Of Halcyon Days and Folded Paper Cranes
There are some things you can't reach no matter how far you stretch. Well...most of the best ones actually.
Edited. Hope there aren't any mistakes anymore... *looks nervously from all directions
Day 01
The Gods must have really hated him.
That's okay, I hate them too.
The word exhausted wouldn't even begin to describe the current condition Jellal was in. His ultramarine locks were a tangled mess, and his necktie had been long forgotten as it hung loosely around the collar of his white button-down shirt. His seventy-two hour shift was apparently over, and the blue-haired man was aching to finally sleep on the soft mattress of his bed. Jellal flipped the light switch and eventually, his apartment was flooded by the light.
He admired how the small room seemed to be the same as always.
Small and clean.
He yanked down his tie and tossed it inside his laundry basket as he made his way towards the bathroom. He was in desperate need of a hot shower.
He didn't know if it was the third or the fourth button that he was working on when he shoved the shower curtains aside, only to find himself stumbling back and hitting the cold tiled floor.
Hard.
There in his bathtub was a woman.
Unconscious.
And God forbid―naked.
So Jellal Fernandes, the stressed, workaholic friendly neighbor did what was considered to be most acceptable in this case.
He ravished her.
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Well, at least that was what his imagination did.
Day 02
When you stumble upon an unknown woman without any clothes on, the first thing a sensible man would mostly do is to try his best to clothe her, call 911, wait for the female to wake up and ask her questions.
Jellal was surely a sensible man, but his mind was on the brink of collapsing that he hardly thought about the hypocritical and rational methodologies and settled for what his brain sent out to the nerves of his body.
He wrapped her body with his towel, slightly cursing as the soft material barely covered her dripping form. Gently laying her on bed, he waited for the woman to regain consciousness.
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A light shuffle woke the ultramarine and peeled his dreary eyes open, eventually realizing that he had fallen asleep.
He wobbly walked towards the edge of the bed, watching her sleeping form intently.
"So it wasn't a dream..." it was the first time that he ever laid his eyes upon her apart from last night's incident. He noticed that her hair was red, her face small, her lips full and pink, nose narrow and prominent, her skin flawless and rosy in color.
She was beautiful.
She was an angel.
He could just stare at her all day and―and she woke up.
Day 03
The ultramarine filed a temporary leave of absence from work. He grumbled as he prepared breakfast for two, his mind still floating around and about the absurd incident and conversation that took place yesterday.
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She jumped at him, clutching his throat with a deadly vice grip despite the fact that her hand looked delicate. He choked and nearly laughed at himself. There he was, squirming and powerless against a naked woman crushing his windpipe and effectively pinning him to the ground.
"You dare surprise me?" her voice wasn't like honey as he expected it would be. It was harsh and cold and demanding.
Surprise you? You're the one who did!
He clasped her wrist trying to yank off her hand.
"Well, won't you answer? I demand to know your motive!"
"Can't...breathe...need...air..." Jellal took a sharp intake of breath when the nude female released her hold on him. He gasped, trying to gather as much oxygen as he can into his lungs.
"T-Thank you." The redhead paid him no heed as she intently scanned the room, face suddenly crumpling in confusion. He was still recovering from the attack when she pulled him up by the collar.
"You dare keep me prisoner in your domain?!"
"Whoah, whoah, whoah, whoah! Calm down woman! You're just inside my apartment!" She tossed him back to the ground and he groaned at the sudden action when pain crawled all the way up to his spine.
"Apartment? I haven't heard of that. Am I outside the realms of the Heavens?"
Jellal was tired, and frustrated and shocked, and this barbaric woman wasn't making any sense at all; his jaw hanging and his eyes widening in utter bewilderment.
He was beyond dazed. He was dumbfounded.
She was a lunatic.
"Alright, try to calm down first. Let's start with your name. Who are you?" he asked putting a safe distance between them and trying to ignore the fact that she was absolutely naked.
"Truly it is insulting that a mere fledgling such as you harbors no knowledge about the―"
"Is that really the way you―Whoah! W-Where did that sword come from?!"
"Know your place. I have yet to finish my statement."
"Okay, okay. J-Just put the sword away and we can talk. You can talk, I'll listen."
"Very well," as if on cue, the sharp murderous object vanished into thin air. "As the Queen of Fairies I am known as Titania. As the War Goddess of the Heavens I am known as Erza Scarlet."
Fairies, War Goddess, Heaven―hell what in the world is she talking about?
He decided to play along with her mind games seeing that he might get cut in half with her magic sword.
This is ridiculous! This amazoness is a psychopath! I have to call the police immediately.
"I demand to know your name." Jellal quickly raised his hands in defeat and smiled weakly.
"I am J-Jellal Fernandes...um...humble office worker of...Earthland."
Fuck!My introduction is as absurd as hers!
"Hmmm, tell me Jellal Fernandes of Earthland, why do you hold me captive?"
"I don't. I found you inside my bathroom." The ultramarine chose his words carefully as a simple mistake could very well mean the end of his life. She analyzed his every movement, weighing his words while remaining silent.
"Um, Erza," It was all he could remember from her lengthy introduction and he hoped he had gotten her name right. "You're practically naked, why don't you take―whoah!" he barely avoided an attack that she lashed out when the sword appeared out of nowhere once again.
"Dirty tricks won't work on me mongrel."
"I'm just going to spare you some clothing! See?" he carefully pulled out a shirt out of his cabinet. Her nude figure was starting to be a problem and seeing as he was a healthy man, he wouldn't be able to control his urges if the situation called for it.
The redhead eyed the material carefully as she took it from him.
"What is this?"
To cover up your assets duh! "Uh, a decent clothing...erm...your highness?"
"Trash," the offered clothing flew halfway across the room and his eyes landed on the shirt long forgotten and disposed of. "Give me something better to wear. Do you have an ivory tunic made from the finest silk of―"
That's it! That's the last straw!
"Listen woman, you're here in my apartment―invading my personal space and literally trespassing, so get the hell out before I call the police and dispose you from the face of the Earth!"
The rosy color from her face got immediately drained as she slumped down, falling limply on the floor.
"Wait...Earth...you say?"
He merely looked at the woman who took in a huge gulp of air before making his ears ring at the intensity of her pitch.
"NATSU, GRAY, LUCY! I'LL GET EVEN WITH YOU WHEN I GET BACK!"
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"So, you're telling me that...your friends sent you here on Earth? Your God friends?" If he was in his right state of mind, he would have laughed this one off. The thought itself was just absurd.
"Yes, Natsu the God of Flames, Gray the God of Ice and Lucy the Goddess of the Stars. I―I just couldn't fathom that they would really send me to Earth."
He asked again feeling like an absolute nutcase. "Why did they send you here? Particularly to me?"
The goddess checked her fingers, seeing them like some form of destructive device. "That I do not know, however they told me I was too engaged with my work. I did not know they were serious about this. And the way how my body looks is the proof. In our world, we appear misty and our surroundings are bathed in dazzling white rays." she scrunched her nose as if trying to stop a headache from coming.
"Whilst in your world, everything has...color. It just offends my sight. And these clothes! You humans really have odd tastes. I feel restrained in these! I would have preferred not to have them on!"
I like that too.
He cleared his throat, stopping midway from visualizing his mundane fantasies.
Jellal drew in a long sigh. This was all too much to take; even as she thoroughly explained everything, he just couldn't seem to grasp something huge as this.
"I understand your dilemma. This is a lot to take in."
"Y-You can read my mind too?" he almost choked, fear enveloping him and suddenly remembering how indecent thoughts were circling his mind.
"No, we Gods and Goddesses can not do that. It would be against our laws to interfere and intervene with your freedom."
Oh, so they have some sort of rules to follow too huh? What the hell! She's insane! Why am I tagging along?
"Alright, I think that's enough for now. Here, breakfast." she simply nodded, knowing full well that it would be useless to make him understand something that was beyond human capacity and comprehension. Erza eyed her ceramic plate with curiosity.
"What is this?"
"Eggs and bacon. You'd prefer something else?"
"Yes. Ambrosia and nectar would be a better option."
"Well I don't have those so why don't you try it? There's no harm really."
"No. I can not seem to consume it."
"What do you mean?"
"It does not obey my command to satisfy my hunger."
"What? You need to use these to eat those." he gave her the fork and knife.
She merely stared at the whimsical devices new to her and seeing a familiar tool―the knife, to his horror, she stabbed the food and the plate broke in an instant.
"You don't even know how to use these?" her eyes flared almost instantly at the insult.
How dare this lower being talk to―
"Here, open up."
"Scandalous! We use our mouth for casting sacred spells, rituals and―"
"Yeah yeah, Oh Great Goddess."
"Are you trying to mock me you―"
He shoved the food into her mouth and she almost spat out the offensive object were it not for his gentle instruction to chew the food. Slowly and surely, she used her teeth and jaw to grind and break down the food to pieces, little by little getting used to the foreign action. Instinctively she swallowed.
"It's...quite satisfying." Jellal laughed lightheartedly.
"The word is delicious. You have an odd taste in choosing words."
"I will be needing your assistance if I were to survive in this dimension. Would you accept?"
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"Alright."
And during that moment, Jellal felt like he could keep her company...for now.
Day 05
"Jellal! Jellal!" her screams rang in his ears as he hurriedly ran towards the redhead.
"IT'S―They're trapped inside the box! It must be―"
"Erza, that's a television."
"A what?"
She was almost with him for a week and it seemed like she didn't learn anything from him at all. Those rigorous and strenuous hours of teaching her and nothing stays in that pretty head of hers.
"It's a form of entertainment. There are live wires and―"
"You cage people for your entertainment?! How―"
"ERZA! It's just like your hubba-bubba magic! You know, swords coming out of thin air and then vanishing? It's just like that."
Well not really. It's called technology.
"Oh."
"That reminds me, what other powers do you possess? Apart from the blades you know."
"When I was still a Goddess, I could be in multiple places at once, create something out of nothing, we are also void of feelings and emotions―that reminds me, it is kind of intriguing how I can not seem to manipulate my other powers whereas I could freely do summoning. Oh before I forget, I am immortal."
"Was immortal. And you're human now. You'd get hurt."
"What are you talking about? Emotions and feelings do not apply to us. We're―Ouch!"
Jellal had just pinched her arm and the female goddess seemed confused at the foreign feeling.
"That now was called pain."
"I didn't know humans were so complex."
"That just means that you never find time to watch over us."
Day 15
Jellal and the redhead goddess rarely talked after their last confrontation. Jellal being busy with work and Erza preoccupied by learning more and more about the human world.
It was on a fair Saturday when it crossed his mind.
"What do you mean you're taking the whole two weeks off?!" an angry voice shouted from the ultramarine's receiver.
"Calm down Ultear, I just...I just have some personal matters I need to take care of."
"You're telling me to calm down?! Listen―" he ended the call and wearily sigh.
Perhaps it was the best time to tell her that he couldn't take care of someone like her. She was deranged and who the hell was he acting like a doctor, and playing along with her games? She was making his life miserable.
She had to leave.
And she had to leave now.
Day 16
He had failed to muster the strength to tell her that she was unwanted when conscience overwhelmed him.
She shouldn't be left alone, and she needed help.
"Jellal?" she called out to him, her voice softer than usual.
"What is it?"
"I would like to go on a date."
He nearly tripped on his way to her when the ultramarine heard her say this.
"E-Excuse me?"
"No, rather, I demand that you and I go on a date."
"Why?" his heart leaped and did a couple of somersaults.
"It seems proper. According to this magazine I've read, a boy and a girl usually go on this so called 'date' to eat, travel and have fun."
"So what you're trying to say is, you want to get used to living here now?"
"No." she sternly said and furrowed her brows in disagreement. "I want to learn more about the people. Maybe this is why Natsu and the others sent me here. Among the four of us, I have the least interaction with you humans. I want to change that."
His heart thumped and Jellal could feel his lips tilting upwards.
"By the way, how long do you plan to stay here on Earth exactly?"
"That much I do not know. It is clearly indefinite, however they would soon contact me if ever my time to leave has come."
Ah.
"Well, we are going to this date, are we not?"
He smirked.
"We still have to work on your conversation skills."
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"So, did you have fun?"
"Yes. And I had learned so much about humans."
"Such as?"
"Bonds and family and friendship," she paused as she looked up to the starry sky. "and fun."
Day 18
"They still haven't contacted me." Erza was trying her best to not wreck or destroy something from the material possessions of the ultramarine.
"Maybe it isn't the time yet."
"Or maybe they are too busy making fun of me!" she snarled, patience snapping at the thought of it. "Being trapped in this world and mingling with humans just drives me...mad!"
"What's wrong about us?" Jellal could feel the sudden anger welling up inside him.
"You are all so carefree and relaxed and destructive and indecisive and...unpredictable! I'm afraid I have been tainted by―"
"You know what your problem is?" his voice rose higher than usual and he saw her flinch at the tone of his voice. "You Gods control and manipulate everything around us! You pull the strings behind everything while we have to suffer and struggle to live the lives we want to!"
She didn't speak another word and he turned his back on her.
They were doing so well too
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until she had to go and ruin everything.
Day 22
It wasn't until Erza learned the word 'pride' that she decided to confront the ultramarine.
"Jellal?"
"I'm kind of busy." he snapped back. But he wasn't, he just didn't want to see or talk to her.
"It won't take a minute."
He groaned before signalling her to come in.
"If this is another one of those―"
"I'm sorry."
"―half-baked―wait what?"
"I'm sorry."
She left.
He forgave her that night.
Day 23
After that, the bond between them seemed to have strengthened. He paid more attention to teaching her―he even brought her to work along with him.
"Jellal," she started, her voice a quiet whisper in the night.
"Hm?"
"I think I finally understand human feelings and emotions."
"Really?" he snickered, his tone playful.
"Try me."
"Alright," he motioned her to sit with him at the edge of his bed. She walked casually across his room and felt something strange.
Her heartbeat.
It was usually calm and even but somehow she couldn't explain why it seemed so...erratic and out of control all of a sudden.
"What should you feel when you're with your friends?"
"Happiness." she answered quickly. He smiled and went on.
"How about when someone dear to you dies?"
"Sadness."
The next question slipped out of his mouth before he could stop it.
"What do you feel when you're with me?"
Her head bolted up to meet his gaze. The moonlight that seeped in his room accentuated their features even more. She remained silent for a moment.
What am I supposed to feel? I am happy with him, but that's not quite accurate. Glad? Safe? Secured? Grateful? Blessed? L―
"I...I feel―"
"Hey, it's all right you don't have to answer. How about we just get some sleep? It's getting pretty late."
She left him quietly and headed to the other room where she spent the night.
Jellal cursed himself for even asking, but sighed in relief when he had just stopped her in time.
Her answer...if it wasn't what he longed to hear...
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He would break.
Day 24
It was when they least expected it the most that they appeared before her.
They were too engrossed with the movie that they were watching when the lights suddenly went out.
Erza instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck and all of a sudden his hands were on her waist, their faces mere inches away from each other, breathing rather too hard and heavily. Jellal slowly closed―
BOOM!
A loud noise broke their connection as a dazzling white light appeared in a form of sphere in the living room. Jellal could only watch with eyes that nearly popped out of his sockets, and mouth agape.
Erza kept a calm and cool demeanor.
"It's them."
Jellal couldn't believe that the Gods were real and that they were really coming down to his quaint apartment; those thoughts made him want to make the place presentable but he was sure that the ambiance and the ventilation were the least of his worries. Right now it was about her.
He couldn't quite make out the expression on her face as numerous emotions battled for dominance.
Erza nodded silently and turned to face him.
"We wish to speak in private."
He shivered when light cascaded along the contours of her face.
She didn't have any emotion.
He turned around and went to his room, locking the door and covering his head with the pillow once he plunged onto the soft mattress, absolutely sure about one thing.
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She was leaving.
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"Jellal," her voice was like nails on the chalkboard. Seeing as there was something wrong with her, he opened the door and he saw her.
"What is it?"
"I plan to depart at dawn."
"What?"
But this is good right? No Erza meant no more worries and you could go back to your sad, sad life.
"Your assistance was most appreciated and for that I am indebted and forever gratified." she bowed, turned on her heel but was stopped when his hand reached out to grab hers.
"Stay." his voice was hoarse and pained.
"I can't." she croaked, and it seemed to him that she was breaking as well, hiding her tears behind that strong façade of hers.
"Yes you can! You're a goddess for―"
"This is ultimately wrong!" she whirled fiercely at him.
"Wrong? You call this wrong?!"
"I can not love an individual. I am a goddess first and foremost. I am not human. My love is for every living being. It is not destined for one. I thrive in the Heavens. You on Earth. We can not possibly co-exist by crossing two worlds. This thing we have is not meant to be."
He hugged her from behind, effectively draining all her strength to leave.
"Wait. There's something I want to show you before you leave..."
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"What is this?" her breath was caught in her throat when she saw the view in front of her. Thousands of flickering firelight softly glowed along the ebony painted sky. They were like fireflies dancing and hovering in the evening.
"A festival." Jellal handed her a paper lantern and she calmly took it.
"Is this customary? For what purpose?" Jellal smiled as he held on to his own lantern.
"There's really nothing to it. People do it for fun." Erza felt the warmness of the fire touching her entire being. It felt good.
"I really can't make you stay?"
She sighed and looked at him with a gloomy expression.
"Jellal I―"
"It was worth a shot though." he laughed although there was no humor behind it. He reached out to tuck the scarlet locks behind her ear and gently cupped her cheeks afterwards.
"I think, this is enough. It was worth it. It was all worth it." his sea green eyes stared into her sienna ones and she smiled softly.
"When I return to the Heavens, I could erase all your memories if it pains you so much."
"I thought you Gods and Goddesses aren't allowed to intervene with our freedom."
"Your decisions and thoughts change. Memories don't. They stay as they are, and for that we are given the right to." she stared at him long and hard. "If you wish it."
"No." he brought their faces closer, lingering for a moment before kissing her.
The contact was ecstatic and Erza had never felt so alive.
"I don't want to forget..."
They stood close to each other as they let go of their paper lanterns.
Soon, they watched as their own got entangled with the rest and Jellal loved how the glowing material became the stars that lit up the night sky.
Day 25
"Are you sure you don't want to forget?" she softly asked as her body started to glow and glimmer when the dawn was breaking.
He nodded, smiling handsomely as he took her almost transparent hand and kissed it chastely.
"Until then, my sweet Erza."
"I'll always look after you, Jellal."
She returned a sweeter smile and whispered something barely audible right after the sun's rays engulfed her form.
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She was gone. No, more like she returned back to the Heavens.
He inhaled, relishing the crisp scent of the morning dew and the promise of a new day.
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Perhaps in another lifetime.
A/N: Originally this was supposed to be a drabble collection based on a day to day basis, but what the heck. :D
Now torn between making a sequel or not :/ Edited. Thanks for all the wonderful reviews, critiques, comments and even your hate/love shout outs LOL! Now let me just think if I should be working on the sequel or not :)