Hello everyone! Yes I am still alive lol I am so sorry for my absence. I am an open book and l will tell you life has been a bit crazy this past month, as I have just gone through a break up with my boyfriend of three years! So as of late I didn't want anything to do with romance so I fell a little behind on my Gajevy story, oops! Anyways after lots of tears and a few bottles of wine I am back and ready to write! I really hope to update more since I have a lot more time on my hands! I hope you guys enjoy this chapter and thank you so much for all the positive feedback!

Chapter 5

"Gajeel? Are you home?"

A familiar voice pulled gajeel from his train of thought. Lily was home.

"Yeah, just give me a minute."

Turning off the shower and stepping out, gajeel dried himself off with a rough white towel the rough fabric rubbed against the skin leaving red blotches across the surface from the irritating threads.

Gajeel's hair stuck uncomfortably to his back, face, and chest. He squeezed the water from his hair leaving it damp. Finally Gajeel went to get dressed. He put on his gray sweats deciding to go shirtless for the rest of the night and continued to walk towards the living room to talk to Lily. Lily sat at the table cutting a kiwi, Lily made eye contact with the Dragon slayer in slightly cringed at his appearance.

"You look horrible Gajeel."

"Shut up ya damn cat, I just haven't been sleeping well, that's all." Gajeel rubbed his eyes trying to relieve himself of the headache behind his eyes.

Lily chuckled before returning to cutting the fruit before him.

"Maybe if you didn't eat all that iron before bed you wouldn't be having a problem?"

Rolling his eyes, Gajeel crossed his arms in front of his chest his chest.

"You're an idiot, it's not cuz of that."

"Oh I know it's not that, I'm just trying to lighten the mood."

Gajeel sat at the table as well placing his chin in his hands

"Does this have something to do with Miss Levy?"

There was silence between the two friends as Lily ate his fruit.

"I hear you saying her name at night. Did something happen between you two?"

Gajeel took a deep breath before responding.

"Maybe. I don't know, dammit just leave me alone would ya!" Gajeel turned his face away from the exceed, the damn cat didn't understand he obviously didn't want to talk about his problems and Lily should just let it be.

"Have you tried talking to her?"

"Of course I've talked to her, I just don't know what to say or how to control my words sometimes."

"Tell him about what you feel maybe he can help!"

Gajeel grunted at the return of one of the voices in his head.

"Listen mating season is coming up and I'm just a little high-strung."

Lily chuckled at Gajeels words leaving the dragon slayer confused.

"Hmmmm, well if that's the case then why not have a one night stand?"

Gajeel laughed at the thought. It did seem so simple, but why wasn't he interested. He was attractive and young, what could go wrong if he wanted to have a night with a stranger.

"It's just not that easy ya damn cat."

"Ah, but why not?" Lily knew just how to get the iron dragon to speak his mind. So there Lily sat hooping that the man would talk about his relationship with the delicate flower that was Levy Mcgarden.

Gajeel growled at the exceed, the cat always knew how to get him to talk.

"I don't want some random ass chick, I... Want the shrimp."

Lily crossed his arms and smiled before nodding his head.

"Now that's what I thought, not so hard to say right?"

Lily continued talking to the gym a Sly smirk on his face. "As much as you don't like to admit it gajeel I know you. maybe if you talk to her you could sort things out? did you get into a fight?"

"Well yeah... But we might have... Maybe... Kissed."

Lily's Eyes widened in shock his eyebrows furrowing at the thought.

"Maybe? Did you or did you not kiss her?"

"Can you get off of my back already? Why are you asking me all these fucking questions? We did KISS okay and I know she likes me I just don't want to hurt her!"

"You are an idiot Gajeel"

"What did you just say?"

"You heard me Gajeel, you are an idiot! "

Gajeel clenched his fists tightly in Anger, the whole situation was infuriating.

"Put that motherfucker through the fucking wall!"

Gajeels inner voice spoke to him loudly, Echoing off the walls of his skull louder than it had ever been before. Gajeel turned hard trying to walk away from the exceed.

"Gajeel….You're making a mistake ignoring the girl. Maybe if you just gave it a chance-"

"How do you know that? I know what I'm doing." Gajeel felt his heart beating hard and fast his body shaking with fury.

"You're testing my patience Lily."

Lily became fearful of the Iron Dragon as his voice got lower the normal. Gajeel never got this angry with him and it was frightening. In defiance Lily stood quickly the chair scratching against the floor and falling over as he turned to his battle form.

"Gajeel there's no reason to get mad! I'm just trying to talk to you and you are acting like a damn monster!"

" I AM A MONSTER!"

Pulling his sword from his sheath Lily stood his ground

" NO YOU AREN'T!"

Gajeel stepped back his body covered in iron scales he hadn't noticed the pain in his palms at his claws cut into the skin.

"You are a good man Gajeel, and I know Levy agrees with me."

Lily walked up to the man placing a hand on his shoulder gently trying to calm the man down.

"You are my friend and I know you. You've been forgiven for your wrongdoings against her. You just need to get ahold of whatever the hell is going on with you. I don't want you to walk away from the best thing that could ever happen to you in your life."

A knock at the door pulled the two men out of their serious confrontation. Gajeels iron returning into his body quickly. He could smell it, vanilla, honey, parchment and ink. Levy?

"Perfect fucking timing." The dragon shrugged the exceeds hand from his shoulder before turning to walk into his room. Lily side as another knock was placed on the door.

"Gajeel? please I know you're in there."

Lily looked back to the closed door of his friends room. Before walking to answer the front door however the sound of another door opening stopped him.

"Lily... Don't." There stood Gajeel his door open and him slowly stepping towards the exceed.

"I got it. Can you give us a minute?"

Lily chuckled before becoming small once again walking to the back door of the home and exiting. Gajeel pulled the door open slowly seeing the shivering woman. Her hand raised probably due to her preparing to knock a third time. Her blue hair was damp and she wore what looked like her pajamas, some long silky pants and a tank top. Levys cheeks were tear-stained and her eyes were puffy.

"Gajeel….. what took you so long to answer?" The girl whispered.

"I was sleepin."

"Oh. Well may I come in?"

Gajeel nodded to Levy who was surprised as he moved aside to let her in. He shut the door behind them as she moved to sit on the couch. The silence between the two was torture, levy fiddled with her thumbs and Gajeel crossed his arms. Levy took a deep breath before looking into his red eyes. Trying desperately not to notice his bare chest.

"Why did you run away from me Gajeel?" Levy's voice quivered slightly.

Gajeel felt the shame now, he looked to his hands the hands that had once broke her.

"I had to."

Levy shook her head quickly,

"No you didn't have to, please come sit with me."

Gajeel reluctantly sat next to her as she reached for his hand. God her hands were so soft, so gentle, he could see in her brown eyes, he could see the worry she had for him but also the love.

"Gajeel I really like you. I want to help you, I want you to be happy, but I can't sit there and watch you suffer. You do not deserve to suffer."

Lowering his head Gajeel responded, "but I do deserve this, all the shit that happens to me, I deserve it."

"No, you do not deserve it! Don't say that about yourself Gajeel."

"Levy I can't control myself around you okay. The only way I can control myself is if yer as far away from me as possible! Yer smart shorty, you should know better."

He pulled his hand away from her before standing and pacing the room. Levy couldn't stop herself from staring at him with hurt. Levy clamped her eyes shut tight before shooting up from her seat on the couch, clenching her fists to her sides.

"I saw you that day you know!"

Gajeel stopped where he stood. he saw her? Don't tell me she's talking about the time when-.

"That day? Do you not remember? It was that day we were on a mission and I was in the lake. I saw you watching me."

"Levy…. I'm sorry... It was an accident and-"

To his surprise Levy began to laugh hysterically as Gajeel tried to explain himself. She was fucking laughing!? Why? He was disgusting, he watched her naked for God's sake!

"Well have you ever thought that maybe I wanted you to see me?"

Gajeel felt the heat rise to his face, Panic feeling his chest as Levy began to walk towards him.

What the hell was she doing!? Did she know what she was doing? Was he dreaming! Levy ran her hands up his chest feeling his skin that was boiling hot against the cold tips of her fingers. she traced the scars running her hands along his abs to his rib cage and over his broad chest. he grabbed her wrist.

"Levy….you don't know what yer doing."

"You silly dragon, you could never hurt me, what is it going to take for me to show you that I'm not made of glass? I'm not a Damsel in Distress, I'm not some little girl. I am a smart woman and I want to be by your side even when things are hard. I want to help you gajeel. You said you would make me big remember, i'm not afraid. I want to be with you in more ways than one."

"What about my magic, what if I can't control the monster.." Gajeel whispered.

"You're no monster Gajeel, just let me take care of you," Levy said as she moved her hands to cup his face. Gajeel was in complete shock, this woman was crazy, insane even. She actually wanted to help him and he couldn't understand why. Gajeel reached up to place his iron scale covered hand on hers that was resting on his cheek.

Levy smiled brightly at him, the most amazing gentle smile he had ever seen. God what did he do to deserve this woman's love.

"Gajeel, I love you."

Levy slowly moved her face towards his as she pulled his own pierced face down towards hers. Their lips coming together with zero hesitation. Her lips, they were plump and soft against his own chapped ones. He could feel his quickened heartbeat begin to slow as he became more comfortable with the woman kissing him. She moved her lips with his slowly, it was gentle yet passionate in every way. He kissed her back just how she wanted to be kissed, just how she had dreamed he'd kiss her. Soft, moist, hot and breathy not rough but just enough pressure to make her feel butterflies in her heart as well as in her lower stomach. Levy tilted her head for better access to his mouth before slipping her tongue inside.

Her tongue surprised him yet he didn't mind the sensational feeling. He could taste the mint tea on her breath and the sweetness of her lips which only made him crave her more than ever. Though his eyes were closed he could feel his scales turning back to tanned flesh. His claws returning to normal hands. Gajeel took this moment to place his hands on the small of her back pulling her closer to his muscled body. She pulled away a small string of saliva following her retreating face. The two breathed heavily, breathless laughter escaped the couple's mouths, both were giddy and shocked by The Exchange.

"Levy, I love you too." Gajeel said in a breathless voice.

"Oh gajeel I want you, please tell me you do too!" Levy pushed herself as close as she could to the man of her dreams. Gajeel chuckled lowering his hand just below the small of her back and on her perfect ass.

"Why don't I show you."