One More Chance

Chapter 13

A rather bright light kissed Jellal's face causing the man to stir in his sleep. He blinked repeatedly and noticed that Erza was not on his chest.

He got up and saw steam coming out of the bathroom and Erza opened the door with an illegally tight towel wrapped around her body, still wet from the shower.

"As much as I love an onsen, a shower is not too shabby either", she smiled and instantly requipped into a normal set of clothes before starting to dry her hair.

"Oh, you don't have extra clothes, do you?", she asked and instantly changed to a rather familiar black shirt that was far too loose for her, and a dull white pair of pants that barely seemed to hang on to her waist. Erza removed the clothes and placed them on the bed. A soft smile graced his lips and he stared at Erza's partially naked form and the latter tried to cover herself in vain.

"That explains my diminishing wardrobe", he chuckled and grabbed the clothes. If she truly did hate him for the past couple of years, why did she hold on to those clothes? Why would she still choose to have something to remember him by?

Jellal walked into the shower casting his thoughts away and Erza's eyes traced his retreating form.

With a soft smile on her face, Erza made her way to the same dining room and saw the old woman merrily humming a tone while cooking some food.

"Look who's here. Thank your lucky stars no-one else was around. And here I thought kids these days couldn't compare to us. Didn't you two make me eat my own words!", she teased Erza with a soft cackle and the scarlet haired mage instantly looked away with a blush that almost set the colour of her hair to shame.

"Here for lunch, eh? It won't take too long. Plus, the two of you haven't eaten for an entire day!", she smiled and Erza leanded forward as she laid her chin on her folded arms and stared at the woman before frowning at her last sentence.

"What do you mean by an entire day?", Erza asked and the old woman stifled a giggle as she pointed towards a tear off calendar and Erza's eyes shot up as the calendar showed the next day.

"But..but..."

"Oh, my husband and I don't hold a candle to you, little one", the woman sighed and started off on a few stories about her 'trips' with her husband before Erza cleared her throat softly.

"C...Can you do it again?", she squeaked out and the woman gasped.

"Are you sure, young lady?", she asked and Erza nodded her head partially with determination and partially in embarrassment.

"Here I was thinking I'd be getting chewed out at", she giggled and accepted the Requip mage's request.

"Looks like you are going outside. I will make sure to delay the effects", she promised and Erza nervously rubbed her thighs together.

"Day before yesterday night's experiment taught me the importance of using sound magic in all rooms", the old woman sighed and Erza bowed her head mumbling an apology.

"It's fine, it's fine! If someone else had been here, things might not have been so good. You have brought something important to this old lady's mind, so let this old lady treat you to lunch", she offered and Erza knew it was better to silently accept it.