A/n THANKS, Mechine! Your support is special for me.

Guest, thanks for correction.

Task 5: helping friend (Part 1)

"You did what?" Lily asked incredulously, his glass of kiwi juice paused halfway to his mouth. Exceed eyed Gajeel with disbelieving look, unsure if he had heard his partner right. Gajeel was occupied chewing on iron gears, piles of which were now accurately placed along the far end of their dining table and didn't bothered to swallow before talking. So his speech was a little indistinct right now.

"Invited her to come with me." Slayer repeated, face emotionless as a stone.

"Gajeel," 'Patience, Lily, patience' Exceed remained himself. The man's lack of manners was astonishing, he didn't know the simplest things. "You can't invite people to events where you had been invited to. This is improper."

"Why?"

It wasn't a mockery, he really didn't understand.

'Patience!'

"Because you are guest yourself. Guests aren't supposed to choose who should or should come to the event. It's privilege of the host."

Iron Mage just shrugged.

"Stupid rule. Won't be harm to change it. Shorty's small, so she won't take a lot of room or food, besides she knew tons of facts about this land: history, culture, tradition and such shit. I'm sure your Queen will be glad to talk about all this with her."

He stated it as if all this was settled and resumed his chewing. Lily opened his mouth and silently closed it. He knew that it was pointless to reason with Gajeel on basis of decorum requirements, so he decided to approach from other side.

"Do you understand that such invitation may lead to some consequences?" Black cat cautiously began. "Levy may have some ideas or… expectations, like viewing you as her date and expect appropriate behavior from you."

Gajeel's cheekbones turned a little red and Lily quickly added. "It's understandable that you didn't think about it. Don't worry, I convey your apologies and no harm will be done."

Exceed made a move to go, but Gajeel's hand stopped him.

"No, I…I want…be. I thought… opportunity… she'll see me… different… not as usually at guild… mean only fighting… something other… I want her to see… I can be… different … she…"

Lily understood his partner. After making decision to establish a team with him, former commander actually made efforts to get to know person with whom he from now on was going to work and live. It wasn't fast or easy, because Gajeel was especially good at creating unreadable faces and hiding his emotions, even those that did not need to be hidden at all.

But Lily was observant, persistent and liked to solve mysteries, combination that guaranteed him success, and by present time he was able to see most things which Gajeel tried to hide under his cold and reserved attitude. Otherwise there were no chances he would decipher man's current rumblings. But as it stood black cat easily comprehend what Gajeel was trying to explain, which means he had to make a choice:

- disregard his own and general decorum rules and help his friend

or

- insist of keeping propriety, pretending to be insensible and deaf.

Not easy choice as he also had a person whom he wanted to impress. And that person, due to her rank, would hardly ignore such waywardness and violation of etiquette rules.

One look at his partner though and Exceed's mind was settled. He was older, more experienced and, the most important, he loved his arrogant rough friend. And he knew, oh, he knew very well what's going on in Gajeel's heart now, it was so obvious.

Lily smiled softly: "You really like her, right?"

Little later in the guild

"Luce, Luce, what I just heard!"

Lucy let out long groan, she still felt exhausted and cann't look at her teammate without having some rather disturbing thoughts.

"Please, Natsu, I had enough yesterday."

"It's not about my pants."

'Gods!'

"Listen, it's about Metal Face! So ridiculous, you'd never guess!"

"All right, Natsu, just tell already!"

"I just overheard his talk with Lily!"

"AGAIN?"

"Yeah!"

'Oh, Gods! Oh, Gods! Oh, Gods!'

"Funniest thing I ever heard. Just imagine, Rusty Brain said that he likes Levy! I heard how he said that he likes her!"

"What?"

"WHAT?"

Lucy's rather timid whoop was matched by much louder one, uttered by Fairy Tail Speed Mage. Neither of them noticed when he had arrived, but now he was standing near their table and gaping, eyes directed at Fire Slayer and filled with indignation, jealousy and anger.

"You heard correct? There is no mistake, Natsu?"

"Cause not, Jet, did you forget Dragon Slayers have super senses? Such absurdity, right? Want to see Levy's face when I'll tell her this!"

"No, Natsu!" Jet quickly interfered: "Don't tell her!"

"Why?"

"She might be scared. Or offended. Or…"

Jet's mind wasn't as quick as his legs, unfortunately, and Natsu burst into laughing.

"Common, man, Levy spent more time with Metal Face that anyone else in the guild. She is very kind to him and that's why it's so funny! Scared? Pffff"

"Embarrassed!" Jet at last picked up right word "She will be embarrassed."

"So what? Still great fun!"

Speed Mage cursed inwardly, when Natsu settled his mind on something, the task of dissuading him required much more creativity than Jet possessed. But he had to prevent it, he had to protect his Levy from this iron jerk!

'Oh' idea struck his mind, he turned and left the guild at his full speed.