Hello there!

This is Nita Whatever's very first fic. Enjoy, if that's possible.

"Deck the halls with boughs of holly,

Fa la la la la la, la la la la.

'Tis the season to be jolly,

Fa la-"

The irritating Christmas carol was cut off by Gray, who, thrown there (by the fire mage, who else!), successfully smashed the stereo singing the song into an unrepareable state. He and Natsu did not seem to notice the damage they caused, and went on with their fight.

"My hi-fi!" screamed Laxus, to whom the now broken object belonged to. He joined the brawl, as did other Fairy Tail members, either because they had something of theirs demolished too, or just for fun. Occasionally, sounds of crashes and loud cursing came from the where they fought. Just a usual Christmas celebration at Fairy Tail.

Erza Scarlet looked away from the scene, and rather focused her eyes on the other part of the guild. Lucy and Levy were so busy reading and discussing the books they had given each other that they didn't even notice the battle behind them. Gajeel was observing the fight, and sometimes the two girls (everyone in the guild would bet it was Levy he was looking at). Juvia watched the riot worriedly, her concern only for her Gray-sama.

Erza decided she would end the brawl later. For now, she would get some fresh air on the balcony. When the guild won the Grand Magic Games, they rebuilt the house out of the reward money, and this time, added a balcony in the back, which looked at the beach. The place where Wally and the others had gone off to see the world. Who knows where they were right now? The shores were still being washed by the waves, even now, in December. You can't freeze the ocean, she mused.

As she stood there, deeply in thought, she heard footsteps from behind her. She turned around to see…

Jellal Fernandez!

The tension always existing between old friends meeting after a long period of time was rather thick and very annoying for the Titania. Especially since they had something like a short-lived romantic relation ship that summer, even if it only was for a few seconds. Both stood there, not really knowing what to say.

"Why are you here?" she said, at last.

"It's Christmas, and the girls really wanted to come here, as you're our friends. We'll only be staying an hour, though." The fugitive scratched the back of his while making the explanation, smiling awkwardly. He joined her at leaning over the rail, and tried starting a conversation.

"So how was your Christmas?"

"Fine, though it got a little rough, judging by the sounds coming from inside." Jellal chuckled at the redhead's statement, and they were once again left without any topic, staring at the ocean in an uncomfortable silence.

"Thanks for the earrings." She took her birthday present out of her coat pocket, showing that she still carried the elegant, simple earrings in the box they had originally belonged into. "Did Meredy and Ultear help you pick them?" He answered in the affirmative. "I knew it the moment I saw them. They have a woman's touch." Erza paused for a few seconds; she wasn't used to saying this much unless she was trying to influence the other's better judgment. "They're very pretty."

"I'm happy you liked your present." A short silence. "Have you worn them?"

She smiled like a child knowing a secret; the gesture went unseen by the fugitive in the dim light coming from behind. "No, as my ears aren't holed."

He noticed something was fishy. "But… didn't you wear earrings the last time we met?"

"Of course I didn't. And you have a fiancée." He stepped back, seeing that his lie had been discovered, and got ready to say a tirade of excuses. He couldn't begin talking though, because the woman went on immediately.

"You thought that somebody like me, who's known you since our childhood, could get fooled by such a fib?" Her voice was harsh as she accused him, though inside, she could hardly keep herself from laughing at his dumbfounded expression. The look remained on his face before she lifted her head to show a grin as wide as a Cheshire cat's, and burst out giggling, showing that everything was, in fact, a joke. He stared at her doubling over for a few seconds, not realizing what had happened. Then he joined her. They laughed for a couple of minutes, sincerely, not like he had in the time he wished he didn't remember. He hadn't laughed like this for years, probably never. He didn't deserve this, nor a friend like Erza, who understood why he said that idiotic lie. Ultear and Meredy had been right, it was a very silly thing to do, he should have known that he couldn't deceive a girl like Erza; she was smart and knew him inside and out. And yet it seemed she wasn't even angry at him for underestimating her, nor did she try to keep him; she simply understood and let him go. He didn't deserve her, no, she didn't deserve such a foolish man with a troubled past.

When they finally calmed down, the beautiful woman's mood seemed to change entirely. She looked at the ground, her scarlet hair, after which he had named her, covered her face like a veil.

"You don't have to lie to me. I would've understood if you said the truth." She looked down, seeing nothing, trying hard not to cry, when just a short while ago, it had been so difficult to suppress her laughter.

Jellal looked at her in surprise and misery; he had hurt her unintentionally yet again. He didn't know what to do as she faced the floor and looked so forlorn and small but already striving to fight her weakness. So in the end, he hesitantly put his two arms around her; this was all a person like him could do; he hoped he wouldn't wound her with this. Besides, this wasn't particularly romantic, this would only look like somebody comforting his nakama to an onlooker; he hid his stronger emotions as well as he could.

…

Erza took his hands off herself when she had regained her calm attitude, feeling slightly guilty that she had forced him into this, but not to much; she could not, and would not regret that hug. She had really been dying for one, she admitted to herself.

They looked away from each other, slightly embarrassed. The blue-haired man said something about not having talked with the others, and went in to do so. The woman still stood outside, observing her guild, her friends, her family, just like she had done… How long ago was it? It seemed like ages, yet it had definitely been less than an hour.

Natsu had already attacked Jellal, demanding a meteorite to eat. Levy and Lucy left their books in the hands of Gajeel, as they couldn't have read anyway in the commotion, while the two of them chatted with Lisanna. Gray and Ultear were engaged in a conversation in a quiet corner, probably about Ul. Juvia wasn't there to rip off the woman's head for talking to her Gray-sama, as she was herself was conversing with Meredy. Mirajane was rushing to fill the glasses of Jet and Droy, who wanted to drink their sadness away at failing to catch Levy under the mistletoe, while Cana, Macao and Wakaba guffawed at the top of their voices. All in all, it was just like Erza wanted her Christmas to be; loud, rowdy, and full of love.

The Titania smiled at the earrings still clutched in her hand. Why hadn't she put them on in the first place? She had already forgiven him that day at the beach. So she put the jewelry into her (holed) ears, and walked in, to her world.

End

Well.

I hope you found this passable. If you did, if you didn't, faves, alerts, reviews and flames are greeted with open hands.

Anita, out.