Levy McGarden watched the boisterous fire dragon slayer try to win a certain blonde girl's heart with a bracelet. Lucy blushed a bright red, but she wore the bracelet around her wrist shyly. She thanked Natsu softly, earning cheers from the members of the guild around them.

"It also has a magic effect of transforming your clothes to a sexy outfit, so it will probably be useful when you find yourself in danger." He explained proudly.

And everyone groaned at Natsu's silly pride, while Lucy placed a hand on her forehead in helplessness. Natsu, sensing the disappointment that everyone including Lucy felt, frowned. "But I thought it would be useful when I'm not around to protect you." He said a little sadly.

While it wasn't the greatest gift that a guy would give to someone he loved, his thoughts tugged on Lucy's heart and she couldn't help but give in. She hugged him. "Thanks, Natsu. I love it." She said, earning a warm blush and a chuckle from him.

After the display of affection between the two in the guild, Levy sighed and decided to go back to Fairy Hills. She wished she had him do something similar. But that would be silly. He wasn't the type to show such affections, not even Natsu's level of display.

Oh, what is she even thinking? Of course he wouldn't show any sort of affection to her. He wouldn't buy anything for her. They weren't even dating. She mentally slapped herself. It was just her wishful thinking. She stepped out of the guild and shivered slightly from the cold air. She draped her blue shawl over her shoulders tightly as she walked towards Fairy Hills, until a familiar voice stopped her.

"Levy, why are you leaving so soon? You are joining the party, aren't you?" Mirajane said in concern.

Levy smiled. "I'm just a little tired. I know it is Christmas today but I'll definitely be back for the party." She said reassuringly. "I've never missed the party before, you know that. Even that time when I had a mission, I still came back in time, didn't I?" She said with a grin.

Come to think of it, he's on a mission right now, she thought. Knowing him, maybe he wouldn't even try to come back in time for it. She decided not to get her hopes up. Why was she even wishing for a cheesy movie scene to happen? It's not as if snow will start falling and kids will be around singing Christmas carols and he would magically appear in time to give her a pretty present and confess…

She cringed at her own fantasies. "Really, Levy? Really?" She said to herself and sighed. She needed to read a book and forget about having a special Christmas. The annual Christmas party in Fairy Tail is special enough for her and nothing should have to change.

But even though she read a book – one of her favourite books at that – she couldn't concentrate. It's Christmas! A time for joy and love and fluffy little white things that make your heart squeeze in excitement! Or so she always thought. Maybe she didn't have to wait for him. Maybe she should just have him wait for her instead, even if he isn't expecting it. She'll get him a present!

Thinking of that got her pumped up. Yes, she'll get him a wonderful Christmas present, and when she gives it to him, maybe she'll…maybe she'll tell him how she feels. It's alright if he didn't feel the same way. Things would probably be awkward after she tells him, but at least she tried.

She came back to the guild just before the party started, disappointed and unhappy. After all the excitement she had, she couldn't think of a great present for him. Hiding her emotions, she came in with a smile.

"Yo, Levy! Just in time for the party!" Natsu said with a grin. Lucy hugged Levy, wishing her a merry Christmas. Levy hugged Lucy too, congratulating her on getting closer to Natsu, which earned a bright blush from Lucy once again.

She took her seat, with Jet and Droy bringing plates and plates of food for her and telling her to eat her heart's fill. And she ate to her heart's content, almost giving up hope on her exciting plan for Christmas.

Juvia looked around. "It seems Gajeel really can't make it back in time." She said a little sadly, and it did not miss Levy's ears. She nearly turned depressed, if not for Cana who brought a barrel of alcohol in front of Levy.

"Levy! It's Christmas! This is the time to drink and be jolly!" Cana laughed heartily, taking a huge gulp of her drink. She passed a mug full of beer to Levy. "Drink, drink, and drink!"

Levy laughed, and took a swig of the beer in her mug, much to Jet and Droy's concerns. The bitter fluid ran down her throat but she drank it heartily, earning cheers from Cana. When she drank until her mug was empty, Cana patted Levy's back. "That's the way!"

The blue haired girl decided that there was no use staying put and being sad at the fact that he won't be back. So she drank and drank, cheered on by Cana, and eventually she had a drinking contest with Lucy. In the end Lucy passed out, leaving a drunken Levy to laugh at her. When she looked around, everyone was left to their own business. Fairy Tail was a noisy bunch, and in their drunken stupor they didn't quite realize everything that was happening around them.

Levy stood up, wobbling on her feet as she suddenly wanted to go outside and look at the night sky. Her drunken mind was filled with many thoughts and memories and she just wanted to fall on her bed and roll around. Oh, that would feel good.

Walking out of the guild, she grinned as she looked up at the sky. "So many stars…" She slurred, dropping her mug, resulting in it breaking into pieces, but she didn't bother.

Her feet did not stop and her head faced upwards. Not looking where she was going, she bumped into something. A soft 'oomph' left her lips as she stumbled backwards, when an arm shot out and grabbed her arm and pulled her back on her feet.

A sound of disgust was heard. "You reek of alcohol. Didn't take you to be the type who drinks, shrimp." She looked up at a familiar smirking face.

"Gajeel?" She asked, her head tilting to her right.

"What, too drunk to realize who I am?" He snickered.

Levy giggled, but instantly stopped. "You're late." She poked her finger at his chest. "Late as a snail." She repeated.

Gajeel quirked his eyebrow at her funny words and scratched his head lightly. "I had…some stuff." He averted his eyes from hers.

"Hm..." She wobbled to her right, and she might have tripped had it not been for Gajeel supporting her.

"Woah, shrimp. Get a hold of yourself." Unable to simply leave her since he wasn't even sure what she'd do, he pulled her along as he looked inside the guild. "Tch, everyone's a goner." True to his words, everyone was too drunk to be functioning properly. He sighed.

"Gajeel," He heard her say, and he looked down at her. She was nuzzling his arm, linking her own arm around his and hugging it tight to her. He froze. How do you react to this? He tried pulling his arm away but she had a death grip on him. "L-Levy." He tried to nudge her off.

And then he felt something wet on his arm. "Shrimp, don't you dare drool—"

"Gajeel, I tried looking for a great Christmas present for you but I couldn't find it and I was actually really sad you didn't show up when the party started and I thought I shouldn't care anymore so I kept smiling and laughing but the truth is I really wished you arrived when the party started even though I couldn't get you an awesome present because I thought I could at least tell you that I really, really like you even if you didn't feel the same way and we wouldn't be talking to each other normally after I tell you how I feel about you but you never came!" She gushed, her voice quivering as she said every word.

Gajeel realized that she was sobbing and it was not her drool but her tears that wet his arm, and he could feel his heart warming up instantly at this funny blue haired girl. He knew he always somehow warmed up to her.

"I'm sorry about that," He said, his voice being incredibly gentle for the first time. He turned around, his back facing her, and he got on his knee. "I'll carry you back home."

Sniffing, Levy got on Gajeel's back and he carried her up. "Gajeel?" She whispered, her lips right next to his ear.

He shivered when he felt her breath. "Yeah, shrimp?"

"I really, really like you." Levy said sleepily as her eyes were getting heavier with every second. The last thing she heard was his signature snicker before she fell asleep.

Levy woke up, her eyes wide open and in shock, and she remembered everything that happened last night except for the rest of the trip back home. She was blushing a bright red. "Oh, God." She groaned, her head aching a little and her body feeling warm. "Oh my God." She curled in her bed, embarrassed of what she said last night to Gajeel. And how she cried like a small child.

She grumbled, getting out of her bed and walking to her dresser, pulling out clothes to wear for the day. No matter how embarrassing things became, she still had to make an appearance at the guild. Besides, she left the guild last night without anyone knowing so chances are everyone is worried (except for Gajeel who brought her home, but who knows whether he let anyone know her whereabouts). She stepped into the shower and had a nice warm shower to start the day.

Once she was ready to leave, she spotted a small box on a pile of books with a note placed under it. It could be something Gajeel left behind! She became giddy, but she read the note first. It had a scrawly writing, but she was able to read it.

"I came back late last night because I searched for a Christmas present too, just for you. So be grateful, shrimpl." She beamed at the last line of the message—

"I really, really like you too."

Levy couldn't stop smiling in glee. She took the small box gently, treating the box like treasure and opened it. Inside was a pair of metal studs similar to his. She held back from squealing, placing the small box in her bag and running out of Fairy Hills to the guild.

Gajeel sat in his usual seat, munching on iron as the rest of the guild were out of action from the after-effects of last night, except for a few. Jet and Droy were groaning from their headaches but at the same time calling out Levy's name in concern. He got up to grab ask for a glass of water from Mirajane when, unknown to him as his back was facing the entrance, Levy appeared.

"Gajeel!" She called out, running towards him with a bright smile, but also catching the attention of everyone in the guild.

He turned around to face her just in time as she leaped into his arms. Gajeel instantly had his arms around her as he looked down at her joyful, blushing face. "Help me get my ears pierced?" She asked shyly.

"Gihi."

Notes:

Christmas one-shot! I loved writing this, actually. To be honest, I wanted to write an M rated story at first but because I have never written one before, I decided to stick with this fluffy little one-shot. They're out of character, I know. But it's a little difficult to write a cute story while maintaining their attitudes completely, unless Mashima-san gives us a nice big cute moment of Gajeel and Levy in the manga! (He should, at least something that was as big as Erza and Jella's moment!)

I hope you enjoyed this one-shot, thanks!