Happy Gajevy Week everyone! So I already posted this on Tumblr, but decided I might as well post them here :) Hope you guys enjoy! :)
What's that smell? Gajeel sniffed the air, looking, for the source. His eyes widened when he spotted the plume of smoke slithering out of a chimney. His chimney. The hell? He ran towards it, kicked his own door down, only to find blue hair peeking over the side of the couch. "Shrimp?"
Said shrimp winced. "Sorry Gajeel.." He was almost too scared to look at his kitchen.
Almost.
Everything was either half-melted or blackened. The stove, the walls, even some of his utensils. Despite his slight annoyance, he let out an appreciative whistle. "How you managed to completely trash my kitchen is beyond me Shrimp."
He saw her bang her head on the wall next to the couch from the corner of his eyes. Gajeel sighed. "It's not that bad." Levy huffed, and stood up. "Gajeel," She cast another glance at the now ruined kitchen. "How you manage not to see that it's completely destroyed is beyond me." Wiping his face, "What were you trying to do anyways?" She murmured something under her breath. "Can't hear ya Shrimp."
"I, uh, tried to bake you a cake. A metal one." He couldn't help the warm feeling that suddenly combusted in him as she continued. "It's just, you know, a thank you, for letting me crash at your place while the guild disbanded."
Just a day after master announced that the guild is breaking up, everyone had gone their separate ways. Levy didn't take it too kindly.
Gajeel visited her, fully intent on saying his goodbyes, until he found her crying in a huddle on the floor. He understood the feeling of loss, and of being alone. So, with a little gentle nudge from Lily, he invited her to stay with him for a while, just until she could stand on her own feet again. She tearfully agreed, and they helped gather her things. Now his place was a mix of metals scraps and books lying around. Lily tried to clear it up, but it seemed Gajeel and Levy shared the same sentiment about leaving their things around. But neither he nor Gajeel would deny that there was something about discarded books lying around that made home, well, seem more like home.
"I was actually thinking of moving out." Gajeel tried to push away his hurt.
"Really?"
"I think I can handle living on my own again. Besides, I've been depending on you and Lily too much. I don't want to push it."
"Oh."
Awkward silent ensued between them. It was a foreign feeling to them. They had always been comfortable with each other.
"Are you, uh, still gonna bake me that cake?"
"I'd love to but considering what I just did, I don't think it would be wise to let me near any kitchen again."
He cleared his throat. "I could help you."
"You, want to help me, bake your cake?"
"Yeah that's what I said wasn't it? Come on, we gotta clear first though." She inwardly smiled at him, feeling somewhat privileged to be one of the few people to see him like this. To see the soft side he so often keeps hidden. Levy abruptly felt a pang in her chest, realising that she would miss him. It's not like she wanted to leave. But she had to. She was a grown woman damn it, and she would act like one.
They miraculously finished clearing before sundown, and soon enough they were mixing the batter for the cake, with a couple of steaks already on the grill. "How on earth did you make them smell so good?" Gajeel let out a 'Gihi' before motioning for her to pour in the metal bits. "I had a job at this restaurant once. The head chef taught me a lot'a good stuff."
"Ahhh…" Levy poured the batter into the cake pan and was about to put it in the oven when Gajeel stopped her. "What?" He deadpanned. "You forgot to put the chocolate powder in."
"…right." He chuckled and dumped the forgotten ingredient, mixing it immediately. "Now, you can put it in." She did as he said, and proceeded to clean up the counter. "This is nice."
"The food?"
"Cooking together. Makes me wonder why we haven't done this before."
"That's probably because you were too busy enjoying my cooking." She promptly swatted his arm.
"What? You do!"
"Yeah well don't let it get to your head."
He waved her off. "I'm gonna start flipping the steaks. Don't take the cake out until the alarm beeps."
"I think I know that much!" He snickered at that.
While he busied himself with grilling, she went over to to the table to prepare the plates and cutlery that haven't melted. "Where's Lily by the way?"
"He's visiting the exceeds." She hummed.
"Steaks are done." She turned to get the steaks, only to find herself staring at his eyes. She knew she should pull away and laugh it off but… He wasn't pulling away either. The air was thick as he glanced down at her lips. She couldn't help the hitch in her breath, realising that maybe, he felt the same way. Her suspicions were confirmed when he leaned forward. Their noses brushed, and she didn't think she could handle anymore suspense. She was just about to meet him halfway when-
BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.
Both of them hurriedly broke apart. "I, uh, the steak! The steak, I need to put the steak on the table!"
"I need to get the cake from the stoven, I mean oven!" Gajeel was breathing hard, but tried to keep it in as he plopped the steak non too gently on the serving plate, and onto the table. Levy on the other hand was in a daze, still unbelieving of what had just happened. He nearly kissed me. Me! She nearly burned her hand thrice as she pulled it out.
Despite the awkward occurrence Levy couldn't help the sigh of relief when she saw that the cake had turned out well. "Gajeel! The cake looks really yummy!" She heard a nervous chuckle from the dragon slayer. "Course it did. I helped you make it didn't I?" Levy brought the cake over to the table and settled down.
They finished dinner a long time ago and Gajeel had just swallowed the last bit of metal cake. "Gajeel, you've got crumbs all over!" He grabbed a napkin and haphazardly wiped his face.
"Eww Gajeel! It looks even worse now!" She took another napkin, and this time she was the one who wiped his face. Giving Gajeel quite a bit of time to look at her face up close. Her dimples showed up every now and then, laughing at the crumbs that had stuck to the studs on his face. She hesitated just a little at the crumbs that gathered at the corners of his mouth, but had at them anyway.
But she couldn't help it when her fingers brushed his upper lip. And he couldn't help the quiet grunt when she did. "Ah sorry!"
"Uh, no its fine."
This time she was very careful as she wiped away the remaining crumbs.
"You're serious about moving out?"
"Yeah."
"You know, you're not much of a trouble to take care of." By now she had stacked their plates, and already started wiping the table.
"Ah well… I don't exactly have a reason to stay anymore, I mean, except for your cooking."
"You hate my company that much huh?" Levy smirked.
"Are you that disappointed that I'm leaving?"
"N-No, it's just-"
"Because if you are, you're going to have to give me more than one reason to stay." Gajeel immediately knew what she was trying to say. So he returned her smirk, and said, "Well my cooking is one, Lily's probably the second…" Levy nodded at him to keep going.
"All you need is one more reason."
"Yup."
"Should be easy enough." She cocked an eyebrow.
"And what makes you think that?"
"Gihi." He suddenly manhandled Levy and placed her on his lap, completely ignoring her indigent cries and protests.
"This." He pressed his lips to hers, and he couldn't remember a single time in his life where everything felt so right. Gajeel offhandedly suspected there would be nothing that would feel as perfect as this. Apparently neither did she, because she kissed him back just as hard.
It was their first. Neither had experience, and both were incredibly sloppy. But they certainly didn't lack in enthusiasm.
Gajeel and Levy didn't realise how breathless they were until they finally broke apart. "So Shrimp, that good enough for a third reason?" She was still gasping for breath. "Well… I supposed it would do."
"Really now? I guess more convincing is needed." She grinned back at him. "I guess so."
Lily couldn't hide the smirk of satisfaction when he spotted the two mages curled together comfortably on the couch, with twin smiles on their faces.
He'd let them enjoy their peace for now. Besides, it was only a matter of time before Mira finds out about this. Quietly, he snuck in the middle of them, and fell asleep to the even breathing of his family.
It was good to be home.
Done! Like it, hate, it, love it? Feel free to let me know in the comments :)