Hello there! Hope you're having a good day so far and if not, that this'll help.

Before we start, however, I have a question: do you want spoilers?
I'm asking this because I often get questions or headcanons or ideas that require me to give a statement on future events and whether I have planned them or not. I've already sent a private message regarding one of those reviews, so that's what I'd do if you say you want your questions answered immediately.
Just let me know if you want explicit, vague or no spoilers at all.
Concerning that, if you'd like to know the answers to other reviewer's questions, let me know, too (but you'd have to read them all for that, that is).

Here I go...

Guest, haha, tiny Fernandes, that sounds adorable. Thank you so much for your review and letting me know that Natsu and gang were entertaining!

Isanien, thank you so much for letting me know what you liked! And that you did, heh :D Since it's not a spoiler: the number was what Jellal whispered into Erza's ear, just to let her know what his result of calculations was, being dorky and flirty and all. Natsu was able to understand thanks to his hearing and just repeated it, clueless why it didn't work.
I'll see what I can do on the roleplaying... (smug emoji face thing).

Mitzy, Thaaank you so much for such a fangirling review! Makes me so happy! Also, I'll try to come up with the roleplaying ;D

Frangellica, thank you so much for your review! And for letting me know that you like the change in perspective :) do let me know if I should answer your plot related questions as I have asked at the beginning of this Author(-San)'s note. Also, who would you think Meredy could fall in love with? And concerning your question, I'm afraid I have to say... I make this up as I go ''':D as usual. I don't have an outline, only loads of ideas cramped into my notes and sorted poorly as to which needs to happen before another thing does. That's sadly about it :D
About your guest review, again, let me know if you want spoilers or not regarding your questions. And damn that would be a drama...

Mikasa-Chan, thank you so much for reviewing! For letting me know what you liked and being so detailed; I loove when you guys mention parts in particular, thank you so much! To Mira's comments, I've had an idea just the other day while peeling a sweet potato so please look forward to that :) She really is an underrated character, I agree. Yeh, I'd like to do some more Erza Meredy family, too. Thanks for letting me know!
As for the wedding, I have more struggles with the actual wedding ceremony itself. I've already been debating whether to just passively mention it, but I'll try to think about it again... thank you so much for your idea though! Sounds adorable!

Finally, finally, dearest Somnolent Sushi Roll, thank you so much for your lovely review! I love how you just get me - and the fangirling. Who can ever have enough of fangirling? :D And thanks a ton for letting me know about the typo - Gray is back to Gray, thanks to you ;D And thank you so much for your patience and kind words! Author-San appreciates it a lot!

Wow, this was long. Anyway, hope you'll enjoy the Jerza!

"Oh, I forgot to file everything in," Erza halted in her tracks. "I'm sorry, but I'll have to run back and just put the lists into their folders – I won't be long," she apologised.

"I'll help you," Jellal offered and she could see the reluctance on his face. Still, she accepted. The sooner they were done, the sooner they could eat lunch. She already had a place in mind and he had agreed to it in the morning on their way to the guild.

And so, they made that exact way back, going straight for the upstairs and then down two flights into the archive. With his help, Erza was done faster than she ever had been. She took over the ladder-climbing duty on purpose, finding – to her slight disappointment – that he was not watching at all. Not even when she was wearing her new skirt. Too much of a gentleman, she thought, though it was evident that he was quite tired as well.

"Alright," she nodded when the last sheet was at its place. "Let's go," she said, leading the way back upstairs into the main hall.

The second they arrived, however, she was spotted and somewhat assaulted by a storm of flashes.

"Cooool!" The man who Erza identified as Jason immediately shouted, slamming his camera's button. "Erza! So cool to meet you here!" He went on, his camera dropping to dangle around his neck as he picked up a notepad and pen. She remembered then to have missed his last visit due to having been home most of the time, therefore having promised an interview in the next edition. Of course it had to be now of all times…

"And you, who are you? Aren't you Siegrain from the Council?!" He yelled like he usually did, suddenly swarming Jellal. The latter stepped backwards, obviously hoping to merge with the wall or perhaps even just fall down the stairs again to get away.

"Jellal, this is Jason from Sorcerer Weekly," Erza said, shoving the obtrusive reported back to give them some space as not to fall. "Jason, Jellal," she gestured from one to the other. "He's…" she hesitated for the split of a second, never having introduced him in her life, feeling slightly awkward. Could she just associate him with her? Or was it wiser to name his guild? On second thought, would that be a smart move at all?

"He's her boyfriend," Evergreen sneered from the side, giving a teasing smirk. Most likely jealous about not having the spotlight to herself, Erza assumed, letting it pass.

"Coooool!" Jason exclaimed, his fist balling too enthusiastically around his notepad that the paper crumbled. He swung it up and down in hyperactive punches. "How did you guys meet? Was it exciting? Was it a battle? Did you have to fight to gain the great Titania's attention?" Jason already scribbled away, eyes flashing to Jellal who was so utterly overchallenged he could only stare back.

"They met when they were very young," Mira interfered calmly, and for a moment, Erza sighed in relief. Too soon, she then found out. "You could say they were childhood sweethearts – and I'm sure there's still much we can be expecting," she threw one of her most twee, most devilish smiles at her guildmate. "Seeing as she holds the title of an S-Class Mage and with him being at the level of a Wizard Saint," she added to drive away from the previous comment. Erza growled under her breath but received nothing but an innocently teasing wink before the She-Devil went on with her usual tasks.

"Is that true?!" Jason asked, practically thrusting the camera into her face.

"It is," Erza disclosed, a little embarrassed. Glad that no one else had taken the hint and the topic was dropped.

"So you're officially dating?!" He kept on yelling, now at Jellal.

"Yes," he said, his face straight now with a blush crowning his cheekbones.

"For how long?!"

"Over four months," Erza swiftly replied.

"And what's your favourite colour!?" He exclaimed towards Jellal again.

"Red,"

"What do you do in your free time together?!" He switched back and forth between them.

"We cook," Erza answered. Jason gasped.

"Can we get a sneak peek of that?!"

"No." Jellal plainly said.

"Then an action shot! All ready for battle – or better: during battle!" Jason proposed, already snapping more pictures of them and the guild hall where everyone's chattering seemed to have drifted towards the baffled couple. "I know!" He nearly screamed, way too excited but living for his job with every fibre of his body. "How about a romantic scene!?" He was hopping and down by then.

Jellal grew pale. Erza on the other hand felt her heart drum fiercely, though rather in excitement than fear. Not matter how embarrassing, she had always loved those secret unagreed images Meredy had caught them with. Just thinking about an actual, professional picture of the two together – romantic or not – was making her stomach flounce.

"Just one," she pretended not to be too interested and the entire guild – obviously having listened – whooped playfully. Turning around, she met panicked, objecting eyes.

"Erza," Jellal tried in a quiet tone, gaze flashing around, knowing to be watched and visibly more than uncomfortable with it.

"We'll be out of here sooner," she argued under her breath. She pleaded at him with her eyes, wanting nothing more than that souvenir – bright and in colour, and for all she cared for the entire country to see.

Seeing the look in his eyes, she let hers soften.

This was just like agreeing on the training on his behalf. He had done it in the end and he had not regretted doing it. Both Romeo and his father had been more than grateful and even Asuka had had an hour of fun with her new favourite babysitter. He had been splendid in whatever role he had overtaken.

But not content.

Whatever the case, she already felt bad. Perhaps he had not even been unhappy, having discovered to like being a tutor and a babysitter, but that did not mean that she could simply decide these things on her own. That he was content with her. And as much as she would have loved to just go for it, Erza knew better than to betray his trust once again by rushing into things for her own selfish reasons.

Sighing, she shook her head in rejection, opening her mouth to take back the offer. Her words got stuck in her throat when Jellal suddenly grabbed her arms, turning them around. Her back hit the wall. Erza stared up at him with huge, confused eyes, widening even more when his own closed and he leaned down with his face.

Only half a centimetre away now, she felt his shaking breath on her chin. His hands wandered to her sides and her own rose of their own accord, coming to rest on his chest. There was a split of a second where his upper lip brushed hers, her heart leaping, skipping so many beats it made her dizzy. He was so bold it nearly knocked her out.

Their lips met, tenderly, deeply, and her eyes fluttered closed. Sighing, almost as if slackening, Erza gave herself up into his touch, returning the favour with vigour, her chest heaving so heftily it squished her hands between their already almost gapless torsos.

Completely under his spell, it seemed to lightly tear on her heartstrings when he pulled away. Gently, caringly, Jellal hovered above her face with his for a moment longer. His eyes were like endless ponds, like tails of shooting stars, clashing into hers and she lost herself entirely in them.

"Cooooool!" Jason interrupted. All senses coming back, Erza only now noticed the uproar Jellal had caused the second their lips had met, the entire guild hall cheering and clapping madly after a moment of dead silence, held breaths and a tremendous gasp in unison. Unable to see properly, she blinked away the garish flashlight the reporter was still bombarding them with nonstop as he had for the past minute, blinding one of her eyes.

Seeing the blush slowly creep up her beloved's face, his eyes lowered, Erza only then realised her own to be glowing as scarlet as her hair.

"Right," she tried to clear her throat, but her mouth was dried out. Furthermore, with her head still in the clouds, there was nothing she could come up with to excuse them with. And she could not just storm out, though, technically, she very well could, being who she was.

It just did not want to work. He made her weak with all that boldness of him, the taste of his lips still on hers, his breath, his scent, his eyes all so deeply furrowed into her brain's most treasured section of the affection only he could give her.

And she liked her spot. Pressed so closely against him – had there not been that entire public shebang around, she would have liked to stay just that way. Only right there and now, she wanted out. And he did, too. More than anything.

"Excuse me, Mr Jason," a new voice piped up from behind the hyperventilating reporter. He turned and Erza could finally see more than just half of her beloved with the flashes gone. "Weren't you looking for Laxus earlier? Because he just returned from a mission…" she said, nonchalantly pointing to the second floor.

"Coool!" Jason whooped, hurrying up with his camera bouncing up and down. Erza blinked in surprise.

"… thank you, Charle," she said, cursing at the croaking of her voice.

"If you wanted to get away from here, now would be a good time," the white Exceed pointed out without meeting their eyes, hands hidden in her sleeves she used to put together. With a smile of thankfulness and relief, Erza grabbed Jellal's hand, pulling him with her to the double doors. The guild whistled and cheered and snickered teasingly as they left, being heard even a hundred metres down the street.

"How about we eat at home?" Erza proposed, only a few corners away from their house then. Jellal seemed to deflate with relief.

"Are you sure?" He asked instead of agreeing immediately. She smiled appreciatively. Always putting her needs – or wants – before his. But she was learning, too; learning to listen and observe and read his true feelings.

"Yeah, I'm feeling a little tired," she admitted. It was an understatement but she did not want to worry him. He would only ignore his own exhaustion and go out of his way to make sure she was alright. And she was, just… fatigued.

"I think I've had my fair share of people for today…" he exhaled strongly through his mouth. Rummaging for his key, Jellal unlocked the door. "Except you, of course," he added hectically. "After this, I don't think I'll need to get out for a week," he threw her a sheepish smile over his shoulder.

"Was your talk with Meredy not good?" Erza asked. That would have been the moment the theatre should have come back to her mind, but she was simply too tired to think any further than her own question. Luckily for him, unbeknownst to her.

"Well," Jellal balanced on one foot to unlace the other boot, "sort of." He put both aside and she moved to unbutton his coat for him in a seasoned habit, not needing the time to change clothes herself. "I think she's just a bit moody from having to stay in the infirmary all day. I feel bad for her, but it didn't seem as if she'd want me there for company," he retold.

"I'm sure Juvia visits her often – and the others, too," Erza reassured. She hung his heavy coat, then led the way to the bedroom. He was not complaining. Lunch could wait.

Erza awoke from her short nap when the skin on her back tingled. Blinking her eyes open, she was met with the wall to her side of the bed. Jellal's fingers froze at the exposed strip of the small of her back where her shirt had travelled up.

"Don't stop," she said with a smile, her voice still quiet and cawing. He smiled, too, tracing around the crusting scars as carefully as possible.

It still smelled of the quick shower he had taken, his shirt having been wet with nervous sweat after their encounter at the guild. She had not joined, having fallen asleep and now happy for him to be back and right there with her.

"Erza?"

"Mhm," she hummed, closing her eyes again.

"Can we… do our telling-each-other-things thing again tonight…?" He quietly asked. Her smile widened. How long had he been thinking about it, waiting to propose it? Had he been debating whether to dare to suggest it the entire time she had slept? In any case, she was more than glad.

"We can do it right now as well," she suggested.

"And can I…" he hesitated even more this time. And then faded out entirely.

"Jellal," she said when nothing came. "If you have requests, tell me," she encouraged. He gave a humbly indecisive sound from the back of his throat. She pushed her lips together in adoring pity. "I request you to request," she decided and he gave a sharp exhale of laughter.

"I…" Jellal quietly began, taking another second to persuade himself. And he succeeded, making her heart swell proudly. "I want to see them," he said, running another finger along the bulges on her lower back.

"Of course," Erza said. She wanted to requip, but the second the thought came to her mind, she stopped herself. His hands were on the hem of her shirt and she waited while he once again tried to convince himself. Then, just before more animating words left her already opened mouth, he moved. Gingerly, and with his warm palms tenderly brushing up her side and back, Jellal lifted the article of clothing over her head.

Stretching her arms, Erza let him take it off completely. Her eyes fluttered shut once his lips came to meet the supple skin on her nape, trailing down her spine. In a predictable pace, he went all the way down and up again, avoiding her injuries, his hands following with gentle lines and circles to distract from the stinging pain she still felt, while at the same time giving him the opportunity to explore and soothe both him and her.

Minutes of silence engulfed them. Jellal never ceased to caress her back, and she allowed the occasional shiver he caused, sinking into the mattress more and more with each of them. She waited, though she also pondered on what she could tell him. Something funny to lift the mood? Something involving the guild, perhaps, the Master, or maybe even a past event with Jason from Sorcerer Weekly?

At some point, her mind had wandered back to lunch, melted cheese and sesame combining into something she had no idea how it had gotten into her fantasy about the sorbet that was still awaiting them.

"Am I…" Jellal broke the silence, fetching her back into the present. "Do you think I'm overprotective?"

"Yes," Erza said, but with a smile in her voice.

"Oh…" he sounded crestfallen. Like a beaten puppy, left in the pouring rain.

"You didn't ask me yet if I think it's good or bad,"

"Do you think it's good or bad?" He asked obediently. Another shiver shook her through, the light tickling of his fingertips turning into pleasuring warmth, wounds long forgotten.

"I think it's good," she explained. "To a certain extent," she added and he sighed deeply.

"She said she didn't want me as her father,"

"Then it's a good thing you're not,"

"No, I mean," Jellal struggled, his movements becoming edgier.

"I know," she aided him. "She told me once that she thinks you see her as the child Ultear gave into your care, now that she is gone. And I'm sure Ultear would be very happy to know that you two are coping fine and still a team," she said and he listened closely. "But I also think that Ultear would have never left without a trace if she knew that you wouldn't – she's confident that both you and Meredy are capable of managing your lives, together or not," Erza said. He waited.

She waited, too. Half a minute of silence he seemed to drown in, his mind smoking with thoughts running wild, perhaps memories of past events.

"She's not a child anymore,"

"Oh, but she is," Jellal gave an uncomfortable hum. He sighed again, down her back. His forehead met her spine. Eyelashes tickled her skin as they closed. "But it's not my job, I know…" he muttered. She smiled softly.

"Maybe if she joins the guild and finds a team, you'll both feel better," she suggested.

"Maybe…" he muttered, unconvinced but not against the idea.

Careful not to hit his head or squish his fingers that were now tracing the lines her bra always left her with, Erza scooted away a little, then turned around.

"My turn?" She proposed with a gentle smile. He nodded. With her finger prodding his shoulder, she signalled him to turn around, just like she had, and when facing his back, she proceeded to lift the hem of his shirt up. Instead of protests, Jellal slightly rose with his side from the bed for her to take it off more easily, and she did. Revealed now and in the mild light of day, the gashes along his back looked even more hideous than the other night.

Mellowly – hoping to be alleviating his pain just as marvellously as he did with her – Erza let her fingertips wander across his back, avoiding the raw flesh. He gave a shiver and she smiled. She kissed the vertebra closest to her.

"I had an idea." She chose their next topic. "I wanted to propose to Meredy that she could live in Fairy Hills, now that she'll join. She can have my rooms," she explained.

"I don't think she needs that many, but it sounds perfect." Jellal agreed. His voice was already less strained and Erza wondered whether it was due to her caresses or the fact that they were not discussing his problems anymore. At any rate, it relaxed him and that was all she needed at that moment – and judging from his exhaustion, what he needed for the next days.

"Well, one of them then," she continued.

"Do you still pay the rent?"

"I filed in the termination today," she said, glad to have remembered it amongst their paperwork that morning. It was thrilling to be officially only living with him, making her feel even more like a proper couple. Like a new part of her live was starting. "That'll save us 500.000 Jewels each month,"

"Five hundred thousand?!"

"Five rooms," she reminded.

"Every month?" Jellal asked, unbelieving.

"Naturally,"

"Honestly, I'm starting to think you'll pay this house off before I can even start on that," he exhaled sharply through his nose, regaining a little lightheartedness.

"Which is probably why you're not telling me with whom the contract is," she teased.

"Uhuh," he confirmed and she sighed, though with the same smile on her face that his voice now carried.

"Jellal?" Erza trailed along his shoulders with both hands. His electrocuted back was hardly black and blue anymore, mostly yellowish with fading bruises and now torn with gashes. She scooted a little closer. "How much money do you currently have?" She asked.

"Definitely not as much as you, so it seems," he joked but she was serious.

"Give me a number,"

"Hm…" he paused shortly, reading her mood, "I don't know exactly, but let's just say the entirety of it fits into my wallet," he finalised. She sighed again, though not harshly, rather under her breath, returning to her previous thoughts.

"I've been thinking…" she said quietly, "about that job at the Council." It was his turn to sigh, similar to her. "I think you would like it."