Jellal got up quite late the next morning and Erza was speaking to someone on her lacrima phone.
"COME BACK NOW! STOP FUCKING AND COME BACK! I CAN'T - W - ANYMORE!", a loud voice screamed from the other side and even though Jellal was only able to hear a part of it, he realised who was on the other side. Erza had her phone as far away from her ear as possible, but Mirajane's voice blared through the distance.
After a quick apology and a promise to make it up to her, Erza set the phone down. Wobbling back, she dropped down a nearby seat and her eyes rolled to the back of her head as she groaned out in frustration.
"I...I totally forgot that today is Christmas Eve!", she clicked her tongue in annoyance and Jellal pursed his lips as he stared at his feet.
"Did you have to use your entire strength on me?", Erza whined as she stretched, arching her back and massaging her thighs.
"Erza Scarlet likes it rough. It's rough, or nothing", Jellal countered and the redhead had no response to that accusation, yet again.
"Let's head back", she smiled at him, deviously changing the topic and Jellal agreed without a hitch. The two of them left their room and Jellal paid the old woman. Erza stepped in front of her and grabbed her hands with a smile on her face.
"Oba-san! I...I don't say this much, but really...thank you so much. Things...haven't been too good for me lately and I guess this...just helped me in so many ways. I-", she thanked her, but the older woman put it to a stop with a soft giggle and shook her head.
"It's fine, young one. It has been quite some time since I have had guests, but I really enjoyed our conversations. Come by again, if you ever come back to this area - your next meal is on me", she smiled. Erza nodded and turned to face Jellal.
"You head out. I'll join you in a minute", he interrupted her and the latter went ahead.
"What is it, young man?", the old woman sweetly asked and Jellal pursed his lips before shortening the gap between them.
"How long are you going to act like an innocent old lady?", he asked her and the woman returned his question with another smile.
"What do you mean, dearie? I am an old woman. I am not lying", she defended herself with a pout and Jellal frowned. He turned back to see if Erza was around, and to his relief, she had already left.
"Yes, you are lying, Ultear", he sighed and the woman pursed her lips. Her appearance had changed drastically. He had seen her just once in her older form, and if it had not been for the well-known smirk on her face or the familiar look in her eyes, Jellal would never have believed that the woman in front of him was Ultear.
"Who is that supposed to be, dearie?", she asked nonchalantly and faked a cough causing the Meteor mage to slam his palms on the counter.
"I want to know where everyone is. Why are they not at the guild? If the location had been compromised, why hadn't they cleared it properly? An amateur can track them down at this rate!", he complained and the woman gave him a pleasant smile.
"I don't know what you are talking about, sonny", she replied and Jellal sighed. He knew that he was fighting a lost cause. He nodded and turned to leave, but he noticed a familiar look on her eyes.
"You were naive. You wanted to achieve something impossible and you were willing to sacrifice anything and everything in your path to do it, but you failed. At that point, reality hit you like a truck", he started and the woman's lips started to quiver and her eyebrows scrunched in hate.
"I happened to be one of your victims. Until my last breath, I will hold it against you, but I will never hate you. I was the one who got conceited and I was the one who let you control me. The blame falls on my shou-"
"IT DOES NOT!", the normally silent old woman screamed with tears suddenly pouring out of her eyes and Jellal gave her a weak smile.
"It is the truth", he argued and she shook her head.
"You were just a child"
"A child that lived the life of an adult. In this world, such a child is treated the same way as an adult"
"But it doesn't change the fact that I stole your joy. Even...Even now, you wouldn't have lost these years if I had not meddled with your life. I wouldn't have destroyed Meredy's village!", she sobbed. Jellal could not reply to it. He too, was someone who constantly pondered on his past actions and reflected on them. He did not have the right to advise her on what to do.
"At least I got to know that an old friend of mine is still alive. You matter to me, Ultear - the same way Meredy matters to you. If you believe that you are cheating her, tell her the truth. She may forgive you, she may not, but your guilt may subside. For what it's worth, you matter to me. You were the older sister I did not have. Take care, Ultear.", he whispered and gave her hand a soft squeeze before leaving the inn.
"They...They feel they do not deserve to touch your shadow, Jellal. Meredy...she...she has not smiled this whole time and when she came to know that you were innocent...she...", she whispered, unable to continue and Jellal sighed in response.
"We were comrades that once fought together, were we not? Things may be different now, but I will always treasure our bond, Ultear. The next time you meet them, tell them that I am always ready to meet them. I will not deny my disappointment in them. I did expect them to stand up for me, and that day, I felt betrayed. I will not deny that and it is not water off the duck's back to me, but I won't deny the impact they've had on my life and I want them. I want to start from scratch", he replied and Ultear nodded in response while choking on her tears. Bidding farewell to his older sister like figure, Jellal left the inn with a soft satisfaction knowing that he had not left any stone unturned.
Erza was standing right outside the door and had a horrified expression on her face. She did not know that Ultear was the one who took Jellal away from her. She had always thought that he had gotten corrupt due to Zeref's magic, and gritting her teeth, she decided to barge inside the room and have a talk with the woman, but Jellal stopped her almost immediately.
That man, he was always like that. He could read her like an open book, but always disrespected himself.
"I didn't know", she whispered and clenched her fist and Jellal looked up to avoid her eyes.
"I didn't want anyone to know", he sighed and pursed his lips. Erza wanted to push him further, but decided against it. She wanted to know what had happened - she knew she deserved it.
"Let's go home", she smiled and offered him her hand. Jellal stared at her hand for a solid second before holding on to it and answered with a simple nod.
Time Skip
POP
"Stop bursting balloons", Erza chided her kids as she adjusted her red coloured corset.
"But it's fun, Mama!", Azure complained as she continued to pump a balloon that was overly large in size and Cerulean hugged the red coloured balloon with his tiny hands.
"Who has to clean up the mess you guys make?", she asked in response pointing to the remnants of the previously popped balloons and Azure pouted in response. Looking at his older sister, Cerulean adorably mimicked his sister's pout and Erza kneeled behind her son. She caught his cheeks and started to play with them.
"Don't make Mama's day even more difficult, okay?", she asked and Cerulean nodded instantly, although she was confident that he didn't understand what she meant.
"Kay! Helping!", Cerulean yelled and started to pick the remnants of the balloons and dumped some of them right into the crevices of the couch with a proud look on his face.
Giving up on the duo, Erza went back to wear her red bicep length gloves that matched with her thigh high red and white striped socks, and a Santa hat. Making sure to conceal all of the hickeys on her exposed skin with some makeup and cream, she came out to find the room in the same state and the kids having a gala time blowing up more balloons.
"Where's Papa?", Azure asked and bolted towards the spare room which Jellal used for dressing.
Before Erza could complain, Azure opened the door and Erza's jaw dropped. She had bought him a Santa coat and matching pants, but she did not expect for it to fit him so perfectly.
She had assumed that the coat was a size too small and it would stick to his skin like a latex suit, but it actually managed to accentuate his features. Jellal had not worn any shirt underneath, and had his sleeves rolled up to his forearms.
With his hard abs, untamed shoulder length hair, scarred chest exposed and his natural authoritative vibes, Jellal looked like a werewolf in his human form cosplaying as Santa Claus and Erza tried hard to hide her atomic blush.
Jellal bent down and rubbed Azure's head with a smirk and whispered something in her ear causing the girl to nod repeatedly and skip out of the room with a blissful smile on her face.
"Y...You look nice", Erza squeaked out and rubbed her arm, and Jellal cleared his throat.
"You look better", he mumbled as he rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment.
"Jellal, I was thinking of meeting Natsu and the others since...", she started and trailed off. Part of her knew that Jellal would act mature, but another small part of her feared that he would flash her a massive scowl and walk away. To her relief, he sighed and nodded without uttering a word.
"I don't have to come in, do I?", he asked and although it hurt her, Erza shook her head. Figuring out that the mood was turning sour, Erza clapped her hands gaining everyone's attention before Requipping a dark brown overcoat over her corset.
"Shall we go?", she asked with a smile and Azure rushed out the door, mumbling about stabbing snowmen in their guts and Cerulean was busy wrapping a few books.
"Are you going to bring them, honey?", Erza asked her son who nodded with a gleam in his eyes that reminded her yet again of Jellal.
"New secwet...stowy book", he stated and thrust the wrapped book in front of her face and Erza kissed her son's cheek.
"Papa teach me conlachun!", he exclaimed pointing a chubby finger and Jellal gave in, promising to point out whatever constellations he didn't know. He bent down and picked up the little boy who comfortably sat on his left forearm and grabbed on to Jellal's collar with his free hand for support.
Seeing her husband's free right hand, Erza was tempted to grab it but started to have second thoughts and cursed her mind for dwelling on her mistakes instead of trying to fix them. To her surprise, Jellal held her hand with a small blush on his face.
"It's...crowded outside", he mumbled and Erza instantly looked away.
"Then...", she started and decided to test her luck. She wrapped her left arm around his bicep and held on to his hand. "...this would be safer, right?"
Erza did not know how to follow up and gulped. Jellal gave her hand a soft squeeze and nodded.
"Yeah", he whispered and Erza could almost swear that she saw a ghost of a smile on her husband's lips.
Outside
"Ice cream!", Cerulean yelled on seeing the snow and Azure shook her head.
"No no no. It tastes like concrete", she warned her brother who tilted his head adorably and the two of them started to play around by blowing air out of their mouths and trying out making patterns, all of which were colossal failures.
Erza and Jellal kept an eye on the little ones' interaction and occasionally Jellal would point out a constellation or star to his son. However, in reality, the two of them were overly conscious of each other. Stealing glances at each other and blushing at each touch, they behaved like newlyweds and before they knew it, they were right outside Fairy Tail.
"Food!", the little ones screamed and Azure rushed inside without a second thought, instantly mulled over by Mirajane's cooking. Jellal pursed his lips and stared at his feet as he thought about going inside.
He went down on his knees and let Cerulean down whose cheeks fired up on touching the snow and ran towards the guild as he unwrapped his book.
"I'm not going to force you. Come inside if you want. They would be happy if you would do so", Erza whispered before giving his arm a soft squeeze and followed her son.
Jellal felt petty, but he still wasn't strong enough to go inside? Was he really afraid of them or was he just stroking his own ego? He didn't know at the moment and got back up on his feet before leaning on a nearby railing and stared at the stars, searching for stars that Cerulean might not know.
"Isn't that Jellal Fernandes?"
"Yes, he is. He is the captain's husband, isn't he?"
"Wasn't he a former convict?"
"I still believe he is. I don't believe that he is innocent. Poor Erza, I can't believe that such a gem of a woman fell prey to this scum"
"Careful! He might hear you!"
Jellal feigned ignorance, but the rumour mill continued to churn. In a span of a couple of minutes, the story had wandered off to him having an affair with multiple women and the only reason Erza had married him was because he had raped her and Erza didn't want to lose face. He was proved to be innocent, but at that moment, he realised that this would be a burden he would have to carry for as long as he lived. Sighing deeply, he continued to search for stars for his son and pondered about a few jousting tips for his daughter.
On the other hand, Fairy Tail was a mess as always. Natsu and Gray were fighting, people were randomly screaming, glasses of wine were flying around, Laxus was nowhere to be found and Mirajane acted as if nothing had happened.
"Mira Oba-chan", a voice squeaked out and the Takeover mage turned towards the source of the sound only to have a little pair of arms around her leg.
"Look who's here!", she smiled at the little boy who flashed her a smile and Azure walked in the next moment, gauging the guild as always, waiting for Lara. Mirajane smiled on seeing her daughter and goddaughter bicker with each other, reminding her of herself and Erza in their younger days.
"New book!", Cerulean showed proudly as he thrust a wrapped book towards Mirajane and she bent down to meet his eyes.
"Did Mama buy you a new book?", she asked him as she kissed his nose and the little one violently shook his head.
"Secwet! Mama's bed!", he smiled and Mirajane giggled nervously. What did he mean? She brushed the thought away, thinking that Erza was mature enough to look at the book before placing it with a toddler and an energetic five year old around.
"Do you want me to read it for you, Lean?", she asked and his eyes glew up. He reminded her so much of Jellal that it hurt. They weren't particularly close, but she respected him. She owed him an apology, but she never could muster up the courage to do so. She could not meet his fallen eyes. Even if it did not excuse her past actions, she had promised herself that she wouldn't let the shine in Cerulean's emerald eyes vanish like that of his father's.
"It's a bit noisy, isn't it? Want to see me do a magic trick?", she asked and before she completed her question, the glimmer in his eyes answered her. Another pair of arms wrapped around her neck and she turned around to see Azure pouting at the book.
"I've never seen that book before. Read it to me as well and show me that magic trick as well", she asked/ordered and Mirajane gave in.
"You have to close your eyes and ears real tight until I say so, okay? It's a secret magic and I will teach it to you when you become older", she smiled and the two agreed thrusting their pinky fingers forward. Mirajane obliged and the two held their end of the deal, shutting their eyes and covering their ears tightly with their hands.
"IF YOU DON'T SHUT THE FUCK UP, I WILL POISON YOUR FOOD, BLOW UP YOUR HOMES, SELL YOUR SPOUSES TO FLESH TRADERS, SELL YOUR ORGANS ONE BY ONE AND OPEN A NEW GUILD WITH THE CHAIRS AND TABLES COVERED WITH THE LEATHER MADE FROM YOUR SKIN, WHICH I WILL TAKE WITH YOU BEING CONSCIOUS!", she bellowed, ironically with a smile on her face. The children could hear her scream but thankfully didn't hear the contents of her "magic".
She flicked the noses of the two children near her and their eyes shot up and looked around, meeting a silent Fairy Tail and clapped in appreciation.
Mirajane took one of the seats behind the counter with Cerulean on her lap and Azure hanging on her back. The little girl somehow managed to balance herself by placing her feet in a couple of the various gaps in the wall.
Mirajane unwrapped the book and flipped the cover to see a warning sign - Erza's name. "Property of Erza S. F."
That book could have been some weird BDSM smut book Erza was into, and that closet masochist had been caught dozens of times, but never seemed to learn her lesson.
"I...I have a few other books inside. Why don't I read those for you?", she offered and Cerulean pointed a chubby finger towards Erza's name.
"Mama! Mama stowy book!", he exclaimed and Azure softly whistled.
"I want to read it too. Is it Mama's diary? Does it have pictures or is it like one of Papa's boring books?", she asked as she leaned towards the book and Mirajane prayed for it to be in the latter part. If so, she would bring in some other book and this book raised all sorts of red flags and she had not crossed the front page. She would have had a gala time mocking and teasing Erza about the book, but the children were different.
"GUESS WHO'S HERE!", a well known voice yelled and a certain Requip mage flung the guild's door open sending in a chilly gust.
Flinging her overcoat to the side, Erza cocked her hip to the side and showed her dress causing Lucy to puff her cheeks in annoyance and jealousy at the former's perfect figure. A small smirk appeared on Mirajane's face as she observed that Erza had purposefully mismatched her boots, and noticed that one boot had a thicker heel to balance her limp, and Mirajane put two and two together, getting a basic idea of what had happened.
Mirajane momentarily looked at Erza and the gust of wind flipped a few pages of the book landing at a certain picture. Looking at it, her eyes widened and her left hand instinctively covered Cerulean's eyes.
The picture was of a naked Erza with bunny ears and cuffs, her face and naked body were covered in cum as she showed the victory sign with both of her hands while flashing a proud and perverted smile, sticking her tongue out that was coated in cum.
Mirajane gulped loudly as Azure looked right at the picture and pointed her index finger at Erza with a completely innocent expression.
"Mama, why do you have some weird soap on you and why are you dressed like a bunny near the onsen?", she asked and Erza's smile vanished. She rushed forward at a speed that rivalled her husband's, vaulted over a table, reached and grabbed the book from Mirajane's hand and instantly flung it out of the guild like a frisbee.
"IDIOT! WHAT IF SOMEONE ELSE SEES IT?", Mirajane screamed and Erza's eyes widened before she rushed out of the guild.
Perhaps it was sheer luck - Jellal had his senses strengthened to the edge and caught it with a growl on his face as he looked towards the source of the "attack".
Erza's heart rose to her mouth - those pictures were not exactly taken with Jellal's knowledge. She was well aware that he was a bit of a closet pervert, but he didn't hold a candle to her, and if he came to know of her hobby, it was sure to scar him for life.
"Uhh uhh w...w...", she started nervously as she pointed to the book, and she swept her hands at the book which Jellal dodged out of reflex.
"What is this?", he asked and Erza's heat rose to her cheeks.
"Don't tell me this is one of your smut novels and Lean took it for reading", he sighed and Erza gulped inconspicuously.
"I refuse to confirm or deny that statement", she said and pursed her lips. A gust blew towards them and Jellal loosened his grip on the book causing it to flip over a few sides.
"Honeymoon...week before the first pregnancy was confirmed...", he whispered, as heat rose to his cheeks mirroring the expression on his wife's face. His photogenic memory made him recall every moment from those pictures and he cursed himself internally.
"Are you an exhibitionist as well, Erza?", Jellal asked and before he could press further, Erza snatched the book from his hand and rushed back into the guild.
At that time, another set of giggles was heard and Jellal turned towards the source, and spotted Laxus with his daughter.
The latter noticed him and approached him warily, letting go of his daughter who rushed inside the guild mirroring Erza.
"Fairy Tail is lively as ever", he smiled and faced Jellal.
"Not in the mood for a drink?", he asked and Jellal pursed his lips.
"Another time, perhaps", he sighed. Again, Jellal felt petty for avoiding his offer. He needed some time to heal, but that did not mean he could behave like a drama queen.
"How long are we going to be like this, Jellal?", Laxus asked in exasperation and winced instantly. His phrasing made it sound like the fault landed back at Jellal, and if Jellal spiraled back into another series of self-hate, he knew for sure that Erza would skewer him.
"I'm sorry...I...I didn't mean it like that", he apologised and ran his hand through his hair.
"I'm used to it", he whispered with that fake smile and pointed his chin to his right side, where Laxus saw people whispering and pointing their fingers at Jellal.
"Just stop making that face, Jellal. What...WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO? STOP TALKING IN CIRCLES AND SPIT IT OUT!", he roared in frustration and expected Jellal to take up a fighting stance. To his surprise, Jellal didn't move an inch. He looked at Laxus' face and cast him a forlorn smile and it was the first time in a while that Laxus saw a smile bearing some sort of genuineness on Jellal's face.
"Trust me", he answered. Those two words gut him harder than his strongest punch, and Laxus had seen one of his worst sides in one of their older misunderstandings.
"Can things go back - I mean, do you WANT things to go back to how they were? One day?", he asked. His impatience was worsening. He could not handle the suspense and was more than willing to accept the truth, no matter how bitter it may be.
"I hope so", he answered and turned towards Laxus. He stared at him for a solid second and momentarily vanished from his sight.
Laxus blinked and saw a tight fist against his abdomen and he felt the bile rush to his mouth. He grabbed onto the nearby railing and spat out some blood as Jellal loosened his fist.
"We're even...Laxus", he stated and walked away without turning back. On any other day, Laxus would have rushed at him, starting a fierce hand-to-hand combat battle, but that moment, tears sprung down his eyes as he realised that Jellal called him by his given name. He may not have forgiven him completely, but he was willing to wipe the slate.
A jolt of electricity rushed behind him and Jellal instinctively moved his head to the side, causing the attack to miss him by a hair's breadth.
"That was...your warning, Fernandes", Laxus sighed before getting back on his feet while wiping his mouth. Jellal smirked and nodded.
"I see. I will watch my back", he replied with a soft chuckle and parted ways with Laxus, who walked towards the guild with a stupid grin on his face.
Jellal, on the other hand, was still disappointed. Every person he saw would avoid his eyes and would whisper something about him to a nearby person. He heard the clacking of heels and saw the tawny eyes of Kagura right in front of him.
"Just my luck", she clicked her tongue and looked away. Jellal chose not to respond and moved to the side, but Kagura's eyes followed him.
"Where is Nee-san?", she asked him with pursed lips. Jellal jerked this thumb towards Fairy Tail and Kagura huffed.
"The last time I saw her, Nee-san never smiled at me. Are you mistreating her, you bastard? Must make you feel like a real man, doesn't it? Getting your revenge for her lack of judgement. Go pat yourself on the back", Kagura snapped at him and at that point, Jellal realised something.
No matter what he would do, he will never be forgiven. It was his choice, and it was his determination to make things right, but he was no longer ready to shoulder the blame for what had transpired. At that moment, he decided that he was done atoning for his sins, he was done giving back to a society that would not believe that he had changed.
Kagura tolerated him only because of Erza, and even though there was no love lost between him and Kagura, he had to thank her for showing this to his face. Jellal was done serving a society that would always hurt him no matter how he helped it.
"Are you leaving, you shameless loser? She never should have married you", she stated and he suddenly turned back to face her.
Kagura flinched on seeing the expression on his face. She feared that she was facing a real werewolf that she would often read in fictional books.
He rushed forward and grabbed her by her collar, and raised her to his eye level. Kagura shivered on seeing the sheer anger in his emerald eyes but put up a brave front.
"Maybe you are right. But at the end, she chose to marry me. That decision is Erza's to make, and something you have no control over and no right to meddle with. At the end of the day, Erza is my wife. Whether we try to kill each other or love each other, it comes down to the two of us - and in no way does it concern you. You hate me and you love Erza. I can respect that. But if you cross the line, I will not hold back - even if you are his sister", he growled and Kagura headbutted his forehead.
"Do you - his killer, have any right to even utter his name? If not for my brother's love for peace, I would have stained my hands with your rotten blood a long time back. You show no sign of regret and live while my brother who loved you like his own, had his life cut short. I tried to suppress this, but I can't. You...You were the one who killed Simon, Jellal Fernandes!", Kagura roared and she expected Jellal to raise his hand again. She wanted to confirm with her own eyes if all the rumours going around were true, and to her surprise he let her down, but did not take his eyes off her face.
"I have atoned for his death. For the one life I had taken, and that too, against the wishes of my conscience, I have been atoning for the past 14 years, and you know what?", he asked and Kagura started to sweat. She knew that Jellal was incredibly powerful - far, far more powerful than Erza who could take on an army on her own, but his mental strength was almost a joke. His tendency to blame himself made him weak and he constantly depended on Erza to pick him up. But the man in front of her showed no sign of regret, no sign of grief and just pure, unadulterated anger.
"I am done. For a society that will never respect me, for one that will never accept me as a part of it, for one that will turn its back on me at the first opportunity, I am done atoning and serving it. If you want to blame me for it, then do so. I don't care anymore. But I will tell you this - it was my magic that killed Simon, and not my conscience. I am no longer willing to take the responsibility for his death. I am done playing by the social rules, and you know what? I am going to live for those who want me near them", he stated with such a fierce glare in his eyes that Kagura's knees would not stop shaking.
"If you want to kill me for what happened to Simon, then you may try to do so. But...", he paused and adjusted her collar before meeting her eyes again.
"...if you choose to make an attempt on my life, I assume you are willing to sacrifice your own life for the same. I am not going to let my family suffer due to my absence, and I will not hesitate to take another life if that's what it takes to ensure our happiness", he continued and abruptly left with the threat, before turning back.
"I believe I had already answered, but Erza should be around Mirajane. Merry Christmas", he wished her and walked away with a smile on his face. A soft smile graced Kagura's face after his miniature sermon. That man was inarguably the perfect match for someone with Erza's tenacity.
Clicking his tongue, Jellal started to walk, taking random streets and before he knew it, he was far off from Fairy Tail. Checking his surroundings, he saw a small path heading towards the forest and his heart sunk when he walked towards it. It was a cliff, and a rather familiar one.
It was where he had asked Erza to marry him. Clenching his fists, he gave up and took a seat by the nearest tree before closing his eyes, bathing in self pity.
When he passed by Fairy Tail, he could hear Erza and the children having a great time with the others. If they were happy, it was fine. Jellal was almost convinced that the joy in his life was temporary, and while he should enjoy it while it lasted, he should brace for the pain that would naturally come along. The train of thoughts started to turn the gears of his mind to the point of exhaustion and Jellal shut his eyes, taking in the soft jingling of bells, the carols, the giggling of children, the soft smell of fresh baked muffins and pastries that glazed through the air and opened his eyes for a second as he stared at the star studded sky.
Taking a secondary note of various constellations to teach Cerulean, he observed the full moon that night and a flash of red colour caught the corner of his eye. He instinctively turned towards it and saw Erza standing there, with a shocked expression on her face.
"You...You remembered..", she whispered and trailed off.
"I can't forget this place, can I?", he asked with a weak grin and pointed towards a tree with lots of sword marks on its bark.
"It was right over there..."
"We were sparring. Neither of us had the upper hand at the moment, and I tripped on that very root, causing my sword to plunge itself into the bark of the tree. In an unsportsmanlike manner, you hit my wrist with the butt of your sword and pointed the tip of your sword against my neck. I complained and you smirked before looking down to laugh at me. You let your guard down and I rushed. I kicked your sword away and pushed you onto the ground, placing my hands against the sides of your head. You raised an eyebrow and I started to give you an earful about honour, but you tucked my hair behind my right ear and kissed my neck. I blushed and stuttered something incomprehensible, and you kissed my neck again, but this time, you whispered two words against my sweaty skin - 'Marry Me'. I fainted and the next thing I knew, I was sleeping on your lap with a ring on my finger", she blurted out and Jellal was impressed.
"I recall someone saying their memory was vague - "
"Women remember these things, Jellal. All women. It can be some random weakling damsel in distress you see on the street, or the Queen of Fairies herself. It is equally important to both of them", she whispered and her hand traveled to the right side of her neck, and she shivered when her fingertips touched the exact spot he had kissed all those years back.
"I see", he sighed and noticed that Erza was alone.
"They are with Mira. Apparently, she promised to read them a story, and they're holding her to her promise. I needed some fresh air, but I...just seemed like the odd man out, so I came out for a walk. I guess I was lucky to have spotted you here", she whispered while toying with her fingers. Jellal patted the snow next to him, silently asking her to take a seat and Erza instantly obliged.
"What happened to the...book?"
Blood rushed to Erza's cheeks and she refused to answer his question.
"Are you sure you want to spend your time here? Your scheduled holidays end soon, don't they?", he asked her and Erza nodded.
"I don't think I'd want to be anywhere else right now", she whispered softly and cuddled into his warmth, while resting her head on his shoulder. Jellal subconsciously grabbed on to her waist and Erza hummed in pleasure.
"We can see the fireworks from here", she smiled, pointing towards the sky and Jellal scrunched his eyebrows.
"Fireworks? For Christmas?"
"Natsu and Laxus got so drunk, they started to have an expenditure battle. Natsu bought out 2 months worth of fireworks and Laxus almost mortgaged the guild building. Needless to say, they both got couched for an entire month and Mira has banned Laxus from drinking alcohol until tomorrow tonight", she explained and Jellal gave out a soft chuckle.
The fireworks started to light up the night sky and Jellal let out a low whistle. He turned softly to his left side to look at Erza staring at the sky. She had gotten up from his shoulder, and her hair had dropped, covering her right eye. She gripped his thigh tightly and as always, her lips were softly parted. Her left hand subconsciously started to trace patterns in the snow and a smile graced his lips. He just could not let her go. He was the only one who could handle her, and she was the only one who could put up with him. He knew what he had to do.
"I love you", he whispered. Her grip tightened and she slowly turned towards Jellal with a bewildered face, before breaking into a soft chuckle.
"Did you say something? I...I misheard it", she laughed.
"You didn't mishear it, Erza. That I can promise you"
Erza's lips started to quiver and she clenched her fist in response. He pulled her onto his lap and wrapped an arm around her waist, while the other toyed with her hair.
"I never stopped loving you, Erza. I was just...scared, of you, and of everyone. I have been a big burden, haven't I?", he asked her and looked down, unable to meet her eyes.
"Stop it", she whispered with quivering lips and instinctively hugged him, forcing his face into her chest as she rubbed his back.
"You are not a burden. Stop beating yourself up", she whispered as she battled her tears for the umpteenth time.
"I love you", he whispered again.
"I love you more. You...You are everything to me. I...", she started, but couldn't speak more. She was satisfied over his declaration and buried her fingers in his hair.
"Don't you want to see the fireworks?", he asked from her chest and Erza shook her head.
"I've got something more important going on right now", she whispered and she could feel his smile.
She repeated the three words like a prayer. Jellal could get bored of her, he might scream at her for being annoying at the moment, but none of that fazed her.
"I think we should head back", he sighed and Erza agreed, albeit begrudgingly. She was confident that her children would eventually find a way to earn Mirajane's wrath.
"Erza", he softly whispered and stared at her face. She knew that look like the back of her hand. She knew what he was going to ask and placed her finger on his lips before shaking her head.
"I can't promise that, Jellal", she whispered. "I am far from perfect. I cannot promise that I will not hurt you like this again in the future"
Jellal's heart sank, but she did not lie. After all, who knew the future? He was happy she did not give him a false promise for the sake of it and decided to ask for something else before Erza softly kissed him.
"But I can promise you this - I will never put my ego or the others' expectations before you. I will always give you a chance to explain yourself, so...please don't hurt me by hurting yourself", she replied and Jellal pursed his lips before nodding and Erza mildly looked to the side.
"Do you...really love me? I...I mean, this would be a right way to take revenge, wouldn't it? You give me hope and then snatch it, throwing me into despair, the same way I did to you three years back", she asked and Jellal sighed.
"What do you think, Erza?", he asked with a poker face and she pursed her lips. She didn't know how to answer. The Jellal she knew and loved wouldn't do it in a thousand years, but even if he did do it, she couldn't blame him. But she closed her eyes and decided to trust the man she loved.
"I trust you", she stated with a determined look in her eyes and flipped her hair behind her shoulder elegantly and Jellal smiled.
"Close your eyes for me", he whispered and pulled her waist close to his own. Blood rushed to Erza's cheeks again as she could feel his warm breath against her chest. He intertwined his fingers with hers and looked up to press his forehead against hers.
Erza felt a sudden dose of warmth before the air turned freezing cold. She looked to see the two of them in space and an ethereal glow around Jellal's body. He opened his eyes and pressed his forehead against hers once again.
Erza wanted to throw up. An unnatural amount of memories surged through her mind, all of them involving Jellal contemplating suicide and ill-treated by the people around him. She wanted to scream out in horror. The way his thoughts had twisted into a series of fictional events was outright horrendous and they all ended right at all the times he almost chose to end it all. She winced instantly, but all of those memories landed only at one junction - What if she still has feelings for me? Erza would become lonely.
"Even if you choose to walk away from me again, I won't change. You can hurt me thousands of times, but I don't think I can change. I will be hurt, I will get angry, but I know I cannot stop loving you", he smiled and leaned back to show blood streaming down from his eyes.
"You are my everything, Erza Scarlet", he whispered and the scenario broke down. They were back near the cliff and Jellal started to wipe his bloody tears. Erza wore a solid poker face. She stared at his eyes without muttering a single word and Jellal tilted his head just like Cerulean, as he rubbed the remnants of blood from his face.
"Do I have anything on my face?", he asked and Erza slammed her lips onto his, blazing in a concoction of love, lust and aggression. Jellal was definitely surprised, but returned her affection and Erza forced his face into her soft and warm chest.
"Whatever bullshit I spouted a minute back, forget it. The whole world can go against you, Jellal. But I won't. I promise you this. Even if I hurt you, even if you hurt me, I will never leave you. Whether you like it or not, you are bound to me for eternity", she stated with a serious tone, but the warmth and comfort of her body said otherwise.
"I...I'm so sorry, for betraying you, Jellal. I love you, I need you by my side. Only then can I move forward. Those two and a half years...they were hell to me. My pain is miniscule to yours, but it was painful enough to force me to keel over. I cannot go through that again and I will not let you go through that again. Even if you push me away, I will step forward and stand by you", she promised as she forced him to meet her eyes. Her hazel orbs carried nothing but the truth and a small smile made its way up to Jellal's face.
"I don't think I'd have it any other way", he chuckled and Erza cleared her throat.
He leaned back to look at her face and saw her blushing.
"Y...Yesterday was not exactly a safe day and you...", she trailed and Jellal broke into a smile.
"I don't mind", he whispered before raising an eyebrow. "This was pre-planned. I know. Don't even bother denying it"
Erza blushed at the accusation and chose to maintain her silence and began to play with his hair.
"Why are you wincing?", he asked and Erza pursed her lips.
"My thighs are killing me, my butt hurts, my breasts are sore, my body is ridden with hickeys, and you have the gall to ask my why I'm wincing?", Erza snapped and her better half raised an eyebrow.
"You would be the first to complain if I did none of those. For the hundredth time, Erza loves it hard and rough, and she would complain if I did anything else, wouldn't she?", he countered and Erza looked away in embarrassment and defeat.
"You're the wiser one. You should know better", she mewled.
"You're the perverted one. There's no stopping you once you've hit the line of no return", he retorted.
"The snow is pretty thick today, right? Was it this thick yesterday?", Erza asked with an obviously fake laugh in a futile attempt to change the topic.
"How many children do you want?", he asked her with an exasperated voice and Erza frowned, deep in thought.
"Because of your blood, your life would keep repeating forever, wouldn't it? You would have to live through the same horrors again and again. Is there any chance I might be able to do the same?", she asked, not waiting for his answer.
"Honestly, I don't know. It really is my personal hell. I will have to face all those hardships again and again, and I have to live in fear of the future in case one of my actions has a drastic effect on the future. To be honest, the only thing keeping me sane is knowing that I get to see you each time, and I get to see you fall in love with me again and again", he answered and buried his face in her shoulder.
"It's not fair", she pouted like a child.
"Never was and never will be, at least for me"
"What if I can change it?", Erza asked genuinely.
"I'll be thankful"
"Four hundred...minimum", Erza stated and pointed her index finger at Jellal's chest.
"What do you...", he started and then rolled his eyes.
"You won't even recall them, Erza", he sighed and Erza flipped her hair.
"You don't know that for sure. I have all these weird marks on my body. What if I get to follow you as well? If that's the case, I want five children every regression. If I get to keep my memories, well, I'll think of a plan"
"I'm not some baby making factory, Erza and I want a family, I don't want to start my own country", he softly whined.
"You have to dream big, darling! But I'm open for an argument", she offered and the man rolled his eyes
"I'm not convinced that you're willing to take any of points into consideration", he jabbed and got up, dusting a few snowflakes off his clothes.
"That is a very serious accusation", she smiled and hugged his arm tightly. The duo walked down towards a meeting point where Mirajane was there, trying to handle three children on a sugar rush. The rest of the guild was present as well, all of them staring at the sky as Laxus and Natsu's mishap actually turned out to be a different type of celebration.
"He is here, now. Do you think anything is going to happen to us?"
"Captain Erza is there. Even if he were to do something, she would be there to protect us, won't she?"
"Why are they still allowing him after he..killed those people? Even if they were criminals, he killed them. What if he starts killing innocents to quench his bloodlust?"
"Does she truly love him? Even after all that? I believe he is holding her children hostage or something like that. He is adept at various types of magic, right? What if he cast some sort of illusion spell on the children to make them look like him?"
"I second that opinion. Erza Scarlet is not someone who forgives easily. That man surely did something. Look at her clutching onto him in such a painfully fake manner"
Erza hated it. An obviously fake smile was etched on her face, but she wanted to dislocate the jaws of each and every one of those assholes talking behind their backs.
"Learn to live with it", her better half sighed as he slipped his hand around her waist.
"It's not fair...not fair at all", she sighed while clutching his coat and buried her face in his chest.
"You're there for me. I can live with that", he chuckled.
"Liar", Erza rebuked and he didn't have a response.
"I don't want to be treated like a hero. I know I am not one. But I believe I've repented for my crimes. I just don't want to be treated like a villain", he sighed before clicking his tongue.
Erza grabbed his collar and wrapped her legs around his waist. Jellal's eyes shot up and he instinctively grabbed her thighs to support her. Erza wrapped an arm around his neck and cupped his cheek with the other hand.
"You are my hero, Jellal. You may still hate yourself, you may think everyone still holds your past against you, and that you don't deserve joy. But you were, are and will always remain my hero", she confessed and captured his lips, much to his chagrin. While Jellal absolutely didn't mind anything in their privacy, he was still shy with respect to public display of affection, which Erza had no fear of.
Out of breath, she let go of his lips and never looked away from his eyes. Jellal was a blushing mess and as he stared at her for a couple of seconds, he instantly looked away, causing Erza to break into a smile.
"The one who looks away first loses, Jellal", she whispered and kissed the tip of his nose and the man pursed his lips.
"I love you, Jellal, with all my heart and soul", she confessed earnestly and Jellal was internally screaming at her to stop. Her voice was loud enough for everyone around to hear her, and Jellal started to overthink again.
Erza swooped in and kissed his neck, earning his attention.
"I don't care if they begin to hate me as well. I don't need the respect of those who don't respect you"
"That is not exactly the wisest choice, especially considering the importance of your position"
"You made me like this, dummy. Take responsibility", she snapped and Jellal pursed his lips again with a slight nod.
"I will"
"One hundred kisses - that is my price"
"Are you a loan shark?"
"I'll accept alternate methods of payment as well"
"I don't want to know"
"I'll make you know"
"I love you"
The powerful Titania didn't have any response to that. She blushed and looked away as deja vu hit her, except Jellal was on the receiving end.
"I mean it", he smiled when Erza didn't respond.
"Of course I know you mean it. It's just...I haven't heard that for quite some time and...that phrase doesn't hold a candle to what you mean to me", she sighed, burying her face in the crook of his neck. From the corner of her eyes, she could see the commoners continuing to whisper, but she could feel their glares softening into doubtful stares and their sneers transforming into soft murmurs. She knew that there was one last thing she had to do to make it to Jellal. He would surely stop her, and would definitely complain, but it was her responsibility.
"Whatever you are thinking of doing... don't. You've apologised enough", he whispered and Erza broke out into a soft blush.
"If you can read me like an open book, it's only fair that I can do the same, isn't it?", he asked and Erza didn't have an answer.
"Is it fair if I insult and hurt you in front of Fiore, but apologise to you in our privacy?"
"At the end of the day, I am the one who decides whether to accept your apology or not, and I accept your apology. I've hurt you enough, making you go through that hellish feeling of guilt", he added.
"I deserved it. That is the truth"
"It is, and you have repented. I won't stand as you hurt yourself even more", Jellal challenged causing his better half to sigh and lean back to stare at his face.
"Why are you the way you are?", she sighed again and Jellal lifted her face by her chin as he flashed her a small, yet cocky smile.
"Because you wouldn't have it any other way", he answered and Erza nodded, having no words to his comment and looked to her right side.
"Did everyone leave already?", she asked on seeing nobody except their children nearby.
"I saw them leave. Looks like they wanted to give us some privacy. Just...hold it in when we are in public, Erza", Jellal blushed again and Erza shook her head before lifting his face by his chin.
"I'm not afraid to profess my love for my husband in front of the whole of Fiore. He deserves it, after all"
"But he doesn't want it. He is satisfied with your affection"
"You'll get used to it, darling", she smiled as she rubbed his chest.
"I...I promised to teach Azure something about flanking tactics. Now would be a good time", he sighed and looked away again, on seeing glaring eyes from afar.
"Can we have cake?", Azure asked and Cerulean shot up from making snow angels on hearing the word 'cake'.
"Fine. Why don't you try a new flavour?", Jellal asked and his daughter shook her head.
"Blueberry is the best. The others are dumb", she said and stuck her tongue out. Jellal could feel Erza's temperature rising on hearing her daughter indirectly insult her precious strawberry cake.
"Am I right, Lean?", Azure asked and the little cherub gave a big nod before hiding behind his sister, feeling sinister vibes from Erza.
"I've given birth to heretics", she seethed.
"If it's any consolation, I don't mind having one", he offered and Erza blushed.
"I'll share mine with you", she whispered and Jellal raised an eyebrow.
"I... It's because I need to maintain my diet. I can't go around becoming heavier, can I? And...and -"
"Is that the truth?"
"Fine! I want to sit on your lap and feed you my cake. Happy?", she snapped and Jellal blushed, rubbing the nape of his neck nervously.
"Well, if you're embarrassed, it's fine"
"N...No", he mewled in return.
"What was that? It was too feeble for me", Erza taunted, jumping internally on giving him a dose of his own medicine.
"Let's share", he whispered.
"Is that the truth?", she asked him, repeating his previous question and Jellal pursed his lips before yanking her towards him by her waist and gave her a soft glare.
"Yeah", he whispered and Erza shivered as his chill breath hit her face, and felt a small force tug her Santa corset.
"Hungwy", Cerulean whined with puffed cheeks as he yanked at her corset with all of his might and Erza stifled a giggle.
"Come on, let's go", she smiled and guided them to her new favourite shop. Needless to say, the children bolted forward and stuck their faces close to the counter, hunting for their favourite blueberry flavour.
"I'll handle them", Jellal offered and managed to drag them to an empty table.
"Papa, when are you going to take me to the mountain to train?", Azure asked, tapping the table and Cerulean joined in, mimicking his sister.
"In a while. Let's not trouble Mama, okay?", he offered and Erza dropped in at the perfect timing.
Jellal's eyes bolted towards the nearby tables, and needless to say, the rumour mill started to work harder than usual. He was sure he made out his name and the words "traitor" and "die".
"They are being mean to Papa", Azure whispered, secretly glaring daggers at the neighbours just like her mother, and Jellal ruffled her hair.
"Ignore them. If we react, it would give them more to work on and more to spread. They will speak about me for another month or two, and then, they will forget about me. Until then, just wait. This too, shall pass", he smiled. He may have fooled the young ones, but Erza could easily see the toll it was taking on him as well. As much as he tried to ignore them, he couldn't. The part of himself he subsided into Siegrain - the one wanting recognition and respect, still lurked inside Jellal's heart.
"Enjoy your cake and wish you a merry Christmas", the waitress wished and walked away.
"Do you want me to feed you?", Azure asked her brother who nodded a couple of times and opened his mouth cutely.
"D.. Do you want me to feed you?", Erza asked with a blush on her face, as she held a fork with some cake on it.
"I don't think this is a good place", Jellal answered, but chose to have some of her cake anyway.
"It's good", he whispered and started to stare at Azure wiping her brother's mouth, with a satisfied smile on his face.
"It's not as sweet as I expected it to be", Erza whispered and Jellal frowned.
"Really? I don't think so", he frowned and took another piece. Erza got up, pulled Jellal away from the table and sat on his lap, wrapping her right arm around his shoulders and cupped his cheeks with her left hand.
She smashed her lips onto his and drilled her tongue inside his mouth before stealing the piece of cake he had taken. Jellal stared at her wide-eyed and was as red as a tomato.
"Now it's sweet", she smiled and Jellal clicked his tongue before looking around in nervousness.
Azure had Cerulean on her lap, deftly closing his eyes while staring at Erza like a disappointed mother-in-law.
"Are you going to get that weird soap thing all over you again?", she asked.
"Soap, soap, bubbles!"
Jellal gulped and looked towards his wife who maintained a perfect poker face, but he could feel the slight shivering of her hands.
The owner was stifling her laughter and pumped her fist at Erza, silently cheering her on, and the gossiping customers looked away instantly, focusing on the next rumour.
Squeaking softly, Erza took her seat again and changed the topic, making sure to place her son properly on his seat and ensuring that her daughter's curiosity didn't exceed the requirements of her age.
Dealing with the instant consequences of her actions, Erza shut her eyes only to have a big, warm hand cover her enclosed fist.
"It's a warm night tonight", her better half smiled staring at the stars. It was snowing outside, and they were seated rather close to an open window, and the occasional chilly gust would seep through her trenchoat, but Erza returned his smile.
Listening to the soft banter between their children and noticing the soft expression Jellal's normally stoic face wore, Erza realised that they truly had taken a step forward, together.
She still had not forgiven herself, but she knew that she could. One day, she would forgive herself, the same way Jellal moved on from his mistake. Erza could hear Jellal mutter the names of a few constellations under his breath, with his eyes gleaming like that of a ten year old's. She set her chair close to Jellal's and kissed his cheek softly, gaining his attention. Erza hugged his arm with both of hers tightly, and rested her softly on his shoulder, indirectly forcing him to lean his head onto hers, and the Requip mage smiled in the satisfaction of being in the warmth of the Meteor mage and their little cherubs.
"Yeah, it really is quite warm tonight"
The End