Nostalgia
"Come on, Levy!" Lucy held the door to the bar open for her friend, who was definitely taking her time.
"I'm coming, I'm coming!" She called, gingerly climbing the damp stairs in her spike heels. "Why couldn't I just stay at home?"
Lucy just smiled, grabbing her reluctant friend and quickly dragging her to the bar to order their drinks as the strains of a guitar being tuned could be heard over the buzz of the packed bar. Levy turned to the stage, eyes growing wide as she saw exactly who the band was
"Lucy!" Levy hissed at her friend, face flushing. "You knew? And you still dragged me here?" She was furious, because on the stage in front of her were some faces from her past, including him.
Lucy just smiled innocently, waving to the pink haired guitarist. "Of course, you never would have agreed to come if I told you!" Grabbing her still blushing friend, Lucy made her way over to the stage, dragging Levy along with her. "Let's go say hi!"
Levy just groaned, steeling herself for what was about to happen as they reached the small stage
"Natsu! Told you we'd make it" Lucy said brightly as she leant up to quickly kiss the pinkette.
"Never doubted you, Luce" he said, wrapping his arms around the smaller blonde. "Hey Levy, long time no see. Love the hair".
Levy smiled back, self-consciously touching her cropped blue hair. "Hey Natsu. It's great to see you again!" She laughed awkwardly as she shrugged. "Liberal arts college will do that to you"
The trio were saved from any further awkwardness when a tiny woman with long indigo hair launched herself at Levy with a high pitched squeal.
"Levy!" She tackled the petite bluenette, wrapping her arms firmly around Levy's waist.
Levy laughed, gladly returning the tight hug. "Wendy! I'm so happy to see you!"
The smaller woman pulled back, smoothing down her top. "We're about to start". She squeezed Levy's hands as she saw their lead singer making his way over to them. "We'll catch up later!" With that, Wendy skipped off just as a tall, raven haired man stepped into Levy's view.
"Gajeel" she breathed.
He looked good. Better than she remembered, actually. Tall and heavily muscled, his hair had grown out, sitting well down his back. Levy caught herself wondering to herself if it would be soft against her fingers. Shaking herself free of her thoughts, she offered him a small smile when her enormous amber eyes met his crimson ones.
"Hi".
"Gihee, hey Shrimp"
Levy's heart stuttered at the use of the old nickname. "You look good, Gajeel. The new jewellery suits you" She gently touched her own lip, wondering if her knew that her own piercings were done with him in mind.
"Like yer hair. Can we, y'know, talk? Later?"
Levy just nodded. "Break a leg"
Levy had collected Lucy, and they'd taken their seats at the bar along with their friends. She was trying to focus on the conversation happening around her, answering questions whenever they were directed at her, but her attention kept wandering back to the band currently performing, and more specifically, their lead singer.
She was shocked to see Gray, their keyboardist, jump down from the stage and dart over to their group. He smiled quickly at his girlfriend, before grabbing a very shocked Levy and tugging her along behind him.
"Gray! What are you…"
"Just trust me, and get up there" he interrupted her protest, quickly pulling her up to stand at the back of the stage.
"We got a treat for yer t'night" Gajeel spoke into the microphone, looking out into the crowd. "The woman who co-wrote the song that started it all is here. Shoul' we see if we can git her ta help us out?" The crowd cheered, and Levy could hear her friends hollering, as Gajeel turned to her with a soft smile. "Please?"
The request was so quiet, she almost missed it. Levy never could say no to him, so she reached out and took his hand. It was soft against her skin, the fingers strong and calloused from years of playing. It felt warm, and right, and Levy had to stop herself from pouting when he pulled free to hand her a microphone.
Levy closed her eyes, taking a few deep breaths as she stepped forward to stand level with Gajeel, her nerves making her hands shake as the familiar chords sounded. She tapped her foot in time, and felt her nerves completely dissipate when he smiled at her. Inhaling, she replaced the microphone in its stand and, wrapping her hands around the stand, she started to sing.
"Your eyes were covered in sunglasses when they first met mine. I sat there and stared at you, you didn't seem to mind"
It was their song, their story together. Levy could feel her repressed memories come rushing back as Gajeel stepped up to sing in harmony with her.
"The awkward ways we meet. First comes heavy breathing, staring at the ceiling. What will happen next, I don't wanna know. I don't wanna know".
Levy stood back slightly as Gajeel started singing "I never cared how I dressed before, but I cared that night. Anticipation ran through my bones, and my clothes never fit right".
She felt like a teenager all over again, the awkwardness of being smaller and younger than everyone, the thrill of being noticed. And Levy noticed, just as she had the first time, just how attractive Gajeel was, causing her heart to skip a beat. She took a steadying breath, wrapping her hands around the microphone as she began to sing.
"I can't wait till we meet again. First comes heavy breathing, staring at the ceiling. What will happen next, I don't wanna know. I don't wanna know".
Levy took a deep breath, hands tightening further on the microphone, her knuckles going white as she sang through her memories.
"Framed pictures start to be put on the walls, constant visits while I'm out on the road. It's hard to leave sometimes, but you know where I lay my head at night".
She found herself blinking away tears as she remembered their relationship from those days. Gajeel and the band on tour, flying visits whenever she had a break from school or work. She'd cherished those stolen moments, the quick taste of him keeping her sane on cold nights when she was alone. Shaking her head clear of her thoughts, she stepped up, ready to sing out her feelings.
"First comes heavy breathing, staring at the ceiling. What will happen next, I don't wanna know. I don't wanna know".
The last strains rang out from Natsu's guitar, and the crowd was suddenly cheering and whistling. Levy turned to leave, but was stopped by a large hand on her arm.
"Thank you" was all Gajeel said, his voice rough and quiet enough that no one else would have heard. Levy smiled in response, and leant up to kiss his cheek.
"Come find me later". And with that, she was off, weaving her way back to the bar and the safety of her friends through the cheers and high fives of the crowded club.
The rest of the night passed in a blur, Levy focused mostly on the scotch and dry in front of her, ignoring the remarks from the other patrons. Thankfully, her friends knew to leave her to process her feelings in peace. And then the band announced their last song.
"This is fer someone special, I hope they know who". Gajeel drawled, locking his eyes with Levy. "Sorry I waited so long".
Levy's eye's went wide as they started to play.
"The needle on my record player has been wearing thing. This record has been playing since the day you left with him".
'Oh no', Levy thought to herself. 'He can't have written a song about that'. She swallowed audibly as all their friends heads swiveled to look pointedly at her.
"No more long rides home, no more of your station. I didn't like it anyway".
She blushed, remembering all the times in school, before he got his license, that he would her home just to steal a kiss at the front gate. She looked up to find his crimson eyes locked on her face, stealing all the breath from her body.
"Remember the time we wrote our names up on the wall? Remember the time we realised Thriller was our favourite song?"
Levy couldn't help the small smile that stretched across her face - he was definitely singing about their relationship, no doubt about it.
"Have I waited too long? Have I found that someone? Have I waited too long to see you?"
She couldn't tear her eyes away from his. His usual stage presence had been stripped away, leaving him standing completely still, looking open and vulnerable to her eyes. It was completely at odds with the fast pace of the song.
"Maybe its for the best. Maybe it's not for anything. It wouldn't be so bad, to take this right from me".
She had known he'd taken their breakup badly, but looking at the barely concealed hurt in his eyes, Levy could practically feel the pain rolling off him in waves.
"No more long rides home, no more of your station. I didn't like it anyway. Remember the time we wrote our names up on the wall? Remember the time we realised Thriller was our favourite song?"
Levy picked up her glass with shaking hands, feeling incredibly self-conscious that he had penned a song about their relationship, and was now performing it in a bar in front of, not only her, but also all their friends. She quickly drained her glass - Levy had a hunch she was going to need all the courage she could get, liquid or not.
"Have I waited too long? Have I found that someone? Have I waited too long to see you?"
Levy smiled at Mira as she set a fresh drink down in front of her with a wink.
"How many times I've tried. It's simple to you, so simple to lie. How many times I've tried, blatant mistakes of your design".
The bluenette gasped audibly at the anger behind his words. Was that really how he felt about her? She risked a glance back at his face, and saw only sadness and regret in his deep crimson eyes.
"Have I waited too long? Have I found that someone? Have I waited too long to see you?"
Gajeel shook some stray locks of hair out of his eyes, smirking when he saw Levy being to unconsciously play with her lip ring.
Levy flushed at the smirk, feeling heat pooling in her belly at the familiar expression.
"I've had so many chances. Turn my back and run away. I've had so many chances to see you".
The bluenette blinked as the song ended, surprised to feel wetness on her cheeks. Gajeel mouthed something at her - she thought it looked like 'I'm sorry' before turning away. Levy took a deep breath and downed her drink in one mouthful, before sliding carefully off her stool and dashing into the, thankfully empty, ladies room. Splashing cold water on her face, she cleaned up her slightly smudged eyeliner and looked herself dead in the eye in the slightly grimy mirror. 'Quit being a wimp, McGarden. Get out there and show them how much you've grown!' Satisfied with her reflection, she squared her shoulders and strode back out into the bar.
"Hey Mira, let me take those up" she called to the blonde behind the bar, snagging the tray of drinks to take to the band, who were currently in the process of packing up, now that the majority of the bars patrons had moved on for the night. "Natsu" she handed off the guitarists fire whisky. "Some things never change"
Natsu just smiled as he took the glass from her. "And some things change a lot". He waved his hand to encompass her figure.
Levy just smiled, moving to deliver the rest of the drinks, leaving them on amps and stands for the rest of the band.
"Levy!" Lucy's voice was bright as she called to her friend, currently en route back to the bar with a now empty tray.
"Yes, Lu?" Levy groaned inwardly, even as she kept her voice happy, dreading what the blonde was about to say.
"Well, Natsu's finished loading his gear, so we're going to head out. Will you be okay getting home?"
She knew it! Her traitorous friends were determined to get her and Gajeel alone together! Hiding her annoyance, Levy just smiled at her friends. "Of course! It's only around the corner. Go! And don't do anything I wouldn't do!" She laughed, and with a wink, pushed them towards the door.
Levy turned back, taking up her seat at the now empty bar, gladly accepting the cold beer from Mira. She would have been happy to just sit quietly, nursing her drink until last call, but Wendy had other ideas, and came bounding over next to her.
"Levy! I haven't seen you in YEARS! Tell me EVERYTHING!"
Levy couldn't help but smile, Wendy's enthusiasm was as infectious as ever. "I know, I'm sorry. But after everything, well, you know..." At Wendy's understanding nod, she took a breath and continued. "Well, I finished school and did some travelling. Got my degree in linguistics, masters in anthropology. Now I'm waiting to hear about my phD, sent my dissertation in a few weeks back".
"Wow! And I had to get my high school diploma via correspondence!" Both girls laughed at that, until Wendy wiggled her eyebrows at the older bluenette. "And boys?"
Levy blushed, taking a deep drink from the bottle in her hands to try and disguise it. "Uh, not really. I actually haven't had a real relationship since..." She trailed off, using her beer bottle to gesture over her shoulder at the stage where Gajeel was finishing the bands bump out.
"Ah! Well, neither has he. I don't think he's had anyone at all, if you know what I mean". Wendy giggled, grinning when a young man appeared next to her. "Romeo! This is Levy". Wendy slid off her stool, moving to wrap her arms around the boy. "Lev, this is my Romeo" She glanced over Levy's shoulder, spying Gajeel heading in their direction. "And we're going!" She kissed Levy's cheek, before dragging Romeo off with her. "Call me!" She yelled before disappearing.
Songs -
I Don't Wanna Know - New Found Glory
Hit or Miss - New Found Glory