Orange オレンジ
They both remembered that tint – it was splashed across the sky, and even on the sun itself as it hid behind the cooling waves of the sea.
It was under this flaming sky did they finally talk after seven long years. He was now much older than she, who had retained her youth in the time-lapse. She, would had not changed since he last saw her.
Their conversation was not one of joy, but rather of melancholy. As a man like himself, Jellal could never forgive his sin.
Even if he was under the influence of greater evil at a tender age, it was still unacceptable for him. After all, he had killed a precious friend. He had killed Simon – dearly beloved in all their hearts, gone under his hands.
It was an unforgivable sin, one he would have to live with for the rest of his repenting life. Or maybe he could disappear as well, like Simon, gone, gone, gone. But who was he kidding?
Erza would not stand for it. To her, he was spouting nonsense. Nonsense she did not want to hear, and nonsense she would stop. A stinging slap was sent across his cheeks; there was no cry of pain.
It was a surprise to her that he had remembered everything; that he was now the Jellal she knew. She had hoped that she could treat him like when they were younger, little children gaining happiness from each other's presence in the hell known as paradise.
But they both knew it was impossible - they were not small children anymore, everything becomes too complex with age. But that didn't mean he had to die. She would not stand such acts of cowardice from the boy she had respected and admired. Even if he was not who he was before, he still had to live.
Live because it was a sign of strength, live because there were people that would hurt if he was gone.
Like Ultear, like Meredy, like her.
But this tensed state they were in was shattered, resulting in a mesh of red and blue.
Both parties did not break away from the close contact, did not want to. Glowing orange dust from the surrounding environment cascaded down around the pair, as a pair of slender hands, calloused from battles, cupped marked cheeks.
Closer, closer, closer.
For a second, two lips grazed against the other. A heart wrenching kiss that would not last.
The thudding of his heart, the blood that rushed through his ears, the feeling of warm tears along his thumb, it shocked him, and he knew it was wrong. Too wrong. They were not meant to be, no... They could not be.
A lie was dropped, neither believed it, but both accepted the underlying meaning - this would not happen again.
The sky was orange that day.
A/N: Whee, I liked this better than Red. :) Reviews, faves, and follows are always loved!