Levy wasn't sure what to expect when Gajeel finally arrived at her house a few hours later. He wore jeans and a faded gray t-shirt, his hair pulled back in a low ponytail. She sighed in relief, afraid that she had been under dressed in her dark blue tank top and denim shorts that were starting to fray at the ends. She smiled up at him, taking his arm and pulling him off the porch before Jellal could come out from the back and give Gajeel the third degree.
"So where are we going?" She asked as she hopped into his car.
He grinned at her, "It's a surprise."
Levy pretended to pout for a moment, "I hate surprises."
"I think you'll like this one," He replied, pulling out of the drive.
She grinned at him after a moment, "Well, if you say so."
He snorted but didn't reply as he drove. Levy took the opportunity to study the boy next to her while they rode in silence, contemplating what she knew about him. Besides having an intimidating physical appearance, he really wasn't that scary. Gajeel was standoffish, sort of rude actually, but Levy could tell by the little things he did that he had a heart of gold. She wondered for a moment what he was like with his family. He seemed to care deeply for his cousins and for that girl, Juvia. Levy looked down at her hands, wondering how she had managed to catch his attention when a girl like Juvia didn't interest him.
"What are you thinking about, Shrimp?" Gajeel grunted.
She looked up in annoyance, "Is that you're new name for me or something?"
He smirked, "It does fit you, after all."
"Does everyone have a nickname?"
He paused for a moment before shrugging, "Mostly, yeah."
She smiled, feeling a little better, though she still hated her nickname.
"Why did I get Shrimp then?"
"Because you're so little. Like a tiny little shrimp."
Levy gaped at him for a moment before puffing up her checks in annoyance, "I am not a shrimp."
He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye and started laughing.
"No, right now you look more like a blowfish."
Levy frowned and huffed out a sigh of irritation before turning away from, folding her arms across her chest. Gajeel laughed once more before turning serious.
"Sorry, sorry, I'll behave, promise," He apologized.
Levy eyed him with suspicion for a moment before nodding, apparently satisfied with his answer.
"So where are we going anyway?" She asked after a few more moments of silence.
"We're here," He replied, turning into a gravel drive.
Levy looked up in surprise, "You brought me to a fair?"
He grinned, "You don't seem like the dinner and a movie kind of girl."
She grinned back, practically jumping out of the car in excitement, "Because I'm not. And I love the fair."
Gajeel watched in amusement as the short blunette practically danced in line, hopping from one foot to the other in excitement. Juvia had done a good job at online stalking the girl in front of him, with a little help from a guy Juvia knew the two of them had complied all the information on Levy McGarden that they could find and, at the end of it, Juvia informed Gajeel that he would be taking to her the fair in the next town over. Though Gajeel didn't approve of the way Juvia went about it, he had to admit the fair was a great idea as Levy pulled him excitedly through the gates and toward the rides.
"So what do you want to ride first?" Levy asked looking around. "Or do you want to play a game? Or -"
"Hang on, Shrimp," Gajeel teased softly. "One thing at a time. What do you want to do first? If I remember right, this place is open until ten, so we have four hours we can kill."
Levy grinned up at him, "Rides?"
Gajeel shrugged, "Whatever you want."
Two hours later the couple wandered the fair grounds, having rode almost every ride there was. Levy snuck her hand into Gajeel's and felt a sense of pride and happiness flush through her when he didn't pull away. In the other arm she held a giant bear that was almost as big as herself. Gajeel had won it for her only a few moments ago and she blushed as she snuggled the thing.
"So what do you want to do now, Shorty?"
"Food!" Levy cheered, pulling him toward one of the many stands that had been erected around the fairgrounds.
He listened in amazement as she ordered enough food to feed her whole crew, before handing the money to the lady behind the glass.
"I had no idea you could eat so much," He said after a few moments, watching as she balanced a tray of food with one hand, still holding her bear with another.
She flashed him a smile, "Oh, this is for both of us, silly. No way can I eat all of this."
Gajeel nodded, "I would hope not. Where would you put it all?"
Levy blushed as they sat down to eat. It wasn't the first time she had ordered food like this before and it always amused her friends when she ordered for everyone, then struggled to carry everything back to them. Ordering for just two was much easier, she had found, only that she had no idea what to order for Gajeel so had just gave her normal order for herself, Gray, and Natsu, hoping that between the three of them, there would be something there that Gajeel would eat.
The couple watched each other in amusement as they ate in silence and Levy looked down in surprise when she went to pick up another fry to find the food was all gone. She blushed, realizing that she must have ate more than she thought.
"Gihi," Gajeel grinned. "I guess we were hungrier than we thought."
"Don't tell Lucy about this," Levy begged.
"Bunny girl? Why not?"
Levy looked at him with a raised eyebrow at Lucy's nickname before answering, "She'll never let me live it down if she finds out."
"If I find out what?" A familiar voice called and Levy looked up to see her best friend, with Natsu, standing close by.
"I didn't know you were here, Luce," Levy grinned.
Lucy nodded, "Yep. I talked Natsu into bringing me here. You and Gajeel here on a date or something?"
Levy blushed, "Yea."
Lucy squealed suddenly, "I know! Let's pair up and have a double date!"
Levy cheered in agreement, "Yes!"
Gajeel and Natsu watched in confusion as their girls linked arms, leaving the two boys gaping after them.
"What. Just. Happened?" Natsu demanded, turning to look at Gajeel with the same confused expression that Gajeel was wearing when he turned to Natsu.
"I think our girls just ditched us," Gajeel replied. "For each other."
"Gajeel! Natsu! Come on."
The two boys turned back to stare at the two women who were beckoning the boys to join them.
"This is going to be a long night," Natsu muttered.
"You're telling me," Gajeel replied as they moved to catch up to the girls.