chapter 13

Just InCommunityForumMoreFairy Love by Dr Yandere Anime » Fairy Tail Rated: M, English, Romance & Drama, [Erza S., Natsu D., Mirajane S.], Words: 119k+, Favs: 317, Follows: 324, Published: Aug 8, 2020 Updated: Jun 14, 2022214Chapter 13: It Begins!

I dunno why people found it so hard to believe what Erza did in the previous chapter. I did say she snapped, didn't I? Since stealing Natsu from Mira was wrong, she already succumbed herself to the role of the villain. Of course she has to act like one now. If she was going to quietly and meekly steal Natsu away from Mira, what's the point? And let's face it, nothing will happen like that. It's gonna be a cliché romance love triangle, and it just doesn't excite me that way. It may satisfy you guys, but not me. I even wrote that part longer to try my best to explain what was going on in her head for things to get to that point. I could've just simply done it and boom! Surprise! But I actually tried to give an insight into what was going on in her mind to explain it so it wouldn't feel forced and come off as something that I dropped all of a sudden. All the build-up in these first chapters was for this moment to usher in the last half of this story. I know it wasn't written that well, but what do I know about people? It was the best I could do with my limited knowledge. I always said form the beginning that while I may be passionate about writing this, I'm not that good. I'm just trying to promote my ideas and opinions about this series. If anyone is confident they can do better, I'll gladly hand over the reins to you. Impress me like you're expecting me to impress you. Everyone hates what I've done with the characters here, that's fine because I don't expect anyone to understand what's going on in my sick and fucked-up mind.

Again, I warned you guys in the previous chapter that I'm gonna be writing this as true-to-my-heart as possible now since there's no point in sucking up to the other readers who wants things to go their way. Just as I respect my readers who have different opinions, I can't help but feel like I deserve the same. It's just fair. That's justice. Things are gonna get weirder for the majority of you normies, so I only expect the guys who are just as open-minded about their tastes as I am to actually take an interest in the succeeding chapters. Don't like, don't read. As simple as that. If you can't handle the heat, get out of my kitchen.

The fanfics I'm suggesting you guys read this time is "MGH: Magnolia General Hospital" by deltaprime11 and Kuroyagi's "Mindblowing". MGH is one of the all-time NaZa classics. This is one of those stories a NaZa fan has to read once in their lifetime. Personally, besides Omegadrift98's "Only Mine", my other favorite NaZa fanfic is HiroshiSenpai's "NatZa: Love That Only Ends in Heartbreak" which can be found on Wattpad, not . I know I'm saying this to a small sample size since Fairy Tail lost its relevance a long time ago, and the ones who still like it are most probably the canon fans, but I still hope this reaches the crack-shippers out there.

Also, the manga I'm suggesting this time is "I'm Around (or Nearly) 30 and Finally In Love". For those who haven't read it yet, it's good. I like how relatable it is, and how lighthearted the atmosphere around it is. There's no forced feels tragic bullcrap. No unrequited love. No beauty and the beast fairy tale romance. It hits close to home, and it's good when you're feeling down and just want to have a good laugh, or cheer up.

And this chapter will be the next day after the previous chapter. I know that those events happened during the early morning hours, so technically I should refer to it as "earlier", but it just doesn't have finesse to it. So I'll be referring to it as "last night" because it did happen while the moon was still out, so technically it was still nighttime, extreme technicality.

For the guys who actually like this, enjoy

Chapter 13: It Begins!

The next morning was not peaceful.

When Natsu was brought out into the real world again, he felt a weight on his chest. Still half-asleep and thinking he was still in his sexy dream with Mira (as Erza suspected, he really was dreaming of Mira), he didn't pay it any mind. In his sleepy state, he filtered out the early morning's events out of his mind for now.

When he felt "her" shift on top of him, he hugged her closer to him. That was when he noticed something… different.

Why does Mira smell like strawberries? As far as he knew, his girlfriend liked the lavender or vanilla theme as her choice of perfumes, saying she liked how fragrant and nice it smelled. She wouldn't go for something overly sweet like strawberry. Wait a minute! Sniffing more carefully, this scent reminded him of-

"ERZAA!" Natsu jumped out of the bed when he opened his eyes and confirmed his suspicions. Immediately remembering the events form earlier, he paled in fear. Why was he naked? Why was Erza sleeping beside him? He didn't remember anything after Erza knocked him out with Ichiya's sleeping parfum, could it be-

'Don't tell me…' He looked at her slowly rising form on his bed, equally naked as him.

"Why, good morning, Natsu. What are you doing down there on the floor?" Erza casually greeted, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes and stretching her arms above her to relax her stiff muscles, showing Natsu her womanly body even more. However, since he was already used to a woman's feminine charms, this wasn't what made him flustered. It was the situation he was in right now.

No, no, no. He's man, isn't he? Before jumping to conclusions, he must first make sure he's not misunderstanding things here. Sure, they were both naked. Sure, they were also sleeping in the same bed. But they did these things (separately) in the past already, so this must just be another one of Erza's friendly quirks. That's right! After all, she was the one who always said "A little skinship between comrades isn't a bad thing."

Maybe she had a change of heart last night and just kept him warm while he slept. He was hoping for that 1-in-a-Billion chance this was the case, but who was he kidding, after her confession last night and how she acted so out of herself, he couldn't put anything past her anymore. But maybe one of the miracles that saved his ass countless times in the past would happen today.

Composing himself to make the situation not worse as it is, he picked up his boxers lying down on the floor and picked it up. He didn't dare ask why it was there in such a hasty manner, as if Erza was in a rush to undress h-

No! He must not think of negative thoughts.

After he put on some clothing, he could've sworn he saw a look of disappointment on Erza's face.

'I'm just imagining it. Get a hold of yourself, Natsu Dragneel!' He internally berated himself. He was so nervous about Erza's explanation that he wasn't acting like his usual one track minded self.

"G-good morning too, Erz. Now that I'm standing up, can you tell me why we were sleeping together naked?" Natsu asked in an unexpected polite tone. If he wanted a good answer, he needed to ask his question in a good way. At least that's what his out-of-state mind was thinking as of the moment.

Erza just looked at him questioningly as if he had two heads and feeling bold, casually shrugged him off.

"Is there a problem with that? I thought that couples who had sex usually wake up right next to each other?"

.

.

.

"Huh?" Natsu asked blankly.

"Hm?" Erza asked back. She didn't expect him to react so calmly…

"WHAAAAAATTT!"

…Or not.

Natsu shouted so loud the entire city of Magnolia woke up.

Putting her hands on her ears to see if they were still working, Erza said, "Could you not shout so loud so early in the morning?"

Seeing Natsu pointing at her, then at himself, and looking so out of it, Erza smiled at him "Yes Natsu. We had sex last night."

As if earlier wasn't enough, she mentally hit him even harder.

How could this happen? Did he really betray Mira? Maybe what Erza gave him wasn't a sleeping potion, but an aphrodisiac or something? No, but he would have at least some memories of doing it with Erza last night.

Remembering Mira's angelic face, Natsu fell to the floor on his hands and knees still clad in his boxers, alerting Erza "Natsu?! What's wrong?"

What would he say to Mira? No, more importantly, can he even say it to her? How could he?

"Natsu, what's the matter? Are you okay?"

Erza snapped him out of his thoughts. Getting himself back, Natsu came to a realization. Why was Erza acting so fine with it? Why was she acting like this was a natural thing for them to do? Her reactions told him she didn't see this as a bad thing, or anything at all for that matter. It was like they just spent the night together as best friends or something. Why was she acting so nonchalant about this?

Remembering what she said earlier, "I thought that couples who had sex usually wake up right next to each other?" he realized something.

He gripped Erza's arms tightly like he did when he stopped her from kissing him. "Couple? What do you mean by couple? We're not a couple, Erza." He desperately clarified it, doing his best to make sense of the situation.

"I know. I'm happy that you're holding me so passionately, but could you soften your grip a little?"

Natsu ignored her and got even angrier. Why was she acting like this didn't concern her? Ever since she came to talk to him last night, she's been acting unusual. He didn't like this Erza. She was difficult to deal with.

"Tell me what really happened last night! After I blacked out because of your stupid potion, what happened next?"

"It's not a stupid potion, it's parf-" Erza was intentionally avoiding the topics she didn't want to breach. But Natsu already caught on to her since last night, so it wouldn't work on him this time.

"Stop saying useless shit already and just answer my question properly! What did we do last night?" Natsu didn't know he could act this angry towards his friend, especially someone he was as close with as Erza, but he had enough of this. He didn't know what she was playing at, but if she was serious about her confession last night, then there was no way in hell he would let her have her way and separate him from Mira. Seeing how she just lost it, he was prepared for anything else she might've done, or was about to do. He knew that something set her off when they talked last night, but he didn't want to believe she'd snap to this degree. But connecting the dots so far, he knew she wasn't acting like herself anymore. He wanted his friend, Erza, back.

"It's not good being this angry so early in the morning, you know? Actually, I'm surprised you were able to recover from Ichiya's parfum this fast. You've really gotten stronger, haven't you, Natsu?" Erza stroked his hair affectionately. Meanwhile, Natsu just stared at her in disbelief. He didn't know how to react. There was so many things wrong with what she just said. First, she diverts the question for the umpteenth time, and now she unceremoniously admitted that last night was real and she really did do all those things. Now, she was also acting like she was his mother or something. What the hell was happening to her?

He calmed himself down and softly held the hand that was stroking his head. Putting it down, he looked at her softly. Maybe going about this the aggressive way wasn't the right option. She probably already anticipated his reaction, and has already put up a wall against it. So he just had to break it down.

Even if he already knew that she most likely did something to him while he was asleep, he wanted to hear it from her own mouth. He didn't want to doubt her, but he wanted to make absolutely sure she was someone who deserved his hostility before he antagonized her. He wanted to believe in her.

Seeing Erza's bewildered expression on his sudden gentleness, he asked her again. This time, he hoped she would finally answer him properly.

"Erza, would you please tell me what happened last night? I just want to know. Please…just answer me properly." Erza knew the moment she executed her plan to get Natsu that she had to be strong enough to face the obstacles that came her way. She had to be strong enough to act shamelessly and aggressively. So of course she had to filter out whatever she felt was going to harm her chances of being with Natsu, even if she was hated by others, just as long as it wasn't Natsu.

She knew that answering him would most likely make him hate her, and while she is fully prepared for that, she wanted to avoid it for now. That's why she keeps on acting unusual. She wanted to use her blackmail material later on when she finds the perfect opportunity, but now her schedule's changed. Seeing how weak and sincere Natsu was being, she couldn't push through this time. He was her biggest weakness after all.

"All right, I'll tell you…" Seeing the smile on Natsu's face, she was encouraged to continue.

"I… I violated you in your sleep. I'm sorry, Natsu." She honestly confessed.

Natsu's eyes widened for a second, but his face was quickly replaced by a look of seriousness. So he was right.

Putting on the rest of his clothes, he walked out of the room.

"Where are you going?" Erza panicked when she saw him leaving.

"Anywhere but here with you. I can't stand being in the same room as you right now."

"Natsu…" Erza desperately tried to get him to stay, but when she heard how downcast he was being, she wavered.

"Leave us alone, you hear me? I'm willing to forget about what you did if you do the same. I still have to find a way to apologize to Mira. Even if it was all your fault, I was the one weak enough to be helpless to stop it."

"Natsu, wait! We're not yet done here."

"We are. It's not yet too late for you to back out now. I know you wouldn't do something as cruel as stealing your friend's man. Just forget about it, Erza."

"I'm sorry, okay? Please just give me a chance to explain myself."

"I already gave you enough chances for that. You'll just lead me around so I won't go anywhere. I may be stupid like everyone else thinks, but not when it comes to figuring out people. I'm not as dense as you guys think."

"…"

"You can use my bathroom if you want. Just make sure you're not here anymore when I come back home later." Seeing that Erza wasn't fighting back anymore, he made his intentions clearer.

"Natsu, wai-" Erza was cut short when Natsu shut his front door on her.

She fell on the floor on her legs. She was just wearing Natsu's blanket over her since she was in a rush to get him to stay.

"Goddamnit, Natsu." She cursed out loud, both sad and frustrated at the unfortunate (for her) turn of events.

Why couldn't he understand she was doing all this for him? Even if it was dirty and underhanded, doesn't he understand just how much she loves him? She doubts even Mira would have the guts to do what she's doing if their roles were reversed. She loved him so much she was bypassing the societal norm if it meant having him. No one has as much resolve and conviction as she does when it comes to Natsu. No one will understand her, but she didn't care. She only needed one person by her side, and the rest of the world can just stay in the background for her.

Maybe she jumped the gun too soon? Maybe her suddenness spooked Natsu? Hell, even she was surprised at the turn of events last night. But she couldn't back down now. Contrary to what Natsu said, it WAS already too late for her to turn back. She was going all the way. Just then, a dark thought entered her mind.

What if Natsu decides to marry Mira before Erza could begin her plan? It would be like being defeated already even before the game has begun. Maybe Natsu might become paranoid because of Erza's aggressiveness that he might seal the deal with Mira to make sure she (Erza) wouldn't try anything further between them. As villainous as she succumbed herself to be, she didn't know if she could intrude on a married couple's life. What if they have a child? Would she have the heart to take his/her father out of the picture?

She knew she was the one being paranoid (and she hoped she really just was), but she couldn't take her chances. She must make sure she becomes Natsu's before he ties the knot with Mira. Knowing how much he loves Mira, it was only a matter of time anyway.

It was time for the villainess to strike.

…

By the time Natsu arrived at the guild, Mira was already tending the bar. Spotting her pink-haired boyfriend entering, she waved over to him. They exchanged their morning greetings when Natsu approached her.

"Good morning, Natsu. You're up early today."

"I could say the same to you. We went home late last night, didn't we?" Natsu was doing his best to act like he usually does around Mira and forget what happened with him and Erza. But it was difficult because he was still fretting over what to tell her, or if he was gonna tell her at all.

"I'm gonna use the guild's showers. Mine broke down this morning." Natsu lied. He just didn't want her to know Erza was there.

"Oh? I hope you get it fixed soon. You're not the only one using it, if you know what I mean." Mira playfully teased.

"Haha, I'll get on it as soon as I get home." Natsu awkwardly responded. He still wasn't used to seeing Mira's bold playful side when they were still in the guild. They only became public less than a month ago after all. Granted, while he was the one who initiated their "personal exercise" below the guild a few days ago, he was confident at that time because no one else was there.

He headed to the guild's showers while Mira prepared his breakfast for him personally. It was an unspoken rule in the guild's kitchen that the only one who touches Natsu's food was Mira. In her mind, she was the only one allowed to make him food. That, and since she's been improving her cooking skills every day, she wanted Natsu to be the one personally benefitting from it.

…

Natsu was enjoying the scalding-hot water going down his body. He was cleaning himself up in the guild's showers, and he was also using this time to think of a way to gracefully tell Mira what Erza did to him. He knew he was being overdramatic because it wasn't even his fault, but he still felt guilty. He should never have invited Erza inside last night. It's not like he knew what she was planning, but he felt inadequate in the way he dealt with her. Couldn't he have resisted Ichiya's parfum more? If he stimulated himself by biting his tongue or something, he wouldn't have succumbed to its effects. He was so stupid.

Come to think of it, why did Erza suddenly break-up with Jellal yesterday? Did it have to be on Master Makarov's birthday? Did she even think of what Jellal must have felt when she broke his heart on a supposedly festive occasion?

Was she telling the truth? He knew the events earlier was already enough of an indication, but what spurred her on to act all of a sudden? As far as he knew, Erza never looked at him like that before last night (she did a good job of hiding it). In fact, he was the one who chased after her for a long time, only to give up knowing he didn't stand a chance. He has long since moved on, but he was shocked to find out she hasn't. So did she do that on-impulse last night? No, she wouldn't break up with Jellal in the first place if it wasn't for him. There was clearly no way she was using him as a rebound.

To Erza, sure, she felt that what she did with Jellal may have been a rash decision, but she didn't want to be trapped in a loveless relationship.

Sure, Jellal still had a small place in her heart, but the dominance of Natsu made her feel guilty that she was the one bringing Jellal down. She wanted the two of them to be in a relationship where the feelings are equally shared. She may have been able to compromise with dating Jellal back then, but her feelings for Natsu escalated so much lately she knew she couldn't hold it in anymore. Instead of bottling her feelings up and imploding one day, she decided to just let it out.

Now that he has a clear mind from the therapeutic effects of the shower, he was able to assess the situation more clearly. Erza's confession and her subsequent actions seemed tailor-made just for him. He felt her sincerity, that's why he had such a hard time turning her down in the first place. But he didn't want to believe it. He refused to believe the Erza he witnessed last night and earlier was the same Erza who always treated him as her younger brother.

She was one of, if not, the people he respected and admired the most. Sure, he was way stronger than her now, but her strength isn't what he most liked about her. He liked how she treated him with respect even if he was clearly beneath her back then. She never once got annoyed at him for trying too hard to prove himself as her equal, and always did her best to accept his challenges whenever she could. She was smart, a good leader, but most importantly for him, a great friend.

They had their fair share of moments after they got back from their 7-year sleep, but when he started his secret relationship with Mira, he never saw those times as anything surpassing the boundaries of friendship. He completely gave up on romance with the scarlet-haired knight and completely shut it out of his mind to protect himself from those painful feelings.

So why did a part of him feel somewhat satisfied when he heard Erza's confession? It was hard to tell because of the confusion last night and this morning, but now that he was giving it a proper thought, he realized that besides sadness, anger disappointment, he also felt a sense of happiness when heard all those things come out of Erza's mouth.

Why did a part of his heart ache when he said all those things to Erza and left her at his house earlier. There was simply no way he could still have lingering romantic feelings for her, right? Since that wasn't the case, why would he still be attracted to her in the first place? He had a beautiful, lovely woman and an even more wonderful person as his girlfriend, so why did his heart skip a beat for a split moment last night? He just didn't understand it.

Turning the knob of the shower to turn it off, he dried himself off and put on his clothes. He didn't talk with Erza when he left this morning because he was too angry, but he decided to set things straight with her first before he sets things right with Mira. Maybe he could convince Erza to go back to normal and ask her advice like he always does.

…

When he got back upstairs at the guild hall, he went over to Mira at the bar to eat the meal she prepared for him.

Continuing to think about all the things Erza said to him last night, he was droning out while eating.

Mira snapped a finger at his face to snap him awake, "Natsu. You don't have to force yourself to come here at the guild as early as I do every day. Look at you, you're still sleepy. Go back home or at least use the beds in the infirmary if you still want to rest."

Mira misunderstood the reason behind Natsu's dazed expression. While she loved the fact that he went out of his way for her every morning, and also loved how they could spend more time together, she wanted him to take care of himself first and foremost. It didn't rest easy on her mind knowing Natsu was pushing himself for her. Just his love was more than enough for her.

"I'm sorry, Mira. I'm just thinking about something."

"What's on your mind?" Mira asked. They had unbelievable chemistry with each other, so they always knew just what to say to each other. But this was one of those times Natsu wished Mira wouldn't prod him further. He loved their talks, but not about what he's thinking right now.

But seeing the expectant look on her face, he knew he couldn't keep her in the dark for long. He'll tell her what happened between him and Erza later, he was going to divert her attention or now.

"This is kinda hard to say." He rubbed the back of his head and looked away awkwardly. Mira found this expression of his deathly adorable.

"It's okay, you can talk to me. Didn't we promise each other that we wouldn't keep secrets anymore?"

Mira was right. If there was anyone he wanted to talk to the most in this world, it was her.

"Alright, I'll tell you. But this is embarrassing."

"I'm listening. There's no one you should be more comfortable with in this world than me and Happy, right? Don't be afraid to say what's on your mind." Mira encouraged him. Sometimes, he didn't know what he did to get a goddess like her all for himself. Was he a saint or something in his previous life?

"Okay then… erm… what do you like about me?" He shyly asked. Mira's eyes were wide. She didn't see that coming. Knowing how simple he was, she thought his problem would be along the lines of food or fighting. But if she was being honest, she liked this unexpected development.

Recovering from her stupor, she answered him as sincerely as she could, "To be honest, I like everything about you. I like how childish you are, but at the same time you can be mature. But only sometimes…" Mira teased.

A small tick mark appeared on Natsu's head.

"You never give up, and while you may not be the smartest tool in the shed, you do have your moments when you surprise everyone." Natsu looked at her intently. He liked the praise he was receiving from the most important person in the world to him.

"While I personally find the way you are cute, there are times when you can also be cool. You're so strong and respected already, yet you are humble and still act like the same goofball I fell in love with. You're selflessly kind to the point that even I want you to be selfish sometimes. And-"

"And-" Natsu repeated after her, wanting to hear what she was gonna say next. He wanted to hear more.

"Well, it's impossible for me to say everything. If I had a list for all the things I loved about you, it would take me days to finish it…" Natsu groaned in disappointment. Well, not that he had any right to complain. What she said was a great compliment.

"…How about you, Natsu?" Mira looked at him expectantly.

"How about…" Natsu urged her to explain to him exactly what she meant.

"It's your turn to tell me what you like about me, silly. Since I told you all those embarrassing things, it's only fair if you do it too."

Without hesitation, Natsu told her his answer, not noticing another person sit down near them at the bar.

"I'm the same too. I can't tell you everything I want right now because I also have too much to say." Mira was caught off-guard by his answer and blushed a little. It was painful for the single ones to watch this love-struck couple act around each other. The person sitting right next to them felt her vein pop.

"Natsu, you have to say something too. It's not fair" Mira sheepishly said. Natsu smirked at her playfully. She was usually the one teasing him, but he had his glory moments from time to time.

"Okay…then I like how pure and adorable you are. Usually, girls your age are always in a rush to act mature like everyone else, but you stick true to yourself unlike all the other beautiful women out there. I personally like how cute you are as well, the most, because it makes me look good whenever I'm with you. We're perfect for each other." He gave her a thumbs-up to show his approval.

"Oh Natsu…" Mira used her hands to hide her blushing cheeks, looking like she was in a daydreaming state. Natsu lightly chuckled at her cuteness.

"Mira, a slice of strawberry cheesecake and a glass of water, please" Erza interrupted their precious moment, losing her patience at their flirting.

Mira was woken up from her daydream and snapped back to reality. That's right! She still had her barmaid duties. She got so lost with her conversation with Natsu she was neglecting her other customers.

'Erza!' Natsu muttered in his mind, looking at her uncomfortably. His eyes widened for a split second. He thought he told her to stay away from him for now?

"I'm sorry, Erza. I was too busy talking to Natsu I didn't see you there. I'll get your order right away." Mira said sincerely. She wasn't saying it in a condescending tone, but since Erza's mind was in attack mode, that's how she perceived it. She unconsciously let out a low growl at the barmaid.

A question mark formed at the top of Mira's head, but she immediately brushed it off. It was probably just her imagination. Getting that out of her mind, she turned her attention towards Natsu, "Can you stay here until I get back? I want to talk with you some more. I enjoyed our little talk."

"Sure" Natsu instantly responded. His quick response made her uncomfortable.

"Are you really sure? You haven't been in a mission for quite some time because of the play, so I wouldn't want to keep you here if it's too much to ask."

"It's fine, Mira, I also want to talk with you some more. Sheesh, you were the one who asked me. Don't sweat it, okay?"

"Alright, thanks." Mira pecked Natsu on the lips, making Erza squirm uncomfortably in her seat. Not that they noticed.

After Mira left, the two of them were left to themselves. A palpable tension filled the atmosphere around them.

Since Happy and the others were busy talking amongst one another, there was no one to break the ice… So Erza decided to do it for them.

"Natsu, I don't appreciate the way you left me at your house earlier."

"…" Natsu stayed silent, completely ignoring her. He had one arm resting on the bar counter, while his other elbow were on top of the counter with his hand on his cheek. He had his eyes closed.

"I understand why you would be angry. Even I would, if I was the one in your place. But I want you to know that's just how much I love you."

"…" Natsu was now tapping his fingers against his cheeks. Erza knew he was irritated. But it didn't matter. Any reaction from him was good enough for her. The only reason he hasn't left yet is because he made a promise to Mira that he would still be here when she comes back. If he had realized that staying here meant he would be sitting right next to Erza, sooner, it was very tempting to refuse her. Of course he couldn't because just like he was Erza's weakness, Mira was his.

"I made a mistake, alright? I never should've kept you waiting that long for my answer. By the time I had decided that you were the one I loved, I was too late. I saw you and Mira that day you confessed your feelings, you know? I was just about to tell you I also loved you then." Seeing Natsu's reaction this time, she was glad he was taking her seriously now. His irritated look was replaced by curiosity. This encouraged her to continue.

"Look, I'm sorry, okay? I know what I did was wrong. Even I wasn't proud of my actions-" Natsu cut her off.

"Then why did you still do it anyway? I'm sure you, of all people, knew what would happen. You're so selfish!" Natsu couldn't stay silent anymore. But even at his harshness, she remained unflinching.

Natsu's loud outburst rattled the guild. Looking around him, he dragged Erza to a more private spot to continue their conversation. He was expecting to do this later much later once he's calmed down, but damn it, she knew just how to set him off.

"Can you guys tell Mira that I stepped out for a second to talk with Erza about a mission? Tell her I'll be back as soon as we're done talking." Natsu asked the drunken trio (Cana, Macao, and Wakaba) since they were the first ones in sight.

"You got it." Macao responded for them, looking just as bothered as his drinking buddies. Natsu's sudden outburst spooked everyone around them. Despite the poor excuse he just made, they all knew something else was going on. Hopefully, they can sort it out with their talk. As jolly and headstrong as everyone was, they didn't want the peace to be disrupted.

Everyone looked at him dragging Erza off, concerned about the two of them. Were they fighting? Everyone thought.

Once they were in a more secluded spot, Erza continued from where they left off.

"Look Natsu, I understand your feelings right now. I know how unsightly I'm being. But all I'm asking is for you to understand that I made a mistake. You're the one who always say that everyone deserves a second chance, right? Why am I the one exempted from that?"

"You know what I mean by that! Are you so desperate to have everything that you would lower yourself to this level? I said it earlier and I'll say it again. I used to respect you, Erza, but you've used it all up."

"What do you mean I want to have everything? Do I really give you that impression? All I'm asking for is you, Natsu. Why are you taking it this far to make me look so bad?"

"Because you were the one who broke my heart first!" Natsu shouted loudly. Thankfully, they were quite a distance away from everyone else, so he wasn't heard.

Erza looked at him in shock. What was he talking about? She may have taken too long to answer him back then, but she couldn't recall a moment where she explicitly rejected him. Even in his first confession back then, he swore to her he wouldn't give up. So what was he talking about?

Seeing she was too speechless to say anything, he continued for her.

"That day when we went training with everyone before the Games, I saw you kiss Jellal at the beach. That was the moment I realized I never even stood a chance. Even when I was the one who was always by your side, you still chose him even while knowing you couldn't be together back then. It was Mira who cheered me up and got me to move on. That's why I gave up on you. It pisses me off that now I'm finally happy with someone else, you want to take my happiness away from me again. Isn't breaking my heart once enough for you?" Natsu looked at her weakly.

Erza finally understood everything; the reason why he forgot their promise; the reason why he got closer to Mira all of a sudden two years ago, the reason why he didn't wait for her anymore; the reason why he was so cold and ignorant towards the little hints she threw his way; the reason why he gave his heart to another. It was all because of one stupid misunderstanding. The weight she's been carrying all this time, and it was because of that?

"Natsu, I never broke your heart." Erza boldly stated. He just looked at her, bewildered that she was able to say something like that so plainly after his heartfelt revelation just now. What did she just say?

"That day at the beach, we didn't kiss. Even though he was the one who stopped me, I'm glad he did. Even if it will change nothing now, as long as it helps clear up that misunderstanding, I'm happy enough."

"Forget it. Even if that's the case, just like you said, it will change nothing now. I'm sorry, but you were a little too late, so let's just forget this ever happened. I'll help you find someone else soon, just give me some time to calm down. Just give up on me already, okay?" Erza was speechless. So it really was hopeless. He really has moved on.

"Let's head back. Mira's probably waiting for us already." Despite everything that happened, he was still thinking about her. He really was a great guy. That was his greatest strength. He may not have been always the strongest, he was never the smartest, he wasn't the coolest and he was always the weak guy chasing the strong ones around, but when it comes to his heart, no one in this world was more forgiving than him.

Just as he turned around, Erza gripped his wrists and turned him around to face her again. He thought saying those things would spur her to drop it, but he unknowingly reignited the fire in her heart even more. He may have moved on, but she didn't.

To his surprise, she hugged him. "I could never give up on you, Natsu. You know that."

"Wait, Erza. What if someone see-" He tried breaking free from her hold, but just like last night, she was holding on to him with all her might. She had to if she wanted to restrain him. This wasn't the old Natsu she could just stop with a single blow. He was much stronger than her now.

"Then let them. It'll make it easier to steal you away." When he heard this, he knew the Erza who snapped was back. He put in more effort to release himself from her vice. Seeing that he was overpowering her already, she resorted to her secret weapon.

"Stop resisting if you don't want everyone to know what happened between us last night." Natsu stopped struggling. "I'll tell everyone we did it with each other's consent. That'll be sure to rile them up, especially Mira." She continued, emphasizing the last part in his ear.

"Bullshit! If you tell them, all you'll do is dig your own grave. I can tell them the truth that you were the one who raped me."

"But who will everyone believe? Me, the uptight and strict woman who always obeys the rules, or you, the reckless guy who always does things on impulse? Think about it more carefully, Natsu."

"I know they'll all believe me, because it's the truth."

"Not everyone gets justice in this world. Do you think they'll prefer the version of me, the annoying stand-up woman, raping you, the guy who always act on instinct? Or, do you think they'll like my version better, where you took advantage of my vulnerability from my recent break-up and mutual consent out of my drunkenness to fuck me like a dog in heat?" Natsu paled.

If he thought carefully about it, there was two ways this could go. He may sound like he's overthinking things, but only a self-obsessed idiot would rush in thinking he knew everything from the get-go. This was reality; it was not a movie, a book, nor a commercialized love story. Not everything goes the way one would expect. No one can predict the future.

First was he admits to everyone the truth, but everyone will have mixed feelings because he didn't have any proof Erza did it. In all the time since Erza first joined the guild, she's built an impenetrable rep of never slipping. Meanwhile, he was the type of guy who always played a prank on everyone and gave in to his impulses all the time without restraint. Everyone knew he was a man of instinct, even in battle. He always went with the flow, so what was stopping him from fucking Erza while she was weak and vulnerable? He was a healthy young man and she was a blossoming woman. Having principles could only go so far against man's natural instincts. Besides, they would probably think he was the type of guy who would do it with her out of pity. Then, there was a high possibility he would lose Mira because of this. They may have built an indomitable trust towards one another, but a woman's fragile heart was unpredictable. Something he knew firsthand from the way Erza snapped. He never thought she would be the type of person who would do this, so even if he had faith in Mira, what's stopping her from losing it as well?

Second, he tells everyone everything, but Erza quickly adds in her own version of events, and again, everyone will have mixed feelings about what happened. While he developed a good relationship with everyone, Erza did too. The guild members loved each other for who they are. Maybe Natsu edges Erza out in the popularity department a little, but that wasn't enough of a driving force to give him a considerable edge and credibility. Everyone would take sides between their stories, but knowing how devious Erza was being, she would probably do something to win the odds back in her favor. Natsu may not be as dumb as before, but he knew it was still early for him to take Erza on in a battle of wits. He couldn't rely on anyone because there were no witnesses present. Maybe Mira would take his side, but what then? She would live forever burdened by the fact that something may have happened between him and Erza. He didn't want Erza to sully the pure relationship he had with Mira. He knew this was stupid, but he loved Mira too much to make her carry that weight on her mind. Even if she didn't and eventually forgets about it, Erza would just find another way to create doubt in everyone's mind again, Mira included. He was afraid because he didn't know how far Erza would take it now. She wasn't the one he looked up to anymore, she was someone else already. He didn't know her anymore. Humans were unpredictable, and she more so than others. He had to stop her before she went further.

Seeing his reaction from over her shoulder, she let him go. She got him now. She didn't just think of this plan on a whim. Even if Natsu had something more to say, she already prepared all her responses in advance. Ever since she realized she loved him, she subconsciously chose and read books about love triangles. At first, she didn't understand how this could really hold itself as a strong leverage for blackmail, but the more she read about it and pondered on it, the more she understood and applied it to her situation with Natsu. She came up with all sorts of strategies to keep him in place and let him see how simply telling everyone the truth and hoping everything goes well for him was more foolish than he thought. It was more of a shot in the dark at first, but not anymore.

"Erza, please stop this. I'm begging you." He prostrated on the ground. Natsu didn't see any other choice but to tough it out and get over his pride. He knew this was pathetic, and there was a chance the things he thought of may not happen, but he couldn't take that risk. He didn't want to lose to Erza. He wanted to keep his relationship with Mira. As forgiving as the guild may be, none of their opinion of him mattered. Only Mira's did. And she was the one he was worried about.

"So now you're kind to me, huh? Well, if I'm being honest, I like this tone. Stand up and face me properly, Natsu. I don't want you to degrade yourself for me. It breaks my heart to see you like this." Natsu was doing his best to hold it in. He must keep his cool. Otherwise, everything might come crashing down.

He slowly stood up and faced her properly.

"Now, will you listen properly to what I have to say?" Erza didn't show any hint of mockery or condescension in her voice, but their reverse of positions hit Natsu like steel. He could only bite his tongue and grit his teeth for now. He had to hear her out.

"Yes, I will." Natsu answered like an obedient servant.

"Good. Now this is how things are going to be…" Natsu gulped.

"Since the peaceful approach doesn't work, I have to resort to a more forceful strategy. I want you to know that I don't enjoy doing this at all, and it also pains me to do this to the man I love. But I love you so much it's driving me crazy. So until I make you mine, our relationship will be… rather twisted."

"What do you mean?" Natsu was anxious to know what she had in store for him.

"Whenever I ask something of you, you will have to obey me. It's that simple."

"Really? That's it? So I'll basically just be your slave, huh? That's not so bad."

"Before you start relaxing and getting the wrong idea, I meant you have to do ANYTHING I say. Even if you don't like it, you have to do it." Erza emphasized the word 'anything'.

"What's the worst that could happen? Don't make a bigger deal out of this more than it has to be."

"But let's say… I ask you to please me, would you do it?" Erza smirked at him. It looks like he underestimated her. He thought this was just going to be like another one of their childish bets where the loser has to follow what the winner says for a specified amount of time. Except this time, there was no time limit. But of course, Erza wasn't really going to force him into doing anything too extreme. She just wanted to let him know that she held the power here, not him. She's already done something she wasn't very proud of, so she was going to win his heart more properly this time.

"That's bullshit! That would just make things worse!" He complained, immediately forgetting Erza's warning just now.

"And I just said you don't have the right to refuse me. You don't have a choice but to obey me, remember?" Natsu growled. He knew it was too good to be true.

"Damn you, Erza! You're really gonna do this, huh? Are you sure you're up for this?" Natsu desperately tried to persuade her one last time. It was worth a shot, right?

"Do you see me flinching, Natsu? I've never been more serious about anything in my life. I'm not like every other woman out there who rolls over simply because they think they've lost already. Don't forget who you're talking to… I'm Erza Scarlet! I never yield when I have a clear goal in mind."

"If only you can reserve all this energy on doing something good…" Natsu mumbled out silently. Unfortunately, Erza heard him.

"What was that? Are you sure you should be taking that tone with me, Natsu?" Seeing how Natsu ran out of retorts, Erza smirked victoriously this time. It looks like her plan was a massive success. Her plan to snatch Natsu finally begins as of now.

No more refusal, no more rejection, no more staying in the sidelines, and most importantly, no more putting up with things to pay for her mistakes. She may be the one at fault, but it doesn't mean she couldn't fix it. She no longer had to desperately convince herself to run away from her true feelings and create new ones. She didn't have to convince every part of her anymore that Jellal was the one she wanted because it was the most logical choice, not the guy she saw as nothing more than a friend for a long time.

She was the only one brave enough to do anything to get what she wanted, so she was going to make sure she got what she wanted, even if it kills her.

She was lucky enough to have Natsu before, now she just has to get him back again. No amount of damage and broken hearts would make her waver any longer.

She was not like any other decent person anymore. She was a woman obsessed with love, and she was going to get what she wanted the most.

She was going to make Natsu hers.

…

When they got back to the guild, everyone was relieved to see they weren't fighting. Erza said they just had a misunderstanding earlier, so Natsu overreacted, but they were able to settle things peacefully. Of course, Natsu had to play along with her so she wouldn't be exposed. Whether he liked it or not, he had to get used to dancing at the palm of her hands starting from now on.

Erza told him to stay with Mira at the bar like he promised her to so they wouldn't be too suspicious, and went off somewhere, saying "I have an idea to make you like me easier" before leaving.

"So what were you and Erza talking about?" Mira asked from her spot behind the bar while wiping glasses. While she wasn't out taking and giving everyone's orders because she wanted her precious time with her boyfriend, she was at least going to help the other barmaids out by cleaning the dirty utensils.

"It was just about a mission we were planning on taking after Gray gets back." He wasn't lying. They actually did plan on this. Erza told him it was a great excuse to get him away from Mira while they do their "private activities". Natsu had a reason to be scared of this and opposed her. When she told him how would he like it if Mira became suspicious of them so early on? He couldn't refuse her.

"Like a team reunion?" Mira excitedly asked.

"What do you mean, "reunion"? We may not be taking jobs together as much as we used to, but we're still a team." Just as Mira exaggeratedly said Team Natsu was the strongest team when Lucy was just starting out in the guild, she also overreacted in other things.

"So why are you guys taking a mission so soon after Gray gets back on his honeymoon? You need to give him some time to rest and settle down with Juvia."

"We were just thinking he might spend less time with us from now on since he's gonna be busy with married life. So, we'll take a mission together for old times' sake."

"Aww. That's so sweet of you, Natsu. It may not look like it because you guys are always fighting, but you do care for each other a lot." Mira teased.

"Erza came up with this idea with me!" Natsu defended himself.

"So you do admit that you also came up with it." Mira continued her teasing.

"Raargh!" Natsu ruffled his hair in annoyance, causing Mira to giggle. They always played around like this most of the time.

Natsu stopped ruffling his hair when his nose picked up someone's scent.

"Natsu?" Of course, this didn't go unnoticed by Mira.

Seeing Jellal sit on his table alone, Natsu decided to have a talk with him.

"Can I just go talk to Jellal for a moment?" Natsu pointed over at Jellal's table.

"Sure. Just make sure to come back as soon as you're done since you promised me you'll keep me company." Mira lightly said.

"Gotcha"

…

Walking through the bazaar, Erza was looking for something with a specific goal in mind. She stopped walking when someone spoke to her.

"Hello, my honey. Were you able to get your beauty sleep from the parfum I gave you?" Ichiya said from his stall. Some of the people from other guilds who visited were still in Magnolia to enjoy the unfamiliar city a little more.

Ichiya put up a stall to sell his parfums. When he wasn't busy with his theatrics at Blue Pegasus, he was busy doing it somewhere else. When Erza asked for his help because she had trouble sleeping, he came up with an idea. He had lots of other potions that could help people out, so while he was in a different city, he would spread his assistance as much as possible. He was one of the guys who believed this was first and foremost the duty of legal mages. Magic should be used for good, not evil. He was a good guy.

"Yes, I had a wonderful sleep last night. Thank you for that." Erza was referring to sleeping beside Natsu, but no one else had to know that.

"Anything for you." Ichiya's face sparkled.

"What are you doing here?" Erza curiously asked. Now that she thinks about it, Ichiya might just be the one who can help her out.

"I'm just here to help as many people as I can before I depart for Blue Pegasus."

"How admirable. But listen, I have another favor to ask you."

"Go on. I brought out more of my wonderful parfums this time, so don't hold back."

"Very well. I know this may sound weird, but do you have any potion that makes someone pure for the person they like?"

Ichiya looked bewildered. This was the first time he received such a request.

"Do you mean something like a love potion?" Ichiya clarified.

"Not quite. I'm talking about something that would make me the ideal person in someone's eyes. Do you have anything like that?"

"Hmmm…" Ichiya was browsing through his catalog. He was thinking of something that could match the description she was saying. He didn't want to let her down since she was the one asking for his help. He was also thinking about the oddity of her sudden request. Perhaps she was doing this for Jellal? But he didn't see any reason why she would need such a thing.

"It's okay if you don't have it. I was just curious. Thank you for your time." Erza tried leaving just as quickly as she did yesterday, which alerted Ichiya. He wanted to talk to her even if it was just for a few more minutes.

"Wait! I think I might have what you're looking for." Erza was just about to get up, but stopped in her tracks and sat back down.

Seeing her hopeful look, he presented the parfum he thought best fitted her description. It wasn't what she exactly asked for, but it was something.

Receiving it from him, Erza inspected it. The content of the vial was pink in color.

"I hope this helps you." Ichiya smiled at her with his signature pose.

"How do you use this?"

"Because of its special nature as a potion that directly manipulates a person, just sniffing it is not enough. It has to be ingested into your body directly for it to work."

"I see. Thanks again. I'll pay you back for this someday." Erza said, running off.

Ichiya held out his hand, still not done talking to her.

"Wait! I haven't told you about countering its effects yet. MEEEEENNNN!" He shouted, attracting the attention of the bystanders. Just like yesterday, Erza didn't give him a chance to finish talking to her again. More importantly, he had to warn her about using it recklessly. If she doesn't meet the conditions, she won't be able to shake off its effects and she'll be affected by it forever.

Erza didn't hear him because she was too busy thinking of what would happen when she uses it.

Before Erza entered the guild, she used it on herself. She wanted to surprise Natsu when she got in. But what came next went beyond her expectations.

Growing in a bright light, she felt herself changing.

…

"Yo, did you just get here?" Natsu greeted, sauntering his way over to his blue-haired guildmate. He wanted to see how Jellal was doing after his break-up with Erza.

"Good morning, Natsu. And yes, I arrived only a few minutes ago." Jellal was responding too casually like nothing was wrong it was freaking Natsu out.

"How are you doing today? Anything new happen with you lately?" Jellal found Natsu's unusual behavior weird, but he quickly realized he must be referring to Erza. Natsu wasn't the type of guy who usually asked how someone was doing, especially since it was him he was talking to. While they got closer compared to before since becoming guildmates, they weren't exactly close friends either. Their relationship was like the casual relationship Natsu had with everyone else in the guild.

"I'm guessing from the way you're asking that you already know about what happened between me and Erza." Jellal boldly said back. He was always a straight-to-the-point guy. It was a habit he picked up after all these years of being a fugitive.

"Y-yeah. Damn, you're sharp." Natsu couldn't help but stutter at his boldness. No use tiptoeing around him now that he's fine with the topic.

"Does anyone else know?" Jellal asked Natsu. He didn't like to be the center of attention, so he wanted to find the right time to get away from the guild for a mission or something.

"I'm not sure. But by the way everyone's acting, I think it's still just the three of us who knows right now. Do you want me to keep my mouth shut?"

"You don't really have to keep it a secret, it would be impossible to keep this a secret forever. But I also don't want it to be unnecessarily broadcast all over the guild. So, let's just let things work themselves out, alright?"

"You got it, so…"

"What is it?"

"I'm just wondering why you're so fine with this. Didn't you love Erza?" Natsu began the real talk. Since no one was listening in on them, and even if someone was, it wasn't like it was a secret. While he knew it was almost impossible for him to outsmart Erza now, he immediately began working on his own plan to get himself out of his situation, while Erza didn't make him do anything yet. This way, his sins won't pile up. He wasn't going to be her personal slave forever. He still had a life he wanted to have with Mira. He wasn't going to let Erza win.

"I did. But I believe that if you truly love someone, you would wish for their happiness the most. Even at the cost of your own…"

Natsu looked at Jellal worriedly.

"To be honest, I wasn't fine with it at first. When she broke up with me yesterday, I wasn't as calm as I was now. To be honest, I was feeling selfish because I desperately wanted to keep her all to myself. I didn't realize she was suffering all this time-"

"You're not the selfish one, she is." Natsu cut him off.

"Thank you for comforting me, Natsu, but trust me, she really was holding herself back all this time. You have no idea how lucky you are…" Jellal forced a fake smile. To be honest, now that he was directly in front of the man who stole the heart of the one he loved, he was taking it harder than he thought despite saying all those things.

"…Excuse me, but I have to meet up with the old members of Crime Sorciere now. Thank you for talking to me, Natsu, I really appreciate it." Jellal didn't give Natsu a chance to talk any further. He didn't know if he could hold himself back anymore.

Just as he stood up from the table to leave, they saw a bright light in front of the guild.

"What's that?" Elfman asked. Having an overwhelming bright light near the guild grounds became sort of a trauma for him when Sayla (Tartaros Arc) controlled him into blowing up the guild.

When the light dispersed, the guild doors slowly opened. When she entered, the guold stopped dead in its tracks.

"What the-!"

"Awww ~ she looks so cute!"

"She looks like Erza, doesn't she?"

Looking around for her target, she spotted Natsu, not noticing the equally flabbergasted Jellal standing on the side of the table.

She ran to him and sat on his lap, shocking everyone even more. Natsu gasped which made Erza smile brightly at him.

"Who are you?!" Natsu asked in a panick. Everyone's attention was on them now. And Mira was just over there at the bar. What would she think if she saw someone else sitting at his lap?

"Isn't it obvious? It's me," Natsu didn't know why this kid was acting too familiar with him, but she was giving a lot of people the wrong idea.

"I'm Erza!" She beamed. Not only did she look like it, she also acted like it.

Everyone stopped breathing when she said that. It was so silent in the guild it gave off an eerie vibe for the whole city of Magnolia.

"WHAT?!" Everyone shouted in unison, moments after.

"Erza?" Natsu looked at her in disbelief.

"How do you like me now, Natsu?"

Sorry for always sounding so hostile, but it's not my intention at all (up to you to believe it or not, but totally understandable if you don't because even I know how I sound). But I also personally believe being polite is not always a good thing. It hinders a person from getting something done sometimes. And I'm also sick and tired of not having anyone understand me. To be human is to be lonely, right? It's so tiring being like that since I live in a traditional family that strictly abides by our respectful culture. There were countless times when I wanted to refuse and say what was on my mind, but we're not allowed to. I've endured humiliation after humiliation for the past 20 years of my life to please my elders, and I'm honestly so tired of it. When I write here, it allows me to vent from this suppressed existence I have. This is like my outlet, you know? Sometimes, you just have to say "Fuck it" and say whatever's on your mind. As long as it doesn't hurt anyone, why not, right? As long as it keeps me out of therapy, I'll do anything. That's even more embarrassing for me. They'll probably think I'm more of a nutshell than I already am. Actually, I'm keeping this account a secret from everyone because I don't want them to intrude on my safe haven and find out about my embarrassing side. So…yeah, there you go. I'm not exactly the guy who you would want to be with in real life. I'm the guy you should avoid if you don't want to waste your time.

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