Erza's fingernails dug into his chest and Jellal couldn't deny that the pain brought a spark of pleasure with it. She tossed her hair over her shoulder, grinned down at him, and bit her bottom lip in the exact way that always made his stomach twitch in excitement.

Her body moved above him in an erratic rhythm only she could understand but he didn't mind. Erza moaned loudly and braced herself on the headboard. Strands of red hair brushed his face and chest. Finally she leaned down and granted him a kiss.

"I promise I'll make this worth your while, Jellal," she said breathily.

Jellal's hands ached to grasp her hips and even her movements out. He almost reached for them but… right. The handcuffs. Erza's fingers wrapped around his bound wrists and she pressed her breasts against him.

"Patience." Her voice was ragged in his ear and when she finally returned her weight to his hips a hand snaked down her body to help herself along. Honestly the site of it alone was enough to make Jellal sweat but seeing the place where he entered her and feeling her climax rush through her created a flurry of sensation just below his navel and reaching all the way to his toes.

Erza collapsed on his chest, breathing heavily. Jellal tried to catch his own breath and rattled the handcuffs against the headboard.

"Okay," he said softly. "I've had enough of not touching you."

"What we just did wasn't enough touching?" Erza asked tracing patterns on his chest with her fingertips.

"Not at all. There's parts of you that simply seeing isn't enough."

She sighed and sat up. Erza was always beautiful but Jellal thought her most lovely just after sex. There was a happy glow about her that he hoped he'd never stop seeing.

"Alright. I guess I've had my fun." She winked at him and slid off his body. Erza held out her hand and extracted a ring of keys from her requip-space. Jellal flexed his fingers and patiently waited for her to release him.

Erza selected a small silver key and began to poke around on the handcuffs for the lock. After what seemed like an inordinate amount of time Jellal heard her huff with frustration and the keys jangled on the ring.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing! I just…" she trailed off mumbling to herself.

"What?"

"The key…"

"What about the key?"

"It's not…"

"Erza, what's going on?"

She sighed and sat back on her heels. "I can't find the right key," she said looking anywhere but him.

"There's only so many keys on that ring," he stated cautiously.

"That's the thing, though. This silver one is supposed to work!" Erza's hands balled into fists and she scowled. "Juvia said –"

"Juvia?! You borrowed these things from Juvia? Erza!"

"What? She said she's used them hundreds of times before on Gray and they've never had a problem!"

Jellal let his head fall back on the pillow and closed his eyes in frustration. He tried very hard not to imagine where the handcuffs had been before they were secured around his wrists. Borrowed handcuffs!

"It's fine!" Erza insisted rubbing his arm helpfully. "I promise it'll be fine. Just let me call Juvia and we'll… oh… wait…"

"What now?" Jellal groaned, tugging at the cuffs again.

"Well, Juvia and Gray left for a job this morning. They won't be back for a few days." Erza gazed down at him and looked on the verge of tears. "I'm so sorry, Jellal. This whole thing was my idea."

"No, no, please don't cry. Just stand back and I'll use my magic to break them off. We'll just give Juvia some money to replace them."

"Uh –" Erza's voice still shook. "About the magic. Um…"

"What now?" Suddenly the truth of the situation dawned on him. "These are magic suppressing restraints, aren't they?"

"I'm really, really sorry. I should've told you."

Jellal sighed and stared at the ceiling. Things couldn't possibly be any worse. Truth be told, he hadn't even wanted to use the handcuffs to begin with! Erza had pestered him for weeks and in a moment of exhausted weakness he'd given in to her. Never again, though.

"You have nothing in your requip dimension that can slice through these? Nothing at all?"

Erza fidgeted.

"Out with it. What now?"

"Well, see," she wouldn't even look at him. Jellal braced himself for the worst. "I thought that since we were on a kind of vacation that I wouldn't need the majority of my armor and weapons. It's all being repaired and upgraded right now. All I have is my favorite sword and it definitely won't be able to handle the handcuffs…" Erza glanced at him finally. Shamefully. "Unless you want me to cut your hands off."

They two of them sat in an awkward silence. Erza picked at the quilting of the blanket and Jellal tried to keep his breathing even. He didn't see the sense of griping at her because she clearly felt bad enough about the mistake.

"Oh, wait!" Erza hopped up from the bed and changed back into her dress. "I think I have an idea! I bet Gajeel can get them off of you!" She stepped toward the bedroom door. "I promise I'll be back right away!"

"Erza!"

"What?"

He gestured to his body as best he could in his position.

"Are you cold?"

"I'm naked."

"Oh, right." She covered him with the blanket and smiled. "Sorry. I won't be long." Erza kissed his forehead before disappearing into the hallway. When Jellal heard the front door slam shut he exhaled a loud, frustrated growl.


Jellal's anxiety was rising. Erza and Gajeel were arguing in the corner, and Levy awkwardly perched on the edge of the bed.

"You didn't tell me all of…" Gajeel gestured to Jellal. "This! You tricked me!"

"You didn't ask for details!" Erza hissed. "It's a simple enough job! Shall I submit an official request with Mira?"

"Uh –" Jellal protested vainly. He didn't want to involve anyone else. If Mirajane found out about his situation, then Laxus would too. The last thing Jellal wanted was for that to happen.

Both Gajeel and Erza ignored him completely, but Levy smiled sympathetically.

"I'm so sorry," she said.

"It's okay. This whole thing is really my fault. I should've said no to the handcuffs."

"Erza can be a very… persuasive woman. No one would blame you for giving in." Levy's eyes flit to the handcuffs still chaining him to the bed. "Would you mind if I take a look?"

Jellal would've shrugged if his shoulders weren't aching so badly. "Sure, go ahead. This can't possibly get worse, right?"

Levy moved around the edge of the bed and peered at the handcuffs. Jellal continued to scowl at Erza and Gajeel.

"All you have to do is bite them off, Gajeel! I'll pay you if that's what you want!" Erza's hands were planted firmly on her hips but Gajeel's arms remained just as firmly crossed over his chest.

"I'm not bitin' sex cuffs off a dude. I got limits."

"They're not sex cuffs!" Erza shouted.

"Was he cuffed to the bed while you were fucking?" Jellal couldn't tell if Erza's face turned red from rage or embarrassment.

"Gajeel! I'm ordering you to –"

"So it's an order now? Not a paying job? And sorry, lady, I don't take orders from you. I'm S-Class now, too, so you don't get to boss me around!" He turned to the bed and studiously avoided Jellal's eyes – which was just fine. "C'mon, Shrimp. We're outta here."

"Uh, actually," Levy finally stepped away from the headboard. "I think maybe I can get these off myself."

A mixture of "You're not touching him!" and "Oh, thank you, Levy!" came from both Erza and Gajeel at once.

Levy smiled nervously. "There's some writing engraved on the underside of the right… uh… clasp." Jellal appreciated Levy's technical terms as opposed to sex cuffs. "They're basically instructions for a safety plan in case the keys are lost."

"Can you operate the release then?" Erza asked hopefully.

"I can but I'm afraid the handcuffs will be inoperable after that. I'm sorry."

"That's not really going to be an issue," Jellal mumbled shifting on the bed uncomfortably.

"Okay then," Levy leaned over his hands again and as quietly as possibly whispered the engraved words onto the magical handcuffs. With a click and a rattling of metal they fell open and Jellal immediately sat up and hugged his arms to his chest. He'd never been more relieved in his life.

"I always knew you were a freak, Fernandes," Gajeel said quickly before pulling Levy into his side and leaving the bedroom.

When Erza finally met his eyes, she smiled sadly. "I'm sorry, Jellal."

"It's fine, Erza. I blame myself really." He pat the space on the bed next to him and smiled as best he could. Half the day had gone and the sunlight was crawling across the floor toward dusk. She joined him reluctantly. "I'm not mad."

"No?" Erza turned her head and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

"No. But I'm going to have to say no more handcuffs. Ever."


The next evening Laxus slid into the chair across from Jellal at a table near the back wall of the guildhall. He didn't say a word but simply slid a shot glass across the table and produced a bottle filled with dark liquid.

"What's that?" Jellal asked.

"Does it matter?" Laxus poured two shots. "This first drink is a solidarity shot for the members of The Crazy Girlfriends Survivor's Club."

"Solidarity," Jellal mumbled before swallowing it down.