#jexus

Perhaps there was still some awkwardness after their brief dating attempt in high school ended in a disaster, but they always avoided the topic of dating on their weekly meetups. They spoke about their coursework, their favorite professors, about their families and mutual friends but never mentioning Erza’s roommates or Jellal’s new friends.

Or maybe there was another reason neither asked the other about romance and love.

Both had been avoiding talking about what happened early that morning.

“Oh hi,” A woman with white hair and a bright smile opened the door. “Are you lost?”

“I don’t think so. I’m looking for Erza.” This was the first time Jellal was going to Erza’s room to pick her up for their weekly coffee meetup. As soon as Erza’s name left his mouth the woman’s expression changed. Her smile dipped into a frown before changing into a neutral face. It was fast, but Jellal caught the movement. There was a tense silence as the girl stood unmoving in the doorway. That wasn’t broken until a different voice came from inside the room.

"I swear I told both of you bitches to stay out of my wardrobe but here I am missing clothes again." The voice was raised and angry. A few seconds later the sound of a door opening and feet stomping towards the doorway reached Jellal’s ears. Then a hiss rang throughout the room, “Turn around I know you hear me talking to you!”

The white-haired girl barely reacted. She merely turned her to look over her shoulder at the angry woman approaching them. As she got closer, Jellal could see she had jet-black strands of hair skewed wildly across her face and snarl on her lips. She was pretty, and terrifying. Erza must have really lucked out with roommates.

The white-haired girl looked the new-comer up and down and snorted. “Go put some pants on, we have a guest.”

“Oh, shut the fuck up.” She scowled before looking towards Jellal. “Who the hell is he?”

The first girl gave her a knowing looked as she answers, “Oh, he says he’s here for Erza.”

Suddenly the temperature in the room dropped and Jellal felt like a deer thrown into the den of lions. He coughed awkwardly hoping to clear the air in the room. “Uh-yeah I’m here to-can I come in?”

The dark-haired girl slivered up to him and gave a wide taunting smile. “I don’t know, can you?”

Given the tone she spoke and that deadly sharp smile, Jellal was pretty sure that was a threat.

Then, like an angel appearing from the shadow’s, Erza came from one of the empty rooms with a smile on her face. She bumped both of the girls out of the way and wrapped Jellal into a hug. Jellal couldn’t tell if she was oblivious to the tense atmosphere or purposely ignoring the two woman glaring into the back of his head. Erza started to quickly lead them out of the door whispering something he couldn’t hear under her breath. Before they stepped out, Jellal could hear the white-haired girl turning to the black-haired one and saying, “guess you found your dress Minny.”

She had gestured to the pretty blue dress Erza was wearing currently. In another time, maybe Jellal would ask. He would ask about why the two woman seemed way more possessive of Erza then your normal roommate situations. Would ask if they were the reasons behind the perk in Erza’s walk or the smiles that come onto her face. Would ask if Erza had ever been the situation that he was in currently. But he didn’t, couldn’t voice the words in his head. And she didn’t offer. So, they hugged goodbye as always with Jellal ignoring the scents of three different perfumes sinking into his clothes. He went home in a daze, so lost in his thoughts that he almost missed his front door being ajar.

Some time ago, this would worry him.

Now he just rolls his eyes at his roommates’ lack of manners.

Jellal walked into his home already knowing what he was going to find. Sure enough, Gajeel lounged on his sofa with his feet up on his coffee table. He could hear Laxus calling out a greeting to him in the kitchen while Gajeel barely looked up from the tv screen.

“Haven’t I told both of you to ask before barging into my home?” As soon as the words left his lips Jellal winced. He sounded just like Erza’s dark-haired roommate. Well at least he didn’t have to worry about them stealing his clothes.

His wince however caught Gajeel’s attention. He paused his movie to frown up at Jellal, “What’s with you? Have a bad date?”

“They aren’t dates. You know that.”

“They’re dates.” Laxus came out of the kitchen with three water bottles tossing one to Jellal and Gajeel before collapsing next to the man on the sofa. Gajeel’s arm automatically lifted to curve around Laxus’ shoulder as they both stared at Jellal expectantly. Jellal stayed focused on that hand.

He had never given much thought to love and romance over the years. Him and Erza didn’t work out, he moved on quite easily. He always figured he’d just met some other girl somewhere down the road and settle down with marriage and a family like his father.

Then he met Laxus.

They were grouped together for a project and bonding over shit-talking their professor and annoying kids in their class. He had heard Laxus mention his partner more than once but had assumed he was referring to a partner on another project. And to be fair, Gajeel and Laxus did not act like any other couple he knew. The first time he hung out with them they bickered for 2 hours over what to cook for dinner and nearly burnt his kitchen down. It wasn’t until they were stuffing their faces with the pizza he ended up ordering that Laxus had sat down and Gajeel immediately plopped down in his lap. Like it was second nature, Laxus just wrapped an arm around his waist and pressed a greased kiss to the back of his neck.

It was like entry into another world, and even now 2 months later, he still feels breathless every time they exchange intimacy around him. He was drawn to them like a moth to a flame slowly daring to get closer and closer each time but withdrawing right before he could get burnt.

He wanted them. Wanted that. But want was still a feeling Jellal was getting used to.

Slowly his emotions, Jellal turned his eyes away from his own personal flames and towards the tv keeping them there as he spoke, “They are not dates. And I get the feeling Erza’s roommates would plot to kill me if they were.” He paused to sip his water before continuing, “They’re…close.”

Both men’s eyebrows went up as they registered what Jellal was hinting. “Oh, good for her.” Laxus shrugged.

“Is this a I just found out my ex-girlfriend might be gay conversation? I’ve had one of those.”

Jellal ignored them both leading Laxus to watch him closely. “Does that bother you?”

“No.” He answered honestly. “I’m just…confused.”

He had known Erza for half of their young lives and he never knew she had attraction to girls just like he never knew he held attraction to guys. He wondered if Erza went through the confusing phase of questing his identity the way he did. Or was it easy for her? Did she breeze through her realization and Jellal was the only one feeling this lost?