No More Avoiding it

Gajeel was worried sick! Not because he was worried that she couldn't hold her own, but because he didn't realize he was sending her directly into danger until after he read a bit of those books!

He learned so much about himself, so much about what she was going through, so much about what he was doing subconsciously, that he couldn't be mad at her for avoiding him like she did. Who could blame her? Shit was overwhelming! But… she didn't leave. Which was the main thing he took from all of this! She could have if she wanted to. She didn't have to react to his pheromones, but she did. Because she was into them. She was into him.

And it made him feel so good.

She knew what was going on the whole time! So surely, surely she must have known the outcome of leaving him these books and that iron with the heart in it! She knew the type of guy he was by now, and she was still there. He wasn't letting her go, ever. No, not now. Once she got back, he was going to confront her, yeah. Just like he should have done a while ago!

He could confidently say now, that she was his!

But left the issue of his rule not to mate with humans… he figured he could work around it as long as she didn't find out about it. With her being who she was, there was no way she'd let him break his own rule!

'Never mind that!' He had half his body hanging out his window, sniffing the air to try and detect them. He was hoping they'd finished early, he was hoping that she hadn't gotten hurt. Since she'd gotten to the house months ago, he'd been inadvertently showering her in his energy and his scent constantly! With her like that, he prayed she didn't draw too much attention!

It was Levy, though. She was strong, smart, brilliant, and beautiful. He really shouldn't doubt his mate. His dragon never steered him wrong so far.

He was so antsy, and he finally understood why. It was her. Every time he was away from her, he couldn't bear it. After he read a bit, he found himself wandering into her room a few times. 'What? She left her door open!' That was the only way he could justify being a weirdo. He didn't do much when he was in there, just taking in her lingering energy and sometimes smelling one of her many blankets.

"Call me weird if ya wanna, but she smells so damn good," he muttered to no one in particular as he buried his face in the burgundy blanket that once kept them both warm for a night. How long would it be until he could hold her? How long until they could share a bed?

He knew she was delicate to approach, so he promised himself he'd take it slow and give her the time to warm up to him. After all, this was a big thing that neither of them could control. Her head was probably spinning with all that information! Though, that did raise the question of how long she knew. How long did she plan on avoiding him? Was she just going to try and finish the job and leave?!

No, no. He was definitely going to ask her about that!

But then… he smelled her! She was home! She was safe! He looked through her window, spotting her and Lily in the distance and decided to run downstairs and pretend like he was watching lacrima-vision on the couch. He didn't want to seem too excited, but his mate was coming back home to him. He smiled, feeling giddy inside. She was going to talk to him! He was going to hear her beautiful voice!

The front door opened and Lily entered first, greeting Gajeel briefly and heading upstairs. Lily was no fool. He knew he was waiting for Levy, and he figured she could give him the debrief. There was no need to waste his time, especially once he saw that she was injured. He grabbed his kiwis and went upstairs wanting so badly to eavesdrop on their impending conversation but instead collapsing into his bed and passing out. He hadn't used up this much energy in a while. He was going to have to step up his sparring sessions! 'Good luck, you two.'

Levy found herself nervous to go inside yet again! Curse Lily and the beeline for the steps he made! He was too smart for his own good! She took a deep breath and stepped in, trying to make it to her room before he pounced. Fat chance. But by the time she'd gotten to the stairs, she had hope! She just wanted to take a breather before they talked because clearly, Lily was leaving that up to her! Right as she took her first step, she was trapped between him and the wall, his hands planted firmly against it on either side of her.

Gajeel sat on the couch and watched her just breeze past him like he was invisible! Fuck that! He wasn't tolerating that shit any longer, and he got the feeling she knew it, too. He got to her before she made it up the steps, immediately frowning at the state she was in. He knew it! He shouldn't have sent her in there like that! But thank Gods she was okay.

He looked her over thoroughly while she was frozen in place, his eyes landing on her arm; she'd been nicked by something and it looked painful. Then they fell to her wrists, it was obvious she'd been captured. He wanted to examine her more to figure out what she'd been caught by. He then noticed her neck, unable to stop the rage boiling within him. He leaned into her space, never thinking she'd let him get this close to her. "Yer hurt."

She couldn't look him in the eyes! He was looking over her, making her feel all hot again and she couldn't escape! But… did she even want to? He leaned in, and her knees almost buckled from the smoothness and comfort of his scent. She looked everywhere but at him. "Oh, uh… we got into a little scrape…"

"A little? This doesn't look like a little," he gestured at her arm. "Let me fix ya up."

She blushed, she couldn't handle this! This was too much for her heart! "It's… nothing, really!"

He was getting sick and tired of her not looking at him! He held her chin with a thumb and an index finger and made her face him. Fuck, those eyes! The intense urge to kiss her washed over him, but he fought it with all his might. He smirked slightly, feeling her weaken a bit. "C'mon."

She let him take her hand and lead her upstairs and to his room, unable to speak or do anything but follow him. His room was simple, but comfortable. His bed and dresser took up most of the room, and he had a small chair stationed at the window. Did he get that idea from her? She loved looking through the window!

He pulled the chair and placed it at the side of his bed, motioning for her to sit on the edge. She was so shy and quiet, it was incredibly cute! How long would it take her to be comfortable around him? He dug a wooden box out of his closet and sat in the chair in front of her.

They sat facing each other for a few seconds, Levy awkwardly fiddling with her fingers and Gajeel just watching her fondly. Fuck, she was perfect! He reached out cautiously and slid her bag off her shoulder and placed it on the floor. 'Okay, so she's fine with me touchin' her…' Then he took her hand, examining her wrist. He picked up faint traces of metal, raising a brow. "Chains?"

She nodded, how did he know? He was good! She closed her eyes as he tilted her head back slightly to likely investigate the chain marks on her neck. She hissed, the pain in the back of her head stinging a bit when his fingers grazed it. "They didn't want me using my voice…"

"Where else are ya hurt?" He asked, noticing her small exclamation of pain. He pulled a cream out of the box and rubbed some onto his hand. "An' why didn't they want ya usin' yer voice?"

"My head…" she explained quietly, ignoring how nice his hands felt massaging whatever it was on her wrists. "In the end, I got knocked down... but it wasn't enough to put me out. Also, I… I've been working on using defenses without my pen. I don't know many, but I know enough to slow them down."

He continued his work as he listened, assuming they'd gotten her legs, too. He scooted back a bit so he could lift her leg and expose her ankle. He shook his head, trying not to let his anger get the best of him when he saw the red, irritated skin. "Who was it?"

"We got caught by those magic-stealing mages!" Levy said, unintentionally gripping his forearms. "We have to do something!"

Wow, and she managed to get out of that? He held her forearms too, rubbing them with his thumbs. He liked touching her like this, and with her holding onto him like she was, it felt good and somehow familiar. "We will. Promise."

"I have some ideas…" she trailed off when he began rubbing that stuff into her neck and shoulders. Gods, his hands were magic! She accidentally let out a soft moan and her hands immediately went to her mouth. 'Oh, Gods! I hope he just ignores it!'

Gajeel just laughed, finishing up his work before putting the cream back in the box. He knew he was good with his hands when it came to fighting and building stuff, and apparently when he gave shoulder rubs, too!

She relaxed a little, actually, a lot, after he rubbed that stuff on her. What was in it? It felt amazing! And she silently thanked him for not poking fun at her. It was like he was being cautious on purpose. She appreciated it. She averted her eyes yet again. "Thank you… for taking care of me."

"Me doin' this is a no-brainer, Shorty," he smiled at her, the nickname rolling off his tongue easily.

Shorty? She wasn't that short! But for some reason, the pet name made her blush. She… liked it. It was nice to be able to talk to him without butting heads like they did. Why did they fight so much, anyway?

He held her upper arm gently, seeing the blood soaking through her sweater. Would she let him take it off for her? "Can ya…?"

"Oh," she would have let him take it off her if he tried; she was comfortable with him. He was being so careful, it was cute! She peeled herself out of her expensive, now ruined sweater, frowning when she got a good look at it.

"I'll buy ya a new one," he said, taking it and tossing it to the side.

She watched him dig around in the wooden box, not even bothering to combat him. She didn't really need him to buy her a new one, but she knew once he said it, it was a done deal. It was a nice gesture. He pulled out a different cream before standing from the chair. Without thinking, she grabbed his wrist, stopping him. She just… didn't want to be alone. She looked around nervously.

This was insane. She was presenting a side of herself to him he begged to see! It was obvious that they both knew what was going on, and it was because they knew that they didn't question it any longer. He took her hand and kissed her fingers lightly, lingering for a bit. "I'm just gonna get somethin' ta clean ya up a bit, that's all."

She took her hand back, her heart was pounding! What was he doing to her?! Was she capable of handling these intense emotions? When she couldn't even look him in the eye? "S-Sorry."

"No need ta apologize, Lev," he said, trying to ease her. "I'll be right back."

She scolded herself as he walked away; why was she acting like a damsel in distress?! She was doing just fine when she wasn't talking to him! Wasn't she? Now that she got to experience a little bit of intimacy, it was as if she couldn't do without! How embarrassing! She was acting so needy!

He returned with a bowl of warm water and a damp cloth, and he couldn't help but notice the brief flash of relief on her face when he entered. 'She's killin' me!' He sat back down in the chair, wasting no time cleaning her arm.

For the first time since she'd gotten there, she let herself study his face. She counted each stud, appreciating how well they complimented his skin. His look of concern and concentration only made her wonder what else he knew how to do. He was so gentle and tender with her, it was hard to believe he was acting brash toward her in the beginning. She hissed slightly when he put the new medicine on her arm.

"Sorry, this'll only hurt fer a sec," he said, massaging the area around it. He took pride in the relief on her face and reached for the bandages. It was nice to have someone to take care of. He wrapped her arm carefully, she was so delicate in his hands but he knew she was strong. Once he finished, he let his hands rest on her knees. "How does it feel? There's some stuff in it that neutralizes any harmful toxins, so if whatever caught ya poisoned ya, it won't be of any worry."

She paid no mind to the feeling of his large hands on her as she flexed her arm. He did amazing work! "It feels great! Thank you!"

His dragon was pleased, his urge to take care of his mate finally satiated. He was kind of disappointed that he no longer had a reason to keep her in his room… on his bed. She didn't seem to be in a rush to leave, though. "So… aside from, ya know, gettin' caught an' all, how'd it go?"

"Well," her hands inched up slowly, her fingertips lightly brushing against his. "When we got to the gate, we were greeted by a mage by the name of 'Jellal Fernandes', I think? Who then told us someone at the Council could help us find Juvia."

He didn't hesitate to reach for her hands and intertwine his fingers with hers. He could tell she was tensing up just thinking about it, and he wanted to keep her in that relaxed state.

"I was attacked the first time while I was headed to the headquarters, but at the time, they didn't know my powers, so I escaped…" she recalled the scary situation where she was almost crushed by those boulders. "Or so I thought I did. One of the mages found me and almost got me until one of the members of the Council saved me."

She sighed, talking to him came easier than expected. He was a good listener. "As it turned out, he was the one we were looking for. I think he went by 'Mest'…? But he was able to teleport us to one of the prisons where we actually found her! We found her, Gajeel!"

She squeezed his hands in excitement, but it quickly died down when she remembered that they failed. "But we were attacked again, and Rogue showed up!"

"Rogue?" Gajeel finally spoke up. If that bastard laid a finger on her…! "Did he do anythin' t'ya?"

She shook her head. "No… but I think they were working for him. Mest said there was a rumor going around saying that."

"I don't put it past 'em!" Gajeel exclaimed, letting one of her hands go and running it through his hair. "I'm glad ya got outta there, Levy."

"It was challenging, and because of that, we couldn't save her! We failed, I failed! I'm sorry!" She chose to ignore the need to throw herself into his arms. "Those chains, those damn chains!"

"Ya didn't fail, I promise," he held her by the shoulders. "Ya did better than ya can ever imagine."

"Oh!" She remembered the shadow she stole for him that was in her bag. She wondered why he wanted it so badly and wanted to see what he would do with it. She reached for her bag, digging around until she found it. "I did manage to get you this!"

His eyes widened, she… actually did it! She was so fucking amazing and she didn't even know it! She handed it to him and he grinned so hard. If this went how he planned, everything would change! For the better, of course! "Holy shit, Lev! How'd ya pull this off?"

"I used my brain to outsmart them!" She was happy that it wasn't a complete failure. He was really pleased with her!

"Well, whatever ya did, ya did it well," he said, brushing a stray hair out of her face. He smirked at her. "Yer brilliant."

All of a sudden, she got really warm. Did… she just learn something about herself? Being praised by him was so… The warmth pooled to her core, and she stood abruptly, grabbing her bag. "Um… I can take a bath with this ointment on my wrists, and stuff, right?"

If she thought she could hide her arousal from him, she was sadly mistaken! He smelled her, that sweet and spicy scent that did something to him below the belt. His ego swelled knowing he could get her going with little effort and it only made him eager to learn just how riled up he could get her. He stood, letting her go to avoid making things awkward. He wanted to give her something to rub into her scalp for her head, but he could wait until she was done. "Yeah, yer skin's already absorbed it by now."

He watched her give a small smile before walking out of his room, but before he could let her go, he took one large step and caught up to her, stopping her with a hand on her shoulder. He leaned down into her space, next to her ear. "Just in case yer wonderin'… my chains wouldn't hurt ya."

With that, he gave her a light nudge forward and shut his door, leaving her in the hallway. He sighed, falling onto his bed and rubbing at the tightness of his pants. Gods, the things she did to him.

She stood in the hallway and could swear steam was coming out of her ears, she was blushing so hard! He said that to mess with her! Just the thought of him tying her up with his metal… 'Ah! It's too much!' She squealed and ran into her room. What even was all that just now?! How had he gotten her so comfortable? He was so handsy with her! And she didn't even care!

She closed her door, taking off her clothes and putting on her fluffy robe. She already knew this bath would be amazing! But she was extremely tired, and she honestly just wanted to go to bed. 'But not before a cup of tea!' She took her things to the bathroom, preparing the water. How could just being in his space like that feel so good? She barely thought of what she'd just gone through, and could only think about how calm and at peace she was when she was with him.

His rule! She'd gotten so caught up in him, that it slipped her mind! And right when she decided to let down her walls, right when she decided to let him court her! She couldn't. It wouldn't be right. But it hurt so much! This is why she hated being vulnerable!

She spent the majority of her bath sitting in her newly formed depression, a battle within herself that she couldn't, or wouldn't win.

Gajeel, on the other hand, was in extremely high spirits! He hadn't felt this satisfied in ages! They'd definitely reached another milestone, and there was no backing out of this one! Would she hang out with him after her bath? He wanted to talk to her more. He wanted to get to know her. He wanted to hear anything and everything she had to say.

She told him they were able to locate Juvia, which was all he wanted, really. He had a backup plan in place just in case they weren't able to get her. He wanted to tell Levy all of his ideas, he wanted to share all of his opinions, he wanted to hear her ideas and opinions. He wanted to figure out why she hated him in the beginning and clear his name. He wanted her to see him in nothing but a good light.

Also… he wanted to craft some high-quality chains specifically for her, maybe lace some red velvet through the loops to make it kind of soft… he'd even engrave her name in the links! 'Ah, but that's later down the line!' He couldn't help but imagine it, though. A blue-haired, honey-eyed, curvy goddess sporting his iron? Nude, perhaps? Oh, yeah, he was going to make those chains as soon as possible!

He groaned into his pillow, willing his stiffness to go away. Who told such a vixen to enter his life? He heard her come out of the bathroom and shot out of bed, catching her before she went into her room. She looked so stunning in her natural state, and she had on a thick robe that he was jealous of, wishing he could be the one wrapped around her.

"Hey, uh," he said, approaching her slowly. He just wanted to be in her space, to touch her, to smell her. He reached out timidly, his fingertips grazing the sleeve of her robe. "Hang out fer a bit…?"

She was sad until he stopped her in the hallway looking just as handsome as ever, asking her to hang out with him. Why wouldn't she? She only left his room because he got her worked up, but now she had a clear head! He reached out at her, touching her arm. She smiled. What was she sad about, again? "Sure. Just let me put some jammies on."

He let out a breath he didn't know he was holding, leaning against his doorframe. "Great…! Good… I'll uh, I'll be in here. Um, I guess I'll just leave my door open 'til yer ready."

"Okay," she said, mimicking him and touching his arm before she disappeared into her room. She shut her door and slid against it, down to the floor. All she seemed to do was blush whenever she was around him! Was he planning on having her hang out in his room? On his bed? What would they talk about? Would he… touch her? She'd welcome it if he did.

What should she wear? She jumped up, digging through her small dresser. It was kind of a chilly night, but he was a warm guy… 'Gods, I act like I'm going to be hugged up with him, or something!' Although, it didn't sound like a bad idea. She pulled out one of her long shirts, something she'd bought for herself in the event she was too lazy to put something on. She told herself it was for that reason, but she secretly wondered if she was wearing it to get a reaction out of him.

"Wait," she said to herself, holding her hands out. They had a lot they needed to discuss before she opened up any more to him! He needed to answer for his crimes!

She blew out her hair and lotioned her body, humming happily. She decided that on her next outing with Lily, she would buy a mirror to put on top of her desk. Next, she could work on getting a lacrima-vision. Once she deemed herself ready enough to leave the room, she first went downstairs for her nightly cup of tea.

It was cold down there! She reminded herself to grab her blanket on her way. She tiptoed around as she gathered the fixings for her tea, as if that would make her less cold. Should she make him one? Did he even like tea? Well, this could be the first thing she learned about him!

Gajeel was laying in bed staring at the ceiling when she entered his vision, looking more radiant than ever! Her hair was extra fluffy from washing it and he just wanted to bury his head in it. She had on a large tee shirt, which he questioned because who gave that to her? Did she buy it herself? He'd have to give her one of his. Nevertheless, she looked absolutely delectable! What did she have on underneath that shirt? Those legs, short but somehow looking long, he just wanted to run his tongue up them. 'I need ta relax!'

He knew she liked tea every night, but this time she had two cups. Were… one of those for him? He wasn't much of a tea drinker, but he'd accept anything if it came from her. He sat up, making space for her to sit. "Levy…"

"I made you a tea," she said, handing him a cup. "I wasn't sure if you drank tea or not…"

"I'll take it," he reached for it, taking a small sip. It was good! "It tastes real good, thanks."

"Yeah," she said, putting her cup on his nightstand. "I'm cold, so I'm gonna go get my blanket."

"Wait," he had this all planned out! He didn't want to hang out downstairs because he wanted to get her all cozy and comfortable in his bed. He wasn't going to try anything! He just wanted to see if she'd bite. She was a smart girl. He was sure she could figure out his schemes. "Just… use mine."

That would make the most sense, she figured. She was too tired to fight whatever scheme he had up his sleeve, she just wanted to be warm. Without a second thought, she claimed her spot next to him on his bed, bundling up in his comforter and babying her cup of tea. This was nice. She could sleep like this, and she was sure he'd let her! "So, what's up?"

He was definitely experiencing a visual overload! He had Levy, in his bed, wrapped up in his covers! And she looked so comfortable, like this was a natural space for her. It was something else that pleased his dragon greatly. "I just wanted ta talk t'ya since I finally got the chance."

She let out a sharp exhale, smirking at his comment. She took a sip, the warmth washing over her body like it always did. "Yeah, sorry about that…"

"It's okay now, 'cause I got'cha all ta myself," he grinned, making her duck behind her mug. "Ya gonna share the covers? I'm a little cold, too."

He was doing this on purpose! He just wanted to get close to her! She nodded, letting him steal some of the cocoon she'd graciously given herself, and scoot a little closer to her. She stared at the liquid in her cup, trying not to notice how big he was next to her. They were both sitting cross-legged on his bed with their backs against the wall, wrapped in his thick, black comforter. She never thought she'd be here, no less comfortable!

"How's yer head?" He asked, bringing an arm from under the covers and turning her head slightly so he could investigate. "I have somethin' fer yer scalp. It should make it feel better."

She looked curiously as he reached over and grabbed yet another cream of some sort. She giggled. "Why so many creams?"

Ah, she was so adorable. "I have Wendy make my meds in the form of shit I can rub on my body. I hate drinkin' potions an' shit. Sometimes they taste nasty."

"Understandable," she nodded.

"Here," he handed her the tube. "Just rub it in yer hair before ya go ta sleep, and make sure ya get it all in yer scalp."

She looked at it, she didn't want to do it when he'd done such a good job taking care of her so far! She met his gaze, smiling shyly. "You can do it… if you want…"

She turned her head so he had better access, and it was his turn for steam to come from his ears! She was relying on him and he felt so good, so wanted. He exhaled slowly, telling himself to calm down and not to get too excited. He got the opportunity to put his hands all over her earlier, but just her extremities! To be able to run his hands through her hair seemed like a dream!

He applied a generous amount to his hand and rubbed it in, slowly and carefully lacing his fingers through soft, blue waves. He saw the goosebumps on her shoulder and neck as he worked his magic, and wanted so badly to kiss her skin, but it was too soon for that. She sighed and he closed his eyes, she smelled so fucking good, he just wanted to eat her! 'Relax!'

"You're a magician," she said honestly, the pain in her head long gone. Sure, part of it was from the agents in the medicine, but she wanted to believe it was all because of him. Gods, she'd let him rub her down anytime! "Thank you, Gajeel."

Fuck, the way she said his name! He just wanted to hear her scream it! He finished up and put the tube back in the box. He'd tend to her anytime, for any reason whatsoever. Bundling back up, he picked up the mug of tea she so generously brought him.

"So," he started, taking a sip. "I feel like I need ta tell ya I have a plan ta get Juvia out, so please don't worry yerself 'bout it."

He squeezed her knee under the covers, looking over at her. "Do ya wanna know what it is?"

She looked up at him and smiled bashfully. "You know I do."

He chuckled, he already knew she wanted to know. "I'm gonna send Gildarts. I'm gonna have Lil send him a letter in the mornin'. I have a feelin' Rogue might try an' kill her."

"Would he really do something like that?" Levy was disgusted! "You have to send him as soon as he gets the letter!"

"That's the plan," he polished off the last of his tea, earning him a surprised look from Levy. "What?"

"Wasn't that hot?" She asked, wide-eyed.

"Mouth of steel," he grinned. "I thought ya knew!"

"Oh, stop," she rolled her eyes, playful banter natural between them. She supposed she wanted to talk to him too. She had two ideas she wanted to run by him that she hoped he'd take into consideration. However, she had to remind herself that he was the king, and he probably got requests like this all the time. Would it be forward of her if she brought them up? Or should she wait for him to say something?

"So, uh," he began. "Ya mentioned somethin' about havin' some ideas?"

She whipped her head up, looking at him in shock. "You actually want to hear them?"

"Yeah," he shrugged. "Why wouldn't I?"

"You're…" she trailed off, not sure if she wanted to say the next part. She didn't want to sound pathetic!

"Tell me, Levy," he untangled an arm from the comforter, brushing wild blue locks behind her ear.

She found herself unable to defy him, which she knew would be a problem in the future! But for now, she'd give in to him. "You're the king! And I'm just some… some regular citizen. Why should you pay extra attention to my ideas?"

"Lev," he turned his body to face her, his shoulder now against the wall. "Yer more than just a normal citizen, an' I think ya know that."

For some reason, she was embarrassed! She shouldn't have doubted her value when it came to him. She took a bigger sip of her tea; it was a little cooler, now. "You're right, I'm sorry…"

"Don't apologize ta me. Yer my equal, Levy," he rested his head against the wall. "I genuinely wanna know what'cha have ta say."

His equal? Oh, Gods! He was making this incredibly hard for her! She took a deep breath. "Okay. I have two ideas. They may not be the best! Just let me know what you think."

"Let's hear 'em," he flashed her one of his fancy grins, getting her to giggle lightly. This was turning out to be an amazing night!