She sat beside the window, glancing intermittently at the reflection angled back at her as she ran a brush through her long, scarlet hair. Her reflection was familiar, looking back at her just as it always did when she was alone. Calm. Serene. Completely at peace after the events of her busy day. She was the picture of elegance...as always.

A shadow caught her eye and, without blinking, she requipped a dagger and sent it flying. The thin blade speared the spider right through its centre, pinning it to its final resting place...at least until she bothered to clean it up. Smirking to herself, Erza returned the brush to her hair.

Picture of elegance indeed.

Perhaps in the future, spiders would think twice about entering her domain...or anyone else for that matter.

As if on cue, she heard the window to her suite slide open. She caught his reflection in the mirror, but was careful not to flinch. She did not want to give away that she had seen the blueberry headed miscreant trying to scale the exterior piping only minutes ago. He should feel blessed by good fortune that she hadn't speared him through too.

Erza met her own gaze in the mirror, a slight smile on her face. She fixed her satin pajamas, undoing the button that would expose just a bit moreof her cleavage. She was pleased she'd had the insight to put on her black push-up bra.

"You're late," she said in a low, steady tone.

"I came as soon as I could."

"It's been 2 years, you know," she whispered, lifting her eyes to track his movements.

She watched him nod in the reflection, "I had to get things squared away."

"Things?" she challenged.

"Crime Sorciere," he answered bluntly, "I couldn't leave them alone the second we were pardoned. I had to make sure they'd all be okay."

She paused, setting her hairbrush delicately on her vanity and reaching for her hair tie. She collected her hair back smoothly into one hand to form her ponytail, pausing with the ponytail holder still on her fingers.

"And are they okay?"

"Richard was finally reunited with Wally. We found him in a colony in Bosco. They used the money Queen Hisui awarded him to buy a potato farm. They mean to help feed people that have fallen on hard times."

Erza nodded, "Commendable. And what about the others?"

Jellal took a step closer, placing one hand gently on Erza's shoulder. He took the band from her, pulling her hair into his own hand, then kissed the outer shell of her ear. She tilted her head as he maneuvered her silky locks with deft, confident fingers, her eyes sliding shut as he finished pulling her hair into a ponytail. He stroked her face gently with his forefingers.

"MacBeth and Sawyer decided to travel with their newfound freedom; on from Bosco to lands unknown," he whispered, warm breath gentle in her ear.

Tingles cascaded through Erza's body. Her heart sped up as his lips settled in the soft divot behind her ear.

"Sorano is going to pursue a relationship with her sister, Yukino," he murmured, his tenor deepening, "She has realized the most important thing in life is to love and is embracing it fully."

He kneeled at her side, grasping both hands on her lap, then peered up into her face, his blue eyes taking in her whole essence. Azure blue locks fell into his face as he bowed before her, squeezing her hands like she would fly away if he were to let go.

"Erik found love too, as you know," he said softly, "He came back to Magnolia immediately...to be with Kinana."

Erza nodded, feeling heat course through her body, "And Meredy?"

"She made amends with Gray first...and now she's making amends with Lyon Vastia, although it seems they've more than just resolved differences," he chuckled, squeezing Erza's hands lightly, "She has joined the Lamia Scale guild in the hopes of creating a new life for herself."

Erza peered down at their joined hands, then back to Jellal's eyes. He rose from his kneeling position so that they were eye level, his forehead pressed lightly against hers.

"T-that just leaves you then," she choked out, willing her voice to remain strong.

"Yes," he murmured, "That just leaves me."

She swallowed, cursing him for not finishing his thought out loud. He was waiting, she knew...waiting for her to be direct and ask outright or try to draw his plans out of him. He was never one to say things up front, always expecting her to be the warrior.

"What will you do...now that you are free?" she asked finally, "Now that you've been exonerated of the sins that have pulled you down for so long?"

He paused, intertwining his fingers with hers, "I was hoping…"

Erza's heart pounded harder, her face reddening despite her silent commands to remain composed in front of him. No other person in all of Earthland could make her lose control like the man before her. She had waited so long for him. While it appeared that he had a valid excuse for not coming sooner, she suddenly dreaded his answer. If he didn't say what she hoped…

"...that I could join Fairy Tail… officially," he finished, "With you. My debts are paid...I'm finally free. I want to live my life for real."

Erza felt the tension in her shoulders melt. Those were the words she'd been waiting for the entirety of her adult life.

Jellal wouldn't meet her eye as he waited for her response. She thought she could feel a slight tremor in his hands. Was he nervous? Was he worried she'd reject him after all this time? Was he concerned that he hadn't properly atoned for his sins, even with a royal exoneration? Or was she imagining it all?

"Jellal," she whispered, tilting his head up so that their lips hovered centimetres apart, "You have no idea how I've waited for this moment."

The edges of his lips curved into a smile, his eyes lighting up with the sparkle of hope. He leaned forward, closing the gap between them. Hot breath mingled, warming their cheeks as their noses rubbed gently, Jellal's thumb guiding Erza's chin upward to seize the moment...until she placed a single finger between their lips, preventing the contact.

"Jellal," she whispered.

Jellal's eyes widened as she pulled away.

"I'm sorry…"

Jellal's mouth dropped open.

"I have a fiance."

Jellal jerked away, horror in his eyes as he studied her calm, serene face.

She grinned, dropping every wall and pretense she had, wrapping her arms around his neck to bring him close.

His body relaxed, melting into her as he realized the clever little trick she'd played.

"Now we're even."

Jellal growled, grinning as he dove in and sealed his lips on hers. When he finally pulled away, her perfectly brushed locks were mangled and disheveled, cheeks flushed with embarrassment. He chuckled as her fingers fumbled fruitlessly to close the buttons of his shirt she'd ripped apart.

She truly was the picture of elegance.

A/N: One-shot...because I can.

Hope you enjoyed it! Please leave a comment. Thanks as always to my fabulous beta, Wordsaremyspells1331! I threw this together in 30 minutes and she very kindly edited it for me on the spot!

Seeya next time!

~Shana~