Where we've been

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2019

Levy McGarden was a very routine-oriented person. She always had been since she was a teenager. From the smallest detail to the biggest, she planned it all out. But what she didn't plan for was the sudden and unsuspecting death of her father, who'd been a huge positive influence in her life. His death ruined her. When she got that phone call from her mother that one fateful Thursday morning, her whole world was turned upside down.

"Levy," her mom said through the phone. "I'll be going back home to plan the funeral there. You are more than welcome to stay here if it's too much for you."

"Mom! How could you even suggest that?" Levy exclaimed, shuffling papers on the desk she kept in front of the window in her study.

"I only say that because of your job, honey. Will they let you take an extended bereavement?"

"Come on, Mom. I'm the best in that office. They'd let me take a year if I needed to. Besides, I've been there three years now, so I have a bunch of paid time off accrued."

It was true. She was the best in that office. She was hired on while she was still in college because they were impressed with her record, not to mention the fact that she had to write a short essay in a different language to even be considered for the position. Not many people that she knew of could do that.

"You never take time off. This must be a foreign feeling to you. Your paid time off rolls over?"

"Not technically, but the payroll supervisor owed me a favor, so she's been keeping it on the down low." She wasn't fond of getting special privileges, but she figured this would help her in the future… for times like now.

"Ah. I smell nepotism."

"Cut it out, Mom. I don't lord my high rank over anyone, you know this." Levy stared through her window at the company car she kept parked in the driveway. The button to her garage didn't work and it was too much of a hassle to get out and open it manually. 'First world problems.'

"Aside from that, how are you taking things? I know it's rough without Dad."

"It was only a week ago, dear. Of course, it's rough. But I'll manage."

"You can come over whenever you need to if it gets lonely," Levy offered.

"Oh, no. I wouldn't want to impose on you and Jet. But I appreciate the offer, darling."

Levy shared her condo with her boyfriend Jet. They'd gotten together during college and had been together for a little over a year. It was an okay relationship, not the best, but whose relationship was perfect? She was comfortable. She sighed and rolled her neck. "You would never be imposing. First off, I have a spare room, secondly, this is my condo. If I want to let my mother stay with me indefinitely, I can."

A sharp exhale sounded from the other end. "Things not going well?"

She could always tell when something was amiss. Sometimes it was a good thing, other times, like when she didn't want her mom to be nosy, not so good. She leaned back in her chair and twirled a pen between her fingers. "I wouldn't necessarily say that… it's just the usual, you know?"

"I get it, dear." There was shuffling in the background, along with the sound of liquid pouring into a glass. "Well, the funeral is in two weeks. Make whatever preparations you need to. I'll be flying out on Monday."

"Send me your flight info. I'll book the same one," Levy said, opening her laptop to check for the cheapest flight.

"I hear you typing over there, probably looking for a cheap flight, but you should really do something nice for yourself. Especially in a time like this."

"So, you expect me to fly first class?" Her mom always treated her like she was made of money, but there was a reason she had a surplus of funds! She didn't spend it!

"You have the money for it, why not?"

Levy thought about it briefly while looking at the price difference between coach and first class. It's not like it would break her pockets or anything. "I don't know. I'll think about it."

"Give yourself a break. You deserve it. You've worked so hard."

"I know, Mom."

"On the bright side, you'll get to see Gajeel again!"

"Alright, gotta go!" Levy hated when she brought him up. It only made the unwelcome pit in her stomach present itself just like it did every time she thought about him. She regret the way she left. She regret not keeping in touch or at least writing to him. She figured it would only complicate her delicate life…

"Oh, come on. It's not like he'll hate you." She heard her take a sip of whatever she was drinking. "He's such a nice young man."

"People can change." Levy had to put an end to this conversation. She knew he wouldn't hate her, but knowing him, he was definitely hurt. She couldn't stand to see him hurting. "But anyway, I gotta go. I want to get as much done as I can before I leave."

"Hm. I'll talk to you later. I love you."

"I love you too, Mom."

Gajeel Redfox was a man in his late twenties with an easy life and an attitude problem. He was always so… unhappy, and he couldn't figure out why. He was never a happy-go-lucky guy in the first place, but he wasn't this angry at the world. What changed? His dad was always telling him to not be an ass like him, but all he saw in his father was a great man. Why wouldn't he want to be like him?

His dad was a little older than most fathers with sons his age, so at the ripe age of twenty-four, he was given the keys to his dad's mechanic shop since it was becoming a little bit of a hassle. 'Old man couldn't handle it, huh?' It wasn't anywhere near a hassle for Gajeel, who took the keys with no hesitation and ran the shop flawlessly.

He still lived in the house he grew up in, and didn't plan on leaving the island anytime soon… well, the thought crossed his mind every time he thought about his long-lost best friend, but he hadn't the slightest idea where she moved to. He knew the general area, but he wasn't about to go and try to hunt her down. If she wanted him to find her, she would have kept in touch.

He was still extremely hurt.

But he had to move on.

It took him years to even think about her without that sinking feeling in his stomach. It took him years to even think about another girl. And when he finally got his first and only girlfriend, she ended up leaving him because of how much he talked about her.

It was unintentional, but the love he had for her was still there. Because once you truly love someone, you never stop loving them, right? He shouldn't still feel the way he did. He didn't know if she was even still the same Levy he fell in love with. It was just tucked deep inside his heart, so he never had to confront it… until he looked at the lock screen on his phone.

He had a picture of the two of them in their teenage years set as his background, and sure, it was a crappy picture; it was taken with a flip phone! But it didn't matter to him any, the memories were fond all the same.

Luckily, he didn't look at his phone often. He was always so consumed with work at his shop, working overtime to make sure everything was perfect.

A trait she'd left with him. A perfectionist. It was a good one.

He only considered himself one when it came to working on cars or bikes, but a perfectionist, nonetheless. For example, he'd been at his shop now for almost eleven hours working on a wrap that had been causing him problems since the day began. But he wasn't going to give up! It just happened to be a part of the exterior that had a lot of weird grooves, and he'd already gone through more than he should have.

He started out as just a mechanic, but he decided to add car wrapping and window tinting services not too long ago. He made a lot of good, easy money from it.

"Sorry," Gajeel said, walking back to the lobby and chewing on a toothpick. Earlier he called the customer and told them the car was almost ready, but he definitely misspoke. "I know I told ya I was almost done, but apparently I saved the trickiest part fer last."

"Are you going to have to keep it another day?" The customer asked.

"Yeah, I'm gonna have ta have my other guy tag team me on this, but since ya been waitin' fer a while, I'll give ya half off yer next service. Just see me directly." He really hated wasting people's time, so he tried his best to accommodate.

"Thank you! You've been such a big help."

"Not a problem, I'll even throw in a detail fer ya," Gajeel said, heading over to his computer.

"You detail cars, too?"

"Not officially, but it's a service I'm gonna add."

"I really lucked out when I found your shop, thanks!"

"Yeah, no problem."

Gajeel didn't understand how he was feeling lucky when he's been waiting forever on his car, but he did pride himself on exemplary service, so maybe it worked in his favor. It was the only good quality he felt he had.

The evening progressed and he found himself on his way home. The shop was close, so he didn't need to drive to and from. He needed a drink. It was a long day, and he loved to unwind with a Jack and Coke to help put his intrusive thoughts at ease. Why was he so down in the dumps lately? He looked up, the mountain was smoking. He hadn't seen it smoke since he was young. 'Let's hope it's just another fluke.'

He rounded the corner to his street; he could see his cousin sitting on the porch waiting on him to show up. 'Ah, what does she want? I really wanna be alone right now.' He wasn't really in the mood for any spiritual talk, but he couldn't just send her away. It wasn't like she'd listen, anyway. As he approached his house, he tossed his toothpick into the street and dug another one out of his pocket, sticking it in his mouth. When did he pick up this tick?

"Gajeel! Do you know how long I've been waiting?"

"Juvia. Why are you here?" He sat down on the steps next to her. "I had a long day."

"Don't be rude. I'm just here to hang out with my cousin. What's the problem with that?" Juvia asked, watching him stare at the house across the street.

Gajeel stayed silent, watching the empty house that was only a stone's throw away from him. It'd been like that ever since she left, and he was always rudely reminded of it every time he stepped outside. No wonder he couldn't get over her.

"It's been ten years. You have to move on eventually."

"Whaddya mean?" He looked at her, baffled. "I'm completely fine."

"Are you, though?"

"Yes, Juv. I am. I'm completely over her." Even he knew it was a lie. "I was just a cringey teenager, nothin' more, nothin' less."

"You say that, yet you've had her on your lock screen ever since you got a phone." Juvia could see clear as day that his obsession with her was still prevalent.

Again, he stayed silent, just staring straight ahead. He could have sworn he saw the curtains in her room move, but he truly thought he was going insane. Why would she be there? Just like Juvia said, it's been ten years. And if she were there, he'd be even madder at her for not letting him or his dad know she was there!

"It looks like you want to be alone, so I'm going to head inside." Juvia stood and went inside, feeling sad for her cousin. She really hoped he'd find a way to get some closure soon. He couldn't continue living like this.

Gajeel grunted in response, thankful that she caught the hint. For some reason, he didn't want to tear his eyes away from the house across the street. Something was even urging him to go knock on the door, but everyone on that street knew the house was empty. How crazy would he look if he started knocking on the door of an empty house?

That is until he saw a light turn on.

His eyes grew wide and he bolted across the street, running through the front yard and up the porch. His hands were trembling; was he about to see her again?! This had to be a dream!

He lifted his hand and curled it into a fist, knocking hesitantly. What was he going to say if he saw her? He was so mad at her, but he missed her a million times more. He longed to see her face, to hear her voice, to see that pretty blue hair. Perhaps he could finish what he started all those years ago.

He heard footsteps getting closer to the door, was his hearing always this good? He put one arm against the frame of the door, slightly leaning into it. His knees were weak. 'God what the fuck is wrong with me!

Levy dreaded it, but she had to go back to her childhood home to collect a few things. Her parents still owned the house, but it'd been empty for so long, she didn't want to sleep there with all the dust that would have likely occupied the space. She kept telling her mom to sell it now that Dad was gone, but she refused, saying she might actually move back in now that she was alone. Neither she or Levy wanted to leave the island in the first place.

Levy had her reasons for not wanting to go back there. Well, one reason. And it was all because of Gajeel. She knew he still lived across the street, and she knew he probably wouldn't want to see her because of how she left him. He was probably pissed. All for good reason, she supposed. She was pretty shitty for ghosting him like she did, and because of that, she felt she didn't deserve to even see him ever again.

But her mom really wanted her to grab a few things, so here she was, in the house she'd spent almost sixteen years of her life in, praying she could just get in and out before he noticed her… if he was even around at the moment.

She ended up reminiscing and rifling through her old dresser, seeing old papers and schoolwork. She even found a few photos of when she was a baby. 'Why did I leave these?' In the midst of her fond thoughts, a rapid knock on the door sounded and she jumped, not expecting anyone to even know she was there!

Her immediate thought was it being her mom, coming to pick her up and take her back to their hotel. 'She must have forgotten her key.' Shutting the drawer, she left her room and went to the front door. Why was she feeling antsy? She flung the door open and was met with a taller, much older, and a much more gruff-looking Gajeel, and he was just leaning forward against the door frame! Seriously! He was a giant, now!

She took a step back in pure shock; she wasn't expecting to confront this right now! And he was a persistent guy, so there was no getting rid of him! Not that she really wanted to.

He invited himself in, opening the screen door and taking one large step into her space. The look on his face and in his eyes broke her. He was still so hurt, she could tell, but when he took her into his arms with no hesitation, it threw her for a loop. His arms wrapped around her tight, a hand sliding into her hair leaving her all wide-eyed.

"Levy… I missed ya so damn much…" His voice was quiet and filled with emotion. He couldn't deny this at all. She was still the same Levy he remembered, her hair smelled the same, she was nearly the same height, she still had those huge doe eyes he used to see in his dreams. The main difference was that she'd grown into her body, and he could very much tell with her against him like she was. She felt good. And when he hugged her, those feelings he tried to suppress came back raging.

He felt good.

He felt good about telling her what he wanted to tell her a decade ago. There was nobody else but her, now and forever. But again came the issue with finding the right time to tell her, because… there was a reason she'd come back, that much he knew.

She just stood there in disbelief as he got reacquainted with her. Wasn't he angry with her? Didn't he resent her? He hugged her like he never wanted to let her go, and he smelled so good… he must have just finished work or something because his natural musk was making her weak. Did he always have that effect on her?

She timidly wrapped her arms around him, he felt good. Better than… 'No!' Even though they hadn't seen each other in so long, he was still just her friend. Nothing more, nothing less. "Gajeel… I'm sorry…"

He pulled away, his hands on her shoulders and his red eyes staring into hers intently. He knew exactly what she was apologizing for, and he was honestly over it now that he saw her again. He was just glad she was okay and seemingly doing well. "Stop. I ain't mad anymore."

She peered up at him, taking in his expression. He was telling the truth. "I shouldn't have—"

He stopped her with a finger to her lips. "I promise ya, Lev. I ain't mad. It's okay."

Her eyes watered with guilt, she really shouldn't have left like she did, but maybe now they could rebuild their friendship. "I never forgot about you."

"Me neither." Gajeel finally stepped away, not wanting to scare her off with his plethora of emotions. "Not a single day went by where I didn't think about ya."

She couldn't help but hug him again, happy that he didn't harbor any negative feelings toward her. It was really a weight off her shoulders. Once she pulled away, she mimicked him, holding his shoulders. "Well? Let me get a good look at you."

He smirked and stepped back, shoving his hands in his pockets while Levy gave him a once over. It felt nice to be looked at by her. She could do whatever she wanted to him and he wouldn't mind in the slightest.

Levy looked him over, nodding in approval. He might as well have been at least half a foot taller than he was ten years ago, his jet black hair was still wild, but now it looked thicker and met his lower back. He had small piercings that lined his ears and took residence all over his face, which would usually put her off, but they really suited him. A lot. He seemed to have picked up a habit of chewing toothpicks, but she supposed it was better than the nail-biting habit she remembered him having. He was a lot wider and thicker, like he'd taken up working out as a hobby, and he had a tattoo poking from under the sleeve of his tee shirt that she was dying to see. 'Why do I want to see it so bad?'

"Ya like what ya see, Shorty?" He asked, amused. He was over the moon that she liked what he had going on. Maybe he had a chance.

She blushed at the old pet name he gave her. She remembered hating it, but now… why did it make her feel funny? "You look good, Gajeel. I'm glad you're doing well."

Was she oblivious? He was trying to flirt, here! Clearly, he had some effect on her, and it was annoying that she was ignoring it. 'Not on my watch.' He threw an arm around her and sighed, nonchalantly trying to be as close to her as possible. It was nice that they still had that same level of comfort between them. "Same here. I'm happy yer alive an' I'm happy ya came back."

"Well, I didn't come back by choice, to be honest," she said, a sudden sad aura coming from her. "My dad died a little over a week ago, and my mom wanted to plan the funeral here."

His heart dropped for her. He knew how close she was to her father. She must be taking it rough. But if she was anything like she was ten years ago, she didn't want to talk about it, she only wanted to get her mind off it. She wasn't one to express herself much, and he knew if he got her to hang out with him, it would make her feel better.

"Damn, Lev…" He took her in for another hug and he felt her melt into it. He rubbed her back soothingly; he had to cheer her up! "I'm so sorry."

"It's okay," she replied, thankful for his comfort. She missed this. "I don't really want to talk about it, though."

"I know."

There was silence while they indulged in one of the longest hugs they'd ever shared. She really wanted to just go back to her hotel room to rest, and he just wanted to do whatever it was that would make her content for the time being.

"Hey, how'd ya get here? The driveway's empty."

"My mom dropped me off. She's supposed to be coming to pick me up in a bit," she explained, the vibrations from his voice soothing her. She really missed her best friend.

"Tell her not ta come," he said, pulling her toward the door. "I'll take ya wherever ya need ta go."

She followed him outside and across the street, seeing a really nice bike in the driveway. It was even better looking than Jet's. 'Oh! Jet!' She hadn't thought about him since she left and returned to her hometown. She really needed a break from him, and it was to the point where she decided to stay for two months.

"Is that your dad's?" She asked curiously.

"Nope, mine." He dug his keys out of his pocket and threw a leg over the bike, sitting and turning it on. He gave her a sweet smile, patting the seat behind him. "Get on."

"Me?" Levy was wide-eyed, looking around for whoever he may have been talking to.

"Who else?" He chuckled.

She'd never ridden a motorcycle before, and she'd always wanted to, but Jet… She approached the bike and sat behind him, in awe at how surprisingly comfortable it was. He started the engine and it roared, making her all giddy and excited. Well, she was glad her first bike ride would be with Gajeel. It was the perfect thing to rekindle their relationship.

"Alright, Shorty," he said, backing out of the driveway. "Ya gotta hold onta me tight."

She knew that much. She did as instructed, holding on to his midsection while he zipped down the street and around the corner. She didn't even tell him where she needed to go, so he must have had something else in mind. Fine. She was in need of an adventure, anyway.

He weaved through traffic on purpose. 'Diabolical, I know.' He wanted her to hold him tighter. Every time he took a turn, she'd squeeze, and it was an amazing feeling. He wondered if she knew the provocative way she had her hands on his chest, or if it was her being harmless. Either way, it was amazing to be this close to her again.

He took her to a new spot in the mountains he found a few years ago and they spent hours catching up on their lives and getting to know the new them. They were both pleased to see that nothing major had changed between the two of them, only their age. That familiarity was still there, that immense level of comfort was still there. Really. It was a crazy thing. It was like they were never apart.

After a while, he took her out to eat and they talked some more. Gajeel learned that Levy went on to get a degree in Linguistic Anthropology and got a really good job that provided her a car and a phone, and she'd been there for three years. He learned that she didn't really have much of a life outside of work since what she did was so time-consuming, she often worked at home, too. He learned that she liked to watch scary movies and read books in what little downtime she had, and he kept that in mind, thinking of little movie dates they could have while she was there.

Levy learned that Gajeel went to school to be a mechanic, and that he took over his dad's shop a few years ago. She learned that he wanted to eventually open a shop that catered specifically to motorcycles and possibly expand his business. She learned that he'd only gone on a small handful of adventures since she left since he had no one as interested in them as she was.

Levy was suddenly happy she came back home and that she was staying for as long as she was. He did a fantastic job of keeping her distracted and not pissing her off like a certain someone… She was also happy that she splurged on her own room and didn't share one with her mom. That way, she could freely talk to and hang out with Gajeel without her being nosy.

After she showered and wound down for the evening, he did the same, asking if he could use the shower and spend the night with her to finish catching up and to keep her company during this tough time. Why would she tell him no? There was no way she was sending him away after finally coming back! The only thing that sucked about it was the fact that she'd leave him again in two months.

She was laying on the bed on her stomach and facing the television looking for something to watch when he emerged from the bathroom. She looked him up and down, he had on a pair of basketball shorts and no shirt! She stared at the tattoo she so desperately wanted to see. It was an intricate dragon with all sorts of grayscale shadings and started on one side of his chest and covered his shoulder, curling down and around his bicep. It was a beautiful tattoo, and she really wanted to see it up close. 'Wait, what?'

He came out of the bathroom and saw her laying on the bed in a white tank top and what looked like the same red shorts with the white hem that she used to wear when she was a teenager. Only this time, she was curvier, so those shorts hugged her just right and stopped right at the bottom of her… 'wait.' Why was she staring at him all wide-eyed? He looked down, nothing was out of the ordinary. Was she surprised that he was shirtless?

"What? This too much fer ya?" He let out a deep chuckle as he approached the bed.

Was it? She shouldn't have been bothered by it but… She smiled at him sheepishly and he took the hint and walked over to his duffle bag, pulling out a black wife beater. He threw it on and somehow, she was even more bothered than he was without the shirt! But she'd keep those thoughts to herself.

"Better?" He asked, plopping down on the bed next to her.

"Much."

That wasn't a lie.

"Good." He stretched out, lying on his stomach next to her and focusing his attention on the screen in front of them. "Ya find anythin' ta watch?"

"No, I've seen all of these!" Levy whined, letting her head fall onto her forearm. "Maybe we can just talk tonight until we fall asleep."

"Remember the times we used ta fall asleep on the phone?" He reminisced.

"Those were the days, for sure." She rolled onto her back, letting her arms extend off the bed above her head. "So, is there anything else that's new with you?"

When she rolled over onto her back, he had to bite back the urge to notice the way her nipples were poking through her shirt. He's wanted to get in that for years, and she looked even more delicious now than she did then. He faced forward again, swallowing his lust for her before answering. "I dunno. Like what?"

"Oh, I don't know," she rolled onto her side, propping her head up with her hand. "Like, have you dated anyone?"

"I tried ta date a little, but it never worked out," he answered quickly, omitting a little bit of the truth. He wasn't going to tell her it was because of her that he couldn't date. "Last relationship I was in was almost… two years ago?"

"Well, that's on them," Levy said with a sigh of relief. Why was she relieved that he was single? It wasn't as if it were the same for her. "Their loss."

"I like things this way. One way or the other, I'm glad I didn't end up with any of 'em. I like ta keep my options open." He flashed her a toothy grin, hoping she'd catch the hint. She was on her side now, so he got the best view of the curve of her hip. He really hadn't the slightest clue she'd be this shapely as an adult, though there were definitely no complaints on his end. But before he could get his hopes up any further, he had to ask the dreaded question. He faced forward, unable to look her in the eye while he asked.

"Ya seein' anyone?" It was a question he regret asking because the relaxed, content vibe he got from her vanished. Why did she tense up so much?

She sighed heavily, laying on her back again and staring at the ceiling fan. "Yeah."

His stomach dropped when she answered. Of course, she'd be dating someone. She was a smart, amazing human being. They'd been apart for ten years, why would he expect otherwise? He had to keep his disappointment under wraps to avoid making her uncomfortable.

So much for getting lucky.

To be fair, he hadn't planned on trying to seduce her but if the opportunity just so happened to present itself… He cursed himself for his impure thoughts, annoyed that they only got dirtier with age. She was in mourning, here! 'Stop tryin' ta fuck yer best friend!' She was taken, anyway. Although, she didn't seem too happy about it.

"Ya don't sound too confident," he wanted to know what guy managed to snag her, and why she clearly wasn't feeling good about it.

"Yeah, I mean… he isn't too bad, you know? I just needed a break."

"A break fer two full months," he clarified. No matter how she spun it, taking a two-month break from your significant other was not normal. And even more so not normal for her. As far as he remembered, she was a little on the clingy side, not that he minded in the slightest. But aside from that, people should want to spend most, if not all of their time with their significant others. At least, that's how it should be in his eyes.

"I know, it sounds terrible," she sat up and faced him, crossing her legs. "But I promise, it's not so bad."

"Hm," Gajeel wasn't buying it. He knew her. He knew when she was lying. He knew when she wasn't happy. And she wasn't happy with him. But what could he say? He had no right to offer his opinion. Not to mention the fact that she was going to be leaving him again in two months. Could they even be together? "Then tell me 'bout yer boy. What's he like?"

She sighed again, staring at the long, dark hair that flowed down his back and some off his sides. Seconds later, she found her fingers fiddling with small, wild locks. "His name is Jet, and we met in college, and at the time, he worshipped me. We got along, but we don't share very many interests."

"Then why'd ya get with 'em?" He couldn't ignore her playing in his hair. He wished she'd run her fingers through it. 'Fat chance.'

"I guess I liked the idea of someone thinking so highly of me." She didn't know she felt that way until she said it out loud. She groaned, falling backward on the bed. Why was he so good at getting her to be true to herself?

That made him feel some type of way. He thought the world of her! He wished he would have confessed sooner. He shouldn't have waited so long to muster up the courage. Maybe things would be different, now. Maybe he would have followed her when he turned eighteen and waited properly for her then. She liked the idea of someone putting her on a pedestal? He could do that, and then some. No problem.

"What's wrong with that?" He asked, rolling over and putting his hands behind his head.

"Nothing, really. It's just that… he changed. He's not what he used to be, but I'm already invested."

Wow. He couldn't believe his ears. "So, yer settlin'?"

There was a brief pause while she put a finger to her chin in thought. There he goes again with making her be honest with herself. "Yeah. I guess I am."

He sat up quickly, prompting her to sit up and see what his commotion was. There was no commotion, just him being surprised at her blatant honesty. Well, she'd always been honest like that, so he shouldn't have been so shocked, but the fact that she knew she was settling?

"Why?" He asked her straightforwardly. "Yer worth more than that."

"I don't know," she shrugged, rubbing her arm and looking away sheepishly. He was disappointed, she could tell.

"Lev," he fought back the urge to take her hand. "I'm serious. If yer not happy, then leave him."

"I'm… comfortable…" she mumbled under her breath, unable to meet his eyes. It was true, she was comfortable, and she didn't like change. She knew it was a lousy reason, but perhaps she was with him just to pass the time. She wasn't looking for anything or anyone else and he was convenient.

Gajeel scoffed, not even bothering to delve into that topic. What for? Yeah, she was the only thing that occupied his mind now and forever, but she wasn't staying permanently. In two months, he'd be lonely again, and she'd be thousands of miles away.

And he didn't plan on leaving the island. Ever.

He wasn't going to chase after a taken woman. Maybe under different circumstances, like if she were single, he might consider it, but this? He had more respect for her and himself. He'd wish her happiness, but the petty side of him refused to do so. And it was only because he knew she wasn't happy. Why would he wish for her to continue settling as she was? He only wanted what was best for her, but if she was going to knowingly date someone who wasn't… 'Whatever. She'll figure it out eventually.'

"Well, whatever. Just know whenever ya go back, ya can call me or text me ta vent if ya need it," he offered. He'd be there for her forever. "I'll always listen. I'll even take a flight ta come beat some ass if ya need me."

"I might take you up on that," Levy smiled. It was nice having her best friend back.

"Ya gotta keep in touch this time, though," he said. "Maybe we can get together fer our birthday again."

Levy perked up; the thought of visiting home again for her birthday never even crossing her mind! She pulled one of his arms from behind his head and clasped his hand in hers excitedly. "That sounds like an amazing idea! I could come visit you every year!"

He couldn't help but think her excitement was incredibly cute. "Lookin' forward ta seein' ya, Shorty."

She supposed she could get used to that nickname. "I'll keep in contact this time around."

"Promise?" He sat up and gave her a half smile before holding out his pinky.

Without hesitation, she locked her pinky with his. "Promise."