Hey there!
So this is my first English post- hopefully not the last! - as well as my first Fairy Tail one; I just hope it won't be a double failure! :p
It might be a bit confusing since I hardly ever write in English or about something else then Fairy Tail, so forgive me if it isn't to your liking, but I do hope it will be.

Well, no need for the disclamer, we all know the characters all belong to Mashima.
On that note, I wish you a pleasant reading!

The girl with armor around her heart

It had not taken him long to make up his mind; Gray was soon running down that well known path. Not that he went there often, but it was where he first saw her crying… He slowed down after a while, too proud to come in such a rush. But he was worried… she hadn't gone down there in ages…

The ice mage put his hands in his pockets. How could he forget the day he saw the oh-so-brave, oh-so-strong Erza whom he had been dying to defeat, crying by the river bank? She who was so peculiar, the lonesome warrior, with her flaming hair and fierce stare…

She'd caught his attention from the start. No, the fact that she appeared in a bad shape wasn't what had intrigued him; that had happened often. But that girl, around their age, who could have so easily tried to fit in, try and make friends, like he had done upon his arrival, wouldn't even think of it. She'd just sit in a corner, all by herself; eyes lost somewhere else, never smiling.

He got angry at her. Why was she like that? What was she doing in Fairy Tail if she didn't want to have friends? She might as well go live on her own! He'd defied her. And she'd kicked his ass. It was from that day that she'd become an important part of his life. He was angrier now that she'd beat him, and that was a reason for him to get stronger so he could get back at her.

And it was one of those days, where he was going to challenge her for the umpteenth time that everything changed. Macao had told him she'd gone down this path, and he followed it. Yelling out for her, saying he was ready now… and that was when the girl, hugging her knees, turned her head to look at him. Tears falling from her eyes.

Everything changed. Everything. It was as if a bucket of cold water had been thrown on him – or in his case, boiling. He'd never thought that Erza could cry. Anyone else, but not Erza. Not that strong girl, not that antisocial person. But that's when he realized. The poor girl wasn't lonesome… she was lonely. She was lonely and probably hurt and afraid, though she'd never tell and he was too afraid to ask. But her whole attitude wasn't to be boastful and anti-social… she was protecting herself. She wore that armor to protect her heart.

That's when he started seeing Erza in a new light. He started respecting her. He stopped provoking her and tried to include her. He did his best to make her happy, so no more tears would fall from those dark eyes…

That's why Gray was walking down this path. Now that he knew the reason for her pain, and that it had been partially solved, he was definitely not letting her cry on her own again. He had promised himself he wouldn't. Even if Gérard still haunted her thoughts, even if he knew she still thought of him, he would not let her cry over it. At least, not alone.

Arriving at the riverbank, he stopped in shock. Of course, with these kinds of thoughts, he was not expecting to find her… bathing. Naked. He had no idea of what to do. He knew that it would be decent (and safer) to turn away and go back, but then again … he was indecent, and he liked the sense of risk. He was too hypnotized to move anyway. She had her back to him, so he could barely see the shape of her round breasts. She had water up to her thigh, and was gently passing her fingers through her long scarlet hair.

After a while, she stood up, pulling her hair over her shoulder, revealing her bare back and behind, and grabbed a towel that she'd left on a rock. The warrior wrapped herself around it, and then turned to look at her observer.

"Gray"

He gulped. What an idiot he was to not have run off the moment she got up! Now he'd have to face the consequences.

"What are you doing down here?" she asked calmly, stepping forward.

"I saw you come down" he admitted. "I thought you were crying again"

"Yet you saw that I wasn't" A whirl surrounded her as she equipped herself into her usual skirt… but had a shirt instead of an armor on. "But you decided to stay and stare"

"Why are you not wearing your armor?" he asked, trying to divert her attention.

"I don't need it around you"

"Oh…" he had a tiny smile. "It's nice to know you trust me"

"It's not that" she objected with a sideway smile. "It's just that you're too weak to cause me any harm"

Gray sighed. He realized it was a bit too much to expect a compliment from his nakama, especially after he'd been caught peeking. She was probably getting ready to make him pay for it. She was coming towards him after all. He got himself ready to fight - at least this might be the lucky day where he'd beat Eza! –but, against all odds, she put a hand against his cheek. Before he could say or do anything, she got on the tip of her toes and brushed his lips gently with hers.

Then, without a word, or anything to help the poor guy understand, she pulled away and walked past him and back up to the guild, the whirl surrounding her again as she got farther from him, covering her with the shiny armor. The ice boy just stood there for a long while.

xXx

"What's the matter with Gray-sama? Is Gray-sama upset with Lluvia?"

"No" Gray sighed, resting his forehead against his hand, his fingers in his wild hair. He had never noticed how annoying Lluvia actually was before Erza had kissed him. To be honest, he had never been so pensive either.

"Oi Gray!" A fist had just banged on the table in front of him. Natsu was frowning, one foot on the bench, staring at him. "I just remembered! I need to kick your ass for what you said!"

"What did I say?" he asked, rather annoyed by this other factor of disturbance. He didn't know what was worse; stalker Russian soldier Lluvia or the sexy and stupid Natsu he has banged a few times. Probably Lluvia.

"I don't remember! But it pissed me off! Let's fight!"

"I don't feel like it" he replied sharply, drinking his beer.

The pink haired boy's mouth hung open, and he stared at his nemesis/occasional lover for a while, before frowning and poking his head repeatedly. "Are you sick ? Or are you not Gray?"

"Just get lost Natsu" growled the ice boy, looking for a way to get rid of the brat "look, there's Gilderatz, why don't you go lose against him again?"

"Lose? I'll beat his ass, you'll see, and I'll become an S-class mage before you! GILDERATZ!"

Gray ignored the childish jibe; he had gotten the effect he wanted: Natsu was gone. He could let his eyes settle on Erza Scarlet again, who was chatting with Makarov by the counter. Why had she kissed him ? It had been more than two weeks ago, yet he couldn't take his mind off it. She'd kissed him, surprised him, to then act as if nothing had happened. She'd kissed him to then continue on with her life, doing jobs with him as if that day had never happened, scaring him and Natsu out of fighting as if everything was ok.

Well maybe everything was ok for her. But it definitely wasn't for him. He was confused, and trying not to let feelings arise just because of a simple kiss. The problem was that maybe those feelings had always been there, dormant – why else would he have cared so much for her, more than the others? – and that kiss, that gentleness he'd seen in her eyes after it, that trust she showed around him… had awaken them. She'd opened the chest inside him where the violent winds were kept, and now his mind and soul were ravaged by a tempest of unwanted feelings and confusion.

Gray ducked out of reflex; a chair had nearly hit him. The usual brawl had begun again, and for once he didn't feel like he wanted to take part in it. It was time to call it a night. He got up, stretching, and walked away before Lluvia could realize he was leaving. He dived from a lost punch just in time and finally made his way to the exit. And, as if fate was playing tricks on him, Erza was making her way out too.

"Going home?" he asked, trying to look as unconcerned as she was.

"I have a job early tomorrow morning" she replied, closing the guild door behind her. "Why aren't you destroying the guild with the others for once?"

"I don't feel like it"

She stared at him for a while. "Natsu did mention you were sick"

"I'm not sick!" he grumbled, putting his hands in his pockets. Maybe he should act more like himself before she realized her stupid kiss had any effect on him….

"Where are you going?" she asked after short silence. "Your house is that way"

"I'll walk you home" he answered with a shrug.

The warrior raised an eyebrow. "I can take care of myself"

"You can" he agreed. "But I've got nothing to do anyway"

She started at him for a while and nodded, in a "suit yourself" way. He couldn't help but notice how her flame-like hair flowed so swiftly with this movement, to then rest against her shiny armor. He looked in front of him again. He was starting to get ridiculous.

"Lluvia won't be very happy if she sees us" the redhead commented.

"I don't care, I'm not interested in her"

"You prefer Natsu" she teased with a smile.

"Stop with this nonsense!" he growled, trying not to blush. Even if their occasional affairs were kept secret, Erza's eyes seemed to see everything. He decided to say no more to not get himself in deeper, and only broke the silence again after a long while, changing the subject completely.

"Why did you do that?" he asked suddenly.

"Do what?" she looked up, as if snatched from some interesting reverie.

"Kiss me. That day by the river" he felt his cheeks redden, and definitely did not want to meet her gaze, but he needed to know her reaction. He kept his eyes on her, trying to seem as neutral as possible.

The corner of her mouth lifted up in a smile. He was sure it did. "To thank you"

He didn't know what else to say or ask, and truth be told, that answer didn't quite please him. He did hope, even without expecting it, for something more pleasing. But what was he thinking! As if Erza, Titania, could actually say something so stupid and so un-Erza-ish as "because I love you Gray" or "because I can't resist you". It was time for a reality check.

The rest of the walk went by in silence. Erza didn't feel the need to add anything, nor Gray the courage to ask anymore. He just walked by her, hating his urge to take her in his arms, to hear her say his name, to…

Seriously, what the fuck? Since when did he get so soppy? This was just ridiculous. And he knew why: if he knew he could have her, if he had no doubts about her feelings, he would be able to accept his own more freely, and would act with more assurance and less stupidity. Argh, how he hated the fact she hid everything behind that armor! Yes, that made her untouchable, but that would also leave those who were foolish enough to try to break in completely powerless.

"Well, I guess I should say thanks" They had finally gotten by the girls' dormitory gate, and the redhead had turned to face her nakama. "Goodnight"

That's when he lost control. Just as she was turning around, he grabbed her arm and pinned her against the side of the gate. It was now or never. He saw that her hand went by reflex to her sword, but it was his turn to shock her. He pressed her lips against hers.

Gray didn't feel like he was being sliced up, so he managed to pull away with a look of assurance. He kept her against the wall and had a hand by the side of her head, stroking her hair.

"Gray?..."

"Don't ask me what I'm doing" their faces were really close, and he was looking deeply into her eyes. "You started it"

She smiled, it was sure this time, and he kissed her again. She answered, putting a hand behind is head, fingers dug into his wild hair. He pressed himself against her, and that's when he noticed… there was no metal resistance. Just contact with fabric and soft flesh.

He pulled away and looked down at her simple shirt in confusion. "Your armor…"

"I told you, I don't need it around you" she answered. She was smiling with cheeky self-confidence.

He smirked, kissing her neck and wrapping his arms around her small waist, pulling her against him, before looking up. "Maybe you want at spend the night at my place…"

"What are you suggesting, Gray Fullbuster?" she asked dangerously.

He gulped. Her severity would really never change! "Just spend the night, I swear. No ulterior motives."

She looked at him for a while with her piercing gaze then broke into a sideways smile. She hooked her fingers in one of his belt holes. "At your own risk" she answered, before leading the way.

She was as surprised by her own attitude as Gray by his. Then again, she couldn't help but want to snatch this sexy body from Natsu and Lluvia's claws. The redhead had, after all, been watching him since he started caring for her. It had been so nice to have someone care for her again… and even if the armor around her heart had protected her for so long, this boy had managed to shatter it.

None of them knew what was going on. It was too sudden to be love, too strong to be a simple crush, and they were too young to understand. Nor did they really want to; they just gave themselves up to the pleasures of the night, to lust and passion, to temptation and intensity. Neither could possibly claim this would last forever, but they both knew it wouldn't end just then.

So, how was my first try at Fairy Tail ?

I really like this couple, ever since the Tower of Heaven Arc, but I find it really hard to write about them and develop it, due to both of the characters strong personalities... maybe one day I'll do better. Though, to be completely honest, I prefer the Natsu/Gray pairing :p

I really don't know when I'll write in english again, nor about fairy tail, but well, it's spontaneous I guess, I just hope I get these sudden inspirations more often!

If you've bothered reading this far, please leave a review? It doesn't cost you anything and it'll make the author happy :P

Thanks for reading! :D