Gajeel had a decent bank balance. He lived a fairly frugal life, in a relatively small house, and got a lot of his food from a scrap yard. Combined with the fact that most of the missions he did had big paydays, he'd hoarded a tidy sum.
He decided that his house needed a few changes and went on a bit of a spending spree. First of all, he emptied the house of the trash that clogged everything. He tried to keep a single pile for scrap iron, as he knew the Shrimp would not be happy to have it everywhere.
He bought a big bed, much better quality than the one before. He wouldn't have her lying on the rough sheets he normally used, she needed better than that. He bought a bookcase to store any books she brought with her. Poor Gajeel had never seen her room. He replaced the tatty furniture in his front room. He filled his shelves with noodles and the like, so there'd always be quick and easy food. He wondered if she cooked, but he didn't know.
He bought new drawers, and made sure there was room for some of her stuff. He bought a little bed for Lily, as they wouldn't be sleeping together anymore. That might get weird.
He put a lot of effort into cleaning everything. Goddammit, the Shrimp was already changing him, but he was doing this of his own will; he wanted her to stay for the night, and she needed better than the filth he normally lived in.
Levy went up to his door all nervous. He'd asked, and she had leapt at the chance, without thinking it through. Since the time, more and more doubts clogged her mind. Would they be naked together? Would he want…sex?
Levy was not a shy or retiring person, despite how she may seem, but this man made her a clumsy, bumbling fool. She had a few things with her; something to wear while sleeping, a few bathroom necessities and a book, since she basically felt like holding one made her stronger.
She knocked and Gajeel opened the door. Smiling, he leant down to her height. "Evening Shrimp, do I get a kiss hello?" Flushing – goddammit – she'd reached up and kissed him briefly. He laughed that laugh of his and stood back to let her in.
She'd never seen his house before. Everything shone with a freshly cleaned light. The small doorway opened onto a living area. A doorway past the arranged furniture could be seen to lead into a kitchen. Another door, nearer to them appeared to be his bedroom door. She flushed just thinking about it – stop flushing, you idiot! She shouted inwardly.
Gajeel ushered her gently into the living room. Panther Lily was there, sharpening his Musica Sword. "Food should be with us shortly," Gajeel said. "I can't really cook, so I thought I'd order out. I hope that's ok. I thought you'd want more than cup noodles."
"Umm…of course that's ok!" She smiled, happy at how thoughtful he was being. It might not seem like much, but Gajeel was a lonely individual.
"Errr…," Gajeel was rubbing the back of his head. "I'm not a sophisticated person, so I'll just come out and say this. This night isn't supposed to be anything special. I just want you to feel comfortable and happy here. If at the end of the night, you'd rather go home than sleep here, I'll walk you home. Or, if you want, I'll sleep on the couch."
To his surprise, Levy bounded over to him and threw her arms around him. "My, my. No one would ever guess that this face hid such a kind personality would they?" She realised now why Lily was here. To take away any pressure of being alone together.
"Hey, I've got a reputation to maintain, Shrimp," he said gently, tussling her hair.
The food was delivered, and Gajeel went about spreading it out on the table. He sat next to her on the couch, slightly apart, slightly awkward. He'd ordered curry and rice for himself and some kind of stew for Lily. She looked at what he'd gotten her.
"Hoisin Duck! How did you…?" She squealed with delight.
"You think that between Bunny Girl, Flyboy and Green Thumb, I can't draw up a list of your favourite foods?" He cocked an eyebrow.
"Green Thumb?"
"Dammit, I can't think of a good nickname for him yet," he admitted. "Bulb Brain? Nah."
"Why not call him Droy?" She giggled.
"Not how I roll, Shrimp. Oh, and don't tell Salamander I'm eating something hot, cuz that'll turn into a big fight, trust me."
They ate in relative silence after that. Levy was quite happy though. Gajeel was clearly going out of his way for her.
"Crap, I forgot the drinks," he said, heading for the kitchen. He brought back three glasses and a carton of something. "Gihi, Kiwi juice. I know ya don't drink alcohol, and I thought; why not get something Lily would like at the same time?"
The Exceed was tearing up. "Thank you so much," he sniffed. Gajeel raised an eyebrow, but said nothing as he poured the drinks.
"You can drink if you want," said Levy.
"And ruin my memories of this night? I think not," He smiled, and jabbed another forkful of curry into his mouth. As he did, Levy kissed his cheek.
"You're so romantic," she said happily. Gajeel's higher brain functions ground to a halt.
"Gajeel!" Shouted Lily. "You're eating the cutlery again!"
"Oh crap! Not again!" Levy giggled, unable to stop herself. "Hey, you have no idea how much I have to spend on cutlery," Gajeel said, and Levy started laughing so hard that tears were forming. Gajeel couldn't help but watch her pretty face, cheeks red with humour. He was blushing himself now, and turned away, not used to showing such weakness.
Dinner finished, Gajeel went to the kitchen to clean as Lily and Levy stayed in the main room. He wouldn't be long, as there were only plates and cutlery to clean.
"Sorry, but I'll try to stay outta your way," Lily promised.
"No, that's okay. I'm glad you're here, at least for the first…," she trailed off. Stop blushing, brain, stop it! She willed with all her force.
Night had well and truly fallen now, and it was the time to decide. Did she stay or go home? As she thought about all the effort Gajeel had put into the night, she knew her decision. Gajeel re-emerged from the kitchen.
"Sorry it's been such a dull night, but it's time to turn in. Do you wanna go home?"
"No," she said with all of the confidence she could muster. "I'd rather spend the night here!"
Gajeel's bedroom was surprisingly Spartan. Apart from the bed and bookcase, all he had were a few shelves lined with mementos he'd taken from quests. There was a little bathroom off through a door to the side, and Levy changed into her sleepwear; a comfortable old yellow t-shirt and a black pair of shorts.
She went through her normal nightly routine of applying creams and washing her face. Gajeel waited impatiently, not knowing what took women so long in the bathroom. While she was in there, he stripped down to a pair of shorts too. When Levy came back, she couldn't help but look at his chest.
She'd seen him like this before, on Tenrou Island, but he was just so…sculpted. In a moment of self-awareness, her hands flew up to cover her own small chest. He was a specimen of male physicality, but she was a tiny a-cup.
Gajeel grinned as he saw the movement. "What'cha hidin', Shrimp?"
"Nothing! I just…er…I," she babbled incoherently.
"Not everyone likes 'em big, Shrimp. You look perfect to me, Gihi!" She blushed at his hungry stare, and he suddenly looked away. "Sorry, that was rude, wasn't it?"
"No," she said, smiling shyly. She sat next to him on the bed. "Um…what now?"
"What do you usually do when you go to bed?" He asked sincerely.
"I read until I feel sleepy." Big surprise there.
"Okay," he turned on a lamp by the bed and then turned the main light off by the door, picking her book up from her pile of things as he did so. "You read, and I'll watch you."
Levy was a bit surprised, but she lay down on the left side of the bed, facing away from the lamp, so that it illuminated the pages. She shivered slightly as Gajeel slipped into the bed behind her, and pulled the sheets up to cover her lower body. She felt his hand go around her waist, and realised that he was looking over her shoulder at the book.
She so enjoyed his touch. The warmth of his chest pushed into her back. The strength of that arm hugging her to him. It was the comfortable touch of someone who wanted her, not her body. Well, not just her body.
"Do you always wear your headband to bed?" He asked.
"Um…just to keep my eyes clear while I'm reading."
Gajeel hesitated. "I should say I've always liked your hair. It's so much more interesting than the other girls."
"Really?" She never thought about it. She wore headbands to keep her hair out of her face, and only afterwards started trying to be cute and wearing pretty ones. She noticed that he was playing with her hair.
"Damn, I'm going soft to start admiring a girl's hair," he said, rumbling with laughter. She giggled, although she felt self-conscious. The simple truth was, Levy was a bright, confident, outward, bubbly girl…right up until she started thinking about herself. Small and weak, those were the words for her. Flat, too. Just a little nerd, pretty enough, but not sexy. No figure, no make-up, just like a little child.
"What's this word?" She snapped back out of her thoughts, and saw that Gajeel was pointing at a word in her book. He was actually reading it? She hadn't expected that. He tried to pronounce it. "Pi-rick?"
"Uhn, that's right. Pyrrhic."
"Was'sat mean?"
"A Pyrrhic victory is like when you win, but you've lost so much, that in the end you lose. It was named for a man who beat an enemy army by burning his own farms, so they had nothing left to eat. The army left, but then Pyrrhic's men had nothing left either."
"Hunh, I didn't know that," he said, sounding genuinely interested. "But, do you have any idea how sexy ya are when yer being smart?" He grinned and tightened his hold a little.
"Er…no, I'm not sexy," she said with complete sincerity.
Gajeel frowned. "What idiot's been telling ya that? 'Cuz I'll kick his ass!"
"Um, no-one, I'm just not…," she stopped as Gajeel slowly took the book out of her hands and placed it on the bedside table. Gently, he removed her headband and set it aside too. Levy lay completely still, not daring to move. With the utmost care, Gajeel rolled her over to face him and stared into her eyes. She was mesmerized.
"Ya calling me a liar?" The question was framed gently, and a reply was not expected. He reached over and brushed his lips against hers, drawing her small soft body against his iron hard chest. They separated. "Cuz yer the sexiest little thing I ever did see."
"Gajeel…" She was now blushing with the full force her face could muster and she didn't care anymore. He smiled and reached behind him turning off the lamp.
As darkness engulfed the room, he pressed her head into the recess of where his chest met his shoulder, supporting her body with his right arm. Almost instinctively now, she wriggled into the best spot, and she put her right arm around his chest as he pulled the blanket over them both.
It was the most comfortable position she could ever remember being in.
"Good night, Shrimp. Have nice dreams!" He kissed her forehead, and she mumbled something, but in truth, she'd already gone straight to sleep, warm, happy and comfortable, held by the man she loved.