She had only agreed with taking the painting class with Lucy because she had a class to spare and that her best friend begged her to, desperate for a companion in the new course. She had to give it to Lucy, it was certainly different from her main literature and old languages classes.

The class gives her a much-needed creative outlet for her dreams that plague her mind both day and night. Every time was a new scene, setting a context for a riddle that only results in Levy racking her brain for possible reasons. The images being too detailed and comforting to be something of simple imagination. Always the same piercings. Always the same unruly tresses. Always the same burning crimson eyes. She hated to admit it, but the nicknames that were obvious jabs at her height were too familiar, almost as if he's known her forever, which at this point seemed like a possibility. Strangely, it was those 'Shrimps' and 'Shortys' that were the most convincing.

But in the meantime, the brush strokes against the gritty canvas soothed her growing headaches from constantly wondering 'who'.

Lucy peered over Levy's shoulder one day, intrigued by her current painting. "Ah, the mystery man again I see," already knowing about her friend's persistent investigation, she added, "I don't know, Levy, I've never seen anyone that even remotely looks like them." She clasped her hands together. "Oh! Perhaps he's your long-lost soulmate! You're stuck with these dreams as he tries to reach you, hopelessly wishing for you to remember him so he can sweep you off your feet again?"

Levy turned to her, a tired look on her face. "That would be nice, wouldn't it?" Turning back to the canvas she went back to adding the highlights to their piercing eyes.

Lucy laughed and bumped their shoulders together, "Hey! It's a possibility!" Succeeding in a smile from Levy.

At that moment, their professor clapped his hands, "Good work today! You'll have another work day next week so no need to stress over your projects right now. But just a reminder that we're taking a trip to the Boscan Museum of Art next week!"

—

The bus trip was uneventful at most, Levy had already burned through the three novels she brought to hopefully last her the trip to and from the museum. And bored with scrolling through her phone, she decided to take a quick nap, already knowing what was lying for her in slumber.

That same infuriatingly beautiful face came into focus as soon as she slipped into unconsciousness. This time, he was crying, and that fact bothered her to no end. He was always so cocky and proud, so what could've possibly made him cry? The urge to comfort him and ask what was wrong was too strong, but she found that she couldn't say anything. Hands strikingly similar to hers, even mirroring the birthmark on her left wrist, came up to cup their face. And as her fingers brushed against their numerous piercings, he leaned into her hands. Their rough voice repeated, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

And she wanted to scream, 'why'. 'Who are you? Why are you crying? What happened?' But instead of panic, a calm voice that was undoubtedly hers answered. "I've forgiven you a long time ago. I fell in love with you regardless and I don't regret a single second of it. Promise me we'll find each other in the future?"

"I promise." He moved closer and dipped his forehead into hers, the action making her feel dizzy. It seemed that both of them were crying now, their tears mixing together as he leaned in to give her their last kiss. In the last moments of clarity, his eyes snapped open and pulled back. His face breaking into a watery smirk that didn't fit the mood of the moments before."See ya, Lev."

—

In a scramble of limbs, Levy woke up suddenly to Lucy's surprised expression. "Woah! Good dream you were having? I was trying to wake you up for the past like five minutes!"

Levy grabbed her shoulder, "Lucy! Lucy! He said my name! Somehow… somehow he knew!"

"Ah, not to burst your bubble, but I don't think it's that far-fetched for someone in your dreams to say your name," she motioned towards the museum, "and I think we should get in there so you can clear some thoughts."

Nodding slowly, Levy got up from her seat, quickly gathering her books back into her bag, but she just could not ignore the burning sensation on her lips.

As soon as they walked in, she knew that her thoughts were not going to be cleared. The receptionist froze for a second when he saw Levy, but before she could say anything he darted away. Slightly perplexed, she continued deeper into the building. She already lost Lucy when they passed by the astrology exhibits so she kept wandering. Gradually, she started noticing more and more people staring at her. Maybe they haven't seen blue hair before? Did she have something on her face? Was she underdressed? Overdressed?

She ducked into a random exhibit and the staring faded away only to be placed with countless paintings of her. Every canvas with a different rendition, but the subject stayed the same. A head of messy blue hair she spent infinite times running her hands through. The same warm brown eyes she stared in every night. There was that short stature that she scrutinized every day in the mirror although the artist painted it in such a way even she could admire. Almost as if the painter wanted to portray her through their eyes. A point of view of pure admiration and love.

After every painting tears slowly started to well up, threatening to spill over. She reached the end of the exhibit, an enormous painting of her stood. A white dress pooled around her as she peered off to the side as if looking around for the painter behind the easel, a cheeky smile on her face. Those familiar blue curls spilled over her collarbones in waves. Levy searched the surroundings for a possible title or message from the painting, and if she wasn't shedding tears she was definitely doing it now.

"I'll Never Finish Falling in Love with You"

She couldn't hear the heavy footsteps coming behind her from her racing mind, but the world stopped as they opened their mouth and an unmistakably familiar gravelly voice captivated all her senses. "Whaddya think of the painting?"

She turned to where he was standing next to her and was startled to barely meet the side of his chest, peering down she caught sight of chunky heel boots and tight leather pants. Her eyes traveled up the legs and as if her brain short-circuited all she could think was that he had very long legs. The rest of him was covered in a large black coat and a turtleneck that was doing nothing to hide his built pecs. But it was his face that eased all her qualms yet added thousands more. Red eyes that she spent hours mulling over gazed longingly into hers. The piercings she had memorized and imagined running her fingers over dotted the identical places as he had in her fantasies. And the hair she remembered playing with flowed freely from a messy ponytail.

He was there and he was real. She wanted to berate him for migraines he caused but at the same time wanted to kiss him senseless. Then, he smirked at her shock, an action she didn't know she missed so much.

"Gihee, found ya', Shorty."

And she practically leaped into his open arms at that, breathing a shaky, "Gajeel."

She could care less about the gawking strangers.

She had just found her dream.

Author's Note: Aghsdlkfsd sorry I haven't been updating lol. But take this as a late Christmas present, I have the most horrible brainrot of reincarnation aus so uh I saw a prompt list and went sicko mode. Hope this was a nice read!

(Also if you want uh hopefully better Gajevy content in art form please follow my socials! heartonxions everywhere!)