DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN FAIRY TAIL, NOR AM I RECEIVING ANY FORM OF PAYMENT FOR THIS STORY. THIS IS PURELY FANMADE WITHOUT A BIT OF PROFIT.
Chapter Two: I Think of You and Everything's Okay
Levy McGarden giggled behind her hand as she watched Gray pull Juvia into his arms and run out the door. It was funny how in a single flash everything about a person could change. Juvia was about to be ripped from Gray's life and he reacted perfectly. It would be a moment the couple was bound to remember for a long time. Maybe even tell their children the silly story when they built their family.
"Hey, Shorty. Whatever you're thinking it's dong a weird thing to your lips," Gajeel Redfox said looking serious as always. But Levy could see the laughter in his eyes.
"Maybe you should try it, then people might actually stick around to chat," she said and tossed a pea at his forehead. An ugly vegetable if she did say so herself.
When they started their dinner they sat with a full group of Fairy Tail members. They even shared some laughter over old memories and crazy ideas. It was all going smoothly until Gajeel got grumpy about the lack of iron. Levy knew he was joking, but his serious face made the others worry. As soon as they were done eating they ran off to meet up with others and get away from Gajeel.
Levy didn't truly mind because then he could only pay attention to her. If she could have it her way they wouldn't be sitting in the large dining hall but rather in a low key restaurant by themselves. Of course, she knew Gajeel wouldn't think that up on any day. She was only a cute little girl and he was her protector. That was all they ever would be in the end.
"Now what are you thinking?" he asked twisting his nose. "You lost your good scent."
Levy's cheeks went pink right along with Gajeel's coloring cheeks. She was aware his Dragon senses made his smelling abnormal compared to most others and he would know a person's feelings by their smell if he spent enough time with them. Their time was often spent together so it was no shock he knew her smells inside and out.
"My good scent?" Levy asked when she was able to find her voice again.
"Right," he scratched the back of his head under his mass of hair. He probably should have worn his hair tied back to look more elegant with his all black suit, but the edgy style made him take on a whole different form of elegance. If that's what he wanted to call it. "When you are your usual, happy self you kind of smell like strawberries. Very sweet."
"And juicy?" she teased only succeeding in making his face even brighter.
"Sure," he said once he was able to find his voice again. "But when you are in a down mood you scent goes all haywire. Kind of like a sour smell, I guess."
"Hum, guess I can't hide a whole lot from you then, can I?" she asked leaning back. She winced slightly when her bare back touched the metal of the chair. Her orange dress was cut low in the back. It left her entire back open for all to see. The bottom of the dress waved out under her hips in a flowing motion when she walked. She felt as if the outfit made her symbolize the light shining in Gajeel's life. It was a long shot, but she liked it.
"Ah, that's better," he said and took a quick sip from the beer in the glass in front of him. "Whatever you're thinking about is a good thing. Think about that front now on."
"I was thinking about us," she said quickly and looked down to her lap. She kept quiet about her crush on him for so long it almost seemed as if it would shatter if she spoke about it out loud.
"Us, huh?" he said with an actual smile. "I wasn't aware there really was an us to think about. Care to share?"
Levy looked up to him slightly shocked. She thought for sure he would try to dissuade her from such thoughts. That's how he'd always been. Maybe he wasn't such a lost hope for her to have in her heart.
"Well, how do you see me?" Levy asked blushing yet again.
"Oh no, Shrimp. You answer my question first and then I'll think about answering yours," he said sitting back. He opened his jacket and reached into a pocket on the inside. then he pulled his hand out holding a small square. She knew it was a chunk of iron for him to snack on. This was the man she was falling for.
"I was thinking about how you're starting to be a bit happier now. I've caught you smiling more often and even hear you laughing from time to time," she said thinking to the rich sound of his deep laugh.
"Oh, no. I better start torturing children before everyone thinks I'm some sap," he said with a smirk revealing his joke.
"Gajeel! You're terrible!" she said laughing behind her hand.
"That's better," he said smiling. "I think your laugh is much more enjoyable than my own. Yours is beautiful while mine is kind of scary."
Levy was automatically lost to being called beautiful from the man she thought she'd never hear say the word. She was so lost to the description she didn't think to fight off his down talk of himself. Her silence continued on as a desert appeared before her from a server carrying around slices of vanilla and chocolate cake.
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Gajeel wasn't stupid. He could see the way she was lost in thought and knew it had to be from something he said. For some reason, the idea of him thinking she was beautiful must have thrown her off. Yeah, they weren't exactly similar in style, but that's why he found her so beautiful. She was everything he couldn't be.
While he ate his cake he watched her do the same. The slow motion of her hand along with the look of pleasure in her eyes to each bite was haunting him. It was enough to make him turn into a monster and devour her if he let it. But when she spoke he swore music was pouring out of her mouth.
"Do you ever think you'd want something like Juvia and Gray?" she asked her eyes revealing she was thinking back to their dramatic exit.
Gajeel took in a deep breath through his nose to soak up her sweet scent of strawberries. He wondered if he could get a sugar high through smelling her happiness all day. It was an experiment he was willing to complete if the participant was willing.
"No, they are a whole different level of weird," he answered thinking to the drama the couple always carried since the moment they met. "I think I'd want something comfortable. Nothing too fast, nothing too heavy, but just right. Of course, that's assuming there's a lady out there willing to put up with me."
Levy stood and gathered their bowls like she had done when they finished their dinners earlier. There were waiters and waitresses to do the work, but she felt the need to help them a little bit.
"I put up with you," she said before she walked away.
There is was again. The tug at his heart along with the warning in his gut. He cared about Levy more than any other person in the guild if he were to be honest with himself. It would be a dark day in his life if he had to make it through a single day without seeing her smiling face. If he truly felt that way it would only make sense for him to grab a hold of her and officially make her his own. The fear of them falling apart and not remaining friends scared him more than he dared to think.
"If you're not careful someone else might take her," Wendy said next to him innocently as if she weren't truly able to read minds. He really wondered about the girl some days.
"If she wants them to," Gajeel said with a shrug. It wasn't his job to tell her what to do.
"But she wants you to," Wendy said and crossed her eyes. She threw her hands up and walked away. Someone was being a bit dramatic.
"What's up with, little Wendy?" Levy asked smiling at the girl stomping away from them.
"Levy," he said and caught her attention in an instant because he rarely used her real name. "Do you like me?"
"Of course I do," she said and smiled. "That's why I'm the only one you haven't scared away."
"No," he said and rolled his eyes. "I mean if I were to come over there right now and kiss you what would you do?"
"It's not the first time our mouths have touched," she said with a blush as she remembered diving into the water and giving him her breath.
"Damn it, Shrimp," he said and hit the table a bit harder than necessary. "Do you have a crush on me?"
"Yes," she answered truthfully without a hesitation since he was able to finally ask the question directly.
"Really?" he asked leaning back in shock.
"Yes, Gajeel," she said and walked over to his side of the table to put her hands on his shoulders. She looked directly into his eyes as she spoke. "I have a crush on you."
"Even though I did all those horrible things to you?" he asked thinking back more precisely to the time she was nailed up to be displayed like a personal trophy.
"Well, they weren't very favorable of you, but I still love you, fool," she said and leaned down to give him a quick kiss on his lips.
"Wait, love?" he gasped and looked to her in confusion.
"It's a natural thing all people do. Maybe you should try it?" she suggested and began to storm away with a bit of annoyance. Her heart was out there and the rest was up to him.
Gajeel jumped to his feet before she could get too far away and grabbed her wrist to pull him against his body. She thudded against him perfectly and he kissed the top of her head.
"I love you too, Shrimp," he whispered into her hair. A smile appeared on his face when she looked up at him. "I don't have to carry you out of here all dramatically, do I?"
"No, I'm having a good time," she confessed and took his hand to pull him with her. "But you do have to dance with me."
"I can handle dancing," he said as they took on a comfortable stance in one another's arms and moved to the music in the background kissing yet again as they grew lost with one another.
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The first time I attempted to write about these two it was pure crap! I erased it because I was so ashamed. But this makes me go "aw"! I'm not super familiar with these two because I didn't fall in love with this couple until quite recently. I hope they aren't too OOC for you, but let me know in the comments!