Attention!

This chapter contains an attempt at a small lemon. Hope you like it.

Enjoy...

"Ryker, are you there?" Erza said entering his apartment. She looked around and noticed that the living room was empty and the kitchen clean, as if no one had used it. "Is he still sleeping?" she thought. "It's unusual for him to stay in bed this late, and it was after 10:00 am," the redhead told herself.

The Requip mage went to his room and slowly opened the door, if he was sleeping she didn't want to wake him in fright. But what she saw warmed her warrior's heart.

Ryker and Wendy were asleep, facing each other, snuggled comfortably together. The little one rested her head on his chest while he had an arm around her protectively. They seemed at peace with each other, Erza looked at them tenderly and left, closing the door slowly, letting them enjoy a little more of their rest.

They woke up some time later and discovered the presence of Erza, who was smiling at them both. The pair ate their respective breakfasts, which Erza had prepared for them both, and joined her on the sofa.

"It's unusual for you to sleep this late, so I decided to make sure everything was okay," Erza told Ryker, who had an arm around her.

"Wendy and I went on a job yesterday, and believe me, it was one of the toughest. The sleep was deserved", he explained and the young bluenett nodded.

"I understand. And what kind of work was it?" asked the redhead.

"You don't want to know, Erza-san", the little one replied, increasing the redhead's curiosity even more, but she left her doubts for later.

Ryker looked and smiled at the little Dragon Slayer. "We had to look for ginseng, or something like that, in the forest. And it was horrible…" he whimpered.

"And why was it so bad?", the redhead asked curiously.

"I'll tell you later", he said and kissed her temple affectionately.

Erza shrugged. "Well, anyway, I wanted to talk to you, Wendy", the little one was taken by surprise. "Tomorrow morning, we are leaving on a mission and you will."

The young Dragon Slayer's eyes sparkled and she broke into a happy smile. "Yes, I'll be prepared, Erza-san", she replied excitedly. "It's been a while since we've been working with the whole team. I'm looking forward to it," she smiled.

Erza nodded in confirmation. "Very well. Meet us at the guild early in the morning and we'll leave. It will be a few days mission, no big deal," explained the redhead, but even so, bluenett's excitement was contagious.

After a while his team would be back together for an adventure. As much as she enjoyed doing solo work and going to jobs with Ryker, she missed her team, and now she was happy and excited about it.

"Thanks. I'll get ready," she said running towards Ryker's apartment door, stopping only when a firm voice called out to her.

"You'd better come back in normal clothes and not pajamas," Ryker had a slight smile at the corner of his mouth. Wendy looked down and saw that she was still in her pajamas, with a squeal, she ran into the bedroom to change. Ryker chuckled and was amused by the situation.

"She's a good girl," Erza commented looking at him.

"The best".

After Wendy left and got ready for work for the next few days, Erza and Ryker decided to spend the rest of the day together. He wasn't in the mood to go back to the guild, as the previous day's work cost him years of life, in his opinion. They would enjoy the afternoon all to themselves.

Ryker and Erza were on the couch, where they were originally supposed to watch a movie, but their kisses were more interesting. He wrapped his arms around her as he devoured her full lips, which responded in kind.

The excitement between the two of them grew and slowly he moved one arm down her skirt to her white, toned left leg. In a quick move he grabbed her and pulled her on top of him, making Erza sit on his lap. She snuggled into him and kissed him more lustily, their tongues exploring each other's mouths in intense heat.

Ryker ran his hands down Erza's back, down to her luscious legs. Lightly he rubbed his hands over her thighs, making her hair stand on end. His hands crept up the inside of her skirt, making her sigh in the process and never let go of his lips. He explored her entire leg, reaching for her ass, grabbing her mercilessly…and how he liked that ass. As he caressed and massaged her, Erza moaned lightly into her man's lips, who smiled in satisfaction.

She started kissing him on the neck and sucking on his pulse, she definitely wanted to leave a mark. She was leaning over him and her breasts pressed against his chest. Ryker could feel the full size of her breasts and remembered how beautiful they were, memory and everything else was making all her blood flow.

Unable to take it any longer, he took his hands off Erza's ass, who complained a little, but in a flash he laid her down on the sofa, spinning on top of her, with a mischievous smile. Aiming at that perfect neck, Ryker attacked her, eliciting sharp moans from Erza. She wrapped her arms around him as he licked up and down her neck, kissing on sensitive spots and nibbling on her earlobe. When he got tired on one side, he did the same with the other, always passing her full mouth to pornographic kissing sessions.

He began to unbutton Erza's shirt, button by button, slowly revealing her cleavage and her lacy pink bra. When her shirt was completely open, he lifted her and removed her shirt, leaving Erza in her underwear. He looked at her and caressed her face gently, looking into her bright, expectant eyes.

They kissed passionately, with her crossing her legs around his waist, trapping him. Bringing his hands to her back, he unclasped her bra and removed it from the mage, freeing her perfect boobs.

The two pulled away and he looked at her, she was just perfect and her breasts went beyond that. Pulling off his own shirt he attacked Erza's neck again, making her moan with his attacks. He moved down, kissing and licking each part, past her shoulder and into her arm. It left no skin that he hadn't licked his tongue and kissed her arm.

Erza was crazy with the kisses and the caresses, she wanted more, she needed more. As he delighted in her arms and underarms, she rubbed her hips against his, driving him wild with the contact. Without waiting any longer, she grabbed his head and brought it to her lips once more, giving him a kiss full of lust. She pulled him back to the couch, making him lie down on top of her, their lips together and their tongues dancing. Erza rubbed herself more and more against him, which hardened with each movement and she moistened more and more.

Ryker pulled away from Erza's warm lips and moved down, kissing her chin, past her neck and collarbone, down slowly, making his way down the valley between her breasts. With his right hand he cupped her left breast, eliciting a sigh and moan from the redhead as he played with the volume under his hand.

Her breast was perfect, fitting his hand perfectly. He massaged it and his thumb made circular motions across her hard nipple, eliciting moans from her with each movement. Erza squeaked when he pinched and pulled her nipple. Ryker was always looking for what gave her the most pleasure, watching how she behaved with each thrust.

He stood up and pulled her skirt out, taking off the boots she was wearing, freeing the redhead's small, delicate feet. Ryker, looking at her, who was only in her panties at the time, he took her right foot and gently sucked and licked it. Erza moaned slightly at the contact and sighed as he began to rise, running his tongue down her leg and thigh, past her groin, stomach and back to her breasts, slowly.

Aiming at her left breast, he began to lick it across its surface, eliciting more moans of pleasure from Erza. He sucked and sucked on her nipple, trapping it between his teeth and playing with it, only to get squeals of pleasure from the redhead, who stirred beneath him and rubbed her moistened core against his volume, making him sigh and moan along with Is it over there.

Ryker rose with his mouth, traversing her entire body and reaching her mouth, kissing her deeply. He stood up and grabbed her by the legs, flipping her onto her back on the couch, catching her off guard. Ryker lay down on top of her, touching his crotch to her ass and kissing the back of her head. As he kissed and ran his tongue over Erza's shoulders and into her outstretched arms, they both had their hips rubbing against each other.

Erza sighed in pleasure as Ryker explored her entire back, slowly descending and stopping at her ass, where he delighted. Going further down he moved up her legs to her feet and up all the way again. They kept rubbing their hips while he cupped her breasts and kissed her warmly. Erza could feel the full volume of him pressing against her buttocks and he could feel the wetness that welled up from her sex.

Ryker turned her around again, lying down on top of her, who wrapped her legs around him. They were kissing and caressing each other, feeling each other's sex.

As he was feasting on one of Erza's breasts in his mouth and the other in his hand, and she moaned along with him, an image popped into his mind. Hair, white in the wind, blue eyes, an angelic face calling his name... What was he thinking at the time? Immediately he stopped everything he was doing. Erza thought she should take the initiative now, and turned him over on the sofa, with her on top of him.

"And... Erza, wait!", he tried to stop her, but she didn't listen, thinking it was just a game between lovers.

"Shiu! You're mine now," she said mischievously.

She kissed him hotly, sweeping down his neck and down to his muscled chest. She kissed him and licked his body, going down his belly until reaching the navel region. Where she stopped and looked at him mischievously and sexy, making him choke.

"Erza, no!... Fuck!...", he tried to say, but his pleas were muffled by her moan, provoked by her tongue in his body.

She slowly began to unbuckle him and unzip his pants, unzipping his fly and unbuttoning his pants. Pulling down just a little, she placed her hand on the volume in his underwear, making Ryker shiver at the contact and sigh. Erza returned to his lips, kissing him as she stroked his bulk, nearly driving him mad.

Ryker had to fight with all his strength to stop. He couldn't do that to her, not while he was thinking about someone else. It wouldn't be fair to her, or to him, and he wasn't about to hurt one of her friends anymore. He used his arms to push her away and pull her off him. Erza didn't understand what was going on. A minute ago they were about to have sex and now he was backing away.

"Ryker!? W... what are you doing!?", she said confused by her partner's attitude.

He didn't know what to do, he was lost, confused, a flood of emotions he was feeling came all at once. "I… I don't know!" he despaired.

She might be upset and frustrated at the unexpected end of her fun, it was fine, really, though she wasn't sure if she wanted it herself or was just going for the sheer senseless pleasure. And seeing him confused and desperate she forgot her frustration and concentrated on him, he was her friend first and foremost.

She hugged him affectionately. "Hey, hey, it's okay," she soothed him.

"I'm sorry, Erza. I don't think I'm ready to go any deeper with you yet. It's all very complicated. These past few weeks have been…complicated," he sighed.

"It's okay, Ryker. I get it. Going through what you went through, facing your fears and starting a relationship is not easy. I don't even know if I'm ready. I'm in an internal conflict that holds me back, and I don't know which way I'm going."

"You too!?" he asked in surprise.

"Yes".

Ryker sighed, feeling a relief that he wasn't the only one in the relationship with doubts and fears. "Can we just stay like this, holding each other, now?"

"Of course we can," Erza replied hugging him and snuggling down with him on the couch. "So strong and yet so needy", she laughed and he laughed back.

They shared a soft, sweet kiss. "You are special to me Erza", he said before another kiss, she smiled and they continued to hold each other, kissing from time to time, just to share the mutual and genuine affection they had for each other. She had to return to Fairy Hills and prepare for her mission the next day. Now they had more doubts than certainties in their heads, which would soon have to be resolved.

The next day, Ryker arrived early at the guild, curiously it was already open and he figured Mira was tidying it up as usual. It had been some time since he had helped her, nor had he arrived early. He entered the building and decided to work things out with Mira and, who knows, get back on a good relationship with that woman. The worst that could happen was for him to help her tidy up the entire room in a weird climate.

As expected, she was there. As soon as he walked in, Mira noticed him and they locked eyes for a few seconds before she gave him one of her warm smiles. He felt an enormous weight and great apprehension lift from his chest with that simple gesture. He nodded in greeting and walked over to her.

"Hi," he greeted her.

"Ryker," she said back.

"It's been a while, hasn't it?", he said awkwardly, not wanting to meet her eyes.

"Yeh. And how are you?", she looked the same as he did, apparently they were still weird with each other, but at least they were talking to each other. It was a good sign.

"I am fine. You?"

"I'm fine too"

Both were nervous with each other, not wanting to face each other, averting their eyes to any corner. He moved his hands together, trying to control his anxiety. She held her left arm, shifting slightly as she had a slight blush. He couldn't see anything more adorable than her.

"And... and how are you and Erza doing?" she asked shyly, perhaps not wanting to know the answer.

"We're fine, I think. She went on a job today with her team," he replied lamely.

"Yes I know. I thought you went with them"

Ryker leaned against a table and watched her, crossing his arms. "I'm not on their team, and there was no reason for me to go, either."

Mira giggled. "Usually couples just dating always want to stick with each other," she said.

Ryker looked at her and smiled out of the corner of his mouth. "I don't know about that. Just because we're together doesn't mean we have to stick together." Mira looked at him curiously. "Besides, Wendy is the one who helps me the most with this. I don't really know anything about relationships," his face darkens in disgust. "I wanted to know how she knows so much about this, she's too young to know about this kind of subject", he gets a pensive, angry and sullen face.

Mira looked at him for a while, curious, and began to laugh, drawing his attention, who looked at her intrigued. "You are very protective of her," she smiled. That strange atmosphere that had been there before has completely dissipated.

Ryker crossed his arms and looked at her seriously and irritated, but she knew him better and knew that expression was pure act. "Someone has to worry about her," he said sulkily.

"You two got so close, it's beautiful to see," she smiled.

"No… we're not that close," he snapped.

"Yes you are, and you know", she nudged him with her elbow, he smiled slightly remembering the little girl with blue hair. "Saw! You even smiled…", Mira joked.

Ryker looked at her wide-eyed and flushed. "Mira!" he called to her, making her laugh, which made him chuckle lightly.

It was always like that with her. Mirajane had that power over him, always making him feel light and calm, as if all the weight he carried was taken from him. Her heart was calm and it was like the world was happier. Even Erza didn't make him feel that way, and he didn't know why, but he knew he wanted, needed to be with her.

"You even went on a job together. How did it go?" she asked.

"Ahw!", he moaned and lay back on the table he was leaning on. "Don't even remind me of that," he hissed. She looked at him curiously and sat in the chair crossing her arms on the table looking him in the eye. The two coming face to face.

"Tell me," she asked, resting her head on her arms.

Ryker hesitated a little, but began to recount everything that had happened two days ago. He didn't like it when Mira started laughing at his "adventure." Despite his mock indignation, he liked it when she laughed.

"Don't laugh, Mira! That wasn't funny!" he complained.

"Yes! Yes! Go on," she asked.

He continued his story, past the wasps, then the swamp bath and his incredible strategy of covering themselves in mud to protect themselves from insects. Mira was just laughter imagining poor sweet Wendy covered in swamp mud and him in the same way. For some reason she imagined Lucy doing this, and made a mental note to find such a quest for the Celestial mage. He continued counting as the white-haired woman stopped her fit of giggles. He talked about snakes and how they had to climb a cliff to get the last ones together. She hadn't heard a funny story like that for a long time.

"All this for a handful of ginseng! Can you believe it?" he complained indignantly.

"Actually yes. Ginseng is worth good money on the market." Ryker looked at her in amazement. "He probably took what you harvested and sold it 10 times the amount paid to you," Ryker's soul had left his body, not believing what he was hearing. Mira laughed at his silly face.

"What the fuck! That son of a bitch!" he complained.

"Look at the language!" Mira scolded him, slapping his arm lightly.

"Tsh!" he sulked.

"Don't be like that," she comforted him. "You had no way of knowing. People often use it because it is very good for health. By the way, you should try it."

He rolled his eyes and looked at her bored. "Mirajane Strauss, doesn't start!" she smiled angelically.

They continued talking all morning. The guild was filling up throughout the day and Ryker always stayed with her at the bar, as he always had. They had gone back to their old ways and were definitely fine with each other.

It was amazing that he managed to turn Mirajane, once Fairy Tail's most efficient employee, into an ordinary employee. Since his arrival, she had always been more interested in his company than the work, not that she left her obligations behind, but now she shared her attention with him and often, without both realizing it, they monopolized each other.

Yes, they went back to being what they always were.