******IMPORTANT NOTICE*******

I HAVE CHANGED MY FANFIC NAME TO THE SAME AS MY TUMBLR alex-halcyon

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HEY! IT'S ME!

Wow! Three updates in how many days? This is a record!

Well, this is a longer chapter to make up for being away foreverrrrrr. I hope you like it, and try not to be too mad at me (you'll see why!).

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Fairy Tail Cafe was Levy's favourite place in the world. It was where her family all came together. Not all Levy's friends went to the same school, or were involved in the same clubs. So the cafe was where they went. It had been a place for people to belong for years before Levy's generation. It was a place that Magnolia's hero, Mavis, created for her friends. It's evolution was kind of remarkable. Of course Levy had read all the history about the place, about Mavis and her adventures. She was an inspiring woman, who did things that have echoed on through the years.

Now, knowing what little she did about Gajeel's past, it was the kind of place and the kind of people that she wanted him to feel at home with too. Somewhere to belong. She had a feeling that whatever he was going to tell her about was serious, and would only solidify those thoughts. Because he and Juvia needed a place they'd always feel welcome. A home. A family.

She walked beside Gajeel. They were quiet, but it wasn't awkward. It was the kind of silence that built anticipation. Levy was nervous. Since Juvia and Cana had told her that she hadn't really thought about things from Gajeel's point of view, she hadn't been able to get rid of the sneaking feeling that they were more right than she could realise. Right now, at least.

"So where are we headin'?" Gajeel asked, looking around.

"Fairy Tail," Levy said.

They'd been there together before. That night she made him do those stupid things, her little game. Her cheeks flushed and her stomach tightened when she remembered their kiss in the alleyway. Suddenly, she remembered Freed and wondered if he'd said anything about that night to anyone. Surely he'd have mentioned it to Laxus. Laxus probably told Makarov. Levy inwardly groaned. Surely everyone would know about Gajeel by now. Or at least have heard something about something. Secrets were rare in Fairy Tail.

She saw Gajeel look down the alleyway as they passed it. Her cheeks flushed even further. She wondered if he remembered what she did. He cleared his throat.

Levy looked up when she heard a large bout of laughter come from inside the cafe.

"Oh, god." She muttered. From the sounds of it, everyone was inside.

"What?"

Levy bit her lip, "Uh, you'll see," she said nervously. Just before the door, she held out a hand and stopped Gajeel. "Just - just be prepared for anything, okay?" She said, smiling with an apology.

Gajeel raised his eyebrows and shrugged, "Sure."

Levy took a deep breath and opened the door. She was greeted a first with the smells of fresh coffee, well-cooked food and warm air. And then came the noise.

"Hey, it's Levy!"

"Levy's here!"

"Levy!"

Sitting at different tables around the cafe were all of her friends. Levy was starting to think maybe it was a bad idea to come here. She gave a weak smile and a little wave in greeting.

"Who's that guy?" Natsu asked.

"Oh, that must be that guy!" Erza's whisper was not quiet. Neither was Lucy's attempt to hush her.

Behind her, Levy felt Gajeel stiffen. She turned quickly to him. "Maybe we should go somewhere else?" she asked.

Gajeel shrugged. He looked around, like he was glaring at everyone and everything he saw, but Levy knew he was just curious and a little cautious.

"Is he bothering you, Levy?" Jet and Droy stood up from their table and took their places on either side of Levy, trying to act and sound tough.

Levy sighed. "No, he's not. Gajeel, this is Jet and Droy. Jet, Droy, this is Gajeel."

The two folded their arms across their chest, "Huh." Jet said.

"And how do you know Levy?" Droy asked.

Gajeel folded his arms across his chest, tilted his head and looked down at the pair of them. Levy tried to hide her amusement and small panic.

"Tch," Gajeel made a sound. "Like it's your business."

"Okay!" Levy said, taking Gajeel by the arm, and dragging him into the cafe. "Let's get a table."

She headed to the back. Where there was usually a couple of slightly more private tables around the corner. And then she stopped dead in her tracks, and Gajeel almost fell over.

Cana and Juvia were kissing.

And not just kissing. They were kissing. Their hands were wrapped in each others hair. Their mouths were glued to each other, and they had no sense of time or place or anything other than themselves.

Levy glanced up at Gajeel, who was looking like he's been hit in the face. He glanced at her, shock on his face. Levy, not wholly unsurprised, but still a little shocked, shrugged and backed away slowly.

"What the hell?" Gajeel said, once they were back around the corner, his voice unusually low.

Levy didn't know how to answer. "I sort of had a feeling this morning," she said. She looked up at him again. "Are you okay with that?" she asked, a little nervous for his repose. She didn't know what he would think.

Gajeel took a breath. "Uh, yeah. But, give me a min," he said, clearing his throat. "And what the hell do you mean, this morning? How do you know Juvia? And who is that girl?"

Levy motioned for Gajeel to sit. The table was a little too close to all her spying friends, but it was their only choice. He sat heavily. Freed brought over two glasses of water for them. Levy smiled gratefully and took a sip.

"Anything else, jut call," Freed said. He walked quickly away to wait on Natsu, who was shouting for more food.

"I guess we have a lot of things to talk about now," Levy said, trying to sound light and fun. She sighed when Gajeel was just staring into his glass. "I guess, Cana and Juvia became friends when we first started talking. And then it turned into that? I don't know anything more. But Cana is one of my best friends and they seem happy."

"Cana," Gajeel grunted. "She's a good person?"

Levy nodded, "Always."

Gajeel gave a small nod, "That's all right then." He cleared his throat. "Man, wasn't expectin' that."

Levy felt a surge of relief, gave a little embarrassed smirk and shrugged, "Me either. It was intense," she giggled. She wondered if anyone else in the cafe knew what was happening just around the corner. Taking a peek over at Freed and Mirajane behind the bar, Levy had an idea they were definitely aware of it.

Gajeel looked at her, and gave her a little smirk. Something in his eyes made her stomach turn with desire. She could almost feel his hands on her body again. Levy shifted on her seat. Gajeel never took his eyes off her while took a drink from the water, that same look in his eyes. It was almost like they had forgotten the reason they'd come here.

Levy noticed movement behind him, and glared at the table of spies looking at them without reservation. She took a breath of irritation.

"I can see you spying!" She called out to them. The response from the table was immediate amusement, mixed with slight embarrassment and unabashed curiosity.

"Natsu! Stop being so rude," Lucy said, grabbing her boyfriend, who had food fall out of his mouth. "Sorry, Levy!" Lucy smiled and winked at her.

"That's right, stop being rude," Erza said. Levy watched, cringing, as Erza then proceeded to punched Natsu so hard in the arm that he fell off his chair and into Gray, who was sitting at the next table, causing them both to fall to the ground in a clatter of chairs and limbs.

"But you two are just as bad as them," Levy sighed, muttering under her breath. She shook her head at Natsu and Gray, who had started arguing loudly between each other.

Gajeel had turned to look at the commotion. He looked back at Levy, a grin on his face. "Be right back, Shrimp," he said.

Levy opened her mouth to stop him, but Gajeel had already stood and started walking over to the pair of idiots fighting. Levy bit her lip and followed quickly behind him. Whatever was about to happen, she wasn't going to miss it.

"Oi," Gajeel's loud, brash voice cut across the cafe. It went very quiet. Only the sound of the music playing could be heard. Levy felt all the attention in the room turn to them. Natsu and Gray seemed to turn from enemies into immediate allies, standing tall and intimidating in the face of Gajeel's large and almost threatening presence. Levy realised how much more bulk Gajeel had to himself than the lean bodies of Natsu and Gray. She found it very attractive.

"Huh?" Natsu said.

"Yeah? What?" Gray asked.

"You wanna shut up? I'm tryin' to have a conversation." Gajeel crossed his arms, and looked down his nose at them.

Levy saw Gray take in his appearance: muscle, tattoos, scruffy hair, eyebrow piercing, general look of menace. Natsu, on the other hand, didn't bother to size Gajeel up. It just wasn't his way. He was taunt and looked excited, ready for action. Just like Natsu.

"Who the heck are you man?" Gray asked, irritated. Gray glanced at Levy, and she just shrugged at him. She was just a spectator.

"It ain't you're business who I am," Gajeel said. "Like I said: I'm tryin' to have a conversation with the Shrimp, so can ya shut the hell up?"

"Who's a shrimp?" Natsu asked, crunching his nose up, confused.

"Me," Levy said, holding up a hand.

Natsu looked at her for a second and then burst out laughing. "That's a good name for you, Levy! 'Cos you're small."

"You're a genius, Natsu," Lucy sighed behind them. "Come sit down, idiots," she said to Gray and Natsu. "Let them talk."

Thank you, Levy mouthed to her. Lucy smiled warmly at her.

"Gajeel?" Juvia's voice came from behind them. Gajeel turned around. "You're here?" Juvia's cheeks went pink, her eyes widened in slight panic.

Gajeel smirked. "Yeah. Didn't wanna interrupt you."

Juvia looked like she was going to faint. Levy saw Cana slip her hand into Juvia's and smiled warmly at the motion. Cana whispered something in Juvia's ear. Levy guessed it was something wildly inappropriate, the way that all the colour rushed back into Juvia's face was evidence of it.

"All right, losers," Cana announced loudly. "Go back to your food and drinks and conversation."

And then it was settled. Juvia and Cana left. Juvia looking back worriedly at Gajeel, who didn't notice her looks. Natsu was pulled back by Lucy to the table, and Gray gave Gajeel one last appraisal, giving Levy a questioning look, if she was okay. Levy nodded, and everyone went back to minding their own business.

Mostly.

Levy could still feel eyes on them, particularly Jet and Droy who were glaring daggers at Gajeel.

Levy cleared her throat. "So these are my friends," she said, almost apologetically.

Gajeel took a moment to answer. "They're…good." He looked away and leaned back on his hair. "You're lucky."

"Will you tell me some of your past now?" Levy asked. She put her hands in her lap, clutching at her skirt nervously.

Gajeel looked at her. "Some," he said after a moment.

"About Kurohebi?" Levy asked.

Gajeel took a breath. "Not today," he shook his head and looked directly at her. "I ain't ready to lose you yet."

Levy blushed in pleasure and frowned in concern all at the same time. "Okay," she said. "When you're ready. But you won't lose me." She spoke firmly and surely. "I promise."

Gajeel looked like he didn't believe her. Then he started talking, and Levy listened.