Special Order

"Undecided, Gajeel?"

Panther Lily inquired his partner after watching him stare at the mission board for four minutes. Usually he was quick to grab what probably involved the most kicking ass, but today, the Dragon Slayer appeared hesitant. Judging from Gajeel's frequent and casual walks around Magnolia with the script mage, Levy, Lily had a hunch that perhaps there were other things swarming the Dragon Slayer's mind other than violence and reward money.

Just as he appeared to settle on a mission, before his hand could claim the chosen piece of paper, it was snatched from under him. The cat huffed knowingly and quietly made his way to the bar area, away from what was about to turn into a scene.

"Oi! Salamander! That mission is mine!"

"Eh? I saw it first!"

"My hand was right there, idiot!"

"Well, what can I say? You slow, you blow, punk. Gonna do something about it?"

The two Dragon Slayers clashed in an exchange of profanity and murderous glares. Meanwhile, at the bar area, Panther Lily was keen in noticing a presence often undetected a little too close to the brawl.

Levy-chan. Always so into her reading, she failed to be wary of her surroundings. Before the Exceed could give the girl proper warning, it was too late.

"You need to choose another one, pussy. I ain't taking the cheap ones or the cross country ones."

"Hell no! Happy and I wanna go on a mission with Lucy! The team hasn't gone out in a while."

"He means that he wants to go because he liiiikes her now," Happy inserted. Lucy coughed up her juice at the bar and shot Happy a look of shock.

"H-Happy!"

"Gajeel-kun," Lily called out, not because he'd normally involve himself in these noisy farces, but because he wanted to prevent the fate about to be bestowed on the oblivious bookworm reading closely by the two muscle heads. "You should take this disagreement elsewh-"

And it happened.

Levy was abruptly yanked from her reading state when her book tumbled from her hands after the two men bumped into the table she was sitting in. Before she could retrieve her precious book, Gajeel backed up as Natsu pressed him, landing a foot between it's pages.

The ember from Natsu's fiery breath as he talked smack was the last straw and as Gajeel retaliated in intimidation, one of those stray embers found their way to the book Levy was so desperately trying to salvage.

It wasn't until the two Dragon Slayers became aware of an unusual killing intent, that they stopped and took notice of the small girl coming between them.

"L-Levy-chan, didn't see you there," Natsu laughed awkwardly before Lucy arrived with a timely punch to his head. "Oi, Lucy! What was that-"

"Look what you dolts did!"

Finally they realized the damage that had been done, the burning book beneath Gajeel's heel.

"Oh shit-"

"Gajeel!" Levy spoke up. Her fists tightened and her angry eyes locked solely onto Gajeel as if he were the only one to blame. "Do you have any idea how long it took me to get that book?"

"L-Levy, it was an accident-"

"It was a special order, Gajeel! I waited weeks to pick that up in the bookstore. Weeks!"

"Hey! Why the hell are you screaming at me as if I'm the only one responsible-" Gajeel attempted to share blame with what was now his cohort, and Natsu was quick to apologize.

"I'm sorry, Levy-chan. I'm sorry!" Happy apologized with him too, "Natsu says he's sorry."

The girl ignored the pair and instead, continued her pursuit of the Iron Eater.

"I'm yelling at you, because you, out of everyone else, should- should-"

"What? Should what?" Gajeel challenged and he could already sense Lily at the bar area face palming himself.

"You should KNOW better, metal brows!"

"M-metal brows!"

There. She had gone and said it. Had this been when he first arrived at the guild, the girl would have never so much as given the man an offensive look. But here she was, in spite of her size, barking at the big dog fearlessly. Gajeel was at a loss for words when Levy retrieved what was left of the book and threw it at his chest. "From now on, I'm staying at the book store to read."

They watched as she stormed off toward the exit, where she grabbed her coat and dived into the winter weather without even putting both sleeves on first. Ashamed, Natsu rubbed the back of his neck and was about to willingly let Gajeel have the mission after all when the other Dragon Slayer snapped.

"Don't you dare. This is all your fault anyway."

"Heh? It was your foot that was on it, dumb ass! Fine! Let's go, Lucy! Happy!" Natsu dragged his team towards the exit as well.

Gajeel stomped over to the mission board and ripped the mission that was farthest to the left. One he was set on not taking in the first place. It was across Fiore and the man hadn't been in the mood to travel that far this time around with winter at it's worst and well, other things that might've kept him from taking missions that would keep him away from the guild for weeks at a time.

He looked down at the tattered remains that he now gripped in his hand and with new determination, set out for his new mission.

Levy was lingering in the Pre-Historic section of the bookstore, waiting for the blood to come back to her frozen fingers. As if what had happened in the guild wasn't enough, the weather didn't improve her mood either.

"Stupid Gajeel," she thought to herself, adjusting the purple bobble hat on her head, "He really should know better!"

And as if the section she was in was on his side, Levy's eyes coincidentally landed on a row of books about Dragons. She narrowed her eyes at the books as if they were just as guilty before being interrupted by the elderly shop owner.

"Oh, Levy-chan, would you like a cup of cocoa?"

"Yes! Yes I would. Thank you," she beamed as she went to one of the small round tables in the back meant for readers. She usually preferred to read at the guild, around people she was most comfortable being around, but days like these, sometimes being alone was best.

The shop was a retreat for her with it's collection of colorful blown glass lamps, haphazardly and carefully hung from the ceilings between the occasional wind chime that Mrs. Peterson was fond in accruing. Cotton wingback chairs lined the back wall by the antique reading tables, each ornamented with doilies and coasters. Upon entering, especially during these cold winter days, the hot air spread over your cheeks from the entrance, redolent with a welcoming mustiness only found in an old and beloved library.

Levy came here often enough that the shop owner and his wife knew her by name and often gave her the heads up on special releases before they were out for sale. Thus is the reason why she'd gotten her hands on that book earlier than some of the other avid readers, and being that it was a rare edition, it was an order that took time and a little bit of research for her to complete. Thankfully, the shop owners knew her enough that they'd quickly put the order in motion before she even arrived at the bookstore.

Shedding her several layers onto the chair she sat in, she kept her mittens and scarf on when the owner, Mr. Peterson, approached her with the fresh and steamy mug.

"Here you go."

"Thank you, I needed this."

"You're welcome," the bearded man took a look back towards the front of the store, "No, Gajeel-kun today?"

Her face immediately turned ten shades of red before she hid her face to take a sip of her cocoa. "Mmm, mint!"

The old man gave her a puzzled look when his wife called him from the cash register. "Ho, ho, ho, sometimes a woman needs to be alone. Leave the girl alone, sweetheart. Just look at her, she's red as a beet."

Before he could say anything, the entrance bells rang and in entered the topic at hand.

"Oh! Gajeel-kun, there you are."

The man wore a face that was sour enough for Mrs. Peterson to take notice. "Stop frowning like that, it's no wonder you frighten everyone."

Gajeel cleared his throat in an effort to mask his embarrassment as the owner approached him with a hearty pat to his back. Once upon a time, the couple feared him just as everyone else did in town, those that were not familiar with the Dragon Slayer's softer side. But with Levy dragging him on her frequent trips to the store, it wasn't long before they became just attached to him as they did to Levy.

"You remind me of my son during his teenage years," Mrs. Peterson would pinch Gajeel's cheek, "Mouth full of dirt."

"I-I'm sorry." Only this old woman had the ability to turn this monstrous potty mouthed mage to something more humble and apologetic.

Levy noted the backpack swung over his shoulder and Lily swooping in behind. Judging by the weight of it, looked like he was going off somewhere - somewhere far.

Hmmph! Like I care!

The script mage stubbornly looked away from him as he made conversation with Mr. and Mrs. Peterson. Like usual grandparents, they offered hot cocoa and updates on life but Gajeel seemed eager to leave. The conversation was too low for Levy to hear and instead, her eyes wandered to her neighbor, quietly entertained at the table beside her.

"A Bibliography of English Conjury, huh? I've read that one already."

"So have I. I just find myself re-reading the things that I like," the young man replied, adjusting his glasses before meeting her gaze. "How are you, Miss McGarden?"

"Hmm, considering everything, I'm feeling decent. How are you, Shinigawa-kun?"

"Actually, just finishing up before I get my own cup of cocoa."

Despite that Levy was the one to initiate the conversation with the familiar customer, she was a tad distracted by Gajeel's presence. Shingawa took notice.

"Lover's quarrel, Miss McGarden?"

The woman snapped to him and quickly denied.

"Nope! Anyway, I feel like re-reading "Phylogenetic Methods and the Prehistory of Languages. Please watch my cocoa."

Levy could feel Gajeel's gaze burning on her back as she scurried to the farthest shelf in the store. She hoped her speed indicated that she did not want to be approached, not after what he'd done earlier, and yet, she felt a pang of disappointment when she heard the door bells chime. Had he left? Or had another customer arrived? Levy inwardly chastised herself to resist the temptation of peeking out front.

The treatment she was giving, she decided was justified.

He was with me when I picked that book up! He should have seen how excited I was - he should have-

Armed with her newest read, she made her way back to her table, with a little less hurry this time and ignored the pang in her chest when she realized that Gajeel and Lily were gone. Clearing her throat as she sat, the woman convinced herself it was fine. Right now there was cocoa, a quiet and quaint little spot inside of her favorite shop and-

"I guarded your cocoa, Miss McGarden. I was sure to keep it from running off," Shinigawa said with a humorous glint in his eyes.

"Cocoa these days, never know when they will just sprout legs," she responded with a cordial smile, satisfied that her beverage was still warm.

Some decent company.

One week. One full week. Not that she was counting. Perhaps she just merely noticed when she was skimming her grocery list this morning that happened to be pinned right by her calendar. Gajeel and Lily had gone across Fiore, she heard from Mira-chan - not that she asked, but maybe Mira thought she appeared curious enough that she had to share this with her - and today marked a week since the Dragon Slayer's departure.

"This is ridiculous," Levy pouted to herself.

The first few days, she'd gone strong and Gajeel free! Spending her days tucked into the farthest corner of the bookstore and hoping a new book would arrive to peak her interest. She knew it was pointless, but she already inquired the shop couple about possibly finding another copy of that book that was ruined by Gajeel and Natsu's meathead brawl. As predicted, it was impossible unless someone who owned it previously, had it up for sale somewhere.

So, fine. She couldn't get the book back. Levy was over it two days ago. But now she was listless and undeniably guilt-ridden.

"The least he could've done was say goodbye," she mumbled to herself, nose into another book that she had read before until the other avid reader spoke.

"Do you like tragic fairy tales, Levy-chan?"

Shinigawa had taken to calling her this, with permission of course, after the two became a lot more chatty with her more frequent trips there recently. They'd always kept talk small before, but now there seemed to be more chances to get to know one another.

Flushed from Shinigawa taking notice of what she was reading, she stammered, "I might - when I'm in the mood for them."

"I've also noticed your fascination with Dragons?"

"W-what? Where did you get such a silly-"

He pointed at the book she had beneath her mug.

"Ah. Dragons are okay," Levy admitted and thwarted the curl in her lips with a sip of cocoa.

"Have you read the one about the human princess who is arranged to marry a Dragon?"

"Hmm, don't think I have. What's it about, nutshell version?"

"Well," the man took the liberty in taking a chair at her table before he resumed, "It is tradition for the kingdom to bear many daughters. The fairest daughter, must be offered as a bride to the Dragon that protects the lands. The Dragons are an arrogant, and ruthless species - their piercing gazes powerful enough to blanch the faces of the most robust men, with terror."

"I'm envisioning a Beauty and the Beast theme."

"You're right."

"I know my books," she beamed happily, "Anyway, so what's the tragic part?"

"Well, turns out that this Dragon does indeed fall for his to be bride, except she's let the fears influenced from everyone else, blind her to these feelings of his. And so, infidelity."

Levy gasped, completely interested and not realizing that the gap between herself and Shinagawa was shrinking. "Infidelity? With whom?"

"Another human, of course. It's safe, familiar, and approved by society. However, her father, the King, is angry, for this human she has chosen, is none but a mere servant."

"What? Oh, but that's kind of sweet."

"True, but what of the Dragon who has loved for the first time in centuries? And the wrath of her father?"

"How true is the servant and how does his love measure against the Dragon?"

His smile was mischievous and suggestive, and the script mage, cringed. "Oh, don't tell me- the servant's a jerk?"

"I will not say. The book isn't in the shop, but I can bring it next time if you'd like."

"Sure! It sounds interesting!"

Realizing that her cocoa was gone, her companion offered, "Would you like me to fetch another?"

The woman laughed, "You know, you're beginning to sound like a servant yourself, Shin-"

"Please, call me Daisuke, at your service," the brunette bowed playfully before reaching out for her mug. The two brushed fingers and as he retreated, Levy had suddenly remembered what she had somehow forgotten within the past few minutes.

Gajeel...

Okay, so after a week, Levy will admit that she was cranky. But now going on two, Levy McGarden was becoming downright angry.

Is he planning to just run around country forever? Did I scream at him that badly?

She briefly recalled when it happened, and it was so fast, to be honest, she hardly remembered it in detail anymore.

Metal brows!

Did she really call him that? Surely he wouldn't be hurt by something so- or maybe-

"Damn you, Gajeel!" the woman gritted, oblivious to Daisuke's presence behind her.

"Sour mood, Levy-chan?"

She sighed hard enough to inflate her cheeks.

"Is it still snowing outside?"

"Unfortunately."

He took a seat across from her and tapped the page she had open and bookmarked - the book he had lent her.

"So, how is it? Are you rooting for the servant or the Dragon yet?"

"I'm not really sure. The servant is humble, selfless, charming, and yet, I can't help but feel like there has to be something wrong. Whereas the Dragon..."

There was a pause as she trailed off and Daisuke snapped her back into reality with a gentle hand on her knuckles. "Why does there have to be something wrong with the servant?"

"Oh, no, maybe there isn't. But I don't know. The Dragon is cold, unrefined, and just overall, a bit tsundere. I can't help but feel that the story wants the reader to move towards the servant."

The man chuckled, giving her hand a light and playful squeeze before he released her. "Resisting the flow that the story is pushing you - perhaps there is a rebel in you as well."

"W-what? Me? Not really," she trailed off, Gajeel slipping into her thoughts again before she shook him out of her flustered mind.

"There isn't any point in being cold - why can't the Dragon just come out and tell her? He's supposed to be this grand, horrific, ancient being, who's blood curdling roar still vibrates in the hardest of knights no matter the century - and is he so terrorized by a mere human woman the size of his claw?"

Daisuke shook his head as if Levy had missed something obvious during her reading. His expression hardening in it's seriousness, he said to her, "I think she frightens the hell of out him."

"What? Why?"

"Because no matter how much terror he strikes into everything that is hot-blooded, she looks to him with an unwavering resolution, she brings out his weakness. His biggest worry is that one day, he will surrender to this weakness willingly."

This is when the blue-nette slammed a palm on the table. The noise gave Mrs. Peterson organizing a shelf nearby, a jumping start, and Levy gave her an apologetic squeak. Then returning her attention to her fellow book-worm, she posed this question.

"Is love considered weakness then?"

Not realizing that she was barely inches from his face, Daisuke dared to close in as well before he whispered.

"Love is the tragedy that had befallen Romeo and Juliet, the demise of the last Pharaoh of Egypt, Cleopatra, the driving force for allowing earth to pro-create by the arrows of Eros.

Yes. Love is weakness."

Although she seemed appalled by the idea, the petite woman appeared to accept it with a grain of salt. Settling back into her chair, her eyes wandered elsewhere from her reading partner before he seemingly rushed in to break her from reverie.

"Levy-chan, are you hungry?"

"Hmm?" Her large eyes finally focused on the man before her, his intentions clearing from whatever fog she had blanketed them over with. Maybe she had done nothing but see Gajeel in recent days, and was therefore blinded from the advances from her fellow shop mate - who was waltzing into this empty place in her heart that desired something that was real. Physical. Something that didn't jump across country the moment conflict arose. Someone who, instead of receding from the weakness of loving another, flaunted it.

She had to admit, for what felt longer than a second, she hesitated.

What am I to Gajeel anyway? Still a shrimp? A shortie? A midget?

What in Zeref's name are we doing?

Sensing her inner turmoil, Daisuke surprised her when he wrapped his scarf around her neck. "Since it appears you've forgotten yours today. I'll probably come by again in the evening. Even a bookworm needs to venture into the world."

"U-um, thanks, but-"

"I will hopefully see you later," he interrupted, already halfway out the door before she could untangle his scarf from her shoulders. The bell chime announcing his exit, Levy let herself fall into her chair, fingers on the fluffy garment that smelled of Earl Grey and masculinity.

Somehow she'd been wheedled into accepting Daisuke's act of kindness and as the script mage mulled over whether or not to leave before he returned to retrieve her tonight, Levy had fallen asleep.

Her dreams were an arpeggio of memories with Gajeel, ones she'd instantly forgotten when Mrs. Peterson gently guided her back into reality with an affectionate pat on her head.

"Levy-chan? It's getting late."

The woman snapped up from her chair, the sound of the bells forcing her to gather her wits quickly.

"Who just left?" She sputtered as if she knew him by mere sense.

The elderly woman gave Levy an eloquent grin before revealing to her a mildly used version of the book that had been destroyed almost two weeks before. All cobwebs clear from her thoughts, realization struck her upside the head.

"Is this- where?"

"This book is impossible to find now. In fact, my husband and I tried to convince him to re-sell it to us, but he said he had used his reward money to buy it from someone else with obviously poor taste," she laughed, "To think that he would go all the way across Fiore to find this. I had no idea Gajeel-kun liked to read."

"What? Gajeel?"

"He said to let you hold onto it because he had another mission-"

Before she could finish, Levy stood up from her chair with enough force that her table wobbled. She was just about to sprint out the door when she was caught up in the scarf that had been draped around her. Without a second thought, the girl unwound it from her person and neatly left it on the chair where Daisuke was fond of sitting.

"Tell Daisuke-kun that I'm done with his book. I've decided that no matter the ending, I'm rooting for the Dragon."

By the time she was outside and a block away, her coat was hanging off of one arm and her bobble hat secured in her teeth as she struggled to put everything on.

"Stufid Gafeel," her curses were muffled with the hat in her mouth. Becoming angry, she ripped it from her mouth, plopped it on her head and shouted, "Where the hell did you go, Metal Brows?"

It was loud enough that she managed to catch Gajeel's instinct reaction on the next block when he yelled, "THEY'RE PIERCINGS, DAMN IT!"

Shit! He really hated that name of hers, but here he was reacting to it. Shit, shit shit.

Gajeel watched as she crashed into the rush hour crowd and squeezed her way to him. Sensing that he did not want to get involved any further, Panther Lily mumbled, "I'll leave you two to your business," before he flew off toward the guild.

"YOU!" She punctuated with her index finger on his nose, "What is this?"

The little woman slammed the book that he went through seven circles of limbo just to find for her against his chest. Her eyes were wide and wild, a few strands of hair caught in the corner of her mouth as she looked to him for answers. Whatever had her panties in a knot, Gajeel Redfox decided that he had enough of this nonsense. His body ached, he hadn't eaten, and here was his precious script mage looking ready to rip him a new one. The Dragon Slayer responded to her hostility with more hostility, just as he was accustomed to - he was damned either way.

"What the hell do you mean, what is this - it's your stinkin' book!"

"I know what the hell it is, Gajeel, I'm asking why it's here?"

"I don't fuckin' know, maybe you have a fairy godmother or something. Now if you're done, I've got another mission-"

He tried to turn away, find escape, lose her in the crowd - with guilt beginning to gnaw at him, he was ready to disappear for another week or two when she spoke firmly.

"Cancel it."

"What?"

"I said, cancel it right now!"

She stomped her boot down hard enough that a plume of powdered snow shot up and wet them from the knees down.

Wait just a God damned second-

"Who the hell do you think you are, shrimp-"

"I think that I'm going to be the reason that you're going to cancel this mission right fuckin' now because you've been gone for two weeks and if you go again, I am going to kick your-"

Gajeel squinted at her, trying to discern whether or not she was drunk. But he knew better. She most definitely wasn't. "Did you just say the F-word?"

Levy's barrage of comebacks slowed down the redder her face became, and so she stomped again, "I did! And I'll say it again until you get it! Fu-"

"Stop it," he demanded, his tone suggesting that he was no longer messing around. He didn't like these words coming from her mouth and he sure as hell didn't like her tone!

Levy, however, didn't look like she was going to back down today.

"I'll say it louder then. If you don't like it, you can stop me," she had fistfuls of his shirt in her hands and the man could feel her yanking him downward. Hell, if she kept this shit up, it was gonna be hard not to-

"Gajeel. You. Are. Not. Fuc-"

And that was that. It was all her damn fault anyway. She was way too damn close and her face all up in his. Hell, the script mage was just asking for it.

Asking for him to kiss her.

And Gajeel did, gathering the petite woman in his arms in a grip that wouldn't allow her to run off, his lips sealed against hers. He was positive that she was about to kick him in the gongs any moment, but instead her body stiffened before it immediately wilted in his grasp.

Turned out, she approved? Gajeel didn't want to risk knowing the answer, and so he continued.

Humming her approval, she drew her hands from his chest along his shoulders and around his neck. "Well, it's about time," she thought as she tippy-toed the highest she could so as not to part from Gajeel's lips on hers.

She couldn't feel her cheeks by the time she had found him, but now the hot air between them was bringing the blood back. He kissed her with authority, as if she'd trample his authority the moment he showed - well there was that word again - weakness. The Iron Eater's hair was being caught in her fingers and if it hurt, he didn't seem to mind. In fact, he drew her closer, his mouth on hers, increasingly firm, but never forceful. With every careful and deliberate nip that Gajeel Redfox gave, she could almost hear the distinct click of his tongue ring against his teeth.

He smelled of metal, spice, adrenaline and testosterone. A completely different aura than that of the scarf she'd received earlier and Levy quietly decided that this was better.

Within moments, she pushed gently against him and they peeled from one another, speechless and breathless.

Levy smiled first and Gajeel followed suit. "Are you going to cancel it now?"

Mischief revealing itself in his expression, the Dragon Slayer confessed, "Well I haven't actually taken it from the board yet, but was going to."

She nodded, "Good. Umm- Thanks for the book, Gajeel."

"Uh, yeah- you're welcome."

He was making that awkward face he did whenever Mrs. Peterson pinched his cheek or scolded him, except in a different way.

"You're not going to ruin my books anymore, are you?"

"You know, you're talking pretty big for a shrimp today."

"Am I now? Will you like me less because of it?" the woman dared to ask, fumbling with her fingers as he held her fast against him. Her anger had simmered and she returned to being awkward, nervous, and a tad embarrassed.

The Dragon Slayer replied with the flick of his fingers against her forehead.

"Oww! What-"

"No," he answered for her and she immediately forgave him, perhaps she deserved the little flick.

Adjusting to the familiar feeling of his large hand over hers, just as safe and warm as when they joined hands on Tenrou Island, Levy was about to lead them aimlessly around Magnolia before she sensed his hesitation.

"Gajeel?"

The mage's face unusually red, he mumbled, "You do know that I have actual eyebrows, right?"

Caught of guard, Levy burst into laughter, re-calling the story of the big, fearsome, bad ass dragon, tamed by a woman the size of his claw. She gave a reassuring kiss against his brow.

"Yes, I know, Metal Brows."

A/N: Gah! First Fairy Tail fic ever! I know it isn't much plot-wise, but hope it pleased. I just had to get something out - I adore this couple.

Also borrowed the term, blue-nette from another author on here. Couldn't find where I originally read it from so if you happen to read this, please let me know so I can give you proper credit for an awesome adjective. Thank you!