A/N: Yay, a Jerza oneshot! I couldn't really think of a brilliant plotline for this, but eh...it's full of fluff. Hope you enjoy.
Summary: Lucy and the others notice Erza's been down lately- probably because Jellal's supposedly getting engaged. The group hatch a plan to take her over to Jellal to talk things out, but it turns out he has a plan of his own. Will this plan reunite the two or cast them apart? Jerza, Rated T.
Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail
"Erza, what are you thinking?" Lucy asked, flopping down onto a chair next to her. She was exhausted, from being out on a job with Natsu, something involving a robbery and recovering a priceless statue for an elderly noblewoman. And of course, being Natsu, even the easiest jobs could be exhausting, especially as he had taken to climbing into Lucy's apartment and falling asleep on her bed. She shook her head, looking at the redhead, who seemed to be lost in thought.
"Nothing, Lucy," she replied, surprising the blonde, who felt an air of sadness emanating from her friend. "I'm fine."
"No, you're not," Lucy said, causing Erza to look up in curiosity. "You haven't been on a job for a while now, you barely hang around with us, and look!-" she pointed a finger towards the other end of the guild, where Natsu and Gray were brawling as always, an ecstatic Juvia nearby, making out with a pair of Gray's pants. Lucy cringed at the sight, before turning back to her friend.
"You're always pulling the two apart and bashing their heads together! So what happened now? Look, Erza-"
"It's nothing, okay?" Erza snapped loudly, standing up to leave, accidently knocking over a chair in the process. The loud thud it made against the wooden floor caught everyone's attention, even Natsu and Gray who stopped their fight to look around at Erza, Natsu grabbing Gray's chain, Gray grabbing the salmon-headed boy's scarf, both with a perplexed expression on their face. Only Juvia continued with what she was doing, completely oblivious to what was going around in her surroundings.
Lucy wouldn't give up, though. Striding over to the female, who had crossed half the guild by now, she lay a hand on Erza's left forearm, gripping it with surprising strength, a frown gracing her otherwise calm face.
"It's Jellal, isn't it?" she whispered, as Erza whipped her head around at this, causing Lucy to drop her arm in shock.
"W-what?" she spluttered, her eyes wide. "W-what does he have to do with-"
"She kinda has a point," Gray answered, letting go of Natsu's scarf and walking over to the two girls.
"What? Where? Is it sharp? Does it-" Natsu began eagerly, before Gray cut him off with a raise of his hand.
"You stay out of this, droopy eyes!"
"Who ya calling droopy, Ice Princess? I'll come there right now and-"
"Both of you, SHUT UP! JUST SHUT UP!" Lucy yelled, losing her temper. "We have a situation here, and all you two are bothered about is your personal vendetta!"
"Sorry," the two boys muttered, chastised.
"Gray, what were you saying?" Lucy asked, hands on hips.
"I was just saying you kinda have a point...just because Jellal's engaged to another woman, it doesn't mean you let yourself completely go, you know. We're your nakama, aren't we?"
"But there's nothing wrong-" Erza began, before being cut off by Natsu.
"I agree with Squinty for once!" Natsu, who was finally catching on, exclaimed. "You think we didn't notice?" he asked her, his voice hard.
"You stopped going on jobs," Gray said.
"Stopped pulling me and the exhibitioner apart," Natsu added.
"You even stopped eating strawberry cake! And when that happens, we know something is definitely wrong," Lucy finished, determinedly staring at the female.
"So?" she said sullenly. "Maybe I don't like strawberry cake,"
Lucy's eyes grew wide. "But you love strawberry cake! It's just not possible to-"
"I have an idea," Levy piped up. "Why don't we take her to see Jellal?"
"That's great!" Lucy answered, giving the bluenette a high five.
"Operation take Erza to Jellal's...begins..." he squeaked under her ferocious glare. "I'm not coming!"
"Neither am I!" Gray yelled, attempting to run away. However, Lucy grabbed both of them, and fixing them with her scariest stare, she said, "You're both coming with me, or else."
"Um..okay!" the two squeaked. Lucy could be as scary as Erza.
"Someone remind me why we are doing this," Erza sighed in exasperation, as Lucy and Levy dragged her along, grabbing her forearms. Lucy and Levy couldn't help but cast sly grins at each other. If Erza really hadn't wanted to go...well, she could break free of the two girls easily, couldn't she?
They reached Jellal's house all too soon, Natsu and Gray trailing behind scoffing food. Lucy only had to knock twice before the door was opened by an unsuspecting Jellal.
"Hi Jellal!" Levy piped up. "Oh, Lu-chan...I just remembered...it's Jet's birthday! I have to get a present, will you help me find one?"
"Wha- oh, sure!" Lucy answered, her voice higher than usual. Jellal raised an eyebrow, leaning against the door, whilst Erza grimaced nervously.
"Natsu! Gray! You're boys, aren't you?" Lucy asked the two. Gray rolled his eyes.
"Well spotted, Lucy," he said acidly. She glared at him, and he recoiled slightly. "Er- what is it?"
"Well," she began sweetly. "Me and Levy are going into town to buy a present for Droy-"
"Jet," Levy whispered.
"Yeah, Jet," Lucy gabbled. "And well, since you're boys, you might know what to get him..."
"But it's not Jet's birthday!" Natsu, being the dense one, exclaimed. "Jet's birthday is on the-"
"Yeah, that's nice, walk along, Natsu," Lucy said, clamping a hand over his mouth and dragging him along. Jellal continued to watch the ruckus with some amusement, and all too soon, he and Erza were left alone.
"Um..." she began, realising that it was only the two of them. "This is a pretty nice place..."
It was. Jellal lived in a homely cottage on the outskirts of Magnolia, surrounded by trees on one side, and a beach on the other.
"Why don't you come in?" he said, amusement colouring his voice. "It would be impolite of me to leave you standing at the door," he moved aside to let the scarlet head in.
"So, what brings you here on this fine day?" Jellal asked Erza, who began to blush slightly. "If I remember, our last meeting didn't end too well..."
Of course, Erza remembered.
The two lay together, winded after the crash, legs and arms intermingled with each other. Jellal was determinedly looking into Erza's eyes, a shaft of the dying sunlight tinting his azure hair.
"Um-" she began, before being cut off.
"Shh," he whispered. Gently leaning in, he kissed her gently, before feeling her pull away. "Erza?" he asked her, puzzled. They'd spent the whole day together, and it was coming to a perfect end, but what now?
Erza made to get up, and Jellal moved aside, also standing up. She dusted her clothes, determinedly not staring at him.
"Erza, what's wrong?" he asked once more, feeling slightly worried.
"I can't."
"Can't what?"
"I can't...do this," she finished. "Us...that is to say me and you...I just can't, Jellal,"
"Why not?" he whispered. "Why can't it happen?"
"Because...I just can't, okay?" she turned to walk away, but Jellal grabbed her arm.
"Look Erza, I promise I won't force you into anything you don't want to do, but the least you could do is tell me what's going on," he insisted, feeling a little stung by the rejection.
"You want to know?" she asked in a hard voice. "It's because I don't feel the same way about you."
"That's not true, Erza,"
"I assure you it is, Jellal. I don't want to tell you a second time." Jellal knew he had been defeated.
"I didn't know you felt that way," he answered. "If that's the case..."
"Then we have nothing more to say to each other," Erza finished.
"I suppose so." And with that, Erza began to walk away, not bothering to look back.
I'm sorry, Jellal, she thought. But you don't need to pretend to love me for my sake.
"I... I suppose we can leave the past behind...right?" Erza began, hesitating.
"Well, I-" Jellal began, but he was cut off.
"Oh, you're in here, Jellal? I thought- Oh, hi, Erza," came the voice of Ultear. The curvaceous, black-haired woman walked in, sitting down beside him, clutching his arm.
"Well, you know who my fiancée is," Jellal answered lamely.
"That's great," Erza said, her voice emotionless. "Really great,"
"Jellal, why don't you take Erza down to the beach for a while?" Ultear asked, her expression unfathomable. "It's a bit hot in here," she added.
"Right you are, Ultear," he answered. "Come on," he gestured, getting up to leave.
Ultear watched the duo go with a satisfied smile. Good luck, she thought.
The sparkling waves continued to crash simultaneously as the duo sat down on the warm sand, staring out to sea. Jellal lay down, his arms behind his head, his legs stretched out.
"So, Erza," he began, his voice relaxed. "How have things been at Fairy Tail?"
"Same as always," she answered, frowning. Something was really bugging her.
They exchanged pleasantries, before remaining silent for a while. Jellal waited...and waited...and then-
"Look Jellal, I'm sorry about last time," Erza burst out in a rush of words. "I didn't mean to.."
"Didn't mean to what?" he answered, feigning laziness.
"Say what I said," she said simply.
He looked at her. "Come with me."
"Where to?" she asked. He held out his hand, and with some trepidation, she took it. He led her up a sloping cliff, walking across the dusty plain until they reached the edge of the same cliff where they had said their goodbyes. A small breeze blew across the duo, wafting through their hair, and causing Erza's hair in her face. Before she could lift her hand to move the hair away, she could feel cool fingers pulling it away from her face. Her breath hitching in her throat, she looked up to see Jellal stood right in front of her, barely a finger's length away from her. He was close to her. Way too close.
"Erza..." he whispered, savouring the feel of her name on his tongue.
"J-Jellal... she mumbled. "What are you doing? What if your fiancée-"
"What fiancée?" he asked, puzzled.
"Your FIANCEE, Ultear?" Erza asked, putting emphasis on 'fiancée'
Jellal shook his head. Erza could smell the scent coming from him, by now. "Don't you get it, Erza? Ultear is not my fiancée,"
"But...you said-"
"Why do you think I went to the trouble of pretending Ultear was my fiancée?"
"I-I don't know..." she murmured, blushing heavily.
"And I was told you were intelligent, Erza," he whispered playfully.
"What- just what do you mean by that, Jellal?"
"Exactly what you think I mean," he said, biting his lip in an attempt not to laugh. His face grew serious once more.
"I was wondering if making Ultear my fiancée would make you jealous," he admitted. "I wasn't too convinced by your words that time, actually, and it looks like I was right,"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, Gray told me that the news of me being engaged really seemed to affect you,"
"Gray? But-"
"He told you he was going to see Ultear, right? That sort of was a lie..." he confessed sheepishly, whilst Erza glared at him. "He came to see me instead, telling me about your reaction to the news, amongst other things,"
"But why, Jellal? Why?"
"To see if you love me," he said simply. Erza looked away, unable to answer. "I think I have my answer," he whispered. "But do tell me, Erza...why did you tell me you didn't love me, when you so obviously do?"
"Uh..." she began. "I-I thought you liked Ultear..."
He raised an eyebrow, before shaking his head. "If only you'd let me explain last time...it would've saved me so much trouble," he said. "But never mind...we can start now, can't we?"
Smiling gently at her, he leant in towards her, kissing her softly. Erza decided that perhaps it would be wise to succumb this once. Hence, she didn't push him away. He continued to deepen the kiss, wrapping his arms around his long-time love, holding her close, breathing in her strawberry scent. After some time, the two pulled away simultaneously, but held onto each other, determinedly staring into each other's eyes.
"Erza... I love you," Jellal said, every ounce of conviction in his voice. Erza couldn't help but smile at how handsome he looked right now.
"I love you too," she whispered, before pulling him into a hug.
Behind the nearby bush, four pairs of eyes goggled at the couple, giggling silently.
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