The Tower of Heaven. A horrible place where the monsters building it enslaved innocent people, torturing them as they built the tower. What was the tower for? It could resurrect someone who had passed away at the cost of someone else’s life.
This is where Aether and Jellal met. They’d known each other since they were kids — Aether, Jellal, Erza, Simon, they were all friends. However, Aether and Jellal had a special connection. They loved each other, they all did. After all, they were the only family they had. But those two were actually in love. They just… clicked. Some of it due to trauma, but it just felt like they were meant to know each other. And when they were old enough to present, Aether was an omega, and Jellal was an alpha. That solidified their relationship even further.
One day, Jellal got possessed by an evil force. The very same evil force that those who were building the Tower of Heaven believed in, worshipped. It believed Jellal would be a good vessel, and it was correct. He fought back as best he could, but he couldn’t hold off the darkness forever. After all, he was a young kid forced into this tower, his mind was weak to this dark power.
When it fully took over, Jellal changed. It amplified his possessive instincts over Aether, although he tried not to make it obvious. However, he would become irritable if the omega started talking to someone other than him, left his side, or anything Jellal didn’t like. Aether didn’t think much of it, because the alpha was still his protective, kind self in his eyes. Life continued as normal, until Erza led a slave revolt. They finally got the chance to escape! Aether assumed Jellal would leave with him, but the man refused. The omega tried to convince Jellal to join them, but he decided to stay, even trying to convince Aether to do the same. To help him finish building the Tower of Heaven. But he refused. Aether couldn’t agree to that, not even for Jellal. So, he ran away, knowing that if they were meant to see each other again, they would.
He eventually joined Fairy Tail with Erza, and the two of them became extremely close. They viewed each other as siblings, and had an immense amount of respect for one another. After all, no one else besides them would truly be able to understand what they went through.
One day, years later, Aether was taken. His magic power had randomly been drained and he fell unconscious. When he woke up, his body went cold. He knew this place. These walls. This dark energy. He was back in the Tower of Heaven. How? Why? But when he tried to move, he couldn’t. He was chained, and he didn’t have his zodiac keys. He couldn’t escape.
That’s when Jellal showed up.
“Well well well, look who it is,” he said with a cruel smirk plastered across his face, starting to walk closer to the omega. “Jellal? Holy fuck…” Aether whispered in total shock. After looking around the room they were in, he shook his head. “Why are we back in the Tower of Heaven?! What is going on?!” Jellal continued to step towards the omega, remaining silent.
When he got close enough, his hand shot out to grab Aether’s cheeks. “Because you’re mine. And you’ve seemed to have forgotten about that. I simply brought you back to claim what already belongs to me,” he explained, as if it were obvious. “You’ll let me claim you, and then you’ll stay with me, here, forever. Just like it always should have been,” he whispered the last part, leaning his face down towards the omega’s neck. Aether tried to kick himself free, but he couldn’t move.
The omega couldn’t do anything to stop him. “Belong to you?! What the fuck are you talking about?!” he screamed, ripping his face away from Jellal’s hand. “I don’t belong to you. Why would you want to stay here?! To keep me here?! After they enslaved us when we were kids! What is wrong with you?!” he continued, struggling against his chains.
Jellal growled, backhanding Aether across the face. “I didn’t want to have to do that, but you’re not listening to me,” he said with a sigh, as if disappointed, before grabbing the omega’s chin and tilting his head to the side. “I’ll explain everything once I’ve claimed you. Just shut up.”
However, ripping his head away again, the omega stared at Jellal with wide eyes. “W-Wait! Battle me! We’re both wizards, it’s only fair. If I win, you let me go. If you win, I’ll stay here. Forever,” he offered, to which he was met with a chuckle.
“Alright, I’ll play your little game,” he replied and unchained Aether from the wall. He then handed the omega his keys so it was a fair fight, even though he expected to win. But Aether also knew that Jellal hadn’t seen how much stronger he’d become since they were kids.
As soon as the fight started, Aether immediately called forward two spirits, Libra and Gemini. “Libra! Increase the gravity around Jellal! Keep him trapped!” he yelled before looking at Gemini. “Transform into Jellal and keep him busy, I’m finding us a way out of here,” he explained before running out of the room. When the alpha went to chase after Aether, the gravity increased even further around the man. Gemini, who had transformed into Jellal, then punched the man across the face, sending him backwards. This wouldn’t be as easy as Jellal thought it would be.
Aether ran down stairs, through hallways, trying to navigate the maze that was the Tower of Heaven. Running a hand over one of the walls, he suddenly remembered everyone who he’d grown up with, everyone who had also been enslaved in the tower. A tear ran down his cheek, but he wiped it off and continued on his search for an escape. After a few more minutes of searching, he finds a window. It was now or never. He climbed onto the window sill before jumping out, calling his third spirit, Aries, forward to break his fall. She produces a bed of wool, which they land on safely, before he manages to find a boat, using that to sail away. When he was far enough out, he called Gemini and Libra back to him, turning towards the tower, seeing Jellal in the window with a smirk. This wasn’t the end of it.
By the start of the next day, Aether bursts back into the Fairy Tail guild hall, panting heavily as he scanned the area for Erza. When he spotted her, he walked over, dragging her away from scolding Natsu and Gray for fighting again. “Aether I was busy!” she yelled, but the moment she noticed his face, she paused. He looked pale, eyes wide with fear. “What happened?”
“Jellal” he whispered, and Erza’s face also went pale. She dragged Aether to a more secluded area of the guild before crossing her arms. “Go.”
Aether sighed out, looking down at the ground. “I woke up in the Tower of Heaven. Jellal was there. He finished it,” he explained, leaving Erza in an even greater state of shock. “When I asked why I was there, he said I belonged to him, and he had brought me back to stay by his side,” he continued, tears stinging at his eyes. “I managed to get away but- he’s going to come for me. You know something happened to him in that tower. He’s… changed,” he finished with a shaky breath.
“Well, he’s not here right now. And he can’t hurt you when everyone is here and willing to protect you,” she reassured him before placing a hand on his shoulder. “We’ll talk to Levy and Freed to have them set up enchantments around the guild hall. You’re not alone in this,” she continued before tightening her grip on his shoulder. “But you’re not leaving the guild until everything gets figured out. We won’t risk your safety,” she stated, leaving no room for argument.
The omega just nodded and looked up at Erza before wrapping his arms around her tightly, the tears finally streaming down his face. “Thank you, Erza,” he sobbed against her. She returned the hug and comforted him, running a hand through his hair to soothe him.
Erza and Aether share the news with Master Makarov, who agrees that Freed and Levy should write an enchantment around the guild. The enchantment they decide to write detects dark magic and alarms the guild if a dark mage approaches. Ever with this safety net, Aether’s anxiety got worse. It started to turn to paranoia. The alpha had said he belonged to him, and he knew the man wouldn’t stop until he had Aether in his arms.
Rather quickly, Aether started hearing whispers and chuckles, but every time he would turn around, no one was there. What’s worse was that the voice was Jellal’s. Although, the omega didn’t say anything to anyone, deciding that he would let it pass. Plus, he assumed everyone would think he was going insane, which also caused him to remain silent. However, it only continued to get worse. What started as soft, incoherent whispers turned into louder statements. “You can’t escape me”, “You’re bound to me for life”, “I will always find you, Aether”. The voice wouldn’t stop. As the days went on, as the voice continued to talk to him constantly, Aether’s state only worsened. Everyone in the guild was concerned, the change in his personality extremely noticeable. One of their strongest wizards, someone usually so confident and boisterous, was reduced to a paranoid, shaking mess who couldn’t stop looking over his shoulder.
After days of the neverending voice in his head, Aether decided he needed a break from everyone. So, he walked up to the guild balcony, glancing over the railing to stare up into the sky. Quiet, for the first time in days, the voice had disappeared. But in the blink of an eye, the voice returned, this time painfully loud. Louder than it had ever been. It felt like he was blasting speakers directly into his head. Aether screamed out, causing Erza and Gray to come rushing to his side. Some of the other guild members — Natsu, Gajeel, Wendy, and Lucy — quickly came to check on him as well. He cried out, starting to squeeze his head between his hands, trying to stop his voice. It wouldn’t stop speaking, “You can’t escape me, Aether”, “Come home where you belong”, “I’d hate to have to take you by force”.
Aether shook his head, nails digging into his scalp. “Make it stop! Make it stop now!” he yelled, blood dripping down his fingers from how tightly he was gripping his head. “I can’t do this- I-I can’t keep hearing his voice. I’m going back- I-I have to. I-If it means the voices will stop I will go back to him,” he mumbled, the words flowing out of his mouth.
Erza lifted Aether’s head by his hair, forcing them to lock eyes. “Focus on me, Aether. Don’t focus on that voice,” she commanded. Aether’s unfocused eyes finally managed to land on the woman, the voice suddenly stopping, as if the communication had been interrupted.
After taking a second to collect himself, he released a shaky breath. “Erza…”, he whispered before leaning against her chest, immediately closing his eyes. That voice, the paranoia, the constant anxiety, it was exhausting. He fell asleep, still in the arms of the woman he viewed as a sister, the only person who could have truly understood what he was going through.
When he woke up, he was still in the same spot as before, in Erza’s arms. While he was asleep, she had talked to Freed and Levy about adding a second enchantment to block out telepathic communication. It worked. After sitting up, he realized that voice wasn’t there anymore. “Levy and Freed added a second enchantment. You shouldn’t hear his voice inside your head anymore,” she explained, causing Aether to tear up again before smiling. “Thank you, for everything. You’re the best sister I could’ve asked for,” he whispered, leaning forward to hug her again.
“We need to come up with a plan to stop Jellal. These enchantments will only work for so long,” he stated after a few minutes, resting his chin in his hand as he thought to himself. Gray, Natsu, Gajeel, Lucy, and Wendy soon came to check on the omega, and he roped them into the discussion as well. “We may just have to go to the Tower of Heaven and take him on that way,” he suggested, but was met with an uncertain look from Erza.
“Even though that’s our usual strategy, Jellal is strong. And going there could mean risking your life. There could be traps, rooms that we wouldn’t be able to find you in,” she explained before sighing. “We started building that tower, but we left before it was complete. Who knows what Jellal could’ve added,” she added before shaking her head. “Any other plans?”
Natsu’s fists erupt into flames. “I like Aether’s idea! Sounds like fun,” he said and punched his fists together.
Erza glared at the man, getting him to quiet down before she turned back towards Aether. “Ignore him. You aren’t going to the tower,” she stated firmly.
“Can you think of any weaknesses he may have? Something we can use against him?” Gray asked, causing Aether to stop and think.
“Me…” he whispered after a moment, looking down at the ground. Then, he got an idea. “Okay, this may be a crazy idea, but what if we use his obsession against him,” he started, looking around at everyone. “What if I pretend to be in a relationship with another alpha? They scent me, stay by my side, genuinely act like my alpha. And then after a few days, I step outside of the enchantment. He may not be able to communicate with me now, but I wouldn’t be shocked if he was still able to see my actions to some extent. Maybe he’ll even come here himself if he gets jealous enough.”
Everyone just stared at him, but they couldn’t necessarily think of a better option. “I suppose that could work. It’s worth a try,” Gray agreed before looking at Erza. “It's our only option currently. He can’t just sit here and wait,” he explained before sighing. “Who’s the alpha?” he asked, and Erza just stared at Gray. “You’re kidding! Juvia would kill him!” he exclaimed, causing Aether to laugh.
“That’s true…” he said before looking over at Natsu and Gajeel. Two strong alphas that could protect him when the time came. “Hey, Natsu, Gajeel, are either one of you interested?”
Natsu and Gajeel both answer at the same time, “Me!” They then glare at one another.
“Hey! I said it first!” Natsu yelled before Gajeel pushed back gruffly.
“No you didn’t! I did! Plus, wouldn’t he rather have a strong alpha?,” he said with a smirk.
“You calling me weak?!” Natsu argued back before Aether cut in.
“Hey! Stop yelling, you two!” he shouted before pinching the bridge of his nose. “I guess… two alphas would be better than one. Might make him more jealous, give him more competition,” he agreed, defeated.
Natsu and Gajeel smirk victoriously, immediately stepping into their role. They slide next to Aether on both sides, sandwiching the omega between them. “Don’t sound so enthusiastic,” Gajeel teased, leaning down into Aether’s neck before Natsu quickly followed suit.
Aether’s face went bright red at the immediate attention, pushing their faces away quickly. “In front of everyone else? Really?” he asked, gesturing towards Erza, Gray, Lucy, and Wendy. The two alphas chuckled and leaned into him again, Natsu releasing an exaggerated sigh. “You asked us to be your alphas, did you not? You can’t be mad that we’re doing our jobs,” he said, to which Aether just groaned and looked at everyone else. “Can you guys… leave us alone?”
Everyone just chuckled and left, but Erza gave Aether a firm look, “Don’t get caught up in the attention. This is to take down Jellal. Remember that,” she reminded him, to which Aether just nodded and watched her walk away. When they were alone, the two alphas leaned down to breath in Aether’s vanilla and lavender scent. This was going to be a long few days.
After days of scenting, kissing, public affection, the omega seemed thoroughly spoiled by the two men. Aether reeked of Natsu and Gajeel, and he knew it was the perfect time to allow Jellal to speak to him. The three men walked out of the guild, stepping just outside of the enchantment. After only a second, Aether heard a loud ringing in his head before dropping to his knees, Jellal’s voice back, but this time even louder. “You really think those two can stop me?” he said, his laugh only intensifying the volume. However, this time, something was different. Not only was the voice extremely loud, but it was painful. Aether’s head felt like it was about to split open. It felt like the alpha was punishing him through his own thoughts. “You can’t escape me, Aether. You’ll always be mine,” the voice continued, laughing even louder.
Screaming out in pain, Aether started hitting his head with his fist, trying to silence the voice. “Take me back into the guild!” he yelled at Natsu and Gajeel, “Now!” The two men rushed towards the omega, picking him up and carrying him back into the guild, back within the enchantments. When he was back inside, he stayed in Natsu’s arms, shaking, trying to regain composure from what just happened. When the ringing finally stopped, and he could stand, Natsu set him on the ground. Before he could explain what happened, his chest pulsed with magical power, his vision went dark, and his body collapsed on the ground.
When he woke up, he wasn’t in the guild. He was… nowhere? There was nothing around him other than darkness. It must have been a dream, but why was it so bland? That’s when Jellal appeared. Directly in front of Aether. This time, it felt real, it wasn’t just his voice. “No…” he whispered to himself, backing away from the man. However, Jellal stepped forward every time Aether took a step back. The omega’s back hit something, but there wasn’t anything behind him. An invisible wall? Were there barriers blocking escape? What was this place?
“You’ve had two alphas all clinging to you for days on end. You really think I wouldn’t find a way to see you? To remind you you’re mine?” Jellal asked, his breath brushing against Aether’s scent gland. “I’ve missed you, my pretty omega,” he added, taking a deep breath of that lavender and vanilla scent. Aether pushed the man away, or tried to, moving his neck away from his lips.
“I’ve told you! I’m not your omega! You don’t own me!” he yelled out, to which he was just met with a chuckle.
“I don’t?” Jellal questioned before placing a hand on the omega’s chest. Within seconds, his chest lit up with magic runes. “Because last time I checked, your very soul belongs to me,” he whispered, moving his face closer to Aether’s.
The omega just stared at his chest, eyes widening as the realization dawned on him. “You created a soul-link between us?! When?! Why?!” he screamed out, demanding answers.
“When we were kids. I knew I’d always want you by my side, so I made sure I found a way to keep you,” Jellal explained, shrugging as if this were normal behavior. “You looked so pretty sleeping next to me every night, so one time I bound our souls together while you were asleep,” he continued, twisting a strand of Aether’s hair between his fingers. “And I can’t wait to have you in my arms again,” he whispered, his fangs brushing against the omega’s skin. Aether yelled out and pushed on Jellal’s chest, hard, “No! No no no no…” he repeated, mind racing, trying to think of any way to fix this curse.
“Oh, and one more thing,” Jellal started with a smile, “It’s permanent. The only way to remove the link is by me removing it myself, or death.”
“NO!” Aether screamed, clawing at his chest, the only thing he could think to do to remove the spell. As he looked up, he noticed the concerned faces of his guild members. He had woken up.
“What’s wrong?!” Erza asked, placing a hand on the omega’s shoulder. Aether didn’t say anything. Instead, he placed a hand to his chest, pushing magic power into the same spot Jellal had in his dream. Quickly, his chest lit up with those very same runes he saw previously. It was real. There truly was no escape. Erza stared at the markings before looking back up at Aether. “What… is that? Don’t tell me what it is what I think it is…” she asked, her own heart pounding in her chest.
“A soul-link,” Aether confirmed, tears stinging at his eyes. “He claimed my soul…” he whispered, defeated.
Everyone around Aether froze, eyes wide with shock. “Levy! Freed! Please tell me there’s a way to reverse this,” Erza called out, to which Levy and Freed just glanced at one another.
“I’m sorry, but I’ve never seen that language before,” Freed said before looking at the smaller woman.
Levy walked over to the books she normally kept in the guild, finding whichever ones she could on ancient magic and forbidden spells. “Give me a few minutes, I’m going to figure something out. That language… I’ve only ever seen it once,” she explained, starting to flip through pages. After a while, Levy closed her book and sighed out. “It’s an ancient dark magic. It’s been forbidden for centuries,” she explained, her face looking grim. “Even worse, it’s almost impossible to reverse.”
Aether just stared at the ground, unable to truly process everything happening to him. “So he wasn’t lying…”, he muttered to himself before looking up at Levy. “And you’re sure there’s nothing we can do to get rid of it? I could deplete all of my magic power,” he suggested, to which he was met with a harsh glare from Erza, Natsu, Gajeel, and Gray.
“Absolutely not,” Gray stated.
“That in itself could kill you, Aether,” Natsu added, crouching down to be on the omega’s level.
“But what if it’s the only way,” Aether started, continuing to try and think of a solution, even though the situation seemed hopeless. “I mean, let’s face it. He’s a powerful wizard who placed an ancient soul-link spell on me. If he gets his hands on me, I wouldn’t see you guys again. Ever. I’m willing to try anything to stay with my family,” he said, determined, before his eyes started feeling heavy. Could Jellal control his consciousness? Was it something due to the link? He didn’t have time to think about it before everything went dark. His body went limp, falling forward only to be caught by Levy and Erza.
When he woke up, Jellal was standing in front of him. Aether glanced up at the alpha before crossing his arms, “Why’d you bring me back this time?”
Jellal just stepped forward, leaning down in the omega’s face. He was exuding a large amount of magic power, most likely to intimidate Aether. “I really like that idea of you depleting all of your magic power. You know why?” he asked, his voice smooth. Aether gulped, just staring into Jellal’s eyes, trying not to show emotion. “Because it would just make it so much easier to take you for myself,” the alpha continued, a smirk plastered on his face. “And not only that, you wouldn’t be able to fight me anymore. Meaning I could do whatever I wanted, and you’d have to listen and be a good boy,” he finished, moving his face closer to Aether’s neck again.
The omega pushed jellal in the chest before taking a step back. “I’ll fight you til my last breath,” Aether spat. “I’d rather deplete all of my magic power and die than be your omega,” he challenged, only earning a growl from Jellal.
Within a second, the alpha grabbed Aether by the wrists, lifting them above his head in a bruising grip, eliciting a sharp yelp from the omega. “Too bad I won’t let you die,” the man stated, leaning close to Aether’s face again. “Now, either agree to be my pretty little omega, or I may have to hurt some of the people in your guild,” he threatened, which sent Aether over the edge, causing the omega to do one of the most disrespectful things he could think of. He spit directly in Jellal’s face. The alpha roared in anger, his free hand coming up to grip Aether by the throat. “Oh you fucked up,” he growled, squeezing harder.
The omega screamed out, trying to pry the hand off of his throat. “WAKE UP! AETHER WAKE THE FUCK UP!” he shouted, attempting to wake himself up from his subconscious. Aether shot up, panting harshly, gripping his throat with wide eyes. Gajeel moved one of the omega’s hands, raising an eyebrow at the marks on his skin. “What are these bruises from?” he asked, causing Aether to give him a confused glance.
“What bruises?” he asked before glancing down at his wrists, purple marks forming on his skin. It was similar to the bruises he got from Jellal holding him by the wrists. And then Aether froze. These were the bruises the alpha inflicted on him. “He- Um… grabbed me by the wrists and then threatened you all, so I spit in his face. Then he choked me,” he explained, rubbing his hands over his bruised skin. “But why are they here?”
“Psychosomatic injuries,” Levy started, staring at the bruises. “It seems that whatever Jellal does in your subconscious also affects you physically,” she explained, sighing softly. “It seems as if the soul-link, mixed with whatever magic he’s using, allows him to affect you both physically and mentally.”
Aether couldn’t believe it. The Jellal he knew as a kid, the one who protected him, the one who he loved, was hurting him in a way no one ever had before. It was torture. “There has to be a way to break this link,” he muttered to himself, trying to think of a solution.
After glancing over towards Natsu and Gajeel, an idea popped into his head. “Would a claiming bite be able to reverse it?” he asked, desperation in his eyes as he looked up at Levy.
She thought about it for a moment, eyebrows furrowing as she ran through the possibilities. “I suppose it could weaken the link, if the alpha were to put magic energy into their mating bite,” she explained before sitting down so she was eye level with Aether. “But that’s another permanent and extremely intimate thing. Are you sure you want that?” Levy asked him.
Aether was now staring at the ground, taking her words into consideration, but also trying to face the facts. “It might be my only option without risking my life,” he said before looking at Levy. Just as he was about to say something else, his vision went dark. Not again, Aether thought to himself, before losing consciousness.
When Aether woke up, he was hanging against an invisible barrier, chains around his wrists and ankles. Before the omega could even react, Jellal spoke. “You fucking whore,” he spat, stepping closer to Aether. “You think that getting claimed would keep you from me?! Nothing will keep me from you! Nothing,” he growled out, his body suddenly growing larger, like a shadow, his hands extending into claws. Aether’s eyes went wide, staring up at the large figure before it dawned on him. If they were in the omega’s subconscious, Jellal’s power was only supplied through the fear Aether felt towards him. If he wasn’t scared, the alpha wouldn’t have any power.
Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and tried to relax his racing heart. “This isn’t real,” he whispered under his breath. “You aren’t actually here. You don’t have power over me like you want to,” he continued, his voice evening out. When he opened his eyes, he locked gazes with Jellal, feeling the chains flicker around his wrists. “You don’t scare me,” he stated, his voice firm. He meant it. Jellal couldn’t scare him, at least, not in his subconscious. Not anymore. Not when he wasn’t physically there.
The chains holding Aether broke, and Jellal’s growing stature shrunk back down to its normal size. “I guess if you want me, you’ll have to come to Fairy Tail yourself,” the omega declared, which was met with a soft chuckle from Jellal. “Then I’ll see you soon, my pretty omega,” he said before disappearing. And then, Aether woke up.
He looked around at everyone, some temporary relief flooding his body. “He’s done bothering me, at least mentally,” he stated, a soft sigh escaping his lips. “But he’s coming. I told him that the only way he can get his hands on me, is if he comes here himself,” he explained.
“Great, let that bastard come here,” Natsu growled, punching his fists together and igniting them in flames.
“We’ll make him pay for hurting our omega,” Gajeel added, his fist turning to metal. Aether blushed at the sentiment, but his mind wandered back to Jellal.
Would he be able to handle seeing him? Ever since the alpha showed up again, the feelings that had long been buried now resurfaced. That intense love lingered in his heart, but the hatred he felt towards Jellal was burning in his mind. The next few days, everyone trained. Aether had to stay inside of the guild hall, but others spent their time going on missions or sparring to improve their skills as they waited.
One afternoon, Aether was on the balcony, enjoying the view. He knew the battle was approaching, which is why he decided to get some fresh air before Jellal showed up. Sensing a large amount of magic power, Aether looked out into the distance, his eyes landing on Jellal. He gasped softly before rushing back into the guild. “He’s coming!” Aether announced, Gajeel and Natsu immediately stepping into action. After Levy and Freed released the enchantments, the two alphas walked outside the guild hall, stopping Jellal in his tracks before he could step any closer to the guild.
Natsu and Gajeel had become a powerful team after they started taking care of Aether. They began to understand each other, and that allowed them to better communicate during a fight. However, even though they were strong, Jellal managed to overpower them. He had that darkness guiding his actions. It made him stronger. As Natsu and Gajeel lay defeated on the ground, more members of the guild rushed out — Lucy, Gray, Wendy, Juvia, Erza, Mirajane, Freed, Levy — all to defend Aether, to protect him from Jellal. Juvia and Wendy fall, but Freed managed to write an enchantment around the man, trapping him inside an area that completely depleted his magic power. Jellal rammed against the barrier with his elbow, doing whatever in his power to escape, so he could get his hands on Aether.
Aether stepped outside. Now that the enchantment had been placed, he could confront the alpha safely. The omega approached, locking eyes with the man. Jellal froze when he saw Aether, before his struggles against the enchantment intensified, his dark eyes burning with a mixture of rage and obsession. “There you are,” he hissed, his voice low and threatening. “Come here, omega”.
“No,” Aether stated, stopping feet away from the enchantment. “I’ve told you countless times, I’m not your omega. You can’t force me to want you.”
“Want me?” Jellal laughed, a bitter, twisted sound that echoed in the courtyard. “Sweetheart, I don’t need you to want me. You’re mine. I claimed your soul. You don’t have to want me for me to want you. For me to keep you as my own. And I promise, I’ll get your body to crave me too,” he growled as he leaned against the magical barrier, eyes dark with a feral intensity.
Aether just shook his head, taking a small step forward. “You may have marked me with magic, but you haven’t marked me in any way to make my body want you. I hate the person you’ve become. I hate everything about you right now. I’d rather die alone than be claimed by someone like you.”
Jellal’s expression twisted into a snarl at Aether’s words, his hands clenching into fists against the barrier. “You think you can resist me?” he spat. “You think you can deny your nature? My claim? Our past? I’ll break you, omega. I’ll force you to submit, to beg for my touch, my scent, my everything.” The other guild members who weren’t defeated were watching Jellal’s display in horror. He was acting like a feral animal.
“I’d never wish death upon you, Jellal. After all, I did love you at one point in time,” Aether started before shaking his head. “But I hope you get the help you need,” he said, taking another step forward, still making sure he wasn’t too close. “And I hope you find someone who actually wants to be with you.”
Jellal’s furious snarl froze as Aether spoke of past love, the words hitting him like a physical blow. For a moment, something flickered in his eyes — pain, regret, something almost human. But it was quickly smothered by his obsession, the darkness shrouding his mind. “Help?” he laughed bitterly. “I don’t need help. I don’t need anyone else to want me. I. Need. You.”
“I don’t know what happened in the tower when I escaped, but I’m sorry that they hurt you this badly. I know the man who I used to love, the Jellal I used to know, is buried inside you somewhere. I saw that brief look in your eye, the same way you used to look at me when we were kids,” Aether said before giving the alpha a genuine smile. “I wish I could see him again.”
In a heartbeat, the terrifying, feral aura seemed to flicker and die. The cruel scowl vanished, replaced by a look of absolute devastation. The Jellal from the Tower of Heaven — the boy who had once protected Aether, who had loved him — surfaced, his eyes widening with heartbreaking clarity. “Aether…”
“Jellal,” the omega whispered before sighing, stepping closer to the enchantment. “What happened to you? Why were you acting like this? You never would have done the things you did when we were kids. Although, you put that spell on me… When? Whey?”
“I got possessed… I-I don’t know by what, but it was controlling me. What I told you in that dream… it wasn’t a lie. It was before you left me… Before you weren’t there with me anymore…” his voice broke, tears welling in his eyes. That’s when the realization hit him. Jellal viewed Aether as the one who abandoned him.
However, the omega argued back, “Left you? I tried to get you to come with us! I wanted to save you, Jellal!”
“Save me?” Jellal’s voice cracked. “You left me there to rot! You chose them over me!” he gestured at the guild members, his face twisting with hurt and betrayal. “I spent years alone, experimented on, tortured… I finished the tower because I was trapped! I had to!”
Aether shook his head, tears welling in his eyes from the vulnerability coming from the alpha. Finally approaching the enchantment, the omega was unsure if he should reach out to touch the man, or keep talking to make sure he’d be safe. “I never left you anywhere to rot! I wanted you to come with us! I thought about you every single day after we escaped. But I never wanted anything bad to happen to you!”
“Then why didn't you come back for me?” Jellal demanded, his voice rising in pitch, sounding almost childlike in his pain and hurt. That darkness previously displayed had completely disappeared, replaced by raw, vulnerable emotion. “I waited for you!”
“I couldn’t go back there… you know I couldn’t have… They would’ve taken me. We would have both been prisoners. I wasn’t strong enough to save you. I wasn't strong enough to go back, to face those memories,” he explained, tears finally streaming down his face. Something in Jellal seemed to snap at Aether’s tears. The magic holding him prisoner flickered violently as he reached out, desperately trying to touch the omega, his expression contorted with anguish rather than anger. “I thought you'd forgotten about me,” he whispered brokenly.
At that moment, Aether knew Jellal wouldn’t hurt him. This was the Jellal he knew as a kid. The person who would do anything for Aether, to protect him. “Freed, please take down the enchantment,” he whispered, watching the magic barrier disappear soon after. The omega moved forward, cupping the side of Jellal’s face gently. “How could I ever forget about you?” The alpha froze as Aether made contact. His eyes welled with tears, his entire posture collapsing.
“Aether…” he whispered, leaning into the touch like a starved man. “I was so alone…”
Aether pulled Jellal into his chest, closing his eyes as he held the man close. Everyone around them who was conscious was surprised. Somehow, Aether was able to break his possession by just being himself, by using the connection the two previously had. “You’re not alone now… Look, I’m right here, Jellal. I’m happy to see you again. The person you’d become just wasn’t the Jellal I used to know,” the omega whispered. The alpha clung to him desperately, his arms wrapping around Aether’s waist, burying his face in his chest.
Jellal sobbed, years of loneliness and pain crashing down on him as he finally felt Aether’s warm presence. “I’m sorry... I’m so sorry…” Jellal whispered before finally looking at Aether with red-rimmed eyes. He looked vulnerable and absolutely heartbroken. “I love you,” he confessed brokenly. “I never stopped loving you.”
Aether blushed faintly at the confession, before releasing a soft breath. “You know I can’t say that right now… Not after what you did…” he whispered before pressing his lips to the top of man’s head. “But there’s still a place in my heart for you. There always has been.”
Jellal’s face fell at Aether’s gentle rejection, but he nodded understandingly. He knew he had hurt the omega terribly, and he wouldn't expect forgiveness so easily. Instead, he leaned into the soft kiss, savoring the gentle affection. “I’ll earn it back,” he vowed quietly. Everyone continued to watch in stunned silence before stepping away from the two of them. Erza, Levy, and Freed decide to check on everyone who had gotten hurt, leaving the two past lovers to talk.
“You need to make it up to everyone, not just me. After what you put me through, everyone here has been affected. They’ve become my family. They were scared for me, and then you come to our guild and hurt some of our members. You need to make it up to everyone,” Aether stated, his voice firm. Jellal swallowed hard, lifting his gaze from Aether’s face to take in the surrounding guild members — Juvia, Natsu, the others who had fought so hard against him, many of whom he had injured.
Shame flooded through him, his eyes navigating towards the ground. “I…” he started, his voice rough with emotion, “...I know.”
Aether got off the ground, looking down at the man. “I’ll be back soon,” he said before walking over towards Natsu and Gajeel. He looked over at Erza, unsure of what she was even thinking about everything. “Let’s… just get everyone inside and bandaged up…” he muttered before helping the two alphas to their feet. Erza watched Aether, her eyes softening as she saw him gently hoisting the two alphas to their feet. She glanced over at Jellal, who kneeled, defeated and subdued amidst the wreckage he had caused. The menacing tyrant was gone, leaving only a broken man. “I think he’ll be there for a while. I'm gonna come back out here and talk with him when everyone’s back in the guild hall,” he told Erza before walking the two dragon slayers inside.
Once everyone was inside, the omega walked back towards Jellal, who was still on the ground. The alpha’s head hung low as the evening breeze swept through his disheveled hair. Aether sighed out, having so many questions he wasn’t even sure where to start. “Did you have any… control over what you did? Do you even remember what you did?” the omega asked, searching his face for any answers.
Jellal flinched slightly as if the question struck him, keeping his head bowed. His voice was barely a whisper, thick with self-loathing, “I remember... everything.” He slowly lifted his head, his eyes filled with horror and devastation at his own actions. “The darkness... It twisted my mind. I wanted you, yes, but it amplified my possessiveness into something... monstrous.”
Aether just listened, unsure of what he should even say. Could he ever truly forgive someone from doing what he did?
“I can’t lie, I am scared of you. After you bound my soul to yours, after you kidnapped me, especially after you forced your way into my every waking thought and tormented me for days on end. The only reason I am sitting here is to seek closure,” he explained. Aether was honest, always had been. And he was especially honest with people he’d known most of his life.
Jellal just swallowed hard, accepting those words without argument. Hearing the omega admit his fear, even though it was rightfully placed, shattered what remained of his ego. “I deserve that fear,” he whispered brokenly. “I forced ownership, manipulated your soul. I traumatized you. I don't expect forgiveness. I need you to know that I know everything I did was wrong. and I'm so, so sorry.”
Aether nodded before leaning forward, pressing their foreheads together. “I love you, jellal. I always have and I always will,” he whispered before pulling his head away. “But after what you did, I don’t think I can forgive you. Not yet, anyway. Not when everything just happened. Not when you just now realized what you’ve done.”
Jellal closed his eyes as their foreheads touched, absorbing those precious words like a dying man receiving water. He accepted the distinction the omega made between love and forgiveness, understanding that his actions were too recent, the wounds too deep. “I know,” he whispered, his voice trembling with resignation. “I don’t deserve forgiveness. Not now. Maybe not ever.”
Aether tilted his head up, staring into Jellal’s eyes before pressing their lips together in one final kiss. One final goodbye before they had to go their separate ways. Closing his eyes, he gently cupped Jellal’s cheek, putting as much love as he could into the kiss. The alpha kissed him back with a desperate, heart-wrenching intensity, pouring all his regret and longing into that final kiss. He knew this was goodbye — possibly forever. When they finally pulled away, aether pressed their foreheads together one more time. “I won’t say I’ll wait for you. I won’t say I won’t find another alpha. But just know, you have a place in my heart. You always will. And who knows, maybe if everyone forgives you, you could even come back into my life. After all, the claim on my soul can’t really be undone,” Aether explained, tears stinging his eyes again. He hadn’t expected this to be so difficult, especially after what the man did.
As he looked up at Jellal, tears were streaming down his face as he whispered hoarsely, "I'll wait for you.”
“Come back for me one day. When you feel that the time is right. When you feel like you’ve made up for your crimes,” Aether whispered before giving the man one small peck on the lips, holding his chin in place. “I love you, Jellal,” he whispered against his lips.
“I love you so much, Aether,” the alpha cried out, staring up at Aether one final time. Flashing a smile, the omega got off of the ground, walking back towards the guild hall. The alpha watched Aether’s retreating form until it disappeared inside, his chest aching with a pain he had never felt before — the pain of losing something truly precious.
Jellal stayed on his knees, his hands curling into fists against the cold ground. “I’ll find redemption,” he promised to the empty courtyard, speaking to no one but the wind.
I’d love to write more of these stories, maybe even a second part to this story. Please let me know if you enjoyed what I wrote and what you may want to see next.
