Hello!
CheesyDelphox, always so fast (I feel like commenting on a battle when Erza switches armoury and everyone goes :O)! Thank you so much for reviewing! The tree story is when she was chasing the pigeon - the neighbours saw... ':D I've always been interested in that: do you read all the notes I leave for everyone? I get the feeling some of you guys do. And I thank you every time and I mean it more and more with each time! Thanks!
Mitzy123, no, definitely more than the bedrooms (and parlours and kitchen...) (smug face)... Thank you so much for your review and for pointing so many things out! I wasn't too content with the chapter in general but now I'm more confident! Thank you! Love to entertain ya ;)
Isanien, always putting in so much time and effort to go through them all even if the new chapter is out; thank you so so much! I'm so happy to be reading what you think of them all! Laxus and Meredy on the way, babysitting still in the idea-factory but noted. Would you like another Jason interview?
Wendy Marvel, you're welcome! I'm the one to thank you! I love reading your review in turn! And don't worry, I've put down other fics (or writing entirely) for months and years sometimes. Sometimes it flows and sometimes it doesn't. Just hope you'll have enough time for when it actually does ;)
Mikasa-Chan, haha 'you know what smile', you guys are so much better at these expressions and I love it. Thank you so much for your review! The tree thing again is when she climbed up to get the pigeon. Hardly any neighbour didn't see - gets boring to be a snob so the entertainment was bound to be noticed xD Laxus chapters are in the works, though the babysitting is not yet out of the factory ':D Working on it. Don't worry about your English; as a non-native speaker myself, I can entangle those things I surely did, too, in the past (or still now). Stay healthy and safe yourself!
foxydame, thank you so much for your review! Love to read about so many things you comment on! She is adorable; I love that side about her in the manga/anime so much as well. Thank you so much for letting me know I'm doing it justice! That means a lot to me! And my gosh that last statement, you're so kind, thank you so so much! That was next level complement; consider me blushing and skipping! :D
Somnolent Sushi Roll, Jellal for first non-soprano (and off-key) Disney Princess xD Thank you so much for your review, dearest Sushi Roll. I don't know how you do it but you always find so many words to fill all of these paragraphs I proudly swoon and fangirl at! And yesss, just like with that cake icing longer ago, it was the intention to lead you astray; thanks so much for letting me know that it worked - dirty mind you got there xD (kiss/heart blowing emoji to make up after teasing :p). 'Nadal better sleep with his eyes open' made me laugh xD and the wild Erza right behind; you have a gift, you know that?
Thank you guys all so much for so many lovely reviews! Wishing you a good week and happy reading!
Jellal glanced at the clock above the door. Still more than an hour until he had to be at work. He shoved the casserole dish into the oven, mentally noting the fifteen-minute mark when it would be ready. Or so he hoped. It was more of an experiment – an oatmeal cake of sorts, mixed together with milk, eggs, honey, applesauce and peanuts.
How he had the energy to come up with original recipes in the early morning, he did not know, and the reason he should physically not be able to get out of bed at all sauntered into the kitchen that very moment.
"Mmh, good morning," Erza purred into his back where he felt her forehead to rest against. He smiled.
"Morning,"
"I've been thinking…" she said. Her voice was so smooth it made his ears perk with interest. "About the cat," she continued, "and I can't help but get the feeling you don't like cats," she disclosed. Jellal frowned to himself, more in amusement than puzzlement.
"I don't dislike-"
"Wrong answer," he froze when she interrupted. Something furry had just snuck its way beneath his shirt. It drew tickling circles over his chest, then abdominals, finally resting over the buckle of his belt. "As I said, I have been thinking and I came to the conclusion that it might take a little… mutual familiarisation…" she trailed.
"Mutual…?" Jellal's frown increased. She let him go, retreating and he turned with slight unease. His brows went up and his eyes grew in size when spotting her to quickly have draped herself on the table. He did not notice his jaw's dropping.
Laying on her side, one arm over the curves of her flank to rest on her upper thigh, Erza presented what she perhaps thought to be a close-to-realistic representation of a cat. Or maybe she was just playing with him. Judging from the seductive pose, the outfit that consisted of merely bikini-sized pieces and ruffled over-knee tights – and those creepy furry gloves with paws for hands – as well as the speech she had just given him, it was most likely just playing with him.
His eyes flashed from the cat ears and tail to the catface-shaped hole where the valley of her breasts would be, would they not be squished together by the flimsy top. Definitely playing with him.
Wanting to open his mouth to speak, Jellal found his lightly tattered lips already further apart than necessary. Unable to swallow, he cleared his throat instead. Her lids were already half lowered and he could see her own lips pursing at his delay of a reaction. A rejection for sure. And he had aimed for that, he honestly had.
Instead, he threw an estimating glance at the clock again. Erza's eyes widened and her expression brightened at that small sign. Keeping from wiggling in anticipation – and not least triumph – she turned over. With those odd paws, she crawled to the end of the table, displaying her cleavage in all its shiny glory.
He neared her rather quickly and she reached up to get a hold of his tie. She yelped when he somewhat toppled her over, pinning her to the wooden surface. The table's legs squeaked in response.
"Jellal," she could not help her own surprise, though her eyes shone with ambition. He clenched his jaw. Blush rose to his cheeks nonetheless – even more than there already had been after gaping at her attire.
"Don't get used to this," he growled under his breath. It did not take more than a few heartbeats to tear the gloves off of her, which was quite fast considering the speed his heart leapt with. Erza smirked. Her captured hands rose above her head when she scooted down to wrap her legs around his.
"What? You mean changing your mind so easily…?" She said, even though it had never actually been up for debate that he disliked cats. But there was no way she would pass the chance to have the last word – to give another tease and to let her voice ring so huskily that there was no need for dressing up sexily in the first place. He could feel it work and she saw right through his poor attempts of hiding his own excitement.
"I mean in the morning," Jellal leaned down to rasp next to her ear. She was not granted the chance to form a reply, breath hitching when his mouth found her throat in a hungry suckling. His hands slid down from her wrists over her arms, causing shivers through her entire body, finally digging his fingers beneath her thighs to press them to him. Erza grabbed his shirt, understanding immediately and he chose the nearest parlour's couch to place her down.
Their lips were a mess, tongues twirling and twisting too much for him to comprehend how she was suddenly ceasing control.
Faces flushed, hands roamed and when her pelvis ground where it fit so perfectly into his, a throaty groan fell from his lips. She fed on that, luring out more and more until he all but swore under his breath, hair standing on end as much as her own skin tingled with excitement. Finally, she could not stand it anymore, fingers making quick work of his belt and the buttons of his trousers.
Jellal failed to help when her teeth dug into the crook of his neck. He would be damned before making anyone believe that she did not know every single of his sensitive spots – and if not, she was soon to find out. He had not even noticed while dazzled by her appearance, but Erza left not only bruises, but stains of scarlet lipstick all over, marking her territory with a feverish delight.
Soon enough, Jellal found himself on his back, wearing even less that his hardly dressed beloved and without a single thought to properly grasp. So she took it upon herself, grabbing his hands and guiding them along her body, waking up his twitching limbs to react. His fingers enclosed whatever skin they found, delving in, and he savoured her moans as much as she did with his. His eyes opened when the bit of light coming through his closed lids darkened. Her hair veiled their faces from the sun and his hand came up of its own accord, gently brushing a few strands behind her ear as if they were not in the middle of something by far more rushed and heated and ecstasising.
Smiling fondly, Erza leaned down to kiss his lips. They felt swollen against his own, plump and perfect with every of their tiny shreds and bulges he was responsible for. Her hair was still moist from the shower she had apparently just taken and he entangled his hand in it, silky tresses flowing through his fingers. He was not prepared for the fierceness she regained all of a sudden but he was not one to complain.
The stench of burnt oatmeal was the only thing keeping them from a second round and with that, saving him the excuse for showing up late for work.
The grandfather clock chimed down the hall. The sky was clear but darkening by the minute. With the windows closed, however, the clock's ticking was everything to be heard and only when in close range.
Erza sighed to herself. It was such a difference from back at home – in Magnolia. Of course, it was not always great to be hearing every carriage or even faintly hearing people outside all day and night but it felt more reassuring than the mansion. It felt... homier. Cosier. Even being so small in size, it had everything they needed and simply felt like home.
She sighed again, this time vocally. She was not sure whether in annoyance at herself or in appeasement. Not for the first time, Erza considered whether this huge mansion could truly become home. It had everything they needed – and so much more. It could easily host her entire team. It could host guests, too, serve as a base of operations and allow a representation of the status Jellal now held.
It was stable, it was safe and it was more than she could have ever dreamed of owning.
Only…
Closing her eyes briefly, Erza let her head fall back against the wall. He received quite the good salary from the Council and even though the mansion would only belong to them after having paid it off, it was doable despite the high costs. A future goal. A reachable dream.
Her steps echoed along the corridor for a while before she finally arrived at her destination. Having taken all day to come to terms with the notion of moving, Erza still felt her stomach to give a queasy grumble when thinking about it. But that was just the way it was – the way it would be. She could not always win out over him, she had to make compromises, too. And this was the right thing for him. He was so happy in his job, there was no questioning it.
Correctly interpreting the following rumble as appetite – not even fooling herself – Erza strode into the kitchen. She opened the fridge, rummaging around until finding what would be easiest to make. Salad it was.
Knowing he would work overtime, she did not expect him to be back any time soon. So she changed her plans to cook a proper meal, to return the favours he always doused her in and to… distract herself. To adapt, she corrected in her head. To adapt to what could become their home – would, she inwardly scolded herself again.
Since she did not have to focus on operating a knife, Erza let her thoughts wander. They found Jellal in the midst of regret and guilt for moving away from her family. He slowly started to quiet the noise, the mere recollection of his voice, of his gentle touch and that smile she was graced with more than anyone else in the world, filling out the hole in her upset guts. And she found that she could do this. That she wanted to do it for him.
The front door fell closed when she was just finishing a mediocre sauce for the vegetables to simmer in. She heard his coat's fabric rustle down the hall and then his steps towards the kitchen. He wore a smile upon seeing her, dropping his suit's jacket over the backrest of a chair.
"No restaurant today?" He asked, sliding his hands around her waist from behind, greeting with a kiss below her ear. She felt her insides warm up with him just being there.
"No," Erza smiled at the contact of his lips, "we can't just spend all our money, we have to save it," she held up her spoon and he licked it. He frowned alongside her, nodding to himself.
"Salt," Jellal determined. He never named her flaws, only how to improve. She gave up on it, putting down her spoon and leaning back against the counter to watch him stuff a kitchen towel into his neckline in order to protect his white shirt. "What are we saving up for?" He asked, opening the seasoning cupboard.
"The house," Erza raised her brows, giving his puzzlement a look. "Unlike with our house, I've acquired knowledge about how much this one is going to cost us and cheap is not a term I would use,"
"Houses aren't all that cheap in general,"
"Well, even with your salary this is in a very expensive area and takes up quite a few square metres," she crossed her arms. Jellal ground some salt, pepper and garlic into her mixture. He gave it a stir.
"But that would require us wanting to live here," he said over his shoulder, then strode over to the fridge, giving the tomato purée a scrutinising glance before deciding on it. Erza blinked at him. Her arms loosened. Then the knot on her stomach. He…?
"You… don't…?" Was all she managed for a moment, following his next movements closely with her eyes.
"It's a very nice house, but it lacks the…" Jellal frowned, whether at his words or the new taste he analysed she did not know. "It's not home, in my opinion – I don't-" he made a face, this time at their topic for sure. "I didn't want to say it like that; home is wherever you are," he glanced at her from the side and her lips curved into a smile all by themselves, "and you know I mean that, right?" She nodded, watching him shift his attention back to their dinner.
She wanted to just hug him and never ever let go again.
"But I don't feel as much at home here as in our house – the house where we moved in together, where we kissed for the first time and where I've spent the undoubtedly best months of my entire life," he smiled at her, a tad shily and she wanted to burst with love for him. She rushed him with a hug, squishing her face into his side.
"You don't know just how much I love you…" Erza whispered. Her fists gripped his shirt tightly, not caring for one second that it would have to be ironed again now. She could have squeezed his every bowel out of him in joy.
Arms enclosed her and he had a hard time turning around in her merciless grasp. Somehow, Jellal was able to detach her enough to do so, but she stuck back to him immediately, nuzzling herself into his chest, practically shoving him into the counter, his elbow nearly knocking over the sauce. He chuckled softly.
"And you don't know how much more I love you,"
"Impossible!" Her head snapped up to glare at him, an adoring spark in her eyes. His own mouth's corners tugged up of their own accord.
"At least you have a life beside me; you have friends, you have hobbies," he grinned, then leaned down to kiss the top of her head.
"Oh?" Erza lifted a single brow, her smile stretching into a smirk. "And would you care to guess what my favourite hobby is?" She trailed her fingers down his back and he shivered. "I'll give you a hint," she said. Then her clothes glowed.
"I was going to say sleep in, bu-" the words got stuck in his throat when the requip came into place. Her tights had traded for equally black, over-knee stockings, her skirt for an exceedingly short dress, its hems lined with white lace, as well as the apron that strung around her hips. Her bell sleeves reached her wrists, the dipping neckline revealed the tops of her breasts and another lacy ruffled headpiece crowned her scarlet tresses.
Her smirk grew wider when noticing his eyes to be flashing up and down. Mouth still open, Jellal took another moment to form words, enough time for her to slide her hands down his back, leaving them in the back pockets of his trousers.
"Mh, so to fulfil my role accurately," she let her eyelids drop halfway, "I need your orders, Master," Erza purred. He tried once again to articulate whatever was going on in that steaming head of his, then hastily closed his mouth. Erza pressed her lips together in an attempt to keep the laughter in that begged to be released. He had drooled, nearly down his chin.
Jellal swallowed and she could not help a giggle. Then he cleared his throat, his thoughts obviously not clear enough yet to speak properly. A maid kink, she assumed, or perhaps one of his oh-so-secret-but-frequent fantasies coming true…?
"How may I serve you?" She lowered her voice, curling her fingers while leaning in even closer. Another hidden grin made her eyes sparkle with amusement when feeling his body betray his excitement.
"I-I didn't mean-" he struggled, his own hands hovering above her back where he had just hugged her a minute ago. She could see that he wanted to play along, being too much of a gentleman to admit it. Yet.
"You seem a little tongue-tied, Master. Would you like me to untangle it? I have a very skilled one myself that would be glad to help out," she tilted her head to the side, sweetly yet determinately giving him those eyes he knew very well to read correctly by now. And they always got what they wanted.
"Awfully sure of yourself there," he started to regain his confidence, the invitation she verbally – and physically – flung into his face finally taking affect. Not that there was any use of defying her, anyway. "Wouldn't want the offer to go to waste, but aren't we forgetting something here?" He gave her a sly look. "Subservient vassal…?"
"You really know how to dirty talk – half of your cases' delinquents would need a dictionary now," she grinned, losing her tease not a second later. Erza gasped when his hands did not even travel, but came right down on her rear with a gentle slap, fingers digging into her skin almost the same moment of arriving at the skirt. It was that short.
"Oh, Jellal," she gave a breathy moan at his boldness, never ceasing to smirk up with intent.
"Falling out of character," he shook his head slowly, tsking. "I'm afraid that calls for punishment," he said, if with a little hesitation in his voice. Nevertheless, it made her knees weak, a hefty shiver shaking her down her spine. He was not the only one so obviously excited anymore.
"Mind if I treat you to dessert before dinner?" She grinned, her stomach jolting in a loop when his hands gave a squeeze.
"Only if we go upstairs," he said and she frowned. "You first – I need to ascertain myself of just how inappropriately skimpy this outfit is; would have to get rid of it altogether if that were the case…" he glanced up innocently, pretended regret in his tone, a brightly glowing blush across his cheeks. Erza felt her heart hammer fiercely against her ribcage. This might have been what she had been aiming for but the anticipation had definitely not prepared her properly.
"As you wish," she glided her hands back out of his pockets, one of them tossing the towel in his shirt over her shoulder, the other winding around his tie, pulling him out of the kitchen by it.