please enjoy some gajevy fluff :) I figured we could use the breather!

(RAO HYUGA 18) I'm glad you liked it, it was pretty fun to write! I kind of experimented with this chapter and ended up making a lot of changes to the last half of it. hope you like it!

(LAVALILLY) I'm not sure why it keeps popping up like that for you, but perhaps it's a sign lol. give it a read, maybe you'll like it :)

Chapter Thirty-Three

Levy took a short walk through the park they spoke in before disappearing off to Lily's. After so long of wondering what it was for, she finally got her answer. But why did something so negative help her in the most positive way? Was it because she was soulless? The talisman kept the spirits from physically showing themselves to her… was it because it was the door to Hell? 'I wouldn't approach me either.'

She felt extremely… bad for Gajeel. He had to have been going crazy finding out such an awful truth. Would he have been in better shape if he never found out? Would he be okay if she gave it to them to destroy it, or if she destroyed it herself? She wondered how he was handling it, how stressed out he must have been. She wanted to be there for him, to protect him from those negative thoughts, to find the proof that everything would be alright.

She appeared in front of Lily's bar, surrounded by the familiar grey fog. It was quiet, as it usually was in this part of the universe. For the first time, she felt like this was a place that was more peaceful than Earth. She felt like she could breathe. Gajeel had to have come here to avoid all the mess that was piling up. How messed up could things have been for her to consider the spirit world more peaceful than Earth?

She stepped into the bar, the warm lights giving her the welcoming feeling she looked forward to. The space was empty, Lily was cleaning like he always was, and she had a hunch that Gajeel hadn't shown up yet. "Lily."

"Levy!" Lily was happy to see his blue-haired angel friend again, and he hoped she was able to find Gajeel with no issue. He smiled as she walked up to the bar. "How are things? Were you able to find him?"

If he wasn't there, then chances were he was at home… hopefully. She leaned against the counter, opting out of sitting. If she sat down and got comfortable, she'd end up spilling everything and most of it wasn't her information to spill. "I was actually stopping in to see if he'd been by here, but I guess he went home instead."

"I take it you found him?" Lily asked, drying a glass with a cloth.

"Yeah, but…" Levy trailed off, looking for the right words to say. "Other things kind of happened."

'Other things?' His curiosity grew and he began to try and come up with different scenarios of things that could have happened. "Care to sit?"

"I can't, I have to go talk to him," Levy said, contemplating just telling him everything. She knew Lily was Gajeel's closest friend and was going to tell him anyway, but… did she even want to take the time to go through all the details? "I do have a question, though."

"What is it, Levy?" He wondered what it was that was so urgent that she needed to speak with him. It only added to the list of possibilities.

"What's the difference between a portal and a door?"

"Hm," the reaper pondered for a bit. An interesting question to ask, and it gave him a small clue. "To my knowledge, a portal can only be used by certain beings or the being that opened it. There could be certain circumstances that come with a portal. It could limit the number of beings allowed to use it, and it's possible it could disallow certain beings from using it. It could also serve only as a one-way, which is generally the most common occurrence."

Levy figured one of those scenarios was what happened to the demon. They were able to enter and exit with no issue, but he said he was stuck down there. Perhaps the portal was opened in an attempt to escape, but why hadn't it closed? Maybe he couldn't close it?

"A door," Lily continued, placing the glass on the shelf behind him then turning back around to face Levy. "Is just that, a door. It opens for anyone, and all are allowed entry. Now, having the key to said door and knowing how to use it is another story."

It had to be destroyed. That's the conclusion she came up with. The talisman was far too dangerous to keep around, especially knowing the truth behind it. It just sucked it took this long to figure it out. "Thank you, Lily."

"No worries, Levy," Lily replied warmly. "Might I ask what made you ask that question?"

"Ah…" the angel scurried to the door, not wanting to stay any longer. She really wanted to find Gajeel. "Sorry, Lil. I'll tell you later!"

He chuckled as he watched her leave the bar in a hurry. A portal and a door. This must have had something to with the talisman, he was sure of it. What happened between the time she found him and now?

Levy appeared in front of Gajeel's residence, relieved when she found his bike outside the front door. 'Thank God!' She was worried that he ran off to do something he'd regret later, but seeing that he was home gave her peace of mind. How could she even console him, knowing the same thing he did? She could hold him forever, but she couldn't make that sort of pain go away… she hated feeling useless like this. She put herself in his living room, following his stronger-than-usual metallic scent to his room. "Gajeel?"

She rounded the doorway and found him sitting on his bed with his back against his headboard, all beat to crap! She had a feeling he got himself into trouble, but she didn't think it'd be this bad! 'That explains why the smell of iron is so strong.' Throwing herself onto the bed next to him, she grabbed his face gently, surveying the damage. "Gajeel! What happened? Are you okay?"

Gajeel couldn't speak. Not because he was incapable of talking, but because he was just entirely too weighed down with the truth. He thought it would get better once he knew. He thought he'd feel this incredible pressure being lifted from his shoulders, but instead… it felt heavier. Why him? Why couldn't he have just grown up like a normal kid? Why couldn't he seem to be in control of his own life? He felt like he was just a pawn in someone's sick game. The most fucked up part about it was the fact that apparently, the game wasn't over. Was Levy a part of this game?

Levy. He knew she'd find him eventually, and knowing her, she most likely went to Lily's first. He didn't stop at the bar, only because he knew he'd have to talk to Lily, and he really just wanted to be alone. He wasn't even sure he wanted Levy around… until she and all her brightness threw itself on the bed, overflowing with care and concern. All he could do was sit there in silence, defeated both mentally and physically. He stared at her as she checked out his face, the worry on her beautiful face only hurting him more.

"Lev…" He lifted the hand that wasn't mangled and rested it on one of hers. She'd already begun healing his face, so he was feeling a bit better… did she even belong in a life as fucked as his? "I'll be fine."

"What are you saying?!" Levy asked expressively. What did he mean, 'he'll be fine'? He was beaten up and covered in blood; he was in almost as bad of condition as he was when she healed him up the first time! She wanted to kill the bastard that did this! "Who did this to you?!"

He rested his head against the headboard, not wanting to relive the fight he had with his dad. He was in too much pain; he was sure he had a few broken ribs again. He was surprised he let him live, but he was grateful he was able to see Levy again. And when he told him that he was going to get out with or without it… those words rang in his head. His dad was evil. He was almost positive that he and Levy were the first ones on his list to kill when… if… he walked free.

He took in all the warmth and health she had to offer as she cleaned up his face. It felt really good to have someone care this much. 'This must've been what it felt like the first time she did it.' He watched her under his lidded eyes as she worked, fascinated by her overwhelming amount of care. He reached up, pulling gently on the red headband he put on for her and let it fall to the bed. Her royal blue hair fell messily around her face and down to her shoulders as she looked at him questioningly. She was the most beautiful being he'd ever known, inside and out. "I went back…"

His words surprised her; she wasn't expecting him to say anything. 'He went back?' She continued working on his handsome face as his fingers found their way back up to her wavy locks, getting goosebumps every time his fingertips grazed her scalp. There was something about the way he played in her hair that made her lose her train of thought.

"Ta see my dad…" he said as her hands faltered and fell to his chest. He watched her mouth fall open, unable to formulate words. He knew she'd disagree with his actions, but he needed to hear the truth from the source. He had all this misplaced anger toward his family, toward the fallen angels, when it should have been directed at his piece of shit of a father.

"Gajeel…" Levy really couldn't blame him. He had every right to be angry with his father. She couldn't even begin to comprehend how he felt. She took his hands, seeing the blades broken on one glove and a twisted hand in the other… he'd actually gone to start a really bad fight with his father! Quickly, she took the broken hand and held it against her chest right over her heart, healing it quickly. "I'm so sorry."

It wasn't her fault. None of it was her fault. Nothing would have changed the fact that his dad did what he did. He sat quietly as she used her energy to get rid of his gloves, most likely making it easier for her to heal his hands. Why was she so good to him?

As she held his hands against her, she looked at his blood-stained clothes, the damage reaching his baggy pants. 'This is crazy.' He really did a number on his own son! "You lost a lot of blood."

He grunted, agreeing with her statement. It was another reason why he was considerably weaker and unable to move much. His hands slipped from her grasp and fell back to his sides while her hands worked their magic and removed his tainted clothes, leaving him in nothing but his boxers. He was sure she was only undressing him to clean him up, but that blush creeping down her neck let him know she had other thoughts. He couldn't help but smile. 'Only a perv like Lev can think 'bout that stuff at a time like this…' but that's why he was so fond of her.

"I'm just trying to get the blood and dirt off of you," she said in a quiet voice. "So, don't get any funny ideas."

'Yeah, right,' he scoffed slightly. He knew better. He also knew that he did want to claim her. There was too much happening in the universe at the moment for them to keep denying themselves like they were. The next day was never promised, and he didn't want to regret not being with her. He didn't care if he was the one who lost the bet, he just wanted them to be one.

She was definitely experiencing some déjà vu, the only difference this time was the fact that he was awake and aware of everything she did! Before, she could heal him at her own pace and ogle him whenever she wanted without the fear of him noticing. Now, she had to pretend like there wasn't a delicacy right in front of her! She felt bad for thinking of things like this when everything was crumbling around them, but she couldn't help it! Even beat to hell, he was still a fine specimen.

She wiped down his chest and torso with a warm, damp towel as he watched her silently. She could have lost him. That demon could have killed him with ease, but the fact that he didn't alarmed her. Did he have a bigger goal? As long as they destroyed the talisman, they'd be in the clear, right?

After she finished up with his midsection, she went back to his worst hand, making sure she healed it completely. Unconsciously bringing his fingers up to her lips, she thought to herself, she could have lost him. The only being who she felt genuinely understood her. The only being worth her time. The only being aside from Lucy who gave her the time of day and was truly interested in her as a person.

She completed her inspection of his hands and brought her attention back up, putting her small hands on either side of his face again and fixing the rest of his visible injuries. She turned his head so that he was facing her, staring into his tired garnet eyes. She could have lost him. And what would she have to show for… whatever this was between them? They were too busy caught up in their own little game, as if the next day was promised. Why wait? She didn't care if she lost the bet, she just didn't want to regret not being with him in the long run.

He closed his eyes as she slid her hand down his face, healing his nose completely. She was so sweet with him, so caring, her love knew no bounds and he could feel it immensely. He appreciated that she did her work in silence; it gave him time to process his thoughts and give his mind a break. He felt a million times better after she finished with his hand and face, but he was still too exhausted to move.

He lifted his hand, fiddling with her hair again. There was something therapeutic about those wild blue waves. "I'm feelin' sleepy, Shorty."

"Then rest for a bit," she said, caressing his face before sitting up and sliding off the bed. A bag materialized in her hand from green wispy smoke, and she dug around in it, looking for something to sleep in. "I'm going to take a shower, then I'll heal your ribs afterward since that's what'll take the longest."

He was already halfway asleep by the time she descended into the bathroom. A small part of him was worried that when he woke up, it'll all have just been a really vivid dream. That thought scared him because that meant there would be no Levy, and if she were just some intricate fabrication of his mind, he wasn't sure he'd be able to stay sane. All he could do was hope she was there when he woke up.

Levy emerged after some time as she took her time in the shower. She let the hot water relax her and calm her down, but with everything going on, she was going to need a lot more than that. She left her hair hanging freely around her face as she slipped into a black tank top and a pair of small black shorts. It should have been comfortable enough for her to finish fixing him up while he slept.

Exiting the bathroom, she drank in the view of a goblin that was out like a light. He was propped upright, with his long, toned legs extended out in front of him. She guessed that would be as comfortable as he was going to get at the moment. Sighing, she hopped back up on the bed, kneeling at his side.

She combed through his hair again, getting all the knots and tangles out of his thick, beautiful mane while he slept. 'Wow, he's knocked out.' Her hands fell to his bare torso, the damage not nearly as great as it was when the Fallen got ahold of him. To her annoyance, the angling was a bit awkward for her hands to work properly. How could she do this? 'I guess I could…' She got closer to his face, making sure he was truly asleep before she made a risky decision. She poked his cheek to see if there was any reaction but received none.

"Gajeel?" She said his name softly just to double-check and when he didn't give her a response, she exhaled in relief. 'Okay, I can do this. I'm just healing him, nothing more, nothing less.' She sat up on her knees, lifting one and throwing it over his legs so that she was pretty much sitting on his thighs. In her eyes, it was the only way she could heal his torso comfortably.

Woah… he felt nice. He was firm beneath her and the feeling of his skin on hers was almost euphoric. If only she were a few inches further up his lap… 'Snap out of it, Levy!' She tapped her cheeks and squealed internally, forcing herself to keep a level head. Her hands rested on his chest, then slowly made their way down to his abs; she was never going to miss a chance to feel him up! Though, she was right in guessing that this position would be more comfortable. It felt more natural for her hands, so she'd be able to get it done faster than before. 'Yeah. That sounds like a valid reason.'

She was unsure of how much time had passed, but she was finding it incredibly hard to keep herself from getting distracted by the muscled man beneath her. Perhaps it wasn't such a good idea to straddle the guy she had the hots for. It took extreme concentration, but she was able to focus her energy on healing him. The only problem with that was that she was tiring herself out faster.

She took a break for a few seconds, sighing tiredly as she leaned against his chest. 'Just for a few minutes.' She figured she could sneak a cuddle from him while he was in a deep sleep, just to give herself a bit of a refresher. Unfortunately, she felt herself being pulled into her own deep sleep as his metallic scent encompassed her.

'No! Don't fall asleep!' She didn't even try to push herself off of him; she was too comfortable and her body just would not comply. She fought mentally with everything she had in her to keep from falling asleep, but he was too warm, too solid, and too familiar, and the combination of that and the homey feeling he gave her weighed her eyelids down. 'I guess this is my fate.' Her head rested beneath his chin and she was lulled to sleep by the sound of his steady heartbeat. She could only hope that she woke up before he did.

'Why am I so sore?'

To his surprise, Gajeel opened his eyes to find a blue-haired angel sleeping on his chest with her arms hanging loosely at his sides. And the way she was laying on him? This had to be a dream. And to make things more surprising, he'd wrapped his arms around her sometime during his slumber! What God did he appease to be blessed with such a treat? Though, that did explain why he was still a little sore.

She must have fallen asleep while she was trying to fix him up and didn't get a chance to finish completely. With the added pressure of her lying atop him, it caused him just a bit of discomfort. That still didn't give him an answer as to why she was on his lap… not that he was complaining, anyway.

He had a snug hold of her, his arms resting comfortably in the curve of her back as she slept. She felt entirely too good pressed against him like this. The way she fit in his arms like a piece to his puzzle, he could only imagine how he'd fit into hers. A thought he scolded himself for having before one of his hands started creeping up her back. 'Bare skin?' He lifted his head, glancing at what she had on. Contrary to popular belief, she clearly loved showing skin. Whether it be only with those she was comfortable with, or wherever she considered home at the time, it was something he noticed.

This time, she had on this black top that had thin straps and stopped in the middle of her back, and a pair of tiny black shorts that clung to her perfectly. His hand glided slowly up her back, lingering just below her shoulder blades as she shifted a bit. He stilled as she adjusted slightly, her hands roaming along his back unknowingly. 'Does she… know what she's doin'?'

Levy was having the best and most relaxing dream where she was in the arms of the person she adored the most. She didn't remember going back to Heaven, but she didn't question it one bit. She sighed contently as she wrapped her arms around him, her hands flat on his back as she smoothed them across his muscles. She hummed, feeling a calmness she hadn't felt in a long time. One of his hands found its way into her hair, and she found it comforting the way he gently raked through her wild tresses… she never wanted this dream to end. She held on to him tightly, as if it would keep the false reality from fading away.

A pained grunt came from beneath her and she froze, her dream slowly blending with what was really happening. Her eyes fluttered open and she was met with a bare chest, 'no, no, no! That was real?!' One of his hands was in her hair while the other was wrapped around her lower back, keeping her in place. When and how did this happen?! She vaguely remembered falling asleep, but it was only supposed to be a quick nap! And the way she was holding him? She unhooked her arms from around him and put her hands against his chest, pushing herself off of him when he tightened the arm around her.

"Shorty," he groaned, her movements accentuating the pain in his chest and ribs. "Stop movin'."

That's right! She was in the middle of healing him and fell asleep on him while he was still injured! She panicked, still trying to get the extra pressure from her body off his injuries. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to! Let me finish healing you!"

"Yer not helpin' by movin' around like that," he said, holding her against him to keep her from squirming. "Yer just makin' it worse."

"S-Sorry…" She let her arms hang loose at his sides, stopping herself from trying to break free from his hold. How embarrassing it was to be caught red-handed like this! Eventually, she accepted defeat, letting her head rest against his chest again. "I… didn't mean to fall asleep on you like that…"

Gajeel smirked, letting her get coaxed by the fingers he still had in her hair. 'She's so easy.' How did she end up on top of him in the first place? Why was it second nature for him to hold her like this? "Don't worry 'bout it."

She blushed madly, grateful that he couldn't see her face. She never imagined being held by him like this would feel so… right. But how was she supposed to explain why she was in the position she was? "I wasn't trying to be creepy or anything… I just figured this would be the most comfortable and fastest way to heal you."

"Gihi!" He couldn't hold back his laughter. Did she think he was born yesterday? She wasn't slick. "Comfortable, huh?"

"For my hands…" she said, her voice getting smaller when she realized he was poking fun at her. With a lie that bad, who could she fool?

"Oh, I see," he said, his voice laden with sarcasm. "Fer yer hands."

"I'm serious!" She knew he could see through her façade, but she couldn't just give him the satisfaction! She huffed, puffing her cheeks out in frustration.

He rubbed her back soothingly; he could tell she was getting worked up and he needed her to be calm. "Well, yer here now. Might as well stay an' finish the job."

She couldn't help but melt against him as he gently massaged her scalp with those magical fingers. How was he so good with his hands? How were they so big, yet so gentle? Her mind started wandering to what else those hands could do. "I don't think I can heal you pressed against you like this."

"I think ya can," he grinned, knowing she could hear it in his voice. "Don't be shy, Lev."

He was right, she could, but did she have the courage to latch back on to him like that while he was actually awake? It wasn't as if she intended on clinging to him! "Don't get any funny ideas!"

He let out his usual laugh as she timidly placed her hands flat on his back again. She could never help herself when it came to touching him; she always had to give herself a little extra. Her brain shut off as she dragged her hands across any surface of his back she could reach, appreciating every dip and curve of his muscles. He felt so nice, so sturdy… his skin was warm against hers and everything was perfect.

Gajeel hummed as she felt him up. He'd gladly let her do anything she wanted to him and his body, because he knew in the end, once their lust finally exploded, he was going to give her a run for her money. "Damn, Shorty. Tell me how ya really feel."

Again, her body acted on its own! 'What the hell, Levy! Get ahold of yourself!' Quickly, she corrected herself and began healing him as a soft glow came from her hands. There was no way she was going to make it through the day like this! "…sorry."

"I didn't say I didn't like it," he stated clearly, wanting his thoughts to be known.

Her cheeks darkened; she should have expected him to say something like that! But the good part was that she also liked it, as much as she didn't want to admit it out loud. Why wouldn't she like straddling the lap of the one who gave her the most confidence, the most happiness? How could she not cling to his very being? She adjusted her hands, positioning them in a different spot on his back. "How are you feeling?"

"Better than ya could ever know, Shorty," he said calmly, the hand in her hair falling to join the hand at her waist.

"And why is that?" She asked, trying to focus on anything other than the provocative position they were both in. She was also genuinely interested in why he seemed to be in a good mood with all that's happened.

"'Cuz," he sighed, now his turn to smooth his hands up and down her sides and back. "Yer here with me. Yer real. And yer all mine. That's all that matters ta me. Fuck everythin' else."

He could almost see the steam coming from the top of her head which amused him. He grinned; he liked making her all shy. "Also, a little fairy decided ta crawl on top of me and feel me up while I was sleepin', so that was a nice surprise, too."

What an ass! He knew she'd be awkward about it if he brought it up! Why he liked toying with her, she had no idea, but she was in control this time! 'I'm not gonna let him get in my head this time around!' Forgetting he was still a bit sore, she pushed the upper half of her body up with her hands, finally seeing his smug face.

He hissed in pain, but it wasn't too bad. Especially with the view he just got. She'd pushed herself off of his chest, now sitting upright on his lap. Her hair was kind of flat on one side from laying on it for hours, one of the straps to her top had slid down her shoulder, and that same top had ridden up crookedly from when he was rubbing her back. What a babe.

She sat up to give him a piece of her mind, but once she saw his face, the way he looked at her, the way his hands rested snugly on her waist, her mind went blank. Damn, he was handsome. And he looked like he wanted to eat her up… which she had no problem with. They locked eyes for what felt like forever, the sexual tension close to boiling over. 'So much for being in control.'

"Yer still gonna tell me ya sat on me 'cuz it was more comfortable?" He watched her under lidded eyes as his hands crept down her wide hips and stopped on her very thick thighs, squeezing gently. 'Fuck, that's nice…' What had he gotten himself into? "Or ya gonna be honest an' tell me ya wanted ta feel me?"

'Oh… my… God…' He was getting bolder by the second, and she was left speechless! The way his hands touched her so intimately left her wanting more. He finally admitted that he knew the truth behind why she was on top of him, but who's to say she couldn't beat around the bush just a little more? She looked down shyly, playing with the ends of her hair. "…it wasn't a lie when I said it was for comfort."

"Oh?" He raised an eyebrow, his signature smirk on display as his hands inched around her hips, lingering just next to her ass. Should he grab it? Would she hate it? Probably not. "So ya found my lap more comfortable than my bed?"

She knew exactly what he was doing! He was so obvious! And she didn't dislike it at all. If anything, he was moving too slow! She'd been wanting to ride him up his headboard since the very first time she met him! Unfortunately, he was injured… again, and she'd feel guilty if she pounced on him while he was in this condition. She already felt bad enough she fell asleep on him, but he didn't seem to mind in the slightest.

"…maybe…" She mumbled under her breath in a combination of not wanting to give him the satisfaction but also wanting to sit on his dick.

"Hm? I couldn't hear ya, Shorty," He teased, knowing exactly what she said. He needed her to say it again. Why? Because her response determined his next move, and if she was as tired of waiting as he was… He watched her roll her eyes and pout, finding it incredibly sexy and incredibly hard to not take her right then and there. 'Fuck it.' His hands slid under her thighs and continued up until he had a nice handful of her ass. A low rumble tore through him; it was so soft and bigger than he expected, and he didn't know if he was going to be able to control himself. He kneaded and squeezed, pulling her a few inches further up his lap and closing the gap that created the safe zone between them.

'Finally!' It was about time he made the first move! She yearned for his touch and craved the connection he was finally giving her. She loved how he switched from sensual to assertive in a heartbeat, a gasp getting caught in her throat when he completely disregarded those few inches of space she was trying to save and pulled her closer into him. She turned a shade of red when she felt… something pressing against her and it emboldened her. She leaned into him again, this time throwing her arms around his shoulders as his hands continued fondling her rear. She wanted him to touch her all over! She leaned her forehead against his, two hazy gazes meeting. "Touch me more."

"Oh, I'm gonna do so much more than touch ya," he smirked, grabbing her chin and lifting her lips into his.