Chapter three: Difference

By: Stragazer

I do not own Fairy Tail or the characters in this story, they are the work of Hiro Mashima so do enjoy my little one shots, ratings may go up in later stories.

Levy sat on the green grass, staring up at the blue sky, clouds glided through the sky ocean, lazily drifting and changing shape in the wind, the breeze was warm and gentle, giving her a comfortable sense of security. The mission was quick and easy despite the time duration that was said on the form so she'd taken some time to admire the scenery of the open fields and woodland, her books had been long forgotten as she got lost in the beauty of it all, humming away to herself. In her whole life, she never thought something so simple as watching the sky would make her feel so... calm but then again, it was the small things that mattered too.

Gajeel was walking up the hills expecting to see her perched under a tree and reading, like usual, jeez she was such a bookworm. Instead he found himself watching her from a distance, she looked so at ease, something he never thought she could be around him, not after what he had done but she'd let it go so quickly. Her white, sundress was blowing gently against the breeze, her hair was stroking the green grass and it played in the wind, free of the ribbon that she had tied around her wrist instead. With his hearing, he could listen to the gentle humming escaping her lips as her golden eyes followed the slow moving clouds. In that moment, that moment, she was more beautiful than she had ever been as he admired her smile, her eyes, the way her fingers slowly played with the long ribbon. He never thought he could have been saved from the darkness he had created but she didn't even light up his darkness, she pulled him out of it and was blinding him with her kindness, her innocence. He caught himself thinking about her like he'd never had before and he coughed as he continued to walk towards the beautiful bluenette.

She heard his heavy footsteps, not needing to look up to know it was him but he looked down at her, obstructing her view of the clouds and she pouted, much to his amusement. Levy could no longer see the shadows on his face, the way his eyes gleamed with malice, he was a changed man, he'd changed so much since she first met him. She didn't think she could ever forgive him for what he'd done, to her, to her friends but he soon started to show he was much more than a scary exterior, he had a huge heart. True it took her a while to find it underneath all that iron but she had and she could never hate him afterwards, he was so much more than arrogant, thick headed and blunt. He was kind, honest, gentle, empathetic, he knew just how to make her smile, laugh... blush... sometimes.

"Ya' planin' on stayin' here till' we have t'go?" He questioned and she thought about it for a moment, well she wasn't in any rush, they still had a few days until the mission had officially ended so why not have a little time off and away from the guild.

"and if I was?" She smiled, making his cheeks go red and he looked away and scratched the back of his neck, why did she always manage to make him less... him?!

"Well then, I guess I'm sittin' with ya'!" He grunted and walked to her side, he sat at first, with his back to her hip and she looked at him, he didn't move so he just stared back up at the sky. This was good, it was nice, and tranquil. She jumped when his head gently laid on the bottom of her stomach, she leaned up on her elbows and he looked at her through one, open eye, his arms crossed against his chest.

"Wh-what are you doing?!" She squeaked and he shrugged, he didn't see anything wrong with it, it was only her belly, it wasn't like he was straddling her.

"Nuthin' the grounds to hard, an' yer warm..." he explained in a dull voice before closing his eye and she sighed as she laid back down, she stared into that blue abyss as she thought and her hand came up, running her fingers through his thick, raven black locks and he made a soft noise, kind of like a whine and a purr, making her giggle a little. "Shut up..." he mumbled, only making her giggle even more as the noise continued.

"You're like a cat!" She laughed and his face flushed as he turned over to lay on his side, she was still playing with his hair and he stared at her soft legs before his hand touched a little bit above her knee, just before the hem of her dress. He made a circling motion, drawing invisible, swirling patterns on her creamy skin. "Hey, Gajeel..." She started and he stopped his movements before 'hmm'ing then continuing.

"You know, we're really different from one an other... in a good way though... but you've changed a lot over the past couple of years" she explained as she looked up at the sky and she continued. "Ever since you came to the guild, you've been getting better, you're not how you use to be... you use to be really cut off and angry at everyone, then you started letting people in, like Wendy, you're like a big brother to her now and Juvia, I don't think she'd survive without you keeping her sane!" She giggled at the last bit and he grunted. "You let me in, I use to be terrified of you but now, I can't see myself without you, you protect me a lot, you help me, you keep me strong, there have been so many times I could have been badly hurt but you managed to come in the nick of time to save me"..."I use to think you were a demon but now... now, you're my guardian angel..." She finished and smiled, it felt better now that was off her chest and off of her stomach as he sat up and she watched him move to lay beside her, his arms behind his head staring up at the sky... well more like glaring.

"I guess so but ya' don't know how much you've changed..." he told her and he watched her turn to look at him, her hazel eyes shining gold in the light of the sun as he looked at her. "Ya' use to be such a wimp ghihi, hidin' from me and shit, then when your lapdogs came fer me, you stuck up fer me... I guess that's when all this started!" He continued, turning to watch the clouds. "I hated myself fer a long time, ya' showed me that what I'd done didn't matter nd' it was what I was gonna' do that made a difference... I was in a bad place for a while an' ya' helped me out of it, yer smart shrimp, yer kind, carin'... fuckin' short but I guess ya make up fer it by bein' you!" He grinned, listening as her heart beat sped up and he could tell she was blushing.

"It seems we both helped each other then..." Levy smiled, tears were in her eyes from his speech and she rolled over to bury her face in his said, snuggling into him. He was always so warm and comfortable as he wrapped one arm around her, making her feel protected as she closed her eyes, losing herself in the breeze and sounds of nature around her.

Gajeel looked down at the quickly drifting off bluenette and smile... she really had helped and he would always stay by her side, lifting her up when she was down, protecting her when she needed it, she was his light and if anyone took that away... well he would show them just how dark he could be...