Apparently the girls of Fairy Hills had arranged some time together, to catch up (and gossip, Levy assumed), so Levy went along obediently. Her absence would be more damning than her injuries. They were all naked, slipping into the expansive bathing pool the girls dormitory had. As well as the Fairy Hill girls, Lucy, Cana and Lisanna were there, as well as Bisca who had moved out to live with Alzack over the seven year gap.
As Levy walked in, there was audible silence. Bereft of her clothes, she was a mass of bandages. All of her limbs were wrapped to some degree, and she didn't wear a headband because the bandages on her head sufficed in keeping her hair back.
What was perhaps most noticeable was the thick wrapping around her chest, to allow her ribs to heal. Levy was annoyed how it constrained her already small breasts. In fact, she noted, her dressings were so complete that the only part of her bared were her unmentionables. She felt bizarrely like she was on display, despite the general nudity.
She slipped into the tub in between Lucy and Cana. At least her bandages were enchanted to be water resistant, a common practice in a wealthy city like Magnolia. She noted Happy walking around in a little butler's uniform, serving drinks to the girls. Charla rested in a little innertube before Wendy.
"So," said Erza, starting the proceedings, "how are you three finding S-class quests?"
Evergreen made an annoyed noise. "I've been out on plenty with Laxus. Just because Fried is S-class too doesn't change anything. Clearly, I am strong enough to be S-class myself." She sipped champagne from a delicate flute, her expression easing with the alcohol.
"Hehe," Lucy said nervously. "Between you and Natsu, there's not a lot for me to do on quests anyway. If anything, he's become more gung-ho than before! It seems like I'm just cleaning up the collateral damage and the odd mage that slips past!"
Levy looked nervous as attention fell on her. "Well…it was difficult…but we did it! Gajeel's gotten really strong!"
"So have you by the looks of it." Levy blinked. The compliment had come from Erza. "Keep up the good work," she smiled. "So with business out of the way, let's talk about boys! Bisca, how's it going with Alzack?"
Bisca looked angry. "We're married with a kid, Erza. We're not teenage heartthrobs any more."
"Okay," said Erza with her lack of social graces. "Juvia? Has Gray made a move yet?" The girls all squealed as the water temperature rose in response to Juvia's embarrassment.
"Hot!" Lucy and Levy said at the same time.
"Gray-sama may have advanced his relationship with Juvia, but Juvia won't tell," Juvia said, wriggling back and forth. Suddenly, her face fell and the water became freezing. "Did you two say he was hot? Juvia expects that from love rival, but not from you! You belong to Gajeel-kun!"
"Belong?" Levy asked, teeth chattering with the cold.
"Gajeel-kun told Juvia that dragons take permanent mates."
"Yes, Natsu told me too," Lucy said. Very suddenly all eyes were on Lucy and she went bright red. "I don't mean…I'm not saying that…jeez, leave it alone!" She shouted. Knowing smirks passed around the room.
"Really, Lu-chan? That's so great!" Levy said to her.
"No…it's really not…it's early days!" She blustered.
"Love rival should pay more attention to Natsu than Gray-sama," Juvia said, the water finally returning to normal.
"Okay, Evergre-," Erza began.
"Ask about my relationship and die," Evergreen interrupted, glasses glinting.
"Fair enough. Levy? How is it with you and Gajeel?"
"Can I use the 'ask and die' excuse?" Levy asked, going red.
"Aww, that's so cute!" Cana said, half-drunk. Happy was mostly tending to her, scurrying for more booze. "Little Levy's so embarrassed that she's threatening us – like a kitten with her claws out!" She laughed drunkenly.
Levy pouted. "Gajeel is a very good boyfriend," she said simply, guardedly.
"Gajeel-kun speaks very highly of Shrim-," Juvia's hands flew to her mouth as she almost said Gajeel's nickname for Levy. She was used to it since that's all Gajeel called her, but he did not like other people using it, as Natsu had found out one day. "Errr…Juvia means Levy-san."
"Yes, he always says good things about you," Wendy said.
Levy glared suddenly. "Does Gajeel only talk to blue-haired girls?"
"Seems like you tamed the beast," Evergreen noted, ignoring Levy's question. "I can't remember the last time he started a fight at the guild."
"Last Tuesday." Lisanna said. "Natsu spilled his drink."
"Wait…didn't Elfman bump his shoulder on Wednesday?" Bisca asked.
"And on Thursday," Wendy added, "didn't he start a fight with Nab for not taking a job?"
Levy's face went redder and redder as the list went on. "Well, he hasn't started a fight today," she said, wringing her fingers.
Meanwhile at the guild…
"It's pronounced 'Chow-der'!" Gajeel shouted, flinging Gray through a table.
And back from the most trivial argument in existence…
Levy took a deep breath, unhappy by her description. "Gajeel is the best boyfriend in the world," she said, blushing deeply. "He's perfect." She looked down as everyone stared at her. She didn't think she could go any redder.
Cana made a whipping noise, and barked a laugh.
"Do I hear wedding bells?" Laki asked, eyes twinkling.
"I…I'm eighteen! There's no rush for that!" Levy said, raising her hands defensively.
"Al and I got married by the time we were twenty. If you know, you know," Bisca said dreamily.
"Just…shut up," Levy said quietly, managing to find a deeper shade of red to turn.
"I'm surprised," Erza noted. "You two are so different."
"Well…I like that he's so much bigger than me. It feels so safe to be in his arms. And I like it when he carries me…though it's embarrassing sometimes. "
"I meant your personalities," Erza clarified.
"Umm…are we that different?" Levy asked, finger to her mouth, pondering. She looked up as everyone burst out laughing. "What?" Levy cried.
"Not different?" Cana laughed like a hyena. "Even ignoring the height thing, you're a cute bookworm, and he's a brash bruiser!"
"N...no! He's not like that on the inside. He's a kind and caring person, it's just that he had to become tougher to survive. And sure, he lacks a few social graces, but that's not his fault!"
"Ah? You're happiest when immersed in a book, and he's happiest when he's immersed in someone's innards!" Cana went on.
"This is Fairy Tail! All the boys here like to fight!" There was silence at that; it was true enough. "And Gajeel likes to read, he's just learning to get better at it!"
"Oh?" Lucy was surprised. "What does he read?"
Levy went redder again. "T…that's private…it's not easy for him…" She trailed off. Shit, Gajeel would kill her for admitting to this.
"I guess it's the opposites attract thing?" Lisanna said over Levy's worrying.
"No!" Levy said firmly. "I don't believe in that. I believe that under the surface we're not that different. I mean, he's a fighter, and I know I'm not…"
"Really?" Lucy asked. "You look like a fighter right now, Levy-chan!" Levy began to protest, but Lucy went on. "I've talked to all of your team mates to try and understand the exact order of events on that mission, and from what I could understand, you kept fighting, despite being badly hurt!"
Levy had finally hit the reddest her face could go. "I had to…Gajeel needed me…"
Lucy grinned. "So you can fight, and Gajeel can read…maybe you are made for each other!"
Levy looked like she was about to cry. She wasn't used to being under so much examination, trying to sort out her own emotions. Lucy and Cana moved in, putting their arms around her in a hug. She blinked as her face was squished between her friend's ample bosoms.
"No!" She cried, thrashing about in the water. "Argh! Get your breasts outta my face! That's the last thing I need to be reminded of!"
Back at Fairy Tail, the boys were resting amidst the ruined furniture.
"That was a good fight," Natsu proclaimed, hanging upside down from the second story railings.
"What were we fighting about again?" Gray asked, buck naked for some reason.
"I dunno, something important, probably," Gajeel said. He got up and looked at the wreckage. "Jeez, Shrimp's gonna be mad at me for this."
Natsu made a whipping sound.
"What was that, Salamander!?" Gajeel shouted up at him.
"Seems like you dance to Levy's tune!" Natsu was grinning ear to ear.
"Fuck ya. I do what I want."
"Oh really? How often do you have beers these days?" Natsu mocked.
"I've had five tonight!" Gajeel shouted back.
"Because Levy's not going to your place tonight," Gray laughed.
"Listen, ya assholes. Shrimp is a delicate flower – she don't need some drunken asshole pawing over her!"
"Pffft…delicate flower? You're such a pansy now!" Natsu's laughter was cut off as Gajeel leapt up and put Natsu to the ground floor by the quickest path possible. He leant down over him, face close.
"What about ya, Salamander? Made any changes for Bunny-girl?"
Natsu flailed about. "We're not…"
"Did ya forget? I can smell her all over ya!"
"Really?" Gray was amazed.
"And I can smell Juvia on ya too, Stripper!" Gray went red. "Ya guys got a lot to learn! If ya love yer girl, ya make a few changes!"
"And what do you know?" Natsu looked annoyed.
Gajeel grinned. "I've held down a relationship for a year – what have ya guys done?"
Natsu grimaced. How was it that Gajeel of all people was winning in this respect? "Well, what changes has Levy made for you?"
Gajeel slammed his forehead into Natsu's. "Why would someone perfect have to change?"
"Perfect? She can't even kiss you standing up!"
"And! That! Is! Adorable!" Each word was punctuated by a head butt.
"I take your point," Natsu said hazily. Gajeel dropped him and rose, turning to Gray.
"Ya better take good care of Juvia," he warned. Gray frowned, remembering that Juvia and Gajeel were old friends from their Phantom Lord days. "Even though she's crazy."
"She's not crazy!" Gray snapped. "She's just…vulnerable due to how her past life made her." He stopped, seeing Gajeel's wistful expression. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean…"
"No, it's true. Our past shapes us. Take care of her," he repeated. "We don't all have iron skin to protect us."
"That your philosophy these days, Kurogane? Women are to be protected?" Gray grinned.
Gajeel frowned, aware at how careful his next words had to be, lest they get back to Shrimp. "It's not that they can't look after themselves, but they're more precious, right? Blockheaded morons like me are more expendable."
Gray laughed. "You're such a softy for Shrimmmm…" He desperately tried to stop himself from saying the last word, but it was too late. With Gray being naked, Gajeel had easy aim to kick him right in the balls. He doubled over in agony.
"No one calls her that; got it?"
"Yes!" Gray squeaked, high pitched.
Elfman, recovering from the fight, laughed at Gray's pain. "Man, you and Levy are so different!"
"Ah? No, we're not," Gajeel said straight-faced. "I'm a softy with a hard exterior. She just lacks the exterior…making her really short!" Gajeel laughed drunkenly, turning his point into a joke.
"She isn't that short, is she?" Elfman asked. Catching Gajeel's bewildered expression, he went on. "I mean, I'm six foot eight. After a while, everyone looks the same height!"
Gajeel grinned. "Shrimp is the littlest person in the world, I think. And that's her best feature!" Unusually garrulous due to the alcohol in his bloodstream, he went on. "Apart from her smile…that's really good! And she's really smart and kind and she can really fight, despite what everyone thinks!"
He went on a bit more, listing things and suddenly looked up, realising how many people were listening to him. He went bright red, but glared until people looked away. He laughed wildly and made a whipping sound himself.
"And I don't even care!"
Sorry that this chapter is bullshit. I had a basic concept, but couldn't tie it together at the end. Still, I've been getting twitchy for not updating for a couple of days, so here it is.
However, I'm working on a tournament arc for a few chapter's time. A bit of action, but no stress!