AN: Looks like it's time for another update! I hope you guys like it!

Notice: I don't own Fairy Tail. Its characters, settings etc. all belong to Hiro Mashima. However, this fic does contain numerous OC's of my own design. These, and these alone, are mine.

Chapter 7: The Deal

The Hydra Claw members certainly fit right in at Fairy Tail. No layman watching the scene would have any idea that they were from a different guild entirely. Gray kept his promise and had Mirajane whip up a huge batch of cookies, which were made the subject of a massive eating contest between Maw, Nath, Natsu and Happy (who only agreed because the cookies had little fish designs glazed on them). When that was finished, Nath started drinking with Cana and discussing how amazingly round cups and barrels were, while Elfman and Maw struck up a conversation about how manly eating things was. Kamarr and Freed were heatedly debating the meaning of a cryptic metaphor. The only one who didn't seem to be having fun was Fenra. She sat over in the doorway and absentmindedly stroked a silver wolf that seemed to have materialized out of nowhere. The rest of the guild was drinking, bickering, and laughing. Business as usual.

Erza sat at the bar, past the edge of the chaos, with Lucy and Sic. She and Lucy were in the middle of conversation with Mirajane, while Sic sat in silence and stared at the wall. Erza had never been sure what to think of the guy. He always acted strangely and seemed to disregard the feelings of others, but Lucy had told Erza about Sic's past; how Jellal, his younger brother, had been taken to the Tower of Heaven, and how Sic had almost been killed by his older brother. With such a horrible past and a relation to Jellal, it was hard for Erza to dislike the guy.

A man emerged from the crowd and made his way over to the bar. It was none other than the Steel Whirlwind himself, Ezra Mathin.

"Why, hello, my lovely ladies," he greeted cordially as he stepped next to their conversation. He knelt, and chivalrously kissed the hand of Lucy, Mirajane, and Erza in that order. Erza noted that Mirajane gulped and flushed bright red when Ezra kissed her hand.

Ezra then turned his attention to the white-haired boy sitting next to Lucy, who was still facing the wall. "Hello there," he said as he offered his hand to shake. "Ezra Mathin, of the Hydra Claw guild, at your service. Who might you be?"

"You may stop pretending to be interested in me now," Sic replied without turning around.

Ezra reared his head back into a long-winded, good-natured laugh. "Very well, I will do as you wish. May I?" He settled himself into the seat next to Erza.

"M-may I get you anything, E-Ezra, sir?" Mirajane squeaked.

"No, no, that's quite alright, you needn't trouble yourself. I've got myself covered," Ezra assured her as he conjured a martini using his requip magic. Erza was impressed at the speed and ease with which he did it.

After about ten minutes of small talk, Ezra surprised her again. "Say, Erza, I just remembered! There was something I wanted to discuss with you… outside." He winked on the last word.

Erza was so shocked at his sudden request that she didn't even speak in reply- she just nodded. As she and Ezra made their way out the door, Erza glanced back over her shoulder just in time to see Mirajane faint and fall over backwards.

Once she had followed Ezra out to the corner of the guildhall, Ezra turned around and met her eyes with a knowing look. His eyes were golden-brown with flecks of green. They were striking, Erza noticed. She immediately shook that thought out of her head.

"So," Ezra began with a sly smile. Gah, that smile was so distracting. Erza forced herself to pay attention to every one of his words. She really needed to resist his charm, since it appeared nobody else was able to. "While I have no doubt that you are an extremely kind-hearted individual, my dear, I can't help but wonder if there's some other motive for you to invite my guildmates and me into your guildhall. Now, don't get me wrong, you and your guildmates are nothing if not sociable, but-"

"Stop," Erza cut him off. "You're right. I'm sorry. I should've been more up-front about it…" She took a deep breath and bowed. "As you may know, I am a requip wizard just like you. I've heard rumors about your secret requip technique, and I really would like to learn it myself. Please, teach it to me. I only wish to be more able to protect those I love."

Ezra grinned. "The ones you love, eh?" He winked again. "That's all it was about? You should've told me sooner!"

Erza perked up. "You mean you'll teach me?"

Ezra grinned even wider. "On one condition," he said. "We'll have a duel. Tomorrow, at sunset. You spar with me, requip mage on requip mage. If you win, I'll teach you. If I win…"

Erza tapped her foot impatiently. "If you win, what?"

He winked again, and Erza's heart fluttered. Gah! "If I win, you'll have to go on a date with me."

From the shadows around the corner, Gray cursed to himself and clenched his fists.

Thanks again for reading! Hope you enjoyed, and any reviews are appreciated! Hope you have a nice day.