Wow, I am super stoked for this story now. I'm so happy with how many people seem intrested and all the positive encouragement! Sorry it took so long for me to post the next chapter, but I have so many ideas and I'm really excited to keep writing.

Next up, Hercules featuring Erza and Jellal (and a prying Merdy :D)

Chapter Two: I Won't Say I'm in Love

Erza easily took down the monster that had been plaguing the city.

She sometimes wondered why all these monster-killing requests had been flowing in, with a special request for her.

"I guess it's because Soccer Weekly did that article on me about killing monsters at the Grand Magic Games…" she muttered to herself on her way back to the city to collect her reward.

She relished in the quiet of the forest and the peace of completing a job.

Suddenly, the bushes were shaking.

A female voice emerged from them, "Jellal, so help me, I will…"

Jellal tumbled out of the bush, thrown literally at the feet of Erza. She stepped back in surprise, trying not to step on him. Her mouth formed an "O" as Merdy stomped out after him.

"You're such a damn chicken!" she glared at the man on the ground. The pink-haired girl glanced up at Erza, "Hello, Erza."

Erza was still surprised at running into the pair that made up Crime Sorciere. "Um, hi?"

Jellal, still at her feet, sighed and stood up. "Hello, Erza." He barely made eye contact she could see a slight pink on his cheeks under his hood.

"What are you doing over here?" Erza asked, her eyes training to Merdy.

Merdy flipped her hair, "We were just taking a break after finishing breaking up this dark guild. I saw you a mile back, nice job with the monster by the way, and was trying to convince Jellal to come say hi. But he didn't want to bother you." The sass poured off her words and her eyes flashed resentment at the blue-haired man.

Jellal looked down at his feet, "I didn't want to bother you."

Erza blushed, "You are never a bother."

Merdy huffed, "Come on, you two. We are going to spend the afternoon in the city." Jellal started about it being too dangerous but was cut off, "No, Jellal, we will be fine. We have our hoods and this city is on the outskirts of Fiore. No one will know us."

She reached out and grabbed both of their arms and started dragging them along the path.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

An hour later, Erza was coming out of the Mayor's office with her reward and walked back toward the fountain where she had left the pair to find Jellal sitting by himself.

He looked up at her, "Merdy left to go shopping but gave me these." He held up two tickets for a local play at a theater right down the road. "I know how much you love the theater…" He trailed off blushing slightly.

Erza took a deep breath and vowed to be more confident around him. She grinned down at him and held her hand out to pull him up off his seat on the edge of the fountain. "I do love the theater and I'd love to go with you."

He shyly took her hand and allowed her to pull him up. Erza shuddered at the sparks that were flying between their bare hands. Stumbling at the force she used to pull him up, he ended up almost colliding with her. His other hand flew up to catch her arm and steady himself. He immediately let go and took a step back.

I can't. I can't love her until I have atoned for my sins.

His face fell and then he constructed it into his normal façade of strength and mystery. Erza, too excited about the prospect of going to the theater, was distracted from the change.

As they made their way to the theater, Jellal listened to Erza tell him all about her adventures with Fairy Tail since they had last met. He smiled at her delighted expression, loving her passion for her comrades and what she did.

She is stunning and amazing . . . I just can't love her yet.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"What did you think of the play?" Jellal asked, as the couple strolled through the beautiful gardens surrounding the theater. The sun was setting, the sun beams dancing off the water in the stunning fountains.

Erza enthusiastically smiled at him, "I enjoyed every second of it! The actors have a way of creating art. The story was fantastic too! If I thought my requests for slaying monsters are bad… I would hate to have to deal with a Titan versus God war as well, like Hercules."

Jellal chuckled, "He sure did have a crazy life. Though it all worked out well in the end."

Erza got a dreamy look in her eye, "Especially for him and Megara. It was so romantic of him to give up becoming a god for her."

He stopped in his tracks. "Even though she betrayed him and was working for the bad guy?" Jellal's question was piercing, his eyes staring into hers.

Erza smiled at him, reassuringly. "We always forgive those we love the most. And in the end, she was willing to do anything for him, even give up her life. Though, I believe Hercules would have loved her anyways."

Jellal felt a flutter in his chest at her words, encouraged. The setting sunlight was dancing off her hair, and her beauty was not lost on his weary heart. He wanted to believe that Erza would love him though he had made many mistakes, like Meg in the play.

But I still can't love her yet.

Merdy came running into the gardens, a few shopping bags on her arms, skidding to a stop when she observed the pair's intense gaze. Starting to take a few steps back, "I'll just go for a little while then . . ."

Jellal shook his head, breaking the eye contact and looking down at the ground, blushing.

Erza, also blushing, stopped Merdy from her not-so-subtle retreat. "It's okay, I actually am the one who needs to go. I told Mira that I would be back late tonight and the last train is in thirty minutes." She gave Merdy a bone-crushing hug, and then turned to Jellal.

Slipping her hand into her pocket, she pulled out a scarlet handkerchief. She shyly offered it to him, "A token, just like the days of old." When he took it, she leaned forward and tenderly kissed his cheek, and then embarrassed, turned to leave. "Bye! Stay safe until I see you again!"

Jellal just stood frozen, his mouth wide open, handkerchief still in hand. His hand rose to the cheek she had kissed, his fingers touching the skin where her lips had just been as though his cheek had changed.

Merdy just grinned at him. "Come on Jellal, who do you think you're kidding. Everyone knows that she's the earth and heaven to you. Don't try to hide it, I can see right through you. I know how you feel." She poked at his side.

"No chance, no way. I can't say it." He turned away, setting the handkerchief on the edge of a fountain and walking away from it.

Merdy swept it up in her hands and followed him as he walked through the garden. "You swoon, and sigh. Why deny it?"

"I won't say I'm in love with her. I can't." He glared at the statues of lovers in each other's' arms and moved passed them, as though he was running from his feelings. He continued, protesting to Merdy's encouragement to accept his feelings. "I thought my heart had learned its lesson after I almost kissed her on the beach. It feels so good, so right when I'm with her. But, I can't until I atone for my sins."

Merdy chased him, trying to get him to stop and look at her. "Come on Jellal, you keep on denying who you are and how you're feeling. I'm not buying it, I saw you hit the ceiling. Face it like a grown up, when are you gonna own up that you got it bad for her?" She pressed the scarlet handkerchief back into his hand.

"No chance, no way, I won't say it." But yet, his fingers closer around the handkerchief and his other hand flew to his cheek, smiling at the memory of her lips against the skin.

"Give up, give in. Check your grin, you're in love!"

Jellal frowned, mad that he was replaying the kiss in his head. "It won't ever happen again, I won't say I'm in love."

Merdy sighed in exasperation, "Come on Jellal, you're doing flips. You're in love."

Jellal shook his head, "You're way off base, I won't say it." He pushed Merdy's poking fingers off his arm, "Get off my case, I can't say it."

"Jellal, don't be proud. She doesn't need for you to vanquish every dark guild before she will accept your love. It's okay, you're in love."

Jellal sunk down onto a bench in the garden, allowing her words to sink in. He brought the handkerchief up to his face and smiling at the memory once again. "At least out loud, I won't say I'm in love."

I love the fact the Erza just had to be Hercules... She just has to be the man in the relationship :D And don't worry, Jellal and Erza will eventually reappear in this story.

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xoxoxo,

Siren