Scarlet Tears

Prologue

Disclaimer – I do not own Fairy Tail, and do not do this for financial gain. All of this is a work of fanfiction.

Authors' Note – Hello readers of . I'm Atmora Law, and today I begin my authors' debut. I'm going to begin with a series of stories based around Fairy Tail, and this is my first one! A Natsu x Erza! Erza, because she's my favourite girl.

I hope you all enjoy, and if you do, be sure to hit the favourite and follow buttons, and be sure to comment on the story as it progresses and let me know what you think!

Erza Scarlet was a woman of many expressions. Framed by her blazing scarlet hair, her face could be angry, sad… or on this day in particular, she could be happy.

With a sparkle in her eye and a beaming smile across her lips, she examined herself in the mirror one sunny morning, continuously requipping through her large selection of outfits. These outfits weren't armour, as would be expected of Titania of Fairy Tail. These outfits were better suited for the battlefield of dating.

The previous day, she had received the most wonderful letter from someone she held deep in her heart, requesting that they meet at a certain café in the town of Magnolia. In Erza's mind, she had just been asked out on a date.

At first, she felt like a nervous wreck; even now she still felt electric bolts of nervousness course through her, even as she smiled.

But she soon realised that this could mean only one thing; that now that he had been forgiven by the King, thanks to his actions in the Alvarez War one year prior, Jellal Fernandez was ready to start a life with her, Erza Scarlet.

She couldn't wait.

Later, she walked out the front door of the Fairy Hills Dormitory with a slight spring in her step, wearing a bright yellow blouse that was coupled with dark blue denim pants that only went down to her knees. She chose to be more practical in her footwear, and opted to go with white sneakers, to give her a more casual look; she didn't want Jellal to think she was trying too hard.

She looked to the clear sky and smiled; it seemed it would be a perfect day. Then she looked to the horizon, where a dark line stretched across the sky; storm clouds. She frowns and thinks, They're pretty far away right now; they shouldn't interrupt today.

With that, she wasted no more time and walked into the township of Magnolia.

…

Along the way to the specified café, Erza unexpectedly came across a certain group of people. Her team, Natsu, Happy, Gray and Lucy, tagged along by Wendy, Carla and Juvia.

"Hey Erza! What are you doing looking so dressed up?" Lucy immediately ran up to greet Erza.

"I'm meeting up with someone, that's all" Erza smiled, "It's good to see all of you as well; back from that mission I presume? You were gone a while".

"Yeah, I have to say, a mission that takes two weeks is too long; I don't know how Gildarts can take on those super long quests like he does" Gray commented as well as he and the others walked up to Erza and Lucy.

"If you think Gildarts spends the whole time working on the quest, you couldn't be more wrong" Erza sighed, knowing full well the kind of… activities, that Fairy Tail's strongest wizard gets to.

"Yeah Gray, you're such an idiot" Natsu comments. Everyone looks at him in surprise; did he of all people realise the sort of stuff Gildarts did when he was away?

"He also trains a lot; no wonder I can't catch up to him, dammit!" Natsu continues with gritted teeth. Everyone else sweat drops, knowing they should have expected as much.

"So, Erza who are you meeting? He must be pretty special" Wendy asked.

"Indeed; I doubt you would dress up so much for just anyone" Carla accuses.

"Maybe she's got a boyfriend, hehe" Happy says mischievously.

"Grow up Happy!" Lucy barks at the blue cat, "I'm sure it's some other reason".

"Happy's pretty close actually" Erza replies stoically.

Everyone looked up at that, a mixture of surprise and wariness; was she joking?

"I'm actually meeting up with Jellal" Erza finishes.

Everyone was surprised to say the least; they hadn't heard from Jellal in nearly a year, not since he was pardoned by the King.

"Well, we shouldn't keep you here, now should we? Let's go you guys!" Lucy is the first one to speak up, "Be sure to give our regards to Jellal".

"I will" Erza says as her friends move off, until something catches her eye. All but one of them was smiling and had already begun gossiping about the possible reasons why Erza was meeting Jellal. But of all the people, Natsu had his head down, his eyes serious, almost brooding.

"Natsu?" Erza called.

Hearing his name, he turns around, the others don't take notice as they walk further away.

"What's up Erza?" Natsu asks, almost stoic.

"If you're worried about Jellal hurting me, you shouldn't; I'll be fine" Erza says, believing her long-time friend was thinking about the events over nine years ago, at the Tower of Heaven.

Natsu smiled, "I'm sure you'll kick his ass if he does anyway".

He turned and walked away, but Erza stood staring after him. His mouth was smiling, but his eyes, his voice… most certainly weren't. She couldn't help but wonder, what her friend was thinking.

…

"I apologise for being late Jellal; I ran into my friends on the way over here" Erza smiled as she sat down at an outdoor café table, across from the blue haired man named Jellal Fernandez.

"No apologies necessary; I'm the one who called you out here on such short notice" Jellal replied, handing her a menu, "As a way for me to apologise for that, be sure to order whatever you like, it'll be my treat".

Erza smiled, "When I empty your wallet for cake, the only thing you'll have left to eat are those words".

Jellal laughed at her joke, "I prepared myself for that, don't worry".

After ordering an entire cheesecake with strawberries and a large cappuccino, Erza turned to Jellal.

"It's been a while since I've heard from you; not since you were pardoned" Erza begins.

"I must apologise for that as well; even though I have been pardoned by the law, I do not feel as though I deserve it. I must redeem myself" Jellal says as he takes a sip of coffee that he ordered before Erza arrived.

"Not being able to speak to those you care about? Is that part of your punishment as well?" Erza argued.

Jellal smiled, "Well played; unfortunately, that's a side effect of my actual work".

At that moment, a waitress served Erza's order and moved away. Erza looked from the cake, to Jellal, and to the cake yet again.

"Please, help yourself" Jellal proffered a hand to the meal.

Erza smiled and began to dig in.

When not a crumb of cake remained, Erza sat back with her cappuccino in hand, sighing contentedly.

Finally relaxed, Erza smiled at Jellal, "So… what reason do you have to invite me here?"

"Who says I have a reason? Perhaps I just wanted to see you?" Jellal asked her, looking a little uncomfortable.

Erza lost her smile and stared at Jellal with her fierce brown eyes.

"You have something to say, so say it already" Erza said, almost cold. She was growing weary of this game that Jellal and her have been playing for most of their lives.

Jellal put on a smile that, for some reason, Erza could only describe as 'sad'.

"It seems you already have an idea what's going on here" Jellal said, mournfully to Erza's ears.

Erza frowned; what was going on? He wasn't giving the same attitude as someone about to confess their love… it was almost…

That's when she realised… just as rain from those once distant storm clouds, began to fall.

…

This rain is really coming down, isn't it, Natsu thought to himself as he walked the streets of Magnolia on his own.

The rain had started about five minutes ago, just after he left his friends at the guild. Natsu was heading back to his house when it had started. After what he had heard today, he wanted to be alone.

It seemed everyone else had run to their homes when the rain began to fall, for he seemed to be the only person walking the streets in this weather.

So, Jellal has come back, huh? Just when I was beginning to grow a brain, Natsu thought to himself with an ironic smirk.

The truth of the matter was… for the past six months or so, he had begun seeing a certain scarlet haired knight in a whole new light.

He begun to realise he had feelings for Erza Scarlet.

Natsu Dragneel, have romantic feelings? It seemed impossible.

But there it was; as he grew older, he began to mature more… and now he had been thinking who he would want to be with… in that way.

The only person he could think of, was Erza.

Lucy was always just a good friend; the only reason he felt attachment to her in the beginning was that she smelled like her ancestor, who used to teach Natsu as a child. He grew to be genuine friends with her, for sure… but he couldn't think of her in that way.

Lisanna had always said she would marry him one day… and when he was young, he played around with that idea often… but he had since realised that his love for her was not as a lover, but as a sister.

For him, that left Erza; sure, many had looked at the two of them and often thought them brother and sister since pink wasn't too far from red… and their behaviour towards each other as well. But he never thought of her as a sister… until recently, he was only able to say she was a close friend, but inwardly, he couldn't place exactly how he felt about her.

Until recently.

Now, he hears she's meeting with Jellal, a man he knows she loves… she cares about. He was also pretty sure her feelings were reciprocated.

He was too late to realise his feelings… or perhaps, he never had a chance to begin with.

Despite his deep thoughts at this moment, Natsu's hypersensitive senses tingled when he heard another set of footprints making its way through the rain… coming towards him.

He heard the steps stop, making him be on guard.

Looking up, he saw who it was, and was taken aback.

Standing ten metres in front of him, with her clothes sopping wet, her scarlet hair matted across her face, was Erza.

"Erza? What are you doing out here?" Natsu asked, "I thought you were meeting with Jellal".

Erza didn't reply; she just stood in the same place.

Natsu sensed that something was wrong; he walked toward her, and when he got within three metres of her, she snapped.

"Don't come any closer, Natsu!" Erza snapped at Natsu, ceasing his steps.

Natsu frowned at her, "What's wrong? Tell me!"

"Nothing… just… nothing" Erza tried to step around Natsu, but he caught her arm as she walked pass him.

"Don't tell me it's nothing, not with that tone!" Natsu said to her, almost angry.

"It's… nothing…" Erza replied.

"Look at me".

"I won't".

"Erza, look at me!"

"If I do, I know what will happen!"

Silence went on, the pair stood in the same position.

After a minute or so, Natsu said it again.

"Look at me".

Erza was silent a little longer.

"I can't… it's better if I don't".

Natsu lost his patience with Erza's stubbornness, and forced her to look at him. Suddenly, he knew why Erza tried to hide her face from him.

"You damned fool, Natsu… you damned fool" Erza chastised him.

Erza… was crying.

Authors' Note – So there's the chapter, be sure to let me know what you thought of it; I'm eager to read your comments and thoughts!