Author's note: I've had this story for awhile and decided to publish it. First time writing romance, so hopefully I do their relationship justice! Compliments and critiques are welcome, they're inspiring really! Rated M for future lemons.

As the afternoon sun shone over the town of Summera, Levy McGarden and her two teammates, Jet and Droy, walked through the town enjoying the last bit of the sun's rays. The team walked toward the mayor's office, in full anticipation of their 50,000 reward from their recent mission they just received the night before. The job had consisted of capturing a notorious jewel thief by the name of Malkolm Rutger. They were tracking the criminal all morning, until they found him attempting to steal at the Summera Local Bank. Rutger turned out to be a wizard that had the power of walking through walls, giving the team a pretty tough time catching him. But with the help of Levy's script magic, she was able to "solidify" and "freeze" Rutger with the simple flick of her wrist. Jet and Droy were pretty much useless afterwards but offered to tie him up and take him to the jailhouse.

"That guy sure was a tricky one!" said Droy. "Who knew a wizard could walk through solid steel walls, seriously?"

Jet nodded in agreement. "Yeah, but thanks to our Levy, we managed to take him down no problem!"

Levy let out a laugh. "We did well! Now time for our reward, I need to pay rent for Fairy Hills ASAP!

The threesome finally reached the mayor's office. Through the hallway, they came to his secretary, a flighty woman with frazzled red hair and sparkly cat eye glasses. Levy remembered the first time that she saw her, she reminded her of a frizzy cat. Her desk was filled with papers that reached almost as high as Levy did.

The secretary looked up from her desk, recognizing the three from earlier that day, and waved them into the mayor's office. The team walked in, seeing the mayor of Summera, Mayor Snille. He was a portly man, with a greasy comb over and a big curly mustache. Upon seeing their arrival, he held up one finger, while finishing his conversation on the lacrima crystal.

"Yes they just arrived in my office. I can ensure that Rutger is secured? Very well then, thank you". He shut down the lacrima crystal and turned his attention toward the group. "That was the royal guard, says you roughed Rutger up pretty bad. Well, can't complain there he is wanted after all. Now as for your reward, we will have it wired into the Fairy Tail bank account within the hour. Give Master Makarov my regards and thanks for not destroying the town."

Levy sweat dropped, knowing Fairy Tail's destructive reputation.

"Ehehe, it wasn't a problem at all. The Master appreciates doing business with you." With that Team Shadowgear exited the building and made their way to the train station. Once they arrived, they saw that the place was packed, causing Levy to almost lose sight of her friends.

"Get your tickets out! I need to see your tickets before you board the train!" yelled the conductor. Levy quickly looked through her bag trying to find her train ticket.

Let's see chapstick, reading glasses, my books on cat burglary, ugh where did I put my ticket…? A sinking feeling grew in the pit of Levy's stomach.

"Guys, I think I lost my ticket, I can't find it anywhere!"

Jet and Droy turned around to see Levy, hopelessly looking through her purse.

"Hey, it's no problem Levy, we'll just buy another one," said Jet. "I'll go to the ticket station right now." Jet sped off to the other side of the station and came back within seconds.

"Sorry Levy, looks like they're all sold out for the 2:00 train. All they have are ones for 3:15. Look, take Droy's ticket and he'll catch the next one."

Droy looked at Jet incredulously. "Are you serious? Why don't you catch the next train, I'll escort Levy home!"The two butted heads, arguing over who should give up their ticket. Levy sighed and shook her head. These two could get so annoying sometimes; it was really frustrating how they felt the need to protect her every five seconds.

"Listen guys, I'll just take the next train, that way none of you have to get up your tickets. It's my fault I lost mine in the first place."

Droy shook his head. "No way, you need someone to take you home, we can't just leave you by yourself, you might get kidnapped or something!"

Levy's face turned a faint shade of red. "Listen guys," she huffed. "I'm not a little girl anymore, if I can manage to take down a wanted criminal by myself, then I'm pretty sure I can handle riding the train alone! Or do you guys seriously think I'm that weak?" Levy knew she was coming off a bit strong, but she was sick and tired of her friends constantly protecting her. How was she going to get stronger if her friends did everything for her?

Jet was taken aback. "Levy, we never said you were weak, we just wanted to make sure you got home safe, that's all."

"Yeah," chimed in Droy, "We would never forgive ourselves if anything happened to you."

Levy sighed, followed by a smile. "I can understand where you're coming from, but a girl just needs some space, ya know? After a long day like this one, I need some time alone. Please?" Levy looked up at her two nakama and gave them an encouraging smile. "I'll be fine, you can trust me."

The two men looked at each other and gave a long sigh.

"Alright Levy you win" said Jet. "But you have to promise to call us straight when you get home, ok?"

"Thanks guys, you're the best!" Levy watched as her two friends boarded and waved goodbye as the train left the station. She gave an inward sigh of relief, feeling an invisible weight lift off of her.

Levy proceeded to the ticket station and bought herself a ticket for the 3:15. Seeing as she had some time on her hands, she spotted a bench near the station's water fountain. She walked over and sat down, pulling out a romance novel she had read earlier on the train ride there. It was about an upper-class lady who fell in love with a rogue pirate. Cheesy as the story was, Levy was a sucker for romance novels. Plus the guy on the cover was super cute; tall, muscular body, and long, brown hair that flowed in the wind. He reminded her of someone, though she couldn't think of whom.

About an hour later, an announcement came on the intercom.

"Now boarding the 3:15 train to Magnolia. Once again, now boarding the 3:15 train to Magnolia."

Levy looked up from her book and gathered the rest of her belongings, with ticket in hand. No way was she going to lose it again! After giving the conductor her ticket, she searched the car for a seat, finally spotting a small booth near the end. Quickly, she grabbed the spot for herself, setting her bag on the seat next to her. She wasn't kidding when she said she needed some alone time. Levy yawned and stretched, grateful that the day was almost at an end. Just as she was about to close her eyes and sleep the entire ride home, she heard a disgruntled voice, coming from the front of the car.

"Tch, you'd think there'd be more room in this thing, judging from how big it looks outside."

"Well you know what they say" said a second voice. "Never judge a book by its cover."

"What are you talking about Lily; this is a train, not a book."

Levy lifted up her head and looked just in time to see PantherLily roll his eyes at his companion. Said companion was none other than the iron dragon slayer, Gajeel Redfox. Gajeel was carrying a bulging knapsack, with Lily hovering beside him. Levy's heart sped up a little, but not enough for her to notice.

"Gajeel, Lily, over here!" Levy called, waving her hand. The couple turned to see Levy, all by herself. Lily smiled, and flew over to the petite girl.

"What a coincidence running into you. Are you here by yourself?"

Levy nodded. "Yes, I just finished a mission. What about you guys?"

Gajeel dumped his sack and took a seat across from Levy. "We took on a job where we had to capture some runaway bandits. Nothing we couldn't handle." As Gajeel crossed his arms and leaned back into seat, the train slowly started to leave the station, leaving behind its trail of smoke. "So Shrimp, where's tweedle dumb and tweedle dumber?"

Irritation was written over Levy's face. "Jet and Droy took the earlier train. I lost my ticket earlier, so now I'm on this one."

Gajeel gave a smirk. "So your two watchdogs left you by yourself, huh? It must have been tragic for them."

Now it was Levy's turn to roll her eyes. "They'll get over it."

"So Levy," said Pantherlily, eager to change the subject, "Which mission did you end up taking?"

Levy's eyes immediately lit up. "We had to capture a jewel thief named Malkolm Rutger…"

Gajeel's eyes turned wide. "Wait a minute," he interrupted, "You're telling me that you're the one who managed to grab the 50,000 reward? Wow Shrimp, didn't know you had it in ya."

Levy blushed, ignoring the stupid nickname. Lily eyed the two mages carefully. "I'm going to the dining car to get something to eat. Would you two like anything?"

"Yeah see if they have any silverware lying around, the kind that won't be missed" said Gajeel. Lily gave him a blank stare and turned toward Levy. "Would you like anything?"

Levy shook her head. "I'm okay, thank you."

Lily nodded and flew away into the next car. As Levy watched him leave, she caught Gajeel staring from the corner of her eye.

"What? Is there something on my face?" Levy touched her face, praying there wasn't an embarrassing dirt mark.

"No, it's nothing." Gajeel turned his face and stared out the window.

Not knowing how to respond, Levy fiddled with the strap of her bag.

Say something! Or else this is going to be an awkward train ride!

Levy cleared her throat. "So…um…do you have any pl-?"

Before she could finish her sentence, the train came to an automatic stop, causing Levy to lurch forward straight into Gajeel's arms. It seemed that time had stopped, giving her brain time to register the situation that she was in. With both hands pressed against him, she could feel just how hard his body was, feeling the effects of his iron diet. Her eyes traveled to his sides, his muscular arms holding her shoulders. She finally looked up into his crimson eyes. He caught her gaze, a slow smirk spreading across his face.

"Falling for me already, Shortstuff?"

The conductor's voice rang through the intercom before Levy could reply.

"Sorry about that folks, looks like we hit a snag on the tracks." The conductor's voice rang through the intercom. "We'll be good to go in about 15 minutes."

Levy hoped her face wasn't as red as she thought it was. She slowly pulled away from him, not realizing the flicker of disappointment across his face. She squared her shoulders and faced him with a smirk, not letting him have the last laugh.

"Don't flatter yourself Redfox, you got lucky with that one."

Gajeel leaned back in his seat, looking at her with amusement. "Don't get so feisty on me Shrimp, I'm just teasing you." Before Levy could come up with a sassy remark, he reached out and poked her forehead. "So what were you going to ask me before the train stopped?"

Levy's eyes lit up. "I was going to ask if you had any plans for tomorrow. I was thinking of maybe going on a mission together? I saw one that involved finding an heiress' missing jewelry collection. I figured with my brains and your sense of smell, we could find it easy!"

Gajeel looked at her for a couple moments. "Please tell me you're not going to invite your fan club. It's hard enough to keep an eye on you, let alone those two nerds."

Levy ignored the jab. "Trust me; they're not suited for this particular job. Lily can come too if he wants. Please? It's an easy 180,000 jewels," she sang hoping the reward would change his mind.

Gajeel scratched his chin. "180,000 to find some chick's jewelry? Sounds like a piece of cake."

Levy nearly jumped out of her seat. "So that means you'll take it!?"

"Yeah yeah, I need the money anyways."

Levy squealed in delight. "Awesome! Let's meet tomorrow at the guild to confirm with Mirajane."

Before anything else was said, Lily showed up, carrying two, small bags of candy.

"Look what I got, Summera's famous candy caramels! They were giving them away as an apology for the delays. Luckily I managed to grab two extra for you guys."

Grateful for his presence, Levy accepted the candy, hoping Lily didn't witness her little stumble. She grabbed a candy from the bag and popped one into her mouth. The creamy caramel melted in her mouth, sending her taste buds on a sweet journey.

"Mmmm these are so yummy! Gajeel, try one!"

Gajeel eyed the treats as if they were poisonous. "Nah, I'll pass, sweets make my teeth hurt."

Levy giggled in response. "Come on, if the mighty Gajeel can eat iron, then he most certainly can eat candy!"

Gajeel tilted his head and looked at her with a sly smile. "So you think I'm mighty, huh?"

Levy bit her lower lip, excited to play this little game of his. "Well not as mighty as me of course. I mean, I am S-class material."

Gajeel burst out laughing, causing other train passengers to look his way. "Gihihihi alright Shrimpy, you got me there. But you would have never gotten as far without me."

"Pssh, whatever, you're just jealous that the Master chose me and not you."

Gajeel growled. "Keep talking half-pint, I just might have to teach you a lesson."

"Oooooh I'm so scared! The big old scary dragon is going to get me!" Levy laughed out loud till her sides hurt.

The rest of the train ride went pretty smoothly, most of it consisting of Gajeel reliving his moments of taking down criminal wizards. As Gajeel told his stories and begrudgingly ate a few of his caramels, Lily flew over to Levy's lap, deciding to take a nap. Levy petted him the rest of the way home, liking the feel of his soft fur. It was around 5 o'clock when the train rolled into Magnolia, letting out a high-pitched whistle, waking the sleeping exceed. As the trio exited, Lily grew out his wings and turned to Gajeel.

"I'll go on ahead, you take Levy home." Without waiting for a response, he flew away. Gajeel called after him.

"Leave some iron out for me, those candies didn't do shit!" He gave out an exasperated sigh, and then turned toward Levy. "Lead the way."

Levy couldn't tell if he was irritated that he had to take her home or just tired. She hoped it was the ladder. They walked through the streets of Magnolia in silence. It wasn't an awkward silence like the ones before, this one actually felt peaceful.

I guess that's how you know when you've become really comfortable with a person. She thought. Words don't become a necessity.

Levy smiled, happy that she had run into Gajeel. He might have a mouth on him, but he was really sweet when he wanted to be. Levy's mind filled with the memory of them being somewhat intimate on the train. The feeling she had when their bodies touched, it had felt like electricity coursing through her veins. Levy wondered if he had felt that same spark.

As they walked up the path toward Fairy Hills, Levy felt a little disappointed that her fun day was coming to an end. She wished it could've lasted longer…

"Oi, were here."

Levy didn't even notice that they had made it to her place. Had her mind been so preoccupied that she didn't even notice where she was going? Not that it wasn't anything unusual; she always wandered around aimlessly when reading a good book.

"We're here already? I didn't even realize…" said Levy.

Gajeel shook his head and smiled. "Always having your head in the clouds. I'm surprised you haven't walked off a cliff yet."

Levy let out a weak laugh, too tired to think of a witty comeback. "Thanks for keeping me company on the train. I had fun."

"Yea…me too…" Gajeel scratched the back of his head. "Guess I'll see ya tomorrow." Gajeel turned and started to walk away.

Wait, he's leaving that fast? Did I space out too much? Ugh I knew I should have made conversation!

Before she could think of anything else, Levy shot forward and grabbed Gajeel's hand.

"Wait! Umm where are you going?" she said lamely.

Gajeel turned around, eyeing his hand that she was still holding.

"Home, where else?"

Levy bit down on her lip. Would she sound too desperate if she asked him to stay? Normally she would take a shower and read a book until she fell asleep. The thought of doing the same routine she did every night made her mentally cringe. Putting all fears aside, Levy drew a deep breath.

"Well if you're not doing anything later tonight…we should go get a drink or something? Cana mentioned this new place over on Olive Street that has a really good happy hour…" Levy trailed off. Levy felt heat rise up her cheeks.

Don't blush, not now! Levy hoped that it was passing off as the sun's heat and not her own embarrassment. Gajeel raised an eyebrow at the offer, licking his lips before speaking.

"I could go for a beer right about now. Tch, it would be a nice change without having to deal with flame brain and pervy nudist for a night. Meet me at my place in a couple hours?"

Levy nodded her head. "Aye sir!" she giggled, mimicking Happy. She had no idea where he lived, but she could stop by the guild and ask Mirajane. That girl knew everyone's business.

Gajeel reached out his hand and ruffled her hair. "Don't be late Shrimp." He gave her one last grin and headed back toward Magnolia. Levy watched him, letting out a girlish squeal once he was out of her eyesight. Tonight will be fun, she promised herself as she walked up the stairs into Fairy Hills, her smile never leaving her face.