Gray & Scarlet

Chapter 45: After

GRAY'S POV

I was lying on the bed with Erza in my arms.

I was satisfied for the meantime, but I still wanted more of her. Erza admitted that she was a little bit relieved that we should take a break for now.

She was on her side, her slender fingers tracing the guild mark on my chest as she hummed happily.

The touch of her skin on mine is the most comfortable that I have ever been.

"Can't sleep?" I asked Erza

"I can't sleep with you running in my mind." Erza looked at me

"God... I can't believe I have you." I kissed her forehead

She let out a giggle

"Well... you better believe it's real. I'm yours" She poked at me

"What I can't believe is, that we've come this far" She added

"What do you mean by that?" I asked

"We've known each other for 8 years. Did you ever think that we'd end up together?" She asked

"Technically it's 15 years. Honestly... I didn't like you at first, I only saw you as a friend when I found you crying alone when we were kids. I did't start liking you until I was 14" I admitted

I felt ashamed of myself now... the way that I acted to her back then. I thought back then that she could never truly be a part of Fairy Tail because of her awkwardness. How I hate my younger self.

"Yeah... I thought you were annoying at first. You kept challenging me, even though you lost every time. You didn't know when to give up" She admitted

"Sorry about that... I was cocky back then." I apologized

"So... what did you like about me? Let me guess... is it the color of my hair?" She asked out of curiosity

"No... It was your smile actually. When I saw you that day... I never knew that a girl like you could smile like that" I said

"As we got more friendlier, I found myself admiring you. I found myself captivated by your strength and devotion to the guild" I said

I looked at Erza to see that she was blushing.

From the point that I started liking her, I started being conscious of her. But my friendship with her held me back. I didn't want to ruin that friendship. I was inching my way to courting her back then. That is until She was kidnapped and taken into the tower of heaven. Before she was kidnapped, I was the only one that knew of Erza's past as she knew mine. The only detail she left out was Jellal.

When we stopped Oracion Seis and Jellal got taken by the rune knights. I found her crying by herself again... it was then I knew there was already someone who has taken her heart. I backed away from liking her, knowing that I live up to that guy. We were still friends, but I still liked her. Of course she didn't know that. I started forcing myself to like Juvia, but I got my work cut out for me. Seeing as Juvia already liked me. But I felt her love was more of a repaying a debt rather than actual love. If Erza didn't kiss me for the first time that one night. I would have asked Juvia out when she was more stable and levelheaded.

"Can I ask you something, Erza?" I asked

"What is it?" She asked back

"Why did you kiss me? I'm just curious... that kiss was probably the most pivotal point in our relationship" I said

"It's a bit late to be asking that question, but I suppose you should know" She said