Ex-V: I hope you like it!

Erza swept behind the bar counter at Fairy Tail.

Stirring a black coffee, she glanced over at Mirajane, who was busy scrubbing glass goblets and serving guildmembers. Bored, she grumbled something, and the takeover mage seemed to notice, facing her old rival. "Something on your mind, Erza-?"

The redhead cocked her hips, huffing, before leaning back against the counter. She took a sip from her thermos, and set the mug down on the counter beside her. "I don't know, It's just…"

Mirajane waited, patiently, as Erza swept the floor for a moment, absentmindedly. The Requip mage looked over at her friend, who tapped her expectantly on the desk.

Erza sighed, and crossed her arms. "I was thinking of calling Jellal again."

"Again?" Mira sneered, tilting her head a bit. Faintly smug, she turned away and set two cups full of beer in front of her patrons.

The redhead fidgeted, lamely. "…Do you think I'm being too clingy?" She wondered aloud, weakly, and glanced awkwardly away, unnerved.

"Well, that would be the second time this week." Mira snickered, thoughtfully. Innocently, she trained her eyes on Erza for a moment.

Erza adjusted her shirt, sheepishly. "Third time." She admitted, sighing. A light blush spread through her cheeks, and Mirajane Giggled. "I saw him last night too."

"Oh, my…" Mira tut tutted, tapping her chin. A sly smile curved her lips, and she raised the tap on the sink to her left. The takeover mage pulled a set of cups and plates over, lathering up a sponge and scrubbing away at the silverware. "But, I don't think he minds…"

Erza fixed her gaze on her friend, desperately. "R-Right? I…I think he loves me, so-"

She trailed off, half-heartedly. The smile wobbled on her face, and she covered her eyes.

Mirajane snorted. "You Think-?"

Erza blushed, twirling a strand of scarlet hair between two fingers. "Well, he never says it..." She grumbled, staring helplessly up into the ceiling. "So…"

"He loves you." The takeover mage answered flatly.

The redhead laced her fingers together in her hair, nervously. She adjusted the bandana tied around her head, falling silent, and stared down at her toes.

"He loves you, Erza." Mira sighed. "But you aren't dating. Of course he's not going to say it…"

"I know…I know!" Erza wrung her hands together, looking up. She fumed, and flipped her hair gracefully over one shoulder, exposing her neck. She set one hand on her shoulder, and her heartbeat fluttered. "But why! Why…! I want to be official so bad-"

"Don't tell me, girl." Mira shrugged, drying her hands off idly on a nearby towel. "Why are you telling me? Talk to him already!"

Erza choked. Blushing furiously, she stared poignantly away. "I…I can't."

Mira cast her friend an offhanded glance, shuffling over to answer set a beer in front of Laxus, who was joking and laughing with Natsu at the far end of the bar. "You can't?"

"We never talk about that stuff-!"

The two S-class mages stared at each other in silence for a moment, and Erza trembled haplessly. Mirajane gave her a long, pointed look, before sighing, exasperated. "What the hell are you two always doing when you meet up, then-?"

Erza exhaled. "Oh…Oh, U-Uh…We talk. About other stuff…" She rubbed her cheek absentmindedly. "You know…Like, Missions."

Silence.

Mirajane groaned.

"Missions and stuff! And…And then…" Erza trailed off, half-lamely. She tugged her shirt, flustered, and Mirajane folded her hands impatiently. "We go for a walk sometimes."

"Hmmm-?"

The redhead twiddled her thumbs. "I fantasize a lot about him, and then we go our separate ways."

"…" Mira watched her friend. "…And then?"

"I go home and stuff my face in a pillow." Erza admitted, weakly. "And cry."

"Yes you do." Mirajane sniffed. Erza shuddered, whimpering. "After that, you complain to me and make new plans, to do it all over again-"

The redhead huffed, flushed. Defensively, she glared into the far corners of the guildhall.

"Do something differently this time, Erza!"

The requip mage pulled on her sleeve. Hesitantly, she nodded, staring up into empty space; She picked the broom back up, and brushed along the floor with it. "…Like what-?"

"Take your clothes off-" Mirajane sniggered.

Erza squeaked something, furiously red.

Ex-V: Did you have fun? I hope so!

I'll get the next chapter of this up tomorrow at some point, and I have five other stories to update tomorrow too! I had something going on in real life, but I got a lot of writing done in the meantime, and I'll start putting updates on the internet again promptly :D

Please, let me know what you think, and I'll be eternally grateful!

See you in the next chapter!