Thanks so much for your reviews! I can't get enough of the fangirling; I really need that too :D

Erza awoke hours later after her second time of falling asleep. It was morning – at least –, perhaps midday. She did not mind. She knew she would receive comments or hear whispers behind her back about being so late in the guild. She was only glad that Lucy was the one who knew and not Mirajane…

Apart from that, she was happy instead of bothered. She loved their sleep-ins; that he actually stayed with her, even though he would otherwise never stay in bed this long. He was such a problem child; often unable to sleep, always giving himself a hard time, never allowing himself anything. There was not one night she remembered where she had fallen asleep after him. All save one, she had also never woken up before him. Even now, she could feel that he was awake, his breath careful and supressed as he was still nuzzled into her cleavage.

She gave a sigh, just to tease him. He stiffened when her chest expanded and she could not hide a grin, blushing anyway. His face was glowing against her. Lips brushed her skin and for a second, Erza thought it might have been on purpose. At least she told herself that.

And then it happened again. It was her turn to shortly freeze. Then again, this time with another, clearer hint of intent. She heard a small hum of pleasure escape her lips, unable to stop it. He paused. She waited, her heart pumping. He now knew that she was awake, too.

Jellal stroked along her back with his thumb once and she responded by doing the same in his hair.

"May I…?" He asked quietly, his voice not as hoarse as usual. He had been awake for a while. She took strands of his hair, tugging him closer.

"Always," she whispered. He kissed her then and she bent her head back, giving another blissful moan. He went up her throat, taking in the territory she deliberately offered. His lips dragged across her subtle skin, hot and rough.

"Always?" She felt the corners of his lips curve into a playful smirk. She could hardly decide whether his tone or actions teased her more, excited either way. Opening her mouth to respond, Erza found her words drowned out by a gasp when he daringly nibbled on a particularly soft spot in the crook of her neck. "Even in public?" He went on as best as he could with his face somewhat smashed against her by her hands.

Erza opened one eye, nearly panting. His tongue momentarily brushed her throat and he kissed below her chin, hands firmly on her shoulder blades. His elbows were at the sides of her breasts as he held her close, bringing them together as if by accident. Only she knew that nothing was an accident when it came to them. They were too self-conscious. Her voice came out huskily.

"You wouldn't have the guts,"

"Fair enough," he grinned, meeting her eyes. He seemed surprised at what he found – that flustered mess she was – though not unhappy. Thus far, she had detected two major weaknesses that got him to be bold: alcohol and her making noises of pleasure. The latter made her feel embarrassed, merely thinking about it, but she decided that it would be worth it.

"I wanted to go out for some clothes today," Jellal said, "and I haven't taken up any requests yet, so I'd be free tonight." He hinted at their date and she immediately understood. She would go out any minute of any day if he asked. "I know it's not really your division, but do you know shops for male clothing?"

"I'll come with you; I was going to buy a new dress or two, too," she said, beaming at the idea. Shopping with Jellal. No, the other way around. Shopping with Jellal. It was such a dreamy fantasy, she feared her dream bubble would finally pop and she would wake up in Fairy Hills by herself.

"I thought you did that the other day," he noted and she nodded.

"I did, but they had armoury, too, so I got distracted and just took a bunch of weapons and the armour…" she admitted and he laughed.

"I can understand if you're busy with your own purchases, but I'd really appreciate your advice,"

"Of course!" Erza blurted out instantly. Her eyes were sparkling. She would get to dress him up! She was wiggling with excitement, unable to let it out while still in bed. He watched her sheepishly, then his eyes softened. She forgot to listen for a moment when he watched her with such adoration, her heart swelled.

He tilted his head. She panicked. What if he had offered something else she had not known she was dying to do and he would take her silence as a refusal.

"Right?" He asked and she nodded.

"Right." She said, uneasy with the smile he gave. Amusement flickered in his eyes.

"You have no idea what I just said, do you?" He raised a single brow and she felt her blush return. She nodded once more, avoiding his pretendedly strict eyes.

"I don't…" she muttered. He tightened his arms around her and she glanced up with surprise. He was just smiling – so much, it almost looked strange on his usually serious and pained face. He leaned in to peck her lips.

"I asked-" she did not let him finish, meeting his lips again, kissing him over and over again. He gave in to her will, showing not the tiniest signs of resistance – quite the opposite – however keen on ending his sentence. "I asked," he managed between kisses, "if you could… choose… mmh," he allowed her tongue to enter his mouth, "a res… au… ran- mm," he barely made it but she could guess. She would have to, because she was not about to stop. It was just too good to finally be permitted to kiss him. She never wanted to stop, ever.

They were both stumbling slightly by the time they reached the front door. He fished for the key in his pocket, but she pinned him against the wall, her breath warm on his cheek. She kissed him, almost making him forget what he had been doing. And that they were still outside.

Jellal unlocked the door, returning her kiss with her back against the door this time. On the inside. He felt his slight fear of being seen evaporate with the heat of her lips that she claimed him with. He toed off his boots somehow, following as she led him into the bedroom. She lost her high-heeled shoes on the way. High-heeled shoes. He had never imagined that she could turn him on any more than she already did, but damn, she had proven him wrong.

Erza had her lids lowered when she turned around. The curtains were drawn so he just stood there, eyes fixed on her hand that wandered to her back. She pulled on the lacing in the back, letting her dress drop to her ankles. She was not even wearing tights. She then proceeded to pull him along by his shirt, onto the bed and onto her.

Jellal knew her plan. He had seen through it the moment she had asked for the wine list, innocently ordering some for both. He had noticed her eyes drilling into him from the side whenever he had sipped his glass. He had heard the intent in her voice when proposing to go home.

Even though he had known and was aware that neither of them could stay sober after two glasses or more, he had not refused. He did not know why – it was predictable that he would be the one to feel bad in the end; that he would probably ruin everything to begin with.

Erza kissed him so fiercely, he lost his balance and every bit of sanity with it. That was why.

She roamed his chest with her hands and he cupped her face with both of his. She was searching for the buttons of his shirt, rushing as usual, her hands trembling and fiddling with their task, only making slow progress.

He did not help. He was far too busy with loosening her hair all the while wrestling her tongue for dominance. She loved being in control and he loved precisely that. She practically ate him up, moaning against his lips, giving his mind jolts and his body courage. Those sounds just drove him insane.

She bit his lip and he sucked on hers in return. Erza had by now managed to unbutton his shirt, shoving it over his shoulders. He let go of her, kneeling upright where she had dragged him between her legs, and tossed it aside. He saw too late that her hand was going behind her back again, already seizing her neck with his lips.

A throaty moan escaped her and she brought her hands to his head, straddling her fingers as she raked them through his hair. He was on fire, his thoughts not keeping up with his actions. He kissed down her neck, vigorously. She accompanied his journey with sighs and moans. His teeth scraped lightly over her collarbone. She was tingling the tips of her fingers up his nape, a shiver travelling down his spine as a result, every hair standing on end.

"Mmh, Jellal…" Erza sighed, gasping when he made his way down, his chin already on her sternum. He looked up, pausing for a moment. She stared at him, through a cloud of lust, shoving his face back down. A delightedly amused smirk adorned her face. "That wasn't a question," she said, her body shaking once when he obeyed.

He kissed the subtle skin of her cleavage, then the top of her breast. He sucked and she withered with a groan, pulling on his hair. He traced his tongue over the latest mark he left, going further down, creating another one. She arched her back into him when he kissed just below her ribs. His hands were accompanying his path, stroking along the bare flesh of her sides, until her hip.

He reached her bellybutton, slowing his pace. She was trembling. She had hooked her legs over his shoulders when he had lowered himself until her chest, now seeming unsure about that decision. Gradually, he trailed further, gentle and predictable, not nearly as rough as she had solicited him to be earlier.

He watched her face from below. Her brows were furrowed, eyes closed and mouth open to compensate her heavy panting. She clenched the blanket beneath her with her firsts balled, knuckles going white. He reached the seam of her lacy black knickers. She bit her lip and he took a moment, waiting for protests, then lifted his mouth to go further.

"W-wait!" Erza exclaimed. Her voice was a flustered mess. She put her hand over her panties, the other one hugging her chest. She was boiling with blush, somehow even more than before. She still trembled, head turned to the side, eyes squinting shut. "I-I don't think I c-can…" she stuttered, seemingly wanting to disappear within herself, curling up.

Jellal let out a breath through his nose, lifting himself over her leg to near her from the side. He crawled up to her face, but she avoided to look at him.

"I'm sorry!" She nearly sobbed. She winced heftily when he touched her shoulder. He stopped, taking it back, waiting until she calmed a little, trying again. It worked this time and he mellowly stroked his hand across her shoulders to hold her reassuringly.

"Don't be-"

"I am!" She practically yelled into his ear, not accepting his embrace, though not ceasing to hug herself, either, thus not pushing him away. "I shouldn't be the only one to decide; I can't just stop you just because I want it," she raged about herself, still shaking. He tightened his arm around her.

"Of course, you can,"

"Well, I shouldn't!" She finally looked at him, eyes full of tears. Still panicked from before but also sorry. "You have every right I have; you deserve this just as much, I mustn't-"

"Erza," Jellal cut her off, leaning his head down to meet her forehead. To his relief, she did not move away. "Don't be so hard on yourself," he put his other arm around her, too, and she fell into his embrace, "as you said, we have the same rights, so you did nothing wrong." Her chest slowly stopped heaving. "To be honest, I'm glad you stopped me," her head rose at that. Her eyes were huge, tears spilling from them, down her cheeks and he gently wiped them away with his thumb.

"You just know me too well – you know I would have been a wreck afterwards," he said softly, the truth cutting his tongue like a blade. He kept going anyway. "Especially if you don't feel comfortable with it; I'd have beaten myself up for forever,"

"It's not that I don't trust you, I really do," Erza rambled, her voice still shaken. Her body slowly calmed, though, and she let herself go, clinging to him instead. He hoped it was because she wanted to, not because she felt obliged to do so in order to be convincing. There was nothing to be made up for; she had to understand that.

"I know. I don't know why but I know you do," he said, the anticipated protest coming not a second later. He smiled, putting his cheek to her head, and she fell silent. She was still sniffling occasionally, but the tears did not roll down her face anymore. She held on to him with both hands on his chest.

"I'm sorry…" she mumbled again. He shook his head. Sliding his hands onto her upper arms, he turned her torso to face him, meeting her eyes with determination.

"Please don't ever be sorry for knowing your own limits," he stressed, "you've always told me how you can only be strong by knowing your own weaknesses and you, Erza, have always been and are still the strongest person I've ever had the honour to meet." He leaned down, kissing her forehead. She closed her eyes, cheeks puffy, eyes glancing to the side.

"You're one to talk… you actually stopped," she said and he had to smile. Was she not aware that he would literally halt in his tracks on hot coals should she ask him to? "And you were going to carry on had I not chickened out…"

"You got me drunk, remember?"

"Sorry about that, too…" she mumbled under her breath. He gave a negative hum.

"I think I needed that… and I might have quit just then, anyway; I'm the bigger coward of us,"

"Who are you calling a coward?" Erza roared, back to her usual self for a second, eyes threateningly shooting lightning. He chuckled and she noticed her own change of attitude, an insecure smile tugging at one corner of her mouth. He gave her a warm smile, digging up the blanket from beneath them to drape it over her.

"Just don't ever hesitate to make me stop," he said, guiding her down, keeping her close as she fell asleep in his arms, head tucked beneath his chin as she liked to do.

Hope you enjoyed!

Also, thanks for your suggestions; they gave me the perfect idea for Meredy's guild mark. Also also, if you have anything you really want them to do, let me know because I'm planning out future chapters and events.