-=* Hello everyone! I have added to the original "Unseen Foe" story, stuffing it with a little more fluff. I hope you like it, enjoy!*=-
I do not own Fairy Tail.
Gajeel "Black Steel" Redfox was a lot of things; an asshole, brutally honest, curt, strong, hot-headed, blood thirsty on the battle field, ruthless to his enemies- as hard and cold as the Iron magic he used. Weak was not within his repertoire. So it came as a wicked slap to the face when the Iron Dragon Slayer woke up one morning with a raging fever and nausea that would make the Chariot event at the Grand Magic Games seem like a walk in the park.
Gajeel lay there, cucooned within all three of the blankets that covered his bed and still shivered from the chills that wracked his body. Every miniscule movement sent a wave of nausea through him and his body ached worse than after his most strenuous training sessions with Pantherlily. His head pounded like a tiny man was hammering away on an anvil between his ears; the unbearable pressure pressing behind his eyes and at his temples. Things didn't look good for the proverbial 'tough guy'. To think, a microscopic foe had reduced him to a silent sniveling heap in to time at all, which made him even more irritated, considering a virus wasn't exactly something he could just punch into submission. A tiny groan escaped through his lips that he tightly pursed after letting the pathetic sound slip.
No. Keep quiet, you moron. You're too tough to make little sissy noises, he chastised himself mentally.
The small sound, however, had not been missed by his exceed partner. Pantherlily raised a furry brow as he stood at the edge of the Dragon Slayers bed, his ebony hues regarding the mountain of blankets Gajeel was currently buried within. The exceed found himself in quite the conundrum; to go on pretending that all was well with Gajeel and ask him if he was going to accompany him the Guild, or to ask his friend if he needed anything to feel better; because it was obvious to Lily that he was sick. The opened mouth breathing, the sniffling, the groaning that managed to reach his ears before Gajeel stubbornly stifled himself. Either question, he supposed, would end up irritating the Iron mage. The first question would make him irritable to actively pretend that he was alright and maybe even make himself worse in the end. The second question would more than likely have him flat out denying that anything was wrong, then lead to the same train wreck as question number one. Lily just couldn't see his friend admitting that he was sick and in need of any type of care. The black exceed sighed to himself. Even when ill, Gajeel still felt the need to maintain his tough masculinity. Lily's eyes widened then as a thought crossed his mind. Perhaps, the one woman that had managed to penetrate his barriers would be able to help him see that it is okay to be sick and ask for help. Gajeel would certainly welcome the Script Mage's help more readily over his own. While he could see Gajeel having issues appearing weak before the two of them, the reasons were vastly different, and if he were right, the reason behind not wanting to be weak infront of Levy would not hold up well with the bluenette standing before him. Lily smiled as he hopped nimbly off of the bed and quietly padded out of their apartment. Gajeel may not like it at first, but Lily was willing to bet that it wouldn't take his partner long to secede to her soft touch and attentive care; he would more than likely revel in it.
Once he reached the Guild Hall, Lily sought out Levy immediately, spying her sitting at the bar close to Gajeel's usual spot. He smirked then as he took flight and glided over to her, landing softly on an empty barstool beside her.
Levy was chewing blisfully on a strawberry breakfast tart when she felt a breeze on her arm and looked over to see Lily landing beside her. Reflexively her eyes scanned the background around the exceed and was surprised to see that Gajeel was no where in sight. Levy swallowed and hummed thoughtfully to herself before focusing on Lily at her side.
"Good morning, Lily," she greeted him with an easy smile. "By yourself this morning?"
Lily nodded, keeping his face solumn as he waved over Mirajane who was stationed down at the other end of the bar, talking casually with Laxus. "Yes, and I expect to be alone for the next few days."
Levy blinked, not missing the exceed's frown, or depressed tone. Questions started bubbling up within her head.
"Oh? Did Gajeel go on a mission without you?" She asked, her tone implying that she knew that would only happen when pigs fly. But what else would keep the Iron Dragon Slayer from being glued to his exceed partners side, she wondered.
Lily shook his head, then simply muttered, "No, he's just sick this morning."
Levy couldn't hide the shock on her face, nor the mask of concern that followed as she moved her eyes to focus absently on her breakfast while her thoughts suddenly ran rampant. She'd never heard of Gajeel being sick before. She'd simply figured it just wasn't possible for a Dragon Slayer, with their heightened abilities, that would mean a superpowered immune system too, right? Maybe not. But, she guessed it was also possible that he had been sick before, but chose to hide it from everyone. Levy smiled tenderly at that thought. That sounded more like the case. Leave it to his hard head to suffer alone instead of seeking help to get him through. Just so he wouldn't be seen as weak, or to have someone see him in a weakened state. She sighed mentally. Perhaps that was a deep engrained survival mechanism he'd learned from back before his Fairy Tail days. Whatever the case, it was silly, and he needn't be alone now.
Lily watched Levy intently out of the corner of his eye as he waited for Mira to drift towards them, encouraged by the Script Mage's reaction.
Mira stopped infront of them on the other side of the bar and offered one of her brilliant smiles.
"Good morning, Lily!" The take-over mage greeted him.
"Good morning, Mira. I was wondering if you had a recipe for a good soup to give someone who's ill?" Lily inquired.
"Of course!" She beamed, then frowned slightly, connecting the dots between Lily's inquiry and Gajeel's apparent abscence. "Is Gajeel alright?" Mira asked, her eyes darting between Lily and Levy.
Lily grinned and waved a paw dismissively through the air. "He's not dying, if that's what you mean, though I'm sure he feels differently if the noises he was making this morning are any indication." The tiny exceed laughed to himself, remembering being initally scared of the strange noises being emitted by his room mate.
He cleared his throat then. "He's just ill. Perhaps the flu, or just a cold."
"Awww," Mira cooed, clasping her hands together against her cheek. Her eyes zeroed in on Levy then and the Script Mage stiffened.
"I'll make some soup right away Lily. And Levy, since you're not doing anything, you can take it to him." Mira stated pointedly before she turned and disappeared into the kitchen, not leaving any time for Levy to rebuke her sudden assignment.
"Oh, Levy, that sounds perfect." Lily continued, trying not to sound too smug that all the pieces of his plan were falling into place. "I'm supposed to be meeting with Happy for some fishing this morning. You wouldn't mind taking the soup to Gajeel, would you?"
Levy was still staring at the doorway where Mira had retreated, her jaw slack as her mouth hung open. Take soup, to Gajeel? A sick Gajeel no less. A sick Gajeel who was probably more sour and irritable than normal. A sick Gajeel who would probably bite her head off, or blast her away with an Iron Dragon Roar from his bed.
"Levy?" Lily asked, gently placing his paw on her arm, effectively snapping her from the disastrous scenerios her mind was contriving.
Levy swallowed hard. "Y-yes, of course. I'll take him the soup."
Lily noticed how pale her face had become and smiled up at her, patting her arm.
"Relax." His voice dipped low. "He's actually quite the opposite of what you're thinking." Then without elaborating any more, Lily took flight and rather quickly zipped over to Happy and yanked the blue exceed by the tail away from his perch beside Natsu; shanghaiing him out the door as he cried.
Levy walked carefully with her bundle of soup, crackers, and medicines that Mira had dumped in her arms before practically shoving her out of the Guild. A torn piece of paper with a hastily scribbled address was held absently in one hand. He's different than what you're thinking, Lily's voice echoed in her head. Does that mean that Gajeel is one of those men that when they're sick they take it as an opportunity to get all the attention they want? Levy scowled at that thought, remembering reluctantly having to deal with both Jet and Droy when they had cought the flu at the same time. By the end of the first day she had just wanted to shoot herself in the face with a Solid Script bullet. Those two had milked every last ounce of goodness and patience from her little body, leaving her so drained in the days that followed that she had ended up getting sick too. She mentally shook her head then, not believing for a second that Gajeel was like that.
Without realizing it, her feet had carried her to Gajeel's apartment. Levy took a deep, calming breath. She was just about to knock on the door when she realized that he was probably still in bed, resting, and not caring to be disturbed, let alone move to answer the door. She shifted her hand to close over the doorknob instead and twisted gently, surprised to feel it give way as the door swung open quietly.
It was dark inside and Levy was loathe to close the door behind herself and douse the only source of light that she could see by, but gently closed the door anyway. She stood there in the dark, letting her eyes adjust as her other senses compensated. The apartment smelled wonderful, to her surprise. Scents of spice and sandlewood mixed with iron and male and him. Levy found herself inhaling deeply through her nose, holding in a reflexive dreamy sigh of an exhale. She stamped down the sudden giddy bubble that danced in her belly that she was in Gajeel's apartment; her secret crushes domain. Her ears strained to catch any subtle sounds. After a long moment she heard a distictive sneeze, then a nasally groan that made her heart melt for the poor Iron Dragon Slayer.
She could have just whispered a Solid Script spell for light, but she didn't want to alert him of her presence just yet. She was banking on the fact that his nose was too stuffed to detect her scent within his abode. Quietly, she tip toed forward into the living room, heading straight towards a hallway with a door half parted on the other end. She stopped within the doorway, leaning forward to peek around the door.
Her hazel hues landed upon a heaping pile of blankets in the middle of that looked like a king sized bed. The fitted sheet had been torn loose, it's elastic corners jumbled up beneath the solid mass that took up residence on the mattress, showing how restless Gajeel had been. Used tissues littered the floor around his bed, as well as at least two empty tissue boxes from what she was able to see.
Another sudden deep sneeze from the massive blob made Levy jump and she bumped into the door, opening it far enough so that the hinges creaked at the motion. Levy sucked in her breath, her eyes watching as the mountain of blankets stirred slightly, then stilled.
"Lily?" Came Gajeel's voice, which cracked on the second syllable and the nasally tone made Levy coo sympathetically on the inside. Poor Gajeel.
She blinked back out of her thoughts then and straightened as the silence had extended too long for Gajeel's comfort; the blankets moved with more purpose and a moment later Levy was staring into a pair of tired, blood shot, watery red eyes as he poked his head out from beneath his covers to see who had walked into his room.
Despite his deteriorated condition, the Dragon Slayer scowled at her.
"Whadd're you doin' here?" He tried his best Gajeel-esque growl, but failed at intimidating the Script Mage.
Levy moved further into his room, strangely no longer afraid of confronting the sick Dragon Slayer. Her caring, loving, nurturing nature took over and she offered him an easy smile as she moved to place her bundle carefully on the bed beside him.
"I brought you some food, and medicine." Levy offered cheerfully as she started to unwrap the cloth around the hot container.
Gajeel glared at the blue-haired Script Mage in his room. His head felt on the verge of exploding, his body ached, his nose was sore and chaffed, his lips were dry, his throat and lungs burned, his skin was a mix of goosebumps and sticky sweat; he was a picture perfect example of the phrase "a hot mess", and here Levy had materialized out of nowhere to take care of him. No doubt her presence was a result of his exceed partner blathering to the world that he was sick.
His body shuddered at the mix of emotions her presence elicited from him. That stubborn, jackass part wanted to shout at her to go away and leave him alone, but the part of his heart that she had nestled herself in to was begging her to stay; was starved for her attention. Traitor, Gajeel growled internally at his warring sentiments. Then there was his pride. Pride made him set his jaw stubbornly as he watched her unpack what looked like soup and crackers and bottles of medicines aimed to relieve his symptoms. Pride made him sit up as tall as his aching body would allow. Pride made him glare at her as he crossed his arms over his chest. And it was pride that pushed the next words out of his mouth.
"Go away, Shrimp. I don't need you fussing over me like one of your fan boys." He growled in a deeper than normal voice. The corner of his heart that was dedicated to her contracted painfully as he watched a hurt expression flicker over her face before she masked it behind another smile.
"I'm not going to 'fuss over' you, Gajeel. I'm just simply being your friend and bringing you some things to help you feel better." Levy stated as she popped the top off of the soup container, allowing a billowing puff of steam to rise into the air. Gajeel looked at the soup longingly, his stomach showing a faint sign of life as it growled softly. A resounding humph escaped his lips, his pride still jostling for dominance over his frail resolve and emotions.
"No one asked you-", he started, but Levy cut him off.
"You don't need to ask me, Gajeel." This time she rose her eyes to stare into his, effectively silencing him. His cheeks suddenly felt a little warmer and he jerked his head to the side, his bottom lip pouting ever so slightly.
Levy giggled at his childish expression, then set about finishing setting up his meal.
"Do you want these crackers crumbled up in your soup or on the side?" She asked as she poured some soup in a bowl she had brought from the Guild.
"Tch, stop it already, would ya?" Gajeel grumbled, embarassed to have her doting on him, and reached out to take the soup from her, gesturing for her to leave the crackers where they were resting.
Levy watched as he hovered his face over the steam, closing his eyes as he made a huge effort to breathe the hot vapors in through his nose. The ssshhhhrrrrrgggt sound he made while doing so made her bite her lip to keep from laughing out loud. His crimson eyes shot up to glare at her as a small pfft slipped between her lips and she turned quickly to avoid his gaze. Seconds later she heard gentle slurping as Gajeel spooned small amounts into his mouth, sighing contently after a moment.
Levy turned her gaze back to watch him, feeling her insides melt a little more for the Iron Dragon Slayer. She'd never seen him look so beat up, even after all the battle's she'd seen him triumph over. Sure, he had taken physical beatings from those fights, but nothing left him looking as he did now. His skin was flushed, glistening with sweat from a fever, his eyes were puffy and tired, the skin just beneath them sagging slightly from fatigue. His nose was bright red from overuse of tissues and those sensual lips that she'd caught herself staring at so many times before were pale and slightly cracked. His magnificent black mane was a tangled and jostled nest atop his head. He looked so frail and Levy felt an overwhelming urge to protect him and help nurse him back to his full strength. She wondered then, if anyone else besides Lily was ever permitted to see him like this.
"Stop looking at me like that." His gruff voice suddenly interrupted her thoughts.
"Like what?" Levy blinked.
"Like you're feeling sorry for my ass." He grumbled between sips of soup.
Levy laughed softly. "Is it really that bad of a thought? That someone cares about you?"
"Yes! Nrgh...no, it's just that...I'm not used to people caring about me." He admitted with a blush, his eyes focused down on the half empty bowl of soup. "Life is easier when you're alone." He grumbled, trying to recover from what sounded like a sissy statement.
"Life is easier when you have friends and a family that look out for you, Gajeel." Levy retorted gently. The Iron mage must have conceded for now because he remained silent the rest of the time it took for him to finish his bowl of soup. Levy took the empty dish from him and stood from her perch on the side of his bed, moving to place it with the other things she brought. Gajeel nibbled absently on a cracker as he watched her measure out three different medicines before shoving them under his nose.
"Take these." The Script Mage demanded, earning a sharp Tch from the sick man, but nothing more as he swallowed the contents of the small cups with a grimace.
"Blegh, those are gross!" He whined, smacking his lips and silently wishing the soup hadn't cleared his nasal passages as much as it had to allow him to taste those vile concoctions.
Levy packed everything away and re-tied the bundle. Gajeel had settled back in the center of his bed, sitting hunched over with a weary and distant look on his face. Levy turned to regard him, watching him for a moment before she crawled up on the bed beside him.
Gajeel's eyes snapped towards her as soon as her weight pressed into the mattress and he leaned away from her slightly as she moved right up to his side.
"Lay down," Levy commanded and Gajeel did so with a painful swallow and a soft scowl.
"Who do you think you are, Short Stuff, giving me demands in my own home?" He growled, but there was a tender edge to his tone that Levy caught.
She leaned over him and started tucking the thick blankets around him, shoving the material down beneath the outline of his form.
"O-Oi!" Gajeel sat up slightly, bumping Levy enough that she lost her balance and fell over his knees.
"Just lay down, you idiot." She snapped as she righted herself on her knees at his side, her upper body leaning over him as she retucked the edges around his arms and chest and moved down.
"You're ridiculous," he murmured softly, but Levy could hear the smile on his lips. "Not a word of this leaves this room." He added.
The Iron Dragon Slayer lay there complacent as Levy tucked him in up to his neck. She felt her cheeks burning with a blush as her eyes met his once she sat back to look down at him.
"Better?" Levy asked.
"Mmhmm," Gajeel hummed in response, losing the energy to fight with the bookworm any further. He stiffened slightly though as she brought her hands to his hair, her fingers gently combing through its tangles as she smoothed it out. Gajeel found his eyes rolling back and closed as her fingertips grazed his scalp, sending small shivers up and down his spine and causing small goosebumps to rise on his fevered skin. He fought hard not to purr out a groan of pleasure as she worked tenderly. Gajeel was lulled into a trance from her ministrations, he hadn't noticed her hands had stopped until he felt a cool cloth drape over his forehead. His lungs sucked in a reflexive deep breath and he exhaled a sigh, his body feeling leagues better than it had before Levy's unexpected visit.
He heard the sounds of her gathering up her things, then heard the sound of her clothes rustling as she moved towards his door.
"Get better soon, Gajeel." She spoke softly from across the room.
Gajeel smirked.
"Thanks for taking care of me, Shorty."
Gajeel lay there with his eyes still closed, listening to the silence surrounding him. It had been at least twenty minutes since he heard Levy take her leave from his apartment. He seriously hoped that Pantherlily wasn't planning on coming back home anytime soon since he was having a hard time ridding himself of the silly grin on his face.
It was nothing short of amazing; that his nausea had pretty much vanished as soon as his eyes initially met hers, half hiding behind his bedroom door. Add that to the fact that his fever had subsided, his stomach was content and his body felt wondrously weightless, still tucked in warm and tight by the bookworms hands.
Gajeel grunted softly to himself, working his lips, still trying to smooth out the stupid smile that was fixated on his face. It was probably just the medications taking effect anyway, he tried to tell himself, not wanting to believe that Levy herself had such a miraculous affect on his condition.
Is it really that bad of a thought? That someone cares about you? Levy's voice echoed in his head, sending a gush of warmth through his insides again. Levy had, unwittingly or willingly, admitted that she cared about him.
There goes that stupid grin again.
Gajeel inhaled a deep breath, his nose still clear enough to pick up the faint trail of Levy's scent still mingling in his room. He exhaled long and slow, shifting slightly on his bed and relaxing again. The weight of his fatigue and the sleep that had been evading him up until this point pressed down on him and Gajeel found himself pulled into a blissfully restful sleep filled with dreams of the blue haired Script Mage, his easy smile still fixated on his lips.
Levy sank back against the hard cold surface of her front door. Her hazel hues were fixed down at the floor, staring at nothing in particular as her thoughts circled in her mind. Mira had pried her for every little detail of her "playing nurse" at Gajeel's apartment when she had shown up at the guild to return the things she had taken. She had remained tight lipped about it though, not wanting to say something that might come back around to Gajeel and cause him any embarrassment, or to give him any reason to get upset at her for sharing business that he requested not leave his room.
Levy sucked in a huge breath, sighing out an exhale as she canted her head back with her eyes closed. Her heart picked up its tempo as she re-lived every detail of her visit to the Iron Mage, specifically when she pushed aside her reservations and allowed herself to touch him. The fact that he had allowed the contact made her cheeks burn. Perhaps she was reading too much into it, though. He was sick and maybe did not feel like wasting the effort to fight her off. Had she taken advantage of him then? Levy worried on her bottom lip between her teeth as she moved away from her door, further into her book strewn apartment.
He had thanked her when she left, though, and it was genuine appreciation that she had heard in his voice.
Levy smiled shyly at the realization that the Iron Dragon Slayer had come a long way since he had first joined the guild, and that she was irrevocably fascinated and infatuated with him. He had become one of the strongest members of the guild and he had undoubtedly become her closest friend, closer still than Jet and Droy, even though she'd never admit that out loud and risk hurting her team mates feelings; they had been friends since childhood after all. But something about Gajeel's unorthodox encouragements for her to get stronger pushed her towards self-improvement, and the fact that she needed to get stronger, especially if she wanted his attention. She'd be lying to herself if she said that she didn't want his attention. She didn't have big breasts or inhuman strength like the other women of the guild who got all of the attention from Sorcerer Weekly. She never got the challenges to fight for others to measure their own strengths against hers either. Levy was always quiet; always in the back ground, and never noticed by the male species (aside from Jet and Droy) until Gajeel came along and told her that she was amazing and promised to make her big. And boy was Gajeel a male. Tall, muscular, dominant, sexy, dark, dangerous male; alpha male. The more time she spent with him the more she realized that he was the complete opposite of her, and the more her attraction to him grew, which lent credence to the old adage of 'opposites attract'.
The two of them had been through a lot together, and had shared quite a few private moments that Levy held dear to her heart; cherished, and found herself longing for more with every passing day.
Levy stripped down in the process of trying to collect her thoughts and immersed herself in a hot bath, lulling her body in its warmth and lavender scent.
Tomorrow, she decided; tomorrow she would visit Gajeel again and check on his well being.
Gajeel groaned low and stretched his body languidly, just barely registering that the movement was ache free. Slowly, his eyes opened, revealing his room was dark with shadows. Outside a chorus of crickets chirped. He spared a glance over at his bedside clock, the illuminated digital numbers telling him that it was 2:23am. The Iron Dragon Slayer sat up then, absently scratching at the back of his head. Aside from a slightly dry mouth, all of the other symptoms that had been ailing him the past twenty-four hours seemed to be gone. Fuck yeah, he sighed mentally, knowing that he could now return to his normal routine and get back to work. He never missed a day of physical training either and even now at this early hour was itching to lift some iron.
Water, though, was the first order of business. His mouth felt like it was stuffed with cotton, or like Pantherlily had taken a nap on his tongue. He wrinkled his nose at that analogy as he stood from the side of his bed, suddenly wondering where his exceed was; normally the cat slept at Gajeel's feet or between his legs.
Stumbling slightly, Gajeel made his way out of his bedroom, easily navigating in the dark apartment before turning into the kitchen. His pinky toe caught on the edge of the floor trim as he rounded the corner though, causing him to yelp out loud as he fell to the side against the kitchen counter.
"Mother fucking piece of shhhhit...Mmmmrrrrggh." He bit his bottom lip to quell his stream of expletives, his eyes squeezed tight against the pain that radiated up his leg. After a few calming breaths, he opened his eyes to renew his search for water, but his eyes zeroed in on something bright reflecting the scant moonlight that filtered in from the window above the sink. There sat a chunk of iron in the shape of its namesake on the counter before him, a simple heart in the place of the open hole of the letter 'O'.
And there was that stupid grin again, this time followed by an appreciative, "Gihi".
"What's that creepy grin all about?" Pantherlily's voice filled the dark surrounding the Iron Mage and he jumped, quickly smothering the lower half of his face with a hand to hide said creepy grin.
"Ah, I see," Lily continued, a smile in his words. "Levy left you a get well gift."
Gajeel snatched up the iron and hugged it close before turning to leer down at his exceed partner.
"Why'd you go telling the world that I was sick?" The Dragon Slayer growled.
"Only Mira and Levy know," Lily replied calmly.
"Mira?!" Gajeel boomed, then sniggered. "So the whole guild knows now."
Pantherlily shrugged. "So what if they do, Gajeel? Everyone gets sick at some point. No one sees you as any less because of it."
Gajeel muttered under his breath. "They'll see it as a weakness. They'll all look at me the way Levy did when she was here, feeling sorry for my ass."
"I doubt that," Pantherlily snorted with a smirk.
"Yeah, you're right," Gajeel grunted, knowing only Levy had a heart big enough to care about him. Everyone else would either taunt or laugh at him for succumbing to a microscopic enemy.
"So," Lily hedged cautiously. "How are you feeling?"
Gajeel eyed his cat warily, figuring Lily was just digging to find out the details of Levy's visit.
"Fine." He answered smugly, then turned away to return to his bedroom, his little early morning snack in tow.
Lily smirked at the Dragon Slayers retreating form in the darkness.
Gajeel stepped out of his apartment and took in a deep breath of the cool morning air, filling his lungs before exhaling long and slow. He felt wonderful, and there was no doubt in his mind to whom he owed his quick recovery. He made his way with swift determination towards the Guild Hall, feeling a strong desire to see the blue haired Script Mage; hoping that she was there. The iron she had left for him on her way out had given his system the boost that it needed to get him back to one-hundred percent. It had tasted so pure he had had to subdue the urge to cry as he sat in his bed in the wee morning hours savoring her gift, down to the very last fragment.
He entered the Guild Hall quietly so as to not draw any unwanted attention to himself. His eyes immediately set about scanning for Levy as he moved further into the Hall, his studded brows furrowing when he did not see her. He even ducked down into the Library to check to see if she was stowed away in there, but it was empty. Not even a faint trail of her scent was present within the building, telling him that she hadn't been in yet this morning.
Gajeel made up his mind to wait for her then. She normally came in around this time anyway. He started to move over to his usual spot at the bar, but then stopped himself, not wanting to be interrogated by Mirajane about Levy's visit. It was no ones business, dammit. Instead, he turned on his heels and headed back into the Library. No one would likely bother him there and he could wait in peace and quiet until Levy's arrival.
But she never came.
Gajeel waited two hours, but not a single sign of Levy made it into the Guild Hall. Gajeel closed the book he had grabbed to pass the time and pushed it away across the table with a sigh. Maybe she'd gone on a mission? No, that couldn't be. He heard Jet and Droy talking in the Great Room and knew that they wouldn't be left behind if she'd taken a job. She couldn't have had a girls date either because all of the other females were here too. He crossed his arms over his chest as he pondered further before finally standing and making his way out of the Guild. He could speculate all day and still not have any answers. He'd rather take things into his own hands and find out for himself.
He stalked with purpose through the streets of Magnolia towards the building where he knew Levy's apartment was. He'd never been invited there, per se, but he had followed Levy home a time or two in the past, unbeknownst to her, on dark, late nights to be sure she made it home safely.
Gajeel stood outside of her door, fist prepared to knock, but he was frozen in place. His mind circled with frantic thoughts as he found himself questioning just what he was doing there as he panicked. I'm just checking on a friend. Friend? Yes, Levy is my friend...just a friend, right? I'm just making sure she's safe. That's what friends do. But what are these stronger feelings I have towards her? I don't feel the same towards Lily and he's my friend. What the hell, why is this so hard?
A faint sneeze from within her apartment reached his ears, snapping him from his internal dialogue. His heart suddenly squeezed painfully in his chest as a thought crossed his mind. He'd made her sick.
"Shit." He muttered before rapping his knuckles harder than he had intended to on the door. He heard shuffling getting louder on the other side of the door before the lock clicked and it opened slowly.
Levy stood there bundled in a hoodie and sweat pants, wrapped in a thick blanket. Her tired red and puffy eyes looking up at Gajeel with a mix of awe and surprise, then horror as she realized the condition that she was in, standing before the Iron Dragon Slayer. She emitted a sound that could have been interpreted as either a squeak, or a wheeze, before she started closing the door, not wanting to be seen like this, but Gajeel stubbornly flung his arm inside the closing gap of the doorway and gently pushed himself in, ignoring Levy's hoarse protests.
Levy quickly retreated back a few paces once she realized that Gajeel was just going to ignore her croaking statements. She stood there completely flushed from head to toe watching as he filled her doorway, gently closing the door behind himself before turning his bright red eyes to look at her.
Levy stiffened as she watched his eyes sweep up and down the length of her body and there was an emotion in his eyes that she hadn't quite expected. Concern? Guilt? Her heart started pounding harder and faster against her ribs as heat coursed through her already fevered body. His gaze was so intense that she had to look away, her cheeks burning.
"What are you doing here?" She managed to whisper, her voice soft and almost comically squeaky.
"I was waiting at the Guild this morning to thank you; I feel tons better...but you never showed up and...", he trailed off, scratching at the back of his head as he averted his gaze. I got worried. The confession went unspoken, but he may as well have just stated it.
Levy managed a smile up at him. His actions, and his eyes, spoke louder than any words he hesitated to say. He was worried about her. She had been up since the early hours of the morning, shivering from head to toe from fever and throwing up everything that was in her stomach and then some. She shivered absently just remembering the dry heaving she'd been doing. Her body ached as well, and it was increasingly difficult to remain standing before Gajeel, putting up an act that she felt better than she truly did.
"I'm alright, Gajeel." Levy spoke gently, then added, "I'm glad that you're feeling better. It was hard seeing you so beat up."
"Oi, I've been beat up worse than that!" Gajeel grumbled, then muttered something under his breath about stupid colds. He sobered up quickly though as he looked back to her.
"But now you're sick, because of me."
Levy felt her belly flip flop at the softness of his tone, not helping the queasiness that she'd been feeling all morning, but she hurried to reassure him that it wasn't his fault.
"Actually, it's not because of you. Do you remember when you came with me to the book store last week?" She asked, swallowing past the pain in her throat before continuing after his answering nod. "Well, I thought hard about it, since most viruses have an incubation period, and we're both getting sick at relatively the same time; we had to have come in contact with someone else at the same time, and that was at the book store. I remember there was a group of kids there and one of them had been coughing and sneezing everywhere."
"Oh," Gajeel answered, his shoulders dropping with visible relief, thankful that her current condition was not because of her visit the day before. His eyes regarded her carefully now. Her exposed skin was pale and covered in a sheen of sweat. Her normally bright eyes were dull and red. Her nose was red as well from wiping it every couple of minutes. Her lips were currently hidden beneath the folds of her hoodie, and her sky blue locks were tousled and free from a headband, framing her face with a disheveled grace. She still looked adorably cute to Gajeel, and he felt the urge to scoop her up in his arms and carry her back to her bed, or couch, or wherever it was that she was resting before he bothered her.
He shifted slightly on his feet. "Do you, uh, need anything?" He offered with an awkward sincerity.
Levy shook her head slowly. "No, thanks. I really am alright."
"You don't look 'alright'." Gajeel grunted, crossing his arms, watching as Levy hid her face behind her hands. "Let me rephrase that. What can I get for you?"
Levy lowered her hands, feeling a little vexed. So this is what he must have been feeling yesterday, the awkwardness of having someone offering to take care of you, while at the same time trying to pretend that you don't need anything. It was nice, very nice, especially coming from someone who's reputation painted him as a soulless ass.
But before she could answer, Levy felt a wave of exhaustion suddenly crash over her, causing her vision to tunnel in on Gajeel. Her hearing became muddled and her knees buckled beneath her. Just before she lost consciousness she felt a pair of strong arms catching her from her fall and Gajeel's muffled voice shouting her name.
Gajeel swore quietly as he sat down in a chair he'd carefully placed beside Levy's bed. He was initially terrified that Levy had passed out in front of him, but was also thankful that he had been there to catch her, or else she might have suffered a bashed head if she'd been alone. He glanced over at her now, still tucked into her bed where he had placed her after scooping her up in his arms earlier. He guiltily admitted that he savored the moment, after of course making sure that she was alright, and held her against his chest as he peered down at her, openly drinking her in with his eyes, enjoying the feel of her weight against his body; the way her head nestled against his chest. After a prolonged moment, he finally broke from his trance to get her settled back in her bed.
She had been lying to him. That thought made him scowl irritably. The little Shorty could come over and help him, even chastise him over having a hard time accepting such help, only to turn around and be bull-headed and stubborn herself. She was trying to put up a front and make herself seem better than she was. She was clearly sick, exhausted and dehydrated.
Gajeel reached over and plucked away a stray strand of hair that had fallen over her forehead, smoothing it down over the top of her head, scantly dipping his fingers within her blue locks, silently savoring the softness of them beneath his touch. He quickly returned his hand to his lap then, not wanting to be a creep and further take advantage of her current state.
He was at a loss of what to do for her at the moment, and feeling a little helpless. He'd never really tried to help someone who was sick before, usually avoiding people who were ill like the plague. But Levy was different. He hated seeing her so dull and lifeless; missed her dazzling smile and sparkling eyes. He stood from the chair then and set about looking in her bathroom for a small cloth. He found one and dampened it with cool water, wringing it out before folding it and returning to Levy to place it gently over her forehead, just like she had done for him. Next, he moved into her small kitchen and started looking for something to cook up that would be easy on her stomach, and grinned when he found a stash of chicken flavored ramen. As he worked on cooking a pack to perfection, he realized that he truly did care for the Script Mage. There was no hidden agenda to his being here right now, trying to help her. Unlike the S-class trials, where he had hoped to fight against the Guilds strongest as well as help her out. Right now, there was only her, and his desire to see her get better.
Levy woke slowly, the scent of something delicious barely registering in her brain through her stuffed nose. Her eyes opened slowly, blinking as she stared up at her ceiling. How had she gotten into bed? Absently, her hand rose to rest against her forehead, but she found herself palming a cool damp cloth instead. Faintly, she heard a deep voice singing.
"Doo-doo-shoobie-do-Bah, shoobie-doobie-dooooo!"
Levy couldn't help the smile that spread across her lips as her forearm slid down across her eyes. She felt her cheeks heating with a blush as well as she remembered. Of course, Gajeel had shown up to check on her, and she'd passed out. He must have carried her to bed and taken measures to care for her, like she had for him. Butterflies were sent scattering throughout her belly. She'd never known Gajeel to do such a thing for anyone before, aside from Pantherlily, who was the only soul he'd ever openly showed love and affection towards...until now.
What did that mean?
Sucking in a deep breath, Levy struggled to sit up, even as the muscles in her torso screamed at the effort from dry heaving for hours on end. She took a few breaths before hopping gently out of bed, moving towards Gajeels voice, and the smell that made her stomach growl softly.
A soft, warm glow filtered in through her curtains, casting long shadows across her apartments living room. Levy blinked as her sleep fogged brain processed that information. It was evening already? Just how long had she been sleeping? In the kitchen, Gajeel stood over the stove with his back to her, humming a tune between his signature lyrics. A few empty packages of ramen sat piled beside him on the counter, as well as a few dirty bowls.
She would have rather stayed half hidden to continue secretly watching him; seeing him so relaxed and comfortable in her apartment sent a gush of warmth through her insides; raising strange feelings within her heart. But the embarrassment of having passed out earlier and the guilt she felt knowing that he had wasted his day here with her made her step around the corner into his peripheral.
"I'm so sorry," she said as his eyes caught her movement and he turned to peer down at her.
He snorted. "For what?"
Levy averted her eyes, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her hoodie. "I...I guess I passed out...and it looks like I've kept you here all day."
"Tch, you haven't kept me here, Shrimp. I stayed on my own." He turned the heat off on the stove and gave the ramen in the pot one last good stir before he spun towards her, a serious scowl on his face. Levy swallowed.
"Don't ever lie to me again. Especially when it concerns your well being." He crossed his arms over his chest, staring down at her. "And don't fault me for being stubborn when you're just as hard-headed as I am, you hypocrite."
Levy felt very sheepish and childish all of a sudden, as if being chastised by a parent.
"I'm s-," she started apologizing again, but Gajeel cut her off.
"Soups almost done. I owe you a few packets. I, uh, cooked some earlier, but didn't want to wake you up. So I ate it. Besides, it gave me the chance to perfect my recipe." He added proudly before reaching into her cupboard for a clean bowl. Levy smiled at the sight, happy to see that he had made himself at home in her home. She watched as he poured her a bowl and set it aside to cool before turning towards her again, regarding her with those intense garnet hues once more.
"You look a little better. Do you feel better?" He asked, cocking his head to the side slightly.
"A little," Levy answered honestly, then added, "I'm scared to try to eat something. I don't want to throw it back up."
"You gotta try something, Short Stuff. Just take small sips." He stated before handing her the bowl he had prepared for her.
Levy took it, sending Gajeel one of her brilliant smiles that made his heart skip a beat.
"Thank you, Gajeel. Really. I'm usually the one taking care of others, it's nice to be on the receiving end for once." Levy whispered, then turned to make her way towards a small breakfast table, giving Gajeel a chance to recover from the brief paralysis her smile induced.
"Don't mention it, Shrimp." He answered softly to her back. He watched as she sat down and started stirring at the ramen slowly. Her head was lowered, her blue tresses falling just enough to curtain her face from his view. Wait...was that a tear he just saw fall? Gajeel tensed as he kept watching her. She emitted a suspicious sniffle, then his eyes zeroed in on another unmistakable tear falling to land on the table top.
"Oi, you don't have to cry," he spoke hesitantly, remembering the awkwardness of seeing her cry before at the Crocus Royal Palace during the night of the banquet following their victory over the Dragons and Eclipse Gate.
She cried then because she was concerned about his well being, and she was crying now, he supposed, because he was concerned with hers.
Levy wiped at her tears, managing an embarrassed chuckle. "I'm sorry, it's just that...", she broke off, hesitating to share the depth of her feelings towards the Iron Dragon Slayer. She looked over at him then, offering him another sweet smile, her tears bringing some of the life and shine back to her eyes. "I'm glad that we're this close now, Gajeel."
Gajeel stared at her, his body frozen. Distant memories he fought hard to keep suppressed bubbled up in his mind; visions of standing before her nailed to a tree with his iron, laughing maniacally at her as he broke her body and spirit. Recent memories surfaced too. All the times that they worked together on missions and spent together on retreats and for fun. They had grown close, and he realized how much all of those memories with her meant to him; even the bad one, which allowed him to cherish their friendship that much more.
"Me too, Levy." He answered softly, feeling a blush heat his cheeks.
A long silence followed their shared sentiments before Levy picked up her spoon and started to gingerly sip at the ramens broth. A contented sigh escaped her as the warm liquid soothed her sore throat.
"This is delicious," she murmured between sips.
Gajeel smirked at her, his canines showing, "Glad you like it, Shorty." I perfected it just for you.
He stepped over to her then, moving a hand to ruffle her tousled blue locks affectionately before continuing past her towards her door.
Levy followed him with her eyes, trying to stifle the feelings of disappointment that bubbled up over the thought of him leaving.
Gajeel's hand closed over the knob of her front door and he paused, turning his head to the side to look back at her over his shoulder.
"I'll be back later, I've got to take care of a few things." He hesitated further, turning fully to give her a stern glare. "Don't exert yourself. Just finish eating and go plop on your couch."
Levy avoided the intensity of his gaze, staring down at the ramen he'd cooked for her instead, feeling that nervous fluttering in her belly once more.
"Okay," she answered meekly. He must have been satisfied enough with her answer because in the next instant, he slipped out her front door and closed it softly behind him.
After gathering a few things from his own apartment and speaking briefly with Lily, Gajeel made his way back across town to Levy's home. He shifted a bag to his shoulder and rapped softly on her door. No noise came from within and he frowned, deciding to knock again a little harder. Still no sign of her moving about inside. He closed his hand over the doorknob and twisted it, pushing the door open as he stepped inside.
"Shorty?" He asked quietly into the darkness of her apartment as he closed the door behind himself. Had she ignored him and worked herself into passing out again? She still hadn't answered him and a cold panic started racing through his veins. He turned towards her living room area then and stalked towards the back of the couch, bending over the top and sighed softly as he spied her tiny form curled up beneath a blanket, asleep once more.
At least she'd done what he had asked, he supposed. Navigating in the dark, he made his way back over to her small table and was satisfied to see the bowl sitting there, empty of its contents. She had eaten every last drop after all.
Gajeel shifted on his feet a moment as he contemplated what to do. It was already late, 10:16pm shining brightly on the digital clock on the back of her stove. He shifted the bag that he had brought over his shoulder. Movies and popcorn could wait for another time. Levy was in a deep sleep, much like he'd been after her visit to help him feel better, and he was loathe to tear her from that.
He grimaced as he looked at the mess he'd left in the kitchen, knowing that he couldn't risk cleaning it now and waking her. With a resigned sigh, he moved back over to her couch where she lay and lowered his backpack to the floor quietly. His crimson hues regarded her as she slept, his stomach flip-flopping as he recalled holding her against his chest earlier in the day and how pleasant the sensation was. He felt his cheeks heat with a blush before he shook his head, trying to pin point when exactly his body began reacting this way towards the Script Mage. He'd been drawn to her from the very beginning, is if she were a little blue-haired magnet pulling on every fiber of his iron being. In that time he'd come to know that despite her small stature, she was strong, courageous, feisty, and had an iron-will that would make Metalicana proud.
He couldn't help but remember her meek moments; the few instances of self doubt that she'd had in his presence and the distinct urge he felt in those moments to build her up, to make her stronger. He silently wondered if her growth had anything to do with his own; their awkward friendship in the beginning having molded into a type of symbiotic relationship where they both mutually benefited from the other and could no longer function on their own without each other.
He snorted at himself for such a thought. No, the great Black Steel Gajeel didn't need anyone to survive...right? That used to be his mantra, back before Fairy Tail...before her. He should resent her, for burrowing into his heart like a little parasite and weakening the barriers that had helped him survive all these years. He still didn't feel very comfortable with these new emotions and feelings that the Script Mage inadvertently awakened within him. He hated feeling like a pansy; hated feeling weak. Definitely hated feeling like he had a weakness.
He scowled down at the sleeping woman before him. Yes, she was most definitely becoming a weakness. His fists clenched at his sides as he found himself suddenly wondering what exactly he was doing, standing here in her apartment after having stayed here all day to make sure she was alright as if a fog had lifted from his love-sick mind. Was Juvia beginning to rub off on him? He sure as hell would rather die before he got to the point of skipping around Levy the way her lap dogs do, or the way Juvia does to Gray. He was better than that; stronger than that.
He took a deep breath, trying to draw in the cool air of the apartment to refortify his resolve, when suddenly Levy shifted on the couch, her lithe frame stretched out, her legs tugging down the blanket from her body as her arms raised high above her head, revealing the soft creamy expanse of her belly before she settled back against the pillows, still stretched out as she hummed gently in her sleep, her soft lips sighing what sounded like his name.
He felt the ramshackle defenses he'd been struggling to piece together shatter around his heart, falling asunder as his belly twisted into a searing knot as his eyes devoured her. Yes, she was definitely his Achilles Heel.
"Fuck," he muttered, feeling a little flustered as he found himself bending towards her almost reflexively, his strong arms scooping beneath her before he easily lifted her up, bringing her close against his chest as he turned and started moving back towards her bed. Goosebumps raised on his skin as he felt her slender arm slowly snake up his chest to drape weakly over his shoulder. He felt her face press into the crook of his neck as she took a deep, almost savoring breath through her nose, as if she were taking in his scent.
"Gajeel...?" She whispered, her voice breathy with sleep. He practically moaned at the husky sound of his name on her lips and her breath fanning against his flesh.
He cleared his throat. "Yeah, Shrimp?"
"What are you doing?" She asked, still sounding half asleep.
"Taking you to bed." He answered matter-of-factly, only aware after the words had left his lips how shameless it sounded.
She must not have read into his statement too deeply because he felt her body soften in his arms as she snuggled closer against him with another soft sigh. He slowed as he neared her bedroom, wanting to prolong this moment as long as possible. He turned his head slightly, bringing his cheek in contact with her temple and her soft blue curls. He couldn't resist the urge to nuzzle her gently and inhaled as a gush of warmth washed over his body at the gesture, twisting pleasantly in his belly once more.
In that moment he knew without a shadow of a doubt that she was his, and he would do everything in his power to keep her at his side, even accept and nurture the feelings he had for her, regardless of how silly they made him feel at times. He couldn't remain in denial forever and frankly, he was getting tired of fighting what just felt so right with her.
Gently, he bent and placed her on her bed and started to rise but was halted by her arm that hooked around his neck with surprising force for someone who was half out of it. Her breath whisped against his ear, sending shivers down his spine, as she held onto him, as if reluctant to have him let her go.
He snorted a short laugh, disbelieving her gesture was genuine and thinking it had more to do with her half asleep state.
"Let go, Shrimp." He said with gentle sternness.
"Nuh-uh." She protested lazily, then hummed a soft sigh as she let her arm slowly drop from around his neck. Gajeel tried to control another shiver as her fingers traced against his flesh at the nape of his neck.
"You're like my...Dragon Slayer butler." Levy murmured, comically emphasizing the term, then giggled. "Butt...he he he."
Before Gajeel could protest indignantly Levy sniffed daintily and spoke with a feigned aristocratic air.
"Good sir, could you please bring me some ice cold water from the glacial springs of Mount Hakobe?" She fell into another fit of giggles at her own expense as Gajeel straightened beside her bed, staring down at her and shaking his head slightly.
He cleared his throat, his cheeks blushing as he played into it. "Yes, of course, madam." He turned and quickly left her bedroom as she fell into another fit of giggles at him playing along with her absurdness.
Gajeel moved back into her kitchen and fetched a glass from her cupboard, feeling his cheeks burning from embarrassment. He took small solace in the fact that only she could get away with making such demands from him, even if she was being silly in her sleep deprived state.
It was cute.
A small groan bubbled up his throat at his mental confession. Cute. The word felt foreign in his mind, gritted against his psyche like nails on a chalkboard. He shrugged his shoulders, trying to shake off his embarrassment. It seemed like she had enjoyed him playing in to her little scenario, her laughter like a salve to his soul.
Gajeel felt a smile tug on his lips as he filled the glass with cold water from her tap before moving the short distance back into her bedroom. He paused in the doorway as his eyes rested upon her. She was laying on her side, where he'd left her, and she was completely still aside from the gentle rise and fall of her shoulder as she breathed.
There's no way she fell back to sleep that fast, Gajeel mumbled internally as he moved to stand beside her bed, staring down at her.
He reached out and roughly poked her shoulder. "Oi."
No response.
"Tch, Shorty..." He said with a grin and a sigh. What am I going to do with you?
He turned and placed the glass of water on her nightstand and moved to tug the bottom of her comforter up and over her small form. He then took another moment to watch her as she slept before he turned and moved back to her doorway where he spoke softly over his shoulder as he stepped towards her front door.
"Sweet dreams, Levy."
Levy woke the next morning, feeling like a new person, and thanking God that her illness was a short lived one. Intense, but short lived. She sat up in bed and sleepily wiped at her eyes as she looked around her room, her hazel hues resting on a glass of water that sat waiting on her night stand. Her brows furrowed as she regarded it, not normally in the habit of leaving one there before bed.
A memory surfaced within her mind, her own voice sounding almost drunk as she remembered teasing a certain Dragon Slayer about being her butler. Her hands shot to cover her mouth as laughter bubbled up within her. He'd gotten her water after all! Levy fell back in a fit of giggles as she imagined Gajeel hiking to the summit of Mount Hakobe in the middle of the night to scoop a glass full of glacial water from a sapphire pool.
She'd have to remember to subtly tease him about it later, she mused as she sat up, wiping the tears of mirth from her eyes before she swung her legs over the side of her bed and hopped down to the floor.
He'd returned last night, like he said he would. She'd been too tired to wait up any longer after she'd curled up on the couch with a content belly and surrounded by warmth. Levy moved out into her living room area, then turned towards her kitchen, her eyes widening as she noticed that he'd somehow cleaned up after himself without waking her.
She must have slept like the dead, she marveled as she scratched at the back of her head. Her eyes caught something on her small table then and she moved over to inspect it.
Her eyes widened and a jolt of warmth spread through her body as she realized what it was. An intricately crafted iron rose lay on the table, on top of a piece of paper with his handwriting scribbled at the bottom.
Hope ya feel better soon
~Gajeel
Levy slowly reached out, her fingers tracing reverently over the iron rose before she plucked it gingerly from the table top, surprised by the weight of it as she lovingly curled her hands around it, holding it against her chest.
Levy smiled brilliantly as she bent her head, touching her nose to the metallic petals as she breathed in its scent; his scent.
Yes, she felt much, much better, all thanks to a certain Iron Dragon Slayer.