Erza was aimlessly walking around Magnolia. Her hands were burried deep inside the pockets of her jacket and her head hung low. Even if it was winter, it was colder than usual. Her warmest winter jacket couldn't even keep her warm right now. She was freezing a bit but she didn't seem to care. For some reason she was in a bad mood.
That wasn't unusual these days. Since she started going out with Jellal something seemed to feel off. Although she should be happy that they finally ended up together it wasn't anything like she expected. There were no butterflies in her stomach and Jellal never once managed to make her heart skip a beat. Their dates, and his whole company even, felt like a meeting between old friends. That shouldn't be the case right? They loved each other after all, didn't they?

She thought maybe going on a few missions with old Team Nastu would distract her from her usual loniless she felt recently. It just felt like something was missing. However, none of the old members agreed. Gray was already on a mission with Juvia, Lucy had an author meeting she had to attend and Wendy was doing cooking lessons with Mira-sensei. She wanted to be able to cook delicious meals on her own for some reason. As for Natsu, he just said he already had something to do and rushed off.

When Erza and Jellal first started dating he was irritated and confused. He always made a sarcastic remark or glared at Jellal every time he entered the guild with Erza. He even started fights more often to shift Erza's attention back to him instead of Jellal.

Erza couldn't help but giggle at the thought of her jealous teammember. Back then Erza brushed it off because she thought he didn't like Jellal. She was oblivious to the true feelings the dragon slayer had back then.

Erza had read so many books about romance and… other stuff, but her realtionship with Jellal didn't feel anything like it was described in those books. She never experienced those 'lovestruck' moments she always thought she will have once she gets into a serious relationship. But whatever, those books were probably all just exaggerated anyway, right?

…

After a while she noticed the air got considerably warmer. Erza felt the increasing magical pressure and looked up. Just now she realized where her legs subconciously dragged her to. It was a training ground outside of Magnolia. Erza and Natsu build it together back then. They used to train and spar together. Natsu always bragged how he would defeat Erza this time but he always lost, no matter how hard he tried. Those were good memories.

She looked up and saw Natsu in his usual attire. Typical of Natsu, even in the coldest winter days he just walked around in a vest and his white pants.

Erza eyes lit up as she saw Natsu. She didn't know why but she was really happy to see him. They didn't spend any time together recently. Even when Jellal was busy with his mission, Natsu always had something to do too.

Natsu looked like he was training here. Nostalgia overcame Erza's heart as she remembered once again how they used to train a long time ago. She would never admit it but Natsu gave her a hard time defeating him most of the time even if she made it look like it was a piece of strawberry cake.
Erza previous melancholy immediatly faded away but just as she wanted to run up to him Erza realized something.

Natsu was holding a sword in his hand. His posture was lacking any grace and there were still a lot of openings in his position but overall Natsu held the sword way better than Erza ever expected. D-did he train swordsmanship?

Natsu lit up the blade of the katana and shouted:

'Fire Dragon's Sword Attack!'

With that he slashed the katana in his hands downwards as hard as he could. A big burning cut that looked like a string of hell's inferno quickly made its way forward, burning and cutting anything in his way.

A few moments later the attack faded away and all that was left was a devastated evironment. There was a massive split in the ground in front of Natsu as it was forcefully split by his powerful strike. The grass, bushes and even the rocks around the cut were still burning.
What an impressive strike! There were still some things that could be improved but it was a overwhelming attack nonetheless.

'When did Natsu get so good with a sword?' was the only thing Erza could think as she watched the spectacle from a distance. She felt so proud of Natsu. To think someone like him who never seemed to be interested in wielding a weapon got this disciplined with a sword. Along with great pride there was another feeling Erza couldn't really identify herself. Just seeing Natsu so powerful made her heart jump up for a second.

"You did well, Natsu-san"

A female figure walked up to Natsu and handed him a drink with a smile. She was a young, slim, large-busted woman, with long, straight black hair that falls to the middle of her back. She wore a white blazer with gold lining and a wide collar. Also, on her head she wore a white headband with a white ribbon tied at the middle in a bow, pointing straight up.

It was someone Erza was quite familiar with. Kagura Mikazuchi. It was no secret that Natsu and Kagura got very friendly with each other lately. A while ago they started hanging around and go on missions together. Master even said that they formed a team which got famous in Fiore rather quickly even though they weren't even in the same guild. Teams with members of different guilds like this may be uncommon and needed a lot of paperwork to officially form but they were legally allowed by the magic council as long as the members could all agree to share the rewards of their mission.

'Team Flaming Sword' was the name the fans came up with. They didn't really care about a name but they agreed to stick with it since everyone around them was so familiar with that name already.

"Of course I am doing well. I have the best teacher after all"

Natsu said with a wide smile on his face. Everyone could see that he enjoyed the presence of Kagura a lot.

"T-the best? You are exaggerating Natsu-san"

Kagura blushed deeply and looked away in embarassment.

None of them had realized Erza's presence yet. They were only paying attention to one another.

"Hmm.. " Natsu started to frown and gave Kagura a questioning look.

"I-Is there anything wrong?"

It was highly unusual for the calm and prideful swordswoman to stutter like that.

"Are you cold?"

Natsu just asked boldly.

"Ah that. No not anymore. The coat and the scarf you gave me are really warm… Besides…" Kagura blushed again and looked away so that Natsu would see her red face. ".. The warmth your body emits melts away even the coldest winter"

Kagura couldn't believe she said something that embarassing but it felt like her heart was speaking on her own without consulting the brain first.

"That's great. I would hate to see you get a cold or something just because I wanted you to train me with that sword"

Natsu's smile was honest and genuine. A smile that Erza herself has seen a few times before but it had been a long time since she ever got to experience it herself. The fact that this smile wasn't directed at her made her feel uncomfortable to say the least.

'Wait… Train? Natsu? With the sword?' Erza was dumbfound at that thought. Even though Erza suggested to train him with one of her swords back then but he always declined. He never seemed to be interested in weaponry. To think that Natsu would now show this much discipline with Kagura was just baffling for Erza. 'Why would he do it with her but not with me?'

A curtain of sadness veiled Erza's armored heart once again. What was it that something so casual and superfluous could break Erza's heart a little bit? What is this warm and gently feeling she always gets when she thinks about him anyway?

"If you like the coat and it keeps you warm, you can keep it if you want"

Kagura was surprised by Natsu's suggestion. It was indeed a surprisingly trendy and warm coat. It even fit her size perfectly for some reason. But would Natsu really give away this coat just like that?

"Are you sure? This coat does look expensive. Will you just trade it away like that?"

"Yeah, I never wear a coat anyway because the cold never really bothers me that much because of my magic. Also, it sure is a nice coat so don't you think it would be a waste for it to just hang around in my wardrobe?"

Natsu gave her a smile that made it impossible for Kagura to reject it. It's not like she hated it or anything. She was held comfortably warm right now. Although Kagura herself didn't know whether it was the coat or Natsu himself that made all the cold around her go away. It certainly was a strange ability to warm someone from the inside just by smiling at her. Albeit Kagura didn't fully understand how Natsu could make her heart flutter so easily, she didn't really care that much. She enjoyed every second around him because of that.

"I shall accept it then. You have my gratitude"

Kagura said with a light bow.

"You know, it's actually a bit embarassing if you be so formal around me. So ease up and be yourself around me, okay? No need to formal around partners"

'Partners?' Erza was a bit shocked at Natsu's choice of words. 'He probably means it in a nakama way of speaking.'. She sighed a bit when she thought about how clueless Natsu could be sometimes. But that naivite was something she deeply adored about him. It's like the child in him never fully grows up and stays pure to the very end.

"I-I see. I guess you're right"

Kagura now replied with a sweet smile on her own. The usual serious Kagura was nowhere to be seen.

They looked right into each others eyes for what felt like an eternity. Not only for Kagura and Natsu but for Erza as well. She never felt time slow down when she looked at Jellal.

"All this training made me hungry. Let's grab something to eat."

Natsu offered clearly troubled by his hungry stomach.

"Good idea. I do feel hungry myself"

Kagura agreed to Natsu's idea. Spending more time with Natsu alone and be able to finally eat something felt like a double win for Kagura. She would never admit it though.

"Ah but first I will have to take back my scarf now. I hope you kept it safe"

Erza just now realized it. Kagura was wearing Natsu's scarf the entire time. Natsu gave her something that he valued so much. Not even Erza had ever worn Natsu's scarf like Kagura did.
'Why? Why is someone he just recently came in contact with able to have somthing she never got to experience in all of the time Natsu and her spend together? It doen't make any sense. Why would he give his beloved scarf to her but no one else?'

Confusion and jealousy clouded Erza's mind for some reason. She didn't even felt like this when Jellal was going on missions with Ultear and Meredy.

Before Erza could remotely sort her thoughts something unbelievable happened. Natsu leaned forward and gently pressed his lips against Kagura's.

She looked surprised at first but gently closed her eyes and returned the dragon's kiss. Erza was probably the most unfamiliar with this scene since Kagura and Natsu both didn't seem like they did this for the first time. D-Did they do this more often? For someone like Kagura to be this intimate with someone of the opposite gender was something Erza couldn't even imagine before.

After a while Natsu released himself from her lips and smiled at her after licking his lips "Delicious as always"

"Mou~ what was that for?"

Kagura playfully puffed her cheeks. She looked too cute when she pretented to be angry. Kagura was embarrassed but happy nonetheless. She loved the feelings of Natsu's warm lips pressing against her own.

"Think of it as price for borrowing my scarf. Plus, you know how I like to have dessert before dinner~"

Natsu teased plafully as he seductively looked right into her eyes once again.

There was no mistaking it. They acted way to intimate to be ragular team mates. Are they going out with each other? If so, when did this start?
Erza thought back and remembered the time he stopped making extra trouble or giving Jellal angry glares. At some point in the past Natsu started to be more joyful than ever before. Always having a smile on his face, humming songs while sitting at the bar and even caring more about his appearance. His hair wasn't that wild anymore and he wore more stylish clothes than before. Erza didn't make much of back then but now she realized that it was around the time when Natsu and Kagura started being more and more friendly to each other.

"You really are spoiled Natsu~. But that's what makes you so cute and ambrosial"

Kagura couldn't look away from Natsu's beautiful eyes. It felt like they were two gates to heaven itself.

"Ambrosial? There you go using these ancient words again. Even though I try to improve my vocabulary, I don't know the meaning of every word that was used millenia ago."

"It's alright. We will get you there evtually"

"Ehhh.."

"Don't give me that. A decent enunciation is imprtant"

"Okay, I get it."

Natsu even agreed to improve his vocabulary with her? Even when Erza tried to teach Natsu how to read and write, she never got that much consent from Natsu. He slacked off or tried to find a way to end the lecture to enjoy his free time.

Kagura's strictness was similar to Erza's but there was much more kindness and and sympathy in Kagura's voice. It was hard to notice but for a dragon slayer with superhuman senses that should be no problem at all. Maybe that was the reason why he so easily agrees on things he would never do with Erza. It wasn't like Erza didn't feel that way too. She didn't hate to teach him things but Kagura was just able to express her feelings better.
That has always been the problem for Erza. She always build an iron wall around her heart so that no one would notice how she really felt. Kagura didn't have that problem and could play the role of the strict yet caring teacher Natsu apparently needed.

"And don't do these indecent things in public. Someone could see us, you know"

"Indecent? There is nothing indecent about expressing my feelings towards this beautiful and strong girlfriend of mine. Also, I really want to show off that this strong and beautiful swordswoman only belongs to me and me alone"

Natsu, as a dragon slayer, could become a bit possessive sometimes but that didn't bother Kagura at all. She fancied the thought of her being so valuable to Natsu that he wanted her all to himself. It was the same for her after all. This dragon was hers to tame.

"T-That may be as it is but I just don't want our relationship to be known by everyone yet. I don't want all these people swarming us and ask all the questions about our personal life"

"I get it. Take as much time as you need. As long as I get to have you for myself, that's all I really need. Besides, I don't want to neglect you like Jellal does with Erza"

Hearing Natsu mention Jellal made Erza freeze on her spot again.

Kagura sighed irritated with Natsu at the mentioning of Jellal's name. She hated to think about Jellal's guts in any way. She may not hate him as much as she used to but there was still hostility built up towards him.

"You know, I feel really bad for Erza-neechan. She is so deeply bound to him that she doesn't even realize how bad he actually is for her. He is so fixated on making up for his sins that he neglects Erza-neechan so much for his vigilante missions with crime sorciere. For someone like him to take Erza-neechan for granted is making me sick"

Kagura clenched her fist and punched the ground. She thought of Erza as something like a sister now and for her to always feels so sad because of him was something she hated to see.

Natsu lightly hugged Kagura and kissed her on her forehead.

"Don't worry Erza can watch out for herself. She will realize that Jellal is not the right one for her eventually. Just give her some time."

"You are probably right"

"Just forget about it for now. You have a date with me now and not with that blueberry. Let's go eat something now. I'm starving~"

Natsu instinctively seemed to know how to ease Kagura's mind. Her face brightened up again as she put on a soft smile.

"Yes, let's go"

They quickly kissed each other again and started to walk away together. Natsu reaching out for her hand to hold her as close to him as possible. Kagura blushed but accepted his offer without hesitation.

Erza was just staring now. Is Jellal really not the right one? She did love him, right? RIGHT? She wasn't so sure anymore. Maybe it was true what everyone else said before. That she couldn't let go of her past and that's why she thinks she loves him when she actually doesn't. But those thoughts vanished pretty quickly as the only thing she could think about Natsu and Kagura walking away. They held each others hand and gave off an aura of two souls that fit together to one. Something Erza never felt before.

It was harder for her to comprehend that Natsu, the person that she thought would always be by her side no matter what, failed to realize the desperate state she was in right now.

What was it that made Erza feel uneasy just by looking at how happy Natsu and Kagura were together. Shouldn't she be happy that Natsu finally matured that much? She was in a relationship with Jellal and Natsu was in a relationship with Kagura. All good, right? Why didn't this feel like a happy ending then for Erza?

Erza rubbed her arms with her hands to chase the cold away from her body but it didn't seem to work. There was something missing that used to keep her heart and body warm at any given time.

Natsu and Kagura happily walked away into the distance. This winter is going to be a cold one

Autor's Notes:

I know it has been a while since I released a story so here is another alleged one-shot with Kagura x Natsu x Erza. I hope you enjoyed it. Since I am fairly new to writing fanfics I wanted to test the grounds at first. That's why I have been releasing one-shots and drabbles up until now. Those will probably continue but I will start a 'bigger' story with more than 1 chapter soon so you can look forward to that.

Thanks again for all the awesome reviews, they really made my days and motivated me to go on. Hope you all have a great day/night! :D