Relationship in a Storm

Just something that I thought of, thought it cute but will let you decide. Please RxR thank you ;)

Chapter 1

Thunder roared overhead, causing Levy to grit her teeth and keep running through the rain soaked streets of Magnolia, trying to find shelter from the storm before it got to the point where she was to afraid to move.

"Oh! Levy, when are you going to learn? You knew it was going to storm today. Yet, I still went into that new book store, just like an idiot." She whimpered to herself, nearly jumping out of her skin when thunder roared overhead again. Causing her to start to tear up, and she finally caved in. Ducking under the nearest awning, she allowed her tears to fall, leaned against the wall, slid to the ground, and pulled her knees to her chest to hide her face. There was no way she was going to be able to brave the storm enough to reach the guild, and would have no choice but to wait here in fear for it to stop. She wished that Droy and Jet where there, they were always good in taking her mind off the storms. Mostly by asking her to explain her newest books, but it worked.

"Yo! Shrimp, what are you doing on my doorstep?" The deep, familiar growl, caused her to blink and flinch slightly. Surely her luck wasn't that bad, to make her take shelter under his awning. Looking up, she saw that she did have that much of bad luck, because not five feet from her, stood a scowling Gajeel Redfox, the Iron Dragon Slayer, and recent member to the Fairy Tail Guild. His crimson eyes narrowed on her, causing her to flinch from the memory of the first time she had seen those eyes that narrowed, it had been when he had attacked her group. At that moment, thunder sounded again, and she wasn't sure what she feared most. The storm, or Dragon Slayer in front of her, in truth, she didn't want to face either.

"Well? Are you going to answer me, or just sit there crying for some reason?" He growled, causing her to shrink back some. She opened her mouth to speak, but gave a shriek instead when a bright light of lightening lit up the sky and thunder rolled loudly behind it. Her instincts took over, causing her eyes to squeeze shut, her hands to slap over her ears, bit her bottom lip hard enough to draw a little blood, and her body to tremble something fierce.

"Don't tell me you're afraid of a little thunder? You're a wizard for crying out loud, grow a damn backbone." He growled, and she lowered her head as shame hit her hard. She knew that it was pathetic that she was afraid of storms, but they were called irrational fears for a reason. Still, even though she knew about it, her tears increased and a sob escaped her throat.

"N-Now wait a damn minute! T-That's not fair, tears aren't needed! Damnit!" Gajeel shouted, yet she continued to cry, and winced at his shouts and the raging storm. She knew she was just showing how pathetic she looked, but she was too afraid of her situation to care, all she wanted at that moment was to feel safe.

"Ah, damnit. Shrimp, you better not get any ideas about this happening all the time." Gajeel grumbled, and before she could look up to see what he meant, she found herself in his arms and him taking them inside his apartment. She automatically wrapped her arms around his neck, and blinked up at him. Finding it odd that he would be nice enough to bring her in out of the storm instead of just leaving her out in it, and found it even stranger when she realized that her was blushing slightly. Only to tense when he unceremoniously dumped her onto his couch and started to walk away. Sure, she figured he wasn't the most safest person to be around, but at least he was someone that she could be near with the storm going on.

"G-Gajeel?!" She squeaked, flinching when thunder sounded, but thankfully it was dulled by the thick walls, but kept her eyes on the Dragon Slayer. Shrinking back slightly when he looked over his shoulder at her. He stared at her for a moment before giving a faint sigh.

"I'm just going to find something you can change into. Just...Stay there for a moment." He growled, turning back around and stalking off to a door behind the couch. She watched him leave until she couldn't see him anymore, and curled into herself again as lightening lit the room, then thunder rattled the windows. Biting her bottom lip again, she tried to keep her tears at bay, but found that her fear was to great and a few escaped.

"Why do I have to be so pathetic?" She whimpered, hugging herself tighter and not noticing the Dragon Slayer looking down at her from behind the couch. A weird look on his face, before he made himself known by dumping a towel and some spare clothes on her head. Giving a start, she looked over her shoulder and blinked up at him. Tilting her head to the side slightly when he couldn't meet her gaze.

"D-Don't take what I said to heart. Everyone has fears, I guess." He stated, causing her to blink at him, before realizing that he was apologizing in his own way.

"Thank you, Gajeel." She whispered, giving him a small smile that made his face go slightly red. He turned away sharply with a scowl on his face.

"Gah! Whatever, damnit. Go...dry off and change out of those wet clothes before you get sick." He growled, causing her to giggle slightly before removing the stacked items on her head and held them to her chest. Then blinked as she stared at the doors that were her options.

"Go in the middle door. It's the master bedroom, and the bathroom door is on the left side of the bed." He stated, she sent him another smile over her shoulder and quickly went to where he said to go. Blinking as she stepped into his room, it was beyond large, and was decorated in black and red. Not wanting to give in to the urge to snoop, she headed to the door he had said, and stared in shock at the bathroom. It was larger than the bedroom, had a large sink counter, a built in shower on the wall, and a deep looking hot tube bath. Not to mention, the actual toilet was through another door beside the shower head.

"Never would have though Gajeel was into the luxury things." She whispered, wishing that she could take the time and try out the hot tube bath, but instead stripped out of her we clothes, and dried off the best she could. Deciding to leave her shoulder length hair down to dry, she looked at the clothes he was letting her borrow. A large plain white t-shirt that she knew she could use as a dress, and a pair of black training pants.

Giving a shrug, she pulled on the pants, tied the string as tight as it would go, and still had to roll the waist of them. They were still loose on her, but at least they stayed on her hips. She then picked up the shirt, thankful that she hardly ever wore a bra, and only had to worry about the lack of underwear, and slipped the shirt over her head. Giggling as she saw that it stopped a few inches below her knees, and looked at herself in the mirror. The shirt swallowed her whole, giving her an almost chibi effect. Sticking her tongue out in a childish manner, she giggled again only to gasp when a sharp crack of thunder distracted her from what she was doing. Making her recall the situation she was in and whose clothes she was in. Swallowing, she gathered the wet clothing and towel and started out of the room, blinking in fear when the lights flickered before dimming.

"It's alright, the generator will stop them from going completely out. Make yourself...comfortable, and I'll put these in the dryer for you." Gajeel stated, causing her to blink and realize that she was in his bedroom and saw that he must had changed as well. He was no longer in the training clothes, but instead was shirtless and wearing another pair of training pants. She reached out and placed her hand on the crook of his elbow when he moved to turn, and blushed when he looked at her.

"I...Uh...Thank you." She whispered, blushing harder as she forced herself to meet his gaze to see that he was staring at her in slight shock. She removed her hand when she figured that she wasn't going to get a reply, but blinked when he captured her hand in his free one.

"Thank nothing of it. We are apart of the same guild now, and I'm not going to do the same things I would have done in the past. Just...Don't go making a habit of it." He stated, giving her a small smile which she returned, realizing that he was attempting a joke. She stepped closer to her side as she heard more thunder, and gave him a sheepish look. He just sighed and motioned for her to follow him, which she did gladly, and kept looking around as he lead her to the room where he did his laundry. It was simple, washer, dryer and a line for clothes that needed to be hung.

"You just recently came back from a mission, right?" She asked, looking at him in hope to strike up a conversation. He threw her things in the dryer before turning to her with a slight smile.

"Yeah. It was a simple mission, just some no good punks trying to bully a town." He stated, and she smiled at him while giving a nod. Only to blink when he stepped closer to her slightly, a thoughtful look on his face.

"Why do you always go on missions with those two weaklings? Droy and Jet?" He asked, and she frowned slightly before straightening slightly.

"Because they're my friends, and we work well together." She stated, ready to jump to their defense. Only to blink when he huffed and leaned back slightly, looking away.

"So, they're nothing but friends?" He asked, and she nodded with a confused look. Especially when he looked slightly relieved after she had nodded. Shrugging it off, she hopped up onto the washer and smiled as she saw that it gave her a little bit more height and she was not to his collarbone.

"That's not a chair Shrimp." He sounded, but she heard no reprimand in his voice, so she just smiled and kicked her legs slightly.

"How come your bathroom is so big? I never pegged you as the luxury kind." She stated, and tilted her head slightly when he blinked at her in confusion before laughing.

"I wasn't the one who wanted it, even though it does have its perks. It was Lily that really wanted it." He stated, and she smiled at the thought of the Exceed that nearly all Dragon Slayers had.

"Now, him, I can see wanting that. Although, I wouldn't mind trying it out as well, especially that hot tube bath." She stated, putting on a dreamy face, and missing the lustful face that Gajeel was making at the statement. She snapped back to reality when he cleared his throat and looked anywhere but her.

"No one's going to stop you if you want to try it." He whispered, and she straightened to look at him in shock.

"You really mean it?" She asked, blushing slightly when he laughed at her excitement. She was about to stick her tongue out at him, when the lights flickered and then went out. She screamed at the sudden darkness, and jumped forward, tensing when strong arms wrapped around her and pulled her close.

"Calm down, calm down. It seems like the generator didn't have enough magic to withstand the storm. Not to worry though, I'm here and you're safe." He rumbled, and she closed her eyes. Realizing that he was right, for the first time since the storm started, she felt safe, and to top it off, she felt safe in his arms. Swallowing, she nuzzled into his chest, and tightened her hold as he positioned her into a more comfortable position.

"Even though the lights are out, the water will still work if you want to try the bath?" He asked, and she shook her head.

"I'm not going anywhere near water now that I remember the storm." She stated, puffing her cheeks out when she felt his held back laughter from the way his chest vibrated.

"So. You wont go into water, but you will cling to someone who is basically made of metal. Shrimp, don't you think I take certain precautions? This house has a protection spell around it whenever a storm hits, lightening will never touch it. Hell, not even Laxus could break through it." He stated, and she looked at him. Trying to see pass the darkness to see his expression.

"Really?" She asked, blinking when she felt his chest rumble again in silent laughter.

"Yes, really. So, would you really like to try, or just wait out the storm and try after?" He asked, and she blinked as she thought about it. She was safe to try it, and she really wanted a good wash after her day. Blushing, and hoping that he couldn't see it in the dark she leaned against his chest.

"Two conditions, one, there had better be good smelling shampoo or wash. Second, you have to be there with me. I also don't like the dark." She whispered, feeling him tense beneath him and waited as he seemed to think about it.

"I guess I could, and yes Lily has some scented bath wash." He growled, his voice deep with restrained want. She smiled and nuzzled into his chest, and thought about the time ahead of her with a smile. Truth be told, she had a slight crush on him from the day they met, even when he was attacking her she knew she had feelings for him. Only problem was that, she figured that he didn't return those feelings because he never really seemed that kind of guy. But, who knew, maybe she would get lucky.