AN: Hi. It's been a while since I last posted anything, so I did an ErLu story. This will most likely become a collection of stories, but we'll see. It's a bit on the short side-in my opinion-but nonetheless I hope you enjoy it. If you want more, feel free to leave a review or PM saying so. Thanks for reading.

Ciao. c:

There was a particular fairy tale that Lucy enjoyed when she was little. It really appealed to her; romance themed, the knight saving the damsel in distress, the cliché story line that five-year-old girls just simply adore and aspire would happen to them one day.

There was something about this fairy tale that Lucy loved. Like every knight-slays-evil-beast story, a large beast had come unexpectedly, plaguing the rural areas with disaster. Distraught over on what to do, and having his best soldiers and knights slayed brutally, the King announced that the one who slayed the beast would be proven worthy to take his daughter's hand and the inheritance of the entire kingdom. Many had stepped forward and died rather pathetically, but there was an exceptional farmer that stood up. Clad in a shabby armor and a rusted sword, the farmer slayed the monster, escaping nearly unscathed. Impressed, the King demanded that the farmer show his face. Everyone was rather surprised to see that the farmer was not a male, but rather a female. The King was baffled, clearly at shock that a woman had saved his kingdom. Yet, the princess was smitten with the act of courage and eagerly accepted the farmer's hand in marriage.

When asked why the princess was not repulsed by the act of marrying another woman, she would simply smile and reply in a soft voice.

"I did not fall for her because she was the hero of our land. I did not fall for her because she slayed the beast. I fell for her because beyond the worn-out armor, the breaking sword, I saw the unmatched commitment I have never seen in any suitor's eyes. I fell for the person inside, the one underneath the helmet."

When Lucy read the story to Asuka, the toddler simply dismissed it with a smile, commenting how it was a "good story" before running off to her father and mother. Wendy, on the other hand, was much more interested in the story than the younger girl and had stuck around.

"Why do you like that story, Lucy?" She asked, her eyes staring at the worn picture book in the blonde's hands.

It took a moment for Lucy to reply. "…I don't know. It's just something that I can strangely relate to." She met Wendy's eyes, a smile on her face. "When you get older, I'm sure you'll understand too."

The girl scrunched her nose, standing up in order to prepare for a mission. "…I still don't get it, but I guess that makes sense in a way." They exchanged smiles and waves of goodbyes before Lucy was alone at the counter. Mirajane was off somewhere, serving beer and other beverages to other costumers. The blonde did not mind the solitude; she needed it when she wanted to think.

Lucy actually did know why such a story had such an appeal to her. It held a much bigger meaning to her now, than what it had when she was a toddler. Her brown eyes carefully trailed to the head of bright, scarlet hair that stood out in the middle of all the chaos Fairy Tail was known for.

Erza Scarlet, one of the strongest Mages in Fairy Tail. She carried herself with a sense of pride and authority of being in the strongest guild in all of Fiore. She had taken down countless foes and enemies, and walked out of battles victorious (although barely, since she would be almost beaten to a pulp). She was a role model for aspiring Mages all around the kingdom. Still, no one really quite understood the quieter side of her. She was the hurt one, the scarred one, the traumatized little girl that had been beaten time and time again in her childhood. She was secretly quiet when no one would be looking, and sometimes sobbed when the memories became too much to handle. Lucy would know. She saw all of it, all of the sides that Erza had. From the tough bravado to the shyest voice, Lucy knew and experienced all of it with her. She saw her tears, and she had comforted her. Lucy kept her company through the long nights of nightmares, and quietly listened to her stories.

Through these quiet nights alone, Lucy found out a bit more of the knight. How she had feelings for Jellal (not like it was obvious already), how she had been lying to Levy about losing her books in order to just keep them, and how she was grateful for Lucy to stay the night, quietly listening to her stories. They would exchange soft smiles before it was the blonde's turn to talk, usually taking the time lull the redhead back to sleep. She would recite the fairy tale she loved by heart, watching Erza's brown, humble eyes close, her breathing slowing to a largo-like tempo. Still, Lucy would finish the story just for the sake of it, and once it was over, she would still be in her sitting position not moving. She enjoyed the company of her friend, even if it was for several more minutes.

One night she grew exceptionally bold and placed a soft kiss on Erza's forehead. The latter was not roused at all. Trying to push her luck even more, Lucy went in for a peck on the lips too; unfortunately, Erza happened to wake up at that moment (or was she was always awake? Lucy still debated about it herself) and quickly broke the kiss. The blonde had tried to find an excuse to justify her actions, but Erza would have none of it. She just asked for it to continue. Lucy complied.

Their nights and fits of passion heightened every night, sometimes slow, sometimes ravenous. Yet Lucy always found herself in the same position, quietly reciting the story to Erza as she drifted off to sleep, running her hands across the bare skin, occasionally circling her fingers across a love bite around Erza's abdomen.

Once she was sure that Erza sleeping, Lucy would lean in and mumble four words.

"Good night, my knight."

It was a cliché line, much like the story the both of them loved so much, but it seemed to fit the mood so well, Lucy could hardly care. It was her own mantra that would guarantee her a good night's rest.

As Lucy continued to watch Erza from a distance, the latter turned her head to make eye contact with the former. They stared at one another, much like their little meetings at night, before Erza gave a smile and a curt nod, leaving to break up another fight between Natsu and Gray. Lucy quietly sat where she was, hoping that maybe tonight would be the night she would have the courage.

Her feelings were unrequited, despite how many constant flings she had with Erza. The nights they shared was temporary relief, a pill—so to speak—to numb the pain for several hours.

But still, there was the bubbling feeling of audacity to declare her love for the redhead. Time after time her desire was shot down, yet it never died.

There was something about this knight that intrigued her so much. It had her captivated more than the suitors Lucy's late father had proposed for her to marry. She knew it was not the massive amount of strength that Erza possessed. She knew it was not her record of how many beasts she had slain or how many Dark Guilds she had single-handedly annihilated. It was something much more. Lucy fell in love with the quiet girl that had flaws, the quiet side that she got to see almost every single night. It was the side she was able to whisper good night to, the one that gave her the special attention that Erza never gave to anyone else. It was the little girl that was underneath the helmet.

Lucy smiled, a warm feeling surrounding her like the arms the redhead would wrap around her every night.

Her life was not the ideal fairy tale, but it sure as hell was close to it.