A.N.: Hey ya'll! Tokushi here! This is my first fanfic so please tell me what I need to work on in a review! Seriously, be harsh on me. Anyways, no one reads these lol so enjoy the story ^ - ^'
Levy skipped over to Gajeel's house. The previous day, he had invited her over for lunch and to train. Levy whistled along her journey while holding two magic expansion books. She wanted to show them to Gajeel so that he could help her become more powerful.
What he said on Tenrou was seared into her mind. He said that if she wanted him to notice her, she would have to become powerful enough to fight against him SUFFICIENTLY. It was stuck in her head the second the moment the words left his mouth.
The remark was an insult, or at least Levy interpreted it as one. Levy could take being called weak by anyone else, but she wanted Gajeel to view her as an equal. Furthermore, he didn't just tell her to train to be powerful, he said to become powerful enough to fight SUFFICIENTLY against him.
Sufficiently: Latin Originated Verb meaning "to meet the need of"
He was referring to when they first met.
When he caught her by surprise and did countless horrible things to her. He beat her black and blue and ransacked her.
And she couldn't do anything.
He was strong. She was weak.
The strong could do what the please with the weak.
That was the old Gajeel's prophecy.
She didn't know if he even saw the double meaning in his comment.
Levy hadn't known whether or not he used the word 'sufficiently' intentionally, but it provoked her to hit him with her bag and run away. She had stumbled into two Grimoire Heart members and was about to be killed. Then, Gajeel caught the blade on his arm and saved her life.
Although he had saved her life, his words were imprinted into her mind. Sure, it was a thing of the past. Neither of the two spoke about the first time they met. Not until Gajeel accidentally/intentionally used the word 'sufficient'.
"Its all a thing of the past.", murmured Levy to herself. Over time, she had begun developing feelings for the iron dragon slayer. Of all the people that she could possibly develop feelings for, it was Gajeel. Gajeel, the man that wrecked her beloved guild, the man that hurt her in as many ways as possible, the man that had her endure so much emotional and physical pain then stapled her to a tree. Of all the people. At least Lucy was JUST kidnapped,beat up, and chained to some wall.
When Gajeel had first arrived at Fairy Tail, he had given Levy and her teammates opportunities for revenge. Only Jet and Droy had attacked him, but he willingly took their blows. Levy thought deeper. Since she had not taken her compensation for being assaulted through forms of physical abuse, Gajeel had paid it to her through forms of atonement.
Atonement: Latin originating noun meaning reparation for a wrong or injury, reparation or expiation for sin.
Gajeel had atoned for his sins in every way that he possibly could. Taking the lightning bolt from Laxus, saving her life on Tenrou, and even feeding the fish at the water park with her were only a few of the examples of him trying to atone for his sins.
She had arrived at Gajeel's house. Levy knocked on his door. No one answered but the door swung open upon her knock. The door was already unlocked. Levy walked in.
A voice called to her. It was Gajeel. "I'm changing! I'll be out in five minutes.", he called.
"Ok.", replied Levy, trying to sound cool. She wanted him to notice her, to have him see her in a new perspective.
Levy looked around what seemed to be a living room. The living room seemed simple. There was a coat rack and a shoe cubby near the entrance of the house. Upon entrance, you were immediately in the living room.
The living room contained a table, two chairs, a couch, and a coffee table with a pile magazines. Levy decided to go see what kind of magazines Gajeel read. Maybe she could learn a thing or two about his interests.
Levy grabbed a random magazine and read the title to herself. Sorcerer Weekly. Levy didn't like where this was going.
Levy turned the page. Sorcerer Weekly: 10th Female Cosplay Edition. She stared in disbelief. Gajeel wasn't this kind of guy. He wasn't a pervert. She kept telling herself that he wasn't. He's not that kind of person. Or so she thought.
Levy turned the page. It was a spread of Lucy in a bunny suit. She stared in disbelief. Levy flipped a few more pages. Erza in a lecherous maid costume. She flipped a few more. Jenny Realight in a sexy nurse costume. No, NO! This can't be happening. He's not like this! He's not!
Levy flipped a few more pages, still unwilling to believe that he was interested in... large chested women. That would mean... He wasn't interested in her. She wasn't sufficient enough for him. Her chest wasn't sufficient.
Levy McGarden was not sufficient for Gajeel Redfox.
The next few pages only proved her right. Mirajane in a sexy angel costume. Lisanna in her cat cosplay suit. Flare in devil cosplay. Minerva in a skimpy kimono.
Levy's blood boiled. I'm not sufficient. I'm not sufficient. I'm flat. He will never like me back. No one will ever like me.
Gajeel walked out from his room. He had finished changing. The dragon slayer walked into the living room, seeing a very angry Levy.
Levy clutched the magazine in one hand, crinkling it, and spun around to meet Gajeel. "HOW COULD YOU?!", she screamed. Her other hand was pointing at Gajeel accusingly.
What Gajeel said next surprised her further. He calmly replied,"Careful, you'll crinkle it!" The dragon slayer pulled the magazine from Levy's small hands and began to straighten it.
Levy was furious. She could not believe him right now. He was so stupid, so dense, and SO PERVERTED. She screamed at him once more. "AM I NOT SUFFICIENT FOR YOU?! I CAME HERE TODAY TO LEARN HOW TO FIGHT SUFFICIENTLY AGAINST YOU. BUT IT TURNS OUT THAT I NEVER WILL BE PHYSICALLY."
"W-wait what?!", was the confused reply. Gajeel was frantically trying to straighten the lewd magazine.
Levy was fuming. She snatched the magazine and slapped him with it. Hard. He saw the attack coming but chose not to dodge it. He deserved it after what he did to her. The magazine went flying out of her hand and landed about one or two feet away from her feet.
"THE MAGAZINE, YOU JERKWAD!", cried Levy. She never cussed before, but the amount of anger she had right now surpassed all her previous levels a hundredfold.
Gajeel was silent.
"I TRY HARD TO GET YOU TO NOTICE ME. YOU DON'T HAVE A CLUE OF WHAT I TRIED. THERE WAS TENROU, WHERE WE WERE FIGHTING ACNOLOGIA AND I HELD YOUR HAND. THERE WAS THE WEDDING ROUND DURING THE GRAND MAGIC GAMES WHERE YOU DECIDED TO SLEEP. THERE WAS THE PUNISHMENT GAME WHERE I WORE A BUNNY SUIT FOR YOUR SHOW. A FREAKING BUNNY SUIT. BUT THAT'S NOT SUFFICIENT NOW IS IT? I SEE HOW IT IS NOW. I LIKE YOU GAJEEL REDFOX. Not like... as a... teammate. I... 'like-like' you."
The dragon slayer had no words to say.
"I really like you... But...I'm not sufficient.", Levy cried, feeling broken and defeated. She sat down on the floor. With a trembling hand she pointed to the magazine and turned to look at it. The magazine had opened to the near end.
The shiny pages told a story that Levy never saw. On the page was Levy in a nerd costume. The costume was not exactly lecherous but rather adorable. Levy was in a white polo, brown shorts, suspenders, and glasses. She was blushing and seemed embarrassed but she had a silly smile on.
Levy gasped. That was one of the few times that she willingly was in a Sorcerer Weekly magazine.
Gajeel silently walked over to the coffee and brought back the pile of magazines. He sat down on the floor with Levy and flipped each magazine to a specific page with the Solid Script Mage on it.
He had kept every issue with her in it.
"I-I really like you too.", Gajeel stammered. He looked away, trying to hide the shades of red on his face. One cheek was red from Levy's slap. The other was red from blushing.
Levy broke down. Her cheeks were red as well, partially from crying and partially from mixed feelings. She began sobbing.
Gajeel moved to hug her. Even though both individuals had just confessed their love for each other, a hug was more symbolic than a kiss as of now.
Gajeel was scared. Normally, people wouldn't be nervous about hugging another person, but he was nervous for hugging Levy. The last time he held her in his arms, he was climbing a tree to crucify her to it.
The dragon slayer hugged the bookworm lightly, afraid to hurt her. He wrapped himself around her in a certain way so that she wouldn't see the red on his face. Levy continued sobbing.
"You're more than sufficient for me. You're astounding, stunning, and more than what I deserve. I...I just hope that... I'm... sufficient for you.", stuttered the dragon slayer.
Levy continued sobbing. Gajeel was scared of her reply. What if she still hated him? What if she could not forgive him for what he has done?
Levy's response did not come in words. It came in a hug. Both people were sitting on the floor, awkwardly hugging. The random intruder would think they were odd, but only Gajeel and Levy knew the meaning behind their awkward position.
Levy continued crying and hugging Gajeel, while Gajeel comforted her. At that moment, both Gajeel and Levy knew that they were sufficient for each other.