If Only You Knew

Chapter Twenty Seven - The Midnight Dance

"DANCE?! WHADDYA MEAN THERE'S GONNA BE A DANCE?!" Gray and Erza screamed at Mira.

"Tonight, there will be a dance, and you two are the star couple, because you won the couples contest," Mira told them.

"MIRAAAAAAAA...YOU DID THIS ON PURPOSE YOU KNOW I DON'T DANCE WELL! I HAVE TOO MUCH SPIRIT!" Erza fumed.

"AND I DON'T DANCE...EVER!" said Gray, recalling his dance battle with Cancer and shivering.

Laxus came and towered over them, a dark aura surrounding him.

"Are you yelling at Mira?" he asked them.

"N-no, Laxus, sir, we just, uh, well, see, we..." they trailed off.

"That's what I thought," he said. "C'mon, Mira, we need to get our outfits for the dance."

Mira squealed with joy. OMG, she thought, Laxus cares about meeeeeeeeeee!!!! They left the guild, and Gray and Erza looked at each other.

"Well, should we, uh, pick out some stuff, too?" Gray hesitantly asked.

"Yeah, sure," Erza replied, blushing.

They went to a shopping mall and found a store that sold evening wear. Erza picked out a beautiful, strapless, black and blue evening gown with a slit up the side going just past her hip. Gray got a nice tuxedo with a tie matching the shade of blue on Erza's dress. Gray, being the courteous, love struck gentleman he was, paid for both. When they were all set, they returned to the guild, just in time for the dance.

Master Makarov announced all of the couples as they walked in. Gray and Erza were last. When they were finally called, there was a collective gasp that was audible throughout the entire guild hall. Even the Master was speechless. Everyone was, no doubt, looking at Erza's dress. Gray had struggled not to react when he had first seen her in it. She was stunning, and Gray had never seen anything more beautiful in his life. Her beauty drew him to her, even more than the crystal had, back in the demon realm. If Erza had been in the demon realm, Gray wouldn't have even been able to hear the crystal's voice in his head. The only thing he could process was that she looked like an angel, and that for this night, at least, she belonged to him.

"Erza," he whispered as the music started.

"Yes, Gray?" she replied.

"May I have this dance?"

"Do you even need to ask?"

Gray smiled and led her to the dance floor. They began to slow dance, Gray's hands resting on Erza's hips, her hands around his neck. They danced to song after song, and they were still dancing long after everyone else had grown tired. But they never stopped, and even if they were tired, they were too lost in each other to notice.

Happy flew next to them and said, "He loooooooooooooooooooooooooves her!"

"SHUT IT, CAT!" they both yelled, kicking Happy out of this guild hall.

Gray looked at Erza. He thought, now or never. I'll never be ready to ask her, but if I don't do it now, I never will.

"Erza, can I ask you something?" he said.

"Mmmhmm," was her muffled answer as she leaned her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes, wanting the moment to last forever.

Gray took a deep breath and asked, "If I asked you out on a date, what would you say? Hypothetically, of course."

Erza smiled, a full, real, genuine smile--the kind that made Gray's heart melt every time. The kind that had become all too rare as they had grown up. The kind Gray would have done anything to see

"Gray Fullbuster, are you asking me out on a date?"

Gray found himself smirking, though he had never been more nervous in his life.

"Maybe I am, maybe I'm not. It depends on your answer," he replied.

"Alright, then. If you were to ask me out on a date, then, hypothetically, of course, I would say absolutely."

Gray thought he would burst with joy.

"Well, then, Erza. Will you go on a date with me?" he asked.

"Absolutely," she said.

All of Fairy Tail, which had been listening the whole time, clapped and cheered and fawned over the new couple, saying it was the most romantic thing that had ever happened to their guild. Mira fainted, screaming happily about her OTP, and Laxus caught her, realizing he liked the white-haired matchmaker. Gray's success gave Natsu the courage to ask Lucy out--something he had wanted to do ever since she had joined Fairy Tail. She agreed. Gajeel was also successful with Levy, who blushed and squealed and thought she would die of excitement. Then, just when he thought nothing could go wrong, one man shattered Gray's world.

Jellal walked through the doors of Fairy Tail with roses and a box of chocolates, and he looked like he had traveled non-stop for days just to make it on time, which, in fact, he had done.

He walked up to Erza and handed her the gifts, saying, "Happy Valentines Day, Titania."