Typically if you asked her, or most people for that matter, Erza was not someone who liked to be controlled in any way. She was her own person and found great pride in the strides of her life she took. Each and every decision was made with precise and careful consideration. Nothing was taken for granted, no one ruled over her in her own head or in any other way. Put simply, she was above all else and she knew her worth better than anyone else. With her own two hands, she built up her future and sculpted each action to perfection. Sure, a toxic and abusive relationship may have torn down and built up some walls around her. But she swore it would never happen again the moment she was out if it and she kept to her word... for a few days. Until she realized the walls she had psychologically built up had also already been torn down just as easily, if not easier. Even after this man had broken everything she had previously believed about her mind, ideals and even just herself, Erza found herself loving every single touch-- every look he would give her. Sadistic, in love, intoxicating but caring all the same. Even when they went without the other for over three years, after the long wait, those calloused fingers felt all the same. She absolutely loved it. Even after years of centering her world around loving herself and having confidence, around this man, everything came crashing down. The way his deep azure hair fell unattended to, lazily around his ears and neck. The way his lips occasionally arched into an elegant beam. How his eyes seemed to possess an inebriating glow and shadow. The muscles vigorously shaped, rounded and lined around the skin of his body drove a sensation she had never felt before through her body. Finally, especially, the way his palms felt against her skin. The tickling sensation of his fingers dancing effortlessly across her supple limbs. They were always her favorite because of how powerfully they would grip the fat of her hips. Or how his palms would dig into her flesh with such unbelievable ease and power. His fingers controlling each and every single thing she did while beneath him. Pulling at invisible strings and prodding at the same buttons she would protect, those palms would hold her in ways she had never taken a liking to in the past. The utter ecstaticity that would silently overcome her whenever those large, boney hands meandered towards her. The way they made her feel. It was so simple but in no way could she explain in how many different, complex languages she loved him. That's why when the members of Phoenix broke out into silent chaos and stressed sweats, she could only stare at him. The way he calmly ordered his inferiors around the way he was supposed to— keeping his nerves to himself and trying his best to not lash out in ways he often would.
"Jellal, Lima was just caught can you please do something for gods sake!!??" Juvia yelled, phone against her ear with Natsu as she yelled between two conversations. Jellal sat alone at a bench and table, staring off into space as the bags of stress under his eyes continued piling weight against his shoulders. "Yes. Yeah she just returned. Of course. I don't know she hasn't spoken a word- hold on. Jellal get off your ass and do something!!! Just get on the phone with Tiger News for-"
"CAN YOU SHUT THE FUCK UP, EMEI!!!??? CAN YOU LITERALLY SHUT YOUR MOUTH FOR TWO SECONDS!!??? I WILL PERSONALLY RUN THE BLADE IN MY BAG INTO YOUR NECK IF YOU DON'T SHUT UP." He screeched, effectively silencing the entire buildings hall as he slammed his glass of water onto the wooden table. The transparent material shattered in his hands, across the floor and table, leaving thick cuts across his blood coated hands. Juvia flinched violently and pressed her phone to her chest, the other hand
covering her mouth. Standing immediately from his spot, he glared murderously at Emei and turned to make his way to the door, slamming the thick wooden entrance behind him.
"What the fuck is his problem?" Natsu asked on the other line, sighing out his lie as he knew the exact reason why Jellal acted the way he did.
"Y'know I don't give two fucks about that guy. I couldn't care less if he's my superior, he has some trauma that he takes out on others and it's not okay."
She was proud of him for this, walking up to him and running her hands down the rock hard valleys, dips and bumps of his back. He sighed suddenly, reaching back to pull her in front of himself and burying his nose deep into the crease of her neck. Leaning backwards, the two of them fell into the shadows of the draped stage curtains, hiding away from prying eyes.
"I'm proud of you." She complimented, humming at the warmth of his hands finding her waist. "For sticking with it through all of this, I know it's difficult." He sighed once more and stroked her head, eyes shooting up at the slam of a car door outside.
"Everyone in place!!!!" He yelled, releasing Erza from his crushing grip and walking away to Natsu's office to inform him of any last minute plans. "They're here." He said, gesturing with his head to the door. Natsu looked up from the papers on his desk, hands clasped together in front of him. He stood, grabbing the cigarette in his mouth between two fingers and putting it out on a small ash tray at the end of the table.
"Where are Emei and Lima?" He asked, small remnants of smoke escaping through his teeth. He pulled another from a box, handing it to Jellal and nodding as he tucked it away in the pocket of his pants.
"Denver is leaving them in the underground storage room as we speak. He should be done soon. I've hidden all forms of weapons and cleaned any curious paperwork. All of the cameras inside and records of members activity have all been destroyed." Natsu nodded, fixing the taper of his dress shirt sleeves.
"What about the roof cameras?" He asked, concern evident in his tone.
"We haven't used the roof almost at all in the time the group has been active. The only thing they could find is footage of equipment being transferred to and from the roof's storage shed. But that equipment has also been hidden. I burned the shed so there shouldn't be any traces of private items, either."
"Alright. You did a good job, go sit with Erza." Jellal nodded, bowing slightly before exiting Natsu's office and sighing deeply. Erza spotted his large frame bye the door and waved him over.
Meanwhile
Gray patted the back of Juvia's trembling head, rubbing her hand with his thumb as she stood below him in a small basement room. "I'm here, you're alright." He whispered, bent down to her level in order to whisper into her ear. "I need you to be completely silent like how we planned. The both of you." He informed Wendy and Juvia, the younger girl sat in the corner of this small ditch, knees hugged tightly against herself.
"No please! Please Gray I'm scared. Please don't leave me here I'm so scared!" She whispered in a desperate plead, tugging at his sleeves as tears formed behind the mess of her eyes.
"Juvia, you're going to be fine. It'll be over quickly and I'll come right back to get you." Juvia flinched at the slam of a car door outside and watched in horror as he shut the door after giving her an apologetic look, leaving them two alone in silence, the cold and without light. Emei calmly tip toed towards Lima, wrapping her arms around the younger girl and holding her tightly against herself.
"He could have at least given us weapons..."
~
Erza and Jellal sat casually at a table together, drinking glasses of beer and getting lost in the presence of each other. Another cigarette wedged between his teeth, Jellal was silent, eyes examining each and every thing that occurred for the next few minutes. Gray leaned himself against a seat and found himself in a deep dream before he knew it, the truth of the authorities about to invade their home not a bother to his peace of mind. Boots lightly clacking against the wooden floors, Natsu shut his office door, glancing at his comrades once more. Jellal nodded at his old friend, a signal reminding him that everything was ready. Natsu turned back to the door, sighing out for a quick moment. Knowing this day would come was nerve wracking but he had planned perfectly for every possible scenario. He swallowed before placing his awaiting hands on the handles and opening the doors. Thick slabs of wood parted to reveal the two police officers standing side by side at the door, radios crackling, gum slapping against tongues and hands shoved between the fold of their pockets. One woman and one man, both staring down from the top of their hats.
"Officers! What can I do for you?" He asked with squinted eyes and a ready smile plastered across his face. They were all lucky these police were unable to make out the glint in his eye. "Please come in, we all just recently cleaned, so your timing is impeccable!" Natsu turned swiftly on his heel and led the two officers inside the building, pointing to each member sat at the tables nearby. "These guys are Jerome, Bethel and Denver. My name is Nishio. Please make yourselves at home, what have you come for?" He questioned, motioning towards a few empty chairs with an open hand.
"Sir, we were informed by the higher ups that there have been reports of criminal activity in this building. I'm officer Ila, we come with a search warrant. We just want to take a look around and clear up any misunderstandings." The female officer spoke, pulling out a folded piece of paper from a pocket and waving it in front of his face. Natsu scowled, playing off his best shocked expression.
"Of course, please take a look around!" He insisted, bowing and stepping aside. As soon as the two passed by, his gaze happened to meet Jellal's in a nervous coincidence. "Please don't mind our nonchalantness, it isn't uncommon for officers to come here to investigate every once in a while. There have been many misunderstandings involving the affairs of my guild." He explained on the fly, walking calmly behind the policemen.
"This is a guild? Do you have legal documents or a contract?" The man asked with a flip of his head as he glanced across the room with an eagle like gaze.
"Yes, of course. Allow me to organize them, just a moment." He turned to Jellal as the officers paused. "Jerome, would you mind showing these officers around the building?" He asked with a tone that was threatening only to those who knew him well. The members of Phoenix, in particular. Jellal stood immediately, dumping the same half gone cigarette into a nearby bin and removing his fingers from in between Erza's as he lead the officers away. Searching through the dark rooms of Phoenix, the Policemen expectedly came up with nothing. Finally after a long while of walking and chatting, the three arrived atop the roof of Nishio's building. There wasn't much, just a few electrical boxes and appliances tucked away in a corner of the plain.
"Alright, we're clear so far. As soon as we go through camera footage and any archives, we'll be out of your hair." Jellal nodded in understanding, assuming a perfectly forged smile and escorting them to their destination. The archive room. Inside were shelves, not many, that held boxes containing major documents and incidents from the past. Beside it, a desk. This contained numerous DVDs stack on top of each other in boxes. Several computer screen hung from the wall, showing the rooms around the building. The only one detecting movement seemed to be the one in the main hall, watching Gray, Erza and Natsu sit together and talk away in their boredom. The male police officer standing to Jellal's right turned, beginning his hunt for illegal documents or records in the limited boxes on the shelves; his partner followed his pace. Bending down to flick through the video tapes, one happened to catch his eye. The date of his sisters death pulled him in like a magnet. Before he could think, the dvd was hidden deep inside his pocket. Jellal thought about this for a moment, deciding he would hide it and keep the chances of anything being found at a low.
flick*
The light of a camera flickered awake, sensing motion in a particular room— suddenly revealing two small frames sat quietly in an empty space... It happened so quickly. It was like they were expecting it. It was like they knew when the officer cocked his gun back, barrel facing the back of Jellal's head as he slowly spun around that they were hiding something. Someone. "Don't move!!!!" He yelled after watching Jellal spin around in place. His subordinate double checking the faces of Juvia and Wendy, before making a run for the underground well newly discovered.
"Look down, hot shot, move a damn muscle and your brains will be on the fucking wall." He growled, enjoying as the man looked down at the gun pointed up at his face. He held the arm tightly, confident in what he did and his expertise. "Let's see who can pull the trigger faster, shall we!!!!???? Blow each other's brains out, what do you say!!???" A maniacal shit eating grin plastered across his face as he stared into the eyes of the man across from him.