Finding Forgiveness {Jerza}

Bubblegum Toothpaste

Jellal's P.O.V

'I'm going to have to have a serious talk with Meredy. What was she thinking!?'  I thought nervously as we walked down a narrow hallway to the rooms we paid for. 

Erza probably thinks I'm trying something with her, or that I'm not being a gentleman, or she's probably dreading being alone in a room with me.

After all, I pushed her away when we were about to kiss... Who leads someone on like that only to push them away time and time again? Our friendship is a truly perplexing one...

Part of me has regretted that action every day since. But another part of me knows I'm not good enough for a girl like Erza. I doubt I ever will be. I can't let my feelings for her outweigh the punishment I deserve. It would be childish of me, to say the least.

We walked into our room, and looked around. It wasn't the largest room, but it had a satisfying amount of space. There was a bed in the center of the room, with night stands on either side. There was also a bathroom on my left hand side in the front of the room. "I'm going to start getting ready for bed," Erza said simply as she requipted a toothbrush into her hand. Really, Erza?

I paced over and sat on the bed while Erza was in the bathroom brushing her teeth.

Erza is strong. She's confident, beautiful, and deserving of someone who can add to all those things. I'd only weigh her down in the end. 

"Come on, you need to brush your teeth too! You can't be getting cavities when we've got a job to do," Erza said, peeking her head around the corner, toothbrush in hand.

"Huh? Oh, yea. Of course," I got up and followed her into the bathroom. 

"I'm pretty much done, but here's some toothpaste if you need it, and here's a toothbrush in case you forgot to bring one," She said as she requipted a new toothbrush, handed it to me, and walked out.

"That's kind of you, thank you," I looked at what she gave me.

Was this?

Bubblegum flavored toothpaste?

What?

I couldn't help but giggle. Titania, the queen of the faries, uses bubblegum flavored toothpaste.

"Is something funny in there?" She called from inside the bedroom.

"No, nothing!" I called back but couldn't help but laugh while I said it.

'She took out entire armies, defeated countless monsters, saved the world so many times, and she uses the same toothpaste as your average 6 year old!' I thought to myself, causing me to laugh harder.

She appeared in the doorway and saw me laughing as I held the tube of toothpaste.

"Are you making fun of my toothpaste?"

"No- hahaha! I would-- haha!!- Never!!!" I couldn't contain myself.

She turned red, then quickly snatched the tube from my hands and said,

"Fine then! No toothpaste for you! Get all the cavities you want!"

"No, Erza, Wait," I said as I grabbed her wrist before she turned to leave.

She looked down at my hand, just millimeters above hers. We made eye contact and froze. In that moment, I swear, time stood still. Both our faces became flushed, as we failed to take our eyes off of each other. 

I really began taking the time to look at her for the first time since starting this mission. 'Erza Scarlet... Is the most beautiful woman I've ever known,' the sentence itself seemed to formulate on it's own from the back of my mind. It was a sudden thought, one that may have been irrational given the circumstance, but it was nonetheless accurate. 

 

 After a long pause, she broke the silence. "Jellal..." She began. I felt her pulse quicken on her wrist, and I began to sincerely comprehend how she felt towards me. Even now.

I released my hold on her, my face was now probably the color of the strawberries she loved so much. Her innocent heart, still beating strongly without detainment, reminded me of the ever-present sympathy I have for her. This warm feeling inside of me, caused a serene smile to slowly spread across my face.

"Erza I would love to use your bubble gum toothpaste. I'm sorry, forgive me?" I asked calmly.

She shook her head slightly as if to clear her thoughts,

"Oh, yea! Sure! It's no problem- I mean- don't make fun of it again or- I mean-"

"I know what you mean, Erza," I said amiably as I took it from her hands and looked at it once more with a smile, before putting some on my toothbrush and giving it back to her.

"Thank you, Erza," I added, before I began brushing my teeth.

"No problem," She said quietly before going back into the bedroom.

'That was close. I can't get attached to her... I can't lead her on... I'm too broken for her...'

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