Hey everybody! This is my first GaLe fic and I was aided in my quest for fluff by my little sister, Kso12! So she deserves thanks too! Without her, I never would have discovered Fairy Tail. (shudders at thought of life without it)

Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail.

-Book Prof 101

Levy gathered up her pile of books, feeling pleased. She'd recently found out about another type of coded language from Fried and was desperate to try and decode it. Hefting the stack in her arms, Levy nodded to the librarians. They knew her card number by heart and hardly bothered to keep track of how many books she checked out these days.

Levy eyed the door. It was sturdy and made of oak, causing it to be quite heavy. If I can get through, maybe this time I won't trip when it slams shut.

Using her back to open the door, she turned and the books shifted in her grasp. Levy's small hands were starting to ache; they were by no means small books. She took a few steps and the library door shut with a soft thud. Now for the stairs...

Levy was sure she could handle the last stair. She'd gotten safely down nineteen of them so far; one more wouldn't be that hard. Taking a confident step, she teetered as her foot hit air. Levy cringed as she waited for the inevitable bruises she would get. The books clattered to the ground and she fell-

-straight into the arms of a frowning dragon slayer.

"Where are the cheerleaders?" Gajeel asked, his voice gruff. He looked around to see if the overprotective Jet and Droy were anywhere near Levy.

"They were kicked out of the library for being too loud." Levy sighed. Not everyone could enjoy books like she did.

Gajeel looked her up and down. Her arms were like sticks and Levy's hands looked like tiny, fragile doves. He shook his head; where were these mushy thoughts coming from?

After catching her, Gajeel realized the source of Levy's weekly skinned elbows and knees: tripping on the stairs and landing on her books. Thick, metal-cornered books that had to weigh more than she did sopping wet.

Grunting slightly, the dragon slayer stacked all Levy's books and tucked them under his arm. No wonder Shorty fell; they had to weigh 150 pounds at least! He started walking. Levy hurried to match his long strides.

"Gajeel?" She squinted up at him. He was standing in front of the sun, which gave him a dangerous silhouette.

"Hm?" He glanced down at her out of the corner of his ruby eyes.

"Where's Lily?"

Gajeel was silent. For a moment Levy thought he wouldn't answer.

"Sparring with Erza." His red eyes grinned. "He'd better damn well win."

Levy got lost in her thoughts as she walked. It was nice of Gajeel to carry her books, but she felt kind of helpless. Even with Team Shadow Gear she ended up doing a lot and still felt weak. She needed to prove herself to the guild. To Gajeel.

"Right or left?" Gajeel's voice startled Levy out of her haze.

"Umm...Right." That would take her to the guild where she could give a translation of some runes that Lucy had asked for, as well as pick out Team Shadow Gear's next mission. Not to mention that she wanted to see how Lily and Erza's sparring was going. Levy smiled at the thought of the diminutive cat and Erza; both were more than they seemed.

Five minutes later, Levy pushed the guild doors open, walking calmly past Natsu and Gray's latest fight, and sat down at an empty table, reaching for her books. Which Gajeel still had in his arms. Levy blushed as he set them down in front of her and walked away to an empty barstool. He had saved her from another week of painful bruises.

Gajeel watched from his barstool as the little Solid Script mage launched herself into her work, laughing in spite of himself at the piles of papers and books already accumulating around her. It was like a miniature fort, hiding everything but the top of Shorty's blue hair from his gaze.