for hannah.

sorry it didn't really fit your quote, but i go where my muses go whoops.

maybe next time.

warning – angst, much like most of what i've written so far. also, i've tried my best to only write short drabbles so far, but this evidently didn't go so well here so i'm sorry for any ooc-ness.

"Gray," she says, settling herself on the bench next to him. "You're early."

"On the contrary, my dear Erza," he smirks at her, "you're the one who's late. Didn't we agree to meet at a quarter to two?"

"Damn it," she frowns. "No wonder I thought I'd forgotten something. Please, hit me for my careless mistake."

"I wouldn't dare to," he says, but his seemingly gallant words are accompanied by a nonchalant wave of his hand. Her brows furrow even further, and they might have adequately conveyed her displeasure if not for the growing smile on her face.

He grins at her.

"Shall we?" he asks, rising from his seat and offering her his hand.

"Yes, but since I paid for our last date, you're paying this time round." It's now her turn to smirk playfully at him, and so she does. "Come along now," she commands.

He sputters in mock outrage; something along the lines of "hey, you offered to pay that time!", but she takes his hand anyway. Her hand is warm in his as they make their way out of the park, and down to the familiar windy roads of Magnolia Town.

Their first stop is to the clothing boutique, as is their usual routine. He takes these opportunities to replace the clothes he's been unconsciously discarding, while she typically ambles around the store, scrutinising the short skirts, tight blouses, and frilly lingerie with an air of childlike curiosity.

Today is no different.

"Gray, do girls actually wear these?" she asks, holding up a barely-there bikini set with an expression of pure wonder on her face.

"H-how'd I know?" he splutters. "I'm not a girl! Ask Lucy, or Mira!"

"Fair point," she frowns, but then she stares at the swimwear more intently. "How do you think it'll look on me?"

He chooses that moment to pretend not to hear her.

"Hmm," she begins, as she critically scrutinises the boy in front of her, "Hmmmmmm…"

"What?" he says defensively, when he sees her eyeing his reflection in the mirror from behind him. "And don't just sneak up on me like that, it's creepy!"

"Not this shirt I think." She gestures to the grey T-shirt he's currently trying on, ignoring his sulky protest. "It's a little too dull. Here, try this instead."

With that, she shoves a maroon dress shirt she's procured from the one of the racks into his hands, and he scowls.

"I was going for the understated look," he says. "And a casual look."

He might think she doesn't hear the low mutter of "and besides, what do you know about fashion, anyway?" but in fact, she does, and she smiles slightly when he trots obediently back into the changing room nevertheless.

They go next to the armoury.

She's in her element here, and she flits about the metalwork with the agility and grace of her namesake; poring intently over the deadly daggers and knives, examining the armour with a keen and practiced eye, and debating with the shopkeeper over the durability of certain metals. He, on the other hand, leans against the counter, trying his best not to knock over any of the mannequins and displays, and trying even harder not to look as bored as he feels.

"Come, Gray," she commands. It's amusing to watch the ice-make mage squirm discreetly in his discomfort, but she's feeling sorry for him at this point. "I haven't gotten you a birthday gift yet. Pick a new chain."

"Huh?" He affects a languid tone, but his right hand unconsciously closes over his pendant. "I don't need a new necklace."

She sighs. "I know you don't, but I've noticed that the chain on your pendant's getting a little tarnished. Pick one," she waves at the display of chains, "and I'll buy it for you."

He falls silent for a moment, eyes scanning across the assortment of accessories laid out neatly on the table before them.

"S'fine," he finally says, and there's a tone of finality in his voice. "Don't need a new one."

"Fine, then. I shan't force you to do something you don't want to do."

"… Thanks."

"You're welcome."

"Whatcha looking at, Erza?"

Having paced about awkwardly around the shop and gawking at the wares more times than he thinks is appropriate, as judging by the shopkeeper's increasingly irate expression, he strolls up to the scarlet-haired girl, who is looking at the set of armour in the display window with an expression of intense concentration on her face.

"It's the new ice armour, the Ice Queen armour," she answers contemplatively, "I was wondering whether to add it to my inventory."

"Heh. If you wanna be the Ice Queen, do you need an Ice King?"

The look she gives him is positively chilling.

"Gray, if you don't stop it with your childish ice-related jokes I'll personally throw you out of the shop myself."

"Hey, admit it. Sub-zero Hero was a good name."

That had been a stupid move, he soon finds out, when she makes good her threat and chases him out of the armoury. Then again, he figures, they had been spending too much time in there, anyway.

Their little run takes them to stop number three, which is a little bakery situated at the far edge of the town. Flanked by a florist and a bookstore, it is a quaint little café which serves tea, cakes, and a veritable number of returning customers.

"So," she begins, as they sit themselves on spindly chairs outside the bistro, "I believe it's your turn to pay this time?" she finishes sweetly.

"Wha – no! You eat like a mon – I mean, you eat much more than I can afford!"

"You mean," she pouts in a poor imitation of one of Lucy's array of petulant expressions, "you'd rather a girl pay for the meal?"

"N-no," he stutters, and she can almost see the cogs whirring in his head. She grins inwardly to herself just as the waitress comes along, balancing an assortment of cakes and pastries precariously on a tray. "Fine, I'll pay," he relents.

"But only for this time!"

"Waiter! The bill, please!" she finally calls out, after consuming three too many slices of cakes that an average girl – no, person – should eat.

Heaving a sigh of resignation, he makes to take out his wallet, but not before she dumps a bag of jewels on the table.

He looks at her in surprise.

"Wasn't I gonna pay?"

She chuckles. "I was merely pulling your leg, Gray. You should've seen your dismayed expression!"

He might've gotten the short end of the stick, but he decides to let her have the last laugh, for her giggle is as rare as it is beautiful.

But, he tells himself, only for this time.

The sun's starting to set when they finally emerge from the bakery. Her arms are laden with her usual supply of cakes, and his shirt's mysteriously disappeared once again. Together, they stroll leisurely up to the crossroads just outside the town, and it is then when she puts down her day's haul.

"Thank you, Gray," she smiles at him. "For the lovely date."

"Hey, no worries Erza." His grin is equal parts boyish, equal parts roguish. "I enjoyed today too."

In an impulse move, she moves forward to hug him lightly. "Gray… You know that I love you, right?" she murmurs into his chest.

Smiling softly, he returns her hug. "Yeah. I love you, too."

She feels warm and strangely safe in his arms, and he feels warm and strangely safe in hers.

And so, they stay like that for a moment.

Just them, on the empty crossroads, with nothing for miles beyond the vast and endless expanse of grass and sky.

It is only when a cool breeze stirs up and the birds start their evening calls when she finally releases him from her grasp.

She smiles fondly at him, for one last time.

"You should go. Juvia's probably waiting for you, right?"

"Yeah, she is," he grins back, for one last time. "Take care, Erza."

"Take care, Gray."

hannah wanted angst, so who am i to deny her of angst?

p.s. if you must know, in my head this fic is set in the future when they're much older - which is why they're more relaxed and playful around each other and which is why gray's living with juvia (and erza presumably living with jellal too)

p.p.s. i was deliberately trying to leave most references to emotions out/vague and also trying to alternate between both their POVs so that their relationship status (and their own individual feelings as to that relationship status) can be left open to personal interpretation, but it resulted in a pretty disjointed fic and for that i apologise OTL