Disclaimer: I do not own any of the following characters, I'm just borrowing them.

There was a tiny cafe on Main Street that seemed to have the magical ability to be whatever you needed it to be. For stressed parents, it offered a quiet reprieve where they could sip on a relaxing cup of tea. For students, it was both a hang out and a study zone, where they could laugh and joke as cheerful employees would keep their mugs full. For business men and women, it was a place to get their morning coffee and a slice of Mira's famous coffee cake.

But right now, Fairy Tail was mostly a way for people to get out of the rain.

Levy watched as yet another person in a rain coat rushed in, trying to ignore the torrential downpour and the loud tapping of each droplet hitting the roof as she continued playing. Where normally the sounds of the cafe were a soft background track to her violin, now she could barely hear herself play over the din. But Levy kept playing, because if she stopped, that would mean no pay.

No pay meant no new books this month.

No new books this month meant that Lucy would inevitably read them before her and spoil the endings. For all of them.

Levy would not suffer through that again.

So she played louder, playing song after song as more people came and went. She was normally so focused on her music that she didn't really see who came in, but every now and again, someone would pique her interest. Maybe they looked like a character from a book she was reading, or they were too loud to ignore even from her little stage in the back.

And then there were people like him who you just couldn't ignore. He didn't order a drink, just took up the whole doorway as he stomped the water off his boots then settled down at one of the corner tables. Levy watched him from the corner of her eye as he pulled out a sketchbook - wasn't expecting that, honestly, he didn't look like the sort - and started drawing.

The song she had been playing ended, and Levy let her shoulder drop, taking a deep breath. She had never played this long before, but the tips kept coming in, so she kept going.

"How's it going?" Mira asked as she came over, a smile on her face and a mug full of something warm and probably delicious in her hands. Levy smiled back, setting her violin carefully in its case before sitting on the edge of the stage.

"Going as well as it can," she replied with a shrug, accepting the mug from Mira and taking a long sip. Mmmmm, apple cider.

"Well, I think you sound great," the pretty waitress said. She rubbed a hand between Levy's shoulder blades, making the tense muscles loosen up and the younger woman coo thankfully. "Laxus said if you play for another hour, he'll pay you double."

Levy choked on her cider, looking at Mira with wide eyes. "Double?" she squeaked, trying to wipe her mouth without looking like a slob. She swore she heard someone laugh at her, and she simply huffed.

"Well since you've been playing for so much longer than you normally do, it'd only be fair. Does that sound good to you?" Levy nodded numbly, mind already racing through the calculations of how many books she could get with an extra helping of spending money. Maybe she could be the one to spoil Lucy for once!

Oh, revenge would be so sweet.

Revenge also better be worth it, Levy thought after 45 more minutes of playing. Every muscle in her back was aching and the constant chatter in the cafe was giving her an awful headache; she was about two seconds away from shoving her bow up the ass of the next joker who requested "Wonderwall", and maybe heartbeats away from saying screw it and just packing up her violin and leaving with her normal pay.

But every time she reached that point, someone would come up and give her a smile and a generous tip before heading out. The rain had started to die down, and the crowd was slowly starting to dissipate as well. As the group of boys that had been bothering her earlier began to leave, Levy made sure to start playing Wonderwall, smirking at them as they turned around in shock.

The man that had been sitting in the corner with his sketchbook for the past few hours started laughing, a low rumble that Levy could hear even from the opposite side of the cafe, and she shot him a brief grin before starting her next song.

Soon enough, her time was up, and Levy gave a loud groan of relief as she let her shoulders drop. She looked towards a highly amused Mira behind the counter and mouthed "Never again" at her, pointing at the waitress with her bow. Mira simply giggled, holding up a plain white envelope promisingly.

Levy barely resisted breaking out in happy tears.

She started packing up all of her stuff, gently putting her violin in its case despite how seconds ago she was about ready to throw the damned thing against the wall. Levy was putting the iPod and speakers that she used for her backup tracks in her bag when she heard the tip jar behind her jingle. She turned around quickly, prepared to chase after whoever tried to steal her tips, when she saw Sketchbook Guy standing there, examining the front of the jar that she had decorated with doodles of flowers one lazy afternoon. His eyebrows, thick and dark and accented by two metal hoops on either side, raised in approval and Levy felt her lips tilt up in the corners.

As he dug around in his pocket for what Levy assumed to be some more spare change, she let herself give him a quick look over. It was almost scary how much room he took up, being at least a foot taller than her and built like a linebacker. Messy black hair that brushed his shoulders was covered by a dark gray beanie, which perfectly matched the metal piercings that lined the bridge of his nose and were dotted under his lower lip. He had strong, sharp features, probably Native American in descent, and Levy was a little concerned by how badly she wanted to trace his jawline with her tongue. The sleeves of his hoodie were pushed up to his elbows and there were identical tattoos running up both his forearms. They almost looked like scales, only there was an almost metallic feel to them, the shading and highlights worked in the black ink making Levy believe that if she were to reach out, his skin would be cool to the touch.

He finally looked up at her, his eyes a dark brown that looked almost red, and with a rakish grin, held a ten dollar bill up before dropping it in the jar. Levy's eyes widened almost comically, looking between Sketchbook Guy With The Sexy Jaw and the tip jar a few times, and he simply chuckled, nudging the jar towards her with one large hand. She picked it up gratefully, and after screwing the lid on firmly, smiled brightly at him.

He blinked owlishly a few times at her, probably not expecting such a sunny grin from someone who had been childishly sticking her tongue out at the backs of the patrons that had been chatting loudly on their cellphones not ten minutes ago. But after a few beats he grinned back, tipping his head in a silent goodbye before walking towards the door.

The whole exchange had taken less than a minute, but the second he was out the door, Mira was at her side, watching him through the window with wide eyes. "Who was that?" she asked, almost bouncing with excitement.

"I'm calling him Sketchbook Guy," Levy said dismissively, going back to putting up her stuff. The last time Mira had been that excited about Levy talking to a guy, it had resulted in two restraining orders and a very expensive French dessert being thrown at said guy, courtesy of none other than Levy herself.

Mira Jane Dreyar was forbidden from delving into Levy's love life ever again.

"Normally your names for customers are longer," Mira teased, a demonic light in her normally calm blue eyes.

"Wouldn't tell you even if it was," Levy teased back, slinging her bag over her shoulder and doing the same with her violin case.

"Well, I think he was hot," the waitress said with a shrug, holding the envelope with Levy's pay up for the younger woman to take. "And he laughed at your 'Wonderwall' thing."

"You noticed that?" the blunette asked, looking sheepish. She took the envelope, resisting the urge to kiss it.

"We all noticed it. Laxus nearly pissed himself laughing in the back." Levy had to giggle at that, imagining the large manager trying to restrain his booming laugh so as to not disturb the patrons. "Well, anyways," Mira continued, "excellent work today! As always, you are welcome back any time, and not just to play. I do so enjoy our little chats."

Levy hopped carefully off the stage, only coming up to Mira's nose even with her two inch heels on. Being so beloved by gravity was tough. "You just say that because you like being able to gossip with someone besides Kinana," Levy teased.

"Guilty!" Mira sang, giving Levy a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek before scurrying back to the register. The younger woman made sure to wave goodbye at Laxus before she left, ready to head home and take a long, well-deserved bath.

Well, maybe she'd hit the bookstore on the way home first.

.

.

.

"Shagotte Lechat's office, may I please take a message?"

"Party in the fourth floor conference room, Macao's kid just made the varsity soccer team."

"Jet!" Levy hissed, cupping a hand over her Bluetooth and leaning over her desk to look in her boss's office, making sure she hadn't noticed Levy's panic. Once she was reassured that Shagotte was still busy looking over some paperwork, the young woman spun her office chair around so that she was facing away from the large office. "What have I told you about calling on the official line?!" she snapped, her voice a low whisper.

"To absolutely do it and do it frequently?" her friend said brightly, the shaky connection not dulling the amusement in his voice.

"Try 'to never do it because you'll get me fired'!" Levy groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. "You know I can't leave my desk!"

"I'm sure will be fine without her secretary for thirty minutes. You're missing Macao's disastrous attempts to hook his phone up with the projector to show us Romeo's soccer videos." There was the brief sound of the phone being shuffled to someone else and Jet's loud yell of "Hey!", making Levy roll her eyes.

"They have cupcakes, Lev!" Droy said enthusiastically, obviously speaking with his mouth full. She could hear Jet complaining about him getting food on his cell phone in the background and couldn't help but giggle at her friends' antics.

"Tell Macao I said congrats, but I have to get back to work," she said, smiling when they both groaned in disappointment. "Jet, save me a cupcake."

"I will do my best, boss lady."

"Levy, could you come here?" Shagotte called from her office, making her secretary jump slightly in her seat.

"Just a second, ma'am!" Levy called, hunching over further in her chair. "I gotta go," she whispered into her Bluetooth, ending the call before either Jet or Droy could respond. She quickly made her way into her boss's office, subtly smoothing out the wrinkles in her pencil skirt as she walked.

"Could you please make two extra copies of these contracts for me?" Shagotte asked without any preamble, tapping the papers on the edge of her desk with the eraser end of her pencil.

"Right away," Levy said cheerfully. Jet and Droy could say what they wanted about her being a work-a-holic, but the truth was she just really loved her job.

Levy was halfway out the office when her boss called out, "Jet and Droy again?" The blunette froze, looking over her shoulder slowly, only to find her boss smiling at her, clearly amused.

"Macao's son made the soccer team and they're celebrating," Levy admitted, smiling sheepishly. "I've tried to tell them not to use the land line-"

"It's fine, dear," Shagotte said with a dismissive wave, still smiling. "It's good that you have friends who care enough about you to want you to take breaks."

Levy snorted. "More like they need a babysitter to make sure they don't start another cupcake fight."

"There's cupcakes?"

Levy laughed at her boss's enthusiastic reply, the powerful CEO perking up in her chair like a cat. "I don't know if there'll be many left after Droy's through with them."

"Well then, you better hurry and make those copies so you can go snag a few," Shagotte said with a grin, making a shooing motion with her hand.

"Right away, ma'am," Levy said with a cheeky salute, making her boss laugh sunnily. Levy was just about to step out the door when she spun on her heel. "Oh, don't forget about your 1:30 meeting today," she said quickly.

Levy was then witness to her normally composed and calm boss cussing loudly.

"That's today?" she asked, standing from her large desk chair to reach for her planner, flipping it open and cussing again.

"Everything okay?" Levy asked, quickly making her way back into the room. It was an unspoken part of her job to keep the CEO of Extalia Publishing Company from losing her mind, and part of that was making sure that her schedule was well organized. Shagotte wouldn't fire her for a little slip up, but Levy would feel guilty for days afterwards.

"I totally forgot," Shagotte said, running her fingers through her short, pale blonde hair. "I'm supposed to take Charle to the dentist in an hour." Levy looked over at the clock on the wall, wincing when the display showed that it was already 12:20. "I've had that appointment scheduled for months! How could I have forgotten?"

"Can her dad take her to the dentist?" Levy asked cautiously, knowing that Shagotte's relationship with her ex-husband was strained.

"He's on a business trip in Europe," she huffed, flopping back into her chair. "Lil' can't take her either, he's at work." She ran her hands down her face, groaning softly.

Levy was silent for a few seconds before offering, "Well, I could take her." Shagotte peaked at her between her fingers, one eyebrow raising.

"Would you really?" she asked, failing to keep the relief from her voice. Levy nodded enthusiastically, smiling brightly.

"Yeah, of course! The people at her school already know me, so you'd just have to call ahead and let them know I'm coming to take her out early," she said. "I don't mind at all! Just let me make these copies and I'll head right out."

"Levy, you are a life saver," Shagotte said with a sigh of relief. "I'll write down the address for you and give you some money. I promised my little girl that we'd get ice cream after."

"Consider it done," Levy said, already heading towards the copy room. When she came back, extra copies already stapled together and labeled with sticky notes, Shagotte handed her two slips of paper and a twenty dollar bill.

"I have a signed note in there in case you have any trouble," she said, giving Levy's hand a quick squeeze. "Thank you so much, Levy."

"Like I said, I don't mind," the younger woman replied, giving her boss another bright grin before going back to her desk to grab her purse and jacket. As she headed out the door, looping her favorite cowl around her neck, Shagotte called out to her.

"And make sure to grab a cupcake on your way out!"

Levy just laughed.

.

.

.

The reception office of Magnolia Charter Elementary was warmly lit by skylights and wide windows, easily blocking out the chill of the fall weather outside. Levy took a moment to revel in the indoor heating, letting it warm her fingers and nose back up.

"Heyo Levy!" Levy opened her eyes, smiling brightly at the young woman behind the reception desk.

"Hey Lisanna," she replied warmly, approaching the desk. "Where's Max?"

"Out sick," the younger Strauss sibling said with a sympathetic wince. "I'm taking over today since all my fourth graders are out on a field trip." Levy nodded, pulling out Shagotte's note.

"I'm here to pick up Charle Lechat," she said, handing the note over. "Her mom overscheduled and I offered to take her to the dentist." Lisanna nodded, going into receptionist mode.

"Grade?"

"First."

"Alright, I'll call her down!" After she made the call – "Mr. Reedus, can you send Charle Lechat up? She's got a dentist appointment." – Levy and Lisanna made small talk, talking about anything from work to Levy's latest read. A few minutes later, the door swung open with a bang, enthusiastic footsteps rushing into the room.

"Mama, Mama!" Charle came to a halt once she saw Levy, who was waving bashfully at the six-year-old. "Oh," she said dryly, frowning. "It's you."

Levy looked at Lisanna, rolling her eyes, before making her way over to the disappointed little girl. "Your mom forgot about an important meeting today, so she asked me to come take care of you," she said, dropping into a crouch so she could be on Charle's eye level. "Is that okay with you?"

Charle pursed her lips, looking Levy up and down. "Eh," she said with a shrug, "you'll do." Lisanna snorted loudly behind her, and Levy shot her a Look over her shoulder.

"Then let's get going!" she said happily, holding her hand out once she stood back up. "Your mom gave me money for ice cream after you're done at the dentist."

"You have to wait an hour after the dentist to eat," Charle informed her knowingly, though she didn't hesitate to put her hand in Levy's. This wasn't the first time that her mother's secretary had to come and pick her up in her mother's place.

"I guess we'll just have to play at the park for an hour." Charle's eyes lit up.

"Sakura Park?"

"Like I would subject you to a lesser park," Levy teased, helping Charle into the back seat of her car and into the car seat Shagotte had given her. They were on their way in minutes, Charle commenting on every song that came on the radio during the drive to the dentist. Levy just smiled, more than used to Charle's harsh comments. Though Jet and Droy both dreaded encounters with their CEO's… opinionated daughter, Levy liked her a lot. Her frank views on the world were amusing coming from someone that barely came up to Levy's hip, and it helped that the little girl had stopped making rude comments about her blue hair a few weeks after their first encounter.

Once they got to the dentist's office, Charle was called in within minutes, and Levy relaxed in the waiting room, easily drowning out the sound of the children around her as she pulled her current book out of her purse. She had managed to read a good chunk – her best friend liked to say that the speed at which she devoured books was comparable only to a super computer – before Charle reemerged, her grin brighter than when she went in. After a quick talk with the nurse behind the desk, Levy gathered up the paperwork they had given her and led the little girl back out to the car, quickly shooting her boss a text to let her know that the trip to the dentist had gone well.

From there, it was a short drive to the largest park in the city, and both girls ran towards the playground, Levy kicking off her heels so she could scramble onto the empty playground with a giggling Charle. They played for an hour and a half, Levy gaining several new runs up her tights and Charle getting a few leafs caught in her long hair, which was the same shade of platinum blonde as her mother's. They both agreed to walk to the ice cream store instead of driving, since it was such a short distance.

As they walked hand in hand, they passed the skate park that dominated a good portion of the park. Several of the younger teenage boys whistled after Levy, but Charle turned to them and started loudly lecturing them on "Proper etiquette in the presence of ladies".

Honestly, that's what she said.

Levy dragged her away, laughing into her palm as the boys squirmed on top of their bikes or skateboards. One skater who had just come into view waved enthusiastically at the two. Levy waved back once she recognized the pink hair under the beanie he wore and the light freckles on his sun kissed skin.

"Who's that?" Charle asked curiously.

"My best friend's boyfriend," Levy replied easily, refocusing on the walk ahead of them.

"He looks old enough to know he should be wearing a helmet," the six-year-old said with a sniff, looking at the older male with a frown. Levy just laughed some more. "And whoever did that should know better than to draw on the walls!"

Levy turned to look where Charle was pointing, blinking as she took in the mural sketched on the wall of the basketball court next to the skate park. It was large, whatever it was, though Levy couldn't make out the details from so far away.

"Huh," the blunette said, humming thoughtfully. Most of the graffiti in the park was small, just tags and little dick doodles – those got covered up immediately – but no real wall pieces had been done in a while. Natsu was probably excited about that. He was a bit of a graffiti nerd, and everything Levy knew about graffiti she had learned from listening to him ramble about it whenever she and Natsu ended up at Lucy's apartment at the same time.

"I hope it gets washed off soon," Charle said with a toss of her hair, and Levy looked down at her with a frown.

"Aw, don't say that! Someone probably worked really hard on that!" she said gently, squeezing the little girl's hand.

"It's still breaking the rules."

Levy sighed, smiling fondly. "Come on, let's go get you your ice cream, yeah?" Charle cheered happily, and the wall was soon forgotten by both of them.

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