Sweet Memories

by Khaleesii

Leading her life without him turned out to be unbearably painful. Erza's mind is constantly filled with thoughts of him that simply won't leave her. As she struggles to remain strong, the blue-haired mage appears unexpectedly before her. But he's not the Jellal she once knew.

It felt good to finally be home again. Missions were something Erza adored, but coming back from one could be very rewarding. This last one was especially long and tiring; her body ached all over and was begging for a long and comforting bath. She was planning on taking a well-deserving rest in order to be back up tomorrow morning.

Making her way to the bathroom, Erza took off her heavy armor and abandoned it on her bedroom floor. When she arrived at the bathtub, she was fully naked, staring in front of her full-length mirror, admiring her most recent battle scars. She could see wounds as crimson as her hair, and purple bruises scattered all over her pale skin.

She hated to admit it, but she took a great tool on her body this particular last mission, and the pain was starting to get to her. It was just when she immersed herself in the warm water that she realized how bad her skin and muscles were. The deeper cuts stung furiously and she couldn't help but let a whimper escape her lips. She would never show this weak side of her to her friends. To them she was the strong Erza everybody knew; but here on her home, in the depths of Fairy Hills, she allowed herself to relax a little more than usual.

It was when she was taking a bath, immersed in her thoughts, that Erza found herself thinking of him.

Jellal. How much she missed him. How much she longed for his touch. She missed those kind brown eyes and his blue unruly hair. She missed everything about him, really.

Getting up from the tub, she watched her reflection again. Her long hair covered her chest and her hips, and she couldn't help but remember his words. "Such beautiful scarlet hair... Why don't we call you 'Erza Scarlet'? It's the color of your hair, that way, I won't forget it!"

Silent sobs attacked Erza, and a small tear fell from her left eye. She dragged herself to her bed, not even bothering to put on some clothes.

There she was, lying naked on the sheets, sobbing like a lost child, like many other nights. She closed her eyes and the nightmares didn't go easy on her.