As Time Progresses

Levy was mortified! This is what happened when she let her defenses down around him?!

She'd woken up – albeit from an amazing rest – on the couch tucked against Gajeel! What the hell?! They were wrapped in her blanket, and that she remembered, but when had they fallen asleep? More importantly, how and why were they all cozied up?! She hated him! Didn't she? She did… right? She was able to deduce that he was a heavy sleeper since he didn't say anything when she broke away from him and retreated back to her room. She moved as quickly and as quietly as she could, her heart was pounding!

Once she got to her room, she closed her door and dove into her bed, hiding under the sheets and squealing softly. She just wanted to crawl under a rock and stay there forever! How humiliating that was! Thank goodness he didn't wake up when she left! What would he have said? He would have made fun of her for sure!

Her body grew warm at the thought of how nice it felt to be embraced through the night. It was a foreign feeling; she'd never slept next to a man before! 'I mean, if you don't count sleeping in the same vicinity as Jet and Droy on our jobs, then I haven't.' She groaned, maybe Lucy was right in that aspect. Perhaps it wouldn't have been so awkward if she'd experienced something like that before, but there was never a man that crossed her path who she felt was deserving of her affection! In almost thirty years of her life, she'd never met anyone worthy.

Was she going to be able to give him a lesson today? Would he be upset if she skipped two days in a row? How was she supposed to face him again after she was so comfortable sleeping on him?! Her face turned cherry red, how did he even feel about this? He hated her, too! …right?

She needed to gather her thoughts!

She thanked him for the desk and they'd apologized for being butts to each other, and then she offered him her blanket, 'which I should have known he'd accept.' And finally, they just watched her shows while he asked questions about the characters. It… was actually a nice night. And she hated to admit it, but she was so warm, so comfortable with such an ass of a man! Sometime during their slumber, she'd leaned into him and him into her, briefly forgetting about their hatred for one another. 'It was my body, not me!' She blamed the betrayal on her body again for deceiving her while she slept. There was no way she'd do that in her right mind!

She didn't know what type of black magic he used on her, but she was never letting her guard down around him again!

Gajeel wasn't really a light sleeper, but he definitely noticed her make a hasty exit, leaving him cold and alone.

He pretended to stay asleep while she panicked quietly and went back upstairs. He could smell the nerves on her, and the last thing he wanted to do was make things awkward. He understood why she left like she did, but for some reason, it bummed him out. He could tell she was putting her walls back up, but why? After such an amazing night? He just wanted her to be comfortable.

He let his feet down and sat up, running both hands through his hair and letting his head rest in his hands. That was the best sleep he'd ever gotten in his life! The couch wasn't too comfortable to sleep on, but being her pillow all night definitely made up for it! 'She can use me however she wants.' She was the first one to doze off, her body lightly falling onto his while she slept. Damn, she was a heavy sleeper! It didn't take him too long after that to fall asleep himself, taking advantage of the fact that she was next to him and putting an arm around her. She snuggled in deeper and felt so amazing against him, he wondered what God he appeased to be rewarded in such a way.

It was last night that the cold, rigid exterior of his heart finally melted and he gave in to his dragon and admitted that he liked her.

But… what made that happen? How was it so easy for them to sleep like that? Was it her energy? Or a combination of their energy together? Thank fuck Lily was still sleeping! Who knew what that cat would have to say if he saw them like that! He'd never hear the end of it!

Speaking of the devil…

"Gajeel! Good morning!" Lily was extra cheerful in his personal celebration of those two finally connecting. Though he knew his grumpy friend wouldn't care too much for his attitude, he couldn't help it! Should he say something about it? 'Let me gauge the mood first before I say anything.'

Gajeel looked up, why was he in such a good mood? "Mornin', Lil."

"Did you sleep down here?" Lily asked, trying to ease into it. He didn't seem like he was in a bad mood, but he never knew with him.

"Uh," what could he say? He was caught! "Yeah, I guess I fell asleep."

"You seem relaxed. I didn't take that as a sleeping couch."

It wasn't, but he'd probably be comfortable sleeping anywhere as long as she was with him. "Yeah… I guess ya could say I feel pretty good."

Lily could see that she had a really positive effect on him! He could literally see the difference in his mood! He took a seat next to him on the couch. "Your mood seems to have improved, Gajeel. What happened between last time we spoke and now?"

Gajeel looked at Lily, a blank look on his face. All he could think about was Levy! He needed to get his mind off her! More importantly, how was he supposed to answer his question without giving anything away? "Not really. Just a… normal night."

"Alright," Lily decided to let Gajeel tell him when he was ready and just observe for now. He really liked where things were going! "Well, from one friend to another, I truly hope your mood stays this way. It's not good for you to be so angry all the time."

"Yer right," Gajeel nodded, agreeing with him. "It's nice ta feel good fer a change."

How would he react if he mentioned her? 'Let's find out!' He just hoped it didn't backfire. "Are you studying with Levy today?"

Fuck. He hadn't even thought about that! How would their next interaction play out? Would she skip another day? He… wanted her to teach him today. He wanted to be next to her again. But he had a feeling she'd closed herself off even more than she was before! 'This blows!' He stood abruptly and walked to the door. "Come get yer ass beat, cat! I'm in the mood ta fight!"

That was an interesting reaction! It wasn't an angry demand to fight, but more of a casual request. Well, his version of one. Perhaps he was trying to distract himself? He couldn't wait to have a conversation with Levy! He followed him to his shed to put on his armor, figuring now was as good a time as any to tell him of the idea he had for getting into Hargeon. "So, I came across some information that might be useful in our plan to get into Hargeon."

Now, this was something that could get his mind off of her! He put on his new gloves, excited to try them out. "Let's hear it."

"I hope you don't mind," Lily said as they left for their spot in the woods. "But I spoke briefly with Levy about it. Of course, I didn't reveal anything too confidential, but as it turns out, she has a pass to get in. Apparently, she's known for the work she's done there and has special access."

Gajeel really couldn't catch a break! All he wanted to do was not think about her for a few minutes, yet she found her way into another conversation! This was torture! But… if she could get into Hargeon, then Lily could hide in her bag or something, and scope out the area while she did her thing. At the same time, it was still dangerous to send her there with things the way they were over there. However, he had to remember that she'd been there before with no issue, so going again shouldn't raise any problems, right?

Something in his gut told him this visit wouldn't be simple like her others. He had to think about this.

"It's a thought," he replied finally. "It's risky, an' I don't wanna put her in any unnecessary danger."

"I figured you would say something along those lines," Lily agreed. "I told her it was something to be planned over the next few months."

"That was smart ta say." Something else plagued him. "But I'm a little uneasy about leavin' Juvia locked away for a few more months, too."

"Who's to say she was even captured?" Lily knew the chances of that were high, but he had to keep the hope.

"Lil, c'mon," Gajeel sighed. "Ya know how they are. We haven't heard from her in a while. I know ya wanna keep hope alive, but we gotta face reality."

"You're right," Lily understood his concerns, and he was sure Juvia knew what the consequences would be if she happened to get caught.

As bad as it may have sounded, Gajeel couldn't risk the lives of two beings he cared about just because she slipped up. He told her to stay vigilant and be careful, and he told her what would happen if she didn't. She knew the risks. He hated this! He hated making decisions that put or left people in danger! No matter what he did, somebody was at risk. "Ya ready?"

Lily hadn't even noticed they were already at their destination. He must have zoned out while concocting a plan. He touched fists with his comrade, pulling out his sword and getting into position.

Levy was wallowing in her embarrassment when she felt his energy getting fainter and fainter. Did he leave? She untangled herself from the bed and opened the window, sticking her upper body through the frame. It felt amazing outside! She wondered if Lily would want to go on a walk sometime sighed, closing her eyes and letting the soft breeze flow through her hair.

He did leave, but he wasn't far. Was he sparring with Lily? She did say she wanted to watch him in action one day. She changed out of her pajamas and into a black dress similar to her orange one before almost skipping down the steps. Aside from that embarrassing moment earlier, she was in a fantastic mood! It was a nice day, she was rested, she had a great job! Life was comfortable.

She found herself headed to the area Lily showed her, why was she out there again? Was it really just to watch Lily? She told herself that, but when she got there and saw them going at it? Her eyes drifted to the king almost instantly. She kept her distance, choosing to observe discreetly. She didn't want to throw him off his game and let him know she was watching. Besides, he probably already thought she was weird for sleeping on him, how weirder would it have been if she was caught watching him?

She stared at him in awe. His movements were smooth and his techniques were perfect, she could tell he put thought into every move he made. Iron rods appeared and disappeared, his limbs, covered in a shiny layer of iron scales morphing into weapons of mass destruction, his face, devoid of any emotion and only showing concentration.

He was a work of art.

Gods, those muscles, flexing and moving. Those eyes, that were so focused and bright. That hair, long and flowing, swaying beautifully with the wind. His entire being, his presence, it was so commanding, so… intoxicating.

Lily was having a hard time keeping up! Usually, when they fought, it was casual, just a light spar to keep their senses sharp. But this time! He used his sword to deflect iron shards as Gajeel did some cool spin in the air, coming down with his trademark iron hammer. Lily braced with his shield in the nick of time, creating a shockwave that knocked down a few of the trees around them. It was then that Lily saw a tiny speck of blue in the distance, recognizing it as Levy immediately. 'I get it now!' Gajeel was showing off! Even though she was trying to be discreet, it seemed she could never go unnoticed by him, and it must have slipped her mind.

Gajeel smelled her the moment she left the house. She came to watch! He had to show her what he could do. Unfortunately for Lily, he was going to have to step it up this time! He put on some of his best moves, hoping it was enough to keep her interested. He used techniques that he hadn't used in ages, and he was pleased that he could still smell her. She was still there, watching him.

He cracked a grin, glancing at Lily. He looked winded! Taking a step back, he reverted to his normal self. "Damn, old man! Ya tired already? Gihi!"

Lily put his sword away, having an idea of what was coming next. "I have to say, Gajeel, You're giving me a run for my money today. What's the occasion?"

"No real reason," he lied, cracking his knuckles. "Fists up!"

Levy watched completely enraptured as they began hand-to-hand combat. She could tell he was strong, and she finally understood why Lily shopped for armor so much. There were so many things she could focus on, but she could only feel him. She couldn't help it! The way his energy ebbed and flowed was so majestic! He looked her direction and shot her a flashy grin before connecting a heavy fist to Lily's stomach, sending him flying a few feet.

She gasped, turning around and blushing when she remembered hiding her energy didn't work on him! She needed to go back! How many times could she embarrass herself in one day?! And why did he smile at her like that?! She could only take so much! She needed to get her mind off him!

After Gajeel landed that impressive punch, he turned to see if she was still watching only to find her nearly running away! What the hell? His shoulders drooped; he no longer had the will to keep fighting. Before he could turn and call it quits, he was sent to the ground with a punch to his jaw.

"Distracted?" Lily asked with a chuckle as he held out a paw to help him up. He looked around, Levy must have left and thrown him off his game. He looked at the way he lied on the ground and could tell he was done for the day. "Calling it quits?"

Gajeel groaned as he took his paw and stood. He rubbed his jaw, why did she leave? Did she not want him to know she was there? That was impossible. He was bummed, but at least she stayed for as long as she did. It was still a pretty good day. He pat Lily on the back. "I'm gonna go see if we're studyin' today."

While he strolled back to the house, he let her scent trail relax him after a fight. Sending her to Hargeon, huh? It wasn't a bad idea, he supposed, but he just met her, and sure, he knew she was smart and strong, but he didn't know just how smart and strong she was. He'd have to get to know her a little better first, he had to see if this was even something she'd be willing to do. Yeah, she offered, but she didn't know what exactly she'd be doing. She didn't know the risks.

But how was he going to get to know her if she had walls up? How did he get her to relax so easily last night, and what made waking up the next morning change her behavior? Gods, what could he do to get the opportunity to sleep through the night with her again? He didn't care if he held her or not, he just wanted to sleep next to her. He had a strong suspicion that it was because of her that he slept so well.

He got back to the house and found her at the kitchen table looking over paperwork. He couldn't hold back a smile. She was willing to teach him today! He stood in the entryway and watched her, she had her hair tied up with a black hair tie to match the dress she had on, which she looked fucking delicious in, and she had on those red glasses again.

Fuck, those frames really did something for him.

He debated on taking a shower, but he still smelled a little like her. Besides, she got a little bothered when he was all sweaty next to her, and pushing her little buttons was always entertaining. She'd roll her eyes, huffing and saying some smart remark. He didn't even care that she could feel him looking at her.

Levy tried her best to ignore those eyes again, but she just couldn't. She decided that writing up her next lesson would be enough of a distraction, but she'd forgotten that she actually had to be there while he learned! Now, he was just standing there staring at her again, making her all hot! She hunched over the table, trying her best to hide her blush. Maybe he wouldn't say anything about last night. She could justify watching them spar, but sleeping on him like that?

She tensed up as he sat down across from her, he was sweaty, yet again! Normally, she'd tell him that he stunk, or something, but she was stuck in place, nervous as hell for no reason! She had to stay away from him!

"So, uh…" he started, unsure of what to say. He knew she wouldn't want to talk about last night, judging by the way she was behaving. It was like he could see the walls! He really just wanted her to be comfortable. "What are we workin' on today?"

"This…" she slid a piece of paper over to him, not wanting to explain more. She didn't want to do this at all! She was experiencing feelings for a bastard she'd never felt before and didn't know how to handle it! All she knew was he was the devil!

Much to his distaste, she spent the entire lesson staying as far away from him as she could. She refused to sit next to him, choosing to offer poor help from across the table. She barely spoke, only when he asked questions, and they were short closed-ended responses. She was more closed off than he anticipated! How in the world was anything supposed to move forward like this?! Why did she give him such a sweet taste of her good side only to revoke it so quickly?

'Don't worry. It will take some time, but she'll get there.'

'Fat chance, dumb dragon. There's no way I'm gettin' close ta her. Just cut yer losses.'

'She's not going anywhere.'

'Yeah? What makes ya so sure?'

'You do know she's your future mate, right? It's been her, from the moment you smelled her on that letter.'

Mate? 'The fuck?!' What the fuck was his dragon going on about? He knew he at least wanted to be between her thighs, but this mate nonsense?! He wasn't even supposed to mate with humans! So, what the fuck?! He rubbed his temples; this girl being here just opened up a box of worms!

How the fuck could she even be his mate if she was acting like this?! She wouldn't even look at him! Shit sucked! But it explained why he'd been acting the way he was.

'Don't think too much about it. She will be ready by next mating season. You'll see.'

Gajeel knew nothing about mating or dating or anything like that! There weren't any female dragons except for the young one and her mom, and he hated the human race, and even if he didn't, he wasn't supposed to consummate with them anyway! His piece of shit of a father didn't bother teaching him about anything important in life, so now, he was going to have to do his own research on the shit!

He had a year.

A year until she'd be ready for him, so that beast claimed. A year to find out what this whole 'mating process' entailed. A year to get her to like him. He looked at her from the other side of the table, she was going over something small he'd written up. He wondered if she had a book or two on her that explained dragons a little more. It was embarrassing, but it was never too late to learn, and if there was anyone he trusted not to judge him, it'd be her… and Lily, too.

Fuck, man, couldn't she just talk to him? He'd do anything to hear that melodic voice for more than half a second.

"How'd I do?" He asked, putting his elbow on the table and leaning into his hand.

"Good," she said quietly. Why was he trying to get her to talk?! She just wanted this lesson to be over! They'd been at it for a few hours, and she just wanted to go back to her room!

Another one-worded response! For fuck's sake! He was so frustrated! He was over this shit! If she wanted to act like this, then fine! He stood, his hands flat on the table. If he stayed any longer, he'd start talking shit just to get her riled up, and that was the opposite of what their relationship needed! "I'm tired. We can pick this back up tomorrow."

'Thank Gods!' Levy hadn't moved any faster in her life! She gathered her papers and bolted up the steps before he could even leave the kitchen. This… wasn't going to work.

Gajeel stood there dumbfounded. She was avoiding him like the fucking plague!

And it went on like that for over four months.

Lily was regretful. He wished he would have spoken to either of them before things got this bad.

In the beginning, he was happy that Levy seemed to improve Gajeel's mood, but just as quickly as it improved, it soured with no explanation. Well, until he realized that she wouldn't spend more than two seconds with him outside of their studies. With a lot of thought, he was able to figure out that she began acting like that after he found them on the couch together. Was that what set her off?

He never spoke to her about it to avoid making her feel uncomfortable because those two were the same. If she wanted to talk about it, she would. Also because she was the master of holing herself up in her room! He'd sometimes catch her in the morning making coffee, but it would be a brief greeting and a quick exit. She did keep her promise to shop with him once a week, but she forbade all talk about Gajeel, so there wasn't a good time to say anything.

And Gajeel was no better. He kept himself cooped up in his shed, only going inside to sleep and eat. They sparred every once in a while, but even that was half-hearted. He didn't talk much, and if he did, it was only about current events. There were a few times when Lily witnessed them running into each other, and just as one would expect, Levy ran off each time. It was a miracle she was able to teach him anything! This had to stop! They needed to talk to each other!

Lily remembered Levy's misconstrued allegations toward him, and it was very obvious they'd never spoken about it. She still believed he was this awful guy, but she was too stubborn to consider differently. And he was too stubborn to be an adult and talk to her first! Nothing would ever get resolved this way!

It was finally time to step in and say something. It was driving him crazy!

It was a cold and wet Sunday evening, and Gajeel just finished a set of weapons for the Council of Magnolia. He'd been a little on the down side, living with a woman he liked who wouldn't even give him the time of day. Shit was rough. So, he did his best to stay away from her.

Which was hard to do, since he had to see her every day for his lessons.

She kept up that 'barely speaking' and cold shoulder nonsense, she never got closer than three feet, and she'd ignore him every time he talked about anything aside from Dragonic. It was so frustrating! All he wanted to do was please her, to make her like him, but he never got the opportunity to do so! He wondered if she and Lily ever talked about him while they went out. Maybe there was something she wanted that he could buy or make for her.

He left his shed, jogging into the house. He hated the rain, and not only was it raining, but it was freezing rain! The house, now embedded with her energy, was warm and comfortable like it had been since she got there. He figured she was probably bundled up in her burgundy blanket, reading or something, and he wished he could join her. Instead, he settled for taking in her scent as he passed her door on the way to take a hot shower.

'Grab her and drag her into the shower with you.'

He growled, slamming the bathroom door. As time progressed, his dragon had become insufferable, making off-the-wall comments about just taking her. Sometimes they were hard to ignore, other times, he could drown them out. It seemed the beast was getting fed up with her shenanigans, too.

He sighed, he had to be the first to talk to her, didn't he?

Levy knew all too well what she was doing.

She made it a point to avoid him as much as possible outside of their lessons. He did something to her that she didn't understand at first, but after reading those books she bought a few months ago? She knew exactly what was going on. Which was why she had to treat him as if he didn't exist!

How dare he pick her of all people?!

And the worst part about it was she couldn't deny it, no matter how hard she tried! She attempted to leave in the middle of the night a few times, but it was like his energy pulled her back in! She tried leaving while he fought with Lily, but she kept telling herself she'd feel guilty if she did! She had a job to do, and she was going to finish that job!

So, she did what any reasonable person would do in a confusing situation and shut herself out for months. She still went out with Lily once a week on Saturday evenings, but she refused to acknowledge anything that had something to do with Gajeel. But on the bright side, she'd definitely gotten a lot closer to Lily. They'd run errands while they shopped, talking about their lives before they got caught up in the king's wave.

And it wasn't like she didn't talk to any of her friends; Cana mailed her one of her cards so she could call and talk to her instead of writing letters, and she'd written Lucy a time or two, also. They hadn't really spoken since their fight, but Levy wanted her to know that she still loved her.

Levy kept a strict schedule, teaching him Monday through Friday for four or five hours a day and disappearing up to her room right after. He was learning at a decent speed, but she wished he'd learn faster. She was aware of the fact that her being as cold as she was to him wasn't helping, but she figured, you win some, you lose some.

She spent almost five full months, the duration of the cold winter and into the spring keeping to herself, avoiding him as if he were diseased. And, sure, falling asleep on him was the trigger, but what she read in those books? She had all this time to herself, all the time in the world to get so much reading done, it was only a matter of time before she got to them. Dragons and their origins. How they operate. How their minds work. She finally understood it all. She understood why she'd been acting the way she was. She understood why his energy was always so intense around her.

But she couldn't handle it.

Which was why she kept to herself.

This guy. She hated him and everything he stood for. His past actions, his current actions, the current state of Fiore, she hated him for it. So much, that she didn't even care to get an explanation from him, no, not after what she learned. Not after what she found out he was doing to her! It wasn't intentional, she knew that much, but still! Why her?! It was so overwhelming!

She prided herself on being studious and focused. She didn't want to date anyone. Especially not him! She never saw herself wanting to be tied down or anything of that nature. She was just fine how she was. And based on what she read, she could reject him if she truly wasn't interested, but… she didn't think she could. She was afraid if she let her guard down around him again, she'd get sucked into his entire world and she wouldn't be able to get out. It was already hard enough as it was; she still had to see him on a daily basis!

Every time she saw him, she felt her defenses crumble piece by piece.

She stayed away.

Because she was so vulnerable and nervous. This was an entirely new feeling! How does she explain to herself that the being inflicting these… wonderful, electric emotions within her was the same being she had a burning hatred for? She couldn't help the fact that his scent cocooned her every damn day and it was the only thing that could get her to sleep at night. She couldn't help the fact that she wanted him to embrace her with those huge arms day in and day out. She couldn't help but wonder what he would feel like, and if he'd be rough with her.

But what she could do was stay as far away from him as she possibly could, limit their interactions, and keep a straight face.

She was scared, uncertain of what the future would hold if she let herself indulge. She knew if she stayed to herself, her future would be peaceful. Let's say he was actually a decent being. What sort of unrest would she experience if she let a man into her life as a romantic interest? What if things went left, and things didn't work out? She had to protect herself.

That's why, once she was done with this job, she was out of there!