The Tan
She was so curious, she just couldn't help it
I need to know! She thought as she hid behind another building
Levy Mcgarden was stalking someone
And that someone was none other than Gajeel Redfox
But she had a 'perfectly logical reason' to be stalking him as she put it...
FLASHBACK
At the Guild
"Levy!" the two unmistakable males of Team Shadowgear yelled as they ran up to her, smiles plastered on their faces
"We found the perfect job! You can read books and we can-" Jet stopped mid-sentence realizing that his favorite bluenette was missing
"Over here guys!" Shouted Levy holding Pantherlily from her seat beside Gajeel
Both guys sighed defeated. They both knew she wouldn't go with them now considering that she was probably going on a job with Gajeel. And if they tried to force her to go, then Gajeel would just beat them up; who are they kidding? Even Lily can beat them up.
"Hey Jet?"
"Yeah Droy?"
"How about we go on a couple of missions together so we can get stronger and protect Levy"
"Let's do it"
Without another word the boys grabbed a handful of job requests and were out the door before Levy could even say hello
"What's gotten into your watchdogs, Shrimp?" Asked Gajeel
"1 they are not my watchdogs, they're my teammates. 2 don't call me Shrimp. 3 I haven't a clue why they would leave like that."
"Whatever you say Shorty"
"I told you not to call me that!"
"No, you said not to call you Shrimp, Shorty"
"Stop that!"
"No way, it's too much fun. Gihi!"
They kept arguing like that for a while until Lily decided it was time for him and Gajeel to go home
"Hey Gajeel?"
"Yeah Chibi?"
"How'd you get a tan?" Levy asked ignoring his previous short joke
"The same way everyone else does, why?"
"Just curious..." She said her head filled with questions
Levy always liked Gajeel's tan but something always felt off about it, like it was more like a type of magic than an actual tan.
And I'm pretty sure someone who stayed in the shadows for most of his life wouldn't have enough time in the sun to even get tan she thought What is he hiding? Is it a real tan or is it just a cover for something? If he is hiding something what is it? Maybe he's being blackmailed into ta- she stopped her train of thought realizing the Iron dragon and his exceed had left
"Note to self: Stop reading detective novels before bed" She muttered to herself
Of course it's a real tan she thought Why would anyone lie about that? But just in case I need to follow him to find out what he's hiding from me, a perfectly logical reason for stalking someo- Her train of thought was interrupted by loud yelling in her ear
"-chan, Levy-chan, LEVY-CHAN!" Lucy yelled
"Y-Yes Lu-chan?" Levy said holding her ears to stop the ringing
"I was trying to talk to you about my novel, but you were obviously somewhere else. So what were you thinking about?" Lucy asked taking a seat beside her friend
"O-Oh it was n-nothing" she stuttered
Lucy rolled her eyes "Yeah right, you obviously have something bothering you so just tell me already!" She huffed
Levy sighed "Sorry I can't and I really have to go, bye Lu-chan!" She said running out of the guild
Flashback End
She (somehow) managed to find him and kept following him for what seemed like hours
Now that I think about it he's been walking in circles...Is this how he gets a tan? she giggled at the thought No way, Gajeel could probably smell his way to his house even if he did have a terrible sense of direction, which he doesn't, and wasn't Pantherlily supposed to be with him? Speaking of smell, why does he smell like fruit all the time? Wait, if he can smell his way to his house then he might smell me! she panicked having no idea how to hide her smell Maybe I can hide it with my magic? No, he'll sense it... what if he knew all along that I've been following him and he's just teasing me? What if he doesn't know it's me and he's waiting for the right time to strike? What if, what if, what if? She could only think about these 'what if ' questions almost completely forgetting about following the dragon slayer
About half an hour later (Midnight)
Finally! she thought as she watched Gajeel walk towards a stone house that resembles a certain fire dragon slayer and blue exceed's house Except the fact that it's HUGE!
Gajeel opened the door that seemingly had no lock, forgetting to close it thanks to an immediate argument with Lily
"Did you get lost again?" Lily asked disappointed of his slayer
"No. I just took a detour" Gajeel said glancing towards the door
"Oh, now I get it... but-mmph" Lily was cut off by Gajeel's hand covering his mouth
"Maybe he really is bad with directions" Levy thought aloud staring at the open door, watching the lights turn off and slowly walking towards it
Levy walked in stealthily sneaking around corners careful not to alert the two house owners of her presence
"This is too easy" she said to herself
She kept walking discovering new parts of the studded man and cuddly companion's house and memorizing each detail.
Where could he be? And where's Lily shouldn't he have been home by now? she thought Now I know he's hiding something!
She walked up the stairs to the second floor, not realizing two familiar shadows behind her.
She entered what looked like Gajeel's bedroom seeing scrap metal all over the room. As she entered the smaller shadow flew above her and in front of her face saying
"Boo!"
"KYAAH!" she screamed falling back into the taller shadow
"Gihi, good one Lily!" said the taller shadow
"Gajeel? Lily? W-What are you doing here?"
"Well we live here, so the real question is why are YOU here Levy?" Lily asked crossing his arms to match his dragon slayer's stance
"I...umm...c-came...t-to...f-find" She stuttered
"Well spit it out Shrimp"
"I came to ask about your tan!" she said a blush creeping upon her cheeks
"I already told you about that!" Gajeel said obviously annoyed that she came here for that
"I can't believe you stalked Gajeel because of that" Lily said
"You knew I was following him? How?" She asked already knowing the answer
"Obviously because I can smell you from a mile away, Shrimp"
She sighed, somehow she knew he would be able to smell her, but she was so curious she just brushed off the thought mid-stalk
"If you want stalking lessons, why don't you take it from a pro" Lily said smirking at Gajeel who turned around, a small blush showing on his ears
"Gajeel, what is he talking about?" she asked confused as to what Lily meant
"I may or may not follow you home every day to make sure you're safe" He said a deeper blush showing on his ears
She wasn't sure how to take in this information. Be glad for his concern, be mad for him stalking her or be scared because he might know what room she lives in in Fairy Hills.
Thankfully for Gajeel she chose option 1.
"I appreciate your concern, but next time just walk me home instead of stalking me" She said smiling
Gajeel turned around just in time to see her smile causing him to return her smile
"Alright but on one condition" Said Lily "You tell Levy and I what's up with your tan"
"What does that have to do with walking her home?! And why do you wanna know?!"
"Does that mean you DON'T want to walk home with her? Also, I too have noticed your peculiar tan." Lily said
Gajeel knew there was no use in arguing considering both were pouting at him. Someday that trick isn't gonna work for them he thought motioning for them to follow him into the bathroom
He opened a cabinet taking out a blue magic spray bottle and then taking off his shirt causing Levy to blush
"Watch." he said as he sprayed the contents of the bottle on his skin, turning it into the color of Levy's skin
"But that doesn't answer how you got your tan" Lily said looking through the cabinet for another clue
"Calm your fur, I'm getting to that" Gajeel said pulling Lily out of the cabinet "Follow me" He said walking down the stairs, out the front door and towards the back of the house
As they walked things just got more and more confusing for Levy and Lily and it just got more confusing because of the massive metal tub filled to the brim with a clear, yellowish liquid
"Okay this is how I get my tan" he said kicking off his boots and climbing in the tub "I sit in pineapple juice and cinnamon inside of this special magic tub and I wait an hour, then I get a tan...see?" he said getting out of the tub with a very light tan on his chest compared to his other body parts
Both the script mage and the exceed were both stunned but also could barely hold their laughter Gajeel sits for an hour in pineapple juice to get a tan?! they both thought simultaneously as their laughs finally escaped their mouths
"I knew -laughs- something was up but not -laughs- something like this!" Levy said holding her sides as tears of laughter started forming in her eyes
"Man, I knew you were a bit off but seriously? Pineapple juice?" Lily laughed sprawled out on the ground smacking it with his fist
"I-It's not that funny..." he said his face looking down in embarassment
"I'm sorry Gajeel, it's just, well" Levy said wiping the tears away
"It's ridiculous I know, but you better not tell anyone! Especially the demon waitress" He said glaring towards Pantherlily
"Oh don't worry I'm not that evil" Lily said getting a hold of himself
"Well now that my curiosity has been satisfied I might as well go home, if anyone wants to come along they better hurry~" Levy said slowly skipping away
"Yeah, yeah I'm coming" Gajeel said drying himself off with a random towel lying on the ground
"*cough* shirt *cough*" Lily coughed causing Gajeel to realize that he almost revealed his biggest secret
He ran inside, put on his shirt and ran after Levy
And as they walked both mages seemed content with their night although they would obviously never speak of it again.
