Day 6 - Homecoming
Erza breathed a sigh of relief when she sat down on the couch after bathing. Without her prompting, Jellal put down the book he was reading and took the towel she placed over her shoulder.
"What happened?" Jellal asked, while drying her wet hair using the towel.
"I just feel really refresh after taking the bath. The trip today was a little bit exhausting."
"It was. We could have reached home at least three hours earlier if the ferry service hadn't been interrupted by the rainstorm."
"I'm glad that at least we can come back to our home today." Erza looked at the clock. It was already half-past eleven. "If the rainstorm hadn't stopped before eight, the ferry service would have been postponed to tomorrow. In that case we would have to spend one more night at the resort."
"Wouldn't it be good to stay at the resort for one more night?" Jellal chuckled. "You've said their bed was the most comfy one you have ever slept in. I thought you really liked the resort and enjoyed the time spent there."
"I did. It's a perfect place for honeymoon vacation. Excellent facilities and services and basically everything. But I did start missing home."
Erza glanced round the living room, and recalled how both her and Jellal worked together on how they wanted to decorate the place: from the creamy yellow walls to the light violet window curtains; from the wooden dining table and chairs to the feather couch they were sitting on; from the framed photo of sunset to the water plant in grass bowl. Actually not only the living room but every rooms in the house were furnished in ways that were decided by them together.
"This house belongs to us, but it's also the home we belongs to as a family from now on." She shifted her position to face Jellal, smiling a sheepish smile. "I already feel attached to this house even we've just moved in for less than a month."
Jellal placed the towel down on the coffee table and cradled Erza's cheek in his palm instead, looking at her with wistful eyes.
"I think this feeling of attachment is still growing on me. This is a new experience to me, to actually settle down in one place without the need of moving from one place to another constantly. But I'm sure very soon I will get attached to spending time in this house with you by my side." He leaned forward and touched Erza's forehead with his. "Being with you are what home means to me."
"Jellal…" Erza whispered in a slightly trembling voice, before she closed her eyes and also the distance between her lips and Jellal's.
When she pulled away, she held Jellal's face in her hands.
"Promise me. You will always find your way back home no matter where your missions take you to. And you won't let any guilty feelings to try to lure you away from home."
"Nothing can take me away from you ever again, Erza. I promise."
Jellal's fingers found their way into Erza's tresses as he captured her lips with his, while Erza fell back onto the couch and pulled him down with her.