Disclaimer: This story is based on the characters and situations created and owned by Hiro Mashima. I do not own Fairy Tail. No copyright infringement is intended and absolutely no money is being made.
"Farewell Erza," Jellal whispered, his voice full of pain. Two guards escorted him to a nearby carriage that will take him to the prison. Everyone around them watched the scene silently.
She knows it was unfair for the Council to take him, for he was under a spell during the time being. But just as they said, it was not a reason. He committed a mistake that cannot be undone. It was time for him to pay the price. She wanted to stop them, but she knows it won't do them good. So, she mustered all her courage, before saying that one word that pained her the most.
"Farewell," she said, lowering her head. She didn't want them to see her like this, especially Gray.
Gray.
She promised him that she will not let herself get caught up in her past. She promised him that she will move on for their sake. But here she is, head lowered, trying to prevent the tears from falling. What will he say about her? She didn't care anymore, because she knows she disappointed him.
Gray stood by the crowd, silently watching as the guards take Jellal with them. He lowered his head, afraid of what to see. He was afraid that this day would come, when everything would just crash down unto them. He didn't like it one bit, especially seeing Erza hurting on the way. But what can he do? He knows that he can never replace someone like Jellal in Erza's heart.
The carriage rolled away, but none of them made a move. It was the best choice to leave it be for the time being.
...
Later…
The sun was setting, and the team decided to stop by to rest. Everyone sat a good distance from each other, while Erza was nowhere to be found. Silence filled the air.
"Where…did Erza go, I wonder?" Happy broke the awkward silence. No one replied, except for Lucy.
"I think maybe we should give her some time alone" she spoke quietly, and all Happy can do was nod in agreement. Again, silence. Lucy was right. Erza needed some space, and no one decided to disrupt her.
"Well, I can't just wait here, you know. I'm going to look for her" Gray said, standing up. Lucy followed him, but he stopped her. "Don't. It's better if you just leave it to me" he told her. "Are you sure?" she asked, clearly worried for her nakama. He smiled, reassuring her that everything will be fine, before running off into the distance.
Erza sat quietly beside an old ruin on top of a cliff. The soft wind was blowing her hair. She watched as the sun set in the horizon, slowly welcoming the darkness.
~ Flashback ~
"Jellal Fernandes? That's going to be a pain to remember" a young Worly said, laughing at the young man's name. "Coming from a guy named Worly Buchanan? I'm not going to forget that one" he teased as well. Then, he turned to his other companion, a young girl of the same age with scarlet hair and amber eyes.
"What about you, Erza?" he asked. Erza looked at him, and he could see the sadness in her eyes.
"I'm Erza. Just Erza" she replied. Jellal frowned. "That's kind of sad" he said, but he did not mean that as a taunt. Then, he got an idea. He took Erza's hair, which was followed by complains from Erza. "Hey!" he whined, but Jellal never let go of her hair.
"You have such a beautiful scarlet hair. That's it!" he said excitedly, and Erza and Worly eyed him questioningly. "Why don't we just call you Erza Scarlet?" he smiled. Erza looked confused, but a small smile formed on her lips. "Erza…Scarlet" she tried, and Jellal smiled even more. "It's the color of your hair. That way, I'll never forget it!" he said happily, and Erza beamed at him as well.
~End of flashback~
Tears started falling down her amber eyes. She pulled her knees close to her body, and let more tears fall down freely from her.
"Jellal"
Just saying his name was like shooting an arrow straight through her heart. She can't deny it: she can never forget him, as much as she wanted to. He holds too much of her to be forgotten so easily. She knows she was fooling not only herself, but Gray as well, when she said she wanted to forget him. He was right. Jellal is just too different.
That night, she didn't return to their camp. She stayed like that, reminiscing the memories she and Jellal shared together, although it pained her so much. Tears flowed down like river, but she didn't care, as long as she gets to keep their memories alive, even just for a day.
Unknown to her, a dark stature of a young man stood by a good distance from where she is, watching her intently. He was worried, but he didn't dare approach her. Instead, he sat down there, and observed her until the break of dawn.
...
The sunrise that day, was stained with a beautiful scarlet no one has ever seen before. It was just like Erza's hair color, warm and full of passion. It was a beautiful sight, but to Erza, it was a memory of a lost friend. More tears fell from her eyes.
"The sky, it's beautiful" she heard a voice from behind her. She knows perfectly who it was, but she did not respond. She stayed in her position, hugging her knees close to her body, head lowered. She didn't want to see anyone yet, but Gray sat down beside her.
"If only you could raise your head to the sky, you could see such a beautiful sight" he said, gazing at the scarlet rays of the dawn. Erza did not budge.
"What if I don't want to?" she spat. She wanted Gray to leave her alone, but just like her, he was stubborn as ever.
"Is it because of him?" he asked. She didn't raise her head, and Gray didn't look at her way. As much as he wanted to comfort her, he just couldn't do it.
"I'm sorry" she whispered.
"What for?" he asked, gazing intently at the horizon.
"I failed you, Gray. I know I said that I wanted to forget him. But… I just can't. It's just too hard" she told him, and the tears fell down for the thousandth time. He sighed, before inching closer to her and taking her in for an embrace, which she gladly accepted.
"I can't do it, Gray. It's too hard. I'm so sorry…" she sobbed quietly at his bare chest, and Gray caressed her long scarlet hair. Then, he took her face in his hands, and looked at her beautiful amber eyes, now full of pain.
"It's all right. I'm not asking you to do anything against your will, Erza" he told her, wiping away her tears. "If you can't do it, then don't force yourself. Because I know for a fact that Jellal will always be a big part of your life."
And more tears flowed.
"I'm so sorry I disappointed you. You were always the one beside me in my times of need. You were always there to listen to me, to be a shoulder to cry on. But I can't even keep a small promise for you. It's unfair!" she said, and turned her back against him.
"It doesn't matter. "he said, to her surprise. She turned back towards him, but he was already standing up.
"All I know is that I'm going to protect you no matter what. Keep that in mind. Because the next time you need someone, you'll know who to run to," he told her, the honesty written on his eager eyes. Erza didn't know what to say, that tears welled in her eyes again. She was lucky to have someone like Gray by her side.
"So, are you coming or not?" he asked, holding out his hand to her. Erza smiled, a lonely one, but it was enough for Gray. She took his hand, and together, they marched back to the campsite.
As they walk along, Erza can't help but look at Gray. Even she can't believe that someone like him could have a soft spot for someone like her. He was heavens sent, she knows it, and she was glad that she was the one who found him.
"Thank you" she whispered to him, before taking his hand.
I promise I won't take your love for granted.
.
.
.
.
A/N: Hey there! It's me again, and this time, it's my second attempt for a Gray x Erza fic. Well, you all know that I ship that pairing. Although, I'm very sorry if this one sucks. I feel like the events happened a little too fast, and I'm sorry if you feel that the characters as OOC. Well, as always, I'll leave to you readers what kind of feeling they might hold for each other. :)
Oh, just a thought, please leave me a PM for all those GrayZa fans out there. If I feel like everyone enjoyed the story, then I might continue to write short drabbles about that pairing (and others as well, if I feel like it) because I know that GrayZa needs the love ~
Thank you for reading! Reviews and comments are very much appreciated. :D