Category: Romantic Fluff

Characters: Gajeel Redfox, Levy McGarden

Requested By: Anonymous (Tumblr)

Gajeel's boots made harsh scraping sounds against the landing as he staggered through the front door, the moonlight framing the harsh lines of his rugged form. He sluggishly pawed at the heel of one boot with the toe of the other until he could shimmy his foot out, repeating the motion with the other, not even bothering to untie the laces because he was so damn tired and it would take too damn long. He had only just shrugged through the door, but the simple fact that he was homed flipped a switch in his brain; the exhaustion had rammed him like a freight train, making him stumble around like a drunk vagabond as he attempted to shuffle over the landing. He grumbled under his breath as he fumbled around in the dark. It was late, at least two or three in the morning, and it was not his desire to awaken Levy.

Somehow, he managed to meander his way into the living room. With a loud groan, he just flopped himself over the back of the couch, allowing gravity to do the work so that he flipped over it to land in the soft, welcoming cushions. He was so tired that he didn't even bother with a pillow or a blanket. His muscles were aching and pulsing with overwork, so they gladly accepted the embrace of the couch and his mind instantly began to drift into a pleasurable slumber. His eyes had just managed to drift shut when he heard the soft pitter-patter of bare feet down the linoleum of the apartment hallway.

"Gajeel? Is that you?" Levy called hesitantly. Guess I wasn't quiet enough, he grumped.

"Yeah," he called out to her. "Didn't mean to wake you up." He had not the strength to even lift his head, so his reply was a bit muffled by the thick fabric of the couch. His sensitive ears registered the soft, almost childlike shuffling of her feet as she approached the small lamp situated on the end table and the click of the switch. His eyes twitched as bright yellow light blossomed in the room, sending the darkness fleeing into the nooks and crannies. He buried his face further into the couch, eyes stinging at the sudden brightness, as Levy tentatively walked around the side of the couch to look down at him. He could very well imagine her expression; he had seen it time and time again, blue eyebrows knitted together, pink lips slightly pursed, olive eyes round and wide with her hand clutched over her heart.

"Are you okay?" It was evident from the fact that he was face-planted in the couch with half his legs slung over the armrest that his mission had been arduous, to say the least, so sensible Levy skipped right to the important parts. His lips tugged upwards into a small smirk. Good call for him to fall in love with a smart girl who wouldn't pester him with useless questions.

"Yeah. Just tired." It was a gross understatement. "Tired" could run circles around him at this point. Laying on the couch had almost seemed to worsen his pain; all the energy spent on moving was now in excess, so his brain could only focus on the sharp, pulsing throb of his overworked muscles and the stinging scrapes and bruises dotting his body. Gajeel had completed the mission well enough, but even he wasn't too proud to admit that he had suffered an ass-kicking doing it. "Let's just say that the poster description was a little lacking," he sighed wearily to his beloved as she edged closer to the couch, her nervous glance sweeping him from head to toe.

"Gajeel…" He clicked his tongue at her saddened tone. That wouldn't do. Though his muscles screamed in protest, he rolled onto his side to wrap his muscular arms around her little waist. She yelped in surprise as he suddenly tugged her close, knees bumping against the cushions of the couch, and buried his face into her belly.

"I'm fine," he groused against her navel. Her body was tense from his sudden movements, but easily relaxed against him, embracing him into her warmth. Her small hands fell to begin teasing into his long, wiry black hair, drawing a contented hum from his throat. Levy gave damn good head-scratches (not that he would ever admit he enjoyed partaking in them to anyone else). Her nails scored thin lines into his scalp with just enough pressure to be pleasant, over and over again to tease apart the sweat- and grime-coated strands.

"You did a good job. My big, strong Gajeel," she cooed appreciatively. Gajeel smiled as he inhaled her scent, parchment with just the faintest hint of mint. He had no idea how the hell she could smell like mint when she stayed inside and pored over books all day, but she did, and it was always as refreshing as if he were smelling the aromatic leaves themselves. One of his hands began drawing abstract patterns into the back of her nightgown to the pace of her weaving her fingers through his hair. "You should come to bed. You're exhausted."

"Ain't movin'." More like he couldn't move. It felt like his entire body was weighed down with iron weights- and he knew a thing or two about how heavy iron was. If he tried to get off that couch, his ass would have to crawl to bed. Levy sensed this and giggled slightly, playfully muttering about how incorrigible he was. He dropped his arms from around her, expecting her to just go back to bed and leave him there to pass out on the couch; however, she instead pushed firmly on his left shoulder to make him roll onto his back. Instinctively, he adjusted himself to fit better, while Levy tucked one of the throw pillows under his head.

"You'll get cold out here," she remarked. Then, without warning, she threw one of her skinny legs over his to wedge it between his and the back of the couch, then climbed up on top of him, wrapping her arms around his thick middle and laying her cheek against his chest. His eyebrows quirked at her unprompted action, and then twitched his mouth as her blue hairs tickled the underside of his chin. As her thin arms wound loosely around his neck, his hands came up to gently hold her forearms. "Let me keep you warm," she sighed as she nuzzled the area over his heart before craning her head back to look at him with glittering olive eyes filled with far more love than he should ever deserve. He shot a breath of air out of his nose in a small snorting laugh before his face relaxed into a loving expression; his hands slowly ran over her arms until they arrived at her shoulders, where one of his hands rose to tease his fingers into her hair. As he played with the wavy strands while she hummed graciously, eyes drifting shut.

"You sure? This can't be comfortable."

"I'm sure. I'm small, you know. The bed is too big and lonely without you."

The cords of Gajeel's heart thrummed at her words. God, he never knew it was possible to love someone so much, and he fell more in love every single day.

"I missed you too, Lev," he murmured, dipping his head to drop kisses along the top of her forearm slung around his thick neck, while his hand continued to strum through her hair. Her small frame rose up and down with every breath he drew. She really was so small, compared to him, but she was far from a delicate thing. That's one of the many, many things Gajeel loved about Levy. "Thank you."

"Of course," she yawned, craning her neck again to blink blearily up at him with a sleepy smile. "I'll always be here for you to come home to." His other arm dropped down to her waist to grip it tight, pulling his up the length of his body until her face was hovering over his. Her little fingers skipped over his studded piercings, eyes glimmering as she admired his rugged face. "Just come home to me, that's all I ask."

"Always," he promised in a solemn whisper. She molded into him as her face dipped down to meet his lips in a sweet kiss. He swept the chunks of blue hair that fell into her face, tucking it behind her ear as he held the side of her head to hold her in the passionate moment. As he kissed her, the woman who held the whole of his heart in her tiny little hands, Gajeel thanked his lucky stars that he had such a wonderful place- and person- to come home to.

He fell more in love and thanked his lucky stars every single day. Every single day, because it was far, far more than he deserved.