Whoa, another update? In the same month?
I hope you all enjoy this one :D
…
He opened the sliding glass door to the balcony.
She took heed of his presence and the plate of cake he was holding, however, she quickly swiveled her head away when he noticed her interest in it.
"Erza…"
"Hmmm?"
He abruptly held up a silver fork in front of the Captain's face and jokingly waved the plate of strawberry cake close to her like he was teasing her with it. "Cake?"
She stared at the baked dessert that covered the whole diameter of the fancy dishware. "You know I detest sweets of any nature." He blinked.
"You never told me why. Are you on a diet?" Playfully, he asked. He didn't peg her as a type of woman who was into that sort of thing. She evaded his query by commenting on his face. "Your stupid face is bothering me." He laughed. "You wound me. Now…" Easing her up for a bite, the King forked a small piece for her to try. "Jellal, I do not want any." Coaxing her was difficult and after several attempts at feeding her, both her cheeks were smeared with the frosting of the cake.
Knightwalker glared at him but said nothing. She snatched the only napkin that he had and wiped her face. "Just one bite. I swear you'll love it." Scratching her head, she sighed and caved in to his wishes.
"A single bite will appease you?" He enthusiastically nodded his head. Once again, the fork was obnoxiously by the entrance of her mouth. An eager Jellal was smiling at her, waiting. She finally brought the fork in her mouth and the immediate sweet flavor of the cake invaded her taste buds. First, she chewed slowly, evaluating the familiar textures of the dessert. It was not bad and the delightful treat was what Erza needed at the moment.
"Captain?"
Various surges of expressions swept her usual calm face and the worried monarch took this as a sign indicating that the sweet treat wasn't agreeing with her. "Is this your first time eating a cake?"
"No." She casted her eyes down and avoided his eyes. She suddenly relieved him of the plate and consumed more of the confection. "This is horrible. Who would eat a plate of sugar? Mhhm…" This was the first time he ever witnessed her pigging out on anything. "There is more inside…" He wasn't sure if she heard him.
Her moans of satisfaction from the cake were beginning to brew something else in Jellal. "Are you sure you do not like it?" She cleared her throat. "Actually, this one is passable." He looked at her with doubt. "Only passable? Because by the way you were eating, I was starting to get jealous of the fork." The captain grinned.
"I am just suspicious of sweet delicacies such as this because of a small mishap that happened when I was child. Perhaps I was twelve at the time. Saria, whom you have met and another sibling, Gwen, had used me as a guinea pig and I was gullible enough to eat their repugnant mess. A horrid combination, those two. They made me a cake and it wasn't even my birthday yet."
He shook off the urge to hug her during her story. The disgusted expression on her face was priceless and it made him smile. Rarely does she ever talk about her family like this. "Well, today is your birthday and I'm glad you thought the strawberry cake was passable. I chose it myself. I had a feeling you would like it." His lips curved up as if he was smiling at an inside joke. She took note of it but said nothing about it.
"Thank you. I'm grateful for the party and thankful that his Majesty did not make a big deal out of it this year as I feared he would." He covered his mouth with his hand to hide his dimpled smile and she eyed him dubiously. "You were planning to make a big deal out of it. Like last year and the year before that."
He chuckled before replying. "That was my initial scheme but I know that is something you would not want so I settled for a tamer party." She scoffed at his words. Tamer party, she repeated in her head. "You could have brought me a drink to go with the cake." On cue, he reached inside his jacket and handed her a small bottle of wine. "Way ahead of you, sweetheart." He held out his index finger, signaling for her to way another second and reached in the other side of his jacket. He revealed a thin wine glass. "I only have one though." He poured the glass halfway and handed it to her but she declined.
"You keep the glass. I'll be confiscating this bottle from you." She lovingly stared at the now uncorked bottle and swigged some down. "This is quality wine, Jellal. Not too heavy but not too weak." She kept nodding her head as her critique of the wine came pouring out of her mouth.
"Only for the best." He dug inside his front pocket and presented her a black velvet box big enough to hold a necklace in it. There was a simple silver bow adorned on the top of it. "Anyways, I have two gifts for you and here's number one."
Erza raised her brow in surprise. "Is your jacket's pockets bottomless? What else you got in there?"
"Open it."
"Very well." And she did. In the box was a beautiful argent chain. A miniature silver spear hanged from it. The end tip of the ornament was chipped off and it didn't look new. The color was dull, contrasting the new chain it dangled from. Her face fell as she realized the person that this used to belong to.
It was hers.
"Where did you get this—no don't. I know where you got this from. From my father—no, my adopted father." Taking a long deep breath, she closed the box and returned it to him. Swiftly, she gathered all those painful emotions that leaked out of that lockbox she keeps inside her and stashed them all away.
"I'm assuming my father had informed you who gave this to me." He bobbed his head for a yes. "My mother. The dead one. The one that was murdered, right along with my real father, by monsters who thought it would be fun to do so. I've told you about this, haven't I?" A pained smile lingered on her face. "Look, there was a reason why I chucked it in the garbage. I don't— I had a decade or so to mourn. To deal with my loss and I've handled it well. So let's not go there." She scanned his expression and it remained as pensive as ever.
"Please…"
He sighed. "Keep it. Wear it, don't wear it, that is fine but your mother would have—" Erza lightly slapped his mouth.
"The dead do not have opinions." She gritted her teeth in anger. "Clearly, my dear papa entrusted you with this so why didn't he give it to me himself?"
"He thought you wouldn't accept it if it came from him." Jellal succinctly explained.
The redhead emptied the bottle with one gulp. "He was right." They averted gazing at each other.
Then, Jellal spoke. "You haven't dealt with your pain, Erza. I still see it in your eyes from time to time. It persists within you." A grimaced laugh came out of her. "You know, I could say the same thing about you."
His eyes widened. "When you believe no one is looking, your façade darkens and your eyes dims, different from your usual bright demeanor. Hurt. Loneliness. All there." There was something stuck in his throat. He wasn't aware that his captain observed him with that level of detail. "I always look at you. Always."
"So do not tell me that I have not dealt with my pain when obviously you are in the same position." Before he could say something to defend himself, she stopped him. "Tell me, don't tell me, I do not care either way. All and all, there are some feelings that need to stay inside even if it is unhealthy to keep it there."
Speechless, he absorbed all that she had said but he still could not find his tongue. "This became serious quite fast, huh?" To lighten the air between them, she playfully massaged his tense shoulders. "I'm sorry. I did not mean to make you feel uncomfortable even though that is what you did to me. I know that was not your intention." She nudged his side. "Shall we head back to the grand party? It is my birthday and I need to be more intoxicated than this."
Since he could not find any other words to say, he will respond another way. "Wait." She gasped when he lunged for her. He buried his long fingers in her soft scarlet locks and their lips connected, as he pulled her in for a ravenous kiss. He cradled her head, shifting the angles as he deepened the kiss. His lips were gentle and she reciprocated his kiss without hesitation. There was a low rumble of satisfaction in his chest, like the purr of a cat.
She grasped at his hair and tangled her fingers in his messy mane as they explored each other more. Soon, Jellal released her and trailed wet kisses down the curve of her neck. She gasped for air, dazed and a bit lightheaded from the lack of oxygen in her lungs. "That was gift number two." His voice came of as strained and hoarse.
"Well, you could have opened with that, sir. That way we did not have to talk." He rested his forehead on hers. "Jellal, we will talk. You will talk as well." She placed emphasis on the word "you." He brushed his lips against hers.
"I drank some wine, you might have…well you. Tasted it. Do you feel drunk?" He chuckled lightheartedly. "Gods, Erza. I am not that lightweight."
"Just checking before I bring you back to the party." He held her hand.
Her words echoed in his head. I always look at you. Always.
For some reason, he dreads the day they would finally talk.
…
Hey, thanks for dropping by! Leave a review, comment, whatever. I love hearing (err reading) what you guys have to say. Someone wrote that they felt that they were being harsh on their critique but I take that into account so go ahead. Also, if anyone has some scenarios they would like to see these two in, hit me up with those! You never know (Just keep it PG-13.)
Have a wonderful day, you lovely readers!
