Levy McGarden sank into her seat at her normal table in complete exhaustion. She had been tried and sore for a week straight thanks to her new training regime. Despite her aches she was actually feeling better than she ever had.

So far Gajeel was not falling short on his promise he made to her when they agreed to be partners. Sparring with him and Lily was bringing out a whole new side to her magic. While he knew nothing about solid script, Gajeel was an expert fighter. With every combat move he taught her or threw at her, Levy was getting mush more creative with her magic or rather her words.

At the moment however, her overactive brain was at a loss. She had no words for the question weighing on her mind. She pulled from herself from her thoughts as Gajeel returned to her side, two very full, very cold beer steins in hand. He passed her a drink and laughed in that odd way of his as Levy chugged half of the beer in nearly one gulp. She let out a content sigh, slamming her drink down.

"You drink big for a tiny thing like you," he straddled the bench next to her.

"Fairy Tail trained," she smirked with obvious pride. "Don't forget that I grew up with Cana."

"Point taken shorty," even now Gajeel could hear that busty drunkard roaring with laughter from the bar.

Levy snuck a glance at Gajeel when he tipped his own drink back. She really wanted to ask him a question and was getting close to putting it to words without comepletly embarrassing herself. After spending nearly every hour together since the S-Class exams were announced, they had been getting along surprisingly well. Sure they only talk about fighting, training, and Levy's occasional question about his time in Edolas. She was curious after all and Gajeel loved talking about working with his "badass" counterpart. They haven't shared any secrets or bonded really and yet Levy couldn't help but feel like that could possibly be on the way to something resembling friends.

Speaking of friends, levy looked around the guild for her team, only to come up empty. Odd, she hadn't seen Jet or Droy for what felt like days.

"The She-Demon said Master sent your dogs on a long mission," he said in response to her confusion. "Probably to keep from distracting you, while we train."

"They don't distract me and don't call them that," she puffed at him.

"Nah, they only wish they could. Yer too smart for that." Her eyes went wide at the compliment, he actually sounded kind of proud of her. "But you gotta admit they're annoying."

"Jet and Droy are just enthusiastic and protective," she sighe. "They were the first people to look at me like I wasn't just some weak little girl."

"Yeah well, that's cause you could kick their asses any day of the week," he grunted.

"Two compliments in arrow? Careful Black Steel, or else I'm going to start thinking you actually like someone in this guild besides Lily."

Gajeel snorted into his beer. Did she just make him laugh? What is going on? She stood up, grabbing her empty stein.

"I'll get the next round," she skipped off to the bar passing Lisanna and Juvia chatting easily at a nearby table. Reminding Levy of her earlier attempt to ask Gajeel a question. He seemed to be in a good enough mood so she thought it was worth a shot to have an actual conversation with her partner.

He was chewing on scrap metal when Levy returned with their drinks.

"Gajeel, do you mind if I ask you a question? "

"You can ask," he replied "Don't expect and answer."

"Fair enough," she placed his beer in front of his and sat down. "Why did you offer to be my partner?"

He tensed a bit and she immediately added, "Not that I'm not beyond grateful for your help! I'm just a little confused as to why you and Juvia didn't team up. I figured that you two must already have a history of working together, plus she is way stronger than me and-" she thought carefully before simply asking, "Why me?"

"You think I shoulda went with Loxar?" he peered at Levy.

"If you wanted to win, yeah I do," she said.

"I ain't working with her while her heads shoved up her ass." Gajeel rested his head in his hand.

"I don't follow," she said.

"She's so obsessed with that stripper, she wont take anything else seriously. She'd bow out now if she could I bet."

"Oh, that makes sense," Levy said. "She really is crazy about Gray."

"Friggin' nuts more like it," he grunted. "Besides what would it matter if I win? Not like I could get S-Class no matter who I partner with. Like I said I just want a chance to take on Flame-brain or Scarlet."

Levy bit her lip in thought. He had a point. So then this wasn't about winning and he'd have the chance to fight Natsu and Erza whomever his partner was. Levy started to feel pathetic. She had had a theory of why he wanted to 'make her big' and she was starting to believe it.

"So you feel guilty," she said quieter than she intended. Gajeel caught it though and the air around them grew a bit heavier. They never had talked about it after all, Gajeel's sin that weighed them both down. Levy didn't want to loose him as her partner so she tried not to feel put out. She expected it after all. Just as she opened her mouth to change the subject Gajeel finally spoke up.

"I don't feel guilty. I am guilty," he said darkly. "But winning some dumb test or contest aint gunna get rid of that. So no that's not why I'm helping you out."

"Lost me again Redfox," she frowned and Gajeel snorted into his drink again. This wasn't about atonement for nearly killing her?

Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand he coughed, fighting an amused smirk, "Yer magic."

"My magic?"

He nodded. "Ever since that in-guild fight with the lightning jerk I wanted to see more of that Script stuff you do. The way you wrote your way around those runes was badass, plus making elements come out of nowhere like that? That Freed dude is one strong mage and you blew through his trap like is was breakfast. I knew I needed a piece of that."

Levy's face exploded at the innuendo but her heart sped up at the genuine compliments he kept tossing her way. Not to mention that was probably the most she had heard him say in one setting.

"Never seen you at a loss for words Shrimp," he smirked. He picked up their mugs, making moves for a third round but turned back to her. "and I gotta say I was right, you are a little badass, gee-hee,"

Gajeel then flashed Levy a real smile, looked straight into her eyes and gave her a wink that she couldn't describe any other way than hot. She'd never had a guy look at her like that and she'd never been so aware of how tight her chest felt.

Levy watched his back as he walked to the bar, her red face scrunched in confusion. Suddenly her eyes went wide as a realization smacked her in the head like an iron rod.

"Shit"

~end