A/N: Warning: Typos! Typos everywhere! Thank you guys for reading and reviewing and following this story! I really really appreciate your reviews and helpful feedback! And as for those who are waiting for the sequel of Of Halcyon Days and Folded Paper Cranes...I am already working on the sequel! :)
Special thanks to color theory and Thunderfall who are just so awesome.
In A Heartbeat
—because if he could, he would. And he'd do it in a heartbeat. AU
Silent Staccato
"Zancrow." the cold greeting made the red-eyed officer smirk instantly, his round pools twinkling in vague amusement.
"Jellal, you're back?" the playful tone of his voice sent a message that he wasn't in the least bit shocked or surprised for that particular matter; the grin on the blond's face got even more pronounced when the blue-haired man threw daggers at him.
"Report." his answer came out harsh and clipped. Jellal's hands were clasped together in an attempt to conceal his anger by presenting a cool and stoic exterior. Unfortunately, the blaze in his hunter green eyes were throwing the whole front off. Zancrow's smirk grew wider when the exceedingly deadly aura of his equal officer filled the whole room.
"There's nothing worth reporting or even worth mentioning during my short stay here. This place is boring as it'll ever be."
"I would really prefer if we skip this part, but the Lieutenant Colonel has other things in mind."
Jellal closed his eyes.
Calm down.
The way he was grasping both his hand made his knuckles and fingers white at the intensity of his grip. He was thankful enough that he could blame it on the cold weather and the rising tension between the two of them. The tattooed man knew that closing his eyes and cutting off his line of vision would help him calm his nerves down. He already had a hunch that the commanding officer of Birkneau was the one who tried to kill the redhead prisoner and just before he could jump to conclusions, he wanted to hear the truth come out of the arrogant blond's very own mouth. He wanted Zancrow to verbally voice out and admit his crime.
"How many of my workers did you kill?" Zancrow stood up from where he was sitting and approached the ultramarine's desk nonchalantly.
"Workers?" the shark grin plastered on his face irked Jellal even more. "Don't you mean the captives? Prisoners? Slaves?"
"How many?" the low growl rumbled through his throat and he nearly slammed his palm on his desk were it not for his exceptional and unrivaled patience.
The crimson orbs of the German soldier glinted in the dimly lit room of Monowitz.
"One."
Jellal's eye twitched.
But apart from the minute movement of that muscle underneath his green orb, his whole body remained like a stone statue from the outside.
It was the inner part of him that screamed death and agony and demise to the man in front of him. Jellal could feel his body warming up as his blood boiled in pure anger and rage. His soul was itching to skin him alive and dunk him into a tank full of rock salt.
"Just one?" his question almost seemed like a whisper—barely audible but Zancrow heard it clearly.
"It's not like me, I know." he turned his back on him and headed towards the door to leave. He stopped abruptly just before his hand turned the knob. He spoke one final time, the tone malicious and apparently satisfied—like a beast who had just been satiated. "Prisoner 19526."
Jellal froze.
"The redhead hündin." the devil licked his lips as he faced the ultramarine. "I have to say though, her life was worth a thousand prisoners. She was entertaining until the last moment." his cracked laughter reverberated inside the closed four-cornered room of Monowitz. Zancrow expected a complaint, or a string of deafening protests but Jellal did what the yellow-haired demon never expected him to do.
He smiled.
He already got his answer.
"Thank you Major Zancrow. I'll be sure to seek your assistance when another opportunity comes."
"Now then, who did this to you?"
Erza noticed that the sweating officer in front of him was determined to extract the truth from what had happened to her. Before she gave out her answer, the redhead tapped away his hands that rested on her bare shoulders.
"Give me some decent clothing first." he stared at her as if trying to process her statement. He blinked once, then twice and forced his phthalo green orbs to remain fixated on her face. It took an awful amount of judgment for Jellal to be able to come up a proper response. He turned his head away and dragged his feet back towards his cabinet as he fished out for a fresh set of clothes.
"Here."
She took it slowly, keeping her eyes glued out to his and they stared at each other for the longest time.
"Aren't you going to get dressed?" he asked casually.
"Aren't you going to turn around and not look?"
He sighed and shook his head in disbelief.
"Can I just close my eyes?" he jokingly suggested.
"How hard is it to turn around?"
"Hmmm, harder than bringing my eyelids down."
"Would you just—fine! Have it your way!" Erza roughly shoved the sheets aside, exposing herself to the ultramarine who was eyeing her body intently.
Her skin color is back to normal. The bruises and cuts are getting better, and she's just as lively as before.
Erza finished dressing in a matter of seconds and found out that the German was still staring at her unabashedly.
"What is it now?" she frowned and the stern look on Jellal's face turned sympathetic.
"Erza...who did this to you?"
She looked down, ashamed for a second. Here he was, trying his best to help her recover and all she could do was suspect and accuse him of things he hadn't even done. She bit her lip hard until it drew blood and she scrunched her eyebrows in the process.
Why does it seem like a complete reversal of roles? He's supposed to be the bad guy...right?
"Erza?"
"It was...I can't seem to remember...it was all blurry and..."
"I see. But first we have to do something quick about your current state." she looked at him expectantly. Erza was quick-witted and she knew it was only a matter of time before the soldiers who were assigned to 'clean' her up comes back.
"What do you have in mind?"
He scooted over the edge of his bed where he joined her in a sitting manner.
"Actually—"
It was out on reflex and adrenaline that Jellal pounced on Erza the moment the door flew open. From the entrance of the room was a man who looked like his energy was just drained from his body.
"Oi Jellal, I know we could have our own harlots...but I didn't know you really kept one."
The ultramarine cursed as he airily leaped back onto his feet and dashed to lock the door.
"Laxus! Don't you knock?" he seethed, checking for other possible voyeurs.
"And don't you lock your door?" the blond officer looked at the redhead who was still sprawled on the soft mattress as he whistled a low tune of approval.
"Oh, so you and Red here are—"
"Don't even say the word." Jellal snarled at the burly soldier who was busy assessing the female who shrunk back further to the corner of the room when she was alerted by the presence of an enemy.
"Erza," he locked gazes with her as if to tell her that everything was fine and he had it under control. "this is Laxus."
"Seriously Jellal you should have told me that you two were already screw—"
"Excuse me?" she cut him off before he could finish his statement.
"Laxus, you came at the perfect time." all eyes were now focused on the ultramarine who cared less about his fellow officer's opinion. "I'm going to need a tattoo gun, some prisoner's clothes and bring some food while you're at it. Something to warm her up and replenish her strength."
"Oi, oi, are you ordering me around?"
Jellal smirked as he slipped on his military jacket.
"Nein. Merely a request my fellow officer."
Erza sipped the warm soup and felt the liquid revive every dead cell in her body. She dipped her head downwards to meet the spoonful of steaming hot broth halfway.
"Now I need some answers Jellal." Laxus' cheerful tone dissipated as a more serious side of him dominated his entire persona. The ultramarine ran his fingers through his locks and wearily sighed.
"Can we discuss—"
"Nein. I want answers. Now." he settled for the wooden chair across the small room and waited for the tattooed man to say something. Anything that would clear and sort things out. Jellal was beside the redhead prisoner who also at that moment paused to get answers. Her personal answers.
Erza watched as the two men glared at each other for the longest time frame without even blinking. Tangerine clashed with green. Their eyes battling out argument after silent argument, determining whose side weighed more than the other. They remained lost in their own private world for a few minutes but eventually got back to reality when the blond heaved off a long sigh.
"Are you sure about this?"
The ultramarine nodded meekly.
"Alright, so I guess that's it then." Laxus scratched the back of his neck and lazily stood up. He reached for the tattoo gun that his fellow officer asked of him and approached both of them who sat together on bed. "Here."
He handed it to the ultramarine and he took it silently, his head turning to face the redhead who was beside him the whole time.
"Give me your left arm Erza." he instructed ever so softly and Laxus watched with much interest as the prisoner complied without making a fuss. Normally, others couldn't bear to even share the same space with the blue-haired man; but the woman who was now removing the bandage on her battered arm, the woman who confidently exposed her vulnerable flesh, the woman who winced in pain when Jellal initiated the tattooing process was steady and calm and—was that security she showed?
Whatever it was, the emotion was clearly anything but fear. It was the first time that Laxus had witnessed something like this. The first time he had seen Jellal emanate emotions that wasn't anger or hate or ruthlessness. It was his locked up emotions for his family surfacing once again for the prisoner in front of the ultramarine.
"You will no longer be Prisoner 19526 but rather 19826 understand?" Erza eyed the newly transformed number five to eight and she nodded in agreement.
"How about the soldiers outside? Will they—"
"I will take care of that and..." Jellal looked at Laxus expectantly. The blond officer crossed his arms under his chest and sighed. "...I will be needing your assistance. For one final time."
"Alright. But I would like to discuss matters..." his gaze fell upon the redhead who was busy wrapping the bandage once more along the length of her arm, oblivious to the prying eyes of both officers. "...privately."
Jellal dragged himself and Laxus outside and checked the halls. He was thankful enough that he was given the whole floor as his private space.
"What is it?"
Laxus placed his hand on one of the ultramarine's broad shoulders, his eyes looking virile and steadfast as ever.
"You do know that what you're doing is against the Führer. Against our country. Against Germany."
Jellal remained still and quiet for a moment. After all, what could he possibly say? He couldn't deny what the blond was currently accusing him of, because it was the truth and he had already shown his assistance to the redhead by treating her wounds and saving her life.
"Are you going to turn us in?" Jellal knew it was unfair of him to shoot the suspicion right back against his comrade, but the desperate feeling of keeping her alive was outweighing other emotions he had right at that moment.
"Nein. I may be a soldier of this country, but I am your friend first and foremost." he gave a reassuring smile and a pat on the ultramarine's back before his face turned dark. "But be warned my friend. The moment someone from the Schutzstaffel finds out about this apart from us, not only you but Ultear and Meredy—your family—will pay the price."
"I am most aware of that."
The blond sighed and before taking his leave, he asked him a question that was supposed to pass as a joke.
"Do you like her?"
Jellal smiled as he escorted him down the staircase.
Little did both of them know that the redhead was leaning on the door, her back flat against the cool surface of the wood. She knew it was rude of her to eavesdrop and take in the gist of their conversation but she just couldn't help herself. It only left her wondering and guessing at the last question that was left hanging in the air but Erza could only be sure of one thing.
It was only the blond officer who knew—because the answer, although unanswered, surely was written all over his face.
Jellal made it back inside and was surprised to see her sitting properly on bed, staring at him like she was waiting for his return. It was the first time he'd come to witness her behave like this.
"How are you doing?" his voice was softer than usual. A tone that Erza defined as something he would only use for her. She slowly stood up and hooked her hand around the elbow of her other arm. Her left foot was playful against the heel of her right one and Jellal raised a brow at this.
"Is something wrong?" he approached her, carefully surveying her condition for open wounds or aching injuries.
"Nothing's wrong. It's just...I didn't heed your advice...I...I'm sorry."
Jellal gawked at the fidgeting female who was trying her best not to blush. A slight rumble in his throat indicated his first reaction. Erza thought he was growling at her, finally releasing the rage that had built up within him. But the low rumbling became something more softer and smoother. A lighthearted sound.
A genuine and sincere laughter.
"Y-You're laugh—are you making fun of me?" she folded her arms across her chest and clicked her tongue in annoyance. Jellal immediately soothed down her fury by placing his hand on top of her scarlet hair.
"I'm not." he smiled handsomely and right at that moment, all Erza wanted to do was wrap her feeble arms around his neck and press their bodies together. All she wanted to do was take in his sturdy frame that made her feel secure at all times. All she wanted to do was breathe in his minty scent and get lost in his pools of glinting pair of viridian orbs. But instead of doing what she wanted, she did what was needed—
"Thank you, Jellal."
—and smiled.
The redhead was sure that gravity had done nothing which led to their current position. The ultramarine had wrapped her delicate figure with a pair of strong arms that had snaked their way to her narrow waist. Erza could feel his head buried somewhere along the juncture of her shoulder and neck and that her chin was lightly resting on his shoulder. She slowly motioned her weak arms to circle and wrap around the expanse of his back and she felt her world stop—lost in time and locked up in their tight embrace.
Erza could only make little of what he said, but she was sure that it was something between "Thank God" and "I'm just glad you're safe."
"You're thanking me?" Zancrow's lips tilted upwards and suddenly thought of a witty comeback to his sarcastic statement. "By the way, what did you do to her afterwards hmmm?"
Jellal arranged the files on top of his desk and smirked, feeling giddy all of a sudden. He pulled out a cigarette stick from his breast pocket and flicked the lighter.
"I sent her body to the morgue." his eyes were sparkling with so much enthusiasm that the blond officer frowned. "If you'd like, you can check her out at the crematorium. If you like her that much."
Zancrow had never felt something like this before. His heart was squeezing the life out of him and it was making a weird process of scrunching up.
It was like he had been messed up in the inside.
Had been made fun of.
Had been made a fool of.
Zancrow didn't like it.
He didn't like it at all.
He slammed the door hard.
Jellal smiled, as the gesture very well meant that he wasn't ever going to come back to Monowitz.
A/N: Late? Naaaah! LOL. The story is nearing its end! :) I hope I'm not going at a pace that's too fast or too slow. Next chapter, a new character will be introduced. :)