A/N: This is the first of multiple short stories promised for the "Promises of the Sea" universe. First story: Jerza. Takes place prior to "Promises of the Sea".
The scent of fresh blackberry currant tea was the first thing Jellal noticed as he opened the door to his house. The aroma always instantly relaxed him reminding him of the comforts of home and of pleasant times. In his mind's eye he pictured a warm hearth and warmer brown eyes. A smile barely touched his lips as he quietly shut the door and took off his travelling cloak to hang up next to the door.
He knew Erza was still up as he heard first the crackling of a fire in the hearth and the scrape of a whetstone on metal. He followed the sound into the living room to spy the loose wet hair of his wife cascading over the top of the sofa and down her chest. Three swords -sheathed- lay against the edge of the couch while a forth was held in the woman's hands. A tea pot and a steaming cup of tea sat patiently next to her on the side table.
Erza paused only briefly -so briefly that if Jellal didn't know her well enough he wouldn't have noticed it- before returning to her task at hand with a markedly more cheerful aura.
"Hello." He said quietly as he approached her from behind.
"Welcome back." She said the warmth in her voice heating him from the cold much more than the fire.
"I'm home." He hesitated momentarily before pressing his hands to her shoulders and leaning down to kiss her cheek. He pulled back only a tiny bit as Erza turned her head (a little further than normal so as to actually see him considering her fake eye -which never failed to send a guilty stab through his heart when he remembered it) to capture his lips. Her hand came up to cup his face and he leaned down further and into her palm as his hands slid down her shoulders and arms gripping them steadily.
It was moments like this that he longed for the most while on the road: the touch of his best friend, the scent of strawberries and sugar that always seemed to waft from her skin, and the all-forgiving love he felt from her no matter the situation. He didn't deserve these moments but yet he longed for them anyway. It was selfish but when it came down to it he could never resist indulging.
(And also if he did try to resist, Erza always seemed to understand why and would proceed to quickly correct him.)
He pulled back when his neck started to hurt and Erza released him. He glanced around the living room taking in the comforts of home as well as certain differences. There on the mantle was a new picture of Fairy Hood posing together in front of a load of treasure and with grins on their faces. They held Wendy aloft between them and over the hoard as well. There was a distinctive gap between two of the women. There were a couple of bruises visible and all of their hair was a mess but their joy made them beautiful.
Jellal approached and touched the frame before looking over at his wife. Erza smiled and continued to sharpen her blade. "That was two weeks ago." She explained without prompting. "Lucy gave Wendy command over the adventure and it worked out well."
Jellal hummed not entirely pleased to see them get hurt but proud of Wendy. "Is she asleep then?" He asked.
"Yes." A little bit of disappointment interrupted his peace at her answer. He had been hoping to give his adopted daughter her gift. It was a new medicinal ointment that supposedly helped clear headaches. She always liked to break down the materials to try to recreate it and usually better than the original.
"What is this gap here in the picture?" He asked as he came to join his wife on the couch. He shifted the swords carefully over to make room for himself. His knee gently touched hers as she finished sharpening the blade and switched to cleaning it. It half-laid across his lap as well but his trousers were already dirty from the road so it didn't bother him.
"Mavis. Unfortunately she didn't appear in the picture but we know she's there and that's what matters." Mavis was the ghost of the Fairy Hood's ship -named after the ghost herself. Jellal hadn't yet met her -if he even could- but the women had all told him plenty of stories of the young ghost's antics. Mavis may be dead (possibly) but she was apparently a genius tactician and was a treasured part of the crew.
He placed aside the picture on the coffee table as Erza grabbed a second tea cup and filled it before handing it to him. Her fingers brushed briefly against his and their eyes held each other's shortly before they each turned away. He sipped the slightly-sweetened tea in silence as she finished cleaning her blade and sheathed it. She placed it aside before picking up her own cup before leaning against his shoulder and closing her eyes.
No more words passed between them for quite some time as the crackling of the hearth and the distant sounds of the ocean crashing against the nearest shore permeated the air. The time was late and it was long since the sun had gone down and yet Erza had still stayed up despite having to wake up early to open the shop tomorrow. Jellal almost always sent her a letter -when he could- to let her know around the time he estimated he would be home and in it he would ask her not wait up for him in case he was late which he usually was as he liked to take the later ships to avoid the crowding. She had yet to listen to him.
She finished her drink and placed it aside before resting her head against Jellal's shoulder tiredly. She then linked her arm with his and sighed in contentment as a soft smile adorned her lips. He felt his heart melt and a thickness invade his chest and throat leaving him temporarily speechless. He tried to clear it subtly so as to not disturb the moment before asking, "Would you like help at the shop tomorrow?"
"Do you want to?" Erza whispered.
"Yes." She squeezed his arm.
"Then yes, I would."
Jellal kissed her temple and shifted a little to signal he was getting up. "Come on, Erza." He said and took her hands in his before pulling her to her feet. She blinked owlishly at him a couple times causing him to chuckle silently. "Let's go to bed." He released one of her hands before scooping up her sheathed swords in one arm. She made sure that the gate was in front of the fire before linking their fingers together and leading him towards the stairs to ascend them.
"Are you taking me 'to bed'?" She asked a little devilishly. Jellal felt his face heat up -five years of marriage and still she managed to fluster him with just the mention of sex- and he avoided her eyes.
"Ah, no, I just...Just sleeping." He cleared his throat again and only became redder at her soft laughter. She squeezed his hand and gave him a look that clearly said You're so cute before taking them into their bedroom.
"Sleep sounds nice," she admitted to him and he placed the weapons in his arm off to the side (but close enough in case Erza needed them) before she dragged him down onto the bed and on top of her. He caught himself quickly and instinctively, his arms bracketing her head. Her hair fanned out beneath her, glowing delicately in the lamplight. He shivered at the frankly seductive look glittering in her eyes, "but tomorrow I would very much like you spread out on this bed for me." Her fingers danced up his side as she reached up with her other hand to drag him down to steal a heated kiss. He groaned into mouth and shifted closer, his knee sliding up the gap she had made between her legs before she released him completely. Fire burned through his veins and it took all of his self-control to pull away from Erza and wander backwards to their dresser.
"That sounds like a plan." He mumbled in a husky voice and Erza grinned from where she watched him raised up on her elbows. The hem of her skirt was tantalizingly high on her legs. He tore his gaze away to fumble through the drawers to find his own pajamas and began undressing. If he turned around he doubted he would be able to contain himself. Sleep right now is more important, he told himself in a mantra going through his head.
By the time he had turned back around, Erza was under the covers and watching him. She patted his side of the bed in invitation and this time he did accept, crawling in next to her. The chill of the night had saturated the sheets but between the two of them it was quickly becoming cozy. Erza watched him as he turned off the lamp and huddled down. Even in the low light he could feel her gaze upon him. He brushed her hair back and behind her ear before blindly finding her lips.
"I've missed you." She admitted quietly.
"I'll try to come home sooner." He promised once again but they both knew it was useless to say. Jellal always tried to come home sooner but often times he was unable to due to various reasons. Still Erza said nothing and only kissed him again, accepting his promise for what it was.
Time caught up to them soon enough and Erza drifted off first. Jellal watched her in the low light for as long as possible before he too, with their hands linked under the covers, fell asleep as well with thoughts of tomorrow and how nice it was to be home again.
A/N: I have plans to write short stories for: Romeo/Wendy, Natsu/Lucy, Gajeel/Levy, and Gray/Juvia. If there's another couple -mentioned IN UNIVERSE, PLEASE!- that you would possibly like a short story written for, I will consider doing it! Just tell me in a message or review.