Noted, he said. So smug. So pleased.
And the arrogant lilt to his tone rankles at her already frayed nerves, the taut smile on her lips faltering for naut but a swift moment; as even the females most indignant facade begins to crack against the sheer egotism spreading in waves across his own.
Oooooh, but if looks could kill.
The man would have been lit on fire by now if she could.
As it was, she was barely managing to keep a growl in check, but gods if she didn’t want to smack him around just a bit. Maybe break a kneecap or two, if only to at least to bring him down a little more to her size, since he was apparently so intent on goading her into a fit of rage. The subtle jibes that they were, it still wasn’t enough to tip her over the edge just yet, thankfully.
Yet – being the operative word.
For she would be above this! She would!
( And if all else failed, a high heel up his ass would do wonders! )
How’s that for high, you prick?!
“Actually, I would mind.” She responds tartly, arms crossed over her chest as she huffed. “Or rather, my employer likely would. I have a job scheduled in a bit, you see.” The saccharine sweet tone spoke to the extreme volumes of her patience – or rather, her current lack of it. “One that is extremely important, and was assigned to me for my very specific skill set, which means that I, unfortunately, don’t have any time to spend dallying over coffee at the moment, thank you very much!”
Even if it was free. Even if the thought of coffee brought up the corresponding thought of food. Imaginary food, like bagels and pancakes and sandwiches, all of which was more than enough to make her currently empty stomach rumble something loud in response – of course during the exact moment that a sudden wave of silence ushers through the guild hall right behind them.
The slow flush creeping up her cheeks is almost too much to bear.
“Anyway!” She blurts out, as she clears her throat and makes to stand as tall as physically possible; suddenly unable to manage looking at him head on, the lack of sustenance only adding to the abrupt jitters. “I won’t leave you without an audience. You wanted a unique perspective for your request, and Fairy Tail has plenty. I’ll grab someone for you before I go.”
And so she turns her head, to take a quick peek into the guild, and immediately –
She definitely wants to hurt me, he thought with amusement. The idea likely shouldn’t have given him so much enjoyment, ( what would it say about him after all? ) but the rush he felt from getting under her skin simply couldn’t be denied.
How much further could he push her? Curiosity nudged at him like a cat insistent on attention. What would it take for her to snap and lunge at him in attack? And how would she react at the reveal of his Council status?
The questions swirled in his mind, pushing to be answered, but they were then halted as the woman spoke of having a job scheduled. A touch of disappointment came to his lips in a frown. There wasn’t much he could do to if she had a job to get to ( though that didn’t stop him from trying to think of ways around it ).
Extremely important, was it? He raised an eyebrow in cynical contemplation and had to wonder what very specific skill set she had.
Before he could ask any questions, the rumbling of her stomach echoed between them, announcing her body’s protest at her denial of his offer. The sound cracked his features into a smile, and the way she blushed so brilliantly and rushed to cover it gave him a brief chuckle. No doubt the betrayal of her hunger irked the proud woman.
He would have teased her about it more, had the name she so helpfully called out not stopped him short with a ripple of unease.
He had been sure he hadn’t seen her when he’d peered in the guild earlier, he wouldn’t have missed that vibrant hair of hers, would he?
“Not her,” he said, perhaps a little too quickly, “I already know what she thinks.”
Discomfort shifted him a small step further out of the guild, though he kept his expression cool.
While Erza’s bright, righteous light seemed to slowly cleanse and illuminate his brother’s soul, bringing out the best of him, that very same light only highlighted the cracks and darkness within his own. Yes, there was something about her that made him all too aware of himself in an entirely unpleasant way.
Erza was no fan of his, he knew, and she would certainly ruin his fun now.
“I’ll come back another time, thank you.”
