Strawberry

On the third floor, apartment 14 to be exact, a very angry baker tried to reign in her emotions. And failed miserably.

Erza vigorously sharpens her knife at the kitchen table, anxiously tapping her foot against the floorboards. Her crossed legs shaking uncontrollably underneath the table. Fiery red hair tangled in a messy bun above her head. Her fingers pushing the handle and slicing sharply against the slab of strop in her palm. A string of angry mutterings escaping her tightly sealed lips as she glanced outside the window.

After several moments where the only sounds filling the room were the clinking of her knife, Erza stoof from her chair and walked the short distance to the counter. On the wooden cutting board in front of her were two bowls of freshly washed strawberries. Emptying them onto the board, Erza made quick work chopping them into tight cubes and using her knife to scrape them from the wood back into their bowls.

In a separate, large bowl she mixed her shifted flour, cracked eggs, vanilla, butter, milk, heavy whipping cream, and the cubes of fruit. Using a wooden spoon Erza scraped down the sides of the dish and continued blend the pink tinged mixture until the only bumps were the chunks of strawberries.

Erza knew she was probably over stimulating the ingredients and that her precious cake wouldn't be the perfect consistency but as annoyed and disappointed as she was at that moment, a single girl on Valentine's Day, she didn't particularly care.

The oven beeped out a confirmation that the set temperature was reached. Erza put down the bowl on the counter and reached into one of the cabinets for a stainless steel pan. Once it was in her grip she sprayed it down to avoid sticking and poured the heavenly scented meld.

After making sure to scrape the bottom with the spoon to make sure it was all in the pan, Erza picked it up gingerly and dropped it back on the counter a couple of times. When she was certain it was bubble free and her cake wouldn't be ruined by a stray air pocket, she slid it inside the toasty oven.

Washing her hands, still deadly quiet, Erza felt her phone buzz in the back pocket of her jean skirt. A rush of unhealthy enthusiasm caused her to overlook the dirty dishes for now and wipe her hands on a nearby towel. Not bothering to check the name of the text she slid her finger over the home button, unlocking it.

Quickly pressing down the text icon, Erza held her breath for a second.

Cana: Hey, Red :)

Erza tried to ignore the way her shoulders sagged at reading Cana's name on the top of the screen and the new dose of defeat in her joints. She hoped there was a different group of letters on the top of her screen, but she should have known better than to put her faith in boys.

It wasn't fair for her to blame her friends for being happy just because that idiot hadn't asked her out today. She'd even gone through all the trouble of dressing in prettier, girlier things around him. Asking Lucy and Wendy to help her pick them out from her closet the mornings before she saw him and everything!

Cana: You're upset.

Erza didn't have time to respond with her practiced excuse of just being busy before another text came through.

Cana: Don't even try to deny it, I'm coming over.

Her nimble fingers had typed out the beginning of her studying excuse but, once again, Cana beat her to the finish line.

Cana: Actually I'm downstairs, can you buzz me up?

Knowing it was pointless to argue about it now, Erza sent out a quick 'okay' before striding to the consul next to her front door and pressing the comms button. The redhead heard the familiar pair of stomps up the stairs until they reached her door, swinging it open without even knocking. If it was anyone else Erza would have castrated them, something she clearly couldn't threaten Cana with. "Why are you here?"

Erza wasn't known for beating around the bush when people showed up unannounced, or gave a five minute notice. She wasn't opposed to having Cana, or any of her other friends over, but she understood why Lucy got annoyed when they just showed up out of the blue.

"I was bored, everyone is out tonight, expressing all their lovey dovey bullshit." Erza turned to close the door and when she went back to face the brunette, Cana had ventured into the kitchen adjacent to the living room. Erza followed her friend into the room, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed as Cana rummaged through her refrigerator.

Erza wasn't one to drink without a special occasion, Cana's birthday was usually the only required time really. "I see," Now standing behind Cana, Erza leaned forward and closed the fridge door, forcing Cana to straighten up. "And what? You drank your way through all the keggers in Fiore already?"

"Rude! But yes," Grabbing one of the whole strawberries from its bowl, the underdressed girl popped it into her mouth, spreading out on the couch generously. "Not to mention I suspect you're upset over a certain blue haired, face tattooed, research partner in a certain month job that you take off the request board. Am I close?"

Erza scoffed at the security of Cana's voice. Was she so obvious? She hoped she didn't act like Juvia had before her and Gray had officially become a thing, but they had gotten together so Juvia couldn't have been that bad, right? Then again Gray was a strange boy who regularly took his clothes off by accident. Jellal had more substance and character and, nothing personal against Gray, but Erza thought Jellal was a lot more attractive.

"I knew it!" Realizing too late that she hadn't said anything to contradict Cana, Erza opened her mouth, once again having no clue what to say. "Oh stop it. You have that look on you face. All the pining and yearning on your pretty features. I've been seeing it all weekend with Juvia and Lucy… And Mira and Levy and Bisca… Let's not even bring up the guys, total lovesick idiots. On a completely unrelated note, I think we need new friends. Thoughts?"

"I think you need to start laying off the liquor before coming over here." Cana chuckled and reached over to the bowl of fruit Erza always had on her coffee table. Plucking a grape from the stack, she chewed on it slowly.

"Want to know what I think?" She asked, Erza knew that Cana would tell her even if she didn't want to know. It was one of the things she loved about her friend.

"No." Erza replied weakly, toeing the carpet and staring down at her slippers. She took a seat across from Cana.

"I think he's intimidated by you. You're S class, you keep everyone on a short leash so they don't wreck the entire city. You're hot, you're popular, and you've got the personality to back it all up. Try talking to him, maybe even asking him out instead of waiting for him to get his arguably attractive head out of his wonderful ass." Erza considered what the woman in front of her was saying. It did make sense, in a way.

"I guess that could be it, but I don't think Jellal would need me to smack him around for starting a fight like Gray and Natsu do."

"I don't think he would either but I do think it would be frightening for anyone if they saw a petite girl taking on a dragon slayer and a demon slayer and winning." Erza shrugged her shoulders, getting more uncomfortable with the conversation. Cana seemed to think of something suddenly, her eyes glinting in that malicious tone when she got a devious idea. "Weren't you making a cake, darling?"

Erza didn't like the way Cana smiled innocently and gestured towards the over, something was going through her head. Not wanting to burn her cake, Erza stood from the couch and moved the distance to the heavenly smell. She pulled out the pan with her baking gloves and placed it on a cooling rack next to the stovetop. Using the gloves to waft some of the fragrant smoke coming from the top. It smelled wonderfully done and Erza couldn't wait to decorate it with cream and the rest of the strawberries.

The fluffy cake was making her mouth water and Erza was barely containing her excitement, bouncing lightly on the balls of her feet. She'd pretty much forgotten all about Cana and Jellal, of course that would only last as long as it took to decorate everything.

"Well I should get going, I hear Sting from Sabertooth is throwing a party and I haven't gone out this tonight. Wouldn't want to ruin my reputation as the heaviest drinker, you know?" Erza pulled herself from the steaming delite and turned back towards her friend. Talk about suspicious. Cana tugged her into a hug and pulled away grinning like the Cheshire Cat.

"Well, um, nice seeing you. Stay safe and thanks for the pep talk." Cana shrugged good natured and skipped her way to the door, closing it tightly behind her. "What was all that about?" Erza shook her head before shimming off her apron.

Resting her elbows on the counter, Erza thought about the subject of her affection and the reason she was so upset all weekend. Jellal. She had met him in the worst possible way, in the middle of a torturous slavery operation that ended with the poor boy being possessed while trying to rescue her.

Despite the circumstances, Erza couldn't remember a time when her heart had beat faster then when Jellal had reached across the dingy cell, manicle shining off the little light their barred windows offered and gently touched a strand of her hair.

Lucy and Juvia were relentless about it, always asking her questions about Jellal and pushing her to talk to him more and more when they were out on missions. They kept telling her that he would ask her out eventually, now that he was no longer a condemned criminal. But almost two full years later, several shared missions and more than enough opportunities he still hadn't asked her.

Erza didn't know who to call for advice, Cana wasn't known for giving the most reasonable course of action other than drinking herself into a stupor. Juvia was out with Gray and Lucy lived with Natsu. Mira and Laxus were guild sweethearts and everyone was waiting on their wedding invitations, Bisca and Alzack had gotten married and were now expecting. All of them were spending Valentine's Day blissfully in love. Erza didn't want to ruin their happiness with her own distaste for the holiday.

What about Levy? Her and Gajeel were dancing around their feelings for the better part of eight months and Erza figured they would be spending today platonically. Erza shook with silent laughter, who did they think they were kidding with that?

Groaning, Erza dropped her head several times on the surface beneath her, causing a red flush over her cheeks. She was done with boys and couples and romance, she just wanted to eat her cake and cry into her smutty novels all night. One date with her childhood crush, that's all she wanted. Was it too much to ask for?

A low chuckle behind her made her jump from her hunched position. Twisting her torso Erza turned quickly and squealed- a sound she would deny making later.

"Oh, um, hi?" The man in her living room rose his eyebrows and tilted his head to the side. "What are you doing? Here, I meant what are you doing here?"

Jellal's shoulders stiffened under his tee shirt and he pushed himself off the wall, agitation clear in his face. "Very funny, Scarlet, but I'm not laughing. Why the fuck would you do this?" He grounded out through clenched teeth.

Woah.

"Do what exactly?" Jellal clenched his hands at his sides before crossing them over his chest. Glaring at her, he grabbed his coat from the back of one of the kitchen chairs and began marching animated towards the door. "Wait!" Rushing after him, Erza took hold of his arm using it as leverage to force him to face her. "You show up at my apartment unannounced, without so much as a knock on the door, get mad at me and then leave? What the hell?"

"'Unannounced'? You asked me to come see you and, quote, 'let yourself in' then act like you don't have a clue why I show up? Do you think it's funny to screw around with me like that?" Erza released his arm and stepped back, mouth slanted open. She hadn't texted or called him all day! Where did he get such a crazy- She didn't.

Feeling her back pockets Erza didn't recognize the sleek plastic case of her phone. Frantically looking around her furniture she finally spotted her cell phone on one of the couch cushions, where Cana had been sitting half an hour ago. Three wide strides later and she was unlocking it and scrolling through her recent messages looking for her friends meddling. There were two from Lucy, a missed call from Wendy and a text from Jellal. Clicking on the messages icon, Erza quickly read through the short conversation.

'Erza': Hey

Jellal: Hey, what's up?

'Erza': I'm lonely and bored. Want to come keep me company?

Jellal: Sure, if you don't mind.

'Erza': I wouldn't be asking if I did, I'll leave the door unlocked, let yourself in ;)

Jellal: See you soon :)

Erza's eyes had widened more and more as she finished the exchange. Not noticing that Jellal had moved to read over her shoulder she spun around to face him, bumping right into his chest. Too embarrassed from both Cana pretending to be her and her argument with Jellal minutes ago, Erza buried her face into the niche where his neck and shoulder met.

Hesitantly at first, Jellal's arm came around her shoulders and the other around her waist, hugging her shyly. He could smell the vanilla lingering on her skin and the strawberry fragrance lacing through her bundled hair.

"I'm sorry, I don't want you to think I was messing with you. Cana knows I have a crush on you and she was over here." Jellal glanced down at the girl in his arms. He didn't think she even noticed how his breath hitched or that he pulled her marginally closer or that she just admitted something that made him want to buy Cana a liquor store. "She must have sent you the messages while I was in the kitchen. I didn't even realize my phone fell out of my pocket, I was careless and because of that your feelings got hurt and-"

He couldn't help himself, she looked so innocent and sweet when she ranted. Her big, violet doe eyes were unfocused and glazed over. Jellal guessed it was because she was so concerned that he would yell at her again, regret bubbled up in his chest. He stopped her ascending voice with his lips. Angling his head down the inches between them.

Erza blinking her eyes quickly, lips slack against his soft ones. Even with her unmoving and shocked lips, Jellal pressed down gently but firmly with his own. She didn't respond for a few seconds and Jellal pulled away, unsure of what would happen next. Would she slap him for overstepping his boundaries?

He made a promise to himself right then and there, if she rejected him he would try to move on. He would take Ultear up on her offer and go out for coffee. He would get a new partner for the research projects. He would stop doodling her soft facial features and deep crimson hair in his notebooks. He would make an effort to forget her favorite song, and how her hair smelled like strawberry and honey. He also knew he was lying to himself.

He opened his eyes and stared down at her. She was biting her lower plump lip, her eyes lidded and staring at his lips. Jellal was more than a little surprised when her hands snaked up his chest and dug into his hair, pulling his head down roughly towards hers.

Sloppily at first, since neither had really expected the two kisses thus far, their lips tried to find a steady rhythm. When Erza opened her mouth, her tongue slithering out, the tip running smoothly on his sealed lips, Jellal gasped allowing her entrance. Jellal tightened his grip on her when her wet tongue skidded along his.

It felt like fire and ice and a perfectly unmeasurable balance.

Moaning into his touch, Erza arched herself into his chest. Feelings the muscles tense underneath his clothes. Their kiss became frantic, teeth clashing and soft bursts of heat between their exploring mouths. Wrapping her arm around his neck Erza managed to press herself more into him, her other hand free to range over his skin with unfiltered need. His arm fell away to her waist making it easier for her hand to glide over heated, clothed flesh.

Untucking his tee shirt, and pulling it aggressively away from his taut stomach, Erza plunged her excited fingers underneath the fabric. Dipping her nails in between the indentations of each abdominal muscle. A growl dug its way out of Jellal's throat when she flattened her palm against him. Moving backwards to the couch, Erza's legs hit the ledge and fell backwards.

Looking up at him from her position on the cushion was the most alluring thing Jellal had seen. Loose tendrils of hair framed her face mess from his fingers and her lips were bruised and a darker shade of rose, she was leaning up on her elbows and her chest was heaving in gulps of air.

"Do you want to go out with me sometime?" The question had come pouring out without his consent but he realized it was now or never. After so many failed attempts he couldn't keep it in anymore. Erza couldn't help it; she began to laugh. Covering her mouth with her hand as waves of giggles overtook her.

Jellal's face matched her hair, he loved her voice especially when she laughed but it wasn't as appealing when it was directed at him. He tried to pull away from her, he wanted to leave her apartment and bury himself a few hundred feet under the ground, having been embarrassed enough for a lifetime.

Erza quickly reached out and took his warm hand in her cool one. "I'm kissing you in my living room, after telling you I have a crush on you. Forgive me if I find it a bit unnecessary for you to ask, but yes I'd love to go out with you sometime."

Jellal's face split in a shit-eating grin. Erza's lighthearted smile made him feel weightless.

Leaning into her- he placed several light kisses at the corner of her mouth before enveloping her plump lips. Pulling away before getting carried away again. Jellal continued to spread butterfly kisses all over her radiant face.

"Want to help me decorate a cake?"

"I'd love to. On one condition," He held up one finger between them and Erza eyed it cautiously. "I get to lick the frosting." He winked as he retreated into the kitchen, Erza had a sneaking suspicion that he hadn't meant the cake frosting.

I will eventually write an entire Fairy Tail story but for right now I'm posting the handful of oneshots I've written. Follow me to find out when I post! I hope you like this.

See you!