I'm so happy that you all are enjoying this collection of stories! This is Part 4 of 6! AND... there may be a bonus part ! WOOHOO!

Please forgive the lame title :P

chapter 437 (and onwards) was adorable but also kinda lame. I expected at least 5+ chapters of Natsu and Lucy getting together to bring the rest of the guild back. The arc has been way too short... I really wanted a lengthy adventure of Lucy and co. convincing everyone to get back together. It seems too convenient for all of them to receive Lucy's letters... Bleh just my opinion.

Anyway, time for some GaLe fun!

NERVOUS? DEFINITELY

The guild roared with it's genial cheer and laughter, slightly more zealous than usual - what with a new fad going around. Pocky!

And man, was Levy a fan of it. So far she'd collected around thirty seven boxes of different kinds of pocky from all around Fiore. Mira had managed to get a particularly expensive pack as a reward from a mission she'd completed successfully, much to Levy's joy. Jet and Droy often wondered where this strange obsession of hers spawned from, even though Levy herself didn't know.

She had known about the pocky game for a long time, but didn't think it seemed like much fun - until today, that is. Almost everyone in the guild was playing. Chocolate covered biscuit sticks were being indiscriminately guzzled by eager guild members. So far, Levy had witnessed Natsu cheating to beat Lucy - and his subsequent brawl with Lucy (which he terribly lost), and Juvia interrupting Cana's and Gray's game to steal a kiss from him - and then consequently fainting, much to everyone's amusement.

On the whole, Levy was having a ball. She laughed and made casual conversation with a stick of pocky hanging from her mouth limply like grain stem in a farmer's mouth.

Nothing could possibly make this day any better, could it?...

When Gajeel entered the guild, he noticed that they were all a bit more boisterous and jovial than usual - which was saying a lot considering Fairy Tail's standard for a regular day was nothing but partying. Lily followed close behind him, wondering what everyone was up to.

"What's all the fuss about..." Gajeel mumbled to himself.

He spotted Salamander prancing around near the bar area along with Mirajane and Lucy. Lucy seemed ticked off about something or other - which made Mirajane laugh and Natsu sigh. Nearby, he sighted Levy, who was her usual cheery self. She had something hanging out of her mouth, like one of those long cigarettes smoked by the women in the old movies Gajeel liked to watch.

She ought to know what's going on...

"Lily, I'm going to-" When he turned to regard his comrade, he found that he'd disappeared. "...Huh. What an idiot, not telling me where he's off to" Gajeel shook his head and smiled.

He waved a hand to catch Levy's attention. "Hey, Levy. What's up?"

Levy grinned, the stick still held firmly between her teeth. "Mirajane brought pocky. Everyone's enjoying the game"

"Pocky? Is that the thing in your mouth?" Gajeel pointed with a thumb.

"Yup" She lilted, tilting her head to the side and smiling. "You wanna try some? I'll see if-"

Gajeel didn't bother listening to the rest. He bent down to Levy's eye-level and snapped off the end of the pocky that was in her mouth. He stood up straight and chewed on the piece of pocky, tilting his head as he examined the flavour.

Levy's face went crimson and she squeezed her eyes shut. But of course, Gajeel didn't notice.

"Not bad. What's the game?" He asked, looking back down at Levy, who remained silent. He noticed that she looked a bit red in the face. Ill?

"Oi. Levy" He tapped her head with a finger.

"Huh?" She looked up at him, still flustered. "Oh, uh... yeah... the game... Mira was showing it to us. Two people eat the pocky at the same time and who ever gets the last piece wins" She rambled nervously.

She looked down at her hands as soon as she finished, her grip on the pocky slightly limp. She decided to gobble up the whole thing in one bite when the silence between them grew slightly.

"Hmm. Sounds pretty interesting!" He finally said. "Who do you think I should play with?"

Levy bit her lip and glanced to the side. "Umm... I guess..."

"Hey! Juvia!" Gajeel cupped his hands around his mouth to amplify the call. Levy whipped her head up, befuddled by Gajeel's decided partner.

...Juvia? Well... I guess it makes sense... since they've known each other the longest... but...

"Juvia's out of commission at the moment!" Natsu yelled in reply across the guild hall, pointing with his thumb to Juvia being fanned by Gray and Cana.

What on earth happened to her? Gajeel mused inwardly. He shrugged and faced Levy again.

"Yo, Levy, wanna play?"

It took a moment for Levy to comprehend his words. "Huh?"

"I said-" He pulled up a chair and sat on it backwards, "-do you want to play the game with me?"

"...Uh... You mean the pocky game?" Levy asked, just to be sure he wasn't mistaking it for something else.

Surely he knows that we'll end up... ?

"Yeah. So. Wanna play?" He raised an eyebrow at her, waiting for a reply.

If I don't say yes, he will ask for someone else. He's just too persistent!

"Okay, I'll play!" Her voice rose and she became slightly more sure of herself.

"So let's get another one of those pocky things from Mira then" Gajeel waved a hand in Mira's general direction.

Levy turned to see Mira, still handing out pocky.

"Ah, yeah"

She got up from her chair and trotted to where Mira was. Without meeting her eye she held out her hand.

"Another one, Levy? You've had so many!" Mira smiled and handed her a pocky stick.

"No... This time I'm playing the game..." She muttered quickly before rushing back to where Gajeel was.

Unfortunately for her, Mira's hearing was acute.

Levy sat down in front of Gajeel, her shoulders square and broad - well, as broad as hey could be for a girl as petite as her. She handed the pocky over to Gajeel who placed it in his mouth nonchalantly.

God, he really has no idea... Levy was too nervous to voice her inward giggle.

She held the other end of the pocky in her mouth and squeezed her eyes shut for a second, just to make sure that everything that was happening was really happening.

It was at this moment that Levy remembered that they didn't have someone to say go for them. However, Gajeel had already created a solution for this in his mind. He held up three fingers and Levy immediately understood.

3... 2... 1...

And they were off.

1 second. 2 seconds. 3 seconds.

Levy could feel the warmth of his face getting closer and closer. She opened one eye and saw that he was a mere nibble away from her.

I... I can't! Her eyes squeezed shut and she broke the pocky right where she stopped. But she didn't pull away.

I can't...

Gajeel worked his way through the pocky methodically and carefully, focussing on each piece her broke off. His eyes remained closed, and it vaguely dawned on him that at one point both he and Levy would reach the centre.

Wait, what was the goal again?

He'd forgotten, but he was too caught up in the game to bother stopping and asking Levy. No doubt she herself would get annoyed.

He felt a slight jerk on the pocky, and a warmth enveloped his face.

Huh. Levy sure is a soft kisser.

After a few moments he pulled away and opened his eyes, only to see Levy still leaning inwards. Her eyes were open, but she had a strange dreamy look on her face. And she was tinted pink.

"Oi, Levy!" Gajeel waved his hand in front of her. "You okay?"

"Oh, yeah Gajeel. I'm great" She looked up at him with a toothy grin.

"Great. Well, I had fun!" He patted her on the head and grinned. Levy felt a laugh bubbling, but suppressed it fr a moment.

"Hey, Gajeel..." Levy started.

"Un?"

"Why did you ask for Juvia?" She hazarded the question that had been weighing on her mind.

"Oh, that's because Juvia is a female friend. Don't you think it would be weird for me to play with a male friend? Like Salamander or someone?"

Levy couldn't hold in the laughter this time.

OMG. I'M SO SORRY FOR THE LATE UPDATE! I was travelling for a long time, and just didn't have the urge to write! But don't worry. This series is halfway done!