A/N: I know I'm supposed to have updated CEAPR and PUD for the past...eternity D: but I was having trouble with the plot. I'm struggling whether to settle for a happy ending or the alternative which is clearly another *cough* just-not-meant-to-be-together-ending *cough* but even though it's tempting enough to do so, I won't because I promised you guys a happy ending. :) CEAPR's next chap's done and I will be posting it next week after I finish cleaning it up. PUD will be on hold so I can concentrate on CEAPR and because I'm waiting for the rest of the Tartaros guys to be introduced—their powers included for the plot to make sense. Until then, deal with this one first.

It's going to be a slice of life fic, college-centric and don't worry, unlike my other fics with a heavy and dramatic plot, this'll be soft, light and possibly fluffy. Okay enough of my rant. :D

Disclaimer applied

Poetry In Motion
the final downpour of metaphors

Chapter One: Moving In

It was definitely a long, hot and agonizing Sunday for anyone who'd come out of their homes with the temperature above nineties.

But it wasn't stopping a redhead from walking across the sizzling asphalt road to the burning, crusty concrete of the sidewalk and then finally finding comfort in the shade of a dilapidated bus lined up along with the other vehicles in traffic. Seizing that moment to take a break, the lady in white tee and a pair of skinny jeans twisted the bottle cap of her now lukewarm mineral water and took a huge gulp, almost squeaking in delight as she felt herself being refreshed and hydrated. She drew her head back further to pour more liquid but immediately regretted the action when the sun's scorching rays blinded her.

And she was even wearing aviator glasses damn it! But those did little to help prevent the light from slipping through the slits of her eyes.

She then threw the now empty bottle at the nearest trash bin and succeeded the action by tying her scarlet locks. Her hair was becoming too much of a bother and a nuisance—sticking to her nape and spilling out like a tumbleweed. The strands were bundled up high on her head with the gentle waves and curves falling down like waterfall on her back.

The redhead clicked her tongue in annoyance as the leather strap of her wristwatch stuck to her skin like glue. She adjusted the strap, apparently making it loose enough to let her choking skin breathe in air. Wiping the sweat that rolled down her forehead, she dragged her sore and probably blistered feet along the hot pavement and ignored how the heat penetrated inside the soft material of her black flats.

The exhausted lady reached her destination within a couple of minutes, fanning herself as she dragged her wheeled duffle bag inside the building. She was immediately hit by a wave of cold air, prickling her skin with stabs of disorienting chills.

"Good afternoon!" welcomed a friendly voice from across the lobby.

The redhead returned the polite greeting with a warm smile, hoping that the way her lips tilted up weren't as creepy as she felt they'd be.

"I'm Mira, welcome to Fairy Tail Halls!" her blue eyes sparkled as she waited for the visitor's introduction.

"Erza Scarlet," came the redhead's dry reply. "I'm here for a vacant room, any type—"

"Oh I'm terribly sorry Miss Scarlet but I'm afraid we've no more rooms available. Did you not get the memo?"

Erza was tired and sore and hell, annoyed. Here she was, thinking that she could finally avail a room as she had problems with her previous apartment—rats, roaches, and paper thin walls—and here was this giddy white-haired lady, telling her that the school's dormitory had mo more vacant rooms.

"What memo? I didn't receive anything like that from the office." she complained, her pitch kicking up a notch.

"Well," Mira laughed weakly, clasping her hands together. "That's most unfortunate, but worry not—"

"Really? You're telling me not to worry when I won't be having any place to—"

"Miss Scarlet I believe—"

"—sleep in and where am I going to find an apartment, a room no less with the rent rate as low as yours? Or even as—"

"Miss Scarlet if you would just—"

"convenient for that particular matter huh? Do you know how long I've travelled and endured just to get here and now you're just going to tell me—"

Erza was ranting again. Something she'd usually do when she's irked, nervous or stressed. She was pacing back and forth like a broken automobile. No one could blame her though, she left her apartment at around seven, hoping to arrive at nine. But then the traffic, oh that gruesome trail of vehicles caused her to arrive later than lunch time.

"—that you don't have a fuck—"

"Shut that lovely trap of yours and listen to me."

"E-Excuse me?" the redhead's eyes widened when the very accommodating, very polite concierge turned sinister for a split second.

Mira coughed and she was back to her usual self.

"There may not be any more rooms available but the university has already fixed this matter beforehand."

Erza raised a thin eyebrow at this.

"You see, the moment you were transferred, there were no more rooms, and most unfortunate—no more vacancy for the female section. So the school had to...adjust a bit and they've finally decided to assign you to the boy section if you are most likely to agree to it. Well Miss Scarlet?" Mira handed her out a silver key with the numbers four, three, two and seven etched on the keychain.

Erza's face lightened up. She was going to share rooms with a guy, but she can live with that. She's just so happy that her worries of settling in were over! She grasped Mira's hands and shook them vigorously.

"Why didn't you just say so? Oh thank you!"

"Well, I would've but you won't stop yammering..." Mira muttered then eventually followed the inaudible remark with something lively. "Well, you are now officially a resident of Fairy Tail Halls! Standard rules still apply though. No one's allowed to leave or enter the halls past eleven-thirty. No midnight visitors, no drinking sessions. The seventh floor is the recreational section, we have a study area, a gym, a pool and indoor playroom for table tennis, and cue sports. Now if you've any concerns don't hesitate to approach me."

Thanking Mira countless of times, she hurried to the elevator with the thought of finally resting on her mind.

When she reached the forty-third floor, Erza was immediately welcomed by the wide hallway and the powder blue wall paint.

Cozy. That was the first word that came to mind.

She was practically overjoyed seeing the place. It was so classy and sophisticated she almost felt like she was in a five-star hotel. All for a low rate! No wonder the building was rented all out.

She stopped at the middle of the hall when a shiny, gold-plated forty-three, twenty-seven plastered on a silver round plate caught her attention. Normally she'd just stick the key in and help herself in, since according to Mira, this was officially her room. But being a lady with adequate manners, she knocked first.

There was no response.

Another knock, louder this time.

Still no response.

Shrugging, she inserted the key and twisted until she heard the lock coming undone. She turned the knob and as she opened the door, she was greeted with silence. The quaint light that seeped through the drawn curtains were enough to show her the room though.

It was spacious to say the least and she loved it. From across the expanse of the living room with a sofa and LED television were two doors.

A two-bedroom type! She almost shrieked in joy were it not for the fact that she wasn't the only person on the compound.

Finding a note stuck to the door on the opposite side of the kitchen, she assumed this was her room.

The legible handwriting said: Your part of the share sweetheart *wink*

She smiled a little, amused and excited at how her roommate would turn out to be once she finally gets a chance to meet him. Unloading her things once inside, she cleaned everything and arranged her things which scaled from books to clothes. Finishing an hour later, she felt the uncomfortable feeling of sweat on her skin.

Clammy.

Sighing, she stood up and headed towards the bathroom.

She was in the middle of rinsing her hair for the last traces of shampoo when she came to a realization that there was only one bathroom.

"Hmm, I guess we'll have to compromise."

Erza wrapped a fluffy towel around her body and settled in to start dressing inside her room. The redhead had only shoved the towel aside when she heard the knob of the main door turning and the sound of the familiar clinking of keys. Not wanting to surprise her roommate with her sudden intrusion without proper introduction, she donned her bathrobe and headed out with her red locks dripping all over the carpeted floor.

A sudden flash of blue caught her pupils and from where she was standing, a pair of phthalo green eyes met her sienna ones for an alarmed instant before relaxing and acknowledging her presence.

And boy was he handsome.

He was taller than her obviously, his head decorated by his messy but appealing cerulean locks. His hunter green eyes glinting gorgeously as he scanned the room and with her in it. Erza noticed he was out of breath and that he was sweating. The trails of liquid sliding down his beautiful face and rolling all the way down to the cloth of his muscle shirt. The expanse of his chiseled chest and the muscles rippling on both his arms and abdomen made the redhead swallow the lump on her throat.

"Oh hi, I'm your roommate, Erza Scarlet. It's finally nice to meet you. There was nobody in so I just helped myself in and I saw your note on the door it was really really—"

"You're ranting." came his cool and amused baritone voice. The ultramarine chuckled and she blushed at this, grunting as her unusual habit set off.

"Yeah, I—"

The taller figure took the hand that she held out, oblivious to how long she'd outstretched her hand.

She frowned.

"Jellal, Jellal Fernandes."

Was that tattoo on his face?

"Yes it is." he chuckled when she cursed at herself for blurting out her remark out loud.

"I'm sorry I-I actually—"

"Yeah, and you're practically wearing nothing underneath that robe of yours." Erza instinctively wrapped her arms in front of her ample chest, blushing furiously at how rude that came out.

"Why clearly yes, I mean no, I don't—I mean I do! I-I have something on underneath my bathrobe!"

"Well I didn't need to know that, but judging from your reaction, you're going to be a lot of fun. Excuse me for a moment."

The so-called Jellal Fernandes entered his room, disappearing inside as he locked the door and left a gawking Erza all alone.

So this was shame and humiliation in the very definition of it.

She stomped her way back to her room muttering to herself and just as she was about to slam the door, her bare foot caught something on the softness of the carpet.

The note.

She tore it to pieces and fished out a couple of legal reference text books, putting her reading glasses on.

"Cocky bastard."

A/N: Yep, now the only thing that separates the two is the wall between their bedrooms! But we can always cross the line right? Rating may change. :D