Selfish

It had been over a week since their fight, and Levy was only just feeling like their relationship was getting back on track. Blowing up at each other was nothing new for them, but to her, it felt like each time it happened, it took longer and longer for them to be okay again. Sighing, she set her book down and ran her hands through her already tangled mop of hair, trying to shake loose her bad mood. Being stuck inside wasn't helping either, the weather seemingly in tune with the atmosphere inside the small house had the skies almost black with torrential rain for the past week.
"Y'know it won't rain forever, Shrimp".
Levy jumped, startled by his gruff voice over her shoulder. "God's, Gajeel! Don't scare me like that!" She scolded, fanning the blush that had appeared on her cheeks from the fright. "I know, I just hate being cooped up in here for days on end."
"Yeah, me too. But at least this way I don't gotta share ya, an' we don't gotta wear pants" he joked, trying to brighten her mood. Gajeel hated seeing her moping around the house, her usually bright smile as dull as the sky outside. "C'mon, got a surprise for ya."
Levy smiled as she took his outstretched hand, wincing as the feeling rushed back into her legs, cramped from so many hours curled underneath her. She allowed herself to be pulled along into the bathroom, sighing happily when she saw the tub filled to almost overflowing with the cloud-like bubbles.
"You are too good to me" she leant up, kissing the tip of his nose.
"Yer got it th' wrong way 'round there, Lev'. Ain't no good for yer, just lucky ya put up with me" he scratched the back of his head awkwardly. Things had been strained between them ever since their fight, and Gajeel was trying his best to make amends, having felt like a right tool for blowing things out of proportion (according to a very cross Lucy who had well and truly chewed him out over it).
"Mhmm, people say the same thing about me, y'know?" She smirked, stripping out of the few items of clothing she wore, enjoying the sensation of his eyes tracing her body. "All your fans seem to think I'm a terrible influence, that I'm going to lead you astray" she purred, pressing her naked body against his chest, nails raking down his arms. Levy delighted in the way he drew a shaky breath as she stepped away from him, twisting as she stepped up and sank into the tub, bubbles threatening to suffocate her. "Come on, 'Jeel. Come join me."
That was all the invitation he needed, quickly shedding his pants, singlet thrown to some random corner, and he was climbing in, the almost too hot water prickling at his skin. Levy's hands were on him the second he was submerged, her lips crashing down on him almost desperately. His cock twitched into life instantly, a new kind of heat flooding his body after the week of almost no affection.
"Fuck, Lev'. Need ya." he ground out between her kisses, his hands finding her hips and guiding her to straddle his lap. Gajeel knew from experience that bath sex was awkward and a little unpleasant, but that didn't mean he wasn't determined to please her in any way possible.
"You have me, 'Jeel. You will always have me." She pulled back, meeting and holding his gaze, and Gajeel felt as though she was staring directly into his soul, squirming a little at the sensation. His movement had her moaning, as the head of his cock bumped against the piercing between her thighs, and she tangled her fingers into his now damp hair, kissing him fiercely as she ground her weight down onto him. Gajeel's hands on her hips were holding her steady as the fire in her belly burned its way through her body, toes curling in pleasure as she swore out her climax, his name on her lips.
"Fuck I missed ya, gorgeous" Gajeel breathed, peppering small kisses across her shoulders and up her neck.
"I missed this, us. I missed you, Gaj. Having you next to me and feeling like you were out of reach... God's, I don't want to do that again."
Gajeel buried his face against her skin, inhaling deeply like he was trying to commit her smell to memory. "Me neither, Shrimp."
With one last, lingering kiss, Levy found herself spun around, his calloused fingers gently combing through her hair and she melted back against his chest, practically purring at the feeling of his fingertips massaging her scalp, working away the last bit of tension she carried. As the water grew tepid, and the bubbles dissolved, Levy pulled the plug and allowed the water to gurgle down the train as she stood, wrapping them both securely in the large fluffy towels Gajeel had set out earlier.
"Hey, 'Jeel?" She turned to face him hesitantly.
"Mmm?"
"Can I, uh, I mean, would you mind... Can I brush your hair?"
Gajeel blinked, stunned by her request. "Uhhhh, sure?" His heart faltered in his chest for a moment, it was hard to breathe when she was smiling up at him like that. 'Fuck, I'm gonna marry that girl' he thought to himself, as he slung an arm around her shoulders and guided her to their bedroom.
Wrapped in her fluffy black robe, Levy knelt on the bed behind Gajeel, hands gently sectioning out his hair before she started to carefully brush through the unruly length. Gajeel had to stop himself from purring under her attentions - the gentle way she was detangling his hair was so different to his usual style of just ripping the brush through. He was almost pouting when she finished the last section and set the brush down, but rather than stopping, she simply switched to using her fingers to comb through his raven mane, her nails raking lightly against his scalp as she started to braid his hair away from his face. He couldn't help the moan that slipped out, her hands on him was a feeling he had missed desperately, and having her play with his hair like this felt almost more intimate than anything they had done before.
Quickly shedding his towel, Gajeel turned to face her, hands making quick work of the bow holding her robe together. He wanted - needed - her bare before him, to join their bodies and reaffirm in his own way that she was here and they were okay. Thankfully, Levy was on the same page, her breath shaking and eyelids heavy with desire, and her small hand shot out to grab him, guide him into her walls, already warm and wet and waiting for him. Gajeel kept his eyes fixed firmly on her face, hands twisted together on the pillow beside her head.
"I love you, Gaj" she breathed, feeling the coil inside her winding impossibly tighter.
"Love yer, Levy" he growled, trying to keep himself under control, not wanting to finish without her. His profession of love sent her over the edge then, with a sharp gasp, her back was arching under him as her eyes glazed over and her walls held him tight, the friction pulling his own release from him with a groan of her name. Rolling off her, so as to avoid smothering her small frame, Gajeel pulled her in close to his side as he curled protectively around her, content to lay there in the afterglow and feel the happiness that was practically radiating off Levy. Unfortunately, the universe had a different idea, because no sooner had they nuzzled in comfortably than their phones began to chime in rapid succession.
"Uggghhhh go away!" Levy shouted in the general direction of the noisy devices, annoyed at the interruption to her cuddle time. Chuckling at her outburst, and happy to see his girl more animated than she had been all week, he rolled over to see what all the commotion was about.

Natsu - Party the studio 7
Natsu - Don't be late
Natsu - And please don't show up w sex hair!

Wendy - They're launching the album NOW! See you guys tonight!
Wendy - Maybe take the long way, just to be safe!

Lucy - Congrats on the surprise album release? See you tonight. Please look respectable!

Groaning, he passed Levy's phone over to her. "If yers is anythin' like mine, yer prob'ly gonna wan' ta check that".
Scrolling quickly, she turned to him with wide eyes. "Oh my god! Gajeel! The album!"
"God's woman, quit screamin' at me!" He laughed, her enthusiasm infectious. "Come on, let's git organised. I know yer gonna want ta spend hours preenin' over ya hair." He was affectionate in his teasing, not that anything was going to dull Levy's smile now, her excitement practically radiating throughout the room as she scurried around, already rummaging through the wardrobe.


"Do I look okay?"
"Kitten, if ya looked any better we'd still be in bed" he murmured lowly to her, trying to keep a lid on his arousal. Gajeel knew he was in for a long night, the way her jeans were hugging her legs had his mouth dry, and the vision of her incredible rear filling the out the denim, pocket seams stretching to contain her voluptuousness, had him feeling somewhat like a Neanderthal with the desire throw her over his shoulder and take her home. Levy didn't miss the way his eyes darkened as the skimmed her body, taking advantage of his distraction to gaze openly at him - baggy jeans tucked into motorcycle boots, leather jacket, flannelette and a wife beater all topped off with his flowing mane of hair, piercings glinting under the street lights. He looked like everyone's fantasy of a 'bad boy' and suddenly she understood what he meant by not wanting to share. The thought of someone else looking at him the same way she was had Levy seeing red.
"Come on Gaj, let's get in there so we can get out again faster."
"If I didn't know better, kitten, I'd say ya weren't talkin' 'bout this party". Levy winked at him then, pulling open the door to the studio and stepping inside.

The room had been transformed, their equipment packed safely away and in its place were high tables with trays of food, ice buckets against the wall filled with drinks, and more people than Levy thought would possibly have fitted in the space. Taking a deep breath, she scanned the room, thankfully finding Wendy and Lucy nearby she wove her way towards them, at one point even ducking underneath someone's outstretched arm.
"Phew, made it! Hey!" she smiled, greeting each of her friends with a tight hug. "Who are all these people and why are they here?"
"Studio people, journalists, other artists on the label... Some random floozies" Wendy sneered at several girls lurking nearby, scattering them.
"You doing okay Levy?" Lucy asked, eyebrow raised. It was obvious to them all that she wasn't talking about the party.
"Yeah, I guess? I don't know, it's still weird" she scanned the crowd, easily spotting Gajeel above everyone else's heads. "Still a bit strained, but we'll get there." Levy smiled at her friends, although it didn't quite reach her eyes. "I'd rather be at home, honestly!"
"Me too! I don't like these parties" Wendy cried, much like the older bluenette, she preferred to stay in and enjoy the company of her boyfriend and their cat.
"I don't mind them" Lucy shrugged. "Get sent to plenty for work, so I guess I'm just used to it. Uh, Levy?"
"Hmm?"
"Go find your man, I just saw Minerva walk in and well, you don't wanna leave him alone with her around." Lucy pointed towards the door where a slender woman with black hair and stern features was standing, scanning the room. Thankfully, Levy had been keeping one eye trained on Gajeel since they arrived, doing her best to orient herself as close to him as possible, so she made her excuses and closed the distance between them in a few strides.

"Lev'? Ya okay?" he asked, surprised to see her show up next to him and them more or less attach herself to his side.
"Tell you about it later?" she smiled tenderly up at him and snuggled closer under his arm, just as the woman Lucy had pointed out showed up in front of them.
"Gajeel! So good to see you" she purred, batting her eyelids so heavily that Levy had to stifle her snort.
"Minerva." Gajeel's tone was measured, and Levy could see the tension on his face.
"Congratulations on the album, it's wonderful! Your talents know no bounds, it seems."
Levy coughed at the double entendré, putting her free hand possessively on Gajeel's stomach, smiling as she felt him relax a little under her touch. "I don't believe we've had the pleasure? I'm Levy, and you are?"
"Minerva. I'm a fellow artist with Gajeel's label" she sneered at the smaller woman, eyes giving her the once over before going back to roving Gajeel's body.
"Oh, I don't think I've heard of you before. You must be quite a talent if you've been signed without any major publicity."
Gajeel choked on his beer, trying not to openly gawk down at his girlfriend. It was no secret amongst his stable mates that Minerva had blackmailed and slept her way into a record deal, but no one had the gumption to confront her about it, all too aware of her volatile nature brought about by her substance issues.
"Yes, well, clearly they know talent when they see it" she preened, completely unaware she was being made fun of. "How do you two know each other?"
"We've known each other practically our whole lives, haven't we Gaj?" Levy smiled mischievously up at him, and Gajeel quickly understood the game she was playing.
"Yeah, Shrimp and I go way back. It's 'cause of her the Slayers even exist. She's pretty special."
Levy's cheeks flushed under the praise, as a warmth bloomed in her chest. "It's easy when you have such a wonderful partner" she emphasised, laughing to herself when the woman in front of her still didn't seem to get the hint.
"Yes, he does seem pretty wonderful. Excuse me, I should make my rounds."
"God's Lev', ya saved me there" he sagged with relief once it was just the two of them.
"Lucy said you might need some help" she giggled. "What's her deal?"
"Drugs, mostly" he shrugged, steering them towards their group huddled in the corner. "Everyone knows she slept her way into a contract, thinks she can get whatever she wants that way."
"Seems to me she's got her sights set on you next?" Gajeel just groaned in response, as they joined the rest of their bandmates.

The next few hours ticked by slowly, the group content to stick together and avoid the inane chatter, taking turns to brave the crowd for drinks. This time it was Levy's turn, and as she loaded up her arms with the icy beverages, she was stopped by a hand on her wrist, fingers gripping entirely too hard for comfort.
"You!" Minerva hissed, eyes glassy and slightly unfocused. "What are you doing here?"
"Getting drinks, what does it look like?" Levy smiled sweetly, refusing to play into her hands.
"You stay away from him! Gajeel will be mine, just you wait!"
"Gajeel is a grown man, he doesn't belong to anyone. But I will end you six different ways before I let you get your claws into the man I love. Have a nice night!" she hissed, before waving sweetly, wrenching her wrist free of Minerva's hold and making her way back to the group, shaking as the adrenaline wore off.
"Levy! Are you alright? You're shaking!" Wendy fussed, ignoring her complaints about being fussed over.
"What did she say?" Gajeel growled out through clenched teeth, having seen the whole thing play out from across the room.
"Nothing I haven't heard before" Levy shrugged, wrapping her arms around herself.
"Guys, I'm tired" Lucy whined, seeing the distress her friend was in and giving her an excuse to leave. "Do we have to stay?"
"Nah, this party blows. Let's bounce!" Natsu exclaimed, happy to finally have an excuse to leave.
"C'mon kitten, I wanna get out of here too" Gajeel wrapped an arm around her shoulders, leading her across the room to the door, calling their goodbyes as they went, until they were stopped just short of their goal.
"Leaving so soon? It's your party after all."
"Tch, not my scene. Rather be at home with my girl" he emphasised the 'my', hoping she'd get the hint. No such luck, apparently Minerva was too far gone for subtlety tonight.
"I didn't know you were seeing anyone. Is she here tonight?"
Levy and Gajeel just gaped at her, confused as to whether she was too wasted, to dumb, or too stubborn to understand. Gajeel smirked as an idea formed, bending to sweep Levy into a passionate kiss. When her arms wound around his neck, he dipped her slightly, resting their foreheads together in a rare, public moment of intimacy.
"Come on kitten, let's go" he whispered against her lips as hollers (and Natsu's enthusiastic "get a room!") broke out around them, their little display driving home the message to a now seething Minerva, who was the furthest thing from their minds as they stepped out into the brisk night air.

They made the short trek home in silence, hands loosely clasped together. As soon as Levy shut the front door behind them, Gajeel's arms were around her, holding her so closely he was almost crushing her.
"Thank you, Levy."
"You deserve to be celebrated, silly! You've worked really hard at this, I'm happy people are recognising that."
"No one was celebratin' you though, and you worked equally as hard at this. I'm sorry Blue, feels like we stole your thunder a little bit."
Levy waved off his concerns, smiling as she reached up to cup his cheek. "Silly Gajeel, I didn't do it for the recognition. I did it for you."
"God's above, I don't deserve ya kitten." He turned his face, kissing her palm as his rested against his skin, before guiding her to sit on the couch, her now bare feet in his lap, where he began to rub them in just the right way. "Wanna tell me what was goin' on earlier? Ya said we'd talk about it, and Lord knows we gotta get better at talkin' 'bout stuff."
"I know" Levy sighed, shoulders drooping as his warm fingers chased the ache of high heels out of her toes. "It's silly, but I just... After everything, I just wanted to be close to you, to feel like it was okay that I was there, being seen with you." Gajeel's voice caught in his throat, stunned. He hadn't realised she had been so affected by their fight.
"Lev'? I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I never wanted to make ya feel like that. I would parade ya up and down the country, that's how proud I am of ya, and to be with ya. I'm a selfish bastard though, and the way you look in those jeans makes me wanna keep you in my bed forever. Never mind that I think yer the smartest person I've ever met, and I don't wanna share any part of ya or yer sexy brain with anyone else, ever."
"Well, I definitely don't feel like you're ashamed of me after your little display at the end" Levy giggled, poking his with her toes. "You think she got the hint?"
"Doubt it, she was pretty high - could almost smell it on her. Probably won't even remember any of it tomorrow."
"Well, unfortunately for you, Lu was there" she pulled out her phone and showed him the image she'd been sent. "So you can pretty much guarantee that's going to end up on every media site possible."
Gajeel just shrugged, tossing her phone onto the table and sliding up next to Levy, her legs thrown over his lap as his hand rested against her hip. "Don't care. Means the world'll know yer my girl, and they oughta know I don't share."
Levy smiled brilliantly at him, eyes sparkling in the dim lighting as she leant up to kiss him deeply, her chest feeling lighter than it had in a long time.


As winter slowly gave up it's hold on the sleepy town of Magnolia, spring brought welcome days of sunshine, blossom trees beginning to bloom along the roads. In their little house, Levy and Gajeel were trying to pack their entire lives into just one suitcase each.
"I can't do it!" The bluenette wailed, throwing her hands in the air in frustration.
"Wha's th' problem now, Shrimp?" Gajeel called from the hallway, having already suffered through two meltdowns just that morning.
"I need a bigger suitcase! How am I meant to pack an entire tours worth of clothing, let alone shoes and everything else, in this one bag?"
"Jus' do what I do, wear th' same three shirts on rotation. Problem solved." he laughed, scratching behind Lily's ears as he purred on his lap in the sun.
"Gajeel Redfox, how dare you suggest such a thing!" She hissed, leaning on the door frame to stare at her boys as they relaxed on the couch, Gajeel's trusty notebook open next to him. "Working on something new?"
"Trust me Lev', they ain't gonna pay attention to yer clothes. An' yeah, been bouncin' somethin' around fer a while, tryin' ta see if it'll turn into anythin' decent."
She smiled as she moved to stand behind him, draping herself over the back of the couch so she could wrap her arms around his neck, kissing his cheek tenderly. "I'm sure it'll be amazing. Also, I hate how right you are about the clothes. Think I could just steal some of our merch to wear?"
"Fuck, I think that's 'bout th' sexiest thought I've had all day" he growled, turning his face to capture her lips in a searing kiss, calloused hand reaching up and resting against her jaw.
"Well the days not half over yet" she whispered against his lips, dragging her nails along his collarbone as she retreated into the bedroom. Gajeel didn't take much convincing, smoothly sliding Lily onto the cushions and practically leaping over the back of the couch in his haste to get to his girl. As he rounded the corner into their room, pulling his shirt over his head, he lost the capability of forming rational thought at the sight of Levy standing naked and proud at the end of their bed, the midday sun filtering through the blinds dancing off the tiny pieces of metal scattered around her body. Before he even finished the thought of 'gotta strip, gotta get to her' Gajeel was already naked and gathering her into his arms as he laid them backwards onto the bed, covers still mussed and unmade.
"'Jeel" Levy keened, nails raking down his back at the feel of his studded member sliding home within her walls.
"Fuck, ya feel so good, Lev'." His admission was punctuated by his thrusts, becoming more forceful with each word, and she moaned at the sound of her name on his lips.
"Say it again."
"Levy. Fuck, kitten, I ain't gonna last" he gasped, hand snaking between them to rub clumsily between her legs. It was all she needed though, and her breath faltered and caught in her throat when he tugged just so on the tiny metal ring at the apex of her thighs.
"Gajeel!" She cried out, voice high and breathy as her orgasm caught her by surprise, moaning at the sensation of his own release shooting inside her. As they laid together catching their breath, Levy's fingers combing through the surprisingly soft raven hair, Gajeel's brain was spinning in overdrive and he sat upright in a rush.
"Gaj?"
"Sorry kitten, I love yer, but I gotta get this down 'fore I forget" he kissed her quickly, dashing from the room so fast his hair blew behind him, and Levy was left giggling at the sight of his naked backside jiggling slightly as he ran.


"Oh, Lu! Thank you so much for watching Lily for us!" Levy cried, grabbing her friend in a tight hug.
"It's no problem Lev! Between you and me, he's far better behaved than the other creatures I'm minding" Lucy whispered conspiratorially, winking at the small bluenette, who giggled at her actions.
"I'm going to miss you!"
"I'm gonna miss you too girl! Make sure you call me and tell me everything, send me lots of pictures! Oh Lev, I'm so proud of you! Oh my stars, go already, before I start crying!" Lucy laughed, swiping at her eyes before pulling Levy in for one last hug, holding her tight before pushing her gently out the door.
"Bye Lil', be good for Aunt Lucy! I love you both!" she cried, blowing kisses as she walked away, not turning around until she heard Lucy's door click shut. Trying not to sob, she made her way back to the car where Gajeel was waiting, an understanding smile on his face as he picked up her hand and held it tightly while he drove them home.


Levy took a deep breath, trying to chase away the sadness she felt at leaving behind her home, her entire life practically, and gently shut the door, sighing as she heard the lock click into place. Hoisting her bag higher on her shoulder, she skipped down the few steps and took her suitcase from where it sat on the driveway, smiling thinly up at Gajeel.
"I know, Shrimp. It's not forever, we'll be home 'fore ya know it." He gave her shoulder a squeeze, setting off down the road to meet the rest of the band at the studio, the label having booked transport for them all from there to the airport.
"I know, I'm just going to miss it all. Our house, Lily, the café, even that stupid couch in the studio I can't look at without blushing!"
"Yer gonna be alrigh'. 'Sides, this is gonna be my favourite tour ever, I can already tell."
"How so?"
"'Cause yer gonna be with me th' whole time, obviously." He wiggled his eyebrows - or at least, the studs that made up his brow - suggestively, eyes roving up and down her body appreciatively.
"Silly Gajeel" she laughed, swatting at his chest playfully as the studio came into view, Natsu already waiting, sitting on his luggage as Wendy waved excitedly when she saw them.
"Oh my gosh guys! Day one of the tour! I feel like it's been coming for such a long time, and now it's finally here! It's just so exciting!" She squealed, holding Levy's hands and shaking them in excitement.
"Easy squirt, don't wanna burn yerself out 'fore we even start" Gajeel teased, large hand coming down on the top of her head and ruffling her hair affectionately, completely ignoring the way she stuck her tongue out at him as the bus pulled up and Cobra, their tour manager stepped out.
"Nice to see you're all on time, for once. Let's go, load it up." He pointed at the boys, smiling briefly at Wendy before he turned and fixed his single eye on Levy. "McGarden. You gonna give me any trouble?"
"Uhhhh, no? At least, I wasn't planning on it?"
"Good." He nodded, face softening considerably. "My name is Erik. If you need anything, you come to me. Unless it's illegal, in which case my name is Cobra." he winked (blinked?) and gestured for them all to get on board.


Levy felt as if they'd been travelling for days, the fluorescent lighting of airports, planes and buses wreaking havoc with her internal clock. Groaning, she dropped her bags just inside the door of their hotel room and proceeded to face plant into the mountain of pillows on the bed.
"Ya okay there Kitten?" Gajeel had to suppress his laugh at her muffled response. "Didn't catch a word o' that."
"I said, how do you do this constantly? I'm exhausted already!" she rolled onto her back, limbs spread like a starfish as she stared blankly at the ceiling. "I wonder how many people have stared at this exact spot on the roof before?"
"I think yer should have a nap, yer gone loopy" he laughed, moving to kiss her forehead. "Get some rest, I'm gonna chase down Cobra 'bout those shirts for ya." Levy was asleep before the door clicked shut behind him.

Two doors down, Gajeel none to politely banged on the door.
"Yes, Redfox?"
"Lev wants to wear the merch shirts when we perform. Can yer sort somethin' for her?"
Erik smiled, an idea forming. "What style, which colour, what size? I'm going to need more information."
"She only wears dark colours, sometimes yellow. Extra small mens, or an 8 in ladies. Singlets, low necks, big arm holes." He smirked, fully thinking he'd caught their manager off guard. Erik, for his part, was fully expecting the usually grumpy man to have all the details, and then some - Gajeel's prickly persona didn't last long when there was anything to do with his girlfriend.
"I'll have some ready for her at soundcheck tomorrow. Goodnight, Mr Redfox."
Gajeel, having suddenly found himself staring at a closed door, turned on his heel and made his way to his next victim, once again banging loudly on the door.

Natsu appeared in the open doorway in his underwear, towelling his still wet hair.
"You're not room service"
"No shit. Put some damn clothes on. Anyone'd think yer been takin' lessons from Gray."
"Rude. What do you want, rusty?"
"Did ya bring it like I asked?"
"Yeah man, 's in my bag. Rolled it up in a pair of socks. Why? You want it?"
"Nah, not yet. Plannin' somethin' for later. Just checkin' ya remembered. Meet after dinner t' go through the set list?"
"Sure!" Natsu paused, hearing knock on his door. "My food! Goodbye Gajeel, go away now" he ushered him out of his room, greedily grabbing the covered cloché of food and slamming the door in his cousins face.
Gajeel just shook his head, and after a quick stop to check in on Wendy and let her know their plan, he found his way back to his own room, deciding that curling up with his girl sounded like a pretty good way to spend a few hours.