geez, can you guys believe this chapter is over 6400 words?! it's my longest chapter yet! and honestly, I feel like it's just filler, ya know? the calm before the storm. just know, shit is about to hit the fan soon lol. I wanted to tell you guys that this is going to be turned into a two-part story. I have maybe 10 more chapters until this part is done and I'll be taking a brief hiatus to compile the second half of the story. I have written all my notes and the layout of at least the next 5 chapters, so stay tuned for more drama. also, I'm stoked you guys liked my lalu smut lol! you guys give me the confidence to keep going! (p.s. sorry for making you guys wait a bit longer than usual for this chapter. especially for it to just be filler lol. at least it's that gajevy goodness you guys have been wanting!)
RAO HYUGA 18: thanks! I did put a lot into it and I'm glad you could tell! every day I get better and better at writing :) also, I wasn't really a fan of lalu either until recently, so we're in the same boat lol
ALICIACEVBRA: that all makes so much sense lol. some people wouldn't be into that, so it's almost imperative that he keep them in the closet lolol.
SCALLYWAG4REAL: thank you sooooo much! that means so much to me! I was getting a bit discouraged because karma doesn't have as many likes as my last fanfic, but it's alright, not everyone is into the supernatural lol!
Chapter Twenty-Two
'Wait.'
"Well, are you here to kill me or not?" She asked, bringing him out of his thoughts.
"Pretty impatient fer a thief," he smirked, leaning over her.
"Thief?" Levy questioned, their eyes still locked.
'Something isn't right.'
"Ya really don't remember me, huh? Maybe this'll jog yer memory," he said, yanking the talisman off the chain she had around her neck and stuffing it into his pocket.
"You're…" her eyes widened in realization as he inched closer, his breath on her ear.
"Now how did a small thing like you lure and kill so many people?" He spoke into her ear with a low voice.
"I'm not the bad guy! I only did what I had to do!"
'Why is this happening?!'
"Don't need an explanation," he said, his eyes wandering down her neck. He was now dangerously close to her, his body all but sprawled out on top of her. He was drowning in her scent and he couldn't break himself away. The markings on her neck now had his attention, his eyes locked onto the glyphs as his hands apparently had a mind of their own.
Gajeel viewed himself months ago, angry and unsure of why he was experiencing this. He extended an arm in an attempt to stop himself, but his body moved slowly as if he were stuck in thick liquid while the walls around him melted into the grayscale floors. The room itself pulsed, his vision blurred, and his hearing muffled with each thump. Why couldn't he move properly? Why couldn't he stop himself? He felt as if he were being strangled by this stupid sense of déjà vu. He stretched as his feet felt like they were starting to sink. 'Fuck! Reach!'
His eyes stayed on her neck as his hands wandered her body. Starting with her thick thighs, they traveled up her hips and danced briefly around her slim waist, gliding slowly over her small, but perky breasts, and gently caressing her neck, his large fingers tracing the symbols that wrapped around it.
"STOP!" His body sunk into the floor like quicksand while he clawed his way out. What kind of fucked up shit was this? He tried to alter his size and quickly found that he couldn't use his abilities. What the hell was going on?! He clenched his fists, finally pulling himself out of what felt like the depths of hell. "S-Stop… Why're ya doing this?!"
"What… are you?"
She'd asked him that before and the answer was the same. He was… a killer. Pulling himself out of what was now a burning pit, the floor turned to ice, but that didn't stop him from finally getting to his past self. He was mortified as his hands wrapped around her neck. He couldn't stop it. He was useless. "Yer… a monster…"
His past self froze in place, his hands still around her neck as he glanced back at his current self with the evilest grin he'd ever seen himself wear. His eyes glowed a menacing red as a misty, black aura flowed from his body. "Heh. I'm you."
Before he could react, he was sucked back into his past body in a blur. His red eyes snapped to hers, that evil grin now spread even wider on his face. "I'm yer worst nightmare."
His grip on her neck suddenly tightened, cutting off her circulation and crushing the bones in her neck almost immediately. Why couldn't he stop himself? Why did he have to witness this a second time? What was the purpose of this? His head hurt—no, it was pounding. This was torture.
Levy woke up in the middle of the night to a distressed, sleeping goblin. He was tossing and turning, and sometime during, he'd managed to kick the covers halfway off the bed. She hoisted the upper half of her body off the bed with her arm, rubbing her eyes groggily with her free hand. She looked to her side, seeing him breathing heavily in a cold sweat. 'He must be stressed out about this whole situation.'
She didn't even have to put a hand to his head to see the dark feelings he was experiencing, but she did anyway to see if she could relieve some of the tension. As soon as her hand touched him, his eyes shot open and he jolted up, causing her to pull away quickly. 'I hope I didn't startle him!'
Panting, he held his forehead up with the palms of his hands. Why the fuck would he have a nightmare like that? Now of all times, too! This was already eating him up inside, now he had to be kept up at night over it? Was he ever going to be relieved of his guilt? He felt like shit, and things were only getting shittier. He felt a small hand on his shoulder and jerked his head to the side in surprise. 'Ah fuck!' He'd completely forgotten that she was next to him, and all that did was make his head hurt even more.
She looked up at him with those beautiful, concerned eyes and he felt nothing more than unforgiving. Yet, here she was, caring for him, oblivious to the fact that he was the one responsible for her death. How could he ever face her as a man? She'd already seen him at his weakest, now she had to see him like this?
"I'm sorry," she said, scooting closer to him. "I didn't mean to wake you, I just noticed you weren't sleeping well, and I wanted to check on you."
He sighed, resting his head in his hands again as he closed his eyes. If he ever wanted to be alone at any time in his life, now was the time. Unfortunately, he couldn't very well just send her on her way, so he had to endure it. "Thanks, Shorty. I just gotta bad headache, that's all."
Levy sat on her knees behind him and smoothed her hands across both of his shoulders in a massage. She could feel the stress radiating from him at a distance and it did nothing but worry her. Was going to see his father really the right thing to do? She felt a bit down; all she wanted to do was help, but she couldn't really do anything aside from offer mental support. "You were wallowing in your sleep and I got a bit worried."
Gajeel relaxed a bit as she worked her magic. He had the urge to smoke, but that soon subsided as she touched him. Why was she helping him? How could she be so… peaceful? He felt as if he didn't have a right to even be in her presence. The serenity she exuded was almost too much for him at the moment; he needed to breathe, but her touch… she made him feel so good.
They sat in a heavy silence as her hands worked their way up his neck. Her fingers danced up to his temples and a soft light glowed briefly. She couldn't read his mind, but she could easily see that he carried a lot on his shoulders. She let her mind wander as she eased the tension from his muscles. Was his father the only thing on his mind? She thought back to the image she saw on the card. What was that? Why did it look so familiar? Why did he hide it? If only she could have gotten a chance to look at it just a bit longer…
An ever-so-slightly uneasy feeling sat in her gut the more she thought about it. Did he… know something? 'No, no. If he knew something… he'd tell me, right?' Her hands slowed and the gentle pressure she was applying stopped; she was letting her mind consume her. She knew why she died, she just didn't remember exactly how. As much as she wanted to tell herself she didn't care or want to know, she knew deep down it was a lie. Was it something she was ready to remember? A lot of her most important memories were fuzzy, and she couldn't fully make out the details of specific events. It bothered her greatly.
Gajeel's migraine vanished and left him feeling like a new man. God, those hands of hers. They could do anything to him, and he wouldn't mind in the slightest. 'Fuck!' He hated having these conflicted feelings about her! One part of him felt he shouldn't be anywhere near her and the other part wanted to never let her go! And the worst part about this was the fact that he couldn't bring himself to send her away especially since she had no clue what was really bothering him. Her touch softened and became lazy as if she were distracted by something. What was she thinking about? "Ya alright back there, Shorty?" He managed to grunt out.
Her hands trailed back down to his shoulders and unconsciously found their way into his messy hair. "Yeah… I'm just thinking about some things."
A deep hum ripped through him as her fingers raked through his tresses. Is this what it felt like to have someone… care? No one had ever done this for him before. He closed his eyes, his head falling back while she easily detangled knots he'd wallowed into his hair. It felt amazing.
"Things like…" She paused, wondering if she should even bring it up. Earlier, she told herself that she'd let him talk about it when he was ready, but the more she thought about it, the more it ate away at her. Why did she get the feeling it had something to do with her? "What was on that card?"
His face paled, but he kept his cool. So, she did see it. But, if that were the case, then she should know… right? If she did know, would she still be sitting there helping him? 'Let's not jump ta conclusions, here. Maybe she's just curious.' He had to lay his next words out right; she was getting dangerously close to remembering that night, and that was the last thing he wanted to happen.
"Why did you hide it?" She asked in a quiet voice. His demeanor altered a bit when she brought it up and his silence spoke volumes, letting her know it wasn't anything good. She tried to occupy her mind by combing through his mane, which was in much better shape than it was when she did it the first time.
"It just brings up shit I don't want ta remember," he replied with a sigh. He wasn't lying. He didn't want to remember his father disappearing from his life and leaving that damned charm behind. He didn't want to remember having it stolen and causing the death of himself and his loved ones. He didn't want to remember killing her to get it back. Though, he knew for a fact that if she tagged along with him on this journey to find his dad, she'd be sure to figure it out. He needed to change the topic. "That feels good, what yer doin' there, Shorty."
Levy raised a brow, his attempt in changing the topic obvious. Maybe this was something he'd be willing to talk about after he got closure from his father. It really didn't matter one way or the other to her. She'd gone this long without knowing the truth, she supposed she could wait just a bit longer. She looked at her hands, noticing she'd been playing in his hair so easily. Did he really like it? She wasn't paying attention. "Oh, yeah, it looked a bit tangled."
Internally, he sighed a breath of relief. He didn't expect her to drop the topic so easily, but he thanked his lucky stars she did. Did that only mean she was tucking the topic away for later? Would there even be a later? How the hell was he supposed to sleep tonight? "Do ya know how long we were sleepin'?"
"Hmm, I want to say a few hours, but it's still dark out," she replied, glancing through the crack in the curtains. "Why?"
He concluded that she was going to find out eventually, regardless of whatever happened between him and his dad. Should he just tell her himself? Better now than later, right? But what if she left? What if she decided to kill him herself? The possibilities were endless! 'So, I either keep lyin' ta her and she remembers sometime down the line, I tell her myself and deal with whatever happens, or I let her find out on her own when I go meet my dad… then deal with whatever happens.' None of those situations appealed to him in any way! Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if she decided to kill him.
"I was thinkin' we should just start headin' that way now," he suggested. His mind was running a million miles a minute and he started to overthink things. Though, the feeling of her fingers running through his hair was helping keep his self-destructive thoughts at bay.
"What?" She asked, bewildered. As if she wanted to stop playing in his wild mane. "It's still dark out!"
"Yeah, well, I ain't gettin' any more sleep anytime soon, so I figured we could just head that way. Kill some time."
"Wait a minute! What about me?" She asked, yanking lightly on a lock of hair. "I used up a lot of my energy trying to heal you; don't you think I need some rest too?"
Damnit, she was right. He was so caught up in how he was feeling, he didn't stop to consider how she was feeling at the moment. He sighed in defeat, 'I can't do shit right.' Of course, he'd let her get some rest… even if that meant staying up the whole time to sit in his own thoughts while she slept. "Yer right… I'm sorry."
"Hey," she said, now up on her knees with her hands moving to hold the sides of his face. He opened his eyes at the new contact, and she was met with a sad gaze. "If it's sleep you need, I can help you with that."
He stared as her face hovered over his. She was so beautiful, it felt like a sin to even look at her. "Ya say that, but…"
"Well, how does your head feel?" She asked with a small smile. "Does it still hurt?"
He shook his head. "Feels like brand new."
"If I can help with that, then I can help you sleep," she chirped, sliding his headband back and tying his hair with it. A look of confusion flashed in his eyes for a second before he realized what she was doing with it. "It will help keep your hair from getting too tangled."
He couldn't help but want to play in her hair as she was with his. Did he deserve it? No, but he decided to take advantage of her presence while he still had it. "What about yers?"
"Why? You wanna comb my hair?" She teased, poking his cheeks then sitting beside him with her back to him. "Go ahead."
He looked to his side, untamed blue waves hanging freely a little past her delicate shoulders. As he adjusted himself so he was now sitting behind her with his legs crossed, he mimicked her actions. His fingers combed through the ends of her hair then worked their way up. Her hair was so soft, he could tell she took care of it well.
Levy held back a silent giggle; he was being so careful! On the other hand, whatever he was doing felt amazing. He'd gone from focusing on her hair to gently massaging her scalp and she was practically purring… putty in his hands. "You're good at this," she all but swooned.
"Really? There's a first time fer everythin'." Her hair wasn't too tangled, but he wanted any reason to keep touching her. She'd done nothing but help him so the least he could do was treat her with the same care. As his digits traced patterns in her hair, his eyes wandered across every bit of her he could see. Her smooth skin was so pale compared to his. He was stained with scars while hers looked untouched. She was the picture of goodness while he… he may not have been quite the opposite of her, but he definitely wouldn't consider himself on the good side. They could never be together, anyway. An angel and a goblin? Who'd ever heard of that?
"I find it hard to believe that someone like you hasn't had a pretty girl to do this for." She was certain this couldn't have been his first time doing something so simple.
"Someone like me?" He snickered. "Explain yerself, Short Stuff."
"Well, I mean, you're pretty nice… and you're not bad looking. So, I figured…" She trailed off, unable to find the right words.
"I wouldn't say I'm nice," he drawled, letting his hands knead the muscles in her shoulders. "But I'll hafta agree with ya on the 'handsome' part."
Rolling her eyes, she shook her head in a playful defeat. He was so cocky, but it wasn't misplaced. In her eyes, he had every right to have a big ego and she was sure she only inflated it. This guy was hot, no doubt about it.
"I dunno," he continued. "They never stuck around long enough ta get this treatment. Not sure if it was 'cuz of my family issues or if it was my personality, but… in the end, I'm always alone. Aside from Lily, of course."
"Then they're stupid," she proclaimed. "Anyone who just casts you to the side like that doesn't deserve to have you in their life!"
"Gihi, I can't say it's all their fault, Blue," he said, brushing her hair to one side. His eyes followed the tips of his fingers as they brushed the marks on her neck. What were they for? A question that'd been in the back of his mind since the very first time he met her.
"Come on," she giggled. "You can't be that much of an asshole. I mean, you're really nice to me!"
"Only ta you, Shorty." He wondered how things would have gone if he would have met her back when they were both alive. Would they have gotten along, or would he have scared her off, too? Nah, she's out of his league; there's no way she would have been into him then, right?
'Only to me, huh?' Why did she get special treatment? Not that she was complaining, or anything. She rolled her neck to the side as he focused on a particularly tense spot. "How long would they usually stay?"
"A few months, maybe," he sighed. "It didn't matter ta me, though. I had more important shit ta think about."
A mischievous grin appeared on her face. "Did you ever get lucky?"
His eyes widened and his face flushed as she almost keeled over from laughter. She had a knack for pushing his buttons and it only fueled the fire. He grabbed her shoulders and leaned a gleeful angel back so he was now hovering over her. Roles seemed to reverse often between them. "Ya callin' me a virgin?"
Her whole body shook with jubilance as she couldn't contain herself. "Well, I don't see you denying it!"
"I ain't no damn virgin, Shorty!" He wrapped her in a bear hug as her joy consumed her. Why did she fit so well in his arms? Her hair danced around his face as she laughed, and that faint cinnamon scent washed over him. "Would ya like ta see fer yerself?"
Her head whipped around, determination in her hazel eyes. "You'd like that, wouldn't you?"
"Anyone would want a piece of this, so it's not surprisin'," he said smugly.
"Hmm," she put a finger to her chin. "Or is it you that wants a piece of this?"
"I think it goes both ways," he replied coolly, hugging her tighter and resting his cheek on the top of her head.
She exhaled as she rested her hands on one of the arms around her. Her lids were heavy as the familiar smell of metal he gave off relaxed her body. "I think you're right," she said with a yawn.
"Ya ready ta get some sleep?" He asked as she gave a small nod and leaned into him. If she fell asleep like that, he wouldn't mind. At least it would be one of the few good memories he'd have with her. He was totally convinced she'd kill him or leave him once she found out the truth. "Just stay like this, then."
Why was he so stubborn? She wasn't going to sleep while he stayed awake and drove himself crazy! Unwillingly freeing herself from his hold, she turned around to face him. "I told you I was going to help you sleep, stupid," she chided.
"Gihi! Help me sleep, how?" He asked, a sly, studded brow raised.
"Ugh! Not like that!" She swatted at his chest before laying down on her side. Patting the bed next to her, she extended a hand.
How could he go against this beautiful woman's wishes? She had him wrapped around her finger and she didn't even know it. He took her hand and laid on his side facing her.
"Why are you so far away? I can't help you if you're a mile away from me." She giggled as he blushed. She knew why he was keeping a distance between them, but so what? She was tired anyway, so she doubted she'd be awake long enough mess with him. He slid closer to her as she held the sides of his face again.
"Ya sure ya can be this close ta me all night?" He smirked. He had to keep himself from touching her any more than he already had. There was less than a foot of space between them and for whatever reason, he was hyper-conscious about everything around him. He asked her that question, but it was really more for himself.
"I'm pretty much just going to relax your mind," she said, ignoring his comment. This method was similar to what she did to heal him, only without the glow. She was silent as she worked, unknowingly outlining the studs on his face again. Why was she so fascinated by him?
He closed his eyes and let her do whatever she was doing, unaware that his hand moved to her waist. His mind was blank and the weight from his shoulders was lifted temporarily. As she promised, he could definitely see a deep sleep coming soon. Opening heavily lidded eyes, her dainty hands took up most of his vision as they traced the metal on his nose then up to his brows.
"How are you feeling?" Her voice was quiet, and her own eyes were getting heavier by the minute, but she wouldn't allow herself to sleep until he went to sleep, too.
"I'm feelin' tired, Shorty," he gave a sleepy smile as his hand moved to hold her wrist. His thumb grazed the markings on her wrist, noting that they were identical to the ones on her neck. He studied them; had he ever really looked at them before? "I've always wanted ta know what these meant."
"They're what connected me to the spirit world when I was alive," she said softly. She wasn't really too fond of talking about them, but they were apart of her, so it wasn't like she could avoid them. "That's one of the reasons why they were after me. Supposedly, if used correctly, they'd open up a portal… or I'd become the portal or whatever."
He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her wrist. "I'm sorry ya had ta go through that, Levy."
She closed the gap between them, wrapping an arm around him and burying her face in his chest. Whatever happened in the past didn't matter to her now. As long as he was by her side from now on… she'd be happy. "It's okay, it's all irrelevant, now."
He couldn't help but hold her close as she drifted off. He was relieved that he wasn't too far from falling asleep himself. Whatever she did, it worked wonders. Though, he knew how his brain worked, and that he typically would have the same recurring nightmares. Would his dark thoughts disturb him again?
He shifted so he was on his back, her body moving with his. He closed his eyes, wondering why life always came back to bite him in the ass. He was never really superstitious, but he truly hoped karma was on his side. Would she stay, or would she run? Would she hate him? Only time would tell.
Gajeel was the first to wake up; he'd been sleeping for the past week, so he wasn't really that tired to begin with. He sat up and stretched, feeling spectacular… Well, physically. To his surprise, he slept soundly through the night without any disturbing thoughts. He went to scoot off the bed when a loud noise startled him. 'Am I sleeping next to a fuckin' train, or somethin'?' He looked to his side, only seeing a mess of wild blue hair attached to a noisy face. "Gihi!" So, the little fairy was an angel but sounded like a demon when she slept. He didn't know people could snore like that!
He watched her for a few more seconds, taking in her odd sleeping habits. She said he was tossing and turning earlier in the night? She was literally sprawled out on the bed, almost sideways with the comforter halfway on the floor! Just another one of her quirks to admire.
He stood from the bed and stretched again, the pain in his ribs long gone. He definitely wanted to find a way to show his appreciation once this was all over… if he ever got a chance to. He stepped into his pants before pulling his shirt on, wishing he would have gone back to his bike so he could grab a change of clothes.
His mind was heavy with 'what ifs' and 'whys', and he was craving nicotine. He glanced over at the sleeping angel and made his way to the balcony, managing to slide the glass door open without waking her. 'Pfft. She sleeps like the dead.' He leaned forward on the railing, his elbows supporting his weight as he lit a cigarette, blowing smoke at the 'No Smoking' sign.
Today was the day. Today was the day he'd get to meet his father after so damn long. He had so many questions, so many things to say, so many tears to shed, both happy and sad ones. Thinking about it, he needed Levy to be there with him. He was going to need that mental support she was so great at giving. Perhaps his dad wasn't going to bring up the talisman. And if so, Gajeel figured he could find a way to talk around it. There were much more important things to discuss than that stupid thing.
He stared out into the dreary morning streets, people-watching as they continued about their morning routines. Did he ever wish he could live the simple human life? Yes. During his whole existence, his life has never been simple. What, with his earlier memories being filled with his parents arguing, fighting with his younger sister, and his older sister caring for him most of the time. He couldn't even achieve peace after death, for goodness sake!
He took another drag as he pulled the talisman out of his pocket and examined it, yet again. He'd grown so attached to the thing, but he had a feeling it wasn't something worth getting attached to. He still hadn't the slightest clue as to why it was a wanted item, but to be honest, he was slowly starting to not care. Nothing but absolute shit had come from having the damned thing and he was starting to wonder if he should just destroy it. Especially since it only reminded him of how awful his life was. He picked up on the soft rustling coming from the bed and shoved it back in his pocket before she saw him with it. Hopefully, after he met up with his dad, he could get rid of it and never have to think about it again.
"Gajeel…?" Her voice was thick with sleep as she propped herself up. "You know you can't smoke in here."
He turned around and grinned at the mess of an angel on the bed. There was no semblance of order to her; wild blue locks jutting out each direction, straps from her tank top askew, and somehow, one leg of her shorts had ridden up further than the other. Her eyes were barely even open, yet she was up and being herself. He took one final pull from his cigarette then stamped it out, now leaning back against the railing with his arms crossed. "So now yer a law-abiding citizen?"
"I'm an angel, stupid," she said, rubbing her eyes and swinging her legs over the side of the bed.
"Ya been up all of thirty seconds and the first thing ya say is that?" He poked.
She fell back on the bed and swung her feet. She definitely wasn't ready to get up, but she knew today was an important day for Gajeel. The sooner they got this done, the sooner they could move on with their lives.
"By the way," he said, going back inside and sliding the balcony door shut. "Whatever ya did worked wonders. I slept well fer the first time in a long time. Thanks, Shorty."
She smiled, happy that she was able to be of some assistance. She didn't mind taking care of him… not that he really needed taken care of or anything. "It's nothing, really. I like helping you."
She sat up, a bit more awake as she ran her fingers through her hair. She took in his appearance; he was already dressed and ready to go. "Oh yeah, I brought you a change of clothes. They're in my bag over there," she pointed toward the other side of the bed.
Everything she did for him was like a needle to the heart. She was so thoughtful and considerate, and he only felt like she was wasting it on a bastard like him. How could he not fall for her?
"Yer too nice ta me, Lev," he said, giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze as he walked by her.
She flashed into her next outfit, too lazy to do it manually. This time, she decided to wear black jean shorts and a black crop top. She wore knee-high black socks that made her legs look a few inches longer and slipped back into her black boots. She had a gut feeling she needed to cover her markings, so she put on her favorite wristbands and her matching choker.
When she looked up, her eyes were blessed with a magnificent view of his barely clothed body. He was stepping into his pants one toned leg at a time while the muscles in his back and shoulders flexed with each movement.
"Ya like what'cha see, Shorty?" He asked, turning his head to the side and giving her a half-smile. He threw his shirt on and sauntered over to her.
"Hmm, maybe I do," she replied just before he towered over her and gripped her chin with his thumb and index finger.
"Well, I'm all yers if ya take it."
He had some nerve! To think she could be swayed by such nonsense! She would not be the one to break first! Swatting him away, she stepped to the side and put her holsters on, then covered them with her shawl. She knew she couldn't feed into his foolishness or he'd somehow win, and she'd be left a flustered mess.
Gajeel scanned her attire, silently admiring how good she looked in just about anything she put on. She wore all black again and it gained his curiosity. "Why all the dark colors?"
"I don't really have a real reason, just what I was most comfortable wearing when I was alive," she said, gathering all of her things into a pile on the bed.
"I like ya better in color," he said, recalling that fresh memory of that burgundy set she just had on. "Don't get me wrong, ya look good in anythin', but yer too bright fer those dark colors."
"Well, maybe I'll switch it up for you, then," she blushed at his words as she nervously combed through her hair with her fingers. It'd been such a long time since someone showed genuine interest in her; it was nice to feel wanted.
"Start by wearin' this, then," he said, moving to stand behind her. He untied the red headband that kept his hair pulled back and let it hang loose as he gently smoothed her hair back. He then slid it onto her hair to keep it out of her face. He turned her around so he could straighten it out and fix any hairs that were out of place, letting side bangs frame her heart-shaped face. "Perfect."
He guided her to the mirror and stood behind her as her face turned a shade similar to the headband. She had to admit, she did look good in color. She also didn't look bad at all standing next to this goblin. In a way, their auras complimented each other. Aside from that, she didn't know if it was just luck that he managed to style her hair so well, but whatever it was, he did an awesome job. She'd never admit it out loud, but it looked better than when she did it! "It looks amazing, Gajeel! But what about you?"
"Gihi!" He laughed as she whipped around with wide eyes. "I have another one, Shorty. Don't worry," he said, conveniently pulling a navy-blue headband out of his back pocket.
Naturally, she took it from his hand and returned his kindness, doing the same for him. 'Too bad it isn't the same color,' she pouted internally. His hair was soft and still tangle-free from when she combed it the previous night, so it was easy to put it on. She thought it was amusing how he wore his hair almost exactly like hers; her headband was just pulled a little further back on her head. As she added the finishing touches, her eyes trailed down his face and landed on his lips. There was something… sensual about the current mood and the silence did nothing but encourage it.
He leaned down, not too much, but enough to invade her space. "Hey." His voice was soft and husky, and his red eyes watched her every movement… every facial expression… every emotion in her eyes. He didn't know what was happening, but who was he to question it? Her hands stayed in his hair as her eyes and mind were still elsewhere. "Hey," he said again, gaining her attention.
"Hey…" she trailed off, getting lost in his deep red eyes. 'If only I'd have met him sooner…' Before she was able to finish her thought, her brain short-circuited as he kissed her. She was stunned, but also eager. Not even thinking twice, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer as his hand buried itself in her hair. Why were they waiting to do this, again? It felt so right, it was as if she'd finally found her other half, her soulmate.
He sensed the weakness in her knees, so he wrapped his free arm around her small waist and held her to his body. Yeah, he wasn't going to last much longer around her. He couldn't resist capturing her lips as she stared at his, and it inflated his ego all the more when she pulled him closer. He could tell she wanted this just as badly as he did, so why were they torturing themselves, again? It felt so right, was she his other half?
His lips were softer than she thought, and it wasn't an innocent kiss, either. At first, it was sweet and to the point, but once she got into it, so did he. He nibbled on her bottom lip and swiped with his tongue, asking for entrance. Why on Earth would she deny him? She parted her lips slightly and he barged in with no hesitation. Their tongues battled for dominance but his was a wicked thing to try and catch.
He hummed in satisfaction seeing she was just as into it as he was, but they had to go soon, or he'd never get anything done. With great reluctance, he eased himself out of the kiss before it got too heated. 'When the time is right…'
He'd stolen her breath, and under hazy eyes, she looked up at him with lust. 'Wow…' Never had she been so swept up by just a kiss! Now, how was she supposed to keep herself at bay knowing how good it felt to be connected to him even in the slightest? She closed her eyes and leaned forward, wanting more when she was met with a finger to her lips.
"Later." Her pout almost broke him, but today was too important to him. He rubbed her shoulders and wrapped her in a hug. "We wouldn't get anythin' done, Shorty. But I promise we'll pick this up soon."
She nodded as he kissed her forehead. He was going to need that good energy for the day, and he hoped it'd keep him going; who knew what this meeting would have in store for him? Even though he was fairly sure it'd be a stressful event, he was still uncertain about how things would turn out with the whole talisman situation. He was confident enough that he'd be able to avoid the topic, but could he do it without raising suspicion?
He released her and watched her walk back to the bed and put away all their things in a trance. 'Did I break her?' He grinned, she was still hazy-eyed and quiet, likely still processing what just happened. He held out his hand, his grin turning into a smirk. "Ya ready ta go?"