"And how many nights will you be staying with us, sir?" The pretty young receptionist smiled up at Jellal, brown hair pulled back into loose ringlets. No curve graced his lips, but it wasn't that he was displeased. Smiles just didn't come as easily as they used to. Especially after the episode in the forest that still haunted him at night.
"Just a few. Can I pay day by day? I'm unsure as to how long exactly I will be in town."
The receptionist affirmed his question, and he thanked her. She gave him a key for room 312 and some instructions, for which he thanked her again. He turned, searching for the stairwell she spoke about.
"Excuse me, sir?" He glanced back at the wagon, and she smiled sheepishly. "I was just curious as to what your accent is? I mean, where do you come from?"
Jellal smiled at that. He hoped it didn't look weird. "Fiore. Ishgar. Don't worry, it's not a bother. You'd be surprised by the amount of people who've asked the exact same thing in the past two weeks." Then he really did leave the lobby, slipping up the stairs and disappearing into the upper levels.
If only he'd been a minute slower.
XXX
Erza pushed open the door to the hotel, exhaustion weighing down her shoulders. Of course, the heavy backpack she wore did little to help with that tension. Her teammates piled into the building after her, chattering and laughing and arguing. She smiled, unable to contain the overflow of love for her friends.
The lobby they entered was spacious. Like most of the places they'd stayed at in Coracre, the hotel was not ornate or self-important. Instead, its beauty was simplistic and functional. Plants stood on either side of every arched doorway, filling the air with the sweet smell of nature. A few couches and armchairs lined the empty spaces on the walls, rugs covering the cool wooden floor. Hallways branched off from multiple points, each one marked by a sign above. And at the far end, a desk with two young women took up most of the wall.
Erza walked through the room, trusting her friends to be close behind. She greeted the free receptionist with a smile, aware of the woman's wide eyes as she stared at the armor the Requip mage wore. And then at the bare chest Gray revealed.
"Good afternoon," the young woman said, slightly lost for words as she took in the entire group that had just entered the hotel. She realized after several moments that she'd been staring for far too long. "Uh, what can I do for you today?"
Erza's smile brightened as she pushed aside her fatigue. "We're looking for some rooms for the night?"
The receptionist nodded, scanning her notebook to locate the empty rooms. "Hm. We have several open rooms. Any in particular you were looking for?"
"Do you have any that have like three beds?" Gray interrupted, not bothering to hide his weariness. "I think I speak for all of us when I say we all want beds."
The receptionist bit the inside of her cheek. "I'm sorry sir, I don't believe we have anything like that. Our options include one single, two singles, one double, and two doubles."
Gray groaned. "Great. Guess it's the floor for me."
"Oh, I can take the floor. I really don't mind," Wendy spoke up, expression bright and open. Erza glanced at the young woman, taking in Wendy's blue hair pulled back in a high ponytail, several strands framing her face and showing how the past year had matured her. And in lieu of her usual dresses, she wore a tight red blazer and a black skirt, black sandals covering her feet. Even just the slight change in outfit had aged her. With a jolt, Erza realized just how much Wendy had grown up right under her nose.
"Nah, wouldn't be right." Gray waved his hand, much to Wendy's amusement.
"Ever the big man," Carla muttered, the Exceed looking the same as ever in her human form. Happy snickered, hovering slightly behind Natsu's shoulder.
"You know Gray," Lucy laughed, brushing her hair behind her ear with her free hand. "Ever the gentleman."
Natsu grinned, pulled Lucy closer with their interlocked fingers. She fit against his chest like a puzzle piece, her head resting against his shoulder. Natsu kept grinning down on her, not even bothering to make fun of Gray when his girlfriend of over a year stood against his side.
Erza rolled her eyes, sending her friends a firm glare until they shut up. Then she turned back to the receptionist with an apologetic expression. "Awfully sorry about that. If they're available, we'll take one double and two singles."
"Two single rooms or one room with two single beds?"
"One room." Erza smiled then.
"What I don't get is why we don't just get three rooms. Like, Luce and me and Happy in one, Wendy and Carla and Erza in another, then Gray in one by himself." Natsu frowned, obviously thrown off by his own question.
Lucy elbowed him gently in the side. "Cause we don't have that kind of money anymore. Remember? Sending all of our reward ahead without thinking to keep any of it wasn't the smartest thing we've done."
"Yes, we have to be cautious now. Luckily, it should be only a matter of a week or so until we're back in Moci," Erza said. She turned back to the receptionist, distracted by her soft brown ringlets for a minute. "Is there a possibility those rooms can be near each other?"
The woman nodded with a smile, sending her curls bouncing. She began scanning the books again, taking the opportunity to make small talk. "So, are you all from Fiore?"
Wendy blinked in surprise, as did they all. "Uh, yeah, we are actually."
"You're the first person to know that without us having to tell them," Lucy added, fingers twining around her pendant and running over the smooth edges.
"Yeah, how'd you know that?" Happy asked suspiciously.
The receptionist laughed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I just spoke with a man from Fiore and I recognized your accent. I did have to ask him first, however." She laughed again, self-conscious now. "I wonder if you know him."
"Fiore's a big country," Erza said as a way of denying her statement. "We only really know fellow wizards. Well, and the people of Magnolia."
"You're wizards?" The woman breathed, excitement evident in her eyes.
Happy nodded energetically. "Yeah! From Fairy Tail!"
The receptionist gaped in surprise. "Wow. Really? Oh, that's amazing! Wait, are you the wizards who helped Benos last year? Like, brought their magic back and everything?"
Erza nodded sedately. "Indeed we are."
The woman laughed with joy. "Oh, this is so cool! But what are you still doing here? Shouldn't you have gone back home? Not that I'm complaining. I can't believe I'm talking to you all right now."
Lucy laughed. "Oh, just looking for an old friend." She smiled, wrapping her fingers around a particular key on her ring.
"Did you find them?"
"Yes, I did," she replied with a soft smile. Natsu's grin widened as he pulled her tighter against his side.
The receptionist beamed happily for another long moment before writing something in her book. "Alright. You have rooms 302 and 307. And who will be paying?"
Gray shouldered his way forward. "Mine turn, I guess. You guys go. I'll meet you up there."
After they were handed their room keys, they thanked the nice receptionist before heading up to the third floor, hauling their bags up with them. Luckily for them, Erza left the majority of her things in the wagon out back. Erza, Wendy, and Carla entered room 307, claiming the two beds before Gray even got a chance.
The scarlet warrior sighed, a phantom wind blowing as she was engulfed by a golden light. In place of her armor, she wore a familiar purple and white outfit.
"I know that!" Wendy's eyes lit up and Carla smiled.
Erza turned, admiring herself in the mirror. "Yes, it's from Cait Shelter. I don't wear it as often as I would like, but it is quite pretty, don't you think?"
Wendy had to agree. The long skirt might have hid her legs from view, but the simplistic bikini top and full length sleeves truly accentuated the rest of her figure. Not to mention the choker around her neck was gorgeous. "It looks really good on you."
Erza smiled, fluffing her hair around her shoulders before she turned from the mirror. "There may have been some things wrong with your old guild, and I mean that in the nicest way possible, but they certainly had a way with clothes."
Carla snorted, transforming back to her Exceed form in a poof of air. "That's one way of putting it."
Carla and Wendy continued talking, and Erza walked over to the window. She leaned her forehead against the panes, staring out at the bustling town. Dozens of people crossed her field of vision every second, all moving too quickly for her to focus on any faces or details. She zoned out, watching the people moving down below.
There. A flash of blue the same color as her guild mark. She squinted, trying to get a better look.
"Ugh, I just wanna sleep for a week." Gray burst into the room, chucking his bag at the couch across from the beds. "Oh great, I'm too big for my bed. Yippee."
"No need for the sarcasm, Gray." Erza turned back to him, thrown off by the bit of blue she'd seen outside. You're losing it, Scarlet. Get it together. Why would he be here? It's not such a strange color, after all. "Sleep on my bed. I wanted to explore the town anyway."
Gray mumbled out a thanks before flopping down on the bed Erza had claimed, passing out almost instantly. Wendy giggled, adjusting her blazer and glancing over at the older wizard. "Can I join you? That is, if you don't mind."
"Be more confident, child."
"Carla, I'm not a child anymore. I'm seventeen, remember?"
The Exceed sighed, sitting on the couch with a flutter of her wings. "Don't remind me."
Wendy laughed again, and Erza smiled at her. "Yes, it's odd to think about. You know, you're the same age Lucy was when we first met her."
The Sky Maiden blinked in surprise. "Oh wow, I guess you're right. Woah, that's crazy to think about. Has that much time really passed?"
"It must have." Erza rolled her shoulders, starting for the door. "Come on, let's go shopping."
"I thought we were exploring," Wendy laughed. She glanced back at Carla. "Are you coming?"
"No, I think I'll stay here. I had a vision this morning that I want to interpret."
Wendy shrugged before waving, following Erza out the door. "See you later! We'll be back for dinner!"
XXX
Jellal groaned, shaking his hands out as the tension of the day soaked through his limbs. He'd found out nothing in this new town, but he honestly wasn't surprised. This was the biggest town he'd been in since Moci, and yet, of course there was no train station. It really was a wonder at how this country had managed to advance as well as it did with shitty transportation.
He stepped into the town square, noting a beautiful fountain decorating the center. He pushed his way through the crowd until he stood before the structure, staring at the cascading water. The commotion of the busy town nearly drowned out the spray hitting the smooth stone, but nevertheless the cool mist was noticeable against his flushed skin. Curse the scorching summer in January.
He had no idea of how long he remained there, gazing into the flow of water and losing himself in the current. After the stress of the last week, the complete absence of thought was appreciated; it gave him the inner peace he'd always searched for in meditation.
He only came back to himself when someone bumped against his back. Jellal started, taking a step forward to recover. A glance behind revealed the offender was gone. Not that he was bothered. He was likely in the way, standing here as long as he had.
He sighed, running a hand through his sweat-damped hair. "Might as well go back to the hotel," he thought aloud. "It's been a long day. Tomorrow will be better."
Rolling his shoulders, Jellal turned, searching for his hotel along the skyline. His focus cut off completely at the ring of a familiar laugh. His eyes shot to the people around him, searching frantically for the person he swore that laugh belonged to.
That was Lucy, wasn't it? He frowned, spinning in a slow circle and letting his gaze dart from stranger to stranger. Of course, I could be wrong. The situations in which we met were never quite laughing matters. But it sounded like her. Then again, it's been over two years since I've heard her laughter.
Seeing no one he recognized, he groaned. You're losing it, Fernandes. Get it together. If you keep hearing things, you'll never find them. Then he sighed, resigning himself to a long night sitting at the hotel bar. Bars always had information, right? They also had the means to make him forget his weariness. Even if it was only temporary.
XXX
"Oh, look at this!" Wendy held up a dress against her torso, admiring herself in the full-length mirror she stood before. The dark grays completed her complexion, pairing well with her hair and eyes.
Erza hummed, glancing over from her side of the store to take in the garment the young woman selected. "Pretty. Wear that on your first date."
Wendy choked, almost dropping the dress in surprise. "Erza!"
The requip mage grinned. "What? After all, you're seventeen now. It's past time we found a crush for you. There has to be a special someone, right?"
"Whatever," the Sky Maiden mumbled, flushed and embarrassed. Nevertheless, she draped the dress over her arm to add to the pile.
Erza's grin slipped to an easy smile as she continued to riffle through the racks of Coracren styles and garments. She appreciated the time she got to spend with the young woman, especially since it was so rare that only the two of them hung out. Although, that time had certainly grown since Natsu and Lucy began dating last year. They rarely spent time apart, even more so than they had before. Not that it bothered any of them (although Gray pretended like it did). In fact, Erza smiled whenever she caught the two of them holding hands or laughing together or even just smiling across the room at each other. And she knew Happy snickered most days if they emerged from their hotel room with red faces.
Erza was proud of them. In all her years of knowing him, she'd never seen Natsu so happy, at least for so long. And they both deserved the world. Especially since they'd finally gained enough confidence to confess. Something she was just a little jealous of. As was Gray, that much she could tell. And, while there had been no mention of it to the group, she knew they had future plans waiting for the day they arrived back in Magnolia. She supposed it was the sentimental part of Natsu that stilled his hand when it came to proposing. Well, she knew it was. She'd forced the conversation out of him two months ago.
"She's always dreamed about some kind of fairy tale ending. That's why she likes those books so much. And I want her to have whatever she wants, ya know? So if I gotta wait to ask her just so she can have her magic moment, I think I can do that. She knows I love her. I know she loves me. That's what matters, right?"
While Erza most definitely agreed with his sentiment and was glad he had matured enough to understand that, she wished she hadn't had to spend the next two hours forcing him to understand that he shouldn't ask Lucy to marry him randomly in the middle of the guildhall. His argument had been that the guild was special to both of them and like the most magical place in Fiore and wouldn't she be happy to have all of her friends there? And Erza's very compelling counter argument had been that if he knew anything about magic moments, he would know that his idea was quite the opposite. He'd finally relented, yet she had no idea what his new plans were. She had a slight suspicion that he was purposefully avoiding telling her. Likely because he worried she wouldn't approve of it. Which meant she most definitely would not.
"Erza?" Wendy's soft voice cut through Erza's musings. The redhead looked over, expression open and waiting for whatever Wendy had to say next.
The Dragon Slayer grinned. "Oh, nothing. Just making sure you're in the present with me."
Erza snorted. "Don't worry. My thoughts didn't wander too far." Wendy laughed, pulling her blazer tighter with her free hand.
Erza raised an eyebrow. "You need a bigger size."
"Really?" Wendy looked down at herself, frowning slightly. "How can you tell?"
"The buttons are starting to pull." Erza paused, summoning a top into her arms. She handed the jacket to the young woman before grinning. "You really have grown up, haven't you?"
Wendy laughed, cheeks turning red. "Er, yeah, I suppose I have." She adjusted the blazer again, finally noticing the buttons beginning to strain the garment. Her blush deepened, embarrassment swirling through her. "I guess I'm really just not used to it."
"You're just a bit of a late bloomer." Erza pat Wendy once on the cheek before drifting toward the dressing rooms. "Nothing to be ashamed of."
Wendy stammered, following the requip mage at a distance. Erza continued to smile, tossing her scarlet hair back over her shoulder. Then she stopped suddenly, gaze drawn to the window. Wendy slammed into her back, caught unaware by the change in motion.
"Erza? Everything alright?"
Erza didn't respond, still staring out the glass panes. Her eyes darted back and forth, trying to make sense of what she thought she just saw. That's twice in one day… Am I losing it? Because there's no way… right?
"Erza? You're starting to scare me. What's going on?" Wendy leaned around the scarlet warrior, trying to see what might have spooked her friend so badly while simultaneously laying her clothes on a nearby armchair.
"Did you see it?" Erza murmured, crossing her arms with a faint shudder. "Probably not, hm?"
"See what, Erza?"
The mage blinked, returning to the present. Then she sighed, rubbing her arms. It took her another long minute before she spoke again. "This may sound crazy, but… well." She stopped again, rolling her shoulders. "Have you sensed anyone from Fiore here? Anyone besides the seven of us?"
Wendy frowned, stepping to the side so she was level with Erza. "I'm, I'm sorry. I haven't. I mean, it's possible that I've missed something, what with how big this city is. There's a lot of smells and sounds and they kinda all blend in together. Really the only thing I can pick out right now is Natsu and Lucy on their date across town, and that's because Natsu's been helping me train on using my senses." Her frown deepened a fraction. "Why are you asking?"
Erza met Wendy's gaze finally. "I keep thinking that I've seen Jellal."
Wendy blinked in surprise. "Really?"
"That's the second time today." A storm swam in Erza's eyes. "Am I going crazy?"
After a moment, a smile split across Wendy's face. "You miss him," she said, laughter slipping into her voice. "You're getting homesick and you miss him."
Color rose in Erza's cheeks. "Uh, what? I, I mean-"
Wendy laughed again, guiding Erza down onto the nearby couch. "We've been away a long time. And, well, you love him, don't you?"
Flames nearly exploded across the requip mage's face. "I, er, I mean, I don't know if I'd quite say that-" She rubbed the back of her neck, cheeks nearly matching her hair. Then she groaned, twining a finger through a thick strand of hair. "I guess if I'm being honest with myself… I want to."
Wendy grinned, glad to be on the delivering end of the teasing and advice instead of the receiving end. "So tell him that when we get back. Stop doing this weird dance thing you guys have been doing since before I met you."
"It's not that easy. He just, he's been fighting with these thoughts and self-hatred for so long. I've tried to tell him that no one blames him for what he did, especially when he was under Ultear's control, but nothing I say can make him believe me. I just wish… I wish he could just see himself the way I see him."
"Erza," Wendy began slowly. "You know that these kinds of problems, they aren't the kind that can just be wished away."
"I know," she sighed. "I only want to help him. I fear that, sometimes, he doesn't believe himself even worthy of simple happiness."
"Show him you care," Wendy said softly. "There has to be something you can do, right? Something that proves to him that you'll always be there, on the good days and especially on the bad days."
A small smile slid onto Erza's face. "When did you become so smart?" The pair rose to their feet, adjusting their clothes after the few minutes of sitting.
"Probably about time I got as tall as you." Wendy grinned as Erza looked her up and down, seeming to finally come to the realization that the two women were indeed eye to eye. Then she shook her head, gathering up her clothes.
"My goodness, how you've grown."
XXX
Jellal sighed, beginning the hike back up the three flights of stairs. His throat burned with a longing for more of the drink he'd left behind at the bar, but his head was practical. Things had been off today, and only sleep would likely help. Or maybe he really was just hearing things. Whatever was going on, he needed a long night of sleep. Hopefully this night would bring him empty dreams, black vision and thoughtless hours. He hated dreams sometimes. So often they brought him sights of her, and that did nothing but make him miss her more.
His joints ached and creaked. Two weeks wasn't long to journey through a foreign country, but two weeks searching for friends all by himself? His soul and body were equally tired.
Reaching the landing five steps below the door for his floor, he paused for a moment. He stretched and yawned, looking forward to the double bed he'd paid extra for. Hopefully the other people on his floor would be quiet. But who would be purposefully loud while staying at a hotel with other people?
He was two steps from the door when it swung open. He froze in place, narrowly avoiding the door as it hit the far wall with a soft thud. He glanced at the doorway, locking eyes on the person standing there. And the world faded to nothing but the outline of that beautiful woman before him.
She stared in wonder, mouth forming his name. Then she jerked. Suddenly she was flying forward, and it was second nature to catch her around the waist and shoulders as she fell on top of him. They stumbled back together, tripping down the three stairs until he hit the wooden planks of the landing, groaning as his head slammed into the floorboards.
His ears rang for a moment, vision blurring as the impact on his head came and went. The entire time, he was aware of her warm body sprawled across his, both legs resting between his, hands splayed across his chest. His arms remained tightly banded around her waist and under her arms, pinning her in place to protect her from the slight fall they'd taken.
Then she was moving, and a curtain of hair brushed across his flushed skin. He blinked, clearing his eyes and looking deep into the face of a woman he'd only seen in his dreams for the past two years.
"What a surprise," he murmured, noting the minute changes in her face since last they'd met.
She stared, thoughts obviously churning. "Jellal?" She whispered.
"It's been quite a time," he said, tucking a strand of hair behind the shell of her ear. "Hello, Erza."
And there you go! I had the idea to have them dancing around and catching glimpses of each other and immediately knew that I had to follow through. I think it turned out pretty well, don't you? Next chapter will be heavy on Jellal and Erza, so for all you Jerza shippers, prepare to have your hearts warmed (at least I hope so)!
Thank you all for understand about last week. I had an absolute blast and feel way more prepared for college since now I actually have friends going into it, so that's good. Hopefully I won't have to take any more breaks, but I'll be honest and say that I can't promise anything once school starts. But I swear to try my best, and I hope you all continue to enjoy this story as much as I do!