The chandeliers glittered as their crystal pendants reflected the light from the magic-lit bulbs on them, brightening the Grand Hall with shining white light. The windows lined the two long walls on either sides of the hall were decorated with purple velvet drapes embroidered with the Magic Council's emblem in golden threads. The air smelled not only of the blossoming lilies from the floral bouquets being placed on top of the decorative marble pillars, but also of perfume wore by female guests. Soft music played by the string orchestra seated at the left side of the stage floated in the hall, greeting every guest who arrived at the annual dinner. There were Heads from various Council's branches in Fiore, the Masters of mages' guilds from within Fiore and aboard, the Wizard Saints as well as Chairpersons of other countries' Magic Councils. Most of them were chatting amiably with each other while tasting the fine wine being served to them as pre-dinner aperitifs.
But none of the things or people in the Grand Hall actually had Jellal's attention. Even when he shook hands with guests to welcome them for joining the event, or when he got involved in brief conversations with various guests, the one thing that truly occupied his mind was the scarlet haired woman who hadn't showed herself yet in the event. He kept dropping subtle glances at the entrance of the hall whenever the guests weren't talking to or looking at him, wishing that the next person who stepped foot into the hall was the one he eagerly waiting for. The only person who would made hosting this dinner less boring for him.
It was when his assistant introduced him the Chairman of Bosco's Magic Council that Jellal sensed her arrival. She always had this powerful aura around her that it made it hard to miss her presence. He put up his diplomatic smile as he shook hands with the Chairman and told him how honourable it was for them to have his presence in the dinner. But from the corner of his eyes, he didn't miss the shade of scarlet complemented by the shimmering jade of a dress moving closer to him slowly.
He felt utterly relieved when Chairman Delacroix didn't attempt at starting any conversation with him after the greeting and excused himself as he spotted the Chairman from the country Seven. Once Chairman Delacroix had left him, Jellal waved off his assistant as well, before walking up to the redheaded woman who was approaching him. He eyed her greedily as he studied her appearance tonight. She had put on makeup, making her eyelashes longer and darker than usual and her lips the color of red deeper than her hair color. Her usual long straight hair had been made into a stylish high messy bun perfected with a sparkling white double headband. The jade evening gown hanged tightly on her body started with a deep v-neck halter top and ended with mermaid style at the bottom, showing off her ample assets and outlining her hourglass shape. She was simply gorgeous. He came to a halt, and she too, when they were merely two feet away from each other.
"Good evening, Chairman Fernandes." Erza greeted him with a playful smirk on her lips. "Master Laxus asked me to send you his apology for being unable to attend the annual dinner."
Jellal snorted. Laxus' absence was something he already knew. But he didn't think Laxus sounded apologetic at all when he informed him that he would not attend the annual dinner because the date had clashed with his and Freed's honeymoon trip. He had a sneaking suspicion that the clash was actually a planned one from Laxus. The date of the annual dinner was fixed half a year ago and long before his wedding was held.
"It's fine. Please tell him his apology is accepted when he come back from his honeymoon."
He really didn't blame Laxus for wanting to avoid a boring event like the annual dinner even it was a perfect occasion for socializing with fellow mages for building connection and reputation. He would love to spend some quiet time at home reading books instead of hosting the event too if he had the choice.
But did he blame the Fairy Tail Master for assigning Erza as his representative? Certainly yes. Erza wouldn't have declined to be his partner tonight if she wasn't representing Fairy Tail. Did he blame Erza for accepting Laxus' request? He wouldn't. He knew she loved and was proud of her guild and would always put the guild's interest over her own. Her loyalty was one of the many things he loved about her.
Jellal took a step closer to Erza before taking her hand and bring it to his lips.
"You looks stunning tonight, Erza." He praised her after kissing her knuckles.
"You yourself looks very handsome tonight, too." Erza laughed softly. "How's your night so far?"
"Not bad, except that I think I've been turned into one of those greeting and handshaking robots people would put at the front of their stores to welcome the customers."
"Ahem, I see. So you are doing a great job as the Chairman and the host of tonight's event. And did you just keep holding every guest's hand while talking to them?"
"Only you. Do you not want me to?" Despite his query on her wish, Jellal grinned and still didn't show any intention of releasing Erza's hand.
He wanted to keep her close to him, instead of letting her wandering around to be surrounded by men with hungry eyes and women with jealousy gaze; even though he thought a woman like Erza, beautiful and confident and strong, deserved to shine on her own and receive people's worship like a goddess. But possessiveness was never a rational feeling. He was able to kept it at bay most of the time but could not pretend that he had none of it.
Erza brushed her thumb over the back of Jellal's hand, smiling.
"I don't really mind."
Jellal got that Erza, too, would like to stay by his side if possible. The understanding made him want to close the small distance between them by pulling her in for a kiss. He would trap her within his arms, holding her tightly and having her breasts pressed up against his chest while he devoured her lips. Not that he had actually lost his mind to really turn his thought into action in the public. He knew there was a better place to fulfill his desire. His free hand went into his pants' pocket and drew out a chain of keys.
He leaned closer to Erza - but not close enough to feel her breath on his mouth - and made her hand in his open before pressing the keys into her palm. Lowering his voice, he asked, "Then would you mind waiting for me at my guest room after this is over?"
Jellal leaned back, straightened and finally let go of Erza's hand, waiting to hear her answer. But Erza didn't get the chance to say her answer as someone made their presence known to them by clearing their throat with faked coughing.
"Chairman Fernandes. Miss Scarlet. I'm sorry to interrupt your conversation." His assistant apologized with a sheepish smile. "But I must alert you, Chairman, that almost all of our guests have arrived and it's time for you to prepare the delivery of your welcoming speech on the stage."
"Thanks for the reminder, Coral." Jellal nodded to his assistant before looking back at Erza. "I'll see you later then, Miss Scarlet, I suppose?"
"Yes, see you later, Chairman Fernandes." Erza answered while putting the keys he gave her into her purse.
"Good." Jellal grinned, before leaving Erza and walking to the stage with Coral following close behind him.
Sitting at the the head table which was reserved only for the Chairpersons of the Magic Councils and their partners if they had brought any, Jellal unavoidably became the centre of attention for being not only the host of the event, but also the youngest Chairman in history. His fellow Chairpersons were very interested in knowing his views on current issues happening in the magic world. He knew that there were conflicts of interests among different countries on many issues and therefore, the Chairpersons wanted to find out where he stood, so that they knew when he could be an ally to them and when not. He was careful to not give out any confirmation on his standpoint but tried to give each one the hope that he would pick their side but not the opposite one when it was time to take actual action.
He let his guard down when their conversation moved from politics to some much less sensitive topics, like which places in Fiore his guests would like to play a visit to during their stay. Not needing to concentrate fully on forming some politically correct responses anymore, he was finally able to spare his attention to Erza.
There was a table between the one Erza sat at and the head table, but it didn't prevent Jellal from seeing Erza giggling at something said by the middle-aged man who sat at her right. He searched in his head the name which matched the face of the man and remembered that he was Master Vincent from the country Stella. A ghost of smile flashed across his face. He was glad that Erza was enjoying herself at the dinner. But it didn't stop him from wishing that the one who sat next to Erza was he himself. He could never get tired at listening to her talking, hearing the sound of her laughter or bathing in her scent, and would only want more of her when he found that he had missed the chance to.
Jellal was trying to give a response on the debate about which country had the most beautiful scenery when he noticed that Erza had stood up and excused herself from the table. He watched her swaying her hips as she walked towards the door behind which was a corridor leading to the restrooms. Her bare back from the waist up dusted with shining powder was glistening from the light of the chandeliers
As if she could sense his gaze on her, Erza turned her head around when she reached the door and looked at Jellal's direction. She smiled and winked at him when their gaze met, before she opened the door and disappeared behind it.
Jellal rubbed his palm against his pants under the table as his empty hand felt itchy to touch Erza's smooth skin. But open flirting between the Magic Council's Chairman and a mages' guild representative was certainly not something acceptable or appropriate to do in an official event of the Magic Council. If only Erza was his partner tonight, if only she sat by his side, he would be at least able to tame the craving by holding her hand. It annoyed him that Erza and him were in the same space, but he couldn't reach her.
It had really became difficult now for him to understand how he was able to instill so much self control in himself in the past to stay away from Erza when she was in his mind all the time. How when they unavoidably met because of fate's hand, he was able to resist the burning urge to not touch her hair, to not hold her hands, to not hug her or to not kiss her lips. He guessed Erza was like freedom. Something so amazing, so precious, so unique, that once you had a taste of it, it changed your way of seeing life forever and you could no longer imagine living without it. All you wanted to do would be to grab it tightly in your hand, to never it let go, till the day you died.
And when he saw Erza coming back into the Grand Hall, gaze falling on her breasts which looked like they could escape from the confine of her deep-v gown any second, he knew very well where he would like to grab her when she met him in his guest room after the dinner.
The Chairman's private guest room was adjacent to his office. It was much less heavily guarded than the office which had a lot of confidential documents inside, and served as a place for the Chairman to discuss issues with guests in a more amiable and less official setting in order to reach some commitments before entering the stressful official meetings.
Jellal went into his office first. The key he gave to Erza was for the front door of the guest room. But there was also a door inside his office which opened to the guest room. He pulled open the door after having his fingerprints scanned for identity confirmation.
The guest room was mostly dim, illuminated only by two crystal wall lamps. But it was enough light for Jellal to found Erza in the room. She was standing in front of the wall-high magazine rack, idly flipping one of those periodicals. She lifted her gaze from the paper to his face when he shut the door close behind him and smiled.
Jellal grinned and crossed the room with long strides to go to Erza, pulling off the bowtie and shrugging off the tuxedo jacket in the process. Erza let the magazine in her hand fall to the ground when he grabbed her wrist and slipped an arm around her waist to pull her in for a long awaited kiss.
He backed her up against the rack as he slipped his tongue inside her mouth, pressing his body firmly against hers while she wrapped an arm around his neck. When Erza broke the kiss for air by turning her head sideway, Jellal moved to suck on her neck and released her hand from his grip in favor of fondling her breast. Erza weaved her fingers in his hair, and grabbed a handful and sighed in delight when he pinched at her hardened nipple through the fabric of her dress. Jellal left wet kisses at Erza's collarbones and above her cleavage before forcing himself to pull away from her, feeling his erection waiting to be freed from his pants.
Erza must have feel his desire because once he wasn't trapping her against the rack any longer, she pushed him back before her hands reached for the button of his pants. His pants fell onto the floor and joined by his underwear in no time before Jellal could successfully unfasten all the buttons of his shirt. He stepped out from the pants and staggered when Erza pushed him further back while joining him in unbuttoning his shirt. He discarded the shirt on the floor too before feeling his back hitting the edge of the writing desk. With a smirk, he held Erza by her waist with both hands, to which Erza immediately responded by wrapping her arms around his neck. He turned them around and lifted Erza up on the surface of the desk.
"Your dress, Erza. I don't want to ruin it." Undressing Erza would need patience judging from how tightly the mermaid dress was hanging on her lower body but patience was not something Jellal had in this moment.
"Don't you dare." Erza giggled before leaning forward to kiss Jellal heatedly. In a flash of light, her gown was gone and her legs being freed from the confine of the fabric came up to wrap themselves around Jellal's waist.
Jella let his hands slid down to Erza's bottom, pulling her hips forward as he slid his cock inside her fully with a smooth thrust. Erza choked out a moan, and Jellal sighed in delight feeling her inner walls, wet and warm like he knew they would be, enveloping him tightly. He looked right into her eyes as if he was seeking a connection between their souls too as he began moving. He could feel not only her core tightening around his cock, but also her hardened nipples rubbing against his chest every time he thrust up. Chains of pleasurable moans left Erza's opened mouths and filled his ears, and he couldn't stop groaning.
The air around them was thick and smelled like Jellal's sweat but also Erza's mixed with her perfume as they were closing to their finish. Erza cried out Jellal's name when she came first, breaking their eye contact as she threw her head back. Jellal kept his hips moving while feeling Erza's inside convulsing around him, until he too reached his climax a few seconds later and emptied himself inside of Erza. He felt rapture bursting inside his chest as he got to feel Erza's presence in his life in the closest way possible.