'It's only temporary.'
'Temporary? But you look so good in that uniform!'
Levy found soft teasing during her first few days. True to his word, she found herself following behind Juvia and Mira. Minor filing filled with more teasing and convincing to get her to stay.
Gajeel would walk past the moments which her smile was on. Even when she was at work fully focused, a grin couldn't help but pull on the corner of his lips.
'Good morning.' Levy would pick her head up to the feeling of a presence nearby.
He'd give a slight wave before being spoken away.
"Have you seen Gajeel lately?"
"Yeah, why does he seem happier?"
"Hmm?" Levy paused at the low whispers spoken between co-workers. The focus of his name brought her to ease drop.
She shook her head deciding it was best to continue on with her day. Yet the monkey upon her back would not allow her to fall out of earshot.
Hiding behind a wall at a safe distance, she creeped over slightly seeking further gossip.
"I heard it's because of the new girl that's a new hire. What her name? Lana?" The seated chestnut haired man brought up a possible reason.
Levy held her breath as she flushed at the name that had to be hers. 'It's Levy.' She expelled in a low mumble to herself adding in a correction.
"Nah I heard that Jenny is back." A quick doubt was entered as the second man added in his input. He suddenly fell into his own daze about the woman whom he believed was the source behind Gajeel's rather chipper attitude.
Levy paused at the unknown name taking a deep gulp. 'J-Jenny?' She was slightly taken aback not expecting to hear this.
"N-not that I care…" She tried to softly convince herself when she turned to leave. Eye closed and softly puffed cheeks to the unsettling news. She shook her head bouncing her azure curls against her face.
"I…I don't care…" she began to take her first steps forward, away in the darkness. "I really don't care." She mustered with a tinge of forced confidence before heading face first into a large obstacle. "O-Oww…"
"Oi, what don't yah care about?"
"H-Huh?" Levy opened her eyes slowly up to the stalk way blocking her path.
"Are yah okay?" Heavy hands moved carefully applying a light touch to her thin arms. Truthfully he had been focused on his own destination up ahead that he had focused to notice the petite woman carelessly walking into his figure. A simple mistake brought concern though as she rubbed her temple from the impact.
"O-Oh Gajeel." Her hands dropped to her chest rapidly taking in one final breath from the unexpected man. "I'm fine." She expelled with a thin smile holding onto the eye contact.
"Good." His matching smile was propelled by hers appearing to brightly beam.
Levy paused as an extra beat skipped her heart to his soft expression. "I'm sorry but I have to go see Juvia." She attempted to direct her attention before his eyes could pull out the truth behind her earlier nonsensical rambling.
The turn of her eyes brought his focus back once his grip on her. His hands loosened in a removal after a hesitant second. "Y-Yeah same here, let's go." Gajeel turned adding an extra inch in between them as he showed his hands into his pockets.
The quiet walk together broke as Gajeel called out. "Oi Juvia I need your help—" He paused when his head picked up to the sporadic woman.
She fluttered around her office frantically for a particular object.
"Gajeel?" Juvia bounced up from her crouched position from behind her desk pausing her search. Her usual cupped hat went missing allowing of curls to fall sloppily onto her face. The thick strands blocked her view before she pushed them aside. "Juvia is sorry Gajeel, she has her hands busy, please ask Mira or Erza."
"Eh I asked already, they're busy too." Groaning to his situation, he leaned upon the door frame contemplating his next move.
"I-I can help." The blunette peeped up offering her assistance. "If you'd like me to."
Gajeel turned to the woman saving his ass at the perfect moment, "Can you?"
"I just need to get a few things from the office." Gajeel let her know that their trip was going to involve a quick detour.
Levy nodded softly to him as she was left in the dark about what specifically she was going to be aiding him in. No questions asked as she followed in silence slightly kicking her feet in front of her.
"Huh?" The two picked their heads up to a soft tail flick rushing from their sight.
"R-Rat?" Levy shrieked softly as her fear fueled her actions. She clung suddenly onto Gajeel's arm using him as a shield.
Gajeel raised a studded eye brow, "Carla?"
"…don't name it." Levy protested with a stern look as she took slow steps behind him.
A slight chuckle slipped through his lips as if he knew who it was. "If she could understand, she'd hate that." He pointed out the small furry figure planted outside of his office.
The small snow white kitten curled into a comfortable spot laying her head on her oversized bow tied to her collar.
"Oh! She's so pretty." Levy focused on the pristine puff ball. Sparking eyes, she had towards her before the cat's head rose. Her honey eyes so innocent, to others pierced.
"Guess she heard yah." Gajeel snorted at the feline's attitude.
The two stepped past the small cat to enter into his office. A dark shade of azure beamed in the form of two long pony tails as the lights were flipped on. The hair strung long creeping besides his office chair.
Levy blinked a few times to the unknown figure. She turned to Gajeel for answers finding his sudden grin.
"Hey, didn't know yah were comin' should've called me before." Gajeel called out to the figure capturing her attention.
"Gajeel!" His oversized office chair swiveled revealing a petite girl jumping out. a quick embrace she offered her older sibling before Gajeel offered his own form of affection.
His large hand overtook the area of her small head placed in between the space of her two side pony tails. "What are yah doin' here?"
"Well…dad…" Wendy began to explain before a third body quietly entered the group.
With a heavy arm around his son's shoulders, he beat his height making a strong presence.
Levy took a slight step backwards to the small family allowing for the trio to bond.
Unsure initially of who he was, Levy noted his salt and pepper hair trimmed down with ragged edges. Decade old healed scars and removed dents from past piercings now removed decorated his body in various areas. A similarity increased with the only piercings remaining in a cascading line of earrings matching Gajeel's.
Even though Gajeel frowned to the teasing, the older man grinned. The joy of having those two close to him turned his sharp smile into an undeniable match.
The joy of his face died out as he had spotted an unfamiliar body. An assumption of her being Juvia was proved wrong as she appeared smaller as his eyes focused upon her. His ruby eyes beat on Levy focusing on her delicate features.
"Eh?" The blunette jittered in her skin as his staring remained. She sunk further into her skin only being able to give a lopsided smile and a weak wave.
"Oi old man, get that foul look off of yer face." Gajeel barked out at his father. The frustration boiled from his glare on Levy making her shake unwillingly in her shoes. A tinge of defense budded within him as he wanted all wandering eyes off of her even his father's inquiring ones.
"I can say the same to you." He turned to his son mocking his sharp grin.
Gajeel snorted having no proper come back, "Just stop starin'"
"Quit your whining, I'm just tryin' to figure out where I've seen this little fairy before." He tugged on his goatee searching his brain before the information as to her familiar appearance.
"Oh! She was the girl on the magazine with Gajeel!" Wendy filled in his questioning. She beamed with a soft smile as she was meeting the mystery woman whom graced covers with her brother.
Levy lowered her head in order to cover the rosy tone of her cheeks.
"Ah you're right." He turned towards his young daughter aiding in his train of thought. "She must be my new daughter-in-law then." He proudly went off on a tangent with a grin more than ready to welcome her.
"W-What?!" The small group gasped to his bold statement jumping to a heavy conclusion.
"Shut it." Gajeel grumbled as he took drastic measures. The harsh elbowing to his father's gut shut the older man from any further mistake.
"Ough." He held a hand to his stomach putting pressure on the pain.
Levy gasped as she witnessed the squabble unsure of what she should do or say to remedy.
"I'm sorry about that." Wendy stepped up to Levy; ignoring the normal 'fight' behind her as she apologized. "We didn't mean for you to get embarrassed."
Levy looked down at the only girl in the building standing at a height lower than hers. Her honey toned doe eyes appeared to glisten despite the dim lighting.
Levy nodded understanding their confusion, "Don't worry about it." She lead off with a smile accepting their confusion as a mistake.
The older man picked his head up listening to his daughter apologizing for him. He paused mid-squable holding his son below him in a headlock preventing him from moving.
"I apologize." Metalicana extended his arm out for a friendly approach to the petite woman. "I just thought this one finally meet a good girl for him." He dropped the grip on his son causing Gajeel to fumble on his feet. Carelessly, he ignored Gajeel in order to explain his stance and hope that a sweet girl was the object of his affection. "I should have known better."
The softness in his compliment brought a light smile to her face as he held her hand.
"I'm Metalicana or Mel if you want." He brushed on his sharpest grin as his introduction was presented.
"Humph." Gajeel refound his balance as he was abruptly let go. His arm crossed pouting from the smile that his father was creating on Levy. The grumbling continued as Metalicana's grasp remained on her small hands giving them a soft shake.
Enough was enough, Gajeel couldn't hold back further on watching anymore, "Alright alright." His heavy hand dropped on his father's shoulder using the slightest bit of pressure to gesture him away.
Matching crimson eyes met in the middle with Metalicana's eyes dropping slightly to note something eyes in Gajeel's eyes.
"I see." His hands dropped Levy's softly to his separating grip. He gave an extra look towards Gajeel knowing that he'd have to have a private chat with his son soon.
"Anyways, I need to find Natsu. Your mom has been hounding me each time that he doesn't answer." Memories of his wife's anger towards Natsu's lack of communication pointed towards him didn't turn out well. His thick fingers raked though his shortened locks offered a menial distraction to the future trouble he'd be in if he didn't find the cherry blossom haired son.
Gajeel and Wendy grew similar 'frightened child' expressions knowing full well how their angelic faced mother could quickly shift into a fearsome being.
A mutual tense air held the three in silence as Levy blinked softly to herself unsure of the amount of wrath that was soon to come.
"Well come on Wendy." He broke the silence to escort his daughter out to aid in the search of Natsu.
"It was nice to meet you – Likewise." Levy returned the kind departure with a wave as she saw them off.
Gajeel coughed slightly to regain her attention once more. "Sorry 'bout that." He found himself also apologizing for his father's actions. "He's—"
Levy shook her head stopping him from further apologizing. "It's really okay," A slight smile began to soften her face. "They're all so …lively." The glimmer of new members of his caring family warmed her heart.
Levy pressed her lips together as the reminiscing memory of her step father snubbing her appeared. A painful thought quickly dashed away before creating a new pleasant one.
'Dad…?' 'my daughter.' A bright moment she pictured of possibly having a bright father figure in Metalicana, appeared. Being treated so sweetly as his daughter-in-law besides Gajeel continued in her fantasy.
'M-Marry Gajeel…family…happiness…'
She held her cheeks together attempting to suppress the blush inducing thought.
"Levy?"
"N-No…" She playfully repeated to herself as her head shook with a smile which she could not hide.
"Levy."
"H-Huh…?" Levy snapped out of her thought bubble as she looked up at his calling. Hands remaining holding a tight cupping to her bright red face, she blinked confused at him.
"Oi Levy, are you okay?" A studded brow he rose to her now erratic behavior seeming to have no reasoning behind it.
Dropping her hands from her cheeks, "Yes…!" Levy attempted to clean herself up flattening out soft crease in her skirt.
Scooping up necessary manila folders, he tried to get Levy moving. "Are yah ready then?" Gajeel attempted to brush away the embarrassing familiar moment. Still stuck on his father's actions, he just wanted to move past them. "Let's get goin' then."
"Here, I set everything in order." Levy lifted the slim notebook in her hands. An easy task of a recorder Levy acted as during his meeting making points of important parts just as he had asked.
"Ugh yeah thanks," Having his head in another word thanks to Metalicana, he was grateful that she had picked up the sack. Gajeel picked it up holding the blue book between others at they both held a grip. "Hey—"
A ringing of Gajeel's phone paused him from finishing his sentence. With a sour face, he denied the call after the mix of numbers registered.
"Is something wrong?" Levy let her side go giving him the control.
"Nah, I just have another meeting –" Making up for his expression, he gave the gist of the nature of the call. Without having to pick up, he knew that a certain woman was ready to hound him.
"Do you need me to help?" Eager to continue to aid, she offered her help without his questioning.
Gajeel gulped at the possibility of her hearing the things that would be said, "No it's fine. I can do it myself." Apathetically, he pushed forward by himself.
"O-Okay." Levy looked at his nervous departure with desperation for a private meeting.
"So when are you going to tell me what's going on between you and that girl?"
"Eh?" Gajeel paused harshly in his steps refusing to turn back to the source. A familial course and abrasive voice that enjoyed ease dropping. A heavy sigh dropped as he just wanted to be alone from exiting his most recent 'meeting.' Right now was defiantly not the time to be hounded about his love life.
"I'm getting old and I'd at least like to see my son be happy before I go." Never had he seen a certain gleam in his eyes only when he was in the presence of a certain fairy.
Gajeel snorted roughly as he clicked his teeth, "Tsk, don't act like yer dying. Go bother Natsu and his bunny girl instead won't yah?" Wishing not to fall for his trap, he placed the attention on a sibling having a much easier time.
"Ah love the boy but there's something about having one to carry your namesake." Seeing Gajeel remain ridged, Metalicana moved in.
Dropping a heavy arm over his grumpy son's shoulder, he filled in with a grin wide enough for the both of them.
"Don't go talkin' about that, yer goin' to have to wait a while if that's what yah want." Gajeel exhaled as he dropped is stiff shoulders giving slightly into his father's desired conversation.
"Ah I can wait, maybe another month at the most. How does that sound? Gehee." Matching Gajeel's laugh, he filled in for the tense aura. Picking his eyes up to Gajeel, his frown he didn't expect to be there.
A bothering tick flicked as he struggled to air his issues. "Eh I screwed up though." Unconsciously digging his hands through his mane, he began to finally open up.
"Huh?" A questioning sound Metalicana couldn't help but drop as Gajeel actually offered something other than a grunt. Usually his son would keep to himself wanting to tell no one of his issues dealing with everything on his own. "Sometimes it takes a screw up to see things from a different view." Turning to his obviously pained son, he tried to offer some advice.
Gajeel slid himself slightly away to his father's decent attempt at mending his problems. Saying no words, he tried to process how a screw up of that magnitude could possibly be good for any relationship.
Away from the teasing for once, he wanted Gajeel to no longer dwell on it. It couldn't be so bad after all, right? "It's not like you never called her back after…" Metalicana began to put together the pieces slowly noting the unease of his face to where he was leading off.
"What is wrong with you? Go apologize to her now!" He barked at his idiot son clamping him on the back of his neck. A rough scolding, he was to get all the way up until they found her.
"H-Hey let go!" Gajeel ducked himself away from his father's dragon tight grip. "You think that I didn't already?!"
"Then go get her." He deadpanned what he assumed was his best bit of advice.
Gajeel snarled, "You've been around Natsu too much." Only one other person could possibly have such tunnel vision. "But I can't even if wanted to." He kicked his foot back resting upon the cream toned wall.
"Can't help who you fall for son." Metalicana dropped his anger shifting into sympathy as he grasped Gajeel's shoulder.
His tongue clicked, "Don't know what yer talkin' 'bout old man." His head turned away hiding the hint of smile turning his lips upwards.
a/n: ahh i apologize for the lack of updates! (i legit think that i apologize in every chapter tbh) but i fell back into love with one piece and omg someone help, i can't stop re-watching & re-reading and i'm running out of money due to purchasing so many figures...which i need of course (me justifying my bad actions)
but anyways! i began to shift through chapters and am beginning with editing! i have all chapters written up to 50 so wooo!
also btw; i started writing one piece fanfic on deviant art and let me know if ya'll are okay with me uploading some here bc i have quite a few that get alert to my stories and i don't want to bother anyone with a series that they were not expecting ^^' if not then, it will stay on deviant art or i'll create another profile here~! if ya'll want to check that out, my username on deviant art is: corazonstealer (shameless promo -cough cough-)
Thanks for reading!