How it All Began
It was late in the afternoon of a bright sunny day, and Levy was curled up under a shady oak reading of codes and cyphers. Levy loved to read and this was one of her favourite places to visit; a peaceful place that seldom had any visitors. The oak sat atop a slope that overlooked a tranquil lake so clear that it mirrored the sky and surrounding mountains. The lake was particularly spectacular during the night, when it reflected the moon and stars. Hearing only sweet the chirping of birds and the calm lapping of water on land, this lake was the perfect environment for reading and studying.
A gentle breeze rolled through and Levy was suddenly reminded that soon she would have to depart this little piece of paradise and head back to the guild, where she would meet up with her friends briefly before heading home. Putting the book aside, Levy leaned back against the old oak, closing her eyes to enjoy the serenity.
Before long, having dozed off, Levy awakens to the sound of approaching footsteps. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she recognises the source of them as Gajeel, one of her closest friends from Fairy Tail. Gajeel stops by the lake, seeming to take in the scenery. "Gajeel, what brings you all the way out here?" Levy asked cheerily.
"It was getting late, so I thought I'd come check if you were alright," Gajeel replied, all the while looking down at his feet. "The guys told me you hung out here often, so I thought that this'd be the best place to look." Levy then peered over the lake and realised that the sun had already gone down behind the mountains, leaving only the faintest pink-orange glow in the sky. The sight was truly breathtaking.
Gajeel then proceeded to present a bundle of blue flowers that were seemingly concealed behind his back. "I found these growing nearby, and they made me think of you… I mean… they match your hair and all." He clumsily extends the bouquet to Levy, and attempts to supress the light blush that threatened to spread across his cheeks.
Levy accepted the bouquet elegantly and was pleasantly overwhelmed by the delightful scent. "Aw thanks," She smiled. "You really didn't have to do that."
Gajeel seemed to hesitate before abruptly sitting down across from her, looking mildly uncomfortable. "Listen short stuff, I.. I just.." he paused, trying to find the right words.
"You just what?" Levy pressed. "You know you can talk to me about anything right? You and I are close… I mean, I won't judge you and I'm always happy to help with anything you need."
He tenderly took her hand in his, which elicited a warm flush in Levy's cheeks, and continued, "You are the smartest and most caring person I've known. You're always placing other's interests ahead of your own and you never seem to be angered over anything." He looks up at the sky, rubbing the back of his neck, then looks back down and into Levy's eyes. "Lev, you are really special to me, and I was wondering, if maybe, you might be interested in going on a date with me?"
Levy was utterly astonished by the confession. She'd known Gajeel for well over a year now and hadn't known him to ever express such affectionate emotions to anyone. He'd always seemed too macho for that. Levy had grown quite fond of him over time, but never in her wildest dreams would she have expected him to return the sentiment.
"I'd love to go out on a date with you Gajeel," she smiled up at him. At her response, the relief practically rolled from Gajeel in waves.
"Great!" he cheered, trying not to lose his composure. "Can I take you for dinner? Anywhere you want to go."
"Sure, I'd love that," Levy enthused. Gajeel stood up and held out his hand to help Levy to her feet. They began trekking back into the main streets of the town, chatting happily all the while. The two of them had dinner at an Italian restaurant that was around the corner from the guild. They even stopped for ice-cream late that night, where they encountered Lucy and Natsu who appeared to be having a date of their own.
At the end of the night, Gajeel insisted on walking Levy to her apartment. Levy stopped in the doorway and thanked him for the wonderful night.
"My pleasure, short stuff," he grinned. "Can I see you out another time?"
Levy tilted her head up and gave him a quick kiss on the lips before replying, "You sure can." And with that the two said their goodbyes, and Levy stepped inside her apartment, closing the door behind her.