So many reviews - thaaank you!
Sorry about the gross depiction of wounds but I looked up lightning wounds and it ain't pretty... :D
Anyway, thank you so much for such sweet and detailed reviews! And such amazing complements - if I were an anime character, I'd be blushing all the time; thank you all so much!
Also love how everyone's just like: what? how can they be angry at him? so what he just murdered someone xD
Also also, I was rather sure I knew what PDA meant but looked it up anyway and the first thing the internet showed me was some strong pain killer for example when pregnant and yeah. Confusion on my behalf xD always good to learn new abbreviations!
Enough of me! Thank you all so much for letting me know what you think and you're so very welcome for the updates! Author-San wishes good entertainment!
"It reeks…" Natsu muttered amongst the group.
"Of the guy?" Lucy asked quietly, eyes darting around the bar. The second they had opened the door to the musty and of alcohol smelling place, clad in half-dark with only dirty yellow lamps on the walls, the Dragons Slayers' noses had flared.
"Of the attackers," he disclosed and Wendy nodded. The group proceeded with caution, peering at the grumpy faces that rudely stared back. Not only the team but it seemed that everyone in the establishment was itching for a fight. It would be highly risky to start anything now – not necessarily because there were particularly strong mages among the suspicious clientele but because it would be such a mess, an escape was bound to be given.
"In there," Natsu hissed, jerking his head over at a side door.
"Let's go then," Gray growled under his breath, making a move. With a sharp exhale, Erza lead the group towards closed door. Jellal had already spotted multiple criminals from former missions, the black market, and various illegal businesses he had been involved in. Some of them were fresh out of jail – whether it was official or not – while others were long overdue to pay prison a visit.
"Excuse me," the bartender interrupted their imminent campaign. Caught, they all halted in their tracks, frozen and inwardly cursing. Erza was the first to turn, having to step closer to the bar to properly see the small, chubby man. "That's the VIP room," he informed while drying a pitcher.
Natsu started sneaking towards the door but Erza stopped him with her hand. Jellal gave her a nudge from behind, having spotted their way in. She clenched her fist lightly behind her back, signalling to have understood.
"We came here for the weekend job," she invented, having scanned the poster next to the bar quickly. "We were just travelling through and heard you needed help," she said, allowing her features to ease into an appeasing smile.
The bartender nodded slowly.
"We are a little short of staff at the moment – at least on the weekends. The new waiters will only be coming in a few weeks," he explained. Erza was grateful for her team to remain as quiet as they were. "How about three weekends, starting tomorrow?" The small man asked. She made a thoughtful face.
"How about one weekend with five diligent workers?" She retorted with a counterproposal. A smile formed on the man's dry lips. He reached up to place his pitcher on the counter.
"I'll inform the boss then," he accepted, grinning. "Tomorrow at seven is when we open so be sure to be there on time – and I'll have to see about fitting uniforms…" he muttered, more to himself, trailing Erza's and Lucy's body with quite different intentions than a proper size. Jellal's jaw clenched with anger but he hid it well behind the veil of an empty expression. He kept his head lowered to shield his face beneath his hood.
Erza thanked the man, then turned on the heel, shooing her team out.
"Then you stay at camp while we work," she said to him, purposefully loud enough for someone to overhear. They took a couple of detours through the bordering woods as if actually having a camp, splitting up, until meeting again at an inn. The only one that still had space, if only a little.
"What?" Gray exclaimed. "I'm not staying in a room with this punk!"
"Who're ya callin' a punk, punk?!"
"You, you snoring bastard!"
"Freezing stripper!"
"Enough!" Erza hollered. The two shrunk, sweat drops rolling down their temples. "It's decided." She said with her arms crossed. "And it's only for one night, so I expect you to behave yourselves," she glared and they nodded frightfully.
"Aye!" Natsu piped. Gray rolled his eyes but obeyed.
"At least it's two separate beds," he grumbled, making his way up the stairs.
"Like I'd sleep in the same bed as you,"
"Never gonna happen,"
"But why is Jellal allowed in the girl's room and not us?"
"Is there a problem?" Erza loomed over them and they squeaked, hasting up the stairs to their room. Erza sighed to herself. Jellal followed behind everyone, having felt the judging eyes of Charle the second Erza had allocated the two single bed and the family room. He had simply kept quiet, accepted any decision and only taken off his hood after the door had closed.
"This room is tiny; how did they even come to think one could fit two double beds?" Lucy nagged. She dropped her bag on the nearest one, then strode over to the small window behind the fraying curtain. Wendy followed, frowning her lips in distaste at the partly torn wallpaper, then – not before giving a testing pat – sank down on the other side of the bed. It seemed to be clear to them that Erza would insist on getting the same bed as Jellal and he was not complaining. Of course he would feel watched and with that uncomfortable, but sleeping apart – especially when the other was right there – was not something they were capable of anymore.
That, and he felt he needed her there to be able to fall asleep. To know that at least she was safe.
"Any news from Juvia?" Lucy asked. Erza fished for Gray's lacrima that she had confiscated for the mission. Juvia and Mira were staying in Magnolia with hers – in her house, to be exact. Warren had found her lacrima to have been manipulated to send its location to another device. While he was busy hacking into the position of the spying device, Mirajane and Juvia pretended to be Erza, staying at home and walking around with her lacrima.
Anything to heighten their chances of outsmarting their target for once. At least to buy more time and keep the element of surprise.
"Nothing from Warren," Erza reported. She sat down on the double bed's end, crossing her legs. "Though Juvia says that there's an article on the bank robbery in the papers," she informed.
"Bank robbery?" Wendy frowned. She and Lucy sat on the end of their own bed now, facing their guildmate, knees almost touching with hers due to the lack of space.
"The one you hindered," Erza said, glancing at Jellal. He looked up from having untied his boots. "He was hired by the police to capture the delinquents since they were holding hostages," she explained to her friends, "I came there as per Meredy's request but he had already caught them all.
"Juvia says the article names me instead of him to have saved the people," she said with a sharp sigh.
"They probably knew you," Jellal supplied. He did not mind one bit – the less attention the better. And newspapers had never been his allies so he readily surrendered any praises to her.
"It's not right," Erza huffed, "it would have done your reputation good," she started to fume.
"It's really not that important to me," he soothed. She did not look very convinced but he felt too self-conscious to cheer her up with a kiss.
"Ah, I'm still tingly all over from that creepy bar," Lucy stretched her arms above her head, "I'm gonna take a shower before bed," she announced. She gathered up her toiletries and disappeared in the bathroom. She came back out, slightly disgusted, then proceeded to clean everything with the help from her team.
Lucy awoke of her own accord which was rare for a mission. She yawned, turning over to give herself another few minutes. She wondered whether she had just dreamed about them going on their quest or whether it was perhaps still the middle of the night. Opening her eyes then, she blinked into the milky sun's light through the thin old curtain. And no Erza hovering above her, telling her to get a move on.
Since it was highly unusual and she got the feeling that she might have missed her team setting off entirely, she sat up. While rubbing one eye, Lucy glanced around the room. It was indeed the shabby inn room. She glanced to the side, noting Wendy to turn over in her fading sleep as well, Charle sticking to her chest.
As her gaze travelled towards the opposite wall, her previously small eyes opened wider. A smile formed on her lips and she chewed on her bottom lip as she just could not help but stare.
Slightly elevated on the stacked pillows was Jellal, his eyes closed but his breathing shallow from what she could tell. Erza was her focus though. The normally fierce and strict mage, always punctual and preaching discipline, was sound asleep. Snuggled up into the crook of her beloved's neck, she was grasping his shirt in her fists, pulling it to her face while her leg hooked onto him beneath the sheets. And while he did not look very much asleep – or comfortable with that knee atop his poor bladder – Jellal had both arms around her sleeping form protectively.
Lucy threw another estimating glance towards the window. It was autumn and the sun took a while longer to rise, but still, Erza was not giving any signs of being close to waking up.
With a smile to herself, almost forgetting about their troubling mission for a moment, Lucy hopped out of bed. She was still more than relieved that at least the beds were fine. After returning from the bathroom, she could not tear her gaze away from Erza yet again. Lucy winced when Jellal's eyes opened, looking right at her. She swallowed, grinning sheepishly.
She eased a little when returning his good morning wishes, edging closer to the bed again.
"I don't think I've ever seen her quite this peaceful," Lucy quietly said with a smile. "And at this hour," she joked, though she meant it. Considering the circumstances they were in – on a dangerous mission and still hunted by evidently ruthless enemies – it was a miracle that Erza was not already sharpening her blades.
"She likes to sleep in," Jellal said, his voice slightly hoarse but his eyes awake. Apart from the dark lines beneath.
"Couldn't you sleep?" Lucy asked, sinking down on the side of the bed.
"I woke up early," he answered after a short hesitation. She lifted a brow, though with a friendly smile.
"How early is 'early'?" She teased, sensing a lie of appeasement. She wondered how Erza was coping with that – or rather the other way around – since she knew how important honesty was to her guildmate. He pushed his lips together.
"I didn't look at the time," he admitted, though it clearly hinted at half a night of insomnia. It was a good thing that Erza kept him in place, at least forcing his body to rest. Lucy opened her mouth to say something else when the bed opposite creaked.
"Good morning," Wendy said in a hurry, hasting into the bathroom. She returned a minute later, a relieved smile stretching further upon spotting her cuddling guildmate.
"Erza's still asleep…" she said, somewhat like a question, though more to herself, unbelieving.
"I know right?" Lucy whispered back, patting the mattress next to her. Wendy had automatically steered towards it, taking the invitation and watching the steady breathing of her otherwise fierce friend.
"She's so relaxed," she noted, then smiled at Jellal. "She really only lets herself be protected by you – willingly," she said and Lucy nodded. Jellal's faint blush deepened a little and he shoved himself up to sit. Both girls flinched, as if to stop him, but sank back down when Erza only mumbled in her sleep, now clinging to his stomach.
"So cute," Lucy squealed quietly.
"There's not much I can do," Jellal confessed, stroking over his beloved's head once, enticing a small moan and blissfully unbothered champing. "I think she has an inner clock that reminds her to get up during missions,"
"She must have forgotten, now that you're here," Wendy supplied.
"It worked last time – though, you slept apart then," Lucy reminded and he awkwardly averted his gaze. "It's nice though; the bar only opens at seven anyway," she went on.
"I hope they didn't tell the guy that we're coming," Wendy said thoughtfully.
"I'm really not one for confrontation, but I hope he'll be waiting for us – trap or not," Lucy sternly said, "I've had enough of being hunted,"
"You can say that again…" Jellal sighed.
"And right after that, we'll go and find Meredy," she added. His strained eyes lit up at her words, blinking at her with astonished gratefulness. "Don't think we forgot," she winked.
"She's our friend, too," Wendy agreed. With softening features, Jellal wanted to reply, stopping himself when Erza gave a grumble. Slowly waking up from their voices, the brightening sun and not least his gentle strokes through her hair.
Arching her back, she inhaled deeply. After stretching and then making sure to still have the opportunity of a firm grip on his shirt, she released him to rub one eye. With a yawn, Erza turned, tilting her head back completely in his lap to look up at him, smiling.
"Good morning," Jellal smiled back, his hand hovering above her face now. She took it in hers, running her fingers along his, inspecting his mostly healed wounds without glancing away from his face.
"Mmh, morning," she curled her toes into the sheet. "Do we have chocolate?" She lazily asked.
"We could get some in town," he replied. Lucy tilted her head, knowing exactly how her usually unyielding guildmate could melt into his gaze – his eyes shone with such tender adoration and his voice sounded so different from when he talked to others. Even she felt the urge to stare and listen and not dare tear her eyes away from what she had never thought possible. He was as if exchanged when with his love, as drawn into their own secret world as she was.
"Good. I want chocolate pudding – the one you made the other day," Erza said.
"I can make some when we're home," he offered. Frowning, she only then seemed to take note of the strange walls and bed canopy. She tilted her head while absently placing his hand down on her ribs.
"Are we... on a date?" She furrowed her brows, sheepish, probably since she looked rather unsure with her guess. A light tint returned to his cheeks. Jellal was by far more aware of the others to be right there than she was.
"Not quite," he grinned and she gasped suddenly.
"The mission!" Erza's eyes shoot open. "I completely forgot- ah!" She nearly bumped into her friends at the side of the bed when rolling over to get up. "I'm sorry, I'll be ready in a second," she scrambled off the other side of the bed, hurrying to the bathroom, banging the door shut behind her. All three watched with amusement.
The door opened again and Erza pointed at Jellal, then the others.
"You get ready too!" She nearly yelled, flustered, and quickly closed the door again. A moment later, the shower ran.
Shaking his head, Jellal had to smile.
"Chocolate pudding for breakfast?" Lucy wiggled her brows. He shrugged with a grin.
"If she wants it,"
"She gets it," Lucy finished and they laughed. Getting up, they all rummaged through their bags for a change of clothes.
"I can't believe it's been months since I showed you how to make pancakes," Wendy said.
"I still can't believe that casserole you made for the guild," Lucy dreamily swayed in the memory. Jellal scratched the back of his neck, not turning while busying himself with making the bed.
"I took cooking lessons," he disclosed.
"Really?" Lucy asked, her mouth forming the shape of an 'o'.
"Two cooking classes and one in domestic economy – I've never really lived in a house before," he grinned over his shoulder, returning to tucking the edges of the blanket away.
"Domestic economy?" Wendy titled her head in question. She held Charle in her arms while she sat on her bed, her clothes ready to be changed into as soon as he would leave the room, Lucy assumed. The Exceed watched Jellal with slightly narrowed eyes, her lips a thin line but she remained quiet. Her attitude had visibly changed towards him, however reluctant she was to admit it.
"Things like washing, cooking, cleaning, sewing, house maintenance et cetera," he explained. Wendy gave an acknowledging comment and Lucy enthusiastically joined, too. She could not help but change her own perception of things – seeing as he was quite dedicated of his own free will, not only complying every of his beloved's wishes. Charle shared that opinion, her features relaxing, then darkening again as he went over to the bathroom door.
"Erza?" He knocked, clothes in hand. The shower had stopped but Lucy would never dream of interrupting the Queen of the Fairies, especially when she was in a hurry. "How long-" he pulled his hand back when the door opened.
"I'm done," Erza said, dressed in a towel, another one around her head, scarlet strands sticking out at the end. Busy in front of the mirror, she put the glass down which she had just emptied and Lucy found herself to be suspecting those clandestine pills.
With the door still ajar, Jellal strolled in, disappearing behind the door where fabric rusted a moment later. Erza untied her hair, searching for her brush.
"Have you-" Jellal started but she already nodded.
"Yes," Erza found what she had been looking for, combing through her wet hair. "Did you bring-"
"Mhm," he hummed, "I also brought-"
"Good,"
"Oh, and I saw-"
"Me too," she nodded, moving on to trying a bun, "maybe on the way back,"
"Can you-"
"Right," Erza reached out for the door, nudging it closed with a click of the lock. She rushing of water from the shower followed shortly. Lucy stared at the door, blinking to herself.
"So relaxed..." she muttered under her breath.
"They're like a married couple," Wendy smiled with a bit of a blush but it turned from being slightly embarrassed to fond. Lucy adapted that smile.
"Well, they've been pining after one another for years – I guess it's easier to get used to something after already having dreamed about it for so long..." she said.
"I can't imagine what it must have been like for him when we were trapped on Tenrou Island for those seven years…" Wendy sighed sadly. She pulled her pyjama over her head, putting on her dress. Lucy joined her, the unease of the previous day starting to settle in her stomach again.
"I don't think I even want to imagine it..." she mumbled with pity.
A few minutes later, the bathroom door opened again. Erza strut out, decidedly turning the corner.
"I'm waking up the others," she said, blustering down the hall. Jellal appeared from the bathroom as well, just finishing with buttoning up his shirt, stepping into his boots. He glanced to the side when Gray's borrowed lacrima lit up. Lucy did not notice her own actions to stop, her hand freezing while having stuffed her clothes into her bag at the change of his expression. His eyes were as if falling out and onto the screen.
"What's-"
"It's Meredy!" Jellal gasped, hectically swiping over the screen. His eyes flew across the messages that apparently concerned his guildmate, his breathing quickening. Erza returned, halting in her haste when spotting the device in his hand.
"Any news?"
"Meredy texted me – you, your lacrima, for me," he spun around to her, "she sent me a location," he almost panted. Erza frowned and that alone made him calmer from his sudden vigour.
"Did she say why she only answered now?" Erza sceptically asked.
"She said her luggage was stolen," he retold.
"Has that ever happened to her?"
"No, it- well, it's not too unrealistic but she has a new mission – says it's urgent," he narrowed his eyes suspiciously. Erza caught them, giving a puzzled look.
"That's it? No details?"
"We never give details unless in person, but still,"
"You think it's a trap,"
"Most likely." Jellal gave the lacrima back to her, gathering up his bag and coat. "But I'm still going,"
"Be careful," Erza went after him, stopping him in the door where he turned with softening eyes. She tugged on his collar where he had just closed his coat, then rested her hands on his chest.
"I'm already prepared for a trap and I won't exhaust my magic beforehand," he promised. Leaning down, he met her lips in a reassuring kiss that Lucy found her heart to be speeding up at. "Please take care on your job," he pleaded and she nodded seriously.
"In two days back at home," she declared. Any further point in time and they would be allowed to worry and look for the other, Lucy presumed.
"Two days," Jellal agreed, capturing her lips again, then practically ran out the door and into the busy morning streets.