A Milestone Reached
Try as he might, Lily could not find Levy! He panicked internally, Gajeel was going to rip him a new one! He needed to find her, fast! As far as he knew, her train arrived at least ten minutes ago, so where was she? He flew above and below the trees, looking for a tuft of blue hair, or trying to pinpoint her energy, but he couldn't! He wished he had strong senses like Gajeel did… 'Darn it!'
He couldn't risk anything happening, so he flew back to the house at top speed to find him sitting on the porch. Landing at his feet, he stopped to catch his breath. "Ga… Gajeel…"
"Where is she? I don't see her with ya, Lil!" Why was he even sitting outside, anyway?
"I can't find her! I'm sorry, Gajeel," he panted a few times. "It's like she's vanished!"
Gajeel stood, sniffing the air around him. He literally didn't know what he was talking about, he could smell her clear as day! "Fuck's wrong with ya, cat? She's comin' from that direction."
Lily looked in the direction he was pointing, astounded that he could pinpoint her! "How did you do that? I'm telling you; I can't sense her at all!"
"I dunno but go get her! It's dark!" Gajeel went back inside, deciding not to sit and wait on the porch like a creep. He'd wait on the couch instead. Why was he waiting in the first place? It was as if life couldn't continue without her there, which was absurd since she was the absolute worst!
Instead of flying, Lily decided to walk in the direction he said she was coming from and hope to run into her. How strange. It was as if she'd shrouded her energy! But… if that were the case, then Gajeel wouldn't have been able to find her, either!
"Lily?"
Lily turned to the side, Levy was right there, thank Gods! "Levy! I was worried for a second, there! Let me take your bags."
"Worried? For what?" Levy handed him one of the heavier bags, the one with her new books. She was successful in finding a few on dragons and their origins and couldn't wait to dive into them! Though it was probably going to take a while since she had her hands full with this job.
"Well, I went to the station to meet you since it was the last train of the day, and I couldn't find you, no matter how hard I tried. You blended well with the trees."
"Oh, that," Levy remembered that she wanted to test this out! It worked on Lily, but how could she test this on Gajeel? "I wrote a rune to cover my energy as a test."
"A test?" Lily asked. Now, that was curious. "Well, you've definitely succeeded in fooling me!"
"That's good, then," she said, thinking for a bit. "That explains why you were just walking around aimlessly!"
"I'll say! If it hadn't been for Gajeel, I wouldn't have found you."
"Wait… he sensed me?" So, it didn't work. Well, it worked, but not on the right person! How?
"I went back to see if he could sniff you out, and he sniffed you out immediately," Lily said, stroking his whiskers. "Though, it is odd since you hid your energy. This is something worth looking into."
"I agree," Levy said, taking in the serenity of nature as they walked through the trees. After being harassed all day and being surrounded by nothing but people, it was a nice way to wind down for the evening. She already knew which blanket she was going to take to the couch when everyone was asleep!
She looked at Lily, who appeared to also be in his thoughts. "What's on your mind, friend?"
He pondered, wondering if it was alright to tell Levy about his task to go to Hargeon. He didn't want to reveal too much, but perhaps she could shed some insight. "It's kind of a big deal, but it's also sensitive information. I'm wary of how much I should share with you."
"I understand," she replied honestly. He was the king's knight; she was sure he had a lot of behind-the-scenes information.
"I want to tell you, Levy. I really do," Lily spoke the truth. "You probably have insight that would be useful, but…"
"You can trust me, Lily," Levy smiled at him. Really. She was great at keeping secrets. And she was kind of disassociating herself from the world right now, so she didn't have anyone to talk to except for Lily… and maybe Gajeel, but she was sure Hell would freeze over before they ever spoke on good terms. "You're the only one I'll be talking to, nowadays."
She was right, and besides, he and Gajeel had complete trust in her. Even if he didn't want to admit it. Would he get mad if he told her about their plan? Maybe he could be vague. She wasn't the type to pry, so he could likely get away with withholding information. "Well, there's someone I need to get in contact with in Hargeon, but I'd have a hard time getting in. They're in no position to write, so I have to go in person to try and meet them."
"Oh! I can get us in!" Levy perked up immediately at the thought of being able to help. "I've completed a few jobs there, and they recognize me from my studies, so they know I like to browse their library from time to time. I have special access~!"
"Levy, that might just be the most helpful information I've gotten in a while. I will have to keep that in mind." This was amazing news! If she could get in, he could hitch a ride in her bag and scope out the place! How would Gajeel take it? Even if she could get in, it was still dangerous, and he probably didn't want to put her in the slightest bit.
"I'd be happy to help any time! Just let me know when," she chirped. She'd never turn down an opportunity to travel! And it was because of how tight the security was that it was an interesting town to study! Maybe – and this was a long shot – maybe she could eventually talk to Gajeel about some ideas on how to clean up those streets.
"I appreciate the enthusiasm," Lily said, a friendly hand on her shoulder. "But this likely won't happen for a few months. Something like this takes time to plan."
She nodded in understanding. This was probably a job given to him by Gajeel, so it was important to prepare properly. 'Well, we have all the time in the world, I guess.' She looked ahead and felt her mood improve when she saw the house in the distance. The soft glow coming from the windows gave it a warm feeling. Relaxation was in the near future! First, she'd wind down with a bath and a book, then she'd curl up in bed and wait for them to go to sleep, then she'd claim her spot on the couch and catch up on her shows in peace.
She had it all planned out!
To Lily's surprise, Gajeel wasn't sitting outside like he was before. Would he be mad if he turned down his offer to drink? He was tired from practically stalking Levy all day, even though it was with good intentions. "I think I'm going to turn in for the night, Levy. I'll put your bag in your room."
"Okay. Thank you, Lily," she said as he walked up the porch and into the house. "Have a good night."
"You as well, Levy," he disappeared up the steps, leaving the two of them to their upcoming interaction.
Levy had to give herself a pep talk before going inside. She didn't know why, but she was nervous. He was probably sitting there on the couch, waiting to berate her for missing a day and being an incompetent teacher. Ugh! He sucked! She sighed, planning to just make a beeline to the stairs.
Gajeel couldn't care less that Lily breezed by him and up the steps. He was annoyed and brewing in his frustration. Why was she just standing out there like that? She needed to come inside and face the facts and explain why she was gallivanting around Magnolia with a man! He almost wanted to go and confront her, but that wouldn't make her like him… not that he cared!
But then… she walked through the door and paused, and he paused. And it was as if he couldn't control his own body as he stood from the couch to go and tower over her, approving of how strongly she stood before him. His nose twitched, his face twisting into a scowl. "Ya got a man's scent on ya."
When Levy walked into the house, it was brimming with his energy! So much that it made her stop in her tracks! She wasn't looking at him. No, she was looking anywhere but at him, but she could feel him looking at her. Then he decided to try and intimidate her by approaching! Absolutely not! She finally faced him, standing her ground against this… this behemoth!
He scowled at her, it was an intense and electrifying look that made her body act in betrayal again! He hovered over her with ease, their eyes locked onto one another's, and his scent was so strong, it was almost sedating her! Then, he told her she smelled like a man, which was weird because she wasn't around another… oh.
Freed.
He was all over her, all the time, so it made sense as to why his scent lingered on her. But… why the hell did Gajeel care?! So, what if she smelled like a man! It was her life; she could do what she wanted! "So?"
"Tch." Gajeel didn't have a valid explanation for why he was ticked off, but it didn't stop him from acting on it! "Is this why ya wanted ta skip today? So ya could go whorin' around Magnolia?"
Her mouth dropped; how could he say that?! "Whoring around?!"
He realized he was being a little harsh, but he already said it and there was no taking it back. "Yup, I said it! Yer too busy hangin' around men ta do yer job and fulfill yer obligations ta me! Is that why yer late?"
Late? Ugh! He had it all wrong, and she wanted nothing but to clear her name! But why…? She didn't care about what he thought! She poked him in the chest, making him back up a step. "For your information, I can do whatever the hell I want! Who are you to stop me?! If I want to go and hang out with a guy, I can!"
"So, ya admit it?" He smirked condescendingly. "I knew it! Ya told me ya were gonna be back before it got dark, instead, ya were on a date, or whatever!"
"No! You've got it all wrong, just like you get everything all wrong!" She huffed, putting a hand on her hip. "I just went to the library, he likes me. Not that I need to explain myself to you!"
Gajeel stared at her for a bit. She was drop-dead gorgeous right now. Something about her berating him was really hot. Was he a masochist? Maybe. "Do ya like him?"
"I dunno," she shrugged, calming down as quickly as she got fired up. "He's not bad, and he's really nice to me whenever he sees me… but I don't think he's my type. Why do you care?"
That was a good question. But for some reason, he was relieved! "Ya stink!"
"What?" She looked at him, annoyed. "You stink!"
"No, I'm serious, whoever he is, he's got a bad scent. I hate it. Take a bath!" Gajeel demanded, turning her around and ushering her up the steps.
"Who do you think you are?! Telling me I stink all the damn time! I really can't stand you!" She said that, yet she let him put his hands on her shoulders and escort her upstairs. She liked the way his big hands felt on her. It was definitely more pleasant than Freed's touch! "Rude!"
"No, what's rude, is ya comin' back here smellin' like another man!" He said, turning on his heel to go back to the couch.
"Again, I don't see why that matters, but whatever, Gajeel." She muttered, heading into her room and stopping in her tracks for the second time that evening.
She let her bag slip off her shoulder as she stared at the desk in awe. It was beautiful! The craftsmanship, the sturdiness, it was amazing work! It was an amazing addition to her room, especially since she needed to organize her things! But wait, she knew Lily didn't do this, so that meant… she looked at the books that looked to be semi-organized in a rush attempt to make it look decent. He did this… for her?
Well, she still didn't like him! Giving her a desk wasn't going to magically make him a nice person!
She closed her door and couldn't help but investigate the fine details of this masterpiece. He… actually built this! And in such a short amount of time! She thought she remembered seeing the beginnings of it when she first met him in his shed! He used his magic to create this, she felt it emanating softly from the wood as she ran her hand across it. Did he embed his energy into this desk? Her fingers danced on the desktop, admiring the work. She could tell he really took pride in his craft.
Just like she did.
She stripped out of her clothes and prepared for her bath as Lily's words rang through her head. The ones telling her that she and Gajeel were more alike than she thought. But she could never be selfish enough to let a whole town of people suffer. She could never be selfish enough to slaughter thousands of people.
But it was weird.
If he told her he didn't kill all those people… she'd believe him. If he told her he wasn't letting the people of Hargeon suffer on purpose, and that there was a reason to it or a plan in the midst… she'd believe him. Because it pained her to think about it, but she didn't get the vibe from him that he was that bad a guy. Sure, he could be petty, but so could she! Maybe there was some truth behind Lily's words. He seemed to vouch pretty hard for him.
But, ugh! There was just something about the way he pushed her buttons, she literally could never see herself having a decent conversation with him! He was so…! And the way he kept blasting his energy at her was frustrating! She felt like she'd been acting weird because of it!
She wrapped a towel around her body and tiptoed to the bathroom. She could hear the lacrima-vision going downstairs. She really hoped he decided to go to bed soon so she could be alone. She stepped into the warm water, the antsy feeling from earlier long gone. Looking through the small window slightly above her, she sighed. She really felt at home in this environment.
Gajeel put back a few beers after he sent her upstairs, happy that she was getting that awful smell off her! Why did it bother him so much? Aside from that, he no longer felt antsy or the urge to busy himself. He felt like he could finally relax. Maybe it was just because he'd drank a bit, but it was nice to feel… calm. He wondered what she thought about the desk. Did she like it? A small part of him hoped she did, but that was normal! Anyone would want people to like their craft!
As he justified his crazy thoughts to himself, he thought about what the next day would bring. He was sure she had something lined up for him to work on, which was fine. The language was easier than he anticipated, and he enjoyed the lessons… or maybe he enjoyed them because she was teaching them. His dragon seemed to like her for whatever reason, and she kept Lily entertained. Would their relationship ever improve?
Would she ever give him the chance to prove he's not the asshole she thinks he is?
He let those thoughts take him upstairs to bed, sniffing the air as he passed the bathroom. It sounded creepy, but he was just checking to make sure that jerk's scent was completely gone! And as far as he could tell, it was. Would it be weird of him to ask her what his name is? 'Why? So I can pay 'em a little visit, an' tell 'em not to touch what belongs to the king.' He rubbed his temples, choosing to just ignore his dumb dragon and lay down.
He closed his door and fell onto his bed, wondering what the future really held.
Okay. She had to have been going crazy.
She finished up with her bath and was happy that he'd retreated to his room. She performed her nightly routine, covering herself in lavender body butter, then drying her hair. She was glad she brought most of her clothes with her, so she had more options to choose from. She put on her coziest, fluffiest bottoms along with a tank top before sliding into her slippers. It was a chilly night, so she picked her favorite burgundy blanket to take to the couch.
But then, it was like no matter what she did, she couldn't escape him! Even in the sanctity of her own room, he seemed to penetrate her defenses with ease! She wrapped herself in her blanket and swore it smelled like him! It was freaking weird! Was she losing her mind?! She gripped the fabric in a fist and held it to her nose, inhaling deeply. Gods. What was happening?!
Choosing not to overthink things, she finally left her room and went downstairs, curling into herself on the couch and activating the lacrima-vision. This was nice.
Gajeel lie in bed, staring at the ceiling. He couldn't sleep. And the worst thing about it was that he didn't want to do what he would normally do in this situation. All he could think about was Levy downstairs, watching her shows and minding her business. She'd been down there for a couple of hours now, and he wondered if she wanted some company. It was good that she was comfortable enough to use the space and it pleased a small part of him.
He wanted to go down there with her.
But that would be weird, wouldn't it?
He listened to her giggle at whatever she found funny, her voice like music to his ears. Fuck, he'd give anything to hear her speak sweetly to him, to giggle at him just as she was at her shows. He smashed his pillow against his face, he just wanted to go the fuck to sleep! Instead, he couldn't get some human out of his head! What had she done to him?!
Again, he couldn't control his own actions as he rolled out of bed and left his room, stopping when he passed hers. He looked inside, she'd gotten settled in very nicely, and she seemed to have put the desk to use already, which made him really happy inside. Shoving hands into pockets, he went downstairs and saw her bundled up in the same cover he'd wrapped himself in earlier. Did she notice?
Their eyes met as he stood in the living room, and it was like time froze around them. Both of them stuck in each other's presence and unable to move or speak or even think for what felt like eternity, but was only a few seconds. Her eyes flitted back to the lacrima-vision, choosing to ignore the way he was just looking at her. It made her tingle!
'Please don't sit here, please don't sit here!' She begged internally. Why was he downstairs?! To bother her?! Ugh! She was doing just fine by herself! But… she glanced at him again, he had on a tight-fitting sleeveless shirt and his normal pants, and it was a… a fine combination.
She tensed up when he sat next to her on the small couch. There wasn't much space he could put between them, and she was already balled up on one side of it. Maybe he wouldn't talk. Maybe he wouldn't stay long. She closed her eyes, telling herself to just ignore him and pay attention to her shows. What was he doing up so late, anyway?
He sat down and he could feel her immediately tense up. What for? Damn! It wasn't like he was going to eat her! 'But I want to.' He just wanted her to continue feeling comfortable as she was before he went down there. She did just fine during their first lesson, what was the big deal now?
She couldn't focus! She wasn't mentally prepared for this! 'Ah, I should have just stayed in my room!' Should she get up? Yeah, she should probably go before they started arguing again. She unraveled herself and stood to gather her blanket before he cleared his throat. She stopped and looked at him, wondering if that was meant to stop her or if he was really clearing his throat. And when he didn't say anything, she turned and walked away.
"Wait…" he said, stopping her. She turned around and faced him curiously and he lost his train of thought like he always did when she was around. He fought to keep his eyes off her chest, which let him know she was kind of cold. 'Go warm her up.' Fuck, he really couldn't think straight with his damn dragon in his head like this. The damn beast only seemed to calm down when she was around, which was a catch twenty-two since he hated her!
Or he wanted to hate her.
But he just couldn't.
She looked at him, expecting an answer of some sort and he had to say something. He averted his eyes. "Uh… don't let me bein' down here ruin yer relaxation time…"
He said that, but that was impossible! How was she supposed to relax with him right next to her? His energy wasn't nearly as strong as it was when she got back, but it was still noticeable! She contemplated staying, her show was getting pretty good. But it was Gajeel!
It was Gajeel.
They stared at each other for some time, like they were able to communicate telepathically. His eyes pleading for her to stay and sit back down, hers begging him not to bother her if she did.
"I won't bother ya, I swear," he held a hand up, promising to behave. Just as long as she stayed there with him.
She was annoyed with herself at the fact that she didn't need any more convincing. Honestly, if he just said the word 'stay', she would have. But she didn't want to let him know that! She pretended to put up a fight, rolling her eyes and huffing before sitting back down. Maybe this wouldn't be as bad as she thought.
She stayed! Why did that make him so happy? He took in her scent as she sat back down. It was sweet and herbal like it was when he first smelled it and he wanted to smell it forever. It wafted around him as she bundled back up, wishing he could join her… but it was too soon. She'd have his head if he suggested something like that!
He tapped his fingers on the armrest, why was being cordial with her so challenging? "…ya cold?"
Her head snapped over to him, not expecting him to speak up. He asked her if she was cold? Why? Was this his version of making small talk? "It's a little chilly, but I'm okay."
"I can go chop up some wood real quick, an' put it in the fireplace," he said, quickly standing to take action. He didn't know why, but the urge to make sure she was comfortable was prevalent.
"Wait!" She reached out and grabbed his wrist. "Y-You don't have to do all that…"
He looked at her, then at his wrist. Her touch could bring him out of the darkest place, and she didn't even know it. 'Touch me more, Levy.' He let out a slow exhale, she told him not to do it, but he wanted her to be warm. "…ya sure?"
She smiled so sweetly at him; it made his heart skip a beat. This was fucking insane. He's never experienced feelings like these! How was he supposed to handle it?!
"I have my blanket," she said, holding a section of it up. "It's the warmest one I have, that's why it's my favorite!"
"Just let me know if ya get too cold, I'll take care of it," he said, sitting back down. He used the opportunity to sit perhaps an inch or two closer to her than he was before in the hopes that she wouldn't notice. His body tended to be on the warm side, so he was hoping to be able to share it with her inconspicuously.
He wasn't slick! He was definitely closer to her than before! 'Just ignore it, Levy.' But there was a plus side to it; she could feel the warmth coming from him and it made her want to snuggle into him… even though that would never happen in a million years! She was just weak when she was cold, and his entire being made her even weaker! She didn't know how she was going to survive in this house without being swept away by the madness.
"Well," she continued the small talk. It wasn't as awkward as she thought it would be. "Winter is coming soon, so…"
"Yeah, I'm not ready fer the snow," he said, stretching his arm across the back of the couch. He hoped it didn't bother her. "I like ta stay warm."
"Me too!" Levy didn't mind his arm being behind her. She was enjoying the vibes so far, so she'd allow it. She looked at his muscular, bare arms. When she grabbed his wrist, it was a little on the cool side. "Aren't you cold?"
Was this his opening? He was a little cold, but it was bearable. Though… if he could get something really good out of telling her he was, then he'd go for it! But he had to remember, she was easily irritable, and anything he did could set her off! He shrugged. "Eh, I can deal with it."
She couldn't stop herself from holding up the blanket, offering him some. It was big enough for both of them to wrap up in comfortably and she figured… if he could make sure she was comfortable, she could do the same. As long as he didn't get too close to her!
He eagerly took her offering, getting comfortable and making sure he covered as much of the blanket as he could in his scent. This was going extremely well! Maybe this marked the beginning of a friendly relationship. He was content. His dragon was content. All was good. "Thanks fer the blanket."
She hummed in response, directing her attention back to her show. This was actually really nice! He wasn't bothering her as he promised, the conversation was normal, and even sharing a blanket wasn't weird or awkward! Maybe… just maybe, this was the start of a new friendship. Maybe.
They were silent for a bit, both just watching lacrima-vision and chuckling to themselves from time to time until Levy remembered she had to thank him for the desk! She stole a glance, he was completely entertained by whatever she watched. "Hey, um… thanks for the desk. It's really nice."
"Oh," he rubbed the back of his head. She liked it! "Yeah, I uh, I just figured ya would need someplace ta organize yer books an' papers, an' stuff."
"It's amazing work," she said, her voice tiny. Complementing him was weird! "It definitely serves its purpose."
"Glad ya like it." Gajeel was proud! Well, his dragon was. His efforts to please her seemed to have worked! This was a really nice night! He was completely calm and relaxed, he was watching good shows with amazing company, and he could feel she was having a good time, too. He suddenly felt like apologizing for picking fights with her all the time. This was a side of her he wanted to stay on, her good side.
He was staring at her again! But this time… it didn't bother her. She was in a really good mood! What a relaxing night it turned out to be! She looked over at him and smiled. "What's up?"
Fuck, those eyes. Fuck, those lips. Her hair, everything. His heart couldn't take it! He didn't even realize he was staring until she looked at him! He looked away. "I just… it's nothin'. Sorry."
"No, tell me." She paused her show and gave him her full attention. Why was he so nervous? It was kind of cute. "What is it, Gajeel?"
He needed a beer! Did she know what she was doing to him? He… wanted to touch her. But he held himself together as best he could and pushed the urges to the back of his head. "I just wanted ta… apologize fer botherin' ya all the time. It ain't cool. An' I'm sorry. I want ya ta warm up ta me, an' me actin' like a fool won't help. So… yeah. Sorry."
Levy looked at him wide-eyed, she wasn't expecting that in the least! She didn't even know how to respond! She blushed, hiding her face in her blanket. He wanted her to warm up to him? She just… never thought she could. He was clearly coming around faster than she was. Maybe it was for the sake of her being his teacher, and that was understandable.
She looked up and he was looking at her again. Lost in the ruby sea, she smiled again. "It's okay. I… should be less hostile toward you. I'm sorry, too."
"Don't worry 'bout it," he said with a grin wider than he'd like to admit on his face. He felt like a huge weight was lifted from his shoulders! She may have still had her reservations about him, but at least she didn't hate him anymore!
He flashed her a toothy grin and she relaxed, matching it with her own. She supposed she could let down her defenses for now. They sat in a comfortable silence as she resumed her show, occasionally making a few comments here and there about whatever may have been happening. It was a good idea to stay. She felt good. This was good.
That night was the most peaceful night either of them ever experienced.
Lily was up at the crack of dawn since he went to bed early. He was just going to try to go back to sleep, but he was craving a kiwi. He got up and the first thing he noticed when he left his room was that both Gajeel and Levy's rooms were vacant. 'That's odd.'
He went downstairs and stopped, rubbing his eyes groggily. Were his eyes deceiving him? This was fantastic! He didn't know how it could have happened, but they'd fallen asleep on the couch, and they were wrapped in Levy's blanket. Best of all, it appeared she was leaning against him, and he was asleep with his head resting on hers! When had they gotten so comfortable? And how did it happen so fast? This had to be some sort of chemical attraction that forced them together or something.
They looked so calm.
Lily's head was spinning! When all they did was argue, and now they're sleeping together on a couch? He couldn't figure it out, but he would lock this in his memory forever just in case they tried to deny this ever happened!