A/N: Small little note here. This is my first Fairy Tail piece and I would like to say a few things. One, Natza is easily my new otp. Two, apologies if any of the characters are OOC, bit difficult to get certain characters to act the right way on paper. And three is that this show is too good. Please enjoy.

Key If Needed:

"Attacks"

'Thoughts'

"Speech"

When she came to her senses, the first thing she noticed was the burning sensation all over her body, the migraine, from actual trauma or just recovering consciousness she didn't know, and the repugnant smell of ash and the choking sensation that came along with it. If it weren't for the ash and loud ringing in her ears, then she would have been able to hear off in the distance shouts of worry and urgency. Everything else wouldn't come to her because the only thing she could see was the person in front of her.

"Enjoy our little fight? Eh, Scarlet?" The figure above her said. Driving his foot into the destroyed remains of whatever armor she happened to be wearing and eliciting a loud cry of pain from the woman. Even though she could only see a faint glowing orange outline of the triumphant bastard on top of her, she knew exactly who it was and it broke her heart.

"N...Natsu...please..." Erza pleaded. He'd never called her by her last name before that she could remember. That really should have been the first warning.

In response to her pleas, the gleeful expression on Natsu's face turned into one of rage as his eyes practically glowed with his fury; driving his foot even harder into the battered remains of her chestpiece, causing her to scream out in pain again.

"'Natsu please!' You sound pathetic Scarlet! After all the times you've beaten me, hit me, attacked me, over the most trivial of bullshit, you expect me to just ignore it? I did for a while but I don't care anymore! I've enjoyed this far more than I should have. But I'm thinking that if the guild doesn't back me up then I might have to show them why they should." The livid dragon slayer spat out. The venom dripping from his words as he drove his foot into her destroyed body during his entire speech; leaving her screaming in agony the entire time.

"Man that sounds like it hurts. Easily four or five broken ribs." Natsu said, switching the tone in his voice almost instantly to one of mild boredom with a hint of curiosity. Almost like he hadn't obviously been the very person to give her those injuries.

The pain was unbearable, it wasn't the worst pain she had ever experienced, but it was easily the worst it had made her feel. A horrifying realization gripped her when her screams of torment refused to make him stop his devious ministrations for even a moment.

'He's going to kill me...Natsu is going to kill me...'Erza thought to herself, unable to stop the tears from streaming down her face or the screams that agonized her throat and made it hoarse.

After what seemed like an eternity, Natsu lifted his foot off of her chest. Giving her a moment of respite. But the pain still blocked out all her other senses and nearly made her lose consciousness again.

"I believe I'm done."

Three Days Prior

The day started out the same as every other day, a brawl. It was the only thing this guild did. Fight, party, get drunk, and repeat. Twenty four hours a day, but, on this rare occasion, the main instigators of the daily brawls were absent. Along with the enforcer that seemed to almost take pleasure in breaking up the more minor and petty squabbles because all three of them were on a mission together.

All though, the place was more destroyed. No one seemed to mind, even Makarov didn't care, but at a second glance it was obvious he was too smashed to care about the cost of repairing the most recent damage. He would later though, god knows how much he'll care later.

"We're back..." An exhausted and hungry Team Natsu droned out as they entered the guild hall. Causing a few people to begin whispering to each other.

"Why are they so tired?"

"That wasn't supposed to be a hard mission was it?"

"How long were they gone again?"

"Dude, look at Natsu's face."

A few comments like those were said around for a while until an exhausted dragon slayer just passed out on the floor. Knocking a table over on the way down, causing everyone to softly laugh to themselves at how fast and loud he began snoring.

"We're back master." The female mage droned out. The mission wearing every member of the team down.

"You three look quite tired. Anything in particular happen on this mission? Natsu looked like he's taken a bit of a beating." The master, Makarov, asked. The small, almost unnoticeable, blush on his face from his buzz.

While Titania explained the events of the mission to their master, one ice mage ordered the strongest beer and groaned with immense satisfaction of getting off of his feet as well as the soothing drink he was about to order more of.

"Gray, what happened to Natsu?" Asked a blond haired celestial wizard. Desperately trying to ignore the obvious affection a certain celestial spirit had for her, a sweatdrop appearing on her head as he became somewhat desperate.

The, now topless ice wizard paused, imagining the event again in his head and nearly choking on his drink in a fit of his own laughter. "He...haha...he accidentally..." Gray attempted to say, still trying to control the laughter and fighting back the tears in his eyes.

"Yes Gray, it is unmanly to keep secrets about your teammates." A much larger man beside him said.

"Yeah...I'm curiosh too." An extremely drunk brunette card mage slurred. Easily on the third or fourth barrel of hard liquor of the day.

"Okay! Okay." Gray began, taking a moment to calm the laughter before beginning again. "That...fucking idiot...accidentally kissed Erza and ate her cake in the same day." He couldn't control it any longer before breaking out into such of an immense fit of laughter that he fell out of his chair. Sounding more like he was choking in order to get the air back into his longs before spitting it back out again.

"Oh my god..." Everyone at the table had stopped everything, looking at the ice mage and then to Natsu, and then back to Gray before bursting out laughing themselves. The rest of the guildmates ignoring them as they had assumed Gray had simply told a joke since they had missed the conversation.

"How is he still alive!" Lucy bellowed out. Laughing with tears coming out of her eyes and pounding her fist on the table repeatedly.

"Waddya mean? I thought *hic* Erza liked Natsu..." The drunk slurred out again, finally passing out for the day.

Due to her immense misunderstanding to everything while drunk, Cana's comment was largely ignored and only added to the groups laughter.

What Erza had actually said that Cana was attempting to quote was "Natsu was easily her most treasured comrade."

But, unfortunately for Gray, Natsu must not have been as tired as he looked. Standing over the laughing ice mage with cold blooded fury in his eyes. A look only reserved for the most severe beatings.

"You told everyone!" The furious dragon slayer nearly yelled. His eyes covered with a red mist that screamed kill.

To his credit, Gray realized how angry Natsu actually was and how much he actually deserved the beating.

To bad he still decked him in the face so he could still say Natsu got lucky.

Enraged, Natsu slammed his fire enhanced fist into the mage's stomach causing him to double over before lifting him by his legs and shouting out his brand new move he made up on the spot.

"Secret Dragon Slayer Art: Powerbomb!"He yelled at the top of his lungs as he drove Gray viciously through the table and sending everyone's drinks flying.

Once the dust settled, an angry Natsu stood over a dazed Gray. Natsu was about to deliver the finishing blow before a punch landed across his face that had him doing pirouettes on the spot.

"That felt familiar..." He said before falling flat on his back, out cold.

Everyone became dead silent and immediately the table they were drinking at was fixed. Gray was still out cold himself underneath it when they realized who exactly had knocked Natsu out.

"You destroyed my cake again..." Erza the demon spat out. One of the drinks that was sent flying sitting comically on Erza's head. A quick glance would show that another one had landed unceremoniously on Erza's cake. Grabbing the unconscious mage by his hair and dragging him outside the guild where every member began cringing at the assumed remains, if there were any, that would walk in once Erza was through with him.

Several Hours Later

Around the time funeral arrangements were wrapping up, Erza strolled through the doors whistling a jaunty little tune to herself and sat down at the bar and immediately Mirajane, who had already prepared for this, placed a fresh slice of strawberry cheesecake in front of Erza, of which she began eating almost instantly.

Gray had moved to the bar a little while after Erza had dragged Natsu out of the guild unconscious and had already been filled in once he had awoken. His brain warned him to stay silent but his curiosity had gotten the better of him.

"So what did you do to flame face?" He asked, nursing the burn mark Natsu had recently given him.

'I'm going to freeze his balls off for that.' Gray thought to himself maliciously.

"The worst punishment I could think of." She stated firmly and simply. Munching away on her delicious snack while only a few crumbs bounced off of Heart Kreuz armor. Of which she caught and delicately popped them back into her mouth.

"So...what did you do?" It felt like she was dodging the question. But she wasn't telling him to stop the conversation yet.

"Walk outside and look to the left. I think you'll like this punishment, after all, he was fighting." She said, the corners of her mouth sticking up in bliss as the strawberry danced across her tongue. Before giving him a death glare that sent a chill up his spine.

"Don't think I won't forget your punishment either for telling what happened between Natsu and I." Erza said flatly. If that news spread that Natsu had gotten her first kiss, she would have Gray's balls on a pike.

Somewhere in a desert, Juvia had an overwhelming sense of dread fill her entire being.

"Yes sir..." Gray mumbled to himself, walking out of the guild with his head held low.

No one really noticed him leave, but everyone heard him shout in pure happiness.

"OH FUCK YES!"

"NOO! NOT YOU!"

"COME HERE YOU FIERY DOUCHE!"

Many heard the exchange of words, but what finally got everyone to come outside was magic being cast.

"Ice Make: Hammer!"

Once everyone was outside, an incredible sight was bestowed upon them.

Natsu was now part of the ground twitching in pain with a completely blank look on his face, signifying he was unconscious, with a sign next to him that read 'One jewel per strongest spell testing dummy. (Limit one per person.)

The best part was easily the absolute heaven on Gray's face as he felt the debris from his strike rain down on him as he stretched his arms out and basked in the afterglow of being able to freely hit Natsu as hard as he wanted. It felt beyond good, it was indescribable by words.

Everyone began their ritual of pointing and laughing at the situation he had gotten himself into by destroying Erza's cake.

"Way to take your punishment Natsu!" Many members of the guild yelled something along these lines.

But during the commotion, Erza had walked outside and simply stood next to the sign until everyone's attention was finally focused on her before she spoke.

"I'm beyond happy that you took up the offer Gray, but I must ask why you decided you could break my rules. It says clearly that you must place the money in the basket before striking Natsu. Which you haven't done." Erza stated, deliberately crossing her arms and adding false anger towards her teammate.

Gray bowed so deep and fast that his head bounced off of the ground. "Please forgive me Erza!" He began. "For bestowing upon me this great gift of nature I will pay you ten times the actual cost for my arrogance."

Erza paused to consider the offer before sighing dramatically. "I will accept your compromise."

Gray got up and gave her the ten jewels as formally as he could. But Erza stopped him with an offended look on her face. "This is not what we agreed upon. We agreed upon ten times the amount. Not this."

Gray was now very confused, as was the rest of the guild behind him. "But the cost is only one jewel right?"

"No it says clearly..." Erza began with a smirk on her face as turned around smacked the sign. causing parts off the sign to fall off and reveal the real price to strike Natsu.

"It costs one million jewel to hit Natsu, and you agreed to pay ten times that for your arrogance."

Everyone's faces went blank, but none went blanker than Gray's.

"T-T-T-Ten million j-j-jewels." Gray stuttered out, falling to the ground and staring up the demonically smiling Erza.

"Get to work."

Throughout the entire ordeal, Natsu could be seen with the smallest of 'fuck you' smiles on his face.

Midnight

Once midnight came around the only ones left at the guild were Natsu and Erza, and due to Natsu's punishment, would have to stand at the guild every day for a week holding that sign with the price reduced to one hundred thousand jewels. He had seven hundred thousand in the box next to him.

"Good night Natsu. Rest well if you can." She said with an all to innocent smile.

"Erza, can we talk?" Natsu's voice was dead serious. Something he only rarely did, so Erza decided to hear him out.

"I'm sorry about what happened during the mission." He began, unsure of where to start to make it up to the red haired mage.

Erza stopped and walked up next to him so they weren't so far apart while they spoke. "I'm very well aware of that. You made that perfectly clear all the way back and I hold no ill will towards the destruction of my cake."

"That's not what I mean and you know it." He countered immediately, he was a bit slow, but he had had all day to think about how he would apologize.

Despite saying she holds no ill will towards Natsu, it was clear from the change in her posture and tone that she did. "I do not wish to speak of this Natsu. Good night."

"Wait-" Natsu attempted to say before being cut off by an angry Erza.

"I said good night!" She turned to leave, but before she was out of earshot Natsu yelled.

"I'm sorry I stole your first kiss from Jellal!" Despite knowing nothing about love, he knew Erza loved the blue haired man. And he had felt horrible knowing that she couldn't share that with him.

His words had the desired effect, she stopped walking. But she gave him a terrifying glare before getting right up in his face.

"Fine. I accept your apology about kissing me by accident. I wasn't even mad that you did! I wanted to have my first kiss be special, I don't care who it was with. That's why I was upset with you on the way back, because you kept avoiding me." Why was she so angry that Natsu misunderstood their kiss? She meant to lightly correct him not tear his head off.

Despite his fear, Natsu didn't back down. "Then let me make it up to you. I hurt one of my comrades and that hurts me too. So please let me make it up to you!" He asked, nearly getting down and begging.

"You don't need to make it up to me Natsu. Calm down." Erza said, calming down and lifting her arms and placing them on the dragon slayer's shoulders in order to try and bottle up his excitement; she was unable to keep the small pleased smile off of her face at how committed he was with his apology though.

Natsu crossed his arms and pouted, refusing to budge on the topic until Erza sighed in resignation. "Fine, what do you want to do?"

Natsu beamed at her response before grabbing her hand and in a rush walking her off through Magnolia, leaving the woman flustered at his sudden boldness.

A short pleasant walk later, Natsu and Erza arrived in front of the bakery where Erza bought her cakes with a big stupid smile. "Since I've destroyed two cakes today, go nuts." He said, entering the store and placing his hands behind his head. Never dropping his smile once.

"I don't know what I was expecting." She mumbled to herself, smiling, before ordering some cakes to go and one slice for the wait. Once she had her slice, the two of them sat down at a table and began chatting as if the two of them had never left the guild.

"More straightforward than I had anticipated, but this is you I'm talking about so this will definitely do." She said before popping another mouthful of her favorite food in her mouth.

"Eh? I don't get it. What do you mean straightforward?" Natsu asked, scratching his head in confusion.

"Oh I just thought you'd go a little crazy since you wanted me to come along so bad. You always go after everything a little crazily. You should have just told me we were coming to get cake. I would have come immediately." Erza clarified, licking some of the frosting off of her finger before frowning at the stubborn frosting and sucking it off of her finger and grinning victoriously while inspecting the finger she just removed from her mouth.

He didn't know what she did, but he really liked it for some reason. "I'm not just taking you cake shopping. After this I want to show you something I found the other day but was too busy to tell you."

Ah, there it was. There was the rest of the night. Despite herself, she began feeling excited at spending a little more time with Natsu and his attempt at an apology. "And what would that be?"

Before he could answer, Erza's special order was ready and he left his seat to pay for them and carry them back to their table. He handed half of the stack to Erza before leaving the store; he didn't answer her earlier inquiry yet in order to keep it as a surprise.

The two walked in pleasant silence before Natsu stopped suddenly and looked around.

"Natsu? Why'd you stop?" Erza asked, brow furrowed in confusion.

"You didn't hear that? I...I have to go." Natsu said suddenly, handing her the cakes roughly before running off through the town.

"Natsu!" She called out, wanting to reach out and stop him but found herself nearly dropping the precious cakes in her hand.

He didn't respond and seconds later he was lost in the crowd. Leaving a confused and baffled Erza behind.

A/N: Done, there will be three or four chapters to this story. Three if I really get in the mood, four if not. Leave any questions or comments wherever and I hope you enjoyed.