Levy skipped and twirled through the entrance like she was made of nothing but happiness and energy. Gajeel, while much more apathetic, watched her dance with rapt attention. The little yellow sundress she wore suited her so perfectly; happy, delicate and bright.

"C'mon slowpoke, I wanna see all of the animals!" No anger or annoyance, just a positive desire to keep moving.

"Alright Shrimp, I'm a coming, I'm a coming," he said. He didn't really understand the appeal of the zoo. It didn't make much sense to him, but he understood that lots of couples came here. Hell, he could see a dozen just from the entrance.

For her, Gajeel, for her.

"Oh, look how cute they are!" Levy sang as she saw the monkeys playing in their trees. They hung effortlessly on their tails, small hands grasping and reaching, defying gravity with ease.

"That's some impressive agility," Gajeel admired.

"That's all you have to say?"

"Tell ya what Shrimp, tell me somethin' clever about 'em," Gajeel said playfully.

"Well, they're Spider Monkeys, so they live in tropical forests and you see their tails? They can move it like a hand, because they've got an extra clump of neurones that goes all the way from their brains down their spines."

"I love it when ya say clever stuff," he grinned.

"Oh shut up," she said playfully as she grabbed his hand and dragged him to the next enclosure.

"Now him, I like," noted Gajeel with satisfaction.

The male lion rolled it's heavy, shaggy head and grumbled, almost as if returning Gajeel's praise.

"I don't like him," Levy pouted.

"Why not?"

"Look at all those scars. He's nothing but a big brute of a bully."

There was a little squeal as a cub that'd been playing on the pile of rocks the lion was sitting on fell off. The Lion got up and moved down to the cub, which was getting up. He nuzzled the cub, and it responded in kind, happy for the attention. Gajeel felt a squeeze on his arm.

"Well, maybe he's not all bad," she said shyly, and Gajeel laughed.

"Penguins!" Levy shouted as if was the best word in the language. "Look, you can feed them! C'mon c'mon c'mon!" She was pulling on Gajeel's arm with all of her might. He had no problem with going, but it amused him to stand still and he didn't move a literal inch.

"Calm down and we'll go," he said deviously. Her cheeks puffed up so much that Gajeel thought she might explode, but she quietened and they went.

A penguin that was apparently named Skipper came up to Levy with that hopeful expression and she held out the fish for him, upright. Skipper, well used to this act, reach up and gobbled it down, flapping its flippers for the silly apes who seemed to be easily amused by it.

Levy giggled. This was the best thing in the world.

Standing upright, Gajeel was sweating buckets. Don't get dragged in by the cuteness, yer in public.

"Aren't you going to feed him?" Levy asked. He looked down to see that a penguin had approached him, looking up with its cute little face.

"Goddamit," he muttered, holding a fish for him. He happily wolfed it down, clapping. There were five more crowding him. "Hey, why don't you try the Shrimp? She likes you."

Levy laughed as he gave in and started feeding them, the big man kneeling to help the little animals. "So cute," she teased.

"Oh yeah? Ask yerself this; why don't they like you?"

Levy twitched, realising that Skipper had gone, and that every penguin present was heckling Gajeel. "Who knows?"

"Maybe because they think yer just another penguin, being so short and all!"

Levy glared. "Ga…Ji..Ru…"

"Protect me, penguins, protect me," Gajeel cried in panic.

Levy skipped between exhibits.

"I haven't been here since I was little," she said happily.

Gajeel made a noise and expression that suggested she'd just confessed the biggest, darkest secret in her life.

"What?"

"Ya mean that in the past ya were even littler?" He asked with mock incredulity.

A handbag to the face ended his amusement.

"They're too tall," Levy commented angrily.

"They're giraffes," Gajeel deadpanned. "What were you expecting?"

"Nothing needs to be that tall," she huffed.

"So, I guess we're skipping the elephants then?"

They were standing at a big map near the zoo's centre.

"C'mon, you pick something." Levy said. "There must be something you wanna see!"

Gajeel was a bit frustrated looking at the map. She'd forgotten that he couldn't read as well as her. The map was big; there was a lot to take in and there were a lot of words he didn't understand. What was an Oryx for hell's sake? People should put pictures on these things.

In reality, Gajeel's reading comprehension was fine, but he had to focus. He found it difficult to pick a word out of a jumble, but he could read one that he was looking directly at. He'd let himself get confused on something unusual for him. The hurt of feeling stupid clouded his abilities.

"Gajeel, hurry up!"

"What about the tigers? They're kinda cool," he suggested. He'd seen them on the signs outside. His finger was trying to find the word on the map and he was having trouble. She watched as he traced every name with his finger, silently mouthing the letters. Realisation hit Levy like a brick, and she gently took his hand, moving it ever so slightly to the right; to the large word 'Tiger'.

"Oh, sorry," he mumbled.

Levy shook her head wordlessly, pulling on his arm. Her own selfishness had caused him pain and it broke her heart. Best just to move past it.

Gajeel glared at the tiger and the tiger glared back. It was the battle of wits to end all battles of wits.

Suddenly, Gajeel flung his shirt aside. "That's it, I'm kicking yer ass!" He said, cracking his knuckles. The tiger roared in agreement.

Levy threw herself in front of Gajeel, arms around his waist, trying to hold him back from breaking the cage open. "Jeez, who has this problem in a boyfriend?"

"Look!" Cried Levy. "Face painters!"

"Oh there is no way in hell…"

One very brief argument later, Gajeel had tiger stripes painted on his face while munching on a small 'Iron' she'd made as payment. At least he'd gotten to pick the animal. The tigers definitely were badass, he'd thought.

Levy danced up, the world's cutest leopard.

"Goddamn ya, ya adorable Shrimp," he said, finishing his snack. "What are ya doin' to me?"

She smiled. "C'mon, wanna get some lunch? The restaurant's just down here."

"I do love yer iron, but some real food might be nice!"

The restaurant food had been pretty crappy and overpriced. It wasn't even metal cutlery, pointed out. Levy had not found that to be amusing.

He glanced down at his little leopard. "Not too shabby a day, I hope?" He asked?

"Uhn!" She clutched his arm with both of hers. "It's been lovely. But we have a little time left. Anything you wanna see?"

"Actually, yeah. What the hell is an Oryx?"

"Honestly, I'm disappointed," Gajeel said, looking at the antelope.

Levy giggled. "What were you expecting, exactly?"

"I dunno, like some kinda giant, stone snake, I guess." He smiled. "I don't hate little, cute things, though – ow!"

Levy had kicked him. "I bought you a thesaurus. At least try and find clever ways of saying 'little'," she pouted.

"Oh? Can you give me an example now? Fill in the sentence: You are…?"

"Petite. I am petite," she said, crossing her arms. Gajeel dragged her up in a hug. She laughed and they kissed, smudging their face paint.

"Now," he said. "Let's go use the bathroom. I ain't leaving this zoo without washing my face!"

The men's and ladies' toilets were at opposite ends of the main plaza. Gajeel stood waiting for levy near a fountain in the centre. They'd agreed to meet up there, since they didn't know who would be back first. Gajeel rolled his eyes. He'd known.

He looked as she skipped over to him, sun shining down, dress flowing against her graceful form, face all happiness. It has been a good day. In fact, maybe it's just goddamn perfect.

"So Shrimp, what was yer favourite animal?" He asked as he took her hand and started for the exit. He felt her head rest on his arm and her grip squeeze just a bit tighter.

"The lion." Gajeel looked down, grinning. "What about you?" She asked.

He tussled her hair. "The leopard."

Levy blinked. "But we didn't see a leopard," she said confused.

Several moments passed. Gajeel raised an eyebrow. "I thought ya were smart."

"I don't get it," she said, now thoroughly befuddled.

"It was just past the tigers," he coaxed.

Levy was thoughtful. "After the tigers…wasn't that were the face painters were?"

"Holy crap, yer making this compliment far more difficult than it has to be!" Gajeel laughed.

"Compliment? I..oh…oh!" She blushed, and squeezed even tighter. "Why would you like that one?"

"Because it's just so goddamn cute…and petite!"