Chapter 37: Proposal Fail

Summary: Jellal attempts to propose to Erza in the worst way possible.

Side note: I'm nearly finished with chapter 20 of My Guiding Flame. And by "finished" I mean I'm a few paragraphs in…But, hey! Progress in progress, right?

*sobs internally*

Anyways, I thought I might get a chapter of BHF out before I continue since it's been a while since I've updated this story and people are starting to get antsy.

I cannot hold back this chapter from you, my loves! So, here we go!

Enjoy!

(I do not own Fairy Tail)

This was it.

This was the day.

Everything was set up perfectly. The expensive restaurant, the romantic atmosphere, the uncomfortable tux, and, of course, the ring. He had been thinking this day over and over again in his mind until he came up with the absolutely most loving, fool proof, seamless proposal ever.

Erza won't be able to say no.

Said woman was now sitting across from the blue-haired man with the red tattoo over his eye smiling dreamily as she took in the scenery.

"I must say, Jellal," She began. "I don't remember you ever taking me to a place this nice. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were trying to woo me."

Jellal chuckled nervously and scratched at his neck. "W-well, you know me. You deserve to be spoiled, darling. Besides, I know that you're not the type of girl to be easily persuaded by pretty words and expensive gifts."

"I should say not. Although, what girl can honestly say that she doesn't want to be spoiled for a day?"

"S-speaking of which…" Jellal looked to the side and gave a clandestine gesture to a server waiting on the sidelines whom immediately perked up, nodded, then fled into the kitchen. "Erza, there's something very important I'd like to ask you."

"Yes, Jellal?" Erza said, leaning forward eagerly.

"W-we've been s-seeing each other f-for a while now, haven't we?"

"Yes…"

"We have known each other since we were children and, even then, I know that there was something between us. Even when I was acting like a royal jackass, you looked for the good in me and believed that I could find redemption and repent for my sins even when no one else did. Because you believed in me, I strengthened my resolve to do some good in the world, to right my wrongs and become a better man. Not just for me, but mainly for you. I knew I couldn't face you until I found myself first, but I didn't expect you to wait and yet, there you were. You had no reason to-"

"Excuse me, sir, but you desserts have arrived." The server from earlier interrupted Jellal's monologue, ignoring Jellal's glare and setting the cakes in front of the couple.

Immediately, Erza's eyes glazed over as she looked down at the spongy, sweet dessert topped with strawberries and whipped cream. The glistening berries sitting on the perfect swirls of cream sang to her and not even Erza 'Titania' Scarlet was not strong enough to resist the siren's call. Completely disregarding Jellal reprimanding the server for interrupting his speech, she picked up her fork and went to town on her cake.

Reigning down his anger, Jellal turned back to his date and started up again. "As I was saying, you had no reason to forgive me like you did and, once again, you exceeded my expectations. I could go on and on about the many ways I've fallen in love with you Erza Scarlet, and yet I know that I could never have your full heart, but that doesn't mean I won't stop trying. I know who your heart truly belongs to. That's why I put a little surprise for you in your….."

Looking down, Jellal realized that his little surprise was no longer sitting on the plate in front of his beloved. Only crumbs of it remained.

That dreamy smile was back on Erza's face as she pulled the fork from her mouth and swallowed the last bite of her dessert.

"Amazing!" Erza exclaimed. "Every bite was even better than the last."

"E-Erza…D-did you eat…just now…"

"Hey, are you going to eat that?" Erza pointed her fork towards Jellal's uneaten cake.

"B-but…the ring…it was…"

"So," Erza sat her fork down when she realized she was not going to get a coherent answer out of her boyfriend. "What was that you were saying before? I apologize for being so easily distracted."

What came out of Jellal's mouth next couldn't exactly be called words. More like a high-pitched squealing of muted agony and desperation, much like a wounded animal.

0000000

A large hand clamped down on Jellal's shoulder as he sat with his head on the table at the guild hall the following day.

"Hey, don't feel too bad about it." Laxus attempted to sound supportive, but he could barely hold back his laughs unlike the other men that surrounded the downtrodden blue-haired man. "There are worse ways to propose to your girl?"

"Oh, yeah?" Jellal griped. "Like what?"

"You could have cut out the pages of her favorite book to make a compartment for the ring."

"Hey!" Natsu shouted out indignantly. "That was a great idea and you know it! Besides, how was I supposed to know that it was Lucy's favorite book? She still said yes, didn't she?"

"Yeah, maybe Bunny Girl's not as smart as I thought she was." Gajeel laughed.

"On the bright side," Gray cut in, giving Jellal a sly smirk. "In a matter of another day or so, you'll get the ring back and you can try again."

Gross.

That's gross.

I'm a gross person.

But, so are you.

Let's just agree that we're all gross people.

Cool? Cool.

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Be gone, plebian!

Have a nice day!