Differences

"Hurry up! Everyone's already there!" Wendy yell as she raced ahead, she didn't get very far as Gajeel ran after her, quickly catching up thanks to his much longer legs and strides, snaked an arm around her and swung her up to his chest.

"That doesn't mean you can run off like that. I can easily lose sight of you from a stunt like that," Gajeel gently scolded.

"I'm sorry." Wendy meekly apologized. As Gajeel fought the urge to cave in at her sad puppy eyes Levy finally caught up with them after Gajeel dashed after Wendy.

"Just don't run too far ahead of us okay?" said Levy.

"Okay." With that Gajeel set Wendy back down but not before he gently ruffled her hair to let her know that he wasn't mad. Wendy smiled when she realized that and they were on their way again, this time Wendy made sure to stay just a few feet ahead of them.

"She's excited," Levy commented, earning a snort from Gajeel.

"Doesn't take an expert to see that."

"Well aren't you excited?"

"About what?"

"That today's the first time in months we don't have snow? That we're going to enjoy this deceivingly spring like day with our friends and your guys' cousins?" Levy listed as she took in the warm day.

"Muh."

"Really?"

"Shrimp, I work with hot metal all day. I'm plenty warm. Also said cousins also work with me so I see them almost everyday." Gajeel pointed out.

'He has me there. Sort of'

"But you'll be spending time with them out of work, plus Lily and Juvia will be there." Levy added. Gajeel grunted in response, she knew that he was at least agreeing with that. "Also since it's warm outside you don't have to go through sever temperatures changes every time you step outside." This time Gajeel groaned, no doubt recalling how the sudden temperature changes affected his piercings, especially his facial piercings, and the skin around them every time he stepped outside and back in.

"Just admit that you'll looking forward to this. Maybe not as much as Wendy, but still eager in your own way."

Before Gajeel could confirm or deny Wendy spoke up.

"We're here!" sure enough they had reached the park entrance where they were suppose to meet up with everyone. The three entered and followed the path till they found their friends around a picnic area.

"Hey guys!" Levy greeted as they walked up to them. Lucy saw them and was about to greet them back when Natsu interrupted.

"Hey Metal Head! You're finally here! Now we can play!"

"Whatever it is I want no part of it Salamander," Gajeel replied, watching Wendy as she made her way to Carla.

"Come on man! It's cousins vs. second cousins!" as soon as Natsu said that Levy knew he had him.

"Oh?" Gajeel replied, not even trying to hide the smirk that was starting to appear.

"Yeah! It's me and Natsu vs. you and Rouge!" Sting spoke up next.

"Alright, you're on!" Gajeel agreed.

"You don't even know what you're playing?" Levy stated.

"Doesn't matter, I'll win!"

"Not this time Metal Head!"

Before Levy knew it Gajeel and Natsu had requited most of the people here to their teams. On Natsu's side was Sting, Gray, much to the former's dismay, Elfman, and Erza and on Gajeel's was Rouge, Lily, Mira, and Laxus, who was home for a time. Then they were off.

"Wait. What are they playing again?" Levy asked, hoping someone knew.

"I thought it football, but then it was basketball, or even dodge ball at one point. I honestly don't know anymore," Lucy admitted.

"I think it's safe to say they're just going to make it up as they go," said Jella, something they all agree with no questions.

Soon everyone was doing their own thing and Levy found herself sitting at a table, after helping Shagotte set up, people watching and just soaking as much sun as she could.

"Levy." Levy looked up to see Juvia coming over.

"Hey Juvia. I thought you were going to join the guys," Levy asked when she sat down across from her.

"Juvia was going to but learned she would have to fight against her beloved Gray! Juvia couldn't!"

"You're not really fighting him… What are they playing anyways?" Juvia didn't answer for a few seconds.

"Juvia doesn't really know."

"I'm starting to wonder if even they know," said Levy. After a few seconds of comfortable silence between them Juvia spoke up.

"Juvia is curious about something." Levy was surprised at this.

"Curious about what?"

"Juvia wants to know what Levy has planned and if Juvia can help in anyway?" Levy blinked, trying to figure out what Juvia was talking about.

"Planned?" she finally asked when she couldn't come up with anything.

"For your first anniversary with Gajeel." Juvia's easygoing reply sent Levy sputtering.

"Anni-anniversay? But we only became official several months ago! And we didn't start dating till summer and that's several more months away!" Levy explained, having no idea why Juvia thought their first anniversary was coming up.

"But two weeks from today is the anniversary of the day you and Gajeel met," Juvia explained, leaving Levy stock still for a moment. Once the information was processed though Levy realized she was right.

"I…I didn't even realize that. Wait, how do you know when we met?"

"Juvia was spending that day with Wendy. Gajeel was stressed from work and other ...things at the time so Juvia insisted that Gajeel took the day off; go out into the town, enjoy some time for himself, while Juvia looked after Wendy," Juvia began to explain. "Gajeel was late picking up Wendy, which is very unlike him. Juvia asked what happen and he said quote 'I was nearly run over by a shrimp and end up following her to make sure she didn't run anyone else over.'" Levy felt a nerve tick at that.

"But when he admitted that he not only gave his number to you, something he never has done for someone he just met, but that he also got your number Juvia had to know all about this girl that caught his eye."

That last bit of information surprised levy.

"I didn't know that I left that much of impression on him," said Levy.

"Juvia admits it took all of Juvia's willpower and respect and trust towards Gajeel to not go out to find you and learn everything about you," Juvia admitted, causing Levy to be a little nervous and glad that Juvia didn't go through with it. If there was one you could never doubt about Juvia, besides her eternal love for Gray, was that she was very protective of her friends, especially of Gajeel who Juvia told Levy once that he was not only her best friend but they were each other's first real friend.

"I can imagine how surprised you were when you finally met me," Levy said, she couldn't help but wonder at.

"Juvia was surprised when we finally met. You were very different from what Juvia, even Lily, originally thought you were going to be like. You're almost the exact opposite of Gajeel.

"Yeah, I got that from some of my friends when they finally met Gajeel too," admitted Levy, not that she can blame any of them for they were so different from each in almost everyway.

Physically Gajeel was almost 6 feet tall, a good foot taller then her, she barely reached his shoulders, had long black hair that stuck out everywhere, yet was surprising soft to the touch, skin was naturally tan, scarred, and calloused, mainly his hands, from his job and from his years spent undercover, though the scars on his right arm was still a mystery, and had a body ripped with muscles he gained from training and kept in prime shape through workouts and from handling heavy metals everyday. Where as Levy was not even 5 foot, had short, light blue hair that she kept back with headbands, pale skin that while had no scars or callouses burned easily, she had to wear sunscreen everyday during the summer or even on just unusually sunny days such as today, and while she kept in shape through her own workout routine the heaviest thing she ever carried was piles of magazines and manuscripts.

Their hobbies and interests also differed from the other. Gajeel was more on hands on person who always had to be working on or doing something, be it from metal projects on the side or writing new songs, which leads to their different tastes in music too. For Levy as long as she had a good book to curl up with she's happy, she also enjoys puzzles and other activities that tested her mind than her body.

Their interests also extended to their careers where as mentioned Gajeel worked with heavy metals, crafting all kinds of commissions made from iron or steel, a very physically demanding job. Even before he opened his shop Gajeel risked his life as an undercover cop, and though Gajeel never told her exactly what he did she knew that he had infiltrated many dangerous gangs and other criminal groups and helped put away many of them through his efforts. Levy worked as a editor at the Sorcerer Weekly magazine company and helped to make sure each issue was published with no mistakes and even sometimes writes a an article every now and then.

Their personalities were also vastly different too. Despite having once been in a career where he had to lie and pretend to be someone he wasn't everyday, Gajeel was a brutally honest man who was not afraid to tell people exactly what he thought of them whether they wanted to hear it or not, he was brash and came off as a rude, unfeeling, tough guy who would knock your teeth out if you so much as looked at him the wrong way, but Levy was one of the few who was privileged to see his softer, caring side, the side where he can empathize and cheer you up in his own way, a side she sees all the time with Wendy and has also experienced it herself. Levy was the more polite and approachable of two, she was friendly with everyone she met, but she did get annoyed when people poked at her height, and was genuinely kind hearted, something Gajeel was admitted was something he admired about her even if it was something others would try to take advantage of. She was also level headed and made sure she heard all the facts before making decisions, exceptions to that were Gajeel for reasons she didn't think she'd ever understand.

Heck, even their childhoods were completely different. While Levy grew up as an only child, no living relatives other than her parents who lovingly raised her and supported her and were there for her whenever she needed them, her childhood was happy one. Gajeel on the other hand had seen and been through things no child should, his father had lost custody of him when he was young so from an early age Gajeel was on his own and he didn't have anyone to rely on but himself, and while Levy didn't know everything what she did know was enough to have her heart ache for him.

It was just as Juvia said, she and Gajeel were complete opposites of each other, yet somehow they ended up together.

Levy was brought out of her thoughts when Juvia spoke.

"You know Juvia thinks that it's because you two are so different is why you two work so well together." When Juvia saw the slight confused look on Levy's face, she continued. "Juvia knows people who are so different from each other don't always get along and even sometimes clash, but Juvia believes, especially with you and Gajeel, that those differences are what makes you love the other so much for they bring out the best in each other.

"Huh. I guess when you put it like that it makes sense." Levy looked around till she spotted Gajeel, "I mean if you asked me two years ago what I'd look for in a man what I'd would have described would have been nothing like Gajeel. He may not be the dream man I thought I'd wanted, but he is the only man I can imagine spending my life with. No one else even compares." Juvia smiled at her admission.

"Juvia knows Gajeel feels the same with Levy. Juvia has never seen him happier with anyone else." Levy swiped at the corner of her eye, telling herself it was leaf or some other bit of derby.

"Thanks Juvia." Levy said as she leaned over and hugged Juvia.

"You're welcome Levy. But can Juvia ask something if you don't mind?" Juvia asked as she pulled back.

"Sure, anything," Levy replied.

"How did Levy come to realize that Gajeel was the one?" Levy tried not to but she couldn't stop the blush that quickly spread across her face.

"Um, well. It wasn't a epiphany or a light bulb moment, it was several different times and events that together helped me realized that," Levy tried to explain.

"Can you tell Juvia what they were?" Levy looked around to see if anyone was listening in. When it seemed like no one was she decided why not.

"Okay. I guess the first time was…"


First prompt of Gajevy Week! Well technically it's the bonus prompt, which for some reason I thought was on another day and wrote this in less than a day so that's why it's rushed and no doubt filled with mistakes, but still! My goal is to do all the prompts of the week and they'll all take place in my "My Girl" story verse during the time Gajeel and Levy were dating and the few months after Levy moved in and officially became his girlfriend. So this prompt is an introduction to the others as Levy tells Juvia about the events that helped her realized Gajeel was the love of her life. Hope you guys like this one despite that it was obviously rushed and I hope you'll come back for Gajevy Week.