Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail.

"You're sure you can't get out of it?"

Gajeel tied up his pack and sighed, shoulders slumping forward for the 5th time they would be having this conversation. "Yeah."

"A-And I can't go?"

Gajeel turned to Levy, solemnly perched on the edge of his bed with Pantherlily in her lap. She looked tired and defeated, he mentally blanched as the term 'rejected' radiated from her being. It was the farthest thing from the truth.

"No, you have to stay here and make sure Salamander doesn't toast the Christmas tree or any of the gifts back at the guild." He shouldered his pack and tossed Pantherlily his much smaller one.

The Exceed glanced between the two mages and politely bowed out of the room to make sure everything was locked down properly before they left.

Levy's head hung forward, trying to blink back the ridiculous waterworks that were threatening her vision.

"I would stay if I could…I would say 'yes', if I could. It wasn't ever about bein' a 'no', Levy."

The script mage sucked in her breath and steeled her resolve, meeting his eyes and refusing to cry like a child. "I know, but…It's just that it's Christmas. Why would he send anyone away-"

"I volunteered."

"You- what?"

"Everyone else needed to be here and I didn't mind going. Makarov was goin' to wait until after, but it's somethin' that's better dealt with sooner rather'n later."

She sighed and stood up, walking with him to his door. "That's not very fair."

"Tch, life often ain't, shorty." Gajeel huffed and looked at the sky, glancing helplessly to Pantherlily before he looked back to Levy. "Look, if I can make it back early enough, I'll come get you."

Levy offered him a watery smile in return. She stepped up to rub Lily's ear and gave the Exceed a hug before she moved on to Gajeel. "I don't care what time it is, I want to spend Christmas with you."

She looped her arms around his middle and murmured into his shirt, "Merry Christmas, Gajeel."

The iron dragon slayer took a deep breath and threaded his fingers through her hair, ducking down a little towards her head. "Alright, now get outta the cold and try to stay out of trouble while I'm gone."

"Tch, I'll make no such promise."

The guild's Christmas party had been as wild as every year previous and completely drained her by the time she made it back to Gajeel's apartment. She couldn't wait to tell the dragon slayer that Natsu had only set a few tables aflame and that, with the help of Freed, she kept the tree and everyone's gifts safe from scorch marks.

And that he was missed.

And how Makarov had seemed somber the entire time.

It was almost midnight and he still hadn't returned and part of her wanted to be childishly angry at him.

For being such a different person from whom he had been.

For being considerate and caring beyond what was required.

For accepting her invitation to spend Christmas together, but having to decline because of those changes.

She even wanted to angry at him when he opened the apartment door, at a quarter to midnight, and had the gall to growl at her.

"I thought I'd told you I'd come get you."

Levy huffed and stood to snatch his bag from him. "You did, but I wanted to make sure I'd be here. You would've left me at the dorms to sleep."

Gajeel narrowed his eyes and scoffed, snatching the bag back and stalking down the hallway to toss it in his bedroom. "Most people would see that as bein' considerate. And I had no idea where'd you'd be at or even if I would make it back."

Pantherlily flew up and landed on Levy's shoulder, softly setting his paw on her cheek. "Don't let him fool you, he was in a hurry the second we boarded the train."

"Oi, nobody asked you."

Levy cocked her head inquisitively. "You were?"

The dragon slayer flushed and stuttered, successfully caught in his partner's betrayal. He scrubbed a hand over the back of his neck and looked anywhere but at her. "Well- There's not much open anyway and everything closed early, so I didn't want to be stuck out on the streets if I didn't get done in time."

The Exceed rolled his eyes and winked at Levy before flying back to the kitchen to find something to eat.

It was Christmas and she was bone tired and he had made it and she didn't care anymore, she was just happy. She bolted forward and caught him around his neck, his arms easily wrapping around her waist.

Levy shook her head at him and beamed. "You made it."

She didn't need the mistletoe Mirajane had mischievously pressed into her palm earlier. Just him.

Gajeel sealed his mouth over hers and chuckled. A tired 'Merry Christmas' pressed to her mouth.

#5; levy invites gajeel to spend christmas with her, but he has a mission already scheduled by master that he cannot refuse.

originally posted: 12-14-13

A/N: He makes up for it next year.