a somewhat sequel to Only Time Will Tell, but with only minor references to Only Time Will Tell & since they're all supposed to be canon compliant, both fics can be read as standalone fics.
WARNING: canon-compliant, so will feature the usual ships (gruvia)
"Boo!"
"Get off the stage!"
"I did not spend my precious money to watch this trainwreck of a play!"
"Is this really Erkis?!"
Erza bows to the audience in satisfaction, despite the heckling from the crowd. This was a step up from her performance as Prince Fredrick in Fredrick and Yanderica, where she was so overcome by stage fright that things, literally, fell apart.
This time around, she had managed to keep her act together on stage, without accidentally summoning her swords and threatening the lives of the spectators in the process.
But Erza is not delusional, contrary to what others might think. She knows she has a long way to go before she can call herself an actress and feel comfortable on stage, but acting is just like fighting to her: just another challenge for her to overcome. Acting is also another outlet for her to release steam, without having to resort to an all-out brawl with the other Fairy Tail members.
Speaking of the other Fairy Tail members, Erza really has to get back to the rest of Team Natsu before they find out about her secret swap with Erkis –
"Erza!"
And maybe she really overestimated Erkis' acting abilities, Erza realises, when Team Natsu bursts through the main doors of the theatre, a frightened Erkis in tow.
Ah, no matter.
The play is over anyway, and the team has plenty of time to search for the next God Dragon. A short detour would not hurt anyone.
Erza wakes up at the crack of dawn the following morning feeling restful and recharged. In the wake of her performance, the team had decided to stay at the Fairy Nail guild for the night. Fairy Nail had welcomed them with open arms, and everyone had spent the evening in true Fairy Nail fashion – revelling over conversation and food, albeit in a more subdued and refined manner than they would have expected back at home.
In some ways, Erza is glad to have had the opportunity to eat, drink and laugh with faces so familiar yet so foreign to her. Still, it is a bittersweet feeling, and she feels a slight pang of longing for her own guild members back at Fairy Tail.
But Erza's not one for sentimentality, and so she psyches herself up for the journey ahead as she pulls her cart of belongings out of her room. A cursory scan of the guild hall alerts her to Wendy saying a tearful farewell to Wendill over at the bar, with the tears streaming down both girls' cheeks signalling to her that they probably would appreciate quite a bit of time to themselves.
Erza sighs, not looking forward to having to shepherd Team Natsu for the rest of the journey. Nodding briefly to the few Fairy Nail early risers who are lounging about the guild hall, Erza drags her luggage outside. She sees Gray standing in front of the guild doors with his hands in his pockets and a faraway look in his eyes.
Gray grins at her as she approaches.
"Geez, Erza," he says with an exasperated sigh. "I still can't believe you would do something so irresponsible."
Erza sniffs.
"As I said last night, I did not plan to remain at Fairy Nail for too long," she says as she parks her luggage next to the guild doors. "Erkis was supposed to cover for me until I found the right opportunity to catch up with you lot. Any idea where Natsu, Lucy and Happy are?"
"No idea," Gray replies, shrugging indifferently. "Natsu and Happy were running around town again, and I think Lucy set off to find them just now."
Erza gestures to a nearby public bench.
"Well, why don't we sit and wait for them to come back?"
She does not wait for an answer as she trots to the bench. To her surprise, Gray does not move from where he is standing, and so she shoots him a confused frown.
"Nah, I don't feel like sitting down," he says, smiling at her. "Let's go explore town instead."
"Hm. Fine."
Unlike the neighbouring Elmina Town with its easy access to water, the city of Tekka is nestled comfortably in a landlocked region. Although Tekka did not receive Mercuphobia's protection and blessing during his prime, this eventually worked to its advantage, as Tekka was subsequently unaffected by the rampage that had led to the Water Dragon God's downfall.
Tekka is not without its own unique charm, however, and the presence of the main railway station makes it a popular stopover destination for travellers. The steel façade of the station, coupled with the shiny and metallic exterior of the Fairy Nail guild, is juxtaposed against the city's cobbled streets and walls; relics from a bygone era.
It is on these cobbled streets that Erza and Gray find themselves strolling along as they walk away from Fairy Nail. The sun is still far from rising, and there is hardly a soul in sight as they amble towards nowhere in particular.
"Did you sleep well last night?" asks Erza as they walk past an apothecary, which is still closed for business.
"Hmm?" replies Gray absentmindedly, and Erza knows that he is still lost in thought.
"Did you sleep well last night?" she repeats.
"Yeah."
"How did you find the dinner last night with the Fairy Nail members?"
"Good," says Gray, "It's still crazy to me that there are three different versions of Fairy Tail existing in this world, y'know. But even though we share the same physical appearances, everyone's totally different in personality."
"Yes, Fairy Nail's nothing like our own guild," hums Erza. The inn on her left is beginning to show signs of life, and she can smell eggs and bacon wafting out through one of the windows that had been left ajar.
"Yeah."
They lapse into silence, which is only amplified as they walk away from the sound of quiet chattering from the nearby 24-hour café.
It is not an awkward silence, but neither is it a comfortable one.
It is the silence between two people who were once close enough to share their deepest and darkest secrets with each other, but who have since been gradually and unknowingly steered away in different directions by the inevitable force called life.
It is the silence between two people who did nothing to prevent time and distance from pulling them apart.
It is the silence between two people who knew each other – once.
This is something that is starting to feel normal for them, Erza realises. With the invasion by the Alvarez Empire and the resurfacing of Acnologia, and what with the team immediately embarking on the hundred years quest right after Acnologia's defeat, there was never an opportunity for Gray and Erza to talk to each other in private.
Perhaps, she thinks, it is time for another conversation.
"It's been a while, hasn't it been, Gray?" says Erza lightly, as they both turn towards the city centre.
"A while… Since what?"
"Since we talked to each other like this."
"Oh, yeah it has, hasn't it?" Gray frowns, trying to recall the last time they both shared a conversation.
"So," presses Erza, "are there any interesting developments in your life you'd like to share with me?"
"Huh? Not really," says Gray, "I mean, we've just been busy fighting, and now we're on this hundred-year quest together, aren't we?"
"True," concedes Erza.
After all, Fairy Tail would not be Fairy Tail without its members constantly engaging in combat.
But there was one particular topic which she was still rather interested in.
"Still, did anything happen… say, between you and Juvia?"
Erza knows that Juvia is a touchy subject for Gray. Although she was not privy to the happenings during Gray and Juvia's fight against Invel, word eventually got around the guild about both their mutual suicide attempts, and about how Juvia saved Gray's life by transferring her blood into his body, thereby sacrificing herself in the process.
Erza thought it almost miraculous the way Juvia was eventually saved by Wendy's healing powers, and Gray obviously felt the same, given how his eyes would light up with newfound respect and devotion whenever he looked at Juvia. Erza also did not miss how Gray paid Juvia more attention after her revival and how he took special care not to hurt her feelings as much as he used to do in the past.
"No," says Gray, with a non-committal shrug of his shoulders. "Though meeting Juvina in Fairy Nail did remind me of Juvia a lot, even though they're not the same person."
Erza hums in agreement, a subtle invitation for him to keep on talking. It is not like Gray to be so forthcoming about his feelings, so Erza lets him continue without interruption.
"You know, Erza, it feels… quite nice," Gray muses, the faraway look returning to his eyes, "to have someone stand by your side."
"Mmh."
"It feels… nice, when the support is unwavering, and unconditional."
"Yes," replies Erza, wondering where this conversation is leading to, although she has an inkling that she already knows.
The faint sounds of the city coming to life add to the tranquil ambience. Behind them, there's a faint clip-clopping of a horse coming from a distance. Somebody is making breakfast in the house next to them, judging by the tantalising smell of pancakes emanating from the open window.
"I feel… safe, around Juvia. Comfortable, safe... and warm."
The two of them enter the city centre. A majestic water fountain sits at the heart of a roundabout, and the soothing sound of the flowing water, punctuated by the occasional chirping of the early birds, washes over the pair like a cool autumn breeze.
Almost instantaneously, and as though seized by a sudden stroke of clarity, the distant look in Gray's eyes is replaced by a determined gaze.
"So…" begins Erza, but Gray interrupts her.
"I don't know much about love," Gray says, seemingly knowing what she was going to ask him. "And really, neither do you, Erza, so you're not actually qualified to give me any advice. But I've realised that I will never know much about love by just sitting about and doing nothing. So, I've decided that if the answer isn't going to come to me, I'm going to go find the answer myself."
Gray clenches his fist.
"I'm going after Juvia," he declares resolutely.
Almost instinctually (or so she would claim afterwards), Erza pulls Gray down into an awkward, one-armed hug. Unable to stop a feeling of bittersweet warmth from surging through her chest, Erza gives Gray's hair a rough ruffle, eliciting a grumpy "ow!" from him in response.
"I am very proud of you, Gray," she smiles after she releases him. "You have certainly matured since I last spoke to you like this."
Gray grins at Erza, for once accepting her compliment without protest.
"Thanks, Erza."
"But… Always remember, Gray," Erza adds affectionately. "What I said to you and Natsu before will forever hold true."
She pauses, fighting back a tear that had suddenly threatened to escape from her left eye.
"I love you – no, the both of you – from the bottom of my heart. And that will never, ever change."
"Aww geez, Erza," scowls Gray as he turns and stomps away in embarrassment, "you don't have to keep saying it, I know already!"
Despite his efforts to hide it, Erza can still see the hint of a smile on his face.
She chuckles to herself.
Silly boy.
"Erza! Gray! Up here!"
A beaming Lucy waves at them energetically from on top of Iron Hill. It is the tallest peak in Tekka, but Gray and Erza clamber up the hill with little effort.
"Took ya long enough to find us," Natsu sniggers at them from where he is seated on the ground, with Happy fluttering around his head like a butterfly prospecting a flower. "Are you guys ready to move?" he demands.
Erza is never not ready, but force of habit compels her to check on her dark-haired companion.
"Ready, Gray?" is what she wants to ask him, but the question dies in her throat when she turns to look at the ice-mage.
Although he may have lost his coat sometime during their walk (yet again), Gray is the picture of poised and confident next to her. Silhouetted against the rising sun, his eyes are alight with a wisdom and gravity that only time could have given to him, and only distance could have allowed Erza to see. It is Gray at his most self-assured and secure, and it is Gray as Erza has never seen before. She is momentarily blinded by him, and it certainly does not help that the sun has his silhouette encircled in a fiery halo.
Gray notices her staring at him, and he smirks at her knowingly. It is a familiar yet unfamiliar grin that Erza strangely does not mind getting used to.
And suddenly, she realises that she does not need to ask him that question any longer.
She smiles at him in return, before turning back to Lucy and Natsu.
"Let's go, everyone."
Extra:
The team arrives at the railway station just in time to catch the train departing at nine. It is then when Erza realises that something is not quite right. A metaphorical weight had been lifted off her chest, no doubt, but somehow there is a lightness about her that feels more physical than emotional.
"I seem to be missing something," says Erza, frowning, just as Gray's eyes narrow.
"Erza, where's your luggage?"
"Never mind that," interjects Lucy, her voice a rising crescendo, "where's Wendy and Carla?!"
"No, look Wendy," says Carla hastily, as Wendy wails even louder, prompting a distressed Wendill to pet her on the back in a vain attempt to comfort her distressed doppelganger. "They didn't abandon you – look! Erza's luggage is still here! They'll come for you soon!"