Rogue was walking through Magnolia city with Frosch on his shoulder. "Where are we going to stay?" He asked.
Rouge looked up to the darkening sky. "Not sure, but may need to find something soon." Rouge didn't say anything else. He just stayed in his own thoughts. He wondered about a decent hotel, how Sting was back at the Sabertooth guild hall and a constant nagging feeling that there was something important in Magnolia that he was supposed to remember. He took a deep breath savouring the sweet night air when he felt his body collide with something solid. The force knocked him to the ground when a leather bound book plummeted against his head. He scrunched his eyes shut and clutched his head. Rouge was about to yell at whoever banged into him but a feminine voice soon asked if he was okay.
He opened one eye to see a small bluenette girl on her knees in front of him. Her short hair set around her shoulders in soft curls and her brown eyes showed only concern. She shuffled forward and reached out to his head. "I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have brought so many books. Everyone says that I'm going to die drowning in books one day." She touched a strand of his fringe before Rouge flinched and pulled his head back. "I didn't mean to startle you. I just wanted to check your head." Rouge reluctantly tilted his head down while the girl pulled herself up on her knees and pushed around his hair. "There's a lump but there's no blood, thank goodness." Rouge watched the girl's dainty chest fall as she relaxed. He quickly turned his head as not to stare but came face to face with Frosch. He smiled at him leaving Rouge unsure what he should be thinking. He watched the bluenette girl pull back and started collecting the books around her. He picked up a couple around himself and helped Frosch with the one he was dragging back. "Are you a dragon slayer?"
Rouge looked towards her shocked. "Yeah I am. What makes you say that?"
"Your cute little exceed."
"I'm Frosch! And this is Rouge." He exclaimed.
"I'm Levy. It's nice to meet you."
Rouge watched Levy stand and dust off her orange dress. He noticed a small blood mark on her knew. He took out a clean handkerchief and approached Levy. She let out a small exclamation as he tied the handkerchief to her knee. "You were bleeding." Rouge stood up and handed her a small pile of books.
"Thanks." Levy muttered, cheeks dusted pink. Which she was unsure if it was the sun or her embarrassment. She rapidly denied anything else and prayed that Rouge didn't notice. He didn't he was too busy standing and sorting himself out.
"And where to now Rogue? Fro still needs a place to sleep." Frosch asked as he flew up to Rogue's shoulder.
"Um." Levy started. "There is a nice hotel called The Flowering Inn half a block that way." Levy pointed past Rouge to the corner on his left.
"Ah thanks." Rogue gave her a nod before turning to leave.
"No problem. But ah, have we meet before? I seem to remember you but I can't seem to place it."
Rouge shrugged. "I don't live in Magnolia. I'm just here on a job. Beside I think I would remember someone like you."
"I suppose so." He listened to her footsteps behind him as she walked away. Wondering why he wanted to watch her walk. But he kept heading towards the corner, suddenly he heard a masculine voice ask if someone need help. It didn't concern him until he heard Levy's voice answer. Rouge turned to watch a small black cat change into a large human form and take a pile of books off Levy. 'I recognize that cat, but where?' His eyes widened as the cat turned showing his guild mark proudly. "Fairy tail." He whispered, turning sharply and held a fast pace all the way to the inn Levy suggested.
"Whoa Rouge! So fast!" Frosch complained while gripping tightly on to his black cape. Rouge didn't slow down until he was inside the inn and asked the owner for a room for the night. He entered his room and took a deep breath. Frosch leapt from his shoulder and landed on the double bed. Rouge deeply sighed and face planted himself down onto the bed next to his exceed.
"Are you okay Rouge?"
"I don't know Frosch. I'm not sure what I'm feeling."
Frosch shuffled over and sat by Rouge's head. "Well Frosch thinks Fairy Tail is nice." Rouge kept his face buried into the dark red cotton duvet. "Fro thinks that Levy is pretty." Rouge's face bolted up to glance at Frosch in shock before sighing deeply and relaxing against the sheets.
Levy wiggled herself down under the blankets with one of her new books and sighted happily. She was a couple of pages into her new adventure book when her eyes caught sight of a bloodstained handkerchief on her bedside table. Her mind wandered back to her mysterious dark haired guy. She felt herself sigh and gasped wondering why she did that. She shook her head, curls bouncing around to get the thought out of her mind. Yet every time she started back on her book her mind drifted back to Rouge gently tying his handkerchief to her leg. Once again she felt the temperature in her cheeks rise. "Oh this is ridiculous!" She exclaimed, slamming the covers back. She pulled herself from her bed and took the handkerchief into the laundry.
Frosch rubbed his eyes sleepily and blinked expecting to see Rouge asleep next to him but he wasn't. Frosch gasped and his lip quivered. Tears started to form in his eyes. The door opened and Rouge entered. "Where did you go, Fro was worried!" The exceed exclaimed unable to hold the tears back. Rouge allowed Frosch to fly into his arms.
"Sorry Frosch. I thought I would get back before you woke. I didn't mean to scare you." Rouge gently stroked the back of his head to calm him down.
"Where did you go?"
"I couldn't sleep so I went and handled those bandits."
"All by yourself!" Rouge shrugged, it wasn't a big deal for him. "Sting isn't expecting us back til tomorrow night. Now what?"
Rouge's eyes drifted out towards to the window. "We might as well look around."
Frosch smirked thinking exactly what Rouge had planned but didn't say anything for in case he yelled at him. "Okay Fro will explore!" He climbed up to Rouge's shoulder before Rouge turned to leave.
Levy sat at the guild hall at the bar with a drink I one hand and a book under her nose. Mira had been watching her read a couple of pages but flick back a few with a puzzled scowl. The drink in her hand remained hovering untouched just above the bar. "Is everything alright Levy?" Mira questioned.
Levy sighed and placed the drink down to cover her face with her hands. "I don't know Mira. My mind doesn't seem to be into it today."
"You? Not in the mood for books! That's a first." Lucy added from Levy's left.
Levy found herself glancing at Lucy at Lucy but her eyes drifted to Gajeel sitting at a table with Panther Lily just over her best friend's shoulder.
"Oh." Mira exclaimed.
Levy rapidly looked back to Mira and waved her hands in front of her face. "It's not what you think. I just met someone last night." Levy then told Mira and Lucy about the guy she met and about his handkerchief for her knee. She left out his name and the fact that he had an exceed but most of the story was the truth. "I'm just wondering if I'll see him again to hand it back." She didn't mention that she placed it in her pocket this morning and had it on her all day. Levy glanced back to Gajeel. 'Would he notice me if I had someone else?' She pondered. Followed by wondering why she had a thing for dark, mysterious guys.
"Sounds so cute Lev!" Exclaimed Lucy. "What else do you know about him? Did you catch his name?"
Something in the back of her mind told her not to say his name so she just shook her head. "I just directed him to The Flowering Inn and left for home."
"Well you should go there and see him." Lucy said resolved.
"Oh no Lu. I couldn't I-" Before Levy could finish Lucy grabbed her wrist and pulled her across the guild floor. They were nearing the door when Natsu and Grey came over and asked what Lucy was up to. Levy jumped to cover Lucy's mouth before she could explain anything. "It's nothing." She giggled. "I have to go." Levy raced out the guild hall leaving Natsu and Grey behind confused about what happened. She slowed down when she reached the tree in the centre of town. Levy sighed and lent her back against the back. She closed her eyes towards the sun and relaxed her pounding heart.
"So you're not racing off to the inn?"
Levy's eyes flew open to see Gajeel standing in front of her with his arms crossed.
"How did you-"
Gajeel tapped at the base of his ears. "I heard you talking to Lucy and Mira, shorty."
She pouted and pulled away from the tree. "I didn't think it was any business if yours what I did." She started to walk further into Magnolia. Gajeel followed her, easily matching her rushed pace. He looked at her angry, pouting face and tried not to laugh at how cute she looked. After a short walk Gajeel asked where she was heading. "To the bookstore. It makes me happy." She snapped.
"Lily told me about last night. He said he didn't see the guy."
"There wasn't anything to see. We just talked."
"And tried to beat him into submission with books." Levy huffed out her cheeks at Gajeel.
"Gihi." He laughed. Levy stamped her feet as she wandered along the concrete.
Rouge spotted the bluenette girl not far from the bookstore they meet. He was considering talking to her until he noticed Gajeel by her side. He turned to leave but his dragon hearing aloud him to hear the conversation. "You still have the handkerchief."
"Why?"
"Can I see it?"
"I suppose." Rouge watched her pull it out of her pocket and passed it over to Gajeel. Rouge watched Gajeel snatch it out of her dainty hand and exhaled it. "Wait what are you doing?"
He handed it back to her. "I can't smell anyone on it but you."
"I should think so. I washed it." Rouge watched her clutch his handkerchief tightly before placing it in her pocket.
"Why did you wash it?"
"Because I'm not giving it back covered with my blood." She stated.
"So is that why you have been holding onto since you saw him?" Gajeel asked not looking at Levy.
"I just want to give it back that's all." Rouge's eyes widened as he watched her look shyly down at the concrete.
"Are you not going to talk to her?" Frosch asked.
"No. We need to head home." Rouge turned in his heels and left the area.
"Are we taking the train back?" Rouge shuddered. "Ah no. We'll walk."