Levy smiled watching everyone in the guild celebrate their victory. Natsu was still parading around with Romeo on his shoulders holding up the king's cup, the other members were cheering and drinking; it was as if everything they had gone through never happened. Lucy was giggling with Erza and the others as Natsu jumped around, Gray and Juvia stood to the side talking with smirks on their faces as they glanced at all the noise. It was as if the fighting and the possible deaths had settled in and made many of the guild members open their eyes to what was in front of them. She smiled as she spotted Mira and Laxus off in the back corner together. They all deserved happiness. Every single one of the Fairy Tail members deserved all of this and more.
"What are you doing all the way over here, Shrimp?" She heard making her turn around to find Gajeel with his arms crossed. "You should be celebrating with everyone."
"So should you. You're one of the ones who actually got us that thing." She gave a smiled as he shrugged.
"It's not important for me to be in there. I stay back anyway; it's not like you to sit out." He commented.
Jet and Droy ran over to her with bright smiles. "Levy!" They yelled. "Come celebrate with us!" They sang happily.
"You two have fun, I'm okay sitting here. I'm still kind of tired after everything that happened." She said waving them off. The two men looked at her a minute before she shooed them off and took a seat as Gajeel looked at her. "What? I'm not allowed to be tired and want to sit out of running around, jumping, and going nuts?" She asked making him smirk as he looked back at the others.
"Don't have to get all huffy, Shrimp." He said quickly before falling silent. The night wore on with the two watching their friends enjoying themselves, celebrating being number one and coming home alive after the fighting with the dragons. It was as if all the pain and exhaustion they had been through never happened. Gajeel glanced at Levy who seemed to be thinking hard on something. He took the seat next to her and sat for a few minutes before speaking. "What's on your mind?"
Levy looked at him quickly before looking straight ahead as the thoughtful look settled back over her face. "it's nothing." She shook her head sadly. "I just….I can't stop thinking about what would have happened if we hadn't had that flash of the future. If we hadn't known the next move… a lot of us would be dead. All of this… no one would be happy. I don't know what I would do if I lost any of my friends and…" She paused and looked at him. He could see the emotions floating in her hazel eyes, the sadness, the pain, the fear.
"Salamander wouldn't have let that happen. You know he would have figured something out. He's not going to let his comrades die when he can help it." Gajeel said trying to ease what he saw in her eyes. She shook her head and looked at her lap. "What?"
"Gajeel, I saw you fighting. You almost died. That one move had you trapped, there was no way out. You would have been killed in the very next attack…" She trailed off sadly making him look at her confused. "It hurt just thinking about what could happen in that instant."
"You… you were worried about me?" He asked making her shy away with a slight blush. "Why?"
"I… I don't think I could handle it if you were killed. I mean we started off on bad terms but over time…. I relay on you, I look for you at my side… I guess you could say… I have feelings for you." She said softly and she saw him jump as if struck by lightning as he shifted in his chair. "You don't… you don't have to-" She was cut off as he chuckled making her look at him.
"You know… it's nice to have someone worry about me. I don't think I've ever had anyone worry about my safety and life before." He turned his red eyes on her and gave a soft grin. "I like being at your side and taking care of you. Guess you could say I have feelings for you too." He looked away at the end as his face started to tint pink. He didn't know what had come over him, he started talking to the woman and everything just started flowing out. Before he knew it he was confessing his feelings for her. Levy looked at him a minute, shocked that the rough dragon slayer would admit his feelings. The two fell silent again as their attention was brought back to the others who had started a brawl with Gray, Natsu and Elfman in the middle.
Levy glanced at the dragon slayer beside her who had stretched out a bit with his head leaning against the wall and arms, as usual, crossed over his chest. The guild was quieting down and many were heading home to their families. She smiled as she watched Natsu walking with Lucy, who was carrying a sleeping Happy, leaving for the night and Gray and Juvia were walking out as Juvia wrapped her arm around his as they walked. Only a handful of members were left. With a yawn, she looked to Jet and Droy who had fallen asleep at a table making her smile. She stood up and looked at Gajeel as he cracked an eye.
"It's time to get some sleep. I think most of us will be sleeping for days after everything." She smiled as he opened his eyes and nodded as he watched her shift in place. "um… Gajeel? Would you… would you mind walking me home? I'm still a little nervous even though I know it's stupid."
"Sure, why not." He said as she pushed to his feet. Levy smiled as he glanced at Pantherlily talking with several members as they played a game. "Lily, I'm leaving." The exceed nodded and turned away as the two left the guildhall and started on their way to her house.
"so… Gajeel?" Levy said making him look at her. "You really… have feelings for me?" He looked at her a minute before giving a small nod, watching her closely, wondering where this conversation was going to go. "So does that mean you want to be my boyfriend?" At this Gajeel scoffed. "You don't want to be in a relationship with me?"
Gajeel looked at her quickly. How was he supposed to answer this? What was he supposed to do? "That's not it. I just… I'm not one to have stuff like that. I'm supposed to go around beating people, not doing all that mushy crap." Levy gave a soft giggle making him look at her. "Something funny, Shrimp?"
"Is that the problem? You're not sure how it works and what to do?" She gave him a bright smile. "You just go with what you feel like doing. Follow your instincts I guess." Gajeel thought a moment before he stopped making her turn to look at him confused. "What's wrong?" She asked only to have him lean closer and connect her lips with his. As the surprise wore off, she melted into the kiss with his arms wrapping around her waist and her arms encircling his neck. Pulling back, the two looked at each other before they both smiled.
"Like that?" He asked with a smirk.
"Yeah. Like that." She smiled at him before he leaned in kissing her again.
Pulling back she gave a yawn making him chuckle. "I guess it's passed your bed time huh kid?" He joked making her smiled at him.
"Well my house is right there." She pulled away a little to point at the little house three doors down. She turned back and looked up at him a little shy. "You want to stay? I mean I guess I'm still a little freaked out at everything that went on." He looked at her a minute before nodding and following her into the house. "Stay here, I'll go change in the bathroom, you can get ready in here." She told him before wandering off to change for bed.
Levy walked back into her bedroom to find Gajeel lying on her bed fast asleep. She smiled at the sight before wandering closer to him. "You going to lay down, Shrimp?" he asked roughly without opening his eyes.
"How did you know I was here?" She asked as he opened an eye and looked at her with a smirk.
"Dragon slayers have a high sense of smell." He explained. "Now would you lay down and sleep so you're not so damn run down." She paused only a second before climbing into the bed and covering them with the blankets. As she went to lay her head on, the pillow she felt him wrap his arm around her and pull her closer. "To be honest… I feel the same." He said. Levy gave a small smile as she reached out to lay her hand on his chest.
"Then let's make sure we're by each other so that we know nothing happened." She suggested before laying her head on his chest and the two began to doze.
Jet and Droy opened her door and walked through the house talking, wondering where Levy could be. It was almost three in the afternoon and she hadn't been to the guild. Jet walked past the door to the bedroom before stopping and moving back to look through the doorway. When Droy never got an answer to a question, he walked over to his friend wondering what was going on. He turned to follow Jet's line of sight before they were both standing in the doorway to her bedroom in utter shock. Levy was curled up against Gajeel, using his chest as a pillow as he had his arm wrapped around her with his hand tangled in her blue locks. They couldn't believe what they were seeing.
"LEVY!" They yelled in turmoil, jolting the two awake. Levy sat up rubbing her eyes as Gajeel jumped to his feet, ready to fight.
"Jet? Droy?" Levy mumbled as she heard Gajeel give a growl sound. "Gajeel, wait." She said making him turn to look at her as she climbed from the bed putting her hands on her hips and fixing the two men in the doorway with an unhappy look. "What are you two doing here? Why did you just walk into my house without asking?"
"We um.." Droy shuddered. "We were worried."
"It's almost three and you haven't been to the guild so we thought we'd make sure you were okay." Jet added nervously. Both men kept glancing at Gajeel as he crossed his arms, standing behind Levy.
"Don't keep looking at Gajeel." She said making them snap back to her. "I was exhausted that's why I was still sleeping; besides I don't have to explain anything to you."
"We'll… we'll just wait for you at the guild hall." Jet said before the two men turned and left quickly.
Levy turned around with a huff as Gajeel just chuckled. "Did they seriously need to do that? Just because I wasn't there today doesn't mean they can barge into my house and expect me to explain my actions…." She trailed off as she looked at the iron dragon slayer who was just looking at her with his sarcastic smirk. "What?"
"Nothing." He shook his head. "What's the big deal about them bursting in here? I mean they saw us sleeping together, it's not the end of the world." He shrugged making her sigh.
"I guess you're right." Levy turned to grab her clothes. "I'm going to get dressed; we should probably head to the guild hall any way." Gajeel nodded and waited for her before the two wandered to the guildhall together. Once there Levy was pulled away by the women and Gajeel wandered to the board to pick a job. He grinned as he found one and pulled the flyer. As he turned to tell the master he was taking the job he found Jet and Droy standing there looking determined.
"What are you two idiots doing?" He asked
Jet gave a hard look before he pointed at Gajeel. "Before you can be with Levy you have to prove that you can take care of her and make sure she's always safe and happy."
"I don't need your approval." Gajeel said as he tried to walk around the two but they stepped over in front of him.
"We care about Levy a lot and we're not going to let some guy who tried to kill us and her just have his way and be allowed to take the job of caring for her without proof. Prove that you're strong and loyal to her." Droy told him.
Gajeel rolled his eyes. "And how would I do that?"
"Take us with you on your job." Jet said determined to get his way. He watched as Gajeel eyed the two of them before agreeing and going to tell the master.