a/n: Thank you, everyone, for all the reviews x you don't know how happy I get when I read them. Here's a virtual hug for everyone who reviewed!
"Excuse me, sir, ma'am. You're going to have to wake up now. We have arrived at our destination and the train will be leaving in five minutes!"
The train conductor was shaking Levy's shoulder while poking Gajeel's arm. He repeated himself again, albeit a lot louder.
Gajeel groaned as he swatted the conductor's hand away. His eyes blinked open and he stared bleary-eyed at the sweating man.
The conductor was a chubby middle-aged man who proudly wore his uniform despite the oil streaks and grease staining the front. His jowls hung rather low and his face was lined with wrinkles. With sunken eyes and puckered lips, he looked like a rather grumpy dwarf.
"I'm up, I'm up," Gajeel rubbed his eyes. "When does the train leave again?"
The conductor gasped, exasperated. He had been trying to wake the two up for a solid ten minutes, repeating the same thing over and over again and the one who had woken up in the middle of his sentence hadn't heard him at all.
He leaned close towards Gajeel. "In five minutes!" he leered, his hot breath prominent in Gajeel's face, before turning around and marching back to the caboose.
Gajeel tried not to flinch as he felt the hot garlicky breath wash over his face but he was gagging on the inside. The Shrimp's being really quiet, he thought as he remembered that he wasn't alone on the train. Where is she?
He turned over onto his side and realised that his head was balanced precariously on a pair of narrow knees. Gajeel's eyebrows furrowed deeply as he wondered who's knees he was lying on. He turned onto his back and immediately heat rose to his cheeks as his whole being flushed red.
While he had turned around, Gajeel's head movement had driven up a certain orange skirt, revealing a pair of delicate white lace panties belonging to a certain Solid Script Mage. He let his eyes wander up until he saw tendrils of soft cerulean hair framing her elfin face.
Gajeel tentatively lifted up one hand, his blush still obvious, and ran his thumb across Levy's cheekbone. Her skin is so smooth.
Levy's eyes snapped open when she realised that the odd feeling of something touching her face didn't belong to her dream. She looked down and made eye contact with the Dragon Slayer who's hand was cradling one side of her face. Gajeel snatched his hand back and suddenly sat upright as he realised she had woken up. Both Fairy Tail members were as red as ripe tomatoes, veering on the edge of a nosebleed.
Levy hadn't noticed that her dress was hitched up but she did notice that the man who's hair she was playing with only hours ago would only look at just above her head, avoiding her eyes and anything below entirely.
"Uh, good morning?" Levy stuttered, trying to ease the awkward tension.
"It's late afternoon, Shrimp," Gajeel huffed.
Levy mentally slapped herself. Of course, though it seemed days ago, it was really only this morning that Gajeel had walked her to the guild hall and she had gotten lost at the station.
"Oh, right..." She looked out the window and realised that they were already at their destination.
Levy jumped out of her seat and saw her dress fall back down to her knees. Her cheeks flushed a bit as she realised why Gajeel was avoiding her gaze but she was thinking about other more pressing things.
"Gajeel," Levy asked, "How long have we been here?"
"Hmm, oh the train-man came in and said they would be leavin in abou' five minutes," Gajeel frowned. "But that was a while ago..."
As in confirming Gajeel's response, the train began moving slowly out the station, steam billowing past their window, temporarily blocking their view.
"Shit! I'm not riding the train again," Gajeel exclaimed already feeling bile rising up the back of his throat.
"What should we do, Gajeel?" Levy clutched her bags against her chest.
The Slayer looked out the clearing window, noting that the train had picked up a little speed but wasn't moving as fast as before. They didn't have much time then. He turned his head to face Levy, looking into her eyes. "We jump."
Levy's eyes widened and her face paled but she clenched her jaw and nodded in agreement. "Let's go!"
Together they hauled their belongings to the escape door and Gajeel burst it open using his arm as an iron battering ram. They could see the ground running adjacent to the train in front of them.
Levy peered out the door and saw the end of the concrete floor in front of them. Beyond the pavement was a sheer drop that fell thousands of feet off the face of the cliff. They had to jump now else they miss their chance.
She reached out and grabbed Gajeel's hand. Levy knew that the Slayer was feeling nauseous and could barely stand on his two feet.
"Do you trust me?" she looked up at him. "Gajeel, do you trust me?" she asked again, receiving a groan.
"Shrimp. I'd trust you with my life. Why are you asking me this now.. gggglglll" Gajeel struggled to get the words out.
Levy took a deep breath and counted to three. Here we go, she leaped out the moving train pulling Gajeel with her.
They went flying through the air, their clothes flapping against the wind. The train's wheels were loud against their ears and they felt as if the floor couldn't meet their feet soon enough. When they did, Levy and Gajeel tumbled across the ground to the far side, crashing against a wall.
At some point during their brief flight, Gajeel had grabbed Levy around the waist and clutched her to him as they fell with him taking the brunt of it all.
"Ooof..." Gajeel closed his eyes as he panted heavily. The nauseating feeling in his stomach had subsided but adrenaline coursed through his veins. He looked over at Levy who had been thrust over his stomach, her dress slit down her thigh.
"You okay there, shorty?" He was greeted with an answering grunt as Levy slowly got off Gajeel. Her stomach felt slightly bruised but she knew that the Slayer was covered in a lot more injuries than she was.
They both sat their side by side, hands millimetres from touching. Both their eyes were closed and their heads were resting back against the wall. Levy, though, had a smile blooming on her face.
"Do you really trust me with your life, Chipmunk?"