Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail and Naruto. They belong to their respective owner.

A/N: Thank you to fellow readers, old and new especially naruto x fairy tail, Yours truly – Pride, Guest, king, sasuza shipper, fizirazak, and fictionlover1993 forreviewing the previous chapter and also to those who favorite/follow this story. I really appreciate it.

And sorry in advance for any mistake.

CHAPTER 10

It was another day in Fairy Tail High. Sasuke drove his car through the gate towards the parking lot noticing the crowd of girls there. He sighed in annoyance. The day barely started and these fangirl of his already caused him a slight headache. He had a mind to turn the car around and skipped school for the day but a certain red head's face of disapproval entered his mind making him quickly diminished the idea.

With a heavy heart, he killed the engine and get out of his car with his bag pack casually slung on his back. He immediately presented with blood curling squeal of those rabid fangirls, he felt like his eardrums would bleed from the high pitching tones.

He mentally sighed. Why can't these girls leave me alone for a day, he thought in exasperation.

But at least they were not as extreme as they were when he first enrolled here. They used to physically crowd him to get his autograph, to hug him and some even dare to try to kiss him on some occasion when they met him outside of classroom. But some warning coming from the student council changed all that. They were too afraid of Erza to even repeat the indecent action towards him in school. Sure, some still approached him for autograph but there was nothing extreme or physical involved. All he had to endure was the ear splitting scream from those crazy girls. And thankfully, he made it to the class without any incident occurring.

He entered the classroom and his eyes automatically went to Erza's seat only to find it empty. He found that weird since Erza was always early to class. He dismissed the idea that she went for a student council meeting since her bag pack was missing from her desk. That meant she had not come to school yet. He plopped on his seat, thinking that she might be running late today which was very rare to see from the rule abiding girl like her.

But her seat was still empty by the time the teacher for the first period came. He felt a little uneasy at this especially when he remembered her condition yesterday. She looked a little under the weather when he left her at the apartment. It must be a lot worst than he expected. His eyes trailed to the seat beside her where Shikamaru sat burying his face between his folded hands on the table, sleeping without any care in the world. He probably knew something so he bore in mind to ask him about it later.

It was two hours later when the lecture stopped. And Sasuke hurriedly made his way towards the yawning Shikamaru, taking his seat at Erza's empty chair.

The smart man glanced his way with a bored expression. "Erza catch a cold, so she's not coming for today," he said even before Sasuke could ask him the question.

"How do you even know I was going to ask that?" He countered with a frown. "I could be asking you about something else."

Shikamaru smirked at him. "You are so predictable, Sasuke," he answered easily.

Sasuke grumbled at that. "Smart ass," he mumbled under his breath but Shikamaru chuckled indicating that he heard it.

Now that he knew what had cause Erza to miss school, he felt a little awkward sitting beside the smart ass. But suddenly, a thought cross his mind.

"Say Shikamaru," Sasuke said. "What really happen to Erza a year ago? Naruto and the rest said she suddenly changed," he asked seriously. He knew the man sitting beside him was aware of the situation and had all the answer to his questions.

Shikamaru looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "It's not my place to say Sasuke," Shikamaru said making him slumped in his seat. "But if you really want to know, at least some part of it, you should ask Heartfilia. She knows more than she let on."

Sasuke widened his eyes at that, looking at Shikamaru with a shocked face. "Lucy," he whispered. Of course, how could he forget? He was suspicious of Lucy before. He knew that Lucy was hiding something from the way she behaved when they were talking about Erza the first time they met on the rooftop. She looked uncomfortable when they broached the subject. He had a mind to ask her about it but he forgot. Sasuke mentally cursed himself for being so forgetful.

"But tell me something Sasuke," Shikamaru spoke looking at him dead in the eye. "Why do you care so much about it?"

For the second time that day, his eyes widened as he stared at Shikamaru. Why indeed? He had been raking his brain for these past weeks trying to find the answer on why he care so much about the red head. She was just another girl who attended the same school with him, a classmate. So why was he fussing so much about her?

He didn't really have an answer for that.

He saw Shikamaru's lip quirked upward, looking at him with a knowing smirked. "Have fun trying to figure that out," he said cheerily before he stood up and left the classroom leaving Sasuke staring at his disappearing back with a dumbfounded look on his face.

What the hell? Did he know something that I don't? Sasuke thought exasperatedly. What's the meaning of that? Arghhhh Shikamaru is really an annoying bastard. Why can't he just straight out tell me about it.

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Lucy took her seat next to Juvia on the rooftop. This had become a routine for her to meet up with Natsu, Naruto, Sasuke, Gray, Gajeel and Juvia for lunch since their first group assignment together. It was nice and she loved it a lot. Erza no longer hang out with them or join them for lunch but they gained new members along the way. But of course she wished that Erza would join them again.

She missed Erza a lot. They used to do everything together since she transferred to Fairy Tail High. But that was until a year ago. Now, Erza Scarlet became the cold girl she was today, emotionless and barely talk to anyone unless it was school related. It was not like she could blame her. After all that had happened to her, Erza was actually acting quite cool and Lucy wondered if she was holding a grudge despite the cool and confident exterior she portrayed.

A nudge on her side startled her from her thought process. She glanced to her left to see Juvia with a concern look on her face.

"What's wrong?" Lucy inquired the other girl.

"Nothing. It's just that you were spacing out back then," Juvia supplied. "Is everything alright with you?" She asked.

"Of course," Lucy assured. She opened her bento box and saw the guys talking animatedly among themselves. She had no idea what they were talking about. She guessed she did space out for a moment back then. "What did I miss?" She asked no one in particular but the pinkette Natsu turned to her in respond.

"Shikamaru informed Sasuke that Erza was sick, that's why she didn't come to school today," he said with food in his mouth. If it was any other day, Lucy herself would reprimand him about talking with his mouth full but there was more pressing matter than that.

"Erza is sick?" She asked, turning to Sasuke in concern for her cousin.

The youngest Uchiha only nodded in return.

"Shouldn't we go and visit her if she is sick," she suggested. "If she couldn't come to school then it must be serious. She wouldn't even let a fever stop her from coming to school before," she said remembering the old days where Erza would be so stubborn and wouldn't let anything stop her from resuming her duty.

"You're right about that," Gray mumbled, agreeing with her about the matter.

"How can we do that? We don't even know her address," Naruto supplied.

Lucy felt dejected at that. Of course, no one knew Erza's current location. So idea to visit the red head just flew out of the window.

"Lucy."

Lucy looked up towards Sasuke who called her name. As usual he sported a scowl on his face but it didn't take away his handsomeness even less. In fact, it made him look more attractive with his bad boy vibe. She usually felt giddy and nice to have him look at her but today, she didn't like the look he was giving her one bit. It wasn't a mean look or anything but she felt as if she was being judged by him. It was not a good feeling.

"What?" She inquired.

"Can you tell me what happen to Erza a year ago? Why she moved out from your house?" Sasuke calmly asked.

Lucy's eyes widened at that. "W-what are you asking? How should I know that?" She cursed herself for stuttering as she busied herself with her food. Sasuke really was something. He really had a knack for asking the right question that she didn't really want to go around answering.

"You damn well know what I'm talking about," Sasuke pushed. "It was weird that you seemed to be avoiding the question every time this matter arises," he pointed out.

"Lucy did you really know something about it?" Naruto inquired seriously. In fact everyone was looking at her expectantly.

"Don't tell me you've been holding out on us?" Gray said exasperatedly.

Lucy gave Sasuke a hard glare. Why did he broach the subject in the first place? Was he trying to make her look bad in front of her friends?

But as much as she wanted to blame Sasuke for this, she knew that sooner or later the truth would reveal itself. And it was not like she purposely hiding the truth. She just didn't know how to tell them about it and her fear of her friends blaming her about Erza only made matters worse so she kept her mouth shut no matter how much guilt she was feeling inside.

There was no use in hiding the truth from them. She might as well tell them what she knew.

"Erza…," she started. "Erza didn't move out of the house," she said brokenly as tears started to gather in her eyes.

"What are you talking about Lucy?" Natsu inquired.

Lucy ignored him and went on talking. "That was what she told you because she didn't want anyone to condemn me and my family, and I didn't bother to correct her on that matter because I was a coward," she said.

"I don't understand, what is this about?" Gajeel who was quiet since earlier spoke up.

"The truth is, Erza was kicked out of the house by my father," Lucy told them the truth as tears freely ran down her cheek.

"WHAT?!" They all exclaimed in astonishment.

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It was another day in the Heartfilia's household. Lucy was lounging lazily in the living room with some fashion magazine on her lap, waiting for Erza to come back home from school. Erza had some work to do at the student council's room so she asked her to go home first without her. Lucy agreed since she didn't want to wait on her by herself since Natsu, Naruto and Gray already left earlier.

Lucy flipped another page on the magazine before she sighed and glanced at the clock on the wall. It was already 8.30 pm. She wondered where Erza went to since it was already this late. She texted earlier saying that her work at the school finished at 6pm. So she should be home about two hours ago. Even her father came home already for today.

"Lucy, is Erza not home yet?"

Lucy turned at the voice and saw her mother descending the stairs behind her father, looking elegant as ever.

"Not yet mother," she simply said closing the magazine on her lap, having lost interest in it.

Suddenly, the door opened and Erza burst in with an unreadable look on her face.

"Erza," Lucy exclaimed, relief that she was finally home. But the red head ignored her and went straight to her father who was standing at the foot of the stairs.

"Uncle, I need to ask you something," she heard Erza said. Lucy watched on their interaction with worry in her heart. Erza was not acting like herself. Her voice was controlled but there was an unmistakable anger laced in them. Something that Lucy never heard coming from her cousin.

"What is it?" Her father asked, looking cold and composed as always. Lucy wondered what the hell was going on with them.

"Is it true that you are selling off the company's share to Fernandez industry and you persuade the other stock holder to do the same?" She asked calmly but with the same cold tone as before.

Lucy was shocked to hear that. It couldn't be. Her father wouldn't do that despicable thing. She wondered how Erza could come up with something like this.

"Where did you hear this silly girl?" Lucy saw her father glared at Erza but the red head didn't waver from the cold gaze bestowed upon her.

"Just answer the question," she said instead. "Or should I ask the company's lawyer and check on it myself. You may be the appointed CEO until I'm 21 years old, but I'm still the rightful owner of the company," she said confidently.

Lucy watched as her father's face grew red at Erza's bold statement. She knew that he barely could contain his anger at the moment.

"Dear, is this true?" Her mother spoke up with disappointment painted on her face.

"YES!" Her father admitted and Lucy felt her heart fell at the truth presented before her.

"How could you do this to me?" Erza exclaimed. "To my dead parents. The company was their life," she yelled.

"You watch your tone girl," Lucy's father warned. "Do as I say and you will have a shelter over your head." Lucy's eyes widened at that. She had heard rumors about her father being a heartless man when doing business. But she didn't think that he would apply it to a family member.

Erza let out a harsh chuckle. "You're crazy if you think I will let you do as you want to the company," Erza was not backing up as she challenged him further.

"Then you need to get out of my house. Pack your things and go," he ordered.

"Father, you can't do that," Lucy protested.

"Shut up Lucy!" Her father scolded before he turned to Erza once more. "And don't you dare ask Lucy for help either or be friends with her anymore. I want to see how long you can survive being alone out there," he sneered at her.

"But father," Lucy couldn't believe this was really happening.

"You heard me Lucy," her father reprimanded. "From this day, don't you dare go to Erza and help her or have anything to do with any longer if you value the wealthy and comfortable life that I give you."

Erza smirked at that. "I have no problem being out of your roof," she said. "But hear this, I'll make sure that you won't succeed in selling the company to the Fernandez industry," she warned as she went up the stairs to go to her room.

Lucy went after Erza in haste, trying to make her see reason. "Erza wait," she said as she followed her but the red head didn't stop her movement and went to her room, slamming the door in the process. Lucy tried to open the door but found that it was locked from the inside.

"Erza!" She banged on the door. "Erza, please opened the door," she pleaded but to no avail. She knew better about Erza's stubborn streak. Once she set her mind to something, there was nothing in the world could change it.

Lucy went downstairs and faced her father who apparently was having an argument with her mother.

"Father, what the hell is going on here?" She demanded.

"Mind your language Lucy," he scolded her before he went to couch and sat on it, drumming his fingertips on the armrest muttering loudly. "How on earth did she know about this?"

Lucy was disappointed with her father. She never knew that he was incapable of doing this to anyone not to mention Erza. Then, Lucy saw Erza went down the stairs with her luggage and went straight to the door without looking at anyone. Her face was cold and impassive, void of any emotion.

"Erza," Lucy called out.

"Don't you dare Lucy," her father warned sternly before she could step even one foot from her standing position. She could only watch as Erza went out the door and out of her life without a backward glance.

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Sasuke couldn't believe what he was hearing coming out of Lucy's lip. So that was the reason why Erza no longer living with the Heartfilia. He thought this piece of information would make him know more about Erza but it only brought another piece of puzzle to be solved.

"I'm sorry," Lucy whispered, crying freely in front of her friends. She had her head bowed as she was afraid of looking at every one's face. She was ashamed of herself for allowing this to happen to Erza.

"Lucy," Juvia hugged her tightly trying to console her.

"I can't believe this," Naruto muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose tiredly.

"You should tell us sooner about this Lucy," Natsu gave his two cent on the matter.

"I'm sorry," Lucy pleaded looking at them pitifully.

"It's not your fault Lucy," Sasuke said. "You couldn't stop your father or Erza for making their choices."

"Sasuke's right about that," Gray said. "So don't beat yourself too hard on it Lucy."

Sasuke saw Juvia stood up from her seat and help Lucy to get up. "Come on Lucy, let's go and wash your face first before class starts," Juvia said as she took the sobbing girl with her and left the rooftop.

"This is a lot for me to take in," Sasuke heard Natsu muttered with a sigh. "I need some air."

He could only shake his head at the pinkette. As if there was not enough air on this rooftop. It was an open space after all but Sasuke could understand his feeling at the moment. It felt suffocating here.

"Me too," Gray said as he nudged Gajeel and motioned for him to come with him, leaving Sasuke alone with Naruto.

"This is crazy," Sasuke heard Naruto muttered with frustration. For some reason, Sasuke felt like Naruto was unsettled by the revelation from Lucy. He was taking this harder than the rest of their group.

"Yeah," he agreed with a sigh.

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Naruto laid on his back with an arm shielding his eye, half from blocking it from the glaring sun and the other half because he didn't want Sasuke to see his pained face. It was hard knowing that he was thinking wrong things about Erza this past year. It was hard to know that she was struggling all alone with no one to help her. He should have known that something was wrong with her the moment she was making excuse not hang out with them anymore. And it was hard to know that he unintentionally made things worst.

He felt his best friend laid beside him. He was glad that Sasuke didn't leave him alone on the rooftop. He really needed someone to confide in, and Sasuke always was a good listener.

"Sasuke," he called out softly.

"What?"

"Remember the other day when you said you wouldn't date Erza because she was a violent girl," he stated.

"Yeah. Then you said to watch what I'm saying because I'll be eating my own words," he said with a hint of smile in his voice.

Naruto chuckled as he remembered his words. "You know why I said that?" He inquired, looking at his best friend beside him. He saw as realization dawned onto Sasuke's face. He waited for Sasuke to say something but the other guy only kept his mouth shut although his face clearly showed that he understand what Naruto was trying to convey.

"It's because it happens to me," Naruto said bitterly as he remembered all those times he used to spend next to the red head.

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It was the beginning of the day and Naruto strolled along other student at the school yard towards the main building. His step was light with his bag pack hanging loosely on his shoulder. A few steps ahead in front of him, his twin brother Natsu was walking side by side while chatting animatedly with Gray.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a flash of red, and his eyes immediately followed the movement of a certain red head who was talking to a first year student who stood rooted on his feet looking pale and scared. Naruto shook his head at the red head. She must be going at it again, terrorizing the students to follow the school rules. He couldn't hear what she was saying from the distance but from the look of it, she must have reprimand the boy for not wearing his tie. He felt sorry for the poor boy, he would be having nightmare for weeks now. But on the bright side, Naruto was sure the boy would definitely not forget his tie during his entire school life.

"Oi!" He was suddenly in a headlock and he cursed in annoyance at the culprit. Of course, it was none other than his overly energetic brother with a knowing smirk sported on his face.

"What the hell was that for?" He yelled at Natsu who was grinning from ear to ear.

"Hoho… stealing a glance at Erza again I see," Natsu teased with glee making him wanted to punch his idiotic brother.

"It is only morning and you're already in a dreamland or what?" He countered back exasperatedly.

Natsu had the gut to snigger at him. "Just ask her out already," Natsu encouraged him.

"Tch, who would want to date that violent girl anyway," he said heatedly with a scowl on his face while Natsu just shook his head at him.

"Natsu! Naruto! Just hurry up already," Gray called out to them and they both resumed their walk towards the classroom.

Naruto kept his cool façade but he really was affected by Natsu's suggestion earlier. He kept denying having any feelings towards Erza when Natsu asked, but he couldn't keep lying to himself.

He liked her. He liked Erza Scarlet a lot.

He didn't know when he started to have feelings for her. He always viewed her as a violent girl and a sticker to the rule. He didn't know how many times his head became a victim to her punch whenever he broke the rule, so he shouldn't be having feelings for her like this but he couldn't help himself. He thought it was because he knew her true self. Despite the violence tendency she had, she always meant well. She always helped her friends or anyone with problems and she always did her duty diligently. Before she came to the school and became the student council president, no one dared to even talk back to him because of his background. The fact that she stood up for his childish pranks and always reprimanded him to uphold the school rules made him admire her more. She made him a better person.

It was a few weeks later that he finally gathered up his courage to confess to her. She was busy lately and for a week now she missed their lunch break at the rooftop, always saying that she needed to do some work for the council. He missed her during her absence.

So he cornered her after school when she was on her way to the student council room, stopping her on her track.

"Naruto, what are you doing here?" She asked seeing him blocking her path.

"To see you of course," he answered coolly.

Erza had a puzzled look on her face. "Why?"

"You missed our group lunch for a week now," he pointed the obvious, suddenly feeling less confident about confessing to her when standing in front of her like this. From up close, he noticed the weary look on her face.

"I've been busy with the council work," she stated with a tired smile.

Naruto was having none of that. She always gave the same excuse again and again every time he approached her about it. "But still, you seem like you were avoiding us on purpose," he yelled, losing his temper for no apparent reason. He could see that she was shocked at his outburst.

"If that's all you want to say, than I need to get going. I need to do some work before I can head home," she stated calmly but he saw the hurt she tried to mask. He regretted for shouting at her like that. But the truth was he was worried about her. She looked so weary and thinner than usual.

She moved to walk away from him but he grabbed her hands preventing her from doing so. "Erza wait," he said. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to shout at you like that," he said remorsefully. Erza just kept quiet at his side but he voiced out his concern. "I'm worried about you. You look tired, Erza. Have you not been taking care of yourself? Where did you live since you moved out from Lucy's house?" He asked.

"You don't have to worry about me Naruto. I'm fine," she said with a sigh.

"How could I not worry Erza," he uttered sadly as Erza looked at him in confusion.

"Naruto."

"I like you. I really like you a lot. More than a friend," he confessed.

Erza gasped at his confession. He saw the flicker of emotion playing on her face. "Naruto," she whispered softly. He could see her trying to form words but it was the first time Naruto saw words failed her as she stood there speechless for a moment. He let out a small smile seeing her looking so lost in front of him.

But if he was to know what she was going to say, he would choose to have her stay speechless in front of him so that he won't have to hear her answer.

She gave him a sad smile at first before she dropped in her answer. And at that moment, he could already guess what she was going to say, at least a part of it.

"Naruto, it's not my intention to hurt your feeling but I just broke up with my boyfriend so it is not a good time for me to start a new relationship with someone. And there's a lot on my plate right now," she said but didn't explain more on it.

He was a little startled at the boyfriend part. He never knew that she had a boyfriend before and he was certain that not even Lucy knew about it, so it must be someone from her previous school. He understood her reasoning for rejecting him but he couldn't hide how he felt about it. It hurts to be rejected by her and he knew that his face was showing it all.

But he was puzzled to see the similar expression on her face. He wondered why she was feeling like that since he was the one being rejected not the other way around. He didn't press her on it because he didn't dare speak a word to her, afraid that his voice would break. Instead, he let go of her hand and let her walk away from him. He couldn't bear to see the sad and guilty look she sported at her own rejection.

"I'm sorry Naruto," she whispered softly before she stepped away from him and left him there standing in the hallway nursing his broken heart by himself.

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"I was such an idiot," Naruto berated himself. "I should have known something was wrong. Somehow, I made the situation worse. I avoided her after the rejection," he said regretfully.

"You didn't know Naruto," Sasuke tried to console him but he couldn't shake his guilt just like that.

"I allow her to distance herself away Sasuke. What kind of friend I was to her?"

"You know how stubborn Erza is Naruto. Once she set her mind to something, there's nothing that can change that. She doesn't want anyone to know her problem then there's no way that you guy could have known. And she didn't want Lucy to have any problem with her father. Even if I myself don't agree with her choice but distancing herself was a right move from her part. It was easier to distance herself when she couldn't even talk freely with Lucy. You guys would have notice it and more question will be asked." Sasuke countered heatedly.

Naruto sighed heavily. He knew that Sasuke was right. But now that he knew some of the truth, he felt really guilty for not being there for Erza when she was in trouble.

"But Naruto," Sasuke uttered.

"Yeah?"

"Do you still like Erza?" He asked, looking at him with an unreadable face.

Naruto tore his gaze away from Sasuke's questioning one and watched the blue sky in the horizon. Did he still like her after all this time?

"I don't know," he whispered softly at Sasuke's question. He expected more questions from him but he was glad that Sasuke didn't press more on that matter.

He watched in fascination at the fluffy cloud moving across the sky slowly as the wind blew it away. He let out a smile as watching the cloud made him remember a certain genius. Now he could relate on why Shikamaru seemed to like cloud gazing so much.

.

To be continued

A/N: I hope you guys enjoy reading this chapter as much as I love writing it. Tell me what you think and review.

So long for now =)