This here is my part of the Gajevy exchange with the super talented artist, Yaushie (You should definitely go check out her Tumblr, because her art is just gorgeous) I hope that you'll all enjoy the finished result as much as I do =D (Now that I'm not pulling at my hair and struggling with a block)

The air outside was crisp and made her bare arms break out with goosebumps, but Levy barely even noticed the sensation as she watched the moon's gradual progress across the starry night sky, completely wrapped up in her thoughts.

After months of preparation the night was actually here, and Lucy had begun to look distinctly pale with every chime of the clock as it counted down the hours left until midnight. Levy could hardly blame her for her anxiety – The very second that clock stopped booming out the arrival of midnight, every pair of eyes in the ballroom would turn to fix on her, awaiting her decision. Jude, of course, would expect her to announce that she'd accepted Lord Halse's proposal, regardless of the fact that tonight had been the first night they'd met, or of the way that he was twenty years her senior. Neither of these things mattered to Jude though - Lucy's engagement was simply the bargaining chip that ensured the Halse family would hand their business over to him, and Levy could only sigh softly as she thought about it.

Glancing over her shoulder at the glittering room behind to watch the twirling bodies pass, Levy couldn't help but wonder, all these people who'd come to celebrate Lucy's betrothal … But did a single one of them even care whether this was something Lucy actually wanted to do or not? Considering the unkind laughter Levy had heard as two women pointed out Lucy's increasingly pale complexion, she doubted it. To them, this was just another social event – An opportunity to be seen rubbing elbows with the Heartfilia's. The fact that it was a night that would decide the future of one young girl was of little consequence to them.

Which was precisely why Levy had fled the stifling ballroom – She just couldn't stand to be in that room full of fake people any longer. If she had to watch one more person make stiff, polite conversation with Lucy, only to mutter disapprovingly about her hair, the dress she'd worn, or the exhausted shadows beneath her eyes the very second they turned away from her … Levy was going to throw champagne in their face.

Perhaps she found them so frustrating because this wasn't a world she was used to – Though her family were certainly high enough on the social ladder that they were invited to parties, Levy didn't think she'd ever attended something quite this glamorous before. She probably wouldn't have even been there now had it not been for Lucy insisting that if she was going to agree to marry someone of her father's choosing, she wanted her best friend there to help her prepare.

Turning to look back out at the night sky with another sigh, Levy knew her irritation with the upper class socialites behaviour was only a small part of her growing frustration though. The truth was, Lucy was not the only one who had to make a decision that would affect her entire future that night.

And that was, quite possibly, the thing that was frustrating the blue-haired girl most of all. Because, had it not been for Fate's cruel sense of humour, neither she, nor Lucy, would be feeling so conflicted. Lucy's eyes wouldn't be constantly slipping over to the doorway, almost hopefully, even though all the expected guests for the night had arrived. And Levy wouldn't be standing out there in the cool air, agonising over what she ought to do now.

When she'd first received Lucy's letter those many months ago, Levy's intention had been to return home afterwards. She hadn't thought to be bothered by the way that she'd be expected to sit around and wait for a boy from town to ask for her hand, and she hadn't given her growing curiosity about the world beyond her hometown more than a fleeting thought. She'd thought that, as long as she had time to read books, she'd find happiness.

But that had been before Jude had been forced to accommodate the good friend of one of his business partners - Before Igneel Dragneel had come to the Heartfilia estate, bringing his son Natsu, and nephew Gajeel Redfox with him. Remembering that day, Levy never would have anticipated meeting those boys would have affected their futures so thoroughly.

Natsu was the exact opposite of what she'd expected a gentleman's son would be - He was crass, using language Levy thought even a sailor would blanch at, and he cared nothing for social norms, like appropriate attire. When Levy had first seen him, she wasn't sure whether she ought to avert her eyes, or stare openly with surprise at the way that he wore a waistcoat with no dress shirt beneath, and a glance at Lucy had told Levy she'd felt the same confliction. Though, as Levy considered it now, she supposed Lucy's blush that day hadn't only been because of Natsu's state of undress.

As bewildering as Natsu had seemed though, Gajeel had been even worse. With his scarred arms, visible because of the way that he'd torn the sleeves off the shirt he wore, and menacing scowl, coupled with the multiple piercings in his ears, Levy had actually found him alarming. An impression that certainly hadn't been helped by the glare he'd given her as he'd caught her stare.

Had she known then what she knew now, Levy might not have spent the first week after his arrival hiding out in the library. Nor would she have quickly excused herself from a room whenever he walked in. Because Gajeel looked like the men her father had warned her were dangerous though, that was precisely what she'd done. She almost wished she'd known better now – If she hadn't been so quick to judge him based on appearance, they might have had a little more time…

Hindsight, Levy decided as she brought her folded arms up to rest on the balcony ledge, was almost as cruel as Fate.

Her unease around him was something she hadn't been able to help though – Simply a result of her upbringing – And Levy hadn't thought to question it, until the day she'd stumbled upon him dozing in the stables. If he'd simply been sleeping there, she likely would have turned around and returned to her room without a second thought – Who needed to enjoy the warmth of the day, anyway? - but, then she'd realised he wasn't sleeping alone. Several weeks had passed since that day, and Levy still couldn't stop her undignified snort of amusement as she thought about the way that she'd found Gajeel, seemingly fast asleep, with one fluffy cat curled up and purring loudly beneath his hand, another resting atop his chest, and a third tucked in to the crook of his elbow. The sight had been such a contradiction to the impression Levy had of the scarred man, she'd been forced to wonder if she'd judged him too quickly.

It was a feeling that had faded the very second he peeled back his eyes to growl, The fuck you staring at shrimp?, but the relaxed, almost happy expression he'd worn before opening his eyes had left enough of an impression on her that Levy was finally able to stop fleeing the room any time he entered.

No longer being alarmed by his presence certainly didn't mean that Gajeel suddenly became the person Levy sought out for company though, so it was still a few more days before they actually spoke – Though, she thought with a rueful smile, she wasn't quite sure 'spoke' was the right term for what had been their first actual interaction. Levy had been curled up on a couch reading, and had looked up curiously at the sound of someone coming into the room, only to find Gajeel frozen in the doorway, scowling. Instead of snapping her book shut and excusing herself from the room, as she had been since his arrival, she'd simply held his gaze long enough to acknowledge his presence, then returned to her book. She wasn't sure what she'd expected his reaction to be exactly, but it certainly hadn't been for him to snarl, What, not running away again?

As it turned out, the defensive question, which had quickly turned into a heated argument, had been the spark they'd needed to break the ice between them, and before Levy realised it, Gajeel had become the person whose company she'd seek out.

It had started out small – simple greetings when they passed one another in the hallways, and hours spent in silence of an evening as she read and Gajeel wrote in his notebook. Gradually, those silences gave way to conversations though, and evenings expanded into days, until Levy found that she could recite the story behind each of Gajeel's scars as if they were her own, and Gajeel could read her expressions as if she were a book.

And, somehow amongst all those conversations and days spent together, Levy had found herself starting to treasure the moments she had with him, just as she found herself dreading the approach of Lucy's party, and her inevitable return home. She hadn't realised that was how she felt until Lucy had pinned her with a sly grin and asked her about the dreamy expression on her face though. It was a question that she'd been able to deflect easily enough, countering it with one of her own about how much time Lucy had been spending with Natsu, but she still hadn't been able to sleep that night, worrying at her lip as she realised why it was that her heart leapt every time she caught sight of the sailor.

As if falling for him hadn't been problematic enough, meeting Gajeel had changed Levy in ways she never would have imagined, and she couldn't stop herself from grinning as she wondered what kind of expression mother would make if she knew that Levy had developed a taste for ale. Or if she knew that she'd been drunk in a dingy tavern full of working men and barmaids… That she'd allowed Gajeel to carry her back to the Heartfilia's in his arms since she'd been too drunk to walk, shamelessly burying her face in his chest as he did so. Her mother would surely be scandalised, and Levy chuckled as she imagined it. Her bemused grin faded as she caught sight of one of the naval constellations Gajeel had shown her though, the winking stars reminding her of her current dilemma.

Despite everything that Gajeel had taught her – Both about herself and the world around her – Levy thought the thing that had affected her most of all was likely the way he'd awoken her sense of wanderlust. Falling for him had certainly made her reluctant to return home – How could she possibly even think of accepting one of the boys from town into her heart, least of all the kind her parents would present her with, after meeting someone as unexpectedly interesting as Gajeel? The very thought was enough to make her feel as if her stomach had turned to lead – But, hearing his stories about all the distant places he'd been, the different cultures he'd seen. Listening to his tales about worlds where the clothes were so different from the restrictive corset and flowing skirts she knew, or trying to imagine the plants and animals he'd describe … How could she possibly be content with simply returning home and staying in the one place after hearing about the world out there? His stories had simply fuelled her already growing desire to see more.

And that was the predicament Levy had found herself in – She knew what was expected of her, but … For the first time she could remember, the small girl found herself longing for something else. She supposed, in that respect, she and Lucy's problems were one and the same.

The approach of heeled-footsteps drew Levy from her thoughts, and she smiled at Lucy as she threw herself onto the balcony beside Levy, heaving an exhausted groan as she did so.

"It can't be that bad," Levy teased, only to laugh at the incredulous look Lucy shot her.

"If I have to listen to one more person ask me who I'm considering, I'm going to throw my shoe at them."

"Why Lucy! How thoroughly uncivilised!" Levy mock-gasped, and Lucy gave her a weak smile at the attempted humour. Then Levy realised her eyes had shifted to focus on the driveway below, and she couldn't help but frown as she asked, "Still no sign of him?"

Lucy hesitated for a moment, her cheeks flushing at having been caught, before muttering, "I … Didn't think he'd actually listen." Levy's frown deepened at the words, but she had no words that could make this situation better.

Up until three days ago, both Natsu and Gajeel would have been there at the party, and Levy wasn't sure whether that would have made things better, or worse, but it didn't matter in the end. Because, three days ago was when Jude had finally noticed what had been developing between Lucy and Natsu – Or, more specifically, Lucy had attempted to talk to him about the planned marriage, and had been forced to admit the she was hesitant because of her feelings for the pink haired boy. The three men had been told to leave immediately as a result, and Lucy had been locked in her room so she couldn't even tell Natsu goodbye. Though, Levy hadn't known the reason behind their sudden departure until she'd spoken to Lucy that night. She'd simply known that she'd gone looking for Gajeel, meaning to talk to him about the argument they'd had not even an hour before, only to find his room empty. Like Lucy, though, she hadn't thought that Jude's warning would have been enough to actually deter them from making even the slightest of appearances since then.

Unbidden, the last words Gajeel said to her flickered through Levy's mind, but she forced them away with the bite of her lip. She would have to figure out her own worries later, right then, Lucy needed her. So, forcing her concerns away to the back of her mind, Levy took hold of Lucy's hand and squeezed gently, silently assuring her that she wasn't alone.

"Come on," the blue-haired girl said softly, "We better get back in there. I'm sure someone's wondering where you are."

Lucy heaved a forlorn sigh, and grimaced as she looked at the sparkling room before them. "Must we?" she asked, but followed Levy's lead back inside nonetheless, her mask of intrigue slipping back into place the very second they passed through the doorway.

The girls barely made it three steps inside before Lucy was accosted by a group of women who'd been 'wondering where she'd disappeared to'. Each of them gave Levy little more than a fleeting glance, and she wondered for a moment if anyone would actually notice if she found some dark corner to go read in. As if sensing the thought, Lucy pointedly twined her arm with Levy's, and the way her fingers were trembling was the only convincing Levy needed to try and remember how to school her features into vague interest the way her mother had taught her. She barely made it three minutes before she was right back to wanting to throw champagne in someone's face.

Three more groups stopped them to talk before the girls finally managed to reach the head of the room where Lucy was meant to be waiting, and as soon as they stepped on that platform, Levy couldn't stop her gaze from flicking over to the clock, already feeling thoroughly exhausted. Noticing where the hands of the clock were pointing completely erased that exhaustion though, and replaced it with horror. Before she could say a word to warn Lucy, the clock began the first of its tolls – Midnight had arrived, and she felt Lucy stiffen beside her before the first chime had even finished.

"Lucy," Levy whispered, trying to stop her voice from wavering with the sudden fear she felt. "What are you going to do?"

Lucy was silent for a beat, and then she said, "I don't know Levy, I just don't…" and the way that her voice trembled didn't escape Levy's attention.

Two more chimes rang out, and Levy bit her lip as she gripped Lucy's trembling hand with her own, offering her as much support as she was able as they watched the clock – After tonight, who knew when they'd see one another again? Neither of them knew what the morning had in store for them after all. It was a terrifying reality.

Suddenly, the twirling bodies of the room stilled, and they glanced, not at Lucy, but in the direction of the wordless, enraged roar that reverberated through the room. The friends had time enough to exchange a curious, wide-eyed glance, then Lucy blinked repeatedly with surprise, and Levy's lips curled into a pleased grin as that shout took on the shape of a name;

"LUCY!"

Gasps swept through the room, and eyes turned Lucy now, some suspicious, others simply bewildered, but Lucy seemed heedless of them as she made her way down the steps, and Levy couldn't help but smirk as she realised that Lucy's hands were no longer shaking. They both knew there was only one person that shout could belong to.

For just a moment, Levy's heart gave a pained twinge, but she made a point to ignore it as an enraged "Get the hell off me! I have to see Lucy!" echoed through the room, and the tapping of Lucy's heels picked up slightly. The clock gave its twelfth chime, but, in the commotion, nobody seemed to notice.

The crowd parted around Lucy as she made her way through it, allowing Levy a clear view of Natsu as he struggled against the three butlers that were trying to pull him out from the room, and presumably back outside. He froze for a second as he caught sight of Lucy, then proceeded to jerk against their hold with renewed vigour, still spitting profanities at them under his breath. Levy wasn't sure whether to be surprised, or amused that he hadn't made the slightest effort to dress for the occasion – Even his scarf was still wrapped around his neck.

Her attention was jerked away from Lucy's slow progress towards Natsu, though, as something heavy came to rest on her head, making her jump with surprise. Panicked hands instinctually rose to brush whatever it was off, only to hesitate as her fingers were met by something warm, and fleshy.

Slowly, not quite daring to allow herself to hope, Levy glanced to her side, and was completely unable to stop herself from smiling with relief as a pleased breath of "Gajeel," slipped from her lips. As his eyes flicked down to meet hers, the flare of warmth that had been spreading through her at his presence was quickly replaced with a mixture of confusion, anger, and hurt as their argument came to mind again. But then she realised he'd actually made an effort to dress appropriately for the party, though his numerous ear piercings gave his history as a sailor away, and she couldn't stop her mouth from quirking with amusement.

She'd meant to ask him why he was there – It was the most important question after all – but as she caught sight of his clothes, the only thing that came out was a quiet giggle of, "What are you wearing? You look ridiculous."

Gajeel scowled at the question, and plucked at the neck of the waistcoat he was wearing uncomfortably as he muttered, "Shut up. It's Igneels – Of course it looks ridiculous."

The comment made Levy cock her head curiously, unable to stop herself from wondering what had happened exactly - Had Igneel suggested if they were going to crash a party, to dress the part? Based on Natsu's perpetual state of undress, Levy doubted it. But, that implied the clothes had been Gajeel's idea, and if that were the case… Her grin simply deepened at the thought.

Her eyes snapped back to the direction Lucy had been moving as a voice yelled, "Enough!" though, and Levy abruptly realised that both Gajeel and Natsu were there, after Jude had told them to never set foot on the property again.

The ballroom was completely silent following Jude's shout, and, in the very centre of the room was a circle of space. On one side, stood Jude, his hands clenched into tights fists at his side, and his face red with anger. Opposite him, stood Natsu, who seemed to be mostly unconcerned by the amount of curious eyes that were focused on him as he glared at Jude, his mouth twisted into an irritated scowl. And, standing directly between the two, was Lucy. From the determined tilt of her brows and the purse of her lips as she looked at her father, it was obvious that she was preparing herself for a fight.

"Lucy, what do you think you're doing?" Jude demanded, his voice shaking as he spoke.

When Lucy responded, her voice didn't quaver at all though. It was firm, and clear, and the corners of Levy's mouth twitched with pride at that as she mentally cheered her best friend on; You can do it Lucy.

"I'm choosing my own path," Lucy declared, and, Levy hadn't thought it possible, but the red of Jude's face increased at the statement. As Gajeel snorted beside her, Levy was forced to bite her lip so that she wouldn't mimic the sound of amusement. But, from the sly grin that he shot her, Levy knew she hadn't fooled him.

"I've made my decision Father," Lucy powered on before Jude could say anything, and then, raising her voice theatrically, as if the entire room wasn't already hanging on to her every word, Lucy announced, "The clock has reached midnight, and the time has come for me to make my announcement."

"Lucy! Stop this foolishness!" Jude hissed, and Levy couldn't help but tilt her head thoughtfully as she considered how quickly the situation had reversed from what it had been barely even ten minutes ago.

Slowly, Lucy turned her back on her father, and, ignoring Jude's repeatedly frantic admonitions, took the three purposeful steps that would bring her to stand before Natsu. Levy didn't bother trying to hide her grin as Natsu glanced over at Jude, then silently held his hand up to Lucy, a faint pink hue to his cheeks as he did so. And, with a slight blush of her own, Lucy took hold of that hand. She didn't seem to hear the gasps that echoed around the room as she did so, she and Natsu were too busy simply staring at one another, their mouths curled into matching wide grins, almost as if they were both asking We're really doing this?

The moment only lasted for a moment before Lucy seemed to remember that she'd been in the middle of an act of defiance, then she pointedly kept her hand twined with Natsu's as she turned to face her father once more, her head held high as she declared, "This is what I choose," and then, her expression changed to something soft and almost melancholic as she added, "Mama would have wanted me to be happy Father, if she were still here."

In the silence that followed, Levy could almost hear the gentry's buzzing thoughts, could easily imagine the gossip that would spread like wildfire about the way that the Heartfilia heiress had publicly humiliated her father by taking the hand of some unknown ruffian, and she had to bite her tongue so she wouldn't yell at them all for being so infuriating – If Natsu could make Lucy happy, what did it matter to a single one of them?

Then, every eye in the room turned to fix on Jude, waiting for his reaction with baited breath. As they waited, it seemed for a moment as if Jude was looking at Lucy as though seeing a ghost - The colour had drained from his face, his mouth had fallen open, and his eyebrows had risen high above his eyes. But then, his expression hardened and he pulled himself up to his fullest height as he said, "If that's what you choose. However, Don't think you can come skulking back when you're destitute and on the streets."

A shocked gasp escaped Levy's mouth as her hands flew up to cover it, but hers wasn't the only one. Levy had known that Jude wasn't going to be impressed with Lucy's decision to go against his wishes and follow her heart, but, she never could have anticipated that this was going to be his reaction. She'd been sure that, though Jude had always been cold and aloof, he surely loved his daughter deep down. For him to publicly disown her like this, it was abruptly apparent that Levy had been mistaken. He obviously cared more his public image than Lucy, and the realisation made Levy want to race down the stairs and scream some sense into the nobleman's head. The only thing stopping her was the way that Gajeel had wrapped a hand around her wrist, even as he growled a quiet "Asshole."

Lucy looked as though somebody had slapped her, but she kept her head held high as her grip on Natsu's hand tightened, making it clear that she was standing by the decision she'd made. Of all the reactions in the room though, the one that nobody saw coming was the drawn out sigh that came from Natsu as he brought his free hand up to his hip.

"You're kidding, right?"

Jude's eyes narrowed, and his face flushed once more as he opened his mouth to say something that would be undoubtedly dismissive, but Natsu continued on, his own voice growing increasingly thick with anger. "You think you can pretend you don't have a daughter just because she doesn't do what you want her to? To hell with that. You think we're gonna come back to you, crying for help?" he snarled, and Levy was momentarily taken aback by how much his face changed when he was angry, almost as if there was a fire burning within him. "If you'd bothered to pay attention to anything that wasn't the sound of money in your pockets, you'd recognise the name Dragneel as being a founder of the merchant company Fairy Tail."

For a moment, a stunned silence filled the room, and then, the colour quickly faded from Jude's face as loud, shocked whispers broke out; I know that name! They're the top merchant company! They trade with China and Spain often! They're our main supplier of silk!

And, just like that, the tension of the room dispersed as people turned back to their friends and muttered sceptically about how Natsu didn't look like the son of a well-off merchant, that he was obviously just making it up, or gossiped about what happened between Lucy and her father. Levy couldn't help but grimace at the way that the story was already being exaggerated, but, for the most part, her attention was still fixed on where Jude, Lucy and Natsu were standing as she chewed at her lip worriedly.

She could no longer hear what was being said over the surrounding chatter, but she could see Jude's lips were moving, and, whatever he said had Natsu's expression darkening further as Lucy drew herself up to her fullest height before giving a tight nod. In the next second, Jude was stalking out of the room, and Lucy brought her hand up to rest on Natsu's shoulder as he made to follow after the older man, shaking her head in what Levy recognised as her It doesn't matter head shake.

Whatever it was that had been said, Levy was certain it was a follow on from Jude's earlier disownment, and she couldn't stop herself from chewing at her lip with concern as she watched Lucy sweep away from the dancing crowds, out to the balcony once more. The only thing that stopped her from chasing after her friend was the way that Natsu was still holding tight onto Lucy's hand as he followed her out.

As soon as Lucy was out of her sight though, Levy wasn't able to stop herself from glancing over at the man silently standing beside her, her lips pulling into a frown as her thoughts returned to her earlier question – Why was he there? Although she was pleased to see him again, when she considered the last words he'd said to her …

Before she could decide whether she wanted to ask or not, and how, Gajeel heaved a sigh and began to make his way down the stairs. Levy's eyes went wide as she watched him go, before she bit down on her lip and looked to her feet, willing herself not to cry. Until that moment, she hadn't realised just how glad she'd been that she hadn't seen him leave because, as painful as it had been to know that he'd left without a word, actually watching him walk away from her made her feel as if someone was driving a dagger into her chest.

A gruff "Oi," made her look back up though, and the feeling faded just a little as she realised he was looking up at her from the bottom of the stairs, one of his eyebrows arched. Then, he jerked a thumb to gesture at the mass of twirling bodies and said, "You coming or what?"

"You … Want to dance?" Levy asked slowly, trying to smother her sudden bemusement at the idea – She hadn't thought that Gajeel even knew how. She wasn't able to stop her lips from tugging into a small smile though as Gajeel made a point to look past her as he shrugged, a hint of a blush on his cheeks. It was a look that Levy was starting to recognise – The kind he gave when he wanted to do something, but didn't want to admit it.

"Well, I'm dressed for it," he muttered after a moment's silence, and Levy's heart skipped a beat at the thought.

Making a point to ignore her pounding heart, she gave a soft sigh, then joined him at the bottom of the stairs. Once there, Levy held her hands up in position and arched her brows expectantly as Gajeel blinked down at her with surprise, almost as if he hadn't expected her to actually agree. Slowly, he raised his hands so they could wrap around hers, and, after a moment of hesitation, they clumsily joined the whirling mass of people.

Gajeel's mouth quivered as he counted out the steps of the dance beneath his breath, and Levy could only stare up at him as he uncertainly guided her, her mind still burning with a need to know why. She just wasn't sure how to approach the subject though, so, instead she asked, "Your uncle owns a merchant ship then?"

The question made Gajeel frown, and Levy tried not to wince as he accidentally stepped on her toes. Gajeel still noticed the tiny grimace she wasn't able to contain though and hastened to apologise, "Shit. Sorry," then, with a sigh, he added, "Yeah … He took me on as part of his crew as a favour to my old man."

"That was nice of him. It's allowed you to see so much…" Levy trailed off with a bite of her lip, her decision flickering in the back of her mind.

She hadn't quite been able to stop her uncertain frown before Gajeel caught it, and his eyes narrowed slightly as he asked her, "What is it?", his mouth tugging into a concerned frown.

"No, it's nothing," Levy said, trying to shake her head dismissively, but it was obvious from the way Gajeel scowled that he didn't believe her. With a heavy sigh, Levy opened her mouth, meaning to tell him about the situation she found herself in, but then she realised that they were at the point of the dance right before they were meant to change partners, and, in the resulting panicked realisation that she was out of time, she finally managed to ask the question that had been plaguing her since she'd realised Gajeel was there.

"Why are you here Gajeel? After what you said…" And Levy's cheeks flushed at the sharp look he gave her, as the words that had sparked their argument came to mind – Dammit Levy. Did you honestly think there was a chance for us to be anything more? You're a Lady, and me? I'm just a fucking sailor. There was never a future for us beyond here.

The silence her question was met with meant that Levy suddenly found it hard to breathe, and the back of her eyes began to burn as the memory of the words made her heart ache. Then, there was a flurry of spinning bodies, and Levy's feet automatically went to twirl her away from Gajeel – Away from the painfully apologetic expression he wore – But her wrist was caught in a tight grip before she could move so much as a step, and the boy that had been anticipating her shot Gajeel a bewildered look at his interference. At the steely glare that Gajeel levelled him with though, the boy hastily scampered past the two to take hold of the woman who'd been eyeing Gajeel anxiously, and Levy wasn't quite sure whether she wanted to laugh, or sigh. As Gajeel and she started the dance steps over again though, Levy settled for simply staring up at him uncertainly, waiting for his answer.

It took him a few moments, but eventually, he sighed, then, stubbornly looking over her head, he said, "I tried to let you go, after the princess' father told us to leave. I told myself it was for the best. That this was the way things were meant to be."

Levy's eyes narrowed at the words, and she was about to interrupt, hissing that he was more of an idiot than she'd realised if he thought the heartache she'd felt for the past three days was for the best, but then Gajeel looked down at her, and his mouth was pulled into a self-depreciative grimace that made Levy hold her tongue.

"You don't need to say it, Igneel told me I was an idiot – Multiple times, in fact."

"Good. Somebody needed to," Levy wasn't quite sure what it was, but there was something in Gajeel's expression, some … softening that made her heart begin to pound as she asked, "And, what else did Igneel say?"

The question made Gajeel finally meet her eyes, and Levy found herself blushing at the intensity of his gaze as he stopped any pretence of dancing before lowering his forehead to rest on hers. He simply stood there for a few seconds, before telling her quietly, "That, as long as we felt the same way, class was irrelevant."

"And, do you believe him?"

"Hell no," Gajeel snorted, and Levy scowled at the reaction. Gajeel continued on before she could say a word though, "I told you before - I don't deserve you, or the chance to be with you, and … Shit Shrimp, I don't. I really don't. I could never be enough to deserve you. But … I'm going to damn well try. If you'll still let me, that is."

As everyone around them spun on to their next partner, neither she nor Gajeel moved from their frozen position. Levy could hear a few disapproving mutters around them, but she made a point to ignore them as she closed her eyes, simply listening to Gajeel breathe.

And, it was strange, but just like that, the decision she'd been agonising over the entire night suddenly seemed all too clear. Or, perhaps it wasn't that strange after all, because knowing how Gajeel felt, as well as watching Lucy fight to choose her own path, was giving Levy the courage she'd needed to make the decision she knew was right.

She was sure that Gajeel was waiting for some kind of reaction to his declaration, but the words that Levy spoke instead were a soft, "I want to travel, see the world."

Levy wasn't sure how she'd expected Gajeel to react exactly, but when his response was to simply ask her, "Where we going first?", she abruptly realised there was at least one more thing for Gajeel to teach her – That she was considerably bolder than she'd ever thought. Because, in that second, Levy didn't care that they were surrounded by people, or that her parents would be horrified, both by her improper behaviour and the decision she'd made. The only thing she cared about was rising up onto the very tips of her toes so that she could press her lips to his with more force than she realised she possessed.

There were certainly going to be repercussions, and her parents were surely going to object. And, there was also the issue of how she was going to travel exactly – But, as her hands slipped around Gajeel's neck and his arms wound around her waist, tugging her indecently close, Levy was certain that everything would work out, so long as Gajeel was with her.

Fate usually knew what she was doing after all.