It had been three months since the war had ended.

Magnolia was slowly rebuilding, and the once vibrant town was starting to come back to life. From the window of my apartment, I watched the people coming and going, houses and stores being rebuilt by the town residents with an abundance of help from Fairy Tail wizards and their friends from neighbouring Guilds. I knew the deep-seated guilt that they felt all too well, this destruction was largely due to Fairy Tail and the war they had fought against Zeref and the Dragon King Acnologia.

The ache in my chest burst into life recalling those terrifying events, my mind instantly flashed to a figure being swallowed by a black portal and the sound of heart wrenching screams. My own screams.

"Gajeel" I sighed softly, my eyelids fluttering closed as if that would be enough to halt the images that haunted me to this day.

A warm rough hand strokes my neck, followed by another circling the side of my waist. Instinctively I leaned into the hard body behind me, allowing this feeling of safety to slow my frantic heartbeat.

"You're thinking about it again, aren't ya?" Gajeel asked, his rough voice laced with a tinge of annoyance. I turned in his arms, drinking in his unique metallic scent that could both soothe me and drive me wild, depending on the situation. I nod my head slowly, refusing to look up at him.

"Are ya going to look at me?" he demands, his fingers lifting my chin to tilt my face up towards his. Gajeel's annoyance always has a way of provoking my cheeky nature and this time is no different. I allow him to lift my face from his chest, but my eyes remain screwed shut and the tip of my tongue is poking out in defiance.

Seconds ago, I was gripped with fear, now I am content and being silly with the man I love. "Gihehe. You are a real pain you know that don't ya?" Gajeel is clearly trying and failing to sound annoyed.

"Well, it's only because you bring this side out of me. I used to be a well-respected Wizard, I always paid my rent in advance, I was never late to a job and I would be tucked up in bed with a good book by 11pm.

Now look at me!"

I step out of Gajeel's embrace and gesture down at myself. I watch as he slowly surveys my petite body, drinking me in. His crimson eyes spark and the colour intensifies before me, a small gasp escapes my lips. I still find it baffling the effect that I have on this man, part of me doesn't fully understand it, yeah, I'm cute but I'm no great beauty.

It's true that my teammates from Team Shadowgear have always appeared to have a crush on me, but I suspect that is partly due to my talents as a scribe, code breaker and all-round whiz kid when it comes to books, manuscripts, runes, you name it. Without those talents, we would have never been successful in our job, not many people in the guild know just how much we managed to rake in over the years. Years of careful jobs and saving our earnings is what allowed me to buy this apartment with Gajeel. Our missions may not be as exciting as those that Natsu, Lucy, Gray and the likes favour but they are important none the less and most importantly, they pay well.

I am torn from my ruminations as Gajeel takes one predatory step towards me, closing the distance I had created. His head dips low and I can feel his warm breath on the shell of my ear, a pleasant tingle rushes down my spine. "Levy…" just the sound of my name on his lips, not Shrimp, not Shortie, not bookwork but my name. I can feel the electricity flow between us, we are barely touching but it's there and its almost tangible. Gajeel continues after a beat, "I am always looking at you."