Membership in an international pen-pal program was not what Levy expected for her 15th birthday, but at this point, she was so lonely she was ready to accept everything.
She struggled to sit down with her broken leg, awkwardly stretching it on the small stool under her computer desk before pulling the box with the documents over. She could still hear the soft murmurs coming from downstairs and considered getting up to close the door.
Then she knocked her toes against the wall.
"Nope, not today. I've done enough walking."
It was hard, to maneuver her fingers into the tight space between her computer and the wall, but after the third attempt, Levy managed to find the start button and turn the machine on. The whirling noise only worried her for a moment. Grandmere had suggested they could get a new computer soon anyway.
If she was even going to need that new computer.
The program had a forum and everything established. Levy looked up the rules and the suggestions of the server then searched up some more things about proper forum etiquette just in case. The registration only took a minute at the most. Finding a proper picture of her took longer and at last, she picked the one she found best from that visit to Paris from Christmas. (Her face looked horribly red from the cold, but it would have to do.)
The forum soon matched her up with her partner. Levy watched the animation process with curiosity. Her picture appeared from a small red dot that was supposed to be her hometown. The same red dot appeared somewhere in North America and a small picture jumped from it. A thin red line connected the two pictures.
A new tab opened, startling her.
Her fingers hovered over the keyboard and she narrowed her eyes, urging herself to switch to English. The tab was almost empty, only containing a big box for messages and few small menus to the side with options for adding pictures, emoticons and other things she didn't really care about.
A green dot by the side meant her partner was online, too.
Levy bit her lip. She could always quit. She could always put everything away and hand the documents down some other kid in town, then wait for her leg to heal up and do her best to be social.
Or she could try to be brave for once in her life.
FlowerLevy: Hello?
The three dots on the screen almost drove her insane. Levy nibbled on her nails.
the_dragon_warrior: hi? i'm gajeel. what's your name?
FlowerLevy: My name is Levy. It's nice to meet you!
flowercrown: I want to die.
panthers: who do i have to kill
flowercrown: You can't just go around killing people, Gajeel.
panthers: i mean
panthers: i can try?
flowercrown: It's illegal!
panthers: i'm already a criminal you foolish child
flowercrown: Buying a beer that one time doesn't count.
panthers: but it's also illegal
flowercrown: You can't offer murder every time I complain about something.
panthers: i so much can
panthers: fucking watch me tiny one
flowercrown: Stop calling me short.
panthers: but you are short
flowercrown: One day, Gajeel Redfox, your growth spurt will stop.
flowercrown: And then, I'm going to have the upper hand.
flowercrown: Just you wait.
panthers: i'm so scarred. terrified.
flowercrown: I hate you with a burning passion.
panthers: but you love me
Levy blinked for a moment, staring at the screen of her laptop with a mixture of confusion and something she didn't recognize.
flowercrown: You don't deserve my love.
panthers: 3
When Levy touched her cheeks, she felt heat radiate from under her fingers. Something strange had settled in her stomach, making her feel as if she was going to throw up any second.
flowercrown: 3
panthers: ha! i got you to send me a heart!
flowercrown: You're so strange, Gajeel.
panthers: i know tiny
panthers: i know
He was horrible.
actual-disney-princess: um
actual-disney-princess: i might have done something
sunflower: Please tell me you didn't kill anyone.
actual-disney princess: i did not kill anyone
actual-disney-princess: why do you always assume that?
sunflower: … Really.
actual-disney-princess: touché
actual-disney-princess: but nope
actual-disney-princess: i did something better
actual-disney-princess shared a picture
sunflower: Is this a kitten?
actual-disney-princess: yup
actual-disney-princess: meet lily
actual-disney-princess: i met him today and he stole my heart
actual-disney-princess: he's my child now
sunflower: Oh dear god, he's so beautiful!
sunflower: You're going to be a good dad, Gajeel.
actual-disney-princess: dad?
sunflower: You adopted a little animal. I think that makes you a dad?
actual-disney-princess: oh
actual-disney-princess: i didn't consider that
actual-disney-princess: that's cool
actual-disney-princess: does that make you his mom?
sunflower: Why am I the mom?
actual-disney-princess: you're my best friend dumbass
sunflower: Calling me your cat's mother implies I'm your wife.
actual-disney-princess: oh
actual-disney-princess: do you wanna marry me?
Levy slammed her head against the library table, startling the small group of first-years on then next table over. Her face was burning as she awkwardly apologized to them and turned her laptop to the side. He was so dumb, it was a wonder she loved him as much as she did.
sunflower: You can't ask me to marry you just because you want me to be your cat's mother.
actual-disney-princess: umm rude
actual-disney-princess: are you going to leave poor lily motherless?
actual-disney-princess shared a picture
actual-disney-princess: LOOK AT HIS SAD KITTY EYES
actual-disney-princess: HOW CAN SAY NO TO HIS KITTY EYES
actual-disney-princess: HEARTLESS
sunflower: OKAY I'M GOING TO MARRY YOU
sunflower: Please stop, you're making me feel like a bad person.
actual-disney-princess: didn't want to
actual-disney-princess: but at least it worked?
sunflower: You confuse me so much sometimes.
actual-disney-princess: sometimes it's my intention
actual-disney-princess: now wife
sunflower: ugh
actual-disney-princess: i see how much enthusiasm you have, lev
actual-disney-princess: you wound me
Levy stared at her phone's screen for a long time, her heart beating like a hummingbird in her chest. She had trouble catching her breath, find it difficult to put her mind in a single, coherent thought.
Be brave, she urged herself. You can't hold it anymore. It's enough.
Her classmates had been talking about love and romance. Levy didn't care about romance. Her grandparents were strict in their care and her school was even stricter. But they were young girls, young girls with dreams of love. And they talked and gossiped and shared.
And she closed her eyes and thought for someone who waited for her across the ocean and it made her heart hurt.
Levy'd been in love with her best friends for a couple of months—maybe more, who knew?—now. And with every day that passed without telling him, it hurt her more. It had needed for her to face her old crush and listen to the girls in her class talk about their relationships for her to realize her feelings, but once she did, keeping them in her heart made her break apart.
Telling Gajeel would, at worst, probably ruin their friendship and make him hate her. But not telling him meant risking souring the warmth she held in her chest for him and truth be true, she preferred losing him and keeping the memories of the joy she had over watching their friendship turn into hate over dark feelings.
Ugh, what am I thinking about? My childish crush isn't something out of a Shakespearean drama. I should stop the dramatics and focus.
Tell him.
minicat: Gajeel?
bigcat: what up tiny?
minicat: Are you free right now?
minicat: There's something important I want to talk about.
bigcat: yeah i'm free today
bigcat: what's wrong?
Her fingers gripped the sheets of her bed. Do it. Tell him.
minicat: I like you.
minicat: I mean, in the romantic sense.
minicat: In the sense that I want to hold your hand.
minicat: And hug you.
minicat: And kiss you.
minicat: I'm sorry.
bigcat: wait what?
bigcat: what are you sorry for?
bigcat: i've been into you for like
bigcat: a year or something
minicat: You what?
bigcat: ha
bigcat: ha
bigcat is calling you…
Levy promptly dropped her phone, her hands shaking. She needed a couple of tries to swipe in the proper direction in order to pick the call.
"Hello?" she called out, her voice shaky and breathy.
"You're so fucking dumb" came the voice from the other side, cracking just a bit. "I love you so damn much, dumbass."
She stared at her room's wall in awe, seeing black spots dance in her vision.
"Lev? Levy, fuck, answer—"
It took her only a couple of minutes—and some more of him calling her name— in order to gather her brains enough to form a coherent answer.
"Excuse me, you what?"
Laugh. He was laughing, the arrogant, egoisitic—
"I love you" Gajeel called from the other side of the connection, his voice cracking with laughter. "So damn much, you horrible, horrible, idiot bookworm."
She covered her mouth to stop the choked sob for escaping, tears running from her eyes. She'd spent months wondering and pondering and torturing herself, and hoping, hoping for a little answer, the smallest hint—
"Say it" he told her. "I want to hear you say it."
"Say what?" Levy asked, pulling her knees against her chest.
"You know what! Say it!"
She bit her knuckles to hold back another burst of emotion, feeling fear and worry and joy mix into her belly until every breath she took was heavy and ragged.
"I love you" she whispered, gasping.
"I know. But I do more."
"To Andromeda and back" she added, and laughed, tears of joy trickling down her cheeks.
He stayed up with her for hours, until it was 3 am and the girl next door slammed against the wall and yelled for her to shut the fuck up.
"I suppose I have to say goodnight" Levy whispered as she tucked herself into bed. "Goodnight, Gajeel."
"Night, Lev. Will you dream of me?"
"Maybe." She smiled. "Talk more tomorrow?"
"Always."
lionheart: Have you ever considered a double suicide?
black-panther: why are we pulling a romeo and juliet?
lionheart: Remember that exam I told you about?
black-panther: yikes
lionheart: Exactly. Yikes.
black-panther: sorry lev
black-panther: if it calms your heart i have finals too
lionheart: It does not!
lionheart: Why are you texting me instead of studying?
black-panther: i'm already dead inside tiny
black-panther: it won't be much of a difference if i fail my academic career too
lionheart: I hate you.
black-panther: no you don't
lionheart: No, I don't.
black-panther: do you wanna talk?
black-panther: i have a free period in a bit
lionheart: I don't think I would be able to.
lionheart: You've seen my revision schedule.
black-panther: i have
black-panther: it's ridiculous
black-panther: you're panicking too much
lionheart: I'm not panicking.
black-panther: you are
black-panther: i mean you're texting me
black-panther: that means you don't want to revisit and you want to distract yourself from studying
lionheart: I'm texting you because I'm dating you and I miss you!
black-panther: that's cute
black-panther: but my point stands
lionheart: Gajeel, I need to pass this.
lionheart: My whole life depends on this.
black-panther: i know lev
black-panther: that's why i know you're gonna do this
black-panther: and even if you don't
black-panther: that doesn't make you a failure
lionheart: Gajeel…
black-panther: live ain't just classes and grades and uni
lionheart: Thank you.
black-panther: wait i want to continue my tirade
lionheart: You care about me, don't you?
black-panther: i'm dating you, dumbass
black-panther: and since don't have any sort of instinct of self-preservation
black-panther: i gotta fill in
lionheart: I love you, grumpy.
black-panther: love you too dumb woman
lionheart: 3
princess: Gajeel?
dragon: hm?
princess: I might have done something.
dragon: murder?
princess: God be good, no.
princess: But… you might not like it.
dragon: tell me
princess shared a picture
dragon: your
dragon: your hair
princess: … Yes?
dragon: it
dragon: it blue
dragon: it fucking blue
dragon: you dyed your hair?
princess: … Yes?
princess: Is it that bad?
dragon: fuck
dragon is calling you...
"You really should stop doing that and just talk to me, you know" Levy said softly as soon as she picked, leaning into her comfy chair and sticking her legs out.
"Turn on your camera."
She blinked and tilted her head back, staring at the ceiling.
"Gajeel, I'm not turning on my camera, I look horrible."
"Levy, love of my life, sun to my moon, turn the fucking camera on and let me see you."
Levy let out a low hum, barely containing a wave of giggles as he started cursing from the other side. She'd found she loved teasing him—once she'd gotten under his skin, she knew just how to push his buttons in order to have the most fun possible.
"And what if I don't?" she asked, lowering her voice to a gentle whisper.
"Please?"
Her chest filled with warmth at the sheer feeling in his voice. Levy whispered a soft "okay" and set the phone down by her laptop, then pressed her finger to the small camera button and waited. Her teeth dug into her lip to contain her nerves. It was rare that they talked on camera and dear God, she looked like a mess—
"Hey."
When she looked at the small screen, Levy saw her chérie and smiled at him. All the worries in her belly came to an end, however, when she met his eyes. She waved shyly at him, pulling the pillow she kept on her desk to her chest and hugging it tightly.
"Hi" she called back, hoping her smile conveyed her joy. She wanted to hide so much.
Gajeel looked almost as much of a mess as she felt. His hair—sweet goodness, it was even longer than she remembered it now!—was tied off into a messy ponytail, his black-framed glasses almost falling off his nose. When she looked hard enough, she noticed he had added another pair of studs to his ears, bringing the total to eight. The eyeliner on his lids was just a bit smudged and from the back of her mind, she wondered when he'd put it on.
More than ever before, Levy wished she could touch him, run her fingers over his cheeks and his jaw and that small uneven bump in his nose he'd told her he'd gotten after breaking his nose when he was little; bury them into his hair and feel the silken strands between her fingers. And then, then she would kiss him, press her mouth to his, feel the warmth of his lips against her own.
"Stop hiding" Gajeel called out, a hint of amusement in his voice, and she looked up from where she'd buried her face into her fluffy pillow. "I want to see you. Please, Lev?"
"O-okay" she said with a bashful smile and lifted her head so she could properly meet his eyes. "Just for you."
Even through the screen and all the kilometers between them, she could feel his gaze on her, touching her and caressing her as if it were his hands and not his eyes. It filled her with a warmth that not even the cold of the wind blowing outside could put down, that spread from the ends of her hair to the tips of her fingers and made her feel… Loved.
"Beautiful" he breathed out, his eyes soft and gentle. "Fuck—you look like a goddamn angel or something."
Levy buried her face into the pillow and laughed, laughed until her chest hurt and she could barely breathe. His words, awkward but filled with kindness and affection, were more precious to her than any high praise someone could sing her.
"Do you really think so?" she asked when she finally gathered her breath, her face flushed with warmth. "I was worried you might not like it…"
"I don't like it" he said, and for a moment her heart fell. "I goddamn love it."
"Don't scare me like that! Silly Gajeel…"
Gajeel laughed and it made her heart sing along, a smile coming to her face despite her desire to pout and hide in a corner. Had he been there, with her, she would have pushed him to the ground and tackled him, hitting his stupid beautiful face with her pillow. Alas, he was far, far away, and the only thing she could do was laugh along and stick her tongue out to him in the most childish manner ever.
She loved this idiot so much.
"Why didn't you tell me before?" Gajeel asked after some time.
"I was worried you might try to convince me not to" Levy admitted, holding the comfy pillow to her chest and tucking her feet under her thighs. "My grandparents are probably going to have a heart attack when they see me, but honestly… I love the feeling of it."
"Well, it certainly loves you. Hell, you look amazing." His smile made her toes curl with joy. "Like a tiny, sparkly blue diamond."
"Just because you're tall doesn't mean you get to make fun of us small people, giant."
"Levy, you're five feet nothing."
"Five feet and half an inch!" She was exactly five feet, but he didn't know that. Yet. "I'm exactly 1 meter and 53 centimeters tall! You're just jealous because I'm the perfect cuddling size!"
"Lev, you're so tiny I can probably fit you in my pocket." His smirk only fed her sudden desire to kick him. "So small. Bite-sized."
Oh, if looks could kill… Gajeel only laughed at her, the sound sending pleasurable shivers all through her body. Levy let out a sound of defeat and buried her face into her pillow, desperately hoping it could silence her cries of anguish. Sadly, it did not.
"You're so cute when you pretend to hate me" he cooed. "C'mon, blue, look at me."
Shy, Levy lifted her head met him. Her moon—she'd found she liked calling him that, to match him calling her his sun—had a soft look on him. He wasn't smiling with his mouth but instead with his eyes, the deep brown-red now filled with warmth and the sort of adoration she'd only read about in her old romance books.
"You called me blue" she mused. "A new nickname?"
"To match your new hair, of course." His smirk made her shiver. "Do you like it?"
"No, I don't" Levy admitted with a bashful smile. "To be true, I love it."
The banner was growing heavy and her arms could barely keep holding it up, but to hell if she was going to put it down.
She'd spent hours upon hours last night to make the best possible welcome banner. In the end, what came out of her desperate attempts was bigger than anything her arms would hold, with "Welcome, Gajeel!" written in the brightest, most neon shade of pink she had been able to find after days of searching around the stores in the Parisian neighborhood her auntie lived in. Flowers and hearts decorated the bright pink letters.
His plane had landed half an hour ago. She saw it touch down and saw the bridge. She saw people coming out, luggage and everything.
He was nowhere to be seen.
Levy did her best to not panic.
She'd arrived at the airport precisely 15 minutes before the plane landed, courtesy to the poor taxi driver she almost drove insane. (She'd left the largest tip her broke student self could afford.) The first part of them was spent in pacing around and muttering to herself in a peculiar combination of french and english. The second contained excitedly bouncing around the entry doors with the banner flying in her arms, unable to contain her joy.
By now, her arms were positively dying down from the weight and the size and the effort it took to keep it up. The neon pink letters glimmered in the harsh Parisian sun. Yet Levy held it up, determined to hold out. Even if it meant muscle fever for the next week.
"You look even tinier in person."
Levy whipped around, retort on the tip of her tongue. She promptly hit herself in the face with the banner in her haste to fight whoever called her out for her height and their horrible french.
Then her mind registered what was actually said and she squeaked.
The person standing beside her only laughed. They were wearing the widest, happiest grin she'd ever had the courtesy to see, only mirrored by the one she'd noticed on her own face the morning when she woke up. Her eyes saw long hair and gleaming silver and incredibly impractical leather and combat boots. Her hair only saw warm red-brown eyes and a smile.
Gajeel raised one eyebrow at her, crossing his arms.
"Really?"
And then she promptly squealed and threw herself into his arms.
"I can't believe you hit me with the banner" Gajeel complained.
Levy was too happy to remind him why exactly she hit him, her hand tightly gripping his to the point her knuckles were almost white. He didn't seem to mind it, holding her as close as it was socially acceptable. The banner, bright pink letters and flowers and hearts, hung from her other arm, safely tucked against her side.
The sun shone brightly as she led him to the taxis lined just outside the airport. People were rushing in and out of the large building, like ants desperate to follow their High Queen's orders. She heard a combination of languages all around her. Usually, the loud sounds and the mess and the people pushing against her would have sent her into a state of near panic. Right now however, with Gajeel gripping her as if she was his lifeline, Levy felt oddly calm.
She found she liked that feeling a lot.
His uncle waited for them by one of the larger taxis, arguing with the driver. He was just as tall and his aura just as murderous as she'd seen Gajeel's in one of his bad moods. His choice of language wasn't very far from it, either… The red-faced driver was almost glowing by now, bellowing insults in french and broken english in the same way.
Levy looked at Gajeel and noticed his nose wrinkling like it always did when he saw something funny.
"Should we interrupt?" she whispered, although she was sure even if she'd spoken louder, neither would have heard her.
"Nah." Gajeel snickered and pulled her closer, his fingers slipping from her grip when his arm wrapped around her. "Lemme watch. It's fun as hell."
Levy gaped, her mouth opening and closing. He was warm. Despite the searing July heat, she found herself nuzzling into his hold. His other arm followed and soon she was buried into his chest, face pressed into the faded gray shirt he wore. His scent - spice and just a little bit of sweat - made her belly curls and brought out a purr from the back of her throat. His laughter rang against the crown of her heat. Her flesh and bones melted at the warmth of his hold. She felt safe and sound. She never wanted to let him go.
It took time and strength to untangle herself from his hold. Gajeel looked like a kicked puppy and Levy had to cover her mouth to hide her giggles. He pinched her in retaliation and she yelped, pulling back and almost falling. (Again. Would she ever stop embarrassing herself in front of him?)
Just a meter or so away his uncle was still arguing with the driver, their fight growing louder by the minute. The passerby would stop and watch them. Levy felt her cheeks burn with shame. It wasn't something she hadn't seen before - her own family had no less fire—but not for the first time, she felt embarrassed.
Gajeel either noticed her discomfort or felt in a similar situation, because he stepped ahead and grabbed his uncle's shoulder. His voice was a hushed whisper. Levy couldn't help but notice how different it sounded from when he spoke to her—rougher, more natural, with an accent that made something in her tingle. His uncle let out a disappointed huff, yet still turned around and apologized to the red-faced driver about some of the words he'd used.
Levy watched the object of her affection (her silly dragon) with curiosity. To her utter surprise, Gajeel turned to the driver and spoke in clear, if lightly accented, french to him, apologizing further for his uncle's behavior and for not stepping in earlier. His uncle—whose name was Acnologia, it seemed—looked at him with a mixture of shame and annoyance. Gajeel ignored him and smiled with satisfaction when the driver opened the door and welcomed them in his vehicle.
After a particularly long and awkward (Gajeel had taken pity on her and let her sit by the window while he answered all of his uncle's embarrassing questions about their relationship) drive, their taxi stopped at the small square in the middle of the neighborhood. Levy got out immediately and moved her toes in her shoes, eager to take them off and dip them into cold water. Gajeel followed behind, the welcome banner under his arm and with that stupid grin on his stupid face. His uncle helped him get all his luggage.
"You sure you're gonna be okay, brat?" he asked, setting down the last bag. "There's plenty of space at the hotel."
"Nope. Not gonna miss a single second around Blue."
Acnologia made a sound that could only be described as gagging and waved him off, then got back into the taxi. Soon enough they took off, the sound reverberating through the relatively empty streets.
Gajeel was frowning.
"What is it?" Levy asked, adjusting the knot of her ribbon.
"I imagined Paris more… "
"More…?"
"Dunno. More… Not empty."
Levy covered her mouth and giggled. He looked so confused. She wished she could take a photo of him like this. Alas, he would more than not likely finally fulfill his threats tickle her to death if she tried. Her wish would stay a wish.
(Fortunately, she had a whole folder on her laptop saved with embarrassing photos of him. His mother had sent some - "for posterity", she'd claimed - but the rest were all screenshots from their face times. She would have so much fun finally getting to blackmail him.)
"Well, it's hot outside" Levy reminded him as she picked some of his bags. "Also, we're in the suburbs right now. Tomorrow, I'm taking out you to see the city."
"Taking me out?" Gajeel asked, amusement written over his face. She couldn't stop staring at him. "Like a date? Or with a sniper gun?"
"We will see" she said, giggling.
Together the three managed to carry all the luggage up the stairs. Aunt Amelie was ecstatic to finally meet the "sweetheart you haven't stopped talking about for years!". Levy gaped, torn between utter embarrassment and the urge to scream. Gajeel laughed so much he almost fell on the floor, clutching his stomach. At that point she had to hold back the desire to disappear into the floor.
They set his things in the small guest room by the side. Levy sat on the bed and watched Gajeel rummage through his bags. He was just five minutes in and the whole room already looked like a hurricane went through it. She found it hilarious.
She must have laughed out loud because when she lifted her head Gajeel was staring at her with a peculiar look in his eyes.
"What is it?" she asked, reaching down to slip off her shoes.
"We're alone" he muttered. "I just—it's strange."
Levy couldn't quite tell what he was trying to say, so she offered a shy smile. Gajeel looked equal parts confused and amazed, but when she offered her shaking hand, he reached out to grasp it with such eagerness that startled him. Taken by his momentum, she ended falling into his chest, her head knocking against him and sending her glasses somewhere in the floor.
"Sorry for hitting you" she mumbled into the fabric of his shirt. "And for… currently stepping on your feet."
She tried not to burn as she took a step back, his laughter ringing in her ears.
"No, it's fine." His hand dropped from hers, only for seconds later to wrap around her back and pull her closer. "Can I hold you for a bit?"
The question startled her, but Levy nodded her head anyway, shyly curling her arms around his middle and burying her face into his chest. The warmth he seemed to radiate filled her soul, from bottom to top, as if she'd been drained from life for ages and only now got to feel it.
"You feel safe" she whispered, voice muffled by the cotton.
Gajeel let out a humming sound, his grip growing tighter around him. Instead of afraid, she felt as if she wanted to come closer and closer, until there was no space left between them. But perhaps it wasn't the right time yet.
"So do you."