I re-uploaded this chapter, but most of the changes are only really in the beginning... though it's still really long -_-
If asked at a later date, Erza knew she would be able to think up a viable excuse, but at the moment, she herself had no idea what had possessed her to do this.
Heart pounding as she let her curiosity get the best of her, she had sidled over towards the stray piece of cloth peeking out from where it had been roughly shoved after… well, whatever it was that the celestial mage had last used it for.
Blushing bright red she pulled the stray piece of cloth free, and uncovered that it was attached to well, she didn't know what it was. It was very girly, soft and… seemed strikingly familiar…
Her eyes widened in surprise as she recognised the offending garment, what kind of situation would someone ever have need of something like this for? Yet she found herself unable to relinquish her hold of the scrap of cloth - for she refused to believe that it could possibly be a complete article of clothing – surely it wasn't possible for her to own such a thing…?
Still, it belonged to her blonde goddess, that much was certain; it still carried hints of the young girl's perfume, dancing around her sense just out of reach, without thinking she brought the… object… closer, trying desperately to hold onto the last fragments that marked it as property of the celestial mage.
Even this measly piece of material is able to be closer to her than I ever will be…
Erza thought forlornly, eyes closed as pain washed over her senses, she longed to embrace the young girl properly, to tell her she loved her, but she knew it was hopeless.
So lost in thoughts of the impenetrable distance between them, she failed to notice the scrape of keys, followed by the slamming of the front door.
Apparently the owner was as surprised to see her there, as well as her present occupation, for they found themselves speechless and stunned, gaping like a fish, trying to form coherent words that would translate to their mouth.
"Erza?" Came the petrified squeak.
Jumping at the interruption, Erza desperately tried to hide what it was that she had been looking at, while simultaneously trying to tame the furious blush in her cheeks.
Turning around to find an equally red Lucy staring at her from across the room, Erza found she couldn't quite meet her gaze.
"Were you just…?"
"No."
Liar.
She felt ashamed. Of her actions and this uncontrollable need she felt whenever she was near the blonde, the need to feel that silky smooth skin, to feel the warmth of her embrace, to breathe deeply, just for a second hand taste of what the girl's flesh would actually be like.
Turning her own gaze away from the flustered Titania, she sagged against the door, suddenly requiring its support to stay upright.
Temporarily forgetting her own discomfort, Erza looked on in concern as the celestial mage lost any apparent desire to remain upright as her descent down the door ended with a rather final thump.
"This really isn't my day…" Observing the growing distress of the spirit mage as she buried her head in her hands, Erza began to feel as if her presence in the younger girl's house was thoroughly unwelcome, hanging her head in shame, she began to move towards the door, intending to see herself out.
"Please, forgive my intrusion, I did not realise that it would be so distressing for you," she paused as the younger mage looked up, but found herself unable to meet her gaze once more, "I know that my actions were presumptuous, so I will not force my presence on you any longer."
She stood patiently in front of the immobile mage, waiting for her to move so that she could leave, but the blonde haired girl just sat there, looking up at Erza with a sorrowful expression on her face.
"Erza…" A soft sigh escaped the girl as she drew further into herself, her knees resting fully under her chin, "It's not you - it's just…" Tugging lightly at her hair, the younger girl struggled to broach the subject that was causing her so much discomfort.
Erza just stood there patiently, slightly relieved that she wouldn't have to leave; her eyes never strayed from the young woman's face, even with the uninhibited view she was currently privy to.
"Today at the guild… people seem to think that there is… something… going on…" She trailed off, a soft blush painting itself across her cheeks.
Erza cocked her head at the girl, genuinely confused about what it was that she was alluding to.
"I don't understand… what is it that the guild believes to be the problem?" She squatted in front of the girl, all the better to see her face, as she had once again hidden it behind her hands.
The girl's only response was to shake her head furiously, the blond locks catching the fading light in a most captivating manner.
Unable to take it any longer, Erza reached out to the poor girl, forcibly removing her hands from her face; Lucy's eyes widened in surprise, as the knight held her wrists captive.
"Tell me." She whispered softly, looking her straight in the eye. "Please."
Unable to resist the shining brown orbs of the Titania, Lucy mumbled her response into her chest, her head having sunk there in defeat.
A furious blush came over the knight, but her hold on the younger girl tightened.
"And is there?" She asked, unsure of the answer she wanted, or the answer she was likely to receive.
The celestial mage looked up, the soft blush changing several shades darker, her mouth hung open in shock, a sentiment that was reflected in her eyes.
Desolation began to wash over the red haired mage. So she doesn't… I suppose it's no real surprise, given that Natsu…
As the blond girl continued to stare, her silence her only response, Erza released the girl's wrists, intent on exiting the building. You fool. You should know better by now not to let false hope get the better of you… it would have been better if you had just stayed away from her…
"I don't know, is there?" The soft tones of her goddess stopped her in her tracks.
It was her turn to look surprised, a soft flutter registered in her chest; don't you dare…!
Pulling at her fingers, now cold due to the absence of the Titania's hands, Lucy turned her gaze to the floor, unsure of the situation in which she now found herself.
"Where exactly do we… stand?" She murmured, not taking her eyes of the floor, Erza felt her heart stop; her lungs failed to function properly, her mind a whirlpool, where do we stand?! How should I know…?
"We are… friends, yes?" It pained her to say it, and a noticeable slouch in the celestial mage's sunken posture became apparent, "But…"
She hesitated as she noticed the stillness of the girl on the floor, once more a faint stirring could be felt inside her.
"I don't know…" She finished quietly.
The younger girl looked up at her, nodding slowly as she did, unconsciously chewing on her lip, the occasional flash of white tooth revealing her agitation.
Running a hand through her red tresses, Erza sat down next to the blonde mage.
"So, now what?" The other girl asked.
"Maybe we should just wait and see…" The older girl replied, slipping her arm around the spirit mage's slim shoulders.
Much to Erza's ever growing surprise the girl responded positively to the gesture, burrowing into her side; the girl's warm breath tickled the exposed skin of her chest as they drew ever closer.
"Hey…"
"Yes?"
"I just noticed… you're not wearing any armour…" Erza blushed a deeper shade of scarlet as the blonde mage gripped her tightly, nuzzling her shoulder, "I kinda like it."
Smiling softly at the girl, Erza pressed her face into her hair, inhaling deeply.
I like it too…
