Chapter two
I don't own Fairy Tail.
Enjoy!
Lucy was excited. She was about to walk inside the shop. Again. But yesterday, she only had a vague idea of meeting a kind, heartbroken woman and now she was about to go on a date with her. They only spent an afternoon talking, laughing and enjoying each other's company, but she recalled every moment fondly, had to smile at their jokes and was cheerful every time Erza said her name.
Without knowing, she had already started falling for her.
She walked in, just like yesterday. Erza didn't immediately noticed her, she was busy with a customer. It gave her the opportunity to watch her a bit, to see her act like this was nice. Unaware of being watched, Erza had this aura of seriousness, but she also could be playful and funny.
The redhead glanced her way, and their eyes met briefly. Erza looked nervous, too, and still she was calm underneath it, as if she had some doubts. It should be no surprise, given the letter, but it still hurt a bit.
Erza finished with the man and walked to her. "Are you ready to go?"
Lucy nodded and they left the shop together, after turning the closed sign. It was a short walk to the restaurant, but they were chatting enthusiastically already.
"So, where are you taking me?" Lucy asked. Her fingers were twitching strangely and she put them in her pockets to hide.
"It's just a little restaurant, nothing special. The owner is a friend of mine, I've known her for a long time. It's not somewhere tourists come, but it is very popular. I hope we can still get a table.
"Wow, you're holding expectations high." Lucy commented.
"Well, Mira – the owner – is a real goddess in the kitchen. I sometimes get the leftovers and they're always delicious."
"Sounds amazing. I would never cook again if I were you. But, I'm a horrible cook." Lucy laughed.
"I like to cook. Or rather, to bake sweet things. I kind of have a sweet tooth." Erza confessed.
"Really? Me too!" Lucy exclaimed. It was true, she would eat anything sweet.
"Oh, we're here. After you." Erza opened the door and gallantly let Lucy go first.
The place was homey and nice, but not too big. There were a lot of people already, but soon, a white-haired girl approached them. She had very light blue eyes and was certainly beautiful.
"Hi, Erza. And you must be Lucy. Erza's told me all about you. Follow me, I kept a table free." Mira said, and guided them to a somewhat isolated table, covered for two. It was complete with candles and slow music.
Lucy threw Erza a somewhat embarrassed look, but the redhead just shrugged.
"I can't help it. I told Mira I was coming here tomorrow with you, and she immediately assumed a lot."
Lucy wondered what a lot meant. They received the menu cards.
"So, what do you recommend?" Lucy asked Erza.
"Err, well, I've tried every single thing on this card and it's all really good. I wouldn't know what to say."
"Oh, in that case, I'm letting you pick." Lucy said, putting down her card.
"Are you sure?"
"I trust your judgement wholeheartedly." Lucy said serious. Erza nodded, equally serious, and ordered something Lucy couldn't understand. She did notice the waitress had the same white hair and blue eyes.
"Are they family or something?"
Erza nodded. "Lisanna is Mira's sister. They also have a brother, Elfman, but he doesn't work here. They're very close and happy with each other. A while ago, everybody presumed Lisanna was dead, but after a whole series of incidents we discovered her alive. She's a strong girl." Erza told her.
Lucy nodded impressed. "I take it you're very close to them, too?"
"Yeah, we all grew up together, it's like one big family." Erza smiled. "Enough about me, tell me about you. You're a writer, you say?"
So they talked and talked and when their food came, Erza proved to be right, it was delicious. They talked more and laughed and had fun, until Erza looked at her watch and jumped up.
"Goodness, we've been here for over three hours! I have to get back to my shop!" she said.
"Already? Stay for a little while, your shop can do without you." Lucy said. She didn't want to part ways with her.
"But I've got a lot of work." Erza protested. "I don't want to go, either, but you can come by this evening, you can taste my strawberry cheesecake." Erza said.
An invitation to her house? Erza sure moved fast! But they did have only one week, now five days, left.
"Alright. What's your address?"
Erza gave it to her, paid and said goodbye, without a hug or kiss, but Lucy knew she was too shy to do something like that.
She shook her hand to stop the tingling where Erza had shortly touched her and lied all afternoon on her bed in her hotel room, smiling and thinking about Erza.
XoXoXoXo
Lucy walked the small path that led to Erza's doorstep. In her hands she held a bottle of recently bought wine. She hadn't known what to give, since she had come here with just her holiday luggage, so she figured something old-fashioned would do.
Erza's house was nice, it was small and near the beach. Lucy loved the place already, the salty air from the sea, the calm breeze that always seemed present, the entire atmosphere really. It was so peaceful and isolated, so different from the city, where everything was busy and hectic.
She knocked on the door and Erza almost immediately opened, smiling.
"Hi, Lucy. Come in." she said and gestured at her guest to step in the comfy-looking house.
Inside was quite different from what you would expect from the outside, it was surprisingly modern and still cosy. It was small, but bigger than she expected.
"Please, take a seat, dinner isn't ready just yet. Can I offer you a drink?" Erza asked.
"Oh, right, I brought you wine, maybe we could…?" Lucy said, inwardly hitting herself because she forgot the present in her hands.
"Really? You didn't have to do that!" Erza said cheerfully. "I'll get a corkscrew."
It took a while until she came back, and it gave Lucy the opportunity to observe the photos on the mantelpiece. On some of them stood Mirajane, Lisanna and what she assumed to be Elfman, together with Erza. She also noticed an old man with a very young Erza. She was so cute when she was a little kid. But most prominent were the pictures with her and a blue-haired, handsome man, with a red tattoo around his right eye.
It was none other than Jellal. Lucy knew it the instant she spotted a picture of him and Erza on the beach, hanging together. His arm around her shoulders, they looked at each other with what only could be described as love, captured in a single moment.
Erza returned and noticed Lucy staring at the photograph.
"The wine is here." Erza said, a little distant.
Lucy turned around. "Oh, thanks. I was just looking at some pictures of you and Mira and Lisanna." She felt almost guilty about it.
"It's okay. That's why I put them here."
They sat down and talked about their childhoods now; Erza explained where all the photos were taken. She didn't explain about Jellal and Lucy didn't ask for it. She felt that she had to let the subject rest for a bit.
It didn't take long for them to forget all concept of space and time; soon, only the two of them existed, talking and sharing.
Until the smell of burnt food reached their noses. Erza jumped up and ran to the kitchen, while Lucy followed a bit more slowly. With one pot in her hand and the other fidgeting at the fire, she looked outstandingly beautiful.
"Need a hand?" Lucy asked, keeping a bit distance.
"I'll manage." Erza said. Lucy watched her amused, while she was busy putting the fire out and the pan in the water. She was done pretty soon and they both opened a few windows to get the smell out of the house.
"Sorry about that. I forgot food was in the fire." Erza smiled a bit sheepishly.
"It's okay. Although I am hungry by now." Lucy said, with a hint of humour in her voice.
"We can still eat some leftovers; I'm afraid that's all I've got to offer you." She said, opening her fridge and examining the contents.
"Sounds great to me." Lucy smiled.
After heating up a few boxes, it made a pretty good meal in the end. And then it was time for the infamous strawberry cheesecake.
"Are you ready?" Erza asked with twinkling eyes.
Lucy nodded. To her surprise, Erza brought a piece of cake to her mouth with a fork. She just went with it and ate it slowly. She swallowed.
"Oh my goodness, this is heavenly!" she exclaimed. It was. Erza hadn't lied one bit. It was sweet and light and soft and crunchy and it was a piece of heaven.
The redhead smiled satisfied. "Told you so."
They both ate one piece, and sighed contently after.
"I can't believe it was that good." Lucy said.
"I love strawberry cheesecake." Erza agreed with her.
It was silent for a while, until Erza spoke up again. "Can I tell you something?"
"Sure." Lucy said surprised.
"I really like you." Erza said. She looked Lucy in the eyes and was sincere. She felt something for Lucy. But she didn't know if it was serious just yet. And Lucy knew Jellal was lying around the corner, in the back of her mind. The letter had shown her that Erza still hung on to him, alive or not.
"I really like you, too." Lucy finally said. It was honest and open, and it encouraged Erza to tell her the truth.
"Lucy, I need to tell you something. Before we start something, you need to know about Jellal."
"The man on the picture?" Lucy asked softly. She felt the stinging guilt in her stomach, but ignored it.
"Yes. He was my fiancé. We grew up together and became a couple in high school and throughout college. After that, we bought this place. He decorated it. He was talented with that sort of stuff. But one year ago, he died." Erza's voice almost broke in the end. Lucy hugged her gently, but it was a short hug, Erza quickly withdrew.
"I don't know if I can do this. I want to try, I really do. So please, if I seem to doubt, or hesitate, or anything bothers you, know that I'm having trouble with this." Erza almost laughed. "I never would've imagined telling you all this on a first date."
"Me neither." This was the moment to be honest, to tell about the letter she found, but words couldn't leave her mouth.
Erza kissed her.
This wasn't right, she was lying to the person whose lips were on hers, but at the same time it was so right.
She didn't need to think about all that. It wasn't that important. Because of that, they met. Erza might get over Jellal now. If she discovered her letter to him was discovered, published even, what would she do? She had borne her soul out there; she had shown her love, her deepest feelings, her loneliness.
Erza was happy at the moment, she was kissing someone and she liked it. Lucy couldn't destroy her happiness now. It would kill her.
So she indulged in the kiss and let herself go. Before she knew it, hands were caressing her entire body and she was lifted to the bedroom. Deep in her heart, the guilt started to grow, but she forgot in Erza's touch and hungry look. She was lost in her eyes, her hands, her mouth. She let herself feel what she had forgotten and enjoyed every single second of it.
Erza proved to be a passionate and skilful lover; both soft and hard, serious and playful. It meant something, them being together. Something new and fresh of hope, something quite different.
And when Erza kissed her for the last time that night, she smiled. She was happy. Lucy couldn't smile back. She looked at her in all seriousness and wondered.
She had no choice now. There was only one path ahead of her: continue the lie. If she told her, right after this, it would destroy her even more. And the later it became, the worse it would hurt.
As a writer, she knew that all lies were discovered. She was frightened until that moment came, and she knew the guilt would be inescapable. But she couldn't possibly confess. It would be heart-breaking and everything Lucy didn't want for Erza.
"I'm sorry", she whispered before closing her eyes.