AN / Shortish chapter, but next should be longer.

"Translated any of the book?"

She flinched at the voice, an action that didn't go unnoticed by the dragon as she glanced at him. "I've just finished decoding the language of one of the minor books, it should help some in translating the book."

"Hn, can't you work faster?"

Her lips turned down at his less than impressed response. If it had been anybody else, they would have responded in awe, she'd yet to meet anybody else in her life who would be able to translate all of these in as short a time as she was doing.

"I couldn't do any work last night." She responded quietly, staring at the pages before her. "My head got injured on a rock and hurt too much for me to concentrate."

He stared at her, obviously well aware how she'd injured her head. Eyes trailing to the mess of hair atop her head, he noticed the blood staining some of it. Since that "event" two days ago, she seemed to have become much more aware of her situation as being an actual hostage, rarely speaking unless he spoke first and always curling into herself when she sat down.

He'd already emotionally scarred her.

'Trust is a much better loyalty than fear.'

He pushed those lingering words away, fear worked perfectly fine. Had done so in the past, and was doing fine right now. She wasn't questioning him anymore, was she?

Just as he thought that, he noted her head had dropped forward, soft snoring accompanying it. With an annoyed growl, he nudged her on the back with his snout, the girl jumping and swiveling around with fright.

"Quit sleeping on the job."

"Sorry." She mumbled, quickly returning to the books, though it didn't go unnoticed how she seemed much less focused than days before.

Probably because she was too scared to fall asleep for long, in case the "big bad dragon" come gobble her up in her sleep.

He growled, this time at his own frustrations though the bluenette flinched all the same.

This was becoming bothersome.

The next day, when he found her having fallen asleep again, he gave in.

"Oi, wake up shorty."

"E-Eh?" Eyes snapping open, she stared up at him, paling. "I'm sorry, I didn't-"

"Come with me."

She stopped. "Huh..." A pause. "Why?"

"Just come."

She stared at him warily, obviously petrified of him but too scared to stand up for herself as she came none the less came, following him out of the cave till he came to a stop, halting besides him. "Where are we going?"

"You'll see, now pipe down."

"But-" Her voice cut off as he whirled around, leaping forward and grabbing her in his hand again before setting off into the sky. She blinked, watching as the ledge grew further and further away from an upside down angle before her eyes flickered upwards towards Metalicana's face, swallowing nervously.

"Don't scream, I ain't gonna kill ya."

"Then where are we going?"

"Down."

"Down?"

As soon as she repeated that phrase, he tucked his wings in, suddenly diving down at a tremendous speed. Eyes squeezing shut, she felt like she was becoming too familiar with the sensation of falling than she should. Flying for a few more minutes, Levy felt as if she was being quite calm to say she was being carried in the grasp of a dragon.

At his next words however, she couldn't help but feel a sense of dread.

"This is your stop, bookworm."

Eh?

The grip around her middle vanished, eyes widening as she suddenly fell down, Metalicana's form remaining hovering up ahead. T-This had to be a joke right? Like that night before, he was going to come and save her before she fell of course.

But no, he was staying where he was, just watching.

She screamed...

...Only to be swallowed up by water.

Body colliding with the surface, a giant splash was all that was heard as she went under, suddenly finding herself underwater. Blinking several times in confusion, she moved her arms and legs frantically till she broke the surface, taking in a deep breathe and sputtering out water.

What on earth?

Coughing some more, she treaded water as she glanced around, suddenly finding herself in the middle of a small lake. Upon hearing the rumble of ground, she glanced right to find Metalicana landing on the ground, watching her with what she could swear was amusement at her shock.

He really was a sadist, wasn't he?

"Before you start complaining, you wanted a bath, right? Can wash that blood out your hair now."

"Couldn't you have at least let me remove my clothes first?" She wailed back, the weight of such making it more difficult to swim.

"Not my problem."

Frowning for a moment, she sighed, swimming to the shore near some trees and removing her wet clothes which she hung on some branches after washing and rinsing them in the water. It was a hot day and judging by how high the sun was, it must have been some time after noon. Hopefully they'd be dry enough to wear once she was done.

Returning to the lake, she set about doing just what he'd said - bathing. She'd been in the same clothes over three days now and in that time, her head had become like a birds nest. Untangling knot after knot of hair, she grimaced as she fingered the tender bump on her head.

Glancing the dragon's way, she felt confused. One day he was pinning her to the ground and then threatening her; the next he was taking her to a lake to bathe herself despite not having voiced her complaints once.

Just what was he thinking?...

"I wouldn't spend too long in there if I was you."

Still watching him, she frowned. "Why?" He probably wanted her to hurry up and get back to "work".

Suddenly feeling something swim past her leg, she glanced down only to have Metalicana fly forward and grab her out of the water before landing on the opposite shore.

"What did you!-"

"Look."

Glancing back out to where she had just been swimming, she blinked at the splashing water as something frenzied there before vanishing elsewhere.

"Spend too long in there and some fish get restless."

She stared in shock.

"Wouldn't kill ya, but could take a pretty big bite which could do you in if you didn't get proper treatment."

He'd saved her.

Again.

Stumbling onto the ground as he released her, she glanced up at him, studying him with confusion. Noting her staring, he glared. "What?"

"Nothing... Just..." She trailed off, feeling he wouldn't appreciate her pointing out how he'd saved her again. He'd probably make a point of threatening her again or something, who knows. "Um, I never told you my name did I?" She asked, suddenly realising that.

A pause. "No."

"Oh, well I'm Levy. Levy McGarden." She replied, offering a hesitant smile. Even if he had only rescued her because she was his precious "hostage", he'd still rescued her none the less.

"Hn."

If he had been human, he would have cocked an eyebrow at this. He gave her one measly bath, and she was already warming up to him and giving him a smile? He'd never understand her... But he supposed he had to give that blonde kid credit, do something that could be considered 'nice' in any way at all and the girl - Levy - looked much livelier and awake now. All the more good for translating.

"And of course I already know your name-"

"No."

She stared. "Huh?"

Turning his head towards her, he watched as she stared at him in confusion, for once no fear present in her eyes before him. He needed to gain her trust, right? If she felt at ease, all the more quicker she'd get that translating done. "My real name isn't Metalicana."

"But the Mayor-"

"Is wrong."

"I…" She frowned. "I-I don't get it. Where did they get Metalicana from then?"

The dragon remained silent at this, so long infact that Levy thought he'd never answer her. But eventually, he replied, "Metalicana was my father's name."

"Your father?" She gasped.

He sent her a blank look. "Well yes, we dragons do have parents too."

"What? No! I-I knew that!" She cried, her face reddening in embarrassment. "I-I just meant…" She tried grasping for words, blushing even more when he let out a chuckle, too embarrassed to even realise she'd never heard him chuckle - and he too amused to notice he'd let her hear it. In the end she let out a sigh and asked something different, sending him a side-wards glance. "Why do they call you that then? Do dragons inherit their parents' names or something?"

"No."

"Then what-"

"My father died over a hundred years ago."

Silence.

"Oh."

She swallowed, tension suddenly descending on them. A moment passed before a breeze blew by and she shivered.

"Your clothes will be dry by now." He commented. "And I'm guessin' you don't want to keep standing there naked."

She suddenly blushed at the comment, not exactly sure why. He was a dragon, an animal, so it didn't matter if he saw her naked really. But, considering how much intelligence he held, she couldn't help but feel embarrassed now that he pointed out.

Regaining her clothes and quickly putting them on, she returned to him, chewing her lip nervously as the question she wanted to ask burned on the tip of her tongue.

"So… What is your name?" She asked timidly, as she approached him.

He glanced down at her, studying her for a moment and the curiosity in her expression. After a while, he finally replied. "You can call me…"

Her body tensed as she stared up at him, waiting.

"Gajeel."

"Oh, that's all?" She blurted out, eyes widening and hands smacking over her lips when she realised she spoke aloud.

"What's that supposed to mean?" He growled, glaring at her. He'd just gone and told her his fucking real name and she dared to mock him? When she remained quiet, he snorted, flames flickering. "Speak!"

"A-Ah! Well it's just... Metalicana... sounds cooler…" She replied sheepishly.

"Well, that's not my name!"

Turning around with her back to him, she held a hand over her mouth, shoulders shaking. He calmed, thinking her crying for a moment. "Oi, don't go bawling on me."

A giggle.

As she clamped her hand over her mouth further, eyes squeezed shut in mirth, he growled, noting she was laughing at him instead.

"Ya want me to eat you, shrimp?" Even to his own ears, the threat lacked any validity. They both knew he needed her.

She chuckled.

Fuck trust. He wanted the fear back if it was gonna be like this.

Later that day after returning to the cave, Levy suddenly lifted her head, glancing out to the dragon - to Gajeel.

"Hey..."

"Hn?"

A pause. "Does anybody else... live here?"

At the obscure question, he glanced over. "What do you mean?"

Rubbing her arm, Levy frowned. "Um, it's just... I thought I saw somebody in here with me the other day." A chuckle. "I was probably seeing things though."

"What did you see?"

"Eh?" She blinked at the sudden wariness in his voice, finding him watching her with an intense gaze. "Oh, um... A flash of blonde hair."

His eyes narrowed.

"Does somebody else live here?" She asked.

A pause. "No."

"Oh." She had a feeling he wasn't letting on everything he knew, but she wasn't going to question him. Just because he'd shown some nice qualities today, didn't mean he would't turn back to using violence again.

So she simply glanced back down and carried on with translating.