Quick update!

Levy felt her palms sweat, but she couldn't let go of Gajeel's hand. She refused to look back at that creep, whoever he was, and she refused to appear afraid. So her trembling was confined to her hands; one was clenched in a fist, and the other was confined to Gajeel's. She kept her breathing even, but her teeth was clenched shut. It had been six minutes since she said, "we need to talk," but she hadn't opened her mouth since.

There were a lot of questions running through her mind, a lot of things she wanted to say, to apologise for, to ask about. But she was grateful that Gajeel was silent beside her, and he just walked and didn't push her.

She couldn't get the look of that creeps eyes out of her head. She'd almost run to Magnolia Park after Juvia told her where to go. But when she saw Gajeel, she could see something was a little off. His broad shoulders were tense, his arms were crossed. Even from a distance she could see his defences were rising. Then she saw the black-haired creep he was talking too. He seemed to ooze with ill intent. As she got closer, she made sure that she kept out of his eye line, and she gathered her courage, to get what she wanted. Gajeel, she just wanted Gajeel, alone. Levy had never confronted anyone that had been so hostile towards her before, but strangely, she was almost proud of herself. She didn't cower, her voice was steady, her features portrayed disdain and irritation, just like she wanted. Gajeel almost put her off though. He was so shocked to see her, she could see the warning and the sudden fear in his eyes.

Just who was that guy? And who was he to Gajeel?

"Shrimp." Gajeel's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. She stopped walking, and realised there were tears in her eyes.

She looked away, taking back her hand, and wiping them.

"You crying?" Gajeel sounded worried.

"No," Levy sniffed.

Gajeel took her shoulders and gently but firmly, turned her to face him. She looked down at his shoes. Black, buckled boots with laces that were frayed and needed replacing.

He put his fingers under her chin and lifted her eyes to his.

Levy looked at him for a second before the tears fell over. "I don't know why I'm crying," she said, her voice breaking and embarrassed. "Sorry."

"Nah, don't be," Gajeel said. "I dunno where that came from, Shrimp. But no one's talked to Kurohebi like that before. It was kinda awesome."

Levy looked at him, the small grin on his face broke her tears. She smiled, tentatively, feeling a sense of coming danger, but pushed it aside. She had more important things to worry about.

"Well, I wanted to talk to you. He was creepy," Levy shuddered. The air suddenly became a little tense, and awkward. Levy glanced around, biting her lip. "Want to sit down?" She motioned to the grassy hill behind them. Gajeel shrugged and followed her lead. He seemed nervous.

Levy sat and smoothed her skirt over her knees. Gajeel sat beside her, knees up, arms around them, a little stiff. She swallowed. She hadn't expected the day to begin with such a strange confrontation, but maybe it was better that way. The ice had been broken, in a manner of speaking.

"So," Levy said.

"So," Gajeel answered.

Awkward. Levy thought. But what did she expect?

"I guess we…" she trailed off and started again. "I guess I have some things I want to say." She cleared her throat. Gajeel sat, staring at the ground, waiting for whatever was coming. "I never considered your feelings. Not properly," she said. Gajeel looked at her. "I just thought about things from my point of view, and I think I was selfish, in that way. I - I know we come from different places." Gajeel couldn't hold back the scoff that escaped him. Levy clenched her hands nervously and continued. "I'm sorry. For only thinking about myself. I want - " she glanced over at him. Gajeel, black haired, stern-faced, strong-bodied, Gajeel. "I want you. I want to know all of you, and - and I want to be with you. So I want you to tell me everything you don't want me to know."

Levy couldn't hold eye contact any longer. She barely said any of the things that she wanted to say. She barely said any of it in the right way. Her face flushed red with embarrassment and anxiety. Part of her could hardly believe how daring she had become, how she could say 'I want you' to a persons face. She wanted to hide.

Gajeel cleared his throat.

"It ah - it ain't easy." He said. "You ain't selfish either, Shrimp." Levy peeked at him. He shrugged. "We're just not used to," he motioned between the two of them, "this. Us. Whatever." A slight red tinged his cheeks.

"So, you - you want there to be an us?" Levy asked. Her voice was high and quick, nervous and questioning. Hopeful.

Gajeel grunted and shrugged. He looked at her, and Levy felt her heart jump. He grinned, that wicked grin she loved. "Well, yeah." His voice was gruff with embarrassment. Levy grinned back at him. His smile dropped, he looked back over at where they had come from.

"But there's some things we gotta talk about," he said.

"You mean… Kurohebi?" Levy asked.

Gajeel nodded. There was a silence between them.

"Are you hungry?" Levy asked suddenly. Gajeel nodded. "Well. Let's eat, and talk." She stood up, and held her hand out to Gajeel. He looked at her for a moment, then took her hand.

With a quick pull, and an oomph, Gajeel had pulled Levy back to the ground. She landed on him, her skirt messed up, her legs straddling him. The sat together for a second. Gajeel grinned and wrapped his arm around her, pulling her chest and stomach close. Levy felt heat rise in her cheeks, a shy, happy smile on her face.

"All right," Gajeel said. "But first, this." He smashed his mouth against Levy's. She grunted in surprise and pain, but she wasn't hurt. She kissed him back. Her hands wrapping themselves in his hair. Their breath ragged, and her chest expanding with emotion.

He stopped the kiss, swallowing. He looked at her, with passion and then it faded. He held onto her as he stood, and then she unwrapped her legs from his waist and stood.

"Cos maybe you won't wanna do that again, after what I tell ya."

Levy looked at him, but Gajeel was already walking away. She swallowed, nervous.

"Hey," she called out after him. "You don't even know where we're going!"