot of spiced rum) kept their spirits content. Natsu slowly approached the fire, his hunger driving him to extreme measures. His inner dragon took over as he swallowed the last of the warm glowing fire. The guild quickly went from quiet and content to a fiery hell house.
"NATSU. WHAT. DID. YOU. DO!" Gray yelled swinging his arms at every word.
"Are you a freaking idiot?! Now we're all gonna freeze over!" Lucy wailed.
At this point the guild wasn't directly attacking Natsu - they had all turned on each other. Not like this didn't usually happen, but this time the guild members bickering got on the nerves of a particularly busy person. Master Makarov…
He started twitching madly.
"Can't you see I am in the middle of an important meeting!" Makarov yelled from the top floor of his office.
"Really, it's okay" Jellal laughed. "This kind of thing always happens, right?"
"Yes, but honestly my children couldn't have picked a worse time for this noise." Master grumbled. "This meeting will continue after I quiet down the guild, one moment please." He smiled holding up a finger slipping out of the office, Jellal following close behind.
Makarov glared down at his many wizards. "Are you kidding me?!" He yelled. "Do you not know how to SHUT YOUR TRAPS?!"
Jellal's eyes automatically looked for the flash of scarlet hair running about downstairs. He locked eyes with the beautiful Titania, Erza. But their moment of gazing didn't last long as the power suddenly went out. With the darkness came a silence among Fairy Tail, the guild members froze, their anger forgotten.
"Keep calm everyone!" shouted the demon Mirajane while striding to the supply closet, which was mostly filled with emergency alcohol, but however the closet was recently emptied of all its intoxicants by the curtesy of Cana, Fairy Tail's card wizard. Mira rummaged around until she retrieved a measly pack of five small candles. With haste Mira lit each of the candles placing them around the guild hall.
"It's going to get very cold very soon and nobody could make it home in this weather, so I suggest we all wait around the candles until our power is restored." Makarov stated.
With those words stated the guild members displayed no hesitance and all gathered around the small candles. Natsu's team all huddling around one faintly burning candle.
"Natsu." Grey barked. "You had better not go screwing this up by eating our fire again!"
"Listen snowball, I wouldn't be that much of an idiot. I've learned my lesson." Natsu retorted.
"Are you sure about that? You seem pretty retarded to me." The ice wizard growled.
"Why you little…" Natsu yelled.
"I'll take you any day Salamander!" Gray replied.
Erza had put up with a lot of crap today, between Jellal being present, Happy's teasing, and a ton of other stuff that she was too angry to remember. Before, she tried to remain silent and composed as always, but her anger got the best of her. With that being said, the weapons mage stood up and slammed her hands upon the table sitting in front of her.
"THAT'S ENOUGH I'M DONE WITH YOU TWO!" Erza yelled daggers shooting from her harsh words as she stormed off, her team frozen with shock.
Erza quickly sauntered over to a corner dropping to the ground with a heavy thud. Angry, alone, cold, and confused were a few of the words defining Erza's feelings at the moment. In isolation she thought to herself. "Why does he always make me feel this way? I don't like him… I don't like him… God what's your deal here he tried to kill me… TWICE! There is no way in hell I will ever love him." Erza thought denying her true feelings.
Jellal couldn't help but notice his scarlet haired beauty's distress. "Here goes nothing.." He thought while approaching her. He descended the stairs regally hoping the redhead would notice him, only to trip down the stairs in a bout of sudden clumsiness. It probably had something to do with his heart thumping, beating fast in his chest. He quickly got back up, hoping and praying Erza didn't notice as he continued to walk over.
"Erza, are you alright?" He asked, his voice trembling a bit. His words were unsteady, his feelings rising to the surface as he blushed violently. He sat down beside her awkwardly.
Erza looked up and gave him a teasing smile. " Yeah I'm fine, nice fall back there."
Jellal sighed "Yeah, it happens." He smiled sweetly.
Erza smiled back, but inwardly she was turning into a puddle of armor, her heart melting as she began thinking once more.. I can't keep going like this, I'm going to go crazy!
"Even though I love him so much." Erza silently whispered to herself.
Jellal couldn't help but hear her silent comment. He struggled to process that thought. The silent whisper, the faint hope that she actually was referring to him. As in he, himself, Jellal, the one who ruined her life. He couldn't believe that she might be talking about him.
"What?" He asked
"What?"
"What did you just say?" The blue haired mage asked with a hint of anticipation.
"Nothing! Nothing!" Erza's cheeks heating up. "I didn't say anything!"
"Come on, yes you did!"
"No I didn't!"
Jellal's eyes were bright, even in the midst of the darkened room. Erza looked intently into them, sending shivers down her spine.
"Are you cold?" he asked, just realizing they were in the middle of a blizzard, the windows in the guild hall creaking.
"Yeah, but it'll be alright." Erza rubbing her shoulders in attempt to stay warm. Jellal instinctively wrapped his arms around Erza pulling her into his chest.
"Don't be an idiot Erza. You could get sick. Then where would Fairy Tail be without you?" Where would I be without you? he thought to himself.
She looked up into his eyes. "Ummm, Jellal?" Erza stuttered. He leaned in closer pushing a stray curl of scarlet hair out her eyes. Mere millimeters separated their faces Jellal growing eager to close the gap but hesitated in fear of rejection. Erza blushed and didn't pull away, her eyes remained locked in the deep brown haze of Jellal's eyes.
Jellal broke their gaze. "Do you know that … It's getting harder and harder to keep myself from falling in love with you."
Just when Erza was about to speak Jellal cupped her cheeks in his hands closing the frigid gap between them, kissing her softly. Erza's eyes shot wide open shocked at his actions, but slowly shut as her lips melted into the kiss, returning the favor. After a couple minutes they broke away, gasping for air, Jellal inhaling her scent, the flowery smell intoxicating him. However he wasn't satisfied at leaving it there, and he wished to finish what he started. This time firmly pressing his lips onto hers his arms snaking around her waist and Erza's hands resting on his chest.
Erza leaned into Jellal, enjoying the feel of him against her. She sighed. She couldn't be more at ease, even in the midst of a snowstorm. Her worries had seeped into the snow and blew away. Jellal realized this and pulled her close. Their passion radiated the surrounding air, binding their loving embrace. "Promise me, whatever happens, when the snow stops, that we will always be together." He whispered into her ear, not like the old Jellal, but the new one, the one who was capable of love. The one who walked in the light.
A/N: And, done! Thanks for reading!
-Lily