"It's not that I don't care about them anymore, I do. It's just, y'know, we've been away for so long, and Jet and Droy are so much older than me now." Levy tried to explain as she sat on Lucy's bed watching her write.

"What about Gajeel? Not even he knows how old he is." Lucy recalled Natsu telling her what happened with the ancient runes during the fight with Laxus. She was still trying to wrap her head around Natsu being over eighty.

"Yeah, but that's different. Besides, this isn't about Gajeel. This is about Shadow Gear. We've been gone seven years Lu. That's a really long time."

Lucy looked over at her friend who now sat with her shoulders slumped, staring at the carpet. Getting up, Lucy walked over and sat on the bed, putting her arm around Levy, comforting her.

"When we got back, Shadow Gear went out on a mission, to try and pick up where we left off. As if nothing had changed." Levy sighed. "But something had. It felt, different somehow."

"Seven years is a long time. People grow apart. It's okay. That's just how it is." Lucy knew Levy wasn't the type who wanted to be lied to for the sake of her feelings. She'd want an honest opinion, even if she didn't like what she heard. So, Lucy gave it to her.

"Perhaps it's time for you to branch off on your own. Even if it is only for a little while. Find out what you want."

"Yeah, maybe your right." After that, Levy had temporarily disbanded Shadow Gear, and while Jet and Droy weren't exactly ecstatic about her decision, they. Oh, who are we kidding? They begged her to change her mind. But Levy had made her decision.

Now, watching her with Gajeel, bonding over a book, Lucy couldn't help but wonder if Shadow Gear was going to remain disbanded.

"Take a picture, it will last longer" Natsu said walking up and taking a seat next to Lucy.

"Sorry. It's just, they're so cute. I wonder if their officially dating. I mean, they might as well be, considering how they're always together now." Mirajane replied, about to enter a Juvialike dream.

"Yeah, well, dating or not. If you ask me, Levy can use some time away from him, and a long shower. She reeks!" Shocked and enraged by his statement, Lucy reached behind her and slapped Natsu so hard he fell out of his seat. The sound echoing for a moment, turning a few heads in the guild. Natsu sat on the floor, holding his stinging cheek and staring at Lucy.

"OW! What was that for?!"

"What do you think?! You can't just say stuff like that, it's rude!" Lucy replied as Natsu got up.

"What are you talking about? I was just stating a fact." At hearing this, Lucy's hand, again, made contact with Natsu's cheek and Natsu, again, found himself on the floor, face on fire.

"WILL YOU STOP HITTING ME?!"

"Then leave Levy alone! And you're one to talk with the way you smell!"

"As long as she smells like metal head, no problem!" Lucy goes to slap him again, but stops to process what he just said.

Finally connecting the dots, Natsu quickly stands up to explain himself before she slaps him again.

"Gajeel's scent is all over Levy. I can barely smell her anymore... and what's wrong with the way I smell?!"

"He's right." A voice made Lucy turn around to see Wendy sitting on a stool. The corners of her mouth upturned into a smile, showing that she saw the whole thing.

"It's a dragon thing." Wendy explains. "Levy having Gajeel's scent on her, let's other dragons layers know that she's off limits."

"What's wrong with how I smell?" Natsu asked again, sniffing himself.

"Off limits, as in a girlfriend, sort of way?" Lucy asked, looking back over at Levy who was speaking very animatedly, probably about her book, to Gajeel, who looked, distracted? He looked like he was keeping a cautious eye on everyone in the guild around him. When Levy stopped talking, he'd nod at her to let her know that he was listening. It was strange.

"I don't smell that bad, do I?" Natsu no letting the subject go. Happy floated over to him and smelled, nearly falling over in the process.

"Aye, sir. You stink Natsu." Happy answered.

"Yeah! Well, who asked you stupid cat?!"

"Well, yes and no." Wendy continued to explain. "It's more of a protection sort of thing. Should Levy ever manage, let alone attempt, to shake Gajeel long enough to go somewhere on her own, other dragons slayers and creatures that may pose a threat to her, will smell Gajeel on her as a warning to leave her alone. You don't mess with a dragons mate."

"MATE?!"

"Well yeah. Dragons don't just do this for anyone. To be honest, I'm surprised you don't already know this. Considering you-" Wendy stopped mid sentence when she saw Natsu over Lucy's shoulder, frantically shaking his head and motioning with his hands to stop talk. "-aarree best friends with Natsu" She improvised. " I just assumed he'd told you about this stuff."

"No, why would he-?"

"Coming Carla!" Wendy quickly took off in search of her exceed.

"But Carla didn't-" Lucy turned to Natsu, confused.

"Uh,dragon hearing." Natsu answered quick, hoping Lucy would drop the topic. Thankfully, she did. At least, that's what he thought.

Inside, Lucy was a little hurt Natsu didn't tell her anything about his dragon side. It just seemed like he knew so much about her, and she, so little about him. She knew dragons had mates, but she had no idea dragons layers shared the same trait.

Lucy then began to think that perhaps Natsu hadn't told her anything, was because he'd already found her. The moment she thought of this, she felt her heart drop. But she understood that if he had, the it's none of her business.

Lucy was so deep in thought, she didn't even notice Gajeel come up beside he to order breakfast, until she heard him sniff the air and say "Geez bunny girl. You smell like Salamander."

Ok, now, it was her business.