The board clattered onto the table, followed by a small leather pouch which was plonked unceremoniously on top of it. Levy felt the table shake slightly as the Iron Dragon Slayer threw himself into the chair opposite her, crossed his arms across his broad chest, and huffed.
"Chess."
At this, Levy raised her eyes from her book and arched an eyebrow, smiling softly. Gajeel didn't meet her gaze, choosing to glare off to the side.
"I'm sorry?"
The dragon slayer huffed again, gesturing to the chequered board in front of him.
"Chess. Pantherlily says I need to work on my strategizing and planning. Apparently mine ain't good enough, and this shit is supposed to help."
Levy giggled. "You mean charging in headlong and beating everyone up isn't a strategy?"
Gajeel's head swung around to pin the tiny bookworm with his scarlet gaze.
"You gonna play or not, Shrimp?"
Calmly, Levy slipped her bookmark into place and set her book aside, a small smile playing on her face. "Do you know the rules?" She asked sweetly. Gajeel shook his head, his eyes not leaving hers.
Levy stood up and bent just slightly over the table as she set up the board, carefully explaining the rules and the pieces as she went. Normally, a girl in this positon with a low cut top would be giving quite a show to the person seated opposite, but Levy didn't really have much to be looking at, and Gajeel wasn't that type of guy.
No, Gajeel was definitely an ass man.
It was common knowledge within Fairy Tail that little Levy McGarden had a fantastic butt. Round, firm, and it bounced perfectly in time with the sway of her hips when she walked. It was part of the reason Gajeel had taken to walking behind her when he got the chance, normally with a lecherous grin plastered on his face.
The dragon slayer quickly tuned out, letting Levy's voice wash over him. He angled his body slightly so that he was watching her from the side, leaning his head on one hand. His gaze travelled down her slender waist, trailed over her back, and on to the pert, round curve of her ass. His gaze lingered there for as long as he dared, before something else caught his attention.
The grin was quickly wiped off his face when he realised he was not the only one staring.
A small crowd had gathered at the sight of Levy bent over a table. Cana was at her usual spot at the bar behind Levy, nursing a large flagon of something unspeakable, and laughing at the mesmerised crowd. Jet, Droy, Markarov and a handful of others were staring, transfixed, at the sight of Levy's panty-clothed but peeking out from under her irresponsibly short skirt. Even Gray, one of the few Fairy Tail men normally impervious to the charms of women, had stopped to admire the view.
Damn bunch of perverts.
Struggling to suppress a jealous growl. Gajeel fixed his blood red glare on the crowd, pulling his best "I will brutally murder you without a second thought" face. It was Grey who noticed first, feeling a slight burning sensation on the side of his face.
"Uh, guys…."
One by one the small group shook themselves out of their panty-induced stupor, to find a large and rather angry Dragon Slayer glaring at them, slowly transforming his arm into a large iron meat cleaver and back again. A silent threat that none of them would ignore.
The group quickly dispersed; a jealous Dragon Slayer was not something anyone wanted to deal with, ever.
Threat eliminated, Gajeel turned his attention back to Levy, just in time to her ask;
"Do you understand?"
"I think I get the idea, Shrimp. Now quit yackin' and let's play already.
Nodding mutely, Levi turned her eyes to the board and made her first move.
Now, Gajeel's strategizing, believe it or not, wasn't actually that bad. He simply preferred to charge in headlong and beat everyone up. It was great for relieving tension. Actually, the Iron Dragon Slayer thought with a smirk, if Levy knew about the little scheme he'd cooked up especially for her, he reckoned she'd be quite impressed.
It really was kinda brilliant. He'd be able to spend time with Levy doing something she enjoyed, under the guise of needing strategizing practise. Gajeel would bide his time, playing dumb and losing on purpose (he'd been practising with Pantherlily, and was now rather accomplished at chess) and then would slowly "get better". This way he could show Levy that he was capable of learning, and changing, and that he wasn't a stupid, stubborn Dragon Slayer. All without looking too desperate for her attention.
Not that he totally craved it or anything – it was just nice. He liked having her to himself.
Plus, he though as he snuck a look at her between moves, he got to see her cute concentration face. Her bright eyes were focused on the board, flickering back and forth between pieces, and Gajeel could practically here the gears working in her head. She mumbled to herself under her breath when particularly frustrated, and nibbled on her bottom lip. He could watch her all day.
Gajeel quickly came to his senses as Levy moved her queen into position, and smirked triumphantly.
"Checkmate."
Gajeel nodded slowly. "Nice one, Shrimp. Looks like I'll be spending a lot more time with you."
"Uh," Gajeel watched in fascination as a blush rose to Levy's cheeks. Was she nervous? "What… um, I mean how much time? Because obviously I have missions to do, and uh…"
All of the time, he wanted to shout. As much time as possible. He could go any time, any place, as long as it was with her. Oh yes, it had to be her. He would spend hours on her neck alone, move on to her breasts only after he had kissed her so thoroughly enough that he was all she tasted. He would take his time in showing her how much she meant to him, how much he wanted her, how much he needed her-
Chess, he reminded himself. She was talking about chess.
"Relax, shorty. Just, whenever, ya know?"
Levy nodded, looking slightly disappointed. "Right, whenever."
Shit, wrong move! Gajeel wanted to kick himself.
"I mean, uh, unless you'd like to practise more often."He would've given the world for the smile she gave him then.
"I'd like that." Gajeel grinned widely in return, and nodded to the board.
"One more game?"
A quick one-shot I did, because I am the queen of procrastination. Also because Gajevy's cute as hell.
Love,
Pixie xo