"Anonymous asked: Erza wants to cut her hair, but Jellal tries to give her reasons on why she shouldn't cut her hair prompt. Thank you author ! :D"

It is well known that I have a fetish with Jellal's fetish with Erza's hair. I do think that if she ever decided to cut it he wouldn't make a big deal about it because he loves her regardless. The title of this was taken from a tumblr post of the same name. It's not exactly related to the prompt itself but it fit the story I wanted to tell.


On the Care and Keeping of Your Scientist


Jellal let his wet bag fall to the library floor and pulled out a chair noisily. Droplets of rainwater fell into his eyes as he leaned down to pull a soggy magazine from the front pocket of his bag. When he placed it on the tabletop across from Lucy, she cringed and quickly moved her laptop out of the way. He eyed her expectantly and frowned when she only raised an eyebrow in response.

"Well?!" he demanded.

"Jellal," Lucy began with a sigh. "I know that you're a very smart person. Your grades consistently blow mine right out of the water, and I know you'll land a job that will suit your particular brand of absentmindedness perfectly, and I know that Erza probably thinks it's all very adorable but give me a hint here, please? What conclusion am I meant to draw from –" she poked at the magazine with the tip of her pen. "What is this? A hairstyle magazine?"

"It's a hairstyle magazine, yes, but it's Erza's."

"Okay?" Lucy shook her head in confusion. "And?"

"Well, look!" Jellal peeled the pages apart and tapped his finger impatiently on a smiling blonde with a bob.

"Erza's dying her hair?"

"What?" Jellal recoiled. "No! She's cutting it."

"Oh!" Lucy pulled the magazine closer to her by the tip of the page. "Well, is this what she's going with?"

"I have no idea! She hasn't said anything to me."

Lucy huffed. "So you stole a magazine from your girlfriend's room because you think she's considering a haircut?"

"Well..." Jellal drew circles in the film left behind by the wet pages. "Yes. I just assumed..."

"How do you even know this is her magazine?"

"It was by her bed! And the other day she was complaining about the rain making her hair sticky. I just know she's going to hack it all off."

"Ugh," Lucy groaned in disgust. She shoved the magazine back toward him, pulled a tissue from her backpack to wipe up the damp residue, and moved her laptop back to it's previous spot. "It's impressive how you've managed to make Erza cutting her hair all about you."

"I – I didn't realize I was doing that."

"Of course not, Jellal. You get lost in whatever tickles your science-y brain folds and expect the world to be exactly the same as you left it when you snap back to attention. I'm surprised you were able to put two and two together in the first place."

"Wow, that's harsh, Lucy."

Lucy sighed and leaned forward over the table. She crossed her arms in front of her laptop and fixed her eyes on Jellal. "I didn't mean to be harsh, but it's true. I don't think you realize how often you float off into space and miss out on things you might consider minutiae."

"It just seems like a big thing. Why would she just... cut her hair?"

"I have no idea. You might try asking Erza."


The rain was still pooling on the window ledge when Erza emerged from the bathroom in a cloud of sweet smelling steam. He watched her reflection in the glass as she discarded a towel and pulled on a pair of sweat pants with a suspiciously familiar blue and red logo on the left leg. Not only had he failed to note that his pants had been missing for... well, he didn't actually know how long. His trip to NASA Headquarters had been almost a year ago. First it had been university recruiters nipping at his heels, and not long after he'd proved him self on a collegiate level NASA came calling.

Erza tied the drawstrings into a neat bow before poking her head through the neck of a tank top. Lucy's words may have been pointed but she was right. Minutiae, indeed. His eyes fell out of focus and the rain soaked his mind. Erza's hands sliding around his waist brought him back.

"Earth to Jellal," she said into his shoulder blade with a soft laugh. "You're especially distracted tonight."

He turned around in her arms and found her smiling up at him. His fingers brushed over the wet ropes of scarlet clinging to her shoulders.

"What is it?" Erza asked with growing concern.

"I don't mind if you cut your hair," he blurted.

"What?" Her eyebrows furrowed.

"I can't deny that I'd miss it but it's your hair, Erza. I won't be a jerk about it."

Erza's eyes finally lit up with understanding. "So you were paying attention?"

"I found your magazine and remembered you griping about the rain had a moment of selfish panic. Lucy pointed that out to me." Jellal pressed his lips to her forehead in apology. "She also pointed out that I'm... absentminded."

"Oh, Jellal," she sighed. "I know you're a space cadet. You've always been way up there with your head beyond the clouds and that's okay. I love you and I'm always going to be down here tugging on your string to keep you from floating away." Erza smiled again and draped her arms over his shoulders. "All I ask is that you come to bed at a reasonable hour and don't stay up all night squinting at planets."

"I promise not to become completely nocturnal."

She leaned up to kiss him quickly. "And about my hair..."

"Erza, I was serious. You don't have to keep it long to please me." He curled a strand of it around one finger wistfully and sighed. "I'll miss it but I'm in love with you, not your hair."

"How about this? I'll keep it long but during the wet season you have to braid it for me every morning."

"I will be at your place bright and early every morning to do that. I'll set an entire host of alarms." Erza's fingers toyed with the short hair at the base of his head. She smiled playfully.

"About that... I don't think you'll have to wake up as early if you don't have to actually go anywhere." Jellal stared down at her trying to puzzle out her meaning. She finally chuckled and took mercy on him. "I want to move in together, Jellal. It's ridiculous that you still live in a dorm where your books take up almost as much space as your bed. My lease is up in three months. If I have to share you with the heavens, I at least want to keep you close."

"We'll have to buy some bookshelves," he said brushing his lips over hers and pulling her fully against him.

"Mm, probably." Erza returned his kiss with a purpose. "And a washer and dryer. I'm tired of the coin wash."

"Anything you want," Jellal muttered directing her toward the bed but not loosening his hold. His mouth settled on her neck when she fell back onto the mattress. Her hair was a tangled mess by the time she sighed into his chest and fell asleep but he didn't mind. In the morning he would brush it reverently and twist his beloved mane of scarlet into a manageable braid.