DAY 1- Date

Disclaimer- These characters belong to Hiro Mashima sensei.

Tapping her feet with barely contained exuberance, Erza grabbed her towel from her closet and made her way to bathroom.

She woke up an hour earlier, washed her hair thoroughly, maybe applied a bit of concealer adorned by mascara on her eyelashes. She dressed to impress and right now, there was only one person whom she wanted to have her eyes on.

She left her dorm 15 mins before time, undergoing a mayhem of mosaic emotions ranging from happiness, anticipation, and impatience, all at the time same, but above all- the urge to hold him in her arms again.

Her stubborn hair refused to stay in place, perturbed again and again by the breeze while she waited for him at their usual spot.

She chewed her lower lip in exasperation as she grew awfully impatient by every tick of the clock. It was 20 mins past their scheduled time and Jellal was nowhere to be seen. She half expected him to ambush her playfully.

She took at her watch again.

45 minutes past the scheduled time

Desirous, her brows knitted in distraught, her mind started conjuring up the worst-case scenarios that could occur to him. Jellal was punctual. He was never late.

Her hands started trembling slightly but she brushed away her paranoia and started treading towards his residence.

Maybe he woke up late? Or maybe he is stuck somewhere?

Despite her reassuring herself and intaking long breaths, she couldn't help but wallow into scepticism. She had a terrible feeling; something wasn't right with Jellal. She felt as if he wasn't alright.

Her flowing hair came to a standstill as she stopped running and stood in front of his flat door. She rung the bell a few times but to no avail. She finally dared to push the door open and was astonished to find it unlocked.

He wasn't this careless. Did someone break in?

As soon as she stepped into his flat, she was hit by a repugnant and revolting smell. She held her breath. The hallway was devoid of light, safe for the little glow coming out from his bathroom at the right end of the hall. She switched on the lights and her brows twitched in concern upon seeing traces of vomit on the floor, near his dining table.

The faint vomit trail followed the end of the hall, ending at the bathroom, where she found him, distressed and coughing, bent over his toilet and forcefully regurgitating the contents of his stomach. The bathroom floor was ruined.

There was puke everywhere. She hastily abandoned her purse, crouched near him and held her palm against his forehead. Her other hand was busy rubbing up and down his spine. He didn't look up and meet her eyes until he had barfed at least 3 more times.

She wordlessly hoisted him up and helped him get to the sink where he spit and gurgled the bitter residual with tap water. She rinsed his face and his hands and helped him splash water in his eyes.

'Erza...' he attempted weakly. His throat felt rancid and his eyes were prickled with wetness.

'Don't speak yet. Let's get you changed first'

She led him to his bedroom and get him out of his vomit clothes. She requipped into her casual attire as well. She got some puke on her date dress but that was least of her concern.

Jellal sat at the edge of his bed, starring at the floor, his palms clutching the bed sheet; his knuckles turning white. His breathing marked by convulsiveness, forcing his eyes to close intermittently. The scorching sensation in his chest had almost withered down, not quite entirely though. He blamed the inevitable seasonal flu.

He vaguely acknowledged her presence; not quite recuperated from his episode. He sighed in gratification, when he felt her palm push his bangs to check his temperature, as he was tenderly being laid back into his pillow.

'No fever at least', she heaved in relief. I'll bring you half a lemon with some black salt sprinkled on it. Lick it slowly. Okay?'

He nodded feebly and his eyes pursued her until she exited the room.

He almost passed out until she shook him gently and handed the lemon.

Making sure not to gag him further, she worked up to find some sizable wash cloth and started cleaning his bathroom, sink, the hallway with vomit traces and his dinning room.

She washed her arms and legs before going to check on him.

'How do you feel?', she asked when she entered his room.

'A bit better. I can't have more lemon.'

'Alright love', she took the lemon from his hand and empathetically smoothened his untended blue locks,' I'll be right back.'

She returned with a mixture of sugar, salt and water and instructed him to have one teaspoon at a time.

'Don't go...', his small request halted her in her tracks when she turned to leave the bed, ' I only have to double check a few things. I will be back before you know it'. She cradled his cheek and gave him a small peck.

'Okay', he whispered back drowsily, his eyes threatening to shut any moment.

Being the meticulous person she was, she cleaned the hall and bathroom once again, making sure it didn't stink, and locked his front door before washing her hands thoroughly. By the time she returned, Jellal had finished his drink and was fast asleep, laying on his back. She tucked him with enough blankets, placed a water jar on his coffee table and took a seat next to his bed after mentally taking a note if he would require anything else.

He woke up two hours later, refreshed and a little hungry, and saw her napping besides him.

'Erza', he called her twice.

She blinked and then suddenly remembered where she was.

'Jellal! Are you okay now?', perching next to him on his bed, she took his hands in hers. She caressed them, firmly.

'Yes, I feel a lot better'

'Do you still feel nauseous? Even just a little? Don't hesitate to tell me!'

'No..', suddenly feeling embarrassed, 'I am quite alright, I better get some medication in case I feel like barfing again'

'I already got you some from Porlyusica for the time being. We can still visit her in the evening and you can tell her a detailed account of your symptoms'

'Why didn't you tell me you were unwell?', she asked after a moment of pause.

'I sort of had a slight stomach ache when I returned yesterday. I was excited to see you so I slept on it. It became rather unbearable when I woke up today. I was hoping it would go away eventually but it kept on becoming worse. I am sorry. You had to wait for me all this time.' He looked at his hands, his expressions brimming remorse.

She shook her head in disbelief, 'Idiot, I was so worried about you'

'You cleaned my vomit. I am so embarrassed I brought myself to this state due to my own hard-headedness and absurdity. Thank you, Erza and…I am sorry', he added the last bit quietly.

'What are you apologising for?', she swiped away the sweat reeling at his forehead with her thumb. Her palm cupped his cheek.

'We promised each other, didn't we? That we would take care of each other, always. It wasn't a superficial affirmation on my behalf. I love you, Jellal and I want to take care of you, even the gross stuff.'

'But…I didn't want you to see me covered in vomit. It's too early for you to see my pathetic side. I should have taken a medication yesterday but I was giddy to get ready for our date. I wanted to go one with you'

'We will have plenty of opportunities ahead', she reaffirmed gently,' and Jellal…'

'Hmm?'

'It's okay to depend upon me. We are a couple, aren't we?'

He averted his eyes and pouted.

'We work as a unit, a team. You can't keep yourself burdening with things that will suffocate you eventually. You have to communicate with me and speak up. Okay?', she ruffled his head and made him lay in her lap. The back of His head fit against her thigh flawlessly and he felt an extreme urge to kiss her. But he withheld himself until he brushed his teeth.

'I know you have always been a private person and I won't invade your boundaries but sweetheart, now you also have to do things that fall within our grid.'

Her words etched deeply within his mind but he couldn't help but think how burdensome it would be for her to take care of him.

'Stop thinking', as if reading his mind miraculously, she broke his chain of thoughts and flattened his frown with her thumb. 'Taking care of you is not a chore for me', she whispered urgently, 'It makes me feel even closer to you. You would have wiped my vomit if our places were reversed right?'

'Without a doubt', he answered without missing a single heartbeat, clasping his palm over hers.

'Then learn to receive care in return as well. Relationships are all about giving and taking, to and fro of care and affection without keeping tabs'

Her voice gently coaxed reason into his rigid brain as he realised how unreasonable he behaved. They shared a life together. He wasn't a fugitive anymore who walked alone. His decisions would ultimately have an effect on her as well.

He brought her palm to his lips and kissed her knuckles.

'Thank you, Erza. I love you so much'. He smiled at her, with such sincerity and devotion that it nearly flooded her heart.

'idiot', she chuckled lightly.

'I made you porridge. Are you hungry?', she continued.

'Yes please'

'I'll heat it'

Jellal protested when she sent him back to bed after he offered to at least take care of the dishes. He huffed in restlessness but accepted his fate. He changed his damp clothes and bed sheets and was feeling much better after which, he patiently waited for his love to return to his side. Jellal always slept better when she was beside him.

Though Erza was generally at the receiving end of his pampering, she was happy enough to return the favour when he asked for it, for the first time, hesitantly. She shifted her arms so he could comfortably lay his head on her chest and wrap his arms around her navel. He dozed off soundly as she abetted this process by ranking her fingertips, gently, in his scalp.

She wasn't bothered about their little rendezvous anymore, they could reschedule it anytime, for now, she wanted him to feel better.

She stomped her foot and turned when she heard a voice call out to her. And she exactly knew whom it belonged to.

His eyes met hers as he snaked his arm around her waist and gave her a long kiss on her cheek.

'Ready?', he barely whispered ,with rich warmth, in her ears.

'Yes!', she smirked and didn't let go of his hand.

Thank you for reading! Please leave a review if you liked it. Constructive criticism is appreciated.