—Levy didn't know what to think of it: he just sat there the entire time. Of course he might be enjoying with his friends, but what she couldn't get was that why was he always staring at her. How was she supposed to get over her crush with him now? [College!AU] Lighthearted (Slow!Dev GaLe (GajEvy) )

I hold no ownership or whatsoever of Fairy Tail and the characters used in this work of fiction. The Cover Art is made by me inspired by the covert of the book Paths of the Minor Planets by Andrew Sean Greer.

Additional Notes: Lighthearted (Slow!Dev GaLe ); GaLe (GajEvy) multi chapter fic, coming right up! College!AU (Jock!Gajeel; Scholar!Levy) But then again, this is a College AU as mentioned earlier in my summary. Expect that there might be mentions of sex, college horror, or worse drugs.

By New Year, Freed and Mirajane finally hooked up thanks to Bixlow's efforts. Even Evergreen and Elfman did so too. And for the record, Levy was his only failed mission. And he was not pleased. He had made it a goal to beat Mirajane in her matchmaking as a consequence from also getting defeated by Cana in some drinking contest.

"Why don't you just pay up the price than this stupid matchmaking?" Levy asked him once.

"No way," he replied. "You're talking to bulletproof cupid 'ere, lass." And with that the conversation ended.

As if he could do anything else with a bookworm and an asshole of an athlete. Levy already gave up on it. So why didn't he? Perhaps it had something to do with the athlete's drive and determination there. She snorted defiantly against her companion's notion.

Bixlow had been a fine company the past few weeks. He'd been very charming in a very odd way. He gave her advices though they came out obscene, and company; since Freed had been spending most of his free time with Mirajane when he's not with Laxus. Perhaps he was lonely too since he was the only one who wasn't dating anyone. Laxus pretty much dated the whole school. And after quite some time they actually managed to trace that they came from the same orphanage in their youth though not being able to recognize each other anymore.

"Gajeel's trying to talk to you," he said as he blew out smoke from his mouth. Levy coughed ignoring what he had said earlier. Because she was totally not doing her best on avoiding him ever since Christmas. It was more of neither did they even have class together. And she wasn't paying visits to the football field with the girls anymore because of her recent change in shifts in the cafe. "But I get you, truth hurts."

"Are you implying I'm short?"

"I'm short with excuses, but you know, you said that." She didn't need to turn. She knew he was presenting his tongue in his usual tongue lolling grin again.

"Hey, Bix?" she returned her own cruelty hidden in an innocent smile. He took up her challenge with a muttered, 'yeah?' Slyly she preceded, "Didn't you pose nude in one art class, last semester?"

Quite recently, she had known how to retaliate against him. She smirked triumphantly as the other flinched evidently at her low blow. She remembered how it was the talk of the whole school that even she knew about it; which has to be over the top to reach her. And that was even before they knew each other. "Fuck you." Besides it was a touchy, touchy subject for him. And so was her height for her.

Now they're even. "No, thank you."

-/-

Perhaps she was being immature. Yeah, that was possibly it. She is short, she had a body of a child, and, she wasn't popular. So he didn't like her. She couldn't possibly blame him for it. Their worlds were different. What right was she to hate him? Droy and Jet didn't hate her when she turned them down.

Levy didn't own Gajeel. She had no right to be mad. Neither does she even know him at all. Perhaps she read too much into everything, like all the girls do. She had always prided herself with being quite a level head in many things, but she is certainly shaming herself right now.

So later, she had to face it anyway. "Are you sure, Levy?" Lucy asked. She nodded smiling ever so brightly but her nerves were wrecking her. What if Gajeel makes fun of her again? What if she embarrasses herself again?

"This is very brave of you Levy, if he-err—it or she does something stupid tell us—whoever or whatever it is," Erza said. It was a good thing Erza respected her privacy and only opted to switch shifts with her. Lucy who had known it all had been more reluctant.

She faced the counter, accepting orders, waiting almost patiently for the clock to hit at the time the football players would come; like it was their routine. And there they were. But Gajeel wasn't with them.

"Levy!" Natsu beamed happily. Levy smiled back, all tension dissipating. "Oh, I missed you so much!" he exclaimed hugging her over the counter. She squeaked before pushing the other away. Natsu was always—touchy. She didn't really have anything against it. Just that she wasn't comfortable.

Her small social circle just didn't accurately place Natsu in yet. But it did help that he wasn't part of those who had laughed at her in the party. If she remembers correctly, he was with Lucy introducing her to, Happy, his cat. "It was horrible having Erza serve! She wouldn't serve strawberry cake and she would accidentally spill off the coffee—no fuck that, she incidentally spill off the coffee on us, more than one time!"

"And Lucy wouldn't serve!" He continued whining almost like a child.

Levy chuckled at the athlete's childishness. "Okay, okay, I'll try to be here always." She said, now her smile sincerer than earlier. "TRY? JUST TRY?" Natsu exclaimed before getting squatted like a fly by Gray who said something about holding the line.

Before the boys could get into a fight, Laxus had stepped in between them, cutting the line in the processes. "Levy," he said his demeanor still cruel in Levy's eyes. She remembered how his laughter resounded in that large house. She nodded giving a compulsory smile. "Wow, you're cute and all but—"

"Laxus, you're cutting the line! That's an insult to my patient masculinity here!"

"Oi! You thunder fart!"

The boys launched into an argument almost launching into each other in chaos. Jellal walked up to Levy asking for the customary orders of his team kindly, and came in between the boys before they could wreck the anything. Soon enough, Levy got them their order, but Laxus's sentence left hanging, making her uncomfortable. But what?

It didn't also help that Gajeel didn't show up in her entire shift.

-/-

"Miss McGarden?" she turned around just to see Juvia standing behind her. She was in the middle of studying. Or so she says. She wasn't really doing anything important. Because reading was her way of procrastination.

"Yes?" she asked unsure what else she could say. Juvia gave a worried smile, which Levy returned politely.

Later, they were in one of the benches sitting under the sun. Juvia was silent, and Levy wasn't sure what to say. She just came there as a courteous response to an invitation. "Ah—" Juvia started. "The espresso Miss McGarden makes is really nice," she said.

"You can call me Levy, Miss Loxar," Levy chirped in before she could stop herself. Juvia looked surprised but pleased. "Then Miss—Levy should say Juvia too."

Levy grinned nodding, her cheeks coloring slightly. "Juvia. I guess, thank you, Juvia." She felt embarrassed by the sudden compliment but it wasn't unwelcomed. "Your shift—ah—how impolite," the other stuttered.

"My shift?" Levy repeated. Oh. "Well, it's fine, really. Recently, I've been swapping shifts, but I'm back to my regular shift. The ones you come into. So the best coffee shall be served at those hours!" She had said coffee; because she had caught on that little lie. It wasn't Juvia who takes the espresso, but Gajeel. Latte was her usual order although she'd go for peppermint mocha, or cappuccino.

"That's why last night—" Juvia murmured to herself. She made a nervous giggle before excusing herself. Levy wasn't sure what to make of it. And before she could even ask, Juvia had disappeared into the crowd of students, deliberately camouflaging. "Maybe we should talk some time—"she said to herself before sighing.

She wondered idly if it was a slip of tongue or nothing at all. Perhaps she was over thinking again.

-/-

"Une orange sur la table. Ta robe sur le tapis. Et toi dans mon lit. Daux présent du présent. Fraîcheur de la nuit. Chaleur de ma vie," Laxus finished smirking at her. She fought the urge to roll her eyes, instead she stared at him curiously. What did he want this time?

Bixlow's form beside her was shaking evidently; from laughter definitely. But he successfully had not made a sound. Laxus shot a dirty look at him before turning back to her. The same cocky smirk on his lips.

"An orange on the table. A dress on the carpet. And you on my bed. A delicate present from the present. The coolness of night. The warmth of my life," she supplied warily. And his eyes widened in surprise. Levy watched him as he regained his composure and started again.

"Holy shit, you know French?"

Bixlow hadn't stopped himself this time, and had burst into laughter loud enough that other students turned to their direction as well.

"No, do you?" she asked back, her hands slowly pulling back her book from the table; recoiling from him. He seemed confused altogether amused. She wans't sure if she'd like that both together.

Where was Freed anyway? He was suppose to be here not Laxus. What was taking him so long? For a moment, being a minute late for Levy seemed like hours already. After all, Laxus wasn't the best companion she'd like to have while waiting. Especially not after that incident.

"No, but—" before he could continue, Bixlow cut him to it. "I used that on her the first time we met," he managed in between gasping for breath. Then he laughed again, this time more mocking than before. His friend now looked between annoyed, embarrassed, and annoyed. The golden boy of the football field cursed under his breath before turning to Levy again. "Dickslow." She giggled despite herself.

Bixlow made sign of protest before Freed stepped in and politely stopped their argument. "What are you doing here, Laxus?" And if a minute had lasted so much, the awkward silence felt like forever for her taste.

"He came to see Bixlow," she said before the silence could lengthen. "Yeah," she said again nodding knotting her brows to appear convincing. Freed wasn't convinced, as he turned to Bixlow and asked, "Benjamin?" His voice demanding somesort of explaination.

It felt like he was talking to three year olds who did something bad. But last time she checked she was not a three year old and neither did she do anything bad.

Bixlow shrugged bored by the silence. He slumped on his seat looking over the books piled in front of him. "I wanted to talk to Levy," Laxus started. Levy blinked. "I didn't know it was that serious," he said this time looking at her. His expression crossing between being genuine and embarrassed at the same time.

"Oh," Freed said feebly as he remained standing there. And she had some bad feeling that it was about what had happened in that party last Christmas. Here she hoped it was long ago and forgotten by them. But she was mistaken; she frowned as he went on. "We're not dicks. I mean, we didn't mean to embarrass you or anything. And yeah," he continued. "So, uh." It came awkward but Levy knew what he meant. He wasn't one to apologize. He was the star player; and golden boy of the team. He was almost everything but a man who would apologize.

She smiled easily feeling the heaviness on her chest lessen. She offered him a cheerful look, "Perhaps you're not that much of a jerk after all."

"But still are; just not that much," Bixlow added as he held his thumb and index finger, as if measuring his friend. Again, it gained him a glare but it was something light hearted; Levy knew. And things weren't as bad as they first seemed, she thought.

"And you're still not bulletproof cupid, Bixlow," she retorted.

A/N: The chapter was uneventful. I am least proud of this chapter. To everyone, who's reading this, my computer is dying. Let's hope I can keep updating using someone else's computer. Anyways, thank you for the reviews, follows, and favourites!

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For the complete credits of the cover art: The Cover Art is made by me inspired by the covert of the book Paths of the Minor Planets (by Andrew Sean Greer) which was made by the cover design of Henry Sene Yee & Emily Mahon; Illustration by Philip Pascuzzo; Author photograph by David Ross. It's a beautiful book, but I have yet to finish it.

For the credits of the poem Laxus used: Jacques Prévert.