A/N: Still on my hiatus but that recent special chapter had my mind working overtime on this idea. I wasn't too keen on all the nudity, but that jerza moment made up for it at the end. Jellybae returned, even if it was only a special chapter. Still, at least I got to see what my bae looked like after the timeskip. IF anything, he's gotten hotter.
Now Jellybae needs to return in the canon-verse and I'll be happy. Anyway, enjoy this tiny little drabble. Even though Jellal is a polite gentleman, from that last chapter, we also learn what a lil' closet perv he is- which supports evidence from the FT OVA 5. Dawww he so cute doe.
Inspiration from tumblr prompts. The final scene is a fanart I saw on tumblr. I forgot the artist. Credits for the idea goes to them.
Please ignore my typos. It's been a long night. I will edit later.
Holiday Reunion
"Merry Christmas, Erza," he whispers, pressing a kiss to her head. Then he closes his eyes and falls asleep to the smell of strawberries.
"As expected, it's rather nippy," Erza muses, crossing her arms over her bare chest and shivering uncontrollably, shifting her toes in the wet snow. "That's right, I'm not wearing clothes." She sighs. "But an order is an order, and I have to follow them."
She closes her eyes, takes a deep breath, and prepares herself for the long trudge back to Fairy Hills. Suddenly, before she braces herself for the impending chill, she hears the slight crunch of footsteps on snow. She opens her eyes and turns her head, coming face to face with the last person she ever expected to see.
Jellal Fernandes.
For once- and the first time, she realizes- he's wearing civilian clothes: a long, thick, warm looking jacket, a scarf, dark pants, boots. In her drunken haze, she thinks he looks delicious, and so heavenly warm.
Her breath billows out in puffy white clouds as they stare at each other, too dumbfounded to speak. She stares at him, eyes tracing the familiar tattoo that encircles his right eye, memorizing the shocked expression in his beautiful forest eyes. That jawline, smooth cheekbones, full lips any girl would kill for...
She then remembers the cold and the fact that she's rather... underdressed, so to speak. She flushes crimson, clutching her chest to cover her exposed skin. "Ah, no," she stammers, looking around for something to cover herself. "This is..."
She realizes her bottom half is rather unprotected from prying eyes- not to mention Jellal's, for the love of Mavis. She gasps, and drops into a crouch, trying to disappear into a ball to conceal her embarrassment. "It's not what you think! Really!" she gasps, hiding her face to cover her flaming cheeks. "Don't look!"
She hears Jellal cough and stutter, but no words formed. If she looked up, she would see his red face and his eyes burning with surprise, interest, and something like guilt (if she knew what was going on in that dirty little mind of his, then she'd understand the guilt pooling in his eyes).
Thank god Cobra isn't here, Jellal thinks, covering his blush with one hand. I'd never hear the end of it.
So Jellal is a closet pervert. In all honesty, loving a beautiful woman like Erza Scarlet tends to make a man's mind wander. Of course, having Cobra around, a wandering mind is not the best situation one could find himself in. Jellal has lost count of the many angry "get your goddamn mind out of the gutters, Fernandes," he's heard out of the poison dragonslayer's mouth.
But he can't think this way right now. So he pushes the dirty little thoughts running haywire in his mind out and straightens, looking down at the scarlet beauty cowering before him. He sighs, smiling, and takes off his jacket, striding over to her.
"Looks like you partied a little too hard with your friends, huh?" he asks, draping his coat over her shoulders. He smiles, eyeing the Santa hat on her head, and indulges himself in the sight. She's so cute, he thinks.
"I'm ashamed," she whispers, pulling the jacket closer around her body. She still avoids eye contact, but closes her eyes and inhales the woodsy scent hanging on his coat.
"Have you been drinking?" he asks, bending over her with concern.
"Uhh," she slurs, a bit woozy. "It... seems that way."
She takes his silence as a question to explain her reasons for her state, besides, you know, the festivities, because no one knows her as well as Jellal Fernandes, and he knows there's more to her inebriation other than the "Christmas Spirit."
She looks at her hands. "Everyone was getting all flirty with one another," she reflects, images of the others invading her thoughts. Seeing Lucy was jumping all over a complying Natsu (because even though he was "protesting," not fighting back meant he was certainly more than happy to have Lucy fawning all over him), Juvia was clutching onto Gray like a lifeline, and Levy lovingly joking with Gajeel, made Erza feel envious. "I felt left out... Guess I got kinda jealous. That's all I can remember."
Jellal wants to laugh. Oh Erza, he thinks, wanting to envelop her in a hug. You have no reason to be jealous. I'm here now.
"My, my," he says, adjusting himself so she's looking at him with her eyes swimming with self-contempt. "I'll escort you home. Come on."
She looks at him with wide eyes as he gets up from his crouching position, dusts off his pants, and extends a hand in her direction. "No, that's," she begins, but he shushes her, takes her hand, and pulls her to her feet.
"You must be freezing," he realizes, looking at her up and down (he tells himself it's because she's so scantily clad, and not because she is so underdressed and wants to take advantage of it). "Come closer," he says, and reaches for her.
"Mhmm," she says, snuggling into his chest, wrapping her arms around his neck. "It's pretty warm."
He smiles against her hair, inhaling the familiar scent of strawberries, and stands there, keeping Erza in his embrace. Her breathing evens out while they stand in the snow, and even though Jellal would love to stand like this forever, he knows that he's got to get her back home.
She can't walk home like this, he decides, and bends down, hooking an arm under her knees. He hoists her up, and she mumbles something incoherent into his ear, her warm breath raising goosebumps on his skin. Her fingers curl around his neck, drawing patterns on the skin on the back of his neck.
"Come on, love," Jellal whispered, supporting her back and holding her close to his chest. "Let's get you home."
He begins the trek to Fairy Hills, keeping a firm eye on Erza. She's rather delirious at this point, making Jellal wonder how much she could have consumed. Well, as long as Cana wasn't there (he knows the card mage wasn't, otherwise Erza's would have been swimming in a bottle of booze when he found her.) The lack of of booze puddling around Erza is proof that Cana was indeed, not present at the festivities, which makes Jellal a little less concerned.
By the time Jellal makes it to Fairy Hills, a carpet of snow blankets his shoulders and turns Erza's hair white. She's mostly asleep at this point, her face burrowed deep in his jacket and his neck. She mewls a bit in protest when Jellal shifts her to open the door. He half expects the landlady to chase him out as soon as he steps inside (because of the "no males policy"), but thankfully, the foyer is quiet and dim, the only light coming from the christmas lights strung up on the walls.
"Almost there, love," he whispers into her ear. She mumbles something inaudible as he trudges up the stairs. He finds her room, seeing as "Erza Scarlet" written on the door of Apt. 22 the best indication of her place. He nudges the door open and steps inside.
He's greeted, remarkably, by the sight of an...armorless room.
Yes, instead of rooms and rooms of armor and weapons, he's greeted with... a regular room. Yes, he said it, a regular living room. A couch, a coffee table, a lacrima T.V., it was all very normal. He ventured into her kitchenette, and surprisingly, the only dangerous, sharp looking item was a kitchen knife sitting in the drainboard.
The back hallway led conveniently to Erza's room. He stepped inside, greeted by a four-post master bed draped in lavender sheets. A teddy bear lies nestled among the multiple pillows, a light blue bow draped around it's neck. Finally, he sees a weapon: Benizakura, he realizes, lying across her sheets. He smiles at the sight of the blade, seeing how it's her most treasured weapon of them all.
"Erza love," he whispers, gently nudging her conscious. She blinks wearily and raises her head from his shoulder.
"Mmm," she mumbles, her eyes glassy.
"Erza, I'm going to set you down," he says. "Can you throw on some clothes?"
"Are you gonna leave?" she mumbles. "Please don't."
He swallows. "I won't," he says, the words thick in his throat. "I'll stand right outside your door."
She nods. "'Kay," she mumbles, and without a word he sets her down carefully, his hands steadying her until she's standing somewhat shakily.
"Alright, I'll leave the door open a crack. Call me once you've dressed," he says, watching her carefully before stepping out. He sags against the wall and listens to her stumbling around in her room, humming something and opening drawers. He wants to let his mind wander, but he refuses to. She's not in the right state of mind and he can't tarnish her image when she's like this. No bad thoughts for Jellal when she's like this- absolutely not.
"Jellal," she calls. He sighs, straightening before going to situate her before he leaves. When he opens the door, he's expecting to see her in those familiar purple Heart Kreuz pajamas, but instead, he's greeted with something that makes his face turn bright red.
She's lying on her bed, clothed in a light blue, frilly bra and underwear set. She looks positively ravishing, giving him a "come hither" look while curled around Benizakura.
"E-Erza!" Jellal gasps out. "What is that!"
"Tuck me in!" she demands, holding her hand out impatiently toward him. He sighs, turning his eyes heavenward.
Please, if there is any god out there, let me live through this night.
Forcefully keeping his mind out of the gutters, he cautiously makes his way over to Erza. She has a dreamy look on her face, cheeks flushed, lips pursed, and it takes everything Jellal has to not capture her lips with his own. He bends over her, reaching for the sheets and drawing it over her bare body.
"Jellal," she mumbles sleepily. He looks over to her, a questioning look on his face.
"Can you stay with me tonight?" she asks. "Keep me company?"
He swallows, his mouth going dry. "Erza..." he begins. "I'm not so sure that's a good idea."
She shakes her head. "Stay with me," she says. "Hold me, please. Just until I go to sleep."
He pauses. He shouldn't let his feelings loose and pull Erza in yet another dance of emotions, but the way she pouts her lips like this, even in her drunken state, is hard to resist. She doesn't need anyone, but in this moment, she's vulnerable, and allows her need for comfort to shine through. She doesn't want to be alone, and, if he lets his emotions shine, Jellal doesn't want to be alone this Christmas eve either.
"Okay," he whispers. He can't keep himself away from her, no matter how hard he tries. Just look at today- traveling all the way to Magnolia to just catch a glimpse of her this Christmas while Meredy and the others urged him on.
"Go!" Meredy said, pouting her lips in a "no-nonsense" frown much like Ultear used to. "I'm getting tired of you sending that forlorn look towards Magnolia. Say hit to Erza for me."
"Make sure you use protect-"
"What Cobra means," Richard said, slamming his wide palm over Cobra's mouth, much to the dragonslayer's dislike. "Is that you should spend time with the woman you love this Christmas. It only comes around once a year, you know."
He kicks off his shoes and settles under the covers at Erza's urging. She snuggles in close, laying her head on his chest and nestling in next to his warm body. Her warm legs wrap around his, and he cautiously wraps an arm around her and pulls her in close. Her warm breath fans his neck, and he listens to the steady rhythm of her breathing until she falls asleep.
"Merry Christmas, Erza," he whispers, pressing a kiss to her head. Then he closes his eyes and falls asleep to the smell of strawberries.
She knows something is different even before she wakes up. First, the headache, and the fuzzy taste in her mouth. Second, she's wearing clothes. Last she checked, she wasn't. And third, a familiar body pressed against her own, a strong arm caging her in among the blankets.
She blinks, opening her eyes. She's in her room, and as she raises her head, she meets the familiar burning gaze of Jellal.
"Hi," he whispers, raising a hand to cup her cheek. "How are you feeling?"
"Hazy," she replies, pressing her cheek into his palm. "Achy. Tired. Confused. Take your pick."
He smiles, but concern lies in his gaze. "Let me get you water," he decides. "You stay here."
"Wait," She says, grabbing his arm before he could leave the bed. "What happened last night?"
He frowns, turning back to look at her. She almost laughs; it's hard to take him seriously when he looks like this, eyes bleary, clothes wrinkled, hair mussed up. He looks younger like this, less stressed, more like the innocent boy she knew rather than the man struggling with demons.
"You don't remember?" he asks.
"I remember bits and pieces," she confesses. "I remember walking out of Lucy's house, seeing you. I vaguely recall you bringing me back to Fairy Hills, but I'm not sure what else happened."
"I brought you back, and made you throw something on. You asked me to stay with you, and I did. Just in case you got sick this morning."
"Oh," she says, her tongue feeling thick. "I'm- I'm sorry for putting you through that. I got too drunk and I'm not proud of it. I apologize."
"You have nothing to apologize for," he replies. "I'll always look out for you Erza, don't expect anything less than that."
"I-I didn't say anything stupid last night, did I?"
"Not really," Jellal said.
"I was so lonely, I suppose," she said, looking down. "Everyone else more or less paired off and I was left standing. You weren't there, and I missed you, and-"
"Erza," Jellal interrupted. She looked up, facing a pair of blazing eyes. "Please, don't say that."
"Say what?" she asks, bewildered. "I miss you?"
His eyes squeeze shut. "Erza, I-I- I'm not good for you," he confesses. "No matter how much I wish it was different, we can't change the past. No matter what I feel, I can't drag you back into this mess I created."
"Jellal!" She exclaims. "Why do you do this to me? You constantly push me away, and this hurts not just you, but me as well. Do you know how hard it is for me to go a day without you? I think about you constantly! Your a constant shadow in my head that refuses to leave!"
"Erza-"
"You keep yourself from me even though I want to help!" she continues, ignoring his protest. "Jellal, no matter what you've done, I still love you! I can't help how I feel. But you push me away, and you never let anyone help you. When will you realize that you don't have to go through this alone?!"
She throws herself forward, burying her face in his neck and clutches his shoulders. "Why do you do this to me? I'm so confused. You push me away, but sometimes you allow me in and let me see the innocent boy I knew and I don't know what to think."
"Erza," he whispers. He drops his head. "I'm sorry I made you feel this way. Add this to the list of all the terrible things I've don't."
"You dummy," she mumbles into his shirt. "Christmas only comes around once a year and I never see you."
"I know," he whispers. "I should've come around more often. I guess I was just scared to see you again, since I still have to atone for my sins. I've avoided you, and I'm sorry. Christmas only comes around once a year, and I should be spending this time making you feel happy."
"Then do it," she challenges, looking up at him. "Kiss me."
He licks his lips. "Erza-"
"Jellal," she whispers. "I didn't want to spend Christmas alone. You came. Celebrate it with me."
He closes his eyes. "When will you realize that you don't have to go through this alone?!"
She's right. He doesn't have to carry this burden alone. He hadn't realized it before, but she's always supported him, no matter what he's done. Even after all the hatred and darkness, she's waited for him, full of life and love. She's what he needs to get through this crazy mess called life.
"Merry Christmas, Erza," he whispers. Then he leans down and presses his lips against hers.
(Later did he realize that she placed a mistletoe over her bed the night before. How fitting.)
*Bonus*
There was a knock on his door. Gray frowns, tripping over his clothes. He doesn't remember how he got back home, or how his clothes ended up in a pile on his floor. His head is pounding with a killer migraine, and the taste of alcohol still lingers on his tongue.
"Comin'" he slurs, stumbling towards the door. "Hol'on."
He reaches the door and grabs for the handle, swaying a bit. He yawns and opens the door, meeting the burning eyes of Jellal Fernandes.
"Jellal!" Gray exclaims, surprised to see the mage here. "What are you-"
"You and I are gonna have a little chat," Jellal says darkly, storming inside, slamming the door behind him. Gray stumbles back, almost falling over, but Jellal grabs him by his shoulders and pulls him close.
"I hear you're the one that made Erza go home nude. What do you have to say about that, Gray?"