Rated M for my readers. You know you like it like that.
I don't own Fairy Tail. Pfft, like I'd be able to come up with a play on words like "Tail" instead of "Tale". Who do you take me for? Hiro Mashima? Go get some glasses. (But don't take mine; I need both pairs.)
My Knight III
"Okay, this has got to stop happening." Levi set her purse and the plastic bag containing Lucy's meds on the counter as she shook her head, eyes wide with incredulity. Lucy was still on the couch, right where she had left her. What she hadn't left there was the pink haired man snoozing underneath Lucy. As Levi's mind raced trying to figure out how Natsu had ended up there, she turned on Lucy. Pondering out loud to herself, she muttered, "How the heck could you not remember this dork, Luce?"
"I can't believe I'm doing this. What happened to my solitary New Year's?" Lucy whined for what seemed like the twentieth time that night. Levi rolled her eyes, and grabbed her best friend's hesitant hand.
"I promise you, you'll enjoy yourself, Lucy. Just follow me. There's a few people I want to introduce you to." As the linguistics major guided her friend through Erza's crowded loft, she smiled haphazardly. Lucy was such a strange person; she never wanted to go to these parties that Erza threw. It made absolutely no sense! She was your typical college student- how could she not want to go to these? Yet there was that discomfort that shone in her eyes again. Levi sighed.
"Levi! There you are!" Erza waved ecstatically as her two friends approached.
"Lucy's here too! Wonderful!" Lucy forced a smile and gave her friend a loose embrace.
"Make yourselves comfortable. There's some food in the kitchen if you get hungry. Lucy, I'm glad you're here." The mentioned blonde nodded carefully. Levi beamed.
"Well, we've got an hour or two before the new year, so let's mingle. Anyway I think I see who I wanted to introduce you to. Jet! Droy!" The two looked up from the punch bowl and smiled blindingly at their friend.
"Hey guys. Happy New Year! By the way, this is my good friend, Lucy. Lucy's a wee bit shy, so don't take offense if she-"
"I'm not shy, Levi!"
"There you go. See you can talk to people normally!"
"Ugh, Levi, I just don't like parties. No offense, it's been a pleasure to meet you two." Lucy grabbed a glass of punch and detached herself from Levi shaking her head.
"Well, enjoy yourself mingling."
Lucy hung her head. Now that she had seperated herself from Levi, she was on her own. For what felt like years, Lucy awkwardly walked around the room, nursing her drink and praying that no one would try to talk to her. Finally feeling sick of company she didn't know, Lucy decided to take a short leave of the party.
Knowing Erza's flat like the back of her hand, Lucy made for the back room that had a huge window that overlooked the city. The darkened room that wasn't being used for the party allowed Lucy to let out a sigh of relief. She walked past the two couches that faced each other and gazed over the light dotted city. Every few seconds a firework of some vibrant hue, lit up the sky.
"They've started early, huh." Lucy could've hit herself for jumping as badly as she did. She nearly slammed her head on the window.
"Heh, sorry. Didn't mean to scare you." As Lucy did her best not to bolt from the room, she dared a glance up at the mysterious person who had walked out of the shadows to be next to her. His features were angular, but in a boyish way. His wide mouth parted into an 'O' at the most recent display of light into the sky. From beyond the door Lucy heard a countdown start. She almost laughed; Erza had started at 37. Lucy straightened up and squared her shoulders. She was a woman of twenty. She could handle herself.
"Kisses on New Year's are tradition, right?"
Okay, maybe she couldn't.
From the other room, the counting dissolved into laughter and then back to counting.
26.
25.
24.
As her face lit up as bright as the fireworks on the other side of the glass, the man took a step closer to her. Her nerves and mind frayed in that split second.
"I'm sorry, do I know you?"
"Not yet."
"Then why in the world would I kiss you?"
"Ah, because it's the new year, you'll probably never see me again, and I'm devilishly handsome. Fair enough?"
16.
15.
14.
13.
"T..That's ridiculous! None of those reasons hold any water at all!"
"Ah, but you hesitated..."
8.
7.
6.
He cradled her head in his palm as he studied her face.
3.
2.
1.
"Happy New Year."
It was a chaste thing, nothing really meant by it. But Lucy's wide eyes had closed. Dammit, she had kissed him back. She opened her eyes a fraction of an inch but then closed them again when the chasteness of it all was thrown to hell. She hadn't felt it before, but his arm was secured tightly around her waist. She was thankful for it; her knees almost buckled.
Suddenly the two were engulfed in a different kind of light.
"Lucy!" Pulling away from the man, Lucy flushed brilliantly and reluctantly let go of his red and black jacket. Levi stood in the doorway, mouth agape with her hand on the room's lightswitch.
"You never told me.. that you and Natsu Dragonil were a-" Lucy crossed the room and grabbed Levi's arm, effectively cutting off her statement and fleeing at the same time. Lucy was so mortified she didn't so much as glance back.
The man stood there stupefied for a few moments. And then smirked.
"Lucy, huh..."
Levi tutted softly and busied herself with cleaning her apartment. She folded blankets that were strewn across the floor, did two loads of laundry and wiped down the kitchen's counters. Her roommate and her roommate's body pillow were still conked out on the couch. Levi slowed but a moment to look at the pair with wonder.
How in the world could Lucy have forgotten that Levi had walked in on her and Natsu more than once?
It never ceased to amaze her how dense her blonde friend could be sometimes.
A small buzzing drew Levi from her thoughts, and after not recognizing it as her own or Lucy's ringtone she turned on Natsu's jacket. It laid on the dining room table, next to a couple of candles.
Levi didn't hesitate when she flipped it out of his pocket and answered.
"Hello? Natsu's busy right now."
"... Uh... Who the hell is this?"
"Well, that's not a very cordial way to ask a lady's name."
"Who is this?"
"Guess."
"What the hell is this? Twenty questions?"
"You only know how to ask questions?" God, she was enjoying this. The man's voice was rough and grumbly; he plowed on without missing a beat.
"Where is Natsu?"
"I told you, already, he's busy with Lucy."
"He caught up with her, then."
"Yeah, they're working out their... er.. problems now."
"He's sleeping with her?"
"Yes, but not in the sense you're thinking of, pervert."
"Who says I'm a pervert!"
"Guess." She couldn't hide the laughter in her voice as she prodded the man along.
"Grah!"
"Ooh, I can speak caveman too!"
"You little-"
"Now, now, let's be civil." The other end was silent for a long minute. Levi wasn't sure if he had hung up or what, but before she could ask his voice interrupted her.
"Who is this?" Something about the way his voice crawled through the phone, low and serious, gave Levi chills. She quickly shook them off and smirked.
"Ah, I'm bored. You keep asking the same questions. But whatever. I'm out. Natsu's fine, so stop worrying so much."
"Who the hell said I was worried?"
"God, you really don't stop asking questions. Judging from your temperament, you wouldn't have stayed on the phone for so long with someone as intriguing and captivating as me unless you were concerned for your friend's well-being."
"..."
"Anyway, I'm not done cleaning yet, so I'm letting you go-"
"I'm Gazille." Levi stopped, eyebrows lifted in shock. She smiled.
"It's nice to meet you Gazille. Guess." She hung up then, but not before she heard his cry of anguish. Not surpressing her glee, Levi giggled like a little girl.
"It's nice to meet you," she repeated, happily.
Totally sick today. It's worth it though, to miss school and swim practice. I'm such a terrible captain for saying that :D I know this was short, but everything is happening according to plan (Mwahaha!). I think I'm going to make a new story all about Levi and Gazille. (Btw, I know my spelling for each name has changed. From now on, I'm sticking with the aforementioned way.) It'd be fun.
Yay for canon!
Health and cabbage to all!
j0h4nn4