The air was stagnant, still from the lack of wind deep within the old ruin. In the dark, water dripping echoed through the caverns and twisting tunnels, magnified as the sound went on for ages. Deeper into the caves lurked creatures of all sorts; some human, some as far from human as one could imagine. So far, this ruin wasn't riddled with the most foul of beasts; deadra and the undead.
Levy shivered, huddled close to Jet and Droy as they waited. It was cold, and damp. She glanced up at the one torch they were allowed, keeping watch for unwelcome guests that would follow, though she had a suspicion that that wasn't really the reason the trio had been left behind. She huffed, watching her breath fog as she fought the urge to stand up and pace. She had to be patient. They all had to be, at least for now. At least long enough for the warriors to finish up clearing out the rest of the area so they could continue their mission.
Up ahead, Panther the Khajit led the way, followed closely by his companion, Gajeel Redfox (or known to the locals as Black Steel). They were, of course, the brawn of the group (despite the protests of the other two men next to her, the larger men definitely proved themselves multiple times to be stronger) while she and the others specialized in other talents. She was the brains, of course; her work in spellcraft and rune work made her well known in the magic guild. Droy was the alchemist expert in the group (when he wasn't busy sampling fresh ingredients or sweet rolls he'd snatch from unattended plates) and Jet was the sharp shooter, always keeping his bow out and quick on the draw when they needed it.
Technically, the trio would've been fine on this trip, yet Gajeel of all people insisted that he and Panther join them. She supposed he had reason enough, even though she couldn't afford their services this time. He'd merely waved it off, smirking that he didn't need payment if the trip was going to offer up potential loot for him to snag. So she shrugged it off, letting him and a rather amused Panther to join in.
In all honesty, she didn't mind them tagging along, especially if they weren't concerned about payment. Bigger party meant better odds of surviving anything, and she really did like surviving.
But she rather enjoyed being around them, especially Gajeel. She hadn't been sure why at first; he was gruff and incredibly grumpy when she first met him, letting Panther do all the talking so he could sulk at the table. She'd been put off, and even a little afraid of him; she'd heard stories of men like him doing whatever he liked, and could be as brutal as he wished.
But as time wore on, and as the little group continued to work together, he began to change a little. He opened up to her a bit, paying her a rare compliment or two over a complex spell she'd manage to whip together. Soon it was more than just compliments; it was morning greetings, casual queries that turned into an hour or two of her her talking about the lore of a certain spell, or why a certain word couldn't be used with another. Then, it was afternoons of talking herself tired, and she marveled at the end of the day over the fact that he never seemed bored, or even tired of hearing her speak. It wasn't something she'd ever gotten used to, even the other three tapped out (though Panther lasted a lot longer than the other two, bless his soul).
And as for him, well, he wasn't too much of a talker. He'd answer her questions, but she had to tease out more information with copious amounts of ale and food. She knew he'd grown up in the rough, ending up with a dark guild before reforming and joining Panther to do odd jobs as an adventurer. When asked why he didn't join the fighters guild, he'd merely shrugged, saying that he didn't think that they'd want such a stain on their reputation.
For some reason, her heart jumped, then shattered when she looked at him, considering his words. He wasn't as bad as he made himself out to be, and he'd long since left the name Black Steel behind him. Sure, he was gruff and grumpy, but the kindness he'd shown her was more than she'd ever come to expect from a sword for hire.
She wondered if she could consol him, but was interrupted when Jet stepped up, announcing another job for them. So, she let it go for the moment, hoping that one day, she could ease his burdens. His pride might be stung, but she was willing to be his ear if he needed it.
The job didn't go as well as they'd expected, and Levy thanked every deity that ever existed that Gajeel had come. They'd been ambushed by rogue mages, and she found herself suddenly dragged away from the others, cruel fingers tangling in her short blue locks and yanking hard. She'd shouted a spell, only to find it ineffective as a fist swung down and smashed across her mouth. Stunned, she could only whimper as she was dragged further away from the others, captive to who knows what.
Thankfully, the fight didn't last long and suddenly the hand gripping her let loose, dropping her harshly onto the stony ground. She'd barely yelped as sharp stones scraped her skin when Gajeel's furious roar echoed through the cave, shocking her and sending the mage tumbling away, dead. A moment passed, and Panther rushed past them to clear out the rest of the mages, tossing loud orders over his shoulders.
Another moment lasted in sudden stillness, and she finally sighed in relief, standing upright to shake the dirt off. She hissed as she brushed her fingers over fresh scratches, and suddenly he was in front of her, gently grasping her arm. He was slightly glowing, having taken a Nighteye potion, but it was enough for her to see the grim set to his brow, his jaw clenched tightly as he looked over her wounds. It was so unexpected of him to tend to her, let alone show a gentle side of him. She almost stepped back out of embarrassment, but was frozen to the spot when he reached up to softly swipe his large and calloused thumb over her lip. He tsked when it came away slick with fresh blood, and inexplicably, tears pooled up in her eyes.
She sniffed, gulping before nearly biting her lip. She couldn't understand what was wrong, she was incredibly happy and grateful that he'd saved her, so why the tears? But even her thoughts seemed to freeze when he slid his hand behind her neck and tugged her closer, gently asking if she was ok. Soon, she could feel the cool solidity of his steel armor, and a hiccup escaped as his other arm slid behind her, hugging her tightly.
A call from Droy ended the moment far too soon for her liking, but it stirred in her something that threatened to consume her. From then on, the memory plagued her in the worst of times, making her blush beet red when she was caught staring at the large man. Or worse, fuel the most delicious of fantasies when she lie awake at night, listening to him snore from across the fire or room. During those times, she could help but revel in how strong he was, how brave he'd been. Of course, he was a warrior, he had to be in those kinds of situations.
She began to wonder if it wasn't something more to it, cause most warrior wouldn't comfort their companions like that unless they were lovers.
Lovers.
How many nights had she snorted at that, heat bubbling up over her entire body as she shook her head in denial. There's no way, she'd reason to herself. No way that a man such as him could think of her as such. A more reasonable part of her argued that he did listen to her more than the others, and he did things for her that surprised even Panther, his long time companion. so , if there was just the slightest hope that perhaps, just maybe, he might even love her…
She sighed, losing herself to the thought for the hundredth time. Even the others were beginning to notice the poor little mage's internal battles, though they seemed to be having more fun poking fun at her than concerned. They teased that Gajeel must be a work of art for her to be so fascinated by him, appaling her greatly even if they were right.
He certainly was something to behold. He was ruggedly handsome, a bit rough around the edges and dark, almost an enigma when he wasn't loudly singing at the tavern or drunkenly teasing Jet or Droy. It was amazing how far he'd come since their first meeting, she mused, and laughed till her sides hurt from their antics.
One morning she'd come across him sparing with Panther, and a new feeling lodged itself deep within her, causing her heart to race. She'd never seen him without his armor, or his shirt, and his proud stance towards the Khajiit nearly had her swooning. Unable to tear her eyes away from his sweat soaked skin, she gulped nervously as she recalled that day in the cave and wondered what it'd be like if he did it again. This time, however, he might lean a bit closer to her, and maybe brush his lips over hers, stealing her breath in a heartbeat. And perhaps, pull her a bit closer as she melt against him, her fingers grasping his long hair for support. Idly, she wondered if he'd taste like salt and sweat mixed with spice, suddenly shaking herself out of her stupor in shame and racing back the inn.
She almost didn't want to face him, embarrassed at having such thoughts about him. Yet, she couldn't help it, and duty called, so she had to. Of course, she was beet red the entire time, and she had to endure another round of teasing from the others as he blithely ignored it. At least, he seemed to. She couldn't tell sometimes, but maybe it was the darkness of the tavern playing tricks on her eyes; his own eyes never seemed to leave hers, even when others were talking to him.
He even leaned closer to her sometimes, startling her and sending her heart racing. She'd mutter and mumble then, all but fumbling her fingers bashfully like a shy child. But he'd nod and carry on, grinning a slow yet warm smile at her. Oh, if only he knew what he'd done to her!
Going on missions had become different as well now. Well, to be more accurate, they were mostly the same (go get an object, figure out a mystery, kill some bad folk, ect) yet, it felt different.
It felt… safer.
He was by her side most of the time, much to the amusement of Panther and the others. She felt personally protected, even though there had been enough protection from the others, and she was more than capable of taking care of herself for the most part. It was silly for sure, but she couldn't help the little thrill of excitement whenever he stepped closer, sometimes brushing her hand or arm. Oh, how she wanted to reach out and lace her fingers with his, connecting the two for just a second.
Today, she'd been stunned when he pulled her back, not too far away from the others, but enough to give them a little privacy. She didn't have a chance to be curious; he was wrapping his arm around her shoulders and squeezing her gently, his eyes glancing over to see how she'd react. Complete surprise turned to happiness, and she let loose a bright smile and soft giggle, wrapping her own arm around the small of his back.
If this was the reason why he tagged along, then she couldn't help but wonder what else today had in store for her!