A/N: Happy belated B-day, itsbasicallyjamie! This is your minor present, I guess, AKA I'm getting you another one in real life (hopefully you'll like both this one and that one). I suck so much at deadlines, and I'm so, so sorry. There was school, and then I got sick, and just...romance. I don't understand it. And this is so bad.
Warning: You are proceeding into a dangerous zone. It contains both Romance Fail and Characterization Fail. You have been warned.
Levy veers away from the dancing couple in front of her and almost bumps into another one. Murmuring an apology, Levy hurries after Erza, trying not to lose her in the crowd. Although it should've been easy to stop Erza, what with her scarlet hair and all, the pulsing lights and the loud atmosphere make it difficult for Levy to concentrate. Levy bursts out of the dancing crowd, a sheen of sweat already forming on her skin, and looks around for her redhead friend. She can't see Erza anywhere. Just as Levy begins to panic, a hand drops down on her shoulder. Before she even turns around, Levy can tell it belongs to a man (through her tank top, she can feel the rough calluses on his palm).
As Levy whips around to face the man, she raises an arm to defend herself just in case. She falters in surprise as she takes in a spiky mane of black hair, unfriendly crimson eyes, and way too many piercings.
"You okay there?" he asks, his voice gruff.
The man's face is still schooled into that stern expression, but Levy notices a slight blush rising to his face. It's kind of cute, she thinks, and she finds herself smiling. It quickly drops from her face, and she stutters an affirmative answer to the stranger. Levy can feel her face heating, and she prays that the club is dark enough for him to not notice.
"That's good."
After giving her a solid pat on the back, he wanders off and disappears into the crowd. Levy squints after the stranger, but even with his strange attire, she can't see him. Sighing in frustration, Levy turns back to the booths, looking for Erza.
"Levy, get over here!" a familiar voice hollers over the din of the music.
Turning to her left, Levy sees Erza making herself comfortable at one of the booths and waving her over. Still dazed from her encounter with the eccentric-looking man, Levy walks toward Erza. In the booth behind Erza, Levy notices Gray and Natsu trying to bicker without catching Erza's attention. A smile finds its way onto her face as she slides into the seat opposite Erza.
Erza slams a bottle of beer in front of Levy and stares at her expectantly. Levy picks it up and tries not to wince as she sips. In contrast to Levy, Erza downs beer after beer, not looking tipsy at all. She gestures to the stage in front of the dance floor as she speaks.
"Mirajane's singing tonight."
Levy nods and says without thinking: "She has a really pretty voice."
Erza growls and spills a bit of her drink. One fist lays clenched on the table, knuckles whitening. Then, her expression softens and her grip slackens. She downs the rest of her drink in one gulp and sets down the empty bottle.
"Yeah, yeah, she does," Erza agrees, her tone holding only the slightest of reluctance.
"Erza," Natsu yells as he turns toward her, pointing a finger. "You fought with Mirajane all the time before! You shouldn't talk about me and Gr—"
"Natsu, shut up," Gray hisses, covering his companion's mouth.
By that time, the damage is already done. Erza stands from her seat and towers over the two. They cower as she starts to crack her knuckles. Face hidden behind her drink, Levy chuckles and takes a sip. She winces at the taste and glances back at the dancing crowd. Her eyes flicker to the flickering lights and back to the numerous patrons. Levy sighs while taking another sip. Her friends are all lovable idiots, and she loves them to death, but sometimes she wishes she could find a boyfriend, if only to have an excuse to keep them from dragging her to clubs.
Erza sits back down into the seat across from Levy when the lights dim even more. Even Natsu and Gray have stopped bickering, their eyes on the stage. Strong lights flash on and focus on the stage. A figure steps into the light and sits down in the provided chair. A collective murmuring runs through the crowd. Erza frowns while Natsu and Gray make confused noises. Levy just sits there, taking in the flashy white suit, hat, and shoes along with the bright red tie and sunglasses. She squints, trying to figure out why the man seems so familiar. The man begins to strum his guitar when it clicks. From this distance, she can barely see the spiky black hair and piercings belonging to the stranger from earlier.
Curiosity peaked, Levy leans closer. The man clears his throat and begins to sing. Almost everyone in the club covers their ears, grimacing at his voice. Even as people start yelling at him to stop, the man continues with his horrendous screeching, strumming his guitar so hard that a string snaps. He remains unbothered by the commotion, raising his voice and strumming with more passion.
Eventually, a disheveled Mirajane appears onstage and persuades the man to leave. Levy watches him go, a shy smile on her face.
A few long hours later, Levy stumbles out of the club. She walks a few feet and breathes deeply. Looking back now, it was a bad idea to keep drinking. Even if she was sober enough to drive, Erza had taken the car to drive Natsu and Gray home, intending to keep them out of trouble. Her options are walking home and taking a taxi, and in her drunken (vulnerable) state, both are looking dismal.
Levy opts for walking home because her and Erza's apartment is fairly close. It'd be a waste of money and time to take a taxi. The cool night air starts to cool down Levy, and it's only when she's really close to home that she realizes walking was probably a bad idea. Just as this thought's running through her mind, a hand latches onto her arm. The stench of cheap alcohol and unwashed bodies fills her nose, and she almost gags. Levy leans away from the unkempt man and yanks at her arm. The man's other hand reaches out to secure his hold, and Levy tries to kick him. She gets him in the stomach, and he doubles over, hand still wrapped around her arm. He glances up at her and then makes a grab for her bag, but he's thrown to the ground before he can.
Looking up at her savior, Levy sees the strange, black-haired, red-eyed man for the third time that night. He glances down at her, and their eyes meet. Levy takes notice of his furrowed brow, the concentration on his face, and the light in his eyes when he recognizes her.
"Hey, you okay?"
"Yes, thank you," she responds.
They both stand there for a moment of awkward silence. The man clears his throat and looks back at her. A blush rises up to his cheeks.
"I'm Gajeel Redfox," he introduces himself after a few more seconds.
"Levy McGarden," she says, grabbing his hand and shaking it. "Thanks again, but I've got to go."
"I'll walk you home. That is, if you want."
Levy smiles at the sentiment. "No, it's okay. I've only got a block more to go. Thanks, really. I'll see you later!"
She leaves the man—Gajeel—standing there after one more wave goodbye and heads home.
Light shines down on Levy, and she groans, snuggling under her covers. She counts up to three, and then her blankets are ripped away. Levy covers her eyes with her hands and tries to soothe her pounding headache.
"Wake up, Levy. You've got work to do," Erza barks, her voice a little too loud—or maybe way too loud—for Levy's tastes. "Come on, wallowing in misery can wait till you're at the library."
"Erza, can you please be quieter?" Levy whispers, trying to adjust to the bright sunlight.
Erza shoves a pill into her hand along with a glass of water. Levy takes the offerings and swallows the capsule along with the whole glass. She stumbles out of bed and grabs the first set of clothing she can get her hands on. Erza helps her along the way, careful to keep her voice quiet.
As they sit down for breakfast, Levy sets her head down on the table. Though slightly better, it still feels like a thousand tiny people have decided to throw a huge party in her head. She groans, regretting how she lets herself get dragged to the club, just like every other time. Levy adds that as another reason for getting a boyfriend: no more frantic matchmaking schemes and no more pounding headaches.
Half an hour later, Levy arrives at the library. She grabs the key from her purse and unlocks the doors, flipping the lights on as she walks in. Levy settles into her usual routine as she sits behind the main desk, puts on her glasses, grabs a random book, and starts reading. Within moments, Levy's captivated by the book, and she's dead to the rest of the world.
When Levy's inner clock tells her it's lunchtime, she sets down her book, finding it odd that no one has interrupted her for help. Then, she looks up and sees the sheepish-looking, skinny blonde.
Levy smiles at the woman. "Is there anything I can help you with?"
"Um, yeah, I'm new to town and I kind of need a job. Do you have any open spaces for, uh, librarians or something?"
"I think we have space for one more librarian," Levy says.
A smile breaks out across the woman's face, and she straightens, looking more confident.
"I'm Levy McGarden."
The woman's eyes widen just a little, then she says, "I'm Lucy Heartfilia."
Levy stands from her seat and gestures for Lucy to follow her. "How many days can you work for?"
"Just the weekdays. Is that okay?"
"On weekdays, we're open from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. You think you can work for that long?"
Before Lucy can hide it, Levy notices the slight grimace she makes at the long hours. Levy smiles a little and adds, "It's not that bad. You just have to shelve some books, help some people."
"Are you sure?"
"Sure I am," Levy says. "Now, come on, I'll show you the rest of the library."
"So, how old are you?"
Levy looks up from her book, her glasses slipping. Instead of answering, she blinks, prompting a frantic explanation from Lucy.
"I mean, you look pretty young, but you're the head librarian? So you've gotta be—"
"I'm twenty-two. I've already graduated from college. What about you, Lucy?"
"I'm also twenty-two." Lucy giggles. "Wow, you're a lot more successful than I am. I mean, head librarian."
Levy adjusts her glasses and looks at Lucy. "I'm guessing librarian isn't exactly your dream job."
"Not exactly." Lucy beckons for Levy to move closer. "The truth is, I want to be published, but I've never shown anyone my stories. My father doesn't really approve, and my friends would tease me about it."
"I'd love to read your stories," Levy gushes, leaning closer to Lucy. "Please, please, can I read them?"
"No, it's embarrassing. You're definitely going to laugh at me," Lucy insists, scooting away from Levy.
Levy continues to pester Lucy until the other woman gives in. With a victorious smile, Levy takes the thick stack of papers from Lucy. Levy settles back into her chair and readjusts her glasses, beginning to read. As she reads, Lucy fidgets, glances at Levy, and blushes. Levy assures Lucy that her writing's wonderful, but Lucy continues to fidget.
Giving up, Levy reads to the end. By the time she finishes, all of the part-time workers have left and it's just Lucy and Levy inside the library. As Levy sets the Lucy's papers on the desk, she grins. Lucy's fidgeting increases tenfold.
"Was that story a reflection of how you want your love life?" Levy asks, grin still firmly planted on her face.
"What? No. Of course not."
"'Oh, Lucy, I'd do anything for you. Just say the word, and I'll do as you wish,'" Levy says in a deep voice, flourishing her hands.
"Stop it," Lucy says, pushing Levy lightly, even as she breaks out into giggles.
"Aw, don't worry about your story, Lu-chan. It's fine!"
"Don't—"
"Lucy! Lucy, are you still here!" a voice shouts as the door to the library slams open.
Levy winces at the loud sound echoing throughout the almost-silent library. Something about the voice strikes her as familiar, but she doesn't know what until she sees the man in front of her. A spiky mane of black hair, unfriendly crimson eyes, and way too many piercings. Gajeel. He strides up to the front desk and ignores Levy in favor of looking at Lucy.
"Where were you? I was looking all over for you. Didn't I tell you to text me where you were?"
Lucy sighs. "Levy, this is Gajeel. Gajeel, Levy."
Red eyes widen at her name, and Levy sees the recognition lighting up his eyes when he faces her. He squints for a second more before pointing at her and yelling.
"It's you, the girl from yesterday!"
Lucy begins to chide Gajeel, telling him to "stop being so rude," but Levy's already used to this kind of treatment from Natsu and Gray. Instead of feeling offended, she chuckles and says, "Small world, isn't it?"
"It sure is," Gajeel answers, ignoring Lucy.
"Listen to me when I'm talking to you," Lucy growls, hands on her hips. "First of all, this is a library. You're supposed to be quiet—"
"Yeah, yeah, whatever."
"Just listen to me for once, will you? I'm trying to—"
"It's okay, Lu-chan. I don't mind," Levy says, attempting to quell the blonde's anger.
"Fine, but only because you said so." Lucy grabs a pen and paper from the desk and scribbles her number and address on it. She picks up her novel and places it in her bag, then says, "Come on, Gajeel, let's go."
"Hey, I'm the one that's picking you up. You're the late one. Stop talking to me like I'm the one that's trouble," Gajeel grumbles as they walk towards the door.
"Bye, Lu-chan! Bye, Gajeel!"
Lucy throws a quick "Bye!" over her shoulder before muttering a retort. Gajeel snaps back at her, and the two begin bickering as they exit the library. Levy smiles a little as she organizes her desk and begins cleaning up for the night.
Light floods into the room, and Levy snuggles further under the covers. Erza tears Levy's covers away and forces her to wake up. Groaning, Levy rubs her eyes and yawns.
"Levy, get up. I need you to go somewhere for me."
"What? Why?" Levy complains even though she knows she'll end up helping Erza.
"I told Gray and Natsu I'd help them with gathering witness statements. You just need to go to the addresses and ask some questions."
"And why can't you—oh, never mind," Levy says as she takes in Erza's appearance.
Instead of her usual attire (strict, no-nonsense business suit), Erza's wearing a white blouse and a blue skirt. Her long, scarlet hair is tied back into a ponytail. Levy's been around Erza long enough to know what this outfit means: she's substituting for Jellal's kindergarten class. The thought always makes Levy smile (and giggle manically) because it's Erza and she doesn't give favors to anyone she doesn't like (and Levy suspects that she really likes Jellal).
"So you'll go?"
"Sure, but do I have to look professional?"
"Yeah, look smart and tell them that you're the substitute for Gray and Natsu. Breakfast's on the table."
"Right." Levy yawns again as she tumbles out of bed. "Why couldn't you just write a note?"
By the time she asks the question, Erza's at the door and yelling a frantic "Thank you!" and "Bye!" over her shoulder. Levy stumbles to her closet and digs around for the only suit she has. She puts on the drab clothing and her favorite pair of wedges. As she combs her hair, she goes into the kitchen and eats her breakfast. When she's finished, she tosses the dirty dishes into the sink and goes through her old clothes to look for Lucy's number.
After several rings, Lucy finally answers: "Hello?"
"Hey, Lu-chan. It's Levy. I'm going to be out for today, so just ask whoever's sitting at the front desk what you're supposed to do, okay?"
"Uh, sure," Lucy says with a yawn.
"Sorry to bother you. Bye, Lu-chan."
"Bye, Levy."
Levy dials another number. The person on the other end instantly answers.
"Levy!"
In the background, Levy hears arguing.
"Hey, it's my phone! Give it back!"
"No, she meant to call me because she knows that I'll answer your phone!"
"It's my phone, and she called me!"
Levy sighs and sits down on her bed. The arguing on the other end stops.
"Levy?" Jet asks.
"I need your help at the library."
And with that simple sentence, the arguing starts again.
"I only need you to sit behind the front desk and tell a girl named Lucy what to do. I don't care if both of you go, just please don't cause trouble."
"Of course!" Droy says.
"I'll do the best job of telling Lucy what to do!" Jet chimes in.
"No, I will!"
"No—"
"Thank you, bye," Levy says as she hangs up.
After interviewing all five witnesses, Levy feels drained. Most of them treated her with respect, just like they would if it had been Gray and Natsu, but one man treated her like trash. Just thinking about how he slammed the door in her face for "being a woman" makes her angry, and she presses harder on the gas pedal. Her car speeds up, then suddenly stops.
The force throws Levy against the wheel, and a loud HONK! reverberates throughout the mostly-empty street. Levy pushes herself off the wheel, feeling dazed. Just to make sure, she turns the keys and pushes on the gas pedal. The car refuses to start.
"Oh, come on!"
Levy gets out of the car and slams the door. She doesn't know how far she is from her apartment, but she knows it's pretty far. Leaning against the car door, Levy calls Erza and prepares herself to wait a while. At least, she thinks, this road isn't that busy.
"Are you that girl?"
She turns around toward the sound of that deep, perfect voice (and ohmygod, Levy, stop embarrassing yourself), and her heart leaps into her throat. His hair is held back by a bandana, and he's rolled up the sleeves of his shirt (it reveals some of his tanned skin, and Levy's blushing like crazy), and (oh, god, she can't believe she's thinking this, but) he's so hot.
Gajeel lets out a laugh. Levy flushes, wondering what he thinks is so funny.
"You really think I'm hot?" he asks, his voice borderline arrogant (it kinda makes Levy want to punch him and kiss him, and seriously what's wrong with her today?), his face sporting a confident smirk.
The realization kicks in, and Levy's flush deepens. She said that out loud. It's bad enough that she thought it, but she said it to the man himself. Levy stumbles over her words in an attempt to come up with an explanation, an excuse, something to make Gajeel stop staring at her.
"It's fine, shorty," Gajeel says. "You having car problems, huh? I'll fix it for you free this time."
Levy doesn't-really-pout when Gajeel calls her "shorty" (okay, maybe she does, but she's not going to admit it). She remains frozen in her spot as Gajeel fiddles with her car, mumbling under his breath. His gaze has sharpened, staring at her car with an intensity Levy sort of wishes he'd aim at her. Levy pinches herself again for thinking of Gajeel like that. "He's just a friend, he's just a friend," she repeats to herself as she watches Gajeel work his magic. And really, Levy wants to believe her words 'cause he's actually less than "just a friend." He's a friend of a friend, but he's definitely boyfriend material. She could spend an eternity just watching—
Okay, that's it. Levy decides she really, really needs a boyfriend now if she's starting to think creepy, stalker-like thoughts about Gajeel, no, her friend's friend. That's right. Gajeel's just Lucy's friend; he has nothing to do with Levy, and she should stop thinking how, how, how it would—
"Shorty?"
Whoa, he's waaaay too close. Levy presses herself against her car in an instant because seriously? Gorgeous, scarlet (ew, that makes her think of Erza, and as much as she likes Erza, thinking of her in that way—no, just no), uh, crimson eyes right in front of her face and warm breath ghosting over her skin? It makes her heart leap and jump and skip and do anything but pump at a normal pace. She's pretty sure she's blushing again, and this whole encounter has just been embarrassing for her. Levy's struck by the urge to leave now before she does anything she'll regret even more than she already is.
"A-are you done?" Oh, great, now she's stuttering. Why is she so self-conscious all of a sudden? What is it about Gajeel that throws her back into high school, where she was that quiet, nerdy, bookish girl? His hotness, her mind supplies. Levy feels like burying her face into her hands. Even her mind is against her in this, or rather, especially her mind.
Gajeel's just staring at Levy with his head cocked to the side (why, oh why, does that look so adorable?), so she assumes he's said "yes" or something of the sort.
"Thanks," she says, ducking her head in shame. Not only is she thinking inappropriate thoughts about Gajeel, but she's not even listening.
"Welcome," Gajeel answers, moving toward a motorcycle parked a little ways from her car. "See you, shorty."
He speeds down the road, engine roaring. Levy watches him go, then informs Erza that she doesn't need to be picked up anymore. She climbs into her car, starts it, smile spreading across her face when it actually works. As she thinks of Gajeel, her car swerves into the wrong lane. Levy redirects her car, trying to not think of crimson eyes and piercings and black, spiky hair. Her face colors even as she tries not to.
This isn't happening. She's not crushing on Gajeel.
"Thank you so much," Levy says to Jet, Droy, and Lucy.
Jet and Droy managed to direct Lucy without fighting for once. It's definitely an accomplishment. She also makes a note to pay Lucy a little extra for handling the job so well even when Levy was gone.
"It wasn't a big deal," Jet says, puffing out his chest and practically preening himself. "I handled everything fine on my own."
"Oh, no, you didn't," Droy insists. "I helped you."
Their voices increase in volume as Lucy stands off to the side, looking awkward.
"You're in a library," Levy whispers at them. "Be quiet."
They instantly shut up and separate, trying not to fight in front of Levy. It kind of reminds Levy of how Natsu and Gray are around Erza.
"So, uh, Levy," Lucy starts. "I was thinking that you and I could get to know each other. You know, have my friends meet your friends? If that's okay with you, of course."
"I'd love that, Lu-chan!" Levy gushes, clasping her hands together. Jet and Droy shoot her a look that tells her she's being too loud, but she huffs at them. "Meet us in the back of Fairy Tail at 7." At Lucy's confused look, she clarifies: "It's a club."
"Oh, okay, so in the back?"
"Yeah, just ask the bartender. She'll tell you."
At 7, Levy, Erza, Natsu, and Gray sit down in their usual booth. Levy deflates a little, realizing that she's been in this club enough to be considered a regular. She perks up again when she sees spiky, black hair wading through the crowd of dancers—wait, no, blonde hair. Lucy leads her group of friends out of the dance floor and looks around, looking for Levy. Now that they've gotten away from the crowd, Levy can see that Lucy's brought Gajeel and a blue-haired woman.
Because Lucy still looks lost, Levy stands and waves her hand. Lucy catches sight of her and moves toward her table, Gajeel and the woman following like little ducklings. When they reach the table, Lucy and her friends slide into the booth behind them.
Silence settles over their tables. Levy glances around, then urges her friends to stand.
"Hi, I'm Levy McGarden," Levy introduces herself, mostly to the woman, with a wave. "This is Erza Scarlet, Natsu Dragneel, and Gray Fullbuster."
Lucy smiles and waves at Levy's friends. "I'm Lucy Heartfilia. These are my friends, Gajeel Redfox and Juvia Lockser. It's nice to meet you."
All of a sudden, Lucy lets out a strangled squawk. Juvia leers in the same direction that Lucy's gawking at, and when Levy looks to where they're staring, she laughs. Gray's stripping to his underwear, and he shrugs when he notices their stares.
"It's too hot in here," Gray complains.
"No, it's not," Natsu argues, even though he's wrapping his scarf a little looser.
Their argument escalates as much as it can with Erza watching them like a hawk. Then, Erza breaks away to talk to Lucy, and the whispered insults increase in volume. The way Lucy's eyes sometimes wanders and lingers on Natsu doesn't escape Levy's notice. Levy leaves Gray and Natsu to their bickering and sees Gajeel at the bar. She watches him a bit as he leans against the counter, openly flirting with Mirajane. Levy's heart sinks a little. He's never shown any interest in me.
"Levy-san," a soft voice whispers as a hand drops down on her shoulder.
Levy turns around and finds Juvia standing right behind her. The grip on Levy's shoulder tightens as Juvia frowns at her. Levy's heartbeat quickens. She doesn't want any of Lucy's friends hating her. It'd be awkward for Lucy if Juvia hated her.
"Do you like Gray-sama?
Levy blinks, surprised, and Juvia takes that as a yes. Juvia steps closer to Levy, her stance threatening.
"You're a love rival now. Don't think that I'll let you have Gray-sama just because you're Lucy's friend. In fact, Lucy's also a love rival. Gray-sama's mine, do you hear me?" Juvia hisses.
Levy's surprised again by Juvia's logic. To her, Lucy's obviously infatuated with Natsu.
"Uh, I don't like Gray that way."
"Then prove it," Juvia says, stepping out of Levy's personal space.
"How?"
"You were staring at someone. If it wasn't Gray-sama, who was it?"
Levy peeks at the bar again. Gajeel's still there, flirting with Mirajane.
"G-gajeel," Levy whispers, sure that her face is fire-engine red.
Juvia lifts an eyebrow and looks at Gajeel. Her eyes turn back to Levy, who shies away from her intense stare.
"Good luck with that," Juvia says, her tone almost condescending. Then, she adds: "If he's mean to you, I'll knock some sense into him."
Juvia smiles at Levy, and Levy thinks her smile's really pretty. She voices her thoughts, sending Juvia into a frenzy of stuttering.
It's almost 10 when Gajeel sits down anywhere near Levy. By then, Levy's tipsy, Erza's chugged way too many beers, Natsu and Gray have had numerous, stupid arguments, and Levy's half-sure that Lucy's been kissed by Natsu.
"Hey, shorty."
"Not shorty," Levy slurs, waving a hand in dismissal.
Levy's startled when she feels Gajeel's hand on her arm, dragging her to the dance floor. She's hyper-aware of his hands on her hips and how close his chest is. The proximity of their bodies sobers Levy. She blushes and looks away from Gajeel as he drapes her arms over his neck. She can feel his body pressed against hers and smell his musky sweat. And when his hands take hold of her hips, Levy buries her face into Gajeel's chest, sure that her blush is apparent even with the dim lighting.
"So, shorty," Gajeel says, "Lucy's having a birthday party."
When Levy doesn't respond, he continues: "It's next week. Her father's holding a ball, and I'm invited. I'm allowed to bring one more person, and, uh, I want to bring you. If you want to, it'd really make me happy."
Levy blinks up at him and sees the way he avoids her eyes. If she strains her eyes enough, Levy sees the faint blush dusting his cheeks. A smile creeps across her face as she thinks of how cute Gajeel is when embarrassed. His eyes shift back to her, and his whole body is tense. Levy realizes that he's waiting for an answer and smiles.
"I'll go with you."
Lucy's birthday party is more like a formal event. The atmosphere feels stiff, completely different from what Levy expected. As the hours drag on, Lucy's party plummets from Awkward Party to The Most Boring Thing Ever, but still, a constant thrum of nervous energy runs through Levy.
The highlight of Levy's night begins when Gajeel grabs her and drags her to the dance floor. He hugs her so close that Levy can feel his heart's frantic beating. She's sure he can feel the abnormally fast beat of her heart, too.
"Sorry it's so boring," Gajeel murmurs into her ear. "It's her dad's fault."
Gajeel's breath warms the shell of her ear, and Levy glows bright red, barely able to focus on his words. She stumbles and steps on his foot. Levy cringes internally as Gajeel hisses. He grins through the pain at her, and she flushes even more, fumbling for words.
"You look tired. You should sit down," Gajeel says as he leads her to a chair. "I'll go get you a drink."
He lets go of her and disappears, and Levy's blush dissipates a little. She glances toward Lucy, who throws her a grin and a thumbs up. Levy's blush returns. She glances down at her folded hands, mouthing the words she's itching to say. Tracing a finger on her dress, Levy begins to draw an "l," followed by an "o" when she's interrupted.
A cold glass is pressed against her face, and Levy squeaks inelegantly. Gajeel chuckles and holds out the drink for her. Levy exhales as she stares into his eyes. It's now or never. I have to do it, or I'll never work up the courage again.
"Gajeel, I have something to tell you," she announces, her voice unwavering.
Gajeel quirks an eyebrow, clearly confused. Slightly weaker, Levy continues.
"I like you. Please go out with me."
Levy ends up whispering the last bit, and she watches as Gajeel's eyes widen. Shock overtakes his face, making Levy realize the full weight of her statement. Face flaming, Levy walks away, taking long strides to get away as soon as possible. She turns back once, but Gajeel's still standing there, drink in hand. Another woman approaches him, and that's when Levy turns away.
She leaves Lucy's party, tears starting to run down her face.
"Don't worry. I'm sure Gajeel likes you, too."
Yeah, right, Levy thinks, full of spite. And then immediately feels guilty because it's Lucy's birthday and Levy hasn't gotten her a present. The night just went from Most Boring Thing Ever to Never Again.
Even under the covers, Levy can see the lights flickering on. Still, she lays on her stomach, head buried in her arms. Erza's stubborn and scary, but Levy can be even more stubborn when she wants to.
"Levy."
Levy doesn't answer even though she wants to. Erza will understand, but sometimes, Erza only makes things worse. This is probably one of those times.
"What's wrong?" Erza asks, concerned. And then, because she's apparently all-knowing: "Did Gajeel do something to you?"
When Levy still doesn't answer, Erza draws her own conclusions. "He did, didn't he? I'll go back to the party, and beat him up right now!"
Levy tries to stop Erza, but her attempts are half-hearted. By the time she's removed her covers, Erza's gone. A pang of guilt hits Levy. Gajeel was within his own rights to reject Levy, and now Erza's going over to beat him up.
The doorbell rings, cutting through her thoughts. Levy stumbles over to the door and unlocks it, preparing to convince Erza to leave Gajeel alone. To her surprise, Gajeel stands outside her door. Levy immediately feels self-conscious.
"You left before I could answer you," Gajeel says.
What? What does that mean?
"Of course I'll go out with you."
Gajeel lifts Levy up and kisses her gently. Levy smiles, happy that he's unbothered by the dried tears on her face.
Never Again just became Best Night Ever.
A/N: I have no excuse. I'm so sorry, Jamie. The end is bad. I didn't know how to make the romance happen. I'm not good at this. And I'm a month late. I fail. So much. I'll edit it for you. Later. Meaning a year later. Probably. Again, sorry.