Cozy

The train broke down. Gajeel couldn't be moved because of motion sickness. By the time he had gotten up the rain had started. No, not just rain, freezing rain. The first hotel they ran to was full; so was the second. Gajeel decided to take their bags and hopefully find someplace to stay, and then come back for me. The innkeeper decided he didn't want me dripping water on the carpet if I wasn't paying him and kicked me out of the building; back into the freezing rain. And WHY aren't there even awnings in this stupid town! Levy repeated the list of irritations that left her running through the wet streets trying to find Gajeel, or some where dry. The irritation and anger gave her a little extra warmth.

Unfortunately the small city seemed to have closed for the evening. The lamppost had seen better days and barely lit the roads and darkened shop windows. Uneven bricks made running even harder then the puddles that got splashed up onto Levy's calves. Slowing down wasn't an option. Movement produced body heat, and Levy hated being cold.

That would be her downfall as her left foot hit a section of black ice. A shriek left Levy's lips as she fell. The loud crack and pain that followed had her thinking she had broken her tailbone; until the ice gave way. Levy now sat in several inches of freezing water.

She didn't move. She couldn't find it in herself to get up as tears of frustration started dripping down her cheeks. All she had wanted was to spend time with Gajeel. Take a simple job and get closer to the man who she had developed feelings for. Flirt a little. Maybe find a moment to admit how she felt. Now she was soaked, freezing, and might never feel her butt again!

"There ya are!" A gruff voice had Levy squinting up into the rain to see Gajeel towering over her.

Before she could think to compose herself Levy spoke with a broken voice, "I fell." She had never felt more ridiculous.

"I see that," Gajeel muttered as he bent down and scooped up the soaked woman. Levy curled into him as he began jogging down the road. "If it makes ya feel any better I gave that innkeeper a good shiner for for bootin' ya and bein a piece of trash."

Levy only gripped his shirt tighter in response. That jerk deserved it, but who cares? Gajeel has now seen me looking like a drowned rat sitting in a puddle crying. Maybe he couldn't tell I was crying with the rain? But I was still looking like a drowned rat in a puddle! Any chance I had is probably gone now. He'll forever see me as a sad drowned rat. How is he so warm? It's not fair that he can be this warm. So absorbed in her spiralling thoughts Levy didn't notice when they entered a building. She didn't notice that Gajeel carried her up a flight of stairs, or into a room.

"Oi, shrimp?" Gajeel's ruff voice and the movement of him placing her down brought Levy back. "Feelin alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine." Levy stepped away from the strong arms that had stayed loosely around her waist. Pushing her dripping bangs off her forehead Levy looked around the room.

It was tiny. She only had to take a couple steps to hit the full sized bed that was crammed into the corner. It was covered with a thin blanket that had a few holes, and a pair of sadly deflated pillows. Her eyes traveled over the dingy walls to the opening that lead to a small bathroom before they snapped back to the bed. The single bed. The bed that took up most of the room. The bed they would have to share. The bed that was too small to not end up spooning. A shiver ran up her spine; which turned into her whole body shaking as it reminded Levy how cold she was.

"Here," Gajeel said as Levy's pack appeared in her line of site. "Go get a warm shower and change." Wanting to run from the impending situation and be in dry clothes, Levy did as she was told.

Goosebumps pebbled Levy's skin as she stepped out of the bathroom her camisole and shorts not helping in the drafty room. Gajeel was crouched over a floor grate, a giggle almost escaped her at seeing his damp hair pulled up into a bun. The muffled sound was enough to have Gajeel focus his attention on her.

"I thought that shower would be longer." He said while standing.

Levy shuffled her feet and looked away, finding his skin tight muscle shirt and pajama pants distracting, before replying. "The warm water didn't last long… sorry."

"Figures. The last room in town is also the shittiest. Hell the heat barely even works. Yer probably still cold..." His voice tapered off as his eyes wandered down before quickly looking away with the tips of his ears turning a faint red.

Not realizing what had caused his sudden change in deminar Levy stepped forward. Looking toward the bed she noticed Gajeel had placed their sleeping bags on it. Taking a breath she decided they should discuss what to her was the "elephant" in the room. "So are we going to be sleeping in our sleeping bags?"

"Actually I was going to zip'em together," Gajeel continued to look away and now rubbed the back of his neck. "Ya know body heat and all that."

"Oh, I see." Levy looked at the floor feeling her face heat up. Shaking her head she decided to think logically even though her mind cept stuttering over the idea of snuggling in a sleeping bag with the large dragon slayer. "That actually makes sense. We need to get up early to catch the train so we should probably get a good night sleep."

An awkward silence stretched between them as both refused to make the first move. Gajeel shook off the anxiety that had him rooted to the spot; determined to act completely normal. Even with his heart thundering, and the image of her thin top doing nothing to hide how the temperature affected her plaguing his mind. Focusing solely on the task at hand he zipped the sleeping bags partially closed and crawled inside.

"Well, do ya need to sleep or not?" He snapped the question harshly knowing if he didn't something else might slip out.

Levy jerked and quickly climbed in next to him. She attempted to keep a small space between them, even though everything in her was screaming to touch him. With a grunt Gajeel wrapped his arm around her effectively destroying that space while he turned off the light and finished zipping them in.

Levy's mind seemed to sizzle out as she was enveloped in darkness and heat. Whether it came from her embarrassment or his body she couldn't tell; she was only glad he couldn't see her probably red face. As Gajeel adjusted his arms around her Levy knew she had to say something to distract herself. If she didn't the contact of his muscled chest against hers would soon cause her head to explode. The only thing she ended up thinking of was an apology. "I'm sorry, this probably isn't what you wanted to do this week."

"I've been through worse." Gajeel spoke softly, and Levy shivered as his hand pressed against her lower back. "An' I couldn't ask for better company. Besides it's nice an cozy now, yeah?"

Using his arm as a pillow and having him holding her Levy could think of a million words better than cozy. Safe. Warm. Perfect. Were the first few that came to mind. His arms flexed around her and she couldn't help snuggling into his broad chest. "Yeah, cozy."

Pressing her nose against the soft cotton of Gajeel's shirt Levy smiled. Maybe this wasn't such a bad night, and maybe… maybe I still have a chance with him. As she drifted to sleep she didn't feel the light kiss that brushed against the crown of her head. If she had Levy might've realized there was more than a chance.