Light streamed in through the small window on the far side of the well sized room. A ray rested just over Levy's eyes, causing her to squeeze them shut and turn onto her other side with a groan. Try as she might, however, she couldn't ignore the break of the day, nor could she push aside the gentle sway of the ship.
Sitting up on her bed, she rubbed her eyes with a low murmur. A light knock sounded at the door, catching her dazed attention. "What?"
Lily opened the door, carefully balancing a tray in his paws as he flew over. "It's about time you woke up. I thought you could use a bite to eat."
"Ah, you're a life saver Lil." She smiled sincerely at the black feline, careful taking the tray from his paws. Sitting cross legged, she placed it on her lap, quickly scanning the contents with satisfaction. Hash browns, fresh fruit and bacon, alongside a cup of coffee. "I mean it. This is great."
He grinned and perched next to her on the mattress. "Don't thank me, it's Gajeel's cooking."
"Yeah, yeah. Just don't tell him I enjoy it. Tell him I hate it." She tore at the bacon and groaned softly as the flavor hit her tongue. "Mmm...God, I hate this so much. Outright despise it. Mmm..."
Lily chuckled in amusement. "Better not let him hear that, he'll just end up tossing you stale bread and water."
"Oh please." She sipped her coffee with a contented sigh. "I pay for the food, too. He may be a ruffian, but he's an honest one."
"You're both ruffians, you just don't look it." He shook his head at her.
She chuckled, finishing her plate and standing. She headed out of the room after shooting him a playful wink. "And that's exactly how I'm so good at what I do. No one sees me coming."
"You got that right..." He followed her into the mess hall of the ship, where she placed her plate and cup in the sink, the tray on the counter. Stretching, she walked out onto the deck. The fresh ocean air hit her the moment she stepped out, and she breathed it in greedily. She loved the sea more than anything in the world.
"Gihi. Took ya long enough, Shrimp." Gajeel leaned on the steering wheel with a wide grin, flashing her his pointed teeth.
Choosing to ignore him, she stretched her arms over her head once more with a sigh, walking to the side of the ship to admire the dark blue waves. A pod of dolphins passed them by, some jumping in all their happy glory while others remained just below the water's surface. The sight brought a smile to her lips.
Gajeel watched his companion from the wheel, eyes once more falling to the wings fluttering lightly against her back. Shaking his head, he straightened his gaze to the horizon. "We won't hit land for another couple of days. Better not cling to the ship like ya did last time."
"As long as there's a good book store in town, I'll come quietly." She shot him a playful grin, chuckling softly.
He narrowed his eyes at her, ever so slightly. "You'll be coming quietly regardless. I'll gag ya if I have to."
"No you won't!" She shot him her best attempt of an icy glare. "Come on, I've been through my stash. I need more, just a few!"
He snickered at the look she gave him, shaking his head. "It's never just 'A few' with you, shrimp. Last time we hauled back almost 50 damned books. You're gonna end up sinking the ship."
"The ship can take it." She pouted lightly, eyes pleading.
He glanced at her warily for a moment. He absolutely hated when she pulled the puppy dog eyes. Hadn't worked so far, but his shield was cracking. "We'll get more books if you sell half your old ones."
"WHAT?!" She gave him a look of shock and hurt. "You can't ask me to sell my books!"
"I just did." He pulled a lever to keep the ship's course steady and walked down the steps onto the deck, crossing his arms seriously.
She narrowed her eyes as he stopped, standing in front of her. The difference in size would have made many a person wary of him, but to Levy he was still the kid she'd caught picking his nose on multiple occasions. "I'm not selling my books!"
"Then you ain't getting any new ones." He regarded her calmly. His multiple attempts at breaking her of her nose-to-book habits had all been for naught, but he was just as, if not more, determined as she was.
Her lips opened and closed several times, as if she was trying to come up with an argument, but was failing miserably. His own lips quirked as he watched her fumble with her words. It wasn't often that she couldn't come up with anything to say.
Finally, she just leveled her gaze with his and crossed her arms, mimicking his stance boldly. "Fine. But you'd better sleep with an eye open for a few nights. My sword just might slip from my grasp and into your leg or something."
"Sure, shorty. Anytime." He flashed her his toothy grin and ruffled her hair. "Like breakfast this morning?"
Lily chose that time to perch on Gajeel's shoulder with a grin. "She downright hated it, as per usual."
"What? Come on, I work my ass off with the cooking!" He looked at her with a mock wounded face. "You just don't have any taste."
"Or maybe you just can't cook as well as you think." She chuckled and started to pass him by, thinking she'd spend a little more time with her old books before she decided which ones were to leave.
He stopped her with a hard, yet gentle grip on her arm. She looked up at him in confusion as his face neared hers. Widening her eyes she leaned back, away from him. Her heart fluttered in confusion and shock. Cheeks red, she looked up at him in embarrassment. "W-What are you doing?!"
He paused a moment to gauge her reaction before a smirk fell onto his lips. "I told you...You read too much."
He flicked a feather out of her hair with his signature chuckle. "Gihihi...The floors need cleaning, so once you're done organizing your books, get to it."
She watched him turn and walk back to the steering wheel, eyes scanning a map before he pulled the lever and returned to steering. Taking a quick, deep breath, she turned and went below to the room she kept her books in, her mind muddled with a strew of thoughts. Maybe she had been getting a little too into her books...
Lily shook his head as he watched Levy leave, raising a brow. "I don't recall seeing that feather there before you reached for it."
"Didn't ask ya, Lil'." Gajeel scanned the horizon absentmindedly as the cat snorted.
Halfway to dusk, Levy had skimmed through most of her books, and had made two huge piles of what she was keeping and getting rid of. Sighing, she picked up the next book, eyes sparkling as she looked it over; her favorite erotic romance novel. "Definitely not letting this one go!"
Biting her lip, she flipped it open to her favorite page; the first love scene between the heroine and her lover.
His hand graced the wall by my head...His hot breath embracing my lips like a whisper. Our eyes met, and the heated passion exploding within the warm depths of his green eyes only heightened my lusting body. It was forbidden; He might as well have asked for his beheading then and there. I was betrothed, and I knew this wasn't right...
All hesitant thoughts left my mind as his hand skimmed up my dress, trailing against the skin on my leg softly. My breathing hitched, my body melting to his touch. I yielded to the overcoming sensations he laid upon me, the will to protest escaping me entirely.
Picking me up and leading my legs to wrap around his waist, he pressed me to the wall and darted out his tongue to taste the flesh over my throat. A quiet groan escaped my lips as I arched my neck back, giving him unhindered access.
He took full advantage, nibbling and teasing. My body heated, only from this minute amount of attention. As his teeth scraped against my jaw, I bit my lip and pressed my body tightly against his. I wanted him, needed him. Lust quickly overcame me, but something deeper was etched into my soul, and I knew this. It wasn't just my body demanding his.
This man who'd taken the oath to guard me, my knight in golden armor...The one who'd comforted me, dried my tears. He was the only one I could ever want.
As the door opened she hurriedly shut the book, glancing up with her cheeks tinted a light pink. "Knock first!"
"Why would I need to?" Gajeel leaned against the door frame and shook his head. "'Less I was interrupting something?"
She shook her head furiously and placed the book on the keep pile, huffing and getting up. "Nothing at all. Shouldn't you be steering?"
"Lil's taken over for now." He shrugged nonchalantly. "You never came up to scrub the deck so I had to do it."
She rolled her eyes. "A little manual labor every once in awhile won't kill you."
"Yeah, yeah." He eyed the piles, his lip curling ever so slightly. "Glad to see ya did what I asked."
"Not because I wanted to." She crossed her arms and stuck her tongue out at him.
He raised a brow as he regarded her. "I know that more than well. You're not the most obedient lass..."
She shook her head and walked up to him. Their eyes met a moment as they stared each other down. After a moment she breathed out an irritated sigh. "Move."
"Say please." He hadn't even realized he's been blocking the door, but decided to take advantage of the situation.
Her lips twitched into a sarcastic smile, her eyes narrowing. "Move your ugly mug, please."
He grabbed her chin lightly with a hard glare, surprising her a bit. Widening her eyes, her memory flashed to their earlier encounter on deck. That mixed with what she'd just finished reading didn't help her over bearing imagination.
"Listen here, Shrimp...We may be partners in crime, but I'm in charge here. The captain. The big chief." His eyes gleamed as her expression smouldered. "So I suggest you learn your place."
Unable to counter his words in her current state of mind, she lowered her gaze submissively. "Got it..."
He raised a brow, surprised by the action. Usually, she'd be throwing curses at him or calling him names. This wasn't her usual attitude...Though he couldn't say he didn't enjoy it. Smirking he got a little closer and lowered his voice. "Good girl...Now why don't ya go spruce up the kitchen a bit so I can cook supper."
"Okay..." His close proximity didn't help, and she felt her cheeks heat up. "Can I go now...Please?"
He chuckled and released her, stepping aside and crossing his arms. "Go ahead."
She nodded, almost thankful for the gesture and sprinted past him, heading for the kitchen with her cheeks ablaze. She decided firmly that no more reading would be done outside her bedroom...The one safe haven she had on the ship.
Shaking his head, Gajeel went over to the book she'd discarded and turned it over, skimming the summary. His lips curved into a toothy grin, and he laughed under his breath. "I told ya, you read too much..."
Lily came up behind him in his full form, his expression one of disapproval. "Don't torment her, Gajeel. I swear, you're gonna be mistaken for a damned sadist."
"If I'm a sadist..." He glanced back at Pantherlily with a small shrug. "She's obviously a masochist."
"Where do you get that logic?" Lily's brows creased in confusion. He regretted asking the moment the question had slipped out of his mouth, for it only seemed to amuse his friend. Shaking his head, he waved a hand dismissively and turned, heading back to the helm of the ship. "You know what...I don't want to know."
Gajeel chuckled, tapping the book against his chin in thought before tossing it back on the pile and heading to his room.