A/N: I'm so sorry for the slow update! Gosh it's been 2 months! I've been focusing on my other stories because I'm having a hardcore writer's block on this story for some reason! This update is really short but I promise you the next update will be a really long chapter and I'll post it in a few days after I'm done editing it. But for now try to enjoy this incredibly short chapter despite it being two months since the last update! .

A huge thanks to all the reviews, follows and favorites these past two months!

Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail

What We Once Were

Chapter 4

Gray Fullbuster had been a numerous wreck for nothing.

After he had gotten that surprising (and unwelcome) phone call from Erza last night, he had been having a hard time just sleeping.

It wasn't his fault! After so many months of just plain ignoring each other, Erza suddenly asked him out on a date.

A date.

What does that mean? He kept repeating that question over and over again in his head. What was she planning? Did she…want to know why Gray had suddenly avoided her back then?

He initially was going to reject her, but after that phone call, he wasn't so sure anymore.

His heart was doing that fluttery butterflies thing again and he couldn't help but be giddy at the thought of talking again with Erza. And going on a date with her.

This feeling was so stupid. He shouldn't be feeling it. She betrayed him. And he was hurt. She didn't know it, but still. He wasn't about to encourage this feeling again, no matter how happy he was at the thought of spending time again with Erza.

He was definitely going to reject her tomorrow. Cold, harsh rejection.

He had done it plenty of times. Towards Erza wouldn't be any different.

Lucy slumped unceremoniously on her desk.

Last night was unbearably tiring. She had spent the whole afternoon until nightfall at Natsu's house and basically just tutoring the boy. It was also hard trying to focus – what with his dad always trying to sneak a peek at their study sessions. Even with the door blatantly opened like that. (Natsu told her that he would focus more if they closed the door but Lucy rejected his request for fear his dad would think they weren't studying and doing other things. Natsu laughed and called her a pervert, since he never even thought about it to which Lucy smacked his head for the first time).

But since that, they were getting along better, and Lucy enjoyed spending time with him nonetheless.

"Morning Lucy!"

Lucy raised her head from the desk and was met with a blinding, cheerful grin from her new friend, Natsu Dragneel. "Good morning, Natsu." She smiled back.

The pink haired boy proceeded to sit in his seat next to Lucy's and turned to her. "Thanks again for helping me out last night. I can't believe I actually finished all that homework all in one night!"

"No problem. You can come to me whenever."

"Yeah, you're much better help than that snow cone bastard." He said irritated.

"Snow cone bastard?"

"Yeah, he's a cocky ass guy that won't let me copy his homework anymore. Some friend." Natsu scoffed.

"Ah…you mean Gray Fullbuster?"

"Who else eats snow cones for lunch?" Natsu said, as if it was supposed to be obvious to everyone.

"I didn't know that. I keep forgetting you guys are friends." Lucy said, weirded out by his friend who eats snow cones for lunch?

"Well, we've known each other for a long time. So unfortunately we're stuck together. And my dad's friends with his dad." Natsu said.

Lucy rested her chin on her palm. "You guys are so different though."

"How?"

"Well, you're really nice…" Lucy began, not noticing Natsu's eyes widening slightly in shock, "…but Gray-san is a bit…cold, I think."

Natsu frowned at the statement. "Why? Did he do something to you?"

"No, it wasn't me in particular. I mean, how he treated Erza. She's really nice to me, and it sucks to find out someone was treating her badly. I've never seen her cry before, and that Gray made her cry." Lucy said sadly.

"Gray's stupid, but he's not mean." Natsu said firmly. "Well, he's an ass but only to me."

"But, you saw what happened with him and Erza…"Lucy began.

"He's got some issues with Erza. Whatever it is, he's not planning on settling it anytime soon, no matter how much I always beat him up for."

Lucy slowly nodded. "You guys are all friends, then?"

"Me, Erza, and Gray. We've known each other since we were kids. Erza's known Gray longer." Natsu shrugged.

Lucy's mouth slightly hung open. They were such good friends? Then why did Erza never talk to him? Not even to her?

Class started after that but the thoughts of Gray and Erza lingered in Lucy's mind.

Gray had been waiting for the right time to reject Erza. He wasn't going to go up to her and reject her straight of course. Erza did say she wanted to discuss it with him today. So he wanted to wait for the time that she came up to him first.

Unfortunately that time didn't come up.

Erza sat way in the front in class, while he preferred to sit way at the back. He was glad for the seating arrangements, since it made it easier for him to not have anything to do with her, even though they were in the same class.

He had gotten used to not staring at her like he did before, but after suddenly getting asked out on a date by the one person he didn't want to face months before, the habit of staring at her from afar came made it's comeback.

Damn.

It was already nearing the end of the school day already, yet he hadn't talked to her about the date at all. What kind of a person was Erza anyway? She said she wanted to discuss the date with him, but today she hadn't even so much looked at his direction.

The bell finally rang indicating the end of the last period.

Gray noticed that Erza was in a hurry to exit the class.

Did she forget about him already?

Did she forget about their date?

What the heck was he so irritated about anyway? This was perfect. Now he didn't have to deal with Erza anymore. He had already apologized and he didn't feel guilty anymore for making her cry yesterday either.

Be done with Erza Scarlet already, Fullbuster!

That was what Gray determined, but in the end his legs brought him to the outside of the Student Council room where the members were having their meeting. Gray peeked in through the windows and he could clearly see Erza looking stern as always, looking at some documents on the table. She had her glasses on, which Gray knew she only put on when she was working.

She still had that habit, huh.

A finger tapping on his shoulder startled the dark-haired boy. He abruptly turned to see Juvia Lockser, smiling adoringly at him as usual.

"Gray-sama!" She practically squealed, loud enough for some heads in the student council meeting room to turn their heads to the door.

"SHHH!" Gray hurriedly clamped a hand on the blue-haired girl's mouth and pushed her away from sight and dragged her off somewhere else.

Unbeknownst to him, the meeting had already ended and Erza had turned her head just in time to see Gray and a girl she recognized as Juvia at the exit door for a glimpse.

"What do you want?" Gray asked exasperatedly after making sure that he was far from the student council room.

"Juvia wanted to ask Gray-sama on a date! It's on Juvia! To apologize for yesterday…" The blue-haired girl said, her voice becoming smaller.

"What? Why would you need to apologize?"

"Juvia made Gray-sama mad yesterday." She said, her face almost in dejection. "In the cafeteria."

Despite his dislike towards this blue-haired girl who tried everything to get close to him ever since her transfer, Gray did not have the heart to cruelly reject her. He sighed. "When did you make me mad yesterday? I was mad at someone else, not you."

Juvia instantly brightened. "Then, Juvia is forgiven?!"

"Like I said, you didn't do –"

"Thank you Gray-sama! You're so kind! Juvia will plan our date another time!

"What the –"

"Juvia must hurry home now! See you Gray-sama!" She shrilled, then took off.

Gray was dumbfounded once again.

"GAHHH SHE'S ALWAYS DOING THAT!" He shouted, frustrated as he messed up his hair. Why did she have to be so persistent?!

"Gray."

Said boy jumped in surprise as he saw the Erza Scarlet making her way towards him. "Erza?! How long were you there for?"

"Sorry, I heard your outburst." Erza said.

A faint blush crept onto Gray's cheeks. "Y-You were looking for me?"

"Yes. I'm glad you're still at school. I've been busy the whole day and had to wait till the meeting was over to talk to you."

So she remembered about the date after all. His stomach felt like there were butterflies. He felt strangely happy.

"I'm sorry but I have to cancel the date."

And for some strange reason, his stomach dropped.

"What? Why?!" What the hell was wrong with him? Wasn't this perfect?

"I asked for a date impulsively without thinking of your feelings. Of course you must be uncomfortable. We haven't exactly…been very friendly in a while." She said looking down. There was a slight nervousness in her tone too, Gray noticed.

"Well…I don't really…" This is your chance Gray! Get angry with her, and never talk to her again!

"And could you apologize to your girlfriend for me? I didn't think of the possibility of you having a girlfriend. It was rude of me."

"Girlfriend?!" Gray couldn't help but be horrified. "What girlfriend? Where'd you get that from?"

"I meant Juvia-san just now." If it was possible, Gray's jaw dropped even lower. "I overheard you guys talking about dates."

Gray starting flailing his hands around wildly. "Juvia's not my girlfriend! We had a date once but that was it!" He explained hurriedly. He desperately didn't want Erza to get the wrong idea.

Erza frowned. "Okay. Well, I have to go now. Sorry to have bothered you." She said, already turning away and was about to leave but was stopped when a cool hand grabbed her wrist tightly. She turned to Gray who was looking quite frazzled for some reason.

"Wait, that's it? You're going? What about our date?"

"I cancelled it." Erza said, confused.

"Why? I already said I didn't have a girlfriend." Back it up Gray! This is your chance to back off, what the fuck are you doing?

"I should have just accepted your apology yesterday. It was rude of me to make you feel uncomfortable like that."

"I'm not uncomfortable!" Gray said loudly, startling her. He coughed, slightly blushing. "I-I mean, I still feel bad for what I said, and I was rude so I-I'll take you out."

Erza's shocked stare slowly turned into an approving gaze, with a light smile, a smile that Gray hadn't seen in such a long time.

"So Saturday's okay?" She asked.

"Yeah."

"I'll see you at Era Paradise then."

"Era Paradise?" Where had he heard that name before?

"You don't know it? It's quite popular around Magnolia. The cakes are to die for." Erza said, her eyes almost sparkling.

The more he talked to Erza, the more he realized that there were a lot of things about her that hadn't changed. He really did miss –

"I don't know it." He coughed. "You'll have to show it to me."

"Then, you can pick me up at my house around 5PM."

Gray looked at her almost uncomfortably. "So you're still living with Porlyusica-san then?"

"She is the only one I have left after all." Erza smiled sadly and left while Gray stood there watching her retreating back.

He knew that perfectly well.