III: sitting, waiting, wishing

Characters: Lucy, Natsu, Levy, Gajeel

AN: This one has been swimming in my brain for quite a few days now, so I decided to throw it out there and see how many people it would reel in ;) No super - long notes this time, so...commence le reading of le new chappie. (In case you haven't noticed, this is my new catchphrase.)

LEVY COULDN'T help it. She hated watching Lucy flirt with Natsu endlessly, the two of them cuddling and giggling and sharing their silly secrets with each other. She would never admit it, but she felt like a third wheel.

"Levy!" Lucy beckoned her best friend over with the wave of a hand. "Natsu and I are going out to the movies tonight." Levy raised both eyebrows. "Uh, okay? Why is that important again…?" Lucy beamed at her. "You're invited, too, Lev!" Levy frowned. "Um, but - why?" Natsu slid what he thought was a sneaky look towards Lucy.

(It wasn't.)

"Well," she began slowly. "Natsu has this friend, and - "

Levy started, eyes ablaze. "Absolutely not. There's no way I'm doing a double date with someone I don't know." Lucy guided her a few feet away to talk, leaving Natsu to his own devices. (Which is - and never has been - a good idea.) "Look. This guys is really pretty quiet, okay? All I'm asking of you is to meet him. It doesn't even have to be a date, Levy. I just worry about you, that you feel like the third wheel."

"What? Never."

"I know, but…" Lucy's eyes grew round and big, swelling with friendly concern. Levy couldn't tear her eyes away. "Okay, okay! Fine. But I won't like it."

Lucy shrugs, a twinkle in her gaze. "We'll see."

"She said to be here at six! Where is she?" Levy muttered, breath coming out in puffs. Her hands gripped her cell phone in impatience, trying not to snap it in half.

Suddenly, it buzzed. You have one new message, it read. She slid it open (she couldn't afford the fancy iPhones that all her other classmates had) and read the text. It was from Lucy.

Hey - something came up. We can't make it. Sry g2g.

Levy snapped it shut, eyes blazing with frustration. That is so like her! Well, if she thinks I'm still spending an entire movie with a stranger, she's in over her head.

Her dark eyes roamed all over the theater lobby, searching to see if there was anyone that she knew or would recognize.

Nobody.

Sighing, she stuffed the phone back into her pocket and turned to leave when a voice stopped her.

"Hey! You, short one!"

She froze. Then she pivoted veeery slowly to see who was calling her. It was well - known to everyone that Levy hated nicknames based on physical attributes, so you can probably guess that she wasn't too happy to hear somebody call her this.

She found herself facing none other than Gajeel Redfox, who was known for being socially awkward. He was rather quiet, and as for his friendships, the only person she'd seen him around was...Natsu, actually.

...

Oh.. Everything quickly tumbled into place. Lucy wanted her to go out with him? That was worse than not knowing someone - she forgot that this guy even existed most days.

"Can I help you?" she asked, trying to keep her irritation in check.

"Um...sorry to, uh, call you so informally like that, but I couldn't, uh, remember yer name," he said hastily, as if attempting to avoid the confrontation about the moniker she hated.

Her eyes softened. "My name is Levy. Perhaps you've seen me around with Lucy Heartfilia? She's my best friend," she said. "Although, I'm her better half. Well - mannered and mild." He smirked. "Heard ya got a wicked temper, though."

She blushed. "I suppose."

He hesitated. "So, uh, Natsu said that he had a friend he wanted me to meet. I guess it was you…?" She winced. "Yeah, that would be me. Usually, I'm hugely against people setting me up on dates, but if it makes Lucy feel better, then whatever."

He shoved his fists into his jacket pockets. "Well, Natsu just texted me an' said he wasn't gonna be here. Typical," he grunted.

Levy heaved another heavy sigh. "Yeah, I know the feeling."

They laughed together for a moment, and then -

"You wanna grab a bite to eat? I don't feel like catching a movie." he asked suddenly.

She smiled. "Yeah, I wouldn't mind that. I'm not really into chick flicks."

"Really? I totally pegged you as a 'chick flick' kinda girl."

"Absolutely not! You know, Luce won't even spend the night anymore 'cause she knows we'll just watch horror movies..."

And so they hurried down the steps of the movie theater, both of them eager to get to know the other.

From behind a potted plant, Lucy and Natsu high - fived each other.

Mischief managed.

AN: Like my Harry Potter reference there? ;)

Reviews, onegai?