Levy happily skipped back to the guild from Lucy's apartment. She was wondering how Lucy was doing on her job with Natsu. Although as to why Natsu asked her to go was beyond her. When she checked the jobs listed, Lucy was on decorations. Levy's job was monitoring the budget.
"Oi short stack!" An annoyingly familiar voice calls out. Levy stops in her tracks.
"Hi Gajeel. Heading back to the guild?" She asks. She was surprised that Lily wasn't around considering the two always go on jobs together.
"Naw. Just looking for you."
"F-For me?" Levy asks pointing to herself.
"I um... Need to find a book. But um... I've never really stepped into a library. You read a lot so I thought you would help me."
"Sure! I practically live there." She smiles. "Plus I've been meaning to check out a few books." Gajeel lets out a small sigh of relief.
"Then lets go." He starts walking past her.
"Uh Gajeel? The library is that way." She points in the opposite direction.
"I knew that. Just wanted to get behind you in case your short legs gave out."
"I'm not gonna ask..." Levy sighs. She starts walking in the direction of the library. Gajeel follows close behind. Once they get there, the pair splits up. Levy towards the magic books while Gajeel to a librarian to ask for whatever book he wanted. Levy wasn't gonna question why he didn't ask her, but honestly she didn't feel like going into the section about blacksmithing or whatever Gajeel reads. She was a little curious though. Her thoughts are intervened by the sight of a bejeweled book cover that was just calling her name.
"Ready to go Gajeel?" Levy walks up to Gajeel holding a bunch of books almost as tall as she was. She places all of them at the table he was sitting at.
"Just a bit longer. I'm halfway done with this book."
"The library is about to close up. What are you reading? I can check it out for you." She tries to look over his shoulder to see, but Gajeel moves the book away.
"Nah it's fine. I know where this place is. I can come back tomorrow." He closes the book and places it face down on the table so Levy couldn't see the cover.
"You sure?"
"As sure as I am that you ain't gonna be able to carry all those books." He takes three quarters of the tower of books. "Why do you need all these books anyways? Don't you have enough as it is?"
"Well I like reading. Some of these books are hard to find so of course I would want to read them even if it's a library book." She picks up her share of the tower and starts walking towards checkout with Gajeel next to her.
"I don't get your logic, shorty." The two reach the checkout where the librarian starts scanning the books.
"Levy I didn't know you had a boyfriend." The librarian smiles.
"H-He's not-! I mean- we're not- um well- Gajeel? A little help?" Levy was stuttering and her face was a bright red.
"This little shrimpy thing and I ain't dating. She's more of an arm rest, gihi." He puts his elbow on her head. This just makes Levy annoyed.
"Oh well. Here are your books." The librarian pushes the tower towards Levy.
"Thank you." She goes to pick up the tower, but Gajeel was faster. "Hey! I could've handled it!"
"With those noodle arms? I don't think so bookworm. I'll walk ya home." He starts to leave. Levy was almost fuming.
"Levy." The librarian catches her attention. She gives Levy a thumbs up. "He's a keeper." Levy just blushes at this before leaving to catch up to Gajeel who was already starting to go the wrong way.
A week after the night at the library, Gajeel was constantly going on jobs. Levy didn't question it. The night at the library had been pushed to the back of her mind and she focused on maintaining the ball's budget. Gajeel's activities didn't bother her until one day she was going into one of the back rooms to get something when she heard two familiar voices.
"So the thing is that I've liked you for a long time. Not liked, loved." Was that Gajeel? Gajeel making a love confession? Levy pressed her ear up against the hard wood to hear better.
"Juvia feels the same way. She's always loved you Gajeel." Juvia?! Gajeel was confessing to Juvia?! Levy knew the two were close, but she never thought that they would become a couple.
"Right, so um, will you be my date for the dance?"
"Juvia would love to." Levy's eyes hurt and her face felt wet. Tears? Was she crying? She and Gajeel had a bittersweet relationship so why was she so upset that he loved Juvia? She should be happy for them. But why wasn't she? The lump in Levy's throat told her it was time to go before she started sobbing and gave away her position. Levy ran. Ran to the one place she had comfort. The library. The guild's library to be exact. Except she didn't hear the rest of the conversation.
"Rain woman you're supposed to be pretending to be Levy. Stop talking in third person. Or at least use her name instead of yours. That was just awkward."
"Sorry Gajeel-kun." Juvia giggles. "Would he like to try again?"
"One more time. I ain't got all day."
How long had she been in there? How long has she been crying? Levy no longer knew. She just curled up in a corner and cried.
"Oi! Small fry! You in here?!" Gajeel's voice calls out. Levy freezes. She didn't want Gajeel to see her so she stayed silent. "I know you're in here. I can smell you." Levy sighs. She forgot about his heightened sense of smell and hearing.
"O-Over here." She croaks out. Heavy footsteps came closer to her hiding spot. Sure enough Gajeel appears. He was carrying a bag which he then proceeds to drop and rush over to the small curled up figure.
"Tater tot what happened?!"
"I-I'm sorry."
"Did someone hurt you?! Tell me who it is. I'll beat them to a pulp."
"I-I overheard you confessing to Juvia." Levy croaks.
"What? Confess?"
"Yeah. I didn't know you loved Juvia. I'm really happy for you two. I really am."
"What are you talking about squirt? I'm not interested in Juvia. Besides do you see how obsessed she is over the stripper? She was helping me practice."
"Practice?"
"Look sorry if I'm bad at this, this isn't the kind of confession I had planned on." Gajeel reaches and grabs the bag he was holding earlier. He takes out a large box and hands it to her. "For you." Levy opens the box. Inside was a beautiful orange mask laying on an equally beautiful orange dress.
"Gajeel..."
"The shoes and jewelry haven't come in yet. But I couldn't wait. Gotta say though, it was embarrassing shopping in the children's department, gihi."
"You're mean." Levy says, although she was actually very happy.
"I spent days reading fashion magazines at the library and even asked Lucy what your size was just so I could get that dress custom-made. Worked all week just to pay for it too."
"I love it."
"Gihi. I would say a confession, but you've already heard it. So what'd ya say, Levy? Wanna go to the ball with me?"
"Of course."
When the two left the guild's library together, Levy was immediately confronted by Jet and Droy.
"Levy-chan~! Would you like to go to the ball with me?" Droy asks.
"No! Go with me!" Jet yells.
"I asked first!"
"Yeah but you were rejected before!"
"So were you!" The two boys fight. That is until Gajeel grabs Levy's shoulder and brings her closer to him while glaring at the two.
"This is my shortcake." He growls and walks away from the two stunned Shadow Gear members while holding the blushing third one.
It was so much fun writing this one! GaLe is one of my favorites ^-^ I loved writing the different nicknames for short. Anyways please continue sending in pairings! Especially ones involving characters from outside the guild. Also any ideas would be great. Next up is Gruvia!
