Before We Fall Asleep
Sunday, November 1st, 2020
-Magnolia City-
Pretty Frickin' Late At This Point
The doors of the Fairy Tail Hotel, Casino, & Suites swung wide as Cana pushed her way through.
Her lips twisted into a grin as she strode confidently into the lobby, adrenaline from the night coursing through her veins and her skin pleasantly thrumming from the light buzz of alcohol.
She spun around and immediately snorted with laughter as she watched her friends straggle in behind.
"What's this?" she teased, hands on her hips. "It's time to find the next bar!"
"Ugh," Lucy winced, struggling slightly with Natsu slung over her shoulder, whose weight she was helping to support. No one mentioned that he hadn't injured his legs or feet so he technically didn't need help walking. Cana and Lisanna chuckled about it behind their hands. Lucy's Perpetual Blush dusted her cheeks.
"No, it's pretty frickin' late at this point," she said, shaking her head and attempting to ignore the sparkle in her friends' eyes. "I think we should just go to bed."
Cana raised an eyebrow at her friend. "Oh? Are you referring to yourself and Natsu?"
"Uh huh," Lucy said, a little distracted as she glanced around the lobby. It wasn't crowded persay, but the party was certainly still raging in the Casino within. "Yeah, I'll help him to his room."
"Oh, I'm sure you'd be able to help Natsu in more ways than one."
"Uh, yeah?" Lucy frowned. "I mean, I'll just help him get in bed and then go to bed myself."
"Alrighty well don't let me stop you from helping Natsu out in bed," Cana said.
"Wait… what?!" Lucy's Perpetual Blush flared as her scattered brain finally picked up on Cana's teasing. "Wait wait wait you have the wrong idea I did not mean that! I just meant I'd help him sleep! Wait, but I don't mean help him sleep like that though, I just mean like help him get in bed then I'd get off- waitwait no get out of his room and go back to mine and-! Gah!"
Lucy shut up, covering her bright red face as the entire group deteriorated into laughter. She could even feel Natsu's laughter as he shook by her side and she squeezed her eyes shut in embarrassment.
"Alright well whatever you're going to do, with or without Natsu," Cana chuckled, "I'm happy to stay out of it. Gray, Lisanna, bar time?"
Lisanna nodded, still laughing, but Gray shook his head.
"Nah, I'm gonna go-" he glanced at Natsu and Lucy then turned back to Cana, "-check out one of the lounges or something. I don't want to keep drinking, just hang out somewhere less crowded."
Lucy glanced over at him questioningly. "Wait, Gray, do you want to go to bed too? You can come with Natsu and I back to your guys' room, it's your room too, don't worry it's really not like… that…" she sputtered, glaring at Cana and trying to regain her composure.
"Nah, I'm good. I'll go to bed later."
Gray wasn't an idiot, even if Lucy denied anything would happen he wasn't about to get in their way. Plus all he really wanted to do was check his phone, already reaching for it in his pocket to see if he'd gotten a text.
"Here's the room key," he said, fishing it out of his pocket at the same time and handing it to Lucy. She glanced between it and Gray, but he was distracted now with his phone.
"Should one of us go check on Jet and Droy?" Lucy asked now, turning to Cana and Lisanna who hesitated, glancing towards the stairs. The two boys had gotten there just before them and stormed inside before they could catch up.
"Probably not…" Lisanna said. "We can meet up with them tomorrow…"
The friends glanced at each other, wincing.
"Well, alright, sounds good!" Cana cried, pumping her fist in the air in an attempt to cheer them up. "We'll just meet back up tomorrow then! Go team!" And she spun on her heel to head towards the Casino, Lisanna right behind.
Lucy watched them leave for a moment then turned back to Gray.
"Well feel free to go back to the room whenever Gray, I'm really just gonna drop Natsu off then head back to mine. Plus Levy might be back, and I want to check up on her."
"Yeah, sure, sounds good," Gray said, not really listening. "Go on ahead, I'll see ya guys later," and he waved before sauntering towards the stairs, eyes glued to his phone.
Lucy chuckled, wondering what was up with him, then shifted slightly to glance up at Natsu, who yawned.
"Come on, Luce, Gray'll be fine, forget about him. Let's go."
"Alright," Lucy hummed.
And with that the couple headed towards the elevators, Lucy's Perpetual Blush still slightly present as she felt Natsu's heat by her side, distinctly aware of the way her hand was wrapped around his waist from the way he was leaning into her, and all thoughts of anything else slipped away as her heart fluttered in her chest.
Gray wasn't paying much attention to his surroundings as he went up the stairs of the Fairy Tail lobby, which led further into the hotel. His eyes were glued to his phone, re-reading the newest message in his inbox.
'Hope you're having a good night.'
He stopped suddenly, pondering the text, and someone who'd been coming up the stairs behind him grumbled as they almost ran into his back.
He couldn't figure out how to respond. Gray wasn't exactly much of a texter. He was known for his abbreviated and straight to the point messages. He'd rather just communicate what was necessary and leave everything else to in-person. Well, honestly even in person he wasn't much for small talk.
Even so, he'd enjoyed chatting with Juvia at Element 4 and now that she'd texted him he wanted to keep it going.
He scratched his head and started up the stairs again, mulling it over as he headed towards the Casino, wandering through the many rooms in search of somewhere less crowded.
He ended up at a bar with topaz-blue couches dotting the lounge and soft jazz music floating through the air, the louder music from the main rooms of the Casino only dimly resonating in the background.
He sat at the bar and ordered a silvery drink filled with ice, and stared at his phone again. He scowled, realizing that it'd been several minutes since she'd sent the text and it'd be weird if he took too long to respond, right?
He furrowed his brow and typed something out but then scowled again and erased it. Crap, why was it so hard to write a simple text?! Dammit…
After several more attempts he finally just settled on the first thing he'd thought of:
'Ya, my nights been fine. Wbu?'
Yeah, sure, good enough. He glanced at the time and sighed, realizing it'd taken him fifteen minutes to write a response. Was that weird? Was she even still up? It was pretty frickin' late at this point, what if it was too late? Wait, why was he even worried about this?
He set his phone down on the bar top and decided it'd be best to ignore it for a while.
But then it buzzed and before he realized it, he'd snatched it back up to see if he'd gotten a text.
Element 4 had gotten hot. The music throbbed, people danced, and Gajeel's brain had short-circuited.
He could barely process what was happening, let alone do something about it. He stood frozen, eyes wide but unseeing, hands hovering awkwardly above her shoulders. Levy was on her tip toes, clutching his face in her hands, and kissing him desperately with her eyes squeezed shut.
But it was only a moment of this messy and awkward and somewhat forced kiss before some primal part of Gajeel snapped into control and with a growl he swept his arms around her waist, pulling her closer, into his chest, moving so their mouths fit together better and taking control of the kiss. Levy sighed into him, snaking her hands up into his hair, raking her fingernails along his scalp.
He shivered, growling again, and the sound did something to Levy's stomach, making it twist, the butterflies she'd cultivated fluttered from her stomach up into her chest and her heart ached. She needed to be closer, needed more. It was like a dam of tension had broken between them and they both just needed more.
She jumped, Gajeel catching her thighs easily, gripping them with his hands as she wrapped her legs around his waist, her ankles linking behind his back, moving one hand to his neck as she tried to gain the upper hand in the kiss but Gajeel grinned against her and nipped her lower lip, making her gasp.
He forced his way in, his tongue fighting with hers, and Levy felt hot and heavy, her skin on fire. She felt like she was going to melt into him, squeezing her legs around his waist, trying to pull herself even closer to him, trying to touch every part of his skin that she could as the kiss only deepened until both of them realized somewhere in the back of their minds that they were going to drown if they didn't take a break and they parted, coming up for air, panting desperately as Levy leaned her forehead against his and stared into his dark red eyes, her stomach twisting pleasantly to see just as much lust there as she imagined was in her own gaze.
He was kneeding her thighs with his hands, and the feeling of his nails digging into her skin made her heart spike, her hair stand on edge. She licked her lips, wanting more, and smiled as she watched him watch her, glancing between her eyes and her lips.
She was leaning forward, ready to kiss him again when suddenly the world was spinning and she felt herself being lowered back down, Gajeel setting her back on her feet in front of him. He glanced away from her, glaring at the dark shapes of the dancers, and Levy hummed in confusion, her head spinning.
"Wait, uh, Ga-Gajeel?" Levy asked, confused. But it was loud out there on the dancefloor, and it was unlikely he'd heard her.
The dancing bodies around them are twisting every which way, the shapes and flashes of color and lights blending into each other as Levy shook her head, trying to still her spinning vision. She was suddenly quite dizzy and felt relief when Gajeel took her hand. She clutched on to it like a life line, desperately trying to not fall over in the crowd.
And then he was leading her out, snaking his way through the dancefloor as she followed, stumbling over her own feet. The intensity of the desire and passion and pleasure that had twisted her stomach so pleasantly moments before was beginning to be too much.
The sweetness of the alcohol had begun to sour and Levy's stomach began to churn. She couldn't see straight, the room was spinning and her thoughts were scattered, trying to process everything that had just happened. Her mental processes were significantly affected by the alcohol and the intensity of her emotions was suddenly just too much. It was all too much.
They exited the crowd and levy gasped. It was cooler outside of the dancefloor, with all those twisting bodies. Gajeel led her to a dark space along the wall. She leaned against it unsteadily, frowning, and put a hand to her head.
Gajeel glanced down at her in concern.
"Ugh... can't focus," she muttered, as he looked her over.
Gajeel hadn't quite realized before, but now that he'd kissed her it was clear that he'd been aching to do that from the very moment they'd met. Even now, as he watched her grimace against the wall, all he wanted to do was jump her, sweep her back up into his arms again and kiss the living daylights out of her.
Adrenaline and desire were coursing through him in equal parts, making him jumpy, but it mixed with the anxiety he felt about still being in Element 4. Part of him would've kept kissing Levy on that dancefloor for hours, but when he felt the moving bodies bumping into his back, he knew they needed to get out of there. This wasn't the right place.
He swallowed hard, looking her over again. She was far too sexy in nothing but a sports bra and that skirt. But fuck, he needed to focus. Focus. She was clearly drunk. And she must've left his jacket at the bar where he'd first left her.
He glanced across the club at it, tucked away on the far side under the stairs. He didn't want to drag Levy back through that crowd.
"Shorty," he growled, leaning down towards her so she could hear him above the loud music.
She shivered as he got closer, feeling his breath on her ear. Her heart leaped in her chest and she glanced up at him from the corner of her eyes, panting, her head twisted slightly such that he could see a large part of her neck.
He swallowed hard. It took everything in him not to lean forward and devour her.
"Shorty," he grunted instead, eyes hard. "Stay here, I gotta get my coat."
And with that he melted back into the crowd again and Levy was left panting against the wall, trying to calm her racing heart, trying to keep her head from spinning, and frankly trying not to throw up. She frowned, closing her eyes and leaning her head back against the cool wall, slumping against it in the shadows along the edge of the club.
"Stupid Gajeel," she muttered. "I'm not a dog..."
"Which room was it again, Natsu?" Lucy asked as the pair walked down the hallway towards Natsu and Gray's hotel room.
Natsu shrugged and she glanced at the room key.
"Wow, Room 777? That seems oddly auspicious," she chuckled, glancing at the doors they passed to make sure they were headed the right way. They were still only by room 723 and she realized the room she shared with Levy was coming up. Room 747.
"Wait, Natsu, before going back to your room I'd like to check in on Levy."
"Sure," Natsu said, not really caring.
They stopped outside the door and Lucy reached into her pocket when she realized… "Crap. I still don't have our room key! Levy does. I meant to get another one from the front desk."
She tried the handle but it was firmly locked.
"Levy?" she called, leaning towards the door and knocking. "…Are you in there? …Levy?"
Nothing. Lucy put her ear against the door but it was silent.
"She's probably not back yet," Natsu said with a yawn and Lucy frowned.
"Really? You think? It's so late I thought for sure… Levy?" She tried knocking one last time, but the silence on the other side of the door didn't waver.
"Well, alright, you must be right. She must still be out. Huh, I wonder when she'll be back."
Natsu shrugged and the pair kept walking until they reached Room 777, the door light flashing green as Lucy swiped the room key.
She followed Natsu into the room, the young man immediately leaping onto the bed, bouncing as it sprung, and sprawling out, head on the pillows. Lucy giggled, glancing around the room and she was pleasantly surprised to see there was minimal damage. Guess putting Natsu and Gray together hadn't been as worrying as it'd initially seemed.
"Come on Luce," Natsu said, turning over and propping his head up with the elbow of his uninjured arm, grinning at her with his dashingly handsome grin. Lucy swallowed. "Come to bed."
"Uhm, uhh," she stuttered, taking a step back. "I was, uh, I was thinking I'd go get another room key, from the desk downstairs…"
"Pft, ya can do it tomorrow! The desk is probably closed right now anyways."
"You-," Lucy said, scratching her head. "You have a point there… but, uh… Gray! What about Gray?! What if Gray comes back?!"
Natsu snorted. "Ice dick can sleep in the tub. Hurry up, didn't ya wanna sleep?"
Lucy's Perpetual Blush was coming back, looking between Natsu and the bed and the door. Part of her was urging herself to hurry up and climb in bed with him but another part was dying from the embarrassment, and she just knew Cana and Lisanna would give her so much shit tomorrow if she did, especially after denying this would happen so fervently in the lobby.
"But, uhm," she said, beginning to waver, hands on her cheeks, trying to cool them down.
"I thought ya said you wanted to move less slow?" Natsu said, and his comment made her Perpetual Blush spring to life, her whole face aflame.
"Wait! Wait wait wait, I-! I did but-! Maybe we should move a bit slower!"
Natsu smirked and her heart dropped, sensing what he was about to do as soon as he leapt from the bed and charged at her.
"Natsu?! Natsuuu!" Lucy shrieked, as he swooped in, grabbing her by the waist and spinning them around, launching them at the bed.
"What about your shouldeeer?!" she cried, but her cries were lost in a fit of giggles and laughter, and even though the Perpetual Blush was still making itself known, she didn't think her cheeks had ever hurt quite so hard from smiling.
It was pretty frickin' late, but for some reason the crowds at Element 4 hadn't quite thinned out yet.
Gajeel's glare was more menacing than usual as he stormed through them towards the little bar under the stairs. Anyone who noticed him jumped out of his way, as if his glare alone could part the waters, but most people were shit faced by this point and he had to push them roughly aside to get through.
"Fuck. Fuckfuckfuck, what the fuck was that?!" he thought, mind racing. "Fuck, ya need ta get control of yerself, ya don't have time fer this, ya bastard."
But he couldn't lie, that had been hot as hell. Every single part of himself wanted to rush back to her and do all of it again. Some kind of stopper had been undone and now that they'd done it he couldn't imagine not doing it again.
Fuck.
He quickly made his way to the stool where he'd set Levy down and snatched up his jacket, which had been left on the seat. He turned, wanting to get back to her as soon as possible (if only to make sure she was still safe) when a voice from behind the bar stopped him.
"Oy! Black Steel! I'm watching that for a friend!"
He turned, eyeing Meredy, the pink-haired girl pouring a beer a couple steps down the bar and glaring back at him defiantly.
"A friend?" he ground out. What the hell?
"Yeah! She went dancing. You can't just steal her coat!"
Gajeel's mind was still racing, but now with annoyance that Meredy had taken an interest in Levy.
She watched him for a moment, then glanced down at the jacket in his hands, and suddenly her eyes widened as it clicked.
"Wait, no way… that's YOUR coat?" she asked, stalking over to him and crossing her arms over her chest. "And what the hell is a guy like you doing with a cute girl like that, Black Steel?"
Gajeel glared back, meeting her eyes. She was pissing him off, but a part of him twisted with guilt again because she was right. What the hell was a girl like Levy doing with a guy like him?
"None a' yer business," he grunted instead and spun to leave, already pushing his way back towards where he'd left the bluenette.
"You better not fuck her over, you hear?!" Meredy yelled, her voice reaching his ears as he shoved his way through the crowd. "She deserves better than that, Kurogane!"
'My night is also going well, thank you.'
Gray smiled at his phone. But… what should he say next? This conversation was going to die any minute if he didn't think of something compelling.
'What r u doin now?' he asked, sipping his drink. Then he blushed, wait, did that sound weird?! Did it imply he wanted to hook up or something?
Luckily the girl didn't seem to think so, replying with 'Still at Element 4. Waiting for my friend to get off work.'
Gray frowned. She was still at Element 4? Maybe he should have raced back there. It was too late, he supposed.
'Was she the one with pink hair?' he asked.
'Yes. Her name is Meredy. We have worked together for many years, and we walk home together after work.'
Gray hummed. 'How long have u worked at the Dragon's Den, and E4?'
There was a long pause. Shit, he realized he'd just been asking questions. He didn't mean to make this an interrogation. Was she annoyed? He sighed with relief when a new text buzzed into his phone.
'For many years. It's hard to say how many.'
He frowned. Not much of an answer, but maybe she didn't want to go into it. But crap, he didn't know what to say next. He didn't want to ask another question and put her on the spot again. Luckily, he didn't need to worry.
'What about you? How long have you gone to Hargeon University?' she asked.
He sighed, thankful that they could move the conversation along.
'3 yrs. current yr will b my 4th.'
'What are you studying?'
'Ur gonna laugh. Geochemistry.'
'Why would I laugh?'
'… do I strike ya as a science nerd?'
Gray chuckled. Most people were surprised to hear that he was getting a science degree.
'Well, I'm afraid I don't know what Geochemistry is…?'
'No biggie, its basiclly lookin at the chemistry of planets and stuff.'
'Why were you interested in that?'
'I like ice,' he chuckled, immediately following up with, 'I wanna study ice cores at the polar caps.'
He waited, with more anticipation than he'd been expecting to have, a bit nervous about what she might think. But her response made him grin.
'Cool :)'
'Wbu? Have u been to school? Plannin' on it?' he asked.
There was another long pause, and Gray wondered if he'd asked a bad question again, or if she was just typing a lot.
Then, 'I have not. I don't know if I can.'
He shrugged. 'Fair. Not 4 evryone.'
But something about the way she said it made him frown. She wasn't sure if she could? Did she not have confidence in herself? Or was there another reason why she couldn't?
'I've taken some classes on the side though,' she immediately responded. Adding, 'I really like math.'
Gray smiled. For some reason, that fit. She was so poised and careful with her movements, like an elegant string of equations, flowing through their logical progression before his eyes.
Before he responded, she asked, 'You leave Monday, right? What are your plans for tomorrow?'
Gray paused. Honestly, he wasn't quite sure. He hadn't put any planning into this trip, he figured he'd just hang out with his friends the whole time and do whatever they wanted to do.
'Idk. Don't have any,' he said then, after a moment of consideration added, 'Y, ya got any recs?'
'Sure. Magnolia has a lot of things to do. There's the Zoo, the Museum of Flight, the big central library… a lot of these are popular for tourists though. You said you used to live in Magnolia City, yes?'
'Ya, but a long time ago. Whats ur favorite?'
Gray smirked, pleased with himself for asking that. She paused a moment, as if thinking.
'The Aquarium. It's small, so a lot of people skip it.'
'Cool cool. Maybe Ill check it out.'
Gray was trying to think of what to say next when another text came and he read, 'I don't work until 5. I could go with you, if you'd like?'
Then a string of texts followed:
'That is, only if you want to.'
'I was just thinking I could help you find it'
'If you'd rather go alone or with your friends that is fine.'
Gray chuckled. Honestly, a part of him was really happy that she had suggested it. He wouldn't mind seeing her again at all.
'Nah, its chill. Let's do it ;)' he responded, then froze. 'Wait, I meant *:) !'
He groaned, blushing. What an embarrassing typo, he really didn't want to give her the wrong idea or anything…! He rubbed his hand over his face, annoyed with his clumsy thumbs, when…
'lol'
He was surprised, then found himself laughing. She talked so strangely and she texted so formally, but it was kinda fun to see her use such a common text slang as 'lol.' He smiled, happy to have learned another little unique thing about the mysterious woman.
Drunk Levy apparently spoke French.
"Oh mon Dieu!" she cried, head hanging as she propped herself up, her hands on the alleyway wall in front of her.
("Oh my god!")
She panted, saliva pooling in her mouth, and she tried to spit it out. She'd just vomited half her guts, but her head was still as dizzy as ever.
Gajeel stood a foot or so behind her, arms crossed, and glaring at anyone foolish enough to head in their direction after they stumbled out the back door of Element 4 and into the alley. Upon meeting his gaze they all quickly turned the other way, presumably looking for a place to piss.
It was dark in the alley, and it smelled like shit, which wasn't helping Levy's roiling stomach. She'd felt sick ever since they'd left the dance floor, but it'd hit hard when they'd left the club.
She sniffed, squeezing her eyes shut as her head spun.
"Je ne peux pas croire que cela arrive," she muttered. "C'est trop embarrassant…"
("I can't believe this is happening." "It's too embarrassing.")
Gajeel glanced her way sympathetically. He knew it was unpleasant, but she'd feel better after throwing up. He couldn't figure out what the hell she was saying though.
"How ya feelin', Shrimp?" he asked, raising an eyebrow when she growled in response.
"Mon Dieu, Gajeel, je ne suis pas une 'Crevette!'"
("My god, Gajeel, I am not a shrimp!")
"Eh?" he asked. The hell?
He shrugged, then thought back to Meredy.
"Thought I told ya not ta talk ta anyone," he said, glaring at another guy who tried coming their way. The man winced and spun around, trotting towards the other end of the alley.
Levy growled again, pulling herself up from the wall and spinning towards him, crossing her arms over her chest to mimic his stance.
"Je ne suis pas un chien non plus!"
("I'm not a dog either!")
"What the hell are ya sayin'?" Gajeel asked, thoroughly confused.
She lifted a hand to her head, swaying a bit.
"J'ai... tellement le vertige..." she muttered, and he reached out to help steady her.
("I'm so dizzy...")
She shivered from the touch of his hand on her shoulder, but Gajeel interpreted that as her being cold and quickly slung his jacket over her shoulders again. It was pretty frickin' late at this point, the night air was chilly. Several clouds dotted the sky, one obscuring most of the light of the moon, leaving the alley shadowed in patchy darkness.
"Wait, what the hell happened to yer shoes?!" Gajeel asked, noticing for the first time that Levy was barefoot. She shrugged, pulling his jacket more closely around herself. She'd left them back at the bar, he hadn't noticed when he'd gotten his jacket. They were destroyed anyways, she would've had to throw them away.
Gajeel sighed, running a hand through his hair, and glanced around the alley once more before turning around and squatting in front of her.
She stared at his back, confused.
A moment passed, then he glanced over his shoulder, her eyes meeting his red-eyed glare.
"Ya gonna get on er what."
"…eh?!" Levy cried, leaning away.
"Hurry it up, Shorty, don't have all night. Ya can't walk without shoes. 'r should I carry ya over my shoulder again?"
Levy blushed with annoyance, recalling how he'd carried her earlier that night like a sack of potatoes. But then later at the Haunted House he'd carried her bridal style, too... She wouldn't mind if he carried her like that…
She shook her head, trying to get her runaway thoughts in order, her blush deepening. No, no, this was definitely better!
Hesitantly she walked towards his back, swallowing hard before grabbing onto his shoulders.
"Hop up," he grunted, and she was glad he couldn't see her face because she was blushing madly now, thoughts of their kiss moments prior coming to mind with the way she was jumping on him again. He caught her legs and stood up swiftly, Levy letting out a cry as she had to adjust her grip, clinging to him more tightly so she wouldn't fall.
Gajeel glared straight ahead as he walked, intent on not thinking about how her arms had wrapped themselves around his shoulders, how she'd leaned forward and he could feel her breath on the side of his neck.
"Tell me if ya feel like yer gonna be sick again."
Levy's cheeks burned from embarrassment but she nodded, nuzzling her nose into his hair.
Gajeel fell into a steady rhythm, navigating the dark alleys and streets that stretched out behind the Strip.
It was late, he was exhausted, and he didn't know where the hell the girl was staying. Plus, Levy was in no condition to figure out how to get back to her hotel right now.
So he'd decided to hell with it, he'd just take her back to his place. He lived relatively close by and his place would be pretty safe. Not many people knew where it was.
He could take her there and safely hoard her- wait no, hide, he definitely meant hide. He could hide her there and they could deal with all the rest of the shit tomorrow. He glowered at where his thoughts had taken him. What the hell was he thinking? Levy wasn't his to possess.
She was breathing evenly as she rested against his back. She was so close to him, she could smell him so deeply, and it was a smell that brought back other memories, of walking home in the rain.
"So uh," Gajeel said, glancing back at her with his peripherals, trying to distract himself from his thoughts. "What the hell were ya s'pposed to be tonight anyways?"
Levy blinked, feeling distinct déjà vu.
"Uh, Maka. From Soul Eater," she said, and Gajeel raised an eyebrow.
"Eh? Are ya speakin' French again?"
Levy giggled, "No, baka."
"Huh? I thought ya said 'Maka.'"
"Stupid Gajeel," Levy laughed, adjusting herself in his arms and relaxing into his back. He frowned, thoroughly confused, but decided it probably didn't matter. He didn't spend much time keeping up with pop culture or learning languages, so it was all out of his depth anyways.
Levy hummed, admiring his long black hair, and she found herself thinking about the group costume she had done with her friends. She'd spent such little time with them, it really hadn't been much of a group costume at all. It'd been silly from the start, with two 'Souls'…
"Ya know," she said softly, her thoughts drifting. "You're way too tall and your hair's a completely different color but… you were kind of like my 'Soul' tonight…"
"Eh?" Gajeel asked, turning his head slightly to look back at her.
"You've got pretty sharp teeth, though, like Soul," she rambled. "I wonder what you'd look like, if your hair was pulled back with a bandana…"
What the hell was she talking about now? It made no sense, and for some reason those words put him a little on edge… He grit his teeth. Didn't she know that he had no soul? He was a Devil. Devil's had no hearts, and they had no souls.
'She deserves better than that'
Unaware of his internal struggle, Levy sighed, resting her chin on his shoulder. She was still pretty dizzy and it was hard to get her thoughts in order, but her stomach felt better and she was glad she'd thrown up.
She watched the world pass as Gajeel sauntered through the shadowy streets, with the moon occasionally peeking out from behind a cloud to give them milky light.
She found herself pondering what everything must look like to Gajeel, who was so much taller than herself. It was pretty much the same but also… not. The angles were different. How strange.
"For some reason, Gajeel," Levy started, and he angled his head towards her again, in anticipation of her next words. "For some reason, with you, I always feel…"
He found himself holding his breath.
"Or that is to say, I guess for some reason, when I'm with you, you always make me feel…"
'Make me feel?!' What?! Make her feel what?! Scared? Nervous? Anxious? Afraid?
Gajeel was already glowering. She hummed.
"I guess… big. You make me feel big."
"…huh?" he said, frowning for the umpteenth time that night. "Yer drunk, Shorty," he scoffed, and shook his head.
Levy giggled, pushing her nose back into the crook of his neck.
Big? What the hell was that supposed to mean?
But, he found his lips quirking up at the edges anyways and he snickered.
Silly, French speaking drunkard...
Juvia smiled, reading the newest text from 'Gray-sama5ever~' (with a bunch of hearts).
She was so glad she'd thought to put both numbers into her phone, since it turns out it'd actually been a '5' instead of a '6' like she'd first thought.
She swiveled on her stool happily, sipping at her favorite drink, when suddenly Meredy came storming over, calling for her. She glanced up, admittedly a bit distracted.
"Juviaaa!" Meredy whined, leaning on the bar and pouting in front of her friend.
"Hmm?" Juvia hummed, her thoughts on her conversation with Gray rather than whatever Meredy was upset about.
"You're friends with Black Steel, right?!"
Juvia considered this, then nodded.
"He just left with a super cute girl! She is way out of his league, what the hell?!"
Juvia chuckled, glancing down at her phone as it buzzed.
"So?" she asked. What Gajeel did was of his own concern, not hers. She considered him a close friend, but she didn't judge him or form opinions on his life. She wasn't about to tell him what to do.
"All I'm saying is he better not fuck that girl up, I have no idea how the hell a guy like that met a girl like that," Meredy ranted, angrily scrubbing a glass. The bar was thinning out, and it'd be time to close up soon. "She was a super cute bluenette too, kind of like yours but a little lighter, I have no idea what that brute wants with her but she was so friendly tonight and I'm gonna be so pissed if-!"
"Did you say 'bluenette'?" came a gruff voice, and Meredy glared at Totomaru, who sidled up to the bar next to Juvia.
Juvia glanced up at his arrival, nodding politely in greeting, but then absorbed herself in her texts once more.
"And what's it to you?" Meredy snarled. She'd never been a fan of the other man. Something about him creeped her out. He glared back at her, reaching over the bar top to grab a bottle of whisky and pouring himself a shot.
"But did you? Are you saying you saw a bluenette tonight?"
"Look around, Totomaru," Meredy said, sweeping her arm across the room. "It's fucking Halloween! There are loads of bluenettes here tonight!"
Totomoru glowered as he begrudgingly noted her point. Just on the dancefloor alone one could spot hair of every color of the rainbow, whether wigs or dyed or natural. It was really easy to hide your identity with a costume on Halloween.
Meredy stormed off to finish her closing tasks, leaving Juvia on her phone and Totomaru glaring at his whisky.
Totomaru was really fucking pissed. His night had been fine, the fight had been going well, he'd even been pleased when Gajeel had won the final fight and everything had ended the way it needed to for Master José to be happy.
And then…
He was a victim of his circumstances, dammit! How was he supposed to know the back office was gonna get broken into tonight?! How could he have possibly paid attention to that when he was supposed to be running the fight?! Someone else should've been there! So why was he getting blamed for it, purely because he found out about it first?!
It would've been better if he had gotten there in time to stop the blue-haired rat, and what made him even angrier was that he would have if not for the white-haired angel bitch that practically accosted him in the hallway!
Sure, she was smoking hot, and at the time he'd probably been pretty into it… but knowing what he did now about the break-in, a quick make-out sess with a girl who'd wandered into the back and seduced him hadn't been worth it.
He was in some deep shit if that blue-haired rat wasn't found, and he'd look like an idiot if it ever came out that the reason he'd gotten back to the office late was because he'd been making out with a chick in the hall. It pissed him off that Gajeel, with his fucking annoying intuition, had already smelled something fishy.
But Black Steel was the fishy one, not him!
At the time, he hadn't really cared what was in Gajeel's bag. But in retrospect it'd looked supremely suspicious, and he had no doubt the man was connected to all of this somehow.
If he wanted to prove himself, he needed to find that bitch. Or find dirt on Gajeel. But he had no leads on either. No one knew anything about the blue-haired rat. The footage was too grainy to get any good clues, and no one had seen her go in or out of the venue. She was like a ghost.
And getting dirt on Gajeel would be too hard. It'd need to be something convincing enough to sway Master José, but Gajeel was far too dangerous and secretive. Totomaru had threatened the other man in the hallway upstairs, but he wasn't sure if he could actually follow through on those threats.
Totomaru shivered, sipping his whisky. He needed a plan. Something to save his skin with Master José and get back in his favor.
To his left was Juvia, still seated primly on her barstool, completely absorbed by her phone. To his right were a couple of drunken men, who'd probably been drinking there for the past several hours. Without necessarily meaning to, he could hear some of their conversation as they laughed boisterously, drinking pints of beer.
"…right hook came out 'a nowhere! Never expected 'im to jump on the bastard's back! Instant takedown, gotta feel sorry fer the poor suckers that put 'eir money on the man…"
They were talking about the fight. So much had happened with the break-in, Totomaru hadn't been thinking about it much.
"…best move though, when Kurogane pulled tha' newbies arm like that. What, the Salamander 'r sumthin'?"
"Nah, the headlock!"
"Pft," scoffed the other, "Didn't last! Salamander was way too slippery, that's why Kurogane failed ta win the round…"
Totomaru thought back to that moment, when Gajeel had lost the second round and the fight was still up in the air.
The Salamander…
He scowled as he thought about the man. He'd taken the whole fight by storm, no one had expected a random newbie to do so well. Master José had probably been extremely pissed…
An idea started to formulate in Totomaru's mind.
He knew nothing about the break-in and it'd be too hard to find dirt on Gajeel.
But he'd been in charge of the fight. He'd organized the whole thing, he'd ran the site, and he'd have access to the records the entrants had to submit. He could probably figure out who the Salamander was. He could find his real name, maybe even some dirt, and serve it up to the Master on a silver platter.
The Master detested anyone that fucked with him, and the Salamander had been way too flashy when he'd dominated the fight, almost winning the final round.
Surely the Master would be pleased to learn more about him and get a chance for revenge. This was Totomaru's way back into his favor.
He grinned, downing the rest of the whisky in one gulp, and with one last glance at Juvia, slipped from his stool and away from the bar.
Jet was irate.
He was at a bar in the Casino again, this time fuming over a beer, as Droy sat anxiously next to him as he had all night.
"Come on, Jet, maybe it's a misunderstanding? Lucy said Levy lost her phone, so that's why she hasn't been in touch! Maybe she can explain everything to us tomorrow!"
Jet glared at him, downing half the pint in one gulp.
"It's not a miscommunication. Levy ditched us tonight to be with some other guy, even after we'd all planned this group costume together," Jet seethed. "What was the point of coming to this city if we didn't get to spend any time together anyways?!"
Droy looked at the ground solemnly. He was upset too, but more sad than angry. He would've really enjoyed spending the night with Levy and their friends. He was wishing things had turned out differently.
"Well, we still have tomorrow," he said hopefully, but Jet scoffed.
"No, you know if Levy is gonna screw around with other guys, then… what's stopping me from doing the same thing?"
"Jet?" Droy asked with concern, watching as his friend finished the pint.
"I've been waiting for years for Levy to pick me…" Jet said softly, glaring at the bar. "But clearly tonight, she's made her choice."
He turned to Droy angrily, then stood and started to stalk off further into the club.
"Jet?! Jet what do you mean!" Droy called after him.
"Levy wants to fuck around?" Jet called over his shoulder to a worried Droy. "Fine! Let her! I'm gonna fuck around, too! Happy Fucking Halloween!"
Levy hadn't realized she was starting to nod off until Gajeel shook her, peering at her over his shoulder before squatting back down.
"Shorty," he grunted. "We're here."
"Hmm?" she mumbled, blinking her eyes owlishly. "Where are we?"
"…my place," he said as she got off his back.
"Oh," Levy said, suddenly a little more awake, "…Right."
She glanced down the hallway, feeling the stiff gray carpet with her toes. Old apartment doors lined the walls, like sallow faces, their yellow paint peeling.
She turned and watched as Gajeel unlocked his door, noticing absentmindedly that the security system he had was the same exact one as her house in Hargeon Town.
"That's interesting…"
"Eh?" Gajeel asked, pushing his door open and motioning for her to enter.
"It's just, you've got the exact same set-up that we've got at the house. Our landlady won some kind of giveaway," Levy said, yawning as she walked into his apartment. "From some company in Magnolia City. I suppose it makes sense, you live in Magnolia City, huh."
Gajeel was silent, watching her walk inside with narrowed eyes, before glancing down the hallway one last time, the doors watchful. He slipped inside, shutting the door firmly, and locking it.
"It's funny," Levy rambled, "All the girls hated having to worry about having the deadbolt key, and needing to remember the door codes…"
But her musings petered off as she glanced around Gajeel's apartment. She wasn't sure what she'd been expecting but this… wasn't it.
It was completely normal. The walls were a pleasant eggshell white. There was a single lumpy blue couch with, surprisingly, a crocheted blanket thrown over the back. There was an old kitchen table, scuffed but sturdy, and one chair.
It was cozy. Home-y, even, though sparse. Nothing on the walls, no TV.
What had she been expecting, a cave? A junkyard? Piles of scrap metal?
She noticed there was actually a pile of junk behind the table in the kitchen and that made her grin. But the biggest surprise was a shiny guitar, propped up in the corner by the couch.
"You play?" she asked in surprise, turning to Gajeel, but he brushed her off, heading to the kitchen. She suddenly remembered that in Soul Eater, Soul was a musician.
'Huh, he really is like my 'Soul'…'
She blushed at the thought. Was she still drunk?!
"Sometimes," he grunted, getting a glass from the shelf and filling it with tap water. "Drink," he said, handing her the glass and she nodded in thanks.
"Bathroom's end of the hall," he said, pointing down the short dim hallway that jutted off from the living room. "And," he said, leading her to the only other door in the hall, "ya can sleep here."
He pushed the door inwards and Levy saw a dark room, filled almost entirely with a massive bed. She swallowed, the realization that this was Gajeel's bed hitting hard.
"Ohh, I couldn't possibly take your bed, Gajeel, I can sleep on the couch…"
She glanced up at him but flinched from the sharp look he was giving her.
"Sit," he snapped, in a tone that left no room for argument, pointing to the edge of the bed.
Hesitantly, Levy walked into the room, hopping up onto the edge of the massive mattress timidly, trying not to spill her water.
She watched, a little nervously, to see what Gajeel would do, but he turned around and left without a word.
She blinked, her eyes adjusting to the dim light, and glanced around. What now? Was she supposed to… sleep? She noticed curiously that there was a closet in the corner, with a short dresser nearby and several pairs of black boots. All in all, it was much tidier than she'd been expecting. There was a small window above the bed, and Levy could see a corner of the moon peeking through. It was still as big and bright and beautiful as ever.
She almost jumped when the door swung open again, Gajeel returning with some stuff in his hands.
"Take the coat off," he grunted, and a blush began to creep up Levy's neck.
"E-excuse me?" she asked, pulling it more tightly around herself instead.
He wanted her to take her clothes off?! (His clothes, but technicalities). What was he gonna do?!
"Gotta re-wrap yer cuts, Shrimp," he said, giving her a look as if to say, 'Seriously? What did you expect?'
Levy's blush deepened, now with embarrassment.
"O-oh, uhm. Right."
She slipped his jacket off and set it gently beside herself, and watched as Gajeel knelt down in front of her again. She let him take her arms, undo the bandages he'd put there earlier, and wash the dried blood off with a wash cloth. It was warm, a detail that surprised her, and she hummed, closing her eyes. He glanced up at her briefly, before going back to her arms.
They were looking really good. They wouldn't even scar. They'd just looked bad at first because of all the blood, but wrapping them earlier had been good. He applied some ointment, then wrapped them one last time and stood, tossing the old wrappings in a bin.
"Night," he said gruffly, turning to walk out the door, and with a start Levy realized that he was leaving.
"W-wait!" she cried, and he paused, turning to look at her over his shoulder. His eyes were dark.
"Uhm, I- I'd feel bad if I took your bed!"
Gajeel snorted. "It's fine, Shrimp. Couch is good enough fer me."
"No, seriously, Gajeel, why don't, uh… I'm, ya know, I'm pretty… small," Levy said, annoyed to be admitting that even though she knew it was true. Gajeel chuckled and she puffed her cheeks out. "My point is, you can sleep over there, on that side," she said, pointing to the other side of the bed. "I don't need the whole thing, really, it's fine, I'd feel bad…"
Gajeel raised a hand, intent on refusing, but then she said softly, "Please? Please, Gajeel, don't… leave."
He stared at her a moment, and her eyes shimmered in the light. He had planned to keep saying no, but seeing the look in her eyes… the guilt he'd been feeling all night, for what he'd put her through, resurfaced and for some reason he was unable to refuse.
He nodded and Levy blinked.
"Okay, uh, thanks…" Levy said, a little flustered.
She watched as Gajeel flipped the light off, then strode to the other side of the bed and stiffly laid down. She swallowed, setting her glass of water down by the bed, then slowly swung herself up, hesitantly getting under the covers and gently resting her head on the pillow.
Neither of them had changed and Gajeel wasn't even under the covers, but laying there in the dark in his bed, Levy suddenly found herself awash with immense relief. They were together and they were alive and they were safe. His scent engulfed her, making her feel almost giddy. She giggled softly, overwhelmed by the sheer craziness of it all, and felt her muscles relax, her breathing even out.
She turned her head slowly, glancing over at the shadowy lump that was Gajeel. His bed was massive, so he'd laid down a couple of feet away. She watched the darkness for a moment, intimately aware of his presence in the bed beside her, wondering what he was thinking.
She hummed, and glanced up at the wall, where a white patch of light was projected from the light of the moon through the window. Her thoughts wandered and she thought about the moon and Lucy. She thought about her other friends, wondering how they were, and she thought about everything that had happened that night. She thought about how it was Halloween and how the Moon was Blue and whether everything that had happened was due to some magical force, or was it pure chance…
"…Gajeel?" she asked softly, her voice floating into the silence of the room. "Are you… asleep yet?"
A moment passed before, "…nah," he growled, so low she almost couldn't hear. The sound made her smile.
"Did you know that it was a Blue Moon tonight?" she asked the silence of the room, and he was quiet. She hummed.
"Or, Lucy tells me it is also a Sanguine Moon, or… a Blood Moon. A Hunter's Moon, actually, also. The days are getting shorter, and the nights are getting colder. It will be winter soon. Both humans and animals are preparing, stockpiling food to make it through the cold months. And under the bright light of this moon, hunters go out, for deer and rabbits."
A cloud drifted over the face of the moon, the light on the wall dimming for a moment, the shadows swaying.
"People don't hunt quite the same way they used to," Levy said. "But the meaning stays the same. From here, the shadows will get deeper. The nights will get longer. We're headed into the dark and we have to be ready. We have to hang on to each other…"
She turned herself towards where she knew he was in the darkness, peering at his form.
"Thank you, Gajeel," she said softly, her eyelids fluttering shut. "Thank you for, well… everything. But… thank you most for staying…"
She hummed a final time and found her mind drifting further away, cushioned in the warmth of Gajeel's scent and, for the first time in a long time, she felt perfectly content.
It was quiet. The only sound was Levy's even breathing.
Gajeel watched the light from the moon on the wall fade in and out as clouds passed through the sky. He had waited until he was certain Levy was asleep, and now he turned towards her, observing her in the dark.
Her skin looked soft. She looked peaceful. Happy, even, her lips curled up at the edges as if she was having a pleasant dream.
Silently, he rolled off the bed and padded to the door, closing it behind him.
In his kitchen, he splashed his face with cold water, then went over to the couch, snatching up his blanket and laying down with a scowl.
She thanked him? Why the hell was she thanking him!? After her life had been at risk? Because of him?!
"You better watch your back, Gajeel. You're a dead man walking."
Totomaru was right. Gajeel's life was dangerous. He'd always figured he'd die young.
"You better not fuck her over… She deserves better than that."
And Meredy was right. Levy did deserve better than that. She deserved better than him.
He snarled, rolling over, pulling the blanket over his shoulders.
Gajeel had lived by three rules his entire life:
Never Show Weakness. How he dealt with other people, how he faced José.
Keep Breathing. How he got through all the shit and kept going.
And third, You Only Have Yourself. It was how he stayed grounded. How he reminded himself that no one else had his back, it was only him. He could never trust anyone else. A painful lesson he learned the night his old man left, the first night he'd ended up on the streets.
"What the hell are ya doin', Gajeel," he muttered to himself, grinding his teeth. "Ya only have yerself. You've always only ever had yerself… Ya can't have her, too…"
And he glared into the darkness of his living room, eyes roaming the cracked ceiling above, distracted with thoughts of the small blue-haired fairy, sleeping peacefully in his bed.
Earlier that night...
The lights hanging from the ceiling of the warehouse were old. Their fixtures were strung with cobwebs (real ones, not the fake webbing throughout the maze), and the bulbs flickered with a dull yellow light.
The building had been evacuated, the guests were all gone, and Minerva laid in the glass like a child making a snow angel, vaguely listening to the echoing chatter and static of police radios in the building as other officers investigated the scene.
Minerva felt like her entire life had been a string of unfortunate events, which began, she supposed, with her birth.
So earlier tonight, when she'd miraculously found herself in the exact right place at the exact right time to get rid of Black Steel Gajeel and that blue-haired bitch with him, she'd thought the tides were finally turning. Maybe luck was finally on her side.
But… she'd been naïve and Lady Luck was a bitch, too.
By the time she'd realized that the blue-haired bitch with Black Steel wasn't the one she'd been looking for, it was too late. She'd already encouraged her partner to help shoot them at the docks, they'd already been in a wild car chase leading to the Haunted House, and she'd already started shooting at the wrong bitch in the mirror maze. And it was only then, in the twisted shadows and distorted reflections, that she realized that the girl she was shooting at wasn't the one she wanted dead.
She'd fucked up, she'd gotten carried away, and she'd made a mess.
She glared up at the yellow bulbs, her eyes hooded.
She supposed some might argue that, well, at least she was still alive. Technically her partner had been a bit unluckier in that regard.
But this thought twisted in her mind. She just felt so jaded. She wished their roles were reversed, it almost felt like worse luck that she was perfectly fine and now had to deal with the fall out of this shit. She almost wished she was the one who'd been shot…
She heard the crunch of glass underneath someone else's feet, and soon her view of the flickering yellow bulbs was obscured as the other person leaned over her head. She was met with a pair of dark red eyes and she sighed.
"Your partner's in the ER," Rogue said as Minerva finally sat up. He leaned back, his hands in his pockets, glancing her over.
"You sure you're alright? Should I call a medic for you, too?"
"No," she said, shaking her head. "I'm fine. What's his condition."
Rogue looked skeptical, but didn't push it.
"Well frankly it doesn't look good. He's in surgery but I've heard it's pretty 50/50. Too soon to say."
Minerva nodded and glanced at the shards of glass surrounding her, which were laid out like gems on the ground.
"Poor guy," Rogue continued. "He'd been new, too. Pretty shitty luck."
Minerva nodded again, silently. Rogue sighed.
"What exactly happened here, Minerva? When I showed up you were passed out in a bunch of broken glass and your partner was nearly shot to hell. It was already a weird night, cause of the bomb scare across town that Sting is dealing with. And now this, too? What in the world?"
"I already told you," Minerva replied, voice calm as she met his worried gaze. "My partner and I happened to be nearby when we thought we heard gunfire inside the building. We weren't sure if the noises were sound effects being used for the Haunted House or not, so we came inside to check."
Rogue frowned. "Why didn't you just check with the event coordinators first?"
Minerva was shaking her head, "We were already at the rear of the building. We were planning to head to the front to find them, but figured we could search the maze first on the way there. We split up to cover more ground, but didn't expect to get lost in the maze ourselves."
"But why didn't you call it in? Or wait for backup?"
"Well we weren't sure yet if the gunfire was real or not, until it was too late."
"Damn. Just really bad luck then, huh."
Minerva nodded darkly. He didn't know the half of it.
There was no way in hell Minerva would ever tell Rogue the truth, that she had been chasing Black Steel Gajeel. He was too straight-laced of a cop, one of the ones who still foolishly felt that they were working in the name of justice. Righteously upholding the law. She felt like throwing up.
Her story would be fine as long as her partner didn't blab the truth to anyone, but she figured there was a high probability he wouldn't live long enough to become an issue. She'd deal with that if it came up.
In the meantime, she had more pressing concerns, like the phone call she needed to make in the wake of her failure, but she'd been putting it off… Her stomach rolled with anxiety.
Dammit! She grit her teeth in frustration. She'd thought it was perfect! She'd thought it was such good luck! She'd thought she could clean this shit up and kill that blue-haired bitch before her father even had to bat an eye about the entire fucking thing, but fuck she'd chased the wrong one!
And prior to tonight she'd never met Black Steel personally, but she'd been a cop in Magnolia City for long enough to know that the man never forgave, and he never forgot.
So she'd fucked up, made an enemy, and now she'd have to deal with the fall-out of all this shit.
But before that, she still needed to make that phone call… yep, she'd much rather be in the ER right now. Her partner was a lucky bastard.
A/N-
Heyyyy!
First off, I'm sorry for taking such a long hiatus from this story. It's been on my mind, but I just needed a break I suppose. Life has a habit of getting in the way :P
Notes on this Chapter:
I'm so excited, we're finally coming to parts in the story that circle back to earlier chapters.
First off, Gajeel's List!
1. Never Show Weakness
2. Keep Breathing
3. You Only Have Yourself
Shit has been really rough for Gajeel. I mean, we're dealing with years of emotional neglect and abuse. This can't be fixed overnight, but I figure you all know that this night (Halloween) is the night that will start to change things for him ;) the ball is in motion!
Also, did anyone notice how, in Chapter 2, Gajeel makes a big deal out of the lack of security at Levy's place? He notices the shitty door locks/lack of security cameras/he even stakes the place out a bit after leaving Levy's room. BUT THEN Chapter 3, he's pleased when he sees that there's more locks on the door and there's a camera on the porch?
So yeah, the increased security at Levy's place was totally Gajeel's doing ;) That's why her landlady 'won some kind of giveaway from a company in Magnolia City.' Good Guy Gajeel, looking out for Levy before he's even really thinking about it~
But he's not gonna say anything to her, so we'll see if she ever finds out. I also wasn't sure if it was super obvious in the chapter, so I'm pointing it out now.
When Gajeel is Carrying Levy to His Place:
Lots of references to when he helped her out in the first couple of chapters. When she says that he was like her 'Soul' (the counterpart to her Maka costume, since she ended up spending the whole night with him) and he doesn't understand what she's talking about, him thinking "Didn't she know that he had no soul? He was a Devil. Devil's had no hearts, and they had no souls."
That harkens back to Chapter 1, when he thinks the exact same thing.
Obvious Gajevy Reference: "I'm gonna make you big"
So cute, had to get that in there.
Natsu and Gray's Room Number: Room 777.
If you know Fairy Tail, you know the year x777 is pretty important.
Any guesses as to why Lucy and Levy's room is 747? I can assure you it's NOT because of the Boeing 747 airliner jet xD
The Gunwoman was Minerva!
Did ya see that coming?
Will this be the last Fairy Tail character who hasn't been mentioned yet by name sneaking their way in? No, we've got a couple others who are coming. It'll all make sense, I promise.
Also Haha I don't know how this keeps happening! They just work their way in of their own accord! I give you yet another Hobbit reference!
"And he never forgave, and he never forgot."
Opening line describing Thorin Oakenshield in the first Hobbit movie, about how he never forgave nor ever forgot his homeland, the Lonely Mountain, and those who betrayed him when his people were ousted from their home.
Another reference, this time to a show on Netflix, The Haunting of Bly Manor
In honor of Spooky Season, if you haven't seen The Haunting of Hill House or The Haunting of Bly Manor I HIGHLY recommend watching both, specifically in that order (Hill House first).
I don't usually like horror movies. My overactive imagination conjures up enough of its own paranormal acitivty, thank you very much, but this is the only horror movie or series I have ever seen that gave me SO MANY FEELINGS and left me feeling happy! These shows are amazingly well done.
In The Haunting of Bly Manor there's a line: "Because from here on in, the shadows get deeper. The nights get longer. We're headed into the dark and we have to hang on to each other."
Levy says something noticeably similar when she's talking about the moon to Gajeel.
Speaking of the Moon – More Moon Stuff
Yep, last year's moon on Halloween was a Full Moon, Blue Moon, Sanguine Moon (aka Blood Moon), and a Hunters Moon. So many titles. Everything Levy said is true.
And while reading about it online, I discovered that, "spiritually speaking, the Hunters Moon encourages you to go seek out your dreams […] Now is the time to set sights on your goals and pursue them relentlessly."
("Hunters Moon 2020: What is spiritual meaning of Halloween Full Moon?" on express. co. uk)
The moon is some good spiritual energy for Levy, Gajeel, and the gang.
Good luck to everyone in pursuit of their dreams~
I spent a lot of time trying to think of a good song for this chapter…
…which was hard because there's so many. But I picked this one, because the lyrics are perfect for Levy and Gajeel, and it's got dreamy, sleepy vibes. "Count on" by Shallou, Colin.
"Wait… We found a place… Safe… All on our own…
"We've come so far, but you have always been my home. I know it's dark, 'cause one of us is letting go...
"Will you let go? Will you take home in my heart? Will you let go? Will you take home, if I can count on you"
Thank you so much for reading! And thank you for reviewing!
rao hyuga 18 – Thank you! Thanks for sticking around, I hope you're still around and can't wait to see what you think as this progresses. Cheers!
Copperreign12 – I'm glad you liked it xD I had so much fun with the dance floor in that chapter, it felt like a lot of pressure to keep the energy up with its continuation in this one! Thanks so much, hope you're still around and doing well ^.^
Lucy H Lover –Yep, I'm trying to include tons of references to the manga/anime. Let me know if you think of any good NaLu moments I should try to include! At heart Gajevy is my OTP so I know more about them, lmao. Hope you've been well!
Amanny – Yeah, Gajeel has a lot of stuff he needs to be worried about right now. We'll have to see how he figures it all out. And yup, Totomaru has become a much more suspicious character than I ever initially intended him to be, so I feel a bit bad because I never disliked him in the anime/manga or anything. But it works for the story :P
Kitty122333 – Thanks so much! I hope you're still active on this site and I hope you enjoy the update! Cheers!
Onionsaur – Ahh! Props to you for binging it! I know its gotten pretty long xD Sorry I made you wait so long for more! But also, dude, I went to your art insta (through the info you have on your fanfiction profile page) and DAYUMMM YOURE SO GOOD! I'm seriously impressed! And I would be devastated too, I love the gajevy fandom! I'm so happy other fans are out there also, keeping it alive, making kick ass art. I know it's been a while since I updated so I hope you're either still on that high or it can be revived! Either way, hope you're doing well! Cheers and thank you!
piranha pk – yaaassssss xD I know it took a whileeeee hopefully won't be their last one?! Sorry for the hiatus, but I'm gonna get this finished up! I could never let it die! Thanks for reading, hope you've been well!
MsKtK – Hey! I'm so thrilled you got caught up and you're enjoying it! Thank you so so much for your kind words and thoughtful review, yep you're right there are tons of red flags cropping up all over the place but they're all there for a reason. That napkin will be making a reappearance! Thanks again! I hope you've been well!
Cheers, and hope you've all been well! Happy Fucking Halloween!~