"I don't get why I have to go, shrimp." Gajeel grumbled, pulling at the itchy collar that rubbed at his neck. Levy sighed.
"The entire guild is going, plus Lamia Scale and a whole bunch of others. We have to give the guild a good image." She stood on her tiptoes to fix Gajeel's tie for him, and then crossed her arms. "Brush your hair, Gajeel." She commanded.
Gajeel grumbled. "I don't like it. I bet Salamander doesn't have to wear fancy clothes like this." He complained. Levy rolled her eyes.
"Lu-Chan is making Natsu wear the same clothes you are." She told him. She glanced at the clock and gasped. "Oh no! We're gonna be late, Gajeel!" She yelled, grabbing the Dragon Slayer, who was in the middle of forcing a comb through his hair, by his tie. The comb broke in half and stuck in his hair.
"Shrimp! Ack!" He choked out, grabbing at his tie. Levy shoved him into the car.
"Let's go!" She said, pressing the gas. Gajeel rubbed his neck and glowered at the floor as he picked the pieces of comb from his head.
The car pulled up outside of the rented ballroom. Levy stepped out and ran her fingers through her hair nervously as Gajeel got out of the car and threw the pieces of comb on the ground.
"We made it!" Levy sighed in relief, letting out a breath. Gajeel crossed his arms.
"Hey Levy!" Lucy yelled, walking towards them and dragging an incapacitated Natsu by his ear.
"Lu-Chan!" Levy cried as she hugged Lucy. "You look great!"
"So do you!" She gushed, pulling Natsu to his feet. "Happy, take Natsu inside." She commanded the cat.
"Why me?" He asked. Lucy glared.
"Because I've been hauling him almost the entire way here!" She snapped. Happy nodded.
"Aye sir!" He agreed, grabbing Natsu by the shoulders. Levy looked at Lucy.
"Why did you drag him?" She asked. Lucy sighed.
"The car broke down halfway here and Natsu couldn't walk." She complained, rubbing her arms. Gajeel rolled his eyes.
"Gajeel, go inside. We'll be in in a second." Levy commanded without even looking at him. Gajeel mumbled something and sulked inside.
"Lucy-san! Levy-san!" Wendy called as she stepped out of the car with Charle. She was wearing a dark blue dress that matched her hair and poofed out at her waist. Charle followed her with a neutral expression on her face.
"Hi Wendy!" Lucy greeted her. Wendy smiled.
"Have you seen Natsu-san? I wanted to ask him something..." She asked, looking around. Lucy laughed.
"I don't think you can ask him anything right now." She said, pointing inside, where Natsu was seen slumped at a table with Gray yelling at him. Of course, Gray was shirtless.
"Oh..." Wendy frowned. "Well, I'll see you guys later, I guess!" She waved as she ran into the ballroom.
"Don't run, child! You'll break your shoes." Charle flew after her. Levy giggled.
"Shall we go in?" Levy asked. Lucy nodded.
"Let's go see if my hopeless boyfriend is ready to stand up yet." Lucy added. Levy laughed.
"Yeah..." She replied as she walked in with Lucy. "I'm gonna go look for Gajeel. See you later, Lu-Chan!" She called as she walked away. Lucy waved back.
"Later, Levy!"
Levy maneuvered through the rows of couples in ballgowns and suits. She saw Erza dancing with a disquised Jellal and smiled, and then burst out laughing when she saw a shirtless Gray being dragged onto the dance floor by a determined Juvia.
Finally she spotted Gajeel over by the buffet. He was fighting with one of the cooks and holding a metal plate.
"I don't see why I can't eat it. You're not gonna use it, right?" Gajeel was asking. The cook shook his head.
"That's the cover for the grill, sir. We are gonna use it." The cook grabbed for the plate. Levy came up and smacked Gajeel on the back of the head with her purse, momentarily stunning him and allowing the now terrified cook to take the plate away.
"Stupid Gajeel!" She yelled, grabbing his hair and pulling him to a table. "You can't take things like that!"
Gajeel grabbed at his head. "Hey! Ack! Shrimp?" He spluttered. Levy glared.
"Yes, shrimp." She snapped angrily. Gajeel crossed his arms.
"I was hungry..." He muttered. Levy stared at him incredulously.
"Then eat the food like a normal person!" She commanded. As an afterthought, she added, "Although you are as far from normal as possible."
Gajeel rolled his eyes. "Fine, but when we get back to the guild, I'm eating every piece of metal we have." He promised as he stalked back towards the table.
"Hey Levy! Dance with me!" Jet popped into her line of view, blocking off Gajeel from her sight. Droy pushed himself against Jet angrily.
"Nu-uh! Levy wants to dance with me! Right, Levy?" Droy pushed Jet away and struck a pose, and his fat jiggled.
Suddenly the two were pushed apart. Gajeel stood there, holding a plate of different cakes. "I didn't know which one you'd like." He said simply, sitting down next to her. Jet and Droy gaped, but after a look from Gajeel, they scampered away.
The band started playing as song as Levy bit into one of the cakes. She looked at Gajeel, then at the couples dancing together, then back at Gajeel, and made a one second desicion.
"Dance with me, Gajeel." She commanded, putting down her cake. Gajeel looked up, startled.
"Wha?" He asked with a mouthful of chocolate cake. Levy laughed.
"C'mon!" She laughed, grabbing his hand. He barely had time to blink before they were on the dance floor. He stood still for a moment, and then started dancing.
The two twirled around the dance floor until the song ended. When the song finally came to an end, Gajeel let go of Levy without a word and went back to the table.
Levy followed. "I didn't know you were such a good dancer, Gajeel." She said softly and she watched him bite into a sandwich. Gajeel shrugged.
"I've been to a few parties." He said simply. Levy smiled.
"Well, you're very good." She said, sitting down next to him. Gajeel smiled.
"Thanks, Shrimp."
"Don't call me shrimp."