Ex-V: Chapter Two, please enjoy!
Erza hurled herself into him instantly, sobbing, wrapping her arms around his back, to the general assembly's intense delight. Jellal, however, as he pressed his lips to the top of her head, into the scarlet hair that seemed to define his life, was racing through comprehensive deconstructions and analyses of the situation.
A cursory inspection of the guild hall revealed stages, sculptures, formal wear, chairs and table décor; wedding preparations. Erza's words, too, the proclamation she had just finished making, implied a marriage; or rather, appeared to be her answer to a hypothetical marriage proposal. Therefore, he deduced, she, and the rest of Fairy Tail, were under the impression that he had asked for her hand in marriage.
Consequently, within the past twenty four hours, specifically at Erza's birthday party, he had issued a wedding proposal of some kind; this, of course, meant that the necklace he affixed to her neck, that night, had the same connotation as a theoretical diamond engagement ring, and that Meredy, either intentionally or accidentally, was responsible.
Jellal parsed through all this, and all the other reasonable possibilities, in a fraction of a second, and, to verify, glanced over to his right, where Meredy was standing. As anticipated, she was visibly nervous, wringing her hands and shifting her weight. When she met Jellal's eyes, she yelped softly and appeared terrified. So it was intentional.
Jellal, grinning, somewhat amused and fascinated, decided to re-assert control of the situation, stroking Erza's cheek when she let him go, at last.
(Three hours later)
"I'm telling you!" Mirajane huffed, crossing her arms. "You wear a blue dress, and he wears a red suit-"
"It's not traditional! That's not how it's conventionally done-!" Erza was nibbling on her fingernails nervously, when Jellal walked by, overhearing them. He smiled inwardly, shaking his head a little, bemused.
"What should we do with these platforms-?" Natsu and Gray got his attention, hefting around massive wooden structures meant to underpin a giant stage.
"Set them under a tarp in the back; It's unlikely that we ever use them again, but not impossible." Jellal was in charge at Fairy Tail when Laxus was missing; His fellow guildmaster was out with Crime Sorciere, Spreading the happy news and scouting locations.
"Sooooooooooooooo, Jellallll-" Levy slid up to greet him, smiling mischievously. Gajeel followed a moment later, uncapping a bottled beer. "Your wedding night is coming up…But do you know what kind of stuff Erza's really into?"
Jellal was highly amused, as Erza, right behind him, yelped, hiding behind the bar she was standing at with Mirajane; presumably believing he was ignorant of her being there, to spy on the conversation.
Jellal considered, for a moment, how to answer, given that Erza was listening in. Of course, as the Librarian, Levy would know what sort of erotic novels Erza checked out…"Could it be…BDSM?" He smiled, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
Levy's jaw dropped, and she blushed a little, as Gajeel burst into laughter. "This guy…This guy, I tell you." Gajeel poked the Magic Council Chairman in the chest, before brofisting him and going on his way. "What a legend."
"If I didn't know you, I'd say you read minds." Levy crossed her arms, intending to come across indignant, but couldn't help smiling. "How'd you know?"
"We once spent seven minutes in Heaven together," Jellal smiled, ruefully, regretfully, calling up the memory. "Erza had an experience there that made it self-evident."
"ooooh!" Levy's eyes sparkled, and she pumped her fist. Of course, like everyone in Fairy Tail, she was well versed in their experiences at the Tower of Heaven; it was commonly thought that Jellal's redemption and path back from evil made Erza's love story ever more romantic, and Levy, who had once been nailed to a tree by her boyfriend, was especially fond of the 'Villain turned lover' story line. "Do you think…Does…does that mean you'll channel the 'dominating Sadistic villain' side of your personality on your first night together-?"
"Do you think Erza can handle that, her first time?" Jellal chuckled, shaking his head. "I'm going to gently lead her all the way through, never pushing or pressuring in any way..." He couldn't suppress a wicked grin. "Probably."
Levy gasped, delighted, clapping her hands, a bit red.
"What you should really be wondering," Jellal went on, well aware of Erza, still listening in. "Is whether I'll use Thought projection to double up on her-"
"OH MY GOD! JELLAL-!" Erza popped up, furiously red, behind them, squealing.
He howled laughing, covering his eyes. Mirajane was doubled over, hysterical.
"….-!" Erza looked, flushed, breathless and speechless, between Jellal, still cackling, wiping his eyes, and Mira, supporting herself, barely, on the bar counter.
"Now, now, Erza…It's not nice to spy on your friends…" Jellal turned to face his fiancée, still grinning wickedly. "If I punish you, will you learn a lesson?"
Erza squeaked, beet red, positively speechless, twitching, while Levy cheered and Mira struggled for breath, almost delirious. Caught in a vision of leather and the binding snake and whips, content from her erotic novels, Erza covered her face with both hands and fled the room, squealing.
(An hour later)
"This is the biggest event of the Century," Laxus returned, thrilled, with Crime Sorciere in tow. Jellal immediately linked up with his fellow guildmaster, pausing only to touch Meredy's cheek, gently, smiling encouragingly.
"Let's talk tonight, Meredy." She looked positively mortified, and was left, teeth chattering, terrified, when the guildmasters went on their way, heading upstairs.
In Laxus' room, Fairy Tail's Guildmaster began pacing back and forth. Jellal took a seat on the couch, smiling pleasantly, in anticipation of the subsequent conversation.
"I know you aren't mad at me," Laxus began, rubbing his chin. "But I'm going to explain myself as if you were mad. And I know that you know I want you to respond as if you were mad."
Jellal grinned. "As you wish."
"I'm serious. Don't answer me as a friend, answer as Magic Council Chairman; as if you were judging a criminal offense."
"All right."
Laxus paused, for a moment, to clear his throat. "I knew, immediately, from the moment Erza, Levy, and Mirajane told me, that you had no idea what the pendant meant, and didn't intend to propose to Erza with it."
"Yes." Jellal tilted his head. "Now, you want me to say; So why did you go forward with their plans, instead of voicing your belief that it was a mistake?"
Laxus nodded. "I knew, in my heart, that going along with it, and setting everything up, would result in marriage between you and Erza. I knew how badly she wanted that, and I knew how badly you wanted it. I realized the only thing holding you back was an admittedly respectable feeling of penitence."
Jellal leaned back. "Now, you want me to say; despite that, how could you go forward with it, knowing there was even a one in a million chance of me Rejecting Erza, on the grounds of my past sin, destroying her?"
Laxus didn't miss a beat. "I went forward with it, knowing that you rejecting Erza, when put on the spot, would completely crush her, possibly irreparably. I did that, despite everything, because I knew there wasn't a one in a million chance of you rejecting her. There was no chance of you rejecting her."
Jellal had to smile. They stood, then, together, by the window, for a moment; looking out over the city. "I can't tell you how grateful I am," Laxus touched the glass. "To see your happiness. I remember thinking you would suffer forever."
Jellal noticed his best friend was crying.
Laxus snapped his smaller friend into a monstrous bear hug, tears leaking defiantly from closed eyes. "I can't express how grateful I am..." Jellal managed. "For your existence."
"We'll continue to lead the world towards happiness, right?" Laxus dried his face, as best he could, in light of his best friend and younger sister's marriage.
"And towards justice."
Laxus cackled.
(An hour later)
"Jellaaaaaaaaaal!" Erza called out to him, from across the crowded hall; The Ultramarine had just been making his way out.
"Yes, Ms. Scarlet?" Jellal smiled, when she made it over to him.
"Don't get used to calling me that," Erza grinned, almost in sing-song, proudly producing a memo she had signed Erza Fernandes. "I'll have your name soon."
Jellal contemplated this, as they turned to walk together. "You already have a name I gave you."
Erza looked offended. "I insist you force your last name on me! That's how it's traditionally done."
Jellal flipped a coin into the air, catching it deftly. "Then practice a signature for Erza S. Fernandes."
She stopped short, eyes wide. "I didn't think of that! What a cool middle name."
They walked together, in silence, for a moment; before Erza, tentatively, after drumming up the courage, and talking herself into it, reached out to grab his hand.
Jellal blinked, and cast his eyes curiously over to Erza; she was staring poignantly away, flushed, humming some song.
He squeezed her hand.
"Are you happy, Erza?"
The redhead stopped short, gaping, before answering, indignant, when he turned to face her. "I dare you to question my happiness!"
Jellal looked unconvinced. "Despite my multiple attempts on your life, and plans to sacrifice you for an Antediluvian god of Death magic?"
She frowned, defensively. "Any couple could get through that! You just have to talk it out."
He laughed. "Most men propose on one knee, with a diamond ring. You preferred this?"
She looked genuinely excited by this one, eyes shimmering. "Oh, it was perfect! You were perfect, Jellal, in the moment, I had no idea, but my heart was on fire...! I thought all night about you, well, I guess I usually do that, but it was special this time(!), after all the time I spent thinking you were…After you were arrested that night, I was crushed! And, after that time you said you had a fiancée, you know, I…after all the time I spent-!" She gushed, staring up into the clouds, blushing.
Jellal chuckled. "It almost sounds like you would have defended me, no matter how I proposed."
"No!" Erza shook her head, glancing away, still red. "No way. Absolutely untrue."
"Is that right?"
"I can't tell you how incredible the morning after was, Jellal…" Erza covered her mouth. "When I saw which pendant you gave me…Well, that feeling was indescribable." She looked incredibly cheerful, recalling it, and incredibly red.
"That feeling means your proposal was perfect..." She held his hand to her chest, where her heart was still hammering out of time just recalling it. "See?"
Ex-V: End Chapter Two! Well, I had originally intended to make this a two part story…It's actually going to be four or five chapters, unless you want it to go longer! This means the lemon, that is to say, the wedding night, will either be in the penultimate chapter, or in chapter four, whichever comes first- This story has my undivided attention at the moment, although, I will be uploading another Jerza fic, a long one, an extremely graphic lemon, at some point tonight or tomorrow, but, other than that, this story has my undivided attention! Same deal as last time, if you want the next chapter, and the chapter after that, and so on, just leave me your feedback in the reviews- Your attention means the world to me! Thank you for that, and for your time- See you soon!